Monday, October 26, 2015

The Road Within (2014) Delirious (1991) Divergent (2014) The Deflowering of Eva Van End (2012) The Final Girls (2015) Tales of Halloween (2015) He Never Died (2015) Trainwreck (2015) The Intern (2015)

In about a month, I watched 9 movies, not including shorts I watched at Mile High Horror Film Festival (forthwith referred to as MHHFF). Also not counting movies I've watched before (Hocus Pocus & Hotel Transylvania). Here goes!

  • The Road Within (2014) I watched this on Netflix. I really liked the actors ( of Slumdog Millionaire and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and sequel, of UK show Misfits, and , Lenny and Lisa Bonet's daughter) and I liked the unique characters - they all had some sort of social disorder and clashed wonderfully. Misfit group comes together to learn from each other. Allowed you to laugh at their disorders but feel for them too. Great situation that allowed for conflict, which is key to storytelling.
  • Delirious (1991) Andy wanted me to watch one of his favorite movies. Fun and kooky. Soap opera writer ends up in his own show.
  • Divergent (2014) Read the book and enjoyed the movie (both were rented from library). I noticed a few things different, but understand why. Good cast. Looking forward to the others.
  • The Deflowering of Eva Van End (2012) Found it on Netflix. The synopsis for this foreign film says it all: The members of a dysfunctional family begin to reinvent themselves thanks to the exchange student who moves in with them. I enjoyed it. A bit like Little Miss Sunshine, but a bit heavier.
  • The Final Girls (2015) Watched as part of the MHHFF. Was a very clever homage to horror movies. The cast was great. Highly recommendable.
  • Tales of Halloween (2015) Watched as part of the MHHFF (with one of the directors and actors!) Was a fun horror anthology. Lovingly done.
  • He Never Died (2015) Also watched at MHHFF. It was not what I was expecting and that was great. If you like , you are going to love this. It doesn't come out until December, so be sure to mark it on your list!
  • Trainwreck (2015) Watched in theater with a friend. I enjoyed it. The cameos were nice.
  • The Intern (2015) Watched in theater. Hmmm, I have mixed feelings about it. While I really love roles for senior actors (and am working on my own projects like this), this one felt preachy about letting seniors into the workplace/prove their worth. He didn't really have imperfections and was just there to make everyone's life better. What did people do for him? Part of the ending also didn't sit well with me because *SPOILER* movies always tell us that if someone cheats, you end it, and this violated that. It left me feeling yucky. *END SPOILER*

    I know I didn't go in depth, but hopefully I've at least piqued your interest a little bit for the majority of these films. Which ones?
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Sunday, September 20, 2015

The Voices (2014) The Trip to Italy (2014) A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2012) Inherent Vice (2014) Who's Harry Crumb (1984) Cuban Fury (2014) Knights of Badassdom (2013) Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) Where the Buffalo Roam (1980) Practical Magic (1998) The Way Way Back (2013) Triumph of the Will (1935) Smoke Signals (1998) Freaks (1932) My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) Saved! (2004) Inside Out (2015) Chef (2014) Spy (2015) Undertaking Betty (2002) Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding (2011) Get Hard (2015) One Small Hitch (2013) Minions (2015) Clueless (1995) The Skeleton Twins (2014) Brave (2012) Bedknobs & Broomsticks (1971) Ant-Man (2015) Kill Me Three Times (2014) The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015) The Decoy Bride (2011) For a Good Time, Call... (2012) In a World (2013) The Way (2010) Unfinished Song/Song for Marion (2012) Calendar Girls (2003) Annie's Point (2005) Bridesmaids (2011) Welcome to the Jungle (2013) Sex Ed (2014) My Boyfriend's Back (1993) Life After Beth (2014) Cake (2014)

HOLY CARP, (yes, carp), it's been more than 5 months since I updated my movie blog! Yowza! So I'm guessing it will take multiple attempts to get this blog entry written. I started to do this a month ago but I must have gotten distracted.... I'm going to do this differently this time to save myself a bit of time. Instead of searching for the posters and trailers, I'm just going to list the movie name, including the link to the IMDb page for that particular movie. I'll have a shortened version of my thoughts on the movie, but will not provide a link for a trailer. That will be your homework, should you find the movie interesting from my brief description.

