"War Horse" was the first movie of the year that we watched and I don't care that Steven Spielberg directed it. It was a total snoozefest and two+ hours of my life that I'll never get back.
On the other hand, there were a few other movies we saw that made up for that big timesuck...
Such as the "The Hunger Games", "Snow White and the Huntsman", "The Avengers" (where we had dinner at Mandarin Beijing afterwards), "Paranorman", "Frankenweenie", and "Cosmopolis".
I'm glad that TC is a bit older now and can watch PG-13! I really hated watched G-rated movies, many of them animated swill.
One of the movies she chose a few months ago was Disney's "The Odd Life of Timothy Green".
I was surprised to see Joel Edgerton as the father! This was the bumbling shoemaker in "Kinky Boots" (Chiwetel Ejiofor was FIERCE in that movie!) turned Australian gangster in David Michod's gripping debut film "Animal Kingdom". I cannot stand Jennifer Garner so therefore this movie was made even more unbearable with her inclusion. My cold black heart just didn't go for the magical realism and the feel good storyline. TC on the other hand really liked it and could connect with the main character's feelings of adolescent angst and alienation. I thought it was predictable, and SPOILER ALERT, knew he was going to
Speaking of "Animal Kingdom", although this movie came out a couple of years ago, Bert and I only recently watched it as a rental (yes, Blockbuster is still alive). You want to know why I wanted to see this movie? It's related to Rob Pattinson, of course. He is slated to co-star in Aussie filmmaker David Michod's next film, the futuristic thriller, "The Rover", which will also star Guy Pearce ("Memento", "Priscilla Queen of the Desert", and "L.A. Confidential")! I wanted to see this movie that critics raved about and view Michod's directorial style.
It's a gritty Australian crime film with an unflinching look at a dysfunctional crime family. Some scenes were really hard for me to watch and I was really disturbed by the lack of feeling and remorse many of the characters had such as the sullen teen boy who is taken up by the family after his mother dies, his creepy older uncle Pope and the matriarch (his grandmother) who is simply evil. Guy Pearce plays one of the few "straight" law enforcement officials in the movie. It's a bit slow, but jarring especially the ending.
Now this was a pretty fun movie, "Wreck it Ralph".
Apart from the annoying "glitch" Girl voiced by Sarah Silverman, I enjoyed the movie's homage to old school video games as well as its references to pop culture and candy ("Devil Dogs!"). The tough as nails modern video game character voiced by Jane Lynch (sporting the most awesome fringed pixie cut EVER) made the movie for me. If you are in arrested development, enjoy video games from the 80's and love to rooting for the underdog or bad guys, you would probably appreciate and get the humor in this movie. Otherwise, a lot of it would go over (or under) your head.
"Abraham Lincoln - Vampire Hunter" - Okay we saw this on video as well (Blockbuster!). We are one of the few folks out there that don't stream films or whatever the hell that new technology is. Just leave us alone in our caves, will ya!
I read the book earlier this year, a mashup of history and fiction. Man, I had a hell of a time finishing it because it just dragged and dragged. I have to say though, that the book had much more detail than the movie, The movie was a bit disjointed and ridiculous but it was quite cool to see honest Abe as an axe wielding and twirling badass! "ABVH" was directed by co-produced (along with Tim Burton) by Timur Bekmambetov, the same director as "Wanted". If you watched "Wanted", you will see more of the the fluid visual style of the action sequences. It's quite bloody! I felt that the action was a bit too far fetched but I guess you're supposed to suspend all laws of physics when watching the blood fly and body parts scatter. Go Abe go!
Now "Hugo" was a movie that lived up to it's hype. Based on Brian Selznick's amazing illustrated book, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" (we bought the book for TC back in 2007), We meant to see "Hugo" last holiday season but by the end of the year, it was pulled from the theaters. I believe it was originally released as an art house film. Then after the Oscar nominations came out, it was given wider release in early 2012. Again, this was a movie we ended up seeing later "on Demand". This was also Martin Scorsese's first film in 3-D.
The movie is about an orphaned boy who lives in a train station in Paris. He is trying to find parts to fix an automaton left by his uncle. There's more to the story than that of course, but it's a really well done movie that is, in itself, an homage to the art of the olden days of film. The boy who played the main character was heartbreakingly believable. His friend, the talented Chloe Moretz ("Hitgirl" in "Kickass", "Let Me In", and the "Carrie" reboot") was also perfectly cast.
Speaking of "Hitgirl", man, this young lady, Chloe Moretz is something else! In the American remake of the Swedish vampire film, "Let the Right One In", Moretz portrays an ageless vampire who is befriended by a lonely and bullied 12 year old boy.
It's pretty similar to the Swedish original. This is one of those rare cases where a remake is just as superior as the original movie. It's very creepy and atmospheric. This is not your typical vampire flick either. It's worth a look as well as the book itself.
And since we're on the subject of remakes, Bert and I just recently watched "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (American version). Last week, the STARZ channel was free so Bert made use of our DVR so we could watch a few movies...
D is going to give me her boxed Trilogy for Christmas but I cannot wait to finally read the books. I also want to see the Swedish films (their trilogy is complete) to compare. Of course, the American version made a few changes. But since I hadn't read the books or seen the original movies, I had nothing to compare it to. I didn't even know that James Bond, I mean, Daniel Craig was in it as disgraced financial reporter Michael Blomqvist. Rooney Mara played the title character, the antisocial hacker Lisbeth Salander, and wow was she a total BADAZZ MOFO! Both Bert and I enjoyed the movie, although some of the more violent parts were hard to take. This movie has one of the most harrowing rape scenes ever (I had to turn away) but then, in a later scene, Salander gets her REVENGE on him! OMFG. My jaw just about dropped at what she did to him. I loved the quality of the light in the film, which was shot on location in Stockholm.
It was a good thing we had free movie tickets given as gifts to watch these movies. Unless you are watching a matinee ($5 at Regal or $6 at AMC), movies cost a grip nowadays. Forget about 3-D too! I hate that it costs extra so I avoid it at all costs. Wearing 3-D glasses over my own glasses sucks plus I get really dizzy with those things on.
I still have another movie to review that I've been pondering over the past few weeks...a movie that I saw three times with different sets of friends...a movie that actually was better than the book (because I hated that last book in the Saga)...
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