Divergent

In the future, Chicago will be governed as a society divided by factions based on personality and virtues. Divergent follows Beatrice Prior (Shailene Woodley), a member of Abnegation (the "selfless" faction), as she attempts to join the Dauntless faction (bravery, security, etc.) and keep hidden the fact that she is divergent (can't really be placed into any of the five factions) from the Erudites (intelligence), specifically Kate Winslet.

I walked into Divergent expecting another teen action romance film trying to replace Harry Potter (which will never happen). I had lower than usual expectations for this film, but it surprised me. I understand why critics haven't been responding well to it, so I'm going to do my best to explain.

I really enjoyed the first hour of this movie. From Beatrice discovering her divergence, through her decisions, and her training in Dauntless, it was cool to see her character change and react to the stressful situations she's put into. It's not often a film does that without glossing over it in a montage. Woodley gives a much stronger performance than I anticipated, but the rest of the cast seems to fall flat thanks to some clunky dialogue and cheesy deliveries.

Dream and hallucination sequences were somewhat cool to watch. They weren't too trippy, and they played a part in the actual story. It's usually very difficult for me to sit through something similar to these mental tests and easy to lose interest, but the film managed to keep me engaged.

During most of the first hour, the film really ignores the overall conflict being divergence. Watching her transition into a Dauntless member was uplifting, but once the film regains focus on its subject matter, it turns right back into what I expected walking into the theater. A boring, predictable mess. As soon as the forced teen romance that you definitely saw coming hits the screen, everything just falls apart.

I may not be familiar with the source material, but it feels like someone was just bored writing the third act and just gave up. I enjoyed the first half of this film for the same reason I enjoyed Ender's Game. Showing a protagonist struggle is good, but watching bad stuff happen to them because their loved ones are selfless or stupid is not. The genocidal story arc was less intense than the training, making for an underwhelming third act.

The supporting cast is weak to say the least, because the studio probably spent their budget on Kate Winslet. After seeing the trailer, I now refer to the actor who played "Four" as "discount James Franco". Kate Winslet plays her part well, but just watching her, I just thought to myself "Anybody can do what she's doing right now." Zoe Kravitz delivered her lines as they were written, poorly, but it didn't take away from the friendship her character had with Woodley's.

Not since Sunshine have I been so disappointed in the second half of a film. It's almost a cruel trick pulled by the studio making us think we didn't have to watch the same basic story again. But no, we got our Phantom Menace ending with our forced Twilight romance in our Hunger Games dystopian society. So I'm going to break the tie. I was ready to give this movie a B+ half way through, and the second half feels like a C. If you're a fan of the books, you're going to see it anyway. If not, just wait for Mockingjay.

Rating: B-

The Lego Movie

Many lifelong dreams are being realized through The Lego Movie. When I saw the trailer for this, I was more than excited. Combining stop motion animation, mulitple universes and the imagination of a child make this a movie that could never be mimicked. The cast list is long and impressive, and animation hasn't been tried like this in years.

Emmett (Chris Pratt) is your normal generic Lego construction worker. He has no defining features other than the fact that there is no one else as ordinary as him. He meets Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) after stumbling upon “the resistance piece” which can be used to stop the secret weapon of Lord Business (Will Ferrell), the Kragle. Emmett is mistaken for “the special” who is prophesied to stop the end of the world, and Bad Cop (Liam Neeson) is determined to bring him down.

I have to start with the animation. Stop motion animation hasn’t been widely used lately, but this film brings it back like it was never gone. This is the best stop-motion animation I have ever seen. The level of difficulty the animators had would have Trey Parker and Matt Stone eating each other alive. Explosions, fires, floods, oceans, even smoke all made out of your ordinary Lego bricks. And if you’re not thinking about how cool everything looks, you’re deeply invested in this heartwarming story.

I’ve been kind of disappointed with Legos when I walk down toy aisles. I see all these kits specified to the things kids see on television or in movies, and I just think about how they can’t create anything of their own if their mimicking someone else’s designs. But this movie hit the nail right on the head as if it was written specifically for me. The message should get through to everyone that following the instructions isn’t completely necessary, because it’s about making your own creations out of someone else’s.

There are even some dark tones within the story as the Lego world is kind of a surveillance state with one song that promotes optimism (called “Everything is Awesome”). While creeping fascism is a reference we can all relate to nowadays, the film is also packed with pop culture references, meta jokes, and things that kids won’t understand that don’t even have to be dirty to enjoy. It's one of the most fun family films I have ever seen.

The story is kind of a quick tell. Most of what you want to see is in the last half hour. You really think you know where the story goes, some unexpected turns make the movie exactly what you want it to be. We haven’t seen an original family film like this in a very long time, and it's basically "review proof." Because every male who ever played with Legos will know that this is more than just the story.

I really want to talk about the cast; because I recognized so many voices it was hilarious. Will Arnett as Batman, Alison Brie as Unikitty, Anthony Daniels returns as C-3PO for a moment, Charlie Day as an overexcited 80s’ astronaut, Will Forte as Abe Lincoln? I loved Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as The Green Lantern and Superman, but nothing takes the cake like Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius. I mean, damn. Freeman is hilarious without context. Chris Pratt has done no wrong in his film career (save for Movie 43), and I will keep my eye on him, because he’s really breaking into the game.

The movie takes itself just seriously enough to get its message across, while still promoting and displaying imagination and creativity. I was surprised at the amount of effort that was put into making this film great, because Lego could have done this with CGI for half the price, and they could have just had two hours of mindless action, but they chose to do it right, and oh, did they do it right. When you have a speech or sequence at the end of any movie that moves you in any way, then you have truly empathized with those characters, and you know that they did something right. Lego Movie has heart, imagination, action, romance, and plenty of laugh-out-loud comedy for you to stop reading this and head to the theater.

