Movie Review – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

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Author, film reviews, Gloria Oliver, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Mockingjay Part 2, Movies, SF Movies, The Hunger Games, Unveiling the Fantastic, ya books to movies, ya movies

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Elden Henson, Wes Chatham, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Elizabeth Banks, Mahershala Ali, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright, Paula Malcomson, Stanley Tucci, and more.

Directed by: Francis Lawrence Screenplay by: Peter Craig and Danny Strong Based on the Novel by: Suzanne Collins Cinematography by: Jo Willems Music by: James Newton Howard

Premise: With the 13 districts united, the rebels turn their focus to the capitol. Katniss struggles with what’s been done to Peeta and also what to do about Gale. Worse, President Snow decides to turn a large chunk of the capitol into a new Hunger Games. And Katniss learns President Coin might soon no longer have a use for her. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting – Total Thumbs Up: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth give great performances as the odd love triangle spins, gets even more complex. and eventually comes to a resolution. Donald Sutherland and Julianne Moore were a lot of fun as the opposing presidents. Elden Henson and Wes Chatham added some nice depth to the story as Pollux and Castor.

2) Special Effects – Total Thumbs Up: The special effects team does a superb job in the film. The scene where everyone is cut off and the black water comes, and then when we see the black water in action and chasing after them, was awesome. Loads of explosions and heavy gun fire. The close range explosions from the arrows looked great underground. The 50+ caliber guns and the devastation on the columns from the bullets looked very real. And wait till you see the special surprise the group is given by Snow’s team in the sewers. My only problem was that the marketing department gave away all the good traps in the previews! Boo! (Hubby was displeased!)

3) Plot/Story – Thumbs Up: It really would be nice if films that have multiple parts or have sequels with years in between, the movie makers would deign to remember not everyone will have rewatched the previous films before seeing the new release and give a recap. Especially for side characters! While remembering the principal people was easy, there were several side characters who’ve been in several of the films who weren’t as memorable for whatever reason and therefore it was hard to realize who they were and what their backgrounds were to get the audience to care when bad things happen to them. Jena Malone’s character Johanna Mason was one of these. I adored her performance in Part 2, but I was hard pressed to remember anything about the character at all. And not remembering anything, makes it very hard to care. (This was a major suffering point for the film “Insurgent” earlier this year.)

Aside from not knowing who some of the people were, however, I very much enjoyed the direction they took with the film. Talking with my daughter, who read all the books, I know they changed a few points for the ending, but these were improvements to the plot rather than issues. They also continued to show that actions have consequences and will affect people emotionally as they had in the previous films.

The major theme this time played with duality and perceptions. Katniss comparing Peeta and Gale. Peeta comparing remembered and altered memories. Gale and the way he viewed enemies as things rather than people and how this comes back on him. It even applied to President Snow and Coin.

Another theme they had fun bandying about pertained to hubris and pride. Also how your enemy can be your friend and vice versa. And both themes tie in to the ending at the capitol, which was well played if a little transparent.

Only thing I wished we’d gotten a little more on was Snow’s reactions when he thought Katniss was dead and then found out she was alive. Totally unexpected reaction, but it spoke back to that duality theme I mentioned before. Heh heh.

4) Stunts – Total Thumbs Up: The cast and the stunt team did some great work in Part 2. The fight in the sewers was especially well done – lots of hand-to-hand combat goodness. Between the traps and several explosions during the film, people get thrown all over the place.

5) Costuming/Makeup – Thumbs Up: While the departments did a great job as usual, there was one thing missing. A section of this film happens at the capitol. Several meetings even occurred in Snow’s mansion. But for the most part all the outrageous clothes and makeup were nowhere to be seen there. In a scene with actual citizens running to and fro, there were still no true funky clothes and hairstyles. Tigris definitely had both, but she’s just one person, and an extreme case at that. Even Effie was toned down. Seeing these people in their wild getups and makeup was half the fun in the previous films! 😛

Conclusion: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 was worth the wait though they would have benefited from a recap or releasing this one close to Part 1. Gritty and emotional and a fun ride.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Why There Was No Friday Movie Review This Week And Why I Hate Shaky Cam

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Author, dizziness, Gloria Oliver, ill, not fun, ruin the movie, SF Movies, Shaky Cam, Unveiling the Fantastic, ya books to movies

Greetings all!

