Hopefully these lists are more inspiring than the blog title.
From the 147 movies I saw this year.
MY TOP FILMS
1. - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
2. - La La Land
3. - Sing Street
4. - Captain Fantastic
5. - 20th Century Women
6. - Manchester by the Sea
7. - Star Trek Beyond
8. - The Handmaiden
9. - Sully
10. - Nocturnal Animals
11. - The Accountant
12. - Neon Demon
13 - Live by Night
14. - Lion
15. - The Founder
LESSER KNOWN FILMS THAT NEED MENTIONING
1. - The Lobster - For originality
2. - The Handmaiden - For the cinematography
3. - Tower - For the concept
4. - White Girl - For Morgan Saylor's performance
5. - Don't Think Twice - For it all
WORST FILMS
1. - American Honey
2. - The Finest Hours
3. - Certain Women
4. - Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
5. - Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
6. - The Girl on the Train
MOVIES I THOUGHT I WOULD LOVE BUT DIDN'T
1. - Swiss Army Man (Everyone raved.. but it totally fell flat for me)
2. - Jackie (Love Natalie and wanted wow. Got awkward)
3. - Sausage Party (Would have been a hilarious 5 minute skit)
4. - Hail Caesar! (Hail no)
5. - The Secret Life of Pets (All the good kibble was in the trailer bowl)
MOVIES I THOUGHT I WOULD HATE BUT DIDN'T
1. - Kubo and the Two Strings (Such an amazing story that captured my heart)
2. - Hacksaw Ridge (I am not a fan of war but this was very well done)
3. - A Monster Calls (An emotional powerhouse. Very unexpected)
4. - The Legend of Tarzan (Action packed and felt like a super hero jungle flick)
FAVORITE MOVIE MOMENTS (may contain spoilers but will try not to)
1. - Fences - Anytime Viola Davis spoke
2. - Captain America Civil War - Iron Man recruits Spiderman
3. - Sing Street - Brother to brother conversation
4. - The Founder - When Ray Kroc orders his first McDonalds burger
5. - Star Trek Beyond - Sabotage retro jam
TOP MOVIE POSTERS
1. - Jackie
2. - American Honey
3. - The Neon Demon
4. - Green Room
5. - Christine
12.27.2016
12.22.2016
Blu-ray releases - 12.27.16
Revenge is Back in Fashion in THE DRESSMAKER
A FILM BY JOCELYN MOORHOUSE
STARRING KATE WINSLET, JUDY DAVIS, LIAM HEMSWORTH and HUGO WEAVING
On Digital HD December 20 and
VOD, Blu-ray™ and DVD December 27
Synopsis:
A glamorous, worldly dressmaker returns to her small Australian hometown to seek the truth behind her notorious reputation. This dark and quirky comedy stars Academy Award® winner Kate Winslet as Tilly Dunnage, who cares for her eccentric mother (Academy Award® nominee Judy Davis), schemes with the local sergeant (Hugo Weaving) who has secrets of his own, and falls for local farmer Teddy (Liam Hemsworth). As she starts to unravel her scandalous past, she transforms the town’s women with her exquisite creations. Armed with only her sewing machine and haute couture style, Tilly shows she is a force to be reckoned with and that revenge never goes out of style.
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WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS
Debuting on Digital December 13
On Blu-ray™& DVD December 27
Bonus Materials Include Deleted and Extended Scenes,
a Behind-the-Scenes Featurette and Commentary
Synopsis:
John and Laura Taylor (Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall) are a young, professional couple who desperately want a baby. After exhausting all other options, they finally hire Anna (Jaz Sinclair), the perfect woman to be their surrogate – but as her pregnancy progresses, so too does her psychotic and dangerous fixation on John. The couple becomes caught up in Anna’s deadly game and must fight to regain control of their future before it’s too late.
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AMERICAN HONEY
On Blu-ray™& DVD December 27
Synopsis:
An astonishing portrait of youth on the American fringe, American Honey is told through the eyes of a vivacious teenage rebel who joins a group of fellow misfits hustling and partying their way across the country. Bursting with electric, primal energy, American Honey is an immersive, exhilarating odyssey of heartbreaking beauty — a generation-defining film that celebrates the defiant resilience of youth in pursuit of the American Dream.
BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES
“Sasha Lane and Riley Keough on American Honey” Interview
12.20.2016
Passengers - Review
Review - Matt Mungle
In theaters 12.21.16
Synopsis: A spacecraft traveling to a distant colony planet and transporting thousands of people has a malfunction in its sleep chambers. As a result, two passengers are awakened 90 years early.