  • The Voices (2014) This was definitely a different movie. It was bizarre and well-executed, aesthetically speaking. The set design was great and it was certainly a fun role in which to watch . We knew when we watched the trailer, it was just something we had to see. Watched on DVD with my S.O.
  • The Trip to Italy (2014) In the sequel, they got the Michael Caine impressions out of the way within the first 10 minutes, which was probably a good thing, or the viewer may have spent the rest of the movie in anticipation and not enjoying the film. It was another study of friendship and mistakes on the open road. As usual, some of it was over my head because of the references to certain things, but it was still worth watching, if only for the beautiful Italian countryside. Watched on DVD, sola.
  • A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2012) I usually watch anything if is in it. This wasn't one of my favorites. I guess I wasn't sure on the tone and felt it got switched up on me. Worth a watch if you are craving something out of the norm. Watched on Netflix with S.O.
  • Inherent Vice (2014) I know it did well with awards, and I guess it's based on a book, but it wasn't my cup of tea. I guess I don't really care for the drug-fueled characters that have lots of vices. So I suppose I should have known better since the title gives it away. But I know plenty of people would enjoy this one, for sure. Watched on DVD with my S.O.
  • Who's Harry Crumb (1984) Silly and fun, Andy wanted to watch this favorite from his past. Full of pratfalls and sight gags, you get what you expect from this comedy, and that's alright when you're in the mood. Watched on Netflix (?) with S.O.
  • Cuban Fury (2014) I'd seen the trailer for this and knew it was on my list. I'm usually a sucker for dance movies, and just as I watch anything with Simon Pegg, same goes for his companion (the Pegg cameo was pretty fun). I also REALLY like and of course is never a bad addition. It was pretty standard as far as storyline goes, which is fine. Watched on Netflix, sola.
  • Knights of Badassdom (2013) I'm also a sucker for and am usually intrigued by LARPing movies, as I've seen a few good ones. It was a pretty decent movie, if you allow for some unreal happenings. Watched on Netflix with S.O.
  • Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) It was more of the same as sequels go. Relying on stereotypes of secondary characters to pull us through. Still fun to see the cameos and hear the songs. Watched in a second-run theater.
  • Where the Buffalo Roam (1980) I've said before I'm not a huge fan of drug movies and although I love , I wasn't really into this. I guess I just don't care for the Hunter S. Thompson persona. I can't relate to someone so devil-may-care. Watched on ? with S.O.
  • Practical Magic (1998) I've seen this one before and decided to watch it again. is one of my absolute favorites. We've been watching a lot of Witches of East End on Netflix, so I was craving some sister-witch time. It's a movie film that plays on the bonds women have throughout their lives and how some things are greater/more important than perception/judgement of others. Watched on Netflix sola.
  • The Way Way Back (2013) I'd wanted to see this for a while. Great cast, relate-able characters and situations. Even if we haven't lived them, we understand. Pretty universal. Watched on DVD sola.
  • Triumph of the Will (1935) This I watched online for research for a feature film I wrote. Really creepy propaganda that gives a great sense of time, place and character. With hindsight being 20/20, watching this is a great exercise in being able to call out bullshit that is currently being broadcast. Good practice in utilizing/reawakening critical thinking skills. Watched on Youtube.
  • Smoke Signals (1998) The last time I previously reviewed this movie was 2013. Always a great film. I'd been dying to watch it again, especially since I wrote a small homage to the film in one of my lines in the feature script I was writing at the time. I got to share this movie with a room full of other writers/creatives and it was well-received.
  • Freaks (1932) Apparently, even thought I first watched this movie in college when I started this blog, I never reviewed this film. I got to share the film and we watched the behind the scenes on the production because my companions were that interested in it. I'm drawn towards the 'other'/circus/sideshow realm. It's intriguing to see people portrayed. I know that later, some of the actors felt it was a negative portrayal, but I find it fascinating. It makes me want to know more about the people involved. Watched on DVD with other writers/creatives.
  • My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) Even though I've watched this movie multiple times, I'm not showing I've reviewed it before. This is a movie my family quotes often. It's relate-able and funny and has original characters that are pulled from real life. It started my love of off on the right foot, as I'm sure it did for many people. It shows a great transformation of character and story. I'm really looking forward to the sequel!!! Watched on DVD with family once again.
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) I usually like but maybe this was just too much of "more of the same". The characters talked so quickly that if I didn't watch everything with subtitles, I might have missed the words. As it was, I had a hard time interpreting what was said, which detracted from my enjoyment. I thought the focus was on style and less on making me give a shit about the characters. I didn't really care for the story and was kind of disappointed. Watched on DVD with my Pops, I believe.
  • Saved! (2004) I last reviewed this film in 2012. Still one of my favorites as it is painfully close to the truth of what Catholic school can be like. Watched on Netflix sola... with S.O. popping in for a while.
  • Inside Out (2015) is one of my favorites so I was looking forward to hearing her. I'd also heard many good things about this film and was interested to see how the writers/creators had created a film about emotions. Enjoyable. I wouldn't mind watching it again. Watched in a second-run theater.
  • Chef (2014) A little long (or maybe I watched it in chunks that day). I like the cast and thought it was a nice story of family and road movies. Food movies make me wish I had the desire/talent for cooking. Oh well. That's why we turn to movies, eh? ;) Plus it doesn't help that I'm too cheap to eat out at restaurants anyway. I'm all about 'feed me now and feed me cheap... and oh yeah, it should probably be healthy. I also like the realistic use of social media, both in the story and the aesthetics. Watched on Netflix, sola.
  • Spy (2015) I love (and have written a movie for her, if anyone from her camp is able to read this... please contact me!) and I knew I was going to see this movie. Luckily, it was pretty good. I also was REALLY excited for 's appearance. I love her show and can't wait for other people to discover her wonderful comedy too. "Such fun!" (quote from her self-named show Miranda - I still need to watch her in Call the Midwife). I liked how watching this film empowered me along with the character, even mentally. I can't wait to watch it again. My S.O. loves imitating and I wanted him to watch this film with me, but I wasn't sure how the tone would play out. After watching the film, I'm confident he'll enjoy it. Watched in a second-run theater.
  • Undertaking Betty (2002) Cute British film. Comedy of errors, in a way. I really enjoyed 's role in the film. I'd probably watch it again for the over-the-top mortician humor. Watched on Netflix sola.
  • Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding (2011) Pretty straightforward story. You get what you'd expect. Nice cast. Hilarious to watch essentially play 's character in the show Grace and Frankie while still using the name Grace. is always wonderful, and it was neat to watch a different Olsen sister grace the screen. Watched on Netflix sola.
  • Get Hard (2015) I'm sure you're not surprised if I say this movie wasn't profound. You'll get what you expect with this comedy. Lot of dick jokes, but what do you expect with a prison theme? It was okay. Watched on Apple TV with friends.
  • One Small Hitch (2013) Standard rom-com with no surprises. Watched on Netflix, sola.
