"Oz: The Great and Powerful" Film Review

This week is March Break so I took my niece to see Oz: The Great and Powerful, which she had been dying to go see.  We arrived 45 minutes before the film was supposed to start, and it was ALREADY sold out.  I couldn’t believe it!  I guess everyone had the same idea as I did.  So we waited an hour for the next show time, which was unfortunately in 3D.  I’m not a fan on 3D movies AT ALL.  First of all, it’s like 4 dollars more just to wear the stupid glasses to see it in a third dimension.  Secondly, I always end up leaving the theatre with a huge head afterwards.  But I’m glad we decided to see it anyways because it was a really mesmerizing film.

Oz: The Great and Powerful is a prequel to the ever so famous classic, The Wizard of Oz (1939).  This film has a stunning cast, which consists of James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz.  Oscar Diggs is a small-time circus magician with questioning ethics.  He is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, where he meets three witches, Theodora, Evanora and Glinda.  Oscar presents himself as “the great and powerful Oz”, but the witches are not entirely convinced that he more »is the great wizard everyone's been expecting.  The Wicked Witch has been wreaking terror onto the land, and Oscar reluctantly agrees to help the people of Oz defeat her.  He must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late by putting his magical arts to use through deception, ingenuity-and even a bit of wizardry. 

The film is a little over 2 hours long, and it is rated PG.  I don’t know who was responsible for this rating, but I really thought that this movie was still too scary for some kids, even with parental guidance.  I saw some kids in the theatre who had to of been around 3 years old!  I’m sorry, but I find that age to be too young.  The Washington Post even said that some of the scarier parts make the film a little much for children younger than 10- especially if it’s in 3D.

Overall, I have to say that my niece and I both enjoyed the film.  The graphics were magical, and Director Sam Raimi takes you on a magical journey through the Land of Oz that you didn’t get to see in the original Wizard of Oz.

Take a look at the trailer below, along with a behind the scenes featurette!

 

21 and Over

“21 years ago, Jeff Chang entered the world naked and screaming. Tonight, he will end up the same way."

Before last night, I couldn’t remember the last time I laughed so hard in a movie. I went to see “21 and Over”, starring Miles Teller (Footloose), Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect), and Justin Chon (Twilight Saga).  This film is from the writers of “The Hangover”, and was the directorial debut for Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. 

I’ve loved Skylar Astin ever since I saw “Pitch Perfect”.  I think he is completely charming in a hot, nerdy kind of way, and he has this sarcastic type of humor that I love.  I’m still a little new to Miles Teller but I think he is fantastic.  I’ve seen him play a total douche bag jock in “Project X”, and an adorable southern boy in “Footloose”.  Regardless of their previous roles— these guys made me laugh my pants off in this film.

Straight-A college student, Jeff Chang has always done everything his controlling father has told him to do.  It’s his 21^st birthday, but he is more focused on the important medical school interview his dad set up for the morning after.  His two oldest friends, Miller and Casey, surprise him on his milestone birthday and plan to take him out for “just one beer”.  But, similar to The Hangover, things get out of control and their night turns into a sequence of events engulfed by over indulgence, embarrassment, and absolute debauchery. 

Turning 21 in America is similar to turning 19 in Canada.  It’s a rite of passage.  Like Miller says in the movie, “This is the day that you get to tell every bouncer who’s ever carded you! You’re 21”!  A bunch of stuck up old geezers from Rotten Tomatoes called this film, “tasteless, and unfunny”.  I can only assume this means that they forgot what it was like to be young and 21- probably because it’s been decades since their youth.

Life moves so fast, and before you know it, we are going to be those boring old people with mortgages and kids to take care of.  So until then, I say we all party like it’s our 21 birthday.

Here’s the trailer and a short clip!  Tell me what you guys thought!

Identity Thief & Oscar Talk

Well first I would like to chime in on the Oscars that aired this past Sunday. Here were some of the winners:

 Anne Hathaway won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Les Misérables

Christoph Waltz won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Django Unchained

Best Director went to Ang Lee, for Life of Pi

The AMAZING Jennifer Lawrence one Best Actress in a Lead role for Silver Linings Playbook

Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor is a Lead Role for Lincoln

And Picture of the Year went to… ARGO OF COURSE!

I have to say that I agree with all the chosen winners.  They were all amazing films and well deserved.  I was most excited for Jennifer Lawrence, because if you haven’t noticed, I’m a HUGE fan.  She was simply adorable the way she fell on stage walking up to receive her Oscar.

But, onto todays review!

Last night I decided to see “Identity Thief”, which stars Melissa McCarthy, alongside Jason Bateman, John Favreau, and Amanda Peet.  Jason plays Sandy Bigelow Patterson, a modest account rep who lives in Denver, Colorado with his pregnant wife (Peet) and their two young daughters.  He works for a company where the top dogs get all the rewards, and the real workers get nothing.  He and a group of coworkers are tired of it and decide to take their clients and start their own branch together.  Sandy will be making triple the amount he is being paid now. 

All seems to be going perfectly until Sandy gets pulled into the police station because he is being accused for missing his court date for a truck load of charges.  Sandy insists that there must be a mistake and the police pull a mug shot of the person they are looking for.  This is when they discover that the “Sandy Bigelow Patterson” they are really looking for… is a woman.  It’s clear that this woman (McCarthy) has stolen the REAL Sandy’s identity, and has also been maxing out his credit cards.  They police also learn that because of this woman, Sandy’s name was used to buy drugs from a dangerous criminal.  Unfortunately the police can't do anything unless the identity thief was standing right there with them.  Sandy gets an idea. 

Earlier, Sandy had received a call from a women’s salon saying that he has an appointment on Friday in Florida.  He was confused at first, but after discovering that this identity thief was from Florida, he realizes that he can find her on his own.  Sandy decides that he will go down to Florida and bring her back to Denver where she can talk to his new boss, and clear his name— since he is at risk of being fired for all of these false charges. 

But Melissa McCarthy’s character is anything BUT cooperative.  This trip turns out to be more than Sandy bargained for as he tries everything to make sure that this woman returns back to Denver with him. 

In my books, the movie was okay.  I usually enjoy Jason Batemans sarcastic remarks, and Melissa McCarthy’s outrageous behaviour, but I really wasn’t overly impressed with this flick.  I found it to be a cheap attempt at being a comedic film.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the actors, but I wish it had been better.  Let’s just say, I wish I had saved my money and waited until it came out on DVD…

But regardless, here is a trailer for the film and a clip of charming Jennifer Lawrence talking about her Oscar experience.

Jennifer Lawrence and the Oscars
Identity Thief

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