Jersey Boys Review

I saw Jersey Boys on June 24, 2014!! I didn't know what to think of this being adapted to a movie with Clint Eastwood in the director's chair, but I was thoroughly impressed. The theater was packed, which was cool to see. I think Eastwood did a very good job with this. I liked that Tony award winner John Lloyd Young reprises his role as Frankie Valli for this movie. He does an incredible job in terms of making his voice sound similar to the real person. I'm a big fan of Bob Gaudio, because to me without him, there really isn't a Four Seasons. Erich Bergman was excellent in the role. He always makes the best points overall. Much like the play, they had the actors talk to the audience. You get different viewpoints on scenarios throughout the movie. Everybody portrayed what I felt their character was supposed to be like. Vincent Piazza was extremely entertaining as Tommy DeVito. He really had that goomba attitude down pat. We all loved his outbursts. While he's probably considered a villain in some ways, he really is the heart of the movie. Even though Frankie Valli may be the main character, a lot revolves around Tommy. A lot of people think that the Tommy DeVito in this movie is the same one Joe Pesci plays in Goodfellas. Interstingly enough, Joe Pesci actually was associated with the Four Seasons & maybe that's where the connection happened. Pesci actually plays a completely different Tommy DeVito-however, the similarities between them is really incredible. Let's face it-I'm sure Pesci borrowed some character traits from the Tommy DeVito he knew. You could see where that is possible throughout this movie. We follow the journey from their beginnings as a struggling musical act from tough streets in New Jersey to a popular musical act to a state of decline due to personal issues. Fame & fortune is great, but with it, there can always be consequences, especially when Tommy is in your group. There are so many great scenes that stem from debt problems caused by Tommy. The music was phenomenal-such an amazing job with the songs & sounds of a generation. Whether it was as a group performing Big Girls Don't Cry or Frankie singing Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You (absolutely love the big band element with this performance), each song was captured brilliantly on film. Much like a play, the theater clapped after songs were over. It was actually pretty cool.  You felt like you were in a play. I felt each of the performances were portrayed well. Every person had a great moment to shine. I loved the scene in the restaurant between Mary Delgado & Frankie. That was just smart dialogue mixed with some entertaining lines. I also like the relationship between Frankie & his daughter Francine. The scene in the café was well done between them. This movie has a great mix of music, old time mob/gangster movies, and family all stemming from the Garden State. I give this movie a 4/5 since its difficult to really adapt a musical to movie form and make it work, but I think everything seemed to click. The performances of the main actors was good, the music was excellent, and there are memorable scenes throughout.

The Fault In Our Stars Review

I saw The Fault In Our Stars on June 6, 2014!! Now, I hadn't read the book prior to seeing this, but I knew the gist of the storyline from students telling me about it in school, and interviews with cast members. I couldn't believe how packed the theater was already to see this, and it was only early afternoon. I have never been in a theater where so many people just lost it with the raw emotion taking place on screen. I tend to get emotional when I watch movies, and obviously, this was no exception. I don't know how one couldn't feel something watching this.

It is probably too early to be considered for any award nominations, but I firmly believe that Shailene Woodley deserves a Best Actress nominee. Her role as Hazel Grace Lancaster was excellent!! Woodley showed great range throughout the movie whether it was Hazel's courage in dealing with her disease, her emotional attachment/romance with Augustus Waters, her humor with her parents, or her frustrations with Peter Van Houten. She is such an amazing actress, and I've believed this since I saw her in The Descendants.  Hazel Grace Lancaster is her breakthrough performance. I was just so impressed with how she took the audience into her world. The cinema disappeared, and we followed her along her journey. Through her highs & lows, we see how strong of a person she really is. I really loved her attitude-she believes in living in the face of death. I think Gus, played wonderfully by Ansel Elgort really helps to bring this side of her out more. It's always in her, but she just needs the push to know she isn't alone.

This movie constantly delivers in bringing believable performances for all the characters. Along with Woodley as Hazel & Elgort as Gus, there's also great supporting roles by Willem Dafoe as Peter Van Houten & Laura Dern as Hazel's mother. Many scenes like the courage to continue climbing the stairs in the Anne Frank house, or standing up to Van Houten, I just smiled at how incredible this character is. While her disease may hinder it, she won't let it define her.

