My movie watching extraganza continues. One morning I made Jayme watch Toy Story 3 with me. I had seen it in theatres but I knew Jayme had not seen it and I knew she just had to watch it. When I first heard the premise of the toys getting donated to a daycare I was really worried about the movie, wondering if the writers were just pulling on straws to get a new movie out, but oh was I wrong.
The movie begins with a slideshow of what happened in Andy’s life to get us to the point in the movie that he was going to go to college. Yes, the kid that was just having a childhood birthday party in the first movie was going to college. Andy’s mom tells him that it is time for him to clean out his room and has to decide whether the stuff in his room goes in the attic, goes to college with him, goes in the trash and what gets donated. When Andy finally reached the toy box he begins to put all of his toys in a trash bag all besides Woody, who gets put in a box to go to college. When Andy goes to put the bag in the attic his sister Molly begins to have trouble with boxes that she is carrying downstairs so Andy goes to help her leaving the bag behind. Andy’s mom mistakes the bag for trash and puts in on the curb. The toys and Woody begin to panic. Woody goes to try to help his friends escape. Thanks to Rex’s tail the toys are free. Believing that Andy does not want them anymore and that they were destined for the landfill Buzz, Potato Head, Ham, Rex and the rest of the gang decide they should go start a new life at daycare. Woody tries to tell them that Andy was not going to throw them away but the toys do not believe him. While disputing Andy’s mom gets in the car and drives to the daycare. Once at the daycare they meet all the other toys who have been at the daycare. These new toys try to show them the ropes of the daycare and show them all the perks of being there telling them that it is a dream land for toys because they get played with all time. Andy’s toys come to find out they they are not made for daycare and long to be back with Andy even if that does mean sitting in the attic. So in typical Toy Story fashion they toys begin on their journey back home. Like all of the other Toy Story movies the writers know how to pull at your heartstrings and make you feel the story. I usually do not cry when I watch movies but I do admit I cried twice when watching the movie. I was just happy that the first time that I saw the movie in theatres I had my 3D glasses on to hide my tears. But the movie will get you every time that you see it I again teared up when I watched it with Jayme. I highly recommend Toy Story 3. If you have not seen any of the Toy Story go now and rent them you will not regret it. I do have to say after watching Toy Story I feel guilty about my own toys that I had when I was a child, wondering if they feel like they are abandoned since I have grown up. I can see why people are hoarders. Anyways check out Toy Story 3 you will love it.
After our day at the movie theatre seeing Black Swan we stayed in the next day and rented moives. We next rented Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is the sequel to the first Wall Street. It begins with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) getting out of jail. At the same time you are following the story of Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf). He is a Wall Street business man. The movie follows him and his struggle to make it big in the stock market. Jake tries to balance his working life and personal life with girlfriend, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), who you find out is Gordon Gekko’s daughter. When Jake’s company begins to fail, he uses his now fiancée to get help from Gekko to be able to learn from him. Gekko accepts but then uses Jake for his own agenda.
I was quite excited about this movie since I am a Shia LaBeouf fan, but overall this movie was a disappointment. The movie followed a straight line path. I kept waiting for that climax but it never came. It by all means is not a bad movie, I think I was just looking for more excitement and drama in the movie that it did not have.
Comment and let me know what you thought of the movie if you thought it was good or you had the same letdown feeling that I had,
After Christmas I had a week off work. I spent most of the week with my best friend Jayme watching a ton of movies. It is a theme for us when we get together with no real plans we just watch a tv series or movies. One Christmas break we watch the whole Arrested Development series it was amazing and I highly recommend it. This year’s theme was new movies. We were not strangers to the movie theatre or the local video store, we wanted to catch up on all new movies that were newly on DVD or just hitting the theatres. The first movie that we watched was Inception. After hearing so many good reviews of the movie and the praise from my fellow blogger Erin gave, I took the chance and bought it for Jayme’s sister for Christmas and therefore making it available for me to watch. It was awesome! I have to agree with everything that Erin said in her post. You should really check it out.
