Your Sister's Sister

Your Sister's Sister (2011)

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R - 90 min - Comedy, Drama - 29 June 2012
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.7/10

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Director : Lynn Shelton
Writers : Lynn Shelton
Stars : Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mike Birbiglia

Mourning the death of his brother, Jack's friend Iris invites him to her father's cottage for some alone time to recuperate. Unbeknownst to either of them, Iris's sister Hannah is also staying at their father's cottage recovering from her recent break-up. One entire bottle of tequila later, Jack and Hannah wake up to find Iris at the door. They each have secrets that they're tying to keep and they each have feelings that they're trying to sort out.

A real treat for cinema-goers.

This movie is a real treat to watch, i saw it on a rainy afternoon, alone, at my local cinema, it was pretty quiet, but I must say I think it added to my enjoyment, watching it alone almost made me feel as though I was a fly on the wall in this little cottage with three others and all the goings on. The story is rather sweet, not much really big happens, it's a bit of a slow burner but sometimes that's what you need, but in saying that it is actually a rather complicated story, it's just written and directed quite simply so it's easy and a pleasure to watch. Mark Duplass is not an actor I have seen before, but he has a nice presence on screen, Emily Blunt is her usual exceptional self, but it's Rosemarie Dewitt who steals the show I think, she has plenty of great scenes and she handles her difficult and really not that likable character very well, most of the things I've seen her in she has been good, she seems like a very natural actress, I do hope that she gets a little more recognition and she is cast in more well known films.

I was surprised to find out that a lot of the film was improvised, the story seemed like it would have been one where things were planned out, but then at the same time I guess it is a film which would quite easily be improvised, and knowing that makes the actors performances even better, it's a crime films like this go somewhat unnoticed, because in my opinion I think Dewitt delivers an award worthy performance, but sometimes it's a movie being small and unknown which makes it special.

It's funny, it's touching, it's dramatic, it's everything an indie film lover would enjoy in a movie, I really do highly recommend you catch this movie while you can, it's a real charmer.

I hope you guys enjoy it. :)

Watch Your Sister's Sister Trailer :

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Touchy Feely

Touchy Feely (2013)

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R - 89 min - Drama - 19 January 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 4.8/10

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Director : Lynn Shelton
Writers : Lynn Shelton
Stars : Rosemarie DeWitt, Ellen Page, Josh Pais, Scoot McNairy

A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother's floundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his healing touch.

"They'll make more"

Lynn Shelton's sophomore film Your Sister's Sister was a terrific little independent gem, showcasing relationships involving siblings and the complexities that surround quiet but notable flings we may neglect to mention to our friends. With a talented cast of three (Rosemarie DeWitt, Emily Blunt, and the wonderful Mark Duplass) it was a favorable experience to say the least. Shelton returns a year later with Touchy Feely which, to say the least, is a disappointing effort after batting a triple in 2012.

Your Sister's Sister worked because it was predicated off of human interest and realism in its events and dialog. Shelton asserted herself in human dialog, and immersed herself in the breathtaking beauty of Seattle's woodsy environment, making the film easy-on-the-eyes and very effective. Here, she makes Touchy Feely exist in what appears to be a fantasy realm, where real-life situations occupy a plot-point of science-fiction that's not only a bit offputting but difficult to adjust to. When the film introduces these plot-points, it only becomes that much harder to stay in-tuned with it, which is an issue seeing as that's the film's central plot.

Rosemarie DeWitt is Abby, a skilled masseuse who, all of a sudden, becomes frightened by the touch/texture of human flesh. This is a major issue because it renders her job impossible. Her brother Paul (Josh Pais) works as a dentist, with his directionless daughter Jenny (Ellen Page). When Jenny impulsively states that Paul has a "healing touch" when it comes to his dental work, the fib becomes true as Paul's work begins to heal many of his customers and their dental issues.

So, while Abby's job begins to crumble before her eyes due to her newfound aversion to human skin, Paul's dentistry practices begin to flourish and the possibilities become endless on his part. We, as the audience, are simply asked to observe this happening and this is precisely the issue; the film is void of connection and moments where true sympathy could've been evoked. We learn nothing about these characters except some of their situations are sad, some make us envious, but in the end, all of them are pretty trite and forgettable.

Touchy Feely's issue comes from two things; one, it feels more gridlocked to a story, where Your Sister's Sister was breezy and flowed in the wind, thanks to improvisational dialog. The other is that it tries to humanize something inhuman, which are relationships. It tries to make them the point of focus in the film and forgets we need to see the characters involved in the relationship to make them work.

At the end of the film - which runs a rather short eighty-three minutes

• I thought about Lynn Shelton and how Your Sister's Sister struck me

with so much surprise and how little excitement this effort packed. I simply console and toy with the idea that she is young, smart, and clearly passionate about not only her home-state of Seattle but film as an artistic medium. I say what I do after watching a mediocre Woody Allen movie; "they'll make more."

Starring: Rosemarie DeWitt, John Pais, Ellen Page, Scoot McNairy, Allison Janney, and Ron Livingston. Directed by: Lynn Shelton.