While last week we were feeling ill and not much was out so we skipped going to the movies, this week I didn’t get the review done for a whole other reason….

The dreaded Shaky Cam Effect!

Ugh! I really wish directors would get a clue and quit using this technique or at least use it super sparingly! When there’s too much of it it makes me dizzy and want to hurl. And it normally takes me several hours for the feelings to pass once they’ve built up. Time I would have spent writing my review! Waaaahhhh.

And for this particular film, I think the CGI Baud Rate was also low so it added to the subliminal sick effect. I’d only ever have this affect me in games, but is it now going to become a cause of illness in movies? There were also a tons of big sweeping camera moves that did not help the situation one bit. *sigh*

The latest culprit in the Shaky Cam Wars is The Maze Runner: The Scorch. So BEWARE!!!

I loved the first film in the series – The Maze Runner – as you can see from the review here. And it had no shaky cam, and it didn’t make me ill, and it actually was GOOD. (Can’t say the same for the sequel. *cry*)

Anyway, I’ll hopefully get to write a proper review sometime this week to post next Friday, as I will have a convention that weekend and no chance to go see a film. (If you’re in Dallas, though, you should come! Check out who’ll be there and what there’s to do at FenCon!)

Anyway, figure I’d share why you didn’t get a review on time…

Curse you Shaky Cam!!!!

Movie Review – The Maze Runner

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Aml Ameen, Author, Blake Cooper, Dylan O'Brien, Gloria Oliver, Kaya Scodelario, Ki Hong Lee, movie reviews, SF Movies, The Maze Runner, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Unveiling the Fantastic, ya books to movies

The Maze Runner

Starring: Dylan O’Brien, Aml Ameen, Ki Hong Lee, Blake Cooper, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Will Poulter, Kaya Scodelario, Dexter Darden, Chris Sheffield, Patricia Clarkson, and more.

Directed by: Wes Ball Screenplay by: Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers, and T.S. Nowlin Based on the Novel by: James Dashner. Cinematography by: Enrique Chediak Music by: John Paesano

Premise: A young man’s first recollections are waking on a rising elevator and being greeted by a bunch of eager boys. He doesn’t remember who he is, but the rest tell him not to worry – they don’t remember who they are either. Their home is the Glade. And surrounding it are giant walls with only one way out. The way leading to the Maze. And in three years, they’ve yet to find a way out of it. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1)  Acting – Total Thumbs Up: Dylan O’Brien does a fantastic job as the terrified and later curious newcomer to the Glade. Aml Ameen had great presence as the Glade’s leader Alby. Ki Hong Lee was a lot of fun as well in his role as Minho. Kaya Scodelario brought a nice bit of zest to the all male Glade. Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Blake Cooper added a lot of heart with their great performances. And kudos to Will Poulter, who played Gally, a bad guy who really wasn’t a bad guy, just protecting the tribe in his own way. Nice change from the typical bully. Well done!

2) Special Effects – Total Thumbs Up: Sound is the first effect used, sound and darkness – and it was a great intro into the film, grabbing the audience immediately and shooting directly into the story without making us wait.

The maze itself is super cool. From the giant walls, to the closing, creaking giant doors, to the moving walls. As if that weren’t enough, there’s the huge cyborg spiders who hunt the hallways of the maze at night – super creepy.

Loved, loved, loved the scan and alarm sequence and the consequences thereof. Especially the giant panels breaking the concrete and rising upwards. Major thumbs up guys!

3) Plot/Story – Total Thumbs Up: I knew nothing about the movie before seeing it, aside from what I’d seen on previews, so can’t say how faithful it is to the books. But I totally loved the way they went about it.

The movie begins immediately – grinding sounds amidst darkness, then a sliver of light as you realize there’s a boy puking in a mesh elevator as it rise upwards. It instantly captures the audience’s’ attention. And as Thomas comes to learn of his situation, we, too, get to learn about the Glade and those living there.

