So if you went out for Valentine's Day this past weekend you might have noticed several options for viewing, but surprisingly none of those included a Nicholas Sparks' based movie. So instead you were left with a couple of romantic comedies and one more romantic drama to choose from. Well I went to see About Last Night for my date. I think it was the right choice, especially since the theater I went to had in theater dining, and you were able to order drinks. There was enough wine to amp up the laughs.
Summary: Kevin and Danny meet friends, Joan and Debbie at the bar. Well they also both go home with these women as well and end up in bed with them back at their separate places. The night after though leaves budding relationships for Kevin and Danny, but they both handle the situations very differently. Danny is ready for a relationship with Joan, or so he think, while Kevin admits he may not be as ready to jump into something with Debbie. The two though may have more feelings swirling around than they thought.
I know this movie hasn't been getting the best of feedback, and well it's being wrote off for it's romantic comedy ways even though three guys are marketed heavily for this movie. I think people write off this movie so easily, and I didn't get all the hate. People loved The Hangover 3 more than this? What the heck?! And a lot of guys have complained about already seeing this movie, and blaming it on their girlfriends for going. I know plenty of guys who have enjoyed this movie though, including my fiance. I would say it might even be more appealing to men than women in some aspects. Regardless, don't let people guilt you into disliking the movie. It was a nice surprise for me.
Summary: Three friends, Jason, Daniel and Mikey are at confusing points in the relationships they are in, and have to decide where exactly they are going. The fact they are all in a contest to stay single together though may wreak havoc on their dating lives. Jason is a player who meets a woman that he finds himself interested in more than just a one night stand with. He's not sure he can actually commit if he wants to stay with her. Daniel is falling for his friend who is very talented, but the competition of staying single with his friends is keeping him from telling anyone about it. There is also Mikey who's wife has filed for divorce. He is hoping to save his marriage, but if it's not possible can he walk away?
Inside Llewyn Davis is the latest movie from the Coen brothers, and it brings all you love to the screen from the brothers.The movie something almost anyone can relate to, and that seems to be what the Coen brothers are good about giving people through their stories. People who seem to be a lot like us. The movie though features a wide range of stars, but no one who seems to be on screen for more than 15 minutes total, and this leaves new comer Oscar Isaac as the main star tying the movie together.
Summary: Llewyn is a struggling folk singer who we spend one week with in the Greenwich Village folk scene in 1961. While some seem to be finding a break through with their music like, Jim, Llweyn can't seem to get someone to pay attention to the music that would sound beautiful to most ears, and it frustrates him that ridiculous songs are finding fame. He also has his other issues like with a woman, Jean, who he has relations with, and finding a place to spend the night. Llewyn may just have to give up the folk dream if he wants to stay alive.
David O' Russell has brought some Oscar worthy movies to the screen such Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter. American Hustle seems to be meeting the bar that he has set. The movie has an array of interesting characters, some more likable than others. It's a movie that also keeps you wondering what will happen next. Straight from the beginning O'Russell sets you up for a movie that will be quirk, and leave you wondering which parts happened, and which parts are fake.
Summary: Irving Rosenfield is a con man who is great at what he does. He meets Sydney, and they team up to begin conning people. Richie is a cop though who catches up to them, and in order to have the charges dropped against them they are forced to work with him to help him catch a politician, Mayor Carmine Polito, in the act of taking a bribe. Irving though begins to like Carmine, and his wife, Rosalyn, refuses to stay away from his affairs as he tries to work the work the con. Not only that but she threatens to blow their cover.
With so much Oscar buzz it makes you curious what Silver Linings Playbook is all about especially since it doesn't seem like the normal contender. With David O. Russell's history including The Fighter though you know he has already given the Academy something they liked before. The actors are what make this story shine, and a story that uplifts instead of bringing you down as you walk in expecting.
