August: Movie Madness
You may be wondering why I didn't post a July: Movie Madness. Or maybe you're not wondering why-- in fact perhaps you don't care at all. And if that's the case, absolutely no hard feelings! I fully understand that very few people besides me care as much as I do about movies. I'd be surprised if anybody besides my mom reads the movie reviews at all-- and really, she just likes to read them because she says she likes to "hear my voice" in my writing, no matter what it is. Thanks mom :). But seriously, I'm under no illusion that my monthly movie reviews are the thing that you all await with bated breath. In reality, I make these review posts mostly for myself, because I just find it endlessly fun to gush about movies. That being said, the reason I didn't post a July: Movie Madness is certainly not because I didn't watch any movies last month. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The truth is, that at the beginning of the month, I watched so many movies that they all started to run together into a mush inside my head and I started getting sick of movies in general. In short, they had lost their gleam for me because I was abusing my love for them by overindulging. So, I pulled back at the end of the month. I even deleted my Netflix account, albeit briefly, so that I could take a much needed break from the fictional movie realm and actually get back to some of my other hobbies, like journaling and reading books. Now that it's August, I am easing myself back into movie watching, but hopefully I don't come to idolize it quite as much as I did last month. Anyway, onwards! (Oh, and if you'd still like to see a list of the movies I watched last month ((the one's I can remember at least)) and the ratings I gave them, you can click here).
Lion
10/10
Netflix
People are right to be as excited and impressed by this movie as they are. It deserves all the awards and recognition that it's getting because it's downright awesome. It gives a perspective to adoption that I think is rarely given in the media. This movie allows the viewer to genuinely see both sides of the big picture, instead of glorifying one side and/or condemning the other. It's also based on a true story, which only adds to the intense amount of emotion it no doubt evokes. Also, THAT LITTLE BOY IS THE MOST ADORABLE CHILD ON THE PLANET. Sid, if you're reading this, that little boy reminds me of the mini version of you that I first met back in 6th grade orientation. And no, not just because he's brown. LOL.
Handsome Devil
8.5/10
Netflix
Some unavoidable teen drama cliches aside, this movie was really really heartfelt and good, and dealt with big issues in gentle, non-exploitative ways. I also always appreciate a movie that doesn't use the way overused Triumphant Ending Kiss, even if of course, Triumphant Ending Kisses make one feel triumphant. Triumphant Ending Hug is just as cute, as evidenced by this movie. Sorry if that was a slight spoiler... It's just nice when a movie doesn't rely on a kiss to sum up a much grander, more complex story. At it's core this movie is about friendship, and realizing that you don't have to be defined by any one thing alone.
Also, kudos on the awesome soundtrack!! And I must say, that if a movie has to have singing in it, Handsome Devil handled it the right way, which is no autotune, no jumbo musical number, just people singing in their actual voices, slightly awkwardly and a little off key, but not for humor's sake-- just because that's how they genuinely sound in real life.
High Strung
7/10
Netflix
SE recommended this to me a while back, and I finally got around to watching it after I realized that the one main character in Handsome Devil is also the main character in this movie! Now, as much as I thoroughly enjoyed High Strung's unapologetic cheesiness, I really preferred Nicholas Galitzine (the actor in question) in Handsome Devil. Firstly, his hair was way better and his character was a lot more realistic. And secondly, I think Nicholas Galitzine has some seriously untapped acting potential, and High Strung is just way below his threshold. That being said, High Strung gave me serious Step Up and Dance Academy vibes, two things which I adore. In fact, Nicholas Galitzine and Jordan Rodriguez (aka Christian from Dance Academy) are legitimately dopplegangers, or brothers-from-another-mother, not only in looks, but also in acting style and mannerisms. It's uncanny.
The Beat Beneath My Feet
6/10
Netflix
Well, I've successfully made it through the bulk of Nicholas Galitzine's filmography this month, forgoing only the bit part he had in some TV show from a few years back, and the two films he's been making this year that aren't out yet, and are horror movies, so probably not my type of thing anyway. That being said, I like what I've seen of him so far, and I really want to be seeing more!! And I promise, my slight obsession with him goes beyond the fact that he's pretty stinking attractive and has really cute lips...I mean that's part of it sure, but it's more than that! Like I said before, I really think he has talent, and I hope he gets the chance to pick up some roles that really showcase that.
