Frozen

Just when I was starting to worry about Disney's success and the overall quality of this year's animated features, along comes Frozen, a complete knock out from beginning to end.

Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) are as close as two sisters can be. That is until Elsa's power to freeze everything accidentally hurts her sister. She locks herself away from her sister for years, only to be seen by her sister during Elsa's ceremony of becoming queen. After panicking and causing more destruction, Elsa takes off to the mountains, locking out everyone and inadvertently causes her town to become a permanent Winter wonderland. Anna is determined to reunite with her sister and get her to break the icy conditions with the help of Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his reindeer, and a jolly snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad) whose biggest dream in life is to experience the Summertime.

The music in Frozen is so catchy and wonderful it's one of the few movies with a soundtrack I would listen to from beginning to end. Every character gets a chance to belt it out, some noteworthy voices include Kristen Bell's and Josh Gad's. But the real knockout performer is Idina Menzel as Elsa who really knocks it out of the park with "Let it Go", the movie's peak of songs. It really represents everything Frozen is about and it's the music the academy should be taking notes on.

I really enjoyed all of the characters and their dynamics as well. You've seen versions of these characters before but these feels especially unique and heartwearming. The dynamic between the two sisters and the love they share for each other is shown in similar but contrasting ways; one wants to push the other away for her safety, the other wants to reunite for her safety. There's some good messages about true love in here as well depicted with Anna's shortlived engagement with another prince (whose intentions turn to be less then noble). And though Olaf's character seems to be just comic relief based on the previews, his later scenes will melt your heart as well.

Frozen is a beauty from the inside out. The animation is so stunning and involving you feel like you're in the snow with the characters. The movie has great humor with Anna's quirkiness and awkward tendencies to say everything wrong. And Olaf's pluck and joy is pitch perfect comedic relief as well. Frozen even manages to warm the heart with the bond of sisterhood. This isn't a movie with a ton of villians to overcome; it's acceptance with the differences of those that you love. Frozen is magic.

Grade: 4/4

We're the Millers

I wanted to enjoy We're the Millers a lot more then I actually did. There's great effort put here and you can tell the actors had a blast making it as the four playing the family gave it their A game, but sadly We're the Millers falls short due to inconsistent humor and a choppy tone.

David (Jason Sudeikis) is an amateur drug dealer going nowhere. He soon gets a chance from his boss to make bank. All he has to do is sneak across the country and transport back across a ton of weed. In order to avoid suspicion, he forms a "family" to join him, including the sassy stripper; Rose (Jennifer Aniston), sarcastic and homeless; Casey (Emma Roberts), and the shy virgin; Kenny (Will Poulter).

The four give it a valiant effort, but sadly the material they're given to work with isn't up to game. I found the humor to be quite luke-warm overall. Certain scenes are quite hillarious (the charades scene and weed baby battle) but a lot of others just don't measure up, especially when We're the Millers shoots for the shock/gross value (the wife-swapping & crooked cop scenes). They just don't work and it's a shame considering that We're the Millers can be quite hillarious when the humor hits the right note.

The tone is another big problem with We're the Millers. For about 85% percent of the movie, the characters overall couldn't care less about each other and can't seem to stand each other. But as most comedies with sitcom-ish tones go (seriously, all this one needed was a laugh track), it wraps up everything in a nice little package two seconds later but I never bought it. There wasn't a smooth enough transition or middle period as things start getting a bit warmer in attitude. This is one of the many comedies where the strength lies in the harder edged material.

We're the Millers wasn't a terrible movie. The performances are fun to watch and there are quite a few funny moments but sadly there isn't enough of them as We're the Millers doesn't feel like a feature length movie such as an overextended sitcom that tries to do to much at once. This can be admirable in some cases but in this case, We're the Millers just feels like a bumpy ride.

