Director: David O. Russell Writer: Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell Starring: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence Released: January 2014
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I honestly didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was Jennifer Lawrence is in it. Which sold it for me.
Bright, bold, glossy and rawkus. American Hustle shows off the glamorous seventies in a gorgeous light.
In the same way The Boat that Rockedmade the sixties nostalgic, American Hustle enhanced our recollection of the seventies.
I was utterly gob-smacked to discover that Danny Elfman composed the music… You can’t even tell. Certainly a step away from the stereotypical sound expected from Elfman. The actors were incredible. Everyone was so believable and realistic. Kudos to Amy Adams. I lost my faith in her acting ability after Man of Steel, (as Lois Lane) but she has made a come-back, for sure. She even does a fantastic monologue without make-up on.
Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence – absolutely flawless acting.
Someone told me American Hustle is “all cleavage and big hair”… I can’t really disagree with this statement. But it’s shot in such a classy and upbeat way, the plunging neck lines and big up-dos fit perfectly.
The script is beautiful! There are double meanings and strong themes in the dialogue, with funny lines and meaningful quotes.
The story was below average though. It was over-complicated, and relied too heavily on voice-overs. But the overall idea of two con artists and the characters they play to do the illegal dealing is cool.
The music was fun, the pub scenes were moody, and emotions ran high.
Probably not needing to be a two and a half hour movie, but a playful and provocative watch nevertheless.
Jodie’s rating: 6.5/10 – mostly for the acting and script
Director: Mark Lewis
Writer: Mark Lewis
Released: 2013
Starring: Christina Shipp, Samantha Steinmetz, Jared Stern, Brad Hemsath, Scott Lewis, Kim Barlow, Kim Gordon, Alexander Cook, Julian Lowenthal and Sean McDonald
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This cast and crew deserve applause!
This is a comedy about the adventures of two girls, Angie (Christina Shipp) and Tara (Samantha Steinmetz), who pop some unknown pills to escape boredom in their small town.
Brian (Jared Stern), Tara’s boyfriend, comes home to find the girls high. Brian ends up ‘babysitting’ them and we follow their crazy and hilarious journey through the town.
The script is actually really genuine and funny. Talking in depth about colours and other irrelevant and random subjects.
Brian provides a great balance in the film. We are seeing what is happening through his eyes, rather than the story turning into a ‘Dumb & Dumber‘ kind of deal.
Some of the scenes, particularly the montages, could be edited down to make them snappier and keep the comedic pace.
The acting is certainly believable. The delivery of the dialogue is so genuine in most cases.
The reaction of Angie getting doused in milkshake was great. Also, Brian’s (Jared Stern) conversation about how the girls’ got a pie after leaving them alone for just a few minutes, were all very memorable moments. Very well portrayed!
Actually the ‘pie’ scene where the girls have to hide their drug induced high in front of Mrs. Wolvertine, a church-group friend or Tara’s mum, was hilarious. It was so awkward, but so natural!
Mrs. Wolvertine: [to Angie] Remind Tara if she forgets, will you dear?
Angie: Actually, there is no way I can carry that kind of responsibility…
*sprints over to the truck and throws herself on the flatbed*
The rest of this scene will have you in stitches.
*Brian gets into the car and looks over at Angie with a pie on her lap*
“…where the f*** did you get a pie?”
His facials were so blank yet so confused, it just made that line so funny.
I think it would have been cool to have a few scenes through the eyes of Angie and Tara, or even just a few flashes of their perception.
The photography is pretty good! There were a few shots that could have had better composition. But for the most part, the film is well shot and the audio is clear.
It felt like the cast were completely comfortable, like they were just hanging out with friends. This gave the whole movie a really natural tone, allowing the funny material to come easily.
I was expecting to see a bit more of a character development or a more obvious moral by the end. But a fun film nevertheless!
At the beginning of 2014 a science teacher of Iowa released his results after eating McDonald’s three times a day for 90 days. Surprisingly he lost weight!
Boy did the papers lap this up!
John Cisna went about proving that it’s not McDonald’s making us fat, but our choices.
John Cisna lost 37 pounds after 90 days of regular exercise and a 2000 calorie per-day diet
The articles covering Cisna’s experiment frequently compared his endeavours to Morgan Spurlock’s 2004 documentary “Super Size Me“. Spurlock ate McDonald’s three times a day for 30 days resulting in weight gain, and deteriorating health.
However, Cisna’s and Spurlock’s McDonald’s binge diets have totally different guidelines.
Morgan Spurlock gained 25 pounds after 30 days of eating a 5000 calorie diet and walking just two miles per day.
Spurlock only exercised as much as the average American does – two miles a day – and tried everything on the menu with no daily calorie limit. This often resulted in a 5000 daily calorie consumption.
Whereas Cisna stuck to 2000 calories per day which included daily exercise appropriate to the amount he ate.
I am writing about this because I am concerned about the confusion of many readers. Don’t write off Morgan Spurlock’s results – they shouldn’t be forgotten now that Cisna has lost weight on a similar diet.
When eating a high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt and high-carbohydrate diet, a significant amount of exercise and quantity restraint is needed. This is all Cisna proved.
However, for the average consumer, an intense exercise regime and a strict calorie-count is not a part of the deal. This was proved in Super Size Me.
Just because Cisna lost weight, doesn’t necessarily make his diet healthy!
Iodine deficiency, high cholesterol, liver and kidney problems were just some of the results of Spurlock’s experiment. I am curious to see if Cisna had any nutritional deficiencies or health problems too.
