10. Annhilation Trailer
The director of Ex Machina adapting a popular science fiction novel. It follows a group of scientists including Natalie Portman who go on a dangerous mission to explore an area where the rules of physics do not apply. The trailer looks creepy and intense.
9. Untitled Cloverfield Sequel
This was also an honorable mention in last years list. It's release has since been moved to next year. But if it is as good as 10 Cloverfield Lane or even the original Cloverfield, it should be a treat.
8. The Predator
A
remake of the action-horror classic. This is written and directed by
Shane Black, the highly influential writer of hits such as Lethal
Weapon, and was even an actor in the original Predator. I am very interested in
his take on his this movie.
Chadwick Boseman reprises his role from Captain America: Civil War as Black Panther. I really liked the character, and am interested in seeing more of him.
Deadpool was the filthy, violent surprise hit superhero film of 2016. The teasers for the sequel promise more of the outrageous humor that made the first so entertaining.
The next stop-motion animated movie from Wes Anderson, starring too many celebrities to list here. The story takes place in Japan in the future where all dogs are quarantined to an island, and some of them help a young boy find his own dog. This looks like it will maintain the quirky charm of Anderson's last animated movie, The Fantastic Mr Fox.
The long awaited sequel to Guillermo del Toro's monster movie. This one may not have the same director, but it should still have the same great action sequences.
If Pacific Rim: Uprising was long-awaited, then this is the movie we've been waiting for forever. It has been fourteen years since the original The Incredibles, and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.
This is part one of a two part conclusion to this phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. These movies are supposed to be the be-all-end-all of this franchise, and things will happen that will change this franchise. It will also bring all of the heroes together for one big, exciting movie event.
1. The Irishman I actually did not know about this movie until I did the research for this list, but now I'm really excited for it. It is directed by none other than the great Martin Scorsese, and follows a hitman who may have killed Jimmy Hoffa. It stars Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. The reason this is at the top is because it's another gangster movie from Martin Scorsese, one of the greatest directors working today.
Since it is around Christmastime and I have family plans, I do not think I can write a full review of this movie. However, I will say that I enjoyed it. Though it has its flaws, I still think it was a very fun and emotional blockbuster. I'll be back sometime before New Years with my Most and Least Anticipated of 2018 list.
Directed by: Chris Smith (American Movie, The Pool, American Job)
Plot: Released on Netflix. A documentary on the filming of the movie Man on the Moon, which featured Jim Carrey playing his hero, legendary comedian, Andy Kaufman.
Review: This is an interesting documentary that shines light on both the lives of Carrey and Kaufman.
It features never-before-seen footage from behind the scenes, where Jim Carrey never broke character. This footage was withheld by Universal, because they thought it would make him look like a jerk. And there are several moments where that is true, with the lengths that he went to keep in character. But, whether or not you like Carrey, you still have to appreciate the lengths he went to portray this character.
It also features interviews with Carrey himself, in which he goes in depth about Andy Kaufman and his own life. These interviews give depth into both of these characters, and show how Jim was so attracted to Andy.
This is an interesting show business documentary that shows the lengths of method acting, and goes into the lives of two eccentric comedians.
Directed by: James Franco (Good Time Max, Child of God, In Dubious Battle)
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen
Written by: Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber (500 Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault in our Stars)Based on the memoir by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissel) Released: In theaters
Plot: The story of the making of The Room, a film that is widely known as one of the best so-bad-it's-good movies of all time.
Review: I have read the book that this movie is based on very recently, so it was fresh in my mind when I saw the movie. The movie is not nearly as interesting as the book, but it is still a funny movie.
James Franco does an outstanding job portraying the mastermind behind The Room, Tommy Wiseau. He nails every aspect of his personality. He is an extremely bizarre person, but he always seems like a sympathetic character. There was many times I laughed at him, but I legitimately cared about his character
It is clear that this was made by fans of The Room, who respect Wiseau and his movie. They went into great detail recreating the set, which shows at the end, when they show recreations of scenes from the movie. They are shown side-by-side with the actual scenes to show that they are almost exactly identical.
The Disaster Artist is a funny biopic, with a great lead performance. Even though it doesn't live up to the potential of the book, and the ending scene is pretty cheesy, this is otherwise a decently written, entertaining film.
Directed by: Zack Snyder(300, Man of Steel, Watchmen)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Henry Cavil
Written by: Chris Terrio, Joss Whedon, Zack Snyder. Based on the characters by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Gardner Fox, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, William Moulton Marston, and Jack Kirby
Released: In theaters
Plot: Batman (Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gadot), The Flash (Miller), Aquaman (Momoa), and Cyborg (Fisher) team up to stop an enemy that threatens the entire world.
Review: Justice League should not be able to work as well as it does. It has gone through many re-shoots, and has dealt with the director leaving during post-production for personal reasons, and being replaced by Joss Whedon. While this movie is not perfect, it is much better than it could have been.
It gets by on the chemistry and dialogue of the main characters. There is a lot more humor than in previous DC universe movies, mostly in the form of the banter between the heroes. The movie strikes the right tone between humor and seriousness.
Superman is also played with less gloominess, which is a major improvement for the series. The Flash is a very fun character who feels a little like Tom Holland's Spider-man. And they finally managed to make Aquaman cool.
However, the plot is pretty generic and the villain is very forgettable. There are very few surprises, and it felt like I'd seen the story before. The villain is not menacing nor does he have any qualities that would make him memorable.
But it is still worth the trip to the theater to see the heroes. The movie is very well-shot, and Joss Whedon's writing gives it life.
