The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

IMDb rating: 7/10

I had high expectations for this movie, and while I wasn’t completely disappointed, I would definitely say that I’ve learned by now that I have to put up with the idiotic parts of this trilogy (Alfrid, the giant worms (really, Peter Jackson?)), in order to get to the more rewarding parts (the climatic ice battle between Thorin and Azog).

It’s hard to say what percentage of the movie I loved and what percentage I hated. I liked seeing more of Legolas and getting a glimpse into his past. He was a lot less cold and stiff than he in the last film, and more like the Legolas from the original trilogy. Seeing different sides of Galadriel, Elrond, and Saruman was also enjoyable for me. You never get to see Elrond and Galadriel do any fighting in Lord of the Rings, so I’m glad we got to see at least a little in this movie. I thought the acting performances of all the actors were pretty good. Not exceptional, but not terrible. Richard Armitage as the greed-obsessed Thorin was probably the best performance.

The good acting, however, doesn’t excuse the cheap animation and fake atmosphere that started with the first Hobbit film. It seemed like the only aspects the animators focused their energy on was Gollum and Smaug (which were both very good). Everything else is pretty crappy to be honest. I understand that the time and money put into the realism of LOTR would not be totally replicated, but The Hobbit doesn’t even come close. The orcs aren’t nearly as frightening in computer animation form as when they were actors clad in armor and disgusting makeup in LOTR. The rest of the animation is just as bad. And it doesn’t help that it seems that 90 percent of the film was shot on green screen, which just doesn’t have the same effect as shooting on location in gorgeous New Zealand.

I also thought the movie felt rushed, which is absurd considering that one short book was split into three long movies. If the filmmakers had cut some of the more painfully awful parts (like any Alfrid scenes), then there would have been more room for something else. The ending also felt rushed for some reason, which I never thought I would say about a Peter Jackson movie. I liked how the ending came full circle with Bilbo and Galdalf’s reunion from the beginning of Fellowship of the Ring, but it just felt off somehow. There were just so many parts in this movie, and the two before, where I had absolutely no idea what was going on, even though I’ve read the book twice. More than I few times I questioned Peter Jackson’s sanity, like how he gave Alfrid almost as much screen time as some of the main characters (did I mention how much I detest Alfrid?)

I could write pages and pages about how much The Hobbit pales in comparison to The Lord of the Rings, but the truth is that the original trilogy just has better characters and a better storyline, which isn’t the filmmakers’ fault. It’s not even J. R. R. Tolkien’s fault, really, because The Hobbit was a prequel, and he was probably saving his best story for the sequels. It is so much more entertaining watching the characters of Fellowship fight to save Middle Earth, rather than a watch bunch of goofy dwarves trying to save their treasure.

I'm still giving this film a 7/10 though because there were parts that I enjoyed immensely and since it’s still a Tolkien story I feel a kind of loyalty to it. I really hate not liking movies, and I really wanted to like this movie. I’m sure some people will love it, but I think I will just stick to watching The Lord of the Rings.

Fun Fact: Despite playing his father in the trilogy, Thranduil (Lee Pace) is actually younger than Legolas (Orlando Bloom). Bloom is 37 whereas Pace is only 35. (from IMDb) 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)

(***Warning: This post includes spoilers for this movie and the next one. If you haven’t read the books, proceed with caution!)

I waited until I saw this movie twice before I wrote the review. I had decided my first viewing would be for pure enjoyment, and the second I would watch with a more critical eye. There is not much for me to criticize, though. I enjoyed the Mockingjay book, even though it was my least favorite of the series, and that is why I did not have very high expectations for the movie. I also didn’t appreciate the fact that they split the film into two on principle, since it’s just a money grab, but I guess I can’t complain since we’re getting treated with double the screen time for the book. And after seeing the film, I can’t imagine the story being cut down to fit into two and half hours. It allows for better pacing of the story, even if we have to pay again to see the second part. It’s money worth spending, in my opinion.

Like I said, I did not have much to complain about, but one thing I did not agree with was the portrayal of Alma Coin. Julianne Moore wasn’t the best choice for the role, even though I think she is a great actress. President Coin is a cold, calculating leader, but right from the beginning she shows warmth to Katniss, and she continues to do so throughout the film. I know that she is hard and shows her doubts for Katniss, but she still shows her compassion and tries to comfort her at some points. This makes Coin seem a little more human and less robotic, and even though I disagree with the casting and character development, I think it will make it much more interesting and chilling when (*Spoiler) she turns out to be a power hungry leader who tries to have Katniss killed for her own gain.

