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Yelitza-screenwriting-student
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Collateral Beauty (2016)
A creative tapestry of human complexities: philosophical and flourishing!
Interesting Drama with a touch of fantasy, emotional, and inspiring. Loved this movie! I have seen it twice.
what's about? When an executive loses his 6 year old daughter he also loses his faith in life. He declares himself a stranger from his wife (and divorces) and he jeopardizes his company. Howard (Will Smith), is in state of shock. As such, he writes three letters to the Cosmos: to death, time, and love. In an attempt to save the company, his three advisors, Claire (K. Winslet), Whit (E. Norton), and Simon (M. Pena), agree on a plan: simulate Howard's handicapped mental by hiring a private detective, and three actors to play the roles of time, love, and death. By forcing Howard to confront these three abstractions he comes to the realization that he is in a troubled mental state and should approve the sale of the company to save the jobs of his employees. In the theatrical montage process, these "actors" (pay attention here, for they are not really "actors"!) not only save Howard but also save/help Whit, Claire and Simon from their life's tragedies/dilemmas. Notice the words Sparks, Angels, and the beautiful lighting effects!!
the wonderful: I loved the mystery, the suspense, the subtlety in every sentence spoken by these so called actors that each represented death, love, and time. What a fantastic and inspired performance! Knightley as Love, Mirren as Death, and Latimore as Time. Wow, such strength and feeling. I loved the pairing of the "actors" with the characters of Claire, Simon and Whit. I thought the message of each one was perfectly crafted and straight to the heart. I think these "actors" are angels! What do you think? You might arrive at that realization with the various clues along the story and in the final scene! Just wonderful. I also loved how Will Smith poured his heart and all his humanity in this role. Overall, the cast was fully connected and beautifully synchronized. I thought N. Harris empathetic, heart-reaching vibes were so real! In summation, a beautiful tapestry of human complexities. The Director, David Frankel (D. Wears Prada, Marley), has created a deeply human story with hidden touches of the supernatural! One thing that I found striking was how Death reveals its "triumph" to Simon, how Love discovers Whit's troubles, and how Time forecasts life to Claire.
The to-think-about-it: Yes this film revolves about a sad, tragic event, but I couldn't let myself cry because the message of collateral beauty was so profound that it overpowered and neutralized pain and tragedy. The message of Time, Love and Death were so transcendental and life-giving! What a paradox! I loved it. I don't consider this film a sad, on the contrary. It is a like a tree which is rooted in tragedy, it's trunk is transformation; and its branches, leaves and blossoms, each are giving us a myriad of clues on how to live our lives to the fullest. Film-take-aways: Collateral beauty It's like noticing and admiring some stray pearls from a broken necklace in the middle of rubble...Of course seeing the collateral beauty in the middle of our tragedies and life's disasters/crisis is hard, but with time it makes itself visible when we allow it to.
conclusion: Enjoy this heartwarming, illuminating, beautifully written-and-acted film and take home that collateral-beauty principle and keep it in your life's toolkit forever.
Cheers.
Moana (2016)
A heartwarming-magical voyage of oceanic proportions!
I've seen it eight times already! I just can't stop riding in the canoe along lovable Maui and Moana! Looking forward to watching it nth times! Can't help myself. It's like entering my personal holographic suite: a 1.5 hours Paradise-oceanic-adventure with such charismatic characters in an engaging and thoughtful story. Absolutely beautiful and enchanting.
The Wonderful:
It's gorgeous in all possible ways – character design, environments, storytelling, etc. I giggle, I laugh, I cry, I sob, I feel the ocean spray! I touch the water! So vivid! Sometimes the animation reminds me of Hannah Barbera afternoon cartoons (Jabberjaw, etc.), just love it!
From the beginning, we know that Moana is qualified to undertake such a mission – to save her island and her people. Along the story, we see how she behaves and reacts to situations—hints that she will be able to overcome future adversities. I loved how toddler Moana gives up a treasure to protect the innocent: so young and already showing how big her heart is.
I loved the storytelling embedded in Maui's body tattoos. Amazing! Cute. Maui is a rough funny guy, but he is easily lovable, once we learn what's in his heart and mind. Maui seems scary at first, but he shows us how charming he is with his song. Right then I know I'm going to totally love him! I also thought Maui was a perfect blend of Hulk, Hercules, Lou Ferrigno all hybridized into Dwayne Johnson's caricature, voice and performance (I love how Maui's smile/eyes mirror D. Johnson's eyes/smile) Brilliant!
The emotional content and the empowering message weaved throughout the story is very strong. Moana fulfills her mission and any self-doubt is extricated. She discovers who she really is and realizes her full potential. As for Maui, he re-discovers his human heart! At first I thought the crab scene was too long, but then I realized it was necessary for Maui's hardship (which would later becomes gratitude).
Loved the songs—(I sing along in the late showings if I'm alone in the auditorium!) The lyrics move the story forward and give us insight into the character's hearts and minds. Clever!
And with all the humor splashing about I giggled lots too. Little children just love the scenes with the pig and the rooster!
The scenes with the fleet of boats and canoes give me goosebumps and chills! It's so magical! I just want to be there myself! So many spectacular sweeping ocean vistas. Wow! Also, the workings of light and shadow, the water kinetics, the night scenes, etc. Absolutely brilliant and genius!
The voice performance is perfectly harmonized: Dwayne Johnson makes a brilliant and authentic Maui. Cravahlo infuses true life into sixteen-year-old Moana, making her full of spirit. Amazing animation! Moana's and Maui's gestures and emotional expressions are sublime, Grandma's are fantastic too!
Moana's story and animation pulses with real life. I read that the Disney-animation team visited the Pacific Islands and did lots of character exploration. (more details in www.variety.com and Moana's interview in www.insidethemagic.net).
The think-about-it:
At first, Maui is ogre-ish, tossing Moana into the water (was this roughness really necessary?, not my favorite). But when he realizes that Moana is not alone (she has the Ocean protecting her), and that she is a highly determined, kind, and brave teenager; he learns to respect her and admire her. The climatic point of his change of heart is when Moana saves his life
you'll see!
Moana's desire to help her people and revive her island makes her strong and resilient, so she learns how to journey along Maui and steers him to become a good human. And precisely this adversity she faces (with a little help of the good forces that accompany her) allows her to discover who she really is/who she is meant to be. So inspiring!
Conclusion?
Never give up your dream, no matter how "ogreish" your adversity is! Please watch it! It's a paradise worth sailing into nth-times! It's entertaining, stunningly beautiful, emotional, and it'll warm your heart with hope and satisfaction.
Inferno (2016)
A masterpiece! Join Prof. Langdon in this Infernally entertaining and fiery-shivering adventure!
I've seen this film five times already! Now I like it even more, so I'm scoring it a 9! The more I watch it the more I'm convinced of the quality and value of this film. Each time more exciting and enthralling--a joy to watch. Now I care so much about my characters,and I'm with them in their challenges and dilemmas! I'm all Tom-Hanked! Highly stimulating and entertaining. Deliciously complex! Ron's directing weaved the story with fast-paced,multilayered scenes; a web of intrigue and mystery. Got my neurons working at full throttle! And of course the journey is wonderful: Florence, Venice, Istanbul, just great. Palazzo Vecchio, Il Duomo, Boboli Gardens, Hagia Sophia, etc.--all so culturally enriching!
The wonderful: The sequences overflow with beauty, energy and the cinematic experience is supreme! Loved the acting of everyone. All the actors put their heart and soul and were convincing. Tom-Hank's presence brings the whole milieu of mysteries together. He's the central heart of the story. Dr. Sienna Brooks plays an ambiguous role very well, I had no idea she and Zobrist had done the plague-bioengineering together! Jon Donahue's character brought reassurance and balance to the scenes with Langdon and Elizabeth. Professor Langdon is the everyman with a great sensitivity to see patterns and connect the dots—he's a victim and he's the hero here. Great! Loved that! I also loved the sense of constant suspense and ambiguity in the situations. It had me guessing, getting it wrong, and being surprised. Basically Langdon gets kidnapped to serve a purpose: to connect the clues and find the bioengineered plague. But the organization (The Provost) that kidnaps Langdon has a directive to kill him when he's no longer required, until a truth about Zobrist, the "client" of the Provost, is discovered through a video recording Zobrist left. Langdon is caught in this whirlwind between fake and reality: Dr. Brooks is not who he thinks she is, he even becomes suspicious of Elizabeth. At one point, everyone could be a bad guy, or everyone could be a good guy!! A huge puzzle! At midpoint things go upside down. Dr. Brooks reveals her true self, and Langdon finds new support from WHO (World Health Organization) and the Provost. After midpoint a lot of truths were revealed, we needed that exposition to clarify our thoughts. Good!
