2014: Week 2: Her

Her

Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance

Main Players: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, voice of Scarlett Johansson

General Gist:  A man develops a relationship with his personal operating system.  No seriously.  That's really what it's about.

Deb's Take:
I walked out of this movie quite torn.  I am a sucker for romance and drama, but this movie pushed the whole idea to the limit.  The movie was just bizarre.  I have two thoughts that keep running through my mind.  Either the movie was suppose to enlighten us about the overtaking of media and computers and how we are loosing connection with reality.  Or, we are to be enlightened by the ability for emotions to take on any shape or form and that underneath it all, we just want to feel loved.  I suppose maybe it wasn't either of those, but that's what I took from it.

Joaquin Phoenix plays some pretty quirky characters, and this movie was no exception.  He is always right on the edge of crazy to me, and he did it again.  He was wonderful in this movie, don't get me wrong, but wonderful and crazy fell pretty close together in this one.  Amy Adams had a minor role, but did it well.  Scarlett Johansson was just the voice of the computer, I guess I didn't really feel a connection with her because she wasn't "materialized".  Another hmmm moment.

Although I think this movie taught some good lessons, and will make you think twice about life, love and relationships, I guess I'm a sucker for the old fashioned romance.

Deb's Rate:  Rent It.
                           
Tiff's Take:
I felt like I entered bizarro world the minute I sat down for this movie.  We saw this at the Alamo Draft House downtown and for their previews they had these weird retro clips about computers but with a sexual twist.  I'm sure it was just because of what the movie itself was about but it made me feel strange.  And the movie hadn't even started.

I knew this wouldn't be just a normal love story with Joaquin Phoenix as the main guy.  It wasn't.  It was set in what appeared to be a futuristic LA maybe?  But not so futuristic that it didn't seem realistic.  But, apparently in the future everyone will be awkward.  Almost like awkward is the new black.  Everyone was awkward and it was perfectly normal.  Is that really what we're destined to become?!

So in a nutshell, Joaquin's character is trying to get over a bad marriage and falls in love with, for all intents and purposes, a computer.  They go on dates and have sex and all the normal stuff a couple does except one half of the relationship doesn't actually have a body.  I will say though, after you get over the crazy (or maybe not so crazy) concept, it really felt like they just had a long distance relationship where they never got to see each other.  If you thought of it that way it was sort of a sweet story.  Unlike Deb, Scarlett Johansson as the voice of the computer, made me connect with the whole idea a little better.

But the bland colors, unfashionable hair and wool slacks that sat way too high on their waists reminded you that this is not a conventional story and maybe too far out there.          

Tiff's Rate: Matinee.  Can't get over the odd feeling it leaves you with to give it a higher rating.

Preview:  Taking one for the kids..."The Nut Job"

Holiday Season Movies: A Quick Summary

We're back!

We took a little break in 2013, but we decided we really missed our weekly movies. We didn't like being out of the loop.  Mostly, we missed the time we spent together going to the movies. So here we are.

Before our first official review for 2014, we thought we'd give you a little breakdown of the movies we saw over the holidays.  There were some good ones in there we think are worth mentioning.  Five movies in less than a month. Guess we are coming back with a bang!

Frozen:
Deb:  This movie was the best Princess Disney movie I have seen in a very long time.  The music was superb, the concept was different and it was about sisters!! I would give this one an Opening Day review.  You and your kids will love it.

Tiff:  I really liked this movie too but the beginning story line was a little rushed and weak.  From an adult standpoint.  My kids however, loved it.  I liked the idea that true love wasn't just a romantic concept.   I give this one a Friday Night rating.

Saving Mr. Banks:
Deb: So different than what I thought it was going to be. I love a true story.  This one made me want to go out and buy the Mary Poppins Series.  Great acting.  (not necessarily a kid movie, they would probably get bored.) Friday Night at its best.

