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 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 2017 Movie Review List

Something I have been doing a lot of with my friends is seeing movies.  It's one of our favorite things to do for a group outing.  This year, 2017, is turning out to be a killer year for movies, with the best yet to come.  I am going to review every 2017 release I see here, and I will update as I watch them.  I'll probably even review some 2017 releases that I rent, because I'm not going to see THAT many in theaters.  Any that I watch later will be in RED.

Each movie will be rated out of 10, on a .5 scale, so a movie could be rated 8.5 or 6.5.  I'll try to order them by when I saw them.

January

A Monster Calls: Liam Neeson does a tremendous job as the voice of the Monster, but I felt my attention ebbing away during this flick.  The kid's hallucinations while dealing with his mother's cancer was hard to relate to for me.  Hard to believe Felicity Jones went from Rogue One (Action) to this (Drama, cancer victim).
Rating: 6.5/10

Split: I'm starting to really get into thrillers, and Split certainly helped.  James McAvoy was given no easy task, having to portray about a dozen different personalities on screen, and boy was he fantastic.  Anya Taylor-Joy was a delight and easy to root for, but her dumb friends were not.  Little did we know this film is connected to "Unbreakable" and a third film, "Glass", will connect the two.
Rating: 8/10

Februrary

John Wick: Chapter 2: I had not seen the first John Wick prior to seeing this (I have now, however), and I was very impressed with the action scenes.  Keanu Reeves is one of the few actors around 50 years of age that can still believably kick ass.  Kind of hard to relate to John, especially since I hadn't seen the first yet, but it was an enjoyable film nonetheless.
Rating: 7.5/10

The Lego Batman Movie: Occasionally when I watch a movie in theaters I find myself dozing off, especially if I watch it late.  I remember dozing off during the climax/action towards the end of all places.  All the colors and (almost) mindless blocks moving around just was hard to follow.  HOWEVER, the voice acting and story were very well done.  Just not a huge fan of Lego movies, I guess.
Rating: 7/10

Get Out: Another thriller and one of the best of 2017 so far.  Jordan Peele did such a good job, in directing and writing.  Some character's motives and decisions can be questioned, but when is that NOT the case?  There was some great acting from everyone, and this is a movie I can definitely watch again.
Rating: 9/10

March

Logan: I love it when superhero movies focus more on the story, dialogue, and cinematography.  The action will be there and the effects will be good enough.  Logan excells.  It deserves Oscar recognition (Hugh Jackman best actor?) and hopefully won't be forgotten about come awards season.  This was the first pure Wolverine movie I've seen and boy I'm glad it was.
Rating: 9.5/10

Kong: Skull Island: Sure ended abruptly, but it kinda sets up for a monster sequel.  Tom Hiddleston was good, not great.  Samuel L. Jackson always makes a decent villain (see Django Unchained, Kingsman: The Secret Service).  The action between Kong and the dinosaurs was ok, a tiny bit of a letdown.  A lot of the character's decisions could be questioned.  A very ho hum type movie.
Rating: 6/10

Beauty and the Beast: As far as live action adaptations go, they couldn't have done much better.  Emma Watson was a delight, and she did surprisingly well for the singing parts.  The action between Beast and Gaston could've been a bit better, and I found the extra backstory a little unnecessary and boring.  The designs for Codsworth and Lumiere were weird, but not bad.  That snowball Belle got hit with by Beast sure was a hoot.
Rating: 8/10

The Belko Experiment: I'm sorry, but James Gunn is killing it.  First with Guardians of the Galaxy (see below), now with The Belko Experiment.  The guy that survived is not who I was expecting to survive (I thought it would be the girl).  And then the twist at the end that the surviving worker was able to pull off, impressive and I bet very few saw that coming.
Rating: 8.5/10

Power Rangers: Some decisions I knew going in I questioned, such as the design of the Rangers outfits and the decision to make Billy Black, Trini bisexual, etc.  But they put together a very good action flick.  It was just a bit hard for me to relate this film to the old Power Ranger series of the 90's I watched as a kid.  But they set up well for a sequel, with a hint to a Tommy Oliver (PLEASE don't make Tommy a girl!) AKA the green ranger.
Rating: 7.5/10

Life: Reminded me a bit of a cross between Gravity and Apollo 13.  Some of the characters' decisions and motives can be questioned (Such as Rory's, played by Ryan Reynolds).  But when you rate all of the aspects together, special effects, acting, writing, etc. and you compare this to other recent space films (like the aforementioned Gravity as well as Interstellar and The Martian) it falls a little bit short in each category.  Enjoyable?  Absolutely.  Oscar/award worthy?  Not really.
Rating: 7.5/10

