#And I can already tell this movie is going the Lego movie and Wolverine movie in 'bannef from watching on tv' hall of fame

[ryoukio]

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[gayphoenixforce]

Uhh i wrote a short fic about Gabby and Laura Kinney and being disabled and what powers mean etc. Basically, Gabby loses her healing factor but her inability to feel pain is a real condition people struggle with. The snikt sisters are awesome and there’s loads of cameos

“Gabby, are you bleeding?”

It was early morning in the Kinney apartment. Gabby’s eyes peeked open, groggy from sleep.

“What d’you mean m’bleedin…” she mumbled, slowly beginning to wake up. Laura’s face was now clear in Gabby’s vision, and so too was the concern. Gabby’s big sister didn’t get scared - she was the freaking Wolverine - so the concern traveled quickly to Gabby. Now very awake, she began to scan herself for the blood source. Not feeling pain meant sometimes not knowing about an injury right away, but handy healing powers made it more of a nuisance than a reason to be afraid.

It was her left hand. The skin around the fingernail on her ring finger had been picked off, probably in her sleep. It was bleeding just enough to have smeared onto both of her hands, but thankfully not the pillow. It wasn’t something that should have made Laura concerned.

Then it dawned on her. Gabby realized that the amount of blood was not consistent with how much should have come out before her healing factor clotted, and eventually erased, the wound. In fact, the finger was still trickling a bit of blood. Something was wrong - Gabby’s healing factor had vanished in the night.

Dr. Hank McCoy spun around on his stool to face the Kinney sisters in his lab. Reading from a printout he said, “It appears that Miss Gabby has had her X-gene turned off. It’s still present in the DNA, but the gene itself is dormant now. She’s just a normal pre-teen girl.”

Gabby protested, “But I didn’t feel it! I can’t not be a mutant any more, I still don’t feel pain! Tell him Laura, I’m still an X-Man.”

Dr. McCoy sighed, taking off his glasses. “Gabby, Laura, you must understand. Gabby’s mutation was identical to yours and Logan’s Laura. She had an advanced healing factor and some heightened senses. The inability to feel pain is a condition entirely human.

“It is a syndrome called CIPA, which stands for ‘Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis’. It is very rare, but it results in the carrier being incapable of feeling pain. While that may be a superpower to a clone of Wolverines, it is actually very dangerous for humans. You see, Gabby’s healing factor was what was allowing her to lead a normal life. Superhero training gave her the strict regimen that fulfilled the non-violent aspects of the condition.”

Laura interrupted, “What does that mean? Gabby just needs to be extra careful about fights now, like a regular person, right?”

“Unfortunately,” Hank continued, “it’s not so simple. People with CIPA don’t just not feel the pain of a stubbed toe or a broken wrist. They also don’t feel hunger pangs or the urge to use the bathroom. This can cause severe malnutrition and dehydration as well as embarrassing accidents. Not to mention their difficulties with temperature regulation. They can’t tell if they are too hot or too cold, so they can be more susceptible to heat stroke or hypothermia.”

Gabby had completely shut down as Hank spoke. Laura did her best to provide some comfort with a hand on her shoulder, but it seemed brooding was also a family trait. Dr. McCoy gave the sisters some materials about the condition, as well a watch with built in timers for food and bathroom breaks. And because it was X-Men tech, it could also alert Gabby if her temperature was too high or low. Laura could tell Gabby was devastated by the diagnosis. Hank had no clue why her X-gene had turned off, or if there was a way to turn it back on. While they adjusted to the news, Laura was able to convince Gabby to take a break from being Wolverine and Honey Badger. Jean understood (because of course a telepath with motherly tendencies does) and told them to take all the time they needed.

It had been a week since Gabby had lost her powers. They were adjusting to the new schedule Gabby had to keep, from the watch’s chiming reminders to regular injury checks to make sure Gabby hadn’t hurt herself without noticing. Laura was doing her best to keep things normal for her little sister, but there was nothing normal about this. Worse, Laura could tell Gabby could see the worry on her face. She’d gone from coolest big sister ever to worrying mother hen in a week! Something had to be done. Laura may have been keeping her sister safe from physical danger, but Gabby’s hurt was on the inside, and she had never seen the girl so down. Claiming it was an emergency mission, Laura left the apartment to hatch a plan to cheer Gabby up.

All of the X-Men were sad to hear the news about Gabby. She was a ray of sunshine with claws. So when Laura came to the mansion with a mission to brighten her spirits, everyone was all in. Kurt suggested that Jean could do a telepathic version of a Danger Room session with Gabby, so she could still have a thrill without risk of getting hurt. Laura thought that might just make her even worse when the session ended.

Remy thought that a planned heist would lift anyone’s spirits, and he would have convinced Laura if the responsible adults (aka everyone but Remy and Jubilee) hadn’t stepped in to remind them that robbery was still definitely a crime. Forge suggested she take up a hobby like Lego or robotics (and even offered to teach her some basics). Storm offered to take Gabby flying. At one point, Rogue thought she might be able to temporarily give Gabby her powers by taking Laura’s and giving them to Gabby, but that felt cruel. Eventually, Laura had to leave to get back to Gabby, and she was still 0 for 10 on ideas to cheer up her little sister.

--

Stopping in a bakery in Hell’s Kitchen, Laura heard some crashes in an alleyway across the street. Dropping off her fresh pastries and her civilian clothes, Laura dashed to the source of the noise. A mugger had a young woman pinned to a wall. With a snikt, Wolverine let her presence known. But before the mugger could even look at her, an arrow smacked him in the head, knocking him to the ground. The woman ran away, grateful for once for New York’s endless supply of masked heroes.

Hopping down from his fire escape perch, the mystery hero revealed himself. “Woah! Wolverine? You handle muggers now? I mean I know Hell’s Kitchen already has Daredevil for the big name villains, but I figured the little guys were still fair game…” Hawkeye, aka Clint Barton, rambled as he retrieved his arrow from the mugger’s unconscious noggin.

Laura took off her mask, “I’m not a regular here. I was buying pastries for my little sister. Heard the noise from the scuffle. Sorry to uh, cramp your style, or whatever.”

Clint laughed, “Haha, wow! Wolverine shops at Daredevil’s Food Cake? And also doesn’t know how to use slang despite being a young person.”

“I was raised in a murder lab,” she replied with a roll of her eyes, “And the pastries are for my sister. They’re her favorite and I’ve got to cheer her up somehow.”

Clint recognized the concern in Laura’s voice and stopped his chuckling. Emotions weren’t exactly his strong suit, but he was always ok at least at being a friend. So he asked, “Why’s she need cheering up? Isn’t she a tween hero? Badger or something, right? Small-verine? What can bring a kid like that down?”

“Losing her powers, for one,” Laura said. She explained the situation to Hawkeye. He was a surprisingly good listener, at least, he looked like he was being a good listener. When she finished explaining, Clint scratched his head.

“Well, life-altering disabilities can definitely have that effect. Being deaf makes it hard sometimes. I’ll know I missed something important someone said. Movies are nearly impossible to watch, and closed captions are usually pretty awful. It can feel like the world is leaving you out. Like life’s a lunch table, and you can’t sit there,” he said, not really looking at Laura, but getting lost in his own memory somewhat. “She just needs time to adjust. And maybe some people who know what she’s going through? Even rare diseases have Facebook groups now, so it would probably be pretty easy to find some people for her to talk with.”

“What about you?” Laura asked, “Could you come talk to her? I know it isn’t the same thing, but I think you could help her more than me or any of the other X-Men right now.”

Clint was shocked. Him? Being helpful in a non-arrow related situation? But then he remembered what it was like, meeting other disabled people for the first time. Seeing them as a thriving community, a table he could sit at. How could he refuse?

--

Clint’s visit was a smashing success, and not just because he managed to knock over a lamp when retelling a story about disability rights activists. Gabby had some of her usual confidence back, and she was excited to meet other people living like her. Hawkeye had even promised to get her and Laura in touch with other disabled heroes, like Daredevil, Cypher, and Bucky Barnes.

Gabby wasn’t going to be exactly the same as she was before her powers went away, but no one really stays the same forever. Together, with her sister’s help, Gabby was able to find a new place for herself, not as Honey Badger, but as Gabby Kinney. She got involved with a children’s disability rights group, and was a hero, just not the kind she’d been before.

[breakingmllc]

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You know interaction ever had because you couldn’t speak at all thank you everybody else took offense to everyone who came as something they would take a Ghost Reading Books Halloween Blood Moon T Shirt look at say anything back so they would just say everything is going to say my face would just tell also’s argument was that your Film I get out there that think they are right baseball garden I did bring you it is betterand has been so interested is a friend of my body get out there the antibody is in a hospital make their case advantage of them in any way you possibly can move on to our first story here todayand is according to the high reporter scares me that actually deadline high reporter broke a story about a lot of yesterday deadline is not about the new villainand wonder woman to is none other than Sheena played by Kristen Wade apparently paycheckand has had her eye on wake for a while now to play this roleand it looks to be confirmed so that she is going to be going up against wonder woman in the sequel to this massive wonder woman they came out last year the new movie comes on November 1 2000 19th J Washington in any way on the panel knows a little something about Sheena is get a VU what does this mean for wonder woman to you no more you know what for first was one of one woman’s biggest adversaries which is cool use granted they didn’t do in the first movie you burned her out from World War Iand had going forward for two Christian week is interesting casting choice as we been seeing a lot lately with comedic actorsand actresses black I said this on twitter if we can get great Elizabeth Banks is repulsing granted the movie the powerand the heart of the story the cake they did on Rita was nice the way she looked at the different look the vision of a Christian week plan is now will she be as serious or comedic is the question you know now also the story of cheetah is a British archaeologist who goes in Africa they had an opportunity to make this potentially a black British woman there’s a lot of things you do great don’t have to change the cultureand the nationality of the character but you done about bunch of things Christian week is a good choice I believe black will have to see you know when you quit yesterday about the rhetoric also compares it was an interesting one at a very early going on to policy your readerand are in the phase where you will reader processing the I actually like our industry in a limitedand I know the old school reader pulseand everybody was hoping to see in Greenwich have to change things sometimes so using the way they get Elizabeth with this one the Krispy Kreme things a little too much I limit like the look is what I was talking about we can expect her to look as bad as she didand who is a Christian we can look like an incredibly soft terrifyingand look like everything that nightmares are because I know that person that scale afterand I had decided not to go sleep that night like this character sheet in general it is likely because of the complaint getting a lot of Power Rangersand about Elizabeth is reader repulsive she was doing her job if your job was to be in the 90s show Power Rangers seem to fit in with the time when the new movie was trying to do so how’s the character like cheetah who from the fanart for whatever is you are looking to come up with seems a little more outlandish than what we got in wonder woman the first movie I was I get a job with the town because this is the first outlandish character to get that’s a human who transformsand something else with justice league you halfstep more that’s in our worldly creature is in itself with complementingand get everything that’s naturally in Atlanta so we understand that this is gonna be something new to see the DCU you know that to be the interest of our behind again we dealt with psychological sale a question when dating Ghostbustersand other films but this has to be something different will have a comedic element potentially Casio serious will see Harry immediately relocatedand seeing like comedians turn into the deep illness rolesand I rooted for everyone in the marketing point of vampire only those crazy if I were to do a rather like the movie didn’t work as well rises to be in one hour photo resigning like this could work out I think it did think Connex can test it to a darker side of their personality getting Kristen Wade is going to be able to do you I have made during especially the just need your initial impression is lie regarding the morning moreand more I read the other where twins are rolling over she’s going to be a good work can know that she is a good idea if Peterson is really talking on the show where it’s like you feel about one wayand in the next week you feel the same exact way did you get this newsand then have an initial reactionand has that changed all sense you heard about this yesterday plates at the words were not including the reference got into because I first heard the confidenceand Christian way to be able to take her time fender from the community of economic theory generally by tradition works much better than tomato doctors trying to go however my question really affect the talent of what wonder woman he was going to be because if they are bringing Christian right are they planning to make it more the sort of lighthearted comedic type of film compared to the first one where there very negligible humor so much of the few moments of levity but it’s not going the route of life like they do in the NICU movie maxed out when they are trying to may be asking rather than actually having Kristen be super hard core cannot write most of the last few got from wonder woman were were very genuine think the reason for that is because she was allegedly try to find her way in the man’s world so to speak because she went out of her boss Dennis Garethand her interactions the chemistry Chris finds where we got most of the yacht if you will get a movie like Ghostbusters obviously that’s more spoof the then I think you get to see if you wanted so here’s the big question you are left to get over to the panel as a fan person wayand that they can be won over to her performance the one I wanted is under just a little bit of pressure yet again because the first time a woman came outand had to rescue us from this dark gray toneand it succeededand then you have justice leagueand now very divisive movie again so whatever man does with my CAN have a more serious darker tone seems once again is directing it what do we need wonder woman to have in order to make Kristen Wade fit into this balance because as we saw with justice league trying to shift the entire town of DC name from Zach Siders darker version to Joss Wheaton’s line or humorous version the China ship Nike seven Apple man James one says dark black James wants a what you expect I think it’s the balance you’re gonna have a humorist element with one woman like you said in the first you have those humorous moments when you tap into that a little more Diana plays around that we seem that she jokes moreand now she’s more accurate to the world again if this present day is his will to but it doesn’t matter I think I will have a lot more humorand Patty Jenkins also ceased exercising more than anything else so that’s what I would single phase it is Kathy Parsley I can send out the rest of the DCU yelled at everyone with your director changes with your your hiringsand firings of executives with your cash comingand going like the movie I want to make I guess Kristen Wade is a cheetah going to do it I can do I want right now how skinny my confidenceand she sort of envisioned Christian right brain itselfand the one she essentially is writing the role for Christianand the only present quite depressing right was Christianand I think that will be sort of tailored to Christian relaxing make this work a lot more holisticallyand cohesively been made in micro barring a comedic actress integral where really wasn’t for you. I bring the storm on knotting of most of us loves to flex are within the whole time garner more effectively when you’re going to get away years ago like you people say it’s an issue it’s kind of like a great thing because you are a fell prey to see the sheer authority she was rereading the the door army up going to get to me was no foreign invasion was a lie was in areaand long timeand she’s about to know have a great time with Laurie sandand then gets waylaid by neuron screen it’s like can all stop is fair to say that the five on those boats crossing the sea was like but forgot I had four children were dazedand probably getting off this boat to measure garden riversand this will see for our data winter fell the car starts arise backand we will will probably find top 20 thrilling moments in the show yeah right wall is greatand clear way that he Artie had when heand Danny had 03 Jason now we’re just watching you just think I’ll call John because I Dragon as clean as reasonably as a major Explain some of the higher mysteries of the show was Jesus to go in to show is about dragons writing well it’s kind a bit from the book version books it is highly suggested that you need some sort of Larryand heritage to be able to bond with the dragons or at least certainly that’s with the target would like everyone to think so it certainly is a self serving ride notion that they put forth their but people on pure malariaand heritage targeting heritage have been dragons especially during the identifying Civil War when he just like dragons but not a lot of writers so they put out the call to students that were birthed from target Aryans half Tiberius quartered Aryans were like anybody that can write a dragon is not your easily disposable than regular show the kind of change it so that the bond between the Dragonand the rider it’s much more it’s basically unexplained but it’s kind of like telepathy for instance when I drove on comes outand rescues Danny from the fighting in the books trolled on his drawn by the sound of battleand blood in just this like excitement but in the show Danny closes her eyes busily calls him downand then we saw that that moment when John first put out his handand drove on symptoms like a special recognizing so in the show it’s it’s suggested that there is more of a one to one link target Aryans to a dragons almost working some kind telepathic bond what’s interesting here in the scene though is the should know about youand Danny would kinda know that like target Aryans can write the dragonsand she’s is no reason at this point is to suspect that John is like Park target areaand then she’s basically like get on maybe the idea is she so confident about her control over these dragons that she’s like I got you like I’m I’m like driving from the from the past I don’t know that it was thought that was a little strange that usually get a thing without it seems like again something that will help in future episodes one of the specifications was leveled on that will probably think when they find out so we have part one John Oso is now but Danny doesn’t know who is nobody else as yearsand so she hears this news the fact that he’s arty successfully been the Dragon will presumably help her accept true shirtand also everybody else because those shots of people watching him fly overheadand yell. Just as economy and then before learning about how he her generation learning about us to resolve we showed against the forces of hatred and division about the work we will do over the next about the Windows we came together and not a joke for resident of the nation thank you all pursuant to our convention rules will now proceed to a roll call by states on the selection of our party’s candidate for the president of the United States secretary right Mr Chairman coming to you online from the Wisconsin Center it’s time to begin our virtual trip around America our journey began at the site of a major step forward in our national journey towards justice let’s go to Alabama with my stepfather as I demand the right to later all right voting rights remain America’s great initiative to walk this path before showed us the way forward John Lewis is incredible to restore the body like to ensure that our democracy belongs to all Americans Bernie Sanders about letters we rely on to theater families and make a living See Other related products: unicorn shirts and shirt