I personally thought the plot had a good pace, giving us enough info to get us involved, and enough things happenings to keep it moving and highly interesting. The use of Thomas’s weird dreams to show hints of things not yet remembered did much to intrigue.

Lots of ingenuity and plenty of surprises. Just when you think it’s done, they throw out one more punch. And the punch after that one is even more unexpected. And this left the audience with even more questions and the promise of future trouble.  I think they did themselves a disservice by not adding a teaser to the credits! (Yes, “The Scorch Trials” (Book 2) is already in production. Sweet!)

4) Stunts – Total Thumbs Up: Maze running, climbing, leaping, squeezing through quickly tightening spaces – lots of physical stuff. Add in crazed cyborg spiders and you get frenzied running, bodies flying through the air, and combat. Oh yeah!

5) Locations/Cinematography: The place chosen as to represent the walled in glade was perfect. The cinematography did a great job in making the walls of the maze seem immense and the size of the entire thing daunting. The whole shifting view for the sequence for the section 7 alarm was almost mind blowing.

And the final view of the the entirety of the maze at the end – priceless!

Conclusion: “The Maze Runner” is totally worth going to see. It has cool effects, a mystery premise, and unexpected surprises. Looking forward to the next one!

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

Movie Review – Divergent

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Ashley Judd, Author, belonging, caste system, Christian Madsen, distopia, Divergent, fighting fear, Gloria Oliver, Kate Winslet, Mekhi Phifer, Miles Teller, movie reviews, Movies, Ray Stevenson, Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Tony Goldwyn, Unveiling the Fantastic, ya books to movies

Divergent

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Zoë Kravitz, Ray Stevenson, Miles Teller, Tony Goldwyn, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Christian Madsen, and more.

Directed by: Neil Burger Screenplay by: Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor Based on the Novels by: Veronica Roth Cinematography by: Alwin H. Küchler Music by: Junkie XL

Premise: Years after a war that destroyed most of the world, Chicago continues to function due to a five category split caste system. Beatrice and her brother have reached the age of choosing and go have the test which will show them which of the castes they are more aligned towards. Except the test in Beatrice’s case came out as inconclusive, something the tester makes sure she understands and warns her not to tell anyone about. As Breatice struggles to make a decision on who she wants to be, she also starts getting an inkling that the system may not be functioning like it’s supposed to anymore. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1)  Acting – Total Thumbs Up: Shailene Woodley does a good job as the spunky and fearless Tris. Theo James was delicious as the aloof, mysterious, yet slowly warming teacher named Four. Kate Winslet deftly sent mixed signals and kept the audience guessing in her role as Jeanine.

2)  Special Effects – Total Thumbs Up: Most of the special effects are subtle and are mostly in the background – the ship in the middle of the wheat fields, the giant mesh wall around the city, the compact wind turbines mounted on the sides of dead Chicago buildings.

In the drug induced sequences the special effects play a bigger part, and with some nicely imaginative segues. Tris’s initiation ride after the war games was scary fun.

3) Plot/Story – Thumbs Up: I’ve not read the series of YA novels the film is based on, so I can’t give any kind of opinion on how faithfully rendered the movie was. Although, from all the clapping and whistling during several points in the film, it appeared that many of the fans were pleased.

There were definitely several elements seeded over the course of the film that grabbed my attention and not only warned of possible troubles ahead for our heroine, but the society she’d been raised in as well. Hints and bits of the political and social order and the bubbling issues beneath the surface get flashed here and there, as we follow Tris through the typical angst caused by bullies and the not so typical stress of getting thrown into a situation from which she and others might not survive.

There aren’t many surprises in the story, but enough stuff is going on to entertain.

4) Cinematography – Total Thumbs Up: The opening scene started with the mundane, then took a left turn. It spoke volumes without a single word being said. The sweeps of the remnants of Chicago were deftly done. The skyline seemed familiar yet also alien due to the broken spires and the turbines attached to them like extra growths.

