Aloha (5/10): The incoherent plot is almost saved by its feel good ending.

"You sold your soul so many times, nobody's buying anymore.”

The final 20 minutes of Aloha completely feel like a Cameron Crowe movie since it ties everything up neatly without being overly cheesy. It still is sentimental and has a couple of quotable lines, especially in a scene where Rachel McAdams is reading a letter from her husband. It also has some funny moments, my favorite being the scene in which Bradley Cooper and John Krasinski stare at each other understanding what the other is saying without speaking a single word (but we get to read the subtitles and it is a hilarious scene). Aloha ended in a rather strong note for me, but unfortunately the film is 105 minutes long and the first two thirds of the film make very little sense. The introduction of every character in this movie is done in such a rushed way that none of them feel authentic or interesting. The plot is a mess and it is all over the place at times so I agree with all the hate the film is receiving, but I honestly don’t know how Crowe managed to engage me in those final 20 minutes considering I didn’t care for these characters or their story, so I will give him some credit for at least ending Aloha on a strong note. At the beginning of every year, I make a list of my most anticipated films and Aloha was one of the top 10 movies I was looking forward to basically because I’m a Cameron Crowe fan and have enjoyed all his previous movies (I defended his lesser films: We Bought a Zoo and Elizabethtown, which I was a strong fan of). It also didn’t hurt that he had a wonderful cast to work with: Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams, Emma Stone, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, and Alec Baldwin. And to top it off Crowe was setting the story in the gorgeous islands of Hawaii. So what could go wrong? Everything did from the writing to the casting of the characters and in the end I simply couldn’t defend Crowe on this one. At least I went into it with much lower expectations so I wasn’t disappointed and ended up mildly enjoying it for its final twenty minutes. I still have to catch up with Crowe’s earlier film, Say Anything, and hopefully after watching that he will regain my trust again.

Aloha centers on Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper), a military contractor who is returning to Hawaii after 13 years to convince the King of the island (Dennis Bumpy Kanahele) into giving them a 20 minute blessing in the approval of an Air Force gate. Brian is currently working for a millionaire named Carson Welch (Bill Murray), who is planning on launching a satellite from there. Brian’s ex girlfriend, Tracy (Rachel McAdams), continues to live in the island, but she is married now with Woody (John Krasinski) and has two children. Upon Brian’s arrival the two meet up and they continue to be very fond of each other. During his visit, an Airforce pilot named Allison (Emma Stone) is assigned as his watch dog and despite an awkward introduction the two begin to form a friendship, thus creating a sort of love triangle. Danny McBride and Alec Baldwin have small supporting roles as military officials. 

The plot doesn't make much sense throughout the entire film and the narrative seems to be missing something. I don't know if it's the way the film was edited or simply because of the screenplay but it is incoherent. Crowe has always excelled as a writer so it's difficult to understand what went wrong here. The entire mythology surrounding Hawaii and their belief doesn't make much sense either and it doesn't add anything interesting. For example, Tracy's son, played by Jaeden Lieberher, is always filming everyone with his camera and talking about more of the island's mythology, while Allison also seems to be in awe of the spiritual energy of Hawaii, and she tells everyone she meets that she is one quarter Hawaiian. That Emma Stone was cast in this role is the least of the film's problems (I've met many white folks who are Asian descent and you'd never notice it). As much as I love Murray and Baldwin, their characters are given nothing to work with here and they are completely wasted. Cooper, Stone, and McAdams had a rough start but eventually their characters grew on me. Krasinski is the actor who comes out of this film best, but I'm afraid Crowe missed out on an excellent opportunity to direct these talented actors in such a wonderful location.

Birdman (9/10): The technical ambition pays off for Iñarritu and Lubezki.

“You're doing this because you're scared to death, like the rest of us, that you don't matter. And you know what? You're right. You don't. It's not important. You're not important. Get used to it.”

