The Critical Film

Skyfall. This is not my Trailer of the Week (that is up on my...

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:42:13 -0400

Skyfall.

This is not my Trailer of the Week (that is up on my other site) but this is my most recently released (and adored) trailer. It was just released yesterday (if my sources are correct) and it’s just a bit of a tease.

Oh, how I love Bond. And how I love Daniel Craig AS Bond. I know a lot of people are claiming that his Bond films are very Americanized (I totally get why you’d say that, by the way) but there is something in them that the others don’t really have a whole lot of -feeling. You know, most Bond films are all about how good he is at two things - killing and the ladies. I think Craig brings something totally raw and real to the franchise that the others haven’t (easy, I love Connery just as much as the next girl).

I am super stoked for this release. This year is one for blockbuster action, that is for sure. This particular gem isn’t coming out until October 26th, but I think it’ll be worth the wait.

Netflix It!

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:34:58 -0400

So since not all of my friends/followers have gone over to follow my new site, I figured I would do a weekly update over here for DVD rentals that will hopefully tempt your palates enough to go over for the bigger (and let’s face it bigger IS better) and newer stuff.

So here, it is. My recommendations for your rentals this week, all can be found on Netflix or even possibly at your local library (seriously, check out your local library and not just for the flicks).

1. Dedication - In Justin Theroux’s directorial debut you catch a glimpse of something unlike anything I have ever seen - real, dramatic love. Anyone that knows me gets that I loathe romantic movies but this does not feel like one … AT ALL. This feels like some warped, yet total real, version of love story which stars Billy Crudup and, one of my favorite famous people, Mandy Moore. Crudup is a total nut (but adorably so) who writes children’s books but it a total misanthrope (basically he hates everyone, there’s your word of the day). And he gets stuck with a new illustrator, Mrs. Ryan Adams, and so begins a very odd yet fascinating and genuine story of two very strange people. If you like drama, dark comedies, or either actor, give it a go. (Not available for Instant)

2. Beginners - Do you love Ewan McGregor as much as I do? Then you need to watch this. Immediately. For instance, I went and bought it the day after renting it (from my local library but it is also on Netflix). Ewan plays a graphic artist who learns that his father (Christopher Plummer), who is dying, has been keeping the secret that he is gay and decides to come out. While this is all going on, he happens to fall for a French actress played by Melanie Laurent. Honestly, this movie is in my top five. Go watch it. (Not available for Instant)

3.The Woman in Black- This movie comes out today so I know it won’t be up straight away or even in the library but it is definitely my suggestion for horror movie lovers. I saw this when it came out and it really blew me away not only with the acting chops of Harry Potter himself but also with the plot and just how creepy the entire thing is. It’s about a young lawyer (a single papa) who goes to this crazy out of the way town where kids keep dying in these horrible suicides. While there he discovers, you guessed it, the woman in black (a freakish and vengeful ghost). I think any person who loves a good horror flick or thriller would definitely enjoy it. (Not available yet, but Netflix tells me it will be a short wait).

In my queue -

1. Shame - Finally getting around to watching this flick starring one of my newest Hollywood crushes, Michael Fassbender. It also stars Carey Mulligan who I have begun to like immensely after seeing Public Enemies and will also be starring as dear Daisy in the upcoming film adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Basically, Fassbender is a total nympho and it gets all screwy when his sister (Mulligan) comes to stay with him. Since it was a limited release I’m just now getting to see it. (Not available for Instant and is on short wait)

2.Martha Marcy May Marlene- Elizabeth Olson broke out onto the Hollywood scene with this indie flick starring as the brainwashed ex-cult member, Martha, who is trying to reconnect with her sister. It made quite the splash at Sundance and I am so sooooo excited to finally get to watch it (partially because I adore Hugh Dancy). (Not available for Instant)

3.Melancholia- I will admit, I am no fan of Kirsten Dunst, but I am, however, a huge fan of Alexander Skarsgard and Kiefer Sutherland (and Alex’s papa, Stellan, is also in it). The plot seems very odd to me, Earth is about to crash into another planet where everyone is certain to meet death, and all the while Dunst’s marriage is falling apart along with her relationship with her very depressed sister (I’m guessing that’s the melancholia part). I honestly didn’t read any reviews on this one - I’m just going to see how it all pans out on my own. (Available for Instant!)

New Site! Please go follow!

Tue, 01 May 2012 11:10:18 -0400

So I’ve applied to this new blogging site where I have a chance to earn some money for my posts. What I would absolutely LOVE is if all of my lovely darling friends would go over there and follow me so maybe I can be reimbursed for all those movie tickets I am buying.

The url is dis - http://thecriticalfilm.hubpages.com/

Puh-lease do this for me, I will be ever so grateful. I probably won’t be posting much on here anymore except for silly little things.

Thanks, y’all!

Trailer of the Week - Chernobyl Diaries Okay, there are certain...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:01:29 -0400

Trailer of the Week - Chernobyl Diaries

Okay, there are certain things that have me on the fence about this flick. For one, it stars Jesse McCartney. ‘Nuff said. Secondly, the screenplay was written by Oren Peli, whose others works you might know such as Paranormal Activity. I have only seen the first one of that series but I thought it was terrible so I’m a bit skeptical of this movie.

So, why is it my Trailer of the Week? Well, the trailer was beforeThe Cabin in the Woodsand by seeing it (without knowing the full story), I was instantly intrigued. I know a bit about the real disaster that occurred in 1986 (year I was born, what what) so it will be interesting to see what they do with the story and the chilling appearance of the actual site today. I would not want to go to the plant in Prypiat.

