ethanmidd Reviews

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him (2013)

An Interesting Concept and Perspective On A Relationship

[7/10 · 25 June 2015]

One thing that I do like about this film is that when this movie does show scenes where the characters are in love with each other, it's very well done. At least the performances are. When these two are in a scene together, you can get a good vibe of what they're feeling. It could be them in love, depressed, scared, or anything that involves emotion. This movie does focus on the emotion of James McAvoy.

It's not just the emotion however. You do know very well that McAvoy is still in love, he cares, and the movie does focus on that, but it also focuses on his work job. That may not seem like it is interesting, but it does add a bit more to what McAvoy's character is dealing with, because it's not going completely well with his work space either.

The title of the movie is a good one. It seems like it came from a novel you would find somebody reading at a coffee store, but it is an original title and film. This movie does a decent job on it. Chastain isn't in this movie that much, you are curious where she is when she's not involved in the story. When she does show up, you question what her motivation is to why we're seeing her, and part of the fun is that we have to see the other film to see her motivations and other stuff.

My few complaints about this film is that the concept of this story does seem interesting, however it isn't a very compelling story. Like I said, part of it is because we don't know what Chastain's character is thinking, but nothing really grabs you unless it's a scene with McAvoy and Chastain together.

Which leads me to a specific scene involved with them. Now I'm not going to spoil it because spoilers are no fun. We really don't know what the real reason is why these two split up and when the movie does reveal why, it gives a bigger impact on how the characters reacted when they're together, which to me, makes those scenes a tiny bit more enjoyable.

Also without spoiling anything about the ending, it was very abrupt. I'm pretty sure there is more to it when you see the Her film, but that ending really seemed unnecessary.

The concept of the story is being told is interesting. But when it only focuses on James McAvoy's character, the movie isn't the most entertaining and compelling thing. Yet it when McAvoy and Chastain share the screen, it gets interesting because you can feel their emotions and those scenes with them are well done and compelling, especially one scene that is a big part of the story. The ending may make more sense if both films are scene, but Him is a decent movie that might be even more enjoyable once Her is watched.

Jurassic World (2015)

Great Example of a Popcorn Flick

[6/10 · 25 June 2015]

It's obvious and safe to say that this movie is not as good as the Steven Spielberg film. Is it better than the second one? I'm going to have to say yes on that. What this movie is is a popcorn movie. You just have to go in and have a fun time and I did, I had a lot of fun with this movie.

Yes it's more of a monster movie than an actual Jurassic Park movie, but that's all right. It did focus on the Jurassic theme overall. It was just that there was a dinosaur running around and a lot of people were running around.

It may sound like the story isn't that interesting if you just read the last sentence. Overall it isn't a bad story. There was a subplot that involved the kids and it seemed pointless when the movie was trying to give us feelings for the kids but it didn't work. Other than that the story wasn't that bad. How was the acting? That's probably the weakest part of the movie.

The only actor that really stood out was Chris Pratt. He's definitely got talent. He wasn't acting like Andy or Starlord in this movie. We got a new character who was serious most of the time, because of this, I'm okay with whatever Chris Pratt does in the future.

Bryce Dallas Howard wasn't a bad actress in the movie, but her character wasn't that great. At first she was more of the exposition girl, telling all of the important things to the plot. Then she was just a girl who's uptight and really didn't add a whole lot to the movie. It's not her fault though, it's the writing.

Jurassic World may be a "monster movie" but it still has elements of Jurassic Park, there are many times where it felt like a Jurassic Park movie. Especially the final act of the movie. Gosh that part of the movie was very fun, without spoiling anything.

Jurassic World is a very fun movie that people will enjoy. Yes the subplot that involve the kids may not be the best part of the movie and the characters could have been better written except for Chris Pratt, but it's still better than the last two movies in my opinion. This movie has dinosaur action and well written comedic moments. I will probably go see this movie again in theater because I had so much fun with it.

