Monday, 2 January 2017
Sunday, 1 January 2017
The BFG Movie Review
The BFG (2016)
Written by: Melissa Mathison (screenplay), Roald Dahl (book)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader
Rated: PG
My rating is simple, Watch It, It Depends, Skip it. Read my previous movie reviews!
Plot
Sophie meets the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his appearance, is a kind being and outcast by the other giants because he doesn't eat children.
Verdict
It's a cute enough feel good movie, but there isn't much here for adults as it's a story that's been told many times before. The message is that scary looking giants aren't always that bad and a child can accomplish great feats. It's boring because I feel like I've seen this movie before. Instead of building the relationship between the BFG and Sophie for a payoff at the end, it's just scene after scene of computer generated filler.
Skip it.
Review
It's Spielberg so you expect more. He's made so many classics that even an average movie feels like a miss for him. The main character is a little girl and both she and the giant are outcasts in need of a friend.
This story is underwhelming. I've seen Jack and the Bean Stalk so many times across movies and cartoons that this isn't fresh. This giant isn't mean, he's friendly, which puts him at odds with the other giants. While the BFG is the runt of his village at only twenty four feet, it's easy to predict what the other giants will do.
This doesn't do enough to pull me in. The frequent flatulence jokes are an easy laugh, but I expected something more clever. While kids will probably enjoy this, Spielberg has created movies that work on both levels.
While Mark Rylance's motion capture for the BFG is well done, a movie has to be more than spectacle. The movie's reliance on computer generate imagery hurts it. The BFG's funny speech pattern and ability to craft made-up words make him likable enough, the bond between him and Sophie never felt real. The movie tells me it's there, but never shows it.
The BFG finally stands up to the giants despite being a runt, in part due to fear of Sophie getting hurt and also the destruction of his life's work when they invade his hut. This concludes with Sophie hatching a plan to get rid of the mean giants. One of the better sequences is the BFG visiting Buckingham Palace, but it doesn't overcome the rest of the movie. I never had a connection to the characters like I have had in previous Spielberg works.
Rent The BFG on Amazon Video
Written by: Melissa Mathison (screenplay), Roald Dahl (book)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader
Rated: PG
My rating is simple, Watch It, It Depends, Skip it. Read my previous movie reviews!
Plot
Sophie meets the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his appearance, is a kind being and outcast by the other giants because he doesn't eat children.
Verdict
It's a cute enough feel good movie, but there isn't much here for adults as it's a story that's been told many times before. The message is that scary looking giants aren't always that bad and a child can accomplish great feats. It's boring because I feel like I've seen this movie before. Instead of building the relationship between the BFG and Sophie for a payoff at the end, it's just scene after scene of computer generated filler.
Skip it.
Review
It's Spielberg so you expect more. He's made so many classics that even an average movie feels like a miss for him. The main character is a little girl and both she and the giant are outcasts in need of a friend.
This story is underwhelming. I've seen Jack and the Bean Stalk so many times across movies and cartoons that this isn't fresh. This giant isn't mean, he's friendly, which puts him at odds with the other giants. While the BFG is the runt of his village at only twenty four feet, it's easy to predict what the other giants will do.
This doesn't do enough to pull me in. The frequent flatulence jokes are an easy laugh, but I expected something more clever. While kids will probably enjoy this, Spielberg has created movies that work on both levels.
While Mark Rylance's motion capture for the BFG is well done, a movie has to be more than spectacle. The movie's reliance on computer generate imagery hurts it. The BFG's funny speech pattern and ability to craft made-up words make him likable enough, the bond between him and Sophie never felt real. The movie tells me it's there, but never shows it.
The BFG finally stands up to the giants despite being a runt, in part due to fear of Sophie getting hurt and also the destruction of his life's work when they invade his hut. This concludes with Sophie hatching a plan to get rid of the mean giants. One of the better sequences is the BFG visiting Buckingham Palace, but it doesn't overcome the rest of the movie. I never had a connection to the characters like I have had in previous Spielberg works.
Suicide Squad Movie Review
Suicide Squad (2016)
Rent Suicide Squad on Amazon Video
Written by: David Ayer, DC Comics (based on characters by)
Directed by: David Ayer
Starring: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Common, Jai Courtney, Ezra Miller, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Joel Kinnamon
Rated: PG-13
My rating is simple, Watch It, It Depends, Skip it. Read my previous movie reviews!
Plot
A government agency recruits the most dangerous incarcerated criminals to form a task force dubbed the Suicide Squad.
Verdict
This a by the number action movie with too many characters that aren't fully developed. These are bad guys uniting as a team first because they are forced, and then because the plot demands it. DC Comics is chasing Marvel, but unwilling to make a movie that doesn't include Batman as fan service. The only envelope this pushed was with the Joker's appearance, and he's just a side character.
The ending is completely forced and lacks a satisfying conclusion.
It depends.