  • Minions (2015) Of course I had to watch the film as I love me some minions. I was kind of worried how they were going to pull it off, but it was a great utilization of the hero's journey with plenty of interesting turns. SPOILER: I love how they tied in Gru at the end. END. Watched in a second-run theater.
  • Clueless (1995) Always a nice kickback to a bygone era of hilarious fashion. Nice to see so many wonderful actors in younger roles. Watched on Netflix sola with S.O. appearing every once in a while.
  • The Skeleton Twins (2014) When I first saw the trailer, I was intrigued to see two stellar comedians act in something a bit more serious. They of course did wonderfully. I liked how the backstory was slowly revealed piece by piece. Watched on Netflix sola.
  • Brave (2012) This is one of those movies I've watched multiple times and love to share with new viewers. Original review here. A shorter review here. Watched with both parents and two of my nephews, including one that had seen it before.
  • Bedknobs & Broomsticks (1971) It's been a long time since I saw this. I remembered it fondly, but when I started it for my two youngest nephews (age 13 and 10), I was reminded how dated the cartoons were for this CGI generation. It also was two hours long and we all felt it drag quite a bit. Still a great movie that shows us how far we have come with our film technology in the past 44 years. Don't expect your youngin's to love it though, sadly.
  • Ant-Man (2015) I knew nothing about this Marvel story until I heard was going to star in it. It was enjoyable and I'd probably watch it again. I'll still kill ants though, sorry. Watched in a theater with my 13-year-old nephew.
  • Kill Me Three Times (2014) Another vehicle. Wasn't sure exactly what we were getting into, but I think we enjoyed it. Watched on Netflix with my S.O.
  • The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015) I enjoyed the first one and rightly assumed I'd enjoy this one as well. Wonderful cast, yet again. Watched on DVD sola.
  • The Decoy Bride (2011) Easy to cast off as another rom-com, but I love that it took place in Scotland, which brought it's own charm, especially since the voice of Brave was the lead actress. Enjoyable for the genre. Not incredibly dumbed down. I might actually watch it again. Rented from the library, also available on Netflix, watched sola.
  • For a Good Time, Call... (2012) I'm sure I posted about this a few years ago, but can't find an original post... I think I use the phrase "good time" too frequently in my reviews perhaps? But I enjoyed the film when it first came out and I saw it with a couple girlfriends in D.C. This viewing made me miss my girlfriends, as I watched it alone. This film is very 'girlfriend' and parallels them like any other romantic relationship. It's a sweet take on a dirty industry. I'd watch it again. It's bright and colorful and cute and the wonderful makes a cameo. Watched on Netflix sola.
  • In a World (2013) Pretty unique film. I really liked the inner look at recording studios, as well as a complicated father-daughter relationship. I liked all the accents/voices, especially since my sister excels at the same. I like the look at women's struggles in the film industry and the reality of it. And the cameo by . Watched on Netflix sola.
  • The Way (2010) Big kudos to Emilio Estevez for writing, directing and acting in this film, also a vehicle for his father . Based on a book, it was a nice father/son, coming-to-terms, road movie. I liked to learn about the El Camino (The Way) pilgrimage in Spain and although slow-paced, it was still gripping emotionally. Rented from library, watched sola.
  • Unfinished Song/Song for Marion (2012) I don't know why, but the movies about older people losing their partner completely wrecks me. This was a sweet film and it had me sobbing several times. Instead of the cancer-stricken wife dying right away, we got to become attached to her and see how much of a transition our main character had to do. I've enjoyed seeing ever since I saw him in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. This was a sweet film, touching. Rented from the library, watched sola.
  • Calendar Girls (2003) I'd heard nothing but good things about this 'ripped from the headlines' feature film. Cheeky and fun. Although I had a bit of a tough time telling two of the short-haired brunette leads apart from each other. I really enjoyed it and would watch it again, as well as recommend to others. Rented from the library, watched sola. 
  • Annie's Point (2005) I picked it up from the library because it had the awesome in it. I figured it was going to be surface-level and it basically was. No big surprises here. Rented from the library. Watched sola.
  • Bridesmaids (2011) Surprisingly, I can't find a review for Bridesmaids, but I know I must have because I've seen it before. It's not a superficial movie even though its a comedy. I like that our character is already at a low when the movie begins because we already wonder if her life can get any worse. And of course it does. It plays with female friendship in adulthood and how trying weddings can be. I was watching this as background noise and didn't finish watching it that night.... but couldn't help but need to finish it the next day. It's one of those that you have to finish because you need that satisfaction of seeing the characters make it. And loved that was the love interest, which I had forgotten about. Watched on DVD, sola.
  • Welcome to the Jungle (2013) It's like Office Space meets Lord of the Flies. And it works. It was fun to see the bullshit corporate world placed in a jungle with in a humorous role and excelling at it. I also loved seeing of The Last Man on Earth (among others) and Megan Boone pre-The Blacklist. Watched on Netlix with S.O.
  • Sex Ed (2014) Ever since I read the synopsis on Netflix, I was intrigued to see in this role. The students ended up being younger than I expected (which makes sense) and the tone/storyline turned out differently than I expected and I liked it. It also had me add to my list of actresses for a feature I have in mind. It wasn't until I was typing up this blog and saw the character name on imdb that I got the 'Ed' joke. And Osment does a great job portraying a teacher... Great message and some interesting things too. Watched on Netflix sola.
  • My Boyfriend's Back (1993) We found this on VHS while out treasure hunting and already had the following movie waiting for us to watch at home (same theme of love interest returns from the grave) so we figured we'd watch chronologically. It's very campy/cheesy and wasn't the best. It was also not properly named because SPOILER the boyfriend isn't the one who came back from the grave. If you are looking for some old school cheese, this is it. Watched on VHS with S.O.
  • Life After Beth (2014) After we'd seen the trailer, we'd been wanting to see this for quite some time. Luckily our friends had a copy to lend us. We watched it after the previous one to see if they handled it any differently, and it was of course, much better. I like the cast a lot and it was interesting to see a film that, revealed in the 'making-of', wanted to portray the emotional trauma of a horror film on a more personal level. It was an interesting movie, concept, and execution. I enjoyed seeing freak out. At times, she reminded me of my sister (actress as well) and it was fun. There were a couple of story specifics in their world that made me question the logic a bit, but I liked the new take on zombie films. Watched DVD with S.O.
  • Cake (2014) I'd been eyeing this film for a while. I like films and this was a unique role. I still wasn't sure what it was about when I saw the trailer, but it was about chronic pain which doesn't sound very thrilling but when combined with the loss of loved ones, makes for an emotionally-charged film. I like that we pick up further down the road in that action and layers of their lives are revealed. We don't instantly know what's happened, but get to observe it as it unfolds. It was compelling and about an aspect of many people's lives that we don't experience on a day-to-day level, and that's important to see to help promote compassion and understanding, one of the abilities of film. Watched on Netflix sola.
So there you have it.... 45 films. Ha cha cha! Have you seen any? Did I pique your interest on any of these? Which ones?
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Saturday, April 11, 2015

