Into the Woods (Jacqui)

WARNING: This review contains spoilers. If you have not seen the movie or read any of the changes described in the media, please don’t blame me for ruining this awesome musical for you.

To know me is to know, I have a slight obsession with musicals (slight, read addicted). ALW and Sondheim to be exact. In the past few years, I have been greatly disappointed by the many musical adaptations that Hollywood has attempted. I was greatly worried when I heard “Into The Woods” was going to be made into a movie. I was also really concerned by the casting choices that Disney appeared to push on the movie. However, I am here to say I was far from disappointed by this adaptation; I was greatly impressed and, as a fan, feel this movie could not have been any better.

Into The Woods can be synopsized in many ways. To be brief, it’s a musical retelling of the Grimm’s fairytales with more of a bend toward the adult translation. The show itself is centered around the tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk; all tied together with and original story of a childless Baker, his wife and the Witch which has cursed their house because of the sin of the father of the aforementioned Baker.

Act I centers on backstory and wishes being granted. Cinderella/Rapunzel get their princes, Jack climbing the beanstalk to get his cow back, Red Riding Hood and grandma get rescued.   All the while, the Baker and his wife retrieve the items needed to break the curse for the Witch.  The act ends with everyone getting their wish and beginning their happily ever after.

Act II presents the cost of their wishes. Jack going up the beanstalk and killing the giant causes the giant’s wife to go on a rampage. The Lady Giant’s rampage brings all the characters back together in the woods. In the woods relationships are tested and people are lost/found.  In the show version, the Baker’s wife has a one-night stand with Cinderella’s prince followed by death by giant. Rapunzel goes crazy and her prince leaves her.  This version sees Rapunzel run off with her prince and the Baker’s wife death is very understated. The movie ends with the “Children will listen” and everyone gathered around the Baker as he tells the story of his friends to his motherless son. There is no happy ever after here, just a fade to black.

In the run up to this movie, there were rumors: Songs that were removed (including my favorite “No More”) and story changes that Disney demanded (No sex, Baker’s wife doesn’t die, Rapunzel doesn’t die, the goriness of the mutilation of the evil step sisters was lessened etc). As a HUGE fan of the musical, I was concerned about these changes would effect the end product. Again, the slight changes really did not affect the movie.

Rob Marshall proves again why no one else should be allowed to direct movie musicals. His combined use of live recording and studio was magnificent.  He knew how to balance the two to provide the audience with the realism that this musical requires. The way he managed to harmonize the entire cast when its obvious they weren’t in the same place was also really impressive. “No One is Alone” was a prime example of this. I also give him credit for keeping some of the original storyline that was rumored “changed” by Disney. I was never happier to see someone die as I was to see they kept the Baker’s wife passing.  

Lastly, the cast. Almost everyone in the cast minus Chris Pine and Emily Blunt come from a strong singing/musical theatre background. I had a moment of the “What the FUCK are these two doing in a Sondheim?” Again, maybe it was the work of the auto-tune but they were fantastic. Pine’s “Agony” with Billy Magussen was the highlight of the movie. The homoerotic imagery employed in that scene was hilarious (they sang it in a waterfall, seriously that was for the theatre-queens out there). 

Meryl and Johnny Depp both were amazing in their parts. Depp plays the child-molester –like Wolf with perfection (see his Willy Wonka).  Meryl’s rendition of “Stay with me” rivals only Bernadette Peters.  As the character is written, she played it with all her/its show stopping ability. Do I see an Oscar or a globe for her? She’s Meryl.

The kids of this movie were also amazing-ball. Lila Crawford, fresh off of Broadway’s Annie was just wow in her songs. Daniel Huddlestone, who may be familiar as Gavroche from the movie adaptation of Les Miserables, also shows his great ability with Giants in the Sky. Youngish adults traditionally played both roles so it was great to see kids bring their freshness and more believable naivety.

 Without going too much into the various variations the show took during development, this movie adaptation was about as good as it could get.  Kudos to Sondheim for not letting anyone besides Rob Marshall take his masterpiece. With the movie death of “Last Five Years” I see this movie taking home most of the globes its nominated for.  4/5 Stars.

