Director: Jason Reitman Writer: Diablo Cody Released: December 2011 Starring: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser and Collette Wolfe
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Another classic Diablo Cody script! I love the dialogue she writes for characters who are (for lack of a better word) ‘real’. Jason Reitman is the director of this comedy-drama, who is responsible for the likes of Juno and Up in the Air.
Young Adult is about a ghost writer, Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), who returns to her home town to try and get back with an old flame, Buddy. Buddy, however, is married and has just had a baby and is in no way interested in what Mavis is so obviously implying.
Mavis’ mum: That new baby of his is just darling. Mavis: Have you seen it? …up close?
Her pessimistic and delusional outlook is something that [unfortunately] I love about her. She is rude, aloof and doesn’t care what people think of her.
Her language is just great though. The way she talks about marriage and children is like she’s talking about a disease that needs to be avoided. Mavis tells Buddy that ‘we can beat this thing together’ referring to his family. I’m tickled by that. This really isn’t a typical comedy at all.
Thankfully, during her crisis, Mavis meets a guy who she also used to go to high school with, Matt (Patton Oswalt).
Matt was severely attacked during high school resulting in him being disabled. But they bond over hating the same things. Mavis projects her hatred outwardly, and Matt eventually realises he has nothing to lose by expressing his anger around her too.
Mavis is such a lost soul though. She tortures herself by forever reminiscing about her high school days, when she was popular. It doesn’t help that she writes a ‘young adult’ series about popularity in high school, which becomes her diary disguised as a fictional teenage novel.
I love this movie because it’s character-based. It’s not fast-paced, just like real life, and hangs on to every emotion of the unstable Mavis, which makes you squirm. She’s so immature… But entertaining because she’s so expressive.
It’s not a movie for everyone. But I enjoy analysing behaviour, and I find the subtleties in this film interesting. She’s entertainingly perpetually disgusted with everything.
Check out my favourite scene in the movie here. It’s when Mavis Gary loses the plot at Buddy and Beth’s (Elizabeth Reaser) baby shower. It’s oddly empowering. Although I feel like I’m doing the wrong thing by taking her side.
I suppose this is a movie where the protagonist is the ‘bad guy’, and you can’t help but support and relate to her.
Director: Paul Feig Writer: Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig Released: May 2011 Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Chris O’Dowd and Jill Clayburgh
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I was put off of seeing this movie when it first came out because it just looked like The Hangover – but the female version. However, after seeing a few scenes of it over the last couple of years, I decided to buy it in the sales.
And boy am I glad! I haven’t laughed this hard in ages! It is a truly hilarious journey that these wacky characters go on – any one of them could have been the leading lady.
Nothing is going well for Annie (Kristen Wigg). Her bakery closed down due to the recession, she’s in her mid-30s and a hopeless spinster. Thankfully she still has her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph).
Annie gets her heartbroken, however, when Lillian gets engaged and in the process of planning her wedding, finds a new best friend named Helen (Rose Byrne). Helen appears superior to Annie in every way. Their rivalry eventually gets Annie kicked out of the wedding planning.
Their friendship is so well portrayed – I swear they must be best friends in real life, with the quirks and inside jokes that anyone who has had a super close friend will recognise. Anybody who has had a close friend move away or move on will totally get the pain and loss that Annie experiences in this.
Unlike many comedies, the characters in Bridesmaids are more than two-dimensional. They are all relatable or recognisable. The characters – including the loyal yet totally bizarre Megan (Melissa McCarthy) who is absolutely hilarious, straight up and blunt – are amazing.
Megan: I fell off a cruise ship… I’m not gonna say I survived, I’m gonna say I thrived. I met a dolphin down there. I swear to god that dolphin looked not at me, but into my soul, into my goddamn soul Annie, and said ‘I’m saving you, Megan.’ Not with his mouth, but he said it… I’m assuming telepathically.
Kristen Wigg is an incredible actor. After seeing her in Whip It I thought she was pretty cool, but her performance is so convincing in Bridesmaids that she is definitely one of my new favourite actors.
