African Cats / The Lion King

Here are my adventures with Disney's films about Africa and the incredible animals that live there.  These films defy any rating system, so I won't even try to assign a number to them.

African Cats:  I love Mother Earth.  I love Mother Earth more than I love most people on this Earth.  So every April 22nd, I celebrate Earth Day with the DisneyNature release each year.  I missed the first one, Earth, but have seen the last two, Oceans in 2010 and this year's African Cats.  It's a great way to celebrate my love of Mother Earth and Disney all at one time.  So I took myself to the theater this past April to see African Cats.  I liked Oceans from last year, but it's not something I'd really crave to watch again.  There was no real storyline, just an exploration of the world under the sea.

I LOVED African Cats, though.  It told a story.  The filmmakers followed several families of lions and cheetahs.  And while the power struggle was fascinating, I really enjoyed the focus on motherhood.  It explored the way a lioness protects and loves her daughter, and the way a cheetah mother taught her young.  I got extremely attached to the lioness story.  It was so beautiful.  She was the most experienced huntress in their pride.  She gets injured and it's absolutely heartbreaking to see her daughter love on her.  And the fact that it's a true story - complete with names given to each cat by the filmmakers - made me fall even more in love with the film.

The Lion King:  Disney decided to re-release their 1994 classic in 3D this fall.  I wasn't planning on seeing it until I realized that it would also be in 2D.  Our entire family when to see it in theaters when it first came out, but I don't have vivid memories of the event.  So I was very excited to be able to see it on the big screen and hear Elton John and Tim Rice's wonderful music on such a sound system.  It was better than I could have dreamed.  I cried four times.

If you haven't seen this movie, then I don't even know what to say to you.  It's loosely based on Shakespeare's incredible tragedy, Hamlet.  I remember that in high school, after watching The Lion King once again, that I had an idea.  An idea to make this film into a live action film with humans in the roles.  Then I found out it was based on Hamlet.  Then I thought to myself, "I guess it has been done before."  Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's a timeless story.  One of betrayal, love, duty, and destiny.  Absolutely one of the best films Disney has ever done.  And to have seen it on the big screen, for what I consider the first time, was a great honor for me.  A really great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, with my sister who watched our VHS tape over and over again with me.  We still have it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was worn out.

The Comedies

I don't really have much to say about comedies.  I don't normally watch many unless they are of the "romantic" variety.  It normally takes some pretty positive feedback from the media and audiences to get me in the theater to see a comedy movie.  And that's exactly what happened for the first film below.

But when I find a comedy film that I like, I really like it.  If it makes me laugh, then I instantly have a connection to it.  Getting me to laugh can be quite difficult, unless I'm watching Wipeout.  I love classic screwball comedies like Bringing Up Baby or Some Like It Hot, but to find one in the theaters now can be difficult.  I'm just not in the target audience for most comedic films.

I find things much funnier when they are either subtle or sarcastic.  When Lisa and I recently saw The Sound of Music in theaters, we were laughing at so many lines throughout the film.  It's not a comedic movie.  It's actually quite serious in parts, but once I know the characters and get a feel for them, sometimes certain lines can strike me as funny.  Hilarious even.  Steel Magnolias, one of the saddest films I've ever seen, is hysterical in parts and it is because of the characters.

Here are the comedy films I've seen this year:

Bridesmaids - This could be considered a Women's Film, but it's more of an outright comedy than anything else.  Co-written by and starring Kristen Wiig from Saturday Night Live, it's a film about the drama caused by and surrounding bridesmaids.  If you've ever been a bridesmaid, then you'll understand a lot of it.  Maybe that's one reason I found it so hilarious.  Wiig, along with Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, and Melissa McCarthy provide plenty of laughs.  Some of the laughs are rather dark humored, but it all makes sense.  It has more of a storyline than most comedies.  There's character depth and growth.  The characters are even fairly complex, which rarely happens in comedies that I've seen.  I hope it's not the last of Wiig we see on the the big screen.  I think she'll be one of the few to make the transition from SNL to other projects fairly smoothly.  (9/10)

Midnight in Paris - I struggled with putting this in the comedy category.  It's not a Women's Film.  It's not a Drama.  It could be considered "adventure" but didn't really fit in with the other films in the post.  So I put it here.  Being that it is directed by Woody Allen, I feel confident in my choice.  I love films that are hard to label!  Anyway, this one is about a writer who is in Paris with his fiance and her family.  While out walking one night, he happens upon a great...adventure.  I really don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen it.  It was a wonderful surprise when I realized what was happening and I'd love for everyone else to be as happily surprised as I was.  