Don Jon (2013); Home (2015); G.B.F. (2013); Atari: Game Over (2014); Camp Takota (2014)

In less than 2 weeks, I've watched 5 movies. That's more my usual speed. Been hitting the screens kinda hard lately to avoid writing for the screens, if you know what I mean. ;) I guess we need a little down time. And can pretend it's general research. :P Anyway, here goes.


Don Jon (2013)

A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.

Director:
Writer:
Stars:
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TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6615kYTpOSU

Watched with S.O. from Netflix on our new Roku! 

This movie used repetitive sequences to show the growth and change of the character. There were some scenes that irked me but it was more to do with the characters' outlook and helped to portray the message of the movie; the use of women as sex objects. It really tied in to what Writer/Director/Actor JGL was getting at about our hyper-sexualized view of women and their place in society. The story wasn't your typical rom-com and did a good job about showing imperfections in relationships and interactions. No one came out looking perfect but the growth was rewarding. I enjoyed seeing Tony Danza in a different role, even though his character was skeezy. Julianne Moore did a great job as usual. It was a little surreal to see a Jersey couple wooing each other as it doesn't seem typical Hollywood, but it grew on me. This film had important messages, yet was enjoyable to watch. Way to go, JGL and crew.
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Home (2015)

Oh, an alien on the run from his own people, lands on Earth and makes friends with the adventurous Tip, who is on a quest of her own.

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
Stars:
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TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyqZf8LiWvM

Watched for $2 at a small town theater with other movie-goers. Total for ticket, small popcorn, PB M&M's and courtesy water: $5.50.... Gotta love small towns!!!

The best thing about this movie: A black female lead character that was strong, brave, intelligent and to have it said that her dark skin is beautiful. It felt soooooo empowering to me, an almost 30 year old white gal, to see and hear that message that I know so many young girls need to hear!!! (Yet interesting how she is lacking from the poster, eh?) Criticisms: The alien's improper use of English through the entire movie was a bit annoying. I mean, wouldn't he have improved after talking to a native speaker for so long? I had no idea that Steve Martin was the voice of Captain Smek. I thought the fact that Rihanna's character, aka the main character, had a name of "Gratuity" was a bit odd. Yeah, they wanted her to be called Tip and make it cutesy, and maybe that is someone's real name, but it didn't work for me. 'Tip' was fine, but why not have it be short for Tippy or I don't even know what related names there are. Wow, just got sidetracked reading Rihanna's bio on IMDB. Since she was the voice for the character, a lot of Rihanna's music found it's way into the movie, crafted originally. I think J-Lo did some on it too, since she voiced Rihanna's mom. Overall, it wasn't the best that I've seen, but it was colorful and creative and I loved seeing a black female character that was a great role model (despite her funny violent moments). And with music like that, I can see little girls loving the soundtrack too.
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What happens after Tanner is outed by his classmates and becomes the title "gay best friend" for three high school queen bees?

Director:
Writer:
Stars:
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TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krEdqwLLASw

Watched sola on Netflix/Roku.

I don't recall exactly where I first watched the trailer, but I was excited to watch Xosha Roquemore play a role because I already enjoy her on Mindy Project. At first, it was a little hard to get into until I figured out what the tone was. Oh, I can't tell you how thrilled I was to see in the film. It was kind of at that point I knew it was okay because she was in the campy cult classic But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) so I knew it was safe territory. The characters were a bit spoofy, but that was kind of the point. The film did a very good job at showing how mainstream culture tries to pigeonhole homosexuality and use it as a status symbol, forgetting the actual person under all the labels. At the same time, it didn't completely demonize those of us who have been less than mindful about how we treat gay people. (Although it showed how 'silly' anti-gay religious types are...) Watching this film helped point out to me some of the instances in which I have fallen victim to the same predispositions that the queen bees did. But the film didn't make us want to hate or condemn them, it just showed how ridiculous it is when it happens as a reminder to watch our behavior and treatment of others. was another fun cameo/character among others. I would probably watch it again, because I like those films that are slightly dramatic teen comedy flicks. Ooo, it also hinted at other stereotypes that are dumb like the SBF - Sassy Black Friend. Ha. It was a fun movie with a message.
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A crew digs up all of the old Atari 2600 game cartridges of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" that were tossed into a landfill in the 1980s.

