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Maleficent: novelty noted

For sure, I am a sucker for prequels/origin stories to things I already know and love.  I get that you can irrevocably scar a franchise’s future (Phantom-of-the-Opera style, where it needs a perma-mask to hide its hideousness), but the satisfying “…ahhh” that comes with witnessing the fall of the first domino is worth it.  Of course there should be compelling story in its own right, of its own merits, in addition to the breadcrumbs that lead to the original story.  And while I wasn’t necessarily expecting Maleficent to be Wicked, I would have liked a bit more.  From adolescent to well, a grown-ass woman, we watch a powerful but benevolent leader regretfully become a de-facto godmother to this child she curses.  It’s a very odd case of a misunderstood villain.  Outside of being ridiculously predictable, I liked the movie, though I would have liked it better had she owned her villainous ways… would have made a far more interesting story.  At least the theme song is hauntingly beautiful: 

Verdict: only if you have small child… (skip it) 

The Grand Budapest Hotel: surprising

At the risk of an oversimplification, if you’ve seen one Wes Anderson flick, you’ve seen them all.   They are a little darker (thematically), muted (visually), and off-center (societally).  And while all of this is as it should be in The Grand Budapest Hotel, the film itself was not what I was expecting.  Though a straight forward tale of greed, love, and loyalty, as told through the eyes of a bellboy, the lengths to which the characters followed those ends were not.  Defamed “heroes”  and psychopaths running a mock in what looked like the Swiss Alps was a  bit too much for me.  This was definitely more fantastic than insightful, as the characters became obvious caricatures rather than the subtler versions I had grown accustomed to.  That said, I found the film appropriately intriguing and the story fresh (in a throwback kind of way)—though not my favorite Wes Anderson film (in full disclosure, it’s Moonrise Kingdom).

Verdict: A nice night-in option on a rainy day (Netflix it) 

The Lego Movie: everything is awesome

It is often the case that movie's get over-hyped.  I've been fooled many a times, and with all the press this got, I just assumed someone did a good job marketing a ridiculous child's movie.  And then the rotten tomato score came out.  And I must say, I was very appreciative of this movie.  Though I found all the bright colors and flying Lego pieces over-stimulating, the story was highly original.  And kinda meta... very legit.  The story centers on an average Joe who becomes extraordinary in a world of lemmings (and the Justice League apparently) and has a great message that both parents and children can enjoy.  And really does make you want to get out the ol' Lego set and build something.  Dan Lin, this was a very good look... though, it was perfectly fine in 2-D.

Netflix Binge: Documentaries

I'm recovering from illness, so I wanted to attempt to learn something/be productive to offset my day of nothingness.  Here's what I marathoned through:

Title	Opinion	Blurb
Blackfish	Meh (skip it)	12-ton killer whales in captivity killing people out of frustration.  Moral of the story: boycott SeaWorld, as its the worst offender of them all. Got it, could have read an article on it instead.
Detropia	Brutally factual (good if you’re already interested)	As a Detroiter, it made me sad: sad to see how a once great city, full of culture and history, has eroded into the shell of what it once was.  The film highlights the issues that brought it to the brink of extinction and the paralysis the city suffers from stopping it from moving forward.  While not stylistically beautiful or cogent, the raw reality was all there and impossible to miss.
Urbanized	Comprehensively educational (good for a lazy Sunday)	Like a good documentary should be... it describes what it is, touches on its historical progression, and highlights global examples of distinct styles.  As a person who loves cities, but can't really articulate why, this film describes it artistically and beautifully.  It definitely gives you a new perspective and appreciation for urban design, planning, and how everyone (laymen and experts) can be responsible for it.
The Square (Oscar nom)	Eye-openning (must see)	I can't fathom how awful life must have been in order to fight through the 2 years documented in the film.  It's weird to see the revolution so well told and captured, IN the moments... it almost looks scripted.  But knowing it's real, and people's lives, makes the story told so much more powerful.  It is a tale of people fighting to whatever end to see their justice come to fruition. I can't help be selfish and think "what have I fought for lately?"

Back from hiatus

To cut to the chase, I caught a horrific cold, have been resting up for days, and had enough to time to remember why I started this thing in the first place and why it was important for me to maintain.  So, I'm back.  There is a longer version.... but it's not really that interesting to write or read.

So after a year off, it's back on. Just in time for Oscar season.