Conclusion: “Divergence” was entertaining. The premise is unusual, although overall the plot was pretty standard. The visuals of the city and the imagery used in the mental tests for the choosing, and later to force the initiates to face their fears were rather cool.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating:  Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

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Author, Catching Fire, Donald Sutherland, Effie Trinket, Elizabeth Banks, entertainment, fan fun, Gloria Oliver, hope, Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Katniss Everdeen, Lynn Cohen, movie reviews, Movies, Philip Seymor Hoffman, President Snow, revolution, Sam Claflin, Science Fiction Movies, Stanley Tucci, The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, tyranny, Unveiling the Fantastic, Woody Harrelson, ya books to movies

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Willow Shields, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Sam Claflin, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Philip Seymor Hoffman, Lynn Cohen, Jeffrey Wright, Amanda Plummer, and more.

Directed by: Francis Lawrence Screenplay by: Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt Based on the Novel by: Suzanne Collins Cinematography by: Jo Willems Music by: James Newton Howard

Premise: Close to a year after the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen is still trying to deal with the horror of those death filled days. And President Snow doesn’t like how the districts have taken her defiance during the games to heart and have hope again. Under threats to her family and friends, Katniss picks up her fake romance with Peeta to please the president. But every move she makes only displeases him all the more. He wants her removed permanently. Yet it is the new head of the games who comes up with the plan on how she could best meet her end – by using a little known clause of the games and make the 75th Hunger Games one which picks its contestants only from previous winners of the games. And Katniss is the sole, living female winner from District 12, so she has no way out. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting – Total Thumbs Up: For “Catching Fire” there were several returning characters as well as a bunch of new ones. Jennifer Lawrence totally sold the PTSD’s, grief, and other whirlwind emotions flowing through Katniss Everdeen. Josh Hutcherson’s Peetah Mellark was earnest, even while battling the bitterness at Katniss’s lack of affection for him. Donald Sutherland was delightfully evil as President Snow. Elizabeth Banks was great at showing how Effie Trinket finally realizes that the system they live under might be flawed.

I thought Lynn Cohen gave an amazing performance as Mags – and she never uttered one word. Sam Claflin was also very entertaining, as he kept the audience guessing throughout on just what kind of person he was.

2) Special Effects – Total Thumbs Up: “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is full of lovely, visual special effects. The 3D map in the game control and the shield dome were but two of many. Others special effect efforts were even more impressive because they didn’t even seem like special effects – the crawling fog, the lightning, the waves, and even the baboons all seemed like natural, integral parts of the environment rather than an added element for our entertainment.

The only spot that seemed to have difficulty was not one you’d expect. Katniss is at the top of a tree, looking out at her surroundings. And though she really is in a tree, the forest around her was not. Yet when the images were merged, they didn’t blend well at all, and failed in their purpose. It was quite surprising.

3) Plot/Story – Total Thumbs Up: Since I’d not read “Catching Fire” before seeing the film, I’d wondered how they were going to deal with matters as left in “The Hunger Games.” I couldn’t have been more pleased. Though almost a full year had passed, Katniss is actually shown still trying to deal with what she’d done in the previous games. Suffering from PTSD’s, trying desperately to cling to the life she’d hoped to make with Gale, cowed by the enormity of what she is being told is her fault just for trying to survive and save those around her – realistic reactions to the events thrust upon her, and one which most films would not have ventured to show.

The escalation of events, the ‘games’ Katniss is not aware of which are happening all around her and beyond. The horrible sense of guilt and helplessness as things are given meaning beyond anything she’d imagined and unable to do anything about any of it.

There wasn’t much rehashing of things which had gone before, so no slowing of events for those who watched the first film. I think enough is glimpsed in the beginning to at least give new viewers a general idea of what’s going on, so they’d be able to enjoy it.

Even the film’s title operates on several levels, which was delicious fun. There are even several surprises in store.

4) Locations/Cinematography – Total Thumbs Up: In “Catching Fire” we get a glimpse of several of the other districts, each with their own look and feel. The location of O’ahu, Hawaii allowed for a totally different arena than the one used for the first film and looked great. The cinematography took full advantage of the new venue, giving us some really spectacular shots at various points.

5) Costuming/Makeup – Total Thumbs Up: As with the first film, strange clothes and makeup abound. Effie Trinket has more costume changes than lines. Her butterfly dress was utterly amazing. Taking the concept to extremes, even to butterfly eyelashes. I loved the contrast between people like her, and other normal citizens of the Capital vs. the more restrained tastes of those more confident of their status or power.

