Top 10 Movies of 2017

Another year is preparing to depart us as we prepare to welcome its willing successor.  At the onset of 2017 there were a lot of movies I was excited to see and by the close of the year I saw many movies.  Many matched by expectations.  Some movies fell short of what I was expecting, while others gave me more then what I could of hoped to see.  

Over the course of going to the movies I pleasantly surprised with a variety of movies.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the rom com Home Again while loving the heavy dramas such as Detroit and Dunkirk.  Of course there were some pleasant surprises along the way such as the stunningly beautiful Loving Vincent and the unique documentary Faces Places.  At the rate I go to the movies it’s hard to avoid really bad movies as well.  Beauty & The Beast, A Quiet Passion, Mother, & The Emoji Movie were all particularly bad releases.  I also got the privilege of seeing some old favorites on the big screen.  Double Indemnity, Airplane, Once Upon a Time in the West are just a few of the distinguished list.

During the 2017 year I still through my annual Oscar party.  The fourteenth year was just as good as years past.  I’m eager for the fifteenth party, later this winter.  I’m confident that the best picture screw up is a one and done deal.  I was pleased that Moonlight was ultimately crowned champion.  I thought that Moonlight was a powerful and beautiful movie.  Plus I didn’t care for La La Land.  

I through my annual Summer season opening night party.  This year we saw Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2.  I swapped the traditional burgers on the grill with a slow cooked pulled pork BBQ.  It was an exciting night for me and for those who attended.  Not to mention one hell of a meal.  If you don’t know this about me I love to cook, especially for those in my life I call friend.

As always the list consists of my ten favorite films of the year (not what I think will go on to awards success).  Once again I include my “Best of the Rest” section which features my favorites performances and screenplays of the year.  The section is topped with my The One That Got Away film.  

It should be noted that I saw close to two hundred of the 2017 releases.  Picking my favorite ten was not easy task but an enjoyable one.

With out further ado I present my Top 10 films of 2017 and two honorable mentions.  Enjoy the list.

THE TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Logan: for taking away a lot  fatigue that I currently find dominating the superhero genre while creating a thrilling and beautiful movie.   The Greatest Showman:  for reminding me why I love going to the movies.

10. Marshall

I love a good underdog story.  The film focuses on a case early in future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall’s career.  It shows the struggles of race and finding the truth in an up hill battle.  I loved that the film choose to focus on the early days of Justice Marshall’s career rather then his ground breaking work on Brown V Board of Education or his time on the Supreme Court.  The case proved how dedicated he was to his profession without the knowledge of one of how one of his later landmark cases ended.  I thought that added a powerful message to a powerful film. 

9. Blade Runner 2049

There was not a film I was more skeptical about this year then the three hour sequel to one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made.  My fear was that the film was three hours of style and maybe an hour of substance.  I’m admitting that I was wrong in my fear.  Yes I got three hours of a visual spectacle.  Additionally I watched an intriguing story that further developed an intriguing world that first graced screens thirty five years ago.  I was also pleased that Harrison Ford had a substantial role in the film.  I’m a huge fan of his work especially in the first Blade Runner.  I didn’t want something like Luke Skywalker in The Force Awakens.  I’m glad the third act featured his Rick Deckard heavily.

8. The Shape of Water

When Guillermo del Toro’s name is listed on the director’s chair of a movie I get excited.  Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Devil’s Backbone, Crimson Peak are all excellent movies in their own right.  Needless to say I was excited when walked into The Shape of Water.  It’s a love story mashed with a cold war conspiracy film with an actual monster as its centerpiece.  (Who just reread that last sentence?)  Sally Hawkins (in a flawless performance) leads an incredibly talented cast that includes Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, & the under rated/very talented Richard Jenkins.  Everyone was perfectly cast  in her or his respective role.  I also fell instantly in love with the story that un folded and the films visual style.  This is a film that will look beautiful in hi-def on blu ray but looks even better on the big screen, and must be seen with a crowd.  WIthout a crowd it still must be seen.  

7. Coco

2017 brought a variety of animated features.  Some were fun to watch, like The Boss Baby.  Others told a great story, such as Your Name.  While some were stunningly beautiful to watch, look no further then Loving Vincent.  Coco is all three of those wrapped in a 100 minute package.  The story has a great depth to it with beautiful animation.  The music and t he characters all make it fun to watch.  Yes there are some uncomfortable moments in a kids film but why should kids not be challenged by some of these moments in film?   When taking children to see family friendly movies must adults suffer through crapfests such as The Emoji Movie?  The answer to both is NO.  Coco answers YES to both those questions.

6. Dunkirk

I’m a huge fan of true stories and Christopher Nolan’s films.  After all Dunkirk is one of three films on this list are either inspired by or based upon real events.  This film had me from frame one.  I loved how the film intertwined the three stories with no effort.  Even more impressive was how each story took place over separate time frames.  One week, one day, and one hour being those time frames.  The film ultimately shows how every day people will stand up in unbelievable times to help one another.  Clocking in at an hour and forty five minutes the film went by in a blink.  I would not of missed this film for the world.

5. Detroit

Kathryn Bigelow is one of my favorite filmmakers working day.  She won a well deserved Oscar for her work on The Hurt Locker.  Her film Zero Dark Thirty remains one of my all time favorites.  I was eager to see her latest effort, Detroit.  In this film she recreated an intense night in American history.  (The film is set against the back drop of the Detroit riots in the 60’s).  Every scene was well crafted, creating a natural suspense to an intense story.  I only recognized a few members of the ensemble but not one actress or actor I would of replaced with a huge Hollywood star.  Combing his work here with his work in the new Star Wars trilogy John Boyega is destined to become a huge star.  He showed incredible talent in this film.  I thought his performance was the crown jewel in a film filled with incredible performances.

