Chronicle

Chronicle (2012)
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russel, and Michael B. Jordan
Directed by: Josh Trank
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Grade: A+

This was a movie that I didn't know what to expect going in. But I LOVED it. The acting is great, especially by Dane DeHaan, who reminds me of a young version of Leonardo DiCaprio. I thought it was just me until I went online and thought a lot of other people thought that, too. Glad I'm not alone on that. Anyway, needless to say I thought he was ADORABLE. Chronicle is a "found footage" film that is similar to Cloverfield, The Blair Witch Project, and the Paranormal Activity series. Those kinds of films have a tendency of being stupid and dizzying from their camera effects; Chronicle ,thankfully, is different. Andrew (DeHaan) is a high-school teenager who has decided to record his life. Through these videos, we find out Andrew is a total outcast. Andrew's father is an abusive drunk, his mother is dying, and his cousin, Matt (Russell), barely tolerates him. One day, while Matt is driving Andrew back from school, Matt convinces Andrew to go to a party with him. He then asks Andrew not to bring his camera, but Andrew doesn't listen. After being bullied in the party with no help from Matt, Andrew leaves, only to be approached by Matt's friend, Steve (Jordan), who wants Andrew to record something the two boys had found: a giant mysterious hole with equally mysterious noises coming from inside. Steve, Matt, and Andrew climb down into the hole (which does not sound like a bright idea to me). They find some unknown object, which makes their noses bleed and destroys Andrew's new camera. Some time later, Andrew, Matt, and Steve are then shown with their newly developed telekinetic powers. Instead of using their powers to fight crime, the three friends use their powers to play practical jokes on people, which admittedly is probably what most teenage boys would do in this situation. As their powers get stronger, so does Andrew's dark side. Matt and Steve don't realize the pain Andrew has been in until it's too late. What really amazes me about Chronicle is how well everything has been written. The writing is realistic and quick, as are the three main characters. It's rare that you see this in any film, much less a "found footage" film like this. Overall, a high quality film with extremely high quality actors. I highly recommend this movie.

Mirror, Mirror

Mirror, Mirror (2012)
Starring: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, and Armie Hammer
Directed by: Tarsem Singh
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Grade: A

After the beloved King (Sean Bean) vanishes, his ruthless wife seizes control of the kingdom and keeps her beautiful 18-year-old stepdaughter (and heir to the throne), Snow White (Collins), hidden away in the palace. But when the princess attracts the attention of a charming and wealthy visiting prince (Hammer), the jealous Queen (Roberts) sends her servant (Nathan Lane). Taken in by a band of thieving but kindhearted dwarfs, Snow White blossoms into a brave young woman determined to save her country from the Queen. With the support of her new friends, she decides to reclaim her birthright and win back her Prince in this magical adventure comedy that will capture the hearts of everyone who watches. 

The Lucky One

The Lucky One (2012)
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, and Blythe Danner
Based on the novel by: Nicholas Sparks
Directed by: Scott Hicks
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Grade: A+

I loved the book that this movie was based on. And this movie was another great adaptation of a novel. U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive - a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Discovering her name is Beth (Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job offered by her mother (Danner) at her family-run kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm. This was Efron's best performance in a movie yet and Schilling was extremely believable as a lonely single mother. Now, I just have to wait a year for Sparks' next novel, Safe Haven, to be turned into a movie (with Josh Duhamel...yay!)

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games (2012)
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth
Based on the novel by: Suzanne Collins
Written and Directed by: Gary Ross
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Grade: A++
In a dystopian future, the totalitarian nation of Panem is divided between 12 districts and the Capitol. Each year two young teenagers from each district are selected by chance to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal retribution for a past rebellion, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors while the citizens of Panem are required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen's (Lawrence) young sister, Prim (Willow Shields), is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta Mellark (Hutcherson), are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Also stars Hemsworth as Katniss's best friend Gale, Elizabeth Banks as the extremely make-up-ed Effie Trinket, Amandla Stenberg as Katniss's ill fated ally Rue, Stanley Tucci as the blue-haired futuristic version of Ryan Seacrest named Caesar Flickerman, and Woody Harrelson in a brilliant performance as Katniss and Peeta's alcoholic mentor Haymitch Abernathy. Overall, a great, exciting movie and one of the best book-to-movie adaptations ever. Definitely worth watching! (or in my case going to the midnight premiere and waiting for 9 hours)

