The Best and Worst Onscreen Kisses of 2014

There are a few weeks left in the year, but I think we can safely say that the movies with the best kisses have already graced our movie theaters. And this is really important stuff, OK? Generations of teenage girls are being influenced by these kisses every time another shoddy (probably supernatural or dystopian) teenybopper romance comes out. Middle-aged women (your moms, people!) are still helping Nicholas Sparks pay his bills. And although there were a fair share of terrible action movies this year (ahem, 300: Rise of the Spartans or Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For), it was the women in those films that often elevated the material (looking at you, Eva Green). So sexy stuff – it sells, etc.

Along that vein, then, what were the five sexiest moments onscreen this year? The majority of these are kisses, but I’m also going to consider “smoldering looks” and “vigorous lovemaking” among the data. It’s very scientific. Let’s jump into it!

+ Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls, from Veronica Mars. You want smoldering looks? Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring will give you smoldering looks, from his and hers perspectives, no less:

Guh. For all the marshmallow ‘shippers of this relationship out there – and I am among your ranks, so much – this was the ultimate.

Oh, and here, have this:

That was the ultimate, too.

+ Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. OK, so The Amazing Spider-Man 2 wasn’t that great. There were too many villains and Jamie Foxx was kind of wasted and Dane DeHaan was definitely wasted, but it’s upsetting that this series might actually be over and Andrew Garfield will be out of a job, because he is exactly my cup of tea in this role. And of course, he’s Emma Stone’s cup of tea, too, given that they’ve been dating for a few years and their natural, off-camera chemistry thankfully graces every moment they have on-screen together, too.

These are real smiles, people! Look at all those teeth!

Oh, and here, have this. Sinewy muscles for everyone!

+ Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters, from The Fault In Our Stars. Oh, what else is there to say about this movie? It dominated the pop-music realm during the summer, made a solid amount of money, and kept the Shailene Woodley train moving forward. But what worked so beautifully and realistically and believably, I think, out of anything else, was that sex scene and how delicately but honestly it was handled.

All you needed to see was the couple of inches of skin from Woodley’s back to know where this was going, and to get swept up in the emotion of it all … and by that I mean, weeping profusely. Like I did, especially at this.

Sorry, not sorry.

+ Noni and Kaz, from Beyond the Lights. Gugu Mbatha-Raw gave two of the year’s most captivating performances in the films Belle and Beyond the Lights, and if you haven’t seen either of them, fix your life. Especially because Beyond the Lights has both some of the year’s most off-putting and touching sex scenes, and it’s still in theaters, and go right now.

There is a lot of gross sex stuff in this movie (it is, after all, an examination of how the music industry commodifies both women’s bodies and their emotions), but there are two scenes in which Mbatha-Raw and her costar Nate Parker really shine: some up-in-the-air sexiness set to Beyonce’s “Drunk in Love” (used far better in this film than in the terrible Fifty Shades of Grey trailers) and a practically silent sex scene later in the film, when they’ve grown more comfortable with each other, more willing to let walls drop, more open to seeing who they really are. Just writing about it is giving me chills.

+ Gamora and Peter Quill, from Guardians of the Galaxy. OK, this is kind of a cheat, because Zoe Saldana and Chris Pratt’s characters don’t actually kiss. But it was a great moment when they didn’t, since it continued Guardians of the Galaxy’s “subvert the superhero genre” agenda. Also interesting that the film’s trailers contained brief glimpses of Gamora and Quill shirtless, but those scenes were both deleted from the final cut. A subversion, sure, but still sexy.

And, a few of the worst of the year:

+ Labor Day: Just because a convict can bake a pie does not mean you should have sex with him.

+ Winter’s Tale: Just because that mysterious time-traveler with the awful haircut looks like Colin Farrell does not mean you should have sex with him.

+ Million Dollar Arm: Just because your terrible landlord looks like Don Draper but with more Orientalist tendencies does not mean you should have sex with him.

+ The Hundred-Foot Journey: Just because you’re two chefs who realize that you’re in love with each other does not mean you should have sex in your restaurant while serving your parents and mentors.

+ The Legend of Hercules: That guy is Kellan Lutz. ESPECIALLY DO NOT HAVE SEX WITH HIM.

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Travis Hopson's 20 Best Movies of 2014

Everybody calls their list the "best of the year" but don't we really mean our favorites? I'm less interested in what somebody thinks is the best film than learning about the movies that touched them personally. I think we'd see very different "end of the year" coverage if everybody took that approach, and it's what I always try to do when putting together my list.

