"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Production/Distribution: Huayi Brothers, Lakeshore Entertainment, STX Entertainment, GEM Entertainment, Capelight Pictures, Diamond Films, Golden Village Pictures, Metropolitan Filmexport, Odeon, Polyfilm Verleih, Sabay MVP, The Searchers, Viva International Pictures, Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Cinemundo
Director: William Brent Bell
Writer: Stacey Menear
Actors: Katie Holmes, Owain Yeoman, Christopher Convery, Ralph Ineson, Anjali Jay, Oliver Rice, Natalie Moon, Daphne Hoskins, Joely Collins, Ellie King, Joanne Kimm, Keoni Rebeiro, Charles Jarman
Blurb from IMDb: After a family moves into the Heelshire Mansion, their young son soon makes friends with a life-like doll called Brahms.
Selina’s Point of View:
I think the first film: The Boy (2016), was decent. It wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, and I didn’t love all of it… but it was ok. I wasn’t exactly cursing the time I spent watching it. In fact, I rather enjoyed the ending – despite that seeming to be an unpopular opinion.
When I saw the trailer for this sequel, I had some issues. The original film didn’t really leave too much open for the supernatural twist that Brahms: The Boy II seemed like it would be exploring. I had questions. Most of it based around continuity issues – which is not the kind of questions you want a sequel trailer to evoke.
I went into the theater skeptical.
Now, Brahms: The Boy II is getting some shit reviews – and I get it. There’s a lot of cookie cutter bullshit involved. The creators seemed to try to hard to utilize the jump scare. This film didn’t need it. In the trailer alone, you see Katie Holmes’ (Coda, Logan Lucky, Dear Dictator) character essentially jump scare the audience herself for no reason. There’s a lot in the actual film that follows that line of crap.
The problem is, by the time I finished watching it, I saw a lot of untapped potential in this movie. It did something you really want to see in a sequel. It filled in plot holes and expanded upon the world of the first film. It gave us a more in depth look at what was really going on in The Boy. I loved that aspect of this. It made me want to go back and watch the first film. When I gave in and actually DID go back to watch it, the expanded ideas from the second movie really made the first one better.
I don’t know why the creators decided to try and make Brahms: The Boy II into a movie that could stand on its own. As a simply expansion onto the first, it was great. It was the stuff they tried to pack in to make it a stand-alone that didn’t work. What they wound up with was a mess of shit stuffed into what could have been an epilogue film for The Boy. It was unnecessary.
I wish I could give this movie a better review. If a few things had been changed, this could have been something outstanding. Unfortunately, it just wound up being a bit of a waste.
Writer: Joe
Gatto, Chris Henchy, James Murray, Brian Quinn, Sal Vulcano
Actors: Brian
Quinn, Joe Gatto, James Murray, Sal Vulcano, Jaden Smith, Paula Abdul, Joey
Fatone, Kane Hodder
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Unrated
Length: 93
minutes
IMDb Blurb: The story of a humiliating high school mishap from
1992 that sends the Impractical Jokers on the road competing in hidden-camera
challenges for the chance to turn back the clock and redeem three of the four
Jokers.
Honestly? I’m not a fan of Impractical Jokers (2011-).
I’m not the biggest fan of pranks and I think some of their stuff borders on
mean. That said, I do understand why other people might enjoy something like
it.
Aside from a bit of a story-driven framing device, it could
be pretty much a long episode of the show. That leads me to believe that if
you’re a fan, you’ll probably enjoy it.
It’s not for me, though.
19 – Saint
Frances (2/28)
Production/Distribution:
Oscilloscope
Director: Alex
Thompson
Writer: Kelly
O’Sullivan
Actors: Kelly
O’Sullivan, Ramona Edith Williams, Charin Alvarez, Braden Crothers, William
Drain, Laura T. Fisher, Mary Beth Fisher, Meighan Gerachis, Francis Guinan, Max
Lipchitz, Lily Mojekwu, Bradley Grant Smith, Jim True-Frost, H.B. Ward, Rebekah
Ward, Roger Welp
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: Unrated
Length: 106 minutes
IMDb Blurb: After an accidental pregnancy turned abortion, a
deadbeat nanny finds an unlikely friendship with the six-year old she's charged
with protecting.
Saint Frances is getting insane reviews among the
film festival circuit goers. Still, I’m a bit concerned about it.
I can’t deny that the trailer makes the characters seem
interesting and I definitely look forward to seeing it. That said, movies like
this can turn out to be a bit preachy about whatever stance on abortion they
happen to be taking. Personally, I don’t care if I believe with the stance or
not, I don’t watch fiction movies to be preached at. If I want that I know
where the documentary section is.
That said, there’s no guarantees that this film will have
that kind of quality to it – and there are some other aspects that make me want
to see it.
Saint Frances touches on a huge number of
female-centric topics. The only movies I’ve seen cover this many of those
topics have been coming-of-age films. It’s like movie creators believe that
once a woman hits 18, those issues just vanish. It’s nice to see adults dealing
with them for once.
I do think that this film probably deserves to be higher
than I’m putting it, but my personal concerns won’t really let me do that.
18 – Greed (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
Film4, Revolution Films, Sony Pictures International Productions, Sony Pictures
Classics
Director: Michael
Winterbottom
Writer: Michael
Winterbottom, Sean Gray
Actors: Asa Butterfield,
Sophie Cookson, Isla Fisher, Shirley Henderson, Stephen Fry, Steve Coogan,
David Mitchell, Sarah Solemani, Enzo Cilenti, Pearl Mackie, Jamie Blackley,
Charlie Cooper, Shanina Shaik, Polly Kemp
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 164 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Satire about the world of the super-rich.
Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge, The Secret Life of Pets,
Holmes & Watson) just has the most punch-able face I’ve ever seen. It
doesn’t help that I’ve only ever seen him play obnoxious characters. Of course,
that could be due to the face thing. In which case, I get it.
Previous opinion aside, this does look like an interesting
movie.
I enjoy films that explore the war between the classes. I
try not to fall victim to prejudgment of people, but I think it’s a very human
flaw that a lot – if not most – of us have. Movies like this let me indulge the
flaw for a couple of hours before I have to go back to fighting it, and I think
that’s important.