Tiff:  This was definitely a deeper movie than what you think you're getting into.  Very well done and acted.  Agree with Deb, not a good kids movie.  Definitely worth a Friday Night.

The Wolf of Wall Street:
Deb: WOW, WOW and WOW.  Pushing movies to their limit in more ways than one.  I did really love it! Great Acting, Crazy out of control story.  (Lots of nudity, sex and drugs so be aware).  Friday Night Rating from me.

Tiff:  This movie was dirty and wrong but so very good.  Lots of sex, lots of drugs and more than a  little uncomfortableness.  Make sure you go with an appropriate companion.  Leo was really great in this.  I give this an Opening Night.  

American Hustle:
Deb:  Think 70's at its height.  Great job with setting the stage, costumes and personalities.  The movie did get a little long for me, the story was lengthy but I never guessed how it would end.  Matinee

Tiff:  Didn't get to see this one.  Maybe I can check it out on Netflix someday.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty:
Deb:  This one was Quirky at best.  I have a hard time with movies that push the limit on reality.  This one did, but the relationship was endearing and the message was positive.  Great Rental     

Tiff:  Didn't get to see this one either.  Wasn't super interested.  I guess I'm fine with missing this one.


What movies did you see over the holiday that you think are worth mentioning?

2012: Week 39: The Master

The Master

Genre: Drama

Main Players: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams 

General Gist:   A troubled WWII veteran comes home from the war and gets caught up in a cult like group called The Cause. 

Tiff's Take: 
Wow.  Where do you even start with a movie like this one?  I hadn't really heard anything about this movie until about two weeks before it came out.  I heard it was going to be an award winner so I thought I better go see it.  Also, my cousin, who's in film school (and obviously much more knowledgeable and cultured in movies then this accountant) said that it was good but warned me that it was weird.  Weird movies don't scare me.  I like a good, solid, weird movie.  This one took weird to a whole other level.

So I'm a little torn with this one. 

The downside of this movie:

• It was weird to the point of uncomfortable.  There were some uncomfortable scenes and Joaquin's character was just sort of creepy.  It made me feel a little yucky.
• It was confusing.  You know when you're reading a poem and it doesn't make much sense and you have to dissect every word to find the meaning?  That's what this movie was like but I don't feel like I found the meaning in the end.
• Any story about a cult/religious group/organization that is controlling in any way is unsettling to me.  It scares me and I don't like it.  Period.     

The upside of this movie:

• What amazing acting!  Joaquin Phoenix was a completely different person in this movie.  I would be shocked if he isn't nominated for an Oscar.  And both Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams were fantastic.  Amy Adams definitely branched out with this role.
• Even though I'm not the most creative or artistic person and tend to be more logical, I could still appreciate the artistry in this movie.  Whether I liked it or not.  I can't tell you specifically what it was that made it good but I can tell you that it was extremely well done.  In the opinion of the average layman of course.

So did I like it?  Well, I'm glad I saw it but I don't think I'd want to see it again.

Tiff's Rate: Rent It

Deb's Take:
 I stuggled with this review for many of the reason's Tiff mentioned above.  I am not a totally uncreative thinker, in fact, I have always been a little far fetched in my symbolic thinking, you'll notice I didn't say super intelligent or a master of symbolic thinking, only...far fetched.  So during half of this movie I sat and really tried to analyze the symbolism that obviously I felt must have been taking place, (as I was so totally lost I couldn't imagine any other reason for it).  By the second half of the movie I decided I was intellectually challenged and maybe the last scene of the movie would just sum everything up for me.  WELL...that was a big NO.  Instead, the first words out of my mouth when the movie was done were "I so didn't get that..at all!".   Oh, I got the main concept, that was very apparent, but the storytelling was crazy weird.  SOO...all that being said I went to the following website for "The Master" and read the Synopsis (a very detailed account of the movie and it's scenes.)   AH HA!!  Light at the end of the tunnel. 