At the time I'm putting this together I've seen 271 movies, the most I've ever seen by a fairly large margin. I saw 226 films in 2013, a personal record at the time. And seeing so many has both helped and hindered my ability to decide on my favorites. So I'm cheating a little bit and giving some love to my top 20 movies of the year, because I won't be able to sleep knowing some of these weren't mentioned in some small way. Besides, there were a lot of movies on my "Worsts List" so it's only fair to offer more that you might actually want to seek out.

Because I'm a big dork you probably guessed there are a few superhero movies that made the cut, obviously. The X-men bobble heads on my disk nodding their approval as I type that out. And it's not lost on me that a handful of my favorite flicks this year explored the personal connection between an artist and their craft. Some of these films I've been championing all year, some just snuck up on me in the last couple of weeks, but overall it's a pretty diverse range I think. So check out my top 20 films below, be sure to take a look at all of our end of the year review, and let me know your thoughts. Oh, and please spare me the "How could you leave this off??" emails! Just because a movie missed the list doesn't mean I hate it.

20. Begin Again (review here)
19. Whiplash (review here)
18. John Wick (review here)
17. Calvary (review here)
16. Big Hero 6 (review here)
15. Starred Up (review here)
14. Obvious Child (review here)
13. I Origins (review here)
12. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (review here)
11. God Help the Girl (review here)

10. Chef (review here)
Maybe it's thoughts of my own father that inspires my love for Jon Favreau's culinary comedy, Chef. While the film draws parallels with Favreau's filmmaking career, going from inspired indie stalwart to bored purveyor of blockbuster fluff, it's also the story of a father who hopes to pass on a meaningful legacy to his son. My father passed down his love of movies to me, the same way Favreau's character passes on a good grilled cheese, and for that I'm forever grateful. Favreau's film sees him returning to the art house world, bringing along some big names like Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, and Sofia Vergara, for a mouth-watering road trip film that will make you laugh, cry, and book dinner reservations with the quickness. He plays a big time chef who has lost his creative mojo, but recaptures it after opening a food truck with his kid.

9. Top Five (review here)

Another movie about an entertainer coming to terms with his own popularity, Chris Rock's Top Five bristles with the energy of the streets and the comedian's scathing stand-up act. Rock plays essentially a version of himself as a funnyman looking to become a serious actor, but finding that nobody really cares about all that stuff. It's Rock's most personal film to date, and so it makes sense that it's also the one where he gets the most raw. He rips into Hollywood stereotypes and tears into issues of love, sex, politics, and race, all the while forging an unbreakable romantic bond with co-star Rosario Dawson. I even loved his top 5 list of hip-hop's greatest rappers. That's how deep my love of this movie goes.

8. The Fault in Our Stars (review here)
 I'm not supposed to want to watch a movie like this a bunch of times, right? And yet The Fault in Our Stars is a movie I could watch endlessly because it's not so much about the pain of dying, but the joys of life. With a wry sense of humor, a dash of teen angst, and two remarkable performances by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, this adaptation of John Green's best-selling novel refuses to give in to cliches of the genre. While definitely a weeper requiring an entire box of Kleenex to endure, there is never a manipulative moment even when it would have been easier story-wise for there to be one.

7. Birdman (review here)
 I hate when people say Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's kinetic, virtuoso meta-comedy Birdman is Michael Keaton's big comeback. He's been great for a long time and his talents didn't diminish just because he's been out of the spotlight. Birdman is the most high-profile thing he's done in awhile (Need for Speed doesn't count because it sucks) and as Riggan Thompson, a former superhero actor looking to become a respected thespian (this is becoming a theme, isn't it?) he shows us levels of sadness, desperation, and rage we haven't seen from him in awhile. While his performance alone would be worthy of putting Birdman on anybody's list, one can't overlook the flawless cinematic contribution of DP Emmanuelle Lubezki who literally doesn't give us a moment to blink; his camera always moving. The supporting ensemble is equally great with Emma Stone and Edward Norton, the latter playing a manic, heightened version of himself. But what's most startling to me is the total change of gears this was for Inarritu. There is almost no connecting tissue between Birdman and the multi-tiered, heavy moral dramas of his past. It leaves me fascinated by what he'll attempt next.

6. X-men: Days of Future Past (review here)
You pretty much have me with anything involving the heroic, flawed, histrionic mutants in the X-men. I've been reading the comic for basically my entire life and have loved just about every movie (that wasn't an insult like X-men: The Last Stand), but X-men: Days of Future Past is the first one that gets everything right. With so much that could potentially go wrong with the massive cast and three time periods to juggle, Bryan Singer showed a skillful hand in giving every character their moment to shine and every era a unique flavor. The central "love" triangle between Professor X (James McAvoy), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) has all the soap opera elements fans of the comic will love, while the endless array of super powers flung around the screen is impressive.