4. Get Out

Over the past few years horror films seem to have gotten away from the torture porn that dominated the first part of the young new century.  2017 brought some well thought out horror and suspense films.  Split, It Comes at Night, Personal Shopper to name a few.  Get Out is the leader of the pack.  The script was well thought out and film was well executed, even if it played heavily like The Stepford Wives, at times.  Some uniquely light hearted moments were sprinkled in the film to add to the overall charm.  Most impressively was that it was the first film to be directed by comedian Jordan Peele.  He’s got a great comic presence and this film proves that his talent can transcend genres.

3. Logan Lucky

Some movies are powerful to watch while others are just fun, an ice cream cone for the brain.  Logan Lucky is the ladder.  The trailers made the film look very bizarre in a fun way.  That and the fact that is was Daniel Craig’s first non 007 role in five years drew me and my bag of popcorn to the seat.  The ride was wild and the I loved how unique each of the characters were.  The plot was simple, think Oceans 7-11.  A plot doesn’t need to be complicated and over thought when told well, like this one.  The ridiculous moments were ridiculous.  While the heart string moments added to the film without insulting my intelligence.  If you see this one, do as I did, sit back and enjoy the wild ride.

2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri 

I have a soft spot in my heart for dark movies with an even darker since of humor.  Fargo being a prime example.  Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri is another dark movie with an even darker since of humor that will do the genre proud.  It’s one of two Woody Harrelson films on the list and he’s perfect in his role.  Joining him in the excellent cast is Frances McDormand.  Her performance was perfect as a pist off grieving mother of a murder victim.  She brought a firm morale standing mixed underlined with the films dark humor to her character.  Peter Dinklage and Sam Rockwell also shined in their respective roles.  I thought the film translated well across multiple audiences, as shown by my dad who loved this movie and typically doesn’t enjoy this kind of movie.

1. War for the Planet of the Apes

War for the Planet of the Apes was the 2017 release I was looking forward to the most, and the only release of the year I saw twice on the big screen.  This film was right in the cross hairs of some of my favorite things in cinema: science fiction movies, war movies,  and the Planet of the Apes franchise.  The deck was stacked for me liking this movie.   I loved the action sequences while being compelled by a strong story that unfolded over the course of two and a half hours.  I did not want this movie to end but when it did I left with a lump in my throat after cheering for Caesar (played brilliantly again by Andy Serkis) and his planet of apes.  The film was topped off with Woody Harrelson’s brilliant performance as the films central antagonist.  

(As a side note: I see a lot of movies both socially with friends and/or family and a lot on my own.  Every single film listed I saw socially.)

THE BEST OF THE REST:

Traditionally I publish this list around the turn of the year.  As always there are movies that I miss due to their limited release.  A few years ago I added The One that Got Away.  This is to recognize an incredible movie that would of made this list had I seen it prior to the publication of my annual top ten list.  Also included in The Best of the Rest are what I consider to be the best female and male performances, both lead and supporting, as well as best screenplay, original and adapted.

The One that Got Away: Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures told an incredible story from one of my favorite parts of history: the space race.  The movie told the story of the three women who did the math that ultimately sent John Glen into orbit.  The film also explores their personal lives as these events unfold.  I was moved by how powerful the story was told and how incredible the three ladies where in their individual roles.  (I was disappointed that ONLY Octavia Spencer was nominated for the Oscar.)  I came out of the movie a little smarter, emotionally moved by the struggles and triumphs, and  thrilled with the experience of seeing this movie.

Female Performance (Lead & Supporting):

LEAD: A toss up between Sally Hawkins in The Shape of Water & Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri

SUPPORTING: Holly Hunter in The Big Sick

Male Performance: (Lead & Supporting):

LEAD: Woody Harrelson in LBJ (How many times can I mention how excellent he is at his craft in one blog entry? Three.  The answer is three).
SUPPORTING: John Boyega in Detroit

Screenplay (Original & Adapted):

Original: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri.  Adapted: The Disaster Artist based upon the novel of the same name.

I look forward to doing this annual list again next year! In the mean time to every friend, foe, and stranger I know I say as I always have: my door is always open to you, there is always a spot at my table ready for you, and hey let’s watch a movie!

Rule # 51: Sometimes You're Wrong

Before I get into the blog I’m taking the title from my favorite TV show NCIS.  The central character Gibbs lives by a set of rules and I’m rather fond of that one.  As you read on, it’ll make since.

Let’s talk musicals.  Generally speaking I am not a fan of them.  I tend to avoid them like the plague.  I did’t care for Into the Woods.  I hated LaLa Land.  There are exceptions.  I will always stand up to dance the time warp and proudly add my voice to the chorus.  Across the Universe and The King & I also tend to be exceptions.  

Tonight I had one hell of a time watching The Greatest Showman.  The film follows P.T. Barnum as he creates his now legendary circus.  Hugh Jackman was a natural in the lead role!

The film is a lot of fluff and is overall a feel good movie.  What makes this film work is the fact that it is a musical.  The songs are catchy and the dance routines are entertaining as hell to watch.  All n’ all it works incredibly well!  The movie is a blast to watch and I walked out smiling with a song or two stuck in my head.  

In this case I’m glad I’m wrong.  I’m glad I saw this movie.  For more entertaining films like this I’m happy to be wrong again.

The Last Jedi: A Spolier Free Blog

Log Date: Thursday Dec. 14 2017

  Star Wars may not be my favorite cinematic franchise but it’s up there.  The release of the latest entry was a reason to celebrate and let me outer nerd run the night.  To say I was excited for this night was to put it mildly.  I had my tickets ordered and in my possession for well over a month.

