Starring: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Julia Ormond, Judi Dench, Dominic Cooper, Emma Watson
Directed By: Simon Curtis (II)
Run Time: 1 hour 36 minutes
My Week with Marilyn is a recount of the behind-the-scenes turmoil between Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe (played by Williams) during the shooting of the movie The Prince and the Showgirl. Olivier (played by Branagh) is frustrated with Marilyn's demands, behavior, approach to acting, and her performance. He enlists the aid of his assistant Colin (played by Redmayne). Colin spends time with Marilyn and gets drawn into her world.
I thought this movie was very good. I was most impressed with Michelle Williams' performance. Her portrayal of Marilyn was wonderful. She embodied Marilyn without mimicking or copying Marilyn, a la Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles in Ray. I think Michelle should have won the Oscar for Best Actress. She was wonderful! I found it interesting how I did not know Emma Watson was in this movie. Her performance is a bit understated, but effectual.
This movie flows well. It's interesting.
Some of my non sequitur thoughts: I liked how they changed the movie title (the one in the movie). It's much more enticing to see the Prince and the Showgirl vs the Sleeping Prince (the original title to Marilyn/Olivier's movie). I didn't know Vivienne Leigh and Olivier were married. Interesting remark Vivienne made: "I'm 43. Pretty soon no one will love me." Huh. I guess I don't have much time left. Also interesting line in the movie: "He's a great actor trying to make this Hollywood movie; you're a Hollywood actress trying to be a great actor. This film won't help either of you."
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
February Movie #1: The Grey
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dallas Roberts, James Badge Dale, Dermot Mulroney
Directed By: Joe Carnahan
Run Time: 1 hour 57 minutes
The Grey is about how a group of oil workers try to survive after a plane crash in Alaska. While their injuries, the frigid weather, and the lack of food and supplies are all daunting enough, they also must battle a pack of wolves.
This is an incredibly quiet movie. This is done for effect. It helps to pull you into the wilderness, pull you into the waiting, the anticipation of when the wolves would attack. Ears straining to pick up sounds of the predators. I couldn't help but feel cold while watching e movie, hearing the wind howling. Even my movie blanket couldn't help me feel warm. It was strange how much the movie made you feel what they were showing - the cold, the quiet, the fear. I did have issues that the wolves came at opportune moments - when someone had fallen behind or fallen at all. Loved the ending, although oddly, it frustrated me.
I didn't even think that about the fact that this movie is about hunting wolves and wolves who hunt. You'd think that I, the animal lover and vegetarian would have focused more on that when I decided to see this movie. Ah, but the lure of Liam Neeson blinded me to the fact that there would be wolves getting hurt in this movie. There was one scene that bothered me when they cooked the wolf. I get it why they were doing it - both for food and as a message - but it was still disturbing (everything that happened in that scene). I did wonder how the wolves would react if someone was NICE to the wolves instead of fearful - "Hey, puppy! You're a good dog, aren't you?" My time at the cat shelter has taught me that the ones at growl at you react best with kind words. It's amazing. I know they don't exactly understand what you're saying but a little kindness - in a kind, respectful tone - does wonders for a threatened animal. I guess it would have been a different movie if I had been in it...
I thought the letter writing scene was during his survival time, not before. It didn't strike me as sweet or heart-wrenching until the end. Then I got it.
Why is it that there's always that rebel guy who fights the leader? Someone has to lead. Someone has to follow. That's how you survive. I know I don't have survival skills. You would think that those guys would have a better inkling of how to survive in the cold, since they're in the tundra themselves. Apparently they never embraced their environment, like walking zombies. For as cold as it sounded and looked, I did find it interesting the number of times these guys had skin exposed. And the fact that they didn't think to bring extra clothes. Fall in the water, die. A survivalist would know that.
It's a good movie. It plays on your senses well. Not one I'd own but good. I still feel cold.
Directed By: Joe Carnahan
Run Time: 1 hour 57 minutes
The Grey is about how a group of oil workers try to survive after a plane crash in Alaska. While their injuries, the frigid weather, and the lack of food and supplies are all daunting enough, they also must battle a pack of wolves.
