Your Favorite Movie Sucks!

“In criticism I will be bold, and as sternly, absolutely just with friend and foe. From this purpose nothing shall turn me.” – Edgar Allen Poe

In the age of social media – where everyone’s opinion can be heard, no matter an expert or a novice on the subject – the skills of discussion and debate have become a lost art. Instead of using sound reasoning or empathy to understand another individual or groups point of view, many people have resorted to having the loudest voice and most extreme opinions in order to be heard and “win” the argument. Whether on Twitter, Facebook or even in person, people ascribe to the notion that the opposing argument must be utterly asinine in order for their opinion to be correct – which contradicts the definition of an opinion. What lies at the root of the hostility on social media and in casual entertainment discussion is the lack of understanding that nearly all forms of entertainment are subjective and not objective.

Their is no perfect movie for everyone and that movie you just watched and loathed is someone’s favorite film. Genres in music arose because someone was not a fan of the music they heard and created a new type of music. There’s a reason some people fall asleep every time they read an assigned classic novel from a literature course, but enjoy reading the funnies out of the newspaper every morning. People are complex, but more importantly, unique individuals with different personalities, beliefs, experiences and perspectives that shape the way they digest and consume entertainment.

The way humans consume food is remarkably similar to how we consume television, film, music, literature, and numerous other forms of content. Our taste buds cause us to enjoy different types of food based on things like texture, flavor, temperature, and many other factors. Some people love spicy foods, while others aren’t able to enjoy the food through the heat. Some people have a low tolerance for salt, and some people shower their pretzels with it (guilty). Because of this no one likes the exact same food. This is the same way we consume entertainment, or for the purpose of this article, how we enjoy movies.

Our personalities, life experiences, and beliefs shape our overall “taste buds” for movies. Some people love action flicks, and others shudder at the thought of blood and violence. Some people enjoy a raunchy, vulgar comedy, while others prefer a cleaner, more family-friendly tone. If you ask almost anyone they have a restaurant that they frequent very often because it has food that appeals to their taste buds the most. Just like a favorite restaurant, most people have a film that they go back and watch time and again because it appeals to their movie taste so much. What’s more fun than finding a favorite restaurant? Finding other people who love it too! We are so excited when we learn that someone else loves the same food as us and it creates a bonding moment within the friendship. Much like food, people love to enjoy their favorite films with others who have the same adoration for the movie as they do.

Now imagine this scenario: You tweet out a picture of a burger from your favorite restaurant with a caption saying, “I loved this cheeseburger from [insert restaurant]. It was one of the best I’ve ever had. I recommend anyone go eat there.” Regardless about how you feel about foodies instagraming their meals all the time, this is a harmless tweet to express your enjoyment of a burger. You get a couple likes and retweets and then some replies with this: “You are a f*cking dumb*ss. I ate that burger and it was a piece of sh*t. Only f*cking retards eat there. Enjoy your sh*t sandwich idiot.” A slightly unfair response at the least I would say. While the language and vocabulary may be exaggerated – only slightly – this is a representation of how we talk to people about movies. The rude responder in this scenario probably only disliked that burger and never really had a strong opinion on the matter, but when he saw someone who really enjoyed  the burger he resorted to insulting and humiliating the individual for liking the burger. It seems utterly ridiculous to chastise someone so harshly for enjoying a meal, but people often resort to this kind of dialogue when discussing movies. I think this is a result of 2 misconceptions about film and how we talk about it.

First, we have confused passion with being extreme and one-sided. For example, last year La La Land came out and received critical claim from film festivals and critics in early reviews. Thus, it had a lot of hype surrounding its wide release in theaters. This energy led people to react in a way that is sadly too common. If you don’t love it, you have to hate it. The narrative about how people felt about the movie became less and less about the film and the experience people had seeing it and more about being on the “right side”. While that approach can be beneficial in an area of objectivity like science, mathematics, and other quantitative subjects, it is not pertinent to film discussion and debate.

The goal of discussing film should not be to win an argument, but to empathize and gain perspective from others about a film. That is not to say that friendly debates about movies are pointless. Having constructive arguments with other film goers allows us to develop our knowledge and understanding of film by forcing us to think more critically and intelligently about films. However, we do not gain further enjoyment from movies if every time we discuss them we dig in our heels and force our own perspective and ideas on others. If you truly want to inform others with your opinion and in turn enrich your movie watching experience with their perspective and thoughts, then we must begin approaching film discussion from a communal place of teaching and learning from each other.

Secondly, one of the most beautiful and interesting parts of film is the fact that it is NOT black and white, but is on a wide spectrum of all colors. The fallacy that films are black and white is absurd for insisting that their has to be opposing sides. It shouldn’t even be seen as a gray scale with different shades between black and white. This somehow says to the audience that they have two sides and two perspectives to choose from about the movie and film is so much more than that. It is a fluid and open ended experience that does not have an A or B outcome. It’s not even limited to A-Z, but is instead an infinite number of possible perspectives and feelings about a film based on the audiences “taste buds”. We so often want to grade films on a scale: a letter grade, how many stars, a score out of 10, etc. While this makes it quicker to summarize how a critic, friend, or co-worker felt about a film, it waters down the art of film into a binary formula without letting an individual express the emotions, ideas, and experience they had while watching it.

The king pin of movie reviews since the turn of the century has been Rotten Tomatoes. It created a single source for a plethora of movie opinions and knowledge. Instead of having to visit 8-12 websites looking for movies review you can now find them all organized neatly in one database. The invention of such a wonderful resource for film fans was ingenious and offered an opportunity for film discussion and debate to take a step forward. Unfortunately, this wonderful tool has hurt the film community more than it may have helped it. What was meant to be a way to bring together the collective thoughts and opinions of the world’s most knowledgeable and entertaining film critics was reduced to just two words: Rotten or Fresh. The database turned all of these individuals’ insights, understanding of symbolism, appreciation of superior acting, and expertise in film making into a formula that tells you if a movie is good or bad. To those who just want to get out of the house and away from the kids on a Saturday night, this serves as a quick way to decide which movie to see as you’re leaving the restaurant. For those who use it to decide what movie to see I urge you to think more critically and independently about your trips to the movie theater. If you are not comfortable in deciding which movie to see on your own yet, please watch this video first before deciding to continue to use Rotten Tomatoes.

This is not a bash on Rotten Tomatoes. As someone who loves learning about film I frequently check Rotten Tomatoes’ numerous “all-time” lists to find films I should check out from the past. However, I do not let Rotten Tomatoes sway me from seeing a movie. I’ve gone to the movie theater this year more than I ever have. I have seen some amazing films this year. I have also seen some terrible movies. In the past I did not see many movies I didn’t like because I played it safe and only saw movies that had moderate to high RT scores. One day it dawned on me though: I’ve seen movies that had good RT scores that I did not like at all and there have been plenty of movies from the past that I love that have mediocre to terrible RT scores. Film critics are here to provide insight and give their own opinion of the film. They will never be able to tell you if you will like the movie or not, that is your experience and opinion to have.

To come full circle, no one will ever be able to tell you how a movie made you feel, made you think, taught you, or sticks with you. All those personal experiences are tailored to you as an individual. What film discussion can do is add to that experience by learning others ideas and feelings from their experiences. When we compare top-10 lists and argue about the better director, actor, or movie it is okay to try to prove our choice is “better”, but remember that film is an art form, subjective to its audience and means something different to everyone. As a film community, and even as the larger community of entertainment consumers, we should always be seeking to bring about interest, knowledge, and appreciation for our favorite works of art.

I write all this not as an expert in film or sociology, but someone who wishes to live in a world where people can freely discuss and express their love for their favorite pieces of entertainment without having to undergo persecution for what they feel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonder Woman: A Heroin of the Past for the Future (Review)

“Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power. Not wanting to be girls, they don’t want to be tender, submissive, peace-loving as good women are. Women’s strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman.” – Elizabeth Marston (wife of the creator of Wonder Woman)

Women in film, and almost all forms of art, have cleared hurdles to be where they are today. From Jane Austen to J.K Rowling, Virginia Wolf to Danielle Steel, Aretha Franklin to Beyonce, and Whitney Houston to Adelle. These women and so many others have made tremendous impacts on the form of art and bringing fresh and new perspectives to a once male-dominated space of culture.

I will admit that while I support women receiving more opportunities in film, I am also someone who struggles relating with and enjoying films from a female’s perspective quite often. The point of experiencing something from a new perspective, whether it is race, gender, sexuality, or social class, is too bring you outside of your comfort zone and force you to expand your thinking. You begin to realize why someone may make a different choice than you in a situation or how their differences affect their daily lives. So, while I admittedly do not enjoy many female-driven films, I see it as an exercise to open my mind to understanding how women perceive the world and how they see themselves. In a day and age when so much turmoil and animosity arises from a lack of understanding and empathy I feel it is necessary for more movies from different perspectives (EVEN the sides we “hate”) so we can come to a better understanding and bring about conversations that don’t further drive us apart but bring us together.

