Director: James Bobin
Writers: James Bobin, Nicholas Stoller
Stars: Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey

Synopsis: While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into an European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick.

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DIRECTION
James Bobin is back in the director’s chair once again for Muppets Most Wanted, his follow-up to The Muppets back in 2011. The first thing you’ll notice is that Bobin and his crew pick up right where they left off in 2011, where our beloved muppets are back together and trying to find their feet. Bobin once again reigns in nostalgia and brings us all the goofiness and silliness you’d expect from a Muppets movie. The musical numbers were riveting and well shot, which elevated many of the film’s bright spots. Bobin’s big win, however, had to have been the addition of Constantine, the world’s most dangerous frog and #1 criminal in the world. As a representation of the 80’s Russian bad-guy, Constantine was fun and used extremely well. If you peel back the layers, you’ll find references to Muppets Lore and the movie industry that creates more intrigue, but this is more of a film where you can shut off for a few hours and just have a little fun.

Grade: A-

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SCRIPT
The story picks up right after the events of The Muppets, when a camera is left behind after filming the last movie, thus revealing that there is a sequel to be made. It’s at this point, we hear our first song, We’re Doing A Sequel, which is quite possibly the most brilliant thing I’ve ever heard. The song itself is catchy, but the writing is beyond glorious taking jabs at the film industry and even Americans’ behavior to watching film. It’s not long before we’re introduced to Constantine, who escapes from The Gulag, one of Russia’s toughest prisons, finds Kermit and frame. The muppets then meet up with Dominic Badguy, posing as a tour manager but is really Constantine’s #2 and thus our plot is set in motion. As the muppets tour, Constantine and Dominic have their plans of stealing and finding a bigger treasure. In the middle of all that, Interpol and CIA agents, Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) and Sam Eagle (Eric Jacobson) have teamed up to investigate these acts of thievery, which include some of the most ridiculousness we’ve seen in a muppets movie. While many of the musical elements shine, the narrative is formulaic, predictable and dry at times. The elements surrounding Kermit in The Gulag are hit or miss, especially the character of Nadya, which is contrived at times. Despite some of these flaws, it’s still a very good time and the musical elements more than make up for any narrative issues.

Grade: B+

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RELATED: Divergent Review

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PERFORMANCES
Ricky Gervais shows stellar comedic timing and helps create an enthralling dynamic with Constantine, voiced by the great Matt Vogel, who was marvelous. Vogel not only voiced Constantine, but several other characters, as did Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta and David Rudman, whom all did a fantastic job with our fun muppet characters. While Tina Fey’s character could of been written better, she delivers a fun performance, Russian accent and all. As with all Muppets films, there are many cameos or small roles, which include Sean Combs, Lady Gaga, Zach Galifianakis, Salma Hayek, Josh Groban, Tom Hiddleston, Frank Langella, James McAvoy, Ray Liotta, Chloe Grace Moretz, Usher, Danny Trejo, Celine Dion, Christoph Waltz, Stanley Tucci and the list goes on.

Grade: A

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SCORE
While the musical numbers will overshadow the score in a big way here, Christophe Beck’s score isn’t terrible by any means, although it’s nothing special at the same time. In this case, not recognizing the score isn’t a terrible thing, given the nature of what this film is and the kind elements it has. Beck’s score is more than serviceable but will ultimately won’t be the main attraction.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Muppets Most Wanted is a strong piece of work in many ways, especially the musical pieces and the nostolgia it dives into, but suffers from a formulaic plot and gags that are either hit or miss. Kids will most likely have a ball with this film and if you’re a parent, that’s really all you can ask for. Some of the writing is magnificent, especially towards the beginning, but it fizzles in the 2nd half and doesn’t quite live up to Bobin’s first take at these beloved muppet characters. Still worth a watch though.

Overall Grade: B+

Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Stefan Zweig (inspired by the works of), Wes Anderson
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law

Synopsis: The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

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INTRO
You had me at Wes Anderson.

