Al's Top Rated Films: 2017
2017 is a great year! Several quality films in the bunch. I'll continue to add more as I see them.
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- DirectorEdgar WrightStarsAnsel ElgortJon BernthalJon HammAfter being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.Fantastic music-inspired crime drama/thriller from Edgar Wright that follows an extremely talented getaway driver named Baby. While he's partially hearing impaired, he depends on his specially curated iPod playlists to keep him focused on the job. He's only participating in these jobs to pay off a debt to a major crime boss who he's crossed in the past. But when his debt is paid in full, the boss threatens to kill Baby and everyone he loves if he doesn't keep working for him. With plans fueled by his new found love Debora, he sets out to break free from the world of crime. The action and getaway scenes in this film were intense and superbly done. Couple that with most excellent interweaving of R&B, Funk, Rock, Hip-Hop, and Reggae; and it's become one of my favorite music-inspired films of all time. Whoever was picking the music did an incredible job of enhancing every scene of the film. I've never seen Ansel Elgort in a lead role before, and he delivered an amazing performance as Baby. Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Lily James, and Eiza González also had excellent starring roles. Jon Bernthal, Flea, Lanny Joon, CJ Jones, Hudson Meek, and others has excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorChad StahelskiStarsKeanu ReevesRiccardo ScamarcioIan McShaneAfter returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life.Outstanding sequel with top-notch writing from Derek Kolstad and directing from Chad Stahelski. I was a huge fan of the first John Wick movie, and I honestly felt this sequel was even stronger. The story picks up right where the first film left off, with John Wick looking to finally retire after the bloody ordeal he just went through. But it will soon prove to be an impossibility when he is quickly greeted by a former partner and assassin named Santino D'Antonio, who demands that he repays a past debt to him by murdering someone that will give him tremendous power. When John respectfully refuses, the consequences are horrific, which once again forces John back into his dangerous former life with a large bounty on his head. This film is so much better than your typical shoot-'em-up thriller. Fantastic story, action, cinematography, characters, and cast all around. Keanu Reeves arguably delivers he greatest lead performance to date. He was fantastic, and embodies the genre and character perfectly. Riccardo Scamarcio, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Ruby Rose, Common, Claudia Gerini, Laurence Fishburne, Tobias Segal, John Leguizamo, and many others have excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorCraig GillespieStarsMargot RobbieSebastian StanAllison JanneyCompetitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.Excellent sports biopic on the life of figure skater Tonya Harding. The story starts in1970s Portland, and follows Tonya as her emotionally and physically abusive mother who forces her into skating, to her dysfunctional and atypical marriage, to her rise in the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, to her scandalous incident with fellow skater, Nancy Kerrigan. When examining the aftermath of the incidents and her banning from figure skating, it's hard not to feel bad for her, as she's suffered her entire existence up to that point, let alone her actual involvement the the crime against Nancy Kerrigan. Margot Robbie delivers an outstanding lead performance as Tonya. Definitely my favorite role of hers to date. Allison Janney was also phenomenal playing her mother. Mckenna Grace, Sebastian Stan, Paul Walter Hauser, Julianne Nicholson, Bobby Cannavale, Caitlin Carver, Jason Davis, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJoseph KosinskiStarsJosh BrolinMiles TellerJeff BridgesBased on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters who risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire.Fantastic action-packed biography/drama from Joseph Kosinski set in 2007 Prescott, Arizona, and follows the dedicated supervisor Eric Marsh of the Prescott Fire Department forest firefighting team, which has finally been given the honor of achieving their "Hotshot certification" and become heroes to many locals after becoming the "Granite Mountain Hotshots". The story also follows a troubled 21-year-old heroin addict named Brendan McDonough that Eric accepts into his team since he had the same spotty past as he does and understands him. As time goes on, the men put in longer hours and come closer to death with each passing calamity unfolds, which causes major issues with their families and leads up to the most disastrous catastrophe of them all. Excellent story, action, thrills, production design, and casting throughout. Josh Brolin and Miles Teller both deliver fantastic lead performances. Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Connelly also had excellent starring roles. James Badge Dale, Taylor Kitsch, Andie MacDowell, Geoff Stults, Alex Russell, Thad Luckinbill, and many others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsFionn WhiteheadBarry KeoghanMark RylanceAllied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.Fantastic action-packed war thriller from Christopher Nolan set in 1940 during World War II, and follows a Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, and France, who are fighting the "Battle of France" after they are surrounded by the German Army during the evacuation of 400,000 Allied soldiers on the shores of the French port town of Dunkirk. From the moment the film starts, it's a terrifying battle with the Allies just waiting to be killed while German fighter pilots bomb and gun down soldiers as if they were shooting fish in a barrel. It also follows a group of civilian boats that were sent to Dunkirk by Britain to facilitate evacuation and lower the chances of Allied destroyers being sunk by enemy bombs. Epic action and thrills, with incredible production design and cinematography. It's no surprise why the film won 3 Oscars for best sound editing, sound mixing, and film editing. The musical score was also fantastic and added extra tension and suspense to the film. Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Tom Glynn-Carney, Barry Keoghan, Tom Hardy, Jack Lowden, Aneurin Barnard, and many others delivered excellent performamces.