The Anne Frank house, the eulogy scene (everybody in the theater just lost it), the conversation with her parents about staying strong when she passes, and reading Van Houten's/Gus's eulogy for her are some of the most emotional moments I've seen in a movie. These are memorable for symbolism, great dichotomy between happiness/sadness (each of these scenes has a silver lining), and for simply crafting a beautiful story. This is one of the best movies I've seen this year. Shailene Woodley's performance as Hazel Grace Lancaster is my favorite female performance in a movie since Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine-I truly enjoyed it that much. This is a definite 5/5 for me. I felt everybody put their all into this movie.

I truly hope to see some nominations for this, but awards consideration isn't shown until August releases. I don't agree with that, since movies from January 1-December 31 should always be the selection period for awards consideration. The Fault In Our Stars takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, but as Hazel is lying in the Grace at the end of the movie, you see her smile as the audience does, because her life is meaningful.

Maleficent Review

Justin, Mike, and I saw Maleficent on June 1, 2014!! I was very impressed with the movie overall. Maleficent has always been one of my all time favorite characters. When I was younger, I loved the look of the character. As I grew up, I always was on her side because all she wanted to do was an invitation to a christening. I never saw her as a villain, just like I'll never see the Wicked Witch of the West as a villain. I have to say with shows and books like Wicked, Fairest of All:: A Tale of the Wicked Queen (great read), and Once Upon A Time, characters I've always believed to be the real protagonists are finally being portrayed in that light. If there was ever a movie where somebody completely steals the show, then this is an example of it.

Angelina Jolie was flawless as Maleficent. The look of the character was amazing-costuming, make-up, etc. Jolie's voice was on point-it matched up so well to Eleanor Audley's voiceover in 1959's Sleeping Beauty. We follow her journey from when she was a child into the iconic character we know her as. We see her role as a fairy, as well as a protector of kingdoms. This portrays the human species as greedy for power as well as the savagery of war. I've never liked the character of King Stefan, and this further proves that point even more. I thought Sharlto Copely did a very good job in the role, but I thought it was great seeing how he rose to power through underhanded tactics. Stefan is the true antagonist of the movie.

I liked that many of the iconic Sleeping Beauty scenes were presented-the christening, the cottage scenes, the spinning wheel, etc. They were all represented very well. I think Elle Fanning did a wonderful job as Aurora as well. It was great seeing the bond between Maleficent and her throughout the movie. She basically is there for her from birth. Those three bumbling idiot fairies (who I've always loathed) had nothing to do with her survival. They just gravitate to whoever has the most power, and really have no minds of their own.

We see the pain in Maleficent's eyes from betrayal, her actions at the christening, and her dedication to repairing any damage she may cause. I thought it was incredible to watch the character as somewhat of an anti-hero. She had elements of both, but definitely is a protagonist overall (as she always has been in my eyes).

While the movie presented us with many of the iconic moments from 1959's Sleeping Beauty, they also put some twists that made sense with the storyline. I really liked what they did with true love's kiss. It made alot of sense to go down that road with the way events unfolded. Other good twists revolved around the character of Diaval. It was great to see the origins of the character and why he was with Maleficent. Sam Riley did really well with it.

Of course, besides the mesmerizing performance by Jolie, the visuals were absolutely incredible. The battle scenes were so incredible to watch. You were really drawn into the movie as this happened. The magic visuals were bright and vivid. I loved the emerald green glow throughout mixing with the black. I also felt the night time sets were really beautiful. It reminded me of Pandora in Avatar. The battle between Maleficent & Stefan was really well done blending effects & emotion. The audience was into everything happening. I give the movie a 4/5-I thought it was a really well done live action movie with an excellent lead performance, phenomenal visuals, and pretty good supporting role. It was great to watch one of my favorite characters in a protagonist light.

Keep your eyes open to the young Aurora scene-its really cute to watch Angelina Jolie interact with her real life daughter. She goes up to her and hugs her in one of the forest scenes.

