The Good Lie: Movie Review

The Good Lie is a good movie.  There are no two ways about it.  I know it didn't get a lot of attention and kind of came and went from movie theatres quickly.  Even the commercials and previews for it made it seem kind of like an afterthought, so I didn't expect much when I finally got around to seeing it.  What I found was another case of mis-marketing and trouble finding an audience, not any problem with the movie itself.  It's so frustrating as a film lover to see good movies go unseen for reasons other than it just being a bad movie. 

The Good Lie is about the 80s civil war in The Sudan and the years of relocation and displacement afterwards of children who survived.  In particular, the story centers on one group and how Reese Witherspoon's character attempts to help them adjust to their move to the United States.  It's a complete and at times gut-wrenching drama.  It is NOT another Million Dollar Arm or other recent popular cultural crossover aimed at quick resolutions and heartwarming fun.  This movie is inches from Oscar caliber - even Reese herself, who in recent years has relegated herself to some pretty poor choices in movie roles ("How Do You Know", anyone, Bueller? I didn't think so).

I guess the problem is that this movie makes you feel, and not always good.  Until Oscar season, movie-goers don't often like to be challenged like this.  The movie made me think of what I was worrying about while all of this was happening.  It made me wonder why I didn't do anything about it.  It made me want to pay attention and do something the next time (right now?).  It's beautifully shot and half of it is even set in Kansas City.

The main characters are portrayed by actual Sudanese refugees and former child soldiers.  They. Are. Amazing.  They are called upon to do much more than just play a version of themselves.  There is an underlying literary theme behind The Good Lie that comes to fruition in an unexpected and further emotionally stretching fashion and its all lead by these actors, not Reese.  In fact, Reese's role, while well-done, is small in the movie as a whole.

Even the music was interesting and eclectic, continuing with the unexpectedness of the entire movie-going experience.  As the credits rolled, then, seeing Howard-Grazer cross the screen should not have been a surprise...

4 out of 5 stars

Penguins (of Madagascar) Movie Review

 

In case you're looking for something to take the kids to see this weekend, I thought I'd go ahead and post my review of the latest animated fall film, Penguins of Madagascar.  Notice I didn't say, "In case you're looking for something to see yourself."  This one is definitely for the youngest audiences unfortunately. 

Penguins of Madagascar takes our stars on a somewhat nostalgic journey into how their bond was originally created (the most successful part of film), and then on to a mixture of James Bond type bad guy intrigue and encounters with Guardians of the Galaxy style good guys.  That all sounds pretty good, right?  I mean, a bit far fetched and overreaching, but good?  Uh, no.

We all love the Penguins and that's what made me thing it might be a film I'd actually like, but I was severely disappointed all around.  Even the Penguins were sub par most of the time.  Perhaps they simply can't sustain their sarcastic cuteness for an entire film.  Although there were individual moments of definitive laughter and their typical tongue in cheek maneuvers (mostly in flashbacks, if you can believe an animated movie has flashbacks), but the action and the plot were contrived to the extreme.  It was a thin line that threaded each scene together and at one point, I had to throw that out and take each scene as unrelated, though still lackluster.  Yes, there were a few cute moments and some clever comebacks, but this is definitely one that can be missed.

"The Movie Event That Will Blow Their Cover"? How about "The Movie Event That Will Just Blow"?

2.25 out of 5 stars

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I - Movie Review

Yes, I read the books.  I devoured them.  I loved them.  I have also really enjoyed the first two movies.

Now that that's out of the way, on to Mockingjay Part I.  Okay, I also loved this one.  This third installment finds Catniss the somewhat unwilling spokesperson for the rebel movement against the Capitol and in pain at the loss or peril of people she loves and/or feels responsible for.  It's definitely the darkest of this already darkly themed trilogy (the nerd in me wants to compare it to The Empire Strikes Back, but I digress).  We also see more Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and less Peeta for the first time, but Peeta's presence hangs heavily and constantly over Catniss and the viewer.  The rebellion may be the center of all action in Mockingjay Part I, but the Catniss and Peeta relationship is still central to the story.  Jennifer Lawrence is given more to do emotionally in this film and finally shows some range as Catniss, who heretofore looked to me like a character who could probably be played just as well by a variety of Hollywood ingenues. The addition of Julianne Moore as rebel alliance leader Coin is a welcome one, even without her signature red hair.  She predictably plays the aloof coldness from the book to perfection.  (Side note: I actually pictured Moore in the role when I read it, after the first movie had just come out - no joke.) On a sad note, every scene featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman hit me hard, right in the gut.

Overall, I think the book was translated well into this first installment and new immediately when I read the book that two movies would be justified, but I'm still wondering how they're going to pull off some of the scenes from the second half of the book without looking too comical.  However, there were a few larger changes in Mockingjay Part I that also make me wonder if there will be significant changes to the ending or at least to the through storyline before it's all said and done.  It was intense, and as evidenced by non-book readers that I was with, equally so, whether you've read the books or not, which I consider quite a feat in itself.  Mockingjay Part II is honestly the first non-TV sequel in years that I am going to be hanging on eagerly to see, not just because I simply enjoyed this movie so much, but because I desperately need to know the fates of those involved, like the good old days...okay, I'll say it, like the original Star Wars trilogy.

4 out of 5 stars

Ardennes Fury Movie Review

This weekend, I viewed a straight to video movie that debuted at Walmart for Veterans Day.  Full disclosure here, I was particularly interested in reviewing this film because my longtime friend, Bill Voorhees is one of the leads in it, and for the first time in his career.  He also works at Asylum (Sharknado, Z Nation), who produced the film and so I am interested in seeing them succeed as well.

