The Host

   

             Earth has been invaded by a symbiotic race of aliens that inhabit human bodies.  Nearly every single human on the planet has become a host to one of these “Souls.”  There are only a precious few uninhabited humans left and they must fight to maintain their freedom.  This movie begins in the middle of the action as Melanie (Saoirse Ronan) tries to avoid capture by jumping  through a window intending to die rather than be captured.  Her body survives, however, and the Soul that inhabits her body is called Wanderer.  Wanderer begins to search Melanie’s memories in order to locate the human resistance.  Instead, Melanie and her memories cause Wanderer to question everything she has ever known to be true. 

                This movie is based on the book of the same name written by Stephanie Meyer, the author of the Twilight Saga.   *Sigh*   Alas, the writing in this story is no better than that in her previous endeavors.  The characters the audience is presented with are flat and we are given no time to get to know them at all before we are expected to sympathize with their actions.  The dialog exacerbates this problem and I am completely drawn out of the experience to wonder who wrote this and had had they ever heard a real conversation between two people? 

                I didn’t think it was possible, but the love story is even less relatable in this story than in Twilight.  The audience knows nothing about the characters or their relationship before they are expected to accept that these two characters are so firmly in love that they would die, or kill for each other.  One of my biggest pet peeves about love stories by the way.   The audience should fall in love with him as much as she does and vice versa.   The beginning of this movie moves too fast to allow this to happen and the end drags so much that you no longer care what happens to them. 

                The real tragedy here is that the movie was not poorly made and quite well performed all around. A lot of money was spent on this film and the production value and aesthetic are impressive.  If the script had been better, I would have quite liked this movie.  I am a huge fan of Saoirse Ronan.  You might remember her from Lovely Bones, Hanna, or her Oscar nominated performance in Atonement.  The main love interest is played by Max Irons whose parents are both actors; his father is Jeremy Irons who boasts an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony as well as being one of my top ten favorite actors.  Melanie’s uncle is played by William Hurt whose prestigious career includes three Oscar nominated performances and one Oscar winning performance.  My point?  Huge.  Waste.

                I won’t say it has no redeeming qualities, but I will say that I wish I had my $9.50 and 125 minutes back.  I know there are a lot of die-hard Stephanie Meyer fans out there and if you are one of them, by all means go see it and enjoy!   Otherwise you might want to pick a different movie this time.

New movie in the theater for this weekend:

Evil Dead:  A revival of Sam Raimi’s cult classics of the same name.

Jurassic Park: 3D  :  A re-release of the Spielberg smash hit with a few embellishments.  AKA- an excuse to charge you $13 for a movie you have already seen a hundred times.

The Call

A 911 operator, Jordan (Halle Berry) is traumatized after her mistake causes a caller to become a murder victim.  When she is on the line a year later with a kidnap victim, Casey (Abigail Breslin) she has a chance to redeem herself.  The kidnapper is crafty, desperate and on the move, so the hunt is more difficult than most calls.  Will Jordon be able to save Casey, or will she become the next victim of a psychotic criminal?

                This movie is non-stop suspense!  It really never gives you a break from the moment Casey dials 911.  Well written and well executed, this is a good way to spend a couple hours.  This film is directed by Brad Anderson and he knows how to make a dark movie.  He piloted the cult classic The Machinist and lots of dark TV shows including  Fringe, Boardwalk Empire, The Wire, The Shield and The Killing.   This movie is quite disturbing and sort of makes the viewer’s skin crawl.  No punches are pulled and it makes for a very intense experience. 

                Fair warning, I found the ending a bit of a disappointment since the rest of the movie was so enjoyable, but it is still well worth the price of admission.  Leave the kids at home, though.  This has some pretty graphic violence and a bit of language. 

New movies in the Theatre for this week:

The Host: When a symbiotic alien race takes over the Earth and inhabits human bodies a small resistance is the only thing standing in the way of the fall of the human race.  A teenage girl from the resistance can make the difference when she is inhabited.  Stars Saoirse(pronounced Ser-sha) Ronan, Max Irons and Diane Kruger.  Rated PG-13

GI Joe: Retaliation:  The G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.  Stars Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum.  Rated PG-13

Oz: The Great and Powerful

In this prequel to the Wizard of Oz we see how the wizard (James Franco) gets to Oz and establishes himself there.   We also see how the wicked witch gets so wicked.  The basic formula is followed as we go from black-and-white to vibrant color, also from 2D to 3D.  We have a protagonist who travels from Kansas to Oz and with the help of some local companions, achieves his goal.

This movie is exactly what I was expecting from a Disney film.  Lots of color, a sappy message shoved in your face but with a less ideal message underneath, and a predictably happy ending where the characters learn nothing and face no real consequences for their actions.  This movie is very well made and is breathtaking to watch, but I was less impressed with the performances from some otherwise fantastic actors.  There are a few laughs and some exciting scenes, but overall I was disappointed with this one.  I thought it was a little too sappy for adults, but perhaps too intense for small children. 

If this is one you are really excited about, I would encourage you to go while it is still in the theater since it is a stunning film visually, but if you are on the fence I would suggest skipping this one. 

New movies in the theater this weekend:

The Call:  A 911 operator recognizes a murderer’s pattern and tries to save the latest victim when she calls 911 during her abduction.  Stars Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin.  Rated R

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone: A famous magician must reinvent his act when he is threatened by a new street magician’s stunt that impresses everyone. Stars Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, and Olivia Wilde.  Rated PG-13

Dead Man Down

Victor (Colin Farrell) is a henchman in the organized crime world of New York City.  His boss Alphonse (Terrance Howard) is getting ominous letters and when people who work for Alphonse start dying, he begins to search for the culprit.  Other than the occasional shoot-out at work, Victor lives a quiet and empty life.  Beatrice (Noomi Repace) lives in the same building with a balcony facing Victor’s.  When she witnesses him murder a man in his apartment, Beatrice decides it is time to meet Victor with a proposition.  Even before they meet, the two have a strong connection and that connection creates problems for them both as each moves closer to their personal goals. 