As for this movie, however, I gave it such a low rating just because it did not keep my interest at all. Galitzine was really the only redeeming quality. There were a few far-between funny parts, but mostly it was just a lot of boring musical stuff that I didn't care about. I'm not exactly sure who the target audience for this movie is. It seems like it might be for teens, but being a teen myself, I can attest that it wasn't all that interesting...so I'm not so sure.
Something specific that really irked me about this movie was the portrayal of the internet. There's this scene where [the main character] googles this band called "Nothing", and literally the first thing that popped up was about the band. Um, that's not how the internet works. We all know that if you googled the word "nothing", a bunch of stuff would pop up, but none of it would be about a band. It would all be about, well, the concept of nothingness! And then later he googles the main singer of that band, and instead of a results list popping up with a bunch of possible Facebook profiles for people with the same name (aka, what would happen in the real world) the computer IMMEDIATELY jumps to some long lost article about the guy. I mean come on.
The Full Monty
7.5/10
VHS
So I've seen this movie a few times, but I don't think I quite understood all of the inuendo the first couple of times I watched it. I mean, it's about male stripping, albeit blue collar down and out not at all attractive male stripping, but male stripping nonetheless, and there are definitely some scenes in the movie this time around that made me go "woahhhh I did not know what THAT meant the first time I watched this!" That being said, it's a really unique, really funny movie that I think just about anyone could enjoy. I mean, my grandma absolutely adores it, and she's by no means a movie buff, so that's saying something. I will say that it's occasionally hard to understand what the characters are talking about because of their very thick cockney accents, but that just adds to the charm. This was also the perfect movie to watch while Alex was over, because she found it thoroughly entertaining.
Fourth Man Out
8/10
Netflix
THE SONG "VICTOR" BY PRINZE GEORGE IS IN THIS MOVIE!!! That fact alone would have been enough to convince me that this movie was worth the watch. But in fact, I didn't need any extra convincing because the movie was great all on its own. The casting was fabulous-- all the actors beautifully emulated their characters and nobody felt out of place. I especially like Parker Young (who plays the charming, understanding best friend Chris in this movie) and I haven't seen him in anything in a while-- not since Suburgatory and Enlisted-- so it was good to see him in something again.
The AMERICANAAAAA in this movie was so great!! The opening credits had me feeling patriotic right off the bat, and then the 4th of July part was the cherry on top of a beautifully American film.
There were a lot of characters, but the movie pulled this abundance off without a hitch and nobody felt like they'd just been wedged in, which was refreshing.
One negative for this movie was that it did have more than its fair share of raunchy language and innuendo. But if I'm being honest, even that felt natural to the characters and pretty representative of American Culture.
The Glass Castle
8.5/10
Leitersburg Cinema
I went to see this movie with my mom on an already emotional day (long story) so it certainly didn't cheer up the mood at all--but it was incredibly good! I definitely liked the movie better than the book. It's just such a visual story that it needs to be shown to people, not just told. The actors that were cast were absolutely phenomenal, especially Woody Harrelson. I know he has been in a lot of ridiculous movies, but I think his serious roles are some of the best acting that exists out there. And Brie Larson brought the character of Jeannette to life perfectly. The thing I love about this story is that it really shows people, in a compassionate way, that even people who from the outside have had a "bad" childhood or a "bad" life cannot be categorized quite so easily. Even "bad" childhoods have the capability to be sprinkled with intense joy and love.
