Warm Bodies

My sister and I watched this recently as just something to do. We had both seen this movie before and enjoyed it, so we decided to watch it again.

I am not a big fan of horror movies, but I wouldn't really classify this one as part of that genre. Yes there is a bit of horror movie violence but it's not over the top. This movie is really much more of an unconventional love story, and though I'm not the biggest fan of chick flicks/romance movies, the storyline was really unique. It follows the tale of a zombie named R (played by Nicholas Hoult) who falls in love with a human girl (played by Teresa Palmer).

What I enjoyed about this movie was how the movie was narrated. Because R can't speak, the audience goes through the movie with R's internal point of view. His thoughts are easy to connect to and his point of view adds to the comedic parts of the movie. The movie has it's funny moments and it tends to stay on the lighter side of things. I also really liked how the movie was an interesting take on Romeo and Juliet, which can be seen through the characters names and certain events that occur throughout the movie.

Overall, I liked this movie and thought it was really interesting. While it was a romance movie and once and a while tended to have those usual cliches found in those kinds of movies, I liked how it was a different spin on that genre. I enjoyed the internal narration of R and how it really kept the plot moving. I thought this film was a unique one and I recommend it to anyone looking for a romance movie, a comedy, or just something interesting.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07s-cNFffDM

The Great Gatsby (2013 Version)

My campus screened this recently as the Film Association's fall semester movie. I didn't have a chance to see it when it was out in theaters, so this was my first time seeing this version. I thought it was a pretty well-done adaptation. Though I haven't read the book recently, the plot points and symbols were all there, and you could tell that the director put a lot of thought into it. As a warning ahead of time, a lot of things happen when the film begins, such as a lot of camera movements, lots of color, and loud sounds/music. It's common with the director's (Baz Luhrmann) style to do this, but if you have not seen some of his films before, be prepared. I also thought it connected in an interesting way to Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!, it had a lot of plot similarities and interesting choices of music. I think my only major critique is that Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan) didn't really have great chemistry, which kind of brought down the romance that's supposed to be present in the movie. On a positive note, I really enjoyed the soundtrack that was used. Each song fit so well with what went on in the movie, and I especially enjoyed the motif of the song "Together" by The xx that played mostly when Gatsby and Daisy were onscreen together. Overall, I thought it was a pretty good adaptation of the novel and I would recommend it to those who liked the book.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuQhprtLJ3k

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

I am not a huge fan of chick flicks, I mostly try to avoid them at all costs. I was a little reluctant when I first went to see this movie, but it got good reviews so my family decided to go see it. Turns out it was a really well-done movie with a well-acted cast and a really good plot. On my first day back at school, my friends and I decided to watch this movie, and it was still enjoyable to watch. It creates a great balance between humor and romance, in which neither overpowers the other. Usually when I watch a chick flick, I get pretty bored because they usually have the same generic plot points and aren't really creative. This movie weaves a great plot through multiple characters trying to find love, but you never feel lost with what each character is looking for and it ends with a funny climax and a good conclusion. I would really recommend this to anyone who is looking for a chick flick or a good romantic comedy.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iCwtxJejik