November Movie Preview

Ever since the school year began, there haven't been that many good movies to head out and see on the weekends. Grant it, there were some exceptional ones, but mostly it's been a lot of cheaply produced Hollywood films that just want money and present nothing new. But when I took a look at the November release list, I noticed movie after movie that I want (well, need) to see. Each weekend there's often two or three good looking movies that will get me into the theatre, and I think it'll pull huge amounts of people in as well. Here are just a few that I'm getting really excited for.

November 1st - Ender's Game

We start off November with a big screen adaption of a popular novel, Ender's Game. The plot, though I haven't read the book, seems really intriguing. This place takes children and trains them starting very young to fight in the military in the war against invaders on their planet. The trailers have proven that it's going to be a big budget visual spectacular, but the real question is if it can pull off a good story along with their large war scenes. Either way, I'm getting really excited for the film. The trailers have presented a lot of potential, and the teenage actors seem like they know what they're doing, as opposed to a large amount of child actors nowadays. This'll be a movie that could go either way, but anyone looking for a halfway decent sci-fi film will come flocking to this.
About Time

I'll be honest, I never usually gain interest in romantic comedies. And no, I'm not saying that just to seem all manly and such. I just genuinely think that romantic comedies never fare too well in the sense of being different (they all end in love or tragedy, literally no in between), and they all generally have the weak dialogue and humor. Grant it, I have seen some really great rom coms recently (first one I can think of is Bridesmaids), but hardly any have left me feeling good about the movie. However, after seeing the trailer for About Time, I genuinely believe this'll be one of the better ones. With a plot involving time travel, it could be a bit too risky and over the top, but on the other hand it could work out really well. From what I've seen, the acting seems nice and simple and the story doesn't seem like a forced wreck.
November 8th - Thor: The Dark World

I was a huge fan of Thor from the start. Of course, I've loved all the recent Marvel movies lately. They have all had some fantastic action scenes and crazy great visuals, but something unique about these comic book movies is that they've added layers to their characters and makes them more emotionally connectable to the audience. Thor: The Dark World looks like it'll be a bit darker in tone but will also add a great deal to the characters we've grown to love. And it features the fantastic Loki, whom I believe won't be in the Avengers 2, so we may as well enjoy him and his greatness while we can.
November 22nd - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

I'll admit there is a lot of bias here, but I believe Catching Fire is going to be one of the best movies of the entire year, and here's why: It has increased the visual effects, added tons of incredible actors to the cast, adding onto the original cast which was already phenomenal, and judging from the trailers it has stayed really faithful to the book. It appears that they put a lot of detail and thought into all of the scenes to emphasize everyhing so fans of the books will rave over it and the non-book readers will love it just the same. I'm the biggest nerd for this franchise (I have 5 shirts, 2 pins, a blanket, a calendar, and a backpack) because I've just grown so connected to the series and everything about it. And the incredible Jennifer Lawrence is Katniss, so what's not to love?
November 29th - Frozen

Disney animation has been growing in quality at a rapid rate. Of course, Disney's Pixar has always had a fantastic reputation, but that's just a company Disney bought. The most recent Disney animation (Wreck-It Ralph) was an incredible and unexpected gem that many grew to love and it instantly became a favorite. And many would also argue Wreck-It Ralph beat out Pixar's Brave and should have won the Oscar. And before that, Disney presented us with Tangled, an enjoyable and fun adaption of the Rapunzel tale. And now we are given Frozen, which I sense is a lot like Tangled in the sense of animation and story line. But knowing what Disney is capable, Frozen will be a lively and re watchable tale that will fit in perfectly with the family holiday gatherings.



American Horror Story: Coven - Episode 3 "The Replacements" Review

*SPOILERS BELOW*

 

This season has had some incredible dialogue already. Nearly every other scene is filled with just filled with intense scenes involving the fantastic Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, and Lily Rabe. And yet again, this episode proved that every single cast member knows what to do to give as much depth to their characters as possible.

