The Amazing Spiderman: Oh what a web they weave

I have been on a superhero kick. Don’t ask me why but I’m addicted (and heavily anticipating the Batman film coming out later this summer). This was not a movie I had planned on seeing though…seeing as this series was just done a few years ago and I had been disappointed with the acting and inconsistencies in the story. But the Amazing Spiderman restored my faith in the red and blue spandex suit. 

The acting was far superior to the originals. I’m sorry but no girl in her right mind can come out of this film without a huge crush on Andrew Garfield. He straddled the line between superhero and geek so naturally and effortlessly. He stole my heart as he was attempting to woo Emma Stone. And he did a great job of providing comic relief. I liked that nothing come easy to him, we see him struggle with his new abilities, and with the whole idea of doing good for others with no return. He just made me want to believe in him. Emma Stone was a much more interesting love interest than Kristen Dunst’s Mary-Jane, who always seemed whiny, vulnerable and slightly annoying to me. I preferred Stone’s character overall, she was smart, took action in any situation and was, in my opinion, a great supplement to Spiderman. Where Dunst seemed to be constantly in trouble and unable to take care of herself, Stone was a strong female role in a male dominated hero story. Rock on girl. 

What really held the story together though was the rich back story that we finally received for Spiderman. Peter doesn’t just get bitten randomly. We learn why he was around those spiders in the first place, how they were created, and about the negatives and positives of inter-species genetics. It was interesting because, though the bad guy was a disgusting lizard hybrid that, I will admit, might haunt my dreams for a week or two, his character balanced Spiderman’s. Both characters were affected by genetically modified species, one reaction was positive and one was negative, making the lizard a much better nemesis than the green goblin. I loved learning about Peter’s parents and why their lives were in danger. It helped to build the story and support motivations for the characters, putting the audience in the loop, thus giving us a better reason to cheer our hero on. 

Noteworthy: The cameo by Stan Lee, creator of Spiderman, was hysterical and much needed comic relief in the middle of a very intense fighting scene. He is also the most adorable old man ever.

Ted: Snuggle bear’s coolest accountant

Before I watched this movie I was on the fence.  There is just something weird about a talking teddy bear that swear, drinks and has sex. Then again, at least it’s an original story. My friends gave it rave reviews, so I went with an open mind, hoping that it would live up to the hype. It did, and here’s why.

Let me premise this by saying that if you are a movie snob and only appreciate academy award winners, this is not for you. But if your open to it, besides delivering laughs, Ted had a romantic comedy-esk plot as well as an overall moral. Go figure. Ya, there are a large number of party scenes where they do crazy things, but what were you expecting? This isn’t the Notebook. Ted may be crude, and at sometimes disgusting (there is a scene where there is a shit on the floor, enough said), but he was a great match for Mark Walhberg’s somewhat innocent and immensely immature character, John. It just made sense that someone so lost would have a talking teddy bear as his best friend. Because, as Mila Kunis character points out, how much can someone grow up if they are still bringing their teddy everywhere? I wonder if the writers meant to give Ted a deeper meaning, or if it just happened, because, surprisingly, this bad-mouthed teddy bear has some wisdom to offer. Ted stops fooling around all the time and gets a job. Mark becomes less selfish, more motivated, and begins building a life for himself and his fiancé. Basically, everyone in the film learns how to grow up, a lesson not easily learned and one that I am currently struggling with.

If you are looking for a great example of a well-written comedic script, this is it. The one-liners were awesome, and some of the jokes so unexpected that it kept me interested when the story dragged a bit in the middle. Though many will argue that the Flash Gordon references were stupid, I think they supplemented the idea of immaturity nicely. Especially since that was one of the most ridiculous shows ever to be created.  Overall, Ted did what it was supposed to. It made me laugh so hard I almost fell out of my seat, and weep for the demise of humanity all at the same time. Sounds like a winner to me.  

Noteworthy: The White Trash name game was hilarious. Apparently Mark Walhberg named off about 50 girls names in 30 seconds just off the the top of his head. Impressive. 

The Avengers: Action Packed Fun

There is just something about a superhero that is appealing. So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that The Avengers was such a knockout hit. For all you people who were worried that you weren’t going to be able to follow because you aren’t a comic book nerd or you haven’t seen all the prequel films, fear not. Though I wouldn’t call this the  "greatest action film of all time,” like some critics, I am a fan of this motley crew and think that they deserve a place on your radar.

I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of CGI, especially in films where the rest is live. So I thought the aliens that were attacking earth, while weird looking, were kind of lame. The plot itself stems from Thor, so if you haven't watched it you should afterward to get the back story. It was smart to have this be the premesis of the movie, however, because Thor had the best plot of the prequels. And the best villian.

