The Best of 2017

And with that, another year is about come to an end. 2017 was a big year for movies, and in this special post I will give my top 10 movies for the whole year. Now this will just be a simple list, nothing more, nothing less. If you want my in-depth thoughts on each movie, be sure to check out the reviews I have posted (which will be linked to here as well.) Without further adieu, here are the Top 10 Movies of 2017:

10. The Greatest Showman

9. Wonder Woman

8. Blade Runner 2049

 7. Get Out

6. Spider-Man: Homecoming

 5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

4. IT

3. Beauty and the Beast

2. The Disaster Artist

1. Logan

And that's it for 2017, guys! Be sure to tune in next year for more posts coming your way! Have a Happy New Year :)

The Greatest Showman (SPOILERS)

“The noblest art is that of making others happy”
― P.T. Barnum

Well the year of 2017 is about to come to an end. For my final review of the year, I will talk about a movie that, for all intents and purposes, just did a damn good job at making me feel good! The Greatest Showman may not be the greatest movie that this year has had to offer, but I still found it to be an enjoyable little flick that was a worthy way to cap off the year. And here's why:

UPS

1. Hugh Jackman was great as P.T. Barnum. With this movie and Logan, this was a big year for Jackman. If anything, this movie proves to me that he may be one of the most, if not the most, talented actors of our current generation. He sings, he dances, and he acts, all at once. If he really wanted to, Jackman's presence alone is enough to carry an entire film.
2. The rest of the cast is great too, and while Jackman does overshadow them just a bit, they still give the best they got. Standouts are Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, and last but certainly not least Keala Settle. 
3. The music is hands down the best part of the whole movie. Every single song is catchy, moving, and oh so entertaining. Literally one of the greatest soundtracks to any movie, period! Listen to it here.

DOWNS

1. It was incredibly rushed. I understand this movie mainly focuses on Barnum and his story, but I feel there could have been a little more fleshing out in parts, such as the moments chronicling his life from childhood to adulthood and how he and his wife sealed their relationship. This also pertains to the other characters, who definitely could have used some extra layers and development to make them fully fledged, Zac Efron's character in particular. All in all, some expansion would've been handy here.

OVERALL

I enjoyed The Greatest Showman. I don't think I could've asked for a better way to cap off the year.

And that's my last review of 2017, guys. Check out my Best of 2017 post which I will be posting next! 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (SPOILERS)

This is not gonna go the way you think...

Where to begin? I love Star Wars! Easily one of my favorite franchises in all of media, it has been a huge part of my childhood, and I can't imagine my life without it at this point. I love the originals, and I am not afraid to admit that I do love the prequels as well. As of recent times, the head of executives who own Star Wars made a deal with the executives of Disney to join the two together. After that settlement was made, we have seen two stellar entries produced in The Force Awakens and Rogue One. The Last Jedi is the sequel to the former, and expectations were high, as we were finally seeing the full return of Luke Skywalker, Rey and Kylo Ren learning their places in the world, and how the producers were going to tackle the unexpected departure of Carrie Fisher. Now, if I am going to be completely honest, I was incredibly disappointed by this movie, and honestly it may be one of my least favorite Star Wars movies! And here is why:

UPS

1. Mark Hamill turned in one of his best performances as Luke. For all the many, many faults relating to the character (which I will get to,) I think Mark Hamill did great with what he was given and every moment he was on-screen was usually some of the best.
2. Everything about Kylo Ren! If this movie had one true MVP, it was definitely Kylo. I enjoyed him in The Force Awakens; I enjoy him even more here! His arc throughout the entire movie was deeply compelling, his bond with Rey was incredibly intriguing, and Adam Driver really sold all the moments that encapsulated his emotions, whether he be angry, conflicted, or downright mad. I am so grateful that he wasn't redeemed, and I hope he stays that way.
3. The visuals and action in this movie are spectacular. Certain standouts for the former include Vice Admiral Holdo's lightspeed sacrifice and the final battle on Crait, and the latter has to be that glorious duel between Rey and Kylo versus the Praetorian Guards. If anything else, this was the most visually impressive Star Wars movie by far!
4. BB-8 is still the same lovable little droid he was back in The Force Awakens. That is all!
5. The Yoda cameo was hands down the best scene in the whole movie. This scene brought about some real nostalgic feelings and was also the moment that played the hugest part in developing Luke's arc in the movie (even if its effectiveness was a little hit-or-miss.) It was touching and such a joy to see the little green man again :)

