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bryan says...![]() I was immediately intrigued by The Grey the moment I heard people comparing it to Frozen, a favorite thriller (or chiller?) of mine that is reviewed here. However, aside from some snow, and wolves...I really don't see the resemblance. Especially when it comes to the tension that Frozen so wonderfully disturbed me with.
Not that The Grey falls completely flat. Liam Neeson is great as always; No matter what character he is portraying, he is a believable, likeable guy. Some moments are totally shocking - like the plane crash sequence that sets up the entire story of eight men surviving in the vast blizzards of Alaska. The sound mixing is so unbelievable incredible in this quick scene that you may find yourselves having trouble to catch your breath in the moments after. The biggest issue that frost-bites the film on the ass is its predictability. It becomes a game of wondering who will go next and in what ridiculously over-the-top way it will be, similarly to Final Destination. The problem is that The Grey presents these moments completely earnestly...so it's kind of like seeing that awkward girl from your creative writing class read a poem about sex. Though the thriller isn't completely captivating or exciting through the whole running time, I do have to give them props for such a surprisingly touching finale. The haunting (though not completely original) score moves over you like a chilly breeze, and as we see Neeson's life flash before his eyes, it's like we were there for all of it as well. When the credits rolled, I momentarily thought I loved the movie...because I loved the ending. The Grey gets 2.5 buckets from me. Rewatch Value: I find this one just as forgettable as Taken. I certainly won't seek it out for a rewatch, but I'll probably enjoy myself enough if I end up seeing it again. | emily says...![]() In its last five minutes, The Grey manages to become more than a typical survivor movie. The breath-taking scenery, the bewitching music and the solid acting all come together to create a masterpiece: five minutes of raw emotion and fantastic film-making.
Those five minutes, though, are all the film can truly boost. Otherwise, this survivor story in which Liam Neeson leads an oil-rigging team after their plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness proves just as cliché as its plot sounds. Extra entrails and blood are really the only aspects that set it apart from the dozen other wilderness films. To be fair, though, the film did try to craft characters deeper than the average survival flick. But even though audiences get a glimpse into the personal lives of each survivor, the utter hopelessness of the situation ensures that audience members don’t get too attached. Who wants to connect with characters that will—at least it seems—inevitably end up dead? Too much optimism can be obvious, but too little makes for an un-engaged audience. The dreadfully dark mood of the film is only magnified by the insurmountable antagonists: the wolves. At first they appear only occasionally, but then suddenly they’re everywhere—every step the survivors take are stalked by these blood-thirsty creatures who at times seem more human than animal. Basically, they are way too contrived. The Grey didn't manage to elevate the status of the survivor movie, but, overall, it didn’t really harm it either--an unmemorable but decently enjoyable film. I give The Grey 3 buckets of popcorn. Rewatch Value: I probably won't revisit this film, mostly because I'll probably forget it exists in a week. |
bryan says...![]() I remember last year (or the year before) when The Help popped up on Stephen King's 'Best Books of the Year' list. As my favorite other, I really trust his opinion on other authors' works, and was searching through the list for the books that stuck out to me.
The Help was not one of them. Yes, it was a best-seller, and yes, it was critically acclaimed, but it also sounded like another Color Purple/Nicholas Sparks hybrid that pretended it was revolutionary while really making light of a terrible situation while manipulating its audience. Needless to say...I didn't add it to my Amazon wishlist (which is here for any of you looking to buy me a gift. Don't judge for the presence of lots of lame things). Now, a year (or two) later, I started hearing buzz about the film adaptation, most notably starring Emma Stone (who, in my opinion, has begun to really prove her chops 'round these parts). While the trailer looked decent, I still shrugged it off for the same reasons I never picked the book up. Then, the movie opened at number two - and CLIMBED the box office to the #1 spot for the next two weeks (and it's going for its third). This kind of business is unprecedented, and the word-of-mouth success is similar to very strong performers of the past. Suddenly I knew...it was time to get Help. Best. Decision. EVAAA. I don't even know how to begin to describe my love for the movie - but I can tell you this. Though it gets off to a shaky start (with style, direction, and the script) it soon finds its feet and therefore, finds success. Emma Stone may be top billed as the 'lead', but the film totally belongs to Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. Davis proves yet again that she is one of the most talented actresses working - the pain she can display is so real that it grates your very core. Spencer's role was much more comedic - but that does not mean that she shined any less. After years of performing one-line roles as nurses/accountants/mall walkers she finally got to DO something on camera, and I hope this is the beginning of her long-lasting career. ...and just because those two ladies were amazing, doesn't mean that Emma Stone struggled. She perfectly adapted her comedic timing to fit with the setting (60's Mississippi) but still gripped you when things got dramatic. Like Davis, she makes you care so much about her that you can't help but feel for them. Bryce Dallas Howard also turns in a great performance as the main antagonist - she's one of those evil people played so impeccably that you're forced to like them. The only person I felt was a bit disconnected from the rest of the talented cast was Allison Janney as Stone's character's mother. Though she is wonderful throughout, her accent was just too shaky too believe. She came across as a caricature living in a world otherwise populated by living, breathing people. Though the movie has quite a running time (almost 2.5 hours) you'll never feel tired or the need to check your watch. The story is absolutely gripping - heartbreaking in many moments but also funny in some. Throughout the theatre, there was everything from nervous laughter at an uncomfortable joke to open weeping during one of the many gut-wrenching scenes. Not only is The Help the best movie I've reviewed since we started this site - I'll go so far as to call it the best movie of the year. Expect to hear Oscar nominations for Stone, Davis, and Spencer, in addition nominations in the directing, costuming, and cinematography categories. Oh, and I guarantee a spot for BEST PICTURE as well. I'm going to give The Help 4.5 cotton candies. Rewatch Value: I know I'm going to pick this one up when it comes out on Bluray. It accomplishes what so many movies fail to do - make you feel. | emily says...![]() When I first saw the trailer for The Help a few months before it came out, I immediately rolled my eyes. Sure, it looked like something my mom would happily see and sob at, but to me it looked like a nightmare--a schmaltz fest of epic proportion trying to lure in all the viewers of 2009's The Blindside.
