Oz the Great and Powerful - James Franco and Mila Kunis

The Gist

Oz is your average conman.  He runs a "magic" show with a traveling circus and every night makes people believe in his tricks and happily takes their money.  Despite all of this he still feels that he hasn't reached his full potential.  One morning after angering one of the other performers Oz jumps into a hot air balloon to escape being beaten to death.  As he flies away from the circus the hot air balloon gets caught into a twister and he is knocked out after hitting his head.  The next morning he wakes up in a strange land.  He lands the balloon and begins to wander around until he meets Theodora.  She explains to him that he is in the land of Oz and that he has been sent to save the land from the Wicked Witch.  Not knowing how to deal with this new found information Oz sets off down the yellow brick towards the Emerald City to see what awaits him there.

What We Think

Reviewed by The North Star

Run Time: 130 Minutes

Rating: PG

When I first saw the trailer for this movie I was really excited.  This movie looked awesome and I was glad that they were finally telling the Wizard's story and what happened before Dorothy came to town.  The more that I watched the trailer the more disappointed I became.  The film started to become cheesier and cheesier the more that I heard about.  Even with that in my head I still saw it opening weekend. I should have trusted my gut instinct.  This movie was not very good.  Extremely average at best.  The special effects were cheap, the acting was ehh and it was way too bubbly.

First off, I need to talk about the special effects.  Since this movie was produced by Disney I expected everything on the post-production side of things to be very well done because money isn't really an obstacle.  Apparently I assumed wrong.  It seemed as though EVERYTHING was done on a green screen and no one was ever on a set.  The atmosphere of the Oz world was pretty but seemed too impossible.  Yes, it's supposed to be other worldly and impossible but they seemed to push the boundaries a little too much.  Everything seemed very out of proportion.  The flowers were too big.  The trees were to big.  The animals were too small.  I think you get the point.  Speaking of animals, one of the main characters in the movie was a monkey who lived in Oz.  I never believed for a second that it was an actual monkey.  Even though this monkey lived in the crazy world it should still look like a real monkey.  I could go on and on about all of the flaws with the specials effects in this movie but after a while it would all begin to sound the same.  All that you need to take away from this is that Disney should have either hired people more qualified or given the people they hired more money to do what they needed.  

Second, I wish that the cast hadn't been all famous people.  Maybe because this was a big budget film and they could get all huge stars?  I can understand the main character is an A-list actor but the whole cast? I felt like I was watching Les Miserables again, this time without the singing.  Anyways, if a movie is going to have all stars playing the roles could they have picked some better stars?  I mean I like Mila Kunis but her acting in this wasn't great.  She seemed way to over-the-top and cartoonish.  The same goes for Rachel Weisz.  She was always an extreme in the movie.  She was extremely angry.  She was extremely sad.  There was never an in-between.  Even when she was trying to be sarcastic or even subtle it wouldn't work and it came off as very cheesy.  As for James Franco he wasn't on the ball either.  I'm pretty neutral when it comes to James Franco but this movie made me lean towards the not liking him side.  He was supposed to be playing this sleezy con-man and I never got the feeling that he was sleezy.  To me it just felt like he had nothing else better to do than con people.  I never thought that he actually enjoyed taking other peoples money, which is what a con-man is supposed to do.  Perhaps he didn't do as well because of the director but I will talk about that in the next paragraph.  All of the actors unfortunately did along the same lines.  Everyone seemed to lack enthusiasm for the movie and their characters.  No one stood out as a strong actor and every minute that went by I kept hoping that it would get better and it didn't.
I will keep this next paragraph short because I could talk about it for hours but it's extremely opinionated and it only really has to do with Disney.  I wish that the film had been darker.  It felt like a lot of fluff to me.  As I said above about James Franco he could have been so much creepier.  The wicked witches could have been uglier and meaner and actually.....evil.  Oz was supposed to be run-down and nasty because the witches were running the land but it seemed perfectly fine to me.  All of the things I just mentioned could have made the film 10 times better but if Disney had it in their heads that the target audience was 9-10 year olds then it would make sense for them not to do that.  With that in mind, Toy Story is also meant for the younger audiences but I love it and for that fact so does my dad.  Just saying.
All in all this movie was not good.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the WORST thing I have ever seen and I wasn't begging for it to be over but it had a lot of problems that could have been easily fixed.  If you have any younger siblings or cousins I would say bring them but don't expect to be as entranced as they are with the merry old land of OZ.

Real Teen Rating~ C- : I’d much rather read a book.

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Magic Mike - Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer

The Gist

  Magic Mike
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Mike works a lot of jobs. Contractor, business manager, furniture design. It's his night gig that really makes him money though. Mike is a male stripper. When he meets Adam through a contracting job, he brings him to the club to help out, and ends up getting him a job as a performer. Mike takes Adam under his wing to teach him about girls, growing up, and stripping, and tries to protect him from the seedier side of the business.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Run Time: 110 minutes
Rating: R
Before I even start this I have to say, I just read the tagline for this movie. "Work all day. Work it all night." That's hilarious, and probably the funniest part of this movie.
And now, I have to apologize for the gist. I thought about just writing they all strip a lot, but that didn't seem in depth enough. Although that's basically the whole plot. In the very beginning of the movie, it seemed like it had potential. The budding friendship/mentor thing going on between Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer was entertaining, and I wanted to see where it went. And then it went right down the tubes. I can't even tell you what the story is, because I don't know. It hops all over the place. And here's the thing: if this were a movie solely about stripping, like I think we all expected, that would be ok. The plot would take a backseat to the constant bombardment of muscled men taking their clothes off. But there wasn't much stripping. They really tried to have a plot, to give this movie some sort of substance. And it really didn't work. There were drugs everywhere, to the point where I couldn't tell when someone was or wasn't on drugs. There was one scene where it blatantly hinted that Alex Pettyfer and Matt Bomer, another stripper, were going gay for each other, and then it never came up again. Come to think of it, I'm not sure Matt Bomer was even in the movie after that scene. The dialogue was dull and boring, and a lot of the characters seemed unimportant. There were at least eight male strippers at one point, and I could identify half of them. 
Then there was the actual stripping. Now, I'm far from an expert on this subject. But isn't it supposed to look attractive? I mean, that is the general idea. Admittedly, we watched this movie at like 8:30 in the morning, which wasn't the best idea, but still. It in no way looked alluring. It was uncomfortable to watch. I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. Channing Tatum went up a couple times and did some hip hop dancing a la Step Up. Besides that, every dance was essentially the same, and they always ended up with a guy in a thong pulling some random girl up from the audience and pelvic thrusting into her face. Is that what stripping is? Am I just under informed? Because to me it was awkward and the exact opposite of sexy.
The characters weren't developed well. Channing Tatum was the deepest one, but since he was the main character, that made sense. And even he was pretty flat. Just a meat head, really. Some emotional depth, but not much. Channing Tatum is a fairly decent actor, but with a character like this, the acting falls short of phenomenal. He falls for Alex Pettyfer's sister Brooke, played by a Kirsten Stewart-esque Cody Horn who has the emotional range of a sloth. It seems like she's angry a lot, but she always looks bored when she's angry, so it's hard to tell. She has a boyfriend at the beginning of the movie, but essentially he's a plot device to put off a hook up with Mike. Matthew McConaughey is in this movie too. He's the business owner/manager of the strip club. Looks nice, plays dirty, the typical pretty sleaze. Nothing too exciting. He does it well, but honestly, it's been done before.
I will say, I was impressed by Alex Pettyfer. I mean, his character was awful, don't get me wrong. Acted out, didn't listen, blah blah blah. All the characters were bad. But his acting was actually good. And this is coming from the same person who said, and I quote, "his acting is centered around brooding and looking into the distance." He was so much better than the last time I saw him. He's really learning the craft, and for someone with his looks, it's not like he has to. It's nice to see, and he did well with the poor writing and lack of character development he was given. Hopefully he keeps it up, and I'll be looking for his next movie soon.
Basically, it's a stripper movie. You can't expect it to be cinematic genius. But you can expect it to be better than this. Less than two hours felt like five when I watched it, and that's not exactly a selling point. It was dull, confusing, and hard to watch. Supposedly parts of it are based on Channing Tatum's younger years. If that's what your youth was like, I'm sorry you couldn't find anything more entertaining to do.
Real Teen Rating ~ D: Use it as an excuse not to do something

