The Right Stuff - 6 stars out of 10

The Right Stuff - 6 stars out of 10

“The Right Stuff” is a fascinating true story with good acting, but the 3+ hour runtime is simply too long to be manageable in one sitting.  This is reflected in the film’s poor box office performance despite rave reviews from the critics.  The film chronicles the transformation of military test pilots into NASA astronauts during the space race of the 1950’s.  If you are interested in either of these topics, the film will prove to be informative and entertaining.  If you are indifferent to either of these topics, this will be the longest 192 minutes of your life.  I watched the film in two chunks on separate days and I still found myself counting down the minutes until its ending.  The film’s length is a result of the emphasis on Chuck Yeager.  It bothers me that the film introduces Yeager as what you would assume to be the main character, and then he disappears for nearly 2 hours before coming back at the end.  He is included in the story because the future of space travel began with his fearlessness as a test pilot; however, his inclusion adds a significant amount of content to a story that does not concern him.  This film received a slew of Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Cinematography, and Sam Shepard for Best Supporting Actor (ironically as Yeager, who shouldn’t have been in the film).  It was deserving of its wins in technical categories like Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound, but I just wasn’t impressed with the overall film.  The acting of Ed Harris and Dennis Quaid is impressive, all of the training sequences are cool, and the filming of the Mercury missions truly brings space flight to life.  “The Right Stuff” is an interesting look at NASA’s entrance into the space race but I’d prefer to watch a 1-hour documentary version.

[Pictured: Some of the imagery is iconic, but it'd be better if the movie didn't last for 3+ hours]

The Conspiracy (2012) - 5 stars out of 10

The Conspiracy (2012) - 5 stars out of 10

"The Conspiracy" is an interesting addition to the found footage genre.  It is the latest in a series of Paranormal-Activity-With-A-Different-Subject-Matter films (“The Fourth Kind,” “Apollo 18”) that relies on the audience believing that what they are seeing is nonfiction.  Even if you figure out that the story is not legit, the film effectively builds suspense through its documentary-style footage.  Unfortunately, the ending does not live up to the expectation built throughout the first hour of the film.  The first problem is that it is basically like watching "Eyes Wide Shut" from a first-person perspective.  The cult meeting sequence is interesting and seeing it from a first-person perspective creates some chilling imagery, but it doesn't deserve any awards for originality.  A lot of the best moments of the film are a result of acting that feels natural and subtle.  As the movie progresses, you can't help but wonder how the story can possibly be resolved in a way that would allow the audience to see this censored footage of a secret society.  This is where the execution falls short of the concept.  Rather than a the entire film building to a climactic ending ala “The Blair Witch Project,” the writers kill the momentum with about five minutes remaining in order to explain the finding of the footage.  I did appreciate a little bit of ambiguity that keeps us thinking as the credits roll but it still felt terribly anticlimactic and a bit over-explained.  It is a shame because the rest of the film does a great job of not over-explaining and allowing you to put the pieces together yourself.  Even without a great conclusion, it is an interesting mindbender that delivers its story with a sense of authenticity.  “The Conspiracy” is worth watching for its unique story, memorable imagery, and that shocking moment in the shed.  Honestly, I just don’t think that there was a good ending for this story.

[Pictured; Even when you know that the ending is a disappointment, the story will keep you watching]

A Girl Like Her - 7 stars out of 10

A Girl Like Her - 7 stars out of 10

"A Girl Like Her" starts off feeling like a Lifetime movie but slowly develops into a gripping drama about a bully who pushes her target to the edge.  Every high school student should watch this movie.  It is a very real look at the psychological effects of bullying and how quickly it can escalate.  The characters may seem over the top at times but the scary thing is that they aren't actually exaggerated.  There are groups of high school girls that actually act this way.  One of the most important parts of the story is that it traces the development of teenage personality traits and morals to the parents.  Whether it is a dad pushing his son into sports in order to relive his own high school glory days or the “mean girl” mom whose daughter has inherited her attitude and disrespect for authority, the behaviors of many troubled teens are learned at home.  The film does a good job of manifesting this in Avery and contrasting her with Jessica, who gets her kindness from her all-star parents.  Another important moral in this story is that the bullies need help, too.  It is easy to assume that bullies are heartless evildoers but often times, their bullying is a reaction to an issue in their own lives.  This mockumentary isn't going to win any Oscars but it is extremely effective for what it is.  The producers were tedious in creating a sound rationale for every minute of footage by incorporating a documentary crew, a hidden bodycam, and video on a personal still camera into the story.  This is enhanced by using different camera angles and video quality for each of these recordings.  You wouldn’t expect much in the acting department because the lead girls have built their resumes on soap operas but Hunter King gives an unexpectedly raw performance.  She is so easy to hate for the majority of the film as she puts on a stereotypical mean girl performance.  Then, the progression of guilt begins.  The layers are quickly peeled away as we begin to see Avery’s insecurities, understand why she acts the way that she does, and finally see her devastating regret.  You would never expect to feel any sort of empathy for Avery throughout the first half of the film but the final 10 minutes are vivid with one of the most realistic crying breakdowns that I have ever seen onscreen.  “A Girl Like Her” is a powerful piece that will make anybody reexamine the way that they treat others and should become a material that will spark important conversations among high school students.

