Movie Review: 21 and Over

I haven’t been out of college that long. Technically, I graduated in 2012, but my last experience living on campus was 2008. I went to a small school with a high concentration of Greek life on campus. I, personally, was not one of them, but I had a lot of Greek friends so I went to a few parties in my time, mostly my freshman and sophomore years. I realized quickly that the big party scene wasn’t for me, but I will say that it was extremely entertaining to watch on the big screen in 21 and Over.

My 21st birthday was comprised of a birthday party and Chili’s with an Indiana Jones theme followed by a trip to the bar where I was hit on by one of the creepiest men on the planet. My experience is probably not typical, you know, considering we had paper fedoras, but I did get to experience my 21st with some modicum of style. Things would probably have been more hopping if I’d turned 21 on the weekend, but my birthday fell on Memorial Day, just has my 21st birthday had when I turned 16. Do you know how much it sucks not to be able to get your Driver’s License changed?! Terrible.* We also elected not to bar hop, which is what the characters in the movie decide to do.

Much like The Hangover, 21 and Over is about friends who are celebrating a particular milestone. In the case of Jeff Chang, he’s doing it pretty much against his will and ends up getting way beyond trashed. The movie opens with the aftermath of the night’s events and we’re taken back in time roughly twelve hours to the beginning of the evening. In order to get Jeff Chang home and ready for his medical school interview, Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller) must go on a trek to find his address and make him look presentable for Tiger Dad, Dr. Chang (Francois Chau).

Hijinks ensue, 'natch. The guys find themselves in an area of town they are unfamiliar with, they make enemies with multiple ethnic groups, become friends with a dancing homeless man, and become the victims of some severe Greek revenge. There is a lot of gratuitous sexual language and some scenes are pretty uncomfortable to watch. Physical and "gross out" comedy is prevalent throughout the movie.

There’s also a nugget of a moral nestled within the movie as well. Miller, Casey, and Jeff Chang are best friends in high school, but they go to different colleges. Then, slowly, they drift apart, but all reunite for Jeff Chang’s big night. There’s some truth in the tale; high school friends don’t always stay close when they get to college. However, just because you’re not best friends and super close with someone anymore doesn’t make them less important and doesn’t mean that you care about them less. I went to school in the same town with several of my high school friends and we’ve drifted apart. They still matter to me a great deal; we’re just not as close as we used to be.

At its heart, this movie is about friendship and overcoming the rifts that are created between friends during college. It’s also about how going to college can change you for the better. No one that I know is really the same person now that they were in high school. That’s not a bad thing; you become your best self. This causes some tension between Miller and Casey. Miller thinks that everyone should pretty much stay the same, but Casey has used his experience in college to change and grow.

Speaking of Casey, let me throw up some mad love for Skylar Astin. After having seen him in Pitch Perfect last year, I was instantly amazed at his awesomeness. He did not disappoint in 21 and Over. He doesn’t sing in this, but by golly I would have paid extra if he would have.** I really see big things in his future.

*#firstworldproblems

**I received a free pass to this movie courtesy of Gofobo.com and Relativity Media. I was not give monetary compensation for this review other than the value of the pass.

Movie Review: Snitch

There didn’t seem to be much hype about Snitch, the newest movie from Dwayne Johnson (née The Rock) and this film appears to be a bit different than what we have seen of him thus far. In it, Johnson plays John Matthews, a middle-class businessman whose life is suddenly thrust into the seedy world of the drug culture in the United States. When his son his implicated for drug trafficking and arrested, Matthews goes undercover to infiltrate a drug cartel and bring down as many as he can to clear his son’s name.

According to the opening titles, the film is based on a true events. While no real person named John Matthews probably undercover to save his son, the film's concept was based on a Frontline documentary. Recent changes to Federal drug laws has made snitching on accomplices appealing, as it will reduce the sentencing for an incarcerated individual. No doubt, many people have taken advantage of this.

Movie Review: Warm Bodies

Before I begin my review, I want to give a shout out to Cincinnati Free Movies and Gofobo for allowing me the chance to see an advanced screening of  Warm Bodies this week at AMC 20 Newport on the Levee. It was a great experience and I look forward to many more advanced screenings. I, like the hundreds in attendance, was given a free pass through Gofobo's RSVP system which allows you to claim a ticket to an advanced screening. Check out Gofobo for screenings in your area!

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Warm Bodies isn't your typical zombie movie. Certainly, there is the tried and true tale of zombies versus humans, but this movie transcends that. In the end, it's about connection with family, lovers, friends, and even yourself. When we meet R, played by Nicholas Hoult, he is questioning his reason for being. His zombie hive has taken up residence in an airport, which positioned near the ruins of what was probably a huge city, puts it in the perfect spot for hunting. However, R has grown tired of this existence and he longs for something more fulfilling. He does have a best friend,  M, played by Rob Corddry, with whom he shares "almost conversations," but this just doesn't seem enough for him.

The film is narrated by R and it allows us to get inside of his zombified brain. This really gives a lot of depth to what would otherwise be a fairly shallow plot since there's not a lot dialogue coming out of most zombies. This all changes, though, when R comes into contact with Julie with his hunting party. Instead of eating her brain, which is the status quo for the corpse set, he saves her and takes her back to his hive. Is it possible for a zombie and a human to make a connection so deep that it could change the world? This is the plot of Warm Bodies and it's a fun ride from start to finish.

Movie Review: The Raven

The Raven puts me in a bit of a predicament. I want to be cynical and say that it was a terrible movie and not worth your ticket cost, but I will confess my ticket was free so I am not out any money. That being said, there are interesting things going on with The Raven; it is not a horrible movie nor by any means is it a terrific film. While not coming close to James McTeigue's V for Vendetta, the movie does present an interesting hypothetical situation regarding the last days of Edgar Allen Poe. Be prepared for somewhat of a dissection of this film.

Movie Review: The Hunger Games

After having read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins a few months ago, I began to eagerly await the movie along with everyone else. I was drawn to the narrative that Collins had created and the way readers are able to empathize with Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist, as she navigates her way through her life as a citizen of Panem: from District 12, to the Capitol, and finally into the Arena. Panem, the former North America, has fallen into a post-nuclear, dystopian society in which a totalitarian government has replaced the democracy that once existed. The Capitol is surrounded by twelve outlying districts, each of which provides material goods which are in turn used by the Capitol to maintain its standing as a marvel of technological and cultural wonder. In order to keep stability and prevent uprisings in the districts, 74 years before the action of the book/movie takes place, a treaty was signed which instituted a "pageant" that would ultimately prove that The Capitol is still superior to the districts in every way: each district would send two young people into an arena to fight to the death in The Hunger Games. A total of 24 teenagers enter the arena, but only one will emerge victorious.

Movie Review: The Muppets

I'm 24 years old and programming from The Jim Henson Company has been a part of my entire life. I remember when Henson died in 1990, ten days before my third birthday. I watched "Fraggle Rock" and "Muppet Babies" and had Muppet sheets, which I still sleep on, by the way. "Dinosaurs" was required weekly viewing. I watched "The Dark Crystal" in elementary school, though I've still not seen Labyrinth. The Muppets, and all that comes with them, are a part of my identity. So, when I heard that a new Muppet movie was in development, I was apprehensive. I was afraid that this "reboot" would sully the good name of Kermit and Gonzo. Granted, I know that things weren't quite as good after Jim Henson died, but I loved everything that his legacy produced. (Also, my mind was blown when I learned Frank Oz did the voice for both Miss Piggy AND Yoda.) More muppety goodness after the break!