The Amazing Spider-Man

This movie was fantastic! I've watched a lot of so-so movies in the last couple of weeks but this was definitely not one of them. The funny thing is I've had this movie for months from Netflix and I've been hesitant to watch because although I like superhero movies, I don't love them. Well, this was hands down one of the best ones I have seen. Andrew Garfield is extremely entertaining and lovable as Spider-Man and Peter Parker.

I have never been one to read comic books and I saw Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire. Initially, I caught myself being extremely confused by the differences and half wanted to know what the actual story in the comic books was, then I became caught up in the movie. 

The whole reason I wanted to watch this movie is because I am a huge fan of Emma Stone, but ironically enough I ended up enjoying Garfield just as much as Stone. This is a movie that I feel like the whole family could enjoy together, with the exception of really little kids and even they might be okay to watch. You know, as long as a parent explains the creepy lizard isn't real! :) 

Had I not been so hesitant to see this movie I would definitely say it is theater worthy, but since I missed out, everyone should rent this movie!

The Air I Breathe

Apparently a reoccurring theme in the movies I've been watching is when multiple characters stories all end up intersecting by the end of the film. The story here focuses on four emotions that all humans feel: love, pleasure, sadness, and joy. If the director would not have labeled the emotions throughout the movie, I would have missed the point. My favorite part of this movie was the end. Partly because it was over but also because of what happens with Sarah Michelle Gellar's character. Out of all of the stories the two stories that I liked best were those of Gellar and Bacon.

Something I do often with my friends and family is describe a movie by explaining whether I would pay full price in the theater, see it in a dollar theater, rent it, or skip it. For me, this film fell into the skip it category, but for some I could understand why they would rent it.

I believe my initial interest in this movie was the fact that Emile Hirsch is in it. However, while he did a good job his contribution to the movie was minimal and could almost border on unnecessary.

Side Effects

As someone who is training to be a therapist it was hard to overlook some of the glaring obvious issues with this movie. However, I will try to get past the fact that no release of information was signed by the client for her current psychiatrist to speak to her past psychiatrist.

Moving right along, if you see the movie and you are in this world as well you will come to understand as I did why it did not really matter anyway. Between dual-relationships, lies, murder, and "side effects" you will be swept into the story just as I was. Initially I was concerned that this would be a movie showing all of the side effects of medication that can actually help individuals when used correctly, meds such as SSRIs and so on. I was quickly set straight however in that the story is so much more. Rooney Mara as Emily Taylor was, what's the right word? Interesting... Now, I know she is best known in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but I have not yet seen that film. So, although she is in movies that I have seen I did not recognize her. That's not a bad thing, I'm becoming more and more a fan of people who are not in every movie. I struggled to believe Mara's character until the very end which I guess is what was most important. 

Overall, I really liked this movie and Jude Law of course does an amazing job. At one point I think the audience is lead to worry that he is losing it, but because of how hard he is trying you continue to be on his side. Zeta-Jones also does a fabulous job, especially in the case of the big twist which all of a sudden explains everything! Well done cast on a movie that stayed interesting and was not a repeat of something already out there.

Safe Haven

Before you begin reading I'm going to let you know that this review contains spoilers. Nicholas Sparks definitely has a talent for romantic tales. I appreciated the fact that this story has a dark side to it. Now, I know most of you, like me, know that Sparks includes some sort of darkness to all of his love stories, but I felt like this one was more real. Julianne Hough did a wonderful job throughout the movie as did Josh Duhamel. However, for me the star who stole the show was Mimi Kirkland, the adorable little girl. The love that builds between Hough and Duhamel is expected but Hough and Kirkland took their character expectations to a whole new level. I do not want to leave out the little boy who also did a good job, however I felt like his story was a little excluded. Now, that's the positives of the film.

For the negatives, let's start with the title. Haven literally translates to mean a place of safety. Break that down and the title is Safe Place of Safety. I'm not sure if Sparks anticipated that not many of his moviegoers were smart enough to put that together or if he just thought a one word title wasn't good enough, but none-the-less the title is not a fabulous one. Next, the story line is very cute, which was expected. However, it went a step too far leaving much of the audience asking what just happened, and not in a good way. Spoiler follows here: At the end of the film it is revealed that Jo the nice friend next door who seems to know everything without ever being told is fictional in the mind of Hough's character. In fact she is the ghost(?) of Duhamel's wife who has passed away. There is a beautiful situation throughout the movie having to do with letters that Jo had written while she was alive to her family members. However, it is within these letters that it is revealed who Jo was and I think in that reveal many people will no longer be on board with the film. This huge reveal of who the wife/mother was, was unnecessary and I would have enjoyed the film much more had that part been left out.

I do want to include that Tierney played by David Lyons did a wonderful job of being incredibly creepy which is what his role called for.

96 Minutes

I requested this movie from Netflix knowing that one of my favorite actresses, Brittany Snow, was in it. There have been several movies that have followed similar themes as this one, most well known is Crash. A story of several individuals colliding into one greater story. The movie, while not very well known, did keep my attention. Young individuals trying to better their lives, while certain ones seem almost destined for a life behind bars because of where they have come from. I think the most touching part of the movie is near the end when the man finds Snow's character injured and takes her to the hospital only to be questioned as if he is the one who harmed her. And yet his compassion keeps him in the hospital to be there for the character. The ending is sad when you realize that the fate of the character you were previously rooting for is in fact a life behind bars solidified only by Snow's character confirming that because he did not allow mercy she won't either. I did like this movie and if it was on TV and nothing else I particularly wanted to watch was on, I would watch again.

Camp

Sweet baby Jesus, I would like the 114 minutes I spent watching this film back! But, since I can't get that time back I will instead review the movie. Let's start with the statement a friend of mine made after watching, "Camp + musical = gay... Way to play into the stereotype!" Now, before some musical loving people come after me for this review, let me say that I love musicals. However, I don't love when an Indie film plays on every stereotype possible. Why does it seem like every person in this film is confused about their sexuality? Not every kid who goes to some sort of music camp is gay or questioning. I'm going to be honest in why I watched this movie, I love Anna Kendrick. I fell in love with her when she was in Twilight and have been watching a couple different films she was in. Had I known that her role, although epic when she did sing, was so small, I probably would have skipped the movie. Anna Kendrick, I love you. Camp, I hate you. 

Tiny Furniture

As this is my first review on my new blog I'm very excited. I thought this would be the perfect movie to kick me off and sadly what I have to say is, "Oh, Lena!" Now, stay with me here. I love Lena Dunham and her show Girls is amazing, however this movie fell short for me. If you are an avid Girls watcher like I am than you will recognize a number of actors from the show in this movie. I was very excited to realize this however it did not help me last through this movie. I found that I just kept wanting more. I wanted Aura to come to some conclusion about her life and where she is going. It feels like it is just never going to happen. If it had not been for the ending of this movie I would probably have watched it again. The ending of this film takes it from a eh, I'd watch this again if it was on TV to no thanks. Lena you are a genius and I am embarrassed that I'm the same age as you and have not accomplished nearly as much, but this for me just isn't worth a second watch.