Hello everyone, I'm known as TheCinemaChick and as always, I'm
behind on my reviews. I know, I know, I said I'd try to be better
about staying on top of things but you know, stuff happens. Right
now, its mostly me being stressed with school and boys in general.
Seriously, who basically flirts with a girl then does a 180 and
friend zones her? Yeah, some guys just want to screw with my head.
As always, you're not here to listen to me whine about my lack of a
romantic life. Today we're going to look at a movie I watched a
while back and haven't touched on yet.
**The following review will be
about a controversial film. I will be discussing homosexuality,
sexual interaction and alcohol in here. If any of that offends you,
please do not read any further.**
What movie could I possibly be talking about, you may ask yourself.
Judging from that little warning, you might think I've watched some
sort of NC-17 film. Well, I didn't. If I did watch something rated
NC-17, I would not review it or post it here. And that doesn't mean
the film is sexually explicit. A lot of things with that rating are
far too violent to be shown to all audiences. Also, if I see a movie
that I believe is just too offensive to review, I won't review it.
For instance, I did watch “Shame” with Micheal Fassbender. I
found it an interesting look at dysfunctional families through the
eyes of a sex addict. The woman who checked me out (Blockbuster
video stores still existed) told me in a rather loud voice, “You
know this is a soft core porn, right?”
And that's when I stopped going to Blockbuster Video.
My point of telling you all that is to say this. I'm going to
discuss “Blue is the Warmest Color” which is a French film about
two young lovers who learn the ups and downs of a relationship. The
catch is, they're both female. And this film has gained notoriety
for having one of the most realistic and intense sex scenes ever.
Well...they're not wrong. The scene I'm talking about isn't a minute
or two of brief shots...no...it's about a full seven minutes. There
is no censorship, no holding back and I'm not even sure if it was
simulated. Having done some research...the sex was not simulated.
It was all real.
And in case you're curious, most of the sex you see in the movies
isn't real. It's simulated, meaning it looks like its actually
happening but its not. A lot of the time actors have on flesh
colored underwear so there is no contact. In very rare instances,
the actors go ahead and do it. Bear in mind this is a risky and
often shocking decision. Movies like “The Brown Bunny”, which
had Chloe Sevigny perform oral sex, are looked down on. It's just
not something that happens with a lot of big name actors.
Now, “Blue is the Warmest Color” focuses mainly on Adele, a
young woman who is starting to question a lot of things around her.
She dates a boy because it is expected of her but she soon meets
Emma. It is this meeting that makes her wonder if she's doing what
she wants. However, when her classmates suspect that she is
romantically involved with the blue haired lesbian, Adele is teased
mercilessly. Soon, she finds comfort with Emma. They do form a
relationship and it seemingly is a perfect one. Emma's parents love
Adele while Adele is much more reserved.
Their relationship continues and the eventually move in together but
things seem to get complicated. Adele still questions what she wants
in life while Emma is completely confident in her decisions. In a
moment a weakness, Adele sleeps with a male coworker. Emma learns of
the affair and the relationship comes to a crashing halt. They part
ways on bad terms which leaves Adele completely heartbroken. Years
pass and they have a chance meeting where Adele admits she still
loves Emma with all her heart but Emma has moved on. Once again,
they part ways, this time on decent terms.
The film ends with Adele attending an art show. She sees a painting
of a nude woman, knowing its her. They acknowledge each other, Adele
congratulates Emma and she leaves. It's a bittersweet ending for
both of them. At one point, the two were madly in love but when they
realize things are going bad, they make poor decisions. I know I was
hoping they'd end up together but it became apparent it would not
happen. That is part of the reason I loved the story so much. It's
one of the more realistic stories about relationships out there.
Love never runs smoothly nor does it always have a happy ending.
While I found it enjoyable, some people may have problems with the
fact that its French. I know a lot of people hate dealing with
subtitles. They can be a pain to deal with but if you don't speak
French, it's a necessity. As for me, I've noticed foreign films tend
to be a bit more liberal in their content. Something that may not
fly well here may be perfectly acceptable in their film. There is
far more cursing in this and remember, the drinking age in Europe is
lower than it is here in the states. So if Adele and Emma look too
young to be in bars, remember that. When I was in traveling through
Europe, the drinking age was 16. I'm fairly certain that has not
changed.
But really, this is all going to boil back down to that one seven
minute or so scene. People will dismiss it as another romantic
coming of age story involving lesbians. But the sex scene is so
incredibly graphic its hard not to discuss it. There is no ignoring
it since it is sort of what this film is now known for. To me,
that's sad. “Blue is the Warmest Color” is a wonderful movie
that captures a relationship in the LGBT world, which isn't something
I've seen a lot of. I don't see why people tend to overlook the
homosexual community.
My personal feelings aside, I do recommend “Blue is the Warmest
Color”. I am a fan of indie, foreign and romance movies so this
one was the trifecta for me. A lot of people can also relate to the
film, remembering how it feels to love someone and possibly end up
losing them. Or perhaps there was a time in your life when you began
to question your own sexuality. Maybe you know what its like to be
bullied and be treated like the outcast. There are multiple layers
to this film and there is something almost anyone can see themselves
in.
And I know LGBT issues are a hot topic lately. Let's not go into
that because everyone has an opinion on it. But in my opinion, this
is something everyone should see and not just because of the now
infamous sex scene.
I'm TheCinemaChick and my cosplays are Sylvester McCoy approved.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
You are not stupid.
Justin "JewWario" Carmical...you were an amazing person and you will be missed very much. The fans, including myself, love you dearly. These words are beautiful and should be shared with everyone out there.
Folks, if you are having any suicidal thoughts, please find someone to talk to.
Remember..."You are not stupid."
Friday, January 24, 2014
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones
What's up everyone who is reading this blog, my name is
TheCinemaChick! I'm the girl who watches all the movies and reports
to you. Yes, you lovely reader! I've just completed a review of the
feel good film “Saving Mr. Banks” and unfortunately, its going to
get worse. This is going to be one the reviews where you'll either
question my sanity or hopefully, question the people who made this
movie. I'm guessing you'd like to know what comes next in my
currently short film list.
I'm almost ashamed to admit that I chose to see “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” for my birthday.
In case you're wondering, no I do not find them scary at all. I find them formulaic and predictable to the point where I can pinpoint when things will happen. So now you're wondering why I bothered to see it in the first place. The answer is actually quite simple. I felt like seeing a good comedy. To me, the “Paranormal Activity” franchise is a joke so I don't take it seriously. Instead, it's just funny.
So what's different about this one? Not much. I like to call this film “Paranormal Activity: The Mexican Edition”. And before anyone gets upset at me saying that, I mean no offense. I am Mexican myself. And I can explain why I call it that so don't leave now. While the movie is mostly a dud, there are things I liked better than its predecessors. For one, they start the tension much earlier than usual. Instead of things getting creepy over halfway into the movie, this one almost jumps into it.
**Spoilers Ahead...though this movie is pretty much like all the others.**
So, in this movie, we have Jesse and his best friend Hector as the main characters. Jesse has graduated high school and like everyone else in this series, has a hand held camera to play with. They believe their neighbor below them, Anna, is a witch so they want to find proof of this. In a fit of genius, they manage to lower a camera down a vent to see what's going on. They see a naked woman standing still then the neighbor, also nude, begins painting on her. Fun fact, this movie is the reason I learned the difference between brief nudity, nudity and graphic nudity. The last one in the list is where pretty much nothing is off limits. And you see everything.