Pat's mom bails him from the mental institution hoping he is prepared to come back into the world and live his life apart from his former wife. As soon as he arrives home though it's apparent he is denial still about the situation between him and his wife as he sets out to communicate her and reconcile. At his friend's dinner he bumps into a woman, Tiffany, and she has her own sets of problems that strike up an unique friendship between the two. In the hopes that Tiffany can help him though with working things out with his wife he agrees to be her partner for a dance competition. Some unexpected complications arrive though that may cause Pat and Tiffany to both relapse further into their old ways.
Katniss, and her family find themselves struggling already in District 12, but when the annual Hunger Games arrive she finds her family is about to be dealt a lot more. When her sister, Primrose, name is called to participate in the dreaded event Katniss volunteers in her place to compete to live in a life or death game of survival against 24 other kids, and teens. Katniss also find she is thrown into a test of her feelings between an old friend, Gale, and a new ally, Peeta.
The Hunger Games is a rich, lively, violent and intense film that lives up to the hype. Every part seems suiting to the person cast, and though violent it never gets too graphic for the viewer to handle. I found myself wincing, and feeling the pain of the characters, but I was thankful I didn't have to see the full brutality of what these kids experienced. Gary Ross attempts to give us deep characters with a more living in the film feel with this beginning in the series.
Even though this movie is over two hours long I don't remember ever feeling the pacing was off. All the scenes seem paced well enough to keep you attentive at each part. The way Ross shot the film is very jittery though. Either this will add to the action for some, or give others a headache. In some ways it probably takes away from the direct brutality of the violence occurring. The movie looks great on screen though.
On top of this the acting is also great. If you've read the books then you will have this part of the review to ponder over, but I thought all the actors picked suited who I imagined in the book. Jennifer Lawrence has proven herself to be a strong actress already, but she embraces the qualities of Katniss we imagine her to have such as strength, and feminine attributes. Josh Hutchinson till this point seems to have mostly been in more kid movies except for a few indie ones thrown about. Hutchinson was probably one of the best parts about this film though. He truly becomes Peeta.
If you're a fan of The Hunger Games I would say this movie offers a great visual representation of what you read. For people who haven't read the novels I think they can equally enjoy what this movie has to offer. Not only that, but the soundtrack has an array of music that fits the movie well. With great casting, and a movie that is pulled together well it should entertain a wide array of people. Just expect for a little bit of doom regarding the story line.
Teasi Cannon has always had an issue with her image since she could remember, but with the arrival of the teen years there seemed to be an increase in her inability to accept who she was. Cannon continued to live not understanding how she could ever be lovable even after marrying, and finding herself with children to adore. There was only one that could bring her peace in who she was regardless of her weight and appearance, which was God. Cannon shares her journey into faith, and how they helped her love herself, and the life she had been given.
I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book starting out, but I ended up really enjoying it. It isn't a typical book about a woman who hated her weight, and self image. Her issues ran much deeper than poor self esteem, which is what brought the aspect of the book that I found myself able to relate to. I can't say I've struggled much with hating my appearance, but I have had to learn to accept the personality I have been given. My Big Bottom Blessing is relative in that way.
I often say I'm not like other women in the fact that I feel good about myself, or don't constantly hurl hurtful words at my own self, but the fact is I do. It may not be about how I look, but it's about other things. This book made me much more aware of that. Cannon lays her story out well in this book, and I felt with each chapter I was learning something new about myself. There are also helpful questions to get you to thinking over your own circumstances, and self esteem as you read.
Another thing I liked about this book was how honest it was. There were moments I felt myself nodding my head in agreement, or shocked by what the author shared. The reader will find something to relate about what the author shares of her own life, or words to get through obstacles in your own.
My Big Bottom Blessing was much more than I expected. I was expecting something about weight loss, and motivating others into getting in the same shape. Instead this book was an insightful journey into a woman's life who had dealt with extreme negative thoughts about herself. I think we've all been there to some extent at least making it a motivational, and encouraging read. You can find the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and wherever else books are sold. My Big Fat Bottom is published by Worthy publishing. Look for any upcoming guest blog with Teasi Cannon.
Rating 4 of 5.
This book was provided by Handlebar Marketing in exchange for a review.
