12 YEARS A SLAVE REVIEW

Every few years, a movie comes out that one must see not just because its well done but rather due to its weight. This list would include Schindler’s List, Amistad and their ilk. 12 Years A Slave deserves to join this list.

The movie 12 Years A Slave is based upon the autobiographical book of the same name by Solomon Northup.  It chronicles the true-life story of Northup’s kidnapping and subsequent 12 years spent enslaved in South. Northup was a freeman of the North who lived in Saratoga NY. He had a family and vocation before he journeyed to Washington DC where he was captured, ransomed and sold to a plantation owners in the Southern United States. 

12 Years a Slave is the rare movie where everything is perfect because every little detail presented is important.  The use of audio-effects in this movie is unique compared to others I have seen in a long time. From the sounds of the tuning of a violin to the sound a whip makes and impacted on skin, you will experience every sound in context because it has meaning. For me, its been a very long time since I noticed every noise in a film without getting annoyed by their seemingly artificial addition to every scene. Here, the sounds amplified and flawlessly natural.

The use of panoramic shots was also very impressive.  The viewer gets the idea that the fault for the sin of slavery was a global issue and not isolated to the life of Northup. Director McQueen’s shots and angles showed it was a time when not just one group turned a blind eye to the plight of the other but when the slaves also turned ignored injustice for survive.

The movie is full of Cameos from actors whom I am sure they didn’t ask to be paid for their time. From Benedict Cumberbach, Alfre Woodard, Paul Dano and Paul Giamati to Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender.  Some appear for mere minutes or a few scenes in the film but you almost don’t notice them their “star power” they just fit.

As I started this post, I believe this movie to be very much like Spielberg’s Schindler's List. This will not be a movie I will own or possibly see more than 2-3 more times but it left an impact. It told a story not always understood because of its complexity and the sensitivity of the subject matter.  I will say, this will be a much-deserved Best Motion Picture for the Golden Globes and Oscars.  I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars.

Frozen Review

I saw Frozen on December 2, 2013!! This is easily the best animated movie I've seen in a while. The last animated movie I actually liked was Wreck It Ralph. This movie captured the magic of Disney through incredible characters, amazing visuals, and an intriguing plot. The plot revolves around two sisters: Elsa & Anna. Elsa lives in fear because she has the ability to create ice and snow. As she gets older her powers get stronger and she wants to find a way to control it. We see how her powers can be fun and incredible, while also showing how dangerous they can be. Anna is her younger, free spirited sister, and we get a sense of how close they are in the early minutes of the movie. Emotions get the better of Elsa causing her to lose control of her powers turning the entire kingdom into endless winter, thus isolating herself from her subjects, her sister, and the rest of the world to be free. Anna feels it is her fault for pushing her too much, and is on a quest to find her and bring her home to rule her kingdom. With the help of Kristoff & Olaf, she endures extreme conditions to bring her back home where she belongs. They had a nice political side plot in terms of a rival country trying to find a way to overthrow Elsa's kingdom. Along with the fun dialogue among the characters and the incredible visuals throughout, there were also some good songs. One song I thought was absolutely amazing was Let It Go where Elsa finally feels free mid-way through the movie. As I noted, the theater was packed and we all applauded when it was over. Idina Menzel did an incredible job with that piece of music. She belted it out. It reminded me of Defying Gravity in Wicked-another song that Menzel made famous. The girl can sing, and her voice really worked for Elsa. Honestly, I have no idea how you can feel nothing after listening to this song. Kristen Bell worked perfectly for Anna, while Josh Gad's voice provided natural comedic flavor to Olaf. A big part of this movie is the importance of sibling relationships. It was really interesting watching the evolution of the relationship with Elsa & Anna from when they were young children to adulthood. I liked the spin they put on true love, and how it didn't revolve around the typical guy kisses girl to solve everything. I won't lie there were so many times in this movie where my eyes started watering up just because of how natural the emotion was. Each character had their moments to shine, but what I liked is that two strong female characters dictated the pace of this movie. Elsa & Anna are officially two of my favorite female animated characters and that covers a lot of ground. Ariel from the Little Mermaid is my favorite, but these two will be remembered for their sisterly bond/love & devotion to each other, and the interesting circumstances surrounding their characters, whether it is Elsa's powers or Anna's fun personality. Frozen should win Best Animated Movie at the Oscars this year for the characters/excellent voice casting, incredible visuals, amazing plot, and interesting twists throughout. Let It Go should also be nominated...and hopefully win the Best Original Song at the Oscars. All of the factors I discussed make this a 5/5. I highly recommend seeing this if you haven't. Animation is the pickiest genre for me when looking at movies, and I am telling you this is a special movie that all ages can appreciate.