Birdman Review

Justin, Dad, and I saw Birdman on November 15, 2014!! This was easily one of my favorite movies of 2014!! The movie follows an actor named Riggan Thomas trying to recreate his image by distancing himself from a persona known as Birdman he made famous about 20 years ago. He constantly has the voice of his character in his head telling him to hang on to the past. Riggan wants to move on from the past, but at the same time it's really what he'll be remembered for. The backstage pass into the theater setting combined with some magnetic personalities really made this an intriguing film. It's a great look at the world of a celebrity not being able to capture the same amount of success they were previously known for.


Michael Keaton delivered his best performance in this movie. He did so well in the role of Riggan struggling to exist in the real world, while also trying to rectify his stage presence. He is such a charismatic individual. He created a character trying to overcome ego, but you realize how difficult this is for him to do. On top of this, he has so many issues with his family, namely his daughter Sam. When he goes into tirades, it's such an amazing thing to watch. He created so many memorable scenes in this whether he was on the stage, yelling at theater critics in a bar, or tussling with his cast mate Mike. Everybody is challenged both personally or professionally in this movie. It's tough for Riggan to exist in either the real world or when he's pretending to be somebody else. Keaton's performance deserves to be nominated for both the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Actor. He really was that good. Keaton has always been somebody I've liked. He's responsible for two of my favorite movies from childhood: Batman & Beetlejuice.


Two other performances that should be noted are Edward Norton's Mike character. He was great presenting this over the top, tough to deal with actor. Everything is method with Mike. He bothers everybody around him. The second he walks on stage chaos ensues. The thing about Mike is that he can only function when he's being a fraud (portraying somebody else), but when he steps out of the theater doors he just can't function. Norton did so well. He commanded the screen whenever he was on. There was a tremendous scene where he and Keaton have an argument leading to a backstage brawl. The whole theater was into it that I saw. It reminded me of that scene from Batman where Keaton goes: "YOU WANNA GET NUTS? COME ON!!!" Norton's Mike kept taunting Keaton's Riggan throughout the movie. Norton is one of the best actors ever in my opinion, and this was just another case of him showing it. He created an over the top dramatic character that fit so well into this crazy look at celebrity. Norton deserves a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his work.


I was also very impressed with Emma Stone as Sam. Stone has become a pretty good actress over the last few years. I think this was easily her best role since The Help. There's a scene when Sam tells Riggan that he doesn't matter that just captivated me. She was just so great here. I also thought she had tremendous chemistry with Norton. Stone really is becoming one of the premiere actresses in entertainment. Her work in this movie deserves a Best Supporting Actress nomination because she put her all into every scene she was in. She's such an important part of the movie, because she is the rock for both Riggan and Mike.


I thought the scenes on the stage, in the street, backstage, and at the bar were all unique in their own ways. I felt each setting represented a different side of the characters. You really see how personalities change wherever that person is. When the personalities from two different settings merge, it creates a chaotic environment. The scene where Keaton trashes the movie critic was my favorite scene. He was so on fire in this scene and showed just how great of an actor he is. That critic bothered me so much. She deserved that tirade. The cinematography was really great as well. I liked the extended takes and I think it gave a more realistic atmosphere to the movie. The actors get into the roles even more, and for a movie exploring the inner psyches of an actor, that really makes this movie work on a whole new level.


Phenomenal acting, incredible cinematography, the basic plot, and memorable scenes make this movie a definite 5/5 for me. It was a really good artistic movie filled with so many magnetic charisma and intriguing performances.

Interstellar Review

Justin, Mike, and I saw Interstellar on November 9, 2014!! I can honestly say this is in my Top 5 movies of 2014. The others are: Guardians of the Galaxy, Divergent, X-Men; Days of Future Past, and Gone Girl. Christopher Nolan has created some of my favorite movies of all time. Inception is actually my second favorite movie ever, and I consider this to be one a true masterpiece of cinema.  This was a highly complex movie that really made me enjoy it even more. It tackles the mysteries of space & time as well as giving audiences a deep study into the core of humanity-emotions, what makes us who we are, why we do what we do, etc. The plot revolves around Earth becoming a planet that will not be able to sustain future generations within the next 25 years or so. The mission is to find a sustainable planet for future generations to survive. What evolves from this is one of the most intricate, intriguing, and impressive movies you'll ever find. It's truly a modern epic. We are explorers by nature. This movie shows us how we do that physically and emotionally. The cast is physically exploring the vastness of space, while at the same time the characters are exploring the unpredictable and intricate nature of their humanity. It's really a great parallel throughout.