Our movie journey continued to the movie theatre to see Black Swan. Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as the main character Nina, a ballet dancer as she tries out for her dream role Swan Queen in the ballet Swan Lake in New York. In her way are her own goals of perfection. Nina’s strive for perfection sets her apart from the other ballerinas. During the audition process a new ballet dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis) joins the company. Nina keeps getting strange vibes from her, Lily basically goes against everything that Nina, the ballet dancer believes in. She is not on time, she goes out and parties, smokes and even takes drugs. The bad vibes continue at the audition. The director tells Nina that she would make a perfect Swan Queen but lacks the passion that is needed to be the Black Swan. Nina leaves determined to win the role. This is when the movie gets really good. It becomes more of a psychological thriller. I do not want to give anymore away so all I will tell you is that as a viewer you are sitting there trying to decipher what is reality and what is Nina’s illusions. She begins to truly live out the story of Swan Lake.
One word of advice before seeing the movie is to know the story of Swan Lake. They do explain it in the movie but having a little back story would not hurt.
Overall the movie was awesome, go see it!
Here is the movie trailer:
Stayed Tuned to see what other movies my friend Jayme and I watched over break.
One of the best parts of the holiday break is having the time to lay around and watch movies! My sister and I were debating what to watch the other day so after perusing the RedBox, my sister picked Flipped. It was not until I imdb'd the title that I realized Flipped was a little movie I have been wanting to see since August. BUT, much to my dismay, there were no theaters around showing it, so I let Flipped slip my mind...until today.
Flipped is a coming-of-age tale set in the 1950s. Madeline Carroll (who plays Juli Baker) and CallanMcAuliffe (who plays Bryce Loski) are the young stars who carry this film and they do it exceptionally. The story centers around the ongoing tension between Juli and Bryce. Akin to the ongoing tension between Juli and Bryce, we hear their story in the same way: a he-said/she-said narration of the same events dictates this film. In the beginning, it is Juli who finds her self enamored by Bryce; she believes he is more than the sum of his parts. Bryce however finds Juli to be weird and being a young boy, weird equates to bad or stupid; nothing Bryce does seems to get rid of her much to his dismay. Juli's chase lasts until middle school--that's when things start to get interesting and that is when things start to flip. A series of incidents cause Juli to question Bryce's character, and ultimately, her affections for the boy with the "sparkling eyes." Bryce begins to see Juli for how truly special she is; she is not like the other girls in middle school--she has substance that is far more than the perfect hair and dresses of her female peers. And even though Bryce has hated Juli since he was seven years old, he finds himself confused by his suddenly evolving feelings, which become even more complicated by Juli's apparent indifference about him.
No coming-of-age tale would be complete without the complications that family life presents. Juli and Bryce's families, neighbors, seem to be polar opposites. Juli's seemingly free-spirit ways are reflective of what appears to be a free-spirited family; however, a painter for a father (played by Aidan Quinn), lack of money and an unkept front yard are far more significant than what they seem. Bryce's family from outward appearances look to be the stereotypical 1950s family, but they are not the Cleavers; although they seem to have it all, having it all has its price. Both of these families have their fair share of the good and the bad; what one family lacks, the other is fortunate enough to have. Isn't that true of real life? No family is perfect. Things are often not what they seem.
Rob Reiner directed this film, and for those familiar with his work, this definitely has his stamp. Flipped's simple, funny and compelling story has a lot to say. The supporting cast of this film is also excellent. John Mahoney (of Frasier fame) is particularly poignant as Bryce's grandfather. It is Bryce's grandfather who acts as sort of a moral compass for Bryce. It is only when Bryce's grandfather takes a liking to Juli and sees her as the "irridescent" being that she is that Bryce begins to see her in the same light.
I am not too subjective when it comes to films like Flipped: the story is always heart-warming and makes one nostalgic for childhood. However, this movie is also poignant. In an age of highly technical, spectacle-like films, sometimes you just need a movie to ground you. As people come and go in my life, I sometimes struggle to determine what exactly I should hold on to. So, although the stars of this film are only 14-years-old, the story is the same no matter what age you are: remain true to yourself and things will work out the way they should. Corny, I know. But, this movie isn't corny. I was truly touched by this film and found myself smiling at its end. There was something beautiful in its simplicity. So, do yourself a favor next time you see a RedBox: pay the dollar and see this film!
