Review: Identity Thief

This one wasn't my pick; however, I had no arguments against it. It seemed a little silly and good for a few laughs, but what really got me interested enough to pay money was Jason Bateman. I don't know if you know this, but I love his sense of humor. Something about the straight-laced, no-one's-listening-anymore, almost-muttering delivery he has just speaks to me. A lot of people I've tried to explain this to do not understand. They don't laugh when he speaks. I, on the other hand, find trouble not laughing at every word he says. There's just something about it.

Basically Sandy (Bateman) finds out about huge purchases made with his card and a crime he supposedly committed in another state. Obviously, this was not him and he realizes he has become a victim of identity theft, because someone has been using his account, his social, and his name. The police (like in most comedies/actions/any movie where the cop isn't the main character) are useless in protecting Sandy from becoming overdrawn and losing his job, so it's up to him to bring the person who has stolen his identity face-to-face with the ColoradoPD and get a confession. Thus, he travels to where his card was used last to bring "Sandy," who we shall now call Diana (McCarthy), to bring her back with him. A messed-up roadtrip ensues where they have to beware of a crazy bounty hunter and two drug dealer (associates?) who are also looking for Diana. A lot of random troubles occur, which I honestly could not tell you the exact order of (or why), even though I saw it two days ago.

So, obviously, there's some great laughs. And for the most part it tends to stay on track of fairly believable. (Minus the bounty hunter and two drug dealers, who I kind of felt the movie would've done much better without.) The odd thing about this movie was that there are some strangely sentimental moments where you really sympathize with Diana (and Melissa McCarthy does a great job in these dramatic scenes -- I think she cries like three times and it makes me think she shouldn't always go for the funny girl parts).

And the movie has this message about being a schmuck because that's the "right" thing. I couldn't really get a hundred percent behind that part. Sometimes you need to play the game. The world is not black and white, and I think it's better to stand up for yourself and what you believe is right, then get walked all over because that's the nice thing to do.

Identity Thief (Gordon, 2013) has some silly laughs and great friendship-based values. I think it tries too hard (and fails) at a deep moral message five minutes after she tapes up a bounty hunter with a Capri Sun, but it's a fun movie to see with friends. Verdict: RENT-IT. 

Review: Django Unchained

I wasn't super excited about this, but I knew I had to see it. One, because it's a Tarantino film and I like almost all of his movies (except the one he's most famous for). Tarantino really captured my heart with Inglourious Basterds (2009) because that is one of my all-time Top Ten, so I knew not to get my hopes up too high coming off of that. The second reason I had to see this was because it's nominated for 5 Oscars (and has an almost infamous director snub nom to go with it). I try to see every movie that's been nominated for director, actor, film, cinematography, and writer.

Side note: I love award season. People's Choice, Golden Globes (which this year has the best host duo EVER), SAG awards, Grammy's, and then end it with my favorite, the Academy Awards. Because of my love of movies, it means I love movie stars. I want to see what they're wearing, the jokes they're making, and am only minimally interested in who actually wins. But it sure is fun to complain when the winners go all wrong.

In a nutshell, Django (Foxx) is a slave freed by a white bounty hunter, Dr. Schultz (Waltz), to hunt down three white brothers who worked at the plantation Django was at just before he was sold. Django is bought and then freed and after capturing the three brothers, decides to continue as Schultz's partner so that he can make enough money to track down his wife. Schultz offers to help him (it's next to impossible for Django to travel the South in 1858 for obvious reasons) and it turns out Django's wife, Broomhilda, has been sold to Candie (DiCaprio). Candie is a rich, mean bastard who involves himself in betting on fights to the death between slaves. Django and Schultz devise a plan to pretend to be a part of this business to gain access to acquiring (so she can then be freed) Broomhilda. Throughout, some things go wrong and some go right, and we get a in-depth commentary on the times.

Tarantino really is the epitome of an auteur. It's hard to watch a film of his (especially now) and not know within the first five minutes that it is definitely and without a doubt his. He is extremely influenced by old westerns and samurai films, with a splash of 70s grit-nostalgia. There are things Tarantino can do stylistically that other directors would be laughed at for. (Admittedly, some of those things Tarantino does precisely for a laugh.) I'm always on the fence about whether I like his "gimmicks" or not. What I have come to love is that his movies aren't always about a singular plot, but lots of tiny situations within that plot that tell you something.

Although, the thing I most like about his films is the humor. It's dark. And ironic. It's the kind of thing that you have to laugh at or you might cry. It's honest to goodness truth, twisted the tiniest bit so we're forced to look at it and see it for the joke it is. This means the writing has to be good and the actors have to be great. Luckily for this film, they are. Waltz is a Tarantino-discovered gem and Leo (we're on a first name basis) is so frightening it's hard to recognize. (I'm 50/50 as to whether Leo was also a snub in Oscar-noms, but generally I think he's snubbed a lot. He is a brillant actor that doesn't get any credit from the Academy, in my humble opinion.)