Emotional thread: Finding the virus is the goal of the story. Some emotional desires of the characters are revealed after the midpoint, but i wish that had been a bit stronger and earlier in the story. The emotional story is for Langdon to discover if he and Elizabeth can be one again, but this part of the story got a bit diluted—nonetheless it left some lose strings as to imagine that something could happen in the future! Dr. Brooks is in love, but she has been brainwashed by Zobrist, and she will carry out his will, no matter what. Kind of like a Romeo and Juliet tragic romance between these two characters. A long flashback at midpoint will reveal this truth between Sienna and Z.
The to-think-about-it: Great message! In the end, the plague and destruction in the name of salvation failed. Good! Humanity doesn't need more apocalyptical menaces. Humanity needs hope and see the light at the end of the tunnel (I'll write a screenplay like this (smile)). Being a genius brings responsibilities—nice message here too. The whole concept of Dante's mask makes me wonder about all those mysteries hidden in so many artifacts and paintings in museums around the world
Each with a story to tell
Exciting.
The weird/discordant: Sometimes the hallucinations made sense as such, but when Langdon was seeing the future or events of the past, that was more like psychic abilities. Did the injection give Professor Langdon psychic abilities/ His visions showed the future. That's not possible: a chemical cannot induce visions of the future
Unless the story implies that Professor Langdon is developing psychic abilities? That would be possible, but we would need some hint of that. Same thing happened with the painting – Professor Langdon's mind traveled back in time and saw the flag with the message
I was confused at a climatic point--if Sienna knew about the connections in Istanbul, then she knew that the virus was there? Was she trying to distract Langdon and avoid the WHO to get him? There are some loose strings here. You decide!
Screenplay engineering: The director's execution is wonderful, fantastic scenes, the cinematography impeccable, and the acting is great. The problem is the screenplay--some glitches in the logic of events causing some unwanted audience's "What??"'s and "No-Way"'s.
The no-no!: Why Sims had to be killed? This cynical man had a sense of humor and intelligence. I wish he had stayed alive and developed a further alliance with WHO and Professor Langdon.
Please go and watch this film! Cheers.
Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)
Heartwarming and funny Chaos
I have seen it six times so far! And each time I laugh as much. Fantastic! Refreshing! Inspiring. Hopeful. I'll be watching this classic many times! I laughed and laughed so much, such great fun and hilarity! So many surprising funny situations. But I too cried and sobbed a little, especially during Act II and towards midpoint.
Watch for those climatic-point hints along the way!
The wonderful: What a heartfelt and authentic performance from Zellweger! The plot and its development was clever too: it had me guessing and getting it wrong several times! I loved the revelations that threw me off, and brought me back again. Who is really the father? Who will Bridget love? Who will take care of he baby? Who will Bridget choose (if anyone)? I kept asking myself all these questions, until finally the last 30 minutes of the film showed me answers in a very elegant, unexpected, and sweet way. Seeing Collin Firth and Zellweger together again on the big screen was a bliss! Mr. Darcy and Bridget have such contrasting chemistry. And the arrival of Patrick Dempsey was a fresh addition and twist. Even the vulgar jokes were funny, but the language, except for the F___ word, was quite metaphoric (double meaning puppets, double meaning "not dressed for the occasion", etc.) and trashy-poetic, poetic nonetheless. Totally a joy and fun!
the not-so-good: A few coincidences...The ending shocked me a little, I didn't like that her new husband and best man walked away ahead of her to the wedding party tent, and Bridget stayed behind with her baby boy. But maybe this was the whole point of the story: it was all about becoming a mother, the "geriatric" Bridget Jones had finally found bliss: she had someone that truly belonged to her.
Bridget literally discovers that new life within her, both that of her baby growing in her womb, and that mature perspective and the possibility of finally finding that Knight in Shining Armor.
Conclusion: "Bridget's Baby" will touch your heart and make you laugh wholeheartedly. You will feel warm inside and walk out of the movie feeling that impossibles can be possible, even if just an infinitesimal probability...In the end, happiness will arrive!
Please go and have a wonderful two hours!! Cheers.
Snowden (2016)
A controversial computer story with a heartbeat: privacy vs. security vs. emotion
The wonderful: It is enjoyable drama - we connect with the characters and understand their dilemmas. Oliver Stone transformed a dry/robotic stream of data coding,data mining, and complex computing story into a story webbed with human sentiment. It was an informative film. But it's not a surprise that our world has to go off-limits in the subject of surveillance...
The Acting? Great! I loved Rhys Ifans performance! Such mystery and paradoxical cold warmth, fabulous! I also loved Eastwood's fresh role, and the irreverence of Nicolas Cage. Shailene plays a spontaneous and emotionally charged photographer in conflict with Snowden's job's secrecy (favorite scenes? Hawaii and Japan). Joseph Gordon's performance is authentic and heartfelt. Despite his computer focus, he pours out his emotions during moments of revelation and interaction with his girlfriend. We learn of Snowden's vulnerabilities and the worries that drove him to exit the system he was in.
the not-so-good: Minimal action though. Not much of a thriller either. Multi-layered complex (three levels of story: Snowden's personal life, his job and challenges, and the telling-to-the press) and slow plot. Is our protagonist a criminal or martyr? hero or anti-hero? it's a story with ambiguity. Perhaps this is what makes it s good story? Snowden had to approve this story. In conclusion, is a "matter-of-fact" biographical drama, but I guess it couldn't really be a different way.
the take-away: We learn about the human side of a computer hacking story that shook the Nation. It does raise awareness. Because of the dangerous threats to humanity, surveillance is everywhere. I had the opportunity to watch the live satellite interview between Oliver Stone, the actors, and Snowden. Stone wanted to dramatize Snowden's life experience and the circumstances that drove to do what he did, "you take out what you want" he said about the message of the film. The issue here was one individual's conflicted and growing mistrust of the global surveillance and breaching of people's privacy. But as the CIA official (Rhys Ifans) said it at the beginning of the film: is a trade-off between privacy and security. It's true we want privacy, but it's true we want a safe world free of the constant terrorist threat.
Conclusion: Its thought provoking. Perhaps, one day Snowden will use all his amazing talent to help humanity fight the great evil of terrorism. This film reminds me of the Tom Hanks/DiCaprio/Spielberg film: "Catch me if you Can"
Go and watch it in goodwill.
Cheers!
Ben-Hur (2016)
Epic of forgiveness: A heartfelt/powerful journey from survival to the glory of the chariot
I've seen it five times already! And I still curl up in my seat and grip my knees during the galley sequence...And I still rich out for my Kleenex at the end! oh my!!
So the main writer, Keith Clarke (The Way Back), wanted to retell our beloved classic Ben-Hur: a story of forgiveness. Thank you Hollywood for bringing us a refreshed and updated version of this cinematic jewel of action, drama, and historical fiction. 100$ million dollars to create this wonderful film? Thank you!
The wonderful: It's exciting, inspiring, and touching!I had chills and bit my nails...I could feel the sweat from rowing, rowing, rowing in the roman galley; I could feel the breath of the horses and their churning muscles on the arena and the flying dust; I could smell the stench of the Roman Galley on fire. I gasped for air as Huston tried to unchain himself and survive amid st a floating rigging and broken sails...And the romantic moments -- that tingly sweet pomegranate scene...lovely and enchanting. And so many more sensory moments! Beautiful rhythm of scenes: the parallels and foreshadowing work in harmony throughout.
Entertaining action!! Lots of energy. From the start this film grabs your emotions. The full throttle force of the chariot is foreshadowed in the opening sequence - the love and rivalry of two brothers on horseback sets the pace for the story.
Then from a happily-ever-after family life of Ben Hur and his brother and family, two events change their status quo: Massala's decision to explore his roman heritage and the arrival of a young man who is enemy of Rome. Here is when Ben Hur must grow into a warrior and know how to outlive his enemy...
The director, Timur, brings us up close and personal with the human side of the story and all its action. First, he makes sure we love these characters: the connection between Judah Ben Hur and his roman adopted brother Massala. We get to see their every day life and their romantic desires and learn of their dreams. Then Massala rebels, tragedy strikes, chaos burns, and it changes Ben Hur's life forever. I love the sequences that that shows Ben Hur's transformation: from a Jewish prince to a prisoner--from prisoner to hero--from hero to survivor--from survivor to a chariot warrior--and then, the circle of the heart. Huston plays a powerful and evocative role as Ben Hur. Ben Hur's journey is touched briefly by the presence of Jesus of Nazareth and the counsel of his beloved wife. But ultimately, fate and the African Prince-- Morgan Freeman, will take him to the triumph of the chariots. I loved the roman ship/slaves sequence - stunning and immediate; the becoming of Ben Hur the charioteer; the confrontational scenes with Massala; and the climatic sequence--Ben Hur's final transformation and completion of the journey of his heart...breathtaking! I broke up in a sob in that last sequence!!