DIRECTION
Wes Anderson is at it again in The Grand Budapest Hotel with his unique, goofy visual style that may be his most intricate yet. As you can imagine, it will either draw you in or push you away very quickly. His aesthetic, while cartoony, is beautiful and seems to have an extra flair in Grand Budapest, which serves what he’s trying to do well. Anderson uses several different aspect ratios for the different time periods we are thrown into, which was an interesting touch and served the nostalgic feeling Anderson was going for. His camerawork, along with his crazy backdrops, was creative and very much what I would call “Wes Anderson”, meaning it’s a punchline in some cases. In some sequences, Anderson even goes from live-action to stop-motion and the way Anderson blends that is beyond brilliant. On top of that, the fun, energetic score Anderson curates from Desplat makes those scenes feel like some sort of high. I wouldn’t say this is Anderson’s best film, but The Grand Budapest Hotel is a magic blend that is visually enhanced and will surly be more than satisfying for those that like Anderson’s style.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
The script for Grand Budapest isn’t all zany and goofy as the trailer made it out to be, as there are darker layers and themes explored here. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s still very cartoony in all the best Anderson-glorified ways as possible. The story is framed as a story being told within a story. We start in modern day as a girl starts to read a book entitled, The Grand Budapest Hotel and then we flashback to 1985 where the author (Jude Law) of that book re-tells the story of how he came to write it. We then flashback again to 1968, where the author is much younger and is staying at a run-down Grand Budapest Hotel. He meets an older Mr. Moustafa, who sits down with the author to tell him how he came into possession of the hotel, which flashback’s us once again to 1932, where most of the story takes place. It’s there we meet Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), the manager of this prestigious hotel, and his new lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori). Gustave is a magnetic character who is just as self-serving as he his guest-serving, taking advantage of all the rich, old woman that stay at his hotel. When one of them is mysteriously murdered, he’s blamed for it and thus the explosion that moves our story forward. While this script mostly works as a crime-dramedy, it’s also part heist film and character piece. Both those elements are prominent and at times are the driving force. However, most of the narrative surrounds Gustave having to prove his innocence with the help of Zero and how those two form an unlikely bond that is compelling and even genuine. The story deals with death, the tragedy of nostalgia and the effects that can have on people as well, all while mixed in with this stimulating comedic work. It may not be all happy-go-lucky, but there’s depth on several layers that is elegant in all the ways Anderson can bring.

Grade: A-

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RELATED: Divergent Review

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PERFORMANCES
Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori are brilliant. Their chemistry was quintessential and made for perfect comedic timing. From their goofy actions to their potent dialogue, these guys were definitely on their A-game is just about every faction. F. Murray Abraham and Jude Law had small roles but were great when they needed to be. Adrien Brody and Willem Dafoe were polarizing in their roles, especially Dafoe. His chase of Jeff Goldblum was Hitchcock-esque and the mountain ski chase was a ton of fun, making for a perfect moment when that scene crystallized. Anderson threw in a bunch of small cameos, which was just about everyone he’s ever worked with before and they were all great. Simply, it was a ton of fun.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
What can you say about Alexandre Desplat? The man is a genius, especially when working with Wes Anderson. His score here almost works as another character and is a crucial piece to Anderson’s extravagant style. The music is fun and has a lot of energy, even in the smaller parts of the film. The score is always moving, creating the sense of urgency this narrative has. It was absolutely gorgeous in every way and is a fun listen to outside of the film. Definitely one of Desplat’s best.

Grade: A+

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FINAL THOUGHTS
The Grand Budapest Hotel is hilarious on all accounts and filled with incredible performances that is sure to please all the Anderson fans out there. Some elements of the story didn’t blend perfectly, especially when the tone suddenly changed halfway through, but it’s also never distracting. As with all Anderson films, you either love his crazy style or not. For those that do, you’ll enjoy what this film has to offer.