April

Fate of the Furious: Well I finally watched the entire F&F franchise, and I gotta say I really enjoyed it.  If this is the final film in the franchise, I'd say they capped it off pretty well.  I like how they were able to give Dom a son and not have to have Letty go through pregnancy.  The scenes they had in Russia and Cuba were all done very well.  And Charlize Theron killed it as the main villain.  Seeing as she escaped, it leads me to believe there will be a 9th Fast and the Furious Film.  Fast 9?
Rating: 8/10

May

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2: One of my favorite opening scenes ever, to an action movie or not.  This film was littered with humor throughout, and Chris Pratt is Hollywood's go to lead guy now, and for good reason.  Kurt Russell as his God-like father was a perfect casting.  The only complaint I have is the action was a teensy bit convoluted, but maybe that's just how action movies are nowadays.
Rating: 9/10

Alien: Covenant: I went in thinking this would just be a cheap jump-scare flick, but it was anything but.  They had the audacity to kill of the leader of their group played by Billy Crudup.  This film was good enough to make me want to see Prometheus, and I haven't heard too good of things about that film.  Sets up nicely for a sequel to complete the trilogy.
Rating: 7.5/10

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales: Again, the climax just didn't entice me enough.  But I loved the finish, including both Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, although it was hard to believe that Brenton Thwaites was their son.  Johnny Depp was born to play Jack Sparrow and he killed it, again.  Javier Bardem always makes a decent baddie (See Skyfall).
Rating: 7/10

June

Wonder Woman: Yet again another climax I dozed off too, haha.  But Gal Gadot was the perfect choice to play Diana Prince, being both believable and beautiful.  David Thewlis as the antagonist just didn't seem too believable for me, because all I can see him as is Professor Lupin from the Harry Potter series.  Chris Pine was a perfect cast as Diana's love interest.
Rating: 8.5/10

The Mummy: Did I mention I doze off during the end of films?  This was a day viewing for me and I still did.  Was a decent start to the Monster series, but I wasn't too enthralled by it.  Although seeing that I had low expectations, I did think it was better than I thought it would be.
Rating: 7/10

July

Spider-Man Homecoming: It could be just me, but I felt Tom Holland captured the essence of Spider-Man better than Andrew Garfield or even Tobey Maguire.  I think his voice suits the role better, for one.  Wasn't a huge fan of the casting choices, with basically no white friends of Peter Parker (They even made Aunt May Italian).  I liked Keaton as the villian and the effects were great.  They incorporated just enough of Iron Man and even Captain America to make it interesting.
Rating: 8.5/10

War for the Planet of the Apes: I thought this was a solid finish to the new Planet of the Apes trilogy.  I definitely enjoyed it more than "Dawn".  Andy Serkis just flat out knows how to play a monkey.  If there were a time for someone to get nominated for best actor for a motion capture role, this would be it.
Rating: 8/10

Dunkirk: I enjoy movies with a solid protagonist and plot, but this didn't really have that.  However, that is ok, because everything else was just top notch.  The visuals, sound, editing, costumes, music, all fantastic.  This movie was made to capture the essence of the battle of Dunkirk and boy did it ever.
Rating: 9/10

August

The Dark Tower: Haven't read the books, but for a standalone movie it wasn't bad.  I felt a lot of the complex aspects were oversimplified, and they didn't explain enough.  Also, I don't really like Matthew McConaughey as a villian--he's just not believable enough.  My friend who has read the books wasn't a fan of this film, so I have to take that into account.
Rating: 6.5/10

September

It: This movie sure got a lot of buzz and for good reason.  Bill Skarsgard was fantastic as Pennywise the clown.  The kids were all well-casted as well.  Seeing how long the book is, it might've functioned better as a two or three part movie series, but seeing as I haven't read the book, I'm not even sure what the movie left out because it was well-paced.  They did skip ahead a few times, so maybe there were things there.  All in all one of the very few horror/thriller films I'd want to see again.
Rating: 9/10

mother!: Wow, this movie will either leave you fuming or thinking or both.  For me, it was both.  Best not to put yourself in Jennifer Lawrence's shoes, as she is perceived as the main character/protagonist.  I liked all of the religious connotations and connections, and Javier Bardem's character (Him) was clearly a representation of God.  But this film is NOT for the faint of heart or for younger audiences, as it only gets worse and worse.  Terrific acting performances in this by everyone.
Rating: 8/10

