Café

so i decided to toss my thoughts toward this odd movie.

first i think the director is playing tricks with the viewer. by this i mean the viewer must decide for himself who or which character is real and which character is not real.

the fellow sitting at the corner table with the notebook and writing constantly in it is the key to this puzzle of people. we are seeing his imagined players or characters along with the real. he's creating a story for us but we must choose the characters to believe in.

therefore it occurred to me this is a shared visualization of the notebook writing man's solipsism. some of his characters are very real - the café employees for example. the imagined ones are the fat guy with laptop and his 'little girl guide'. i believe the troubled black guy isn't real - neither are the police. it's your choice through the entire film! i have more but i've explained myself as clearly as i can. then remember the café owner is never seen - that is what triggered my interpretation.

i do so wish the director had not included that sappy ending. i was very into the action and mystery of exactly what was happening then it's as if the director just wanted to 'wrap it up' and go home. too bad!

If your willing to slow down the pace and go with this movie, your in for a sweet, thought provoking movie. If your an action movie goer, you may have a hard time staying engaged. Not a fault of the movie of course. The movie is based on the idea that everything in our so called reality is really an illusion. The thought provoking idea of what is real? Who created us and who pulls the strings? I once owned a café' called philosophers stone café' in which the same thought engaging ideas were tossed around with a cup of Joe everyday. Customers always said to me my café scene would make a great movie. Cafe' is close to that. Enjoy.

Cafe (2011)

A simple seeming story with a couple of otherworldly (computer reality) twists that gradually works on your sympathies and wins.

Except for a brief exterior giving the sense of place (West Philadelphia) and two or three other very minor exceptions, the entire movie is shot in a coffee shop. A surprisingly large cast of characters take on some significance. And the dreamy idealism of exactly those kinds of independent cafés permeates the movie. The ostensible driving force is the appearance now and then of a nasty guy who deals drugs and the reaction against him by others in the place and the police. But really the movie is more about character, and what makes character, and what makes some people good and whether that kind of goodness is real.

After awhile you also realize that one weird subplot--the appearance of a girl on a computer scree--is maybe the most important aspect of all. Because she helps redefine what reality is--not just the so-called reality of people's lives, but reality reality, ontologically. It's obviously too much to swallow, but just go with it, it's fun.

What holds it up most of all might just be the really solid acting from most of the main characters. And the sweetness the seems to permeate the movie through and through. It's low-budget but keeps it confident and well made anyway. It's a good excuse for hanging out with some nice people.

OK. Tomorrow, after I've slept, maybe I'll feel less than 10, but, tonight? OK, yeah, a big, resounding 10/10.

It's hard to seriously fit you gently into a world. This time it works just beautifully. OK. I just stopped watching it, and I'm a little be-alcoholled. BUT I am one of those who is really nervous about showing films you really like to those you love, and THIS one I surely will.

I'm reminded of Kevin Smith, in terms of the reality of an intimate, special world, without the - weirdness?

OK. Bottom line. I don't know what to compare this to. Yeah, Kevin Smith, but gentler. What have I loved that'll give ANYONE a clue? Little Miss Sunshine - Steelyard Blues - Blues Brothers - Driving Miss Daisy - The Remains of the Day. And so many, many more.

Check my reviews. I don't often give a recommendation.

This is one. Go for it.

(And I have NO IDEA what the IMDb storyline is talking about. I suspect it's another film :/ )

I watch tons of films of all sorts and time after time I am left feeling like 'I've seen this before'. That being the case, I had no idea what to expect from Cafe. To my surprise, this little indie flick turned out to be unlike anything I've ever seen. On the one hand, it is a slice of life--seeing the whole world in a Cafe setting with great entangled characters--strangers, friends and family. On the other hand, we are plunged into story about the game of life, questions about the ultimate nature of reality, free will and self-sacrifice. This film is both fun to watch and thought provoking to say the least. It demands audience participation and as the days go by since I saw it, I find it staying with me--which is more than i can say for 90+% of films out there. This is a film that will age well and I think a lot people will find it a refreshing and rewarding experience.