Review
The introduction to this movie is off. We get two scenes with Deadshot (Will Smith) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) that don't feel like the start of a movie. We then get what is the proper introduction with Viola Davis as a ruthless executive pitching her idea of a special ops team. My guess is the first two scenes were added to make sure the audience new Deadshot and Quinn were the main characters. After Davis's scene we get an introduction to all the of the criminals that makes the first two scenes even more bewildering.
Even the placement of the title card indicates a lack of creativity and artistry. It should have been timed with the scenes of the team. This is a movie comprised of bad guys as the protagonists and the concept is completely mishandled. This should have been a lot more fun and lampshade the fact these guys are bad. The only things colorful are the introduction and title animations. Why couldn't the characters have been more colorful? Instead the movie introduces Rick Flag (Joel Kinnamon) as a pseudo hero while trying to make Deadshot into the world's best dad. Quinn is a better characters just because she actually got screen time. Boomerang had flashes of being interesting, but was mostly used for one liners
They are forced into serving the government with an idea that I've seen before in Escape from New York (1981). If you don't help, you die. It's a movie with a similar motif of a criminal being coerced to help the government. Escape from New York does it much better.
The soundtrack isn't very creative either. We've heard these same songs in similar situation too many times before. I don't think Fortunate Son can be played in a movie anymore. I thought Sucker for Pain played over the credits was the most apt song heard in the movie.
Of course Batman (Ben Afflek) is in this movie, albeit briefly. The Joker (Jared Leto) is scary in that he's so deranged and over the top it's almost laughable. Being relegated to a side character, the Joker seems like he was included as a safeguard, as if the creators thought, "Even if the movie is bad, people will still see this for the Joker."
I've never heard of Superman referred to as a meta-human. I wonder if that's to put this in the realm of The X-Men so this movie can boast a team of mutants.
This movie has too many strong silent type characters, and doesn't try to develop any of them past Deadshot, Flag, and Quinn. Margot Robbie does a great job, but part of that is that she actually had dialog with which to work. She's one of the few characters that provides a good sense of who she is and what she wants. The team is composed of her, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Diablo (Jay Hernandez), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). Most of them were underused and even unnecessary.
This should have been more fun and self-aware of the genre like Deadpool (2016).
We get why this team complies in the beginning. It's that or die, but why do they comply at the end? The movie provides a non-reason. These aren't selfless people, they shouldn't be portrayed as such. The final fight is a flop. It's a quick way to write yourself out of a hole, and the big bad guy is undone by what is basically a look that way ruse. It just seems overly simple, robbing us of a the big fight this movie should have provided.
My guess is the problems with this movie are rooted in copycat syndrome. Marvel is developing a huge fan base with their comics turned movies and DC is trying to do the same. Instead of setting a precedent, DC is resorting to mimicry.
Written by: David Ayer, DC Comics (based on characters by)
Directed by: David Ayer
Starring: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Common, Jai Courtney, Ezra Miller, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Joel Kinnamon
Rated: PG-13
My rating is simple, Watch It, It Depends, Skip it. Read my previous movie reviews!
Plot
A government agency recruits the most dangerous incarcerated criminals to form a task force dubbed the Suicide Squad.
Verdict
This a by the number action movie with too many characters that aren't fully developed. These are bad guys uniting as a team first because they are forced, and then because the plot demands it. DC Comics is chasing Marvel, but unwilling to make a movie that doesn't include Batman as fan service. The only envelope this pushed was with the Joker's appearance, and he's just a side character.
The ending is completely forced and lacks a satisfying conclusion.
It depends.
Review
The introduction to this movie is off. We get two scenes with Deadshot (Will Smith) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) that don't feel like the start of a movie. We then get what is the proper introduction with Viola Davis as a ruthless executive pitching her idea of a special ops team. My guess is the first two scenes were added to make sure the audience new Deadshot and Quinn were the main characters. After Davis's scene we get an introduction to all the of the criminals that makes the first two scenes even more bewildering.
They are forced into serving the government with an idea that I've seen before in Escape from New York (1981). If you don't help, you die. It's a movie with a similar motif of a criminal being coerced to help the government. Escape from New York does it much better.
The soundtrack isn't very creative either. We've heard these same songs in similar situation too many times before. I don't think Fortunate Son can be played in a movie anymore. I thought Sucker for Pain played over the credits was the most apt song heard in the movie.
Of course Batman (Ben Afflek) is in this movie, albeit briefly. The Joker (Jared Leto) is scary in that he's so deranged and over the top it's almost laughable. Being relegated to a side character, the Joker seems like he was included as a safeguard, as if the creators thought, "Even if the movie is bad, people will still see this for the Joker."
I've never heard of Superman referred to as a meta-human. I wonder if that's to put this in the realm of The X-Men so this movie can boast a team of mutants.
This should have been more fun and self-aware of the genre like Deadpool (2016).
