Movie Review - Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy Rossum, Thomas Mann, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins, Margo Martindale, Zoey Deutch, Tiffany Boone, and more.

Directed by: Richard LaGravenese Screenplay by: Richard LaGravenese Based on the Novel by: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl Cinematography by: Philippe Rousselot Original Music by: Thenewno2

Premise: Ethan is tired of living in the nowhere town of Gatlin. But when he returns to school for his junior year, he meets a new student, Lena Duchannes, and she reminds him of the girl who has been haunting his dreams for weeks. So despite the fact, or because of it, that she's part of the shunned Ravenwood Family, he finds her the most fascinating thing he's seen in years. But unbeknownst to him, hanging out with the Ravenwoods could prove deadly. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: As Ethan, Alden Ehrenreich gives us a quirky, complicated teenager that is too fun to watch. Alice Englert had good chemistry with Alden, which made for a cute and believable romance. Emma Thompson was a big surprise, and I loved what she did with her role.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Though effects were somewhat scarce at the beginning of the film, we got to see more and more of them as the story progresses . Many of the effects were subtle, while others were obvious, but all were excellently done. The battle of wills in the dinning room was amazing. The storms during the climax were breathtaking. The scene with the falling snow was gorgeous. Lots of great work by the special effects team.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: The movie takes place in the south, so the fact the story takes its time to be told, should be expected. I haven't read the book series "Beautiful Creatures" is based on, so I can't say how faithful the film makers remained to the book, but it has definitely made me curious about them.

A lot of great one-liners and teasing quips were sprinkled throughout the script. One funny moment had no words at all, yet made me laugh out loud. The sense of discovery and the teasing of the audience about further mysteries and secrets was nurtured well. There were also a few surprises in the plot, which kept things quite interesting.

Yet while having the film told from the point of view of Ethan gave it the flavor of something different, events which happen later switch the focus, which unfortunately drained away some of the film's momentum. The audience was vested with Ethan, so the story lost a lot when he wasn't around.

4) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film used great locations to create the ambiance of a small town in South Carolina. The Ravenwood estate with its seemingly dilapidated home and walls gave the sense of an old southern plantation. This gave it that much more impact once Ethan sees the interio.

The long shots of the lonely road leading to and from the estate only helped fuel the fun later when Ethan finds himself going in circles. Some of the areas were touched up, but these only added to the fantasy look and feel of the film. 

Conclusion: "Beautiful Creatures" is a sleepy tale full of colorful characters. Mysteries and secrets abound and proved to be quite entertaining. You won't run around town shouting its praises, but it definitely did entertain.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Better for Matinee)

Movie Review - Jack Reacher

Jack Reacher

Starring: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, David Oyelowo, Robert Duval, Werner Herzog, Jai Courtney, Vladimir Sizov, Alexia Fast, Joseph Sikora, and more.

Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie Screenplay by: Christopher McQuarrie Based on the novel "One Shot" by: Lee Child Cinematography by: Caleb Deschanel Original Music by: Joe Kraemer

Premise: When an ex-military sniper kills five random people, Jack Reacher comes out of hiding to make good on a promise he'd made the suspected killer back in Iraq. Ready to take care of the problem, Reacher is surprised to find that Barr actually asked for him after he was arrested, rather than fear his appearance. Unfortunately, Barr is now in a coma after being beaten by other felons in a police van, so he can't ask him why. The evidence is overwhelming, however, so Reacher is sure Barr is guilty. But there are a couple of pieces that don't quite fit, and until they do, he's going to keep trying to uncover the truth. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Tom Cruise was a lot of fun as Jack Reacher. Rosamund Pike's character Helen made a good foil for Reacher. Some very nice interplay between the two actors. Richard Duval lent a comedic touch to several scenes as Martin Cash. Werner Herzog made the Zec masterfully creepy.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Though not a film needing a lot of special effects, the department did a great job with the ones they had. My favorite had to do with mixing the view out of the rifle scope as they panned over the normal view as seen from the parking garage. It really put the audience in the POV of the sniper.

During the big gun battle, ricochets and rock splinters were visible and added to the excitement. The bathroom fight scene with tiles and glass shattering during the violence were seamless.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: While the main thrust of the story was nothing unusual, the characters and some of the subplots were, making the film much more robust. There were also a lot of little unexpected moments that made the film stand out from others like it. For example: a car chase scene where the person being chased by several police cars decides that's the perfect time to chase after those who've been following him all day, or telling the kidnapper it's okay to go ahead and shoot the hostage. Also the way Reacher and Helen, and later Reacher and Cash, kept turning things once each other. Lots of fun, unexpected things.