No matter how people feel about this film, there is no denying that Birdman is a technical marvel. Emmanuel Lubezki is one of the best cinematographers in Hollywood and he should continue working and experimenting with his fellow Mexican directors. Birdman is visually astonishing and one of the most unforgettable moviegoing experiences of the year. He blew us away last year when he took us to space in Gravity, and now he astonishes audiences once again by giving us the illusion that the film is taking place entirely in one single shot. From the opening shot, Lubezki is letting us know that we are going to get our heads spun and so he circles around a table with four actors discussing their roles in the play they are about to act in. Birdman is unlike any other film I’ve seen in that sense, where you feel like you are watching actors in a live theater. The audience becomes the camera which follows around these egocentric and troubled actors as they interact with one another. The film has stuck with me and it is one of those rare movies I’d like to experience once again in the theaters. I can’t think of another film that manages to portray the passage of time so well without having to cut from one scene to the next the way Birdman does. 

Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu is better known for his realistic and depressive films focusing on separate characters whose lives intertwine someway or another (Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel). This was quite a fantastic change of tone from his previous and more depressing films. He has crafted one of the best films of the year with groundbreaking editing effects that magically make us believe the film is all a continuous shot. He also uses dark and satirical humor to critique egocentric Hollywood actors, critics, artists, and even audiences who eat up anything they are served as long as there are loud explosions and non-stop action scenes. Iñarritu takes a shot at just about everyone.

Alexander Dinelaris's script was wickedly smart and satirical with some great and memorable dialogues that complement the technical achievements of the film very well. Birdman has a lot to say about our human nature and our desperation to become relevant and important. It is a complete film that deserves all the recognition and awards it has been receiving.

The performances in Birdman also stand out above most films released this year. Michael Keaton is fantastic as Riggan Thomson, a once popular actor who starred in a superhero franchise but hasn’t been able to do anything relevant since. He is known for the character of Birdman, but he wants to prove he is a real artist and not just a washed up celebrity. That is why he is risking everything in a play he is directing, writing, producing, and starring in. His good friend, Jake (Zach Galifianakis) is co-producing the play with him. Lesley (Naomi Watts), Laura (Andrea Riseborough), and Mike (Edward Norton) are the actors he hires for the play, while his daughter Sam (Emma Stone) is working for him as his personal assistant as she tries to recover from her former drug addictions. The supporting cast is excellent in this film, especially Edward Norton and Emma Stone who share several great scenes together along with Michael Keaton. Galifianakis also impresses in a much more serious role than what we are used to seeing him in, but this is still Keaton’s film who displays a wide range of emotions. Birdman has become such an important part of his life that he actually interacts with him in a surreal way. The film balances this magical realism very well and Keaton pulls off the feat of having these inner conversations with himself. The intimate camerawork only enhances these performances even more. 

Magic in the Moonlight (6/10): More of Woody Allen's recycled characters, but still a charming film

“She won’t fool me.”

Woody Allen is a talented writer who simply never stops working. Every year we get a new film from him and of course that means that his films are not all going to be Award worthy. In that sense Magic in the Moonlight might be disappointing because it’s not going to win any award, but I still found it to be a charming and light hearted film. I’ve actually enjoyed all of his recent films although they really never blow me away (with the exception of Midnight in Paris which is my all time favorite Woody Allen film). I have a fun time with the dialogue and the characters he creates, although I know most of them are recycled and tend to appear over and over again in his films. The characters in Magic in the Moonlight are characters we’ve seen before in his previous work and there isn’t anything fresh or inventive about this movie, but I am sure Woody Allen fans will appreciate his work. This time Allen takes us to the gorgeous French riviera setting the film in the 20’s. The cinematography by Darius Khondji is gorgeous and the lighting is perfect, giving the film an almost fairytale look to it. The score is also very playful, similar to what Allen does in all his films. Magic in the Moonlight is beautiful to look at, it has the familiar comedic pacing from Allen, and of course he includes some of his personal philosophy and ramblings through his characters. The romance might feel a bit forced, but the performances elevate the material and make this an enjoyable experience. Of course the dialogue feels very theatrical and explanatory at times as Allen tries to set things up and introduce every character in the narrative, but that first act is probably the one I enjoyed the most. Allen’s films are recognizable and familiar, but I’d still prefer this over most other romantic comedies released these days.

