The Wolf of Wall Street

I mainly watched this movie because I wanted to see what all the “hype” was about.  Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort, a young stockbroker who gets caught up in the excesses of the new life he’s created for himself in New York City.  There’s a LOT of greed, corruption, sex, drugs, and money!  And too much is NEVER enough – of any of them!  His life just snowballs into a never-ending cycle of trying to get more of them all.  The movie definitely pushed the envelope on everything as far as all of the language and sex and nudity and drug use over and over, but I just felt like it was really wanting to drive home that lifestyle and how out of control it was getting for him.  It did seem a little long at almost 3 hours, and I’m not sure why it wasn’t NC-17, but I still felt like it was worth watching.  It was definitely a controversial film when it was released, and looking at mine and Christy’s posts, you can see why.

The Wolf of Wall Street


So, against my better judgment, I watched about an hour or so of this movie.  Now, I know what you’re thinking, “How can I possibly give a review about a movie that I didn’t watch all the way through?” Because I think within the first 5 minutes of the movie you’ve seen everything they are going to show you!  There was lots of Hollywood hype surrounding this movie! Without the hype – I wonder if it would’ve lasted at the theatres!  The movie is based on a true event – on a Long Island Penny stockbroker by the name of Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who made millions of dollars and defrauded his clients along the way.  During his ride to the top he was heavily involved in drinking, drugs, and sex.  It didn’t matter how much of anything he had – it wasn’t enough – and everything in his life was insanely over the top! What got me though about this movie, (besides the 506 usage of the “f” word and the almost NC17 rating it should’ve received because of all the nudity and soft porn acts) and being 3 hours in length – is why? Why 3 hours of full blown all out orgies and every usage of a slang word imaginable – for 3 hours?  I get it – this guy was rich and he wanted to show it in every twisted way he could – but as I was watching the movie they forgot to pull me in with the deeper story of how he defrauded so many people and was eventually jailed for 36 months. Admittedly, I’m not one to watch shows with this much language and nudity but I really do feel that I experienced the total "feel" of this movie.

The Hunger Games – Catching Fire



The biggest thing I have to say about the 2nd movie in The Hunger Games trilogy is that Jennifer Lawrence has become a big star since the first once came out in 2012.  It seemed odd to watch her in this type of film after she’s been in more critically acclaimed movies. But that aside – the movie was exactly what it should be –the next in the series   Katniss continues her struggle with the government as she and Peeta travel the districts as the reigning victors from the reaping games.  President Snow is enraged as to how the people have chosen to make her the symbol of rebellion and he wants her dead.  Another hunger game is forced upon the contestants that have won and once again – Peeta and Katniss find themselves fighting for their survival.  This time the survival is more than their lives – it’s about the lives of the very people who are counting on her to lead them to a rebellion.  This film sets up the final installment of the trilogy.  The story only gets darker from here as lives hang in the balance and not all will live. 

Springsteen & I

If you’re a Bruce Springsteen fan, this one is pretty cool.  The entire movie is made up of videos his fans have made to express what Bruce and his music means to them, what it has meant to their life, and continues to mean to all of them.  It’s filled with stories from concerts and moments they’ve had with “The Boss” along with actual video to back their stories!  There is also a lot of concert footage from recent times along with some rare footage from the early days mixed in, too.  These fans all feel an undeniable connection to Springsteen, whether it’s with his music or to him or anything else he’s associated with, so it was nice seeing the fan perspectives.  It was fun and emotional and just a very touching tribute to a legendary entertainer!

Thor: The Dark World


I didn’t like this movie as much as I did the first one.  Not to say I didn’t like this movie – because there were parts of it I really did like –then there were parts that were way too long.  The best part, for me, was the banter between Thor, (Chris Hemsworth) and his brother Loki, (played by Tom Hiddleston).  These two actors are really fun to watch, especially Loki’s character.  If you saw the first movie - you know the history of the brothers.  This film brings about the conclusion of that story line.  But on the flip side – knowing it’s a science fiction story line – it was a very science fiction story.  I didn’t care for that part.  The different worlds, the different wars, the different characters – even though I know that is what Thor is about.  I just thought it was over the top and some of the characters and lines just got lost in the telling of it.  I probably will watch Thor 3 – as it was left open (in this huge money making film) for another.  I just hope it isn’t as steeped in the science fiction world and they bring more earth to the noble hero.

Gravity

Sandra Bullock plays opposite George Clooney in this one.  She is Dr. Ryan Stone, who is on her first shuttle mission, and he is a veteran astronaut named Matt Kowalski, who is on his final mission.  It seems like people either love this movie or hate it!  I would have to say I’m in the “love it” category.  OK, so it wasn’t the most technically accurate space film or even that believable in a lot of areas, but I felt it was more about the characters and what they represented than trying to be the greatest space film of all time.  It was meant to make you think about life and what matters and overcoming adversity.  After a disaster strikes the shuttle, Stone basically finds herself in an almost unsurvivable situation and has to summon every ounce of will and courage she can to try to make it out.  There was a lot of hype when this movie was released, but it really does seem like one of those movies that can “affect” you if you let it.  I think this one is going stick with me for awhile - that's for sure.

Gravity


For me, this movie was just a movie.  I didn’t get any emotional feel from it or a sense of attachment to life and the whole meaning behind our existence.  At first, I didn’t think I was going to watch this film – I just didn’t buy into the characters of Sandra Bullock and George Clooney being astronauts.  They seem like the furthest actors I would’ve picked for these roles.  Then there was the whole gushing over the film as it was in the theaters and how amazing it was.  Can you say “over it”?  But, I did watch it – and it was so-so.  I’m sure if you saw in on the big screen and 3-D you might have found yourself attached to the story and might have “possibly” felt like you were one with space – but I just didn’t buy it.  I wasn’t impressed and I didn’t empathize with her character and the life and death situation she was facing. ( I also think George just showed up for a cameo – I guess to lend his name to the project).  Maybe I’m the only person on this planet that didn’t obsess over this movie – but I doubt it.