The Great, Big, Quarantine Catch Up

I'm not going to get political or anything on here but, with much of the world shut down it's safe to say that I've had a bit more time on my hands than usual. Now, with so much time I have been able to catch up on some T.V. shows that I had pushed to the back burner and luckily Nintendo has blessed the world with the gem that is Animal Crossing: New Horizons. However, that doesn't mean I haven't been watching a whole bunch of movies. It's been a little while since my last post (again the world is in a weird place right now) and I thought it might be an interesting change of pace to do an overview of what movies I've watched lately. 

Of course, being stuck inside it's been the perfect opportunity for a few marathons. This past weekend rewatched the three Godfather films. The first two are obviously considered great movies but, I'm starting to gain more appreciation for the often disregarded third film in the trilogy... It's still not great but, I liked it more since the last time I saw it a few years ago. I also went on a little bit of a Tim Burton kick for a few days and rewatched some of his early films. Beetlejuice, Batman, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands... these are all good movies and got me thinking "What happened to Tim Burton? All he makes is crap now". Maybe that'll end up being the topic of a separate post in the future. 

In terms of movies that I hadn't seen before, I finally got around to watching Rocketman. I didn't have time to see it when it was in theaters last year but, better late than never. When the movie goes into big musical numbers it's a lot of fun but, the rest of the time it's a pretty paint-by-numbers biopic. Overall, liked it and it's probably in that 3.5 out of 5 range for me. I also watched Mirrors 2. I never saw the first Mirrors but I found this one in a bargain bin and with the quote on the back of the blu-ray case " They can't run... they can't hide... the can't even look in the mirror!" Well, that's all I needed. It's a schlocky horror movie. Not good but, I had fun with it. Another horror movie I decided to watch was The Exorcism of Molly Hartley. It's far from the worst exorcism movie I've seen (that honor is held by Exorcism of the Dead) but, I still wouldn't recommend this one. Turning away from horror, I finally watched a film that had been sitting in the stack of movies on my desk for months, Machine Gun Preacher. The film is based on a true story about an ex-biker gang member who starts helping poor kids in Africa. It's fine. The title is way better than the movie.

Finishing up, here are a few miscellaneous favorites that I've rewatched over the past few weeks. I highly recommend all of these so if you're like me, stuck at home waiting for the world to go back to normal, these are some solid films to help pass the time. 

- Field of Dreams, a feel good movie and there's no real baseball on T.V. right now. 

- Gone with the Wind, it's an all-time classic and the 4hr-runtime isn't a big deal when there's nothing else going on. 

-Top Gun... I just really like this one.

- The Wolf of Wall Street, Martin Scorsese movies are always worthwhile.

- Spartacus, like Gone with the Wind, it's a long one but, worth it. 

- The Muppets from 2011. Good songs, and funny jokes. A perfect distraction.

- The Man Who Knew Too Much, I personally prefer the 1956 version with James Stewart and Doris Day but, the 1934 original is a great movie as well. 

-And finally Moon. It's great, I love it, and more people need to see it.

10 Superhero Movies Everyone Should See

Usually entries to my ongoing '10 Movies Everyone Should See' series focus on an individual actor or filmmaker. I have previously written posts about Tom Cruise, Sean Connery, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Alfred Hitchcock, and many others. However, the topic of which Superhero films people should see came up recently in a conversation and it felt like a good fit for this series. If you're not familiar with how I make these lists, they aren't necessarily a 'Best of' or 'Top 10', It's merely 10 films that I feel best represent the topic overall. If you're a big fan of comic books, like myself, then you probably will go see any superhero flick that hits theaters. For those with a more casual interest in the genre, these are what I consider some notable selections. 

*Also, for anyone wondering, the only films considered were those featuring superheros. So comic/graphic novel adaptations like Road to Perdition, 300, Sin City, and V for Vendetta are films I thought were best left for a different day.

#10 Logan (2017)

Hugh Jackman played the popular X-Men character Wolverine for 17 years and did a fantastic job overall. But it was his last film in the X-Men universe that gave us arguably his best performance.

#9 Watchmen (2009)

I know people are split on Watchmen but whatever your view on how the source material was handled, it is still a well-made, visually striking film, worth watching at least once.

#8 The Avengers (2012)

Even though the X-Men franchise had been showing that superhero teams in movies could work since 2000, this was the first time we saw heros from several different franchises come together in a major motion picture. It was a game-changer.

#7  Blade (1998)

Blade isn't perfect, the CGI especially hasn't held up, but it's still a cool movie. The story is interesting, it's a solid action-horror mashup, Wesley Snipes is awesome, and the quality of the film should be appreciated even more when you consider the status of comic book movies at the time. Blade came out just a year after Batman & Robin, Spawn, and Steel.

