3.) Snow White and the Huntsman
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron,Chris Hemsworth.
Summary: A new and darker take on the classic fairytale “Snow White”.
The opening scenes of “Snow White and the Huntsman” showed signs of promise. Sadly, it didn’t last long. In his first feature film, director Rupert Saunders did not impress; neither did his star-studded film. Underdeveloped characters and awkward acting make this film agonizing to sit through. Kristen Stewart is her predictable inexpressive self, making her performance as Snow White dull and forgettable. Surprisingly Stewart was not the worst actor on the screen, the evil queen/witch (Charlize Theron) lost control of her performance and performed something that is close to embarrassing. All in all, Snow White and the Huntsman lacked everything that makes a film remotely good, although what is commendable is the stunning cinematography. The film may not be that great but at least it’s appealing to the eyes.
Deserving of a (D+)
2.) The Amazing Spider-Man
Starring: Andrew Garfeild, Emma Stone
Summary: A more contemporary reboot of the previous Spider-Man series. Peter Parker deals with the mystery of his missing parents, high school, love and all while harboring a secret as an unlikely superhero.
This movie would be great if only we hadn’t seen it a few years ago with Tobey Maguire playing Peter Parker. Putting aside the taste of déjà vu, “The Amazing Spider-man” was not as bad as I expected it to be. It was actually okay. Emma Stone playing Gwen Stacy, Parker’s love interest puts up a good performance. Garfield plays Peter Parker with a hint of brilliance and brings a bit of originality to the already repetitive film. Andrew Garfield is fantastic actor and I will watch anything he stars in. A lot of things worked well in this film, except the chemistry between Stacy (Stone) and Parker (Garfield). Which is not entirely their fault, their romance did not have time to develop in the action packed film. With some new mixed into the old, The Amazing Spider-Man is not a complete waste of time. In fact, my expectations are now raised for the upcoming sequel, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”
Earns a (B-).
1.) Moonrise Kingdom
Starring: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray
Summary: Two kids fall in love, make a pact, and run away. The adults go looking for them.
Fiercely brilliant and warming to the heart. “Moonrise Kingdom” is well executed and a phenomenal film. Absolutely gorgeous! Unlike the previous films I wrote about in this article, “Moonrise Kingdom” leaves you with something glorious growing inside the heart. The director, Wes Anderson, sewed together a precious story and stitched it with the strings of innocence. “Moonrise Kingdom” has worked its way to my top five favorites films list. I don’t see this film being nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but you can definitely expect it to be nominated for a lot of other categories. Sam (Gilman) and Suzy (Hayward) are fresh faces who handle the maturity of their roles and portray their characters beautifully. This film is definitely worth a watch!
I give it an (A)