October

Geostorm: Not the movie I most wanted to see this month, but it was better than I thought it would be.  You have a disaster movie directed by the guy who wrote the 1998 Godzilla movie, with the lead being an actor who's been in a lot of bad films (Gerard Butler).  But it wasn't half bad, in my opinion.  It was a bit predictable and cheesy at times, but what disaster movie isn't?  Also, the movie's plot is based on the fact that we have satellites that basically control climates for different areas of the world.  Why in the world would someone be able to corrupt these satellites to cause harm and kill millions of people?  Would rather leave our fate to God than whoever has control of "Dutch Boy" as they called the control center.
Rating: 6.5/10

November

Thor: Ragnarok: Marvel continues to succeed, whether it be in Avenger's type films with multiple superheroes or ones that focus on a particular superhero.  This was like a hybrid of the two, as it had Thor (obviously), Loki, The Hulk/Bruce Banner, and a cameo by Dr. Strange.  It seemed to me that they tried a little too hard to be funny, but other than the comedic stretches I liked the direction the Thor franchise took.
Rating: 8/10

Justice League: We SHOULD be excited that the entire Justice League finally got together, but it just left us with an unsatisfying feeling.  For me, the villain never seemed to be that big of a threat, especially compared to Superman.  There was a step forward from BvS but it was a tiny step forward at that.  Still not really liking Affleck as Batman, but Gal Gadot continues to kill at as Wonder Woman.  Hopefully the DC franchise can recover because Marvel is still miles ahead of them.
Rating: 6.5/10

Daddy's Home 2: I wasn't expecting much as I don't think too highly of the first Daddy's Home, but this one wasn't that bad.  There weren't many, if any scenes that made me cringe, and there were at least 3 of those in the first.  The ending was kinda cheesy, but hey, it's a comedy.
Rating: 6.5/10

December
Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi: Man oh man... where to begin?  I would have to rank this near the top of Star Wars films, I think.  I'm still debating on whether or not it's better than The Force Awakens.  It had amazing effects, brilliant camera work and cinematography, and it was well acted, too.  With TFA, people could complain that its story borrowed too much from A New Hope, so this is the first Star Wars movie in 34 years that the general audience can't complain too much about.  Solid.
Rating: 9/10

The Shape of Water: This was much better than I thought it would be.  Sally Hawkins was brilliant as the lead, and the supporting cast all did tremendous jobs as well.  It was definitely an interesting story, with a woman falling for a non-human but humanoid creature.  Will this get some Oscar nominations?  It wouldn't surprise me.
Rating: 8.5/10

Well, that's all the films I saw in 2017!  A great year for movies.  Now, for some awards!
Best Actor:
James McAvoy - Split
Daniel Kaluuya - Get Out
Hugh Jackman - Logan
Javier Bardem - mother!
Andy Serkis - War for the Planet of the Apes

Some great choices there.  But my best actor award goes to...

Andy Serkis!  That's right, a guy who did motion capture!  He MADE the entire PotA series, as in he was the main reason they had success.  And "War" may have been his best work yet.
Best Actress:
Felicity Jones - A Monster Calls
Dafne Keen - Logan
Gal Gadot - Wonder Woman
Jennifer Lawrence - mother!
Sally Hawkins - The Shape of Water

Good year for leading women, with Dafne Keen the youngest nominee in any category.  The award goes to....

Sally Hawkins!  She played a mute character falling for a humanoid creature.  Not an easy thing to do.
Best Supporting Actor:
LilRel Howery - Get Out
Tony Robbins - The Belko Experiment
Kurt Russell - Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2
Woody Harrelson - War for the Planet of the Apes
Richard Jenkins - The Shape of Water

We have three villains and two sidekick type characters.  Who will get it?  The award goes to...

Richard Jenkins!  Yes, The Shape of Water is still fresh in my mind, but I didn't see too many films with great supporting acting roles.
Best Supporting Actress:
Marisa Tomei - Spider-Man: Homecoming
Sophia Lillis - It
Michelle Pfeiffer - mother!
Carrie Fisher - Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Octavia Spencer - The Shape of Water
Again, kind of slim pickins but there was one that stood out.  The award goes to...

Carrie Fisher!  I award this posthumously to her.  She exhibited grace, elegance, and power in every one of her scenes.  She won't get an actual Oscar nomination probably, but I think she's not too far off.
Best Special Effects:
Logan
Fate of the Furious
Spider-Man Homecoming
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
I sure saw some amazing special effects this year. The award goes to...

Guardians of the Galaxy!  Yep, I picked it over Star Wars, which was a close second.  Guardians had some amazing visuals that made me stare in awe, something that is not easy to do.
Best Director:
Jordan Peele - Get Out
Patty Jenkins - Wonder Woman
Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk
Darren Aronofsky - mother!
Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water
I'd be shocked if at least one of these isn't nominated for an Oscar.  The one who I'd be most shocked to not see nominated wins my award.  And that is...

