Movie Tip of the Day: Broken Flowers.

I was stunned to see the large audience during the 1:30 screening of Broken Flowers at the Cumberland Theatre. There must be a lot of people without jobs out there; at least we all have good taste.

Jim Jarmusch's movies are never what you would call action packed. There's a lot that's happening, but the action is not video-game-phrenetic. You cannot enjoy his films if you haven't checked your ADHD at the door. Some people rush out to buy the latest from PD James and Tom Clancy, while others would prefer to open up an old favourite like Crime and Punishment, or The Stranger.

Ghost Dog is one of my DVD collection favorites, and its reflective philosophy is something that I enjoy. It's a samurai film with little to no action, but at the same time artfully engaging.

Broken Flowers is a search film. Don Johnston (a great running joke in the film) played by Murray, searches for his son, but finds himself; a simple idea that Jarmusch does well and Murray carries. You must watch Bill Murray constantly to fully appreciate his nuanced performance. His eyes and mannerisms are perfect, though they will go undetected by most moviegoers.

The only problem with constantly watching Murray is that Jarmusch has a lot going on in his own right. There is a lot to look at in the film and unlike Revenge of the Sith, The Fantastic Four or the latest slop from Michael Bay, the movie doesn't bash you over the head with it. The framing, colour, and details haul your eyes all over the screen.

Before the movie started, Jon and I were commenting about how much crazy kids on the screen can make a great movie even better. We're not talking about cutesy-pie suck up kids, but the real nutcases. A good example was the boy who testifies his love for one of the girls in the Virgin Suicides by jumping out of a second storey window (he mouths, "I love her" just before he jumps). Another fave are the boys in The 400 Blows.

In the opening sequence watch for the little boy in the green and white jacket. He runs around and falls down constantly. Every time he's in a scene he wipes out. These details are what I enjoy most about movies. This might explain why I am particularly fond of the scene in Rushmore when Dirk gives Max his Christmas present. It's wrapped in paper and on the piece of tape is the little plaid tab that starts the roll of Scotch Tape. Movies, for me, are all about the details. Someone made an effort to take the time to do something right. I like walking out of the movies saying "I got that joke, and I liked it."

I really don't believe that the movie industry is in the toilet. There are a ton of great films out there. They won't make $100 billion at the box office, but they are far more valuable and important to see. Sadly, these are the films that will be soundly ignored.