Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Directed by Stephen Chbosky

Written by Stephen Chbosky (screenplay and novel)

Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller and Paul Rudd

          Based on the critically acclaimed novel written by Stephen Chbosky, comes another film revolving around high school students- although, this time it isn't awful. Perks of Being a Wallflower centers around a group of teenagers who consider themselves "outsiders" and embrace their non-conformist status. This film will have you reminiscing on your social status from high school and convincing yourself that you were also an outsider like Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller- because they make not following the status quo look desirable. Anyone who read the book will love the movie adaptation, considering the books author also wrote the screenplay. 

     Set in the 1990's, the story begins with the quiet and reserved, Charlie (Logan Lerman) entering his freshman year of high school. Charlie enters high school feeling alienated and with his head down, with that scary question we all probably faced at one point in our adolescence: what table do I sit at during lunch? He is quickly embraced by two sympathetic seniors; the highly sarcastic and lovable Patrick (Ezra Miller) and the mysteriously beautiful, Sam (Emma Watson). Patrick and Sam (who are half siblings much to Charlie's surprise) take pity on the shy, dorky freshman and begin to take him under their wings as they attend football games and parties. Eventually we see Charlie fall into their inner circle, and even starts dating the punk buddhist, Mary Elizabeth (Mae Whitman)- despite his enormous crush on Sam, who has a boyfriend. While Charlie finds himself more adapted into this friend group, we still see remittence of something darker lurking in the back of Charlie's mind. He has a lot of ghosts from his past, and when things start to look poorly with his new friends, he struggles to hold on to his composure. 

    This movie serves as a sort of "coming-out" for Emma Watson as she tries to distance herself from Hermione Granger- and move on to other roles. Her portrayal of Sam shows her true potential as an actress and was incredible to watch. Watson is given more range with this character, and occasionally upstages Logan Lerman with her performance. Lerman plays the troubled teenager who is stricken with love and blinded by the beauty of Sam. It only makes sense that Watson would upstage Lerman, because Charlie is caught in the gravitational pull of Sam's star like qualities. Ezra Miller plays a very likable, very gay character and does an impressive job. Like many teenage movies, Perks of Being a Wallflower is riddled with familiar names playing the adults in the movie. The most notable being Paul Rudd, as Charlie's english teacher. We also see supporting roles from, Dylan McDermott and Joan Cusack. 

     The cinematic translation of this film from the novel- should leave fans of the book very satisfied. Even those who didn't read the book will fall in love with this movie. Its emotional, heartwarming, and even has a sprinkling of humor within its sometimes dark dialogue. A movie about teenagers that everyone needs to see. Current teenagers can relate, adults will feel nostalgia. 

I give Perks of Being a Wallflower a...

8/10

Interstellar (2014)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan 

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine

    Interstellar is a sci-fi masterpiece of epic proportions. It is a Nolan masterpiece. By 2014, the release date of this movie, we are well aware that Christopher Nolan is not a director to shy away from a challenge-with the mind-bending Inception or his re-invented Batman movies. This big-budget science fiction journey is one everyone needs to take, because while it may be a nearly three hour long commitment with some confusing space travel mumbo-jumbo, its more simply a tale of love and sacrifice. This movie is the definition of a film you see in IMAX on the big screen. The visual effects are as astounding as the breathtaking story. 

     The story opens in an un-specified year in the distant future. The world as we know it, has fallen victim to a famine caused by overpopulation and blight that is killing crops and causing massive dust storms. Nitrogen is reaching a new high in the atmosphere, and the new fear is the human race will die from suffocation and famine. The movie presumably on purpose, does not specify a year that this is all taking place- I'm guessing its somewhere around 2040. Former NASA engineer and pilot, Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) owns and operates a huge corn farm with his family: son Tom, father-in-law, Donald (John Lithgow) and his daughter, Murph (Mackenzie Foy). Cooper and his daughter are lead by almost supernatural means to chain-link fence surrounding a super secret building. At this location is Coop's old employer- NASA, led by Professor Brand (Michael Caine). NASA has been working at this secret location for years, trying to figure out a way to save the human race. They present Coop with two plans they have formulated; the first being contracting a massive interstellar aircraft that could transport as many humans into outer space as possible. The second plan is to re-populate a new planet with frozen embryos- however this plan involves the current human race on planet earth to fade away, while a new one is created.
     As if all this isn't already swelling your brain, we learn about a wormhole in our galaxy near Saturn. This wormhole was presumably placed there by (alien) entities of extreme intelligence, who are trying to help the human race by giving us this entry to another galaxy. This galaxy through the wormhole holds potentially habitable planets. A decade ago, 12 astronauts were sent into this hole to discover the planets, in hopes of finding one that could support human life. Now, Cooper must pilot a ship that will travel into the wormhole and make the final call to ultimately decide the fate of the humankind. He is joined on this mission by Professor Brand's daughter, Dr. Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway); scientists Doyle (Wes Bentley); and Romilly (David Gyasi); and the highly advanced robot, TARS. Back on ground, a now adult Murph (now played by Jessica Chastain) is working as Brand's second in charge- also helping to find a way to save mankind.
     The dialogue of this movie may be dense at times with science talk, however it is never impenetrable. Nolan does a great job at working explanations into the script. The first 45 minutes of the movie are used as an introduction to not only the global famine, but the love shared between Murph and Cooper. This was a great stepping stone to the gripping middle half of the movie. The first part  of the movie allows us to see why it was so hard for Coop to leave for this mission, and why Murph still shows resentment over her father leaving after all those years. Once in space, the white knuckle moments begin. Over the course of the nearly three hours, the movie really never bores. Especially in the last 20 minutes, where I don't think my jaw ever left the floor.
     I may have left with a few unanswered questions at the end, but I still feel Nolan did a fine job at portraying this complex story to us in a comprehensible manner. Matthew McConaughey was the perfect fit for the lead role in this. He is the glue that holds everything together in this movie. He is basically the one expected to save the human race. The supporting cast is riddled with big names, but they all fall short considering the monstrous story. The acting is fine- but with the amazing visuals, the excellent score by Hans Zimmer, and the huge lead role from McConaughey- its hard to pay a lot of attention to the supporting acting roles. One of 2014's best movies. This is what the genre science fiction exists for. Everyone needs to see this.