X-Men: Days of Future Past Review

Justin, Mike, and I saw X-Men: Days of Future Past on May 26, 2014. I had been anticipating this movie for months, and I am happy to say that it lived up to my expectations. When it comes to the Marvel universe, I am not a huge fan of it, but if there is one comic I have always liked it is X-Men. I'm more of a DC guy, but X-Men has always been an amazing world to get wrapped up in. This was such an excellent movie bridging the past and the future. The cast is one of the best ever assembled for a movie. The movie's plot revolves around stopping a certain event in the past from happening in order to erase the dark, dreary, dismal future that lies ahead.

I felt this was Hugh Jackman's best performance in the role of Logan (Wolverine)-he did extremely well understanding how important his task was and interacted well with everybody. James McAvoy & Michael Fassbender are two of the best actors today, and they once again did a phenomenal job in their respective roles as Charles Xavier & Eric Lensherr (Magneto). McAvoy did such an amazing job dealing with events following X-Men: First Class. His ability to capture loss resonated with the entire audience. He knew exactly what emotions to play to. He played a bitter character early on, but eventually through guidance is able to realize his worth and what he means to both mutants and humans.  His conversations with Logan are emotionally deep, and a brief interaction with his future self in Patrick Stewart helped him realize how important he is. Fassbender continues his incredible performance from X-Men: First Class and gives us a tremendous insight into the mind of Magneto. We realize his dilemma in trusting the human race, and his constant battle to preserve mutants is what causes rifts between him and those around him. One can understand his problem with humanity based on what happened to him in his past, and for recently being considered the culprit behind one of the biggest tragedies in American history. So, in a way he is dealing with loss, much like Charles, but in a different way. I think both embody everything the characters represent. Of course, Patrick Stewart & Ian McKellan are excellent as well in the roles. I just am such a huge fan of McAvoy & Fassbender's portrayals.

Jennifer Lawrence's role as Raven McCoy (Mystique) was one of the biggest highlights, because her decisions are what rocks the foundation of the two worlds in the overall plot-leading to the Sentinel program, and total annihilation. Lawrence really does well in this role. You can see how she acts on instinct, but at the same time contemplates her decisions in terms of how they impact future events. A basic study of humanity is evident in all these characters even if they are mutants. The decisions we make shape us into what we are. This movie and story arc really examines that perfectly.

We also have many characters from the original trilogy, with the most important besides Wolverine being Kitty Pryde. It was so cool seeing my favorite actress Ellen Page being one of the most important pieces of this movie. She is the one that is able to bridge the past & the future allowing Logan to go back and fix the past.  We also saw Storm, Ice Man, Colossus, etc. It would be a crime to omit Evan Peters show stealing scene in the middle of the movie as Quicksilver. It combined great elements of comedy, while showing just how cool the world of X-Men is. Quicksilver's rescue sequence is one of the most entertaining, visually impressive scenes I've ever seen. This was really incredible work on display as the cinematography & acting worked together to create something special.

The action sequences were incredible. I was amazed by the cuts between the past & the future towards the end. While there was so much heartache in the future, there were incredible steps being taken in the past to prevent it. It really needs to be seen to appreciate how incredible it looked. Everybody had a chance to shine in some way, which was great to see. The incredible cast delving into their roles perfectly, a movie tackling one of the biggest story arcs in comics, the deep conversations between characters (loved these crucial dialogue scenes), the incredible action sequences blending visuals & emotion so well, intelligent usages of comedy, & a really awesome future at Xavier's School make this a definite 5/5. It's in my Top 5 favorite superhero movies with Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, The Dark Knight, and Batman (1989) being the others. I highly recommend this movie. It's a difficult subject matter to translate to film, and I believe that Bryan Singer did a phenomenal job with it. I think the only other person that would have been able to do as good of a job is Matthew Vaughn, who directed X-Men; First Class. Excellent movie!!