Authentic, brilliant acting! Huston, a fresh Ben Hur! Not a Charlton Heston at all, but a very unique, gentleman-like and charismatic Jack Huston! Toby Kebbell is a perfect roman soldier and Santoro makes a compassionate Jesus: fantastic performances! And of course the amazing presence and witty remarks of Morgan Freeman. Pilou Asbaek is a charming and wicked Pontius Pilate! Great!
The not-so-great: a bit slow at the beginning. It dwelled too long in the family life, I wanted to see Ben Hur become the fighter much sooner in the story. Also, this kid rebel brings tragedy into the family: it all seemed too predictable. Also at first, I was confused to who was the protagonist - Massala seemed to take the leading role for a while. Then Ben Hun takes over, but he doesn't seem strong enough as Massala. Things change after Ben Hur falls into disgrace and he begins his journey into transformation.
Overall: What a beautifully rendered spectacle! A delight for the emotions and the senses. I left the theater in tears and inspired! There's ambition, perseverance, revenge, humility, brute-force, forgiveness, romance, hope, despair, etc! So many dimensions of the human heart!
And did you know the making of this film witnessed a miracle? Kebbell said in an interview that a charioteer was thrown off--but the horses jumped over him leaving him unharmed.
I'll be watching this film ten times or more!!
Please go and delight your heart and senses. Watch this beautiful Ben Hur. Cheers!
Criminal (2016)
From criminal to hero: A journey of redemption
Please watch this film!! Give it a go! I'm watching it a few times.
1. The wonderful: Lots of suspense and thrill! What a journey of redemption! How entertaining and intriguing!! As Jericoh (Kevin Costner) progressively gets more involved with Pope's sentimental memories (feelings of love and kindness), he also develops a sensitivity for humanity: he develops positive emotions. And of course we empathize with JEricoh when we learn the cause of his brain damage--his father throws him off the window of a running car...this marked him forever. I also love how Pope's wife (Gadot) connects with this "criminal," because he carries her deceased beloved husbands memories and feelings. Likewise, Pope's daughter bonds with Jericoh. And the emotional climax of the movie is my favorite part! It's a moment of truth and tears. Another thing I liked was the Russian hacker (Michael Pitt) that have taken control of nuclear missiles system--in the end, he sabotages the system and prevents the wicked Spaniard (Molla, the real villain of the film) to carry out destruction. The science-fiction portion of the story is such an mind-opener! Can people with no ability to distinguish between good and evil be saved? What if they are exposed to the neural pathways/memories of goodness, of kindness? What if they experience these positive emotions and can then make a choice? This is what Jericoh does. He doesn't automatically turns good, he makes the choice to turn good, because he discovers something he has never experience before, thanks to Pope's memories. One of my favorite lines in the movie is when he tells Gadot he couldn't ever harm her because Pope would never do so. After that moment, Gadot overcomes her fear. Pope's goodness has reflected on Jericoh, and Jericoh has accepted that. I also love Tommy Lee Jones as Dr. Frank! Just love him. AND THE ENDING? Fantastic! I wanted to stay in that moment forever! A shining Kevin Costner.
2. The ugly and terrible: Seeing Kevin Costner commit such heinous acts of violence without a trace of emotion in his face is hard to watch. Of course his brain is impervious to emotion or the sense of good vs. evil. Hence that's why he becomes the perfect target for Dr. Frank's experiment. But it's Kevin Costner! Our sweetheart wonderful good-guy actor. Also, Pope(Reynolds) suffers a brutal death...that's hard to watch (or hear).
3. What I ponder about: Lots of layers, lots of elements going on. But the whole idea of this Spaniard anarchist having such level of power. He doesn't operate on a global scale or doesn't seem strong enough to have such impact.
Overall, this is a film with a positive message. I walked out of the theater feeling good! Give it a try!
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Superheroes in crisis / Explosive action with hate overload and no heart
I couldn't watch it more than once!
Things I have been pondering about:
I think I understand what the screenwriters and director wanted to accomplish. 1. One of the problems is that this is almost two films in one. One: the duel between Batman and Superman - Batman's internal issues. Two: paving the way for the justice league. 2. Superheroes make mega-sized mistakes because they are gifted super-humans, but humans nonetheless. They are flawed. Hence the duel between Batman and Superman. 3. Why did Superman destroy that building in the opening scene? It is not clear why he did it (or if it was him). This event triggers Batman's rage and revenge and vows to destroy Superman. 4. Remember the TV cartoon, Superfriends? If you pay close attention, there are several scenes that apparently don't make sense...but here is what I think: a) the encrypted files from Lex Luthor foreshadows the new superheroes to come! Watch Chris Pine and Aquaman?? b)Batman's nonsensical nightmares = perhaps these are anticipations of the future conflicts in future movies?
The wonderful:
Just watching the superstars and the cast do such a true-to-life performance is a positive. Ben Affleck plays a terminator-style, determined, unforgiving, implacable, and impervious Batman. I loved all his technologies and bat-behavior. Henry Cavill is the best Superman ever: he's so natural and so genuine and powerful yet naïve and innocent, he takes all his punches with great humility and stoicism. Jesse E.– Lex Luthor is monstrously likable in a weird way. He's infectious and fools even the smartest characters. He's definitely the only funny person in the whole movie. The rest of the cast also does a superb job. There's plenty of cutting-edge (literally) superhero action and stunts: thrill-seekers won't be disappointed. The special effects are dramatic and go above and beyond. The midpoint will shake you. That was an unexpected turn of events. And there are also tiny droplets of romance. Amy Adams is key for the plot development. Good.
The bad and the ugly:
And precisely because I love Superman and Batman this film is painful to watch. Yes, I know the idea was to create a duel between superheroes. But I just completely did not enjoy all the bashing and hitting and smashing that Superman suffered. He's a victim here. He's set up for failure!! How awful. Seeing one of my favorite superheroes suffer this fate was heart-wrenching. I almost wanted to weep!!! I felt as if I was watching, from the stands of a roman coliseum, one gladiator obsessed to terminate the other
The climatic point was so disappointing! Terrible! How in the world Lex Luthor so easily accomplishes his goal? I couldn't figure it out. Maybe you can? The ending, the worst ever in all superhero movies
You have to judge for yourself though
Why so much hatred? The vibe of this movie is hate!
Only Superman seems to have a heart. Everyone else is guided by revenge and anger. It depicts a society that has lost faith. Batman is in a relentless pursuit of destruction. The screen constantly fires at you with violent action. Wonder-woman detachment – only until part III she shows up. Loose ends and plot holes – there are several instances where I kept wondering, what happened here? Where did this come from? What? (see my comments in the opening paragraph).
I don't get it, why Superman's fate??
Although I walked out of this film feeling downhearted and drained. No inspiration, no message of hope. Perhaps that's the whole point? When humanity is hopeless, we eventually dream of new hopes...Is this the idea? To leave the audience starving for the Justice League? Our well-known superheroes are in crisis, so we need new ones?
The Verdict?
Not uplifting. But overall, it is a must-watch-it-once film, after all we are superheroes fans...
Risen (2016)
A Supernatural and organic transformative journey - entertaining and enriching!
What a masterpiece! The best biblical historical fiction story since THE ROBE. And it beautifully extrapolates and interpolates from the scriptures - without changing anything! Clever!
I've seen it already 9 times! And counting
The whirlwind of emotion, suspense, and healing is supernatural. I just don't get tired of experiencing the character transformation of Clavius—the Pilate's Tribune. Joseph Fiennes is pure perfection in this performance.
The Wonderful: Love the cast. Cliff Curtis has given us an everyman, accessible and down-to-earth Jesus! Love the settings. The special effects are simple and so effective! I love the balance created between the very serious and dramatic characters (most of the disciples, priests, Romans) and the funny and fresh: the disciple Bartholomeus and Lucius. I never thought I would giggle and laugh, but Bartholomeus is cute and funny! I also love the sensory details: I squirmed with the smell the rotting of flesh; I delighted in the scents of rosemary. There's also the many textures. These small details contribute to making the film come alive!!!