Well, I thought I knew based on the casting of this film that How Do You Know would be a good movie. The movie was...ehhh...alright. It wasn't bad, it wasn't good, it was just...there. Stars that normally shine in the rom-com genre were just not all that shiny in this movie. I guess the best way to describe my sentiment about this film is "indifferent." This is probably more harsh of a review than I am normally used to writing, but that is because I expected so much!
How Do You Know stars Paul Rudd (who I have loved ever since he played Josh in the smart teen comedy Clueless), Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson. Witherspoon plays Lisa, a woman struggling with the end of her Olympic softball career. Rudd plays George, the nice guy who happens to be the target of a federal investigation thanks to his dear old dad, played by Nicholson, who is well-intentioned but still self-absorbed. And then there is Wilson, who plays Matty, a player for the Nationals who up until this point plays not only the baseball field, but the dating field, struggles to commit to Witherspoon. Inevitably, there is a love-triangle: Wilson, the charming and wealthy "boyfriend"; Witherspoon, the pretty and smart girl who doesn't sacrafice her values for some guy; and Rudd, the always kind and slightly awkward guy who falls for Witherspoon despite her being unavailable. Who will Witherspoon choose?!
Like any romantic comedy, the dilemma of the love triangle is predictable and so is the overall plot--but that's not what made this movie bland. The dialogue was there in parts. Paul Rudd was charming per usual. Jack Nicholson's performance--disappointing. Granted, he was not given a lot to work with in terms of his storyline, but Nicholson just did not have that grit which I have come to expect in any Nicholson film--including The Bucketlist. Wilson, although an integral part of the film, seemed to just be...there; his comedic chops were definitely not put to the test and his wit was not sharp like in his films of old. Witherspoon lacked the sparkle that I love in movies like Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama. However, I think the biggest problem for me with this movie was nothing that could have been helped by what normally would be a stellar cast. The problem was that there were too many loose ends: it was anti-climatic; what happened to the big federal investigation that was going on?!; Witherspoon's softball career--she was upset for like a minute, but then what doe she really do with her life? With all of these storylines that seemed important at the time they were introduced, nothing ultimately happened with them. The only thing that was resolved was which guy Witherspoon ends up with in the end, and even that did not seem to come full circle.
So, I guess what I am trying to say is that despite all of the star-power and great advertising, I left the movie with no real emotions about it. If you are really excited for this movie, but have yet to see it, hold off and when you have nothing better to do, Redbox-it when it comes out on DVD.
Well, with one semester of law school under my belt and with the "Available Until..." date approaching ever quickly on my OnDemand for this particular title, I figured it was about time that I sat down and watched The Paper Chase. To be perfectly honest, I tried to watch the movie a couple of months ago but I lacked the focus to watch it and I was totally turned off by the hair. The only guy I have ever thought could pull off even a semi-long hair look was Brad Pitt circa Legends of the Fall. But, I digress. Now that I have time to relax and am away from the high school life that is law school, I decided to watch a movie...about law school.
1973's The Paper Chase chronicles the life of first-year Harvard Law student James Hart (played by Timothy Bottoms--who until this movie, I knew as Emile Hirsch's dad in The Girl Next Door) as he tries to navigate the challenges of law school life (if you can even call it a life). I must admit, I am glad I did not see this movie until AFTER completing my first semester of law school. I would have been totally stressed out by notions that everyone was out to get me and that I would inevitably fail (granted, I still could fail...won't know until February). I have no idea what Harvard Law is like now, but it is still the best of the best so I am sure it's pretty cut-throat; luckily for me, that has not been my experience at IU--the people are pretty great and I have managed to have a life outside of law school. But once again, I digress.