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Hotel Transylvania - Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg

The Gist

Hotel Transylvania
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In 1895, Count Dracula built a hotel, to keep his daughter Mavis, and other monsters, safe from the humans who hate monsters. Fast forward to present day, and his hotel is always packed full, and no human has ever entered. Surrounded by a creepy forest and graveyard, the monsters have been safe from human pitchforks and angry mobs. On Mavis' 118th birthday, she wants to go out and see the world. Dracula just wants to keep her safe. And then Jonathan, a real live human, walks into the hotel lobby. Mavis thinks he's fascinating, Dracula thinks he's dangerous, and if the other monsters knew he was a human, there would be chaos. What's a vampire to do when what he's always feared most turns out to be not quite as bad as he thought?

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Run Time: 91 minutes
Rating: PG
I love animated movies. Seriously. Give me green tights and call me Peter Pan, because I am never growing up. There's something about them that, when done right, is magical. They can make anyone find their inner child. Hotel Transylvania is no exception. The storyline is pretty clever. The idea of monsters being afraid of humans has, I'm sure, been done before, but I think the idea of putting them all in a big hotel is original. A monster vacation spot, the way humans flock to sunny islands for vacation. All the monsters come to Hotel Transylvania.
Along these same lines, the script is very well written. The dialogue is funny and witty, but also moving and emotional at times. It does a good job of running the emotional spectrum. It's realistically funny too, in the way that what the characters say isn't anything unbelievable, like being too witty or too clueless. It sounds natural. When Dracula talks to Frankenstein, or Wayne the werewolf, or Murray the mummy, or even Griffin the invisible man, it's evident that they're close friends, and have been for a while. They have that easygoing, slightly mocking way of speaking to each other that I know I have with my best friends. What I didn't expect was the way Jonathan's relationships developed through the movie, not just with Mavis, but with Dracula. Jonathan falls for Mavis, so of course his relationship with her will play out as a bit of a romance, and his lines portray him to be the slightly awkward young man that we can see he is. But before watching the movie, I didn't expect Jonathan and Dracula to become as close as they do. I figured most of their interactions would be yelling, and Jonathan would spend more time with Mavis. On the contrary, he spends equal time with both vampires, and his relationship with Dracula gets deep, complicated, and close, very fast. They're basically bros. It was really nice to see, and I thought it was done spectacularly.
The voice acting was great too. Adam Sandler was the only one I could tell right away, and that's only because they have him sing in the beginning. For the most part, I didn't know who anyone was, and maybe that's because I was drawn into the story, but it was a good thing. I watched the movie a second time, knowing who voiced what character, and it made the movie a different experience. The characters were colored by my opinions of their voice actors. Some I love, some I hate, and the characters changed. That's the problem with animated movies, I think, so I'd recommend watching it without knowing who's who.
It was animated really well. Everything just looked interesting, and a little unexpected. Frankenstein was blue, the mummy was fat, the zombies weren't very corpse-like, and the human looked quirky, with his bright red hair. The colors were eye-catching, even with the amount of black in it for the vampires. I think that's part of the contrast, the very colorful Jonathan coming into the lives of the two vampires who only wear black.
This movie hits on some big themes. Wanting to explore the world, death of a loved one, soul mates. It's way more intense than I thought it would be, but it doesn't come off that way. On the surface, it's a lighthearted kids movie. Nothing too scary or too inappropriate. Just fun. With a big musical number in the end, complete with crazy vampire-human rapping. But there are some great messages in here too. I laughed, I...well I didn't cry, but I made a sad face. I laughed some more. Animated movies should do that. Get you laughing and leave you with a positive message. This one does, and I think it has a better love story than any princess movie.
Real Teen Rating ~ A+: If you haven't seen this movie you are a deprived soul!

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Oscar Buzz 2013 - Predictions and Fantasies

Reviewed by Living Destiny
Best Picture
What I Think
Argo. It's something different, and it's already won awards this season. It got snubbed by not being nominated for Directing, so maybe this will make up for it. Honestly, I think the only competition for Best Picture this year is Lincoln and Argo, and much as I'd love Lincoln to win, I give it to Argo.
The Oscar goes to: Argo

Actor in a Leading Role
What I Think
This one goes to Daniel Day-Lewis. His method acting makes his performances perfect. When you see Lincoln, there's no question that he really is Abe Lincoln. If he wins, which I think he will, he'll be the first actor to win three Leading Role Oscars, which puts him in league of his own. I think he deserves it.
The Oscar goes to: Daniel Day-Lewis

Actress in a Leading Role
What I Think
Well, the only movie I've seen in this category I'm pretty sure won't win. With that said, I think it goes to Jennifer Lawrence. She's a breakout actress who, from what I've heard, show great depth in this movie. Her competition is Jessica Chastain, but I don't think she showed as much range as Lawrence did.
The Oscar goes to: Jennifer Lawrence

Actor in a Supporting Role
What I Think
Christoph Waltz. While I personally didn't care for it, critics and viewers alike loved Django Unchained, and I can admit that Christoph Waltz was the best part of the movie. He's funny, serious, and has great range. He also won the Golden Globe for supporting actor, and while that doesn't guarantee anything, it is important.
The Oscar goes to: Christoph Waltz

Actress in a Supporting Role
What I Think
Anne Hathaway. She's gotten so much hype from being in Les Mis, and she moved whole audiences to tears with her extreme emotion and voice. Yet another movie I haven't seen this season, but I gather she made the movie with her dedication to the role. I don't think there's much doubt in anyone's mind of her winning.
The Oscar goes to: Anne Hathaway

Animated Feature Film
What I Think
Pixar has to win. I mean, it's Pixar. So it goes to Brave. It's the first Pixar movie with a female main character, it's set in Scotland so it has killer accents, and it won the Golden Globe. And I don't think I can stress this enough: it's Pixar. The competitor is probably Frankenweenie because Tim Burton.
The Oscar goes to: Brave 