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Review

Justin, Mike, and I saw The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on May 3, 2014!! I can honestly say going into this movie I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as I personally did not like the first of this new trilogy at all. However, I am pleased to say that this was very well done. I still believe that the first two movies in the Sam Raimi trilogy are the best Spider-Man movies. but I'd put this one right after those.  I was shocked (no pun intended) by the overall quality of this movie. They got their act together for this one. The performances by Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Dane Dehaan, Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti, and Sally Field were all pretty good for the most part. Stone did really well with Gwen Stacy here and I think her and Garfield's Peter Parker had better chemistry than in the first one. Dehaan did really well as Harry Osborne descending into madness. I liked his approach, but I could have done without the emo look. Of course, it's really a nitpicky thing, because DeHaan did well tapping into the mind of the character. Jamie Foxx's portrayal of Max Dillon presented him as somebody that is more of a tragic hero than a pure villain. His frustrations with being invisible to the world can be something anybody can identify with. His transformation into Shocker was great-effects were absolutely amazing. The only thing I'd criticize is that his story did parallel Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen a great deal right down to the blue look. Shocker actually looks like Willow or Jeff Hardy's alter ego character he currently portrays in TNA Wrestling (at least one version of the character does). I do think Foxx really gave a tortured soul aspect to the Shocker character that made it stand out. The battles between him and Spider-Man were visually impressive. Paul Giamatti's appearance as Rhino was interesting-criminal mastermind that had a manic edge to it. Giamatti is an excellent actor, so his approach worked for the darker nature of this movie. Sally Field did a phenomenal job as Aunt May. She is exactly how the character should be. Overall, the plot of the movie focuses around three parts: 1. Peter Parker balancing his life as Spider-Man and his personal life with Gwen Stacy, 2. Peter's friendship with Harry Osbourne and the subsequent connection of Oscorp and his parents, and 3. Max Dillon's struggle with his invisibility as a human being to his larger than life persona as Electro. Each of these stories were written well, and some of them were met with some shocking (again, no pun intended) results. I am still recovering from a certain event towards the end of the movie. The whole theater screamed at this event. I honestly couldn't believe how graphic it was. Some of the dialogue was cheesy, and certain interactions felt awkward (the first time Harry & Peter share a scene), but that's just minor things because its a comic book movie, so you're going to encounter things like that. Overall, I'd give this movie a 4/5. The cast, darker storylines, incredible scores, brilliant storytelling for the villains, and better portrayals of Gwen and Peter from the first movie made this a very good superhero movie. It also did an excellent job of shaping things for the next movie in terms of main plot as well as hinting at new character arcs. This is one of the best movies of 2014 in my opinion.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier on April 8, 2014!! I am not a big fan of The Avengers, but I always see the superhero movies that studios put out. I'll be honest: I'm more of a DC guy, but when it comes to Marvel I love X-Men, which I also look forward to seeing at the end of May. Captain America is great, because he actually comes across as a hero in my eyes in terms of how he conducts himself, and what he stands for.  Many of the other Avengers like Thor are portrayed as heroes, yet I find him to be really pompous and always root against him. I'm a Loki fan-much more intricate character, which is probably why the second Thor movie was more enjoyable for me than the first one. It really showed that Thor has an antagonistic personality, and made Loki more sympathetic, while still maintaining that cerebral part of his personality.  I just wanted to make that point. In Captain America: Winter Soldier, they successfully combined the events of the first movie with the events in this one. There was really good connection between the past and the present. I liked that Hydra ultimately becomes a first class antagonistic organization-very planned strategies. It's great when comics and movies portray intelligent villains. Chris Evans does an excellent job as Steve Rogers. I thought that Scarlett Johansson was very good as Black Widow. I really just want them to make a stand alone Black Widow movie, as I find her character to be fascinating. Unlike Rogers who is a super soldier, she's a mortal woman just going out there kicking ass and looking good doing it. This is a great look at being wary of who you can trust. We find out SHIELD is compromised. The movie really does a great job of creating different twists that kept the movie flowing. I predicted who was behind the whole hostile take-over as soon as they introduced the character, but it was still very well done. Samuel L. Jackson was at his best as Nick Fury in this. Sebastian Stan did an excellent job as the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie looks a lot like the Falcon should look from the comics, and his friendship with Rogers looked natural on screen. This movie had some of the best action sequences in comic book movies. I think the scene where Nick Fury is attacked on the street is one of the best scenes you'll find. The sequences are fast and exciting. Every character from Captain America & Black Widow to Alexander Pierce (played brilliantly by Robert Redford) & Maria Hill (played by the awesome Cobie Smulders) had a chance to shine. Everybody had a purpose, while the story was very intricate combining the threat of Hydra in the past with the present day hostile take-over of SHIELD. This movie was very well done. I know everybody thinks the Avengers was the best movie ever (I don't at all), but I would say Iron Man 1 & Captain America: Winter Soldier were the two best individual Avengers movies, while my favorite Marvel movie is X-Men: First Class. The deeper look at the main characters, the strong usage of the supporting characters, the intricate detailed plot filled with double turns bridging the past & present, and the excellent action sequences make this a truly special comic book movie. There's also some great twists in SHIELD headquarters during the final battle sequences that were handled so perfectly. I'll give it a 4/5, as I do most comic book movies with the exception of The Dark Knight and X-Men First Class which both earned 5/5 from me. Also, stay after the credits for the extra scene which helps set up Avengers: Age of Ultron (which should be 1,000 times better than the first one hopefully) really well. I'll just say we got a great look at two characters that will have a tremendous impact on that movie. One of my all time favorite Marvel characters (Black Widow actress first name & Hermione Granger are your hints) was one of them. They handled that pretty well. I was very impressed with Captain America; Winter Soldier. It's been a while since I could say I really liked a Marvel movie before this.

