sfgeoff-913-424177 Reviews

Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014)

I loved this film.

[10/10 · 4 October 2014]

In the mood for a film, I stopped by the local art house cinema this afternoon. Of the films on offer, this looked like it might be good, though I didn't know too much about what it was about, and really didn't expect much.

Turned out to be a great film. Funny, poignant, and inspiring all at once. Simon Pegg is terrific as a psychiatrist who experiences a sort of existential crisis, and decides to disrupt his tidy, organize, and predictable life to search for the makings of Happiness. His research produces a collection of Buddhist-like conclusions about what may or may not lead to happiness. Along the way, Pegg's character, Hector, begins to 'live', and we the viewer, if we're paying attention, gain some philosophical insights.

The more I think about this film, the more layers of meaning and nuance I realize were lurking beneath the surface of this thoroughly delightful movie. I left the cinema feeling introspective, inspired, and ...Happy. I was moved to indulge in some of the little things that make me happy: a few bars of Amedei chocolate, a meander through the arboretum, a book of poetry; as well as moved to examine what things in my life lead to happiness, and what things lead to unhappiness.

This is a film I would like to see again, and will likely purchase for my movie library.

Computer Chess (2013)

I did not like this film. (Possible Spoilers)

[1/10 · 27 January 2013]

Oh, this film was painful to watch. Much more like the term project of a stoned student at a cut-rate film school than a Sundance quality film (Why of earth was this film accepted into Sundance is beyond me. Easily the worst film of the festival.). Filmed for some unknown reason in poor-quality black & white, with the exception of about four seconds of colour part way through. This film contains just about every cinematic cliché popular from the 1970's. Dialog is laborious, tedious, and just about any other '-ious' that comes to mind. And none of the characters are likable, some, however, are tolerated better than others.

The plot is centered around a group of chess-obsessed computer programmers who come together at a cheap hotel, which is inexplicably infested with cats, to compete against each others chess programs. Also meeting at the same hotel is a 70's style 'encounter' group. The story is presumably based on the actual chess program competition series, but if the real thing was anything like this movie I can't imagine how we ever evolved to Deep Blue.

This film fails as a comedy, a drama, a docudrama, or any other genre it's be categorized as. I found myself envying those viewers sitting near the aisles who were able to easily get up and walk out during the screening I saw.

I don't know how long this film was but it seemed interminable. Don't waste your time watching this movie, it'll seem like several hours you'll never get back. God, I hated this movie.