The Imposter (2012) - 10 stars out of 10

The Imposter (2012) - 10 stars out of 10

“The Imposter” is a riveting documentary about a man who fakes the identity of a missing teenager in order to begin a new life.  This film is deserving of all of its critical acclaim.  When teenager Nicholas Barclay turns up in Spain after disappearing for three years, a complex international exchange occurs.  The result is a truly incredible exploration of denial in the face of tragedy and masterful deception.  Frédéric Bourdin’s story is difficult to believe as he fools the Barclay family in spite of his age difference, different hair and eye color, and thick French accent.  As the plot thickens further, it becomes better than any fictional murder mystery.  Our main character transitions from villain to hero to villain as the authorities try to understand why something just doesn’t feel right about this case.  And once all is revealed, he becomes one of the most despicable villains ever.  I don’t want to spoil too much so just watch “The Imposter” and prepare to be on the edge of your seat until the credits begin to roll!

[Pictured: Amazing to have the real life Bourdin in all of the reenactments]

Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Video (2000) - 6 stars out of 10

Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Video (2000) - 6 stars out of 10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAT3DGtCO58&feature=youtu.be

This look at Disney World isn’t as retro as videos from the 70’s and 90’s, but it’s fun because we get to see the “new wave” of Disney rides when they were new.  The Tower of Terror and Test Track have become Disney staples for many of us, but do you remember how it felt when you first heard of this ground-breaking ride and couldn’t believe it to be true?  This video is full of these moments, especially Reflections of Earth at Epcot.  One of the main focuses of this vacation planning guide is the Millennium Celebration.  It builds up the enormity of the new fireworks show and it is no surprise that it has played every night since the turn of the millennium.  Another “new feature” of the resort was the Animal Kingdom.  The shows have changed and things have been moved around (oh yeah, and Expedition Everest didn’t exist!!!) and the original design of the park is preserved here.  I do wish that they would focus a little more attention on each ride and resort, but this video was made during the beginning of the internet age where people were informed about the park before even receiving this video.  It definitely isn’t as fun as true retro Disney videos but this Millennium Edition of the “Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Video” opens up an opportunity to relive the excitement as these classic attractions were first introduced.

[Pictured: This video preserves the once-in-a-lifetime celebration]

The Divergent Series: Insurgent - 3 stars out of 10

The Divergent Series: Insurgent - 3 stars out of 10

“Insurgent” was a rather disappointing follow-up to the inspired dystopian thriller, “Divergent.”  The first  film was on par with “The Hunger Games” series but this installment plods along with less action and a storyline that lacks direction.  The first half of the film prepares us for war but the second half focuses on something totally different.  The issues in this film are not acting or editing related; instead, the story just isn’t as good.  The characters don’t really develop at all over the course of this film and there is very little plot for a 2-hour runtime.  Even though the box reveals the huge twist that we’ve been waiting for, they spend so much time trying to open it that we don’t even care by the end.  Not to mention, the twist would’ve been more effective if they hadn’t stolen it “The Maze Runner,” though the final scene still ended up being an incredible shocker.  One of the biggest strengths of this series was its use of Chicago landmarks to make the world seem more relatable and realistic than other films in this genre, but they completely lost sight of that in this sequel.  The strengths of this film are the same as “Divergent”: good acting from Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet, and now Naomi Watts, and the uninhibited bravery of the Dauntless.  Unfortunately, “Insurgent” has a lot of weaknesses and I don’t know that it was good enough to get me out to see its two-part finale in 2016 and 2017.

[Pictured: Pay attention to this image, because it's basically half of the movie]

The Walt Disney World Vacation Planner (1993) - 9 stars out of 10

The Walt Disney World Vacation Planner (1993) - 9 stars out of 10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlwcZ6oeH2k

For a truly nostalgic look at retro Disney World, the 45-minute long vacation planner from 1993 perfectly preserves the original purpose of each park.  I enjoyed watching this because it was shot in the year when I first visited Disney World (1992) so the entire thing literally captures my first Disney memories, but more important is the exploration of EPCOT Center and MGM Studios in their original forms.  While Disney successfully adapts to meet public demand, the ideals of these two parks have been lost throughout the years.  How much fun would it be to visit Epcot if every ride still utilized the cutting edge of technology and displayed the possibilities of the future?  It seems as if the future has caught up with Future World and the attractions show an outdated vision of the present.  Also, it is amazing to see how MGM Studios used to transport people into I Love Lucy with “Superstar Television” and demonstrate the process of creating sound fx with “The Monster Sound Show.”  Even the concept of showing the movie-making process has been diminished by the progressive demise of the Studio Backlot Tour.  This park’s theme has shifted from the making of movies to a celebration of our favorite movies (plus assorted thrill rides), but this is a great reminder of how these parks started.  The Magic Kingdom continues to operate in perfection (with the exception of "Stitch's Great Escape"), but I please with Disney to bring back Spectromagic.  I got choked up just hearing a few seconds of that trumpet fanfare.  This video was also made during the influx of new Disney resorts and gives us a chance to see Dixie Landings before it became Port Orleans Riverside, The Disney Village before it became Saratoga Springs, and The Disney Inn before it became Shades of Green.  I wish that each resort was explored in more detail, but that’s because I am a Disney nerd and not your average 1993 adult looking to plan a Disney vacation.  Whether you’ve visited Disney World one time or a complete Disney addict, “The Walt Disney World Vacation Planner” from 1993 is sure to make you want to go back!

