Bite-Size Movie Reviews

Nowadays, many of the movies I see don’t make it onto the blog because I don’t love them enough or consider them of enough account. Besides, movie reviews usually take longer to write. But here and there throughout the past few months, I’ve encountered a movie or TV show that needs to be mentioned. So here they are, in the same bite-size manner.

TV Series: Sherlock (season 1) – 9

Everyone always said I’d enjoy it – everyone was right. I did indeed quite love Benedict Cumberbatch as a modern and witty Sherlock, and Martin Freeman as his delightful side-kick! The mysteries were engaging, there were funny quirks and lines in each episode, and I was entirely obsessed – the three episodes flew by way too fast. I can’t wait to watch the other seasons of this wonderful show. The only drawback I would mention is that each episode contained some reference to homosexuality, which I really didn’t appreciate. Other than that, it was most delightful!

Movie: Avatar – 7

The only reason I decided to review this one was because of the graphics. As far as the story goes, it wasn’t amazing. I didn’t fall in love with the giant blue creatures, nor did I form a huge connection with any of them. I’m glad I watched it, if primarily for the reason that now I can say I did. The graphics were absolutely amazing and that’s what scored this movie a 7 from me.

Movie: Jack Reacher – 8.5

I think I originally stumbled across this movie because it starred Rosamund Pike (who was Jane in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice). Somewhat to my surprise, I greatly enjoyed it! The action sequences were fast, the mystery compelling, and Rosamund (as Helen) was delightful to watch. Such a different role from Jane, but wonderful none-the-less. Finally seeing the famed Tom Cruise was also delightful. Good movie!

Movie: Captain America: the Winter Soldier – 9.5

Yay! Captain America is back on the big screen! I really enjoyed this movie. Pulled me in from the start and I was glued to the screen. Captain America is a delight to watch once again…ah, I do love that guy. Scarlett Johansson was a great heroine – full of impressive crazy stunts and the like. Captain America is such a wonderful soldier and superhero. Love. I can’t wait to watch this one again on DVD!

TV Show: Castle (season 1) – 8.5

After getting hooked on this show in season 5, I knew I wanted to go back and see the original meeting of Beckett and Castle. So as soon as the library got season 1 on reserve for me, I settled in to watch – and was not disappointed. Watching the beginning of Kate & Richard’s relationship after seeing it in maturity in the later seasons was delightful! This is one series I’m eager to watch through. Castle is incorrigible, Beckett is adorable (and a great cop), and the whole show is a favorite of mine.

Movie: The Host – 7.5

I was disappointed. After reading and enjoying the book, I hoped the movie would be something I would enjoy just as much and was thrilled to discover it checked-in at my local library. But sadly, I didn’t. My main problem with it was character development – I know, converting an 800 page book packed with detail in a two hour movie is a gigantic challenge. But after how I fell in love with the book characters, I felt like they were all woefully misrepresented in the movie. I’m not sorry I watched it, but I don’t think I would watch it again.

Movie: White House Down – 9

This movie has been on my to-see list for over a year, and finally getting to see it – well, it did not disappoint! Primarily because really – who could protest watching Channing Tatum for two hours? But better than that, the plot was riveting and full of surprise twists. The chases and suspense were fascinating and I couldn’t stop watching. A great movie!

TV Show: The Bible (season 1) – 8

This was so interesting. What to say? All in all, it wasn’t entirely Biblically accurate, and that bugged me. I think where the Bible says one thing, that’s how it should be portrayed, whether in movie or book. But for people who are grounded in the Bible and know the stories well, I would recommend this as an interesting visualization of the places and people. It also gives interesting perspective on some of the stories.

Movie: Much Ado About Nothing – 8.5

I went into this one not sure what I was going to think. Here’s the gist of it: (1) It’s set in present day; (2) It’s filmed in black and white; and (3) They use all their lines directly from Shakespeare (though I believe a few of them may have been slightly changed). To my surprise, I quite enjoyed it and was amazed by the dexterity with which the actors pulled the clunky lines into present day smoothness. I loved seeing Castle (from the show of the same name) and Agent Coulson (from Agents of SHIELD) in this too! So cool. While some parts were a little confusing and it took me a little bit to get my bearings, overall I enjoyed it! If you’ve enjoyed this story by Shakespeare or if you’re a sucker for interesting films – this is a must-see.