- DirectorReginald HudlinStarsChadwick BosemanJosh GadKate HudsonThe story of Thurgood Marshall, the crusading lawyer who would become the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases.Excellent historical biopic and crime drama set in 1940 about an exceptional and relentless NAACP lawyer named Thurgood Marshall, who travels the country defending African Americans who are wrongly accused of crimes. This story covers one of his most important cases, as he must team up with a small-time white insurance lawyer to defend a black chauffeur accused of raping a wealthy white woman in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Chadwick Boseman delivers one of his very best performances, as it's the best I've seen from Josh Gad. They were both fantastic together. Kate Hudson, Sterling K. Brown, Dan Stevens, James Cromwell, and Keesha Sharp all had great roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorLasse HallströmStarsJosh GadDennis QuaidPeggy LiptonA dog discovers the meaning of its own existence through the lives of the humans it teaches to laugh and love. Reincarnated as multiple canines over the course of five decades, the lovable pooch develops an unbreakable bond with Ethan.Being a dog lover, this movie quickly became a modern day favorite for me. Excellent adventure from Lasse Hallström and W. Bruce Cameron that follows a dog that searches for his meaning of life as he jumps into the bodies of different dogs with different owners over the course of several lifetimes. Along his journey, he meets several loving owners, confusing and lonely owners, as well as very bad owners. It's an emotional and beautiful story that leads up to the relationship with his most important and life-fulfilling friend, Ethan. Worthy of being called one of the best dog movies of all time. It's excellent in every way. Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, Peggy Lipton, Bryce Gheisar, K.J. Apa, and Britt Robertson all deliver fantastic performances. Juliet Rylance, Luke Kirby, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Pooch Hall, John Ortiz, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorStephen ChboskyStarsJacob TremblayOwen WilsonIzabela VidovicBased on the New York Times bestseller, this movie tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters the fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.Very powerful and inspirational family drama about a 10-year old boy with facial deformities who is entering the 5th grade at a mainstream school for the first time in his life. While he struggles to make the adjustments with his classmates and family, he ultimately succeeds and becomes a true inspiration for those around him as he overcomes great odds. Very well written and acted throughout. Jacob Tremblay had a phenomenal lead role for being so young (as also seen in Room (2015)). Izabela Vidovic was also superb playing the sister. Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Noah Jupe, Bryce Gheisar, Elle McKinnon, Ty Consiglio, Mandy Patinkin, and many others had great roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorJames GunnStarsChris PrattZoe SaldanaDave BautistaThe Guardians struggle to keep together as a team while dealing with their personal family issues, notably Star-Lord's encounter with his father, the ambitious celestial being Ego.The first Guardians of the Galaxy movie was my favorite superhero movie of all time upon its release. James Gunn is back writing and directing again, and I'd have to say this is a fantastic sequel, and arguably holds up just as well as the first film. The story follows the Guardians after saving the planet of planet Xandar from Ronan's destructive fury. Now regarded as intergalactic heroes, they embark on a new mission to help Peter Quill (Star Lord) discover his family roots when he meets his mysterious and biological father, Ego. Meanwhile, Peter and Gamora start a romance, and Gamora tries to make peace with her estranged sister Nebula. But soon, Ego and the planet he lives on springs some dreadful surprises that puts the planet and the Guardians' lives in danger once again. Chris Pratt (Star Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Michael Rooker (Yondu), Karen Gillan (Nebula), and Kurt Russell (Ego) all deliver excellent lead performances. Elizabeth Debicki, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone, Chris Sullivan, Laura Haddock, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJoe WrightStarsGary OldmanLily JamesKristin Scott ThomasIn May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.Excellent historical biopic on the life of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill. The story is set in May 1940, and follows Churchill's difficult decisions as he battles with negotiating peace with the ruthless Führer of Germany, Adolf Hitler, or to fight his army of Nazis head-on. The situation is met with intense pressure and doubts from all sides. Gary Oldman delivered his best lead performance to date in my opinion. He was phenomenal. Great writing and acting all around. Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Ronald Pickup, Samuel West, Stephen Dillane, and many others had excellent roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorJake KasdanStarsDwayne JohnsonKaren GillanKevin HartFour teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.I've always enjoyed the original Jumanji film from 1995, but I never thought a sequel would be in the cards. Fast forward to 2017, and I'd have to say it's even better than the original, while being very unique. Great story about how 4 high-schoolers get sucked into a vintage and mysterious video game, and transform into the game's characters. The only way to get back to the real world is to finish and beat the game. Along the way, they discover a mysteriously missing teen that's been stuck in the game for 20 years, as they all team up to complete the quest. Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan all delivered some of their greatest lead performances to date. Nick Jonas, Alex Wolff, Ser'Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner, Bobby Cannavale, Rhys Darby, and many others had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorRian JohnsonStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaMark HamillRey develops her abilities with the help of Luke Skywalker, as the Resistance prepares for battle against the First Order.Many Star Wars fanatics may want you to believe this film was one of the worst and most over-hyped sequels in the history of the franchise. As a casual fan, I absolutely loved it, and couldn't imagine a much better sequel to The Force Awakens (2015). The story picks up where its predecessor left off, with Rey learning the way of the Force by the hands of Luke Skywalker, while Leia helps lead the Resistance against the ruthless First Order. Rey and Kylo Ren also explore a mysterious connection with each other. I'm a sucker for the original characters, and I'm liking the new generation of characters as well. Great film overall. Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac all deliver excellent lead performances, among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorAaron SorkinStarsJessica ChastainIdris ElbaKevin CostnerThe true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.Excellent biopic from Aaron Sorkin about Molly Bloom—a former 2002 Olympic skier who's career ended after a severe injury, and later becomes involved in managing the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game filled with Hollywood stars, sports figures, and business tycoons. When the Russian mob gets involved, the heat gets turned up, and she's arrested by the FBI in 2013 after a decade of gaming, and follows her book authoring and legal battle that follows. Very interesting story all around with great writing and acting. Jessica Chastain arguably delivers her best lead performance to date. Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O'Dowd, J.C. MacKenzie, Brian d'Arcy James, Bill Camp, Graham Greene, Natalie Krill, Madison McKinley, Joe Keery, and many others had great roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorGreta GerwigStarsSaoirse RonanLaurie MetcalfTracy LettsIn 2002, an artistically inclined 17-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.Excellent comedy drama/coming-of-age story from Greta Gerwig set in 2002 Sacramento, California, and follows a 17-year-old girl named Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson who's struggling to move froward with her social life and academic career. She blames her overbearing and critical working-class penny-pinching mother Marion for much of her troubles. While Marion obviously loves her daughter, she doesn't seem to "like" her as far as Lady Bird is concerned, which causes a lot of tension on both of their lives. Struggles with potential love interests, friends, sex, and her drive for academic achievement become overwhelming as she works to get out of Sacramento (which she hates) and go to college on the east coast where she feels she will absorb some real culture in her life. Saoirse Ronan delivers a fantastic lead performance. Laurie Metcalf also had a great starring role. Tracy Letts, Beanie Feldstein, Lucas Hedges, Odeya Rush, Timothée Chalamet, Lois Smith, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and others also has very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsFrances McDormandWoody HarrelsonSam RockwellA mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder when they fail to catch the culprit.Excellent crime drama/dark comedy that's set in the small town of Ebbing, Missouri, and follows a furious mother who posts controversial messages on billboards on the side of a road just outside of town; attacking the local sheriff who's done nothing to catch the person who who raped and murdered her daughter. In turn, it creates a more chaos between the police and the local folks in town. Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell all deliver excellent lead performances. Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Hedges, Abbie Cornish, Zeljko Ivanek, Amanda Warren, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Sandy Martin, Peter Dinklage, and many others also had great roles among the supporting cast.
