In Review: "Jersey Boys"

In Review: "Jersey Boys"

What happens when a director does something you didn't expect? What happens when something you know and love does a 360 at the hands of a director? I get annoyed, that's what happens. I didn't hate "Jersey Boys", but Clint Eastwood should never touch a movie-musical again- in my opinion.

The Plot

 

 

Based on the Tony award winning musical, "Jersey Boys" tells the backstage story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Boys born and raised in New Jersey leave the streets, but the streets never leave them. Four friends learn how to make music together, live together, and not let their egos get in the way of their fame, which ends up being a lot harder than you would think.

There's the star of the show, the little angel with the angelic voice, Frankie Valli (John Llyod Young). Frankie may be small in stature, but his voice reaches highs that only a real talent can reach. Since the beginning, his friends and his family and his friends of friends have been pushing him to improve his talent so he can become a star. Almost out of accident, Frankie becomes famous- almost. (This is the mob we are talking about after all)

There's the hot-headed schemer Tommy (Vincent Piazza) who claims he discovered Frankie and "taught him everything he knows, but not everything I know". Tommy's connections and dealings run deep- deep enough to put him and his band under.

There's the talented and hard working song-writer Bob (Erich Bergen) who prefers to lock himself in his room to write songs for the voice that inspires him instead of drinking and partying along with the rest of the boys.

Last but not least, there's Nick (Michael Lomenda)- the soft-spoken deep-voiced bassist who has a lot more going on than he is willing to say.

The Stars

 

 

The one thing I want to pat Clint Eastwood on the back for is the casting. As a musical lover (although I never saw this one on stage), I appreciate seeing vets take their rightful place from stage to screen. John Llyod Young originated the role of Frankie Valli on Broadway and has played the role on stage more times than can be counted. He is also the only performer to receive a Tony, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Theatre World Award for a Broadway debut. This kid's voice is amazing! I can't believe that he can actually sing just like the real Frankie Valli. He's got the character and the voice down pat. I just wish I could have seen him on stage!

Erich Bergen and Michael Lomenda both played their roles on stage. Erich Bergen was on the US Tour and Michael Lomenda was the replacement on the US Tour. They both did a perfect job transitioning from stage to screen, which can be a really hard thing for seasoned stage performers.

There seems to be a lot of hype around Vincent Piazza as Tommy. Yes, he is the only one of the four who has never been on stage and had to learn how to play guitar, sing, and dance for the part. But I don't see what the big deal is. His character is flat from beginning to end- not that that is his fault, that's just the way he is written. His singing was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. He comes from a TV background of "Boardwalk Empire" so I guess you could say he's got the gangster-thing down. But I don't think he was spectacular in any way.

The Message

 

 

If you're from Jersey, you get it. If you're not, you don't. (Meaning 95% of viewers think the film has no message behind it- except that Jersey and the people from Jersey are strange. (Why would you take the fall for him?? Why??!!))

Overall

 

 

I've never seen a movie-musical that is so understated and muted to almost a grey color. The music is fantastic. I forgot how many awesome songs Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons wrote and performed. I was tapping my toes from the moment the title card came on screen. But there was no drama or spectacle about this movie. No big flashy numbers or bright colored costumes or fun dance moves or even a climax to the plot. We just sort of got to a high point with no buildup, and the high point wasn't even that high.

There was no movie magic to show the play in a new and different way. It was like Eastwood filmed the whole play from the audience seats and put it on film. No camera angles to enhance emotion or show perspective. It was very straightforward. That goes for the storyline too. I was pretty bored with the story and at times, the plot line moved forward and backward without any explanation. There were themes I wanted to be commented on that were never touched (like Valli's relationship with his wife). I felt like Eastwood only took the bare bones of the show and forgot the heart. That's what I was really missing- heart. Which makes no sense because these love songs have stood the test of time.

I would really like to see the musical and compare its heart to this movie's. I can't entirely blame Eastwood until I know what he had to work with, but I do congratulate him for choosing the right actors for the job.

2 Out of 4 High Notes

 

 

In Review: "How to Train Your Dragon 2"

In Review: "How to Train Your Dragon 2"

Anything- absolutely anything- that Dean DeBlois does, I will watch. This movie is just a testament to his impressive skill in writing, storytelling, and originality. This animated sequel could have fallen fate to the classic sequel failure, but it kept its heart in mind. It remembered the reason why people loved the first film- the love between a boy and his dragon.

Plot

 

 

In case you didn't see the first one, that's ok. This one has a quick explanation. Viking town used to hate dragons, but then Boy (Hiccup) teaches the town to love dragons and they all get their own and become dragon riders. Simple. Now, right where the last movie left off, dragons are part of every day life (including a Quidditch-like game of Dragon Racing). But Hiccup and Toothless long to explore the world far beyond their small town of Berk.

(Somehow, Hiccup got ridiculously attractive. Apparently having people like a dork with a dragon was not enough. We had to add long wavy locks and a muscular figure. Whatever.)