Catching Fire Review

Justin, Jake, and I saw Catching Fire on November 23, 2013!! This is my favorite of the three books, so I was excited to see it. We follow Katniss Everdeen & Peeta Malark played by Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson respectively as they embark on a Victor's Tour to the different districts. President Snow, played by Donald Sutherland is worried about rebellion in the districts and wants to destroy Katniss as he feels she is a symbol for hope. This results in the 75th Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) to feature all former champions competing in it. Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays Plutarch, the new Game Maker taking over for Seneca Crane. The characters are much more pronounced than the first book, and appear to be larger than life, especially in Joanna Mason & Finnick Odair. It was so great seeing Jena Malone in a movie again. She's a good actress and really captured the insanity of Joanna's character. The design of the arena, the threats (a new one at every hour), and the approach to beating the system were all amazing to watch. The monkeys, the jabberjays, the poison gas, the blood rain, the clock cornucopia-all much more compelling to me than the first installment (even though I greatly enjoyed that as well). So many people overlook the second book, because its the one in the middle, but it bridges the two books well combining the Hunger Games with the set-up for the rebellion. To me, its the most important of the series, and I feel it made for a better movie. I really liked the intensity throughout the movie, especially the riots in District 11, and the obstacles our victors have to deal with in the arena. Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson were better here, because they understood the characters more. Donald Sutherland plays an excellent antagonist as President Snow. The casting for the victors worked very well, and the action/thrills kept coming. I also have to point out how the supporting cast of Woody Harrelson & Eliabeth Banks as Haymitch & Effie Trinkett really steal the show in many of the scenes they are in. Harrelson's Haymitch is guidance for Katniss & Peeta, and he is very important in helping to shape the rebellion. He understands the Capitol & the Hunger Games take on victors. He is trying to change the guard. Harrelson is so perfect in the role. Banks looks awesome in the different outfits & hair styles. Her wardrobe captures so much of the color spectrum. Color in this movie was incredible-the brightness/different shades of reds, blues, pinks, & greens were beautiful. One of the most impressive scenes is when Katniss turns into the Mockingjay on stage. It reminded me of a scene from Black Swan. It was an amazing visual. The cast, more pronounced characters, action/thrills, new arena, set-up for the rebellion, and the pageantry for the Quarter Quell, as well as the dreary presentation of the Victor's Tour really made this a better movie, and I definitely give this 1 5/5. I was very impressed with this, and feel this book deserves more credit. It certainly made for a better movie overall.

About Time Review

I saw About Time on November 12, 2013!! I enjoyed this movie a great deal. It was a very good romantic comedy mixing in a little science fiction with the time travel element. The story follows the life of Tim (played by Domhnall Gleeson) who has an animated family and at time trouble with relationships due to awkward conversations. We've all been in that boat before, so everybody can identify with that no matter who you are. Tim's father (played by Bill Nighy), who is just referred to as Dad throughout the movie, informs Tim that the males in the family can travel in time. What follows is a fun movie with happy moments as well as sad moments. Tim's time traveling is fun to watch as he goes about, not only trying to help his relationship with Mary (played by Rachel McAdams), but also attempting to help the lives of those around him including his family and friends. This is why Tim is such a great character. Many times he is trying to help somebody else other than himself. While Gleeson & McAdams have great chemistry with each other providing some fun scenes and conversations, it's the relationship with two members of his family that really fascinated me. His relationship with his father is great to watch as you see they are close and share personal stories with each other-not all father-son relationships are like this. Tim's father is very important in his life, because he provides advice and always gives him a story to put him in a better place.  However, I personally found his relationship with his sister Kat (nicknamed Kitty Kat) to be the most interesting. I really liked the Kitty Kat character as she realizes the importance of change in one's life. She is a free spirit when we first meet her, and while she always maintains this, she still understands that she has to change some things.  Lydia Wilson did an excellent job in the role. You'll see what makes this happen, and how Tim will play a role in it. They are extremely close with each other-he does alot to try and help her with his time traveling abilities. You will be smiling at alot of what transpires on the screen, but there will also be moments when you'll have a tear in your eye. The good thing is those tears will turn to happiness in the end. While there are grim moments, they mend through time. In the end, one moral is to live each day as best you can. However, if you have the opportunity to change something in it, try it. I also want to point out that the soundtrack for this movie is phenomenal. The cast, the plot, the gamut of emotions, and brilliant directing make this a 4/5. If you want to check out a romantic comedy that has a different twist to it, check it out. Trust me, this movie is not like the Time Traveler's Wife which was terrible in many ways. This is an entertaining movie with great storytelling and fun characters.