Now that the cons are out of the way, I will proceed with my many, many pros for the movie. Right from the first scene and the first lines, Jennifer Lawrence showed her acting prowess. Josh Hutchinson also had a very good performance, even though it was very small. I’m looking forward to (and dreading) seeing more of Peeta’s transformation in Part 2. I liked seeing more of Gale in the movie as well, even though I have mixed feelings about the character. The inclusion of Effie Trinket made me a little uneasy, but I liked seeing more of her as well, and I thought they pulled it off well. Fulvia and Katniss’s prep team were characters in the book that I didn’t really care about, so having Effie kind of take over for them simplified the plot and gave more screen time to a more memorable and loved character.

The early trailers for this movie were phenomenal, making the audience feel as if they were part of Panem by watching President Snow’s addresses on “Capitol TV.” That very clever marketing continued in the movie, with the propaganda created by the rebels including the same font and Mockingjay animation that is used in the trailers. It reminds me of how similar we are to that world, and how swayed we are by propaganda. I think my favorite part of the film was “The Hanging Tree.” Jennifer Lawrence stated in an interview that she hated filming that scene because she is afraid of singing in front of other people and dislikes her voice. I don’t know what she is talking about because while her voice isn’t perfect, it has a unique and rustic quality that I thought was lovely. I thought it was so eerie and beautiful how the people in District Five took up the song just before they destroyed the dam.

Lastly, I thought the ending was very haunting, with Coin giving her rousing speech while Katniss stares hopelessly at a deranged Peeta. It shows that the greater good doesn’t care about the lives that are destroyed along the way; as long as their side is winning, the individual soldiers don’t matter. Sacrifice is needed, of course. The dam couldn’t have been destroyed without the people on the frontlines giving their life so the others could finish the task. But I think a theme of the book that was carried into the movie was this: if to make a better world, you have to become as monstrous as the people you are fighting against, what is the point? It is this struggle that I think makes the books and movies so amazing.

The Hunger Games is one of my favorite series and I let myself fangirl over it a little. So far, I’m quite happy with what they have done with it cinematically, and I am eagerly looking forward to Part 2 next November. If I could, I would end my post by whistling Rue’s four-note melody that has become the battle cry of the rebellion and of this series.

IMDb rating: 9/10

Gone Girl (2014)

           *DISCLAIMER: I’m going to start off this post with a spoiler warning because it’s going to be impossible to talk about the movie without ruining the huge twist. So if you haven’t seen it yet, or haven’t read the book, please don’t read any further because I wouldn’t want to spoil such an awesome plot twist.

            I was so excited when I heard that David Fincher would be directing this film. I loved the book, and was relieved that the movie adaptation would be in his capable hands. I was a little wary, however, because I remembered how he had slightly changed the ending from the book in his version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I was worried he would do the same with Gone Girl. My fears intensified when I heard a rumor that the ending was going to be changed, but I learned after the saw the movie that the rumor was simply that, a rumor, to keep readers of the book interested in the movie. I was pleased that they kept the ending pretty much the same, as infuriating as it is. Hearing the disgruntled and shocked reactions of my fellow theatergoers once the credits started to roll was priceless. With Fincher’s expert direction and author Gillian Flynn’s clever screenwriting, it’s not a surprise that the film turned out to be a success, even if it does cause audiences to leave the theater a little unsatisfied. The way Nick and Amy ended up stuck together certainly doesn’t give you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

            In true Fincher fashion, there were more than enough graphic sexual and violent scenes, but the most graphic and horrific of all was the climactic scene where Amy slits Desi’s throat and is sprayed with his blood. I knew the scene was coming, but it was still very intense to watch. In fact, I was stressed the whole time I was watching the film, even though I knew the story already. It may have had something to do with the absolute perfect casting. Rosamund Pike is “amazing” (haha) as beautiful, perfect, cold Amy. She is terrifying, especially when she smiles at her husband, her victim’s blood still coating her neck. Ben Affleck is also good for the role of Nick, with his jerk face and his cockiness. Even the actors for the more minor characters like Margo and Detective Boney were terrific choices. They were just like I had pictured them while reading the novel.

