The Big Short (9/10): Economics for Dummies

"Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come."

The Big Short is such a refreshing and surprising film because it manages to perfectly balance a difficult subject matter and make it entertaining. It is perhaps one of the most important films made this year reminding us of the worldwide economic breakdown that began in 2007 and left millions of people without their life savings. Many of us don't understand much about economics or how it works, and that is why we have been so eager to forget what happened and continue moving on as if nothing ever happened. This film refreshes our memory and reminds us of what a terrible crime was committed during the housing bubble collapse. The film centers on the few men who recognized the problem early on and took advantage of the situation. The Big Short is a dramatic movie, there is no doubt about it, but it also manages to include some comedic moments by breaking the fourth wall and including pop culture figures to explain some of the more complicated financial terms. It does it in a brilliant way and it's been a while since I've seen a film break the fourth wall as well as this one did. I've seen many documentaries on this subject, but this film manages to explain things better and open our eyes to the dangers we might face again in the future because we've ignored the real problem and seem to be repeating the same mistakes once again. Mckay manages to infuriate and open our eyes while entertaining us at the same time with an engaging film thanks to a witty adapted script which he helped co-write with Charles Randolph.

It's not the first time that a film based on a Micheal Lewis novel manages to draw in an audience that doesn't necessarily need to comprehend the subject matter. You could be clueless about baseball, but in Moneyball the story still managed to engage a worldwide audience. The same can be said about this film because the economic terms are explained in a simple way. That is why I believe this is one of the most important films of the year because it allows even those that never seemed interested in economics to understand how it still affects them. It is an eye opening film for those that felt uninterested in trying to understand what happened in 2007. If there is one film that audiences should see this year then this might just be the one (not for its technical or artistic value, but for the importance of its subject matter). 

The Big Short is Adam McKay's dramatic directorial debut and his background in comedy is what probably helped this film become more accesible. The man who brought us Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and The Other Guys, now brings us a thought provoking film. He's received two Oscar nominations (directing and writing) for his work here and what an impressive film he has crafted. The film is heavy on dialogue, but the script is so perfectly written that each character in this film becomes memorable. The performances are outstanding which simply proves what a key element writing is for an actor. It was refreshing to see Ryan Gosling back again after his retirement from the big screen for two years. He plays the charismatic character he could easily play in his sleep, but he is still a delight to watch. He delivers a solid role, but out of the four big names it was Steve Carell who stood out. He gets the best dramatic moments and lights up each scene he enters in. Brad Pitt has a smaller role but he makes perfect use of his screen time with an understated performance. Christian Bale is the only actor who received a nomination for his performance in this film and it is well deserved. He plays a socially awkward character and totally sells it. There are films where there are so many big names that no one really gets to shine, but this film manages to make every character memorable thanks to the wonderful script. 

Foxcatcher (8/10): Combining elements from Capote and Moneyball, Miller delivers a chilling psychological character study

“You have a problem with me?”

If you thought Bennett Miller’s Capote was a cold and distant crime thriller wait till you watch Foxcatcher because it is a very silent and slow paced psychological character study that explores some pretty interesting relationship dynamics along the way. I was captivated by this film and the atmosphere that Miller sets during its 134 minute runtime.  I went into Foxcatcher completely unaware of the story it was based on, and I think that is why I may have enjoyed it a lot more than others who were already familiar with the story. This isn’t your typical inspirational sport film, it is more concerned on studying the characters and you get an eerie sense that it is building into something much more than simply winning or losing a wrestling match. Miller’s Capote was a crime thriller and he followed it with Moneyball which was a sports film centering on relationships, and in a way Foxcatcher is a combination of both those films. Miller is interested in telling real stories and exploring the characters behind them. Unlike Jolie’s Unbroken where we get a sense that she is simply narrating a story where one event unfolds after another; Miller seems to be focused on the characters and their motivations. A lot of people might get bored with the slow pacing and somber tone of the film, but I was engaged with these characters fifteen minutes into the movie. There was a moment during the opening in which I felt the performances were a bit too actory or stagey, but once I got past that I was really invested in the psychological drama behind each one of the relationships. Miller has now directed three impressive films although this is his least approachable one.