Passenger on plane: I had a dream last night that we went down. It was terrible… You were in it.
A ton of crazy hilarious events happen along the way. Including food poisoning (which was actually super gross…), as well as very interesting encounters with Annie’s room mates, siblings Brynn (Rebel Wilson – I love her in Pitch Perfect) and Gil (Matt Lucas).
Brynn: At first I did not know that it was your diary. I thought it was a very sad, hand-written book. But then because of the personal details and the bits that mentioned Gil and Brynn…
The soundtrack is pretty awesome, with a song that I first heard on Bridesmaids (that has now put on repeat) called Paper Bag by Fiona Apple. Check it out!
This film is clearly not for everyone though. It has a decent amount of swearing and a lot of sexual references so be careful who you watch it with.
It is a hilarious story that is written and performed extremely well.
Loved it!
Jodie’s rating: 8/10
Can I just say that half of the dialogue in this trailer is not actually in the film… Nevertheless, the facials in this films are so funny!
Director: Francis Lawrence Writer: Richard LaGravenese. Based on Sara Guen’s novel of the same name Released: April 2011 Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz
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I bought this DVD as a bit of a whim. After stumbling across the trailer on YouTube I thought that the look of the whole film resembled the circus scenes in Big Fish.
It is the story of the dark side of the circus during the early 1930s, with a forbidden love story between Jacob (Robert Pattinson) and Marlena (Reese Witherspoon) intertwined. Jacob runs away with the circus and poses as a certified vet to continue travelling with them, but discovers that there’s much more to performing that the magic the audience sees.
On the way, he experiences the control and under handed acts that go on in order to keep the circus from failing during the depression. Staff would go missing in the night if the boss and husband of Marlena, August (Christoph Waltz), was unable to pay.
Beautiful animals and amazing stunts
The climax did have me holding my breath, but the over all story seemed somewhat watered down, with the lack of suspense throughout most of the heavier scenes.
Of course, my terrible habit is that I hype movies up before I’ve even seen them. I did think that Water For Elephants was going to be more dramatic and horrific, perhaps I would have been right if it was an R17 rating or something like that. But, it wasn’t a bad story by any stretch and it was an enjoyable romance drama – despite there being more romance that drama for my taste.
However, it was very well shot! The director, Francis Lawrence shows his talent for lighting in previous films including I Am Legend and has carried it through to Water For Elephants. I am excited to see how he portrays The Hunger Games sequels!
The acting was great for the most part! Christoph Waltz… Need I say more? He was amazing as usual, and one of the most compelling reasons to buy this movie, he was convincingly intense. Robert Pattinson was pretty decent too, possibly a little monotone..? Reese Witherspoon was AV-ER-AGE to say the least. Shallow acting.
A cool tale that explores the fantasy of running away with the circus.
Director: Woody Allen Writer: Woody Allen Released: June 2011 Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody
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When I first watched this film I was disappointed because I had hyped up the plot of Gil (Owen Wilson) travelling through different time eras of Paris. The artistic, fashionable, sophisticated and elaborate times of the 1920s, as well as the ceremonious, coming of age times of the 1890s. But after letting my great expectations subside, I really enjoyed the watch.
The plot is about the Golden Age. That is, longing to live in a time before your own. For example, mine is the early 1960s. Rock and roll music and amazing fashion, with the huge liberal movement against war and for free will.
Paul: Nostalgia is denial – denial of the painful present… the name for this denial is golden age thinking – the erroneous notion that a different time period is better than the one one’s living in – it’s a flaw in the romantic imagination of those people who find it difficult to cope with the present.
However, Midnight In Paris attempts to shroud my Golden Age in contempt, trying to convince me that few are content with the current times and to get over it. It dampened my comfort of believing I would be happier in a different time, because the reality is – as Gil discovers – that you would simply find another time that you would believe to be better.
