Blue Jasmine Review

Blue Jasmine

3.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

The annual Woody Allen film is here, and thankfully, it's a great one. Bolstered by the superb Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine is his most powerful and resonant work in years.

The To Do List Review

The To Do List

2.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Finally, we get a perverted teen sex comedy from the female perspective in The To Do List. How does it fare? For the most part, this is a funny, inventive, and fresh comedy that entertains with its mix of smarts and raunch.

Movie 43 Review

Movie 43

2 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

I mustered the courage to check out Movie 43, the film that some critics are positing as one of the worst films of all time. Thus, I already had my doubts going into Movie 43. However, I was quite surprised when it was over. Don't get me wrong -- this is not a "good" movie in the slightest. But is it as terrible as everyone says? No. Movie 43 "misses" way more than it "hits," but it is so tasteless, crude, in-your-face, and unashamedly wild that you have to sorta admire this mess of a film.

The Conjuring Review

The Conjuring

3.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Nothing will prepare you for The Conjuring. This is a miracle of a horror film, stripped of the all too common blood, guts, gore, and CGI that are so typical in today's horror movies. It's an ode to old-fashioned haunted house and demonic possession films. However, it's retro style shouldn't cause you to dismiss it or take it lightly. The Conjuring is the creepiest and scariest horror movie in years.

Fruitvale Station Review

Fruitvale Station

3.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Fruitvale Station is the most powerful and important film thus far in 2013. It's a small little indie that is an absolute knockout. It deserves all the praise that it's been receiving and then some. It will be a heavy contender at the 2014 Academy Awards, for sure, because it hits you in the gut and moves you in ways that are beyond comprehension. 

Pacific Rim Review

Pacific Rim

3 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Humongous sea monsters versus ginormous metal robots -- so is the premise of Pacific Rim. Fanboys and those of the geeky nature are probably drooling at the mouth. Their biggest dream has come true. Everyone else has probably lost faith in cinema. Never fear, cinephiles, for Pacific Rim is (gasp!) actually great.

Upside Down Review

Upside Down

2 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Upside Down is one of the most stunningly original and refreshingly imaginative sci-fi films to come out in recent memory. Its filled with some of the most impressive imagery I've seen in a long time. Unfortunately, an incredible concept and slick visuals cannot overshadow the disappointing screenplay.

Upside Down begins by introducing Adam (Jim Sturgess), a regular guy living in a spectacular universe. He explains the nature of his side of the solar system, where there exists two twin planets that mirror each other. Adam lives on the lower planet, Down. It's a rather shabby and rundown place, where the people are poor but content. The higher planet, Up, is rich and prosperous. It consists of upscale cities instead of ugly little towns. The people of Down often wonder what it is like at Up -- how the people live and what it must be like to experience luxury. However, human interaction between these two planets is impossible, both figuratively and literally. For one, Up's government will incarcerate those who trespass and interact with the higher citizens. And second, the two planets have separate systems of gravity. If someone from Down were to find some way to get to Up, he or she would experience some challenges. This person would have to find a way to flip upside down to be on the same level as the citizens of Up, and he or she would also need to find a way to beat the friction of air and gravity, for it will burn the opposing planet's citizen to a crisp because of two opposing, dissonant forces of nature.

After all of the ground rules are set up, we learn more about Adam and the love of his life, Eden (Kirsten Dunst). Of course, he's from Down, and Eden lives at Up. The two met at these two mountain peaks, where the two planets nearly meet. They conversed while they were teenagers and continued to see each other for many years. Eventually, they fell in love and wanted to be together, even though the universe literally wouldn't allow them to do so. Unfortunately, an incident occurred where the two separated and never saw each other again. Ten years later, Adam sees Eden on the television and realizes that he must find a way to be with her again. He comes across a job at TransWorld, the big corporation that connects the two planets, and of course, it's also the place where Eden works. Thus begins Adam's journey to find a way to transcend space and gravity to be with the love of his life, even though physical forces are working against him.

As you can tell, Upside Down establishes one crazy complex universe filled to the brim with dense science and fantasy. However, it's not too hard to follow along with the ground rules, especially because of Adam's extensive -- if somewhat annoying and way too obvious -- introductory voiceover. And right from the get-go, I noticed a problem with Upside Down. Writer-director Juan Solanas is proving problematic. Writer Solanas is hindering the brilliance of director Solanas.