My final note before the review: I had rather low expectations for this film for a few reasons. 1) The previous DC films have been rather mediocre to average. 2) Wonder Woman did not do much to impress me in Batman v Superman that left me wanting more. 3) This is the big one. I was worried this would become a feminist message film. Hopefully most of you keep reading so I can explain. I enjoy films that have a message to deliver, when they are creatively woven within the story and reveal themselves without knocking you over the head. Sometimes films blast the audience with spiritual, political, or social propaganda. I was worried with DC’s track record and lack of quality storytelling that the movie would just beat the audience over the head with “She is a woman. She is independent. She does NOT need a man. Women are better than men.” None of these ideas, except the last one, are bad for an audience of women or men to hear. What it does though, when poorly executed, is boil the character into just a woman. When done beautifully she can be a woman AND more. I was skeptical going into this film, but I feel this film does one of the best jobs as a super hero film, an origin story, and as a powerful film about women and humanity.

Chris Pine & Gal Gadot

Beautifully Powerful

I do not know much about wonder woman outside of some of the more mainstream means of entertainment that I’ve read, watched, or played. It was cool to learn her back story through a flashback set during WWI. What I felt was the most crucial part of the set up of the film was the explanation of the origin of the Amazonian warriors and their relationship to the outside world. The way it started out the movie made me scared it was going to portray men as evil and women as pure, but the way it unfolded led me to believe that the Amazonian women were right to fear and despise men and the outside world.

In order to bridge the gap between the Amazonian society and the outside world there needed to be a strong character to both hold the strong beliefs of the Amazonian and also merge with the chaos of the war in the outside world. Gal Gadot did a wonderful job as the connective tissue between the utopia of Themyscira and the divided world of the early 20th century. Much of the time it is hard for me to believe an actress as a strong warrior, but both Gal Gadot and the director (Patty Jenkins) created a character who embodied strength and honor, without appearing as a Mary Sue of sorts. She does fail, but uses it as motivation and lessons to make her stronger. Throughout the film I was keeping an eye out for some kind of flaw in the character. And at the end of the movie I felt she embodied what I feel like Wonder Woman should be: A symbol of strength, hope, kindness, and humanity. The film did a phenomenal job of taking a god and making her relatable and vulnerable in convincing ways. Whether not understanding some of the social norms of our world or coming to grips with the good and bad humanity has to offer. Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot took a god and did not make her small, but made her someone to empathize and relate to.

Pining For His Affection

The other standout for this movie was Chris Pine. I figured he would have a sizable role in the film, especially knowing his relationship to Wonder Woman as Steve Trevor. He even had a larger role in the film both in screen time and thematically. Pine represented not just men, but humanity as he tried to wrestle with what was going during the war as a soldier. Was he ending it or contributing to it? Was he a part of the problem that Diana saw or part of the solution? Diana’s relationship with him served as a representation of her journey to understand the humans and the world we had created. Man is not black and white; instead we often operate in the gray area of life. Not having a definite answer of why we did the things we did and whether they were right or not. Chris Pine did a great job as the embodiment of an “above-average” man.

What I thought Chris Pine would become was almost a reverse damsel in distress for Wonder Woman, thus making him just an object for her affection and making Diana another woman who has to fall in love with the man. While their relationship is definitely romantic, I felt that Diana and Steve both fell in love with each other as a person before as a man and a woman. Steve saw the beauty in Diana for her strength and her honor, while Diana loved Steve for his courage and humanity. In a relationship where the woman truly was the strongest of the two, the film somehow mad it feel balanced and mutual.

More Than Just A Pretty Face

Something I did not expect from this movie was some very well shot and choreographed fight sequences and set pieces. From one of the first action scenes when the Germans invade the beach on Themyscira, I could tell that Patty Jenkins knew what she was doing behind the camera. The mixture of slow-mo shots, CGI, and different weapons made each sequence interesting and unique. Wonder Woman is a skillfully trained goddess and the film rightfully depicts her as such without short changing her of any of the power and agility of her character. The film also does not shy away from the grim side of war. For a PG-13 film about war it sheds light on the dark side of war in a way that is tasteful but also impactful in showing Diana the dire situation man has found themselves in.

Verdict

Wonder Woman is a fun, action packed super hero movie and an important film in the progress of cinema. It has some laughs while also delivering some hard hitting action moments. The characters are well-developed and provide vessels through which to tell a progressive message about humanity and gender. With the success of this film critically and financially it will hopefully bring about more films from the female perspective in front of or behind the camera. I recommend anyone to go see it as soon as you get the chance.

8.75/10

 

 

 

 

 

Logan (Review)

 

Breaking The Mold

Many films follow 1 of 2 formulas for success in the current movie industry. Some have a huge budget with a bounty of visual effects, a star-studded cast, or huge action set-pieces. Some have smaller budgets and focus on clever dialogue, deep character development, and a thought provoking story. Both of these formulas have their pros and cons. Neither are inherently a bad way to make a good film, but studios tend to create films that just seem to check those boxes in order to meet box office expectations or win awards at the end of the year. Many of these films are loved and treasured by many people. But if you ask anyone -especially those who love film – what their favorite movie is, it will most likely be something that gives them the feeling of both the entertaining blockbuster and an intimate indie film. As viewers we want to have our minds blown but also have our heart strings tugged. Many of the classic movies people still talk about contain both of these aspects, movies like Jaws, Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Back To The Future, and much more. These movies feel just as special when you leave the theater as when you were watching them. It is a magical power that movies have over us as audiences. Logan is not the first movie to accomplish such a feat and it will not be the last, but in my humble opinion…it may be one of the best to ever do it.

 

The first part of this review will be spoiler free. If this is all you read, I am assuming you still haven’t seen the film. If you still haven’t seen this film I would continue to assume that you are not a big fan of the previous X-Men films. Whether you just never got around to seeing them or did not like the previous installations in the series, I have 2 little notes before you see the movie. 1) If you ask a friend or do a quick google about Wolverine and Professor X  – 2 of the main characters in the story – you can enjoy this film with minimal to no confusion without having seen the previous films. And even if you go in completely blind it tells you everything you need to know. 2) If you have seen all or most of the previous X-Men films, it will only enhance your viewing experience as it did for me. You will have a better understanding and appreciation for the characters, their arcs throughout the film, and small easter eggs in the movie. My final attempt to persuade you to see the film for those of you who are hesitant to watch a “super-hero” movie, or a “violent, R-rated” film is this…this film never relies on the fact that these characters are mutants, or superheroes, to be enough to satisfy you. It focuses on these mutants as characters with real people problems that you would see in most human characters in film. For those who are impartial to violent movies, I will tell you that while the action sequences are entertaining, they are so violent in order to show the kind of horrible, traumatic life Logan has endured and how it would affect a human beings mind and soul, much like a soldier in war.

The Evolution

I remember watching the first X-Men as a kid and being transported into the comic book world where humans could do extraordinary things that I never thought possible. As I grew older I began to see the more mature and socially important themes they were conveying through the characters and their struggles as mutants. The analogy to the persecution of the LGBT community and other minorities was powerful imagery for both those afflicted and those blind to it. It also dealt with a troubled soul who’s heart had been hardened by years of pain, fear of loss, and anger. How does one try to forge new relationships and a family when time and again they are taken away, sometimes because of him? Is it better to be vulnerable and seek relationships to mend your broken heart or to stay closed off to keep them safe and endure the misery on your own? Is it noble or foolish? Wolverine became one of the coolest but also most complicated characters for me in movies. He is a weapon designed to kill that wants to love and protect, but is constantly being forced into situations in which he must be what they made him to be…a killing machine. In the first X-Men movie someone asks Logan about his claws coming out of his hands, “Does it hurt?” “Every time.” That short interaction says so much about him as a character and how the claws, the killing, and hiding alone has left him in this state between rage and pain. These films took a character from the comics who was primarily a wise-cracking jerk to a deep, tragic hero. Because of all this he is easily in my top 2 movie characters.

Logan

I know it may seem like a lot of preamble for a review, but this movies deserves it. I promise. To start Logan has a terrific story. It starts with a worn and beaten Logan who is surviving by the skin of his teeth on the border of Mexico. Him and Professor X have been hiding away for sometime when they are brought out of hiding by a set of circumstances that send them on a perilous adventure to save a girl. Within the broad strokes of that synopsis of the movie are nuances and subplots that tell you more about the characters past and present, who they are as individuals and in relationship to one another. The 2 fatherly connections between Xavier and Logan, and Logan and Laura are strong and have a powerful arc over the film.

