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The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
2014 | Comedy, Drama
Highly Entertaining
The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the story of M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and his adventures during a battle for an enormous family fortune. I have been avoiding this movie like the plague because the trailers didn’t really grab me. As it turns out, not only is the movie phenomenal, but it quickly became one of my favorites.

Acting: 10
Ralph Fiennes really makes this movie pop as Gustave. His wit is a huge part of his charm and impacts the way he acts out each scene. Characters like his are refreshing and hook you into the movie. I enjoyed Tony Revolori’s role as well playing bellhop Zero Moustafa. The two work so well together and enhance the movie as a result.

Beginning: 10
The beginning isn’t perfect, but I gave it a perfect score because it’s extremely intriguing. By the closing of the first ten minutes, I had a strong feeling I was in for a treat the rest of the way through. I was right.

Characters: 10

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Director Wes Anderson is known for a specific style that’s so different from anything else out there and The Grand Budapest Hotel is no exception. Colors pop and images jump out at you in exactly the way he is trying to convey. His style, hard to explain at times, is hard not to appreciate and enjoy. When you watch a movie like this, you truly feel like you are getting a full-on cinematic experience.

Conflict: 10
There is a scene towards the back half of the movie that I call “The Escape”. It is action-packed yet has some subtle nuances at the same time. Definitely one of my favorite scenes in the movie, but not the only one hinging on conflict. Despite a comedic overtone, the film relies on a number of different points of tension to drive the plot.

Entertainment Value: 9

Memorability: 10
Gustave and Zero are easily one of my favorite duos since Jack and Rose in Titanic. They have a strange relationship, one that contributes to making the movie unforgettable. There are so many moments that stand out (the reading of the will comes to mind) making this a movie hard not to think about. It’s a movie you can watch a number of times and see something new each time.

Pace: 10

Plot: 10
Flawless storytelling. Magical and original. Enough said.

Resolution: 4

Overall: 93
2014 is one of my all-time favorite years for movies and it’s because of movies like The Grand Budapest Hotel. It takes storytelling to new heights with a crisp, original way of looking at filmmaking. This movie definitely made me a believer and a fan of Wes Anderson.
  
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    Great! Feng Shui HD

    Lifestyle and Education

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    Feng Shui is the study of  chi (or ki) energy; how it flows, how it interacts with other energies,...

Ferdinand (2017)
Ferdinand (2017)
2017 | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
The movie follows the main character Ferdinand on his journey to find a way to “just be himself”, even though what he “wants” to be (and how he feels) is not what he is “supposed” to be.

The voice cast includes John Cena (Ferdinand), Kate McKinnon (Lupe), Gina Rodriguez (Una), Anthony Anderson (Bones), Daveed Diggs (Dos), Gabriel Iglesias (Cuatro), Bobby Cannavale (Valiente), and Peyton Manning (Guapo).

The movie opens to Ferdinand already bucking the system, tending a flower sprouting in the calves play yard. Born on a ranch and destined for either the bull fighting ring or “the chop shop” if he can’t make the cut, while the others play fight and trash talk, Ferdinand is trying to secretly water and nurture the pretty red flower. The other calves bully and intimidate each other, while Ferdinand is “softer”. Shortly after the opening, Ferdinand asks his father why he can’t be “the Champion of not fighting”. Ferdinand’s father responds that he wishes the world could work that way.

 

When Ferdinand realizes that there is no “winning” when it comes to being chosen by the matador, and his father never comes back from his contest with the matador, Ferdinand realizes he must escape. He runs away and eventually finds himself taken in by a family that has a flower farm. Ferdinand grows up surrounded by the love of a little girl and her family.

 

As a bulky adult bull, Ferdinands adopted family tells him he must stay home from the marketplace because he is too big, but Ferdinand defies their instructions and follows them to the market, where he is stung by a bee, and goes on a pain induced flight through the town, scaring people and breaking carts. The townspeople call for him to be removed, and lo and behold he is caught and returned to his origins at the ranch.

 

His original pen-mates are all still there, and practicing for their bouts with the matador. Ferdinand tries to tell them that nothing ever good comes of the meeting with the matador, that there is no winning, and that once gone, there is no glory and they will never return. Eventually they believe him and they make their hilarious escape.

 

The movie moves along at a good pace, and has a good message. It is full of bright colors and the music works well within the movie. The final scenes are wonderful and (to me) shed light on the absolute absurdity of the “sport” of bull-fighting, while at the same time wrapping up the movie with a well-deserved “happy ending”.

 

My 9-year-old son liked the movie a lot, my husband and I laughed out loud at many parts, and the 15-month-old was kept entertained by the music and characters dancing.
  
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