My Ten Personal Favorite Christmas Movies/TV Specials of All Time

With it being December and officially the Christmas season, I thought I'd go over my ten personal favorite Christmas movies or TV Specials.  There are a few things I have to preface this list with, which I'll outline in bullets for organizational purposes:

• These are not what I consider to be the ten best Christmas movies ever.  These are just ten movies (or Christmas specials) that I am very fond of and invoke nostalgia and childhood memories.  These are the ten movies I'd personally pick to watch every Christmas season if I could only choose ten.
• I am allowing sequels as separate entries as some sequels I like while others I don't.  
• These are ranked in order of how much I personally like them, not by how good of a movie I think they are.
• A few of these aren't your typical "theatrical release" style films, and more so TV specials or TV movies.  To me, they're close enough to be considered a movie or film.

With that said, here are my personal 10 favorite Christmas movies, ranked:

10. 'Twas the Night
This is a DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie), but it's still a movie about Christmas.  Basically, an Uncle who's always getting into trouble (portrayed brilliantly by Bryan Cranston) has to watch over his niece and nephews on Christmas night while his brother and sister-in-law (their parents) have to work.  They accidentally knock out Santa and decide to deliver toys for him.  I won't get into it anymore, but it's a good family Christmas movie with a good message.  You have to suspend disbelief during this film for some parts, and the technology in it has NOT aged well.  But if you can get past those few things, it's really quite enjoyable.

9. Elf
Everyone else loves it, and yes, I have a certain fondness for it as well.  It came out in 2003, and I didn't see it until several years after it came out.  It might've been close to a decade later.  It has rewatchability and it's one of the few roles I enjoy Will Ferrell in, so there's that.  Perhaps I'll have this higher on my list as the years go on, but for now it's only #9 because I haven't seen it quite enough.

8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 TV special)
Don't get me wrong, I like the Jim Carrey version and the 2018 "The Grinch" film isn't bad, but this is the one that makes me feel all nostalgic.  That classic animation style is just timeless, and I absolutely love the "You're the Mean One, Mr. Grinch" song performed admirably by the legendary Thurl Ravenscroft.  This just never gets old.  

7. Frosty the Snowman
This is one I watched as a small child and have seen it sporadically throughout the years.  It always pulls at my heartstrings.  The Frosty the Snowman song alone is enough to make me emotional.  I also love the animation style and the voice acting is just classic.  I have this on DVD so I can watch it anytime I want during the Christmas season, even if I can't find it on TV/streaming.  

6. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
This is the one Christmas movie sequel that worked.  The Santa Clause 2 wasn't bad, but it still fell a bit short for me.  But this one ups the stakes, changes the setting, and recreates the magic of the first.  In some ways, I almost enjoy it more than the first one, but the first one is such a classic.  It's too bad all the rest of the "Home Alone's" were not even close to the first two.

5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Another timeless classic is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  It's another TV special, but at 52 minutes it almost feels like a film.  My favorite thing about this is its songs.  From "Silver and Gold" to "We are Santa's Elves" to "The Most Wonderful Day of the Year", there's a song in here for everybody.  As a kid, I related to Rudolph, in being picked on for something you were born with and couldn't control (for me, it was my lack of height).  I will never stop loving this TV special.

4. Jingle All the Way
The crazy thing is, I almost want to rank this higher.  I've seen it at least a dozen times.  I love Arnie in it.  It's such a simple premise: A father trying to make something up to his son, goes on a hunt to find him a Christmas gift that's nearly impossible to find.  I love all the hijinks and to me, it's entertaining from start to finish.  Yes, a lot of it is a bit cringy and doesn't make logical sense, but you have to suspend belief when watching this.  

3. Home Alone
Of course, it had to be here if Home Alone 2 was here.  And the first just always slaps, as the kids say these days.  I kind of wanted the same thing to happen to me as a kid--be able to eat as much junk as I wanted, stay up as late as I wanted, watch whatever I wanted.  How Kevin learns about and later deals with the burglars is always my favorite part.  And it includes some great Christmas songs from "Walking Around the Christmas Tree" to "Run Run Rudolph".  

2. The Santa Clause
Similar to 'Twas the Night", Santa becomes incapacitated, and the family whose home where this happens has to take over his route.  This one, however, does it a bit better, with Tim Allen assuming the title of Santa Claus because of "The Santa Clause".  As a kid, this movie made me believe Santa Claus was spelled with an "E" at the end.  I've never been the biggest fan of the custody battle between Scott and his ex-wife for Charlie, but it does add another layer to the plot.  Nevertheless, I absolutely love this movie, and I have very fond memories of watching this on ABC with my family shortly after it came out.

1. A Christmas Story
It had to be, right?  And the weirdest thing is that I didn't see this until near adulthood.  I think I only watched it because I was told I resembled the kid (Ralphie) from the movie.  And boy, I'm glad I did.  It's the perfect Christmas movie.  Anyone who's ever wanted that super special Christmas gift can relate to Ralphie's quest for the Red Ryder BB gun.  I sure look forward to watching this each Christmas season.

Ranking the Nine Skywalker Saga Star Wars Films

Star Wars is my favorite film franchise of all time, and probably always will be.  There's not a single film in the series that I do not enjoy.  As a huge Star Wars fan, I obviously have my preferences and opinions on the films.  For this list, I am ranking the Nine "Skywalker Saga" Star Wars films, so Episode I through Episode IX. 

And in my usual fashion with ranking things, I assign each one attributes and sort them.  The attributes are Rewatch-ability, Believability, Quality, and Lore. 
- Rewatch-ability is pretty self-explanatory, but to further explain, it's how much I look forward to watching the film if I am to rewatch the entire nine episode series. 
- Believability may seem odd for a sci-fi film, but it's more of if the Star Wars universe existed, how believable are certain actions and events that unfold.
- Quality is just how good of a film it is, from the plot to the acting to the visual effects.  We know the sound and music are always top-notch, but not always everything else.
- Lore is how well it contributes to the Star Wars lore.  Does it contradict other films?  Does it introduce too many new things?  If it does, I dock it a point or two at least.  Obviously the original trilogy will score best here.

Each rating is on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest.


9. Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 2
Quality: 2
Lore: 3
Total: 11/20

Comment: Most consider Episode I: The Phantom Menace as the worst in the series.  For a while, I considered it slightly above Episode II, but it really isn't.  It's at least got some rewatch value, as the lightsaber battle is always fun to watch.  There's a bit of meme-worthy stuff, as well.  It suffers in its believability, such as when Anakin pilots a Naboo fighter and doesn't take it seriously.  It's never been considered a great film, and this is probably the Star Wars film where the acting is the worst.  It is the earliest in Star Wars chronological order, so it contributes a bit to its lore and doesn't do much to make the OT look bad.

8. Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Rewatch-ability: 3
Believability: 3
Quality: 2
Lore: 4
Total: 12/20

Comment: Episode I for me is a tad more rewatchable than Episode II.  I can't explain it.  The visual effects are probably the worst, especially the awful green screens they had to use.  The worst is when Mace Windu jumps off a Republic warship shortly after the start of the Battle of Geonosis.  See what I mean here.  It is so clearly obvious he is in front of a green screen.  But this film signals the start of the Clone Wars, and I think it does a decent job of getting us hyped for it.

7. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Rewatch-ability: 3
Believability: 3
Quality: 4
Lore: 2
Total: 12/20

Comment: Is this really the third worst Star Wars film?  It might be.  It's not bad; it's just not as good as the others.  It may be partially due to my high expectations, but I feel J.J. Abrams started out the sequel trilogy so well only to have it lack in the end.  I have seen every Star Wars film at least twice in theaters, and this and the next are the two I just didn't care to watch a third time for a long time.  Anyway, Palpatine coming back from the dead?  Sigh.  At least the film did well in the technical aspects, and a shoutout to Adam Driver for his terrific acting.  I've shared my thoughts on how I feel about Force Heal and Force transport items.

6. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Rewatch-ability: 2
Believability: 4
Quality: 4
Lore: 3
Total: 13/20

Comment: That may seem like a low rewatch-ability score, but there's only two scenes I ever look forward to when rewatching TLJ: Kylo turning on Snoke and killing him and the ensuing fight, and Luke and Kylo's "fight" at the end.  It's a decently made film in terms of effects and acting and I found it probably the most believable of the sequel films.  It started the Force transport items technique, which I am not a fan of.

5. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 3
Quality: 4
Lore: 4
Total: 15/20

Comment: So many meme-worthy quotes and scenes in this, which makes it very rewatchable.  I'm still not a huge fan of how Anakin turned to the dark side, but it's definitely the best made prequel film.  I did like how Anakin became Darth Vader physically and they captured that very well.

4. Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 4
Quality: 4
Lore: 3
Total: 15/20

Comment: TFA is definitely the most rewatchable sequel film to me; I did see it three times in theaters.  Everything else was fairly decent and it was such a pleasant experience seeing a well-made Star Wars film with good acting and effects (and a well-written plot).  The part that was hardest to get over was how it cancelled out the Expanded Universe where Han and Leia had not just one kid but three, including a boy who turned to the dark side, just like Ben/Kylo.  But no one can say TFA is a bad film, and in my opinion, it's the best film outside of the Original Trilogy.

3. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 4
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 18/20

Comment: Most would agree RotJ is the worst of the Original Trilogy; but that's like saying The Fellowship of the Ring is the worst Lord of the Rings film.  It's still a really, really good movie.  I do find myself spacing out a little when I rewatch RotJ, if I'm being honest.  The only reason it doesn't get a 5 in believability is because of the Ewoks being able to take out the "entire legion of [The Emperor's] best troops".  It still fits in with the rest of the trilogy with being a high quality film and contributing mightily to the Star Wars lore.

2. Episode VII: The Empire Strikes Back
Rewatch-ability: 5
Believability: 4
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 19/20

Comment: Don't get me wrong, ESB is still amazing.  Most people consider it their favorite Star Wars film, and many consider it one of the greatest films ever made.  I just prefer the original over this.  I took off a point for believability (again) because of Luke heading to Bespin foolishly.  He also foolishly ignored Leia's screams of "It's a Trap!".  I guess Leia said it first.  But everything else is magnificent, and I'd feel overly critical to give this film less than a 19/20.

1. Episode IV: A New Hope
Rewatch-ability: 5
Believability: 5
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 20/20

Comment: To me, this feels like two movies in one.  There's the climax of escaping the Death Star and Obi-Wan and Darth Vader's fight, and then there's a second climax of Luke blowing up the Death Star.  This film epitomizes Star Wars, and not only have there been countless parodies of this film, but The Force Awakens is technically a re-imagining of this very plot.

So, here they are in order, from my least favorite to favorite:
9. Episode I TPM
8. Episode II AotC
7. Episode IX TRoS
6. Episode VIII TLJ
5. Episode III RotS
4. Episode VII TFA
3. Episode VI RoTJ
2. Episode V ESB
1. Episode IV ANH

If I were to include Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story, I would put Rogue One fifth behind The Force Awakens and I would put Solo between The Last Jedi and Revenge of the Sith.

And, let's see the average rank by trilogy:
Prequel: 7.3
Original: 2
Sequel: 5.6

A few of these could move up and down a spot, but not far.  The original trilogy is the best, and neither the prequel trilogy nor the sequel could live up to it.  The sequel trilogy, however, is better than the prequels as a whole. 

My Reviews of 2019 Movies

Hard to believe, but I saw 29 movies released in 2019 and 24 of them in theaters.  I think it was perhaps the best year for cinema ever.  Of course, if you haven't seen any of these films, this is your spoiler warning.  If you get to a film you're still planning on seeing don't read my review for it.  

Glass - 6.5/10
I don't know what it was.  It felt like it was missing something.  Or maybe I expected a movie with all three supernatural beings to be more exciting.  It kept me entertained, but that's about all I can say.  It was well acted by the big 3 of Jackson, Willis, and McAvoy, but that’s one of the few good things about it.

The Upside - 7.5/10
I definitely enjoyed this flick, but I wasn't really ever wowed by it.  Everything was pretty much expected from what I saw in the trailer.  Bryan Cranston was perfect as billionaire Phillip DeCasse.  Kevin Hart was believable as the ex-con father.  Kind of hard to believe Phillip would hire an ex-con to take care of him.  But Kevin and Bryan had great on-screen chemistry. 

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - 6.0/10
I can't explain it, but I just lost interest in this series as it went along.  The first one I really enjoyed, and the second one was okay, but I didn't enjoy quite as much.  This one was very meh.  The villain was so stereotypical and predictable.  I just lost interest at times.

The Lego Movie 2 - 5.5/10
I honestly didn't care for this one.  I think the magic of the first one didn't pass on to this one.  Also, I got spoiled a bit that Rex was Emmet because I saw Chris Pratt voiced both characters.  Oops.  Anyway, I didn't really see this film as necessary, although it did have some nice moments and I loved some of the voice casting.  Also they kind of copied Toy Story with the LEGO characters acting like sentient beings that could move.

Fighting with My Family - 7/10
It was fun and enjoyable, although a tad predictable.  I wish the brother had been able to advance as a wrestler, but seeing as this is based on a true story, they couldn’t make stuff up.  I fell in love with Florence Pugh’s portrayal of Saraya.  She did an amazing job and looked good while doing it.  Lena Headey and Nick Frost weren’t really believable as a married couple, but they somehow sort of made it work.

Dumbo - 7/10
Very cute and heartwarming.  Believable?  No.  But neither is a flying elephant.  The part that made me cringe was Michael Keaton's character basically destroying his own park's operations to try to get things under control.  It just made no sense.  The kid actors did a really good job.  Not my favorite Disney live action adaptation, but it certainly could've been worse.

Captain Marvel - 8/10
I'm torn with this one.  On one hand, Brie Larson killed at as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel.  On the other hand, I didn't really understand the mythos behind where she came from and how she lost her memories.  There were some parts that were too out there for me.  But I still enjoyed it as a whole.  And having Nick Fury lose his eye the way he did… too funny.

Us - 8.5/10
What Get Out lacked in violence this makes up for it in.  However, that doesn't mean it was better than Get Out.  The family we follow predictably makes some questionable choices.  And the twist was pretty obvious.  If Get Out had never happened, I think this would be a bit better received because people wouldn't have Get Out to compare it to.  But still it was thrilling, suspenseful, and captivating.

Avengers: Endgame - 10/10
This (slowly) became the biggest box office hit of all time, so I had to rate it high. It was everything I hoped for.  The only thing I wished for was that Spider-Man, Star Lord, and all the snapped Avengers appeared sooner.  But I totally understand why they didn't.  The Avengers saga was finished by all of the original Avengers.  My favorite moment by far was after all the Avengers appeared, Steve got Thor's Mjolnir, and he said his famous line: "Avengers... Assemble."  That gave me some of the biggest chills I have EVER experienced watching a movie.  And Captain Marvel's re-entrance was a close second.

Shazam! - 7.5/10
D.C. finally puts out a light-hearted and funny superhero film.  It didn't make me laugh as much I was hoping, probably because most of the funny moments were in the trailers.  Zachary Levi was an absolute perfect casting choice for Shazam.  There hasn't been a sequel announced yet, but they sure set up for one with the post-credits scene.  I hope they have a sequel and include an actual D.C. superhero to join Shazam.

Pet Sematary - 6.5/10
First off I wasn't a huge fan of the changes they made from the book: Most notably being Gage surviving and Ellie dying.  I wasn't a huge fan of Jason Clarke as Louis Creed, either.  He's not a bad actor, just not someone who I think fits the role.  And Lithgow, while a good actor himself, isn't 80+ years old like the book describes Jud Crandall as.  Despite all that, the movie was still enjoyable and thrilling.  It captured a lot of the same elements and feelings the book had.  However, I think the original film adaptation was a bit better at staying true to the book.

Aladdin - 8/10
One of the more enjoyable Disney live action adaptations.  Will Smith was surprisingly good and put his own take on the Genie.  Mena Massoud was very believable as Aladdin and did his singing parts well.  My biggest gripe with Aladdin was Jafar.  He sounded and looked almost nothing like the original.  He did, however, capture the evilness of Jafar, I'll give him that.  Also the climax/ending seemed a bit rushed.  It was definitely more suspenseful in the original animated version.  I did love how Genie introduced the story and then we find out he had kids with Jasmine's handmaiden.  Very cool addition.

Rocketman - 8.5/10
If Taron Egerton doesn't win awards for his portrayal of Sir Elton John, I'll be shocked and flabbergasted (He won a Golden Globe, at least).  Aside from Egerton, I still really enjoyed the film.  I learned a lot about "Reginald's" upbringing.  Richard Madden did a fantastic job.  And I like how they had Taron do his own versions of Elton's songs.  They were still very catchy and enjoyable.  My favorite would probably be "I'm Still Standing", the song done at the end.

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum - 8/10
I'll start out by saying John kicked ass with Halle Berry's character Sofia.  That scene with the two of them and her dogs was easily the highlight.  It's unfortunate she wasn't in the film at the end.  Of course the scene that was hard to watch was John having to cut off his own finger... ouch.  He is one tough motherf***er.  My favorite kill of John's would have to be the giant guy towards the beginning who he killed with just a book.  Either that or the horse kicking the one guy.  What'll he kill someone with next?  And then the ending... how the hell did John survive being shot and falling that far?  But it makes me excited for Chapter 4 for sure.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - 6/10
These Godzilla films just aren't doing it for me.  I found my believability in the film waning a lot.  I was entertained for most of the film, but I was never really wowed.  Millie Bobby Brown was great, but her character wasn't that well written.  I also didn't like how her dad played by Kyle Chandler basically become the decision maker when it came to Godzilla, yet he had no official rank or position. 

Detective Pikachu - 7.5/10
Never did I think we'd ever see a live action Pokemon movie.  First off I thought Justice Smith did a great job in the lead role.  But my favorite was of course Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu.  He was hilarious as usual.  And I saw him being Tim's (Justice Smith) father from a mile away.  Bill Nighy was predictably cast as the villain.  I would definitely watch this again on a rainy day.

Toy Story 4 - 8.5/10
The toys get separated and have to work and scheme to make their way back to each other.  Sound familiar?  This time it's Woody going after Bonnie's new favorite toy "Forky".  I mean you could make a hundred Toy Story films with the same general plot.  But I liked the additions of the new toys.  And they did such a great job of turning Gabby Gabby from a villain to a toy to root for.  I actually got tears in my eyes when she was accepted by that little girl and her family.  The main gripe I have is that Woody was separated from all the other toys.  Maybe they're setting up for Toy Story 5.  We'll see.