Cinematography
What I Think
Anna Karenina. It was classy and elegant, so I've been told. I've really got to watch more movies. But I've heard it was exceptionally well done. Life of Pi and Skyfall aren't really competitors, so it'll be between Lincoln, Django, and Anna. And I think Anna Karenina gets it.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina

Costume Design
What I Think
This is actually a hard one. As far as I know, all the nominees did really well. I think it's between Anna Karenina and Snow White and the Huntsman, because the costumes enhanced both movies. I guess I think it'll go to Snow White, because they set a mood well. At least they did costumes right.
The Oscar goes to: Snow White and the Huntsman

Directing
What I Think
There are some serious contenders in this category. All the movies were well done, although Life of Pi, Silver Linings Playbook and Lincoln stand out to me. But let's get real here. Steven Spielberg is a genius. As good as everyone else is, Spielberg is better.
The Oscar goes to: Lincoln

Documentary Feature
What I Think
Guys. There are four categories I have no knowledge of this year. This is one of them. I just had to look up what all the movies were about. With that said, I think the Oscar will go to The Invisible War, because I think it will hit home the most and hit the biggest emotional chord.
The Oscar goes to: The Invisible War

Documentary Short
What I Think
Second category I know nothing about. And they all seem good from the descriptions. It's between Inocente and Open Heart, because they're both about children, but I think Inocente, because it's one of those heart warming coming of age tales we all seem to enjoy.
The Oscar goes to: Inocente

Film Editing
What I Think
All the movies in this category have a fighting chance. This is where the winners start to get hard to predict. I think the biggest contenders are Zero Dark Thirty and Life of Pi, and I give the win to Zero Dark Thirty, because I think it has to win something, and I think it did well here.
The Oscar goes to: Zero Dark Thirty

Foreign Language Film
What I Think
Another category I know practically nothing about, I think it'll go to Amour. It's gotten a lot of good hype recently, and it's nominated for Best Picture, so it seems logical that it would win the Foreign Language category. It's also a good story, and an overall well done movie.
The Oscar goes to: Amour

Makeup and Hairstyling
What I Think
There are only three nominations in this category this year, but that doesn't make it much easier. I think it'll go to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, because I think all three movies performed exceptionally in this category, but The Hobbit had the most difficult styles to create.
The Oscar goes to: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Music - Original Score
What I Think
I'd say the top contenders in this category are Anna Karenina and Life of Pi. I think it's going to be Anna Karenina because of the style of the music. It's classical, beautifully written orchestral pieces that perfectly fit both the time period and the events of the movie.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina

Music - Original Song
What I think
I'm pretty sure Les Mis will win this one. I mean, it's a movie adapted from a musical, and they had the original composer from the musical come in to write this song for the movie. When you look at it in that light, nothing else really compares to it.
The Oscar goes to: Les Miserables

Production Design
What I Think
This is another category that's got stiff competition. I don't think I can even pick top contenders for this one. I think it'll go to Les Mis because I think that movie got the most hype out of all in this category, and that might be what it comes down to.
The Oscar goes to: Les Miserables

Short Film - Animated
What I Think
I love animated shorts. So much. Some of the ones this year are weird, but that's kind of the point. I think the top two in this category are Paperman and Head Over Heels, and I think Paperman will win because it's adorable, it's Disney, and it gets the point across without ever saying a word.
The Oscar goes to: Paperman

Short Film - Live Action
What I Think
And this is part four of the I have no idea series. They all seem impressive at first glance. Buzkashi boys has a shot. So does Henry, and Curfew. And basically all of them. This is a hard one. I'm going to say Death of a Shadow, because it's a strange concept that begs to be watched.
The Oscar goes to: Death of a Shadow

Visual Effects
What I Think
Life of Pi. And I'm not sure there's even a contest here. As much as I think the effects in the movie were overdone, they were spectacular, all glowing lights and illusion. Also, they edited a live tiger. One of major characters of the movie was a special effect. That's a win in itself.
The Oscar goes to: Life of Pi

Writing - Adapted Screenplay
What I Think
Some of these I had no idea were adapted. Cool. Well I think the big ones here are Argo and Silver Linings Playbook, and I think Silver Linings will get the win, because it was more emotionally deep and told a story well, giving great characterization and dialogue.
The Oscar goes to: Silver Linings Playbook

Writing - Original Screenplay
What I Think
I think this one will go to Django Unchained. Quentin Tarantino is a madman, but he is well loved for movies that push limits. It was well written with snappy dialogue, neat twists, and excellent development of characters, and was very well received.
The Oscar goes to: Django Unchained

What I Want
From what I've seen this year, that goes to Lincoln. Keep in mind, I haven't seen much. But I think Lincoln deserves it. The acting was phenomenal from all parties, the cinematography was animated and interesting without being sickening, and the script was flawless. It hooks you in and keeps you there the whole time.
The Oscar goes to: Lincoln


What I Want
Daniel Day-Lewis. Watching him made me want Abraham Lincoln as president right now. He's such an incredible actor. Somehow he makes it so when you watch him, you don't realize that he's a famous actor. With some actors there's a disconnect, but Daniel Day-Lewis is just his character, nothing else.
The Oscar goes to: Daniel Day-Lewis


What I Want
I really want Jennifer Lawrence to win. I think she's a stellar performer who isn't letting herself get pigeonholed as a teen movie actress from Hunger Games. She takes any role and makes it great, and she's been nominated before for an Oscar before. I haven't actually seen her in this movie, but I still want her to win.
The Oscar goes to: Jennifer Lawrence


What I Want
I'm rooting for Tommy Lee Jones here. I've always thought he was fantastic, and his role in Lincoln was perfect. Quick-witted and always provided comic relief, he was able to bring laughs and move an audience. His passion shone through the movie, and he was my favorite character, besides Lincoln himself.
The Oscar goes to: Tommy Lee Jones


What I Want
With that being said, I'm rooting for Sally Fields. I know, it would appear that I really like Lincoln. And I do. But I also really like Sally Fields. She puts 100% into every role she plays. Her performance as Mary Todd Lincoln was different than I expected. It was more unhinged and strong. And being surprised is a good thing.
The Oscar goes to: Sally Fields


What I Want
As much as I love Pixar, I thought Wreck-It Ralph was adorable. The plot was something new and creative, the voice acting was brilliant, and there was a great variety of emotion. I laughed, I freaked out a little, it was awesome. I felt like a little kid again, and that's the whole point of animated movies.
The Oscar goes to: Wreck-It Ralph


What I Want
I also want Anna Karenina to get it. As much as I loved Lincoln, I think that Anna Karenina did a fantastic job with this category, from what I've seen of it, being creative and always fitting to the scene. I don't think Django deserves it, so it should go to Anna.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina


What I Want
Once again, I think it should go to Anna Karenina. The costumes were elaborate and time period appropriate, and all around visually stunning. They made the characters real without overpowering anything, which is a tricky balance to get right. And I just think time period costumes are beautiful.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina



What I Want
I have a bias towards Steven Spielberg. I think his movies are fantastic, and one of my favorite movies is a collaboration between him and my other favorite director. And we already know I love Lincoln. It's really a no-brainer that I want Spielberg to win.
The Oscar goes to: Lincoln