The cast in this film is wonderful. Colin Firth is given the rather difficult task of making his narcissistic character likable and he pulls it off really well. I usually tend to dislike these characters, which make me feel disengaged, but Firth’s natural charm managed to keep me interested. Emma Stone is also sweet and delightful in this film. The romance might not be memorable, but the way these two actors played off each other was remarkable. The tone of this film might be light, but it is still charming thanks to these two actors who keep us engaged and entertained. I can see how some audiences might feel disappointed considering this is a Woody Allen film and it doesn’t live up to his best work, but I still found it to be a quite pleasing and fun film. Marcia Gay Harden, Simon McBurney, and Jacki Weaver are charming as well in their secondary roles and add to the overall light and entertaining mood of the film. There are some funny moments and the film does get off to a strong start, but unfortunately it begins to drag as we approach the end. It’s far from being memorable, but it still manages to be an entertaining watch.

My Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (7/10)

"Let's go catch a spider."

Marc Webb's first feature film, 500 Days of Summer, was a successful small indie romantic film with a lot of heart. He went from that to the huge production of the Spider-Man franchise which I thought didn't necessarily need a reboot so soon. However the film did work thanks to Andrew Garfield's portrayal of Peter Parker. His natural charisma and confidence translated really well to the character and his sense of humor makes him the perfect candidate to play Spier-Man. I began my review by mentioning that Webb directed 500 Days of Summer because for me the heart and soul of this film is the love story between Gwen and Peter. I can't think of any other superhero film with such a great love story and believable chemistry than this one. Garfield and Emma Stone are incredible together and I loved their scenes. Webb knows a thing or two about young romance and it is the film's strongest asset. The sequel is entertaining and has some great action scenes, but I could've watched this film for the romance alone. The flaws are actually the villains in this film. They don't crowd the film like the trailers led me to believe, but they really don't seem to menacing until we reach the final third act. For a film that runs at 140 minutes it went by really quick and that is always a good sign. Spider-Man 2 might not be as good as this year's Captain America, but it does have its solid moments and clever one-liners. At times the CGI took me out of the film as it looked more like a video game, but there were some interesting shots as we got to follow Spider-Man swing across the New York City landscape. The film works better as a romantic comedy than an actual superhero movie but that was fine with me because it was a really good one. It makes most other recent rom-coms look ridiculous and unbelievable.

After a short flashback where we see what happened with Peter's parents, the camera follows Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) swinging across NYC  as he tries to stop a Russian mob criminal, Aleksei Sytsevich (Paul Giamatti), who has stolen something from OsCorp. In the midst of all the action he receives a call from his girlfriend, Gwen (Emma Stone), who is reminding him that he's going to be late for their graduation. Somehow Spider-Man manages to take care of business and arrives in the nick of time to receive his degree as Peter Parker. His Aunt May (Sally Field) is the only family he has left, but she's there for him like she's always been. Peter however has been having visions of Gwen's father reminding him of the promise he made to not date his daughter in order to keep her out of danger. Apparently it has been a conflict they've dealt with over the last few months and Gwen decides it's time for the two to break up. Gwen continues to work at OsCorp which is now managed by Norman's son, Harry (Dane DeHaan), after his passing. Harry seems to suffer from the same degenerative disease of his father and wants to continue researching for a cure in OsCorp. Peter is glad to see his childhood friend back, but when he realizes what he's up to things get complicated. When an employee from OsCorp suffers a freak accident he becomes Electro (Jamie Foxx), a dangerous foe for Spider-Man and the city.

The Amazing Spider-Man has some flaws but it still entertains thanks to the great chemistry between Stone and Garfield. They are perfect together. DeHaan is also great as Harry and he does look like a believable threat for Spider-Man. I had a problem with Foxx's clumsy performance as Max but once he becomes Electro he does look menacing. I didn't care too much about the villains or the action set pieces despite the fact that they were well crafted. The inner struggles that Peter Parker faces with his family drama and relationship with Gwen is at the heart of this film. The final act is more than just a gigantic action face-off, there is actually a lot of emotional elements at stake and that is what lifted this movie as it finished on a high note. There was a very emotional scene scene near the end of the film that left the entire theater in silence. The best thing about this sequel is that it was much more emotionally involving than the original and it banks its strength from Andrew Garfield's charismatic and spot on performance as Peter Parker.