There is a lot of magic in this film, which I love. Gil goes through a wormhole of sorts, where at the strike of midnight every night a 1920s car picks him up and takes him to parties with his literary heroes. It’s a beautiful “what if” storyline that lives out everybody’s dream to travel through time to experience a life not meant for them.
I think that the decision for Gil to be transported to different era via transport appropriate for that time was perfect. It seems like a small, obvious detail, but I’m just glad that there was no CGI, special effects or sound effects to make the transition obvious.
This magic does not last throughout the film, however. “The grass is always greener on the other side” is a phrase that has been converted into the moral of this story – the cold, harsh light of day is not welcoming.
Gil sees that the beauty of every era can still be inspiring without having the ability to experience it first hand. Which is disappointing since it seems that he is throwing away his idyllic time era of 1920s Paris for an average life in 2010 Paris. He could have continued to live his dream, but chose not to for no convincing reason.
On the other hand, I loved how his heroes gave him advice and support, which ultimately builds his confidence to improve his life in the present.
Gil: Would you read it? ErnestHemingway: Your novel? Gil: Yeah, it’s about 400 pages long, and I’m just looking for an opinion. Ernest Hemingway: My opinion is I hate it. Gil: Well you haven’t even read it yet. Ernest Hemingway: If it’s bad, I’ll hate it because I hate bad writing, and if it’s good, I’ll be envious and hate all the more. You don’t want the opinion of another writer.
Instead of taking the easy option of staying in his dream, he takes the tough road of building his life into what he really wants. I guess he shook of the security blanket of living in the past – an easier place to live because you know what’s coming for you.
Gil: Adriana, if you stay here though, and this becomes your present then pretty soon you’ll start imagining another time was really your… You know, was really the golden time. Yeah, that’s what the present is. It’s a little unsatisfying because life’s a little unsatisfying.
Gertrude Stein: We all fear death and question our place in the universe. The artist’s job is not to succumb to despair, but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence.
The beautiful French music was glorious! Seriously considering buying the soundtrack.
The acting was very well done. I really hated Rachel McAdam’s character. Like, it got to the point where I was starting to think that she must be a total bi-atch in real life because she played evil Inez so convincingly. So, kudos to her acting ability.
Owen Wilson was pretty much the same character he is in everything. I’m not totally sure why he was cast. Perhaps to keep the film upbeat.
It is an uplifting tale of something that many of us dream of doing. The ending was rather disappointing, at first. But I have come to terms with it, and I think it works well for Gil.
Worth a watch, but don’t expect it to be a deep and meaningful movie – you will be disappointed! Look at it as a quirky drama/rom-com. Although, I do think that it would have been a very moving film if it was heavier with more drama and emotion.
So I absolutely idolise Coldplay. Their albums are spectacular, their songs are well written and Chris Martin seems like a genuine guy with a great voice – especially live.
So when I got Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay’s latest album, I was expecting to find many hits that I would put on repeat for hours. But I felt they were pushing their usually faithful audience just a little too far.
It didn’t take long before I lost all confidence and enjoyment in the music by the time I reached the second song on the CD “Hurts Like Heaven” with lyrics sounding like they were being sung to pre-school children:
Written in graffiti on a bridge in a park
‘Do you ever get the feeling that you’re missing the mark?’
It’s so cold, it’s so cold
It’s so cold, it’s so cold
Written up in marker on a factory sign
‘I struggle with the feeling that my life isn’t mine’
It’s so cold, it’s so cold
It’s so cold, it’s so cold…
…Yes, I feel a little bit nervous,
Yes, I feel nervous and I cannot relax,
How come they’re out to get us?
How come they’re out when they don’t know the facts?
Cold, is it? These lyrics really did not fit with the tune which was disappointing when you compare their new shallow and electronic-sounding music to their older songs that are richer sounding and more emotional.
But I suppose if I’m honest, these kind of lyrics did begin on the previous album with the song Violet Hill:
It was a long and dark December,
One the roof tops I remember,
There was snow,
White snow…
Yeah… All joking aside, snow is typically white. If you need to fill in a line, maybe try something a little more adventurous.
