My Favorite (and least favorite) Movies of 2016
A list of all the movies I've seen in 2016 (and ones I see later that were released in 2016) in order, favorite to least favorite (not necessarily best to worst). Most reviews are spoiler-free, and I'll let you know which ones aren't. It does take me a while to see a lot of movies, and sometimes I don't add them to my list until I've thought about them for a while, so be patient if something isn't here yet. Feel free to comment and tell me I say "amazing", "performance", "overall", and "I highly recommend this movie" too much, or just focus on the movies. Either way is fine with me.
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- DirectorTom FordStarsAmy AdamsJake GyllenhaalMichael ShannonA wealthy art gallery owner is haunted by her ex-husband's novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a symbolic revenge tale.Very layered and metaphorical, Nocturnal Animals is a dark thriller that, at first, I was disappointed with, but it's a film that makes you think. After thinking about it for quite a while I began to really like this movie. I keep wanting to watch it again, because it is fairly complex and there are clues to find when you go back to re-watch it (some of which aren't hard to spot the firs time though), and I really like when movies do that. The performances in the movie were all great, most noticeably Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, and the super creepy Aaron Taylor-Thompson. This is only the second film that Tom Ford has directed, the other being A Single Man way back in 2009 (which I haven't seen), but I will definitely be looking out for his next project. There were times when it felt too on-the-nose with things, but overall I am very pleased with this film, and the more I think about it, the more I like it.
- DirectorJohn CarneyStarsFerdia Walsh-PeeloAidan GillenMaria Doyle KennedyA young lad notices a beautiful girl who begins to occupy his thoughts. While struggling with poverty, personal relationships and life's woes, he starts a band, hoping to catch her attention.Sing Street is just plain good. The first thing I noticed about the film is it's beautiful cinematography. It looks perfect. The cast of mostly unknowns (to me at least) blew it out of the park. Everybody was great, and the characters were all likable, except of course for the ones we aren't supposed to like. And let's not forget the excellent soundtrack. This might be the best soundtrack we get all year. Sing Street is full of beauty, heart, and humor. It's just a very uplifting and fun movie. Immediately after watching it I picked up one of my guitars and just jammed for a while. It's such a good story. I very highly recommend Sing Street.
- DirectorMatt RossStarsViggo MortensenGeorge MacKaySamantha IslerIn the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent.I had heard good things about this movie, and I thought that it sounded intriguing, but I wasn't expecting to love this movie. Nevertheless, I love this movie. It had everything I wanted: good actors giving good performances as good characters, a lot of heart, some more dramatic and emotional moments, some good humor, and an overall uplifting tone when it's all over. Viggo Morentsen is a guy that you can always count on for a good performance, even if the movie itself isn't that great. This is my favorite movie he has been in, including the awesome, albeit extremely dark movie, The Road. Captain Fantastic is nothing like that movie, other than Mortensen's excellent performance. He also has a great beard in this movie. I just wanted to point that out. All of the kids in this movie were actually really good too, as well as Frank Langella, who was at times somewhat villainous, but you still understand why he is the way that he is. I loved the great messages in the film. I really liked the soundtrack as well. Anytime feminist punk band Bikini Kill's song "Rebel Girl" plays in a movie, well, that's just awesome. There's also a great Guns 'n' Roses cover in there too. This is a movie I think everybody should see. I loved every single second of Captain Fantastic, I laughed out loud, and when it was over I just felt better than I did before watching it. Check this one out as soon as you can, it really is amazing.
- DirectorDamien ChazelleStarsRyan GoslingEmma StoneRosemarie DeWittWhile navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist and an actress fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.I'm not a big musical movie guy. Which is weird, since I'm a musician/songwriter myself in addition to being a cinephile. But there's just always been something weird about musicals for me, though I do like the classic the Sound of Music, as well as Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Well, La La Land is a new addition to my list of musicals I like, and not only that, it tops the list. Personally, I'm primarily a punk rocker/metalhead/folk guy, but I do have an appreciation for good music in any genre, and jazz has always been one I respect very much, with it's complexities and interesting improvisations, so I was sure I would enjoy at least some of the music in this film, and I did. Stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone both give excellent performances, and while they do each hit a couple of slightly-off notes, they did a great job for the most part with their singing. Damien Chazelle once again proves himself a phenomenal director, following up his (also jazz-filled) Whiplash. And you can't talk about La La Land without mentioning the breathtaking cinematography. This film looks absolutely gorgeous, and not just the two leads. Every shot is beautiful. My only complaint about the movie (POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT) is that we don't see really what happens in much detail at all after we see "five years later", but really, by showing too much of that it could have spoiled some of the emotional impact. So overall I loved this movie, though it took me a bit to get into it at first. It's very well acted and directed, shot beautifully, and the music itself is enchanting. La La Land was every bit as good as I expected.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsAmy AdamsJeremy RennerForest WhitakerA linguist works with the military to communicate with alien lifeforms after twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world.Denis Villeneuve has been one of my very favorite directors since I saw Prisoners in 2013, and later Enemy and Sicario, so when I first heard it announced that he would be directing a science-fiction film for 2016 it became my most anticipated of the year. Of course, Villeneuve has a very unique style, his films being very well thought-out, as well as conveying a lot of tension, which seems to be his specialty. So I had some high expectations for this film based on his previous work, which of course can lead to disappointment. Well, I am pleased to say that I got exactly what I wanted from Arrival, a slow-burning, tense, smart alien film, which really doesn't focus on the aliens so much. I will say that it takes a few minutes to really pull you in, but once it does, as long as you don't mind slowly building movies, and can do without big action scenes, you will be hooked. I wont give any spoilers, but I will say I didn't expect it to end the way it did, and I can see where some might have issues with it, but I personally loved it. Amy Adams gives my favorite performance she's given in this film, and has some really good chemistry with her costar Jeremy Renner. The cinematography is beautiful. It's very well-written. Denis Villeneuve once again creates a tense atmosphere that never lets up throughout the film. It's not only one of my favorite films to have watched this year, it's also one of my favorites to think about. So yeah, I got what I expected, as well as being surprised at the same time. I absolutely loved Arrival, and even more so the more I think about it.
- DirectorMike MillsStarsAnnette BeningElle FanningGreta GerwigThe story of a teenage boy, his mother, and two other women who help raise him among the love and freedom of Southern California of 1979.As a punk rocker I am always interested in movies that explore countercultures and especially when they are set in the early punk scene in the '70s, so naturally I would want to see this movie. That being said, I actually went into it completely blind, without reading any synopsis or plot details at all, and I am so glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised by not only the messages in the film and it's wonderful direction and acting, but by it's not-quite-conventional way of telling the story. Every performance in this movie was amazing, and I wish this film would have gotten more academy nominations, mostly for the acting. It's easily one of my favorite movies of 2016.