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchel, Mary J Blige, Rob Morgan, Jonathan Banks, Garret Hedlund,
Written by: Virgil Williams and Dee Rees. Based on the novel by Hillary Jordan
Released: On Netflix
Plot: Two families, one black and one white, face problems in the rural American south after a member comes back from World War II.
Review: Mudbound is a powerful drama that deals with racism and PTSD. Even though parts of it are not as interesting as others, it is a very emotionally involving movie. It is bleak and sometimes hard to watch, but it might be an Oscar contender.
Everybody gives a great performance, and it is very well-shot. There are many scenes that show the characters' struggles amazingly. A great example of this is when a black veteran (Jason Mitchel) talks about how he misses the war because he wasn't a second class citizen there. Another is the last act which shows racism in all its horror.
However, there are moments that are not as interesting. Most of the plotlines that do not involve the veterans move kind of slowly, and a lot of people will be bored by it.
But I think the powerful moments and performances make it a worthwhile watch. It is a moving film, that will stick with you.
Directed by: McG (Charlie's Angels, Terminator: Salvation, We Are Marshall)
Starring: Judah Lewis, Samara Weaving, Robbie Amell Written by: Brian Duffield (Insurgent, Jane Got a Gun)
Plot: Released on Netflix.A kid (Lewis) sees his babysitter (Weaving) and her friends in a Satanic ritual. They are now pursuing him for what he witnessed. Review: The Babysitter is a very flawed horror-comedy, but it is also a very funone.
It is directed in a very stylized way. This is the kind of movie where, after the main character witnesses his first murder, the words "What the fuck?" appear on the screen in big bold letters. As you can see this style can be over-the-top at times, but then again, so is most of the movie.
Throughout the movie, there are a few instances of characters doing dumb things (it is a horror movie after all), and being saved by pure coincidence. There were also a couple times when I thought to myself "That should have probably killed the main character." But after watching it, I realized that this movie was not meant to be taken seriously. That does not excuse these things entirely, but it does make them a little more forgivable. All this movie really wants to be is a fun ride, and it succeeds in that regard.
Underneath all this, there is also a good coming of age story. The child has a very clear character arc, where he overcomes his fears, and "grows up" over the course of the night.
All in all, this is nowhere near a perfect movie, but it is a very fun and funny one. It is rarely scary, but there is a lot of blood. It is ridiculous and maybe a little over-stylized, but if you want to see a fun horror movie, this should satisfy you.
Directed by: Taika Waititi (What We Do In the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy)
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo
Written by: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher L. Yost, Based on the comics by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby
Plot: The goddess of death (Blanchett) is wreaking havoc in Asgard. Thor (Hemsworth) must stop her, but he is held captive on another planet by the Grandmaster (Goldblum) along with the Hulk (Ruffalo).
Review: Much like the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Thor Ragnarok takes place mostly in world's other than Earth. Coincidentally, it is also as fun as those movies.
It is full of action, vivid special effects, and great comedic moments. Director Taika Waititi, who also made the underrated comedy, What We Do in the Shadows, makes sure this movie has perfect comic timing.
The worlds this movie creates are fully realized. All of the characters are well written and acted. The movie is very funny, and has plenty of great action scenes. You have to give credit to a movie that has no less than two action pieces that are perfectly set to Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song.
This is the best Thor movie yet. It is also the best Hulk movie we have gotten so far. It could probably rank among the freshest, funniest, and most entertaining Marvel Cinematic Universe movies yet.
Plot: Based on the short story by Stephen King, and released exclusively on Netflix. A farmer (Jane) is unwilling to let his wife (Parker) sell their land so they can move to the city. So he, along with his son (Schmid), murder her. But after it's done, he's convinced that she is haunting them.
Review: This movie is the fourth King adaptation to come out this year. This isn't as good as It or Gerald's Game, but probably not as bad as The Dark Tower either. Although it does get pretty boring at times, I'd say it is decent.
It does a good job of bringing the time period to life, and has an interesting concept. There are a few disturbing scenes and images.
But at the same time, the plot moves pretty slowly, and can be very boring at times. The source material is apparently somewhere around 100 pages, and it doesn't have enough material to make a full-length movie. So they added a lot of scenes that don't contribute much to the story and aren't very interesting. The movie is an hour and 42 minutes long, but it probably would have been better as a short ninety minute film. I don't know how slow it would be then, but it would be better than the longer version.
But when things actually happen, it is very interesting. It is an intriguing allegory for guilt, and has plenty of disturbing sequences. I would say it is okay, but wouldn't particularly tell people to see it. A lot of people will get bored with it, but I think it just gets by for its story and imagery.
Directed by: Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Frances Ha, Greenberg)
Starring: Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson
Plot: Released exclusively on Netflix. Three siblings (Sandler, Stiller, and Elisabeth Marvel) get together for an event celebrating their artist father (Hoffman), and come to terms with the impact he's had on their lives.
Review: After being in films like Jack and Jill and The Ridiculous Six, Adam Sandler finally proves again that he can actually act. It's just a shame that the rest of the movie isn't as good.
This is a Woody Allen style dramedy. It has great performances from it's all-star cast. But I personally didn't find the script to be interesting enough to get fully involved in.
But I would not tell anybody not to watch it. I am in the minority here, as this movie has been getting great reviews and was considered for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Once again, this movie has some great performances, and could be Adam Sandler's comeback movie. I just found it underwhelming, and I'm going to give it the rating I think it deserves.
I really don't have much else to say about this movie. I just felt like I should write something about it on the blog.
Plot: The studio releasing this movie reportedly asked critics to not give away the plot in their reviews. So out of respect to them, I'll just say that it takes place decades after the original, and Ryan Gosling plays a Blade Runner who eventually meets up with Harrison Ford's character.