There are some outstanding and creepy performances in this film, but the way in which the characters related to one another is what worked best for me. First of all you have these two brothers who’ve each won Olympic gold medals. Mark (Channing Tatum) is the youngest brother who seems to be sort of a social outcast living in the shadow of his older brother, Dave (Mark Ruffalo) who is the more likable one. Dave also understands wrestling better and knows how to coach, while Mark is more muscles than anything else. They have a solid and caring relationship with one another, but there is some resentment in Mark. Their relationship changes when a multi-millionaire named John Du Pont (Steve Carell) enters in the picture. He is a wrestling aficionado and offers Mark the opportunity to come stay with him in his ranch and train in the facility he has built there. There is something offbeat with du Pont who is desperately searching for acceptance and recognition. Vanessa Redgrave plays his mother and despite not having much screen time her presence seems to have an effect on John who is seeking for her approval. There is something true about what Miller said when he referred to comedic actors as having something dark about them because Steve Carell pulls off a chilling performance as this eccentric millionaire who tries to become a role model for Mark. The problem is that du Pont isn’t a coach, he is more of a sponsor, and without Dave Mark isn’t that good of a wrestler. Tatum, Ruffalo, and Carell each give strong performances, which doesn’t come as a surprise considering Miller directed each one of his lead actors to receive Oscar nominations in his previous films. The film relies heavily on their performances and they deliver. Carell receives most of the attention because he plays a creepy character who makes everyone around him feel uneasy at times (there is a homoerotic undertone to the film). The moments in which du Pont is trying to impress his mother by acting like he is guiding the wrestlers was the highlight of the film for me because no matter how much money this guy has you know he is desperate to be something he is not. Ruffalo is also outstanding and is given perhaps the most likable role in the movie, but Tatum is equally as good. Foxcatcher succeeds in most part due to those three strong lead performances and the way each one of these characters relates to one another.

My Review: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (5/10)

"You gotta have the bad days so you can love the good days even more."

To keep it short I will just refer to this film as Alexander, which is actually based on the children's book written by Judith Viorst which I read when I was a kid. My childhood memories along with the funny trailer drew me to this film so I decided to bring my younger brother to watch this with me as an excuse to relive them. Alexander is your typical family film with a lot of heart and some funny moments, but if you've seen the trailer you can't help but feel like you've seen it all. You know when the funny moments will come and there is not really much more to it. Despite being a family friendly film it is very forgettable and generic. It's a family film that never breaks any genre conventions or offers anything unique to the audience. Kids will love it, but adults might feel like it doesn't have much to offer. Despite its extremely short running time (80 minutes) the film does run out of steam soon and I had some issues with the pacing. I think the trailer worked much better for me than the actual movie. If you are looking for a film to distract your kids than you are in the right hands with Alexander, but if you are looking for more from a family friendly film, then you will be disappointed because there isn't anything original here. Some plot elements may remind you of the much funnier Liar, Liar but it never quite reaches the same comedic level. I was surprised this film was directed by Miguel Arteta who made the raunchy comedy Cedar Rapid, because this film is much more mainstream and clean. I also don't understand the positive grade in RottenTomatoes considering the film really doesn't have much to offer. It is forgettable and could've worked better as a direct to cable film. I would recommend you stick with the book and wait for this film to come on TV next year.

Steve Carell is of course the main attraction of the film and he plays the likable and sweet father pretty well. It was something different from his work in The Office and some of his latest films, but we have seen him in this sort of cute father role in the past. He does make the movie experience much more tolerable and fun. Jennifer Garner plays her usual self and really doesn't bring anything fresh to the movie. The real surprise for me came from Ed Oxenbould who played the titular character, Alexander. He delivers a genuine performance and he never hits a wrong note. The other kids in this film, Dylan Minnette and Kerris Dorsey (who I couldn't quite figure out where I had seen her before until I looked her up in the IMDB and was reminded she played Brad Pitt's daughter in Moneyball) also give solid performances and deliver their share of laughs. Unfortunately the film didn't live up to expectations for me, but in the end I couldn't help but take Alexander's advice (rephrasing it a bit of course), "You gotta have the bad movies so you can love the good ones even more." I should have gone to rewatch Gone Girl instead.

