Movies of a Petite Aspie

Shailene Woodley & Theo James Director: Neil Burger Stars: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Zoe Kravitz, Jai Courtney Genre(s): Action/Adventure; Sci-fi DVD Release Date: August 5, 2014 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 41% Divergent is latest installment n the dystopian YA craze, based on the first book in Veronica Roth's best-selling series.  You know the formula: futuristic society, teenage heroine, hunky hero, etc.  Like the Jennifer Lawrence-starring Hunger Games franchise, Divergent features beating unbeatable odds in a more-than-slightly predictable manner.  The main characters are likable and strong, but flawed, which makes them relatable; in Divergent, Tris (Shailene Woodley) is even more relatable than Lawrence's Katniss, as she struggles early in the film when adjusting to her new lifestyle.   Divergent takes place in a distant future, in Chicago, when society is separated into different Factions, each representing a d...

  Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth Director: Carlo Carlei Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Ed Westwick, Paul Giamatti, Skellan Skarsgaard Genre(s): Drama; Romance DVD Release Date: February 4, 2014 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 22% Romeo & Juliet is undoubtedly the most renowned and most tragic love story ever told, and one of the most famous of William Shakespeare's plays.  Julian Fellowes, best known for the Emmy-winning Downton Abbey, has scripted the latest version of the Bard's tragedy, helmed by Italian director Carlo Carlei.  Unlike Baz Luhrmann's Leonardo DiCaprio-starring 1996 version, this adaptation has a far more authentic setting -- it was filmed in Italy -- and authentic British accents -- although some are more authentic-sounding than others.   Fellowes has received harsh criticism for paring down Shakespeare's beautiful language, and in a sense "dumbing it down" for modern audiences.  While that was not ...