Paranorman
Plot: Norman is a horror-obsessed young man who actually has the ability to talk to dead people. He begins to receive terrible warnings on the anniversary of the town’s most famous witch execution about the end of the world. No one believes him until the dead rise and all hell breaks loose on the tiny town. Can Norman solve the centuries old curse in time?
Thoughts: Paranorman is a big miss for me. The stop-motion animation is really well done. The concept is strong. It just doesn’t come together. Horror and slapstick can work really well together, but here they are on two different tracks that rarely meet in a satisfying way. The characters are all very flat and the story doesn’t actually take an interesting turn until the final few minutes.
Rating: 5/10
Butter
Plot: For over a decade, Bob Pickler has been the champion butter sculptor at the Iowa State Fair. The Iowa State Fair asked Bob to step down to let someone else win, but his wife Laura is not willing to lose the title so easily. Things are only complicated further when Laura catches Bob cheating on her with local stripper Brooke. Meanwhile, a young foster child named Destiny discovers she has a talent for butter sculpture herself and wants to enter the Iowa State Fair competition. Who will be the new champion?
Thoughts: Butter is a very hit or miss comedy. Jason A. Micallef’s screenplay casts a wide net, like a Christopher Guest film without talking head interviews, that vaguely tells an ensemble story about the contest. The problem is that, no matter how hard Jennifer Garner tries, Laura is not a very compelling character. Neither is Destiny, but Yara Shahidi has a great presence that draws you in onscreen. The most interesting characters are Brooke (Olivia Wilde) and Laura’s eccentric acquaintance Carol Ann (Kristen Schaal), but neither are given enough screen time to carry the less interesting storylines.
Rating: 5/10
Hope Springs
Plot: Kay and Arnold have been married for 30 years. Kay believes that their marriage is falling apart and enrolls the couple in a week long therapy intensive. This puts the seemingly stable relationship in a very rocky place as Arnold feels betrayed by Kay’s actions.
Thoughts: Hope Springs is a very charming romantic comedy. The focus on an older couple rebuilding their relationship is enough novelty to keep even the most cliched elements from creaking onscreen. It doesn’t hurt to have Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones as the leads. The film is clever, cute, and funny. It’s a sweet little diversion that rings true.
Rating: 7/10
Page 1: Vile, Bachelorette, & Brave
Page 3: Compliance, Snow White & The Huntsman, & Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter