Cinematic Moments: Into the Woods (12/25/14)

For several months I've been (here and there) incorporating "Read of the Town" posts that basically discuss books before they are released. They may be highly anticipated or books that I'm personally looking forward to reading. I write them to get a conversation started amongst readers like myself, and maybe to share something new with someone who may be on the fence about that particular author or book. Ever since I started doing "Read of the Town" posts I've wanted to do the same kind of posts for movies. Not just movies coming out but classic movies as well (doesn't matter the decade). And not until the (small yet significant) buzz about Into the Woods did I finally figure out how to do it. So, allow me to elaborate further, and please do look for more "Cinematic Moments" to come.


Every movie that comes out now gets its momentum from the cast involved, the trailer, and lastly the actual storyline. Sadly enough it's usually in the order. I like to think it wasn't always that way. I like to think that back when movies were in black and white and there wasn't so many ways of advertising, a movie had its storyline and its actors to rely on to get people to go to the cinema. But I digress.

This Christmas there are at least 8 movies I know I want to see. The one at the top of my list, and probably on many others, is Into the Woods. For many it'll be because of Meryl Streep (has she EVER done a bad movie??) but for me I'll have to admit it's Johnny Depp (I love everything he does). Also, I'm a fan of the play which I saw with Bernadette Peters playing the role now taken over by Meryl. I wonder if there's a reason why they went with Meryl instead of Bernadette? I'd like to think she was asked and declined as opposed to not been asked at all. If you know don't tell me! lol

So, there was a bit of drama with the opening teaser trailer. Not sure why since the fact that it's supposed to be a TEASE should signal why it didn't give much away, but people wanted to know "where's the singing?" I'll admit I was kinda asking the same thing. Now there's a longer trailer where the actors talk with praise about the whole experience (see below) and we get singing, but there is still some apprehension that it might not be what we expect?? Uhm, have you SEEN the Broadway play? If you have then I can't imagine where you'd be disappointed.

1st Official Trailer


The Story Featurette


Or maybe the problem is how Johnny Depp's character of The Wolf looks? As revealed on one of four Entertainment Weekly covers for the movie: (all 4 covers below)

 

Will you be going to see Into the Woods this Christmas? Do you give much stock to critics or even to trailers when determining if a movie is worth going to the cinema? Let me know!

Maleficent adapted by Elizabeth Rudnick (Book Review)

"This is the story of the faerie Maleficent. Not the story you think you know. Not the one that starts with a curse and ends with a dragon. No. This is what really happened. And while it may have a curse and a dragon, it has much more. For it is a story of lost love, found friendships, and, ultimately, the power of a single kiss..."

Review: First of all let me say how much I love this movie. The proof is in the 4 times I saw it in the movie theater! It is taking everything within me NOT to see it again! I'm patiently waiting for it to come out on Blu Ray! I hope it's soon because the itch for me to see it again is steadily increasing. In the meantime, I picked up the book, and as you may have expected, I devoured every sentence in a matter of days!

To start, I did no background history on the book except to say that in my estimation I assume it was written AFTER the movie was made, taking its storyline from the script? However, I will tell you, there are distinct additions and subtractions between the two. Probably because what works on screen might not work in book form and visa versa? Or because the movie was already almost 2 hours long and so the director left a few things out, like scenes and characters?

In the book there is more back story to Maleficent. We find out about her parents in the first few pages since it starts with her as a new born faerie. Then it steadily continues to the part where the movie begins, with Maleficent as a pre-teen.

Having seen the movie 4 times it was easy for me to incorporate the characters looks while reading the book. I also did the same for their voices as well. It made the book come alive even more for me and it's definitely one that I recommend parents read to their children. It would interest both boys and girls. Similar to the movie, it's not as graphic in its descriptions of certain scenes and there is nothing in there a child of 7 or older couldn't comprehend.

I'm leaving this review short because I think I've made you, my avid readers, suffer enough with my (probably unhealthy) admiration of everything Maleficent related!

Have you seen the movie yet? Did you know Disney made a book to go along with it?

Synopsis: A deluxe novelization of the Walt Disney Studios film Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie.

This visually dazzling live action film explores the origins of one of the most iconic Disney villains: Maleficent, the infamous fairy who curses Princess Aurora in Disney's animated classic Sleeping Beauty. This "origin" story is told from Maleficent's perspective, intersecting with the classic in both familiar and unexpected ways.

Maleficent

by Elizabeth Rudnick

272 pages

Disney Press, 2014

Fantasy

Read in 2 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

Maleficent (Movie Review)

This is my review after seeing this movie TWICE over the weekend. Actually, because I live in NYC I was able to see this movie on the evening of May 29th! I loved it SO much (as I knew I would before even seeing it) that I went with a friend to see it on Saturday, May 31st. I will be seeing it a third time, this Friday, June 6th, with another friend who wants to see it. If you haven't seen it yet, or your wondering about how good it is, OR even if you have a child younger than teenage years and your wondering if it's something you can take them to see? This review will answer all those questions (and more).

I'm writing this review from the point of view who has had the opportunity of seeing it twice, meaning the first time I was in awe of the acting and the cinematography. But if you've ever seen a movie more than once you know that every time you see it you find something new you didn't notice the first time. And when you do it's like seeing it all over again for the first time. Even if what you notice is small and probably insignificant to most.