We get why this team complies in the beginning. It's that or die, but why do they comply at the end? The movie provides a non-reason. These aren't selfless people, they shouldn't be portrayed as such. The final fight is a flop. It's a quick way to write yourself out of a hole, and the big bad guy is undone by what is basically a look that way ruse. It just seems overly simple, robbing us of a the big fight this movie should have provided.
My guess is the problems with this movie are rooted in copycat syndrome. Marvel is developing a huge fan base with their comics turned movies and DC is trying to do the same. Instead of setting a precedent, DC is resorting to mimicry.
Travelers Season 1 Netflix Series Review
Travelers (2016-)
Season 1 - 11 episodes (2016)
Watch Travelers Season 1 on Netflix
Not Available in Canada
Created by: Brad Wright
Starring: Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Nesta Cooper
Rated: TV-MA
Plot
This sci-fi series stars Eric McCormack as FBI Special Agent Grant MacLaren. Technology exists to send a person's consciousness back to the 21st century, where they assume a random person's body and identity at the exact moment they die. Teams work secretly to save the world from a terrible future.
Verdict
Various teams travel to the past to save the future. This show focuses on one group led by FBI agent Grant Maclaren. My issues with an open loop timeline aside, it does a great job of keeping tensions high as the travelers have to maintain their lives while operating covertly. This is similar to Quantum Leap, as travelers have to lead the life of their host though with orders not to interfere. The difference is they're saving the world, not helping another person.
By focusing on the well developed characters, who at times defy orders to change their hosts lives for the better ,it doesn't get bogged down in science and special effects. This is a character driven drama.
Each episode reveals a little bit more about how teams and their missions work as we hurtle toward their main mission. The future remains an unseen mystery, which is a smart move as trying to show that would unnecessarily complicate the show. The future is left to our imaginations with hints at how bad it is.
With each episode the scope grows, making this feel like a real world. Things go wrong and their missions seem futile. Can the future be altered?
Watch it.
Review
Jumping into this without knowing the premise would help. The show assumes you know nothing, which if you've watched the trailer isn't true. The mystery about what's wrong with the characters is hollow if you know they are possessed by people from the future. The pilot presents a lot of questions that the show answers, as far as what's happening and how it works.
The travelers from the future rely on social media for research to seamlessly live the charade of their new lives. If they traveled back any earlier they wouldn't know enough, and would be more easily discovered. Though sometimes that research isn't always accurate. The research on Marcy's (MacKenzie Porter) host was quite inaccurate. She's the team doctor who treats Philip (Reilly Dolman). His host is a drug user, so they have to deal with that. Their engineer Trevor (Jared Abrahamson) is a teenager, juggling saving the world and high school. Carly (Nesta Cooper) is a single mom dealing with her ex over custody of her son.
It's a neat premise. Each team has a leader, historian, doctor, tactician, and an engineer. We learn that over the course of a few episodes, as well that not every traveler makes it to the host. Sometimes there is a glitch.
Travelers operate under six basic protocols.
These rules compartmentalize the teams. How many teams are there? Episode seven gives a hint at just how many travelers are present in the world. Could teams be working against each other?
This is a little bit of 12 Monkeys (1995) with an open loop timeline. The travelers hope that they can fix the future by changing the past. While they do make changes, it doesn't seem to fix anything. I have a gripe with any media that claims time is open and can be manipulated to change events. Time is a closed loop, but the digression works for this show.
Their missions are handed out by the director who we learn more about in the last couple of episodes.
The director is revered, trusted to direct the future by sending teams to the past. The director often sends messengers through kids. A temporary possession would kill an adult, but not a kid.
There is the moral question of taking over bodies. They take over the dead usually, but they can take over anyone. They take the dead presumably to reduce the ethics questions. Taking over someone else is in essence murder, but if the mission calls for it, the director is willing to breach that boundary.
When they aren't focused on a mission, you also see just how fragile their lives are. Without a mission, faking their host's life is strenuous. What sets this apart is the drama of their hosts lives. The travelers can't fully separate themselves from their lives. This isn't solely focused on time travel, instead giving us characters we care about.
Characters often reference how new Maclaren is. Would the director really make someone new a team leader? Maclaren's team meets another team in episode three who has less regard for protocols. They've been toiling for years and have become jaded. As the season progresses you can't blame the other team. For all the missions they've undertaken, they see no changes. Missions can change on a whim and you begin to doubt the director. In episode nine, Maclaren isn't sure whether his mission is to save or kill a target.
The final few episodes address the director directly. While the future has changed, now it's divided among two factions, those that trust and distrust the director.
Episode six is like a mid season finale with their main mission at hand. All their other missions have been practice. It's a crazy episode that leaves you wondering if it worked. Did they change the future?
Episode seven follows with free standing story as Maclaren tries to determine if he's dealing with a traveler or a misfire. It's got a great ending.
