Funny Ha Ha | |
---|---|
Directed by | Andrew Bujalski |
Written by | Andrew Bujalski |
Produced by | Ethan Vogt |
Starring | Kate Dollenmayer Christian Rudder Andrew Bujalski Jennifer L. Schaper |
Cinematography | Matthias Grunsky |
Edited by | Andrew Bujalski |
Distributed by | Fox Lorber Sundance Channel Goodbye Cruel Releasing Wellspring Media |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $82,620 |
Funny Ha Ha is a 2002 American film written and directed by Andrew Bujalski. It has been described as the first mumblecore film. It was shot on 16 mm film on a very low budget. It deals with the lives of people in their twenties as they try to come to terms with life after college and confront the responsibilities of adulthood, if only to put them off for as long as possible.
Marnie is a recent graduate and is trying to find a temporary job. She wants to win the attention of a college friend named Alex (who is already in a relationship), while trying to cut down on her beer consumption. The story takes place around the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.
The film was well received by critics, who praised it for its realism. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 88% based on reviews from 41 critics. [1] On Metacritic the film has a score of 78 out of 100 based on reviews from 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [2]
Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe called the film a "smartly observed, unpretentious, and unconventional comedy of manners". [3] Daily Variety's Robert Koehler said the movie was "beautifully observant and wholly unpretentious". [4]
It was named to top 10 lists by A.O. Scott of The New York Times , Kimberley Jones of The Austin Chronicle , Mark Mohan of The Oregonian and Robert Koehler of Variety. [5]
The film's widest release was three theaters. It grossed $82,620. [6]
The film later came to be described as the first mumblecore film, a new genre of American filmmaking characterized by low budgets, amateur actors and naturalistic settings. [7]
The film was released on Blu-ray in 2017 by Factory 25. It included essays by Chuck Klosterman and Tao Lin. [8]
Andrew Bujalski was the winner of the 2004 Someone to Watch Award at the Independent Spirit Awards. [9] The film won the featured film award at the 2004 Black Point Film Festival. [10] In 2005, Kate Dollenmayer was runner-up for the National Society of Film Critics Best Actress award. [11] The following year, she was also nominated for the Best Actress award by the Chlotrudis Society, who praised her "natural, nuanced performance". [12]
Adaptation is a 2002 American comedy drama film directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman. It features an ensemble cast led by Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper, with Cara Seymour, Brian Cox, Tilda Swinton, Ron Livingston and Maggie Gyllenhaal in supporting roles.
Richard Stuart Linklater is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for making films that deal thematically with suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies Slacker (1990) and Dazed and Confused (1993); the Before trilogy of romance films: Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013); the music-themed comedy School of Rock (2003); the adult animated films Waking Life (2001), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood (2022); the coming-of-age drama Boyhood (2014); the comedy film Everybody Wants Some!! (2016); and the romantic comedy Hit Man (2023).
Envy is a 2004 American black comedy buddy film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Ben Stiller and Jack Black.
Red Eye is a 2005 American psychological thriller film directed by Wes Craven and written by Carl Ellsworth based on a story by Ellsworth and Dan Foos. It stars Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, and Brian Cox. The story follows a hotel manager ensnared in an assassination plot by a terrorist while aboard a red-eye flight to Miami.
National Lampoon's Gold Diggers is a 2003 American black comedy film written and directed by Gary Preisler. It features two friends who marry two elderly sisters so they can inherit their fortunes when they die.
Andrew Bujalski is an American film director, screenwriter and actor, who has been called the "godfather of mumblecore."
She Hate Me is a 2004 American independent comedy-drama film directed by Spike Lee. The film stars Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, Ellen Barkin, Monica Bellucci, Brian Dennehy, Woody Harrelson, Bai Ling, and John Turturro. The film touches on a variety of themes such as corporate greed, race, sexuality, and politics. As with many of Lee's films, the film garnered controversy. Unlike many prior works, Spike Lee does not have an acting credit in this film.
The Roost is a 2005 American horror film written and directed by Ti West. It stars Tom Noonan, Karl Jacob, Wil Horneff and Vanessa Horneff.
The Puffy Chair is a 2005 American mumblecore road film written and directed by Jay and Mark Duplass. It stars Mark Duplass, Katie Aselton and Rhett Wilkins. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2005, and went on to screen at South by Southwest in March 2005, winning the Audience Award. The film was released on June 2, 2006, by Netflix and Roadside Attractions.
Kate Dollenmayer is an American actor and film archivist. She made her debut as the star of Andrew Bujalski's 2002 film Funny Ha Ha. She subsequently appeared in Bujalski's next film Mutual Appreciation in 2005.
Mutual Appreciation is a 2005 independent film by Andrew Bujalski who previously directed Funny Ha Ha (2002). The script is primarily dialogue between a group of young people as they try to determine where they fit in the world. It is considered part of the mumblecore movement.
Old Joy is a 2006 American road movie written and directed by Kelly Reichardt and based on a short story by Jonathan Raymond. The original soundtrack for the film is by Yo La Tengo and included on the compilation soundtrack album They Shoot, We Score.
Mumblecore is a subgenre of independent film characterized by naturalistic acting and dialogue, low budgets, an emphasis on dialogue over plot, and a focus on the personal relationships of young adults. Filmmakers associated with the genre include Andrew Bujalski, Lynn Shelton, the Duplass brothers Mark and Jay, Greta Gerwig, Aaron Katz, Joe Swanberg, and Ry Russo-Young. In many cases, though, these directors reject the term. The genre is a mostly American phenomenon. The related term mumblegore has been used for films mixing the mumblecore and horror genres.
Hannah Takes the Stairs is a 2007 American independent mumblecore film by Joe Swanberg. It has been described "as the defining movie of the low-budget, dialogue-driven 'mumblecore' movement."
Nights and Weekends is a 2008 American mumblecore film written, directed, co-produced by and starring Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig. The film follows a long-distance relationship and its aftermath.
Ethan Vogt is an American filmmaker, photographer, visual artist and festival producer.
Wah Do Dem is an American independent film directed by Ben Chace and Sam Fleischner in 2009 and released in 2010.
Beeswax is a 2009 American mumblecore film written and directed by Andrew Bujalski. The film examines a few days in the life of twins, played by real-life sisters Tilly and Maggie Hatcher.
Dia Sokol Savage is an American film and television producer, director and writer. She is best known as the executive producer of MTV's hit series 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom franchise and as a producer on Andrew Bujalski's films Mutual Appreciation and Beeswax. She currently runs 11th Street Productions with her producing partner Morgan J. Freeman.