The journey of discovery that Clavius goes through is intoxicating. First, we meet him in his regular life: the bloody death-causing Tribune. Violence and numbness to the stench of human flesh rot is a natural thing for him. As well as is natural to not smile or express emotion. Of course—he's been bred for that, he's a successful highly-trusted Tribune. Pilate's right hand. But there's one speck of kindness in Clavius—we love him because he is not all wickedness: aside from doing his job, he shows compassion for the mourning and screaming mother of YESHUA. You'll see why.
Then that eye-to-eye contact with the dead Son of God
that's our first inciting incident that starts the emotional transformation in Clavius. You can sense a powerful connection between the characters here.
The next trigger in the story is when Pilates demands a body to be unearthed: suddenly Clavius turns into a forensics investigator and spy. Another heart-touching moment: What do you seek? Asks Pilates. Clavius goes through a list, only to arrive to one statement: A DAY WITHOUT DEATH (pay attention to this statement, it is an important piece for later
). So we know there's a seed of goodness and hope in this ruthless Tribune
For the first half of the movie, a summation of events drive Clavius to a state of doubt in his disbelief—a paradox. Is the dead man really dead or not? Then at midpoint there's a dramatic 180 degree shift in the story—the most wonderful thing. I don't want to reveal what happens. Please watch it! Not just once but at least twice so can really absorb all the wonder. Then the rest of the story becomes really inspiring and warm. For me, tears and smiles flowed like gentle waves of a calm sea
At the end, we see a new Clavius that smiles, cries, and is capable of experiencing wonder. A transformed human being.
The ugly and bad: the dead zombies!! Lots of rot-putrid decomposing human beings! This happens during the first half of the movie.
Anyway, I love this film so much--from the point of view of a zealous moviegoer and as a student of screen writing. I'm going to watch it again and again. Historical fiction bible based stories are challenging and difficult to master, and RISEN has shown that it can be done. Clearly there's expertise and heart in the making and writing of this film. Go and watch it with faith...
Cheers, Yelitza.
Point Break (2015)
extreme-sports rebels turned deadly - an entertaining abstract action cautionary tale
So many terrible reviews! Why such negativity? I've seen this film 9 times and counting. It's so beautiful. It's cinematic poetry! Point Break is a cautionary tale because the eco-warriors rebellion only leads to destruction of others and self. It's the paradox of humankind - good and wicked all in one. Please watch with an open mind!
Also, I find the extreme-sports-nature sequences breathtaking and beautiful and full of high energy action. There are also some inspiring ideals along the way: "the break point, the point where fear becomes master and you the slave..."
I understand Core's approach and Kurt Wimmer's screen-writing logic: a story of friendship with a crazy philosophical twist and rebellion turned into criminal. The natural wonders are fantastic! Huge surf waves, Alps, and Angel Falls.
Yes I'm biased... I'm from Venezuela, and I think Edgard Ramirez did a spectacular job with his character and Angel Falls are magnificent! Luke Bracey as Johnny Utah is heartfelt and charismatic. Roach, Chowder, Grommet, Pappas, and Samsara were great too. All straightforward and minimal dialogue.
Did you know that the climbing of Auyantepui was real? The line and bolts were digitized out, but it was and experience of a lifetime for these climbers. Chris Sharma, Peter Croft, and Dany Andrada were the stunt doubles. The behind-the-scenes video is astounding!
One big mistake? To have marketed this movie as a remake of Point Break 1991: it's inspired by it but another story. And yes, there are problems with the plot and character development, but that's because the focus is on the visual story more than dialogue. Another major problem is that the writing and the dialogue lines are too abstract and metaphoric and ambiguous. It's not clear at times what Bodhi means or what Johnny Utah wants. I think I got it and I enjoyed the film, but I can see how it can be confusing to audiences. Teresa Palmer's lines too are full of philosophical ideas that sound abstract as well.
In this version, Bodhi is a protégé of Osaki, a fictionalized eco-warrior with the idea of saving Earth by performing 8 ordeals (this is the fiction). But Osaki was killed by a whaling ship when he was "giving back"... Later, Bodhi follows Osaki's steps, but he has taken the wrong path. Bohdi wants to accomplish his 8-ordeals to become one with the Earth and give back through criminal/sabotage acts. However, there's good in Bodhi, for he saves Utah's life for some unknown compassionate reason(??). Perhaps Osaki saved Bodhi's life once just like in Utah's situation? It would've been great to see the setup story for Bodhi as well. Yet, Bodhi is determined and he doesn't care he is killing people and destroying assets when he "gives back to Earth."
Without the crime, these guys would be extreme-sports crusaders for mother Earth's wonders: which would be a whole different story - perhaps I'll write a new Point Break screenplay inspired by this version of Point Break (I'm a screen writing student).
Then we have Johnny Utah, a former extreme-sports turned FBI agent, but we don't learn why he specifically joins the FBI. The film would have benefited from additional minutes to set up the characters better and explore their deeper emotional motives. That's what's lacking. Utah goes undercover to find out why these extreme-athletes are committing crimes, only to get too involved to be able to stop them: part of Utah relishes in the chaos and he enters into a conflict with himself. Utah however, is the perfect agent to pursue the extreme-sports criminals. But his longing for the sport and his gratitude to Bodhi are stronger than his FBI mission. And worse yet for the mission: Utah has a soft-heart and Bodhi knows that. Utah owes him his life. Utah is in a great dilemma - apprehend and kill the very person that saved his life?
In the end, the power of gratitude and kindness prevails in Utah. And he gets back his passion for life. And the bad guys find their fate...
Enjoy. Best wishes.
Bridge of Spies (2015)
Surprisingly entertaining: The man of what if's negotiations wins my heart
Loved this film!
The title is actually literal! It's all revealed in the last sequences of the film. Wonderful impact! But watch carefully
seeds are planted at the very beginning of the film to guide your mind into the end. The pace of the film is perfect – no time for boredom, and enough time for exposition to understand what's going on and keep the suspense. Some apparent loose strings come together at the end—it all makes sense and it's wonderful.
The world building is realistic: Spielberg shows us the destruction of East Germany, the horrors of the wall, and the economic and social devastation. Of course Spielberg is a superstar in this territory—he's done war masterpiece films before. He knows how to compose images that stir curiosity and deep emotions.
The writers did a superb job with a sequence of scenes that makes us (the audience) care very much for Jim (Tom Hanks) and his missions. We understand him. We want him to succeed: he's a man of altruism, honor, generosity, and justice. He's a warm and kind husband, father, and citizen. He sacrifices his reputation. And he's so smart! He uses his knowledge in probabilistic insurance models to make decisions on his spy negotiations. Brilliant.
When Jim says that the Russian spy should be given incarceration and not electric chair because he could be used for an exchange, in case the Russians get an American spy
this gave me the hint of what was coming later. Even though there's some predictability, the whole situation of an American lawyer in treacherous enemy territory to hold negotiations is incredibly suspenseful.
I was on the edge of my seat
I laughed with Tom Hanks mannerisms and sense of humor (his trademark shouts and gestures) in rough times. I got teary in the last sequence of the exchange, and how Jim's kindness won the Russian's spy's heart.
Tom Hanks is the master of showing emotional engagement and astute acting. He is a delight to watch on the big screen. The rest of the cast does a fine job and thanks to them the best and the worst of Jim's character shows up on the screen. Conflict and suspense are part of every minute of this film! Jim took measured risks—for the sake of doing the right thing—and he succeeded. Wonderful 2 hours! Loved it!
I was super surprised to see the energetic sequence of the airplane taken down by a Russian missile! An unexpected exciting moment of action and thrill! Because of this event, at midpoint in the film things flip upside down for Jim – he has to go to East Berlin to negotiate 1 for 1 exchange, but while he is there, he learns there's a student that happened to be at the wrong time and got captured
and he makes it a 2 for 1
which becomes an incredible difficult and dangerous task
This is a masterpiece to be absorbed and relived many times. Cheers.
Steve Jobs (2015)
Ebullient performance: just a man, but an orchestrator of genius
Fassbender is ebullient! The outpouring of energy is constant throughout the film. But most of the energy flows through dialogue. Sometimes it gets a bit boring because of all the talking and bickering. But at midpoint the film gains momentum and gets a bit exciting. Those who admired Birdman might also like Steve Jobs. But there is no magical realism :it's a "matter-of-fact" story.
The writing and Fassbender's performance capture the spirit of Steve Jobs: A man with a dream – fighting against whoever and whatever to get it fulfilled. Along the way he makes enemies. He makes friends. The film focuses on a specific period of time of his life—here we empathize with this character because he shows his human side. Surely he is a genius, but he has vulnerabilities and anxieties: his poor relationship with his daughter, his daughter's mother, some friends, and with himself.
