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Mini Movie Reviews: Zero Dark Thirty, Side Effects, and

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zero dark thirty, side effects, admission

Zero Dark Thirty: This movie, about the search for Bin Laden, was fascinating and suspenseful. Like almost everything I’ve watched lately, it felt too long, possibly because there are two really compelling parts to this story: the actual search, and then the mission itself. Either of those stories on its own would have made for an interesting movie, but together they were pretty lengthy. Despite that, this movie is quite good – in large part due to Jessica Chastain, who basically stars in every movie nowadays (and not without good reason). As Maya, the CIA agent who ultimately finds Bin Laden, Chastain simultaneously portrays someone who is bad ass enough to stick to her convictions, but who also seems as confused and unsure of herself (and the methods she employs to find the truth) as any ordinary person would be. Grade: A-

Side Effects: I thought I would enjoy this movie more than I actually did; from the previews, I was hoping for some twisted-but-fascinating psychological drama. Instead, I got a movie that was mostly quiet and slow. There was nothing bad about the film per se – it’s well-acted and suggests some thought-provoking questions about modern medicine – but it just underwhelmed me. It also wasn’t too difficult to figure out what the big “twist” at the end was. I kept hoping for some cool reveal but, nope, it turned out pretty much how I suspected it might. Finally, I feel like between this movie and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I’ve now seen Rooney Mara portray the same character twice – the vacant, vulnerable, sullen girl. I hope she does something different for her next role. Grade: B

Admission: Where Tina Fey and Paul Rudd lead, I will follow, but I wish this movie had been better than it was. Admission is pretty much your standard issue romantic comedy, and while I love me some romantic comedies, I wish it had been a bit more inventive or clever than it was. Also, Fey’s character, Portia (who works as an admissions officer at Princeton) does something toward the end of the movie that I found pretty irredeemable, and that sort of turned me off from the film. However, despite Admission’s flaws, watching Paul Rudd be adorable for 1.5 hours is well worth the price of a ticket. Grade: B+

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Oscars: Fashion Recap

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Though I’ve recapped the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and the Grammys, let’s be honest – this is the Super Bowl of red carpet fashion. So, naturally, I was pumped about the Oscar red carpet. However…I found myself underwhelmed. There was really no show-stopping look to me (I mean, nothing like this or this or this). To be sure, there were some good looks, but they were lackluster compared to past years, I thought. Here’s what I liked, what I loathed, and what fell somewhere in between.

My Best Dressed:

  • Michelle Williams: I love that she’s always true to her style – this just seemed so her. At first I wasn’t sure about the little skirt around the middle, but it grew on me. This was unique and beautiful.
  • Gwyneth Paltrow: I loved this look. Everything about it was sleek and modern – from the hair to the cut of the dress. I wasn’t a huge fan of the little cape, but everyone kept saying it was cold, so I’ll give her a pass on that.
  • Jessica Chastain: This dress took awhile to grow on me; the pattern was a little aggressive. Ultimately, though, I thought it looked bold and striking. And her hair was perfect.
  • Octavia Spencer: Adored this dress – I loved how all the lines of sparkles met in the middle of the dress’s front. Also, though it’s a small detail, I loved her earrings. Unrelated note: she made me cry when she won. Awwww!

My Worst Dressed:

  • Melissa Leo: I thought this was odd, but not in a good way. I didn’t like how the top of the dress looked almost like a shirt, and I thought the whole dress looked droopy. Very strange.
  • Melissa McCarthy: I wanted to love her dress, but I did not like the color – I thought it washed her out. I also wasn’t sure how I felt about the super sparkly collar and belt.
  • Shailene Woodley: This is a nice dress, but not on her – she’s 20 going on 45 in it! Just way too matronly. She looks like an Amish grandmother.
  • Sandra Bullock: What’s up with that top? And the weird squiggly gold belt? Is this really Marchesa?? Also, her ponytail was way too tight and severe.