- DirectorTim MillerStarsRyan ReynoldsMorena BaccarinT.J. MillerA wisecracking mercenary gets experimented on and becomes immortal yet hideously scarred, and sets out to track down the man who ruined his looks.Deadpool, one of my most anticipated movies of the year, with quite possibly the best ad campaign ever, had a lot to live up to. Is it perfect? No. Did it live up to the hype? Even better, it exceeded my expectations. It's no perfect film, but it's the perfect Deadpool movie. I am so incredibly happy with this movie, I can't even put it into words. I LOVE Deadpool. It's raunchy, crude, violent, hilarious, and at times even emotional. It was well balanced in terms of humor and seriousness. And what laughs! This movie is hilarious. It is exactly the kind of humor I like best, crude, dark, twisted, and meta. The story is something we've seen before, sure, and it knows it. It still felt like they could have done it a little differently, but that's really my only complaint. I loved every second of Deadpool, and can't wait to see it again.
- DirectorYorgos LanthimosStarsColin FarrellRachel WeiszJessica BardenIn a dystopian near future, according to the laws of The City, single people are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in 45 days or they're transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.This film is certainly not for everybody. It's quite bizarre, it has a strange and dark sense of humor, and it can be somewhat disturbing at times. Normally, that sounds like a movie I would really enjoy, but while I like some parts of The Lobster, I don't really see myself going back to it anytime soon. Colin Farrell is excellent as always, so it's at least worth viewing just to see him. I can't recommend this to very many people, but I know some who absolutely loved The Lobster, so go ahead and give it a try.
- DirectorTaika WaititiStarsSam NeillJulian DennisonRima Te WiataA national manhunt is ordered for a rebellious kid and his foster uncle who go missing in the wild New Zealand bush.This movie is weird. And I mean that in a very good way. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't this. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is offbeat, it's very funny, and it is incredibly well-acted. Seriously, Sam Neill is awesome as Hec, and Julian Dennison was perfect playing Ricky. Not everybody has heard of this movie, but you should definitely give it a watch. This is a great, adventurous film. Yes, it's a bit cliche at times, and there are some slower moments, but the good seems to way outshine any negatives I had with the movie. There really wasn't a moment where I was bored, and I laughed out loud quite a few times. The characters are so likable and the performances are great. I really enjoyed this film, and I hope more people will check it out too. It's pretty great.
- DirectorShane BlackStarsRussell CroweRyan GoslingAngourie RiceIn 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.The Nice Guys was one of my most anticipated movies of 2016 from the moment I heard it was going into production. Which can really get your hopes up too high. However, this movie was exactly what I wanted. I loved this film. Russle Crowe and Ryan Gosling, as you've heard, have amazing chemistry. And yes, Angourie Rice was fantastic as Gosling's daughter. Of course, the film will be held up to and compared with director Shane Black's other noir-comedy, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. I'm not going to do that. You can decide which is better for yourself. I will say though that I love both movies. All in all, I very much enjoyed The Nice Guys, and highly reccomend it if you like this kind of dark noir-comedy.
- DirectorDavid MackenzieStarsChris PineBen FosterJeff BridgesToby is a divorced father who's trying to make a better life. His brother is an ex-con with a short temper and a loose trigger finger. Together, they plan a series of heists against the bank that's about to foreclose on their family ranch.Honestly, it took me a minute or two to get into Hell or High Water. I don't know why, it's the kind of movie I love, and it reminds me a bit of No Country For Old Men, which is in my top ten favorite movies of all time. But once I got into it, I loved it. The first thing I want to say is that this is my favorite performance Chris Pine has ever given. The whole cast was great. I loved Ben Foster as Chris Pine's brother in the movie, their chemistry was amazing, incredibly real and believable. Jeff Bridges also gives a great performance, one of his best in my opinion, as well as Gil Birmingham as his partner. They also worked very well together. It's not a big-budget action film, but when the action does happen, it is very well executed, and very realistic. It's deliberately slow-paced, but it needs to be. It's by no means a boring movie. It's dark in places, it's emotional, and it also has some pretty funny moments as well. There is a scene involving two kids in a green Dodge Challenger that is one of my favorite movie moments this year. I don't want to give too much away. I can't say enough how good this film is, in pretty much every way. It's movies like this that remind me why I love smaller independent films so much. I very highly recommend Hell or High Water.
- DirectorGareth EdwardsStarsFelicity JonesDiego LunaAlan TudykIn a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction.Well, this is the one everybody seems to have expected to top their lists, and it's pretty close to the top for me. I loved The Force Awakens lat year when I first saw it, but less the more I thought about it and the more I saw it. That's not to say I don't like it, because I really do, I just don't quite love it. I have seen Rogue One twice now, and I have to say, I liked it even more the second time. Of course, I saw it opening night, and there where a group of idiots from some local baseball team being incredibly loud and obnoxious the whole time, as well as an annoying older couple behind me who talked out loud throughout it, so I really didn't enjoy it the first time at all. But the second time I could pay attention to it more, and I can say I like this movie even more now than I did coming out of the first time I saw The Force Awakens last year. I do have some negatives though, mostly that, while the characters in the film were cool, there were some moments where it should have been more emotional, and it just wasn't because the characters in this movie aren't as relate-able as they could have been. I didn't dislike any of them, but I really only cared about a couple of them. Still, as I said, they are all pretty cool characters. It's got the typical cheesy dialogue here and there, as every Star Wars movie has, and a lot of things from the trailers didn't make it into the movie, one towards the end was noticeably absent to me, as I was really looking forward to seeing it and how it would go down. But overall, I enjoyed Rogue One a lot (the second time), and it ends with possibly my favorite scene in any Star Wars film. It also fixes a big flaw that a lot of people had with the original trilogy, and it makes perfect sense after seeing this movie. I don't have to recommend it, because you're already going to see it, if you haven't already.
- DirectorRobert EggersStarsAnya Taylor-JoyRalph InesonKate DickieA family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.I'm not a big horror guy, and I tend to shy away from demonic stuff and witchcraft, because it's the thing that scares me most, but I decided to check this one out. It is slow-paced, but still really scary at the same time, as well as quite disturbing at times. It's also very well acted. Black Phillip is terrifying. But it can be a bit boring, and the dialogue can be hard to understand. It took a little while to get used to that, and I didn't have too much trouble with most of it, but there were times when I had no idea what the person had just said. The Witch has some flaws and is pretty slow, but it did deliver some decent scares and had a great atmosphere throughout, so I thought it was alright. Like I've said, I don't care much for horror in general, so the fact that I liked it at all is kind of a miracle I guess.
- DirectorNicholas StollerDoug SweetlandStarsAndy SambergKatie CrownKelsey GrammerStorks have moved on from delivering babies to packages. But when an order for a baby appears, the best delivery stork must scramble to fix the error by delivering the baby.Storks was a pleasant surprise for me. I wasn't expecting much, but it's a really funny and cute little movie. My favorite part of this movie is the humor in it, and the side-character Pigeon Toady was hilarious. He stole the show whenever he was on screen. The plot is pretty simple and it's one we've seen before with different particulars, but I had a ton of fun watching Storks, and it's one of my favorites of the year so far.
