slayde11

This film is ridiculously underrated!! Just incredibly fun, and flat-out entertaining from start to finish. Of course Xtina's voice is jaw-dropping, but that's not the only strong point. The music is fantastic, and the dance numbers are incredible. It's jam-packed with great-looking stars in sparkling, gorgeous attire. Think "Moulin Rouge," "Chicago," anything Bob Fosse. Sure, it revolves around a very simple "small town girl/big city" narrative. But I suspect it was the individual set pieces that were really meant to shine all along. Cher, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Bell, Cam Gigandet, Julianne Hough -- the whole cast really injects some heart. I was especially surprised and impressed with Aguillera's natural ability to improvise off the actors around her. This made some of the dialog feel more spirited and fresh than I would have otherwise expected. And those songs - they really stay with you. I truly loved this movie. To quote Tucci's character, "brava."

While this movie contains some comic elements, it is most certainly not a "comedy" -- but it is a very insightful and poignant movie. The plot device of a beaver puppet is used to convey the ways various characters (and hint - all of us) "dam up" crucial parts of themselves. And across the board, every performance is impressive -- from the tragically-late-and-great Anton Yelchin as elder son Porter, who would like to dissociate himself from Dad completely; to the always-brilliant Jodie Foster (also director) as a mom and wife at her wits' end; to the unexpectedly astonishing Mel Gibson as the two-in-one character of Walter Black and ... a beaver hand-puppet. Yes, Gibson is tasked with playing two completely different but oddly fused characters, most often in the same frame. He pulls off a flawless cockney accent; plus amusingly droll bits, incredibly poignant moments, and practically everything in between. A peculiar premise, maybe -- but a very, very good little film. Cherry Jones and Jennifer Lawrence round out the cast quite capably and engagingly.

Rarely have I ever been so uplifted and devastated by a single film over the course of 90 minutes. In my opinion, this movie is a masterwork of improvisation and calculated understatement. It illustrates the way young love can be absolutely overpowering; and how we can become intoxicated by the idea and memory of those early head-over-heels feelings, until we're no longer sure whether they're leading us forward or pulling us down. I think the way you ultimately feel about this story -- the ending in particular -- has much to do with what you project onto it, based upon your own experiences. I will say "Like Crazy" is an extremely apt title. It describes the swoon-worthy early stages of love ... yet also the painful, even damaging later stages where the urge to hold on and the desperate yearning to recapture can feel like (and possibly represent) a form of insanity. Extremely thoughtful, honest, well-calibrated performances by both leads and every supporting player. Just don't let the first act fool you -- this is NOT a feel-good movie throughout.

Apologies if this happens to offend certain highbrow critical sensibilities, but I haven't run across a movie that's (intentionally) made me laugh so hard in years. My husband and I rented this one thinking "Meh, the reviews weren't so great but let's give it a shot." So I guess I don't understand -- were we all watching the same flick?? I feel like reviewers calling it "sophomoric" and "ribald" and "frenzied" are utterly missing the point: that's exactly what it's going for, because it's turning every single decency-duty-and-honor scout cliche right on its head. I've been a horror fan for years, and thought I'd seen everything the (WAY) overplayed "zombie apocalypse" genre had to offer. This movie is absolutely fearless in its attempts to cook up the most screwball, gross-out, left-of-center scenarios imaginable -- and it has an absolute, unabashed ball serving them up. I dunno, I thought practically everything about this film was a riot ... and buried under all that mayhem is a sweet heart to boot. As a general reference point, I loved "Shaun of the Dead" and "Zombieland." This one delivered just as many action-packed scares and gross-outs, but made me laugh more.

This is an "end of human civilization" movie -- yet there's not a single zombie, or shape-shifting alien, or giant comet, or shiny spaceship, or splatter of blood to be found. Instead, it's a very quiet, deliberately-paced human study about the nature of loneliness, the fragility of trust, the notion of faith, and the way simple human jealousy and emotion and unravel the most triumphant steps toward progress. Brilliant, brilliant performances all around, plus an ending that's haunting and heartbreaking on multiple levels. If you're looking for pulse-pounding, fast-paste action this is NOT your cup of tea ... and that's NOT the kind of movie it's trying to be. Watching these superb actors express three or four conflicting emotions all at once -- with a simple nod, or touch, or glance away -- was mesmerizing enough for me. A stellar and troubling film that stays with you.