- DirectorDestin Daniel CrettonStarsBrie LarsonWoody HarrelsonNaomi WattsA young girl comes of age in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with a mother who's an eccentric artist and an alcoholic father who would stir the children's imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty.Excellent drama and biopic from Destin Daniel Cretton centered around the life of Jeannette Walls—a young girl who grew up with unconventional and nonconforming parents. Her mom being an artist/painter, and her intelligent, idealistic and alcoholic father who keeps her and the other kids minds occupied to distract them from their poverty-stricken/homeless life, as they move from place to place (often times squatting) to avoid bill collectors and find work. The story takes a serious turn when she and the other kids are grown, and break free from the clutches of their controlling father. Brie Larson delivered a superb lead performance, along with Ella Anderson, Woody Harrelson, and Naomi Watts. Chandler Head, Max Greenfield, Josh Caras, Charlie Shotwell, Sarah Snook, Sadie Sink, Brigette Lundy-Paine, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorDee ReesStarsJason MitchellCarey MulliganJason ClarkeTwo men return home from World War II to work on a farm in rural Mississippi, where they struggle to deal with racism and adjusting to life after war.Excellent drama from Dee Rees that follows two men who return home from World War II in 1946 rural Mississippi where mud is plentiful due to the vast amount of rainfall. Ronsel is a young black man from the Jackson family, who struggles greatly with racism, and misses his time in Germany where blacks were respected as liberators. In his absence, his family has been struggling to deal with the difficult McAllan family, who are the new owners of the farm the Jacksons work to maintain. When Jamie McAllan returns from the war, he and Ronsel form a controversial friendship (being in the deep south), which results in some horrifying consequences with Jamie's racist father, and the local Mississippi branch of the KKK. Fantastic story and well done film all around. One of Netflix's finest originals. Jason Mitchell, Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, and Rob Morgan all delivered fantastic lead performances. Mary J. Blige, Jonathan Banks, Frankie Smith, Kennedy Derosin, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorScott CooperStarsScott ShepherdRosamund PikeAva CooperIn 1892, a legendary Army Captain reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory.Excellent modern day western set in 1892, and follows a settler (Rosalee) who's entire family is slaughtered by Comanche natives, and later meets up with a veteran Army Captain (Joseph) who begrudgingly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief (Yellow Hawk) and his family to his ancestral home in Montana's Valley of the Bears, which proves to be an extremely dangerous and deadly trek as Joseph and Yellow Hawk try to work out their differences among their bloody pasts. Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, and Wes Studi all deliver excellent lead performances. Rory Cochrane, Jonathan Majors, Stephen Lang, Jesse Plemons, Timothée Chalamet, Adam Beach, Xavier Horsechief, Q'orianka Kilcher, Tanaya Beatty, Scott Shepherd, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorDavid Gordon GreenStarsJake GyllenhaalTatiana MaslanyMiranda RichardsonStronger is the inspiring real life story of Jeff Bauman, an ordinary man who captured the hearts of his city and the world to become a symbol of hope after surviving the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.Excellent and inspiring biopic that follows the story of Jeff Bauman—a regular working-class man who became a symbol of hope after losing his legs and surviving the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. It touches on his communication helping police catch the second bombing suspect, and really shares his heart-breaking and inspiring struggles on his road to recovery, and how it effects the lives of his family and girlfriend. Powerful writing and acting throughout. Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany both deliver top-notch lead performances. Miranda Richardson, Nate Richman, Lenny Clarke, Clancy Brown, Carlos Sanz, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJohn BoyegaAnthony MackieAlgee SmithFact-based drama set during the 1967 Detroit riots in which a group of rogue police officers respond to a complaint with retribution rather than justice on their minds.Very powerful historical crime drama that tells the horrific story of how angry and corrupt cops fuel the fire during some of Detroit's most horrific race riots in the summer of 1967. On July 25, these police officers enter a hotel after suspecting a sniper was taking shots at them, and terrorize 7 black men and 2 white women, resulting in 3 deaths and severe beatings of the other 6. A court case of similar corruption follows, and leaves these men and women with lifelong scars. Intense and important piece of history