So, in avoiding the plot, I'll just tell you how wonderful the cast was:  Owen Wilson was perfect as a quirky writer; Rachel McAdams played the passive aggressive fiance really well; and Michael Sheen was absolute brilliant as the know-it-all friend who motivates Wilson's character to seek spending time elsewhere.  Sheen's character, I forget his name, is full of "knowledge" on every subject.  When they visit a museum, he "knows" everything.  I'm a huge fan of Michael Sheen and this is the first time I've really seen him play a comedic role.  He should find roles like this more often.  Loved him in this.  Marion Cotillard is in it as well, but I don't want to spoil her role.  And there are so many things to talk about that I can't.  Watch it and then find me somewhere so we can gush about it together!  (9/10)

Crazy, Stupid, Love -It was an "alright" movie until the end.  I wasn't expecting it at all, and it completely made the movie.  I'm normally not a big fan of twist endings because sometimes they don't make sense, but this one was perfect.  But other than the ending, I really liked the chemistry between Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling.  I thought they made a great pair and would be a great crime fighting duo.  And like I mentioned in my writeup about The Help, I'm loving me some Emma Stone.  She and Gosling also fit well together.  It was just a really great cast in an "alright" script.  Until the end where it became a pretty awesome script.  I can't wait to watch it again, knowing the outcome.  I'm glad I didn't the first time, but I think it could make for an interesting second viewing.  (8/10)

Action and Adventure

These are the films that are better seen in the theater than at home. Well, I could argue that all movies are better on the big screen than the small one and I think I’d have a lot of support with that. But what I really mean is there is a bigger difference in these movies than dramas or comedies when you rent them instead of going to the theater. The true art of these films lie in the sound and the spectacle. I can’t imagine seeing The Lord of the Rings Trilogy for the first time on my small television. I’ll remember, for the rest of my life, the moment the Black Riders came charging out in The Fellowship of the Ring. And the musical score of the film completely enraptured me.

It’s no surprise to me, then, that my least favorite film in this category was the only one I saw at home. I had heard good things about it but missed it on it’s first run. Once it was available at Red Box, I rented it and gave it a shot. On Blu Ray which always helps. But I think it lost its charm when downsized. I strongly urge audiences to see these films in a theater because it makes a world of difference.

I like to get lost in films, to completely forget the outside world while becoming immersed in another. This is near impossible at home for me. I get so easily distracted. The phone will ring. A visitor will show up. A fellow watcher will want to pause to get something to eat or go to the bathroom. There is no pause button at the theater and [hopefully] no phones ringing. And at home, I have this nasty habit of checking to see how long a film is and how much time is left throughout the film. Another one of Ted’s sayings was, “If you’re counting the beers, you’re not enjoying them.” This can speak to so many things, but whenever a student would ask how long a movie was, this was his response.

So I guess my point here is to quit being a passive audience. Be an active one. I don’t mean walking around the the theater and talking while it’s being shown. Actively prepare yourself: get in the car, drive to the theater, get your ticket [and possibly snacks], sit down, turn off your phone, and brace yourself. Hopefully you’ve chosen wisely and will enjoy the next couple of hours. Watching a movie doesn’t have to be a lazy activity. Work for it, because it’s worth it when all of these variables come together for a perfect movie-going experience.