Overall Grade: A

Director: Neil Burger
Writers: Evan Daugherty (screenplay), Vanessa Taylor (screenplay)
Stars: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet

Synopsis: In a world divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she’s Divergent and won’t fit in. When she discovers a plot to destroy Divergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it’s too late.

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INTRO
Aeriel shots of a futuristic yet decaying Chicago. Music playing in the background. Residents are divided into different factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. Beatrice goes in for her Aptitude test to determine the fact she best fits in. Her results are inconclusive and she is told she is suited for more than one faction. Beatriz is told she is “Divergent”.

DIRECTION
Reviewing these types of films is always a challenge for critics, as we are not the target demographic. Earlier, this month I placed Divergent on my worst list for March because of the failure of movies like Mortal Instruments, Vampire Academy and The Host. Divergent to me is not a perfect film by any means but it does a lot of things well. Most of the problems with it lie on the director Neil Burger and the screenwriters Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor, for difficulties translating from book to screen. Divergent runs about 2 hours and 19 minutes, yet only get a brief background on the circumstances surrounding the Prior family so when things start happening, it does not really elect a response from the non-book readers. The film seems to dwell too much into the plot as our main character is able to figure out everything that she needed to and resolve the issues all before the credits end. I would have wanted more background on maybe why the cities are divided anyways as well as why the city is decaying. If you are going to have a running time of 140 minutes answering a few of this would have been great, if not then cut the film down by a few minutes. The production design could have been better as this Chicago does not really seem to keep up with the emotion the film is trying to capture. Most of the reviews for this film are negative because it is compared too often to The Hunger Games. I understand the comparison, but every book or film has some idea that was rooted from something else. I think Divergent is off to a great start primarily on the strong roles of Shailene Woodley and Theo James and all other issues such as plot gaps, production can all be fixed in the next installment.

Grade: C

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SCRIPT
In the quick opening, we get a background of the various factions: Abnegation, meant for the selfless; Amity, meant for the peaceful; Candor, meant for the honest; Dauntless, meant for the brave; and Erudite, meant for the Intelligent. Beatrice (Shailene Woodley) and her family are currently in the Abnegation faction. Beatrice knew she never quite fit in with her faction’s selfless nature and when she takes her aptitude test we realize why she does not solely fit into Abnegation. When Choosing Day arrives, both Caleb (Ansel Elgort) and Beatrice shock the entire community when they choose new factions. Caleb selects the snobbish Erudite faction, led by the power-hungry Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet). Beatrice, chooses the Dauntless, which for some odd reason, they run everywhere and dress like a mix between a S.H.E.I.L.D agent and a Hot Topic employee. Once she starts initiation, Beatrice then chooses the new name “Tris”. The vast majority of the film takes place in the Dauntless faction where the initiates have to go through extensive training and hand-to-hand combat to determine who has what it takes to be Dauntless. And what is a young adult novel without a love interest? Four (Theo James) is the man takes a liking to Tris, giving her looks that only a R. Kelly song could have given justice to. Four looks after her, especially from a dull Jai Courtney, who plays Eric. In between the Nicholas Sparks style romance, a power struggle is deepen between the Erudites and Abnegation, and Tris soon figures out why being a nonconforming Divergent could prove so perilous.

Grade: B

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RELATED: Nymphomaniac: Part I Review

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PERFORMANCES
Right away we can already get a Hunger Games sense from this film and as it goes along the same themes of corruption and government rebellion from The Hunger Games also ties in to this film. The similarities do not stop there as both young adult novels have strong female characters. Much of the success of Hunger Games is the strong character of Katniss, backed by the terrific acting of Jennifer Lawrence. Divergent’s female protagonist is Beatrice Pryor, later known as Tris, played by the lovely and talented Shailene Woodley. Woodley did an outstanding job in The Spectular Now, and many will wonder if she has the on-screen presence to carry a film of this magnitude. Most critics are quick to bash her performance but I on the other hand, think she did a fantastic job and every scene with her was never a dull moment. Woodley had natural chemistry with Theo James and I admire her for getting in there and not getting afraid to get her hands dirty. We know all about Katniss’ story, but what she does in Divergent is special. What Divergent does well is having Tris, actually use hard-work and dedication to move up the ranks in Dauntless. Besides Woodley and James, Miles Teller, although brief, delivers a nice change of pace performance as Peter. Zoe Kravitz, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, and Christian Madsen all do good work as the various people who either help or harm Tris as she tries to figure out things.

Grade: A

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SCORE
The score by Junkie XL, works well for this type of film and playing songs be Ellie Goulding fits perfectly with the film. Junkie XL has some pretty good work coming out lately and this isn’t any different. Good stuff.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Divergent will learn from its mistakes for the next film, but I am all in on this series. Woodley, I am glad that you delivered in this role and I think Tris could beat Katniss is a test of wills. Divergent, I am sorry that I wrote you off before giving you a chance. The only question left to be answered is if this film can surpass its 85 million dollar budget. I am sure the fan base is big enough but for every once else that is unsure I hope my review can help you decide to see this film because it is a highly enjoyable film that Twilight should have been.

Overall Grade: B

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sutgWjz10sM]

Director: Rob Thomas
Writers: Rob Thomas (screenplay), Diane Ruggiero (screenplay)
Stars: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni

Synopsis: Years after walking away from her past as a teenage private eye, Veronica Mars gets pulled back to her hometown – just in time for her high school reunion – in order to help her old flame Logan Echolls, who’s embroiled in a murder mystery.

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INTRO
I must preface that I have not seen the TV show. So, while I’m not a Marshmallow, I’m also not a hater by any means. I’m just an outsider who got a first taste on the franchise during the film.

DIRECTION
Well after a long wait, Rob Thomas and his crew are back as they take Veronica Mars from the small screen to the big one. Fans of the TV show will more than likely fall in back in love right away. The opening is a montage of old clips as Kristen Bell walks us through where they’ve been and what is the latest happenings on everyone. Thomas is trying hard not to exclude non-fans and sets up the story well for the most part. However, if you’re an outsider, you’re always a little distant as it feels mostly like a continuation of sorts, which can be ambiguous at times. Thomas uses lots of inside jokes that fans will surely love though. And let’s be honest, the fans paid for this project, so catering to them was not a bad idea at all. The use of voice-over, silly innuendo’s and mystery made for a great time, which I’ve been assured is just how the show felt. Plus, anytime you can get James Franco can make a cameo putting on skinny jeans, you’re okay in my book.

Grade: B+

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SCRIPT
Well it’s been ten years since the last time people saw Veronica Mars do anything exciting and since then, she’s mostly just moping around, going to law school and trying to figure out what to do with her life. She’s also dating “Piz”, someone who I’m sure fans of the show will know more about. It’s not long before we find out that her ex-flame, Logan Echolls, is accused of murder and Veronica’s PI addiction comes running back. From there we see Veronica do her thing, leaving a wake of consequences behind her, something she knew would happen. The mystery of this story is solid and compelling as this environment could bring. However, Thomas’ script leaves little room for supporting characters and some sub-plots are left unattended too, which took the air out of them. Veronica’s love arcs, both of them, are not very believable and needed more depth to add any value (maybe the show provided some of that? Help me out fans). The dialogue they create though, is very funny, clever and used perfectly through and through. Thomas does a great job of blending humor with dramatic elements making the mystery very stimulating.

