I’ve been excited for this film for like a year and a half and I don’t even know what to say about it right now except that it was awesome. I think I need another viewing to fully take it in and better articulate my feelings. For those who don’t know, this film is about a serial killer who brings the work of Edgar Allan Poe to life, spawning an investigation that Poe himself gets involved with solving.  Right off the bat I have to say that it was very different from what I expected. A lot of critics are saying the film has tone issues, and I can definitely see why. The tone does bounce around a bit without settling, but I didn’t really mind that. I personally expected the movie to be overall a bit more dark, mysterious, and foreboding than it was. They included a lot more comedy than I thought they would, which took me by surprise but was ultimately very enjoyable. The horror elements are there, but not in excess - people who are easily rattled won’t be terrified or overwhelmed. It’s more of a thriller than anything, though the gore is certainly a part of the festivities here. I must address Cusack’s performance next. He is one of my favorite actors while Poe is one of my favorite authors, so there were basically rainbows coming out of my mouth, eyes, and ears when this film was announced. Again, what transpired was not what I expected. Even with all the build up, John did not disappoint. While the tone of the movie kind of see-sawed, I felt he was pitch perfect at every turn. During the emotional scenes, he was devastating. During the comedic scenes, he was hilarious. As an actor, I can imagine how hard it would be balancing on the tightrope that is this movie, and he pulled it off beautifully. There is, of course, a love story in the midst of all the craziness and Alice Eve played Poe’s love interest in a very subdued way, which I liked. There were certain scenes where she could have gone nuts with overacting, but she pulled back at the right moments, making for a much more interesting performance. Lance Evans impressed me playing the lead detective in the investigation, and I will definitely keep an eye out for him in the future. I absolutely loved the way Poe’s work was used in the film. Certain moments where lines were being read from Annabel Lee and Dream Within A Dream (my fave) gave me chills. It was really quite beautiful. People need to understand that this is not supposed to be a biopic on Poe, it’s a fictionalized account of what possibly could have happened at the end of his life with facts and his work sprinkled in. I really liked the mix of legend, facts, and fiction that ultimately made up the script.

I’ve been excited for this film for like a year and a half and I don’t even know what to say about it right now except that it was awesome. I think I need another viewing to fully take it in and better articulate my feelings. For those who don’t know, this film is about a serial killer who brings the work of Edgar Allan Poe to life, spawning an investigation that Poe himself gets involved with solving. 

Right off the bat I have to say that it was very different from what I expected. A lot of critics are saying the film has tone issues, and I can definitely see why. The tone does bounce around a bit without settling, but I didn’t really mind that. I personally expected the movie to be overall a bit more dark, mysterious, and foreboding than it was. They included a lot more comedy than I thought they would, which took me by surprise but was ultimately very enjoyable. The horror elements are there, but not in excess - people who are easily rattled won’t be terrified or overwhelmed. It’s more of a thriller than anything, though the gore is certainly a part of the festivities here.

I must address Cusack’s performance next. He is one of my favorite actors while Poe is one of my favorite authors, so there were basically rainbows coming out of my mouth, eyes, and ears when this film was announced. Again, what transpired was not what I expected. Even with all the build up, John did not disappoint. While the tone of the movie kind of see-sawed, I felt he was pitch perfect at every turn. During the emotional scenes, he was devastating. During the comedic scenes, he was hilarious. As an actor, I can imagine how hard it would be balancing on the tightrope that is this movie, and he pulled it off beautifully. There is, of course, a love story in the midst of all the craziness and Alice Eve played Poe’s love interest in a very subdued way, which I liked. There were certain scenes where she could have gone nuts with overacting, but she pulled back at the right moments, making for a much more interesting performance. Lance Evans impressed me playing the lead detective in the investigation, and I will definitely keep an eye out for him in the future.

I absolutely loved the way Poe’s work was used in the film. Certain moments where lines were being read from Annabel Lee and Dream Within A Dream (my fave) gave me chills. It was really quite beautiful. People need to understand that this is not supposed to be a biopic on Poe, it’s a fictionalized account of what possibly could have happened at the end of his life with facts and his work sprinkled in. I really liked the mix of legend, facts, and fiction that ultimately made up the script.

