2015 Academy Awards Predictions

Best Picture

American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

Who will probably win: Boyhood

Who I want to win: Honestly, this one’s tough.  I think “The Theory of Everything” will pull through.

Best Director

Alejandro Innaritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

Who will probably win: Richard Linklatter

Who I want to win: Richard Linklatter

Best Actor

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Who will probably win: Eddie Redmayne

Who I want to win: Honestly, I have heard nothing but amazing reviews for Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bradley Cooper and Michael Keaton.  I would love Cumberbatch to win this round but I’m fairly certain it’s going to Redmayne.

Best Actress

Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Who will probably win: Julianne Moore

Who I want to win: Julianne Moore, hands down.

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Who will probably win: Ethan Hawke

Who I want to win: Honestly, Mark Ruffalo or J.K. Simmons

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Who will probably win: Patricia Arquette

Who I want to win: Keira Knightley or Meryl Streep

Best Adapted Screenplay

American Sniper
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

Who will probably win: American Sniper

Who I want to win: Another toss up between The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything.  But, let’s be honest, it’s most likely going to American Sniper

Best Original Screenplay

Birdman
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler

Who will probably win: Boyhood

Who I want to win: Nightcrawler

Best Cinematography

Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ida
Mr. Turner
Unbroken

Who will probably win: Birdman

Who I want to win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Costume Design

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Mr. Turner

Who will probably win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Who I want to win: Into The Woods

Best Film Editing

American Sniper
Boyhood
Grand Budapest
The Imitation Game
Whiplash

Who will probably win: Boyhood

Who I want to win: Boyhood

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy

Who will probably win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Who I want to win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Original Score

The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Mr. Turner
The Theory of Everything

Who will probably win: The Theory of Everything

Who I want to win: The Imitation Game

Best Original Song

“Everything is Awesome,” The Lego Movie
“Glory,” Selma
“Grateful,” Beyond the Lights
“I'm Not Going to Miss You,” Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
“Lost Stars,” Begin Again

Who will probably win: “Glory” Selma

Who I want to win: “Lost Stars” Begin Again

Best Production Design

The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into the Woods
Mr. Turner

Who will probably win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Who I want to win: The Imitation Game

Best Sound Editing

American Sniper
Birdman
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar
Unbroken

Who will probably win:  American Sniper

Who I want to win: The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies (because I’m biased)

Best Sound Mixing

American Sniper
Birdman
Interstellar
Unbroken
Whiplash

Who will probably win: Interstellar

Who I want to win: American Sniper

Best Visual Effects

Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
X-Men; Days of Future Past

Who will probably win: Interstellar

Who I want to win: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (because why not?)

Best Animated Feature

Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Who will probably win: The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Who I want to win: The Boxtrolls

Best Documentary Feature

Citizenfour
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga

Who will probably win: Last Days in Vietnam

Who I want to win: Citizenfour

Best Foreign Language Film

Ida
Leviathan
Tangerines
Timbuktu
Wild Tales

Who will probably win: Leviathan

Who I want to win: Tangerines

Best Animated Short

The Bigger Picture
The Dam Keeper
Feast
Me and My Moulton
A Single Life

Who will probably win: The Dam Keeper

Who I want to win: Feast

Best Live-Action Short

Aya
Boogaloo and Graham
Butter Lamp
Parvaneh
The Phone Call

Who will probably win: Boogaloo and Graham

Who I want to win: Aya

Best Documentary Short

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press One
Joanna
Our Curse
The Reaper
White Earth

Who will probably win: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press One

Who I want to win: The Reaper

American Sniper

            What’s up everyone, I’m the one and only movie blogger known as TheCinemaChick and I’m finally reviewing something in the New Year.  I will admit I did see one other movie so far, but I was also battling a nasty case of bronchitis.  It was horrible.  My throat was swollen and sore, I couldn’t talk, couldn’t eat…ugh.  So glad that’s over.

            But, good news everyone!  I am healthy and healed and have gotten back into the real world.  I have seen two movies this year so far but let’s start off on a good note.  And I have to warn you, I am going to get a little political during this review.  I know everyone has their own thoughts.  Please respect my opinions as I try to respect all of yours.

            Keeping that in mind, let’s look at “American Sniper”.

            First off, let’s get the controversial part over.  I do not support war.  I am a pacifist, I am strongly anti-gun (purely because the of a semi traumatic experience), and I do not condone sanctioned murdering.  I know it isn’t intentional murder but when so many civilians are caught in the crossfire and killed…I just feel like its murder.  They had nothing to do with the war, they were just innocent bystanders.  Think about it, women and children are being killed.  I do not and will never support any type of war.

