TWIN CITIES LIVE-- September 19, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
September 19, 2014

It was a page to screen adaptation day on Twin Cities Live. I believe this is one of my longest segments, and it's also one of my favorites. Enjoy!

1. THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU, Starring: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver
2. THE MAZE RUNNER, Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter
3. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern

Here's the video:



Video courtesy of Twin Cities Live/KSTP



You can find all of my past segments HERE.

As always, thank you so much for watching and your continual support. I truly appreciate it!

THE BEST AND WORST OF SUMMER 2014

THE BEST AND WORST OF SUMMER 2014

I don't think the 2014 summer movie season will be remembered for the good movies that came out. Let's face it, it seemed like each week we succumbed to some pretty disappointing movies at your local cineplex. Like every summer, we had our fare share of comic book movies, sequels, and reboots. There were big action franchises that wanted to continue their reign. Some fared well (X-Men: Days of Future Past), while others left us shaking our head in frustration (The Amazing Spider-Man 2). Here are my picks for the best and worst of the summer season, plus some that were pleasant surprises.

THE BEST

1. BOYHOOD
Writer/Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater, Marco Perella, Libby Villari

By now, you are probably aware of the fact that writer/director Richard Linklater spent twelve years filming this movie. The huge gamble paid off, and I obsessed over it after I saw it. I bought the soundtrack and am currently working on making the Beatles Black Album that Hawke's character created. It was the movie I plugged and championed for whenever anyone asked me for my recommendation. If you are sick of seeing the same kind of movies in theaters over and over again, Boyhood is your kind of movie. It will be one of the most unique and thought-provoking films you will see all year or of any year recently.

RATING: 5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



2. LIFE ITSELF
Director: Steve James
Starring: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog, A.O. Scott, Richard Corliss, Gene Siskel

Documentarian Steve James and Roger Ebert started working on Life Itself with the intention of it being an adaptation of Ebert's memoir of the same name. Unfortunately, Roger passed away before the film was completed. I have been a huge admirer of his dating back to when I was a kid watching Siskel & Ebert & the Movies. This film is a wonderful look back at his life and career. He is truly inspirational as he never once gave up or quit working when his health started to decline. It is one of the best documentaries that I have seen in years.

RATING: 5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



3. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
Director: Josh Boone
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Willem Dafoe

I knew I would enjoy this teen romance as I had already read the book and fell in love with the story. What I didn't expect was that I would go on and do a full ugly cry at the theater. I rarely cry at movies, but this was the grand exception. I even tried to recreate it on Twin Cities Live when I reviewed it. Click HERE for the video.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



4. SNOWPIERCER
Director: Joon-ho Bong
Starring: Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, Jamie Bell, John Hurt

There were many films this summer that I wouldn't mind seeing a second or third time once they are available on blu-ray. I left Snowpiercer and immediately wanted to see it again as it was also available via On Demand at the same time it was in theaters. I never got around to writing a full review, but I will once I watch it again. It was a stunning visual feast for the eyes. I haven't seen any of Bong's other films, so I went in not knowing what to expect. For a film that takes place completely on a train, I completely awed by the fact that I never knew what was going to happen next! Plus, you've got the brilliance of Tilda Swinton giving her third performance this year alone.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



5. GODZILLA
Director: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe

I admit, this is probably a strange pick that you didn't see coming. I had a hard time filling this fifth spot. Do I go with a trusty and easy choice like a Marvel movie or go in a different direction? I'm going with Godzilla as it was a film, like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, that really took me by surprise. I had never seen a Godzilla movie before, but now I want to go back and rewatch those old black and white classics. Director Gareth Edwards gives the film its slow burn until our main character is finally revealed in a very Spielbergian way. It's sound and visual effects were top notch and made it a true summer popcorn creature feature flick!



*HONORABLE MENTIONS: it's a tie between X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

THE WORST

Stay FAR FAR away...I'm warning you.

1. TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION

What a piece of garbage. A nearly three hour piece of garbage. Yes, I expected that going in but I still don't think we can excuse Michael Bay and not hold him accountable because we now expect that out of him. I can't believe people keep throwing hard earned money at these movies.

RATING: 1/2 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



2. A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST

Seth MacFarlane is one of the funniest and smartest people in Hollywood. He can act, sing, direct, write and do voices as we have seen with Family Guy and Ted. It was a real shame that his attempt at a western comedy turned out to be a complete waste and really showed how lazy he can be.

RATING: 1.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



3. LET'S BE COPS

I didn't even give this film a full review as I saw it weeks after it opened. It should be one of those dumb comedies that's so dumb, it's funny or it's so funny that you don't mind it being dumb. This was all dumb and no funny. Okay, I take it back. There was maybe two funny moments, one of which involved a fat naked man running.

RATING: 1.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



4. JERSEY BOYS

It's a shame that this didn't work out in the end. Clint Eastwood was the wrong choice to helm the big screen adaptation of the hit jukebox musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. They tried sticking close to the musical but in all the wrong places. They even forgot to include the music in the second half.

RATING: 2 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



5. TAMMY

It's good that Melissa McCarthy, Allison Janney, and Kathy Bates were all up for Emmys this year as it made me forget about this movie. We've seen McCarthy do this type of loud-mouthed, crass, and dirty character countless times. It's time for the otherwise talented actress to retire this character and move onto other more challenging roles that she is easily capable of.

RATING: 2 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



*DISHONORABLE MENTION: MILLION DOLLAR ARM

There you go! Those are my picks for the best and worst of the summer season. Here's hoping next summer gives us some better quality popcorn flicks. I'd love to hear from you! What are your picks for the best and worst? Feel free to comment below or you can find me and comment on my Facebook page by clicking HERE.

TWIN CITIES LIVE-June 11, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
June 11, 2014

Here are today's picks plus links to each of my reviews:

1. The Fault in Our Stars, starring Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern
2. Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton
3. Non-Stop, starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy

Here's the video:



Video courtesy of Twin Cities Live/KSTP

You can find all of my past segments HERE.

As always, thank you so much for watching and your continual support. I truly appreciate it!

Movie Review: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
Director: Josh Boone
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Willem Dafoe

Don’t let the phrase “young adult novel adaptation” turn you away. There are no vampires, no districts, no dystopian universes, no magical spells, and no whiny characters. Yes, Hazel Grace Lancaster (Woodley) and Augustus “Gus” Waters (Elgort) may be teens, but they are not those annoying types that you want to slap twenty minutes into the movie. Hazel was always opposed to going to cancer support groups. She reluctantly decides to go to appease her mom (Dern) who only wants the best for her. Hazel was not supposed to live past the age of thirteen, but after some tests and experimental trials, her health improved.

It’s a blessing in disguise for Hazel because the support group is the exact place where she meets Gus, another teenager who knows what it is like living with cancer. He is now cancer free after having his leg amputated due to battling osteosarcoma. They have pretty different outlooks on life, but a spark is ignited when he flirts with her and she is caught off guard by him. It’s hard for her to open up and be vulnerable to Gus as she thinks of herself as a grenade not wanting to hurt him in the long run. Despite her initial hesitation, their love is inevitable. Gus’ “live life to the fullest” attitude leads them on an adventure to Amsterdam so Hazel can meet the author (Dafoe) of a book she has obsessed over for years.

The Fault in Our Stars is based on the mega best-selling novel by John Green. I read the book months ago, so I went into the movie with an open mind as specific details of the book were not in the back of my head. I was able to solely take in this story as a movie without comparing the two mediums too closely. Green was involved with the production, so it should be known that the movie is an extremely faithful adaptation. Screenwriters Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter (The Spectacular Now, 500 Days of Summer) have perfectly captured the tone and feel of the book. Die-hard fans of the book may notice little things that got cut out, but that will always happen. For someone that has read the book, I was still completely enraptured with the story from the very first scene. I went on this heavy emotional journey even though I already knew what was going to happen.

