Captain Fantastic (2016)

MIMDB score: 7.9
Current IMDB score: 8.1
Director: Matt Ross
Main Actors you care about: Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay

Why I liked it: Yet again another movie that made me feel good about life.  The Sweet Child of Mine scene had me in tear (not tears).  It made me feel sad and good at the same time.  If I ever have kids I feel like that's the way I would want to raise them.  I don't think I would go that far with the sex stuff though.  I feel like a little older is better to explain that stuff but everything I feel like kids can grasp if you take enough time to explain it to them.  I think it makes them smarter earlier in life which makes them smarter later in life.

Thing(s) I would change:  The scene where the oldest child Bo proposes doesn't make too much sense.  With how open Viggo is with his kids it's hard to believe he wouldn't have gone through marriage with him.  With the number of books they are mandated to read I'm surprised the book Pride and Prejudice wasn't one of the books.  That book would have made him easily see to not propose in two seconds and that waiting and thinking about it is generally better.  I feel like a better example could have been brought up of them not having real world experience/street smarts.

The digging up scene is cringe-worthy but perfectly fine for what they did with it after.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene:
Viggo: "And (How is the book?)"
Kielyr: "It's interesting."
The family: "It's interesting! Illegal word!  Dad she said interesting!"
Viggo: "Interesting is a non-word.  You know you are suppose to avoid it.  Be specific."
Kielyr: (Explains the plot)
Viggo:  "That's the plot, (Tell me how the book made you feel.)"

Son: "Why can't we celebrate a normal holiday like Christmas instead of Noam Chomsky Day?!"
Viggo: (thinks for a sec) "Alright if you can come up with some good reasons as to why we should celebrate a made up holiday that celebrates buying things instead of one of the greatest humanitarians that was a major reason we have a lot of the human rights we have now.  We'll debate and if your argument is valid enough as a group we will celebrate Christmas instead."
This is the type of thing parents should be doing instead of just saying: "No, because daddy/mommy said so."  I don't like treating kids over the age of like eight like kids.  They should be treated with the idea that they could have more valid thoughts than us.  Somewhere around eight I feel like most kids can be smarter than some adults and should be treated accordingly.

Nai: "Let's dig.  Otherwise she has to lie under that bullshit forever."

I love that they named the bus Steve for no particular reason.  I love that they give the kids names that are unique. I love everyone's wardrobe at the first funeral.

I love the 2nd funeral scene.  Beautiful rendition of Sweet Child of Mine.  It wrapped up the feeling of the movie in a glorious last song/scene.  It made me want to be there, to participate in there discussions, and to be singing or playing an instrument in there song of life.

"If you assume that there is no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, that there are opportunities to change things, then there is a possibility that you can contribute to making a better world."

Similar Movies/TV Shows: Little Miss Sunshine, Into the Wild, The Room?

"Side" note: Hopefully one day I'll have a house in the woods I built myself.

Charlie Vs. Willy (and the chocolate factory) (1971, 2005)

I'm going to compare the two versions as I found it interesting to do so.

MIMDB score: Charlie: 6, Willy: 8
Current IMDB score: Charlie: 6.7, Willy: 7.8
Director: Charlie: Tim Burton, Willy: Mel Stuart
Main Actors you care about: Charlie: That guy that's in every Tim Burton movie - Johnny D, Freddie Highmore, that girl that's in every Tim Burton movie - no name needed. Willy: Gene Wilder

Why I liked it:  Willy: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is good.  It has a feeling of happiness, mystery, and caring.  It has some thought provoking quotes.  It has some good lessons for children to learn while still being fun I feel like.
Charlie: The Charlie one is weird.  There are still a few good quotes but nothing compared to what thoughts could come out of the first one.

Thing(s) I would change: Willy: Willy Wonka is SLIGHTLY too mean.  He should be just a little bit nicer I think.  He needs to only be a little conniving and mean.  He does not need to make me feel like he wants to kids to die which only slightly occurred in the Willy Wonka version.  It needs that but more under the covers than the movie let on I think.
I forgot that it was mostly a musical.  I think I get why they did that but it could do without it I think.  The Umpa Lumpa songs I think would have been good enough.  I don't need the "I want it now" song for instance.  It is a kids movie and kids like songs which is why Disney movies are littered with musical aspects but it's not needed for this movie to do well.
Charlie: Hmm a lot.  The main character was better casted I think.  Johnny Depp could have done better for sure.  They compare it to the late Michael Jackson and his playground place.  Johnny was toooooo weird.  He went to far with a lot of things and his statements that were suppose to make him look weird made him look TOOOOOO weird.  They didn't make sense.  Willy Wonka should be weird but yet still make sense in like a smart eccentric person sort of way.
I don't need Willy Wonka's back story.  That was unnecessary for the essence of the story.  It should focus more on the wonder of the chocolate factory and life lessons about how to act.  I think that's what the main theme of the story.  It is not to highlight how Willy became Willy Wonka.  It felt like it was just fluff and a waste of time.
The Umpa Lumpa was and an older man.  I don't think that fits with what an Umpa Lumpa represents.  They should be more like minions and not like the seven old dwarves from Sleeping Beauty with no personality-face.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene:
Willy Lines/Scenes:
Willy Wonka: Try some more. The strawberries taste like strawberries, and the snozzberries taste like snozzberries.
Veruca Salt: Snozzberries? Who ever heard of a snozzberry?
Willy Wonka: [grabbing Veruca's mouth and pinching it a bit to hold it open] *We* are the music makers... and *we* are the dreamers of dreams.
Anything is possible.  Nothing is 100%ly true.  There are pluses and minuses to everything.