            I only rated the movie an 8 because for me, it’s probably just going to be a one-time movie experience for me. It’s very much shock and awe, and I’m sure I wouldn’t enjoy it as much the second time around. It’s a spectacular movie, however, and I would highly recommend it. It left me just as breathless and horrified as the book did. Breathless, because I had never seen or read anything like it before. Horrified, because it shows that you can never really know someone, or what they are capable of.

IMDb rating: 8/10

The Giver (2014)

            I have very mixed feelings about this film. The Giver is one of my favorite books and I have eagerly awaited the release of the movie. When I saw the first trailer, however, my heart sank, because I knew what kind of movie they were going to make. It was going to be a dystopian action movie, which is so very different from the novel. If the filmmakers were trying to create that kind of movie, than they failed miserably. It was immediately compared to The Hunger Games and Divergent, and since it lacked the excitement that both of those franchises have, The Giver seemed dull. The Giver is not meant to be an action movie in the least. I think it would have been told so much better as a small indie film rather than a blockbuster family film.

            The story felt extremely rushed. I don’t understand why they only had the movie be an hour and half long, when it would have been perfectly acceptable to have a two-hour movie. Then we could have seen more character development and actually cared about the characters. As it was, I could not say that I felt much of anything towards the characters. That also may have to do with the stiff acting. I know that the world the characters live in is cold and lifeless, but that still did not excuse awkward and forced performances of the actors.

            One the other hand, there were moments of the film that I enjoyed very much. I thought that all the “memory” scenes were very well done, as well as the black and white aspect. They captured the essence of the story, which is that life is not worth living if music and color and love are taken away just to make life less complicated. The scene where The Giver shows Jonas music was especially my favorite. In fact, the entire soundtrack was pretty exceptional. I also loved the line that went something like, “They didn’t remove murder, they brought it home; they just called it a different name.” The line also captured the lesson of the book, which is that no matter how perfect a society you create, there will always be flaws. It is impossible to create a perfect world.

It’s for these reasons that I don’t completely shun the film. I understand that it must have been an extremely difficult movie to make, but that doesn’t help me feel any less disappointed at the lackluster attempt at one of my favorite stories.

IMDb rating: 6/10

August: Osage County (2013)

            Dysfunctional family at its finest. That is how I can describe this film in one sentence. In the scorching heat, an estranged family comes together in a crisis, and the hot temperatures are only a catalyst for the hot tempers of the family members. I was captivated the whole time (even though the beginning was somewhat slow), as I waited to see how the family descended into further and further chaos. Meryl Streep deservedly received an Oscar nomination for her role as the family matriarch, Violet. Her character was equal parts heartbreaking and irritating. You feel sympathy for her, but at the same time you get the sense that she created half of her problems herself. However, the scene where she bolts from the car and runs through a field as her daughter chases her made me cry. The hopelessness and desperation was so palpable.

            As I listened to the heated arguments on screen, I realized that if you removed some of the more dramatic problems, I could see some of my own family dysfunction. I come from a good family, but even the best family has drama, and I think that’s what makes the film relatable. Personally, I related to Ivy the most. (*Spoiler) Not in the fact that she fell in love with her cousin/brother *shudder,* but how she is the quiet, responsible one amongst the very many dominant personalities. I have found that I fill that role in my own family, and I also find myself getting teased by my older female relatives about men and finding a husband.

            I was surprised at the ending. I thought it would end happily for some reason, but it was very depressing to watch as one by one Violet’s family leaves her. I don’t think it will be a film I will watch again, but it was definitely worth my time.

           

IMDb rating: 8/10

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

            This was one of the most intriguing films I’ve seen in a while. The story revolves around two vampire lovers: Adam, a gloomy pessimist who is sick of humans, and Eve, an optimistic woman full of life. They balance each other perfectly and their love has stood through the centuries. Unlike other vampire stories, this one is extremely realistic, and depicts how vampires would probably live if they were real. They use iPhones, write music, go to nightclubs, and book flights to travel the world (only night flights of course). It was nice to see vampires that were so normal, and it was refreshing that they were not depicted as sexualized or bloodthirsty as they usually are in literature and film. The immortality aspect seemed to be emphasized more than the drinking of blood. The only vampire cliché that I noticed was that both Eve and Adam were tempted by blood at some point in the film when a human cut themselves. The vampires’ relationship with blood was also interesting. It almost mirrored the behavior of drug addicts: the isolation, the secrecy, the ecstasy after consuming it.