That said, the plot is a little muddled in the trailer,
that’s why I can’t put this any higher. I know it’s about a rich guy and I know
he’s super obnoxious (after all, he’s played by Coogan), but other than that I
don’t know much. Is it tax evasion? Is he scamming people? The trailer’s all
over the place, I don’t really know.
I might see this one, but I’m not likely to see it in
theaters.
17 – Olympic
Dreams (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
IFC Films
Director: Jeremy
Teicher
Writer: Nick
Kroll, Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher
Actors: Gus
Kenworthy, Nick Kroll, Alexi Pappas, Morgan Schild
Genre: Comedy,
Romance, Sport
Rated: PG-13
Length: 85
minutes
IMDb Blurb: In the Olympic Athlete Village, a young cross-country
skier bonds with a volunteer doctor after her competition ends.
I’ll be honest, the movie itself looks pretty basic,
plot-wise. There are other things that make this film seem more interesting
than most.
Olympic Dreams is the first feature film made in an
Olympic village. That alone is kind of interesting. It’s not just a setting
designed to look like the Olympics – it’s the actual place. That gives the
whole thing an extra layer of authenticity that I feel comes through in the
trailer.
Then there’s Nick Kroll (Big Mouth, Operation Finale,
Uncle Drew). I only know Kroll from his comedy work. While researching this
movie, I found dramas that he’s been in, but I don’t recall him ever being a
leading man in a romance before. I’m significantly interested in seeing how
he’ll do in this role. I’ve also looked into getting to see one of his dramas.
I’ve never considered Kroll as anything but a comedian an I’m looking forward
to seeing him in parts I once couldn’t fathom him in.
I think that Olympic Dreams can go one of two ways. It
could be incredibly basic, not much more than a sports romance that you’d see anywhere
else. Or it could rise above other films with a sense of realism because of the
phenomenal setting and interesting casting choices. I look forward to finding
out.
16 – Brahms: The
Boy II (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
Huayi Brothers, Lakeshore Entertainment, STX Entertainment, GEM Entertainment,
Capelight Pictures, Golden Village Pictures, Polyfilm Verleih, Viva
International Pictures, Ascot Elite Entertainment Group,
The Searchers
Director: William
Brent Bell
Writer: Stacey
Menear
Actors: Katie
Holmes, Owain Yeoman, Ralph Ineson, Anjali Jay, Christopher Convery, Oliver
Rice, Joely Collins, Daphne Hoskins, Charles Jarman, Natalie Moon, Ellie King,
Joanne Kimm
Genre: Horror,
Mystery, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: After a family moves into the Heelshire Mansion,
their young son soon makes friends with a life-like doll called Brahms.
The first film, The Boy (2016), had good and bad
aspects. There was decent suspense and some really great acting. On the other
hand, there were unnecessary scenes and, although the twist at the end should
have been good, it kind of negated the rest of the film.
That ending, however, makes what the trailer shows for the
sequel interesting.
Already, you have a different feel because the child seems
to be the main focus of the malevolent entity this time around and he doesn’t
seem all that innocent according to the trailer. It seems like the film is
building him up to be some kind of psychopath in the making.
There will be a different cast, which is pretty par for the
course in movies like this – but it does leave the casting quality up in the
air. The new actors will be filling some pretty big shoes. Katie Holmes (Ocean’s
Eight, Logan Lucky, The Giver), however, gives me some hope that the
quality should be pretty parallel to the first one.
Without going too much into it, in an attempt to not spoil
the first one, the sequel looks like it will be relying much more heavily on a
supernatural feel than the first one did. Although this makes me worry that the
suspense factors will suffer, especially since we already know the original
twist, it also leaves room for William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside, Stay
Alive, Wer) and Stacey Menear (Mixtape), the director and writer, to
explain some of the essence of the first film a little better.
If it’s made properly, Brahms: The Boy II could wind
up improving the original. Here’s hoping.
15 – VFW (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Fangoria, RLJE Films
Director: Joe Begos
Writer: Max
Brallier, Matthew McArdle
Actors: Martin Kove,
Stephen Lang, David Patrick Kelly, William Sadler, Sierra McCormick, Dora
Madison, George Wendt, Fred Williamson, Tom Williamson, Travis Hammer, Graham
Skipper, Josh Ethier, Chloe Carabasi, JP DeStefano, Linnea Wilson
Genre: Action,
Horror
Rated: Unrated
Length: 92
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A group of war veterans must defend their local VFW
post and an innocent teen against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless
army of punk mutants.
Although VFW does seem to have a lower production
value than some of the movies lower on my list, I still find it interesting
enough that I don’t mind.
The film was shot on location in a Texas Veterans of Foreign
Wars hall. There were actual veterans used as extras. Normally, movie trivia
doesn’t affect my decision on whether or not I want to see a film, but in this
case it’s caught my attention.
A lot of films about veterans follow strict trope rules. As
much as you want to root for those characters, it’s hard to see past their
cookie-cutter existence.
VFW seems like it’s going to take a different route.
They may have one or two characters that follow the veteran recipes, but with
as many as there are in the film, they’ll have to deviate and give the audience
a fresh take somewhere. Otherwise, what would be the point?
Stephen Lang (Into the Badlands, Don’t Breathe, Avatar)
is a bonus. It’s hard to look away from him when he’s on screen.
Also, the punk mutants remind me of the Freakshow enemy group
from City of Heroes and I’m looking forward to seeing how they work on
the big screen.
Actors: Elijah
Wood, Stephen McHattie, Garfield Wilson, Madeleine Sami, Martin Donovan,
Michael Smiley, Simon Chin, Ona Grauer, Ryan Beil, Raresh DiMofte, Alla Rouba, Noam
Zylberman, Gord Middleton, Oliver Wilson
Genre: Comedy, Horror,
Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 93
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A man in his thirties travels to a remote cabin to
reconnect with his estranged father.
I had trouble getting past the title of this film. ‘Come to
daddy’ just feels like such a gross and creepy sentence to me. I don’t know
why. It’s just, ick.
Of course, the trailer fits with what the title imparts upon
me. It seems creepy and weird and scary. It’s remarkable just how good Elijah
Wood (Star Wars Resistance, Lord of the Rings, The Last Witch Hunter) is
at portraying that kind of film or the kinds of characters that belong in that
kind of film.