Solanas the director has a keen eye for imaginative visuals. The way that he presents these two mirrored planets is stunningly gorgeous. It's weird to see Adam right side up and Eden upside down, but it's never disorienting. And surprisingly, it's not annoying. It simply entrances you and creates this hyper-surreal universe that is so extraordinary to behold. Even the CGI effects are extremely impressive, especially considering that this film was shot on a $50 million dollar budget, as opposed to some other slick sci-fi films that are made for well over $100 or $200 million. Solanas always finds beauty within each frame and creates a truly compelling world that sparks wonder and occasionally takes your breath away.

Even though the visuals are consistently brilliant, the storytelling in Upside Down is shoddy. Solanas the writer has a couple of things going against him -- he establishes so much and explores too little. He spends so much time setting up this fascinating universe but never delves deeply into it. It would have been interesting to see more complexity involving the class systems of these two planets, but much of what is presented is so obvious that the audience could have deducted the relationship without extensive on-the-nose dialogue and voice-over. The film drags during the middle, as it becomes a little repetitious and predictable. It lacks the surprises and fascination of the beginning. And then, the film takes some serious missteps towards the end. What should be exciting and thrilling and romantic ends up feeling way too rushed. Solanas ties up plot points so quickly and hurtles so fast towards a cheap and ultimately unfulfilling conclusion that he forgets to flesh out the story and the characters with meaning. It makes it hard to care for what happens when he takes his time in the middle, and then just darts off at the end. The film is a mix of being too long and not being long enough, and it's frustrating that he or another screenwriter couldn't have polished up the script and made it tighter, deeper, and more focused.

Perhaps Solanas' biggest mistake is his approach to the core matter at hand: Adam and Eden's relationship. Here, he has two brilliant actors who bring their A-game and then some. Sturgess is charming and likable and so utterly convincing at really selling this complex universe. Then, Dunst is stunning as always with her soft sincerity, warm facial expression, and deep delivery. Sturgess and Dunst really do have great chemistry. We want them to be together and want them to beat gravity itself. However, we want this relationship to succeed because of the actors and not the characters. Solanas doesn't bring much depth to his characters, and surprisingly, there isn't as much interaction between the two characters as there should be. They spend so much time apart from each other that when they do have time together, it feels rather jarring because the characters and their relationship isn't well-established enough. Surely Solanas was blessed with incredible actors who are willing to do anything, but he doesn't give them enough to do. It's really sad.

Ultimately, Upside Down is a rather large disappointment. I really wanted to love this movie so much. (If you haven't seen the trailer yet, you must. It astonished me and instantly made this film one of my top most anticipated films of the year). However, it falls flat too often. For every spectacular visual sequence, there exists some boring dialogue. For every short instance of beautiful romance, there exists bloated scenes of our protagonists in frustrating solitude. As a visual director, Solanas proves to be a refreshing and unique talent. As a writer, he proves to be lackluster -- the brilliant ideas are there, but he can't gel them together. Upside Down is unique and original and fascinating, but it falls beneath the weight of its ambitions. It has so much promise but often falls short. Maybe give it a chance if you can forgive the writing and simply take in a refreshing sci-fi/romance drama with jaw-dropping images. However, for the rest of us, we might have to wait a while for a film that will truly deliver on every account. Two stars out of four.

Identity Thief Review

Identity Thief

2 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Identity Thief is the movie that every critic seems to love to hate. Well, I finally saw this financially successful film. Is it as bad as everyone says? No. In fact, it's a lot better than I expected. However, that still doesn't make it a particularly good film either.

Sandy Patterson (Jason Reitman) is the father and husband who exudes normalcy. He has a beautiful wife (Amanda Peet) and two wonderful daughters. He works a rather safe but unsatisfactory office job in financing. His boss (Jon Favreau) is a complete jerk who undermines his employees and takes bigger paychecks for himself. Despite a poor work environment, Sandy is content with his life. Then, something terrible happens: his identity is stolen. He finds that his credit cards are maxing out in Florida, even though he lives in Colorado. He soon discovers that Diana (Melissa McCarthy), an insane and conniving woman, is the one responsible for this madness -- the madness that risks both his job and his financial well-being. Thus, Sandy sets off for Florida to retrieve Diana and bring her to Colorado in hopes that she will confess of her crimes. 

