Movie Review: Trouble with the Curve

Trouble with the Curve

Directed by Robert Lorenz

Starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake

Rating: B+

There is a lot more to this movie than baseball and the inevitable love story. Trouble with the Curve is filled with emotion and surprising reveleations about the strained relationship between a father and daughter. In the beginning it seems Mickey has her life figured out; she works hard and is reaping success from her efforts. Later we find out the reason she works so hard and why she works so hard at being a lawyer, something she says she didn't want to do as a career. Gus has some secrets of his own, including why he seemingly abandoned Mickey when she was young. Both characters have some very hard truths to face and plenty of time to do it on their scouting trip together. Neither is happy about having to be on the trip with the other, but there is a familial sense of obligation. On top of that complexity, the baseball scout has failing eyes, there is a rookie scout who is wistfully hopeful about a backup career, and a power seeking mid-level manager who is out of touch with life outside the office. The result is a nice, complex movie that is heart warming, raw, inspirational, romantic, and sportsy. 

Movie Review: The Guilt Trip

The Guilt Trip

Directed by Anne Fletcher

Starring Barbara Streisand, Seth Rogan

Rating: B+

This movie has much more than just comedy. Seth Rogan and Barbara Streisand team up to deliver joke after joke on an eight day, cross country road trip while a more serious storyline plays out. The two attempt to find the reason why there's no love in each others lives, and secrets are revealed along the way. Tensions rise as the days go on; a fight ensues and both say things they regret. Relationships mend and by the end of the movie there is a surprising, happy ending.

Movie Review: The Hobbit

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Directed by Peter Jackson

Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett

Rating: B+

     While I enjoyed this movie I believe the director and producers made it in order to give some eye candy to fans of the Lord of the Rings franchise. I know the stories are related, but it seems to me that someone who hadn't seen or read The Lord of the Rings would not get some parts of this movie or it would take them longer to catch on. There is character cross over, including Lady Galadriel whose mystical powers are revealed in a much more obvious and transparent way in LOR. The orcs and other evil creatures are the same. However, other characters in this movie are similar, but new. The dwarfs are a source of comic relief at times, especially when Bombur catches a sausage that is thrown his way and the bench he is sitting on folds under his weight. Each dwarf looks different from the next and his his own character traits.The trolls are disgusting creatures that appear a bit dim witted.
     This movie finished much sooner than I was anticipating. I expected more build up to the end and more struggles for the characters throughout. That's why when the movie ended after their seemingly first real struggle I was a little startled. I had to look at my watch to see how long we'd been in there. While there wasn't as much plot complexity as I was expecting the fact that I had to look at my watch is a good sign because it shows the movie was engaging and not boring and I did not feel like I had been sitting in the theater for nearly three hours.
     In addition to this movie being the first in the series of Hobbit movies, it is also trail blazing because it is the first to use HFR (high frame rate). I hadn't heard of such a thing before looking up movie times. Upon further investigation, I found that a standard Hollywood movie is filmed at 24 frames per second. This movie was filmed at 48 frames per second. That in itself is exciting and a reason to go see the movie. I viewed The Hobbit in 3-D, HFR and the picture was clear, vivid, and detailed. I would be interested in seeing a side-by-side comparison of a movie that is HFR and one that is not. While I thought the movie had spectacular resolution I'm not sure if I thought that just because I had not seen this particular movie before. I do not have any complaints on HFR, however there was a lot going on in this movie. The picture was so sharp and with the 3-D there were things flying at me by the minute!

Movie Review: Bernie

Bernie

Directed by Richard Linklater

Starring Jack Black, Shirley McLaine, Matthew McConaughey

Rating: B

This is an entertaining and amusing movie. It is also a lighthearted poke at the people of Texas and small towns in general. Jack Black is nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as a funeral director's assistant. The nod is well deserved as Black portrays the truly good hearted Bernie so well as he lives through joys and anguish. However, I do not see Black getting the nomination for an Oscar; this is not the type of movie that generally gets noticed for such a thing, especially since it is classified as a comedy or musical. Still, it is an enjoyable movie.

Movie Review: The Sessions

The Sessions

Directed by Ben Lewin

Starring John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy

Rating: B

I'm still not sure how I feel about this movie. It was deeper than I anticipated and there were many relationships that were examined throughout the course of the movie. We grow to know and like the main character and cheer for him on his quest for sexual gratification. I'm not ruining anything by divulging that he dies at the end, after all the movie is based on a true story. He is eulogized as a man who knew love and was loved. He lived a full life. I am uncomfortable with the sex therapist. The viewer is supposed to feel sorry for her and feel closer to her as she falls for her patient. However, I found it hard to develop that connection to a character who is cheating on her husband for work. I do believe, as she explains, there is a difference between her job and that of a prostitute, but since she is married I do not find her work noble in any way. She tells her husband that she does not develop an emotional connection but she does, at least in this case.

