About Time (2013) - Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay Duncan. Written and Directed by Richard Curtis. Rated R. Now in Theaters.
About Time tells the story of Tim, who finds out that all the males in his family have a very special skill: they are able to travel back in time to times in their own life. Tim decides that he is going to use this skill for what is most important to him and that's love. He uses this skill to fix his mistakes in order to get the girl of his dreams, Mary.
One thing to know before going into About Time: disregard the rules of time travel present in other time travel films. The time travel isn't really the focus. It's more of just a story device. The focus in this story is the love story between Tim and Mary, and the relationships Tim has with his father and his sister, Kit Kat. As long as you don't think too hard about how the time travel should work, you should be able to enjoy this film well enough. Sure, at times it's sappy and sentimental, but you should be able to tell that just by the film's trailers. If you hate movies like that, stay away. But if you feel like you need a Love Actually every once and awhile, then this is a good film. Gleeson and McAdams are likable leads and have a considerable amount of chemistry. The acting between Gleeson and Nighy is quite believable in their father and son scenes.
I did enjoy this movie and I saw it on a date night. So that's my recommendation. If you need a movie to take a girl to - the type of girl who likes sappy movies - take her to this one. You might find that you don't mind it that much either.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) - Review
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) - Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci. Written by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt. Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins. Directed by Francis Lawrence. Rated PG-13. Now in Theaters.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the second installment in The Hunger Games film series, continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, the victor of the 74th Hunger Games, who is now starting to become quite a problem for the Capitol. She has become a symbol of hope and defiance, which is something that the Capitol cannot allow. Because of this, she is thrust into a special 75th anniversary edition of the Hunger Games, in which former victors are made to compete. These aren't the kids from the first ones. These are survivors and ruthless killers.
This is one of those sequels that is better than the original, and perhaps that's because it was based on a book that had an expanding story. This film introduces bigger themes and bigger stakes (along with a noticeably bigger budget) that makes this film feel more like a continuation than just a cash grab. The action is better and the story is even arguably more interesting than the first. This movie is very good, which has been demonstrated by the massive record-setting box office numbers that it's been pulling. And no, this film isn't perfect. It still has its moments of teen romance-related angst. But make no mistake. Katniss Everdeen is no Bella Swann. She doesn't have time to mope about, she has to survive. I recommend this film highly, especially for fans of the original film. And let's be honest, who doesn't love Jennifer Lawrence.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the second installment in The Hunger Games film series, continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, the victor of the 74th Hunger Games, who is now starting to become quite a problem for the Capitol. She has become a symbol of hope and defiance, which is something that the Capitol cannot allow. Because of this, she is thrust into a special 75th anniversary edition of the Hunger Games, in which former victors are made to compete. These aren't the kids from the first ones. These are survivors and ruthless killers.
This is one of those sequels that is better than the original, and perhaps that's because it was based on a book that had an expanding story. This film introduces bigger themes and bigger stakes (along with a noticeably bigger budget) that makes this film feel more like a continuation than just a cash grab. The action is better and the story is even arguably more interesting than the first. This movie is very good, which has been demonstrated by the massive record-setting box office numbers that it's been pulling. And no, this film isn't perfect. It still has its moments of teen romance-related angst. But make no mistake. Katniss Everdeen is no Bella Swann. She doesn't have time to mope about, she has to survive. I recommend this film highly, especially for fans of the original film. And let's be honest, who doesn't love Jennifer Lawrence.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Clerks (1994) - Review
Clerks (1994) - Starring Brain O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier. Written and Directed by Kevin Smith. Rated R. Available on DVD and Netflix Watch Instantly.
Clerks follows the day of two convenience store workers, one of which wasn't even supposed to work that day. It follows them as they deal with annoyed customers, annoying customers, relationship troubles, deaths of friends, deaths of strangers, and two pot dealers named Jay and Silent Bob.
I really enjoyed this movie. I found it original and humorous and it's so interesting that such a good film was made for so little money. The strength of the dialogue and characters is so great that you get completely caught up in the story as misfortune upon misfortune happen to the two convenience workers. This has become a very popular film and it's easy to see why. It speaks to a certain age group of people who find themselves aimlessly going through their days. These people can identify with this film which has made it to be as successful as it is. It helps that Kevin Smith himself was a convenience store worker when he wrote and shot this film.