Identity Thief is problematic largely because of Craig Mazin's faulty script. The film combines two sects of the comedy genre: the buddy comedy and the road trip adventure. Sandy and Diana find themselves in all sorts of crazy situations while on their trip. As they spend more time with each other, they learn more about themselves and ignite a sort of strange friendship. Combining these two narrative elements is completely fine. There's nothing wrong with that. The problem, though, resides in the fact that Identity Thief just isn't that funny. There are a few laughs to be had, but they don't come often enough. The film is sometimes amusing and occasionally entertaining. But funny? Not really.

Much of the humor in this screenplay falls flat. For example, one of the running jokes in the film is that Sandy is a girl's name, and therefore, it's funny that a dude is named Sandy. Are you laughing yet? I wasn't. Sure, it's okay to poke fun at the name once or twice, but the fact that the characters mention the girliness of Sandy's name every few minutes is just plain ridiculous. Throughout Identify Thief, we get multiple jokes that are recycled repeatedly throughout the film, which ultimately makes the film grow stale and unoriginal.

Another major problem with the script is the length. The film is nearly two hours long but feels much longer than that -- especially during the slog that is the middle. Seriously, a solid 15 or 20 minutes could have easily been removed from the movie, and Identity Thief would have moved along better. In fact, trimming the film might have even made it stronger. When you're watching this film, you'll feel as if you're going on this road trip with these nutcases in real time. That's not good.

Despite a less-than-stellar screenplay, the actors in this film do their absolute most to sell this movie as best they can. Once again, Melissa McCarthy nails every single scene -- her comedic timing impeccable, her physical comedy sensational, and her sheer effort valiant. She even masters the awkwardly placed emotional scenes in the movie, where she has to ball and sob and breakdown amidst all this chaos. It's a truly wonderful performance, one that deserves better than this movie.

Jason Bateman is also solid. He has a nice chemistry with McCarthy, and the fruition of their characters' friendship is genuinely charming. However, I feel that Bateman is underutilized here. His character is never as funny as he could be, and thus, Bateman doesn't truly get to show off all of his impressive comedic skills. This is a good performance, but it could have been better if he was given more to do.

Credit should be given to director Seth Gordon for developing a lovely and occasionally touching friendship between his two main characters. He handles this budding relationship deftly and injects the film -- especially the end -- with true warmth. However, the rest of Seth's directorial choices are iffy. The action is never as exciting or zippy as it could be. The comedy can go from hilarious to flat in a matter of seconds. The whole film feels like it's a mish-mash of good ideas that never quite click together. I suppose that Gordon tries to make this film work, but he stumbles more often than he succeeds.

From its lazy jokes to its gaping plotholes (someone please explain to me exactly why the mobsters and thugs are chasing after Diana, and what their motivations are), Identity Thief fails to deliver. It's a shame because this film could have been great. After all, when you have McCarthy and Bateman in a single movie, it's bound to soar. However, Identity Thief barely lands with a thud. Two stars out of four.

The Call Review

The Call

2.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

The Call is a fun little thriller. If you can forgive its gigantic flaw, you'll enjoy the ride.

The Call follows Jordan (Halle Berry), an experienced 911 operator with a knack for handling stressful situations with wisdom and strength. Until one fateful day -- that day when her poor decisions during a particularly chaotic call lead to dire consequences. This shakes up Jordan and causes her to reevaluate her career. Soon, she finds that she can no longer be a 911 operator. However, she can teach the newbies how to do their jobs because she knows exactly what must be done in order to be successful. Then, a call comes in that changes everything. Casey (Abigail Breslin) is trapped in the trunk of a mad man's car. She cannot be traced because she is calling from a TracFone, and time is running out. Here is when Jordan must step up to the plate. She must save this young girl's life and make sure that justice is served before it's too late.

So, The Call isn't the most complex thriller in the world. In fact, it's pretty simple and straightforward. However, just because it's simple doesn't mean that it's dumb. This is an exciting and gripping thriller that is well executed. Director Brad Anderson keeps the film moving at a blistering pace. He understands how to propel the action forward and knows how to make the film riveting without being overwhelming. Even the procedural aspects of the film -- which could have been boring -- have a nice engaging energy about them. Anderson overcomes the hurtles of occasional poor and simplistic writing by constantly driving momentum and never loosing a sense of fun.