Looks chilling. Hopefully it doesn’t disappoint.

The Cabin in the Woods - Joss freakin’ Whedon, man. Do you...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:46:51 -0400

The Cabin in the Woods -

Joss freakin’ Whedon, man. Do you know how pumped I was when I heard he was writing this movie? I’m a fairly big fan of his, for those of you who don’t know me all that well. And, after seeing this movie, I truly see his influences in the perfect balance of horror and science fiction that is represented in this film. And, since I love both of those genres to no end, I loooooooooved this movie.

The film follows two basic principles - a group of foolish kids in a cabin in the woods and another plot about a group of scientists creating strange monsters. Okay, maybe that one isn’t so basic but it IS awesome.

And the stars, of course, the beautiful Thor himself Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly (haven’t seen much of her, though she had roles in movies like Revolutionary Road and Certainty), Anna Hutchison (also, not many roles though she was the Yellow Ranger on some Power Ranger spinoff), Fran Kranz (The Village and Donnie Darko), Jesse Williams (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2). Not to mention, Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford. Oh, and, Amy Acker from Whedon’s own Angel series. There is a special appearance at the end, but I don’t wanna spoil it ;).

I don’t want to talk too much about this movie because I don’t want to give anything away but there is so much to love about it - zombies, Thor, sci-fi surprises, gore (but not Saw-level), monsters … so much.

I am always complaining about the lack of originality in horror movies these days and look what comes to my doorstep? Something totally unique and awesome. Thank you, Joss Whedon, you never fail to disappoint. All around, this movie is EPIC. From the horror-ness (new word I just created) to the slight comedic relief which is actually rather clever. I loved it. I’d see it again. I’ll probably even buy it.

Go see it if you’re into the genre(s) at all. You won’t be disappointed.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home - Only took Ohio about a month to get...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:50:48 -0400

Jeff, Who Lives at Home -

Only took Ohio about a month to get this at the only indie theater within fifty miles of me, but I think it was worth the wait. Not only do I love Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer, and Susan Sarandon but the story was so heartfelt, yet comedic and unique and surprising. I loved it. I thought it was clever and real and all around superb.

For those that do not know the plot, Jason Segel plays Jeff who, shockingly, lives at home in his mother’s (Susie) basement. His brother Pat (Eddie) thinks his wife, Linda (Judy), is cheating on him. The film takes place in one day where the two brothers who are vastly different from one another, stalk Linda and discover their destiny. There are different story lines throughout the movie and they are woven together beautifully. I have no complaints at all about this flick - truly great.

Now, I believe it’s out of theaters since it took me a few weeks to write this but I expect it on DVD within the next few months. If it happens to still be at the indie theater (the Neon for my fellow southwestern Ohioans) then you should definitely go and see it!

Mirror Mirror - I used to say you can never go wrong with Julia...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:42:51 -0400

Mirror Mirror -

I used to say you can never go wrong with Julia Roberts (or Sandra Bullock). I’m not saying that she was terrible in this movie but I just can’t buy her as an evil queen, I guess. She was great, don’t get me wrong, but I find myself wondering (now that I’ve had approximately three weeks to dwell on this film) if they couldn’t have found someone a bit better. For instance, I think Charlize Theron is going to be amazing.

After all, they cast the PERFECT Snow White. Lily Collins, man. She really blew me away. I hadn’t seen her act in anything before and I was fairly impressed with her performance and she looks sooooooo much like how I would envision Snow White in real life. I thought she was pretty awesome. And probably better than Kristen Stewart will be (gross).

In the previews I thought the prince looked very blah and then I saw the movie and actually enjoyed him quite a bit. Prince Alcott, played by Armie Hammer, was one of my favorite characters and totally adorable. And yes, he is the guy playing The Lone Ranger to Johnny Depp’s Tonto. So excited!

Some other notable mentions - Nathan Lane, of course, who doesn’t love him? Sean Bean, remarkably short appearance but memorable. And I sort of developed quite the crush on one of the dwarves, Wolf, played by Sebastian Saraceno.

I had very low expectations for this movie and it turned out to be a lot funnier than I thought it would be. It took me by surprise a few times and though they switched up the story a bit, I consider them all improvements because Snow White was never my favorite fairytale. But it was humorous and enjoyable despite the low score it seemed to have gotten everywhere I liked it. Do I think it could have been better? Yes, definitely. But it wasn’t bad by any means.

A bit strange to have two Snow White movies coming out the same year and it’ll be interesting to see the other with how different they are. I’m just waiting until they make a live action Beauty and the Beast. Now there’s a fairytale I can get into.

April DVD Releases

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:01:47 -0400

If no new movies strike your fancy, look for these movies coming out on DVD this month.

April 3rd:

We Bought a Zoo -Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, some really adorable kids, and even cuter animals. Apparently it was based on a true story which makes it all that much more adorable. I did not see it, but I heard really amazing things about it. Who wouldn’t want to live on a zoo??

War Horse - Didn’t see it, didn’t want to even though I loooooove horses. It was a huge huge hit, as most Steven Spielberg movies are, and again was supposedly based on a true story. I’m all about historical movies when done correctly, and I even prefer to study WWI as opposed to WWII but this didn’t interest me in the slightest.

April 10th:

The Darkest Hour -Emile Hirsch and Olivia Thirlby star in this sci-fi thriller. I wanted to see this very badly but it didn’t last long in theaters. Kind of terrifying to think we can be attacked using our power supply since everything we do runs on power these days. Creeeeepy. And who doesn’t just love Emile Hirsch?

