The Choice is formulaic and lazy writing

Movie Title:       The Choice

Grade:   C-

Rating:   PG-13, 1 hour 49 minutes

In a Nutshell:    My husband says that the definition of a Chick Flick is when two good-looking guys fall all over themselves for one spoiled girl.  If that’s true, then this is definitely a Chick Flick, although not a very good one.

One of the obvious choices in this formulaic movie isn’t just which guy to choose, but there are several others.  

Uplifting theme: 

• “Life just keeps unfolding.  If you sit still, it’ll pass you by altogether.” – Gabby (Teresa Palmer)
• “Life is held together by choices – all sizes.” – Gabby
• “Opportunity is missed by most people, because it’s dressed up in overalls and looks a lot like work.” – Thomas Edison, as quoted by Shep (Tom Wilkinson)
• “Every path you take leads to another choice.” – Travis (Benjamin Walker)

Things I liked:

• Most of the movie takes place lakeside with beautiful views.
• Cute puppies!
• Teresa Palmer looks like the All-American girl next door.
• Nicholas Sparks tries to add depth to his romantic stories.  His most recent tale-turned-Chick-Flick was “The Longest Ride.”  You can see my movie review of that film here.  That film did it much better than this one.
• If you’re thinking about cheating on your boyfriend, you’ll see what a two-timer feels like.
• There’s a funny proposal scene.

Things I didn’t like:

• Everything about this movie is clichéd, even the clothing.  For example, he wears a tank top to show off his muscles and she wears a white t-shirt in the rain.
• A lot of movie critics are begging Nicholas Sparks to stop writing such cheesy love stories that then get turned into sappy movies.
• Benjamin Walker drinks bottles of beer in a weird way.  I know that seems nit-picky, but it bugged me.
• They try to have clever chit-chat, but it comes out forced and predictable.  The actors look like they’re acting.
• SPOILER ALERT:  A happy ending is an easy out.  The harder ending would have been to write something more interesting.
• Both Travis and Gabby are too cocky for my taste.  They fight and bicker from the very first moment they meet, which is a clichéd, although not appealing, form of flirtation.
• What kind of character does a girl have who jumps in bed with another guy when her boyfriend has only been gone a few days on a business trip?  Does true love excuse lack of integrity or morality? Um...nope.

Funny lines:

•  “What are you doing?” – Gabby

“Walking towards you real slow.” – Travis

“Why?” - Gabby

“Cause if I ran, I’d scare you.”  - Travis

• “Mama, he’s a walking cautionary tale.” - Gabby

Interesting lines:

• “Has anyone ever said no to you?” – Gabby

“No.” – Travis

“Then, I’m making history.” - Gabby

• “Your friends, family…that’s all you can count on in this world.  That’s what I believe.” – Travis
• “I kind of fell into the Bible.  He wanted to burn it.” – Shep
• “If you see a man sleeping on the cold floor, there’s sure to be a pretty woman nearby.” – Shep
• “There’s no shame in being a broken man.  I should know. You just pick up the pieces and start rebuilding.” – Shep
• “That’s all any woman wants…a man who’s going to fight.”   (for her)  - Monica (Alexandra Daddario)

Tips for parents:   

• Girls falling out of their bikini tops.
• One girl flips the bird.
• Some profanity.
• Two people jump in bed together on their very first date.
• Take the opportunity to talk to your family about “Do Not Resuscitate” orders.  

In the Heart of the Sea offers amazing cinematography and CGI

 Movie Title:    In the Heart of the Sea

Grade:  A-

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 1 minute

In a Nutshell:     1820. A giant, vengeful whale.  A ship.  A determined captain.  Man vs. beast.  Imagine Entertainment and Director Ron Howard create a visual masterpiece with unbelievable cinematography, sailing you to the “edge of insanity.”

This seafaring yarn graphically illustrates how Herman Melville’s famous novel Moby-Dick came to be.  While the screen definitely captures your attention, the storytelling has movie critics disappointed.  I was entertained and intrigued, as well as disgusted and exhausted. 