McDonald’s must be happy to hear about this story – I bet it’s smoothed over the cracks in their reputation made by Super Size Me. Especially since they gave all of John Cisna’s meals to him without charge.
Don’t compare apples with oranges. These were two totally different experiments with completely different results. Just because they ate similar food doesn’t mean the experiments can be compared.
I hope John Cisna’s results don’t give people permission to eat crap all the time, and I hope Spurlock’s results are remembered.
This year has been a huge learning curve for me; my writing has improved and how I critique movies.
I have been accepted into my journalism major which I hope will get me closer to my dream of travelling the world and writing about what and who I discover.
Since the beginning of my blog – exactly two years ago today – filmfreak.co.nz has received 70, 000 hits. So thank you for paying an interest, I am very proud of this accomplishment. The United States have been my biggest audience, with New Zealand, France and United Kingdom close behind! A huge thank you!!
This year has been a year of the superhero. Batman, Superman, Thor, Wolverine, Avengers… I’m not complaining though. Superheroes are an awesome trend to have.
I have certainly noticed films have been getting longer though. Three hour long films are becoming popular. Although, like 3D films, I am hoping the excessive length will move along too.
I have joined up with Fiverr, so my indie films, and many of my song reviews, have been via that site. Not only has it helped fund my blog, but it has introduced us to many emerging artists from all around the world. These are inspiring and ambitious people – so well done to all of you! The list of their films are at the bottom of this post.
Keeping with my tradition, I shall present to you the film reviews of 2013. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty being the hugest accomplishment of the year, with Movie 43 being at the bottom of the heap.
Please enjoy reminiscing over these films released or viewed by my good self, Jodie, during 2013:
Thank you for sticking with Film Freak. I have really enjoyed this year, and I hope 2014 will bring more incredible movies to enjoy and critique!
I would love to hear from you; I read every comment you write – even the spammers’! So keep getting in touch, it means so much to hear your feedback. Let me know what movies you want reviewed!
Director: Ben Stiller
Writer: Steve Conrad. Based on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
Released: January 2014
Featuring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn and Sean Penn
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An inspirational fable to say the least. I have been waiting for a movie like this for a long time.
“Having a Walter Mitty moment”, you’ve probably heard the phrase. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty explores the ‘what if’ situations in life.
Coincidently, there is a hilarious reference to Benjamin Button in the movie.
Everybody can relate to Walter Mitty. Dreamers, travellers, photographers, bored office workers… Anybody who fantasises about running away or doing something crazy.
Ben Stiller not only produced and played the lead, but he directed it too. I have a new-found respect for this man. I have fished him out of the pile of cheap laughs in comedies with Owen Wilson or Adam Sandler. He is way up there with respected artists and creatives. Absolutely incredible.
The shots are beautifully framed and the locations are simply breath-taking.
Iceland has been on the top of my travel list for a few years now, so the fact that this movie is mostly based in Iceland just gives me warm and fuzzies. No other location could offer this film with a better foundation. What an exceptional choice.
The characters are real. The acting and casting is superb. Kristen Wiig, Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Patton Oswalt, Adrian Martinez… Holy beans. This cast is gorgeous.
I can’t think of another movie that put me in these situations and locations first hand. I feel like I experienced the courage Walter experiences, and how he felt when he is embarrassed or intimidated. I don’t know how they did it.
I suppose it is the genuine dialogue, the seamless transitions between scenes and the emotional and realistic reactions. Genius.
Now. The music. The soundtrack and the use of music for the scenes is simply a HUGE part of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Jose Gonzalez and Of Monsters and Men in particular had songs that complimented the film perfectly.
My favourite scene is the montage of Walter Mitty going through the mountains to the song ‘Lake Michigan’ by Rogue Wave. The music is more than icing on the cake… This is the flour IN the cake; it is so essential and so well mastered.
House on fire leave it all behind you,
Darkest night let the lightning guide you
– Step Out by Jose Gonzalez
I won’t lie to you; I did have a fat cry. But I shan’t be ashamed! This film just gave me chills, and the songs moved me. I blubbered like a baby. Deal with it.
Films should be entertaining and transport you to another world, and make you feel different when you walk out the theatre. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty did this. I walked out feeling inspired, excited, exhilarated, happy and feeling the urge to travel, even more so than before.
My favourite component is how a lot of the characters’ mistakes were things that would happen in real life, such as throwing something away absent-mindedly or daydreaming about having a conversation with somebody.
This is more than a feel-good film. This is a lively, funny, adventurous film, full of rich and interesting characters and places. I cried, I laughed, I felt empowered and excited. It’s just a magical adventure. I’m going to see this again.
Don’t just dream it; live it.
Jodie’s rating after first watch: 10/10
The first 10/10 ever given on filmfreak.co.nz!!
November 2014: I have to say, after almost a year of watching Walter Mitty, I think it’s realistically closer to an 8/10 because Kristen Wiig doesn’t really work with the genre, and the movie can look a bit sterile.
However, I’ll stick with 10/10, because that’s how it feels after the first watch.
Director: David O. Russell
In the same way The Boat that Rocked made the sixties nostalgic, American Hustle enhanced our recollection of the seventies.
The actors were incredible. Everyone was so believable and realistic. Kudos to Amy Adams. I lost my faith in her acting ability after Man of Steel, (as Lois Lane) but she has made a come-back, for sure. She even does a fantastic monologue without make-up on.
Someone told me American Hustle is “all cleavage and big hair”… I can’t really disagree with this statement. But it’s shot in such a classy and upbeat way, the plunging neck lines and big up-dos fit perfectly.
NZ Film Freak 