The Iron Lady - No thank you.

April 17th:

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol -Despite better judgment, a part of me wanted to see this. What can I say? I like Simon Pegg. And I do find it impressive that Tom Cruise still does the majority of his stunts including hanging off of one of the tallest buildings in the world. Eep! The dude may be crazy but he’s talented.

Shame - Michael Fassbender (who does full frontal nudity in this movie from what I hear and a lot of it) and Carey Mulligan (love her) star as brother and sister. The brother which is apparently a complete nympho has to deal with her untimely arrival. Played for a short time at our indie theater but didn’t stay long enough for me to go and see it. Both actors are wonderful so I’m sure it’s good.

April 24th:

Contraband -Saw this in theaters so for a full review, mosey on over there. Marky Mark and some dirty action.

The Innkeepers -Sadly this horror movie never came out in Ohio but I am please it’ll be on DVD soon. I very badly wanted to see it even though movies with ghosts tend to freak me out ( save for Paranormal Activity ). Sara Paxton is the main star and I believe her to be completely underrated.

Not a whole lot of DVD action either, but I’m sure they’re just having a bit of a cool down before May! Maybe this is a sign that y’all need to be studying for exams and not going out to the movies …. Nahhhh!

Happy April, Y'all.

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:52:21 -0400

Since the saying goes ‘April showers …’ I think we can all agree it might be a fantastic movie watching month. Unless you’re with me in the Midwest and you’ve been having crazy rollercoaster weather. In which case … who knows? We may need our swimsuits next week.

Anyways, as per usual I am giving you the head’s up on what movies are coming out this month in a theater near you with perhaps a small sampling of those limited release because I have a soft spot for them despite the fact Ohio isn’t cool enough to get them.

April 4th:

Titanic 3D - Good God, why? It’s like when they released Star Wars Episode I again. It has me shouting WHY at the top of my lungs, internally of course otherwise people might think I’ve gone completely mental. I don’t care how gorgeous Leo is… no thank you once was enough.

April 6th:

American Reunion -Normally, I would be thinking, seriously? The last one sucked and aren’t these jokes getting old? But I think there’s a very good reason that all those classic characters are back with the original actors and actresses. And that reason? Good comedy. The trailer looks hilarious. I like that they’re actually going back after a couple of years when things have actually changed and not have them still in college or doing whatever. I think this looks very promising. And am I the only person on the planet kind of attracted to Chris Klein?

April 13th:

Lockout -Guy Pearce fighting bad dudes in a space prison? Sounds super cheesy but you know what? I applaud the originality behind it. I mean the whole in space thing being original, there have been plenty prison movies and plenty prison break out movies but this one is definitely unique. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Maggie Grace is the other star and I do think she’s pretty great so we’ll see.

Three Stooges - I just don’t know. Maybe this was just before my time. I’m not amped about it like a lot of other people are. Will Sasso kind of gets on my nerves, I do love Sean Hayes for sure (he was the only reason I watched Will & Grace), Chris Diamantopoulos is way too attractive in real life to play Moe but you know I can roll with it. I love that Jane Lynch and Sofia Vergara are in it, too. We’ll see - it’ll have to be good to live up to everyone’s standards and also all the hype it’s been getting.

The Cabin in the Woods -I am actually very excited for this movie. Partly, because I love horror movies, even when they are terrible. But also because Chris Hemsworth is in it and though I love him suited up as Thor, I’m thinking the flannel look suits him even better. I digress. There’s something different about this horror movie which I can definitely get into. Almost sci-fi in some of the glimpses I’ve been getting. Love that.

April 20th:

Think Like a Man-Don’t shoot me, but this actually looks kind of funny. I don’t do romances as anyone who knows me knows, but I actually think parts of this look pretty hilarious. And it’s not a gag me romantic movie from the looks of it. It IS typical that four guys would use a self help book to get women into bed. Sorry, gents, but that is the stereotype. There are A LOT of people in this - Gabrielle Union, Arielle Kebbel, Meagan Good, Taraji Henson, Chris Brown (I find that humorous, too), Regina Hall, Romany Malco, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Hart. Laundry list of actors.

April 27th:

The Five-Year Engagement -Yes. Please. Jason Segel? LOVE. Emily Blunt? Might love even MORE. Mindy Kaling is even in this. It’s going to be AWESOME.

Safe -Well, Jason Statham in an action movie, again. Trying to keep a little girl safe, again. Regardless, I’ll be seeing it. I’m a sucker for Statham.

The Raven -John Cusack as my favorite writer of all time, Edgar Allen Poe? YES PLEASE. A horror movie with a killer based off his writings while he tries to solve them? Double yes please! And Luke Evans. He’s becoming a favorite of mine.

I suppose it’s a bit of a lull month between the great March and May releases, but there are some gems in there. Of course, you can always go and watch The Hunger Games again like I plan to …

Wrath of the Titans - First things first - who on earth thought...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:31:31 -0400

Wrath of the Titans -

First things first - who on earth thought it was a good idea to have Sam Worthington grow out his hair? Seriously. It made him look like a douche.

Now that I got that off my chest I can honestly say I enjoyed it, but I might prefer the first one. The effects were definitely much better this time around and I liked the characters they inserted into the storyline such as Agenor and Andromeda (who was in the first one but played by a different actress). I did like the storyline a lot, going to the Underworld is always an interesting idea in my book.