While they've changed the future, the effects aren't as they hoped. The final episode is equal part answers and surprises. It ends on a cliff hanger, and I can't wait for a second season.
Season 1 - 11 episodes (2016)
Not Available in Canada
Created by: Brad Wright
Starring: Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Nesta Cooper
Rated: TV-MA
Plot
This sci-fi series stars Eric McCormack as FBI Special Agent Grant MacLaren. Technology exists to send a person's consciousness back to the 21st century, where they assume a random person's body and identity at the exact moment they die. Teams work secretly to save the world from a terrible future.
Verdict
Various teams travel to the past to save the future. This show focuses on one group led by FBI agent Grant Maclaren. My issues with an open loop timeline aside, it does a great job of keeping tensions high as the travelers have to maintain their lives while operating covertly. This is similar to Quantum Leap, as travelers have to lead the life of their host though with orders not to interfere. The difference is they're saving the world, not helping another person.
By focusing on the well developed characters, who at times defy orders to change their hosts lives for the better ,it doesn't get bogged down in science and special effects. This is a character driven drama.
Each episode reveals a little bit more about how teams and their missions work as we hurtle toward their main mission. The future remains an unseen mystery, which is a smart move as trying to show that would unnecessarily complicate the show. The future is left to our imaginations with hints at how bad it is.
With each episode the scope grows, making this feel like a real world. Things go wrong and their missions seem futile. Can the future be altered?
Watch it.
Review
Jumping into this without knowing the premise would help. The show assumes you know nothing, which if you've watched the trailer isn't true. The mystery about what's wrong with the characters is hollow if you know they are possessed by people from the future. The pilot presents a lot of questions that the show answers, as far as what's happening and how it works.
 |
| Team Maclaren: Marcy, Philip, Carly, and Trevor. |
It's a neat premise. Each team has a leader, historian, doctor, tactician, and an engineer. We learn that over the course of a few episodes, as well that not every traveler makes it to the host. Sometimes there is a glitch.
Travelers operate under six basic protocols.
- 1. The Mission comes first.
- 2. Never jeopardize your cover.
- 3. Don't take a life; don't save a life, unless otherwise directed.
- 4. Do not reproduce.
- 5. In the absence of direction, maintain your host's life.
- 6. No inter-team/deep web communication except in extreme emergencies.
These rules compartmentalize the teams. How many teams are there? Episode seven gives a hint at just how many travelers are present in the world. Could teams be working against each other?
This is a little bit of 12 Monkeys (1995) with an open loop timeline. The travelers hope that they can fix the future by changing the past. While they do make changes, it doesn't seem to fix anything. I have a gripe with any media that claims time is open and can be manipulated to change events. Time is a closed loop, but the digression works for this show.
Their missions are handed out by the director who we learn more about in the last couple of episodes.
The director is revered, trusted to direct the future by sending teams to the past. The director often sends messengers through kids. A temporary possession would kill an adult, but not a kid.
There is the moral question of taking over bodies. They take over the dead usually, but they can take over anyone. They take the dead presumably to reduce the ethics questions. Taking over someone else is in essence murder, but if the mission calls for it, the director is willing to breach that boundary.
 |
| Philip and Trevor enjoying the poison that is fast food. |
Characters often reference how new Maclaren is. Would the director really make someone new a team leader? Maclaren's team meets another team in episode three who has less regard for protocols. They've been toiling for years and have become jaded. As the season progresses you can't blame the other team. For all the missions they've undertaken, they see no changes. Missions can change on a whim and you begin to doubt the director. In episode nine, Maclaren isn't sure whether his mission is to save or kill a target.
The final few episodes address the director directly. While the future has changed, now it's divided among two factions, those that trust and distrust the director.
Episode six is like a mid season finale with their main mission at hand. All their other missions have been practice. It's a crazy episode that leaves you wondering if it worked. Did they change the future?
Episode seven follows with free standing story as Maclaren tries to determine if he's dealing with a traveler or a misfire. It's got a great ending.
While they've changed the future, the effects aren't as they hoped. The final episode is equal part answers and surprises. It ends on a cliff hanger, and I can't wait for a second season.
Saturday, 31 December 2016
2016 MOVIE LIST -- The Top 200 So Far
THE STANDOUTS (19) - This should go without saying, but these are all must-sees.
O.J.: Made in America (ESPN) ****
Manchester By the Sea ***1/2
La La Land ***1/2
Patriots Day ***1/2
The Invitation ***1/2
Lion ***1/2
Sully ***1/2
A Monster Calls ***1/2
Weiner ***1/2
Deepwater Horizon ***1/2
Allied ***
Bleed for This ***
Jackie ***
The Jungle Book ***
Everybody Wants Some!! ***
Sing Street ***
Hunt for the Wilderpeople ***
Pete's Dragon ***
Goat ***
THE GOOD (59) - These represent quality filmmaking all-around.