that is done great in every way. John Boyega, Will Poulter and Algee Smith all had excellent lead performances. Anthony Mackie, Kaitlyn Dever, Hannah Murray, Jacob Latimore, Jason Mitchell, Ben O'Toole, Jack Reynor, John Krasinski, Chris Chalk, and many others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJordan PeeleStarsDaniel KaluuyaAllison WilliamsBradley WhitfordA young African-American visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.Excellent and thrilling horror/mystery that follows a young black man and his white girlfriend as they travel to upstate New York to visit her parents for the first time. Her parents are welcoming, but act oddly strange about the situation. As time goes on, uneasy, mysterious, and terrifying confrontations occur with her parents until a mysterious and horrifying plot-twist presents itself. Daniel Kaluuyawa, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, and Bradley Whitford all deliver excellent lead performances. Lil Rel Howery, Caleb Landry Jones, Marcus Henderson, Betty Gabriel, LaKeith Stanfield, Stephen Root, and many others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorJames MangoldStarsHugh JackmanPatrick StewartDafne KeenIn a future where mutants are nearly extinct, an elderly and weary Logan leads a quiet life. But when Laura, a mutant child pursued by scientists, comes to him for help, he must get her to safety.Fantastic R-rated action adventure from James Mangold that follows a depressed and defeated Logan/Wolverine attempting to live a quiet life as a limo driver and caretaker to Professor Xavier in the year 2029, where mutants have become nearly extinct. One day he comes in contact with a mysterious young girl with special mutant powers similar to his, and agrees to transport her to a place called 'Eden' in North Dakota where she'll be safe from corrupt government and corporate individuals who want to exploit her powers. Definitely one of the best "superhero" films I've seen. Great story and acting throughout. Hugh Jackman delivers one of his greatest lead performances, as does Patrick Stewart and Dafne Keen. Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Richard E. Grant, Eriq La Salle, Elise Neal, Quincy Fouse, Alison Fernandez, Bryant Tardy, and many others had excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorDan GilroyStarsDenzel WashingtonColin FarrellCarmen EjogoRoman J. Israel, Esq., a driven, idealistic defense attorney, finds himself in a tumultuous series of events that lead to a crisis and the necessity for extreme action.Excellent crime drama from Dan Gilroy that follows an eccentric, idealistic, and principled veteran criminal defense attorney named Roman J. Israel, Esquire. He doesn't make much money, but cares deeply for his clients and focuses much of his time on civil rights cases. His partner and associate becomes extremely ill, and finds their law firm closing due to loss of profits. Roman is soon left without a job or a form of income, but ends up working for a high-powered attorney named George Pierce. Things seem to be going fine until Roman makes a troubling and desperate decision that goes against his moral code which eventually catches up with him and creates distressing results. Denzel Washington delivers a fantastic and complex lead performance. I couldn't imagine anyone playing the character any better. Colin Farrell also delivered a great starring role. Carmen Ejogo, Lynda Gravatt, Amanda Warren, Tony Plana, Amari Cheatom, and many others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsNicole KidmanKirsten DunstElle FanningThe unexpected arrival of a wounded Union soldier at a girls school in Virginia during the American Civil War leads to jealousy and betrayal.Excellent historical drama/thriller from Sofia Coppola set 3 years into the American Civil War in 1864 Virginia, and follows a wounded Union soldier named Corporal John McBurney who's discovered by a young girl named Amy picking mushrooms in the woods near the school for girls she attends nearby. Being a good Christian, she knows she has to help him back to the school and not leave him there to die. When they get back to the school, principal Martha Farnsworth, a teacher and 5 students are the only ones that remain after the hardships of the war. They contemplate giving him up to the confederate army, but decide to nurse him back to health first. During that time, all the girls (young and old) fall in love with the man's charm, kindness, and good looks. It ends up creating sexual tension that leads to jealousy and deception among them all. That tension quickly ramps up when a tragic incident occurs. This is a remake of a film from 1971 of the same name. While I haven't seen that yet, I must say this film was excellent all around, and underrated as far as I'm concerned. Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman both delivered excellent lead performances. Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Oona Laurence, Angourie Rice, Addison Riecke, and Emma Howard also had excellent roles among the very minimal cast.