Fright Night

Fright Night (2011)
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Colin Ferrell, and David Tennant
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
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Grade: A+

This is a remake of a movie of the same name from 1985. Although it was called a remake, it is really more of a sequel, with some of the same characters from the original movie. Teenager Charley Brewster (Yelchin) thinks that his new neighbor (Ferrell) is a vampire that is responsible for a number of recent deaths. When not even his girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots) and his mother (Toni Colette) believe him, he insists the help of Peter Vincent (Tennant), a self-proclaimed vampire killer and Las Vegas magician, to help him take down Jerry before Jerry attacks him. I loved this movie! I haven't seen the 1985 version, so I wouldn't have anything to compare it to. However, I found this an exciting and even humorous movie. Anton Yelchin (probably known to most people as the teenage Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation) is a very likable hero and Colin Ferrell is a very scary vampire. Overall, very enjoyable movie.

The Lorax

The Lorax (2012)
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, and Danny DeVito
Directed by: Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda
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Grade: B

The film follows the basic plot of the book, but understandably adds much to the basic structure. Ted (Efron) is a 12-year-old boy living in Thneedville, a city where everything, including the plant life, is commercialized and plastic. Wanting to impress Audrey (Swift), he seeks out the Once-ler (Ed Helms), who he hopes can tell him where to find a real tree. The Once-ler tells him a story of his past, about how he made the first Thneed and the Lorax (DeVito) who warned him of the destruction it would bring. While the movie itself is enjoyable, the characters are one dimensional, the story seems a little rushed, and the message of saving the environment is not as subtle as in other movies, such as Wall-E. While it Wall-E, you barely noticed it, in this movie, it smacks you over the head with a brick. The movie itself is gorgeous and the characters are adorable, just a little lacking in the story department.

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve (2011)
Starring: Too many people to count
Directed by: Garry Marshall
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Grade: A

This is one of those ensemble movies and the "sequel" to Valentine's Day. This movie was good but it had SO many people in it that a lot of the characters didn't get the focus they should have gotten (especially Josh Duhamel). Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron are Ingrid and Paul, a lonely record company worker and the young courier who delivers to her office. She receives tickets to the hottest party in town and promises them to Paul if he will help make all of her New Year's resolutions from last year come true. Paul's roommate is Randy (Ashton Kutcher), who hates New Year's Eve. He gets stuck in the elevator with Elise (Lea Michele), who is a backup singer for Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi). While Randy and Elise bond in the elevator, Jensen is trying to win back the heart of Laura (Katherine Heigl), whom he left before their wedding. She is catering the party that seems to connect everyone together (as these movies do). After his friends wedding and on his way to the party is Sam (Josh Duhamel), the son of the record company owner. After being in a car accident, he is forced to catch a ride into the city in an RV with the priest. While in the car, he tells the family the story of last New Year's Eve and the woman he met. The mysterious woman told him to meet her in the exact spot at the same time next New Year's, if he was still interested. Stan Harris (Robert De Nero) is dying in the hospital with only his doctor (Cary Elwes) and nurse (Halle Berry) to take care of him. He isn't interested in treatment or his family being contacted. He just wants to see the ball drop. Tess (Jessica Biel) and Griffin (Seth Meyers) Byrne are having a baby, which they decide has to be born that night because of a cash prize (which may or may not be $25,000) being offered to the first baby born in the New Year. The happiest night of their lives turns into a competition with another couple to win the money. Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her daughter Hailey (Abigail Breslin) always spend the holidays together. But, for the first year, Hailey wants to spend New Year's Eve with her new crush (Jake T. Austin), kissing at midnight. When Kim won't let her do that, she leaves anyway, forcing Kim to chase after her. Finally, Claire Morgan (Hilary Swank) is the manager of the Times Square Alliance and in charge of making sure the ball drops. This is made difficult by a short in the ball, causing it not only to not light up all the way but not rise into the air. Now, she has to figure out how to fix the problem before it gets even more out of hand. Overall, good idea. I just think there was too many people and that took away from the stories that were really good. They should have just kept Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron and Michelle Pfeiffer, Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele, and Sarah Jessica Parker and Abigail Breslin and it would have been a much better movie. Plus, the blooper reel at the end is one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

Instead of three pictures as usual, I'll put one of each pairing, because I couldn't pick the best.