Christopher Nolan!  I can't give every award to The Shape of Water.  But Nolan did a great job in Dunkirk, and not since Saving Private Ryan has there been such a realistic and gritty war movie.  Maybe it was even more realistic than that.
Best Picture:
Get Out
Logan
Wonder Woman
Dunkirk
It
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The Shape of Water

The Academy can have up to 10 nominations, so I can too.  This is a tough one.  The winner, and the best motion picture I saw in 2018, IS....
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.
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.
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.
.
.
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.
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Dunkirk!  This one wasn't one for a great plot, but it absolutely EXCELLED in other categories: cinematography, music, sound (editing and mixing), visual effects, and acting.  It is a well deserved best picture from me.

Well, that is it for 2017.  I liked doing this so much I think I'll do it for 2018!  See you then!

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!

Movie May 2016!

Well, without much notice (except with my close friends) I completed my 2nd ever Movie May!  For the second time I watched a movie every day in the month of May, the last time I did this being exactly two years ago in 2014.  This time I watched films that totaled 57 hours and 41 minutes, so I watched 2 hours and 45 minutes more of films than last time.  That's like two extra films!  And like last time I didn't always finish the film the same day but I started a new one each day.

Also, I gave them an average rating of 7.35, as compared to 6.67 last time.  Either I saw fewer crappy films or I've become more lenient, or both.  I watched 7 films on Netflix (4 less than last time), 12 films that Amanda or I already owned (6 more than last time), 8 that I rented either from DVD.com (AKA Netflix in the mail) or RedBox/DVDXpress (3 fewer than last time), 2 in theaters (1 less than last time) and 2 that I borrowed from a friend (Thanks Lowen!). 

Without further ado,  the list of movies I watched in order and my short reviews of them:

May 1: The Joneses - 6/10
So these four people are paid to pretend to be a family and try to get people to buy the cool stuff they have.  Is that even legal?  All in all though it was decent.  It did drag on at times, but I enjoyed certain parts.  I always like a recognizable cast which included David Duchovny, Demi Moore, and Amber Heard.  But the cast wasn't enough to keep me interested the whole time.

May 2: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation - 8/10
Tom Cruise has still got it.  There will come a point in time he's too old for the role of Ethan Hunt, but not yet.  The plot did get a bit confusing at times and there were some things that made me shake my head, but all in all it kept me intrigued.  The opening with Tom/Ethan hanging onto the door of the jet is as good as it gets.  And the stunt where he drops into an underwater security vault is incredible.

May 3: Ant-Man - 7/10
While I really enjoyed it and I laughed at least 10 times throughout the film, I didn't find it to be that well-made of a superhero film.  I was skeptical of Paul Rudd as the title character, but I turned out to love the choice.  There were a few head scratchers and plot holes like if Hank Pym has the ability to make anything larger, why does he have trouble doing ANYTHING?  Anyway, this was like a tamer version of Deadpool.  Still funny (maybe not as much so), but the lead character in red and black with a semi-dark past. 

May 4: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back - 6/10
I don't know what it was... but if a movie that's supposed to be funny doesn't make me laugh, then I don't enjoy it.  It was all right.  I cared for the characters.  It was more amusing than anything.  It's just over the top comedies always fall flat with me.  But I loved all of the cameos and big names in this film, from Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher to Jason Biggs and James Van Der Beek. 

May 5: Kingsman: The Secret Service - 9/10
Wow, this film certainly did to spy films with Kick Ass did for super hero films.  If you like action movies and don't mind a bit of gore/violence, this film is definitely worth a watch.  Taron Egerton is fantastic in the lead role and the cast was filled out with tremendous talent including Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, and a small role from Mark Hamill (again!).  I'm very glad to see they're making a sequel.  The camera work and the choreography in this film both top notch.

May 6: Ted 2 - 7/10
I'm not sure if it was as good as the first, but it was close.  I laughed a few times, but not as much as I would've hoped.  Just another typical Seth McFarlane comedy--I tell ya, his humor doesn't surprise me or make me laugh that hard anymore.  Time for some new material, Seth.  But at least with the story I was invested in the characters, for the most part.  They don't need to make a Ted 3 unless Seth has a very clever idea.

May 7: Across the Universe - 8/10
I watched this because 1) I had been meaning to for years and 2) a friend recommended it to me and I gotta say I enjoyed it.  The Beatles covers they did were spot on, and I really felt what it was to be like to be young and in the heart of the Vietnam War era.  My favorite covers were "I Get By with a Little Help from my Friends" "Let it Be" and "Come Together".  I had no idea Joe Cocker played the bum that sang the beginning part of "Come Together". 

