Some Days Are Better Than Others

Carrie Brownstein has become known as the star of "Portlandia", a humorous look at the quirky side of the City of Roses. Well, now she appears in Matt McCormick's "Some Days Are Better Than Others". This movie is also set in Portland, but is just the opposite of "Portlandia". This is a total downer, about a bunch of people living empty, miserable existences. The whole movie pretty much makes you feel bad about everything, even when people do good things for each other. In other words, no days feel good.

It's not a bad movie, just a real downer. Definitely be prepared for how depressing it is. You might feel tempted to follow it up with a viewing of "Portlandia".

One of the best narrative films to have come out of the pacific northwest, more specifically Portland. McCormick uses his eye for making witty, everyday observations about the mundane that make us ask ourselves how we never thought to notice such absurdities--the freshest milk being always in the back of the fridge at the grocery store, Eli's method for eating out for every meal on a temp's salary, or David's method of getting 2,000 shaves out of a BIC razor-- McCormick even takes advantage of the 2008 economic recession, filming the once ever growing landscape of boarded-up, foreclosed homes. Some Days is an honest and deeply personal depiction of what I imagine to be McCormick's experience as a young, independent filmmaker who is searching for his path while trying to make ends meet amidst an economic crisis. Many of the films tropes will be lost on those not familiar with McCormick's body of work- -The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal, The Great Northwest, The Past and Pending Shins video, to name a few--but for those who are fans of McCormick's work, this narrative feature film could be considered the jewel in a crown of avant garde, and cinema verite documentaries.

This movie won't shake your world necessarily, but it does explore necessary-to-life meaningful themes. It's not super high budget, a thrill ride, a romance, a comedy, or anything it like that. It is probably most realistic in terms of things that real people might actually experience, which might turn people off who would prefer primarily to be entertained or excited by movies (maybe to escape real life instead of examining it? but, we all need that sometimes). It also has a lot of kind of interesting from-the-ground Portland vibes without romanticizing it or purposefully exploring it in any way, which for me I appreciate more than can be said for the vibe I get from some other Pac NW movies (or "Portlandia").

This movie actually has some meaning and feeling put into it, and isn't at all overly or overtly infected with the now declining or completely dead trend of what was once hipster-dom. And, being that this movie came out when it did, it would've been very easy for it to have been made like that, and it most likely would have had much more attention or success. Instead, the people who made this movie chose to make something more honest, and I think that's cool and commendable.

I will be honest, I mainly watched it because it had James Mercer in it (though Brownstein is alright too), and I love the Shins. Never heard of this movie except by accident surfing IMDB. Considering that, this movie could have been a whole hell of a lot worse. So, as a pleasant surprise, I will remember it positively.

I feel like its overall rating is unfair and may turn away people who may otherwise enjoy it. So, don't be afraid to give it a chance, if you can find a way to watch it!