My Review: The Croods (5/10)

"Anything new is bad. Curiosity is bad. Going out at night is bad. Basically, anything fun is bad. Welcome to my world! But this is a story about how all that changed in an instant."

The Croods is one of those animated films that kids will love, but adults will barely find amusing. Kids will pretty much enjoy anything, even co-director Kirk De Micco's previous film Space Chimps. I on the other hand was completely disappointed with this film considering the other co-director involved here was Chris Sanders, who brought us the highly acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon (now that is a sequel I'm really looking forward to). I didn't have a problem with the visuals here, because they were great, but my major issue with this film had to do with the story. The Croods suffers from a completely formulaic narrative where you have the young daughter wanting to go out and experiencing life, while the over protective father doesn't allow it. Last year's Pixar film, Brave, dealt with this very same issue and I personally feel a bit tired of it. These animated films have a history of putting up children against their parents and always giving them the reason. Usually it's the parent that has to change his ways and learn the lesson from their younger child. I understand that this is what is appealing to kids, but pretty much every film targeted towards them is appealing (they won't even hesitate to watch The Smurfs movies again). I am used to these cliched stories and usually forgive them if the film has clever characters with funny dialogues, but The Croods has neither. I don't remember laughing at any scene, and I don't think any of these characters is really memorable.

The story focuses on a family of cavemen whose patriarch, Grug (Nicolas Cage) has kept everyone safe thanks to his extreme rules. He has shielded them from the outside world and kept them inside the cave for most of their lives, only abandoning the cave to collect some food for a few minutes every three or four days. Grug lives with his partner Ugga (Catherine Keener) and her mother Gran (Cloris Leachman). They have two kids: Eep (Emma Stone) and Thunk (Clark Duke), and a young baby. Everyone seems content with Grug's rules, except for Eep who is desperate to explore the outside world. One night after following a strange light out of her cave she runs into a nomad named Guy (Ryan Reynolds) who has discovered how to make fire. Guy is an inventive individual who has managed to survive in the outside world on his own. He warns Eep that the world is coming to an end and that they should head to the high lands. When Grug sees that Eep is missing they immediately go find her and bring her back to the cave, but before they can arrive Guy's predictions come true. Now the entire family will have to embark on a journey with Guy and discover a whole new world while facing the threats in the outdoors.

There are several interesting action scenes in The Croods and some beautiful visuals (although nothing as near as beautiful as Pixar's Brave) as they explore and are in awe of this new world. None of the characters here are developed very well and most of the film centers around Grug and Eep. The story does begin to pick up with the introduction of Guy who reminds us of the power of new ideas and the importance of being creative. Unfortunately the film isn't creative with its narrative and that is what left me disappointed. The vocals here were done pretty well with Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, and Emma Stone standing out mostly because their characters are basically the only ones who have much screen time. The Croods isn't a film the entire family will enjoy, but I am sure the kids will have a blast because it involves outdoor exploration and has plenty of action. I was expecting this film to be a lot funnier, but nothing really stands out.

My Review: Celeste and Jesse Forever (7/10)

¨At last love wins. You guys are lucky to be best friends.¨

Celeste and Jesse Forever is an authentic romantic comedy directed by Lee Toland Krieger (winner of the Independent Spirit Award in 2010 for the screenplay of The Vicious Kind) and written by first timers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. They are mostly known for their acting abilities, but they did receive an Independent Spirit nomination for their collaboration in this screenplay. Rashida Jones also stars in this film and McCormack has a supporting role as well. The story feels real and authentic and despite the fact that it stars Andy Samberg this is not as much as a comedy as it is a romantic drama. This is a very different role than what Samberg has us used to and he gives a very convincing performance alongside Rashida Jones who really delivers here. This may be her best performance to date. What I enjoyed most about their characters is that they were deeply flawed and vulnerable towards each other, but despite that they still managed to be really likeable. I thought it was a very honest portrayal about two best friends who fall in love with each other at a very young age and have problems making the transition to adulthood together. In a way this is a very different romantic comedy since it begins sort of upside down with the romantic montage at the beginning of the movie and the disintegration of their relationship from then on. I really was surprised with the opening of the film since I really didn’t know what this movie was about. The movie transitions nicely from being serious at times to being more playful at others, but it´s all handled in a very authentic and believable way.