[theantisocialcritic]

Archive Project - March 23, 2014 - Fox’s Upcoming Marvel Movies

20th Century Fox is getting out of hand with all of the superhero movies that it's adapting! I'm excited for X-Men Days of Future Past, and i'll admit that X-Men First Class and The Wolverine were both really fun, but the release schedule for these movies is getting obscene!! Here is the list of upcoming releases: 2014-   X-Men: Days of Future Past 2015-   Fantastic Four 2016-   X-Men: Apocalypse 2017-   Fantastic Four 2 2017-   X-Men: Wolverine 3 No Date-  X-Men-Fantastic Four Crossover Now as somebody who loves the superhero genre and the X-Men in particular, you'd think i'd be excited! And to an extend, yes I am. I am however very cautious of this. Fox is not Marvel!! They don't have nearly as much talent, drive or respect for the material as Disney. Now I will admit that X-Men: First Class is amazing! I will also admit though that it working was a fluke. It was made with a limited budget and time but managed to pull off a good movie with a combination of talent and drive and ultimately became the best X-Men movie to date! Alternately, attempts to fast track superhero movies like this result in dull, cheap looking movies like The Amazing Spiderman. At this point the current run of X-Men has hit its inevitable end. This time line has been produced for over 17 years at this point and all of the actors are getting tired of doing the roles. Fox is straining to keep Hugh Jackmann as Wolverine from retiring and dragging the whole series down with his absence. At this point Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are getting way to old to keep up doing this movies for much longer. The entire series needs a jump start with a reboot, fresh cast of talent and enough time to make something special. Stop dragging your feet Fox! Stop making X-Men movies whose entire purpose canonically is to erase Last Stand and just reboot with a fresh cast! Now with the Fantastic Four…. I can already tell this one is in deep water… The movie hasn't even started shooting yet and rumors have spread that the production so far has been horrible, almost to the post of Fox recasting the director and actors, while rewriting the script. It also doesn't help that this movie's production time is only about 1 YEAR!! Compare that to the planned sequel to The LEGO Movie which is getting 3 YEARS!!!!!! for it's development. Fox! Take time with your movies! Otherwise they might be as bad as….well…. The last time you made Fantastic Four movies…. BLECK!!!!! Also the planned X-Men-Fantastic Four crossover is a DUMB IDEA! I get that The Avengers is now the cool thing to rip off because it made a billion dollars. But for the life of me I can't think of any way this would be a good movie! If you want to do a cross over in the Marvel Universe you cross over the X-men or Fantastic Four with The Avengers! Which would never happen because Disney and Fox would never try that hard to get their act together for a combined movie (boy though… The Avengers meet The X-Men would be a great movie though!). The reason for this is that The Avengers are the logical center of the universe for Marvel so its very easy to crossover them with anybody else. I actually had to look up examples of the X-Men and Fantastic Four ACTUALLY MEETING within the comic books. There was actually at least one miniseries where the two teams met, brilliantly titled Fantastic Four vs. the X-Men. Which interestingly enough is what the movie is apparently being adapted from. I still think this is dumb idea though. If it were being done for the art of it, i'd be down but its clearly only happening to ape off The Avengers. This is ultimately my problem with these movies. They aren't in it for the art of it or just to make fun action movies. The X-Men and Fantastic Four movies are all about wringing money off of the wildly popular Superhero genre and keeping their movie rights from reverting back to Marvel Studios. Newsflash Fox!! We are in a Superhero Bubble! At some point in the near future it is going to burst and people will stop going to every single Superhero movie that comes out! It might not be for a few years but people are loosing patience for this genre more quickly than you realize! Really the thing i'd like to see is for these series to revert back to Marvel-Disney just so they'd be in good hands and would have the opportunity to breath and join the greater Marvel Universe were they belong. In a world where that will NEVER happen, i'd at least like more effort to be given to these movies. If you want another Fantastic Four, give the creators the time and budget they need and find a cast of actors that are passionate about the material! Same thing with another X-Men! But reboot and recast these movies so that we get NEW people and ideas thrown into this series! Then you can through a cheapo Wolverine spin off into the mix every few years to keep our attention! USE YOUR BRAINZ PEOPLE!!! Thank you for reading! Live long and prosper!

[50books50movies]

The LEGO Batman Movie (2017), Logan (2017), and The Fate of the Furious (2017)

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I’m at an age where many of my friends have become or will become parents. Since I was the first person in my peer circle to become a father, they sometimes turned to me to ask what advice, practical or philosophical, I could give about becoming a parent. By this point, I’ve refined my patter to a performance. I will consistently tell my friends, “Don’t have kids.” Either that draws them in further to inevitably ask why, or they take the words on the superficial level and move on with the conversation. If they ask why I, a father of a delightful kid, would say that, I ask if they want the practical or the philosophical reasons. The practical reasons are simple: having a child is a major financial commitment, a guarantee that you will never have a sound night of sleep ever again (and not just because an infant’s needs will interrupt your sleep), and a turning point in the relationship that you and your partner have. You and your partner’s relationship may not survive; the roles that you and you partner played in the relationship before you became parents will not be the roles that you will play after. The philosophical reasons are based in pessimism: if we accept that any actions that lead to the suffering of others is immoral, then having a child is an immoral act because human sentience means that we all live in constant pain born from a terror of knowing that our lives are finite. We are always dying. We die every second. In response to the absurd notion that we are born only so we can live to know that we will die, the most common options are: commit suicide, embrace the absurdity of life, or to recognize how absurd life is and rebel. How could you then morally justify creating life? 

What could have been in the creative air to inspire three major blockbuster films (The LEGO Batman Movie, Logan, and The Fate of the Furious) from three different distributors (Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, and Universal Pictures, respectively) to tackle the ideas of family unity and fatherhood in three different ways? (And it’s noted that these three films offer their takes on fatherhood specifically, not parenthood.) I suppose it’s natural that someone will explore the paradoxical idea that characters like Batman and Wolverine, who are so often defined as loners who don’t believe that they deserve human connections to other people would actually have many relationships that form an extended family with characters who choose to be with them. In other words, you could imagine Batman, Wolverine, and Dominic Toretto each saluting their respective families with their beverages of choice. 

Colorful and bombastic, The LEGO Batman Movie contextualizes the characters around Batman as his extended family. From Alfred the patriarch (voice by Ralph Fiennes) to Batman (Will Arnett) to Batman’s adopted son, Robin (Michael Cera), to Batman’s co-dependent nemesis, the Joker (Zach Galifianakis), to Batman and Joker’s extended work friends and acquaintances like Harley Quinn (Jenny Slate), Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), and Clayface, the many bonds that Batman has with the world around him are highlighted in bright neon explosions. As Batman’s surrogate father and like a father who worries about his kid’s ability to make the right kind of friends at school or meet the right partner, Alfred worries about his charge’s ability to form social bonds that will sustain Batman if he were to ever die. 

The film’s inciting incident is Batman breaking the Joker’s heart by telling him that he means nothing to him; the movie ends with a play on romantic comedy beats by climaxing with Batman and the Joker telling each other that they hate each other. It’s the psychosexual dynamic between the two that Frank Miller famously explored in The Dark Knight Returns and Scott Snyder years later in “Death of the Family” sanitized for the elementary school set. 

The cinematic versions of Batman always come around to embrace the idea that Batman isn’t the loner that he thinks he is. He travels with gods like Superman and Wonder Woman. In The LEGO Batman Movie, he craves the attention from his peers in the Justice League so badly that he has to put up a front to pretend that he doesn’t want it when he doesn’t get it. In other films, he actually founds the Justice League.

He’s also a father figure, whether in the figurative sense (Batman’s vigilantism gives birth to a more demented class of villains, and his rogues slowly transition from mobsters to supervillains) in a more literal sense (Batman becomes the guardian to the various Robins over the years and the central figure in a cohort of vigilantes, from the Huntress to Spoiler to Red Hood to Batwoman to Batwing). Michael Cera’s performance as Robin in The LEGO Batman Movie makes the character guileless and eager to please than normal to contrast with the bravado that Will Arnett infuses into his Batman. 

