The Great Gatsby by Baz Luhrmann | Movie Review

I finally watched the 2013 release of The Great Gatsby last night on my birthday. When I saw that the film was coming out a while back I picked up the book and gave it a second read. I remember thinking it was pretty good in high school, especially compared to the novels we were forced to read in those formative years. My second read showed me why it, along with another favorite novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is called the great American novel. I love the novel. It is amazing. It's prose is like a rich dessert that you want to come back to again later for its deeply subtle taste that’s so nuanced and delicate. You can read the review of the novel I wrote after reading it a second time through here. Now on to my review of the movie.

At first I did not like it at all. I was pretty disappointed. It was just a bit too flashy and theatrical. It seemed a bit over the top, Almost cheesy. That's kind of how most of Baz Luhrmann's film seem to me at first though, and then I fall in love with them. Romeo + Juliet had the same effect on me. It's just so different that it takes a while for you to "get it." Once I do his films have their own kind of brilliance that I love. The Moulin Rouge! was a fantastic film. I love the songs in that one. So by the end of the film I liked it. I remember the moment now when it changed for me. When Tom hits Myrtle it snaps into slow motion and you see Nick Carraway retreat on to the balcony in an attempt to get away from it all and the camera zooms out insanely fast onto the whole city and you finally feel like you're there with Nick and you get it and everything makes sense... at least that's how it was for me. You don't really see much of Gatsby, brilliantly played by Leonardo Dicaprio, until a while after that. I had a feeling that once Gatsby was on screen I would start to like the film. I was right. You don't see much of Gatsby in the beginning of the story in the novel either, so it was fitting but it seemed to take forever to finally get to met him in the movie.

Gatsby's Mansion

One thing this movie does well is capture the novel faithfully in it's own way. I don't recall any major plot points or events being changed. Other than some of the modern music Baz Luhrmann chose to use I finally felt like I was watching the book. The further into the movie I got the more I felt it did an amazing job at capturing many of the moments in the book. Seeing Gatsby reach out for the green light. Seeing Gatsby finally have tea with Daisy and then show her his mansion. From that point on I was in and I really enjoyed it. Much like the book the movie haunts you for a while after you watch it. They did a good job leaving you with the same feeling you get when finishing the book. I'm glad they put in that last line from the novel I found in a nice graphic image here. So good. All in all by the end of the film I really liked it and now I want to watch it again. Maybe I'll end up liking the first act or so this time around. As for the novel if you haven't read it you really should. It's an amazing novel, and quite short so it won't take you that long. If you need more convincing watch this awesome video where John Green describes everything he finds interesting about the novel.

Have you seen the film? What about others by Baz Luhrmann? Do you love them hate them? Not get them or think they define eras of time? Chime in with your own thoughts in the comments. I'd love to hear from you, and thanks for stopping by.

Frozen by Disney | Movie Review

My family and I went to see Disney's new animated film Frozen last night. It was really good! My 2, 3, and 5 year old liked it and sat still for most of the movie. My wife and I and my parents who were with us had a great time watching it too. My dad and I laughed at a lot of the same parts. There were a lot of hilarious moments in the movie.

I've always been a huge Pixar fan and it was easy to say they were producing the best 3D animated movies out there. Ever since I saw Disney's Tangled I can't say Pixar gets to stand alone on the top podium. As far as Disney films, I never saw Home on the Range (2004), I thought Chicken Little (2005) was a cute fun movie but it didn't blow me away like the Pixar films of the time say The Incredibles of 2004 and Finding Nemo the year before that. Next came Meet the Robinsons in 07' another film I never saw because the preview made it look kind of lame. Then came Bolt which I've heard good things about but have never seen. I made sure to see all the Pixar films.

Being a 3D animation major in college you would think I would have seen all the 3D films but most of these Disney flicks just didn't appeal to me. Next was The Princess and the Frog, but that was 2D and I didn't want to see a movie all about Voodoo magic no thank you. Then I saw the preview for Tangled. Right away I was extremely hopeful. I loved the preview. It made me want to drive to the theater then and there and pay to see the film. The sensibilities it conveys. The humor, the timing. I just hoped the movie would be as good as the preview, and it was. I loved Tangled. It made me stop and say, okay Disney is making amazing 3D films now. I guess I'll have to stop and pay attention the next time they put out another movie.

Frozen did not disappoint. It was visually stunning and had a great story that moved the whole time. My kids never became bored and neither did I. I was going to try really hard to break down the plot structure as I try to do whenever I watch something to learn from it, but I found myself to taken aback by the movie to do more than just sit back and enjoy it. I didn't spend the whole time in the theater telling my kids to be quiet or sit back down in their chairs either so it captured them as well.

As I said before it was hilarious. It was funny on many levels. In more subtle ways with well written dialog for the adults, and also in your face ways like with the little snowman Olaf for viewers of all ages. That little guy cracked my kids up. He was a great character. 

After reading some reviews it seems I may be alone in this but I still like Tangled more than this film. I think the main reason is that I like the characters of Tangled more. That said as you've read I really enjoyed Frozen and if you read the reviews everyone is saying it's possibly the best Disney film yet or as good as The Lion King.

It is worth going to see in the theaters. The visuals in this film were breathtaking. It was really funny, and it takes the characters to places that make you sit on the edge of your seat. A hearty recommendation from me.

Have you seen it yet? What did you think? Best Disney film yet? Just okay? Best film you've ever seen? Sound off in the comments and thanks for stopping by!