This is one of the best ensemble casts a movie has assembled since Inception in my opinion. Matthew McConaughey was the perfect casting for the man that has to make the sacrifices not only for himself, but for the good of his family. He showed the deep flaws of man, as well as displaying what I've always said: Matthew McConaughey CAN act. I've been impressed with his work the last few years showing how good he is. I think this was his best work to date, even eclipsing Dallas Buyers Club. He really filled the role of what Cooper was all about. He deserves a nomination at both the Golden Globes and the Oscars. He really had a great understanding of what this movie was about, and he showed it with his performance. It was also great seeing Anne Hathaway involved with such a huge project. Hathaway is by far one of my all time favorite actresses: She's gorgeous (with long or short hair), intelligent, and she knows how to act. I've been a fan since she was the Princess of Genovia. She did well in her role as somebody devoted to her father & the vast mission that they're embarking on. I think the cameo appearance by Matt Damon was excellent. He did really well displaying the effects of space dementia, as well as how much his humanity was affected as a result of being in space for an elongated period of time. It's great seeing that both Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are involved with huge projects this year. These to me were the standouts of the principal cast.

I do want to devote a paragraph to the most important character in the movie: Murph. While Jessica Chastain was obviously excellent, I think Mackenzie Foy stole the show in her scenes. I like when younger actresses show potential, and she really did well laying the groundwork that would build into the epic journey we embark on as an audience. Her facial expressions and selling of the momentary decisions was perfect. Her bond with McConaughey was established early on and we'd see that evolve. Nobody quite knows the limitations of space travel, just like we don't know our own limitations. As I said, there are constant parallels and Nolan never keeps the two entities separate. You could see how both themes were intertwined at each stage of the movie.

The huge twist that tied so many things together had me going from enjoying this movie to absolutely loving it. I literally was sitting on the edge of my seat during the whole twist. I really liked the complexity of it and how both humanity, space, and time seemed to converge into one point. It was brilliant. The score is incredible. Sitting back just listening to this as I type makes me appreciate just how perfectly this accompanied the feature. The music crescendos at the perfect time, and every note is meaningful. Not only are you witnessing amazing acting performances, but you're witnessing an incredible story just exploding in front of you as this wave of sound hits you. While I knew there had to be a connection to certain events in the movie, the journey and initial moment were just so well done. I cannot wait to get this movie on DVD, and I intend to see this again in IMAX. I think it's worth it.

I'd highly recommend this for the brilliant performances, highly interesting & complex story involving space, time, and humanity, the beautiful score, and an all around great movie. As if you couldn't guess, this movie gets a 5/5. I didn't think I'd like it as much as I did when I saw it. I love when a movie surprises me. It's so epic!!

Big Hero 6 Review

Justin and I saw Big Hero 6 on November 7, 2014!! This is easily in my Top 5 favorite computer animated movies with the other four being Wreck-It Ralph, Mega-Mind, Frozen, and Toy Story. I would say this movie has something for everyone. It's definitely a more emotional animated movie, and I honestly really enjoy that aspect of these movies. It makes the movie seem more realistic. Everybody can feel a connection to a character in that way.

Big Hero 6 focuses primarily on innovation and never giving up. The big theme centers around the importance of family (especially seen in the amazing bond between young Hero & his older brother Tadashi Hamada). They've had an interesting life being raised by their aunt, but they both are successful in many ways. They're both extremely intelligent. The movie also exemplifies the importance of friends. You always need a good group of people in your corner, especially when things get tough. This movie exhibits how tough things can get, but there's always somebody there to cheer you up, or help you out. Another great look at friendship is seen through Tadashi's creation: Baymax. Baymax is one of the most entertaining characters ever created. It's innocence is so amazing. Even though Baymax is technically a robot, it exhibits core human emotions, so watching him bond with Hero is a really special experience. The creators did really well displaying the different interactions between Hero, Tadashi, Tadashi's friends, and Baymax.