5. Mommy (review here)

Oh hey, screw you, Academy voters. You may not want to put Xavier Dolan's hyperactive, gloriously unpredictable drama Mommy in the Oscar race, but it damn sure deserved to be there. In truth I wasn't sure I would be able to tolerate breakout star Antoine Oliver Pilon's performance as Steve, a walking powder keg fresh out of jail and into the life of his ill-prepared mother, Diane, played by Anne Dorval.  But this is a film that defies expectations on a character and technical level, with emotions that literally stretch beyond the boundaries of the screen. While Dolan's toying with the aspect ratio may come off as a cheap ploy it proves a crucial element, and paired with an impeccable soundtrack ("Wonderwall" has never been used better. Ever.) Mommy is a huge leap forward for the young filmmaker. As Diane and Steve settle into a messy but rewarding friendship with a mousy neighbor (Suzanne Clement), the mother/son bond bends but never breaks. Considering the mommy issues Dolan has sought to highlight in his previous films, it's refreshing to see him explore it from a more positive angle and in such an exhilarating way.

4. A Most Violent Year
I don't know how he does it, but JC Chandor has now made three movies that look like they come from three different filmmakers. Margin Call is as different from All is Lost which is a country mile from A Most Violent Year, one of the best crime dramas in recent memory. For me, there's The Godfather and nothing else need apply for the crown, but A Most Violent Year is the first film to make me reconsider. Set in 1981 during the most violent year in New York City history, the story follows a level-headed heating oil magnate played by Oscar Isaac. When outside forces begin to violently put a crimp in his business, he begins to find it hard to stay on an even keel, and it doesn't help that his wife (Jessica Chastain) seems to be pushing him to take aggressive action. As an exploration of the American Dream and the nasty, corrupt things one must do to attain it, A Most Violent Year is without peer. And it doesn't hurt that it features crisp, cold cinematography by Bradford Young, who will be mentioned again later on this list.

3. The Raid 2 (review here)
All year I've been telling people that Gareth Evans' jaw-jacking sequel The Raid 2: Berendal would end up in my top 3. Nobody believed me. Why is that so crazy? Is there a better action director anywhere than Evans right now? How can he keep finding news to thrill us? How does he keep finding unique angle to show star Iko Uwais bashing some guy's brains in? No other scene had my heart racing faster than the fight with Baseball Bat Guy and Hammer Girl, an intense cramped quarters rumble of impeccable stunt choreography. While some may balk at the 2 1/2 hour run time or the expanded gangster storyline, for me it only added to the franchise's charm. While The Raid was like one long video game, The Raid 2 has a different energy yet still gives us the hardcore brutality we love. How Evans can possibly top this is beyond me but I can't wait to see him try.

2. Frank (review here)

Frank, you had me at "Michael Fassbender under a giant papier-mache head". It's that kind of boldness, that willingness to embrace something so weird that makes Lenny Abrambson's exploration of creative genius and insanity so lovable. Domhnall Gleeson plays a hopeless musician who falls in with a quirky band of weirdos led by the titular masked singer, who may or may not be a complete lunatic. While he latches on to their creative energy without bringing much of his own, he also tries to push them into the mainstream, which doesn't go over so well with the band. From the searing soundtrack (performed live by the cast) to the off-kilter tone, Frank celebrates individuality in all its forms while quietly lamenting those who crave conformity.

1. Selma 
I worried about Selma from the moment it was announced. How could I not with Lee Daniels (briefly) at the helm? He had already squandered a wealth of talent and an amazing story with The Butler, and would probably do it again here. Thank goodness for Ava DuVernay. It's incredible that Selma is only her third film because she has the skill of a seasoned veteran, boiling down a few months in Martin Luther King's campaign for voting rights into a profound statement on the power of people to affect change. Refusing to conform to standard biopic pitfalls, Selma lets us in on the ground floor of King's movement, putting us in touch with the immediacy of his cause. Depicted with warmth and commanding presence by David Oyelowo, King is honored but never idolized; the cracks in his armor seen in tense struggles with his wife Coretta, President Lyndon Johnson, and his own supporters. But through all the human frailties arose a powerful leader. And chalk up another win for cinematographer Bradford Young, whose vivid imagery captures the urgency of the time. With so much going on in this country right now in terms of race relations, the importance of an inspiring, relevant, and yes extremely crowd-pleasing film like Selma can't be overstated.