            The plot was really slow, but still captivating. That is the mark of good filmmaking, in my opinion. I think the pacing would have been too slow if it was not for the vampire element keeping my attention. Yet it is so subtle that you almost forget that the characters are vampires and you start to just think of them as bohemians living in Detroit. I also noticed (and forgive my inner English nerd for coming out) the motif of spinning (with their dancing and the record player) and how it symbolized their endless, immortal lives. The film showed the sadness that comes with never growing old, but also the wonderful possibilities. I would want to be immortal just so that I could have time to read all the books that I will never have time for. Sigh.

            Lastly, I must comment on the delightful casting. Tilda Swinton is so freaking cool. And Tom Hiddleston is perfect as the brooding Adam. Despite their age difference, their chemistry is palpable and makes the captivating tale complete. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who is looking for something out of the ordinary, and that will have them pondering about life long after the credits finish rolling.

IMDb rating: 9/10

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

            This movie offered a fresh approach to superhero stories in the fact that it was more of an adventure/spy movie than a science fiction movie. The plot was good, though I was lost at some points, but that might have to do with the fact that I watched it very late at night. It was also nice to see a more laid back and carefree Black Widow, as apposed to her closed-off portrayals in the Iron Man and Avenger movies. I liked to watch her character development, and I’m hoping that we will get to see a Black Widow movie in the future.

            Along with the complicated plot, I also thought that the movie took too long to introduce the villain. I understand that this film is different than other superhero movies, but I think it’s important to have strong villains in a Marvel movie, and this one did not. That’s just my opinion, however. The movie is also called The Winter Soldier, but I felt like he barely had twenty minutes of screen time. The character seemed more like a subplot. That was probably my biggest disappointment. I was promised The Winter Soldier, I expected to see The Winter Soldier for more than a few fight scenes. I can only hope that the character will be featured in many more Marvel films to come, let alone Captain America films. I could see him becoming another flip-flop character like Loki, where the audience never knows if he is good or evil. More Sebastian Stan, please!

            Although I had my complaints, I have to like it because it’s a Marvel movie, especially a Marvel movie connected with the Avengers universe. I’m hoping that this film is a stepping-stone to more great Marvel movies to come.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Non-Stop (2014)

            One does not simply skip watching a Liam Neeson movie. At least I don’t. Not to mention that I’m also a huge Downton Abbey fan, so the fact that Non-Stop has Michelle Dockery in it was another incentive for me to watch it.

            When the film started, I thought it was going to be exactly like other airplane movies I had seen, like Flightplan or Red Eye. It had all the key characters: an obviously grief-stricken (and alcoholic) main character, a child flying by themselves, pretty stewardesses, someone who is afraid of flying, and a few passengers who are jerks, who also turn out to be helpful later. As the story continued, it seemed more and more like the plot of Flightplan, with the main character getting blamed for a hijacking. I did like the twist of (*Spoiler) Liam’s character being the one who killed the first victim, at exactly the same moment that the hijacker said someone would die. That took a lot of planning on the hijacker’s part and made for an interesting movie to watch.

            They also did a good job with not cluing the audience in to who the hijacker was. I predicted that it was going to be Julianne Moore’s character, since she would be the most surprising choice. Even though she was sitting next to Liam while the hijacker was texting him. I thought that maybe she had an accomplice (which turned out to be correct, because there were two men hijacking the plane). I was disappointed when she was not the culprit, because then her character was just kind of useless. I’m still trying to figure out why she was in the movie, other than to provide a pretty weak romantic storyline between her and Neeson’s character.

            I was also disappointed when the hijacker turned out to be someone who had already been suspected earlier in the movie. It kind of felt anti-climactic to me. I also was confused when the computer programmer was also involved in the hijacking. Wasn’t he helping earlier in the movie when he told Liam and Co. how to track the phone that he hijacker was using? I know that his partner dumped the phone onto someone else before they could discover it on him, but couldn’t the programmer just have lied and said that he did not know how to track the phone?

            The film may not have been perfect, but I was still very much entertained throughout. Like I said earlier, I would watch anything with Liam Neeson in it, even though he always seems to play such depressed and troubled characters in movies (i.e. Taken, The Grey, etc). Poor Liam.

