What's Eating Gilbert Grape REVIEW

As promised it is time for another review tonight, and the second review is for the 1993 film, What's Eating Gilbert Grape. In this film Gilbert, played by Johnny Depp, has to take care of his special brother, Arnie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. He is also in charge of making sure his obese mother is taken care of. When Becky comes into his life, he becomes irritable about all the responsibilities that he doesn't want to have.

(Applause . . . applause) This movie is seriously just fantastic. I was engaged in the story right from the beginning. The screenplay follows the story and mind of Gilbert Grape who is way more complex than we are led to believe. I love how everything in this story actually has a point to it, and there is no excess things that are pointless. There were a few points in the movie though where the movie drags on a little bit. You want it to pick up its pace but it takes a little bit before it goes onto the next thing. Now the last thing about the story I wanted to mention was the fact that the love story in this movie was good. It wasn't great and it was a little unbelievable, in my eyes it seemed kind of forced into the story. With all that being said you still root for Gilbert and Becky to end up together in the end.

Next I would like to give a HUGE round of applause to Leonardo DiCaprio for an AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING, performance in this film. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a mentally challenge 18 year old kid, and I seriously was shocked by his performance. If it was me I would have given Leonardo DiCaprio an Oscar for this performance because he literally blew my mind. He really became his character in this film and he made me super emotional which is just beyond great. Now the chemistry between Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic as well. For a moment there you really think they are brothers, they just do a great job together as brothers. Those two main things being said I want to generally say that each and every single cast member in this film does a great job. I could and would not complain about a single person's performance in this beautiful film. A few people who stand out are of course Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Darlene Cates, and Mary Kate Schellhardt.

Now the last thing I would like to mention is the direction of the movie. Before I get into that though I want to mention how great this movie is. Leo's performance is seriously the greatest part of the movie, but when it comes to the direction it is only okay. I mean I love the story and I love the acting in the film, but the way Lasse Hallstroöm does this film could have been better. I just felt like some of the things in this film were way to obvious and I could tell what was happening. Do not get me wrong, still a GREAT movie, but there are always little things that could have been better.

Wrapping up this movie I will say that What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a fantastic film with little flaws. It has an amazing cast with one breakout actor in the film that you would have never expected. For the ratings I will give this movie a buy on Blu-Ray rating because it is one of those movies that is a classic that should be seen by everyone because it is a MUST-SEE film. Sometime in your life you should definitely see this movie. I will also rate this movie as a perfect popcorn movie night film, but it would be even better for a rainy day. Be prepared though it is an emotion draining movie, like you have to be in the mood for it. Now for the rating out of 10 stars I will have to give this film a 9/10 star rating. 

Well I hope you have enjoyed this review of What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I highly recommend this movie because it really is very enjoyable. Well I hope to get at least one more review out tonight or tomorrow mooring. So stay tuned for that, but also stay tuned for this week's Trailer of the Week, coming out tomorrow. There is so much to stay tuned for, so stay tuned for more . . .  coming soon.

Noah Mark Bitney

The Man in the Iron Mask REVIEW

It is review time!!! Today's review is of the 1998 film, The Man in the Iron Mask. In this film the evil and cruel King Louis XIV of France has a secret twin brother who he had locked away and his face covered. After the King has angered to many of the old Musketeers, they form up again to make a swap with the innocent brother and the cruel King that doesn't deserve the throne.

Well now first thing I want to say about this movie is that it is very enjoyable. If you ever need a movie one night to watch that you will enjoy the crap out of, this one will work perfectly. The story of this movie is actually kind of good. I like what this movie is about. As for the screenplay though, there are a few issues. I mean it seems like a cheap movie, the bad writing and dialogue really do show in this movie. The dialogue is choppy and doesn't flow very well in my opinion. I would also have to say that it is extremely corny in spots. There are points in the film where I laugh and then say to myself, "Did he really just say that? What was the point of that." That does not stop this from being a good movie to enjoy though. The cast of the film really makes the movie in my opinion. If they wouldn't have gotten the people they had gotten for each role, this movie would not be as good as it is.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gérard Depardieu, and Gabriel Bryne are the main cast in this film and they do a great job with each of there roles. They are really what make this movie. Leonardo DiCaprio always does a great job in any one of his movies, and again in this movie he does a great job. I love how he portrays two roles in this film. When he has to switch characters and become the other brother, you can really see it in his eyes and I just love it. The chemistry between each on of these actors is good as well. I love when they bicker and banter back and forth, they do such a good job with it.