- DirectorAndrea ArnoldStarsSasha LaneShia LaBeoufRiley KeoughA teenage girl with nothing to lose joins a traveling magazine sales crew, and gets caught up in a whirlwind of hard partying, law bending and young love as she criss-crosses the Midwest with a band of misfits.I watched this movie mainly because I had heard the performances were all great and that a lot of these actors were either unknown or were actually kids hired off the street, with the exception of Shia LaBeouf. Well, the performances were all great, which is good when the movie doesn't really have a story. A lot of the movie was actually improvised, and while it was all pretty good, the movie does seem to drag on a bit. I checked the time at one point and was surprised that there was still 30 minutes left. I can't say I loved this movie, but the acting was all very good, and it wasn't really bad. I did enjoy some parts of it quite a bit. Overall I'm glad I watched it, but it's not for everybody, as most will probably find it very boring and pointless.
- DirectorDan TrachtenbergStarsJohn GoodmanMary Elizabeth WinsteadJohn Gallagher Jr.A young woman is held in an underground bunker by a man who insists that a hostile event has left the surface of the Earth uninhabitable.I have three main problems with this movie. 1) Geese don't sound like that. 2) Molotov cocktails don't explode like that. 3) this movie shouldn't have been called 10 Cloverfield Lane. Why that last one? Because this movie would be so much better if it was a surprise in the end when you learn that it's set in the same world as the first Cloverfield movie. It would have been really cool. And those are really my only complaints for this movie. I liked it way more than I thought I would. The acting was great, which when it only has three stars, and they are Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, and John Gallagher Jr, that's kind of a given, right? I love the way this movie was written and directed as a pretty creepy, horror-mystery kind of movie about three people, and it doesn't rely on the aliens at all. It would be a great movie without the aliens in it at all, and that's why it would be so much more awesome if you didn't know it was in the same world as Cloverfield until the end after you finally see he aliens. I very much enjoyed 10 Cloverfield Lane, way more than I expected.
- DirectorPeter BergStarsMark WahlbergKurt RussellDouglas M. GriffinA dramatization of the disaster in April 2010, when the offshore drilling rig called the Deepwater Horizon exploded, resulting in the worst oil spill in American history.I wasn't really looking forward to this movie that much, but I'm glad I finally saw it. I didn't read up on the movie before watching it, I just knew that it had gotten some pretty good reviews, so I went ahead and sat down to watch it. Deepwater Horizon is directed by Peter Berg and stars Mark Wahlberg, and tells the real-life story of the biggest and worst oil spill in U.S. history. Unbeknownst to me, Kurt Russell is also in this movie. I was surprised to see him. Anyway, this movie was way better than I expected, had some really good performances, and was directed very well. I got a lot more invested in it than I thought I would, and was surprised at how emotional it got. It is a very captivating movie, and I would definitely recommend it.
- DirectorJustin LinStarsChris PineZachary QuintoKarl UrbanThe crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the test.Star Trek Beyond is a big fun ride. That's pretty much my summary. It's not a perfect movie, but man is it a fun one, and I certainly liked it better than Star Trek Into Darkness. The acting was good all around too, and we get to see more of Carl Urban as Bones, and his interactions with Spock were some of the best moments of the film. The villain seems pretty generic for most of the movie, but finding out who he really was was still pretty cool. As with the previous two Star Trek films, Scotty was awesome. The space battle you've seen in the trailers was way cooler in the theater. Seriously, it's one of my favorite space batles I've ever seen. And I didn't miss the lens flares at all. Overall I was pretty happy with Star Trek Beyond, and can't wait to see it again.
- DirectorNeil BreenStarsNeil BreenViadKathy CorpusA messianic entity from the future travels to modern-day earth to wipe out 300,000,000 "bad people" and usher in a new era of peace.It’s a Neil Breen movie. What else needs to be said?
- DirectorJeremy SaulnierStarsAnton YelchinImogen PootsAlia ShawkatA punk rock band is forced to fight for survival after witnessing a murder at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar.Green Room is a very simple film. A small punk band plays at a neo-nazi club and things go south. That's all I'll say about that. But Green Room managed to keep me engaged throughout. It's well directed, and very well acted, with one of my favorite performances by Patrick Stewart, as well as another great performance by the late Anton Yelchin. The rest of the cast was also very good, for the most part. Of course, as a punk rocker myself, I enjoyed the music. One thing I wanted to mention was the visual effects for all the violence in the film was very well done. It was pretty realistic. Bloody, but not over the top. Overall I got what I wanted with Green Room: a tense, dark thriller without being too cliche. I enjoyed this film.
- DirectorGavin O'ConnorStarsBen AffleckAnna KendrickJ.K. SimmonsAs a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities, and the body count starts to rise.The Accountant isn't the best movie I've seen this year, but it is the best Ben Affleck movie I've seen this year. I wasn't really sure what I was going to see when I watched this film, but overall I was pretty happy with it. Affleck gives a great performance, as does J.K. Simmons as he always does, and Anna Kendrick also did a decent job in her role. Jon Bernthal was also really good, as well as Cynthia Addai-Robinson. There were some moments in the film that seemed to lull a bit, some pacing issues. And it also seemed a bit longer than it needed to be. The ending was also more lackluster than I expected, but overall, the acting was strong, and I found the story quite intriguing. Even though it seemed to slow down a bit much sometimes, I wasn't really bored with it, just slightly less interested. I wasn't expecting it to be a full-on action extravaganza, but the action in the movie was pretty cool to watch. Affleck's obsessive and methodical character was fascinating to me. In the end I really did like The Accountant.
- DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsIsabelle HuppertLaurent LafitteAnne ConsignyA successful businesswoman gets caught up in a game of cat and mouse as she tracks down the unknown man who raped her.Elle is an incredibly weird and often hard to watch film. I think it is very well made in pretty much every way, but it certainly isn't for everybody. In fact the audience for this movie is probably very small. I did figure out who the culprit was fairly early in this movie, but even after it's officially revealed in the film, it still takes some very unexpected turns that really surprised me. I don't really have much else to say about it, and while I think it's pretty good, I don't think it's going to be very many people's favorite of the year. It's worth the watch though, if you can handle the disturbing subject matter.
- DirectorKaryn KusamaStarsLogan Marshall-GreenEmayatzy CorinealdiMichiel HuismanWhen a man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, the unsettling past reopens old wounds and creates new tensions.The Invitation is one of the best creepy thrillers I've seen in a while. And that's thanks especially to the great acting and direction. Logan Marshall-Green's performance in this film is actually one of my favorites this year. This movie has one of the most uncomfortable scenes I've ever watched, but I mean that in the best way. The Invitation does it's job very well, it's creepy and disturbing, and also feels very realistic. It really was a cool surprise, so I don't want to spoil it. I really liked watching it, because it's like something that I would have written myself, so maybe I'm a bit biased being that it's similar to my writing style, but I definitely recommend checking this movie out, especially if you like creepy thrillers that mess with your head.
- DirectorKenneth LonerganStarsCasey AffleckMichelle WilliamsKyle ChandlerA depressed uncle is asked to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy's father dies.Manchester by the Sea isn't a movie I will ever watch again, but it was worth the watch. It is very well made, and also very well acted. As I had heard from everybody who had seen it before me, it was a depressing movie. The biggest takeaway is definitely the aforementioned acting. Casey Affleck subtly plays a very tortured man, giving quite possibly his best performance. Michelle Williams is in this movie as well, though barely. She plays a big part, and delivers possibly the most emotional performance, but she's really not in the movie very much at all, and I honestly don't know how she ended up with an Oscar nomination from such little screentime. As I said though, she is excellent in those 5-ish minutes she's in the movie. The rest of the cast was pretty good as well, some better than others. The thing with this movie is that most of the characters are kind of hard to like. Even after knowing why Casey Affleck's character is the way he is, he's still difficult to really get super attached to. So while the movie is very well done, and I think it is very good and worth watching, I don't think it's as good as everybody seems to think it is. But maybe that's just me.
