Paranoid Park (2008)

Directed by Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant’s Paranoid Park (a Blake Nelson novel) is like watching a master paint--sketching out the story and adding more layers/details.  It is told through the perspective of a young skateboarder, who writes an account of the events that surround a death near a stretch of train tracks.

Happy birthday to Gus Van Sant, he turns 59 today. Restless is his new film (looks a bit glossy to me).

Here’s a more articulate Roger Ebert review and a A.V. Club's Book vs. Film comparison. 

For more excellent Christopher Doyle cinematography see Ondine.

Limited US theatrical release March of 2008 (IMDB). Film reviews in fifty words (2011).

Ondine (2010)

Directed by Neil Jordan

Neil Jordan’s Ondine is a charming picture, where fairytales face off with reality. One believes there’s magic in Castletownbere (an Irish fishing village), with Alicja Bachleda’s character (is she a selkie?), and in store for Alison Berry’s character (Collin Farrell’s child who rides a wheelchair because her kidney is failing).

Here's the trailer. And it can be easily seen on Netflix streaming. 

The beautiful cinematography is by Christopher Doyle (of Wong Kar-wai fame and the outstanding Paranoid Park).

And like the little girl in The Man From Nowhere, young Alison Berry turns in a great performance.

Film reviews in fifty words (2011).