- DirectorTaika WaititiStarsChris HemsworthTom HiddlestonCate BlanchettImprisoned on the planet Sakaar, Thor must race against time to return to Asgard and stop Ragnarök, the destruction of his world, at the hands of the powerful and ruthless villain Hela.Excellent action adventure Marvel flick with some of the finest comedy in the franchise. Great story that follows Thor and Loki after the events of Age of Ultron (2015), with Thor now being held prisoner on the planet of Sakaar, as he's forced to battle an angry and brainwashed Hulk in order to be set fre, and build a team of heroes to stop an evil and seemingly unstoppable new threat; Hela: The Goddess of Death. Chris Hemsworth (Thor) has become my favorite character in the Avengers universe with his witty mannerisms and hilarious dialogue. He was excellent throughout the picture. Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Cate Blanchett (Hela), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), and Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) also delivered excellent lead performances. Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban, Anthony Hopkins, Benedict Cumberbatch, Taika Waititi, Clancy Brown, and many others has excellent supporting roles.
- DirectorYorgos LanthimosStarsBarry G. BernsonHerb CaillouetBill CampSteven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behavior of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister.Excellent mystery/horror drama from Yorgos Lanthimos that follows a distinguished cardiovascular surgeon named Dr. Steven Murphy who lives a happy life with his wife Anna, his daughter Kim, and his son Bob. He also spends time with an oddly eccentric and needy 16-year-old boy named Martin Lang, whose father died on the operating table under Steven's care six months earlier. While Steven and Bob seem to have a good friendship with each other, Bob starts forcing himself into Steven's life by befriending Bob and starting a relationship with Kim, who shares many of his eccentricities. When Bob shockingly becomes paralyzed and sick for no reason, Martin informs Steven that Bob, Kim, and Anna will all die due to Steven's negligence in caring for his father, and that they must die to "balance" out the universe. The only way Steven can stop the horror is to intentionally kill one of them before they die. Bizarre story, but very nicely done throughout, and the cast of actors is fantastic. Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, and Nicole Kidman all deliver excellent lead performances. Raffey Cassidy and Sunny Suljic also had great starring roles. Bill Camp, Barry G. Bernson, and Alicia Silverstone also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsJennifer LawrenceJavier BardemEd HarrisA couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.Bizarre and very original drama/horror/mystery from Darren Aronofsky that follows a married couple who lives in a secluded house in an area that resembles the Garden of Eden. The husband is a writer who hasn't had any inspiration to write for some time, while his loving and devoted wife works to rebuilding, decorating, and painting their historic house. Mysterious and distressing things start to occur when the husband lets manipulative uninvited guests to stay at their house indefinitely, which amplifies their own marital issues. Tragic and perplexing events occur that make the wife reach the point of madness as disaster ensues in a horrific ending sequence. Darren Aronofsky's signature style is in full form here. While it's not his best work, it was a great film overall. Jennifer Lawrence delivers one of her best and most gripping lead performances. Javier Bardem was also excellent. Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, Kristen Wiig, and many others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorLee UnkrichAdrian MolinaStarsAnthony GonzalezGael García BernalBenjamin BrattAspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family's ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.Excellent Day of the Dead music-inspired Pixar comedy adventure set in Guanajuato, Mexico, and follows a young boy named Miguel who wants nothing more than to be an extraordinary guitar palter and musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. However, his family has a mysterious historical ban on music which blocks his dreams. When an accident occurs on the Day of the Dead, Miguel is magically sent to the distant and Land of the Dead where he sets out to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer. Great story and great writing all around. One of the best Disney films. Anthony Gonzalez was great as Miguel. Gael García Bernal, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, Benjamin Bratt, Herbert Siguenza, Alfonso Arau, Jaime Camil, and others had great roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorBenny SafdieJosh SafdieStarsRobert