Conclusion: “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” outdoes “The Hunger Games” with regards to story, intensity, and logic. Lots of power plays and plenty of great visuals to kept us thoroughly enthralled. Sadly, no previews or extra bits in the credits for the next one.

Rating: 4.5 out 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Paying Full Price to See Again) (Been a great season for good movies!)

Movie Review – Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

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Alexandra Daddario, Anthony Head, Author, bermuda triangle, Brandon T Jackson, Cronos, Douglas Smith, Gloria Oliver, god hermes, Golden Fleece, Greek Gods, Jake Abel, jason and the argonauts, Leven Rambin, Logan Lerman, movie reviews, Movies, Nathan Fillion, Percy Jackson, Percy Jackson 2, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Poseidon's son, prophecy, quest, rick riordan, Sea of Monsters, Stanley Tucci, Unveiling the Fantastic, ya books to movies

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Starring: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Douglas Smith, Leven Rambin, Brandon T Jackson, Jake Abel, Anthony Head, Stanley Tucci, Nathan Fillion, Connor Dunn, Paloma Kwiatkowski, and more.

Directed by: Thor Freudenthal Screenplay by: Marc Guggenheim Based on the Novel by: Rick Riordan Cinematography by: Shelly Johnson Original Music by: Andrew Lockington

Premise: An attack on the demigod haven brings Percy face to face with the Lightning Thief, Luke son of Hermes. Luke asks Percy to join him and rebel against the gods, the very ones who’d probably yet to tell him of  the prophecy. A prophecy which claims that Percy will be either the savior or destroyer of those around him. With these ominous words the race begins to see who will find the Golden Fleece and either use it to save the haven’s keeper, Thalia, or release the elder god Cronos back into the world to have his revenge. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Acting – Total Thumbs Up: Logan Lerman reprises his role as Poseidon’s son, Percy Jackson. Logan did a great job conveying Percy’s insecurities as the success of his first adventure starts feeling more like a fluke rather than an achievement. Leven Rambin was fun as the haughty and competitive Clarisse. Nathan Fillion was a riot as the god Hermes.

2) Special Effects – Total Thumbs Up: “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” is filled with some incredible visuals. The mechanical bull early in the film was fantastic. Hephaestus would have been proud. The giant mouth of the sea monster in the Bermuda Triangle was simple and at the same time incredibly impressive. The visuals from inside the monster were even better.

An unexpected treat was a Confederate ironclad steam warship and its crew of zombies. The ship looked great. We even got to see her in action. And wait until you see what they do with Cronos – great stuff!

3) Plot/Story – Thumbs Up: Just like Jason and the Argonauts, Percy has many obstacles placed in his path in his attempts to reach the Golden Fleece. A lot of details in Percy’s journey tie back to the original stories of Jason and his quests, which made for some nice parallels. Added to this are Percy’s swinging emotions on his self worth, his seeming abandonment by his father, and more shockingly still, the discovery that he has a brother. So plenty there to keep the hero busy inside and out.

Several other themes also underscore the plot giving it more flavor – Annabeth’s feelings with regards to cyclops, Tyson’s outsider status with both humans and those of his race, and a couple of others.

4) Stunts – Total Thumbs Up: While the creatures were CGI, most of those being attacked by them weren’t, which meant we got to see a lot of stunt action. The lines between reality and CGI become more blurred every year and well executed stunts just add that extra bit of realism to the illusion. Great job.

5) Locations/Cinematography – Total Thumbs Up: From the gorgeous forests in British Columbia to Six Flags in New Orleans, the locations department picked wonderful and unusual spots for their scenes. The great choices were made even more powerful by the excellent sweeping cinematography.

Conclusion: “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” is a fun quest story with some added elements. Great CGI makes this world of demigods and ancient Greek lore come to life.

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

Movie Review – The Host

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alien invasion, Author, Diane Kruger, entertainment, fan fun, Gloria Oliver, invasion, Jake Abel, Max Irons, movie reviews, Movies, Saoirse Ronan, Science Fiction, Stephenie Meyer, The Host, Unveiling the Fantastic, William Hurt, ya books to movies, young adult films

The Host

 

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, Max Irons, Jake Abel, Chandler Canterbury, William Hurt, Scott Lawrence, Frances Fisher, and more.