I give Interstellar a...

8/10

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts 

Written by Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein, Derek Connolly and John Gatins 

Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and John C. Reilly 

     Once again, King Kong has risen from his figurative cage and roared and banged on his chest at the big screens. This time however, it wasn't for another re-make of the original movie. Kong: Skull Island, is a completely different story and time period (the 70's to be exact), where that film-crew from the original movie, never entered the island. This time instead of a film crew, its a scientific investigation of the never before inhabited, mysterious: Skull Island. With the same amount of monster fights (if not more), shooting guns, running through the jungle, and a big hairy ape with a thing for blonde women as the original- this is a fresh new story with all our favorite aspects of the first Kong story. All the more reason to love it. 

     This time around, the story begins with a government backed group of scientists, fronted by Bill Randa (John Goodman). He has his eyes and heart set on getting to the mysterious, Skull Island, so he and his team can explore. Bill and his team believe that this island could hold manners of wonder, perhaps beyond human imagining. Once they get the go-ahead to fly into this dangerous island, they embark on the mission with military assistance led by Lt. Col. Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) and his unit. Also along for the ride on the dangerous mission is the feminist, anti-war photographer, Mason Weaver (Brie Larson), and the world's most handsome mercenary, James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston).  Once the team penetrates the thick storm clouds which surround Skull Island, they come face to face with the gigantic, famous Kong- who, to the shock of some, isn't the real monster to fear. Skull Island is crawling with much creepier, more menacing, and just as big beasts that don't show as much mercy as Kong. After being swatted down in their helicopters by the mighty Kong, the team is scattered on the island- forced to face the many creatures this island has to offer-while they all venture to the opposite side of the island in attempt to be rescued. Of course they have some help from a local islander played by John C. Reilly- however I won't get into much detail on his character to spare everyone from potential spoilers. 

     It wouldn't be a Kong movie without incredible set and monster design- which this movie exceeds in. With the time period of the film being post Vietman war, they actually did most of the filming in Vietnam, thus providing for a realistic looking set. So sure, this movie may have most of the cliche monster movie attributes like the intense battle to the death between two building high monsters- but this kind of action is what the audience eats up with their popcorn, so to not include it wouldn't be fair. It's hard to criticize the cliche's however when they're so beautifully done. The special effects are so incredible, the monsters are so big, the noises are so loud- you can't not enjoy it. 

     Step aside Jessica Lange and Naomi Watts, Kong has a new doll, and she's certainly feistier than her predecessors. Larson's character may be a photographer, but its more than her camera that she is pointing and shooting. Her and Kong may not have as close of a relationship as he and his other gal pal's had- however they do share a lot of sympathetic glances throughout the movie. Samuel L. Jackson plays the character that the writers make you hate. Haven't we seen this before? Though he may not be the handsomest cast member (that goes to you Tom), Reilly has the most significant role bringing lots of humor to this action packed flick. 

     Aside from nailing an all-star cast including two oscar nominees, an oscar winner, and a former Taylor Swift boyfriend- the film succeeds on many levels. 

I give Kong: Skull Island a...

8/10 

     

The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)

Directed by Rob Burnett 

Written by Rob Burnett (screenplay) and Jonathan Evison (novel)

Starring Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Ehle 

          I was pleasantly surprised with The Fundamentals of Caring. This movie was limited to being released on just Netflix, but easily could have succeeded in theaters. This is one of those movies were you can't stop saying how "cute" of a movie it was after you have finished it. If asked to define why it was "cute," I am not sure what I would even say. It is a funny, feel-good, drama all in one.  Thats all I can say. Plus, you can never get enough of Paul Rudd's cheeky personality.
     Ben (Paul Rudd) is a man suffering from extreme loss (the loss of his son), and is in the middle of a divorce. In the midst of all this, he decides to take a course on becoming a caregiver. Immediately following the completion of the course, Ben takes a job interview with a family- a single mom (Jennifer Ehle) with her 18-year old son suffering from MS, Trevor (Craig Roberts). The mom very reluctantly hires him for this extremely difficult, important task, despite Ben's lack of experience. On top of having to keep track of Trevor's stretching, medication and meal schedule- Ben literally has to wipe his butt for him. Aside from the daunting daily tasks Ben does for Trevor, there isn't much else, considering Trevor is very introverted and spends his days watching TV and eating the same meal of waffles and sausage. Looking to make a difference in his life, Ben convinces his patient to go on a road trip with him to see the deepest pit in the world: a landmark that Trevor oddly has always wanted to see. Along the way they pick up a trash-talking, sarcastic young runaway, Dot (Selena Gomez). The three then embark on a journey where they all learn something about themselves.
     The road trip that the main characters go on, at first appears as a way just to get Trevor out of the house- but it ends up being so much more. Ben is recovering from a tremendous amount of despair after his young son died and this road trip is serving as a perspective change on life for him. Dot is discovering herself as she runs away from her old life, and Trevor is seeing the world beyond the four walls of his house. This movie was filled with heart-warming moments, but no singular cliche emotional scene at the end of the movie. Thats what I liked so much about this movie, based on the book written by Jonathan Evison.
     Aside from the emotion was a genuinely funny movie as well. Craig Roberts did a great job at bringing humor to his characters shitty situation. He could have been a depressing man wallowing in his emanate death from this crippling disease, but he was a sarcastic teenager that made a lot of jokes about his ass being wiped. Paul Rudd has always been a favorite of mine, and I always have appreciated the emotion and humor he brings to any of his characters. This role just adds to his wide array of strong characters. Selena Gomez was given a role of a snarky, rebel 20-something year old- and she played it well. She's not just a singer and a wizard of waverly place. This was a very heart-warming movie so bravo to Netflix for bringing this wonderful piece of work to us. 