Anna dies under mysterious circumstances and for some unknown reason, Jesse and Hector decide that exploring her apartment is a great idea. Yeah, ignore the bright yellow “crime scene” tape and walk right in. Brilliant. Also, how stupid are you? You're in a crime scene TOUCHING EVERYTHING! That leaves fingerprints everywhere, which makes you a suspect. I've watched enough Criminal Minds to know better. This is when they learn about “The Marked Ones”, which is the first born son getting a bite mark meaning they've been marked for possession when they come of age. Well, in order to be come a chosen one, a mother has to undergo a ritual. It gets weirder.
Remember those VHS tapes that seem to keeping popping up in the movies? They're here too.
Also, important plot point here. They steal a journal (smart idea there) and discover all sorts of witchcraft stuff in it. This is when they learn about the door. Why is this door so important? It can transport you anywhere...as long as its to an unholy place. Think about that while we move on
After playing some basketball, Jesse is jumped by some thugs and somehow has developed telekinesis. He beats them, fleeing with Hector so they can watch the footage later. Jesse has no idea how it happened believing he has super powers. It gets even stranger when he tries to fall backwards but an unseen force catches him Then there's the stupid Simon Says game. Hector and Marisol (some random chick friend of theirs) are playing with it but when Jesse tries, it fails. Somehow, it becomes a Ouija board. Red means now and green means yes. Seriously? What?
Hector and Jesse then go to a party where they attempt to hook up with some girls. Instead of taking them home, guess where they go? Yes, Anna's apartment, still blocked off by crime scene tape. Guys, take a note. If you want to hook up, do not take her to a place where someone has been killed and is under investigation. Of course, things don't go as planned and Penelope (random slut #1) finds a secret door. Oscar (also a marked one) tries to grab her but she runs. He just disappears.
Oscar warns Jesse that the only way to stop the possession is to kill himself. He then kills himself, to no one's surprise. Things just keep getting creepier. For some reason, they just can't let this go, so alone, Jesse goes back to this freaking basement where he finds pictures of himself, his mother and Oscar, making him even more suspicious. Thus beginning his descent into madness. Yeah...insert emo Jesse here now. At least when his dog goes missing, he goes to find it...in that damn basement. He sees the creepiest little kids in there (apparently it's Katie and Krisit, but I couldn't tell). Before he can get out, something attacks him and when he wakes up, he's home.
There's no place like home, there's no place like home...
With his super powers, Jesse begins torturing the dog, making Hector, Marisol (who apparently has no other friends) and Grandma scared. Don't get attached to Grandma, she's about to get thrown down some stairs to her death. Desperate, Hector and Marisol turn to an unlikely cameo, I mean, ally. Remember cute little Ali from the second movie? Apparently she became a demon hunter and knows a lot about them. She gives them all the help she can, which isn't much since her scene is about two minutes long. Jesse attacks Hector later and Marisol knocks him out with a baseball bat.
Why did you use this sooner? You could have saved Grandma if you'd just knocked Jesse a while ago so that he couldn't hurt anyone! So, since there's a place where the ritual is held (that creepy house from the end of the fourth movie), they decided its a great idea to go there. A huge black truck rams into them and steals Jesse. By some miracle, no one is hurt and the car can still be driven. So, they get Arturo and Santo (who haven't really been in this movie at all) and head out to the coven. Why do you people always go to the creepy haunted house at night?
As you can guess, they get chased, people get killed and Jesse makes his return as he tries to kill Hector. Remember those doors I told you to keep in mind? It finally shows up! Terrified, Hector sees a door with strange things carved around it and goes through it.
BAM! He's suddenly in the first movie. Katie comes down the stairs, sees Hector in the kitchen and freaks out. Micah comes running, dies when she stabs him then Jesse shows up in full possession mode and knocks Hector down. Katie turns off the camera then it ends.
It just ends. No epilogue, no nothing, just an end.
While “The Marked Ones” does connect some of the dots in the franchise, it's still leaving a lot of things really unclear. To make matters worse, “Paranormal Activity 5” comes out this October. Technically, this one is considered a spinoff but honestly, it just doesn't add anything. The only way it tied back in was at the end and with the story. That's not much to put you in the same category. I really wish this franchise would go ahead and explain how it all ties together and just end. When you have to resort to time travel, its time to call it quits. Whenever time travel, aliens and in some cases, magic are brought in, then its clear the franchise is reaching for ideas
If you want a good laugh, watch “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones”. Otherwise, don't bother. It's crap.
I'm TheCinemaChick and be prepared for a controversial review.
I'm almost ashamed to admit that I chose to see “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” for my birthday.
In case you're wondering, no I do not find them scary at all. I find them formulaic and predictable to the point where I can pinpoint when things will happen. So now you're wondering why I bothered to see it in the first place. The answer is actually quite simple. I felt like seeing a good comedy. To me, the “Paranormal Activity” franchise is a joke so I don't take it seriously. Instead, it's just funny.
So what's different about this one? Not much. I like to call this film “Paranormal Activity: The Mexican Edition”. And before anyone gets upset at me saying that, I mean no offense. I am Mexican myself. And I can explain why I call it that so don't leave now. While the movie is mostly a dud, there are things I liked better than its predecessors. For one, they start the tension much earlier than usual. Instead of things getting creepy over halfway into the movie, this one almost jumps into it.
**Spoilers Ahead...though this movie is pretty much like all the others.**
So, in this movie, we have Jesse and his best friend Hector as the main characters. Jesse has graduated high school and like everyone else in this series, has a hand held camera to play with. They believe their neighbor below them, Anna, is a witch so they want to find proof of this. In a fit of genius, they manage to lower a camera down a vent to see what's going on. They see a naked woman standing still then the neighbor, also nude, begins painting on her. Fun fact, this movie is the reason I learned the difference between brief nudity, nudity and graphic nudity. The last one in the list is where pretty much nothing is off limits. And you see everything.
Anna dies under mysterious circumstances and for some unknown reason, Jesse and Hector decide that exploring her apartment is a great idea. Yeah, ignore the bright yellow “crime scene” tape and walk right in. Brilliant. Also, how stupid are you? You're in a crime scene TOUCHING EVERYTHING! That leaves fingerprints everywhere, which makes you a suspect. I've watched enough Criminal Minds to know better. This is when they learn about “The Marked Ones”, which is the first born son getting a bite mark meaning they've been marked for possession when they come of age. Well, in order to be come a chosen one, a mother has to undergo a ritual. It gets weirder.
Remember those VHS tapes that seem to keeping popping up in the movies? They're here too.
Also, important plot point here. They steal a journal (smart idea there) and discover all sorts of witchcraft stuff in it. This is when they learn about the door. Why is this door so important? It can transport you anywhere...as long as its to an unholy place. Think about that while we move on
After playing some basketball, Jesse is jumped by some thugs and somehow has developed telekinesis. He beats them, fleeing with Hector so they can watch the footage later. Jesse has no idea how it happened believing he has super powers. It gets even stranger when he tries to fall backwards but an unseen force catches him Then there's the stupid Simon Says game. Hector and Marisol (some random chick friend of theirs) are playing with it but when Jesse tries, it fails. Somehow, it becomes a Ouija board. Red means now and green means yes. Seriously? What?