Director:
Stars:
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TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIaWAyHIqok

Watched on Netflix/Roku with my S.O.

So here's some fun trivia. The Atari games were unearthed on my birthday last year, and it has actually been one year since I started getting into comics, thanks to my S.O. I, for a while, started a blog for comics, but have read so many in the past year there's no way I could keep up! Anyway, it was interesting to learn about the beginnings of the video game world and some of the craziness that went on in development. And it was fun to see how much excitement has been garnered by an urban legend that was actually true. If you are a nerd, I probably don't have to tell you twice to watch this... you may have already watched it twice. :P (And for those of you wondering, my birthday is April 26. Is it any small coincidence the Atari 2600 games were unearthed on April 26? ;)
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Camp Takota (2014)

With her personal and professional life in shambles, Elise ends up having to take a job as a counselor at her old summer camp. There, she reunites with two estranged friends who attended ... See full summary »

Directors:
,
Writers:
(story), (story), 2 more credits »
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97aoiaWwRVk

Watched sola on Netflix.

As a former camper/camp counselor, I'm always excited to see the camp theme used. Here it was both used and underused at the same time. Basically the summer flew by and nothing really happened at that camp and she kept her hair perfect. Fanny packs are the real deal though. :P The love interest was good looking and actually did a great job at making sparks fly. (He was in Fruitvale Station which is a GREAT film). The majority of it was pretty formulaic. I thought it's a safe film for the younger kids. The little 6 year old Penny was pretty adorable. There weren't any huge surprises in this film. I've seen a lot better uses of the camp theme though... Heavy Weights (1995) and Huge (2010) TV Series come to mind. Through the trivia, I'm coming to find that some of the actresses in this film are actually YouTube personalities. So, whatever. Anyway, it was pretty formulaic, but I wouldn't watch it again and I have a much better script for Camp stuff.....Wouldn't you like to know! ;) And really... why was she squatting in the woods every morning to use the bathroom when it was clear there was a shower in her cabin, so obviously she had running water.... and if she spent all that time at camp, how would she not know about poison ivy? Oh, sorry, did I just ruin a gag for you? Not really. :P
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Sunday, March 29, 2015

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011); That's What She Said (2012); Wolf Cop (2014); The Judge (2014)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay), (novel)
Stars:
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TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqQe3OrsMKI

Recent addition to S.O.'s collection. Watched with him.

We watched the American version. Although I've been wanting to read the novels and watch the Swedish versions first, I never got around to it, so I agreed to watch what I knew was going to be a good film from all the buzz I've heard. There were parts that were definitely uncomfortable for us to watch. We kept trying to make our guesses at the action. Although some nasty stuff happens to our female character, she is very much in charge of her own sexuality. Yet she still is a vulnerable and tragic character. It was an interesting premise and the character of Lisbeth is most intriguing. How many of us would love to have the photographic/aural memory that she has? Or the computer hacking skills? She's pretty b.a.! If you haven't gotten around to this, (like I hadn't) and you can handle a few intense scenes, then go for it. I'd love to watch the Swedish originals and compare sometime but Rooney Mara was intense and did a great job.
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That's What She Said (2012)

Bebe and DeeDee, best friends with different relationship problems, embark on a New York City misadventure with their new acquaintance, Clementine.

Director:
Writer:
Stars:
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TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xulzw3o-7JM


Recent addition to my collection. Watched sola.

I found it for $5 and since I like Alia Shawkat, I thought I'd give it a watch. I did notice that all speaking roles went to women and that was okay/appreciated. Just read this from the IMDB trivia page and it makes a lot of sense now: "The movie is based on writer/actress Kellie Overbey's play Girl Talk." Yes, it's definitely a talky movie so makes sense it was originally a stage play. So, it was a little out there. It wasn't rip-roaringly funny. It wasn't completely man-hatey and in fact showed that yeah, sometimes it's the woman who's to blame. And it even ended with a 'we love men' type thing. In its own way. It attempted to be a comedy of errors. And the whole premise of the title is kind of weak. Based on "Why does it always have to be so hard?" That's What She Said joke. Could have been more clever than that. It did touch well on female friendships and how much shit women take from their closest friends. But that's love. The movie was obviously a labor of love as well. It wasn't my favorite watch. I didn't hate it but I don't know that I'll go back to it. Sorry.
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WolfCop (2014)

As a series of strange and violent events start happening, an alcoholic policeman realizes that he has been turned into a werewolf as part of a larger plan, so he investigates with the help of his partner and his friend.

Director:
Writer:
(screenplay)
Stars:
, , | »

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg6fovvvgb4

Recent addition to my S.O.'s collection. Watched together.

You know when the checker at Walmart rolls her eyes at your purchase, 1) she is bad at her job aka keeping her negative opinions to herself and not judging customers outloud and 2) the movie is obviously going to be bad. The intent was "so bad it's good". And it was I guess in that category? I found it to be more bad than good, that's for sure. (And I prefer Axe Cop!) WolfCop followed all the tropes to a T. It had some disturbing special effects (when he transitions from human to wolf) and there was general stupidity to be had. This movie isn't amazing and I probably won't watch it again, but I might watch the sequel :P
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Big city lawyer Hank Palmer returns to his childhood home where his father, the town's judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth and, along the way, reconnects with his estranged family.

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay), (screenplay), 2 more credits »
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBvK6ni97W8

Recent addition to my S.O.'s collection. Watched together.