I just got back from seeing this. I knew hardly anything about it, I had just heard the insane amount of buzz. So many people told me it was a must see. I also knew it had a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes which kind of blew my mind. I was very, very curious to see what all the fuss is about. This movie is going to keep your mind going a mile a minute trying to figure out what the hell is going on. If you’re totally confused during the first act, don’t worry. I always seem to get weird movies that other people find puzzling and this one totally had me stumped. Because so many movies are the same, usually I can predict what will happen next, especially in the horror genre. During this one, I had no idea. For that reason alone, this film is worth seeing. Anything different is refreshing. However, this review isn’t a total rave. It wasn’t as good as it could have been. I think they really only scratched the surface of the idea they had for this movie. I have a lot of questions. There are certain elements that I wish were more fleshed out. I wanted to see and know more. I definitely would be interested in seeing a prequel. We’ll see what happens.  You should stay in the dark about this movie like I did and go in having no idea what to expect. Love it or hate it, you’ll definitely be taken on a ride. If you’re looking for some form of reference, it’s kind of like a bizarre Hunger Games and Thirteen Ghosts hybrid.

I just got back from seeing this. I knew hardly anything about it, I had just heard the insane amount of buzz. So many people told me it was a must see. I also knew it had a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes which kind of blew my mind. I was very, very curious to see what all the fuss is about.

This movie is going to keep your mind going a mile a minute trying to figure out what the hell is going on. If you’re totally confused during the first act, don’t worry. I always seem to get weird movies that other people find puzzling and this one totally had me stumped. Because so many movies are the same, usually I can predict what will happen next, especially in the horror genre. During this one, I had no idea. For that reason alone, this film is worth seeing. Anything different is refreshing.

However, this review isn’t a total rave. It wasn’t as good as it could have been. I think they really only scratched the surface of the idea they had for this movie. I have a lot of questions. There are certain elements that I wish were more fleshed out. I wanted to see and know more. I definitely would be interested in seeing a prequel. We’ll see what happens. 

You should stay in the dark about this movie like I did and go in having no idea what to expect. Love it or hate it, you’ll definitely be taken on a ride. If you’re looking for some form of reference, it’s kind of like a bizarre Hunger Games and Thirteen Ghosts hybrid.

I wasn’t really in the mood for a scary movie but I decided to watch this anyway after hearing a rave review from a friend. I ended up really liking it, and the more I think about this film, the more I appreciate it. It’s not very scary — I found it to be less of a horror film and more of an emotional thriller. It got a little slow at times, but stick with it because it’s worth the slow burn. I loved the ending, and it will certainly keep you guessing. Usually I have these things figured out halfway through, but in this one I was honestly saying “What the fuck” for like 20 minutes. As far as period horror films set in England go, I thought this was so much better than The Woman In Black, which was extremely repetitive and for the most part not very enjoyable. Of course, Daniel Radcliffe is flawless and I enjoyed him in the role but it just wasn’t very good.

I wasn’t really in the mood for a scary movie but I decided to watch this anyway after hearing a rave review from a friend. I ended up really liking it, and the more I think about this film, the more I appreciate it. It’s not very scary — I found it to be less of a horror film and more of an emotional thriller. It got a little slow at times, but stick with it because it’s worth the slow burn. I loved the ending, and it will certainly keep you guessing. Usually I have these things figured out halfway through, but in this one I was honestly saying “What the fuck” for like 20 minutes.

As far as period horror films set in England go, I thought this was so much better than The Woman In Black, which was extremely repetitive and for the most part not very enjoyable. Of course, Daniel Radcliffe is flawless and I enjoyed him in the role but it just wasn’t very good.