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Box Office: 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' Scores 2014's Biggest Opening Weekend

1. Transformers: Age of Extinction- $100M
It appears there's a lot more energon in the tank of Paramount's Transformers franchise as Transformers: Age of Extinction scored the biggest opening weekend of 2014 with $100M. The fourth film in the series and the second to be called Michael Bay's finale (we'll see about that), this is also the first to open on a Friday, oddly enough, and the results were $41M on that first night alone. The film was also a Chinese co-production with the action taking place partly in Hong Kong, and that no doubt factored into the strong $30M it earned there as part of a $201M international haul. At $301M on the first weekend there's every reason to think it will cross the $1B mark just as the last film did. One has to consider the addition of Mark Wahlberg, who is signed up for multiple movies, had a hand to play in keeping audiences interested at a time when most franchises start to die out. Whether Bay returns for the already-confirmed Transformers 5 in 2016 is unknown but if not he's going out with a band, just as we'd expect him to.
2. 22 Jump Street- $15.4M/$139.8M
3. How to Train Your Dragon 2- $13.1M/$121.8M
4. Think Like a Man Too - $10.4/$48.1M
On less solid footing than the prior movie, Think Like A Man Too slipped 64% and seems a long shot to match Think Like A Man's $96M run.
5. Maleficent- $8.2M/$201.8M
6. Jersey Boys- $7.6M/$27.3M
7. Edge of Tomorrow- $5.2M/$84.1M
8. The Fault In Our Stars- $4.8M/$109.5M
9. X-men: Days of Future Past- $3.3M/$223.3M
Skirts past the $700M mark worldwide. 
10. Chef- $1.6M/$19.4M
Jon Favreau's little culinary film keeps on cookin', slipping only 3% from last week.

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Box Office: 'Think Like A Man Too' Gambles and Wins with $30M; 'Jersey Boys' Only $13M

1. Think Like A Man Too- $30M
To nobody's surprise Think Like a Man Too was the top new release o the week with $30M. What may be a little bit unexpected was the total, which checks in at less than the $33M debut of 2012's Think Like A Man. The reasons for this probably have to do with their being a greater uptick in the number of African-American comedies, nearly all of which star Kevin Hart who really blew up after the first film. For him, this is a stronger open than the $25M About Last Night earned, and considerably less than Ride Along's $41M. But the good thing about it is none of these movies cost all that much, and Think Like A Man Too only ran about $24M so Screen Gems is pretty happy right now and probably thinking of what exotic locale to take the gang next. Think Like A Man Three: European Vacation?
2. 22 Jump Street- $29M/$111.4M
Slipping 49% in its second weekend was 22 Jump Street, but at $149M worldwide there's every reason to expect it will surpass the $201M total haul of 21 Jump Street.
3. How to Train Your Dragon 2- $25.3M/$95.1M
Dreamworks isn't getting quite what they hoped for out of How to Train Your Dragon 2, which after two weeks isn't performing much better than the original hit movie. Worldwide it has only gained about $131M, well below the prior film's $500M.
4. Jersey Boys- $13.5M
Maybe they should have held all of the Jersey Boys screenings before 5pm, included with an Early Bird Special? Clearly, Clint Eastwood was hoping his fellow octogenarians would carry his adaptation of the hit Broadway musical to greater heights than a mere $13.5M but they simply didn't turn out for the film. This is especially notable since older-skewing movies have been performing like gangbusters of late, which means some of the blame has to fall on Warner Bros.' marketing which relied less on the popularity of the musical or the Four Seasons' music than they did on Eastwood's name. And as we've seen with a movie like Trouble with the Curve, Eastwood's name doesn't quite hold the same cache it used to. The odd summer release schedule probably didn't help as this would normally be the type of film we'd see in the fall.
5. Maleficent- $13M/$185.9M
6. Edge of Tomorrow- $10.3M/$74.5M
For further proof that domestic grosses don't mean much anymore, simply look at the $181M earned by Tom Cruise's Edge of Tomorrow overseas. That brings the total to $255M which doesn't look bad at all, does it?
7. The Fault In Our Stars- $8.6M/$98.7M
In related news, Kleenex stock up 47% in the last three weeks. By the way, The Fault In Our Stars is wringing tears all around the world, about $42M worth on top of the domestic numbers. In other words, Shailene Woodley is a superstar.
8. X-men: Days of Future Past- $6.2M/$216.7M
9. Chef- $1.8M/$16.9M
If they ever do a live-action Ratatouille they better hire Jon Favreau. 
10. Godzilla- $1.8M/$194.9M

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Box Office: '22 Jump Street' Captures $60M; 'How to Train Your Dragon 2' Burns Up $50M

