Wanderlust

This is a pretty sweet romantic comedy! Not only is Paul Rudd very funny, but Jennifer Aniston is funny too. They make a very believable couple. Their trials and tribulations were really relate-able, so much so that after the movie, my boyfriend and I discussed how we would have handled the various situations that Rudd and Aniston found themselves in, in this movie.

The journey in the car from NYC to Georgia was one of my favorite scenes. This is because the moods that Rudd and Aniston portrayed were feelings that everyone has had while trapped in a long car ride with someone. It was a vicious cycle of up-down emotions, and sing-alongs to some of the strangest songs. It was produced to be comical, and quite successfully so - I giggled the entire time I watched this scene.

Also, the scene where Aniston drinks Iowaska tea and has a psychedelic experience was also one of my favorite scenes. Not because of personal experience (yet) but because there was an elegant contrast to Rudd not drinking the tea, and essentially babysitting Aniston throughout the whole time. Rudd's sober attitude to Aniston's joyful and strange experience gave the scene sincerity.

Lastly, the ending was really sweet. Both Rudd and Aniston find that "home is wherever I'm with you" - to quote Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Its not about the location, but the person you are with - and being with the right person makes an experience worthwhile, which is what Wanderlust conveyed at the end. Highly recommend this movie - I give it a 4.5. Not the best rom-com I've seen, but definitely a good one.

Garden State

This is one of my favorite movies! It comes across a bit sad and depressing. But everything about it is so well done - the way the scenes are framed is artsy. And the sound track and music in this is really well-coordinated. The mood and feelings are translated so naturally.

Zach Braff's talents do not go unnoticed with this movie. He wrote the script, directed the movie, and performs as the leading male role. Natalie Portman plays a quirky leading female in this movie. Portman's seemingly effortless ability to convey her character adds depth and thickness to Braff's character as they interact in a variety of situations.

Braff's ultimate ability to feel the things he was longing to feel, and develop a relationship with Portman creates a feeling of hope and optimism. The ending of this film is totally romantic and completely fulfilling. I give this movie a 4.75.

Dirty Dancing

I've decided to review my favorite movie. This is the first movie I really loved. I first watched Dirty Dancing when I was 12 or 13 - which was 13-14 years after the movie first came out. I have watched its hundreds of times since then, and it is timeless and perfect each time I watch. I rate this a 5 without a doubt, and here's why...

The movie opens with a voice-over of Baby saying:
"That was the summer of 1963 - when everybody called me Baby, and it didn't occur to me to mind. That was before President Kennedy was shot, before the Beatles came, when I couldn't wait to join the Peace Corps, and I thought I'd never find a guy as great as my dad. That was the summer we went to Kellerman's."

That introduction sends a wave of nostalgia for summer, youth, and naivety. Every time I watch it - I'm reminded of summer love.

Naturally, a love story with Patrick Swayze totally won me over as I was developing crushes and dreaming about my Romeo. Forbidden summer love, combined with some hot ballroom dancing, is enough to to make any girl swoon.  I loved how shy and convincing Baby (Jennifer Grey) is in the beginning, and how she matures and gains confidence by the end of the movie. Her relationship with her sister Lisa (Jane Brucker) and her father Dr. Jake Houseman (Jerry Orbach) create an interesting triangle of sibling rivalry, as well as parallel love stories. Dr. Houseman is concerned that Johnny Castle (Swayze) is no good because of a misunderstanding, and forbids Baby from seeing Johnny; while unwittingly approving of Lisa's relationship with Robbie Gould, the waitor - who ends up knocking Lisa up, and deceiving Dr. Houseman. Johnny, a misunderstood leather-wearing bad boy, wins Dr. Houseman back over in the final scene - in a surprising twist of events when he is accidentally vindicated by Robbie. Dr. Houseman ultimately admits "When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong", forgiving Johnny, and approving his youngest daughters relationship with an unconventional young man.

This movie has been the cornerstone of all Romance and Romantic Comedies I have seen since. Many are great, a lot are not so much, and none have been able to supersede it yet.

Django Unchained

Thank you Quentin Tarantino. This is an awesome movie! For a man known to push the envelope I believe this was right on the money in every way.

The retaliation of Jamie Foxx's character to the evil slave owners was justifiably vengeful. Christoph Waltz won the Oscar for his supporting role for a reason - he was amazing. The story this original screen play tells has the viewer engrossed in every scene. The combination of ancient German myth with anti-slavery heroism is a unique juxtaposition of similar ideas - and I really enjoyed and was much entertained.

