Catch-Up Post: Mini-reviews

I have been seriously behind for months!  So, again, a compilation post is in order.  I will be caught up with all seen movies with this post–woohoo!  Until I fall behind again…hey…it happens! 😀

Most of these are mediocre or just plain bad–with a few good ones sprinkled in.   I will start with the positive…

 

The Sessions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This a wonderful film.  I procrastinated because I thought it would be too heavy (emotionally), but I was so pleased that although the topic may be “serious”, it was lighthearted and enjoyable.  Writer/Director Ben Lewin makes smart choices and is helped by the fine performances.

John Hawkes was denied an Oscar nod, but Helen Hunt was deservedly acknowledged.  It is an accomplishment, for any movie, to allow you to understand and become empathetic with its characters–and with that, The Sessions succeeds in spades.   It is incredible what some humans survive–and how full a life could be, even with limitations.  Very cool.

 

Celeste and Jesse Forever

I was very impressed with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack–what a clever script!  I love realistic rom-com and Celeste and Jesse Forever goes down as a good one.  This film is funny, truthful and poignant.  Everything about it feels genuine and  grounded.  The chemistry between Jones and Samberg  is so honest, that you want them to be together–but being real means that some things may not always go as we want.  Well played.

 

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

Yeah.  Awesome, ugly witches.  Misunderstood trolls.  Kickass weapons.  Badass brother and sister team.  Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is exactly what I expected.  And it was fun.  Sometimes you just wanna turn off your brain and enjoy blood, guts and special F/X.  I will also give them a few extra cool points for a solid mythology, but if you expect more than this–you will be disappointed.

 

The Man with the Iron Fists

Okay.  I love Kung Fu!!  I even watch the ones with subtitles.  The Man with the Iron Fists is a fun homage to the genre.  It’s over the top–outrageous–and unrealistic…WOOHOO!  Yes.  I enjoyed it.  I laughed–shook my head at silliness–and admired some cool fight scenes.  That’s not bad for writer/director RZA‘s first attempt–maybe it will get better…maybe.

 

Trouble with the Curve

This movie is the perfect example of mediocre.  It’s forgettable.  No one is horrible, yet at the same time–I did not care for any of the characters. Clint Eastwood is grumpy (again).  Amy Adams is long-suffering.  And Justin Timberlake is nice.  So, best word I can find for the film?  Lackluster.

 

People Like Us

I wanted to like this.  With a solid cast and an interesting premise, it seems like it would be easy to like.  Nope.  I could not get over the very contrived plot devices and the stupid choices the characters kept making.  So, it ends up being…meh.  Chris Pine has yet to live up to his potential.

 

The Bourne Legacy

WHYYYYYY!!  I was so excited!  Tony Gilroy–Jeremy Renner–Rachel Weisz–the Bourne…Legacy??   How could it go wrong??  I do not know…I do not know.  But somehow–nothing works.  How sad.

 

Premium Rush 

Okay.  It looked bad.  But, hey…it was a fresh-enough idea, it had my boy Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon as the baddie…c’mon…it could be fun–right?  WRONG.  It was as bad as it looked.  JGL gotta get paid and eat (I guess).

 

This is 40

No.  It is not.  And it is disappointing.  I love Apatow’s style and up to this film, I’ve enjoyed all of his films.  I was really looking forward to this and it only adds to the dislike I now feel towards it.  I did not find it insightful or funny.  I hated everyone on-screen–except for the awesome Ryan Adams, who shows up in the last few minutes to sing some songs.   Too little, too late.

 

Odd Life of Timothy Green

I was not charmed by this film.  I wanted to be, because I like the two leads, but I could not get past the painfully simple form of storytelling.  Everything is shallow and easily fixed.  They learn lessons too quickly and react a bit too sweetly.  Oh, well.

 

Alex Cross

BAD. BAD. BAD.  Lazy screenwriting.  Uninspired direction.  Horrible acting.  WOW.  I guess Tyler Perry needs to stay in a dress and Matthew Fox needs to let his hair grow out.  Just sayin’.

 

There you go–from good to BAD.  😀  Let’s hope I can keep up from this point on–I will try.

Later!

 

Related articles

• Movie Review: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (hungryexpat.wordpress.com)
• So Bad, And Yet So Good – Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (hitchhikingmuse.wordpress.com)
• The Sessions Blu-ray Review (Kirk Haviland) (entertainmentmaven.com)
• Rashida Jones – Brilliant Woman of Color – Inks TV Deal (jezebel.com)
• Review | The Sessions (theblend.ie)

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