Kudos to the actors for really bringing their A-game for each scene. Halle Berry is excellent. Even though she's sitting at a desk and talking on the phone for much of the movie, she commands the screen. She grabs our attention and brings an intensity that is unrelenting. Abigail Breslin is terrific in a fairly difficult role. She is basically trapped in a trunk and in confined spaces for much of the movie, but she conveys terror ever so well. She screams and quivers with such realism, when it could have been so easy for her to go too over-the-top. And Michael Eklund is sensational as the crazy kidnapper. He's absolutely terrifying but still remains believable. Eklund could have easily played his role in a stereotypical fashion -- screaming, yelling, bugging eyes, and all the tics of being psychotic -- but he doesn't. He adds something more to his character, so that when we learn more about him, we find him all the more fascinating and fleshed out.

The Call starts off wonderfully. For the first two acts of the film, we are glued to the screen. We are mesmerized by the unpredictable nature of the film, and we go along with the smartly plotted action. The acts are intense and suspenseful and hit every note right. In fact, it's first two acts are nearly flawless. And then that final act kicks in...

The crazy and bizarre third act feels like it belongs in a completely different film. The Call changes from a fun thriller to a straight-up horror film. I don't wish to give too much away, but it feels like The Silence of the Lambs. Jordan ends up at a creepy location, and after much action comes the nutty reveals. These gigantic revelations are absolutely bananas. Sure, the motivation for the kidnapper's actions is very creepy and truly fascinating. However, every other aspect of this last act feels derivative and cheap. It is filled with every horror cliche in the book. And then that ending comes along, which is so stupid that you'll be staring at the credits in disbelief as to what you just watched. It's an incredibly disappointing ending for such an otherwise fine film. If The Call changed its final act into something more clever and something more akin to its first two acts, it would have been one of the best and one of the most satisfying thrillers of the year. Talk about a letdown.

Just because the final act goes a little too wacko for its own good doesn't mean that The Call is a bad film. It's actually a pretty good one. It's exciting and thrilling and surprising. It definitely gets the job done by getting your heart pumping and your blood flowing. So, my advice to those of you who haven't seen it yet but plan to: watch this movie with low expectations. Prepare yourself for a bad final act. Just go along for the ride, and I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by how much fun this movie is. Two and a half stars out of four.

The Heat Review

The Heat

3 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

The Heat is here to prove to all the male-dominated buddy-cop comedies that women can do it just as good as the boys.

The Heat tells the story of two very different ladies. Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is an uptight FBI agent who is the best at what she does, but because of her cocky and intense personality, she does not work well with others. Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) is a cop who might be crazy. She uses extremely violent tactics to take down bad guys and curses enough to make a hardcore rapper blush. Of course, she doesn't work well with others either. Then comes the day when Ashburn and Mullins -- two polar opposites who hate each other -- must come to their senses and work together to take down a powerful drug lord. In the process, they learn more about each other and bond in a strange fashion, becoming an unlikely duo with much at stake.

The Heat mainly works because of the following reason: McCarthy. Melissa McCarthy is one of the finest comedic actresses of her generation and proves it with what might be her best performance yet. Here, she proves just how brilliant and fearless of a comic she is. She can take a single joke about her boss' genitals and make a running gag out of it that is hysterical. She can make a physical interrogation scene involving a handgun and a bullet absolutely riotous. She can do physical comedy like no other, with her awkward running and fighting techniques inducing some belly-laughs. And what's most impressive is her verbal comedic skills. She curses a mile-a-minute and delivers punchlines with such tremendous gusto that you'll die laughing. Her improvisational skills are through-the-roof on top of it all. McCarthy is truly a gem who gives 110% with everything that she does, and she is what makes the movie a blast.

All of this isn't meant to discredit Bullock, who is nearly equal to McCarthy. Bullock is almost reprising her role as the tough cop in Miss Congeniality but reinvents herself enough to stay fresh. Bullock is a master of awkward physical and verbal humor. She makes uncomfortable facial expressions and delivers her lines in a dead-pan fashion that is hilarious. She is a more subtle comedic actress and isn't quite as showy as the scene-stealing McCarthy. Nevertheless, she is excellent in this film as well.

