Endless Love: just another romance movie

If there’s a discussion of a romantic film I can’t help but bring up The Notebook, it’s the epytome of a good movie from the genre, based on the successful novelist Nicholas Sparks, who has achieved greatness in more than one occasion. Other romantic successes include Pearl Harbor, Crazy Stupid Love and even Friends with Benefits. But Endless Love is a film you’ll easily forget.

It tells the story of a privileged and shy girl, Jade Butterfield (Gabriella Wilde) who has spent her entire High School years recluse from the world, and David Elliot (Alex Pettyfer) her fellow class-mate with a dark past. As they fall in love, her parents and the future tries to keep them apart. They must struggle to find out what is more important in the end.

It’s not just that it’s the typical Romeo & Juliet basis, because that’s the same as Titanic and The Notebook, yet this didn’t work. The script had no conflict whatsoever and everything was so lovey-dovey it’s not believable.

The main actors are talented, good-looking and have chemistry, yet the movie is a failed one. It’s all due to its script.

The filmmakers behind it are Shana Feste as the director, Feste & Joshua Safran as writers and Scott Stuber, Pamela Abdy, Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage as producers. Safran, Schwartz & Savage were very the geniuses behind the hit series Gossip Girl, an example of a soap opera-esque show that managed to surprise you inside the expected universe.

Endless Love is based on the book of the same name by Scott Spencer and the second film adaptation. The first movie was released in 1981 with Brooke Shields as the leading lady and featuring Tom Cruise as his first big screen credit. This adaptation takes too many liberties in the core story, resembling the failed Safe Haven (2013).

Both Pettyfer and Wilde have rising carreers, and for a reason, it’s a pity that they’ll have this on their résumés.

The bottom line is that it’s a movie worth watching only once, that is full of meaningless clichés. The script is and will always be everything. If The Notebook was 5/5, and Titanic 4.5/5, Endless Love is barely 3/5.

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Cada vez que hay una discusión de películas románticas, no puedo evitar compararla con The Notebook. Es la epítome de una buena película del género, adaptada de la novela del exitoso Nicholas Sparks, que ha tenido éxito en más de una ocasión. Otros ejemplos memorables son Pearl Harbor, Crazy Stupid Love e incluso Friends with Benefits. Pero Endless Love es una película que olvidarás fácilmente.

Cuenta la historia de una chica privilegiada y tímida, que pasó todos sus años de bachillerato recluida del mundo. Y su contraparte masculina, su compañero de colegio con un pasado oscuro. Mientras se enamoran, los padres de ella y el futuro tratan de separarlos. Ellos luchan por descubrir qué es más importante al final.

No es sólo porque se base en el clásico de Romeo y Julieta, porque es la misma inspiración de The Notebook y Titanic, en este caso no funcionó. El guion no tenía ningún tipo de conflicto y todo era tan color de rosa que no era creíble.

Los actores principales son talentosos, atractivos y tienen buena química, sin embargo la película es una fallida. Todo se debe al guion débil.

Los cineastas detrás de su creación son Shana Feste de directora, Feste y Joshua Safran de guionistas y Scott Stuber, Pamela Abdy, Josh Schwartz y Stephanie Savage de productores. Safran, Schwartz y Savage son los genios detrás de la exitosa serie Gossip Girl, un ejemplo de un show novelesco que se las ingeniaba para sorprender dentro de lo esperado de su universo.

Endless Love se basa en el libro del mismo nombre. Es la segunda adaptación al cine, después de la de 1981, protagonizada por Brooke Shields y con la primera aparición en la gran pantalla de Tom Cruise. Esta adaptación se toma muchas libertades en la base de la historia, pareciéndose más a otra película fallida con Safe Haven.

Tanto Pettyfer como Wilde tienen carreras prometedoras, y con razón, es una lástima que tengan ésto dentro de su currículo.

El veredicto final es que es una película que vale la pena verla sólo una vez, llena de clichés sin sentido. Si The Notebook fue 5/5 y Titanic 4.5/5, Endless Love apenas llega a 3/5.