In the pair's explorations, they find... Hiccup's mother! (it's not a spoiler- all the trailers tell you this). She was supposedly dead after a dragon attack on the town, but here she is living with all the wild dragons and learning their ways just as Hiccup did.

The happy family reunion doesn't last too long because there is a looming enemy out there who is capturing dragons to create an all-powerful, all-evil dragon army! The whole family and friends must fight to save the dragons.

The Stars

 

 

All the same people from last time are back- Gerard Butler as burly Stoick, Jay Burchel as not-so-wimpy Hiccup, Craig Ferguson as one-legged Gober, America Ferrera as the spunky Astrid, Jonah Hill as Snotlot, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as know-it-all Fishlegs, T.J. Miller as Tuffnut, and Kristen Wiig as Ruffnut.

Joining the cast of hardened Vikings is Cate Blanchett as Hiccup's mother Valka, Kit Harrington (aka John Snow from "Game of Thrones") as Eret, and Djimon Hounsou as the dreaded Drago.

The Message

 

 

I ugly-cried through this one. More than I did in "Maleficent" or "Fault in Our Stars". The reason- Toothless and Hiccup are the perfect pair and remind me of my relationship with my "dragon" Rottweiler-Sheperd Macey. The bond between these two characters is so strong and endearing you can't help but think of your own four-legged best friend or two-legged best friend who loves you unconditionally and without fail will always catch you when you fall.

Hiccup and Toothless's relationship in this film is seriously tested, but their love and any love between man and dragon/dog/cat/hamster cannot be broken. The love between a mother and son or husband and wife can also be renewed even after years of separation- at least that's what this movie says.

DeBlois has taken notes from Disney, which is able to give non-speaking animalistic or inanimate characters amazing ranges of personality, emotion, and character development. This is what allows Hiccup and Toothless to have that deep and endearing bond and gives the film its heart.

Overall

 

 

The script is still funny, the story is still heart-felt and meaningful, the characters are still dynamic and relatable, the art is still breathtaking (how DeBlois comes up with these crazy dragons is unbelievable! One that breathes ice and snow, one that starts typhoons) Everything you loved about the first one returns for a perfect sequel.

4 out of 4 Dragon Riders

 

In Review- "The Fault in Our Stars"

In Review- "The Fault in Our Stars"

When the previews for this movie first started coming out, I thought, "Here we go again. Another teen rom-com that's trying to be something it's not. Trying to be adult and serious." I had not read the book. I had just heard pre-teens swoon about this amazing guy and this tear-jerker of a story. The girl gets cancer- well of course she is going to die. That's the way these movies work. They give you a little hope then plunge you into despair. Give you a little laugh then rip out your heartstrings. And by the end of it all, have we really learned anything? Life gets better. Life sucks. Love conquers all. Blah, blah, blah. Those are nice for your average teen rom-com, but this is not your average teen rom-com. You, adults and teens, can learn something at the end of this film.

It's about the little infinities and living with pain.

The Story

Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) is your average moody teenager whose parents think she is depressed. But she actually has a reason to be depressed. She has been battling all types of cancer since she was 13. Now she has lung cancer and has to cart around an oxygen tank everywhere she goes. She's reading about dying. No wonder her parents are concerned.

To help cope with this, she is pressured into going to a support group where she meets Mr. Charming aka Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort). He's smooth and confident and wants to be remembered forever for his awesomeness. Hazel is quick to remind him of oblivion- there will be a day when we are all dead and no one will ever remember you. Great first impression huh?

Well, like every other rom-com, they fall in love, but it's not without struggle. This time the struggle comes from the greatest villain of them all- cancer. And it turns out, they both have it.

The Stars

It's hard to play a depressed teenager. I get it! Everyone comes off as fake or irritable. And my only negative review of this film is just that. These characters are hard to play and make them 110% likeable. Woodley does her best to not make you want to slap Hazel in the face for her Debby Downer ideals. And Augustus can be so cocky and self-centered that you'd like to punch him in the face. The characters grow at the end of the film, but you have to wait all the way until then to realize that you don't really hate these stupid teenagers.

The Message

Since I'm in the mood to talk about teen rom-coms, do you remember "Grease"? I love this movie/musical so I'm not just picking on it. I genuinely really love this movie, but it's a prime example of my point.

In "Grease," the biggest problem is that Danny is being flaky around Sandy when he is with his friends. As she says, "What happened to the Danny Zuko I met on the beach?" This guy has changed. Eventually Danny figures out that he's an idiot and tries to change for him, but then for some odd reason Sandy changes instead. Whatever.

Even though the problem seems trivial to two teenagers who have cancer, it is not trivial to Danny and Sandy. This is their hell. But it would be Hazel and Gus' paradise if this is all they had to worry about.

Us regular people who have never experienced these types of tragedies cannot imagine the pain, sadness, despression, and heartbreak that people like Hazel and Gus are going through. Having to push away your family and your friends because you know your eventual death will hurt them and having no control over when it will come and how it will affect them. Not being able to visit a museum because there is no elevator. Having a hard time climbing up and down stairs every day. It's the simplest things that I take for granted every day.