Movie: Alex Cross – 7

Disappointed. I had hoped for an action movie that I would fully enjoy, as this has recently become a favorite genre of mine. While this one wasn’t bad, I didn’t enjoy it fully. It was a little more disgusting than some films, and that definitely docked my rating. There were some great fight scenes and some brilliance, both from the criminal and the others. But all in all, not one I’ll watch again.

Movie: Oz the Great and Powerful – 7.5

Admittedly, I did like this one more than Alex Cross and I wouldn’t mind allowing my siblings to see it. However, it wasn’t my new favorite. That being said, it was creative and had an interesting story and colorful characters. I neither loved nor hated it.

Movie: Maleficent – 8.5

As I headed into the theater to see this one, I didn’t know what to expect. But I enjoyed it! It was easy to empathize with Maleficent herself. The animation was stunning, where it was used. The whole story was almost predictable (due to being a classic fairy tale) – but then not quite. It was always take some turn or other that was liable to surprise. The dragon was a nice touch, and most impressive. All in all? A good movie that I’ll watch again on DVD.

Movie: Great Gatsby

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Genre: Life…?

Primary actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan

Length: Almost 2 ½ hours

Based on: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Time period: 1920s

Quote: “Old sport” – catchy!

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2013

My overall opinion: Well! I went back and forth about whether or not to review this one – and decided I would, as I think my readers will find it interesting. But reviewing it means I have to at least attempt to organize my thoughts on it, and that is a challenge.

So why did I go for an 8? Because I enjoyed it…I think. At any rate, I found it fascinating and impossible not to finish watching. But I also don’t whole-heartedly recommend it, nor do I agree with the basic concept/morals that were conveyed in it.

Be advised: I’m not trying to avoid spoilers, not really, so look out – there probably are some.

What did I like? It was impossible not to like, or at least feel empathy for, Jay Gatsby himself. I don’t approve of what he did or how he lived. Sure, he might have loved Daisy, but pursuing a married woman like he did is wrong. But at the same time, I felt like DiCaprio did a good job with the role and you couldn’t help but empathize with him a little.

And then the fashion of the time! I once wrote a paper about fashion in the 1920s, and it was really interesting to research. That whole time-period is just fascinating to me, so I really enjoyed that aspect of this movie – seeing their fashion, vehicles, houses, and way of life was amazing. I was also a little horrified by how utterly pointless their lives were…nothing but endless parties. It was disturbing.

And then what I didn’t like. I wasn’t overly fond of Daisy at all. Actually, I loved her looks (wow, that sounds awkward…). Like, her bobbed blond hair and brown eyes were adorable. But I didn’t like her as a person. Besides which, her behavior as a married woman was wrong. Just plain wrong. Be advised, there are a few somewhat objectionable scenes – keep that in mind before you watch it.

So all in all, what did I think? I’m not quite sure. Will I watch it again? I don’t know. I think the only movie I’ve been more confused about was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I think I’m glad I watched this, or at least, I don’t entirely regret it. Good movie? Not sure. Bad movie? Not all. But yeah – there’s my thoughts in brief.

Movie: Eragon

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Genre: Fantasy

Series or set: It should technically be the first in a four-part series, like the books…but this is the only one they’ve made.

Primary actor: Ed Speleers

Length: A little under two hours

Based on: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Time period: Fantasy

Rating: PG

Year it came out: 2006

My overall opinion: I didn’t put this on my priority to-watch list, due to having heard so many negative reviews of it. However, I was pleasantly surprised! Having read the books by Paolini several years ago, I don’t know how accurate to the books this movie actually was. However, as a movie, it wasn’t bad! The graphics weren’t always amazing, but all in all, I enjoyed it and am not against watching it again. Seeing characters from Once Upon a Time and Downton Abbey was neat too – anyone else catch that? :)

Movie: Quantum of Solace

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Genre: Action

Series or set: James Bond 007

Number in series: You can watch James Bond in any order you like!