   
I give The Fundamentals of Caring a...

7/10

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)

Directed by Doug Liman

Written by Simon Kinberg 

Starring Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn and Kerry Washington 

     Well, this is it right here folks- the movie that ended Brad and Jen. That fact alone is the reason I wanted to hate this movie, but the chemistry that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie share on-screen, is undeniably great. Their chemistry is why an action movie of this nature works so well. If it were any other actors trying to balance the light humor with all the intense action in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the results could have been disastrous. Lucky for us this duo graced us with their onscreen companionship which resulted in this superb action flick. 

     Pitt and Jolie play John and Jane Smith, which are assumably not their real names considering the nature of their assassin careers. The two meet in Bogota, Columbia; and by the time the movie sets in on their suburban life, they are about 5 or 6 years deep in marriage. They float along in this normal routine in the suburbs, with Jane having dinner ready for John when he gets home from work everyday. What they both are keeping from each other is the fact that they're skilled assassins. John keeps his guns and money under the shed, Jane keeps her knives and other weapons of torture, in a tray that slides up from the stove. The story begins with introducing us to their marriage problems, as they attend therapy together. 

     However, things get interesting for the killer couple as their competing agencies start to hunt the same mysterious target- thus leading them both out to the dessert where they are left hunting each other. Now commences the sticky situation of them both knowing each other is an assassin, but neither of them can tell the other or they'd have to kill one another. Your typical dilemma in any marriage, right? This now leads them to the difficult decision of either killing each other, or teaming up to save their lives. 

     The following action after this revelation is fun to watch. The fight scenes are intense, the necessary car chase scene isn't cliche. Sure, its not the best action/romance movie that has ever hit the big screens- but Pitt and Jolie make this fun to watch. They're not awkward on screen together at all. They could have been seen as out of synch, but their on and off screen chemistry made these characters real. To be honest, Jolie is so sexy in this movie between posing as a dominatrix and snapping someones neck, and firing huge guns- I can see how Brad fell for her. Sorry Jen! The shared smirks between the couple felt so real, I feel like they both could actually be secret assassins. They fit well into these roles and made for a great movie for this sometimes hard to watch genre. 

I give Mr. and Mrs. Smith a...

7/10

The Girl on the Train (2016)

Directed by Tate Taylor

Written by Erin Cressida Wilson (screenplay) and Paula Hawkins (novel)

Starring Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson, and Justin Theroux 

     *spoilers for those who haven't read the book*

     A thrilling movie based on the book by best selling, world renowned author, Paula Hawkins- that still manages to be somewhat of a let down despite the books tremendous success. It has everything to be almost as successful as Gone Girl, with a riveting storyline adapted from best selling books- however it falls short of being anything like Gone Girl. This being director, Tate Taylor's first thriller, I can't say I was expecting much- although with how much everyone loved the book I still had some hope for the film adaptation. 

     It all starts with the protagonist and narrator, Rachel (Emily Blunt). She is an alcoholic who spends her days riding the train for long stretches, back and forth into New York City. Along the trains route is a beautiful house, with her idea of a picture perfect couple: the pretty blonde Megan (played by Haley Bennett who looks shockingly similar to Jennifer Lawrence in this film) and her husband, Scott (Luke Evans). Rachel adores this couple she has never met, in a somewhat creepy manner at times. She hopes the best for their love, which is why she is enraged when she witnesses Megan embracing in a passionate kiss with her therapist, Dr. Abdic (Edgar Ramirez). Through many confusing flashbacks, we learn that before alcoholism consumed her marriage- Rachel once lived a few houses down from Scott and Megan. Her ex-husband Tom (Justin Theroux) now lives in her old house with his new wife, Anna (Rebecca Ferguson). Things start to get tricky for Rachel when the apparent adulteress, Megan- disappears. To make matters worse, she disappears on the same night that Rachel decided to confront her on her infidelity. Because of a drunken black-out, Rachel does not have any memory of that night, leading her to be a suspect in the disappearance. 

     As more "twists" start to unveil throughout the course of the movie, I can't say I had any big "no way!" moments. Everything is presented in such a manner that my suspicions of the outcomes of the plot, were just confirmed. I was never really surprised. The movie takes places over a 6 month time period, and the constant flashbacks between the past and present gave me whiplash. 

     Emily Blunt's performance is impressive despite the sometimes messiness of the movie. Her portrayal of this alcoholic woman relays back and forth between tortured victim and scheming lunatic. She has a strong performance that leaves little room for other characters to share the spotlight. Despite the importance of the supporting characters in the book, Erin Cressida Wilson portrays them in a pretty one dimensional, cliche manner. Theroux plays the controlling ex-husband, Ferguson plays the stuck-up new wife, and Bennett plays the damaged goods who ends up the victim. The film brings some more big names to the film like, Laura Prepon, Lisa Kudrow and Allison Janney but they all have such minuscule screen time you could blink and miss them. 

     Despite all my criticism, this was a thrilling movie and I was never bored. Although the flashbacks may have been confusing, and the depiction of the story may gave been predictable- it was still a story that I wanted to follow. 

I give The Girl on the Train a...