Review: Blade Runner 2049 is much better than I expected when I put it on my Top Ten Most Anticipated List of 2017. I don't think it is as good as the original classic, but it is a great, intelligent sci-fi thriller.
It is more complex and story driven than most other science fiction movies these days, without being overly confusing. The plot is not always easy to predict, and it has some interesting philosophical themes. It is very well acted, and the writing and directing are great.
It is phenomenal from a visual standpoint. The world this movie takes place in is fully realized, and looks amazing.
My main complaint is that it is a little too long. It clocks in at two hours and 44 minutes, and sometimes it drags.
I don't have much else to say about it, and I apologize for the short review. I recommend you see it, and support this kind of movie. If the box office is any indication, they need this.
Rating: 4 out of 5... stars (It's getting too hard to think of something else to write down in my ratings)
Directed by: Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil)
Starring: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas
Plot: Based on the novel by Stephen King, and released exclusively on Netflix. Jesse Burlingame retreats to a remote lake house with her husband Gerald, to rekindle their marriage by getting a little kinky. But things quickly go south when Gerald suffers a fatal heart attack, leaving Jesse handcuffed to the bed.
Review: Stephen King adaptations are hit and miss in terms of quality. While there are plenty of great adaptations like The Shining, Carrie, and The Shawshank Redemption, there is also a greater abundance of less than stellar ones such as Maximum Overdrive. But, along with It, it looks like 2017 will be a rare instance where we get two good King adaptations in one year. Gerald's Game is more of a story of survival than a traditional horror movie. It is about her inner struggles, portrayed by hallucinations of herself and her husband. Much of the movie is about her facing her inner demons.
The actress playing the main character, Carla Gugino, gives a great performance, especially considering that she spends much of the film by herself or talking to a hallucination of herself. She plays a very relatable character, with a dark past that resurfaces in the midst of this ordeal. Gerald's Game is similar to the director's other Netflix movie, Hush. Like that movie, it is about a woman alone in a house who struggles to stay alive, and has a similar character arc. However, while that one was a straight up horror movie, this one plays out mostly like a survival drama that gets suspenseful in the last act. But there are a few bloody scenes, including one in particular that was difficult for me to watch.
Altogether, this was a good survival story. It surprisingly never lagged story-wise, and kept me interested throughout. It should be given credit for adapting a book that is mostly inner monologue, and making it into a thoroughly interesting movie.
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, Pi, Black Swan)
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kristen Wiig
Plot: A couple (Lawrence and Bardem) have just rebuilt their home in the middle of nowhere, after it burned down, and are ready to get back to their peaceful life. However, things take a dark turn when Bardem begins letting people into their home against his wife's wishes.
Review: ...and then things get weirder and weirder.
First of all, this is not the horror movie that it is marketed as. Even though there are a few very disturbing momentss, this is a movie that most horror fans will probably hate. mother! is closer to an art film. There is a story, but somewhere along the way, reality just goes out the door. One can easily tell that it is trying to be symbolic, even if they don't know what it is about. But I'm pretty sure everybody in the theater, myself included, walked out asking one question: "What the hell did I just watch?"
It is a good movie in terms of film-making, with good performances. But it is still a bizarre, often nonsensical movie, that will definitely divide audiences. But whether you love it or hate it, you will be thinking about it afterwards. It was made to be analyzed, and to have people try to piece it together.
For a long time after watching, I was unsure whether I liked it or not, but I decided that I did. It is an intriguing film, that made me want to piece it together, even if it did make Requiem for a Dream look normal in comparison. I am very surprised that such an unconventional film was made by a major studio.
In conclusion, whether you love or hate it depends on who you are. Just don't expect a horror movie. Or any kind of normal movie.
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard
Plot: Based on the first half of Stephen King's novel. It is the 1980s in the small town of Derry, Maine. Children are being killed by a shape-shifting clown named Pennywise, who takes the form of what scares them the most. A small group of kids set out to stop him.
Review: 2017 has been a great year for horror movies. Get Out was immensely successful financially and critically. Split was also very successful, and proved that, despite his recent reputation, M Night Shamalan can still make good movies. And now, the new iteration of It has become a box office smash.
Fortunately, this is a great version that deserves this kind of attention. It is based on only the first half of the book, or the first, and most acclaimed episode of the the two-part miniseries adaptation. There have been plans to make the second part, and I am fully behind this.
It is full of intense sequences and creepy imagery. This version of Pennywise is scary enough to match Tim Curry's excellent performance in the original. Even though there are more than a few jump scares, they are overshadowed by several genuinely frightening moments.
But it also plays like a Stand By Me type movie. All of the children are from harsh backgrounds, become close friends, and go on this dark adventure together. Each of these characters are unique, fully fleshed out, and well-acted.
In conclusion, It is the most disturbing film I've seen all year. It has plenty of disturbing scenes, fully fleshed out characters, and great performances from a mostly young cast.
Starring: Adam Scott, Evangeline Lilly, Sally Field
Plot: A real estate agent (Scott) has just married the woman of his dreams (Lilly). But things are less than ideal between him and her son (Owen Atlas), who he is starting to suspect is the Antichrist.
Review: This is the second film from the director of the cult hit, Tucker and Dale vs Evil, a movie which I would highly recommend. And while this one does not reach the heights of his debut, it is still an enjoyable horror-comedy.
Like Tucker and Dale, it gets a lot of its humor from parodying many horror movie tropes. The child's evil power is far from subtle. Many of his actions parody scenes from other horror movies such as Poltergeist, The Shining, and, of course, The Omen. Also, there is plenty of good comedy from the reactions of side characters, who, as exaggerations of the typical horror movie character, can't see that something's wrong with him, even when it is completely obvious.