[Pictured: The bodycam angles bring back all of your least favorite memories from high school]

Finding Dory - 10 stars out of 10

Finding Dory - 10 stars out of 10
1400th review

Like many film cynics, I did not want a sequel to "Finding Nemo."  Sequels (especially Disney animated sequels) are historically a low-quality attempt to squeeze more capital out of a successful Disney property.  After much skepticism and a complete lack of desire to see this film, I'm glad to admit that I was wrong!  "Finding Dory" is a worthy continuation of this beloved story and I am so glad that it happened.  That being said, I still prefer the original story.  This sequel focuses on the same family and friendship themes that make "Nemo" so heartwarming but I find that a father rescuing his son was a little more effective than a forgetful fish searching for her parents.  While there is some merit to the criticism that it is the same basic story as the first one, the film branches off in all of the right directions.  The focus on Dory shifts the conflict from “fish vs. ocean” to “fish vs. her brain.”  The incorporation of flashbacks, the baby Dory character, and an element of mystery all within the context of an oceanic journey makes the story feel completely unique.  Also, instead of being trapped in a small fish tank with four characters, Dory is able to explore an entire marine park with a variety of settings and many new species.  The film pays tribute to old favorite characters while focusing on (arguably) better ones.  The movie wouldn't have felt right without Crush and Mr. Ray but there is only so much that you can do with those two before it becomes repetitive.  Conversely, Hank is a much more dynamic character whose depth of personality and complex visual design opens him up to endless possibilities.  He is one of the greatest characters in animation history from a technical perspective.  There is a great YouTube video that details the complexity of animating his seven arms with independent movements (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn0S2vmSCU0) and his erratic movements are fascinating to watch.  Hank’s camouflaging abilities serve as a comedic device as well as one more layer of his complexity.  In addition to his technical execution, this character is vital to explaining the significance of the orange tag, helping to transport Dory, and the recipient of his own important emotional transformation.  He is reason enough to see this film.  Other newcomers include the giant crying clam, the sea lions, an over dramatic beluga whale, a nearsighted whale shark, and Becky, the best character in the movie.  Each one has their moment to help the main characters in their journey, and you will just love Becky’s moments in the spotlight.  The script is very well written (you wouldn’t expect Sigourney Weaver jokes to fit so perfectly into the story) and the seashells got me bad.  The writers perfectly set you up for that moment of realization where the puzzle pieces suddenly fit together and you realize how the journey will end.  Good luck holding the tears back during this one.  The voice actors are perfectly cast to bring this script to life, from those reprising their roles (Ellen and Albert Brooks) to newcomers that create distinctive personalities for their characters (Eugene Levy as Dory’s father, Ty Burrell as Bailey, and of course Ed O’Neill as Hank).  The music also plays an important role in the story, from the sting rays’ interesting taste in choral music to Sia's perfect minor rendition of the song Unforgettable.  It is the most clever dark remix since Lana del Rey's Once Upon A Dream for “Maleficent."  “Finding Dory” has succeeded at capturing the warmth of “Nemo” with a fresh (though similar) story, memorable characters, and second-to-none computer animation that will make you believe that you are actually under water.  I truly believe that the quality of Disney and Pixar’s output had made every other animation studio obsolete.

[Pictured: Hank single-handedly proves Pixar's dominance in computer animation]

Thumbelina (1994) - 2 stars out of 10

Thumbelina (1994) - 2 stars out of 10

I have scoffed at the idea of watching “Thumbelina” since it came out 22 years ago and I wish that I had left it unseen.  There is absolutely nothing for adults or boys in this film.  The entire film feels like a jumbled mess with dialogue that leaves something to be desired and important moral lessons (like “Don’t get mixed up with Latino singing and dancing frogs that promise to make you a celebrity).  After successful films like “An American Tale” and “The Land Before Time,” this trainwreck introduced the fallibility of Don Bluth and was the first in a string of box office failures.  Even at its lowest, Disney never released this sort of drivel into theaters.  Disney may have stooped pretty low with some of their direct-to-video sequels but at least they were self-aware enough to outsource them to a lower-budget branch and forego the theater.  All that I really want to know is why the narrator (Jacquimo) is French.  Hans Christian Anderson, the story’s author, is Danish.  The original fairy tale makes no reference to France.  The movie doesn’t take place in France.  None of the other characters are French.  So why does the script make such a big deal about Jacquimo being French?  I suppose that the writers were trying to create their own Lumiere with this character and it isn’t the only instance that this film tries to copy Disney.  The narrating character, singing animals, animation style, and even the casting of Jodi Benson (Ariel) in the lead role scream “Disney Rip-off.”  Then Gilbert Gottfried (Iago) pops in to drive the point home.  “The Lion King” got Elton John.  This movie got… Barry Manilow?  Disney seems to be a step ahead at every turn.  The cast list is full of celebrities including John Hurt and Carol Channing.  The true mystery is how they suckered this many stars into a movie like this.  Gary Imhoff’s singing voice sounds very shouty in the low range and the vibrato in his high register, while beautiful, doesn’t match the appearance of his character.  The story is just a bunch of characters (including a prince, a toad, and a mole) trying to marry her and another set of characters (including a beetle and a toad) trying to exploit her for her singing voice.  It’s boring and kind of disturbing, all at the same time.  I’m just trying to figure out why everybody wants to marry her.  She is kind of a brat.  On top of that, there are so many unnecessary characters.  It's like the writers and animators had a brainstorming session and just decided to keep everyone, even if they only got to be in the movie for two minutes.  The musical ballads are kind of nice but not nice enough for them all to be repeated multiple time throughout the film.  Except for “Marry the Mole.”  Once was enough for that song.  It is really difficult to find anything good to say about this film and worst part is that I probably would have given it the same review at age 9.  “Thumbelina” is visually appealing but the story, characters and music all feel like a mistake.  Even direct-to-video Disney sequels are better than this.

[Pictured: An annoying small person and a inexplicably French bird in the middle of a Danish story - what could possibly go wrong?]