As for Foxx, let me first say he does really, really well. My only problem (and this might be more with the writing) is that it's very hard to get to know Django. Looking back, I can see this is troublesome because he's of course going to act differently slaved versus freed. And then he has to pretend to be something else to survive the meeting with Candie. So I can sort of see how Django as a person gets lost. But what we do get is Django's unwavering devotion to his wife. We see them together during slavery, we see Django without her, we see Django reunited but unable to help her, and we see his wrath to ultimately save her. Thinking on it now, I think this might be Tarantino's first true love story. So in this aspect it does a great job.

Not unexpectedly, Django Unchained (Tarantino, 2012) was gritty, witty, and at times a bit shifty. (What I mean by 'shifty' is that I wasn't always certain where it was going or what it was trying to accomplish during parts of it.) Verdict: SAY-YES.

Review: Gangster Squad

Some of my favorite movies are "guy" movies. I'll admit, if it wasn't for the star I want to be my best friend (Emma Stone) and the star I want to be my boyfriend (Ryan Gosling), I might not have ever made it to see this movie. But, alas, these two were coupling up again in a swanky 50's mob film and I was mildly impressed by the trailer which promised lots of gunfire and a story based on truth.

Basically, a mob boss named Mickey is trying to take over LA with drugs, whores, and general illegal activity. He's a bad SOB who has almost every town official in his pocket and therefore an invisible free pass that has him safe and sound from the "good guys". Which makes Sgt. John pretty P.O.-ed having to come home from the war to live with his pregnant wife in "paradise" while Mickey's running the town into the ground. It doesn't take long for Sgt. to get the go-ahead to create a squad of police to hit and destroy each of Mickey's joints until he's forced to take the money he has left and leave town. So we have our motley crew of "good guys" to act like "bad guys" and lots of gritty side stories and blood thrown in to balance out something that now reminds me of a western.

It was good. Funny in the darker way I tend to favor and great acting all around. Although they had their LA/gangster/action film cliches thrown in every now and then, overall the movie did not come off phony. Sean Penn as Mickey was very good. (Side note: I kept wondering if they'd put makeup on him, he stuffed cotton balls in the sides of his cheeks, or he just really had aged like that since last I'd seen him.) Also, Brolin was good, but as the main character, he was kind of upstaged.

Gosling was really good. I never think he gets enough (or any) credit for how good an actor he is because he's so pretty. I feel the same way about Tom Cruise (all through the years) except Cruise chooses action, where Gosling chooses such odd characters and unique roles. I realize I may have lost my credibility for advocating Gosling's acting chops after starting this review by saying he's my someday-boyfriend. Haha.

Gangster Squad (Fleischer, 2013) got some good R-rated action/violence, some great character acting, and a plot that has something for everyone. Verdict: SAY-YES.

Review: Silver Linings Playbook

(Oh look, I’m finally going to add reviews to my blog.)

So, I finally got around to seeing this movie. After constantly hinting to friends and family that I needed to see this movie, I just made the plans myself – with or without available company (luckily, a friend was able to make it). I have a bit of a girlcrush on Jennifer Lawrence, hence my obsession over seeing this movie. But after hearing all the amazing reviews and nominations for it, I knew I had to get my but to the movie theater.

Basically, the story is that Pat (Bradley Cooper) is just getting out of a mental hospital and has been working on bettering himself for his wife Nikki (losing weight, finding the positives in live, controlling his bipolar disorder, trying not to hear songs that aren’t actually playing in the background, etc). Yes, he’s a bit crazy. But, really almost all of the characters are. Que: Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who is now a somewhat-whoreish, somewhat-depressive widow, shows up in Pat’s life with a chance to get in touch with the wife he’s not supposed to be talking to (restraining order, no big deal). If Pat enters a dance competition with her, Tiffany will get his letter to Nikki. 

Add in a father who ignores his own mental problems and is obsessed with the Philadelphia Eagles (Robert DeNiro) and his friend from the mental hospital who keeps “escaping” (Chris Tucker) and it becomes harder and harder to tell the difference between “crazy” and “normal”. Honestly, some people are just better than others at hiding those parts of themselves that might scare outsiders. Except for Tiffany, who has decided to just stop bullshiting. Why can’t we ask for what we truly want? Why can’t we accept that crazy is the norm? 

I don’t know if I’m making much sense, but take this away: This movie has characters who are so real that you can’t help but laugh when Pat goes on a rant about Hemingway at 3 in the morning. Or laugh when your psychiatrist shows up at a tailgating party with half his face painted green. Or your dad needs you to hold a remote and a handkerchief a certain way so he can afford to open his own restaurant. 

Silver Linings Playbook (Russell, 2012) is refreshing, witty, and endearing. It lets us be insecure, crazy, and just a little more honest with ourselves. Verdict: MUST-SEE.