Eye Candy

Margot at the Wedding, The Real World Awards, The Perfect Witness

by Leo Charney

What: Comedy/drama about unhappy sisters.

Why: Sisters, children, husbands—there’s no refuge here from bad relationships and selfish narcissists. Nicole Kidman plays the brittle, successful sister and Jennifer Jason Leigh the sensitive loser sister engaged to sensitive loser Jack Black. Writer/director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) refines his off-kilter, improvisational style, which plays like a cross between Bergman and Bujalski—dysfunction dredged up, then tossed off. These ancient hurts and passive- aggressive slights may feel painfully familiar to anyone with a sibling.

The Real World Awards

What: Online voting for reality show best-ofs.

Why: Who was the worst roommate in all 19 seasons of The Real World? (C’mon, you know it was Irene.) Best fight? (Hard to outdo Julie and Kevin nose-to-nose in season one.) Steamiest scene? (Kat and Neil burning holes in the screen beats Steven and Trashelle any day.) Now’s your chance to vote in these and 10 other categories, as MTV gears up for the once-landmark show’s 20th season. Best Meltdown, Favorite Season, Biggest Playa—go for it, with video clips to refresh your memory.

The Perfect Witness

What: Philadelphia serial-killer thriller.

Why: “All the apartments in Philadelphia are very small,” says producer Yan Fischer-Romanovskyon the commentary track of this locally made melodrama. Tell me about it. But it doesn’t faze the creepy antiheroes: a matter-of-fact serial killer and the high-strung junkie who follows him around, filming his life (and crimes) for a “documentary.” Their identities start to merge, and the film ultimately turns its critique on all the voyeurs in the audience. Watch it with the commentary track on to hear stories about the scrappy three-week shoot in local alleyways, houses and parks.