Here is the deal, I missed a couple things in the movie, a few points that I took at face value and after reading the synopsis realize the story makes a little (very little) more sense to me.   I feel the movie didn't do that wonderful of a job getting their point across in some of the scenes.  Like for instance...1.) he was dreaming when he was in the movie theatre?!?  REALLY?  so didn't get that!  2.) I know the whole teachings were suppose to do something for his insanity/drunkened/wierd self, but...what were they teaching?  read the synopsis and you will understand a little more. 3.) The support characters always just seemed so random...again, read the synopsis...that guy he beat up was the editor of the book?   Just a few of my "OHHH I get it" moments. It kind of felt like a movie that was a book and the director didn't have enough time for all the details so he just hoped everyone who went would have read the book to fill in the blanks.

I guess what I am saying is, I like a movie was deeper meaning, but I think this movie did a poor job at getting the point across.  Too many details were left out that made the movie seem chopping and disconnected (Disconnected in a movie is a killer for me).    Tiff did mention the acting was amazing. Amazingly weird...but I will give the movie that, these actors did weird very well.

Deb's Rate: Don't bother...read the synopsis, you'll get more out of it.

Preview: Not sure what's in store this week but our mom's in town so we'll have company!

2012: Week 38: Trouble with the Curve

Trouble with the Curve

Genre: Drama

Main Players: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman

General Gist: A veteraned baseball scout gets some (unsolicited and unwanted) help from his daughter when he realizes his eyes are starting to go and needs help keeping his job. 

Tiff's Take: 
So that whole thing about not going to a movie this past week?  Yeah, we lied.  We were both going out of town and didn't really think we'd be able to work one in.  As luck would have it, we were able to work one in AND go with our brother and sister-in-law.  Perfect!

I'll just start out by saying I really enjoyed this movie.  I've always been a fan of Amy Adams.  I think I've liked her in almost everything she's been in.  She sort of comes off as this American Sweetheart type actress but I'm always surprised when she can be a little rougher around the edges.  She had a little bit of that edge in this one.  I can't say whether I really like or dislike Clint Eastwood but he was a good fit for the role of grouchy dad/ baseball scout.  Together, they were spot on.  And Justin Timberlake is always good to me.  I think he is talented and just plain funny.  I liked him as the love interest.

This movie had a little bit of everything.  It was serious (I teared up many times), if was funny, it had love and sports.  How could you go wrong with that?  My sister-in-law, who is sort of picky when it comes to movies, loved it.  My brother said it was good but didn't quite rave like we did.  Take that how you will.    

Tiff's Rate: A very solid Friday Night

Deb's Take:

Well, I guess we are addicted.  Not only did we not miss this week, we actually saw two movies. One was on our verrrryyy long flight to Reno (and Cleveland, and San Francisco) and the other with my brother and sister in law.  After reading Tiff's review there is a little repeat here, but we always knew we are a like.

My husband saw this movie and enjoyed it.   He didn’t say a whole lot about it though.  My brother was only mildly impressed, or mildly unimpressed, whichever way you want to look at it.  With two small girls he and my sister in law don’t get to movies much.  He said it was “predictable.”  My sister in law disagreed, she liked it because there was closure.  At the end, everything was neatly resolved and all situations were how they were intended. 

I agree with both of them, the movie was predictable.  Amy Adams and Clint Eastwood did well as a father/daughter pair.  I enjoyed the relationship, its turmoil and its resolve.  I am becoming more impressed with Justin Timberlake as an actor as well.  He plays the boyfriend role well.  He and Amy Adams seemed to have nice chemistry.  The movie was touching, funny and full of relationship…everything a good Hollywood Movie tries to be…Hence my brother’s lack of excitement  and my sister in laws praise.  Yes, the movie was predictable and ended all tied up in a bow at the end, nothing outstanding but not awful either.  I have to say the highlight was spending time with my family though.

Deb's Rate: Friday Night

Preview: Since we actually had a movie to review we'll post the infamous Bonus Reviews later this week.