In order to have this powerful story come to life you need great characters and actors to deliver those performances. The 3 main protagonists in this film are full and the actors portray these conflicted and complex roles tremendously. Hugh Jackman was the best he’s ever been as Wolverine, which is saying a lot. Patrick Stewart brought an interesting and powerful new take on Xavier that could honestly get some Oscar buzz later this year. But to me the stand out is Dafne Keen as Laura. I never thought I would say that the best performance in one of my favorite movies, an action movie no less, was from an 11-year old girl. However, she stole some scenes from Hugh Jackman and delivered some of the heaviest and most powerful dialogue in the film. Boyd Holbrook as Donal Pierce is a good villain. His character drives the plot forward at points but the story does not need a great villain, the enemy of the protagonists are internal battles as they fight their demons from the past and present situations. I thought Stephen Merchant as Caliban was terrific. He gets a few scene of comic relief mixed with powerful and heartfelt dialogue.

 

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This movie earns the R-rating in both language and violence, but both feel well earned. The violence never feels over the top for the sake of shock value, but more so you can feel the brutality and gravity of the situation these characters find themselves in. Each slice and punch feels devastating and impactful. There are always stake in each fight. No action sequence is purely for the sake of entertainment, even though are truly gratifying to watch as a huge fan of Wolverine. You’ve never seen him this unleashed and so true to character.

So if you still haven’t seen this film I hope this has swayed you to go to buy your tickets or at least make plans to rent it in a few months. I have seen this movie 4 times in the theater in order to enjoy this film in the best setting possible on a big screen with loud speakers to enjoy it to the fullest. I hope you don’t miss the chance to do so as well. After having a few weeks and viewings to think about Logan I have come to the conclusion that it fits somewhere into my 10 favorite films of all time. The combination of intense action, intimate character moments, and one of my favorite characters of all time receiving the best send off possible creates a movie experience that I will never forget.

10/10               A Perfect Movie

Spoliers!

Spoilers!

Spoilers!

If you’ve read this far I hope you have seen the film because I am going to talk about the film more openly without worrying about spoilers.

Firstly, I would like to gush a little more about the powerful performance Kafne Deen gave as Laura, a.k.a. X-23, Logan’s daughter. The choice to have her not speak for more than half the film was a bold choice that could have easily not worked with a less talented child actress. She conveyed so much through her intense gazes and ferocious screams during fights that she actually built a character without ever giving a single line until the 3rd act. For a character that is so pivotal to the plot and the relationships in the movie she was still able to have an impact during her conversations with Logan in the car, at Eden, and as he is dying. When she cries out “Daddy” to Logan as he dies is tied for the single most emotional one word quote with “superman” from Iron Giant. I was already in tears as Logan was beginning to die, but that was the dagger that sent tears down my face.

Speaking of Logan’s death, in retrospect it seems obvious that he would die at the end but not because it was predictable. It just felt so right in the moment. Even during the last fight seen against X-24, the Wolverine clone, I thought he would make a miraculous escape. But the director set a merciless and realistic tone from the beginning which made his death so much more powerful. It felt grounded and as an audience member I felt like Laura because the movie had set up such a close intimate feeling. Something that I’v thought about more after watching the movie is one of Logan’s last lines as he is talking to Laura. “So this is what it feels like..” This may seem like a simple line but is so cleverly layered and can have so many different meanings for different viewers. To me the first time I saw it I took it as he was feeling what it was like to have someone he loved, a family. The warm feeling of Laura’s love was washing over him and giving joy even in his dying seconds. Charles at the farm had told him to “take a moment, feel it.” Logan didn’t believe he would ever feel that love but he found in such a surprising place in his new child Laura. The second meaning I found later was that he had been killing people for so many decades and had never felt it so close because of his healing factor and now was finally feeling that pain and death he had brought upon so many enemies and friends. Maybe my favorite take away though is that for the first time in his life he feels peace. He can rest finally. He doesn’t have to run or kill anymore. He had lived his whole life under a constant stress and state of depression that now he could finally bring down his guard and breathe a sigh relief. He tells Laura “you don’t have to run anymore”, but the truth is he doesn’t either. He has finished his lifelong escape from fear, pain and loss. There’s a moment in the music as Logan is dying that switches from a somber tone to that of almost peace or even joy. We often console those with the loss of loved ones that they are now at peace and are no longer in pain. This subtle change in music consoles the viewer through a traumatic moment of loss by assuring them that Logan has found peace.

The other big spoiler topic that I want to talk about is one that you may miss or not fully understand if you’re not paying close attention. The movie hints early on to the extermination of mutants and that their are no new mutants being born. The film slowly reveals that Professor X had one of his seizures back in Winchester at the X Mansion and killed the X-Men. However, Xavier’s degenerative brain disease has caused him to forget this event and Logan has been helping suppress those memories. In my opinion the farm sequence of the film is one of my favorite 30 minutes stretches in film. It has every range of emotion you can ask for in film. It starts with heartwarming family moments filled with comedy to release the tension of the previous portion of the film. It has suspense as Logan and the farmer deal with the Canewood workers trying to muscle them out. The best moment though is when Professor X confesses to “Logan” the terrible things he has just remembered he’s done. Seeing Patrick Stewart so emotionally broken and vulnerable was such a powerful moment of guilt, regret, and self-condemnation. Once again the movie is grounded in an unforgiving world where he doesn’t get to find redemption because he is quickly killed by X-24. The following sequence is possibly the best action sequence of the film. The score, X-24’s slaughtering of the unsuspecting family, and Laura’s screams create a sense of terror and fear. As the viewer you are in a state of shock and have know idea what is coming next. Purely from an action perspective the fight between Logan and his younger clone is amazing to see the only real equal adversary Logan could face. The obvious metaphor of Logan fighting his past just adds a layer to what would just be a cool fight in another movie.

I have many more thoughts about the Logan, but I don’t want to go on too long. Logan is a movie that I find something new each time that makes it deeper and even better for me. I hope you enjoyed some of my analysis and review of the film.

My Top 10 Movies of 2016

2016 was a year that most people wish to forget. Movies offered a much needed escape from the real world this year. Luckily, Hollywood delivered with some fantastic films that scratched every itch we have as movie fans. Whether you wanted to be entertained with spectacle and action, to laugh so hard that your sides hurt, or be moved so deeply that you were “nearly” brought to tears. In my humble opinion, these are the 10 best (my favorite) movies from the past year.

Before I start, here are some movies that I haven’t seen yet or just missed the list and deserve some recognition:

Moonlight 

Synopsis – “A timeless story of human self-discovery and connection, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami.”

I have heard many great things about this film; from its performances, structure, directing, and cinematography. This would have most likely made my list if what I’ve heard is true, so I look forward to seeing it and hope you will give it a chance as well.

The Invitation:

The less you know going into this movie the better. If you are put off by the opening 30 minutes or so please give it at least another 30 minutes before you turn it off. If you are a fan of thrillers like I am you will not regret giving this sweet indie gem a chance. Easily the most surprisingly enjoyable film of the year. It should still be on Netflix.

The Nice Guys

Synopsis – “In 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.”

This movie is on a lot of movie critics top 10 lists of the year. And for good reason, this was a well-crafted, entertaining ride. Buddy cop movies are either non-existent or sub-par at best these days. It is refreshing to see a classic detective story given the unique oddball touch of Shane Black (director). Ryan Gosling and Russel Crowe’s performances and chemistry are the highlight of this movie.

Nocturnal Animals

Synopsis – “A wealthy art gallery owner is haunted by her ex-husband’s novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a symbolic revenge tale.”

To be honest I have kept myself in the dark about this movie for the most part, wanting to be able to enjoy it with as little expectations as possible. Jake Gyllenhaal is one of my favorite actors working today, Michael Shannon is a bankable actor in every movie he’s in, and the fact this movie was directed by Tom Ford means it could have a unique and interesting story to tell.

 

#10 Moana/Zootopia

Yes, I’m cheating on the first one but these 2 animated films deserved to make it on this list.

 

This is a return to the classic, musically inclined Disney films of my youth in the 90’s. While the story is somewhat cliched, it is told in a beautiful and entertaining way. It feels like a mashup between Lilo and Stitch and The Little Mermaid. The Hawaiian atmosphere for both the setting, characters and music is captivating and puts you in a much simpler, more peaceful place. Then enters Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, who oozes charisma, energy and charm as the demigod Maui. His entertainer limits know no bounds as he serves as singer for one of the catchier songs in the movie.

 

While the The Rock nearly steals the show, which he may in some eyes, Moana still has a great story to tell about a young woman ultimately proving to herself that her ambitions – which appear insane to others, including her father – are more than just dreams but actually the thing that will save her family and island. It’s refreshing to see a classic tale told through a new and interesting lens.