Yesterday  - 7.5/10
So Earth experiences a worldwide flash/loss of power and a British-born Indian fellow named Jack Malik is one of a few people who remembers the Beatles.  It's an interesting premise, but never really explained.  I did really like Himesh Patel's performance; both his singing and acting were great.  It was also funnier than I thought it would be with Joel Fry's character of Rocky providing most of the comic relief.  Lily James was as lovely as ever.  When Jack went to visit one of the Beatles, I so wish Paul McCartney was going to make a cameo appearance.  Instead, they cast an actor to play John Lennon.  Oh well.  Still a very enjoyable film, despite its lack of believability.

The Lion King - 8.5/10
Say what you want, I loved it.  It was well cast, my favorite being Billy Eichner as Timon.  I just didn't really like Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar.  Apparently Jeremy Irons was willing to reprise his role of Scar (just like James Earl Jones reprised his role as Mufasa), so why not let him?  Anyway, the film didn't deviate too much from the animated original which I liked.  I liked the new hyenas, and they stayed true to actual hyenas by having female be the leader and the biggest which is true in real life.  The thing that made this film was the chemistry between Eichner, Seth Rogen,  and Donald Glover.  They really did seem like old friends.

Spider-Man: Far From Home - 9/10
Best standalone superhero movie I've seen in years.  Jake Gyllenhaal's character being the bad guy was pretty obvious, but the film was entertaining from start to finish.  Tom Holland again absolutely KILLED it as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and even Zendaya did a great job as MJ.  I loved the illusions Mysterio made Spider-Man see and how Spider-Man had to fight against it to finally beat him.  And then the post-credits scene... biggest jaw dropper of a post credits scene I’ve ever scene.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - 8.5/10
Boy I sure could tell this was a Tarantino flick.  DiCaprio was awesome, but Brad Pitt may have been even better.  Could Pitt get a supporting actor nomination?  I could definitely see it (He did).  This film was quite drawn out and long, as are many Tarantino films, but sometimes I wondered why certain scenes and dialogue was in there.  But at the end it sure had a great climax and surprisingly for a Tarantino film, had a happy ending.  At first I didn’t like how he basically “rewrote history”, but after contemplating on it for a bit, I’m glad he did.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw - 8/10
I can see why they made this F&F spinoff film.  Johnson and Statham have great chemistry.  Throw in Kirby and that threesome really gelled well together.  Idris Elba was awesome as the villain and seemed unbeatable.  It was also surprisingly funny.  I didn't like how they had to force the romance between Hobbs and Hattie (Kirby).  Didn't seem natural.  Another thing that bugged me was how it was portrayed Deckard Shaw was only a few years older than his sister Hattie, when in reality Statham is over TWENTY years older than Vanessa Kirby.  I guess Statham just ages really well, but I wish they had been portrayed as further apart in age.  Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this film and I loved how they showed Hobbs' Samoan roots.

Angel Has Fallen - 7/10
Hard to say which film in the "Has Fallen" series is best, but Angel Has Fallen may be it.  It was enjoyable throughout, and Nick Nolte as Mike's father was a nice addition.  I didn't like how they recast Mike's wife, Leah.  Also this marks the second straight in the series a black female authority figure dies.  I liked Morgan Freeman as the president, and Tim Blake Nelson as the deceitful and villainous VP.  Lastly, the premise of this movie is timid at best.  Why wouldn't the FBI at least give Mike a chance that he was set up?  Hasn't he proven his integrity and worth time and time again?  Other than that, solid film. 

It : Chapter Two - 7.5/10
This film was a mixed bag.  There were parts I liked and parts I didn't.  I don't think it was as good as its predecessor.  I really liked the scene at the Chinese restaurant and how they imagined everything transforming and trying to hurt them.  I didn't like the end and how they tried to get back to Pennywise.  I lost interest.  The ending in how they defeated Pennywise was a bit underwhelming.  I will say they cast very well for the most part, and the actors did a pretty decent job.

Joker - 9.5/10
Holy shit.  Excuse my language, but this movie stunned me.  I should've seen some things coming, but I didn't.  I tried not to predict what would happen or think too much during the film, and I'm glad I did.  If there ever were a film based on a comic book that showed how some fairly normal person can turn into a murdering lunatic, this is it.  Joaquin Phoenix was absolutely tremendous, and it certainly was the best acting I've ever seen from him.  He should at least be nominated for an Oscar.  Will they make a sequel?  They might just have to.

The Addams Family - 6.5/10
Honestly, it wasn't bad.  But there were too many moments that were eye roll-inducing.  The pink house being the worst.  I don't know why this had to be made, and I don't know how they already have a sequel in the works.  I liked the voice casting choices and they all did a great job.  Writing?  Meh at best.

Doctor Sleep - 7.5/10
This film was so close to being a lot better.  Ewan McGregor was a decent choice for Danny, but the original Danny had brown eyes and they had to change that... Anyway, the villains weren't too compelling and Rebecca Ferguson's "Rosie" character--what was her power again?  But it kept me entertained which isn't easy to do for a 2 and a half hour movie.

Knives Out - 9/10
A great murder mystery film.  The set-up was great, and I was able to keep track of (most of) the characters and their ties to the family.  I thought Ana De Armas was perfect as the caretaker that we could root for.  Chris Evans proved he can go from a hero to basically being the villain.  I think this is a film that requires a rewatch just so you can see everyone’s motives again and better understand the choices they make.  Daniel Craig’s southern accent wasn’t bad, but I’m so used to hearing his British one that it was a bit of a distraction.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - 7.0/10
I hate rating a Star Wars movie less than 8/10, but “The Rise of Skywalker” doesn’t deserve it.  There are too many things that, upon reflection, bother me about the film and the way the “Skywalker Saga” concluded.  Rey being Palpatine’s granddaughter is probably worse than being a nobody.  I liked the idea that a girl (or anyone) doesn’t have to have special parents (or ancestors) to be a special person themselves.  The Chewbacca red herring was unnecessary.  What did BB-8 do, again?  Oh yeah, he helped with Rey’s training… at the beginning.  And I do not like how you can now transport matter using the Force, although that was technically introduced in The Last Jedi.  And I don’t like how you can Force heal anyone.  Makes me wonder why it wasn’t a necessary part of Jedi training and why Obi-Wan didn’t use it to save Qui-Gon, or why Anakin didn’t use it to save his mother.  Sometimes introducing plot devices in a series creates plot holes for the other films.  JJ started out the sequel trilogy pretty great with The Force Awakens, but he finished it rather lamely with this one.

Well, that was all the films I saw in 2019!  I don’t think I’ll see quite as many in 2020.  One, because I don’t think there’s as many films coming out that I want to see, and two, because I’m going to try to save a bit more money, and constantly going to the theaters to see films adds up.  But if it’s a special film that I will enjoy, then it’s worth it.  But I will definitely be more selective here in 2020.  Check my other post here to see what films I’m looking forward to in 2020.

Movies I am Most Looking Forward to in 2020

The year 2019 was an amazing year for movies and big box office hits.  We had Avengers: Endgame, the biggest box office hit ever.  We also had Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Lion King, It: Chapter Two, Joker, and Aladdin.  Coming soon, I'll post quick reviews of every 2019 release I saw, giving my thoughts on each of them.  And now you can go to that by clicking here.

But what does 2020 hold in store for cinema?  I'll rate each film on a score of 1-5, 5 being I will definitely see it, and 1 being I probably won't see it in theaters unless my friends really want to.

Dolitte: 2
As of me writing this, Dolittle is already out in theaters and I don't have plans to see it yet, so I might not.  I might have to watch it after it's been released on DVD/digital.

Birds of Prey: 2
This is like a spin-off from Suicide Squad, I guess.  I like Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, so I might see this.  But I'm not dying to see it.

Sonic the Hedgehog: 1
I was never a huge fan of the Sonic games as a kid, although I did play them a little.  This might be interesting, but something I can definitely wait to watch.

The Call of the Wild: 1
Not a movie I'm desperate to see, but Harrison Ford might have some meme-worthy quotes in this.  Him as a grumpy old man is just pure entertainment to me.

Onward: 3
Tom Holland and Chris Pratt voice brothers who are trying to resurrect their dad, I think.  Looks fun and heart-warming.  It could go either way if I see this in theaters or not.

A Quiet Place Part II: 4
I really enjoyed the first one, and thought it set up very well for a sequel.  Without John Krasinski, it won't be the same, but it'll still be with the same family.  We'll probably see this.

Mulan: 3
Disney continues with its live-action remakes of their animated classics.  This is one I would see, but I don't have to.  I don't really like the idea of giving Disney money to urge them to make more live-action remakes, although I've done that plenty already.

No Time to Die: 4
I'm a fairly big James Bond fan, having seen all of the Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig "Bond" films (I still need to watch the older ones, especially the ones with Connery).  If my friends don't want to see it, I might have to see it on my own, depending on the reviews it gets.

Black Widow: 5
I love the casting in this, from David Harbour to Rachel Weisz.  This will probably be the last time we see ScarJo as Black Widow, and I'll be interested to see what connections this has to the other Marvel/Avengers films.

Fast & Furious 9: 5
I got into the Fast & the Furious series in the past couple years.  I even saw "Hobbs & Shaw" last year.  They return to the rest of the crew, and I'm excited to see it, even if I might have to see it on my own (again).

Wonder Woman 1984: 4
Gal Gadot kills it as Wonder Woman.  From the trailer, it looks to be another well-made Wonder Woman movie.  I will almost for sure see this, although I think I could wait until DVD/digital release if need be.