What I Want
I think I want The Gatekeepers to win. It sounded the most interesting to me, and it sounded like these documentarians were the ones who did the most digging into dangerous subjects, which I think is both exciting and admirable in trying to uncover a story.
The Oscar goes to: The Gatekeepers


What I Want
From the descriptions, I think I want Kings Point to win. Old people are so sweet, and I think it's an interesting concept to set a documentary in an old folks home. Plus, its listed as a comedy, and it sounds like it could be a good mix of funny and serious, and it's something different.
The Oscar goes to: Kings Point


What I Want
I don't really have a vested interest in this one. I do think Lincoln deserves all the awards, so I hope Lincoln will win, but honestly I think I don't know enough about the other movies nominated to make a fair judgement. So for now I guess I want Lincoln to win.
The Oscar goes to: Lincoln


What I Want
Excuse me while I once again look up all the titles. Well they all sound very serious. Hmm. I think I want No to win, because I like the concept of the movie best, and it had the coolest poster. A Royal Affair sounded good too, but I think it's been done before, and No seems more original.
The Oscar goes to: No


What I Want
I kind of want the win to go to Hitchcock. It's simple design really hits the mark in time period and character accuracy. Les Mis and The Hobbit both did well, but in a very drastic, showy way. I like the understated work that doesn't overpower, but enhances the movie.
The Oscar goes to: Hitchcock



What I Want
I want Anna Karenina to win. The music is stunning. It's something I'd listen to on a regular basis, not just in the movie itself. Like, I'd buy it on iTunes. It's so beautiful, and I think orchestral music always is. It makes me wish I lived in that time period, so I could dance to this music.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina


What I Want
I really don't want Les Mis to win. I think it's stupid to try to add songs to an incredibly famous musical that already has worldwide acclaim. Why mess with perfection? So I want Skyfall to win. I love Adele, and I think the song is beautiful and fitting.
The Oscar goes to: Skyfall


What I Want
I think Les Mis deserves it. The sets were visually stunning, and did a great job of setting the story, mood, place, everything. They really put you right into revolutionary France, and they overall enhanced the impact of the movie. They did the best job.
The Oscar goes to: Les Miserables


What I Want
I want Paperman and Head Over Heels to win. I know two can't actually win the Oscar, but they both look so incredibly cute. Head Over Heels is claymation, and that's always impressive, but Paperman is wicked cute and I love the black and white. I guess Paperman since I've actually seen that one.
The Oscar goes to: Paperman


What I Want
Again, it's hard because I've seen none of them, and now want to see all of them. I've narrowed it to Curfew and Death of a Shadow, and I'll give it to Death of a Shadow, because Curfew seems like a gooey, life lesson learned movie that I either love or hate.
The Oscar goes to: Death of a Shadow


What I Want
I'll just reiterate myself here. They animated a tiger. A huge, living, breathing tiger. He gets thinner as he eats less. He gets wet and soggy when he jumps in the ocean. He roars, he prowls, he eats. It's a real tiger, but completely special effects. That deserves an Oscar.
The Oscar goes to: Life of Pi


What I Want
I always want Lincoln to win. But I've heard that Argo and Silver Linings were also phenomenal. So it's a hard call, especially as Lincoln is the only one I've seen. But I'll give it to Silver Linings, because I heard it was great, and had the largest character arcs of the three.
The Oscar goes to: Silver Linings Playbook


What I Want
I don't like Quentin Tarantino. I think he wrote a good script but sullied it by adding too many swears. Not a fan. Of the remaining nominees, I'm rooting for Moonrise Kingdom, because it was moving and emotional, and accurately portrayed what a child would say.
The Oscar goes to: Moonrise Kingdom

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The Sessions - John Hawkes and Helen Hunt

The Gist

The Sessions
Buy it here and support our blog

Mark O'Brien has had polio since childhood, and as a result can't move any part of his body below his neck. After consulting with his priest, he decides to hire a sex surrogate to help him lose his virginity and make him a man. Obviously the lack of mobility is a problem, but surrogate Cheryl will do anything to help a client understand themselves and their bodies. Sex with no strings attached is harder than it seems.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Run Time: 95 minutes
Rating: R
I remember seeing the trailer for this movie a long time ago, and thinking how it was a weird concept and I would never go see it. And then I went and saw it anyway. Here's the point where I say something along the lines of I was pleasantly surprised and I can't believe how much I loved it, right? Unfortunately not. It was overly graphic and seemed to cling to shock value to keep its viewers hooked. I took a screenwriting class last year, and the teacher did a whole lesson on sex scenes, and how there are intimate ways to do them, and also brash, unnecessary ways to do them. The Sessions only ever uses the over-the-top style sex scene. And I knew there was going to be sex in the movie before I saw it, I'd seen the trailers, but it just wasn't done well. Full frontal nudity shots of Helen Hunt was not something I ever needed to see. And it wasn't necessary to move the plot forward. There were four separate "sessions", and they showed Hunt at least partially naked in all of them. It was really irritating, because they could have cropped the shots to be more modest, or added blankets, or not shown the nudity at all. We would all understand what was happening. But they had to go too big, and it made it uncomfortable, at least for me. It was too much.
I wasn't overly impressed by the acting either. Helen Hunt is up for an Oscar for this role. It isn't that good. It seems like all she does is have sex and then be sad. And it isn't convincingly sad. Anyone can cry crocodile tears. She was the weak link, acting-wise. John Hawkes did a much better job as Mark. And I didn't think that when I first saw the movie, but then I looked at his acting credits. He was in Lincoln, which I saw about a week prior to this, and I didn't recognize him at all. Hawkes has some serious acting chops. His character, Mark, was well played because he didn't incur much pity. Sure, there were times when you felt bad for him, but generally he's cracking snarky jokes. He takes life as it comes, and that's refreshing to see. William H. Macy was the star of the movie though. His character, Father Brendan, was just conflicted enough between God and his friend. It didn't consume him, it just gave him a moment's pause. He added some comedic relief at points, and he made a great friend and companion to Mark. He and Mark's nurse, a sharp witted young woman named Vera, were the most entertaining parts of the film. 
This isn't a long movie. Barely over an hour and a half. I have class periods longer than that. But at times it felt long, and that's a serious issue with a movie of such short length. I found myself thinking that there were whole scenes, characters even, that could be completely cut out of the film. That could mean bad editing, or bad screenwriting, or bad acting, but it's definitely a sign that on the whole, the movie isn't good. And it's not like it's a disappointment, because I wasn't exactly expecting greatness. The points when the movie actually did something worth watching, those were the little joys. I know this is based on a true story, but I feel like they didn't do it justice. It could have been a classier, more entertaining movie. I don't know why it wasn't.

Real Teen Rating ~ D+: It passes time...barely...

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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind- Jim Carey and Kate Winslet

The Gist

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
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Joel and Clementine meet by chance someday and fall in love, their relationship ends up being true and real. Like every relationship though they have their issues, but in their case they can erase each other from their memories. What would you do if you could erase your memory of someone forever? Would you do it?