Atypical
8.5/10
Netflix
Atypical is actually not a movie: it's a Netflix original television series, and I am seriously loving it. It's about this teen boy on the autism spectrum who decides he's ready to start dating, and the show focuses on him and his family. It sounds a little like a been-there-done-that plot line, but it's actually really unique and interesting. I love all of the characters and think they are written beautifully, in a way that makes each personality unique and likable. My favorite character is probably the sister. She's so cool and admirable, and the relationship between her and Sam (the main character) is so adorable and endearing. I also love Sam and I like the depth he is given. Oftentimes, characters with special needs or a diagnosis are kind of made to be a caricature of the symptoms of their diagnosis instead of being fully fleshed out humans, but this series does a good job of making him a well rounded character who is both likable, but difficult to understand because of his social differences. This show is also just downright hilarious. I love that it points out how ridiculous "neuro-typicals" can be, and the writing is just so funny to me that I actually laughed out loud a couple of times, and it takes a lot for me to laugh out loud at a movie/TV show! Hopefully this show is well enough received to get the go ahead for a second season, because it was well worth the watch and I'm already missing the world of Atypical!
VaughnDL
Lion
10/10
Netflix
People are right to be as excited and impressed by this movie as they are. It deserves all the awards and recognition that it's getting because it's downright awesome. It gives a perspective to adoption that I think is rarely given in the media. This movie allows the viewer to genuinely see both sides of the big picture, instead of glorifying one side and/or condemning the other. It's also based on a true story, which only adds to the intense amount of emotion it no doubt evokes. Also, THAT LITTLE BOY IS THE MOST ADORABLE CHILD ON THE PLANET. Sid, if you're reading this, that little boy reminds me of the mini version of you that I first met back in 6th grade orientation. And no, not just because he's brown. LOL.Handsome Devil
8.5/10
Netflix
Some unavoidable teen drama cliches aside, this movie was really really heartfelt and good, and dealt with big issues in gentle, non-exploitative ways. I also always appreciate a movie that doesn't use the way overused Triumphant Ending Kiss, even if of course, Triumphant Ending Kisses make one feel triumphant. Triumphant Ending Hug is just as cute, as evidenced by this movie. Sorry if that was a slight spoiler... It's just nice when a movie doesn't rely on a kiss to sum up a much grander, more complex story. At it's core this movie is about friendship, and realizing that you don't have to be defined by any one thing alone.Also, kudos on the awesome soundtrack!! And I must say, that if a movie has to have singing in it, Handsome Devil handled it the right way, which is no autotune, no jumbo musical number, just people singing in their actual voices, slightly awkwardly and a little off key, but not for humor's sake-- just because that's how they genuinely sound in real life.
High Strung
7/10
Netflix
SE recommended this to me a while back, and I finally got around to watching it after I realized that the one main character in Handsome Devil is also the main character in this movie! Now, as much as I thoroughly enjoyed High Strung's unapologetic cheesiness, I really preferred Nicholas Galitzine (the actor in question) in Handsome Devil. Firstly, his hair was way better and his character was a lot more realistic. And secondly, I think Nicholas Galitzine has some seriously untapped acting potential, and High Strung is just way below his threshold. That being said, High Strung gave me serious Step Up and Dance Academy vibes, two things which I adore. In fact, Nicholas Galitzine and Jordan Rodriguez (aka Christian from Dance Academy) are legitimately dopplegangers, or brothers-from-another-mother, not only in looks, but also in acting style and mannerisms. It's uncanny.The Beat Beneath My Feet
6/10
Netflix
Well, I've successfully made it through the bulk of Nicholas Galitzine's filmography this month, forgoing only the bit part he had in some TV show from a few years back, and the two films he's been making this year that aren't out yet, and are horror movies, so probably not my type of thing anyway. That being said, I like what I've seen of him so far, and I really want to be seeing more!! And I promise, my slight obsession with him goes beyond the fact that he's pretty stinking attractive and has really cute lips...I mean that's part of it sure, but it's more than that! Like I said before, I really think he has talent, and I hope he gets the chance to pick up some roles that really showcase that.As for this movie, however, I gave it such a low rating just because it did not keep my interest at all. Galitzine was really the only redeeming quality. There were a few far-between funny parts, but mostly it was just a lot of boring musical stuff that I didn't care about. I'm not exactly sure who the target audience for this movie is. It seems like it might be for teens, but being a teen myself, I can attest that it wasn't all that interesting...so I'm not so sure.