6/10

Sausage Party (2016)

Directed by Greg Tiernen and Conrad Vernon

Written by Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill 

Starring Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill and Michael Cera

      When I think of how the story of this movie was created- I picture a group of men lead by Seth Rogen sitting in a room high as a kite, brainstorming movie ideas. In this case, I think that is exactly what happen- because only the minds of extremely high men could craft such a weird movie. I mean, its literally talking food. The weirdest part of this whole movie was that I actually kind of liked it. It wasn't horrible. It was fun to imagine that if food could talk, this is how they would act. The humor was often lost behind the vulgarity of the script- but overall it was a tastefully (no pun intended) funny movie. 

     Sausage Party begins with a grocery store full of hopeful food, singing about the "great beyond" and the excitement that lies behind those sliding doors. All the food wishes to get chosen, especially the hotdog, Frank (voiced by Seth Rogen) along with the other hot dogs in his package, Barry and Carl (Michael Cera and Jonah Hill). Frank strongly wishes to get picked off of his Fourth of July display so he can live out his life's destiny- insert himself into the beautiful hot dog bun, Brenda (Kristen Wiig). When they all finally get chosen, Frank and Brenda escape their packaging and fall out of the cart, losing their chance to venture outside to the great unknown. Following the wise influence of the spiritual fire water (voiced by Bill Hader), Frank and Brenda are off on a search to figure out what really goes on outside the grocery store- while also being hunted by the vengeful douche (Nick Kroll). They are joined on their journey by some pretty unforgettable characters like the sexy, Teresa Taco (Salma Hayek) and Sammy the bagel (Edward Norton).
     This animated film definitely had its moments. Seeing the horrific reactions of the food that ended up in some woman's kitchen, ready to be cooked- was pretty hilarious. This film tries to get most of its laughter from its excessive amount of sex jokes mixed with an over the top use of profanity. While these things sometimes gained a chuckle from me, they were mostly just too much. The end scene of the movie is where this movie gets it's R rating, for sure.
     Overall, this is a pretty stupid movie that is strangely funny simply because of the idea of our food having these inane beliefs of this great beyond. The actors that bring the voices to these characters contribute to the humor greatly. Bill Hader provides multiple voices in the film and is great per usual, Michael Cera voices a lovable deformed hot dog that you just wanna hug- and his quiet voice is perfect for this character. A well rounded funny cast to bring life and voices to our everyday food and supplies.

I give Sausage Party a...

5/10

21 Jump Street (2012)

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

Written by Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill 

Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube and Brie Larson

     A comedy, spin-off from the popular 80's television show starring Johnny Depp, "21 Jump Street." This old crime show didn't really have a high demand for a spin-off, but this comedy about an unlikely duo working on the same team undercover as high school students, is quite comical. I didn't have high expectations going into this film considering i'm not the biggest Jonah Hill fan, and Channing Tatum isn't normally a comedy star- however this film proved me wrong. 

     Schmidt (Jonah Hill) was the pudgy nerd in high school, with braces and acne, who couldn't work up the nerve to ask a girl to prom. Jenko (Channing Tatum) was the long-haired athlete who shoved kids like Schmidt in lockers in high school. They were polar opposites in high school, and 8 years later when they're both in the police academy, they're still that way. The two quickly find out they need each other when Schmidt can't pass the physical exam, and Jenko can't pass the written exam. Once the two graduate and prepare for an exciting career on the force, they quickly discover it is not what they were hoping when they're stuck patrolling a park on bicycles. After their brief lapse of shame, they're exiled to an undercover unit that is investigating a new drug that has infiltrated a local high school. Led by the head honcho, veteran cop (Ice Cube), the two are forced to reprise their roles as high school students in order to find the supplier of this drug. 

     While Jenko is much more bitty about returning to high school than Schmidt- that quickly reverses when they both realize how what is "cool" in high school is way different from 8 years prior. Schmidt sinks right into the cool kid crowd led by the superior, Eric Molson (Dave Franco)- and even ventures so deeply into the facade of being a high school student that he asks the sweet Molly (Brie Larson) to the prom. While on the other hand, Jenko ironically begins to hangout with the nerd crowd. 

     The funny thing about this movie is how much Tatum and Hill don't look like high school students at all- and the writers aren't shy about pointing that out in the script. This film could have been utterly cliche with the unlikely duo being paired together and becoming best friends or "brothers" in this case - but 21 Jump Street was not at all. It started with a lot of momentum and never really died down. Hill has an impressive track record with two oscar nominations to his name, so now blockbuster comedies like this are a piece of cake for him as this movie clearly exemplifies. Tatum is funny as the stupid hot guy, once again proving we can't all be pretty and smart. 

I give 21 Jump Street a...

7/10

Logan (2017)

Directed by James Mangold 

Written by James Mangold, Scott Frank and Michael Green

Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook and Dafne Keen

     We've come a long way since Bryan Singer's 2000 X-Men movie- where we saw Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart first take on the roles of Wolverine (Logan) and Professor X (Charles Xavier). Now, 17 years later we see the two reprise their almost two decade long roles, for one last time. I couldn't help but feel sad that whole time I was watching Logan, despite how action-packed it was. It is a movie about morality, and a lesson on how we all get old. Superheroes movies get re-made all the time, and the superheroes remain the same age and have different actors playing them. Contrary to popular belief, superheroes/mutants do age, and Logan is the perfect example of that. 

     The movie is set in the distant future, 2029- and all mutants have been hunted to extinction, with the exception of a few including Logan, Professor X and the albino mutant tracker, Caliban (Stephan Merchant). This movie shows us a caregiver side of Logan, as he is taking care of a now 90-something year old Charles- with the help of Caliban. Since we've last seen the Wolverine, he has tamed down and started to lay low unlike his days in the x-men. This all begins to change as a young mutant, Laura (Dafne Keen) comes into his life. Laura is the rarest of rare, considering no new known mutants have been born in 25 years. She has been genetically engineered using the DNA from Wolverine, making him her father. It's not just the fact that Logan's daughter comes into the picture that sets his life astir- its that she is being hunted, thus dragging Logan and Charles on a man-hunt across many states to get her to safety. This sets the scene for an intense road trip which ends with an unforgettable final showdown. 