Underrated Movies: Forces of Nature (1999) This is one of the best “romantic comedies” i’ve ever seen. I put that in quotes because it almost doesn’t even belong in that genre— it’s so much better than 90% of movies you can classify as romcoms. Romantic comedies typically stick to a formula: boy meets girl, they fall in love, they have a big fight that separates them, back together in the end, kissing scene,  credits. This movie is nothing like that. The plot is as follows: All around good guy Ben (Ben Affleck) is headed from New York City to Georgia for his wedding when he meets free spirit Sarah (Sandra Bullock). After their plane fails to take off, they meet a series of mishaps as they attempt to get to their destination. The more that goes wrong, the fonder they seem to grow for each other. I love road movies with a million locations and tons of different characters, and this is one of my favorites. Not only is this movie genuinely funny, it’s real. There is no paint by numbers plot, nothing is black and white, and you really aren’t sure what Ben is going to ultimately do. There are so many scenes that felt so real and true to life, like when Ben is going on about how much he adores Sarah and she tells him that all the things that he finds so great about her now are going to be what drives him mad down the line. It’s true, but he’s fallen for her and can’t see that. She’s been through a lot more in her life than he has, and though he’s the one who makes better decisions, it’s clear that she’s the wiser one of the two, she’s just more inclined to follow her heart over her head. It also has to be mentioned that the cinematography gets really cool and interesting at times. Pair that with the soundtrack and there are some really fantastic scenes very different than anything you usually see in a romcom star vehicle. If you’ve never seen it, please check it out. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Underrated Movies: Forces of Nature (1999)

This is one of the best “romantic comedies” i’ve ever seen. I put that in quotes because it almost doesn’t even belong in that genre— it’s so much better than 90% of movies you can classify as romcoms. Romantic comedies typically stick to a formula: boy meets girl, they fall in love, they have a big fight that separates them, back together in the end, kissing scene,  credits. This movie is nothing like that.

The plot is as follows: All around good guy Ben (Ben Affleck) is headed from New York City to Georgia for his wedding when he meets free spirit Sarah (Sandra Bullock). After their plane fails to take off, they meet a series of mishaps as they attempt to get to their destination. The more that goes wrong, the fonder they seem to grow for each other.

I love road movies with a million locations and tons of different characters, and this is one of my favorites. Not only is this movie genuinely funny, it’s real. There is no paint by numbers plot, nothing is black and white, and you really aren’t sure what Ben is going to ultimately do. There are so many scenes that felt so real and true to life, like when Ben is going on about how much he adores Sarah and she tells him that all the things that he finds so great about her now are going to be what drives him mad down the line. It’s true, but he’s fallen for her and can’t see that. She’s been through a lot more in her life than he has, and though he’s the one who makes better decisions, it’s clear that she’s the wiser one of the two, she’s just more inclined to follow her heart over her head.

It also has to be mentioned that the cinematography gets really cool and interesting at times. Pair that with the soundtrack and there are some really fantastic scenes very different than anything you usually see in a romcom star vehicle. If you’ve never seen it, please check it out. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

I really enjoyed this movie. I thought Jennifer Westfeldt’s script was fun and interesting in a way that romantic comedies usually aren’t. I absolutely love that she used actors capable of outrageous comedy and gave them more subtly amusing roles to play. Everyone did very well with the material, and I especially loved the choices Adam Scott made for his character. I hope he gets more starring roles because he is definitely capable of helping to carry a film. I heard from a lot of people that this movie was pretty cliche. I disagree with that, even though the ending is predictable. I don’t think the endings of funny and romantic films need to be particularly shocking, so I don’t know why this is a problem. It was written in a very cute, funny, and touching way that made it completely satisfying for me. I really admire Jennifer Westfeldt for being a rare example of a woman in the movie business taking on writing, directing, producing, and acting all at once. I’ll definitely be watching the other films she’s done in the near future. 

I really enjoyed this movie. I thought Jennifer Westfeldt’s script was fun and interesting in a way that romantic comedies usually aren’t. I absolutely love that she used actors capable of outrageous comedy and gave them more subtly amusing roles to play. Everyone did very well with the material, and I especially loved the choices Adam Scott made for his character. I hope he gets more starring roles because he is definitely capable of helping to carry a film.

