Cruella Review

Synopsis
Estella (Emma Stone) is an up-and-coming fashion designer. She gets her big break when The Baroness (Emma Thompson) recognizes her talent. However, to rise in the fashion world, Estella will have to go through The Baroness.

Review
I’ll be honest, when it was announced that Emma Stone was going to play Cruella de Vil, I couldn’t see her playing the young villainess. However, being the Emma Stone fan that I am, I was all in. I don’t know why I had any doubts because Stone was brilliant and well worth the price of admission alone.

While Cruella does follow in the footsteps of films like Maleficent and tell the origin of its villainess, it breaks away by not making her a sympathetic character like what happens to Maleficent in her film. Cruella is a villain through and through and this film doesn’t try to convince you otherwise. Cruella is all about Estalla embracing her madness and her transformation into the villain we see in 101 Dalmatians. I’m really glad Disney took this approach because someone who wants to skin puppies does not need to be sympathetic in any capacity. Sometimes a villain can be bad for bad’s sake. This movie adds layers to Cruella without taking away from her character in the other films.

As I said before, I am a big fan of Emma Stone and she absolutely slays in this film. Her turn into the villainous Cruella is one of her best transformations to date. I normally associate Stone with the more “good” characters but after this film, I can see her taking up more antagonistic roles in the future, and I’m all for it! Across from Stone was the other Emma of the movie, Emma Thompson, who might have just stolen the film from Stone (which is saying something given how fantastic Stone was). Being a bigger bad than Cruella de Vil is a tough task but Thompson tackles that task with ease. Thompson is another actress that I don’t usually associate with being an antagonist and that just goes to show her acting ability to pick up any type of role and make it absolutely brilliant.

Cruella clocks a run time of over two hours but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. It has a kinetic energy about it that keeps the film always moving and never really slowing down. Despite this, it never feels disjointed or jarring. Each scene flows into the next, carrying the energy from the scene before. The progression of of Estella’s decent to her Cruella persona feels smooth as the film progresses as well.

Now, for what may be my favorite part of the film: the costume design. Holy smokes is the costume design fantastic! I guess that should be no surprise given that Cruella is all about a fashion designer. So many of Cruella’s outfits are simply gorgeous and look amazing. Not to be outdone, The Baroness and Artie (John McCrea) have wonderful costumes as well. I don’t often comment on costume design so this movie definitely deserves recognition at the next Academy Awards.

I thought Cruella was GOOD 🙂 As far as the recent slate of Disney’s live-action films go, this is definitely up there as one of the better ones. Even though it is a prequel, it doesn’t force much into the story just to align the characters to where they need to be. Instead it tells its own story that still fits within the larger canon. Emma Stone and Emma Thompson carry the film with their amazing villainous turns. The supporting cast of Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, and John McCrea hold their own with the two leading ladies. Topped off with an engaging story, as well as dazzling and lavish costume design, Cruella delivers on creating a compelling story for one of Disney’s most vile villains.

Favorite Quote
Artie: I like to say that ‘normal’ is the cruelest insult of them all, and at least I never get that.

Trailer

Cast & Crew
Craig Gillespie – Director
Dana Fox – Screenplay
Tony McNamara – Screenplay
Aline Brosh McKenna – Story
Kelly Marcel – Story
Steve Zissis – Story
Nicholas Britell – Composer

Emma Stone – Estella / Cruella
Emma Thompson– The Baroness
Joel Fry – Jasper
Paul Walter Hauser – Horace
John McCrea – Artie
Mark Strong – The Valet
Kayvan Novak – Roger
Kirby Howell-Baptiste – Anita Darling
Emily Beecham – Catherine / Maid
Ed Birch – Baroness Head of Security

Crazy, Stupid, Love Review

Before I get to the review, I just want to remind you that there is still a little bit of time left in the submission period for the Ultimate 2010s Blogathon, which is open until February 9th, 2020. If you would like to participate in the blogathon, all the details can be found in this announcement post.