Watch Touchy Feely Trailer :

OR

Your Sister's Sister

Your Sister's Sister (2011)

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R - 90 min - Comedy, Drama - 29 June 2012
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.7/10

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Director : Lynn Shelton
Writers : Lynn Shelton
Stars : Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mike Birbiglia

Mourning the death of his brother, Jack's friend Iris invites him to her father's cottage for some alone time to recuperate. Unbeknownst to either of them, Iris's sister Hannah is also staying at their father's cottage recovering from her recent break-up. One entire bottle of tequila later, Jack and Hannah wake up to find Iris at the door. They each have secrets that they're tying to keep and they each have feelings that they're trying to sort out.

Navigating three relationships with dialogue and a twist that ends a beat too early

"Your Sister's Sister" is an indie romantic dramedy. One that tries to say so much with so little; "little" in terms of story and setting. It's a dialogue driven film about relationships. Jack (Mark Duplass) is depressed, mourning the loss of his brother. His friend Iris (Emily Blunt) sends him up to her father's cottage for some alone time and beautiful scenery.

Beautiful scenery there was plenty of; but not so much alone time. Unbeknownst to either of them, Iris's sister, Hannah (Rosemary Dewitt), was also retreating to their father's cottage for some alone time in the wake of an upsetting break-up. Two lonely people and an entire bottle of tequila lead to one inevitable place. In the morning, Iris arrives.

Duplass is fairly adept at comedy so he was able to navigate his way around two attractive sisters with a few well-earned laughs. There are more laughs during the description of Iris's boyfriends (each wears skinny jeans, skinnier than the next). As mentioned, this is a dialogue driven film which makes it or breaks it. For the most part it does the job and effectively introduces us to the three characters, but the common complaint that the dialogue is pretentious is certainly accurate.

The characters are real enough, if not a bit extreme in their ways, that likability isn't a huge factor. Although, Emily Blunt's character does get preachy when things don't go her way. She, and the audience, are thrown for a loop when a twist is introduced half-way through the film. At first I was relieved that the film was going to be about something other than just the relationships of these three people.

But ultimately "Your Sister's Sister" is just about the sister's relationship and their relationship with Jack. An ambiguous ending can certainly be welcome and interesting, but if you don't quite care enough about the relationships to begin with then the ending arrives just a beat too early.

Watch Your Sister's Sister Trailer :

OR

Touchy Feely

Touchy Feely (2013)

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R - 89 min - Drama - 19 January 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 4.8/10

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Director : Lynn Shelton
Writers : Lynn Shelton
Stars : Rosemarie DeWitt, Ellen Page, Josh Pais, Scoot McNairy

A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother's floundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his healing touch.

"They'll make more"

Lynn Shelton's sophomore film Your Sister's Sister was a terrific little independent gem, showcasing relationships involving siblings and the complexities that surround quiet but notable flings we may neglect to mention to our friends. With a talented cast of three (Rosemarie DeWitt, Emily Blunt, and the wonderful Mark Duplass) it was a favorable experience to say the least. Shelton returns a year later with Touchy Feely which, to say the least, is a disappointing effort after batting a triple in 2012.

Your Sister's Sister worked because it was predicated off of human interest and realism in its events and dialog. Shelton asserted herself in human dialog, and immersed herself in the breathtaking beauty of Seattle's woodsy environment, making the film easy-on-the-eyes and very effective. Here, she makes Touchy Feely exist in what appears to be a fantasy realm, where real-life situations occupy a plot-point of science-fiction that's not only a bit offputting but difficult to adjust to. When the film introduces these plot-points, it only becomes that much harder to stay in-tuned with it, which is an issue seeing as that's the film's central plot.

Rosemarie DeWitt is Abby, a skilled masseuse who, all of a sudden, becomes frightened by the touch/texture of human flesh. This is a major issue because it renders her job impossible. Her brother Paul (Josh Pais) works as a dentist, with his directionless daughter Jenny (Ellen Page). When Jenny impulsively states that Paul has a "healing touch" when it comes to his dental work, the fib becomes true as Paul's work begins to heal many of his customers and their dental issues.

So, while Abby's job begins to crumble before her eyes due to her newfound aversion to human skin, Paul's dentistry practices begin to flourish and the possibilities become endless on his part. We, as the audience, are simply asked to observe this happening and this is precisely the issue; the film is void of connection and moments where true sympathy could've been evoked. We learn nothing about these characters except some of their situations are sad, some make us envious, but in the end, all of them are pretty trite and forgettable.

Touchy Feely's issue comes from two things; one, it feels more gridlocked to a story, where Your Sister's Sister was breezy and flowed in the wind, thanks to improvisational dialog. The other is that it tries to humanize something inhuman, which are relationships. It tries to make them the point of focus in the film and forgets we need to see the characters involved in the relationship to make them work.

At the end of the film - which runs a rather short eighty-three minutes

• I thought about Lynn Shelton and how Your Sister's Sister struck me

with so much surprise and how little excitement this effort packed. I simply console and toy with the idea that she is young, smart, and clearly passionate about not only her home-state of Seattle but film as an artistic medium. I say what I do after watching a mediocre Woody Allen movie; "they'll make more."

Starring: Rosemarie DeWitt, John Pais, Ellen Page, Scoot McNairy, Allison Janney, and Ron Livingston. Directed by: Lynn Shelton.

Watch Touchy Feely Trailer :

OR