Hector and Jesse then go to a party where they attempt to hook up with some girls. Instead of taking them home, guess where they go? Yes, Anna's apartment, still blocked off by crime scene tape. Guys, take a note. If you want to hook up, do not take her to a place where someone has been killed and is under investigation. Of course, things don't go as planned and Penelope (random slut #1) finds a secret door. Oscar (also a marked one) tries to grab her but she runs. He just disappears.
Oscar warns Jesse that the only way to stop the possession is to kill himself. He then kills himself, to no one's surprise. Things just keep getting creepier. For some reason, they just can't let this go, so alone, Jesse goes back to this freaking basement where he finds pictures of himself, his mother and Oscar, making him even more suspicious. Thus beginning his descent into madness. Yeah...insert emo Jesse here now. At least when his dog goes missing, he goes to find it...in that damn basement. He sees the creepiest little kids in there (apparently it's Katie and Krisit, but I couldn't tell). Before he can get out, something attacks him and when he wakes up, he's home.
There's no place like home, there's no place like home...
With his super powers, Jesse begins torturing the dog, making Hector, Marisol (who apparently has no other friends) and Grandma scared. Don't get attached to Grandma, she's about to get thrown down some stairs to her death. Desperate, Hector and Marisol turn to an unlikely cameo, I mean, ally. Remember cute little Ali from the second movie? Apparently she became a demon hunter and knows a lot about them. She gives them all the help she can, which isn't much since her scene is about two minutes long. Jesse attacks Hector later and Marisol knocks him out with a baseball bat.
Why did you use this sooner? You could have saved Grandma if you'd just knocked Jesse a while ago so that he couldn't hurt anyone! So, since there's a place where the ritual is held (that creepy house from the end of the fourth movie), they decided its a great idea to go there. A huge black truck rams into them and steals Jesse. By some miracle, no one is hurt and the car can still be driven. So, they get Arturo and Santo (who haven't really been in this movie at all) and head out to the coven. Why do you people always go to the creepy haunted house at night?
As you can guess, they get chased, people get killed and Jesse makes his return as he tries to kill Hector. Remember those doors I told you to keep in mind? It finally shows up! Terrified, Hector sees a door with strange things carved around it and goes through it.
BAM! He's suddenly in the first movie. Katie comes down the stairs, sees Hector in the kitchen and freaks out. Micah comes running, dies when she stabs him then Jesse shows up in full possession mode and knocks Hector down. Katie turns off the camera then it ends.
It just ends. No epilogue, no nothing, just an end.
While “The Marked Ones” does connect some of the dots in the franchise, it's still leaving a lot of things really unclear. To make matters worse, “Paranormal Activity 5” comes out this October. Technically, this one is considered a spinoff but honestly, it just doesn't add anything. The only way it tied back in was at the end and with the story. That's not much to put you in the same category. I really wish this franchise would go ahead and explain how it all ties together and just end. When you have to resort to time travel, its time to call it quits. Whenever time travel, aliens and in some cases, magic are brought in, then its clear the franchise is reaching for ideas
If you want a good laugh, watch “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones”. Otherwise, don't bother. It's crap.
I'm TheCinemaChick and be prepared for a controversial review.
Saving Mr. Banks
Hey guys, I'm your habitually tardy film blogger, TheCinemaChick!
I'm about 2 weeks behind with all my reviews but I'm going to catch
up. So if I bombard you with reviews, I'm caught up. My last movie
was “12 Years a Slave” which was a very moving film that has left
a huge impact on me. This film is also emotional, but nowhere near
as intense as “12 Years”.
Folks, let's look at “Saving Mr. Banks”.
I know, this one came out late last year, but I did not get around to seeing it until this year. Actually, I resisted this one because I thought it would be kind of cheesy and sappy. Fry convinced me to give in and see it. Well, it was not what I was expecting. It has moments where it was a little too much for me but overall, its enjoyable. Emma Thompson is brilliant, Tom Hanks is spot on and even the smaller roles are perfect. The casting director deserves a medal for this one.
**Spoilers Ahead!**
Thompson stars as P.L. Travers, the woman who penned the Mary Poppins books. Yes, there are books, not just the one. She was a very difficult woman to work with, shooting down any ideas the music writers had, throwing the script from the window and being fairly demanding. The woman wouldn't even show kindness when taking her tea, unless it was done her way. Milk first, then tea, then sugar. Towards the beginning of the film, she is so unlikeable, I hated to movie right off the bat. I didn't want to watch but you know, you pay to see it, why waste the money? I didn't even like Walt Disney at first. He was confident and cocky and just rubbed me the wrong way..
Yet, as the movie went along and I got to know more about Travers, I began to like her. I also learned the true story of how Mary Poppins came to be. The story is much sadder than I originally knew. It's based on the author's actual life and how she had a nanny. The nanny tried to help the family when the father was sick. However, unlike the film, this story does not have a happy ending. He dies and she blames the nanny for his death. So it turns out Mary Poppins is there to save the father, not the children.
The film itself can be a bit jarring since it can cut between present and past with no warning. Recognize the mother in this film? If you saw “The Lone Ranger” you should. Ruth Wilson played Rebecca Reid in the now infamous box office flop. Fortunately, she redeems herself with “Saving Mr. Banks” where she plays Margaret Goff. Her performance is absolutely breathtaking and she is the reason I chose to keep watching. There's a scene she's in, I won't spoil this one, that completely changes the tone of the story, making it more interesting.
After seeing this movie, I looked up P.L. Travers and it turns out, she really was that horrible in real life. She was shrewd, uptight and generally unpleasant. She never married or had kids though she did unofficially adopt a child who ended up leaving her life. It makes me appreciate Walt Disney a little more, even if he was supposedly a very discriminating man. I'm not going into the rumors that he was sexist, racist and whatnot. I don't know if its even true but people believe what they want to believe.
It's a shame this one didn't get many Oscar nods because it genuinely is one of the best films out there right now. For the most part, it is family friendly, though younger kids might get bored because its not action packed. But the performances were spectacular, the movie itself was very well done and it encaptures the people it represents. Tom Hanks is up for nominations for his role in “Captain Philips” which is great and all but “Saving Mr. Banks” is just better. Emma Thompson definitely got snubbed this year. As far as I know, this film has one nomination and its one of the categories no one really cares about, Best Original Score.
This is really one of those few films that everyone can enjoy. While so many films are full of sex, violence and cursing, this is is light, clean fun. It has a word or two that might be too coarse for the little ones and you see Mr. Disney smoking once for maybe three seconds. Other than that, where else are you going to find a good movie for the family? There isn't anything! It disappoints me that so many of the top grossing films are about war or sex or corruption. A few years ago, there was something good for everyone coming out monthly but now...it's like the G rating doesn't exist anymore. Seriously, Disney and Pixar and even Dreamworks are moving into the PG territory.
I'm not a parent, but an aunt. I want to be able to take my nieces and nephews out to the movies and not have to worry about them seeing something that might frighten them or being too adult for them. We need more animated Disney films out there. “Saving Mr. Banks” shows that he was all for making movies for everyone, not just the grown up crowd. And if Mrs. Travers can accept how they adapted her book into celluloid, then surely we can find more movies for the children.