Split Decision:

  • Jennifer Lopez: If not for her sleeves, I’m almost certain she would’ve been my number one best dressed. But, man – those sleeves were heinous. Her hair, makeup, and earrings were all flawless though.
  • Kristen Wiig: Love the silhouette and shape of the dress, hate the color – it almost matches her skin perfectly and thus washes her out. Her hair was also a bit beach-y for the Oscars.
  • Emma Stone: She also would’ve been a contender for overall best dressed, but I couldn’t get past the gigantic shoulder bow.
  • Cameron Diaz: The train of her dress was gorgeous, but the top was so boring – and crazy tight. Not even Cameron Diaz can pull that off.

Other Fashion Awards of Note:

  • Best Black: Okay, the thigh slit was a little out of control, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Angelina Jolie. I haven’t been a fan of her red carpet looks all season, but I liked this one. But, please, Angelina – eat a sandwich, for the love of God.
  • Prettiest Polka Dots: I feel like polka dots plus Oscars should not work, but it does on Natalie Portman. This was a fun dress – I just wish she had done something more with her hair; it looked flat and almost a little greasy.
  • Boldest Move: Everything about Viola Davis‘s ensemble made a statement – from the color of her dress, to the wraparound detailing on the train, to her natural hair. I thought she rocked the look.
  • Best Old Hollywood Glamour: From head to toe, Penelope Cruz‘s look was simply classic. The color and cut of her dress, the length of the train, and her hairstyle all screamed quintessential Hollywood glamour. Well done.

  • Most Simultaneously Safe and Stunning: The dress was relatively simple and perhaps slightly boring, but Tina Fey looked damn good. Her hairstyle and earrings were also fantastic.
  • Most Fabulous at Any Age: I loved that Glenn Close‘s look was beautiful yet still age-appropriate. The deep emerald green color was gorgeous, and the jacket over top made it appropriate for her.
  • Fiercest Hair: I like Rose Byrne‘s dress well enough, but I’m flat-out obsessed with her hair. I think it elevates everything about her look. So dramatic.
  • Most Indicative of Her Impending Win: This dress was a lot of gold, but I thought Meryl Streep looked great. Plus, during the pre-show, E! mentioned that in something like 4 out of 10 years, the best actress winner has been wearing a gold dress. And it worked out for Meryl here, too.

  • Most in Need of a Smile: I don’t understand why Rooney Mara has chosen to act like Lisbeth Salander in real life; it’s like method acting to the extreme. You’re nominated for an Academy Award – just crack a smile already! Her hair was too severe, and something about the top of the dress felt off to me.
  • Oddest Shoulder Pads: Just when I think Maya Rudolph is making progress on her red carpet choices, she shows up in this. The top was too conservative and matronly, and the silver shoulder pads were awful.
  • Most Similar to an Actual Oscar Statuette: I’ve loved Stacy Keibler‘s dresses all season, but I did not like this one. Doesn’t she look like an Oscar herself? And that gigantic bow/ruffle/whatever on her hip was strange.
  • Most Disappointing: Since she is so stunning, I felt like Berenice Bejo should’ve been a candidate for best dressed. But this look was severely underwhelming, from the pale color to the long sleeves to the random confetti-ish pieces sprinkled all over the dress.

If I Picked the Oscar Nominees

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The Oscar nominations are announced bright and early tomorrow morning. As a movie lover who saw a ton of movies over Christmas break, I have lots of ideas about who should be nominated. I’m still waiting for Hollywood to ask for my opinion, but for now, here’s my take on who I’d like to see nominated (Note: these are not predictions – I realize some are long-shots or no-shots-at-all).

Best Picture

(Since the new rules dictate that there will be between five and ten Best Picture nominees, I decided to list movies until I was somewhere within that range and ran out of movies to list – and I wound up with nine I liked enough to include.)