            However, I do support the troops.  I applaud their bravery and courage for going out there and protecting our country.  They deserve to be lauded for what they do.  People in the military are some of the strongest people ever but they are also some of the most fragile.  When they come back from war, they might be injured or left disabled or suffer from PTSD.  I have had family members that served and I have friends who are in the army.

            So no, I am not pro war.  I am pro armed services.

            “American Sniper” is a film based on a novel of the same name.  I have not read the book but after watching the film, I want to.  It is a biographical movie, based on the life of a man named Chris Kyle.  He served in the military as a sniper.  This movie has two main focuses: Kyle’s life overseas and his life at home.  Overall, the movie was very tasteful and to my surprise, did not contain copious amounts of violence.  I don’t like war films for that reason.  Violence, gore, blood…things like that cause me to get nauseated.  There were two scenes that made me slightly sick but other than that, it’s good.

            By the way, you know how everyone’s saying Bradley Cooper deserves an Oscar for his performance?  Oh yes, he earned it.  He became Chris Kyle.  I went into this knowing who the actor was and it still took me a minute to realize, “Oh yeah, that’s Bradley Cooper!”  He just wraps himself into this role and never once did I find it unbelievable.  Sometimes, when I’m aware of the actor, I can’t see him as the character but in this case, I did not see him.  Sienna Miller was also incredible as well.  She threw herself into that role and stuck with it. 

            What I loved the most about the movie was that it kept me on edge the whole time.  I knew the ending, I knew Chris Kyle’s fate but the moments leading up to it had me hooked.  The tone began fairly light, showing his childhood and how it shaped him, then slowly became darker and darker.  I got a good look into his mind as the PTSD started taking over.  Certain sights or sounds cause little triggers in him and for the audience, it creates tension.  It makes me wonder what’s going to happen.  Bless his wife for being so patient and loving with him.

            I could never sit through this movie again, despite it being so amazing.  It was emotionally draining and I cried at the end.  The ending…oh man, the ending…I won’t spoil it because I think this film is worth seeing.  However, I will say this: the ending is footage of an actual event that while cause you to tear up.  I didn’t know it had taken place in Arlington, Texas because I did not know about Chris Kyle until I heard of “American Sniper”.  This event literally happened fifteen minutes from me in 2013.

            Bravo to everyone who worked on this film.  It was far better than I’d thought it would be and the audience applauded at the end.  It is a wonderful movie that I honestly believe should be seen.  Some people will be able to handle it better than me.

            Chris Kyle was a hero.  His family should be very proud of him and what he did for our country.  I felt a sense of pride after watching the movie.

            To everyone who serves in the military, whether it be in combat or tactical or whatever, I appreciate everything you have done for this country.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and coming soon, this year’s Oscar nominations and predictions.

            I am also pleased to announce that I am in the process of creating my very own website!  It will have my podcasts on there, along with my reviews.  I also have people who will be contributing to my site.  Kit Kat will be joining, along with my podcast partner, Draco Ro’tor.  It will be a while since I have no skills on building websites, so bear with me on this.  But soon…I will be moving on to bigger things.

            Thank you guys for your continued support, even during my extended leave due to illness.  You are awesome.

            On a personal note, I have seen the comments made by Michael Moore and Seth Rogen about the film.  As I’ve said, everyone is entitled to their opinion.  And with that said, I would like to say that I believe Michael Moore is wrong about snipers.  They are not cowards.  Snipers must make very tough decisions on the fly and are often haunted by those choices.  Sometimes, you have to decide if you must kill a woman to save your company.  Cowards are men who hide behind Twitter and say such terrible things using inexcusably bad grammar

            Just saying.

            ***No copyright infringement is intended.  All opinions expressed in my blog belong to me and this is purely for entertainment purposes.***

Best of 2014...brought to you in 2015

Hello everyone and welcome to the first blog of 2015!  Happy New Year’s Day everyone!  My name is TheCinemaChick but you knew that already.  I’m sorry this was not written and posted earlier but it seems that a severe cold that I had for 2 weeks has come back with a vengeance.  I lost my voice due to a very sore and swollen throat.  However, I will get through this so you can learn what my top 14 of 2014 are.  You've seen the worst, so now it’s time for the best.

Let’s just jump right into it, shall we?

                Before I begin, I’ like to say that I saw a grand total of 45 films this year.  Two of them I will never speak of again because they were quite disgusting.  Overall, I’d call 2014 a good year.  It was great but it wasn't horrible, it was more in between.