I also wanted to mention a couple last things in this review. One thing is that the cinematography really didn't work for me in this movie. It seemed to modern to me, and didn't portray the time zone of the movie very well in my opinion. With that being sad I also noticed a few things in the movie, prop items, that really weren't time zone appropriate. The sprinkler system, I mean, did they really have that technology then? I don't think so. Last thing I wanted to mention where the costume designs. They seemed lazy in my opinion, and not very good. What I mean by this is that they seemed to look fake instead of clothing from that time. The hair as well looked like it was ready to fall of some of the characters. This is my opinion though and I am just bickering.

Other than those few things this movie was extremely enjoyable. I love the story and the actor/actresses in this movie portray characters and a story that you will enjoy anytime you need a good movie for a movie night with the family or friends. For the ratings I want to give, The Man in the Iron Mask, a popcorn movie night rating. I would have to say that this movie only gets a DVD buy worthy rating, its worth a buy on DVD but not Blu-Ray. I will also like to say that this movie is perfect to rent . . . it is on Netflix though so if you have Netflix, just check it out on there. Now for the rating out of 10 stars I will give, The Man in the Iron Mask, a 6/10 star rating. It gets this for being an enjoyable story, and having a great cast to support the story. Enjoyable, in my opinion, is the strongest thing to have for a movie.

Well I am hoping that you have enjoyed this review of The Man in the Iron Mask. Have you seen this movie before? Let me know what you thought of in on the Motion Picture Buff's Facebook page, RIGHT HERE, or even leave a comment below. Now make sure you stay tuned for more . . . coming soon.

TRAILER OF THE WEEK: A Case of You

It's that time of the week already . . . time for a new TRAILER OF THE WEEK. This week's trailer is for a romantic comedy starring Justin Long, A Case of You. This film has already been out at a film festival back in April of 2013, but will be getting another release (a limited one) on November 6th. This film is about a young writer who tries to impress a girl he meets online with an embellished profile. She ends up falling for him which leaves him in a mess because he has to keep up the act.

Well now why did I pick this trailer to be this week's trailer of the week. Hm well it is really simple actually. I absolutely am a sucker for romantic movies, and this one got my attention right away to be honest. I think Justin Long is a decent enough actor and it seems like he might do a good job in this movie. I like the story of how he is putting on a charade to impress this girl, but then she ends up falling for the fake him instead of the real him. I am curious to see where this movie could go. When looking at this movie on IMDb, it does not seem like it has a good rating, it has a 5.1/10 star rating, but that does not mean it will be bad. I have seen movies on IMDb before with like a four star rating and I absolutely loved it. With movies it is usually just your opinion no matter what anyone else says. It is all based on your personal opinion of the movie.

So, A Case of You, is a movie that is definitely going to go in must-see list. I will keep it on my radar because it seems like a good romantic movie, and I just LOVE romantic movies. Yeah I might be a guy but I am a sucker for them. Well what did you think of this week's choice for a trailer? What kind of movie would you like to see on next week's trailer. Stay tuned to find out and for more reviews . . . coming soon.

Noah Mark Bitney

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl REVIEW

Well welcome back to the Motion Picture Buff again. Today I would like to present a review for the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. In this film an eccentric blacksmith teams up with notable and recently captured pirate, Captian Jack Sparrow, to save a girl to whom has been captured by a group of pirates that used to be Sparrow's allies.

