Palo Alto

High school is a terribly boring time in a young person's life. Or that's what Gia Coppola wants you to think in her debut as a director. That doesn't mean that Palo Alto is at all a boring movie. Coppola perfectly captures all that James Franco wanted to say in his collection of short stories.

Eschewing any real plot line, the film follows the lives of four teenagers living in Palo Alto, a town in California; Teddy (Jack Kilmer), April (Emma Roberts), Fred (Nat Wolff) and Emily (Zoe Levin). Each of these teens know each other through school and the various parties they attend. They all have their own issues, whether it be self-esteem or addiction or both.

All of the performances by the main actors are amazing. Emma Roberts and Zoe Levin both play shy girls who come out of their shells only when certain people are around. Nat Wolff's unhinged Fred is played with such a ferocity and intensity I almost forgot that the character wasn't really. This is Jack Kilmer's first role and his talent is immediately apparent. The brooding character Teddy had something extra than in the book and I put that down to his first class performances.

James Franco and Val Kilmer also appear in minor roles. Franco (who wrote the book that the film is based on) plays the predatory(?) Mr B. and is passable in a role he created, although I guess he probably knows about the characters more than anyone. Val Kilmer is limited to only two scenes, but he made me laugh both times.

I am only just a tiny bit jealous of Gia Coppola (or any of the Coppola kids) for that matter. Not only does she have the benefit of her grandfather being one of the most well-known directors in Hollywood, but she is extremely talented when it comes to filmmaking too, although I guess when you grow up on your family's film sets something must have sunk in.

Verdict: Coppola makes a film that exceeds past the source material which it is based. She perfectly captures what it feels like to be a teenager of the current generation and is helped along by a superb young cast.

The Way, Way Back

I'm just going to get straight to the point, this is one of the best films I've ever seen. I'm going to have to go back and amend my top ten list. Written and directed by Academy Award winners Jim Rash and Nat Faxon (Best Adapted Screenplay for The Descendants, 2011), it is probably the best comedy that I have ever seen.

14-year-old Duncan (Liam James) is on summer holiday to his mother's boyfriend's, Trent (Steve Carell), beach house in a sleepy East Coast town. His mother, Pam (Toni Collette), is hoping that the two bond over the summer. Duncan soon becomes frustrated with Trent's cold attitude towards him and adventures to the nearby water park. He is offered a job by the owner, Owen (Sam Rockwell), and soon becomes the hero of the staff.

Duncan has a budding relationship with his neighbour, Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb), whilst his mother's relationship is slowly fading.

This film is an excellent example of character driven comedy. All the characters are fully formed and lead the story in their own ways. Both Faxon (Freeloaders) and Rash (Community) are master writers and although I haven't seen The Descendants I can see that they are great writers, as well as directors. They also play two of the water park's employees and prove that they can achieve a high level of excellence in all fields.

The cast of this movie is amazing. Liam James is a newcomer to main roles in film, but carries the role amazingly. He plays his character so amazingly and the development that he goes through is out in front and fantastic. I expect that we'll be seeing a lot more of him.

Steve Carell (Anchorman) plays against type and goes for a serious role this time. He is entirely believable as the douchebag boyfriend and from the opening scene onward you will hate him. And that's the mark of a fantastic actor.

AnnaSophia Robb (Soul Surfer) is incredible as the girl next door and does play the character in the stereotypical way. Likewise, Sam Rockwell (Moon) is uplifting as Owen and you can really see the connection that he has with Duncan.

I laughed the hardest at Allison Janney (the mum from Juno), who plays Susanna's mother. She is perpetually drunk and is constantly saying inappropriate things to her friends and even her own children, but I can see her as a good mother.

Verdict: A perfect movie. I saw it with a large, varied group and everyone loved it. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves movies and it has a great uplifting message.