  1. The Artist: Based on its reviews, I figured I’d think this was a good movie, but I had no idea how much I’d adore it. I can’t remember the last time a movie made me smile so much and just feel flat-out joy at watching it. Magical.
  2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: The Harry Potter films have grown from faithful recreations of a beloved novel to legitimately outstanding movies in and of themselves. Please, please, please, Academy – finally recognize this fact.
  3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: The more I think about this movie, the more I appreciate it. You could call it a mere thriller, but it’s so suspenseful and stylish that it’s elevated beyond that.
  4. The Help: One of the rare instances where Hollywood did not butcher a book I had loved. There are so many great performances in this film (Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney, and on and on and on), and that’s what makes it really shine.
  5. War Horse: I wrote in my review that this was classic Oscar bait but that I didn’t care – and I still feel that way. Beautifully done.
  6. The Descendants: This feels like a “small” movie compared to some of the others on this list, but it’s also kinda brilliant in a quiet way.
  7. Bridesmaids: One of my tests of a movie’s greatness is how often I want to re-watch it, and this movie is one I can (and do) watch over and over again. Yeah, you know about all the hilarious scenes, but I love that it packs a nice emotional punch too (seriously, Kristen Wiig’s character is sad, y’all). Plus, it features Wiig and Maya Rudolph silly dancing to Wilson Phillips. Good times.
  8. Young Adult: I wish this movie had more buzz surrounding it, because I really liked it – from Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt’s performances to all the details of small-town suburbia, it gets everything right.
  9. Crazy Stupid Love: Yes, it’s a romantic comedy, and not the type of movie that ever gets nominated for Best Picture, but I still love this film – from the performance of Steve Carell to the humor to the depiction of modern relationships to the ultimate hopefulness about love.

Best Actor

  1. Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar): I cannot believe DiCaprio hasn’t won an Oscar yet. I don’t think he deserves the win this year (Jean Dujardin does), but what does he have to do to get some Oscar love? I was ambivalent about the movie as a whole, but DiCaprio is spot-on in his portrayal of J. Edgar Hoover.
  2. George Clooney (The Descendants): The Academy loves to recognize women who turn ugly for roles (see: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, etc.), so why not recognize George Clooney for becoming kinda schlubby? (Which, by the way, is not a word I ever imagined using to describe George Clooney). And if that’s not enough for you, he’s fantastic in this role as a beleaguered father trying to deal with the death of his wife, amongst other things.
  3. Jean Dujardin (The Artist): This is maybe the most charismatic performance I have ever seen – watching him put a gigantic smile on my face. I adore him, and would love to see him win it all come Oscar night. And then mime his acceptance speech.
  4. Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March): This movie doesn’t have much Oscar buzz, but I think Gosling’s great in it, starting out idealistic and principled and slowly descending into another ruthless player in the political game. And, of course, looking super tasty while doing so.
  5. Steve Carell (Crazy Stupid Love): This is one of those “not a chance in hell” picks I was talking about, but I just love Carell in this role. He’s known for comedy, but he nails this more serious part as well. He makes his character sad but incredibly lovable, and you can’t help but root for him to come out on top.

Best Actress

  1. Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo): From her physical transformation to the quiet ruthlessness she brought to the part, Mara was fantastic as Lisbeth Salander. If only the silly Academy would pay attention to the movie…
  2. Viola Davis (The Help): Please, please, for the love of all that is good, don’t let Meryl Streep beat Viola Davis at the Oscars. Meryl Streep is an acting genius, but I really think this is the best performance of 2011. Strong, dignified, and heartbreaking.
  3. Charlize Theron (Young Adult): I give Theron major props for fearlessly playing one of the most unlikeable protagonists in recent memory. Mavis is desperate, pathetic, and far past her prime, and Theron nails every single detail of it.
  4. Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids): Melissa McCarthy seems to be getting most of the Bridesmaids love (and that’s understandable), but Wiig is so great in this movie. From the funny stuff (the airplane scene) to the sad stuff (all her little emotional breakdowns), she nails a whole range of emotions. And her hair looks really pretty the entire time. Important, I know.
  5. Felicity Jones (Like Crazy): I was somewhat “meh” on the movie as a whole, but Jones was excellent, perfectly encapsulating the agony of experiencing a long-distance romance.

