The Great Gatsby

Nick Carraway comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband. Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without of the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy.

Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 2hr 23min
*There is no stinger after the credits

Video Release: September 2013

  

RottenTomatoes: 50% My Rating: 2.75/5

A little honesty to start us off. I 'read' this book in my honors English class in high school. Meaning that I skimmed it, read the Cliff and Spark notes, and watched parts of the Robert Redford 1974 movie. I don't remember a thing about the story, but I do remember getting a great grade on the paper I had to write. Bullshit with confidence was our motto in that class. I tell you this to explain that I had no expectations for the movie--not for the characters or the story itself. I was excited that Baz Luhrmann wrote and directed the movie because Australia is one of my favorite movies. Thought I’d say Romeo + Juliet or Moulin Rouge? I really like Australia due to the fact that it is beautiful without being glitzy (like Moulin Rouge) and romantic without being mushy (like Romeo + Juliet). However, The Great Gatsby is definitely too far on the glitzy, mushy side for me. 

Doesn't he look like Jack? And it's not because it's Leo,
people. I never thought of Jack during The Departed,
Inception, or certainly Django Unchained.

I have mentioned my dislike for the overuse of computer graphics before, so I won't get on my soap box for this one--I will simply say that the first 15 minutes of the film had so much unnecessary  CGI that I found it distracting. I found myself thinking, "This is silly. They didn't have to do that." The rest of the movie is stunningly beautiful. The party scenes are so bright and lively and even the still shots of Carey and Leo are gorgeous. I also kept thinking when Gatsby wasn't wearing a suit jacket, he looked a little too much like Jack. I kept expecting him to drift off into the ocean. The overall plot is interesting, but I felt like there was something missing from Daisy's point of view. In this movie, I couldn't like her. Who does she love? Who will she choose? Why will she choose him? Regardless of how the story ends, these questions are still not answered. It makes it feel as if Gatsby is all alone throughout the story because you never get what’s going on in her mind, whatever that may be. 
I am on the fence of whether or not to recommend a theatrical viewing for this movie. I don't feel as though the story warrants a $9-$11 ticket, but the music and party scenes make a great case for it. I would say that if you enjoyed Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet, and you don’t have a big screen TV at home, you will probably really appreciate seeing this movie in the theater. However, if you do have a 42” HDTV at home, just wait to rent the Blu Ray.

Peer Panel

Chelsea: "It was good. I really loved the party scenes, and the music was great. It is so cool to watch a movie set in the 20s and then hear a Jay Z song. The second half of the movie was really long, though. Especially after the first half went so fast with all the parties."

Peer Panel Profiles

A new feature to Film Fever! The Peer Panel.

Included in the Peer Panel are several of my friends that want to share their thoughts on movies I review. When available, I will insert their thoughts at the end of my review to give you a more diverse array of opinions. Rest assured, my friends are very eclectic when it comes to movie tastes. So, without any further adieu, meet the Film Fever Peer Panel:

Chelsea: All about romcoms and dramas. Not too into violence and steers clear of horror and SciFi--not really her thing, but toss in a good chick flick or teary drama, and she's fixated.
Fave Film: Blue Crush

Kristen: Generally loves it all. Quality animated movies and goofy comedies have to be a favorite though.
Fave Film: Clueless

JR: Action, gore, etc. But he can be persuaded into going to a chick flick. And... he'll do anything to see a dance movie. No matter the film, he just has to finish it. Once a movie starts, there's no going back.
Fave Film: Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)

Amy: Bring on the Disney, musicals, and romcoms. Amy loves all the traditional girl-type movies. But, she prefers the theater--so beware of her harsh tongue when it comes to movie musicals!
Fave Film:

Diana: Has an appreciation for almost any genre. Always game for SciFi or fantasy flicks, comic book movies and anything with Riff Trax.
Fave Film:

Nina: Knows a bit about almost any genre, but horror flicks are her guilty pleasure. Blood, guts, and gore don't scare her away. But the movie better deliver, or you'll hear about it.
Fave Film:

Ryta: Usually up for for anything. Drama, romance, action, horror--bring it on! Unless there are subtitles. She's not going to waste her time 'reading' a movie.
Fave Film: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Mike: Loves anything thought-provoking, mind-bending, or guffaw-inducing. Science fiction or anything involving magical realism (e.g. Being John Malkovich) is his cup of tea. The quirkier the better.
Fave film: a tie between Star Wars and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Holly: Likes dark dramas, sci-fi/horror, foreign films, and is in to some cult classics. Want her opinion on the latest Hollywood glitz? Look elsewhere, unless she saw it for sociability's sake.
Fave Film: a tie between The Princess Bride and The Castle

Carrie: Romcom supersensual films are her taste. The more sex, the better. And it better have a satisfying ending, or she'll say the whole 2 hours were wasted.
Fave Film:

Adrienne: Horror! Haha. Jk. She hates horror. She watched Zombieland under duress between her fingers. Favors movies that lighten the mood--give her a comedy any day.
Fave Film: The Replacements

Admission

Straight-laced Princeton University admissions officer Portia Nathan is caught off-guard when she makes a recruiting visit to an alternative high school overseen by the free-wheeling John Pressman. Pressman has surmised that a gifted yet very unconventional student, might be the son that Portia secretly gave up for adoption many years ago. Soon, Portia finds herself bending the rules for Jeremiah, putting at risk the life she thought she always wanted--but in the process finding her way to a surprising and exhilarating life and romance she never dreamed of having.

Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1hr 47min
*There is no stinger after the credits

Estimated Video Release: July 2013

RottenTomatoes: 44% My Rating: 3/5

"Let someone in."

Admission is the kind of movie that you're not quite sure what to think about it when it's over. Was it a happy movie? Mostly. Was it sad? A bit. Was it over the top? Not really. I liken it to Dan in Real Life with Steve Carrell. It feels like real world comedy. The things in this movie could actually happen. Some comedy, some heartache, all truth. The hard part about that is... real life isn't always as fun or funny as we might like it to be. I think I would've chosen a different ending, but I don't think that would've made for a better movie. Admission is generally light-hearted and fun--a chick flick that you can drag your man to without hearing too much whining about it. It's a very solid film. I think most of the expectations of the movie have hindered it with critics and probably many audiences. This isn't Saturday Night Live. It's not Mean Girls. Or 30 Rock. Any preconceived notions you have about Tina Fey should be left at the theater door. Give it a chance and don't judge based on any 'Admission' essay you've read about this film--including this one. 

Now, time for the very first Peer Panel, featuring Chelsea & Adrienne!

Chelsea: "I liked it. I especially enjoyed the soundtrack. This is the first time I've seen Tina Fey in a semi serious role, and it suits her. I also appreciated the layers of genres this movie brings to the table."

Adrienne: "I also liked it. I laughed, I cried. Although I didn't relate to the characters as much as I would've liked, it is still fun. No Oscar winner, but still fun."

There you go! Happy watching, everyone! 

The Call

When veteran 911 operator, Jordan, takes a life-altering call from a teenage girl who has just been abducted, she realizes that she must confront a killer from her past in order to save the girl's life.

Rating: R Running Time: 1hr 35min
*There is no stinger after the credits

Estimated Video Release: July 2013

RottenTomatoes: 40% My Rating: 2/5

"There are 188 million 911 calls a year. This one made it personal."

The Call is a movie that begins very promising. A 911 dispatcher takes a call from a kidnapping victim who is trapped in the trunk of a car. From how the first 45min-1hr goes, they could have kept the girl in the trunk and maintained the suspense and believability.  I was totally drawn in. It feels claustrophobic and intense--remember Phonebooth (2003, RT 71%)? The Call had that kind of potential. Instead, the movie devolves into the stereotypical Hollywood climax reminiscent of the old slasher film stand by of the young pretty girl running up the stairs instead of out the front door--and the audience is left asking "Why the hell did she trap herself upstairs?" If they really felt it necessary to stop the 911 call and have our protagonist go off on a detective hunt, they could have constructed a more grounded happenstance by which our heroine(s) could have the chance to save the day, but noooo... they have to pander to what they think the audience wants to see. Very disappointing. But, its not a bad movie. Like I said, the movie begins very promising and it is suspenseful, scary, and also informative... if one ever gets trapped in a trunk.

Oz the Great and Powerful

When Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant land of Oz, he thinks he's hit the jackpot--fame and fortune are his for the taking--that is until he meets three witches, who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing Oz, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. 

Rating: PG Running Time: 2hr 7min
*There is no stinger after the credits

Estimated Video Release: August 2013

RottenTomatoes: 61% My Rating: 2.5/5

• The land you know. The story you don't. 
• Oz will amaze. 
• In Oz, nothing is what it seems.
• Find yourself in Oz.

Yep. This movie had 4 taglines. I suppose with all the buildup, they thought they really needed to deliver... and apparently you do that by thinking of 4 lame taglines. Not just lame, but boring, untrue, boring again and oddly sexual--the wizard's name is Oscar, Oz for short...Find yourself in Oz...maybe it's just my mind, but that's not really appropriate. I should let it go. Moving on. I will say that my review of this movie is a bit slanted. I went into it not expecting much. Being a fan of Wicked (the stage production and the novel) and Alice in Wonderland (2010), I didn't see much need for a film like this. I think it is inevitable to compare this film to Tim Burton's Wonderland, and maybe its been done to death... but doesn't that make it all the more obvious that the production design should have gone in a different direction? Oz is suppose to be a world in turmoil, people ripped from their homes and the land torn apart by the wicked witch. 

And yet, it's so pretty. Too pretty. It's bright and cheery. All the time. Even when they have the big battle at the end... it still so damned pretty. With Wonderland, the look of the movie tells you how razed their world has become. It's still pretty, but it's also broken. Of the two, Burton did it better. Sorry, Raimi. 


In bringing up Wicked, I only mean to use it as an example of a truly original origin story. Now, I am not familiar with the original canon of Oz as told by L. Frank Baum. How the Wicked Witch of the West comes to be could be exactly as it is told in this film. I just prefer Gregory Maguire's version of events. 

For the characters, the witches were wonderful. An origin story for each of them would be very interesting with these actors. James Franco as the wizard, however, leaves much to be desired. It's very hard to root for someone who is such a sleazeball--and doesn't have much of a character arc to boot. All in all, I would skip this one and read Wicked and watch Alice in Wonderland instead.