Seriously, she hated the movie at first. It took a long time to convince her to sign over the rights to her book. She was THAT difficult.
“Saving Mr. Banks” is a good movie for families, for a date night or if you want a movie that truly earns and deserves its happy ending. It starts off rocky but trust me, it just builds and gets better. Colin Farrell, who used to be Hollywood's resident bad boy, is wonderful as a family man. Granted he's also an alcoholic but he still shows complete devotion to his children. Paul Giamatti is also highly underrated. He's a real jerk in “12 Years a Slave” as a man holding the auction, but in this one, he's so sweet and endearing. As Ralph, he always makes sure to fix the tea in the proper way and he's one of the few people Travers opens up to. She even offers to sign a book for his disabled daughter, then gives him a list of people who overcame their disabilities to prove you can be anyone you want in life.
Do yourself a favor and see “Saving Mr. Banks”. You'll laugh, you might cry but you'll definitely walk away feeling warm and fuzzy.
I'm TheCinemaChick and I'm rather cold today.
Folks, let's look at “Saving Mr. Banks”.
I know, this one came out late last year, but I did not get around to seeing it until this year. Actually, I resisted this one because I thought it would be kind of cheesy and sappy. Fry convinced me to give in and see it. Well, it was not what I was expecting. It has moments where it was a little too much for me but overall, its enjoyable. Emma Thompson is brilliant, Tom Hanks is spot on and even the smaller roles are perfect. The casting director deserves a medal for this one.
**Spoilers Ahead!**
Thompson stars as P.L. Travers, the woman who penned the Mary Poppins books. Yes, there are books, not just the one. She was a very difficult woman to work with, shooting down any ideas the music writers had, throwing the script from the window and being fairly demanding. The woman wouldn't even show kindness when taking her tea, unless it was done her way. Milk first, then tea, then sugar. Towards the beginning of the film, she is so unlikeable, I hated to movie right off the bat. I didn't want to watch but you know, you pay to see it, why waste the money? I didn't even like Walt Disney at first. He was confident and cocky and just rubbed me the wrong way..
Yet, as the movie went along and I got to know more about Travers, I began to like her. I also learned the true story of how Mary Poppins came to be. The story is much sadder than I originally knew. It's based on the author's actual life and how she had a nanny. The nanny tried to help the family when the father was sick. However, unlike the film, this story does not have a happy ending. He dies and she blames the nanny for his death. So it turns out Mary Poppins is there to save the father, not the children.
The film itself can be a bit jarring since it can cut between present and past with no warning. Recognize the mother in this film? If you saw “The Lone Ranger” you should. Ruth Wilson played Rebecca Reid in the now infamous box office flop. Fortunately, she redeems herself with “Saving Mr. Banks” where she plays Margaret Goff. Her performance is absolutely breathtaking and she is the reason I chose to keep watching. There's a scene she's in, I won't spoil this one, that completely changes the tone of the story, making it more interesting.
After seeing this movie, I looked up P.L. Travers and it turns out, she really was that horrible in real life. She was shrewd, uptight and generally unpleasant. She never married or had kids though she did unofficially adopt a child who ended up leaving her life. It makes me appreciate Walt Disney a little more, even if he was supposedly a very discriminating man. I'm not going into the rumors that he was sexist, racist and whatnot. I don't know if its even true but people believe what they want to believe.
It's a shame this one didn't get many Oscar nods because it genuinely is one of the best films out there right now. For the most part, it is family friendly, though younger kids might get bored because its not action packed. But the performances were spectacular, the movie itself was very well done and it encaptures the people it represents. Tom Hanks is up for nominations for his role in “Captain Philips” which is great and all but “Saving Mr. Banks” is just better. Emma Thompson definitely got snubbed this year. As far as I know, this film has one nomination and its one of the categories no one really cares about, Best Original Score.
This is really one of those few films that everyone can enjoy. While so many films are full of sex, violence and cursing, this is is light, clean fun. It has a word or two that might be too coarse for the little ones and you see Mr. Disney smoking once for maybe three seconds. Other than that, where else are you going to find a good movie for the family? There isn't anything! It disappoints me that so many of the top grossing films are about war or sex or corruption. A few years ago, there was something good for everyone coming out monthly but now...it's like the G rating doesn't exist anymore. Seriously, Disney and Pixar and even Dreamworks are moving into the PG territory.
I'm not a parent, but an aunt. I want to be able to take my nieces and nephews out to the movies and not have to worry about them seeing something that might frighten them or being too adult for them. We need more animated Disney films out there. “Saving Mr. Banks” shows that he was all for making movies for everyone, not just the grown up crowd. And if Mrs. Travers can accept how they adapted her book into celluloid, then surely we can find more movies for the children.
Seriously, she hated the movie at first. It took a long time to convince her to sign over the rights to her book. She was THAT difficult.
“Saving Mr. Banks” is a good movie for families, for a date night or if you want a movie that truly earns and deserves its happy ending. It starts off rocky but trust me, it just builds and gets better. Colin Farrell, who used to be Hollywood's resident bad boy, is wonderful as a family man. Granted he's also an alcoholic but he still shows complete devotion to his children. Paul Giamatti is also highly underrated. He's a real jerk in “12 Years a Slave” as a man holding the auction, but in this one, he's so sweet and endearing. As Ralph, he always makes sure to fix the tea in the proper way and he's one of the few people Travers opens up to. She even offers to sign a book for his disabled daughter, then gives him a list of people who overcame their disabilities to prove you can be anyone you want in life.
Do yourself a favor and see “Saving Mr. Banks”. You'll laugh, you might cry but you'll definitely walk away feeling warm and fuzzy.
I'm TheCinemaChick and I'm rather cold today.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
2014 Oscar Nominations and Predictions
Hello there
fellow internet person, I'm TheCinemaChick and its that time of the
year again. That's right, it's the annual award season! The Golden
Globes are done, the Critic's Choice Awards are coming, along with
the Screen Actor's Guild Awards. But, you know I always cover the
main awards show, the Academy Awards. This year, there are some
excellent choices and some categories that are going to be cutthroat.
Then there are the choices I don't agree with at all. With that
said, let's look at the nominees and my predictions.
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"
Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"
Lupita Nyong’o, "12 Years a Slave"
Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"
June Squibb, "Nebraska"
Best Adapted Screenplay
"12 Years a Slave"
"Before Midnight"
"Captain Phillips"
"Philomena"
"The Wolf of Wall Street"
Best Foreign Language Film
"The Broken Circle Breakdown"
"The Great Beauty"
"The Hunt"
"The Missing Picture"
"Omar"
Best Documentary - Feature
"20 Feet From Stardom"
"The Act of Killing"
"Cutie and the Boxer"
"Dirty Wars"
"The Square"
Best Documentary - Short Subject
"The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life"
"Cavedigger"
"Facing Fear"
"Karama Has No Walls"
"Prison Terminal: Last Days of Private Jack Hall"
Best Live Action Short Film
"Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)"
"Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)"
"Helium"
"Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have To Take Care of Everything?)"
"The Voorman Problem"
Best Animated Short Film
"Feral"
"Get a Horse!"