Of course, it’s hard to have a terrible movie with stars like Liam Neeson as Zeus, Ralph Fiennes as Hades, and Bill Nighy as Hephaestus. You also have Sam Worthington, of course, and Rosamund Pike as the new Andromeda. I always hate when actresses and actors get changed in the middle of a series and this one was particularly bothersome because they went from a brunette to a blonde. Call me a biased brunette, but it irked me no matter how much I appreciate Rosamund Pike. I do think she’s a great actress. Plus, she was a Bond girl. Another actor I appreciated was the man playing Agenor, Toby Kebbell who actually has a rather impressive resume such as Prince of Persia and RocknRolla, which I love. Underestimated actor, for sure.

One change I was not okay with was the actor playing Ares, Edgar Ramirez. It’s not that I thought Tamer Hassan was better in the first one (in fact I can’t even place him what with the heavenly hottie Luke Evans clouding up Mt Olympus as Apollo) but it’s the fact that I just can’t buy him as Ares. The entire time I’m watching him I’m thinking about how he looks like an idiot. It kind of reminded me of the end of Step Brothers when that guy was telling Will Ferrell about how he needs to change his face or he’d change if for him? Yeah, that’s how I felt about it.

The creatures were way cooler this time around and there’s a bit more comedic relief which I think everyone can appreciate. I like when the gods get into the fighting, it always makes for a good scene. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Pegasus? I wish I had a horse with wings. FOR REALZ.

All in all it was enjoyable. My brother made me go see it in 3D which was lame because I don’t think any movie is necessarily better in 3D and it gives me a headache. Save the extra four bucks and get a small soda.*

*Sodas at movie theaters are more than four dollars, be prepared to pay extra.

Trailer of the Week - On the Road. Ever since this was rumored...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:37:50 -0400

Trailer of the Week - On the Road.

Ever since this was rumored to be in production what, like, two years ago?, I’ve been apprehensive. Not only is this one of my favorite books of all time, and movies tend to skew the books, but they had cast Kristen freaking Stewart as Marylou, a main character. I have censored myself much when it comes to her acting chops and I just knew she would probably ruin this one for me.

I did feel a little better when I found out the director is Walter Salles, of The Motorcycle Diaries. And, Sam Riley, Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi, and Viggo Mortensen are all in it and I can dig those actors, for sure. I even like Garrett Hedlund when his head isn’t up his butt and he’s off on a drug binge which I guess makes him the perfect Dean.

Never seen Tom Sturridge in anything and I can’t say I’m a Kirsten Dunst fan but I guess I can give them the benefit of the doubt because the trailer actually looks pretty gosh darn good. I’m thoroughly impressed by it and what was once apprehension has turned into a slight anticipation.

What I’ve read suggests all the main actors had to read several beat novels before they even started filming to get a real feel of the era and the emotions of the writers and I think that’s pretty neat. Since this movie has been technically on the shelf for a long time (filming was done mostly in 2010) I’ve become rather curious about it. Not only that but it’s being produced by Francis Ford Coppola who has been trying to make a movie off of this book since literally 1979.

Should be interesting? I’ve heard a few release dates, May 23 is one, but I’m not sure anything is absolute. I can safely assume it’ll be rated R.

The Hunger Games - My first thoughts: I want to see that...

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:16:07 -0400

The Hunger Games -

My first thoughts: I want to see that again.

I am a huge, huge fan of the books and recently reread the first just so it was all fresh in my mind and I have to say that I think the writers did extraordinarily well adapting it to screen. Usually, I have a lot of complaints when a book I love is made into a movie because they change all sorts of things but my complaints fall silent because I think the movie is terrific.

Of course, there are always going to be changes. In fact, some of the changes they made for this movie I rather liked better than how they are portrayed in the book which has literally never happened to me before. There are things that I miss, things I wish they hadn’t changed, but I have to say I’m impressed. They captured emotions that the book did, they really brought the scenes to life. I know this had a lot to do with Suzanne Collins, the writer of the books, co-writing the screenplay.

Let’s talk about character portrayal. Could Jennifer Lawrence be any better as Katniss Everdeen? No. She was beyond perfect - precisely as I pictured her in the books. Everything down to her facial expressions is perfect. Also, I’m further impressed by her training with Olympic medalists in archery so she can actually shoot a bow and arrow. I want to be friends with this girl.

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark? Perhaps it’s my crush on the slightly younger boy that makes me think he was the best choice for Peeta, my favorite character obviously, but he really is how I envisioned Peeta. Kind, charming, funny, sensitive but strong. I applaud the casting agency for this choice.

I do not, however, think Liam Hemsworth was a very good Gale. I don’t know if it’s because I’m not a Gale fan, but I thought his acting was mediocre. Especially when you think about how his brother is Thor… Luckily, Gale isn’t in the first one very much. Physically, though, he is exactly right.

Elizabeth Banks as Effie? Perfect. Comedic gold in some of her few lines, she had me cracking up. I didn’t like her at first in the books but she grew on me and I absolutely adored Elizabeth’s Effie. Again, exactly as I pictured her in the books. Remarkable, really.

Woody Harrelson as Haymitch … It’s Woody Harrelson. ‘Nuff said.

Stanley Tucci, who I love in everything he does, is the perfect Caesar Flickerman. Just as Wes Bentley is everything I wanted of Seneca Crane. I questioned Donald Sutherland as the cruel President Snow but I found I rather liked him in the role. He is quietly cruel with features that lure you into a false sense of security. Good choice.

My break out performance? Willow Shields. She plays little Prim, Katniss’s sister. And my God, is she good. She’s like eleven, I think, and she evoked such emotion in me during two of her major scenes that I just can’t even fathom. The girl is amazing and totally adorable. I find it shocking this is her first real movie because she is going to be big.

