Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Going into the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I was told it was very depressing so I should be prepared for that. I think these warnings were a little much because I mean, yes it was sad but it was just such a good movie that I couldn't think about being depressed. It was basically a movie that had a continual theme of death but it was in a way that made it just a part of life & not something overly sad. I'm still not entirely sure why he was aging backwards & I know it had something to do with that clock, I just don't get why it was him. I suppose as movie-goers we're just meant to accept this, but I always look far to into everything.

The acting was superb. Brad totally deserves the Oscar, except his pretend New Orleans accent didn't really do it for me. His face, however gets me every time because he looked beautiful. I was trying to figure out how they made him so mini as an old man at the ripe old age of 7, but they used other actors for his body & just put tons of make-up on, I suppose. It still looked like Brad, though so I guess that's why it's nominated for the Oscar for Make-up & lots of other special effects. The sets, the costumes, the directing, everything was just great. I didn't see all of the other movies nominated for Best Picture yet, so I can't say it should win but I really enjoyed it.

It's a really interesting concept for a movie. In the beginning when he appeared to be so old, he met a young girl & you normally would be creeped out by this but you can't be, because technically he's supposed to be the same age as her. As they get closer in age, the roles begin to reverse & she's the creepy one. I'm not really ruining the movie by saying this because you know what's happening the whole time. It definitely is about true love, though whether that love is between a man & a woman, a parent & child or friends.

Grade: A

P.S. Happy Valentines Day!

Movie Review: He's Just Not That Into You

After reading the book, He's Just Not That Into You I looked at life/love situations from a different perspective. I loved the book so naturally when I heard they were making a movie about it I was excited. Then I heard who was in the cast & I was even more excited. Halfway into the movie, however I was very unexcited. It made me completely depressed & feel like I will never find anyone who is really "that into me". Then I slapped myself back into reality & realized that not every relationship is so incredibly flawed & doomed to failure.

The character "Gigi" reminded me of How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days when she's trying to drive the guy away, except they expected us to believe this was how the girl really was. She was the ultimate caricature of what girls do wrong & it just made the whole thing so unrealistic. It was entertaining & funny because I think we all have a little bit of this girl in us sometimes but definitely not to that extreme. It made women look so pathetic, though, which again made the movie depressing. Jennifer Aniston was by far my favorite part of the movie because until the end she was the only female character who was remotely strong.

Three quarters into the movie was when it started to get better for me. It was overall a cute movie but definitely not as good as I'd hoped for. It kind of gave a mixed message at the end because the whole idea of the book was to make you believe you are not the exception, you are the rule. Life is not a movie so as women, we shouldn't believe that men will change, blah blah blah. Since this was a movie, however you got your typical movie endings. I think in the end, they should have just left it as a good book & not tried to make it anymore then that.

Grade: C+

Movie Review: Revolutionary Road

Movie reviewer time. Yesterday I went to see Revolutionary Road & I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I didn't really know what it was about but it looked interesting from the previews & I mean who wasn't excited that Leo & Kate were together again? Not to mention the unsinkable Molly Brown, Kathy Bates.

With that said, obviously the acting was terrific because the cast was really phenomenal. Leo is like a fine wine, he just gets better with age. The story is about a young couple who expected a lot out of themselves, but they ended up just like everyone else of that time: she was a housewife & he was a businessman. They were forced to conform to society & were not happy about it. They didn't fit the mold. He looked at his father & didn't want to become that but it's exactly what he became. The only time they were happy is when they were going to escape. They lived on Revolutionary Road & they were revolutionaries. They wanted to move & she would support him, which everyone thought was crazy. As it turned out, the only person who saw past their "perfect" exterior was insane & visiting from a mental institution. Society drove them crazy & they constantly had to put on a show.

The movie was very well-done. I'm not an expert on cinematography or any of those production categories but this was really good stuff. The costumes & set designs were also great. It reminded me of Leave it to Beaver meets The Stepford Wives meets something new. The costumes helped tell the story of what was happening. Everyone was dressed the same going to work & it just reinforced the idea of conformity. The concept of the movie also was really interesting. Watching it I thought, this must be what it was like in the Cleaver household behind closed doors.

The movie did a great job in making you come away with a feeling of resentment. It made me so glad I didn't live in that time because as a woman, I couldn't stand having to be that perfect housewife all the time & nothing more then that. She was someone who wanted more then that & she was ultimately punished for it. Despite a woman in my theater continuously stating throughout that she thought it was a very weird movie, overall I enjoyed it. It was a beautifully artistic movie & I think this quote from it sums it up nicely. "If being crazy means living life so it matters then I don't care if we're completely insane."

Grade: A

Movie Review: Marley & Me

I was thinking yesterday & I came to the conclusion that rather than sitting at home all day sometimes when I don't have work, I will go to movie matinees. There are so many movies out that I want to see & everyone is always too busy to come, so why not? Now, before I review the movie I am going to tell you my film critic guidelines, since I am hoping to get discovered as the next Roger Ebert in the very near future.