There are a couple of plot points that are inferred (why Reacher doesn't own a car, the real reason Helen and her father are so at odds, the bosses above the Zec, a death which had probably been a murder), and are never actually remarked upon. And while they don't detract from the movie itself, it did make for some nice conversation after.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: The hand-to-hand combat was pretty good and there were several unual moves. The fight in the small bathroom with two big big guys, a baseball bat, and a crowbar won't soon be forgotten. Add in the inventive weapon Reacher uses when they're back out in the hallway, and the scene became priceless.

Totally loved the long car chase scene and the many fender-benders which ensued. Hubby loved the detail of  the hero's car stalling mid-chase. And the way he escapes the situation was as 'cheeky' as it was ingenious.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Thumbs Up: Pittsburgh made a nice backdrop for the film. The spanning views through the sniper rifle and in general, especially those across the area of the original shooting (and from different angles) really locked the images in for the audience.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: I loved the fact that after Reacher got a bump on his head, the blood, the matted hair, and the stained the collar were still there when they cut to another scene as he'd neglected to do anything about them. Injuries resulted in bruises and cuts and were kept from scene to scene, remaining consistent.

The work done for Zec's hands and eyes totally served to enhance Herzog's performance. Nicely done!

Conclusion: A surprisingly fun film with heavy doses of action surrounding a multi-layered mystery of corruption and survival.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Definitely Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O'Gorman, Aidan Turner, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown, Ian Holm, Andy Serkin, Elijah Wood, Christipher Lee, Benedict Cumberbatch, and more.

Directed by: Peter Jackson Screenplay by: Fran Walsh, Philipa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and Guillermo del Toro Based on the novel "The Hobbit" by: J R R Tolkien Cinematography by: Andrew Lesnie Original Music by: Howard Shore

Premise: Bilbo Baggins' tranquil life is turned upside down when Gandalf comes to viist. Not only is the wizard wanting to take Bilbo on an adventure, but he invites thirteen dwarves to come meet at his home. Worse, Gadalf has told the dwarves that Bilbo is a burglar and that he's the right person to invite along on their grand quest. And much to his own surprise, Bilbo decides to go along after all. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Martin Freeman is perfect as the reluctant adventurer Bilbo Baggins. Ian McKellen was incredibly expressive as he reprised his role as Gandalf the Grey. Richard Armitage shows Thorin's greatness as well as his fallacies without saying a word. Andy Selkin brought Gollum to life once more, flicking skillfully around the split personality of the pitiful creature.

2) Special Effects - Thumbs Up: Most of the special effects went toward the animation of a lot of the unusual wildlife and other sentient species. And while they moved and interacted well, and I got a good giggle of thinking the Pale Orc looked a lot like Benedict Cumberbatch, I was somewhat disappointed by the fact the orcs, the goblins, and the trolls looked similar to one another. Even for gamers and fantasy fans, the film made it hard on occasion to know which type of foe the adventurers were facing -- all three were mostly hairless with pasty type skin. When standing still the differences were more evident, but during combat and ambushes it was difficult.

Loved the dwarven city when it was shown in its heyday during a flashback. They did several panning shots of the amazing place, but they were rather fast, so it was hard to take everything in. The few places they did slow down on looked amazing!

The small forest animals, the spiders, and the giant birds were incredibly detailed and turned out wonderfully. The few glimpses of Smaug at the beginning and the end were very nicely done. Totally loved the rock warriors too.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: For those who may not yet realize it, the novel the movie was based on has been split into three movies. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is but the first, to be followed in 2013 by "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," and in 2014 by "The Hobbit: There and Back Again." For seeing a detailed film and getting a lot of time to become familiar with the characters, this is a great thing, but it can also be perilous.

I read the novel thirty plus years ago, so aside from the occasional moment of 'aha!', I've forgotten most of the details, so I can't honestly say how faithful the movie adaptation coincides with the novel, but I did feel it definitely caught the spirit of the book. Even for such a  long film, there's plenty to absorb and on the last half progresses at an incredible pace as the adventurers are beset with problem after problem.

For this first film, they follow the thread of Thorin's adamant belief in the worthless effort to ask the elves fir help and of Bilbo not belonging in his quest. The latter thread builds to a climax and resolution, making a nice story arc for the film to hinge on. And by cutting the novel into three parts, they allow for the telling of the story to be deeper, so the audience can get to know this odd bunch of dwarves and Middle Earth itself.

4) Stunts - Thumbs Up: Faked, real or both, the combat and physical scenes came out quite well. I have to wonder at how many plates were broken during the beautiful dish tossing scene. The insane combat in the goblin domain and the subsequent orc/warg battle had to be a choreography nightmare.