 

This episode starts out giving us some back story on what this school for witches was like. It also showed the young Fiona as a student, seeking to know everything their is about witchcraft. However, young Fiona is also shown to have an obsession with power, and she finishes the intro killing the old Supreme so she could begin to be the head witch. Though Jessica Lange is only giving one line in the first scene, she steals the entire introduction. The actress that, yet again, stole the entire episode was Lily Rabe as Misty Day. She plays this character that is so alone in the world and just wants someone to keep her company. Her heartbreak and longing is portrayed so well that even though she has one scene in episode 3, it's the first scene I think of when I reflect back on the episode.

 

The tensions between the witch world and the voodoo world grows even more fierce and it's very evident that a war is going to break soon. There's already so much corruption on both sides of the war that literally anything could happen, making this one of the most unpredictable seasons yet. Another show stealer was surprisingly Emma Roberts, who many have had doubts with from the announcing of her casting. Roberts has proved to be fantastic in the show. Though she's playing the typical teenage girl from the outside, she has added tons of layers to her character on the inside, making it so interesting to watch these past few weeks. However, this episode also decided to conclude with Fiona killing off Roberts' Madison in fear that Madison would take Fiona's spot as the new Supreme. But with past experiences watching this show, I don't think we've seen the last of Emma Roberts.

 

Coven has been the most visually stunning season of them all. From the wide shots of the vivacious city of New Orleans to the luscious swamp lands, Coven continually proves to be focused on quality dialogue as well as an unforgettable viewing experience. I immediately crave more once each episode ends, and that's what American Horror Story has always been about: making a viewing experience like none other.

Carrie - Movie Review

Carrie is perhaps one of the most widely-known plot lines around (yes, we all know about that chaotic prom night with the pig blood prank.) But for some reason, this remake doesn't seem like just another remake. I feel like the message this story pulls across in more needed now than every before: the extreme effects bullying can have on a person. It's a story that just really makes you think long and hard about out society today.

First off, the acting is absolutely incredible. Chloe Grace Moretz brings a huge emotional side to Carrie, making us feel bad for her the entire time. Moretz is such a promising young actress of our generation because she just understands how to bring a character to life. Even though it's hard to follow up the original performance of Carrie by Sissy Spacek, Moretz doesn't try to one-up her. Instead, she takes Carrie and transforms her in a different way, making her a misunderstood teenager of our generation, and the scary thing is is that she is incredibly relatable for most of us. Julianne Moore also proves, yet again, that she is a phenomenal actress that knows how to get into those psychological roles.

The action and CGI was off and on for me. A lot of the modern day effects did improve the true horror of what happens on prom night, but it also goes a bit too far in some spots, almost to the point where it looks really fake. I'll admit, 80% of the time the CGI and action scenes were very good, but that other 20% was border-lining the almost ridiculous side of it. Carrie's big prom freak out and crazy side was a huge plus though, once again thanks to Moretz. She proves she has that sad, innocent side to her along with the absolute furious and murderous side.

Overall Carrie doesn't vary too much from the original, only differing in the sense that this is a modern-time adaption where we see teenagers now able to use social networking as a form of bullying. Carrie makes you think a lot, and may make you emotionally unstable. It makes you really think about bullying and how serious it is for some people. Is it even worth it to bully even if you're just trying to fit in with a certain group or get rid of your own insecurities? This is the true question the film asks. You never know what someone else is going through, and sometimes all they actually need is a friend. The next time you think about saying or doing something that's cruel, just think if it's actually worth it or not. It's a heartbreaking tale told well through the modern times, and I believe everyone should see it to get a wake up call on our society. A-

American Horror Story: Coven - Episode 2 "Boy Parts" Review

*SPOILERS BELOW*

The first few episodes of each season of American Horror Story always make me really anxious, and I'll tell you why. They're never afraid to throw huge drastic plot twists within the first 4 episodes or so. It's not like a regular series, which usually throws in the big plot twist at midseason or the finale of that season. American Horror Story has a different story each season, so they can't afford to hold off of their huge plot twists, they throw them in at any time. The second episode, "Boy Parts," has already set up some plot lines that I believe will escalate very quickly and soon all chaos is going to break lose.

