Boyhood Review (2014)

Boyhood

  Most people, myself included, dismissed Boyhood as a gimmick movie that people only payed attention to because of the time span used to shoot it. After all, anyone can admit, watching the same little boy grow through the film into an adult in college is quite a spectacular thing to see. However, this movie was more than just a cool gimmick. It was actually really beautiful and intimate. 

  Before I say anything else, I want to say that this movie isn't for everyone. It's almost 3 hours long and the story is completely character driven. If you are going to watch this, you'll need patience. 

  What I really liked about this film was the nostalgic moments of my childhood that I felt while watching Mason (played by Ellar Coltrane) grow up. The cast was really strong and natural, especially Ethan Hawk and Patricia Arquette. 

  Boyhood really captures the essence of childhood and the angst of growing up in a way that everyone can relate to. It is not only an achievement in cinema for Richard Linklater, but it's also a moving story for those with the required patience to watch it. 4 out of 5 stars. (It's Great)

Unbroken Review (2014)

Unbroken

  Okay, so this movie got a lot of mixed reviews and I wasn't sure why until I stepped into the theater to watch it myself. I'm going to start out with the things I really liked about the film. Number one being Jack O'Connell. If the Oscar competition for 2015 hadn't been so fierce, he might have found himself on the list of nominees. Director Angelina Jolie called O'Connell's acting style somewhat wild and unpredictable, which you can totally see in this film. He was really fun to watch and the supporting cast for the first hour and a half of the movie really did great as well. The cinematography was beautiful, particularly in the first scene in the fighter plane. It was shot in a way that made you feel like you were really there with them. Also the scenes in the lifeboat when they get stranded. Excellently shot! It was a really pretty movie to look at and I wish I had gotten to see it in the regular theater as apposed to the scratched up dollar theater screen. 

  The problem with this movie lies in the second half of it. There is so much story to get through that at points it does feel very long. Once Louis gets to the prisoner of war camp in Tokyo, the film starts to lose a bit of momentum. I think this has a lot to do with the supporting cast. In the beginning of the film, you really care about the people he's with (played by Domhnall Gleeson, Jai Courtney, and Finn Wittrock), but then things happen when they are no longer with Louis and we are introduced to a new supporting cast (Garret Hedlund and Takamasa Ishihara). Hedlund's character feels undeveloped while Takamasa (who is actually a singer, not an actor) feels somewhat miscast as The Bird (Louis antagonist). 

  While there are really powerful moments in the movie that really gripped me, there are also moments in the last half that don't punch the audience quite hard enough and at times is even underwhelming. Fortunetly, the powerful moments outweigh the underwhelming ones which is why I'll give Unbroken a 3.5 out of 5 stars. (Worth Ticket Price)

Cinderella Review (2015)

Cinderella

  March is known as one of the worst months for movies, however, Cinderella seemed to be getting a lot of critical praise and so I decided to check it out.

  The movie starts out with her as a child, showing Ella's relationship with her parents. They're the perfect little family until a random, unnamed illness befalls the mother and she dies. Her father remarries the evil stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and that is where the story from the beloved cartoon comes into play.

  When the story started, I was worried because I dislike most child actors and the girl playing young Ella is an example of why. Thankfully, within five to ten minutes, Lily James came in as Ella and the story got a little better. 

  Cinderella is a very paint by the numbers type of movie. It doesn't change much of anything from the source material, which is fine, except we've had so many versions of this particular fairytale already. 

  What I did really like about the movie, was the costume design and the sets. Everything was shot very beautifully and I really felt like I was immersed in the world. Lily James and Richard Madden (the Prince) had good, believable chemistry, and Cate Blanchett really gave some layers to the evil stepmother. 

  There were some cheesy moments, particularly with the stepsisters and Fairy Godmother, but there were also some really sweet moments that brought magic to the film. If you like the original Cinderella cartoon, it's almost guaranteed you'll like this. 3 out of 5 stars. (Rent It)

Rosewater Review (2014)

Rosewater

  Jon Stewart gives us quite the directorial debut with a film about freedom within the confines of a cell. Gael Garcia Bernal plays Maziar Bahari, a journalist who finds himself accused of being an American spy and imprisoned.

  You'd think a movie about being locked up in Iran would be pretty dark and hard to watch, which at times it was, but at other times it is actually amusing. Our main character, Maziar, is such an endearing person and the tactics he uses to restore hope to himself when everyone around is trying to break him, is incredibly inspiring to watch.

  Rosewater is filled with genuinely moving moments, funny moments, and a powerful message that makes the audience question their values. The cast is superb, the cinematography is beautiful. My only critique is that the ending felt slightly underwhelming in light of the build up. That aside, I think Rosewater is a spectacular film! 4 out of 5 stars! (It's Great)

Foxcatcher Review (2014)

Foxcatcher

  While Foxcatcher is the story of a wrestler, it is quite unlike most sports films. Don't get me wrong, all of the elements of a sports film is in there, but the story is driven by nuanced characters instead of the sport itself.
  In the beginning, it is very slow and the lack of a musical score makes it feel even slower. The characters are quite hard to read, but as we get to know them and understand their motives, this darkly toned film begins to find its feet.
  Steve Carell does an excellent job in his role, leaving the audience in perpetual confusion as to whether or not we like or hate his character. The nomination for best supporting actor was well deserved.
  I'm not a fan of Channing Tatum in dramatic type roles, but his performance in Foxcatcher wasn't as distracting as I thought it would be. In fact, he even showed some spurts of convincing and intuitive talent.
  There were moments while watching where I was honestly quite bored. It's almost as if the chilly tone and intentionally distant characters put a barrier between the audience and story. All of that said, by the third act, the movie takes an even darker turn and I found myself engaged again. I'd have to give Foxcatcher 3.5 out of 5 stars. (Worth Ticket Price)

Locke Review (2014)

Locke

  Time to review a small indie flick you probably haven't heard of. Locke, staring Tom Hardy, a phone, and a car.  

  Yep, you heard it, and I don't think anyone else would have been capable of carrying this movie as well as Hardy did. Tom's performance is genuinely moving and captivating in every way. For 80 minutes we have a guy with a problem, trying to prove to himself that he's not only a good person, but better than his father was.
  Tom Hardy's character has so much going on and his choice of using a Welsh, calming accent really adds a nice contrast to his anxiety driven state. Through just a single car ride, we see a man's entire life fall apart in the most heartbreaking ways. Everything about this movie just felt so authentic, like we had just bullied our way into the vulnerable private life of a man who on the outside seems very well put together.
  Tom Hardy's characters always have this gentle strength about them––his eyes the perfect amount of emotion to convey this protagonist's internal monologue. This makes it really easy for the audience to connect with him.

  The trailer portrays the film like an intense thriller. Locke is not that. It is an intimate drama about a man's life that Tom Hardy so brilliantly brings to life through his superb acting. I didn't want it to end. 5 out of 5 stars. (A Must See)