Like his bald counterpart in The LEGO Batman Movie (coincidentally portrayed by Ralph, another Englishman, Fiennes), Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier is concerned that Logan (Hugh Jackman) will lose his chance to reforge a connection to the wider world around him in Logan. Bitter, broken-hearted, and betrayed by his body, Xavier insists to Logan that there is still time for him to reconnect with the world after the rest of the X-Men were killed when Logan meets Laura (Dafne Keen). Logan, Laura, and Charles’s adventure across America remind Logan what a warm household full of affection, as the X-Mansion might have been once, looks like compared to the dusty and solitary existence he, Caliban (Stephen Merchant), and Charles lived in Mexico as he tried to raise enough money to go somewhere so he and Charles can die in peace. As Logan undergoes this journey and reforges connections, he travels from a dusty broken down industrial plant to a neon-bathed city to a corn farm and back to nature, his soul undergoing a revival even as his body continues its breakdown. 

Both Logan and Batman begin their films as reluctant fathers, each haunted by loss and unable to figure out the hedgehog’s dilemma. Both are convinced that their lonely lives are the only ways that they can pass their days. Both are pushed by their surrogate father figures to bond with children who unexpectedly enter their lives. And both try to demonstrate their acceptance of the responsibility of fatherhood through sacrifice. Logan overdoses on a drug in order to protect Laura and her friends from a physical avatar of his wild past, while Batman volunteers to return to the Phantom Zone to honor the agreement he made with the Phantom Zone’s keeper that allowed him to return to save his fledgling family. 

There’s a thrill to seeing Logan cut a bloody swath across the screen, but the film’s melancholy gives it a bitter taste. The shock of Logan cutting off an arm from a man who was trying to steal the tires from his rented limousine is undercut by how hard it was for the legendary Wolverine to fend off those four men. The excitement of Logan bearing his claws at Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) and the Reavers is undermined by how ineffectual Logan is against them. You might be surprised that Logan is casually murdering Reavers who were trying to capture Xavier, but the surprise is subverted by the realization that the Reavers were completely defenseless and neutralized by Xavier’s psychic seizure. Logan facing down goons to help Will Munson (Eriq La Salle), a farmer that he helped on his journey, but his violence against the Reavers and the goons only brings more violence upon the Munsons, which leaves them all dead. In the climax, Logan is temporarily restored to his former vitality due to a healing serum, but by the end of that burst of violence, Logan can barely stand. Violence in Logan is a bittersweet fruit.

Every time Logan fights the Reavers, they come back with more and stronger soldiers. When he faces them in Mexico, the Reavers have heavily armed Mexican police officers riding in SUVs. By the time that he faces them in North Dakota, the Reavers have armored trucks, jeeps with mounted machine guns, and a young feral clone of Logan. Nonetheless, Logan can’t help but feel fatherly pride during the climactic fight against the Reavers. Laura had already saved him once after he collapsed on the side of a highway by getting him medical attention. But he becomes proud of her when she fights to defend her friends against the Reavers, and they coordinate their attacks. They bond through violence because, as Xavier said, they’re very alike.  

The price of violence makes explicit the idea that becoming a parent raises the stakes. One might be tempted to quit an unsatisfactory, unfulfilling, underpaying job, but the income or health insurance from that job might be the only thing that protects your family from deprivation. One might be tempted to lash out at the world or to go it alone, but that might be the selfish thing to do. 

James Mangold, the director of Logan and one of the screenwriters, along with Scott Frank and Michael Green, unintentionally struck political relevance in the current political climate. The film’s development began in 2013, and the screenplay was complete by early 2016, around the same time that Donald Trump was campaigning for President of the United States on a platform of xenophobia and racism. In the film’s opening scenes, we see Logan chauffering four young white men past a Mexico-US border checkpoint. They’re standing through the limo’s sunroof, chanting “USA!” at the immigrants waiting to pass the border. By March 2017, President Trump’s administration is floating trial balloons to test the idea of separating women and children who are caught crossing the Mexico-US border together. Laura and her friends are Mexican children whose humanity has been denied by a corporation so they can be experimented upon and trained to be weapons. As Donald Pierce references repeatedly throughout Logan, Laura and her friends are commodities, patented intellectual properties of the company that employs him. Whereas other X-Men stories would be metaphors about how the Other is demonized, here the Other is completely dehumanized. Principal photography for Logan ended in August 2016, but the idea that Laura and her friends are not seeking refuge in the United States because the United States is not a hospitable place for children born from Mexican mothers and the image that they are running toward the Canadian border to seek asylum make for accidentally potent juxtaposition.

While The LEGO Batman Movie and Logan present their protagonists in trigenerational families, The Fate of the Furious presents two different types of families. There’s the circle of friends that become a family that Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) often toasts with a bottle of Corona. Then, there’s also the son that he and Elena (Elsa Pataky) created during their relationship when he thought that Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) was dead. Dominic accepts fatherhood without reservation and is willing to betray his la familia in order to protect his biological family until he can find a way to save his son from Cipher (Charlize Theron, mostly underutilized in the film), a legendary cyberterrorist who is blackmailing Dominic to steal an EMP device, a Russian nuclear football, and a Russian nuclear submarine for her.  

There is, of course, another father in la familia who is noticeably absent. Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), Mia Toretto, and their son are written out of the film with a line delivered by Letty to explain that they cannot contact Brian for his help in subduing Dominic and capture Cipher. Within the context of the film, this allows Brian and Mia to raise their child in peace, though I cannot imagine that they would feel much peace watching news reports of the theft of an EMP device in Germany, the assault on a Russian defense minister in New York City, or the chaos in New York when la familia attempted to take Dominic down. Outside of that context, this allows Walker, a father himself, to live on through his character.

With Brian removed, The Fate of the Furious screenwriter has to pile the human pathos on to Dominic, Letty, and Elena, and the film creaks and moans under the pressure. Making Dominic a father certainly raises the stakes for him, and the film is focused only on what becoming a father would mean to Dominic. Unfortunately, the film again can only define Dominic’s fatherhood by his sacrifice of his honor and his betrayal of his familia; the film is completely uninterested in Elena’s experience or perspective as the child’s mother. Because the existence of Dominic and Elena’s son is a shock revelation, there’s no time for them to form a connection or for the viewer to form a connection to them. We feel sympathy for Dominic in theory (one can only imagine the horror of someone holding your child hostage and leveraging them to make you commit crimes and betray your loved ones), but the film tries to split our focus by making us feel the pain from Letty’s perspective as the loved one who is abandoned for unexplained reasons. It’s an attempt to give Dominic a shade of humanity, but it’s done only in abstract.

By comparison, we have a better sense of the surrogate paternal relationship between Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) and his trainee, Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood) or between Hobbs (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) and his daughter, Samantha (Eden Estrella). Hobbs is a devoted father to Samantha and a committed coach to her soccer team; the cinematic appeal of their relationship lies in Johnson’s charm and their characters’ shared history, which dates back to Furious 7. Even the Nobodies evoke a more real emotional reaction than Dominic and his son because we see how they interact with each other and how Mr. Nobody tries to teach Little Nobody the tricks of the trade. 

Without the human connection, the spectacle of The Fate of the Furious felt hollow. I should have been wowed by remotely controlled cars barreling through New York City’s streets and raining from parking lots in skyscrapers, but I was bored. I should have been impressed when Dominic and company were racing across ice away from a nuclear submarine, but I was bored and almost nodding off. While the stakes for Dominic as a character were raised with his son’s introduction, the movie itself felt rote, from Cipher’s poorly outlined motivations to a moment that upends the importance of family that is the core of the franchise.

Dominic pays tribute to the bond between his peers that form la familia. However, there is dissonance in the way that Letty, Roman (Tyrese Gibson), and Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) seemed to have no objection to Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) joining the team. Shaw murdered Han Lue/Han Seoul-Oh and attempted to kill Dominic, Mia, Brian, and Mia and Brian’s son in Furious 7. Even though Dominic was desperate, contacting Deckard’s mother (Helen Mirren) in order to convince her to persuade Deckard and Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), who has his own disagreeable history with Dominic and company, to save Dominic’s son seemed to betray Han’s memory and to put aside the threats that were made to his family.  

The LEGO Batman Movie, Logan, and The Fate of the Furious presented their respective protagonists in non-traditional families. Batman adopts Robin, and they form a trigenerational family with Alfred. Logan becomes Laura’s de facto guardian, and they form a trigenerational family with Xavier. Dominic, Letty, and Dominic’s biological son form a blended family. Indeed, the only traditional nuclear families that we see in these films are the Waynes, which is broken when Batman’s parents are murdered, and the Munsons in Logan. 

You could strain to draw a connection between how casually the Munsons are killed to how dystopian the world in Logan is, but the Munsons’ deaths feel almost cruel. From the moment that Logan stops the truck to help them wrangle their horses, the audience begins to wait for the Munsons to die. It gives the otherwise tranquil scenes of Logan, Xavier, and Laura observing what a normal family looks like as they dine together suspenseful tension. Their deaths for doing nothing more than extending hospitality to Logan, Xavier, and Laura felt like a manipulative exercise in cynicism and nihilism. They’re collateral damage in Logan’s violence trap, and the viewer empathizes with Will Munson when he pulls the trigger on Logan after they’ve incapacitated X-24, the younger, feral clone of Logan that was sent to subdue and capture Laura. With his dying breath, Will doesn’t distinguish between X-24 and Logan because they are both monsters that trampled the Munsons’ lives. That the gun’s chamber was empty only emphasizes that violence, even in the cynical world of Logan, isn’t a solution.

Finally, if we accept the notion that becoming a parent is one of the few rites of passage into adulthood left in today’s America, then the other side of that passage is observing your own parents’ decline and eventual death. In Logan, Charles Xavier is suffering Alzheimer’s disease, and Logan and Caliban are Xavier’s sole caregivers. When Xavier doesn’t recognize Logan, he is afraid of him because, to Xavier, Logan is the person who drugs him into unconsciousness. When Xavier is awake and lucid enough to recognize Logan, he berates him for being a disappointment. Xavier’s seizures cause Logan physical pain, and his words cause Logan emotional pain. Xavier is angry at himself and Logan because he needs Logan’s help with something as fundamental as using the bathroom; Logan is resentful for Xavier’s role in the Westchester incident, the physical and emotional pain that Xavier causes him, and the fact that he has to take care of his father figure in his decline. 

It was curious to me that three different and big budget films released within two months of each other wove in different ideas about fatherhood into their tales. Each film tried to examine its respective protagonist through the lens of fatherhood and came away with slightly different conclusions. Batman, for as much as he describes himself to be a loner, is character with myriad connections. Logan, another self-professed loner, can’t help but to connect to his daughter when they both do what they do best, even though what they do isn’t very nice and could trap them in cycles of violence. Dominic, a man who talks constantly about his familia, showed that his biological family is ultimately more important to him than the friends and peers around him. 

[oddmott]

Here’s my favorite & least favorite movies of 2017!

Best Animated Film:

MLP the Movie

I know Coco was yet another brilliant Pixar film, but that can top your list. This is my list, and as far as I am concerned, I loved this film most of all; partly because I am already a fan of the series, yes, but also because It’sFun, charming, creative, light hearted, brimming w/ joy, has interesting world building, a lovely musical score (love that SIA song) and great production values! And visually, it is utterly unique in comparison to any other animated film this year! (Good grief, how I miss that 2D aesthetic).  Even if it is more or less just an extra length episode w/ a bigger budget & more celebrity guest stars, I have absolutely no problem naming this movie my Best movie of 2017, hands down, and I am loud & proud about that fact; Come at me bro! XD

Runners up:

LEGO Batman (sheer, joyful fun!)

LEGO Ninjago Movie (this is sooo cool!)

Captain Underpants (properly used ‘potty’ humor XD)

Coco (another solid Pixar production)

Ferdinand (2nd best Blue Skies production so far)

Boss Baby (surprisingly fun & charming)

—Also—

The Nut Job 2 (surprisingly passible)

Cars 3 (Not bad, better than the first two)

Rock Dog (dumb fun is fun, even if dumb)

_________________________________

Worst Animated Film:

Despicable Me 3

Surprise! Instead of giving this award to the obvious candidate (even if it really does deserve it), I decided to be different form the crowd and give this award to a movie ‘*that had all the advantage in the world, and calmly, decisively, stuck its todger into a deep fryer of hot bleach.’ I know the other movies aren’t exactly that great, but they all had a certain charm regardless. This movie however was just insufferable for me; mostly due to the studio’s bad habit of haphazard lackluster story writing. Its 5 different storylines were hard to follow & went know where (with the minions story being completely unnecessary), and any story that was worth telling was shoved out the door to awkwardly pursue routes that made little to no sense., The series humor has gone from passible to cringe-worthy (with new character Dru being the pinpoint for most of it). But most of all; this wasn’t a bad series, until now. Overhyped & over-commercialized, yes, but the stories & humor were clever and meshed well together back then. The first two had a certain charm to them, and the spin-off, while not as good, worked fine. Now I find the story & humor at odds, and it feels like Illumination is no longer willing to let the two work together. I really don’t like Illumination any more, and if they start making terrible Nintendo movies too, I will curse their name to the heavens forever. Here’s to the hope for better movies to come; cross your fingers.