Rating: A

Her

Spike Jonze brings us Her, a sci-fi romance drama between newly divorced Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and his new artificially intelligent operating system Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). As Theodore becomes more depressed and lonely after his wife (Rooney Mara) leaves him, Samantha slowly learns what learning and experiencing existence is like, even without a body.

The screenplay, which literally just won the golden globe, is fantastically, refreshingly original. The idea is so simple but the relationship still reaches its complexities that seem as accurate as they could for the near future. This concept will definitely become real at some point in our lives, but it amazes me that there hasn't been a movie just like this before.

Joaquin Phoenix gives a strong performance, but not one to pass up other Oscar contenders (he still deserves a nomination). His interaction with an OS as a love interest is believable, entertaining and accessible. Amy Adams also gives her usual solid performance.

The best part about Scarlett Johansson in Her is that men can see this film with their women without worrying about getting distracted by Johansson's body. She gives a strong performance without being on screen, without having a character on screen. She plays a computer learning to be a part of a human world, but all centered around Theodore, and she makes that character very engaging.

It's unclear what city Theodore lives in, but Jonze gives us beautiful shots of post modern skylines that seem similar to what we have today with their own futuristic tweaks. The colorful sights will keep the audience dazzled when things slow down.

Parts of the movie feel pretty predictable, because every romantic drama has to have a moment or two where the protagonist's love interest goes away for about 3-4 minutes after a fight before they make up. What makes Her special, is the way the relationship develops and how it continues to grow.

Chris Pratt serves as a form of comic relief, and I think that's about it. I feel like Jonze could have taken Pratt's character and his wife out of this movie entirely and the plot wouldn't change. Theodore doesn't seem to talk to him about anything important other than the fact that he's dating an OS. He still gets laughs, so it's not like he brought down the ship.

Overall the film was insightful and charismatic, and it will set the standard for AI dating when introverts being looking for it. It might be a bit over-hyped, because it's not the love story to end all love stories because it involves a computer. The story was original and the acting is strong. I would only expect this to win for its screenplay, but Her is definitely worth the watch.

Overall: B+

About Time

Richard Curtis, creator of Love Actually and Notting Hill, brings us this tale of time travel, romance, tragedy, but most importantly, life in About Time. The day after a disappointing New Year's Eve party, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) is told by his father (Bill Nighy) that the men in their family can travel back in time through their lives. Tim begins to use his new found power strictly in the pursuit of love.

This review is several weeks late, because of its limited release. But I caught it at my local dollar theater just today, and I'm glad I waited. This was easily one of the most underrated, enjoyable films of the year.

Tim meets Mary (Rachel McAdams) at a restaurant, but his path changes when he decides to help his roommate after his play has a disastrous opening night. Tim and Mary meet for the first time multiple times. It's delightfully awkward to watch Tim interact with someone he knows, but he's never met before. The two have incredible chemistry, making their relationship seem so sincere. That and the dialogue is so realistic and comparable to everyday life.

This film has characters that feel refreshing, original even. Tim's little sister "Kit Kat" (Lydia Wilson) is lovably eccentric, and the sadly forgetful Uncle Desmond (Richard Cordery), while not remotely important or original, still brings laughs to the screen. Even Tim's coworker Rory (Joshua McGuire) can be remembered and loved after such a small amount of screen time.

Tom Hollander plays Harry, the playwright roommate of Tim. Everything he does is so over the top and theatrical, but it's perfectly timed comedy wise. His lines are just so specialized, that you could never pull off quoting them in real life.

The film relies heavily on cringe humor. The sustained awkwardness of the conversations are just so real, that the audience is forced to react. Because we've all been there. Tim may be an introverted social outcast, but when he gains the confidence to speak, he really is quite charming.

About Time doesn't just focus on Tim trying to get a girlfriend. It shows the life after he gets the girl. Gleeson and McAdams play the couple that everyone likes. They don't show off their love, and they don't fight all of the time either. They might just be one of the most easily likable couples Hollywood has produced.

Gleeson gives a fantastic breakthrough performance, and I can't wait to see what other work he gets out of this. McAdams plays the average girl so well, I think it would be hard to find a woman who couldn't relate to the character. The two of them form this perfect couple, that you everyone wishes they could become.

Bill Nighy's character surprised me. It's not often in film these days, that you see a father and son have this strong of a relationship without conflict. He comes off as a wonderful father and a loving husband. But it's as if there's nothing wrong with him. He is just so likable, there's no reason you could hate this guy.

Being a time travel movie, About Time is riddled with plot holes that no other movie of its sort can avoid. But it lays its rules out simply. You cannot travel back before your birth (i.e. you can't go back and kill Hitler), and you can't travel forward in time. The butterfly effect still applies, it just never had made that big of a ripple. All Tim has to do is stand in a dark place, clench his fists, and think of the moment he's traveling to. But he can't be in two places at once. So even for a time traveller, there may not be enough time in the world.

The thing about this movie, is that it's advertised as a romance. But it's not just for dates. It's for fathers and sons, newlyweds, our elders, and our young (but not too young). It's about life. I'd like to think this is a movie that everyone needs to see at some point. With spectacular dialogue (maybe some adlibbing), brilliant performances, original characters, and a message that can be applied to everyone, About Time makes you want to live every day as if it were to be your last.

Rating: A

I realize I'm starting off this blog by giving everything a high rating, but December is fantastic time of year for film.