American Jacob (Anton Yelchin) and British Anna (Felicity Jones) meet and fall madly in love at college in Los Angeles, but must make their relationship work long distance when Anna returns to London. With an ocean between them, their trust is tested, forcing them to confront the idea that their love may be impermanent. Or can it survive against the odds? This romantic drama won the Grand Jury Dramatic prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. Most of us have experienced relationships, and along with that the ups, and downs of being committed to someone else. Some of us are still recovering, while some of us are well enough now to watch Like Crazy, and not mourn our previous loses while reliving them through the most realistic scenes of a relationship you'll probably ever see. Like Crazy is shot in a way that you feel you're right there with a couple. We witness the growth, and the joys of a beginning relationship, and we see the heartache when those things are clouded over by the sacrifice it takes of being with someone else. The question is whether this couple will be able to overcome this time that hits everyone eventually in a relationship? Anton and Felicity do a great job at keeping the audience's attention through scenes that might be otherwise boring. The chemistry between them is so natural. The painful moments are so real. I walked out of the theater remembering every moment in my life I felt like that. The frustration, and anxiety from the unknowable aspects of a relationship are all dealt with, and will hit home with people who have been through the same. The scenes are beautifully shot, and it seems like there was a lot of attention to the detail of colors to catch the atmosphere perfectly. Now there are some things that seem way too jumped into, but I won't spoil that. These things don't quite make sense to an outside viewer, but maybe to two crazy young people in love it does. Overall, Like Crazy is a great movie. I really enjoyed the pacing, and how the movie kept throwing loops to keep audiences watching. You really never knew what would come next for these two, and the ending actually surprised me. You can check it out at Amazon.
Not long after immortal soul mates Bella Swan and Edward Cullen say "I do," a strange sensation begins to build inside Bella's burgeoning belly. But the couple's unborn child is at risk before she's even born. If you don't like Twilight, then you already know regardless of what this review says you shouldn't be watching the movie. It exceeds any cheesiness you were aware of in the first few movies. If you are a fan of the films though, this is probably the most consistent one since the first movie. I think when watching a series you always want to capture a consistent feel, and The Twilight Saga hasn't been successful at that. The only ones that even feel the same are the first movie, and Breaking Dawn. What can be appreciated about this movie is that the director wanted us to feel the reason Bella and Edward connected in Twilight. I think New Moon and Eclipse lost that connection midst the horror, and special effects. He included a lot of the music that was featured in the first Twilight helping us feel those scenes that spurred those moments leading to their romance. This review is probably sounding really sappy so far, but I warned that if you didn't like the previous ones, then you won't enjoy this one. I'll admit Kristen Stewart isn't an amazing actress, and I think Robert Pattinson feels weird acting out these scenes. I've seen him in other movies, and trust me, Pattinson can act. He is the most awkward part of this movie though. I think the pacing is great though. I was a little worried about how the movie would turn out considering the book, Breaking Dawn, was the most bizarre thing I've ever read. I had no idea how some of the scenes would look on screen. Especially since Bella would be giving what was the most gory birth scene I've ever come across. Thankfully, the director captured the agony without being too gross. There was another scene I was concerned about that was actually pulled off quite beautifully despite the creepiness I got from the book. My only curiosity now is how they will make Breaking Dawn: Part 2 interesting. The first part of Breaking Dawn is outrageously weird, but at least interesting. When I read the second half of the book I was really bored. I'll admit if you haven't read the book, and don't know what to expect this movie will weird you out. The book creeped me out, but I at least knew what was coming. The director did a great job with the material he had to work with though, and he actually made it good, and less weird to watch. You can check out Breaking Dawn: Part 1 at Amazon.