I loved the "real time" filming style, feels a lot like Birdman (Oscar winning director and screenwriter Alejandro G. Iñárritu) – the camera tracking behind the actors for a this-moment-right-now feeling. Fantastic. Also, Birdman was filmed backstage and staged in a theater, sort of what Sorkin did with Steve Jobs film – it revolved around two major Apple media release events. Sorkin is the star screenplay writer of two of my favorite films: A Few Good Men and Social Network.
Winslet is the loyal assistant, who knows him and cares for him. I think in the film she also represents Steve Job's sister—who in real life was the person that influenced him to heal his relationship with his out-of-wedlock daughter.
And of course the rest of the cast is wonderful—thanks to their great acting they make all the events feel so real, and they bring the best and the worst in our protagonist.
Although boring at times, overall this film is absorbing, entertaining and heartwarming. You will walk out of the film inspired and having admiration for the man Steve Jobs, and feeling emotional connection because he had flaws and problems just like any one of us. Although the flashbacks add a dynamic element that break the monotony of the film, sometimes feels confusing.
Excellent bio-drama to watch at least once! Cheers.
Pan (2015)
Fly, float, and fall along pirates and Peter – fantastical drama with small bits of fun
Poor Peter! Such an unfortunate child! But he is to be redeemed, and his adventure begins...
Flying, floating,and falling, faaalling,faaaaalling!! There was so much of that in PAN. Maybe too much. Lots of fighting and persecution: pirates vs. children, pirates vs.natives, pirates vs. fairies. At first the movie felt slow. We meet Peter in an orphanage, surrounded by a world war II setting,and horrid nuns.
I love Joe Wright's movies, (Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina, Atonement) they are filled with drama and wonder. Perhaps precisely this was Joe Wright's intention with PAN: to show Peter PAN's dark nightmarish origins instead of all the sunny and colorful happy-happy portrayed in other versions of Peter Pan.
I'm giving it a 7 because this movie will satisfy the fantasy/drama genre fans, but as an all-audiences movie, it didn't meet its full potential. It is entertaining for adults, for the most part. It might be scary for children.
One of the problems in this movie is that it feels like a stage, as if watching a theater play. This is especially noticeable in the second part of the film - with the tribal territory.
Although a very energetic film, I was taken aback by the brutality, children slavery, killing of children (being kicked into an endless pit), the prevalent role of a merciless pirate (of course brilliantly performed by Hugh Jackman), and the subject of destructive mining (which exhausted the fairy dust gems). Was all that really necessary? I guess the writers wanted to emphasize the ugliness that Peter had to live through before he could discover happiness.
Nonetheless, I just kept wanting greater enchantment and heart. For instance, why were the fairies, which are quintessential of fantasy and magic, reduced to just sparkles? It's so different from our classic view of the fairies in Disney's animated Peter Pan.
More things I wondered about...What was Black Beard's motivation? Eventually midpoint in the movie, in a subtle scene, we figure it out. Jackman's performance is good, but his character seems too wicked for a children's movie.
Not funny, just fantastic! Hook is the only one that shows bits of humor.Clearly the film was not conceived to elicit laughter. It was conceived to elicit empathy for the misfortune of the children and Peter. But it could have had been more fun. It did however keep me on the edge-of-my-seat: with all the perils and troubles chasing Peter.
I just kept searching for that emotional connection between the characters. There is however, one emotional thread that keeps the movie together: the child's eagerness to find his mother. "You will find me in this world, or another
" was a written message from his mother. That's Peter's motivation. Eventually Peter gets assigned the title of "chosen" one, the savior of the fairies. Will he find his mother at the end? I won't reveal it here. But the ending scenes were my favorite: these had heart and charm and magic...
The fantasy element is undeniable astonishing – those flying ships and the different worlds they go to are a feast to watch. But sometimes it felt too repetitive. For sure,there is lots of action. Every second of the movie is filled with adventure, haphazard adventure I would say. Peter is always being chased by something or someone. Giant birds, crocs, pirates, etc., are there to put Peter's life in constant danger. There's a mermaid rescuing scene that is quite magical.
About the music, that Nirvana "teen spirits" chant was creepy! Maybe that was the intention exactly... What can you expect from enslaved children working in a mine for a wicked pirate?
Overall, the actors did their best with the script they had. They put their heart in their performances. Black Beard is Peter's nemesis. Peter is the determined boy who, with the help of a mining runaway, Hook and the natives' princess (Mara), sets on a quest to survive and find his mother. This native princess confused me-—I thought she was Peter's mother! She looked like a foreigner among the natives. But that was an intentional casting choice, they wanted to portray a multicultural native tribe.
In the end, I walked out of the theater thinking "that was okay." But I had no feeling of excitement or wonder or joy. It was an average dark fantasy movie experience. Worth watching once. Although I will caution parents-- I think some scenes might not be appropriate for very young children...
The Martian (2015)
It fulfills the promise: A true inspiring MARTIAN experience! A flood of creative science and relentless human determination
This film is all about PURE ACTION and SCIENCE FICTION entertainment! Is not just about the action, but also about the intelligence and super stimulating surprising and creative problem solving skills in our hero protagonist. Tension spills every minute in this movie. Tension to whether Watney can be extracted from Mars. How will he get food? How can he communicate? Will he make it? Can NASA figure it out?
Thought dead, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is left behind on MARS. The rest of the crew, commanded by J. Chastain, continue on with their mission. Meanwhile, Watney must face a planet with no water and no oxygen, where nothing can grow and be creative with his science knowledge and adapt and survive. Watney gets to be the first true MARTIAN. Watney though, never shows psychological distress! If he is to survive and defeat the clock-ticking of running-out-of food, oxygen, etc. he must be efficient in his energy and mental resources. It's inspiring to see that Watney keeps his enthusiasm,despite the clock ticking – running out of food,oxygen,etc. He even enjoys the martian breathtaking desert and alien mountain views.
This movie is sooo thrilling! Explosions, injuries, astronaut waste, potatoes, ketchup, and disco music. And lots of martian dust, lots of martian storms
and of course realistic NASA technology. The world building is fantastic (Riddley Scott did the same for the Moses movie). I love the realistic lab on Mars, and all the instruments, equipment, transportation, etc. AMAZING!! And the planetary surface, the clay-red landscapes,etc.
Jessica Chastain does a fine job, is so refreshing to see her as commander of the space ship, opposite from her role in Interstellar. One strange character, but key in Watney's rescue, is the eccentric Rich Purnell (Donald Glover) the astrophysics/astrodynamics scientist. He's irreverent. Down-to-earth and messy! Purnell is the one who sends rescue plans to the Mars crew (Jessica Chastain and the rest of the MARS mission group that left Watney behind because they thought him dead). But his character has a very low relevance otherwise.
So overall, please go ahead and get immersed in this spectacular and desperate race for survival of a Martian!
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Exquisite 60s spy action with an irresistible rivalry and friendship story
Oh I loved, loved this movie! From the beginning I was intrigued by the characters – their synergy is irresistible.
I've seen this film 19 times already - and it still moves me with tears and giggles and suspense!
Henry Cavill's gesture and presence immediately captivated me and took me back to the spy TV shows I used to watch as a child in the late 70's and early 80's and the sophisticated Roger Moore's and Shaun Connery's J-Bonds movies. There's a touch of humor in his voice and performance, which in addition to his charisma makes him a lovable character. At first he appears arrogant, but as the movie develops we learn he has a taste for pleasure and la dolce vita – he is as astute as a serpent and suave as a dove
but with a big heart.
Armie Hammer is so original and genuine in his Russian spy performance. Of course his persona is a perfect match for the role – with his innocent boy face and haircut and that massive energy of a muscular Russian spy. The juxtaposition of his sweet vulnerable personality and massive destructive energy is also irresistible. Eventually we learn more about his past, making us (the audience) care for him and love him even more. The symbolism of his father's watch ties the beginning of the movie with the end. At first his character is reminiscent of a slight terminator-ish sort of spy, but it is through his rivalry and later his forced cooperation with Solo (Henry Cavill) and Gaby (Alicia Vikander)that his humanity evolves. And we learn that, he too, has a big heart under an iron fist.
Alicia Vikander She did a great performance with her bad-turned-good witch character in Seventh Son and Ex-Machina —- now we see her here, a prickly rose amongst steel thistles (Solo and IIlya). Alicia, as Gaby, brings balance and contrast – a young passionate girl that appears to be innocent later on in the movie surprises us when we discover who she really is. But her personality – sweet and explosive and delicate make her a great match for the trio. She brings the softness in Armie Hammer's character, she teaches him to be more human. And of course, she learns to be a better human too. The high fashion she wears throughout the movie is also delightful.