The most famous song on the new album ‘Paradise’ was a good song until my Uncle pointed out that it sounds as if Chris is saying “Pair of Tights” not “Paradise”… Yeah, try getting those lyrics out of your head when you next listen to it. Also, despite the deep and meaningful nature of the lyrics not really being carried through with Chris Martin’s short notes, which didn’t quite fit the bill.
(Dreaming of a pair-of, pair-of, pair of tights)
With my favourite album being Parachute which I still listen to often, Mylo Xyloto (and to some extent Viva La Vida) was a gigantic flop which I hope this ground breaking band will be able to make a come-back from.
I have always loved Coldplay albums before I even hear the first single. But usually I’m not disappointed. Now I will not make that impulse purchase of their newest album with new fears that Coldplay is seeing how ridiculous they can make their music before their devoted fans realise.
I’m not turning into a music reviewer, but I did want to point out this massive flaw in this usually talented band, despite still being a huge fan of the band’s old music.
Verdict: Don’t waste your money, watch the parodies for free on YouTube.
I have recently re-discovered a song from the seventies.
This song is by a dude named Don McLean,
and the song is named American Pie.
“…Something touched me deep inside, The day the music died So bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey in Rye Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die…”
This emotionally-charged blog is being written post-viewing of the film I recently reviewed named “The Boat That Rocked“, where rock and roll, as we knew it in the sixties, came to an abrupt end. When the music died.
It seems many of the most incredible talents die a premature death.
Buddy Holly
Anything from plane crashes such as Buddy Holly who was a great loss to music.
Along with two fellow stars as passengers, Ritchie Valens (who had boarded the plane as a result of winning a coin toss) and Jile Perry Richardson/The Big Popper in 1959. This crash inspired the writing of the song American Pie.
“…Everyday seems a little longer Every way love’s a little stronger Come what may Do you ever long for, true love from me Everyday it’s a-gettin’ closer Goin’ faster than a roller coaster…”
(“Everyday”)
“I don’t like that surfin’ shit. Rock and roll’s been going down hill ever since Buddy Holly died”- American Graffiti
Jimi Hendrix
There were also drug-related deaths, such as Jimi Hendrix in 1970. I think, due to his outstanding guitar skills, his unbelievable singing voice was not recognised quite as much as it should have been.
“…A broom is drearily sweeping Up the broken pieces of yesterday’s life… ‘Cause the life that lived is,
Is dead. And the wind screams Mary…” (“The Wind Cries Mary”)
“You see the thing that makes sense in this crazy world is Rock and Roll.” – The Boat That Rocked (deleted scene)
Elvis Presley
A heart attack got The King, Elvis Presley in 1977 who had the looks, style, talent and personality. I have three photos of him on my wall, even though I wasn’t alive when he was. That’s how influential he was.
“…Please don’t ask me what’s on my mind
I’m a little mixed up,
But I’m feelin’ fine.
When I’m near that girl that I love best
My heart beats so it scares me to death…” (“All Shook Up”)
Wolfman Jack
Wolfman Jack passed away in the arms of his wife, Lou, due to a heart attack in 1995. He was a legendary pop music radio host in the sixties and has appeared in films such as American Graffiti.
Somehow the Rock and Roll stars of our world don’t seem to last.
The Beatles
Sometimes the music dies because it’s simply not created any more. With the most heart-breaking tragedy occurring in 1970, when The Beatles split up.
“…Life is very short
and there’s no time, For fussing and fighting my friend, I have always thought that it’s a crime, So I will ask you once again Try to see it my way…” (“Try To See It My Way”)
By 1980, John Lennon is shot and in 2001 cancer takes George Harrison.
