Review: 'The Color of Time' starring James Franco, Jessica Chastain, Mila Kunis, and More

Imagine you're an NYU film student and, amazingly, you're going to be working on a feature film with Jessica Chastain, James Franco, and Mila Kunis. Pretty awesome, right? Now imagine their disappointment to learn the film would be another of Franco's "passion projects" nobody will ever want to watch. That's the case with The Color of Time, a biographical impression of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, CK Williams, directed by twelve of Franco's students as a narrative recreation of his work. It makes sense that fledgling talents would be a little unsure stylistically, much like their teacher, but the result is disjointed and trivial, and probably should have stayed in the classroom.

Hopping around in time to follow Williams at various life stages, he's played by a handful of actors including Franco and Henry Hopper. Taking the counter-intuitive route, a straight narrative is opted for rather than some kind of anthology with Williams' poems serving as the throughline. None of it amounts to much other than a series of bland flashbacks with sparse dialogue, and apparently Franco must have taught an extensive course on Terrence Malick. Right down to Chastain prancing in the grass under sun-drenched skies as Williams' angelic mother, her scenes are basically a shot-for-shot homage to The Tree of Life. Unfortunately, the other periods in Williams' life turn out much the same with each director aping the style of a different filmmaker they've probably long admired. It's distracting, especially if the ultimate goal is to put us closer in touch with Williams' elegant words. The Color of Time  is essentially a series of cinematic postcards; beautiful but meaningless.

Also starring Zach Braff as Williams' best friend, Mila Kunis as his bubbly wife, plus an appearance by Bruce Campbell, there's certainly a wealth of talent here and they all bring a soulfulness to their performances. Best of all may be Kunis, who brings a levity and lightness that cuts through the droll mood. Fans of Williams who have found his poetry inspiring and profound will wish for more experienced directors who could bring that into being on screen. It's possible that in this group is the next Quentin Tarantino or Terrence Malick, but they aren't ready for the big leagues yet and The Color of Time is proof of that.

 Rating: 1.5 out of 5

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New Trailer for James Franco's 'The Color of Time' with Mila Kunis and Jessica Chastain

Formerly titled Tar, James Franco's The Color of Time is another experimental endeavor that may or may not pan out as he hoped. Franco enlisted twelve New York University film students to piece together a comprehensive look at the life and times Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, C.K. Williams, and the result is a melodic, star-studded affair that resembles the work of Terrence Malick.

Franco emptied out the Rolodex and called up Mila Kunis, Jessica Chastain, Bruce Campbell, Henry Hopper, and Zach Braff to appear in the film about Williams (played by Franco) as he prepares for a reading in New York City while haunted by memories of the past. It may have been a better idea to craft an anthology rather than a single narrative because even in this brief footage it seems a little disjointed. However there's a lot of talent in front of the camera, and who knows, maybe a new superstar filmmaker will emerge out of it.

The Color of Time hits VOD on December 2nd, followed by a brief theatrical run on December 19th.


The Color of Time by Teaser-Trailer.com

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Zach Braff to Direct Remake of George Burns Comedy, 'Going in Style'

Now that his Kickstarter panhandling has paid off with Wish I Was Here, Zach Braff is ready to direct his first true studio effort. A remake of the 1979 George Burns comedy Going in Style has been in the works for awhile, with Don Scardino (The Incredible Burt Wonderstone) once eyed to direct, only to be replaced last year by Ted Melfi (St. Vincent) who also wrote the screenplay. While Melfi's script remains in play, it will be Braff who is running things.

The original film starred Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Strasberg as bored geriatrics who decide to knock off a bank. This new version will stick to the plotline, but this thing is going to be sold on who stars the grumpy old trio. The usual suspects of Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin were up for it at one point, and chances are they'll be considered again because everybody loves those guys.

So good for Braff that he doesn't have to stand on the corner begging for cash this time. [Deadline]

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Review: Zach Braff's 'Wish I Was Here'

When Zach Braff made his directorial debut a decade ago with Garden State, it was the rare occurrence of an actor finding his voice immediately as a filmmaker. Say what you want about the film and the indie pop-laden, melodramatic copy cats that followed, the truth is that Garden State was a cornerstone film that inspired those of a certain age and disposition to dream a bit greater. So it's a little odd that Braff took so long for his follow-up, Wish I Was Here, and while the film has similar aesthetic touches and tries to say too much, it's a heartfelt clarion call to arms for those with dreams that will never fade.