May 8: A Teacher - 3/10
I only watched this because I was pressed on time and it was only 75 minutes long.  Fortunately it was only 75 minutes long, because it was not that good.  Everything in the technical categories (Cinematography, editing, music) was poor and it just ends with the teacher being upset that the school found out about her relationship with her student.  Very lackluster film.

May 9: Captain America: Civil War - 9/10
Affectionately called "The Avengers 2.5", CA: CW definitely lived up to the hype.  I don't think it quite exceeded anyone's expectations, but the fight scenes were a delight to watch.  The pacing was a bit off and it was a tad too long, though.  Also, it seemed like just a bit too much of fan service, trying to make the fan of every superhero happy.  But it excelled in the technical aspects and the Russo brothers did another great job.

May 10: Everest - 7/10
Everest was kind of a letdown for me, to be honest.  Although, to be fair, that was mostly because I was expecting more shocking deaths (from falls, avalanches, etc.) than ones were they slowly die from the cold or lack of "O" (oxygen).  It was nice to see that it was based off a true story.  The rating isn't lower because this was the first movie of the month to make me tear up, when Rob (Jason Clarke) was talking to his wife Jan (Keira Knightley) for the final time.  Very well done, great acting.  Although it was puzzling how two of the climber's wives (Rob's wife Jan and Beck's wife Peach) were played by well-known actresses (Peach being played by Robin Wright).  They had small parts and I think could've easily been played by an unknown to save money.

May 11: The Peanuts Movie - 7/10
This was a cute, family-friendly movie.  Hard not to root for Charlie Brown.  But the adventures with Snoopy and his writing/flying just seemed unnecessary and pointless, but how else were they going to include fan-favorite Snoopy into scenes?  Also, the naivety of the characters, especially Charlie Brown, reminded me of the old kids Nickelodeon shows like Rugrats and Hey Arnold, where we see just how much children have to learn about the world. 

May 12: The Bourne Identity - 8/10
Yes, I have never seen any of the "Bourne" films.  The first one was actually pretty good.  It's a good idea to use for a plot to have your main character have amnesia, that way we learn along with him what his name is, what he did, etc.  Chris Cooper again was typecast as the asshole (See also October Sky, American Beauty)--is he even capable of playing a nice guy?  I also didn't understand Clive Owen's character or his motives... like why did he want Mombosi dead?  But good action that kept me engaged, for the most part.

May 13: Beautiful Creatures - 5/10
I only watched this because of Alden Ehrenreich and how he was cast as Han Solo, just like for the last Movie May I watched "Inside Llewyn Davis" for Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver.  Unlike Inside Llewyn Davis, however, this was not that good.  As for Ehrenreich, I think he looks more like a young Jack Nicholson than a young Harrison Ford.  But we'll see.  His acting was good, though.  But the film itself was only so-so at best, as supernatural love stories don't really interest me that much.  Found myself losing interest on multiple occasions.

May 14: The Jungle Book -  8/10
I was impressed with the CGI and voice acting talents in this film.  Neel Sethi played a really good Mowgli as well.  Not sure if it was quite appropriate for kids, but at least they kept the violence to a minimum.  They sang snippets of some of the original's songs, but what's the point if you're not going to do the whole thing?  Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this film more than I thought I would and I think they did about as good of a job as they could have with a live action remake.  Some of the voice casts (Bill Murray, Christopher Walken) were PERFECT.

May 15: Lincoln - 7/10
Holy crap was this long.  But I will say Daniel Day-Lewis is well deserving of his Oscar.  To anyone who's seen House of Cards, this was basically like a really, really long House of Cards episode, with Lincoln instead of Underwood.  The pacing was so slow and drawn out, and there wasn't a ton to get excited about.  I guess it gets a 7 for DDL's performance alone.  He was tremendous.

May 16: Peep World - 7/10
As opposed to Lincoln, this film was too short and could have used more depth.  But the cast, fantastic.  Michael C. Hall, Rainn Wilson, Sarah Silverman, Kate Mara, all terrific.  Also, to finish on a sort-of climax was a bit cliché for the 2010's.  Leave it up to our imagination?  Gee, thanks.  Too many loose ends we are left wondering about, but the acting and cast kept me engaged.

May 17: The Bourne Supremacy - 7/10
I didn't like this one quite as much as the first one (Identity), but it was decent nonetheless.  I lost interest a few times and the plot here was more confusing than the first one.  But it had an exciting opening act and the chase scenes, especially the last one in Russia, were very well done. 

