Movie Report Cards

MOVIE REPORT CARD: SPLIT

1/23/2017

DATE: 1/20/17
TITLE: SPLIT
DIRECTOR: M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN
STARRING: JAMES MCAVOY, ANYA TAYLOR-JOY, BETTY BUCKLEY

GRADES

ACTING: 90
DIRECTING: 80
SCREENPLAY: 75
EDITING: 75
CINEMATOGRAPHY: 85

FINAL: 81/B-

COMMENTS

If you have been waiting for M. Night Shyamalan to make some sort of comeback, his last two films may just give you hope. While Split isn't perfect, Shyamalan reminds us why people fell in love with him in the first place. He has crafted a thriller, that is designed to keep you guessing. Without the gutsy performance of James McAvoy here, I'm not sure this movie would have even worked. McAvoy, goes all the way, and it just elevates Split into something else entirely. Anya Taylor-Joy, is also solid here. While the story does teeter on the brink of destruction at times, it is the work of both Shyamalan and McAvoy, that hold it together. While there is no "twist" to speak of, there is a special reveal, that changes the game entirely. It also gives those of us who enjoyed Shyamalan's early work, a very special treat. It's the first time, in a long time, I am genuinely curious as to what Shyamalan will do next.

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TOP 10 FAVORITE FILMS OF 2016

1/4/2017

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Greetings internet dwellers!

The hideous bitch-goddess that was 2016, has gone away. FIlm wise, it was also a mixed bag for me. There were a lot of high profile releases that I was looking forward to, which fell really flat. That's not to say, there weren't some great gems mixed in there somewhere.

Note, these are my personal favorites, and I'm not judging based solely on technical merrit. These are the films that have stuck with me, this entire year. You will not see a whole list of artsy-fartsy crap that nobody has every heard of.

I like to mix it up a bit when it comes to these lists. I see all sorts of films, not just the big blockbusters.

That being said, I have not yet seen Manchester By the Sea, or Moonlight. I also have not seen Moana. Which I hear they are good, but won't be on this list. Manchester and Moonlight specifically, are really hard to find, so I had to skip them.

Without further delay, here they are, my ten favorite films of the year.

OVERRATED FILMS

ARRIVAL

Look, there is no doubt that Arrival is well made. It looks good, the performances are solid, and it's an interesting concept. However, this is hands down, one of the most boring movies I have ever seen. I don't mind a slow burn of a film. However, when you can't connect with any of the characters on screen, or the story just doesn't have enough punch, your engagement level, just fades. I know this is an awards darling, but I just didn't buy it.

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

I am a Star Wars nerd. I grew-up on these films. I am also not too critical when it comes to these things. I am one of those rare people, that while not well made, I find some enjoyment out of the Prequels. The main problem with Rogue One, is in the characters. Every single one, is so dull, you just don't care. We already know the outcome of what happens here. The Rebels get the plans, and Death Star go boom. This movie had to justify the story of how they got them. And the fact of the matter is the story is just boring. We follow around a group of one note characters, to which we have no connection to, for two hours. Granted, the last act of this film, is fantastic. However, that doesn't make up for the film that preceded the finale. At least for me anyway.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

I like Civil War. I do. However, I mostly like it for the airport scene, and Spider-Man. Not much else happens in Civil War, for me to care about. The villain, is once again, garbage here. Not to mention his ultimate plan, is the same as Lex Luthor's in Batman v. Superman. However, nobody complained about it here. The majority of Civil War, is just average. It's an average entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

WHAT THE FUCK WERE THEY THINKING

INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE

Seriously. What the fuck happened here? There is a part of me that enjoys how dumb this thing is. Still, this movie is bad. They had 20 years to figure this out, and this is what they came up with? Still, that giant alien chasing down the bus at the end, is so delightfully stupid.

TOP 10

10. ZOOTOPIA

The most shocking thing about Zootopia, is its tolerance message. It was a little shocking, just how hard Disney was hammering that message home. Still, it works. Zootopia, is a fun and delightful animated feature. Its message of bigotry, and descrimination, may be a little too heavy handed at times, yes. However, it's a nice message. The voice cast, is all superb here as well.

9. DEADPOOL

If we are talking pure, cinematic entertainment, Deadpool fits that bill. Not only was it my favorite comic book movie of 2016, it proved that you don't need a gigantic budget to make a good one. Ryan Reynolds, was born to play this character. There was so much passion to make this thing work, it shines through on screen.