This movie is now in the list of Andy's top favorite movies, among the likes of Dallas Buyers Club. Indeed, this was an excellent movie. The relationships between the characters is what created the drama of the story. The actors worked well with each other and it was believable. It's a father/son story and shows dynamics of families very well. There were some scenes that just encapsulated the underlying issues that family members face, as well as the changing of the guards when children have to care for parents or when parents play a grandparent role with more care than the child received and feels cheated. There are a lot of good moments in here. It does really well with the common father/son and prodigal son returns tropes.
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So it looks like I only watched 4 movies in March! I've been busy working on re-writing a TV pilot, so that's my excuse. I also introduced Andy to The Heat, which I've reviewed before. He enjoyed that. However, I may still get to a couple more movies in the last couple days of March. I'll try to be quicker about reviewing them more promptly after watching the film.

Let me know if you are now interested (or not) in any of these films, or if you've seen any and agree/disagree with my thoughts.

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Monday, March 02, 2015

REVIEWS: The Fault in Our Stars (2014); Life of Crime (2013)

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Two teens, both who have different cancer conditions, fall in love after meeting at a cancer support group.

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ItBvH5J6ss 

Rented from the library; watched sola

I had listened to the audiobook and shed tears then, and I shed tears at the movie. It wasn't necessarily for the characters but for the thousands/millions of people they represent: people who don't get a chance at a 'full' life. Or at least a long one. Kids who have to be more adult than they should. The film was okay. It kept the characterization of those in the book, but the Gus character just felt like a person acting to me. Woodsley was a stronger actor. But some of it felt 'acted' to me instead of natural to the characters. It felt like Gus's character was too whimsical to be real, their manner of talking too strange for teenagers. But it's been a decade or more since I was a teen, so what do I know? :P That particular manner of speaking was consistent with the tone of the book, however. There were a couple scenes that weren't in the film, but it was fine. Both would have been distracting from the film. It's an okay film. If you like the book, you've probably already seen the movie. But if you are just looking for the movie, I guess if you are into teen romance with the serious tone of medical issues, then yes, see the film. :)
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Life of Crime (2013)

Two common criminals get more than they bargained for after kidnapping the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer who shows no interest in paying the $1 million dollar ransom for her safe return.

Director:
Writers:
(written for the screen by), (based on the book "The Switch" written by)
Stars:
, , | »


TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M29yK7WWeKY


Recent addition to my S.O.'s movie collection; watched with him.

We had seen the DVD at the store. I read the back and passed it to Andy thinking he might enjoy it. He considered it and put it back. Then we saw the trailer for it on another movie and we were both interested. Andy loves period pieces and this fit right in. It was fun to see the attention to detail in the production value. The characters were good. Well-developed, able to evoke emotion. I liked it. Apparently based on a book. Might want to read that now. :) I recommend this to anyone who likes more realistic situations... like when kidnapping goes wrong. :) Also, hate if you must, but I like Jen Aniston.
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Saturday, February 21, 2015

Review: Birdman (2014)

Birdman (2014)

A washed up actor, who once played an iconic superhero, battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career and himself in the days leading up to the opening of a Broadway play.

Director:
(as Alejandro G. Iñárritu)
Writers:
(as Alejandro G. Iñárritu) , , 2 more credits »
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfLoE6hanc 

Recent addition to S.O.'s collection, watched with him.

It had funny parts, good actors. There was an interesting mix of commentary on different things, like theater life, celebrity, labels, etc. Had a very Spanish feel to me, which makes sense, considering the director is from Mexico. The magic realism was what gave it away. It still worked though, unlike Blueberry Nights, the Wong Kar Wai English film that didn't translate to America, which is sad b/c I generally love WKW films. :( It was interesting to have such long takes, gave us something extra to watch for. (IMDB said there were only 16 and that originally the director wanted zero.) The unreality made it a little hard to keep up. And that gun made me nervous the whole time. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Birdman concept was written to make a joke about Keaton as Batman. I thought it was a fun nod. I'm not in love with it, I didn't hate it. There were some great lines in it. Worth a watch. The drum thing was a bit annoying at times. That's about all I got. 
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Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Review: Bottle Shock (2008)

Bottle Shock (2008)

The story of the early days of California wine making featuring the now infamous, blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as "Judgment of Paris".

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay), (screenplay), 5 more credits »
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYs0kblXToA 

Rented from the library, watched with my S.O.

Verdict: 9 out of 10. Enjoyable film about the turning point in American wine. Cast of characters was very nice, great music of the era. Chris Pine's hair/wig drove me nuts the whole time though. Some of the use of the female character Sam was cliché (guys watching her use a hose and get wet, flashing her boobs to get a ride). The film followed the format we screenwriters are taught about overcoming adversity, rising to the call, sacrificing oneself for the greater good, dark night of the soul, etc. Would love to look more into the original story too to see how true-to-life the film was or how much it played up certain elements.
~~
What's your take? Have you seen or do you want to now? Leave a comment, share the page. And have a nice day.
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Sunday, February 01, 2015

New Year's Eve (2011)

New Year's Eve (2011)

The lives of several couples and singles in New York intertwine over the course of New Year's Eve.

