So, it’s been awhile! As I’m staring
at a blank white page on Microsoft Word, I feel like I’m looking into the face
of an old friend I’ve run into at the grocery store. Only less awkward. Since
my last blog post, a lot has changed. And by a lot, I mean that I have managed
to see pretty much every movie that is currently in theaters. In the spirit of
extended metaphors, I came up with a new game to try out that I called “The Ice
cream in my Grocery Cart is Melting so I Have to Make this Quick”. (Yes, I also
need to work on how to make titles concise.) As I hope this obscenely long
title predicts, I am going to attempt to give you my thoughts on each of these
movies as if we were talking in the soup aisle and your Cherry Garcia ice cream
bars were slowly turning into chocolate glop (which would probably still taste
good, but that’s beside the point). I’m making up the rules as I go, so bear
with me.
“Hey so I saw this movie called Les Miserables the other day…”
While many critics have been well,
critical of Les Mis, I really thought
Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe carried the movie with both their singing and
acting. I liked how they filmed the singing live instead of recording each
track beforehand because it made the movie seem more musical-esque and gave me
a new appreciation for actors and actresses. For such a big project, I thought
director Tom Hooper did I great job of making it his own, and kept my interest
despite the film’s 157-minute length.
“Have you seen The Hobbit? Because I thought…”
Even though I have never read any of
J.R.R. Tolkien’s books (I know I know, the horror!), I still was able to keep
up with everything that was going on, which was a plus. Bilbo Baggins, played
by British actor Martin Freeman who is also in one of my favorite shows, Sherlock, was a loveable leading hero
that made the long journey seem worth following. And by long, I mean light
years long. While I thought the storyline was entertaining, it scares me that
this movie was 169 minutes long and Bilbo Baggins and crew are only one-third
of the way done with their epic journey.
“Jennifer Lawrence totally deserves
all the hype for The Silver Linings
Playbook…”
Although I have to say that I am
still more attached to Katniss Evergreen, Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal of
Tiffany in this movie is definitely worth all of the Oscar-buzz that it’s
getting. You would think that in the world of Rom Coms, there would be a limit
on the number of movies that could be produced and still have unique story
lines. However, The Silver Linings Playbook
convinced me that new movie ideas are an unlimited resource fueling the movie
industry. Silver Linings made the
recurring love story unique once again, with just the right combination of sour
and sweet, drama and comedy.
“Zero
Dark Thirty was so intense…”
Now become typical of a Kathryn
Bigelow production, Zero Dark Thirty
had you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The explosions were
loud, the suspense was high, and even though everyone knows how it ends, the
ending was phenomenally complex. While I wished I were given more reason to
become attached to our leading lady, Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty lacked the backstory that normally keeps
non-action-movie people like me sitting through an action movie. However, Bigelow’s
approach to the capture of Osama Bin Laden was brilliant in that it left me
wondering whether or not CIA Agent Maya was satisfied at the end of her
twelve-year manhunt, and indirectly whether or not we should be satisfied as
well.
“I definitely cried in The Impossible…”
Out of all the movies I saw over
break, I have to say that The Impossible
moved me the most. Of course, how could you not with a story about a family in
the wake of the 2004 Indonesian Tsunami triumphing over horrific circumstances?
Although Naomi Watts is up for the Oscar’s Best Actress award, I thought her
co-star, sixteen-year-old Tom Holland, was the reason that I would recommend
the film to any true movie lover. Even though I was sitting in the comfort of
the pitch-black movie theater, Holland and his big brown eyes made me feel
exactly what he was feeling. Never have I so fervently rooted for a character
to find resolution. However, when I recommend this movie, I also have to
caution those who have weak stomachs (but nonetheless are still true movie
lovers), to eat light before this film. Part of The Impossible’s charm is how un-charming the aftermath of this
tragedy really was.
MOVIES WATCHED: 19
SCREENPLAY PAGES WRITTEN: 44
NOVEL PAGES WRITTEN: 73
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