IMDb rating: 7/10

The Purge (2013)

            In preparation for the sequel coming out soon, I finally watched the original. I liked it about as much as I expected to, and I didn’t hate it as much as the general public did. But there were things I didn’t like. The acting, especially in the beginning, was a little awkward and weird. Maybe it was script, I don’t know. Also, some of the plot did not make sense, and I know that’s the biggest complaint about the movie. For one, I find it hard to believe that a system like The Purge would actually work in society, and I also thought it was unrealistic that people would react so enthusiastically towards it the way they did. Like the family’s neighbors, for instance.

            Ethan Hawke’s character I especially did not like. Again, I don’t know if it was his acting or the way his character was written but I honestly did not care about him, (*Spoiler) even when he died. I thought that Lena Headey’s performance was much better, especially at the end. I really appreciated the fact that her character did not kill the neighbors, even though she easily could have. She understood that just because murder is legal during The Purge, it does not make it morally right.

            That is what I found most fascinating about the movie, and why I did not give it a lower rating. It was an interesting dissection of human nature, and how the absence of punishment can unleash our most horrible tendencies. It kind of disgusts me that people would do terrible things to each other just because they could. There was also the element of class separation and how it was only the rich who could afford to be safe during The Purge. I had not expected that.

            The movie thoroughly entertained me, even though it had some plot holes. I am interested in seeing the sequel, since it depicts life outside of the security systems on the night of The Purge.

IMDb rating: 7/10

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

            Pardon me while I dry my tears. I won’t say much about this movie, because it was basically just a really good adaptation of a really good book. I feel as though I cannot accurately determine it’s cinematic quality, because all I saw when I watched was the book come to life.

            I’m not a huge Shailene Woodley fan, but her acting was spot on during this movie, and her tears became mine. It’s such a good teen movie, but also one that all other ages can enjoy as well. It conjures up feelings of awkward first loves that everyone can relate to.

            One of my favorite aspects of the film was the animation used to bring Hazel and Gus’s text conversations to life. Their texts are a big part of the story, and it was a simple, artistic way to convey their adorable relationship.

            I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, as I know all the devoted fans of the novel will too, but I don’t think it will be one that I will be able to watch again and again. It’s just too heartbreaking. But I suppose that’s all part of the charm.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Insidious (2010)

            It started off like any other horror movie: a new house where the wife starts seeing things and the douchy husband doesn’t believe her. Creepy children and possessions and ghost hunters follow. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good scary movie, but that doesn’t mean it was a quality movie. The editing was weird, the acting was pretty bad, and the storyline was far from original. It followed the same equation that all horror movies follow (which are all the things I’ve mentioned above) plus something other plot point that prevents the movie from being a carbon copy of all the others.

            In this case, it’s the fact that the son, Dalton, can travel to a different dimension in his sleep, but he has gotten lost and he has left his physical body behind in a comatose state. Then (*Spoiler) his father, who has the same ability, has to go into the other realm and save his son. That concept would be extremely interesting, if it wasn’t wrapped around a clichéd horror story. I’ve noticed that James Wan’s style is to create a somewhat entertaining movie for the first two acts, and then blow it completely out of proportion during the third act. He did the same thing in The Conjuring. It just gets very silly and random during the climax and then I just lose respect for the movie.

            I was very entertained while I watched it, but the ending was too much. I’ll still probably see what happens in Insidious: Chapter Two, however, even though I will probably have the same opinion about the original.

IMDb rating: 6/10

X-Men: Days of Future Past

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a comic book movie that I’ve really liked. I think the X-Men universe is my favorite out of all the superhero movies, probably because it’s the one I have been a fan of the longest (other than Spiderman, but I hate the new movies, so…)

This movie’s plot wasn’t really that original, but I didn’t mind. There are horrible things going on so someone has to be sent back in time to stop one event that started it all, but first they have to pull a character out of drunken, depressed state and they have to break another character out of a high security prison in an elaborate scheme. It all seemed like it had been done before, but they still had fresh takes on things so I didn’t really care.

I thought the visual effects (the sentinels in the future timeline were so frightening!) and the action sequences were really good, and that is what is important in a superhero movie. What are even more important, however, are the characters. I have been geeking out about this movie ever since I heard that the cast from the old movies and the new movies were both going to star in DOFP. It was like The Avengers, only better because it joined together characters that I grew up with along with the new ones that I’ve come to love in First Class. I thought they pulled off the two simultaneous storylines very well.

