Movies: The Nines

Movies: If you want to see a wonderfully (and surprisingly little known of), well-written, well-acted and unusual film, you should rent The Nines (2007), written by the imaginative John August (Go, Big Fish, etc.). It is filmed in L.A. (and briefly New York) and based on the lives of people in the entertainment industry: writers, actors, publicists, a videogame designer, and it's sadly inevitable volatile relationships with side commentaries about how painfully imaged based Hollywood is).  It also explores concepts of God, creation, and control. Featuring the memorably handsome Ryan Reynolds (please forgive him for Van Wilder, it really does not represent him well as an actor) and the amazing, lovely, talented and extremely funny Melissa McCarthy, who I first saw in Los Angeles, performing at The Groundlings (the school famous for casting about half of SNL's ever changing  cast, alumni include Will Farrell). It also includes the charming Hope Davis and another The Groundlings alumni I have had the pleasure to see perform live in L.A.: Ben Falcone (who is also Melissa's real life husband). Don't watch this film however if you are mostly into big budget/typical  formula Hollywood films, as it will not tie together in a neat little package in the end for you. Watch this film if you like art to be out of the box and enjoy something a bit different. This film has three different plots that thread characters together as completely different people. Sound confusing? Perhaps it is, but the film is so well done, it does it in such a way that it remains enjoyable. It begs the question that has little been explored, which is that of simultaneous existences/parallel universes or alternately, perhaps it is asking us all to question who we would be had we taken different paths at any given moment our lives. It's weird and original as well as thought-provoking and entertaining. It's also slightly scary, very mysterious, and somewhat silly. Though Ryan and Melissa may be best know for their comedy, and there are many funny parts, here they shine as dramatic actors. And the soundtrack has some cool music by Persephone's Bees, Liars, and Snow Patrol.