The episode starts off with some award-winning acting by Lily Rabe, which also includes some people getting eaten by alligators, a deceased boy was brought back to life in a Frankenstein/witch spell type of thing, and the war between witches and voodoo starts rolling. Basically, this episode is setting up a lot of horror to unfold. These first two episodes haven't included too much horror yet, and it's been sailing as a much lighter season than the previous two seasons. However, I feel like that's going to change very soon. 

I honestly think the actress that stole this evening's episode was Lily Rabe, who plays Misty Day, a witch who has the power of resurgence (the ability to bring things back to life.) She plays a Snow White-kind of character: a very innocent woman who lives in such a harsh world. Of course, everyone in this show is an incredible actor or actress, and every single one brings something awesome to their character. Emma Roberts is a breakthrough, I must say. Not many thought she'd fit into the show well, but she's doing great. Taissa Farmiga as the newbie witch is doing some excellent things as well. 

Jessica Lange, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates... alright soon I'll just be listing the entire cast. It's rare you find a show that literally every actor is dedicated to the show and doesn't see it as just another paycheck. They're bringing this story to life. That's also assisted through the phenomenal camerawork and settings. From the swamps of Louisiana to the eerily large house of the school of witches. Everything is incredible.

So to recap in one sentence: Things are definitely taking a turn for the worst, and soon an all out war is going to start. I can't wait! If there's one thing about this show, it's that once you start watching you can't stop. 

Captain Phillips - Movie Review

Hostage situations always make for the most intense scene, and the majority of this movie is basically one big hostage situation. There's literally not one moment where you don't have that feeling of dread and wonder what's going to happen next, even though the ending is predictable. It's one big thrill ride crafted well with fantastic acting, a great score, and some gritty camera angles that whisk you inside the cramped boats like you've been taken hostage right with Captain Phillips.

To start off, I have to mention that Tom Hanks gave a very commendable performance as the lead. It's some of the most powerful acting he's done in a while, in my opinion. There were some points where I wish he had reacted differently or treated the situation with more thought, but I also think it works because in situations like these it's difficult to react in a normal way. The acting of the terrorists was incredible, and it's for one simple reason. The terrorists themselves were very unsure of what they were doing, presenting a lot of unpredictability on screen. The audience never knew what to expect or what one of them would do next, and it translated well from the script to the big screen.

I think the thing that really made the scenes so intense were the smart camera angles that made for some incredibly claustrophobic feelings. I felt like I was right there in the boats being thrown around and such. The shots are gritty and unflinching, not once relinquishing the stern grip it takes upon its audience. The cinematography is just downright fantastic and I honestly believe that's what really made for the suspenseful film.

And before I conclude, I must mention the excellent music that accompanies this movie. A lot of movies don't use music to their advantage like they should, because it can really create an unforgettable atmosphere (the first example that comes to my head was Gravity, which I saw last week.) Combine the cinematography, the score, and some quality acting, Captain Phillips exerts a lot of talent.

Captain Phillips isn't a perfect movie by any means. It drags a bit from time to time. Not too often, but the movie stretches over the 2 hour mark, which is a bit too long in my opinion. I also felt like they could've added more emotional impact instead of trying to cram all the emotions into the last 20 minutes or so. Regardless, the film works as a fantastic action and suspense thriller. The movie loses a bit of steam towards the middle when things start to get a bit repetitive, but it finds its way back on tracks and concludes with a relentless last half hour that'll make you feel like you're right there with Captain Phillips, fighting for his life. B+

American Horror Story: Coven - Episode 1: "Bitchcraft" Recap/Review

Let your nightmares begin, ladies and gentlemen, for American Horror Story's third season, Coven, is here! American Horror Story's first season took us to Los Angeles where we explored the "Murder House," a home that was filled with dark secrets and violent ghosts. Season 2, Asylum, took us into Briarcliff, an asylum for the mentally insane, and explored themes like Nazis, satanic possession, Catholicism, and serial killers. And now, season 3, Coven, takes us to present day New Orleans, and that is where my recap and review will begin.