DOWNS

1. It's a good thing Mark Hamill was great for the most part, because I did not care for what they did with Luke in this movie. What I mean when I say that is that it was an interesting concept that went absolutely nowhere. He's mostly dour throughout the entire movie and I don't think his return to faith was developed as well as it should have been. His death ruined any chance of that being rectified, even though the Twin Suns callback was a beautiful touch. Overall, I wasn't a fan of the way Luke was portrayed, and his death only left an extra sour taste in my mouth.
2. SNOKE!!! Sure, he served the purpose of propelling Kylo's arc forward, but MY GOD did his character suck! There could've been so much more done with him; so much more, but in the end, he was just a decrepit, stuck-up asshole with Sith powers and nothing more! Really, the same can be said for any bad guy in this movie that isn’t Kylo Ren; General Hux has now been reduced to a sniveling loudmouth punching bag who is subjected to every form of punishment imaginable at every possible opportunity, and Captain Phasma...what the hell could be said about Captain fucking Phasma? Just a real shame in the end.
3. As much as I love the new lead trio, The Last Jedi has shown that once you take away a little something that makes them special, you realize how much substance they really lack. Case in point, Rey, who is easily my favorite, now really has nothing to make her stand out with the reveal of who her parents are, which I will admit was a very neat twist that was simply overshadowed by way too much buildup; in the case of Finn, you take away Rey and realize that he's, for all intents and purposes, just there; finally, Poe actually subverts the other two in the fact that he really is one-note and can only really work in small doses. As I said before, I love these characters and I think their actors are doing a spectacular job, but this movie didn't do much justice to any of them.
4. They are really, and I mean really, pushing the boundaries of what exactly entails in regards to the Force. The telepathic connection between Kylo and Rey was fine, but things such as Luke creating an astral projection of himself and Leia being able to fucking fly in outer space become too much. It's starting to become less mystical and more outlandish, even for a series like Star Wars!
5. Finally, and this is probably the movie's biggest offender for me, but it just didn't feel like Star Wars. When I think of a Star Wars movie, I usually find a sense of wonder and whimsy surrounding a plot that is equal parts light-hearted and equal parts darkly serious. For some odd, strange reason, this movie didn't have that feeling, almost like there was no soul or substance to speak of, which is pretty crushing to think about. 

OVERALL

Star Wars: The Last Jedi was the most disappointing movie of the year, hands down. My overall feelings on how I exactly feel on it are incredibly mixed, just as much as the fanbase as a whole! I wanted to like this movie more than I did, but unfortunately I don't think that is possible. 

And that's it for this blog, guys. Tune in for more on the way :)

The Disaster Artist (SPOILERS)

Oh hai Mark...

It is known by many as the Citizen Kane of bad movies. When associating a movie with the term, "So bad, it's good," it will probably be at the top of their list. As it stands, The Room is one of the most famous movies to ever grace the screen...for all the wrong reasons. It is quite possibly one of the worst pieces of cinema to ever be brought to life...and that's what makes it so fantastic! It is SO BAD, but in an endearing sort of way. The man behind that unintended genius is the ever present but oh so mysterious Tommy Wiseau. Wiseau is just as much of a mystery to the world as is the question of why this movie could ever even exist? Luckily for us, Tommy's partner in crime, Greg Sistero, wrote a book about exactly that, and now a movie starring James Franco and his little brother, Dave Franco, has brought that answer to the big screen. And the result is probably one of the best (if not the best) movies of 2017:

UPS

1. Dave and James' performances were so top-notch. The relationship between Wiseau and Sistero is as bizarre as it is touching, and the Francos capture that bond perfectly, almost like they share some sort of brotherly bond...oh wait ;) Individually, they both capture the essences of the two guys spectacularly, and in the case of James Franco, I thought I was watching Tommy Wiseau play himself at times. 
2. The fact that it's appropriately (and hilariously) absurd while still managing to be incredibly touching, much like the bond shared by Wiseau and Sistero. This movie really captures what exactly needs to happen to make a movie like The Room even exist in the first place. The fact that this all actually happened according to Sistero makes its absurdity even more brilliant. Despite that, it actually can be quite emotional by showing the journey Tommy and Greg experience. Anyone who's ever struggled to make a living in Hollywood can truly understand and relate to what Wiseau and Sistero go through in this movie, but what makes it even more compelling is the fact that they make Tommy both a tragic, relatable character and a cautionary tale, showing that while it's sad to see Tommy struggle due to the simple fact that he is atrociously bad, he's still proves himself to be the last person anyone would ever want to work with. Ever!
3. Finally, I must address the post-credits scene. What better way to cap this movie off than to have a special cameo by Mr. Tommy Wiseau himself. 

DOWNS

Honestly, I found nothing wrong with this movie. I enjoyed every single moment of it :)

OVERALL

The Disaster Artist was a phenomenal movie about a movie. I thought everything about it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Definitely up there as one of the very best this year. 

Well that's it for this review, guys! Now here's something I hope you'll enjoy ;)

Blade Runner 2049 (SPOILERS)

Blade Runner is a highly beloved, if slightly overlooked, classic of Science-Fiction filmography. With the news of a sequel being released this year, there was buzz over whether it was worth it or not. In this post, I will go over why I think this was not only a worthy successor to its predecessor, but also one of the finest movies to come out this year.

UPS

1. Ryan Gosling turns in a fine performance as Officer K. He brings a lot of depth to a rather simple character and the story provided to him in the movie allows him to really show off his abilities in a truly superb way. He carries the movie well, but at least he doesn't have to do all the work by himself...
2. Harrison Ford delivers one of his greatest performances in years as Rick Deckard. While he obviously obtained most of his fame from his roles as Han Solo and Indiana Jones, his performance as Deckard may be his most underrated, especially in this film, where he really brings a lot of emotional weight to the character. He also shares a fantastic chemistry with Gosling, and the scene where the two meet for the first time is truly the movie's greatest scene. 
3. Dennis Villeneuve's direction and the film's visuals in general. They really capture the film's sci-fi noir feeling just as much as the first one's did and are just gorgeous to look at, making this movie one of the most visually impressive of the year as well.
4. The twist is quite the brilliant one indeed. For most of the movie, I will admit that I was genuinely convinced that K was indeed Deckard's son, so to find out he was not and to discover that Deckard and Rachel actually had a daughter was a true surprise to me, especially since I haven't received a surprise like this in so long. 
5. The romance plot was actually sweet and touching, which is extremely impressive due to how, quite frankly, bizarre it is. Most of this is due to the fact that both K and Joi seem to genuinely love each other despite their circumstances and Ryan Gosling shares just as strong a chemistry with Ana de Armas as he does with Harrison Ford. Overall, I was truly moved by their relationship and incredibly saddened by when Joi died.

DOWNS

1. It is definitely way too long, which is ironic in the fact that I found the original Blade Runner too short. There definitely could have been some trimming down in parts so that things could run a little more smoothly, but alas, it felt like a bit of a slog at times. 

