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Synecdoche, New York: Frustrating, Unsettling, and Worth It

BuzzSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:15:16 PST

Synecdoche, New York, is a haunting film. In the weeks since I saw it, I'm not sure a day has gone by that I haven't thought about it. It's also a humongous, confusing mess. But I'm willing to forgive Charlie Kaufman that; the high points are too high not to.

As the writer of such films as Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kaufman has become known for his surreal - and, yet, ultimately, very real - explorations of humanity. Synecdoche, New York, his directorial debut, is maybe his most precise work on that theme, tracing his main character through years of middle age, declining health, and the potent desire to do something while there's still time. Kaufman may be suffering from a bit of that desire himself, as he tosses all kinds of twists into his story, some of which lead it astray. But that doesn't keep it from being a moving mood piece of a film.

Synecdoche, New York actually has a mostly logical main story: Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Caden Cotard, a local theater director producing a lowish-rent production of Death of a Salesman and struggling to maintain his marriage with his more-famous wife, Adele (Catherine Keener). When she takes off for Germany with their daughter and Caden receives a MacArthur grant, he decides to stage a giant-scale theater piece about life (yes, just that: life), setting it inside a towering replica of New York. Everything else spins off from there, so just

Beyond that general outline, trying to make sense of Synecdoche, New York is largely a losing battle. It's best to just take the developments as they come - oh, of course Caden is seeing himself as a TV cartoon; naturally, that's his daughter all grown up and covered in tattoos. The plot is not necessarily the point; it's more about what the plot evokes. And what it evokes (other than some powerful, sweeping images) is a deeply unsettling feeling about what it means to grow up and grow old. Illness is a major presence, as Caden stumbles into affliction after affliction - some from unfortunate coincidence, some from unknown cause. Time is practically a character of its own, with Kaufman occasionally fixing the story at a given point and then drifting from it, letting his audience wonder if it's been weeks, months, or (in one case) 17 years since a particular event.

Not everything works: The subplots involving Caden's family life and sexuality feel particularly flimsy and occasionally even uncomfortable. But in the world of Caden's theater piece, things start to click. Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton, and Emily Watson deserve a chunk of the credit for that, as they deftly play the three women drifting in and out of Caden's life. Each of their performances is subtle and yet memorable, a particularly notable feat considering that before the film is over, they've each played a version of the same character. And to say too much about Tom Noonan's role would spoil it, but suffice to say it speaks directly to the movie's central theme of identity.

Watching Synecdoche, New York can be a frustrating experience. There's so much that doesn't make sense, that doesn't fit that just doesn't seem possible. And yet at the end, as I watched the credits roll over a gorgeous, haunting tune (Jon Brion's "Little Person"), I felt like I'd just had a cathartic cry or some really intense therapy. Synecdoche, New York has its stumbles, faults, and flaws, but in the end, the experience is worth the trouble.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Link Time! 10/23

BuzzSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:30:44 PDT

Apparently, Dr Pepper intends to make good on the promise to hand out free cans of soda when the Guns 'n' Roses album Chinese Democracy is released in November. - Popwatch
The best and worst of TV voiceovers. - Clique Clack TV
Charlie Kaufman talks about Synecdoche, New York. - Vulture
Check out the new Decemberists' song, "O, New England." - Stereogum
Will Clint Eastwood rule the Oscars once again? - Cinematical
A second, more positive look at Sons of Anarchy. - TV Squad
Want to look truly outrageous this Halloween? Get Jem's beauty look and watch out for Misfits. - BellaSugar
Celebrating Jason Dohring's return to TV. - Give Me My Remote

Source and source

Michelle Williams Brings Spike to Synecdoche, New York

Molly — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:30:00 PDT

Michelle Williams smiled big at a screening of her new movie Synecdoche, New York in, where else, NYC last night. The screenwriter, director, producer for the film Charlie Kaufman posed next to his stars Michelle and Catherine Keener. Afterward, the group was off to the after party where Michelle and Spike Jonze held hands and cuddled close while chatting with friends, even sneaking a few kisses on their way out. Kaufman's directional debut looks like a visually stunning and thought provoking masterpiece - just the kind of film where Michelle Williams will shine. With another heart wrenching movie coming soon, it looks like we have some amazing performances on the way from Michelle, which will be something to savor if she really takes a deserved break from work.

To see more from the premiere including Spike, Michelle, Charlie and Catherine just

View 10 Photos ›

Images include: Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Charlie Kaufman, Spike Jonze

Source and Source

Cannes Clips: Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:37:59 PDT

Did you like Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? How you answer this question will probably indicate whether or not you'll be interested in Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut, Synecdoche, New York. The movie is premiering at Cannes and stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams and Jennifer Jason Leigh, among a ton of others.

IMDB describes the movie's plot like this: "A theater director (Hoffman) struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play." If it's similar to the movies Kaufman has written in the past, Synecdoche, New York will be darkly bizarre and incredibly self-aware (and self-referential). The clips from the movie already indicate this for the most part, and will probably make more sense within the full context of the movie. To check out the clips from Synecdoche, New York,

Clip No. 1

Clip No. 2

Clip No. 3

Source

Link Time! 1/11

BuzzSugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:07:34 PST

TV Squad fills us in on the "Brady Bunch" complete series DVD - and its suspicious packaging.
Freedom Writers may be a good movie, but Defamer says the promotional bags belong in the annals of the bad swag.
Stereogum shows us the trailer for Drew Barrymore's new flick, Music and Lyrics.
Popwatch examines the possible heirs to "Sex and the City".
Slashfilm tells us about Adaptation screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut.
If you need some help with wedding planning, TV with MeeVee has the scoop on a Style Network show that might be looking for you.
Give Me My Remote shares the future of Matthew Fox's character on "Lost" and some other spoilers.
Cinematical rounds up the latest rumors about the next Batman movie.
BuddyTV has an impressive clip countdown of Jack Bauer's top 10 kills on "24."
TVgasm completely slays me with its recap of a Lifetime Original Picture.
You Ain't No Picasso posts a cool track from Harlem Shakes, who, despite their name, sound very Brooklyn.
The Movie Blog has the trailer for the new cop movie from the geniuses who brought us Shaun of the Dead.
Idolator makes me nostalgic for college by posting an oldie-but-goodie of a Helium song.