Winter's Bone

So, I remember hearing so much about this darn movie at last last year's Oscars and thinking it looked horribly depressing. I decided to finally give it a try after there was nothing good at the Redbox and wanting to see if Jennifer Lawrence really deserved all the nominations she got for the role. It's (supposedly) the lowest grossing film to be nominated for Best Picture since 1983. It was released in about 140 cinemas back in June of 2010 and has brought in about $13 million (surpassing it's $2 million budget).

The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence, as Ree Dolly, a 17 year old girl who lives in the Ozark Mountains and takes care of her two younger siblings and mentally ill mother while her father is out on bail from some drug charges. She learns that if her father skips his court date, they will lose their house. She sets out to find out where her father is to prevent this from happening and must endure some of the craziest and harshest things imaginable - especially for a 17 year old girl.

The plot is taken from a book. The book must be pretty well written, because the plot feels quite genuine and very interesting. From the trailer, I thought the movie was like True Grit - surviving in the wilderness and snow etc. Thankfully, it's not. That's probably what kept me from seeing this before. The movie is very much grounded in reality and Lawrence's character gets little to no special treatment in this movie because she's a girl. She still gets beat up, but it's by the women characters instead of the men - which makes it ethical, right? I liked how the plot wasn't just about Lawrence's character setting out in search of 'the truth. She had to still take care of her responsibilities at home and she had to look past 'the truth' and just get what she needed to save her house, and in turn her family. She had to put aside her feelings for her father and just get what she needed. The plot really draws you in, even in the bleak and depressing setting. There's something about Lawrence's strength that gives you a glimmer of hope even if she's destined to stay there for awhile.

I'm going to assume that the locations the movie were shot at were genuine. If not, it was some amazing set design. There was no beauty to be found in the locations. The beauty came from the characters and plot. In fact, the wardrobe and locations were there as a constant reminder of just what kind of world they were living in.

Okay, okay. Jennifer Lawrence deserves the accolades for this role. Anyone who learns to skin a squirrel on camera deserves some sort of award in my book. She gave an unflinching performance and used subtle reactions and facial expressions to really bring out the dramatic scenes, i.e. the boat scene. She had a natural sounding accent and showed her emotions in the right place, instead of just playing is stone cold as in some of this hard-knock-life movies. I also really enjoyed John Hawkes' performance. I just saw him in Martha Marcy May Marlene and he's definitely on a roll. He was able to transform his character in this movie to show that first appearances are not always right.

The movie is quite depressing and bleak but somehow it's still very interesting and you can't help but love Lawrence's character. She doesn't have this blind sense of chivalry - she just needs to save her house or they'll all be out on the street. It's definitely a plot you don't forget. The cornerstone of the movie is Lawrence's performance. "You don't ever ask for what oughtta be offered".

Martha Marcy May Marlene

So at first when I heard about this movie last year, I was extremely interested because any movie with that title just had to be good, right? I'd heard tons of buzz about the movie and about Elizabeth Olsen's stellar debut performance. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see it in the theaters. Then I became a little wary of the movie because I started hearing about how terrifying the movie was. I googled some of the basic plot points ( I know, I'm lame ) just to make sure I could handle it, being the scaredy cat that I am. Obviously, I made it through it in one piece. The film premiered at last year's Sundance, is from first time writer/director Sean Durkin, and is also Elizabeth Olsen's debut performance. The movie was picked up for a small release into about 180 theaters last year and brought in about $3 million.

The plot follows Olsen as the title character, Martha, who escapes from a "family" cult in upstate New York to seek refuge with her sister. In the cult, she was called Marcy May, and forced to play her role in the "family". She later takes the name of Marlene when speaking on the phone, as all of the "family" women do. So basically, the title is quite awesome. I digress. Olsen's character is plagued by her memories and brainwashing during her stay with her sister which eventually lead to her inability to function socially.

Thankfully, the plot isn't about crazy cult members trying to come after her. It's actually quite scarier, since it's her mind that is coming after her and it's not anything she can hide from. Plus, this is something that can, and I'm sure does, happen in our world. The plot takes the old cliche'd path to inter-splice the past and present together chronologically to reveal each story together. However, this time it's done right. The editing was brilliant but I'll address that in the next paragraph. The intersplicing of the past mid-scene made complete sense because she was reliving her experiences at the smallest trigger and the plot helped to reveal how at every moment she was thinking about her past experiences. Her character was wonderfully well written and quite empathetic, even when she made some bad choices.