OVERALL

Blade Runner 2049 was a great movie and a superb sequel to the original. Definitely one of the finest movies of the year, and for that I give it a 4/5. Now time to close this out with the song selected for that scene with K and Deckard; one that had a hand in making this scene truly stand out, and one that fits this tribute video I found so well :)

Justice League (SPOILERS)

It all came down to this! The DCEU, as we all know, has been a very polarizing business. It certainly hasn't proved to be as successful as we, and probably Warner Bros, thought it was going to be, and this film was the ultimate factor in deciding whether or not it would ever be as successful as its counterpart, the MCU. Ultimately, I have had a feeling of tolerance towards the DCEU as a whole: I thought Man of Steel was great, found Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice to be decent despite its many, many flaws, and Wonder Woman was, simply put, a breath of fresh air. So far, the only dud of this franchise, to me at least, was Suicide Squad (the less said about that one the better.) Overall, the DCEU has been alright to me, and I had hopes that Justice League would finally put all the doubts of its success to rest. The question is, did it? Well, the answer is yes and no. And here is why:

UPS

1. The League is great, as they should be. Ben Affleck continues to excel as the Caped Crusader, and despite the glaring (and possibly true, sadly) rumors of him leaving proves to be the best live-action interpretation of the character. Gal Gadot continues to wow the world as Wonder Woman, and the new three members are great as well: the Flash isn't the scene stealer everyone makes him out to be (more on why in a sec,) but Ezra Miller's endearing likability manages to make him a joy to watch regardless. Meanwhile, Jason Momoa is a hilariously entertaining presence as Aquaman, and Ray Fisher's Cyborg may be the most surprising of the three, as he actually plays an integral part to the plot and has an intriguing backstory to boot, which makes him the most compelling newcomer of the three. Now as for the Son of Krypton, we're gonna hold off on him for right now ;)
2. The supporting cast is great, even if they do not get much to do. Not only do we get excellent returnees like Jeremy Irons' Alfred, Diane Lane's Martha Kent, and Connie Nielsen's Hippolyta, we get terrific newcomers as well, with the standouts being Bill Crudup as Henry Allen, J. K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon, and Amber Heard as Mera. All in all, these actors and actresses made the most of what they got, which wasn't much unfortunately...
3. The lighter tone. This was a trend that started with Wonder Woman and continues here. This movie may have its faults, but it cannot be denied that it is an incredibly fun experience. I enjoyed most of the humor, especially Batman's line, "Yep, something's definitely bleeding," and Aquaman's confession ala Lasso of Truth, and if all else failed (which it didn't, thankfully,) at least I had a blast being entertained.
4. The two post-credits scenes were fantastic. The first one was great in that it's an incredibly lighthearted, funny, and sweet moment between two beloved characters, but the real meat comes in the second one, which sets up the upcoming movies in a big way. And despite that awful hair-dye job, I think Joe Manginello has nailed the look of Deathstroke.
5. Finally, I think it's time to address the one character that everyone was talking about when it came to this movie: Superman. Now considering the fact that I am not the hugest fan of this character, I never thought I'd hear myself say (or see myself write) that Superman was the best part of the whole damn movie! Yes, even better than Batman! After two movies of him being portrayed as a man who had immense self-doubt and feelings of his lack of worth in the world, it was incredibly refreshing to see the Man of Steel portrayed the way that made everyone fall in love with the character in the first place. If anything could signal the DCEU taking a step in the right direction, then it's certainly the return of the Superman. 