After its critical success and its impressive showing at the box office, I decided to give in to the buzz. Two hours and seventeen minutes of sobbing later, I can say that I'm very happy I did. Based off of the 2009 novel The Help by Kathryn Stockett, the film tells the tale of a feisty young woman nicknamed 'Skeeter' (Emma Stone) who decides to do the unthinkable in the heat of the civil rights movement: record the stories and hardships of the African American help ever-present in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. As Skeeter's novel begins to unfold through secret interviews, life becomes even more difficult and dangerous for the African American women assisting her (Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer), and each must battle both internal and external demons to complete the controversial novel. While the plot is certainly compelling, it is also at times too jarring in its multiple perspective method of story telling. I'm a huge advocate for staying true to the book, but the screenplay could've done with eliminating some of the side plots--particularly the one with Skeeter's love interest, the Zac Efron look alike Chris Lowell. The film also strays from the path in regards to realism. Though it deals with very real issues, its frequent girl-power one liners and over exaggerated characters (Bryce Dallas Howard's Hilly Holbrook) sometimes make it seem like a nice painting of the South rather than a real picture. These minor annoyances could not deter me from enjoying the film, though. And this is all due to the performances. The star-studded cast was the one thing I was excited about even in my initial perceptions of it as a Disney-esque cry-fest, I was not prepared for just how powerfully moving the performances would be. I found myself crying multiple times (though thankfully not as loud as the girl sobbing uncontrollably behind me). Stone, one of the most lovable comedic actresses in my opinion, didn't disappoint as the ambitious Skeeter. She played the emotional moments perfectly without losing the adorable and amusing quirkiness that always makes her a joy to watch onscreen. Though she was billed as the "lead" and certainly showed off her dramatic acting skills, the film truly belongs to Davis and Spencer. The two are perfect together as a duo with Spencer adding plenty of sass as usual. Spencer also got a much needed chance to demonstrate her emotional side too, though, and she did so here with surprising subtlety since audiences most prominently recognize her as that lady who walks by in the background, says something like "Damn girl," and moves on. And Davis couldn't be more heartbreaking--her scenes were undoubtedly my favorite, and I can very confidently call someone whose eyes don't at least water in her final scene a soulless demon. Howard also is fun to watch (and to hate) here despite the fact that her character becomes caricaturey at times. And Sissy Spacek as her mother also throws a few much needed laughs into the film. Overall, the film was exactly what I expected it to be: a cryfest. But it was, shockingly, a good one. As a genuinely moving film with a brilliant cast, I'm sure I'll see it again both at this year's Academy Awards and eventually as part of my collection at home. I give The Help 4 cotton candies. Rewatch Value: I can't wait to see this one again! |
bryan says...![]() No one can argue that the Harry Potter franchise, in print and on celluloid, has completely bewitched the world since J.K. Rowls gave birth to the wizarding world fifteen years ago. People of all ages love the amazing books and [spotty] film series, and based on the box office numbers alone, they are welcoming the final (?) chapter in the Potter saga with open arms, and open wallets.