This is an incredibly quiet movie. This is done for effect. It helps to pull you into the wilderness, pull you into the waiting, the anticipation of when the wolves would attack. Ears straining to pick up sounds of the predators. I couldn't help but feel cold while watching e movie, hearing the wind howling. Even my movie blanket couldn't help me feel warm. It was strange how much the movie made you feel what they were showing - the cold, the quiet, the fear. I did have issues that the wolves came at opportune moments - when someone had fallen behind or fallen at all. Loved the ending, although oddly, it frustrated me.
I didn't even think that about the fact that this movie is about hunting wolves and wolves who hunt. You'd think that I, the animal lover and vegetarian would have focused more on that when I decided to see this movie. Ah, but the lure of Liam Neeson blinded me to the fact that there would be wolves getting hurt in this movie. There was one scene that bothered me when they cooked the wolf. I get it why they were doing it - both for food and as a message - but it was still disturbing (everything that happened in that scene). I did wonder how the wolves would react if someone was NICE to the wolves instead of fearful - "Hey, puppy! You're a good dog, aren't you?" My time at the cat shelter has taught me that the ones at growl at you react best with kind words. It's amazing. I know they don't exactly understand what you're saying but a little kindness - in a kind, respectful tone - does wonders for a threatened animal. I guess it would have been a different movie if I had been in it...
I thought the letter writing scene was during his survival time, not before. It didn't strike me as sweet or heart-wrenching until the end. Then I got it.
Why is it that there's always that rebel guy who fights the leader? Someone has to lead. Someone has to follow. That's how you survive. I know I don't have survival skills. You would think that those guys would have a better inkling of how to survive in the cold, since they're in the tundra themselves. Apparently they never embraced their environment, like walking zombies. For as cold as it sounded and looked, I did find it interesting the number of times these guys had skin exposed. And the fact that they didn't think to bring extra clothes. Fall in the water, die. A survivalist would know that.
It's a good movie. It plays on your senses well. Not one I'd own but good. I still feel cold.
January Movie #2: The Descendants
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Mary Birdsong, Nick Krause, Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard
Directed By: Alexander Payne
Run Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
The Descendants is about a family who comes together when their mother/wife is seriously injured in a boating accident.
Ah, Oscar season. It makes me see movies that I may not otherwise want to see. The setting - Hawaii - is absolutely beautiful. The premise - a wife who is lying in a hospital dying from a brain injury while her family finds out that she had been having an affair - is not a nice one. Very pretty scenery. Sad movie. So many sad things happened to the family.
One out of place interjection (because I just reviewed Mission Impossible): For as much as I fully felt that Tom Cruise was acting the whole time he was running in Mission Impossible, I did not feel as though George Clooney was acting at all when he ran (which is a good thing). It was a goofy, floppy, bizarre running style.
I thought both daughters did an excellent job, particularly the older daughter (played by Woodley). It must be a bit intimidating acting alongside George Clooney but she definitely handled herself. She played the affected - but yet very much together - teenager well. On one hand she was very immature/just being a teen but on the other hand, she had shades of remarkable poise and wisdom. The little girl (played by Amara Miller) was wonderful as a carefree child, not quite mature enough to grasp what was going on. George was just being George, a great actor but nothing that stretched him to be worthy of an Oscar nom. He should have been nominated for Ides of March, where he played off character (translation: not so likable) and was excellent.
The character of the boyfriend bothered me until I realized he was there for comic relief. The movie needed that otherwise it would have been so dark.
I loved the cozy ending. They definitely were a great family.
Directed By: Alexander Payne
Run Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
The Descendants is about a family who comes together when their mother/wife is seriously injured in a boating accident.
Ah, Oscar season. It makes me see movies that I may not otherwise want to see. The setting - Hawaii - is absolutely beautiful. The premise - a wife who is lying in a hospital dying from a brain injury while her family finds out that she had been having an affair - is not a nice one. Very pretty scenery. Sad movie. So many sad things happened to the family.
One out of place interjection (because I just reviewed Mission Impossible): For as much as I fully felt that Tom Cruise was acting the whole time he was running in Mission Impossible, I did not feel as though George Clooney was acting at all when he ran (which is a good thing). It was a goofy, floppy, bizarre running style.
I thought both daughters did an excellent job, particularly the older daughter (played by Woodley). It must be a bit intimidating acting alongside George Clooney but she definitely handled herself. She played the affected - but yet very much together - teenager well. On one hand she was very immature/just being a teen but on the other hand, she had shades of remarkable poise and wisdom. The little girl (played by Amara Miller) was wonderful as a carefree child, not quite mature enough to grasp what was going on. George was just being George, a great actor but nothing that stretched him to be worthy of an Oscar nom. He should have been nominated for Ides of March, where he played off character (translation: not so likable) and was excellent.