Here are the Action/Adventure films I have seen this year:

Hanna - Joe Wright is probably my favorite working director. And I’m saying that as of September 2011. I’ve seen four of his films and have loved three of them. That’s a pretty high percentage if you think about it. Anyway, his latest is Hanna, the story of a young teen girl who was trained to be an assassin by her father. Saoirse Ronan (pronounced Sear-sha) plays the titular character, being hunted down by Cate Blanchett. It’s been a while so I can’t remember all the details, and I don’t want to ruin it for you anyway, but let’s just say it’s a wild ride. I liked it very much. So different from Wright’s other films I loved (Pride & Prejudice and Atonement) but I could still tell it was him. The music by The Chemical Brothers was a great layer to the action and quiet moments alike. It really made some of the sequences pop. Definitely happy I saw this in theaters. It was a great experience. (8/10)

Source Code - I really had no intention of seeing this one, but after I heard from multiple sources in the media that it was a well paced and original thriller, I thought I’d give it a shot. Boy, am I glad I did. Jake Gyllenhaal could be really good if he picked his roles better. I’ve never seen a movie quite like this. It was a bit sci-fi, a bit suspense, a bit action. In a nutshell, a bomb exploded on a train in Chicago. Jake’s character was tasked with trying to stop it, by reliving the last 8 minutes before it went off, over and over again, to try and figure out what happened. There are more layers to it, but discovering it yourself while watching it would be more satisfying than if I told you. If you like action at all, this is one for you. Best original action movie I’ve seen in a long time. (9/10)

X-Men: First Class - I loved the first two X-Men films from the early 2000s.  Absolutely loved them.  They are probably still my favorite super hero films.  Then I saw the third one.  Then the Wolverine one.  And my love started to diminish for the world of the X-Men.  When I heard that they were semi-rebooting the series, I was skeptical.  Then after hearing the cast list, I was encouraged.  I knew I'd see it no matter what, so I was glad there were some great actors and actress in it.  And it was great!  Michael Fassbender totally took over the film with his role as Magneto.  His quiet power is breathtaking.  And James McAvoy is a great player on the other side of the mutant coin.  I love them both and they were perfectly cast.  I cannot wait to see both of them in these roles again.  (I hope I don't live to regret that statement.)  (9/10)

Super 8 - I have loved J.J. Abrams since my days of Alias and Felicity.  Then came Lost.  Then came Star Trek.  Who'd have thought that I'd like Star Trek?  But I really really did.  And supposedly this is the first TRUE Abrams movie, his tribute to the films he loved growing up.  I really got that feeling while watching it.  It was about a group of young teens making a movie and accidentally capturing an alien in their footage.  Kyle Chandler, a favorite of mine from television's Friday Night Lights, plays the father of the main teen character and sheriff of the town.  A great summer film for people of all ages.  Well, maybe twelve and up, depending on a child's tolerance for aliens and tense moments.  (8/10)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - If you know me at all, you are probably aware of my love for the Harry Potter books.  I've always seen the films in the theater, but never anticipated them as much as the novels.  But I was really looking forward to this one.  It was fantastic.  As good as I could have hoped for.  It included the great moments and added some really cool moments in the battle.  I didn't mind it so much because Rowling didn't describe the battle in specific detail.  McGonagall has a wonderful moment, as did Mrs. Weasley.  I laughed and I cried.  I cried really hard.  Sirius Black has an incredible power over me.  A fitting end to a wonderful series.  It defies a rating so I won't include one.

Limitless -  The only one of the films in this bunch that I didn't see in theaters, which may contribute to the fact that I didn't like it as well.  Bradley Cooper is fast becoming a lead actor and movie star, something I don't think I would have predicted when I was watching Alias all those years ago.  Not that I have a problem with it.  And I will say a large part of the reason I watched this was for Abbie Cornish, who I have loved since Bright Star a couple years ago.  This wasn't a bad film by any stretch of the imagination, but I didn't really get into it.  (6/10)

The Debt  - Really like this one, though I did have some issues.  Kind of like the film Last Night in my previous post - I liked half of the movie.  The film follows a team of Mossad agents (Israeli intelligence agency) who are tasked with capturing the Surgeon of Birkenau - a doctor who worked for the Nazis performing experiments.  This operation takes place in the 60s, where the doctor leads a normal OBGYN practice.  The female agent, Rachel, is pretends to be a patient to confirm his identity.  The other two agents are men, both of which are attracted to Rachel.  While I really liked the operation part, the romance storyline was a favorite part as well.  It all blended together well and didn't become overly dramatic.  But then came the present storyline where the agents have to deal with the situation again in the 90s.  The operation didn't go as planned and it comes back to haunt them.  I think the movie would have been better had it stuck to one time period.  Preferably the first.  It was much more engaging.  (8/10)

The Dramas

I love a great drama, but I can be pretty skeptical. Some are shameless attempts to earn an Oscar nomination while others are bad adaptions of great/successful books. And usually ones released in the first half of a calendar year are not going to be that great. The good ones are, more often than not, released at the end of the year for a better shot at awards glory. So, let’s say I’m surprised that I have anything good to say about a drama I’ve seen before August is over.