This is relatively fun movie, even though there are a few jokes that fall flat. It is a comedic tribute to the horror genre, that takes the "demon child" sub-genre in a completely different direction in the last act. This may not be something you'll remember for a long time, but it is a fun way to kill about ninety minutes.
Directed by: Adam Wingard (You're Next, The Guest, Blair Witch)
Starring: Nat Wolff,Lakeith Stanfield, Willem Dafoe
Plot: Based on the popular anime of the same name. High school student, Light Turner (Wolff) comes across a notebook with the ability to kill anybody whose name he writes in it. He starts a crusade to kill criminals, and essentially act like a god. However, a famous detective known only as L (Stanfield) has set out to stop him.
Review: I have watched very few anime in their entirety, but Death Note is one of them, and one that I can say that I am a fan of. So, I was interested in seeing the Netflix live action movie version of it, and very disappointed by the result.
The movie uses the same premise but sets it in Seatle, and uses a different story. It also amplifies the blood and gore to the point where certain deaths resembled the overly complicated accidents in the Final Destination movies. There's also a half-assed love story after Light shows the Death Note to a girl he just met, and draws her into his crusade. Also, Willem Dafoe is in there as the death god, Ryuk, but he doesn't really do much.
But the transition to film rarely captures what made the source material great. The anime was an intriguing battle of wits between two cool, calm people (Light and L). The movie focuses very little on L's hunt for the killer, opting instead to just show Light killing people in gruesome ways, and his relationship with his girlfrieind.
Also the portrayal of the characters are sure to anger fans of the source material. The calm and intelligent Light is now an angsty teenager, who stupidly shows the Death Note to a girl he just met, and his immorality has been toned down significantly. L and Ryuk are portrayed decently for the most part, but it's not enough to save the movie, especially when Dafoe is so underused.
It may be more watchable as a standalone film, but even then, it's still not very good. It's still a dumb movie about an uninteresting teen with an overabundance of gore. There are several scenes I can point to that even non-fans would hate. Like Light's borderline comical overacting when he first sees Willem Dafoe. Or the fact that a rock ballad plays over part of the climax. As cliche as it sounds, you should watch the anime instead.
And no, there are no potato chips in the movie.
Director: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception, Interstellar)
Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Aneurin Barnard, Tom Hardy
Plot: Three inter-lapping stories about Allied soldiers during the evacuation of Dunkirk in World War II. After a large squadron of men are stranded in the French town of Dunkirk and surrounded by German soldiers, they must be evacuated in the midst of a fierce battle.
Review: Dunkirk is an intense film about the experience of war. It is a non-stop spectacle of raw danger. It is told with little dialogue, and is suspenseful throughout. Though it is less bloody than a lot of other great war films, it still manages to accurately capture the horrors of World War II.
However, the movie still falls short of greatness, due to its lack of deep human characters. While the characters' lives are put in danger, there still wasn't enough emotional involvement to make me feel truly afraid for them.
But it was still a great, atmospheric epic that I would definitely recommend.
Director: Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes)
Starring: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn
Plot: The war between the humans and the apes is still raging on. When the apes are attacked by a squad led by Woody Harrelson, they set out to take their revenge.
Review: The new Planet of the Apes trilogy has always been darker than most current summer blockbusters. They are gritty, deal with serious topics, and, of course, have to inevitably end with the apes taking over the world. And War for the Planet of the Apes is probably the darkest one yet. There are plenty of brutal war sequences, and disturbing scenes of slavery. This grittiness works in the movie's favor, creating an intense theatrical experience.
The movie's CGI is impressive throughout, and the apes always seem to be real. But the apes also seem real on a human level as well. Yes, this is a very emotional movie. The main character is driven by grief (over a few shocking deaths early in the film), and there are several other tragic elements throughout.
Woody Harrelson is great as this movie's villain, creating a convincingly evil character. And, as always, Andy Serkis does a good acting job in the motion capture suit.
In conclusion, War for the Planet of the Apes is an intense, emotionally gripping conclusion to what may be one of the best trilogies of this decade.
Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr, Marisa Tomei, John Favreau
Director: Jon Watts (Cop Car)
Plot: Shortly after the events of Civil War, Peter Parker (Holland) is getting used to the high tech suit that Tony Stark (Downey) had given him. He is having a hard time dealing with his powers as well as his responsibilities as a student. In the midst of this, he stumbles across an illegal high-tech weapons selling deal headed by the Vulture (Keaton), and will attempt to take it down.
Review: This is the second reboot of Spider-man, and the third version of him in fifteen years. But this one still manages to seem fresh. Homecoming more closely resembles a high school comedy that happens to be about a web-slinging superhero.
Tom Holland plays the title character as more of a kid than any other incarnation. We see this from the beginning, with video footage from his camera, where he is excitedly recording the events of Civil War. He retains this innocent charm throughout. He's just an awkward teenager, trying to balance his life as a superhero with his normal life.
There is plenty of humor here, often in the style of many teen comedies (including a not-so-subtle nod to Ferris Bueller's Day Off). But there's also a decent amount of action as well. The villain here is somewhat of a sympathetic character, with an understandable motive for what he does, which places him above many similar supervillains.
I'd say this is one of the better Spider-man movies. It is about as good as the first two Sam Raimi movies. I would recommend it as a great superhero movie.
There are movies that play a lot of popular music in the background, and then there's Baby Driver. The vast majority of the movie is set to some kind of music, and much of the action is set to the beat of the songs. This is one of the factors that help Baby Driver to become one of the most fresh and fun action movies in years.
