Insurge-what?

Yes, I know you aren't supposed to compare the movies to the books they are "based on" (Use that term loosely, Hollywood). But sometimes, it just can't be helped.

As I'm sure you've figured out, I saw Insurgent tonight. I went in with an open mind, kind of, and was determined to enjoy it even though I knew it would be a bit different from the book, like the first of the series, Divergent was. Well, this wasn't different from the book so much as a different story altogether. Okay then, let's look at it as just a movie. Just a sequel to the first movie. Let's do that. 
FYI, I haven't read Allegiant but I'm already afraid for that book to movie disaster in the making.
(SPOILERS AHEAD!)

My first issue is the pacing. You're trying to shove a lot of stuff into one movie and it felt just way too rushed. Concepts are being thrown at the audience at such a speed that I feel like people are just left confused and trying to figure out what the hell it was even all about.
Honestly, I can't remember who that black guy, Tris's friend, was supposed to be. I think his name was mentioned once (Well, whispered maybe) and that's how many times we saw him in the movie. So how are they close friends who hang out on top of a building at night to chat when I don't recall seeing him before and never have to worry about seeing him again? That guy was in and out faster than a ninja. So then, what was the point of his role? 

My next problem was that there were no mysteries here. Everyone seemed to know everything that was going on as it happened. Secrets were revealed all too easily. There were no serious problems to work out because someone will just come along and tell you the answer pretty soon.
Also, how in the name of Tris's too-short hair did Four know about the box? I actually complained out loud about that scene as it played out. Tris never knew about a fricking box until it was shown to her. She never tells Four about it. So how does he magically know about it when she says she has to go get it? Are we to just assume that some guard was all like "Yeah, they're torturing your girlfriend to open a box."? We have to, right, since there's no other explanation?

As a movie by itself it was okay. I should have waited for DVD but oh well, that's money I can't get back. You're welcome, overpriced movie theater. It had action scenes and parts where yes, I actually had to hold back some tears, ("I can't forgive myself.") but as a whole, it could have been better. It could have been much better.

Now, compared to the book. A lot was changed. A few things were not. Some things that were changed were understandable to me. I got why it had to be done. Some things did not need to be changed and there was no reason to change them. Hollywood needs to stop assuming that the audience members are idiots who can't put two and two together. We can handle mysteries. We can handle complex concepts. Otherwise, why would we be going to see a YA dystopian, post apocalyptic, fantasy/sci-fi, however-you-want-to-categorize it movie? Did you ever think that dumbing down this stuff might actually be making our teens, I don't know, dumber?
We can also handle relationship problems between two young adults which take place during the entirety of the book but not at all in the movie. The lovey-dovey puppy dog crap on screen actually had me rolling my eyes in frustration.

To conclude, if you've read the books, don't see Insurgent in theaters. Wait and Redbox it for less than $2. If you haven't read the books, go see it if you like action; sappy, uncomplicated romance; plots that sometimes don't make sense; and everything laid out on the line for you.

The Gravity of Wall Street

I just watched a couple movies that I wasn't so sure about at first but ended up liking: GRAVITY and THE WOLF OF WALL STREET. Warning, there will be spoilers so if you haven't seen and plan to, leave now. Otherwise, carry on.

Now I love Sandra Bullock. Ever since SPEED, she's been my go-to girl for sweet drama and adorable laughs. But after hearing the premise for this movie, I was kinda like, eh, I don't know. But my husband brought it home from Redbox and we watched it together. Well, I watched it, he fell asleep halfway through. Not from boredom but that's just what happens when we watch movies together. 
I was pretty impressed with her performance, as usual. She's an astronaut named Ryan on her first trip into space. An accident happens and she and George Clooney's character, Matt, are stuck with little oxygen and a long way to go to get back to Earth. She's flipping out and soon reveals that she'd lost her four year old daughter. "Now, I just drive. I get in the car and drive."

Throughout the movie we watch as she struggles to survive, even as Matt is lost to her. As he drifts away from her with no way to get back, Matt says "You have to learn to let go." What? Are you kidding? I'd be freaking out too if I knew someone was going to die and could still hear their voice as they slowly become a dot in the black. And there's nothing anyone can do about it. Yes, this is the perfect time to freak out!
Eventually, you have this scene that takes place after she decides to just give up. 

Yep, it's time to go home, alright. Time to let go and move on. It took almost dying in space for Ryan to start living, really living, again. Best line of the movie: "No more just driving. Let's go home."




WOLF OF WALL STREET was a fun movie to watch. Long, really long but still entertaining as hell. The story follows the humble beginnings of stock broker Jordan Belfort as he lies and swindles his way up the Wall Street food chain to become a millionaire. Sex and drugs and money, money, money are all he needs. 
And then things start to go bad. The government starts to take notice and investigate. You can smooth talk thousands of dollars out of people's wallets and into your hand but you can't make the FBI turn a blind eye. And drugs are a serious problem with this guy. This scene had me laughing for five minutes straight.

As hilarious as this is, it's also messed up because he makes the stupidest decisions and later endangers the life of his kid while high. Not cool. 
Of course it all comes crashing down around him and he has to do some jail time but he did come to realize what his real strengths were and eventually used them to help people other than himself. Because you can't be a selfish prick forever, right? Right?