20th Century Women ***
Arrival ***
Silence ***
Hacksaw Ridge ***
Kicks ***
The Meddler ***
Eddie the Eagle ***
The Infiltrator ***
Captain Fantastic ***
Miss Sloane ***
Nocturnal Animals ***
Snowden ***
Cash Only ***
Raw ***
The Eyes of My Mother ***
Next Time I'll Aim for the Heart ***
Gold ***
Fences ***
Other People ***
Sausage Party ***
Don't Breathe ***
Hidden Figures ***
War Dogs ***
Serial Killer 1 ***
13 Hours ***
The Accountant ***
The Wave ***
Hello, My Name Is Doris ***
Miss Stevens ***
Sleight ***
Moana ***
Zootopia ***
Too Late ***
Midnight Special ***
Doctor Strange ***
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping ***
The 4th ***
Amanda Knox ***
Under the Shadow ***
Krisha ***
Colossal ***
In a Valley of Violence ***
Don't Think Twice ***
The Trust ***
Transpecos ***
Tower ***
The Hollars ***
The Clan ***
Department Q: The Absent One ***
Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith ***
Department Q: The Keeper of Lost Causes ***
Jane Got a Gun ***
And Then There Were None (BBC) ***
Captain America: Civil War ***
The Phenom ***
Sing **1/2
Finding Dory **1/2
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot **1/2
Me Him Her **1/2
THE GOOD... BUT SHOULD'VE BEEN BETTERS (26) - Why weren't these good movies better? I don't really know. But they should've been. Hence, the name of this section.
The Founder ***
Moonlight ***
Hell or High Water ***
The Comedian ***
The Birth of a Nation ***
Elle **1/2
Loving **1/2
10 Cloverfield Lane ***
The Nice Guys **1/2
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children **1/2
The Finest Hours **1/2
Money Monster **1/2
Hands of Stone **1/2
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising **1/2
Deadpool **1/2
Keanu **1/2
Triple 9 **1/2
The Hollow Point **1/2
All the Way (HBO) **1/2
Confirmation (HBO) **1/2
Operation Avalanche **1/2
Always Shine **1/2
Band of Robbers **1/2
Wild **1/2
Hello, Destroyer **1/2
The Witness **1/2
THE GUILTY PLEASURES (29) - These are movies that I shouldn't like but I do, for one reason or another. I only feel ashamed because the Internet tells me I'm supposed to.
The Belko Experiment ***
Pet ***
13 Cameras ***
Headshot ***
The Magnificent Seven ***
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates **1/2
Criminal **1/2
The Shallows **1/2
Emelie **1/2
Intruders **1/2
Central Intelligence **1/2
Blood Father **1/2
The Autopsy of Jane Doe **1/2
Hush **1/2
Why Him? **1/2
Office Christmas Party **1/2
The Take **1/2
The Good Neighbor **1/2
Dog Eat Dog **
I.T. **
Holidays **
Search Party **
The Preppie Connection **
The Do-Over **
31 **
Nerve **
London Has Fallen **
Term Life **
I Am Wrath **
THE UNDERWHELMING DISAPPOINTMENTS (48) - Chalk it up to expectations but these movies just didn't cut it for me.
Split **1/2
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story **1/2
Live by Night **1/2
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back **1/2
The Girl on the Train **1/2
American Pastoral **1/2
American Honey **1/2
The Edge of Seventeen **1/2
The Wailing **1/2
A Bigger Splash **1/2
Christine **1/2
Tickled **1/2
Where to Invade Next **1/2
Race **1/2
The Purge: Election Year **1/2
Hail, Caesar! **
Passengers **
Rules Don't Apply **
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk **
The Light Between Oceans **
Mascots **
Joshy **
Ghostbusters **
The Boss **
Bad Santa 2 **
Masterminds **
Bad Moms **
Star Trek Beyond **
The Neon Demon **
Blair Witch **
White Girl**
Carnage Park **
Message From the King **
Lights Out **
Solace **
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows **
The Secret Life of Pets **
Frank and Lola **
Mr. Church **
The Fits **
Paterson *1/2
The BFG *1/2
The Brothers Grimsby *1/2
Ride Along 2 *1/2
Now You See Me: The Second Act *1/2
How to Be Single *1/2
Marauders *1/2
Get a Job *1/2
THE BAD (19) - For better or worse, I just don't know what these movies were thinking.
Inferno *1/2
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice *1/2
Dirty Grandpa *1/2
Free Fire *1/2
The Conjuring 2 *1/2
Jason Bourne *1/2
X-Men: Apocalypse *1/2
Suicide Squad *1/2
Batman: The Killing Joke *1/2
Yoga Hosers *1/2
Trash Fire *1/2
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies *
Independence Day: Resurgence *
Dark Night *
Zoolander 2 *
Kindergarten Cop 2 *
The Boy *
Flight 7500 *
Punk's Dead: SLC Punk 2 *
IN PROGRESS (6) - I started watching these but I never quite finished. Make of that what you will.
