Another year has passed, and now its time once again to count down my most anticipated movies of 2016.
This list is mostly blockbusters, because that's most of what I hear about. These probably won't all be the movies that I would rank among my favorites at the end of the year, but until I see what the Oscar bait this year will be, this is what I'm most interested in.
The sequel to one of Pixar's best. The trailer was sort of underwhelming, but I was never expecting it to be as good as the original. This could still be a great movie, or at least adequate entertainment. 9. Bourne 5
Matt Damon is back as Jason Bourne in the untitled next chapter in the Bourne saga. This could be a nice return to form for the series. 8. Hail Caesar
The smallest movie on this list, this movie is directed by the Coen brothers. It tells the story of a movie producer who needs to get the lead actor of his movie back from kidnappers. It looks like what we have come to expect from this team, and what we love about them. 7. Captain America: Civil War
The next movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will pit Captain America against Iron Man. This could be an exciting movie, and I would like to see who will win. 6. Suicide Squad
And now for the other side of the comic book movie spectrum, DC Comics. Very few movie franchises have come across more controversy than their planned cinematic universe. This movie is no exception. While it may not be as controversial as their other movie coming out this year (more on that later), many people hated the look of Jared Leto's Joker. However, the trailer has definitely sold me with its visuals and tone, and I am eager to see this movie. 5. X-men Apocalypse
The next chapter in the X-men franchise is directed once again by Bryan Singer, the director of the first two and Days of Future's Past. I really liked all of these movies, and would like to see him do another X-men movie. 4. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
So we actually managed to get another Harry Potter movie. This one is based on a textbook in the Harry Potter universe that JK Rowling got published in real life. Um... okay. The main reason I'm anticipating this movie so much, instead of just passing it off as another cash grab, is that the screenplay is written by Rowling herself. I think that this will mean that it will maintain the magic of the original books and movies. 3. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
This movie had been through a lot. During production, pretty much every casting choice was criticized. The final trailer gave away a lot of the story. Add that to mixed reviews for Man of Steel, and you have got a recipe for disaster. However, as somebody who enjoyed Man of Steel, I am still looking forward to this. I think Ben Affleck has already convinced us he is a believable Batman, and would like to see if Jesse Eisenberg and Gal Gadot can prove themselves as well. I am hoping that this will be an exciting and interesting movie. 2. Deadpool
Everything they have put out to promote this movie has been amazing. I have seen the first trailer so many times I probably know it by heart. I am a fan of good action movies, especially those that have the guts to go for a hard R rating. I also like humor that breaks the fourth wall, which I hear the comics have a lot of. The combination of violent action and witty comic dialog seems to work extremely well in the trailers and I can't wait to see the whole movie. 1. Rouge One: A Star Wars Story
The first Star Wars spin-off movie is directed by Gareth Edwards, best known for directing the 2014 Godzilla reboot, and the independent hit Monsters. The release of The Force Awakens has proven that Star Wars is back, and I'm excited to see the next chapter. So for the second year in a row, the number one spot goes to Star Wars.
I am going to make this review very brief since it has been in the theater for a long time.
Crimson Peak tells the story of a writer in the nineteenth century, who stays in an old house. She finds out that not only is the house haunted, but it is also the house that the ghost of her mother warned her of. She must now find out the mystery of what happened at this house, and why she is in danger.
First of all,this movie is visually stunning, and has a better production value than most other horror movies. It successfully recreates the time period, and the atmosphere is very eerie. However, I personally didn't find it as scary as I was expecting.
The ghosts in this movie are done with CGI. Normally, this doesn't work in horror movies because it doesn't look as real as practical effects, but it works better when it's making ghosts than for something more concrete. The CGI is a good thing in the way that it can make the ghosts more gruesome than practical effects. But the issue I had with this is that the ghosts really didn't have to look very gruesome. I understand that their bodies are decomposing, but I don't think it makes sense that their ghosts need to decompose as well.
In conclusion, Crimson Peak is a visually stunning and moderately scary movie, despite its flaws. Overall, I would recommend it to horror movie fans.
Bridge of Spies is directed by Steven Spielberg, stars Tom Hanks, and (I just found this out while watching the credits) was written by the Coen brothers. So yes, this film has a lot going for it.
This is based on the true story of James Donovan. It is the height of the Cold War, and an accused Soviet spy has been captured. Donovan, an insurance lawyer, becomes hated around the country, when he decides to defend him in court. He is later brought in to attempt to negotiate trading the accused spy for an American prisoner of war.
As you would probably expect, this movie has great acting and directing. Tom Hanks gives a convincing performance, and the movie captures the feel of the era.
The high points of this movie consist mainly of negotiations and trials, and does not feature much of the conventional thrills or action of similar thrillers. However, this was far from boring. It had an interesting story line, good direction, and was perfectly paced without much filler.
Even though this might not be one of Spielberg's best dramas, it is still an intriguing drama that will probably get Oscar nods. I would recommend it to people who like international thrillers that focus on the politics of the situation.
Johnny Depp breaks out of the roles he has been typecast into in Black Mass. And he does this very convincingly. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie does not live up to that performance.
Johnny Depp plays James "Whitey" Bulger, one of the most notorious gangsters in US history, in a movie that chronicles his illegal relations with an FBI agent. He disappears into this role, and truly becomes Bulger. He comes across as very intimidating. His performance elevates this otherwise forgettable gangster movie.