Top Gun: Maverick: 1
Fun fact: Top Gun (the original) is the only film I've seen in a different language.  I saw it dubbed in German in my German class in high school.  I don't know if I'll see this (probably not), but I'd have to watch the original in English first.

Free Guy: 5
This looks crazy, but in a good way.  I hope this gets good reviews.  I know of a few YouTubers who have small roles in this.  I'll definitely see this, being a huge gamer myself.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife: 2
I have only seen Ghostbusters 1, the original.  I didn't see any of its sequels/spin-offs.  So it's a bit unlikely I'll see this, but you never know.  Reviews might dictate if I see it or not.

Tenet: 4
Christopher Nolan is at it again, and how will he mess with our minds this time?  I'm curious to find out.  I definitely want to see it at some point, hopefully in theaters.

Bill & Ted Face the Music: 3
I really enjoyed the original Bill & Ted, so I might see this one.  Hard to believe they are doing another after so many years.

The King's Man: 3
This film was originally supposed to come out in November 2019, then it was pushed to February 2020, and now it's September 2020.  Those delays make me not really want to see it, despite being a fan of the first to "Kingsmen" films.  There's no Colin Firth or Taron Egerton in this, so it'll be hard to relate.

BIOS: 2
It's directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who directed some of the best Game of Thrones episodes.  It also stars one of my favorite actors, Tom Hanks.  I might see it, might not.  I'll have to see what the trailer looks like.

Halloween Kills: 3
I saw "Halloween" in 2018, so I'll probably see this at some point.  Hard to believe Michael Myers keeps surviving.

Eternals: 3
It's a Marvel movie, so I will definitely see it sooner or later.  There are no returning Marvel characters in this, so we'll see how it does at the box office.  Also, people might have "Marvel fatigue" and not want to see a Marvel movie after Endgame.  I guess this also applies to Black Widow.

Godzilla vs. Kong: 3
I've not been too impressed with the recent Godzilla movies, especially the most recent one, "King of the Monsters".  But I am a big monster movie fan, so I will see this.  I could pass on seeing it in theaters, though.

That's it... not that impressive of a list, to be honest.  And there's not really a film I was as excited to see as Star Wars and Avengers: Endgame.  But here's my top 5:

5. A Quiet Place Part II
4. No Time to Die
3. Fast & Furious 9
2. Black Widow
1. Free Guy

Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies

I thought I'd go for a fun kind of post and I was thinking about what my favorite guilty pleasure movies are the other day.  I have come up with my Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies.  None of these are critically acclaimed, but every single one of them is entertaining and I have seen multiple times.  It's just something about these films; I just enjoy sitting back and turning my brain off and watching these every few years.  And, in order for a film to be on here, it has to have less than a 7.0 rating on IMDB, and the ratings on IMDB follow the titles of the films.  Here they are:


Honorable Mention: Smart House - 6.3
I had to give honorable mention to my favorite Disney Channel original movie growing up, Smart House.  It's only a TV Movie, so I couldn't quite count it.  But as a kid I wanted a smart house just like the one in the movie, one that would make me meals, instantly clean up messes, and play whatever I want to watch on the entire wall.  And I would know better than to disobey it and piss it off, unlike the family in this movie.

Second Honorable Mention: Rat Race - 6.4
I remember my parents taking me to see this in theaters, and yes, I was only 12 at the time, so a bit raunchy for 12-year-old me.  But I thought it was one of the funniest movies I had ever seen, and it still to this day makes me laugh.  I got it on DVD in the early 2000s and watched it every few years as I got older, each time understanding a new joke or two.  And the cast is just terrific, from Jon Lovitz to Cuba Gooding Jr. to Rowan Atkinson to Seth Green to Whoopi Goldberg.  


10. Jack Frost - 5.4
Another film with a hard-to-believe premise: A father dies, but his spirit/soul brings a snowman to life and he is able to interact and talk to his son a year after passing.  I liked this movie growing up, and it always made a great movie to watch around the winter holidays.  I particularly like the song "Hey Now Now" by Swirl 360 that plays when Charlie and his "dad" get away from the bullies.  It's so 1990's.

9. Like Mike - 5.2
A kid finds some of Michael Jordan's old sneakers and suddenly gains his basketball ability by wearing the shoes.  It's an interesting story, but I like that it has a basketball theme.  There's a sub-plot of the kid being at an orphanage and trying to get adopted, and eventually does.  Jesse Plemons is in this in the first role I saw him in, as a fellow kid/bully in the orphanage.  I also like the cameos by all the NBA players in this, although no Michael Jordan.

8. Jingle All the Way - 5.6
My favorite guilty pleasure Christmas Movie, Jingle All the Way is fun to watch even outside the Christmas season.  There are so many hard to believe things in this film, but there are so many classic scenes and lines such as "Put the cookie down, now!" and "I'm not a puh-vert!".  It's just a fun film and Arnie just kills it.  And this is not the only time a film Jake Lloyd acted in is on this list.

7. Bruce Almighty - 6.7
This is one of my favorite Jim Carrey roles.  Carrey, playing the titular role, gets the powers of God and uses them with hilarious results.  The casting of Morgan Freeman as God was absolutely perfect.  And Jim perfectly inserts some of his funny and quirky mannerisms into the role.  I'm surprised this doesn't have a bit higher rating, but there are times when the movie just tries too hard to be funny.  I like Jennifer Aniston in this, but she seems a bit out of Bruce's league. 

6. The Island - 6.8
Ewan McGregor in a sci-fi movie?  I'll always go for that. 😉  In this, he plays a clone that escapes his institution along side a very fine looking Scarlett Johansson who also plays a clone.  This movie has been out for a while now, so much so that when this film was shot and set "in the future", well that future is now the past.  I happened to watch The Island the day this was set, July 19, 2019.  This film was also made by Michael Bay, maybe the king of guilty pleasure directors, but he's only on this list once for me.  My favorite line(s): "I'm Tom Lincoln!" "No, I'm Tom Lincoln!"

5. Godzilla (1998) - 5.4
Yes, the 1998 Godzilla starring Matthew Broderick is one of my favorite guilty pleasure films.  I remember how hyped the movie was when it came out, and I even owned a Godzilla toy from that film that screamed like the movie version and stomped and "wagged" it's tail.  I remember seeing it as a kid and it scaring me a bit, but not anymore obviously.  As a sports fan, I loved how the climax was set at Madison Square Garden where the Knicks play.  They set up for a possible sequel with one of Godzilla's babies surviving in the end, but nothing came of it.  Oh well, the sequel probably would have been even worse.

4. Click - 6.4
This is my favorite Adam Sandler movie, believe it or not.  And I just found out, for the longest time this film had Adam Sandler's only death scene (until "Uncut Gems", I believe).  It's got such an interesting (but flawed) concept, but I love it.  He controls the universe with a remote, with unfortunate side effects.  I like how the film teaches us to enjoy moments in life we take for granted, such as time with our parents, working, and foreplay with the wife 🤣.  I also love all the actors in this and their connections to other things or people.  Adam Sandler's mom was played by Julie Kavner, who voices Marge Simpson.  We also see his kids played by Lorraine Nicholson and Jake Hoffman, the children of Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman, respectively.  And we see a small role from Jonah Hill.

3. National Treasure: Book of Secrets - 6.5
You knew Nicolas Cage had to be on here at some point, right?  He's the king of guilty pleasure actors.  In this sequel, he "kidnaps the president" and goes to a secret cave inside Mount Rushmore.  I just love the two National Treasure films, and I wish they had made another.  By this point, a third National Treasure film would feel forced, irrelevant, and not as interesting.  However, a third one is listed on IMDB as "In Development", although I believe it has been that way for a few years.   I believe they are having trouble either writing the script or finding writers for it.

2. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - 6.5
What, I can have a Star Wars film on here!  And there's no better example of a guilty pleasure Star Wars film than Episode I: The Phantom Menace.  I do enjoy watching this and I never skip over it when I watch the Star Wars films (or prequel trilogy).  I remember all the promotions for the film when it came out and each time I watch Episode I, it gives me that feeling of nostalgia.  Sometimes I even get the urge to watch just this film and not Episodes II or III.  Jar Jar doesn't annoy me quite as much as he annoys other Star Wars fans.

1. National Treasure - 6.8
Well, you knew if National Treasure 2 was on here, the first one would have to be on here as well.  I have lost count of the amount of times I have seen this.  I love the history they incorporated into this movie, even if it's not all true.  And, this was for the longest time the only thing I had seen Sean Bean in where he doesn't die.  And, I could be mistaken, but it might be the only film where he plays the villain but doesn't die.

Like I said, I just enjoy turning my brain off and watching any of these films.  I think the thing they have in common is that each one has something happen in it that is just never possible in the real world: A person coming back to life, a dog playing football, a universal remote that controls the universe, and stealing the Declaration of Independence.  Oh, and Star Wars.

Top Ten Star Wars Movie Ideas (with pictures!)