Runners up:

The Emoji Movie (a complete waste of money, time, talent, effort, and space)

Batman & Harley Quinn (Painfully cheap, boring, unnecessary, and more)

Tom & Jerry & Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (your new rifftrax bait, have fun, it deserves it!)

—Also—

Frozen Xmas Special (you’re pushing your luck Disney)

Smurfs Lost Village (irritating waste of good potential)

_________________________________

Best Live Action Film:

Guardians of the Galaxy V2

I was actually tempted to just say this is the best film (period) of the year, but as an animaniac, I feel that honor should always go to an animated film, and it just didn’t feel right saying otherwise.

However, this film rocks! Colorful, creative, fun, energetic, and brimming with all kinds of emotion. You’d have to be a fool not to enjoy it, I say!

Runners up:

Spiderman; Homecoming (I liked it more than I thought I would)

Wonder Woman (historically above average)

_________________________________

Worst Live Action Film:

Pirates of the Caribbean 5

Good grief has this series fallen from grace. Amid its boring story, characters, McGuffins, & continuity errors, there is the one simple fact that four movies after the awesome de-view of ‘The Curse of the Black Pearl,’ P of the C has finally done the impossible by making Swashbuckling adventure BORING, and that is just unforgivable! Maybe it’s the convoluted mythology, or maybe it’s the haphazard writing or the overly-serious tones of later films. IDK, all I do know is that I am glad it’s over. Let’s make pirates fun again (in like 2025).

Runners up:

Transformers Last Night (only saw half, that’s all I needed)

Monster Trucks (brought to you by January)

Jumanji reboot (it’s on my bad list, but know that it’s okay)

Wish I saw:

Thor: Ragnaroc (ooh this looks sooo fun!)

Molten Marston & the Wonder Women (^^;)

Atomic Blonde (h-h-h-h-heartstopper!)

Hey Arnald Jungle Movie (Damnit, I love Hey Arnald!)

Leap! [Ballerina] (I’m sorry, I meant to get to you later)

Kimi no na wa [your name] (next level anime movie)

The Star (eh, whynot?)

Etc… (in case I missed something)

Glad I missed:

Beauty & the Beast, live action (screw this movie and the fact that it even exists)

Justice League (DC / WB, won’t you plz take a break?! Come back when you are ready & able)

Surf’s Up 2 (there are no words for this, I’m speechless…             …             …)

Logan (you know what; I was going to watch it. I had it in my hands for months, but in the end, I decided against it. Why? Because it looks grim and boring. X23 looked super cool, but I’ve never had a fondness for Wolverine or the X-men. In the end, I caved, and turned my attention elsewhere. Sorry. I heard it was good for fans)

Anyways, That’s all folks! Thanks for reading. Have a nice day :)

For more thoughts on the film’s i’ve seen this year, plz use the link listed below.

https://www.facebook.com/colton.nerad/posts/1107428189396998

[hqnatalia]

TOP 10 BEST MOVIES OF 2017

The year of 2018 is now in full swing and, with the year of 2017 completed, it’s time to exam the “best” and “worst” ssrmovies that of that year. Indeed, there was a lot of movie releases seeing in 2017. In total, I’ve personally seeing (and reviewed) over 81 new movies in 2017, some that were very recognizable, while others were “sleepers” that flew underneath the mainstream radar. There were also a lot of movies that made big money at the box office in 2017 as well as some that gained critical praise from both critics and moviegoers.

I’ve already posted my list for Top 10 Worst Movies of 2017 and now I’m ready to share with my list for what were the best movies of the 2017 year. These films, whether met high expectations, creativity imaginative, or just simply really good, were my personal best choice of the movies I saw throughout the course of the 2016. Surprisingly, Disney had a terrific year in movies, grossing billions at the box office, so you can imagine some (if not most) will be on my list. What can I say… I’m a sucker for Disney. But before I begin with number 10, take a look at some honorable runner-ups that almost made it on my top ten best movies of 2017.

Runner-Ups

A MONSTER CALLS

“How Does the Story Begin (And End)?

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

“The Dark Knight Returns (In LEGO Brick Form)”

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2

“John Wick 2.0 (Faster, Harder, Stronger)

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

“The Tale as Old as Time Returns”

LA LA LAND

“Old School Hollywood Magic”

(technical a 2016 release, but it was nationally released in 2017)

And now my top ten!!!

10 – Patriots Day

Ratings: 4.4 Out of 5Review:

Patriots Day

In amidst terrible tragedy and frantic chaos, courage and everyday heroism unfolds. Director Peter Berg’s Patriots Day presents (through a cinematic lens) the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing in a raw and emotion way, showcasing the horrors of the terrorist attack as well as the bravery shown by those who were affected by the attack. It’s powerful and emotional film, which is compiled and presented with enough attention to detail (both thematic and in entertaining) thanks to Berg’s direction and to the film’s cast. More profoundly, the film’s ending message echoes into recent events with love being stronger than hate, especially acts of terrorism and hate crimes are on the rise. While I do love Patriots Day, my heart does go out to the real-life individuals who were affected by this event and those who aided in the capture those who caused such a violent attack of terrorism. To those people, and for that matter the people of Boston, stay strong…Boston Strong!

9 – Spider-Man: Homecoming

Rating: 4.4 Out of 5Review:

Spider-Man: Homecoming

In 2017, everyone’s favorite “webslinger” superhero swung back with a new face (Tom Holland) and new challenges into theaters in Spider-Man: Homecoming. While actors Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield have already played the character of Peter Parker before, Tom Holland’s charismatic energy and meaningful sincerity to the character is what sold me (and a lot others). Director by John Watts, Homecoming worked on multiple levels, working as both a high school comedy and a MCU comic book tale about a youthful, but inexperienced superhero. The movie doesn’t necessarily move the MCU’s overarching story forward, but ultimately succeeds at being more of a standalone (and smaller) entry rather being dependent on its own cinematic universe world-building and “larger story” components. The story was solid, the cast was great (especially Holland and actor Michael Keaton), and it was an entertaining summer blockbuster. It will be interesting to see where Holland’s Spider-Man will go next. I can’t wait to see him in Avengers: Infinity War.

8 – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Rating: 4.4 Out of 5Review:

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

What can I say, 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy was a smash hit, bringing a different angle to the MCU by introducing lesser-known Marvel characters to the big-screen and providing a solid sci-fi / superhero adventure that was still a part of the MCU, but able to stand on its own merits (and awesome soundtrack). 2017 saw the return of the cosmic ragtag team of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and the adorably cute Baby Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Much like its predecessor, director James Gunn cultivates a second cinematic installment of humor, heart, and sci-fi nuances. While it didn’t outshine the first film, it was still a solid and very entertaining movie, offering a dazzling array of visual appeal, humorous bits, character driven moments, likeable performances (both from the return cast and its new ones) and the sounds of Star-Lord’s “Awesome Mix Vol.2”. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 already confirmed, I’m curious to see where their solo adventure will take them. That being said, I can’t wait to see the Guardians meet the Avengers in Avengers: Infinity War!

7 – Logan

Rating: 4.4 Out of 5Review:

Logan

While many X-Men fans out there will debate on which vitality of the X-Men cinematic universe, no one can deny that actor Hugh Jackman makes for the absolute best portrayal of the infamous mutant character of Logan (aka Wolverine). The movie Logan represents the final performance of Jackman as the titular Wolverine, which director James Mangold, bids an emotional farewell to the character. While most of the previous X-Men movies rely on heavily visuals and superhero nuances, Logan is the most “grounded” entry in the franchise, providing an emotional “human” tale of Logan’s last stand as well as mutant newcomer Laura. Additionally, the film’s R-rated violence (the first in the franchise) worked and provided the nearly representation of Wolverine’s comic book source material. Naturally, Jackman was excellent in the role as well as Patrick Stewart and young actor Dafne Keen. Whatever happens in future X-Men movies is still unclear (whether they recast someone else in the role or omit the character completely), one thing is profoundly clear…. Hugh Jackman will always be the definitive movie version of Logan / Wolverine…and he’ll be missed.

6 – Baby Driver

Rating: 4.4 Out of 5Review:

Baby Driver

While most of these 2017 films on this list I’ve either heard about or was looking forwarded to seeing them, Baby Driver was one of the movies that quite literally took me by surprise. Directed by Edgar Wright, this movie, which followed the exploits of a young (music-loving) getaway driver, was a high-energy heist adventure, finding Wright’s effectively tweaking the classic scenario to his style of filmmaking. The end result is fantastic, especially thanks to Wright’s direction, editing, musical nuances, and a group of talented actors who play some interesting and colorful characters. In the end, Baby Driver was a sleeper hit for the summer of 2017 movie season, proving that you don’t need an expensive pre-release marketing campaign…. just a good “word of mouth” and engaging cinematic story to tell.

5 – Blade Runner 2049

Rating: 4.5 Out of 5Review:

Blade Runner 2049

In 1982, moviegoers everywhere were introduced to director Ridley Scott’s sci-fi / neo-noir film Blade Runner. To this day, the film is regarded as definitive masterpiece for its science-fiction concept and storytelling nuances. In 2017, Blade Runner 2049, the long-awaited sequel to the original film, was released. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049 expands upon Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi classic, bring all the right set of nuances from the original film and translating / updating them for a modern movie going audience. The film was a visual gorgeous and cinematically beautiful as well as great performances (from a stellar cast), and a deep and compelling sci-fi story. While there’s been some debate on this movie (causal moviegoers vs. the cult following), Blade Runner 2049 stands tall and proud in the cinematic world, achieving greatness on its own merits as a sequel and as a self-contained story, while standing shoulder to shoulder to its sci-fi classic predecessor.

4 – Coco

Rating: 4.5 Out of 5Review:

Coco

Pixar has always been known for their animated features, producing emotional “human” drama as well as being colorful and dazzling with its cartoon animation and imagined characters. 2017’s Coco stands as a testament to that statement. Director Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina present the nineteenth animated film for Pixar Animated Studio, infusing their signature style into a heartwarming tale about family, music, and the celebration of the Mexican culture. The movie, the journey of Miguel in the Land of the Dead, is a fantastic addition to Pixar’s film library, offering up incredible colorful animation, solid voice talents, and a touching story that can resonate with everyone. Coco stands tall and proud as a Pixar classic masterpiece, proving that the animation studio’s still reigns supreme in children’s cartoon feature films and that their original ideas are just as strong as ever. In short, Pixar (via its release of Coco) seizes its own moment!

3 – Dunkirk

Rating: 4.5 Out of 5Review:

Dunkirk

When Christopher Nolan releases a movie, everyone celebrates with eager anticipation at what the acclaimed director will present. Dunkirk, his 2017 release, was a bit of a departure from his previous works, diving into the WWII historical drama, but reimagined in his own way and style, which made the film succeed in the eyes of many. The film, which told of the evacuation of the British soldiers from Dunkirk from three different points of views, was technical marvel to behold and a crowning achievement in moviemaking history, thanks to Nolan’s masterful directorial work, cleaver storytelling, technical marks (sound editing / mixing and film score), its cinematic visuals, and its solid actors. While there’s been many war movies out there, Dunkirkshines the bright for Nolan’s ingenious work at breathing new life into the WWII genre of films.

2 – IT

Rating:  4.5 Out of 5Review:

IT

Hollywood loves adapting bestselling author Stephen King’s work. Some there are good (like ShawshankRedemption), while other times they flop, which was the case with 2017’s The Dark Tower. However, while that film bombed at the box office (and with critics and moviegoers), King’s other 2017 movie adaptation ITwas indeed a cinematic success. This movie literally took me by surprise as I’m not much of a fan of horror movies, but IT is now definitely one of the favorites. Directed by Andy Muschietti, the movie, which followed the tale of seven children (aka the Losers Club) who battle against an enigmatic being known as “IT” (or Pennywise the Dancing Clown), brings Stephen King’s terrifying novel to the big-screen, capturing the right amount of disturbing / horror scenes as well as balancing the movie with a “coming-of-age” story that perfect works within its context. While the film only tells half of the novel’s story (IT: Chapter 2 is set to be released in 2019), the movie is still a highly effective adaptation, respecting King’s source material (both narrative and horror-based imagery) and succeeds in its storytelling, thanks to the film’s directors and the talented cast, especially the younger ones and Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise. In a nutshell, IT hauntingly floats…and you’ll float too!

1 – War for the Planet of the Apes

Rating: 4.5 Out of 5Review:

War for the Planet of the Apes

So, what could beat out several favorable superhero blockbusters, a Pixar feature, a unique WWII drama, and Pennywise the Dancing Clown…. War for the Planet of the Apes. While there’s been series of films out there, usually (the ones that are not based on books) usually falter and loose their steam by the time they get around to the third installment. However, War for the Planets of the Apes is that exception. While it’s processor (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) is slightly better, War for the Planet of the Apes is masterful and entertaining film.