Braff took a lot of heat for his record-breaking Kickstarter efforts, and frankly a lot of the criticism has been undeserved. But there's something to be said about the freedom it gave Braff to do basically anything he wanted, and that becomes a recurring issue right from the start. He plays Aidan Bloom, a failed actor whose best gig was a TV commercial and little else. Months have gone between gigs meaning he's not making any money, putting the financial burden on wife Sarah (Kate Hudson), who works a job she hates but endures out of necessity. Aidan is more than just another adult who never really grew up, he's someone who comes off as selfish and pre-occupied with his own dreams to worry about others. That disregard extends to his children, who attend a private Hebrew school paid for by Aidan's father Gabe (Mandy Patinkin) until he gets too sick to pony up the cash. Aidan's first reaction is to worry about himself and whether finding a job would distract from those all-important auditions.

And that's really just the start as Braff piles on even more subplots that often strike at something true but just as often get in the way from a clearer narrative. Josh Gad brings a little bit of humor and a lot of sadness to his role as Noah, Aidan's technologically talented brother who has withered his skills away as a blogger (nice cheap shot, Zach!). Gabe doesn't think much of Aidan at all but he really can't stand what Noah has done with his life. In broad strokes Braff explores issues of masculinity, faith, and midlife crisis with sincerity and real heart. Nobody can say Braff doesn't put everything he has into his work, even going so far as to blend in a few sci-fi sequences that hint the fantasy world in Aidan's mind. Aidan fancies himself a hero but as a father with responsibilities he's unprepared for the new heroic parameters.

Some will be quick to write the film off as merely Garden State redux but they may be surprised. Yes, you'll hear an endless stream of indie bands underscoring every crucial life moment, but the tone is considerably more spirited and upbeat, a tough thing to pull off with so many weighty themes. That seriousness is balanced by Braff's well-practiced comic timing, especially when paired up with the equally funny Patinkin. Braff still comes off as unnatural dramatically but he's better than when he starred in The Last Kiss some years ago.

The relevance of modern Judaism is explored in surprising detail, mostly through Aidan's daughter (Joey King, truly excellent) who faces an identity crisis similar to her father. It's one of the few subplots that really click, whereas others, like Noah's sudden love affair with a hot cosplay chick (Ashley Greene) feel tacked on and don't really go anywhere. The same goes for a pointless diversion about Sarah being harassed by a workplace colleague. Braff has enough material here to pad out a third movie and that's probably what he should have done. Surely a good chunk of that Kickstarter money is left over because this couldn't have cost but so much. Even if there isn't, Braff's fans who adored Garden State will find something to love in Wish I Was Here and will probably chip in a few dollars for another movie.

 Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Trailer for Zach Braff's Kickstarter-Funded 'Wish I Was Here'

If you need a director who can find just the right indie band to score a major crossroads in somebody's life, that guy is probably Zach Braff. A decade after doing just that with his directorial debut, Garden State, he's back with his follow-up, Wish I Was Here, and now there's a new trailer that expands upon the teaser from a few weeks ago.

Braff leads the ensemble which includes Kate Hudson, Donald Faison, Joey King, Ashley Greene, Josh Gad, and Mandy Patinkin, playing a failed actor and struggling father forced to reconsider his entire approach to life. Basically this is pure Braff and everything that entails, so if you don't mind that his movies look like music video soap operas then this is something you'll be anticipating.

Wish I Was Here opens in limited release July 18th before expanding the next two weeks.

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First Trailer for Zach Braff's 'Wish I Was Here'

There's very little elbow room when it comes to Zach Braff's directorial debut, Garden State; you either love it or you loathe it. Sure it was trendy and came to symbolize the sort of maudlin, pretentious indie flick that became a thing for far too long, but it also featured some great performances along with a point-of-view that was uniquely Braff's. It's taken him a decade and a pile of Kickstarter cash, but he's finally back with his follow-up project, Wish I Was Here, and basically if you dug Garden State then this is for you.

Debuting in January at the Sundance Film Festival, where critics were either lukewarm or downright deadly to it. Braff plays a struggling actor (hey, how novel) with a wife and kids, who decides to home school his children to save money. Not that you'll get any of that out of this trailer, which looks more like a music video for an indie band than a music video. The score is actually provided by The Shins, who got their big break with Garden State and probably worship the ground Braff walks on at this point.

Also starring Kate Hudson, Ashley Greene, Josh Gad, Mandy Patinkin, Jim Parsons, Joey King, and Donald Faison, Wish I Was Here opens July 25th.


Wish I Was Here Teaser by Stuff We Like

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