Cirque du Soliel-- worlds away: comically impressive

Having never seen a Cirque du Soliel show and having not set foot inside a circus in over 15 years, I was amazed.  The talent involved in the shows are athletes worthy of "Ninja Warrior" (which has had Olympians not make the physical cut) with supreme grace.  It was seriously some of the best stunts ever: great feats of strength and illusions to create beautiful 3-D scenes.  However, there was a bit too much artistic liberty with the themes and motifs (I missed a lot of what was happening).  It was this fantastic experience that nearly nullified the need to see any of the actual Vegas shows that it featured.
Verdict: rent it for a family night (discount)

Silver Linings Playbook: worth it

I feel like this film was this year's "Little Miss Sunshine."  Not to "overhype" it (like with "Little Miss Sunshine"), it was surprisingly quite funny: original and quirky with a great cast.  Though it focuses on Bradley Cooper's recuperation from a mental breakdown, it is full of crazy people.  Pretty much everyone.  As everyone finds a way to "cope" with their idiosyncrasies, or in some cases completely ignore, you truly feel for these characters.  The way in which you become invested and root for wins on the little things, like get through the day, is worth noting.  Many a times I watch films like this completely disinterested and when I get into one, especially when the main character also hates Ernest Hemingway as must as I do, it is time to celebrate.
Verdict: must see (buzzworthy)

Oscars 2013

So, this year, I had yet to see 3 of 9 of the Best Picture nominations.  Which is a terrible year for me. Though I am in the process of updating the reviews for those that I have seen and have yet to review, I figure most of these are obscure enough where you haven't seen them anyways. However, in spite of my lack of any foundation whatsoever to base my predictions on, I am going to give it a shot:

Academy Award Category	My Vote	My Prediction
Best Picture	Argo	Argo
Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Actress	Jessica Chastain	Jennifer Lawrence
Best Supporting Actor	Tommy Lee Jones	Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Best Supporting Actress	Sally Field	Ann Hathaway
Best Director	Ang Lee	Ang Lee
Cinematography	Life Of Pi	Life of Pi
Adapted Screenplay	Silver Linings Playbook	Lincoln
Original Screenplay	Moonrise Kingdom	Django Unchained

Jack Reacher: empty fun

So, regardless of my personal feelings for Tom Cruise, it is undeniable that he is a pretty good actor. He makes decent movie decisions but always delivers an outstanding performance; it was nice to be reminded of that. Jack Reacher is a well-done film about a bad-ass cop solving a really hard case.  It's like Die Hard, but less improbable/ extravagent.  It is unfortunate that it comes at a bad time, on the heels of the Newtown incident, as it's about solving a senseless and random shooting.  Though you really don't get why this nomadic hermit is as good as he is or as involved as he is, you learn to appreciate his presence and style in the investigation.  Though violent, it's not excessively graphic so that you can still enjoy the victory in getting the bad guy.
Verdict: Catch the matinee (discount) 

A brief note on long movies

There are far too many movies out this season that are over 2 1/2 hours long.  Between travel time, previews, and the actual movie, I lose close to 4 hours of my day.  While I love movies, that seems a bit excessive.  And what's worst, is that they feel that long.  As a general rule of thumb, I think the ideal running time should be between 90 and 120 min.  Anything shorter doesn't allow for any type of character development and only enough time for the conflict and resolution; even "Clueless" was 97 minutes long.   Case and point: "Friday after Next"

Anything longer and I feel like there is always 20 minutes of filler that I want back in my life.  In fact, I know the exact 20 minute segment I want to nix from the 165-minute "Dark Knight Rises."  I'm not even remotely interested in seeing the director's cuts on those bad boys.  So, please, stop making them sooo long now-- either turn them into 2 movies or cut some stuff out.
Thanks, the audience

Life of Pi: beautifully inspiring

Put a tiger and a bio-luminescent whale in a trailer, and I'm sold.  Add some beautiful sunsets and sunrises and the most stunning ship sinking since the "Titanic," and I'm content.  And add a whopping dollop of religious discovery and I'm intrigued.  For a boy who was named after a pool instead of a mathematical constant, he sure can tell a good story.  So, after having the senses dazzled in 3D and watching a fascinating display of animal instinct for survival, I was very pleased with Ang Lee's work.  My intrigue had little to do with the actual story and all to do with the aesthetics   It was an enchanted journey that was a bit too long (I can only look at a placid ocean, a tiger, and an emaciated boy for so long), but was an intriguing story of faith and perseverance.

Verdict: if it fits your fancy (buzzworthy)

Flight: light & dark

The opening scene of the film said it all: the type of person we would watch struggle for clarity of mind and conscience.  The problem was that he is not really pitiable.  In fact, he is downright unlikable.  This is a confounding story of an incredible act of heroism made by a nonredeemable man.  Rarely do I enjoy addiction stories but this one was better than average.  While that doesn't make this one of my favorite movies of 2012, it was an enjoyable experience.  It helped that the acting was incredible; nearly every role was superbly executed.  The characters are somewhat understandable, the story is decent, but the people (even John Goodman) make that world go round.
Verdict: only if you really like Denzel, go now (rent it)