With the interesting trailer, this film would be higher, but
there’s something stopping me.
I know the writer, Toby Harvard (Tropical Cop Tales, The
Greasy Strangler, Privado), from ABCs of Death 2 (2014). If you
remember that review, I hated that movie, though I liked some of the segments.
Harvard, however, is from one of my least favorite parts of the film. “G for
Grandad” was nonsensical and relied on basic gross out cringe. It didn’t even
really feel like horror.
I’m concerned that Harvard might not be up to a movie like
this. I’m hoping I’m wrong, though. Maybe Wood’s involvement should be telling
me different. We’ll have to watch it to find out.
13 – Buffaloed (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Lost City, Bold Crayon, Particular Crowd, Magnolia Pictures
Director: Tanya
Wexler
Writer: Brian
Sacca
Actors: Zoey Deutch,
Judy Greer, Jai Courtney, Noah Reid, Lusia Strus, Jayne Eastwood, Jermaine
Fowler, Raymond Ablack, Brian Sacca, James M. Connor, Kate Moyer, Alex
Harrouch, Casey Hudecki, Nicholas Carella, Nicole Williams, Jennifer Farrugia
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: Unrated
Length: 95
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Set in the underworld of debt-collecting and follows
the homegrown hustler Peg Dahl, who will do anything to escape Buffalo, NY.
I love this story – at least the way the trailer shows it.
I have some insane student loan debt and I can kind of understand
the desire to do pretty much anything to get through it. Personally, I’ll stick
to the legal shit, though.
Still, with that in mind, this plot seems very realistic.
Zoey Deutch (The Politician, Set it Up, The Disaster Artist) looks adorable
and well-fit for her part in it and the trailer looks bad ass. There’s nothing
I don’t want to see about Buffaloed.
12 – The Lodge (2/7)
Production/Distribution:
FilmNation Entertainment, Hammer Films, Neon, GEM Entertainment, Cine Canibal,
SquareOne Entertainment, The Searchers, Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Sony
Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA), Stage 6 Films, VVS Films
Director: Severin
Fiala, Veronika Franz
Writer: Sergio
Casci, Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Actors: Richard
Armitage, Riley Keough, Alicia Silverstone, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Rebecca
Faulkenberry, Katelyn Wells, Danny Keough, Lola Reid
The Lodge feels like an interesting take on the
typically claustrophobic ‘cabin in the woods’ film. The ‘mom’ figure is barely
known to the children which takes away that built-in form of trust that you get
whenever the main characters in a film are a family. They don’t trust her and
they definitely don’t seem to like her.
That leaves a lot more room for psychological scares. I’m
betting, at some point in the film, either the mother figure suspects the kids
or vice-versa.
I’ll admit that this film could turn out to be very tropey,
possibly preachy. I’m hoping it checks itself enough to be able to utilize the
intriguing setting that’s being used.
11 – Emma (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
Working Title Films, Blueprint Pictures, Perfect World Pictures, Focus
Features, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International
(UPI)
Director: Autumn
de Wilde
Writer: Eleanor
Catton, Jane Austen
Actors: Tanya
Reynolds, Anya Taylor-Joy, Josh O’Connor, Gemma Whelan, Bill Nighy, Johnny
Flynn, Mia Goth, Callum Turner, Miranda Hart, Rupert Graves, Chloe Pirrie,
Amber Anderson, Myra McFadyen, Isabella Kennard-Barden, Rose Shalloo, Jill
Buchanan, Suzy Bloom, Charlotte Todd
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: PG
Length: 122
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Based on the classic Jane Austen novel.
It could be argued that Emma looks like just another film
based on a classic book. It very well could be. That said, the trailer does a
decent job of portraying the characters to me. I wind up curious about how the
actors will interact on screen.
Both the director and writer, Autumn de Wilde (The
Postman Dreams, Directions, Blame it on the Youth) and Eleanor Catton (The
Luminaries), are wild cards. For both of them in their respective roles, it’s
their first full-length feature film. Since they’re working off a well-known
masterpiece, however, I feel like it will be a decent measure of what they are
capable of.
The actors are where the majority of my interest comes from,
though.
Production/Distribution:
Paramount Pictures, Sega, Original Film, Blur Studio, Marza Animation Planet, DJ2
Entertainment, Paramount Animation, Digital Makeup Group, Sega Sammy Group, Stories
International, Andes Films, B&H Film Distribution, Blitz, Central
Partnership, Finnkino, Forum Film Bulgaria, Intercontinental Film Distributors
(HK), Karantanija Cinemas, Lotte Entertainment, Towa Pictures, United
International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Actors: Jim
Carrey, James Marsden, Neal McDonough, Ben Schwartz, Adam Pally, Tika Sumpter,
Leanne Lapp, Debs Howard, Michael Hogan, Shannon Chan-Kent, Lisa Chandler, Emma
Oliver, Elfina Luk, Lee Majdoub, Melody Nosipho Niemann
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Family
Rated: PG
Length: 100 minutes
IMDb Blurb: After discovering a small, blue, fast hedgehog, a
small-town police officer must help it defeat an evil genius who wants to do
experiments on it.
I don’t really find the trailers that compelling for Sonic
the Hedgehog. It’s not that I wouldn’t be up for a movie about the
character, either. When other people had a Nintendo, I had a Sega. I was a
Sonic girl up until much later in life. Still, the story in the trailers seems
a bit on the weak side.
Never-the-less, it’s in my top 10 because something needs to
be said for a production company that listens to the fans.
After that first atrocious Sonic design came out, I was
ready to shrug off the film altogether. I figured there was no way the company
was going to spend millions just to fix things. It was clearly going to go the
way of Super Mario Bros. (1993). When they decided to change things
instead and then came out with the MUCH better look we see in later trailers… I
knew that the story no longer mattered to me.
I intend to see this movie in theaters, opening weekend. I
feel like I have to. The more money this movie makes, the more likely
production companies will be to listen to the fans in the future. As movie
goers, we have a chance to send a message to the production companies that if
they write and design for the fans, it will be better for them. Then maybe
we’ll have to be a little less nervous about adaptation flicks.
I hope it’s worth it.