You will not feel a lack entertainment or momentum as you watch this movie - I rate it a solid 5.

Killing Them Softly

This movie was really good! I watched it while I was feeling sick, and ladies - Brad Pitt will make you feel better ;) Don't worry gentlemen, this is no Rom-Com.

This movie was stocked with a killer cast of not only Brad Pitt, but also James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, and many more. It was a mob movie, but the viewer never gets to meet the mob - just the counsel, played by Richard Jenkins. With scenes of Jenkins and Pitt going over what needs to happen, to who, and why - I felt completely enraptured by how smooth and deliberate their delivery and conversations were. The portrayal of brutal retaliation to those who have offended or wronged the mob appeared authentic and would have made Mario Puzo (author of Godfather) proud.

The best and ultimate part of this movie for me was the final scene with Pitt and Jenkins at the bar. Pitt's cold attitude and final monologue had me holding my breath.

I give this movie a 5 - no nonsense, no jokes, you will love this movie.

Life of Pi

As with Anna Karenina, I decided to read the original book before watching the movie. Largely for the same reasons - I wanted to know how the story was originally developed and conveyed before it was adapted to a movie option.

 The movie was well produced. The scenes of ocean landscape, enhanced by the effects were incredibly beautiful. The adapted story is well performed by the lead actor - Suraj Sharma. His role and performance inspires you - watching a young boy survive a shipwreck, especially with a Bengal tiger, is very inspirational and a testament to the endurance of the human spirit. The way the story is told from two points of view - young Pi and older Pi (played by Irrfan Khan) with the visiting writer (Rafe Spall), makes the viewer feel as though he or she is right there in older Pi's  living room hearing this story for yourself and reliving it too. Ang Lee rightfully received the Oscar for his directing, this film was very well executed.

Their were certain events that were completely missed, and others that were added on relative to Yann Martel's original story. And although not everything can be captured from book to screenplay to movie production, and choices must be made - I believe the choices to change the way Pi trained Richard Parker, the exclusion of his chance encounter with a blind shipwrecked person out at sea, as well as the addition of a love interest in the beginning, were not one's that I would have made.The original series of events seem more truthful, and believable to the overall nature of the story itself. That is not to say that surviving a shipwreck with a Bengal tiger is a believable story, but if one is to believe it, I personally believe Yann Martel's version more than the adapted screenplay.

Overall I rate this movie a 4.25.

In Bruges reviewed by Michael McGurk

I begged Lana to let me do a guest review of In Bruges, directed by Martin McDonagh.  I think this is my favorite film of all time.

It's a dark comedy featuring Colin Farrell as a hitman dealing with an existential crisis.  The in-your-face humor is a striking juxtaposition with the tasteful musical scoring and cinematography of the film.  Some of the narrated scenes were so beautifully done, that I couldn't help but feel that I was viewing a universe where magic still lives.

I've heard some people say that the film is too slow, without enough action.  I disagree, and think that the pace of the movie reinforces the psychological state of the protagonist.  Sometimes life's events take time to sort out, and the moral conflicts depicted in the film aren't solved quickly or easily.  I love how the film slowly builds to it's climax, and a mind-twisting conclusion.  I give this film a 5/5.

The Oscars

Watching The Academy Awards last night was wonderful! The beautiful attire, performances, and ceremony were a sight to remember.

Halle Berry and Jessica Chastain were stunning. And, George Clooney and Joseph Gorden-Levitt did not disappoint in the least.

Stand-out performance by Jennifer Hudson - who received a standing ovation - reminded me that movies are not just for actors, but singers and dancers too. Adele, the most natural female there, did not leave any room for disappointment with her incredible performance of Skyfall from Skyfall. I am so inspired to see her get her first Oscar on her first nomination. Talk about girl power for both of these beauties!

The snub toward Zero Dark Thirty because of the portrayal of torture was really disappointing. There were so many opportunities for that movie to win across multiple categories - but the grand inquisition by the US government shrouded this movies potential success.

Also, I was not impressed that Michelle Obama came in to introduce and announce the winner for Best Movie. Something about it was not sincere - a declassified government mission about a CIA operative going out to save Americans abroad - being announced from the White House, made it seem like their was bias involved in the selection of Best Movie. And don't get me wrong, Argo is a great film; but I believe the choice made for how to present was not the best alternative.