The Grand Budapest Hotel Review

Dad and I saw The Grand Budapest Hotel on April 4, 2014!! I've always been a fan of Wes Anderson's work, because he's always walked a fine line between genius and ridiculous. This honestly could be his finest project. I was into the movie the entire time. There was never a point where I thought anything dragged.  The cast was top notch, and may be one of the best ensemble casts you will find in a movie. The story of Gustave H. was interesting. I thought Ralph Fiennes was magnificent in this role. I've always been a big fan of Fiennes throughout the years-very good actor. He was on top of his game here. He perfectly balanced eccentric nature with distinguished gentleman very well. Following his and Zero Mustafa's journey to right certain wrongs by solving a big mystery made for a truly entertaining movie. While there were different story arcs for each character, these arcs all converged into the central plot of the movie. There were so many mememorable scenes, as well as great dialogue throughout. I also want to point out that I usually am not a fan of Adrien Brody's work, but he was really entertaining here. He basically served as a chief antagonist here, while Willem Dafoe was perfect as a creepy assassin. The chief plot revolves around paintings, wills, hotels, bakeries, and the larger than life character of Gustave H., and the men and women he came in contact with. It's a brilliant movie in so many ways-the performances, the amazing usage of color, the insanity of certain scenes that work really well, and the different cameos made for one great movie experience. Some of the cameos included F. Murray Abraham (who looked shockingly like Abraham Lincoln here-not kidding at all), Edward Norton (he was great as a scout master in Moonrise Kingdom as well), Bill Murray, and Harvey Keitel. It was really great seeing Saoirse Ronan as Abigail (actually perfectly cast in this role based on her work in Hanna and The Host). I think the other actor besides Fiennes and Brody that really stole the show was Tony Revolori as Zero. He and Fiennes had such incredible, natural chemistry. Their dialogue scenes were really well done, and their zany adventures were so much fun to follow. I really enjoyed his last movie Moonrise Kingdom a great deal, but Grand Budapest Hotel was excellent. I really can't wait to add this to my DVD collection. There are so many memorable moments, characters, and dialogue, and the cast was able to adapt to the roles really well. All of this combined with the attention to small details as well as the elaborate story passed to different generations certainly warranted a 5/5 for me. This is such a fun movie to watch. I'd highly recommend seeing this as it's a perfect example of why I still enjoy going to the movies. Among all the one dimensional action movies, comic book movies, etc. there are still some that portray artistic merit, and Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel does that in multiple ways.