I don't have anything really that negative to say about this film. Even at the moments where this film might seem to get ridiculous or some might perceive it as "jumping the shark," don't feel that inauthentic. It all works.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Clerks follows the day of two convenience store workers, one of which wasn't even supposed to work that day. It follows them as they deal with annoyed customers, annoying customers, relationship troubles, deaths of friends, deaths of strangers, and two pot dealers named Jay and Silent Bob.
I really enjoyed this movie. I found it original and humorous and it's so interesting that such a good film was made for so little money. The strength of the dialogue and characters is so great that you get completely caught up in the story as misfortune upon misfortune happen to the two convenience workers. This has become a very popular film and it's easy to see why. It speaks to a certain age group of people who find themselves aimlessly going through their days. These people can identify with this film which has made it to be as successful as it is. It helps that Kevin Smith himself was a convenience store worker when he wrote and shot this film.
I don't have anything really that negative to say about this film. Even at the moments where this film might seem to get ridiculous or some might perceive it as "jumping the shark," don't feel that inauthentic. It all works.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Ed Wood (1994) - Review
Ed Wood (1994) - Starring Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Jones, G.D. Spradlin, Vincent D'Onofrio, Bill Murray, Lisa Marie, George "The Animal" Steele. Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Based on the book Nightmares of Ecstasy by Rudolph Grey. Directed by Tim Burton. Rated R. Available on DVD.
Ed Wood tells the story of the famous B-movie, and Z-movie, director Ed Wood and his life as he struggled in the film industry and went on to make what are considered some of the worst films ever made, such as Plan 9 from Outer Space. It's one of the many collaborations of director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp and arguably one of their best (but to be fair, I've only seen 3 of their 8 collaborations). I'm a big fan of movies made about movies and this one captures the story of a hopeful guy who want give up in the movie business quite well. Depp portrays Ed Wood as someone filled with exuberance and optimism, who even in the darkest moments of his life chooses to keep going.
Biopics can be a tricky business. They can be either overtly positive or negative of their subject. And while this one does show its subject in a positive light, it doesn't have any delusions about Ed Wood or the quality of the movies. I think this biopic is also set apart because it so effectively captures the spirit and style of Wood.
The acting is great. The script is funny and well-written. This is Tim Burton at his best. I also find the decision that Burton made to shoot this film in black and white (which one production company dropped the film because of) completely brilliant. I highly recommend this film.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ed Wood tells the story of the famous B-movie, and Z-movie, director Ed Wood and his life as he struggled in the film industry and went on to make what are considered some of the worst films ever made, such as Plan 9 from Outer Space. It's one of the many collaborations of director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp and arguably one of their best (but to be fair, I've only seen 3 of their 8 collaborations). I'm a big fan of movies made about movies and this one captures the story of a hopeful guy who want give up in the movie business quite well. Depp portrays Ed Wood as someone filled with exuberance and optimism, who even in the darkest moments of his life chooses to keep going.
Biopics can be a tricky business. They can be either overtly positive or negative of their subject. And while this one does show its subject in a positive light, it doesn't have any delusions about Ed Wood or the quality of the movies. I think this biopic is also set apart because it so effectively captures the spirit and style of Wood.
The acting is great. The script is funny and well-written. This is Tim Burton at his best. I also find the decision that Burton made to shoot this film in black and white (which one production company dropped the film because of) completely brilliant. I highly recommend this film.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Thor: The Dark World (2013) - Review
Thor: The Dark World (2013) - Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccleston, Kat Dennings, Stellen Skarsgard, Jaime Alexander, Zachary Levi, Ray Stevenson, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Tadanobu Asano, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely. Story by Don Payne and Robert Rodat. Directed by Alan Taylor. Rated PG-13. Now in Theaters.
I believe that one day that Marvel will get so big and have told so many stories that Marvel films will be completely terrible and ridiculous. But they haven't reached that point yet (though the mid-credits sequence seems like it might be heading that way). Thor: The Dark World is a great Marvel movie and a great superhero movie.
It has a lot more ambition than the first Thor film and it is a bit more compelling. The visual and directing style seem to be much better and closer to uniform with the other Marvel films. The characters are better defined, especially Loki, who continues to be one of the most, if not the most, interesting Marvel characters. Forcing him and Thor to work together in this film is a great direction for this film to take and their scenes together are some of the best in the film.