Movie Review: Hitchcock

Hitchcock

Directed by

Starring

Rating: B+

This movie was very enjoyable as it was about more than just the life of esteemed director Alfred Hitchcock it was about the making of his most famed movie Psycho. Throughout the process from story conception to cinema premier, the audience is given insight into Hitchcock's insecurities, marital trouble, paranoia, indulgence, and more. The director struggles to get Hollywood, his friends and even his wife to buy into his latest movie idea, at least at first. They all come around mostly because they have faith in Hitchcock and what he is able to do. Psycho becomes Hitchcock's greatest hit, something that is foreshadowed in the movie, but the director himself doubted whether the film would work on multiple occasions. Even his business advisers wonder if Hitchcock will break even on the film. Luckily, Psycho was turned into a masterpiece by Hitchcock and his wife in the cutting process.

Movie Review: Life of Pi

Life of Pi

Directed by Ang Lee

Starring Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan

Rating: A

This movie is not quite what I was expecting, but in a good way. Before seeing the movie I feared it might be dull. After all how much excitement and dialog can come from a boy who is trapped on a rescue boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? The story was set up nicely, as we learn the boy is taught to fear the tiger. His family is forced to move from India to Canada on a cargo ship with the animals from his father's zoo. By the time the boat was shipwrecked I was already hooked on the movie. The boy talks to the animals some, but mostly we hear the words he writes into his journal and what he reads from the survival handbook. The director did an excellent job capturing the beauty of the scenes from beginning to end from the zoo animals at home, to the storms, to the water at sunset. In the end we find out there is a double meaning to the shipwrecked story and that is the part of the movie that has stuck with me. I actually can't get it out of my mind. To say this movie exceeded my expectations is an understatement.

My Favorite Christmas Movie

     Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas is my favorite holiday movie. Although the Jim Henson creation is a story that is very much geared toward children, I still enjoy its simplicity and traditional Christmas values. I believe it carries the right kind of message and that is something that is important to remember this time of year. I recently purchased the DVD after not seeing the movie for years. Every time I would talk about it people would think I was nuts. Many have not seen it or even heard of it. The movie was originally an HBO special from 1977. I loaned the movie to a friend so he could show it to their kids, and the movie stood the test of time. His kids loved it, albeit for reasons that are very different from my own. Still, it is nice to share my holiday memories with others.

Movie Review: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov

Starring Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell

Rating: B

     I was hesitant to see this movie after reading some reviews, however I am glad I did. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is an action packed film that has content. I feared the storyline would just jump right into slaying creatures of the night without much plot development. Instead, the movie started out with the telling of why Abraham Lincoln detested (fictionally, of course) vampires so much. There was an appropriate build up before the future president met his foe. Even though there are many parts that are unbelievable, the story was well done. I joke that writing about vampire gives the author poetic license to make up rules for the existence of the undead, and this movie did just that. The alterations to accepted vampire lore (if there is such a thing) aid in telling the story and add to the suspense as more of the plot is revealed. I actually enjoyed this movie more than I enjoyed Lincoln, which I have previously blogged about. It was far more entertaining and had a palpable hook that engaged the viewer.

Movie Review: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Directed by Lorene Scafaria

Starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley

Rating: C-


This movie feel much short of my expectations. It had potential to be a great movie, but proper story development wasn't there. The viewer is expected to make mental leaps to understand certain plot points and there were scenes that should have been more prominent instead of forgettable. They were referred to later in the movie and I was a bit lost. There were humorous moments, but through most of the movie I was questioning what the characters were doing and why they were doing that. In the movie the characters are helping each other out with a goal, but they don't really need each other to accomplish it. I found the movie to be a bit unbelievable, and not the whole countdown to armageddon/ death by asteroid, but the unlikely pairing of next door neighbors who seem to at times despise one another. Why would someone spend the last days of their life with a person they can barely stand? There has to be a better way to spend time.

Movie Review: Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook

Directed by David O. Russell

Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro

Rating: B


     I enjoyed this movie, as I thought I would. It was intense, conflict orientated, sentimental, and cheerful at times. It is a true story of dysfunction breeds dysfunction, but family togetherness trumps all in the end. The relationship between what seems like an unlikely couple at the beginning blossoms as the two help each other through their emotional and psychological problems. The writer and director bring it all together in the end, as all of the different plot lines combine. You have the father's obsession and superstition over Eagles football, an ex-wife and a chance at reconciliation, a dance competition, and romantic tension over a could-be relationship. The movie had great story development from the build-up, to the climax, to the resolution. The best part of the movie, it had a happy ending.

