Scattered Frames: The Maize Runner
I’m back, you guys!
In case you hadn’t noticed, I hadn’t produced any new content in a long while. Lately I have not been as committed to celluloid as I’ve been to my boyfriend (who’s also a huge cinephile; ain’t that the dream?) and my new job (which is thankfully about to become my old job after only a month. Yay for better opportunities!)
But enough about me and my messy schedule. Let’s talk movies! Time is still scarce around here (I’m working on it) so I’m bringing back my loyal buddy from award season: Scattered Frames.
In this edition, I share my thoughts on the pleasant Chef and the lackluster The Maze Runner.
Chef: So badly I wanted to love this film but, aside from the great food porn, this didn’t do much for me. Favreau’s Chef is pleasant, often funny and has a fantastic cast, but the writing leaves a lot to be desired and, despite qualifying as a road movie, it sort of never goes anywhere. A lot of missed opportunities and a boringly safe ending (I’d also argue that the tremendous cast is practically wasted) make this one an enjoyable but instantly forgettable experience. 3/5
The Maze Runner: Hunger Games meets Lord of the Flies meets District 9 meets an academic lecture about the different types of celery (or any other random dull thing you can think of). A few odd bits of action are thrilling but fail to last a whole sequence, much less the entire movie. I thought of referring to this as a “poorly written maze of a film”, but that would mean it poses an intellectual challenge, while it so doesn’t. Interchangeable actors, including Logan Lerman-lite, play underdeveloped characters in Runner, which makes the mistake of wasting all of its energy in setting up a sequel that will probably never get made. 2/5
A rental and a skip. Meh. Shame. I thought you would have loved Chef too.
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I think that saying the cast of Chef was ‘wasted’ is a snippet too harsh, but yeah I’d agree the movie doesn’t go to too many profound places. Still loved it though.
And as for The Mazerunner, I can’t say I’m all that surprised. It looks good but it also looks like it’s clamoring for its identity in the wake of the influential Hunger Games adaptations. Not saying that’s terrible though. . . .at least it ain’t Twilgiht!!! Lol!
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Yeah. It’s a decent film and I get why so many people have loved it but it didn’t do much for me.
And yes, at least it ain’t Twilight! Not a complete misfire, but just so generic and bland.
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Hey, welcome back!! Totally understand having a lot going on . . . but so happy to read your site again!
I haven’t seen Chef yet (but really been wanting to!). Sad to hear you didn’t enjoy it. That’s too bad!
Hmm, I’ve had higher hopes for The Maze Runner, just based off the trailers alone. You think it won’t get a sequel made? Yikes, sounds like it must have been bad! I won’t be able to see it until its wide release over here in about a week and a half, but I’ll let you know what I think of it after!
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Thanks a lot, Kristin. That is so sweet! 🙂
And I did enjoy it, but not as much as I thought I would. hope you like it more than me!
And I sincerely hope you enjoy Maze Runner. It’s not THAT bad, just very generic and bland. I have a feeling it will flop. That’s why I doubt it’ll get a sequel.
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Ahh, I get what you’re saying about The Maze Runner. Seems like teen dystopian books to film are in right now. I hope it’s good, but I can’t say I’ll be surprised if it comes across as generic!
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So I had to comment again on this since I just saw The Maze Runner! I liked it . . . but ultimately thought it was just OK. Planning to have a post up (written by my sister) up in the next couple days. I’m with you though – it wasn’t solid, and I could see it going either way in terms of having a sequel.
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Looking forward to the post!
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Shame to see that Chef didn’t do much for you, personally loved it. Agree that it was a very safe ending.
Have not seen the other film…
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Yeah, I really wanted to love it but I just didn’t. Glad you appreciated it, though.
And yeah, you don’t need to watch that one right away. It can definitely wait.
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I see your complaints re Maze Runner. I will still see it though, cause it has mazes. And mazes are awesome.
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This maze is not very cool. The design and the action that happens in there is pretty underwhelming.
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Welcome back my friend!! Hmmm, I might rent Chef but no interest at all in The Maze Runner. To be honest, I’m kinda tired of YA adaptations right now. The only one I’m looking fwd to is Hunger Games 3.
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Same here! It’s like “enough already!”
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I forget. Is Scattered Frames a shorter version of Flash Reviews? Nice to have a review from you. Loved Chef. Thought it was such a delight. The Maze Runner is coming out next week. I wasn’t really anticipating it and it sounds like it wasn’t worth seeing anyway.
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It’s pretty much the same format as the Flash Review but in Scattered Frames I group two or more reviews in the same post.
Thanks! I remember you liking Chef a lot. Unfortunately, I wasn’t such a big fan. Oh well.
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Nice to have you back! Shame it’s with a disappointing movie!
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I know. I can’t win ’em all.
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Shame you didn’t like Chef as much as me, but I really can see where you’re coming from. I just love a film that combines food and travel oh, and a great cast! The Maze Runner isn’t out here until 10th October, but I’ll give it a wide berth unless I can see it at a free preview.
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I saw it a free preview. I don’t think I would’ve pai to watch it, and I’m glad I didn’t.
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Chef was one I was considering seeing. Might give it a rental if there’s nothing else I want to see. Cool reviews mate!
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Thanks! 😉
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Welcome back buddy!!
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Thanks!
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Is Chef the one that you pointed out as having a really shitty poster in Mexico, or was that something else? Anyway, kinda surprised by your rating of that one. I’m starting to suspect you have an aversion to Scarlett Johansson. First you give Her a relatively low score, and now Chef. 🙂
But who am I to talk, since I haven’t seen Chef. (Yet.)
I like your comment about celery, Fernando, in The Maze Runner review. I went to my first ever college lecture this April/May at UPenn and loved every moment of it because it was about film. I was so excited about college lectures after that that I kind of wanted to skip out on my junior and senior years of high school and just go to college. Then some smartass told me to imagine if the lecture were about organic chemistry, not film…now I’m trying to imagine celery for an hour and a half.
ANYWAY………
Good reviews. Awaiting your Gone Girl review with bated breath.
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Yep. That was the one. Whoa, it was horrid. And no, it’s a coincidence. I think she’s a bit overrated but I generally like Scarlett. Looking forward to your thoughts on Chef.
LOL, that would’ve been one boring lecture! The types of celery thing I copied from an episode of Friends, haha!
And thanks! Hope to have my GG review up soon. LOVED it!
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Wait a moment I’ve seen that episode I think. Does Monica say it?
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Nope, Phoebe. Ross starts listing all the states in the US and Phoebe says she started doing that but got bored do switched to writing down the different types of celery. “I got one: regular celery”.
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Oh never mind, I haven’t seen that one. Darn. I’ve gotten through season two and I’m just about halfway through season one. I’d like to consider myself a fan by now lol. 🙂
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Good! I’ve been watching it since I was 10 and I’ve watched every episode several times by now, even in chronological order.
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Wow, ten seems kinda young lol. But wow you really love it!
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I do!
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Great reviews. I totally agree with you on Chef – I really wanted to love this one but the writing was predictable, safe and familiar. Not sure if I will make it to see Maze Runner, it hasn’t captured my imagination so far.
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Glad we agree on Chef. And you’re better off ignoring Maze Runner.
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