Love, Simon (2018)

Love, Simon (2018)

C – 110m
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Novel: Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Screenplay By: Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker
Dir.: Greg Berlanti
Starring: Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Logan Miller, Talitha Eliana Bateman, Tony Hale, Natasha Rothwell, Miles Heizer, Joey Pollari, Mackenzie Lintz, Cassady, McClincy, Alex Sgambati, Emily Jordan, Patrick Donohue and Joshua Mikel.

Simon Spier keeps a huge secret from his family, his friends, and all of his classmates: he’s gay. When the secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and comes to terms with his identity. A major motion picture with a gay protagonist – novel! This hit film from the hit first of a two book hit series features a great script, great acting and fine direction and cinematography. It also boasts of a wonderful sound mix! The story has echoes of John Hughes films, much like Blockers (2018), with a dash of Boys Don’t Cry (1999) for good measure. The cast is more than capable with the splendid material. The only complaint is that the Drama Teacher is just a tad to hip and on target with her frank talking to students. In real life, no teacher would get away with saying what she does in this film. If you can look beyond that and a few cheesy lines, this film has wit and heart to spare. See it! 

Trivia: Just as this film went into production, Nick Robinson’s younger brother came out as gay. This was the first film produced by a major Hollywood studio to feature a gay teenage protagonist. Director Greg Berlanti revealed in an interview that the clips of “friends group” were shot without the actors’ knowledge. Sometimes Berlanti would yell, “Cut!” for the actors but keep the cameras going to capture unscripted moments. Some of these made it into the final cut of the film, like the dancing in the car scene. Jennifer Garner’s, “exhale,” speech wasn’t originally in the film. When Garner became interested in the film, she asked director Nick Robinson for a scene for her character to form a connection with Simon. So they rewrote the script and worked in the scene that is essentially the message of the movie. Kristen Bell, Neil Patrick Harris, Matt Bomer, Tyler Oakley, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, screenwriter Martin Gero, Benj Pasek, Andrew Rannells, Joey Graceffa, Scott Hoying, Superfruit’s Mitch Grassi, Jennifer Garner and Greg Berlanti bought out the theatres in their home towns so that this film would reach larger audiences.  

Keiynan Lonsdale was inspired to publicly come out through his involvement in this film. In Simon’s bedroom there is a copy of the sequel novel, The Upside Of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli, which revolves around Abby’s cousin. The production code for this film was, “Blue,” which was a pseudonym of the person Simon e–mails. Colton Haynes had a small role in a deleted scene as a man who approaches Simon and mistakes him for someone else he knows at a gay bar and ends up asking Simon for a dance.    

Rated: [PG–13] – Thematic Elements, Sexual References, Language & Teen Partying
Available on 4K & Regular Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy

Nicholas Sparks Films Volume II

The Last Song (2010)

C. – 107m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Untitled Miley Cyrus Project
Screenplay & Novelization By: Nicholas Sparks.
Starring: Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth and Greg Kinnear.

An angry and rebellious city–girl teen girl is sent, with her brother, to spend the summer with her father. Their mutual love of music helps them reconnect. Along the way she finds happiness with a teen boy about her age. Relatable and realistic view of teen–hood played out with the usual sentimental touches by Sparks. The cast is in fine form as well. This is as near perfect as a Sparks film and novel can get!

Trivia: Written for the screen especially for Miley Cyrus by Nicholas Sparks. After the film was made he wrote the novelization of it. Reportedly Liam Hemsworth never played beach volleyball before making this film and even lied about having played it during his audition. Miley Cyrus worked with a dialect coach to lose her southern accent and she learned to play classical piano for the film. Greg Kinnear had to leave the production for a few days when his daughter Katie was born. Kinnear and Hemsworth attended workshops on making stain glass windows. This was the film that Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus started dating during. This also happens to be one of only two of Sparks’ films that are rated: [PG]. The other is A Walk To Remember (2002).

Rated: [PG] – Thematic Material, Some Violence, Sensuality & Mild Language.
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.

Dear John (2010)

C. – 108m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen. / 2.40:1 – Widescreen. (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Channing Tatum, Richard Jenkins and Henry Thomas.

A soldier falls in love with a conservative college girl while at home on leave. Complications ensue. Another near perfect Sparks film that tackles Autism Level 1 as well! Everyone is I top form here. Some of it may be hard to take for some but if one sits through the entire film, it pays off well. The novel is equally good. Like the other Sparks film of that year, The Last Song (2010), this film features an angry protagonist. 

Trivia: This was the first of two Nicholas Sparks films to focus on people in the armed forces. The other was: The Lucky One (2012). This is also the first Sparks novel / film to deal with Autism Level 1 / Asperger’s Syndrome. Something that endears it to this reviewer. Reportedly the character played by Richard Jenkins was inspired by Sparks’ own son who has Asperger’s Syndrome / Autism Level 1. The title is a military term for a letter in which a girl breaks up with a soldier. Amanda Seyfried wrote the song her character sings to Tatum’s character, titled: “Little House.” It can be found, in its entirety, on the soundtrack to the film. On this film’s opening weekend in the United States, it shot to number one, knocking James Cameron’s Avatar (2009) off of its seven–week perch.

Rated: [PG–13] – Some Sensuality & Violence.

The Lucky One (2012)

C. – 101m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen. / 2.40:1 – Widescreen. (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling and Blythe Danner.

After serving three tours of duty in Iraq a Marine travels to Louisiana to find a woman he believes was his good–luck charm. There is no question about it, Sparks has a formula to his work but this is yet another film that turned out well from yet another compelling book by Sparks. The pacing is a bit show but the story unfolds in due course.

Trivia: The house where Beth lives in this film, is the same house where Tucker lives in The Best Of Me (2014).

Rated: [PG–13] – Some Sexuality & Violence
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.

Safe Haven (2013)

C. – 115m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen. / 2.40:1 – Widescreen. (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel.

A woman with a mysterious past shows up in a small town and takes up with a widower and it raises questions about her past. What happens next? The town is totally unprepared for. Hold on to your seat. An unexpectedly delicious romantic thriller plays like a modern B – Movie of the 1940’s and 1950’s but rises above it. Cast is in top form and so was Sparks with this novel! Another near–perfect Sparks outing. 

Trivia: Notable as the first Nicholas Sparks film to have an actual antagonist.

Rated: [PG–13] – Thematic Material Involving Threatening Behavior, And Violence & Sexuality.
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy