How funny, on November 22, 2008 in my review of Twilight, my first sentence mentioned Romeo & Juliet. Now in the first opening scene sequence of New Moon, (the second installment of the ever so popular Twilight series), guess what is being discussed in class. Yep, it was Romeo and Juliet. Coincidence, I think not.
In my previous review of Twilight I made several suggestions of what needed to be done to make New Moon better than Twilight. Let me say how happy I was to see that many suggestions I made were actually heard and executed. I had hoped that the produces would find a new director, they did, Chris Weitz. I suggested that they eye contacts they used for the vampires were of better quality so that the audience would not see the contact lines in the eyes, they did, really quite lovely ones. Lastly, I made the comment that the movie needed to be longer to do the books justice – well they could have done better with this one, however they did increase the production by 10 minutes.
Having seen my suggestions taken into account, maybe my blog will once again be read by the Twilight powers that be and hopefully they will take my suggestions for Breaking Dawn (it’s too late to offer assistance for Eclipse – due out June 2010).
Bella (Kristin Stewart) has to stop huffing and puffing and allowing all of her words to get stuck in her throat. Bella you are a strong woman, be cofident in your words – like when you yell at the wolf pack – there was no huffing an puffing in that sequence. It is almost like Bella is slightly asthmatic and is having her breath sucked out of her in the damp cool air of Pacific northwest.
This is how I heard Ms. Stewart relay her dialogue in almost every scene: Sad Bella, huffy puffy breathing, happy Bella huffy puffy breathing, scared Bella, lots of huffy puffy breathing etc….. Are you getting the picture? Kristen Stewart, please just breathe normally.
Taylor Lautner was truly the bright spot in New Moon. Lautner’s interpretation of Jacob is much improved from the first film. Additionally Lautner’s hard work in improving his physical anatomy is blatantly obvious and much appreciated by the audience. One audience member burst out with an “Oh Yeah Team Jacob”, when Jacob removed his shirt for the first time. Not sure how he did what he did but he could probably shoot a fitness video and make several million dollars!!! I hope Lautner continues to relax into his role and just let Jacob flow.
Lastly there is Mr. Pattinson, yes he is hot, yes he is melancholy, but that doesn’t mean Edward has to speak in a whisper all the blessed time. Robert please speak up and enunciate your words! You can be sad, sullen and hot with an audible voice!!!
I truly wish the script would have expanded on the supporting characters, i.e. Charlie Swan, Jane and Sam. The supporting characters allow the story to flow with symmetry and assist the audience in understanding how the three main characters have become the people they are. One would think, since the very seasoned actor, Dakota Fanning was cast into the film as Jane, the directors, writers, and producers, would have given her more than a 5 minute time slot. Jane is a very important character now and in the future stories and she was not fully explained in this film.
Is the movie as good as the book? Oh my goodness no! Is this film improved from the first? Absolutely yes. The big positive of this film is once again the scenery of the location. I believe Twilight captured Stephenie Meyer’s vision slightly better than New Moon. However, I do understand why the locations may have had to be moved - prevention of the stalkers from sneaking on set! If at all possible, I personally would appreciate the filming of the series relocating back into the United States.
Is this a full price movie? The answer is yes, only if you are a fanatic of the series. I said it before, there is nothing better than going to a movie theatre filled with excited fans cheering, oooing and the occasional “oh yeah baby” at all the right moments! But I caution you, should you be a Twilight Virgin read the books or at least see Twilight first. If you have not, you will not enjoy this flick. There is way too much inside information that needs to be known to enjoy and follow New Moon.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
The Blind Side
For someone who thoroughly enjoys going to the movies, the Thanksgiving movie going season is as wonderful to me as eating a hot Krispy Kreme – truly delectable. Needless to say, I have been waiting with great anticipation for November 20th to arrive to start my movie marathon.
The movie chosen as the first of to be seen was Sandra Bullock’s latest endeavor, The Blind Side.
Imagine a life in which you grow up as a young black male in Memphis TN, where your mother tells you to close your eyes so you don’t see her do drugs or turn tricks. Imagine a life where you have never slept on a bed, your parent has never read you a bedtime story, and that all that you have in the world is kept in a plastic grocery bag. Your home is located in a drug infested, gang ridden, roach motel of a public housing project. Now if that isn’t bad enough, imagine going home one day to find that your mother is gone, you home is padlocked shut and there is an eviction notice on the door. For as horrible as all of that sounds, now picture a white family driving down the road, stopping their luxury SUV and they tell you to get in, they are taking you home with them. If you can remotely imagine any of that, you have imagined the life of Michael Oher; right tackle of the Baltimore Ravens, and a brief synopsis of the deliciously warm, feel good movie of the year.
The Blind Side is the condensed story of the how Michael Oher evolved into the person that he is today, staring Sandra Bullock as Leigh Ann Tuohy and Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher. Leigh Ann Tuohy is portrayed as a bulldog of a woman with a heart the size of the sky, who takes Michael into her heart, home and family. Some of the nuances of her character have been seen before in her other movies, a strong woman accepting the challenge placed before her and conquering it with style and grace. However, this role for Ms. Bullock seemed to effortlessly flow out of her, her sincerity was not masked by a comedic script nor the slapstick humor that Ms. Bullock is known.
The Blind Side is a well done drama, with moments of comic relief provided by Ms. Bullock and Jae Head who plays her young son, SJ. Tim McGraw, minus the goat tee and hat, (no, you wont recognize him), portrays the former basketball jock from Ole Miss and a happy go lucky owner of several fast food restaurants throughout Memphis. Mr. McGraw seems like a very likable and lovable kind of guy. I am quite certain he was typecast for this role. The cast flowed on screen with ease and the portrayals of each character seemed completely believable – which is a rarity in my simple opinion.
