Winter Break is a time for cash-strapped San Diego State students to go home, enjoy a few home-cooked meals and plead parents to pay for a plethora of movies. With ticket prices often costing more than $10 at local theaters, the holiday season is a nice excuse to enjoy a few flicks with the family. During this year’s break, students had plenty of stellar options to pick from when selecting a film. Unfortunately, Dad’s love for Robert De Niro or Mom’s desire to see Gwyneth Paltrow eke out another phony performance left students potentially seeing a two-hour disaster for the sake of “bonding time.”
Unfortunately, for every good film, there were two bad ones. With an unusual amount of cringe-worthy films, it was a good thing actors such as Colin Firth and Natalie Portman saved the day. In case there wasn’t time to go to the theaters this break, here is a list of films to avoid, and a few must-see flicks that are still in theaters.
Avoid
“The Tourist”
Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie co-star in this fast-paced, twisted thriller that ultimately leaves audiences confused. It’s a shame these two prominent Hollywood celebrities made such a confusing film full of unnecessary scheming, their talent barely shining throughout the lengthy travesty.
“Country Strong”
A film many thought would appease the country fan masses doesn’t have enough gusto to satisfy even the heartiest Tim McGraw enthusiast. The weak songs and unbelievable characters make “Country Strong” a flop in terms of plot and plausibility. The only saving grace of this twangy film is Garrett Hedlund, whose performance is rich and heartfelt. Unfortunately, Hedlund stars in yet another dud.
“Tron: Legacy”
The highly anticipated Disney sequel, based on the 1982 movie “Tron,” simply is not worth the $200 million budget the movie was given. Hedlund and Olivia Wilde’s good looks are unable to save this film riddled with techno jargon and dark plotlines. What many electro-pop fans will appreciate, though, is the soundtrack produced by the legendary duo Daft Punk.
“Gulliver’s Travels”
Jack Black’s contribution to humor has only been exceptional in his musical venture “Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny.” This film is no exception and it is barely worth a DVD rental.
“Little Fockers”
If someone does not stop this franchise soon, Ben Stiller will have nothing left to his name except his “Tropic Thunder” glory. The jokes in “Little Fockers” fall flat and DeNiro is beginning to show his inexperience with humor. Stick to the original film “Meet the Parents” for an actually funny series of unfortunate events.
Must-see
“The King’s Speech”
Undoubtedly one of the best films released during break was “The King’s Speech.” Hardly any frilly background was needed in this film thanks to Firth and Geoffrey Rush’s experience and candor. Firth won a Golden Globe for his performance and the film’s inspirational message left audiences wanting to conquer their greatest fears.
“Black Swan”
Warning, students should not see this with any family member older than 35. The explicit sex scenes and confusing art house drama may be too much for the parental crowd, but it is a must-see for fans of suspenseful thrillers. Portman delivers her winning character in Nina, the tormented ballerina. While this film certainly is not for the faint of heart, it is worth the surprisingly gory scenes for the end result.
“True Grit”
The Coen brothers directed yet another glorious film, this time in the form of a beautiful Western. The barely understandable Jeff Bridges was practically made for the role of Rooster Cogburn, a tough, rough and tumble deputy of the Wild West. The gem in this movie is the performance by Hailee Steinfeld, a 14-year-old actress with a stunning career in her future.