The Lobster (50 minutes)
Swiss Army Man (40 minutes)
Barry (30 minutes)
The Adderall Diaries (30 minutes)
The Handmaiden (20 minutes)
The Greasy Strangler (20 minutes)
OOPS, I MISSED (116): The 5th Wave, 13th, Anesthesia, Anthropoid, Assassin's Creed, The Automatic Hate, Backgammon, Being Charlie, Ben-Hur, Blue Jay, Burn Country, Cafe Society, Careful What You Wish For, Cell, Certain Women, The Choice, Clown, The Club, Collateral Beauty, Colonia, Coming Through the Rye, Creative Control, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, Demon, Denial, Dheepan, The Disappointments Room, Disorder, Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words, Edge of Winter, Elstree 1976, Elvis and Nixon, Embrace of the Serpent, Equals, Equity, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fifty Shades of Black, First Girl I Loved, Five Nights in Maine, Flock of Dudes, Florence Foster Jenkins, The Forest, Free State of Jones, The Fundamentals of Caring, Genius, Ghost Team, Gleason, Gods of Egypt, Good Kids, Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee, Holy Hell, I Am Not Your Negro, I Daniel Blake, Imperium, Incarnate, Indignation, Into the Forest, Julieta, Keeping Up With the Joneses, Kevin Hart: What Now?, King Cobra, Knight of Cups, Kubo and the Two Strings, Lamb, The Land, The Legend of Tarzan, Les Cowboys, Life Animated, Little Men, Louder Than Bombs, Love and Friendship, The Lovers and the Despot, The Love Witch, Maggie's Plan, The Man Who Knew Infinity, The Major, Man Down, Max Rose, Me Before You, Michael Moore in Trumpland, Miles Ahead, Monster Hunt, Moonwalkers, Morgan, Morris From America, Neruda, Oasis: Supersonic, The Other Side of the Door, Our Kind of Traitor, Pee-wee's Big Holiday, Pele: Birth of a Legend, A Perfect Day, Queen of Katwe, Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, Regression, Remember, Risen, Satanic, Seoul Searching, Shovel Buddies, Shut In, The Siege of Jadotville, Southside With You, Sugar Mountain, Tale of Tales, Toni Erdmann, Touched With Fire, Traders, Trolls, Tumbledown, Viral, Voyage of Time, Warcraft, Wiener-Dog
COMING SOON: 2017 Movie List
O.J.: Made in America (ESPN) ****
Manchester By the Sea ***1/2
La La Land ***1/2
Patriots Day ***1/2
The Invitation ***1/2
Lion ***1/2
Sully ***1/2
A Monster Calls ***1/2
Weiner ***1/2
Deepwater Horizon ***1/2
Allied ***
Bleed for This ***
Jackie ***
The Jungle Book ***
Everybody Wants Some!! ***
Sing Street ***
Hunt for the Wilderpeople ***
Pete's Dragon ***
Goat ***
THE GOOD (59) - These represent quality filmmaking all-around.
20th Century Women ***
Arrival ***
Silence ***
Hacksaw Ridge ***
Kicks ***
The Meddler ***
Eddie the Eagle ***
The Infiltrator ***
Captain Fantastic ***
Miss Sloane ***
Nocturnal Animals ***
Snowden ***
Cash Only ***
Raw ***
The Eyes of My Mother ***
Next Time I'll Aim for the Heart ***
Gold ***
Fences ***
Other People ***
Sausage Party ***
Don't Breathe ***
Hidden Figures ***
War Dogs ***
Serial Killer 1 ***
13 Hours ***
The Accountant ***
The Wave ***
Hello, My Name Is Doris ***
Miss Stevens ***
Sleight ***
Moana ***
Zootopia ***
Too Late ***
Midnight Special ***
Doctor Strange ***
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping ***
The 4th ***
Amanda Knox ***
Under the Shadow ***
Krisha ***
Colossal ***
In a Valley of Violence ***
Don't Think Twice ***
The Trust ***
Transpecos ***
Tower ***
The Hollars ***
The Clan ***
Department Q: The Absent One ***
Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith ***
Department Q: The Keeper of Lost Causes ***
Jane Got a Gun ***
And Then There Were None (BBC) ***
Captain America: Civil War ***
The Phenom ***
Sing **1/2
Finding Dory **1/2
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot **1/2
Me Him Her **1/2
THE GOOD... BUT SHOULD'VE BEEN BETTERS (26) - Why weren't these good movies better? I don't really know. But they should've been. Hence, the name of this section.