Directed by: Andrew Niccol Screenplay by: Andrew Niccol Based on the Novel by: Stephenie Meyer Cinematography by: Roberto Schaefer Original Music by: Antonio Pinto

Premise: Earth has been taken over by an alien race that uses human bodies as hosts. Rather than be taken by them, Melanie Stryder attempts to take her own life by jumping out a window. The Seeker who watched her do this decides Melanie would make an excellent host. The Seeker’s goal is to use Melanie’s memories to hunt down the few remnants of unpossessed humans left. But Melanie’s will is even stronger than anyone anticipated. Rather than be destroyed or totally subverted within her own body, Melanie is aware and fights against the alien inside her, hoping to somehow figure out a way to get back to those she loves. (Rated PG-13)

Review:  

1) Acting – Total Thumbs Up: Saoirse Ronan did a spectacular job playing the Wanderer, and the imprisoned Melanie inside her. Saoirse gave each of the two beings unique voices and personalities so it was easy to believe she had two people taking residence inside the same body. Diane Kruger was outstanding as the dogged Seeker trying to find the Wanderer(Wanda)/Melanie no matter the cost. Max Irons and Jake Abel also gave good performances, easily showing the conflict each had for how they viewed and felt about Wanda/Melanie.

2) Special Effects – Total Thumbs Up: I loved how the aliens looked – semi-energy beings with ganglia – it was a great effect. There are two emotional automobile crash scenes that got stitched to the film so well they looked eerily realistic in the damage to the cars and to the people inside them. The glow worm cave was fantastic – you could honestly think you were looking into a picture of a gaseous and star seeded section of space. The alien ‘spaceport’ was utterly fascinating. I also think the special effects department did a great job with the mirror banks used to reflect light to grow plants inside the caves. The wheat field itself also looked amazing.

They did a great job too on Jamie’s festered wound (looked so nasty!) and the healing sequences for both Melanie and Jamie. You could almost see Jamie’s cut weaving itself back together. Nice!

3) Plot/Story – Thumbs Up: I haven’t read the novel the movie is based on, so I can’t make any comments on how it translated to film. I will say that as long as you don’t question how Earth came to be in its current state or what technology should have been available to the aliens with which to find a few pesky humans, the movie’s plot works pretty well.

Though you can piece together some of the alien’s social structure, it would have helped the film if they’d delved into it a bit more than they did. A greater understanding of this seemingly super stratified system (as implied by the use of occupation titles) would have helped viewers understand why some of the ‘Souls’ had not been bothered by their antagonistic way of life before. (Where their technology came from or how they were able to take over the first human, especially after seeing that the standard transfer process couldn’t be done without help would have also helped plug some of the huge holes in the nonexistent back story.) Baring that, however, the film did do a great job bringing up all sorts of issues to both sides, and not ‘sugar coating’ most of them. The voice-over technique for Melanie’s trapped self worked really well for imparting her thoughts to the audience.

And typical of a lot of young adult books, there are multiple love interests for the heroine. Except this time there was a nice twist – there are two heroines in one body, and they both like different guys. This made for some quite poignant and also funny moments. Jamie’s infected wound, sadly, seemed somewhat contrived.

5) Locations/Cinematography – Total Thumbs Up: My inner geek screamed the first time we got the gorgeous spanning view of the desert area where the humans kept their hiding place (Worm Sign! Worm Sign! (“Dune”)), something which will sadly not occur to most of the young people watching the film. I totally loved the cave chosen for their hideout. (The wheat field made me think of those built inside mountains or underground in the PC game “Mine Craft”.)

While a lot of places looked normal, they did do one caveat to how the aliens had changed the planet by the giant, plain store called The Store. Their simplistic labels and naming of things was a nice touch too.

6) Costuming/Makeup – Total Thumbs Up: The costumes for the Seekers in their startling white worked very well. The shoes were not, but I am giving credit to that ‘faux pas’ to the aliens themselves. The ways the eyes looked on all who had aliens inside them worked really well and had just the right touch of creepy to it. There was good consistency too on wounds and natural healing.