The script also effectively balanced between dramatic and emotional, and light and comical. I thought this was going to be a very dark movie, which it was in some parts, but I liked how they kept the humor, which is a superhero movie must. I liked the Quicksilver character more than I thought I would, and his scenes were very entertaining, but I’m glad we only got a small dose of him. If he had a more prominent role in the film I probably would have gotten annoyed with him.

Someone give James McAvoy an Oscar! He is so freaking talented! Every movie I see him in he astounds me with how well he can make you feel for his character. He is so underrated and I hope he gets the recognition he deserves some day.

(*Spoilers) My initial thoughts toward the ending were not very good. I felt like it was a slap in the face to all of the original X-Men films. Now none of it ever happened! It also left a lot of open questions, but maybe I just need to see it a few more times. I would have been fine with the ending if this was the last X-Men movie they were ever going to make. Then it would have been a nice happy ending to the series. There is, however, going to be another X-Men movie. I read later that the director filmed it this way so they could get rid of all the inconsistencies in the X-Men world, which I agree with; they’ve been all over the place with their storylines. I guess that means that they are just starting with a fresh slate for any future movies, and all of the other movies that were “erased” are just different paths in time. Anyway, I loved the movie but the ending left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Wow. I just proved my nerdiness by the long length of this blog post. Oh well, hope you enjoyed it.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Gravity (2013)

            When my friends and I first saw the trailer, we laughed and thought the movie would just be Sandra Bullock and George Clooney floating around in space. But once Gravity jumped onto the IMDb Top 250 and started getting critical acclaim, I started paying attention.

            The cinematography and visual effects were breathtaking, but other than that, I really didn’t think it was that mind blowing. Sandra was very good, and the whole experience felt like I was a part of it and gasping for air along with her, which I think was the filmmakers’ intention. The music was also incredible. The storyline just didn’t impress me that much. I did not see many differences from other space movies or survival stories I’ve seen. And I thought that George Clooney’s character’s departure was unfounded. There were ways that he could have been saved, but he had to be gotten rid of for the sake of the plot. It even seemed like he was happy to get out of the way; he just gave up to easily and that didn’t sit well with me.

            The last scene, on the other hand, I liked very much when (*Spoiler) Dr. Stone finally makes it to Earth and experiences life on land again. She chuckles when she can’t stand up right away because of the *hehe* gravity, and we smile along with her. It was such a clever and victorious scene to end with. Good choice, Alfonso.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Philomena (2013)

            I unintentionally watched this movie with my mom on Mother’s Day. While not the most cheerful of movies to watch about motherhood, it definitely demonstrated the fierce love that mothers have for their children, and the devastation they feel once they are taken away from them.

            Judi Dench was perfect, and absolutely deserving of her Oscar nomination. It was nice seeing her in a different role from her usual tough-as-nails characters that I’m used to seeing her in, like Lady Catherine in Pride and Prejudice and M in the James Bond films. She convincingly played an adorable, grandmotherly figure who owns up to her mistakes but is still determined to find her son.

            My favorite scenes were whenever Philomena would have a series of flashbacks of her early life with her son, and it would cut from the flashbacks and Philomena remembering. Dench’s acting and the editing of the scenes were very moving.

            Somehow it was a very feel-good movie, even though it was heartbreaking. I would recommend watching it with your mom, grandma, or any other mother figures you have in your life.

IMDb rating: 8/10

About Time (2013)

            I was a little skeptical of this movie. I thought it was going to be a ripoff of The Time Traveler’s Wife. They couldn’t even find a different female lead. It did, however, turn out to be quite a sweet story teaching a very powerful lesson in thoroughly enjoying every second of your life.

            The pacing was a little awkward at times, and there wasn’t nearly as much conflict as I would have liked. Everything went so perfect for the characters for most of the film, except at the end where (*Spoiler) Tim’s father dies from cancer. All of the other problems in Tim’s life, however, were easily fixed once he just went back in time. Seeing him get married and have kids was pretty boring; it was like watching one of those artsy, emotional commercials with perfect families. That just isn’t for me. I need more tension.

            I thought the script was very clever and beautiful, though, and the film dealt with time travel in a way I hadn’t seen before. It was a very cute movie but I highly doubt I will every watch it again.

IMDb rating: 7/10

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

            I went to see this with my video editing class, and I had to take notes, which is quite helpful when writing a blog post. I was a Wes Anderson virgin before I saw this movie, but I was aware that his style was fun and quirky and a lot of people like his work. I can see why. I want to live in a Wes Anderson movie. Everything seemed so idyllic, and I suppose I have the splendid art direction to thank for that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie so cleverly edited. There were some awkward parts that I didn’t get, but that only added to its charm.

