It's good to be back reviewing! :D

This week, I screened Water for Elephants at work, and I was definitely not disappointed! Which is good because I had an opening shift the next day. 

The storyline is pretty simple. Boy is about to graduate from college, drops out when his family is killed, runs away and joins the circus and meets the girl of his dreams. It's simplicity at it's best! It's refreshing to follow a storyline you've seen before without all the confusing plot twists and action-packedness. Just sit, and enjoy.

This movie was cast well. The lead, Jacob, is played by Robert Pattinson, and I JUST made a funny connection...Edward is playing Jacob. Ha.

Ugh. I'm sorry. I didn't want to make a Twilight reference. Especially since the first 15 minutes of the movie, my coworkers wouldn't stop making Twilight jokes. 

I'm off topic.

Jacob's parents die in a car crash, and he loses everything they own to the bank. He dropped out of Cornell where he was studying veterinary sciences, and walks. He doesn't know where he's going. Just...away. He jumps onto a passing train, to discover that it's a circus train.

Pattinson does actually do a very good job. Yes, at first all I could think of is Twilight (not only because of my coworkers.) but he really does prove to me that he's not a one-note wonder. I also didn't really mind whenever he spoke Polish. That was nice. :D

Jacob plays off that he graduated Cornell and weasels his way into being the traveling circus's vet.

Reese Witherspoon plays Marlena. She is both the Ringmaster's wife, and one of the acts. She works with the horses, and basically enchants Jacob. 

The Ringmaster, August....is one messed up dude. So, naturally, you need an amazing actor that can play "messed up" pretty well. Christoph Waltz was perfectly charming and evil. He is territorial about his "things" aka Marlena, and will do anything (and I mean...ANYTHING) to keep his show alive while the world is in a depression (oh yeah, that's when the movie's set....by the way...)

Now, at the beginning of the movie when Jacob joins the circus, they make a joke about how they don't have any elephants. I was shocked...I wanted to see elephants! Not some silly movie title metaphor! But, eventually...there is an elephant. No worries. Her name is Rosie, and she was magnificent. I applaud the animal trainers for this movie! 

The movie itself is filmed very well. Each shot is beautiful and were fluid. I suppose you can say that my "4th wall" wasn't broken at all, well...not that much, anyway. 

I want to warn you...You will definitely want to go to a circus after this movie. And/or ride/want an elephant.

Should you see it in theaters? Yes, definitely. The film is beautiful, and seeing it on the big screen will only make it even more so.

Oscar nods? I hope there are a few! Christoph Waltz should definitely get one. A few movie related nods as well.

Other comments? I still don't think Pattinson is that handsome. He's not bad looking, sure, but...eh. :/

Here's the trailer if you haven't seen it. I didn't see one until the movie was close to release.