It centers around Baby (Ansel Elgort), a young getaway driver who is in debt to a major heist planner (Kevin Spacey). Ever since his parents died in a car crash, there has been a ringing in his ears, which he drowns out with music. Now, he relies on the music to heighten his awareness as he drives, making him the best at what he does.
The movie is directed by Edgar Wright, who is known for directing Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Shaun of the Dead. He brings the same energy and then some to this project, creating something that remains fun and lively throughout. It is a gangster comedy, much like Pulp Fiction, with smart dialog, and even more dark humor and pop culture references. It is very funny, and very well-written. Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx are the standouts here, but the mostly silent Baby is still an extremely interesting character.
Many of the scenes, especially the action sequences, are choreographed to fit with the rhythm of the music. The action gets more intense when the music speeds up. Machine guns fire off to the beat of the songs. This rhythm gives the movie a unique, music video-like feel, that is unlike anything you've seen in the theater.
Baby Driver is an experience unlike few others. It is proof that movies can be fun and thrilling without sacrificing intelligent writing.
Okja, the newest Netflix original movie, was the subject of controversy during its screening at the Cannes Film Festival, when Netflix was booed during the showing. Not for the movie itself, but because many felt that movie streaming is killing the theater-going experience. I'm not one to say whether or not this is true, but I will say that the movie itself is worth your time.
It comes from South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho, who brought us Snowpiercer and The Host. Now, he has made a satirical science fiction movie, which co-stars Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, and Jake Gyllenhall. But the main character is a little girl in South Korea, who has befriended a genetically modified giant pig. When the pig is collected by the company that created her for food purposes, the girl must save him.
From this summary, it is easy to believe that this will be a family film, but that may be up for debate. While there are far worse movies you could show your children, there is still a moderate amount of f-bombs, and the last act gets pretty disturbing, leading up to a bittersweet ending.
The movie juggles whimsical, lighthearted moments of the girl's friendship with the titular creature, with more serious moments. It has a strong message on the ethics of the meat industry, including topics such as GMOs and treatment of animals. It wears these morals on its sleeve, without being preachy.
The creature often feels like a real character. Like the best CGI characters, she looks realistic, but there is also an essence to her movements and expressions that makes her seem almost human.
In conclusion, Okja is a sweet, sad, yet charming tale of friendship for an older crowd. Its message on the controversial topic of the meat industry may put some people off, but for others, it is an interesting, thought-provoking sci-fi satire.
Some of you are probably surprised that I am reviewing this movie, considering I put it on my Least Anticipated Films of 2017 list. Well, I was a fan of the books as a child and my curiosity and nostalgia got the better of me, and I went to see it with my two brothers. And now here I am writing the review.
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is the big screen adaptation of the popular children's book franchise. However, it does not directly adapt one book, but makes its own plot with elements from many of the books. And it captures the immature spirit of these books very well.
The plot revolves around two fun-loving kids (Kevin Hart and Thomas Middleditch) who, after being caught pulling a major prank at their school's science fair, might face being separated by their mean-spirited principal, Mr. Krupp (Ed Helms). As a last resort, they try hypnotizing him. By doing this, they accidentally put him in a state where he believes he is the the superhero, Captain Underpants. The two kids often use this alter ego to make him act less strict, resulting in Captain Underpants resembling a nicer, happier side of the cynical principal.
Meanwhile, a new teacher named Professor Poopypants (Nick Kroll) armed with a giant robot toilet, plans on destroying the world's sense of humor, so that nobody would ever laugh at his name again. It is up to Captain Underpants to stop him. That last paragraph should tell you exactly what type of movie to expect.
The director of this movie is David Soren (Turbo), who directs with a fast paced, at times unusual style. The tone is always upbeat, and almost constantly breaking the fourth wall. It retains a cartoonish feel throughout, with plenty of sight gags to go around.
A lot of credit should also be given to the animation. It is done in the same way as the Peanuts reboot, which maintains the standard CGI animation while staying true to its original 2D art style. There are also moments where it veers into other styles including 2D animation, and even sock puppets and a flip book (in homage to the source material's Flip O' Rama sequences). This variety keeps the movie fresh throughout.
However, one technical aspect that doesn't work as well is the voice acting for the children characters. This is not the voice actors' fault per say; it's just that their adult voices don't match with their child appearances.
As you may have guessed, there is a lot of immature jokes, which will probably turn a lot of people off. But if you can sit through a little toilet humor, it is a fun, lively animated feature, that speaks to the immature child in us all.
A lot of people are viewing Wonder Woman as a symbol for female empowerment. With a strong female lead (Gal Gadot), a female director (Patty Jenkins (Monster)), and, of course, the failing state of the DCEU, there is pressure on it to be a good movie. And for the most part it pulls it off.
The movie takes place during World War I. When a fighter pilot (Chris Pine) crash lands on her home island, she decides to go to his world to defeat the Greek god of war, Ares, thus ending the war.
This movie follows a traditional superhero movie formula. There are very few surprises in the story, but there is enough charm to make up for that.
Gal Gadot gave a show-stealing performance in Batman v Superman, and her version of Wonder Woman holds up as the front and center of her own movie. She pulls off the warrior attitude very well, but also has moments of wonder and naivete, as she is introduced to the human world. She also has great chemistry with Chris Pine, who acts as a love interest for her.
The tone is also much more lighthearted than previous DC movies. It isn't nearly as upbeat and funny as The Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy, but it is definitely a move away from the darkness of Man of Steel and Batman v Superman.
However, this movie is still held back by it's unoriginal story, and by it's overlong run-time of two and a half hours. But if you don't mind hearing the same old superhero origin story, Wonder Woman is a perfectly decent superhero movie.