Grade: B+

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RELATED: Nymphomaniac: Part I Review

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PERFORMANCES
Kristen Bell was fantastic as Veronica, as you could imagine, and really carried the film well. Bell can be hit or miss for me, but she was solid in this role. And she really needed to be as all the other supporting characters are very small and mostly shallow, except for Jason Dohring as Logan and Enrico Colantoni has some great scenes as Veronica’s dad. Again, haven’t seen the show, but did not buy Dohring in his role very much. Perhaps true to character, but from a first glance, he’s dull, subdued and mostly mundane throughout the film. And he’s a murder suspect? Certainly didn’t feel that way. Colantoni added some nice moments as did Chris Lowell as Piz, however his story arc ended abruptly that didn’t feel genuine. Most of the other supporting characters were fine though and did what was needed. James Franco, Justin Long, Dax Shepard and Max Greenfield were a nice surprise cameos that were terrific as well.

Grade: A-

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SCORE
Josh Kramon, who scored the original TV series, came back as well to give us the music for the film. Usually this is one of my favorite elements of film, however, this score was mostly subdued, boring at times and very generic. The ending sequence and some mystery elements were good but outside of that, it’s very forgettable.

Grade: C

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Veronica Mars, from an outside perspective, is a little ambiguous at times and will leave you with some questions to annoy your friends with who do know the show. Some story arcs were not handled well and it’s really just the Kristen Bell show. That being said, this is still a fun movie. The mystery elements were fun and the overall story is pretty good that will leave you engaged throughout the film. It’s obvious they are catering to the fans though, who I’m sure will just have a ball with this film. If you’re a Marshmallow, the inside jokes and jabs at the original show will be fun and to see all these characters come back I’m sure was a treat.

Overall Grade: B

Director: Scott Waugh
Writers: George Gatins
Stars: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Scott Mescudi, Michael Keaton

Synopsis: Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins.

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INTRO
The year was 1994 and like most young boys I was excited for the release of Need for Speed. Need for Speed was a great game series and as it evolved it still dealt with the same premise that Speed was the key to success. Since Need for Speed, there has been other successful car games such as Gran Tourism. It’s not as easy as creating films about cars using fast and furious and Getaway as prime example of the good and the downright awful. As soon as I saw found out Need for Speed was being adapted to a feature film, I was ready to write this movie off.

DIRECTION
I first want to start off saying that this film owes me an apology. It promised to be something new and different, when it is as bad as the pairing of Hemsworth and Kristen Stewart. The first gear to NFS is an absolute disaster and takes way too long to try to establish a conflict. The dialogue is terrible at best and we are introduced to too many characters quickly where you become uninterested. Director Scott Waugh, gets very high praise for the practical effect stunts. Every car chase, crash, and race is performed with real stunt drivers without the use of CGI (Thank God). You mix that, with the some of the best looking cars in the world it will get you excited if you are a car fanatic, I would advise to bring a change of underwear. Too bad none of this matters when you get a headache from the lousy camera angles.

Grade: C

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SCRIPT
Aarpn Paul stars as Tobey Marshall, an auto-mechanic, who has a knack for illegal street racing. Marshall races to pay off debts accumulated by his shop because nobody is a fan of Pimp My Ride. What’s a racing movie without two standout racers? Dominic Cooper, stars as Dino Brewster, a rich sociopath who must win at all costs. Despite his skills in the upgrade game, Dino decides to show up one day and offer Tobey a deal of lifetime. Tempers flare when Justin Beiber lookalike, Pete (Harrison Gilbertson), burst out that Marshall is the superior racer after Marshall test drove a Mustang they build as a demo. In typical Beiber fashion, he begs to join the race and from there you can imagine what happens. Ultimately, for me where the film fails is in the premise itself. How does traveling from New York to California to compete in an undisclosed race help avenge a death and your wrongful jail time? I understand it’s a movie but logically this just does not make any sense at all. By street racing again on parole it is obvious that you will go to jail again if caught. The plot is very predictable and of course in every racing scene with Tobey and Dino is done so that every other “racer” is a space filler.

