brave // movie review

I know. It's been a little while. Actually a long while. But I'm still here. I'm just mega-busy with life. :D

But I wanted to post this for a specific reason...I went to see Brave in 3D yesterday with my family. Pretty awesome. And I wanted to review it to give y'all my opinion on Pixar's awesome new film.

So here we are...

Having watched most of Pixar's films, I'm a huuuuge fan. They (almost. Walle's my 1 exception) always seem to add a perfect amount of seriousness with a perfect amount of humor. Plus they're animated. And I LOVE animated movies. :D

Brave is the first Pixar film in which there is a princess. And it's also the first Disney princess film in which there isn't a prince.

So let me introduce you to Princess Merida:

Let me just put it like this. She rocks. She's an archer; she has triplet brothers; and she has red hair. How can you go wrong?

But Merida hates her fate. Very soon she's going to have to be betrothed. And all that will do it take away her freedom, in her opinion.

Her well-respected mother, Queen Elinor trys to make a proper lady of Merida. But Merida is convinced that Elinor is trying to live Merida's life for her. And the princess hates it.

 So when the time comes when she'll have to pick her future husband, she runs. And she and her horse find a witches cottage where Merida thinks she may have found a solution to her problem.

But the witch doesn't mention one of the side-effects of her potion...

And everything goes downhill from there.

It's a very cute movie. But, honestly, for a Pixar film, it gets rather dark. If you've watched the trailer, you'll know there are bears involved. And even animated, these bears are terrifying. I know my brother would've been scared to death. So if anyone in your family was scared by Tangled, Brave is probably not for them.

However, there was some pretty clever humor in it, provided mostly by these three. I have to say, the triplets are the best characters in the movie, by far. They're cute, and they're very clever (especially for people so small. :D) 

So of the humor wasn't quite so nice, though. You know, bathroom humor and stuff. All of it wasn't really necessary, but at least since it's animated, they can still pass it off as PG.

All in all, *very* cute movie. At times it was scary, it even made me cry (yeah, i know. an animated film.), but it was great. 

And the storyline is good too. Because, though Merida is sassy in the beginning, she ends up having to fix her mistake herself. And that was good for her and her family.

I'm gonna give it a ***** out of *****. :)

And know that it's up there with The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Cars 2. ;)

~Vivi~

P. S. It has a toddler version of Merida in it that's adorable. So even if you watch it just for that, it'll be worth it. :P

P. P. S. I know I said we saw it in 3D, but just FYI, the 3D doesn't add very much. So I'd probably just go 2D if I went again. ;)

the hunger games: movie review

I said it was probably coming. After all, how could I *not* review this movie...:)

So, here it goes...

THE HUNGER GAMES

based on the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

The movie stays pretty close to the book, so I'm not gonna summarize it (you can read my other review summary). With a couple minor differences, and a couple deleted characters, and a couple tweaked situations, they still managed to satisfy fans of "The Hunger Games", which is pretty amazing, if you think about it.

There are a couple actors/actresses that really *really* amazed me in their portrayal of their characters, and a couple that fell flat for me. Let me show you...

I was totally impressed with...

GALE. I've always been a big Gale fan, so I was thrilled to have some one play him who actually does an awesome job. Gale doesn't really have that much of a part in book 1 of the trilogy...but when he did act, he did awesome. He's not exactly what I imagined Gale like...he's even better. :D 'Cause for some reason, characters that I imagine never completely take form until I can see an actual picture.

HAYMITCH. Kind of surprisingly, actually. When I first saw a picture of this character, you could say I was shocked. That was *not* what I imagined Haymitch to look like. I guess I thought he'd be huge, old, and bald. But now that I've gotten used to it, I can see that Woody Harrelson is actually *perfect*. And, in the movie he provides some comic relief (which is nice), along with another awesome character...

EFFIE! (you almost have to exclaim her name) She was awesome. The clips that I had seen with her were a little strange, so I was skeptical. I guess she just seemed a little young, a little too tame, and just...weird. But, her prissy Capitol notions are hilarious in the movie. And once pass the reaping, she little comments in different situations are just so cute. Like after Katniss pushes Peeta down she looks at her and just say "Manners!". :) Elizabeth Banks is a lot better than I thought she'd be as little Effie Trinket...

SENECA. So he's not in the first book. But I think it was smart to put him in, 'cause it gives people someone else to look forward too, plus he's supposed to be the Head Gamemaker anyway. The beard was *awesome*. And the character was too. I mean, he was a total Capitol guy...but then near the end you could tell that for him, the games weren't completely about killing off kids. And y'all know where that got him...

CATO. Big, strong, awful, vicious Cato. Wow. He was absolutely perfect. First of all, he's huge...like seriously, he's gotta be the biggest guy in the film. And his facial expressions are just totally perfect for someone as blood-thirsty as Cato. With blood all over his face, he's even creepier. Alexander Ludwig, who would not have been a perfect Peeta (he did audition for that part), is absolutely horrifyingly perfect as Cato...