1. 22 Jump Street- $60M
Remember when the idea of Jonah Hill remaking 21 Jump Street seemed like the worst idea ever? That film went on to over $200M, becoming one of the highest-grossing R-rated comedies, and and now 22 Jump Street is poised to do even better. The sequel opened to a whopping $60M, the fifth best weekend for a comedy ever and far better than 21 Jump Street's $36M debut. That film had remarkably long legs bolstered by strong word-of-mouth, and considering the reviews for the sequel have been just as good, we could be looking at a similarly lengthy run. Obviously this is a huge feather in the cap of Hill, Channing Tatum, and cIce Cube, but probably the biggest beneficiary of these numbers is co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The duo already have one 2014 hit under their belts with The Lego Movie, and if 22 Jump Street's numbers hold they will be the first directors ever to have two $60M debuting films in the same calendar year. Sony is probably already on the phone with everybody and ordering up a trip (next door, as it were) to 23 Jump Street.
2. How to Train Your Dragon 2- $50M
Dreamworks was probably expecting How to Train Your Dragon 2 to soar to greater heights, but the $50M opening weekend does surpass the first film's $43M premiere. It's just that we tend to see bigger bumps on animated sequels, although to be fair most of them don't face a buzzsaw the likes of 22 Jump Street, or strong holdovers in Maleficent, Edge of Tomorrow, X-men: Days of Future Past, and The Fault In Our Stars.There aren't a ton of family-friendly options until deep into July so the film will do well here and overseas. No matter what we're going to get How to Train Your Dragon 3 which is already set to open in 2016.
3. Maleficent- $19M/$163.5M
4. Edge of Tomorrow- $16.1M/$56.6M
Tom Cruise's Edge of Tomorrow slipped 44% from last week which is actually pretty good and suggests the positive reviews are having an effect. While these numbers are still disappointing,Cruise's global appeal has earned it an additional $111M on the foreign market.
5. The Fault In Our Stars- $15.7M/$81.7M
Good news and bad news for Shailene Woodley's acclaimed cancer drama, The Fault In Our Stars. The bad news is it tumbled hard, losing 67% after opening at #1. I guess every drop of tears was spilled last week and nobody had it in them to spill any more. The good news is the film has already banked $98M if you count international totals, more than making up the $12M budget.
6. X-men: Days of Future Past- $9.5M/$205.9M
Bryan Singer's all-star mutant jam X-men: Days of Future Past has now overtaken The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as the highest-grossing film of the summer, and currently sits at $633M worldwide.
7. Godzilla- $3.1M/$191.3M
8. A Million Ways to Die in the West- $3M/$38.9M
9. Neighbors- $2.4M/$143.1M
10. Chef- $2.2M/$14M

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Punch Drunk Podcast: The Fault In Our Stars; Edge of Tomorrow

Sci-fi action and tear jerking love stories on this weeks episode of the Punch Drunk Podcast when we venture into exo-skeletons and rebirth in Edge of Tomorrow. Then it's onto young love with a heartbreaking twist as we review Shailene Woodley's latest, The Fault in our Stars.

You didn't think we'd go an episode without talking about Game of Thrones, did you? Especially not after last week's landmark episode The Viper and The Mountain. Well go deep into what stands to be the most shocking episode of this season.

The Punch Drunk Podcast airs live every Sunday morning at 11AM on Blogtalkradio.

Find Additional Film Podcasts with The Punch Drunk Podcast on BlogTalkRadio

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Box Office: 'The Fault In Our Stars' Takes Down Tom Cruise with $48M Debut

1. The Fault In Our Stars- $48.2M
Shailene Woodley kicked Tom Cruise's ass this weekend as The Fault In Our Stars opened to $48.2M after a huge $26M Friday night.  The film had a huge built-in audience thanks to author John Green's ubiquitous social media presence, and that the book has been a best-seller for months, but I think how well the film did will come as a bigger surprise to older audiences who might have expected Cruise to rule the day. Only a handful of films into her career and Woodley has established herself as a critical and box office darling. She already has a franchise in Divergent to call her own, and the dramatic credentials to possibly contend for awards down the line.
2. Maleficent- $33.5M/$127.3M
Angelina Jolie's Maleficent held on well enough, slipping only 52% from last week. That's not bad considering the competition from two new films targeting its core audience. Disney has to be pleased, especially with an additional $208M overseas giving the film $335M in only two weeks.
3. Edge of Tomorrow- $29.1M
 On the other hand, sci-fi continues to not be Tom Cruise's friend at the box office, at least not domestically. Edge of Tomorrow opened at $29.1M, trailing the $37M debut of Oblivion, which didn't do so hot either. At this point Cruise is more of a global star than he is here in America as the film racked up an impressive $60M on the international scene, and should help put a dent in the $175M+ budget, the most expensive of Cruise's lengthy career.
4. X-men: Days of Future Past- $14.7M/$189.1M
5. A Million Ways to Die in the West- $7.1M/$30M
6. Godzilla- $5.9M/$185M
7. Neighbors- $5.2M/$137.8M
8. Blended- $4M/$36.5M
9. Chef- $2.6M/$10.3M
Bolstered by strong reviews and a lot of help from his celebrity pals, Jon Favreau's Chef continues to be an art house sleeper, jumping up 36% in expanded release.
10. Million Dollar Arm- $1.8M/$31.3M

