6 Degrees of Separation Blogathon

Last weekend, I was challenged by Rhys at Feeling Fuzzier to participate in the 6 Degrees of Separation Blogathon, which has been passed around the movie-blogging world, for the past month or two. Amazingly enough, this is my first ever blogathon! I'm quite excited to dip my toes in this brave new world, and I appreciate Rhys for challenging me to do so.

To complete the challenge, I must figure out a way to connect Dane DeHaan, one of my favorite young actors, to Kaya Scodelario, who I hadn't heard of, until this challenge.

I must link the two actors together, using any form of association, in six steps or less, much like the infamous game, 6 Degrees to Kevin Bacon.

So... Here goes nothing:

Dane DeHaan

1. Dane DeHaan was in The Place Beyond the Pines (the best movie of 2013) with Bradley Cooper.

2. Bradley Cooper was in The A-Team (the worst movie of 2010) with Jessica Biel.

3. Jessica Biel was is The Truth About Emmanuel with Kaya Scodelario.

Kaya Scodelario

There you are, folks! Not too hard at all.

I now challenge Daniel at Random Mexican Movie Review Extravaganza to connect Kaya Scodelario with Oscar Isaac... Have fun, Daniel!

 

Guardians of the Galaxy

Expectations:
Here, in our "Age of the Superhero Film," many moons have passed since Marvel's last bomb. Disney has taken a film franchise and turned it into THE film franchise, and no one expects anything but greatness from this point forward... including me. Sure, Guardians of the Galaxy was going to be different, but, unlike many, I never saw the film as a risk for the Disney's Marvel franchise. With Kevin Feige behind the curtain and Disney's marketing abilities abounding, Guardians was destined to be a hit! At this point, Marvel studios has the power to do absolutely anything that they want, as long as it's connected (however vaguely) to the Avengers' universe. With all that said, I expected Guardians of the Galaxy to be different from your typical Avengers flick, and, at the same time, I expected more of the same humorous, action-packed, mass marketable, superhero mumbo-jumbo that we are all hooked on!

Plot:
For some reason, the serious opening scene of the film did not quite fit with what was marketed to me as a fun, goofy superhero flick. As a result, I was quickly worried about the things to come. But, thankfully, the film jumped back into what I expected and never stopped entertaining me, from that point on.

I've heard so much about the differences of Guardians, compared to the other Avengers-related, Marvel films, but I must say that I disagree, to a certain extent. While there is no doubt that the jokes and dialogue were a bit more mature and clever, the characters and the storyline were really no different. There was a bad guy, who was threatening the universe. There were some good guys, who couldn't quite get along. There was a forced (and obvious) love interest for the main character. There was action. There was death and revival. There were forced connections to the Avengers-world. I mean, if you take out the dialogue of Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), you have absolutely nothing left to call unique! There's no doubt that Guardians of the Galaxy was one of my favorite Marvel films, to this point, so I'm not hating on what was done here, AT ALL. I just don't know why everyone believes the film is so unique...

Characters:
Kudos to the folks at Marvel for having the guts to make a film that featured a talking raccoon and a tree that could only say three words! Sure there were some predictable traits and quirks among the cast, but, Guardians is not a film that would have been financially successful three years ago. Impeccable timing is the key to Marvel's success, and I think the world had to get ready to see these types of characters, in this light, because we have already seen different versions of most of these characters before. Drax (played by Dave Bautista) was just a better version of Thor (100% better). Groot ("voiced" by Vin Diesel) was just a happier version Hulk. John C. Reilly's Corpsman Dey was a perfect clone of Agent Coulson. And, finally, Peter Quill (played by Chris Pratt) was a dumber version of Tony Stark. Let me know if you disagree!

Negatives:
Guardians' two leading, female characters were quite disappointing to me. First, Zoe Saldana's Gamora just didn't impress, in comparison to the other Guardians. She lacked the comedic element, which is what made the film work, and her storyline just didn't interest me. Add that to the fact that she belongs to Star Trek, and it just doesn't work for me. Additionally, her (un)sister Nebula (played by Karen Gillan) was absolutely useless. Remove her from the film, and nothing changes, at all!

Positives:
I'm going to use this space to praise the greatness that was the relationship between Groot (the tree)and Rocket (the raccoon). Basically, it was a mirror of that dude and his reindeer in Frozen... but it was interesting. Rocket absolutely made the movie and was probably the only super-unique character that came out of the film. I'm already hopeful for a Rocket spin-off (probably won't happen until Phase 45). I would watch the heck out of that!