                And now, in no particular order:

1.       12 Years a Slave

This one was just rough.  I wasn’t sure if I could even finish it at some points but the story was just amazing.  It deserved all the awards it got and it brought us Lupita Nyong'o.  I’m telling you, she’s going to be huge in the future.  If you can get through the stomach churning scenes of torture and the uneasiness of the blatant racism that took place in that time, I definitely recommend it.  The entire cast puts forth an outstanding performance and this film should be marked as one of the greatest movies in recent history.

2.       Saving Mr. Banks

I honestly didn't expect to like this one.  It’s a nice, light story about the woman who wrote “Mary Poppins” and how that story came into being.  Tom Hanks dazzles as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson really captured P.L. Travers’ personality.  I think this would be a great movie for the whole family.  It’s clean, it’s wholesome, even if there is a few scenes with smoking and a few scenes that some may find disturbing.

3.       Godzilla

I’m not a huge fan of this franchise but I was interested in seeing this reboot.  After seeing the older one with Matthew Broderick, my hopes were not high on this one.  However, the acting was top notch and the music was absolute perfection.  In my original review, I raved about how the score successfully set the tone for the entire film and I stand by that.  It’s definitely worth a watch but I think it needs more Bryan Cranston.

4.       A Million ways to Die in the West

I am so embarrassed to like this one.  It’s rude, it’s crass, it’s disgusting but it’s so funny.  I laughed so hard and I have watched it several times since.  You’ll feel bad for liking it but it is just so funny.  And then there’s Neil Patrick Harris…he’s going to pop up in this list again…I seriously hate myself for living this movie so much.

5.       Begin Again

This movie wasn’t anything spectacular.  It was a love story about a broken hearted girl and her rock star boyfriend.  I wasn’t wowed by it, but I will say this.  I have a new found respect Keira Knightley.  She sings all the songs on the soundtrack and she’s good.  True, she’s not spectacular but I adored her voice.  It’s so soft, so dainty but the lyrics packed a punch.  It was a nice, refreshing movie, a break from the over hyped, big budget stuff that had come out.  I enjoyed it and again, I recommend giving it a look.

6.       Guardians of the Galaxy

Who didn’t love this one?  It’s by far not my favorite Marvel film.  That honor goes to the Thor franchise because I love the visual effects and settings.  Sorry, but Asgard still leaves me in awe when I see it.  But this one seemed like a more down home kind of adventure.  I know, no one’s seeking out a mystical orb with an infinity stone, but the characters were relateable.  Gamora had an overbearing father and wicked sister, Peter Quill was a thief trying to earn a buck and Drax wanted revenge on the man who killed his family.  They were the last people you’d expect to work together and it just came together.  I do look forward to the sequel and hopefully more Rocket.  And remember, I am Groot.

Also, Lee Pace.

7.       In Your Eyes

This one is on Netflix as we speak.  Go watch the most original love story I have ever seen and I loathe and abhor romance movies.  Joss Whedon, you are an amazing man for giving us this beautiful film.

8.       Chef

I loved how fast paced the food scenes were.  Overall, it was just fun to watch and it made me want to learn how to cook the Latin foods I saw.  It was also so cool to see the cross country road trip to learn about the nation’s cuisine.  The father-son relationship felt very natural, which made the film more enjoyable.  Nothing felt forced and it all just flowed organically.  True, I still don’t like Sofia Vergara because I think she is overexposed (in many senses of the word) and she’s too flamboyant.  Having seen her role on television and this one, they seemed identical: a whiny wife.  She’s the only thing that detracted from the movie.

9.       Into The Woods

I won’t go into too much detail since I did post my review a few days ago.  The music, the atmosphere, the casting, all perfection.  It drags at times and the plot gets a little muddled and the entire third act feels tacked on but I still enjoyed.  Meryl Streep, I envy your acting and singing skills now.

10.   Gone Girl

This movie was so creepy.  I’d read the book so I knew what to expect but seeing it on screen was so much more intense.  The amount of time and effort Amy put into faking her own death and vanishing is astounding.  I genuinely hated her at the end.  I felt so sorry for the people’s lives she ruined.  Neil Patrick Harris was great as the oblivious but supportive ex who tries to help Amy out but he has a horrible fate.  Seriously, Neil Patrick Harris can do no wrong.