I am generally left unimpressed by a lot of contemporary dramatic films, feeling like I’ve seen a lot of it before. I’m always looking for something new or different. That doesn’t mean something has to be either new or different for me to like it, but I’m more likely to watch a film if it seems like something I’ve never seen before. For example:

I wasn’t so impressed by The Fighter last year because it was yet another boxing film with yet another drug addict turning his life around. Another guy with no way out of his situation than to follow his dreams of boxing. Another inner city setting where there’s little chance of amounting to anything. I couldn’t find one thing in this film to latch onto as something different.

Now, there’s a film out now called Warrior that I’m actually interested to see. It concerns MMA fighting, which could be considered similar to boxing. I’m sure MMA purists will hate me for saying that, but to a casual viewer, they seem similar - like baseball and softball. You know why I want to see this one? It’s two brothers that are competing against each other, not with each other. I don’t know the ending going into the film. In The Fighter, I knew going in that Mark Wahlberg was going to be the underdog and end up successful. But in Warrior, I have no idea which brother will win. I want to see what happens.

Give me a story where I want to see what happens and I’ll be there.

Here are the Dramatic films I have seen this year:

Water for Elephants - I read this book last fall and absolutely fell in love with it. So much so that I have now started fostering an orphaned elephant in Kenya through a wonderful organization called the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. (Please look into this organization. It does great work.) From the get-go, I knew I wasn’t going to like the movie all that much. While I think Reese Witherspoon and Christophe Waltz did great justice to their characters, Robert Pattenson wasn’t really my cup of tea. The elephant beatings were hard to handle as I wanted to jump through the screen and throttle Waltz’s character. It was a beautiful film which was all I really wanted out of it. Hal Holbrook brought great life to the older version of Pattenson’s character. He was perfectly cast and I wish there was more of him through the movie. It was my favorite part of the adaptation. But as is usually the case, the movie isn’t not as good as the book. (6/10)

The Lincoln Lawyer - Holy cow did this ever surprise me. I used to be a big Matthew McConaughey fan in high school. Then he kind of became a parody of himself, always playing the same guy. I lost interest and therefore didn’t think much about this film when I heard about it. Reviews came out and said that it was surprisingly good. There were comparisons to his mid-nineties film A Time to Kill, a Grisham adaptation, Grisham being another one of my high school phases. I’m a sucker for legal thrillers so was encouraged to hear this was was good. I waited too long and missed it’s run. I got it almost as soon as it came to Red Box and absolutely loved it. I really wish more films were made like this. And I think McConaughey could be really good again if he found scripts like this one and ignored what he has done for the past five years or so. (8/10)

The Help - (This might also be considered a Women’s Film.) I tried the read the book. I made it about four chapters in and gave up. People were telling me to give it more time, and I don’t feel I should have to give a book that long to grab me. Anyway, I was excited to see the film. Allison Janney is a favorite of mine and I’ll watch anything with her in it. I’m also a blooming Emma Stone fan and loved Viola Davis in Doubt. Plus, it’s about incredible women so what’s not to love. And I did love it. I’m glad I didn’t read the book because I’m sure I’d have felt the same as I did about Water for Elephants. I’m grateful I got to enjoy this as a film as a film and not an adaptation. I can understand where the complaints are coming from - about a central white character in a film that’s supposed to be about black characters. Maybe it’s because I’m white, but I didn’t see race in this as much as I saw gender. It was about women taking care of women and that’s something I can really get behind.

