The Grand Budapest Hotel Trailer

Looks like another delightful film from Wes Anderson (director of Moonrise Kingdom and many other awesome movies).

Mediocrity at its most Mediocre! - Runner Runner, Prisoners, Gravity, and Don Jon

It's been a pretty mediocre month of movies. But, being the film warrior that I am, I have stalwartly gone to see most of them anyway. No, not Rush. But, pretty much all the other ones. So, let's wrap up crappy ole September and (part of) October and get on to GOING TO BE AWESOME November. (Be sure to check out my list of November movies and trailers that can be found on the lower right side of the page!)

I am so underwhelmed by most of these movies that I'm not putting in pictures of them or, let's be honest, any effort into full reviews.

Runner Runner
Let's break down the main problems with this movie.

• Justin Timberlake is the lead. Now, I'm into JT as a muscian, as a personality, as a comedian, heck - as an annoying character in The Social Network, but JT cannot sustain a dramatic movie. You just watch him and feel that he's thinking, "I am so acting right now." And he's not. He's just doing this staring intensely thing. 
• Ben Affleck is not scary. They try to establish him as this intimidating character in his first scene when he says f*ck like 4 times and talks about all the *other word for kitty* he gets as king of his little island. You feel like laughing. You watch and think, Jennifer Garner is at some farmers market with your adorable children right now. He doesn't even do full-on bad guy stuff. He throws some guys to get eaten by crocodiles, and then he pulls them out... Oh, Ben. 
• You literally don't care what's happening. Is there a plot? I can't remember. (Bullet points one and two really contribute to this).

Prisoners
This movie felt very much like a two hour episode of CSI or whatever crime show you prefer. All the acting by Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Paul Dano, and the rest of the cast is better than the acting would be in a show like that, but that's really the only difference. The switching between Gyllenhaal and Jackman's point of view lessens the impact of the film overall; you don't become fully immersed in either character. The mystery aspect is decent, and the film is somewhat suspenseful. But, I'd rather watch an episode of Sherlock any day.

Gravity
I've been hearing a lot of mixed reviews of this film, so I guess I'll just throw mine into the ring. I was bored. I know, it seems like it would be difficult to be bored when so many crazy, dangerous, space things are happening, but I was bored. You don't really get any introduction to the characters or what's happening, you're just thrown in space and expected to care about what's going on. Why should I care? I have no way to relate to anything that is happening. It's constant life-threatening scenarios in space. What would I know about that? Any flicker of humanity doesn't show up until about 2/3 into the movie.

Now, I've been told that it just needs to be appreciated as art. Okay, fine. If you want to just experience beautiful, space views, maybe you'll like this movie. If you want to marvel at the elegance of a 20 minute take, go for it. But, I need a bit more when I see a movie. I need a reason to care about what's happening on screen. (ALSO, SHE SHOULD HAVE DIED LIKE 20 TIMES).

Don Jon
As a big Joseph Gordon Levitt fan, I was really hoping JGL would hit a home run with his first film. And, out of all these movies, Don Jon was probably my favorite. It's certainly not everyone's cup of tea, as a large portion of the film is dedicated to the main character's obsession with porn. If the idea of that makes you squirm, you probably shouldn't see this one. But, if you're a girl looking to get a peek into the male psyche, you man find this interesting.

JGL uses the cliche of a guy just out to hook up with a new girl every night and takes a deeper look into who he that guy is. Not a romanticized version of that guy where he suddenly falls in love and changes everything about himself, but a guy who is dealing with all the issues of being in a relationship for the first time. It also looks at one type of girl out there. The one willing to change everything about her boyfriend to create perfect husband material. Scarlett Johansson does a great job playing someone who is both not that different from your best friend, but also someone the audience can't side with. There's a lot of really interesting boy-girl dynamic stuff for your brain to nosh on. Seeing which character you side with at which point will make you think. The film certainly had it's flaws, but it was the most original and intriguing of this bunch,

Obscure Movie(s) of the Week!

One of the great things about living in New York is that every weekend about 5-6 movies come out. 1-2 of those are normal movies that everyone has heard about. But, the rest are misfit little indies that only New Yorkers (and sometimes those weirdos who live in LA) get to see. For someone addicted to film, this is perfect for me. So here are the 3 random movies I saw last weekend that you've probably never heard of. But hey, maybe now you'll check them out when they come to Netflix. 

The Short Game
Something about tiny children being so stressed out is really fun to watch. They picked some kids with really interesting personalities and stories to follow, so this little documentary is heartwarming and tension-packed (for golf).

C.O.G.
Based on an essay written by David Sedaris (which I haven't read), Jonathan Groff does an excellent job of portraying a snarky and cynical young man who has spent his life as one of the privileged few and is seeking a new type of experience with "the other half." As is to be expected with a quest like that, he doesn't really find what he's looking for. There is no magical realization that we are all one with nature or God, but Groff takes us on an emotional and witty journey that feels honest and heartbreaking.