Directed Matt Reeves, the movie, which continues to further follow the story of main protagonist ape leader Caesar, brings this new Planet of the Apes trilogy full circle, culminating in a wholesome feature that blends a compelling cinematic storytelling with incredible CG visuals, and amazing motion capture performances, especially with Serkis’s masterfully work as Caesar. The movie itself is hugely entertaining and powerful told; proving once again that a movie doesn’t have to be a “dumb” popcorn flick to be a summer blockbuster release. While the movie concludes Caesar’s tale by the time the end credits begin to roll, the movie’s ending leaves the door open for additional Planet of the Apes movies, further bridging the gap to the original 1968 classic (with plenty of room in-between). As it stands, War for the Planets of the Apes is a crowning hallmark achievement, delivering an emotional and highly satisfying final chapter of this trilogy. Which is why War for the Planet of the Apes is my #1 movie of 2017.

And so that’s my top ten “best” movies of 2017. There were some movies that I didn’t get to see, so (naturally) I can’t critique them and pass my movie critic judgement on them, which is why they might not be on my list. So, what do you guys think? What were your “best” movies of 2017?

[nivenus]

2017 in Film: A Retrospective and Ranking

So tomorrow’s the big day, right? The day when Hollywood’s elite gather and decide what films are the best?

In genre fandom there’s a reflexive instinct to reject the Oscars, which has long dismissed (sometimes truly impressive) efforts by science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other genre filmmakers. I totally get that, even if it’s not always true (just look at this year’s nominees). But rather than grouse and complain about how we disagree with the Academy, I thought it would be more rewarding to talk about how we felt about the cinema of 2017.

It’s been a really good year, I think it’s hard to deny, even if Hollywood itself (and the world in general) has had a pretty awful one. Even some of the worst films I’ve seen were pretty darn good and the best were truly terrific. It’s also been a pretty stand-out year for genre films in particular, with some great additions to the horror and superhero canon in particular. With that in mind I’ve ranked every 2017 film I’ve seen and invite others to do the same.

19. Ayla by Elias

Ayla is one of two feature-length films I saw at Portland’s annual H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival at the Hollywood Theatre, an experience I can heartily recommend to anyone in the Pacific Northwest who loves horror or weird fiction. The basic premise of Ayla is that a young man who lost his sister as a child and is unable to let go of her memory finds what appears to be an adult and strangely mute version of his sister, who comes to occupy a central place in his life as he neglects every other part of his life, including his living family and friends. Essentially, Ayla is a story about loss and how it can consume us.

Out of all the debut films I saw this year, Ayla is unmistakably the weakest but that doesn’t mean its bad by any means. The central hook driving the story is a compelling one and the performances given by the film’s mostly unknown cast (Nicholas Wilder, Tristan Risk, Dee Wallace, and Sarah Schoofs in the lead) are actually quite good and do a great job of drawing you into the narrative. Unfortunately, the movie just kind of ends abruptly and there’s never really a satisfying explanation for why the protagonist is so obsessed with his dead sister (his other family members have all moved on… why hasn’t he?). Still, it’s a nice showcase for the cast and the director’s skills which are not insubstantial.

18. The Lego Batman Movie by Chris McKay

When it was announced that Warner Bros. had decided to make a spin-off of The Lego Movie centered on Will Arnett’s comically self-obsessed version of Bruce Wayne there was a fair amount of skepticism. Arnett’s Batman was funny but would the joke perpetuate itself for a full movie without becoming dull? The good news is no and The Lego Batman Movie not only is funny but actually tells a pretty decent story. The bad news is that it’s still mostly forgettable.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with The Lego Batman Movie but I have to confess that nearly a year later I barely remember it. I remember all the plot beats and who all the characters were but I don’t remember how I felt watching it. I remember the narrative theme and thrust of the story (“it’s braver to let yourself feel things for other people than to go it alone”) and I appreciated the thought behind it but it didn’t stick with me. Maybe that’s because I already feel that message has been told in more interesting ways. Maybe it’s because the movie never quite escapes the impression of being a merchandising cash-in, unlike The Lego Movie. I liked The Lego Batman, but ultimately I can’t give it more than a solid C in retrospect.

17. They Remain by Philip Gelatt

The other feature film I saw at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, They Remain is an adaptation of Laird Barron’s “-30-,” directed by Philip Gelatt, perhaps best-known to science fiction fans as the screenwriter of Europa Report (an excellent film I also saw this year, but which came out many years earlier and so doesn’t qualify for this list). They Remain focuses on a pair of scientists (William Harper Jackson and Rebecca Henderson) who are sent by a nebulous corporate employer to study strange animal behavior at the former site of a murderous cult that made headlines years earlier. A dark and moody film, They Remain examines the nature of cults, the effects of isolation, and the relationship between humans and their environment.

I was pretty excited to watch They Remain, especially since it was the actual premiere of the film, shown to audiences for the first time. Europa Report really surprised me when I checked it out earlier this year and I was eager to see what Gelatt’s newest film looked like. For the most part, I was very pleased with what I got. Gelatt does a great job at getting into the head of his lead character and the sense of dawning paranoia and psychosis that begins to overtake him at the film’s story progresses. You feel, like him, that reality is unravelling around you. Unfortunately, the film also has a last-minute twist (which I assume is in the original story as well) that didn’t quite work for me and I never was quite sure whether the cult’s past activities were a red herring or an important plot point. Then again, part of the appeal is likely considering such questions for yourself.

16. Blade Runner 2049 by Denis Villeneuve

Man was there any movie this year sci-fi nerds were more hyped for and the general public just didn’t care about? Blade Runner 2049 has at this point become somewhat infamous for being hyped everywhere by every nerd site imaginable and then just sort of dropping to the sound of crickets chirping. Which isn’t to say it wasn’t very well-received in some quarters. Hyperbolically (in my opinion) some have proclaimed it to exceed the original Blade Runner (itself a notable flop at the box office but darling among sci-fi fandom) in every way. Personally? I found Blade Runner 2049 a beautiful and ambitious but ultimately failed endeavor towards profundity.

The frustrating thing about Blade Runner 2049 is that it starts a lot better than it ends (far from the only 2017 film to suffer from that problem). The opening sequence where K visits the old replicant to “retire” him (which remains a chilling euphemism) is terrific, as are many that follow as K tries to uncover the nature of the mystery he’s stumbled on to. It’s only towards the end of the film, about the time that Harrison Ford’s Deckard finally makes his appearance, that things really begin to fall apart and you realize the movie was full of good ideas it didn’t know what to do with (as well as many half-baked ideas that should have been shelved). It doesn’t help that virtually every female character in the film is either defined by her relationship to men, a sexist stereotype, or both. There were parts of Blade Runner 2049 that I really liked, but in the end I couldn’t love it.

15. Alien: Covenant by Ridley Scott

More than anything else on this list I think switching the places of Blade Runner 2049 and Alien: Covenant will be a controversial choice. The funny thing though is that they share a lot in common for both good and bad, which may not be entirely coincidental considering they’re both follow-ups to Ridley Scott’s most widely praised films (even though Scott declined to direct Blade Runner 2049 in favor of Covenant). And like many I was pretty disappointed by Covenant when it finally debuted, though perhaps for different reasons than many (I’m very much on record as having been a big fan of Prometheus).

But despite Covenant’s confused narrative—which clearly wanted to be a sequel to Prometheus but got sidelined into being a more direct Alien prequel instead—I have to say that it stuck with me more. After I walked away from Blade Runner 2049 I rarely gave it another thought, at least after working out my disappointment. But Covenant is full of interesting ideas it actually commits to: the interplay of creation and destruction, the wrath of the created against the creator, and the nature of what it means to love. And if nothing else, Michael Fassbender provided was immensely enjoyable both as the Oedipal David and the gentler, kinder Walter.

14. Logan by James Mangold

Rounding out the three Michael Green scripts of 2017 (the guy certainly got around last year) is Logan, which is an interesting case in how far you can stretch the conventional boundaries of the superhero genre. It’s often been said that superhero films aren’t really a genre, with Marvel’s own Kevin Feige arguing that Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man actually represent different kinds of movies and whether or not you buy that argument it’s hard to argue that Logan isn’t a very different style of film than not only the aforementioned three but also Wolverine’s two previous solo outings. It has been described as a Western (though that itself is a very broad genre) and even noir but a typical superhero film it clearly is not.

I really liked Logan quite a lot when I saw it and had relatively few qualms with it other than some minor complaints about the ending. Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Dafne Keen all give phenomenal performances and James Mangold was quite effective at weaving a story about aging, depression, and regaining hope. It didn’t really stick with me though and that’s one reason it doesn’t rate higher. Once I’d seen Logan I didn’t much think of it. Which is too bad because it’s very experimental style is something I’d like to see a lot more of in superhero films (more on that later).

13. Dunkirk by Christopher Nolan

There was a time when I was as big of a fan of Christopher Nolan as anyone. I was immensely impressed by Batman Begins when I saw it abroad in Britain back in 2005 and The Dark Knight only confirmed my intense affection for the way he reinvented Batman. It’s easy to forget now, given how slavishly DC and Warner Bros. have been (poorly) aping his style for over a decade now but Nolan’s take on the caped crusader was genuinely fresh when audiences first experienced it, wiping away not only the painful memories of Joel Schumacher’s take but also the still campy but more fun style of Tim Burton’s. And since then I’ve enjoyed pretty much every film Nolan has directed though with some reservations in a few cases.

I’m happy to say that Dunkirk is no exception: it’s a very solid piece of work that manages to be a war film where the war is actually horrifying and not simply a stage for rousing heroics. It’s fairly notable for not featuring any German characters at all: the enemy is entirely unseen which, although unconventional, is probably a far more accurate rendition of war than is usually portrayed in Hollywood films. The film does, however, fall victim to some of Christopher Nolan’s weaknesses as a director, lacking in compelling human characters to ground the action (though Cillian Murphy’s shell-shocked soldier, who goes unnamed, is a possible exception). Nonetheless, it’s worth seeing if you’re a fan of either Nolan or his frequent collaborator Hans Zimmer, who makes an already tense film even more riveting.

12. War for the Planet of the Apes by Matt Reeves

It’s often forgotten but the original Planet of the Apes film was not thought of as a particularly cheesy or silly film at the time. Released the same year as 2001: A Space Odyssey, the 1968 picture was considered thought-provoking and though the makeup has aged somewhat (the characters look more like humans than actual chimpanzees or orangutans) it remains pretty visually striking. So the fact that the new Planet of the Apes series (which is ambiguously framed as either prequels or a reboot) has garnered critical acclaim is less a course change than a course correction, getting back to the core of the first film and the novel it was based on before the more campy sequels came along.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes were startlingly good. Both dealt with the concept of consciousness, bioethics, the politics of revolution, and non-human animal rights with a deftness that one would rarely expect from a major studio blockbuster. War of the Planet of the Apes, unfortunately, is a bit more of what one might expect. It’s still good, but compared with the pitch perfect execution of Rise and Dawn, it falters slightly. The villain is a little too simplistic, the arc of Caesar a little too predictable, and the plot basically just moves in a circle so that it’s not really clear if anything was learned or gained from the experience. It’s still worth seeing to finish out the new trilogy, but I’ll admit I was disappointed.

11. Spider-Man: Homecoming by Jon Watts

Given his recent faltering (as much a consequence of Sony Pictures’ financial troubles as anything else), one might be forgiven for thinking Peter Parker was a spent force in the superhero business. If you’re not familiar with comics or the merchandising that drives the genre, it’d be easy to assume the web crawling had long since been eclipsed by Iron Man or Captain America. And indeed, there’s hints of that in Homecoming, which features some heavy guest starring by Tony Stark and lots of references to the other Avengers. But Homecoming also proves that in the right hands, Peter’s still got a lot of storytelling potential.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is relatively unambitious by Spider-Man movie standards but where it aims it mostly hits on target. Compared with the cheeky melodrama of the Sam Raimi / Tobey Maguire films or the Batman Begins-style reboot of the Marc Webb / Andrew Garfield films director Jon Watts aims for a fairly simple coming-of-age story with actor Tom Holland at its center. And he more or less nails that. Holland’s Peter is a little self-centered, but in that very typically adolescent way we all are at a certain age and you can tell he means well. It helps that Homecoming grounds its whimsy with Michael Keaton’s take on the Vulture, which although hardly accurate to the comics makes for one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s better villains.

10. Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 by James Gunn

When Guardians of the Galaxy originally debuted in 2014, no one would have guessed it would quickly become one of Marvel’s most celebrated films. Indeed, many industry analysts wondered what the hell Marvel was thinking, making a colorful space adventure powered by 1970s one-hit wonders and starring a talking tree and raccoon. But the skeptics were proved wrong and it’s probably no exaggeration to say that the Guardians now stand second only to Captain America and Iron Man in their impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And so when a sequel was inevitably announced everyone got excited.