Wreck-it Ralph: pretty good

When Alan Horn came to visit one of my classes this year, one of the movies he gave a resounding endorsement was Wreck-It Ralph.  While not my favorite animated film of recent years, it was pretty clever.  While we get to appreciate the fish-out-of-water feeling that Ralph tries to combat (and the lengths he goes through to fit in), it takes some fairly dark turns for a movie mostly set in an arcade version of "Candyland."  And it is because of these deviations from a traditional bubble-gum kids movie that it is a good movie for a grown-up who just wants to see a wholesome yet interesting story.  Additionally, Pixar/Disney (but mainly, Pixar) does a fantastic job of not only personifying mundane objects but also romanticizing the forgotten.  From Toy Story to Wall-E, there is the overt reminder that "old" does not mean irrelevant and should not be discarded as such.  Wreck-It Ralph is no exception.
Verdict: Good choice (worth it)

Skyfall: favorite bond

I know, that is a strong statement-- this is my favorite Bond--but, in the spirit of transparency, I haven't seen every one of them and I don't remember the ones I have seen.  In general, as stated in an earlier post, I find these kinds of films overly complicated and frustrating.  But this one was refreshing: it was a simpler story about a couple of spies going through transitions, and dealing with them in radically different ways.  As I prefer character stories to intricate plots (most of the time), this film is complemented by its great acting (Javier Bardem was fantastic) that truly enhance the film.
Verdict: Worth the $10 (buzzworthy)

Cloud Atlas: ...ummm...

I think I need to read the book.  It was confusing and jumbled and LONG and somewhat painful to sit through.  From what I read about it, this was a ridiculous undertaking in the first place, and it is a cleaner version of the book: they simplified the characters by having the actors play multiple roles.  And yes, it did in fact look like a make-up artist's "white whale," turning all the actors into at least one alternative ethnicity.  But, the story is disjointed and nearly impossible to follow, having no clear theme that explains why their lives are intertwined or circular.  Again, in summary, I think I need to read the book.
Verdict: It's a dense book... (skip it unless you fully commit)

Pitch Perfect: hilariously grand

I loved this movie.  I saw it like 2 months ago, but since it is still in theaters, I figured it's still relevant.  It is one of the few movies ever to be gifted as a DVD and still be in theaters.  And I get its appeal: it's a really funny movie, even though it's a story that has been told a thousand times.  There is the young misfit with great talent being brought into a team where its leader has something to prove.   Picture "Bring It On" (the original) but with only 1 black person and change out cheerleading with acapella.  What I think makes this movie exceptional is how it doesn't even attempt to be substantial.  Like, at all.  It is purely superficial fun that everyone can enjoy, from teenagers to grownups.
Verdict: Check it out (go for it)

Argo: very good

As a terrible American, I had no idea that this event ever happened or how it turned out in the end.  To my credit, it doesn't help that it is about a CIA covert op that never publicly claims credit.  Regardless, this is a well done film.  Consider Oceans 11 except the prize is American lives.  We get to watch the assembly of an "ace" but unconventional team of CIA and Hollywood, the pre-work to an outlandish cover to smuggle Americans back home, the unrest in Iran continue to build as the escaped Embassy workers hold their breathe and wait it out.  Now there are some obviously glaring artistic liberties taken with this movie (the sheer number of narrow escapes-- I'm talking seconds away from all the good guys dying-- can only be fabricated), but it does help to make for a gripping tale.  Thank you Ben Affleck; from start to finish, it is a riveting story that you can't help but sincerely hope it all works out.
Verdict: Just do it (Buzzworthy)

The Master:...I got nothing

I will keep this brief. There is not much I can say, as I have no idea what I watched.  There was a story about two men who stumble upon each other and...and...I don't know actually what follows beyond that.  I think there was a real point of view here, but I am not of the right mind to decipher what it was.  The characters were good, I think, but without a sound storyline for me to contrast it with, I can't tell you if they really did a good job.  Honestly, I'd only see this as an intellectual challenge to prove to yourself that you are artistically refined enough and intelligent enough to get the point.
Verdict: if you dare (skip)

A brief note on simple crime movies

Color me simple, but I appreciate a straight forward crime story.  No high tech gadgets, no spies and government agencies, and no conspiracies.  That doesn't mean I don't like the Bond series, I just prefer a simple thug story that focuses on the people rather than the overarching plot a la Snatch.  A devout minimalist, this does not mean skimp on the story; it still needs to be clever and entertaining.  But if you need to spell out for me the entire plot, as no one in the audience would have ever pieced it together on their own, 10 minutes before the final showdown scene, then you are doing the most (and not in a good way).  It is an insult to my intelligence (not only can I not solve the puzzle on my own by design, but it completely ignores the fact that I might want to try).  I get that some people like it, but I think a far greater number of people appreciate a good old-fashioned heist.  In summary, when devising a good story, don't over think it.