In a near future where aging stops at 25, time is the new currency and the wealthy can live forever. When Will Salas inherits decades of life from a wealthy murdered man, he's pegged as the suspect by the corrupt Time Keepers, who enforce the law. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this movie more than I expected to. I thought at the most it would be intriguing, but I walked away pondering the movie a little bit even after it was over. I don't think I've seen a movie where Justin Timberlake was the lead actor. I know he's been in quite a few movies, but I've never took interest in the movies he was appearing in. I probably would have not watched In Time had the person I was hanging out with not wanted to see it. This movie appears to be a movie that wants to make the viewer think. I think it does achieve that or at least it does for me. I found the concept of people having to use their own lives as currency very terrifying. There were a couple of powerful scenes that still have stuck with me. I'm also a fan of Cillian Murphy, and rarely see him in any movies. He's an actor that always is entertaining no matter what role he is in though. Considering the huge plot though I'm sure you'll find plenty of things to nitpick over though. Such as the huge uproar over the time that Will gets. It seems a little silly the police are making such a huge deal of the time he inherited, and you would think there were more they should be focused on. He received the money in a very legit way in my opinion, and it seemed they were blowing things out of proportion to have a story. I liked the chemistry between Amanda and Justin though. Their relationship was interesting, and you couldn't help but cheer them on. This is a movie I look forward to watching again with others who haven't seen it yet. I found the plot very intriguing, and the I thought everyone did a good job making it interesting. There are some memorable moments, sometimes some scenes feel they stretch on forever. I definitely would recommend the movie even if you think you wouldn't enjoy it though. I thought the director could at least be commended for trying to be unique. You can check it out at Amazon.
By napierslogs: Stu is getting married. Along with Doug, Phil, and his soon-to-be brother-in-law Teddy, he regretfully invites Alan to Thailand for the wedding. After a quiet night on the beach with a beer and toasting marshmallows by the camp fire, Stu, Alan and Phil wake up in a seedy apartment in Bangkok. Doug is back at the resort, but Teddy is missing, there's a monkey with a severed finger, Alan's head is shaved, Stu has a tattoo on his face, and they can't remember any of it. The wolf-pack retrace their steps through strip clubs, tattoo parlors and cocaine-dealing monkeys on the streets of Bangkok as they try and find Teddy before the wedding. Maybe the first The Hangover wasn't shocking enough for you, so what do you do? You make the second one even more insane. Everything from the random monkey to the missing brother-in-law, this movie is more crazy. This movie is entertaining, and does have it's funny moments. It's sort of like the first movie only with slightly different scenarios. I guess the saying go though, you don't leave a good thing if it worked the first time even at the risk of copy catting what you already did. It also is way wackier than the first. Though the first movie had the guys doing really bad things, The Hangover 2 has them doing disgustingly awful things. If you get queasy easy then this won't be the movie for you. Alan as always though provides the laughs where it's needed, and Stu's awkwardness fills in too. It's got a nice bit of action in it, and I can actually remember most the movie so I didn't zone out too much. It can be said that if you didn't enjoy the first one then you won't like this one. Otherwise, if The Hangover was enjoyable for you to watch there is no reason you shouldn't enjoy this one. There is no reason to get pretentious about a movie like this, and say you don't like it because it's too much like the first one. This isn't a series to be that uptight over. If the first one made you feel sick then this will induce vomiting. If it can be thought of to be used as a shock to get a laugh then the makers of the movie use it. Las Vegas ends up looking tame compared to the antics available for someone to stumble upon in Bangkok. You can check out the movie at Amazon.
From Universal Pictures: The Old West.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents-townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors-all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival. I'm glad I didn't know the director of Iron Man was behind this movie before watching it considering those movies were dull to me. I would have never made it into the theater to see this movie. Thankfully, for Cowboys and Aliens I missed noticing who the director was, and watched.