#6 Superman (1978)

It's been 40 years since this one hit theaters and I think for a lot of people, myself included, Christopher Reeve is still the definitive live-action Superman.

#5 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy isn't my favorite of the Marvel films but it stands out because it came at a time when many where looking at comic book movies and saying "Let's make them gritty". The folks at Marvel on the other hand were saying "Let's get weird and do the one with the sentient tree and talking racoon".

#4 Wonder Woman (2017)

This is far from the best film on the list but, it was the first wildly successful, female-led, comic book movie, and for that alone it's worth watching. Plus, it's pretty good until the third act.

#3 Ironman (2008)

To date the MCU consists of 20 films and it is the all-time highest grossing film franchise of all time, and it all started with Ironman. It might not be everyone's favorite MCU film but, it's hard to deny its impact.

#2 Hellboy (2004)

I just really like the Hellboy films and it's my list... Go watch Hellboy, it's a fun movie.

#1 Batman (1989)

Comic book movies have always had a pretty spotty track record. Sure, the MCU films have helped to establish some quality standards (and even then not all of those films are great) but I think it was Tim Burton's Batman that was the high water mark for the genre for a long time.


 Honorable Mentions: The Incredibles (2004), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2016), X-Men (2000), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Spider-Man (2004), Batman (1966)

What are your 'must-see' superhero film? Leave a comment below.
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To check out the other entries in this series click HERE

Ranking the DC Extended Universe Films

 With six films under their belts, it seemed like it was finally time to start ranking these DC films that all exist within the same movie universe. This is also something I've done with the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and you can check that out by clicking here. Much like that Marvel list, this ranking will only consist of this specific lineup of films. So, animated films, the Tim Burton Batman movies, the Christopher Reeve Superman, etc. won't be included. Also, like the Marvel list, I'll update this after each new installment.

#6 Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

 This film feels like four movies were smashed into one... and none of those four were any good. The first viewing will hold your interest while you wait for it to get good (it never does). However, repeat viewings offer little more than a challenge to see if you can stay awake for the 2 1/2 hour (which feels like 5hrs) runtime.

#5 Suicide Squad (2016)

 This movie is a mess. It's fun at times, but it's a mess. It throws vibrant colors, comedy, and musical cues at you like it's trying to capture a 'Guardians of the Galaxy" vibe while simultaneously telling you that the filmmakers have no idea how to make that work in a film. Additionally, it's poorly written and edited which is a shame because there are a few good actors sprinkled among the cast that could've shined with a better script.

 #4 Justice League (2017)

 Honestly, #3 and #4 are basically interchangeable and they suffer from a lot of the same problems. The edge here goes to 'Justice League' mainly because Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Superman, Flash, and Cyborg  are just more interesting than Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Killer Croc, Katana, Captain Boomerang, and El Diablo. 

#3 Man of Steel (2013)

Yes, this version of Superman is about as interesting as block of wood, but at least this feels like a real film. It's competently made, and has a fairly well structured, coherent story. It's pretty joyless most of the time and a bit dull to look at, but it doesn't feel like you're just watching a bunch of movie trailer money-shots.

 

#2 Wonder Woman (2017)

I'm hopeful that there are going to be some really amazing DCEU films in the coming years but, as of right now, it's slim pickings. Wonder Woman is far from a perfect film and if you're looking for plot holes and a few sub-par special effects you'll find them. However, the movie is fun, it feels like care was taken with the main character, it actually leaves you wanting to see the next Wonder Woman film, and it's one of only two films on this list that I actually recommend. 


#1 Aquaman (2018)

Of these films this is the one I had the most fun watching the acting is pretty solid, the effects are good, and I was totally invested in the story. Unlike the folks at Marvel, WB/DC doesn't seem to have a set, long-term game plan for their comic book properties but I hope they make an Aquaman sequel because I really enjoyed this one.

I'm a fan of many of these comic book characters, so hopefully this list will become more populated with good movies in the years to come.

 

The Good, the Bad and the 'Justice League'

Quick Review: Is it good? No.

However, if you disagree and think that it is good, my only advice is that you start watching better movies. You've set the bar too low.

Now, for those of you that want a little more indepth review, keep reading.

With so many well known comic book characters in this film, I figured I'd approach this review with a breakdown of each one in the film, in addition to some overall thoughts.

Batman: If you liked Ben Affleck's version of Bruce Wayne/Batman in 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice' then you'll probably like him in this one. He's a little more lighthearted, but at times he feels a bit out of place.

The Flash: The costume is horrendous and the acting matches. If you get a good laugh out of twitchy, socially awkward humor then maybe you'll like it. I found it annoying.

Wonder Woman: Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman. She steals just about every scene she's in, and is the real bright spot of this DC movie universe.

Cyborg: Honestly, they could've cut him out of this movie entirely and it wouldn't have mattered. He serves no real purpose other than to ramble off exposition.

Aquaman: It works... mostly. Jason Momoa was a good choice for the character and, after seeing him in this, I'm hopeful that the solo Aquaman film is good.

Superman: Henry Cavill is ok, he's not in it all that much but this interpretation of Superman never seems to quite hit the mark for me so that's probably a plus.

The Villain: Wow. The Justice League finally has a big budget live-action movie, and they dropped the ball when it came time to come up with a villain. Steppenwolf is yet another dull, grey, CGI, foe. He's no more impressive than 'Aries' in Wonder Woman or 'Doomsday' in Batman v. Superman. Disappointing.

Overall, I wasn't expecting this to be great, but I was hoping it wouldn't be bad.

Surprisingly, for a movie with so many iconic characters, I'm probably going to forget about it in a few days. Although the film does have a few bright spots, the bad far outweighed the good. The plot was a bit of a mess, some of the special effects look awful, it's all over the place tonally, the runtime is actually a little too short so there are some pacing issues, and most of the comedy fell flat. Additionally, the choppy editing and the strange obsession with slow motion often times make the film feel less like a flowing narrative and more like a scattershot of comicbook imagery.

This film is a big deal because it's the first 'Justice League' movie, so a ton of people are going to go see it and it'll probably make an insane amount of money.

However, I personally don't recommend it

I give it a 2 out of 5.

The Lego Batman Movie

I'm getting to this one a little later than I had originally planned, mostly because I've been posting all of those 80's movie reviews this whole month, but here's a quick review of The Lego Batman Movie.

Right off the bat, this one was what I was hoping for and what I hadn't gotten since Micheal Keaton; a thoroughly enjoyable Batman movie. Batman, as a character, is serious and dark but, in all fairness, is kind of  ridiculous as well. The Schumacher films were goofy, over the top, and tried to make ridiculous work, but they were not fun. The Nolan films were dark and serious and, while many people liked them, I found them at times depressing and boring. This one swings the pendulum back to over the top and ridiculous but, in contrast to Schumacher's live-action films, this movie is well written and a ton of fun. It takes all the seriousness, anger, and lonliness of Batman and turns it on it's head while both celebrating and poking fun at all things Batman. The voice acting is solid, and there's some funny original songs. 

Overall, if you're a Batman fan or liked The Lego Movie then you're more than likely going to enjoy movie. I had fun, I was laughing from start to finish and I definitely recommend checking this one out.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below. 

Best of 2016

2016 has come to a close and, as with every year, there were plenty of great movies and disappointments to hit theaters.
 I originally thought about doing a sort of every-man version of the Oscars and pick my favorite actor, director, supporting actor, film score, etc. from this year, but I ended up with just too many categories. So, I decided to break it down into three categories that stood out to me after all my trips to the theater this year.

Best Comic Book Movie:

Captain America: Civil War

Comic Book movies get their own category because now more than ever before there is no shortage of action-packed hero flicks hitting the big screen every year. There was a lot to be excited about going into 2016, but i would say there were more negatives in this category than positives. Civil War was pretty awesome and Dr. Strange was good but, for me, movies like X-men: Apocalypse, Deadpool, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, and Suicide Squad either didn't live up to the hype or were flat-out disappointments. Some of these movies would have a good action scene or a fun character but Captain America: Civil War was thoroughly enjoyable and, as a result, was the one that really stood out from the rest of the pack.

Best Animated Movie:

Moana

Much like the Comic Book category this wasn't a close call for me. It had been a while since an animated film came around that I absolutely loved, and then Disney's Moana came out. I wasn't the biggest Finding Nemo fan so I didn't expect Finding Dory to thrill me,and it didn't. I found Trolls hard to sit through, Storks was funny, I didn't even get through all of Secret Life of Pets, Zootopia didn't really move the needle for me, I skipped out on yet another Ice Age sequel... Moana was the only one that really had me entertained, and I even went back to see it a second time.

Best Thing I wasn't Expecting:

Hacksaw Ridge

There were a quite a few movies I really enjoyed this year that caught me off guard. I was surprised how much I liked The Jungle Book remake, but the toss up was really between Hacksaw Ridge and In a Valley of Violence. Both were films that weren't even on my radar until right before they came out, and I thought both were really entertaining. In this category, I give the edge to Hacksaw Ridge because I think it's a bit of a better all-around film but I do recommend checking out both of them if you have the opportunity. (Here are links to both reviews Hacksaw Ridge, In a Valley of Violence)
As a bit of a side note: One movie that wasn't quite as good as I was expecting was Rob Zombie's 31. I liked it but it didn't blow me away.