The Founder ***
Moonlight ***
Hell or High Water ***
The Comedian ***
The Birth of a Nation ***
Elle **1/2
Loving **1/2
10 Cloverfield Lane ***
The Nice Guys **1/2
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children **1/2
The Finest Hours **1/2
Money Monster **1/2
Hands of Stone **1/2
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising **1/2
Deadpool **1/2
Keanu **1/2
Triple 9 **1/2
The Hollow Point **1/2
All the Way (HBO) **1/2
Confirmation (HBO) **1/2
Operation Avalanche **1/2
Always Shine **1/2
Band of Robbers **1/2
Wild **1/2
Hello, Destroyer **1/2
The Witness **1/2
THE GUILTY PLEASURES (29) - These are movies that I shouldn't like but I do, for one reason or another. I only feel ashamed because the Internet tells me I'm supposed to.
The Belko Experiment ***
Pet ***
13 Cameras ***
Headshot ***
The Magnificent Seven ***
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates **1/2
Criminal **1/2
The Shallows **1/2
Emelie **1/2
Intruders **1/2
Central Intelligence **1/2
Blood Father **1/2
The Autopsy of Jane Doe **1/2
Hush **1/2
Why Him? **1/2
Office Christmas Party **1/2
The Take **1/2
The Good Neighbor **1/2
Dog Eat Dog **
I.T. **
Holidays **
Search Party **
The Preppie Connection **
The Do-Over **
31 **
Nerve **
London Has Fallen **
Term Life **
I Am Wrath **
THE UNDERWHELMING DISAPPOINTMENTS (48) - Chalk it up to expectations but these movies just didn't cut it for me.
Split **1/2
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story **1/2
Live by Night **1/2
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back **1/2
The Girl on the Train **1/2
American Pastoral **1/2
American Honey **1/2
The Edge of Seventeen **1/2
The Wailing **1/2
A Bigger Splash **1/2
Christine **1/2
Tickled **1/2
Where to Invade Next **1/2
Race **1/2
The Purge: Election Year **1/2
Hail, Caesar! **
Passengers **
Rules Don't Apply **
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk **
The Light Between Oceans **
Mascots **
Joshy **
Ghostbusters **
The Boss **
Bad Santa 2 **
Masterminds **
Bad Moms **
Star Trek Beyond **
The Neon Demon **
Blair Witch **
White Girl**
Carnage Park **
Message From the King **
Lights Out **
Solace **
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows **
The Secret Life of Pets **
Frank and Lola **
Mr. Church **
The Fits **
Paterson *1/2
The BFG *1/2
The Brothers Grimsby *1/2
Ride Along 2 *1/2
Now You See Me: The Second Act *1/2
How to Be Single *1/2
Marauders *1/2
Get a Job *1/2
THE BAD (19) - For better or worse, I just don't know what these movies were thinking.
Inferno *1/2
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice *1/2
Dirty Grandpa *1/2
Free Fire *1/2
The Conjuring 2 *1/2
Jason Bourne *1/2
X-Men: Apocalypse *1/2
Suicide Squad *1/2
Batman: The Killing Joke *1/2
Yoga Hosers *1/2
Trash Fire *1/2
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies *
Independence Day: Resurgence *
Dark Night *
Zoolander 2 *
Kindergarten Cop 2 *
The Boy *
Flight 7500 *
Punk's Dead: SLC Punk 2 *
IN PROGRESS (6) - I started watching these but I never quite finished. Make of that what you will.
The Lobster (50 minutes)
Swiss Army Man (40 minutes)
Barry (30 minutes)
The Adderall Diaries (30 minutes)
The Handmaiden (20 minutes)
The Greasy Strangler (20 minutes)
OOPS, I MISSED (116): The 5th Wave, 13th, Anesthesia, Anthropoid, Assassin's Creed, The Automatic Hate, Backgammon, Being Charlie, Ben-Hur, Blue Jay, Burn Country, Cafe Society, Careful What You Wish For, Cell, Certain Women, The Choice, Clown, The Club, Collateral Beauty, Colonia, Coming Through the Rye, Creative Control, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, Demon, Denial, Dheepan, The Disappointments Room, Disorder, Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words, Edge of Winter, Elstree 1976, Elvis and Nixon, Embrace of the Serpent, Equals, Equity, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fifty Shades of Black, First Girl I Loved, Five Nights in Maine, Flock of Dudes, Florence Foster Jenkins, The Forest, Free State of Jones, The Fundamentals of Caring, Genius, Ghost Team, Gleason, Gods of Egypt, Good Kids, Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee, Holy Hell, I Am Not Your Negro, I Daniel Blake, Imperium, Incarnate, Indignation, Into the Forest, Julieta, Keeping Up With the Joneses, Kevin Hart: What Now?, King Cobra, Knight of Cups, Kubo and the Two Strings, Lamb, The Land, The Legend of Tarzan, Les Cowboys, Life Animated, Little Men, Louder Than Bombs, Love and Friendship, The Lovers and the Despot, The Love Witch, Maggie's Plan, The Man Who Knew Infinity, The Major, Man Down, Max Rose, Me Before You, Michael Moore in Trumpland, Miles Ahead, Monster Hunt, Moonwalkers, Morgan, Morris From America, Neruda, Oasis: Supersonic, The Other Side of the Door, Our Kind of Traitor, Pee-wee's Big Holiday, Pele: Birth of a Legend, A Perfect Day, Queen of Katwe, Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, Regression, Remember, Risen, Satanic, Seoul Searching, Shovel Buddies, Shut In, The Siege of Jadotville, Southside With You, Sugar Mountain, Tale of Tales, Toni Erdmann, Touched With Fire, Traders, Trolls, Tumbledown, Viral, Voyage of Time, Warcraft, Wiener-Dog
COMING SOON: 2017 Movie List
Sense8 - A Christmas Special Netflix Series Review
Sense8 (2015)
Christmas Special (2016)
Watch Sense8 - A Christmas Special on Netflix
Created by: Lilly Wachowski
Starring: Aml Ameen, Doona Bae, Jamie Clayton, Tuppence Middleton, Naveen Andrews, Daryl Hannah
Rated: TV-MA
Plot
This sci-fi thriller was created by the Wachowskis. Eight people from around the world are telepathically linked.