Review: One of the main issues with the new sci-fi drama PASSENGERS is that it is just too pretty. Pretty people, pretty spaceship, pretty imagery, pretty boring. It is a fantastic concept with exceptional conversational themes but the viewer has to work hard to summon them up. You shouldn't have to expend this much effort to find something positive to say. Is it possible that anything deep and meaningful in this film was an accident? Maybe.
Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) awakens to find he is a bit early to the party. 90 years early to be exact. He was supposed remain in a comfortable hibernation until the ship he is on made it to a new planet colony. Now Jim must face the fact that he will grow old and die alone while everyone else around him sleeps soundly. Even the top of the line space age comforts that were designed to accommodate the passengers once they were close to home can't help his loneliness. When the beautiful Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) is also roused from slumber the two of them find comfort for a while with each other. That is until the ship starts really malfunctioning.
There are many things to like in the movie but it is akin to liking a mediocre post in social media. You click the button and keep scrolling, forgetting much of what you just saw. Jim has a year to try and find a way to survive before Aurora joins him. By then he is mentally drained. His only companion, a patronizing android bartender (Michael Sheen). When Aurora shows up the movie takes on a completely different feel. One of a romantic comedy. The two laugh and love and make the best of their situation. Then act three rolls around and the action adventure starts. The two must save the ship before all is completely lost. These three segmented pieces lack enough synergy to make the story as a whole cohesive.
Many people may like the fact that it is a slow think piece. There is much to wax philosophical about if you look at it as a journey of fate. The idea of our role as humans is a great starting point. Those who want peril to be the main star though will long for more intensity and less intimacy. I personally wanted a more survival driven narrative. I wanted the danger to come quicker and with more ferociousness. Also it would be interesting to see what made the cutting room floor. My gut tells me this movie ended up far different than what it set out as. Could it be that the beauty of the characters together clouded the directional judgment? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe this was the point all along.
The film looks incredible and the futuristic styling is breathtaking. The ship itself was designed to exude luxury and sophistication. The passengers, once they were meant to awaken, would find themselves in one of the most glorious of all traveling resorts. The main job was keeping them happy and pampered for the short journey to the new colony. If nothing else the movie is easy on the eye. Pine and Lawrence too are conveniently charming. Had one of them been the least bit homely and the plot would have plummeted fast. Which is disappointing. For the post conversations to hold water it shouldn't matter.
PASSENGERS is rated PG-13 for sexuality, nudity and action/peril. There are a couple shots of a bare behind but the sexuality is about what you would see on network prime time. It is an adult film and most phone gazing adolescents would be bored early on anyway. I give it 3 out of 5 alarm clocks. It is an ok film where everything looks good. But don't expect edge of your seat exhilaration.
12.15.2016
Fences - Review
Review - Matt Mungle
In theaters 12.25.16
Synopsis: An African-American father struggles with race relations in the United States while trying to raise his family in the 1950s and coming to terms with the events of his life.
Review: The fact that FENCES feels more like a stage play than a blockbuster film is no surprise considering it has lived that life for decades. But even though it may not be the most powerful film this year it certainly delivers two of the best performances this award season.
Troy (Denzel Washington) is a man living in his dreams. Though often light and jovial it doesn't take much to ignite a ferocious anger that stems from what he perceives to be a life unfulfilled. He is like an injured animal. You can pet him fondly but if you ever hit a sore spot you might draw back a bloody limb. His irritation is mainly aimed at his sons. Lyons is his oldest from a previous marriage and Cory (Jovan Adepo) is the youngest by his current wife Rose (Viola Davis). Being a teenager and living at home Cory takes the most of Troy's lashing out. The story pretty much revolves around Troy and his demons. Though the description mentions race issues in the 50's to be honest Troy's main problem is himself.
Washington and Davis both are reprising roles they performed many times on the stage. This familiarity with the lines and each other carries over to what we see on screen. They are each powerhouse actors so to add that sort of fuel to their engines obviously produces unbeatable delivery. Davis especially demands attention. Rose is a caring, patient woman but she is no wall flower. When cornered or if Troy gets too far out of line she has the backbone and strength to shut him down. She loves Cory and often finds herself mediator between the two.
Adepo enters this mix untested. He has done television roles and a few shorts but this is his first major film. His character Cory has to stand nose to nose with Washington in some heated moments and Jovan never wavers. If he does it can easily be excused away as acting. Troy is a demanding father and for his son to shake a bit in his presence is natural. The film also stars Stephen Henderson as Troy's long time friend and coworker Bono. Bono has always been Troys rooting section and loves to help him "remember when?". Henderson has the ability to enter a scene and then fade into the backdrop like a prop. This too gives the film a stage performance feel.
