癲狂院 Vixen Owl Cigar..。o○

The Death of the Party...


Be a fly on the wall at "The Anniversary Party"
The Anniversary Party is by any definition, a tremendous accomplishment.
The sheer triumph of making a film with numerous "name " Hollywood actors for less than $4 million is jaw-dropping in today's environment.
The fact that this film was filmed solely on digital video, and that this is relatively transparent to the viewer, is another technical accomplishment that bodes well for future independent filmmakers.
But perhaps the highest achievement of The Anniversary Party is that it is not only thus far the best film of the year (not tough with the competition ), but one of the best films I've seen in a few years.

Don't get me wrong -- there are people out there, perhaps many of them, who will not like this film.
There is a copious amount of drug use in the film, and it's not laced with the usual political correctness and Nancy Reagan-esque messaging that most films seem compelled to intertwine with any such scenes.
As a testament to the film's independent spirit, the ending is not tied up in big studio bows, and this also will irk some viewers. (Sorry - I've been trying to figure out a way to use the word "irk" for awhile now, and it just seemed like a good opportunity. )

But, I've gotten ahead of myself.
A little background is in order here.

Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cummings wrote, starred in and directed this film, which is plausibly about several Hollywood actors, directors and hangers-on, during one day of their lives.
That day is the sixth anniversary between actress Sally Nash (Leigh) and writer cum director Joe Therrian (Alan Cummings) -- the couple has recently gotten back together after a very public separation. Joe ended up in London where he admittedly had some affairs -- potentially with both men and women -- but he states emphatically in one of the opening scenes that he is back for good.

The veracity behind his statement is left in doubt for the viewer, as well as for Sally.
In fact, when she finds out that in addition to their closest friends, Joe has also invited Skye Richardson (Gwyneth Paltrow) to their anniversary party, she is outraged.
Not only does it feel suspicious, but Sally is jealous of Skye -- not only is she a hot young actress, in contrast to Sally's fading fame, but Joe has cast Skye in his film -- an adaptation of a novel he wrote based on Sally.

Other guests include Sophia Gold (Phoebe Cates) and her husband Jack (Kevin Kline).
Jack is a Hollywood legend, just coming off an Oscar, while Sophia was a famous actress who retired from film to raise their children.
(This, by the way, is exactly what Cates did in real life, after marrying Kline in real life -- but it does not appear that either of them is merely playing themselves. More on this later. )
Jack and Sally are starring together in a film, directed by Mac Forsyth (John C. Reilly), whose wife Clair (Jane Adams) is also a famous actress, just learning to deal with her child who she is incredibly protective of.
Judy Adams (Parker Posey) is there with her husband Jerry (John Hickey) who is Sally and Joe's tax attorney.

【Gwyneth Paltrow】Anniversary Party【Parker Posey】
X-Rated Anniversary Party
Jennifer Jason Leigh is ALWAYS good on screen but, her first time behind the camera as director with co-star Alan Cummings they triumph
I feel the 'co directing ' brings a balance of yin/yang that keeps this character driven film together and on course.
What I found was paramount was we had to like and believe the characters and we did.
All of them.
Hollywood actress Sally Nash and her hubby writer/director are reconciling their yearlong separation on their sixth Anniversary.
They celebrate with their closest friends and 'dolphins '.
There was an 'awe ' many fellow viewers in the audience had when the 'dolphins ' were presented.
This is when the film got even more truthful and honest.
This drama with comedic overtones and a stellar cast were a joy to watch for two hours.
Moreover, when it was all said and done, I was happy to have been an observer of these people experiencing all they had to experience that night.
I felt privileged to be a 'fly on the wall ' of their party.
Now, I miss them.
If I were the king of the world, I would consider this a contender for some awards.

I won't reveal anything more, but I must say this : all of the actors' portrayals of being high on Ecstasy hit the mark to a "T".
I don't know if they actually tried it together or not, but Im betting they did.
I was constantly seeing little nuances here and there that just blew me away.
Not that "I've ever done it myself or anything ".

"The Anniversary Party " outdoes itself again with the ending.
Much like life, many of the problems that arise during the film (and life ) just don?t have easy answers, so Cumming & Leigh don't create them.
I highly commend them for that, as the easy way out certainly was an option.
A special note needs to be said about the caliber of acting that we see in this film.
Everyone is in top form in this movie, down to Cates who I haven't seen in quite a while.

The overwhelming feeling I got was that everyone involved with this film really wanted to be involved with it, which translated extremely well into the final product.
Every nuance, joke, and dilemma felt genuine and interesting, and had me gripped for the entire duration.
In short, The Anniversary Party is a worthwhile moviegoing experience, and a promising start to potential careers for Leigh and Cumming behind the cameras.
I highly recommend this film, I think you'll be really impressed.