Primary actors: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench

Length: About two hours

Time period: Present

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2008

My overall opinion: Yet another James Bond movie in which Daniel Craig steals my heart! Okay, he’s actually way too old for me. But if I was…25 years older, I would be head over heels in love. He is seriously a great hero dude in these movies. My favorite thing about this movie? It included epic chases by plane, by boat, AND by car. Like I said, I once again really loved Daniel Craig’s performance as James Bond, and if you’re a fan of Craig, Bond, action movies, chase scenes, or action - this movie is a must-see!

Movie: The Vow

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Genre: Chick flick 

Primary actors: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum

Length: About two hours

Based on: A true story, if I remember right?! Anyone know for sure?

Time period: Present

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2012

My overall opinion: I liked it better than The Notebook. No, but seriously. This was a sweet movie and melted my heart just a little bit in some parts. If you need a sweet chick flick for an evening, consider this one! :)

Movie: Bourne Legacy

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Genre: Action

Series or set: Bourne

Number in series: 4^th

Primary actors: Jeremy Renner, Scott Glenn, Edward Norton

Length: Two hours

Based on: Well, all of Bourne was originally from books by Robert Ludlum…other than that, it’s not really BASED on anything.

Time period: Present

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2012

My overall opinion: What a great movie! I know, it’s a little weird that I’m reviewing the fourth movie in this set without reviewing the others – sorry. I have seen them all, just not reviewed them all. I think quite possibly you could watch this one without seeing the first three, though you might miss a few references. But all in all, this movie is most decidedly enjoyable. For one thing, it has Edward Norton. It gave me a turn when he came on screen. See, he’s the bad guy in Italian Job and I’ve seen that movie…I’m not even sure how many times. A LOT. Anyway. So he was in this. One great thing about this movie was that it was the most epic dirt bike chase scene EVER. I’m pretty sure that there’s no beating it. Seriously. The stunts they did were amazing. I was riveted to the screen through that entire section…and actually, through this entire movie. But especially that part. Oh, and the part that almost made me fall out of bed? (wow that sounded weird…I watch movies in bed most of the time, so that’s why I said that.) A dude comes driving up. He’s driving a Dodge Ram truck. (brownie points for him right away – I love Dodge.) And then a song comes on – and it’s Rodney Atkins singing “Cleaning This Gun” which just so happens to be one of my favorite songs. I almost exploded with happy over that part. It was awesome. So, all in all? Great movie! Check IMDB as there are a few things that are objectionable. But. I’d watch this again. :)

Movie: A Beautiful Mind

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8…I think…see my review below.

Genre: Life

Primary actors: Russell Crowe (the reason I watched it) and who else matters?!

Length: Just over two hours

Based on: I think there’s a book? At any rate, the main character was a real guy. Way back when.

Time period: 1950s, I believe

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2001

My overall opinion: I didn’t really like this one and was gonna go for a lower rating, but then I remembered – I didn’t dislike it. And despite these slight misgivings, it kept me watching for the whole movie. Time flew. The plot is intricate, but not hard to understand. You will empathize with this guy! It’s an amazing story. I can’t say much, because you’ll be more interested if you don’t know what’s going on (same as me), but this movie – watch it. It’s worth a view. Seeing Russell Crowe here was a delight! Recommended for fans of his. Anyone looking for a unique drama – try this!

Movie: Casino Royale

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Genre: Action

Series or set: James Bond 007

Number in series: These are awesome – you can watch them in any order. And they still work. :)

Primary actors: Daniel Craig (falling for this guy!), Judi Dench

Length: A little over two hours

Time period: Present

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2006

My overall opinion: Ooooo. So I started watching James Bond with Skyfall and have now watched everything my library has. I really love Daniel Craig and James Bond at large! This one had some lovely sets in Venice – absolutely beautiful. There were also AMAZING sets at an airport and a construction site – the whole chase at the construction site was one of my favorite scenes. Pretty amazing! I also really enjoyed the soundtrack for this one. It was great. I’ve never played poker (or whatever game it was they were using to gamble) so some of that lingo went over my head – but I still managed to find this a great movie. Like with all James Bond movies, be advised that there’s a little objectionable content – look on IMDB for details. All in all though? Good movie!