"Mr. Hublot"
"Possessions"
"Room on the Broom"
Best Original Score
Steven Price, "Gravity"
Alexandre Desplat, "Philomena"
William Butler and Owen Pallett, "Her"
John Williams, "The Book Thief"
Thomas Newman, "Saving Mr. Banks"
Best Sound Editing
"Gravity"
"Captain Phillips"
"All is Lost"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
"Lone Survivor"
Best Sound Mixing
"Gravity"
"Captain Phillips"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Lone Survivor"
Best Costume Design
"The Great Gatsby"
"The Grandmaster"
"American Hustle"
"The Invisible Woman"
"12 Years a Slave"
Best Film Editing
"Gravity"
"12 Years a Slave"
"Captain Phillips"
"American Hustle"
"Dallas Buyers Club"
Best Visual Effects
My Pick: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
Best
Picture
"12 Years a Slave"
"American Hustle"
"Gravity"
"The Wolf of Wall Street"
"Dallas Buyers Club"
"Her"
"Nebraska"
"Philomena"
"Captain Phillips"
"12 Years a Slave"
"American Hustle"
"Gravity"
"The Wolf of Wall Street"
"Dallas Buyers Club"
"Her"
"Nebraska"
"Philomena"
"Captain Phillips"
My
Pick: “12 Years a Slave” because it has made a huge impact on me.
As intense as it was, everything about it was amazing.
Who
will probably win: “American Hustle”. Seriously...what made this
movie so good? I thought it was horrible.
Best
Director
Alfonso Cuarón, "Gravity"
David O. Russell, "American Hustle"
Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"
Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"
Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Alfonso Cuarón, "Gravity"
David O. Russell, "American Hustle"
Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"
Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"
Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
My
Pick: Tough call on this one...I'm torn between Alfonso Cuarón and
Steve McQueen.
Who
will probably win: Freaking David O. Russell. Again, what was so
appealing about “American Hustle”?
Best
Actor
Christian Bale, "American Hustle"
Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"
Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyer's Club"
Christian Bale, "American Hustle"
Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"
Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyer's Club"
My
Pick: Another tough call. I'm torn between Chiwetel Ejiofor,
Matthew McConaughey and Leonardo DiCaprio. But I'd like to see
DiCaprio FINALLY win an Oscar after years and years of losing.
Who
will probably win: Christian Bale. I see a major upset on this one
though.
Best
Actress
Amy Adams, "American Hustle"
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"
Judi Dench, "Philomena"
Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"
Amy Adams, "American Hustle"
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"
Judi Dench, "Philomena"
Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"
My
Pick: This year seems like one of the hardest years. All of their
performances were great, except Amy Adams who always seems to play
this innocent looking woman. She didn't even get a decent shirt in
this movie.
I'm
going to sat Cate Blanchett.
Who
will probably win: Surprisingly, I'm giving this one to Sandra
Bullock for “Gravity”.
Best
Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"
Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"
Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"
Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyer's Club"
Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"
Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"
Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"
Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyer's Club"
My
Pick: Damnit, another hard one! Michael Fassbender really threw
himself into that role, but so did Jared Leto...and Jonah Hill's just
adorable...I'm picking Jared Leto.
Who
will probably win: Bradley Cooper. “American Hustle” has been
sweeping the awards shows.
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"
Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"
Lupita Nyong’o, "12 Years a Slave"
Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"
June Squibb, "Nebraska"
My
Pick: Lupita Nyong'o, hands down. If you saw her performance, you'd
agree.
Who
will probably win: Lupita Nyong'o. Seriously. She deserves this.
My
Pick: Frozen
Who
will probably win: Frozen
Best
Original Song
"Alone
Yet Not Alone" from "Alone Yet Not Alone"
"The Moon Song" from "Her," Karen O. and Spike Jonze
"Let It Go" from "Frozen," Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez
"Ordinary Love" from "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.) and Danger Mouse (Brian Burton)
"Happy" from "Despicable Me 2," Pharrell Williams
"The Moon Song" from "Her," Karen O. and Spike Jonze
"Let It Go" from "Frozen," Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez
"Ordinary Love" from "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.) and Danger Mouse (Brian Burton)
"Happy" from "Despicable Me 2," Pharrell Williams
My
Pick: “The Moon Song”
Who
will probably win: “Ordinary Love” because Bono
My
Pick: Oh...so many good ones...it's between “Her” and “Dallas
Buyers Club”
Who
will probably win: “American Hustle” for reasons I cannot fathom
Best Adapted Screenplay
"12 Years a Slave"
"Before Midnight"
"Captain Phillips"
"Philomena"
"The Wolf of Wall Street"
My
Pick: “12 Years a Slave”. I cannot express how much I loved this
movie.
Who
will probably win: I don't know...I'm sticking with “12 Years a
Slave”
Best Foreign Language Film
"The Broken Circle Breakdown"
"The Great Beauty"
"The Hunt"
"The Missing Picture"
"Omar"
My
Pick: I didn't see any of these so let's go with...”The Missing
Picture”
Who
will probably win: I don't know... “The Broken Circle Breakdown”
Best Documentary - Feature
"20 Feet From Stardom"
"The Act of Killing"
"Cutie and the Boxer"
"Dirty Wars"
"The Square"
My
Pick: No clue. “Dirty Wars” because reasons
Who
will probably win: ...let's go with “The Square”
Best Documentary - Short Subject
"The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life"
"Cavedigger"
"Facing Fear"
"Karama Has No Walls"
"Prison Terminal: Last Days of Private Jack Hall"
My
Pick: I'm going with “Cavedigger”.
Who
will probably win: Um...”The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved my Life”
Best Live Action Short Film
"Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)"
"Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)"
"Helium"
"Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have To Take Care of Everything?)"
"The Voorman Problem"
My
Pick: “Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)”
Who
will probably win: "Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)"
Best Animated Short Film
"Feral"
"Get a Horse!"
"Mr. Hublot"
"Possessions"
"Room on the Broom"
My
Pick: “Feral”
Who
will probably win: “Possessions:
Best Original Score
Steven Price, "Gravity"
Alexandre Desplat, "Philomena"
William Butler and Owen Pallett, "Her"
John Williams, "The Book Thief"
Thomas Newman, "Saving Mr. Banks"
My
Pick: William Butler and Owen Pallett, "Her"
Who
will probably win: Thomas Newman, "Saving Mr. Banks"
Best Sound Editing
"Gravity"
"Captain Phillips"
"All is Lost"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
"Lone Survivor"
My
pick: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug". Purely
because I am biased based on my love of Tolkien.
Who
will probably win: "Gravity"
Best Sound Mixing
"Gravity"
"Captain Phillips"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Lone Survivor"
My
Pick: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug". Again...bias
Who
will probably win: "Captain Phillips"
My
Pick: "The Great Gatsby"
Who
will probably win: "12 Years a Slave"
My
Pick: "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Who
will probably win: "Gravity"
My
Pick: "Dallas Buyers Club"
Who
will probably win: "Dallas Buyers Club"
Best Costume Design
"The Great Gatsby"
"The Grandmaster"
"American Hustle"
"The Invisible Woman"
"12 Years a Slave"
My
Pick: It's between "12 Years a Slave" and "The Great
Gatsby"
Who
will probably win: "12 Years a Slave"
Best Film Editing
"Gravity"
"12 Years a Slave"
"Captain Phillips"
"American Hustle"
"Dallas Buyers Club"
My
Pick: "Gravity"
Who
will probably win: "American Hustle”
Best Visual Effects
"Gravity"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
"Iron Man 3"
"The Lone Ranger"
"Star Trek Into Darkness"
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
"Iron Man 3"
"The Lone Ranger"
"Star Trek Into Darkness"
My Pick: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
Who
will probably win: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"
Thursday, January 16, 2014
12 Years a Slave
What's up guys, I'm TheCinemaChick and I watch more movies than I
should. So far, 2014 is shaping up to be a pretty decent year.