With Disney's acquisition of Star Wars in 2012, they finally allowed us to see non-episodic Star Wars films.  There have been two so far: Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story.  Many consider Rogue One to be the best written film since the Original Trilogy, and many consider Solo to be underrated, myself included.  Solo suffered at the box office, not because it was a bad film, but because it was released less than 6 months after The Last Jedi and many were suffering from "Star Wars fatigue".  If there was a film released every 6 months, you wouldn't really look forward to them as much, would you?  It seems as though the poor box office results of Solo have scared Disney from making more spin-off films.  But we know they'll get back to it, and we'll have one 2-5 years after Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is out.  So, here are my Top 10 Ideas (ranked) for Star Wars films they could make.  I ranked them mainly based on how likely they are to be made, but also I factored in a little bit of how much I'd want them to be made as well.  Keep in mind I did my best to come up with titles.  Also, I really had to focus on films that have at least a small shot of happening some day.  So there won't be any films with Darth Vader as the main character, unfortunately.

10. Qui-Gon Jinn: A Bigger Fish Story
Qui-Gon Jinn is a beloved Star Wars character.  If you remember in Ep. II, Count Dooku revealed to us he was Qui-Gon's master.  I would love to see their relationship and Qui-Gon's training.  We could see hints of Dooku's fall to the dark side.  Obviously, two new actors would have to play them (RIP Christopher Lee).  My ideas are Colin Farrell for Dooku and Tom Holland for Qui-Gon.  Would Star Wars fans still go for this?  Meh, but I know I would.  Also, the title is a joke (mostly), but I just could not resist.

9. Star Wars: The Formation of the Alliance
I could see a film set between Ep. III and IV revolving around the formation of the Rebel Alliance.  I mean, technically we saw the very beginnings of it in the Episode III deleted scene, but this could greatly expand upon that.  It would have another chance to feature Darth Vader (who wouldn't want that?).  And it could show the very first conflicts between the Alliance and the Empire.  One reason I want this to happen (and soon) is I think Millie Bobby Brown would make a really great young Princess Leia.  But they would have to make the movie soon before she gets too old.  Otherwise they'd have to have a casting call and audition hundreds of young actresses.  Also, if they could make this soon they could recast Jimmy Smits in the role of Senator Bail Organa.


8. Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the New Order
Now I know I've heard after Episode IX, Star Wars will forever be done with the Skywalker saga. I don't think that's entirely true.  I mean, they'll be done with the story of the Skywalkers after IX, with Luke dead and Kylo Ren either dead or redeemed (probably).  However, I think they still could make a film between Episodes VI and VII about Luke starting the New Jedi Order and how it fell after he lost his nephew, Ben Solo.  The reason I think this COULD be possible is because there is a decent and well-known actor named Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes in the MCU) who looks SO much like Mark Hamill.  It's crazy.  Hamill and Stan are even aware of it.  And I'm pretty darn sure Mark Hamill would be happy with Stan playing Luke.  The problem being of course is if Stan wanted to do it and if he could pull it off.



7. Windu: A Star Wars Story
In order to have a film centered around a certain character, that character has to be two things: One, he has to be human (Sorry Yoda, Chewbacca, and R2/Threepio), and two, he has to be good/light side.  The audience has to be able to relate to the main character.  So with that in mind, one of the few characters that fits this that isn't a Skywalker is Mace Windu.  And Star Wars would greatly benefit from a film centered around a black character, as it could draw a lot of African-American people into the Star Wars films.  It could maybe even be the "Black Panther" of Star Wars films.  Also, I'd love to see Mace as a young Jedi, learning from his master, Cyslin Myr.  Any tough female actress could play Cyslin, perhaps Danai Gurira.  As for Mace, I'd like to see Corey Hawkins in the role (24, Straight Outta Compton, The Walking Dead).



6. Star Wars: A Jedi's Path I would love to see a Star Wars film about a new character, but with a familiar setting.  This film would follow a Jedi and her path through training and fighting in the Clone Wars.  And I think it should be a female Jedi because there aren't enough female heroines in Star Wars.  The film would have a sad ending more than likely, as nearly all of the Jedi were wiped out in the great Jedi purge of Order 66.  Maybe she could survive at the end and live as an outcast (but would obviously lose her master).  But to see parts of Episodes II and III from someone else's perspective could be really cool.  If this film is done soon enough, a lot of the same actors could be used in the roles they had (Samuel L. Jackson, Ian McDiarmid).  Honestly, if they cast a well-known or up and coming actress and they market it well enough, this could be one of the biggest Star Wars spin-off films, perhaps the "Wonder Woman" of Star Wars spin-off films.



5. Dash Rendar: A Smuggler's Story 

The debate rages on about what is considered Star Wars canon and what is not.  I think ultimately Disney will need to decide if they want to "borrow" characters and character traits from what they call "Legends".  As I was thinking of EU/Legend characters, Dash Rendar came to me.  He is actually considered canon now because he was mentioned in a canonized Star Wars book (Solo: A Star Wars Story: Tales from Vandor).  Does that mean they'll make a film about him?  No.  But imagine if they did, and borrowed from "Shadows of the Empire".  If they could recreate anything from that, it would bring so many of us right back to our childhoods.  And Dash could be played by any actor deserving of the part as his appearance has not been canonized in any way.  Personally, I'd like Charlie Cox (Daredevil) for the role, as he screen tested for Han Solo in "Solo: A Star Wars Story" but didn't get the part.




4. The Adventures of Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron is a fan favorite character. We know Disney will be fond of the Sequel Trilogy after "Rise of Skywalker" has been out and might want to spin off from it with one of the sequel trilogy characters.  It comes down to Finn and Poe, and I pick Poe.  We could hopefully see him as a teen growing up and learning how to pilot, and see him right before the events of "The Force Awakens" and see what lead to him being on Jakku and how well he knew Lor San Tekka.  And we could see him after "Rise of Skywalker" and see if he has a partner and/or kids.  He might be leading the Resistance at this point, but could still have some action.  We'd have to have BB-8 of course.  And this is the first film on here that wouldn't have to be recast as Oscar Isaac could still play the role.  The only additional casting for Poe they might do is for a younger version of him.  I don't see this as a huge box office hit, and may end up being a TV show instead (Poe is featured on Star Wars Resistance).

3. FETT
I think a movie about Boba Fett is possible, despite what I said earlier in the Mace Windu movie about the protagonist having to be good and light-sided.  Boba is a very complex character, more morally gray than anything.  It could even be set after the events of Episodes IV or V (or between III and IV).  And I would love them to show Fett escaping from the sarlaac pit; maybe even show him fighting it.  In order to draw in fans, they'd have to cast a bigger name than Daniel Logan.  The problem is that Boba is an unaltered clone of Jango Fett, meaning as an adult he would look just like Temuera Morrison.  However, the writers could come up with a clever tactic as to why he doesn't look exactly like him; something like the cloning process wasn't perfect.  Therefore, my choice for Boba would be Toby Sebastian (Game of Thrones).  He looks the part and has a leading man kind of appearance.



2. Star Wars: The Old Republic
Ever since the Knights of the Old Republic video game, I've wanted a movie set around the era of the Old Republic.  Specifically, I would want it centered around Darth Revan, Bastila, and Carth.  With Disney's acquisition of Star Wars that story lost it's canonization, but they could still make a film with a lot of the same elements (and could borrow some characters, too).  It would be very cool to see some characters here and there from KOTOR that us players of the game could pick up on in the film.  The biggest downside to this is that it would be the first film (unless one comes out before it) that isn't set anywhere close to the lives of likable characters such as Yoda, C-3PO and R2D2.  It would feel a lot different and not having a single recognizable character could hurt the film at the box office by dissuading a lot of the casual fans from seeing it.

1. Star Wars: Obi-Wan
Fans have been clamoring for an Obi-Wan film for years.  It would be set between episodes III and IV, and we'd see Obi-Wan on Tattooine looking after Luke.  Ewan McGregor is more than ready and willing to reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi.  His character is beloved throughout the Star Wars fandom.  One problem with this I see is writing out a plot that is worthy of a solo film but also doesn't contradict Episode IV.  Remember, the Empire was still unaware of his presence in Ep. IV.  So who would he fight?  We know he fights and kills Maul for good thanks to Star Wars Rebels, but who else?  My only thought is the criminal organization revealed in Solo called "Crimson Dawn".  Could be a way to tie up Solo to this.  Also, there's only so much you can do on a desert planet, he'd almost have to leave Tatooine so that the entire film is not set there.  He could meet up with Yoda on Dagobah and get some advice, and we could see part of how you become a Force ghost and become one with the Force.


There is my list of the Top Ten Star Wars Movie Ideas.  I'd be willing to bet money at least one of these (if not more) becomes a film some day.  If indeed that does happen, I will probably come back here and add my comments to the film that actually got made.  Honestly, I'd love it if ANY of these got made.  It's really a shame Disney handicapped itself by declaring Expanded Universe material as non-canon, but as I said earlier, that doesn't mean those characters can not or did not exist.  Also, if on the very off chance that any Disney/Lucasfilm executive happens to be reading this, please consider making the films on this list, especially the ones towards the end!  Also name me lead screenwriter (lol just kidding... or am I?)

My Summer Movie Season

Watching movies over the summer?  Still hard to do.  With work and play, I found not much time to watch movies, but I did what I could.  The unfortunate thing to me is though that I didn't really watch any films that wowed me (in a good way).  No film scored higher than an 8/10 with me.  And I know I said I would watch 32 movies, but I only got to 22.  Yikes.  I'm sorry.  And there will be no awards, seeing as there weren't too many quality films nor films in general.  But here are my reviews nonetheless.


Labyrinth - 7/10
Pretty much what I expected.  I thought it would have a few more musical numbers, but the one prominent one it did have, "Dance Magic Dance", was catchy and enjoyable.  Hard to believe Jennifer Connolly was only 15 during the making of this film.  Felt a bit too childish for an adult, but too scary for kids.  But it had some good morals and interesting and wise life lessons.