 

These days animated films are for adults just as much as they are for children. They tell stories with mature themes and subject matters masked in a colorful and imaginative setting with silly and joyful cartoon characters. I can’t think of a recent animated film that balanced both of those sides so well then Zootopia did this past year. It tackled a huge hot button issue (racial stereotypes) and delivered a message on both an adult and children’s level. While some of the comparisons across animals and humans are a tad bit extreme, they nonetheless illustrate the tensions and relationships between different races and socioeconomic classes. Along with a powerful message, the world building in this film is amazing and leaves you wanting to see sequels of the different climates within Zootopia’s city. From the deserts to the arctic to the rainforest, the adventures through each unique part of the city and its residents leaves you wanting more time to spend with the hilarious “bunny” (buddy) cop duo of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.

#9 A Monster Calls

This is easily the most emotional movie I’ve seen this year, probably the past few years. Don’t let the fact that their is a 40 foot tall tree with Liam Neeson’s voice fool you, this is just as much a drama as it is a fantasy film. Conor O’Malley is a boy dealing with the emotional and mental troubles of his mother dying from cancer. This film gives one of the most honest and innocent stories of someone wrestling with watching a loved one die. In a world where cancer has almost become common and loved ones of ours are ill with varying diseases, this is a film that can be almost therapeutic and cathartic for those who are or have dealt with a loss of a loved one. In my opinion Lewis MacDougall is by far the best part of the film, and that isn’t an insult to the rest of cast or crew, he is just that good. The subtleties in his moments of fear and depression in contrast to his fits of rage and frustration are dazzling. If you have the emotional capacity to watch this movie, I highly recommend you do, just bring some tissues.

#8 Captain America: Civil War

I just got done talking about super hero movie fatigue and how they are becoming formulaic. Well sometimes the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” really does ring true. Marvel movies have made an effort to diversify their movies in tone and style over the past few years, attempting to be more original instead of just big and bombastic. Civil War is a perfect blend of the blockbuster abilities of Marvel along with the captivating story telling. It finds a way to tell a personal story about a man (Captain America) struggling to decide whether he should remain loyal to his new ally (Iron Man) or help his childhood friend (Bucky)  find redemption for the wrongs he’s committed. Another story line runs through the film about whether these super humans should be allowed to “save the world” as they see fit or fall in line with much less powerful organizations in order to serve the greater good. It begs the question whether the good you do outweighs the bad that may come out of it. Holding superheroes accountable for the destruction of buildings, cities and even the death of humans is a new, more mature theme that tests the moral compass of both the heroes and the viewer. Along with all of these great themes is a handful of amazing set pieces and action sequences. The Black Panther and Bucky chase through the tunnel or the now iconic airport scene are marvels to watch. You can enjoy them just on entertainment value alone, but also on repeated viewings there is plenty to appreciate as far as choreography, cinematography,  and acting goes.

#7 Swiss Army Man

Easily the most unique film I saw this year, Swiss Army Man is an insane, ridiculous piece of art. It does not attempt to appease the average movie goer with a standard, by the numbers story or humor. If you aren’t in after the first 30 minutes or so you may not like this film. It is unapologetically odd and baffling at times, in the best way possible.  If you can enjoy the film with all its quirks and zaniness, you will see it is an extremely heartwarming and gut punching tale of a man who is on the ropes with life and finds an unlikely companion – understatement of the century – who teaches him how to appreciate the small things in life again. Their relationship mirrors that of a curious child and an impatient parent. Watching Paul Dano’s character attempt to explain different aspects of life, like masturbation, is some of the most hilarious dialogue in cinema this year. This movie is also very self-aware. When the tension and mood are becoming too deep or depressing it has impeccable comic relief peppered throughout the movie. If this movie has the longevity to remain a cult classic it could go down as one of the most quotable movies in recent memory. This movie also boasts one of the best soundtracks of the year. The ingenious use of a capella and drums creates a distinct style and sound that pairs phenomenally with the tone of the film.

#6 Hacksaw Ridge

First off, it must be acknowledged and pointed out that this is Mel Gibson‘s first directed movie in a decade. He was in Hollywood exile for some antisemitic comments he made in the past and is now making his comeback as one of the best directors in cinema. Here is one of his first interviews after returning with his new movie Hacksaw Ridge:

Now let’s talk about the movie. No one shoots action and combat quite like Mel Gibson does. As seen in Braveheart, Mel Gibson has an eye for making war beautifully horrific. He does not sugarcoat the violence or live’s lost out of respect for those who fought in the war and the maturity of his audience. Those who criticize him for “glorifying” war and violence are entitled to their opinion, but they seem to be missing the point of why he shows in such gruesome detail the trials and tribulation of what the soldiers wen through. It is impossible to fully appreciate what these veterans did by laying down their lives in such dreadful circumstances. However, Mel Gibson does his best to emphasize the primitive chaos of war, especially during the Battle of Okinawa. Outside of the battlefield, this films tells a powerful story of a man who fought hate with love. When we fight fire with fire the whole world burns. One of the powerful and most satisfying parts of the film was to learn why he does not use a weapon. The Christian beliefs and convictions in this film are very evident, but aren’t the sole driving force for why he chooses to abstain from the killing. Without spoiling the film, I thought it was great to see the film give a layered reasoning for his conscientious objection instead of just relying on the religious aspect to be suffice enough, even though this is a true story. My only real criticisms of the film are that Andrew Garfield’s accent was a bit jarring and distraction at the beginning of the movie and some of the moments seem to pull a little too intently on the heart strings. Besides those small nitpicks, this film is a powerful story of a man not losing his way amidst utter hell and mayhem.

#5 La La Land

I must preface my review of this film with the fact I’m not a musical expert or even fan, I am judging this piece of art as a movie. And boy was it good. The first thing I’ll say to someone if they ask me about La La Land is that it would’ve been fantastic even without the musical aspects. The musical numbers just enhance the tone and ambiance of the film set in Hollywood. The music feels well placed and extremely well done. The two stars of this film shine brightest when they are on screen together, not to say they aren’t blinding the entire film. The chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone is electric. They could go down as one of the best romantic movie pairings in movie history. Both of these actors started out their careers in mediocre to average films and have both skyrocketed to the top in the past few years. Don’t be surprised to see these two dominating the Oscar ballots the next decade.

#4 Deepwater Horizon

Director Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg are building an impressive track record as a director-actor duo. Their new film releasing across the country this weekend (1/13/17), Patriot’s Day, is already getting a lot of buzz as Berg’s best film. But as far as Deepwater Horizon goes, this was by far the most intense and pulse pounding movie I saw this year. From the opening 30 minutes the tensions slowly ratchets up until it erupts and the rest of the film deals with the catastrophic fallout of the disaster. The sequence in which the oil rig finally explodes is one of the most terrifyingly beautiful scenes in recent memory. The sheer scope and magnitude of the moment is jaw-dropping. Peter Berg’s level of detail leads me to believe he does his research and sticks to the truth the best he can. This movie does an awesome job of laying out the facts and science of the situation in an entertaining fashion that feeds into the intense tone of the film.

#3 Manchester By The Sea

Manchester by the Sea is a phenomenal story about a man and his struggle to cope with the loss of his brother, but more importantly how his past impacts his life and relationship with his nephew going forward. Casey Affleck delivers one of the most subtle and understated performances of the 21st century. Most “oscar” roles show a wide range of acting from crying to screaming. While there are moments of that in this film, some of the more impressive moments were in the minutia of each day as he deals with the aftermath of his brothers death. His ability to express so much pain and deep emotion in his subdued performance is a marvel to watch. The other star of this film is the writer/director Kenneth Lonergan. He wrote a heart wrenching story that is translated excellently onto the screen. Sometimes the choice to use flashbacks can be seen as gimmicky or can be poorly executed. Lonergan enhances both the story and the development of the characters with these carefully placed flashbacks. Though you may not want to watch it again for a while afterwards due to its emotionally draining story, you will not regret seeing this movie.

#2 Hell or High Water

I was super excited when I first watched the trailer for this movie when the trailer came out 7 months ago. Then I heard great early reviews for it and my expectations got higher. As I sat in the theater before the movie began I got a feeling that maybe I had hyped it a bit too much in my mind and it wasn’t going to live up to my idea of it. Boy, it blew away my expectations. The 4 main characters in this movie are amazing, and performed tremendously by each actor. The 2 standouts would be Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges, though they aren’t new to delivering notable performances. Both pairings have incredible chemistry and make you believe their relationships. Just as a modern western/drama, this movie succeeds with flying colors with its action and intense tone. If you look just a little deeper there is a great commentary on the dying of the west as we knew it and the people who are clinging to it and trying to survive. There are 2 different moments in the movie (the sheriffs outside the restaurant and Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges at the end) that were really powerful. The former being about how we are constantly moving forward and eventually the way of life we knew is just like the caves for the cave men, outdated and archaic. The latter is about generational poverty and how it infects families who never seem to break free. It can be easy to miss these powerful moments amidst all the action, but they still are gripping.