Movie Review: Ruby Sparks

Movie Review: Ruby Sparks

Directed by Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Starring Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas

Rating: A

            This is a charming movie with a great and original concept. I have never before read, seen, or heard a story along the lines of this fictional great. The antisocial writer creates his perfect woman in writing and she comes to life. It is interesting how the idea of Ruby escalates from what seems to be a figment of Calvin’s imagination to someone everyone can see and interact with; she becomes his girlfriend. He eventually takes a break from writing in an attempt to stop manipulating his relationship. However, when he created her she was his ideal woman and she grows unhappy in a relationship in which he won’t let her do anything but be with him. So, he starts writing again to make her happy, and then in an attempt to make him happy. He wanted the storybook romance of his creation and when he’s not writing what she is doing and feeling she is able to act on her own free will and her actions are not what he desires. She says Calvin has rules and won’t tell her what they are until she breaks them and didn’t live up to the image of who he wanted her to be.

It is odd that while she is a real person with a real past she was bound by what Calvin would write. She had a past and real; she just happened to end up in his life exactly when he wrote about it. In the end when he is proving a point to her by making her act exactly what he wrote he is going through mental tumult as he is letting her go. He is coming to the realization that the story needs to end. She was physically real, but still a figment of his imagination. His problem in the beginning is that he cannot write, he cannot come up with a new story, but in the end he has the greatest story of his lifetime.

            I greatly enjoyed this story. I had no clue where the twists and turns would take me. The acting was convincing and I lost myself in the movie. A great amount of my appreciation for the film comes from the fact that I have never witnessed anything of the like. It was refreshing.

Catching Up On Christmas Movies

            As part of the effort to get me caught up on all of the movies I should have seen by now, a friend loaned me A Christmas Story and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Yes, that’s right. I hadn’t seen either movie. Both had been on my radar as movies I should watch. However, at least in the case of A Christmas Story, I was afraid the nostalgic love people have for it had inflated my expectations. So, I did what any reluctant moviegoer should do, I lowered my expectations. Still, A Christmas Story fell short. It was as I expected but only cornier and seemingly pointless. I kept wondering when it would end. Surely Ralphie has to get his BB gun or face the disappointment of a crushed dream, but were the other plot lines necessary? I’m guessing that if I had seen this movie as a child I would have enjoyed the silly moments and quirky quotes and would cherish them still to this day. On the other hand, I now have a greater understanding of the leg lamp. It is something I didn’t realize was from A Christmas Story until just last year. I always thought it was just a really tacky piece of American kitsch with origins unknown. I kept watching the movie just for the sake of saying I have seen it, but I wanted to shut it off and make better use of my time. That’s not to say that I’m not a fan of old, classic movies. I am a big fan of the timeless telling of great stories.

            Cue National Lampoons to save the night. I watched this movie after finishing A Christmas Story. I hadn’t planned to do so, but I needed something to rinse the befuddlement of a deficient cinematic experience off of me. This movie was humorous and more relatable. There were many characters on the rolls and they all added a different eccentric quality to the movie. At times, I felt the joke went on for too long, but then again I often feel that way about slapstick comedies of this sort. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation did just what I needed it to do; it ended the night on a more entertaining note and restored my faith in Christmas movies (which I have still not seen many of).

Food Review: Zoup

            There are all kinds of semi-fast food restaurants catering to any culinary preference. There are sandwich shops, oriental fare, Mexican grills, and more. A new option to me is the Zoup, which offers a many varieties of soup and some sandwiches and salad. Zoup is attempting to trend set with its café/bistro style and it has added one more contemporary element, soup tastings. That’s right you can sample any of the restaurant’s 12 soups on the menu for that particular day. The soups are on a rotation, so what you sample today may not be there tomorrow. The soup sampling reminds me of a frozen yogurt shop. You get a small condiment container of soup and a spoon and you can try as many as you want, which may be a great annoyance to the lunch crowd. The soup options are varied and offer something for everyone. Their fall options included pumpkin pie bisque and ginger butternut squash bisque. There are vegetarian friendly soups and sandwich options, and salads to boot. I was pleased with my choices at this restaurant, and I would recommend it for an on the go meal or a quick bite. The half sandwich and side of soup was plenty of food for a meal, especially since it came with a piece of bread.

Exciting DWTS Finals

           The excitement is building for the results of the Dancing With the Stars all-star season. I voted and now I’m just waiting to see who wins the blinged out mirror ball trophy. The ladies gave it their all in this last week of competition. They brought back their favorite dance from the prior weeks and then performed a super sized freestyle with no rules whatsoever.