May 18: Concussion - 8/10
Will Smith was outstanding as Bennet Omalu, a doctor who emigrated from Nigeria.  There were actually times I forgot it was the former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  The only thing that ever gave it away was his appearance.  I wish they had a little more backstory, and the casting of Luke Wilson as Roger Goodell... I mean... seriously?  His brother Owen would've been a (slightly) better choice.  But this is a must watch for any NFL fan. 

May 19: Sex Tape - 6/10
So the premise wasn't too bad, maybe a bit out there, with a couple trying to get back the copies of their sex tape.  But it was a little over the top for me.  And being extorted by a 10 year old?  Give me a break.  But it did have some funny moments and Rob Lowe stole the show, in my opinion.  His bad haircut and narcissism made him quite the character.  But not worth watching again... at least not for a while.

May 20: Raiders of the Lost Ark - 7/10
Like the Bourne movies, I had yet to see an Indiana Jones movie... and I gotta say I wasn't THAT impressed.  The classic Indy theme was easily the best part, and the traps and action scenes may have been ahead of their time, slightly, but I often found myself losing track or losing focus of the film.  I liked the scene where Indy carjacked the truck that had the Ark.  But the plot didn't keep me hooked.  Maybe on future viewings I will like it more.

May 21: Daddy's Home - 5/10
I found myself caring for Brad (Will Ferrell), but once he had his drunken rant and antics at halftime of the basketball game, I was done.  Also, driving a motorcycle through a home (up a set of stairs!?) and out the window, only sustaining a few cuts and bruises?  And the story of how he wasn't able to have children.... even if that was possible for him to lose his fertility that way, wouldn't he be able to sue?  So many head shaking moments, not enough laughs.

May 22: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - 9/10
Boy is this movie trippy.  Basically, Joel (Jim Carrey) is hurt his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) erased him from her memories and he does the same so he can move on, but in the process regrets his decision and while he is dreaming tries to find some way to get himself to remember her before it's too late.  The things that happens in this dream state are on par with Inception with how freaky and imaginative it is.  I give this film a 9 for that alone.  It was a little hard to follow at times, trying to keep track at what point in their relationship the scene is from, but multiple well-deserved viewings would help.

May 23: Reservoir Dogs - 9/10
Yes, I hadn't seen this Tarantino flick yet (nor the Kill Bill movies), but this marks the fifth of his movies I've seen.  Basically every one of his movies can be summed up like this: Almost everyone dies.  The end.  Anyway, drama and acting phenomenal, and I of course didn't guess the rat right (I was thinking Mr. Pink).  The torture scene with "Stuck in the Middle with You" was iconic and it's too bad this film was only 99 minutes long.  Hard to believe this was QT's first motion picture as director, seems like it was done by an experienced director.

May 24: Groundhog Day - 9/10
A classic Bill Murray/Harold Ramis film I didn't see as a kid, but I'm glad I waited because I know there would be a few things I wouldn't have understood as a kid.  I love the concept--what would you do if you lived the same day over and over, with no tomorrow?  The story arc goes from confusion to contempt to acceptance.  I wish there was some explanation why it happened to him, but it's not a big deal.  I can't imagine anyone else in the lead role.

May 25: White House Down - 7/10
Out of the two White House is under attack films in 2013 I enjoyed this one more (than "Olympus Has Fallen").  The people attacking this time are mostly Americans, upset at the President or country for various reasons.  The explosions/CGI could've used a bit of work, and was Jamie Fox the best casting?  He doesn't seem... authoritative enough.  Will Smith would've been a bit more believable.  But the 2 hour and 11 min film kept me engaged the whole time.

May 26: Captain Phillips - 10/10
Ok, it's not a perfect film, but it had everything I wanted: Drama, action, good acting, a few heartbreaking moments, you name it.  Hanks was brilliant as usual.  It's too bad we didn't get to see Hanks reunite with his wife, but we've seen that in movies before and we know how it goes.  I just remember feeling stuffy as if I were in the lifeboat with Hanks and the Somalis.  Very well made film.  I felt like I was along with the crew (and then just Captain Phillips) the whole time.

May 27: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - 7/10
Definitely hard to watch at times, with the burning sacrifice, the eating of the gross things, and many other instances of bad guys dying horrific deaths.  But I enjoyed it just as much as RotLA, maybe even more so.  Instead of Nazis and Egypt it was Chinese and India.  Don't see what Indy sees in "Willie", as she was very high maintenance and not the least bit helpful.  I really liked Short Round, he was a nice and welcome addition.

May 28: Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure - 7/10
I knew going in not to take it too seriously, and I'm glad I didn't because I definitely enjoyed it.  It's too bad Alex Winter hasn't had nearly the career Keanu Reeves had, but at least one of them did.  Not exactly historically accurate or believable, I still found myself rooting for Bill and Ted despite them being a couple of knuckleheads.  George Carlin was really good as their mentor, Rufus.  Too bad he wasn't able to be his usual vulgar self, haha. 

