Oscar Movies: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

  The third installment in Michael Bay's trilogy travels back to 1969's historic moon landing, when Neil Armstrong and his Apollo 11 cohorts touch down in the Sea of Tranquility ... and discover what appears to be a downed Transformers craft. Flash forward to the present, and the Decepticons are ready to exact revenge on Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots. Shia LaBeouf returns as Sam Witwicky, the Autobots' human ally.
  It's true that this installment has a few Oscar nominations. Two for sound, and one for editing. If they do win these awards will most likely be called during the pre-show. I did watch the third one though earlier last year.
   The first Transformers, I really enjoyed, and the second was okay. Many people thought the third movie was an improvement from the second, Revenge of the Fallen. I disagree. The series needs to be stopped now. I was probably the most bored watching this movie of any that I've seen. The romance also makes no sense considering in the last movie we had Sam just professing his love for the girl he was with in that one. All of a sudden they have broke up, and he's ready to marry this new girl. 
  I also feel that the whoever writes these movies keeps using the same outline over, and over again. Sam is making another transition in life. In the first movie he is a out of place high schooler, in the second he's a guy getting ready for college, and his first real relationship. In this movie he is trying to find a job, and weighing marriage. Not only that, but the action is all the same. Transformers need Sam for something, and then he refuses, then the bad guys get him involved, and he feels obligated to help. Same old stuff all the time. 
  Of course the special effects are good. If they weren't this movie would have nothing. The characters have lost their flare they used to have, so at this point it's all about the action. Whoever does the soundtrack is doing a great up as usual since the score music is always memorable. 
   I found myself being distracted during the movie more often than I had in the past. From what I was told there was never a story line past the first movie. I didn't see an improvement in this movie, and I think to preserve what they've got they should just wrap up the story now. What would they even do next anyways? Have Sam entering a mid-life crisis? You can check out the movie at Amazon. 

Wednesday Movie Night: Beginners (2011)

  Based on indie director Mike Mills's relationship with his father, this intriguing drama tells the story of Oliver (Ewan McGregor), a graphic artist coming to grips with the imminent death of his father (Christopher Plummer), who, at 75, has one last secret: He's gay. Both inspired and confused by his father's determination to find true love at last, Oliver tentatively pursues a romance with commitment-shy French actress Anna (Mélanie Laurent).
  While watching this movie I realized that if (500) Days of Summer, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind had a baby it would look like Beginners. The way the story transitions, and is shot puts me a lot in mind of those two movies.  It's nowhere near as good as those movies, but it puts up a good fight. 
   The movie has really beautiful shot scenes, and it made the movie extremely romantic for the first hour or so of watching Oliver, and Anna grow closer.  Depending on what type of person you are you will either appreciate they are both quirky artists, or you will be annoyed by their personalities being shoved in your face. After a while though their romance seems slightly dull, and you're much more interested in the flashbacks of Oliver, and his father. Christopher Plummer has received an Oscar nomination for his acting in this film.  I'm short of shocked the story didn't receive another nod or two.  The story captures the feelings of a budding romance very well. Everything up to the moment where you visit someone in their territory to the moment you hold hands were shot well.
   One last thing that I didn't understand was why these people still acted like college students when they were at least in their late thirties. I know that I'll always be an artsy, quirky person, but I don't know if I'll have the desire to make ruckus like these people did at the age of 38. They all seemed like characters who were prolonging not settling into adulthood. All of them were running from commitments, and ties to anything. I think in a way the movie was about growing out of those things, but it seemed like they were discovering that too late in life.
   The person that I don't fully understand is Anna. She is highly eccentric, to the point of being scary. I get being quirky, but not to the point where you could actually be a frightening person. Her attitude never seemed stabled, and she liked to act out murder. This would have sent me running to the door, and never looking back. Instability is not attractive.  We never fully understand why she makes the choices she does since we only get snippets into her past. Another stand out character is the talking dog for obvious reasons.
If you like quirky, indie movies then this fits the bill perfectly.  I think Beginners can be relatable to many people across the board. It deals with many aspects of life someone has had to encounter. You can check the movie out at Amazon.