9 – The Call of
the Wild (2/21)
Production/Distribution:
3 Arts Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Animation, Twentieth Century Fox, 20th
Century Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 20th Century Fox
Argentina, 20th Century Fox Brazil, 20th Century Fox, Forum Hungary, Walt
Disney Studios Japan, Galaxy Distributors
Director: Chris
Sanders
Writer: Michael
Green, Jack London
Actors: Karen
Gillan, Harrison Ford, Cara Gee, Dan Stevens, Bradley Whitford, Jean Louisa
Kelly, Omar Sy, Wes Brown, Terry Notary, Preston Bailey, Colin Woodell, Michael
Horse, Scott MacDonald, Stephanie Czajkowski, Alex Solowitz, Brad Greenquist,
Adam Fergus
Genre: Adventure,
Drama, Family
Rated: PG
Length: 105 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A sled dog struggles for survival in the Alaskan
wild.
Who doesn’t like a good faithful dog story?
Honestly, my love of dogs knows no bounds. I would watch
pretty much any film based around a pup, no matter how ridiculous. In this case,
there seems to be some serious action going on. It looks like the kind of movie
no one’s going to be bored during. (Assuming not all the action is in the trailer.)
I will admit that the CGI dog looks a little off. I imagine
they went that route, instead of having a dog actor, because a lot of the
stunts look very dangerous. Even for a well-trained animal. I have to respect
that… but the CGI still looks a little weird. If it was a bit more realistic
this film might have been higher on my list.
8 – The
Photograph (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Perfect World Pictures, Will Packer Productions, United International Pictures
(UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI), Universal Pictures
IMDb Blurb: A series of intertwining love stories set in the past
and in the present.
With Valentine’s Day coming up, I’m much more likely to have
a soft spot for films like The Photograph. That said? It really does
look like a beautiful movie. It takes a look at two different generations and
how the younger of the two learns from her mother’s successes and mistakes. I love
stories that go into that kind of thing.
The plot alone, and how it’s shown on the trailer, would
have gotten it on my list. The reason it’s so high is because of my absolute
adoration of LaKeith Stanfield (Knives Out, Atlanta, Get Out).
Even with Stanfield’s awards and nominations I still find
him criminally under-valued. As amazing as he’s been in good films, I’ve seen
him take bad movies and make them watchable – in some cases even somewhat
enjoyable. I’m absolutely sure that he can elevate just about any film he’s in
to new heights. I think he should be a household name. I’ll follow him to any
movie he’s in.
7 – Wendy (2/28)
Production/Distribution:
The Department of Motion Pictures, Court 13 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures,
20th Century Fox Brazil, 20th Century Fox España, 20th Century Fox, Twentieth
Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Director: Benh
Zeitlin
Writer: Benh
Zeitlin, Eliza Zeitlin
Actors: Tommie
Lynn Milazzo, Shay Walker, Devin France, Stephanie Lynn Wilson, Ahmad Cage,
Gage Naquin, Krzysztof Meyn, Gavin Naquin, Romyri Ross
Genre: Drama,
Fantasy
Rated: PG-13
Length: 112
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Lost on a mysterious island where aging and time
have come unglued, Wendy must fight to save her family, her freedom, and the
joyous spirit of youth from the deadly peril of growing up.
This seems like a more realistic version of the Peter Pan
story, told entirely about Wendy instead of Peter. I have to admit, it’s cute
take.
The trailer looks like it’s full of action and whimsy. It
tells a new story from the view point of Wendy about Wendy but, at the same
time, there are familiar aspects. You can see pirates and that fear of growing up.
Adults vs. children. Hope. It’s all there.
Pretty much everyone in, and responsible for, this film is an
unknown to me. That interests me as well. It’s pretty rare that a big film like
this would involve so many less experienced people. It’s something to take note
of.
6 – Downhill (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Filmhaus Films, Likely Story, Searchlight Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures, Twentieth Century Studios Home Entertainment
Director: Nat
Faxon, Jim Rash
Writer: Nat Faxon,
Jim Rash, Jesse Armstrong, Ruben Östlund
IMDb Blurb: Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski
vacation in the Alps, a married couple is thrown into disarray as they are
forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other.
I am not a Will Ferrell (Zeroville, Daddy’s Home, Get
Hard) fan. I don’t like his style of line delivery. It’s just my general
opinion of things and I understand it’s not the popular opinion. Still, as a
result, his movies do tend to be lower on my list – if they make it at all.
That makes it kind of interesting that Downhill is
this high.
Will Ferrell’s involvement is not as important to me as how
amusing the plot is.
Everyone thinks they know what they’d do in a life-or-death
situation. I mean, how many times have you heard someone say they’d take a
bullet for someone else? There’s a whole damn song about it. This film explores
the truth that you don’t really know what you would do if your life was on the
line. It’s instinctual. Fight or flight.
In this case, the father of the family doesn’t protect them,
he grabs his phone and runs away and there’s, understandably, fall out.
The concept is interesting and the trailer looks so amusing
that I’m absolutely here for it.
5 – To All the Boys:
P.S. I Still Love You (2/12)
Production/Distribution:
Ace Entertainment, All The Boys Productions, Awesomeness Films, Overbrook
Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Netflix
Director: Michael
Fimognari
Writer: Sofia
Alvarez, J. Mills Goodloe, Jenny Han
Actors: Noah Centineo,
Madeleine Arthur, Lana Condor, Ross Butler, Sarayu Blue, Holland Taylor, Jordan
Fisher, John Corbett, Janel Parrish, Jill Morrison, Anna Cathcart, Emilija
Baranac, Trezzon Mahoro, Jara Zeimer, Julie Tao, Linda Ko, Momona Tamada,
Christian Darrel Scott, June B. Wilde, Alessandro Miro, Maggie Sullivun, James
Hibbard, Gary Hetherington, Winslow Holmes, Irene Reynolds
Genre: Drama,
Romance
Rated: Unrated
Length: 99 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Lara Jean and Peter have just taken their
relationship from pretend to officially official when another recipient of one
of her old love letters enters the picture.
As cute at the first move was, and as much as I could
personally relate to it, there was no way for me to know that it would become a
film some would say was iconic of a generation. It was a good film, but for
people in the age demographic it targeted, it rose to much higher levels.
That means that I’ve known the sequel would be on my list
since way before I ever saw the coming attraction.