I am a huge Loki fan. I have to say that as far as acting goes, even though he is the bad guy, Loki, played by Tom Hiddleson, was amazing. He wasn't just evil for evil's sake, he had a plan and a purpose. You could see the cracks in the surface of his character, like he used to be put together and now he was slightly off his rocker. He straddled the "in control" and "out of control" line expertly. The rest of the acting was above average. Even though he is a jerk, I love Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man because of his quick wit and truly complex personality. Whoever wrote his lines did a great job.

The set was beautiful, and one of my favorite parts of the movie. The designers nailed the futuristic look that also fit with modern society. They did a great job of differentiating outer space, the secret agent aircraft and our world, giving them all different feels that were equally convincing and real (John Carter take note). The costumer also had a challenge because each superhero was so unique, and unlike most group action heroes (Fantastic 4 or Watchmen, for example) they did not look like they fit together at all, which was important because it supplemented the internal turmoil in the story.

Mostly this movie was enjoyable because their was a lot going on, it was easy to follow, and the characters were heroes. Everyone, regardless of their acting skills, did a great job of getting you to root for them, even Hawkeye who is evil the first half of the movie. Though I don't think that it should have beat out Harry Potter or Titanic for opening week records, I can see how this film could be enjoyed by many, and why it earned the top spot.

When Harry Met Sally: Iconic in Every Way

I was bored yesterday after work, but didn't feel like finding a movie on Netflixs that was going to disappoint me, so I popped in the old stand by. Harry Met Sally is the ultimate rom-com, and one of my favorite movies to watch over and over again. There is just something about Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan and the magic of watching the greatest character development of all time.  Any critic will tell you that this film is iconic, but here is why I love it and think you all should give it a chance. 

The plot if somewhat complex, but works. Spanning Harry and Sally’s meetings by five years makes time progress naturally, and also lending to the building of their relationship. Harry and Sally did not see each other and fall head over heels, which, in my opinion is fantastic. Actually, at first they hate each other. But their paths continue to cross and they realize that they balance each other the way that two lovers should.

Though I am the first to admit that Billy Crystal as a player is a bit of a stretch, he steals my heart every time and I find myself falling for it even though I have never known any players that wear cable-knit sweaters. Meg Ryan is brilliant. She plays OCD so well. I love the way they made her ordering so specific and over the top. I think we all know people like this, who just want what they want the way they want it and really, there is nothing wrong with that. Both characters start off a bit annoying and grow into themselves. The writer did a fantastic job of keeping their ideals the same, but letting them mature and have multiple sides.

The big debate for this film is whether or not men and women can be friends. Age old question that I think is the cornerstone to most relationships, and likewise, is the basis for this film. No matter what you believe, I can;t help but notice that the story really supports both sides. Sure Harry and Sally are friends for a long time, but it ends up becoming something more, so doesn't that actually support the idea that they can't be friends? Harry may have a point. They couldn't be friends, they were meant to be more. 

Following the idea of development, one of my favorite things that they did was showcase other couples at breaks in the story, who talk about how they met and how they fell in love. Each couple ends by saying how long they have been together which is normally 35, 45 or 50 years. Most movies today talk about beautiful people getting together and how hot and heavy it is, but we never see something that lasts. They get together for the last scene, but i think it is way more powerful to show the couples who, maybe aren't perfect, but exemplify the relationships we all want. Something real.

Noteworthy: Shout out to the writers who have perfected one liners. I use the saying "white-man's overbite" all the time.
Second shout out to the Sally's hair stylist. If I haven't won you over, you must see this movie for the great 80's hair and clothing. Brilliant. 

Hungry for More: The Hunger Games

I thought I would give it some time for the glory of the Hunger Games to settle down before talking about it. For those of you who have read the book, I think you will be pleased by the adaptation, it does a pretty good job of sticking to the story, with some slight tweaks to keep the ball rolling. 

The casting was relatively correct, I say relatively because, though I love her and think she is a tremendous actress, when I was watching the movie I was overcome by the fact that Katniss was just too big. She was about twice the size of some of the other characters and looked like the obvious winner. It was nothing that  Jennifer Lawrence, could do really, she played the part well, her facial expressions were perfect. But she was just…too old, and you could tell. In the scene where Clove is on top of her with a knife, all I kept thinking was, “dude you are twice her size, just throw her off you, there is no way she could pin you like that.”