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Cinema Royale #65- The Fault In Our Stars; Edge of Tomorrow

Get ready for a show of extremes as Cinema Royale is joined by Christopher Bumbray of Joblo.com to talk Tom Cruise's action-packed Edge of Tomorrow! Then get the Kleenex ready and prepare to wallow in some tears for Shailene Woodley's heart-wrenching cancer drama, The Fault In Our Stars.

Plus, Words & Pictures director Fred Schepisi stops by to talk about his upcoming rom-com starring Juliette Binoche and Clive Owen.

Cinema Royale is part of the Hashtag Studios Broadcast Network and brings you movie reviews and news straight from the Nation's Capital! Go to www.cinemaroyaleshow.com and subscribe, and while there consider signing up for the premium service for more content and to be entered in our monthly prize drawing!

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Review: 'The Fault In Our Stars' Starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort

One of the great things about John Green's novel, The Fault In Our Stars, is that it isn't a typical cancer story. It isn't a typical anything, really, and even loosely considering it a "cancer story" seems like a momentary injustice. Nor does it quite conform to our traditional notions of sappy, angst-ridden teen romances. There's something quite extraordinary about the novel; its realized characters and full-hearted story of exceptional love, both of the romantic variety and the unbreakable love a parent has for their child. And because of all the things the book gets so right, the fact of Josh Boone's big screen adaptation nailing them so perfectly makes the film all the more special.

Right away the lead character, Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) lets you know this isn't going to your average everyday story, either. Hazel is a brilliant, witty, well-read young woman who also happens to have thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs. Because of it she carries an oxygen tank around with her and has little tubes connected to her nose. But her outlook on the situation is more acerbic than grim, with her clever and funny observations on "cancer perks" drawing the attention of Augustus "Gus" Waters (Ansel Elgort), a handsome, 18-year-old she meets at a cancer support group. Not exactly the ideal meet-cute, but then again nothing about their situation is truly ideal, which makes them finding one another such a thing of pure magic.

See, Augustus is currently in remission from osteosarcoma, ending his basketball career when the disease took his leg. Like Hazel, he has a somewhat offbeat perspective on life, and where she's a bit bleak he's of a sunnier disposition. They complete one another and learn from one another in just about every way imaginable. A voracious reader, Hazel introduces Gus to her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, an extensive tome from a reclusive author now holed up in Amsterdam. Gus loves Hazel almost immediately, ingratiating himself into her life and charming her parents (Laura Dern and Sam Trammell), even though Hazel remains distant in an effort to hurt as few people as possible.

Green's novel, written with incredible care and emotional heft, does much of the heavy lifting for screenwriters Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter (500 Days of Summer and The Spectacular Now); both old hands at penning romances that are a little off the beaten path. They also know how to work with Woodley, who is content presenting Hazel and all of her flaws and quirks. Despite this being a story with a somewhat inevitably heart-wrenching conclusion, none of the characters are treated with kid gloves. Hazel has her issues; she's as stubborn and moody as she is funny and passionate. And while Woodley is careful not to make Hazel too precious, Elgort has the difficult job of making the all-too-perfect Gus seem like a real person. A boy with a fondness for grand symbolic gestures, Gus will give you flashbacks of Say Anything's Lloyd Dobbler, and Elgort's performance on par with John Cusack's. Elgort, who played Woodley's brother in Divergent just a couple of months ago, exudes confidence without being brash. Both he and Woodley capture the frailty and strength in these wonderful, unforgettable characters. Beyond the terrific pop culture references there are so many quotable lines that you'll want to try them out on your significant other.

There are a few small changes from the novel that don't completely work, mainly in the streamlining of the relationship between Hazel and Gus. It's almost too planned, too preordained the journey they are on. As wonderful and heartbreaking as the performances by Dern and Trammell, there needed to be more of Hazel's relationship with her parents, who are on just as much of an emotional roller coaster. But these are small quibbles, and to include more would detract from every cherished moment with Gus and Hazel, and we simply can't have that. The Fault In Our Stars isn't a story about two people dying from cancer, but of two people who lived and loved to the fullest extent despite it. Everything that made John Green's book so great is here, so maybe just this once the world really is "a wish-granting factory."