Verdict
If you like this show you'll like the special as you wait for season 2. The problems I have with the special are the same I had with season 1. There are equal parts I like and don't like.
The development of the characters is uneven, some are really good, some are kind of flat. It often goes over the top just for the shock value.
The core concept that people from vastly different backgrounds and regions aren't all that different. This captures the main idea of a Christmas special, something fun just outside of the main story.
It depends.
Review
This special bridges the gap between season 1 (read my review) and season 2 which premieres May 5, 2017.
When we last saw the group, they were finally all together though the villain Whisper could potentially infiltrate the group. In the lead up to the finale of season one, Riley (Tuppence Middleton) to told to kill herself to protect the group so that Whisper can't infiltrate her thoughts and find them. Her love interest Will (Brian J. Smith) convinces her not to and has his mind infiltrated by Whisper. Jonas (Naveen Andrews) tells him to kill himself, but he takes enough sedatives to render himself unconscious so that Whisper couldn't follow him.
This special is a soft reset, with no immediate threat or danger. It lampshades the new actor for Van Damme fan Capheus, mentioning his new haircut.
Half way in this seemed to miss the point of a Christmas special. I had yet to see anything Christmas related. It seemed more like a bridge from season 1 to season 2.They share a birthday and celebrate before recreating the orgy scene from season 1 episode 8. To what end?
This special has more of the same drama but none of the drive. The bad guy was close in season 1, and now he's a non-factor.
This does focus more on fun and finally works its way to Christmas in the last half hour. It's not a bad Christmas special. If you like the show, you'll like this. It's a show meant to connect people from different backgrounds. As different as they are, each share similarities. I applaud the show for that, but season 1, and this special, often have me ask, "Did I need to see that?" It often seems to go too far just for the sake of it. This Christmas special encapsulates the show in two hours,t heir abilities create some great moments when they visit each other, it's got great fighting choreography, and there is an orgy.
Christmas Special (2016)
Created by: Lilly Wachowski
Starring: Aml Ameen, Doona Bae, Jamie Clayton, Tuppence Middleton, Naveen Andrews, Daryl Hannah
Rated: TV-MA
Plot
This sci-fi thriller was created by the Wachowskis. Eight people from around the world are telepathically linked.
Verdict
If you like this show you'll like the special as you wait for season 2. The problems I have with the special are the same I had with season 1. There are equal parts I like and don't like.
The development of the characters is uneven, some are really good, some are kind of flat. It often goes over the top just for the shock value.
The core concept that people from vastly different backgrounds and regions aren't all that different. This captures the main idea of a Christmas special, something fun just outside of the main story.
It depends.
Review
This special bridges the gap between season 1 (read my review) and season 2 which premieres May 5, 2017.
This special is a soft reset, with no immediate threat or danger. It lampshades the new actor for Van Damme fan Capheus, mentioning his new haircut.
Half way in this seemed to miss the point of a Christmas special. I had yet to see anything Christmas related. It seemed more like a bridge from season 1 to season 2.They share a birthday and celebrate before recreating the orgy scene from season 1 episode 8. To what end?
This special has more of the same drama but none of the drive. The bad guy was close in season 1, and now he's a non-factor.
This does focus more on fun and finally works its way to Christmas in the last half hour. It's not a bad Christmas special. If you like the show, you'll like this. It's a show meant to connect people from different backgrounds. As different as they are, each share similarities. I applaud the show for that, but season 1, and this special, often have me ask, "Did I need to see that?" It often seems to go too far just for the sake of it. This Christmas special encapsulates the show in two hours,t heir abilities create some great moments when they visit each other, it's got great fighting choreography, and there is an orgy.
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