            Ralph Fiennes was perfection. He actually made me laugh out loud on several occasions, which is extremely hard to do. I felt like he always had so much to say, yet he delivered his lines with great comedic talent, which is different from what I’m used to seeing from him.

            I’ll have to watch a few more Anderson movies to decide if I really like his style. Moonrise Kingdom may be next on my watch list.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Divergent (2014)

            I told myself that I wasn’t going to get myself into this series, but my mom highly recommended that I read the books and then watch the movie with her. I must say both the book and the movie highly entertained me. I think even if I hadn’t read the book I still would have enjoyed the film with its faced-paced action and clever editing.

            There were of course changes from the book, but that is only to be expected. I thought they did a pretty good job keeping in line with the book’s storyline up until the end, and even then, I understood why they made the choices they did to spice up the climax. I can’t say which storyline I liked more, because they were both fine.

            The thing that impressed me the most was how they transitioned between hallucinations and reality. It was really creative how they edited it so you did not notice when Tris slipped under and her simulation began, sort of like you were experiencing it like she was. I especially loved Tris’s mental test were each of her fears segued into each other. That was a cool sequence to watch.

It was a fantastically written novel and fantastically filmed movie, but neither blew me away. To its credit, it takes a lot to impress me these days. Maybe once I have more time to process (I read the book in four days and saw the movie two days after) I will have a better opinion about it.

IMDb rating: 7/10

American Beauty (1999)

I have recently started watching House of Cards on Netflix, and now I am on a Kevin Spacey kick. I never realized how talented an actor he is, which is probably because I haven’t seen many of his movies. American Beauty did not disappoint me as far as Kevin Spacey awesomeness is concerned. He plays a frustrated man going through a midlife crisis perfectly, and Annette Benning as his equally crazy wife is also an entertaining performance.

There were many more levels to this movie than I thought there would be, such as the unique relationship between the daughter Jane and the new neighbor kid, Ricky. Ricky is the kind of character that proves that there is a very fine line between romantic and creepy. I haven’t seen much of Wes Bentley either, but his performance as Ricky was really moving, especially during the plastic bag scene.

The writing is captivating and there was no point in this film that I was bored. There were a few awkward, uncomfortable parts, however, that would prevent me from watching it too many times. Getting into the heads of the weirdest, most desperate minds of humanity isn’t really how I want to spend a lot of my time. I could definitely see myself rewatching it some time the future, however, and its no wonder that this film is a classic.

IMDb Rating 8/10

The Book Thief (2013)

            I finally was able to watch The Book Thief this weekend. I was anxiously waiting for it to be released, and I just never really got around to see it. “Anxiously” waiting is the key phrase. The Book Thief is one of my favorite books, so I was extremely nervous that the movie would disappoint me. I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised.

            I thought the casting was brilliant, even though I thought Liam Neeson would be the perfect Hans. Geoffrey Rush had a spectacular performance, however, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had received an Oscar nod solely for the scene where he breaks down and cries because he put his family in danger.

            One of the issues I had was the voice of the narrator, a.k.a. Death. The voice did not sound like a weary, but still comedic entity but instead the narrator of a children’s movie, which the book thief definitely is not. Overall, however, I thought that it was a beautiful film that captured the themes of the book.

IMDb Rating: 8/10

My Top 20

First of all, I know my blog name sucks, but until I think of a better one, “Kailah’s Movies” will remain. To start off my blog, I would like to list my Top 20 favorite movies, and explain why they are my favorites. I ranked the movies, but they aren’t really in any precise order.

1. Pride and Prejudice (2005)

This is my absolute favorite movie of all time. It’s one of those movies that I can almost recite verbatim, which is quite impressive given the face-paced, complex, 18th century dialogue. I know that most Jane Austen fans will disagree with me and say that the Colin Firth version is better, but this film is just pure beauty to me. Keira Knightley’s flawless performance of Elizabeth Bennet, the gorgeous cinematography, and the crackling script captivated me ever since I first saw it when my dad brought it home for my mom for Mother’s Day. It’s also the movie that turned me into an Austenite, so there’s that.