Other appearances that I LOVE: Lenny Kravitz as stylist Cinna and Amandla Stenberg as little Rue (She is like Willow - amazing for someone so young).

I love action movies, as everyone knows, and this movie definitely has enough of it but it also has these underlying tones of deep emotion that really move you. There are so many scenes that I just got chills over the performances. I remember thinking how cool the whole concept was and how believable while reading the books but it’s ever more so now seeing it live. I think anyone could get real enjoyment out of watching this movie. There’s so much to like - action, slight humor, deception and intrigue, friendships, romance … truly amazing.

And I’m going to see it again.

Trailer of the Week - Dark Shadows. What can I say? I’m a...

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:43:32 -0400

Trailer of the Week - Dark Shadows.

What can I say? I’m a sucker for a Tim Burton movie. His ability to combine the creepy with the comedic is rather astonishing, really. And, he’s at it again in this reboot from a TV show from the 60s.

Starring his favorite actor, Johnny Depp, as Barnabas Collins - a vampire who was stick in a coffin for several several years until he awakens in the 70s to protect his very outrageous relatives. Which includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonny Lee Miller, and Chloe Grace Moretz. And as an evil love interest (from what I gather of the trailer), Eva Green. I adore her.

All in all it looks hilarious and goofy yet creepy and strange. All those things that make up an excellent Tim Burton movie. I’m truly excited to see it.

In theaters May 11, not yet rated.

21 Jump Street - How many times have I complained about Channing...

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:22:31 -0400

21 Jump Street -

How many times have I complained about Channing Tatum? Several. So many that I’ve lost count. But, it seems as though a casting agency finally came to their senses and actually cast him in a role that was beyond perfect for him - a moron. And, it hurts me a little to admit this but he was absolutely hilarious. Funnier than Jonah Hill, actually.

I know. I think Hell just froze over.

This movie was possibly one of the funniest things I have seen lately. I was literally crying at one point because I was laughing so hard and a film hasn’t done that to me since … I actually can’t remember. The entire writing (which Jonah Hill was a part of) was absolutely perfect and beyond funny. There were hardly any down times where something comedic wasn’t happening and I love that.

I loved this movie.

The Ape-Man himself was fantastic. I can believe him in the role of a screw up, world class idiot. Totally buy that. But he’s so goofy that I actually really liked his character. And I’ve said it before, I’m getting kind of sick of Jonah Hill and he even got on my nerves a little in this movie but it definitely could have been worse. I had the lowest expectations and I was beyond surprised.

Others making comedic appearances? Jake M. Johnson, my favorite of Miss Zooey’s roomies on New Girl. Chris Parnell as a very believable drama teacher. The cute Ellie Kemper from The Office. Rob Riggle who you may know from movies like Step Brothers and Talladega Nights and writes for Funny or Die. Nick Offerman from Parks and Recreation. Some other names to remember - Brie Larson, Ice Cube (duh), and Dave Franco.

I need a minute with the younger Franco boy.

Okay, not only is he nearly an EXACT REPLICA of his older brother, he talks like him, smiles like him, and I can tell he’s going to act as well as him. He’s 26 but he’s already got a lot of films to his name and some more to come which is not at all surprising. He’s played smaller roles up until now but he’s going to be as big as his brother. I can see it. He was in the remake of Fright Night, Charlie St. Cloud, and had a reoccurring role on the show Scrubs. He was also in his brother’s movie, The Broken Tower. I see big things for him. Plus, he’s totally cute.

Also, there were some nice little surprises from the original 21 Jump Street cast including Holly Robinson Peete and, you guessed it, Johnny Depp.

I honestly loved this movie. I would go and see it again right now. I had to wait in line for an hour to get seated but it was totally worth it. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone that is a fan of comedies. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Plus, it’s like the only movie that came out this weekend aside from Casa de mi Padre and that was only released to some theaters.

Trailer of the Week - The Cabin in the Woods. I do have a few...

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:17:02 -0400

Trailer of the Week - The Cabin in the Woods.

I do have a few reasons behind this choice because honestly, I had a few options for the first time in a long time.

1. Chris Hemsworth. Yes, he IS the number one reason I will be in line to see this movie when it comes out. He’s Thor. Come on.

2. It’s a horror movie. True, it probably will not scare me but in the event that it is actually good I will be pleasantly surprised. If it sucks, well, I love a good bad horror movie more than just about anyone.

3. It looks, dare I say?, different. The general plot is familiar but there’s something in the trailer that makes me wonder just what in the world is really going on. I could be way off, of course, but it doesn’t look like another remake.

4. There looks to be a bit of sci-fi in there somewhere. I love when horror and science fiction intertwine.

5. Joss Whedon co-wrote it. JOSS WHEDON. Only the creator of shows like Buffy, Firefly, and Angel. Writing screenplays for movies like Toy Story and the upcoming movie, The Avengers. Yeah, Joss Whedon. Huge fan right here.

All in all, I have high hopes. They might be crushed as most horror movies don’t live up to my high, and some may argue unreasonable, expectations. Fingers crossed this is another The Woman in Black and totally shocks me with how awesome it is.

Silent House - This movie is what I call...

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:07:49 -0400

Silent House -

This movie is what I call ‘mind-bending’. The way I felt after I watched it was somewhat akin to what I experienced after seeing Black Swan, which was confusion. But, I also thought about how I think (jury is only half-in at the moment) I liked it.