I was pleasantly surprised with Peeta. He's not my favorite character in the book because he seems, well, weak compared to Katniss, and who wants a guy who's weak? Which is why rugged, manly Gale (though he did not fulfill my expectations but we will get to that in a sec) seemed like the obvious choice of a love interest to me. But in the movie, Josh Hutcherson made me root for him and, more than anything else, he stayed true to the character without overdoing the hopeless romantic stereotype.

Shout outs to the perfection that was Essie and Haymitch. Thumbs down to whoever style Gale, he was supposed to be rugged and poor, not a featured Abecrombie model with perfect hair and not a spec of dirt on his perfectly pressed white shirt. 

The cinematography was the other thing that got my attention. Rarely do I sit in a film and think, “Wow, the camera angles are awesome,” but that is what I was doing during parts of this movie. They did a great job of catching the essence of each moment – with the close ups when something serious was happening, and the longer shots to show how massive the capital was, the bleakness of the Districts or the intense landscape of the games. Some of the shots were just genius, keeping the story close to the audience and making it feel intimate, just like the novel. 

Can't wait for Catching Fire? Neither can I.

Tangled: Why Disney Princesses Rock

No matter how many movies I see, there is something about sitting down to watch a Disney film. As an 80’s - 90’s child, these are the types of movies that I grew up on and so I have high standards for Disney’s animated features. It’s been a while since Disney had a real hit, but Tangled reminded me of all the things I love about Disney. With a simple, classic story, a hero and heroine to root for, a bad guy to hate, sidekicks that almost steal the show and songs that are awesome to sing along to, I thought it was a slam dunk.

Deciding to cover Rapunzel was a promising start because this is a classic story that has not been done. Think about it, how many times have we seen the Snow White adaptations (there are two coming out this summer) or the Cinderella stories (there are at least 10 movies I can think of off the top of my head). But who has done Rapunzel? *crickets*

Disney did a great job of explaining a rich background for our heroes without being wordy or boring. The story book at the beginning actually reminded me a lot of Beauty and the Beast, which is genius. The songs were straight to the point and actually fit with what was going on (a problem some movies have, in my opinion).

Sure it was cutesy and predictable, but wasn’t that the point? At the end we all left feeling good, and humming the tunes that were catchy enough to be running through my head, but not annoyingly so. I hope Disney can scrounge up a few more fairy tales to add to the fabled list. And I hope they can execute it as well as Tangled.

Noteworthy: I’m sorry I never tired of watching the horse beat up on Flynn Rider. It’s just great to see him sit on his haunches and punch Flynn clear in the face.

Note: If you like Tangled, look out for Brave, coming out this June.

Facebook Frenzy: The Social Network

I don’t think that people realize just how iconic this movie is. When Facebook was in its fledgling stages social media was just starting to emerge and it wasn’t until this site launched that the craze really got out of control. Now, you can get a job in social media, and most people spend a good amount of their time trolling numerous sites. I have heard lectures on how to use it, and been handed books on how it is redefining marketing. Not to mention, recently been living it through my copy writing job, where part of my time is devoted to writing Facebook posts.

So for me, and many other youths of 21st century, social media is defining our age. One that probably should be aptly named the social media craze because, as much as we each pretend like we hate the damn things, truth is without them, and Facebook specifically, we would have no clue what to do with ourselves. The genius of Facebook in particular is that it is the main source of news on the best topic, people we know. What could be more interesting and more important?

People I recommended this movie to mostly came away saying that the dialogue was too fast and hard to follow and that Mark Zutterberg was a douche. First off, the rapid fire dialogue was prefect because that is our society, especially online.Everything is moving a million miles a minute. Secondly, even though he may be
a jerk, I was always rooting for him. Jesse Eisenburg does a good job of being a confused teenager, who doesn’t fit in and just wants to be somebody. I mean don’t we all? I don’t know anyone who hasn’t made it to the top by pushing some people down. That is our world people, and if you don’t think so you are incredibly niave. I’m not saying its right, but come on, what were you expecting?

Noteworthy: The soundtrack could not have been more perfect for this movie. It was simple, with drops of notes highlighting events. It was modern. It was like facebook. No fuss, straight and to the point.

HappyThankYouMorePlease: Exactly right.

Josh Radnor has stolen my heart, and just in time too because his character on How I Met Your Mother is getting a little dull. This movie, written, directed and starred in, by the sitcom celeb, makes me proud to know that there are still indie films that are true to their title. HappyThankYouMorePlease got it right.

There are four main plots, that are somewhat woven together, but also relatively separate. The genius is that they are all about people on the cusp of becoming great, and being loved, and the things that stand in their way.