Carrie Review

I saw Carrie on October 22, 2013!! I was looking forward to this for months and I thoroughly enjoyed this. I felt that this was a great remake following the original while also adding elements from Stephen King's novel. Chloe Grace Moretz was excellent as Carrie White, the shy girl who gets tormented by both her peers at school, but also by her fanatically religious mother. I felt that Moretz captured every piece of what makes up the Carrie character. Personally, I find her to be one of the best young talents in Hollywood in years. I've liked her ever since I saw her in the first Kick-Ass. I've seen everything she has done and its great to see her continue her ascent in the acting field. She was perfect casting for this role. We can't talk about this movie without discussing how amazing Julianne Moore was. She absolutely nailed the religious zealot that Margaret White embodies. She is tortured in her own way as she feels that God's wrath is inside her daughter. She does want to shelter her, but at the same time it's demonic the way she approaches it. I also felt that Judy Greer did a good job as Ms. Desjardin-it was an interesting casting choice, but I remember her role in Jawbreakers and felt that she was able to use some of that in shaping herself. Plus, EVERY child regardless of how old they are needs comforting at some point. You always have to be sure to say hello or talk to a kid because it could just make their day. I always do it. The torment Carrie gets from girls for experiencing her first period is downright cruel. I am just appalled at how vicious girls can be. I know guys can get involved in heated scuffles, but when girls go to war it's pure intensity and usually can continue for years whereas sometimes when guys battle it can be over in five minutes. I liked the focus on the supporting characters as well-definitely important in shaping a movie. I really liked the Sue Snell character simply because it is incredible to see what a heart of gold she ends up having along with Tommy Ross. Both Gabriella Wilde & Ansel Elgort were very good in their roles displaying popular students that go to bat for Carrie. I really liked seeing this. It's amazing to see how kind-hearted these two really are. However with every character of light, there is always one that exhibits pure darkness and that lies in our chief antagonist, Chris Hargensen. As great as Wilde was in her good role, Portia Doubleday's role as Hargensen was excellent. She embodied a true villain that you can never root for. She is an absolute first class word that rhymes with witch. Holy crap!! This girl is everything you hate about your high school years. Doubleday did so well with it. She did so well that when Carrie eventually gets her revenge, the audience applauded loudly at the theater even at how grisly her demise may have been. That was fun to experience. It wasn't a packed theater but about half-full and it was fun to witness. The iconic prom scene is so well done and I just sat back and watched the incredible visuals when Carrie snaps. It is one of the best scenes I've seen in a while in theaters. Carrie completely covered in the pig's blood using her telekinesis creating utter chaos in the school and on the street is incredible to watch. The stand-off with Carrie & Margaret is excellent displaying both love & hatred. Carrie struggles with her darkness because she is a good soul. However, she was pushed to her breaking point and it's created a monster. The build-up to the prom scene is orchestrated well. The performances are strong throughout the movie. With horror movies, you don't need to focus on acting, but the cast still put in a great deal of effort into making believable characters and they succeeded. Moretz, Moore, Doubleday, Wilde, & Elgort all did a phenomenal job. You combine the cast shaping the characters with the story and visuals, and you get one of the better horror remakes in a while. This was one of my favorite movies of 2013-top 10 actually with Oz: The Great & Powerful, The World's End, Man of Steel, City of Bones, Blue Jasmine, Insidious: Chapter 2, Kick-Ass 2, The East, and The To Do List. I enjoyed this a great deal. Even though some of the content can be downright vicious especially the treatment Carrie gets from everybody around her, the pay-off for her revenge is so amazing to watch. Not many will rate remakes or horror movies (I consider this more of a thriller than a straight horror movie) that high, but I certainly am giving it a 5/5. I loved the movie from the opening scene showing how nuts Margaret White is all the way to the finale. Great work by everybody involved!!