To start the night, I had to plan an epic menu.  First up were the appetizers.  I had potato skins and cheese sticks that I made in the oven.  It’s a bit of a frat boy dish but was a childhood favorite of mine.  Since Star Wars has been in my life since childhood I felt this an exciting avenue to take.  They were served as guests trickled in.  The entree was epic and based off a pun.  I created sloppy doe’s.  It’s scratch made sloppy joe’s with venison instead of beef.  I served roasted Brussels sprouts and tatter tots as sides.   I think almost everyone went back for seconds, myself included.  To toot my own horn it all tasted awesome!  I didn’t plan a dessert with the mind set the theater has sweets.

The movie was at ten at the local regal six screen.  Much to my surprise the parking lot was full.  We found a spot near by.  After all the theater is part of a strip mall.

I got my customary diet coke and junior mints and we took our seats.  The trailers roared across the screen and gave way to two words in yellow:

STAR WARS

After the opening scrawl played.  Two and a half very quick hours later the movie ended.  What a movie.  I’m not giving spoilers, it’s not my style.  Just know I loved almost every minute of the movie and had blast with my friends.  

I love cooking and going to the movies.  More importantly I love surrounding myself with good people.  Tonight was all of that and more.  I will never forget 12-14-2017 when we saw The Last Jedi!

Cinderella Man: Flashback to a movie date with my Grandma

Once upon a blog entry I wrote about the memories that movies make.  I wrote about the first time I saw 007 on the big screen, going to the movies after loved ones passed, and my first kiss.  

I was reminded of it the other day as I sat down to rewatch 2005’s Cinderella Man.  The one where Russell Crowe played the boxer James Braddock during his come back in the mid 1930’s.  When I pulled the movie off the shelf, there was no reason to put it on except I hadn’t seen it in a while.

How quickly that changed.  I remembered how excited I was to see the movie when it was released that summer.  

I remember really wanting to squeeze it in on a busy Friday but held off.  In part because I wanted to enjoy the film without being rushed but more importantly my Grandma was coming up later in the week for dinner and to spend the night.  The day she was coming up I had off.  She was coming up early to go to lunch with me and so she could stop by Dillard’s for some shopping.  I offered to take her to the movie with me, to catch a matinee.  Much to my surprise she said she’d go.  We had lunch at the loop, which was half a mile from Dillard’s, and after a quick excursion for some shopping we drove to Southpoint to catch the movie.

I remember us both really loving the movie.  I like those kind of underdog stories and my Grandma loved Russell Crowe.  Occasionally my Grandpa would lovingly joke that Russell Crowe was her boyfriend that my Grandma never told anyone about.  

What I remembered more then anything was the car ride home.  While the conversation was still about the movie it migrated into her time during the great depression.  She talked about listening to the James J Braddock fights on the radio with her father. There was one fight in particular she flash backed to, which was portrayed as the climax of the film.  In addition to listening to the fight with her father, my future Grandpa was there listening with them.  I enjoyed listening to the excitement in her voice.

Remembering this now is more important to me then doing it this point last year or next.  This is the first holiday season without my Grandma.  A handful of her dvd’s now sit in my collection (and some will be awarded at my Oscar party in her honor).  I think, in the next few weeks leading up to the holiday, I’ll make a point to rewatch some of those dvd’s.  It seems like the thing to do since the first film I watched after her passing was The Conjuring, a blu ray she gave me at Christmas a few years ago.  

I ask you now, dear readers, what are there any movies that you relate to like that? If so what are they and please share the story this holiday season.

Thanksgiving 2017: A Week of Movie binging

HAPPY HOLIDAYS BLOG READERS!!

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.  I did.  I’m kinda proud of the fact that I hosted the Superbowl of meals for the first time this year and found time to see a bunch of movies during the week.  In the days leading up to and past the Thursday feast I found myself visiting the cinema six times.  Is it a bit obsessive? You bet it is.  Did I enjoy the movies I saw? Mostly.  Did I enjoy myself watching them? Of course.  Most importantly did I enjoy the company of the variety of people I saw them with? ABSOLUTELY.  Without further ado here’s my breakdown of what I saw Thanksgiving week 2017.

The Star

The Star was first up.  I went to a Friday matinee before my shift at work, which is something I’ve become rather fond of doing.  The film it self follows the animals surrounding the birth of Christ.  In a time of incredible visual effects and animation techniques I found the animation in this film sloppy.  The film itself was ok.  The story is one I’m overly familiar with.  The best part was Tracy Morgan voicing a camel.  I had fun watching his scenes and imagining him goofing off in the recording studio.

Justice League

This film was not as bad as I was expecting it to be.  Justice League was a far cry from the excellent DC release Wonder Woman earlier this year and leaps better then last year’s Batman V Superman.  I enjoyed some of the battle sequences but overall found the film messy.  There seemed to be a few enjoyable moments sprinkled in the film.  I’m under the impression that those moments were created by Joss Wheadon of The Avengers when he was brought.

Lady Bird

I enjoyed watching Lady Bird but don’t understand the hype.  Apparently it has close to 100% on rotten tomatoes.  The movie is well written and had some very clever moments I didn’t like the central character.  I found her to complain to much.  The other problem I had was with the ending.  Don’t worry no spoilers but I found it to be contrived and it wrapped the film up in to neat of a bow.  I thought that was unnecessary.  It would of been better without the last five minutes.  

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri

I absolutely loved Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri.  The movie told a heart wrenching story with a very dark and twisted since of humor.  Every performance in the film was spot on and the writing incredible.  There will be a place for this film on my top ten list of the year when I publish that list next month.