Director:
Writer:
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_dt27_0vL4 

Rented from the library, watched sola

Another cringeworthy collaboration from Gary Marshall and Katherine Fugate. Not as god-awful terrible as previously-reviewed "Valentine's Day" but more of the same and still dumb. They use some of the same actors so it took a second to figure out if they were supposed to be the same as in the previous movie or if it was a new story line. New story line, but apparently only white people have New Year's Eve stories, (as was my gripe before). The writer/director has a thing about showing some of the same people in both films, like one of the older nurse (the director's wife), the person with disabilities in the chair, the same little boy did a cameo I think as the kid who bodysurfed. It's enjoyable to see some of that because it means they care about their family/friends etc. The inclusion of the sacrifice of military personnel is also a theme. I think I hated this one LESS because it was more about variations of relationships, not just love. The first one could have benefited a bit more from that. It also could have benefited more by casting more non-whites in leading roles, instead of as supporting roles. I swear, for movies that supposedly take place in New York (and previously LA), it sure is hell-bent on whiteness. I mean, hell, the pastor and his whole family could have been black. Why not? Or they could have been Asian or whatever. Basically these films are really white-washed and lack imagination. They also assume we can spend a few minutes with a person and all of a sudden have a romantic connection with them. Stupid rom-com trope for sure. Hector Elizondo became a Polish joke/character and the pregnant couples were strange. They were fighting over who gave birth first and therefore wins the New Year's Baby money prize. I BADLY wanted an underprivileged, struggling mom to be the one that beat them because they needed a slap in the face. And there was only one black baby in the nursery and 7 white ones. Seriously? What hospital is that? Some hoity-toity one I guess. :P Anyway, the 'interconnectedness' theme was at play again, and whoopty-doo on that one. I don't know if it was actually any better than the first one or I just was used to the letdown I knew I was starting? Anyway, if you watch either of these movies, they would probably benefit from a drinking game of sorts.
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Nice thing on the trivia page that belies my whining about diversity. Halle Berry was originally cast in the Katherine Heigl role and had to turn it down b/c of a custody battle, but then later was recast as the nurse.
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Here's an ouch from the award page... The only award it did win: Actress Most in Need of a New Agent: All of the actresses in New Year's Eve (2011).
~~Gary Marshall helped to write and directed The Other Sister which is about special needs, so he must have a soft spot in his heart for it. Which is cool. And I mean, they man has cred.... but these movies just didn't work. How they made the second one... well... whatever.
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Saturday, January 31, 2015

White Bird in a Blizzard (2014)

White Bird in a Blizzard (2014)

In 1988, a teenage girl's life is thrown into chaos when her mother disappears.

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay), (based on the novel by)
Stars:
, , | »

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D1W_aH72-g

Recently acquired by my S.O.; watched with him.

It didn't blow me away. The acting was pretty good, although I didn't feel like was really into the role. It felt like an actor acting.... and not convincingly. I love her, but it felt a bit off for me. Maybe I was just being hypercritical. And I don't think Eva Green is allowed to do a non-evil role! Not with that sultry voice! I think the film is worth a watch. Now for the SPOILERS: The film relies on some misdirects to aid the viewer in believing certain things. I kind of figured a little bit, or at least knew there was some things that were hidden that would be revealed. And I really want to know the credibility of the body decomposition information at the end. Seems impossible and like it was done for poetic purposes. Could definitely see how the daughter was emulating the mother and her sexual desires and how it could be a strange source of conflict. I don't think the 'you used to be fat' thing was believable. We were basically told that Shailene's character used to be fat by Sidibe's character, and Eva Green had made a snide comment to the child-actor, but it felt weird and untrue. I also found it odd that the gay character didn't make a comment about Phil (the young boyfriend) being gay since he wasn't fooling around with Shailene's character. That would seem like something he would say, even playfully, and it was my suggestion, but of course, that would open up the field for doubt and make us not fall into the carefully laid trap of misdirection.  This film felt like a love story to emo music of the time period: late 80s and early 90s. Depeche Mode and what not. The main character didn't seem to have too much turmoil in her position. Like she wasn't really worried that her mom was gone. And why do ghosts always try to contact from the grave in a symbolic means? Seems to me like Eve's ghost would have been just as uninterested in her daughter as she was when she was alive. But suddenly, ooo symbolism. If anything, this film is about trusting people too much? Not really sure what the message is supposed to be, if there is even a message. END SPOILERS: It wasn't a bad movie. It had a nice style to it and the set design was appropriate for the time period. Good soundtrack. Good acting. Nice costuming choices. Hair and makeup too was good. Worth a watch I suppose. Watched trailer and here are my responses: Eva Green gives great 'crazy'. Angela Bassett was underused. The last line of the trailer wasn't in the original movie.  
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Thursday, January 29, 2015

Valentine's Day (2010)

Valentine's Day (2010)

Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine's Day.

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay), (story), 2 more credits »
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K45RdE2qlk 

Rented from the library; watched alone... S.O. joined for a few.

