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REVIEW
MOVIE: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
There are plenty of good journalism movies out there. Movies about the profession that have something important to say about it. Broadcast News, The Paper, All the President's Men and Almost Famous are movies that could go into the pantheon of films about reporters.
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, a shallow romantic comedy about one man's adventures in entertainment reporting, is definitely a movie that will not be included in this hallowed group. Much of it has to do with a viewer's opinion of entertainment aka gossip news. If you find it fascinating and pertinent, chances are this could be just the film for you. If you find the lives of the rich and famous to be a flashy, glossy and ultimately hollow casing, you'll probably walk away disappointed.
The movie plays like a male version of The Devil Wears Prada. Simon Pegg plays aspiring celebrity journalist Sidney Young, who goes from running a dwindling independent magazine in London to the bottom of the heap at Sharps, a highly respected New York-based operation. Sidney bumbles his way from obscurity to a position of power while trying miserably to make it with a hot young starlet
(Megan Fox) and while getting a little prodding in the right direction from a fellow reporter played by Kirsten Dunst.
Overall, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People is pretty forgettable. It banks on strong performances from Pegg, Dunst and Jeff Bridges, who do their best with the generic material they've been given. The movie is as shallow and silly as an issue of Us Weekly, and just as easily tossed aside.
Abby Olcese
MUSIC: Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist
There have been a lot of comparisons between last winter's surprise smash hit Juno and the recently released Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and rightfully so. Both star Michael Cera, both feature hipster kids falling in love, and both have killer soundtracks made up of great bands most mainstream music fans have likely never heard of.
While Juno's music was centered on The Moldy Peaches, which made them popular, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist soundtrack is much more diverse and gives exposure to a plethora of up-and-coming bands.The movie focuses on a night of seeing bands in New York City. and the album is full of indie rock and electro acts that would likely be a part of just such a night.
Standout tracks include the very catchy Bishop Allen and Richard Hawley tunes "Middle Management" and "Silvery Sleds," "Negative," a song by Project Jenny, Project Jan that features amusing and slightly inappropriate lyrics, and the lazy, happy, electro melody of "Nick & Norah's Theme" by Mark Mothersbaugh. Indie rock fans should also be excited about
tracks from Vampire Weekend, We Are Scientists, Band of Horses and Shout Out Louds, all favorites among the hipster elite.
The only unfortunate track is by The Jerk Offs, Cera's character's band in the film. The track is clearly weaker than the rest and sticks out like a sore thumb.
It's nice when a good movie is paired with a good soundtrack, and Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist is up there with the soundtracks of Garden State, Dan in Real Life and, of course, Juno.
—Elise Stawarz
22
October 9.2008