Wednesday Movie Night: The Tree of Life (2011)

  Brad Pitt and Sean Penn star in Terrence Malick's 1950s adventure about a confused man named Jack, who sets off on a journey to understand the true nature of the world. Growing up in the Midwest with two brothers, Jack has always been torn between his mother's guidance to approach everything he encounters with an open heart and his father's advice to look after his own interests. Now, Jack must find a way to regain purpose and perspective.
  I love artsy, pretentious movies. I won't deny that, but I do have a limit and I won't pretend to like something just because it tries to be over the top artsy, or obscure. I believe that The Tree of Life is a love it or hate it movie. Either you're going to sit through the whole thing, and be in awe, or you're going to sit through it and wish it would have ended two hours ago. This movie was nominated for one of the highest honors at the Oscars though, Best Picture. 
  I will begin with the positive. The footage is absolutely beautiful. The shots are all well thought out, and I believe that before HD, or blu-ray this movie would have not worked. It was designed to be played on those outlets. Great images can't carry a whole movie though. There are only so many shots of sunsets, falling water, volcanoes, and the galaxy before I need something more to get into.  If it wasn't for the unique shots I probably wouldn't have stuck around as long as I did for the movie. 
  The story line isn't that difficult to follow, unless you're trying to grasp the deeper premise of it. That gets lost in the silence, and shots. There were moments when the film was deeply relatable to me, and I knew exactly what the family was going through, or what the children were experiencing. It captures the beauty of childhood amazingly, and it made me miss being a kid. The main problem with this movie is that it's just too long for it's content. I don't need over two hours to digest all the information that could have been summed up way quicker. I also have no idea why I watched dinosaurs or fifteen minutes about an hour in. Things like this cause the movie to lose some of it's power. Actually, after an hour in I barely watched the movie. I just couldn't take anymore of the going nowhere feeling I was getting. I felt like I was running in circles. 
  I wouldn't personally recommend this movie, but it might be the unexpected person who enjoys it. Had it been an hour shorter my review might have been different, but I could only take so much of it. Personally, I think only the pretentious will love it. You can check out the movie at Amazon. 

Oscar Movies: Drive

   A Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver is lured from his isolated life by a lovely neighbor and her young son. His newfound peace is shattered, however, when her violent husband is released from prison.
  So I don't think Sound Editing is a huge nomination, or at least it is considered a huge enough one for people to still say that Drive wasn't snubbed.  I believe the expectation was that Albert Brooks would get a nomination for his character in the movie, and surprisingly didn't. 
If you are expecting some type of action movie when you go into watch this movie then you'll probably be pretty disappointed. It isn't your typical movie as far as how it is directed, and I'm a little shocked it didn't receive more nominations than it did.  I think my favorite thing was the lack of dialogue. I personally will get to the point where I don't share much dialogue with anyone. It's just the way I am, and I probably ultimately enjoy silence as much as I enjoy conversation.  Most people would find the two lead characters lack of conversation awkward, but it was relatable to me, and I thought it was great how the chemistry was conveyed through so much silence. 
  Another thing I noticed about this movie was how memorable the music was. I don't think I've ever heard a soundtrack so well placed throughout the movie. I guess that is why it deserved it's nomination as far as the mixing of the sound in the film. The car noises were also woven into the movie well. It only intensifies the thriller aspect of the movie. 
  I think this movie was completely marketed wrong though. It got a lot of wrong comparisons before it's opening, which probably hurt it in the box office. It's definitely more of an artistic film that can baffle a viewer expecting something else like an action-thriller packed movie. The only thing that bothered me was some unnecessary scenes that are strictly thrown in just to get a reaction out of the viewer. It's purposeless and too obvious.
   Drive won't be for everyone. It kept me interested though, and I liked the pacing. You can check out Drive at Amazon. 

Oscar Movies: Bridesmaids

   Competition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride's best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef.
  The movie is nominated for Best Screenplay, and Melissa McCarthy got her an nomination for Best Supporting Actress.  I watched the movie last year, and forgot to include it as one of my favorite movies of the year. Not only was it funny, but it was a feel-good movie. 
   Bridesmaids won't be for everyone as with every movie. It does have a chick-flick vibe, but the type of women I know that usually enjoys those types of movies are iffy to guess whether they will enjoy this. It gets not only raunchy, but it the humor is disgusting. Personally, I do find the topic of vomit and diarrhea quite funny. I know that is juvenile, but I can't help it. The word "poo" even still makes me laugh as an adult.  Most women might cringe at the use of these things for funny jokes, but I was laughing the hardest I've laughed in a while. If you get queasy easy beware that it gets gross. I thought it was a relief to see women be candidly funny about those topics. You don't just need sexual humor to get laughs still. 
   McCarthy is completely deserving of her nomination. Though she wasn't the star she was the most memorable character.  There is something charming, and relatable about her. I think none of us are perfect, and she embodies a realness that people usually miss in movies.  At the same time she was the most funny person in the movie.
  It is true that it's surprising this movie did as well as it did during award seasons. It isn't something you would usually think of to receive nominations considering the hint of chick flick, and a lot of the dirty humor.  Maybe this will let anyone know that your movie has a chance no matter what it might feature. I still find myself laughing over certain scenes. You can check out Bridesmaids at Amazon. 