Now most people I know have seen this movie before. You had to have seen it right? This is a classic film that everyone must see. Why? Well because it is literally a very enjoyable film that keeps you interested the whole way through. What about it is so interesting? Lets first talk about the cast in this film. Johnny Depp acts with serious perfection in this film. This is the role he was born to play because in movies he acts to today in, I still see a little bit of Jack Sparrow in his role (which isn't good). Anyway, Johnny Depp, plays the character of Captian Jack Sparrow, and they did a great job picking him for this role. I was glad to see Johnny getting a nomination for Best Actor Oscar for this role. Kiera Knightley is also in this film and I looked it up, she was only 17 years old when they did the filming for this film. For 17 years old, Kiera did a great job in this film. She is an amazing actress and this is where it practically all began. She just portrays the role of Elizabeth Swan amazingly. When picking the cast for this film, they could not have done a better job. I could go on and on about all the actors and actresses in this movie, but lets just say they all do a fantastic job with their roles to bring an amazing movie to us viewers. Some other notable people in this film would include: Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Lee Arenberg, and Jack Davenport.

Next I wanted to mention the story for this film. It is a decent story, its nothing grand and spectacular. It is an enjoyable ride though. I enjoy this movie every single time I watch it, and trust me, by now I have had to have seen this movie well over 20 times. Director, Gore Verbinski, does a great job with this film. He portrays the movie beautifully and he keeps us on our toes throughout the whole movie. At the end of the movie you are begging for more, which as most people know, we do get (more on that later though). The cinematography in this movie is really good to. I love the way the movie looks and feels. It has the right look and feel for it, I wouldn't want it any other way.

The last few things I want to mention about this movie are probably what I love most about the Pirates of the Caribbean films. The musical score for this film is just wonderful. Klaus Bedelt does a great job setting up the perfect theme song for a good series of movies to come. The rest of the score as well is just perfect for the film. I can find myself humming songs from this movie all the time, especially right after watching it. Now the other thing I want to mention is just how enjoyable this movie is. It has all the right pieces to a perfect popcorn movie. It has humor, action, adventure, romance, and just a kickass cast pulling of the wittiest of characters. It may not be a perfect film, but it is a sure enjoyable ride.

Now rating this movie I will give Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl a well deserved popcorn movie night rating. It also deserves a must-see film rating because personally I think everyone must-see this film. It is for sure a instant classic. People will be enjoying this movies for years and years, as they already have been. It is a film you will watch over and over again, and so it does get a buy on Blu-Ray rating as well. Now for the rating out of ten stars I will give, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, a 8/10 star rating. 

Well I hope you have enjoyed this review of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Stay tuned for the reviews for the other films in this great series. Make sure you also stay tuned for reviews of other movies and of awesome movie news. If you have been enjoying, the Motion Picture Buff, make sure to like us on Facebook right . . . HERE! If you would like to chime in and tell me what you thought, comment to me on Facebook, or even leave a comment in the section below. Thanks again for reading and stay tuned for more . . . coming soon.

Noah Mark Bitney

This is the End REVIEW

As promised the Motion Picture Buff would like to present another review today. This second review is of the 2013 comedy starring James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogan, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson, This is the End. In this film James Franco is hosting a party that everyone is invited to. While attending the party the end of the world begins, and these comedy lords must learn how to live together and find a way to live in this demon infested world.

Now usually I am not a huge fan of comedy. I hate pointless stupid comedies, but This is the End is not a pointless comedy. This movie was so enjoyable I was laughing the whole way through. Comedies are usually overdone and just literally not funny. In This is the End, the comedy was enjoyable and it actually made me laugh and smile. Normally I hate 50% of the cast in this movie, but actually I did not hate one person in this movie. I enjoyed each one of their performances. It might be because they were making fun of themselves instead of trying to be funny in another way. Each actor/actress in this film is playing themselves instead of a certain character, this makes the film so freaking funny. Micheal Cera plays a complete douché in this film. It makes it funny because when seeing the roles he plays you would never guess that it would be how Micheal Cera acts. I am sure that it isn't how he acts in real life, but it helps the movie be more funny. One last thing about the cast I would like to mention is that they all have amazing chemistry together. I can really see all these guys hanging out in real life, it really works for this movie.

Moving on in this review is the story. The premise behind the movie is great, and the storyline works for a movie of this comedy. I mean sure there are plot holes in the movie and sure it isn't like Oscar worthy, but the plot works for this movie. The nice thing about comedies is that it doesn't have to be a perfect story, it just works for what it is. The other thing I wanted to mention about the story is that I like how it sort of centers around Jay Baruchel and Seth Rogan's relationship. You would never expect it and throughout the whole movie it makes it even funnier.