Perhaps it should prove no surprise than that Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 is perhaps the most hotly contested Marvel film since Avengers: Age of Ultron. I’ve seen people who’ve been moved to tears by it while I’ve also seen people who loved the first film bored and disappointed by it. It is probably no coincidence that Guardians also centers itself much more tightly on the first film’s nominal lead, Peter Quinn, and the mystery of his parentage. For many this resulted in a male-focused film that lost some of the diverse charm of the original. But others (most compellingly Charlie Jane Anders) argued it allowed the film to tell a compelling story about the dangers of toxic masculinity and patriarchal mythmaking. Personally, I fall somewhere in-between. I saw and appreciated what Volume 2 was doing but I can also acknowledge why some people felt it fell flat.

9. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi by Rian Johnson

Is there any bigger franchise in the world than Star Wars? Marvel, also owned by Disney, is certainly gunning for the title but the cultural impact of Star Wars, I would argue, goes far beyond what Marvel has achieved (so far). Indeed, Star Wars is so big and so popular that it’s really hard to remember just how weird the first movie was. But it’s worth going back through old interviews with the cast and crew and noting how no one (with the possible exception of Steven Spielberg) thought the movie would be a success, let alone a runaway hit that would spawn a massive media empire.

I’m noted among my friends and followers as being something of a grumpkin when it comes to Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Part of that is just how safe J.J. Abrams played it, opting for a story that more or less replicated the beats of Episode IV: A New Hope and a setting that saw a scrappy rebellion once more engaged against a massive authoritarian empire (at the cost of essentially making the original films seem pointless). Perhaps because of that, Episode VIII was a breath of fresh air. After the fun but largely empty adventure of The Force Awakens, Rian Johnson throws us into a more complicated and at times admittedly dorky version of Star Wars… which is really what the franchise has always been at its best. Obnoxiously cute porgs, goofy humor, and odd pacing, I’ll take them all in a heartbeat when coupled with a story that actually has something to say about the Force and which takes its characters seriously enough to show them fail.

9. Okja by Bong Joon-hoo

Netflix has has a bad run in recent months, with a number of high-profile releases that were widely ridiculed or outright slammed by audiences and critics alike. But not all of Netflix’s “original” pictures (actually usually produced by outside parties and then distributed by Netflix) have gone over poorly and last year one picture in particular garnered critical acclaim: Okja, South Korean director Bong Joon-hoo’s newest feature. And it is certainly worth a watch.

Okja is, at its core, about a young girl and her friendship with a strange, fantastical beast dubbed a “super pig,” and raised as part of a massive corporate publicity stunt to raise support for their genetically engineered food. Of course, that’s simplifying quite a bit. In truth, Okja is an incredibly complicated film, one that can simultaneously criticize the packaged meat industry and animal rights activists, which can make you bond with the suffering of a digitally generated meat animal while also not feeling immediately grossed out when her friends and family sit down minutes later to eat some chicken stew. It’s crazy, it’s twisted, it’s unnerving, and it’s very, very good.

7. Coco by Lee Unkrich

Pixar is one of those studios that I always feel a little bit ambivalent about. They’re indisputably full of great talent and they’ve made some great classics, but often when a new film of theirs is released I’ll confess to usually feeling no great urge to see it. I think part of it is that they’ve been so successful that they crowd out most other animation studios and styles, to the point that even non-Pixar films often imitate their look and style. As a fan of traditional animation as well as animated films that aim at a more adult crowd, I’ll admit that bothers me a little. But every time I actually go and watch a Pixar film I’m almost always pleasantly surprised.

Coco is a really great example. I wasn’t exactly sure whether or not I’d enjoy Pixar’s take on Mexican spirituality, though I did make note of the fact that the studio made a special effort to do its research and hire Latin American performers. When I actually saw it though I was won over completely. Coco is an incredibly beautiful film, with rich music and a genuinely moving story about family, loss, and creativity. It is very easily the best Pixar movie I’ve seen in many years and quite competitive against the likes of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. So much for my biases.

6. It (Chapter One) by Andy Muschietti

I wasn’t always a horror fan. For a long time I actively avoided horror and was easily spooked by even the most timid forays into the genre. I’d convinced myself that as a person who was naturally anxious, who avoided the appearance of danger reflexively, horror films would ruin me. I eventually learned, however, that the opposite was true. Given the opportunity to experience fear within a confined, prepared context, I actually found I felt liberated. And I also gradually realized, looking back on my childhood, I’d actually always enjoyed getting a little bit scared from time to time.

It, based on one of horror giant Stephen King’s most famous novels, touches on some of that experience. It positions a group of children as the main characters, unusually for a horror film aimed at adults (as opposed to a children’s fantasy film with horror elements) but it largely works, in part because it reminds us how easy it is to feel as children that something lurks in the shadows that adults won’t tell us about. The film is not perfect—it telegraphs some of its scares too early and is uncomfortably comfortable with sexualizing its female lead, Beverly Marsh—but it is a very good example of a horror film that touches on the psychology of fear and the importance of confronting that which frightens us. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how the second part turns out.

5. The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro

Technically, I didn’t see The Shape of Water until this year. But since it came out in 2017 and everyone’s going to be talking about it over the next few days I felt it was important to include. I often feel Guillermo del Toro is one of those directors who simultaneously gets too much and too little credit. He’s by far one of his generation’s best visual storytellers, with an expert eye for set design and special effects that is scarcely rivaled. He also sometimes tends to write simplistic stories with very easy to follow themes and easily identifiable heroes and villains. So I wasn’t sure what I’d think of The Shape of Water. The answer is that it may be del Toro’s most complex film yet.

That’s a heavy claim of course, given how excellent Pan’s Labyrinth is. But del Toro something does here he never does in any of his previous films (to my recollection) which is write actually complex, nuanced characters. The Asset, del Toro’s male romantic lead, is beautiful in that strangely monstrous way del Toro loves and full of love—but he’s also not above eating domestic animals, which reminds us he’s not human and a little dangerous. Colonel Strickland is a horrible human being in the same mold as Captain Vidal from Pan’s Labyrinth—but he’s also not completely dehumanized here and we get a sense of the pain and desperation that drives him as well. Of course, the real star is Elisa Esposito, the film’s mute heroine who nonetheless never feels voiceless and whose earnest desire to be accepted and loved is moving and universally relatable.

4. Get Out by Jordan Peele

Was it a good a year for horror or what? Not every film was a hit but there were certainly a lot of really high profile releases explicitly labeled as horror in 2017 as well as a number that arguably touch on the genre’s edges (such as Dunkirk, Blade Runner 2049, Okja, and The Shape of Water). And the year’s horror extravaganzas arguably started with Get Out, one of the most talked about movies of the year and the long-form directorial debut of renowned actor and comedian Jordan Peele.

What is there to say about Get Out without entirely spoiling its premise or the major surprises? That it’s a horror film viewed through the lens of a black man’s experience in a white-dominated culture? That’s true but seems reductive. That it manages to be both deeply disturbing and laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes within the span of a single scene? Also true. That it will probably make your skin crawl and cause you to question some of your very basic assumptions about the black experience if you’re not black? Definitely. Altogether, Get Out deeply deserves every accolade its earned and makes a very compelling claim for required viewing in the horror genre as well as the examination of race in American cinema.

3. Wonder Woman by Patty Jenkins

If there’s one movie that’s felt neglected at this year’s Academy Awards after generating a huge amount of conversation it is without a doubt Wonder Woman. After debuting to nearly universal praise and an immense box office return (making it the highest grossing DC Comics movie ever without Batman as the lead character) it has been curiously overshadowed in this year’s accolades, especially considering the arguably favorable timing in the age of Trump and #metoo. Perhaps it’s because there are so many other good films to choose from. But for my money Wonder Woman beats many of them.

Wonder Woman is not a perfect film but is definitely excellent. Featuring a compelling and passionate lead in Gal Gadot and built around a story about war, fear, and why helping people matters even if they’re flawed, Wonder Woman impressed and thrilled me… and I’m not even a fan of the character (nothing against her, I just haven’t read the source material). I also have to give the film a big thumb’s up for telling possibly the best love story in a superhero film since Captain America: The First Avenger and for doing so in a way that centered the female gaze. Also, as someone who’s been continually frustrated with how small Marvel’s gods seem, it was gratifying to see some truly mythic mythology in Wonder Woman.

2. Thor: Ragnarok by Taika Waititi

Of course, Marvel had to come along the same year and prove that they can do gods right. I’ve never been as much of a critic of the Thor films as many others have—I thought the first Thor, while silly also had a great message and genuinely great chemistry between its too leads (I for one will miss Natalie Portman, who’s sorely underrated). But there’s no denying they’ve often felt trapped between embracing the melodramatic and mythopoeic origins and staying true to the style and trappings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But finally, with New Zealand’s talented son Taika Waititi, someone got it just right.

My greatest fear, going into Thor: Ragnarok was that, like previous Thor films it would be silly but forgettable. That the trailers seemed to be aping the style of the the Guardians of the Galaxy films did not do much to alleviate this feeling. But that was very much not the case. Far from being just a silly romp (which some critics still described it as), Ragnarok is actually a great story that examines the core of who Thor is, both as a Marvel superhero and as an actual, literal god. It also happens to be very funny. But ultimately it’s not the laughs that won me over. It’s Odin’s speech to his son about what it means to be a god, the responsibility that entails, and why it’s the ideas that matter, not the things or places we associate with them.

1. Atomic Blonde by David Leitch

As aforementioned it was a great year for horror. It was also very clearly a pretty good year for superheroes, with both Marvel and DC breaking out of their usual patterns. My number one favorite film was not, however, a superhero or horror film. It was a spy film, a genre for which I have great affection but which has become neglected in recent years. I am, of course, talking about Atomic Blonde.

I’ve never seen the John Wick films—a personal failing many of my friends are happy to remind me of—but if they’re anything like Atomic Blonde, directed by one of the men behind the camera of those films, I understand the love. Atomic Blonde is a pitch perfect spy film, combining intrigue, frenetic action, and the sexy thrills we’ve come to expect from the genre in a seamless fashion. It also happens to have come out right at the peak of 80s nostalgia but while the film makes extensive use of an 80s soundtrack for excellent effect, it doesn’t feel trapped by that style the way many other projects do. Atomic Blonde is without a doubt a modern film, doing things with cinematography and choreography I didn’t even know were possible. I can’t recommend it enough.

And that’s it me for me. I don’t even remotely expect my ranking to line up perfectly with any of yours (heck, my ranking changed several times writing this) but I’m curious. What did you love? What did you hate? Share your thoughts in the comments.

[ghudzreviews-blog]

Countdown of My Favorite Movies of 2017 😊

The year is about to end and people are counting down the time to celebrate and welcome 2018 so I decided to do a countdown of my own hubby and that is watching movies.

These are just my favorite, if you are looking for some good movies to watch, I recommend the movies on my list esp those which you haven't watched yet. They may not be the best of the best but surely you will like them.

There are alot of good ones so I also include honorable mentions... These are also good movies that I enjoyed but are not compelling enough for me to enter into my list.

*Wonder Woman

*Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2

*Spiderman: Homecoming

*Saban's Power Rangers

*Okja

*Valerian & The City of Thousand Planets

*Happy Death Day

*Dunkirk

*Beauty & The Beast

Now here are the movies that hits me on a personal level, touches my heart & soul and the more I think about it the more I liked it.

10. Ingrid Goes West

A story every millenials could relate about a girl stalking someone she adores on instagram and tries to have the same life, but things get complicated when she becomes friends with her idol and her obsessions becomes more obvious. Aubrey Plaza is hillarious as always and she gave her best performance of her career in this movie in my opinion.

9. Before I fall

Zoey Deutch gave a good presentation of how a person will react when given a chance to make things right over and over again on that same day (Yes, similar to Groundhog Day which I have not seen yet so there is no comparison). I like how her character developed from the beginning of the movie towards the end.

8. Get Out

The movie may tend to draw attention about racism because there are only few horror movies with a black protagonist, but there is more to the story. This movie has a message of how people can go too far using science & technology.

7. Baby Driver

They have made a heist movie with car chase and music look badass than it already sounds.

6. The Lego Batman Movie

Batman in a Lego Movie and everything about it is awesome! The movie is smart by acknowledging all history of Batman and used them as a reference to make a spoof about him plus the movie also gave a lot of fun facts about Batman that we may have not known yet.

5. Split

One of the most original film this year about a guy who has 23 different personalities and made it a pschological thriller. This movie speaks into my mind about me possibly having different personalities (but I don't) LOL.