As always, the book is better than the movie, but these special effects are innovative and effective.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Can man bend nature to our will? – Captain Pollard  (Benjamin Walker)
• Persistence and tenacity will see you through.
• Integrity is worth more than reputation or money.

Things I liked:

·         THOR!  If you’re not in awe of the giant whale, then you have handsome and studly Chris Hemsworth to stare at.

·         Believe it or not, I actually like it when there are water spots on the camera lens.  That tells me there was real water in the scene and not just CGI.  Then again, some of the scenes made me wonder if the water spots were CGI!  If so, nice detail!  The water scenes are so well done that sometimes you even feel like you’re going to get splashed on.

·         The scene with the blood raining from above was disgusting and extremely powerful.

·         I liked learning more about Melville, the author of Moby-Dick, and played by Ben Whishaw.

·         How did they get some of those amazing scenes?  Drones? 

·         Interesting camera angles.  I also love how the camera goes under the water and back above the water seamlessly.  Great underwater scenes.  You might feel like holding your breath.

·         I thought the whale pins were cool.  In order to earn one, young Tom Nickerson (Tom Holland) is told that “you have to thrust a killing lance into one of the largest beasts to grace this earth.”

·         I love the mention of Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Tom Nickerson asks “Have you read Hawthorne, Mr. Melville?  There’s a writer, great writer.”  Apparently, Herman Melville was quite taken with Hawthorne and even dedicated Moby-Dick to Hawthorne whom he compared to Shakespeare and called a genius.

·         Great sound effects, although sometimes a bit too loud.

·         I’ve always liked Charlotte Riley and wonder why we don’t see her more often.  She was really great in Ridley Scott’s medieval drama “World Without End.”

·         I’m always impressed with characters who rise above their temptations, like Cillian Murphy’s character, Matthew Joy. His resolve to not drink alcohol, even when things got tough, was inspiring and not seen often enough in movies.

·         I love that they included a quick shot of the words “Call me Ishmael” on the screen, which is the first sentence in the book Moby-Dick.

Things I didn’t like:

·         See it in 3D if you can, unless you get motion sickness.  You might get sea sick watching some of the scenes.  Just close your eyes for a few seconds and you’ll be fine.

·         Some scenes have so many loud noises between people yelling and waves crashing and boats creaking that you can’t quite understand what anyone is saying.

·         Animal activists will find many of the scenes unnerving.

·         I’ve never understood how all those sails and ropes work, but it’s always fascinating to watch sailors work it.

·         The scene that shows the ocean view from Owen’s house looks terribly artificial, but all of the other CGI scenes were very believable.

Interesting lines:

·         “Sometimes, the fewer questions one asks, the better.”   - Matthew

·         “I’ll come back as quick as a summer’s eve.” – Owen

“Just come back.” – Peggy

·         “Without you, the world plunges into darkness.” – Pollard senior

·         “Monsters, are they real or do the stories exist to respect the sea’s dark secrets?  The question both vexes and excites me.” – Herman Melville

·         “The whale?  So, it’s true?” – Melville

“Yes.  Too much is true.” – Nickerson

·         “The devil loves unspoken secrets.” –  Melville

·         “No right-minded sailor discards what might save him.” – Owen Chase
*    "We will surely perish out there." - Captain Pollard
       "We might also survive."  - Mr. Chase

Tips for parents:   

• The sailors draw a picture of a topless woman.
• Some profanity.
• Several intense scenes with lots of blood and guts. 
• Skeletons of dead guys might frighten young children.
• Explain to your kids that a “greenhorn” is the old-fashioned way of saying “newbie”.

Sailing definitions:

Doldrums: an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with unpredictable and often no winds

Port side:  left-hand side of a ship

Squall:  a sudden violent storm

I always do all the “talking” in these reviews, but I want to hear what YOU liked and didn’t like!  Please comment below!