- DirectorPablo LarraínStarsNatalie PortmanPeter SarsgaardGreta GerwigFollowing the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband's historic legacy.Jackie was actually more interesting than I thought it would be. The main reason to watch it is for Natalie Portman's fantastic performance as First Lady Jackie Kennedy, thought there are also some very good performances in supporting roles as well. I think it could have been a bit better, but overall I liked the movie. I also really liked the score as well.
- DirectorAlex BrewerBenjamin BrewerStarsNicolas CageElijah WoodSky FerreiraA pair of cops investigating a drug invasion stumble upon a mysterious bank vault.There's not really a lot I have to say about The Trust, but it was actually a fun movie for me. Both Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood were great in the movie, and I was a bit surprised at how it ended. I wasn't expecting much from it, but in the end I'd say that The Trust is actually kind of underrated. It's not the smartest movie, but it's certainly not the dumbest either, and it was a lot of fun to watch and didn't have a conventional ending. I really liked it.
- DirectorTodd PhillipsStarsJonah HillMiles TellerSteve LantzLoosely based on the true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a three hundred million dollar contract from the Pentagon to arm America's allies in Afghanistan.War Dogs is not a comedy. I don't know why there are so many movies that are marketed as comedies that aren't at all. Thankfully, I knew this wasn't a comedy when I wen to watch it, so I wasn't let down. In fact, I really like this movie a lot. Miles Teller once again gives a great performance, and Jonah Hill provides another good more dramatic role, and they both worked very well together. As with pretty much all movies that are based on true stories, there are some errors and things told differently, but overall, this movie had me interested the whole time.
- DirectorMamoru HosodaStarsKoji YakushoAoi MiyazakiShôta SometaniWhen a young orphaned boy living on the streets of Shibuya stumbles upon a fantastic world of beasts, he's taken in by a gruff warrior beast looking for an apprentice.The Boy and the Beast was a movie I had heard great things about, but took a while getting around to watching it. After the long wait, I can say it was worth it. It's not exactly for kids (it is rated PG-13 after all), so you might want to do some research before showing it to them, but it has a great story that took a few turns I wasn't expecting, and actually has some great emotional moments as well. Also, it looks stunning, the animation is beautiful. It does have a few beats I've seen before, but it doesn't treat them the same way, and it doesn't feel cliched at all. Overall I really liked the Boy and the Beast, it's definitely worth the watch.
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsAndrew GarfieldSam WorthingtonLuke BraceyWorld War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, serving during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.In my opinion (and seemingly almost everyone else) Hacksaw Ridge is the best movie Mel Gibson has directed since Apocalypto. It looks beautiful, the action scene (yeah, pretty much the whole second half of the movie is one big action scene) is directed perfectly. It's VERY gritty and graphic, and really conveys the horrors of war and how terribly it really is on the front lines very well. Something else a lot of people really liked about the film is that our main character's religious beliefs are not forced on you, but are not watered down either. They are a huge part of the movie, but without being overpowering or being forced down your throat. It's also, in my opinion, Andrew Garfield's best performance. I'm not going to lie, I've never been a big fan of his. But he was absolutely perfect in this role. The film is of course based on a true story, and one I didn't really know about before learning about this film, but it really is amazing. Hacksaw Ridge is definitely one of my very favorite war films, and once again I have to praise the way this movie was shot, and the realistic action. Yes, there were a few mistakes here and there (for one thing, I'm pretty sure you would rip your teeth out biting a grenade pin to pull it out), but overall I really, really enjoyed Hacksaw Ridge. It is certainly one of the best films I've seen this year, and a fantastic return to form for Mel Gibson as a director.
- DirectorPeter BergStarsMark WahlbergMichelle MonaghanJ.K. SimmonsThe story of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the aftermath, which includes the city-wide manhunt to find the terrorists responsible.
- DirectorTravis KnightStarsCharlize TheronArt ParkinsonMatthew McConaugheyA young boy named Kubo must locate a magical suit of armour worn by his late father in order to defeat a vengeful spirit from the past.Kubo and the Two Strings is my favorite animated film I've seen this year so far. First off, the stop-motion is beautifully done, I really loved it. One thing I liked from the beginning was that this film wasn't afraid to go a little dark, but it also has a pretty good sense of humor. All the voice actors did a great job, but the one everybody seems to talk most about is Matthew McConaughey as Beetle.The story is great, as are all of the characters, and I had a really fun time watching this movie.
- DirectorDenzel WashingtonStarsDenzel WashingtonViola DavisStephen McKinley HendersonA working-class African-American father tries to raise his family in the 1950s, while coming to terms with the events of his life.Denzel Washington is without a doubt one of the greatest actors working today, so I was very curious to see how he would do with directing and starring in this movie. Well, I wasn't disappointed. He once again proves himself a master performer, as well as a pretty good director. The rest of the cast also gave very good performances. Fences is based on a play, which I have not seen, and didn't know prior to watching the film, but makes sense considering the movie pretty much all takes place at one location. The story is simple, but it's very well done, and Fences exceeded my expectations in pretty much every way.
- DirectorBarry JenkinsStarsMahershala AliNaomie HarrisTrevante RhodesA young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.Everybody has those movies that are so well praised by everyone around them, but they themselves don't get all the praise. Well, Moonlight is that for me. From an artistic standpoint, I love the way the story is told. I think the movie was made very well. It just didn't hold my attention as much as I wanted, and I found myself a bit bored and ot very emotionally invested in it, which is a shame, because on the surface it sounds like it should have been incredibly powerful, and to many people it was, but it just wasn't for me. All the performances were very good. Honestly though, my favorite performance and character was Mahershala Ali as Juan. I would have rather had the movie give us more with him interacting with our main character. There were things hinted at in the second act that could have made it even more impactful and emotional if they had given us more with these two characters together and developed their relationship more. That's what I really wanted the whole time I was watching this movie, so maybe I was just too distracted by thoughts of how to make the movie better in my opinion to really appreciate the one I was given. I do think it is worth watching for sure however, but I personally wasn't blown away by it, other than by the excellent performances.