DOWNS

1. The whole movie was incredibly rushed. It's only a mere two hours, yet it's obvious that more room was needed. Everything happens so fast that there is barely any time to digest what's happening. All in all, a little breather every now and then couldn't hurt, even if...
2. The plot was incredibly generic, simple, and cliché. It essentially boils down to a big bad villain coming down to take over the world, and it's up to our heroes to save the day before it's too late. Nothing more, nothing less. The glaring similarities to Lord of the Rings don't really help matters, and ultimately...
3. Steppenwolf is a painfully mediocre villain. He's not as bad as everyone says he is, but he's not too good either. Ciaran Hinds really tries his hardest to make him seem cool and imposing, but he barely does anything to make him stand out as a true menace, his CGI design looks pretty terrible, and he ultimately proves to be completely inept once Superman arrives on the scene. It really says something when your henchmen are way cooler than you. 
4. Some of the humor didn't stick, and the prime suspect of most of that is, unfortunately, the Flash. As I mentioned before, Ezra Miller was great, but most of his scenes designated him to the comic relief and it felt very forced as a result.
5. Poor Lois Lane. With each passing movie, it feels as though the writers have just given up on this character, and boy does it show here. Considering that this is Superman's, well, love interest and a very important character to his story, it is immensely disappointing to see what's become of her here and it really is a waste of Amy Adams' talents. 

OVERALL

Justice League had one huge job, and I think it succeeded in most regards while also, unfortunately, maintaining the status quo it should desperately try to avoid. It certainly isn't better than Wonder Woman or even Man of Steel, but it is a step in the right direction and at least casts the spark for a bright light moving forward.

And that's it for this review, guys. Tune in for more coming up :)

Thor: Ragnarok (SPOILERS)

Get help...

There has been massive hype surrounding this one. Many consider it the best Thor movie of all time, and then there are those who consider it the best MCU movie, period. Now, the MCU so far has been killing it with their movies, and earlier this year they've produced two stellar entries in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming, so where does this one stand? Honestly, while it's still a decent movie overall, I consider it vastly overrated. And here is why: 

UPS

1. Loki and Heimdell steal the show. Loki's been a massively popular character in the MCU for the longest time, but I think he at is best when he collides with his brother. As a result, I feel this was one of his finest outings in the franchise. As for Heimdell, he was the real hero of the story. Plain and simple. 
2. The rest of the cast was great too. Chris Hemsworth continues to be great as Thor even if the character himself isn't all that great this time around, Cate Blanchett as Hela is incredibly fierce and intimidatiing, Jeff Golblum channels his inner...well, Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster, Mark Ruffalo brings out more heart and depth to the Hulk (who gets to talk this time around) and Bruce Banner, and Tessa Thompson is just great as Valkyrie, probably the best new character to come out of the movie. Oh, and then there's Korg...
3. "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin was a great addition to the movie and made the scenes it featured more entertaining than they already were. 
4. When this movie was actually dark and serious. Seriously, I enjoyed the movie a lot more when it tapped into its dark side, and when it did...boy, was it effective! Let's do a quick recap: Odin and the Warriors Three die, Asgard is destroyed, and Thor LOSES HIS FUCKING EYE!!! Yeah, who could expect that?! 
5. Finally, that Stan Lee cameo was glorious! 

DOWNS

1. The humor wasn't the best. Usually, this is an element of the MCU that makes their movies so fun to watch, but it feels like they were trying too hard here. I feel like a few jokes here and there would have been good, but it is so oversaturated with comedy that it clashes with the serious parts of the movie, making the tone of the film incredibly uneven.
2. Hela's backstory wasn't particularly interesting and her role wasn't utilized to its full effect. The reveal of her being Odin's daughter (and thus Thor's half-sister) was interesting but went nowhere, and I feel her motives for laying waste to Asgard and the Nine Realms could have been fleshed out just a little bit more. Thankfully, it seems she's not completely dead, so there may be hope in the future for more...
3. Were we supposed to care about Skurge? It was obvious that they were going to set up an arc of some sort for him to go through, but it just went through the motions and ultimately there was no payoff, which was particularly frustrating in the grand sendoff they gave him, which would have had some impact if we actually cared...
4. The post credit scenes weren't that great either. I get that the first one was basically Thor and co being captured by Thanos, but it ended so abruptly that there was no time to exactly ingest it, and I honestly feel a scene like that would have worked better as a cliffhanger to the whole movie instead. As for the other scene, it has absolutely no bearing to anything in the movie whatsoever that it really makes you wonder why they even put it there in the first place. We could have easily gotten some solid setup for Infinity War in that alloted time.
5. Honestly, there was no emotional investment for anything whatsoever. Although I mentioned Odin and the Warriors Three's deaths in the UPS section, that doesn't mean that I found them to be the best, because they just came and went with little to no bearing of anything (Fandral and Volstagg don't even get a line to speak). Overall, considering that these were characters who were integral to the Thor movies up until this point, you'd expect there to be at least something to come out of it.