Sam is a lost, mediocre writer who self-admittedly is “afraid of success,” and love. In a strange string of events, he decides to take responsibility for kid who gets separated from his family on the subway. The child, Rasheen, attaches to Sam because after being shuffled from family to family in foster care, he for some reason feels more comfortable with a stranger than in “the system.” Soon after, he makes a strange deal with a bartender to have her live with him for three days (in order to avoid the inevitable one night stand scenario).

His best friend Annie, played by Malin Akerman, is obsessed with beauty, and trapped by her alopecia. When she is pursued by a guy she deems “less than beautiful,” she immediately blows him off, taking her the remainder of the movie to realize that beauty really is more than just skin deep. In a their final scene, he has her close her eyes and just listen to him and, for once, she really hear how amazing he is, transforming his whole image instantly.  

Sam’s cousin, Mary, is madly in love with her boyfriend but is deeply afraid of commitment. Coming from a “long line of divorced people,” she doesn’t believe that relationships can last and therefore pushes her boyfriend away every chance that she gets.

Noteworthy: The writing is relatively impressive, and stays true to providing the audience with the “indie wisdom” that we have come to expect. “Go out and get yourself loved.” If that is not awesome for its obvious bluntness, I don’t know what is.

Sidenote: If you like this, stay tuned for Liberal Arts, also directed by Randor, starting Zac Efron and Elizabeth Olsen.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

First off, whoever named this movie is a genius, I love this title, and it is so appropriate for this film. A movie about people who are trapped in their own situations could not have been more perfectly portrayed. Though Johnny Depp with long auburn hair took some getting used to.

I was most impressed, however, with the young Leonardo DiCaprio, pre-titanic hype. He brilliantly executed the portrayal of Arnie, a mentally retarded 18 year-old. Having worked with many different mentally disabled children myself, I could see them in him. The way that he moved, and handled his hands was way more accurate than I have seen in previous portrayals (sorry Shia, Leo’s got you beat).

I don’t think you can watch this movie without seeing yourself in someone. Mama is trapped in her own 400 lb. body that embarrasses her so much, it drives her to eat more and trap herself inside the house.  Arnie is trapped in his damaged brain, and is unable to change his behavior no matter how often he is scolded, demonstrated by the fact that he continuously tries to climb up a water tower. The housewife is trapped in a life she didn’t envision for herself, seeking refuge from Gilbert, though I don’t think she ever cares much about that relationship or the one with her husband, seeing as she blatantly tries to sabotage both. Gilbert is simply caught in a world that he believes is impossible to escape from. The movie is gritty and real. Possibly a bit slow as it shows the average, everyday bothers, but it is necessary in creating a true view of this world. Beautifully acted and touching, this one is worth watching.

Noteworthy: Johnny and Leo pre-hype. This movie was before either of them had the pressure to be “true to their image,” so they really succeeded in channeling the characters. They weren’t “Leo as Arnie” or “Johnny as Gilbert,” they really lost themselves. Now don’t get me wrong, I am a huge fan of both actors still and go see all of their films, but watching Gilbert Grape made me wish they hadn’t gotten so famous and lost that innocence because it really showcased their talent.

This Means War: Handler Hilarity

This is not one of those movies that I am going to over analyze because, lets face it, there’s not much more to it than surface level. This Means War is about two hot CIA agents who fall for the same girl. Boom, let the chaos ensue. The plot is weak, and relatively unoriginal, basically driven by the hotness of it’s leading men. The acting is less than stellar; there will be no Oscar noms. But I would be lying if I said that I don’t enjoy a throwaway rom com every now and again.

Reese Witherspoon plays the sweet girl next-door with an independent woman edge. She was cute and feisty, nothing that we haven’t seen in her other films (Sweet Home Alabama or Just Like Heaven, for example) but still endearing. The main highlight was Chelsea Handler as a supporting character who basically mirrors Handler’s real-life persona, only married with children. She was hysterical. I say more Chelsea Handler movies because, if nothing else, you leave laughing.

This movie fits the bill for date nights, girls nights, or when you could use a laugh. I won’t add it to my personal collection, but I didn’t mind spending the $7.50.

The Vow: I Don't Know

When I saw previews for this movie, I am ashamed to say that I was excited that another lovey-dovey sob story was coming out. In case you haven’t noticed, underneath all the cynicism, I am a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic. The Vow promised to make me feel the way that The Notebook did, or so I thought.