Real Teen Reviews
Reviewed by: Shorewhisperer
Run Time: 108 minutes
Rating: R

Before I watched this movie I was skeptical. I'm not usually a big indie fan but in this case I fell in love with the entire movie. All I knew about this movie was that the cinematography was amazing and that they had won an Oscar for an original screenplay. So I started watching it and what stood out for me is the characters. Being an actor I like to see character development and right from the start that's what I saw. Winslet is comedic and yet intimidating in the role of Clementine. We see so much of her character in her first scene that we feel that we already know her. Then Jim Carey becomes not only a comedic actor but a dramatic one who actually has some chops. I was very surprised by this. The acting and chemistry between these two characters was raw and intense, which made this movie even better.
Now, I said that I am an actor but I have learned a lot about cinematography (from north star) and I was extremely impressed with the cinematography of this movie. Every time you watch this movie you see a new thing that you didn't notice before. If you hadn't noticed before in all of Joel's dreams the faces which he hasn't seen like Patrick, or faces that are slowly being erased like the Doctor. Every scene has something new or creative, small details that create the world of the movie and helps the movie portray the meaning.
I've talked about cinematography and acting, but the movie actually won an Oscar for best screenplay, so we should probably look at that. The movie plot is very original, it isn't every day that we see a plot line that focuses on psychological question like this movie does. The plot line resembles that of a Christopher Nolan film like Inception or Memento. It takes you a minute to process the movie after it finishes and then finally the movie makes sense.
Finally, the end isn't a happy ending, this made me happy. I get so sick of happy endings where things become a fairy-tale. This movie sticks with its raw indie feel and the ending isn't happy or sad but it's hopeful and yet there is a sense that their relationship that the audience is rooting for is in a very fragile state and although we want to be hopeful for them, we can also see the discouraging side of their relationship.
To finish my review of this movie I want to share my first statement about this movie after watching this movie. "This movie is a 8." "Out of what, Shorewhisperer" "Out of 5!" , that's how much I loved this movie. I realize that this movie is not going to appeal to everyone. I know people who do not like this movie because it is a little strange and slow at parts, to me though it seems like this movie is deeper and more sophisticated than the indie film that most people see.

Real Teen Rating~ A: You MUST watch this movie!!!

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Lincoln - Daniel Day Lewis, Sally Field, and Tommy Lee Jones

The Gist
Throughout the civil war, President Abraham Lincoln must deal with the immense carnage on the battlefield, the struggle for morale throughout the country, and the endeavor to emancipate the slaves.

What We Think
Reviewed by Dream Catcher
Run Time: 150 minutes
Rating: PG-13
I was really hoping to like this movie. After that whole mess of a movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter I wanted things to end on a high note this year for Mr. Lincoln. And everyone was talking about how amazing it was and how brilliant Daniel Day Lewis was and what-have-you. I didn't want to be the odd man out there, either. But I was a little weary. I like historical movies, sure. But how much is too much when it comes straight from the history books, you know? Turns out I had nothing to worry about.
I cannot even begin to describe how perfect Daniel Day Lewis' performance was. Nowhere on Earth or anywhere beyond that could you find a better guy to play him. I completely forgot who he was - he just became Lincoln. Whenever his character told a story, it wasn't Daniel Day Lewis talking, it was President Abraham Lincoln. When he was trying to convince his son not to join the army I was convinced that was really his son and he honestly didn't want him to leave. When he argued with his wife, it wasn't Sally Field and Daniel Day Lewis arguing. It was Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. He was so believable I can't even imagine him not getting a Golden Globe or an Academy Award for Best Actor. Similarly, Sally Field was amazing. She played the craziness of Mary Todd Lincoln perfectly, and I found her performance completely believable, though she never usurped Daniel Day Lewis as Almighty King of Lincoln Acting. To round out the Best Acting Nominees, Tommy Lee Jones was better than amazing. He had some great lines, and some great speeches and I hung on to every word of every one of them. He deserves an award for her performance as well. I can't think of a single way he could have played it better.
I'll move on to the script, which is also Golden Globe nominated. Sensing a pattern of greatness, huh? The script for Lincoln as so unbelievably good...I can't even talk about it. It was so good. So. Good. So good. I loved every second of what I was watching, what I was listening to, what I was seeing. It was so entertaining, historical, and surprisingly funny. I never knew it, but Abraham Lincoln was quite the story teller, and he told a few great stories throughout the film. All of them were written so perfectly. Gah, I don't know what else to say. The script was just awesome. And that's all there is to it.
I guess that's all, folks. I've only really talked about two things (acting and the script?) but those were the two major aspects of the movie that were beyond fantastic. There were other elements of the movie I appreciated (what comes to mind: the filter. The darkness in the shots was really beautiful and I think kind of emphasizes the darkness of the times) but the ones I just focused on were what made the movie truly great. The only slight complaint was that it did feel long. I was never bored, but the long-factor was getting to be a bit too much. Any longer and it would have been too long. But other than that the movie was magical. I felt as though I was watching Lincoln himself, confiding to his loved ones, grieving over his lost son, never crumbling under the stress of his proclamations. It was such a strong sort of film. So beautifully put together it made me wish I knew more about that time, more about that president. And despite the inevitable ending, there was a spark of hope, so I left the movie theater feeling full, instead of empty. I think that's how movie's should be.

Real Teen Rating ~ A : You MUST watch this movie!

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Wreck-It Ralph - John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman and Jack McBrayer

The Gist

Wreck-It Ralph
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Litwak's Arcade is a place where kids go to play games and forget about their worries.  At the arcade there is a game called Fix it Felix Jr. and it has been one of the most popular games for 30 years.  There is just one small problem.  The villain of the game, Ralph, doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore.  He wants the people of his game to like him and appreciate who he is.  While celebrating the 30th anniversary of the game the characters don't invite him to the party and he vows to them that he will prove he is a good guy and that he will come back with a medal showing that he is a hero.  So, Ralph sets off to find the medal and prove that he is a good guy after all.  