Insidious: Chapter 2 Review

Justin and I saw Insidious: Chapter 2 on September 14, 2013!! I was excited when this movie was announced, because I found the first Insidious to be one of the best horror movies in years. I like the whole concept of The Further and transporting yourself to different dimensions in your dreams. It was very well done. I consider James Wan to be one of the best horror directors with Dario Argento being the best. I think the story that Leigh Wannell and James Wan created was brilliantly executed. The concepts, excellent music, characters, and additional back story made the second installment so amazing to watch. Once I was able to deal with the tension, I was able to ease into the movie. I can get scared pretty easily. Once, my mother put on a Quasimodo mask from the animated 1996 Disney movie Hunchback of Notre Dame and jumped out at me as I was going into the bathroom. I shrieked quite loudly and nearly had a heart attack. My Halloween costume worked to instill fear on this occasion. In this second installment, the present plot picks up right where the first one left off which was great. We are presented background information on the Lambert family, namely Josh and his mother Lorraine when they first encountered this malevolent spirit that has been terrorizing them. What follows is a great combination of excellent usage of scares (particularly the woman in white-man is she creepy-great antagonist though as you'll see), great musical scores (the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when the music reaches a crescendo), and brilliantly connected pieces between the first and second movies. I really liked the main subplot dealing with the woman in white, as well as certain things you'll find out about that woman in black we saw in Josh's photos in the first movie. I think Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson have great chemistry, and I particularly felt Byrne's fear mixed with Wilson's duality really made for great performances, and its rare to see good performances in horror movies. They even did some great things paying homage to The Shining and Psycho. I also think Ty Simpkin's role as Dalton (the son that can travel to The Further) is a great children's role because it requires a great deal of imagination. Along with these three, Barbara Hershey did a great job as Lorraine once again, as did Lin Shaye in her Elise role. I like Elise because she is like a white light for the protagonists when they find themselves in a dark corner. She is a symbol of hope in many ways, however, each protagonist plays a big part in battling the darkness in their own way. I just feel her paranormal expertise is extremely beneficial for everybody. They did a great job connecting how the characters are in the present to events in the past. It's like a jigsaw puzzle where every piece fits perfectly. The way they connected some of these scenes was creative. In fact, if you plan on re-watching the first one before you see the second one, I'd say do it, because you may or may not see certain scenes from the first one appear. This did not disappoint at all. The best part is they set this up for a third installment, because with the Further there's always another insane ghost out there. The brilliant plot, connections between the first and second films, creative well thought out back stories on our protagonists and antagonists, as well as the music, great usage of make-up, and proper usage of scares, laughs (particularly with Specs & Tucker-the duo with Elise from the first movie), and intricately placed twists make this a 5/5. I am already looking forward to seeing what they will do with the third movie, because this story seems like it will focus on another main character, which can keep this going. There's so many creative ways to incorporate chief antagonist ghosts. Insidious Chapters 1 & 2 are both very well done. Both stand on their own with their own unique sub-plot, yet still connect to each other. I definitely recommend this even if you're not a horror person, because the actual story is still very interesting.

Blue Jasmine Review

I saw Blue Jasmine with two of my best friends Noelle & Lisa on September 10,2013!! Normally, I am not that big of a fan of Woody Allen. I like Annie Hall, Anything Else, & Vicki Cristina Barcelona, but for the most part I haven't been a fan of his work. However, I must say I was thoroughly impressed with Blue Jasmine and found myself enjoying the characters and story. I have read that Cate Blanchett is in the running for Best Actress when awards season comes around, and I am fully in favor of that if she is nominated. Blanchett is one of the best actresses in the history of cinema (not exaggerating, I really do think she's that good). Jasmine is a New York socialite that has to live with her sister Ginger because of the dark past surrounding her and her late husband Hal & estranged relationship with her son Danny. Moving from New York to San Francisco is something Jasmine needs. Blanchett's ability to show strength & vulnerability in each scene was incredible to watch. She is deeply disturbed and tends to talk to herself thinking past events are happening. The movie gives us flashbacks of how Jasmine came to be in her present state. We learn how Hal is a deplorable human being, and Alec Baldwin playing him was great because I naturally dislike him as an actor anyway (except in Beetlejuice & Barrett Moore in Nip/Tuck). Due to her status as a socialite, she finds it frustrating to work in "menial jobs", and she really doesn't have the skills to do these jobs accurately. However, when you're watching this there is a deeper meaning. This is really human emotions of anxiety trying to find your identity and where you belong. Jasmine needs to find her own person and distance herself from her past in order to get better. She really commands the screen with her incredible acting and different layers to Jasmine's personality. I want to point out how great Sally Hawkins & Bobby Cannavale were. I feel as incredible as the Jasmine character was, Ginger & her boyfriend Chili provide some great supporting roles. I think Cannavale was the best male performance of the movie, and he fights for Ginger throughout the movie. Ginger needs stability just as much as Jasmine does-that is what is intriguing about their relationship. Jasmine & Ginger aren't necessarily close, however, throughout the years they have both had issues with men in their lives such as failed relationships, cheated by Hal with money schemes, etc. I think each scene has a moment of great dialogue. The actors put alot of emotion into their words and made the performances stronger as a result. There were some other fun supporting roles by Peter Sarsgaard, Louis C.K., and Andrew Dice Clay. You want both Jasmine & Ginger to be happy in the end. The performances, writing, cast, and story were brilliant. Woody Allen really impressed me with this so much that I feel it merits a 5/5. It was extremely well done. The cut aways with the past & present were well done, and I think many of the twists & turns, though upsetting at times really kept the movie flowing. This is one of the best movies I've seen in 2013. I am definitely in favor of Blanchett, Hawkins, & Cannavale on the acting nomination lists for award seasons. They deserve it. At Applebees, Noelle, Lisa & I were discussing how we liked the movie and how much of an A-hole Andrew Dice Clay & Louis C.K. ended up being. If you want to know what I mean, see the movie!! I highly recommend people see this movie. It's a quality movie and much better to see than stupidity such as Riddick.