Grade: 2/4

Philomena

Judi Dench is so wonderful as Philomena that not receiving an Oscar nomination for her work would be as big of a screw job as the one her character receives. Dench plays Philomena, a good-natured, Catholic woman with so many questions about the son that was taken away from her by the Catholic church. She's spent 50 years wanting to reunite with her son, and when she meets a journalist named Martin (Steve Coogan) she just might get her chance to get her answers to who her son really is.

One of my favorite things about Philomena is the dynamic between Judi Dench and Steve Coogan's characters. Their dynamic is so perfect, natural, and charming you would swear the two characters (or even the two actors) have known each other forever, I certainly could have watched them forever. It's such a yin yang dynamic with Philomena's purity versus Martin's sarcasm and sting yet the two blend in a way you wouldn't see coming. They couldn't be more different yet their journey to the answers couldn't be more enjoyable. Dench is as stellar as being sweet as Coogan is as being sour.

Philomena's journey is so heartbreaking and involving you'll follow the two characters' path like a roller coaster. What they find out will punch the viewer in the gut yet also will hit your funny bone along the way. Philomena involves all senses in the journey due to the warmth, humor, and sheer fascination I had in her story. Philomena is a knock-out.

Grade: 4/4

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Anyone going into this thinking, "Once is a blessing, twice is a curse" will be knocked back as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is excellent. Things may be getting a bit shittier in Katniss' world but nothing has gone to Hell in the quality of this entry.

Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), the winners of the previous Hunger Games, are in for far from a welcome home after their victory. In fact, due to Katniss' rebeliousness towards the government, defiance towards the rules, and her and Peeta's combined effort to commit suicide to end the last games, things are much more chaotic on the home land as the hope spread from these players' actions is being spread to the towns who feel they no longer have to live this way. Long story short, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and the Hunger Games' creator; Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) want her dead, they plan to achieve this by sending the two victors', and two victors from every other district to a semi-finals battle of the winners Hunger Games. But Katniss is far from going down without a fight, even when she comes to realize that the scariest things out there are everything outside of the Hunger Games.

Jennifer Lawrence once again is on fire as Katniss. She's brave, heroic, humorous, rootable, and she feels like a very authentic character, you'll go with her through anything. Donald Sutherland and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (a great new addition) shine as the villians, their menace and devious plans are far more chilling then the actual games. Also noteworthy new additions are Finnick (played by Sam Clafin with a devious, mysterious charm) and Johanna (played with agression, fun, and grit by Jena Melone) as fellow competitors who team up with Katniss and Peeta. I can't say I was terribly impressed with Josh Hutcherson as Peeta. I can't tell if it's the performance or the actual character but I find his part a terribly bland piece in a stock romance. I would say the romantic element of The Hunger Games is probably my least favorite part and probably the only reason why I would say the first in the series was a tad stronger considering it featured less of it.

Catching Fire has a similar set-up to the first. The first half is dedicated to getting things ready for the battle and the tension is amped up in this one due to the events in the first. The political, moral, and social evil in the first half is actually quite chilling as everyone seems to act without a mind of their own; almost groupspeak.

The set-up leads towards most viewers' favorite half of the movie; the actual games. And they definitely don't disappoint. These scenes are amazing, thrilling as the tension feels amped up this time. The scenes with the violent monkeys, tear gas, and spinning platform are every movie junkie's amped up fantasy.

And though I'm usually not a fan of cliffhanger endings, Catching Fire ends with a bang. Though you don't know where this bang will lead, you don't care as Catching Fire effectively takes the viewer from one journey to the next heart racing and pulse pounding.

Grade: 3/4

The Way Way Back

I feel like the "lost teenager that finds their way over a Summer" types of movies are becoming more and more common but damn it The Way Way Back is so charming and funny I couldn't help but to love it.

Duncan (Liam James) is a severely lonely and unhappy teenager whose growing resentment towards his mother's boyfriend Trent (Steve Carrell), his mother Pam's (Toni Collette) either total indifference or blindness towards the unfair treatment are sending him further down a hole into depression. That is until he meets Owen (Sam Rockwell), a carefree and light-hearted water park owner who just wants to break Owen out of his shell. This is the Summer that will change everything for him.