Conclusion:
Although I ranted a bit about the lack of uniqueness, Guardians of the Galaxy deserves every bit of praise that it is receiving! Marvel continues to impress (minus the Thor stand-alones), and I don't see any end in sight. I mean, bringing in Paul Rudd certainly won't hurt! While I can't wait for The Avengers: Age of Ultron, I'm now even more excited for the second Guardians film to hit in a few years. If you happened to miss out on Guardians' opening weekend, go watch! Today! It's cheap ticket day, here in Hattiesburg! I give Guardians of the Galaxy 3.78 out of 5 stars.

American Hustle

Expectations:
I'm sure that many people will disagree with me on the amount of praise that I allot to David O. Russell, but I must admit that I have definitely hopped aboard his bandwagon after two great successes in The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook. In fact, Silver Linings was third on my list of best dramas in 2012, which I'm sure Mr. Russell considers a fine honor. He probably tried to send me a thank you note or email or something, but I'm just so busy and hard to get in touch with! Anywho... After seeing the vague, star-studded trailer for American Hustle and hearing the ample amount of praise that has led to its impressive 94% on the Tomatometer, I had high hopes for a film that I knew very little about. However, my high hopes were dulled by iffy expectations. To me, the trailer was scattered and made little sense, but I powered on, clinging to the fact that Russell, Cooper, Bale, and Lawrence thought the film was worth making.

Plot:
The thing that I LOVE about David O. Russell films is his ability to create dramatic films that feature some of the biggest laughs that you will find in any film of any kind. The Fighter was a great (true) story that featured great acting. Silver Linings Playbook was far from original, but the acting carried the film to an Oscar nomination. Unfortunately, the plot of American Hustle is not unique enough to carry the film by itself. Fortunately, like its predecessors, the acting carries the film farther than most any story could. If you saw Argo last year, you can understand how simply dramatic and nerve-wracking a spy/con film can be, and I promise that the unfolding of the plot, at the end of American Hustle, pales in comparison to many B-list PG-13 action flicks, much less the reigning Best Picture champion. This film is 100% carried by the great acting, which I will now take a moment to brag upon...

Characters:
Much of the drama/comedy mix of a Russell film is only possible because of the great actors that he is able to recruit and pick out for perfect roles. Without the great acting of Lawrence, Cooper, Adams, and Bale, Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter are just mediocre mental illness and boxing dramas with awkward comedy mixed in. Sticking with the same acting crew, American Hustle featured an even better ensemble than last year's Playbook, in my opinion. Really, nobody was poorly cast, and it was hard for me to find something to criticize (acting-wise). However, I managed...

Negatives:
While the performance of Amy Adams may not be negative itself, its ability to meet my expectations was far from grand. After her great turn in The Fighter, I really thought Russell might bring out of Adams another Oscar-worthy performance, much like I believe he did with Bradley Cooper on his second go-round. Unfortunately for Adams, however great her performance as Sydney Prosser may have been, Jennifer Lawrence was there to outshine her, every single step of the way. For me, this result was unexpectedly negative.

Positives:
Looking back at my list of bests from 2012, the only category in which I question my choices is the category of dramatic actor, in which I named Bradley Cooper number one for his role in Silver Linings Playbook. I thought I might have been blinded by the humor that Cooper's character brought to a great film. However, after watching his character (Richie DiMaso) in American Hustle, there is no doubt in my mind that he can freakin act! In fact, it's going to be hard to keep him out of the top spot for a second straight year! Not only did his character offer up some of the funniest moments of 2013, but he also did a great job of connecting with me, on an emotional, dramatic level, which I was not expecting at all. As I said before, I didn't know what to expect with any of the characters in American Hustle, so I may have been blinded yet again, but hopefully not. On top of Cooper's great performance, Jennifer Lawrence was amazing as the wife of Christian Bale's Irving. Her character (Rosalyn) may have been a tad bit unnecessary, but the performance by Lawrence was extraordinary! I'll be honest... She didn't impress me nearly as much in Silver Linings, so she should definitely get some Oscar attention with this performance. On top of that, great performances by Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner, and Louis C.K. made this positive character section one of the largest in the history of average criticism! So, kudos to the marvelous cast!