#1 Arrival

To anyone who hasn’t seen this yet, if you are not ready to be challenged mentally and as a movie watcher this may not be the movie for you. If you watch this movie purely on the surface it is probably a top 20 movie at best. But if you begin to think deeply about the ideas and themes in this movie you will be highly rewarded. I have only seen this movie once so far, but I plan to watch it multiple times to break it apart and discover all the nuances and concepts within it. Okay, so my first praise of the movie is that my favorite director right now Denis Villeneuve just continues to kill it. I have waited a long time for a ultra realistic alien movie. Obviously when I say realistic, I am talking about how grounded in logic, science, and reason the movie is. Villeneuve established a level of detail and reasoning throughout the film that held himself responsible for the rules and logic he had set in place. The movie stays firmly grounded in the rules he sets and the laws and logic of real science. In order to appreciate that you have to stay attentive and ready to recall ideas and concepts. This is not something that is detrimental to the viewing experience if you forget, but instead just enhances it each time you watch the film. The cast in this movie is so believable that at times it feels like you’re watching reenactments of real life events. Each choice made by each character, even if not rational, seems like something a real human being would do under the circumstances. The way individuals react differently to each situation really makes you think how you would feel and behave in the same situation. Amy Adams easily stands out in this film, showing a wide range of acting. Her ability to sell you on a linguistic theory one second to believably having a mental/emotional break down seconds later is remarkable. Jeremy Renner should also receive some notice for his work. He offers perfectly placed comic relief but also serves as a very capable partner to Amy Adams. I really don’t want to say much else because a lot of this movie is better when you go in blind. So if you are willing and ready to really engage in this movie for 2 hours, you may just find this to be the best movie of the past year.

 

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my list. I don’t claim to be an expert on film, just a big fan. All I really hope is that you will find at least one movie on here you didn’t see and give it a chance. They’re all great, but watching at least one is worth it.

Moms’ Summer Movie Guide

In honor of Mother’s Day, I’ve decided to sift through the upcoming movies this summer and pick out the movies I felt moms would enjoy the most. There are a variety of films coming out in the next few months, ranging between comedies, dramas, and family films. The blockbuster season is known primarily for it’s big action and spectacle films. While these are probably not most moms’ cup of tea, I’ve picked a few that I thought they should give a chance. So without anymore preparation, here are my choices for the Mom’s Summer Movie Guide.

May 13

Money Monster (George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connel)

If you enjoy thrillers, you may enjoy this tense, action-mystery with some familiar faces. It also has an up and coming actor, Jack O’Connel who starred in last year’s Unbroken. 

Last Days in the Desert (Ewan McGregor, Susan Gray, Tye Sheridan)

There have been several cinematic depictions of biblical stories in the past few years, but this is one of the first that stars and revolves around messianic figure, Jesus. I have been a big fan of these movies and how they have made me think more deeply and differently about these Bible stories as a Christian and an audience member.

May 20

The Angry Birds Movie (Jason Sudeikis, Kate McKinnon, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph)

This film may very well lay an egg, but no one can deny the star power behind the voices. This is a bit of a gamble, but if you have kids who are still interested in Angry Birds, you may consider going to the Drive-In or cheap theater to catch this movie.

Nice Guys (Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Matt Bomber, Kim Basinger)

Set in the late 70’s, this is a spiritual sequel to the movie Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. If you are looking for a date night movie, this looks to be possibly the hit of the summer. Filled with plenty of action and comedy, it’s sure to keep you entertained even on the ride home.

June 17

Finding Dory (Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Idris Elba, Kate McKinnon, Bill Hader, Diane Keaton)

Pixar is a powerhouse for family movies and they’re going back to one of their best with Finding Dory. Dory stole the movie in Finding Nemo and is back as the star in her new movie. While it looks like a new spin on the same story from Nemo, it has a stellar cast and Pixar’s creative team on its side.

Free State of Jones (Matthew McConaughey, Keri Russel)

The McConaussance continues with his new film Free State of Jones. It looks to be an emotionally charged war film that doesn’t pull many punches. If you love period pieces or war films you should check this one out.

July 1

The BFG (Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader, Mark Rylance)

Based on the beloved childrens’ novel, Steven Spielberg has returned to the fantastical universe with his new project The BFG. Spielberg is still considered one of the best directors of all-time but has not put out a big, family, fun movie in years. Hopefully this will be his return to the genre.

July 8

The Secret Life of Pets (Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart)

Animated films continue to bring tons of talented voices to fill out the characters and this one is no different. Illumination has slowly become one of the powerhouses for animated films. Plus, any pet owner will love seeing how their furry and feathered friends act when we leave the house.

Captain Fantastic (Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn)

My pick for indie film of the summer, this movie looks like it will be driven by a emotional story and powerful performances. This movie will probably either leave you in tears of joy, sadness, or laughter by the end of it.

July 15

Ghostbusters (Melissa McCarthey, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon)

There hasn’t been a lot of good buzz around this movie since the first trailer was released, but the talent and property involved lead you to believe it has a chance to be great. Director Paul Feig is familiar with this start studded female cast and that chemistry will hopefully deliver a terrific scifi-comedy like the original.

July 29

Bad Moms (Milas Kunas, Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate, Kathryn Hahn)

WARNING! RED BAND TRAILER!

This movie was made for all the hard working moms out there. It looks like the female equivalent of The Hangover and pretty similar humor to Bridesmaids. It does look extremely raunchy and dirty, but if you like that humor you should love this movie.

August 5

The Founder (Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, Patrick Wilson, Linda Cardellini)

Ever wonder how your kids’ favorite place to eat was made? It’s a lot more complex and interesting than you may have thought. Michael Keaton has starred in the last 2 Best Picture winners at the Oscars, so he’s a good luck charm for the time being.

 

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Review

Uphill Battle

The Greeks would sit around their marble staircases and spin magnificent tales of gods, demigods, and men warring against one other over ideals, philosophies and moral convictions. Some of these tales and characters remain so praised and held in high regard that we still talk about them in lecture halls and scholarly settings around the globe. These stories and gigantic figures stand the test of time to teach us about lessons and questions of the world we find ourselves in then, now, and in the future. Never have we had such an equivalent to these mythological tales in film as we do now with the potential of what Batman v Superman can and could be. Rarely do two characters of such greatness and universally renowned fame face off in a cinematic duel of this magnitude. As the last preview ended and the opening credits began to roll my mind begged the question…”Can these God-like characters live up to this nearly unreachable bar that has been set?” Much like Icarus, they came so close to the sun and began their descent into the sea…for the most part.

Everywhere you look there is news about a new cinematic universe being created. Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, X-Men, Lego, Transformers and so on and so forth. Studios are hungrily watching Marvel rake in the money with envy. What many  of them fail to see, is the ground work laid by single-contained stories which bonded us to these characters and universe before they did the unthinkable and pulled them all together. And where Batman v Superman:DAWN OF JUSTICE failed first, was in a board room of studio executives years ago that decided to put the cart before the horse by making Batman v Superman and essentially the Justice League movie before laying the foundation for what could’ve been and still has the chance to be a rich, full, and immersive DC Cinematic Universe (DCCU).

Chewed Puzzle Pieces

Sometimes when you’re doing a three hundred…four hundred…five hundred piece puzzle and it’s midnight of the fourth night embarking on the impossible task, you decide it is worth the slight dishonorable deed of biting off part of piece to make it fit so you can move along and finish putting this jumbled up mess together. The only problem with that is, when you finally finish the puzzle you are left with a nearly perfect image you set out to create. Batman v Superman was the best it could probably have been, mostly because of the decision by the Warner Bros. executives to fast track the DCCU.

Fumbled Beginnings

I was a big fan of Man of Steel and the picture Zack Snyder painted of Superman. The end of the movie, which resulted in the destruction of Metropolis was controversial and created much discussion on where it would take Superman’s story next. While BvS did a good job linking the catastrophic events of MoS to Batman and his motivations throughout the film, it did not deliver fully on the consequences and results of Superman’s incidental devastation of Metropolis. There were moments and ideas in the film that began conversations about whether we “need Superman” or is it okay “he answers to no one”, but it failed to finish or really dig in deep to the philosophy and ethics behind any of those sides. Something that would have best been answered and developed in a Man of Steel 2 movie.

Holy Smokes, Batfleck!

