The Duff

"People like Pine Tree State matter here," Malloy mean lady Madison tells Bianca. "People such as you ne'er matter." Bianca is also referred to as The Duff, however nearly everybody sounds like one typically.

That's a lie, of course. Bianca—and folks like her—do matter. and sometimes they matter quite an heap additional as adults than the bullies WHO tormented them at school. Bianca is also referred to as a pudding, however nearly everybody sounds like one typically. The crucial factor in life is not what you are referred to as, however WHO you're. and that is a fairly nice message. Paying court to any or all those John Hughes movies from days gone along (The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink), The pudding tells United States that beneath all the labels and within all the cliques we're very simply folks. And it'd positive be nice if we tend to might all be somewhat nicer to at least one another.

Alas, the film is not all that nice itself. It means that to an adequate degree, however it slathers on a good deal of supererogatory sexual content, and that is unfortunate. Sure, it's nice to mention we've all been wherever Bianca's at—as long as "been there" does not embody creating out at the college newspaper or doing Jell-O shots at a celebration. however that is not precisely what we're told here. The insecurities we tend to expertise in highschool ar pretty universal. We're all traditional, the story says—as long as we're willing to swear up a storm, party hearty and have interaction in serious fondling, that is. within the pudding, owning your quirks solely goes thus far.

Bianca and Wesley were the most effective of friends after they were still drinking from juice boxes. however funny things happen after you hit time of life and, perhaps additional significantly, highschool. Wesley, endued with a rocket arm and Brad Pitt glint, gravitated toward the squad and Malloy High's perennial alpha caste. Bianca, what together with her fondness for flannel and preference for sleazy horror flicks, wasn't precisely alpha material. however she still became BFFs with Jess and Casey, 2 of the prettiest ladies at school. And for years, the 3 of them were indivisible. 

They were, that is, till one fateful party once Wesley sidles up to Bianca and asks her what Jess and Casey ar up to. Bianca gently informs Wes that she—contrary to widespread opinion—is not her sisters' keeper.

You reasonably ar, though, Wesley says, since you are their "DUFF." 

"What?" Bianca asks.

"You know, DUFF. selected Ugly Fat Friend." 

DUFFs aren't essentially ugly or fat, Wesley reassures her—they simply look that manner by comparison. DUFFs, he explains, function gatekeepers for his or her prettier, additional widespread associates—nonthreatening, approachable guardians WHO, of course, ne'er create a threat to the superior friends' position. For Wesley, being referred to as a pudding isn't Associate in Nursing insult, however an easy descriptor of somebody activity a vital social science duty. Frankly, Wesley thinks Bianca ought to be downright happy concerning her standing. After all, if she wasn't serving as pudding to 2 of Malloy's most beautiful gals, her social scenario could be south of the child WHO fare boogers in study hall.

"You friended up!" he says.

But for some reason, Bianca does not feel all that grateful. She dumps a drink on Wesley, unfriends her friends on Facebook and return to pout. And once she's squeezed out the last bit of solace she will from her flannel pajamas, she crawls back to Wesley for facilitate.

She does not wish to be the pudding any longer, Bianca explains. "I wish to be the dated one." 

But un-DUFFing somebody is not as straightforward as waving a wand, Wesley tells her. He'll have to be compelled to place her through a rigorous coaching regime to alter her social group trajectory—and even then it'd not work.

The bigger question, Wes says, is why would she wish it to?

GENRE

Comedy, Romance

CAST

Mae Whitman as Bianca; Robbie Amell as Wesley; Bella Thorne as Madison; Bianca A. Santos as Casey; Skyler Samuels as Jess; Romany Malco as Principal Buchanon; Nick Eversman as Toby; Chris Wylde as Mr. Filmore; Ken Jeong as Mr. Arthur; Allison Janney as Dottie

DIRECTOR

Ari Sandel

DISTRIBUTOR

Lionsgate

IN THEATERS

February 20, 2015

REVIEWER

Paul Asay

source:http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/duff.aspx

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Beyond the Mask

Beyond The Mask; William painter is nice at killing. It's his job, thus he rather should be. however he is able to be finished his deadly vocation, serving a people East India Company as its go-to "fixer" once circumstances do not compute within the authoritative commerce firm's favor.