This movie also exhibits great action & drama. The drama that we see in the first part of the movie really crescendos into the amazing action sequences we see towards the middle & end of the movie. The huge event that takes place at the beginning opens up Hero's creativity & motivates him to keep on pushing. Through the bonds he forms with those around him, Hero is able to create an exciting group of superheroes. Watching the different character designs and super powers was very intriguing. This movie just had a constant flow to it. Everything is a building block in this movie to show Hero's true potential, as well as sending a message it's okay to need help sometimes.

This movie truly deserves a 5/5 for it's amazing animation, well created characters, incredibly emotional story, and intricate action sequences. It's a winding staircase leading to a fun adventure for both children and adults. All ages will appreciate this movie. What I like about this and recent animated movies is creators appealing to wider audiences. They're not just speaking to one demographic anymore, and it's created much more intricate and exciting animated movies. This movie is extremely good and certainly deserves to be on the nominees list for Best Animated Movie at both the Golden Globes and the Oscars. It most likely will be on the list considering Disney usually garners nominations (and rightfully so).

Nightcrawler Review

Justin and I saw Nightcrawler on November 1, 2014!! I had been interested in this movie since I saw the first trailer. I found this movie to be quite interesting. It gives us a unique look into the world of the media, particularly news stories, specifically Los Angeles crime journalism. I liked looking at the inner workings of a news station, and the way the production team tells the announcers how to spin a piece, frame their sentences, and basically what to really focus on primarily for that particular broadcast.

In this movie, we watch a man named Louis Bloom, who is the embodiment of attaining goals through any means necessary. From the outset you get the idea, that this guy is eccentric & plays by his own rules. He's a man desperate for work. He finds a way into the world of crime journalism by weasling his way into crime scenes, while also showing how intelligent he is. It's actually quite scary how meticulous his planning is at every stage of the movie.

Jake Gyllenhaal was absolutely incredible in this movie. It honestly was my favorite performance of his since Donnie Darko, and I've seen pretty much all of his movies. He perfectly created this character that has a unique view of humanity and spins it for his own maniacal pleasure. He plays everybody he meets. He doesn't stop negotiating until he gets what he wants.  Gyllenhaal was perfect in this role. His charisma throughout this movie mixed with the creepiness of the character's tone worked so well. He's always one step ahead of everybody, and I personally loved watching that. Obstacles keep getting placed in front of him, but he navigates his way though them. While Bloom plays an observer, his methods are designed to make him the star.

While there are great performances by other actors, namely Rene Russo who did a great job as the news manager Nina, and a great cameo by Bill Paxton as a fellow Nightcrawler named Joe Loder (I thought Paxton was the best casting for the veteran Nightcrawler), Gyllenhaal is clearly the star of this movie. Some of the scenes kept you on the edge of your seat. The best part of watching these scenes is that you're watching Bloom shape the story in his own way. I think the main story at the end that shows crime filtering into affluent Los Angeles was handled in such an interesting manner. You see Bloom's thinking through every stage of this. His dialogue scenes with Nina, his employee Rick, and police detectives are so mesmerizing. Instances of scenes where I thought the dialogue was great: a Mexican restaurant with Nina, a discussion about a raise with Rick, and basic interrogation questions with the detectives.

I give this movie a 4/5 for a memorable awards worthy performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, memorable scenes, and a great look into the inner workings of a television news network. I encourage people to see this movie simply to watch how cerebral & hauntingly charismatic Gyllenhaal's Louis Bloom character is.

Birdman

On friday, a good friend and I went to go see "Birdman". I have been eying this moving since the first festival reviews came out. From the director of such films as "Babel", this film is probably one of my favorite films thus far in the Oscar Hunt (I don't think it will win but I will get to that later).

The movie is shot in such a way that it looks like a single-camera with one continuous take throughout. The camera is following Riggan (Michael Keaton) as he acts, directs and produces the Raymond Carver play "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". The audience is slowly introduced to Riggan's backstory; he's a washed up movie actor famous for the role of "Birdman". This show is his way of attempting to win back his acting soul. However, from the opening scene; its obvious that this is a psychedelic trip into the unraveling of Riggan's mind. 