So those are some of the characters I was most impressed with. Along with them came Rue, Clove, and Prim. They were pretty awesome too...

But then there were those who I didn't care for too much...unfortunately, including Peeta. Maybe it's just that I've always preferred Gale, but not only does Josh Hutcherson not do Peeta justice, he also doesn't look him. That'll probably forever bother me. :D

But...as for content. It was pretty impressive. The Capitol was amazing, and the Seam was great too. The Games were awfully short...and the tributes weren't developed well because of that. Of course, in the book they weren't either...but I guess when Katniss is narrating everything, you get a little more thinking about the tributes...

For stuff to watch out for:

Since it's a sorta violent book, there definitely is some violence here too. Blood splattering, ugly wounds, and that gruesome tracker jacker scene. If you remember the book, you'll know Glimmer got distorted. But the movie will give 'distorted' a whole new meaning...pretty gross.

There's only 1 true kiss. But it's a pretty long one. But then, the book has way more...(betcha some people are disappointed)...

And then, this is sorta a con, the cinematographer was...kinda crazy. The weird angles sometimes made it hard to know what was going on. Or they just made your eyes go weird.

So it wasn't an exact replica of the book, definitely. Everything was kinda compacted together (what else to do you do in a movie??) to take as little time as possible. And you can't really see someone getting dehydrated. But they did an awesome job with what they had.

Definitely a movie I would recommend you go see...but ONLY IF YOU'VE READ THE BOOK. :D

I give it ***** out of ***** stars. :)

P. S. If you *haven't* read the book, and you go see the movie anyway, just FYI, don't start Catching Fire when you get home. Read The Hunger Games first...or you won't know what's going on in the next book.)

i think i'm obsessed...

Comes out Friday! Are you excited??

money ball - review

About a week ago we watched the new movie Moneyball.

It's a truly fascinating story about a baseball team that has to run on such a small amount of money that it's nearly impossible to get the really great players. The General Manager, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), has to figure out how their going to take their team to the top, when they're probably the poorest team out there.

And that's where Peter Brand, a graduate of Yale, comes into the picture. (gotta love Jonah Hill. :P He's the perfect nerd--glasses, hair, and all)

He has this theory about pro baseball. According to him, "It's about getting things down to one number. Using the stats the way we read them, we'll find value in players that no one else can see. People are overlooked for a variety of biased reasons and perceived flaws. Age, appearance, personality...I believe that there is a championship team of twenty-five people that we can afford, because everyone else in baseball undervalues them."

And by using the concept of 'Moneyball', Billy Beane and co. come up with a baseball team that may be "an island of misfit toys", but may still have a chance.

It's a wonderful story.

You may have to watch it a couple times to get it, especially if you're like us where, while we know the basic baseball concepts, our Dad's still explaining nearly the entire movie afterwards. And if you're not a baseball fan, it's still an interesting movie to watch, I think.

But then it was rated PG-13 for a reason.

The language really isn't that great. And it's kind of sad because, if it didn't have the language, it would appeal to a lot more families, probably.

If you want to know the specifics, you can check out here, and if you scroll down to the language section, it'll tell you exactly. Fortunately most of the "15 s-words" are mumbled and such, so it's not really as bad as a looks. But then all the language is scattered, so you really can't skip it all at once.

But other than that, this movie's really interesting. And other than the fact that we never got why the girl was calling her Dad a 'loser' at the end, it *is* possible to understand most of it. And when you do, you can appreciate how truly brilliant the concept of 'Moneyball' was.

It's worth watching if you have the time. I enjoyed it. Made me appreciate baseball more. (but then, of course, still totally prefer swimming. :P)

I give it...**** and 1/2 out of ***** stars. :)

Very cool movie. :D

courageous - a movie review

We watched Courageous last night!

And it was truly amazing, I thought--everything it promised to be.

They had me bawling like crazy at certain parts (even if I knew what was going to happen), but then laughing hysterically also. They really upped the humor in this one, which was awesome. :P

Unfortunately, I really can't give you much of the plot, since it would give away a lot...

But if you've seen the trailer, you'll know it's about a bunch of cops who try to become better dads. And they make this resolution...and they're eventually tested to see if they follow through with it.

There were a couple of places that were kind of violent...(fighting, gangs, drugs) stuff like that...but my 9-year-old sister watched it and was fine. So, though it's rated PG-13, I think it'd probably be fine for younger people...

And there were some really sweet, sad parts too...

And some really great witty humor. :D

And then of course there's the trademark Alex Kendrick move where he bows his head and cries (y'all probably all know that one). ;) But it had to happen somewhere...

As for the quotes, I don't really want to give the best parts away (aka, I don't really remember the ones that wouldn't)...so you'll just have to watch it and find out. :)

This movie had a really great message tied in with it's plot, also. And that's part of what makes it so sad/funny/totally awesome...

So...I give it ******************* out of ***** stars. :P

And if you have a spare evening (or even if you don't), sit down and watch Courageous with your family (and make sure your dad's there, 'cause this one is really for them). Trust me. You won't be disappointed. ;)

Soul Surfer // movie review

Saturday night our family watched Soul Surfer.

