2014: Week 26: Begin Again

Begin Again

Genre: Drama, 

Main Players:  Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine

General Gist:  A music executive down on his luck discovers a musician who is ready to leave the country after she is jilted by her pop star boyfriend.

Tiff's Take:
Oh boy.  Another movie with music.  This is becoming a common theme.  Going into this one, I didn't realize how much music was actually going to be in the movie.  If I had known I may have been less enthusiastic to go.  But I didn't and I was really looking forward to it.  

Even though Adam Levine, who is pretty darn mainstream, was in this, I wouldn't say this was a mainstream kind of movie.  I like that.  This movie was a tad on the quirky side.  Just a little.  And I like that as well.  It was based in NYC which I love.  It had interesting, unpredictable characters which is always refreshing.  I mostly love Keira Knightley in anything she's in a I like Mark Ruffalo as well.  They were both great in this.  Adam Levine was okay but honestly he didn't have a huge part so it was hard to say whether he was bad or good.  I can't say I'm a huge fan of Adam like my dear sister so he was just sort of neutral for me.  Actually, his character was on the annoying side but I think that was intentional.      

Despite all the singing (which if I'm being honest, I liked in this one), I really enjoyed the characters and the less conventional story.  It seems like the bad movie streak has finally ended.

Tiff's Rate: Friday Night


Deb's Take: 
I love movies with music.  This one was different because it wasn't a musical per se, it was more a movie, about music with music.  Totally different but perfectly conducted.  

Adam Lavine's movie debut, that in itself was enough for me.  He is quite a man, not to mention I like his music A LOT.   Ok, that being said, Adam was amazingly good in this movie.  Maybe because he is a singer/star playing one was pretty much like being himself, but he was extremely natural and never once did I feel like he was struggling to pull off the acting gig.  This was especially important because he was playing opposite Kiera, who was phenomenal.  Ok, her singing was decent, by no means was I floored, but the music fit her.   Mark Ruffalo did great as well.  Really not one person was disappointing in this movie.  The chemistry between all the characters was spot on.  

This movie had everything I love, relationships with deep meaning, conflict, heart, emotion, heartbreak, love...you get it.  I pretty much just melted into my seat and got lost in the story.  I liked that it wasn't a cookie cutter story, I loved the music, and I appreciated the emotions.  What a great film.   I will be going again!  Something I rarely do.  

Deb's Rate:  Opening Night

Preview: Travel might get in the way of both of us being able to go to the movie next week.  But you never know.  We have a way of making it work.  We shall see.

2014: Week 3: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Genre: Action, Drama

Main Players: Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh,

General Gist:  A young Marine is recruited to become a covert CIA analyst and uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy.

Deb's Take:  
First off  WOW!  What a great movie to see in the IMAX.  I don't usually care if I see a movie in the IMAX theatre or not, but this is a great one to spend the extra couple bucks if you like a good thrill ride. 

I will start by saying that movies that address the stock market, economy, international conspiracy, ect, always sort of make me feel ignorant.  I am trying to do better at understanding worldly economics, how the stock market works and how the government comes into play.  I am getting smarter, but still have a long way to go.  This movie was all about terrorists, economy and the stock market.  I think I actually had all the logistics figured out in this one. (Go Deb!)  Because of my understanding the movie was much more enjoyable. It wasn't rocket science, but I'm still happy.

Ok, as far as the movie itself.  I had forgotten how much I like Kevin Costner.  He is such a cool actor.  I like his calm, cool, collected nature that so many of his characters portray.  He sort of seems that way in real life too.  He did an excellent job in this movie, and, as usual, he was his calm, cool self.  Chris Pine is an actor I often forget about until I stumble across one of his movies.  He has the young boy charm, but the movie lover's face. What I liked most about his work in this movie, was the ability to capture the emotions of his character. He had some really badass chase scenes and stunts.  He did such a great job.  Kenneth Branagh plays an amazing bad guy.  I would turn and run if I ever crossed his path in real life. 

The story line was engaging and the action was non stop.  There wasn't a point in this movie that I wasn't totally sucked in.  A great date night movie!  Thanks Leslie and Brian for joining us on this one!!