The character of the boyfriend bothered me until I realized he was there for comic relief. The movie needed that otherwise it would have been so dark.
I loved the cozy ending. They definitely were a great family.
January Movie #1: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton
Directed By: Brad Bird
Run Time: 2 hours 12 minutes
After being blamed for a bombing at the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt (played by Cruise) is disavowed. He bands together with other disavowed agents to clear his name and prevent another attack.
Can anyone say "live action Incredibles" (Brad Bird directed that animated movie).
The plot seemed a little 1980s (the big, bad, evil Russians). I suppose the Iran/Afghan/Muslim angle has been done to death.
I liked it. Not as good as the first one, indeed, but that also has something to do with the fact that I appreciated Tom Cruise's acting back then and now I just loathe him (and subsequently steer clear of anything with him in it). Perhaps there is too much hype behind how good this movie is but I expected it to be better. Of course, Tom Cruise is in it so it can't be that good. I detest Tom Cruise and nothing says overacting more than a scene with Tom Cruise running in it. Wow. I could almost hear him think, "act like you're running." I could hear him acting while he was running! Ugh. But I digress. A lot of good action sequences. Very fun. I did not like the emotional backstory to Ethan Hunt with his wife (I missed 2 & 3) but I did like the emotional backstories to the other characters. I really liked Jane - smart, tough, had heart. I loved Simon Pegg but I think they held him back. He can be very funny. I also loved Jeremy Renner. What's not to love?
Directed By: Brad Bird
Run Time: 2 hours 12 minutes
After being blamed for a bombing at the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt (played by Cruise) is disavowed. He bands together with other disavowed agents to clear his name and prevent another attack.
Can anyone say "live action Incredibles" (Brad Bird directed that animated movie).
The plot seemed a little 1980s (the big, bad, evil Russians). I suppose the Iran/Afghan/Muslim angle has been done to death.
I liked it. Not as good as the first one, indeed, but that also has something to do with the fact that I appreciated Tom Cruise's acting back then and now I just loathe him (and subsequently steer clear of anything with him in it). Perhaps there is too much hype behind how good this movie is but I expected it to be better. Of course, Tom Cruise is in it so it can't be that good. I detest Tom Cruise and nothing says overacting more than a scene with Tom Cruise running in it. Wow. I could almost hear him think, "act like you're running." I could hear him acting while he was running! Ugh. But I digress. A lot of good action sequences. Very fun. I did not like the emotional backstory to Ethan Hunt with his wife (I missed 2 & 3) but I did like the emotional backstories to the other characters. I really liked Jane - smart, tough, had heart. I loved Simon Pegg but I think they held him back. He can be very funny. I also loved Jeremy Renner. What's not to love?
December Movie #2: The Muppets
Starring: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper
Directed By: James Bobin
Run Time: 1 hr 43 mins
The Muppets is about a human brother (Segel), his girlfriend (Adams), and his Muppet brother who uncover a Texas oilman's plot to buy Muppet Studio, under the guise of fixing it up, but intending to tear it down to drill for oil. Gary, Mary, and Walter seek to put the Muppet gang back together to raise money to buy Muppet Studios before the Texas oilman (played by Cooper) can.
I was so excited for this movie to open. Who doesn't love a Muppet movie? This one was cute, charming, hokey, sweet, and fun. I always love who stars in a Muppet movie. So many cameos! I kept waiting for Steve Martin to show up because he's been in practically every Muppet movie but he didn't. THAT disappointed me. Speaking of cameos, I thought Neil Patrick Harris had more of a role but he didn't. He's in previews for the movie as a seemingly real character. Again, a little disappointed with someone who wasn't in the movie (and not necessarily with the people who were actually in it). This movie definitely had the ol' Muppet movie feel to it - lighthearted, entertaining, funny, and with great songs. Man or Muppet is an incredibly funny song. So well done.
I now own this movie and my little nephew knows who Kermit is (his parents taught him that). Another generation embraces the skinny green frog!