4. Logan

The only wolverine movie that I liked, this surprised me because I am not expecting much since the first two wolverine movies were boring. The tone is serious but with an excellent acting from the main cast esp the little girl this one got my attention and I wasn't bored. This is a good mixture of a Superhero/Action/Drama.

3. A Dog's Purpose

This movie is like an emotional rollercoaster for me it made me laugh, made me cry, made me laugh again, made me cry again and so and and so forth. When I first watched the trailer I thought this is going to be cheesy but it didn't when I watch the whole film. I felt a genuine emotion of laughter and sadness and the stories may not seem original but it still works for me.

2. Mother!

An allegorical film that made me angry at first viewing but later I learned about it's true meaning and it surprised me the level of artistry being applied to this film. (Warning: This movie is marketed as Horror but there is more to this film and the last 30 mins is full of intense sequences.)

1. Coco

I will never forget my theater viewing experience and I watched this twice. I was craving for a movie that will make me tears and I have high expectation and the movie exceeded my expectation I had good laughs, I enjoyed the music, It made me cry multiple times and the story telling is smooth and understandable. There is no other animated film that touched me emotionally as Coco does.

And there it goes. Do you wonder why your favorite is not on my list? Either I have not watched it yet or I may not feel the same way but anyway give me a comment on what is your favorite/s or suggestions of what should I watch.

Here are also the movies this year that I have not watched yet but i'm looking forward to...

*Thor: Ragnarok

*Star Wars: The Last Jedi

*The Big Sick

*Lady Bird

*Wind River

*Blade Runner 2049

[kcaruth]

Most Anticipated Films of 2017

Can you believe that we are already in the second month of 2017? What better time is there to talk about my most anticipated films for this year? I thought I would take a break from the rankings on this one and simply go through the films in the order of their release dates. Let’s get started!

The LEGO Batman Movie

2014′s The LEGO Movie was a surprising hit, and Batman was a big part of that success. As a result, he now gets to star in his own LEGO movie. Is it sad that this has a higher chance of being the better Batman movie than DC’s Batman flick at this point?

Logan

If Oscars could be awarded for trailers alone, Logan would be a front-runner with that Johnny Cash masterpiece. Logan has a very distinctive feel to it that is quite separate from the X-Men film universe, which might turn out to be a really good thing. Let’s be honest: Who is actually able to keep track of that all over the place timeline from the main films anyway? This Last of Us inspired solo film looks like it will do justice to the character of Wolverine and be a fitting sendoff for actor Hugh Jackman.

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast was not one of my favorite Disney movies when I was growing up, but this live-action film looks gorgeous. Emma Watson, beautiful as always, is the perfect fit for Belle, and the voice acting for the servants sounds like it is going to be spot-on. The music sounds great too. All signs seem to point to Disney having another hit on its hands.

The Circle

Let’s follow up Beauty and the Beast with another Emma Watson film, The Circle. Based on Dave Eggers’ 2013 novel of the same name, The Circle imagines what the world would be like if a powerful and influential technology company like Google took control and created a surveillance society, leaving no room for privacy in the digital age. The book was written well enough that it was hard to put down, so I hope the film is just as good, if not better.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

The first Guardians of the Galaxy film was an overwhelming success for Marvel. With C-list characters that casual fans had never even heard of, the first Guardians paved the way for other characters like Ant-Man to have their own films. The chemistry between the actors looks even better than before, and the Soul Stone might make an appearance and be the connecting tissue between the Guardians and the Avengers. I doubt this Guardians sequel will buck the trend of Marvel’s less than memorable villains, but it should be a hilarious, entertaining ride with another stellar soundtrack nonetheless.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

In the fifth film of the series, Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow searches for the trident of Poseidon while Javier Bardem’s Captain Salazar hunts him down. Geoffrey Rush’s Captain Barbossa will also turn up again, and Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner will make his return after being absent from the fourth installment. Who knows? Kiera Knightley’s Elizabeth Swan may also make a surprise appearance. I will be the first to admit that I was not a fan of On Stranger Tides. It was so forgettable that the only details I remember were mermaids were in it and Penelope Cruz was a new addition to the cast. I wish the series would go back to what made it so enjoyable in the first film, but the trailer for Dead Men Tell No Tales indicates that it would prefer to spiral further into mysticism and supernatural ghost crews. To be honest, I am only anticipating this film because of three reasons: (1) I want to see if it turns out to be any better than On Stranger Tides, (2) I miss the character of Captain Jack Sparrow, and (3) I am interested to see how Will Turner is doing in his stint as captain of the Flying Dutchman.

Wonder Woman

DC desperately needs this film to do well. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were both a mess. Wonder Woman gives DC the opportunity to scale things down a bit and focus on one single superhero. With Patty Jenkins at the helm as director, I am optimistic that Wonder Woman can follow in the footsteps of the first Captain America movie and turn out to be a fun blockbuster film with World War I as its setting. Now who else has Wonder Woman’s theme stuck in their head?

Spider-Man: Homecoming

One qualm before we move ahead: the above scene is a ripoff of the train scene in Spider-Man 2. Now that we have gotten that out of the way, it is nice to see Marvel gain control of Spider-Man again. Was I asking for yet another reboot of the classic comic book hero? No. Personally, I liked Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in the last series. There is no hiding the Amazing Spider-Man movies’ flaws, but they had their tremendously well executed moments too, most memorably this spoiler. However, this new reboot already has some good things going for it. Tom Holland killed it in Captain America: Civil War, and it is going to be great to see Robert Downey, Jr. come in as Tony Stark/ Iron Man as Peter Parker’s mentor. Let’s just hope that Michael Keaton’s Vulture is not Electro-level goofy as a villain.

Dunkirk

Slap Christopher Nolan’s name on a film, and tons of people are going to wait in line to see it. Nolan is the kind of director that can make the audience feel immersed in the world, and Dunkirk looks to be no different. The cinematography should be amazing, and Hans Zimmer should bring an epic score to the film. The fact that filming took place at the same location as the real historical evacuation during World War II only adds to the excitement for this war thriller.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Matthew Vaughn′s Kingsman: The Secret Service was one of my favorite films of 2015. The action was thrilling, the humor was hilarious, the soundtrack was amazing, and the acting was excellent but over the top when it needed to be to fit the film’s tone. Did I want a sequel? No, but I won’t be complaining so long as it does not tarnish the first film.

Blade Runner 2049

I did not see the original Blade Runner until my sophomore year of college. I did not come away loving it, but I appreciated it for what it was, especially for its notable moments like Roy Batty’s “Tears in Rain” monologue. Yet again, I have to ask: Did I want a sequel? No, but Denis Villeneuve, the masterful director of Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival, has been turning everything he touches into gold lately. Plus, Roger Deakins is handling cinematography responsibilities, Harrison Ford is returning, and Johann Johannsson is teaming up with Villeneuve once again to compose the score.

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor’s films can be utterly dull at some points, but the addition of the Hulk and Doctor Strange should add a much needed kick to Thor’s third solo film.

Justice League

DC has been rushing toward this film, and its track record so far does not leave much room for optimism. Fans can only hope that Zack Snyder can pull it all together and do justice to the comic book characters we grew up loving. I am most interested to see how he will introduce franchise newbies Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg.

Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi

You didn’t think I would finish this list without mentioning Star Wars, did you? Disney and Lucasfilm recently revealed the title for Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. That sent off a wave of speculation. Why is the font red instead of the traditional yellow? Who is the last Jedi? Is it Luke? Will Luke die leaving Rey to be the last Jedi? Jedi can be singular or plural, so does that mean they will both survive? After the somewhat disappointing Rogue One, I am just ready to return to the main episodic storyline where we last left our beloved characters. Both the Resistance and the First Order will be scrambling, with Hosnian Prime decimated and Starkiller Base destroyed. Poe and Finn will probably go off on a mission together while Luke trains Rey, paralleling Snoke’s training of Kylo Ren. Hopefully, we will learn more about the mysterious Snoke and get to see some of the other Knights of Ren. I also hope we will get to see Luke in action as a central character of the film after we only got to see him for the last minute of The Force Awakens, and I have to wonder how they will handle Leia after the saddening, unexpected passing of Carrie Fisher. Tears will undoubtedly be shed when she first appears in the film. In the end, I trust that Disney and Lucasfilm will handle the character with respect for Fisher’s legacy. These 300-odd days will fly by before we know it, and we will all be back in that galaxy far, far away once again.

[callmehawkeye]

Watched in 2017

Kids For Cash (2013): It’s easy to sit here as someone without a personal stake in this documentary’s focus, but, what I took away from it is the Luzerne County scandal contained nothing but very human individuals working out their own perspectives and self interests within justice and school systems set up to fail; or those holding office who don’t have proper insight. People fighting shades of grey with black and white theories. Children’s lives were disrupted during peak development years and even though their records were expunged, you can see the damage being impossible to reverse.

Capturing the Friedmans (2003): An introspection of a family in crisis; I believe in the 14 years since this documentary released there’s enough information available for armchair detectives to see through any biases this film presents and displays the depth trauma and denial can go.

The Jinx (2015): A miniseries focused on the life and crimes of Robert Durst where the man himself is interviewed and occasionally forgets he is wearing a hot mic.

Hannibal Buress: Comedy Camisado (2016): A great standup special that made me smile and cackle. Can’t wait to see more of Buress.

Other People (2016): Sure, it’s another cancer movie, but the family relationships and performances make this such a lovely film to watch.

Fences (2016): Play-turned-film about a family in the 1950s and the metaphorical fences they put up to keep each other safe but also to stop from connecting. Lots of great monologues put in by the cast.

Westworld (Season 1): Called all the big twists, but it’s still a great show with wonderful storytelling, scenery, and acting.

The Straight Story (1999): Best film I’ve seen by David Lynch. Poignant and moving.

Suicide Squad (2016): UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I’m not much of an original storyline purist, but if there’s a strong story handed to you ready-made on a silver platter -- why make it weaker? Why not attempt to understand the context at all?

American Honey (2016): Gorgeously shot, but I really found the story content to be a bit cliché and done before but better.

Vampire’s Kiss (1989): I don’t know so much about the comedic part of this labeled black comedy when it really comes off as a quite disturbing account of a lonely, mental ill man’s downward spiral. But fun, bizarre, and unique nonetheless. 

Pete’s Dragon (2016): Not the best kid and their dragon story. Not the worst. Not the best Disney remake. Not the worst. Eff gritty reboots. I want the kid to stay with their dragon.

Killer Legends (2014): Documentary uncovering the true stories behind urban legends; the man with a hook for a hand, the babysitter with a call coming from inside the house, poisoned Halloween candy, and a killer birthday party clown.

The Lego Batman Movie (2017): While I liked The Lego Movie, I was more about Batman and how he was voiced by Will Arnett. This movie is a cesspool for in-jokes and references and I was crying nearly the entire time with laughter.

Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016): Oh my god. Oh my god, why.

Tokyo Godfathers (2003): A moving story about three homeless individuals who discover an abandoned baby in the snow around Christmastime. Their search for the mother displays beautiful animation and storytelling.

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017): I’m so happy the sleeper buzz of the first one got to me a few years ago. I’m so beyond thrilled with the product of this sequel that doesn’t lose its self-awareness and bite.

Train to Busan (2016): Best zombie movie I’ve seen in years and years.

Newsies Musical (2017): A lot of missteps and overacting; but still the lovely show I know and adore with flawless dancing.

Hidden Figures (2016): A film showcasing the overshadowed and overworked women of color NASA employees. Superb acting all the way.

Night of the Demons (1988): 100% ‘80s horrible, but I kind of loved it?

Michael Bolton's Big Sexy Valentine's Day Special (2017): I want to write individually, uniquely written thank-you cards to everyone who made this possible.

Get Out (2017): Gorgeously shot, acted, and written; full of detail, homages, symbolism, and foreshadowing. I’m obsessed. I’m so proud of Jordan Peele and cannot wait to see what he does next.

La La Land (2016): More like Blah Blah Land.

Moonlight (2016): A gorgeously shot character study of a young man’s dichotomy of black masculinity and homosexuality.

The Belko Experiment (2017): A clever and funny horrorfest of a desk jockey company locking its employees in and pitting them against one another for a battle to the death.

Logan (2017): THIS is the Wolverine we’ve wanted. My creyes. Thanks or all the years of dedication, Jackman.

A Monster Calls (2016): For such an imaginative story as a boy’s imagination assisting his grief, it’s rather dull and removed.

The Imposter (2012): A documentary of a French national faking the identity of a missing, and much younger, American boy.

Best in Show (2000): This is literally my life now.

Tangled: Before Ever After (2017): Such a cute continuation I’ve always wanted from one of my favorite Disney films. Sweet songs, characterizations, and animation.