The movie does very little to distinguish itself from other gangster movies. There are very few scenes that are truly memorable. There are not many sympathetic characters in this movie, so it is hard to feel for anybody when they are put through generic gangster movie situations. Altogether, while the movie is still reasonably interesting, it never really sucks you in.
However, the amazing performance of Johnny Depp is enough to recommend this movie. The movie itself probably won't last the test of time, but it is an interesting diversion.
This week, I did not see any movie in the theater. So instead, I'm just going to tell you what my favorite movies are.
This is a list of my top ten personal favorite movies. This list will probably change over time, as I see other movies, or someday think of some movie that I regret not putting on this list. But this is the order that I'm leading toward right now.
10. Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece. Though many of the surprises of this movie are common knowledge now, the movie still played with the audience's expectations like few movies do. It deserves to be on this list, because of it's unconventional nature, and influence on the horror genre.
9. Up (2009)
Well, this is...different from the last one.
The plot of this movie is batshit insane, but in a charming way. It's fun and entertaining throughout. It can tug at my heartstrings more in the first three minutes than most movies can do in their entire run-time. This is definitely one of Pixar's best.
And this is what I think is Pixar's best. It has humor, heart, and beautiful animation. I grew up on it, and it still holds up.
7. Jaws (1975)
This movie has great tension. Steven Speilberg's direction, and the decision to not have the audience see the shark, make this a classic horror movie.
6. The Lion King (1994)
An animated Disney classic. It's dark when it needs to be, and fun at most other times. It is a great coming of age tale, and one that every child should see.
5. ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Another movie that every child should see. No other movie has more perfectly captured our childlike wonder.
I can't believe I'm putting this above ET either. I guess that while ET was technically better made, I just personally prefer this Spielberg movie. Maybe I'm just more prone to liking the sight of dinosaurs attacking people. But either way, this movie has great visuals, and some pretty intense sequences.
3. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Probably one of the most entertaining gangster movies out there. This film combines dark humor, smart dialog, and a fun seventies atmosphere. This is Quentin Tarantino at his best.
2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Not many films have made me laugh as hard as this one did. It is very ridiculous, in the best kind of way. Silly, hilarious, and quotable, this is a comedy for the ages. 1. Forrest Gump (1994)
I think this movie deserves to be at the top of the list. The winner of the 1994 Oscar for Best Picture perfectly balances comedy and tragedy. Both of these elements are done very well, none seem to be overshadowed by the other. Tom Hanks gives a great performance, and Robert Zemekis' direction is brilliant. This is my favorite movie.
And those are my personal favorite movies. I hope this allows you, as a reader, to get to know me better.
As some of you may know there is a supposed curse that anybody who has played Superman in a movie or TV has either died or had his career die. So the question is, can Henry Cavil, the new Superman, break this curse? Well, the low grosses for his latest film, The Man From UNCLE might suggest no. However, his performance in that movie makes me want to hope for the best.
This movie is an adaptation of a 1960s spy TV show, directed by Guy Ritchie, director of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels; Snatch; and the new Sherlock Holmes movies. Ritchie was the main reason I was excited for this movie, because his style is different from most other directors, and is almost always entertaining. Sure enough, his style is prominent in many scenes throughout the movie, and it is very fun to watch. There are plenty of exciting, stylized action sequences, and moments of dark humor.
The plot revolves around Cavil, a professional thief turned CIA agent, who is forced to team up with a KGB agent (Armie Hammer) to take down a group of Nazi sympathizers who are trying to get a nuclear weapon. Unfortunately, the plot of this movie is pretty generic, and adds little to the formula of other spy movies.
However, what this movie may lack in originality story-wise, it makes up for in directing, as mentioned above, but also from the charisma of its lead actors. Henry Cavil gives an interesting performance, which I personally think is more memorable than his portrayal of Superman. Armie Hammer also gives a good performance, though at times his Russian accent sounds a little fake.
So, in conclusion, The Man From UNCLE is a highly entertaining movie, that makes up for its plots shortcomings with an interesting style and good performances from its main characters. This may not be as good as Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels; or Snatch, but it is a very fun time at the movies.
Straight Outta Compton effectively tells the story of one of the greatest and most influential rap groups of all time: NWA. It chronicles the rise and fall of the group, as well as the controversy surrounding them.
While I am not the closest follower of the group, I do enjoy their work a lot, as well as the other rappers of the late eighties and nineties. So I greatly enjoyed the feel of the movie, and it's soundtrack very much. But I think that there are plenty of things in here for people who don't like their music as well.
The movie's cast of mostly unknown actors are great at portraying the members of NWA. They all look like their respective characters (Ice Cube is played by the son of the real Ice Cube), and for the most part act like them very well. Paul Giamati also gives a good performance as their manager. Throughout the movie, he rips off the members of the group, but at the same time you get an idea that he still cares for them.
This movie never feels boring at any point in its lengthy two and a half hour run-time. It has a driving plot, which shows their fast-paced lives, and has a thriving energy throughout. There are a few sequences of the racial profiling that their songs have spoken out against, which are upsetting, and do a good job of justifying the controversial nature of their music. There are also a few emotional sequences that contrast with the group's violent persona, and are interesting to watch.
I went to see this movie with my roommate. He is a foreign exchange student from Norway, and says that he had never heard of NWA. However, when we got back, he told me to turn on some of their music. I think that it is great how a very well-done movie like this can have such an impact on people.