My Review: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (7/10)

"You made one mistake today. You messed with somebody from San Diego."

Director Adam McKay and Will Ferrell have teamed up once again for the sequel to their most successful film after nearly 10 years with very big shoes to fill. Despite having worked together in Step Brothers, The Other Guys, and Talladega Nights (which is my personal favorite), Anchorman was their most quoted and remembered film so expectations were high for this sequel. Despite not being as great as the first film, this sequel manages to entertain thanks to several hilarious scenes and many memorable characters that are just fun to be around. Some of the jokes are a bit familiar and repetitive, but Will Ferrell brings in the laughs and reminds us why he is such a big star. Anchorman does feel a bit overlong and several scenes could have been cut out (his relationship with Linda for example), but I did have a really fun time with this entertaining but ridiculous comedy. In the midst of all the familiar sexist, racial, and blind man jokes, I loved the satire on the 24 hour news networks in the way it criticized their lack of ethics in reporting. Without giving away any spoilers I have to admit that the funniest moment of the film came near the end with some hilarious and unexpected cameos so stick with this film to the end. 

The screenplay was written by McKay and Ferrell following the success of their first film and using familiar elements. Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) now live and work together in New York with their son Walter (Judy Nelson). Their happy lives are shook when their boss (Harrison Ford) promotes Veronica to lead anchor and fires Ron. Ron asks her to choose between him and her job and returns to San Diego on his own. Living a miserable life, Ron gets a second chance when a man named Freddie Schapp (Dylan Baker) comes knocking at his door to offer him a position as an anchor for Global News Network (GNN), the first 24 news channel. Ron accepts and decides to bring along his former local news team: Champ (David Koechner), Brick (Steve Carell), and Brian (Paul Rudd). Together they come up with an idea to change the way people watch news and rise to the top once again.

Will Ferrell pulls it off once again considering he plays a despicable character who is racist and sexist, but somehow we still pull for him because deep down he's a nice but ignorant guy. Several of the gags and jokes feel repetitive, but it's still worth hanging around with these funny characters who we never know what stupid thing they are going to come up with next. Steve Carell being the most unpredictable of the bunch, and in this film he shares some very funny scenes with the always hilarious Kristen Wiig. Their scenes together were much more entertaining than the ones involving Ferrell and Meagan Good (who plays Linda, their producer). Other than the hilarious cameos and the clever spoofs on the 24 hour TV news channels, I also found several other memorable scenes like the one involving the four friends in a car accident, and Ferrell's character living in a lighthouse after he's gone blind for some time. Of course there are also several scenes that didn't work at all, but I still laughed a lot during these ridiculous moments. I really like these characters and despite their somewhat crazy rants they still win me over every time. This sequel may not have as many memorable quotes as the original, but it was still a lot of fun to see these characters reunited taking punches at the 24 hour News networks.

My Review: The Way Way Back (8/10)

"Duncan! On a scale of 1 to 10, what do you think you are?"

