kevin c
Charlyne Yi plays herself in this pseudo documentary where she sets out trying to find out what love is as she feels incapable of it. She travels to different cities and interviews people about it while also developing a relationship with Michael Cera.
Yi is kind of charming with her awkward uncomfortable nature and Cera is always completely likeable. Sweet and funny.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
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Audience Member
wow this fucking sucked ...awful
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
02/12/23
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Audience Member
NOT for everyone. Some people will find this so twee they're liable to fly into a rage upon viewing. I have a very sensitive "twee" meter myself, so I know when something is precious and adorable to the point of being sickening. Luckily this is NOT a twee overload. I found Charlyne Yi to be a most enchanting and heartwarming personality, but there was no "acting" or "pretending" about it. Even though this is purported to be semi-fictional, you sense that this aspect of herself is true, as it comes so naturally. I have never been a fan of Michael Cera, but here I found him funny and charming, the perfect compliment to Yi. Plus the various people from all walks of life regaling us with their tales of romance is something you just have to hear, as they're all fascinating, funny, and touching stories (brought to life by Yi's puppetry and animation.) I like this film a lot, and if you're willing to try something different, you might find yourself rewarded with an indy film that's more fun than fatuous.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
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Audience Member
Some parts are real and some parts are not? I got really confused. Perhaps not my kind of film... too confusing. I did like the artsy doll figures recreating past memories. Nice job there.
Best quote: Yi: "What is true love?"
" You need to take someone to Applebee's and get them hot-wings".
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/19/23
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Audience Member
Paper Heart. Think about the meanings of those two words.
'Paper' - a substance both versatile and frail, eternally renowned but so fragile, so easy to completely destroy at the turn of a hand. And yet through paper, mankind has documented, dramatised, mocked, and passed on their judgements and insights and world-shattering views - or even fleeting thoughts that may not, at first glance, seem to mean much, for millennia.
'Heart' - once thought of to be the source of all emotion, all thought, all life. Now rendered obsolete in all but the latter. Once a symbol of love, the heart has been commercialised to an extent that it now carries little meaning when it presents itself in popular culture. The heart is our most vital muscle, yet it is also very weak, and very communicative. It beats when we laugh, when we cry. When you write an irate review of a film that you don't like for reasons you don't care for, to take up time that you don't value - your heart beats in agony. When I write a review of a film that I regard as beautiful - my heart beats as I sigh in the knowledge that it seems to be more fun to judge words upon their length and aesthetic quality than upon what they mean.
Your Valentine's Day card was made of paper, and it probably contained a picture of a heart.
You may have gathered, by now, that I thought highly of 'Paper Heart'. I think that it was beautifully awkward and insightful depiction of humans who dare to question concepts that are universally accepted.
To me, it was not 'indie'. Nor was it a mockudocudrama. It was, to me, a stream of thoughts and emotions, bound together much as you would see a chain of paper hearts.
I loved the fact that it was neither 'real' or 'imaginary'. I loved the fact that there was no distinguishing between whether you were seeing people acting, or people living. Because I don't watch films to 'escape reality'. I watch films because humans are fascinating creatures: whether they were born, or created. I watch films to enhance my reality. To me, I couldn't give a flying fuck whether Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera were 'actually' "in a relationship" - what matters is their story. What matters is that you see humans; you see lives; you see love. You do not see gossip.
Perhaps you find this annoying. Perhaps you think that characters should be either 'real' or 'fictional'. Perhaps you think that your lead characters should be pretty and handsome and articulate about their emotions. Perhaps you watch films because life is too interesting and you need formulaic parables to make you forget the complexities that weigh down your heart. But then perhaps you should go back to watching 'Grease' or 'Mamma Mia' or another faceless, nameless film from a box covered with glossy pictures of Jennifer Anniston, and stop hating Paper Heart.
Because in the time you spend slagging off Charlyne Yi's body or demeanour or 'unladylike' facial structure, another film about love has been made. Another person has been hurt, broken.
Another couple have gotten married, some more divorced.
Another baby has been born into a world where people give up precious moments to be hateful towards one another for no apparent reason.
That baby, too, will grow up to have their words judged upon sight, and their meaning discarded.
That baby may too, grow to write venomous reviews of films that they don't understand.
Or perhaps, just perhaps....that baby will look at people and see beauty. Not glasses, or awkwardness, or pointlessness. Not long words, not short words, but words. Perhaps this hypothetical baby (yes, they may not be 'real') will grow into a person who actually cannot be fucked to go out of their way to attempt to make people feel bad about themselves.
Does calling Charlyne Yi 'ugly' or Michael Cera 'geeky', or really put anything in perspective, or make you feel anything positive?
Bitchiness can be insanely fun - everyone is a bitch, and we should be proud of this. But being condescending? Why? If you don't love this film - keep NOT loving it! You are entirely within rights to hate something, and to be really pissed off with how it presents itself. Just don't be bitter.
Yes, hate it if you must. But don't go out of your way to fuck with someone's dreams.
This film is totally harmless, even if you find it annoying. So actually, if you don't like it - is it really worthy of your hatred?
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/12/23
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Audience Member
Poorly acted mockumentary starring Michael Cera and crew.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
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