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Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
Intoxicating production & charm, damaged by "Stone"
In the post-summer blockbuster/pre-Oscar race lull, Woody Allen's latest creation & 49th film is a delightful & intellectual thirst quencher. Like his last few films, "Magic in Moonlight" is set in Europe, the French Rivera to be exact. The production design, lighting, costumes, music selections, cinematography, & scenery are absolutely intoxicating. Colin Firth is immediately enchanting & presents Woody's signature quick wit in the most charming of ways. In the first 15 minutes, it feels like you may be watching a film that could possibly outshine or at least join the ranks of Allen's recent gems, "Midnight in Paris" or "Blue Jasmine". But then Emma Stone's character is introduced & the rest of the film has an obvious void due to her being miscast. Not only does Colin Firth act her under the table, they have absolutely no chemistry, she causes her character to be extremely unconvincing & it really suffocates the potential of a charming story/script. I think this flaw occurred because the character is written as being young & with her mother traveling with her. The role would have been more effective & sincere with a slightly older leading female character. I can easily think of 10 actresses that could have played that role so much better. In short: Zoey Deschanel, Jessica Chastain, Carey Mulligan, Maggie Gyllenhaal or even an encore of Cate Blanchett. Emma Stone is a good actress, but she is still young and nowhere near parallel to Colin Firth's brilliance. Other than that buzz kill, the rest of the movie is an extremely charming blush-fest filled with all that I have always loved about Woody Allen films. It's an acquired taste, but one that I'm always glad to feed. By Movie Cutie @ http://moviecutie.blogspot.com
Boyhood (2014)
Groundbreaking, extremely realistic, profound
If you are ready to witness an extremely real & powerful story about growing up though the eyes of an average American boy, you are going to be blown away by "Boyhood". Whether you are a parent, family member or on your journey from youth to adulthood, there is so much to be felt by seeing this movie. It was filmed over 12 years with the same cast, which is quite groundbreaking & also turned out to be very emotionally impactful in a way that typical casting or makeup could never emulate. Ellar Coltrane is the lead character & his performance is so profound, that at times you forget that are watching a fictional movie & a not a documentary. Lorelei Linklater, who plays his older sister is also wonderful & really supports the emotional dynamic that is present between siblings. Ethan Hawke & Patricia Arquette also bring their very realistic characters to life. But the power & genius of this concept must be credited to the brilliance & dedication of the writer & director, Richard Linklater. He did not play it safe on the plot/story which really allowed you to connect with these characters & feel their pain/joy as they experienced it without predictability. It's very clear to see that Linklater's ability to take 12 years worth of filming and turn it into one seamless and extremely consistent work of cinematic art took a lot of vision & persistence. I'm betting that this movie will get many nods & hopefully lots of statues. I highly recommend that everyone at some point in their lives see this, but soon in the theater without distraction would be best. by Movie Cutie
Get on Up (2014)
Powerful lead actor & excellent supporting cast gets funky with a predictable biopic screenplay.
When you think about the larger than life character & talents of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, it's hard to imagine how you could fit that size of a story into 138 minutes? This production, produced in part by Mick Jagger, manages to pull it off in a close to predictable fashion with a lot of funk. The absolute soul power of this movie goes without hesitation to Chadwick Boseman. While he does lip sync to the real James Brown's vocals, his on & off stage portrayal of him is as close as anyone could ever think of getting and he more than nails his speaking voice. With it being this early in the season, it's hard to call, but he may just have a one or a complete set of Oscar/Golden Globe/Screen Actors Guild nominations on the way. The film is directed by Tate Taylor who also directed "The Help" & he pays tribute to that success by casting Viola Davis & Octavia Spencer in key roles for this ensemble. Other large & strong performances by Dan Aykroyd & Nelsan Elllis, who you will recognize as "Lafayette" from True Blood. This is not his first big screen effort, but I have a feeling we will be seeing more of him in larger roles like this now that True Blood is just a few episodes from it's end. Big kudos go to the hair, makeup & costume department, they really knock it out of the park on all points. The obvious weak link in this movie is the screenplay by Jez & John-Henry Butterworth. They played it a little too safe & really stuck with the traditional biopic formula when they could have really gotten gritty in the style of "Ray". The story spends a little too much time on certain plot points & then has to rush to close several open doors. I think their credentials & past catalog of the writers were pretty weak for taking on this important story. But despite that "I Feel Good" about recommending that you see this movie in the theater soon, so "Get On Up". by Movie Cutie