Thanks for Sharing
Yes, it's about sex addicts. BUT, it's still an incredible movie. That's right, I said incredible. Whether you believe that sex addiction is a real thing or not isn't really relevant to appreciating the truly great acting and writing in this movie. The relationships are intricate and complicated and not always what you expect, just like in real life. Josh Gad gives a stellar performance, and he is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. I also enjoyed Patrick Fugit (AKA Patrick from Saved!) and his family dynamic with Tim Robbins. PLUS, Pink is in this movie, which is awesome. I'd definitely recommend it.

What Haven't I Seen? - 10 One Sentence (roughly) Reviews

Review Roundup! The Wolverine, The Spectacular Now, Elysium, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

As an X-Men fan and someone who usually thinks a little of something I love is better than none at all, I was planning on enjoying just being back in the mutant world. But, sadly, The Wolverine missed the campy, but enjoyable boat, and too often fell into the cheesy and poorly done end of the spectrum. 

The two biggest culprits were the bordering-on-horrible script and BEYOND overdone and ridiculous character of Viper. It seems that they basically assumed ninjas + Wolverine = movie magic. Apparently not true. None of the jokes really hit, often falling loudly flat. There were long, silly, unnecessary sequences, like when Wolverine battles old Japanese ladies to take a bath. And, aside from those nonsense moments, there were also a lot of strange character relationship choices made. From who falls for each other to who betrays each other to why anyone basically does anything - it's all a little muddled. Both Japanese female leads add some freshness and talent to the mix, but Viper is so terrible and confusing a character she cancels out any positive effects that they might have had. Why is it that everyone else in the movie dresses in normal clothes, but Viper wears skin-tight green jumpsuits? I guess they were hoping absurd costumes would make up for her complete lack of motive. The plot wasn't totally hopeless, but they truly killed the movie when they ended with a big robot (my ultimate pet peeve in a world with so many other interesting option).

Having heard a lot of positive buzz about The Spectacular Now coming out of the festival circuit, I was excited to see if Shailene Woodley would actually try to act in this movie (as opposed to how she usually just plays a whiny teenager). I ended up finding some things to love and some things to hate. 

Miles Teller (the male lead) gives an amazing performance, sure to land him a lot of offers in the near future. Playing a young man searching for anything to connect with, Teller's performance is honest and heartbreaking, but in a totally unrehearsed and non-Hollywood way. A lot of this is surely due to the fresh script and directing that make this movie seem distinctly indie, yet likable. However, where the script and concept go terribly wrong is with Shailene Woodley's character. I don't think it's a spoiler when I say that the two characters begin falling for each other, but what genuinely doesn't make sense is why. While I don't think it's Woodley performance at fault (her dedication to seeing this weak, teen character through is almost to be admired), her character is so painfully desperate and insecure that it makes you cringe. There is nothing extraordinary about her. This is harsh, but I also think it's ridiculous that no one seemed to bother to make her an interesting female character. They said, "Just put this pretty girl in front of the camera wearing no make up, and everyone will see the true beauty in her." Yes, you can see that she's pretty, but no one wrote a personality for her. She becomes obsessed with Teller's character much too quickly and develops an absurd devotion to him. While this may be a somewhat accurate portrayal of some teenage girls, too easily swept away by the first guy who notices them, it seems offensive rather than truthful. If you can get past Woodley's uncomfortably cliche and boring character, there are some great moments featuring Teller in this film.

Having been surprised by how much I liked District 9, I was feeling hopeful about Neill Blomkamp's follow-up film, Elysium. It's not a sequel, but takes place in a similarly dystopian future. And while it seems to have all the right ingredients, it doesn't quite hit home like District 9 did. 

The first problem may be Matt Damon. Don't get me wrong, I am a Damon fan, but his character's strange background of having grown up in some sort of Mexican slum, comes off a little contrived rather than endearing. You see him as a man trying to turn his life around, making an honest living after years of crime. But, even when the robot authorities punish him for no reason, you still don't know if this is a guy worth rooting for. When he takes on the quest to bring Elysium (floating home of the rich run by Jodie Foster) down, the plot at least becomes more fun. There are some crazy and theatrical performances from other bit characters that bring some grit and reality back to the movie, like the psychotic assassin, Kruger and Damon's cut-throat employer, Spider. As with District 9, Blomkamp creates a very believable and immersive world that draws you in through it's portrayal of poverty and advanced technology. Although there are some simplifications of plot that seem pretty unlikely, you can still have a good time at this summer action flick with a brain. 

Call me an eternal optimist (although I'm not sure why you would), but I was hoping Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters might be fun. Fun, as well as asthma from saying the title, was what I got when I saw Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. So, I was sure that the sequel would provide the same mindless, enjoyable entertainment. Wrong.

As much I wanted to like this movie, willed this movie to be good, it just... sucked. It wasn't funny, none of the characters were developed or interesting, and it was boring. I think you pretty much get it, so I won't harp too much. Basically, you can see how the books would have filled in details that could make this an okay story, but the movie just seemed hollow and lame. Womp womp.

Stay tuned for my updates on Paranoia and Kick-Ass 2 coming soon!

Acronym Trailer Day! C.O.G. Trailer and A.C.O.D. Trailer

Adapted from a David Sedaris essay, C.O.G. is an autobiographical story about a guy trying to force himself to have some life experiences with pretty hilarious results. Starring Jonathan Groff.