Willy Wonka: [singing] If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it. . . [singing] There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination. Living there, you'll be free if you truly wish to be."
This mindset it astonishing, an actual "game changer", and fantastic.  You need not be upset with your "position" in the world.  No matter how crappy your life is you are alive.  If you want to view better things then simply looking and view it.  It's just a mindset.  Even the worst of times has some good in it.  Even the best of times has some bad in it.  If you truly wish to be happy you will be.

FBI Agent: Mrs. Curtis, did you hear me? It's your husband's life, or your case of Wonka bars.
Mrs. Curtis: [after a brief pause] How long will they give me to think it over?
Most of these scenes are only slightly funny.  Just kind of makes your smirk.  That's exactly how this movie should make you feel.  Smirky.

Mike Teevee: Look at me, I'm gonna be be the first person in the world to be sent by television!
Mrs. Teevee: Mike, get away from that thing!
Willy Wonka: [unenthusiastically] Stop. Don't. Come back.
Perfect amount of sarcasm

Sam Beauregarde: Violet! You're turning violet, Violet!
Smirk

Willy Wonka: Oh, you should never, never doubt what nobody is sure about.
Example of an interesting thought.  I think he's just being silly here but also if you take out the off-double negative then it is how you should be thinking.  You should doubt what everybody is sure about.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Seven?  each kid could be a deadly sin persay with not all sins being represented but I think the connection could be made.

"Side" note: Willy Wonka was originally (and was played better by) Gene Wilder.  He's a good guy from what I could tell.  He really loved life and was a bit of an eccentric himself.  You should look into his life if you have the time.  His marriage to the wonderful and a bit eccentric Gilda Radner was quite wonderful I'm sure.  I hope he had a good life.  He died recently which inspired me to do this review.

When I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory I had a sister-in-law tell me it was closer to the book than the original Willy Wonka.  I disagreed at the time mostly because bias of not liking the newer Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  She said that the songs were closer to the original.  After looking it up the songs in the new movie are closer to the book but they are not what they are in the books.  They just borrow more from them.  After reading the Ronald Dahl book I think the essence and spirit of the book was more in Willy Wonka than in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Maybe that is why I disagreed.For instance Willy's back story was not in the book at all.  The Umpa Lumpa's back story was in the book.  It has a whole chapter but nothing about Willy's dad  not giving him chocolate.  The new one took liberties with the book as well.  Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in my opinion did it better.

When Harry Met Sally

MIMDB score: 7.6
Current IMDB score: 8.0
Director: Rob Reiner
Main Actors you care about: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher

Why I liked it: This movie consistently makes me question if girls and guys can be friends.  Not every day but probably every other day.  I feel like this movie questions relationships in a way most movies haven't.  It's still cliche in a few places but it's a really good romantic comedy as well as a psychology relationship journey.

I think it is possible for girls and guys to be friends.  It doesn't happen that many times in your life but you have to be attracted to someone's personality but not looks.  You can't be too attracted to the personality.  The other person has to feel the exact same way.  It's not common but it happens.  I have a few friends like that but not a lot by any means.

I also think it goes back to the Closer post about wolves and sheep.  Two wolves can't be friends with the other sex.  A sheep and a wolf probably can't.  Two sheep have the best possibility I would think.

Thing(s) I would change:  That wagon wheel table is not that bad.  I almost bought one of those after seeing the movie.  As long as there is glass over it I don't see the problem.

Maybe though the question of if a girl and guy can only be friends should not be asked.  That might lead to you question your girl/guy friendships when you shouldn't.  Time will probably make you question all your girl/guy relationships anyway.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene:
All the older couple interviews are awesome.  They make you smile in a good way.

"But I would be proud to partake in a piece of your pEEcan pie, PEECAN PIE!"

