This will make the experience all the better for the rest of us. Personally, my theatre had at least five young girls (one of whom I heard exclaiming as they left "Dad I LOVED it!"), and the audience applauded when the title appeared and TWICE at the end of the film.
I fully agree with the young girls in my theatre - I loved it, too. I thought it was well written, well directed, well acted and just a great film top to bottom. The four leads (Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon) were phenomenal. Each character was so distinct, and as an ensemble they worked on another comedic level. Stand outs were Jones and McKinnon, whose small quips throughout gave each scene extra punch that wasn’t necessary but appreciated. Wiig and McCarthy on the other hand played more down-to-earth characters than they normally do in their comedies, and it was nice to see this side of them. The amount of story packed into two hours was incredible, it was nonstop action, and director Paul Feig did a good job of making the movie as tight as possible. There weren’t any moments where I was waiting for the movie to end. The laughs were constant, and some jokes were even missed because people were laughing too hard at the previous joke. Making a remake in this day and age is difficult enough, doing one with such unrelenting backlash from the start (mostly due to the gender of the leads) is almost impossible. Of course there will be negative reviews, but overall this was a solid standalone movie. One of my favourite things about it is how empowering it will be to young girls, and how easily you can imagine it becoming a childhood classic for them. Watching it at 25 I felt encouraged and empowered, and can feel myself already wanting to watch it again, so I can only imagine how it was for those young girls to watch those ladies kick ass. If you’re still unconvinced that it will live up to standards, it’s clearly done the job of impressing the original Ghostbusters, as they all made appearances in small ways throughout the film (and the whole thing was dedicated to Harold Ramis). If you’re looking for a fun, summer movie that will make adults and children laugh and have a great time, then you’ve found it. And make sure to stick around to the end of the credits, if mostly to watch Chris Hemsworth (who is adorable throughout the whole thing) dancing through them. 10/10
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Now - there are many flaws with the film. There are moments that it is all so ludicrous it makes it hard to suspend your disbelief through them, and this is not actually how most sharks are (particularly they wouldn't necessarily be in shallow water - or so I'm told). But overall those moments are few and far between. Lively really holds her own as the solo star of the film, you can feel her desperation and she truly had me worried for her. I mean, she is a national treasure we can't lose her this young. Most impressive was the use of music and sound, as well as the cinematography. The sound quieting under the water, paired the overhead and underwater shots all contributed to an overall beautiful movie to watch. And even though there's the threat of dying on a rock or in a shark, it made me want to go there and surf (but with lots of other people). Truly though, it was a frightening movie. The tension was so great that I was personally hiding my eyes most of the movie, and there were multiple times that most people in the audience jumped and screamed. If you're looking to be scared, this will definitely do the trick. 8/10
Back to the movie, it was truly the pinnacle of parody of pop culture for this generation. The main character of Connor 4 Real may be reminiscent of Justin Bieber, put it was clearly highlighting the absurdity of any star of that nature, especially those who made it big young.
The mockumentary style worked so well for the story they were telling, and Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone’s directing made it all come together in a way where you were never bored (and rarely were you not laughing). Paired with Schaffer, Taccone and Andy Samberg’s writing, these three are an unstoppable comedy tour de force together.
What makes a comedy truly great is when there’s equal amount heart involved. The characters were so strong that you felt attached to each of them, and by the end all you really wanted was for them to succeed. It was heartfelt in a way where none of it felt forced.
It was also filled to the brim with just about every celebrity you can imagine. From Ringo Starr to Seal, from Sarah Silverman to Joan Cusack, the boys have clearly made lots of friends over the years and all of them came out to help with the film. Once again though, it all felt natural. The magnitude of these celebrities added to absurdity of the story, while also making sure the audience knew that the very people the movie was poking fun at were in on the joke. This is the best comedy I’ve seen this year, and I think anybody can enjoy it. I don’t often cry from laughing too hard, but I did twice in those 90 minutes. It truly was a slam dunk film. 10/10
Despite the dreary living conditions, the film is beautifully shot, and you feel like a fly on the wall of this tiny space, almost as if you're intruding on Ma and Jack.