Part 2 begins immediately after the end of the first one (actually...before the end, where we see a quick little recap of Voldy going crazy with a magic stick) and jumps right to the action. There is a few pages worth of dialogue before the movie quickly thrusts us into the first part of the adventure for the trio. This was a bit jarring for the audience members, as the film seemed to completely disregard film norms, basically suggesting that if you want a satisfactory experience, you have sit through both parts back to back. The beginning, however, was not the only part to feel a bit too quick. Though the film is supposed to be the most emotional of them all, they rarely gave the viewer the chance to appreciate the heroism of a favorite character or the death of another. You would think after a ten year franchise, you'd give more than a split second to the death of a fan-favorite. But...you'd be wrong. It's not completely heartless, though. Maggie Smith as Professor McGonnigal gets mores lines than she's had in a Potter film in at least five years; she is one of the best actresses out there, and seeing her shine as the professor really made me squeal. Her delivery of a simple line, "...and, Potter...it's good to see you." was enough to drive tears out of anyone who appreciated a good embrace in word form. Most of the other favorites of past films return, but are quickly thrust aside. Barely anyone in the Weasley clans pops up for more than a moment, and others like Jim Broadbent (Professor Slughorn) and Emma Thompson (Professor Trelawny) get less than a minute. Besides the lackluster attempts at character development, the movie truly shines. It's by far the most visually stunning film of them all - one image of Voldemort standing against Hogwarts preparing for battle hasn't shaken itself from my head just yet - and they condensed the plot in a comprehensive but logical manner. Danielle Radcliffe, sadly, never found his footing as the star of the series. However, Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione) both shine and are better than ever. Everyone in the film, however, is completely blown away by Ralph Fiennes as he-who-must-not-be-named himself. While the movie is definitely one of the best of the series, it's unfortunately not the best, and is therefore a disappointing final chapter. However, when watched together with Part 1, the movie is a solid adaptation of a masterpiece. I give Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 four Every Flavored Beans. Rewatch Value: If you're a Potter fan, it's through the roof. | emily says...![]() I went into Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 with every intention of bawling my eyes out. As an avid fan of the books, I was dreading the final film of a series that has been a part of my life since I was ten.
I left the theater dry-eyed. In a word, I was underwhelmed. Maybe I just had too high of expectations. I mean, the seventh book is a masterpiece and critics were calling Part 2 a cinematic triumph. But something was missing from this film... Basically, Part 2 failed where Part 1 excelled. Part 1 was supposed to be just a filler film; it was probably the slowest moving of the franchise and existed simply to set-up for the final thrilling installment. Instead, it capitalized on the lack of action and focused on the characters (remember the brilliant scene where Harry and Hermione dance together?). And that's why Part 1 is by far my favorite Harry Potter film: it isn't about the action, it's about the emotion. That's where Part 2 splinches. One of the best aspects of the last book is that so many characters readers haven’t seen or heard from in a long time are reunited, but instead of showcasing this, Part 2 offers a minuscule glimpse of each character without allowing us to reconnect. So don’t expect to see or hear much from fan favorites like Emma Thompson (who literally has one line), Robbie Coltrane, or David Thewlis. Even characters with larger roles, like the brilliantly psychotic Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange and the perfect Alan Rickman as the greasy Snape fail to leave much of a dark mark because of the little screen time they are offered. Thus, the film skips over what could be magic moments (like a certain kiss between two certain people…) and leaves audiences hurting more because they didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. And the epilogue, an aspect I despised in the book, is even worse in the film. The makeup and effects are embarrassing, and the final scene is so cheesy that I was confused if the director was David Yates or Chris Columbus (director of the first two corny films). Despite the film going Dementor on the audience and sucking out much of the emotion, it was still a well-made film with some fantastic moments. Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagal got as much screen time as she’s seen in the entire series, and she was a joy to watch. Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom also proved his worth in the final chapter when he was given the chance to do more than forget his Remembral. And, while other characters were left out, the most important one, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), had some fantastic scenes. Though I am not a fan Radcliffe, many of his scenes, especially ones near the end with a certain stone, were so well-written and well-executed that I momentarily forgot my aversion for him and connected to the story. Overall, I have to go against the grain and speak my true feelings about this film: it was depressingly unemotional. I felt cheated out of seeing the final chapter of the characters I loved. As an action film, it was fantastic. But it didn’t go much further beyond that for me. I give Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 3.5 Every Flavored Beans. Rewatch Value: Of course! What Harry Potter fan would say no? |
bryan says...![]() Nick Frost and Simon Pegg have never disappointed us - from Shaun of the Dead to Hot Fuzz - they've successfully taken genres that we thought we knew like the back of our hand, and turned that upside down. And they do it with the finesse of a drunken trucker with a bucket of red paint. Did that analogy make sense to anyone?