When he spit the grape on the window instead of out the window is so well done.  Great way to start that character.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: A Lot Like Love

"Side" note:  The Pecan Pie scene in the Met was improvised!  Meg Ryan didn't even think it was serious as she looks a the camera after one of the lines by Billy.  It makes that scene that much better.

50/50 (2011)

MIMDB score: 8.0
Current IMDB score: 7.7
Director: Jonathan Levine
Main Actors you care about: Joseph-Gordan Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard

Why I liked it: It's good in it's own right.  What spoke out to me was it was mom-son relationship.  I feel like it should of hit home for a lot of people and how they treat there parents.  Too many times in college I saw people ignore calls from there parents or dread a call from there mom specifically.  I wasn't 100% happy every time my mom called even because I knew it was going to be a long conversation about worries that aren't founded in reality.  This movie pointed out to me that I shouldn't be so down about it.

It was worse between my sister and mother.  I remember trying to get them to watch it together in hopes that they would be able to see the other's perspective to see that they both should think a little more before communicating.  I don't think it helped much.  I think that experience led me to a previous review idea about nobody thinks they are Malfoy in the movie.  Nobody really thinks they are doing much wrong generally.  If they did they would fix it.  It's hard to get people to see (without upsetting them) that they could have a better a life if they just saw this one thing in this one movie (or just in life).  That's one of the more beautiful things about movies.  It gives you a third person perspective on life in hopes that you improve your own life.  Good movies anyway.  You just have to have your eyes, ears, and mind open.

Thing(s) I would change:  Seth Rogen did fairly well as the funny friend.  His catching of Joseph-Gordan Levitt's girlfriend cheating is pretty freaking good.  I don't think he was the best person though for the role.  He was good but I think there was a better choice out there.  Jospeh-Gordan and Anna Kendrick for instance were great choices.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene: As stated previously the "I caught you" scene was really good.

The physical touching scenes between Joseph-Gordan and Anna Kendrick were awesome.  It's hard not to smile as that progresses.

The destroying of the painting scene was kind of awesome.  This is how things should happen when someone cheats on you.

A lot of the honest moments about death that Joseph-Gordan had like "everyone saying it's alright and it's not" are fairly powerful.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: 500 Days of Summer, The Fault in Our Stars

"Side" note: The movie is based on Seth Rogen's real life friend Will Reiser.  Will is actually the writer of the movie.  Will also makes a cameo during Adam's party. He is the guy that says "My Uncle had what you have."

Seven Pounds (2008)

MIMDB score: 7.1
Current IMDB score: 7.7
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Main Actors you care about: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson

Why I liked it: There is an African folklore that goes something like there was a lion and a man in the plains.  The man noticed the lion needed some food to keep his/her pack alive.  So the man knowing his life was not worth more than the lion pack let the lion and pack eat him so that the pack could survive. Sacrificing himself for lions.  In the case of this movie it's a form of that but more of an act of redemption.  It's a really interesting thought to go through about saving other lives in giving up your own.  What I've come to conclude is if you can live in the situation and then after that event save as many lives as you can it would be better.  So yea you'll save the lion pack or team but think about the amount of good you can do for the next twenty plus years of your life instead of being done then.  Think of the countless good acts you could do to save lives.  If you are going to save your own life you better make up for it and start saving others.  Even if you don't have a moment in your life where you can sacrifice your life for others you should be getting ahead in karma by doing your best to help others in case one day you do.  Maybe movies like these are just like Rorschach test to me but I see them as reason to be a better person.  I'm sure others could see this movie as a lame, over dramatic, boring movie though.

Thing(s) I would change: I don't like that in the beginning he says he is committing suicide.  I think that stops the movie from being amazing and adds to validity of it being boring.  It's suppose to be a big secret of what he's doing yet they give too much away in the beginning in my opinion.  I think it would have been a way bigger act had it not been given away in one of the first scenes.

"In seven days God created the world.  And in seven seconds, I shattered mine."  Terrible lines.  So cheesy.  Just really forcing the word SEVEN in the title, sins, etc.  Those type of connections aren't needed for me anyway.

He should have stayed alive when he met her.  As my "Why I liked it section" stated he could have had redemption in making her life really amazing along with six other people without having to kill himself.  Granted she might not have gotten a heart and died but making her last few months/years alive amazing is still something worth doing.  Just in real life you would just do whatever you could to help at least seven people if you did in fact ruin seven peoples' lives.  As said in my Short Term 12 post, suicide doesn't make sense; helping people does.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene: I do love the jelly fish scenes.  They bring a bit of beauty to an organism that I've never felt anything other than RUN AWAY about.