Conclusion:
If you enjoyed, at all, the drama/comedy mix of David O. Russell's previous films, American Hustle is sure to please you. There is no doubt that I enjoyed the film, and I would definitely like to watch it again, so I can enjoy the comedy even more. Don't get me wrong... there is some real drama surrounding the hustle theme. But, if you don't take the film too seriously, there are so many greatly hilarious moments that I promise will blow you away. I could see how many of the jokes may miss with some people, so go in ready to laugh! Also, before you cheer on any single acting category on Oscar night, check out these fantastic performances. They are sure to please! As for David O. Russell... One of these days, he is going to put great acting and great story together, and, when he does, prepare for a best picture win. Mark my words! I give American Hustle 3.2 out of 5 stars.

The Hangover Part III

Expectations:
If there is one thing that I've heard too much of over the past couple of years, it's people complaining about The Hangover Part II. I'm sorry, but I don't understand how people could not like it! Those characters in those situations create absolute hilarity, regardless of how original the storyline is. In my opinion, raw, R-rated comedies, like The Hangover, are meant to do ONE THING... make you laugh. While watching The Hangover Part II, you may not have had a huge, life-changing moment, but I have a good feeling that you did laugh. Was Part II as good as the original? Absolutely not! But, nothing is!!!! People just need to learn how to be content. So, needless to say, while everyone else was hoping for a franchise turnaround with The Hangover Part III, I was just hoping for more of the same.

Plot:
Congratulations, folks! You got what you freakin wanted! In an attempt to appease the masses, Todd Phillips and company threw out everything from the past two films and started from scratch. If you don't want to see The Hangover Part III because you are worried about having to watch more of the same from the last two films, fret not. In what was meant to be "Allen's story," it turned out to be "the wolfpack chases Chow," and, with the focus on Allen, the laughs were sparing on the parts of Phil and Stu, which kind of sucked. In my opinion, the story would have been more interesting if they had just stuck with the same old wedding adventure from parts I and II, but, instead, they attempted to create something new and completely failed.

Characters:
If you've seen either of the first two films, you know that these characters are absolutely great, and I have a great amount of love for them all. However, in Part III, the characters were not given a chance to do their thing. Stu (Ed Helms) and Phil (Bradley Cooper) took a backseat to everything and really had no dog in the fight at all. After the success that Bradley Cooper has had over the past few years, I'm surprised that he agreed to do this film in which he barely matters but is always there. Of course Allen (Zach Galifianakis) was hilarious, but I think he is getting a little less funny at this point. Also, he changes a lot during the film, which does not fit the character that we have all grown to love.

Negatives:
After his small, hilarious turn in the first Hangover film, I think it is safe to say that Ken Jeong's Chow has been over-utilized at this point. I won't spoil anything, but Chow had too large of a role in a film that was supposed to be a swan song to the wolfpack. On top of that, what made him relevant was the addition of John Goodman's Marshall, who I didn't find the least bit intimidating or interesting. Finally, Mike Epps's "Black Doug" made a disappointing return in the film. Epps brought many laughs in the first film, but he was just too serious this time around.

Positives:
Maybe I'm already suffering from Office nostalgia, but I really thought Ed Helms did a great job of bringing the laughs in Part III. Without the crazy, wedding night "demons" that Stu had faced before, I was wondering if he was going to bore the audience in this film. But, when he was given a chance, I think he made me laugh more than anyone else, so kudos! The only other character that I really loved was Grant Holmquist's Tyler. Of course, the last time we saw Tyler, he had recently had his named changed from Carlos, which fits him better anyway. That scene with Holmquist and Heather Graham was quite impressive and probably the high point of the entire film for me.

Conclusion:
I was quite disappointed in how the wolfpack went out in The Hangover Part III. Not only was the story quite dull, but the laughs were few and far between. The Hangover began the craze of over-the-top, hardcore, raunchy comedies that have been coming our way for the past six years, and that's what made it so great. Unfortunately, there was a lack of raunchiness and laughter throughout this film. It was as if they were trying to end the trilogy on a serious note, and it just fell oh so short of succeeding. I'm pretty sure that everyone will say that the post-credits scene is their favorite, and that scene is the only real over-the-top, Hangover-esque scene in the entire film. If this film had come along before Part II, people would have begged Todd Phillips to return to his original formula that he used to create the first two films. To all of you who begged for something different, you got it! Now, as I go to my grave with disgust toward the final installment in The Hangover trilogy, I won't blame Todd Phillips or the cast. Instead, I will blame the millions who moaned and groaned about the second film. Because IT WAS FUNNY!!!! I give The Hangover Part III 2.11 out of 5 stars and apologize for this great rant.