The editing was pure brilliance. The scenes would cut and almost melt seamlessly into each other - again showing how she was reliving her experiences at every moment. How she couldn't escape what was in her mind. It was just great. Loved it. The ambiance and colorization between the past and present scenes were perfectly matched and almost indistinguishable until you saw the context of the scenes - again reinforcing the character's internal struggle. The lack of suspenseful music (with the exception of one scene) was again brilliant. This movie was suspenseful based on the performances and struggle of the characters alone.

Olsen really did a fantastic job. Something I would not have expected from a debut performance from the younger sister of the Olsen twins. She was riveting to watch and delivered her lines with the utmost realism. She was able to make external, through her face, body, and movements, what was going on internally with this character. Hugh Dancy was also quite convincing and effective in his role. As were most of the cult members.

In the end, the movie was not as outwardly terrifying as I was afraid of. In an essence it was even more so, however it was something I could deal with. I liked how it wasn't the run-of-the-mill story where the brainwashed damaged character turns completely crazy while dealing with their issues. Instead, her brainwashing intensified until she was able to not completely function socially but at the same time not go batshit crazy. This movie may feel slow to those who are not invested in this character, but I don't see how you couldn't be invested since Olsen really steals every scene she's in. "Do you ever have a problem telling what's a memory and what's real?"

Like Crazy

So, I hadn't really heard of this movie ever before seeing it at the Redbox and then seeing a trailer on another movie I recently watched. The secret hopeless romantic in me wanted to watch this movie, plus my also secret admiration for Anton Yelchin. This movie, which premiered at last year's Sundance, was produced on one of my favorite cameras and was completed with only a budget of $250,000.00. It got a limited release in about 160 theaters and made about $3 million.

The movie is about a young post-grad couple played by Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones as they work through their struggles and breakups due to Felicity's character, Anna, overstaying her visa and therefore earning a ban from the U.S. They must deal with a relationship across the pond from each other and all the struggles that entails.

The director and actors have all recounted how all of the dialogue was improvised with the screenplay only containing the direction of the scenes. Honestly, it doesn't feel as improvised as some entirely improvised scripts. These two actors did a great job developing a rapport with each other. At the same time, they didn't get too removed from the plot with all of their improvisation. The plot did get somewhat redundant by the end of the film, however those two were just too darn cute to care too much about it. The long-distance relationship woe-is-me plot has been done numerous times but this one felt somehow more real by bringing in the immigration problems (and slick editing) so that quite literally this couple couldn't be together, instead of most movies where they make excuses for not being together. The plot also is not idealistic about both being 100% committed to keeping up a long-distance relationship without being upfront about the difficulties.

The movie was filmed quite beautifully and had soft lenses and beautiful lighting. There were tons of little mini scenes thrown into the movie to capture their relationship. I especially loved the sleeping montage that showed about 30 one-second clips of the couple's sleeping positions in bed. It was just these little added things put into the movie that made the couple feel more real instead of just showing their discourse and plot advancing scenes.

Yelchin was a little more mature than I've seen him in although he still seemed a little too young for some of the scenes, but in all actuality they both seemed incredibly young. He was, however, extremely charming and charismatic with his scenes with Jones. Jones also did a great job creating an awesome dynamic with Yelchin. From their first scene together they felt like long-time couple (which in hindsight, there should have been at least some distance in that first scene - but it goes to show how great they did creating chemistry). Oh, and Jennifer Lawrence is in the movie. Her character kinda pops up out of nowhere and she does a nice job with her small part. I've only ever seen her in The Hunger Games, so it was nice seeing her play a completely opposite role.

In the end, it was one of those nice little indie movies for the hopeless romantic. I don't want to spoil the ending or anything, but it doesn't fall victim to the romantic comedy cliches (the ending at least which is almost a direct nod to another of my favorite films). Some of the plot does get a little redundant, and I can see this as a turn off for some. If you loved watching Pam and Jim or Rachel and Ross go back and forth, then you'll probably also like this. If you just wanted their plots to advance and stay stagnant, then stay away. "I didn't realize that it would sometimes be more than the whole, that the wholeness was a rather luxurious idea. Because it's the halves that halve you in half".