This movie actually turned out to be entertaining even though I can't remember watching the whole thing though I did. Now that I think about it I can't even remember what Harrison Ford's role was in the movie? I know he was trying to retrieve his son from the aliens, but that is it. The movie just seemed to be forgettable in the long run, but entertaining in the time I watched it. I will say that Daniel Craig's character was entertaining , and I was intrigued by his character. I think I discovered that I really enjoy him as an actor from this movie. The thing he had with Ella seemed off to me to though. It was sad knowing he would look really bad if he did anything with her while his wife was suffering at the hands of aliens. I hate when they build up chemistry between character's then to only know they are married, and would be awful if they cheated on their spouse! Cowboys and Aliens also made me want to change the name of my novel again. Absolution is way too overused. Anyways, if you love action movies, and your particular interest is in cowboys or aliens then this is your movie with the perfect combo. If you are into none of those things then maybe you will be surprised, or not, by your interest. The movie was a little too long for me, and became repetitive after too many alien attacks, but it was overall good. You can check out the movie at Amazon.
Sadly, One Day was a flop at the theaters. I was probably apart of the handful of people who really wanted to get to the theaters that weekend to watch it. Actually, I didn't got that weekend, I went on a much less busier day to see it. I would like to also believe that maybe this story just wasn't as big in America, or maybe it was and I'm in denial.
If you haven't read the many times I talked about it before then here I go again. Dexter and Emma are friends, and this book follows their lives over twenty years after they decide to be friends. Through tragedy, good times, love, and death, Dexter and Emma experience all over the course of following the day they met on for each year.
I have no idea what it would be like to watch this movie without having to read the book. Could it have felt disjointed? Possibly. There probably wasn't quite the build up of emotions and character growth that there should have been. I think Jim Sturgess did a really good job of capturing the change of Dexter though. He went from a charming, jerk type guy to a guy who was broken, and wanting to finally feel the connection to life he had been missing.
Anne Hathaway grows into her character, Emma, but never truly captures the complexity needed. Of course the fact she has to mimic the accent the best she can doesn't help either. I'm sure for someone who knows the accent better it is quite distracting. Also, don't let the trailers deceive you into thinking this is like a over the top romance like Nicholas Sparks. This is a much deeper story, that is about life in general, and how our paths lead us to where we go. It's about the development of people. Also, the brutal tragedy in the story will leave you shock if you think it's like Sparks.
Overall, I really enjoyed the movie, and I thought it capture the book as best it could. I'm sure it helped that the author of the book wrote the screenplay also, so he knew what he was doing. I'm just not a Hathaway fan, which is what sort of kept it from being as good as it could have been. I think near the end she really felt like the character. You can check out the movie at Amazon.
It is true that I am a huge Harry Potter fan. My dog is even named after my favorite character, Luna. In return my dog decided to live up to the personality so I often see her sitting in water bowls, and scaling fences as if she is a squirrel instead of a dog. Enough gushing about my dog though she is awesome, and I can ramble about her forever. Earlier this year I was apart of the huge weekend crowd for the opening of the last Harry Potter movie. My sister and I are like movie buddies so we loaded up in my car, and got ourselves to the nearest theater to see how epic this movie would turn out.
If you haven't read the books, or seen the movie yet here is a quick overview. Harry needs to defeat Voldemort to bring order back to the wizard world, and stop the crumble of society in general. Harry and his friends gather against the followers of Voldemort called Death Eaters. Every person brings their strengths to the table to participate in the battle, and while fighting they discover the most important unifying theme of all.
I don't think that summary sounds as near epic as the last story is. I was highly concerned before seeing this movie even though Part 1 had calmed me some. Ever since Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince I knew that David Yates could film a disaster is he wanted to. Yates stuck as well as he could to the book in Part 2, which I was impressed with. It is a huge story, and I'm glad they gave two movies to it to justify it. Neville Longbottom was the hugest stand out to me in this movie though. I think I can almost remember every part he was in this movie. For such a small character he makes him appear so strongly developed in the movie.
This will not happen if you watch the movie at home, but while sitting in the theater there was an extremely bright part of the movie. I'll just call it the "Heaven scene". The whole movie is very dark, so my pupils were blasted wide open, and then all of a sudden this huge amount of light was poured into my eyes, and it felt like fire. I had to close my eyes till the scene actually went off because I was struggling to keep back tears, and not go blind.