This film also continues Marvel's style of not taking itself too seriously and offering some great comedic relief. The action is pretty amazing and the acting is not bad at all. But that's to be expected with this great of cast. It's pretty interesting to see how many serious actors are choosing to go for superhero films now that they have been proven to be a viable genre of film. (Examples include Anthony Hopkins in this film and Robert Redford in the upcoming Captain America film.)
It has its problems, of course. Sometimes the logic doesn't make sense. Sometimes things in film feel contrived. But none of that really matters. It's a superhero movie and is just meant to be fun.
I would rank this movie as better than the first Thor and high up in the list of best Marvel movies. I recommend it. But I am a sucker for superhero movies after all.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
I believe that one day that Marvel will get so big and have told so many stories that Marvel films will be completely terrible and ridiculous. But they haven't reached that point yet (though the mid-credits sequence seems like it might be heading that way). Thor: The Dark World is a great Marvel movie and a great superhero movie.
It has a lot more ambition than the first Thor film and it is a bit more compelling. The visual and directing style seem to be much better and closer to uniform with the other Marvel films. The characters are better defined, especially Loki, who continues to be one of the most, if not the most, interesting Marvel characters. Forcing him and Thor to work together in this film is a great direction for this film to take and their scenes together are some of the best in the film.
This film also continues Marvel's style of not taking itself too seriously and offering some great comedic relief. The action is pretty amazing and the acting is not bad at all. But that's to be expected with this great of cast. It's pretty interesting to see how many serious actors are choosing to go for superhero films now that they have been proven to be a viable genre of film. (Examples include Anthony Hopkins in this film and Robert Redford in the upcoming Captain America film.)
It has its problems, of course. Sometimes the logic doesn't make sense. Sometimes things in film feel contrived. But none of that really matters. It's a superhero movie and is just meant to be fun.
I would rank this movie as better than the first Thor and high up in the list of best Marvel movies. I recommend it. But I am a sucker for superhero movies after all.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Carrie (2013) - Review
Carrie (2013) - Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde, Ansel Elgort, Portia Doubleday, Alex Russell, Judy Greer. Written by Lawrence D. Cohen and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Based on the novel by Stephen King. Directed by Kimberly Pierce. Rated R. Now in Theaters.
Remakes are always a tricky business. On one end, it's smart, because it's a title, brand, and story that audiences already know, but on the other hand, it will be unfairly compared to the original. People hold fondness for things in the past, which sometimes affects their perceptions of the remake. And I feel like this is the case for Carrie. I've seen lots of reviews, some of them negative, and they all compare it to the original that was directed by Brian De Palma and released in the seventies. But this is a different film and should be viewed as such.
First of all, this incarnation of Carrie is a lot more similar to the original novel by Stephen King. It includes several plot lines that weren't present in the De Palma version, and it plays a lot less of a horror film than the first film. That is similar to the book. Carrie seems more like a misunderstood, unstable superhero than a demonic entity. This version also finds a better balance with the bullying by fellow students and the crazy, religious mother aspects of the story.
This film is good, just don't make the mistake of thinking that you are going to be scared during this film. Creeped out, maybe. Disturbed, maybe. But it's not a horror film in the traditional thinking of the term. I recommend this film, but it might be better to wait until it's out on DVD.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Remakes are always a tricky business. On one end, it's smart, because it's a title, brand, and story that audiences already know, but on the other hand, it will be unfairly compared to the original. People hold fondness for things in the past, which sometimes affects their perceptions of the remake. And I feel like this is the case for Carrie. I've seen lots of reviews, some of them negative, and they all compare it to the original that was directed by Brian De Palma and released in the seventies. But this is a different film and should be viewed as such.
First of all, this incarnation of Carrie is a lot more similar to the original novel by Stephen King. It includes several plot lines that weren't present in the De Palma version, and it plays a lot less of a horror film than the first film. That is similar to the book. Carrie seems more like a misunderstood, unstable superhero than a demonic entity. This version also finds a better balance with the bullying by fellow students and the crazy, religious mother aspects of the story.
This film is good, just don't make the mistake of thinking that you are going to be scared during this film. Creeped out, maybe. Disturbed, maybe. But it's not a horror film in the traditional thinking of the term. I recommend this film, but it might be better to wait until it's out on DVD.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
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