Just like the book, the film will stay with you long after the credits roll. It's easy to make you cry with such heavy subject matter, but to also bring some laughs out, to see the light side of things, is an incredible feat by director Lenny Abrahamson and the young Tremblay. Larson gives a riveting performance, and the role couldn't have been cast better. While the story is dark, and there are so many hopeless moments in it, in the end it's a story about hope, and about how losing hope is never an option. Naturally, the film adaptation couldn't be entirely true to the book (as the book is written from Jack's perspective), but Abrahamson does well with what he has, making the audience feel claustrophobic with tight shots and his ability to make us feel as if we ourselves are in Room with them. Part of what makes the drama feel so real and gritty is knowing that this does happen in real life, and while this story is fiction, you can't help but have a pit in your stomach knowing that such evils could exist right in your own backyard. This is also due to the fact that it takes place in just that, a backyard like any other. Lend that to the stories you see on the news and you feel like you could be watching a true story. Overall, it's one of the best films of the year so far, and one that will leave you feeling shaken and wanting to call your mother afterwards. An absolute must-watch. 10/10 Room opens October 16th.
The dinner winds down and when their kids head to bed things start to get weird. Alex and Emily stick it out because they've finally made friends and they don't want to screw that up. The film is an oddball comedy that gets so out there you can't help but laugh at the eccentricity. It certainly won't be for everybody, but if you enjoy campy, indie films then this is for you. The performances in it are great, and you can feel that the group had genuine chemistry. Everyone played their role to perfection, and created intricate, interesting characters that had you wanting more. A fun, summer, date-night movie for you and your significant other, as long as both of you are okay with absolute absurdity. 8/10
Amy Schumer stars in (and wrote) Trainwreck, a story about a girl who meets a boy who makes her start caring. It's a typical rom-com but it is also so, so much more than that. First of all, Schumer, as per her usual, is the realest. Everything from the dialogue to the nature of the relationship between her and Bill Hader feels so much more real than most romantic comedies. Schumer doesn't stray from her brash humour (if you're not a fan of hers, chances are this isn't the movie for you; if you are, congratulations you'll have the best two hours of your life). Trainwreck also focuses on Amy's family (her name is Amy in the movie as well). She has a sister, Kim (Brie Larson), which is true to real life, and a father (Colin Quinn) suffering from MS, also true to real life. This plays a prominent part in the movie and really helps to make the character of Amy more relatable and down-to-earth. The cast is star-studded (particularly with other comics, as well as athletes). LeBron James is a total standout, who is more than a cameo but a supporting character to Hader. He plays his deadpan lines so immaculately he might have to consider giving up basketball for comedy. The movie had me (embarrassingly) howling with laughter, and at one point completely sobbing. (Plus once more where I almost cried, and a bunch more times in there where I was in fits in laughter...) Basically all the emotions in ways where you can't control yourself from bursting out. I wasn't the only one, either. The entire theatre was filled with the sound of laughter through so much of the movie, some of the lines of dialogue were lost (oh well, I guess I'll HAVE to see it again). Judd Apatow directed and tied everything together nicely. While some people will think the film is too long (running at 2h 2m it is relatively long for a rom-com), I found I couldn't get enough, and would have been pleased for another hour of screen time. Without any spoilers, I had a giant grin spread over my face for the final scene of the movie, and I'd say it's going down as one of the best endings of all romantic comedies, ever. This was far-and-away the best movie I've seen this summer, this year, and up there with one of my new favourites of all time. It was everything I wanted from Schumer and more. If you've been looking forward to this movie, get thee to a theatre ASAP, because it is not one to miss this year. Schumer has not only proven herself as a leading lady but the next great comedic voice in movies. While we hope this doesn't mean she'll be ditching our TV screens for movies full-time, we can pray that this is the beginning of a very long career. 10/10 Trainwreck opens July 17. To get you primed for the opening of Trainwreck, watch Amy Schumer on Jimmy Fallon last night absolutely slaying the interview game.
One of the most important lessons from the film is how it's important to feel sadness. We all try to bottle up the 'bad' feelings as much as we can, but without allowing those feelings to come through we can't move forward with our lives.
It was truly magical to go to a 9pm show, where, at 24, I was the youngest person in the audience and the whole room was laughing like kids throughout the movie. It was such a joyous experience (with some prerequisite Pixar tears thrown in there). It is the best animated film I've seen in a long time, and the best part is - there are no obnoxious songs to get stuck in your head afterwards. Each voice was paired perfectly with the different emotions (with the talents of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith and Lewis Black). Writer/Director Pete Docter has created a true masterpiece, and one that is perfect for honestly any age group. The feel good movie of the year that reminds you that feeling good isn't all that life is about. 10/10 |