This movie was marketed as a shoot-em-up film, but turned out to be something very different.  If you are looking for a non-stop action flick, this is not the movie for you.  But if you are looking for a dramatic thriller with strong characters and good performances, then this is the film for you!  The mood of this film is very dark and quiet.  Long periods of time will go by with little or no talking, but there is never a moment where something is not being said.  Even when there is no dialog, the actor’s performance or the director’s choice of shot is telling you something about the characters or their story.  This movie is directed by Niels Arden Oplev.  This is his first big American film, but he directed the original Scandinavian version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo which also starred Noomi Repace.  I am definitely looking forward to his next project.

Personally, I can’t find anything to criticize this film for.   I thought everything was very well done.   A good script is complimented by a worthy cast and a thoughtfully artistic director.  I was pleasantly surprised when I entered the theater thinking I was going to see an adrenaline-filled two hours and got a character-heavy story with some bullets thrown in for flavor.  The villain is appropriately menacing and the protagonists are flawed without being off-putting.  I would say this one is worth seeing in the theater, but isn’t necessary.  If you are just kind of interested the red box can save you six bucks. 

The Last Exorcism Part II

This sequel takes place directly after the first movie ended.  After the epically failed exorcism at the end of the last film, Nell, the innocent victim of Abalam the demon, is found alone and nearly feral.  She is sent to a house for young women who need to restart their lives.  For the first time in her life, Nell begins to feel normal, but then strange things begin happening again.  Can the innocent Nell rid herself of Abalam for good?

The first movie was filmed in a documentary style while this one is more of a traditional film style.  I like the idea of following a character after one of the stereotypically ambiguous horror movie endings.  I always wonder, “How does this all this get explained?” and, “What happens now?”   I also thought it was nice that they didn’t use any big name actors.  I prefer it when I don’t really know the actors in a horror movie.  You can kind of forget that they are actors and get more caught up in the suspense, whereas if it’s Angelina Jolie, or something, I am always thinking of this or that other movie she was in. 

I didn’t find the ending to this film particularly innovative or original, but the meat of the film was suspenseful and fun.  There is definitely some good imagery in this one.  Overall I wouldn’t say it stands out as being particularly good or bad.  If you like horror movies, it is definitely worth the watch, but I wouldn’t clear your schedule to make sure you see it or anything.

P.S.  The new movies in the theatre for this week are:

OZ the Great and Powerful  - A sort of prequel to The Wizard of OZ where the Wizard himself is the main character and we see how he comes to OZ and establishes himself there.   Stars James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weiz and Mila Kunis.   Rated PG

Dead Man Down  -  A woman with prominent facial scars witnesses a murder and decided to hire the murderer to kill the man who maimed her.  Stars Colin Farrel, Noomi Repace, and Terrance Howard.  It is Rated R

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy!

Beautiful Creatures

Ethan(Alden Ehrenreich) is a sixteen-year-old boy living in the tiny town of Gatlin, SC.  He dreams of leaving and experiencing the great world outside.  He also dreams of a mysterious girl every night.  When that girl, Lena, arrives in Gatlin on the first day of his Junior year, his life takes a dramatic turn.  When she shares her closely-guarded secret and the dangers that come with it, he commits himself to her and her world.  But is the danger too great?  Will they be torn apart by forces beyond their control?

This movie is based on the book of the same name by Kami Garcia.  There is a whole series and the studio is hoping this will catch on and make the rest of the films.  I hope they do.  This was a surprise for me.  I had really no expectations going into this movie.  I was expecting Twilight, and in essence that’s what this is.  If Twilight had a plot where things actually happened, characters that were like able and compelling, and a love story that actually makes sense.

This movie was a lot of fun.  It has a lot of humor, but it is also just really well-made.  The music is very good and well-suited to the film.  The setting and costumes are beautiful and the cinematography is interesting enough without being distracting.  There is also a fantastic adult cast, boasting 3 Oscar nominees in Jeremy Irons( won an Oscar), Emma Thompson(won 2 Oscars), and Viola Davis(nominated twice). 

I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes Twilight or any other story of supernatural elements in our own world.  I also would recommend it for anyone who just like a light movie that’s well-made.  The entertainment value is high and so is the quality, which seems to a rare combination these days.  I would also urge anyone interested to see it while it’s still in the theater since it is a beautiful movie to watch. 

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy!

A Good Day to Die Hard

                This fifth installment of the Die Hard series takes place in Russia.  Our hero John McClane (Bruce Willis) is trying to find his estranged son Jack (Jai Courtney).  When he locates him in Moscow facing murder charges, McClane gets on a plane and goes to rescue his son.  When he arrives, however he finds that things are not quite what they seem and saving the day might not be so simple this time.

I am a huge Die Hard fan and was really looking forward to this one.  I have to say I was pretty disappointed.  The story is poorly written and the characters are not compelling, even our favorite cowboy, John McClane, was not himself and lacked the snarky punch-lines and sarcastic come-backs.  The character of his son is a throwaway and the villain is not the adversary that we have come to expect from a Die Hard movie.  The action scenes are absurd rather than exciting and so badly edited that it is difficult to tell what’s going on, especially in the chase scene.  The only saving grace is that it is only an hour and a half out of your life.  It pains me greatly to say this, but skip the new Die Hard movie.