When Ben Affleck was announced to play Batman many people said that it was an insane and idiotic decision. I was a believer for basically the moment I heard about it. After seeing the movie I have one thing to say: I can’t wait for the solo Batman movie. Christian Bale brought us a new and fresh Batman in his trilogy. Ben Affleck has given us a grizzled and brutal Batman. He is aged and worn by past battle and conflicts, but continues to bring the same intensity and ferocity as he did the first night on the job. I am always down for a more savage and vicious Batman, as long as there is sufficient motivation and cause for him to bend on his morale convictions. While this Batman was awesome to watch beat down hench men and Superman, I wish there had been more backstory as to what had driven Bruce Wayne to the point he was at now. Something that could have been set up in…oh, I don’t know, maybe a Batman movie? That being said, fans should be excited for the possibilities the new Batman portrayed by Affleck can bring to the table in the years to come.

Wonder who that Woman is…

Ever since Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman, a character I wasn’t even really invested in, I was worried that she may derail the movie. Her parts may have been a bit sparse and lacked a tremendous amount of dialogue, but she gave a pretty good performance as the legendary Amazonian war princess. However, I did not feel very connected or engaged with her character because I had only small scenes to try to learn her entire character before her big battle sequence. Production has already started for the Wonder Woman prequel/solo film, but the problem is that I should have already seen that movie before I saw her join Batman and Superman in this film.

The More the Not So Merrier

SEMI- SPOILERS!!!

 

I knew that at some point in the movie there would be at least a reference, if not a full introduction, to the rest of the future Justice League team. I will not say who, when, or how they acknowledged them in the film. They were 2 moments, one of which I found interesting, if not also a bit confusing. As for the other one, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of effort to creatively and entertainingly show us these new characters within the parameters of the narrative set in place. Instead it was told through a useless plot line that only served to advertise the Justice League movie. These characters and the overall universe would have benefited much more from solo movies for each character, but instead have films slated to come out after the Justice League movies.

Hello, My Name Is:

By now you have hopefully noticed that my main gripe with the movie is that these characters were unfortunately too underdeveloped and distant to connect to and thus their actions and the results of those actions did not carry much weight for me as a viewer. This movie made some bold choices in certain areas and did not shy away from it’s ambitious goals. While I think the DCCU will be able to come out of this movie not too burned, I believe their lofty ambitions caused them a bit of a setback to get back on the fast track they set out for in the first place.

Diamonds In The Rough

Even though it seems like I hated the movie, I really just had some issues with the situation and circumstance the movie and characters found themselves in due to Warner Bros. insistence to catch up with Marvel. With that being said, there were performances and moments in this movie that really shined for me. Something I thought I would never say after watching the trailers, I kinda like Jesse Eisenberg’s take on Lex Luthor. If you were like me and disliked his energetic and over the top moments in the trailer, don’t expect anything majorly different in the movie, BUT there were scenes and certain lines where he actually won me over as an unhinged psychopath with a dark side yet to be seen. There is one scene that recalls a past conversation between Holly Hunt’s character, Senator Finch and Lex Luthor that seemed odd and unnecessary. My theory is that Warner Bros. wants to make Lex Luthor Superman’s Joker and went a little too far in some of the absurdities he speaks. Jeremy Irons was great as Alfred, even though he was very limited in screen time. Laurence Fishburne as Perry White of the Daily Planet killed it as always. Amy Adams portrayal of Lois Lane remains sufficient as it was in Man of Steel. Her character became more of a plot device than a full fledged character, but I attribute that to the writing and not the actress.

BAM! KAPOW! BANG!

Even though we’ve come to expect it from big comic book blockbusters, the visuals and sounds are amazing in every fight. We get to see both Batman and Superman at their fullest potential we have ever seen on film. With rage fueling their combative tanks, these two juggernauts pull out the big guns in each battle. The titular battle between the two superheroes spills over into an even more epic battle between 4 combatants. And even though I was not very pleased with the development of some of the characters, I will applaud Warner Bros. for taking the DCCU to a place that Marvel is still too kid-friendly to do. While Marvel dips it’s toes with Civil War, BvS is doing a cannon ball in the deep end. Let’s just hope they don’t drown.

Guilty or Innocent?

In the trial of Batman v Superman, I find the movie….worth a view in the theaters. Whether you end up loving, hating, or are just in the middle about the movie, this is a cinematic event that everyone should experience on a big screen. Go with friends and family and make sure it’s in a crowd. Enjoy the experience. Afterwards, discuss it with your friends and see what they think. If you’re a fan of blockbusters, superheroes or just shoving popcorn in your face you should definitely give it a try.

 

6.99/10

 

Road House – Now on NETFLIX

WARNING! RATED: R – Language, Nudity, Sex Scenes, and Violence.

Plot Summary: When it becomes too violent at the Double Deuce road house, the club owner hires Dalton, a professional “cooler” (head bouncer) to clean it up. But Dalton’s early successes and budding romance with the local doctor enrages Wesley, the town crime boss. When Dalton continues to defy him, the stage is set for a dramatic confrontation that will test Dalton’s limits and decide the fate of the town.

If you’re like me and part of a generation that missed out on the craze that was Patrick Swayze, this movie may be the best place to start your new obsession. Swayze was most famous for his roles in Dirty Dancing, Ghost and Point Break.  He was the heartthrob of every woman and the envy of every man. Road House came right off of his smash hit Dirty Dancing and propelled him even further into the 90’s pop culture.

I had never seen much of the movie until I finally watched it a few nights ago, and therefore had little expectations and did not know what kind of movie I was going to get. And this is definitely the ultimate 90’s bar fight movie. Broken tables, smashed beer bottles, pool sticks and switch blades are used to a ridiculously fun amount and make each confrontation the more enjoyable to watch.

Dalton, Swayze’s character, is a cool, calm, and collected bouncer with a degree in psychology. He’s not your typical bumbling behemoth that you see standing outside the clubs. Instead he’s calculating the environment and strategically handling each situation with minimal casualties.

Despite Dalton’s efforts to clean up the bar, Brad Wesley is determined run him out of town for ruining his corrupted system. Wesley uses his henchmen to terrorize both Dalton and the numerous townspeople.

With the help of his friend Wade Garrett (Sam Elliot), Dalton must fight back against Wesley and remove the millionaires corruption from the town. It all comes at a cost and Dalton must find a way to settle the score and save the ones he loves.

This results in one of the coolest fights and kills I’ve seen in any action movie thus far. Filled with some over the top moves and a ridiculous finisher, this goes down in history as one of the MOST BADASS fights ever. 

While this may be more cheesy than a large pile of nachos, it is full testosterone and awesome action. Any fan of awesome hand-to-hand fighting and super cool action heroes should definitely check it out!

I give this movie 7.5 round house kicks out of 10!

2015 Fall/Winter Movie Guide

So the summer is over. Kids are back in school, parents are back to their mundane schedules and it seems as though the world is crumbling into the apocalypse. But don’t fret or worry, more movies are coming and they look mighty promising. If you were as excited for this summer as I was you may have been a tad bit underwhelmed. While there were no shortages of blockbuster thrill rides, some of the most anticipated films of the summer landed on their faces. If you are a fun of substance over explosions and one liners, prepare for what could be a delightful season of terrific films.

I have compiled a list of my most anticipated movies of the fall/winter and listed them according to their release dates given on IMDB. I hope you enjoy this guide to movie watching and choose to see a couple of the movies that flew under your radar or did not even know existed. Now let’s start!

September 18

Black Mass 

Kicking off this list with possibly my most anticipated film of the rest of the year. Any long time fan of Johnny Depp knows he hasn’t been delivering his best performances in the past few movies he’s done, but this looks like it could end up being one of his bests ever. I don’t say this lightly, but I felt the same spine-tingling creepiness that I felt when I first watched Heath Ledger as the Joker in the Dark Knight. Even if it isn’t that good, it looks to be an Oscar contender for sure.

Sicario

Also probably my most anticipated movie on this list, this movie is directed by Denis Villeneuve, director of my favorite movie, Prisoners. Along with that, this movie has a stellar cast. Emily Blunt fresh off of Edge of Tomorrow, Josh Brolin who’s always a solid actor, Benicio Del Toro who always bring an extra level of gravitas, and Jeffery Donavon who is an underrated actor from the show Burn Notice. Plus what seems to be an intense, mind blowing and action packed story. All adds up to an awesome movie.

September 25

Everest

This is what I like to call an “Experience” movie. It is meant to be seen and experienced in a theater, specifically an IMAX. The scale and power of the film is truly felt when viewed on a large screen with tremendous speakers. This could be much what Interstellar was for me as well, a decent story with good acting and amazing visuals and cinematic greatness. I am optimistically excited for the cast of this film as it boasts a large and talented one, including my favorite and the greatest, Jake Gyllenhaal.

October 2

The Martian

DO NOT WATCH ANY TRAILERS!!! All the other trailers have been very spoiler filled and almost tell the whole story. Please stay away from them until you see the film. With that said, I am very excited for this movie. It has an amazing cast, headlined with Matt Damon as “the martian”. To give you a little of the plot, I will tell you that a team of astronauts goes to Mars and has to evacuate but Damon’s character is left on the planet. While I am in the minority for people who liked Prometheus, I am hoping Ridley Scott can bring some of the same epicness to this film as well.