Coco

Damn you Pixar! You created yet another masterpiece with Coco.  The filmmakers told a simple story, that like The Star has been told multiple times in multiple ways.  Unlike The Star the filmmakers added a truly original voice to the chorus.  The movie brought a lump to my throat and the detail to animation was incredible!  I’m a huge advocate of the experience of movie going, esp theatrically.  If you’re picky about what you see on the big screen make this one a priority. 

Roman J Israel Esq

When I first saw the trailer for Roman J Israel Esq, my first reaction was awards bait for Denzel Washington.  After seeing the film I feel confident in that reaction.  Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the movie.  I thought the story was simple in plot and overly moralized.  I wish the filmmakers had met more in the middle on those two points.  However I liked how the story was told.  Yes it’s filled with slick legal tricks but it didn’t seem to be heavily weighted down with legal jargon that one would find in a John Grisham adaptation.  Though not as good as Coco & Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri I’m glad I saw it and enjoyed it more then some other films I saw this holiday week.  I’m looking at you Lady Bird.

Confessions of a Movie Blogger

Dear readers

I have a confession.  When it comes to general reviewing movies I’m not the best source.   

I’m very two sided.  Take Jigsaw for example.  I knew it was going to be bad.  I went anyways.  I got my oversized soda and sat in my favorite seat.  I like to sit towards the front where the screen hovers over me.  If I can sit behind a handicap row to put up my feet I will (assuming no one is using that row of course) otherwise I prefer the same row on the edge.  What’s running through my mind is not how bad this movie was going to be but how excited I am to be at a matinee.  

Sure I can tell you how great of Moonlight turned out to be.  I did come out saying it would win best picture.  There are movies that people love that I could not stand.  Can someone please explain to me why Beauty & The Beast remake is good? Same with La La Land.  I will never like these movies.  However there are bad movies that I really liked.  I thought American Assassin was an awesome movie and laughed my butt off watching Going in Style.  

I do see a lot of movies.  There are movies I will never miss, like the 007 films.  I will see Star Wars because I like an event film.  I will continue to see films like Jigsaw because I enjoy going to the movies, all the more with people.

Does any of that stop me from putting my opinion out there? No.  Will it? Never.  I can tell you why I liked or disliked a movie.  Once I get to know you I take pride in being able to customize film recommendations.  

I’ll see you at the movies!

Will

Inspiration & the Movies

What movies have inspired you?  What have you done with that inspiration?  Inspiration can be a mighty power to wield and cinema has a huge reach.

For me I get the itch to learn about the subject in the film.  Take 2016’s incredible Birth of A Nation.  The film was about Nat Turner’s slave rebellion.  Remember it’s the one that had a massive controversy about how widely inaccurate it was.  People weren’t seeing the movie because of that fact and missed out on an excellent movie.  What it did for me was encourage me to read up on what actually happened.  I read some interesting material on the subject.  

Most recently I saw Viceroy’s House.  The film portrays the transition of British India to independence.  It’s a piece of history I know nothing about and am eager to read up on.

This doesn’t have to be limited to films that are ‘based on a true story’.  Take M. Night Shyamalan’s Split.  The horror flick follows three women kidnapped by a man with multiple personality disorder. I wanted to know more about multiple personality disorder.  I read a great biography on Billie Milligan as well as some great information about the disorder.

So again I ask what have movies done to inspire you and how have you acted on that?

A Walk Through the Park

Movies can be more then just entertainment, they can be a place holder for memories.  In fact I did a blog on this very topic a few years back.

During my younger years, and before she passed, my sister and I would watch Jurassic Park.  We often would argue about what to watch, whether a TV show or VHS, later DVD.  Jurassic Park was one we would settle on.  We often heated up a microwavable popcorn and split a sprite.

Over the weekend I took advantage of an opportunity to, once again take a walk through the park.  In honor of my sister I had our customary snack of popcorn and sprite.  As a I side note I realized that sprite is not my favorite soft drink but still enjoyed slurping it up.  

I took my seat in my favorite seat in the auditorium, towards the front on the edge.  Then the film started.  The T-Rex roared, the people ran, and the raptors hunted their prey.  After almost twenty five years this film held up really well.

Seeing the film brought back a flood of positive memories.  I enjoyed remembering watching the VHS with my kid sister.  We would both get excited to see the dinosaurs when Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum first arrived on the island.    We would get bored with the science talk scenes about the cloning process and then cheer as the T-Rex arrived on scene to eat up the car.  At the end of the film we would get scared as the raptors sniffed around the kitchen.  I still jumped at the scene during this movie.

It was nice to remember how much I miss her and not just on the anniversary of her passing.  

The 2017 Summer Movie Season Wrap Up

The summer nights are getting shorter, which means it’s August.  The summer blockbuster season is coming to a close.  There are still two films I’m excited to see before the season yields to the Oscar bait of fall.  Those two are Annabelle: Creation and Logan Lucky. 

Looking back at the past few months it was a pretty good summer season.

Three films took my breath away, figuratively and literally: War for the Planet of the Apes, Detroit, and Dunkirk.  All three should be destined for awards success but knowing the trends of the academy the ladder two are the more likely. 

Setting aside my biasism for War for the Planet of the Apes it’s an incredible film that brought a tear to my eye and deserves to be considered for heavy awards as well. Detroit should be required viewing for high school history and seen by everyone at least once.  I found myself moved by the events unfolding in the story and couldn’t help but draw comparisons to events today.  I think that was the filmmakers point.  Yay for me for picking up on that. 

I once heard Dunkirk described as a WW2 movie for the MTV generation and would agree with that point.  As a member of the MTV generation I found how it played with time to be an incredible way to tell the stories.  I also loved how the perspective switched from main character to main character.  