[Pictured: I wish that we still got to see these characters on the rides!]

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - 8 stars out of 10

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - 8 stars out of 10

I am not a Lord of the Rings fan and I spent the better part of 11 years avoiding this movie.  Friends sat me down to watch the first two (typically ending in me falling asleep) and a student even gave me a copy of the film in 2010 so that I wouldn’t have an excuse.  Eleven Oscars do not lie – “The Return of the King” is an epic journey that brings J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world to life. The editing is a marvel, special effects were groundbreaking, and it was definitely the best movie of 2003.  Even though it had been nearly 10 years since I saw “The Two Towers,” the movie is so long that you can easily forge strong attachments to the characters during this installment.  I didn’t even remember Pippin when I started the film but he was one of my favorites by the end.  Viggo and McKellen are strong from start to finish, Elijah Wood and Sean Astin are fantastic as Frodo and Sam, and I inexplicably cried at the beginning of the “ending.”  I do have to take a moment to complain about the editing at the end of the film.  They drag out the ending for like 20 minutes and keep fading out, only to reveal one false ending after another.  Even once it said "The End," I was skeptical for a minute before turning it off.  No wonder this movie is 3 1/2 hours long!  I’m sure that LOTR fanatics eat it up, but my emotions were unengaged by the actual end of this film.  Still, the length of these films is no secret so we shouldn’t be surprised when the film simply won’t end.  The entire series is a rather genius way to explore the world of Middle Earth through the events of this journey.   This installment is particularly filled with action and the editors prevented it from becoming monotonous.  The acting of Andy Serkis to bring Gollum to life is truly admirable, and the special effects were definitely advanced for their time.  I understand why the film was not nominated in any acting categories, but all of the acting is still very good.  This film hasn’t made me a LOTR fan, but it has certainly redeemed the series for me, in spite of the unreasonably long lengths.  “The Return of the King” is still a big cumbersome to endure in one watch, but don’t be afraid to pause it in order to stretch your legs or go make some food – the characters will still be there when you finish and it doesn’t take much to draw you right back in.

[Pictured; A truly amazing story of friendship]

Pitch Perfect 2 - 6 stars out of 10

Pitch Perfect 2 - 6 stars out of 10

“Pitch Perfect 2” is a letdown after the original set the bar so high with its comedy, unique plot, and a cappella perfection.  The only way to follow up an iconic film is by reinventing its concept in a familiar way, but this attempt felt uninspired.  As the film opens with Fat Amy swinging from the ceiling while singing Wrecking Ball, it becomes clear that the writers didn’t know how to continue the story of the Bellas.  I understand that this sets up the main theme of the Bella’s needing to find their sound, but instead it feels like the entire franchise has lost its direction.  Also, this unnecessarily crude scene makes me uncomfortable recommending this film to anyone, especially teenagers.  That being said, the treatment of a cappella in the film is breathtaking.  From the moment that Das Sound Machine begin singing Uprising by Muse, I knew that the music of this film would surpass the music of the original.  I could listen to them all day.  The mash-ups are clever as they blend the classics with modern pop music, and Flashlight is destined to become a bigger hit than the cup song.  The music definitely makes the film worth watching once you’ve accepted that the plot isn’t going anywhere.  I appreciated the cameo by Pentatonix but I think that they were underutilized and deserved more screentime.  They are leading the a cappella revolution in the real world and it would’ve been nice to see them at least get their own song or be worked into the plot a little more.  So much of this film is based on cheap laughs instead of clever comedy.  Sometimes, it feels like they’re telling the same joke over and over again while the wit of the first film is missing.  Anna Kendrick continues to get better with every role that she takes and it was nice to see the majority of the cast return.  There was way too much focus on Fat Amy’s love story but it’s a pretty clear case of “Give the people what they want.”  I like the addition of Chrissie Fit’s character, though I feel like she took away from the potential to make Hana Mae Lee as funny as in the original.  I can nitpick “Pitch Perfect 2” all day but there is really just one thing that you need to know: the music is so good that its worth enduring this disheveled plot to hear these awesome a cappella covers.

[Pictured: The music is even better than ever, even if the plot falls apart]