It's been a great year for people like me who love coming-of-age films. So far I haven't been disappointed. Mud is my favorite film of the year, The Kings of Summer was a lot of fun, and The Way Way Back was charming. I loved this film despite it pretty much following the same formula most of these coming-of-age films do. The thing that stood out for me here were the performances and the emotion involving script written by Academy Award winning screenwriters Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (The Descendants). I was engaged with the story from the very opening scene and cared deeply for these characters. There were a perfect mix of funny and entertaining moments with some emotional drama. Liam James delivers a strong lead performance although at times he overdoes the physical aspect a bit by shrugging his shoulders a little too much (especially during the first half of the film until he begins building his confidence). It felt like he was trying too hard to point out that he was shy and lost, but I still sympathized with his character. The true stars of this film however are the secondary characters. Sam Rockwell gives yet another spectacular performance and he owns this movie. It was a pleasure to see his character on screen and he had great chemistry with Liam as he helped the kid grow and became a sort of a father figure to him. Steve Carell hits all the right notes in this film as the douche bag without overselling the performance. No matter how much you may love him as an actor, he genuinely is despiteful in this movie. Allison Janney is also hilarious in this movie. For a coming of age film I thought the adult actors were much better than the kids (at least their characters were better developed), and the location truly felt like a Spring Break for adults. Faxon and Rash not only wrote the script, they also played secondary characters (they were also really funny), and this was their first film as directors. I really liked this movie and thought it was even better than Payne's The Descendants which they helped write. The Way Way Back gets my respects and I definitely recommend this movie.

Fourteen year old Duncan (Liam James) is a shy and lonely kid who is being forced by his mom, Pam (Toni Collette) to travel with her to her boyfriend's beach house for the summer. She has been dating Trent (Steve Carrell) for over a year now and they decide to travel together along with his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). Once they arrive to their destiny they are welcomed by Trent's single sister, Betty (Allison Janney) and her two kids: Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) and Peter (River Alexander). Duncan has a difficult time talking to anyone and would have preferred going to his father's house in California (especially since Trent treats him so badly). At this unexpected place he begins to find himself when he accepts a summer job at a water park managed by the goofy Owen (Sam Rockwell). Owen takes a liking for the shy kid and teaches him a few life lessons. He also befriends the rest of the employees of the park including Caitlin (Maya Rudolph), Roddy (Nat Faxon), and Lewis (Jim Rash). He tries to spend as much time as he can in the water park, since back home the only person he can actually talk to is Susanna with whom a nice friendship slowly begins to form. Rob Corddry and Amanda Peet also star in this film as Trent's friends with whom they spend most of the time.

The Way Way Back has some similarities to Adventureland and although that film might be a little better I still think The Way Way Back holds its own mainly because of how great Sam Rockwell is here. It was easy for me to identify with Duncan and the film builds on that nostalgic sentiment of adolescence at times. Some elements may seem familiar or taken from other movies, but they still work in a unique way here. I really wouldn't mind watching this film again because it was a pleasant experience. It's like a summer destiny I would like to visit again the following summer. I loved how they managed to turn so many familiar elements from the genre and make them feel fresh and new. There are moments where you will find yourself laughing hard and then the next minute you will feel heart broken. I also loved the soundtrack for this film. The Way Way Back is a very enjoyable film, especially if coming-of-age films are you sort of thing.

My Review: Despicable Me 2 (8/10)

"That's right, baby! Gru's back in the game with cool cars... gadgets... and weapons!"

There might not be that much of an interesting story in this sequel, but I have to admit I had a blast with these lovable characters and laughed throughout the entire movie. I don't think I laughed as much with any other movie all year so I have to say this is the funniest film of the year so far. It has several clever lines and I was glad to see all these memorable characters back. Once again the minions steal the show along with Agnes who is as adorable as ever. There were also some new characters that brought some freshness to the sequel. I can understand why some adults might not have liked this film because it is predictable and has some very stupid moments, but I know kids will have a great time. They will love this sequel because the minions have more screen time and they steal the funniest scenes. I couldn't help but laugh at all the funny and adorable situation, and perhaps hearing the kids laugh at the theater made me appreciate the comedy even more. This is a very family friendly film which reminded me a lot of the old comedy from the Looney Tunes. I could sit through this film many more times without hesitating because it is a very easy watch. I think I'd even prefer to see this over the first Despicable Me, but they were both great and funny films. 

In this sequel we see how Gru (Steve Carell) is adapting to family life as he has put his villainous life behind him. He seems to be enjoying his life as a single parent to Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher). Everything seems to be going well for him as he has his minions working on a jam business. Meanwhile a secret Arctic lab has been stolen and the Anti-Villain League decide to contact Gru for his expertise in order to catch the person responsible. After recruiting Gru they team him up with Agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) and together they begin to look for suspects. Gru is convinced that the villain is Eduardo (Benjamin Bratt), who used to disguise himself as the villain known as El Macho, but he has been presumed dead for years. During their investigation, Gru's minions are being kidnapped, and the question remains as to who is the person behind all this.