Again, this movie seems like an acid trip at times. The movie opens with two things; Riggan in his undies and a clock ticking. As the scene plays on, Riggan uses what appears to be telekinesis to move items around his theatre dressing room. He is haunted by a poster of his last "Birdman" movie. It speaks to him when he least expects it and provides a running commentary to the thoughts in Riggan's unraveling mind. 

As the movie moves forward, Riggan's troubled mind starts to intermingle with the lives of his actors and family. When Riggan appears to use his telekinesis to remove one of his main actors from the show, the star gets replaced by Mike Shriner (Edward Norton) another thespian with a history of trouble. Suddenly, it seems like the movie could be about redemption.. 

Alas, this is not a story of redemption; its one of discovery. Riggan learns no matter how far he tries to wander, he is the Birdman. And in the end, well that would ruin things now wouldn't it?

The only hint I will give is a Hollywood/Broadway rumor that happened to "Little Shop of Horrors". You see at the end of the Broadway version, everyone dies. In the movie version, Seymour and Audrey live happily ever after. Test audiences for the movie rejected the latter ending because "it was too horrible for a musical". 

The ending of the "Birdman" ruins its oscar chances. For such a uniquely filmed and acted movie, it sucks its ending couldn't have been like the Broadway version of "Little Shop of Horrors".

My rating 3/5. 

Gone Girl Review

I saw Gone Girl on October 5, 2014!! I enjoyed this movie so much I saw it again on October 6 with Justin!! David Fincher has directed some of my all time favorite movies: Fight Club, Seven, & The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Now, you can add Gone Girl to this list. Gillian Flynn wrote an amazing screenplay for this. Since she's the author of the book the movie is based on, I feel her story combined with Fincher's directing, as well as the incredible cast created an amazing cinematic experience. This movie is absolutely amazing in my opinion. It's dark, intense, and filled with incredible performances. The dark nature of this movie really pulls audiences in. The actors really did well shaping the performances. If you can't get the right cast, then a movie can fall flat. In this case, I feel everybody was able to make their character believable.

The basic premise of the movie follows a man named Nick Dunne. His wife Amy Dunne goes missing. The movie takes you on a crazy, haunting journey from there. Gone Girl is split into two stories, which really keeps the story flowing. You're following two different character perspectives. You're looking at two different character's journeys within the current situation. I loved the mystery & intrigue of the story, as well as the amazing twists that occur throughout the movie.

I think the actors did an excellent job portraying their roles. Ben Affleck was excellent as Nick Dunne. Since The Town, I feel his performances have been really well done. I've always found him to be a good actor, but he has really stepped it up the last few years. While Affleck was great, the performance that captivated me was Rosamund Pike. Prior to this, I had only seen her in fun comedies like Johnny English & The World's End (the good one with Simon Pegg & Nick Frost). Her performance as Amy Dunne is my favorite female performance since Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine. I love femme fatale characters, and Pike took it to a whole new level. She was so dark & twisted. Many of my favorite scenes involve her. Pike is epic, awesome, insanely good (description is on purpose). If Pike is not on the list for Best Actress at the Oscars, I'm boycotting them.

My favorite character is Amy, but my second favorite character would be Margo Dunne, Nick's twin sister. Carrie Coon was great, providing some of the best lines in the movie. Audiences loved her at the side of her brother throughout the entire ordeal. She gave a performance showing how petrified she was for her brother, but at the same time showing how strong she is fighting to show her brother is a good guy. Nick really isn't a good guy, but Margo is there for him. She's his family. Two other notable performances were Neil Patrick Harris as the wealthy Desi Collings (nice back story with him). I would say the most memorable scene in the movie involves him. The scene I'm referring to was so intense-the camera work, music, and acting performances made it work so well. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it. Another performance I actually liked which shocked me was Tyler Perry as Tanner Bolt. He was a fun lawyer character helping out Margo & Nick on their journey.

I would say there were only three other movies I liked as much as this one in 2014-Divergent, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Gone Girl hopefully will be on both the Golden Globe & Oscar lists this year. I give the movie a definite 5/5. The movie is this huge dramatic ordeal that also turns into a darker comedy at the same time. I loved that aspect of it. The movie itself, the acting performances, Fincher's directing, Flynn's amazing script, and the phenomenal score worked together to make something truly great.