If you're a Harry Potter fan, and you don't go over all the little part they might have left out you'll love it. I thoroughly enjoyed Snape's scenes as well, and was so relieved to find the flashbacks in the movie. The movie kept my attention the whole time, and I felt the movie was a good sign off to the series. You can check out Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 at Amazon.
Did I say in my Crazy Stupid Love post that I was more likely to watch movies like Transformers? You're probably thinking I lied now since my next movie review is Water for Elephants. I saw these movies months apart of though. I can't be faulted for my love of circus themed stories though.
This stories is told from Jacob's perspective. He is working on his degree in veterinary until his parents die in an accident, and he has to drop out to make ends meet. After losing his house he goes on the road, and finds the circus, which takes him in in hoping his veterinarian skills can contribute to maintaining the animals. At the circus he meets Marlena, who is the circus owner's wife. Not too long after meeting each other they find it more difficult to resist the chemistry they feel with each other.
The most beautiful part of this movie are the circus scenes. The director goes all out to capture the vibe we all dream that the circus had when it was in it's heights during the 1930s. The acting is well done, particularly by Christopher Waltz who captures the love, and hate feelings his character struggles with. Rob Pattinson also surprisingly did a good job in his role, and Reese Witherspoon fit her character as expected.
The thing that was lacking was the chemistry between the two leads. It felt like the actors were struggling to get past their age difference. There was a time when Reese Witherspoon did play Rob Pattinson's mom in a movie! Though they acted well it felt they were forcing through to find chemistry. Maybe that's the way it was supposed to be considering they were a forbidden romance?
I enjoyed this movie, and I look forward to watching it again. I only wish I had read the book before watching instead of after. Check out the movie at Amazon.
I don't think a title has made me ponder what it means more than Crazy Stupid Love has. What does say about me? Hopefully nothing bad. I wondered if crazy and stupid were describing love, or describing how people act in relationships.
Cal finds out his wife wants a divorce, and that she has cheated on him with her coworker, David. Cal moves out, and then begins visiting a nightclub where Jacob, a frequent visitor, notices Cal's poor attempts to pick up women. Jacob approaches him, and offers to help him learn how to impress women. Cal isn't the only one having problems though. Jacob meets a girl who isn't charmed by his player approach, and he ends up really falling for her, but at a loss as to how to convey to her that she isn't just another woman he wants to sleep with. Cal's son also is in love with his babysitter who turns down his advances, but that doesn't cause him to give up.
I really enjoyed this movie. The interaction between Cal, and Jacob was fun. The comedy was well done between them. Emma Stone usually portrays her characters as likable, and strong willed, and Hannah is no exception. I also never thought a romantic comedy would pull probably one of the most shocking twist I've seen in a movie, but it did.
I want to say this didn't remind me of a typical romantic comedy, and I'm not someone who usually flocks to the theater to see the cute chick movie that is being released. I'm just as likely to watch Transformers in theaters as I am a romantic comedy. Honestly, I am more likely to see a movie like Transformers. I will admit the main reason I went to see this movie was because Ryan Gosling was in it. I do have a crush on him. I wanted to see him portray this persona so much it was enough to get me to the theater. You can check out the movie at Amazon.
I have no idea why I haven't seen the first three Scream movies, but Scream4 got me interested in watching them all. The movie features a variety of known actors, and actresses. Sidney returns to town to promote her new book, and we are introduced to her niece, Sherrie. After Sidney's arrival someone begins targeting her family, and Sherrie's group of friend to remember the anniversary of killer from previous movies. This movie features favorites from prior movies like Gale, and Dewey. This movie has a lot of twists, and I'll go ahead and say that I never was able to figure out who was causing all the chaos. I was shocked when the reveal happened. I can't compare this movie to prior movies since I haven't seen them though. From what I could tell the movie was enjoyable entertainment wise. It doesn't bring anything deep to the table, but it plays upon it's genre well. My one thing about the movie though is that it didn't end when it should have ended though. I won't spoil what I'm talking about. It seemed to be drawn out for some reason that I couldn't understand. Overall the movie entertained me more than I thought it would. That's what I went to theater to see, and it delivered that. I even ended up being invested in the characters, and cheering for them to make it. Scream 4 is available for purchase today at Amazon and other retailers.