I really enjoyed the animation from the guys at Illumination Entertainment and thought the 3D worked nicely. I really loved the underwater scene and thought it was really breathtaking. There were some great animated moments, but the lovable minions are the ones that steal the show with their funny voices and mischiefs. I also liked the addition of Lucy who despite being a bit wacky seemed like a perfect fit for Gru. I had a great time and I'm sure kids will love this extremely entertaining movie.

My Review: Despicable Me (7/10)

"We stole the Statue of Liberty...the small one, from Las Vegas!"

Considering Despicable Me 2 was coming out this weekend I finally decided to watch the first film and I wasn't disappointed. Despicable Me is a lot of fun with some memorable characters and some really funny lines. The story is involving enough for adults and kids to enjoy it alike, and Steve Carell has done some magnificent voice work with his character. I had a great time with this film and was instantly delighted with the animation and the storyline. Despite having some great characters, I think the minions completely stole the show and deliver several laugh out loud moments throughout the film. Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud have directed an entertaining enough film for me to want to go watch the sequel at the movies as soon as possible. This is a great family-friendly film that is better than Pixar's latest three movies so they should begin to worry with this strong competition. The characters in this film were just so much fun to watch on screen that it makes it impossible for anyone to walk out of the movie without a smile on his or her face. I had a blast.

The film stars a super villain named Gru (Steve Carell) who has a very long and pointed nose along with skinny legs. After discovering that a pyramid in Egypt has been stolen by another villain, Vector (Jason Segel), he decides to do something greater out of jealousy. He plans to steal the moon, and in order to do so he first has to shrink it with a special weapon. The only problem is that this weapon is in hands of  Vector. So Gru comes up with an idea involving adopting three orphans and using them to get into Vector's fortress in order for him to get the weapon back. Thus he adopts the adorable girls: Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher). Everything seems to be going according to plan as his workers known as the minions and Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) are preparing everything for the great day, but the only problem is that Gru's heart begins to be softened by these sweet girls. He realizes he still has to face his greatest challenge yet. 

Despicable Me is without a doubt a family pleaser. If you have kids you will want to go see this movie with them because the entire family will be entertained. It is funny and smart, a combination that is difficult to find these days. The premise also felt original and despite a few moments it never felt formulaic or cliche. This is what I would call a very cute film, and these days cute sells to audiences. I'm kind of upset I didn't get to see this film in 3D because the animation was excellent and it really did feel like a Pixar film. I may not have been as emotionally engaged as I was with Up, The Lion King, or How to Train Your Dragon, but this was still a lot of fun and I felt like I was being tickled like a 5 year old. Now it's time to go watch the sequel!

My Review: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (4/10)

¨Prepare to get your brain raped.¨

Director Don Scardino got to work with Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, and Steve Buscemi in his latest comedy. He also signed James Gandolfini and Alan Arkin for secondary roles. It doesn’t get any better than that comedy wise, but somehow the film failed to deliver big laughs and it settled for a formulaic genre instead. It has to be more difficult to do a bad movie than a good one considering the great cast Scardino had to work with, but the direction and the script failed completely so the film managed to do the impossible: turn funny actors into mediocre ones. This year has been pretty bad for comedies so far, and I had expectations for this film but it completely derails from the very beginning considering how unlikeable Steve Carell´s character is. This movie can be used in film classes everywhere to show the students how they can make a bad film with great actors. Jim Carrey is the only actor that really stands out in this film and it made you wish the film centered on his character which was a clever satiric portrayal of street magician Criss Angel. Other than that, the film lacks laughs and heart, and by the time the credits begin to role you are happy it got over with. The four writers involved in the screenplay couldn’t come up with a decent story and the jokes fell flat. It is a shame, because they had a stellar cast to work with and didn’t take advantage of them. Even the beautiful Olivia Wilde was underused and her character had nothing to offer.

Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and his best friend, Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) have been doing magic tricks together since they were kids. A wealthy Las Vegas Casino owner, Doug Munny (James Gandolfini), falls in love with their show and offers them a huge contract to perform at his casino. As the years go by, Burt and Anton become famous, but somehow fame and wealth have taken a toll on their friendship. Burt doesn’t care anymore about magic, and all he seems to be thinking of is getting the show over with and getting one of the girls from the audience to his bed. The only thing that has grown over time has been his personal ego. In the meantime, a street magician named Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) has begun to take the world by storm with his dangerous and bloody tricks. People have grown tired of Burt and Anton´s show which has remained the same for years, and Doug decides to end their contract with him. Burt and Anton each go their separate ways, and their fame soon fades away. Bankrupt, Burt decides to live at a retirement home, where he meets former magician Rance Holloway (Alan Arkin), who was his childhood idol. Rance reminds Burt about the joy of being a magician and all of a sudden his life begins to turn around. With the help of his former assistant, Jane (Olivia Wilde), Burt decides to try to return to his former glory, but is it too late now that the world has its eyes on Steve Gray?

I sort of felt the same way about this film like the way Burt and Anton´s characters felt about Steve Gray in that they said that what he was doing wasn’t really magic. They were just some distasteful tricks he was pulling off. In the same way this comedy can´t actually be called a film, it is just a bunch of distasteful and unfunny scenes one after another. Carell´s character is so egocentric and unlikeable that it doesn’t make much sense really why his assistant still stuck around him. By the time he turns his life around it is just a little too late for the audience to relate and like his character. I really didn’t care much for what happened to him. The film could have focused more on Carrey´s character who in my opinion does one of his funniest roles in a long time. The best thing about this film is his character and the few scenes he is in. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if the producers decide to make a spin off and make a film about him, although this film did so badly at the box office that they probably won´t want to take the risk. There is no magic whatsoever in this film, and I recommend you stay away from it.  

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My Review: Hope Springs (6/10)

¨He is everything. But I'm... I'm really lonely. And to be with someone, when you're not really with him can... it's... I think I might be less lonely... alone.¨

Hope Springs was one of those movies I wish I could´ve enjoyed a little more because it had some great performances and a decent story. The movie really felt authentic to me, but I did get bored during several points of the movie. Everyone knows how great and talented Meryl Streep is; she is one of the greatest actresses of all time in my opinion. Once again she is outstanding in her role here alongside Tommy Lee Jones who also gives an authentic performance playing her husband for 30 years. Whatever romance there might have been in the past, it is long gone now as the two live together but it might as well be like they are in two separate worlds. There are several funny moments in the film of course, but it`s also combined with a lot of drama and sadness. I can imagine some old couples relating to this story, but the film; I´m afraid, won’t attract a younger audience. Hope Springs was directed by David Frankel, who worked in the past with Streep in The Devil Wears Prada (one of my favorite performances from Streep). Frankel also directed more recently the heartfelt film Marley and Me. I would recommend any of those two movies over this one. What surprised me the most about this film was that it was written by the young Vanessa Taylor (who has written for several TV series such as Game of Thrones, Alias, and Everwood). I expected it to be written by a senior writer considering the material, but she did write a very good and believable script. Although I must say that Meryl Streep can make any script sound believable.

The plot is pretty simple: Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) have been married for over 30 years. They seem to have a stable relationship, but they sleep in separate rooms and have hardly any communication between each other. Arnold shows no affection for Kay anymore and he thinks everything is fine, but Kay feels alone and wants to reignite the spark of their marriage. Kay decides to sign Arnold and her for an intense one week marriage therapy session in Hope Springs with Dr. Feld (Steve Carell). When Arnold hears about it, he gets pretty upset at first but he decides to go anyway to comply with his wife, although he nags about it during the whole trip. Dr. Feld helps the couple discover where their love for each other has drifted apart and despite some reluctance at first, Arnold decides to go along with the therapy lessons. Things won`t be easy, but both must try their best to reignite the lost flame of their love before it´s too late. Thus the challenge for the couple begins.