The scene with the dwarves on a spit was priceless.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Thumbs Up: The film was filled with grand sweeping shots, the typical adventurer party going over the spine of mountains shots, and breathtaking scenery shots. Each location was unique and interesting. Definitely a lot of visuals to enjoy and enough variety to make the audience feel they were truly on a journey.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: A great amount of detail was spent making the dwarves look as unique as their culture. The dwarf king even had 'bling' for his beard. The dwarven hairstyles ran the gauntlet from shaven with tattoos to intricate triple splits with braids. Made the elves look totally boring in comparison as they pretty much only wore long straight hair. The dwarves even gave the elves some competition on stylish wear. Kind of fun!

Conclusion: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is a fun, fantasy adventure film that captures the imagination and does a great job of bringing Tolkien's world to life. (If you see the film in IMAX 3D (well worth it) you also get an extended 9 minute preview for "Star Trek Into Darkness." (6 minutes of new footage and a replay of the preview already out.)

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price To See Again!)

Movie Review - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, Billy Burke, Nikki Reed, Mackenzie Foy, Maggie Grace, Christopher Heyerdahl, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, and many more.

Directed by: Bill Condon Screenplay by: Melissa Rosenberg Based on the novel by: Stephenie Meyer Original Music by: Carter Burwell Cinematography by: Guillermo Navarro

Premise: Following her transformation into a vampire, Bella tries to cope with the changes and learn the rules of being one of the undead. Finding it easier than expected, she then gets to meet her daughter Renesmee. All seems to be going well, until a mistake is made by their vampire cousin Irina, who when she sees Renesmee and jumps to an erroneous conclusion, she goes to the Volturi to bring their attention to it. This is the excuse to act Aro has been waiting for. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Thumbs Up: Everyone did well, though with such a large cast, many of the characters got seen, possibly heard, but never really known. The three principals showed the changes in their relationships very well.  Michael Sheen was fun as the greedy and opportunistic Volturi Aro. Dakota Fanning had some great facial expressions during the battle segment. Christopher Heyerdahl's one true line was priceless.

2) Special Effects - Thumbs Up: Werewolves looked great and were used to good effect. Benjamin's elemental powers were demonstrated beautifully by the special effects department. The water door he makes during his introduction was very cool. They also did good work on the vampires' supernatural speed and Alec's dark power.

The only criticism with the effects was Renesmee. A lot of CGI was used to make her face as a baby and during each growing spurt match characteristics of the hair and face of Mackensey Foy. Unfortunately, they might have been better served just using a real baby's face, because their manipulation of the faces was glaringly obvious and did not look well.

3) Plot/Story - Neutral: Years ago my daughter had read the books the "Twilight" films are based on. She'd been totally captured by the world, and couldn't read them fast enough, until she hit "Breaking Dawn". I'd listened to her complaints at the time, but had decided to reserve judgement. After seeing the treatment of the topic in question in "Breaking Dawn" part 1, I thought it'd been smoothed over in the film and the problems my daughter had raised been rendered minimal. But part 2 destroyed that belief. Jacob's glib explanation of why he thought he'd been interested in Bella and she in him as a friend or more than friends as well as how without it they would have never related in anyway, made me a little unhappy too. But perhaps it won't be a problem for other viewers.

Lots of funny moments were sprinkled throughout the film - when Bella finds out Jacob gave her daughter a nickname, when Bella takes on Emmett in an arm wrestling match, when one of them suggests to Edward to stop Bella's and Jacob's argument and he just smiles, and several others.

Yet I am not sure these lovely moments are enough to make up for the Jacob issue or the trick played on the audience with the combat segment of the film. It also bothered me that though a lot of power was available to Benjamin, it went unused for most of the combat, and when it was used, it was largely self defeating.

4) Stunts - Thumbs Up: I'm putting the combat scenes under stunts, since when CGI is involved, it can be very difficult to tell whether it was a stunt done by actors, stuntmen, computers or a combination of the three. However they were done, they were definitely entertaining. Heads got popped like champagne corks wherever you looked.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film contained some gorgeous shots. The Summit logo was even interwoven into the landscape in the sedate, yet lovely and themed opening sequence to the film. Panning shots of cliffs, the sea, the woods, and the snow capped mountains set up the mood perfectly for several scenes.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Thumbs Up: The place where the costuming and makeup departments really made a difference were on Bella. Her whole look was changed to fit her new vampiric/adult status, making her seem like a different person in many respects. They kept this going throughout, except for at the very end, were she went back to a more laid back dressing style. That in itself seemed a little awkward.

Conclusion: Overall it was an entertaining film. Fans of the movies and books present during the viewing seemed to really get into the spirit of it, cheering and booing, sometimes gasping, during the big combat scenes as it took its toll. It was a decent end to the movie series.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price To See It Again.)