Overall, it was good to see the variety of winners - no single film swept the awards. I look forward to what the contenders for 2013 will be!

The Pirate Bay AFK

This is the first documentary I'm reviewing on my blog.

Documentaries , similar to cinematic productions of fiction, tell a story. The story this production told was one that I was not familiar with, and the perspective presented is not one I am likely to see in mass media. The founders of Pirate Bay appeared frank and sincere throughout the entire law suit ordeal. Their reactions to how they were being treated by mass media and corporations resonated with honesty. I believed them.

I appreciate the free release of the film - the open and accessible nature coincides with the message of the documentary. I rate this a 4.5 - well done.

Anna Karenina

I read the book as soon as I heard the movie was coming out. Not just because the movie was coming out - I was actually meaning to read it for a while, but because I love movies, I figured reading the actual story before watching the movie would give me more insight into how and why the story develops as it does.

So the movie - it was well produced! Keira Knightley is beautiful and impressive as a leading lady. And Jude Law, of course, is handsome as ever, with excellent performance timing. For a screen play, if the viewer is only judging the story as a cinematic production, and not comparing it to Tolstoy's original novel - it was good. The style of the production - especially the transitions - was really unique; at times it felt like I was watching a theater performance.

I think some of the choices that were made on which scenes to exclude from the original novel in the making of the movie, took away from the density and magnitude that the story conveys. Its impossible to capture everything, but some events were even inaccurately conveyed which detracts from the viewers understanding why Anna's character or Kitty's character (Alicia Vikander) made the decisions they did. Even Kitty's story - which is beautiful and intense even relative to Anna's - was diminished and shortened in the movie. The viewer would never know if not for the book.

So I rate Anna Karenina a 4.75 - well done, but better choices could have been made to keep it truer to Tolstoy's original work.

Goon

Goon

This was an ok movie at best. I think Seann William Scott can be pretty funny, so there was definitely some giggling involved while watching it. Also, after I finished watching the movie, and saw that it was based on a true story - I liked it more, but not because of the acting, just the fact that there is some reality to what was portrayed. How much reality portrayed is also questionable.

I liked watching a movie about hockey - so hockey enthusiasts could find this movie enjoyable. But personally, the dumb type of humor that they seemed to be going for just didn't always hit home. Seann's character was portrayed as a dumb guy, who was a human battering ram on the ice. I mean maybe he was a dumb guy after fighting so much - but I don't know - at times I felt the movie took it too far.

I would give this movie a 3.5. Not bad, not great, and low chance I'll watch again.

Silver Linings Playbook

I'm trying to catch up on 2012's Oscar nominees, and Silver Linings Playbook was next up to watch.

I liked it. A quirky film and Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are easy on the eyes. Overall I think that the concepts of mental illness and coping mechanisms are tastefully presented. And the happy ending gives the viewer the sense that "everything is going to be alright".

If I were to rate this movie on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best), I would give it a 3.75 because:
-although Bradley Cooper is fantastically handsome, I wasn't completely sold on his portrayal of a bipolar disorder
&
-the whole situation came across preplanned and too predictable - there was no surprise or question that Jennifer Lawrence would win Cooper over

Worth a gander if you're looking for the not-your-average-RomCom movie evening.

Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty.

Its only appropriate that I start the most casual movie blog with one of the most controversial films. I love irony.

I watched this movie with my man this past weekend. It was an excellent film! It wasn't the super action-packed CIA movie you expect. Kathryn Bigelow comes through on this film in a big way. When Hurt Locker first came out, and then won significantly in the Oscars, some may have attributed her success to beginners luck, or to her association with James Cameron. None of that was considered in my assessment of Zero Dark Thirty.

The symbols she used in this film - i.e. the ringer the SEAL got when he was playing horseshoes before the mission (foreshadowing mission success), along with the fact that Jessica Chastain did not play the typical "sexy female agent" role - really gave the film a flavor of authenticity that was unanticipated. In my humble opinion Jessica Chastain is a goddess - beautiful red head, with serious eyes, and the kind of cinematic timing that only a natural starlet can have. There is quite a bright Hollywood future after this performance.

Also - this movie is a great "thinking/discussion" movie - if you want to watch with a group of friends, or significant other, and then have thoughtful conversations about what had happened. At least that's what happened between me and my man - and it was really quite enjoyable. After all movies are art, and to feel affected to engage in conversation is an attribute to the high quality of this piece of art. Well done Katheryn Bigelow, well done Jessica Chastain.