A Dangerous Method

So, I hadn't really heard much about this movie until right before it's release date. Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightly in a crazy sexual movie that's also a historical period piece? Yes, please. I didn't really know much about the movie before getting into it although I was a little apprehensive because the trailer leads you to believe this will be a disturbing experience - as most mental illness movies become. Happily, that was not the case with this film. The movie had a limited release last November and made about $26 million, with about 75% being from foreign earnings.

The plot, which is surprisingly factual, is about the relationship between three of the prominent founders of pyschoanalysis - Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Sabina Spielrein. Sabina initially comes to Jung as a patient with severe psychosis and is treated with 'talk therapy'. She then becomes his colleague - and lover - which changes Jung's outlook and relationship with Freud, ultimately changing the shape of psychoanalysis.

There's a lot of information about the subject in the movie and I feel like I was learning while watching a riveting and compelling story. My kind of movie. There was nothing disturbing about the movie and in a very rare instance, the sex scenes did not feel (very) gratuitous and actually felt necessary. Heck, they were forming Freud's sexual theories at the time. The dynamics between the characters were complex and ever-changing without getting laborious. It was very nicely written. The only weakness was the time transitions, however this was probably connected with the editing of the film and not the screenplay.

The locations and wardrobe were great and really captured the time period. Some of the budget constraints could be seen in the background and sets, but it was a solid effort and not very distracting. Some of the angles and framing used to get the characters both into the scene were pretty awesome.

Keira Knightly really really really put herself out there for this role. Physically she did amazing. She was contorting her body, screaming with a Russian accent, performing crazy sex scenes, AND giving a great performance at the same time. It was almost as if you didn't want to watch her during her outbursts because it felt so personal but at the same time, you couldn't look away. Tons of respect for her performance here. I almost feel sad this movie didn't get more publicity to showcase her performance. Michael Fassbender really took on the role by the end of the film. He was quite rigid in the beginning, however so was his character. Viggo Mortensen (who has now done three movies with this director, the first being A History of Violence and the second, Eastern Promises) gives a very convincing performance of Freud - although I really don't know much about him one way or the other.

I ended up feeling smarter after watching this movie and more confused at the same time. There's a lot of information given in the movie (don't worry it doesn't feel condescending or overwhelming - somehow) but it also provides arguments for both sides of the theories the characters pose. I found myself questioning my own positions on the theories! Damn movie. Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightly were pretty spectacular and this will definitely be an addition to her resume. The movie does have some very intense bedroom scenes which is undoubtedly not for everyone. If you have doubts about Knightly as an actress, youtube some of her scenes and then see if you can't at least respect her effort. (okay, I couldn't find a clip of her performance, except one put to Skrillex but it shows pretty much the whole movie). "Experiences like this, however painful, are necessary and inevitable; without them how can we know them?".

My Week with Marilyn

So, this is a film that I was quite interested in and would have seen at the cinema (watching too many British films again) had my darn schedule allowed me to do so. Sadly, I had to wait and settle for a redbox rental on this one. I really like Eddie Redmayne and also love Michelle Williams now, thank you Blue Valentine. I also wanted to see Emma Watson do something different. While not an expert on Marilyn Monroe, I have seen my fair share of biopics of her life and I did have my doubts about this movie if there would be anything new to discover. The movie did manage to bring in about $28 million in it's small release of about 630 theaters.

The film is based on the diaries of a young assistant director, Colin Clark, who worked on the film of The Prince and the Showgirl which starred Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier and recounts the infamous animosity between the two stars. Clark also recounts how he spent a rather intimate week with Monroe during the filming.

Now, I wouldn't take too much of the plot as completely factual as there's really no way to fact check this guy's story. But steamy love-affair aside, the movie is really about seeing Monroe as she was, not as the guise she put on in public. Her vulnerability is very well known but the plot was interesting to see it from the perspective of her time on set of one movie and in a different country. I was glad that the plot didn't try to tell her whole story and just stuck to that moment in her life. Clark's character seemed to be a highly romanticized version of himself but hey he did write the memoir.