Conclusion: If you ignore the science and technique of how the Souls took over the world, the film was well paced, thought provoking, and even quite humorous. Hubby said it would make a great date movie as it has a mix of romance, shootings, and car chases to give both sides what they like.

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

 

Movie Review – Oz the Great and Powerful

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Author, Bruce Campbell, entertainment, fan fun, fantasy, Gloria Oliver, James Franco, L Frank Baum, movie reviews, Movies, OZ the Great and Powerful, Sam Raimi, Unveiling the Fantastic, Wizard of Oz, ya books to movies

OZ The Great and Powerful

Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Bill Cobbs, Joey King, Tony Cox, Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Stephen R Hart, and many more.

Directed by: Sam Raimi Screenplay by: Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abair Based on the novel by: L Frank Baum Cinematography by: Peter Deming Original Music by: Danny Elfman

Premise: A womanizing, part magician, part conman finds himself swept away from Kansas when his hot air balloon is caught by a raging tornado. Promising to reform if his life is spared, Oz ends up finding himself in a land unlike any he’s traveled to before. He’s found by the beautiful Theodora, who states his visit was prophesied long before, and that Oz will the the king of the Emerald City and all the riches it holds – if he first rids the land of the Wicked Witch. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Acting – Thumbs Up: James Franco did great as the womanizing conman who wants to make good. Rachel Weisz was fun as the oily Evanora. Mila Kunis came across as incredibly sensual, while also dripping with innocence. Joey King was eerie in Kansas, but also a lot of fun as China Girl.

2) Special Effects – Total Thumbs Up: Like the original “The Wizard of Oz” film from 1939, this one begins in a black and white Kansas but once we reach the Land of Oz, every thing is changed to vibrant color. The change was gradual, pushed on with the rising sun, and was marvelous to behold. In IMAX the colors almost scream off the screen.

The special effects team did a splendid job with the tornado. They showed both the lying calm which can be found withing and also the angry winds which raged and tore things apart into deadly projectiles. Certain moments were very reminiscent of the “The Wizard of Oz.” Which was also something we saw over and over again as the film continued.

Oz’s introduction to the Land of Oz will keep you captivated as he sees the land for the first time. The musical plants were utterly fascinating. The water fairies were incredibly cute, even with the sharp teeth.

The flying monkeys are now flying baboons, which made them that much more scary looking. The traveling soap bubbles and protective soap bubble shield were fun and looked amazing. China Girl was almost seamlessly a part of events showing in the screen and in her interactions with the actors. Add in the green lightning, the fireballs, the fog, and the giant field of poppies, and we got a special effects smorgasbord.

3) Plot/Story – Thumbs Up: I’ve never read any of L Frank Baum’s books, so I can’t make any comments as to whether the film is true to his works or not. For those who cherish the 1939 film, however, I think you’ll see a lot of similar treatments in this film as in that one, and bits of foreshadowing, which connect the two films on several levels. The way the credits are done at the beginning, Kansas in black and white, the appearance of characters in Oz who look like people Oz knows in Kansas, etc. The main major difference between the two is the lack of singing, though the Munchkins did at least get in a few verses.

The story itself was pretty simple and had several lessons to teach. On many levels it was imbued with innocence and naivete, in others, the total opposite. The horror of some of the things which had happened in OZ were dulled — mentioned, and flashed with emotion by the characters, yet not visible, thus glossing it out for the younger viewers.

4) Locations/Cinematography – Total Thumbs Up: From the Baum Circus to the grand square in the Emerald City, the locations, whether real or not real, were perfect. The only thing found lacking was the yellow brick road itself. While it did exist, and we even got to see the same town square upon which Dorothy will later start her quest, the road itself did not stand out. In most ways, the yellow brick road appeared rather boring and not all that special, which was rather sad. The Poppy fields though were vast and amazing and did not disappoint. The spanning shot of the fog flowing over it and the ‘warriors’ starting across it was great.