George HarrisonJohn LennonBob Marley
In 1981, the legendary Bob Marley also died of cancer. With his final words being “money can’t buy life”
“…Rise up this mornin’, Smiled with the risin’ sun, Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep Singin’ sweet songs Of melodies pure and true, Sayin’: “This is my message to you Singin’: “Don’t worry ’bout a thing, ‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right…” (“Three Little Birds”)
Michael Jackson
Despite not really being a fan, I can’t deny the incredible influence Michael Jackson has had on other musicians and, of course, his unmeasurable talent as a performer and musician. He died under suspicious circumstances in 2009. This death is a memorable one for me due to its recent occurrence (I was in maths class, and this shocking news put an end to that lesson… Which was the light in the darkness I guess).
“…It’s close to midnight Something evil’s lurkin’ in the dark Under the moonlight You see a sight that almost stops your heart You try to scream But terror takes the sound before you make it You start to freeze As horror looks you right between the eyes You’re paralyzed ‘Cause this is thriller…” (“Thriller”)
Whitney HoustonAmy Winehouse
Of course, this is just a pinch from the endless realm of musical talent that we know of today. Amy Winehouse (2010) and just yesterday, Whitney Houston are a couple of others that have checked-out much too soon. However, they have still influenced our popular culture and, more importantly, inspired future musicians.
We’ve had many sad days when “the music died”. American Pie is a song that represents the importance of our favourite music and artists. This song is for every time a star has fallen.
Give peace a chance, and keep listening to good music! Especially by the musicians I have mentioned – to keep them alive. They represent the better parts of music because they are talented – unlike many of the ridiculous acts the money-grabbing producers are finding today. Just because we have computers that can sing for these “posers”, doesn’t mean that’s what we should be doing. We need to inspire people today more than ever.
The death that has affected my iPod playlists the most, it’s the death of The Beatles. And with that, I will leave you with John Lennon‘s solo tune, Imagine. Which is about how it could be.
“All you need is love”. And when you feel bad, “take a sad song and make it better”.
Jodie.
Director: Andrew Niccol Writer: Andrew Niccol Released: 2011 Starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried
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I think this is going to be a short entry today. Because I’ve been mulling this film over and over in my head for a good few months since I watched it.
It’s a film about how in the future everybody would be paid in time. With a count-down timer on our arm (which would make a pretty cool tattoo) we have to use that time to pay for things we need such as bus rides and food.
This film does have some powerful points, such as the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer. It does make a stand how unfair it is that the few wealthy and powerful people in the world have total control over 99% of the planet’s population. It’s a film about greed which is parallel to real life.
Unfortunately, this become secondary to the romance, which dilutes the impact of the potentially strong and shocking political statement trying to be made.
Quite simply, this thought-provoking Matrix/Inception–like film could have been a decent action/thriller if it wasn’t for the following three things:
NUMBER 1: If the story line wasn’t so obviously and devoted to the old-age tale of Robin Hood. Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Justin Timberlake wasn’t a bad actor, but his character was too unrealistic. Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) was a worker with just enough income to survive, until a ‘rich’ man donates all of his time to him. Sales then gets into top security places and eventually steels most of the money to donate to the poor sections of the world which he continues to do until every body is equally rich.
Not very original, is it, if you replace the guns with bow and arrows and the city with a forrest.
NUMBER 2: This turned into a romance. Like, I would say that this film was not a “Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy” (according to Rotten Tomatoes), but a Romance/Action. How the love interest (Amanda Seyfried) could run in those six-inch heels and still rob banks… I do not know.
NUMBER 3: It is quite simply too far-fetched. They should have stuck to developing the lifestyle and internal struggles of watching our life tick away from you. I think that would have been way more interesting…
I was pretty disappointed with this one, actually… But perhaps I was wanting to see a deep and meaningful movie when In Time was essentially a chick-flick disguised as a sci-fi/action in the trailer.
Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Michael Morpurgo Released: 2011 Starring: Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup, Jeremy Irvine
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Wow. What a spectacular disappointment.
So I went into the cinema with my tissues already to go, as I was expecting another epic Spielberg film that would be as shocking and as accurate as Saving Private Ryan and even more tragic and as touching as Black Beauty.
