Movies

Nick Fackler knocked "Lovely, Still" out of the ballpark. This is a love story at heart that engages you with humor, drama and honesty. Why this movie was overlooked by the Golden Globes, Oscars and SAG awards will be a mystery to me. I would vote it best Indie out there. Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn gave exceptional performances along with Adam Scott and Elizabeth banks. What we think at the beginning is a love late in life romantic comedy between a curmudgeonly elder and a lonely widow turns into a beautifully crafted compelling drama. We all had a father or dear uncle like Martin landau's character Robert Malone who late in life doesn't always seem to be all there. I highly recommended.

Fortunately, I saw the preview recently in Tokyo. That was great. You should see this. When you see the press conference (Q & A) after the Toronto Film Festival, you can understand that the actors (Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn and etc) and the young director Nicholas Fackler trusted entirely each other. The actors were fascinated by Nik's talent. They realized his genius potentials into the marvelous work. I was amazed at how such a young (at age of of 23) "student" could have directed this excellent movie. Therefore, it is too bad that this movie is, so far, ignored by major studios and distributors in the US.

"Lovely, Still" is a story of discovering love late in life. It has the potential of being schmaltzy like the similar "Letters to Juliet" (2010), but it manages to avoid that trap and displays much more honest emotion like "Away From Her" (2006).Martin Landau is the oft-confused and bewildered Robert who quickly falls in love with the more out-going Mary (Ellen Burstyn). The supporting characters were particularly well crafted. I enjoyed Adam Scott as Mike, Robert's boss and friend, and Elizabeth Banks as Alex, Mary's daughter.Set during the holiday season, "Lovely, Still" is charming and amorous. Recommended for fans of the genre.