Let’s start with what I know for absolute sure so we can all make sense of it. For starters, it’s a remake of a Spanish film from 2010. Not a lot of time between remakes if you ask me, but no one did so I’ll shush about it. I also know that the original Spanish film says it is based off of a true account in Uruguay in the 1940s but I can’t find anything about the incident and neither can anyone else it seems.

I also know that, aside from premiering at Sundance, the film has gotten failing ratings on several different websites. Although, Elizabeth Olsen, the star, has gotten rave reviews for her acting cops. Yes, Miss Olsen is the younger sister of the famous twins Mary-Kate and Ashley (I always preferred Ashley, to be honest) so I supposed you could say acting is in her blood (she was in some of their Adventures with Mary-Kate and Ashley movies). And I will say that I know the girl can act after seeing this movie. She was superb.

Another thin I know, for certain, is that it wasn’t nearly as scary or creepy as I wanted it to be. It’s pretty hard to scare me, I suppose I’m desensitized after all the horror movies I watch, but I was really pulling for this one. I thought it was going to be really freaky but I couldn’t find it in me to be afraid. I was kind of thinking it would be like The Strangers (I didn’t sleep right for a week after that movie since I live in the country).

A few other things I know: there are only like 8 people in the movie total. It takes place at a lakeside retreat in the middle of nowhere. I had also never seen any of the other actors before and I can dig that casting call. Another thing, it’s shot in real time, in ten minute segments and then edited to cut out where they stopped and started. Real time, which was supposed to mean real terror. Sadly, it doesn’t.

Also sadly, there aren’t any real terrifying scenes. I’ll be bummed about that for awhile.

I still have questions, for sure. The way it ends leaves a lot to the imagination and I think they did that on purpose. They definitely throw you a few curveballs which will seriously warp you. If you’re anything like me, you will be thinking on the movie long after it’s finished trying to make sense of it and your feelings about it. But, talking about it, I think overall I liked it.

It has a slow start, so be warned. Since it is filmed in real time there are going to be some down parts but a lot of them are necessary to understand the set up. You’ll be putting pieces together as the movie progresses if you’re like me who read many a Nancy Drew book so my super sleuthing skills are astronomical. I kid. But really, it was kind of interesting to see the little details and piece them all together.

As I said, overall, I’m pretty sure I liked it. I love movies that are different and this one most certainly is unique. I’m just glad it only took me a few days to wrap my head around it. Jury is still out on Black Swan and it’s been months.

John Carter - Before I say anything, I will get this off my...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:48:04 -0500

John Carter -

Before I say anything, I will get this off my chest (hopefully, but I make no promises): Taylor Kitsch is a very, very beautiful man. And you get to see him half naked almost this entire movie. And I was in the IMAX. Do you know how large his gorgeous body was while in the IMAX? Half naked?

Easy guys, Lynn Collins is also basically half naked for most of the movie and she is beyond gorgeous as well.

Now, I have to get a little mean.

I read the book, Princess of Mars, off which this movie is supposedly based. Edgar Rice Burroughs is tossing and turning in his grave and possibly going zombie on that casket to break out and ridicule the screenwriters. Aside from the characters and the setting, it seems as though nothing else was taken from the book itself. The plot of the two are as different as night is to day.

And what a waste because the book is excellent.

Disney, Disney, Disney.

I do understand that it’s a complex storyline and it would be hard to explain it all on screen. I get that. And I understand that like with the Harry Potter franchise, you might have to leave out some details. I can get by with those changes. I could even get by with dropping some characters. What I cannot stand behind is taking these characters and changing their origins, their back stories, and the beginning of a whole series. Who does that? Who completely rewrites a book but still describes it as based off of it? In my opinion, the two should not have even been linked together.

Having said all of that, I did my best to separate the two as I watched and it was actually a very enjoyable movie. I warn it can be slow at parts but the story they created is nearly as complex as the one from the book (further making me question why it was changed in the first place). The characters are as I imagined them while reading though thankfully they are clothed whereas everyone in the book is naked. That is one change I rather liked.

I do love the character John Carter from the book and the movie (and not just for his looks). I also love Dejah Thoris, played by Lynn Collins and is the Princess of Mars. I like her more in the movie because she’s depicted as tougher, but the damsel in distress version from the book is nice, too. Other characters I loved include the green Martian, Sola, and the warrior Kantos Kan (who didn’t get enough screen time in my opinion).

The scenery and Martian cities are amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how they depicted them on screen and also the fight scenes. Though, there could have been more of them. I do love a good alien fight scene. The imagery from the book is so complex that I actually applaud their efforts in making it a reality. The Martians and the monsters (Woola, the trusty ‘dog’ included that I love so so so so much in the book) are exactly as I pictured them.

Some of the parts are a bit weird, but overall I really liked it. Call me a fool if you will, I have read several negative reviews, but I thought it was a fun watch. I like John Carter as a character. The story is amazing, the book having inspired creations such as Star Wars and other science fiction for generations. This movie is released as the centennial of the book release back in 1912 which is totally cool of Disney.

If you haven’t read the book, you’ll probably like it even more than I did. Maybe don’t spend $13 for the IMAX ticket, though some parts were pretty epic in it, but I think it’s worth a watch if you dig Sci-Fi and action movies with a dash of romance.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island - I won’t pretend that...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:30:31 -0500

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island -

I won’t pretend that I’ve ever picked up a Jules Verne book and I won’t lie and tell you I saw the first movie (Journey to the Center of the Earth). I will tell you the absolute truth as to why I went and saw this movie the other night. I have two reasons and they are named Josh Hutcherson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

I know, pitiful. I’m such a girl.