Legend 

This is one of my dark horses for a great movie this fall/winter. The insanity of 2 Tom Hardy’s and a rejuvenated gangster movie could be a recipe for either a disaster or brilliance.

October 9

Pan

Hugh Jackman as Black Beard sold me alone, but this looks like a great mystical spectacle for the whole family. While prequels and origin stories seem to be being made more than they are being wanted, this looks like a fun adventure that can give more depth and clarity to the lore of Peter Pan. I’m especially curious to see Garret Hedlund as the young Captain Hook.

Steve Jobs

Every owns or has owned something from Apple at some point. Steve Jobs changed culture more than most people in history, but it wasn’t a squeaky clean path. I’ve seen the Ashton Kutcher biopic of Steve Jobs and while it delved into some aspects of the turmoil and chaos surrounding Steve Jobs this movie seems to go even further and deeper. Michael Fassbender is nearing his prime and each film he does is catapulted by his amazing performances.

October 16

Bridge of Spies 

While I am not typically a fan of court/law dramas, anything with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg peaks my interest. This promises to be a fascinating look into history with great acting and thrilling moments throughout.

November 6 

Spectre

After Skyfall I was ready for whatever the Bond franchise would put out next. And this film looks to crank up the intensity levels for everything that made Skyfall so great. The addition of Christoph Waltz as the villain is a sure fire thing and I’m curious how Dave Bautista does in this new role as the menacing henchman.

Spotlight

I love when films take events from real life that not many people know about and bring them to the front so everyone can be aware how the world really is. This looks to be an incredible drama with an amazing cast, once again.

November 25

Creed 

After being slightly underwhelmed by Southpaw, I am hoping this movie can deliver the KO. With the lore and history of Rocky behind it, it appears Creed has a chance to become a franchise within itself if they can land the first punch with this movie. Keeping the focus off Rocky but utilizing him still was a good choice in the trailer and I hope they do the same in the film.

The Night Before 

WARNING!!! RED BAND TRAILER!

This looks like Neighbors + The Hangover at Christmas time. Seth Rogen is quickly taking the place of best comedic actor in my opinion. I can’t wait to see the chemistry between Anthony Mackie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Seth Rogen on the big screen.

The Good Dinosaur

This looks to be another homerun for Pixar. The buzz coming out of this year’s D23 Expo (Disney’s biannual convention) is that this will be another Pixar classic, despite the rough start it had in development and production. At it’s core this is a “boy and his dog” story but this time the dinosaur is the boy and the boy is the dog. Coming off of Inside Out, possibly my favorite movie of the year, I’m always excited for original stories from the brilliant brain trust at Pixar.

December 11

Into The Heart Of The Sea

EPIC. The only word I can find to describe what I can only imagine this movie will be. Ron Howard has the phenomenal ability to take strong and intimate stories and tell them on a powerful and tremendous scale. I hope I have the chance to see this IMAX because the scenes involving Moby Dick seem they could be jaw-dropping on such a big screen. I’m also curious to see Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in a more dramatic and serious role.

December 18

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Kids my age group with the Star Wars prequels. We did not know better and thought they were awesome until we were introduced to the mystical greatness of the original trilogy. With light years of advancements in visual and special effects and a director who claims to be going back to the roots of what made Star Wars so good, it’s hard for any fan, casual or the ones who sleep in their storm trooper pajamas with their lightsaber, to not get overly excited at the possibility of what we could get with this movie.

Teacher of the Year – Review

ON NETFLIX!

I usually try to take bias and personal feelings out of my reviews for movies but I’m going to break the rule this time. I LOVED THIS MOVIE. It hit all the targets that I believe make a great movie: Interesting premise/story, engaging dialogue, humor and tugs on the heart strings. On top of all that, it utilized the nearly overdone mockumentary style of filming to perfection (much like the Office’s style) and had to do with teachers which is my current and possibly future profession. I related to all the jokes and struggles of the teachers and was visually pleased by the choice of cinematography.

I went into this movie thinking it would be a long Key and Peele sketch, much like that of the famous and viral substitute teacher videos:  

While I tremendously enjoy these sketches, I was pleasantly surprised by the far deeper and intentional film I received. Much like the Office, this movie finds humor in the mundane and agony of working at a school. Along with that are serious moments of new and old teachers facing real life adversity and trying to find the means to resolve these issues peacefully. Hearing the teachers vent in the Teacher’s Lounge will bring a smile and a chuckle to anyone who has ever served in the role as a teacher.

The two ongoing plots of the film are Mitch Carter, the Teacher of the Year, struggling to decide whether he should remain a teacher at Truman High School or become a lobbyist for independent schools and receive a huge pay increase and then he must also deal with the accusation and trial of a fellow teacher, and friend sexually assaulting a student. Both create real tension and buildup to the climax of the film.

While a lot of people may not recognize this cast very much, it is extremely talented and performs astonishingly, most of all Matt Letscher as Mitch Carter. The supporting casts delivers amazing comic relief and anecdotes to further entertain you beyond the story.

I can not recommend this movie enough! I don’t know if this will only hit for those who like the Office or are teachers, but I hope that everybody at least gives it a chance. Even though this film was released last year, it was recently added to Netflix and thus has vaulted itself to one of my favorite movies of the year.

9.5/10

Top 20 90’s Movies

The 90’s was a great time in movies. Action movies were coming off the explosive and testosterone-filled 80’s. A couple of the funniest comedies ever were released. Children’s films went through a renaissance. And directors and film makers began tap into the potential of CGI. While I only remember seeing these movies for the first time in bits and pieces as a youngster, they all have held up if not become better with age in some instances. Possibly one of the best years in film happened to be the year I was born 1994. When I looked through the lists of movies I decided I would have to extend the list to 20 movies in order to really show the quality of the movies of the decade.

It was impossible to include all the great movies but I wanted to make sure to at least mention those that I hadn’t seen yet or believed deserved recognition. Some movies on here would be high on some people’s lists but I have either never seen them or just didn’t enjoy them as much as the general audience.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Ace Venture: Pet Detective – One of Jim Carrey’s funniest.
• Tommy Boy – Chris Farley’s best and just a stupid fun time.
• The Little Rascals – An awesome story about a gang of kids getting into trouble.
• True Lies – Have not watched all the way through yet, only heard good things about it.
• Rudy – One of the best underdog stories of all-time.
• Total Recall – Have not watched all the way through yet either, great action packed, scifi adventure.
• The Fugitive – Love me some Harrison Ford, and one of the best cat and mouse thrillers.
• Apollo 13 – One of the best casts and amazing historical thriller.
• Space Jam – Best live-action cartoon hybrid since Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
• The Big Lebowski – great comedy that transcends the genre.
• Pulp Fiction – For some reason I never got into this movie but I must acknowledge it’s overwhelmingly huge cult following.

Now for what I believe are the 20 best films from the 90’s, in my opinion. While the rankings express my appreciation and love for each movie, there is a little wiggle room for each movie as always. And this is always subject to change over time. But right now, these are my favorite 90’s movies and I think you should all check them out.

#20 From Dusk Till Dawn (’96) WATCH on NETFLIX

In it’s essence, this is 2 movies: a heist movie, and a horror B-movie. And it’s awesome. Go into this film with slightly lowered expectations and ready for a good time. While this is definitely not one of Quentin Tarantino’s gems (he helped write the screenplay), it certainly has his flavor to it. George Clooney as the “anti-hero” badass is unfamiliar but a ball to watch and will make you wish he took more roles like this early on in his career. While Tarantino as the brother and co-conspirator is laughable and sometimes disturbing, if you can get past it, this is a great fun flick to watch with a group of buddies or if you’re bored on the weekend.

#19 That Thing You Do (’96) 

This isn’t based on a true story but it almost feels like it is. Ever wonder what it would be like to be a part of a one-hit-wonder band? Here’s the story. Tom Hanks as the business savvy and smooth talking manager just adds another electrifying layer to this musical adventure. Each little moment adds to the hysteria, building up to the meteoric rise and fall of the “Oneders”, or Wonders.

#18 Lion King (’94) 

I’m not the biggest fan of the Lion King as most others but I still recognize how great of a film it is. Most people compare the Toy Story trilogy to the Godfather and this movie could similarly be compared to such a great film as Shawshank Redemption as it can stand alone as well for the test of time. All the influences from Macbeth and WWII culminate with the imaginative minds at Disney to create one of the greatest prodigal stories in cinematic history. And Hakuna Matata is easily one of the most recognizable songs even outside of movies ever.