Also, Drew’s Movie Reviews is now on Letterboxd! Click here to visit my profile.

Okay, now on to the review!

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Synopsis
After Cal’s (Steve Carell) wife Emily (Julianne Moore) tells him she wants a divorce, he begins hanging out at bars, where he meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling). With Jacob’s help, Cal reinvents himself and learns Jacob’s tricks to picking up women.

Review
Many romantic comedies follow a similar and predicable story. Crazy, Stupid, Love, even with everything it does well, does not escape from this trapping. However, it is able brings a genuineness not often found in similar movies. The first reason for this is the star-studded cast, which consists of Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marissa Tomei, and Kevin Bacon. What makes this film work so well is the chemistry between all the cast members. With pairings like Carell and Gosling, Gosling and Stone, and Carell and Moore, and even Carell and Jonah Bobo, who plays Carell’s son, every scene is funny, sweet, and filled with so much heart that it’s not hard to enjoy it. Marisa Tomei is only in a handful of scenes but she steals every one. With a cast like this, there is no one stand-out performance; they are all wonderful.

With so many characters, there are several story lines happening at once. When they all come together about two-thirds through the movie, hilarity ensues, resulting in one of the best scenes of the film. The script, written by Dan Fogelman, is the second reason this movie shines. It manages to balance every character and memorable moment well. Even though the cast of characters is fairly large, especially for a movie like this, no one ever feels like they are overpowering the others. There is a clear focus on Cal, Jacob, and Emily, but the supporting cast get plenty of their own stand-out moments as well. Also, the script doesn’t sacrificing character development for one-liners. a pitfall common in comedies. Instead, the script accentuates the talents of the cast, letting comedic moments flow naturally, allowing character moments and humorous moments stand side-by-side without feeling jarring or unnatural.

I thought Crazy, Stupid, Love was GOOD 🙂 Like many romantic comedies, it is predicable. But what it lacks in individualism, it makes up for with heart, an enduring cast, and a well-balanced script that expertly manages the film’s many relatable characters and great moments. This film is an example of when all the right pieces come together just right and at the right time, creating something worthwhile in the process.

Favorite Quote
Jacob: Are you Steve Jobs?
Cal: What?
Jacob: Hold on a second. Are you the billionaire owner of Apple Computers?
Cal: No.
Jacob: Oh, okay. Well in that case you got no right to wear New Balance sneakers ever.

Trailer

Cast & Crew
Glen Ficarra – Director
John Requa – Director
Dan Fogelman – Writer
Christophe Beck – Composer
Nick Urata – Composer

Steve Carell – Cal
Ryan Gosling – Jacob
Julianne Moore – Emily
Emma Stone – Hannah
Analeigh Tipton – Jessica
Jonah Bobo – Robbie
Joey King – Molly
Marisa Tomei – Kate
John Carroll Lynch – Bernie
Beth Littleford – Claire
Kevin Bacon – David
Liza Lapira – Liz
Josh Groban – Richard

Movie Quote of the Week – 10/6/17

Answer to MWL 10/4/17: Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) – Easy A

Whatever happend to chivalry? Does it only exist in ’80s movies? I want John Cusack holding a boombox outside my window. I wanna ride off on a lawn mower with Patrick Dempsey. I want Jake from Sixteen Candles waiting outside the church for me. I want Judd Nelson thrusting his fist into the air because he knows he got me. Just once I want my life to be like an ’80s movie. Preferably one with a really awesome musical number for now apparent reason. But, no. No. John Hughes did not direct my life. So instead of all that, I get to save 15 cents on a bottle of Juniper Breeze Antibacterial Gel.- Olive Penderghast

Thanks for everyone’s submissions and one bottle of Juniper Breeze Antibacterial Gel to the following people for answering correctly:

Kim (Tranquil Dreams)
Tom (Plain, Simple Tom Reviews)

Five Flaming Hotties Tag

 

Hello, friends!