Ordinary World (2016): Billie Joe Armstrong in his first starring role as a man hitting a midlife crisis. It’s been done. But there’s something particularly charming about its cast and execution.

Beauty and the Beast (2017): ...Eh. It’s pretty? Some of the additions are cute and thoughtful. But it feels like a shot for shot remake.

Christine (2016): A dramatization of the real life story of Christine Chubbuck, a news correspondent who committed suicide while live on-air.

Arrival (2016): Amy Adams was robbed from a nomination. In my opinion, this is her best work ever.

Beware the Slenderman (2016): HBO documentary covering the true crime of the Slenderman-inspired stabbing and the young girls who conspired together to commit it.

The Fits (2015): A young girl in Cincinnati observes others around her spiraling into epileptic-like episodes as she joins a dance team and undergoes many pre-teen milestones. 

The Queen of Katwe (2016): The true story of the chess world’s Woman Candidate Master Phiona Mutesi.

The Love Witch (2016): I love literally everything about this ridiculous movie? With its purposeful presentation acting and romantic aesthetic? 

Jackie (2016): Natalie Portman was spellbinding.

An American Wereolf in London (1981): Took me forever to watch, but reignited my love for werewolves.

Loving (2016): True story of interracial couple Mildred and Richard Loving who got married in the late 1950s.

The Edge of Seventeen (2016): I’ve lived this genre. I grew up with this genre. I devoured hundreds of films, television series, and novels about this genre. If it were the first I ever saw, maybe I’d have liked it better. It’s fine. Just not for me.

 The Founder (2016): What a wonderfully expensive and affective commercial for McDonald’s. Now put Michael Keaton in more movies!!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016): I’m excited for the extensive look in Rowling’s universe. While hard to not compare to Harry Potter and lacking the groundwork of connection to a book series I grew up with since 11 years old, it certainly grew on me.

The Boxtrolls (2014): Late to the game on this one, but another fine film from the Laika company. I’m becoming a huge fan of theirs.

The Lost City of Z (2017): A refreshing movie to watch that’s driven by characters more than plot and with minimal CGI. Gorgeous acting. Gripping motivations and convictions. Beautiful scenery and set designs. Reminiscent of an old Hollywood epic.

Tickled (2016): Frustrating documentary about the online “competitive tickling” community and the shadiness of key players.

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016): I’d probably have enjoyed this more if I hadn’t watched the Lego Batman Movie first, but I got thorough amusement from the in-jokes and returning cast of talent.

Cat People (1942): Oh look, it’s the most I can hope for in my near future.

Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017): HBO documentary about Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blancharde.

Drag Becomes Him (2015): I fucking love Jinx Monsoon.

A Star is Born (1954): Judy at her best.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 3): I wish this season was more focused, but it gave me some moments I’ll never forget.

Wonder Woman (2017): I already plan to go see this again and make it my theme for my 30th birthday this year. I love it that much.

The Girl on the Train (2016): Zzzzzzzzzzz

House of Cards (Season 5): You can always tell when a showrunner leaves. Robin Wright saved this show for me.

Bo Burnham: Make Happy (2016): I don’t know many comedians who can make me instantly switch from laughing to crying.

Papillon (1973): There’s something captivating about this film that you don’t see every day. True storytelling epic.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? (1976): Sidney Poitier is charming, and the behind the scenes turmoil for Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy had me sobbing.

Who Took Johnny (2014): The true crime story of the abduction/disappearance of Johnny Gosch.

Master of None (Season 2): There was something so maddening about Dev this season. Well, not “something.” He fucked up a lot and was quite unlikable. The directing and international film homages were second best to Denise’s single background episode.

The Beguiled (2017): Quite beautiful, great acting. Typical Sofia Coppola and entertaining enough. Not necessary for me to view again.

Baby Driver (2017): This is a standout film for me this year. It made me incredibly happy and so proud of Edgar Wright.

Orange is the New Black (Season 5): Justice for Poussey.

Excalibur (1981): I hear this is both the best and definitive version of the King Arthur myth. But everything else is really bad, and this is acceptable. It has some strong elements and covered the largest span of the myth’s time.

The Old Man and the Sea (1958): The most simply shot and presented film I’ve ever seen. Spencer Tracy is an absolute dear.

HitREcord on TV (Season 1): Such a satisfying and inspiring series to watch.

Atomic Blonde (2017): A lot more spy noir than I expected, but the action I went in anticipating was thrilling and impressive in its choreography. Loved the aesthetic and loved the soundtrack even more.

HitREcord on TV (Season 2): It’s really motivating to watch people go through the creation process in this.

Adam’s Rib (1949): Such a silly story, but Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy’s dynamic is ev. er. y. thing!

BUtterfield 8 (1960): The behind the scenes story is much more compelling and interesting.

What a Way to Go! (1964): This is honestly the most perfect movie I’ve seen in years. There is nothing about it I didn’t love nor recommend.

Detroit (2017): Not exactly the best thing to watch after Charlottesville, but it is a story that needs to be heard and not forgotten. Nothing has changed.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017): The runtime felt too long. But it’s still the best portrayal of Peter Parker so far. Such a refreshing Marvel movie to watch in the midst of my over-saturation outlook on their films. A smaller spec story was very-much needed.

T2 Trainspotting (2017): Most sequels made 20 years later aren’t anything to write home about. But man. This exceeded expectations.

Hurricane Bianca (2016): Just the kind of movie I want from a drag queen. Just the right amount of camp, message, humor, and fabulousness. 

Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later (2017): I don’t think there’s anything that makes me consistently laugh this hard.

Ma Vie de Courgette (2017): Stop-animation about the connection and imagination of orphaned children in a healthy home environment.

Brigsby Bear (2017): The most unexpectedly unique and heartfelt movie I’ve seen all year.

Smokey and the Bandit (1977): Oh, so that’s why people like this movie so much.

Shameless (Season 5): More Ian, please.

Cat Women of the Moon (1953): Masterpiece. Aesthetic. My future.

Last Action Hero (1993): I feel like I unwittingly wrote this exact story as a teenager. Loved it.

The Bodyguard (1992): I will always love Whitney.

Table 19 (2017): Legitimately charming.

Kingsmen: The Golden Circle (2017): Not as good as the first, but plenty of strong ideas that I enjoyed with a lovable cast.

mother! (2017): Fucking horrifying and sent me into an anxiety attack that lasted longer than a day -- ethereal and quite the theater-going experience.

Sunshine on Leith (2014): Proclaimers musical. Pretty by the numbers, but very eagerly genuine and sweet.

The Powder and the Glory (2007): PBS documentary about Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. -- I’m Team Rubinstein, by the way.

It (2017): A great retelling of the original story with a strong and likable cast. I’m excited to see who they cast as the older counterparts in Part 2.

The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017): An interesting perspective of who is left behind during wartime. 

Sgt. Pepper’s Musical Revolution (2017): PBS documentary on my boys.

Fist Fight (2017): 90 minutes of line-o-rama comedy. But I love the lead actors.

Gilda (1946): My, my, my Hayworth. Finish him.

I Am Heath Ledger (2017): A retrospective of Ledger with interviews by those legitimately closest to him. Very touching and insightful.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017): The most visually stunning film I’ve seen in a long, long time.

Personal Shopper (2017): Kristen Stewart stars as a woman living in France, waiting for a sign of life from her deceased twin brother.

Gifted (2017): I’m here for Evans and Evans alone.

XX (2017): Four horror shorts directed by women, each uniquely shot and told.

The Promise (2016): The movie was sold short by a misdirection in advertising; it’s more -- and interestingly so -- about the Armenian genocide than just another wartime love triangle. Come on, guys. Polyamory. Polyamory is always the answer.

The Circle (2017): Unwatchable. The film itself doesn’t even know what it’s trying to say.

The Public Enemy (1931): Mostly watched this because of the closing of The Great Movie Ride, above all else.

Leverage (Season 1): Race to finish all 5 seasons before it’s taken off of Netflix. I love this team.

Leverage (Season 2): I have so many feelings about these characters and their relationships with each other.

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017): Polyamory. I told you. The answer is always polyamory. And bondage.

Stranger Things (Season 2): I’m so happy this is finally here, and so mad I’m already finished.

Leverage (Season 3): I love the slow development and bonding the team has gone through.

Leverage (Season 4): The more ridiculous and implausible the mission, the more I love the episode.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017): I don’t care that it was “too funny.” It was exactly what I wanted out of a Marvel movie.

Leverage (Season 5): Well. It’s official. I’ve been Stockholm-syndromed by a show.

The Foreigner (2017): It was fine. It was another misleading trailer, so not what I was expecting. But it was fine.

The Thing (1982): Mmm mmm mmm ‘80s Kurt Russell in a solid John Carpenter thriller/horror.

To Have and Have Not (1944): Bogart and Bacall is goals.

Alien: Covenant (2017): Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): This is actually a solid sequel I greatly enjoyed. It’s been a few years since I’ve enjoyed a Marvel movie, and now I have two!

The Librarians (Season 1): Okay, this is a good Leverage replacement.

The Librarians (Season 2): This show is super endearing and I’m pleased it exists.

Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992): Going to the My Favorite Murder live show encouraged me to finally watch this.

Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003): An update and deeper delve into Wuornos. Super upsetting to watch her mental deterioration unfold onscreen. 

The Librarians (Season 3): All caught-up for season 4 in December!!

Sleight (2016): I had a difficult time watching this movie. There was something about the sound-mixing that triggered some anxiety and auditory stress. But I liked what I could see of it.

Cujo (1983): Probably my second-favorite King movie now. Very simple, yet effective.

Lady Bird (2017): I’m happy to have seen this before the hype got too big. It was so relatable and enjoyable.

Christine (1983): Quite entertaining, great music, top camp.

Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie (2017): Mostly made up of callbacks, but I DO NOT CARE. Such a satisfying nostalgia bookend.

Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri (2017): Fantastic dialogue and performances. I feel so many side stories and characters were meant to build up the main storyline and give context, but I feel it left a lot of characters wanting and left used. 

Novitiate (2017): I had no idea the Catholic church did the sisters so dirty with Vatican II. Very tense film and makes you quite sympathetic for the women in it.

Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds (2016): Spectacular HBO documentary of my goddess and the mother goddess. I cried a lot.

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (2012): Documentary follows Chinese artist and figure, Ai Weiwei, as he uses social media and activism in his art and to hold the government accountable.

Shameless (Season 6): Needs more Ian. Tired of everyone else’s bullshit. Will I last much longer?

Calamity Jane (1953): Casting Doris Day as the butch Calamity Jane is the most hilarious and gay thing I’ve ever seen and I love it.

Murder on the Orient Express (2017): It’s beautiful, but such a terrible adaptation that guts any tension, stakes, and even mystery as well as gives little for the talented cast to cut their teeth on.

Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang (2016): The attempts and execution of a 1,650 foot ladder made of fireworks.

Monster (2003): Ohhhh, THAT’S why Charlize won the Oscar...

The Big Sick (2017): So charming and such a legit romantic comedy.

The Disaster Artist (2017): I watched this in the same way I watched the room: Through my fingers, curled up on my side, and whispering, “Stop. Stop. Stop.” I loved it.

Coco (2017): Well, Pixar fucked me up once again.

My Friend Rockefeller (2015): Documentary about con artist and murderer Christian Gerhartsreiter.

A Series of Unfortunate Events (Season 1): De. Light. Ful.

Shameless (Season 7): Finally caught up!

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017): Yes. I see the faults. I understand. I just don’t care. I absolutely loved it. 

The Greatest Showman (2017): Probably my biggest disappointment of the year. The cast and musical numbers were great, but everything in-between was so weak and uninteresting. For a non-diagetic musical, they never earned their musical moments. I’d rather have watched a non-Barnum circus movie all about ZEfron and Zendaya for 2 hours with Jackman in the Master of Ceremonies role. It felt like every non-musical scene was trying to sprint through to get to the next song.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017): I didn’t expect to adore this as much as I did? Jack Black was the standout and was so endearing and respectful towards teenage girls!

The Little Hours (2017): My forever mood/aesthetic in film form.

Gook (2017): Black and white film about the ‘92 L.A. riots from the perspective of two Korean-American brothers.

Carnage (2017): Mockumentary made by Simon Amstell told from the future where veganism is the norm.

Good Time (2017): An epic told over the span of 24 hours of a bank robbery gone wrong.

Dave Chappelle: Equanimity & The Bird Revelation (2017): Chappelle’s latest Netflix specials, back to back. I don’t agree with a lot of what he said and didn’t always laugh. But when he reached me, he did it right.

Battle of the Sexes (2017): That haircut scene helps fuel my Emma Stone fantasies. 

I, Tonya (2017): While I do believe Harding never takes responsibility for herself when she should, I still can’t begrudge her place in media history.

The Shape of Water (2017): This movie was fucking everything to me.

2016 | 2015 | 2014