And what about Hugh Grant? His charm and mature wisdom with his natural lovable British sense of humor make him completely adorable to watch. He is the boss of this nascent discordant team!
The cinematography honors the spy TV-shows from the 70's – absolutely and contradictorily refreshing, compared to all other spy/action movies in the recent years. I love that this movie takes place in 1963, so the action relies less on high tech gadgets and more on man's intelligence and instinct and skills.
There are so many exciting layers to this movie! There's a teasing romance, there's history, a cocktail of foreign languages (which I find stimulating and fascinating), and all the European settings are a joy to watch. The foreign language spoken by the actors makes the story even more engaging. Also, I laughed and laughed – subtle and sophisticated humor.Loved it!
And the music
I couldn't resist swaying with the rhythms: a potpourri of 70's style and original contemporary scores plus some romantic Italian songs. I'm buying the soundtrack as soon as it becomes available!
Violence is kept under control. Only trickles and hints of blood. It's mostly the physical wrestling fight style, without the carnage and surgical bloodshed of recent movies. I didn't feel disgusted or disturbed. There's only one scene that is chilling – related to World War II torture, but even then, violence is restrained.
In the end, after all the action and heroic achievements, the good-hearted ones and kindness and justice prevails. I just didn't want the movie to end! In the last scene I was convinced these characters are here to stay. I am ready for UNCLE 2! Meanwhile though, I'll be watching this movie at least 10 times.
I walked out of the theater feeling good and smiling.
Cheers, Yelitza
Home (2015)
Logical and sensitive Oh: a wacky apocalyptic story of hope and friendship
From the start, I cared about Oh. You will love him! His expressive face and his show-my-emotion chameleon colors, his misfortune, clumsiness, and naive-ways gets him into trouble. We pity Oh - he's an alienated alien. And this is what's fascinating about Oh: we care about him and his journey of growth and discovery. When Oh meets Gratuity Tucci, his transformation begins. Eventually Oh behaves like a human-Boov (or Boov-human?) and Gratuity-Tucci learns to tolerate and even appreciate the Boov Oh.
Overall, Home was more about drama than laughter. Somewhat funny! But it is truly moving. The film is an adaptation of the middle-grade novel, "The true meaning of Smekday," by Adam Rex. The main focus is the gradual understanding between Oh and the left-behind girl, Gratuity-Tucci.
Nonetheless, Home promises to be a silly explosion of science-fiction, colorful wackiness and imaginative alien devises. But behind all that, there's a sensitive subject of invasion, abduction, war, threat of extinction, the clash of cultures, humans taken to reservations (or happy concentration camps in this case), and the triumph of human virtue. Serious! The synergy of Heart and logic is more powerful than logic alone.
Scenes-wise, I love the fixing-up-the-car, which is one hilarious moments, literally dripping with creativity! I also like the visuals of what the Boov considers "useless," and how they "remove" such items. Another great scene is the joke scene - so sweet and cute! But the most memorable scene is when Oh finds out that he doesn't have to run away if the probability of success is less than 50%: there's always hope, as Gratuity-Tucci teaches him. I also love the scene when Oh discovers the significance of human boding: family love. Oh determines that Tip's condition is that of a "Sad-mad," girl, because she misses her mother and she hates the Boov for what they have done to her Planet. In the end, Oh unearths his true heart, and through his goodness and logic he becomes a key player in the Human-Boov-Gorg conflict. Gratuity Tucci's character shines with forgiveness and kindness and she's smart! And another discovery that Oh makes is when he realizes that this "humansgirl" accepts mistakes as part of being humans...This is an epiphany to Oh. I love the character growth!
About the performance: The choice of Jim Parsons to play the voice of Oh is perfect. Parsons already plays a very logical scientist that behaves more like a robot than a person (Big Bang Theory TV show). Rihanna also is a great match for Gratuity-Tucci: feisty, playful, sentimental, and strong-willed. Jennifer Lopez pours some great emotion and attitude into her Gratuity-Tucci's mother character as well!
Stories between an alien and an earthling are not new: remember the classic TV-show "My favorite Martian?" The movies ET? Echo? Planet 51? Terra? Even Distric 9 shares some elements with Home. But what's new about Home? It's all about its true meaning: the discovery of hope and friendship and forgiveness and its life-changing consequences.
One more thing, Oh also reminds me of Beegu: a lovable alien character in a children's picture book written and illustrated by Alexis Deacon.
Perhaps Home won't make you laugh as much, but it will give topics to think and talk about, all amidst bubbly and silly entertainment! And you will smile and get teary-eyed at the end...
Home is strong storytelling: it will touch your heart! Cheers!
McFarland, USA (2015)
Running after a dream: Seven "Produce-Pickers" Athletes and One Heart-Believing Coach
I've seen it three times now! And my 10-year old daughter loved it too!
Seeing those boys blaze like chariots across streets and trails was fascinating. Want to get all fired up? Inspired? Come and watch this positive-charged, entertaining, and moving film. You will cry, you will laugh. Seven boys, that clocked high-mileage every day from the fields to school, break the boundaries of impossibilities: thanks to the guidance of a phenomenal coach. Jim White (Kevin Costner) moves to McFarland after hitting rock-bottom in his career. But when he thought everything was lost, he discovers several almost-superhuman "produce pickers," teenagers that have seeds of fine athletes in them.
"McFarland" is a journey about the cultivation and harvest of talent. Along the way, we fall in love with the heart and the faith of a coach who changed an unmovable reality for a group of Hispanic High-Schoolers back in 1987. Along the way, we fall in love with the boys whose dreams and troubles and families, in turn, change the life realities of a coach and his own family. Along the way, we learn about cultural values. We also gain a new perspective on our produce: now we can imagine the working-hands and the hopeful-smiles behind each Californian cabbage or orange. Beautiful!
Although the plot is fairly predictable, it's full of conflict, bits of suspense, emotion, and plenty cross-country team cheering!
From the beginning, this story grabs my heart and runs with it! And it doesn't let go. I counted about ten favorite scenes that had me drying up my tears and smiling at the same time. The piercing poem. The cheerful ocean. The "pretend" hills. The kind gestures. And many more great scenes. Also, the landscapes and camera angles are breathtaking - the crops, the mountains, the roads, etc.
In this film, Kevin Costner is utterly illuminating. Once more, he shines. Costner shows the various facets of Jim White: the coach, the father, the neighbor, the mentor, and the man. The man that has to make tough choices for himself and for his family and for the community. The man looking for self-worth. He is down-to-earth (literally) and compassionate. Then we have the actors that play the running team: they are champion stars! These actors sowed soul and muscle and they harvested success. Their characters breathe authenticity and sentiment. Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts), sums up the "Cougars" joys and pains and fears. I also loved Señora Diaz (Diana Maria Riva)--the lively mother and neighbor. The White family: Maria Bello (the wife), Morgan Saylor (the 15-year old daughter), and Elsie Fisher (the little daughter) give us honest and lovable characters. And of course, the rest of the supporting cast make this film the jewel it is. Even the chicken and the roosters add feathers of humor.
And the messages... I got chills with lines that shake the "competitor" in each of us. For instance, "what is hard, is loosing when you haven't done enough." Beautiful!
I also loved all the Mexican heritage-rich moments and the spicy music--especially the Luis Miguel song!
This is a truly memorable film. Why? Because it's a film about people believing in people. It's about forgetting boundaries and standards and following your heart. "McFarland" is about running after a dream.
Please watch it!
I can't wait to see it again and again.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015)
Ridiculously Weird, Funny, and a Good Storyline in Disguise (warning, must be able to at least tolerate Spongebob!)
Wow! Weird. Weird. Crazy. Wackily Weird. What else would you expect from a Spongebob movie? Spongebobbiness to the exponential factor!! But I was certainly surprised. Underneath all that wackiness, there is a nicely structured storyline and the characters (both spongebob's team and Burger Beard) have clear motivations with clear stakes at risk.
Antonio Banderas (Burger Beard) humanizes this story, it gives it the real world dimension. Excellent. He is so vivid and expressive. With just gestures and a little bit of words, we figure out what Burger Beard wants and why. Note: I loved Bandera's pirate-hybrid ship!
The story begins with a mystery - which is puzzling, but that's the whole point--to keep the audience interested. Burger Beard retrieves a magical book that will grant him access to the secret recipe of Krabby Patties...Zaap!