But through all of this, these two characters are living. They are living in death. Even though they can see the light at the end of the tunnel, they are still cherishing every sinlge moment- every infinity, as Hazel says. There are an infinity of numbers out there, but there are an infinity of numbers between 1 and 2. Hazel and Gus only have time together for the infinities between 1 and 2, but they live them.

That is why I am allowed to not cry.

Overall

And I didn't cry.

Me, the girl who cries at every Disney movie, every rom-com, every tear jerker, at this movie I did not cry. That is because they lived, and they lived beautifully. That is the point of the film. To live beautifully in the time you are given. They had the privilege of meeting each other and being able to fall in love even if it is just for a little while.

So what does that say to a middle class girl who has a loving family, all her appendages, no disabilities to speak of what so ever?

How the hell am I allowed to say that I've had a bad day? There has to have been one moment, even in the most minut time span, that made me happy. I laughed at a joke or didn't miss the train. That is a little infinity of happiness. And that means I have every reason in the world to be happy because I have more than a few of those every day.

It also tells me that every moment I have is a gift. So why am I worrying about if someone yells at me today or if a guy I like doesn't say hi to me that day? And why am I worried about not finding a job in 4 months when I have one right now? The future is a lot of infinities away. I have all the time in the world. And if I continue to think that way my life will automatically seem a whole lot brighter.

Can you tell this movie made an impact on me?

Also, this film teaches you about living with pain and what happens after the pain. Life goes on. Life doesn't just end on the last page of a book. Life doesn't end after you die. Everyone else we left behind are still living and breathing and have to learn how to deal with the pain. But life really does get better. The pain fades away even if it is after many, many years. There is an infinity of time between the first sting of pain and the end of it. People heal in an infinity.

3 out of 4 Stars

In Review: "Maleficent"

In Review: “Maleficent"

As one of the greatest Disney villains ever, it makes perfect sense that Disney should create an entire movie around Maleficent. “Sleeping Beauty” was never my favorite Disney movie. The princess and prince were forgettable and boring characters. There was not much to the plot or the scenery. But there were two reasons why I would not fuss if the movie was on – the pink and blue fight scenes between Merryweather and Flora and the Mistress of all Evil Maleficent. She was a queen with her own castle. She had a dramatic sense of fashion. And the best of all, she could turn herself into a dragon. That beats waiting around in a crummy old tower any day. What I love about this latest version of the Disney classic is that it is able to take what we love so much about this character and expand on it. All those little girls who were rooting for the evil fairy instead of the pretty princess can finally have their day.

Plot

The basic story that you remember is the same. A princess is born to a king and queen, and there is great celebration in the kingdom. Everyone is invited to the party of the century including three fairies. But one dark fairy is forgotten. While the three fairies are bestowing gifts upon the child, the dark fairy crashes the party and curses the child saying that before the sunsets on her 16th birthday she will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a deep death-like sleep. The princess can only be awoken by true love’s kiss.

But now, in a very Wicked-like way, we get to learn about the fairy we have always believed to be evil. She is in fact misunderstood and hurt by the world and the people who have been very unkind to her. This is what drives her to cast the wicked curse.

She is joined by a raven who she can turn into a human or any other creature she likes who keeps her company throughout the years as she waits for her plan to commence. 

I don’t want to give away all the twists and turns so you are just going to have to see the movie for yourself.

The Stars

Angelina Jolie has been involved with this project at every turn. She helped design her costumes and the look of Maleficent. She even allowed her daughter to be cast in the film – mainly because she was the only one was wasn’t afraid of Jolie in her costume. But she is the heart and soul of this movie and the reason why I think it is such a success.

Jolie is able to capture the wickedness, darkness, hatred, and vulnerability about Maleficent. Without Jolie's ability to appear both impenetrable and sensitive, there is no way this character would have been able to transform and grow before our very eyes. In this film, Maleficent is a real person who feels hatred and sadness, who makes mistakes, and who loves very deeply. Her motives become clear to us as we learn to understand her closed-off nature. And we fall in love with her all over again.

The Message

Just like any retelling, you can never judge a book by its cover. Just because you think someone is one way doesn't mean that that is how they are. People are complex and complicated. We would have to sit down and get to know them before we can say we know whether they are truly evil or good. But it is the choices we make that determine which side of this spectrum we are on. What are our motives behind our actions? What is our driving force? Is it to save or destroy? That is what determines what we are – a villain or a hero.

Overall

I love that every aspect of the original is accounted for. We learn about why she looks the way she does. We learn about her raven, her staff, and why she put the curse on the baby in the first place. All of our questions are answered and by the end of it, we have a fully developed character who is fully human.

The only thing is I wish they would have slowed the beginning down just a touch. There are some very important relationships that start in the beginning that are talked about instead of showed. I also wish Maleficent herself could have turned into a dragon. That was a real letdown. But that's just me being super picky.

This movie is not really for children and has some complex adult themes. I suggest this one for those who remember and cherish the original Disney film and don't mind seeing it turned on its head and its villain being glorified.

3.5 Out of 4 Fairy Wings