The title in Spanish for this movie ¨¿Que voy a hacer con mi marido?¨ literally means What Am I Going to Do With My Husband? Perhaps a more appropriate and inventive title than Hope Springs. The truth of the matter is that Kay has put everything on the line in her marriage, and Arnold is the one who has held back. The challenge really is on him to rebuild the love he once had for her. Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep were great together; they really looked like a true couple. I give this film 3 stars out of five mostly because of their performance together. Steve Carell as the therapist had a different role than the one he usually plays. He did a decent job although he was outshined by the two stars of the film. Surprisingly he didn’t have a comedic moment in this film. Most funny moments come from the couple trying to rediscover their lost love for each other. This film isn’t for everyone. Younger audiences probably won`t enjoy this too much, but Streep fans will be pleased with her work. I still enjoyed the movie.

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My Review: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (5/10)

¨ I just can't spend the last month of my life getting to know someone. It's ridiculous.¨

Love is a strange thing; it can happen in unexpected places and with very poor timing sometimes, but it also is a very beautiful thing. In Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, the new apocalyptic comedy starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, we have such a romantic story evolve in the unlikeliest of situations. As much as I wanted to like this film I wasn´t able to due to the pacing of the film and the absurdity of some situations. I really liked the two main characters; it was just everything else that seemed out of place. The film is very different from other movies so I have to give it some credit for trying to stay clear of the usual Hollywood conventions for the genre. The supporting cast really didn’t help the film, but Carell and Knightley were pretty strong and convincing together. This was Lorene Scaforia´s directorial debut; she had written the screenplay for Nick and Norah´s Infinite Playlist, a film I really enjoyed that also dealt with discovering love in unexpected places and had a similar premise with both characters searching for love in different places before falling for each other. Scaforia also wrote the screenplay for this film, but it wasn’t as strong as her previous work. There were some funny moments here and there, but for the most part I really felt bored with the story. The last 15 minutes of the film are probably the best part of the movie so I must say it did end in a positive note, but just not enough to make me recommend it. I still liked this better than last year´s apocalyptic melodrama Melancholia.  

The movie begins with a radio announcement stating that an asteroid is heading towards Earth and that in three weeks the world will end. The latest mission to try to destroy the asteroid named ¨Matilda¨ was unsuccessful and now all there is left is to wait for the end. As soon as the announcement is over we see Dodge (Steve Carell) commenting to his wife about it in their car when all of a sudden she gets off and runs away from him. Dodge discovers that his wife never loved him and has no idea what to do with the few weeks he has left. His life takes an unexpected turn when he runs into his neighbor Penny (Keira Knightley) and talks with her for the first time. Her family is in England and she missed the last flight so she´s having an emotional breakdown. Dodge tries to consol her best he can although the sight of him alone would make anyone sadder. Penny realizes she has collected a bunch of mail from his apartment that the mailmen has accidently been leaving in her mailbox and gives it to him. Among those letters he finds one from an ex girlfriend named Olivia who he considers to have been the love of his life. The letter had been sent three months ago saying how much she missed him and acknowledging that he too was the love of his life. Dodge realizes that he must reunite with Olivia before the end of the world and at the same time tells Penny that he knows someone who can fly her to England. So they decide to help each other out in their journey running into some unfortunate situations along the way as the countdown begins.

Someone mentioned how Steve Carell reminded them of Charlie Brown because of the way he attracts others with his sadness. He has this sort of puppy face and in this film it works perfectly along with his deadpan humor. He is great in this film and so is Keira Knightley (although a bit over the top in her performance), but I really didn’t like the rest of the cast in this film. There are some strange and bizarre situations that don’t work really well, but I must admit I did enjoy the soundtrack. The film has its comedic moments, but it also gets emotional at times. It reminds us that life isn’t all about surviving, but rather discovering love in unexpected places. We might be heading in one direction, but all of a sudden something unexpected happens that makes us change our plans and that is exactly what life is all about. We shouldn’t be so busy trying to plan out our lives because sometimes the best things in life are what is happening around us right now. That is the message the film got across to me, but that is the beauty of films it speaks to us all differently. I wish I would have liked this film as much as others did, but I just was left a little disappointed and expected more. Nick and Norah´s Infinite Playlist is a similar but much better film than this one so go see that instead.