If you want a good laugh, read the headlines on the reviews on imdb....  There are 21 pages telling you how terrible the movie is. And it got an 18% on Rotten Tomatoes. Okay, so my thoughts.... great cast, but cliche to the max and no one really shined in their little bit of screen time. Since we had so little time to know them, I wasn't invested in any of the characters or the cliche's they represented. The film tried to tackle too much and didn't work. And apparently, only white people have love stories? There were so many white people! Yeah, sure we had Queen Latifah and Jamie Foxx and Hector Elizondo and George Lopez... but that was it. Unless you wanna count Jessica Alba, which I don't since she was blonde in this movie. But what really got me was how potentially interesting characters were all basically sight gags that pretended to make the film diverse: the Asians at the flower market, the couple with dwarfism that walked by, the Latino couple fighting, the Indians/wedding party at the restaurant, the sign language interpreter we saw several times. Oh and Kutcher's character saying a few words in Japanese and Spanish to let us know how cool and diverse he was. (Really, no one could understand the Bulgarian woman's accent? Maybe my subtitles helped, but still). I'm sick of diversity getting nods. If you want to show the diversity of L.A., freaking show it! Stop casting big names just to get a draw, because it clearly doesn't guarantee your movie is better. It basically felt like all of the stories were so weak and fluffy, none of them deserved an entire movie, so they lumped them all together. I also noticed that since Taylor Swift was in the film, so were some of her songs. Her character and that of her scene partner Taylor Lautner... dumb fluff. The characters were so shallow, that of course, it was used as comic relief (whereas I don't think I laughed at anything so much as sighed). A movie like this basically takes all the tropes of romantic comedies and shows you how shallow and worthless it can be. There were a couple cute reveals at the end, but nothing amazing that could save the movie. I really wish that I didn't choose this as my only activity for the evening. I didn't expect it to be great, but I hoped it would be tolerable. I just wanted to CARE about the characters. Show me the love story of the Asians that work in the flower market, or the people with dwarfism, or the lady that does sign language interpretation, or the Indians getting married (okay, I watch plenty of Bollywood) and really WHAT was with the cliche 'arranged marriage' mention?! That just undid the open-minded/diversity angle that the filmmakers were trying so hard to portray. I feel bad lambasting this movie, because there was a lot of talent in it, but the scenes felt like poorly written, superficial theater pieces that got in some trite 'funny' lines that didn't really resonate or mean anything. Or the mentions of Rumi or e.e. cummings meant to lend it some intelligence that didn't really help. The funniest bit was at the end.. SPOILER: The radio jockey saying "now for those three words we all really wanna hear: let's get naked." There was a funny gag or two in the gag reel too... Julia Roberts nod to Pretty Woman. Maybe some more.... that barely resonates enough ten minutes after I finished the movie.... END SPOILER. I did find it funny that Jamie Foxx was playing a keyboard, a nod to the movie Ray, where Foxx played Ray Charles. I bet this was one of those movies that the cast and crew enjoyed making but was misleading for the level of success it would have. Oh, and if I was a foreigner or had a hard time telling white people apart... anyone else think Jessica Biel and Jennifer Garner look pretty dang similar? Anyway.... don't waste your time on the film. And if you need more convincing... read the 21 pages of reviews on IMDB to convince you it's a waste of time. Sorry to the cast and crew. (Oh and there were a crazy ass number of deleted scenes on the DVD that you couldn't pay me to watch.... like 'what character was that supposed to be again? would I have cared more? no? okay then). So, goodbye Thursday night....

Note: I actually don't hate Valentine's Day despite the plethora of years I've spent single. I think I have my parents to thank who always gave us Valentine Day cards to let us know we are loved. And I've always used it as a chance to focus on my girlfriends/friends/family and let them know I care; I don't need a commercialized holiday to do so, but we all need an excuse, right? I remember one Valentine's Day in the nerd dorms playing games and doing crab walk races with my friends. That's more fun that an overpriced bouquet or meal in a crowded restaurant on an over-pressured day.

I sure hope my experience with the movie "New Year's Eve" isn't as bad..... Fingers not crossed, not holding my breath.

EDIT: 1/31/15 9 am... I thought about the movie more and came up with more things I didn't like: 
- The gay foreigner that works at the flower shop tells the Bulgarian girl "What are you saying? I can't understand you. Learn English. I did!" Seriously? No one who has ever gone through the arduous task of learning a language would lambast another person for their difficulties with pronouncing "chrysanthemums" (which I couldn't even spell w/o spellchecker). This film pretends to be so open-minded because the white guy (Kutcher) can say a few phrases in different languages, but please, you better speak English ... or else. And Kutcher asked for "somebody in the shop who speaks English with a Bulgarian accent" ... because it's not worth it to take the time to actually listen to someone and treat them with respect.
- Not to mention when Jamie Foxx tried to interview the Japanese flower guy at the market, the man who could hold conversation before suddenly became inept and said a phrase that didn't make sense and oh, white guy had to save the day again.
-Back to the gay guy at the flower shop.... who all of a sudden was suuuuuper-excited about a wedding and of course had a friend in Vegas that designs dresses for Cher and will design a dress for the bride. As if gay guys have nothing better to do than be excited about straight people's weddings and as if they assume that the bride wants their help. Obviously this was a plot device which was really dumb and contrived. Done for the story and not for any truth of character.
- It was hard to understand what the relationships were in the movie. If it was mentioned once, you better figure it out. Like the teenage girl... I forgot she said she nannied, so I was trying to figure out if she was the little boy's sister or cousin or what. And why couldn't the grandparents watch him? Seemed strange to me. 
- SPOILER: (Oh and the trope of the innocence of a boy in love with his teacher? overdone.) END
- Jamie Foxx, the sports newscaster's weeeiiiiiird report after the character came out. How does mentioning "will he play house music in the locker room" in relation to a recently-out athlete make him the new #1 reporter? It seemed borderline homophobic but I wasn't really sure.... because his little speech was kinda disjointed. 
- There was absolutely NO chemistry between Jamie Foxx and whatever J played opposite him... Jessica Biel. (I figured out I called Jennifer Garner Jessica above...they just look so much alike!)
-Taylor Lautner & Taylor Swift characters. I thought Lautner was going to break it off with her.... I mean, she got him a jersey with her favorite number on it (and the number was tattooed on her hand. Was that a joke in reference to her album 22 or did that not come out yet? Did she have one called 18 or something). Anyway it didn't seem like she was a good listener so he'd call it off. Nope, he was just a pushover and went with it. 
-SPOILER: Shirley MacLaine's speech in the cemetery about love should have come from her husband because it was all about acceptance of the imperfections of the person you're with... but she was the who cheated (years back) so he should have the change of heart. Not her. And somehow that speech made a guy run back to a girl he'd dated for 2 weeks because all of a sudden he knew he needed to accept her faults (phone sex operator) and love her? Riiiiight. END SPOILER.

Anyway, there was a lot wrong with the movie and I know I'm not the first person to call it out. This was good practice for me. Like providing feedback for a script. Too bad they didn't try that before making the movie. :P
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