The House with a Clock In Its Walls
Directed By: Eli Roth
Grade: B+
I’m going to be completely honest here. I literally could have watched two hours of Jack Black and Cate Blanchett snarking at each other and I would have enjoyed it. The actual movie is about a young orphan Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) who goes to live with his Uncle in a wild house full of secrets. Blanchett plays Mrs. Zimmerman Uncle Jonathan’s friend and neighbor.
Cinderella Inside Out
Grade: B+ Grade: A
Except not really so random because they are both Disney and both movies I didn’t get around to seeing in theaters even though I wanted to. Finally caught up! Yeah!
Important question: Where these kids movies?
Inside Out was just as good as everyone said it was and just as good as I expected. Seriously, I can now listen to Amy Poehler (Joy) in anything. The story is about Riley and her emotions, mainly Joy and Sadness. While fighting over memories get tossed out of mission control (in Riley’s head) and this leaves her a spiraling emotional mess.
I enjoyed this movie. I liked Imagination Land, Abstract Thoughts and the Boyfriend Maker and just personally I really connected with Riley.
I liked that it said it’s okay to be sad sometimes and that sadness is an emotion that helps and heals. Yes, I cried with Bing Bong and all that stuff. It was a really great and very personal movie but I just don’t know that very young kids would enjoy it.
Cinderella meanwhile was a pleasant surprise. I liked it a lot better than I thought I would in large part because it made sense why Cinderella stayed in that position (at least to me). Now what didn’t surprise me was the boring bland romance. I guess Prince Charming doesn’t really matter and I know a lot of people will disagree with me but I just don’t get the Richard Madden thing. Nice eyes but fairly dull.
Cate Blanchett as the stepmother killed it and I don’t think Lily James gets enough credit for her performance. The abuse in this movie really affected me, perhaps more than any other telling of Cinderella, because those performances were so very good. I loved the way Blanchett’s face would change. Like her character was just generally bored and miserable but when she’d start in on Cinderella there’d be this spark in Blanchett’s eyes, this enjoyment for no other reason than to make someone’s life hell made her happy, that I found truly frightening. Lily James also did a wonderful job. I could see her character being worn down. I could see the strength sapping out of her in places.
It seems wrong to say it at this point but it was also a lovely movie.
The wedding dress…
Keep the Prince and just let me wear the dress for a couple of hours!
I also thought all the “outdoors” scenes were just lush and beautiful. I probably enjoyed them more than the ball. Everything just looked like a painting come to life.
Recommend: Yes. I really enjoyed them both.