     Logan is like The Dark Knight in that it has a very dark demeanor to it. Aside from its darn nature however is a slue of intense action scenes, earning it's R rating. Seeing Wolverine fight alongside his daughter viciously in multiple scenes is very cool to watch for a Marvel fan. Seeing Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart reprise these roles for one last journey was very bitter sweet. We've seen Wolverine grow a lot in the nearly two decades he's been on the big screen. Jackman gives Logan a much more depressing, self-loathing attitude in this film. Logan holds a lot of remorse from his past, and his now bleak future of caring for the ailing Charles. This was his best portrayal of Wolverine yet. I really enjoyed seeing Patrick Stewart have a bigger independent role that wasn't a shared spotlight with Ian McKellan. Newcomer, Keen brings a lot of young energy and vivaciousness to this role. I wasn't sure about her being so young going into this, but seeing the new energy she brings to this important role changed my mind. I would love to see a spin-off involving her. 

     So, apparently an early year release for a superhero film is the way to go- as we saw with 2016's Deadpool release, and with this years Logan. This movie sets a very strong pace for the remainder of action themed movies this year, let alone superhero movies. Good luck DC. Logan is easily the best Wolverine film, and one of the best Marvel movies thus far. Marvel ended him with a huge bang. 

I give Logan an...

8/10

The Hunger Games (2012)

Directed by Gary Ross

Written by Gary Ross (screenplay), Billy Ray (screenplay) and Suzanne Collins (screenplay and novel)

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson and Liam Hemsworth

     The Hunger Games film had a lot of hype to live up to after the major success of the book written by Suzanne Collins. It also came into the lime light after the end of two very popular movie franchises came to an end that same year- Harry Potter and Twilight. This dystopian themed thriller definitely filled whatever 'movies based on teen-fiction books' void, I had. Granted, I was a big fan of the series when they first came out and I read all three books in three weekends- my bias does not take away from the entertainment this film provides for any audience. 

     The movie is set in what we're to assume is the future, and catastrophe has destroyed North America. From the ashes rises a new colony named, Panem. Panem is ruled by the powerful Capitol which is rich and elegant- while the surrounding 12 districts that make up the rest of Panem are powerless and poor. Each district is forced to surrender a young man and woman for the annual Hunger Games- where 24 "tributes" fight to the death in an arena until one is left standing. This is supposed to maintain peace amongst the districts and essentially remind them who is in charge. Oh, and the best part of all this- its televised for everyone to watch! 

     The story centers around the brave Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who represents the female from the poor, coal mining district of 12. Her and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are chosen at the annual "reaping" and are immediately snatched from their families and on a train headed to train at the capitol. Katniss and Peeta are joined by the representative for their district from the Capitol, the peacocky Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) and their mentor- a former winner of the Hunger Games from their district, Haymitch (Woody Harrelson). Prior to the broadcast of the games is a lot of build-up to the showdown. The tributes all get interviewed on a talk-show hosted by the eccentric Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) and also get to train in front of the game-makers where they are given a score based on how well they did. Once the games begin, its a vicious fight to the death (but not too vicious because of the PG-13 rating). Katniss and Peeta are left to fight for their lives against all odds in the arena, and the results are action packed and intense. 

       This movie brings some very interesting characters, but Jennifer Lawrence leads the pack with her heroic female lead. Katniss is a very independent young woman who is forced to provide for her family via hunting. Lawrence sheds her natural blonde hair for this film and packs on the intensity for this role. Hutcherson and Hemsworth kind of fall into Lawrence's shadow and mostly serve as pretty faces. Peeta has a rather puppy dog tendency to him which only further heightens Katniss's bravery and strength. Aside from those three, the supporting cast is a slue of recognizable names who play interesting Capitol inhabitants. Wes Bentley plays the head game-maker and supports the most intricately designed beard I've ever seen. Donald Sutherland plays the menacing, President Snow who looks like he could kill you with one glance. 

  For those who weren't already fans from the novel, I can see how the movie might be a bit slow going at first. The actual "games" themselves don't begin until about an hour into the film. There is a lot of crucial information and character development in the first half of the film, however. The build-up the games is definitely worth the watch to get to the suspense of the arena. 

I give The Hunger Games an... 

8/10

     

Bridesmaids (2011)

Directed by Paul Feig 

Written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo

Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy 

     Kristen Wiig wears two hats in this comedy masterpiece as main actress and writer- and does a brilliant job. Despite the negative reviews this film may have gotten, I always had high hopes for it considering how much I enjoyed the Wiig and Rudolph duo on the Saturday Night Live days. My expectations were more than exceeded. Bridesmaids is genuinely funny. 

     Annie (Kristen Wiig) is living the single life, in an apartment with two adult roommates, and working as a jewelry store clerk- after the closing of her bakery, Cake Baby. It's easy to say her life is pretty "blah" at this point. Annie then gets the news that her best friend from childhood, Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is getting married, and wishes for her to be the maid of honor. Annie agrees to take on the responsibility and thus ensues the normal pre-wedding events. We then meet the fellow bridesmaids; Lillian's cousin, Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), the innocent work friend, Becca (Ellie Kemper), the eccentric sister in-law, Megan (Melissa McCarthy) and finally comes the best friend stealer- the elegant and beautiful Helen (Rose Byrne). As the days until the wedding start to countdown, Helen steals Annie's thunder any chance she gets. Wether it be coming up with a better idea for the bachelorette party, having a better speech at the engagement party, or getting the ladies into a fancy wedding dress store. At this point all that it seems Annie is capable of is getting the women sick off Brazilian food- which leads to a disgusting yet the most hilarious scene of the movie. After Annie eventually cracks under pressure, we luckily see friendship prevail in the end. 