On his first day of class, James Hart sets himself apart--the infamous Contracts professor, Mr. Kingsfield (an intensified version of Mr. Feenie), calls Hart out to recite the facts of the infamous Hawkins vs. McGee and he is caught unprepared. From that day on, Hart makes it his mission to impress Kingsfield and prove that he belongs at Harvard. But it's clear, everyone at Harvard wants to prove they belong--after all, Harvard Law is the best and the brightest. Hart joins a study group that turns out to be illustrative of the cut-throat nature of Harvard Law as a whole: Hart is pretty laid back, Thomas Anderson is a serious student on top of his game, Kevin Brooks is overwhelmed by the whole thing and his inability to deal with the pressures of law school ultimately drives him insane, Franklin Ford III is part of a Harvard Law legacy and turns out to be Hart's best law school comrade, and of course, there is the jerk--Willis-- whose selfishness gets him in the end (and, being human, I was glad). Like every law student, even those of us that are calm, cool, and collected, Hart has his moments of stress and intensity--luckily however, he's not the jerk; Hart's the good guy, the good friend, the motivated and underestimated student. Had Hart been the jerk, I may have gotten past his hair, but I would not have gotten past his 'tude!
And of course, there is a love story that further complicates Hart's life. The girl Hart falls for? None other than the daughter of Professor Kingsfield--except, Hart does not find that out right away. It is only after weeks of being dogged by Kingsfield and complaining about his horrid professor that he discovers the girl he has been seeing is Kingsfield's daughter (Susan Fields). Beyond the obvious complication of dating his dreaded professor's daughter, Susan having been married to a former law student, has little patience for Hart. Susan wants a relationship and life not all about organization; Hart seems unable to leave his law school life at law school and OBSESSES about organization (Obsessive about organization? I have never met such a person...).
With a year under his belt, Hart finally seems to get his footing. Although I have been lucky enough to have peers who did not make me want to throw myself down the stairs or made me feel like I was in it alone, I found the little challenges in Hart's life to be relatable. And despite law school being a unique experience to those who go to law school (regardless of WHAT law school one goes to), I think the nature of the challenges that Hart faces in regards to his relationships, his trying to maintain a semblance of his former self, and his striving to be successful are all experiences we share as human beings. Once I got past the hair, I thought the movie was enjoyable--there was nothing flashy about it, it was just a good story. My only issue with this movie? The ending. I think having gone through two weeks of exams and who knows how many weeks before that prepping for the end all be all, I think my fellow 1Ls would agree: WTF?!?
Well, back to hibernation I go! If you can follow my review, I congratulate you...my brain has become mush!
Certainly by now you have seen the trailers for the just released in time for the holidays movie Love & Other Drugs. Starring Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal (can you say lots of vowels?!), this is the second time the beautiful brunettes with the big eyes (brown and blue, respectively) have been paired together. If only one of these actors headlined this film, it would have been enough allure for me to want to see it: Anne is a classy actress who is relatable and likable; Jake is handsome, easy-going, and charming. However, put the two of them together, and you have a must-see movie. The pair have an undeniable chemistry and for the most part (Jake, I will excuse you for making Prince of Persia) are known for making good movies, interesting movies.
Love & Other Drugs is a bit of drama and a bit of comedy. Jake's character, Jamie Randall, is a playboy just beginning what promises to be a successful career as a Pfizer drug rep. Anne plays Maggie Murdock, a free-spirit who doesn't seek commitment in her relationships. Maggie and Jamie meet, start a casual fling (and by fling, I mean hook up buddies on a regular basis). As any film-goer knows, a lot of hook-ups does not a movie make--there's gotta be some substance! The two inevitably commit themselves to each other and then the real story begins. Life is good, then it gets complicated. Jamie's career takes off when he begins to sell Viagra (it's 1996, people...I was too young to know, but apparently, Viagra was pretty revolutionary!). Maggie, too, has her own career in the drug industry: she takes busloads of elderly people to Canada. But, as Jamie's career is on the fast track to bigger, better things, Maggie is hopelessly stuck. Drug conventions, doctors, hospitals and traveling ultimately drive the two apart, but not in the way you may think.
