Testing

Testing out a new blogging app. Ignore this. 

-Adrianne

Hell or High Water

Plot-

Brothers Tanner (Ben Foster) and Toby (Chris Pine) resort to robbing banks in order to save their family's ranch in Texas. 

Pros:

•This movie had me sucked in right from the very beginning. So tense and emotional.  Wow!! Amazing story by Taylor Sheridan and directing by David Mackenzie. Everyone PLEASE go and see this while it's still in theaters. It deserves all the money it can get. 

•Chris Pine and Ben Foster give award worthy performances. They had great chemistry and you really bought them as brothers. 

•Jeff Bridges was really good too. I enjoyed his scenes just as much as Chris Pine and Ben Foster's. 

•Stunning cinematography. 

•Each scene was perfectly complemented by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' score. 

•The themes in this movie really hit home and are so relevant. 

Cons:

•None!!!! 

My Rating: 10/10

Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World

Plot-

A documentary from director Werner Herzog about the internet and its impact on the world. 

Pros:

•Some nice imagery. 

•Werner Herzog is pretty good at conducting interviews. 

•Isn't completely one sided the way most of these types of movies are. 

Cons:

•Occasionally dull. Found myself nodded off more than once. 

•What I thought would be a fairly simple documentary about the history of the internet ended up being having a lot of crazy theories and comparisons thrown in. I should've known better given the director. There's a moment in the movie where a woman Herzog is interviewing compares the internet to the antichrist (although she kind of had a good reason to). 

•Unless you're interested in this subject or a fan of the director, this is not a movie I can recommend seeing in theaters. It's more of a stay at home and watch it when it comes to Netflix type of movie. 

My Rating: 7/10

Indignation

Plot-

Set in 1951. A young Jewish college student named Marcus (Logan Lerman) deals with anti Semitism and sexual repression all while falling in love with a troubled girl. 

Pros:

•Strong directorial debut of James Schamus. 

•I had know idea Logan Lerman was such a good actor. I've heard good things about Perks of Being a Wallflower but I haven't seen it in its entirety and the only other movies I've seen him in is Percy Jackson. I really hope he does more serious roles like this. I especially enjoyed his scenes with Tracy Letts who plays Dean Caudwell. 

•Beautiful cinematography and costumes. 

Cons:

•There were times where the musical score was relied upon too heavily. It was needed. I was already emotionally invested. 

•The ending. I'm not saying it was bad or anything I just personally didn't care for it at all. It was kind of a letdown.

My Rating: 8/10

Don't Think Twice

Plot-

A member of a popular improv group in New York gets a big break while the rest struggle to realize that their own dreams may not come true. 

Pros:

•It's an interesting look inside the comedy world. Something that I didn't know too much about. 

•Even though Mike Birbiglia (who also stars in the movie and wrote the script) hasn't had much experience directing, I think he does a decent job. You can tell he's passionate about this and that he really tried.

Cons:

•For the first maybe hour or so I found myself not really caring about most of the characters. Luckily things got a little better in the last 30 minutes. 

•While the trailer makes it seem like a comedy, I didn't laugh that much while watching it. 

•Poor editing in spots. 

•Not the type of movie that I would recommend seeing in theaters. But if you're bored one day and find it on Netflix by all means check it out. 

My Rating: 6.5/10

Sully (IMAX)

Plot-

Based on the incredible true story of the Miracle on the Hudson. When his plane suffers duel engine loss, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) was able to glide it onto the Hudson River. Miraculously, all 155 people on board survived. 

Pros:

•Clint Eastwood's direction and his approach to this story. Like many people, I thought I knew everything about this. But I didn't realize there had been this whole investigation that tried to make it appear that Sully possibly did the wrong thing. After watching the movie, I can't imagine anyone but Clint Eastwood taking on this story. He really is one of the best directors out there. 

•Stays very true to the actual events from what I can recall (I can't believe it's been 7 years since this miracle happened). Clint Eastwood worked very closely with the real Sully and many of those involved. 

•Movie is short and to the point. I can't remember the last Eastwood movie that was under two hours. A lesser director might have tried to drag it out. 

•Tom Hanks powerful performance. Aaron Eckhart as well. I would love to see them do another movie together. 

•Doesn't rely heavily on the musical score. 

•Looks great in IMAX. 

Cons:

• I really can't think of any. This was one of the best movies I've seen this year. I got goosebumps and was on the edge of my seat. Very few movies can do that anymore. The only thing I'll say is some people may not care for the way they use dream sequences and flashbacks. I didn't have a problem with it and I completely understood why they took that approach. It in no way affects my rating. 

My Rating: 10/10

The Light Between Oceans

Plot:

Based on the novel by M.L. Stedman. A lighthouse keeper named Tom (Michael Fassbender) and his wife Isabel (Alicia Vikander) find a baby girl in a rowboat off the coast of Western Australia. Do they keep the child (after Isabel has already suffered several miscarriages) or report the incident to the authorizes? Their decision will have heartbreaking consequences. 

Pros:

•Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender. Wow! Such powerful performances. They had very believable chemistry here and I'm not surprised at all that they're a couple in real life. 

•When I first heard they were making this movie, I was surprised to find out that Derek Cianfrance would be directing given that the last movie I saw of his (The Place Beyond the Pines, which I highly recommend) was very different. But after seeing this, you can tell it was done by him by the camera work and color tones. Also, it's similar to The Place Beyond the Pines in the sense that they both deal with choices being made years ago coming back to haunt you. 

•This makes it two weeks in a row where I've heard another beautiful score by Alexandre Desplat. 

•Everyone is talking about Alicia Vikander and rightfully so. But I think Rachel Weiz gives just as good a performance. Wouldn't be surprised if they both were nominated come award season. 

Cons: 

•The first half was kind of a chore to get through. I don't mind slow movies at all but god damn. How many shots of a sunset/rise do you need??? Luckily the movie picks up a bit in the second half. 

•This movie could also be called "Michael Fassbender Stares Out at the Ocean for Nearly Two & a Half Hours". Fassbender is a gorgeous man and I love looking at him, but it got ridiculous after awhile. 

My Rating: 8.5/10