Asylum is known for making mostly B movies and knock offs of current movies starring actors that are either on their way up or their way down the Hollywood ladder.  This explains the C. Thomas Howell version of War of Worlds that came out at the same time as Tom Cruise's version several years ago and Ardennes Fury is no different in that way, since it comes out alongside Brad Pitt's tank epic simply titled, "Fury", which I reviewed earlier this month.  How Ardennes Fury IS different from other Asylum productions, is that this is basically their first stab at a completely straight ahead drama, with no scifi, sexual or goofy twists.

Ardennes Fury is an action movie set in World War II, focusing on one tank crew and the Nazis they encounter while trying to complete their assigned mission and a more emotional one they take up themselves, and in that way, it can definitely satisfy war movie buffs.  However, this is a VERY low budget film made in less than two weeks.  Does it look like it?  Maybe.  I'd actually say it looks like it had a little more money than it did and a couple more weeks.  Asylum knows how to make the most of what they have and they improve every time.  Sometimes the acting is lacking, though some of that can be chalked up to poorly written dialog.  Most of the time the special effects are lacking.  However, I'd say given a bit more time and money, none of that would have mattered if they'd just had more time for the director and editor to go after what they really wanted from each scene.  Nothing in this movie made me laugh.  It was more a matter of wishing they'd had the resources to complete a better product with the raw material they were given.

Remember I said my friend Bill is in this movie?  Well, don't let that cloud your judgment of my review when I honestly say he was the best part of this film.  Even knowing how poorly made Adrennes Fury is, Bill Voorhees is responsible for the only scene of true emotion that lead to tears welling up in my eyes.  I truly didn't think this movie could get to me like that, but there is a scene where his character feels responsible for the death of a little boy and is the one who has to tell his mother and the way he responds to her grief and anger really got to me.  It's not just that scene that leads me to believe Bill will be recognized for lots of future work either.  Overall, his character was the most believable, because he was the only one who didn't look like he was "acting".  He was believable and three dimensional in a way no one else in the film achieved.

If you pick up the DVD, be sure to check out the gag reel and the commentary, done by none other than Bill Voorhees himself.

2.25 out of 5 stars

Big Hero 6 Movie Review

Big Hero 6 is an animated movie based on a comic book, but actually achieves live-action film caliber (think The Incredibles), about an extremely smart 14 year old boy named "Hiro" who deals with real grief and becomes a self-made superHiro, with the help of some friends, science and robots.  Maybe it's those themes that reminded me almost immediately of a movie I loved a few years ago that went largely unseen (Real Steel, which actually may see a sequel soon!).  The "Big Hero 6" is actually that entire group of friends, with a play on words for the main character's name, not the name of the cuddly robot at the center of the film.  From the beginning of the movie, it's clear that you're in for a well-rounded cinema experience, rather than just another Disney princess musical (blech!).  Big Hero 6 places an emphasis on science and problem solving to a highly believable and enjoyable degree. Not so underlying threads of "School is Cool" and "Girls in Tech" are more reasons to love this movie and to take your kids!  Also worth a mention is the actual caliber of animation in the film: The non-titular main robot in the movie is inflatable, which causes more interesting and comical differences to be portrayed in pixels than usual.  In addition, the science turned science fiction would truly need to be CGI'ed in a live action movie anyway.  In addition, the setting in the near future of the charming "San Fransokyo" is very believable if you've been to both San Francisco and Tokyo, which I appreciated.  Obviously even seeing itself as a regular big blockbuster superhero movie, there is even a postscript sequel teaser (featuring a special animated cameo) after the credits, like we've become accustomed to with The Avengers series, so stay til the end!  In addition, the animated short that shows before Hero, Feast, about a man and his dog, is definitely going to be up for an Oscar itself, so arrive early too!  On a personal note, Big Hero 6 reminded me of an early 70s Japanese tv show called Robocon, so that may have slightly influenced my review ;).

4 out of 5 stars

Catching Up On Reviews (Now That the World Series is Over) - Maze Runner, Box Trolls, Alexander and the Very Bad Day, Fury, Book of Life, St. Vincent

Yes, I got behind, but Royals Mania took everything I had for awhile there...now, back to reality.  During that time, I still managed to see 6 movies, I just didn't have time to write about them for you.  Thankfully, I am happy to report that none of them were bad.  None of them made my Oscar short list either, however.

Maze Runner

Based on a recent YA book in the vein of Hunger Games and Divergent, but not as good.  I actually read the entire series, mostly because the books are each one long adrenaline rush combined with an apocalyptic mystery and I just had to keep reading to solve it, but there is absolutely NO character development in the book or as it turns out, the movie.  Relatable characters made HG and D worth reading/watching, so I'm afraid Maze Runner is really just for the video game set.  Given that assessment, the strangest variation from the book to the movie is that there is only one monster and it isn't even that scary.  The book had many more opportunities to explore gore and maiming, which I would have thought appealing to gamers, but that change did make it more palatable for the PG-13 crowd.

2.75 out of 5 stars

Boxtrolls 

This is a dark (in shade and theme) animated film whose story defies description.  It's atypical in every way, which made it more enjoyable than most children's fare.  The plot involves trolls who kidnap and eat children...or do they?  Sometimes the worst villains turn out to be the adults in these films, teaching dubious lessons to kids when put together as a group of parables.  However, the music is good, the story is ultimately sweet and it had enough humor for kids and adults alike and it's easier on little ones than anything Tim Burton does.

2.75 out of 5 stars

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

 

With an all-star cast including Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner and Dick Van Dyke and a charming little newcomer in the lead role, this beloved modern children's classic comes to life on film.  It is overall a bit too sweet with its string of First World Problems including childcare interfering with job interviews, one child's very expensive birthday party conflicting with another child's very expensive birthday party, failing your driver's (spectacularly) and getting a cold on opening night of your school play, but it has equally as many laugh out loud moments along the way for the entire family.  I'm just going to throw my favorite quote from the movie, that comes from the mouth of the white, middle class working mom in the suburbs, in a family packed mini van, "I've seen every penis in this car!".  We even get to hear DVD himself tell children to "take a dump in the pool".