The movie begins with a romantic montage between Jesse (Andy Sandberg) and Celeste (Rashida Jones), two best friends in love with each other with a nice indie soundtrack in the background. When the story begins we are surprised to discover that the two friends aren’t actually in a relationship anymore, since they have been separated for 6 months and are planning on getting divorced after six years of marriage. You wouldn’t know that if you were an outsider because the couple seems to get along with each other perfectly. Jesse and Celeste remain close friends and spend almost all day talking to each other. Jesse also happens to be living in Celeste´s guest house as he is currently unemployed and seems to be a bit of a slacker. Celeste on the other hand is a successful trend forecaster who has recently written a book on the matter. It seems that the main issue between them during their marriage was that Jesse was a little too childish and irresponsible. Anyway, they seem to get along better now as friends. They spend a lot of time with their friends, Beth (Ari Graynor) and Tucker (Eric Christian Olsen) who are engaged, and think that the two should work out their issues. Celeste is currently working for an important client, a pop artist sensation named Riley (Emma Roberts), along with her partner Scott (Elijah Wood). Their friendship is put to the test when Jesse begins dating another woman and Celeste struggles to let go of feelings she thought weren’t there anymore.

I really enjoyed this film because it tackled the issues of best friends and breakup in a very authentic and real way. Rashida Jones gives a strong performance although she did go a little over the top with her reaction over Jesse dating someone else. She plays this character that thinks is so successful and smarter than everyone else. That is basically what hurt her relationship with Jesse since she considers him a slacker who seems to be heading nowhere with his life. She feels like Jesse is too immature for her, but at the same time that is what she loves about him because when the two are together they do a lot of childish things together. Their relationship is complicated, and the film depicts it in a very authentic way. This is an enjoyable indie romantic drama that is definitely worth your time. Rashida Jones should get some stronger roles offered her way because she´s a talented actress and proved here that she can carry a movie. This is a strong emotional film that will leave you with a smile on your face and at the same time a sense of nostalgia.  I agree with Mary Pols from TIME magazine where she said ¨I´d rather watch five divorce movies like this than one more featuring Katherine Heigl getting married.¨ Break up can be really hard and this movie shows it in an authentic way.

  

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My Review: Gangster Squad (6/10)

¨I always knew I’d die in Burbank¨

Gangster Squad walks a really thin line between being a terrible film and an entertaining one. First of all it has a really great and talented cast; it also has a good production design and is very stylized reminding us of some epic gangster films. On the other hand the film only looks gangster-like on the surface; it is not really a serious neo-noir gangster film but more of a light comedic gangster movie. This is director Ruben Fleisher’s follow up to his hit comedy Zombieland, and in a way it does feel like a satire of sorts of gangster films, but in some strange way it fails to find its own personality. You never know if you’re supposed to take the movie seriously or not because something is missing in the mix between drama and comedy. One critic defined the film better than I could by claiming it is ¨LA Confidential without the script.¨ It has the look and the tone of a serious gangster film, but the script which was loosely adapted by Will Beall from Paul Lieberman’s book just fails and the dialogues seem cartoonish at times. The violence is pretty heavy as there are plenty of glamorized gunfight scenes and a large body count. Sean Penn plays the villain a little over the top, but it works if you view the film as this sort of spoof of the gangster genre. And really in my opinion this approach is what works best because it is entertaining if taken lightly as a spoof. I feel sorry for those who went into this film with high expectations because they will mostly be disappointed, unless they can live with a mindless popcorn action flick with some good performances.