George Ristuccia: You know, Ben, I keep asking you this but why me?
Ben Thomas: Because you are a good man.
George Ristuccia: No, really.
Ben Thomas: Even when you don't know that people are watching you.
Live your life like everyone you've ever known is watching you.  That leads to less regrets in life.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: Pursuit of Happiness a bit, Patch Adams, Amelie, Pay it Forward

"Side" note:
The movie title is a reference to Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice play.  One of the characters in the play agrees to pay a moneylender a pound of his flesh if his debt is not paid in time.

The Intern (2015)

(Not to be confused with The Internship)

MIMDB score: 7.4
Current IMDB score: 7.2
Director: Nancy Meyers
Main Actors you care about: Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway

Why I liked it: Charming.  This movie is charming.  Mostly because of Robert De Niro.  It made me feel good to think that De Niro's character exists and sometimes you need that in life.  There's a lot of neglect that people allow themselves to act a certain way because hey, if there is no immediate problems coming out of the way I'm acting then why would I change it?  Just a bad thought in general.  Always be on the look out to find people to look at for what to change. You should be a combination of all the good parts of people you've spent time with that you thought was worth understanding.

Thing(s) I would change: A little cheesy at the end.  It's a little cheesy throughout but only if you are susceptible to not liking cheesy moments will it matter.  I kind of doubt she would just be ok with him cheating on her.  I don't get it.  Some people are in these relationships that want monogamy but it's ok if you can't be because it's SOOO hard to be monogamous . . . It's not hard to be monogamous.  It's hard to put up with people that aren't monogamous.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene: For some reason I really like the scene were Anne Hathaway shows up at the coffee shop where she just moved De Niro off working for her and apologizes.  I like that feeling that exists there.  The we are no longer boss/employee.  We are friends.  I like when I feel that feeling in real life for anything.  We are no longer X but now we are good friends and I won't be taking offense to small things anymore because I believe you to mean well.

"You're never wrong to do the right thing." I really like it but also hate it.  Yes you are never wrong to do the right thing.  The problem with that statement is what is right is different for a lot of people.  Mass killers think they are doing the right thing with killing people that they think do understand the world.  Again I still like the statement even though the statement is flawed.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: In Good Company, The Devil Wears Prada even though I don't recommend it,

"Side" note: Nothing worth mentioning.

The Beauty Inside (2015)

(It's an English subtitle movie, I apologize if you don't like those)

MIMDB score: 7.5
Current IMDB score: 7.2
Director: Does it matter?
Main Actors you care about: N/A

Why I liked it: Hmmmmm good.  It a soft movie with a beautiful message.  They mainly use classical music which is always good.  The music with lyrics is very soft and simple still.  Rom-com with some added thought.  The premise is the main (male) character's body changes every night, gender included.  It's sort of a play on Groundhog day or About Time which are always intriguing to me.

I love the idea of loving someone for what's inside and this movie kind of hits on that.  Granted they don't get too deep into why they really should love each other besides the love for antiques/furniture.  They still hit a home run for the idea of loving someone for more than there appearance.

It also brings up the idea of a person changing all the time and then finding the person they love and that helping them figure out who they want to be.  It like a puzzle they've been trying to solve and the person solves it for them and they don't change much anymore.  It's kind of awesome if that ever happens to you.  Kind of doubt that happens in real life and that be the "correct" way to living.  If someone changes for someone else it's hard to say that's good.  The "best" I would assume would be you are already some way and you find someone else that is a similar way.  But who knows if that is right.

What stands out:  The idea of the movie and the simplistic style.  ALL the actors that played the same character is very intriguing.  Interesting acting job.  There were 122 people in total that played the main actor.  Kind of crazy interesting.

Thing(s) I would change:  Not that I would change this necessarily but would have loved the movie to go in a different direction at the end.  I kind of wanted her to start changing everyday as well.  There could be a lot of endings and their ending is good enough and makes sense, moreso than most rom-coms.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene:  The scene where the friend asks to have sex with the main character.  Pretty funny.

The day where he's a little boy with her is pretty cute. :)

Friend when he meets her for the first time:  "Who the hell are you?  Everything she says you say it's fine too?"

I really like the the idea of making the wedding ring.  If I was to ever give a wedding ring I would defiantly look into this.  Tangent here, I've never understood the two rings for the woman and only one for the man.  Weddings (and love) are about equality (or it is in my best guess).  The symbol of love shouldn't be that women get twice what the man gets.  It should be equal.

The last scene with all the people that were him is a good touch.  I just like it.

Similar Movies/TV Shows:  About Time, Groundhog Day, Memento maybe? Being John Malkovich.

"Side" note: There's another version of this in English.  It's almost as good and is probably good enough to understand what's going on.  It's like a short web mini series that probably is thirty minutes total.  If you watch it and like it you could probably watch this Korean version which I think is a little bit better.