I could go on about those three films alone but there was more to the summer season.  I loved the adrenaline rush that was Baby Driver.  I enjoy a good action flick and this was that plus an awesome soundtrack, easily the best this year.  While were talking good action flicks Atomic Blonde was a ton of fun.  It had a nice twist at the end that I saw coming.  That didn’t stop me from enjoying all aspects of it.

It Comes at Night takes the cake as the best horror film of the summer.  It was atmospheric and kept me guessing all the way through.  Easily one of the best films of the summer and the year.  I am disappointed by the lack of horror, or good horror, the rest of the summer brought.  The year started so strong for the genre with releases like Split and Get Out.  Hopefully the fall will bring some good stuff!

The Big Sick was excellent on many levels.  It was sweet without insulting my intelligence.  It had a unique sense of humor that didn’t go stale over the course of two hours.  It’s topped off my an awards worthy performance from Holy Hunter.  It’s truly a gem of the 2017 summer season.

My inner ten year old loved Despicable Me 3 and was highly entertained by the pixar release Cars 3.  I enjoyed sitting up front, where the screen hovers above me in awe, for both films.  The title wave on enjoyment engulfed me completely and I won’t complain about how mediocre the two films were, especially in comparison to others in each respective franchise.  For Cars 3, that sentiment expands to the Pixar canon in general.  Up, Brave, Inside Out, Toy Story 3 all emotionally charged films and Monsters Inc is a hell of a lot of fun to watch.

Alien Covenant was what I expected it to be.  A good ride with some great moments.  The duel roles that Michael Fassbender played were both incredible and topped by a truly unique scene I won’t spoil.

The summer did bring some duds.  The horror flick Wish Upon disappointed me.  As I already stated there has been an uptick in horror release this year, Wish Upon takes away from that.  

The science fiction film Valerian was just awful.  What little story there was bored me.  Some of the visuals looked good but in the end the effects overwhelmed me.

I’m not going to talk about A Ghost Story beyond how disappointing I found it.

With all that said I look forward to the cool nights of fall and winter yielding some awesome looking awards bait films.  Hey I’m a sucker for those!

War For the Planet of the Apes

“Oh my God. I'm back. I'm home. All the time, it was... We finally really did it. You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!”

--George Taylor (Charlton Heston) Planet of the Apes, 1968.

1968’s Planet of the Apes is one of my all time favorite movies and has one of the greatest twist endings in the history of cinema, as quoted above.

In 2011 the first prequel, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, was released and this week the third in trilogy, War for the Planet of the Apes, graced the silver screen.

To say I was excited for the release of this movie is an understatement.  This was the movie release of 2017 for me.  No other film I wanted to see more and we’re only in the middle of July.  

I considered taking the Thursday night off to see it, throw a party, make a night of it.  I talked myself out it and opted for my favorite showtime: the late night Saturday show.  The day passed slowly as the anticipation of the movie ballooned, but the show time would come.    I got off work, and grabbed a bite to eat as I waited for the showtime, and it would come.  I arrived at the theater, grabbed my oversized, low ice drink and waited for the 9:45 showtime and it still would come.  The theater lights dimmed, the trailers ran and the start of the movie came.

Two and a half hours passed like seven minutes.  I did not want this beautiful movie to end.  I loved the intense action sequences, Woody Harrelson’s villainous colonel, Andy Serkis’ heroic Caesar, the breathtaking cinematography, basically everything.  

I found the movie to have an incredible emotional arc.  During the course of the film I cheered for the heroes as they had their victories and mourned their losses at the hands of the best cinematic villain this year.  It’s rare I feel something like that in film but when I do, it’s a natural kind of high.  

I must admit I left the theater with a lump in my throat.  A major part of that was because of the events that unfolded during the story.  However, the feeling of leaving a huge part of oneself behind also contributed.  I had a lot of build up to this movie.  That build up was everything from following the production of the movie to re-watching the predecessors in the prequel trilogy.  It’s a weird feeling, when I feel that way for a movie.  Though I spend time with friends and family I am not currently dating and still live alone, spend a fair amount of time alone, and that creates a huge void.  A void that I tend to fill with watching movies.  So I get excited for my cinematic passions as if they were a child and this was one that was well worth the wait.

I tend not to see movies twice on the big screen.  After all I collect them at home for the purpose of re-watching them.  However there are rare exceptions and War for the Planet of the Apes WILL BE ONE OF THOSE RARE EXCEPTIONS!

So with that said let’s hang out, grill out, chill out, or go see a movie like War For the Planet of the Apes.

A Bit of Nostalgia

I believe that there is magic in the shared experience.  The experience could be a variety of things: catching up with a friend at the pool, grilling with friends old & new, and going to the movies.  There it is, after all this is a movie blog. 

Imagine my disappointment when I couldn’t find anyone to join me in a big screen viewing of The Sandlot.  This film was a staple of my childhood and one I hadn’t seen since puberty.  To put it mildly, I was excited about the screening.  To circle back, the crowd that trickled in did not disappoint.  A variety of pre teen, teen, middle aged, and the mature middle aged all were in attendance, including a family with three generations.  To hear the anticipation and cheers of those seeing the flick for the first time was thrilling.  

The movie is a great example of a slice of life for young pre teen boys.  With that said it opened a flood of memories from a younger version of myself.  There’s those memories of discovering the opposite sex and coming into those, then awkward feelings. Of course the character Squints handled perfectly in all the awkward glory of youth.  There’s the exaggerating of local legends, blowing them out of proportion like that of the beast!  There’s also taunting rivals, and in the heat of the moment insult “You play like a girl”, in many playfully heated exchanges.  Making friends, losing friends, little league, and much more all came to the fore front in a flood of nostalgia.  

Despite the loneliness of flying solo tonight, I enjoyed myself and revisiting an old friend in this movie.