     Aside from the humor throughout the movie, Bridesmaids also has a great storyline, a budding romance between Annie and a cop who pulls her over (sounds cliche I know, but it is cute), and a very positive message about friendship. Annie goes though a lot in this movie and gets to a point where she feels she has nothing good in her life. She is reminded that is not true however, by a friend. 

     This movie serves as a sort of comedic coming out for Melissa McCarthy. Sure, she did have some smaller roles before this film, and began the TV show, Mike and Molly before this- but this film was a real catalyst for her career. She was comedy gold in this movie. Her character was so enjoyably weird and quirky and often had me laughing out loud. She even was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role in the film! Kristen Wiig led this movie with a lot of great humor as well. Her and Rudolph has a lot of funny moments between them.  The supporting roles from the other women in the bridal party were sometimes comical, but this was Wiig and McCarthy's movie. 

      For Wiig's first time writing s screenplay, Bridesmaids was very impressive. It had a lot of fresh, real humor that i'm sure many people can relate to- especially if you're a woman going through the stress of planning a wedding. McCarthy will always be a comedy favorite of mine after this movie. A definite must see. 

I give Bridesmaids a... 

9/10

Wild (2014)

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée 

Written by Nick Hornby (screenplay) and Cheryl Strayed (memoir "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail")

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Gaby Hoffmann

     Wild is a rare film about self-discovery and taking a "journey" to "find yourself" that is not a disappointment. I may be a bit bias since I was a huge fan of the memoir that this movie is based upon- "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail." However, that is not to take away from the overall greatness of this movie. This movie is based on the real events in Chery Strayed's life that led up to her ultimately deciding to hike 1,000 miles on the PCT from the Mexico border to Canada. 

     The movie opens with a gruesome and raw scene of Cheryl Strayed (portrayed by Reese Witherspoon) sitting on top of a mountain on the trail, ripping off a toe nail and subsequently accidentally knocking her shoe off the side of the cliff. If this intense opening scene doesn't immediately drag you into the following storyline, than I don't know what will. Cheryl enters this extremely strenuous hike in which she is neither physically or mentally prepared for- following the death of her beloved mother, Bobbi (Laura Dern). The film follows Cheryl's journey across the trail, and every obstacle that she overcomes- with reoccurring flashbacks. Flashbacks show us Cheryl and her brother (the real life Cheryl also has a sister who was not given a character in the film) growing up poor, but rich in love. Their mother is constantly shown as a beaming ray of hope and optimism. She loves her children more than her arms can stretch out, she goes to college with Cheryl, all while maintaining her super mom persona. Things take a depressing turn as we see flashbacks of Bobbi finding out she has terminal cancer. After her death, Cheryl becomes involved with drugs and begins sleeping around with anyone who will ask. Finally, she decides to "put herself in the way of beauty" and hike herself to who her mother always thought she was, and would be. 

     Hornby did a brilliant job at transforming the heartbreaking and inspiring story from Cheryl's memoir- into an equals as awe-inspiring film. Cheryl is forced to overcome unbearable grief following the death of her mother. The method she chooses to conquer that grief, and become who she was always supposed to be is nothing less of impressive. This movie is all about perseverance and as corny as it sounds, finding your true best self and holding on to it. One of my favorite parts about the film was how it often used Simon & Garfunkel's song, "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" as a bridge between obstacles Cheryl was facing on the trail to things from her past. 

     As far as acting goes, Reese Witherspoon nailed it. This was such a fresh, new role for her. She normally plays very fluffy, sweet characters- but Cheryl is rough around the edges. Witherspoon does an amazing job of portraying this real life character who has gone through such devastation loosing her mother. She has many intense scenes with raw emotion that left me with goosebumps. Lara Dern had a heartwarming supporting role. Her character's intense optimism never died down even after the news of her imminent death. Witherspoon and Dern both earned Academy Award nominations for their performances. 

     I love Wild for many reasons. It met my expectations after reading the memoir and then seeing the movie. The story itself is so inspiring. The acting is incredible. You would think after seeing the intense physical and emotional pain Cheryl goes through on this hike, that you would never want to hike again- but this movie just makes me want to go on a similar intense hike. Overall great movie. 

I give Wild a...

9/10

Hell or High Water (2016)

Directed by David Mackenzie

Written by Taylor Sheridan

Starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges

     A thrilling western-crime film that will have you rooting for both sides of a gun fight at one point. The only reason I choose to call this a "western" film is for the barren, desolate landscape it takes place in- although I guess Jeff Bridges having a role in it does give it that label as well. Hell or High Water is an entertaining movie that with enough car chases and bank robberies to excite crime movie enthusiasts; and enough cowboy hats and Texas accents to excite those nostalgic of Tombstone.

     The movie begins with a bank robbery right off the bat, committed by brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster). Although the two seem amateur at this, we learn that Tanner is somewhat of a bank-robber novice having just gotten out of jail, while Toby is devoted to a non-violence method. After a couple of robberies, we learn the motives behind them which involve reverse mortgages, oil drilling and Toby's recent divorce and estranged child. While the carefully crafted robberies are happening with the brothers, we also get to see the law enforcement side of this story. Two Texas rangers are in charge of following this case; retiring officer Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) and his sidekick Alberto (Gil Birmingham). These two have a very cat and mouse relationship which was humorous to watch- with Hamilton often making jabs at his partners Native American heritage. As the plot unravels, we see the real intelligence behind these devised robberies is Toby. While at first Tanner may seem more experienced and in charge, Toby is the real mastermind. 

     The acting in this movie is one of its greatest strengths. Chris Pine to me, is Captain Kirk. For him to step out of the Star Trek ship (metaphorically) and step into this intense Texan bank robber- was very impressive. This sort of role suits him very well. Ben Foster plays a verbally and physically aggressive ex-con. He is very unpredictable yet his love for his brother is often what keeps him somewhat tame. Veteran, Jeff Bridges earns a best supporting actor oscar nomination for his role as the old, smart-mouthed, laid back Texas ranger. 