Yes, it is widely known that this movie is a tearjerker. I hear that word tossed away so many times with many romantic stories, and I usually don’t think it will happen to me. Let it be known that I rarely cry at movies, yet The Fault in Our Stars got to me. No, not some little sniffle or a lone tear running down my right eye. I was UGLY crying. Repeatedly. One would think that after having read the book, I would make it through the movie. Wrong. Somehow when you see these two actors bring this story to life and you hear them speaking those wonderful John Greene words, it hits you all over again. As I watched their relationship, I couldn’t help but think about mine. I was brought back to when I first met my husband, our first dates, and how our relationship has evolved over the years. I think about what true love means to me and how it has shaped me as a person. While there are many sad scenes throughout, there are plenty of moments to laugh at along the way. Boone wisely knows that finding the balance in the tone is pivotal so the movie doesn’t fall into a sappy mess. You may be crying in one scene, laughing in the next, or doing a little bit of both all in one moment.

The casting for these two characters was the key to making this film work. The book has a legion of highly devoted fans that probably have images in their head about whom these two characters are and which actors should play them. The chemistry has to be dynamic as you want to believe they are truly in love. That magic was found in Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, both of whom starred in Divergent as brother and sister. Don’t let that weird you out. Woodley has already made a name for herself with Divergent, The Descendants, and The Spectacular Now. Everyone will now know who Elgort is after watching him as Gus Waters. They suck you into the story of Hazel and Gus and will make you quickly forget that you are watching a movie about two teens falling in love. It’s not about teen love or cancer, but what true love is all about no matter how old you are or what you are going through. There are many on-screen couples that have chemistry but it’s rare when they leave behind a legacy. Woodley and Elgort are probably the best romantic leads since Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in The Notebook. They transcend that standard idea of on-screen romantic couple to a pure and natural level. You believe that every flirt, giggle, or smile is real. It’s more than two actors repeating their lines for the umpteenth take. As you watch their relationship grow, Woodley and Elgort know how to keep these characters grounded and authentic. These characters felt very real to me which is often missing from other young adult novel characters or even teen soaps found on the CW. The rest of the cast deserves some notice as well. I always enjoy seeing Laura Dern on screen, and she does not seem to be aging at all. She brings a nice warmth and sense of humor to her supportive, happy, and loving mother. Nat Wolff is a wonderful young actor perfect as the sidekick best friend who can claim he is the catalyst for how Gus and Hazel meet.

It is clearly evident that great care was put into adapting John Green’s novel. The cast and creative team knew they making something very special and dear to many readers and succeeded at bringing Green’s story to the big screen. Naturally, I want to get my hands on all of Green’s other books as I’m sure they will get the silver screen treatment. If the film touched you in the same manner it got to me, it will sit with you for days afterward. It’s one of those movies I want to see again in the theaters as soon as possible.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? Make sure to bring a Kleenex for one of the best on-screen romances we have seen in years.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Trailer: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
Director: Josh Boone
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Willem Dafoe, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Mike Birbiglia

I know it may look like just another teen romance type movie, but rest assured it will be more than that. This is not some stupid Twilight vampire love saga. I repeat this is NO TWILIGHT. I am almost through reading the novel by John Green, from which the film is being adapted. It is the beautiful story of sixteen year old Hazel (Woodley) who starts attending a cancer support group for children with cancer. There she meets Gus (Elgort) who is an amputee after battling osteosarcoma. The two of them bond and find out how to live life to the fullest and find love despite the cancer that lays inside them.

I have watched the trailer a few times now and it seems to accurately depict the book, which is reassuring for the legions of fans that have devoted themselves to these characters. Woodley and Elgort seem to have great chemistry and are quite perfect as Hazel and Gus. Plus, the great Laura Dern stars as Hazel's mom and Willem Dafoe as the enigmatic author idolized by Hazel.

RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2014

Here's the trailer. Feel free to comment below on your thoughts about the trailer or the book!