Nightcrawler

(*** 1/2 out of 5)

     Having a random Tuesday night off of work, I browsed through local showings and decided upon the film, Nightcrawler, starring Jake Gyllenhaal.  The previews did not reveal much about the movie, so I only knew from reading reviews what the premise was about.  To help aid a potential audience, it is about a crooked man who wants to be successful at something.  This man eventually finds out that he has a knack for getting gruesome videos of crime scenes, and attempts to sell these to local television networks.  Gyllenhaal did an excellent job of encompassing a character that crucially defines the entire movie.  I would not be surprised if this film earns him any awards.
     What struck me the most about this film was how it made me feel.  The main character is a crook, and although I knew he was creepy and villainous, I found myself rooting for him.  The director never reveals any back story.  The film opens with the main character stealing copper and other metals to sell at a junk yard.  He's all alone, poor, and committing theft just to make it by.  How did he get there?  At first it matters, but as the story progressed, I asked less about the back story, and more about the future of the character.  The film builds and builds, eventually leading up to a fun car chase.  He's a bad guy with a good goal, willing to stop at nothing to reach it.  I left the movie with malicious grin, and I'm sure many others will, too.
     I know there are several other popular films out right now, and the new Hunger Games is about to be released, but Nighcrawler is a film you don't want to miss.

Interstellar

(*** out of 5)

     For starters, I would like to apologize for the long gap in between movie blogs.  There haven't been any movies that I have been interested in seeing, but a friend reminded me that, as a movie critic, I have a responsibility to see everything.  This is true.  Lately, I have been sitting at home, indulging in television shows such as American Horror Story, and The Walking Dead.  I will try to be more open-minded when it comes to seeing movies I have no interest in.  Let's talk about Interstellar.
     One phrase comes to mind after seeing this film: Meh.  Maybe I expected too much from director Christopher Nolan, but it was much less of a bumpy ride and more of an emotional roller coaster.  The basis of the movie is that Earth is running out of food, and a father agrees to pilot a spaceship through a black hole in search of other planets with food.  The concept is simple and intriguing.  The previews didn't reveal much.  There are several amazing actors in the film.  The story is easy to follow.  The graphics are okay.  The running time is way too f****** long.  Two hours and forty-nine minutes.  Be prepared.
     Rather than focusing on space exploration, the film truly focuses on the relationship of a father and daughter.  The father is traveling in space trying to find an answer to Earth's problems, while the daughter is trying to find the answer on Earth.  Two souls, separated by space, trying to solve the same problem, makes an excellent parallel.  For me, their dialogue became tiring after a certain point.  Honestly, I was waiting for one of them to die so the movie could continue on.  And I am not going to spoil anything, but the ending tried too hard to be existential and weird.  Imagine last year's film, "Gravity," but with less action and more dialogue.
     Yes, there were times when I was on the edge of my seat, especially with the haunting musical score.  There are a few action sequences, and a few times when I was shocked by scientific data the astronauts uncover.  Overall, it wasn't a bad film, but the running time and the constant emotional display in the film took it from sci-fi to drama.  I did talk with a few people that enjoyed it, and one of my friends that I saw it with even cried, advising that her parenting instincts really made a difference as to how she reacted to the triumphs of the main character.  I'd say it is worth seeing, but only once.  I know that I won't see it again until it hits DVD.

Gone Girl

(**** out of 5)

     I had planned on seeing this on opening night, but due to work and a weekend out of town for a bachelor party, I had to wait until Sunday.  I've been very excited about Gone Girl ever since they announced a film was in the works, and I was impressed by the outcome of it.  While I think the buzz of possible academy awards is being a little overdone, I did enjoy this film.

     If you haven't read the book, I highly recommend it.  Gone Girl is about a man who finds out his wife has gone missing.  Evidence is slowly uncovered, pointing to Amy's husband as the kidnapper and possible killer.  But don't expect the entire to film to be a mystery.  About a third of the way through the movie, the plot completely changes.  Unfortunately, that is all I can reveal about the plot.  Unlike the book, the movie smoothly transitions through the three parts.

     The reason, I believe, that this movie will be so successful is how it was developed.  David Fincher is an amazing director when it comes to adapting books (Fight Club, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as well as The Social Network and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).  You may have read and then seen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which offered very different perspectives.  The director does the same with Gone Girl.  The book is written with intermittent journal entries.  The movie starts out the same, but then lets the writing fade and the characters develop.  Another great aspect was that the author of the book also wrote the screenplay, adding a slight change to the ending (and for those of you that were hoping for a major change like me, you'll be disappointed.  It changes a little, but nothing major).  It's hard to place in a category, because it is part mystery, part thriller, part romance, and part comedy.  I hate the characters, because they are terrible people, but I am drawn to them, wanting to know how they are going to unravel.  You will laugh, you will be frightened, and you will be grossed out but a gruesome bloodbath scene.

     Ben Affleck (Nick Dunne) and Rosamund Pike (Amy Dunne) did such an amazing job of encompassing the characters.  I had no issues with the casting.  I don't even like Tyler Perry, but his role in the movie was fine.

     So, why did I only give it four out of five stars? If I don't leave a theater wanting to call all of my friends and tell them about it, then it only gets four.  The film is fun, but it's nothing that leaves a long-lasting impact.  For a fun and dark escape, give Gone Girl a chance.