Then things go completely wacky (almost intolerable!) when the film switches to 2-D: the underwater Spongebob world. This part of the movie takes too long and gets off tangent too many times. At several points I wondered if I was watching the same original story. A lot of detours occur around the chaos that ensues when the recipe for the patties disappears mysteriously...Zaap! Ahh! You see the connection?
In a Spongebob-style bizarre and insufferable way, the protagonists try to figure out a solution to the problem. They go through several motions here, the movie gets a bit boring during this part. Then they come up with a preposterous solution that involves nachos and an old fashioned photo-booth, which eventually we figure out it has a clear objective -- they meet an alien (which will make some sort of nonsensical sense later in the film).
Midpoint, Spongebob and his friends land in human 3-D beach. Their 3-D shapes are wonderful, great designs! The sequence in the beach (the one shown in the trailers) is hilarious and keeps you interested. As the team navigates 3D human-land, meanwhile, Burger Beard is happily growing his business. Then things turn around when Beard meets the "Justice League" (Spongebob and his friends).
In a convenient manner (convenient events are pervasive across the film--which makes sense because of its weirdness tone)...ZAAP! again, the underwater cartoons now turned 3-D, become superheroes thanks to Burger Beard's attempt to vanish them and thanks to the thankful "alien." This is when the final sequences, the battles to retrieve the Krabby Pattie, begin.
In the end, friendship and justice prevails.
This film brings to memory "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," with the combination of 2-D cartoons and live action.
My daughter wants to see this craziness again! She liked it and she's intrigued by a lot of the wackiness. I will watch it again too, not because I like Spongebob (I absolutely don't!!) but because I enjoyed the storyline and Bandera's acting. I admit it, I liked the film...
Let a little bit of wackiness rock your life.
Go and get spongedbobbed!
Thanks for reading.
Cheers.
Seventh Son (2014)
Entertaining Kill-the-Witch adventure with a love story
"Seventh Son" is a classic struggle between knights and witches with a young love story and a tragic long-ago love story. It is a typical fantasy told with bits of heart and bits of drama.
You will enjoy the morphing of animals into humans and the abundant battles with beasts and monsters. Perhaps there are too many repetitive yawn-inducing CG battles. Although the storyline is somewhat predictable, it has enough twists and revelations to keep the audience somewhat excited.
The opening scene is fascinating: the witch being locked away by a mysterious man and then fast-forward passing-of-time in what it looks like is a Grand Canyon/Highlands hybrid landscape. During the whole movie the scenery is very enjoyable, including the medieval villages and castles. Certainly Julianne Moore impersonation as the evil shape-shifter witch is spellbinding! And then, there are the dragons--loved that too! The chosen boy to become apprentice has all these visions that foreshadow what's coming next. Along the entire movie, the visuals are dulled by a certain haze or fog--I guess that's the mood the director wants to convey for the film.
The centerpiece of the story is the witch and revolving around that is the training of the seventh son. After the introduction, we then meet Gregory (Jeff Bridges). and we learn what he wants-- to kill all witches. Jeff Bridges is sort of a humorous medieval Buffalo-Bill-looking knight determined to destroy the witch--Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore), and to accomplish that, he recruits the Seventh Son, the country boy, Tom (Ben Barnes). We also learn that the witch wants revenge, and she'll organize her forces to take power. When we meet Tom, the to-be-apprentice, we learn that he wants a different life and that he has a strong bond with his mother, who gives him a special pendant before he goes with the teacher (Jeff Bridges). We later discover some truths about Tom and about Gregory that give us a new insight into these characters. This pendant, and the emphasis on the mother have a reason to be--these two elements become relevant later in the story. Next appears a young witch, who will captivate Tom's heart.
Overall the performances are passionless, except for the witch herself. Perhaps the story spends more time in battles than in character exploration. My favorite part of the movie is the third act: suddenly there's drama! In the end, we learn that there are good witches and bad witches, and that a change of heart is possible.
This is no "Lord of the Rings" and is not much of a memorable movie, but it is entertaining. It's based on a fantasy novel--The Last Apprentice--the Revenge of the Witch. Actually "Seventh Son" reminds me of that Michelle Pfeiffer witch film: Stardust and also of the "Chronicles of Narnia."
Certainly this is a film worth watching. I thought I wouldn't, but I'm planning to watch this movie a second time. There's something compelling about it and I want to find out what it is...
Enjoy.
Thanks for reading! Cheers.
Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Dazzling Entertaining but Undramatic Planetary Ride
This is an enjoyable film, but it lacks drama. I've changed my review a couple of times--perhaps I should re-watch this film in 3-D to be more accurate in my assessment!
In terms of comparison, if I use "Star Trek into Darkness" as my measuring standard, "Jupiter Ascending" fails.
Jupiter Ascending surely is an imaginative space adventure that incites a sense of wonder, a sense of new possibilities. It has great special effects and dazzling battles, great alien-humanoids and grandiose planetary cities, and a peculiar human-genetic-material thirsty family-dynasty. The idea about harvesting genes to keep immortality is creative, but the writers could have infused more dramatic scenes and more depth to the story.
In fact, twenty minutes after leaving the theater, I had the aftertaste of an overloaded video-game with lots of spectacular computer graphics and lots of acrobatics in the form of flying and tumbling and leaping and flipping and skateboarding in the air; and in top of that, a fading memory of inanimate faces--except for Eddie Redmayne's. Most characters are expressionless. Hence, the weak emotional core of the film.
Regarding the characters, my favorite is Balem Abrasax (Eddie Redmayne). Eddie exudes an eerie softness and sophistication--he keeps you in suspense. In turn, Titus Abrasax is excessively dull (Douglas Booth's performance is completely the opposite of his super-charged role in NOAH). Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) seems neutral, unengaged with the alienesque worlds around her. Caine Wise (Tatum Channing), he limits himself to being a static silent-and-serious protector. A slight-hint of heart appears in the relationship between Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) and her crazy family. But the romance? Caine Wise (Channing Tatum) and Jupiter Jones didn't feel romantic whatsoever. No spark. Nothing like Sarah Connor and Kyle (Terminator) or Peter Parker and Gwen (Spiderman).
In general, I found the plot and its plot points predictable. No surprises. Cause and effect. Straightforward. An unimpressed Jupiter Jones is dragged around from one world to another, where "her majesty" is blackmailed.
Interesting details: I liked Caine Wise's rocket-anti-gravity-boots. Jupiter Jones' spectacular wardrobe and hairstyles. And the superb reptilian-bipeds! The planets and the castles and the spaceships were also beautiful.
Overall, Jupiter Ascending is entertaining, a little silly, but not that exciting or memorable.
However, it's worthwhile watching once.
Enjoy the planetary and Earthly-skies ride!
Thanks for reading. Cheers.
Black or White (2014)
Powerful, Just and Heartfelt !
Wow. How enthralling!
It has a slow beginning, but when Grandma We-wee (Octavia Spencer) shows up, she stirs a storm in Elliot's (Kevin Costner) already tempestuous life and the story begins. Great stakes are at risk.
In the first hour of the film, we learn about the characters, what they care for, what they hurt about, what they want. Eloise's (Jillian Estell) helpless position amidst the stormy relationship between her Grandma Wee-wee and her Grandfather "Papa" Elliot, pierces one's heart. The conflict grows gradually and relentlessly.
In the second hour of the film, I kept drying my tears! It has several high-voltage emotional moments. There are strong truths revealed. I felt Elliot's pain and dilemma—Kevin Costner is brilliant. The stronger antagonist appears: the Eloise's drug-addict father. For a very long moment, it feels like antagonism and injustice will win--I felt chills of worry, really! Tension builds up throughout until it peaks: terrible things happen and hearts are shattered and souls touched. The scene when Reggie has a change of heart is incredibly poignant: I heard sniffles in the audience...Tears rolled.
Black or White is strong drama, but it does have humorous bits that balance out the heaviness of the protagonist's ordeal. There's also great visual storytelling: Elliot's mirages, some physical confrontations, and the wordless dynamics between characters.
This is such a relevant film. We all want the best for our children. But what I find powerful is the theme and the message. In the end, it doesn't matter whether is black or white—what matters is whether is right or wrong. It's a beautiful script.
And it's also an honestly performed script. Kevin Costner shines: he invests himself into this flawed hero with such realism and conviction. Octavia Spencer is so sweet and pungent and a stubborn self-made woman. Jillian Estell: she is a darling and a stoic lovely little girl. Andre Holland (Reggie) is so genuine in his acting--he portrays a broken man with a hidden heart. And the interactions between Elliot, Grandma Wee-wee, the lawyers, and the judge are dramatic and hilarious. Overall fantastic performers!