Best Supporting Actor

  1. Niels Arestrup (War Horse): Another for the “no way in hell” pile, but I adored Arestrup’s performance in War Horse. The segment of the movie on the French farm was my favorite, and it was largely because of his performance (as well as that of the girl who played his granddaughter). Quiet and powerful.
  2. Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady): It seems mildly slanderous to type this, but I actually enjoyed Broadbent’s performance far more than I did Streep’s in the Iron Lady. What can I say – he’s funny, lovable, and incredibly endearing.
  3. Armie Hammer (J. Edgar): As Broadbent is to Streep, so too Hammer almost is to DiCaprio – he turned in a great performance, and I may have just enjoyed his work even more than Leo’s. His portrayal made me completely feel for his character.
  4. Patton Oswalt (Young Adult): He and Theron complemented each other perfectly in this movie. I loved how his character was the comedic voice of reason, but Oswalt also conveyed what a sad, sad man he was underneath.
  5. Tom Hardy (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy): I’m almost certain Michael Fassbender is going to be nominated for Best Actor, and if Hardy were to get nominated for Supporting (he won’t), that would mean my two biggest Hollywood crushes would be in the same room. Too much to handle. What’s that you say? You don’t care about who my biggest Hollywood crushes are? Well, in that case, Hardy’s performance in this movie was also fantastic. I loved how, in a movie filled with stuffy British men in trench coats, he seemed to be the only one with a heart and soul.

Best Supporting Actress

  1. Shailene Woodley (The Descendants): Part of my amazement at her performance comes from the fact that she currently stars on (what I can only imagine is) a very cheesy show on ABC Family. I mean, going from that to this? Pretty amazing. But that fact notwithstanding, she’s great in this movie as a slightly out-of-control teenager struggling to cope with the impending loss of her mother.
  2. Jessica Chastain (The Help): Jessica Chastain was in approximately 75% of all films made in 2011, but not without good reason – she’s a fantastic actress. Celia was one of my favorite characters in the novel because she’s simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking – and Chastain gets both those aspects just right.
  3. Berenice Bejo (The Artist): A close second to her costar (the aforementioned Jean Dujardin) in the charisma department. I found Bejo’s performance delightful and fun. And she is unfairly beautiful.
  4. Judy Greer (The Descendants): I know this is a small part, and that it’s not a showy performance. But Greer’s wonderful, and it’s about damn time she got some recognition. She’s awesome in just about everything.
  5. Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids): If McCarthy’s name were read tomorrow morning, I’d get such a kick out of it. Her performance is utterly brilliant, and to have such over-the-top comedic gold recognized at the stuffy Oscars would be amazing.

Movie Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

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First off, I’ll admit I haven’t read the Millenium Trilogy books, nor have I seen the Swedish versions of these films, so I had relatively few expectations or preconceived notions about what the film would or should be like going into this. I’m generally in the “you should always read the book first” camp, but I could never quite make myself read this one. I used to travel a ton for my old job, and the number one book I saw in airports was the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Stubbornly, I often refuse to read/watch things when everyone else is reading/watching them, so this book never made the cut.

Anyway, regardless of all that, I really enjoyed this movie. It’s a solid thriller, with a strong sense of suspense and dread that really builds up nicely toward the scenes in which Lisbeth and Mikael discover who the culprit is simultaneously. It’s also hard to describe, but I liked the overall tone that David Fincher creates – there’s a sort of moody, bleak Swedish-ness that permeates the whole thing and that appealed to me.

The cast is very strong, with nice performances from Christopher Plummer (who I will forever think of as Captain von Trapp), Stellan Skarsgard (who I will forever think of as the math professor in Good Will Hunting), and Robin Wright Penn (who I will forever think of as Jenny from Forrest Gump). But, the movie hinges on Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig, hands down. Mara really transformed for this role (she’s unrecognizable from who she was in the Social Network), and you can tell that she completely committed herself to this part. She’s undeniably great, and I went in thinking that the movie would belong to her, as the title character. However, for me, Daniel Craig stole the show. I’ve never been that into him as an actor, but I thought he was riveting and magnetic here. And, yes, very sexy too. I also thought that Mara and Craig had an unexpectedly wonderful chemistry – not just romantically, but also in the general rapport they had while investigating the crime together.

One thing I was slightly disappointed in was the resolution of the murder mystery, which I found relatively predictable on two counts – who the “bad guy” was and what happened to Harriet. I guess I was hoping for some other clever plot twist that would elevate the whole movie into “wow” territory. I also thought the movie felt a bit long (although, I had the same complaint about MI4 – am I developing adult ADHD?). It seemed like it should’ve just ended after they solved the mystery, but instead it dragged on for awhile after that.

Despite those minor flaws, I thought this was a great film. And now I definitely have to read those damn books.

My Grade: A-