3 out of 5 stars

Fury

 

I'm not a fan of Brad Pitt's straight man roles and I don't run out and see every war movie that comes out, but I happily accompanied my husband to see this movie, if just to contrast all the family fare I've seen of late.  Let me just say that my husband found it not as good as he expected and I found it better than I expected, so I think we made a fare middle of the road assessment of it in the end.  A rag tag group of tank soldiers who just happen to have the best record in their battalion at the end of World War II are sent on a series of missions, ultimately leading to their final, heroic mission.  Along the way, they acquire a fresh replacement gunner who had only rode a desk until that day.  The requisite number of macho bonding experiences ensue and we soon find ourselves believing their friendships and even understanding their blood-thirsty, misogynist ways (the theme very much evoked The Big Red One for me).  The battles themselves often look like a first person gunner video game, which has to be satisfying to the younger men who would be attracted to the film. Brad Pitt has moments of inspired acting, mostly when he seems on the edge of losing his mind (which is my favorite version of BP - see Inglorious Bastards, Fight Club or 12 Monkeys).  The young gunner played by Logan Lerman, previously relegated to YA movies like Percy Jackson and Perks of Being a Wallflower, really blossoms in this role, so much so that I commented to my husband that he could be one of this generation's next great dramatic actors (much like fellow castmate Shia LaBoeuf used to be).  A final note about the music - it was distracting because it sounded like the Damian from the Omen was approaching, not the Nazis.

3 out of 5 stars

Book of Life

 

The Book of Life is a family feast for the eyes, ears and heart.  The classic lifelong love triangle is given a Day of Dead twist in a spectacular modern take on both music and animation.  It is beautiful to behold, even if the plot or jokes are a bit predictable at times. Zoe Saldana voices the lead female character, one of the strongest females in children's film today.  My only note is that the initial storytelling conceit is unnecessary and the weakest part of the film.

2.75 out of 5 stars

St. Vincent

 

This movie isn't sure if it wants to be a neat little family film tied up with a bow, an exploration of the darker side of life and Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy's dramatic acting skills or a Wes Anderson ripoff.   For that reason, it is a bit uneven, but in the end succeeds in doing each of those things well enough to be a worthwhile project.  Bill Murray plays the grumpy old man to new neighbor Melissa McCarthy and her sheltered son.  You can see this one coming.  Of course the boy and the old man warm to each other, but St. Vincent takes a few unusual twists along the way as we, the audience, piece together what made Bill Murray so grumpy in the first place.  Naomi Watts' turn as a pregnant Russian stripper/hooker is completely over the top and out of place, although I'm sure she was glad for the opportunity to explore her own range as an actress.  Overall, the film is a bit too sentimental and tidy and learning to find the good in the bad (people, situations) is the unsatisfying and obvious lesson of the film, which is also what makes it mediocre instead of what it strived to be. 

3 out of 5 stars

3 To See This Weekend!!

Rich Hill is a documentary that follows three disadvantaged young men who live in a town called Rich Hill, which is about 70 miles southwest of KC just on the MO side.  It won the U.S. Documentary prize at Sundance, but I’m not sure why.  There doesn’t seem to be a point.  It’s interesting and mostly sad, but it didn't look at a random set of kids in that town, it focused just on the most troubled and there was no arc or analysis at all.  It wasn't quite a commentary on poverty or parenting or mental illness either...but it is still in my thoughts so I can say it was absorbing.  The best contrast that was drawn in the film was between those kids and the annual 4th of July pie auction that brings in thousands of dollars each year. Clearly someone in that town has money to spend, so I think it would have been a better portrait if it also showed a child from the wealthier part of town and would be more of a real image of small town (or anytown) America - the haves AND the have-nots, living side by side yet ignoring each other and just going about their business. Ultimately, I think it just makes the “haves” who are watching it (and going to Sundance) feel like they are looking at the poorest town in America and when the lights come up, they can go about their normal lives.  I grew up in a very poor town myself, but there is always more to the story. There are recent updates on the three kids online too and it seems to only get worse for them, if you’re interested.

2.75 out of 5 stars

Guardians of the Galaxy is based on a comic book, but don’t let that scare you away (or draw you in).  Let it stand on its own, which it does very well.    This comic scifi adventure story of a ragtag set of thieves and assassins is thoroughly charming and enjoyable.  It has the feel of a modern Red Dwarf or Spaceballs, with all the necessary parallels with Star Wars thrown in.  Bradley Cooper as the Rocket the racoon is my favorite, but not for his sometimes spot on, if accidental, Gilbert Gottfried impression.  Unencumbered by his own good looks on screen, he seems free to express himself in ways not yet seen.  In this film, he essentially leads a successful version of the A-Team, for all his folly in the previous film of the latter.  For those of us of a certain age, the multitude of 80s references to music, toys and other pop culture of that time period abound in a very detailed way – not just your run of the mill allusions.  One final note, see the movie for this at least: Glenn Close (doing her own impression of herself from 101 Dalmations) says the word, “prick”.

3.25 out of 5 stars

Dolphin Tale 2 is a sequel to Dolphin Tale 1 (surprise!), which itself was based on the book which was based on the real life story of an injured dolphin who washes ashore and is taken in by a marine mammal hospital in Florida and helps tell the coming of age story of a young boy.  The story here is pretty much the same, but the boy is 3 years older.  This one tugs at the heartstrings just as well as the first, and the acting is just as bad, but it’s got that certain something anyway, darn it.  The two young leads are so bad they seem almost real, unlike their adult on screen counterparts (Ashley Judd, Harry Connick, Jr.  and Morgan Freeman), who must have signed on just to do something educational for children, because it wasn’t for the Lifetime movie dialog.  The real draw is the animals and new twist is somewhat reflective of the recent hullabaloo surrounding Sea World and last year’s documentary, Blackfish.  There are several plot developments focused on making sure the audience knows the hospital is doing everything by the book and putting the animals first, over humans or even money, and not doing anything against nature by keeping them there.  It wasn’t subtle, but I guess I prefer it to the reality of Sea World.