The Graduate (1967)

Definitely One of the Greats

[9/10 · 8 June 2015]

Man did I have an awesome time watching this movie. I was interesting with this from beginning to end. Part of it was just because the story was not your typical love triangle type of story. This type of stuff is shown mainly on television shows and even if it is part of the plot in some movies, it doesn't hold up to what The Graduate did. At the time, it was an original story, and it's inspired many other writers to make stories like this.

However, what really makes this film astounding are not the performances, not the soundtrack, and not even the story. Yes all three of those are incredibly well done and do help make the movie something unique, but what really stood out in a good way was the cinematography and editing. That's what made me fall in love with this movie. This movie showed things in a way that I could have never imagined. The movie also doesn't show your average scene with an normal shot. No, every scene was shot in a way that I wouldn't have thought of. If you are interested into filming or photography, I recommend you watch this movie since it also does a great job on the rule of symmetry.

The performances were something as well. Dustin Hoffman had this performance that I was able to relate to because his character is timid and not a very outgoing type of guy. Anne Bancroft was very good too since she was very calm, gave a sexy vibe, and also was very intimidating at times. My only complaint about this movie is Kathryn Ross. It was just whenever she was in a tempered mood or just yelling in general it got annoying.

If you haven't listen to this soundtrack either, go do that. Simon and Garfunkel made the music and it just has a lot of their classic songs and it's adds a lot to the movie.

There are many pros to this movie. The editing and cinematography are definitely the biggest highlights for me. For some people it might be the original story, the great and subtle performances from the cast, or it might be the Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack. This is definitely something that every movie fan needs to watch. This is something that I will buy on Blu Ray and watch it over and over and over again.

The Hunt (2012)

One That I Will Adore

[8/10 · 1 May 2015]

This movie got nominated for Best Foreign Film in the Oscars and Golden Globes, and I can really see why it did. This movie really pulled me in once the plot picks up. The movie does a good job on showing what it's like for someone to be falsely accused of a lie like this.

This story has nothing insanely big or epic at all. It's all supported by the emotional performances, which is why I love this movie. Movies like Dallas Buyers Club and Still Alice are like this and those movies are in my top 25 favorites. This movie is as well because of how raw and real the performances are in this film.

Mikkelson is really well known for those dark and evil roles that we saw in Casino Royale and Hannibal. This is a very different type of role. He's a very likable guy and it's hard to see what his character is going through. The movie also shows what people do to Mikkelson's character and it just gets me down to the bone. The things they do are just awful and really frustrate me because it doesn't make them any better. They're really just stooping down to his level.

My only gripe with this film is that the last 15 minutes could have been better. It skips maybe a year later and that seemed simple. They could have maybe shown how it leads up to the next year. Then they could show the last 15 minutes.

This emotional driven movie pulled me in within the first act and kept me invested with everything that was happening for the rest of the film. Mads Mikkelson gave a pronounced performance that we usually don't see. It would have been nice if things were added to lead up to the final 15 minutes, but this is a movie that gave me many different emotions in a very good way.

I Know That Voice (2013)

A Great Topic For A Documentary

[8/10 · 14 March 2015]

One thing I really enjoyed about this show is the nostalgia. This show will make you think about the shows you watched when you were a child, doesn't matter what age. It is fascinating to see what these voice actors do and see what shows and video games they work on. It is very interesting.

When it showed the voice actors, it would say a different show every time it shows the voice actor. So it is interesting to see what else they work on.

I do wish this documentary had even sections though. The movie will spend maybe 10 minutes talking about one thing and then maybe 5 minutes talking about another. It would have been better if they were all even. It would have made the movie a bit longer, but I see nothing wrong with that. Another thing is that they really never showed any clips whenever they talked about their work. So sometimes I would have to look up a clip to get a better understanding of what they were talking about.

Despite those complaints, this is a fun documentary that shows the voices of our beloved cartoons. It isn't anything that would have been Academy Award worthy, but I Know That Voice is a great documentary that people will enjoy watching.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

A Fun Throwback Spy Movie

[8/10 · 25 February 2015]

Matthew Vaughn is now one of those directors that I can trust. This is my third movie I've seen by him and he still has not disappointed me. I remember when I first saw Kick Ass and was blown away with how great it is (probably in my top 25).