Directed By: James Bobin
Run Time: 1 hr 43 mins
The Muppets is about a human brother (Segel), his girlfriend (Adams), and his Muppet brother who uncover a Texas oilman's plot to buy Muppet Studio, under the guise of fixing it up, but intending to tear it down to drill for oil. Gary, Mary, and Walter seek to put the Muppet gang back together to raise money to buy Muppet Studios before the Texas oilman (played by Cooper) can.
I was so excited for this movie to open. Who doesn't love a Muppet movie? This one was cute, charming, hokey, sweet, and fun. I always love who stars in a Muppet movie. So many cameos! I kept waiting for Steve Martin to show up because he's been in practically every Muppet movie but he didn't. THAT disappointed me. Speaking of cameos, I thought Neil Patrick Harris had more of a role but he didn't. He's in previews for the movie as a seemingly real character. Again, a little disappointed with someone who wasn't in the movie (and not necessarily with the people who were actually in it). This movie definitely had the ol' Muppet movie feel to it - lighthearted, entertaining, funny, and with great songs. Man or Muppet is an incredibly funny song. So well done.
I now own this movie and my little nephew knows who Kermit is (his parents taught him that). Another generation embraces the skinny green frog!
December Movie #1: Arthur Christmas
Starring the Voices of: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Ashley Jensen
Directed By: Sarah Smith, Barry Cook
Run Time: 1 hr 37 mins
Arthur Christmas is about Arthur (voiced by McAvoy), Santa's youngest son. He loves Christmas. He's very idealistic. He's a happy guy. Santa (voiced by Broadbent) is starting to see Christmas as just a job, and that wan is being fueled by his other son Steve (voiced by Laurie), who has a very militaristic - organized and disciplined - approach to getting presents to all the kids on Christmas Eve. When Arthur discovers that one kid's present didn't get delivered, he asks Santa to go back out to deliver it. Steve says it isn't cost effective so Arthur takes it upon himself to deliver it. He enlists the aid of GrandSanta (voiced by Nighy) and embarks on his secret - and unauthorized - mission to deliver the forgotten present. It's not an easy trip.
First, I want to remind everybody that I love Christmas movies. The sappier, the better. And, of course, I love animated movies. Animated Christmas movies are a shoo in. That being said, I liked this movie but didn't love it. I will probably end up owning it and then loving it years from now. There was just something missing, something that didn't click. It was just missing that something extra, that something wonderful. I think, perhaps, it was because Arthur's family wasn't as nice to Arthur as they should have been. A lackluster and unaffected Santa? Are they really busting that bubble? Santa is supposed to care most about Christmas!
I did like the ending. It provided "updates" (a la Animal House) on how everyone was doing - and the final sentence with each was "And he's happy." Very sweet. And then came Arthur's final sentence and that brought a tear to my eye.
Directed By: Sarah Smith, Barry Cook
Run Time: 1 hr 37 mins
Arthur Christmas is about Arthur (voiced by McAvoy), Santa's youngest son. He loves Christmas. He's very idealistic. He's a happy guy. Santa (voiced by Broadbent) is starting to see Christmas as just a job, and that wan is being fueled by his other son Steve (voiced by Laurie), who has a very militaristic - organized and disciplined - approach to getting presents to all the kids on Christmas Eve. When Arthur discovers that one kid's present didn't get delivered, he asks Santa to go back out to deliver it. Steve says it isn't cost effective so Arthur takes it upon himself to deliver it. He enlists the aid of GrandSanta (voiced by Nighy) and embarks on his secret - and unauthorized - mission to deliver the forgotten present. It's not an easy trip.
First, I want to remind everybody that I love Christmas movies. The sappier, the better. And, of course, I love animated movies. Animated Christmas movies are a shoo in. That being said, I liked this movie but didn't love it. I will probably end up owning it and then loving it years from now. There was just something missing, something that didn't click. It was just missing that something extra, that something wonderful. I think, perhaps, it was because Arthur's family wasn't as nice to Arthur as they should have been. A lackluster and unaffected Santa? Are they really busting that bubble? Santa is supposed to care most about Christmas!
I did like the ending. It provided "updates" (a la Animal House) on how everyone was doing - and the final sentence with each was "And he's happy." Very sweet. And then came Arthur's final sentence and that brought a tear to my eye.
Monday, May 14, 2012
November #3: In Time
Starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy, Johnny Galecki
Directed By: Andrew Niccol
Run Time: 1 hr 39 mins
In Time takes place in the future where you stop aging at 25, and, if you don't earn any "money", means you die a year later. We're all born with 26 years of life; if you want to live longer, you need to earn "money" (or time). To be wealthy means you have immortality. To be poor means you slave away, earning a minute to live a minute.