I laughed. I cried. And it takes a special movie to get me to do both. I don’t laugh easy in movies. It’s easier to get me to cry than laugh. I loved the characters and their quirky traits. I loved the line Davis’ character Aibileen said to the little girl she was in charge of, “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” I really think all children should be told these exact words, both girls and boys. Kids need to believe in themselves and the connection between the maids and the children they raised was my favorite part of the story. I really loved it. (9/10)

Last Night - There is one reason that I wanted to see this film, and his name is Guillaume Canet. He is a French actor and director that I have come to know and love over the past few years. This is one of his very few English speaking roles and I was very excited to see it. It’s about a married couple, Joanna (Keira Knightly) and Michael (Sam Worthington), who are each tempted to cheat on the same night. Joanna with her former flame Alex (Canet) and Michael with a coworker (Eva Mendes). I liked half of the film. The Michael storyline didn’t interest me. I didn’t think it was really anything new. But the Joanna and Alex storyline, I really loved.

(SPOILER WARNING:  I can't say what I want to say without ruining the end.)  The chemistry between Knightly and Canet was incredible. I think they should do more work together. When her husband is out of town, Joanna runs into Alex who is in town on business. They agree to go to dinner and their honest conversations completely enthralled me. I love dialogue movies, where nothing more really happens but the words mean everything. Joanna didn’t end up physically cheating on Michael (Michael did, however) but her emotional cheating was far more intense. You could tell she still loved Alex, and the expression on his face and how brokenhearted he was when Joanna told him she couldn't leave Michael, made the film for me. Keira Knightly is actually becoming a favorite of mine. (8/10 - averaged from 10/10 for Joanna half and 6/10 for Michael half)

The Women's Films

I have come to realize that all film lovers I know have a genre in which they love just about everything. My film professor, Ted, happens to love horror films. The more obscure the better. Other people in our class would be suckers for low-grade action films, some for raunchy comedies, and others for shameless Oscar panderers. My genre is romance. These are the movies where it doesn’t matter what the critics or audience members say. The rating on Rotten Tomatoes holds no sway over me when it comes to romance, especially romantic comedies.

Ted always called these films, “Women’s Films,” in objection to the common term, “Chick Flick.” This is a habit I have since picked up. Women’s Films include romantic comedies (When Harry Met Sally), romantic dramas (Hope Floats), epic love stories (Titanic), female empowerment (A League of Their Own), best friend stories (Steel Magnolias or Beaches) and of course some franchises (Sex & the City or Twilight). Some of these films can also attract an occasional male viewer, but it must be admitted that these films are marketing toward and made for the female audience.

I’ve actually come to a decision that would rather not see these in theaters for a couple of reasons:

• While I enjoy them, they aren’t usually worth the money. I get just as much out of them on my television at home, while other films are better to watch on the big screen either for scenery (Midnight in Paris) or for action that has a larger impact when it’s bigger (Source Code). I’m usually content to wait until I can borrow it from Red Box or watch it streaming on Netflix.
• The perfume. The shear amount of females in one room, a large percentage of which sprayed some sort of smell on themselves, is quite astounding. I have been known to get a pretty bad headache from the combination of at least a dozen different perfumes wafting toward me from all directions. And when you’re lucky enough to sit next to a woman with a large spritz on her neck, it’s enough to ruin the movie.

Here are the Women's Films I have seen this year:

Something Borrowed - The primary reason I saw this film in theaters was that I just really wanted to go to the theater.  And having read the book, knew it was a movie I’d see sooner or later. I actually liked the book.  Some people don’t because, let’s admit it, it’s about one girl falling for her best friend’s fiance. For me, that’s not the reason I enjoyed it. I liked the romance storyline, not the best-friend storyline. I mean, haven’t we all wondered what it would be like if our crush actually crushed on us in return? I know I have and that’s probably why I like this film at all. The dialogue is cheesy, the acting is alright, and it’s obviously cliche. But I think Ginnifer Goodwin is one of the cutest actresses working today. It’s just a shame she had to hide her cute pixie haircut with a plain brown wig. And the actor that played Dex, Colin Egglesfield, holds a striking resemblance to a young Tom Cruise. The voice is so unbelievably similar that it’s hard to not think about it. Seriously, check it out for just that reason. Are we sure Tom Cruise didn’t have a son no one knew about? (7/10)