In the spirit of shared experiences I say: To friends old & new, those I haven’t seen in a while and those I’ve seen recently, I look forward to sharing the experiences of movies and whatever other life experiences, both good & bad, life puts in are way!

2017 Mid Year Movie Ramble

June is coming to a close next week and as I do around this time, every year, I ramble about what movies I’ve seen.

There’s been some great stuff this year in horror: Get Out and It Comes at Night lead the pack with Split not to far behind them.  These fine films are great examples of horror films that are putting compelling stories back into film.  I am dreading the release of the new Saw flick later this year.  I’m hoping the genre doesn’t fall back into the bad habits these films created.  Though I must admit I really liked the first one.

Other then I thought Logan was an excellent comic book film.  It was very gritty and the fact that it was allowed to have rough edges made it an interesting movie.  

Kong: Skull Island and Alien: Covenant were both incredible amounts of fun to watch.  So was Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.  It wasn’t great but a blast to watch.

There were a few pleasant surprises as well.  Colossal and  A Cure for Wellness both were pleasant surprises.  So was Personal Shopper.  The film created a great moody tone and kept me on the edge of my seat.  

This year has brought some bad flicks as well.  Transformers: The Last Knight chief among them and its followed very closely by Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.  It’s not an anti musical thing after all The King and I is a great movie.  It’s bad and the leads can’t sing their way out of a paper bag to save their lives. 

The Ring sequel titled Rings was massively disappointing as well since the first one was incredible.  

The Lovers didn’t do it for me either.  I thought it was repetitive and slow.  I couldn’t wait for it to end.

Anyways I can’t wait to go back to the movies!

Farewell Sir Roger Moore

We all have are fandoms that we obsess about.  For some it’s Star Trek or Star Wars, others it maybe Doctor Who, and for some a particular genre of film such as horror.  While I obsess about many aspects of movies, the one that holds true above all else is the James Bond franchise.  

This past Tuesday the franchise lost one of its biggest icons: Sir Roger Moore.  He was the third actor to inhabit the beloved character, and to date the actor to make the most appearances, totaling seven.

I credit Sir Roger Moore as the individual who kept the James Bond franchise alive, not just during his tenor from 1973’s Live & Let Die through 1985’s A View to A kill but alive and well today.  What he did with the role was prove that the franchise can continue with out Sean Connery.  George Lazenby initially stepped into the role but left after one film and Sir Connery returned to the franchise.  When Sean Connery left again, after making Diamonds Are Forever, Roger Moore had the 007 tux tailored and kept breath in the franchise.  The James Bond mantle is one of the biggest mantles to inherit, in all of cinema, and he did it with grace, class, and wit.  For that, my inner cinemaphile is eternally grateful.  

On a personal note, it is strange mourning the passing of someone who I never met or knew personally.  To be completely honest I’m not sure what to make of this feeling of sorrow.  On one hand, the passing of an individual is tragic.  On the other we never met, talked to each other, or shared any experience.  Yet I feel the loss on a very personal level.  In time, and in my own obsessive way, I will process this emotion.

I will always love the 007 film (and book) series.  Though he left the role over three decades ago, and three others have since tied the Bond tie, I miss the charm and class that Roger Moore so eloquently brought to the role.

Summer Season 2017

Last night I hosted my annual Opening night movie party.  This party is to celebrate the opening of the summer movie season.  I host everyone at my place first for dinner (this year’s was my homemade bbq) then we are off to see the first big movie of the summer season.  This year’s flick was Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.  Did I like it? Yes, it’s not a great movie but it’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch.  It’s like an ice cream cone for the brain.  Thanks for asking.  

It got me thinking I haven’t payed that much attention to the summer season this year.  So I got to researching to see what the summer is going to look like.  I came across my must sees.  For me there are two and both are war pictures.  War for the Planet of the Apes is the first film.  I’m a huge fan of the original Planet of the Apes and have thought that the first to prequels have been excellent.  Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk is the other big must see of this summer season for me.  I’m a huge fan of Christopher Nolan’s work and love a good WW2 epic.  This looks to deliver greatly.

There are other films I’m excited to see this summer.  Alien Covenant comes out in May.  The title of the film annoys me but I loved Prometheus and look forward to this follow up.  I love Pixar so Cars 3 has my engines going.  The other franchise flick I really want to see is Annabelle Creation is August.  The first was good fun and this looks to continue that.  After seeing Straight Outta Compton I want to see All Eyez on Me.  The indy horror flick It Comes At Night has me excited especially after the release of the indy horror flick Get Out.  Detroit and The Dark Tower also have me super excited.  

There’s a few I think look ok and will end up seeing because I like going to the movies.  Spiderman Homecoming, King Arthur, and Valerian and the City of a 1000 Planets are that list.  One could make the argument for the new Pirates of the Caribbean flick could go on this list.

Then there’s the new Transformers movie.  WHY MICHAEL BAY WHY???? I’ll end up seeing it despite how bad it looks.  I’ve got a friend who wants to see it so we’ll go.  That’s where my interest ends in seeing this crapfest.  I’d say he’d owe me one and see something he doesn’t want to see.  Cashing in on that fact is easier said then done. 

Any ways happy summer movie viewing.

The April Movie Round Up

Let me start this blog entry with a confession:

I’ve been in a funk.  Normally these come and go but this one has just insisted on sticking around.  In any given month I see a bunch of movies but my numbers for April 2017 are unusually high.  I think me avoiding and trying to get out of this funk contribute to that.   

There’s still a few things I want to see this month that are being released this weekend.  (The Circle and Colossal are those titles).  Looking back there were some stand out films for me, some mediocre films, and some just plain bad.