  A big thanks to everyone who has been reading my reviews this year.

Have a movie recommendation for me to check out in 2017?
Leave it in comments below.

10 Movies To Watch This Holiday Season

It's December, it's getting colder outside and Christmas is fast approaching. Between battling the crowds at the mall and attending Christmas parties, you may find some time to watch a couple of movies to really get you into to the holiday spirit. So grab and glass of eggnog and plate of gingerbread cookies, because I've got 10 films to make your holiday season a little brighter.

#10 The Santa Clause -1994

Although I'm not a fan of the sequels, The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006), I think this one is a solid movie. It's not perfect, but it's one of those films that the whole family can sit back and enjoy while having some hot cocoa on a chilly winter evening.

#9 Die Hard -1988

For those who want an action-packed holiday movie, nothing beats Die Hard. For anyone that hasn't seen this one, Bruce Willis plays a New York cop named John McClane who travels to Los Angeles to attend his estranged wife's Christmas party at Nakatomi Tower. But, a group of terrorists seize the tower, take hostages and it's up to McClane to save the day.

 

#8 A Charlie Brown Christmas -1965

For many people, myself included, watching this one has become something of a Christmas tradition. The Peanuts characters are iconic, and there are some funny moments, but what sets this this apart from so many other animated Christmas movies is that it directly addresses the over-commercialization of the holiday and reminds the viewer of the true meaning of Christmas.

#7 The Nightmare Before Christmas -1993

Love Christmas but sad Halloween is over? Then this is probably the go-to film for you. It's all the cheer and joy of one mixed with the spookiness of the other. The songs are great, and the movie is a ton of fun anytime of the year but particularly when watched during that 54 day span between Halloween night and Christmas morning.

#6 Elf - 2003

Elf is arguably the best Christmas movie to come out in the last 20 years. Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, a wide-eyed, naive, man-child that travels to New York City to find his Dad. Buddy spreads Christmas cheer wherever he goes in this hilarious, modern Christmas classic.

#5 Christmas Eve on Sesame Street -1978

"I hate Christmas! And if you want the truth, I ain't so crazy about Thanksgiving or Labor Day either!" -Oscar the Grouch

If there was ever a stick in the mud to rival Ebenezer Scrooge or the Grinch, it's Oscar the Grouch. In fact, he's part of the reason that ever since I was a little kid this has been one of my favorite holiday movies. All of the best Christmas films need a character that is devoid of Christmas cheer, because it helps illustrate how the holiday has the power to bring out the best in all of us.
 Even though this one is aimed towards children, I surprisingly enjoy it just as much as an adult.

#4 Batman Returns -1992

Batman + Christmas, You can't go wrong. It's Christmas time in Gotham City and Batman is up against two iconic villains, the Penguin and Catwoman... Plus, Christopher Walken is in it. So, take a break from building that gingerbread Batcave, and pop in Batman Returns.

#3 Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! -

You can keep Santa, and Rudolf, and all the elves because when I think of great Christmas characters I immediately think of the Grinch. In a way it's the perfect Christmas story, because a lot of us are cynical jackasses throughout much of the year, but when the holiday season rolls around our hearts often grow a few sizes.

 #2  The Muppet Christmas Carol -1992

 Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is one of the most famous Christmas stories ever written, and there are a ton of film adaptations of that story. My favorite version just happens to be the one starring the Muppets. Michael Caine plays a great Scrooge, and that Muppet brand of humor blends surprisingly well with the story.

#1 It's a Wonderful Life -1946

 I could have possibly moved around or swapped out a few films on this list but if there is one must watch film for me, it's this one. It's a timeless classic and it's not only a great Christmas movie, but one of my favorite films in general.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone. 

Have a suggestion for a review or want to recommend a Christmas movie that didn't make it onto this list? Leave it in the comments below.

A Look Back At Batman (1989)

In honor of Michael Keaton turning 65 today, let’s look back at one of his greatest roles: 1989’s Batman.
Directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson this is still the gold standards by which all comic book movies should be judged.
It’s the perfect blend of seriousness and fun.The film has some darkeness to it but it’s not depressing, and Gotham City has a great stylized surreal comic book vibe.
The film is enjoyable, and the writers didn’t try to over complicate the plot. The bad guy (in this case the Joker played by Nicholson) is just a bad guy. The hero is just the hero, you never have to questioned it.
As much as I enjoy getting solid comic book movies every year (mostly thanks to the MCU) in today’s movie world you sometimes have to see three or four other movies just to understand all of the references in the one you’re trying to watch right now. This is one you can just pop in for 2 hours and have a good time watching Batman do Batman things.
So if you’ve never seen it, or maybe just haven’t seen it recently, give it a watch. In my opinion, it’s far and away the best Batman movie.


5 out of 5