3 out of 5 stars

The Giver is a Gift

Yes, I've read the book by Lois Lowry.  I've read the whole series in fact.  I loved it.  I was eagerly anticipating this movie, without much hope actually, but I was pleasantly surprised.  It's another futuristic dystopian story, but this one was written long before Hunger Games, Divergent and Maze Runner (which I have also read) and it has a slower pace that may be what seems to be keeping movie goers away.  This film is more thoughtful and meant to make you think, with the look and feel a bit reminiscent of Logan's Run and other much older movies.  The film is mostly in black and white, so "color" in all its forms and meanings can be on full display when encountered.

As usual, many things were changed from the book (not because of length, which is usually the case, because it was a short book to begin with - I read it in just a few hours), but I tend to see books and movies as separate forms of art and can appreciate them separately as well.  One of the things I found unique about the book was that the main character is a boy whose love for an infant consumes him - we're used to seeing this from a female character.  That is still true in the film version, but someone in Hollywood felt compelled to make the central love story a romantic one, with a girl who was a minor character in the book.  I know the reasons behind it, and it worked alright on film, but that kind of thing irks me anyway.

The young, beautiful cast (including a brunette Taylor Swift) is a little wooden overall, but that also seems to fit the stiffness of the society they are in.  The older cast members are used effectively with Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep having some fun and all of their relationships setting up multiple sequel opportunities that seem to have nothing to do with the sequels in book form unfortunately.

Overall, the film asks the same questions as the novel and the same questions as all dystopian fiction: "If we get rid of all the bad, does all the good go with it?", "How do we get rid of all the bad in the world and at what cost?", "What makes us human and life worth living?", "Will we always eventually rebel and return to our animalistic beginnings - is that better?".  Here in the Western World, and especially in the U.S., it's clear that we are taught that individuality is best and freedom is fundamental, but elsewhere in the world, this film and others like it would be considered blasphemy or simply incomprehensible. 

All of these questions and issues are why I love to read these books and see these movies myself, attempting to see it from every angle.  The Giver is much  more open ended than most, ending almost exactly the same way the book does, which caused debate for more than a decade until the "sequel" was published.  I liked that the film reminded me of that feeling from the book and why I liked the story in the first place.  It may be too much to hope for a sequel to this version, since it's all financially based, but I would welcome the "gift".

3.25 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: If I Stay

Chloe Grace Moretz is the heart of this movie and thank goodness she's gifted, because in movie form at least, there isn't a lot to the story.  The well-loved book is the story of a teenager on the verge of womanhood who is put into a coma by a car accident that takes the rest of her immediate family and explores her internal turmoil of whether to "stay" or go.  I haven't read the book, so I can only imagine what's missing, but the movie does manage to stand on its own.  The central unanswered questions in the movie are presumably the same ones that interested readers of the original novel: What would you do if you got a choice like that?  What would it be like to stay without your family?  What would it be like if you "went"?

Unfortunately, the film essentially turns out to be just a love story (The sequel, "Where She Went" looks to be even more so), but her male counterpart is a worthy actor as well.  Told mostly in flashbacks, the parts of the story about their developing relationship are perhaps the least compelling, but the exploration of relationships in general make up for it (although in an effort to make her parents seem too perfect to lose to death, they are made a bit cartoony in contrast).  There is definitely enough there to make you cry at the appropriate moment.  Stacy Keach as her grandfather has a small Oscar-worthy speech and it's refreshing to see Moretz play a self-conscious character, since most of her breakout performances have been powerful and self-possessed (Hugo, Kick-Ass).

I won't avoid the inevitable comparison to the recent young adult novel turned movie, "The Fault in Our Stars", but I will just say that Fault was simply better overall.  A better comparison might be to the "non-fiction" book turned movie called "Heaven is For Real", because the only thing about "If I Stay" that keeps coming back to my mind is the questions about comas, death and the after-life, the rest of the movie is basically forgettable.

3 out of 5 stars

Happy Birthday Melissa McCarthy!



On the occasion of Melissa McCarthy's birthday, I thought I would post some pictures from a recent adventure Heidi and I had in Hollywood.  I had read that Melissa McCarthy would be getting her handprints in cement at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and hoped it would fit into our family vacation schedule, because Heidi and I are huge Melissa McCarthy fans (Heidi from Gilmore Girls and me from that and her SNL performances and general versatility).  Well, it did and here are the results!

Heidi at the World Famous TCL Chinese Theatre

Heidi waiting patiently and adorably in line



Susan Sarandon's introduction of Melissa McCarthy.



During her speech.  She was gracious, funny and adorable.  Much more like her Gilmore Girls character than her recent hit movies.

The Big Moment, standing barefoot in wet cement.

Melissa with her husband and director of Tammy.

 

Love this pic of Susan laughing with Melissa

Oscar winning screenwriter and co-star in Tammy, Nat Faxon.

O...M...G...here she comes!

Susan: "YOU haven't seen this movie, have you?!" LOL

Such an honor to meet Susan Sarandon.  Heidi didn't know her as well, but I just about died!

Melissa's husband Ben Falcone and director of Tammy.  Heidi knew him as an extra on Gilmore Girls :).

Sarah Baker, co-star in Tammy.

Look how impossibly adorable the two of them are!

Very successful autograph session :).

For the record, I did not at that time plan to take Heidi to see that particular movie because it was rated R and the previews made it look like a cheap knockoff of the worst of Bridesmaids, but I broke down and took Heidi last month and just reviewed it the other day.  Read it here (http://simoniesmovies.blogspot.com/2014/08/catching-up-2-to-see-this-weekend-and-2.html).

Catching Up: 2 to See This Weekend and 2 to Miss

I know I am woefully behind due to vacation and moving house, so I'm going to put my most recent reviews into one here.  Luckily, two of them don't warrant much attention anyway ;).