OVERALL

Thor: Ragnarok was the most disappointing movie I have seen so far if I may be so honest. There were elements to enjoy from it, but I feel something better was buried within this movie, and that is why I was expecting more. I do not think it's bad at all, but it's certainly not the best and I just wasn't thrilled with it. 

Well that's it for this blog, guys! Tune in for more posts coming along :)

Why Leia Must Die in The Last Jedi (SPOILERS...AND TEARS)

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a young actress graced the screen to bring one of the most beloved fictional female characters to one of the most beloved franchises of all time. That woman was Carrie Fisher, and her character is Princess Leia Organa. One of the most important central characters of the Star Wars franchise, Leia won audiences over with her courageous spirit and powerful heart. Several years later, she returned to the screen in The Force Awakens, where it was apparent that that heart had not left. Unfortunately, in 2016, a big loss was suffered in the form of Carrie Fisher, and the Space Princess was lost before she could complete the entire trilogy. Despite that, Leia remains an integral part to The Last Jedi, and ultimately this role will have a huge emotional resonance with so many people. Now of course, how can they send Leia off now that she will no longer be with us? While there's always the possibility of writing her off in a way that makes sense, I feel death, as tragic as it may be, may be the most logical course of action. Here are five reasons as to why I feel that way:

5. Carrie Fisher's passing: This was obviously going to make the list, so I figured I'd start off with it. It is tremendously tragic and heartbreaking to know that this phenomenal woman has lost her life, and I can't imagine what it's going to be like with her gone. Ultimately, keeping Leia alive past Last Jedi may do some damage to the final conclusion of the new trilogy because if she's alive, then she must be there; she must have a part to play that isn't alluded to or mentioned through lines. In the end, Episode IX may prove to be a fantastic conclusion to the story, but with Leia alive and not present, something will be missing.

 4. It will be an emotionally powerful moment for Luke: Luke seems to be in a dark place right now. He's lost all faith in the Jedi, his best friend is dead, and he is hesitant to train Rey. What will really throw him over the edge is the death of his sister. All in all, this will truly push the boundaries of the direction Luke takes and it will be intriguing to see where he goes from there.

3. And Kylo: Where to begin with Kylo Ren? He really rocked the fanbase in so many ways, and I think he's not finished just yet. The Last Jedi will be just as much of a deciding factor for where Kylo goes just as much as it will be for Luke, and the tip of that iceberg will be, well, Leia's death. In the end, the death of his mother (whether by his own hand or someone else's) will show where Kylo truly stands in all of this.

2. It will put The Last Jedi in a league of its own: The Last Jedi is highly anticipated, and there are several Empire Strikes Back vibes coming from it. What better way to settle that deal than to kill off one of its most integral characters? It can't get any darker and harrowing than that!

1. It will be the most emotionally devastating moment in the entire franchise: Like I said, it can't get more darker than killing off an important character, especially someone like Leia. Not only will it devastate the fanbase; it will utterly crush them. If Han Solo's death was bad, then Leia's death will add the salt to a gruesomely nasty wound. At least they'll be together again though :)

Ultimately, killing Leia off in my opinion would be the best course of action when dealing with a situation like this. How likely it is to happen is anyone's guess considering the fact that Leia had an apparently huge part to play in Episode IX, but I will wrap this post up to say thank you Carrie Fisher for everything you've done. You are a terrific actress and may you forever live on in the stars.