Alien: Covenant is uninterested in answering any of the questions
presented in Prometheus. Instead, it focuses on what made the first Alien movie work so well: creating a sense of terror and isolation in space where no one can hear you scream.
This film takes place between Prometheus and the original, focusing on a mission to colonize a remote planet. They receive a transmission from another planet that is seemingly better suited to support human life. As you may have expected, this does not go well.
This movie is a triumphant return to form for the franchise. It is the same format as the original classic, with a crew in space hunted by an alien. With the exception of a few subplots, the story doesn't stray far from that description. But Ridley Scott directs it with the same sense of dread that made the original such a classic.
It is full of graphic violence, but the real scares come from the aliens themselves. They are brought to life with terrifyingly realistic special effects, and their onscreen presence is very menacing. I feel like they could have shown less of them, maybe having them lurk out of sight, but they were still scary when shown in all their glory.
Alien: Covenant is significantly better than the previous outing, Prometheus, and an effectively creepy thriller. Though I am disappointed that it didn't continue the story of Prometheus, I am still glad we got another Alien movie that focuses on tension and atmosphere.
At a time when many superhero movies are starting to look similar, the new Guardians of the Galaxy movie is fresh and different.
In this installment, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finally meets his father (Kurt Russel), a celestial being who may have a sinister agenda.
The Guardians of the Galaxy has proven itself to be the most fun franchise in the MCU. And this movie is just as entertaining as the original. It is full of intense action, good special effects, a lot of humor, and a fun soundtrack.
Like the original, this one doesn't feel so much like a traditional superhero movie. It plays out more like a more colorful, retro, comedic version of Star Wars. The Guardians are a conceptually bizarre team, and the movie knows this and has as much time devoted to comedy as it does to action. And James Gunn, who also directed the previous movie, perfectly replicates the fun of the original.
That being said, this is still not as good as the first movie story-wise. However, it is as fun as the first movie. This is a very entertaining, funny, and visually stunning time at the theater.
The Fast and the Furious has been going strong for over fifteen years, and as the latest installment shows, it is not running out of gas yet.
In this one, the gang is recruited to stop an international terrorist (Charlise Theron). She has coerced Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) into helping her retrieve nuclear launch codes, by holding his family hostage. For this mission, the heroes are forced to work with former enemy, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham).
This installment was directed by F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton), who delivers exactly what fans have come to expect from this series. Insane action and a lot of fun. It is very over the top, and if you care about realism, this isn't for you. If you liked the previous entries, and you're willing to turn your brain off for about two hours, you are going to like this movie.
Indie hit Colossal is a weird movie. It is all at once a monster movie, a romantic comedy, and a story of alcoholism. And for the most part, it pulls it off.
Anne Hathaway plays an unemployed alcoholic who moves back to her childhood home after breaking up with her boyfriend. Upon arriving, a giant monster attacks Seoul, South Korea, and she gradually finds out that she is connected to this. Every time she sets foot onto a playground in her neighborhood, the monster appears and does whatever she does, on the other side of the world. Jason Sudeikis also stars as Hathaway's childhood friend.
The monster is treated as a representation of Hathaway's problems. She is an alcoholic and spends a lot of time around men who treat her like dirt. This destructive behavior is shown as literally destructive, as the monster tramples the city.
But the monster is rarely treated as the center of the movie. This is about Hathaway and her struggles. It is true that the monster is the driving force of the story, but very little of the rampages are shown. There may be points where it looks as if the movie is headed toward a big Pacific Rim style climax, but, to put it simply, it's not. But it is still an entertaining movie, nonetheless. Anne Hathaway's character is relate-able, and is played very well. The movie also has plenty of funny moments, even though it's rarely hilarious.
I guess my main complaint with this movie would be Jason Sudeikis' character. Without spoiling anything, I'll say that I felt the motives for what many of the things he did were not very believable. The movie does not try to justify these actions, but it felt more like they were trying too hard to make him into the kind of character he turns into.
Despite the weird concept, Colossal is a very entertaining comedy and monster movie. It is a bizarre fusion of genres that stays entertaining throughout.
Kong: Skull Island is not the traditional King Kong. But if you accept that, this is a really fun time.
I say that this is not the traditional King Kong for many reasons. This is not the same story that you all know and love. This is barely even the same monster; this one is much taller. The whole movie really only exists to set up 2020's Godzilla vs Kong. That being said, this is a fun, action packed movie, that rarely feels like a cheap setup to another movie.
The story revolves around a group of scientists and soldiers in the nineteen-seventies who conduct experiments on Skull Island, unaware of the monsters that inhabit it.
The concept is not taken as seriously as many previous renditions of Kong. It focuses mostly on intense action, and features comic relief, mostly via John C Reilly's character. But it is still suspenseful, with many characters dying unexpectedly, making me more fearful for other characters. It also has some pretty good cinematography, and many scenes reminiscent of Apocalypse Now.
This new version probably won't appeal to all King Kong fans. A lot of people will probably hate the lighter tone and the liberties taken with the monster. But it does what it set out to do: deliver a fun action movie. It is nowhere near as good as the original, or even the Peter Jackson remake, but I was thoroughly entertained by it. I'd also say I'd prefer it to the recent Godzilla movie it's set to crossover with. This is a good movie if you know what you're getting into.
Logan is the final performance from Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. And he definitely retired the character on a high note.
The movie takes place years into the future where mutants are an endangered species, and Logan (or Wolverine) (Jackman) is a limo driver, taking care of an elderly Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart). The movie follows him as he attempts to take his estranged daughter to a sanctuary, while she is pursued by agents from a facility that created her.