What We Think
Reviewed by The North Star
Run Time: 108 minutes
Rating: PG
I saw this movie today after hearing that it was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature and I had wanted to see it for a long time because it looked adorable.  I was so glad that I did see this movie because it was adorable. One of the things that I really loved about it was that fact that it was completely new and never thought of before.  When I first saw the commercials I thought wow a movie that isn't based off a book and it has an original idea.  Disney always seems to amaze me with their ideas.  Who thought of to tell the story of characters in an arcade but not only that but the villains perspective.  It would have been way easier for them to tell the story through Felix's eyes but instead they decided to show it through Ralph's eyes and how he deals with the situation.  I applaud you whoever works at Disney.  
Speaking of the story, this was a really great kids movie.  If I knew someone under the age of ten and I wanted to take them to see a movie I would 1000% choose to take them to this one.  It was witty, adorable and had a very happy ending.  The perfect ingredients for a children's movie.  I love children's movies too but something seemed to be missing from this movie.  The second half of the movie at points a little too childish to me.  Almost like they spelled things out a little too much.  Granted it was made for a younger audience in mind but Disney is usually good about making movies good for the parents to watch along with their kids.  The whole movie was not this way but there were points where it felt very little kidish to me and they were parts that could have been made non-little kidish.  The one other thing that I wished for this movie was that they traveled to other games because they only really traveled to a couple.  The ones that they traveled to were fine but I wish that they added one or two more because the couple that they went to seemed like they spent to much time in the games that they went to. Other than those parts though the film was full of things that I enjoyed even as a teenager.
On a different topic the voice acting in this movie is perfect.  I applaud the casting director because they couldn't have gotten better actors to play the roles.  John C. Reilly was the voice of Ralph and I loved how innocent he made the character sound without making it seem like Ralph complained a lot or was even weak.  Sarah Silverman was the voice of a little girl that Ralph makes friends with along the way and I NEVER guessed that it was Sarah Silverman's voice.  I only found that out after the movie when I was researching who played who.  She did an amazing little kid voice and again was perfect for the role.  Jack McBrayer voiced Fix it Felix and I know him from 30 Rock because he plays the adorable page, Kenneth.  He had a very good tone to his voice to make it seem like Felix could be a kid but he could also be an adult which is very much what the character of Felix was like.  Not quite a man but also not quite a boy either.  Finally, Jane Lynch.  I was afraid when I heard about her being the voice actor because her voice is so distinctive and I didn't think that the two would be able to be distinguished.  I was so wrong.  They made the character look a lot like Jane Lynch so they didn't try to hide the fact that she was the character.  I thought this was ingenious because since she has such a distinctive voice and they worked with that so that she could still be in the movie and be amazing. 
In short, this was a fantastic children's movies and if you have kids you should take them.  I also think that it should win Best Animated Film in the Oscars because besides the parts I didn't care for I thought that it was extremely well done and there were some part that I couldn't stop laughing at. 

Real Teen Rating ~ B : Rent it to save for a rainy day.

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Django Unchained - Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio

The Gist

Django Unchained
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Dr. King Schultz, bounty hunter, buys Django out of slavery to help him find three white men who used to work on the plantation where Django had just been sold from. When Django shows a natural talent for bounty hunting, the two men strike up a partnership, spending the winter killing criminals for money. As they get closer, they decide to go on a search for Django's wife, who was sold away from him when he was sold. Their search brings them to the plantation of Calvin Candie, where they have to pull off a crafty scheme to save Django's wife from the cruelty of the slavery system.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Run Time: 165 minutes
Rating: R
This movie is so long. So. Long. It's nearly three hours long. I'm having a hard time getting past the sheer length of this film. It probably doesn't help that I went to see a 9:45 showing, so I got out at almost 1 in the morning. But seriously, it's so long. And the worst part is that it feels long. A three hour film can go by in no time if it is absolutely captivating and fast paced. Django Unchained, despite all of its hype, wasn't. There were a ton of little montage shots, and even some whole scenes, that could have been cut from the movie entirely, and it wouldn't have suffered. The thought process behind a movie is that every detail has meaning. If it doesn't characterize or progress the plot, it has no purpose. And some of the shots did characterize, but still felt unnecessary. Most of them didn't do either, and that gets me neatly to my next point.
This movie is directed by Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino is very much a hit or miss director. His most famous movie is probably Pulp Fiction, which most people either love or hate. Basically, he gets strong reactions. But he's so excessive in his effects. Characteristics of his movie are lots of swearing, lots of blood, and lots of explosions. And that's usually too much, but he somehow manages to outdo himself in this movie. I'm not affected by the sight of blood in the least, and even I was cringing at this one. Gunshots that would in real life produce practically no blood, on the screen produce gushing streams that shoot five, ten feet out from a body. It's totally unrealistic, and honestly it's just gross. And some of the scenes are wicked graphic. Fights to the death, whipping, a man literally being torn apart by dogs. There's no purpose to it except to shock the audience. That's really all Tarantino can do. Flashy, shock movies that are intended to get a rise out of the viewers. This is the first movie I've seen of his that had serious potential as a script, and all he could do was drag it through the mud. Granted, it did have some redeemable qualities, even some good scenes, but I would chalk that up to a fluke, and not give credit to Tarantino. Also, there was way too much use of the 'n' word. I know it's set in 1858, and that's slavery time, but it was so much. I think any word has value, but overuse of a word devalues it, and that's what happened here. They said the 'n' word so much, it ended up doing nothing at all. Which brings up a question: is this movie supposed to be a satire?
So, is it? I couldn't tell, and that frustrated me. Sometimes it leaned that way. The excessive gore, coupled with the Mark Twain-esque use of the 'n' word, made it seem like a satire. There was even one scene involving the KKK that was actually funny, and clearly poking fun at racism as an organization. But that was the only funny part of the movie. So maybe it wasn't a satire at all, maybe it was supposed to be serious. A hard hitting drama with a powerful message. So why was that funny part in there? And what's with the grotesque amount of gore and foul language? It would appear that this movie is trying to be two totally different types of movies, and ends up being a confusing mess. 
But there's a good side to every story. The script of this movie, minus the gratuitous swearing, was actually well written. It was an interesting story, although I think realistically it should have been broken into three movies, because I think there were three distinct sections of the story. Which makes it surprising that it wasn't split into thirds, given the recent trend in Hollywood to stretch every plot line out to kingdom come. It was a good story that could have been made into a truly great movie. The acting was also, for the most part, really well done. Jamie Foxx was ok, but I'd say the stars are Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson. Christoph Waltz, the German man, was fantastic. He was probably my favorite character, because he was cunning and he knew exactly where his morals lay, even if they weren't the typical morals of society. Leonardo DiCaprio was the perfect bad guy, which was surprising to me, because I've never seen him play the villain. He was wonderfully greasy and sleazy, and he made me hate him more than I thought I could. Samuel L. Jackson was more of a minor character, but he was powerful. He played the slave master of the house, basically the head slave, whose allegiance was in more with Candie and the white folk than his own people. He was clearly intelligent, but knew his place, and his character stole the show as the real bad guy in the story. He was incredible. The only actor I really didn't like was Kerry Washington, who played Django's wife Broomhilda. She screamed too much. And I know she was a deeply abused slave, but seriously. Every time someone looked at her funny she screamed. It got as old as all the blood. 
Overall, I'm disappointed. This could have been so good. There was so much potential just waiting for a spark. And then Quentin Tarantino threw copious amounts of blood all over it, and the spark went out. The acting was good, but that wasn't enough to redeem the movie as a whole. This movie should have stayed chained.

Real Teen Rating ~ C: If there's nothing else to see...

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Les Misérables - Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe

The Gist

Jean Valjean has been in jail for 19 years for stealing bread.  He has finally been released but before he leaves he is informed by Javert, a policeman, that he must carry around a paper saying that he was in jail and that it would be virtually impossible to find a job.  Javert also lets him know that if he breaks any laws he will hunt him down and throw him right back in jail.  Jean Valjean leaves and soon finds out that what Javert says is true.  No one will hire him or even take him in.  One night he stumbles upon  a church and the priest lets him take shelter for the night.  During the night Jean Valjean steals silver from the priest and runs away.  As he runs away he is caught and send back to give the priest his silver.  When he goes back the priest informs the officers that he gave Jean Valjean the silver and that he did not steal it. The priest lets Jean Valjean know that this is his chance to start again.  Jean Valjean leaves the church with a purpose to his life, rips up his papers and decides to start his life as a new man with a new name.  