X-Men First Class - 8/10
Never before had I seen an X-Men movie, but this one I really enjoyed.  I think I liked the casting most of all, with Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy perfectly cast.  Not sure if I'll ever watch the original X-Men films because I keep hearing how characters are different, relationships change, etc.  But this one had great CGI and the early flashbacks added some good depth to the characters.

22 Jump Street - 5/10
I shouldn't have watched this movie while I was so tired, because I kept dozing off.  Couldn't tell if I was that tired or if the movie wasn't that interesting.  I just expect more from an action comedy, I guess.  I also realized that I had already seen the final few minutes of the film already when it was on TV.  Just overall not that enjoyable of an experience for me, and I don't recall laughing, either.  Maybe a tiny bit during the "My name is Jeff" line. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows - 6/10
Didn't see the first in this new TMNT series, but they did a fairly decent job making me not feel too lost.  I thought the Turtles were cool and the CGI was a bit better than I expected, but there were too many things with the film that made me shake my head, such as Casey Jones getting kicked into a car, causing a HUGE dent, and getting up with no visible damage.  Also Shredder for me was a disappointment.  But the movie kept me entertained throughout, and the credits sequence with the classic TMNT theme song was awesome, so at least there's that.

Now You See Me 2 - 6/10
Not sure I liked this one quite as much as the first.  But it was decent enough, with most of the tricks impressing me, although I did see the final one coming, sort of.  Lizzy Caplan was a welcome replacement for Isla Fisher.  Daniel Radcliffe, however, was sorely underutilized.  He played one of the most famous magicians in fictional history in Harry Potter yet he technically isn't seen performing any magic in this.  Was a bit disappointed.

Lolita - 6/10
A remake of the 1960s version based on novel... wasn't that entertained by it.  Jeremy Irons is good, and his voice just has a velvety smoothness that makes him very easy to listen to, and smart of any director to include narration when he has a lead role.  The fact that this almost 20 year old movie was set in the 50s really made it feel older than it is... today it looks/feels like it was made in the 80's.  

Finding Dory - 8/10
I thought this was a very good follow up/sequel to Finding Nemo.  Didn't seem to quite have the magic the first one did, but it still was very enjoyable and heartwarming.  I didn't like how much the fish and Hank the "Septopus" were out of the water, and Hank driving a big truck and NOT hitting anything?  Really?  Other than that it was very well made and I definitely want to watch it again. 

Thor: The Dark World - 6/10
Wasn't too impressed with this Thor sequel.  So Loki's not dead (called it), what a surprise.  I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, but it did have some nice moments.  For me, Kat Dennings stole the show.  She either was the black sheep or the star, either way the performances of Hemsworth, Portman, and others really lacked.  We'll see how "Ragnarok" is.

R.I.P.D. - 7/10
A lot of people say this is bad, and I can kind of see why, but I found it to be pretty enjoyable.  I laughed several times.  And whenever a movie introduces a new universe/concept you have to give it some credit.  Reynolds and Bridges worked well together and I'd love to see them team up again, even if it's not in the R.I.P.D. universe. 

Independence Day: Resurgence - 6/10
Kind of a letdown, I gotta say.  It never really wowed me, but kept me entertained at least.  Not having Will Smith hurt a bit, and Liam Hemsworth is not a suitable replacement, in my opinion.  No A list stars in this one, so it felt kinda like a "B" movie.  Too many predictable moments.  But I like the idea of an intergalactic war, something we'll see in ID3.  That premise seems to be intriguing and makes for a more interesting plot than, "They're back". 

10 Cloverfield Lane - 8/10
I definitely found this movie intriguing.  It had me going back and forth between whether or not Howard (John Goodman) was telling the truth.  Turns out he was sort of right, but he knew he was lying.  I'm usually not a fan of movies that change genres, and this one definitely seemed to, going from thriller to possibly horror to sci-fi.  I definitely would like to see a sequel, see what happens to Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).

The Butterfly Effect - 8/10
Ok, I gotta admit I have seen this before, but two things: One, it had been about 10 years, so I had forgotten most of it.  Two, I hadn't seen the Director's Cut, so having a different ending almost makes it a different movie.  I gotta say though, with the Director's Cut ending, it's very sad.  Evan (Ashton Kutcher) can go back to past moments in his life, and he does to right before his birth, and he is somehow able to choke himself with the umbilical cord, ending his life.  Not a huge fan of this ending, which kept me from giving it a 9, but otherwise this movie was fantastic, some of Ashton's best work.

Maggie - 4/10
Never have I seen a more boring Zombie movie.  I cared very little for the characters, and Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn't in it as much as he would appear to be based on his billing.  There were only a few moments I was completely focused on the film, one of them being when Maggie (Abigail Breslin) cuts off her decaying finger.  Yikes.  Other than that, I found little value in this film.

Requiem for a Dream - 3/10
Hate on me all you want, but I couldn't stand this movie.  I believed Jared Leto and Jennifer Connolly as a couple, and I liked the score by Clint Mansell, but that's it.  I just could not enjoy this film other than that.  It's really a film that you have to find the deeper meaning behind, and needless to say I failed to do so.

The Help - 8/10
While I felt my attention ebbing away at times, I thought the acting was good and the costumes/sets were all very well done.  I thought it was a bit too long and the pacing was a bit drawn out, but that's what you get with period films, often ones based on books. 

Suicide Squad - 7/10
Joker was sorely underutilized and the plot was a bit simplistic, but I did really enjoy it.  Will Smith was terrific as Deadshot and Margot Robbie was PERFECT as Harley Quinn.  They did a decent enough job making us root for the bad guys, basically, which is not an easy task. 

The Incredibles - 8/10
Techincally I had already seen this, but I don't think I had in its entirety and it had been awhile.  Sue me.  Anyway, this was a very well done family-friendly film by Brad Bird and I'm glad to hear they're making a sequel. 

The BFG - 7/10
I thought Spielberg did a really good job, bringing to life Roal Dahl's children's book.  The part I didn't like was the Queen and her staff going along with everything, including drinking the BFG's green liquid (she didn't even know what it was!).  But if you can get past the believability factor, it's enjoyable and fun for the whole family.

The War Zone - 7/10
What a disturbed family.  Anyway, I thought the pacing was decent and my emotions kind of went in stride with Tom's, but it was a bit too messed up, even for me.  Colin Farrell had like, one scene?  But the acting was VERY good, from Lara Belmont to Tilda Swinton to Ray Winstone.

Blair Witch - 5/10
Never having seen the original "Blair Witch Project" I went into this with few expectations and I was still disappointed.  The fate of most characters is left up in the air, and this mysterious "witch" is still mysterious.  It did have some heart-pounded moments that kept me on the edge of my seat, but that's about it.

The Aviator - 8/10
I think Leo deserved his first Oscar win here, but other than that there wasn't a ton I was impressed by.  Cate Blanchett's acting was really good as well.  It was fun to see the lives of the real actresses, which I presume were fairly accurate.  But I just couldn't bring myself to care for Howard Hughes that much.  But whenever Scorsese and Leo get together they always make a quality film.  This just happens to be my least favorite of theirs.

Knock Knock - 5/10
Boy those b*****s were CRAZY.  Killing a man's friend and ruining all of his belongings, probably ruining his marriage, only because he gave into their HUMONGOUS advances.  Sure.  Anyway, aside from the believability, it was a bit funny at times, but the kind of funny where it's so bad it's funny, like Keanu's acting at times.  It kept me engaged throughout so at least it was entertaining, but the ending left a bit to be desired, like the wife confronting him.  But the son's line at the end... not much tops, "Dad had a party!" 

Well, thanks for reading!  As you can tell I love doing short reviews of films, and if my heart is in it more (And if I have enough time) I may do another movie spree, maybe Movie May 3 next year?  Still have plenty of films I own I still haven't watched!

My Movie May Reviews, Awards, and More!

Well, I did it.  I completed Movie May.  I watched a movie every day in the month of May.  I will admit sometimes I got too tired to finish a movie on the day I started it, but I would always end up finishing it the next morning.  I always started watching a new movie each day, and in the month of May I fully watched 31 films from start to finish.

The combined runtimes of every film I watched is 3,306 minutes, or 55 hours and 6 minutes.  I spent two and 1/3 days in the month of May, just watching movies.  I watched 11 films that I rented (7 from Safeway, 4 from Redbox), 11 films on Netflix, six that I had already owned, and 3 in theaters.  The average rating I gave these films was a 6.67.

I also found myself watching a few films I hadn't put on my list to begin with.  I only watched 24 of the 41 films on my list, meaning there were 7 I watched that I hadn't planned on, those with asterisks after the title.  So here are the films with a rating out of 10, plus a short review.

Red = Netflix
Black = Own
Blue = Rent
Green = Theater


May 1: Star Trek Into Darkness - 8/10
Great sequel to the JJ Abrams reboot.  Benedict Cumberbatch, albeit not the smartest casting, was brilliant nonetheless.  Exciting action and good chemistry between the actors. 

May 2: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - 9/10
Brilliant special effects, and this is definitely better than the first in the Spider-Man reboot series.  They didn't hold back in *SPOILER ALERT* killing off Gwen Stacy, opening the door for MJ in the next film.  Solid effort and a very good superhero film all-around.