I’m putting my support behind Shawn Johnson. In the past few weeks she has revealed just how much this competition means to her. She joined the cast on the heels of a failed Olympic comeback; this is her chance at redemption of sorts. For their first dance she and Derek performed their quickstep. Similar to the first time, this routine was high flying with many tricks and it proved to be very entertaining. However, the judges were not pleased. Shawn and Derek were criticized the first time around for breaking the rules and they were dinged again with the same criticism this week. Before the judge’s scores, Shawn and Derek said they chose this routine because it was their most fun routine and they have devoted this season to the fans and giving them what they want. She earned a score of 27. Their second dance was exciting, but I was expecting a little more from the two who have been pushing boundaries all season long. They were joined by the Fierce Five, which was a great way for Shawn to wrap up the season, with her partner and her gymnastics team. The duo earned a perfect 30 for this dance, which left them with 57 out of 60 points for the night. I feel like Shawn deserves to win the competition because she has been competing against herself the whole season, consistently trying to outdo the previous week. Instead of just learning the dances she tried to bring as much as she could to the ballroom floor.

Melissa Rycroft ended with the highest score of the night, a perfect 60 out of 60. Melissa performed her fun samba for the first dance. The most notable difference between this performance and their first is Melissa’s confidence. She has grown more comfortable with herself as a dancer during this show. I was pleased and impressed with Melissa’s freestyle. I would have expected her to do an upbeat, peppy, cheerleader-ish dance for her freestyle. That has been her comfort zone and she stayed there throughout this season. Instead she performed a contemporary dance, which she had not yet done. Melissa rolled off Tony with ease as the two transitioned from one move to another; she climbed on him and he lifted her like she was weightless. They made it look so natural and sensual. The judges loved it. Actually, Len was speechless and when he gave his score he said he wished he had an 11. Bruno said the dance showcased her best dance qualities.

Kelly and Val outperformed my expectations. The duo scored 59 out of 60 for the night. Their first routine was the paso doble, which I felt was not as powerful as it could have and should have been since we are so far into the show. There was a slip up with her hand grasping Val’s and I could see what appeared to be some uncertainty on her face throughout. However, the judges liked the performance. They noticed the slip up, but thought she recovered well and performed strongly. Kelly’s freestyle was a tribute to Dirty Dancing. She and Val danced to “Time of My Life” with the troop dancers. They began the routine with Kelly doing acrobatics suspended in the air by fabric and Val played the violin. The routine ended with the troop dancers surrounding the pair just as in the movie. I thought this was a fun final dance for the two and as the judges noted it was the perfect ending for their relationship, which has played out over the course of the show’s ten weeks. Bruno said Patrick [Swayze] was looking down from heaven.

Movie Review: Breaking Dawn 2

    The Twilight era is over, and it went out with a bigger bang than I anticipated. I wasn't very excited to see this final movie of the epic series. I was not a fan of the first installment of Breaking Dawn and I honestly was not sure how well the second half would translate to the big screen. I was pleasantly surprised to find this adaptation veered away from the book just enough to give the movie an interesting twist (with an audible gasp from theater goers) and a lot of action. I was amply entertained throughout, unlike with other Twilight movies.
    So, what does this mean for fan boys and girls? The last installment of Twilight has hit the theaters and most if not all Twi-Hards have seen it already. I guess they'll just have to wait for the next thrilling supernatural book series to take the world by storm. There's Hunger Games with at least two more movies to go, but that series appeals to a slightly different audience. However, those who subscribed to the fight over Team Edward and Team Jacob will at least have Team Peeta or Team Gale. I'm sure the Twilight series will continue to be loved and adored by fans and will earn a place in cinematic history, if not just as a kitschy cult classic series. ABC Family will glom onto the movies and air them ad nauseam just as they did with the Harry Potter movies, however I believe the Harry Potter movies hold a more dear place in the hearts of many.

Movie Review: Lincoln

Lincoln

Directed by Steven Speielberg

Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field

Rating: B+

            I was hoping I would like this movie more than I did. I liked it enough, but I feel like it did not live up to the hype. Steven Spielberg did a nice job of handing what could be a complicated, boring historical topic. The story moved along and it was interesting despite already knowing the outcome of the 13^th Amendment, the Civil War, and Lincoln’s assassination. Daniel Day Lewis delivered a quiet but powerful portrayal of Lincoln, which I can appreciate. Still, for me the movie fell short. There is a tendency in Hollywood and for reviewers to treat anything directed by Spielberg as gold and anything Daniel Day Lewis acts in as worthy of an Oscar statuette. Adding the name Tommy Lee Jones to the casting roster (an interesting and perhaps poor casting decision) is supposed to make a movie even more epic. Plus, because the movie takes place during such a historically significant period of U.S. history and the topic is an amendment that drastically changed life for so many people in the country critics laud it more than other movies. It is as if any movie on a prominent historical figure is worthy of praise. The movie was good, just not as good as I thought it was going to be.