The trailer, however, looks pretty good. It gives me the
same feelings I got watching the John Hughes (Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast
Club, Sixteen Candles) films from the 80s – much like the first film did.
Everything feels relatable and it tugs at the heart strings. Even just assuming
what the full-on plot will be, I feel for the characters. I want to know what’s
going to happen.
Lana Condor (Summer Night, Alita: Battle Angel, Patriots
Day) and Noah Centineo (The Perfect Date, T@gged, Swiped) are
returning, which I’m all for. Their characters are acted phenomenally by them
and I couldn’t imagine a sequel without either actor. I’m eager to see how they
interact with Jordan Fisher (Liv and Maddie, Rent: Live, Grease Live!) –
who looks adorable in the trailer.
I want to believe that this film will stack up to the first.
I hope it does.
4 – Blumhouse’s Fantasy
Island (2/14)
Production/Distribution:
Columbia Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Sony Pictures Releasing, AMC Theatres,
Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Galaxy Distributors, Sony Pictures Releasing,
Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Jeff
Wadlow
Writer: Jillian
Jacobs, Christopher Roach, Jeff Wadlow
Actors: Maggie Q,
Lucy Hale, Portia Doubleday, Michael Peña, Michael Rooker, Kim Coates,
Charlotte McKinney, Ryan Hansen, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Evan Evagora, Robbie
Jones, Austin Stowell, Jimmy O. Yang, Goran D. Kleut, Nick Slater, Ian Roberts,
Renee Murden, Jeriya Benn, Tim Wong, Steven A. Davis, Tane Williams-Accra, Mark
Weinhandl
Genre: Adventure,
Comedy, Horror
Rated: PG-13
Length: 110
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A horror adaptation of the popular '70s TV show
about a magical island resort.
I have a weak spot for ‘be careful what you wish for’ horror
films. Most of them are pretty basic, though. Make a wish, a supernatural being
makes it come true, usually with malicious intent. Occasionally, it could just
not be what the main character thought it would be like.
This is a little different. If anything, it reminds me of a
horror version of the episode of the original Star Trek (1966-1969) series
called ‘Shore Leave’. It was my favorite episode of that entire series next to ‘I,
Mudd.’ So, I’m really in love with the trailer for Blumhouse’s Fantasy
Island.
It doesn’t hurt that it has a hell of a cast. Lucy Hale (Dude,
The Unicorn, Pretty Little Liars), Michael Rooker (Brightburn, Guardians
of the Galaxy, Hypothermia), and Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy, Bad Blood,
Goon: Last of the Enforcers) are all great at their art. Michael Peña (A
Wrinkle in Time, 12 Strong, Extinction) was an actor that I enjoyed even
before his part in the Marvel films, but after that I just find him that much
more adorable – especially since a lot of his ranting was apparently ad-libbed.
Then there’s Maggie Q (Designated Survivor, Young
Justice, Allegiant) who is just a QUEEN. I have been following her since Nikita
and I think she is VERY underrated. I’ve never seen her turn in a bad
performance.
Logically, I know that there are a thousand ways for this
film to go wrong. It is an adaptation, after all. That said, I have high hopes.
3 – The Invisible
Man (2/28)
Production/Distribution:
Goalpost Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Dark Universe, Universal Pictures, United
International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Leigh
Whannell
Writer: H.G.
Wells, Leigh Whannell
Actors: Elisabeth
Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Michael Dorman, Harriet
Dyer, Amali Golden, Benedict Hardie, Zara Michales, Sam Smith, Anthony Brandon
Wong, Bianca Pomponio, Dennis Kreusler, Michael Knott, Randolph Fields
Genre: Horror,
Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and
leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of
coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by
someone nobody can see.
I love this trailer. It takes a realistic motivation for an
antagonist and adds in a thread of paranormal. I’ve been looking forward to
this film for a while.
If you’re a horror fan and you’re not looking forward to this,
then I think you might need to re-evaluate things.
Writer/Director Leigh Whannell (Saw, Insidious, Upgrade)
is a modern horror heavyweight where writing is concerned. He is responsible
for millions of butts jumping in theater seats. If anyone is going to do the
story of the invisible man justice, it’s him. He knows creepy. It runs in his
veins.
He’s even getting to work with a great cast. I’m a casual
fan of Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale, Us, The Pack), but a huge
fan of Aldis Hodge (Clemency, Brian Banks, Hidden Figures). He’s been
getting some decent attention these past few years and I hope that recognition
keeps on coming, because he deserves it.
There’s a deep psychological terror woven, even just through
the trailer. It draws attention to mental abuse and equates it to the physical
stuff that people think of much more often when someone has an issue. It doesn’t
just go through the intensity of an invisible antagonist, but even the
invisible torture an abused person can suffer.
It’s brilliant and I will be severely pissed off if the
movie doesn’t measure up.
2 – Burden (2/28)
Production/Distribution:
Bill Kenwright Films, The Fyzz Facility, Unburdened Entertainment, Thefyzz, 101
Studios
IMDb Blurb: When a museum celebrating the Ku Klux Klan opens in
a South Carolina town, the idealistic Reverend Kennedy strives to keep the
peace even as he urges the group's Grand Dragon to disavow his racist past.
There is so much to say about this film based on a true
story.
A lot of the plot of Burden is grounded in forgiveness.
Honestly, that’s something that never came easy to me. Especially when it comes
to severe breaks of trust. I absolutely believe I wouldn’t be able to forgive a
former KKK member. That’s a crime against mankind. Not exactly an ‘I scratched
your car’ kind of thing.
I think that’s why I find this movie to be such an
incredible draw. I don’t understand what kind of faith and love someone needs
to hold inside them to help a person that has hurt so many of their own.
There’s a lot to be said for the thread of ‘change through
love’ that is shown in the trailer. I understand that the world needs to
believe people can change. That racists can be shown the light. That violence can
be turned into protectiveness.
The world is fucked up and I treasure films like this that
try to show a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
There are some decent actors involved here. I very much
enjoy the talent of Garrett Hedlund (Mudbound, Pan, Tron) and Usher
Raymond (Hands of Stone, People You May Know, Bad Hair). They’re both
very good at what they do and tend to embody their characters well.