Most of you have probably heard of this movie. It's the story of Bethany Hamilton--the girl whose lost her arm in a shark attack in 2003. Y'all also probably remember when it actually happened. Some documentaries are boring and inauthentic. Not this. This movie was absolutely wonderful.

Bethany Hamilton picked AnnaSophia Robb to play herself in the movie...and Annasophia was great. She was perfect to play the part...

...and in case you didn't guess, this movie is a *total* tear-jerker. You'll be bawling by the end. :P That's what makes it so good.

Also, since this is the Hamilton family we're talking about, they made sure that the Christian elements in the film are right and true and, most of all, there. That was great. Plus Carrie Underwood played the youth leader! Good for her, huh? ;)

Now the cons. Y'all probably know that all the bathing suits worn are bikinis. Yes, I know, but I guess that's what you gotta expect with a surfing movie.

Plus if the sight of blood doesn't settle well with you, then you might want to look away for the shark attack. But really, the attack was very well done. They don't show that much. But there is a bunch of blood, so watch out for that.

All in all, guys, I'd totally suggest this as a movie for a whole family to watch. It's definitely ranked up there with the best movies I've watched. And I'd say it's one of the best documentary film I've ever watched in my life.

Characters: *****(*************)

Plot: 8*****(*************)

Overall: **********************************

You get the point. :D This is a must-watch film, especially for Christians. So rent it at redbox or get it at netflix. You won't be disappointed. :)

Saturday Morning Daybook

(hosted by Miss Jo March@Scraps from my workbasket)

Date...April 9, 2011

Starting time...11:10 AM

Mood...uhh....hmm....i can't quite tell. :P

Outside my window...It's not so nice looking. It's been dreary here the past few days...

I'm thinking...about the movie we watched last night

I'm currently reading...He Leadeth Me (still) and a whole bunch of history books

I'm listening to...SILENCE. Annette and Josie are at Gramma's for the weekend, and everyone's kinda scattered all over. :)

I'm wearing...Jeans, reddish/pinkish shirt, black tanktop...

I'm looking forward to...tonight! birthday party...

I'm hoping...that we can get the 2nd movie soon....

Yesterday, I...watched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT. I've never watched it before, so I was really impressed with the special effects...and want to watch the 2nd one soon...:D

I'm hungry for...Hmm...something sweet (that I can't have 'cause it's Lent) or...i don't know.

The song stuck inside my head is...

I love...good movies! (who doesn't?)

I loathe...having too much history reading. again, who doesn't? ;)

This week, my goal is...to do my VERY BEST in my seating audition. It's coming up on this monday! PRAY FOR ME!

Did I meet last week's goal?...well, I actually haven't had my viola lesson for this week yet...it had to be rescheduled for today...so I don't know yet...

Ending time...11:17 AM

Tangled: Movie Review

I just had to do this. I was thinking about just posting up pictures from the movie, but decided I might as well review it as well. :) (plus, I had to tell Nana how much I actually like this movie)

Ok, so this is basically the story of Rapunzel. But what was really great about this movie is that they didn't just stick with the usual plot -- A mom needs a plant because she's sick, the dad goes off to steal it from a witches garden, then the witch keeps her locked up in a tower once she's born. This plot makes MUCH MORE SENSE. Again, definitely the best Disney princess movie. If any of y'all have watched The Princess and the Frog, you'll know how...uhh...weird...the plot was in that. A little disturbing, in my opinion. But believe me, Tangled is 100x better.

So, here's the basic storyline: There are a queen and king and a golden flower. The flower has the ability to heal and keep someone young forever. Then there's Mother Gothel. She's an old lady that tries to hide the flower to use it all for herself. But the queen gets sick...like really sick and the people start looking for the flower to make her better. Once they find it, they give it to the queen and she gets better. Then Rapunzel is born.

But Mother Gothel realizes that her flower is gone. She kidnaps Rapunzel to use her hair, which contains the magic flower's power. Rapunzel grows up and doesn't know who she is. All she know is that her "Mother" wants to keep her in the tower forever...supposedly to keep her safe. (see? Isn't this witch's reason to keep Rapunzel much better then the original story's?)

But that's when the handsome thief Flynn Rider appears...

And Rapunzel realizes that the outside world really isn't as scary as "Mother" had said it was.

I'll leave the rest for you to find out...so watch this! The animation is really great! None of the other Disney princess movies have animation like this one...and Rapunzel's hair is perfect. Then the characters are all perfect. And this story is different. There isn't any handsome prince in this one...:)

Oh, and the soundtrack is also really good. Look in my playlist for the songs sung by Mandy Moore and you can listen to some of the songs. :)

My Rating?

Characters: *********** (LOVE these characters)

Plot: ********* (ok...yeah...the plot's really good too...)

Overall rating: ******************** (you get the point. :P)

We watched this movie twice in 2 days. So believe me, it's pretty good. :D We were ready to compare this with Megamind and How to Train You Dragon...and it ended up passing pretty well. So check it out! See if you like it!