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Unicorn Store (2017)
Beautifully filmed, scrambled plot
To be honest, I was intrigued by the title. It looked like a feel-good movie where the protagonist gets knocked down, loses themselves, but eventually finds perspective. This is somewhat true, but the plot is a bit muddled.
We're supposed to follow a character named Kit (Brie Larson) who's sort of perpetually childlike. When her artwork is negatively critiqued, she joins the corporate world. This could potentially be a great idea, and an allegory for growing up. But the film never settles on a tone. Sometimes Kit appears social awkward, other times she's outgoing. Likewise, sometimes she appears childlike, other times she's pragmatic, etc. It's almost like they didn't know where to land in terms of arrested development versus quirky.
Swedish Dicks (2016)
So refreshing
Sometime I just need a show to clean the pallet of my day, if that makes sense. And this show does it for me. It's just a fun, quirky cop show. Keanu Reeves pops up randomly in sort of a parody of John Wick, or any tough guy role, etc. The characters are adorable weirdos and it's nice to watch after a long day. This is definitely a hidden gem. I hope they keep making more!
I Feel Pretty (2018)
Cute idea, but poorly done
I was soo excited to see this film. It looked really cute, and had a good concept. As a woman around Amy Schumer's age, I can definitely identify with the little insecurities this movie represents.
Here's the deal- Amy's character, Renee, is some kind of computer programmer working for a major makeup company. But they keep her in the basement, and she wants to work at headquarters. So she applies for the receptionist job. Despite taking a massive pay-cut, which they never talk about, Renee wants to feel noticed... This is where the movie feels cartoonish. I mean, Amy is nowhere near unattractive. In fact, in my opinion, she looked rather nice here. But random strangers kept commenting on her appearance to the point of absurdity. I hope nobody would do that in real life.
Another issue is how Renee acts. She's a tad narcissistic. Even pre-amnesia or whatever, she talks about her looks constantly. I understand the message of "be confident." But a majority of the movie is Renee talking about the perks of being beautiful, and worshipping her supermodel friends. It feels counterintuitive. Also, Michelle William's baby-voice becomes draining. She's a great actress, don't get me wrong, but she's basically impersonating Giselle from Enchanted.
The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
Beautiful visuals & CGI bring legend to life
I wasn't sure what to expect with Tarzan. I thought it might be cheesy or the special effects would look ridiculous, but surprisingly a majority of the time, it looked really good! Do you have to suspend disbelief sometimes? Absolutely. But it's a story about a man who controls jungle animals and swings from vines, so its going to look unbelievable at points. However, I found a good chunk (about 85% IMO) relied on realistic scenery, makeup and special effects. I mean... they're not going to use real gorillas or lions with the actors, but the CGI ones looked really good and will have you mesmerized by the detail. Personally found the movie very enjoyable, action packed and beautiful to watch. The director and actors did a phenomenal job. I found myself glued to the screen for a majority of the film.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Beautiful cinematography only adds to the adaptation
I know when the announcement came that they were making an English version, groans began over the disregard for the Swedish originals. I can't say I blame them, how many times have I liked a series only to hear that they're completely rebooting the films. The cycle seems never-ending and it only gets worse when you see the remakes and they're just not as good, plain and simple. Thankfully with this new version, it isn't the case.
I've been a fan of David Fincher's since Fight Club but more recently with The Social Network. He just has this way of capturing moments that not only look beautiful, they feel really raw and emotional. This film is the perfect example of that as it follows Lisbeth Salander through her investigation of a multi- decade mystery. Not only is the film perfectly cast, with relative newcomer Rooney Mara, it's a pretty faithful adaptation to the literary version as well, with only a few minor changes and one major alteration fans may not expect.
Mara knocks it out of the park for me in this one. I know praise is deserved for original Noomi Rapace but I can't help feeling Mara really embodied Salander. Someone who wasn't a goth but a lost soul who can't connect to others. Daniel Craig plays off this perfectly as the charismatic reporter leading the aforementioned investigation. Unlike the Swedish version which stared Michael Nyqvist, I could really see Craig as the ladies man he often portrays on screen, but it's a hard contest for anyone, so no disrespect toward Nyqvist fans.
In short, the movie from start to finish is the perfect combination of great directing, story telling and acting. Is it hard to watch at times? Yes, but Fincher wouldn't be doing the book justice if he didn't include the good, bad and at times, the very ugly that made up the series. The story after all is in some ways more about Lisbeth's journey then the mystery itself. The journey from the powerless to the unknowingly powerful. My advice for any viewer would be to give the movie a chance, even if you're a devoted fan of the originals.
This one might just surprise you.