10,000 Saints

10,000 Saints

Screen Media Films

August 14, 2015

Historical Drama, Historical Comedy
DVD
C-

The acting was pretty good but I didn't really care about the characters.  Co-directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (who did The Extra Man and the surprisingly good American Splendor) co-adapted the Eleanor Henderson novel.

The Extra Man

The Extra Man
Magnolia Pictures
July 30, 2010
Comedy
DVD
D+

Based on the Jonathan Ames novel of the same title, this is never as witty as it thinks it is.  Ames co-wrote the screenplay, with co-directors Shari Springer Bergman and Robert Pulcini, who collaborated on American Splendor, which I quite liked, go figure.

American Splendor

American Splendor
Good Machine
September 12, 2003
Dramedy
DVD
B

This is both a story of a down-to-earth real-life regular guy who writes comic books about that life, and a sometimes surreal blending of comic-book style (a bit like the later Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) and "documentary" realism that includes the actual people being documented, sometimes in the same frame with their portrayers.  It's also quite funny but with dramatic moments, including about cancer.  And it captures its place (mostly Cleveland) and times (1950 to the present, but mostly '75 to about '87).  Still, I can't go higher on the grade because I wasn't wowed and I didn't "enjoy" being in that world exactly.

Shout-out to Friedlander, whom I'd only seen as 30 Rock's Frank but who here becomes almost indistinguishable from the real Toby Radloff (who agrees).  Josh Hutcherson, who just has a small role in the opening scene as Robin (he would've been about nine at the time of shooting) would grow up to be Peeta in the Hunger Games movies.  Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini co-wrote and co-directed.