8. SULLY

Sully, is a great movie. While I would have like a little less of the editing style here, Tom Hanks makes this movie. He once again proves how dynamic of an actor he is. We know how this whole thing goes down, but I kind of found the aftermath, enaging. Granted, I think Eastwood sometimes turns the knife a little too much when it comes to the Government is a bully mentality. However, Hanks, and Aaron Eckhart, sell it.

7. GREEN ROOM

Sadly, one of Anton Yelchin's final performances. This flim has a little bit of everything. It's gory, it's suspenseful, it's powerful, and a lot of fun to watch. Patrick Stewart, plays against type here too, which is a treat to watch. What I find fascinating here, is how simple this movie is, yet how effective it is. It bassically takes place in one location, yet packs a powerful punch.

6. HELL OR HIGH WATER

We talked about how Arrival is a slow burn of a film. So is Hell or High Water. However, the difference for me, is in the characters. This is a modern Western. It works on so many levels. There are layers, upon layers to this story. It's suspenseful, it's shocking at times, and the lines are blurred. The performances are all so good here too. Chris Pine, is fantastic, and plays off of Ben Foster nicely. I don't want to say too much, just watch it.

5. DON'T BREATHE

I did not like Fede Alvarez's remake of Evil Dead. However, it was clear this dude had an eye for horror. Don't Breathe, is a display of the talents that Alvarez possesses. Stephen Lang's The Blind Man, is so well executed, he could, if one was running things, get some kind of award recognition. This film is so well done, it kind of took me by surprise. Speaking of which, there are quite a few in here. So go watch it.

4. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE

My, word, I love this movie. Sure, the tacked on ending might leave a little bit of a sour taste in some mouths. However, the journey there is fantastic. Damien Chazelle, had himself a year. He is one of the writer's here. Which is no surprise as that man, can write himself some suspense. John Goodman, is so fantastic here, he deserves an Oscar nomination. And I am not kidding. There are so many great twists, turns, and moments in 10 Cloverfield Lane, if you haven't seen it, do so before people ruin it. It really is quite a treat.

3. SING STREET

What a delightful little film. Strong performances by the young cast, a great soundtrack, and a touching coming of age story. This film is so interesting to watch. It's alot of fun, and kind of breaks the mold a bit, when it comes to this kind of movie. I was shocked at how much I really did like this. It is currently streaming on Netflix. I highly recommend giving it a watch.

2. LA LA LAND

What a fantastic love letter to Hollywood. La La Land works on such a pure level, it's sickening. Emma Stone, and Ryan Gosling, are fantastic here as well. You are so sucked into their story. Chazelle, directs the crap out of this movie. It's also beautifully photographed. The muscial numbers are great too. There is a lot to like in La La Land. It doesn't miss a whole lot.

1. THE NICE GUYS

Words can't describe how much I adore this film. It hurts, that this movie tanked at the box office. Putting it out in the summer, might have been a little bit of a mistake. I guarantee you if it were released during "Oscar Season", it would be in the mix. I want to see more of these characters in the future, but because of its box office failure, that probably won't happen. The Nice Guys, does everything right. The tone is perfect, the story is fun, Crowe and Gosling, are fantastic together, and everything comes together perfectly. The Nice Guys is so much fun. If you haven't seen it, see it!

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MOVIE REPORT CARD: LA LA LAND

1/2/2017

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DATE: 12/25/16
TITLE: LA LA LAND
DIRECTOR: DAMIEN CHAZELLE
STARRING: RYAN GOSLING, EMMA STONE

GRADES

ACTING: 95
DIRECTING: 95
SCREENPLAY: 85
EDITING: 85
CINEMATOGRAPHY: 95

FINAL: 91/A-

COMMENTS

La La Land, is superb craftmenship. Writer/Director Damien Chazelle, has cemented himself as a talent, and force to be reckoned with. While some of La La Land can drag a bit, Chazelle, along with Emma Stone, and Ryan Gosling, fill the screen with pizaz. Both Stone, and Gosling, are so charismatic together, we are sucked into their journey. You route for these two so hard, it's almost sickening how much it works. Couple that with the musical elements, its tributes to cinema, and some stunning photography, La La Land is fantastic. It probably is more fantastic than it deserves to be. However, that is a true testament to just how well executed this film is. Run, don't walk, to see this movie.

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