Philomena (2013) REVIEW

Philomena is a real woman’s story of her 50 year long journey to find the son that got snatched away from her as a young woman. It’s also a contender for many Oscars including Best Picture and Best Actress for Judi Dench.  I’ve heard lots of good things about it and even the owner of my local arthouse has been raving about it so I thought I’d give it a chance despite hearing a small summary of the film and not being too interested. Steve Coogan and Dench form an unlikely but charming duo and deliver some great performances. The story is fascinating in itself, but my attitude towards the film is a little indifferent. If the film were released pre-Oscar season than I’m not sure it would have gotten the same attention it has now. It had some great acting and good writing but overall the film seems to lack the emotional punch that it potentially could have had.

Frozen (2013) REVIEW

So, I finally did it. I saw Frozen. I know, I know. I’m a little late (3 months) to the party, but I have to say that I was not let down. After all of the hype that’s been going on with the movie, I was almost positive that I was going to see it and be disappointed. That’s part of the reason I took three months to finally see it. But no, Frozen was still fun and exciting for me despite going through three months of hearing “Let it Go” belted out horribly by both males and females, young and old, and enduring random occurrences of people spouting Olaf the Snowman’s lovable quotes at me. No, I’m happy to say that Frozen was a very pleasant reminder that Disney is still very capable of churning out a great movie that brings back memories reminiscent of Disney’s Renaissance age and at the same time pokes fun at their outdated ideals (“You can’t marry a man you just met”) while introducing some surprisingly progressive ones.

Nebraska (2013) REVIEW

For me personally, Alexander Payne’s latest Nebraska is one of those movies that does everything right; with great performances, a good script, a simple yet charming story, etc. But a good movie is not just simply a sum of all its parts; a good movie strives to create a bigger sum and achieve something more. Don’t get me wrong, all of the individual aspects for achieving that certain something was present in Nebraska.  Bruce Dern and June Squibb give some amazing, and hilarious, performances. It is nice to see Will Forte taken out of his Saturday Night Live setting and in a more serious role. Bob Odenkirk was a surprise for me, but a good one. The cinematography perfectly captures that bland beauty that is so prominent of the West and the black and white worked well with the story. All in all, the film achieves what it wanted to achieve. However, my enjoyment of Nebraska was very surface level. All of its individual parts were wonderfully executed, but its failure to deliver something a little deeper is what kept it from truly making an impact on me as I left the theater.

12 Years A Slave (2013) REVIEW

Proclaimed by many as “the best movie about slavery” ever made, 12 Years A Slave has made a huge splash for this year’s heated awards season. Director Steve McQueen has brought lots of attention to the shockingly unknown story of Solomon Northup, a highly regarded free black man who got kidnapped and sold into slavery until his release 12 years later. It really seems that there has been an increase in films with strong roles for black characters recently with Lee Daniel’s The Butler receiving a fair amount of recognition earlier last year. Not to mention movies like Lincoln and Django Unchained released in 2012; movies that weren’t so focused on slavery but had characters that were strongly affected by it. It feels as if 12 Years A Slave has come at just the right time.

Her (2013) REVIEW

It is rare that I leave a theater completely mesmerized by what I’ve just seen on the screen. It is rare that a movie is so perplexing to me that I’m left pondering over it for days after I’ve seen it. Her is one of those movies for me. It’s not just a movie made for the sole purpose of entertainment. Instead, it reminds us exactly how movies are a form of art. It is an experience that I found myself completely lost in; a film that brought new ideas to me that I have never thought of before. Her is a movie that perfectly resembles the power that the art of cinema has. Beautifully shot, fantastically acted, and most prominently, a brilliant and thought-provoking screenplay, Her might just be my favorite film of the year.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) REVIEW