May 29: 2001: A Space Odyssey - 9/10
Yep, I had never seen this.  At first I was thinking of how boring and sometimes uneventful it was, but after reading about the film afterward and understanding what was going on, I gotta say, WOW.  I didn't understand the monoliths at first because they always seemed so out of place, but I guess that was the point.  This is definitely a film you need to watch more than once, but at 2 hours and 29 minutes in length, that's no easy task.  It did get really trippy at times, making me go, "Woah...".  HAL was definitely creepy.  Having seen Star Wars dozens of times, I can say this film has special effects that rival it (and sometimes even surpass it--despite coming out 9 years earlier!).  It was way ahead of its time and didn't do that bad of a job of portraying future technology. 

May 30: It's Such a Beautiful Day - 8/10
Again, another film I watched because I was pressed on time, at only 62 the shortest film of the month.  It's so odd, but good.  A stick figure named Bill has strangely unusual things happen to him.  The film kind of blurs the difference between stick figure and reality to great effect.  The ending for me was the best, though, because it really made me think.  Love movies that do that. 

May 31: Still Alice - 8/10
First off, Julianne Moore definitely deserves her Oscar for this performance.  She was brilliant.  Baldwin and Stewart were very good, too.  But it's pretty depressing and ends abruptly.  Her speech was probably the highlight of the film.  She wasn't suffering, but she was struggling.  This film probably portrays Alzheimer's disease better than any in recent memory. 

And now like last time, I will give out awards based on the films I saw this month!  First are the awards you would see at the Oscars.


First up is Best Picture.  And here are the nominees:
Captain Phillips
Captain America: Civil War
Lincoln
Reservoir Dogs
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Groundhog Day
2001: A Space Odyssey
Still Alice

Every film I rated a 9 or higher is here, with a few that were less (Lincoln, Still Alice) making it thanks to stellar acting performances.  The award goes to....

Reservoir Dogs!  Turns out, none of QT's films have won best picture, so Reservoir Dogs wins despite it not being the highest rated film (Captain Phillips was). 


Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis: Lincoln
Will Smith: Concussion
Bill Murray: Groundhog Day
Jim Carrey: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Tom Hanks: Captain Phillips

Wow, what a great set of actors.  I don't think there's a weak one in the group.  Each actor carried his film.  But the award goes to...

Daniel Day-Lewis!  He won the real life Oscar so he almost wins by default.  Will Smith is a close runner up.

Best Actress:
Evan Rachel Wood: Across the Universe
Sally Field: Lincoln
Kate Winslet: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Julianne Moore: Still Alice
Andie McDowell: Groundhog Day

Good performances, much better female performances than last time.  The award goes to...

Julianne Moore!  Unlike for best actor, this one wasn't that close. 

Best Supporting Actor:
James Spader: Lincoln
Alec Baldwin: Concussion
Samuel L. Jackson: Kingsman: The Secret Service
Barkhad Abdi: Captain Phillips
Steve Buscemi: Reservoir Dogs

Three of these actors were "upstaged" by the lead role actors (Spader, Baldwin, Abdi).  But who will get the award?  It goes to...

Steve Buscemi!  To me, he stole the show, almost.  He wasn't the main character but I almost felt like he was with his command of the scene. 

Best Supporting Actress:
Maggie Gylenhaal: White House Down
Joey King: White House Down
Keira Knightley: Everest
Kirsten Dunst: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Kristen Stewart: Still Alice

Much better female performances in the supporting category than last year, too.   The award goes to...

Keira Knightley!  She didn't even appear in the same country as her co-stars but she was magnificent. 

Best Song:
I Want To Be Like You: Jungle Book (Christopher Walken)
With a Little Help from My Friends: Across the Universe (Ensemble)
Come Together: Across the Universe (Joe Cocker, Ensemble)
Let it Be: Across the Universe (Ensemble)

Yikes, I didn't see many movies with musical numbers, other than Across the Universe.  Anyway, best song goes to...

"Let it Be"!  When I watched this, I teared up.  Watch it here to see why:

Best Direction/Cinematography:
Steven Spielberg: Lincoln
Steven Spielberg: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Paul Greengrass: Captain Phillips
Stanley Kubrick: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Matthew Vaughn: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Spielberg nominated twice, but does he win?  Best Director goes to...

Stanley Kubrick!  Spielberg, despite having a 40% shot, doesn't win.  2001 was just so ahead of its time and innovative.

