'Frozen' (PG) ***1/4
Yeah...I saw this. Saw it on Monday but I've been busy with school to write something up about it. Saw it for two reasons:
1) - It was actually getting rave reviews, with most calling it one of Disney's best
since 'Beauty and the Beast'.
2) - I was stressed out and needed something to take my mind off things.
Usually you can't go wrong with Disney...
Anyway, fearless optimist Princess Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) teams up with Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (voice of Josh Gad) in a race to find Anna's sister Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. It wasn't advertised as a musical, but like many other Disney movies it indeed is a musical. But overall I liked it quite a bit, although my opinion has waned since I saw it. It's beautifully animated, the songs actually are pretty good for the most part, it's very funny and the 3D was also very good. At one point Olaf sings a song about how he is looking forward to summer, blissfully unaware of or just flat out ignoring what would happen to him in warmer temperatures. What's not to like about that? There's also plenty of twists and turns to the usual Disney tropes that keep it fresh and interesting. I do have one nitpick about the movie but that would be getting into spoilers. I wouldn't say that it's one of Disney's best ever but then again it's been a long while since I've seen any of the earlier Disney animated movies ('Robin Hood' and 'The Fox and The Hound' were my personal favorites growing up. 'Great Mouse Detective' was also up there). Now if you do go see 'Frozen' stay through the credits. There is a scene after the credits that's worth staying for.
TRAILERS: 'The Boxtrolls' (didn't show much of what it was about but it's from the same studio that made 'Coraline' and 'Paranorman'); 'Maleficent' (could be good); 'Muppets Most Wanted' (Doesn't look as good as the previous movie but it could still be fun); 'The Nut Job' (This could be awesome...after all, who doesn't like a good heist movie?)
'Dallas Buyers Club' (R) **1/2
This is a prime example of a movie that I go to see merely based on critical acclaim and possible awards recognition. That, and I wanted to go see one last movie at the AMC Theater here in Muncie before I graduate. Between the two AMC theaters in Muncie I've seen quite a lot of movies. Probably more than I should have....some I could've avoided entirely....others I didn't really need to see but decided on a spur of the moment decision to go see them. But enough rambling about movie theaters.
In 1985 Dallas, electrician/hustler/gun-totin'/racist/homophobic/redneck Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey, who lost 30 pounds for this role) works around the system to start the titular organization to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is himself diagnosed with the disease. He soon gets help from his doctor Eve Saks (Jennifer Garner) and forms an unlikely, uneasy partnership with fellow AIDS patient/drug addict Rayon (Jared Leto, who also lost a significant amount of weight), who is a transvestite.
For the most part McConaughey's and Leto's performances were good. Although with Matthew McConaughey there were several moments early on that just kinda took me out of the movie. And despite the movie being slightly under 2 hours it certainly didn't feel that way. I kept shifting around in my seat. After the movie I felt drained. Not the draining feeling I felt after watching '12 Years A Slave'. I'm talking about the draining feeling that made me feel really tired and in need of a very long nap. I mean overall it's not a bad movie by any means, I just felt underwhelmed by it as a whole. Perhaps my expectations were way too high.
TRAILERS: 'American Hustle' (still looks great); 'Lone Survivor' (I don't know about this one, could be good); 'Nebraska' (it looks good); 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' (looks strange, but also looks funny); 'Her' (Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with a Siri-like progam voiced by Scarlett Johansson. This looks....different)
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Well this coming week is finals week. Monday is technically the last day of classes, but finals are happening the rest of the week. I have 4 final exams, 4 take home essays to do (500 words or less), 1 paper revision for now with the possibility of a few more as well later on in the week. Two of my final exams I have to take in a computer lab and both are comprehensive. The other two final exams I have to take in class Wednesday morning and Friday afternoon and only cover material from the second half of the semester. The take home essays I have until Friday to do, and the paper revision is due Monday. The other paper revisions, if I have to do those, would be due by Friday. I won't know if I have to do those other revisions until Monday.
So as far as blog posts this week goes, my NFL picks will be up on Wednesday night. I hope to have the next installment of "I Finally Watched..." up this week as well but that depends on if I get around to watching the movie for it. Like I said, I have a sinking feeling about it. The main precursor awards to the Oscars, the Golden Globes, will be announcing their nominations Thursday morning so I'll probably do a quick write up of that as well.
So we'll see how this week goes. It'll be quite productive to say the least.
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Well, I've talked about Disney, Dallas and Finals but now it's time for finality. Barring divine intervention or a sudden head injury, this will be the last week of my collegiate career. I will be graduating on December 14th. Am I excited about it? Well.....maybe I'll be a little more excited about it later in the week. Then afterward I get to move back home and start trying to find a real job.
My college career is coming to a close, and 2013 is also coming to a close. I'll probably have more about this year in a few weeks but this year has had it's ups and it's downs.
So what will this blog bring for the rest of the year? The usual things. More reviews, more NFL picks, stuff about Christmas movies, stuff about movies that "I Finally Watched...", and whatever else comes to mind. I have a few ideas for things I'm going to do next year on this blog but I'll keep those ideas under wraps for now.
Well, I have plenty of things I need to do today. And the next day. And the next day....and the next day....and the next day....and the next day....and the next day, but after this particular day's events it's all over. There is light at the end of the tunnel....of course directly outside of that tunnel is a steep cliff that I like to call 'the real world'.
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