Short Takes: Safe Haven

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: B- Saved a C by a slight twist at the end I actually didn’t see coming. Otherwise, take Sparks’ same ole formula, insert new hot actors. There is obviously something appealing about this tired old formula, because they keep making ‘em and we keep seeing ‘em.

Acting: B+

Script: C Sparks is not much for an in-depth backstory and wants to get straight to the luv.

Cinematography: A I always want to live in these charming Southern towns.

Hotness of Cast: A++

Wardrobe: A Realistic, but makes me want a coastal vacation.

Location/Setting: A

Climax: B- Dramatic event without a lot of drama.

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 2010s 48,180 Comments

Short Takes: Silver Linings Playbook

Chick 2:

Overall Concept: A- Messy and compelling

Acting: A Bradley Cooper certainly equals Jennifer Lawrence’s award winning perfomance

Script: A-

Cinematography: A

Hotness of Cast: B

Wardrobe: A

Location/Setting: A

Climax: A A little bumpy like the rest of it, but happy.

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 2010s 132 Comments

Short Takes: Argo

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: A A story worth telling.

Acting: A+

Script: A+

Cinematography: A

Hotness of Cast: Hmmm, the 70’s ‘dos do nothing for them, but courage is hot.

Wardrobe: A Made me flashback to my childhood. (Production Design: A+)

Location/Setting: A

Climax: A Got fingerprints on my glasses from covering my face. (I should also add to this category – Opening: A Horrifying, and current.)

Special Effects: A-

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 2010s 82 Comments

Short Takes: Zero Dark Thirty

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: B Such a huge event had to be made into a movie.

Acting: A Officially award winning. Very compelling.

Script: A-

Cinematography: A

Hotness of Cast: B

Wardrobe: A Makes me want to buy aviators and camp shirts.

Location/Setting: A

Climax: B+ Very quiet, but maybe that’s appropriate.

Special Effects: A

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 2010s Leave a comment

Short Takes: Gangster Squad

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: D Nothing new here

Acting: C

Script: D Was there one?

Cinematography: C Was this first a made-for-TV movie? (Sorry, Dion Beebe)

Hotness of Cast: Okay, A Plenty to look at, including Crazy Stupid Reunited

Wardrobe: B

Location/Setting: B

Climax: C-

Special Effects: B

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 2010s 396 Comments

Short Takes: Les Miserables

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: A Obviously a beloved classic

Acting: A+ Brilliant performances by everyone

Script: A- It’s a musical that covers an entire epic novel. But the story is classic and moving.

Cinematography: A- Beautiful. Gorgeous. As well as the Art Direction. But the missed focus caused by the shallowest of Depth of Field drove me crazy!

Hotness of Cast: A This is a tough one because this movie takes some beautiful people and makes them look as bad as they can. But the beautiful singing voices coming from them remind you why they’re stars.

Wardrobe: A I’m ready to go buy some French military jackets and pin a Vive La France badge to it.

Location/Setting: A I loved the sets and the painterly look of the backdrops. These are the views we’ve seen of this historical time period and it felt like we were in a painting.

Climax: B There are several climaxes (epic novel) and each one is moving, but after you’ve cried through 5 or 6 of them you’re a little worn out. The end shot is beautiful however.

Special Effects: A

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 2010s 370 Comments

Short Takes: Skyfall

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: A The Bond series has been renewed ever since Daniel came along, but this is its freshest take yet. Combine Craig with Sam Mendes, Roger Deakins, and Thomas Newman, and that’s a formula for a great movie regardless of it’s past. Add in Ben Whishaw as the new Q, and this installment is off to a good start.*

Acting: B It’s a Bond movie – acting not required. But brilliant turn by Javier Bardem.

Script: B It’s a Bond movie – script not required.

Cinematography: A++ Roger Deakins – top notch, brilliant, one of my favs

Hotness of Cast: A+ It’s a Bond movie – hot actors required.

Wardrobe: A

Location/Setting: A Beautiful locations, also beautifully enhanced by great cinematography

Climax: B

Special Effects: A

*See Chick 1’s review to read more about the drawbacks of being still just another Bond movie. Spoiler warning.

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 2010s 143 Comments

Short Takes Revisits: LA Confidential

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: A

Acting: A+ Some of the best. When you began to realize just how good Russell Crowe would be.

Script: A+ It’s got it all and keeps you guessing.

Cinematography: A Oscar nominated.

Hotness of Cast: B Corruption is not that hot.

Wardrobe: A

Location/Setting: A

Climax: A

Still one of the best there is.

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 1990s 140 Comments

Short Takes: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: B Well played, but been done.

Acting: A These kids have it, all of them.

Script: A- (good adaptation from book to screen, with a few necessary and maybe not necessary changes)

Cinematography: B- Meh

Hotness of Cast: A All cuties

Wardrobe: B- Is it the 80’s, the 90’s or modern day? Maybe things looked different in Pittsburgh in ’91.

Location/Setting: B Good suburbia

Climax: B+ Maybe an A if you didn’t read the book, but if you’re gonna go there, go there. I’m pretty sure the kids could have handled it, as well as most of the audience.

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Chick 1 in Reviews, The 2010s Leave a comment

Short Takes: Looper

Chick 2 says:

Overall Concept: A+ Mind-bending time-travel concepts, original idea, great casting, disturbing yet probable enough to keep me thinking about it days later.

Acting: A

Script: A- Not quite but almost predictable. But not until it happened did I realize that’s what was going to happen. ;)

Cinematography: A

Hotness of Cast: A (would have been an A+ except Joseph Gordon-Levitt is actually hotter as himself than he is as Bruce Willis)

Wardrobe: A Modern, retro, current, futuristic. Believable.

Location/Setting: A Again, believable as the not too distant future.

Climax: hands-over-eyes A, but I did utter the phrase, I knew it.

Special Effects: A Good futuristic green screen and CGI effects, right down to the, extremely believable and ultra violent, numerous deaths.