Oscar Snub: 50/50

  An otherwise healthy twentysomething has a comically early midlife crisis when he gets slapped with a cancer diagnosis -- and a 50-50 chance of survival. But what's the meaning of life when you're not sure how long yours will last?
  I think it's outrageous this movie was not nominated for an Oscar, whether it was for the screenplay, acting, or even best picture. It deserved a place somewhere. Every since I saw the trailer last August before viewing another movie I have been looking forward to seeing it. Very few movies stir emotion in me, but even fewer movies have me wanting to cry. When I say 'want' I actually mean that. The movie stirred such good feelings you want to cry just to express it in some way. 
  If you've listened to any interviews about the movie then you probably know the backstory, meaning you've also guessed how the movie will end. If not then I will try to not spoil it.  I think one of the reasons this movie did so badly at the box office was because of two things. One being that people thought this would be a sad movie, and it's not. This movie isn't supposed to the be the typical sad tale about cancer. It's actually a lot more realistic approach than what I've seen in other movies. Another thing is that I thought maybe with Seth Rogen's appearance in the movie people would assume it was going to have an amount of vulgarness to it, which it does, but I didn't think it overwhelmed the movie. Considering these two are guys I found the vulgar conversations very realistic. From what I've heard about guys when they get around each other they do discuss what the women in their lives are doing, and not doing for them in the bedroom.  Not that that is every guy, but it's pretty standard conversation for a guy. 
   This movie is a beautiful approach to telling a story though. The chemistry in the movie between the characters is remarkable. There are these little surprises sprinkled throughout that redeems certain characters just when you were beginning to think there was no hope for them. I could also feel what Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character was going through. The atmosphere, and mood were perfect. I loved how everything played out for him. Though Seth Rogen's character could easily be classified as unlikable there is one moment in the movie that defines why him, and the other guy are friends despite his imperfections in their friendship. 50/50 has a great message about how we relate to others, and you can tell there was particular attention given to the interactions between the characters. If nothing else can be said, Levitt needed an acting nomination for this movie! I wanted to give him a hug all the way throughout the movie. 
  I personally enjoy movies that are all about living. It isn't about relationships, competition, drama, or whatever else it is that drives movies. It is simply about coming to terms with the path that life is taking us on, and grasping the opportunities that are given when they come no matter what circumstances we are currently in. This movie will find a place amongst my very small movie collection. I am shocked it didn't get an Oscar considering the other movies I've watched that I know did. You can check out 50/50 at Amazon. 

Wednesday Movie Night: Midnight in Paris (2011)

  From Netflix: In this bittersweet dramatic comedy, legendary director Woody Allen focuses his lens on a young engaged couple (Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams) whose experiences traveling together in Paris make them begin to question the kind of life they want to live as a couple.
   I also want to add to this synopsis that Gil (Owen Wilson) discovers something special about Paris, and he's given the opportunity of a lifetime to finally live as a writer amongst legendary writers, and artists. 
    Midnight in Paris is one of the best new movies of 2011 though. The scenes are beautifully shot, and you can tell Allen wanted to capture the magic of Paris then, and now. I seriously need to go to Paris now that much is official. Not only that, but Owen Wilson is able to bring out subtle comedy that keeps you laughing, and entertained. I could absolutely feel what I would be feeling if I all of a sudden found myself meeting people who have inspired generations of works after them.   
    If you're particularly a writer, or creative pursuer of some sort, you'll find something relatable about this movie. I found myself staying awake after this movie trying to figure out something deeper about it than the obvious meaning, which was that we shouldn't be trapped by what we believed were good times in the past, but  instead make good of the future to come.  I concluded the following. Gil fears taking the necessary steps forward to really make his dream happen, and help him find contentment with his life. Gil is in a half-dead relationship, and he fears letting anyone read his book. He's sort of being hauled around by Inez, his fiance, even though they completely clash on everything. 
   For fear of giving too much away I'm going to stop here. I really enjoyed this movie much more than I thought I would.  It's about dropping the past, and your fears, and stepping forward to embrace finding contentment with your life. Also, I'm someone who has trouble sitting for two hour movies, no matter how good they are, so I enjoyed the fact this movie kept in a nice time length, though I could've imagined it being longer. If there was anything else to add to this review, it's that I wish I could express how much I enjoyed this movie. I could go on about that, but I'll stop for the sake of rambling. You can check out the movie at Amazon.

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

  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.