The Lobster - 6/10
It just felt like an indie movie trying too hard to be an indie movie. I'd rate the first 1/2, maybe 1/3, of it a solid 8+, but the rest of the movie falls flat. It still manages to have its moments, but the story seemed to be going nowhere after a certain point. The narration fell flat. I presume that the "say a thing is happening, then the thing happens" (or vice versa) style was meant to be funny, but it just fell flat and proved to be annoying. The narrator's voice was also not the most pleasant, but I think that was just the style of speaking all the characters used which was awkward, blunt, and unnatural. The humour is very dry. The open ending was also vastly unsatisfying, sure it makes you think, but not for very long. The interesting bits of this movie come from the world built around mandated relationships. Being single is a crime, and anyone who is single is sentenced to going to a "hotel" where they pair up with someone, or be turned into an animal of their choosing. People seen alone in the city have to present marriage papers when asked, or be arrested. There are also "loners" who are forced to live in the woods. Each piece of society has its own, intricate rules, and the parallels between the law in the hotel and that of the loners is intriguing. The movie excels when exploring these rule sets, but then falls flat once it has to wrap up the story. Overall, it gets quite of few laughs with its dry humor, but may be a little too artsy fartsy.
Alice: Through the Looking Glass - 6.5/10
It's easy to say "if you liked the first one, you'll like this", but it's probably true. The visuals are fantastic (in both senses of the word), and the acting is a little less flat this time. The star of the show is really Sasha Baron Cohen, who plays "Time". He really steals the show and is at his best when he chews up the scenery. There's also a fun scene when a few characters make several time puns in a row at his expense. If you allow yourself to just go with the premise, you'll have a good time. The parts outside of Wonderland weren't my favorite (successful woman meets sexist opposition from upper class and argues with her mother-cliches), but overall it's a good film if a bit heavy handed with the heavy handed parts. Also, the new P!nk music video plays before the film for some reason, so heads up.
Money Monster - 7.5
George Clooney hosts a parody of CNBC's Mad Money. You may remember former Daily Show host Jon Stewart handing Jim Cramer his ass on a platter a few years ago. Honestly, when I went into the movie, I thought that sounded like a show I'd totally watch. The movie's humor is a little dark sometimes. It starts with light boner jokes, but as the hostage situation builds, the situation that the characters are in isn't lost on the writing. The story tries to make a point somewhere, but "investment firms do fraud" isn't exactly groundbreaking. The thriller aspects of the film aren't as balanced as the comedy. Julia Roberts connects all the dots off screen, then puts it in Clooney's ear for him to say. That may be a metaphor for something, but idk.
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