 

Vivian Russo

That Awkward Moment: the male version of Sex and the City

It is a popular belief that romantic comedies are solely destined for the female audience, after classics like How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days and the epic Sex and the City. That Awkward moment proves that the same genre can be marketed for men too, with the appropiate script and execution.

The movie is about three best friends living in New York, Jason (Zac Efron), Daniel (Miles Teller) and Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) that are recovering from break-ups and make a pact to stay single and enjoy living unattached for a while. But it doesn’t last, because soon each one will be falling in love in a different way and begin to question their original agreement. Imogen Poots, Mackenzie Davies and Jessica Lucas are the female leads.

The director is newcomer Tom Gormican, who also wrote the flick. Its produced by Justin Nappi, Andrew O’Connor, Scott Aversano, Kevin Turen and Zac Efron.

The idea that people had of the three actors was different than after this movie. Zac was known as the squeaky-clean heartthrob from High School Musical, while Miles & Michael had critical acclaim in dramas The Spectacular Now and Fruitvale Station respectively. It’s nice to see a change and watch their skill range.

It has every ingredient of a good rom-com, likeable characters, funny jokes, good script, fast pace and great setting. Its safe to say that nothing is more romantic than a movie in New York City, since they keep on making movies there.

That Awkward Moment is meant for the guys who have a guilty pleasure for this genre or are forced to watch them by their significat others, it’s a break from the classical female approach. It’s a pity it went under the table among the majority of audiences, but it’s worth watching.

The only downside is that it can be a little predictable. Nevertheless, it’s not excessively shallow since it has a touch of drama and realness too underneath the apparent humor. Its a good first step towards male comedies, it sets the mood for better ones to come.

If Sex and The City became an icon and its movies where 5/5, That Awkward Moment is 4/5.

Vivian Russo

The Amazing Spiderman 2: the perfect mix of commercial success & a good film

There are two sides of comic-book movies. They can be approached from the action point of view or the emotional side of the characters without leaving the first one behind. The Avengers is an example of the former & The Amazing Spiderman 2 of the latter.

This spidey reboot in general has been way better than the Sam Raimi ones from the early 2000’s. For starters, they got the role of Peter Parker & Mary Jane Watson wrong with actors that don’t represent them well (Tobey McGuire & Kirsten Dunst). Marc Webb, who did his directorial debut on 500 Days of Summer (2009), succeeded with the first The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012 and has done it again in 2014 with the sequel. Needless to say, Andrew Garfield couldn’t have done a better job & also the chemistry he has with Emma Stone on-screen is amazing. It’s a fresh take on Peter’s first love, Gwen Stacy, the one that appears originally in the comics.

The writers, dynamic duo Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, have done a great job both on film & television. They’re responsible for The Legend of Zorro, Mission: Impossible III, People Like Us, Now You See Me, & the remake of the classical series Hawaii Five-0.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 takes place right after the first one, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) continues to fight crime in New York City as Spiderman and struggles to keep his promise to Gwen Stacy’s dad that he’ll leave her (Emma Stone) out of danger. In the mean time several events change the circumstances, Peter’s old friend Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) returns to the city after his father, Norman, dies to take care of the family enterprise Oscorp; one of its employees, Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) becomes Electro & Peter discovers new secrets about why his parents left. In the movie Sally Field returns as Aunt May, & Paul Giamatti has a small role as Aleksei Systevich / Rhino.

It’s nice to see a movie and leave one’s reality for a while, but it’s always appreciated when even a fantastic film has a realistic touch, this is one of those cases; but I won’t say much because it’ll spoil everything. It’s key that you saw the first one to understand and appreciate this one.

The script was masterfully written with hilarious one-liners even in the most tense moments, and the leading man is able to pull it off, making the audience love him from the very beginning. If you’re a comic fan you might know the key element at the end, but nevertheless it will be an experience you won’t forget. Peter and Gwen will feel as your best friends & you’ll suffer whenever they do too.

If 500 Days of Summer, also directed by Webb, achieved a new kind of rom-com & The Amazing Spider-Man a new level of super hero movie, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 sets the bar high for another sequel, it leaves you wanting more. All of them are a well-deserved 5/5.

Vivian Russo