Movie: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

My rating on a 1-10 scale: I don’t even know. I’ve never not known what to rate something.

Genre: Life

Primary actors: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton

Length: Almost three hours!

Time period: 1960s, I guess, or that’s what I’m putting…anyone have a better answer?

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2008

My overall opinion: We have a problem, y’all. I don’t know what I thought. Or what to rate it. Out of something like 1000 reviews, I’ve never been flummoxed on what to rate something – some were hard, but I always managed to come to a decision. Until now. This movie was unlike anything I’ve ever seen, I guess. So here’s a random collection of thoughts…

The concept is fascinating. A man who lives his life backwards? Really neat. He starts old (though
baby size) and slowly grows up with a young boy’s inquisitive brain in an old man’s body. It was fascinating. I do need to warn you that there are some rather objectionable elements in here, so make sure that you read about it on IMDB before watching, just to make sure.

Benjamin’s whole relationship with the girl…never mind, I’m not even going to try to figure out what I thought. Cate Blanchett was awesome as the girl, though! I really liked her – she did a great job.

The ending was so moving. I cried a lot. Which means the producers did something right. Yeah. I guess the ending almost redeemed it – no, more just improved it for me. It was really amazing.

All in all, I don’t know if I’d say I “liked” it, but I certainly am glad I watched it and wouldn’t be opposed to watching it again someday. Do I recommend it? I’m not sure. Some people would love it.
Some people wouldn’t. I can’t tell for you. I don’t even know what I thought. This is really disconcerting. So yeah. I think I’ll just stop here. Have you seen it, and if so, did you like it? And do you understand why I’m confused?

Movie: Skyfall

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Genre: Action

Series or set: James Bond 007

Number in series: I have no idea…and is it really a series? No. Not really. Cause I watched this one and had never watched a James Bond film before, but caught on just fine.

Primary actors: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench

Length: About two hours

Time period: Present

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2012

My overall opinion: So I always knew I’d have to watch this someday, and now I finally brought it home from the library, settled myself in one evening, and watched it. What an enjoyable film – right up my alley of movies I enjoy! It was absolutely packed with adventures, non-stop action, awesome sets, a large fire, mystery, suspense, and so much more. I really enjoyed it, and definitely intend to watch more James Bond films. Also, I really want a gun that recognizes my palm-print and only shoots for me – ‘cause that’s just awesome. The scenes in that abandoned city – okay, back up. Abandoned places kind of fascinate me, whether they’re that city in Russia that was abandoned because of nuclear poisoning in the air, or something like the one in this movie. I watched avidly through that whole scene. This is a movie I’d be happy to watch again. Oh, and Adele. I’m not a huge Adele fan, just in general, but her “Skyfall” song that’s used for the (long) beginning credits is awesome and I really like it. Listen, even if you haven’t seen the movie and don’t intend to. Be warned, there is some language and occasional other objectionable things – check IMDB for a list. But. This movie is pretty awesome!

Movie: Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9.5

Genre: Fantasy, adventure

Series or set: Hobbit

Number in series: 2^nd

Primary actors: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage

Length: Two and a half hours or so

Based on: Technically, the original Hobbit book, with a bit pulled from LOTR

Time period: Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2013

My overall opinion: A good movie! At the time of writing this, I’ve seen it twice in the theater and will see it once more before it goes out. I liked it better the second time than the first, though I greatly enjoyed it both times! Now, here we go with what I thought of it and specific people/creatures/events/etc, in no particular order.

Be warned: spoilers are not in the least avoided! Indeed, they abound.