Grade: D

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RELATED: Nymphomaniac: Part I Review

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PERFORMANCES
Most of the bad acting and dialogue came from a Justin Beiber look-a-like. Every scene that Pete was in was as dull as Stewart’s facial expressions. Imogen Poots, I do however owe an apology to. I criticized her performance in The Awkward Moment and in the beginning of this movie, it was very awkward to see her on screen. As the movie progressed, Poots proved to be more than a pretty face as she showed great comedic timing and made you believe in her role. Aaron Paul gives a decent enough performance to get you to root for him and he has great chemistry with Poots (sorry Zac Efron). Michael Keaton, played the role of Monarch with great ease as he never acted onscreen with anybody. Keaton was able to get the movie interesting with his witty and upbeat commentary.

Grade: C

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SCORE
The beautiful thing about any racing film is that pretty much any type of music with a good beat will suffice so Nathan Furst had to find the right mixes and he accomplish that. The film features music by LInkin Park and Kid Cudi.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
If Need for Speed’s intend was for it to be what Getaway was supposed to be, than it succeeded. If NFS was trying to be its own movie, then it failed miserably. If you are expecting this to be anything like Fast and The Furious, then sorry BOO-BOO.

Overall Grade: C

Director: Lars von Trier
Writers: Lars von Trier
Stars: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Stacy Martin, Shia LaBeouf

Synopsis: The continuation of Joe’s sexually dictated life delves into the darker aspects of her adult life and what led to her being in Seligman’s care.

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DIRECTION
In Nymphomaniac: Vol I, Lars von Trier throws us into the world of sex addiction in the way only von Trier can do. Part II however, while not as graphic overall, takes a deeper, darker turn. Von Trier continues the flashback story device but kicks it up a notch it terms of maturity and brokenness. The film overall seems more grey in terms of aesthetic and the ambiance becomes very bleak. However, even in it’s bleakness, von Trier uses brilliant dialogue and metaphors that is gripping and sometimes even visually appealing. Part II, while more dark, was still fluid in terms of telling this story, until the third act, which becomes something that Hollywood would be proud of. The film turns into something more contrived and feels very out of place, leaving a feeling of disappointment and a bad taste in your mouth.

Grade: B+

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SCRIPT
The script for Nymphomaniac: Part II is a bit twofold, which may work for some, but oveall feels a bit distant. The first two acts continue the brilliance of telling this story of addiction, how insecurity and lonliness become driving factors and then drives it off of a cliff. Joe continues her struggle as things become worse and worse. She starts to lose the feeling of pleasure and this leaves her more desperate than ever. She becomes careless and eventually becomes pregnant. Even with a child, one you can tell she adores, she does everything in her power to bring her pleasure back and this is always her main focus. The repercussions of neglect are never on her mind until it becomes too late. Sex therapy, counseling and support groups are explored in some fascinating ways as you see the addiction start to eat her alive. At times her fight is pure and strong, but it’s the mental fight that von Trier explores that’s very compelling. Well, at least until the third act arrives. At this point, von Trier…goes Hollywood? Everything up to this point felt natural and authentic while bathing arduousness and bleakness, which was anything but mundane. However, the last act is contrived, shallow and feel extremely forced, especially the last few sequences of the film. It felt so out of left field for this story and yet it feels so familiar and stereotypical.

Grade: B

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RELATED: Nymphomaniac: Part I Review

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PERFORMANCES
Charlotte Gainsbourg and Stacy Martin once again do a fabulous job bringing this story to life and despite some scripting issues, they shine through and through. Gainsbourg gets out of the bed more in this one and we see her in some more depressing scenes, which she delivers on well. Stellan Skarsgård as Seligman is fantastic once again. His character, well I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say he does a great job. And Mr. I’m Not Famous Anymore does a solid job as well, although he doesn’t have much to do. Say what you want, but LaBeouf can act if he wants to, despite his mental loss.