Let me start by discussing the fight scenes, which, unfortunately, were at the forefront of most of the trailers for this movie. I understand the studio wanting to entice people to see this movie, and with a few minutes at their disposal, they went with showing the fight scenes, but don't let that dissuade you from going or taking your pre-teen. This movie has all of 3 major fight sequences but there is NO blood or any real "violence" beyond people being tossed around a lot. Most of it is so quick and blurry you don't see much real fighting anyway. There is also no bad language whatsoever.

Now, what I love about this movie (without giving away any spoilers):

1. It humanizes Maleficent and turns her from this villain we all knew her to be in the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty and makes you realize that her evil ways were simply because she was a victim of circumstance. Nothing more.

2. I think Elle Fanning is one of those diamond in the rough actresses who is awkward to look at at times, but the fact that she is being cast in age appropriate roles is great. She's being asked to actually act her age and it comes off so believable because...well because it is!

3. I know Angelina Jolie has done some great action movies, I will not deny that or argue the point, but THIS has got to be one of the best bit of acting she has done since Changeling in 2008. Don't get me wrong, Salt and Wanted were both great in their own right. But they were both heavily reliant upon action and CGI stuff. This movie obviously did A LOT of CGI animation but you can tell a lot more went into her acting part, and let's face it, she was born to play Maleficent.

4. This story of Maleficent, while dramatically different than Sleeping Beauty, I feel improves upon the story tremendously. I don't want to spoil it for you, but just know it's got an even happier ending than the animated Disney version. I actually prefer this version of the story than its predecessor.

In the end I'm still struggling with whether or not this movie should even be compared with the animated Sleeping Beauty? Not just because one is animated and the other isn't, but because they are very different. I'm still surprised that Disney took the bold step of "un-Disney-fying" they own movie! I hope they take as bold a step in some of their other movies?

And if I may highlight one of the (in my opinion) unsung hero's of this story, Diaval, the Raven, played by Sam Riley. He was pretty freaking awesome in this movie and I just want to point him out because he might get lost in the shuffle of other critics who might mention the 3 fairies or King Stefan over him.

Plot: A vindictive fairy is driven to curse an infant princess only to realize the child may be the only one who can restore peace.

As an added bonus, here is the iconic song from Sleeping Beauty "Once Upon a Dream," done in an extra creepy way. When I first heard it I thought it was Angelina Jolie singing it. But nope, it's Lana del Rey! Enjoy!

The Hunger Games (2012) (Movie Review)

Title: The Hunger Games

Director: Gary Ross

Writer: Gary Ross (screenplay)

Music by: James Newton Howard

Cinematography: Tom Stern

Producer: Nina Jacobson & Jon Kilik

Distributor: Lionsgate

Studio: Lionsgate & Color Force
In Theaters: March 23rd, 2012

Running Time: 142 minutes

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, & Lenny Kravitz

Genre(s): action/drama/sci-fi/thriller

Storyline: In a not-too-distant future, North America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss’ young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Written by Suzanne Collins

Movie Trailer:


My Review: Why, if I saw this movie the weekend it came out, has it taken me THIS long to write my review? Because initially I hated it and I wanted SO BADLY to love it (or at least like it a little bit) as those I know (and total strangers) have. Unfortunately, time did not heal this wound the movie left me with. I stand by my belief that the ONLY commonality this movie had with the book is it’s title and the character names. Otherwise, the movie is utterly different. If you haven’t read the book OR seen the movie you might want to stop reading here since I plan on revealing quite a few important spoilers from both.

For starters the mockingjay pin was my BIGGEST issue with the movie. The fact that Katniss simply finds it amongst some other cheap items at the Hob, in itself, is wrong and takes away from the sheer magnitude of what that pin is and represents! In the book that pin is made of gold and is so rare and valuable Gale is upset with her for accepting such a gift (from Madge whom the writers chose to leave out of the movie completely!) that could easily feed his large family for 6 months! The fact that the movie played down its significance in such a way right at the beginning of the movie, then had the pin simply given to her and she in turn, gives it to her sister?! I was turned off immediately.

My other issue wit the movie was the children participating in the Hunger Games. The only desperation I saw in the movie was in the few (and far between) scenes of what their neighborhood looked like. Otherwise, none of those who were chosen for the Hunger Games looked or acted as if they were “without” at all. Perhaps this was Disney’s way of babying the movie for those younger viewers? To me that seemed unfair to those who’ve read the book and already understood (and like myself, expected) those scenes of desperation and violence. There were too many bad camera angles on the death and violence that it left me unmoved. Especially the scene where Rue is killed. That moment is probably one of a few I was looking forward to seeing played out on the screen. That moment when Rue is hit in the stomach with the spear and Katniss, without hesitation, shoots an arrow right at the attackers neck!! For the sake of keeping this movie PG-13, I’m sure Disney thought simply shooting him in the stomach would have sufficed the audience. Not me it didn’t!

There are SEVERAL other issues I too had with but I will only mention one more that truly bothered me and that is what I consider the best moment in book one. The visitors Katniss has just before she is to leave for the Hunger Games. That scene with her mother still gives me chills but in the movie they played down the mothers character entirely. Not only that but her most important visitor (to me) in the book, was left out entirely as well, when Peeta’s father visits her!

And don’t get me started on the POOR acting on everyone’s part. I fault the writers staccato dialogue choices more than the actual actors though. The fighting was substandard considering all the CGI technology we have today and the romantic scenes were more uncomfortable (for me) than natural and comforting like they should have been. I believe Disney was a poor choice to handle making this trilogy into a movie. I think this would have been in better hands had someone like Tim Burton been at the helm of this production.

My Rating: D

Will you…Run And Tell That?