Tracks

(***1/2 out of 5)

     Not to be confused with another film called "Wild" staring Reese Witherspoon, Tracks is a film based on the true story of Robyn Davidson's 1,700 mile trek across West Australia.  In the 1970's, Robyn, nicknamed "The Camel Lady," set out on an incredible journey funded by National Geographic.  It's an inspiring tale of how lonely one can feel, but how free they can feel at the same time.
     While there isn't too much of a plot, the cinematography and score set the tone for the entire movie.  And Mia Wasikowska encompasses the character in a great portrayal.  As you follow this girl, four camels, and her dog, it's hard to decipher the reason she is doing this.  There are only a few glimpses of her past, but they are pivotal.  Is she crazy?  Is she determined?  Or is she a little bit of both?
     Another great thing the director did was show how much one person can communicate with the earth and its people, with the audience able to share.  There are parts when the language of the Aborigines is not subtitled, when the camels are being disobedient, when the dog is the friend to lean on, and yet the only characters that she has the hardest time understanding are human beings.  I did feel for her during these sequences.
     Don't expect a big adventure.  It's more of an emotional drama than it is an action film.  And if you are an animal lover, beware that animals are often killed for food and other reasons during the movie.
    A delightful film, it might be hard to find if you do not live close to any independent cinemas.  It should be available to stream or rent in a few months if you cannot make it to the theater.  This film is definitely not one to miss.

The Maze Runner

(*** out of 5)

     I don't want to lie and say I had no intention of seeing this movie, but it was definitely at the bottom of my list.  On a late night whim, and a desire to see something on the XD screen, I wound up seeing The Maze Runner.  Due to the overwhelming amount of Dystopian dramas, my first thought when I heard of this movie was that it was going to be just like all of the others, featuring a romantic, teen-drama, you-have-to-save-your-family-and-the-world, film.  To my surprise, it wasn't.
     The Maze Runner is about a colony of boys who wake up in the center of maze, with no recollection of who they are or where they came from.  The maze opens during the day, and a group of "runners" maps as much of the dangerous labyrinth as they can, before the doors close at sundown.  The main character has memories and a dire urge to make it out of the maze.  His new presence jeopardizes the colony for unknown reasons.
     After seeing the film, I read the critics reviews and I would have to agree with them one hundred percent.  This director created a sense of urgency, as well as a darker tone, making it a refreshing change from the other films out there.  At times I was scared for the characters, because without a past, they don't really have a meaning.  I have not read the books, but I enjoyed the way the story was told.  Was it worth seeing in the theaters? Definitely.  The graphics are amazing and it was a fun film. 

Mortified Nation: A Documentary that Shares the Shame

(***out of 5)

     Yet again, there was another uneventful weekend at the box office.  Thankfully, I am part of a small film critics forum that helped me find a film.  To be honest, I had never heard of the Mortified movement.  Several people get on a stage and read entries from their childhood journals.  It's embarrassing for the people on stage, but heartwarming because the audience can relate to the tough times of being a teen.  You should expect to smile, and to feel for each individual character.  After watching the documentary, you will want to go out and read all of your old journals.  In the preview, one of the directors basically tells us, that no matter who you were growing up, we all went through the similar struggles.  This movie is streaming on NETFLIX.  It's better than anything that hit theaters this weekend.
     The documentary covers parts of several different stories.  I noticed on Netflix, there is the ability to watch a separate documentary that is mostly just stories.  The documentary intrigued me, because I was thinking, "Why would someone want to get on stage and humiliate themselves like that?"  This is covered in the feature, so I won't spoil it for you.  If you have Netflix, give it a watch.  It's also available to rent on iTunes.

The Summer Sizzle Has Ended

     It's official: This summer's movie season has officially ended.  There is one movie on my list to see right now (Boyhood; running time 2hr 42min), and it's only playing in independent cinemas.  Last weekend, three movies were released: The November Man, As Above/So Below, and If I Stay, none of which peaked my interest.  So what did I do?  I went and saw Guardians of the Galaxy again.  I caught up on some of my Netflix shows, and I rented movies.  This week, I will just do a quick review of each movie I rented.

     I didn't have high expectations for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which is why I probably ended up liking it.  I don't know the comics as well as some, and did not know that a certain character would be getting the ax, so I was somewhat shocked at the twist.  It was one of the better rentals available right now, but wasn't the most "amazing" movie I've seen lately.  Good rental.

     As a huge fan of the Muppets, I knew what to expect from The Muppets Most Wanted.  While it did not compare to it's predecessor, I still enjoyed it.  It's a little bit darker than the other films, and the celebrity appearances are still galore.  Tina Fey and Danny Trejo had me laughing.  I was also glad about closure that was given to the fans about Rizzo not being in the last film.  Fan film.  Fun film.

     About Alex is a film in the reunion genre.  After Alex attempts suicide, his friends all reunite to take care of him.  The chemistry between the actors was excellent.  While the story was not exactly original, the dynamic of the characters had me hooked.  I enjoyed this film for the aesthetics, but it's a film that you will only want to see once.

     I feel bad for this film.  I really do.  I had read the book.  The movie followed it well.  Unfortunately, the critics nailed this film.  They said that the acting and story were fine, but the director made it look like another tween film, not bringing anything new to the dystopian dramas (I have a feeling we will be hearing a lot of this with The Maze Runner and others in progress).  It's wasn't bad at all.  I recommend renting it.

     A Haunted House 2.  I'm a Marlon Wayans fan.  I laughed twice in the film.  It sucked.  Skip this one.

     I know This is 40 has been out a while, but I had never made the time to see it.  I finally got my chance to rent it this weekend.  It became available to digitally rent on September 1.  Just like most of Judd Apatow's films, it was a great story, but the film was way too long.  At one point, I took a twenty minute break.  I haven't reached 40 yet, but, to me, their relationship was believable.  If you have the time to spare (2hrs 14min), then give it a shot.

There you have it.