Sunday, March 29, 2015

Movies & Miniseries & Oh My!

I'm taking another break from books today to talk about some movies and TV shows I've watched lately. I don't usually watch many movies and I haven't been watching a lot of TV either but as I was off this past week for March break, I had a lot of time to just do nothing and it just so happened I was able to sneak in a few films and one miniseries in there! So with that said, let's get this show on the road, shall we?


The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
Directed by Andrew Jarecki
HBO
If you know me, you know I am a sucker for anything true crime. Dateline? 48 Hours? Serial? I'll eat it all up. So when I saw my Twitter feed blowing up about a Robert Durst one day and then learned about The Jinx, I knew I had to watch it. And you know what? I ended up really liking it.

I've heard The Jinx being compared to the Serial podcast many times and here I will say, The Jinx was probably more riveting than Serial in my opinion. Although I did love Serial a lot, there were episodes that felt a little unnecessary, where the story wasn't as tight as maybe I would have liked it. The pacing was a problem as well especially when we got to the last episode and everything was basically exactly where we started off the podcast with. Now I definitely think the journey is more important than the destination and the journey Serial took me on was incredible but I expect a proper destination when I'm being promised one and that didn't happen. But with The Jinx, boy did I ever get an ending. It was absolutely fascinating even though I had already read about how it was going to end.

The production was fantastic. The cinematography was amazing and the narration was really great too. I loved how the producers revealed each part of the puzzle one bit by one bit and it just wrapped up really really nicely. I suppose it helps when you have as interesting a story as the one Robert Durst has to tell (who is by the way a very eccentric character) but still so well done. I highly recommend The Jinx for anyone looking for something quick. There are only six 45 minute to 60 minute episodes and even if that seems like too much time to commit to a show (which it isn't, trust me, as I have commitment issues with TV as well), the story is so interesting that you won't even notice all the time has gone.


 Cinderella
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Starring Lily James, Richard Madden and Cate Blanchett
Cinderella wasn't a film I wanted to see at all when it arrived in theatres. Which confuses me now, having seen it, because I was OBSESSED with Cinderella when I was younger. I had a copy of the original Disney movie on VCR and I'd force my parents to play it every weekend. In comparison to the other princesses we have now, I don't know if I'd still put Cinderella at the top of my list like she was when I was younger but for nostalgia's sake, she's still pretty high up there.

So all this rambling is basically to say, my disinterest made absolutely no sense and I am so grateful to my grandmother for dragging me to go see it because it was wonderful.

I loved seeing everything come to life; it really brought me back to my childhood. I loved the cinematography and the costumes and all the minor tweaks they made were so fitting. So magical.

And the acting was amazing as well. I thought Lily James made for a really charming Cinderella and Cate Blanchett nailed her role as Evil Stepmother. Richard Madden, who played the Prince, was a) GORGEOUS and b) so likeable. Even the secondary characters of the stepsisters and the fairy godmother and the king were so well acted.

So overall, I really really enjoyed this movie. I think this is a great choice if you're looking for something light and positive but still really well done.


The DUFF
Directed by Ari Sandel
Starring Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell and Bella Thorne
Having read the DUFF, I was really excited to see this movie even though I knew it wasn't going to be the same storyline. The trailer looked hilarious and going into it, all I was expecting was to just have a great time at the theatre, laughing my butt off. And I hate to say it but I'm actually really disappointed. Coming out of the theatre I don't think I regretted seeing it nearly as much as I do now.

I guess the first thing that took me by surprise was that it was truly a very teen movie. Like I almost feel like this entire movie could have been written by teens. There was swearing and a LOT of sex jokes and I don't necessarily have trouble with that; I was just very taken aback. Because usually even if it is a movie for teens, you don't always have such crude jokes. Which again, isn't something I typically have problems with. I am a teenager after all but seeing some of the jokes on screen was just so cringe worthy. A particular scene between Bianca and Wes at the mall in the food court stands out to me. I was laughing but completely out of how awkward and ridiculous it was.

I guess I just feel like this movie was trying too hard to be funny in places so the other areas just fell sorta flat for me. But I did like Mae Whitman as Bianca (secretly she was also my pick for Hazel in The Fault In Our Stars) and Robbie Amell was good too. But yeah, I still can't help but feel a little let down and wishing that I had just waited for it to come out on DVD.


22 Jump Street
Directed by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Starring Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill and Ice Cube
This was a movie I actually really enjoyed a lot. I haven't seen 21 Jump Street but I was in the mood for a funny, kinda kooky comedy so when I saw this on the Movie Network, I was like score!

And I did really like it a lot. Both Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill were incredibly endearing characters. I liked how this movie didn't take itself too seriously and there were parts where I legitimately could not stop laughing.

I don't know if it's necessarily a movie I'd see again but it offered me everything that I went into it expecting. I had such a fun time watching it and it provided the break that I was seeking so desperately after working on my project for five hours straight.

I think I might have to watch 21 Jump Street now though. (Also is it possible that I am finding Channing Tatum more attractive??)


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There you go, some movies (and one mini-series) I've seen lately. What movies have you seen and what did you think of them? Tell me in the comments! I'll be looking forward to what you guys have to say.

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