A.C.O.D. or Adult Child of Divorce is a dramedy starring Adam Scott and a comedically gifted cast including Amy Poehler and Jessica Alba. 

Both have potential for some laughs and some heart-string-tugging. 

Her Trailer

A man falls in love with a machine. A machine with Scarlett Johansson's voice. Deeeeeeep.

The Monuments Men Trailer

George Clooney and Matt Damon reunite with a stellar cast in this sure-to-tug-at-your-heartstrings war drama. The Monoments Men are tasked with perserving historical objects, art, and buildings during World War II, a both comical and important job. My favorite description of the movie that I've seen floating around... the art of war (AKA what this movie should have been called).

Save the Best Movies for Last: AUGUST

It seems that August is the new great month for movies in the summer. All the cheesy and over-hyped (and sometimes very enjoyable) multi-million dollar blockbusters are coming out earlier and earlier, leaving August for some exciting new stuff. Check out my list on the right for a full breakdown of August, but below find some of my favorite picks for the month.

Top 3:
1) Kick-Ass 2 - August 16
Definitely been looking forward to this one since I heard they were making a sequel. Loved the first one and how it stood in stark contrast to other superhero movies. Who doesn't love a 12-year-old girl assassin who swears like a sailor?

2) In A World - August 9
Looks like a hilarious directorial debut for Lake Bell. It oozes charm.

3) Austenland - August 16
Real life Jane Austen summer camp. Possibly cheesy, but I'm betting I'll enjoy it.

Other Indie Darlings:
Drinking Buddies - August 23 (but now On Demand)
Short Term 12 - August 23

Blockbusters to Try:
Elysium - August 6
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - August 6
Paranoia - August 16
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - August 23

See My August Playlist Here:

American Hustle Trailer

With a cast like Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, and Amy Adams how could this possibly go wrong? Oh wait, I guess if it made all of the women in it look like stupid, boring pieces of meat. That would be bad.

New Hunger Games: Catching Fire Trailer!

CH-CH-CH-CHECK it out!

Seventh Son Trailer

I had to watch this one twice because I was a little confused what was happening. It vaguely Game of Thrones-y, which I think is in its favor. But, you've also got Julianne Moore turning into a dragon, so that's a little cheesy/Maleficent-y. I like both Jeff Bridges and Ben Barnes (old guy and young guy in the trailer), but I'm not sure about either of them in this movie. Overall, it just looks like every sort of fairy tale thing thrown into one film. But, that's not necessarily bad.

How to Train You Dragon 2

Not ashamed to say that this clip actually made me giddy. I mean, it just reminds you how much better your life would be with a dragon. Seriously, A LOT better. Also, nice little shot at the end there. I don't know about you, but I started singing "Hunky a-ni-ma-ted man. He's a hunky animated man" in my best bluesy/soul voice. Like actually. I started singing that out loud.

Review Roundup (ALL them summer movies): Pacific Rim, White House Down, The Lone Ranger, The Heat

After hearing some positive buzz about this summer action flick, I was feeling cautiously optimistic at the theater. Luckily, I had my memories of Charlie Day's character to ease my post-movie melancholy. Day's performance as a geeky, excitable, and extremely lovable scientist was by far the highlight of this monsters vs. robots epic. While it certainly wasn't the worst clash-of-the-large-things movie I've seen, it still fell short. It developed an interesting, apocalyptic world and some semi-intriguing characters (thank you Idris Elba), but was ultimately reduced to a lot of slow motion robots boxing with aliens. 

BUM BUM BUM BUM BUM *swoosh, hit to the jaw* BUM BUM BUM BUUMMMM *swoosh, hit to the comically large gut of something that looks like a large mutant ninja turtle* HARD METAL ELECTRIC GUITARRRRRR "Fire the laser gun!" BANG BANG BANG!

It's A LOT of that. Which is fine for a while, until you're brain starts to get bored, and you start coming up with questions. Like... if humanity has the technology to tell that these aliens have appeared in the ocean because of some sort of worm hole through space, has the technology to exactly measure the worm hole's dimensions, and knows how to destroy it - shouldn't they be able to come up with a better solution than giant robots? I mean, they have found a tunnel that takes you from one end of space to another. POOF. Like Star Wars. Like Star Trek. Like any movie/TV show where we have space warp technology. But... they're going with big robots. And why isn't the rest of the world trying to contribute? It's just these six guys who can pilot the robots and a bunch of dudes in Army uniforms who don't seem to serve any purpose at all running around a big hangar. Oh, and two scientists. That's all the world's got. Everyone else has just accepted that giant, alien monsters will soon take over the world? There was A LOT of time for my mind to come of with questions like these. Still, coulda been worse. 

I have the delight of having seen both Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down, so I can do a little compare and contrast. Here it is: Olympus Has Fallen is seemingly more serious, but with more ridiculous villains. White House Down is more playful and gives you Channing Tatum to look at the whole time. 