Let’s start with the just plain bad and move forward.  Gifted was awful.  I thought the film took its message and slapped me across the face with it repeatedly.  This insulted my intelligence.  The other film I just couldn’t stand this month was Unforgettable.  I didn’t care for the characters and feel I’ve seen the premise done better in dozens of other films.

Moving up the chain to the mediocre.  Going in Style tops this list.  The film was entertaining but it’s not something I feel I’d watch over and over again.  I went to a late show one Saturday night, enjoyed myself at the movies, but feel I would of had the same experience at a matinee or a red box later down the road.  I enjoyed Their Finest but have to admit it took me a while to get into.  I do have to say I enjoyed Bill Nighy in the film, as I often find myself doing.  The Promise I found to be just mediocre as well.  Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale are both talented actors and give good performances.  I found the story to be cookie cutter.  My big problem with this movie was the music.  It was unnecessary with its cues.  I felt it over powered some great moments in the film and brought the film down as a whole.  It’s ok to let your actors act.

Up next the chain of positivity, yes you read that cornball statement right, is the good.  The Fate of The Furious rests here for me.  It’s the eighth film in the franchise and fits nicely in the cookie cutter, international ensemble.  What makes this one stand out for me this month is Charlize Theron’s performance as the films villain.  She was menacing and looked like she was enjoying herself in the film.  I also found the anime flick Your Name to be good as well.  I really enjoyed how the story was told in this one.  I must say I enjoyed Phoenix Forgotten.  It’s not a great film but it’s 90 minutes of entertainment.  The movie plays like one of the Unsolved Mysteries segments played over an hour and a half.  

For me there were two stand out films I saw this month.  The first is the foreign language feature Frantz.  The trailer does not do the story justice.  There is a lot more there and the film plays beautifully on the big screen.  The majority of the movie is in black and white which I really loved.  I was captivated by the characters and how they moved the plot forward.  The other movie I loved this month was The Lost City of Z.  I was taken in very easily by the story.  Though a bit long it didn’t drag all that much and was beautifully filmed.

There’s a few films I’ve left out and I’m ok with that.  Next week the summer blockbuster season opens with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and I’m looking forward to it!!!

2017: Quarter 1

March is coming to an end in roughly a week and a half.  With it the first quarter of 2017 will be closing as well.  

Cinematically I typically spend the first quarter of the year finishing up what I need to see from last year and seeing some mediocre releases.  There are obvious exceptions to this. The Witch & 10 Cloverfield Lane from 2016, Kingsman: The Secret Service from 2015, and The Lego Movie & The Grand Budapest Hotel from 2014 are all great examples of first quarter stand outs.

I must admit 2017 brought me not one, not two, but four stand out releases.  Split, A Cure For Wellness, Logan, and Kong: Skull Island all were exciting adventures in moviegoing for 2017.

Let’s start with M. Night Shyamalan’s Split.  Yes you read that right M. Night Shyamalan.  I could do an entire blog on how much I’m enjoying this low budget/high story portion of his career with The Visit and Split.  The film centers around three teens kidnapped by a man suffering from multi personality disorder.  James McAvoy portrayed the central character in a well written and cleverly directed film.  It also tied in very nicely into the Unbreakable film universe.  It was hard for me to settle into my seat with this film as I was on the edge of it for a lot of this movie.

Moving on, A Cure For Wellness came out next.  If you want to see a well thought out psychological thriller look no further then this one.  It’s very atmospheric with a slow burn in the thrills.  In that way it reminded me a lot of Dario Argento’s 1977 Suspiria.  

Logan was released in early March and as for comic book movies this one is one of the best.  It plays like a western and explores a lot of ideas that fascinated me.  Chief among those ideas was what Charles Xavier’s mind looks like as it fails him.  The action sequences were few and far between, all of which were well crafted.  In between a story developed that was very compelling.  It introduced new characters into the film universe that were interesting and very well developed.

The fourth film that was mind blowing to me was Kong: Skull Island.  The film showed Kong as an incredible hero.  The characters and visuals were both very well crafted.  Combing that with a well written story the film is one not to be missed.

I must give an honorable mention to The Lego Batman Movie.  It was simply a lot of fun to watch. 

With all that said I look forward to what the rest of 2017 brings.

The 14th Annual Oscar Party

Are youngest guest. 

February 26, 2017 the Annual Oscar Party celebrated 14 years.  It was a great bash.  Approximately 60 attended to socialize with each other and cheer on their favorite films.    Twenty one trivia games and three prediction contests for a grand total of twenty four prizes were taking home by various guests during the night.  Each basket was individually themed as part of a whole theme.  It seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves.  

A Trivia game in progress

During the night I presented the twenty one trivia games and their respective baskets.  The games consisted of films from 2016, North Carolina, and many more.  The trivia games consist of five questions and a bonus round to break a tie.  This is done as a free for all with the guest with the best of five winning.  Everyone yells out the answer and first I hear with the correct answer gets the point.  I enjoy seeing everyone compete in a friendly manner and after claiming a prize helping others win baskets.

The three prediction contests were for predicting the Oscar winners, what I say should of been nominated in selected Oscar categories, and at the movies.  At the movies is a variety of categories that include worst film, best one liner, best kiss, and many more.  Ballots were filled out as guests caught up with one another and grabbed a bite to eat.  The one with the most in each respective category wins the corresponding prize.  For Shoulda/Woulda/Coulda the winning ballot got 5 out of 11, At the movies got 9 out of 24, and for predicting the actual Oscars it was 11 out of 24.  I select the nominees for the at the movies categories.  The shoulda/woulda/coulda nominees are filled out Oscar morning based on what was snubbed by the Oscars.  I fill this in as I see the movies during the year and decide the winners leading up to the Oscars.  It’s always great to hear guests discuss what think will win especially the categories I decide.

