Friday, February 13, 2009

Review: Coraline (2009)


Coraline is a movie with a lot of personality. Adapted from Neil Gaiman, the legendary fantasy writer with an attitude, it's witty, pretty, and totally adventurous.

It has an absolute masterful use of stop-motion animation, which is still not widely used in modern cinema. But, that's okay, becuase it makes this film even more unique. In fact, I don't think it could've worked any other way. Director Henry Selick (Nightmare Before Christmas, obviously), you can tell, had so much fun putting this piece together, and it's fun for the audience too.

Coraline is a lonely girl in a new, creepy house, with apathetic parents and dreary neighbors. But then she finds a portal to an alternate reality where her "other parents" dote on her like a princess. She gets swept up until she finds out her other mother is actually evil and plans to steal her away and essentially make her a slave child. Is it all a dream or not? That part is pretty ambiguous, but a child's imagination is more fun than what we normally have to deal with in average day-to-day life.

I think this movie was charming and whimsical. It wasn't too cutesy or glamorous. It had a very distinct air like that of Lemony Snicket. It's mischievous and fun. Really, truly, a terrific film.

Recommended? Yes. For everyone.

Grade: A
(10)

Review: Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)


What, you didn't expect me to put all my eggs in one basket with He's Just Not That Into You, did you? That's right, I saw TWO chick flicks today for the price of one. The awesome thing about being a girl is that no matter how refined your taste in movies is, you can still feel no guilt by being completely enamored by a chick. fa-lick.

SO! Omg, this movie made my day. This movie makes me feel the way Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fischer) much feel when she shops. I love this movie because it definitely DOES NOT take itself seriously at all. It's ridiculous but also so FLUFFY and CUTE and ENERGETIC. And everytime Hugh Dancy is on screen I want to die. Men don't get cuter than him. OMG! And he and Isla Fischer have the BEST chemistry of ANY on-screen couple of the last 100 years, for sure.

It's also PG, which is awesome, because younger girls can like it too, and probably grow up more superficial because of movies like it. But, I'm 20, so I'm smarter than that! So, good for me! I've heard things like "Feel good movie" in regards to this film, and it's totally true. I felt so good coming out of it, all bouncy and smiley. It made me feel like Hugh Dancy could fall in love with me, too!! I mean, he probably could, because he's totally dating Claire Danes right now, and people have always said I look like her. But chances are, I'm more interesting than her, so I have an even better chance of sweeping him off his feet. Claire Danes sucks.

But anyway, this has been, like, the best day ever. I'm totally never going to love a movie better than this. Totally.

Recommended? YEAH! You'll SO fall in love!!

Grade: A!!
(9)

Review: He's Just Not That Into You (2009)


This is a serious movie, so it shall be reviewed in a serious manner.

I really have had no interest in seeing this movie all the up until probably this morning. But, I heard some really decent things about it, and figured I may as well give it a try. So, I did. And I actually really liked it.

It's not purely a romantic comedy. It's got some uncomfortable drama as well. Not so much "omg he hasn't called me" as it is "omg my husband cheated on me." We're seeing a lot of different stages of relationships, and how they intertwine. As you can guess from that poster, this is a large cast of well-known actors. Actually one of the things that made me so unwilling to see it at first. It looks like someone's dream cast that they photoshopped together into a movie. But anyway. Yes, there are so many different types of people here. And, I feel, many people can relate to them. I think the characters interact with each other in very real ways. If maybe a bit exaggerated.. For dramatic effect, of course.

I'm usually not too interested in Jennifer Aniston, but her performance was sweet and sincere. A lot of women long to be married, and she's been with her guy (Ben Affleck) for 7 years, and still no ring. Yet, she plays it cool and never does the big freak out. When she finally comes out and says what's really in her heart, it's sad and honest. I could actually feel sympathy for (most of) these characters. I think there was an indecent amount of Drew Barrymore (read: not very much), and an unfortunate amount of Scarlett Johansson (read: too much). Her character was unstable and consisted mostly of making uncomfortable advances on a married man (Bradley Cooper, married to Jennifer Connelly). Whenever she got shafted by him, she went to her dopey and desperate backup (Kevin Connolly), who in the very beginning of the movie, we see on a date with Gigi (Played by Ginnifer Goodwin), who is so desperately into reading signs and overanalyzing everything. That is, until Alex (Justin Long), plays it straight with her and tells her what the guy REALLY means when he says what he says. Whew... Did I get everyone?

I do feel like this movie is maybe too sympathetic towards women. They are always winning in this. Is that just some overly compensated way of showing that not all women are dramatic and whiny and clingy? Well, I don't buy it. Listen, I wouldn't like the movie any less if a girl didn't get her way. Thumbs down on that.

I enjoyed this movie. It had heart and soul, it had some laughs, but also some stressful moments. Definitely worth my time. Yay!

Recommended? If you are a girl, yes. Yes indeed.

Grade: A-
(8)

Friday, February 06, 2009

Review: Wendy and Lucy (2008)


Wendy Carroll is a very unlucky lady. She's making the long slow trek from Indiana to Alaska by car to look for work. Think Into the Wild, with more sad and less happening. Wendy is Michelle Williams, and Lucy is her only friend, who is missing half the movie. She's stuck in Oregon with a broke down car, no food, minimal cash, and only a Walgreen's parking lot guard to lean on. It's a quiet character study with an ambiguous beginning and end. It's one of those hard-to-watch films that, when it's over, make me so glad it didn't really happen. It's a trim 80 minutes, which is good, because if it had gone on for any longer, I might've lost interest. Michelle Williams is the perfect Wendy. She shows anger and frustration at the right times, and when she's happy, it's subtle and genuine. We only see her for a few days in her long journey and are left with little closure. It's an interesting choice, but not unwelcome.

Recommended? Sure, what the hell

Grade: B-
(7)

Review: Waltz With Bashir (2008)


Innovative, haunting, tranquil, beautiful... Wow, that wasn't so hard.

Recommended? Yes

Grade: B+
(6)

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Video: Trifecta of funny

January was a slow month. Though I still do have a review to write. For now, here's some 'hump day' stuff. I lol'd at all three:



(I can't believe I've never seen this guy before. Hi-larious. Makes me want to see the movie)


The Techno remix of Christian Bale's recently unearthed outburst...

Happy Wednesday