Bolg – Another primary orc dude to dislike, in addition to Azog who is making a return from the previous movie. And once again, he has quite a unique look about him – almost like there are bolts in his head, or at least, that was my first impression. While Azog was still the main immediately-visible villain, Bolg was also around quite often to do his dirty work for him. Decidedly despicable.

Gold – There was so much gold in this movie! Seriously. Either I haven’t heard, or I don’t remember how many gold coins were made for these scenes, but it was clearly a lot. The sheer vastness of the dragon’s lair was stunning…but I’ll come to that in a bit more detail later. Anyway. So there was all the gold in the dragon’s lair, and then down in the furnaces and all the gold that was supposed to bury said dragon was also an immense amount. Most impressive!

CGI – Like the vast amounts of gold, there were also vast amounts of CGI – albeit, very well done in my opinion. As my friend pointed out, however, part of the charm and enduring quality of the LOTR trilogy is the fact that so much of it is real, not digital. However, the CGI in this film was done nicely and didn’t detract from the story.

Dragon – One cannot write a review of this movie without a section for the dragon Smaug! He was impressive, and seemed quite accurate to the book, which I greatly appreciated. He seemed quite reasonable as far as dragons go. Certainly very large, very strong, but not impressively wise. So yeah, a good dragon!

Underground sets – There were two amazing locations that were underground in this movie – one being Thranduil’s palace with wood elves and the other, obviously, being within the Lonely Mountain. Let’s start with Thranduil’s. After I got used to the idea of elves living underground instead of just in trees (accurate to the book as it is!), I quite liked it. It managed to be underground, yet still spacious and truly beautiful. And light. Elegant curves, making it elvish. A lovely place to live. And then there’s the whole area under the Lonely Mountain. As you may know if you know me (or have read this blog for very long), I have rather a fascination with caves and underground scenes – the Mines of Moria is my hands-down-all-time favorite part in the LOTR trilogy. So going underground again here had me on the edge of my seat. The dragon’s lair is gigantic and awe-inspiring. And then the melting area…but that deserves it’s own section. Suffice to say that I have gained a very deep respect for the work of the dwarves and the area that they have created under there. I’d love to visit – after the dragon is gone and all is at peace.

Forge/furnace/melting place – This part was all so amazing. I was fascinated by how everything worked, and by watching the whole process. It’s quite an ingenious plan in the end, that whole thing with the statue, though how Thorin could’ve ever actually thought it would work is beyond me. Anyway, this was all definitely one of my favorite parts!

Sauron, orcs, and the ring – Because they all go together a lot. Sauron first. I’m not sure if he was ever named or not, but he was definitely there and a rather prominent part of this movie. He even takes on the eye form in a way. Some of that eye part was a little silly, I thought, but certainly very dramatic. Then there was the ring – already Bilbo feels often compelled to put it on and disappear, and experiences a weird world when he does. Played up a little from the book, but not an all bad change. And finally, the orcs. This was a big thing about this movie that I didn’t like – remember the scene where Gandalf goes to Dol Guldur to fight against the evil lurking there and meets Azog and co? At some point, as Gandalf is looking, he is told by the orcs that “we are legion.” There was a lot of darker content in parts of this movie, and that combined with the particular use of the word “legion” (which is pretty Biblical) felt like it was a very direct nod to satanic or demonic behavior. I’m all for a good-versus-evil battle, and think that probably some of this story does definitely correlate to the Bible. However, I really don’t like it when demonic type stuff is in the story, even when it’s clearly evil. SO I strongly disliked that.

Legolas – He’s back! Technically, it’s true, he’s not supposed to be but I think his appearance was more than worth it. It was great to see him again. He wasn’t a character who the audience got very attached to in this movie like he was in LOTR, and you never really got to know him – he spent most of his time doing awesome trick shooting. Speaking of which, I laughed when he stood on dwarf heads as they floated down the river and shot orcs – they all shot orcs. Epic. But yes! Legolas was back, up to amazing tricks once again.