Makes you think about what you'd give up if everything was measured in time. I'll bet you'd live a couple of walking minutes away from the office. Wouldn't want to waste time sitting in traffic. I wonder how much my Mini would cost in years. And you'd have to shop for groceries every day because you wouldn't want to waste food. Understandable that that there were no fat people. The weird premise about the movie - that you don't age after 25 - was creepy. How did they break the news to Olivia Wood that she'd be playing Justin Timberlake's mom? You gotta think that she had to doubt how old she looked. As I was driving home after the movie, I couldn't help but think that if this movie's premise and a bit from The Fifth Element blended together (where you automatically lose points from your license for any traffic infraction) that people would live life differently, that traffic wouldn't be as bad if it cost you time off your life... People would actually stop at stop signs and pay attention to their driving! Wow.
This movie isn't bad. I had a hard time deciding what to make of it. It's not bad. I watched an At the Movies review that said this movie raises a lot more questions that it answered but I'm not certain there were that many open questions. The reviewers wanted to know why no one had a cell phone (and thought that several moments could have been alleviated if someone did have a cell phone). Would you want to take a minute off your life to text someone? And if you only had a few minutes to live, would you rather run to find someone to give you a minute or would you waste that minute calling someone? I did wonder why those in New Greenwich didn't go in the ocean. Bungee jumping, I understand (why they wouldn't do something so dangerous), but not swimming in the ocean. What's dangerous about that? And how could people who were scraping by get from the ghetto to New Greenwich with a little over a year of time on them (when it costs close to 2 years)(at the end)?
The concept is very interesting. I think the movie was fairly well done. Justin Timberlake is a decent actor but I don't think he pulled off a pivotal sad scene well. I wasn't that convinced about his grief. I must say that I was a little creeped out by Olivia playing Justin's mother. I couldn't help but think he was attracted to his own mother.
One note: This movie has been out for two weeks, I think, and there were three other people in the audience. If Justin Timberlake can't draw in the 20-something crowd, I think the word must have gotten out that this isn't as wonderful as it could be. Or Justin Timberlake doesn't draw in the sci-fi crowd.
Directed By: Andrew Niccol
Run Time: 1 hr 39 mins
In Time takes place in the future where you stop aging at 25, and, if you don't earn any "money", means you die a year later. We're all born with 26 years of life; if you want to live longer, you need to earn "money" (or time). To be wealthy means you have immortality. To be poor means you slave away, earning a minute to live a minute.
Makes you think about what you'd give up if everything was measured in time. I'll bet you'd live a couple of walking minutes away from the office. Wouldn't want to waste time sitting in traffic. I wonder how much my Mini would cost in years. And you'd have to shop for groceries every day because you wouldn't want to waste food. Understandable that that there were no fat people. The weird premise about the movie - that you don't age after 25 - was creepy. How did they break the news to Olivia Wood that she'd be playing Justin Timberlake's mom? You gotta think that she had to doubt how old she looked. As I was driving home after the movie, I couldn't help but think that if this movie's premise and a bit from The Fifth Element blended together (where you automatically lose points from your license for any traffic infraction) that people would live life differently, that traffic wouldn't be as bad if it cost you time off your life... People would actually stop at stop signs and pay attention to their driving! Wow.
This movie isn't bad. I had a hard time deciding what to make of it. It's not bad. I watched an At the Movies review that said this movie raises a lot more questions that it answered but I'm not certain there were that many open questions. The reviewers wanted to know why no one had a cell phone (and thought that several moments could have been alleviated if someone did have a cell phone). Would you want to take a minute off your life to text someone? And if you only had a few minutes to live, would you rather run to find someone to give you a minute or would you waste that minute calling someone? I did wonder why those in New Greenwich didn't go in the ocean. Bungee jumping, I understand (why they wouldn't do something so dangerous), but not swimming in the ocean. What's dangerous about that? And how could people who were scraping by get from the ghetto to New Greenwich with a little over a year of time on them (when it costs close to 2 years)(at the end)?
The concept is very interesting. I think the movie was fairly well done. Justin Timberlake is a decent actor but I don't think he pulled off a pivotal sad scene well. I wasn't that convinced about his grief. I must say that I was a little creeped out by Olivia playing Justin's mother. I couldn't help but think he was attracted to his own mother.
