Identity Thief (2013), Seth Gordon

Genre: Comedy, Crime
Overall Rating:

.5

(out of 5)

I absolutely adore Jason Bateman. I just think he is one of the most handsome men there is, and he's hilarious to boot. There has never been a movie with him that I have disliked. With that bias announced, I did enjoy this movie. I wouldn't say it was as funny as Horrible Bosses, but it was definitely an enjoyable movie none-the-less. I laughed pretty hard.

The Story:

(out of 5)

1 Point: Interesting

2 Points: Original

1 Point: Unpredictable

1 Point: OMGZ

A man named Sandy Patterson thinks life is looking up when he is offered a great job with significantly higher pay... until his credit card is declined and he's arrested for skipping out on court.  He comes to find out that a woman across the country in Florida has stolen his identity and has been charging extravagant purchases on his account, which threatens his family's well-being.  Police tell him there's really nothing they can do, so he sets out on a journey to find justice on his own. 

Characters:

(out of 5)

1 Point: Well-Played

1 Point: Original

1 Point: Relatable

1 Point: Emotional Attachment

1 Point: OMGZ

Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman): A lawyer who finally receives the opportunity for significantly higher pay, only to have his identity stolen by an overweight woman in Florida. 
Diana (Melissa McCarthy): A professional identity thief who takes advantage of Sandy's ambiguous name and seeks to gain approval and a makeshift 'family' in her life since she was abandoned at a young age. 

Believability:

(out of 5)

1 Point: No Disbelief

1 Point: Well-Explained

1 Point: Characters Fit Conceivably

1 Point: Not Foolishly Omniscient

1 Point: OMGZ

I wouldn't say this is the most believable or put-together story ever, but that's not the point.  It was really a movie based on cheap laughs, and Melissa McCarthy was hysterical as usual. 

Weight:

(out of 5)
1 Point: Relatable Lives
1 Point: Relatable Choices
1 Point: "Wow" Moments
1 Point: Lasting
1 Point: OMGZ

Again, this is a cheap comedy versus a life-changing film.

Visual:

(out of 5)
2 Points: Visual Quality
1 Point: Unique Visual Perspective
1 Point: Special Effects
1 Point: OMGZ

It was well-done, just nothing spectacular.

Life of Pi (2012), Ang Lee

Genre: Adventure, Drama
Overall Rating:

(out of 5)

I have wanted to see this movie for a very long time. What's funny is that all anyone knew about it was that it was about a kid on a boat with a tiger. Yet every single person I knew (and all of the people who came out from seeing it while I was working at the theater) absolutely raved about it. Finally, a good friend of mine saw it, and she reinforced this. I'm going to be honest... I was quite disappointed. Its been over a month now that I had wanted to see this movie, so I think I just built it up too much in my head. It was a good movie, and it had some great effects, but I quite honestly found myself bored through a lot of it.

The Story:

(out of 5)

1 Point: Interesting

2 Points: Original

1 Point: Unpredictable

1 Point: OMGZ

Pi and his family move away from India to try and make a life in Canada. They owned a zoo in India, and were trying to sell all the animals to make money.  They travel by boat (with their animals) when the ship they were travelling on sinks over the Mariana's Trench in a storm.  Only Pi and a few animals survive, and the story is his long journey on a small lifeboat, trying to survive with this wild animals. 

Characters:

(out of 5)

1 Point: Well-Played

1 Point: Original

1 Point: Relatable

1 Point: Emotional Attachment

1 Point: OMGZ

Pi (Suraj Sharma / Irrfan Khan): A young boy growing up with a fascination of different religions, yet a strict and scientific father.  His life and his journey after the shipwreck help shape his beliefs. 

Believability:

(out of 5)

1 Point: No Disbelief

1 Point: Well-Explained

1 Point: Characters Fit Conceivably

1 Point: Not Foolishly Omniscient

1 Point: OMGZ

As I mentioned before, I was a bit disappointed in this movie.  There's a lot of disbelief due to the major concept overall, but that's the point.  Its a very spiritual movie, and I feel as though the more spiritual of a person you are, the more this movie will have an effect on you.

Weight:

(out of 5)
1 Point: Relatable Lives
1 Point: Relatable Choices
1 Point: "Wow" Moments
1 Point: Lasting
1 Point: OMGZ

The more spiritual you are, the more weight this will carry for you.

Visual:

(out of 5)
2 Points: Visual Quality
1 Point: Unique Visual Perspective
1 Point: Special Effects
1 Point: OMGZ

Beautiful visuals. I saw this in 3D, but I think it would've been just as amazing in 2D.

Warm Bodies (2013), Jonathan Levine

Watch Trailer

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Romance
Overall Rating:

(out of 5)

I honestly wasn't all that interested in seeing this movie, it was my friend who convinced me. I hadn't really seen any previews, I just knew it was about zombies. I know that zombies seem to be a big thing nowadays, but I've never really hopped on the bandwagon. I work at a movie theater, though, so I got to see it free, so why not? I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. It was very unique and clever, and comical at parts. Overall, I'm glad that I went to go and see this.

The Story:

(out of 5)

1 Point: Interesting

2 Points: Original

1 Point: Unpredictable

1 Point: OMGZ

The zombie apocalypse has occurred, and those unaffected have formed a safe zone in the city.  They send out groups of people to find "the cure," but one of these missions is ambushed by a group of very hungry zombies.  However, one zombie decides to save Julie, and shows her that he isn't just a mindless zombie, and that he seems to understand language and have feelings.  He helps her find her way back to the safe zone, and they slowly form a relationship, convincing Julie that perhaps the zombies were somehow curing themselves. 

Characters:

(out of 5)

1 Point: Well-Played

1 Point: Original

1 Point: Relatable

1 Point: Emotional Attachment

1 Point: OMGZ

R (Nicholas Hoult): An unusual zombie who wishes to change from the typical zombie ways and falls in love with the uninfected Julie. Instead of eating her, he decides to save her life. 

Julie (Teresa Palmer) : Daughter of the man who set up the safe zone, Julie is a somewhat rebellious girl who pushes the boundaries and is finally convinced that the zombies didn't pose as much of a threat as they previously thought. 

Believability:

(out of 5)

1 Point: No Disbelief

1 Point: Well-Explained

1 Point: Characters Fit Conceivably

1 Point: Not Foolishly Omniscient

1 Point: OMGZ

Although zombies have become a popular topic lately, it obviously isn't 100% believable.  However, the directors do a good job of making the story work. 

Weight:

(out of 5)
1 Point: Relatable Lives
1 Point: Relatable Choices
1 Point: "Wow" Moments
1 Point: Lasting
1 Point: OMGZ

Although very humorous and clever, this isn't the type of movie that I'll really remember a year from now. It is worth seeing, however.

Visual:

(out of 5)
2 Points: Visual Quality
1 Point: Unique Visual Perspective
1 Point: Special Effects
1 Point: OMGZ

Although it wasn't amazing visuals, it was on par with most films, and I really enjoyed it.