Now to just take a look at White House Down. The bad guys in this movie all seem pretty clumsy and ridiculous. But, that's because they were basically given the easiest pass ever into taking over The White House. Some pretty important people in the government/security just handed them the keys (metaphorically, I don't think there is actually just one set of keys that opens all doors in The White House, but maybe Bush needed things simplified). So you've got silly terrorists, charming Channing, and Jamie Fox as a confusing impression of Barack Obama. Don't think that was technically what he was going for, but you can't help but see some political comparisons. I'm not complaining about any of this. It still makes for a decent little action film. One added bonus that you don't expect is the girl who plays Channing's daughter. She's pretty excellent. She actually is the center of my favorite part of the movie. See below for a description of the best scene in the whole film (but it kind of gives stuff away. I mean not really. The world's in peril... blah blah blah.)

*SPOLIER SCENE*

Bad guy: I need your handprint Mr. President, so I can send a bunch of bombs to blow people up.

Jamie Fox: No way man.

Bad guy: I'll shoot Channing Tatum's daughter if you don't do it.

Jamie Fox: Little Channing Tatum's daughter, you understand that I can't let him blow up a bunch of people just to save you.

Channing Tatum's kick-ass daughter: I understand.

Say whaaattttt? This is awesome for two reasons. One: Jamie Fox doesn't just crumble and destroy the world because of stupid emotions like every other character ever. Two: THIS GIRL IS BADASS. 

*END OF SPOILER SCENE* (and anything else I have to say about this movie)

Haven't seen the original Lone Ranger anything. Have no context for the history of this brand. Just saying.

Why is it that all movies think they need these lame story devices to pull everything together? I mean the last time that worked was in The Social Network, when the whole thing was told through the court cases. And that only worked because of the brilliant script and my love of Jesse Eisenberg. In The Lone Ranger, a small boy goes to see an exhibit about the Wild West in 1920-something. There, he meets an ancient Tanto (Johnny Depp) who tells him the whole story of his adventures with Armie Hammer (who plays The Lone Ranger). Why can't we just watch the story? Why do we need the kid and ancient Johnny Depp? Anyway, pet peeve. Moving on.

I don't watch a lot of Westerns, so I feel like I don't have much to compare this too. It's definitely not as good as The Mask of Zorro, which for some reason kept coming up in my mind as something similar. But, everything seemed like the right ingredients. A rivalry between brothers, a score that needs to be settled, corrupt people trying to take over all of new America, silver, train fights, horse-riding, a wise/crazy Native American, a woman with a gun for a leg (thanks Helena), a woman who's worth fighting for - it all seemed to line up. It doesn't hit home or leave you with much of a message, but it's a pretty good hero's journey. 

Last because I'm least sure what to say about this one. First off, I think it's hard for Sandra Bullock to out do herself in Miss Congeniality as an uptight FBI agent. That role really put her on the map, and this character and this movie just aren't as good. It's not nearly as bad as I anticipated though. 

Melissa McCarthy is a comic genius. But, I don't necessarily feel I've gotten that from her recent roles. My favorite performance of hers is still as Sookie in Gilmore Girls. She's hilarious, and it's not in a dumb, physical comedy, gross sort of way. Maybe I just miss her actually acting. That being said, she was still funny. Not as stupid/funny as I feared. She's a smart enough actor to make the role more than that. And her and Bullock's relationships is endearing. But, no one will remember this movie. Hopefully, the same can't be said for McCarthy's career in a year or so. 

Thursday Trailers: The Canyons, Out of the Furnace, Saving Mr. Banks, and The Lifeguard

First up, in The Canyons Lindsay Lohan makes a movie about how no one sees movies anymore and how she doesn't like Hollywood. Sounds ground-breaking.

Out of the Furnace has an incredible cast including Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, and Woody Harrleson. Very serious business, this movie.

Saving Mr. Banks stars Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, and is about something you don't care at all about - the making of Mary Poppins. Seriously, zero caring here. The bit actors look like the best parts of this movie. 

The Lifeguard is Kristen Bell's dive (PUNS) into the indie world. Basic idea: pre-mid-life crisis. Kristen's happens to involve dating a high school kid. Haven't decided how weird that is yet. 

The Way, Way Back (SPOILER: IT'S REALLY GOOD)

Looking for a summer movie that isn't a sequel/superhero action stupidness/BAD? Then The Way, Way Back has got a cure for what ails you. I've been PUMPED to see this movie for months, and now I can officially say that it is Tony the Tiger "Grrrrreeaaaatttttt!" See trailer here for some context to my enthusiasm:

Still not convinced? Then you have no soul! Just kidddingggggg. Sort of *cough* not really *cough*

From the same guys who recently won an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay for The Descendants, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, comes something nothing like The Descendants (which is good for me because I didn't really like that movie). This movie is all those great, cringey, coming-of-agey things it should be. It's still a light and fun summer flick about a kid who gets a job at a water park, but with heart and definitely a large dose of Sam Rockwell humor. By the way, if you don't know who Sam Rockwell is, IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU LEARNED, and this is a great movie to catch him in. He plays the young Duncan's fast-talking mentor/water park boss. The cast overall is great, and it's both horrifying and awesome to see Steve Carell play the villain for once.