Forest Whitaker (Finding Steve McQueen, Empire, Black
Panther) is who I found myself watching the most in the trailer. Just from
what I can get from the plot, I don’t think there’s anyone else I would have
been able to believe as the reverend. I think he was the perfect choice.
This was a passion project for writer/director Andrew Heckler
(Roads to Riches, Duty Dating, Lip Service). He learned the story of
Reverend Kennedy in 1998 and he’s been working on it since then. Whenever there’s
passion like that involved, I expect a lot. And this was a behemoth of a
subject to tackle for his first time writing or directing a full-length feature
film.
I have faith in Burden and I cannot wait to see how
it turns out.
1 – Birds of Prey
(2/7)
Production/Distribution:
Clubhouse Pictures (II), DC Entertainment, Kroll & Co. Entertainment, LuckyChap
Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Singapore, Warner Bros.
Director: Cathy
Yan
Writer: Christina
Hodson
Actors: Margot
Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie
Perez, Bojana Novakovic, Greice Santo, Matthew Willig, Chris Messina, Ali Wong,
Charlene Amoia, Ella Jay Basco, Jenelle McKee, Steven Williams, Isabel Pakzad, François
Chau, Derek Wilson, Paloma Rabinov, Nico Greetham, Dana Lee, Mike Ferguson, Dominic
Pace, Anthony Molinari, Sara Montez, Gerald Downey, Michael Masini, Anna
Mikami, David Anthony Buglione, Lenora May, Ella Mika, Joe Bucaro III, Miyuki
Matsunaga, Ego Mikitas, Dan Cole, Bruno Oliver
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Crime
Rated: R
Length: 109
minutes
IMDb Blurb: After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins
superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from
an evil crime lord.
They took the best part of Suicide Squad (2016), cut
the rest, and made a movie out of it. Of course this was going to be my number
one film for February.
Margot Robbie (Bombshell, Mary Queen of Scots, Terminal)
IS Harley Quinn. The casting director that tapped her was on point that day.
Robbie is to Quinn as Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers: Endgame, The Judge, Chef)
is to Iron Man. I can’t imagine anyone else being able to do better than her.
End of story.
I cannot wait to see what she does in her very own movie. There’s
a great cast backing her, but I’m ALL Robbie for this one.
Even if I wasn’t, though. All the trailers are SICK. Even
the soundtrack trailer. I’m going to trust this new era of DC and give my faith
to Birds of Prey.
I’m going to see this film as soon as I can – hopefully opening
night, definitely that first weekend.
Production Company:
Sunset Pictures, That’s Hollywood
Director: Martin
Guigui
Writer: Rustam
Branaman, Martin Guigui, Chris Anderson, Sharon McGehee, Jake LaMotta
Actors: William
Forsythe, Joe Mantegna, Tom Sizemore, Paul Sorvino, Penelope Ann Miller, Mojean
Aria, Ray Wise, Natasha Hanstridge, James Russo, Robert Davi, Cloris Leachman,
Mike Starr, Joe Cortese, Bruce Davison, Dom Irrera, Claudia Ferri, Harry
Hamlin, Alicia Witt, Rebecca Forsythe, Joey Diax, Eric Mamann, Alex Meraz,
Dahlia Waingort, Juliet Landau, Sterling Fitzgerald, Russell Gannon, Dre’
Michael Chaney
Genre: Biography,
Drama, Sport
Rated: R
I’ll be honest, there’s some slim pickings this month. I was
really scraping the bottom of the barrel for my top twenty. Let me be clear,
that doesn’t mean the films in the first half of this countdown are bad, it just
means that I, personally, have little to no interest in them.
For instance, The Bronx
Bull may actually be incredibly interesting to a boxing fan. I, however,
couldn’t care less. I chose this film 100% for the cast. I enjoy the work of
Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds, Archie’s
Final Project, Redbelt) and Paul Sorvino (No Deposit, The Devil’s Carnival, Goodfellas). The rest of the cast
is relatively decent as well.
19 – The Bye Bye
Man (1/13)
Tag Line: Don’t
think it. Don’t say it.
Production Company:
Intrepid Pictures, Los Angeles Media Fund
Director: Stacy
Title
Writer: Robert Damon
Schneck, Jonathan Penner
Actors: Douglas
Smith, Lucien Laviscount, Cressida Bonas, Doug Jones, Michael Trucco, Faye
Dunaway, Eric Tremblay, Cleo King, Merisa Echeverria, Jenna Kanell, Carrie-Anne
Moss, Ava Penner, Martha Hackett, Jonathan Penner, Nicholas Sadler, Laura Knox,
Andrew Gorell
Genre: Horror,
Thriller
Rated: PG-13
First, let me get this out of the way because it has to be
said.
What a shit-stain of a title. Creators, please start putting
a touch more thought into naming your movies.
Moving on.
Personally, I think this film looks like every other horror
movie that’s ever followed a recipe. They even put the signature move where one
of the characters tilts the mirror and sees the paranormal bad guy, right in
the trailer. If you’re gonna use obvious bullshit like that, don’t stick it in
the trailer. It doesn’t look good for the film.
That being said, it was better that most of the other films
coming out that didn’t make the list. Who knows? It is probably a recipe film,
but maybe they did something interesting with it. Going by a recipe doesn’t
necessarily disqualify a film from being good.
18 – Bastards (1/27)
Tag Line: The
ultimate paternity test.
Production Company:
Alcon Entertainment, DMG Entertainment, the Montecito Picture Company, Paragon
Studios
Director: Lawrence
Sher
Writer: Justin
Malen
Actors: J.K.
Simmons, Owen Wilson, Bill Irwin, Ed Helms, Glenn Close, Ving Rhames, Katie
Aselton, Harry Shearer, Ryan Cartwright, Retta, Brian Huskey, Katt Williams,
Terry Bradshaw, Rachel Eggleston, Debra Stipe, Ryan Gaul, Taylor Treadwell,
Liam Tomasiello, Ann McKenzie, Sarah Skeist, Hunter Flanagan, Rushdi Rabia,
Keller Kuhn
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
Meh. I guess this film is something that could be good. It’s
another case of a film joining the list just because of the cast. Only this was
literally JUST because of the cast. I have very little interest in the story.
Of course, it could wind up being awesome and I’m just grumpy.