The story takes place in 1949 Los Angeles where Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn), a mob king from Chicago, has taken over the city and is planning on controlling all criminal activities there with the help of corrupt officers and judges. He will eliminate whoever stands in his path. Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) on the other hand is a WWII veteran who is determined to do what he can to clean up the city. When Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) hears about O’Mara’s heroics he decides to assign him with a special underground task: to form an elite squad of police officers that will take down the mob King. Thus O’Mara begins his quest to find the right officers for his special team with the help of his wife Connie (Mireille Enos) who is worried about his wellbeing and wants him to be protected as best as possible. O’Mara chooses Officer Coleman Harris (Anthony Mackie), Max Kennard (Robert Patrick) and his partner Navidad Ramirez (Michael Peña), Conway Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi) who’s the brains in the operation, and finally Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling) who decides to accept O’Mara’s proposal after a member of the mob kills a kid he knew from the streets. Together these officers begin to try to intercept and disrupt Cohen’s operations working as an underground hit squad. Wooters also happens to be having an affair with Cohen’s love interest, Grace (Emma Stone), which could or could not be a good thing. And so the action begins as the squad tries to disrupt Cohen’s reign and clean up the city.

As I mentioned before this is an entertaining film which sometimes borderlines on the bad side considering it does have some pretty bad writing and underdeveloped characters. But it did work for me as a sort of spoof and light hearted film with a very stylized look to it. It has some fun action sequences with some strong performances, especially from the always reliable Ryan Gosling who continues to reinvent himself in every movie. I absolutely loved him here once again. Josh Brolin gives a pretty solid performance when he is not asked to do the voice over bit (it was a bit annoying at the beginning giving it a sort of fake Sin City vibe to it). The rest of the cast is pretty good although not getting enough screen time or storylines to develop their characters. Sean Penn plays the stereotypical bad guy a little over the top, but I enjoyed his performance as well (it wouldn’t have worked if you were expecting a serious gangster drama film). In the end Gangster Squad did work for me and I was entertained with this shoot-em up gangster film, but I know it isn’t for everyone.

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My Reaction to the Acadamy Award Nominations

There were some pleasant surprises this year as the Acadamy Award nominations were announced to us by future Oscar host Seth Macfarlane and Emma Stone in a very short but funny presentation. I will begin by mentioning some of the pleasant surprises, because there were also some negative ones as some major directors were ignored.

First of all I must say that I´m excited for all the love that Beasts of the Southern Wild received after being nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Adapted Screenplay. This was one of my top three films of the year (although I have to admit I still have to see five of the nine nominated films for 2012 since most of these films haven´t come out here in Ecuador yet). The other favorite of mine was Life of Pi which also received a lot of love from Acamdey voters by getting 11 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. This film blew my mind visually and it deserves all the technical awards. The film with most nominations was Steven Spielbergh´s Lincoln which received 12 nominations including all the big awards. Daniel Day Lewis gave one of the best performances of the year and I think he will win this category easily although he has some competition in Joaquin Pheonix (The Master) and Hugh Jackman (Les Mis). I´m glad Denzel Washington received some love for his work in Flight, although I don´t think he has a chance here. However, I loved his work in that film. The small independent film, Silver Linings Playbook received a lot of love from the Academy as well receiving 8 nominations including all the important ones (director, actor, actress, and picture). I haven´t had a chance to see this film yet, but it looks good. The German film, Amour received much love as well as it will be competing for Best Picture and Best Director. It received 5 nominations. Les Miserables got 8 nominations, although it didn´t receive a Best Director nod which was a surprise for many. Finally, there´s Django Unchained, that received 5 Acadamy Awards including Best Picture although there was no love for Quentin Tarantino in the Best Director department. 

The negative surprises from today´s nominations came from the lack of love for Argo and Zero Dark Thirty which seemed like Lincoln´s main rivals in this year´s Oscars. They both received Best Picture nods, but neither Bigelow nor Affleck received director nominations for there work in these highly critically acclaimed films. Not having a Best Director nomination usually means they won´t end up contending for Best Picture. Argo did recieve 7 nominations however and Zero Dark Thirty ended up with only five when many were predicting each one of these films would get at least 10. I was sad that there was no love for Moonrise Kingdom although it did recieve a nomination for Original Screenplay for Wes Anderson. I was hoping it would recieve a Best Picture nod considering it was one of his best films in quite some time. My favorite film of the year, The Dark Knight Rises, received no love whatsoever, and I was hoping it would at least get a couple nods for vissuals. There were a couple of smaller performances I wished would get recognized like Richard Gere´s work in Arbitrage (his best work to date) and Jack Black in Bernie, but I knew they were long shots. 