One note: This movie has been out for two weeks, I think, and there were three other people in the audience. If Justin Timberlake can't draw in the 20-something crowd, I think the word must have gotten out that this isn't as wonderful as it could be. Or Justin Timberlake doesn't draw in the sci-fi crowd.
November movie #2: Martha Marcy Mae Marlene
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Hugh Dancy, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes
Directed By: Sean Durkin
Run Time: 1 hr 42 mins
Martha Marcy Mae Marlene is about a cult and the after effects of life in a cult. After two years living in an abusive hippie-like cult, Martha (played by Olsen) musters up the courage to run away. Her sister (played by Paulson) and brother-in-law (played by Dancy) take her in. They don't know where she's been for the past few years and have no idea how to handle Martha as she struggles to adapt to her non-cult life. Martha has nightmares and cannot distinguish between real life and her dreams/nightmares. Her erratic behavior takes a toll on her sister and her sister's marriage.
Jeff said he wanted to see this movie. Afterwards, he said he wasn't serious. Of course, had he liked it, I'm sure he would have said that it was his choice to see the movie. It did violate two of his rules - it was well over 90 minutes and it's a bit dark. His main issue was the pacing - it's slow. There are scenes with people doing nothing for several minutes. And then there were closeups of blurred objects... and we weren't really certain why those objects were zoomed in on.
I do think the premise is interesting. It's told well, with flashbacks when things in the present reminded Martha of her cult life.
I do have issues with the cult. I didn't get the draw. And I didn't get its premise. What did they gain by being in the cult? And what drew them in? We didn't see Martha before the cult. What was missing in her life or wrong in her life that made her want to join the cult? And what was appealing about it? I failed to see its charm.
Directed By: Sean Durkin
Run Time: 1 hr 42 mins
Martha Marcy Mae Marlene is about a cult and the after effects of life in a cult. After two years living in an abusive hippie-like cult, Martha (played by Olsen) musters up the courage to run away. Her sister (played by Paulson) and brother-in-law (played by Dancy) take her in. They don't know where she's been for the past few years and have no idea how to handle Martha as she struggles to adapt to her non-cult life. Martha has nightmares and cannot distinguish between real life and her dreams/nightmares. Her erratic behavior takes a toll on her sister and her sister's marriage.
Jeff said he wanted to see this movie. Afterwards, he said he wasn't serious. Of course, had he liked it, I'm sure he would have said that it was his choice to see the movie. It did violate two of his rules - it was well over 90 minutes and it's a bit dark. His main issue was the pacing - it's slow. There are scenes with people doing nothing for several minutes. And then there were closeups of blurred objects... and we weren't really certain why those objects were zoomed in on.
I do think the premise is interesting. It's told well, with flashbacks when things in the present reminded Martha of her cult life.
I do have issues with the cult. I didn't get the draw. And I didn't get its premise. What did they gain by being in the cult? And what drew them in? We didn't see Martha before the cult. What was missing in her life or wrong in her life that made her want to join the cult? And what was appealing about it? I failed to see its charm.
November Movie #1: Margin Call
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci
Directed By: J.C. Chandor
Run Time: 1 hr 47 mins
Don't worry if you've never heard of this one. I don't think I ever saw a preview for it, either. Everyone that I talked to prior to the movie had never heard of it. I went because it was showing at the time that I like to see movies. Plus, it had Kevin Spacey and Stanley Tucci in it (which I read just moments before seeing it). Ah, my streak of seeing obscure Stanley Tucci movies continues (and by that I mean, by some pure stroke of luck, not because I planned to see a Stanley Tucci movie).
Margin Call is the behind-the-scenes look at what caused the stock market crash of 2008. I won't go into more details because they flew over my head. Stock markets. Hedge funds. Over-leveraged securities. Think of Wall Street meets Up in the Air meets Grapes of Wrath.
Despite the fact that I hadn't heard of this movie, I did like it. It was a good movie. I could not believe how many people were in this! My random thoughts: Interesting sound ending. The digging ditches reference is visualized with the grave digging scene, and ties not only the dog but for everyone involved. Scary situation for the Sullivan (played by Quinto) in the boardroom. He was very well composed considering the amount of titles (CEO, CFO, etc) that were in the room! Interesting that Dale (played by Tucci), after just losing his job, still had the presence of mind - and heart - to warn someone about the a report he was running, and what it might mean for the company.