2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

It would be impossible to pick a favorite out of the trilogy so I am just including all three of them. These are the most brilliant fantasy movies out there, hands down, and I’m pretty sure the combined 17 Academy Award wins are enough to prove that. It’s not just that they tell a wonderfully epic story, they are also timeless, and I can’t wait to show them to my hypothetical kids someday.

3. Finding Neverland (2004)

I could write sonnets about how much I love this movie. The fact that I am a writer might be the reason why I connect with it so much. It tells the (mostly) true story of how the play/novel Peter Pan was created. The performance by Johnny Depp is splendid as he interacts with Kate Winslet’s character and her sons. The last scene also makes me cry like a baby every single time I watch it.

4. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

My grandma took me to see this after we had visited India, so this movie obviously resonates with me. It’s just such a victorious movie, and one that gives you a wonderful feeling after the credits roll. It also has a killer soundtrack.

5. Fight Club (1999)

This movie blew my mind the first time I saw it, and if you’ve seen it, you know why. In addition to the huge twist, the editing of the film is so creative and edgy. I have yet to see another movie that is like this one.

6. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

I grew up on a steady diet of Disney movies, so it’s only natural there are a couple on this list. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites, and always will be. Belle will always be my favorite Disney “princess.” Book nerds unite!

7. Les Miserables (2012)

This is another film that I will always sob while watching it. The music and characters are so rich and epic. There were a few changes from the original musical that I didn’t like, but overall it was a spectacular feat.

8. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

I know that this film got a lot of things wrong from the book, but I’ve been watching it since I was very young. I think the relationship between Edmond Dantes and Count Mondego is so interesting.

9. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

If you know me, you know I don’t usually do romantic comedies, but Silver Linings Playbook has a unique element to it that had me hooked. The performances were perfection, and it really showcased different types of human relationships.

10. The Prestige (2006)

This is my favorite Christopher Nolan movie. I love his movies, and how he uses flashbacks to reveal chunks of the story at a time, but never all at once. The story of rivaling magicians shows how far people will go in order to achieve fame and revenge.

11. Mulan (1998)

Mulan is a movie that my brothers and I must have watched at least twice a week when we were kids. It still never gets old to this day. It was refreshing to me to see a female Disney character save the world for once.

12. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Hayao Miyazaki’s mesmerizing storytelling and animation with voice talents from Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Emily Mortimer, and Josh Hutcherson. Need I say more?

13. Jane Eyre (2011)

It is a rare thing when I read a book for school and actually like it. Jane Eyre was one of them. The dark and eerie mood of the movie was perfect for the book’s tone. Also, Michael Fassbender is fantastic.

14. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Speaking of Mr. Fassbender, I liked his character in this movie too, even though it wasn’t a huge role. The character that I really love is Shosanna. I just think she’s so cool. Overall the movie is very satisfying because it’s the Nazis who are suffering for once.

15. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)

The Narnia series were very present in my childhood. The movie had some flaws, but the magic and adventure of the books were captured well on screen. Prince Caspian was good too, but Voyage was a disappointment, and now I’m very nervous that they won’t make the rest of the series because they aren’t successful anymore.

16. Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

This film has all the things that I love: Johnny Depp, dark characters, dark humor, London. If I could ever perform in a musical, I think this would be it. Mrs. Lovett is such a great part.

17. The Duchess (2008)

I’ll never forget the first time I watched this movie with my cousin and we were both in tears by the end. I thought it was going to be a movie about a scandalous affair in the 18th century, but it really has much more depth than that. It deals with so many complex relationships and shows the hardships that women endured during that time.

18. Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Tim Burton at his finest. It’s a film that sounds bizarre by it’s description, but it’s actually one of the sweetest movies I’ve ever seen. The love that Edward has for Kim is just so pure.

19. Sherlock Holmes (2008)

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have one of the best bromances, even though they bicker like a married couple throughout the movie. The style of the film is amazing, and even though I like the show Sherlock better, it’s still a wildly entertaining movie.

20. V for Vendetta (2005)

This is another movie that is timeless because it should always remind us of what our government should never become. Natalie Portman’s acting is wonderful, especially because her character undergoes such a transformation from the beginning to the end of the film, and I’m not just talking about having her head shaved.

There are so many more movies I could write about, but I thought 20 was a long enough list. It shows how much variety there is in the movies I like. For the rest of the blog I will be giving reviews about movies I have seen, whether they are new or old. I have a lot of classics to watch yet, and many more that I am anxiously awaiting to hit theaters.