#17 Men In Black (’97)

Ever wonder why we haven’t heard from aliens yet? This is the best….most fun explanation yet. MIB caught Will Smith near the apex of his fame and paired him surprisingly well with the stoic Tommy Lee Jones. One of the funniest action-packed scifi movies until maybe Guardians of the Galaxy, which is saying a lot. Anyone unfortunate enough to miss this gem when it first came out should definitely give it a watch. And when you’re done, the sequel (which decently follows it up) is on NETFLIX.

#16 Rush Hour (’98)

Speaking of unlikely pairings, no one expected this buddy cop comedy to work and it was so good it spawned arguably a better sequel, a third film, and possibly a fourth now. A large percentage of people are annoyed by Chris Tucker’s voice and humor but if you enjoy it like me you will get a huge kick out of this movie. And even if that’s not enough, any chance to watch Jackie Chan fight is a cherished treasure now that he’s done with movies.

#15 Dumb and Dumber (’94)

It could be argued that this is the best buddy comedy ever. While the humor is definitely dumb, it doesn’t dismiss the fact that this movie leaves you in stitches and busting a gut every time you watch it. It’s extremely quotable and even thought it inspired a terrible prequel, it also was beloved enough to bring the two original actors back for a fairly decent and funny sequel. Any fan of comedy has to watch this movie at least every few years to remember the basics of what can make movies so funny.

#14 Good Will Hunting (’97) Watch on NETFLIX

After Robin Williams passed away I went back and watched some of his movies and finally watched this movie. I’m a big fan of Matt Damon and was curious to see what him and Ben Affleck could write. I was blown away by Robin Williams performance. I had scene him act serious in several of his goofier and more silly roles before but never in such a dramatic role as this. The scene on the park bench between him and Damon’s character was my favorite and I was waiting for each conversation between the two to be mesmerized by their amazing chemistry and dialogue. While the overall story to me was not stellar, the acting and especially the chemistry between Williams and Damon was legendary.

#13 Terminator 2: Judgement Day (’91) 

I watched this in its entirety for the first time a few weeks ago and wasn’t very impressed after all the great things I had heard about it. However, after a few weeks to mull it over and revisit some scenes, I have gained a great respect and affection for this film. I also just recently watch the first movie (NETFLIX) which greatly helped put the film in perspective. The T-1000 is tremendously well-done and Arnold as the T-800 is improved upon from the previous movie. I have recently been watching several of Schwarzenegger’s older movies and believe this may be my favorite of his performances. Even though I found John Connor’s character annoying and dumb at some points, I felt he overall fit into the setting and story of the film. I also enjoyed Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor a ton more in T2 than I did in the first Terminator. If you are like I was and haven’t gotten around to it yet, don’t waste your money on Terminator Genysis and go rent Terminator 2.

#12 Schindler’s List (’93)

I’ve only seen this once and it was in school, but it was still remarkably powerful and captivating. I plan on probably watching this movie one more time, maybe twice in my life. It is an extremely hard movie to watch and can be emotionally draining. Everyone should watch this movie once but it is not the type of movie that needs multiple viewings. The powerful visual and oral messages of the film are for more impacting than the entertainment value of this film. The choice to do it in black and white somehow made the scenes even more disturbing and realistic. It felt as though you were watching old footage from camps and factories at that time. There are few movies who have ever delivered a message and truth so carefully and powerful as this film has.

#11 Reservoir Dogs (’92) Watch on NETFLIX

The first time I tried to watch this I turned it off after about 20 minutes. The first restaurant scene can be a bit off-putting but if you can get past it, this really is a well-crafted story. With Quentin Tarantino as the director, what do you expect? The dialogue and flashbacks are used perfectly and help advance the story with only a few minutes of unnecessary conversations. This was Tarantino’s major picture directorial debut and he knocked it out of the park. He set the tone for the rest of his films to come: heavy and smart dialogue, realism and ultra graphic violence.

#10 Braveheart (’95) Watch on NETFLIX

This was one of the first movies I ever wrote a review for and I loved it. For a in depth review and analysis of the film check out my review page. But for the short summary, the score is amazing, the battles are violent but tasteful, and the theme is beautifully crafted and delivered. My favorite Mel Gibson role. And of course one of the best speeches ever.

#9 Shawshank Redemption (’94)

Watching this movie for the first time was the first time I realized how good movies could be. It caused me to view movies more deeply and gave me a higher standard for the films I watched then on out. While the characters are performed well by their respective actors, the real star of this movie is the plots and story telling. You are instantly sucked into this world within the prison as Andy Dufresne slowly turns it upside down until he makes his daring escape.

#8 Fight Club (’99)

One of the weirdest and most surprising movies I’ve watched in a while. Fight Club is way more than a movie about people punching each other. It’s a thought provoking and mind bending journey with twists and turns. I don’t want to give too much away to ruin the movie, but you will instantly want to watch it again after it’s over to try to understand everything that happened. Brad Pitt is a rockstar and gets to personify it in this role and it’s a blast to watch.

#7 Toy Story (’95)

Not much can be said that hasn’t been already about the Pixar debut and classic. It revolutionized animated films for the future and jump started possibly the best and most consistently good movie production company in the past 20 years. Woody and Buzz are gods in the animated community, almost eclipsing Mickey Mouse as the the main characters of Disney. I work at a daycare and see children wearing some kind of Woody or Buzz clothing at least 2 or 3 times a week. On top of being a very popular movie, it really is a fantastic family adventure that is timeless and will be enjoyed for generations.

#6 The Iron Giant (’99)

This is in my top 2 all-time favorite animated films, alongside The Sword In The Stone. It’s an awesome scifi/coming-of-age/action/comedy/family film that still holds up great. There have been numerous animated films getting rebooted as live action versions and I believe this movie is highly deserving of one as well. While it is entertaining to watch the Iron Giant learn about things from Hogarth it is also a very emotional and pulse-pounding film. And I must mention the ending, which is one of my favorite of all-time. It’s nearly guaranteed you will cry the first time you watch it. Any one who is a fan of Disney’s Big Hero 6 should give this movie a try.

#5 Forrest Gump (’94) Watch on NETFLIX

Forrest Gump is like apple pie and baseball in America. It is almost unpatriotic to have never seen Forrest Gump. Funny story: I watched this several times as a kid and didn’t watch again until I was a teenager and realized that Forrest was mentally challenged. I just thought he was really weird as a child. My favorite part of the movie and one of my favorite secondary characters of all-time is Lt. Dan. His interactions with Forrest have always cracked me up and sometimes touched me emotionally.

Extra: There is a channel on YouTube that makes “Honest Trailers” for movies and the one for Forrest Gump is hilarious. Check them out on the Screen Junkies channel! 

#4 Saving Private Ryan (’98) 

F.U.B.A.R. This acronym from the film best describes the movie and the war. Arguably the best war film of all-time and it does not hold any punches. The opening half hour of the movie displays the horror and valor of war for these soldiers. Probably the most tasteful, yet realistic depiction of war in any movie thus far. While most action/war movies try to make the violence slightly entertaining but not glorify, Spielberg did a magnificent job of making it horrifying without being overly disturbing. An essential movie for any fan of war films or history.

#3 Jurassic Park (’93)

When you think of a dinosaur movie you don’t imagine developed characters and well told story, but that’s what you get when Steven Spielberg directs it. He found a way to merge dinosaurs with a thoughtful script and fun visual adventure. It is remarkable how well the dinosaurs hold up today after over 20 years. The blend of practical and CG dinosaurs makes you believe that the extinct creatures are actually on screen with these actors. The other masterful aspect of this film is the amount of screen time for the dinosaurs. Any other director may have felt pressured to put dinosaurs on the screen as much as possible, but Spielberg held back and only showed them for about 15 minutes of the hour and a half film. This built suspense and anticipation for each next scene that involved the dinos. Even though I loved this movie as a child, along with other factors it brought about a huge fear of dinosaurs within me. To this day I can’t ride any rides involving dinosaurs or go near any dinosaurs inside museums.

#2 Tombstone (’93)

The best western in my opinion and the best Kurt Russell performance also. The cast is incredible from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer to Powers Boothe and Michael Biehn. Tombstone also has one of the most badass quotes ever when Wyatt Earp, Russell’s character, says:  This an action-packed modern western with a great story and even great characters like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Johnny Ringo and Curly Bill Brocius. Saddle up for an awesome time and give Tombstone a watch for a rootin’ tootin’ good time.

#1 Goodfellas (’90)

This one of the few films I’ve seen that I can say is perfect. The dialogue and story telling are magnificent and draw you deep into the world of the mobsters. There’s so much to say about it that I recommend you read my full review here. It took me forever to get around to watching it but I’m kind of glad I got to watch it in its entirety for the first time at a more mature age.

I hope you enjoyed my list and will watch any of the movies you had never heard of or seen before. You won’t be disappointed, I promise. Please any comments on what would make it on your list and what you liked and disliked about mine. Thanks for reading!