Black Panther (SPOILERS)

Wakanda Forever

In today's day and age, representation has overseen a huge part of everyday life, both in and out of the world of media, so leave it to the MCU to bring something similar to the table and you've got Black Panther. Now, for all intents and purposes, Black Panther is an excellent addition to the MCU's roster that collects a fascinating story with entertaining characters and deep messages. That said, it's not perfect, and as per custom, I will go over what made Black Panther work, and what didn't:

UPS

1. T'Challa is an excellent leading hero. I enjoyed his debut in Civil War, but I think what makes me like him more in his solo outing is how the movie takes the time to show that despite being a superhero, he is still human. What I mean when I say that is that he shows vulnerability, compassion, and righteousness in a way that makes him relatable and different from the previous protagonists of the MCU. Add in Chadwick Boseman's moving performance, and you've got an amazing character to look up to and root for.
2. Really, every character is fantastic. They're all so enjoyable and fun to watch that you can't get enough of them. Of course, certain standouts are Nakia, Okoye, M'Baku, and Shuri, but really everyone is great in their own way. Alas, among all these GOATS, there is, after all, one true standout...
3. ERIK KILMONGER! If I can sum him up in a few words, it'd go a little something like this: BEST MCU VILLAIN EVER! Better than Vulture; Better than Ego; Better than Loki! The MCU has really gone above and beyond in fixing their villain problem during [hase Three, and I think they've found the pièce de résistance with Kilmonger. His backstory is sympathetic, his motives are compelling, and Michael B. Jordan's performance is spellbinding! You almost feel for the guy despite his atrocities, and in the end his death is practically moving.
4. The visuals are absolutely beautiful! This is hands down the most visually impressive of all the films in the MCU, and that's quite a feat considering we've had movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 come out last year with spectacular visuals of its own.
5. The last thing I'd like to mention is that this film tackles its deep messages in an incredibly mature way. Throughout the film, T'Challa has had to tackle with the consequences of his father's actions in the form of Kilmonger, and what it leads to is one of the deepest and most personal conflicts in all of MCU history. The idea of not letting the past define the future is handled incredibly well, and if there was anything that made Black Panther truly stand out, this would be the reason.

DOWNS

1. KILMONGER SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED! It really is that simple. He was too fantastic a villain to kill off in one solo outing, and while the death itself was well handled and there is always a possibility for him to return, I just feel an opportunity was wasted here. The same can be said for Klaue, whose hammy, over-the-top villainy really brought life to the first half of this film. All in all, with great villains such as these, what was the necessity in killing them off? 
2. The pacing was a bit off. It really took a while to get going, and that really only started when Kilmonger began taking center stage. It did serve in fleshing out Wakanda and the other characters more, but I think it would have benefited from more momentum a bit sooner. 

OVERALL

Black Panther is great and I enjoyed it. It's a bit overhyped, of course, but it's still a thoroughly enjoyable ride. Go check it out as you, and I, eagerly await the arrival of the Mad Titan himself...

And that's it for this blog, guys! After a long hiatus, it sure feels good to be back :) Tune in for more on the way...

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 :)