What We Think
Reviewed by The North Star
Run Time: 160 minutes
Rating: PG-13
I have been a fan of this musical ever since I heard "On My Own".  After listening to the song about 100 times I decided to listen to the rest of the CD and I found that I loved all of the songs and not just the one that I had listened to over and over again.  A year or so later I got to see a local production and I fell in love with the show.  As the years went by I continued listening to the soundtrack and never stopped loving it.  Then about a year ago I heard that they were finally making the musical into a movie.  I couldn't wait to see it.  For a year I patiently waited for the movie and as soon as I could I went to go see it.  I wasn't expecting for it to be just as good as any other movie-musical and that is all that it was.  I love the music and the story to this musical a lot more than other movie-musicals but it was nothing that I wasn't expecting.
First off, something that I found out a couple of weeks before seeing the movie was that all of the actors are actually singing.  On the set they were recorded singing the song and when editing the film together they used those recordings.  Nothing was mixed in the studio after the fact. It would be the same as if you saw it on a stage.  The actors are really singing and are not enhanced in any way to make themselves sound better.  The was a cool fun fact but it definitely raised the grade for me because it shows that the all-star cast could actually sing instead of just act. 
When I first heard about them making the musical into a movie I heard of who was rumored to be the leading roles and I was very disappointed because with the exception of Eponine and Marius all of the actors were household names that people knew.  I was especially upset when I heard that Fantine was going to be played by Anne Hathaway.  I don't particularly care for her as an actor and Fantine has some of the most famous songs in the show.  Going in with that mind set I walked out with the complete opposite thought in my head.  After seeing her performance I think that she deserves the Oscar.  She played Fantine to near perfection.  Her performance was so raw and real.  When she started singing "I Dreamed A Dream" I couldn't look away from the screen.  She had brought meaning to that song that I never knew existed.  She broke down crying in the middle of a line and took a second to catch her breath which is what would really happen if you were in her situation.  Most of the times that I saw someone perform that song they would break down at the end of a line which isn't necessarily realistic.  In short, Anne Hathaway was amazing and deserves to be recognized for her role.  
The other actors were actually pretty good as well.  Hugh Jackman was a great Jean Valjean but not amazing.  He had an amazing voice and was a great actor and he did better than I expected.  Russell Crowe on the other hand struggled.  His acting was stellar but his singing not so much.  It wasn't horrendous but the character of Javert has some of the greatest songs and he butchered them.  He was a better singer than I thought but I wish that it was better.  His acting and looks made up for the singing, so that was ok.  The girl that played Eponine (Samantha Barks) didn't reach the bar.  "On My Own" is one of the greatest songs from the show and it fell completely flat.  It didn't feel like she sung her heart out or put any emotion into the song for that matter.  Marius (Eddie Redmayne) was another unknown in the cast but he did really well.  Usually the character of Marius is kind of a weenie because he is so lovestruck but Eddie played him really well and made the character seem more manly which was a refreshing change.  Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter played the expert scammers and they were amazing.  Their parts were very small but they were amazing in the few parts that they were in.  They are the comic relief of the movie and I am always grateful when they come on because the show is so heavy.  Overall, the acting in the film was very strong.
While looking at the Golden Globe nominations I saw that this movie was nominated for best original song and I was confused because this show already had SO many songs.  Then I saw the film waiting for the song and it was completely unneeded.  I could tell that it was added only so that it could be nominated for that category.  Don't get me wrong, the song sounded pretty and was well-written but to me it seemed very out of place.  It made me very upset to think they had to add another song just to get nominated for another category.  The music has been known as legendary ever since the first showing of the musical, there is no need to add a new song now.  
The last thing that really bothered me about this film was the cinematography.  The cinematographer only used a couple shots.  Extreme close-ups, shots that awkwardly cut off people's boy parts like foreheads or arms and shots where the character was only in one third of the screen and the rest was all just te background.  All of these are good shots to use when making a film but they shouldn't be the only shots that you use for the entire film.  I wish that they would have broadened the horizons and done something different every once in a while but they didn't.  Although, I did appreciate the use of the long shots.  Those are very difficult to do and to do well so I applaud the cinematographer for those.
All in all, I thought this movie was very well done and will be remembered and I will probably end up buying it on DVD or even seeing it in theaters again.  It lived up to my expectations and nothing more.  At points it took my breath away but as a whole it didn't exceed what I was expecting and that is why I can't give it an A. 

Real Teen Rating ~ B+ : Worth Watching!

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Anna Karenina - Keira Knightly, Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

The Gist

Anna Karenina
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Anna Karenina is an honorable, married woman with an important husband and a son who is dear to her. And she is, for the most part, content with her life. It doesn't matter so much to her that her husband is twenty years her senior or that he doesn't care to spend time with her and their son; he is a good man. When her brother, Stiva, writes to her for help she leaves St. Petersberg for Moscow immediately, altering her life forever. There, after convincing Dolly (Stiva's wife) to forgive him for cheating, Anna is persuaded to attend a ball. Her sister-in-law, Kitty, is certain she will be proposed to there by one handsome officer named Alexei Vronsky. Much to Kitty's displeasure, at the ball it's not her Vronsky can't take his eyes off of; it's Anna. It becomes clear to both Anna and Vronsky after only a few dances that they have a connection. Unable to shake her feelings for Vronsky, Anna faces more than just scandal in response to her ensuing love affair.