17 – Claire in
Motion (1/13)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Sacha Pictures
Director: Annie
J. Howell, Lisa Robinson
Writer: Annie J.
Howell, Lisa Robinson
Actors: Betsy
Brandt, Chris Beetem, Zev Haworth, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Sakina Jaffrey,
Brian Evans, David Haugen
Genre: Drama
Rated: Unrated
The trailer for Claire
in Motion makes it seem like a decent indie film. It looks like a generally interesting story.
Not that it’s particularly unique, but it does seem to place a thrilling spin
on a familiar subject. What really got this film added to the list, was the way
the main character was portrayed. Betsy Brandt (Life in Pieces, Mothers of the Bride, Breaking Bad) seemed to
really throw herself into her part. That kind of commitment can carry a film,
even if the rest of it is lacking.
That’s not to say I suspect that Claire in Motion would be found lacking. I have no idea what it’s
going to be like, I only have what you have to judge by: a trailer. What I’m
saying is that Brandt could very well make this film worth seeing regardless of
the quality of the story.
Of course, if the story winds up being great, that’s a
bonus.
16 – Live By
Night (1/13)
Tag Line: Witness
the price of the American dream.
Production Company:
Appian Way, Pearl Street Films, Warner Bros.
Director: Ben
Affleck
Writer: Dennis
Lehane, Ben Affleck
Actors: Ben
Affleck, Scott Eastwood, Zoe Saldana, Elle Fanning, Sienna Miller, Chris
Sullivan, Anthony Michael Hall, Brendan Gleeson, Titus Welliver, Chris Messina,
Max Casella, Chris Cooper, Ford Austin, Derek Mears, Robert Glenister, Amy
Mader, J.D. Evermore, Austin Swift, B.C. Halifax, Matthew Maher, Bruna Amato,
Michael Mantell
Genre: Crime,
Drama
Rated: R
The reason this film made the list is because Ben Affleck (The Accountant, Suicide Squad, Gone Girl)
tends to have some really elevated moments as a director. I enjoy him as an
actor, but I might very well like him better as a writer/director. It helps
that he’s joined by some spectacular actors: Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Beyond, Center Stage, Guardians of the Galaxy), Scott
Eastwood (Suicide Squad, Snowden, Fury),
Sienna Miller (Burnt, High-Rise,
Foxcatcher), Brendan Gleeson (Assassin’s
Creed, Stonehearst Asylum, In Bruges), and Elle Fanning (Maleficent, Trumbo, The Neon Demon).
The story looks pretty interesting as well, but if the cast
and crew were different, I likely wouldn’t be interested.
I just wish Affleck would stop writing himself parts that he
needs an accent for. He thinks he’s better at it than he is.
15 – Apple of my
Eye (1/10)
Tag Line: When
she lost her sight, she found her way.
Production Company:
Sweet Tomato Films, Character Brigade, Expression Entertainment
Director: Castille
Landon
Writer: Castille
Landon
Actors: Amy
Smart, Burt Reynolds, AJ Michalka, Liam McIntyre, Jack Griffo, Nick Bateman,
Charlie Barnett, Lindsay Lamb, Castille Landon, Avery Arendes, Maddi Jane,
Thaddeus Ygnacio, Samm Levine
Genre: Family
Rated: PG
Yes, I know this is a film that’s going straight to DVD, but
I don’t care. It looks adorable.
The plot is not at the center of my interest though.
I’m very interested in Castille Landon (Workers’ Camp, Halfway to Nowhere, Every Other Second) as a
writer/director. She’s young, 25-years-old, and just breaking into her directing
career. Her first writing credit was in 2011 and she started acting in 2007,
but her first directing credit was only two years ago.
I fully believe in supporting new writer/directors. Our next
legends are going to come from that pool of unknowns. We all know I can be a
bit… brutal… at times, but not usually where someone new is concerned.
It’s important to support the newbies, especially when it
looks like they’re putting out something interesting. Apple of my Eye looks like it follows some of your basic tropes for
the genre, but there’s a unique spin to it that makes it seem like it would be
a great addition to a family movie night.
14 – Split (1/20)
Tag Line: Kevin
has 23 distinct personalities. The 24th is about to be unleashed.
Production Company:
Blinding Edge Pictures, Blumhouse Productions
Director: M.
Night Shyamalan
Writer: M. Night
Shyamalan
Actors: Anya
Taylor-Joy, James McAvoy, Haley Lu Richardson, Kim Director, Jessica Sula, Brad
William Henke, Sebastian Arcelus, Betty Buckley
Genre: Horror,
Thriller
Rated: PG-13
I know there’s been a lot of disappointment where M. Night
Shyamalan (Signs, Wayward Pines, The Village)
is concerned, but hear me out.
Regardless of the issues people have with some of his films,
Shyamalan is still an iconic director… and I’d consider him a house-hold name
if I could pronounce it. Aside from that, I’m thinking this film might help him
escape his rut of trying to make every film the next Sixth Sense (1999). Is it possible there might be some weird twist
at the end that makes everyone face-palm? Sure. But I don’t think there will be
this time.
I think this film seems very straight-forward for a
Shyamalan project. That alone makes it interesting. When you add the actual
storyline and the brilliant James McAvoy (The
Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Filth, Wanted) to the mix, it’s impossible
to not want to see this film.
13 – Sleepless (1/13)
Tag Line: Don’t
judge a cop by his cover.
Production Company:
FilmNation Entertainment, Open Road Films, RIverstone Pictures, Vertigo
Entertainment
Director: Baran
bo Odar
Writer: Andrea
Berloff, Frederic Jardin, Nicolas Saada, Olivier Douyere
Actors: Michelle
Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney, David Harbour, Jamie Foxx, Gabrielle Union, Scoot
McNairy, Sala Baker, T.I., Octavius J. Johnson, Briana Marin, Veronica
McCluskey, Tim Connolly, Chelsea Hayes,
Genre: Action,
Crime, Thriller
Rated: R
My first taste of Jamie Foxx (A Million Ways to Die in the West, Annie, Horrible Bosses 2) in a
serious role, was Django Unchained
(2012). Since then I’ve been starving for more of that kind of thing. Sleepless
has practically nothing in common with that film, of course, but it IS a
serious film that Foxx is starring in. That alone makes it worth watching.
