Mini Reviews (or Many Reviews)

Yikes! I haven't updated this blog in months. Time to play catch up.

"Submarine"
Touching "coming of age" story that wows with both its wicked sense of humor and unexpected emotional resonance.

"Super 8"
Entertaining throwback to the Spielbergian blockbuster. Sentimental in all the right ways. Although one wishes the filmmakers would have chose not to visualize some of the film's more mysterious plot points.


"Midnight in Paris"
Clips by at a light, breezy pace without saying anything all that insightful. Underwhelming.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
Powerful finale to the "Potter" film series. Wrings emotion out of its epic battle scenes, while also allowing time for some more intimate moments. Stunning visual effects that make for great visual spectacle, while also serving the emotion of the story. Stellar acting from Fiennes, Radcliffe, and Rickman.


"Beginners"
Touching portrayal of a father-son relationship. Handles each of its characters with great warmth and subtlety. Thankfully ditches most of its "indie" cliches by film's second act. Impressive performance from Ewan McGregor.


"Crazy Stupid Love"
Starts off as a bland, but serviceable, romantic comedy, but quickly succumbs to many of the genre's worst cliches. Overstays its welcome by nearly twenty minutes. The film's impressive ensemble somehow manage to stay afloat. Lacks emotional honesty and genuine wit. Should be re-titled "Stupid Stupid Stupid."

"Source Code"
An entertaining, thought-provoking thriller with solid acting, but an unfortunately weak ending. Film's final reveal left this reviewer feeling cheated.

The Tree of Life

EPIC.

Grace. Nature. Perseverance. Beauty. Grief. Light. Darkness. Dinosaurs.

In other words, I'm not even going to attempt to fully analyze this film until I catch it a second time. That being said, it is well worth your time and your money.

"Bridesmaids" Review

"Bridesmaids," which follows Kristen Wiig as down-on-her-luck Annie, as she prepares for the wedding of her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph), beautifully mixes physical comedy, witty dialogue and genuine poignancy without feeling forced or unfocused. It is the rare "human" comedy that elicits laughter, while also conveying some greater meaning about human relationships.

The film, written by Wiig and co-screenwriter Annie Mumollo, focuses primarily on the rivalry between Wiig's Annie and Rose Byrne's Helen, one of the other bridesmaids who Annie perceives as a threat to her friendship with Lillian. Adding to the film's humor are the other three bridesmaids: the sugary sweet Becca (Ellie Kemper), the disillusioned mother Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), and the butch, eccentric Megan (Melissa McCarthy). This ensemble of strong female comedians are at the top of their game with each one nailing their respective punchlines.

Wiig, in particular, makes quite an impression. She not only shows off both her expert comic timing, but also display sher dramatic acting chops. This versatility allows Wiig to shift effortlessly between comedy and drama, as she create a vivid characterization of a woman who has not only lost the will to fight for herself, but has also lost sight of her own value, both as a friend and as a woman. While Annie cannot provide for Lillian in the same way Helen does, that does not make her any less of a friend - a truth that Annie finally accepts by the film's third act. Annie also realizes her worth in regards to her relationships. Instead of letting the smarmy Ted (Jon Hamm) use her, she chooses a man (Chris O'Dowd) that respects and values her.

It is this attention to emotional detail that makes "Bridesmaids" such a breath of fresh air. Instead of simply stringing together a collection of crass jokes, Wiig and director Paul Feig effortlessly marry gut-busting laughter with emotional poignancy to create what is easily the best comedy of the year thus far.