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*CLOSED* 'The Fault In Our Stars' Advance Screening

If you've read John Green's extraordinary novel, The Fault In Our Stars, then chances are your tears have already soaked the pages. There probably won't be a dry eye in the house when the film, starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort as a pair of cancer-stricken lovers, hits theaters courtesy of director Josh Boone. It's a film I'm excited for and for you all to see, and so we're offering our readers a chance to attend a free advance screening. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 3rd at 7:00pm at Regal Gallery Place in Washington, DC.

To qualify you must first be a fan of Punch Drunk Critics on Facebook,so if you haven't "Liked" us yet please go there and do so now. To win, simply email punchdrunktrav@gmail.com with your full name and the answer to this question:

"Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort starred in another film together in 2014. What was the title of that film and what was their relation in it?"

Winners will be chosen and contacted through Monday June 2nd with a link to download two passes for the screening.

The Fault In Our Stars opens June 6th.

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Five Clips from 'The Fault In Our Stars' with Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort

It won't be all fun, games, and tentpoles this summer as there will be time to shed a few tears. And the film that is likely to have you reaching for a few Kleenex is The Fault In Our Stars, an adaptation of John Green's cherished novel about first love in the face of certain tragedy.

Shailene Woodley reunites with Ansel Elgort, the two of them playing siblings in Divergent just a couple of months ago. Now they'll play two cancer-stricken teens who meet at a support group and fall in love despite their circumstances. It's a story about living in the moment and making the most of the time you have, and in these five clips we see that Woodley is as impressive as ever. She's again working with screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who penned The Spectacular Now for her, another teen romance dealing with some rough issues. Hey, you know it's bad when Woodley herself comes out and says to "get your tissues ready".

The  Fault in Our Stars is directed by Josh Boone and opens June 6th.

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Shailene Woodley Tells a Sad Story in New 'The Fault In Our Stars' Trailer

Shailene Woodley can be seen busting up factions and kicking lots of ass right now in Divergent, and considering the film has been a smash hit she'll be doing it for awhile. But she still finds time to branch out into dramatic territory, where I personally think she excels, and her next shot out of the gate will be The Fault In Our Stars, an adaptation of John Green's bestselling novel about young love, hopes, dreams, and unfortunately cancer.

A new trailer for the film has been released, and it seems to be walking a nice balance between sad and hopeful, funny and poignant. Woodley and her Divergent co-star Ansel Elgort play two teenagers stricken with cancer who meet at a support group and fall in love. The chemistry between the two is palpable (he played her brother in Divergent which is...weird), and I suspect there will be plenty of misty eyes in the theater. People should enjoy this innocent version of Woodley while they can because once White Bird in a Blizzard comes out all that stuff goes out the window.

Directed by Josh Boone, The Fault In Our Stars opens June 6th.

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First Clip from 'The Fault in Our Stars' Starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort

Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort may be Abnegation siblings in Divergent (until they split off into other factions), but they'll play cancer-stricken lovers in The Fault in Our Stars. Directed by Josh Boone and based on John Green's best-selling book, the film centers mostly on Hazel Grace, who is forced to attend a cancer support group where she sparks a reluctant romance with Gus, one that will lift their spirits as they battle the disease which threatens to claim them both.

The first clip debuted last night during the MTV Movie Awards, and it takes place just after their first encounter. If it sticks to the book's timeline of events, he's just told Hazel how much she resembles Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta and invites her over to watch the movie, only to nearly ruin everything by popping a cigarette into his mouth, an act which offends her greatly.

The Fault in Our Stars opens June 6th.

Get More: 2014 MTV Movie Awards, Latest Movie News, Ansel Elgort, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe

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Shailene Woodley Finds Love in First 'The Fault in Our Stars' Trailer

The path chosen by Shailene Woodley has been an interesting one, in that all of her films have always had a certain intelligence and maturity to them. Making her breakout in the Oscar-winner The Descendants, she moved on to teen alcoholism drama The Spectacular Now, and later this year will star in her first franchise in Divergent. When people see her, totally exposed and doing some very adult things in White Bird in a Blizzard (review of that to come shortly), it may be shocking until you realize she's always been pretty mature, anyway. And the same goes for The Fault in Our Stars, which looks like a simple story of young passionate love, but is really about so much more.

The first trailer for The Fault in Our Stars has been released, based on John Green's best-selling book directed by Josh Boone.This heartbreaker of a story centers on Hazel (Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort), two cancer patients who fall in love in a support group and embark on an incredible journey...one where every moment spent together is something to be valued. It's a different sort of role for Woodley, and the story isn't as precious as one might think. There are a lot of very tough patches and their probably won't be a dry eye in the house, so pack plenty of tissues.

