2014: Week 12: Divergent

Divergent

Genre: Action, Adventure

Main Players: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Miles Teller, Zoe Kravitz, Ansel Elgort

General Gist: A futuristic Chicago is divided up into five factions.  Every 16 year old has to decide what faction they belong in.  One girl realizes she doesn't fit into just one faction and has to figure out what that means.

Tiff's Take:
Such a highly anticipated movie!  I love these kinds.  Reading all three books in the series within about 9 days helps a little with the anticipation.  I felt a little bit like a teenage girl waiting for this one.

Let's start out with, of course the book is better.  That's a given like 99.9% of the time.  But obviously some do it better than others.  This one was on the better side of it.  It wasn't perfect but it was good.  The main reason I thought it was so good was the casting.  Maybe not everyone physically looked exactly how I envisioned the characters in my head but they all played the part so well.  It seemed like the actors really got the characters.  Shailene Woodley and Theo James played the parts of Tris and Four fantastically.  I was worried that Shailene wouldn't seem weak enough to play Tris but she really nailed it.  And Theo James. *swoon*  I felt like there was a lot of hype from the teenage girls about him.  Boy am I on that bandwagon.  Not only is he easy to look at but he really took on the Four persona.      

Was it perfect?  No.  Did it leave you a little disappointed after reading the book?  What movie doesn't.  Am I still thinking about it?  Yes.  Do I want to see it a second time?  Is it wrong if I say I do?  I think not.

Tiff's Rate: Friday Night

Deb's Take:
I didn't read all three books in the series like my dear sister (I did read the first one in a day or two though).  How can you not look forward to a movie that was a book?   It's all about bringing the characters to life.  Movies like this are about the anticipation, the energy in the theatre as everyone waits to SEE what they have only imagined.  The whole experience is just fun.

I will agree with Tiff, the book is always better.  A book allows you to see in the brain of the characters, allows you to know their thoughts,  not really possible in a movie.  So..yes the book was much, much MUCH better.  So, let's take the book out of it.  The movie was good.  I believe the casting of Tris and Four were good.  I didn't like Eric and Christina so well..Peter was right on.  I think where the movie was lacking was the whole romance between Four and Tris.  I just didn't get that "first love" passion.  They had good chemistry, but the movie didn't play on that.  I also was unimpressed with the relationship between Tris and her parents.  I felt it was to surface.   I guess when I think about it, none of the relationships were very impressive, and unfortunately that's what makes a good movie for me. 

I'm a little less forgiving with this one.  I think it could have been better, I think the directors got a little lazy and let the book do the talking.  Can't wait to read the next two books though!


Deb's Rate: Matinee

Preview:  One of us is traveling this week so we might have to go to different movies.  
(or maybe two sisters will become one sister and a brother for a twist.)

2012: Week 12: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-fi

Main Players: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz

General Gist: In the post-apocalyptic world, a battle is held where a boy and girl, between the age of 12 and 18, are chosen from each of the 12 districts to compete in a televised battle where only one person will survive.

Deb's Take:
So the long awaited Hunger Games finally got here! I was so super excited, and a little nervous. Anyone who has been following us for a while knows I am often disappointed in a movie that was a book I read first. I will never change my opinion that a book is always better than a movie. Books allow you to get inside the head of characters and hear what they are thinking, you don't have to rely on the actions and spoken word to relay a message.

It has been a bit since I read the books. I think this is the trick, read a book, and wait a while before you see the movie. Some of the details and emotions are then forgotten and the movie becomes more enjoyable. This is definitely what happened with this movie. I LOVED IT! I was a little concerned that Jennifer Lawrence would come across too "old" or mature in this movie for Katniss' character. It took me a little while, but she eventually seemed to fit the mold for me. I looked back on some of her previous acting, and realized I had seen her on a sitcom first. Didn't realize she was the same girl! I pictured Haymitch a little different than Woody Harrelson, but he pulled it off well. I think the interesting part of the movie, was how we saw a viewpoint of the people in charge of the games, how they were running the show, changing the venue etc. In the book this didn't happen, but really to make the movie work I don't know how else they could have portrayed that part. (again, an in your head kind of thing that had to be brought forward). I wish we would have seen more of Gale. Katniss and Gale's relationship wasn't really appreciated enough in the movie. All the other main players were very on! Great casting! I will say, the book is better (always is!) and reading it will bring so much more to light about each character, but maybe hold off on the movie right after reading the book so your memory becomes a tad fuzzy so you can enjoy it more. Also want to send a shout out to Amy Sacry for encouraging her mother, Terry Clinefelter for joining us for this movie. We had a larger group this week with my 2 older kids and husband as well.

Deb's Rate: Opening day, definitely! (maybe because I read the books though, interested to see what someone who didn't read the books would think...my son and daughter liked it and they didn't read the books...anyone else?)

Tiff's Take:
Finally, a movie worth seeing! We've seen so many bad movies this year so this came at such a good time.  Of course this was much anticipated as well.  When I was reading the book I thought that this would make a great movie.  First of all, it's action packed.  There's so much going on.  Secondly, there's not a whole lot of inner dialogue that was impossible to convey in a movie.  Of course, there is always going to be some detail that you just won't get in a movie but this one wasn't too bad. 

So my verdict?  It was so so good!  The casting was great.  Jennifer Lawrence had Katniss' attitude down pat.  Really well done.  Hutcherson and Hemsworth both looked the parts of Peeta and Gale.  Although, as Deb mentioned, I would have liked to see more of Gale.  And who could play a drunk washout better than Woody Harrelson? 

I loved how the Capitol came to life in the movie.  All the crazy colors and outfits versus the drab lives of the districts.  Very much how I pictured it in my head.  This was such an enjoyable movie to watch all around.  (Other than the teenagers getting killed for sport thing.)  I was emotionally invested right off the bat.  Well done.  Can't wait for the next two!      

Tiff's Rate: Opening Day.  But I agree with Deb.  If you hadn't read the book would it be waiting in line worthy?  Still going to say yes. 

Preview: Have to look and see what is out there!  Any suggestions?

Week 12: Red Riding Hood

As Deb said, we saw Red Riding Hood this week.  It's sort of funny that we ended up picking this one because it's a new take on an old classic just like last week's Beastly.  But the difference was this was a good take.

To be honest, I wasn't sure I would like this.  I thought it could be a little hokey but maybe not so bad.  Turns out, not so bad.  Amanda Seyfried was good.  I thought she would annoy me more for some reason but she didn't.  The two male characters both trying to get the girl were played by two actors I hadn't seen before, Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons.  I like it when you get unknown people sometimes.  That way you don't expect them to be a certain way. 

The movie itself kept you on your toes.  You were always waiting for something to jump out and scare you.  And the whole time you were trying to figure out who the werewolf was.  The story would keep pointing you in different directions making you think it was one person then change to the next.  I wasn't really trying to figure out who it was but I don't think I would have guessed even if I had been. 

Like Deb, I'm not sure what it was exactly that made me like this show so well but I did.  It wasn't spectacular but it was entertaining.

To Sum it up: Suspenseful, unique and ever-changing.