QUICKIES! 6 movies, 1 post!

Hi everyone!

As you may have noticed, I’ve been AWOL lately…  Life has been busy, and other distractions have gotten in the way of my reviews.  But that hasn’t stopped me from going on some cinematic adventures!  And with the holiday season right around the corner (which means plenty of awesome movies around the bend), and life not getting any less busy, I want to quickly recap some movies I’ve seen since my last post.  I hope to continue to write my regular-sized posts in the future, but if I don’t write these mini-reviews now, I feel like I never will and will just fall behind, so please excuse the irregular format this time around!

1) Bad Grandpa – 5/10

In another case of the trailer spoiling the best parts of the movie, all the funniest scenes in the film were given away in the trailer.  The rest was just Johnny Knoxville being Johnny Knoxville: outrageous, gross, and rude, which is what you come to see when you go to any of his movies.  This is certainly not as funny as any of the Jackass films, which I feel are bolstered by Knoxville’s crazy friends.  The child actor in this film is hilarious, and Knoxville does have a handful of humorous moments that aren’t in the trailer, but overall you won’t be missing anything if you skip this film.

2) Ender’s Game – 6/10

As with just about every single one of my other reviews, I have not read the book that this film is based on, but even I feel like it’s probably way better than the film.  In what is essentially a space version of Harry Potter (a chosen, gifted boy is asked to save the world using his skills) or a live-action version of StarCraft (strategically place your units in the right places to defeat the aliens), the film can be a bit boring and slightly confusing at times.  The twist at the end of the film is interesting, but not enough to save the rest of the film.  The acting either falls flat is overly bombastic many times, which is a shame considering the star-filled cast (Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, and Abigail Breslin).  The special effects are decent, but certainly not the best that we’ve seen in recent films.  Once again, you’re not missing out if you decide to skip this film entirely.

3) Dallas Buyers Club – 9/10 

2013 seemed to be the year of McConaughey, as he starred in yet another incredible film.  Unlike his role in Mud, this time around McConaughey plays a man you love to hate and hate to love.  While he is an ignorant homophobe who makes his feelings and opinions very well known throughout the film, it’s this same stubbornness and brashness that makes him so appealing.  Jared Leto does a phenomenal job in his role as the transgender woman Rayon, who is so compelling and charming.  Both actors went through drastic physical transformations to embody their roles.  Jennifer Garner does a satisfactory job in her role.  The story is hilarious and heartwarming, difficult yet delightful.  Not too many movies have really dealt with the issue of AIDS (especially in the early days of it), and this movie definitely does a great job of showing the struggle that people with AIDS faced, particularly the ignorance people had about the disease and its contagiousness.  This one is sure to garner some Oscar buzz, and is certainly worth seeing!

4) 12 Years a Slave – 10/10

An immensely powerful film, it is no surprise that it has already received so many award nominations.  This is absolutely Chiwetel Ejiofor’s breakout role, and he does a fantastic job in a very difficult role.  Showing the extremes that this man would go through just to survive is heart-wrenching, as well as how “normal” this whole insane world was for everyone involved.  For example, in one scene, Ejiofor’s character is practically hung on a tree, with his only means of survival being desperately trying to stand on his tip-toes.  Throughout his entire struggle, other slaves walk around him, children play in the fields behind him, and the white people simply check in on him every now and then as if he is a nuisance.  Other powerful roles are offered by Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Michael Fassbender, and of course Brad Pitt.  Believe the hype, this is definitely a great movie that, as hard as it can be to watch sometimes, needs to be seen, and displays one of the most difficultly realistic views of slavery in media of any form.

5) Frozen – 10/10

One of the BEST Disney films (and animated films in general) of recent history, and a true display of the talent that Disney Animation has without the aid of Pixar, this is a movie that both kids and adults will love.  Like every great Disney film, it has a great balance of humor (Josh Gad as a magical snowman?  Yes please!) and sweetness (the relationship between the sisters, Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel is uplifting).  Also, as a musical enthusiast, this movie has one of the best soundtracks of any Disney film out there, with a nice variety of sounds and styles that fit wonderfully into the film; I guarantee you’ll be humming at least one of the songs you hear in the movie for weeks to come.  In another awesome twist, the true love displayed in the movie doesn’t rely on romantic love, but rather the love between family.  The 3D looked great as well and was truly immersive.  The Frozen will rekindle your faith in the power of animated films and remind you about what you loved about them as kids, and I absolutely recommend it!

6) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – 9/10

Finally, in the blockbuster sequel to the blockbuster original, this film has all the action and excitement that you would expect, and a revolutionary story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.  Again, I’ve never read the source material, but people that I know who have read the books say its a pretty faithful interpretation.  Jennifer Lawrence is as incredible as ever, and the rest of the supporting cast return in excellent form, with a few notable new faces as well (Philip Seymour Hoffman in particular).  While it is over 2 hours long (146 minutes to be precise), it flies by quickly, and ends rather abruptly (which, like any great cliffhanger, simply leaves you excited for the conclusion).  The effects are great and the cinematography is excellent, and its a great follow-up to what I feel will be the biggest trilogy of recent times.  If you liked the first one (or just like action films in general), you definitely should see this one!

That’s it for now, more reviews and other posts coming soon!  Thank you all for continuing to read these posts!  In case I don’t get to chat with you all again in the next few days, I hope you all have a Happy Holidays and New Year! 🙂

-Dr. A

Prisoners

Prisoners is a top-notch, edge-of-your-seat thriller that hooks you immediately and holds your attention until the very end.  With an incredible cast working with an powerful script, this movie is certainly an Oscar contender and one of the best thrillers I’ve seen since Side Effects.

Director Dennis Villeneuve does a masterful job of setting an ominous tone throughout the whole film.  The lighting, the music, the way scenes are shot, the acting, all come together to make you feel anxious and worried throughout the film.  Sometimes this is done so subtly you barely notice it, other times it shockingly in front of you and can’t avert your eyes from it.  But really the main reason why this is such a great movie is because of its cast.

Hugh Jackman goes from 0-60 immediately and becomes an obsessed, crazed maniac, going to extreme measures to try to get some answers about his missing daughter that he doesn’t feel he is getting from the police.  Jake Gyllenhaal  plays the cop who is doing the best he can to find some answers as well, fighting through the many obstacles and twists and turns in the case that come his way.  Viola Davis, who I did not recognize until I saw her name in the credits, completely immerses herself in her role, playing a distraught mother who does not give up and who understands why Jackman does what he does.  In stark contrast, Maria Bello plays a mother who is so overrun with grief (as well as other medical/mental issues) that she can barely continue living.  Terrence Howard plays a father who doesn’t immediately agree with Jackman’s action, but reluctantly helps him in an attempt to find his daughter.  It’s so interesting to see the reversed balance in both relationships: Jackman being fierce and a persistent fighter with a wife (Bello) who completely falls apart, and conversely Howard being afraid to take drastic action while his wife (Davis) understands and supports it.  Melissa Leo and Paul Dano do a fantastic job portraying the creepy family that is behind this whole mess, in addition to David Dastmalchian.  The key to any great thriller is having compellingly creepy antagonists, and this film absolutely delivers on that front; every move that those three actors make is frightening and nerve-wracking.

As amazing as these actors are in their own right, I think credit needs to be given to the script.  I like how Jackman, as violent and insane as his actions become throughout the film, continues to be a religious man, reciting the Our Father prayer while coming up with new ways to torture his victim.  The little things that the antagonists say, and the way they say them, can be painfully disturbing.  You can feel the pain and misery of the characters in the film through their dialogue.  In my opinion, the pacing of the film makes a 2-and-a-half hour movie fly by; I couldn’t believe the movie was over, I still wanted more!  While there are certainly some parts of the story that I feel were rushed or not explained well-enough, the main story is compelling enough to make you forget that.

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 9/10

An all-star cast gives some of their best performances in a thriller that keeps you engaged from beginning to end.  The director made sure that everything in the film added to the sense of dread and anxiety of the film, which really ramps up the impact of this intense, gritty, powerful film.  Definitely a must see, and one of the top big-budget films of the year (as you know, my list of Top films of the year is currently filled with indie films)!