SPOILERS BELOW

One never fully knows what to expect when a new season of American Horror Story begins. The trailers just give us a taste on what is to come, but never release too much plot detail. That's one of the great things about this show is that you never know what to expect. We open with a scene in New Orleans in the 1830's with the fantastic Kathy Bates as Madame LaLaurie, a wealthy slave owner who tortures her slaves and even uses their blood as a face cream. So yeah, she's a sadist. Her performance just from this intro makes me want to just give her all the possible awards she'll likely be nominated for. 

After this eerie and perfect introduction, we are thrown into present day New Orleans where we meet Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) who accidentally kills her boyfriend because she finds out she kills anybody she has sexual relations with. She's shipped to a boarding school for witches where she meets Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), Madison (Emma Roberts) and Nan (Jamie Brewer), all witches in training. It's a dark time for witches however, as with social networking it's easier and easier to spread information and record things, so the witches need to learn to keep themselves out of trouble.

I don't want to go much more into the plot, but for a premiere episode, I think this is the best that American Horror Story has ever done. It sets the tone so perfectly right away. It's dark and creepy for sure, but it's also probably one of the lightest seasons as well. The content is still disturbing like always, but there's plenty of dark comedy here to lighten it all up.

In the first episode, we've already seen torture, racism, death, a witch burning, stem cell research, date rape, murder, and some history come to life. It's a magical show that throws everything at you right away. There is also not one acting performance that I could pick out as bad. If all the actors continue to pursue their characters with the intensity they put into the first episode, I see a lot of Emmy nominations for the show. So the first episode, I can solidly say, has set the tone for a phenomenal season.

Gravity - Movie Review

If you aren't fully convinced that a 90 minute movie can be made based on one story nearly all located in space, I wouldn't blame you. From the trailers, it's difficult to see how this story of survival can be stretched into a full length feature film. I'll be honest, from the trailers I was a bit skeptical on how it would all flow together. But, since it was directed by the same man who directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I knew he'd make it work (side note: that was not the only reason I decided to see it, but that was my favorite installment in the Potter series.)

From the opening shot, I was getting goosebumps by how beautiful the film looked. I think that this is one of the most captivating and stunning films of all time. I realize that's a bold statement, but the visuals are nearly impossible to replicate. Everything seems so realistic, they very well could have filmed this thing in space. Ok, obviously no they couldn't, but if this doesn't get some sort of best visual effects nominations at the Oscars, I may have to throw a chair into the TV. Not only should it get nominated, it should win. I also saw this film in 3D, and it's one of the best 3D experiences I've ever had. Basically, this movie could've had no dialogue and it still would have been one of the most impressive movies I've ever seen.

However, there is dialogue, and it's surprisingly powerful. I did not expect the story to get so emotional and in depth, but Sandra Bullock gives one of the most powerful performances of the year. No, the script is nowhere near the most creative, but what Bullock does with the material is absolutely incredible and mark my words, it will bring tears to your eyes. Luckily you have those 3D glasses to shield your eyes so your friends will never know you've been crying. Muahahahaha.

There are some really strong messages in this movie, and though I don't want to spoil it, I'll say the theme of fighting for someone you love is a powerful one. At first I thought this was just going to be another survival story, but it's just so impressive. I wonder how many times I'll say impressive in this review. If you haven't caught on by now, go see this movie immediately.

And finally, the score (or the music used in the background) is absolutely mind blowing and since a lot of the movie is sequences of peril, the music carries a lot of the film. It'll give you chills. Yes, you will get chills at least 10 times during Gravity. At least 10. If you don't...well I just won't believe you. The visuals, the 3D, the acting, the story, and the music all create for one of the most intriguing and captivating film experiences I've ever had. I didn't even consider for one moment going to the bathroom.