This is not like most other superhero movies. It is a lot more emotional, as one might have seen in the trailers. All in all, it plays more like a dramatic thriller than a standard Marvel film. But there is also plenty of action, which is intense and brutally violent.
This film is very moving, with some heart-wrenching moments, and good performances. It is an intense, emotional violent thriller that defies what you'd normally expect from a superhero movie.
I think that this might be the best X-Men movie so far. It is a great movie, and a great sendoff to Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.
Get Out is the directorial debut of Jordan Peele, from the comedy duo Key and Peele. The fact that it is a horror movie may be surprising and maybe a little off-putting, but this may be one of the best horror movies of the past few years.
It tells the story of a black man who goes to meet his white girlfriend's parents, and begins to fear that there might be something unnatural going on in her suburban town. Without spoiling too much, the movie uses this concept to explore themes of racial relations. However, it focuses on more subtle racism by seemingly tolerant characters. This offers a more interesting insight to these themes.
It is also a very effective horror-comedy. There are a few cheap jump scares, but overall it is very tense throughout. The comedic moments also work very well, but never get in the way of the scares. The characters are well thought out and you actually want them to survive. Overall, this movie held my interest, even when the story went down a somewhat ridiculous path.
Get Out is a very intense, funny, and insightful thriller. It will scare you, but it will also make you think.
La La Land is a heartfelt, upbeat romantic musical.
The plot revolves around a struggling actress (Emma Stone) and a struggling pianist (Ryan Gosling) who meet and fall in love. Both of these roles are played very well, and the stars have great chemistry.
This movie is essentially a tribute to a bygone era. It is in the style of the movie musicals of the thirties and forties, with similar music, choreography, and a similarly upbeat story. There is a clear love for the movies and music of old on display here. It is evident that the writer and director is passionate about these things, especially since his last film, Whiplash, is also about jazz.
The musical numbers are very well done, with well written dialogue and excellent choreography. There is also a very heartwarming love story to go along with these performances. The tone of the movie is very happy and colorful throughout.
I am not putting as much effort into this review as many of my others, since you've probably already heard a lot about it, considering it has swept the Oscar nominations. But I'm just going to write that it is a fun, uplifting film with heart. If you want to feel good at the movies, I recommend this one.
The Lego Batman Movie is only the first what will probably be many spin-offs and sequels to the original 2014 hit. In fact, this isn't even the only Lego Movie we're getting this year. But it continues to set the groundwork for what may be an amazing franchise.
The movie follows Batman (Will Arnett) as he accidentally adopts a young orphan named Richard Grayson (Michael Cera). This happens while the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) is hatching a plan to destroy Gotham City, and Richard gets pulled into the conflict, and becomes Robin.
This movie is just as fun as the original. Throughout the movie, there is plenty of action, humor, and vibrant energy. Even the opening logos are entertaining. Its style and humor could be appreciated by both children and adults. Put simply, this is a fun adventure featuring almost every Batman character, and even a great deal of characters from various other movie franchises.
But it also has heart, displaying themes of friendship and family. While these elements may not be as effective as the heart in The Lego Movie, they still help to elevate the narrative. But the vast majority of the movie is not serious
The cast also gives great performances. Will Arnett delivers Batman's lines with a humorous level of narcissism that elevates the movie. Michael Cera also delivers a stand-out performance as Robin, giving him a strong sense of childlike wonder and energy. Galifianakis' take on the Joker is very interesting, as a villain who's main motivation is simply to have Batman acknowledge him as his worst enemy. This creates a more likeable Joker, who is perfect for this Lego universe.
While this movie isn't always as good as The Lego Movie, it fully retains its sense of fun and humor. This is a great movie for Lego and comic book fans of all ages.
Growing up, I was a fan of the book series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket. So, when I found out Netflix was developing a series based on it, I was immediately interested,
The series follows the Baudelaire orphans, three children who lose their parents and are chased by the sinister Count Olaf, played excellently by Neil Patrick Harris. The first season is based on the first four books, on a strict schedule of two hour-long episodes for each book. I think that this is a good schedule, giving each book what could be considered a movie length adaptation. The series stays very faithful to the source material, even including the humorous dedications at the start of each book, but also includes many story-lines that were not included in the original series.
This show does a great job of capturing the darkly comedic tone of the books. It is shot in a very Wes Anderson-ish way, which adds a colorful feel to the dark story. And there are plenty of good silly jokes, even some that happen at the darkest moments.
Also, the characters are portrayed very well. While the child actors playing the Baudelaires acting may fall flat at times, the adult actors bring a colorful and energetic performance to all the characters. Neil Patrick Harris's performance sticks out in particular. He gives an energetic and fun performance as Count Olaf. Over the course of the season, Olaf wears many disguises, playing different characters, which Harris is able to do with ease.
In conclusion, this is a faithful and highly entertaining adaptation of the popular children's book series. It may be somewhat aimed for children, but I could see it being enjoyed by adults just as much. Though not all of the jokes hit, there are a lot of good ones with great delivery. This is essential for fans of the books.
All right, now it's time to look toward all of the bad movies of this year.
Now, I just want to say that there is a chance that some of these movies may be good. I haven't seen Ouija: Origin of Evil yet, but I've heard enough good things about it to know I was wrong to put it at number two on this list last year. This is just the list of movies that I have the least faith in. And if you're looking forward to any of them, then good for you. Don't let my opinion ruin your excitement. I'm just some guy on the internet with nothing better to do.
So without further ado, let's get into this thing.
10. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter Trailer The Resident Evil movies has been pretty cheesy from the beginning, and it's final installment probably won't be much different. The reason this movie ranks so low on this list is because it might become a guilty pleasure for me.