AS A SIDE NOTE: A lot has been made of the film's nudity. And yeah, there is a lot of nudity. But, to the film's credit, the nudity is not in bad taste. Clearly, the film starts out being about these two young and beautiful people hooking up with one another...a lot. As their relationship evolves, the nudity is less and less. Needless to say, I don't find the nudity in this film to be offensive, but if you are someone who does find nudity to be offensive, then maybe this is a film you should skip.
Now back to the review...
Guys and gals alike will enjoy this film; certainly, the numerous jokes to be had at Viagra's expense alone would be enough to appeal to the male species. But even more than that, like a When Harry Met Sally type movie, Love & Other Drugs is not so much focused on the love affair from the woman's perspective, but it is a give and take. In fact, I would argue that the ups and downs of Jamie's life are what guide this film. It's always refreshing to see the guy be emotional and making the big leaps in his relationship while the girl is all laid back and cool. And fellas, do you see girls shying away from Jake Gyllenhaal? Most likely not. Take a play out of his book and you are certain to be golden!...or at least closer to golden.
I think Love & Other Drugs lived up to it's billing. So, this holiday weekend (or season if so fortunate to have the time), go see this movie with your friends and loved ones. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I am sure that most of you know by now that I am in law school. Unfortunately for me, the rumors are true: law school is very time consuming. So, having had this week off for a much needed fall break, I thought that I would take the time to see some movies I had been dying to see because all my favorite t.v. shows were re-runs this week and movies are $5 on weekdays (JACKPOT!). What movies were on my list? Well, lots of movies were on my list, but I only saw four: Life as We Know It, The Social Network, You Again, and Easy A. For the sake of everyone's sanity, I will try to keep my thoughts short! One thing that I can go ahead and say for all of the films is I recommend them to you!
Life as We Know It
Starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, Life as We Know It is a film about two single people brought together to raise their best friends' baby daughter after they die in a car accident. This movie has a lot of the typical rom-com plot elements: a strong and opinionated single female who seems unfit for a relationship; an absurdly handsome male who's a womanizer and could not be bothered to have a relationship; and most obviously, the two misfit adults coming together in the end because they fall in love. However, despite the cliches, there are dramatic elements that make this movie slightly different from the rest. Let's face it, most rom-coms do not have the tragedy/aftermath of death hovering, or at least present, throughout the majority of the film. Also, most films do not revolve around two uninvolved people raising a baby! Sure, this movie is definitely unrealistic: if you're someone's godparents, doesn't that automatically make you the next-in-line to raise the kid in question if the parents die? Shouldn't one be informed that they might be responsible for raising a kid if said parents die? And really, someone like Katherine Heigl always being the single lady? Nope. All of the non-realistic elements aside, this is a rom-com/dram (if you will). Obviously, if you are not of the rom-com sort, this is not a film for you. But for those suckers like me whose hearts melt the second the adverse pairing on the screen finally falls in love, you'll like this movie! It's an enjoyable couple of hours that had me laughing and crying...plus, there's an adorable baby!
The Social Network
This movie has gotten a lot of hype, and as a film fan (and wish I was critic), I knew The Social Network was a movie I had to see. I remember hearing about this movie a year ago and thinking to myself, "How are they going to make a movie about Facebook?" But, they did it. The Social Network chronicles the life of Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg) and the early years of Facebook. The slogan of the film captures its essence perfectly: "You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies." A genius idea, making enemies of friends, millions in litigation, and billions in profit later?...you have Facebook. I thought this film was solid in all aspects: acting, story, fluidity, etc. Admittedly, this is a dramatized account of Mark Zuckerberg's life and those in it. However, only real life could provide the foundation for a story so compelling. I recommend this movie to any film lover...especially if you want to get an early start on the Oscars train!
You Again
All I can say is Betty White! This film is your stereotypical romantic comedy...and I loved it! Starring Kristen Bell, Sigourney Weaver, and Jamie Lee Curtis, You Again forces us all to take a look at ourselves, both in the past and the present. Would you really want to be wholly judged on your high school self? Probably not. Kristen Bell plays Marni, a girl who had an awful high school experience and ended up being a successful young adault. Finally seeming to have the life she always wanted, Marni is brought back down to earth when her older brother is set to marry her arch-nemesis from high school, Joanna (played by Odette Yustman). Joanna, the "Queen Bee" in high school is seemingly still perfect eight years later. What's worse is that Joanna does not seem to remember Marni, but that's all an act. Catfights and emotional conflicts ensue and relationships are damaged. But, like any good rom-com, there is a happy ending and all of the characters end up learning something about themselves and each other. If you are looking for a good laugh, the dance class scene in this film will do just the trick! Every now and then, we all need something lighthearted!