11.   Frankenstein

Honestly, I wasn't even sure if this one counted since it was a re-broadcast of a live play from Britain.  Then I figured, well, I saw in a movie theater.  Benedict Cumberbatch played The Monster and he nailed it.  That play…I wish it was on DVD because I do want to see this over and over.  I also want to see it again because of the alternate casting.  Cumberbatch, along with Johnny Lee Miller, switched roles so they both played Frankenstein and his Creation.  If you get the chance to see it, jump on it.

12.   Big Hero 6

I loved this movie.  It was a beautiful blending of California and Japanese culture.  The ending caught me by surprise and almost had be in tears.  It was sweet at times and the main characters were awesome.  Believe it or not, this is based on a Marvel comic so there is a Stan Lee cameo.  There is also an end credit scene which was both hilarious and slightly gross.  It’s meant for children but there are some dark moments mixed ink, so it works for everyone.  Use your own discretion on this one.

13.   Penguins of Madagascar

It was really mediocre but there is some awesome wordplay in the film.  The puns are so bad it hurts but I still laughed at them.  Plus, penguins.

14.   The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Let me start by saying, this was my least favorite film of the trio.  It was jumbled, overrun with bad CGI and personally I think it was just bloated.  The battles themselves were exciting but the film focused more on everyone being mad at Thorin, who’s going insane looking for the Arkenstone.  I wasn't satisfied and it left me wanting more.  The Tauriel-Kili love story feels so forced that I wish she have never been brought on.  I can’t hate a Tolkien film.  It could have been trimmed down a bit and been improved.  The death scenes were heartbreaking and when Thranduil fights, it’s quite breathtaking.

Also, Lee Pace.

That’s all for 2014!  There’s a bunch of new films coming out in 2015 that I am dying to see.  You know me, I’d never miss a Marvel movie, so you know I will be one of the first in line to see the new Avengers film.  I’m also super excited to see Pitch Perfect 2, Mad Max, Jupiter Ascending, the live action Cinderella and Pan.  The list could go on and on, trust me.  There is 12 months of movies to see and I’m just one girl who wants to see them all.

I hope you all stick with me in this new year of adventure, action, horror and comedy as I will do my best to bring you all the reviews I can.  We’re in this for the long haul, guys and gals.

I’m TheCinemaChick and I am quite possibly medicated for my horrible cold.

Into The Woods

                Hello everyone and welcome to the end of 2014!  I bet you are just dying to see which movies I actually loved, but that’s going to be announced tomorrow!  Yes, I am actually capable of liking something which might seem off.  I know, I know, most of the time I’m a really negative critic but I’m not completely stone hearted.  So, one last review before we head off into the brand new year!

                Let’s talk about “Into The Woods”.

                First off, this is one of those films I actually really enjoyed.  It wasn’t perfect by any means since I did get bored a few times but the acting was spot on.  I have to say, I think Chris Pine was the stand out character for me.  He’s part is smaller than most of the others, but when he’s on screen, he just steals the scene.  There is one point where he has a duet and it’s both amazing and comical.  If you've seen the movie now, you know what I’m talking about.  The melodrama in the one song is so cheesy that you can’t help but laugh.

                Now, I saw this with Fry and my Other Mother.  Yes, on occasion, Other Mother joins us because she is totally awesome.  She also has excellent taste in books.  We were all impressed with the casting because all of the actors could sing.  Some of them weren't exactly great (Chris Pine, even though he gets an A for effort, is not the best singer) while others genuinely surprised me.  I knew Anna Kendrick could sing since I've seen “Pitch Perfect” but in this…where has she been hiding this voice?  She’s absolutely amazing!  This woman has more range than I thought and if she dabbled in music, I’d buy her album.

                Same thing goes for Meryl Streep.  Bravo, madam, bravo.  I was a fair weather fan of hers before this and now, I’m totally Team Meryl.  She gave us an outstanding performance as the witch and I would absolutely see this movie again, buy the soundtrack and own this movie on DVD.  I’m not saying this because I adore this musical that much but I would love to see the behind the scenes action.  It would be even better to see the rehearsals.  I would also like to see the stage version of this because I’ve heard it’s also quite good.  However, I’ve also heard it’s quite…adult.

                No matter what, it’s definitely with the price of a ticket.  It’s thoroughly enjoyable and there are some really good moments of humor mixed in.  I’ll admit, there are some things that left me a little confused but when I look at the film as a whole, I can overlook them.  Obviously the music is the main attraction and for me, that’s a perk.  A lot of the time, the music can be an issue since some actors try to sing but can’t.  In this case, everyone did really well.  It’s a crazy ride but it’s worth it.