October Movie #7: Real Steel
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly
Directed By: Shawn Levy
Run Time: 2 hrs 7 mins
Directed By: Shawn Levy
Run Time: 2 hrs 7 mins
Real Steel(although I keep wanting to type Real Steal, which would be a different movie) is the less entertaining version of the game Rock'Em, Sock'Em Robots from the 80s. Well, that may not be the official version of the description but it's certainly my take. This movie is set in the future, where robots box. Part of the skill lies with the robot, part of the skill lies with the handler, and part of the skill lies with the robot designer - was the robot designed to think/react/learn?
I'm not sure if I like this movie. I didn't hate it. I love Evangeline Lilly's character. She was a great moment for the movie whenever she was in screen. Not sure how I felt about the other two characters Charlie (played by Jackman) and Max (played by Goyo). At times I thought they were believable. More times than not, I thought they were over acted. They repeated their lines a lot - "I can't, I can't" - as if repeating them made them more believable. So many plot points are predictable. I hate that. Why do we get so attached to robots? They're not real or alive. Like Bumblebee from Transformers and now Atom from Real Steel. I suppose I do have an attachchment to my iPad but it can be replaced if destroyed. I wanted there to be some sort of trick (like a human in a robot suit) for Zeus, the bad robot. Overall, it's a decent movie. A rainy day movie. Probably will not have longevity. It's kind of boring. It's a good 45 minutes before the kid gets his robot.
One side note: For a futuristic movie set a good 20 years into the future, why do the cars look like the cars of today?
October Movie #6: 50/50
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston
Directed By: Will Reiser
Run Time: 1 hr 40 min
50/50 is based on true life events, about how two people cope with cancer, the one who has it, and the one who is the friend and supporter.
I liked that Adam was a bit like me - didn't cross against the light. There are people like me out there! This is a very funny movie... And sad. The ending had me with tears in my eyes, which was the first for me during the movie, considering it's about cancer. Very good character development. I really liked the reveal of Kyle. Why was Skeletor played by two different dogs? I liked him. It's a very well told story. There were times when I laughed and was the only one laughing, which made me think, am I supposed to be laughing here? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes. Laugh. It's supposed to be funny.
October Movie #5: Ides of March
Starring: George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei
Directed By: George Clooney
Run Time: 1 hr 41 mins
Ides of March is about how virtue gets corrupted by one's career, particularly if it's one in politics.
This is the movie that George Clooney should have been nominated for Best Actor, not The Descendants. Here he plays against type cast, as someone that you eventually come to loathe (or at least not think he's so charming). Ryan Gosling also should have been nominated because he does a wonderful job playing an eager and earnest guy who quickly learns that in order to succeed, you can't always be the nice guy.
Directed By: George Clooney
Run Time: 1 hr 41 mins
Ides of March is about how virtue gets corrupted by one's career, particularly if it's one in politics.
This is the movie that George Clooney should have been nominated for Best Actor, not The Descendants. Here he plays against type cast, as someone that you eventually come to loathe (or at least not think he's so charming). Ryan Gosling also should have been nominated because he does a wonderful job playing an eager and earnest guy who quickly learns that in order to succeed, you can't always be the nice guy.
October Movie #4: Dolphin Tail
Starring: Nathan Gamble, Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman
Directed By: Charles Martin Smith
Run Time: 1 hour 53 mins
This movie is based on the true life events of a boy who befriends a dolphin who has her tail amputated.
I loved that Winter the dolphin played herself. And I really loved that she got an opening credit.
Stay for the credits because they show the actual footage of Winter's rescue and recovery. She was teeny tiny when she was found! She was much bigger in the movie (because she was playing herself). When you see the actual footage, you see some differences between reality and the movie, which then made me wonder how much of the movie was made up.
Directed By: Charles Martin Smith
Run Time: 1 hour 53 mins
This movie is based on the true life events of a boy who befriends a dolphin who has her tail amputated.
I loved that Winter the dolphin played herself. And I really loved that she got an opening credit.
Stay for the credits because they show the actual footage of Winter's rescue and recovery. She was teeny tiny when she was found! She was much bigger in the movie (because she was playing herself). When you see the actual footage, you see some differences between reality and the movie, which then made me wonder how much of the movie was made up.
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