If still none of that convinces you, I have solid math to prove my opinion (because that's how opinions work).

The Way, Way Back was made for under $5 million dollars. Man of Steel was made for $225 million. So, really The Way, Way Back only needs to be 2.2% as good as Man of Steel. And it is approximately 525,457,143.8849% better than Man of Steel THEREFORE... MATH SAYS YOU SHOULD GO.

Snowpiercer Trailer

Watch first, read second.

So short a trailer, and yet there is SO MUCH I need to say. First off, in the summary I just read of this movie it says, "'Snowpiercer' is set in post-apocalyptic AD 2031, in which the passengers on a train are the only survivors left on Earth." So, just to be clear, these are THE LAST PEOPLE ON EARTH, and Chris Evans and his buddies decide to start killing people because their seats suck? Had to be pointed out. Also needs to be pointed out:

1) Chris Evans seems to be playing Captain America in a hat.

2) Tilda Swinton is doing an incredible Margaret Thatcher impression.

3) This is basically Elysium on a train. 

Austenland Trailer

Ever wonder what it would be like if you fell into a Jane Austen novel? You'd probably bruise yourself because books are hard. BA ZING. Anyway... check out the trailer for Austenland, where Austen fanatics get to actually experience the whole high-class, romantic experience.

Delivery Man Trailer

Normally I'm not a big fan of Vince Vaughn. Oh, are you waiting for me to say "but"? I'm not going to. Here's the trailer for Vince's new movie, Delivery Man, where he plays a man with like 500 kids via sperm donation. He proceeds to grow a soul.

Romeo and Juliet Trailer

In case you missed it when it came out, here's the trailer for the new Romeo and Juliet. It stars Hailee Steinfeld, the amazing young actress from True Grit. I'm a big fan of young actresses who don't suck in general, so I'm hoping the movie doesn't blow, for her career's sake. It also stars Chuck Bass with a British-ish accent.

The Boxtrolls Trailer

Both politically conscious and childishly delightful. I AM SO IN.

World War Z

Making this review short and sweet because I have little to no experience watching zombie movies. It's pretty much Zombieland, and I'm out. I can't tell you if these zombies are slimier or more decayed or if their eyes bulge more, but what I can tell you is that one of them makes a hilarious clicking sound and the whole audience laughed. This happened to be during the scene where Brad Pitt's life is potentially about to end and with it the last hope for the world. But, there we all were, laughing because of this clicking zombie. Intentional? Probably not. Added to the overall experience? Definitely yes. I think if you keep an audience tense for 2 hours, it's nice to give them a little break.

Other than Sir Clicks-a-lot, this is a pretty exciting action film. Brad never stops moving, which keeps it interesting. He visits multiple countries in search of a cure, and apparently is the only person who has the ability to make an observation. This skill allows him to come up with a brilliant idea that can save the world. It seems incredible that Brad doesn't get bitten, but he does have some pretty fantastic survival skills. He wraps magazines around his wrists (so zombies can't bite them of course), he almost throws himself of a building when he thinks he might turn into a zombie, he blows up a plane - really, this guy must be like an eagle scout with mad skills like these. Ultimately, it's a travel show starring Brad Pitt as a charming do-gooder, family man with a lot of zombies thrown in. And, I'm okay with that. 

Passion Trailer

I believe they'll be selling this one as "Rachel McAdams kisses girl." Could be a decent thriller. UNLESS, they actually do show the end of the movie at the end of this trailer.

Monsters University is significantly better than a lot of other movies out there

(This paragraph is random, skip down if you don't care about my musings.)

First off, I've got to give a little credit to the audience I found myself in. I went to see Monsters University at 7pm on a Tuesday night at a more independent theater that sometimes plays mainstream stuff. I'm not saying this to make some point that I only go to independent theaters because I'm a huge hipster ass-clown; I'm mentioning it to make the point that there were basically no children in the audience at this children's movie. But, this had to be the giddiest group of New Yorker adults ever assembled. They laughed at the trailers; someone even laughed at the Pixar intro where the light jumps on the P in Pixar. Basically, go see kid movies at 7pm on weeknights because you will have way more fun.

Anywho, onto the actual movie. There were some major positives to this movie that I have not seen in other movies recently. 

1) They actually bother to give you background on the characters AND make you like the characters. It seems simple, but it adds SO MUCH. Especially with the kind of secondary characters - I mean these monsters were hilarious. Loved them. LOVED THEM. A lot of movies now lack this essential step. I find myself simply not caring what happens to characters because the writers forget to make me like them. (*cough cough* Man of Steel)

2) Well-freakin-plotted. There's an arc. An actual arc! It doesn't feel like random things keep happening for no reason. There is a clear and logical course of events. HOORAY!

3) Meaningful stuff here. At one point Mike (the green, one-eyed guy) is having an identity crisis because he's figuring out that maybe he can't be scary. He says how he's done everything right, studied hard, tried more than everyone else, but it hasn't been enough. I don't know if this is a little too pointed at the Millenial generation or if it's genius. Basically they're saying, just getting good grades and going to the right school doesn't make you extraordinary. Kind of depressing, but seemingly very relevant. Also, if you see it, notice how the plot continues in the credits. There's DEFINITELY a message to Millenials there. 