“Hercules” was a bust but “12 Years a Slave” is one of the
most powerful movies I have seen in a while. It's not for the faint
of heart, I can say that. The movie had moments that made me sad,
made me happy and some scenes that made me genuinely sick. On the
other hand, it is a truly amazing film. Steve McQueen deserves all
the nominations he has gotten for this one. It'll make you want to
turn away but at the same time, you can't take your eyes off the
screen.
And this has some huge names in it. We've got Benedict Cumberbatch and Micheal Fassbender, along with some people you've probably heard of and go “I know I've seen them in something”. For instance, Sarah Paulson who you may know from the American Horror Story series. Paul Dano has done several films but he's not as well known as the others. One name I want to mention is Quvenzhané Wallis. She was nominated for an Oscar last year for her portrayal of Hushpuppy in “Beasts of the Southern Wild”. Keep in mind, that was her first role ever. I have not seen that one but I would really like to. Maybe soon I will break down and either buy it or rent it on Amazon. I will say this, she is absolutely adorable. She's got more movies coming out in the future and I see a bright future for this girl.
**If I get a little...crass or offensive, I sincerelt apologize. The movie is full of racial slurs, violence and various cruel acts. It is very hard to discuss them without going into some detail. I mean absolutely no offense to anyone. This review will contain sensitive material, so please proceed with caution. I am honestly uncomfortable writing this but the film was so amazing, I need to write about it.**
***Also, some spoilers ahead.**
“12 Years a Slave” focuses on Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man in the North. He has a wife and two children. When a man approaches him about a possible job, he jumps at it, only to find out that they are basically slave recruiters. They kidnap black people and take them into the South. This begins the emotionally charged journey Solomon takes. He's forced to give up his identity when he is told his name is Platt. Even more heartbreaking is when the slaves are being auctioned. Some of them are stripped naked and made to stand in the middle of a room to be inspected. This is the scene where we meet Ford (Cumberbatch). His character shows that not all slave owners were terrible. He does try to keep a mother with her two children because he can't bear to tear them apart. However, the auctioneer allows another man to buy the son.
I know we've all studied this part of history growing up. We can only imagine how terrible it was. Seeing it, even in a film, makes it even worse. I can't say fictional because this is based off a memoir of the same name by the titular character. Ford tries to be kind to all his slaves, not working them too hard, making sure they are taken care of, but his wife, Mistress Ford (Liza Bennett) does not share his sympathy. The overseer Tibeats (Paul Dano) is also a very cruel man, yelling at the slaves and humiliating them at every possible chance. He even makes them clap along while he sings a very derogatory song. When Platt stands up for himself and attacks the overseer, Tibeats and his men actually intend to kill Platt by hanging him. By some miracle, Platt does not die but ends up standing literally on the tips of his toes all day.
There is a scene of him just standing in the mud, trying to stay alive that lasts probably four or so minutes. I genuinely had trouble keeping my eyes on the screen. My emotions were swirling at this point. I wasn't sure if I was furious, upset or sickened. One maid sneaks him a cup of water and eventually, Ford returns from wherever he was and cuts the rope. However, because Platt harmed a white man, he can no longer stay with Ford. He is sent to Edwin Epps, played by Micheal Fassbender. While I didn't quite buy Benedict as a Southerner, Fassbender blew my mind. His character was a very cruel, angry, lecherous man and he captured it perfectly. I hate saying that but its true. Epps works his slaves harder than Ford, barely allowing them any type of minimal luxury.
They pick cotton all day and if they do not meet a certain quota, they are severely beaten. Fortunately, a lot of this violence is not shown, just heavily implied. This is also where we meet another important character, Patsey. In my mind, Lupita Nyong'o deserved a Golden Globe for her performance. While Solomon/Platt is the main character, Patsey is equally as important. She is a...”favorite” of Epps and is often subjected to his cruelty. Because Mistress Epps knows this, she is even worse. Mistress Epps throws heavy glass bottles at Patsey, encourages her husband to beat her, amongst other things. It's bad enough that there is a scene containing rape. It's not implied or briefly shown, you basically see the whole thing.
**This next paragraph will be extremely graphic. Be warned.**
Now, Patsey does have a friend, a white man, who helps her out on occasion. After days and days of working in the hot sun, she becomes sickened by her own smell. She visits her friend to get some soap. When Master Epps learns of this, he has her tied to a pole to be whipped. He then turns the tables on Platt, forcing him to whip Patsey, basically at gun point. Platt does so, hardheartedly. Epps gets frustrated and takes over. This scene, if you choose to see this film, is incredibly hard to watch. She is helpless and you see the damage that is done to her back. Blood flies with every whip and her skin is literally ripped apart. Patsey is whipped so severely, she begs Platt to end her life. She is no longer able to cope with the pain or rape. He refuses.
**And we're done with that.**
It sounds so wrong to say the film gets better, seeing as its been so violent, but it does. Brad Pitt shows up, looking fresh from Amish country. He plays Bass, a Canadian man who opposes slavery and does contract labor earns Platt's trust. The two men get to talking where Platt confides that he is really Solomon Northup, a free man with a family in the North. Northup begs Bass to take a letter to Saratoga. Knowing it is incredibly dangerous, Bass agrees.
Time passes and one day, a man shows up to the plantation. Platt is called over, asking if he knows a certain man. He does, recognizing this person as a shopkeeper he is friends with from home. Platt answers several questions and is granted his freedom. Epps is furious and demands to keep his “property”. Patsey is devastated to see him go, but is glad that he gets to leave the life behind. Solomon is reunited with his family, overjoyed to discover that he is now a grandfather. The film closes with the credits adding a little more information, like how Northup was not able to prosecute the men who abducted him. It concludes saying the details of his death and burial are a mystery.
Honestly, “12 Years a Slave” is a very powerful, emotionally charged movie that will have your heart breaking. It is not for the faint of heart or stomach, I will say that. I almost could not bear it but I forced myself to watch. It took about an hour for me to recover from the film. While it sounds like I would never recommend this to anyone, I highly recommend it. Steve McQueen handled a very delicate situation and a dark place in history very well. I could have done without the torture but at the same time, I can see why he showed it.
Micheal Fassbender deserved an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor while Chiwetel Ejiofor would have been a strong contender for Best Actor. The film did win “Best Film of the Year” at the Golden Globes and has earned an Oscar nomination for “Best Film of the Year”. Having seen many of the films on the list, its going to be a tough call. I will be doing my annual Oscar predictions soon, so stay tuned for that.
It's the beginning of the year and I'm already behind. Luckily, I don't have classes on Friday and Monday is a holiday, so I have time to catch up. I need to review “Saving Mr. Banks”, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” and “Blue is the Warmest Color”. And, as I already pointed out, it's Oscar season. So far, I'm liking what 2014 has to offer.