9. Friday the 13th
And so we get yet another Friday the 13th reboot. This is the thirteenth installment in this horror franchise which had run out of steam a long time ago. After almost thirty years, I think it's time to lay this franchise to rest.
8. Saw: Legacy And now we come to yet another horror sequel nobody asked for. Despite the statement that 2010's Saw 3D would be the last one, Hollywood is still eager to squeeze as much money as they can out of this dead franchise. I have never been a fan of this franchise's brand of torture based horror, even though I liked the psychological horror of the original movie. This movie will probably follow the sequels' formula of violence over terror, despite how the horror audience's tastes have shifted. So this is another horror franchise that needs to be laid to rest... again.
7. Power Rangers Trailer
Power Rangers is a show that does not hold up well, watching it as an adult. However, I do believe that a reboot might have worked, if it was aware of the show's campy nature, and focused on being fun. But this movie intends to take a darker, more serious tone. As a result, the trailer for this movie looks very dull, and almost like the much hated Fantastic Four reboot.
6. Captain Underpants I'll admit I was a fan of these books as a kid. But I am highly skeptical that they could work as a film. I feel like they worked best as short chapter books aimed mostly at children, rather than a full length animated movie aimed at families. I mean, if it wasn't for nostalgia, would you be eager to sit through a children's movie called Captain Underpants?
5. Amityville: The Awakening Trailer
This movie was also on last year's Least Anticipated list. You see it was originally set to be released last year, but it's release was pushed back to this January, and later to the summer. In addition to this, it wasn't even originally supposed to premier last year either. It was first set for release in the January of 2015, as the linked trailer says, but was pushed back multiple times. That is over two years this movie was delayed. In the movie business, this is a bad sign. Oh, and it's also an unnecessary sequel to a badly received horror remake.
4. The Nut Job: Nutty By Nature This sequel to the crappy 2014 family film. I'll admit to having not seen the original, but the bad reception of it is enough for me to be disinterested.
Another reboot of the popular 80's cartoon, this time completely animated. While I'll admit this looks better than the previous two movies, I have never been a fan of The Smurfs, and probably will never see this.
Yo, what up! I'm a Hollywood executive, and I'm down with the young ones! I know kids love emojis, so we got emojis! We have an entire movie about them! Come see it! It will make you LOL, and say OMG and... a bunch of other things that kids say these days! It's radical!
It was very difficult to decide which would get the top spot between this and The Emoji Movie. However, I had to go with this one, because despite how dreadful The Emoji Movie looks, I think that it could probably still entertain better than this one. This will probably be another equally plot-less, poorly acted piece of garbage. The books' main appeal lies in the sex scenes, which are certain to be toned down in the movies to keep an R-rating. This will probably be one of the worst movies of the year, and it is definitely my least anticipated film.
This is my first post in over a year. I have decided to start posting again, and will update at least once every two weeks in 2017. And I will start with the list of my most anticipated films for this year.
Now, this list is made up mostly of blockbusters, mostly because that's mainly what I hear about most often. There may be a few smaller movies that belong here, but I have not heard of them yet, and I don't know what they are. So, without ado, here are the movies that I am excited for right now.
10. Blade Runner 2049 Trailer
The long belated sequel to the sci-fi classic. Harrison Ford is set to reprise his role, and Ryan Gosling will also have a starring role. Ridley Scott, director of the original, will only be an executive producer, and the role of director will go to Denis Villeneuve, director of Arrival. This probably won't live up to the high standard set by the original, but I'm sure it will be a great movie nonetheless.
Christopher Nolan directs this World War II film, based on a true story. I like Nolan as a director, and would like to see what he could do with a war film.
8. Logan Trailer
Logan is set to be the last time Hugh Jackman will play Wolverine, and this looks like a fitting send-off for him. If the trailer is any indication, this movie will be a much different tone than any other superhero movie, and I am eager to see how it turns out.
The Lego Movie was surprisingly one of my favorite movies of 2014. This spinoff will feature Will Arnett reprising his role as Batman, with Michael Cera as Robin, and Zach Galifianakis as the Joker.
6. Alien: Covenant Red Band Trailer
Ridley Scott goes back to directing his iconic horror franchise. This film is set after the events of Prometheus, but will focus on the xenomorphs from the original film. The trailer looks effectively creepy, and I am excited to see this.
5. Kong: Skull Island Trailer
King Kong isback and in another movie. However, this is a much different Kong than you're probably thinking. He is much taller, made this way to face Godzilla in the upcoming Godzilla vs Kong. While this could be just a cash grab, I think that this would still at least be a fun movie to watch.
4. Kingsman: The Golden Circle Kingsman: The Secret Service was a surprise hit, and a movie that I really enjoyed watching. This sequel will have Colin Firth reprise his role, despite the original movie's ending, and will also feature Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Juliane Moore, Halle Berry, and Elton John. I would love to see it if it could recapture the energy and humor that made the original great.
3. War for the Planet of the Apes Trailer
The third movie in the Planet of the Apes prequel trilogy. The first two delivered a great balance of action and emotion, and I am hoping that this one will keep up that tradition.
Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the better flicks in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The trailers suggest that this movie might retain the humor and excitement of the original, and could be one of the most fun movie of the year.
1. Star Wars: Episode VIII I didn't want to place this at number one, considering the fact that I place a Star Wars movie at the top of all my Most Anticipated lists. However, I feel like I would be wrong to put any other film here. I am interested in how the story will continue after The Force Awakens, and want to see more of the action that only Star Wars can deliver.
And those are the movies that I am most looking forward to in 2017. I will also make a Least Anticipated list, so you can look for that within the next few days. Until then, I wish you all a good 2017.
