2014: Week 23: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars

Genre: Romantic Drama

Main Players: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern

General Gist: A 16 year old with cancer meets a fellow cancer survivor at a support group and a relationship ensues even with an unpredictable future.

Tiff's Take: 
You all know I am a huge fan of the book to movie phenomenon.  I get pretty excited about seeing a movie when I've read the book.  Especially when it's a book I loved.  And I loved this book.  I'm also pretty forgiving when the movie doesn't quite live up to the book.  Which is most of the time but I still enjoy the excitement leading up to going to the movie.

I thought this movie was a really good adaptation of the book.  Of course there were things that were left out but overall it really stuck to the book.  I thought the casting was great too.  Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort were perfect in their roles.  Like the book, it was funny and sad at the same time.  There was lots of crying in the theater.  And a lot of mothers with their tween/teen daughters.  I think the only guys that were there were coerced by their girlfriends to go.

If you liked the book I think you will like the movie too.  If you didn't read the book and think you will like the movie.  Basically, you will like this movie.  I loved it.    

Tiff's Rate: Opening Night


Deb's Take: 
Like Tiff, I enjoy a book to movie film.  I do have my qualms as I have never seen a movie that was better than a book, I mean really, that isn't possible.  That being said, some movies just do it better than others when it comes to depicting the book.  This movie was one of them.  I had just finished this book a couple days before I saw the movie, which always is a little bit of a risk as the details are so fresh in my head and I HATE missing out on details, even though I know a movie can never really get it all, I am still always just a little disappointed.  This book seemed perfect though.  The detail in the book seemed doable for a movie.  There wasn't so much inner character dialogue that got lost, and this movie actually shared some of that dialogue along the way.  Kudos!    I am often disappointed in the choice of actors to play certain parts.  I was not disappointed this time.  The actors did so well.  I felt like Shailene was great,  and Ansel was a charmer.   I didn't feel like the actors overplayed their parts and they all seemed natural, which I too like.

I can't give this movie an Opening Night however, I do feel like there was some lacking of emotion and deep connection that I got between the two main characters in the book, and didn't get in the movie.  Probably not the fault of the movie/directors but rather just a side effect of making a movie from a book.   I will say that this movie was probably one of the best book to film movies I have watched and if you liked the book, you will enjoy the movie as well.

Deb's Rate: Friday Night

Preview:  Pre-Screening of "Jersey Boys"

2012: Week 36: The Words

The Words

Genre: Drama, Romance 

Main Players: Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde, Jeremy Irons

General Gist: A writer finds someone else's story and publishes it as if it's his own work.

Tiff's Take:  
This movie had a really interesting concept.  It was like a story within a story within a story.  I should mention it was a little confusing too.  Generally speaking I thought it was a decent movie.  The story was good, the acting was good and the chemistry between the actors were good.  But...I felt like there was information missing here and there.  Or maybe just depth.  I don't know.  It just didn't have that emotional pull like I thought it would.  It left me wanting a little more.  And did I mention it was confusing?  Unnecessarily so.

I thought Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana had great chemistry but Dennis Quaid and Olivia Wilde just didn't seem like a great fit.

So this one was sort of neutral for me.  Not bad but definitely not great.  Probably not worth going to the theater for this one.  

Tiff's Rate: Rent It

Deb's Take:
I really was expecting more from this movie.  The previews were misleading to me.  I expected a love story, intertwined with an authors challenging dilemma.  Well, I suppose that is what it was about,..kind of.  The movie was slow.  I felt like I got lost in boredom at some points.  I wasn't really buying the relationships and the plot was weak.  I feel like the movie could have been good, but it was a story, about a story book, about a story...too many stories.  (lol...side note, I didn't read Tiff's review, as I usually don't, before I wrote mine..sometimes our conversations is just too similar!!)  The worse part was the ending.  Nothing was wrapped up, nothing seemed to be resolved and all in all I was disappointed.

The actors did okay in their parts, but I think it's hard to act a poor movie sometimes.  I also think the premise behind the movie could have been quite intriguing if written better.   All in all I expected more and got less.  I actually don't have a whole lot to say because I just really didn't like it.

Deb's Rate: Don't Bother...read a good book instead!

Preview:   "Won't Back Down" is on the docket this week.

2012: Week 15: The Lucky One

The Lucky One

Genre: Romance, Drama

Main Players: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner, Riley Thomas Stewart, Jay R. Ferguson

General Gist: A soldier finds a picture of a woman in the mist of war and uses it as his good luck charm. He goes in search of her after he's out. Based on a Nicholas Sparks book.

Tiff's Take:
We got to see this movie a little early at a prescreening. Always fun. Have I ever mentioned that the audience at a screening is a tad more enthusiastic then the "normal" movie goers? They are definite clappers too. I use to think this was annoying but I've grown to enjoy it. Deb and I, on the other hand, are not clappers. We are observers. We love watching all the crazies out there. And I mean crazies is the best possible way.