However, I see “American Hustle” earned a whopping ten Oscar nods. Did they see a different version than me? I thought the film was horrible, easily one of the worst films I've seen. Far too much cursing and for the love of smoked salmon, someone get Amy Adams a real shirt! To each their own, but I hated it.
I'm TheCinemaChick and yesterday was my birthday.
This is purely based on my opinion, no offense or plagiarism intended. I did mention there would be sensitive material, so if I in any way upset of offended you, my dear reader, please accept my sincerely apology.
And this has some huge names in it. We've got Benedict Cumberbatch and Micheal Fassbender, along with some people you've probably heard of and go “I know I've seen them in something”. For instance, Sarah Paulson who you may know from the American Horror Story series. Paul Dano has done several films but he's not as well known as the others. One name I want to mention is Quvenzhané Wallis. She was nominated for an Oscar last year for her portrayal of Hushpuppy in “Beasts of the Southern Wild”. Keep in mind, that was her first role ever. I have not seen that one but I would really like to. Maybe soon I will break down and either buy it or rent it on Amazon. I will say this, she is absolutely adorable. She's got more movies coming out in the future and I see a bright future for this girl.
**If I get a little...crass or offensive, I sincerelt apologize. The movie is full of racial slurs, violence and various cruel acts. It is very hard to discuss them without going into some detail. I mean absolutely no offense to anyone. This review will contain sensitive material, so please proceed with caution. I am honestly uncomfortable writing this but the film was so amazing, I need to write about it.**
***Also, some spoilers ahead.**
“12 Years a Slave” focuses on Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man in the North. He has a wife and two children. When a man approaches him about a possible job, he jumps at it, only to find out that they are basically slave recruiters. They kidnap black people and take them into the South. This begins the emotionally charged journey Solomon takes. He's forced to give up his identity when he is told his name is Platt. Even more heartbreaking is when the slaves are being auctioned. Some of them are stripped naked and made to stand in the middle of a room to be inspected. This is the scene where we meet Ford (Cumberbatch). His character shows that not all slave owners were terrible. He does try to keep a mother with her two children because he can't bear to tear them apart. However, the auctioneer allows another man to buy the son.
I know we've all studied this part of history growing up. We can only imagine how terrible it was. Seeing it, even in a film, makes it even worse. I can't say fictional because this is based off a memoir of the same name by the titular character. Ford tries to be kind to all his slaves, not working them too hard, making sure they are taken care of, but his wife, Mistress Ford (Liza Bennett) does not share his sympathy. The overseer Tibeats (Paul Dano) is also a very cruel man, yelling at the slaves and humiliating them at every possible chance. He even makes them clap along while he sings a very derogatory song. When Platt stands up for himself and attacks the overseer, Tibeats and his men actually intend to kill Platt by hanging him. By some miracle, Platt does not die but ends up standing literally on the tips of his toes all day.
There is a scene of him just standing in the mud, trying to stay alive that lasts probably four or so minutes. I genuinely had trouble keeping my eyes on the screen. My emotions were swirling at this point. I wasn't sure if I was furious, upset or sickened. One maid sneaks him a cup of water and eventually, Ford returns from wherever he was and cuts the rope. However, because Platt harmed a white man, he can no longer stay with Ford. He is sent to Edwin Epps, played by Micheal Fassbender. While I didn't quite buy Benedict as a Southerner, Fassbender blew my mind. His character was a very cruel, angry, lecherous man and he captured it perfectly. I hate saying that but its true. Epps works his slaves harder than Ford, barely allowing them any type of minimal luxury.
They pick cotton all day and if they do not meet a certain quota, they are severely beaten. Fortunately, a lot of this violence is not shown, just heavily implied. This is also where we meet another important character, Patsey. In my mind, Lupita Nyong'o deserved a Golden Globe for her performance. While Solomon/Platt is the main character, Patsey is equally as important. She is a...”favorite” of Epps and is often subjected to his cruelty. Because Mistress Epps knows this, she is even worse. Mistress Epps throws heavy glass bottles at Patsey, encourages her husband to beat her, amongst other things. It's bad enough that there is a scene containing rape. It's not implied or briefly shown, you basically see the whole thing.
**This next paragraph will be extremely graphic. Be warned.**
Now, Patsey does have a friend, a white man, who helps her out on occasion. After days and days of working in the hot sun, she becomes sickened by her own smell. She visits her friend to get some soap. When Master Epps learns of this, he has her tied to a pole to be whipped. He then turns the tables on Platt, forcing him to whip Patsey, basically at gun point. Platt does so, hardheartedly. Epps gets frustrated and takes over. This scene, if you choose to see this film, is incredibly hard to watch. She is helpless and you see the damage that is done to her back. Blood flies with every whip and her skin is literally ripped apart. Patsey is whipped so severely, she begs Platt to end her life. She is no longer able to cope with the pain or rape. He refuses.
**And we're done with that.**
It sounds so wrong to say the film gets better, seeing as its been so violent, but it does. Brad Pitt shows up, looking fresh from Amish country. He plays Bass, a Canadian man who opposes slavery and does contract labor earns Platt's trust. The two men get to talking where Platt confides that he is really Solomon Northup, a free man with a family in the North. Northup begs Bass to take a letter to Saratoga. Knowing it is incredibly dangerous, Bass agrees.
Time passes and one day, a man shows up to the plantation. Platt is called over, asking if he knows a certain man. He does, recognizing this person as a shopkeeper he is friends with from home. Platt answers several questions and is granted his freedom. Epps is furious and demands to keep his “property”. Patsey is devastated to see him go, but is glad that he gets to leave the life behind. Solomon is reunited with his family, overjoyed to discover that he is now a grandfather. The film closes with the credits adding a little more information, like how Northup was not able to prosecute the men who abducted him. It concludes saying the details of his death and burial are a mystery.
Honestly, “12 Years a Slave” is a very powerful, emotionally charged movie that will have your heart breaking. It is not for the faint of heart or stomach, I will say that. I almost could not bear it but I forced myself to watch. It took about an hour for me to recover from the film. While it sounds like I would never recommend this to anyone, I highly recommend it. Steve McQueen handled a very delicate situation and a dark place in history very well. I could have done without the torture but at the same time, I can see why he showed it.
Micheal Fassbender deserved an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor while Chiwetel Ejiofor would have been a strong contender for Best Actor. The film did win “Best Film of the Year” at the Golden Globes and has earned an Oscar nomination for “Best Film of the Year”. Having seen many of the films on the list, its going to be a tough call. I will be doing my annual Oscar predictions soon, so stay tuned for that.
It's the beginning of the year and I'm already behind. Luckily, I don't have classes on Friday and Monday is a holiday, so I have time to catch up. I need to review “Saving Mr. Banks”, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” and “Blue is the Warmest Color”. And, as I already pointed out, it's Oscar season. So far, I'm liking what 2014 has to offer.
However, I see “American Hustle” earned a whopping ten Oscar nods. Did they see a different version than me? I thought the film was horrible, easily one of the worst films I've seen. Far too much cursing and for the love of smoked salmon, someone get Amy Adams a real shirt! To each their own, but I hated it.
I'm TheCinemaChick and yesterday was my birthday.
This is purely based on my opinion, no offense or plagiarism intended. I did mention there would be sensitive material, so if I in any way upset of offended you, my dear reader, please accept my sincerely apology.