I heard from a lot of people that this movie was pretty cliche. I disagree with that, even though the ending is predictable. I don’t think the endings of funny and romantic films need to be particularly shocking, so I don’t know why this is a problem. It was written in a very cute, funny, and touching way that made it completely satisfying for me. 

I really admire Jennifer Westfeldt for being a rare example of a woman in the movie business taking on writing, directing, producing, and acting all at once. I’ll definitely be watching the other films she’s done in the near future. 

I really enjoyed this movie. It involves three stories with intertwining characters, but it’s different than other films that use this technique. At times the film goes into split screen with the scene on one side and text on the other. The text describes either backstory on the character or what will happen to them in the future, which I found to be an interesting idea. It’s always nice to be hit with something different since so many films are the same. This was particularly nice because it allowed us to jump right into the characters lives without having to spend much time getting to know what happened to them before, and when the film ends we have a lot of insight into how things ended up for each of them. Even though this movie has an ensemble cast, Lisa Kudrow is the standout. I’ve been a fan of hers for years, always admiring her talent to be hilariously funny while also having the ability to break your heart in dramatic roles. I have to say in this movie she blew me away like never before. I’d say she deserved an Oscar for this role but that wouldn’t be enough, they’d have to give her about ten of them for it to be fair. She actually took my breath away toward the end during a particularly heartbreaking and shocking scene. Just remarkable. Besides Lisa’s role, my favorite thing in the film was the story of Otis (Jason Ritter) a closeted gay musician with a rich and disconnected father (Tom Arnold). A selfish golddigger named Jude (Maggie Gyllenhaal) comes into their lives, complicating things but ultimately ends up helping more than hurting. Writer/Director Don Roos (The Opposite of Sex, Bounce, The Other Woman) does a great job at marrying comedy and drama in all the stories, giving this movie a something for everyone feel. This is definitely worth checking out, no matter what you’re into.

I really enjoyed this movie. It involves three stories with intertwining characters, but it’s different than other films that use this technique. At times the film goes into split screen with the scene on one side and text on the other. The text describes either backstory on the character or what will happen to them in the future, which I found to be an interesting idea. It’s always nice to be hit with something different since so many films are the same. This was particularly nice because it allowed us to jump right into the characters lives without having to spend much time getting to know what happened to them before, and when the film ends we have a lot of insight into how things ended up for each of them.

Even though this movie has an ensemble cast, Lisa Kudrow is the standout. I’ve been a fan of hers for years, always admiring her talent to be hilariously funny while also having the ability to break your heart in dramatic roles. I have to say in this movie she blew me away like never before. I’d say she deserved an Oscar for this role but that wouldn’t be enough, they’d have to give her about ten of them for it to be fair. She actually took my breath away toward the end during a particularly heartbreaking and shocking scene. Just remarkable.

Besides Lisa’s role, my favorite thing in the film was the story of Otis (Jason Ritter) a closeted gay musician with a rich and disconnected father (Tom Arnold). A selfish golddigger named Jude (Maggie Gyllenhaal) comes into their lives, complicating things but ultimately ends up helping more than hurting.

Writer/Director Don Roos (The Opposite of Sex, Bounce, The Other Woman) does a great job at marrying comedy and drama in all the stories, giving this movie a something for everyone feel. This is definitely worth checking out, no matter what you’re into.

I can’t get over how good this movie was. I wish I had watched it sooner but I figured it was a movie about a steamy affair or something and it is completely different from that. The title is not really appropriate for the interesting and touching movie you end up with. I saw a review that compared it to a cross between Step Mom and Rabbit Hole, which is a fair assessment. All three are great films that focus on family, love, loss, and grief.

My favorite thing about it were the extremely well written characters. They feel like real people, not one dimensional cliches that only exist in the movies. There’s no hero/heroine, everyone is flawed with good and bad in them. They’re all dealing with the ups and downs of choices they have made mixed with what life has thrown at them and I loved watching every second of it.