I'm not going to give it a thumbs up rating or stars or anything like that. I am basing it on a grading system, such as in college with letter grades. A+ is an option (& so is an F- in rare cases such as When Mars Attacks.) My criteria include, but are not limited to acting, direction, costumes, set design, musical score, continuity, concept, etc. Also does the movie make you feel what you're supposed to feel? And obviously, the overall movie experience. Now onto the review...

Marley & Me was a love story, of sorts; it was a movie about unconditional love. It's not going to win any Oscars or major awards but for any dog lover, it gives you a movie that makes you want to go home & hug your dog (which is precisely what I did when I got home.) The concept of the movie was very simple but enjoyable. It was about a family that had a dog. Basically, that's the end of the story. It showed the trials & tribulations of having a pet & what we go through for them. If you don't have a dog, you will probably enjoy the movie but not quite understand it, the way a dog owner would.

Watching it, you can tell that Jennifer Aniston & Owen Wilson are definitely dog people. They interacted really sweetly with the dog & they were very good at their parts. On the other side of that coin, they weren't exactly challenging roles to play. Costumes, sets, etc. were all nice but nothing all that original or complicated. I did enjoy the scene where Owen & Eric Dane were in Coconut Grove & went to Monty's, though! It was never mentioned as the name of the place but having been there/sat at the very table they sat at, I obviously knew where it was. They also captured the South Florida thunderstorms very true to form.

As far as whether or not the movie made me feel what it was supposed to, job well done. It was cute, it made me laugh & it made me cry. There was a part at the end that was really cheesy (hint, it involves a necklace) but other then that, I found it heart-warming. It's a very relatable movie, especially the parts like letting the crying puppy into your bed or the way the dog interacted with the kids. If you're going on a first date, don't see this movie. Overall, I liked it. I recommend watching it at home while snuggling with your dog, though & not at the movie theater because not only will you be surrounded by crying strangers but also all you'll want to do is hug your dog.

Grade: B

Twilight Movie Review

Everyone always says that the book was better then the movie & I think the only movie I might disagree with on that point is The Notebook. I read the book after seeing the movie & it was good, but the movie just added something to it. But I digress, what I came here to talk about today is Twilight. Samantha & I went to see the midnight showing of it last night like the big nerds that we are. I came away pleased with it but I'm realizing that the more I think about it, the more I didn't like it.

This book left quite a bit up to interpretation but there were certain things that were not to be interpreted. The vampires in the book are described as the most beautiful "human beings" she has ever seen. This group that was cast was certainly not that. Edward was attractive but the Edward in my head was so much better then that. Carlisle was also much more Brad Pitt-like then the guy who played him. Esme was also much prettier & taller then the actress who played her. Rosalie was the worst one, though. This character was described as the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth & this actress was not even mediocre. Even I could've made a better Rosalie.

The special effects in the movie were also far too overdone. I think they tried too hard & just made it look silly. This may sound strange but the actors who played the vampires were far too human for those parts. The acting was poor & made the film far too cheesy. Nothing was really as I pictured it either. If I never read the book & saw the movie first, I would have no desire to read the books because I would think they would be as stupid as the plot of it all sounds.

The fact that I did read the book prior, however made me appreciate the movie. I might sound contradictory but I did like their interpretation of the book. Whereas with Harry Potter, if you didn't read the books there might be a lot of things you would be confused about, this did not do that. They shortened it by combining certain things & taking out the parts that dragged. They stayed very true to the book & they also put in a lot of Bella's thoughts, which I appreciated because I hate when a character's thoughts are such a big part of the book & then they are completely disregarded in the movie version. So all-in-all it certainly did not get 2 thumbs up in my opinion but definitely an A for effort. Get a new casting director for the next one & then we can talk some more.

Sex & My City

This is the portion of my blog that I will refer to as Amy Aubrey, Film Critic.  Tonight I saw "Sex & the City" & after all the hype & excitement that I was feeling towards its release, I must say it did not disappoint.  We bought our tickets 2 days ago because there was no way that neither Samantha nor I could wait much longer to see it.  We had even planned to go get Cosmos after but we went straight from the baseball game & our clothes were not suitable for such fine drinks.  (In regards to the baseball game BTW I am just so in love with our team & I cannot wait for Omaha.)

But as for the movie & the reason for my blogging, I only have 3 negative things to say about it.  First is that I basically had Vitamin Water thrown in my face & the product placement for that was just a bit much.  Second is that there is no way in hell there would not be any cars on 5th Avenue in the middle of the afternoon in front of the library.  Big would not be able to have the car go down that street in the opposite direction, it's just a physical impossibility.  The 3rd thing is that Jennifer Hudson did not sing.  Yes I know this would not have fit in anywhere but I love her & I always want her to sing & that was just a personal opinion.

Other then that, I was very happy with the movie.  I was worried it would ruin it for me but it really did not at all.  I thought the characters remained true to form & they all ended up the way they should have.  I'm not going to say anything specific about it because I don't want to ruin it for those reading this who have yet to see it.  I did laugh a lot & cried probably more then the average person should have.  The movie made me miss my city like none other.  After watching it I cannot wait to come home & have sex in the city.  OK so the whole sex doesn't happen all that often for me in the city but the city by itself is just fine with me.