Tauriel – Finally! A female elf who’s a fighter! She was a delight to watch. I did think that the whole thing with her and Kili was a little silly – I mean sure, he’s cute and awesome, but he’s a dwarf and she wouldn’t fall for him. Ever. But all in all, I thought she was awesome and her fighting skills are amazing!

Dwarves in barrels and spiders – The barrel scene was delightful, as I have suspected since the very beginning. While I didn’t absolutely fall in love with it, it was good and certainly enjoyable. And Bombur flying out of the river in his barrel, crashing down a hill, and killing many orcs? That was amazing. The spiders…definitely gross, but a good part of the movie.

Bard – We finally get to meet Bard here! He’s not bad looking, and seems like a nice enough man – I had to keep reminding myself that while he has his good points, he’s a bad guy in the final battle (although Thorin is too a little bit). But here Bard has a son and two daughters who we get quite attached to, and I’m curious to see how they paint him in the third movie.

Fire – Strange to say, the fire in this movie really stood out for me. Lol, it sounds weird – but I walked away thinking “There was so much fire!” Smaug was certainly very fond of it and used it often. Random point.

Nazgul beginnings stuff – To anyone not familiar with the Lord of the Rings movies, much of the fore-shadowing in this movie may go unnoticed and may even seem confusing. However, LOTR fans will be fascinated by the beginnings of the Nazgul. My only drawback is, of course, that this is not really in the book at all and technically shouldn’t have been included in this movie. Their burial place, where Gandalf and Radagast visited, was fascinating though!

Gandalf’s journeyings – I will be the first to admit that seeing where Gandalf went after leaving the hobbits was fascinating, and for the most part, it makes sense to have included it – time-wise, at least. Though I think much of it isn’t learned until LOTR in the books. But it was interesting, for sure, despite the made-up parts.

Peter Jackson’s cameo – Yup, there he was within the first few moments of the actual film, chomping down on another carrot in a distinct nod to Fellowship of the Ring! I was quite excited that I caught his cameo this time. :D

Book faithfulness – Well, as some other person said, about half of it is from the book and half of it is just made up and stuck in and added to make it more exciting. It was definitely exciting. And some of the improvements were indeed improvements – some I didn’t like as much.

Something missing – One thing that hit me really hard to not have was the awesome way that the dwarves are introduced to Beorn. Here they see him as a bear, and then get chased by orcs and all just kind of run into his house. Remember how in the book, they come in by twos following Gandalf’s instructions as he steadily spins a tale, except for Bombur who comes a little before he’s supposed to? It’s such a cool way to do it, and I really missed that here. I also noted that this movie entirely skipped the river with the water that they couldn’t touch (except Bombur touched it and fell asleep and they had to carry him a great distance).

So there you go – a complete run-down of my thoughts concerning Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug! Worth your time and money to see in the theater? Absolutely. I can’t wait to watch it again!

Want more Tolkien and Hobbit things? Check out my Tolkienesque Pinterest board!

Have you seen it? What did you think?

Movie: Sound of Music: the Musical

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Genre: Life, classic

Series or set: Musical

Primary actors: Carrie Underwood, Stephen Moyer

Length: Approximately three hours

Based on: The classic movie with Julie Andrews – but I think this is the Broadway version?

Time period: 1930s

Rating: TV-PG

Year it came out: 2013

My overall opinion: I did quite enjoy this movie! I went in not being quite sure what I should be expecting, but it was a good way to spend my three hours! I watched the TV musical, but it’s coming to DVD at some point. Carrie Underwood was a lovely (though young) Maria, and her singing voice! Oh I loved it. She did a good job with the songs, though I think that no one can ever beat Julie Andrews. The head nun was a black woman, which is entirely inaccurate for the time in history, and for the movie in general – it threw me off. However, she could sing and very well! The kids were all cute and lovable and could sing. All in all? I did enjoy seeing this, and I am not opposed to watching it again someday, even though I didn’t love it.