May 3: The Dictator - 6/10
Culturally and racially offensive, but very funny at times.  Some of the jokes have already gotten old, but if you're looking for a film to turn your brain off to, this isn't a bad choice.  Sacha Baron-Cohen is a chameleon, able to play a character of almost any race.

May 4: Kick-Ass 2 - 7/10
Violent and exciting, but predictable and cringe-worthy at times.  Jim Carrey was great, of course, but his role was cut too short.  Chloe Grace Moretz shined as well, often taking the spotlight away from Aaron Taylor-Johnson.  But this film suffers from believability (or lack thereof) and in technical aspects.

May 5: Pacific Rim - 6/10
Neat concept, not so great execution.  Special effects were indeed top-notch, but acting was only so-so and the characters were given little depth.  I'd say this film might've been better under a different production studio and with a different cast.

May 6: Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - 7/10
Yet another sequel and yet another decent one.  It never shines, but I can't find too many flaws with it, either.  Fans of the book series will not look at this film too favorably, but I thought as a standalone film, it was enjoyable throughout.  Predictable in spots, though.

May 7: Seattle Superstorm: 3/10
Where to begin?  I'd say my biggest flaw is why a family of four ends up with the responsibility of having to save the entire world.  Where were the police, armed forces, military and political leaders?  The special effects were bad, I cared very little for the characters, and they really did not capture Seattle well.  The acting was actually somewhat decent at times, but their dialogue and poor setting choices made it boring quite often. 

May 8: Frozen: 8/10
Another Disney hit.  It was a solid animated film, but I didn't get excited or wowed by it in any way.  The singing for the musical numbers was really good.  I don't know if it's better than Tangled, but it's close.  I'd definitely watch it again.

May 9: The Benchwarmers*: 5/10
Cheesy, lame, and somewhat boring.  I liked all the Star Wars references, but I didn't like the message the movie sent.  With the main character (played by Robb Schneider) being a former bully, it made it really hard to root for him or his team.  I thought I'd enjoy a baseball movie more.

May 10: What to Expect When You're Expecting: 6/10
I don't think this film captured the process of a pregnancy very well.  It was more about the relationships between each of the characters.  However, it did keep me interested throughout because of the cast, who all did fairly decent jobs.

May 11: Oblivion: 6/10
For an action film it sure was boring.  I thought the film had a nice set-up and narrative by Tom Cruise, but then it just went downhill from there.  I'd much rather have seen a film about the scavs trying to take over and destroying the moon, instead of what I actually saw.  Morgan Freeman was underused.  Decent effects and acting. 

May 12: The Arroyo: 5/10
This film wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  It was very slow at first, but it picked up over halfway through and wasn't half bad.  You could tell it was a low-budget film, but they did the best with what they had. 

May 13: That Awkward Moment: 6/10
I don't think it's the best idea for guys to write romantic comedies.  Was this even a comedy?  I didn't laugh much.  Efron, Teller, and Jordan were all great in their roles, but they didn't have the best material.  They'd be great as a threesome of guys on a sitcom, but in this film, meh. 

May 14: Dirty Dancing*: 6/10
I will say I liked it, but nothing about it stood out.  I liked a lot of the oldies songs and the dances, but I didn't really like the plot or acting much.  I just can't say I enjoyed it that much.  I also didn't buy in to Johnny and Baby's romance too much, either.

May 15: The Lorax: 7/10
Gotta say I liked this more than I thought I would.  It sends a good message, saying that greedy companies will do anything for profit, even destroying the planet.  Loved some of the castings, such as Betty White as Grammy and Danny Devito as the Lorax and Ed Helms as the Once-ler. 

May 16: The Cabin in the Woods: 6/10
So many questions went through my mind during this.  Who should I root for?  Why are those young adults being put through that?  But I realized once I stopped asking myself questions, it actually got kind of good.  I liked the massacre at the end with all the monsters. 

May 17: Shutter Island: 9/10
Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese work so well together.  And not many people talk about Shutter Island being one of Leo's best roles, but it is.  Leo was phenomenal, as was the rest of the supporting cast.  The twist even had me fooled.  But it's one of those movies that (since you know the twist) isn't as fun the next time you watch it.

May 18: Don Jon*: 7/10
Joseph Gordon-Levitt pulled off the hat trick, starring, writing, and directing this flick, and I think he did a fairly decent job in all three aspects.  He certainly conveys male sexuality pretty well.  But I feel like this may have been just a reason for him to make out with Scarlett Johansson.  Or Julianne Moore.  If he's into that.  It's a merely passable film that really didn't wow me in any way.

May 19: Godzilla: 9/10
This is about as much as you can ask for from a Godzilla movie.  They got it right in having Godzilla battle other monsters.  The visuals: top notch.  I just wish Bryan Cranston *Spoiler Alert* hadn't been killed off so early.  He's such a terrific actor and I feel they kind of wasted his talents, but boy was he good in the opening acts.  This will be one of my favorite films of the year, no matter what else comes out.

May 20: Flight: 7/10
I liked this film, but I feel it's a bit misleading.  You would think this film would be about a particular flight, and it was, but only 25 minutes of it was the flight.  The film goes over 2 hours, and only a fifth of it, if that, gets devoted to the flight.  The rest is about how Whip (Denzel Washington) deals with alcoholism in the wake of the plane crash.  I actually did like the ending, how he came clean, which is something I wasn't expecting. 

May 21: Ghostbusters: 7/10
Basically what I expected.  I'll admit to seeing bits and pieces of it throughout my life, but never had I sat down and watched the whole thing.  It had a decent enough plot, and it kept me interested.  The special effects do not really hold up too well, but the classic Ghostbusters theme and the 80s stars of Murray, Aykroyd, and Weaver made this compelling enough.

May 22: Wreck-It Ralph*: 8/10
I'm pretty mad at myself for not having watched this sooner.  The idea of having a video game bad guy trying to be good in itself is worth a few brownie points.  The voice casting was very good, especially with Jack McBrayer as Fix-It Felix.  I grew a little weary of this flick in some of the Ralph and Vanellope moments, which I didn't find too compelling, but it had a decent plot and good finish. 

May 23: Inside Llewyn Davis*: 8/10
All I can really say about this is yet another well-made film by the Coen brothers.  Oscar Isaac was really fun to watch, and he made me care about his character.  I felt sad when he got rejected and happy when something good happened for him.  To be honest, I only decided to watch this because two of the actors cast in the upcoming Star Wars sequel (Isaac and Adam Driver) were in this.  Adam's role was small, but entertaining.  It got a bit slow at times, and in the end it leaves a little to be desired, but it's a quality film with few flaws. 

May 24: Spring Breakers: 5/10
I don't really see the point of this movie.  To show the dark side of spring break in Florida?  It just didn't keep me hooked in any way, except for the very beautiful actresses in it.  Also, James Franco showed how great of an actor he is, playing the very interesting character of "Alien".  This movie wasn't poorly made, but it just fell flat for me.

May 25: The Human Centipede (First Sequence): 4/10
This movie actually wasn't as bad as I thought, or how I rated it.  I rated it so low because of the stupidity of one of the girls, Lindsay.  She easily could have saved herself and gone for help, but she chose to try to save her friend, and it cost them both.  This film is grotesque but it kept me on the edge of my seat and even had me laughing a few times.  But the logic of the characters and their decisions was just way too much of a put-off for me.

May 26: Warm Bodies: 7/10
One of the least believable films I've seen this month (which kind of says a lot), but I still enjoyed it.  Corpses coming back to life... just not physically possible.  But if you look past that, the acting was decent, and I really cared for "R" and Julie.  I can see some people hating this film for its lack of believability, but that's not what the film is about.  It's about a girl and a zombie managing to connect with one another.

May 27: Spaceballs*: 6/10
I've never before seen a movie that promoted itself this much.  But then again, it's a parody film, so it can't be taken too seriously.  For its time, the special effects weren't that bad, but the acting was lacking at times.  I was expecting a bit more, but it did keep me interested for most of it.  John Candy as Barf the "Mawg" (Half man, half dog) was probably my favorite character.

May 28: Delivery Man: 7/10
I feel the best rating for this picture is a 6.5, but since I'm sticking to a whole number scale, I rounded up to 7 because I enjoyed more than other 6's like That Awkward Moment and Spaceballs.  Vince Vaughn will never wow in the acting department, and he was just all right in this.  I liked the concept, but my questions is why would only 100-some kids out of 533 want to know who their father is?  I'd expect a few to not want to know, but over two-thirds?  Chris Pratt was probably the best thing about this film. 

May 29: What's Eating Gilbert Grape: 8/10
The movie that jump-started Leonardo DiCaprio's film career.  He got nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Arnie Grape, the mentally handicapped brother of Gilbert Grape.  He should have won.  Anyway, this was a well-made picture with very few flaws, other than really anything interesting happening.  Sure, the mom dies, but I was expecting more.  But the acting in this film was very good, especially from Leo and Johnny Depp. 

May 30: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: 7/10
This film taught me a lot about being courageous and chasing after what we want, but I didn't feel like it was that well-made.  I certainly liked it, but nothing stood out for me.  Acting was only ok, visuals were decent but not spectacular (Although I loved the Icelandic landscape).  The best part was definitely Stiller skateboarding down that one Icelandic road.

