The Impossible

The Impossible

Jay's Rating: 4 out of 10

I thought this movie was ok, but just too much blood, gore, and pitiful screaming. Seeing it was just too much for me. This movie is about a family who survives a deadly tsunami, and are split up. The rest of the movie is basically them trying to find each other in all of the destruction. I thought the tsunami scene was very realistic, almost too realistic. I didn’t like this movie as much as other movies because of the amount of bloodiness. The one scene that made me want to just walk out of the theater was when a patient is shown puking up a mixture of seaweed and blood. I really thought the person was puking up their own guts. I don’t recommend this movie for anyone under 14, it’s just too intense. The story is amazing, but overall, I regret seeing it.

Mom’s Rating: 7

First off, I never should have taken my sons, including my blogging partner Jay, to this movie.  I apologize- major parenting fail! It was way, way too intense.  I was prepared for the tsunami sequence to be rough, but I thought after that it would be more in the triumph of the human spirit vein. I particularly wanted to see it with my sons since it is about a mother and son around their age struggling together for survival.  Well, even though you knew the whole family would survive and be reunited in the end, there were a lot of brutal, visceral challenges along the way- it was unremitting up until the very end.  This movie was intensely realistic and it affected me deeply, even (especially?) when it was hard to watch.  I was particularly moved by the performance of the oldest son- an early teen. He shows so much emotional range- from too cool to take off his headphones and hang out with his family to terrified little boy who is desperately afraid of losing his mother to suddenly having to be the man of the family and take on the physical and logistical challenges of keeping his mother alive. Often you see these different emptions flash across his face in seconds. Naomi Watts was also excellent in the gritty unglamorous role of the gravely injured mother.  I recommend The Impossible but not for kids under 15 or so and not if you fear the water or are planning any tropical vacations in the near future.

Lincoln

Lincoln

Mom’s Rating: 8

Just a note on my rating system: I’m saving a 10 for the next Lawrence of Arabia, so you probably won’t see too many of those from me.  It really tops out at 9 which is what I gave Argo.  Lincoln is every bit as high quality, but as impeccable as it was it didn’t surprise me in any way and I’m not sure how much I would want to watch it again.  So an 8, not a 9.  The best thing about Lincoln was- surprise!- the title performance by Daniel Day-Lewis.  They might as well have started engraving his name on the Oscar when he was cast. He made Lincoln so very human- kind of goofy with the tedious anecdotes, so loving with his young son, melancholy, steely when he needed to be.  And during the film I never every thought, “what an amazing performance.” He just WAS Lincoln.  One for the ages.  Sally Field was also better than she has been in a long time and brought some real pathos to a difficult woman.  I thought Tommy Lee Jones was a bit one note, but that may have been the way the part was written.  James Spader was a hoot (an hoot?) in the comic relief role of the corrupt lobbyist.  I thought the structure of the film was exceptional and elevated it over the average biopic- so smart to focus tightly on this one incident of getting the amendment passed rather than trying to show the whole sweep of his life or career. You learned the background you needed to know along the way and you saw his principles in action and in depth.   All of the political machinations saved him from being too saintly to be human.  This is a film that will last.

Jay's Rating: 9 out of 10

Best actor has Daniel Day Lewis written all over it! This movie is about President Lincoln trying to free the slaves and make peace with the Confederates, even though everyone says he can’t have both. Daniel Day Lewis was amazing. He was such a strong, inspiring character during the whole movie. he fought constantly for what was right through perseverance and determination. Tommy Lee Jones was also a great supporting actor. I loved the part when used all kinds of old fashioned insults to insult the Democrats in the movie. I think this movie is ok for kids 13 and up, due to some strong language. This is a must see!

 

Life of Pi

Life of Pi
Jay's Rating: 8 out of 10
Wow! I have never seen such amazing special effects that were so realistic. That’s the Life of Pi. Uses a great true story, and adds an amazing 3D experience to it. This movie is about a boy and his family, who own a zoo, traveling to Canada, but their ship sinks, and all the animals and Pi’s family go down with it. Pi is then stranding on a life raft with little supplies, and a bengal tiger who survived. The movie shows Pi surviving with the bengal tiger, who is sometimes trying to kill him, but ends up making friends with him. The special effects are amazing! They include lots of mystical lights, and strange creatures and plants. The movie is also sad, though, like when the ship sinks and all the animals drown, but the saddest part was when Pi and the tiger were in a storm, and Pi was screaming at the sky, thunder booming and lightning flashing, screaming to God, asking him whether it was his time or not. That part was a little confusing. I think this movie is ok for kids 8 and up. If you ever get a chance to see this movie in 3D, definitely do it; you won’t be disappointed!

Mom’s Rating: 6

This film was a visual and technical miracle and I am glad I saw it on the big screen, but I didn’t really feel it added up to much.  Actually I felt the same way about the book- beautifully written but a lot of vague, content-free spirituality. You have to give Ang Lee props- everyone thought it was an unfilmable book and he pulled it off- this is 100% a director’s movie and I wouldn’t complain if he won (although it really should have been Afleck). He took CGI and 3D and used them with real artistic purpose, in the service of the story.  People in charge of the new Star Wars movies- take note!  These are technical tools, not ends in themselves.  That said, I’m still didn’t feel this movie had much weight or meaning to it.