                The songs fit every mood and my favorite ones by far are “On The Steps of the Palace” and “Hello, Little Girl”.  Both songs have been stuck in my head since leaving the theater.  And honestly, I knew Johnny Depp could sing but his performance in “Into The Woods” was incredible.  He oozed a strange raw passion, which is actually kind of creepy when you see what his part of the story is.  I was highly uncomfortable while watching it.  Not exactly a spoiler alert, but if you know the story of Little red Riding Hood, you know what happens to the Big Bad Wolf.

                Oh! I cannot write a review about this and ignore the true breakout star, Lilla Crawford.  I looked her up and I do believe she has done some work on Broadway.  This girl is about 13 or 14 but her talent is mind blowing.  I am envious of this chick’s voice.  She has a powerful, steady voice and she could easily beat the rest of the cast in the talent department.  I really, really liked her and I think she will do great things in the future.  If she’s not on film, I think her Broadway career is sealed.  Seriously, she can do anything with her talent.

                I will admit, there are a lot of things wrong with this film.  There are characters brought in with no introduction, some plot lines are just abandoned without explanation and some back stories don’t seem to add up.  I still can’t hate it though.  It was a great fantasy romp through fairy tales and the music is rather catchy.  Even though it won’t be my favorite film of the year, but I would really encourage everyone to see this at least one because it is worth seeing. 

                There is some dark humor and moments that could be scary so I don’t recommend this one for the kiddies.  Leave them at home for this.  The witch and the wolf might frighten them because the wolf made me uncomfortable.  Again, when you see it, you’ll understand why.  The plot might be stupid and the continuity might be off but it’s just a good, fun movie that’ll take your mind off things for a while.  I really hated the final act because it felt so forced and tacked on.

                The previews do show a boy chopping down a beanstalk, which is important to the story and that’s also why I don’t like the ending.  It could have ended sooner and left out that final part and I would have been fine with it.  And the absolute ending didn't leave me wholly satisfied either.  Normally, I’m not a fan of epilogues, but I wanted that final resolution here.

                Overall, I’d say matinee.  I didn't hate this movie but I’m not absolutely gushing over it either.  I did enjoy it, I do want the soundtrack and eventually the movie itself because I do believe I will want to watch this over and over.  Having seen it, I can also see why Meryl Streep was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance.  I seriously cannot say enough about her in the movie.  She was amazing and commands attention when she’s on screen.  True, she’s done another musical before but let’s be honest here.  “Mamma Mia” was not the best place to showcase her talents.  The music wasn't as good as it was in “Into The Woods”.

                Well, this is going to be a short one since I still have my “Top 14 of 14” to write.  I recommend “Into The Woods” as a great fantasy movie with some outstanding music in it. 

                I’m TheCinemaChick and I’m a little teapot.

2014: Worst of the Worst

Did you miss me?

Hello everyone, I’m the girl who really shouldn’t be so absent on her own movie blog, TheCinemaChick and I’m finally ready for my annual list of Best and Worst.  Have you been wondering where I’ve been?  I’ve been gone for a while now.

Disappointment.

I have not seen any decent films in so long that I began to think 2014 had nothing left to offer, so I just gave up.  Why write about consistently terrible films that were a waste of time and money?  I hated everything but I didn’t want to just write about how much a movie sucked.  I needed something positive, something refreshing to write about.  Seriously, I did not find something decent until about two weeks ago when I saw “Big Hero 6”.  I have not reviewed that and I do sincerely apologize for that.  For the past two weeks I have been sleeping about 18 hours a day due to a very severe cold that left me feeling really out of it.  I still have a touch of it, but I no longer need so much sleep or medication.

So, in short, hello sweetie.

Now…are you ready for the fourteen worst films of the year (in my opinion)?

And I know what you’re thinking, “Fourteen?  Did she really manage to come up with that many films that she hated?”

Yes.  Believe it or not, there are actually more than that but since its 2014, I decided not to exceed fourteen.  In all fairness, I do have a list of the best of the year coming next week.  Why next week you ask?  Because I’ve added a film the to the “best of” list and I have yet to see it.  Like most nerds out there, I’m am internally fangirling over the upcoming “The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies”.  Since I have enjoyed all of them so far, I already put it on my list.  I do plan to see it as soon as it comes out, so it’ll only be about a week between lists.

Also, speaking of list, I have decided to do a theater review as well.  There are a couple of theaters I tend to lurk in, so I want to do a rating system for them.  While I do seem to haunt only one recently, it’s not my favorite.  I don’t even know if theaters even care about what bloggers like me have to say about them, but I’d like to let them know they are doing a good/bad job.  Trust me, I have been to the absolutely worst.  At one theater, I slipped in butter in front of the snack counter and all I got was a “We’re sorry”.  Don’t say you’re sorry, clean it up and put out a “Wet Floor” sign!