May 31: A Million Ways to Die in the West: 7/10
I certainly got a few laughs out of this.  Most would agree this wasn't as big of a hit as Ted was, but McFarlane and company all did a really good job.  It was unnecessarily vulgar at times, but they sometimes used the vulgarity to great effect, such as after Foy poo's himself, and Albert can only say "Holy S***!"  This is a film I definitely wouldn't mind seeing again someday.  The best parts may have been the cameos, which included Ryan Reynolds, Jamie Foxx, and Bill Maher. 


And now that you've heard my reviews for my Movie May Movies, it's now time for me to hand out awards from the films I watched.  First, we'll start with the good awards, including those that are handed out at every Academy Award ceremony. 

Best Picture:
Shutter Island
Frozen
Godzilla
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
Inside Llewyn Davis

I rated the pictures harshly, handing out no tens, only 3 9's, and only a handful of 8's.  I wasn't overly impressed really with any of them.  However, my award for best picture goes to...

SHUTTER ISLAND

It's well-deserved.  Scorsese and Leo work so well together, I'm sure they could make a decent film about Leo reading the phone book.  It's the film that I thought was the best.


Best Actor:
Leonardo DiCaprio - Shutter Island
Denzel Washington - Flight
James Franco - Spring Breakers
Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis
Johnny Depp - What's Eating Gilbert Grape

A lot of strong candidates.  Denzel was actually nominated for his role in Flight for an Academy Award.  So he is the front-runner.  I even included Franco from a not so great picture, but he did such a great job in it.  However, the award for Best Actor goes to...

Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis!

This man single-handedly CARRIED this film.  You could almost say that about Denzel in Flight, but I felt Isaac's musical performances helped him as  well.  He certainly will be a great addition to the Star Wars cast.

Best Actress:
Jennifer Grey - Dirty Dancing
Kelly Reilly - Flight
Scarlett Johansson - Don Jon
Chloe Grace Moretz - Kick Ass 2

I really didn't see any films with a strong female lead and I regret that.  So this is a tough vote that I don't think any is particularly deserving of, but the award for best actress goes to...

Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing!

I thought Jennifer's performance in Dirty Dancing was very commendable.  Dirty Dancing just so happened to be one of the few (if only) chick-flicks I saw.  And her performance is one of the reasons Dirty Dancing has become a cult classic.

Best Supporting Actor:
Jim Carrey - Kick Ass 2
Bryan Cranston - Godzilla
John Goodman - Inside Llewyn Davis
John Goodman - Flight
Leonardo DiCaprio - What's Eating Gilbert Grape

What's this, John Goodman nominated twice?  That's right.  His roles were small but extremely memorable in both pictures.  Carrey and Cranston's roles were cut way too short, but of course, were very memorable as well.  But the award for best supporting actor goes to...

Leonardo DiCaprio in What's Eating Gilbert Grape!

It just so happens that Leo's performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape earned him his very first Oscar nomination.  His portrayal of the mentally handicapped "Arnie", was very moving.  Leo still may not have won an Oscar yet, but he earns my Oscar.


Best Supporting Actress:
Carrie Mulligan - Inside Llewyn Davis
Sally Field - The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Kristen Wiig - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Cobie Smulders - Delivery Man

Again, not too many strong candidates, but these four performances were all pretty good in their own way.  The award for best supporting actress goes to...

Carrie Mulligan in Inside Llewyn Davis!

Carrie was top-notch in her performance.  This wasn't even close.  Her role should have been larger, but that's why she was in the supporting actress category.

Best Song:
Let it Go - Frozen
Please Mr. Kennedy - Inside Llewyn Davis
How Bad Can I Be - The Lorax
In Summer - Frozen

What a great selection of songs.  Let it Go is the popular choice.  Please Mr. Kennedy was an unexpected surprise: a song performed by a former N'Sync member and two future Star Wars actors.  How Bad Can I Be was the highlight of the Lorax, performed extremely well by Ed Helms.  And In Summer was another hit from Frozen.  But what was the best?  The award for best song goes to...

Let it Go - Frozen!

How could I not pick this?  It won the Oscar for best song so it had to win here too. 

Best Special Effects:
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Godzilla
Pacific Rim
Star Trek into Darkness

Some strong candidates here.  Two of these films I saw in theaters, so that does affect the result a bit.  The award for best special effects goes to...

The Amazing Spider-Man 2!

I couldn't pick against Spidey.  Not only did I see it in theaters but I saw it in 3D.  The effects when Electro was using his powers, just breathtaking. 


Now, for some Non-Oscar Awards that I'd like to hand out, which includes best kiss, death scene, and best couple. 

Best Death Scene:
Emma Stone - The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Jim Carrey - Kick-Ass 2
Chris Hemsworth - Cabin in the Woods
Liam Neeson - A Million Ways to Die in the West

Very mixed bag here.  Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy dying was very unexpected, at least for me.  Jim Carrey's was off-screen, so it loses points there.  Hemsworth's was just comical.  And Neeson, well Liam Neeson always dies in a legendary way.  The award for best death scene goes to...

Chris Hemsworth - Cabin in the Woods! 

I couldn't pick against it.  I laughed so hard when he drove his dirt bike straight into the invisible barrier and plummeted to his death.  His female friend's reaction only made it that much funnier.  He thought he could get away!

Best Kiss:
Chloe Grace Moretz and Aaron Taylor-Johnson - Kick-Ass 2
Anna (Kristen Bell) and Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) - Frozen
Teresa Palmer and Nicolas Hoult - Warm Bodies
Johnny Depp and Mary Steenburgen - What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Again, another mixed bag.  Chloe's and Aaron's kiss in Kick-Ass 2 was memorable, but weird, as the actors were 23 and 16 when the film came out.  Anna and Kristoff's kiss was animated.  Teresa's and Nicolas's was kinda gross, seeing as he was JUST a zombie and hadn't had any recent oral hygiene.  And then Depp's and Steenburgen's was also with an age difference, with her being 10 years his senior.  But the award for best kiss goes to...

Chloe Grace Moretz and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Kick-Ass 2!

This kiss was years in the making.  If you have a female and male leads in an action flick, they're bound to have some romantic chemistry, right? 

Best Couple:
Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy - Spider-Man 2
Johnny Castle and Baby Houseman - Dirty Dancing
R and Julie - Warm Bodies
Albert and Anna - A Million Ways to Die in the West

All strong couples that evolved over the course of the film.  All but Peter and Gwen's didn't start UNTIL partway into their films.  The award for best couple goes to...

R and Julie - Warm Bodies!

The way their relationship evolved made this film.  They went from "Don't kill me!" to "Kiss me!" in a manner of an hour and a half, and they did it well.  The fact that a zombie could come back to life is a little hard to believe, but their relationship was the highlight of the film. 

Best Fight/Action Scene:
Spider-Man vs. Electro and Harry Osborn - The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Kick-Ass vs. The Motherf***er - Kick-Ass 2
Godzilla vs. the MUTO's - Godzilla
Dark Helmet vs. Lone Starr - Spaceballs

Another mixed bag of candidates.  I certainly enjoyed all of these scenes, but one in particular stood out to me.  And that is...

Spider-Man vs. Electro and Harry Osborn - The Amazing Spider-Man 2!

The visuals, top notch, and it certainly had me invested.  Their fights even resulted in a main character's death, which totally took me by surprise.

Well, with all the good films you see, you're bound to see some bad ones.  For the final four awards, I will be picking my worst or least favorite from each category in these Razzie style awards.

Worst Picture:
Seattle Superstorm
The Human Centipede (First Sequence)
Spring Breakers
The Arroyo
The Benchwarmers

Not one of these films had me invested in it.  Not one made be care about any character.  The award for worst picture goes to...

Seattle Superstorm

It's lucky it got a 3/10 from me, because it may have deserved a 2 or 1.  Acting, visuals, plot, all bad. 

Worst Actor:
Esai Morales - Seattle Superstorm
Tom Cruise - Oblivion
Rob Schneider - The Benchwarmers
Rick Moranis - Spaceballs/Ghostbusters

Rick Moranis gets nominated twice and I couldn't decide which role because both were cringe-worthy.  He's always so awkward and stiff as an actor, which is probably why he stopped acting.  The only real good role he had was "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" and it's sequels.  However, the award for worst acting goes to...

Esai Morales - Seattle Superstorm

I wouldn't say his acting was AWFUL, because I've seen worse, but of this bunch, it was the worst.  I tried really hard to care for his character, but I couldn't.  I wanted his character "Tom" to die. 

Worst Actress:
Anna Faris - The Dictator
Ona Grauer - Seattle Superstorm
Ashlynn Yennie - The Human Centipede
Ashley C. Williams - The Human Centipede

In this, we have only one real notable actress in Anna Faris, whose role was a bit over-the-top in The Dictator.  We also have a pair of actresses from the Human Centipede.  The award for worst actress goes to...

Ashlynn Yennie - The Human Centipede

The reason her role stood out as the worst performance over her co-stars is that Ashlynn made her character out to be extremely whiny, stupid, and just so hard to watch.  Sure, he co-star character is the one that made the biggest blunder, but Ashlynn's performance was just awful.

Worst Special Effects:
Seattle Superstorm
Ghostbusters
Kick-Ass 2
Spaceballs

I'm not even going to delay this one.  Award goes to...

Seattle Superstorm

Sure, the other three had some cheesy special effects at times, but Seattle Superstorm's special effects were just downright laughable.  The Space Needle after it fell, not realistically sized.  Not even the weather they had in the film looked real.  Just awful.


Well, there you have it.  I hoped you could sit through this MASSIVE post.  I think I might do this again someday, maybe next year in May of 2015.