I will start by saying that this movie is really directed at families and kids, I think, because that is the only way I will allow such cheesy lines by. Overall, to be honest, it was fairly decent. Michael Caine is one of my favorite older actors and I always liked Kristin Davis, though her part was entirely too small. I don’t like Vanessa Hudgens and I won’t pretend to, but she didn’t make me want to vomit nearly as much as Kristen Stewart to there’s that.

The setting is super cool. I haven’t read Verne so I can’t speak to its accuracy but I thought it was really neat and the tiny elephants were super adorable. There are parts that had be literally laughing out loud (I do love The Rock) and I did have a good time watching it overall. Like I said, some parts are cheesy but I had to remind myself that kids are going to this. Twenty-five year old women who have no business celebrity crushing on a boy six years their junior really probably shouldn’t. Unless they’re babysitting.

It did make me want to go on an adventure.

I thought it was decent. I had low expectations (I was there for the eye candy) but it surprised me. My friend (also in her twenties) also enjoyed it and laughed along with me at the appropriate parts. Decent acting with mostly decent dialogue and a super cool setting with a somewhat original plot all made for a relatively fun movie. I say wait for the DVD, though. Or at least the bargain movies.

Unless you like Mr. Hutcherson as much as I do.

March DVD Releases

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:34:00 -0500

Today is the first Tuesday of the month which makes this the only post lately that is actually on time! I apologize. I don’t even have an excuse other than the fact I bought a mandolin so when I’m home I’m tinkering with that.

Today, beautiful March 6th:

Immortals: Henry Cavill. Mythology. Enough said. But I will say more. I loved this movie. Everything about it. Even Mickey Rourke’s strange appearance. I still don’t get him in that role but whatever. I do know that I reviewed this movie so if you’d like to know what I think you can mosey on over to that post. I will be buying it today.

Footloose: Ruin another 80s movie for me, please. Gag me.

Melancholia: I actually need to see this. I am really excited for it. Darn stupid limited release movies. I enjoy Kristen Dunst and Alexander Skarsgard is phenomenal in whatever he does. This movie is strange in the sense that I have no idea what it’s really about besides the fact that a mysterious planet is heading straight for earth and two sisters try to deal. Netflixin’ that.

March 13th:

My Week With Marilyn: I love love love Michelle Williams. I didn’t get to see this movie, either, because Ohio is lame but I am definitely excited to watch it. I think she looks perfect as Marilyn.

Happy Feet Two: Whatever.

The Descendants:I wanted to see this movie so badly when it was in theaters and I am shocked none of my friends had love for George Clooney enough to see it with me. I guess Netflix and I will get even closer this month.

The Three Musketeers: Logan Lerman, Orlando Bloom … I’ll watch this. I’ll probably hate the inaccuracies but I will enjoy the eye candy.

Young Adult: I love Charlize Theron in a heterosexual way, though I can admit the girl is gorgeous, and I think she’s super talented but I had less than no desire to see this movie. I’m sick of the whole adult-acting-like-a-teenager thing. Isn’t that overdone nowadays?

March 20th:

The Sitter: I just finished talking about how over Jonah Hill I am. This movie didn’t last long in theaters which makes me think over people might be sick of him, too.

The Muppets: Ah, Jason Segel. Amy Adams. Rashida Jones. Still sad I didn’t get to see this one when it came out.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Buying this the day it comes out FO SHO. Such an excellent, excellent movie. Stoked to watch it again. The books are just as amazing, if not more so. I recommend them to EVERYONE.

Carnage and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy which I know nothing about either except I think the latter was up for several awards.

March 27th:

Alvin & the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked: Yeah …

Hop: Nope.

In the Land of Blood and Honey: Can’t say I’m sad this was limited … I don’t like Angelina Jolie all that much though I know she’s a good actress. Something about her irks me in most of her roles though so I probably won’t go out of my way to see this. Especially since she wrote it .. right? I think she did it all by herself though I can’t be sure. You never know in Hollywood.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: Shocked this is coming out so soon because I thought it was soooo good. I reviewed it if you care to go and see why, but apparently it wasn’t a blockbuster. Go figure. Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, and the cutest kid ever. Loved it.

A Dangerous Method: Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley … need I say more? Okay, I will. It’s about Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung and psychoanalysis. I’m just excited to see that Keira Knightley is still making movies. I’ve missed her. And I love Michael Fassbender. I’ll be queue-ing this one up.

Compared to February, it looks like it’ll be a costly month.

March Movie Madness

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:11:00 -0500

Yeah, clearly I don’t pay attention to college basketball even though I come in at the top three in the bracket competition at my work. I’m a really good guesser.

Anyways, this isn’t a sports blog (gag me, unless it’s NFL. Then I might be down.) so I will get to the very overdue business of talking about what movies we can expect out this month. March is a really good month, by the way. I’m not Irish so I don’t really care about St. Patrick’s Day, but so far Ohio weather has been really kind overall and my dear mother’s birthday is the first day of the month. I dig March

Last week, March 2nd:

The Lorax: Is it just me or are Dr. Seuss books way better on paper than on the big screen? Does anyone else remember the horrid adaptation of Cat in the Hat?? I’ll tell you why I won’t see this movie despite my adoration of Zac Efron (I ain’t ashamed): it takes something really spectacular these days to make me want to see an animated movie. I dig trees, but not enough to sit through this movie. Oh and Taylor Swift’s voice makes me cringe. I’m sure it’s a top notch family film and until I have kids I will avoid it. PG.