And last but not least...Easy A
Of all of the films I saw this week, hands down Easy A was the most anticipated! I personally am a HUGE fan of the teen film genre (particularly, those of the John Hughes make...what can I say, I was born in the wrong era). Easy A is for The Scarlet Letter what Clueless was for Emma: a smart, modern and satirical revamping of a classic novel. Emma Stone has made a name for herself playing the smart, relatable teenage heroine in other films, but Easy A is arguably her first leading role in a highly promoted film. Stone carries this film with the help of a talented supporting cast including Stanley Tucci, Amanda Bynes, and Thomas Haden Church. Stone plays Olive, an anonymous high schooler whose life becomes much more notable after some false rumors spread like wildfire. Being the smart and witty girl she is, Olive bucks tradition and embraces her new identity as a whore even though in reality, it's all a lie. Fortunately for Olive, there is one guy who stands by her side and does not believe all of the jibberish (Todd, played by Penn Badgley). Unfortunately for Olive, the rumors that Olive does not seek to deny, start to take a toll on Olive and her reputation. She is a modern day Hester Prynne. Like real life, especially real life in high school, all choices and actions (or in Olive's case, actions that were really inactions) have consequences. Without a doubt the best teen comedy since 2004's Mean Girls, this film has a lot of heart, smarts and sass. And, if you are a big fan of the 80s teen movies like myself, you will certainly appreciate all of the classic movie references. Do yourself a favor and see this movie!
And with that, my 4 day-4 movie-thon is complete. Better late than never!
Channeling out,
Erin
Sweet dreams, readers! And no, I am not saying goodbye, I am saying hello...or am I?! Okay, well, my mind games are not nearly as captivating or challenging as the ones in the movie I just saw, Inception. Inception is a psychological thriller (my favorite kind of thriller!) about Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who is able to enter peoples' dreams and essentially steal information that in a conscious state these people would be unwilling to relay. Without giving away too much, his quest becomes to implant an idea in a corporate heir-to-be's head--inception. Much like Leo's last movie, Shutter Island, what makes this movie a psychological thriller is that the audience is never sure if they can believe what they see.
DiCaprio is supported by an outstanding cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and Marion Cotillard to name a few. This movie could have easily been overacted, but then that would be underestimating the talents of the aforementioned cast and their notable director, Christopher Nolan. Christopher Nolan is best known for directing movies like The Prestige, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Nolan magnificently guides the twists and turns of this movie so that not one detail is forgotten. Although this viewer is not going to lie and will admit that there were many times when I was left asking "Huh?!", these questions were not due to the plot, directing, etcetera; the story was smart and thus, sometimes, my mental capabilities were not up to the challenge! Additionally, Inception requires your full attention for nearly two and half hours so that is something you should mentally prepare for. With all of that said, this viewer could benefit from multiple viewings of this movie.
Aside from the running time which could throw some people, this is also a film that is more about the action and the mind games rather than the romance. Although portions of this film definitely tug at the heartstrings, this movie tugs much more on those of the mind. As I read in Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum's review of Inception, there was an imbalance between engaging the mind and the heart, but because of how good Inception is at engaging the mind, it's hard to care about the heart! (NOTE: to read Schwarzbaum's full review, click HERE)
I am a biased audience: I have been a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio ever since I saw re-runs of Growing Pains when I was little. However, I think once again DiCaprio has proved himself as a versatile, complex and top-notch actor. Inception is a movie I would go to multiple times because it was entertaining and because each time would reveal something new! If you are a lover of psychological thrillers,DiCaprio, Nolan or some other person involved in this project, or if you simply love GOOD movies, Inception is a must.