I feel like I’m back on the elementary school playground because I have been tagged! Catherine from Thoughts All Sorts tagged me for the Five Flamming Hotties tag that was created by her and Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews.  The rules are fairly straightforward:

1. You must add the name of the blog who tagged you AND those of the 2 Reel Quirky Cats, Thoughts All Sorts and Realweegiemidget Reviews with links to these sites as given here… and use the natty picture promoting this post (found to the right, click for full size).
   • 2 Reel Quirky Cats
   • Realweegiemidget Reviews
   • Thoughts All Sorts
2. List 5 of your all time greatest hotties from TV or Film. ie crushes / objects of your affection.
3. Say how you were introduced to them, and why you like them (keep it clean)
4. Link to 7 other bloggers.
5. Add lovely pictures of those you selected.
6. Post the rules.

Well, I’ve already taken care of the first requirement so let’s jump straight into my five favorite hotties from TV or film. Since I could have also included athletes, a close runner up was Alex Morgan.

Now, onto my list:

5) Salma Hayek

My best friend and I watched Wild Wild West all the time, and I would be lying if I said Salma Hayek wasn’t one of the reasons why.  When she is wearing not much more than a corset, it is enough to make a teenage boy weak in the knees.  Besides her looks, she can command the screen just as good as any male co-star she is working with.  I’ll admit that I haven’t seen many of her more recent films but she’ll always have a place in my heart as on of my first crushes.

4) Jaimie Alexander

I first saw Jaimie Alexander in Thor as the ass-kicking Sif then shortly thereafter in The Last Stand.  Not only was she drop-dead gorgeous, she could kick-ass, too! Strong and beautiful, what more could you want? When she transitioned to the small screen in the TV series Blindspot, I jumped on immediately and haven’t been disappointed in both her or the show.

3) Anna Kendrick

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World served as my introduction to Anna Kendrick.  I instantly fell in love with her quirky attitude, especially outside of films.  Watching her in interviews and looking through her twitter feed, she seems so chill and down-to-Earth.  Oh, did I mention she has a beautiful singing voice, too? So let’s get the run down: she’s adorable, she’s cute, she’s funny, and she’s a great singer. Basically, she’s the ultimate girl next door.

2) Emma Watson

Like many, I was introduced to Emma Watson as Hermione in the Harry Potter series. Since then, she has gone on to do many great things, especially outside of acting. She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature, she’s a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, she’s a leading advocate for gender equality and she’s done some modeling for good measure. She might just be the perfect combination of brains and beauty.

1) Emma Stone

My number one flaming hottie was a no brainer (or was it a half brainer with a double twist?). Ever since Emma Stone hit the scene in Superbad and Easy A, I have had a tremendous crush on her.  This girl can take any role and make it fun and memorable.  Last year, she finally got the recognition she deserves with her best actress Oscar.  Although I like her red hair better than her natural blonde, she’s beautiful regardless of hair color.

Now that I’ve shared my Five Flaming Hotties, I guess all that’s left is to tag a few others. I tag

• Allie (Often Off Topic)
• Curt (The Hypersonic55’s Realm of Reviews and Other Stuff)
• Glenn (Glenn’s Movie Mumblings)
• Jules (Jules Movie Reviews)
• Natasha (Life of this City Girl)
• Peggy (Peggy at the Movies)
• SG (Rhyme and Reason)

Thanks for the tag, Catherine! It was sure hard trying to narrow it down to only five.  I hope those of you who I tagged will participate.

Who are some of your flaming hotties?

Until next time, cheers!

Lightning Review: Easy A

This review was originally posted for MovieRob‘s High School/Teen Romance-themed Genre Grandeur.

Synopsis
Olive (Emma Stone) has been completely anonymous throughout high school. When her friend Brandon (Dan Byrd) asks her to pretend to have sex with him so he will stop getting bullied for being gay, she gets more attention than she bargained for.