Dancing With the Stars: Week 9

            It’s all about the girls now on Dancing With the Stars. We’re moving into finals week and the three who made it in are Shawn Johnson, Melissa Rycroft, and Kelly Monaco. Shawn has been a weekly favorite of mine, so I am happy she will get to continue her quest for the super blinged out mirror ball trophy. She consistently brings her drive for excellence to the competition. Over the past couple weeks I have been more impressed with Melissa, as it seems she is taking more risks and dancing out of her comfort zone. As for Kelly, thank goodness for her she has the soap opera fans. Her determination and dedication to the show has grown throughout the show; her dance skills have also improved, but she still lags behind the others and I believe she relies on her charisma with her partner and her charm to keep her on the show.

Anticipating the Release

      The holiday season means there are plenty of Oscar buzz worthy movies opening in theaters.  I am excited about many of them and I have made it my goal to see all of them, and adding to the excitement is a new review about one such movie.

Review: 'Silver Linings Playbook' will give audiences a lift

    Silver Linings Playbook looks to be a promising dramedy about a serious subject, mental illness. Trailers for the movie hint at great acting by Jennifer Lawrence. It is now out on limited release, and one of the first reviews I've seen, from CNN, highlights the movie's other great attributes and has makes me even more pleased that this film will soon be coming to a box office near me.

Music Review: Buffalo Killers

Buffalo Killers Show

with openers Hollis Brown

Venue: Radio Radio, Indianapolis

            I may have a new favorite band to muse over, but it is not the Buffalo Killers. I saw their show at Radio Radio on Thursday night and I was impressed with the opening act Hollis Brown. The band had a strong southern rock feel with hints of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bob Dylan. They were smooth and edgy and as the opening act played on I wondered what was still in store for me. Since I enjoyed Hollis Brown so much would I enjoy the Buffalo Killers even more? The answer is no. Individual songs performed by the Buffalo Killers were fine, but not at all what I was expecting. The set lacked a cohesiveness and it was hard to get a feeling for what I was listening to. The music got progressively better with the last song played actually sounding like something I would enjoy listening to on a regular basis. I did not hate the show, nor did I think it was a waste of my time. I was expecting more from the Buffalo Killers, especially after being set up so great by Hollis Brown.

Movie Review: The Pianist

The Pianist

Directed by Roman Polanski

Starring Adrien Brody

Rating: A

            It was no secret, but I didn’t know The Pianist was about a Jewish musician struggling to survive the holocaust in Poland. I’m not sure what I thought the movie would be about, I just knew of its accolades and that I had to see it, eventually. It only took me ten years, however, it was worth the wait. I have an affinity for holocaust movies and any film dealing with World War II, but this movie was beyond nearly everything I have seen before. The direction of the movie was deeply touching as I was made to feel and understand the desperation of those living on the run. The acting was moving and so well done that I felt pain for the actors. It has been a long time since I’ve seen Schindler’s List, but I imagine that is the only other holocaust movie of this caliber.I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Pianist and found myself rooting the main character on and wanting to warn him of imminent danger. His piano playing as depicted in the movie was so beautiful and moving, and thank goodness others in occupied Poland thought so as well.

Dancing With the Stars: Week 8

            The results of this week’s elimination left me a little saddened. I’m not surprised Kirstie Alley and Gilles Marini were the victims of the double elimination, but for much of the season Gilles was one of my favorite dancers. However, as the weeks went on the other stars started bringing more power and while he too was improving and taking risks, he just didn’t reap the benefits.

            This week the scores were big. There was a lot of making up to do. Last week there was no elimination due to the election, so those scores were carried over to this week and on Monday night scores for two more dances were added in. Melissa Rycroft and Tony ended up at the top of the leader board with a near perfect 99 points. Melissa is a good dancer but her selections often frustrate me because it doesn’t appear that she steps out of her comfort zone much. Sure, she takes risks and attempts high-flying fun, but they’re always in her bubble gum, fast jive sort of style. She began the night with a quickstep, which was technically great but left me wanting more. I got more later in the night when the duos added a second professional dancer for the trio competition. Melissa, Tony, and Henry danced a paso double that was strong, confident and it was something we don’t often see from Melissa.

            I am a little surprised with a change on the leader board in the recent few weeks. Kelly Monaco resurrected from the near bottom scores she was getting in the first few weeks and she is now usually in the middle or near the top. Her attitude has changed as well. She used to seem complaisant and distracted, but now she is determined and motivated.          