 

Diane Keaton's schtick has finally gotten old and tired and Michael Douglas has simply gotten old and tired.   The story of an grumpy old man forced to evolve by having a young cherub thrust upon him is an overused gimic. Combine that with poor dialog and a total lack of direction and you get this movie. It's like "How Do You Know - the Golden Years". Skip it.

 

2 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

 

Tammy was actually a pleasant surprise from what I expected, but still didn't qualify as "good".  This is a case of mis-marketing.  The commercials made it seem like a crude spin off of Bridesmaids, capitalizing on what some think is Melissa McCarthy's only appeal to audiences: being bawdy.  (Here is where I insert my objection to movies being rated R just for language again, probably done in this case just to attract the Bridesmaids crowd as well). However, it turns out that her character is the most sympathetic and Susan Sarandon as her grandmother is the somewhat repulsive secondary character. It's a bit of a madcap road movie (much of it in the midwest and Missouri in particular) with colorful characters and circumstances thrown in along the way, but the acting is far too real to allow it to be funny in most cases. This movie had heart and a good cast - see it for that...or don't see it all.

 

2.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

The Hundred Foot Journey must have looked tremendous on paper to get the likes of Helen Mirren, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg involved, and it almost is, but that doesn't count in movie making.  It's a pleasant story combining cultures, generations and palates, the third subject being my favorite part, which includes a sequence of competitive chopping and beautiful cinematography, but it never quite achieves the right chemistry of the three genres together. There are a few moments of humanity that pull at the heart strings, but the only greatness is Helen Mirren who is wonderful as a starched French restaurant owner. The rest of the cast cannot rise to her level and those mismatched feeling lingers throughout the film.  The leads are very appealing and could do better on their own, so a spinoff might be called for.

 

3 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

 

Boyhood is a fairly bold experiment in movie-making.  Filmed for a week or two each of 12 consecutive years, we actually see the actors age and evolve almost in real time - the most pronounced being the young boy who we see turn into a man.  The barely scripted improvisational style of the film also lends to this heightened reality.  It's not a reality show or a documentary, but at times feels that way.  (Also, in reality, people curse, even children, so this is how even this movie attains the R rating). My favorite aspect of this approach is that when they made current pop culture references to ground the film, they actually WERE current.  They didn't need to look in the archives and go figure out what would have been popular at the time - it simply was.  However, with such an open minded approach to making this story of a boy growing up, the (very long) movie at almost 3 hours doesn't end up having a story arch or even a climax.  At the end there is no lesson behind the plot, or even a plot.  So again, I applaud new ways of evolving the cinematic experience, but I would think most audiences would not appreciate that aspect alone enough to consider it one of the best films of the year.  Perhaps the Oscars should add a category for "Most Innovative Filmmaking Endeavor".  I would definitely sign up to see all of them.

 

3.25 out of 5 stars

 

Planes: Fire & Rescue S'Movie Review

Full disclosure: I did not see the first Planes movie.  I was miraculously able to pawn that task off on another family member.  That said, I kind of really enjoyed this second movie.  It had a great story, with the heart and subtle humor of the first Cars movie, which it’s loosely based on.  Cars was so well written, I never expected much from sequels or spin offs, but somehow they managed to make another quality film.   

I’m a fan of puns and this movie was full of flying related humor that most children would miss, but is a prerequisite tongue-in-cheek aspect of these anthropomorphic animated films.  The fire fighting aspects of the plot (these planes are essentially fire jumpers) are actually pretty intense and with the current forest fires in the Northwest, I worried that even my 11 year old would be a little scared by it.  The soundtrack lends a hand to the enjoyment of the movie as well, in particular with the use strategic use of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”. 

Overall, it’s no 3D Dragon, but  I almost regret not seeing the first Planes movie…almost.

 

3.25 out of 5 stars

Transformers: The Rules Have Changed, But Not In A Good Way

 

So, first of all, I loved the first three Transformers movies.  They were action-packed, funny, even well-acted and charming.  Unfortunately, Transformers 4: Age of Extinction only has the first of those four traits.  Yes, it’s action-packed, I know that’s a surprise, but at almost 3 hours long, action can only keep your interest for so long.  Note to the director, you need more to keep me from leaving in the middle to get another drink (which I did).  I just came back from a trip to Universal Studios and even without a drink, the Transformers 4D ride that lasted only about 7 minutes was better.

Mark Wahlberg is a good actor when the right script and the right direction come together (check out the little seen Pain & Gain), but this movie is made for wooden acting, so that’s what it gets.  As for the beautiful girl cast as his daughter, I’m guessing after the Megan Fox debacle, they thought any pretty model would do, but again, wrong.  The only thing Nicola Peltz has going for her is that she is a pretty crier, but at least Megan could act too.  The relationship between Mark as a would-be inventor and his daughter who is constantly taking care of him after the death of her mother and subsequent adoption of a broken down vehicle evokes Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but even that homage is just an insult to Ian Fleming.  Stanley Tucci is by far the best thing about this movie (and most movies he’s in).  He’s diabolical and funny at the same time with just the right amount of camp, as though he was the only one on set trying to give the audience what they’ve come to expect from the series.

The plot is more convoluted than usual, as it intertwines space saga with technological greed as this sequel’s take on good vs. evil.  In fact, I thought at times that I might be watching the Asylum Studios (of Sharknado fame) version of Transformers, which could be titled: “Dinobots vs. Microsoftbots”.  Actually, that might keep me in my seat, well for two hours anyway.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Think Again: Begin Again Movie Review

The director of Once tried to make lightning strike twice and...it didn't.  Begin Again is nice, light romantic comedy fare, with a love of music thrown in, but it's unevenness and Amelie-esque perkiness prevent it from becoming any more.  Mark Ruffalo gives a very full and sincere performance, to the point of matching the desperation of his character, but Keira Knightley's constant smiling belies her character's supposed equal level of drama and the result is a mis-match of acting styles that leaves the audience off-balance as to how to even interpret many scenes. 