How I felt before War Horse – ready for a sad and heroic film
Me when the film began
Me when the film ended
I was forgiving at first:
“Okay, the colt is played by a filly… I can get over that…”
“Okay, the foal has different markings to the previous scene…”
But then we got to Albert training the horse, Joey. My suspension of disbelief was non-existent when it was implied that the horse was trained by being spoken to – in English no less.
I mean the farmer dude was saying “hey Joey. Stay… Stay… Stay…. Now come here!” and the horse would come trotting over when he said so… I mean with NO previous training – that’s not possible.
Believe you me, horses don’t learn things by being spoken at. (Although I couldn’t help but try it out on my horse Apache when I got home… He looked at me weird then turned and walked away.
Nor do horses learn by copying a human, such as when Albert wanted to put a harness on Joey. They obviously had two stunt horses; the first one threw his head around at the sight of the harness, but then Albert was all like; ‘come on Joey we need you to plough the field… See you just put your nose through like this’. Then the boy put his head through the harness to show the horse what he meant (smart guy).
Then, HEY PRESTO! The horse had learned, and the other stunt horse – who was trained to have a harness on – seamlessly took the previous horse’s place and they were ready to go to plough the field! Warm and fuzzies… But, I. Mean. Seriously.
I was almost sick in my mouth when Joey ‘taught’ his horse friend how to put a harness on… Because that’s what horses would really do.
Moving on from the horse, the human actors – to put it plainly – sucked ass. Some of the actors couldn’t quite hold their accents very well, such as Emilie (Celine Buckens) who was supposed to be a French girl yet she sounded English. (Hey I was right! I just checked Wikipedia and she is English.)
Some of the actors were very unbelievable, particularly on the battle fields, like when a soldier got shot in the leg, Albert helped him up and they both ran to safety… Ran to safety… Running.
I didn’t shed a tear or feel upset AT ALL during this movie, except, perhaps, when it finished because I felt so disappointed.
I was expecting epic music like Danny Elfman’s in Black Beauty which makes you cry just listening to it. I was expecting fewer stereotypical scenes and more realistic reactions from horses. But they gave the animals human emotions… and the ability to understand English…
I think that’s what made this film go completely topsy-turvey. It was a horrific and graphic story that was seriously sugar-coated. I believe it was aimed at the younger audiences who have recently been weened off Disney films.
Steven, it could have been A-MA-ZING if it was historically accurate!
There were two scenes, however, that had the potential to be memorable scenes if they didn’t try to shelter the audience so much. One was when two German soldiers were shot because they tried to escape the fight on horseback. But the windmill blocked your vision and the extreme wide shot added zero emotion to it.
The other scene was when the English soldier surrendered to walk onto the battlefield to rescue ‘Joey’ from barbed wire and the German enemy came to help. Now this scene would have been so meaningful if it wasn’t for them being too casual with each other. It was pretty much the sort of conversation two old highschool bullies would have had if they met each other forty years later in a department store.
Really?? This is war! Not something to be made light heartedly. Spielberg should know that – he made the most accurate WW2 movie in Hollywood’s history.
I expected Saving Private Ryan/Schindler’s List mixed with Black Beauty... Not Babe mixed with a film that should have gone straight to DVD…
Jodie’s regretful and disappointing rating of: 3/10
Awwwww but the trailer looks so goooooood!! :( Especially the part where the horses are in the girl’s room. (But when you watch the film you see that to get to Emilie’s room, the horses would have had to climb up a staircase that looked like a ladder…)
Director: Jason Reitman
Matt was severely attacked during high school resulting in him being disabled. But they bond over hating the same things. Mavis projects her hatred outwardly, and Matt eventually realises he has nothing to lose by expressing his anger around her too.
I love this movie because it’s character-based. It’s not fast-paced, just like real life, and hangs on to every emotion of the unstable Mavis, which makes you squirm. She’s so immature… But entertaining because she’s so expressive.
NZ Film Freak 