Also, it's just funny. I mean, in a delightful kind of childish way, but still, very funny. Make sure to pay attention when Mike is walking around the campus for the first time for my favorite moment. Hint: Think hacky sack.

Thanks for Sharing Trailer

Sex Addict Romantic Comedy - a new genre for a new generation. At the very least, I'm really looking forward to seeing Pink in this. (Also starring Mark Ruffalo, Gwyneth Paltrow and Josh Gad).

Man of Steel, Man Oh Man

This movie had a lot going for. Henry Cavill's hot bod, flying, a third thing, Henry Cavill's hot bod... But, sadly, even all those stellar ingredients couldn't add up to a winner. Unless you're counting all women who got to look at Henry Cavill's hot bod. Some winners there.

To start out on a more positive note, I did like the beginning of this movie (not the actual beginning because that was a birth scene and was just gross). The story on Krypton was kind of interesting, and I was excited to deal with some complex democratic and interstellar issues. I'd always just thought that Superman's parents had pretty much shot him into space and then Krypton went boom, but the movie gave a little more back story. Also at the beginning, you see Clark Kent (that's Superman for all you nubes) being a general do-gooder. He's saving people left and right. Seems like the right thing to do considering he can't die. Unfortunately, from there, it seems that the screenwriters were fired and any semblance of logic or a story went out the window.

Here are some examples:

• At an extremely convenient and totally random moment, Clark find a Kryptonian ship that just happens to have a halogram version of his dad who can explain EVERYTHING to him. Just lays it out. All the info he might need. So, how nice for him.  
• Amy Adams. Oh Amy Adams. She is randomly brought into all sorts of situations she absolutely does not need to be a part of. Mostly involving evil aliens and advanced weaponry. She and Superman also appear to fall in love in approximately 2 minutes. You don't even know it's happened, and then they're kissing in a pit of mass destruction and death. Yeah, thousands of people are dead around them, and then bang, time for smooching. RUDE guys. 
• It's still pretty unclear what the evil Kryptonians wanted, and why they couldn't get along with Superman. Seems they both would like to restart the Kryptonian race, and that could probably work out if they used another planet. This is probably why all the fight scenes seemed so random. You'd be watching Superman get punched through a building and be like, "Wait, why are they mad? How did this escalate so much?"

There's tons more to mock and get confused by, and I found a HILARIOUS article that breaks down the whole movie and how weird it is. It has a lot of spoilers, but here's the delightful scene where Superman's Dad fills him in:

Jor-El: Hey! I shot you into space when you were a baby!

Clark: Dad?

Jor-El: That’s me! Okay, let me give you the lowdown. Your name is Kal-El, you’re a Kryptonian, our planet Krypton blew up, and all the Kryptonians are dead except you and our most dangerous criminal, Zod.

Clark: That’s unfortunate.

Jor-El: Also I kind of hid all of Krypton’s genetic code inside you so that you are the key to restarting the Kryptonian race and Zod’s kinda going to be looking for that.

Clark: Um, do you want me to restart the Kryptonian race?

Jor-El: I'm honestly not sure.

Clark: Then why did you stick the Codex in me?

Jor-El: In retrospect, it may have been a poor idea. On the other hand, if you do decide to start the Kryptonian race, this scout ship has a bunch of empty babies in our underwater tree pod room. All you have to do is stick the DNA right in them. There's a little hole. It's unfortunately placed, though.

Anyway, if you're basically just looking for random action sequences, this'll do the trick. Or if you're looking for something to mock mercilessly while fanboys sitting near you *shush* you, I'd recommend it as well. Otherwise... cross your fingers that Thor 2 sucks less.

Jobs Trailer (AKA me squinting trying to see if Ashton Kutcher could possibly look like Steve Jobs)

I like it when actors take on new and challenging roles. Try different genres. Get haircuts. But, I'm just not sure I'm going to believe Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs. ALSO, that song in the trailer never gets to the chorus and you just keep waiting for it, and it never happens. It's REALLY upsetting.

Drinking Buddies Trailer

Starring Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, and Anna Kendrick and with the title Drinking Buddies, I was pretty concerned this was going to be LAME. BUT, it actually looks like a fresh romantic comedy. Now excited.

LAMEBUT haha

The Spectacular Now Trailer

While I'm not Shailene Woodley's biggest fan (I'm fairly concerned she's going to ruin Divergent, The Fault in Our Stars, and Spiderman 2 (again) next year, like pretty concerned), I have heard good things about this movie. It looks decent, other than it looks exactly the same as A Walk To Remember sans cancer.

UPDATE: Praise Thor (or Chris Hemsworth)! Looks like Shailene will not be in Spiderman 2! See here.

UPDATE UPDATE: No Woodley in any of the new Spidermans! Mary Jane will be recast - see here.

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Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

The Bling Ring

Man does Sofia Coppola (director of The Bling Ring) know how to cut a trailer. There's hip and upbeat songs, celebrities, Emma Watson talking in an American accent, night club dancing, and lots of glittery fashion. But, you get about the same enjoyment just from watching the trailer as you do from watching the whole movie.