Director Paul Feig directs The Heat with a knack for humor and comedic timing. He knows when to amp up the jokes and when to dial them down. He knows when is the appropriate moment for his actors to improv and go off-the-rails. He understands these characters well and develops a surprisingly touching friendship between Ashburn and Mullins that is effective without being hokey. All of this proves how well Feig works with his actors and how strong he is at drawing out spectacular performances.

What surprised me the most about The Heat is its action. I thought it might be stupid and dumbed-down, but it's actually very well-done. Feig directs some interesting set pieces that pack a punch while sustaining both humor and tension. There are some slightly shocking, violent moments that are very entertaining. So, mixed in with the humor is some surprisingly fun action that is lacking in so many of today's female-led comedies.

Despite all of the great things going on with The Heat, I thought to myself after it was finished, "Would this movie have been successful if McCarthy and Bullock weren't starring in it?" The answer is no. Katie Dippold's script has a lot of good things going for it: it mixes dirty humor with wild action and surprising heart regarding female relationships. However, is it perfect? No. It's a little too long and could have used some trimming. 2 hours for a comedy? I don't think that's really necessary. Deserving of more scrutiny is some of the jokes -- on occasion, they are neither fresh nor funny. McCarthy and Bullock really sell the majority of these lines, but if they weren't the lead actresses in the film, the whole movie would have really fallen apart and been a subpar comedy. Less talented and less fearless actresses would have undoubtedly failed with the comedic timing and delivery. Thank goodness for a blessed cast because without these two hilarious women, The Heat would have been a letdown.

While The Heat isn't the funniest comedy of the year, it's a really great one that consistently delivers. The gags are hilarious, and the ensemble cast -- including some of the comic actors in smaller roles -- is sensationally funny. Most impressively, the chemistry between McCarthy and Bullock is some of the best I've ever seen in a comedy. Overall, this is superbly-acted, finely-directed film that deserves to be seen. It's a great time. Three stars out of four.

The Bling Ring Review

The Bling Ring

3.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

The most unsettling and disturbing film I've seen in a while is The Bling Ring. It's a fascinating, thought-provoking, and brilliantly executed film that got under my skin and kept me thinking for days. 

Inspired by the recent true story, The Bling Ring follows a group of "Generation Y" Los Angelenos who successfully robbed celebrities' homes of clothes, jewelry, accessories, and cash. I'm sure for some of you -- especially those of the same generation as them -- these kids will sound familiar. You know, those kids fueled by materialism and hedonism. The ones who take "selfies" every couple of seconds and instantly upload them to Facebook. The ones who proudly call each other "sluts" and "whores" in an endearing fashion. The ones whose motto is "YOLO." The ones who don't give a damn about what their parents think. Yup, The Bling Ring is about those troubled, spoiled brats who live life on the edge -- and live dangerously at that -- while not even thinking about the consequences of their idiotic actions.

Rebecca (Katie Chang) is the ringleader of the group, the one who organizes the robberies and convinces the others to join her for nights of wild fun. Marc (Israel Broussard) is the sexually ambiguous new kid in town, the only boy of the group, and the only one with a good head on his shoulders. Unfortunately, Rebecca pulls him into this dark world and forces him to join her. Along for the ride is also Chloe (Claire Julien) and Sam (Taissa Farmiga), two dangerous little firecrackers who get a little too crazy for their own good. And of course there's also Nicki (Emma Watson), the ridiculous fame-obsessed girl who sweet-talks her way through everything to get what she wants. The film follows their successive nights of burglaries and robberies. But it doesn't stop there. It also shows these teens' follow-up stories after they've been arrested, and how their lives have changed as a result of their suddenly found fame as notorious little criminals.

Writer-director Sofia Coppola's fifth film is her most accomplished work yet. This is a stunningly well-made film that packs a punch. Everything about The Bling Ring is precise and intricate. She holds shots for an almost uncomfortable length of time. She keeps the camera distant from her actors and thus distances her audience from her subjects. This forces us to observe first, then feel later. Her camera movements, such as her slow dolly shots, are all intentional. She uses a wide variety of cameras -- security cameras to show us the action and webcams to shed light on the characters' personalities and self-obsession. Her editing is purposefully fragmented and disjointed in an effective manner. Everything about Coppola's direction is remarkable. She is a truly talented filmmaker.

