City Baby

I know I've seen a good film when it leaves me wanting more when it's over. That's "City Baby." I'd love to see more of Cloey and Paige. I had the pleasure of interviewing the actresses behind those characters, Cora Benesh and Jillian Leigh, and they could not have been any cooler or fun. I love a good indie film and this is definitely one. I want to have a beer with this movie (and Cora and Jillian). I would love to see them in another project together. Daniel Baldwin is great in his few scenes too. There's some good improv, music, and attitude to this film. So watch the movie and read the interview here! http://thedodgy.com/2014/04/25/city-babes/

For the most part I agree with some of the others, just maybe not as harsh. The main criticism I have is that the movie looks a whole lot better than it is. Thirty years ago a film like this one would have been made with a super eight camera or even on home video, but today, because of the easy access to Canons and Red and Epic cameras, it's fairly easy for even the greenest of new filmmakers to make a movie that looks pretty good if only on the surface. Bottom line, there's way too much attention given here to composing a slick look and not enough to imagining a passionate story with convincing, memorable performances. The music helps you get through it.

I really enjoyed this film. Interestingly, I think for the same reasons some of the other reviewers here did not. The characters seemed all intentionally unlikable - yet they were interesting - at least to me. Also, it was not a heavily plotted film, but more of a slice of life. Personally, I enjoy watching films that are not so heavily plotted but are more like a small window into a world that we get to peek into for a little while. And here, form seems to follow function. In other words, the story just kind of meanders along as do the characters in the film. So, for me, the "structure" of the story - or rather lack there of - really suits the subject matter and theme of this film, which is a group of lost twenty somethings aimlessly drifting about their lives. I also feel that the director did a great job setting the mood and tone of the story - the music, the art direction, the lighting and camera work were all really cohesive and gave me a good feel of the world that these characters inhabit. I've never been to Portland, but the attitude felt a lot like my hometown. Everyone wanted to go to New York too - really just for the sake of going. If you left the small town to go to the big city, that was an accomplishment in itself. I get that from these characters here - but their real problem is that they have no real goals or any true intention to achieve them. I think the intention of the film is to cast a light on a lazy, aimless generation that expects everything for nothing and Cora Benesh's character and performance capture this attitude perfectly.

I was completely engaged throughout this movie. It has a real sense of Cinematic quality and flow, which is what I want from a Narrative Feature. Unlike an episode of Girls where everyone is talking abrasively to render a shallow conclusion or to get in a bit of witticism that ironically sums up the Y generation. As for the mixed feelings about the main characters personality.... I think you either like a cookie cutter film that follows a semi flawed but likable protagonist and has an identifiable villain, or in the case of this movie, you want your characters real and unpredictable. If you like the bitter taste of "Greenberg" Noah Bambach better than the flighty whimsical "Frances Ha" then you will love this movie. Its good either way and one of my favorite Indies. Not a boring mess like the mumble core movement either.

"In every man's heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibrations of beauty." If you go to www.bing.com.. you will see from the numerous images of her, she is even much more beautiful than in the majority of the City Baby film. But as for the movie itself, it's really just okay... the majority of reviewers got it right. As such, she'll have to wait for another opportunity to prove her acting talent. And some voice lessons in the meantime could be useful as well... there's many scenes in the film where just the sound of her voice becomes extremely irritating. Part might have been determined by the role she's playing, and if it's all put on, well then maybe she really does have some talent. (But having such a beautiful young woman play at times such an irritating character, well if that's what ur going for).