On to the movie. This was your classic chick flick. No comedy to appease the men. Just plain and simple heartbreaking romance. And oh boy did it have some eye candy. Oohwe, Zac Efron is certainly something to see. (As a side note, I'd like to point out that he is only about 8 years younger than me. It's not super creepy for me to say how hot he is right?) He definitely played the part well. I thought he had great chemistry with Taylor Schilling's character too. It was a very serious, passionate kind of chemistry if you know what I mean. Not a fun, playful chemistry. I would say that is about how the feel of the movie was too. No fun and games. Just a lot of feelings. It worked for me but I'm not sure it would work for everyone. Probably a little too much for those less emotional folks out there. But if a good romance is what you're looking for this is your movie.

Tiff's Rate: Friday Night (but if you're taking your male other half, you'll probably owe him one)

Deb's Take:
This movie was a Nicholas Sparks book, his books usually end sad. I didn't read this book, so I am curious if the book follows the movie well. I may have to read it to find out.

Anyway..to my review. Another pre-screening, I really do like them, makes you feel like you get a little surprise before anyone else. This movie was a typical Nicholas Sparks story. He sort of does the star crossed lover type movie, so a true given that I would enjoy it! I don't want to ruin it for anyone who is planning on going this week so I will just sum it up. Zac Efron is a hotty, and shows a lot of good chest in this movie. I know...I am 41, he is 25. I am more than happily married, but as my husband says...the body is like a piece of art and should be appreciated....so I did! If I was his mom I would have had to have him at 16. Just sayin....

The "love" scenes were a little more PG 16ish to me. Actually, I was thinking about it, and decided I almost thought they were more 17 or 18 ish. Then I thought, maybe I really am getting too old. I just couldn't imagine my child as a 13 year old watching the love scenes. There was no breasts, frontal and only partial back end..but still...pushed the limits for a 13 year old. (I always feel I have to throw in my opinion for all those mothers out there) Really...It was a great love story. As Tiff mentioned, it was a deep, intense, love story. Serious in nature and passionate. I think Zac Efron and Taylor Shilling were great together. I also have to put a shout out for Blythe Danner, I liked her as well! Maybe I will read the book and see what I think after that!

Deb's Rate: Friday night.


Preview: Hmmm...maybe October Baby? I can bet we will not be going to The Three Stooges though.

Week 28: Monte Carlo

Last week, or for week 28...we saw Monte Carlo. This movie was one my daughter had been "DIEING" to see and couldn't wait one more minute. Generally it was a movie about young love..first love. The general premise was about three girls (two friends and a sister) who go on a trip to Paris, to celebrate Grace's, (played by Selena Gomez) high school graduation. While on the trip Grace comes across her "twin" and somewho ends up taking over that twin's life as a high class elites. There is love, confusion, lies..all the stuff a teen movie is made of.

The main girls, played by Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy, and Leighton Meester did a great job. They played their parts together well. All three of the main male characters were good, played by Pierre Boulanger, Luke Bracey and Cory Montieth. I do enjoy the whole, young love type of movies, and this one was pretty entertaining. I would recommend it for young teens and pre-teens really, but who's to say we don't fall back into that time when we really get into a movie!

Overall pretty good, take your girls and they will be happy and you can pretend your 17 again! See you soon

Week 18: Water For Elephants

This week we finally got to go see "Water for Elephants" I always like seeing movies of books I have read, but usually choose to see them some time after I have finished the book because movies miss so many details and I hate feeling like I have been cheated. I waited just long enough this time, I remembered most of the book, but not too well.

The story line behind this movie is about a man who joins the circus, after his mother and father pass away and he has nothing left. He becomes the circus Vet. Robert Pattison plays this main character, Jacob. Jacob starts to fall in love with the horse performer, Marlena, played by Reese Witherspoon. The problem is in the fact that Marlena is the wife of August,(Christoph Waltz) the circus' manager. The elephant comes in as the circus aquires an elephant that Marlena and Jacob must train to keep the show bringing in money. The book is awesome by the way.

I think Reese Witherspoon did a good job with her character. She seemed to capture Marlena's personality from the book. I always feel like a movie doesn't completely allow the viewers to see the characters like a book will, but in her case, it wasn't bad. I was diappointed in August's character. He wasn't quite crazy enough. In the book he showed the battle of a bipolar type personality, but in the movie he just seemed moody. Robert Pattison did well as Jacob, although I do feel like he was slightly too "happy" in the movie, the book led me to believe he was more depressed and somber.

The supporting characters were lacking, there were some good storylines that the movie didn't have time to capture. I wished somehow the development of characters could have been better. Although, the book was slightly lacking in the development of Marlena and Jacob's relationship so I guess I can't expect the movie to do any better.

I think I liked this movie because the book came to life a little bit for me, not so much because I thought the movie was exceptional. I think if I hadn't read the book I would have thought the movie was lacking and rushed, with pieces missing.

All in all I think the movie was ok, it was nice to see how someone put it in picture form. I would recommend reading the book more though!

See you next week.