The movie itself revisits old themes done better in A League of Their Own and Bad News Bears to name to sport motifed films. It's a nice ode to New York as we follow another failed singer songwriter through her final attempt at success after hooking up with a drunken, washed up music executive.  There is a humorous cameo by Cee Lo Greene, but I'm sure this film was meant to make the audience recognize the acting skills of Maroon 5 lead singer, Adam Levine in one of the lead roles.  His character serves as a fairly good caricature of his own industry and pop idol status, but he ultimately takes himself a bit too seriously.  The ubiquitous Hailee Steinfeld shows up in a small repeat performance of her recent Kevin Costner movie (3 Days to Kill) turn as a mildly rebellious teen, but I always like to see her and she learned to play guitar for one of the best scenes of the movie.  Catherine Keener is woefully underused...again.  When will she get her breakthrough lead role!?

I'd like to talk about the elephant in the room on the screen - hair.  It's a recurring theme throughout the movie, though I believe unintentionally.  Mark Ruffalo's character has let himself go and the main way they express this is through showing lots of his body hair gone awry, from that on his head, to chest, legs and on and on.  Then there's Adam Levine's hair, which undergoes many changes throughout the film, most pointedly when he grows a much-maligned mega-beard.  Now to Keira.  She is supposed to be understated and constantly downplaying her own natural good looks, but she is in the exact same messy ponytail throughout the film, even when she goes to see her ex-boyfriend for the first time and when she goes out to see his show.  Not. Believable. Female. Behavior.

My 11 year old daughter enjoyed this film (mostly because she's a huge Hulk fan) but I couldn't muster anymore than "good" to describe my feelings about it and even then, with a lilt in my voice.  The generally enjoyable music is what saves it from falling below a "3".

3 out of 5 stars

Another Great Movie to Review! Earth To Echo

Most people are saying this is a modern day E.T. and while that is a tremendous complement and not too far off the mark, I would say it's more like Stand By Me meets Close Encounters with a little E.T. and Blair Witch Project thrown in.  It has the coming of age and kids on the road aspect of SBM, with the Richard Dreyfuss aspect of CE, the bad guys of ET and the camera angles of BWP LOL. 

This movie was fast-paced and so well-written and well-acted by these young actors that most of the time it did feel like a reality show, the way it is filmed by one of the main characters.  Real life is happening all around these youngsters, with all the angst and awkwardness, even amidst an otherworldly encounter and numerous dangerous situations.  I smiled constantly at them and laughed out loud frequently at their unintended one-liners and pubescent naiveté.

Yes, the little alien is cute, but he doesn't take up very much screen time - it's all about the kids.  The special effects and music were top notch as well.  I would say the adult characters were one-dimensional and almost cartoony, which detracted just a bit, but they were also such minor parts of the film that I quickly forgot about them.  The song played immediately after the movie ended, over the credits, was a strange choice and a bit jarring in contrast to the mood music so effectively used throughout the film itself, but it's one of my favorite current pop tunes (One Republic's Counting Stars), so I can see why they added it.  Other than that,  there was no aspect of this movie that my daughter and I didn't like and we immediately wanted to see it again, like we just got off a ride at Disneyland, or better yet, Universal Studios.

P.S.  There is an extra scene after all the credits that hints of a sequel - I hope it's true!

4.25 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Jersey Boys

Sorry, I went on vacation right after seeing this movie, so it's taken me awhile to post it, but even if I hadn't gone on vacation, I'm sorry to say I wasn't too excited to write this one.  It's not a bad movie, it's just kind of there.  Uh-oh, I think I just made you stop reading...but just in case you didn't, here is what I have to say about Jersey Boys.

Jersey Boys is based on a hit Broadway musical that should have stayed on the stage.  I'm sure it is great to see this kind of thing on stage, because I've seen several in this style (Saturday Night Fever for one) and they have been wildly popular in recent years, with some even successfully making the jump to screen (Mamma Mia for one).  However, in transitioning to the screen with Jersey Boys, a little more drama and a little less stage effects would have served the story better.  The music is fantastic and most of the acting is decent, but it's too polished overall (stage costumes) and the multitude of characters talking directly to the audience just don't work. 

My favorite moment was when the most passive member of the band goes verbally postal when the group falls apart, which may have been unintentionally funny.  I also enjoyed the little hints of the film's directory, Clint Eastwood, with one of his daughters playing a minor character in one scene and Clint himself gracing a "screen on screen" when one of the main characters is watching TV and it just happens to be playing an old Clint Eastwood movie.

Still, the story is interesting, if a little rushed and there are definitely funny moments, but the stage number at the end, involving formerly sinister characters and enemies smiling and singing together was what put it over the edge for me.  This too is a traditional Broadway stage ending, but it doesn't work for this story, at least on screen.  Let's reserve those for happy endings.  Neither the plot nor the future of Jersey Boys has that.

2.75 out of 5 stars

How to Train Your Dragon 2 - Movie Review

First of all, I LOVED the first How to Train Your Dragon movie.  It was one of the best movies that year, animated or not and definitely one of the most visually stunning.  I knew immediately how amazing that movie was and I also knew immediately that it would not get the recognition it deserved, because it came out the same year as Toy Story 3...and that broke my heart.  With this second installment (of 3, yes, this was imagined as a fully realized trilogy!), I'm pleasantly surprised to see the first movie actually receiving a lot of retroactive praise, once separated by the (equally good) Toy Story competition.

Loving the first one as I did, I was simultaneously looking forward to seeing the second one and worried that it would let me down.  I. was. not. let. down.  Dragon 2 is full of just as many gorgeous flying sequences and rolling oceans as the first movie, but this time, they've amped up the CGI with a new technique that allows the designers to actually draw on top of it as well for an added realism and it worked.  Most reviewers are recommending we spend the extra $ for the 3D version, but I'm here to say although I did see it in 3D, this movie would be beautiful either way.