And I’m off track.  You know I tend to do that.  I actually paused for about five minutes because I saw what I thought would be the perfect gift for DigitalDad.  That’s three people taken care of, like ten more to go.

But now, on to the worst movies of the year, in no particular order!

1.       Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

I honestly don’t know why I keep going to this franchise.  Part of me wants to know how it’s all connected and see how it ends.  I know it’s going to be awful.  This one wasn’t just bad, it was borderline offensive.  There were some Mexican stereotypes mixed in there that just didn’t sit well with me.  The characters were incredibly stupid and Fry and I were yelling at the screen the whole time.  We were also the only ones in the theater, so we could.  I hated it, except for the ending, where it tied everything back to the first film.  Definitely wasn’t the best movie to choose for my birthday.

2.       Pompeii

This one was so awful, I actually had forgotten that I had seen it.  It was forgettable.  The acting was bad, the plot was paper thin and then it just such a weird turn that it didn’t even make sense.  I could not believe the chemistry between the two main characters because it felt so forced.  Then again, she supposedly fell in love with him when he killed a horse out of mercy.  I may be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how you woo a girl in ancient Greece.  On the bright side, Kit Harington was pretty to look at.

3.       The Muppets Most Wanted

I wanted to like this one, I really did.  I love The Muppets.  They’ve been a part of my life since I was a kid, so when they came back, I was elated.  This film however, it just felt like it was insulting my intelligence.  Everything was so obvious, the comedy wasn’t even that great and the songs disappointed me, except for one.  The cameos weren’t as good in this one either.  I admit, I was really looking forward to seeing Tom Hiddleston in there, but he was on screen for about a minute total.  Josh Groban also had a part in there and to this day, I want to know what made him the most dangerous criminal in that prison.  Why, of all people, was he the one in solitary confinement?  Overall, just meh.

4.       Divergent

First off, this was not marketed to my age group.  This was obviously made for teen girls.  There was a lot of pretty boys to look at and the ever present strong female lead.  I get that we want more positive role models out there for young girls, but I don’t think Tris is the one.  She’s pathetic until the eleventh hour when she has to step up and do something.  The romance between her and Four is over emphasized.  I actually read the book before seeing the movie and the book was decent.  However, when they really poured the relationship aspect on heavily, I couldn’t take it seriously.  Plus, come on…the post-apocalyptic world, corrupt leaders, young people rebelling, strong teen female leader…we get it.  Move on.

The sequel, “Insurgent” comes out in 2015.

5.       Oculus

Someone explain this one to me.  I was so bored then it would be a flashback, then present time, then back in the past.  It never explained what the mirror did or how the mirror was demonic.  Nothing was explained, so I couldn’t follow the story.  Props to Karen Gillan on her first post “Doctor Who” film but it bombed.  Thankfully, this lovely actress will pop up again on my “best of” list.

6.       Transformers: Age of Extinction

Once again, not sure why I thought this would be good.  It dragged on for so long and I wanted those freaking Dinobots to show up and they never did!  They didn’t show up until the last half hour and at that point, I didn’t care anymore.  This was another “Michael Bay presents a Michael Bay film with all the Michael Bay explosions that Michael Bay likes in all his movies because Michael Bay” thing.  Is there an upside?  Uh…well, apparently you can smack around a Dinobot and it’ll obey like a well-trained dog.

7.       Jersey Boys

I didn’t hate this one.  I actually liked it.  However, I can’t get past how much cursing there was in this film.  That’s what got to me.  The music and story were good but geez, do you really need THAT much language?  I could understand it if it were and R rated action flick, but a musical biography?  It was just unnecessary.

8.       The Purge: Anarchy

The first movie was good.  The Polite Leader was super creepy with his smile.  The sequel didn’t go as well.  There were no likeable characters and they tried to do too much in the time they had.  The intertwining stories just didn’t work.  And then it just jerks you into a completely different scenario which made even less sense.  No one had any redeeming qualities.  After the movie, Butterfly and I were talking and we agreed that this would make an awesome MMORPG, an online roleplaying game.  I would play a survival game based on this movie but I would not recommend the movie itself.

9.       Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I grew up with the live action movies and this one was a disappointment.  It did nothing for me and I didn’t find it fun.  Megan Fox added a very flat performance and the plot didn’t even resolve itself at the end.  Too many threads were left open so it just left me feeling underwhelmed.  Let’s see…a positive…uh…Michael Bay was involved and he didn’t royally screw this one up.