Something specific that really irked me about this movie was the portrayal of the internet. There's this scene where [the main character] googles this band called "Nothing", and literally the first thing that popped up was about the band. Um, that's not how the internet works. We all know that if you googled the word "nothing", a bunch of stuff would pop up, but none of it would be about a band. It would all be about, well, the concept of nothingness! And then later he googles the main singer of that band, and instead of a results list popping up with a bunch of possible Facebook profiles for people with the same name (aka, what would happen in the real world) the computer IMMEDIATELY jumps to some long lost article about the guy. I mean come on.
The Full Monty
7.5/10
VHS
So I've seen this movie a few times, but I don't think I quite understood all of the inuendo the first couple of times I watched it. I mean, it's about male stripping, albeit blue collar down and out not at all attractive male stripping, but male stripping nonetheless, and there are definitely some scenes in the movie this time around that made me go "woahhhh I did not know what THAT meant the first time I watched this!" That being said, it's a really unique, really funny movie that I think just about anyone could enjoy. I mean, my grandma absolutely adores it, and she's by no means a movie buff, so that's saying something. I will say that it's occasionally hard to understand what the characters are talking about because of their very thick cockney accents, but that just adds to the charm. This was also the perfect movie to watch while Alex was over, because she found it thoroughly entertaining.Fourth Man Out
8/10
Netflix
THE SONG "VICTOR" BY PRINZE GEORGE IS IN THIS MOVIE!!! That fact alone would have been enough to convince me that this movie was worth the watch. But in fact, I didn't need any extra convincing because the movie was great all on its own. The casting was fabulous-- all the actors beautifully emulated their characters and nobody felt out of place. I especially like Parker Young (who plays the charming, understanding best friend Chris in this movie) and I haven't seen him in anything in a while-- not since Suburgatory and Enlisted-- so it was good to see him in something again. The AMERICANAAAAA in this movie was so great!! The opening credits had me feeling patriotic right off the bat, and then the 4th of July part was the cherry on top of a beautifully American film.
There were a lot of characters, but the movie pulled this abundance off without a hitch and nobody felt like they'd just been wedged in, which was refreshing.
One negative for this movie was that it did have more than its fair share of raunchy language and innuendo. But if I'm being honest, even that felt natural to the characters and pretty representative of American Culture.
The Glass Castle
8.5/10
Leitersburg Cinema
I went to see this movie with my mom on an already emotional day (long story) so it certainly didn't cheer up the mood at all--but it was incredibly good! I definitely liked the movie better than the book. It's just such a visual story that it needs to be shown to people, not just told. The actors that were cast were absolutely phenomenal, especially Woody Harrelson. I know he has been in a lot of ridiculous movies, but I think his serious roles are some of the best acting that exists out there. And Brie Larson brought the character of Jeannette to life perfectly. The thing I love about this story is that it really shows people, in a compassionate way, that even people who from the outside have had a "bad" childhood or a "bad" life cannot be categorized quite so easily. Even "bad" childhoods have the capability to be sprinkled with intense joy and love.Atypical
8.5/10
Netflix
Atypical is actually not a movie: it's a Netflix original television series, and I am seriously loving it. It's about this teen boy on the autism spectrum who decides he's ready to start dating, and the show focuses on him and his family. It sounds a little like a been-there-done-that plot line, but it's actually really unique and interesting. I love all of the characters and think they are written beautifully, in a way that makes each personality unique and likable. My favorite character is probably the sister. She's so cool and admirable, and the relationship between her and Sam (the main character) is so adorable and endearing. I also love Sam and I like the depth he is given. Oftentimes, characters with special needs or a diagnosis are kind of made to be a caricature of the symptoms of their diagnosis instead of being fully fleshed out humans, but this series does a good job of making him a well rounded character who is both likable, but difficult to understand because of his social differences. This show is also just downright hilarious. I love that it points out how ridiculous "neuro-typicals" can be, and the writing is just so funny to me that I actually laughed out loud a couple of times, and it takes a lot for me to laugh out loud at a movie/TV show! Hopefully this show is well enough received to get the go ahead for a second season, because it was well worth the watch and I'm already missing the world of Atypical!VaughnDL
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