Movie Review: Vampire Academy

It's been a while since I've done one of these, hasn't it?  Well, I went to go see the newest YA novel to become a major motion picture and the vote's in: it sucked.

Okay, I just had to use that line.  Let's be fair, it could have been a lot worse.  In the rankings of recent YA failures, it was better than Beautiful Creatures but worse than Mortal Instruments.  I would be very surprised to see a sequel made, although I wish it would just so they could cast Adrian.

For the most part it follows the story in the book, but it pulls out everything that makes the book good and turns the movie shallow.  I took my mom to see it with me and she could guess who the villain was from the very start.  She also thought it was confusing, which I would understand.  For someone not so familiar with the books, it would be hard to just stop in and see this film.  They sort of talk about the different kinds of vamps but pretty much leave out how Strigoi can occur.  They also completely disregard the fact that Dhampir can't have children with other Dhampir, which would have helped the movie along a lot.

The actors were all pretty decent (although there were some who just really, really were bad (we're all looking at you, Kirova)) but I would say the choices for Rose and Dmitri were the best.  Easily thought they were who they were pretending to be.

I think if there were any problems here, it was with the writing- while the adaption wasn't bad, it wasn't great- and with the editing.  The scenes felt thrown together and incomprehensible sometimes.  Really, it needed a little more TLC and it would have been much better.

Overall, I'm giving it 3 stars.  If you're a fan, see it because it's definitely worth the watch.  It actually made me think of the books again since it's been a while since I read them and made me want to write some more, so I'm giving it props for sticking to the source material.

Movie Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I haven't read the book, and after seeing the movie I don't plan on it because this movie got the point and story across very well.  Very few things can bring me to tears, and this was one of the select few to have me putting on the water works.

Is it terrible that the whole time I was just waiting for something even more terrible to happen to poor Charlie?  I just knew it got worse, much more worse, before it would get better, and I wanted it to get better.

This is a fantastic film, one that everyone, of any age (OK, any age past, like, 13/14) should experience.  It deals with everything in a very realistic, and mature, manner, and stays completely truthful to how high school can be like.  A warning, though: this movie is a journey, a possibly exhausting, certainly heart-string pulling, one that should not be taken alone.  It will go deep into you and pull out your humanity.

Past the story, these actors were AMAZING.  I must say, Ezra Miller (Patrick) was by far the best.  He outshone everyone in all his scenes.  Logan Lerman and Emma Watson were also completely fantastic, and Paul Rudd just got a new fan.  Beyond the head-liners, all of the supporting cast was perfect.

Someday this will be an American classic, like Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller, and someday I'll be proud to share this with my own children.

Movie Review: Oblivion

I know, I'm a little late to the game with this one.  In fact, I had to drive about half an hour to just get to a theater that was still showing it.  At first, when the previews were just coming out, I wasn't that interested.  It was just another Tom Cruise action flick.  But then the trailer above really caught my eye and I decided I had to see it.

In Oblivion Tom's character, Jack Harper, and Andrea Riseborough's character, Victoria, are the only two humans left on earth.  Their job is to keep track of the drones- basically fighting machines- that in turn take care of destroying Scav's- the aliens that tried to take over earth- and protect the drills that are working on sucking the ocean's dry to use as energy on the new home for humans, Titan.  Jack is drawn to the idea of earth and wishes he could have remembered living there while Victoria just wants to get home to the other humans.

There's a deep mythology to the end of the world and the dynamics, and it's interesting enough, except that it takes a while to tell.  Plus, there are so many secrets that need to be revealed, there are several parts where it drags.  But the secrets- oh! the secrets!- are probably the best part!  They really do catch you off guard and you feel a little more fulfilled for having them there.  Because, without the mythology and surprises around every corner, it really is just another Tom Cruise action flick.

I was happy with the movie, in fact I was rather glad I got to see it on the big screen because with all the special effects it looked really nice.  My only complaint is that the graphic novel it was based on (by the same guy who directed the movie) wasn't actually released.  I would have loved to read it.  There's still hope!

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Oz The Great and the Powerful

Oz was a playah!  Really, he was.  Past that, though, this movie is really directed at little kiddies but can be fun for someone older to watch if they don't judge it through a harsh lense.  Of course there is no way it could live up to the original Wizard of Oz but it's pretty decent.

Besides Oz (James Franco), who I was completely sold on, by the way, the characters don't have much in the way of story arcs.  Sure, Theodora (Mila Kunis) does have one as the movie starts getting moving, but it's fast and if you don't look closely, it seems very shallow.  Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams) had a backstory that was tied together but rather undetailed and bland.  However, seeing as there were so many characters it is completely understandable.

The witches were great in their roles, and Franco was the perfect choice for Oz.  The two other major characters- Finley (Zach Braff) the flying monkey, the China Girl (Joey King) were also nice additions.

The movie ended well, and I really enjoyed how they wrapped it all together.  In the end I give it 3-stars.  It has inspired me to read the books by L. Frank Baum, something I'll probably do over the summer.

Movie Review: Jack the Giant Slayer

The previews make this seem like a childish flick where all the "those are the good jokes" are given away in the commercials and no one in their right minds should see it because, OK, it looks like crap.  That was my first reaction.

And then reviews started piling in.  People were actually really enjoying it.  So I decided, why not?  The whole world can't be wrong.

And they weren't.  Jack was pleasantly surprising.  The acting was actually very good, even the giants came across as having certain feelings towards one thing or another, and the story was fully fleshed out and enjoyable.  There was a point where I was so attached to the character's I was like, If So and So dies I will Die!  I am happy to report that so and so did not die :) but giving who it is away would be a big spoiler.

Another thing I wasn't expecting was how much darker it was then the previews made it seem.  They never explicitly show any gore, but they show everything up to that point.  One of the characters is eaten and you see the giant about to close his mouth around the upper torsoe and they pan away.  A minute or so later they pan back, and that giant is definitly munching on something.  Scenes like that are scattered about, so the movie does have mature overtones.

In the end, I give the move four out of five stars, and definitly two thumbs up.  The way the film ends is very cute, as well, and really makes you smile.

So, if you're like me and thought it looked ridiculous, you're wrong.  It was a really nice treat.

Movie Review: Beautiful Creatures

Where the hell is Boo Radley?

That's my first reaction to the movie adaptation of the fantastic, and rather long, book Beautiful Creatures.  I read the book in preparation of the movie, and fell in love with it completely.  So I was so stoked for the movie- the previews looked great, the actors looked great, everything looked great.  Well, it, unfortunately had what I call PJMS, or Percy Jackson Movie Syndrome.  Basically it's a great movie- unless you've read the book.

The movie left out four characters- Boo Radley, Ryan, Marian, and Reece.  Granted, Ryan and Reece aren't exactly major players, but Marian and Boo are.  They actually combined Amma and Marian to create this softer, librarian version of Amma.  It was a bad idea.  While I have no qualms with the actress, she was perfect for the role of Marian, but not the role of Amma.

And while they didn't completely forget about mentioning the fact that Ethan has a dad, he never once showed up.  Ever.

To avoid really ranting, or giving anything away, I'm going to finish it up here.  Yes, you're probably going to go see it because its just one of several YA books hitting the screen and it deserves to be seen, but if you're looking for a good adaptation, this is NOT it.  I apologize on their behalf.  Like I said, good movie- unless you've read the book.