This film is a big shout out (basically) to old spy films. It has everything: women, awesome fight scenes, gadgets, and even a ridiculous villain. Samuel L. Jackson plays the villain in this movie, and it's nice because we usually don't see him in that role. He also had a lisp in the entire movie so almost everything he said would make me chuckle. There's also a girl who has blades for feet, which is outrageous but because how Vaughn did an excellent job with choreographing fight scenes, her role worked really well into the film. It's the same for Jackson's character.

The action scenes in general were fantastic. Like I said in the last paragraph, the choreography is very well done. This is also because of the smooth editing and shots Vaughn chose for all of the fight scenes. It's a very fun thing to see.

There really aren't any huge gripes for this movie. The only small thing that I can think of is I wish there was a bit more of Cookson's character in the third act.

Kingsman is a fun spy thriller movie that had me laughing many times and also had more than a few boundary-pushing moments. However it all worked because of the smooth editing and well-choreographed scenes along with great acting from the entire cast. If you are looking for a good popcorn movie to see, this is a movie you should see with your pals.

The Truman Show (1998)

Completely Original

[8/10 · 7 February 2015]

How this movie is shot is so interesting. There are many first person shots and just the angles throughout the film are different compared to a normal film. Weir did a good job on giving a well mixture between comedy and suspense/drama. There were moments that made me laugh and moments that kept really engaged with what was happening to Truman. That's also just good writing so kudos to Andrew Niccol.

The costume design and set is very interesting. The costumes give the set of the city a vintage era, but it's the 90s obviously. Also just the set in general, imagine the set of Edward Scissorhands but not as creepy. Also, the music is fantastic. It's not original but it is an enjoyable sound for your ears.

It's a movie that I finally got to see and it made me happy. Truman Show is a film that will not disappoint audiences with its great editing, music, acting, and everything else overall. Only grouch is that I wish there was a bit more to the ending. Five more minutes would have been great. Despite that, Truman Show is a film I definitely plan on seeing again and again.

American Sniper (2014)

Not Eastwood's Best But Not His Worst

[7/10 · 31 January 2015]

In my opinion, I don't think Eastwood has made a great movie since Gran Torino. Changeling and Invictus are good; J. Edgar and Jersey Boys are okay films. However, those movies did not give me an impact like Gran Torino. Unfortunately, American Sniper did not do that but I still overall enjoyed this movie.

Clint Eastwood does a good job on giving suspense. I could feel the tension with the audience members and a sigh of relief when the movie immediately does to another scene. The film does it consistently and it really doesn't get tiresome. Even though I could feel the tension, I really wasn't on the edge of my seat at all like the audience. I think the only reason why I didn't feel this way was because I already knew about Chris Kyle. Those who don't know anything about him were probably more interested than me.

One thing that I really appreciate about this movie is that it shows the effect of what happens after you leave the war. I mean I felt bad for this guy many time because it was haunting what he was going through. However, there were scenes that involved Sienna Miller's character and those scenes broke my heart. I won't spoil it but goodness it is heart wrenching.

Bradley Cooper did an excellent job. How he gained weight for the role and talking with that thick slurred accent helped me feel like I was not looking at Bradley Cooper. It's not my favorite performance (it's American Hustle) but he did do a good job. I don't believe his performance is Oscar worthy though. I just thought there were other performances that I thought were better. Sienna Miller also did a great job. I feel like she's under looked because of Cooper and also because there fantastic female performances. I'm telling you though she is good and those scenes that I mentioned earlier will prove my point.

I don't believe this film really deserves a nomination for best picture or actor. The movie itself and Cooper's performance just did not hit me with an impact like some other movies and actors. However, American Sniper does an excellent job on showing how war can traumatize those who fought for our nation. There were some scenes that felt incredibly long, but there were also moments that were heartbreaking. If you don't know the story of Chris Kyle, then you are definitely in for a ride.