Welcome to the Secret Life of Walter Mitty; where sharks can be fought off with just a brief case as a line of defense and you can trek the Himalayas without an ounce of prior training in mountain climbing. Is Secret Life the most realistic story told in cinema? Nope. Does it suffer many plot holes that, if exposed, would probably ruin the whole momentum of the story? Yep. Is it a beautifully shot movie that does its job in that it evokes inspiration and probes your imagination? Absolutely. Walter Mitty has gotten a lot of flak from critics for being too ambitious and simply all over the place but I actually found myself very impressed with Stiller’s work, both as an actor and the director. The cinematography is beautiful, Stiller’s performance is refreshing from his usual goofball characters, and the story, although quite unrealistic, was upbeat and fun. Through all of its faults, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is endearing, sweet, and showed a side of Stiller that I never would have thought he had.

Frances Ha (2013) REVIEW

A movie about a woman who is struggling to accept the reality that it’s time to “grow up” and be an adult but doesn’t really understand how to go about doing that. Yep, sounds like a film I can definitely identify with. We all go through this time in our lives that we aren’t really prepared for and in Frances’ case is followed by a period of total loneliness as all of her friends have seemed to “move on” to Adult Land and left her behind. Frances is quirky, outgoing, and childlike all in a slightly annoying way, but also in a way in which we can’t help but kind of adore. Frances Ha is a subtle look into her life that, filmed in black and white, gives off a very French New Wave feel to it where style is emphasized over the script. Directed by Noah Baumbach with a script also written by him and the lead actress, Greta Gerwig, this is a film that seeks to obtain a certain something more than what the simplistic story line exhibits at first. With only a few stumbles, Frances Ha does seem to capture the essence of a vibrant young woman who realizes the need to become more grounded and despite a few weaknesses of the film itself displays intrigue and beauty in this very human journey that everybody must go through at some point.

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) REVIEW

The Coen brothers’ latest movie, Inside Llewyn Davis, approaches a struggle known to any musician over the decision to keep playing music for a living or to give it up and find something that is more financially stable. This is a premise that really anybody can relate to considering we live in a society where getting a 9 to 5 job that pays the bills is sadly what is expected of most people.  The Coen brothers capture the harsh reality of a folk musician, Llewyn Davis, trying to make his way in the music scene of Greenwich Village in 1961. This was a harsh time for folk artists, before Bob Dylan burst onto the scene and really made folk music a genre enjoyed by the masses. Inside Llewyn Davis is an honest but brutal snapshot of a struggling musician’s life and a loyal depiction to the harsh realities of pursuing the artistic dream.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) REVIEW

The Wolf of Wall Street is extremely entertaining, to say the least, for all of its 180 minutes.  A narrative of Jordan Belfort’s life, the movie is exciting shot after exciting shot. Partying, sex, drugs, alcohol, money, oh and more drugs. This is the story of a man who worked his way to the top in unconventional and extremely illegal ways only to stumble right back down to the bottom again. It’s a story that’s been told again and again. Oh, but this time it’s different. Scorsese chooses to portray Belfort’s life in such an exaggerated and over-the-top style to emphasize how over-the-top Belfort himself exactly was. The funny thing is, as the audience, we get a sick sort of enjoyment and satisfaction out of observing this greed driven man who, quite honestly, shows no signs of remorse. This ultimately raises the question of who is truly at fault here; Belfort or the people of society who fantasize of living a life exactly like his?

Dallas Buyers Club (2013) REVIEW

If you haven’t seen Dallas Buyers Club already, go see it. To see two actors, Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto, become so apart of their characters is a real treat. Their performances alone are worth the cost of admission and your time. Dallas Buyers Club is based off of a true story and the real Ron Woodworth, a womanizin’, bull ridin’, homosexual hatin’ redneck cowboy who learns that he only has 30 days left to live due to the HIV/AIDS virus. Such emotional subject matter can make for a preachy film if you’re not careful but Leto and McConaughey are so invested in their characters that you forget you are watching a movie. It becomes real and the movie succeeds in pulling a variety of emotions from you without being forceful about it.