The Place Beyond the Pines

Expectations:
For the most part, when I go to watch a not-so-mainstream film like The Place Beyond the Pines, I tend to prefer more quirky, comedic films, such as last year's Safety Not Guaranteed or Steve Carrell's upcoming The Way, Way Back. However, the trailer for The Place Beyond the Pines greatly intrigued me, and, after seeing Silver Lining's Playbook, I will probably watch anything starring Bradley Cooper. He really impressed me in that film, and I couldn't wait to see him in another drama (also pumped for The Hangover Part III!!!). Even so, I was a bit hesitant, because I'm not a huge fan of Ryan Gosling in his bad boy roles. I watched Drive in 2011, hoping that it would be really gripping, but I just didn't care for it, especially compared to his role in The Ides of March. Gosling's role looked to be extremely similar to his role in Drive, save the car, add the bike. So, in an intrigued state of hesitance, I trekked off to watch The Place Beyond the Pines...

Plot:
More so than any film I've ever seen (that wasn't converted from the stage), The Place Beyond the Pines was separated into three defined acts that had very unique stories. The most unique thing was how easily the story flowed with very little interaction between the main characters, Gosling's Luke and Cooper's Avery. Each character had their own story, which was very intriguing. Avery's story, in my opinion, was absolutely amazing, as it was as simple and honest as anything I have ever seen. The lack of over-dramatization really had me hooked, and I could not get over how simple the plot surrounding Avery was. In a matter of seconds, his life went from ordinary to complicated. I won't spoil it for you, but it was a situation that any cop could find himself in, which increased the simplicity. Although I'm dwelling on this one part of the story, the other two acts were also great. The ending wasn't quite as good as I would have liked and expected, but it was still quite satisfying.

Characters:
While I didn't think the performances were amazing, the characters certainly were. With Luke and Avery at the center of the drama, the other characters were able to feed off of that drama, without becoming an unnecessary distraction. Kudos to whoever created these characters and brought this film to life.

Negatives:
As I said, the simplicity of the film kept out the complicated, unnecessary characters. As a result, the negatives were few and far between. However, there were a couple that I found subpar. Kofi, the boyfriend of Eva Mendes's Romina, played by Mahershala Ali, was not exactly what I thought he should have been. I think maybe he was the one character that needed a bit more drama and possibly a different actor to play the role. Was he awful? No. But, he could have been a better character. Also, Emery Cohen was not a good match for his role as AJ, the son of Avery. For some reason, I just couldn't stand him.

Positives:
I won't spend too much more time praising Bradley Cooper's Avery, but the role was just amazing. Gosling's Luke was also great, and I preferred him a ton compared to Gosling's character in Drive, who was similar. He was a lot more likable, resulting in more compassion on my part. Because I cared for both of the main characters, there were conflicting emotions that had my feelings confused. The other character that I loved was Ben Mendelsohn's Robin, who sort of took Luke in and helped him get up on his feet, giving me a chance to like him. Mendelsohn's performance was probably the best in the entire film, so be on the lookout, if you decide to go watch.

Conclusion:
The Place Beyond the Pines blew every other 2013 movie, to this point, WAY out of the water, and I want to strongly urge you to all go watch this film. The story itself and the way that it's told was just brilliant, which is something that is hard for dramas these days. As I said in my expectations, usually I don't like straight dramas, because I prefer to laugh a bit along the way. If you look at my best drama list from 2012, the only comedy-free films on the list were The Impossible and Les Miserables. Even Argo featured the oh so funny Alan Arkin. I usually can't connect to characters who have these super dramatic things happening without any comedic relief, but this film did such a good job of balancing that drama with reality, making it a great success, even without the comedic aspect. Kudos to everyone involved with this film, which absolutely blew me away. I give The Place Beyond the Pines 4.03 out of 5 stars.