For the first time, they cast a romantic interest in a widely-known American star, Kristen Wiig. She's obviously not a huge name, but you can't talk about the funny ladies of Hollywood without bringing her up (see my Easy A review here). Her character is absolutely ridiculous, and often makes you question throughout the film if they are actually going to keep speaking to her - let alone have one of the male leads fall in love with her. But the romantic subplot pulls through, despite the character's oddities (or is it in addition to these?). Seth Rogan voices the title character with perfection. It's almost unnerving hearing a voice we all attribute to the chubby guy in Knocked Up coming out of a tiny, pretty adorable little alien man. This makes ever curse word and racial slur even more hilarious. The plot is a total throwback to alien/adventure movies of the 1980's, and the addition of Jason Bateman and Sigourney Weaver as two agents trying to track down Paul and the others through out the film is a fun surprise. It's almost as if Paul and Super 8 were built on the same framework, but went in completely different directions with their creative teams. Paul is a great time to be had, and I'm especially excited about the announcement of an upcoming sequel - listen to this one - Pauls. How brilliant is that? I give Paul 3.5 movie stubs. | emily says...![]() After watching the trailer for PAUL, I vowed that I would NEVER see that movie. It looked like a bad comedic version of E.T. with unattractive British men instead of cute little kids. However, Bryan assured me that NICK FROST and SIMON PEGG had penned and starred in a comedic masterpiece in SHAUN OF THE DEAD and, since he was so confident in the film, I tagged along for the viewing.
For once, I am happy to say that he was right. The film was a unique tale that followed the nerdy FROST and PEGG on their tour of American extraterrestrial hotspots after attending the Comic-Con convention. When they accidentally stumble across PAUL, an alien trying to outrun the government and get home, hilarity ensues. FROST and PEGG both give great performances, capitalizing on their...less than hunky looks and embracing the geeks within them. PAUL, voiced by SETH ROGAN, is much like a sarcastic frat boy (or E.T. in college)--encouraging the two dorks to let loose, and is, therefore, a fun (though sometimes annoyingly over the top) addition to the cast. The show-stealer, though, was KRISTIN WIIG as an ultra-conservative Christian the trio picks up along the way. Her total commitment to portraying her character's intensity was a joy to watch--and definitely generated the most laughs. The script by FROST and PEGG was riddled with that dry British humor and stayed strong right up until the end. There, it failed a little as it tried to find the right balance between a cheesy ending and a comedic one. Overall, though, the film was a fun joy-ride with a lovable cast of characters. I give PAUL 3 movie stubs. |
bryan says... Anyone that knows anything by now knows that J.J. Abrams is nothing short of genius. He brought back Star Trek for a new audience, while still managing to thrill fans of the original series, and created Lost. 'Nuff said. Give me anything he does and I'll probably love it. Super 8 did not disappoint.
Everyone is calling the film a hybrid of 80's classics like Stand By Me and E.T. with movies like Cloverfield and Godzilla. These thoughts are spot on! The movie first ropes you in with the absolute joy that you get from watching a bunch of silly kids - played to perfection by a great group of young actors, including the stellar Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning, who's definitely following in her sister's footsteps and creating quite the buzz - and then it terrifies you with relentless force with the...wait, is it the smoke monster? Is it an alien? WTF IS IT?! The story is nothing original, and that's why it succeeds. What would happen if you plopped a supernatural force into Stand by Me? The movie is thrilling, touching, and exciting. Michael Giacchino's brilliant score didn't fall short either. The mastermind behind the music for Lost and Up knows how to perfectly accent the happenings of a scene, without being distracting. You sometimes don't notice the sheer beauty of his scores until you find tears running down your face. Super 8 is destined to be a new classic - and if it wasn't about a giant monster, would definitely be a front runner for the Academy Awards come January. Yep - I went there. 4.5 Movie stubs for the super Super 8. | emily says... SUPER 8...is everything that a movie should be. Maybe it's my bias as a die-hard Lost fan (WE HAVE TO GO BACK!), but J.J. ABRAMS is a genius. In SUPER 8, he combines suspense--the kind of suspense HITCHCOCK became famous for, that you-can't-see-it-but-you-know-it's there suspense--with the delectable mixture of hilarity and emotion seen in classic films like THE GOONIES and E.T. Even while sitting on the edge of my seat and burying my face in terror, I still found myself tearing up multiple times.
The young but talented cast helped make me into the weepy woman that I was. In his acting debut, JOEL COURTNEY excels in the lead role. His merry band of adventurers, including the pyromaniac Cary (RYAN LEE) and the slow-witted Martin (GABRIEL BASSO), added humor to the heart-wrenching story. The only less than stellar cast members were ELLE FANNING, who gave a solid but forgettable performance that's somehow generating a lot of buzz, much to my confusion, and RON ELDARD who was at times laughably bad as FANNING's alcoholic father. Overall, though, the film was everything I hoped it would be and more. I strongly recommend it along with the beautiful score by MICHAEL GIACCHINO. Oh, and make sure you stick around for the credits! 4.5 movie stubs for Super 8. |