The culmination of the story and the resolution of conflicts feel satisfactory. Our hero reaches his goal and more. And the child, gets the best of both worlds. There's forgiveness and healing.
Please watch it.
You'll walk out of the theater teary-eyed and with a smile!
Cheers.
Mortdecai (2015)
Picaresque Mortdecai: British-style humor, entertaining and silly!
This movie made me laugh, buy it's not exciting enough to see it more than once.
The mustache, Mortdecai's pride and charm, it's a trademark funny element reminiscent of the 70's detective shows. Which makes sense because this movie's screenplay is an adaptation of the 70's British Mortdecai book series. Indeed, the settings, the characters and the tone of this film brings memories of 70's TV shows I grew up watching. Do you remember Cool McCool cartoons, Don Adam's Maxwell Smart in Get Smart, and Inspector Clouseau in Pink Panther? Also, the dynamics between Mortdecai and his manservant Jock, remind me of the British comedy Wooster and Jeeves.
I immediately liked that picaresque art dealer—charming, sophisticated, coward at times, and with very peculiar and expensive tastes. Mortdecai is an eccentric with many flaws—but he is a gentleman, capable of kindness. Often times, he inadvertently causes all sorts of wrecks and injuries. Johnny Depp pours all his vibrant JohnnyDepp-ness into his character: the attitudes and expressions and gestures and mannerisms are all great and funny.
This film is no masterpiece but it is certainly entertaining. The dark humor sometimes is silly, but that's the point of parody. There are bits of disgusting things, bits of blood, and bits of vulgarity, but enough jeopardy and suspense throughout Mortdecai's transcontinental adventure.
This stolen-painting-crime/comic plot is accompanied by subtle subplots. There's the mild love triangle between the jealous and insecure Mortdecai, his wife (Gwyneth Paltrow), and his college friend the detective (Ewan McGregor). There's the friendship with his utmost super-loyal and smart manservant and body-guard (Paul Bettany). And there's the want-to-be-passionate husband-wife relationship that leaves Mortdecai, a gentleman, bed deprived
I loved seeing Johnny Depp work with Paul Bettany—they make a brilliant team, just like they did too in Transcendence and The Tourist. Gwyneth Paltrow brings such elegance and intelligence. Ewan McGregor plays a charming-and-charmed detective. Jeff Goldblum's short role was great too!
Surely you won't be bored. Play along with the characters. The staging is funny too: the variety of locations and the paintings. The movie begins with a certain hilarious painting in the background, and ends with the same painting.
Give it a go!
Enjoy. Cheers.
Strange Magic (2015)
Crazy Love Potions with an Adult-themed Message - in a web of creepy and annoying fairies!
What is with all the kissing and touching and sensuality? Love potions coming and going. Lovers here and there. Wedding arrangements. This is a good theme for Adults or teenagers and Valentine's Day! But not for younger children...
I can't stand watching this film more than once! I'm giving it a 5 because I don't want to watch this film again and because I wish I had not taken my 10 year old daughter to see it.
At about 45 minutes into a dragging and boring film, finally the adventure began. But for the first 45 minutes my eyes were just watching. My brain was processing but nothing relayed to my heart. No laughs. No tears. No cheers. I wondered, Where is this stunning and weird animation with no-clear story going to?
I couldn't connect with the characters. Only the bad guy--Bog King had an interesting personality and some depth. He is the best "actor" of the movie. Also, I found many of the characters quite repulsive. Even the fairies with their lifelike skin were creepy.
Some of the animation was certainly fascinating: amazing life-like arthropods and realistically-rendered inhabitants of the fantastical forest floor world. The butterfly and moth wings were so detailed—with scales and velvet textures. And the ferns, wow! The myriad of strange creatures and fairies with the pretty wings fluttering around is all quite entertaining to watch. I particularly loved the Yoda-looking squeaky critter.
Overall, I found the fairies quite annoying—and their singing even worse. Ughh!! The loud and chaotic bursts of old songs mixed with opera-style rock were hard to tolerate. The film does have an eclectic selection of music, but the arranging of the parts is inelegant and distasteful.
At times, Strange Magic mixed bits of Fantasia (old school Disney), bits of Shrek, and bits of Epic.
The movie does have one message (which is hardly relevant to children): "...Real love is more powerful than love potions..." Is a love potion a metaphor for something else? Perhaps it's a metaphor for all the things people do to force love. Love cannot be forced. It must come from the heart. Love is honest. Adults are the ones that manipulate love, children are honest. I read that George Lucas' idea behind the film was to show that true love can happen between the beautiful and the ugly: because what matters is the beauty inside. By the end of the film, we learn this. But the negative message with the pervasive "love potion" and "dating" taint G. Lucas' good intention.
The movie does have some action scenes with striking visuals, good acting (the villain and the fairy). Bog King (the villain) gives a great performance and has a character arc--he changes. The main character fairy changes too.
Watch with caution.
Cheers!
Paddington (2014)
Smart and Sophisticated: Nothing Teddy-bearish about it!
I have seen it 7 times now!
My 10-year old daughter loved it and I did too.
Nothing teddy-bearish about Paddington! This is a smart, heart-warming and sophisticated film.
The story is told as magical realism: Paddington is a talking bear amidst humans.
Paddington it's filled with surprise, heart, suspense, and funny moments. We learn about the world of this special bear and we follow him on his London-city quest. There's no time for boredom. The action and the exposition are handled in a very entertaining way. We connect with the characters and get involved in their predicaments. There's emotion and growth: all weaved in a web of funny complications. There's material for the children and for the adults to enjoy and challenge your mind and engage your feelings. You'll click with the bear. Paddington is so naive and good-hearted that he gets himself easily into trouble.
Nicole Kidman makes the perfect villain. Eventually we learn why she turned wicked and we even empathize a little with her. Sally Hawkins is brilliant and her character is genuinely sweet and loving--similar to her performance in Persuasion (BBC Jane Austen collection). Hugh Bonneville makes a wonderful grumpy and overly-cautious father. At first he is all numbers and calculation, but at the end he has a change of heart. Paddington turns the family dynamics upside-down all for the better!
You will love the marmalade moments...So citrus-y and sticky! Sometimes the humor is a bit silly though. Paddington gets into such entanglements. But then, shouldn't you expect that from a "wild-bear" that is behaving human and living in a house?
The special effects are fantastic: the animation is seamless. You really think is a bear interacting with the cast. You can feel his soft fur. Quite realistic--I loved the bear growl.
And the music? The touch of calypso music—excellent contrast!
Added visual delight: the vibrant colors and settings—London and the Natural History Museum. I also appreciated the variety of camera angles, it draws you right into the scenes.
There's also a profound message: that of tolerance and authenticity.
Overall, the film delivers what it promises (comedy for family and animation) and goes beyond that. The script is an adaptation of Michael Bond's Paddington Bear children's books. I have never read the collection, but now I will.
Enjoy! Cheers.
Annie (2014)
Refreshing Opportunity: Smiles, Songs and Heart
I've seen it 12 times now! A movie that makes me laugh and sing-along with the characters deserves a 10. Because the experience of going to the theater should be a positive one. This new ANNIE is a refreshing opportunity to enjoy and feel good. You will connect emotionally with the characters (Annie, Mr.Stacks, Miss Hannigan, Grace, and Lou) and care about their journey.
This is a film that celebrates the wonders of childhood: it reminds us of how precious our little girls are. "Annie 2014" will make you laugh, smile, and it will warm your heart. There are some wonderful and touching moments—-those are the moments you look forward to if you watch this film a second or third or fourth time!
Q. Wallis' performance is energetic and genuine. Her singing is stellar. No wonder why Annie has two Golden Globe nominations (best actress in musical and best original song). The way Wallis sings "Opportunity" is breathtaking! Wow!
Our contemporary Annie is authentic and smart. She navigates the streets of New York with the hope that one day the sun will shine upon her and she will find her parents. I love her assertiveness –"I am a foster child, not an orphan." In many ways, Annie is a role model... we should all learn from her! About the other characters: R. Byrne is a lonely sweet and intelligent assistant who finds a friend in Annie. C. Diaz portrays a hopeless/bitter failed-singer who now takes care of the foster little girls. J. Foxx plays a funny, lonely and ambitious Mayor-of-New York candidate. He too sings with passion and heart. I love how Lou, the Latin guy, adds a spicy, funny and sweet twist.
Any flaws with this movie? Yes. Some songs are bad and some scenes are terribly silly. But those flaws do not eclipse the great message, the great music, and the great acting. The more I watch it, the more I love Annie and her quest.
Overall, "Annie 2014" delivers what it promises – music, family comedy, and sentiment.