As for the actual telecast I really enjoyed seeing Jimmy Kimmel host.  I thought he brought a lot of charm to the role of Oscar host.

Discussing the movies

For the most part the winners were the cookie cutter predicted winners.  That’s until La La Land won best picture.  Excuse me Moonlight won best picture.  I loved seeing Moonlight eventually win the big award.  I was a huge fan of the movie.  The mix up in the envelopes was an embarrassment but everybody is human.  It also means the right film won the award.

The nominees for shoulda/woulda/coulda and at the movies are below and winners are bolded and in red.

THE SHOULDA/WOULDA/COULDA NOMINEES

PICTURE: 20th Century Women, Jackie, Miss Sloane,  Loving, Nocturnal Animals, Live by Night, Sully
ACTOR: Don Cheadle Miles Ahead, Joel Edgerton Loving, Tom Hanks Sully, Chris Pine Hell or High Water

ACTRESS: Amy Adams Arrival, Annette Bening 20th Century Women, Jessica Chastain Miss Sloane,  Helen Mirren Eye in the Sky

DIRECTOR: Garth Davis Lion, Clint Eastwood Sully, Jeff Nichols Loving, Denzel Washington Fences

SUPP. ACTOR: Aaron Eckhart Sully, Alan Rickman Eye in the Sky, Jeremy Renner Arrival

SUPP ACTRESS: Elle Fanning 20th Century Women,  Laura Linney Sully, Gugu Mbatha Raw Free State of Jones

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Eye in the Sky, Free State of Jones, Loving, Miss Sloane, Sing Street
ADAPT. SCREENPLAY: Billy Lynn’s Long Half Time Walk, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Nocturnal Animals, Sully

DOCUMENTARY:Author: JT Leroy Story, Harry & Snowman, Last Man on the Moon, Peter&the Farm, The Witness

ANIMATED FEATURE: The Angry Birds Movie, April & The Extraordinary World, Finding Dory, Sing, Storks

FOREIGN FILM: April & the Extraordinary World, The People V Fritz Bauer, Rams, Shin Godzilla, The Wave

THE 2016 @ THE MOVIES NOMINEES

WORST FILM: Demolition, Hello My Name is Doris, Light Between the Oceans, Rachet & Clank, Warcraft

SEQUEL: 10 Cloverfield Lane, Captain America 3, Jack Reacher 2, Jason Bourne, Star Trek: Beyond

DRAMA:Denial, Fences, Finest Hours, Hidden Figures, Live by Night, Loving, Miss Sloane, Moonlight, Sully   

COMEDY:Ghostbusters, Hunt for the Wilder People, Nice Guys, Sausage Party, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

SCI-FI/FANTASY:Arrival, Fantastic Beasts.., Kubo & the 2 Strings, Midnight Special, Rogue One, Star Trek: Beyond

ACTION: Deadpool, Hardcore Henry, Jack Reacher 2, Jason Bourne, London Has Fallen,  Magnificent 7

HORROR/THRILLER: The Boy, The Conjuring 2, Don’t Breathe, Eye in the Sky, Girl on the Train, Green Room, The Witch

INDY FILM: 20th Century Women, Eye in the Sky, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Moonlight, Southside with You

FAMILY FLICK:The BFG, Fantastic Beasts.., Finest Hours, Hidden Figures, A Monster Calls, Queen of Katwe, Zootopia

ENSEMBLE: Arrival, Hidden Figures, Live By Night, Magnificent Seven, Sully, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

FIGHT: Escape from 10 Cloverfield Lane, Bravo Squads Iraq Battle Billy Lynn’s Long Half Time Walk, New York Subway battle Fantastic Beasts.., Recuse of the President London Has Fallen, Gun Control Battle Miss Sloane

HERO: Tom Hanks Sully, Felicity Jones Rogue One, Chris Pine Finest Hours, Denzel Washington Magnificent 7

COMICBOOK HERO:Benedict Cumberbatch Dr Strange, Chris Evans Captain America 3, Ryan Reynolds Deadpool

SIDEKICK: Aaron Eckhart Sully, Chiwetel Ejiofor Doctor Strange, Hugh Jackman Eddie the Eagle
BADGUY: Idris Elba Star Trek: Beyond, John Goodman 10 Cloverfield Lane, Patrick Stewart Green Room

KISS: Marion Cotillard/Brad Pitt Allied, Ewan McGregor/Naomie Harris Our Kind of Traitor, Tika Sumpter/Parker Sawyers Southside with You, Tina Fey/Martin Freeman Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

VOICEOVER: Alex Jennings Lady in the Van, Emily Blunt Girl on the Train, Liam Neeson A Monster Calls

MUSICIAN: Don Cheadle Miles Ahead, Ethan Hawke Born to be Blue, Michael Shannon Elvis & Nixon

PRESIDENT:Aaron Eckhart London Has Fallen, Kevin Spacey Elvis & Nixon, Parker Sawyers Southside With You

TRUE LIFE PERFORMANCE:Casey Affleck Finest Hours, Warren Beatty Rules Don’t Apply, Tom Hanks Sully, Taraji Henson Hidden Figures, Matthew McConaughey Free State of Jones, Ruth Negga Loving, Natalie Portman Jackie

CAMEO: Johnny Depp Fantastic Beasts..., James Earl Jones Rogue One, Bill Murray Ghostbusters

LINE:‘Never tell a soldier that he does not know the cost of war’Eye in the Sky ‘Faith is twenty four hours of doubt and one minute of hope’The Innocents ‘We may loose the small battles but we will win the big war’Loving

CGI CHARACTER:Aliens10 Cloverfield Lane, BFG The BFG, DoryFinding Dory, Monster A Monster Calls

REVIVAL:The Big Lebowski, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, The Polar Express, Princess Bride, Third Man