The Imitation Game (2014)

Cumberbatch is at His Finest

[8/10 · 11 January 2015]

Let me start off with praising Benedict Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch has easily given his best performance and definitely in my top three favorite performances this year (along with Michael Keaton and J.K. Simmons). There were times where I didn't like him cause he was an asshole. Then the more we get into the film and see his character react well with his colleagues, I really start liking him more and more. Eventually, I just felt heart broken with what has happened to him (I won't spoil it but it is truly is disgusting). Keira Knightley also did a fantastic job. I usually enjoy her performances but I don't see her that often so it is refreshing.

The story overall is well done also. Morten Tyldum did a good job on its direction and kept me fascinated through the entire movie. My only gripe is that in the movie there are time jumps. There will be flashback, present, and future scenes. Eventually the movie does sort of get jumbled up, confusing where we are in the story. The future scenes were maybe 10 years later after dealing with Enigma but Cumberbatch really looked the same age, if the makeup crew did something to make him look older that could have helped, but it was hard to notice.

This movie is definitely a well-made film. Cumberbatch's performance is definitely one of my favorite performances this year. The cast and dialogue is well done to where it seems so real and I forget that it's all scripted. It's just shocking to know what people would do to those if they find those people were homosexual. It's just that the time skips got jumbled; confusing what time frame we're in. Despite that, The Imitation Game is definitely a movie that is one of my favorites this year. I do plan on seeing this again and will buy it on Blu Ray.

Foxcatcher (2014)

The Less I Knew, the Better

[7/10 · 11 January 2015]

Now this movie is getting a lot of hype. Particularly because of Steve Carell's performance, and it is career defining. It's downright creepy. I mean it gives me chills just thinking about it. Most people are saying he will get likely nominated for an Oscar. He might and if he does it will probably be for lead actor (since that's what category he's been nominated for mostly in this role). However, Channing Tatum playing Mark Shcultz is technically the lead role. Tatum did a fantastic job, definitely my favorite performance from him since now we can see him doing comedy and serious dramas. It's the same for Carell's performance, but he getting more notice because he is a comedy actor doing a serious role so it is more understandable why Carell is getting more buzz. However, I do think Carell's performance was the best in the film. Mark Ruffalo also did a good job! He's definitely an actor I would like to see more of. I hope he eventually wins an Oscar because he is just so damn good at what he does. All of these actors deserve Oscar nominations for this movie, and the movie would be completely different if they weren't in this movie. Unfortunately, Tatum will most likely not get any nominations.

Now I did not know anything about what actually happened in real life with these people. I did not do any research on the people and the story because I just wanted this movie to be a surprise. I won't spoil what happens because you might be in my shoes where you didn't know anything about these events. The movie does try to explain what happened and according to many people, nobody really knows why this happened. It really tries to show emotion on why this happened, but it wasn't really explained. I mean after looking through the whole movie, I can sort of see why this happened (I'm not saying I know why, I'm just assuming), but the movie could have shown a better way a showing these emotions and character motivations, because we really don't know what happened, this movie just tried to give a good explanation of it.

I did like the direction of this film. Some people say it is awfully slow, but I disagree. This might only be because I didn't know anything about Foxcatcher, so I was just intrigued with what happens. I can see why people thought it was slow, and who knows, maybe it will be slower the next time I see it, but I was just fascinated with it. My complaint about this is that I wish there were maybe 10 more minutes. The ending was just abrupt. Also it is well shot and the music is very enjoyable. It had a creepy vibe but it was just well written and very calm/relaxing. I'm hoping this soundtrack will get released soon.

I've waited over a year for this movie and I'm glad I was not disappointed. Performances from all three actors are Oscar worthy. Carell's performance just gave me chills from beginning to end. It is a very well shot film with great music as well. I just wish there was a bit more after the climax, because I was so intrigued with the story. Also since we really don't know what happened, the movie has a struggle of expressing some character emotion and motivation. Despite that, Foxcatcher is well made dark/creepy film that gave me chills and kept me fascinated from start to finish.