Deb's Rate: Opening Night

Tiff's Take:
I'll admit that action movies aren't my all time favorite types of movies but I always enjoy them.  I really enjoyed this one.  As Deb said, it was fantastic in IMAX.  Definitely worth the extra cost to see it that way.

This was fast paced and kept you tensed up throughout the whole thing.  That's a sure sign of a good action movie.  What I liked about this one was that it didn't spend a lot of time setting things up.  It got right to the point and just started right in.  It wasn't unnecessarily lengthy.  Another thing I liked about it was the fact that it wasn't super confusing.  I knew who was bad, who was good, what the problem was and how they were going to fix it.  I often enjoy these movies but I usually leave them not really sure what happened.  So, good writing I guess.

I had no idea until after the fact that Jack Ryan is a character in other movies/books.  So can't really compare how Chris Pine was versus Alec Baldwin or Harrison Ford or whoever else played Jack Ryan but I'll say he did pretty darn good in my opinion.  They all did.  I literally loved everyone in their roles.  Well done!  

Tiff's Rate: Definitely a strong Friday Night.

Preview: Looks like another pre-screening for us.  "Labor Day" with Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin coming next week.

2012: Bonus Review: Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina

Genre: Drama

Main Players: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

General Gist: Set in the late19th century Russia, a high society, married woman starts having an affair with a much wanted bachelor changing her life dramatically.

Deb's Take: 
What a unique movie. The first scene immediately set up a whole different vibe for the film.  Sort of a part play/part movie.  Just a neat concept.  As far as the movie itself.  The acting was pretty amazing. Keira and Jude are so good at their roles.  Jude Law was most impressive to me, as it seems he can play so many different types of characters and make them all very believable. 

The other thing about this movie was that it was the typical love triangle.  My Romeo and Juliet side was very satisfied.  The whole web of deception, drama, and love was adequately weaved into a horrid mess.  Why do I like movies like that?.....Anyway, I think this movie was well done, had some great characters and followed a good storyline.  We almost missed seeing this one, and I am glad we didn't!

Deb's Rate: Opening Night

Tiff's Take:
What a great way to end the year!  Seriously, we couldn't have picked a better one to finish with.  In my opinion anyway.  I knew when I first saw the preview for this that it was right up my alley and I had to see it.  But with the way things worked out we were a little late in the game at actually seeing it.  Boy am I glad we made it work though.

I'm not sure what to point out first.  I really loved everything about it.  It was one of those movies that when I start watching it I can tell right away that I'm going to love it and never want it to end.  Does that happen to any of you?  It was artsy and unique.  It was made as if it was on the set of a play in parts then a movie in other scenes.  Really well done.  Jude Law was fantastically middle aged and ordinary.  (Is that really possible?)  Keira Knightley was wonderfully torn and heartbroken.  Ahhh.  Made my heart go pitter pat.

I realize this kind of movie may not be for everyone but for me it was definitely one of the best of the year.  Easily.     

Tiff's Rate: Opening Night

Preview:  Finally!  All our reviews are up for 2012!  Now Best and Worst of 2012 to come with maybe a little giveaway in between.

2012: Week 25: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Main Players: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley

General Gist:  The journey of two people during their last days as an asteroid is set to hit earth.

Tiff's Take:

Deb's on vacation and apparently doesn't have good movie choices in our little hometown so you just get me this week.  And I'll tell you right now I won't suggest that Deb goes to this some other time.  Not worth it.  Even if it's free.

I had highish hopes for this movie.  It didn't get a lot of press but I though it had potential to be a good one.  With Steve Carell I thought it would have some good comedy and with the story line I thought it would have a good serious side as well.  Boy was I wrong.  There were practically no funny parts and the movie just kept dragging on and on.  It was brutal.  I don't usually dislike a movie quite so much even if it's a little boring but there was absolutely nothing about this one that worked for me.

Steve Carell's character didn't really have any funny parts and his serious nature got old real quick.  Keira Knightley was okay if not slightly annoying.  Together they had zero chemistry.  It seemed like an odd match.  To top everything off, this was the movie I chose to take my not so movie going husband to.  I'm never going to live this one down. 

If I was the type of person to walk out of a movie this one would have made me do it.       
      
Tiff's Rate: Don't Bother.  Seriously just don't bother.

Preview:  Magic Mike.  Bring on the men!