Movie Review: Flight

Flight

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Starring Denzel Washington and Nadine Velazquez

Rating: B-

            This movie wasn’t as action packed as I thought it would be, but that’s not to say that I didn’t like it. I did a little research before heading to the theater and from the pre-release reviews I believed the movie would have a lot more flight scenes with Denzel Washington at the controls drunk. Washington was drunk and high a lot during the movie, but the plot line follows the fall out from a deadly plane crash that Washington maneuvered. His expert piloting was never called into question as it was reported on many times that no other pilot could have landed such a disaster of a plane with such little loss of life. However, the theme of the movie is the pilot’s alcoholism and the denial of his problem as he spun further and further out of control. The film was on the long side, but you wouldn’t know it after sitting in the theater seat the whole time. The story is engaging from the first minute to the last. The acting is strong as Washington’s character teeters between drunk and sober and manic and depressed.

Movie Review: Take This Waltz

Take This Waltz

Directed by Sarah Polley

Starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman

Rating: C+

            I had high hopes for this movie, but not everything in life turns out as we wish. I had trouble from the beginning believing in the attraction between Margot and the neighbor. There didn’t seem to be much chemistry between the two or any sort of personality bond. So, I was shaking my head during their few encounters wondering why she was so drawn to him. Margot had an odd hair-trigger personality in which she was fine and seemingly happy one moment and then crying the next. I didn’t understand her frustration with her husband because on the surface their relationship was strong and loving aside from the two being somewhat out of synch in terms of getting romantic. Margot was always looking for more, always looking to fill the gap. In the end, she was symbolically baking muffins again. It was a near repeat of the very first scene in the movie. Only this time she’s with another guy, but feeling the same. She thought exploring a relationship with the neighbor would fix the restlessness in her life, but after a while she ended up feeling alone again. At the end I understood more why she was so agitated with her husband. It’s like the story Margot first told to the neighbor about her niece crying and Margot searching for a reason. Margot wanted him to ask her what was wrong or if everything was okay and he never did.

            Aside from those plot points, there were some things I definitely did not like and thought were completely unnecessary in the movie. There was too much needless nudity. I don’t mind nudity and I feel it can sometimes further the story, however there is at least one example of a scene in this movie where the opposite happened. The director repeatedly showed naked women around a locker room shower and it had nothing to do with the story. There were also unnecessary sex scenes showing three-somes and such. It was important to show the viewer how happy Margot’s sex life had become, but I do not feel I needed to know how experimental she had gotten and the positions they tried.

Movie Review: Safety Not Guaranteed

Safety Not Guaranteed

Directed by Colin Trevorrow

Starring Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson

Rating: A

            This was easily my favorite movie of the year so far. It told a great story and through well-timed pacing and an exciting climax, it had my attention the whole time. There are mysteries revealed throughout the movie, and certain things we thought were facts we find out are lies and manipulations of the truth. There is an interesting growth in the relationships of not just between the main characters Darius and Kenneth, but also in the lives of the two co-workers Darius is on a mission with. While their stories may not be central to the film, each character is on a journey of their own and you can see a transformation as their skepticism diminishes and they let their guards down. This movie is about the characters trying to find their place in this world and to find the person who compliments them. It is also about believing in the impossible, and at the end ultimately cheering it on.

Movie Review: The Master

The Master

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams

Rating: B-

            This was an intense movie that had me pondering the characters and their alternate psychology treatments. The actors did an excellent job and I believe this is a movie to keep an eye on come awards season, especially for actors Joaquin Phoenix Seymour Hoffman. However, I didn’t connect with the characters. I do not feel this is in any way the fault of the actors, I attribute this to the fact that I lacked the patience needed for the story development. This is a longer movie, compared to most other feature films of recent. In addition, the movie didn’t move along very quickly; it lacked a certain pacing. I still give it a B- rating because I appreciate the alternative topic of the movie and all the director was attempting to accomplish.

Movie Review: The Terminator

The Terminator (1994)

Directed by James Cameron

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton

            The movie started out cheesy enough given that it has been 28 years since the movie was released, however the plot line was engaging. I cared more about finding out what was going on and why a killer was targeting people named Sarah Conner than concerning myself with the Dr. Frankenstein looking lightning special effects. There was plenty of suspense throughout as I waited with baited breath to see if Sarah would be saved. I thought her sex scene with her protector was ridiculous, after all a machine is chasing you and is intent on killing. There’s no time for that! Then at the end, I found it annoying that the Terminator just wouldn’t die. There were two false alarms from destruction attempts that would have killed cockroaches buried in a nuclear fallout shelter, but still he survived and kept chasing. The movie was more entertaining than I was expecting.