What We Think
Reviewed by Dream Catcher
Run Time: 129 minutes
Rating: R
My first reaction, directly following the credits, was That was the most depressing movie I've ever seen. And though I've amended my statement to be simply one of the most depressing movies ever, it doesn't change the fact that the movie as a whole is ridiculously sad. Very tragic, really. But I shouldn't give away the ending.
Let me first say something of the score, which is Golden Globe nominated, because I'm listening to it as I type. It is so beautiful. It just makes me want to leap up and dance some traditional Russian Waltz. Equal parts elegance and melancholy, always with a great deal of lamenting violin. I want to play them as I go to sleep so I can dream of something romantic and sad. If it doesn't win Best Original Score I'll be very upset. My favorite song might be the one to go along with the credits, Curtain, or maybe the one to start off the whole movie, Overture, of perhaps the symphony of when Vronsky and Anna fall in love, Dance With Me. I don't know. It's so hard to pick. They're all so wonderful.
Speaking of wonderful, the art direction, which I usually keep out of the review, was just amazing as well. The whole thing was made as if being performed on a stage, in an abstract way. Doors of offices would open to reveal grassy fields or ballet stages. It was crazy, entrancing, and completely unique. I'd never seen anything like it before. I thought it added something to the film, distinguishing it as something greater than just a romance movie. Though the plot may not be anything beyond that, I feel as though the art of the movie itself makes it worth seeing.
I might as well say something about the plot and script while I've brought it up. Though the book it's made from is really in-depth, the movie is not. It is, simply, a romance. A fantastical, heart-breaking romance, but nothing more. This, with critics and fans alike, left something to be desired. What is there beyond scandal? Beyond affair and forbidden love and shame? Well, there's nothing. This is a story of love, of passion, of mistakes and regret and shame. Though the book dives deeper, it has longer. Who wants to watch a four-hour long movie as the script attempts to delve into the inner mechanisms of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina? You could read a few chapters of the book every so often, finish it eventually, and think, Wow, Tolstoy really hit the nail on the head. But he didn't have two hours to do it, did he? People are searching for something that can't be there: substance beyond romance. I thought it was a superb romantic-tragedy, a tale-of-woe perhaps, but philosophy of life? Not there, my friend. And it wasn't intended to be there. The screenwriter didn't accidentally leave it out of the script, or forget to write it in. It just wasn't what everyone expected. My advice: if you want a simple, elegant romance, better than some romantic-comedy, watch it - anything beyond that...read the book. One major complaint is that it felt like Anna and Vronsky fell in love too quickly. They danced all night at a ball (oh, the scandal!) and suddenly they couldn't bear to be apart. Does love work that way? Does dancing work that way? I dunno, maybe in Imperial Russia it does.
I guess last and not least is acting. I thought Keira Knightly as Anna was great. She played all of Anna's emotions well. When she was missing her son, crazy with uncertainty, longing and in love, desperate and sad. I know a lot of people thought she was fickle, but I would describe her more as confused, innocent maybe. I thought, after what she'd been through, her emotions didn't seem so irrational, and I think Knightly's portrayed helped with that. Jude Law as her husband was really good, too. He hardly ever showed much emotion, but in that he made the character very believable. The only other I'll mention is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the guy who played Vronsky. I thought he played the part well, too. His character was well-bred and full of pomp, giving an air of elegance himself, despite his (let's say) womanizing beginnings. This, I daresay, isn't very hard to play - nevertheless, Taylor-Johnson played him well enough, and there's really not a lot to say about it. The entire cast was decent, and even good, but none Oscar or Golden Globe worthy.
In conclusion, I think the movie should be more known for its art direction, costuming, score, and cinematography - all of which were beautifully executed. Though the script left a little something to be desired, for what it was - a romance - it was very good. I would recommend it, but not to everyone. I think it was a little long for some people; if you're one of those who notice a movie's length and are bored beyond two hours, I wouldn't say you should see it. But if you'd like to see a tragic love story with beautiful backgrounds and stunning costumes and elegant dances, give it a try. I don't think you'll be sorry.

Real Teen Rating ~ B : Rent it to save for a rainy day.

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Silver Linings Playbook- Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro

The Gist

Silver Linings Playbook
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Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) has just been released from a mental health facility after being treated for 8 months.  His mother (Jacki Weaver) made a deal with the court that he could return as long as he visited a therapist every week.  Pat has bipolar disorder and was sent to the facility after finding out his wife, Nikki, was cheating on him and nearly beat her lover to death.  Now that he is out of the hospital he is determined to win her back and prove that he has become a better man worthy of her love.  He trains day and night to show friends and family to give him a second chance and possibly lift the restraining order that Nikki had placed after the incident.
While he is training Pat reconnects with his friend who invites him over for dinner.  While at the dinner Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). The dinner quickly takes a turn for the worse and Pat and Tiffany decide to leave.  As the days go by Pat and Tiffany grow closer, when Tiffany reveals that she may be able to give a letter to Nikki from Pat if he would like.  The only catch is that Pat must compete with Tiffany in a local dance competition.  
As all of the this goes on Pat's father (Robert De Niro) tries to connect to him through football and tells Pat that he is his good luck charm.  As long as Pat watches the game with him the Eagles will win.  This becomes more and more difficult as Pat blows off his dad for various reasons. 
Pat must now decide whether or not he can trust Tiffany with her deal and if he can please his father at the same time.  

What We Think
Reviewed by The North Star
Run Time: 122 minutes
Rating: R
Every year my family and I go see a film on Christmas Eve.  This year we looked really hard for a film to go see and I had heard so much about this film that I somehow convinced my family to go see it with me.  When we got there, there was only two other people in the theater.  As it became closer and closer to the actual time the movie was going to started large groups of people filed into the theater.  By the time the film started there were only a few seats vacant. I was completely surprised because this film had been out since before Thanksgiving and on top of that it was an independent film, indie, and most times no one goes to see indies in theaters.  They wait for them to come out on DVD.  The second that the movie started I knew that I was going to like it and that I could understand why it had been nominated for four golden globes.  
Before I go into specifics that golden globes that it has been nominated for are Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, Best Actor - Musical or Comedy - Bradley Cooper, Best Actress - Musical or Comedy - Jennifer Lawrence and Best Screenplay - David O. Russell.  
This post is going to be broken down into the different awards because this is what the critics are giving the movie praise for.  First off, the acting.  Going into the movie I had only seen Bradley Cooper in movies like Limitless and Valentine's Day.  In both of those movies he wasn't anything special and I never really thought of him as a serious actor.  After watching this film all I can say is that he truly deserves that Golden Globe possibly the Oscar.  He played the role perfectly.  Often with movies that involve mental diseases or disorders the actor with the disorder will overplay the role and make it seem extremely unrealistic.  Bradley Cooper never came close to that.  He always played a character I could believe and made me forget that he was Bradley Cooper but instead that he was this completely new person, Pat Solitano. Then, we move on to Jennifer Lawrence.  Coming into the film I knew that she was going to be good because she is consistently good.  Even in The Hunger Games which is a big budget film where acting doesn't necessarily matter she was amazing.  This movie was no exception.  Even though she wasn't the MAIN character she still had a huge role and in my opinion she stole the show.  Her character also had a mental disorder, which is never specifically stated but I think it was some sort of anger management or fear of abandonment.  She also played this very realistically.  It was very understated and very true to what someone with that kind of disorder would act like.  Every line pulled me closer and closer to her character and by the end I felt as though I could perfectly understand her and it was as if I had known her my whole life.  Again, I forgot that she was Jennifer Lawrence and I 100% believed that she was Tiffany.  Her comedic timing in the film was perfection, same with Bradley Cooper and although there were other characters in the movie their acing didn't even compare to these two.  If they don't win some sort of high award I will be completely shocked.  
Now, onto the screenplay.  At the end of the film during the credits it said that it was based off of a book.  I didn't know that and so as soon as I got home I looked it up.  The film was adapted to a screenplay by a man by the name of David O. Russell.  After looking at the plot line of the book I found that at lot of the things didn't match up with the movie and for once I was glad that I had seen the film first.  It seems that some of the things that I really liked in the movie were different in the book.  I do not want to give away any spoilers but I think I would see the movie first.  Anyways, I thought the script was brillant.  I was never bored and I never had the urge to start staring at the ceiling or check my phone to see what time it was.  It was funny but never pushed a joke so much that it was hitting you over the head.  The jokes very subtle and clever.  The only thing that I would have changed was a part with the therapist at the Eagles game.  It seemed unrealistic and unneeded.  Other than that I thought the script was one of the best that I have seen in a LONG time and I hope that it wins but there is a lot of competition this year.
All in all I liked almost everything in this movie and I highly recommend it.  There are only tiny things that I would have changed but overall I see it winning a lot of the big awards this year.  I will definitely be one of the people rooting for it at the award shows. 

Real Teen Rating~ A- : See it with some friends!        

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