The surface level plot was alright, Leo (Channing Tatum) trying to win Paige (Rachel McAdams) back because she can’t remember him is incredibly reminiscent of the Notebook. The problem was the rest of it. The parents and ex-boyfriend who wanted to give her a do-over, and her decisions to just run away to the familiar instead of trying to remember. It created a story of frustration, one in which the good guy always seemed to get the short stick. The problem was that this rising action was never resolved. There was no climax, or resolution, they just gave up. This made my chick-flick loving girlfriends and I feel incredibly cheated. Why in the world did we go through all that pain, if they weren’t going to rediscovery their love in a passionate, over-the-top reunion scene?

The sadness itself was a waste. I find that most movies have moments with great writing where tears stream down my face, and this is a sort or release. It allows all the sadness and suffering I am watching an outlet because there is a moment when things are so sad, but also so sweet that I am broken down. The Vow did not deliver such a moment, and I was simply left feeling depressed. My friends and I walked away sad and dejected and wondering why the hell we paid good money to get bummed out.

Noteworthy:

The opening scene where they got in the car accident was interesting. When the car got hit, the scene suddenly transitioned into slow motion; so you actually saw Paige fly through the glass while Channing Tatum monologued about moments of impact. It was effective and my favorite part of the movie because it was a creative way to show "impact" that essentially created all of the problems. It was terrifying and surreal watching someone fly slow motion through a windshield, and because of the choice of music and lighting it really didn’t seem serious until everything returned to real time and she crashed onto the hood of the car. 

The Descendants: A Different Kind of Paradise

This movie could not have been more perfectly named; it works on so many levels; the descendants of Hawaiian royalty descending into the depths of modern society. It was also perfectly placed. I loved that the characters had such a connection with a land known as a get away, but that, as this film proves, is really just like everywhere else…screwed up.  Had the movie been set anywhere else, the message would have been diluted.

For those of you who were fans of George Clooney playing the suave lady’s man, or the cool con, in the beautiful Italian suits and always winning the girl, you are missing out on something way better. He is a wonderful wreck. In a movie where everything seems to go wrong for a man who is lost, lovable, and well, normal, Clooney plays the border-line excellently. Matt King flirts between anger and sadness, father and “cheated” husband, strong head of a family and total confusion with very little grace, but you still love him. Clooney’s struggle was mostly internal, but also well portrayed to the audience without overdoing the dramatics. He just was.

The monologue at the beginning worried me a bit. I am not a huge fan of the main character talking to the audience, because, mostly, it ruins the illusion of watching reality. I understand the necessity for it, but I still wish there had been another way to do it. Once we got out of his head though and into the story it mostly stopped, which I am thankful for because it wasn’t needed.

The girls were good too, even though I am personally not a fan of Shailene Woodly in The Secret Life of an American Teenage, she proved that it may be just because The Secret Life sucks. I was pleasantly surprised by her portrayal of the screwed up teen, who really just loved her dad. She should ditch that sideshow and focus on film, she could be great one day.  

Noteworthy:

The ending. The main characters are just sitting on a couch watching a movie narrated by Morgan Freeman, eating ice cream, and nothing happens. You are waiting for someone to say or do something, or even for them to look at each other and smile, to signal closure, but no one does, because there is none. They are connected and disconnected. They made it to the end but it wasn’t easy and it won’t start to be easy. Genius. 

Warhorse: Was that Necessary?

I am a huge Steven Spielberg fan, then again anyone who has had the experience of E.T. and Elliot flying across the sky in a bicycle kind of has to be.  But I will be the first to admit that war movies are not my thing. The idea of following a horse for over two hours was also a little daunting. How much can a horse do? The hype drew me in though and I found myself sitting with my popcorn ready to take the gore for the sake of art.

The story itself was beautiful woven, showing both sides of World War Two, and the many different people who were affected by it. Unfortunately, death is prevalent as well as injury and there are some scenes that are just unbearable to watch. Basically, unless you can handle a constant stream or bullets intermitted with tortured animals, skip this one. When the Joey, the horse,  gets stuck in barbed wire,  the scene seemed to drag on way longer than necessary, In fact, at one point I even had to cover my eyes and yell “make it stop.” Animal cruelty was a big part of the film as well and I can’t help but wonder if APA was present throughout filming to ensure that none of it was real.

For those of you with a stronger stomach for gore than I, the acting was above-average, and the score was well done. Though I’m not sure this will be one we talk about for decades, or that I will add to my library, it was definitely a big project and I applaud Spielberg for taking it on.

Noteworthy:

The scene where two opposing soldiers help Joey (the horse) out of barbed wire, is the best in the whole movie. It showed the humanity of both sides of the war (British and German) and had some great lines that added some much needed humor after a very serious incident.