Beautiful Creatures

Okay, so I know I've only seen like, 3 movies since the beginning of the New Year but this is the best movie I've seen in 2013! For rizzles! I saw the trailer a few months ago and even the trailer looked liked something I could really dig (they even used a Florence + the Machine song in the trailer--one of my favorite bands ever). I didn't know the two lead actors but the rest of the cast was killer (Emma Thompson? Yes! Jeremy Irons? Yes! Viola Davis? Yes! Emmy Rossum? Yes!). 

Now I know a lot of people might be apprehensive to see this film since it's sadly being referred to as "the next Twilight" but honestly, I didn't see any parallels to Twilight in this film. Yes, it is a love story between an immortal and a human and yes, their families are against their pairing but that's the only thing the two stories have in common. I will say right now that I did enjoy the Twilight series, it is a guilty pleasure of mine but I also can admit without any hesitation that the story is ridiculous and the movies are kind of a joke. That was not the case with "Beautiful Creatures". This film was very well made; the special effects weren't corny and the performances were top notch. 

I was really impressed with Alden Ehrenreich's performance as Ethan Wate, the male lead in the film. Ehrenreich was a pretty much unknown actor and not conventionally handsome so I wasn't expecting to be so taken with him. He was unbelievably charming and genuine. I normally loathe a Southern accent but his accent only added to his character's appeal. Thirty seconds into the film and I was already invested in this character; that rarely happens to me! The story takes place in a small Southern town where no one ever leaves. Ethan Wate longs to leave this town and dreams of going to college "anywhere 1,000 miles from here". The story begins with him having a reoccurring dream about a beautiful black-haired girl who he's never met. The girl he's been dreaming about turns out to be a new student who's recently transferred to his school, Lena Duchannes. He's instantly enamored with her but she initially resists him because she knows that a caster (a witch) can never love a mortal. However, she can't keep him away and eventually she gives in and the two fall crazy in love. I won't give away any more of the story but their love story was really touching. Being the hopeless romantic that I am, I couldn't help but think throughout this film, "I wish somebody loved me like that." :( 

Le sigh...


Anyway, this is a movie that I'd highly recommend. I think you'll also be surprised by how good a film it is. I'm even looking forward to buying it on dvd already and that's saying something! I therefore bestow onto "Beautiful Creatures" four pugs!