PattinsonBenny SafdieJennifer Jason LeighAfter a botched bank robbery lands his younger brother in prison, Connie Nikas embarks on a twisted odyssey through New York City's underworld to get his brother Nick out of jail.Excellent crime thriller with a dramatic twist that follows Connie and his intellectually disabled brother, Nick, as things go wrong when robbing a New York City bank. Nick is arrested while Connie escapes on foot, and makes dangerous and desperate plans to get him out of jail. Like "Uncut Gems" (2019), Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie give this film stunning visuals, audio, and editing. Robert Pattinson delivered an excellent lead role, and Benny Safdie was also great. Buddy Duress, Taliah Webster, and Jennifer Jason Leigh were also very nice among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorNiki CaroStarsJessica ChastainJohan HeldenberghDaniel BrühlKeepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, must save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion in WWII Poland.Great historical biopic about how the owners of the Warsaw Zoo help save hundreds of jews and animals during the Nazi invasion of Poland during World War II in 1939. Even though their zoo was liquidated for German efforts to invade Poland, this couple bravely provided a sanctuary at the risk of their own lives. Jessica Chastain gives one her finest lead performances, along with Johan Heldenbergh. Daniel Brühl was excellent and played a great German Nazi as we've seen in the past (Inglourious Basterds (2009). Timothy Radford, Efrat Dor, Shira Haas, Michael McElhatton, Iddo Goldberg, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorDominic CookeStarsBilly HowleSaoirse RonanAndy BurseIn 1962 England, a young couple find their idyllic romance colliding with issues of sexual freedom and societal pressure, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night.Excellent music-inspired coming-of-age drama/romance from Dominic Cooke set in 1962 England, and follows an innocent young couple who quickly fall in love after both graduating college. Edward is a working class rock music lover ands history major, while Florence is a conservative classical violinist at Oxford with her own quartet. They quickly get married and set out on their honeymoon on Chesil Beach. However, Florence has been hiding her fear and anxiousness about having sex for the first time, while Edward uncomfortably struggles with his own sexual inexperience in the process. The incident ends in traumatic fashion, and dramatically changed the course of both of their future lives. This is a sad story, but very nicely done with great dialogue and unsettling drama. Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle both delivered excellent and complex lead performances. Anne-Marie Duff, Adrian Scarborough, Emily Watson, Samuel West, Bronte Carmichael, and others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorBong Joon HoStarsTilda SwintonPaul DanoAhn Seo-hyunA young girl risks everything to prevent a powerful, multinational company from kidnapping her best friend - a fascinating beast named Okja.Wild action-packed adventurous sci-fi comedy drama from Bong Joon Ho that follows a young 14-year-old South Korean girl named Mija who has grown up her best friend, who happens to be a specially bred giant "super pig" named Okja. The wealthy Mirando Corporation found the new breed of this animal, and successfully bred it to give birth to 26 different piglets, which they sent to various farms around the planet for a period of 10 years to see which pig would be the biggest and the best. But trouble comes in to play when they come to take Okja away from Mija after that 10 years is up, and other chaos erupts when the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) get involved in saving Okja from the evils of the Mirando Corporation. Seo-hyun Ahn, Tilda Swinton, and Paul Dano all delivered great lead performances. Jake Gyllenhaal, Giancarlo Esposito, Je-mun Yun, Byun Hee-Bong, Steven Yeun, Daniel Henshall, Lily Collins, Devon Bostick, and others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorDerek Wayne JohnsonStarsRenée ZellwegerMatthew McConaugheySylvester StalloneAn examination of the Oscar-winning director who brought to life some of cinema's most beloved motion pictures.Excellent documentary about Oscar-winning director John G. Avildsen. The film focused mainly on arguably his two greatest films: Rocky (1976) and The Karate Kid (1984). Great story about how innovative and unique his approach was from even the early stages of casting. Even better are the modern-day interviews from actors and directors that his career affected. Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Martin Scorsese, Elisabeth Shue, Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Martin Kove, Burt Reynolds, Carl Weathers, and John G. Avildsen all deliver nice interviews.