- DirectorMike FlanaganStarsJohn Gallagher Jr.Kate SiegelMichael TruccoA deaf and mute writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.Horror is possibly my least-favorite genre of film, because it's rarely well-written, it's just a bunch of cliches, and it's never really scary. I have seen a few exceptions, of course, and I'm pleased to say that Hush is one of them. It did exactly what I wanted it to. It's story is simple, and kind of similar to some other movies I've seen, such as maybe The Strangers. However, this one has some things most horror flicks lack. For starters, the lead character was interesting, and very likable. Too many times I can't stand the characters in horror movies. Sometimes I really want them to die in the end. But Maddie was very well done, and I actually cared about her and what was going on. She wasn't a complete idiot, she was actually an intelligent human being. The villain wasn't really all that special, but he did his job well. I really wanted him to go down the whole movie. He was creepy, but not over the top. He was actually a pretty believable character. The film was directed really well too, and one thing I liked was that the violence was realist and bloody, but wasn't over the top for shock value. The acting was all very good by everybody. The pacing was great, not too fast, but also not too slow. And it didn't do the thing I hate most in horror films. There were no unnecessary jump scares with sudden loud stabs of music. Overall I was very happy with this movie when it ended. I recommend Hush very highly if you want a good, well-made/acted/directed/written little horror/thriller film.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsTom HanksAaron EckhartLaura LinneyWhen pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger lands his damaged plane on the Hudson River in order to save the flight's passengers and crew, some consider him a hero while others think he was reckless.It's Tom Hanks, directed by Clint Eastwood. Why would I ever not want to see that? I was very interested in this movie from the moment I first heard about it, not just because it's Tom Hanks, who is, well, Tom Hanks, but I am also a fan of Clint Eastwood. I was also interested in the actual story, as I was younger when it happened and I didn't follow it on the news or anything back when this event happened. I guess I still don't really follow much in the news today, so those who know me wouldn't be surprised about that. However, I was a little bit nervous about it. Eastwood, while I am a fan, hasn't hit home for me with his last few films. I absolutely loved Gran Torino (which there is a billboard promoting in this movie, by the way), but that was the last one that I really liked. I am happy to say though, that I really enjoyed Sully. It's got a kind of non-linear narrative, which I wasn't expecting, but I actually kind of liked it. It's not Pulp Fiction level, but it could be a bit distracting for some people, or maybe just take them out of it a little. I don't want to give anything away, but there was one scene in particular towards the end at a hearing that just really sucked me in. The one thing I will say is that the ending did seem a bit sudden to me, but I like pretty much everything else in this movie. The performances by Hanks and Aaron Eckhart were very good (duh). This movie was shorter than some of Eastwood's other films too, so it didn't drag along or anything, it never got stale. In the end this is a remarkable true story, told and acted very well, and to me a good return for Mr. Eastwood. I am very happy with what I saw in Sully.
- DirectorGarth DavisStarsDev PatelNicole KidmanRooney MaraA five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.Lion is an amazing true story about a man in, who at a young age gets lost far from his family. I don't know if saying anything else would be considered a spoiler, so I'll just stop there. However, I will say that this is a very good film, with a fantastic performance by Dev Patel as Saroo in his adult years, as well as Sunny Pawar, who plays the younger Saroo. We also get a very good role from Nicole Kidman, and Rooney Mara is another actress I always enjoy onscreen. Personally, I didn't know anything about the movie prior to watching it, so I wasn't sure what I'd get, and overall I was very happy with it and definitely recommend it.
- DirectorJ.A. BayonaStarsLewis MacDougallSigourney WeaverFelicity JonesConor, a twelve-year-old boy, encounters an ancient tree monster who proceeds to help him cope with his mother's terminal illness and being bullied in school.I'll write a better review later. For now, I really liked parts of this movie, and loved Sigourney Weaver's performance, really enjoyed the watercolor-style animation and stories the "monster" tells, and found it to be a very emotional film, though not as emotional as I felt it was built up to be somehow. I really liked it, but I can't say I loved it. I would recommend it however.
- DirectorByron HowardRich MooreJared BushStarsGinnifer GoodwinJason BatemanIdris ElbaIn a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy.Does it have a lot of cliches? Yes. And that's my biggest problem. It is a fun movie, but predictable and not as original as it seems upon the first viewing. Thinking about it later, I didn't like this movie nearly as much as I initially did. But there were some things I still really like. First off, Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde was a genius choice. There's really not a lot to be said about Zootopia other than you and your kids will both enjoy it, even if it does hit a lot of the same beats we've seen many times before. Everybody seems to ove this movie, and you probably will too, but it's not the best animated movie of the year.
- DirectorJean-François RichetStarsMel GibsonErin MoriartyDiego LunaAn ex-con reunites with his estranged wayward 17-year old daughter to protect her from drug dealers who are trying to kill her.The plot is very simple. Not all the acting is perfect. In the beginning I found the editing somewhat choppy. But really, Blood Father is actually pretty good, and the thing that really elevates it is a phenomenal performance by Mel Gibson. Seriously, the man still has it. The cinematography was also pretty good. But yeah, watch it for Gibson. This movie reminds me of 2013's Joe, starring Nicholas Cage in (in my opinion) quite possibly his best performance, in that the film is pretty good, and has an excellent performance but it's lead, but it's not something a wide audience will enjoy or even see, which is unfortunate. Personally, I like Joe better, but Blood Father is definitely a worthwhile viewing, especially if you are a fan of Mel Gibson.
- DirectorTheodore MelfiStarsTaraji P. HensonOctavia SpencerJanelle MonáeThe story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.Hidden Figures tells the incredible true story of three highly intelligent African-American women working for NASA in the early sixties. It focuses mainly on Katherine Johnson (portrayed perfectly by Taraji Henson, who deserves Oscar attention). Now, when I first saw the trailer for this movie, I thought it looked like a crappy Hallmark movie that somehow got a theatrical release. Well, I was dead wrong. I still think the trailers make it look like it sucks, but the film itself is easily one of the best of the year. It's a touching and heartwarming true-life success story, with excellent acting and direction. Who wouldn't want to see a movie like that? I can't recommend this movie enough. I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie, I felt better after watching it, and I learned some things I didn't know. It's simply a fantastic film.
- DirectorJon FavreauStarsNeel SethiBill MurrayBen KingsleyAfter a threat from the tiger Shere Khan forces him to flee the jungle, a man-cub named Mowgli embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of panther Bagheera and free-spirited bear Baloo.There's not really that much to say about the Jungle Book that hasn't already been said. Personally, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as most people, but I still really did like it. Neel Sethi plays Mowgli, and for the most part, is pretty great. All the voice-overs were good as well, most noticeably to me being Bill Murray as Baloo, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, and Idris Elba as Shere Khan. But by far the most amazing thing about the film is that it WASN'T shot on-location. It was filmed entirely in a studio. The jungle we see is all computer-generated. Also, there were no real animals. That bit is more believable, and noticeable. Overall, I had a good time watching The Jungle Book, though it made me want to watch the original one again. My favorite scene was actually the Kaa scene. I wondered how they would make it work, but I really liked it. Yeah. It's a pretty good movie, just maybe not as good as the original.