Honestly, that pretty much covers it. Bored kids in California decide to rob celebrities' homes while they're out of town, and *SPOILER* they get caught. That's not really a spoiler though as this was a real news story, and there's even been a reality show starring one of the real The Bling Ring's members (Emma Watson's character, of course). The characters are mostly (unsurprisingly) shallow, so there's not much to sink your teeth into here. The main idea (it's even said in the trailer) is that this is a film about America's obsession with a celebrity lifestyle and how far people will go to emulate that lifestyle. Which is great all, but do you really think the teenagers (who ARE being marketed to) going to see this movie because of the super fun trailer and going to give a Chihuahua's rear-end about that? Nope. So... what was the point? But, hey, I saw it, so no shame if you feel like going to see Emma's latest movie and pretending to live the lifestyle along with these characters for a couple hours. Don't worry, I won't tell. If anyone asks, you saw it because of the severe and frightening implications about our youth and our society. 

The Wolf of Wall Street Trailer

Is it just me or does Leo not seem to be pushing himself as much acting-wise with this one? Models, money and Jonah Hill on a boat... Yep, that's actually just his life.

Indie Movie Round Up! (Kings of Summer, Before Midnight, The East, and Frances Ha)

You know those movies that you hear about in passing like twice, and then forget about? Well, I've seen them all! Check out which ones I LOVED and which ones you can continue ignoring. I'll even put a playlist of the trailers up top here, so you can check out which ones you're interested in (open in YouTube for the easiest viewing).

The Kings of Summer

The Kings of Summer was a summer movie I was definitely pumped to see. It's a coming-of-age story, but not one done by the same old people in Hollywood. It's from a fresh voice, and that really shows in the film. There's an excitement and a freedom to the characters and to the filmmaking that makes this a really enjoyable film.

The basic concept is that a couple of teenagers get really sick of their parents and decide to build a house in the woods to live in. While the kids-not-getting-along-with-their parents bit is a little tired, the idea of actually doing something about it is new. Normally, I think complaining is about all teenagers can summon the effort to do, but these guys actually head out into the semi-wilderness and build a semi-house. The cast is exceptional and the story is heart-felt. You may recognize that funny-looking kid, but I'm not going to tell you from where because you'll judge him, and his performance is worth a judgement-free viewing (check this clip for proof). Although there were perhaps a couple too many slo-mo beautiful summer nature shots for me; overall, I would highly recommend you check this little indie flick out!

Before Midnight

First off, go watch Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, then we can talk (or you could not do that and just keep reading). Those two films are the precursors to Before Midnight; although, this is unlike any other series you've seen before. Before Sunrise introduces you to two young people (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) who fall in love over one night. Sounds like something you've seen before? Well it's nothing like anything you've seen before. This series is all about real conversations - saying the things people actually say to each other, talking about what's actually important to you. When these two characters discuss a topic, you, as an audience-member, think about how you feel about that topic as well; you don't just sit and watch them talk, you engage. Now, this all sounds a little unbelievable and ridiculous when you write it down, but it's a truly great film-watching experience. So, like I said, seeing the first two films really enhances Before Midnight, but you can also enjoy the film without having seen them. I don't want to give too much away in case you do decide to go back and watch the first two films (which I SERIOUSLY highly recommend because they're GREAT). But, Before Midnight beautifully carries on the tradition and magic of the first two films, and I could not stop smiling the entire time.

The East

Brit Marling (After Earth, Arbitrage, the one on the poster who is not Ellen Page or Alexander Skarsgard) stars an an agent who is sent in undercover to debunk an environmental terrorism group. What is an environmental terrorism group you may ask? A group that does terroristy-type things (official term) against people or companies who harm the environment. Ellen Page and Alexander Skarsgard are members of this group. 

What it comes down to is that Marling begins to understand and appreciate this group and starts to question he loyalties towards her employer. While not an earth-shattering idea, all the performances are so excellent, this film really delivers a punch. You connect with Marling and the group members. In fact, there's basically no hint of doubt that what they're doing is right in the context of the film. Their acts only border on violent and work for the betterment of the lives of many. The age-old question of who determines what is right comes up of course, but for the movie's sake, you side pretty easily with this tree-hugging, revenge-seeking bunch. My one problem with films like these are that they stir outrage within me about the tyranny of corporations that harm others thoughtlessly, but I never find any way to use that outrage productively. My own fault, I know, but I don't think I'm alone in it. BASICALLY, if you're looking for a well-acted thriller, I'd check it out. 

Frances Ha

Frances Ha goes at the bottom because I liked it the least. I liked the rest of these quite a bit though, so that's not as negative as it seems. I think a lot of the romance of this film doesn't quite get through to me because I live in New York, and it is set in New York. Maybe that means I should love it all the more, but I think the very fact that I do understand many of these situations makes it less easy to revel in. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to revel in this movie.

It definitely has charm at certain points and is realistically and well-written. But, I felt a little too much like I was watching an extended episode of Girls with a main character only slightly more likable than Lena Dunham. At the same time, watching other people make the same mistakes you make is both painful and a bit of a relief. It's absolutely an original film that's different from anything else out there, but the voice and circumstances somehow feel familiar. I'd give it one hipster thumbs up.