What really works in these movies are the themes.  The first movie had several unique and positive threads for kids and they worked because the Dragon movies don't treat children like children.  Most kid's movies have the same simple good vs. evil style themes over and over but these movies strive for more.  In Dragon 2, the lead character has matured and even has a love interest, but thankfully even that typical trope is set aside in favor of more important themes.

Now to mention my favorite part - Toothless.  I love Toothless, the main character's personal dragon.  It was modeled on a black panther, a wombat and your everyday house cat.  Toothless is loveable, loyal and as well rounded as any human character in the movies, and all this with no dialog.  I want a Toothless myself...

4 out of 5 stars

I Hate to Say It, But There's No Fault in The Fault in Our Stars - Movie Review

Where to start?  Well, to start with, I haven't read the book, so let's get that out of the way right at the start. Those of you who have read the book may have different insight than I do on the comparison, etc., but I always look at books turned into movies as two different art forms and evaluate them separately anyway...Now on with the review.  I honestly can't find much wrong with this film and if there is anything, it is definitely counteracted by what goes above and beyond here.  I am not a fan of sappy movies or "chick flicks" and I have never even seen many of the most popular of that genre, including The Notebook and the Twilight Series.  However, my 11 year old wanted to see this movie after having seen the previews as many times as the rest of us and it didn't look quite as pukey as some of those others, so off we went.

I'm sure the book is very well written - why, you ask?  Because so much of the film is very well written and that is usually the downfall of translations like this. The writers of Fault also wrote 500 Days of Summer, which was phenomenal in much the same way and is now probably just old enough for the audience of this film to require a recommendation from Netflix to see 500 (but seriously, do it). From the interpersonal dialog to the underlying intelligent themes, this movie must be doing a pretty good job of satisfying at least some of the fans of the book.  The individuals and the relationships are so well written, that I will go so far as to say it is one of the best portrayals of motherhood and of falling in love that I have ever seen on screen.  Laura Dern is literally ALWAYS good, but the subtlety with which she performs even the smallest moments with her terminally ill daughter is beyond accomplished - it's reality.  These are Oscar nomination moments.  Willem Defoe deserves a mention here as well, playing yet another unlikeable character, though in a completely different way...

Shailene Woodley is at her best in this film (she is much better suited to intricately played drama than interchangeable action heroism, see: Divergent).  She is completely natural and it left me wondering how very close to one girl's reality of living with cancer her performance actually is, not having direct experience with this particular road traveled myself. 

The complete surprise of the film for me was the lead actor who truly lit up the screen, Ansel Elgort.  He played Shailene's brother in Divergent and though his part was too small to garner much attention in that film, at this point, I can only think they didn't want to cast him as the lead opposite Miss Woodley in two films in a row, because his acting abilities, plus the way the camera loves him and the chemistry between them would have them cast and re-cast together ad nauseam.  He was beautiful in their first film together, but I wonder how strange it was to play his love interest after playing his sister.  It may be that their amazing chemistry was so evident on the first set that it led to the casting of Fault. We will get the unusual opportunity to explore this issue on the flip side when Insurgent comes out as well.

To no surprise for those who loved 500 Days, Fault also has a tremendous soundtrack - check it out.  I also liked the innovative way they integrated the reality of texting into the film, since it is a way of life, especially for youngsters, but probably doesn't normally translate too well visually.  (Chef also recently created a quirky way to integrate social media into this visual art form and I have to say I support this trend).

One final note.  I said I'm not into schmaltzy movies, but that doesn't mean I'm not a crier.  In fact, I sometimes cry at commercials or bad Adam Sandler movies (not for the reason you think).  So let's just say that I forgot to get napkins with my hot dog and so my hoodie sleeves haven't been this snotty since the last time a boyfriend broke up with me.

4 out of 5 stars

Final, final note: This review dedicated to my friend in cupcakes, Kelsey Hays.

Finally, A Good Movie!: Chef Movie Review

Finally, a good movie!  Sometimes I think anyone reading my reviews might think I'm too harsh and don't like anything, but thankfully, Chef has come along to counter that perception.  It actually caused me to look back at the movies I've seen this year and there are about 5-6 favorites so far, which puts me perfectly one track to have a Top 10-15 for the year, so 2014 is shaping up nicely.

Chef is a food movie in the grand tradition of food movies like Babette's Feast and Big Night, only more watchable than the first and more fun than the second.  If you love food, there is enough food porn in this movie to both satisfy you and make you hungry at the same time.  It is also a bit of a road movie, with visits to Miami, New Orleans and the LA restaurant and food truck scene. I may have a soft spot for Jon Favreau, but the level of acting across the board is natural and enjoyable (and this is a vast and varied group of actors with all of Favreau's friends on board for the ride).   Even the music is notable, with great local choices made for each location without being cliché. 

With a  food truck background myself, I found it very believable (aside from the seeming ease of starting a food truck and dealing with regulations which in reality are a nightmare, but not necessary to the plot) and fun and I really didn't want it to end.  For those not into food or food trucks, it may seem slow in a couple of places as they linger over the food and the chef's world, but the only problem I found with this movie was the R rating.  This movie has "colorful" language from the first moment to the last, but THAT IS IT!  Again, cursing is easy to explain to kids and you know whether or not your kid can handle it.  There is none of the ambiguous and impossible to explain over the top sexuality and innuendo or supernatural conjecture of other films routinely rated just PG-13.

This movie is heartwarming without going too deep and should really be seen and enjoyed by all age groups.  It's opening wider and wider every weekend, so it should now be at a movie theatre near you.   Grab dinner at a local food truck this weekend and follow it by seeing Chef!

