MDMA Films: Mumblecore Preview

                The darling duo of literary lovers Tao Lin and Megan Boyle have returned for the epic “Mumblecore” movie. Due to open in theaters on June 20^th, it is a bit different than their previous outings, meaning less drugs and no Bebe Zeva (sorry). In the preview we see what they did on a normal day. You get a ‘sneak peak’ into their relationship dynamic, something a small but vocal part of the internet wonders loudly about. And no, it isn’t a chill-ass publicity stunt, they are for real. Their love is real. 

                Neither Megan nor Tao are known for their enunciating skills. Personally, I can relate to this dilemma being a low-energy sloth. Since not everyone can understand the joy of mumbled delivery, they included subtitles. This is important. With the subtitles, you’re able to understand the true wit of these two. The mumbling gives the movie its title anyway. 

                Watching the teasingly brief trailer, we’re shown what they do. They read a book together, “Infinite Jest”. Going through Walmart at 2AM, they discover who won the National Book Award. Seeing what they see through their own eyes is great. As they carry their laptop around, you feel like a small child being introduced to a world of wonder. You learn what a “Chocolate Melter” is. Once you understand what the Chocolate Melter can do you realize America is the greatest country that God ever gave humanity. Sean Hannity was right. 

                MDMA Films has a purpose. It focuses on the minute details we overlook. Some people call it ‘boring’ or ‘gimmicky’. I disagree vehemently. Their work strips away all the nonsense we pour on top of stories, on top of Television shows and movies. Little silly details, pointless drama is cut out of the scenario. You’re given a pure, uncut depiction of the events. In a way their movies are extensions of the intensely-focused writing the two of them create.

                I enjoyed the sparseness of the trailer. At moments the trailer felt like a Valentine they made together. The one-minute mark confirms this for me. Seeing the two of them bathed in a red glow feels like their emotions have gained color. I know Tao is known for his famous ‘neutral expressions’ but here he is experiencing emotion. When he was asked on his Facebook profile if he felt emotions, he said he did. “Mumblecore” confirms that fact. Drenched in giddy silliness, you see how two starving artists are able to sustain themselves on love. At the very end of the trailer we see the two of them sitting in silence in a hotel room. That scene reminds me of “Stranger than Paradise” as Eva sits alone in the hotel room, bored. 

                Ultimately I hope they decide to have a premier for their movie. When the movie opens, I want to see Tao and Megan. As they greet people, I will not introduce myself for I am a shy sloth. Instead, I’ll find some non-descript part of the room to hide in, preferably an area with a tree for me to hang upside down on. Or perhaps I might muster all the confidence I can and shake both of their hands. The latter is less likely. 

                In either instance, I want to see Tao and Megan succeed. For too long they have been putting out quality products with little in the traditional definition of ‘money’ or ‘profit’. A rabid, internet-savvy and mostly impoverished fan-base bodes poorly for sales. They give and we take. It is high time we give them something back. On June 20^th, let’s make “Mumblecore” the highest-grossing film from MDMA films ever.

Stranger than Paradise ***Warning Spoilers***

It takes a certain amount of confidence to dedicate an entire movie to nothing. Jim Jarmusch made it happen in the culturally bare 80s. Parts of the movie feel so naked I get worried. The characters act so natural it seems like voyeurism, as if I’m spying on them from my position of privilege. 

A few things are added in that make the appeal to me a little more personal. For one, Eva’s lack of interest in nearly anything is amazing. I simply adore her deadpan delivery on everything. Perhaps I can relate to some degree, since I’ve been told that I lack emotion in how I speak (I talk to you in monotone) so kudos for that.

“I put a spell on you” has to be the strangest reoccurring joke in a movie. There’s no purpose to it, besides Eva being interested in it. Whenever she’s bored, she simply has a tape recorder right next to her to keep her entertained. I wish I had the guts to just carry around a tape recorder with me, but I don’t even travel with an IPOD, or listen to music when I’m driving (whenever that rarely happens). 

The black and white looks glorious. Devoid of color, you get to focus on the truly crummy details of their surroundings. Willie’s apartment looks like total trash. Cleveland doesn’t appear to be much different. Everywhere is the same indeed, Eddie even states so himself. 

Bored with stealing from other people (something that lets Willie and Eva bond) they go to Florida for no real reason. Nothing happens. They look cool in sunglasses. Willie and Eddie gamble while Eva is left lonesome. Annoyed at being left alone, she steals a hat (as she usually does, she’s a kleptomaniac) and gets mistaken for a drug dealer. Given a huge amount of money by Rammellzee (Far Rockaway represent!), she leaves some for the two of them and goes to the airport.

What’s funny is how unwilling she is to go back to her home country. Apparently that’s the only flight she can still make, and she finds that very annoying. I guess she takes up their advice that it is the same all over, and waits for the flight the next day. Willie boards the Budapest bound flight to look for her and leaves. 

 The Cleveland parts are the best. Parts of the dialogue read like how I speak with people, which freaked me out. How they act as they intrude on her boring date and steal his popcorn. How they mock her geeky boyfriend. All of it works for reasons that aren’t easily explained. 

Casual films bore me most of the time, but this one did it for me. There’s something more underneath all that monotonous landscape, a real honestly and heart that you don’t find in movies very often. 

Start Watching: Here