Well those were my reactions to this year´s nominations. I look forward to watching the Oscars on February 24 to see who ends up with the big prize at the end. I still have several films to watch before I can make my predictions but this looks like it will be a very tight race between Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Life of Pi, Amour, and Beasts of the Southern Wild. I Think Lincoln has the big edge for now. In case you missed the nominations this morning, here is a video.

My Review: The Amazing Spider-Man (8/10)

¨We all have secrets: the ones we keep... and the ones that are kept from us.¨

Spider-Man is back with a reboot and although it seemed sort of early for it, Marc Webb did a great job with this film by refreshing the story and the characters. I enjoyed the first three Spider-Man films, although I wasn’t a huge fan of them. Webb not only refreshed the series, but he also improved it in my opinion by doing one thing: getting Andrew Garfield to play Peter Parker. Garfield, who I really appreciated in The Social Network despite having flown under the radar in that movie, is excellent as Peter Parker. He has the right amount of charisma and wit that his character needs. I loved his performance much more than Tobey Maguire`s. The other great addition to this reboot was the inclusion of Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Peter`s original love interest in the comics and who was played by Bryce Dallas Howard in the third film. Emma Stone is one of the greatest young talents on the screen and she is just lovely in this film and had great chemistry with Garfield. Webb had proved in the past that he could make a strong romantic film with his feature film debut, 500 Days of Summer, but I wasn’t sure how the action was going to work out in The Amazing Spider-Man. The truth of the matter is that the action scenes were excellently choreographed and the film was visually stunning; I had a great time at the theater. I don`t know if a reboot was absolutely necessary at this stage, but I had a fun time nonetheless.

There are a few similarities between the original Spider-Man and this film, but for the most part screenwriters James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent, and Steve Kloves chose a different approach in this version of the superhero story. They focused more on Peter Parker`s (Andrew Garfield) troubles in school as a teenager and how he dealt with his parents death. After leaving him with his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field), his parents never returned so Peter was raised by them with strong moral values. Despite having a great relationship with them, Peter is still hurt about the loss of his biological parents and is trying to deal with it as well as his growing feelings for his classmate Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). While trying to deal with all these normal teenage feelings, Peter discovers a forgotten briefcase of his father which contains some secrets about his past. Peter finds a picture of his father with Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), who used to be his good friend and science partner in Oscorp. That is when Peter decides to visit Oscorp and is bitten by a genetic spider. We all know the result of that spider bite: Peter becomes Spider-Man. As he tries to manage these new special abilities, Peter also befriends Dr. Connors in search for answers about his parents past. Peter deciphers an equation he found from his father`s briefcase which allows Dr. Connors to make a huge advance in his genetic experiments, which ultimately leads to him becoming the Lizard, Spider-Man`s nemesis.

If you would`ve told me that the silly guy from Notting Hill would be playing The Lizard I would`ve thought it was a joke. Rhys Ifans is great in comedies, but I never imagined he could play an important villain with such success. The people behind the casting of this film did a tremendous job because every character seemed to be played by the perfect actor. I mean who better to play Captain Stacy than Denis Leary? Every role just fit perfectly and that was what ultimately made The Amazing Spider-Man such a fun film. Andrew Garfield with his unique wit and charm works almost in the same way that Robert Downey Jr. did as Tony Stark. It was as if these actors were born to play these roles. The entire cast was great in this film, so was the crew behind the special effects department. The film looks really good and is exactly what a summer blockbuster movie is supposed to be. The Amazing Spider-Man might not be as great as The Avengers, but it still was a really entertaining film worth the ticket price. Spider-Man fans will be pleased and I doubt anyone will be missing Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker after this performance, although I still have my reservations over whether or not a reboot of the series was necessary at this early stage.