Life As We Know It - I loved Katherine Heigl after becoming hooked on Grey’s Anatomy back in high school. Then with all the backstage drama, I kind of had my fill of her. I liked Knocked Up but after seeing The Ugly Truth, (the primary reason I hardly go theaters for romantic comedies anymore) I wrote her off. She always played the Type A (re: ANNOYING) “plain” girl. There’s nothing “plain” about Katherine Keigl. She’s beautiful. Anyway, I ignored this movie. But after realized it was directed by Greg Berlanti, of Everwood fame, I decided to give it a try. And I didn’t hate it. While Heigl’s character was a little uptight, it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. It was actually cute. Cliche? Sure, but that’s hardly something you can use in an argument because is anything ever really that original anymore? (7/10)

Beastly - Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie. I always wanted to see a modern version of the story, so when I found out this was being made, I knew I’d see it. It wasn’t horrible, but it definitely wasn’t all that great. They could have picked a more annoying actress than Vanessa Hudgens, so I’m grateful that it at least had a shot. The “beast” was a little to pretty-ugly for my taste. And I don’t understand how the idea of her going to live with him wasn’t more of an issue. Neil Patrick Harris brought some great humor in. It was a cute, but I’m glad I didn’t pay to see it in theaters. (6/10)

Just Go With It - I’ll confess that I initially had no intention of seeing this movie. But after reading an interview with Brooklyn Decker, I decided to check it out. She seemed surprisingly “average girl” for a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. And since she is married to Andy Roddick, a favorite tennis player of mine, I wanted to find out a little about her. And I found out that she’s not a horrible actress! But it was an Adam Sandler movie. Not really my cup of tea, but I’m glad I gave it a shot. It was worth it for the ending, showing Decker’s character meeting a tennis player on the airplane. Andy Roddick cameoed. And it was hilarious. Decker’s character was a big ‘NSYNC fan (a plot device to show how young she was) and Roddick’s character was wearing an “I <3 Justin!” necklace. Worth it for just that scene. (5/10)

One Day - Loved the book. Absolutely loved the book. And after seeing the movie, I realized that this story isn’t suited for a movie. There’s too much involved. It follows Dex and Emma, who meet on graduation night, on the same day for the next twenty years. The movie cut out and shortened some of the days which may not have seemed important, but were vital for character growth. Anne Hathaway was a casting mistake. I don’t understand why they couldn’t have cast a British girl alongside Jim Sturges. I really liked him as Dex, though he wasn’t as likable in the film as he was in the book. It’s a great story, and the movie didn’t do it justice. (5/10)

To Begin...

...I am posting my thoughts on the movies I have already seen.  The posts seem to be getting rather large because I'm condensing them.  There will be four of these first posts:

• Women's Films
• Drama
• Action/Adventure
• Comedy

I may even post an overview of the film festivals I went to this year, because they have contributed to how great the films have been in 2011.  There will also be a special entry regarding two films I've seen in theaters this year that are related but unrelated to everything else.  Stay tuned for that.  Until I've caught up on what I've seen from 2011, I'll start with other movies I watch, whether I've seen them before or not.

I hope this becomes a regular thing for me, updating at least twice a week.  But if the theaters are going through a dry spell, I might not have anything for you.  Seeing how Oscar Season is coming up, hopefully it won't happen anytime soon.

I try to see most films in theaters, and I encourage you to do the same.  It makes a world of difference, as I will probably reflect on in my posts.  I have, on the other hand, discovered the beauty of Red Box.  I'll get updates on what has arrived, make reservations online, and pick them up.  I can catch what I missed in theaters for very cheap this way and I love it.  I miss my trips to Backstage Video, but I could never guarantee they'd have what I wanted.

I am striving to be as honest as possible on this blog.  I'm going to write what I truly think and I hope you will be able to understand where I am coming from.  I welcome any and all opinions, the more diverse the better.  Let's just try and keep it respectful.  Being honest and being mean aren't the same thing.

And please excuse the typos.  I have no editor.  I'm trying much harder to proofread these entries since I'm not under a time crunch.  At the film festivals, I was writing with limited time at my disposal.  I aim for no mistakes, but I'm a fast, inaccurate typist.  I can't help it.  :)