My brother-in-law recently expressed his consternation at the section heading “Paranormal Teen Romance,” found over a collection of books at a local bookstore. The past several years on the page and the silver screen have seen vampires in love, werewolves in love, witches and wizards in love…it seemed the only combination missing was zombies in love. Enter Warm Bodies, a 2010 novel by Isaac Marion and adapted into a film released this past weekend. What the Twilight series did for the undead, Warm Bodies does for the reanimated. Only better.
Review: This is 40
Judd Apatow’s This is 40 is about what to do when, after years of marriage, you’re a little bit sick of your partner but still feel the need to soldier on. It’s worth considering, then, whether our relationship with Apatow’s creations is suffering the same fate. Once regarded as a Hollywood ingenue who could be relied on for broadly funny, deeply meaningful comedy, Apatow’s directorial efforts have gotten more bloated and less, well, comedic. Sadly, 40 is another step in the wrong direction.
Review: Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino is a noted lover of films. Watching him be interviewed is enough to make even the most timid movie fan turn rabid (or seek out a prescription for Adderall). In Django Unchained, his latest, you can see his adoration for the spaghetti western and blacksploitation films running rampant. The shame of it is that Tarantino may be too in love with his own movie, and a film that has so many scenes with high potential turns into a bit of a mess.
Review: Les Miserables
There is a preconception among many that, if you like musicals, you love Les Miserables. The staged musical version of Victor Hugo’s epic novel about love and honor in the wake of the French Revolution contains some of the most well-known songs of the genre, and with 2010 Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper leading a cast that includes Broadway veterans and top Hollywood talent, it’s assumed by many that, finally, a film adaptation has come along that will satisfy long-time fans and bring in new ones.
Review: Lincoln
Many months before Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln hit theaters, moviegoers and critics were desperate to outdo each other in stating just how good it would be. With the director’s experienced hand and Daniel Day-Lewis‘ near-mythical dedication to his roles, the film was all but guaranteed to be universally loved awards fodder. It’s a rare film that can live up to such lofty expectations, and Lincoln does it on almost every aspect.