10.   Into The Storm

Oh Richard Armitage…you can do so much better than this.  This was a lackluster, uninspired movie about a mega storm.  I was bored out of my mind for the duration of it and couldn’t have cared less if anyone lived.  It needed sharks with their tornados.

11.   Let’s Be Cops

What movie are you trying to be?  Are you a buddy cop movie?  A stoner flick?  An undercover spy film?  Seriously, what are you?  Pick a genre or two and stick to that because otherwise you get a confused jumble of a movie.  I hated it and wish I’d never seen it.  Skip this one entirely and go rent “Police Academy”.

12.   As Above So Below

Can we just all agree that the found footage movement should just die out?  It’s just another weird paranormal movie taking place in the catacombs of France.  There were elements that I like, showing the tombs below the streets and building the tension.  However, it also opened possible side stories that showed up and almost immediately vanished.  It never really explained why the characters were killed off and I don’t really understand how going that deep into the catacombs led them back to the streets of Paris.  Honestly, I could have been cool with the ending if they had hinted that the survivors had somehow ended up in an alternate universe.  Like, it was Paris, just an evil version or a backwards version.  Instead, they just ended up in the normal world and it ended.  More or less, just disappointing and uninteresting.  It had potential to be better.

13.   Annabelle

And here we have the spinoff from the popular movie “The Conjuring”.  It had moments where the tension almost had me going but it became highly predictable.  Fry and I were literally sitting in our seats saying what would happen next.  We lost interest in it entirely.  I would like to see the cult they mentioned in the beginning and how it led to the one girl wanting the Annabelle doll.  To be honest, haunted or not, that doll is freaky looking.  Fun fact, I got to touch the actual doll when it was at Fan Days this past October.  As far as the movie goes, I want to know why the doll is haunted, what is haunting it, why is chose the doll and what it has to do with the cult.  Beyond that, blah.  Just plain blah.

14.   Ouija

This movie was seriously horror movie cliché central.  It was like a checklist of tropes.  Group of teen friends playing with cursed object with one friend feeling apprehensive, check.  Methodical death by slowly picking off teens one by one, check.  Best friend trying to save everyone, check.  Wise older woman, usually of some kind of ethnic background, check.

I couldn’t stand this one.  It went in one direction then decided “Eh, let’s do something else and see if this makes people jump.”  It didn’t really do anything for me.  Defeating the curse just seemed too easy and the twist was obvious.

Also, why is the wise woman always of some ethnic origin?  In “Annabelle”, the wise older woman was African American.  In “Ouija”, she’s the Mexican grandmother. 

Is it so hard to find a fresh, interesting take on a horror movie?  I would love something that’s not predicable or filled with the same old clichés.  Give me something new and exciting.  Is that so much to ask?

I hope 2015 has something better to offer.  Actually, I know it will.  We’ve got new “Avengers” to look forward to, along with “Pitch Perfect”, “Mad Max” and so much more.  As for 2014, this was a year of mediocrity and failures.  The ones that did succeed were phenomenal but the ones that bombed, well, they bombed hard.

I’m TheCinemaChick and right now, I’m under my invisibility cloak.

Better Late Than Never: Guardians of the Galaxy

                Hello everyone, I go by TheCinemaChick and I love movies.  That’s why they call me a cinephile.  I don’t know who they are but they all agree.  Once again, it seems I have been absent but let me explain why.  I went up to spend some time in Nashville again, to see Kit Kat.  When I got back, I wasn’t feeling the best so I’ve been getting over a cold.  And of course, general every day things kept piling up, next thing I know it’s time to pay rent and then I just get frustrated.  And as if that’s not bad enough, my personal life has taken a bizarre twist.  We won’t get into that because that’s not the kind of blog I run.

                You’re wondering what movie I have to share with you!  I have so many, backing all the way to “Guardians of the Galaxy” and going all the way up to “Gone Girl”.  I was hesitant to review “Guardians” when it first came out because I knew everyone would be jumping on it and praising it.  While I enjoy it immensely, it’s still not my favorite Marvel film.  I mean, I will give it some credit, for what it did in one film, it was magical.  I mean for “The Avengers” we already had separate movies for the main characters so we knew them and had come to love them.  This time around, we knew nothing, unless you read the comics beforehand.  We were given brand new people and were expected to love them.