This is the End, and it's pretty good

I posted the trailer for This is the End awhile ago, and it got a big response. Probably because you feel like you get to spy on the lives of these semi-famous to medium-famous comedians, and it is exactly how you thought it would be. Oh, and because it's raunchy and hilarious. 

Well, I'm happy to report that the movie is just as funny as the trailer (another way of saying, if you don't like the trailer, don't see the movie). All of these actors do a great job of being the exact people we expect them to be. Who knows if James Franco is actually a fairly gay-leaning, pretentious, insane person? But, that's who we all assume he is, and it's nice to have those assumptions somewhat confirmed in this movie. (Except for Jonah Hill. He's super nice in this movie, and that CANNOT be right. Pretty sure I'm positive about that one.) So, you're getting to pretend that you're taking a peek into these guys' lives, which makes you feel super cool, AND it's just a funny movie in general. Double win I would say. While not all of the bits work, a lot of them do. It feels fresh and different because of how self-mocking (perhaps I'll self-mock myself later for using a word like self-mocking) it is, but the extreme plot is also enough to keep it moving along. Not to mention there are some GREAT cameos by other actors you'd like to stalk. And, the end IS AWESOME. It seems appropriate that a movie titled This is the End has an awesome ending. 

Not a whole lot more to talk about since it's kind of like a two hour SNL skit (in a good way, like when SNL was good). I could talk about how Jay Baruchel should be in more movies, like every movie, and how he's one of my top three favorite actors (the others being Aaron Johnson and Oscar Isaac), but that would just be a crude way to make this review a little longer. I wouldn't do something like that. 

Stuck in Love Trailer - Why has no one heard of this?

Great cast, seems charming enough - why had I not heard of this until today? It comes out on July 5th for goodness sake! Their marketing team needs to STEP IT UP.

Salinger Documentary Trailer

I've always loved Nine Stories and Franny and Zooey more than Catcher in the Rye (Oh no, have I shocked you?) It may be that I'm a big, pretentious jerk or it may be that I read Catcher in high school and never reread it (You read Nine Stories and I'll reread Catcher and neither of us will ever check up on the other, so it'll never happen. Deal.) Anyway, even if you're not someone who's normally into documentaries, you're probably someone who's read some Salinger (So this movie is not too indie or obscure to post about. I checked with my roommate, and she said it's not too indie. So IT'S NOT.) Anyone else feel like this post is a little aggressive. WELL IT'S NOT. 

In a World... Trailer just Released!

I'm jazzed enough for this movie that I'm using the last 10% of my laptop's battery life to share it with you. Lake Bell stars as well as writes and directs In a World... Will now proceed to talk in accents and epic Darth Vader voices all day.

 

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Trailer

During The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, I was desperate for Legolas to just show up on a green hilltop at some point. And now it appears he will! Here's hoping there's less singing and more plot this time.

After Earth AKA Will Smith's Version of an Independent Film

I feel kind of luke warm about this one, so I'll break it down for myself and for you.

Points in the movie's favor:

• The effects are pretty cool. The new, more dangerous Earth features some great scenery and awesome animals, and there are cool futuristic gadgets etc. 
• Jaden Smith (the mini Smith) does a good job as the emotional crux of the film. And it's totally believable to have his character as a son living in his father's shadow. 
• A couple minor twists that make the film more interesting. One having to do with alien monsters, one having to do with Zoe Kravitz. 

Points against the movie:

• It's basically a cast of two people for the whole movie. True, one of those people is Will Smith, but he's wounded and depressed for most of it. It was like an indie character film, but with lots of special effects. 
• There was only one cut of the trailer! If that one wasn't working with the audience, why not make a new one?
• Nothing (much) unexpected happens. It's like a Disney movie, through and through.
• The accents. What are the accents that are happening in this movie?

I wouldn't call it a comeback for Will or a career-maker for Jaden, but it's alright. Yep, that's the best I can summon for this one. 

You can watch the trailer here.

New Trailer Update 6/9/13

Here's a whole bunch of new trailers! Woo hoo! In addition to finding posts about new trailers here (like they usually are), you can also click on the New Trailers! tab at the top to see them all together like a happy little trailer family. Yay!

Thor: The Dark World

Chris Hemsworth is back as a god. Literally, not hyperbole; he's a god. Oh, and Natalie Portman's in it too.

Inside Llweyn Davis

The Coen Brothers' new movie starring Oscar Isaac (you'll know who he is soon), Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, and Garrett Hedlund. Just trust me on this one.

Runner Runner

Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck. There's gambling. There's bad guys (well, Ben tries to be a bad guy). I think they even try and get you to believe that JT is a genius. Sounds like a winner.

Don Jon

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut that he stars in with Scarlett Johansson. He's a sex addict; she's addicted to romantic comedies. I'm excited.

Paranoia

Liam Hemsworth takes on Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman in this Wall Street drama. Let's see if he can take a lesson from the masters.

Getaway

Ethan Hawke and Selena Gomez in a car. Seriously, that's the concept.