The performances in this movie are just out of this world. I think I loved what Natalie Portman did with her character even more than I enjoyed her in Black Swan. She was simply brilliant. Lisa Kudrow played a completely different role than we have ever seen before, showing off even more of her incredible range. The scenes between these two women are some of the best in the film, especially a very pivotal one toward the end that really had me going. I can’t tell you how enthralled I was with this movie at times and that hardly ever happens to me anymore. Scott Cohen (aka Max Medina on Gilmore Girls) also gave a fantastic performance which showed he should really be given more lead roles in films.

I really don’t get how they could have screwed up so much with the promotion and release of this movie. It’s truly a shame that it didn’t get more attention because it is so much better than many of the critically hailed films winning awards right now and people are truly missing out. I can not tell you how much I enjoyed it.
37 notes / 2 months ago
YOU MUST GO SEE BEAUTY & THE BEAST IN 3D! There are no words to describe how stunning the animation looks. I never got to see this film on the big screen before, so that alone was very exciting as it is one of my favorites. However, the 3D enhanced the viewing experience times a million and made a film that was already visually interesting even better. The second it started, I was blown away and obsessed. If you’ve read my blog before, you probably know I’m not the biggest fan of 3D, but I’m coming around. After seeing what Marty did with it in Hugo (genius) and now how incredibly well Disney remastered Beauty and the Beast, I’m no longer a hater.  There were so many moments that just absolutely took my breath away, especially “Be Our Guest” and the iconic ballroom scene. One thing I was really looking forward to was at the end when the Beast turns into a human and sparkling light falls from the sky, and I was not disappointed. It was phenomenal. Also, during “Belle”, all the characters are so in your face and defined, I noticed a lot of things I had never before, even in my dozens of viewings! During “Belle (Reprise)” when she runs through the meadow, I literally gasped. It was just so unbelievably beautiful and I really can’t say enough good things about it. I am so excited over the success of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast being re-released, because I know that Disney is going to continue to bring back their classic films in 3D. I know they have plans for The Little Mermaid (I’m especially excited for this because of the “Poor Unfortunate Souls” scene, which is already easily one of the best animated sequences of all time) and Finding Nemo, and I could not be more thrilled. I really think Aladdin needs to be next. Seeing Aladdin and Jasmine fly through the air during “A Whole New World” would no doubt be breathtaking. Pocahontas is an underrated film that I also think would fare incredibly well if they added the 3D, imagine Pocahontas’ hair blowing through the wind with all the leaves flying up and surrounding her, the entire “Colors of the Wind” sequence, and “Just Around the Riverbend” as she dashes down the river. I get chills just thinking about it! It feels like I’m re-living my childhood getting to see all these movies on the big screen in a new format, and I know it’s exciting for my young cousins as well who are ages 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 11. It gives us a chance to all bond over Disney amazingness together! Even if you’re not a big Disney fan, I’d still suggest going to see this one if you’re a movie fan in general. The beauty of the cinematography is really something to behold, no matter what kind of films you like.

YOU MUST GO SEE BEAUTY & THE BEAST IN 3D!

There are no words to describe how stunning the animation looks. I never got to see this film on the big screen before, so that alone was very exciting as it is one of my favorites. However, the 3D enhanced the viewing experience times a million and made a film that was already visually interesting even better. The second it started, I was blown away and obsessed. If you’ve read my blog before, you probably know I’m not the biggest fan of 3D, but I’m coming around. After seeing what Marty did with it in Hugo (genius) and now how incredibly well Disney remastered Beauty and the Beast, I’m no longer a hater. 

There were so many moments that just absolutely took my breath away, especially “Be Our Guest” and the iconic ballroom scene. One thing I was really looking forward to was at the end when the Beast turns into a human and sparkling light falls from the sky, and I was not disappointed. It was phenomenal. Also, during “Belle”, all the characters are so in your face and defined, I noticed a lot of things I had never before, even in my dozens of viewings! During “Belle (Reprise)” when she runs through the meadow, I literally gasped. It was just so unbelievably beautiful and I really can’t say enough good things about it.