What is perhaps Coppola's most extraordinary and bold decision as a filmmaker is the presentation of her characters. Coppola doesn't really flesh them out. We don't know much about their psychological states of being, or what drives them to do what they do. They are shallow and empty shells. Most of them have similar personalities, with some of them being nearly interchangeable. Ultimately, many people are complaining that The Bling Ring fails because we can't connect with these hooligans. I wholeheartedly disagree with those who berate Coppola's characters because I find them to be brilliant.

What made me appreciate Coppola's characters is that they stand for something greater: "Generation Y," itself. Coppola has keen insight on what people think about this generation. She understands that people see "Generation Y" as vapid, reckless, tasteless, and immoral. This is a generation that isn't defined by personality as much as it is by technology. Facebook profiles -- whether they are legitimate or fictionalized -- have come to define today's youth. This generation's obsession with celebrities and fame has caused it to mimic or emulate superstars, and in the process, has marginalized individuality. So even though these are not deep characters, they are compelling ones. They are disturbing representations of today's youth and of today's Hollywood-obsessed culture.

I found the characters -- and ultimately the entire film itself -- to be highly unnerving because they hit a little too close to home. I know girls who talk exactly like the girls of The Bling Ring -- girls who curse liberally and say the most derogatory profane things to others. I know guys and gals who are a little too obsessed with their images -- from their bodies to their clothing -- who spend more time in front of the mirror than with other humans. I know people who brag a little too much about how wasted they got or how hungover they are, simply to posit their badass status. And for these reasons, The Bling Ring's characters and writing are brilliant. Coppola's script is spot-on because her dialogue is true to the vernacular of the youth generation of today. Kudos to all of these talented young actors for delivering spectacular performances. Chang's blank and icy delivery is chilling. Farmiga injects some suspenseful danger into the film. Julien nails it as the bad girl. Broussard makes his character both pathetic and sympathetic and draws us into the most relatable character in the film. And last but not least, Watson is phenomenal. She sheds her British accent and is completely convincing as the airhead "valley girl." She  understands the humor of the film and truly hams up the ridiculousness of her character while remaining realistic.

Even though I'm really emphasizing how unconventionally scary I found this film to be, I commend Coppola for not really taking a side on the story. She's not condemning the real Bling Ring, nor is she making light of them. She simply tells the story without judgment and allows the viewers to draw their own conclusions for themselves. You may be thinking that this non-judgmental aspect of her direction would detract from the power of the film. But as you can tell from my strong reaction to this film, that is not the case.

I want to step away from my personal feelings of the film for a moment and talk about the elements that anyone can analyze: the cinematography and soundtrack. First of all, Harris Savides' cinematography is wonderful. It's such a shame that this was the last film that he shot before passing away, but he leaves us with images that are fascinating to analyze. I particularly liked the way he -- and co-cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt, who took over after Savides' passing -- shot the club scenes which are dizzying yet mesmerizing all at once. Another sensational element of the film is the music. Hard hip-hop records and bouncy house tracks comprise this soundtrack that should sound familiar to any listeners of top 40 radio today. This synthesis of sight and sound makes for a compelling window into today's contemporary and ever-changing society.

If there is one small criticism that I must address, then it is the repetition of the home invasions. We get to witness these kids break into many celebrity homes, from Paris Hilton's to Orlando Bloom's. However, these robberies become similar in nature. We witness the entrance, we see the kids parade around, we see them "shop" through the luxurious fashion closets, we see them hangout for a bit, and then we see them leave. Sure, it's fascinating to watch, but there isn't much that differentiates one robbery from another. Perhaps this is intentional, though, in order to create a strange effect and bring the viewer on a tiring ride along with these eccentric teens.

Ultimately, The Bling Ring is a nearly flawless masterpiece that is a rarity. It is so sickeningly spot-on with everything that it does -- it is insightful, truthful, funny, and disturbing simultaneously. It is controversial and thought-provoking and will undoubtedly spark debate amongst cinephiles. After I witnessed the final shot of the film -- which is the most haunting and disturbing final cinematic moment I've seen in years -- I was left with an extremely bitter aftertaste. The ending made me reflect upon the flaws of my generation and -- in its darkness -- was the perfect icing on the cake. The Bling Ring hooked, baffled, irritated, entertained, and haunted me with such tremendous force, and for these reasons, I loved it. Three and a half stars out of four.