Werewolves, and similiar creatures seem to be running wild in the media lately, and Red Riding Hood offers a full dose to anyone who is automatically interested in the latest hype. The story begins with showing Valerie's developing romance with Peter even though she is promised to be married to another, Hunter. If that wasn't enough to bother her, a wolf keeps Valerie's village in torment after one of the villagers breaks the pact by venturing into the wolf's territory, and is killed. A hunter arrives to find to the wolf, and casts speculation on every local as they speculate on who might be the wolf. Peter, and Hunter draw attention to themselves at suspects as they still fight for Valerie's attention. The movie is advertised as a horror film, but it definitely does not stay consistent with the image it percieved. It had some moments that would have made great for a horror movie, and it was able to capture the intensity of the fear. The movie eventually focuses too much on the romance in the end, which takes away from the feeling of what it was advertised. The setting is beautiful though, and it helps with the overall feel they were trying to capture. I felt like Catherine Hardwick was trying to prove she could have directed the other Twilight movies that involved CGI wolves. She was even titled 'The director of the Twilight' movie on posters, and in the full length trailer. It was really difficult for me to seperate the movie from it because of that, and I think it affected the audience's view too. The CGI werewolf was not scary, and did not look like the traditional werewolves which are supposed to be scary. Instead he looked similiar to the recent werewolves showing up in the more romantic driven media. The biggest thing that probably hurt this movie was the ending, which didn't make too much sense. After spending hours hoping for something that would spin us back into the horror movie direction, we instead feel we are watching someone who intented to incorporate everything they wanted to in Twilight into this movie. The movie is entertaining, and kept my interest. I felt there were many things that could have been done that could have caused it to be recognized as a better movie than it turned out to be. The movie is out today on DVD and Blu-ray.
This review is long overdue since I saw this movie almost a month ago, but I have been meaning to write a review for a while. Blue Valentine follows Cindy, and Dean as they navigate through the shambles of their marriage. They have made sacrifices to be with each other, but instead of those sacrifices strengthening them it destroys them. The movie is amazingly well acted. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams have you convinced they are living the demise of a marriage. Anyone watching this movie can see some part of their self being portrayed if you have experienced the pain of losing someone. Depending on how receptive you are to watching the destruction of two people, you will either like the movie or you will not. I personally liked the movie, and feel if I went back and watched it again I would understand even better the overall intent of the movie. This is not about two people who can overcome everything to make love work. Instead the movie is about how sometimes things do not work no matter how much one person wants it to. Dean is the idealist, who has the idea that love will conquer all. He thinks Cindy needs to relieve the moments that once made their relationship have the spark, but she has been crying out for something different. When his marriage is falling apart he attempts a few ways to convey he wants to make it work, but he does not showcase what Cindy needs from him, which is security. Cindy has experienced bad relationships, and it seems she sets herself up to know the brutalies of being someone will eventually happen. She has emotionally shut herself off from Dean, and we never see her make the attempts Dean does, because that is not what she is looking for. She has became the provider of the family, and feels she is the only one capable of being an adult. It is heartbreaking to see two people who still want to communicate, but feel numb to even trying. The movie is not fun to watch, and it is not supposed to be. It has every awkward, and hurtful moment that breakups include. Whether it be awkwardly trying to be physically close to someone, or chasing after someone's affection. The ending is not very satisfying, and I feel like there should have been more closure. This movie is not like other movies. Instead of portraying a whole story, it gives you a snaphot into the middle of someone else's problem. This makes the story a little less impactful, because I was not able to grow with the characters the same as if it had been told from beginning to end. The movie should have definitely received more glances for it's acting, because the emotions these actors had to convey were probably the roughest, and most difficult to relive. This movie is not to teach you how to make a relationship work, or how to move on from a broken one. Blue Valentine is instead about what happens every minute of the day, which is the feeling of heartache.