- DirectorZack SnyderStarsBen AffleckHenry CavillAmy AdamsBatman is manipulated by Lex Luthor to fear Superman. Superman´s existence is meanwhile dividing the world and he is framed for murder during an international crisis. The heroes clash and force the neutral Wonder Woman to reemerge.I'd heard negative things about this movie prior to seeing it, and that absolutely helped. Because I expected it to suck, it was better than I thought it would be. Is it awesome? No. But I did really like about the first half of it. Well, not all of the first half, there are flaws everywhere, but I liked the movie overall. I didn't like the end battle. I felt it was a waste of a big DC villain. I wasn't too happy with the way Lex Luthor was handled, he seemed too Joker-ish to me. There were some odd choices throughout, both by the filmmakers and the characters in the movie. But I did like the visual style, the cinematography (except for in one scene), the score, and the acting, even if Luthor wasn't portrayed how he should have been. Ben Affleck as Batman was exactly what I wanted him to be. He's old and broken, yet still very powerful. Henry Cavill is even better this time around, in my opinion. And now I really want to see a Wonder Woman movie. Overall, I didn't love the movie, but I did enjoy the first half, or maybe even more. It's way better than Man of Steel was, and it's definitely worth a watch. I am certainly looking forward to the three hour R-rated director's cut.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsJames McAvoyMichael FassbenderJennifer LawrenceIn the 1980s the X-Men must defeat an ancient all-powerful mutant, En Sabah Nur, who intends to thrive through bringing destruction to the world.A lot of people were disappointed with X-Men: Apocalypse, so I did't watch it for a long time. I can see why they feel that way, but maybe because my expectations were low, I actually liked it. Or parts of it anyway. While Jennifer Lawrence may not be great as Mystique (I think anybody could have given her performance and they wouldn't have had to pay them as much to be bored in this movie), and Oscar Isaac was kind of wasted, as well as pretty much all the villains being either bland or just not very good, the performances by Micheal Fassbender and James McAvoy were my favorite parts of the movie. Seriously, these guys are great. I did't love this movie, it seemed really generic and predictable, but at least I got more of those two guys, and I did also like Nightcrawler and they somehow made another slow-mo Quicksilver scene cool. It's got a lot of flaws, but I did enjoy watching a lot of the movie.
- DirectorPaco CabezasStarsAnna KendrickSam RockwellTim RothA girl falls for the "perfect" guy, who happens to have a very fatal flaw: he's a hitman on the run from the crime cartels who employ him.Mr. Right was written by Max Landis, who wrote last year's American Ultra. While I don't like this film as much as AU, it's still fun and interesting. Max has a pretty unique style in his writings, even if you don't love the guy (he can be a bit irritating for some people at times), you have to admit that he comes up with some really cool stuff. The cast for this film was pretty awesome. Sam Rockwell is one of the best actors working today, and I love seeing him in everything he's in. Tim Roth is also a guy I really like seeing. Anna Kendrick was decent in the movie as well. As for the actual characters, Sam's character was really cool and interesting, as well as Tim's, but Anna's wasn't nearly as believable as the others, and I found her a bit annoying at times. I really like the offbeat way the story unfolds, though it is a bit predictable. Overall, Mr. Right is not a super-great film, it has some flaws and I lost interest a bit in some places, but it's a fun movie and I enjoyed watching it for the most part. Definitely check it out if you liked American Ultra.
- DirectorLarry CharlesStarsNicolas CageRussell BrandWendi McLendon-CoveyAfter a personal visit by God himself, the eccentric construction worker Gary Faulkner takes the decision to embark on an adventure in the badlands of Pakistan to bring Al-Qaeda's leader Osama Bin Laden to justice.Army of One is based on a true story of a man named Gary Faulkner who travels to Pakistan to capture Osama Bin Laden, and he is played by non other than Nicolas Cage. We all know pretty well what to expect with a Nic Cage film. Whether it's good or bad, at least it will be entertainingly so. And Army of One is certainly entertaining, but surprisingly in a good way. I honestly forgot a few times that I was watching Nicolas Cage. He seems to have captured the essence of the real life Gary Faulkner pretty well. The rest of the cast did as well as could be expected, nothing really amazing, but nothing bad either. Overall I had fun watching this movie, and would recommend it.
- DirectorFede AlvarezStarsStephen LangJane LevyDylan MinnetteHoping to walk away with a massive fortune, a trio of thieves break into the house of a blind man who isn't as helpless as he seems.Don't Breathe is one of the better horror movies I've seen. It has some cliches and some extremely stupid decision making by some characters, as well as logical errors throughout, but it did it's job for the most part. Stephen Lang is scary. He just is. I don't want to spoil anything, because even though I don't care much for horror (at all), I think Don't Breathe is worth checking out. But I will say that this movie took some twists and turns I didn't see coming, and I was pleasantly surprised by some of them. As for the cast, as I mentioned, Stephen Lang is scary, giving a very good performance. The rest of the cast was about as good as I expected, not amazing, but certainly not bad. While I didn't enjoy it as much as Green Room or Hush, Don't Breathe delivers some solid scares, and gripping suspense. In the end I was pretty satisfied with this movie, and if you like horror, treat yourself to Don't Breathe.
- DirectorJeff NicholsStarsMichael ShannonJoel EdgertonKirsten DunstA father and son go on the run, pursued by the government and a cult drawn to the child's special powers.Midnight Special is a refreshingly small-scale, slow burning science-fiction film, written and directed by Jeff Nichols, who also wrote and directed 2012's Mud. I wasn't a big fan of Mud (though I need to watch it again), but I did enjoy Midnight Special. The film starts in the middle of the story, which was a bold move. There were some really cool moments in it too, despite the overall lack of action in comparison with other sci-fi films. Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst, and young Jaeden Lieberher all give excellent performances. Like I said, it's slow moving, and not a big action film, so don't expect that. I very much enjoyed Midnight Special, even though, to be honest, I was a little disappointed with it overall, I still really liked it, and I can definitely say it's worth seeing.
- DirectorJeff NicholsStarsRuth NeggaJoel EdgertonWill DaltonThe story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple whose arrest for interracial marriage in 1960s Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the Supreme Court's historic 1967 decision.Loving is based on the incredible and very important true story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple who were persecuted after their marriage. Eventually, their case went to the supreme court, and changed things regarding interracial marriage in America forever. Like I said, and important story. And while this movie is very well acted, with Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga both giving good performances, the movie, unfortunately, doesn't really feel that important. Worse, it doesn't feel that personal either. This movie should have been very emotionally charged, and though the actors did a good job portraying the couple and seeming very real, the movie moves too fast and doesn't seem focused enough to deliver in that respect. I didn't hate this movie, but I expected a lot more from such an important story that had as much potential as Loving did.
- DirectorAndrew StantonAngus MacLaneStarsEllen DeGeneresAlbert BrooksEd O'NeillFriendly but forgetful blue tang Dory begins a search for her long-lost parents and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way.Finding Dory wasn't really one I was really looking forward to all that much. I knew it wouldn't be nearly as good as Finding Nemo was, but when I watched it, I did end up enjoying it, even if there were some things that could have been a lot better, and some scenes would have worked better in different parts of the movie. Finding Dory isn't a bad film, but it missed the mark of being great. I think it s still very enjoyable and fun for the family though, and there were actually a couple of good surprises to be found.