- DirectorNeil BerkeleyStarsGilbert GottfriedDave AttellJoy BeharGILBERT is a wildly funny and unexpectedly poignant portrait of the life and career of one of comedy's most iconic figures, Gilbert Gottfried.Super interesting biography/documentary on Gilbert Gottfried. He's got to be one of the most unique personalities in stand-up comedy. He has always kept his personal life extremely private until 2017 when this film came out. It features great in-depth interviews with him and his wife, and a nice look at family life with his two children. It also has nice modern interviews from Dave Attell, Lewis Black, Bill Burr, Dick Van Dyke, Jim Gaffigan, and many others.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsMeryl StreepTom HanksSarah PaulsonA cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country's first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.Very nice historical biopic from Steven Spielberg set in 1971 and follows Washington Post owner Kay Graham, and editor Ben Bradlee who gain access to classified documents that uncovers deception and lies about America's involvement in the Vietnam War spanning the time of four U.S. Presidents. Tensions rise as a battle between the press and the government takes place. Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks both delivered great lead performances. Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys, Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, Jesse Plemons, David Cross, and many others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorAndy MuschiettiStarsBill SkarsgårdJaeden MartellFinn WolfhardIn the summer of 1989, a group of bullied kids band together to destroy a shape-shifting monster, which disguises itself as a clown and preys on the children of Derry, their small Maine town.I loved Stephen King's "It" (1990 TV Movie), so I was thrilled when I heard it was finally getting a remake 27 years later. The story is set in the summer of 1989, and follows a group of outcast kids that refer to themselves as "The Losers Club". When local kids start disappearing around their small hometown of Dairy, they band together to destroy an horrifyingly evil clown that's mentally terrorizing them. It's a solid remake, but I enjoy the 1990 TV version more, as this version really relied a lot more on special effects and cinematography. It's still a very solid film overall. Bill Skarsgård delivered a frightfully great performance as Pennywise. Jaeden Martell, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, and Nicholas Hamilton all delivered great roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorDoug LimanStarsTom CruiseDomhnall GleesonSarah WrightThe story of Barry Seal, an American pilot who became a drug-runner for the CIA in the 1980s in a clandestine operation that would be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair.Very nice crime comedy set in 1978, and follows a TWA airline pilot who's recruited by the CIA to fly special transport missions over Central America, which snowballs into him being a drug transporter for Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel, as well as supplying weapons to Nicaraguan Contras, which led to the late 1980s Iran/Contra scandal. Tom Cruise delivered a great lead performance. Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, Jayma Mays, Alejandro Edda, Mauricio Mejía, and many others had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorSeth GordonStarsDwayne JohnsonZac EfronAlexandra DaddarioDevoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon butts heads with a brash new recruit, as they uncover a criminal plot that threatens the future of the bay.I was a big fan of the sappy lifeguard TV series "Baywatch" (1989–2001), so I had to check out this new spoof of the original. While it wasn't great and really silly, it was very entertaining and has its hilarious moments, as they set out to stop drug dealers that are threatening the shimmering Emerald Bay. Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Kelly Rohrbach, Alexandra Daddario, Ilfenesh Hadera, Jon Bass, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and many others had very nice performances.