This film is a tough sale due to the fact that if you remove even one piece of the tapestry (Davis especially) you are left with very little. It isn't bad nor is it grand. The movie serves only to be there as a platform for the actors to walk upon. It is a reason for the dialogue. Award winning author August Wilson wrote both the original play and the screenplay so the conversations and speeches are perfect. But even that doesn't make it a fantastic movie. When Davis speaks you hang on every word. Not because you are interested in how it moves the story forward but only because you love hearing her say it.
Troy is a deep rich character no doubt. His is frustrated with his place in life and takes it out on everyone. You immediately feel bad for Cory and want to shake some sense into his father. It is apparent that Troy is using his own failures - regardless who brought them on - as an excuse to throttle his own sons ambitions. And it is sad to watch. Even as Troy goes on to make even poorer choices he never once seems to have remorse. It is always the fault of someone else. You go from sort of feeling sorry for him to simply pitying him. He is a sad man who has built his own prison cell.
Fences is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some suggestive references. You have to see it for Viola Davis' performance. That may be the only reason but it is enough. Washington also directed the film but even that is nothing monumental. I give it 3 out of 5 trumpet blasts. The simplicity of the sets and blocking enhance the characters and offer the viewer expert acting performances.
Watch my interview with Jovan Adepo
12.14.2016
Manchester by the Sea - Review
Review - Matt Mungle
*In theaters 12.16.16*
Synopsis: An uncle is forced to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy's father dies.
Review: The simple, ubiquitous story of Manchester by the Sea is elevated to award worthy status by genuine writing, directing, and acting. It is proof that concept can only rise to its full potential when all other elements come together. This is a film that could have been too heavy to ever get off the ground but somewhere in its drama it finds its wings to fly.
Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is a reserved man living day to day in a preoccupied state of existence. He works hard, keeps his head down, and takes the blows as they come. When his brother (Kyle Chandler) dies Lee is put into a crucial position of raising his teenage nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Lee wants no part of this, not because he doesn't care about Patrick but it will force him to face a past he has tried hard to escape. This begins a journey of struggle and redemption for the both of them.
Affleck is sensational in this film as a devastated man whose life turned on a dime. Lee is numb to the world around him which makes the thought of caring for another person nearly impossible. Patrick doesn't understand Lee's unwillingness to do this which in turn creates an important tension in the film. But it is so realistic and relatable. The two argue and interact the way real people would. One can be so angry with the other but you see it never diminishes the love that is inherent. Hedges may be a young actor but his ability to emote that balance of family and frustration is another reason this movie is such a success. Keep an eye on this guy. His movie career is going to be epic.
Kenneth Lonergan directed this film based on an original script he wrote. It is hard to figure out which to praise him for first. I guess the chicken wins out over the egg for without a script there would be nothing to direct. Lonergan writes rich characters with beating hearts and bleeding flesh. Their dialogue is never verbose or flamboyant. But it is genuine. Sometimes it says nothing at all. But those pauses come at the right time. There is a natural rhythm to the conversations that fold the characters in on one another. You may not like their decisions or how they respond but you get them. You know them. And more than often you can sympathize.
Affleck and Hedges are two strangers that meet on a soundstage and have to convince us they are family. Lonergan directs them so that what he has written comes to brilliant life. He guides them through the words on the page so that we have no problem believing the world in which they exist. And that is why the audience engages with the film from start to finish. As the whys and hows emerge you cry, laugh, and listen. Lee has a horrible burden and you want to help shoulder it.
Michelle Williams costars as Lee's ex-wife Randi. Williams has already earned many nominations for this role so you would expect her to be in the film a lot. But she only makes a few appearances. It is what she does with the time she has that makes her notable. Randi's brief exchange with Lee is enough to make you hand her the award yourself. It will move you considerably.
Manchester by the Sea is a heavy drama but not completely void of humor. Because life can be funny. In the midst of pain and sorrow we often have to find things to laugh at and with. This story finds these moments and graphs them in seamlessly. Again, just as you would expect it in reality. It is a human story and humanity is prevalent.
It is rated R for language throughout and some sexual content. This is a film for adults and they can handle the content. Life is messy and ugly and many times unfair. But people get through it. Never does this movie take that for granted. I give it 4 out of 5 awkward conversations. It is worthy of any praise it gets.
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