Movie: The Terminal

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Genre: Comedy, life

Primary actors: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Length: Two hours

Time period: Present

Rating: PG-13 (though IMHO, it deserves more of a PG rating)

Year it came out: 2004

My overall opinion: It’s a heart-warming movie, that’s meant to be a comedy but is a little too heart-touching to be that! It really ambles along quite peacefully, sprinkled well with humor and moments to make your heart smile. There is a little swearing, hence the rating, but for the most part, I’d recommend this one if you need a relaxing, easy-to-watch film.

Movie: Jane Eyre

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Genre: Period drama, classic, romance

Primary actors: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Sally Hawkins, Judi Dench

Length: Two hours

Based on: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Time period: 1800s

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2011

My overall opinion: Now THAT is a question. What did I think of this movie? Well, being me, I made
notes as I watched. So here they are. I’m assuming all my readers already know this classic story.

Possible confusion: Starting in the middle of the book (with St. John), then skipping a bit between that and the beginning was vaguely confusing even for me, and I know the book very well. I think that doing the story in order, or possibly just one skip, would’ve been better. For someone who doesn’t know the story at all, this could possibly be very confusing.

The girls: All the girls in this are frightfully plain. I know, it’s simply dreadful of me to judge them all on appearance alone, and their personalities were quite nice, but St. John’s sisters and Jane herself were all very plain girls, not pretty in the least.

The speed: I mention this several times in my notes, things that are flown over. Jane Eyre is a large book of several hundred pages, and needs a movie of some length, a minimum of three hours, I think. A two-hour movie was a bad decision and entirely fails to include a few pivotal scenes, and to really show how deep the friendship between Helen and Jane was.

Mr. Rochester: In a word, “overgrown.” And yes, I’m going purely physical appearance again. That was my impression from the first time I saw him. Having him shave, and regularly, would’ve greatly improved his appearance. At the end, too, he was far too overgrown to be appreciated, so to speak. In general, he wasn’t a very bad Mr. Rochester though, but like I said, the whole movie was rushed and we never got to know him that well.

Jane: Was plain. Not that Jane is supposed to be pretty, though. Considering that she’s the title character, she did a good job with the part. I neither loved nor hated her.

Gore: At one point, a surprising amount of blood was shown, and while that really didn’t bother me all that much, it did seem like a rather surprising amount considering this is a period drama. That may be just me though.

Scene skipped: I wasn’t very happy that they skipped one of the most memorable scenes from prior movies and from the book. Remember when Bertha visits Jane’s room shortly before her near-wedding and tries on her veil? Here, we hardly saw Bertha, except for one scene. But I think that the scene I’ve just described is quite an important and mysterious one in the book, and definitely shouldn’t have been cut. Then too, there’s the fire scene. While it is true that in the book, Jane is told about it after the fact and wasn’t present there, there are often flashbacks in other movies to the scene so that you, the viewer, can fully picture it. Here, Mrs. Fairfax simply told Jane about it. I think this was perhaps a part where they attempted to save money, when spending a little and doing the scene would’ve resulted in a better movie.

The ending: I wrote down that it was slightly abrupt, unexpected, inconclusive, and all-around unsatisfying. I wasn’t very happy with it, I’m afraid. It left a good deal more up to chance than I should have preferred, and came around altogether too fast.

Soundtrack: It was lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to such a beautiful soundtrack for a couple of hours!

So. My overall opinion? It wasn’t really a bad movie. I didn’t love it though, and was a little disappointed. And it was definitely way too rushed to really be one I loved. If you’re a Jane Eyre or a period drama fan, yes, watch it. I’m glad I did. However, I am far from desperate to go out and buy it.

Movie: The Lucky One

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Genre: Chick flick, life, family, romance

Primary actors: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling

Length: Two hours

Based on: the book by Nicholas Sparks, I think

Time period: Present

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2012

My overall opinion: Not bad! Hmmm. I guess what struck me most was the way Zac walked – it was kinda weird. But that’s probably just me. Overall? I liked it, other than a few scenes. The ending was a little melo-dramatic, I thought, but it was a sweet story and moved along at a good pace, while still being laid-back and peaceful. A good movie for filling an extra evening.