Gravity is a powerful film that should be seen by all. It's an achievement in film history by reaching some of the best scenery and effects of all time, and the actors (both George Clooney and Sandra Bullock) put a lot of work into their characters and really took time to bring the story to life. I can't stop raving about it. Please do yourself a favor and see it right away in theaters. Gravity, surprisingly, is more down to earth than you might think. A

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 - Movie Review

The first installment of this animated kid's series was just downright fantastic. It was hilarious, unique (as proven by the odd title), and overall a very rounded family film. The first one ended solidly and I didn't really consider the fact that they'd make a second one. But sure enough, when Hollywood sees that something made a lot of money, they will find a way to milk all the cash that they can. However, there's usually an obvious group of sequels that were made simply for money or for some that actually focus on quality. This one kind of falls right in the middle.

Let's start off with the plot. It's nothing really new or exciting, and this whole sequel was definitely not necessary. However, that's not to say it wasn't enjoyable, but rather the first one would've been fine on its own. The food puns were extremely creative though, I gotta admit. There were Water-melaphants (Watermelon elephants),  Mosquitoast (mosquitoes with bread wings), and the Taco-Dile Supreme (a huge taco monster.) The kid at heart in me definitely laughed at every single food pun. But the plot itself is a bit predictable.

The voice acting was basically perfect for an animated film. Something you really have to do in kid's movies is to make your character the most over-the-top or as unique as possible, and each voice actor did an incredible job with the material they were given.

My main problem with this movie was that I grew bored off and on. I feel like this project was just sort of put together as a last minute thought to boost ticket sales for Sony movies. The creative minds that went into the animation and writing were great and they added a lot to make the movie a unique experience. However, when you can sense that there just wasn't as much passion in the sequel as there was in the original, watching it becomes very tedious.

Overall I'd recommend it for a movie night with some friends (if your friends are still cool enough to enjoy kid's movies that is) but if you're looking for the best animated sequel of the year, make your way over to Despicable Me 2. I wanted to like this movie a lot more, but it ended up being pretty average, with only a few things that would put it above some other animated movies of 2013. B-

The Mindy Project - One of the Funniest Shows on TV

TV comedies have been doing great these past few years. We've gotten shows like Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, New Girl, and How I Met Your Mother. But I think one of the most underrated comedies right now is The Mindy Project. It's a shame it isn't getting the popularity these other shows are getting, because I can definitely say this is worth it. I started watching this show last year when it premiered and I have been absolutely addicted to it ever since.

The plot is a fairly simple one: Mindy is going through life trying to find love while maintaining her job as an Ob/Gyn and dealing with her hectic work life. See? I told you it doesn't sound like anything too innovative on the surface. But once you actually sit down and watch for an episode, something about the show just comes to life.

The actors are all incredible and have their own little quirks that don't conform to the stereotypical comedy characters. Mindy Kaling is definitely the best in the ensemble. She has some of the best comedic timing I've ever seen and knows how to appeal to both older and younger generation. And though her character sounds like the typical middle aged woman looking for romantic occurrences, she never conforms to being a ditzy and annoying TV character, which is really relieving. But the show doesn't solely fall on her; it also relies on the entire ensemble, and I can say without a doubt this cast works together flawlessly. It's so relieving to be able to see a group of actors that genuinely love what they're doing and enjoy filming this show every week.

The Mindy Project is witty, smart, and is fully aware of what it is, and what it is not. It never tries to be some stupid romantic comedy yet never takes itself too seriously. It takes all of these typical situations we find in the romance films we watch (image, marriage, dating, office relationships) and shows the comedic reality side to it.

All in all I couldn't recommend The Mindy Project enough. It's great to watch in any situation: with friends, alone, when you're sad and need cheering up, or when you're just in the mood for a good comedy. It's better than most comedy movies nowadays too. In general I think comedy TV is way better than comedy movies. Anyways, do yourself a favor and give The Mindy Project a chance. It's funny, relatable, and will give you plenty of comedic quotes to tweet.

I'll end on a quote from the show itself just to give you an idea on what it is.

"When I was ten my father told me to be a man and tell my mother he wanted a divorce."
-From Season 1, Episode 6, 'Thanksgiving.'