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My Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love (9/10)

¨I`m so mad at you; I`m really mad at you for what you did, but I`m mad at myself too; because I should not have jumped out of that car; I should have fought for you, because you fight for your soul mates.¨

Once every year out of the dozens of formulaic romantic comedies that come our way, one or two manage to stand out above the rest. Crazy, Stupid, Love is one of those films that manages to remain fresh and original, and balance the comedy and romance well enough without relying on the usual rom-com formula. It is one of those films where the chemistry between the actors feels real, and love is actually depicted like it can be in real life. It is one of those movies that manages to surprise us by remaining fresh and never letting us know for sure what direction it is going to take on every turn. You can predict how most romcoms are going to end from the very opening sequence, and even if you might do the same in Crazy, Stupid, Love; you will definitely not expect some of the twists that come your way. It also has the perfect emotional balance that will bring you to tears at some points and laughter at others. The cast is absolutely amazing and everyone does a terrific job. This is Glenn Ficarra and John Requa`s second feature film after last year`s critical success with I Love You Phillip Morris. That film was very risky, and in a way so is Crazy, Stupid, Love because it doesn’t follow the basic formula that other romcoms do. There are several scenes that could have been a total disaster, but really worked because they served as transitions from comedy to romance to drama and so on. The script by Dan Fogelman (Cars, Bolt, and Tangled) is another highlight of the film because the dialogue in this movie was great. The actors were given great characters to work with so every piece seemed to fit in perfectly for this film.

Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) have been married for 25 years; they live with their two children: Robbie (Jonah Bobo) and Molly (Joey King) and they seem to be living the perfect life. That is until Emily asks Cal for a divorce because she seems to be going through a sort of mid life crisis. She tells Cal that she slept with another co-worker, David (Kevin Bacon), and that is more than enough to end the marriage. Cal moves out of the house and begins frequenting bars and moping about his miserable life. At the bar Cal meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a playboy who always gets the girl due to his charm. Jacob promises Cal that he will help him recover his manhood with a few lessons. The first thing they do is change Cal`s wardrobe, then he teaches him how to pick up girls in the bar, and pretty soon Cal becomes an expert on seducing women. Jacob meets Hannah (Emma Stone) one night in the bar and can`t seem to get his eyes off her. Hannah doesn’t fall for Jacob`s charisma at first, but Jacob will soon discover what being in love is really about. All the characters seem to intertwine with each other at one point or another making the movie all the more hilarious. For example we have Jessica (Analeigh Tipton), the 17 year old babysitter who has a crush on Cal, but at the same time Robbie, his 13 year old son, is in love with Jessica.

It`s these love triangles and confusions that actually prove that love can be crazy and stupid at times, but wonderful at others. There is a great amount of time dedicated to each character, and the focus isn`t solely on Steve Carell and Julianne Moore. There are several more relationships that the movie deals with, but it never loses the main thread. The film balances the romance with the comedy really well, making this a very emotional film. I actually enjoyed this movie quite a bit. The entire cast was just brilliant. I loved the mope performance from Steve Carell, although we`ve seen it before in other films like Dan in Real Life. Julianne Moore is always a talented actress and she brings her game. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are very talented young actors and the chemistry between both of them was really believable. Gosling has to be one of Hollywood`s best modern young actors around. The actors who really surprised me however were the relatively unknown ones: Analeigh Tipton and Jonah Bobo; they share the funniest scenes in the film. Marisa Tomei also has some screen time, and she is great as always. Crazy, Stupid, Love is just a complete film that manages to deliver on all levels. It is my favorite romantic comedy of the year so far, and will probably be on my list of best films of the year. This is a movie you will want to go see.

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