Jenn Reviews Things

Lisbeth Salander, the most complex female character in film in a very, very long time.   Mikael Blomkvist, an ambitious journalist for a monthly magazine called Millenium.   The Vanger family.    None of these people have much in common, but it all comes together brilliantly in the film.

Background of the movie.  Mikael Blomkvist had just been on trial for libel in the Wennerstrom Affair.    After he is sentenced to three months in jail, he resigns from Millenium.   During the time between his sentencing and serving his time, an eccentric old man, Mr. Vanger, hires Mikael to do some research on a long stale case, involving the disappearance of Mr. Vanger’s niece, Harriet.   It is believed that she is dead, and the murderer is never found.   Mikael’s job is to solve the murder.

Meanwhile, Lisbeth, is a 24 year old woman, who as a child underwent severe trauma and was deemed mentally unstable and hospitalized.   Lisbeth has trouble relating to and trusting people, and is considered an outcast of society.   While she has been released from the facility, she continues to be under guardianship.  Currently working freelance as a professional computer hacker, she lives independently, and has made a few friends.  Things change for Lisbeth when her guardian falls ill,  and is assigned a new guardian, who withholds her money and takes advantage of his position.

Lisbeth had formerly conducted some research on Mikael Blomkvist and continued to have an interest in the man.  She finds him out at the Vanger complex and helps him to solve (or not) the murder/disappearance of Harriet Vanger.
Of course, there are villians a plenty in the movie, and plenty of suspense.  The movie is over two hours long, but it just flies by keeping you in suspense.  You root for this unlikely pair of heroes.  Lisbeth is not a very likable person, but you like her and root for her none the less.

The movie is not upbeat or uplifting.  It doesn’t provide a message to society.  It’s dark.  It’s intense.  The time flies by however, as you are held riveted to the screen at every possible moment.

Currently, the movie is no longer playing in theaters, but is available to rent.   Renters have the choice of watching it subtitled or dubbed.  Your choice.  Doesn’t matter.  Just see it.

For those of you who have read the book but have not seen the movie, shame on you!  Seriously.  :)   The book does simplify the storyline, but it will not bother you.

For those of you who have NOT read the book, you will still enjoy this movie.  And if you are a reader, I recommend you read the book.  It will add so much to the movie.  Read it first or second, it doesn’t matter.

This is the RARE movie that adapts a book and keeps it just as good as the book is.

VERDICT:  See this movie NOW!

*I will not be reviewing the books that that this movie and the subsequent movies are based on, due to the time lapse since I have read the books and my beginning this blog.  I can only say … read them all!  And read them soon.  You will not be disappointed!

I do have to say that I didn’t expect this movie to be as good as Parts 1 & 2.  Part 3 always declines in quality, doesn’t it?  Well, Toy Story 3 broke that trend.

The premise is that Andy, the little boy in the previous films, is going to college.   He has to decide what he is taking with him, what to give away and what to put it in the attic for long term storage.  So he goes through his toy box and throws Woody in his college box and puts the rest in a trash bag.   A bit of confusion ensues and the toys end up in the trash for pick up and Woody, of course, has to rescue them.

They end up at Sunnyside Day Care Center and boy are they happy!  They will be played with every single day except weekends.  They think they will be happy at the daycare center.  Boy, do they turn out to be wrong!

We meet some new toy characters.  Barbie finally meets Ken.  Big Baby, Lotso,  Trixie and Mr. Pricklepants are also introduced.  We also meet a sweet little girl named Bonnie, the daughter of the daycare center.   Not all of the characters are what they seem though!

Sinister plans, adventure and love are the main plot points and the ending will have you in goosebumps, if not tears.

Do NOT miss this movie.   The 3D effects are awesome, but I don’t believe necessary to the movie.  I also predict a Toy Story 4: The Next Generation.

VERDICT:  Rush out and see it if you haven’t.  A fun time for the entire family!

I didn’t expect much from this movie, what with the horrible review from Entertainment Weekly and Rotten Tomatoes.com.

However, the movie exceeded my expectations and I really liked the movie.

Simple plot:  Post-apocalyptic America.  Denzel Washington is the lead as Eli.  Eli has a King James Bible in his possession that he reads every night on his way across the US to deliver it to the right person.  He doesn’t know who that person is, he is going on faith that he is heading the right way.  The Bible is supposed to help save the world, or something and there is another guy looking for it.  He runs a small town that, of course, Eli walks through.

The way the book is discovered by evil man is a whole different plotline, but eventually it is found out that Eli has this book and is planning to take it out West.  So the evil man gets his henchmen and they go out and follow Eli.

I won’t say more, as I fear that I will give away the entire storyline.  There is a nice little plot twist in the end.  The movie is a thriller, and thrill it does.  It is very well written and directed.  All the actors are fabulous.  Mila Kunis is great in this movie, deviating from the characters she usually plays.  You can read her face and know what the character she is portraying is thinking.  The cinematography (I believe its called) is great.   I imagine a world like this to look a lot like it does in the film.

Doesn’t matter if you are a person of faith or not, the movie does not offend, and don’t look for plot holes, just go with the story.   The only plot hole I can think of is that it took Eli 30 years to make his journey.  It does not take 30 years to walk across the US.  Maybe he was where he started from for many years before heading out, I don’t know.  But I let that go and just went with the story.

Verdict:  A-    See it sometime, DVD or Blu-Ray is fine