I am so excited over the success of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast being re-released, because I know that Disney is going to continue to bring back their classic films in 3D. I know they have plans for The Little Mermaid (I’m especially excited for this because of the “Poor Unfortunate Souls” scene, which is already easily one of the best animated sequences of all time) and Finding Nemo, and I could not be more thrilled. I really think Aladdin needs to be next. Seeing Aladdin and Jasmine fly through the air during “A Whole New World” would no doubt be breathtaking. Pocahontas is an underrated film that I also think would fare incredibly well if they added the 3D, imagine Pocahontas’ hair blowing through the wind with all the leaves flying up and surrounding her, the entire “Colors of the Wind” sequence, and “Just Around the Riverbend” as she dashes down the river. I get chills just thinking about it! It feels like I’m re-living my childhood getting to see all these movies on the big screen in a new format, and I know it’s exciting for my young cousins as well who are ages 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 11. It gives us a chance to all bond over Disney amazingness together!

Even if you’re not a big Disney fan, I’d still suggest going to see this one if you’re a movie fan in general. The beauty of the cinematography is really something to behold, no matter what kind of films you like.

Before I watched this film, I was totally in it for the performances and not much else. I’m not crazy about movies centered around politics, but I knew I would enjoy watching some of the best actors in the business. For the first 20 minutes or so, that is exactly how I experienced the film. After that point, the movie grabbed me and didn’t let go until the credits rolled. I never expected to be so into it but man, it was really freaking good. That scene between Clooney and Gosling toward the end. SO AWESOME. And Philip Seymour Hoffman’s monologue in the hotel room about loyalty. I had to pause the fucking movie to recover from his amazing delivery. I’m not kidding. The scene between Gosling and Paul Giamatti at the campaign office. I CAN’T WITH THESE AMAZING MEN. It was great. Please watch it. Just go.

Before I watched this film, I was totally in it for the performances and not much else. I’m not crazy about movies centered around politics, but I knew I would enjoy watching some of the best actors in the business. For the first 20 minutes or so, that is exactly how I experienced the film. After that point, the movie grabbed me and didn’t let go until the credits rolled. I never expected to be so into it but man, it was really freaking good. That scene between Clooney and Gosling toward the end. SO AWESOME. And Philip Seymour Hoffman’s monologue in the hotel room about loyalty. I had to pause the fucking movie to recover from his amazing delivery. I’m not kidding. The scene between Gosling and Paul Giamatti at the campaign office. I CAN’T WITH THESE AMAZING MEN. It was great. Please watch it. Just go.

My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend seems like your typical romantic comedy but it takes a very interesting turn. I haven’t seen something that surprised me in awhile, ESPECIALLY in a romcom, are you kidding? Never. Very well done indie with subtle but great performances. I really enjoyed it. I found myself wrestling with the possibilities as far as what I wanted to happen at the end. I didn’t think I’d be satisfied with it but I was wrong. Check this one out, even if you’re not a fan of these types of movies. It’s free on Hulu, if you’d like to watch. I think it’s still available on Netflix Instant as well.  P.S. I have a had a crush on Michael Landes since I was 13 and after watching this, I can see that it is not going to go away any time soon. WHY doesn’t this guy get better roles?

My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend seems like your typical romantic comedy but it takes a very interesting turn.

I haven’t seen something that surprised me in awhile, ESPECIALLY in a romcom, are you kidding? Never. Very well done indie with subtle but great performances. I really enjoyed it. I found myself wrestling with the possibilities as far as what I wanted to happen at the end. I didn’t think I’d be satisfied with it but I was wrong. Check this one out, even if you’re not a fan of these types of movies.

It’s free on Hulu, if you’d like to watch. I think it’s still available on Netflix Instant as well. 

P.S. I have a had a crush on Michael Landes since I was 13 and after watching this, I can see that it is not going to go away any time soon. WHY doesn’t this guy get better roles?