So there are a few more things about this movie I would like to mention these would include, the cameo's, the music, and the special effects. For starters then . . . the cameo's. In this movie there are a bunch of famous actor/actress's in this film. The main part of the film centers around the six mentioned in the script above. Other than those six there are a few people who really stand out though. I mentioned one above which is Micheal Cera. I absolutely LOVE Emma Watson in this movie. It is hilarious after seeing her play Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. The last cameo I want to mention is Channing Tatum in this film. I do not want to spoil to much more about Channing Tatum's role in this film, but I will say when you see him . . . you will laugh your ASS off. Next I wanted to mention that the music choices for this movie added to the comedy. Near the end the one song was seriously the GREATEST choice ever! So finally I wanted to mention the special effects in this movie. Lets just say this movie probably didn't have a huge budget for special effects. The special effects were SO fake, but actually in a way it did work for the film. It is hard to explain but the bad speical effects for some reason added something to the movie I just cannot describe.

Now summing up this review I have got to say that this film is HILARIOUS in ever single way. I was not irritated in anyway, which I usually am with comedies. This is the End was for sure the funniest movie of 2013 so far. It is a MUST-SEE film for sure as well. This is the End for surely would be an absolute perfect popcorn movie night film. Need a funny movie to watch some night? This movie works perfectly, and if you have seen it before it still works because it is just that funny. When buying this movie though . . . make sure you buy it on Blu-Ray, it is worth the money. As for the rating, This is the End, deserves a strong 9/10 star rating.

Well I hope you have enjoyed this review of This is the End. It is a good movie and I give my recommendation. Have you been enjoying my blogs so far? Please leave your comments in the comments section below. Thanks again everyone for reading. I promise to continue my reviews. So make sure you stay tuned for more . . . coming soon.

Noah Mark Bitney

TRAILER OF THE WEEK: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Well hello my fellow readers! As I was trying to figure out what trailer to pick for this week's, TRAILER OF THE WEEK, I decided to reinterate one of my old traditions. If you have been with, THE MOTION PICTURE BUFF, from the beginning you will remember my old blog posts called Trailer Talk. For an example . . . click HERE. Anyways in, Trailer Talk, I pick a random/new trailer to talk about in depth.

Now this is not going to be the same as my old trailer talks. Instead I am going to link it with my, TRAILER OF THE WEEK, item I do every Wednesday. I will still talk about why I like this trailer, what intrigued me, and continue to talk in depth about it. The only serious change is that this is going to do with the, TRAILER OF THE WEEK. There might be an important trailer every once in awhile that I might want to talk about later or sometime else in the week, when that happens I will call is Trailer Talk though. This new segment is going to be called TRAILER OF THE WEEK, and dedicated to only the current TRAILER OF THE WEEK. Well shall we get started now?

This week's, TRAILER OF THE WEEK, is for a movie do out this Christmas season and stars Ben Stiller and Kristen Wigg. The film is question is called, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It is based off a short story written by James Thurber, and is about an office worker who lives inside fantasy worlds where he gets to live and adventurous life while romancing his co-worker sets off a global journey to fix things when both of their jobs are threatened (source: IMDb). This film is directed by Ben Stiller and is a remake of a 1947 film.

So why did I pick this film to be this week's TRAILER OF THE WEEK? Firstly I want to say that it was the first trailer I picked out to watch. I was just captivated by the story that I said, "Yep this is going to be this week's trailer." Secondly the trailer didn't convey that much information like most trailers do today. It left me with questions and leaving me with wanting more. I went to IMDb after and looked it up and read more about it. It looks kind of good, but I could see the movie being really bad as well. I might see it in theaters but lets just say that it has spiked my interest. I am definitely adding it to my watchlist. I love Kristen Wigg and she would just be a perk about this movie.

In summary, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, is a movie coming out on December 25th, 2013. It is a movie that I am genuinely interested in. The story seems interesting enough, and it takes a interesting story to really catch my attention in a trailer. I do normally HATE Ben Stiller, but I am going to give him a chance with this movie. So check out the trailer in the sidebar.

Oh and one last thing before I go, stay tuned for more . . . coming soon.

Noah Mark Bitney