The wardrobe, sets, and locations were superb. The actors were stunning in their costumes. They even shot the movie at the same studio The Prince and the Showgirl was shot. They basically recreated events from half a century ago in the same spots it took place. That's pretty awesome. The score was in keeping with the tone of the movie, but a little to campy for my taste.

The movie was really about the performances. I can't imagine a role more daunting for an actor than to portray Marilyn Monroe. Williams does a fantastic job. She nails the voice. It doesn't really feel like an impersonation but a performance. She also gives a great subtle metamorphosis between the public and private Monroe instead of a 180 degree turn as I've seen in some other portrayals. Eddie Redmayne comes off as genuine and awesome instead of creepy and an exploiter as could have easily happened with a different casting decision. Dame Judi Dench also did quite fantastic in her small role. She was actually believable as a mediocre actress with not much clout. Emma Watson was extremely lovable in her small role as well. Her character probably had the best head on her shoulders out of the whole film.

The film was quite enjoyable. I think it will be even more enjoyable for those with a limited knowledge of Monroe's biography. It was an interesting take on the overdone Monroe biopic and was extremely beautiful to watch. It was sweet and subtle and Williams pulled it off - which makes a great movie in my book. It wasn't anything groundbreaking but it didn't try for that either. It was a culmination of smart decisions and fantastic acting. "I think directing a movie is the best job ever created, but Mariliyn has cured me from ever wanting to do it again".

Mirror Mirror

So, I have been hearing so much about this movie lately, and of course it's competitor, Snow White and the Huntsman. At first I couldn't believe these two movies were going to battle each other, then it became clear that this is the family-friendly version while the other is much darker. After seeing the trailers, this one looked like it would be fun, hopefully, and therefore I decided to take the girls for their first Drafthouse experience. The movie ended up coming in the #3 spot this weekend coming behind The Hunger Games, of course, and Wrath of the Titans, and ended up earning about $30 million worldwide.

The movie is about the classic story of Snow White, with Julia Roberts playing the evil Queen; Armie Hammer the Prince; Lily Collins as Snow White; and Nathan Lane as the Queen's right-hand-man slash The Huntsman. Snow White is cast out into the forest and meets up with the dwarves who teach her how to fight. She teams up with the prince and decides to take on the Queen to reclaim the kingdom.

Wait, that sounds exactly like Snow White and the Huntsman? Yup, it sure does. Although this plot revolves around the comedy of the situations and brings in some self-depreciating humor as well. A lot of the physical comedy fell short, but the one-liners were rather humorous. The plot started off rather strong with a great story arch and character development. The ending, however, felt like it was just trying to wrap up the loose ends as quickly as possible - and sometimes didn't make much sense.

There are varying reports of the budget being $85 million versus $100 million. I'd lean towards the latter as the set design, wardrobes, and special effects were very extravagant. The costumes were incredibly beautiful, and especially at the animal masquerade ball. The set design was equally as beautiful and extravagant. There was a ton of CGI in the movie and most of it was done very well. There was a backstory flashback that had the same feeling of the Deathly Hallows animation story, and it was great. My favorite part of the movie was when the Queen walked through the mirror and came out doing an anti-gravity walk onto a dock in the middle of a lake. As a result of the lavish costumes and set design, the colorization was very beautiful in the movie. It was a very vibrant movie.

Julia Roberts was the tent pole in the movie. She was superb. She was funny in her scenes and outshone everyone else. Nathan Lane unfortunately didn't need to be in the movie. His parts weren't funny and his role really didn't add anything more than a couple of plot devices. Armie Hammer was too cute not to like, especially when he was imitating a puppy. Oh and his shirtless scenes. Lily Collins was almost too overdramatic but still did a good job. I thought the age difference between her and Hammer was a little weird, in my opinion. Oh, nevermind it's only three years. Three years?! He looks much older or she looks much younger.

In the end, it was a fun family movie. The girls enjoyed it. It really seemed to start out strong but come to a weak finish. Julia Roberts was fantastic and the movie itself was very colorful, vibrant, and beautiful. "I'm on my way to get rich, oops, I mean hitched".