Grade: A

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SCORE
Once again von Trier uses no original score, but uses some nice classical pieces that fill the music spaces very well. The music in this setting isn’t as prominent, given the content we are ingesting. However, there are some scenes where the music shines and is used well to bring those certain moments to life. Overall, there’s good stuff here if you pay attention enough to hear it.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Nymphomaniac Part 2 isn’t quite as strong as Part 1, which was disappointing but there are some strong elements here that make it interesting. To see a women’s life just continue to fall apart is depressing but what does it say about the choices we make and how to seek help if we need to? Those themes are explored well through the first two-thirds of the film and the dynamics she has with everyone in her life shines a light on why addiction is something to be taken seriously. The final sequences though, just took the air out of the tires. It was like driving a race car in first place but as you’re about to cross the finish line to win, you slam the car up against the wall for no reason. Just didn’t seem to fit the rest of the film at all. (Slight Spoiler) Given Joe’s life, it’s not surprising and it’s something you see coming a mile away.

Overall Grade: B

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Director: Lars von Trier
Writers: Lars von Trier
Stars: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Stacy Martin, Shia LaBeouf

Synopsis: A self-diagnosed nymphomaniac recounts her erotic experiences to the man who saved her after a beating.

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DIRECTION
Lars von Trier has always been known for pushing boundaries and as you can expect here, von Treir takes taboo and pushes in into the norm as sexuality and insecurity reign supreme. The aesthetic he creates from the very beginning suggests a tone that only you can expect from von Trier. The use of flashback storytelling and fly-fishing comparisons were brilliantly manipulated to catapult us into nymphomania. While boundaries were never considered, it never feels out of line or repulsive and is crucial to carrying the story forward, which gets intense and intimate. Von Trier uses some creative camera work when exploring sexuality, yet at times he’s more straight forward and even pornographic. While some shots were arguably not necessary, it’s never too distracting and you become engaged in this fascinating world.

Grade: A-

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SCRIPT
While the story is caped in nymphomania, the story really revolves around insecurity and how that elevates addiction to pretty rough territories. The story revolves around Joe, who finds herself hurt and beaten, when a nearby neighbor, Seligman, comes to her rescue. Once they settle down, Joe starts to recount her life to Seligman and how sex-addiction became an identity to her from an early age. Seligman, on the other hand, is a life-long virgin who helps her analyze her addiction and how it’s impacted her. The conversations are intelligent but also real and compelling. What’s interesting is the exploration of how Joe starts to realize that her sex addiction is something more at the core. At the center of every women is a desire to be loved and to be wanted, yet her isolation only drives her addiction and insecurity becomes her best friend. When she finds out that the “secret ingredient to sex is love”, it flips her world upside down. It’s that battle between the want and the overpowering desire for pleasure that pushes the story into some provocative and rich places.

Grade: A

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RELATED: 300: Rise of an Empire Review

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PERFORMANCES
Charlotte Gainsbourg and Stacy Martin do a fabulous of playing Joe and young Joe respectively. Martin’s body language is elegant in selling the sexy behavior this character dives head first in and her sex scenes seem more than genuine. The graphic nature never seems overbearing for our actors and they do a wonderful job. Stellan Skarsgård, of Thor fame of recent, is masterful as Seligman. His fly-fishing comparisons are brilliant and his dynamics with Gainsbourg are important for creating that authentic feeling this film explores. Shia LaBeouf has a limited role in Part 1 but he does a good job and has an accent to boot. Regardless of his mental stability over the last several months, the dude can act and he shows that once again here.

Grade: A

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SCORE
There is no original score but von Trier uses some classical pieces that fill the music void very nicely. The music is a stimulating companion to the story and in some scenes it elevate’s the content. And while most of the music is nice orchestral pieces, you will recognize Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Nymphomaniac Part 1 is a strong exploration of self-discovery and how insecurity at it’s core fuels nymphomania. Along side that, Joe uses her sexual power as a woman to seduce men at will and fill the void that seems to be driving her wild. Although at times she tries to fight it, addiction is a powerful weapon and von Trier shows that magnificiently. Sure, some of it can seem graphic to some and von Trier uses all of his NC-17 rating, but if you can get past that, there’s so many elements beneath the surface that make this film fascinating.

Overall Grade: A-

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