2012: Week 37: Won't Back Down

Won't Back Down

Genre: Drama

Main Players: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Oscar Isaac, Holly Hunter, Emily Alyn Lind 

General Gist: A single mother, living in a poor inner city community, wants to improve her daughter's school by "taking it over" and rebuilding it. 

Tiff's Take:   
This movie touches on a subject that can really get you fired up and wonder how some kids can be so lucky in what they have while others are barely making it.  Don't these kinds of movies make you so mad and sad?  One thing that really got me with this one is that the daughter in it was the same age as my son.  That will do it to me every time.  The easier I can imagine my own kids in situations the more emotional of a movie it is for me.  This was definitely one of those.  I was tearing up left and right. 

Putting the kid thing aside it was also one of those that gets you pumped up about making a difference even when you're the underdog.  Maggie Gyllenhaal, who played the mother, definitely played this role well.  (Even though she sort of had crazy eyes the whole time.)  Viola Davis, who played the teacher, was great as well although I felt like I wanted more about her story and what she was all about.

This was definitely a good one.  Be prepared for an emotional ride though.  

Tiff's Rate: Friday Night

Deb's Take:
I was so happy we went to this movie this week.  Like I had mentioned on a post, we had the choice of two pre-screenings, and this was the one we picked.   On a side note, I purchased 5 raffle tickets that an organization was having, at this movie and won 4 Royals Tickets in the Diamond
seating...cool perk!  Also if you get a chance look up the organization "Variety" in K.C. they are doing some pretty cool things in Independence.   Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming..

I sort of thought this movie was based on a true story,but it wasn't, (it would have been even more cool if it had been!)  The story made me so amazingly aware of how sheltered my life often can be.  I think the most outstanding realization to me when I watched this movie, I felt like this same story may be happening in my city.  I don't even begin to believe I know anything about the Kansas City School District, but if the Blue Springs School District may become a alternate location for the students, I can only imagine what is happening in the schools.  It's sad really, that all schools aren't created equal somehow. 

Anyway, I am not a political person, I just don't like seeing struggles and always want the underdog to win!  So..the movie was an emotional one.  I was so impressed with Maggie Gyllenhaal.  I loved her character in the movie.  She was so spunky, and loving, and motivated.  She was inspiring and real and genuine.  (ha ha, I just read the part about her crazy eyes that Tiff wrote...she was a little crazy eyed!) I can't remember another movie where she played the lead, and I was amazed at her ability.  Viola Davis did a great job as the teacher, her character was more closed off, but she still came through loud and clear for me.  There was a little hint of romance hidden in this film that was touching to me. 

This is the kind of movie that makes you want to go out and make a difference in the world! 

Deb's Rate: Friday Night

Preview: We'll be traveling this week and most likely won't get a movie in (boo) so we're going to post a few bonus reviews that we keep promising.  The Campaign and The Odd Life of Timothy Green. 

Week 33: The Help

This week we saw The Help.  Yay!  A movie I was really looking forward to.  I love movies that I'm looking forward especially on opening weekend.  It doesn't get any better than that.

This movie was filled with a great cast.  Emma Stone played Skeeter.  At first I wasn't sure how much I would like her in this role.  Honestly, I hadn't seen any of her movies until I saw Crazy, Stupid Love a few weeks ago.  She was great in that and she was great in this too.  I guess my completely uneducated opinion about her has now changed.  I'm a fan.

Some of the other actors were Viola Davis (Abileen), Octavia Spencer (Minny), Bryce Dallas Howard (Hilly), Jessica Chastain (Celia) and smaller roles by Allison Janney (Charlotte) and Sissy Spacek (Missus Walters).  This movie was chalked full of wonderful actresses.  And let me tell ya, they all were so good in their roles.  I would say Minny really stole the show followed by the few scenes with Sissy Spacek. 

If you haven't read this book, you should.  It is so good.  Of course the book is almost always better than the movie but this movie really did it justice.  When I saw the previews I thought it was going to be too light-hearted compared to the book.  And it was in parts.  There were some really good funny parts but it also had it's serious moments.  A really good mix. 

To Sum it up:  Funny, heart-breaking and packed with a bunch of strong women.

week 33 "The Help"

We have been waiting to see this movie since we read the book. I was pretty excited as the book was good, and I felt a movie could probably capture everything it needed to make the movie as good. As usual, the movie wasn't as good as the book...Movies just can't get all the fun details, and I like details! However, this movie was better than most about getting close to the book.

I think the thing that really made it for me was that the characters in the book pretty much matched the movie characters. Sometimes the movie characters are just so off I can't get into it, this time I was not disappointed.

Emma Stone did a great job as Skeeter. Bryce Dallas Howard did a great job as Hilly, and I actually found myself more intrigued with Ceclia's role because I liked how Jessica Chastain played her. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer were the real winners for me though. I felt like I was walking through the book with their characters. KUDOS!!!

For anyone who hasn't read the book, or seen the movie yet, this is truly an inspiring story. I will say, the book will "close up" the story a little but better than the movie did. Everything ends as it should with no real questions...the movie left a few loose ends.

Great movie for all. My 14 year old daughter even said she liked it pretty well, and she is a hard one to please. See you next week.