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsDenzel WashingtonChris PrattEthan HawkeSeven gunmen from a variety of backgrounds are brought together by a vengeful young widow to protect her town from the private army of a destructive industrialist.I knew not to expect a great film when I watched The Magnificent Seven, and to just have fun with it, but even though I haven't seen the original, or any of the other versions of the movie there are (yeah, I know, I need to see Seven Samurai), this movie was just soooo predictable. Now, the acting was pretty darn good from most of the people, most notably Denzel Washington (duh). Chris Pratt was alright, not great, but certainly not bad. He was entertaining to say the least. But the villain in this movie is just the cliche "'m the bad guy and I do bad things and I'm creepy and you don't like me" villain in every movie ever made. The scene in the beginning with all the townspeople in the church was not very good. Honestly, i was pretty terrible, acting, pacing, dialogue, pretty much everything in that scene was bad or just dumb. There's not nearly as much development or backstory on some of the characters as I wanted, but at least some of them were interesting. The action in the movie is what most people will be there to see, and it delivered for me. There were some pretty cool scenes, and I did like how it ended. It wasn't exactly what I expected, and it went a little darker than I thought it would.
Now I want to give a [[SPOILER ALERT]] for this bit here. Please, stop putting characters who leave the heroes only to come back in the end just when they are needed in movies. It's not a surprise, we all see it coming. So was that really a spoiler?
OK, NO MORE SPOILERS HERE. Overall I did have some fun with it, but there was a lot I didn't like too, and I don't know if I'll ever watch it again. It's not a very smart movie, but it looks nice, the action is pretty good, and the cast is amazing. So it's worth checking out if you haven't seen it yet just for those things. - DirectorAkiva SchafferJorma TacconeStarsAndy SambergJorma TacconeAkiva SchafferWhen it becomes clear that his solo album is a failure, a former boy band member does everything in his power to maintain his celebrity status.Hmmm. There's really not a lot I can say about this one. It's a mockumentary type film following pop/rapper Conner4Real. It's got some pretty funny moments, but it's also got some predictable ones as well. I can't really say it's bad, but it's not as good as I had hoped it would be, so I did find it somewhat disappointing. Overall though, I did enjoy it. Just remember, it's not This Is Spinal Tap.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsJosh BrolinGeorge ClooneyAlden EhrenreichA Hollywood fixer in the 1950s works to keep the studio's stars in line.A sigh. That would be how I would do a short review of this film. A loud, Napoleon Dynamite-esque sigh. I was looking forward to seeing this movie for a long time, then the reviews came in, and it sounded like a movie I should skip. Well, I eventually got around to seeing it, so I could judge for myself, and I wish this movie had never been made. I'm dead serious. I wish the Coens had never filmed this. It could have worked as a book, maybe, but it makes one boring picture. The performances are great, the cinematography is really good, there are some cool set designs, and the idea of a film about a Hollywood fixer set in this time period seems like a perfect fit for the Coens, but somehow, it just didn't work. I don't know. I can't really recommend this to anybody.
- DirectorKelly Fremon CraigStarsHailee SteinfeldHaley Lu RichardsonBlake JennerHigh-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.The Edge of Seventeen is a movie that I had heard nothing but good things about, people praising the performances and saying it was hilarious. Well, I didn't find it all that good or hilarious. I think Hailee Steinfeld is a great actress, but I found her character rather annoying, and hard to become attached too, despite knowing what she's gone through. Really, the only character I liked was Woody Harrelson as the grumpy and sarcastic teacher. Everybody had been talking about how good he is in the movie, but really, he's not in it very much at all. He is, however, my favorite part of the movie, and the only person who made me laugh in the entire film. I found this movie to be somewhat boring and somewhat meaningless, at least for me. I understand that I'm supposed to feel for these characters, and why I'm supposed to feel for them, but when they all come across as total irrational jerks I just can't. Sorry. I really didn't like this movie, which is a shame, because I was really looking forward to it, and wanted to love it.
- DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsChris EvansRobert Downey Jr.Scarlett JohanssonPolitical involvement in the Avengers' affairs causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man.SPOILERS in this review.
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Civil War was one of my most anticipated Marvel films and I thought from the beginning that it had a good chance to become my favorite Marvel film. Well, it's great. But I was very disappointed. It did what I didn't want it to. It ended happily. They had it set up well to do it like in the comics, with Crossbones killing Captain America in the end. But then they killed Crossbones, a really great villain, in the first battle. I was hoping they would have the balls to kill Cap, because as of right now I'm not invested in Marvel's movies. It's always them fighting the end of the world, which will NEVER happen, so it's not a viable threat, there's no stakes for me. Killing Cap would have remedied that. Suddenly, nobody is safe. I can get worried about the characters. But no, Marvel continues to disappoint with their lack of balls. As well as completely ignoring how physics work (and their own explanation of how it works) with Ant-Man.
Now let's talk about the good things. As I said, they ignore their own rules with Ant-Man, but I LOVE Paul Rudd as Ant-Man. Also, new Spidey, and he was actually really good. And the character I was most excited to see, Black Panther, was freaking awesome. Overall, I really enjoyed Civil War, even though I unraveled the mysteries way too easily. Definitely not a bad film at all, just really disappointing, because it could have been the movie that changed everything and made you really care, but it isn't. Still, go see it! It's pretty good. - DirectorAlejandro AmenábarOccultum LuciferusStarsEthan HawkeDavid ThewlisEmma WatsonA detective and a psychoanalyst uncover evidence of a satanic cult while investigating a young woman's terrifying past.Regression is a simple movie, and it's not really original in any way, and it does have some problems. That being said, the performances were all pretty good, the directing isn't bad, and it has a pretty steady atmospheric feel. I can't say I loved this movie, but I didn't dislike it either. I'd say it's a decent rainy-day movie, something you could just put on when there's nothing else to do. What I don't understand is the overwhelmingly negative reviews this movie has gotten. Like I said, it's not very original, but it's far from being terrible. There are far worse films that came out this year with much higher ratings, and that makes no sense to me. Anyway, if you like somewhat creepy and atmospheric crime movies, this one is worth watching, even if it does have some flaws.
- DirectorDavid AyerStarsWill SmithJared LetoMargot RobbieA secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.The truth is, I'm fascinated with Suicide Squad. It has so much awesomeness, yet also so many atrocities and wastes. We'll start with the good. Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, perfect. Will Smith as Deadshot, one of his best performances in a long time. The whole cast was actually really good. Yes, even Jai Courtney, who's performance as Boomerang was magnetic in a way I never expected from him. All these characters are great, and the way the actors portrayed them was exactly how I would have wanted them portrayed. One thing I kept thinking while I was watching Suicide Squad was that it looks the most like a comic book on screen in comparison to any other comic book movie that I've seen.
Now with the not so great. And I wanna say here that there may be some spoilers in this, so here ya go: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. Now here's my biggest problem. The villain. And I don't mean that I didn't like Enchantress, because I really did. She's an interesting character, and the relationship between Enchantress/June Moone and Rick Flag could have been explored more and been more emotional. Also, her plan was pretty generic, but kind of makes sense given her backstory. I just wish she would have went about it differently. The inclusion of her brother seemed like he was just there for the final boss fight between him and Diablo. And the way she moved was somewhat comical at times. But overall I still liked her as a character. So here's what I think they should have done: Use Enchantress as part of the Suicide Squad, but make her kind of unstable, because obviously she would be. Have the Joker be the villain, and have Enchantress be the villain in the next movie. Build up that relationship between her and Rick Flag more before he has to go up against her. Even if it was the same basic premise, one of the biggest problems with this movie, much like Batman v Superman, is the pacing and some of the transitions from scene-to-scene. You could spend more time getting to know the characters that way, and have more Joker, even though I'm not a huge fan of Jared Leto's portrayal, as well as fix some of those pacing problems. Also, the drones/army/whatever you wanna call them that enchantress creates is pretty lame, and didn't really provide any tension or real fear for our protagonists. And though I love most of the songs used in the soundtrack, it did get to be a bit much after a while. Maybe tone that down a bit.