All of the performances are spot on. Liam James is very likeable, rootable, and downright vulnerable as Duncan. Steve Carrell proves he can be quite the effective asshole, relentlessly bringing down Duncan like all of the typical douchebag stepdads do. Allison Janney was also quite hillarious as the oversexed and overdrinking neighbor who gets some of the best scenes thanks to her no bullshit attitude and insensitivity towards her son's lazy eye. Sam Rockwell is easily the best part of this movie, he's the heart and soul delivered perfectly.


There's such a sincerity to this movie and I loved it. It isn't the most original movie by far but the characters are great, the situations ring true and though things get serious there isn't a lack of humor due to the clever writing and pitch-perfect performances. The Way Way Back proves that even if you're taking a journey that has a predicted path, if it's solid, you'll have fun and love the ride no matter what.

3/4

The To Do List

It probably shouldn't have worked as well as it did, but damn it I loved The To Do List. It goes for the sexual gusto and more often then not it hits the sweet spot. Aubrey Plaza is perfect as Brandy, the academic nerd who knows about everything but anything physical, her sheer cluelessness is terribly endearing and often hillarious. Rachel Bilson also hits gold as her nasty, blunt, and unfiltered sister Amber, one of her many guides along her sexual journey. The movie actually reminds me of American Pie one those gone wild sex comedies with a hidden, sincere message about love and the opposite sex hidden a bit deeper. And though things start to get sappy when the moral realization occurs due to love triangle between the good natured nerd and the empty-headed stud, The To Do List has enough humor and fun to get you through the limp dicked moral epiphany.

3/4

12 Years a Slave

When I think of 12 Years a Slave, I think of fire. Everything from the screenplay, to the direction, to the tone, to the scorching performances reminds me of a flame being ignited.

12 Years a Slave is based on the depressing and horrifying true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) a musician who is tricked into thinking he being offered a large job opportunity when really he is being sold into slavery. His journey takes him along with Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o) a slave in a similar situation of being yanked from her family as both are sold from conniving and heartless slave master to slave master until they end up falling into the hands of Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) and his wife (Sarah Paulson) who would make any terrorist seem generous by comparison.

Every performance in this movie is Oscar worthy. Chiwetel Ejiofor will break your heart as Northup, the amount of expression and sheer bewilderment will drag the viewer down into his journey of Hell. Ejiofor's performance is so moving and powerful a few scenes alone of the actor's facial expressions say more then many can say with a whole script. If he doesn't win the Oscar I call sheer bullshit.

Everything I said about Chiwetel can be applied to Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey as well. I can't say I've seen her in any movies before but she demonstrates a mastery of strength, heartbreak and conviction as Patsey.

Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson are persuasively nasty and repulsive as the least caring masters the slaves belong to. Fassbender more notably dominates his scenes with his foul resentment. Though his character Edwin Epps can easily be labeled as a monster, other scenes also are effective with showing the more caring and hidden side as well such as the scenes involving his consequences of giving attention to Patsey and his wife's sheer hatred for her due to those reasons.

I hate to label this movie as entertaining due to the cruelness, death, and despair that occur throughout but through Steve McQueen's direction this is easily one you will be holding your breath for from beginning to end. I couldn't wait to see what happened next even though at times I wish I wasn't watching this as several scenes involving whippings, rape, and hangings make me wish I wasn't watching. McQueen wasn't going for just a plain History lesson this movie, he was aspiring to hit the nail in your brain, your heart, and your eyes. It's a clear level of mastery.

And just when you're worried that 12 Years a Slave will end sappy, the movie steers clear from sap. The last scene of Solomon reuniting with his loved ones is one of the most touching and heartbreaking scenes from a movie I've seen in a while. I was almost crying like a bitch as the credits were rolling. Kudos to everyone involved. 12 Years a Slave is a masterpiece and is easily the best film of 2013 I've seen.

4/4