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