I can not believe that this movie has received so many awards and critical acclaim. Someone please explain. Is it because of the adorable child on the poster? I loved him. I heard this was a slow moving yet epic film about life, which excited me because I love movies like that. Cut to me not being able to wait for it to end. I watch tons of movies and I am usually never confused by them, even when there are sprawling and intricate plots with dozens of characters and things going on. I also usually “get” movies that have almost nothing going on. But I had to go read the summary on Wikipedia for this one because I was convinced I missed some giant plot point that would make it all come together for me. I was wrong. I laughed so hard when I read this: “Mr. O’Brien laments the course his life has taken, questioning whether he has been a good enough person. He reconciles with Jack, asking forgiveness for his harsh treatment of him. Five billion years in the future, life on the planet Earth is destroyed, incinerated by the Sun as it expands into a red giant and then left alone as a desolate, lifeless frozen planet still orbiting the Sun, which by that time has turned into a feeble white dwarf.” OH, OKAY. Is this summary even accurate? How was I supposed to know that this shit was going on five billion years in the future? WHAT THE HELL? I went to the always entertaining IMDb message boards, and the first topic was “How does the film go from Brad Pitt to dinosaurs?” I AM CRACKING UP. The dinosaur scene was actually one of the only I really liked. The thing is, I don’t know how the film went from Brad Pitt to dinosaurs. Oh man, I was so ready to love this film and I just… what. Why. I should just go take some video of this gorgeous waterfall near my house and then have someone whisper something about how we are all connected, that there are no differences, only love, cut to some nebulas and then possibly I will be able to go to the Oscars next year.

I can not believe that this movie has received so many awards and critical acclaim. Someone please explain. Is it because of the adorable child on the poster? I loved him. I heard this was a slow moving yet epic film about life, which excited me because I love movies like that. Cut to me not being able to wait for it to end.

I watch tons of movies and I am usually never confused by them, even when there are sprawling and intricate plots with dozens of characters and things going on. I also usually “get” movies that have almost nothing going on. But I had to go read the summary on Wikipedia for this one because I was convinced I missed some giant plot point that would make it all come together for me. I was wrong. I laughed so hard when I read this:

“Mr. O’Brien laments the course his life has taken, questioning whether he has been a good enough person. He reconciles with Jack, asking forgiveness for his harsh treatment of him.

Five billion years in the future, life on the planet Earth is destroyed, incinerated by the Sun as it expands into a red giant and then left alone as a desolate, lifeless frozen planet still orbiting the Sun, which by that time has turned into a feeble white dwarf.”

OH, OKAY. Is this summary even accurate? How was I supposed to know that this shit was going on five billion years in the future? WHAT THE HELL?

I went to the always entertaining IMDb message boards, and the first topic was “How does the film go from Brad Pitt to dinosaurs?” I AM CRACKING UP. The dinosaur scene was actually one of the only I really liked. The thing is, I don’t know how the film went from Brad Pitt to dinosaurs. Oh man, I was so ready to love this film and I just… what. Why. I should just go take some video of this gorgeous waterfall near my house and then have someone whisper something about how we are all connected, that there are no differences, only love, cut to some nebulas and then possibly I will be able to go to the Oscars next year.

You’re still here? Did I fall asleep? Sometimes I don’t sleep so I think… I think about how it was… and all I have left. What do you see when you look at me? A grumpy old man who never answers questions? Who mixes everything up? Who’s kept busy by getting his meals? That’s not me. Me… I wear shorts. I’m nine years old. I can run faster than the train. I can’t feel my aching back anymore. I’m fifteen. I’m fifteen and I’m in love. - Mr. Nobody (2009) This is one of those surreal “what is reality” films. It reminded me of Vanilla Sky and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which are quite superior to Mr. Nobody in my opinion, but this is still a very worthwhile film. It will make you think about your life and examine certain moments where you could have made a different choice than you did. Where would you be if you had gone one way and not the other?  My parents met because my mom interviewed for a job with my dad. She did not feel like going to the interview because she woke up with a cold that day. Her roommate convinced her to go. Less than a year later, I was born. What if she decided she had felt too sick to go? What if her previous job had worked out? What if her roommate encouraged her to stay in? What if one or both of them were in love with other people at the time? I wouldn’t be here. So many things had to be just right for me to be sitting here today.  The scene quoted above had me crying within seconds. It brings forth the reality of death, of an ending, of being very old and at the end of your life and thinking about when you were at the beginning. It’s a great moment. Also, Jared Leto is a double edged sword. You want to watch him in movies because he is talented and unbelievably good looking. The problem is, he may be too beautiful. It’s distracting. Truly. 