William's old boss, Charles Kemp, appears amenable to his chief assassin's want to retire to a quiet life within the British rural area. then again he promptly stages AN explosion, tearing the dude's carriage to bits. Charles' favorite hit man merely is aware of an excessive amount of to run away. 

But the sly former assassin survives, unbeknownst to anyone, assumptive the identity of the vicar World Health Organization died whereas warning him of the attack. you'll decision it AN 18th-century version of the witness protection program. And whereas concealment get in alittle English parish, William begins to believe that maybe a replacement life is so possible—even if it's one he ne'er would have chosen himself and one he is really rather ill-suited for, given his deep doubts concerning the Creator. It helps that he is falling for an exquisite, devout fille named Charlotte. which she's falling for him, too. except for a person with a past as violent as William Reynolds', blithely ever when ne'er comes quietly. 

The couple is on the edge of wedding once Charles discovers William continues to be alive. the previous hunter instantly becomes the afraid, with William fleeing to what he hopes may be a sanctuary of safety and obscurity across the Atlantic, in Philadelphia. however even from that nice distance he is determined to sway Charlotte—who currently is aware of his real identity—that he is modified, that he is most quite a heartless criminal.

Beyond the assorted Left Behind flicks, Christian moviemakers seldom venture into the spiritually chartless territory of action/adventure. however on the far side the Mask intrepidly climbs abreast of constant stage as National Treasure and Zorro with a story that is 2 elements historical fiction, one half romance and one half school flannelgraph lesson.

The first half propels quite ton of conflict and violence our means. we have a tendency to see shootings and shockings and beatings amid a frolicsome yarn that spans continents and genres. 

The last half proffers expressly Christ-centered themes, significantly within the space of religious redemption. we have a tendency to watch as a person who's created unhealthy (murderous) selections in his life is suddenly impelled by like to totally amendment. In most movies, that might be an excellent life lesson, spare in and of itself to inspire moviegoers and build them cheer the new goodness of the person. on the far side the Mask goes on the far side that stock story plan, though, leading North American country through the (theological) logic of however God should be a section of our amendment for it to essentially stick. Indeed, William's extreme soul makeover falls short ... till he realizes that the redemption he longs for is not one thing he will grasp through his own efforts, solely one thing which will be received from the Almighty.

Screenwriter Paul McCusker (full disclosure: Paul has been a driving artistic force focused  on the Family's Adventures in Odyssey series since the late 1980s) told blocked In, "I hope on the far side the Mask is a story that triggers thoughts concerning forgiveness in its audiences, prompting questions about it. so perhaps to come back to similar conclusions. as a result of except for religion in Christ, you cannot earn redemption. [But] i have been doing drama a protracted time, and i am finding, a lot of usually than not, what we've got {to do|to try to to|to try ANd do} is come back up with an excuse to speak concerning the religion at intervals a story. In different words, you are setting the stage that has all the elements of fine storytelling—which would be plot, characterization, all of these things. however it's quite like C.S. Lewis aforesaid concerning the Narnia stories: 'If individuals get the religion facet, that is nice. And if they do not, a minimum of hopefully they've detected a decent story.' and that i assume that is in all probability the higher thanks to do things."

GENRE

Drama, Action/Adventure, Romance, War

CAST

Andrew Cheney as William Reynolds/The Highwayman; John Rhys-Davies as Charles Kemp; Kara Killmer as Charlotte Holloway; Adetokumboh M'Cormack as Joshua Brand; Thomas D. Mahard as Dr. Harrow; Alan Madlane as Ben Franklin; John Arden McClure as George Washington; Charlie Newhart as Jeremiah Flack

DIRECTOR

Chad Burns (Pendragon: Sword of His Father) 

DISTRIBUTOR

Gathr Films

IN THEATERS

April 6, 2015

REVIEWER

Adam R. Holz

source:http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/beyond-the-mask.aspx

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