     This film is more of a drama than anything aside from the thrilling car chases and bank robberies. Mackenzie and Sheridan give the audience a lot of character development to help us further understand the motives for Tanner and Toby's crimes. Hell or High Water may not be the thrilling gun-fight, car chase movie you're looking for- but it is definitely a movie worth watching. 

I give Hell or High Water a...

7/10

Walk The Line (2005)

Directed by James Mangold

Written by James Mangold, Gill Dennis and Johnny Cash (novel)

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin and Robert Patrick 

     Johnny Cash fans will audibly rejoice for this film, and non Johnny Cash fans will become fans after this musical triumph based on the life of legendary singer, John R. Cash. I went into this movie knowing a few notable songs by him, and being a minor fan. After seeing Mangold and Joaquin Phoenix revive this musical legend- I can now say I am a much bigger fan. Walk The Line tells Cash's sometimes dark story of his rise to stardom in an honest way which doesn't make you praise him- it makes you see where he came from and how he became successful, and thus respect his to fame. 

     The film opens in the early 1940's with a young Johnny Cash growing up in Arkansas, under the discipline of his hard-ass father, Ray Cash (Robert Patrick). This sets as a preview to where Cash firs became interested in music- as he is often seen singing with his mother, or listening to the radio with his older brother. Fast-forward many years and we see Johnny living in Memphis with his wife, Vivian (Ginnifer Goodwin) and his daughter. Now in the mid 1950's, he is in a band called, Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Twos. He auditions for a record label with his band, and thus begins his journey to fame. Johnny finds himself on tour with a young Jerry Lee Lewis and June Carter (Reese Witherspoon).  While the number of shows played tallies up and his fame grows, we start to see Cash's addiction to pills and alcoholism take affect. His unique, deep voice continues to rocket him to stardom while his alcoholism and pill addiction drags his relationship with June down. The film progresses to scenes from the 1960's where his relationship with Vivian has ended and he does a concert in the Folsom prison. 

     Mangold takes a very interesting approach in how he portrays Cash. He is shown often as a flawed man who gets by with his immense musical talent. This movie wasn't made as a shrine of heroism to the great Johnny Cash. If anything, this was very much a love story. Through his drug addiction and alcoholism we see June's persistence in being there for him. She remains a friend to Cash even through his worst times. They have a very unconventional love story as they met on tour, and had a very rocky relationship considering his drug abuse. This movie includes many of Cash's songs, often from start to finish- and that is what I enjoyed about this movie. The music plays a very important part in this movie which is equally balanced with the love story between him and June. 

     The acting performances by the two lead roles was amazing to watch. Witherspoon and Phoenix both did all the singing and playing of instruments themselves and I was extremely impressed. Phoenix's ability to accurately imitate Johnny Cash's speaking and singing voice was highly impressive. Witherspoon gives one of her best performances of the sweet southern bell, June - earning her an Oscar win. 

     This film is great for anybody- Johnny Cash fans or just people who recognize the name. The singing is great, the acting is superb and the storyline is interesting. I was unaware of a lot of the dark things that aided in Johnny Cash's early life and this film served as a lesson to me. 

I give Walk The Line a...

7/10

Split (2016)

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

Written by M. Night Shyamalan

Starring James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Haley Lu Richardson

     Director and writer, M. Night Shyamalan of past box-office successes like, Sixth Sense and Signs- brings us yet another psychological thriller with his name attached to it. This time around unfortunately, he does not triumph like in the past. Split was longer than it had to be, lacked his normal intensity and suspense, and left the possibility of a sequel with its choppy ending. The one good thing that came from this film for me was the interesting acting performance from McAvoy. 

     The movie begins with a birthday party involving two popular girls; Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia (Jessica Sula), and the outcast, Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy). Following the party the three girls are abducted by a deranged man (James McAvoy). We soon learn that this man suffers from a severe case of multiple personality disorder. He has 23 district personalities- three of which we see make a strong presence. We meet the "leader" Dennis, the motherly Patricia, and the childish Hedwig. The three personalities all speak of how the girls were brought there to feed the "Beast"- who is a possible 24th personality. The psychiatrist for the girls captor, Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley), thinks this alter may not be real, but we soon find out otherwise. 

     The remainder of the film proceeds as any other cliche thriller flick. The girls attempt to escape in many ways you would expect- physical assault against their captor, trying to outsmart him, or even using a hanger to un-lock a door. Most of the film was focused on the girls trying to escape, while the captor attended therapy sessions with his psychiatrist- which kind of took away from the suspense of the film. I understand the intent was to further allow us to understand the disorder that he is suffering from- however, the scenes with the psychiatrist took away from the film's tension. There were also some flashback scenes to Casey's childhood, which I remain unsure of their intent. 

     McAvoy's displays over a dozen personalities in this film, and obviously steals the spotlight with them. The other characters in the movie were pretty forgettable making it easier for McAvoy to shine. Anya Taylor-Joy does stand out from the other two girls considering they are perfect examples of horror movie cliches. She plays a pretty sullen character considering the circumstance she is involved in. 

     The ending sets this lacking thriller movie up for a sequel, which may be what we need considering the ending was left very opened. Overall, Split is missing the suspense I was seeking when I watched it. It had an interesting idea for a plot, with a man suffering from multiple personality disorder kidnapping three girls. However, the narrative was weak and left me disappointed. 

I give Split a...

5/10

Lion (2016)

Directed by Garth Davis 

Written by Luke Davies (screenplay) and Saroo Brierley (adapted from his book "A Long Way Home")

Starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara and Sunny Pawar

     A breathtaking story about a young Indian boy who gets lost in the overly populated Calcutta, India- nearly a thousand miles away from his home- and his journey to find home after 20 years of living with his new family in Tasmania. Lion is adapted from the real life story of Saroo Brierley- a story in which he wrote about in his book: "A Long Way Home."

     The journey starts with 5-year old Saroo (played by Sunny Pawar) living his impoverished life in the shadow of his older brother, Guddu. The two complete chores together to help their mother, Kamla (Pryanka Bose) put food on the table. One day, Guddu informs his younger brother of his impending trip to a distant city via train, to look for work. Being a stubborn small kid who just wants to be like his older brother, Saroo insists that he must come along. After many initial rejections to this request, Guddu finally gives in and agrees to let him come along.  Along the way, the two become separated and Saroo finds himself embarking on a train to the distant Calcutta- where he doesn't know the language, the people, or even the name of the village where he is from. After spending a lot of time on the crowded streets of this Indian city, Saroo is adopted by a loving Australian couple, Sue and John Brierley (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham). After growing up with this new life and new family, he has only dim memories of his life and family back in India. Once Saroo hits adulthood (now played by Dev Patel), he decided to locate his home via Google Earth, and hopefully be reunited with his mother and brother. 

     The first half of Lion is set in India with Saroo being a small child. Although the only english we get during this half of the movie is in subtitles- it is beautifully done, and I believe the best part of the film. Lion sets a very strong pace in the beginning of the movie. Seeing a child as young as Saroo all on his own in such a new, foreign territory, is heartbreaking and keeps us on the edge of our seat, waiting to find out his fate. Davis effectively captures the boys confusion and fear over being lost. I wasn't quite ready for the transition to adult Saroo, considering how adorable the young version of him is- but the handsome Dev Patel made that a bit easier. The second half of the movie wasn't as great as the first unfortunately. Granted there is a 20 year difference between he two parts of the film, I just felt the second half lost some momentum from the climatic first half. The story in the second half lacks the intensity from the first, and the character is less interesting as an adult. That is to say nothing bad about Patel's performance, however. 

     Patel and Pawar both play such different performances of the same character but both do an incredible job. This is the first role for Sunny Pawar, and he barely speaks any english- so to see him take on this powerful role was great. Aside from these two actors, the few supporting roles in this film are very limited. Rooney Mara plays Saroo's girlfriend, and really didn't have enough screen time for me to form an opinion on her performance. Kidman also had limited screen time but played a powerful role. She was hand-picked by the real life Sue Brierley to play this role. She already had the accent even! Patel and Kidman both scored oscar nominations for this film, as they deserved. 

     Lion is an amazing tale that for Davis and the cast, was much anticipated to tell. Davis shot footage for a "60 minutes" special on the story of Saroo- and that footage can be seen at the end of the film. Patel really immersed himself in the history of his character in order to play him to the best of his abilities. That is what I like so much about this film- the determination behind the makers to bring it life. 

I give Lion a... 

7/10

Manchester By The Sea (2016)

Directed by Kenneth Lonergan

Written by Kenneth Lonergan 

Starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges and Kyle Chandler 

     A dark film brought to us by the minds of Matt Damon and John Krasinski (yeah, you heard right- Jim from The Office) and written and directed by Oscar nominated, Kenneth Lonergan. Manchester By The Sea is a film that tells the story of a good man who is now wallowed in grief and a completely different person than his former self. 

     Lee (Casey Affleck) is an un-social janitor/handyman in Quincy- who floats through his work days with no emotion until the night when he can get to the bar and drink, with an extreme lack of social skills. Lee's monotonous routine is disrupted when he receives a call from the hospital of his former "home," Manchester. His older brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler) is in the hospital again because of his diagnosed congestive heart disorder- but may not make it this time. Lee makes the 90- minute drive up there, just to discover he was too late. He is left to take on the responsibility of planning his brother's funeral, and taking care of his 16 year old son, Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Lee soon is informed of the startling news that Joe has named him the guardian of Patrick. He is now forced to make some big life decisions as to wether to uproot Patrick from his life and move to Boston- or to reluctantly return to Manchester- a town with some disturbing memories for Lee.
     Through some flashbacks throughout the film, we soon learn this isn't just about Lee becoming the legal guardian of Patrick. Lee has an ex-wife, Randi (Michelle Williams) and a past life in Manchester- which makes it extremely difficult for him to return without some bad past memories. To talk about the flashbacks in detail would be major spoilers, but I will say I wish there were more flashbacks to further tell the story behind Lee's now un-social, depressive state.
     If having spot-on New England accents is the reason to dole out Academy Award's to this cast- then I expect to see all nominees (Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams and Lucas Hedges) standing at the podium award night. I was hoping to get more emotion from the cast, especially Affleck- but I suppose that is the reason their performances were so real. Affleck's character experiences so much loss throughout his life that by the time his brother passes, he is suppressing some major emotion. I was kind of hoping for a big emotional scene where he finally has a breakdown of some sort. He did punch a window at one point- I guess that was it? Affleck does a pretty good job at playing an extremely one-dimensional character. Lee is a man of not many words, holding in a lot of despair and Affleck embodies that. Michelle Williams role was very limited which I was disappointed about. She did bring some strong emotion to the film, however. Newcomer, Lucas Hedges was key to the movie; bringing a lot of typical teenage angst and drama (like having two girlfriends) which leavened the very dark manner of the film. He is well deserving of his best supporting actor nomination at this year's Academy Awards.
     The appeal of a dark, depressing movie like Manchester By The Sea is limited; so I can see why it was released so close to award season. The slow-pace nature of this film will not appeal to many who seek more cinematic, adrenaline filled, gleeful movies. If you're seeking a movie with deeper experiences, this is for you.

I give Manchester By The Sea a...

6/10