Movie Review Madness: Insurgent

Insurgent is the second movie in the Divergent series, and I thought this was tighter than the book by Veronica Roth. I liked the whole series and reviewed the books in the past. But if you haven’t read them, no worries – just enjoy the action and adventure as Shailene Woodley (as Tris Pryor) kicks it up  a notch.  She’s a little thing, but she’s bad ass, and carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders. Her nightmares reveal her concerns – anyone she loves seems to end up dying. Her mother and father died protecting her and their factions. She killed her good friend Will, but he was going to shoot her first. Now she’s afraid for her boyfriend Four (handsome Theo James) 

They are hiding out with Amity under the reluctant protection of Octavia Spencer. But Jeannine (evil Kate Winslet) puts out a call to find all divergents. She needs someone to break the puzzle of the magic box that holds a message from the past. The army descends on Amity and Tris, Four, and Caleb flee. Tris and Four seek out Dauntless. Caleb decides to find his Erudite people. In their travels, Four encounters a surprise hiding amongst the factionless – someone he thought was dead, and still refuses to acknowledge. With life in disarray, Tris decides to face Jeannine, and subject herself to the puzzle test. So far no divergent has lived while trying to break the simulation tests.  

Will Tris prevail? Who shows up to help fight Jeannine and her Erudite empire – Candor? Dauntless? The Factionless? What is the message from the past and what does it bode for the future?

Is there life beyond the wall?  So many questions – go see Insurgent to root for Tris and Four. It’s the old theme – why can’t we all get along?

 

Movie Review Madness: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green has been a young adult fiction phenomenon. The movie version starring Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace Lancaster and Ansel Elgort as Gus is a worthy film. It’s sharp, sad, plucky, gutsy, and the key to these teens’ lives is to not just be oblivion. They want to matter and they don’t want their cancer to define them. Yes, these kids have cancer. No, that’s not the point of the movie. The point is ultimately teen love, heart, and sheer living with every fiber.  

Shailene Woodley continues her streak of tremendous acting. She’s so smart and so real – her Hazel is snarky, wise, and a passionate girl who has lung issues that can kill her. Gus – so wise, full of soul, and yes, he’s darn cute – has a bone cancer that took his leg. But he’s strong and sees the glow of Hazel. My review is gushy because this is such a great movie. Lots of laugh out loud lines and moments. Even during some tough breathing times for Hazel, she’s spunky. That’s the key. While her mother (played by a very good Laura Dern) tells Hazel to make friends, it’s only out of concern. The mom wants Hazel to be sorta “normal”, and embraces Gus. He infuses Hazel with energy and indeed some normalcy.  

Hazel and Gus are obsessed with a book by a Peter Van Houten called The Imperial Affliction. It’s like a defining cancer fiction story. Gus uses his “make a wish” to take Hazel and her mother to the Netherlands to meet Van Houten. He (played by Willem Dafoe) is a total jerk, but that’s rather key to the movie. It strengthens the kids’ relationship and also defines the issue of living with cancer. They also visit the Anne Frank home and that’s very powerful as Hazel lugs her oxygen up a zillion teeny steps. 

All in all, the movie is a faithful rendition of the book. Bring tissues. I won’t say more about the plot. The Fault in Our Stars has depth, great acting, and lessons that don’t pound you over the head, but should be embraced.  See the movie, sniffle a bit, and then enjoy life, breathe deep, run, love, and avoid oblivion.

Movie Review Madness: Divergent

Look out Katniss Everdeen from Hunger Games – you have a serious rival in this age of heroines. Beatrix in Divergent looks mild and meek in her Abnegation gray drab outfit. But her conversion to Dauntless, name change to Tris, and new workout regime has her in full fight mode.  I gave a review of the Divergent trilogy in a previous post, and I do recommend reading the books. However, the first movie is worthy and you’ll be caught up in this futuristic world.  

Chicago survived a world war and is now split into factions – Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, and Dauntless. At eighteen, the youth take a test which shows them their place in this world. Generally they fit in their family history, so no change. Some do show a different tendency and leave their family to join a new faction. And then there are the few like Tris who show a split – no true path. They are shockingly divergent and are considered dangerous. Tris is told to keep her mouth shut, and in further tests she needs to hide her divergent qualities and play along in Dauntless world. Here she learns to fight, jump, and calculate Dauntless power. The good looking leader, Four (Theo James), pushes her to extremes and also falls for her. 

Together they worry about the growing powers of Erudite’s Jeanine (a very icy Kate Winslet). There are rumors about Abnegation, and Dauntless warriors are given a drink which turns them into fighting robots. Tris and a few others are immune and able to help thwart this worrisome takeover. However, lives are lost and factions are split. Tris, Four, and Four’s father Marcus are last seen leading a new team for survival.  

Shailene Woodley is excellent as Tris. She’s a tiny thing with a lot of vulnerability. But she’s determined, smart, and demonstrates maturity on screen.  Divergent builds slowly and steadily, and all along you will root for Tris. At the end of the movie, you’ll be eager for the sequel Insurgent, and questioning which faction you would join.  Or are you … divergent?

Movie Madness: The Spectacular Now

The Spectacular Now is a tiny movie that is spectacular. It's not a teen movie, it's a human movie. It flows - it's well acted, well written, and the characters are folks you get to know and care about. Shailene Woodley (from the Descendants) continues to bring heart and soul to a teen girl role. She's pretty without being gorgeous, and so normal. Miles Teller (from Footloose) exudes personality, but again is nice looking without being too pretty or too macho. These kids mesh on screen and you root for them.

I am gushing, but it's because as a critic, a movie like this is refreshing. Sutter (Miles) is the party boy senior dating the prettiest girl, until he's not. Turns out he's way fun, but no one takes him seriously. His drinking is out of hand (he always has a flask, and is sipping from a fast food soda). It's senior year and time to buckle down and figure out the future. His ex is now dating the football scholar class president. After a raucous night, Sutter wakes up in the front yard of Aimee. She knows him, he fakes knowing her. She's quiet and is off to do her mom's paper route. Sutter tags along, and a friendship begins.

Only he thinks he's doing her a "favor" - letting her date a "cool" kid (in his mind), even though in reality she offers him far more - she tutors him, shows him how to love (not superficially), shows him loyalty and maturity. Does he break her heart? Sure. Does she break his? Sure. It's senior year and these kids are trying to figure out life, while dealing with family issues - missing dad, deceased dad, mothers who are doing their best. The Spectacular Now  has serious themes, but is buoyed by humor and grace. It is a quietly spectacular addition to the fall movie scene.