Warm Bodies Review

Warm Bodies

3 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Stop rolling your eyes, and stop feeling the need to puke because Warm Bodies is not your typical supernatural romance film. It's a surprisingly smart and charming flick that -- pardon the pun -- breathes new life into a dead genre.

Warm Bodies flips zombie movies on their heads by turning the tables and telling the story from the zombie's point of view. We are introduced to R (Nicholas Hoult), a young adult with surprising insight. He seeks to understand the world around him and the people and entities that inhabit it. The only problem is that he's dead. He doesn't have a heartbeat and is incapable of remembering his human life prior to becoming a zombie. He doesn't want to eat humans but must do so in order to survive. One thrill that he gets is eating human brains because he gains access to the human's memories and sees how they lived. For an introspective fellow without memories and dreams, this is pretty awesome. On one fateful day while on the hunt for food, he encounters Julie (Teresa Palmer), a stunning young lady who is both brave and smart. R can't bring himself to eat Julie. In fact, he feels the need to protect her. Thus begins an unusual bond between a zombie boy and a human girl, as they seek refuge for survival. R must protect Julie from both regular zombies and the dark "bonies," which are advanced and dangerous zombies that kill humans without mercy. R must also avoid the threat of human attack and help mend the gap between zombies and humans. In doing so, he would make the world a better and more harmonious place. But of course, not everything is as simple and easy as it seems.

Warm Bodies is an admirable film for successfully attempting to appeal to a rather scattered and divided audience. Of course, teenage girls are eating this movie up for obvious reasons. Nice romance? Check. A couple worth rooting for? Check. Cool girl? Check. Cute British guy? Double check. Everything is here. However, it's great that zombie fanboys are finding themselves drawn towards this film as well -- even if they don't like to admit it. Warm Bodies mixes teen romance with the zombie apocalypse and actually throws in quite a bit of comedy for good measure -- and the humor is light and funny. Surprisingly, every element in this film works. This strange concoction is actually pretty tasty. 

So, as a side note, for you guys out there who aren't big rom-com fans -- myself included -- don't fear because Warm Bodies is a great choice for date night. Come for the zombie action and stay for the fun journey that ensues.

Why does Warm Bodies work as well as it does? Because of writer-director Jonathan Levine. He does a fine job of balancing all of these seemingly contrasting elements and makes one coherent piece of cinema. Setting a romantic comedy amidst the zombie apocalypse seems like it would be a disaster, but it isn't. Levine stages the zombie attack sequences in a way that is convincing and exciting. However, he really directs the romantic elements wonderfully. We truly care about R and Julie, and their relationship that unfolds is genuinely sweet. Even though the romance does feel cutesy at times, it's never cloying. That's partially due to the well-written script. R's voice-over is always insightful and entertaining without being too on-the-nose. The actual spoken dialogue is quite minimal -- because R has difficulties speaking as a zombie -- but it is engaging and natural. Warm Bodies is successful because it is well-written and finely-directed.

We are drawn into the strange world of Warm Bodies because of the winning performances. Nicholas Hoult gives it his all as this human-like zombie and nails the difficult physicality required of acting as one of the undead -- his awkward, sluggish movement is fantastic. And because he can't say much, he must emote nearly everything with his facial expressions and eyes. Fortunately, Hoult is always spot-on, nailing R's complexity and emotion. Teresa Palmer is great, staying tough while maintaining a sense of girlish-ness. She's convincing as an action chick with brawn but really sells the romantic depths of her character. She's not your typical damsel in distress, and I liked that. The chemistry between Hoult and Palmer is excellent. The wrong actors might have made this relationship just plain creepy and weird, but in the hands of these talented young actors, R and Julie make up one of the most likable and charming cinematic couples in quite some time.

While it is a little predictable and left me with a couple of questions, Warm Bodies is a great, crowd-pleasing romantic comedy with a twist. It's original, fun, and well-executed. It's a film that is hard not to enjoy just because it hits every bell and whistle that a moviegoer could possibly want. It's sure to put a smile on your face and keep you in a good mood for the rest of the day. At a time when so many dark movies leave you feeling sad and empty, it's such a breath of fresh air to see an optimistic and happy film that leaves you feeling good. And all of this coming from a zombie movie? Who would've guessed? Three stars out of four.