Silver Linings Playbook

Expectations:
Honestly, I have been very impatiently waiting for Silver Linings Playbook to get to its wide-release date and, as a result, wishing that I was in a bigger city, where I would be able to watch films when they are actually released. But, for now, I'm here in South Mississippi, and I'm a deprived movie buff. Nevertheless, although I thought the trailer was a tad underwhelming, I had high hopes for Playbook, with all the Oscar hype and whatnot. I was afraid that they might overwhelm me with a sappy love story, but I was hopeful that Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro's humor would be enough to keep me laughing, even through the lovey dovey parts. So, once it finally made its way to Hattiesburg, I went to see Silver Linings Playbook.

Plot:
I think most people would agree with me that there are very few film characters that are more interesting than those who are psychologically unstable. In Playbook, almost every single character has some sort of mental issue, big or small, and that makes for an amazing story. Even the romantic parts are interesting, because the relationship between Cooper's Pat and Jennifer Lawrence's Tiffany is interestingly odd and warped. The unique characters made for an unpredictable storyline and many, many hilarious moments. While there were many emotional moments, I think I probably laughed more than I have at a film in over six months, so kudos to David O. Russell for that.

Characters:
Without a single doubt in my mind, this was the greatest ensemble of 2012, from the lead performances by Cooper and Lawrence, to the smaller roles of Chris Tucker and John Ortiz. While Les Miserables was phenomenally cast, Silver Linings Playbook put it to shame. Once again, kudos to Russell.

Negatives:
The one and only character that I did not absolutely love was that of Dr. Patel (played by Anupam Kher). As Pat's psychologist, Patel just didn't fit what the role should have been, in my opinion. It was the only aspect of the film that I felt was overdone. Patel was unnecessarily funny in a few situations, and I didn't care for that,

Positives:
For starters, Bradley Cooper was phenomenal! Because I am a Hangover fanatic, it was hard for me to take him seriously at first, but the role was perfect for him and he for it. Once I got over the fact that it was Bradley Cooper, I was able to see how great the performance truly was. Although she wasn't as good as Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence was great in her role as Tiffany, and I have a great amount of respect for her as an actress. I don't know if she is going to make my best list this year, because there were so many great performances in 2012, but she is certainly deserving of her Oscar nomination. In addition to the two leads, I was also greatly impressed with Robert DeNiro, as Pat's father, and John Ortiz, as Pat's close friend. Both performances were hilariously great, and I think almost anyone would agree that they were great compliments for Pat's character.

Conclusion:
The number of great films released in 2012 is so massive that even The Academy isn't sure what film will take home best picture this year. So, I don't know how I'm supposed to choose my favorite film from 2012. I keep thinking that I have seen the last of the good films, but then another film like Silver Linings Playbook comes along and screws up my list! The best thing is that I'm not even done reviewing all of the films that might find themselves on the list this year! So, hold on... there is more to come! However, I would much rather be in this boat than one in which I struggle to find any film or actor worthy of recognition. Anyway, I say all that just to reiterate how great this film was and how it shook up my (previously settled) lists for best actor/actress/film for 2012. Playbook was the perfect blend of humor and drama, accented by amazing performances and months of waiting to watch. I give Silver Linings Playbook 4.13 out of 5 stars.

Movie News for the Week of July 26, 2011

1. Dwight Yoakum has signed on to the cast of The Lone Ranger, and most think he will play the villain in the film. I personally hate Dwight Yoakum, but I remain excited about the movie.

2. Cartoon Network is developing a live action Captain Planet movie. The producers believe that the environmental superhero is more important now than ever.

3. A new Paradise Lost movie is in the works, and Bradley Cooper will play Lucifer. The film will utilize motion captured technology and will require 72 weeks of post-production and visual effects works, which means we can expect the film to be visually stunning.

4. Warner Bros. has set the release date for Man of Steel. The new Superman reboot will premiere June 14, 2013. The date is six months later than the expected date of release, but the star-studded cast is sure to deliver.

5. Universal Studios just paid seven figures for the rights to a new R-rated comedy. This is a very high price to pay for a comedic movie, but the untitled comedy may be worth it. Seth Rogen is set to star as a regular old college guy who lives near a crazy fraternity house, in which resides ...... Zac Efron. Many think the two roles should be switched to make Rogen the more "wild" character. We will just have to wait and see how this plays out.

A lot of Spiderman news came out of Comic Con this week. Here is the first trailer for the film, and a heartfelt speech from the loveable Andrew Garfield. Check it out!