     

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My Review: The Help (7/10)

¨If you can love your enemy, you already have victory.¨

The Help has received a lot of Oscar buzz and I wouldn`t be surprised if it gets many nominations, but I was a little disappointed after watching the film since I had such high expectations for it. The Help is a good, solid movie, but it just didn`t live up to all the hype for me. Racial and segregation films like this one have been made before with much greater effects. This film felt a bit light at times, and reminded me a lot of Fried Green Tomatoes. I can`t help but think this film could`ve been much stronger considering the strong cast it had and the social issues it was pointing out. The film is based on Kathryn Stockett`s novel of the same name, and it was adapted for the screenplay by director Tate Taylor himself. This is Taylor`s second film, after having made a small film three years ago named Pretty Ugly People. Taylor, a relatively unknown has jumped to fame with his work in this movie, but considering the material I think a good director could`ve brought so much more to the story. In a way this seems to be a light drama which is touching a serious and dark period for many people. There are some funny moments, but the movie is really long and drags during some periods of time. I thought that the last half hour was probably the best part of the movie and you end up leaving the theater with a smile in your face. It`s a good movie with some terrific performances, but I just was expecting so much more.

The Help is a reference to the maids in Jackson, Mississippi during the 60`s when racial discrimination and segregation was really strong. Civil rights movements had begun, but separation between whites and blacks was still very much an issue. The movie centers around several Southern society girls and the relationship they have with their maids. Skeeter (Emma Stone) returns home after college to take care of her sick mother (Allison Janney) and gets a job at a local newspaper writing housekeeping articles. Since she has no clue whatsoever about housekeeping she decides to interview the maids. Skeeter is sad to hear that the maid she grew up with and was like a mother to her has left to Chicago, but realizes there might be more to it than her mother is telling her. Skeeter is the only single girl since all her friends are already married and have children. Her best friend Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard) is president of a local society and has come up with the idea that every family should have a special and separate bathroom for their maids. This of course, because of fear that they will transmit some sort of disease to their children. Hilly is very cruel towards her maid Minny (Octavia Spencer) and one day in a dispute fires her. Minny then finds a job working for a very nice lady named Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain) who`s just arrived back in Jackson with her husband and live in a huge house. She is very disorganized, but Minny helps her get the house organized. Meanwhile, Skeeter realizes how terrible most maids are treated and decides she wants to write a book about the help, but written with the maids point of view. Skeeter begins interviewing her maid`s best friend, Aibeleen (Viola Davis), who has had a lot of experience working with high society white families. Hesitant at first Aibeleen then begins opening up and convincing other maids to tell their stories to Skeeter and the result might shake things up for the residents in Jackson, Mississippi.

The best thing about The Help without a doubt is the performance from the entire cast. Emma Stone does a great job as the lead character fighting for the rights of some of the maids which have been such a great help to her, but at the same time realizes that her friends will probably be upset with what she`s doing. She still speaks what`s on her mind and isn`t afraid to point out the things that are wrong. She is very courageous. Viola Davis is just excellent and will probably receive an Oscar nomination. She also has a lead role in my opinion and she is just good in every movie she`s in. She does a great job at repressing the anger she sometimes feels after suffering so much injustice. Her friend Minny, played by Octavia Spencer, doesn`t do such a great job at repressing that anger and sometimes explodes. Spencer really surprised me in this film; she does a great job and absolutely nails her role. She will get a lot more job offers after this. It`s hard to pick just one performance because everyone in this film does such an outstanding job. Jessica Chastain is excellent in this movie in her supporting role and perhaps gives the best performance of all. She is sweet and naïve, but also feels broken due to her incapacity of bearing children. It`s really sad considering she probably would be a loveable mother, unlike the rest of the society moms who can`t even pick up their own kids and leave it all to the maids. I can`t end this review without mentioning Bryce Dallas Howard who is just so good at being bad, mean, and cruel. She truly is scary in this movie and plays an excellent villain. The Help is a good movie, I just was expecting a little more from the story, but still go see it.

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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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