Best Movie of the Year so far.

It had already been praised and pimped by dolorians and igorians but damn, what I just saw, easily exceeded all expectations. The boys were far too modest. I probably won't see a finer movie this year than The Squid and The Whale.

And Noah Baumbach is slowly becoming one of the best contemporary screenwriters around. I had somewhat anticipated that he was probably a crucial factor behind the greatness of The Life Aquatic, the first Wes Anderson I truly adored and also, not coincidentally obviously, the first collaboration between Anderson and Baumbach.

And I guess The Squid and The Whale proves this point. The scenes in itself, the writing and the dialogue are of such grandeur, that one can only be amazed that it doesn't stop there. The acting (Daniels and the two kids my god!) and Baumbauch's directions are impeccable as well. This film feels like a postmodern The Graduate or something, there is such a nostalghic seventies quality feeling to it (obviously the music contributes here majorly) that it feels as if the film got released in the wrong era. And that's meant as a big compliment.

Anyway I was watching the extras on the dvd and I would normally try and shoot the writer pouting these words but with this film, it is just true. So go and rent it as soon as you can and me, I should asap check out Kicking & Screaming.

While writing the movie I was wondering from the beginning: Is this a movie really? Because this is something that’s more been done as a novel, or – is it memoirs? Would this be something I can get made? Is it a practical thing? Itr was more just sort of an anxiety I had about it. And I think getting past that point and then just pushing further and then getting more confidence about it, that's what really made me the difference for me.

I got more confidence to really find these scenes in some less obvious ways. I was trying to figure out how how to make a movie that is more of an experience in some ways rather than a kind of, you know, plot driven, or sort of traditional three acts.

And it was about having confidence in those moments. That those moments, if truly drawn, would carry a movie.