Overall, I enjoyed watching it sometimes, but was also very disapointed. I loved Harley, Deadshot, and even Boomerang, and as I said this movie feels more like a comic book on screen than any other comic book movie I've seen, but it is very flawed. - DirectorLee KirkStarsBillie Joe ArmstrongFred ArmisenJudy GreerAn aging punk rocker copes with life after rock.I'm a huge Green Day fan, and their frontman Billie Joe Armstrong is the lead in this movie, so that's the main reason I watched it, as I thought the trailers didn't look good. Well, this movie really isn't that good. It's not terrible, some of the acting is ok, but the story is just cliche to the max and uninspired. I didn't really enjoy this movie very much at all, as I kind of expected, but I didn't hate it.
- DirectorSam LiuStarsKevin ConroyMark HamillTara StrongAs Batman hunts for the escaped Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime attacks the Gordon family to prove a diabolical point mirroring his own fall into madness.The Killing Joke is one of my favorite comics of all time, so I was curious to see what they would do with it, especially given the R rating. First off, let's address that rating. It's completely unnecessary. The movie isn't as graphic as the comic was, and they definitely could have gotten away with a PG-13 rating, in my opinion. Or just been as graphic as the comic to use the R rating to a better advantage. As it is, it seems to just be a gimmick. Now, the next thing to talk about is the beginning, which actually focuses on Batgirl. It could have been cut down or even been a separate movie altogether, because it doesn't pertain to the rest of the story. Once the story I know started, I was a little bored, and as I said it was prettied up despite them going for an R rating. Yeah, I know, I'm on that again, but it just doesn't make sense to me to go for that rating but at the same time hold back on the graphic content. The voice talent is by far the best thing about this adaptation, as I expected. As for the animation, it's not as good as the panels in the comic, but still, I did think it worked well for the film version. However, if you've read the comic, there's really no need to see the movie version. It's not as graphic or disturbing, which was part of the reason why the comic is so monumental. If you haven't read the comic, you might like this more than I did, but overall I was pretty disapointed with Batman: The Killing Joke.
- DirectorNate ParkerStarsNate ParkerArmie HammerPenelope Ann MillerNat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, orchestrates an uprising.I can separate the artist from the art, so I wont get into the controversy surrounding this film. Really, there's not a lot to get into about the movie by itself though. It's not a bad movie, but it's certainly not a great movie. At times it was emotional, at times it felt pretentious, and at many times it felt boring. Birth of a Nation thinks it's the next 12 Years a Slave, but it's not even close. A movie like this with such a powerful story shouldn't be so forgettable. Like I said, it's not a bad movie, but it's not really anything special either. It's just kind of inbetween, kind of meh. The acting was really the best part of the movie. The cinematography was decent as well. But overall, I can't see myself ever watching it again, not because it's emotionally taxing as I'd hoped, but because it somehow managed to be boring.
- DirectorConrad VernonGreg TiernanStarsSeth RogenKristen WiigJonah HillA sausage strives to discover the truth about his existence.Ok, the red-band trailer was absolutely hilarious. I laughed so hard at that. I was a bit nervous though, because I kind of wondered if it would be funny throughout the whole film, and unfortunately, it does lose it's appeal as the movie goes on. Just having animated food swearing and making crude sexual jokes and trying to be shocking doesn't really make a great movie. I was pretty disappointed with Sausage Party. There were some really funny moments, some I wont spoil, obviously, but a lot of the best parts were in that red-band trailer, and the rest was just a bunch of food swearing. It does have an underlying message, but I really didn't care. It's not a terrible movie, but it's not a great movie either, it's just somewhere in-between. I didn't hate watching it, like I said, there were some pretty good laughs in it, but most of the movie wasn't as funny as I wanted it to be. I don't really recommend it, but I'm not going to tell you to avoid it either.
- DirectorNicolas Winding RefnStarsElle FanningChristina HendricksKeanu ReevesAn aspiring model, Jesse, is new to Los Angeles. However, her beauty and youth, which generate intense fascination and jealousy within the fashion industry, may prove themselves sinister.I can't really say that much I liked about this movie, but I also can't say much about what I didn't like. I like slower movies that make you think, and for some reason I like movies with somewhat disturbing content, if it works. But this movie bored me. I found myself daydreaming and not paying attention a few times. There were some moments and scenes I really liked, but there were also a lot that wasn't interesting at all to me. Maybe this movie just isn't for me, and that's why I wont give it a bad rating, but it's just kind of middle-ground for me. I didn't like it, but I didn't dislike it either.
- DirectorJames BobinStarsMia WasikowskaJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterAlice is appointed to save her beloved Mad Hatter from deadly grief by travelling back to the past, but this means fatally harming Time himself, the noble clockwork man with the device needed to save the Hatter's family from the Red Queen.The first new Alice movie was directed by Tim Burton, and even though I didn't love it, I thought it was okay, it's at least watchable. But this one is not directed by Tim Burton, and it shows. There's no grand vision, his imagination is gone. Everything feels forced, even in the visuals, if that makes any sense. In the first one that Burton directed, all the crazy visuals felt organic and they were more believable, but they just look really generic and artificial in this one. The story isn't interesting. And Alice was kind of unlikable, at least for me, which is certainly no a good thing. Like I said, the first one wasn't great, but I got at least a little enjoyment out of it. I can't ever see myself re-watching this one. Alice Through the Looking Glass is just not a good movie, and I can't recommend it. Just watch the first one again.
- DirectorTrevor WallLisa OrtizStarsRob SchneiderHeather GrahamKen JeongWhen a real estate development invades his Arctic home, Norm and his three lemming friends head to New York City, where Norm becomes the mascot of the corporation in an attempt to bring it down from the inside and protect his homeland.Hey, let's make a movie about a polar bear named Norm who speaks human, and who dances, and is the reason why there is a problem in the movie, and we'll have him be voiced by Rob Schneider. What?! This is by far one of the worst movies I've ever seen. It is absolutely terrible in every way it could have been. It's pacing is way too fast, yet it's still incredibly boring. The humor isn't funny, really the only thing funny about it is that the people who made this steaming pile thought that it would be funny. There are lemmings as side characters in this movie that are obvious rip-offs of the Minions, and it's like they took what funniness the minions had away and doubled the annoying factor. They don't even have names in this stupid movie. And as I said, there would not be a problem if it weren't for our protagonist's idiotic plan. If he had done nothing and just gone home, there would be ZERO THREAT OF WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO PREVENT! Well, technically 3% I guess, but that's basically nothing! I'd tell you to watch the movie to see for yourself, but I don't want anybody to waste even the short runtime of this "film" watching something that makes you feel stupider afterwards. Please avoid this crap, it is the worst and most annoying thing I've seen in a very long time.