Review
At its core, Easy A is very similar to most other teen movies. Olive is trying to discover who she is and in the process causes friction between her and her best friend and she feels more alone than ever. However, it ends up working on so many levels. A huge part of its success stems from Emma Stone. She nails Olive’s personality. She cute, smart, charming, and always ready with a quip. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine any other actress playing the part. Stone could easily carry the film by herself but she doesn’t have to. Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as Olive’s parents steal every scene they’re in. Not only are they the chill and understanding type of parents, but they are funny. It’s easy to see where the character of Olive gets her wits. Besides the great characters, Easy A commentates on how easily information can be passed along and skewed in today’s digital age. Not to mention teens are more than willing to gossip and pass along scandalous information about their peers. This subtext isn’t heavy handed or in your face but easily picked up (the way it should be presented). Easy A is what every teen movie should strive to be. It has well-written characters, a great cast, a relevant message, jokes that don’t fall flat, and a big heart.

Rating
4/5

Favorite Quote
Chip: I like your pants.
Olive: Thank you. They’re Cosco. You can have them when you get a little taller if you want.
Chip: I’m never going to go through puberty.
Rosemary: Of course you will, baby. We’re a family of late bloomers. I didn’t until I was 14 nor did Olive.
Chip: Why does that matter? I’m adopted.
Dill: What!? Oh my god! Who told you? Guys, we were going to do this at the right time.

Trailer

Cast & Crew
Will Gluck – Director
Bert B. Royal – Writer
Brad Segal – Composer

Emma Stone – Olive
Aly Michalka – Rhiannon
Penn Badgley – Woodchuck Todd
Dan Byrd – Brandon
Amanda Bynes – Marianne
Thomas Haden Church – Mr. Griffith
Lisa Kudrow – Mrs. Griffith
Patricia Clarkson – Rosemary
Stanley Tucci – Dill
Bryce Clyde Jenkins – Chip

My Fave Five Redheaded Actresses

All this talk with Justine and Cara about the joys of being a redhead (or artificial redhead in Justine’s case) got me thinking about my favorite actresses who share this wonderful hair color of mine.  Which then also got me thinking I haven’t done a Fave Five list in far too long, so here we are.  There have been many great redheads in cinema, so it’s time to celebrate a few of my favorites.  Each and every one of these actresses are both stunningly beautiful and extremely talented.  So without further ado, here are my Fave Five redhead actresses.

Honorable Redhead) Emma Stone

I put Emma Stone as an honorable mention redhead because sadly, she’s a natural blonde. However, some of my favorite roles of hers have been with red locks: Superbad, Zombieland, and Easy A, just to name a few.  So in that spirit, I’ve included her on this list.

5) Felicia Day

Felicia Day is probably the funniest actress I have ever seen outside of movies.  She has numerous web series on her channel as well as Geek and Sundry, including The Guild which she writes, and has appeared on various TV series.  She’s huge fan of everything nerdy and a pop culturist (is that a word? it is now). If there is an Aphrodite of Geekdom, it’s Felicia.

4) Alyson Hannigan

I’ve been slowly working my way through How I Met Your Mother, where Alyson Hannigan plays Lily Aldrin, one of the main characters.  She is easily one of my favorite characters in the series, and I fully believe it’s because of what Alyson brings to the character.  Then of course we can’t forget her role of Michelle in the American Pie series. This one time, at band camp…

3) Jane Levy

Jane Levy may not be in many movies, but she was in the fantastic Suburgatory on ABC, which unfortunately got cancelled after season two.  She brought a down-to-Earth element to a town filled with caked make-up and spray tans, really giving off that “girl next door” vibe.  I hope she stars in another sitcom soon, because that’s where she really shines.

2) Isla Fisher

As great as Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson were together in Wedding Crashers, Isla Fisher stole every scene she was in.  Her deliveries were perfect and I couldn’t stop laughing.  Every time I see her name on the cast list, I’m like, “I have to see that.”

1) Amy Adams

Amy Adams can act in just about every type of movie. She’s done drama (The Fighter and American Hustle), comedy (Talladega Nights), children’s (Enchanted), action (Man of Steel) and many, many more. Is there anything she can’t do!?

Who are some of your favorite redheaded actresses?