Project X: I haven’t seen this and I’ve been on the fence about it ever since the first trailer I watched. it is refreshing to see a movie with no big names in it, that part I dig. What I don’t dig is high school movies. I mean, the John Hughes ones from the eighties, of course I love. The ones of today, not so much. And party movies? I think I got over those a long time ago. Call me old, but at 25, kids getting wasted while their parents are out of town seems overdone and rather boring. I don’t care how big the party is. R.

March 9th:

John Carter: Can I just say one thing first? I love Taylor Kitsch. Not because I watch Friday Night Lights, though I’ve heard it’s good. I do have a guilty pleasure in the fact that I own and rather liked The Covenant and him as a motorcyclin’ yet somewhat hopeless romantic was tops. Plus, he had the coolest name (Pogue Parry). What I do adore about Taylor more than anything (yes, even more than him playing Gambit) is the fact that this is his second movie of the year that I am totally psyched about. The other, of course, being Battleship. I digress. I am really excited to see this movie and so excited that I am buying the book it is based off of so I can read it beforehand. (The book is the 1912 book called A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Yes, the guy that created Tarzan. How can I not love the guy that set the path for something like Star Wars??) PG-13.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen: I love Ewan McGregor. I’ve said it before, but it’s true. As much as I adore him there is no way on earth I will go and see this movie.I even love Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas and I still will not see this movie. The plot, in a nutshell, is some guy is trying to do something impossible by fishing up a river or something and then there’s fish experts and a cynic and they all find faith and hope or something else. Whatever. PG-13.

Friends With Kids: I wanted to see this so bad until I saw Megan Fox in the trailer. Despite the fact she makes me cringe, I probably will still see it. The cast is phenomenal. Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph, Kristin Wiig, Jennifer Westfeldt (who wrote AND directed it as well as starred in it), Jon Hamm, Chris O’Dowd, Edward Burns … I mean come on. It looks pretty hilarious and why shouldn’t it be when two friends decide to have a kid together that is a recipe for comedy. R.

A Thousand Words: Someone keeps giving Eddie Murphy roles. I would like to hit that someone. I don’t care if he doesn’t talk much in this movie. You couldn’t pay me to watch an Eddie Murphy movie. PG-13.

Silent House: I’m pretty sure this is wide release come Friday but I’m not positive. I know one thing is for sure - I have been dying to see this movie ever since I read about it during Cannes (I’m pretty sure it was Cannes, if not it was some other super indie film festival). What is so cool about this horror movie is the fact it is set in real time - there are no cuts from start to finish. 88 minutes continuously shot from opening credits to end credits. Now that’s awesome. Elizabeth Olsen, yes the younger sis of the famous twins, is getting serious buzz after this movie, too. I can’t wait. R.

March 16th:

21 Jump Street: Ugh. Channing Tatum again? He must have the same agent as Eddie Murphy. And Jonah Hill. Am I the only one getting kind of sick of him? Can he just take a year hiatus? I’m sure I’d welcome him back with open arms. Rumor has it Johnny Depp cameos on the movie version of the show he starred in once upon a time. I’m still on the fence on this movie, though. I don’t know if I can watch it, though from the previews it looks like the ape plays a moron which seems very fitting. I might give it a go. R.

Casa de mi Padre: I honestly don’t know much about this upcoming Will Ferrell movie since the trailer is a big tease, but it looks hilarious. I love Gabriel Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna so I think it should be interesting. Drug lords, Mexico … should be a good time. R. Oh, and the person in charge is one of the directors of Funny or Die.

Jeff Who Lives at Home (which was my Trailer of the Week not too long ago is a limited release but I felt the need to put it in here) and Detachment (Adrien Brody doing another amazing indie flick about a substitute teacher trying to find his way, also comes out but only in NYC. Jealous).

March 23rd:

The Hunger Games: Heck. Yes. I. Can’t. Wait. I bought my midnight showing tickets the day they went on sale. If that tells you how stoked I am. The books, which I have read (all three in four days), are absolutely amazing and mindblowing. I had such low expectations but I am so happy I gave it a whirl. I’m addicted. Jennifer Lawrence looks exactly as I imagined her. And I love LOVE Josh Hutcherson as my favorite character, Peeta. Bring it on. Oh, and Elizabeth Banks? Yes, please! PG-13.

March 30th:

Wrath of the Titans: Mythology, Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes with a full face … I’m ready for this sequel. And the beauty Rosamund Pike, who I know little about though she was in Die Another Day, one of my least favorite Bond flicks ever. Despite that, she was good in it as Miranda Frost. Now I took Latin for four years and I’ve read the stories of Perseus, translated them even, and though this plot does not seem to follow his adventures, it looks pretty darn amazing. Give me mythology, and I’ll probably go despite the inaccuracies. Not rated yet, but I’m going to assume PG-13.

Mirror Mirror: Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen? Lily Collins as Snow White? I’m so down. This comedic portrayal of the classic fairytale looks awesome. Absolutely humorous. And it seems as though this is Snow White’s year, seeing as how another adaptation will be out this summer (I believe) with my least favorite actress in the role (Kristen Stewart). Both actually look good (I know, but I blame it on Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman and Charlize Theron as the Queen), but I would have to say I’m more excited for this one. I love comedy with my fairytales and after watching the heartbreak and sadness in Once Upon a Time each week, I need my happy ending dang it. PG.

Intruders: I love me some Clive Owen and I like thrillers more than just about any genre (except comedy, obviously). I’m actually not sure if this is a wide or limited release yet, I know very little about it. What I do know is that two children are visited nightly by a faceless demon trying to possess them. Can you say ‘creepy’? R.

Looks like it’ll be a good month, eh?