4.25 out of 5 stars

Mirror Mirror & Legend Did it Better - Maleficent Movie Review

So I'm not going to harp on the quality of acting here, and I certainly don't blame the director for it this week, but it IS a Disney movie and some might say they picked the perfect actress to play Maleficent...it's just that Angelina Jolie doesn't really settle into the roll until the second half of the film, when she's truly a villainess, with or without a heart of gold.  In the first half of the film, there are only two actors I liked, and one of them played a crow (Sam Riley) ;).  The other was Imelda Staunton of Harry Potter fame - those two got all the good lines early on and they handled them well.  Also, once the princess comes along, Elle Fanning is so one-dimensional that I think I prefer the acting range displayed by the animated version of Aurora.

Though this is supposed to be the origin story of Maleficent, we still don't know what happened to her parents and later when we are given an early reason for her initial hardening of the heart, it seems less than even a schoolgirl would fret over.  We're supposed to see her grow into a young woman as beloved by her fellow woodland creatures as later Sleeping Beauty is to become, but Maleficent has no friends, so I don't think I was appropriately endeared to her for the following struggle.  Later, when there is an epic battle between Maleficent and the King, I couldn't find it within myself to cheer for either of them because I still felt they were both in the wrong and both justified in their actions.

It's definitely a female power movie, with even the Prince (played by Brenton Thwaites of this summer's highly anticipated - by me - The Giver) relegated to just a few lines and tossed aside, which I can't say bothered me ;).  However, the ultimate story of "love" triumphing over all, no matter how dysfunctional, left me with mixed emotions, though it was a story preferable to the original.  The original Sleeping Beauty never captured my imagination as a child and seemed to make the least sense of all the stories available to little girls of my generation anyway.  Maleficent herself was always more interesting, but I'm not sure this version made her any moreso.

Try 2012's Mirror Mirror (if you like musicals) with Julia Roberts and Lily Collins for a more upbeat and overall better film or even reach back to one of my all time favorites - 1985's Legend, starring Tom Cruise and Mia Sara.  That one is just as dark, but more beautiful and Angelina Jolie's headdress is just a sad copy of Tim Curry's Darkness anyway.  If it's any consolation, the 10 and 11 year olds in the car with me at the drive-in really liked it but thought it was too scary for PG - they were pondering the possibility of creating a new rating of PG-10 - girls after my own heart.

2.75 stars out of 5

Yours, Mine & Ours Did it Better: Blended Movie Review

I see few movies reluctantly, but I could smell this one coming as my darling daughter dragged me to it.  I'd seen it in the many, many commercials and previews I've seen for it, all the time wondering why a romantic comedy starring Drew Barrymore could look so bad.  Even 50 First Dates with Adam Sandler himself was a decent rom-com.  Then it hit me.  This isn't a Drew Barrymore movie, it's an Adam Sandler movie, and I had solved the problem.  Grown-Ups aside, when Adam Sandler gets together these days with a few friends to have a few laughs, he decides to film it and is never able to translate what I'm sure is a hilarious few weeks of work for them into an even halfway enjoyable 2 hrs for those of us paying to see it.

In this case, I mainly blame direction, but with the recent Here Comes the Boom and ZooKeeper under his belt, I shouldn't have been surprised. (Frank Coraci, what's happened to you since The Wedding Singer!?!?).  There are some good actors in this movie who can't even deliver simple one liners with any kind of comic timing, and I'm sure they all tried their best.  Few things upset me more than when a bad director blemishes an otherwise laudable career because I bet most people blame the actor.  Of course, there is some blame there as well, since they must have seen the script, and I do give some actual credit to whoever cast this mess because they somehow convinced seasoned as well as up and coming promising actors to participate.

Take your pick of poorly rendered aspects of this movie - offensive racist and sexist jokes/themes, check!  going for over the top physical comedy and failing miserably, check!  There were even scenes that had potential and I had (well, not high, but moderate) hopes for that were sloppily directed and edited, leaving the audience with no payoff. 

There were a couple of things I liked about the film.  1) They were successful in making the strikingly beautiful Bella Thorne look frumpy and she really gave herself over to the part, which let her acting skills shine through when others seemingly gave up.  2) The overall theme of step-families was unexpectedly pretty true to real life.  There were no fairy tales here, just a multitude of varied responses to the often difficult realities of blending families and I appreciate realism, so it got me there.

Overall, the movie was uneven with many lows and no real highs and the only people who might really enjoy it are under 8 years old, but it's rated PG-13 and I wouldn't want to start the conversations this movie would undoubtedly cause with that set, especially while they are simultaneously laughing at potty jokes.  Rent Yours, Mine & Ours (2005, PG, Rene Russo & Dennis Quaid) instead.

2 out of 5 stars

Neighbors (at least I think that's what it was called, all I remember is Zac...) - Movie Review

Yes, I know Seth Rogen was in the movie too, but for the life of me, I can't remember him...I'm just kidding of course, Seth was naturally hysterical as always, but truthfully, Zac Efron is completely underrated and he proves it again in this movie.

A kind of Animal House meets The Burbs, this movie had me laughing throughout and reminded me both of my college days and my baby days, with a good balance of relatable jokes from both.  Yes, it's a bit bawdy, but honestly not as bad as I expected ;).  Oh, it's a bit excessive, but doesn't cross that invisible line that Million Ways to Die in the West did recently.  It's equally funny, but I'll give it a higher rating just for that.  Rose Byrne is surprising as the suburban wife with a party past.  She's the straight woman to Seth's bumbling husband, but her timing is suspiciously good, almost like she planned to be cast in a series of over the top comedies like Bridesmaids and last year's Internship.  Maybe the accent was throwing me off the scent...

The secondary cast members provide good support, but there are no stand-outs, which probably would have made this one of the funniest movies of the year, but it doesn't quite get there.  Also, actually being a parent myself, I kept wondering how they could leave their infant daughter alone in the house while they partied, plotted and sabotaged for hours night after night next door, which was a bit distracting for me as an audience member!

3.5 out of 5 stars