Savages (3.5)

(Trailer) 

2012 action/crime/drama by Oliver Stone brings us the story of independent pot growers in California who turn down an offer from the Mexican cartel only to have their girlfriend kidnapped and are forced to take violent action to get her back.

This movie has a great cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass), Taylor Kitsch (John Carter), John Travolta (Hairspray), Salma Hayek (Puss in Boots), Benicio Del Toro (The Wolfman), Emile Hirsch (The Darkest Hour) and Blake Lively (The Green Lantern).

I liked the script and enjoyed the many layers and different characters. I generally liked everyone's performance. I still don't know if I liked the ending but I did like how it surprised me when they switched it up.

This movie is good by all standards but for some reason it didn't rock my socks. I watched the whole thing with interest but not with intensity or heightened excitement. While it was nice to see both Aaron and Taylor's well formed butts, I wasn't able to break through the proverbial fourth wall. By all means I should have, and this movie is right up my alley, but it didn't take me as far as I wanted it to.

Still a good watch and I liked it a lot. Just not enough to need to watch it again any time soon.

3.5/5 ADSENSE HERE

Pina (3)

(Trailer) 

2011 documentary by Wim Wenders about the late Pina Bausch with performances of her famous creations by her dancers.

If you are interested in dance, visual arts or enjoy theatre you will most likely enjoy this. If not, you may find it hard to grasp or that there isn't much to grasp on to.

My background in theatre made me appreciate this documentary. I thought the dances and dancers were powerful, beautiful, frightening and strange all at the same time. My favourite part of this whole movie, besides the individual dancers personal dances off stage, was the individual dancers explanation of Pina and what she meant to them.

Very inspirational. I did think that the start was a bit slow and I would love to see these dances in full, on stage and in person...but you can't have it all. Also, then the movie would have been 5 hours long (give or take).

Enjoyed it. Wouldn't say it's an easy watch for those not prepared or interested in modern dance, but I liked it.

3/5 ADSENSE HERE