Watching the movie solved a life-long mystery of mine. When I was a child I remember watching a movie with my extended family. It was an R rated movie and frequently as children we (my cousins and I) would have to hide under a blanket until we were given the all clear. However, that blanket had holes in it; it was so worn it resembled a crochet afghan. So, I saw a man in a bathroom cutting out his eyeball and tossing it in the sink. I had no recollection of what the movie was or even what type of movie it was, but I always remembered the eyeball. Oddly enough given the popularity of the movie, as I got older I would ask people if they knew what movie the scene was from and they would always answer no. Now that I know it was a scene from The Terminator I realize that it was not as creepy and disgusting as it was in my memory, after all it was a cyborg cutting out his eyeball and he couldn’t feel any pain.

T.V. Review: Freaks and Geeks

            This series only ran for one season before being cancelled (1999-2000). It has since become a cult classic. A number of actors from the series now have great film careers (James Franco, Jason Segel Seth Rogen, Linda Cardellini, Busy Phillips) and that is the reason "Freaks and Geeks" landed on my “must watch” list. The show features one family in suburban Detroit in 1980. The sister and brother are described as freak and geek respectively, and the show follows their lives as they try to navigate through high school. Their troubles are mostly focused on finding your place in life. I greatly enjoyed watching this series. There were a lot of laughs and many unbelievable moments. Freaks and Geeks reminds me of another teen high school drama that also only lasted one season. "My So-Called Life” (1994-1995) dealt with the same type of issues and had the same sort of lost feeling in the main character. The main character in that series was also trying to find her place in the world as she started questioning many values that she had been taught by school and her family. "My So-Called Life" has also become a cult classic.

Movie Review: The Ring

The Ring (2002)

Directed by Gore Verbinkski

Starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson

Rating: C+

            I had high expectations for this film, or low depending on how you look at it. I do not like horror films and I was told this is one of the best, and therefore I was dreading watching it. This film was selected for me to watch by Mike as part of an attempt to get me caught up on scary movies that I have not seen (in addition to all the other movies that I have not seen). However, while watching the movie I wondered if Mike loaned me the movie so I would die. The characters that watch the ring tape all die within seven days. I started counting the days until my death, but then I realized that Mike has seen the movie and he’s still alive…

            I enjoyed this movie as much as one can enjoy a movie with a dark mystery, a scary apparition, an insane asylum, and creepy children. It was more of a suspense thriller than the kind of horror movie I was anticipating. There were moments when I didn’t want to watch anymore, but the movie mostly had my eyes glued to the screen. I also enjoyed that this movie was a sort of highbrow horror film with numerous small details that all add up to disturbing facts. The average viewer wouldn’t have to catch all of the subtleties to understand the movie or even enjoy it, but it certainly gave me a lot to think about during and after the film. Some of those things I thought about were the motivations of the characters. I guess this is typical of a horror movie, wondering why someone is running up the stairs when there is an axe-wielding maniac on the chase (not in The Ring, but something I come to expect horror movies). In this movie and in many others I wonder why the characters investigate really creepy sounds when they know they’ll lead to their doom. In The Ring I also wondered why the mother would leave the evil video tape where anyone can get to it and watch it, and since it has to continue in existence why not just label it “watch at your own risk” or “view this and die.” Many people would probably think those are snarky warnings and watch anyway, but at least they were warned.

Movie Review: Argo

Argo

Directed by Ben Affleck

Starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman

Rating: A

I was not sure how hard I would have to work to keep my attention on a movie based on a true story. However, I like politics and history so I thought I would give it a go. The movie has great pacing, with the suspense growing through out. During the climax of the movie I found myself gasping and holding my breath waiting to see if things would work out. The movie is filled with strong and vivid scenes of the revolution in Iran and it was easy to become fearful for the characters and the situation.

Ben Affleck produced, directed and acted in the movie, and he did the story justice. The film came across as historically authentic with the crew paying great amounts of attention to detail in the film interpretation of photographic scenes from the revolution. In addition, the actors  bear a remarkable resemblance to their real-life counterparts. The only negative critique I heard about this movie ahead of viewing it is that Affleck did everything well in the movie aside from casting himself. At first, I took that critique to mean that his acting might have been subpar. However, his acting was believable and I have no complaints there. Affleck was perhaps not the best match, aesthetic wise, for the man he was attempting to portray and I believe that is what the slightly negative critique meant. Affleck was able to cast a number of great actors in this movie. Actually, the number was surprising, from John Goodman, to Alan Arkin, to Victor Garber. He tends to do better with films that he directs rather than films he just acts in.

As I stated, I like politics and history, and I feel like this movie was very well done. My affinity for those two subjects may be one reason I am so excited about this film and perhaps why I might have enjoyed it more than other theater goers. I don't think any serious movie snob or critic would argue on the merits of this movie.