                And I’ll admit, that’s something I didn’t like.  I like knowing more about the characters I’m supposed to end up rooting for.  In the case of Groot…well, I’ll take him as is.  But for me, the movie ran just a little too long to the point where I was getting bored, some of the humor was incredibly crude and there were a lot of questions left unanswered.  Before you say anything, I’m fully aware that there will be a sequel.  There are rumors of an Avengers/Guardians crossover in the future.  While I’m not sure how I feel about it, I would like to see someone like Drax interact with Tony Stark.

                Well, since I’m already prattling about it, how about we just stick with the topic?  Why not discuss “Guardians of the Galaxy” now?  We’ve all seen it and if you haven’t, why haven’t you?  It’s a fun ride with childish humor.  The casting was top choice.  I didn’t know who Chris Pratt was before this movie.  I know now he was on a television show but I’d never seen his acting.  Whoever chose him for the part of Peter Quill deserves a cookie.  Seriously, he captured the role perfectly.  Pratt made the serious moments work but also played up the comedic moments.  What made it even better for me was knowing that he basically had no idea what he was doing as Quill.  Let’s take my favorite scene as an example.

                Everyone remember the scene with The Collector?  When asked for the orb, Peter proceeds to drop it.  He also admits “A little pee just came out of me” when the orbs are fully explained.  Who wouldn’t be terrified of that kind of power?  To me, that’s how a normal person would react.  In “The Avengers” they were used to having villains that when a mystical cube comes into play, they don’t seem worried much.  They just go into superhero mode and get things done.  The “Guardians” don’t know how to save the world or how to hide the infinity stone.  They do what they can to gather an army at the last minute to help them.  They lose people and they mourn.  Let’s look at Groot’s sacrifice.  Who can watch that and not immediately fall in love with a tree?

                However, I didn’t believe the Quill and Gamora love story.  They didn’t have any chemistry, at least not enough to make me think they’d get together in the future.  The best relationship, in my eyes, is the one between Rocket the raccoon and Drax.  They started off clashing, Drax even admitting that his people eat them on his planet.  At the end, when Rocket’s crying over Groot, who’s there to let him whimper and pet him?  Drax.  To me, they had the most growth throughout the story.  Gamora was always this angsty alien, Quill never truly grew up and Groot…he’s Groot.

                By the way, did you know that big blue monster in the prison who “flirts” with Peter is voiced by Nathan Fillion?  Did you know that Rob Zombie has a speaking role but does not appear? 

                What really sold me on “Guardians of the Galaxy” was Nebula, Ronan and Yondu, played by Karen Gillan, Lee Pace and Michael Rooker respectively.  For those of you who remember, I was not kind to Gillan at all when her movie “Oculus” came out.  I admit, I was harsh on her.  In all honesty, I have nothing against her.  I think she’s great and she’s a very nice woman.  She’s earned a place on my wall of fame, which is where I hang all my autographs and celebrity photos.  I must admit, I really liked her as Nebula.  The makeup and costume were incredible but her acting was better.  She really did come off as the psychotic murder happy cyborg she was supposed to be.  Props to her.  I want to see more of her in the sequel, which I’m sure will happen.

                Lee Pace was a surprise for me.  Even though I’d paid attention during the credits, I did not realize he played Ronan the Accuser.  Fry pointed it out to me.  He is unrecognizable.  Before this, I’d seen him in “The Desolation of Smaug” as well as “Breaking Dawn Part 2” as Garret.  In both roles, he looks very different.  In these roles, he was somewhat docile, always appeared calm, even when he clearly wasn’t.  As Ronan, he radiated anger and hatred.  When he had the Infinity Stone, he looked like absolute power.  My only complaint is how he died.  A dance contest?  That’s what distracted you?  Ronan, you have the purple gem, just kill them and go on.  It brought what should have been a very dramatic climax to a screeching halt, only to pick it back up for another highly dramatic moment.

                I liked Yondu as well.  A lot of people have said they didn’t like Rooker playing the part but I liked him.  I’ll admit, I couldn’t separate him from Merle Dixon from “The Walking Dead”.  I just had trouble with that one little thing.  As a character, I really liked Yondu.  He made me laugh and even though at times I hated him, I ended up rooting for him.  And his arrow?  How awesome is that thing?  I wish I had that.  While I don’t see him as an antagonist, I guess he’d be the anti-hero.  We can only see what the future holds in store for him since he was supposed to take Quill back to his father.

                And who is Peter Quill’s father?

                Well, if you aren’t an avid reader of the comics, I guess you’ll have to wait for the sequel.

                I’m TheCinemaChick and I am Groot…no I’m not.

                ***As with every review, this is for entertainment only.  All opinions expressed are mine.  I mean no copyright infringement.***