Quinton Aaron is a newcomer to the silver screen. His character is quiet and pensive and I believe due to his lack of film experience and exposure, Mr. Aaron is able to execute his role very convincingly.
After seeing this film, I left asking myself what occurred in Michael Oher’s early life, prior to meeting the Tuohy’s, that kept him out of a gang, out of jail, and gave him the desire to better himself? What was it that got him up each morning and motivated him to attend an elite private school where he is described, in the film as the fly in a big glass of white milk? I know if I had the answer to that question I would be an incredibly rich woman, but alas I still have my day job.
So I leave you with these final thoughts. I know there is hope out there for people who are born into dire straits to achieve honor and courage even without a fairy godmother flying into their life. I am hopeful that you will leave the theatre with the desire, the need, of wanting to help someone. No, we all can’t take a stranger into our home and our lives, but we all can do something for someone else. If we would simply look around our personal world and seize the opportunity to help someone less fortunate than ourselves, our world would be such a sweeter place to be.
The Blind Side is a must see!!!
The movie chosen as the first of to be seen was Sandra Bullock’s latest endeavor, The Blind Side.
Imagine a life in which you grow up as a young black male in Memphis TN, where your mother tells you to close your eyes so you don’t see her do drugs or turn tricks. Imagine a life where you have never slept on a bed, your parent has never read you a bedtime story, and that all that you have in the world is kept in a plastic grocery bag. Your home is located in a drug infested, gang ridden, roach motel of a public housing project. Now if that isn’t bad enough, imagine going home one day to find that your mother is gone, you home is padlocked shut and there is an eviction notice on the door. For as horrible as all of that sounds, now picture a white family driving down the road, stopping their luxury SUV and they tell you to get in, they are taking you home with them. If you can remotely imagine any of that, you have imagined the life of Michael Oher; right tackle of the Baltimore Ravens, and a brief synopsis of the deliciously warm, feel good movie of the year.
The Blind Side is the condensed story of the how Michael Oher evolved into the person that he is today, staring Sandra Bullock as Leigh Ann Tuohy and Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher. Leigh Ann Tuohy is portrayed as a bulldog of a woman with a heart the size of the sky, who takes Michael into her heart, home and family. Some of the nuances of her character have been seen before in her other movies, a strong woman accepting the challenge placed before her and conquering it with style and grace. However, this role for Ms. Bullock seemed to effortlessly flow out of her, her sincerity was not masked by a comedic script nor the slapstick humor that Ms. Bullock is known.
The Blind Side is a well done drama, with moments of comic relief provided by Ms. Bullock and Jae Head who plays her young son, SJ. Tim McGraw, minus the goat tee and hat, (no, you wont recognize him), portrays the former basketball jock from Ole Miss and a happy go lucky owner of several fast food restaurants throughout Memphis. Mr. McGraw seems like a very likable and lovable kind of guy. I am quite certain he was typecast for this role. The cast flowed on screen with ease and the portrayals of each character seemed completely believable – which is a rarity in my simple opinion.
Quinton Aaron is a newcomer to the silver screen. His character is quiet and pensive and I believe due to his lack of film experience and exposure, Mr. Aaron is able to execute his role very convincingly.
After seeing this film, I left asking myself what occurred in Michael Oher’s early life, prior to meeting the Tuohy’s, that kept him out of a gang, out of jail, and gave him the desire to better himself? What was it that got him up each morning and motivated him to attend an elite private school where he is described, in the film as the fly in a big glass of white milk? I know if I had the answer to that question I would be an incredibly rich woman, but alas I still have my day job.
So I leave you with these final thoughts. I know there is hope out there for people who are born into dire straits to achieve honor and courage even without a fairy godmother flying into their life. I am hopeful that you will leave the theatre with the desire, the need, of wanting to help someone. No, we all can’t take a stranger into our home and our lives, but we all can do something for someone else. If we would simply look around our personal world and seize the opportunity to help someone less fortunate than ourselves, our world would be such a sweeter place to be.
The Blind Side is a must see!!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Ugly Truth
The Ugly Truth
The Ugly Truth is anything but ugly. The film is billed as a chick flick, but it is far from such.
Katherine Heigl reprises a role of a slightly OCD female working in the television industry (Knocked Up). As always, Ms. Heigl is cute, smart, funny and loaded with a charming, quirky and quick wit.
In the Ugly Truth, Heigl portrays a morning news producer whose show is tanking in the ratings. On the flip side, Gerard Butler’s character Mike Chadway hosts a public access cable show that provides a guys perspective on women-not a pretty perspective-but what he dubs the ugly truth. Heigl and Butler come together when Butler and his show are thrust into Heigl’s prim, proper and quite stuffy morning program. With that the fireworks begin.
Filled with crass and at times hilarious one liners, The Ugly Truth is a great date movie….guys beware, the ending is quintessential chick flick.
Special Note: the soundtrack is great!
The Ugly Truth is anything but ugly. The film is billed as a chick flick, but it is far from such.
Katherine Heigl reprises a role of a slightly OCD female working in the television industry (Knocked Up). As always, Ms. Heigl is cute, smart, funny and loaded with a charming, quirky and quick wit.
In the Ugly Truth, Heigl portrays a morning news producer whose show is tanking in the ratings. On the flip side, Gerard Butler’s character Mike Chadway hosts a public access cable show that provides a guys perspective on women-not a pretty perspective-but what he dubs the ugly truth. Heigl and Butler come together when Butler and his show are thrust into Heigl’s prim, proper and quite stuffy morning program. With that the fireworks begin.
Filled with crass and at times hilarious one liners, The Ugly Truth is a great date movie….guys beware, the ending is quintessential chick flick.
Special Note: the soundtrack is great!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