Best Special Effects:
Ant Man
Captain America Civil War
The Jungle Book
Kingsman: The Secret Service
2001: A Space Odyssey

This is a tough one.  The award for Best Special Effects goes to...

The Jungle Book!  The first real surprise winner!  After reading about how Baloo's hairs and how each FRAME of the film took FIVE HOURS to render the hairs on Baloo's body... just incredible the time and dedication they put in. 

Now for the non-Academy Awards!

Best Action Scene:
Tom Cruise hanging on to an airplane: Mission Impossible Rogue Nation
Colin Firth killing dozens in a church set to "Free Bird": Kingsman: The Secret Service
All of the superheroes fighting: Captain America Civil War
Indy hijacking a truck with the Ark: Raiders of the Lost Ark

All of these had my heart pumping, but the award goes to...

Colin Firth's ass-kicking in Kingsman!  If you're a fan of violence and fighting you have got to see this scene.  INCREDIBLE. 

Funniest Film:
Ant Man
Ted 2
Peep World
Sex Tape
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure

What was the funniest film to me? It was...

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure!  Party on Dudes!

Best Death Scene:
Chris Penn, Lawrence Tierney: Reservoir Dogs
Michael Madsen: Reservoir Dogs
Jason Clarke: Everest
Samuel L. Jackson: Kingsman: The Secret Service
James Woods, White House Down

Only one sad death here, but will it win?  Best Death Scene goes to...

Michael Madsen, Reservoir Dogs.  I gotta be honest, I did not see it coming.  Not at all.  Thanks to Tim Roth's character, Madsen was PUT DOWN.  About to burn a cop alive. 

Best Kiss:
David Duchovny and Demi Moore: The Joneses
Matt Damon and Franka Potente: The Bourne Identity
Bill Murray and Andie McDowell: Groundhog Day

Wow, I didn't watch too many films with memorable kisses in them.  Best kiss goes to...

Bill Murray and Andie McDowell in Groundhog Day!  Well, he worked and worked at it but finally was able to get her to fall for him.

Best Couple:
Jude and Lucy in Across the Universe
Joel and Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Jason and Marie in The Bourne Identity
Phil and Rita in Groundhog Day

Best couple goes to...

Joel and Clementine!  Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) realized their mistakes not too late and were fortunately able to salvage something of their almost erased relationship.

Now onto the Razzie style awards.  These dishonor those performances that made me shake my head.

Worst Film:
A Teacher
Beautiful Creatures
Daddy's Home

I didn't see too many bad films this time.  But the one clearly the worst was...

A Teacher.  Next Movie May I'll make this award more of a competition, lol.

Worst Actor:
Will Brittain: A Teacher
Jason Segel: Sex Tape
Mark Wahlberg: Daddy's Home
Mark Wahlberg: Ted 2

Yikes, Marky Mark nominated twice.  Worst actor goes to...

Will Brittain.  At least I cared for Mark's character each time. 

Worst Actress:
Cameron Diaz: Sex Tape
Lindsay Burdge: A Teacher
Amanda Seyfried: Ted 2
Alice Englert: Beautiful Creatures

Can "A Teacher" complete the trifecta?  Worst actress goes to...

Lindsay Burdge!  Yes they can.  I was kind of glad she was miserable at the end.

Worst Special Effects:
White House Down
Beautiful Creatures
Daddy's Home

And now, for worst special effects, and this year they weren't that bad, but the worst of them was...

Daddy's Home.  I know, a comedy. But that one shot of the motorcycle (with Will Ferrell hanging on for dear life) going up the stairs, flying out the house (creating a hole), landing on the car and off... just horrible.  I cringed super hard at that and for that one scene alone that film deserves worst special effects.

Well, that's it for Movie May, 2016!  And a special announcement...

I will be doing Summer Movie Season 2016!  Watching a movie EVERY DAY is tough, sometimes making it hard to make plans with anyone.  So, instead for Summer Movie Season (SMS for short), I will be watching around 2 movies a week.  For 16 weeks starting the week of June 5-11 and ending the week of September 18-24, I will watch 32 movies (perhaps more), averaging two a week.  I realized I still have a lot of DVD's I recently acquired I need to watch (Finishing the Bourne and Indiana Jones series, for one), and since I restarted my Netflix/DVD.com DVD's in mail I'll be getting at least one of those a week.  Also, this summer movie season is packed and I know I'll be hitting the theaters at least 3, 4 times this summer.

There is a week August 21-27 I will be in Southern California for pretty much the whole week on vacation, so I won't watch any that week, but I will make up for it by watching more than 2 films some weeks. 

So, I will check in around September 24, 25, with my reviews of the movies I watched for SMS and of course, my awards!  See you guys then!