Swiss Army Man Review (2016)

Swiss Army Man

 

  *cough cough* well that was the weirdest movie I've ever seen...

  Swiss Army Man is the story of a young man (Paul Dano) stranded on an island and about to hang himself, when a dead body (Daniel Radcliffe) washes up ashore. Hallucinating from starvation, he befriends the corpse and tries to find his way home. 

  Swiss Army Man had quite the reaction at Sundance, half of the audience walking out before it even ended and the other half declaring it the best movie of the year. Obviously I had to see it and now that I have, the response totally makes sense.

  This movie is absolutely ridiculous, but it is also ridiculously self aware. It's whimsical, aesthetically pleasing, original, and charming, all the while exploring the concept of loneliness, madness, and love. The beautiful, quirky directing style and fantastic soundtrack, reminded me of a Spike Jonze film. THAT is never a bad thing.

  Paul Dano is one of the most underrated actors working today and he really gives a soulful performance in this film.  I kept thinking that he reminded me of a young Joaquin Phoenix, the way he can make almost any character sympathetic. 

  This movie isn't for everyone or even the majority of people, As I mentioned before, it's intentionally absurd, crude, and often times diverts to the lowest common denominator of humor. At times, Swiss Army Man's ambitious, unconventional storytelling packs a powerful punch, and other times it's quite heavy-handed and even a little pretentious. That said, I still found myself thoroughly engaged. If you see this movie, I suggest watching it alone so you can take it in for what it is without fear of being judged. 7 out of 10 (Very Good)

Finding Dory Revew (2016)

Finding Dory

 

  Ellen DeGeneres is back as one of the most endearing Disney fishes of all time in Finding Dory!

  I really liked this film for a lot of reasons. Not only was this a movie that kids and parents alike will love, but it really shined in areas of animation and voice acting. 

  There are funny moments, there are heartwarming moments, sad moments, and best of all, a charming quirkiness that is hard to forget.

  Unlike Finding Nemo, this film tends to play it a little safer in the areas of thrill. There are no scary sharks or deep sea angler fish, however they still manage to engage us emotionally and mentally. 

  If I were to say anything negative about this movie, it would be that they really make you wait for the payoff and a part of me was getting impatient. Because it was more geared for kids, it can also feel a little redundant. 

  In the end, Finding Dory is a good time for a family outing, but it doesn't quite reach the originality or emotional grandeur of Finding Nemo. 6 out of 10 stars (Worth Ticket Price)

The Conjuring 2 Review (2016)

The Conjuring 2

  The first Conjuring movie was one of the best horror movies I've ever seen. Not only was it relentlessly terrifying, but it also had a surprising amount of depth and character development. James Wan has a way of taking cliches in the horror genre and flipping them on their head. 

  As you can imagine, I was pretty stoked about The Conjuring 2 and from the trailer it looked even more scary than its predecessor. But was it?

  Yes and no. There were three different ghosts in this film and to me, only one of them worked really effectively with scares. The chilling cinematography and solid acting from the cast made the Conjuring 2 quite good, but there were also some really campy moments. Unfortunately, it was moments like these that took me out of the film and brought the scare factor down. I feel like if it had been more understated like the real life footage, then it would have stayed with the audience better. 

  Overall, The Conjuring 2 is better than your average horror movies, but its fault is that it thinks it's scarier than it actually is. 6 out of 10 stars. (Worth Ticket Price)