5) Costuming/Makeup – Total Thumbs Up: Though not all that evident when Oz first reaches the Land of Oz, the more characters we meet, the more unique the dressing and hair styles became. With all the actor extras forming the main three types of people living with Glinda and then the citizens of the Emerald City, it the tremendous amount of work which had gone into giving the people of OZ a unique look of their own was very obvious . It seems a pity they didn’t do the same with the three witches, who dressed rather generically by comparison.

Conclusion: “OZ the Great and Powerful” is a visual treat. Those who love the 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” will find much to like in this film. Watch for the cameos by Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi – a long standing tradition in Sam Raimi films.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review – Beautiful Creatures

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Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Author, Beautiful Creatures, Emma Thompson, entertainment, Gloria Oliver, Jeremy Irons, light and dark, margaret stohl, margo martindale, philippe rousselot, rated pg 13, teenage romance, Unveiling the Fantastic, witches, ya books to movies, ya movies, young adult films

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 – Rise of the Guardians

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Alec Baldwin, Author, Chris Pine, family films, fun, Gloria Oliver, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher, Jude Law, movie reviews, Movies, Rise of the Guardians, Unveiling the Fantastic, ya books to movies

Rise of the Guardians

Starring: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Khamani Griffin, Kamil McFadden, Georgie Grieve, Jacob Bertrand, Dominique Grund, Rich Dietl, and more.

Directed by: Peter Ramsey Screenplay by: David Lindsay-Abaire Based on the book The Guardians of Childhood by: William Joyce and Based on the short film the Man in The Moon by: Joyce and Reel FX. Original Music by: Alexandre Desplat Art Direction by: Max Boas.

Premise: Jack Frost knows nothing of where he comes from or of his past. Unlike most of the other supernatural beings he knows about, he’s the only one not visible to people. Yet this has never stopped him from having fun. But when he’s dragged up to the North Pole without being asked, he’s told an old evil is on the rise again. This evil is threatening the world’s children and must be stopped by the Guardians. And the Man in the Moon has chosen Jack to be one of them. But Jack wants nothing to do with that. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Acting – Total Thumbs Up: Great performances all around. Alec Baldwin was a lot of fun as North. Hugh Jackman as the Bunny was hilarious. Chris Pine made Jack Frost a very sympathetic character, who wants to belong despite what he says.

2) Animation – Total Thumbs Up: Dreamworks once again delivers some amazing animation in their newest film. From the very beginning the detail and the beauty of what is being presented shines through. The snowflakes and patterns of frost were gorgeous. I loved the added detail of frost on Jack’s pullover shirt. They do some amazing things with the Sandman’s (Sandy’s) sleeping sand and Pitch’s nightmare ones.

A lot of fun visual gags are interspersed throughout the film – the Yeti with the bad color timing, the helper elves that are usually not so much help as hindrance, the Eater Island guard stone eggs with turning expressions. There’s a lot to see and take in.

Each of the legends’ homes are fun and unique – I especially adored Bunny’s place, which was somewhat reminiscent of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” The walking eggs were too cute! And Sophie was utterly adorable.

3) Story – Total Thumbs Up: Though the main story line is what you’d expect from the previews, there are other stories happening simultaneously, which gave the film a lot of emotional depth. Even better, though the characters at first glance appear to be ones we know – Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy – it becomes evident quite quickly that these well known supernatural icons are not as you’d expect. That alone brought half the fun of the film. A Santa Claus with tattoos who’s more than willing to get into fights, an Easter Bunny who is lean and tough, Yetis making toys instead of elves – a re-imagining of all those things which we are familiar into something different yet still very much the same.

Like the animation, the story too brings with it all manner of little surprises that add a lot to the experience – Tooth and her fairies and their fan girl sighs over Jack’s teeth; Cupcake, a hefty girl others fear but who’s real love is for cute, lacy things. There were a lot of ying and yang type comparisons throughout as well – between Sandy and Pitch, Jack and Pitch, what’s inside versus the outside wrappings.

Conclusion: “Rise of the Guardians” is a fun film for both kids and adults. Make sure to sit through part of the credits, too! A super cute extra section is tucked away in there. And if you’ve ever had the slightest inclination of crying at a film, make sure to take a least one set of tissues with you. You might just need them.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission.)