Bettlejuice on the Big Screen

            This weekend I had the opportunity to watch Bettlejuice on the big screen. A local theater was hosting a midnight showing of the classic film in honor of Halloween. I have seen the movie more times than I can count, but I had never seen it in a theater. The movie was as entertaining as I remembered, but the real experience was being in the theater with numerous movie snobs who all sought out the special event. There was excitement in the air as we waited for the opening credits to roll. I feel like I should take advantage of more of these midnight showings in the future.

Movie Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Directed by John Madden

Starring Judi Dench, Bil Nighy

Rating: B+

            This was a delightful moving that followed the personal changes of five characters as they settle into their new lives in India in a community for the elderly. Most of the characters start off with some major character flaw. They are brought to life through their new experience exploring their surroundings and their new freedom and friendships. However, one character doesn’t change and continues to antagonizing her husband. That lack of change in her compelled a change in their relationship that is positive for the husband.  

Book Review: The Catcher in the Rye

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The Catcher in the Rye

Rating: A-

            Like movies, there are a number of books that I feel like I should have read by this point. For some reason, I wasn’t ever assigned to read them in school and never decided to pick them up. I just finished Catcher in the Rye. I enjoyed the pacing of the book, as the tempo seemed to speed up as the main character’s desperation increased. His drinking and professed hatred for people also increased as the book progressed. Holden is a young man with a lot of serious issues to work out. We know he’s had a hard time dealing with the death of his brother, and then we find out he has had several very uncomfortable run-ins with so-called perverts. He is a very confused young man. Ultimately, Holden was mourning the loss of his youth or at least his youthful vision of life. He gets furious at the thought of children seeing swear words scrolled across a wall; he doesn't want the loss of anymore innocent minds. That is why he likes Phoebe so much and why she is the reason he decided to snap out of it. I was hoping that in the resolution his parents would have found out about his troubles and gotten him some help. While I do think he did find some piece of mind on his own that day with Phoebe, more was needed to make sure Holden gets on the right path in life and doesn’t have another near mental breakdown.

Movie Review: Catching Up on Potter

 Goblet of Fire rating: B-

Directed by Mike Newell

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Order of the Phoenix rating: C+

Directed by David Yates

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

            I spent some time catching up on Harry Potter movies the other night. The fourth and fifth movies in the series were showing back to back on ABC Family. I hadn’t seen Goblet of Fire or Order of the Phoenix, so I felt that I should sit back and take it in. Watching these two movies filled in some blanks for me, as I had previously seen the third, sixth, seventh, and eighth movies. I’m not a big Potter fan, but I’ve seen many of the movies because they’re always on television or a friend always wants to go to the theater.

            I enjoyed the Goblet of Fire more than the Order of the Phoenix. It seemed the story line in the first had more continuity, and while there were some surprises along the way, Harry’s goal was clear. Plus, it was more exciting and entertaining. In the latter movie, we were introduced to many evils Harry and his gang were trying to fight at different times in the movie. It did not seem as though there was one clearly developed goal. I found that I wasn’t quite as interested in this movie (this might be due to the fact that I had been Pottering it up for several hours already). However, as this series is created from a book series it makes sense that not every installation is going to be mind blowing.

            The two movies helped me understand aspects of subsequent films. The screenplays were adapted in such a way so that there weren’t any major questions with the movies, however watching these two middle movies allowed me to witness the beginning of some relationships and more background into the characters that helps explain motivations. It was also interesting to see the development of the relationship between Hermione and Ron. Since I had seen them in love at the end, I am taking a trip back through time.

Watching the Harry Potter movies may just motivate me to pick up my book À Lécole Des Sorciers. Over the summer I started reading Harry Potter in French to brush up on my language skills. I figured the Harry Potter series might be a good way to go since the reading level gradually gets more sophisticated with each book. Even if I decide not to read the other books in the series, the first book should still be more simple than some other English to French conversions.

Food Review: Pearl Bistro

Pearl Bistro

Rating: 4 out of 5

            This is another food blog without a picture, but I’ll do my best to illustrate for you. A few weeks ago I picked this small restaurant out of a restaurant listing. It was actually an editor’s pick on Nuvo.net. I ordered the Sundried Tomato Pasta with shrimp. I was very excited when the meal arrived, as it smelled and looked great. The pasta tasted delicious and was savory; it was a lot more flavorful than I was expecting. The sundried tomato cream sauce was a bit heavy and as I neared the end of my meal I was stuffed, but I just couldn’t stop eating it. The shrimp were a bit large for my preference, but that’s just because I have a child-sized mouth. Overall this meal was more than I expected and I would recommend this restaurant to friends.