American Honey

Andrea Arnold has brought us one "American Honey" and gotten herself two prizes from Cannes Film Festival.
The movie started out very strong in my eyes. By seeing three kids (okay, one had barely stepped out of the "minor" league) dumpster diving for food and then just trying to get a ride took me in and I knew I will like this movie. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't just that image. Dialogues, colors and montage also did their magic.
Story itself is about a young woman named Star who when opportunity presents itself leaves her messed up home and joins a group of misfits who travel around and earn money by selling magazines and enjoy life with some help from different type of drugs. Boom! This is the story the movie is about! Lost youth.
I don't know what to say about characters because I think I already did that by saying they're misfits. I think you should get the picture. It was also nice to see Shia LaBeouf in a movie rather than in an article.
American Honey is not overdramatic, it feels quite real (when you take in the factor it's happening in the USA) and all in all is very pleasant to watch. There are no big twists and turns and it is somewhat amazing to understand that this type of movie can manage to get your full attention for 2 hours and 40 minutes (yes, it was that long BUT. But I did not feel it).
What I liked most was the beginning actually. Beginning "took me in", made me laugh and at one point my jaw dropped a little when I heard a specific sentence.
What I also liked was the ending. Unexpected (if you'll go and see the movie you'll understand what I mean by this).
Soundtracks were....ahm....very...very...modern? Yes. let's stick with modern (didn't enjoy them but the songs did fit in well with the story and mood).
I have said everything I could think of. Just one thing:
If you go in knowing it's down to earth type of a film (without any "big bombs") you should be in for a treat. I was. :) 


Rating: ★★★★

Captain Fantastic

I finally got my one candy piece to hold on to for the next great movie to come! Yay me!
Captain Fantastic (It's not a sci-fi superhero movie)!
I was taken by the first scene - it was full of nature and the mood was set so right I felt it right then it will be a good one. Finally.
The plot is also very appealing to me as I am a bit stressed out about all these new tech-specs and gadgets and wondering would it even be possible to raise normal, clever and not obsessed-with-phones/apps/computer games/junk food/etc children. So,
THE PLOT: A father of six children (age is quite different) lives in the forest and teaches them basically everything - they have very good knowledge about survival, hunting, music, literature, medicine, law, you name it. They also have physical training so they stay fit and strong not only mentally. In my eyes they're a pretty great family (watching them being blunt-honest made me smile and even laugh at times. I enjoyed watching them work, and DO THINGS - running, sweating, singing, playing instruments, such a treat for my soul - not seeing phones and sh*t, agh...) with one big flaw which you'll see and also might get already, as they are the only ones who live in this some sort of commune (without school, without socializing outside the family, not using phones, internet, eating only what they can get themselves etc). After a while something happens and the father with the kinds are somewhat forced to go into "the real world" and adapt. And here different obstacles appear. 
This movie had heart. The characters were different and well made, strong, so it was possible to get attached. It was full of nature and beautiful sights. Dialogues were almost always enjoyable and sometimes even laughable. The story kept building and developing and didn't get stuck (maybe it never happens in movies but I sometimes feel that way when I get bored or am not interested at all somehow). It was warm without being cheesy, it was also a bit comic and filled with appropriate amount of drama. 
What I felt was "not right" - close to the end of the movie it started to feel like it's being dragged to get more minutes or something. With this I want to say that for me it felt like they could've cut it 10 minutes shorter and it would've gotten a half a star more from me. Also some bits and pieces felt too overboard but they didn't ruin it for me.
Captain Fantastic is a very lovely drama with no real action/thriller (shouldn't have been, don't get me wrong) moments, filled with dialogues and scenes which can make you think about the past and how we live now.
Who would like this? I actually can't think who wouldn't find this movie interesting. You might agree, disagree about different things but all in all - it's good cinema. It was for me. Thank you Matt Ross (the director and writer) and all the cast --> everyone did an excellent job!

Rating: ★★★★

The Girl on the Train

Oh my God, what is with this year and movies? When, WHEN I'll get to see a proper movie which lifts my spirits or totally makes me creeped out after a screening? I know "Oscar" season is not here yet but still - give me at least one candy! I don't need a pack right now, just one for future hope. Anyhow, The Girl on The Train was not that candy.
Quick intro about this one - there is this woman who enjoys alcohol a little too much (played by one of my favorites - Emily Blunt) and she rides the train every day and stares at this one family and wonders and makes up stories how they live. Then something happens.
I can't think of anything I liked. Some bits were Okay and many I just didn't approve of.
What I did not like:
- It wasn't that thrilling (for me - not thrilling at all.). And why was that? I believe because of how the story was unfolded (unnecessary time jumping which made the story even more discursive) and how the characters were quite shallow and plain which resulted in me not caring for any of them and the story itself.
- Lacked some realness from time to time as somewhere it is defined as a detective (and detectives are the ones where there are clues and proof and other things that drive people to think who and how could've done something). So in my eyes the police/detectives were stupid. The story wasn't really around them I get it but it seems like they didn't even do anything while we saw boozy Emily Blunts' character do or not do anything.
- Not a single camera shot or view surprised me nor did it drew me in more. Simple and boring. It wouldn't have bothered me that it is nothing impressive if the story or characters were good and interesting.
As I was hoping for it to be that one candy I could get until the good stuff comes, I was let down. Hard. It was a bad movie. I'm glad to see it is doing good in Box Office (happy for Emily Blunt) but otherwise there is a big disappointment in my heart.
What I can suggest is to go and see the film for yourselves and then come back and tell me I was wrong and that I have bad taste in movies for example. :D 

Rating: ★★

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Oh no, Tim Burton. Oh no. I was quite bored during this screening. Oh my.
It was too fairy tale-ish and not strange enough. Story was not that interesting and it definitely wasn't told in an intriguing way. I couldn't care less for any of the characters and for the story itself. Eva Greens' character had a cool hairstyle and color though.
What I did like from this - the cast. Always enjoy that Tim Burtons' movies have actors who bring unique presence and/or have big eyes.
Everything else was blah. Many cliché scenes and Tim Burton clichés (which maybe is a good thing? Not for me though.). I actually don't believe that children (and adults) were happy after seeing this. I was struggling after to come up with what I enjoyed. Like really struggling.
EVA GREEN! Eva Green gets my rating. I watched and wished it could be a different movie with her (she's in my top 3 when it comes to French actresses) right now.
Half a star more in my rating for company I had.
So who might enjoy this? People who love everything from Tim Burton (I believe there are some out there), others who enjoy fairy tales and Disney cartoons? Yeah, I'll stick with this.

P.S. Just so you know, Edward Scissorhands still remains as one of my many favorite movies I've ever seen.

Rating: ★★