Friday, January 10, 2014
The Legend of Hercules
Hello everyone and welcome to the year 2014! I'm TheCinemaChick
and I see a bunch of movies and talk about them. We're going on my
third year of doing this, so let's make it a good one, eh? Anyway,
tonight, Fry and I went to see the new Kellan Lutz flick “The
Legend of Hercules”.
Well...he gave it a good shot.
Where to begin with this one...it's obviously about Hercules, played by Lutz. Honestly, I thought he'd at least be good to look at but that's not even the case. He's got so much makeup on that you can't even see his features. Okay, I will admit, his body is gorgeous. He is well built and he clearly works hard to look so pretty. I've seen him in other films and he is a great actor who can do some incredible fight scenes. This one...while its not the worst thing I've ever seen, it's not one of the best. “Hercules” should be an action fantasy film but it's really an unintentional comedy.
The acting is overdone, the action, if you can call it that, was less than stellar and there's just a long list of issues. First off, the movie was shot in Bulgaria, so I'm assuming there are some actors from the area. I take no issue with that but if you want to make a professional film, at least try to get their accents right. Some of them were English, a couple were Irish, I think the dude with cornrows (yes, you read that right) was Italian...it was a mess. It was hard to understand names, so about halfway through the movie, I finally realized that the main love interests name was Hebe (pronounced Hee-Bee).
Then there's the incredibly forced love triangle between Hebe, Hercules and whoever the brother is. Seriously, I don't know anyone's names. Let's call the brother Creeper. So Creeper wants Hebe but she's in love with Hercules The father, who's a real dick, sends Hercules off to Egypt to die but of course he lives. There is a lot of awkward sexual tension between them. The whole vibe between them was off and generally creepy. Then again, Creeper came off as the spoiled, entitled prince he's supposed to be. He's like Joffrey. If you get the reference, you get a cookie. But he's the stereotype spoiled prince. Her gets everything he wants and if he can't have the girl, no one can.
My main problems are the cinematography. Whoever did the special effects, CGI and camera work needs to be fired and reprimanded. I will admit, some of the effects were pretty badass. The thing is, the work with the green screen was incredibly poor. You knew when the background was fake because it looked like it was fake. Even certain sets were clearly artificial. Don't get me wrong, some of the scenes were amazing. Half the time it was incredible, the other half, almost like someone in film school made them. As if that wasn't bad enough, they made it clear this film was meant to be seen in 3D because there are scenes that don't make sense unless its in 3D. The effects just fall flat.
And now, lets talk about one thing that bugs the crap out of me. During certain sequences, the action would drastically slow down and the focus would become intense. If you don't understand what I'm talking about, think about the Zack Snyder movie “300”. They would be in battle then things would just slow down for no real reason then go back to normal speed. I'm sorry, I don't care how cool it looks, it detracts from the overall feel. Then mixing bad CGI with slowed down action sequences with terrible dialogue...are you trying to make this a comedy?
I honestly wanted to like this movie because I enjoy Greek mythology and Kellan Lutz is all sorts of hot. This just wasn't his finest hour. For a film that short (not quite 2 hours) it never really went anywhere. It was Hercules having daddy issues and fighting until he got home to face his father. It became it predictable about halfway through. You knew what would happen, who Hebe would end up with and how the battle would go. But even then, I could not take it seriously. The scenes were meant to be serious but he'd say the wrong things and it would end up being hilarious. There was one scene where Hercules said “We will take what they have ripped from out breasts” and my inner teenage boy came out. I was laughing much harder than I should have.
Honestly, don't bother with this one. It's jumbled, its confused and it doesn't quite know what it wants to be. “Hercules” isn't quite fantasy nor is it an action nor is it historical. It's another blockbuster doomed to fail on opening weekend. Do yourself a favor and wait until this one is out on DVD or Netflix.
I'm TheCinemaChick, apologizing for this short review but I am incredibly tired tonight.
Well...he gave it a good shot.
Where to begin with this one...it's obviously about Hercules, played by Lutz. Honestly, I thought he'd at least be good to look at but that's not even the case. He's got so much makeup on that you can't even see his features. Okay, I will admit, his body is gorgeous. He is well built and he clearly works hard to look so pretty. I've seen him in other films and he is a great actor who can do some incredible fight scenes. This one...while its not the worst thing I've ever seen, it's not one of the best. “Hercules” should be an action fantasy film but it's really an unintentional comedy.
The acting is overdone, the action, if you can call it that, was less than stellar and there's just a long list of issues. First off, the movie was shot in Bulgaria, so I'm assuming there are some actors from the area. I take no issue with that but if you want to make a professional film, at least try to get their accents right. Some of them were English, a couple were Irish, I think the dude with cornrows (yes, you read that right) was Italian...it was a mess. It was hard to understand names, so about halfway through the movie, I finally realized that the main love interests name was Hebe (pronounced Hee-Bee).
Then there's the incredibly forced love triangle between Hebe, Hercules and whoever the brother is. Seriously, I don't know anyone's names. Let's call the brother Creeper. So Creeper wants Hebe but she's in love with Hercules The father, who's a real dick, sends Hercules off to Egypt to die but of course he lives. There is a lot of awkward sexual tension between them. The whole vibe between them was off and generally creepy. Then again, Creeper came off as the spoiled, entitled prince he's supposed to be. He's like Joffrey. If you get the reference, you get a cookie. But he's the stereotype spoiled prince. Her gets everything he wants and if he can't have the girl, no one can.
My main problems are the cinematography. Whoever did the special effects, CGI and camera work needs to be fired and reprimanded. I will admit, some of the effects were pretty badass. The thing is, the work with the green screen was incredibly poor. You knew when the background was fake because it looked like it was fake. Even certain sets were clearly artificial. Don't get me wrong, some of the scenes were amazing. Half the time it was incredible, the other half, almost like someone in film school made them. As if that wasn't bad enough, they made it clear this film was meant to be seen in 3D because there are scenes that don't make sense unless its in 3D. The effects just fall flat.
And now, lets talk about one thing that bugs the crap out of me. During certain sequences, the action would drastically slow down and the focus would become intense. If you don't understand what I'm talking about, think about the Zack Snyder movie “300”. They would be in battle then things would just slow down for no real reason then go back to normal speed. I'm sorry, I don't care how cool it looks, it detracts from the overall feel. Then mixing bad CGI with slowed down action sequences with terrible dialogue...are you trying to make this a comedy?
I honestly wanted to like this movie because I enjoy Greek mythology and Kellan Lutz is all sorts of hot. This just wasn't his finest hour. For a film that short (not quite 2 hours) it never really went anywhere. It was Hercules having daddy issues and fighting until he got home to face his father. It became it predictable about halfway through. You knew what would happen, who Hebe would end up with and how the battle would go. But even then, I could not take it seriously. The scenes were meant to be serious but he'd say the wrong things and it would end up being hilarious. There was one scene where Hercules said “We will take what they have ripped from out breasts” and my inner teenage boy came out. I was laughing much harder than I should have.
Honestly, don't bother with this one. It's jumbled, its confused and it doesn't quite know what it wants to be. “Hercules” isn't quite fantasy nor is it an action nor is it historical. It's another blockbuster doomed to fail on opening weekend. Do yourself a favor and wait until this one is out on DVD or Netflix.
I'm TheCinemaChick, apologizing for this short review but I am incredibly tired tonight.
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