This is a stellar gem of a film. Deeply moving and just brimming with heart and soul, The Water Diviner is a film about gut-wrenching loss, perseverance, hope and fractured, imperfect redemption. Its themes are universal; its cinematography is striking; its score is both subtle and breathtaking; and its lead performances are poignant and spot-on. Whatever may be said about the accuracy and/or omission of certain details and events, the story at its heart is about a quest driven by the purest and most powerful form of love. It also serves as a cautionary commentary about the horrors and futility of war; and an uplifting testament to the fire and resilience of the human spirit. Exquisitely stirring and thought-provoking from beginning to end.

As a longtime horror movie fan, I've come to realize that what can often make or break a horror film is the degree of human insight its writers have infused into the screenplay. The best genre filmmakers aren't so much interested in delivering cheap jump scares as they are in holding up a mirror, and then gradually, inexorably peeling away our manufactured layers of security. For me, "Spring" represents an amazing achievement because its underlying character dynamics are believable enough that the film could almost stand on its own (as a very close cousin to "Before Sunrise") without the horror element. But what an awesome, disturbing, and ultimately heartwrenching jolt that added horror element provides. The story itself may push our boundaries of believability, but the two leads absolutely sell it in the most subtle yet intentional of ways. A true throwback to '70s era horror as well, where viewers were trusted to observe and consider and patiently wait for the chills to wash over them. Plus, the added bonus (and visual counterpoint) of beautifully idyllic locales and breathtaking photography. See this film.

Great soundtrack which, for some insane reason, wasn't released by the studio. Weird move, because that's one of the best parts about this movie. I wouldn't say it's bad; it's just a pretty blatant reboot of Single White Female from the 90s. Main difference is that the "crazy roommate" is presented as crazy right from the beginning, and the "sane roommate" is so laid-back and chill that she's kind of blah (and makes you wonder how she could possibly overlook what's so screamingly obvious to everybody around her). So really, it's tough to sympathize with either character. Then Cam Gigandet shows up and adds some nice humor and sarcasm, but there again -- wish they would have intensified his relationship with Minka Kelly a bit more. These two share a few quickie smooches and an extremely PG-rated "love scene" that makes the relationship feel a lot more cool and casual than the writers may have intended. Okay, not necessarily a major problem ... until we're asked to buy into the fact that the guy would put his life on the line for this chick. Not trying to trash the movie by any means. It's worth a watch; the characters themselves just could have been written a little edgier. And the studio should have released that soundtrack.

I did not expect to enjoy this movie, and was quite pleasantly surprised. Cam Gigandet breathes some sweetly understated, authentic life into reflective and humbled main character Jake, who sets out to disprove the validity of astrology and makes some nicely unexpected connections of his own along the way. Jena Malone is a standout in everything she does, and these two play off each other in uniquely redeeming ways. Patricia Belcher makes the most of some very limited screen time by injecting her signature brand of sarcastic sass. Decent production values and a surprisingly good soundtrack combine to deliver an overlooked gem of a movie that will prompt some viewers to ponder, and a good many others to hope. Excellent work all around. Mr. Gigandet should (under)play the good guy much more often -- it seems to suit him well.

This is one of the most captivating and affecting film adaptations of a stage musical I've seen! As a word of caution, do NOT presume that because the plot is based upon "interwoven fairy tales" this is intended to be a feel-good kids' movie. Acquaint yourself with the (excellent) 3-hour Sondheim musical and you'll soon realize that the aim of this story is to explore what occurs *beyond* the happy endings. The events of the second half are dark, yes; but the overall message is hopeful (listen to the words of the movie's final two songs). Certain changes and omissions were necessary to get the film version down to a palatable running length, and huge fans of the stage musical may be put off by some of these. Personally, though, I feel that they were appropriate given the totally different demands of each medium. I was blown away by the performances and the amazing vocal talents of the cast as a whole. The actors pulled off those notoriously intricate Sondheim arrangements beautifully -- and there are many moments of humor to lighten the mood. In particular, Chris Pine as the "charming-not-sincere" prince gave an especially funny, tongue-in-cheek performance. This movie is a reflection of life itself with a magical fairy tale twist: colorful, touching, energetic, humorous, sad, ultimately uplifting and so very, very well done.