Co-starring Laura Dern, Mike Birbiglia, Nat Wolff, and Sam Trammell, The Fault in Our Stars opens June 6th 2014.

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First Look at Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort in 'The Fault in Our Stars'

If the poster for The Fault in Our Stars was enough to have you racing for the Kleenex, then this first image is likely to do the same. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star in the adaptation of John Green's best-selling novel as Hazel and Gus, who fall in love while attending a support group for cancer patients.

Those who have read the book will recognize this image right away, as it takes place in the Anne Frank house after they flew to Amsterdam to meet their favorite author, Peter van Houten. Without giving anything away, their relationship takes a more serious turn after this scene, and not all of it will be pleasant, but this is one of the happier beats in what is going to be a definite tear-jerker later this year.

Directed by Josh Boone, The Fault in Our Stars opens June 6th. Look for the trailer to debut soon. [EW]

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First Poster for 'The Fault in Our Stars' Starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort

Time to start breaking out the Kleenex. Next year brings to the big screen John Green's best-selling coming of age novel, The Fault in Our Stars, and those who have read the story of the relationship between two cancer-stricken teens is going to have a lot of people wiping away tears. They might even start shedding a few now with the arrival of the first poster, which features the tagline "One Sick Love Story".  Awwww damn! *sniffle*

Shailene Woodley plays the feisty and acerbic Hazel Grace, who falls in love with Gus (Ansel Elgort) in a cancer support group. She suffers from metastasized thyroid cancer, while he's a former basketball player who has already lost a leg to disease, but through one another they experience love and find the courage to carry on.

The Fault in Our Stars opens June 6th, co-starring Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, Mike Birbiglia, and Sam Trammell with Josh Boone directing.

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Sam Trammell Joins 'The Fault in Our Stars'; John Cusack Takes a 'Kickback'; 'Kill the Messenger' Adds Ray Liotta

* It's been a resurgent season for HBO's silly vampire romp True Blood, and part of the reason is that they've finally made Sam Merlotte kind of relatable again. Sure he's still a shapeshifter and has an ongoing beef with werewolves, but we've also seen more of his human side of late, which means we've seen a lot more of Sam Trammell in the role. Now he's breaking away from the supernatural and taking on a major part in The Fault In Our Stars, an adaptation of John Green's incredibly popular book. Trammell will play the father to Shailene Woodley's character, Hazel, a cancer-stricken girl who begins a romance with Augusts (Ansel Elgort), another victim of the disease. Directed by Josh Boone (Stuck in Love) and co-starring Nat Wolff and Laura Dern, filming is set to begin next month. [TheWrap]

* John Cusack, who can be seen giving an unfortunate turn as Richard Nixon in Lee Daniels' The Butler, has joined the cast of Raza Mallal's directorial debut, Kickback. Never heard of it? Join the club. Perhaps it's because the cast includes the washed-up Mischa Barton (she's insurable???), Sean "Samwise Gamgee" Astin, John Hannah, and friggin' Michael Biehn. The story follows "a renegade Moscow detective investigating the murder of a female war journalist. He becomes embroiled in a web of counter espionage involving chemical warfare, and the assassination of the Russian president." Ok, so it could be interesting if done right, but that cast suggests this won't have the greatest production values.

* Ray Liotta will shed his Mafia thug persona in favor of playing a government mole in Kill the Messenger, Michael Cuesta's film about late journalist Gary Webb. Jeremy Renner stars as Webb, who exposed the CIA's connection to drug and arms trafficking with Contra rebels, only to have the agency smear him in the media and wreck his career. Webb would ultimately commit suicide as a result. Liotta will play a former CIA agent who corroborates Webb's story.[Deadline]

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Ansel Elgort wins male lead in 'The Fault In Our Stars'

The male lead in Josh Boone's adaptation of The Fault In Our Stars was one of the most hotly-contested going around Hollywood, with many expecting the film to be a big deal. Shailene Woodley was already set for the lead role of Hazel, and just a few days ago five actors were said to be testing for the role of Augustus "Gus" Waters, the cancer-stricken boy she forms a relationship with. It appears that all of the chemistry reads are done, as producers have offered the part to Ansel Elgort.

In a way it's not surprising that Elgort was chosen, as he's currently filming the adaptation of Veronica Roth's YA novel, Divergent, which also features Woodley in the lead role. He'll also be seen this fall opposite Chloe Moretz in the Carrie remake, so this has turned out to be the biggest year of his short career. The role of Gus could be the one that makes him a star, though. Gus lost his leg to cancer but still maintains his whip smart, charismatic attitude that ultimately wins over Hazel after they meet in a cancer support group.

Written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber (500 Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now), filming is set to begin this August.[EW]

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