You’re still here? Did I fall asleep? Sometimes I don’t sleep so I think… I think about how it was… and all I have left. What do you see when you look at me? A grumpy old man who never answers questions? Who mixes everything up? Who’s kept busy by getting his meals? That’s not me. Me… I wear shorts. I’m nine years old. I can run faster than the train. I can’t feel my aching back anymore. I’m fifteen. I’m fifteen and I’m in love. - Mr. Nobody (2009)

This is one of those surreal “what is reality” films. It reminded me of Vanilla Sky and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which are quite superior to Mr. Nobody in my opinion, but this is still a very worthwhile film. It will make you think about your life and examine certain moments where you could have made a different choice than you did. Where would you be if you had gone one way and not the other? 

My parents met because my mom interviewed for a job with my dad. She did not feel like going to the interview because she woke up with a cold that day. Her roommate convinced her to go. Less than a year later, I was born. What if she decided she had felt too sick to go? What if her previous job had worked out? What if her roommate encouraged her to stay in? What if one or both of them were in love with other people at the time? I wouldn’t be here. So many things had to be just right for me to be sitting here today. 

The scene quoted above had me crying within seconds. It brings forth the reality of death, of an ending, of being very old and at the end of your life and thinking about when you were at the beginning. It’s a great moment.

Also, Jared Leto is a double edged sword. You want to watch him in movies because he is talented and unbelievably good looking. The problem is, he may be too beautiful. It’s distracting. Truly. 

This is a great murder mystery film. It felt like three movies in one. I haven’t read the book, but it was clear that director David Fincher and the writers/producers left in a ton of content that I think a lot of other people would have removed for time, and I love that. Movies that are unnecessarily long usually bug me, but at two hours and forty minutes, this one felt just right. One of the best compliments I can give is that I did not check the time once, which I almost always do. It was gripping, and I was eager to discover what the final result of the story would be. It often went off in places I really didn’t expect, and while I enjoy being surprised during a film, I have to admit I was not BLOWN AWAY at the overall product. It’s a great movie with an intriguing story, badass soundtrack, and solid performances, but I would not URGE someone to go out and see this film. This isn’t a bad review, It’s a good movie. I just expected it to be even better.

This is a great murder mystery film. It felt like three movies in one. I haven’t read the book, but it was clear that director David Fincher and the writers/producers left in a ton of content that I think a lot of other people would have removed for time, and I love that. Movies that are unnecessarily long usually bug me, but at two hours and forty minutes, this one felt just right. One of the best compliments I can give is that I did not check the time once, which I almost always do. It was gripping, and I was eager to discover what the final result of the story would be. It often went off in places I really didn’t expect, and while I enjoy being surprised during a film, I have to admit I was not BLOWN AWAY at the overall product. It’s a great movie with an intriguing story, badass soundtrack, and solid performances, but I would not URGE someone to go out and see this film. This isn’t a bad review, It’s a good movie. I just expected it to be even better.

Jeff Daniels, Lisa Kudrow, and Emma Stone in Paper Man (2009)

I LOVED this movie. I wasn’t into it until like 15 minutes in, but I stuck with it because I generally love everything Jeff Daniels and Lisa Kudrow do, and I was not let down. Not only were their performances amazing, but the entire cast was great I finally understand the Emma Stone hype. Her performance was incredible. The film was incredibly moving and relatable and I thought the subtle comedy was perfect, I even laughed out loud a couple of times. Highly recommended film.

24 notes / 4 months ago

The Descendants (2011).

I finally saw this on Tuesday. I liked it, did not LOVE it. I think because I am such a huge Alexander Payne fan, I went in with pre-conceived notions and too-high expectations. It’s still very much a worthwhile film. Clooney was fantastic as usual, but I especially enjoyed the incredible supporting performances by Matthew Lillard and Judy Greer. 

(Source: iwantcupcakes)

44 notes / 5 months ago
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