Foxx always had good comedic timing, but his action/drama
acting is so much better. If he’d started his career in the
action/thriller/drama genres, he’d have been bigger than the most well-known
actors out there.
Also, the film itself looks like a lot of adrenaline-filled
awesomeness.
12 – The Book of
Love (1/13)
Tag Line: How far
would you go for a lost love?
Production Company:
The Darwin Collective, Iron Ocean Films, Nine Nights, Campfire
Director: Bill
Purple
Writer: Bill Purple,
Robbie Pickering
Actors: Jessica
Biel, Mary Steenburgen, Maisie Williams, Jason Sudeikis, Paul Reiser, Orlando
Jones, Joshua Mikel, Cailey Fleming, Jayson Warner Smith, Russ Russo,
Christopher Gehrman
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
Oh my god, this film is going to be a Grand Canyon’s worth
of feels. I’m not often a fan of straight on dramas, but the cast is amazing
and the story looks like something unique.
If the chemistry is there between the actors, this film
could be absolutely incredible. There are a FEW pitfalls that could hinder
something like The Book of Love, but
the trailer makes it seem like none of those possibilities affected the filming
or final product.
11 – Monster
Trucks (1/13)
Tag Line: On
January 13, meet Crunch.
Production Company:
Disruption Entertainment, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Animation, Paramount
Pictures
Director: Chris
Wedge
Writer: Derek
Connolly, Matthew Robinson, Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Actors: Lucas
Till, Jane Levy, Thomas Lennon, Barry Pepper, Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, Amy Ryan,
Holt McCallany, Frank Whaley, Aliyah O’Brien, Jedidiah Goodacre, Samara
Weaving, Tucker Albrizzi, Chris Gauthier
Genre: Animation,
Action, Adventure
Rated: PG
Seriously? How cute is this? It’s like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) meets Transformers (2007). It makes me a squee a little when I watch the
trailer.
10 – Bad Kids of
Crestview Academy (1/13)
Tag Line: Welcome
back to hell.
Production Company:
BKG2H Productions, Bad Kids
Director: Ben
Browder
Writer: Barry
Wernick, James R. Hallam
Actors: Sean
Astin, Gina Gershon, Sammi Hanratty, Drake Bell, Ali Astin, Ben Browder, Sophia
Taylor Ali, Sufe Bradshaw, Cameron Deane Stewart, Matthew Frias, Billy Blair
Genre: Action,
Comedy, Thriller
Rated: R
This is the sequel to a film I watched and reviewed a while
before Cat came on board. A LONG while. Hell, I wasn’t even recording the
Netflix predictions, Producers, or Rotten Tomato percentages yet. After reading
the old review, I’d have to say I wasn’t even writing anything interesting yet,
but I think all artists read their old stuff and try to hide under the bed
sometimes.
In the review of the original, Bad Kids Go to Hell (2012), I gave it a 3 out of 5 rating, but over
the years I think that’s changed.
I don’t remember every single film I watch. I watch
something like three new films a week, not counting any that I watch with my
husband or in the theaters. With my husband I usually watch roughly two new
films a month and we go to the theaters enough. Altogether, that means I watch
(rounded up) approximately 200 new films per year. That’s a lot of fucking
movies to remember. Some of them just aren’t worth the brain space.
What that means, is that if I remember a film for an
extended period of time, it’s either because something truly resonated with me,
or I hated it so much that I wish I could forget it and can’t. Since I didn’t
hate Bad Kids go to Hell that means
something resonated with me more than I realized at the time.
Knowing that, I’m really looking forward to the sequel. The original
was like The Breakfast Club (1985)
meets Final Destination (2000). So it
followed those kind of 80s teen flick tropes, but with a seriously dark spin.
Dark is my wheel-house.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what they did with this
sequel. I hope they made it as memorable as the first.
9 – Hidden
Figures (1/6)
Tag Line: Meet
the women you don’t know, behind the mission you do.
Production Company:
Levantine Films, Chernin Entertainment, Fox 2000 Pictures
Director: Theodore
Melfi
Writer: Allison
Schroeder, Theodore Melfi, Margot Lee Shetterly
Actors: Taraji P.
Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim
Parsons, Mahershala Ali, Aldis Hodge, Glen Powell, Kimberly Quinn, Olek Krupa,
Kurt Krause, Ken Strunk, Ludya Jewett, Donna Biscoe, Ariana Neal, Saniyya
Sidney, Tre Stokes, Selah Kimbro Jones, Corey Mendell Parker, Ashton Tyler,
Alkoya Brunson, Karan Kendrick, Jaiden Kaine, Gregory Alan Williams, Maria
Howell, Arnell Powell, Crystal Lee Brown, Tequilla Whitfield, Dane Davenport,
Evan Holtzman, Travis Smith, Scott Michael Morgan
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG
There have been a lot of very important films being made
lately. Films that tear through racism, sexism, and hate. Right now, that is
some seriously necessary shit. Hell, that kind of thing is always necessary.
Anything that strikes a blow against undeserved hatred is welcome, in my mind.
I’m not saying there aren’t legitimate reasons to hate.
Someone murders your parents? I’d say it’s pretty damn normal to hate them.
Hate someone because of their skin color or whether or not they have dangly
bits between their legs? You’re just an asshole.
Hidden Figures
takes a blow at that kind of unnecessary, asshole-centric, hatred. It brings a
little known true story into the light, and it’s one of those true stories that
seems like it’ll truly able to hold someone’s interest.
When important meets interesting, you know that’s worth
watching.
8 – Silence (1/13)
Tag Line: Sometimes
silence is the deadliest sound.
Production Company:
AI-Film, Cappa Defina Productions, CatchPlay, Cecchi Gori Pictures,
Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films, Fabrica de Cine, IM Global, SharpSword Films, Sikelia
Productions, Verdi Productions, Waypoint Entertainment
Director: Martin
Scorsese
Writer: Jay
Cocks, Martin Scorsese, Shusaku Endo
Actors: Andrew
Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Ciaran Hinds, Issei Ogata, Shin’ya
Tsukamoto, Yoshi Oida, Yosuke Kubozuka, Kaoru Endo, Nana Komatsu, Ryo Kase
Genre: Drama,
History
Rated: R
For some reason, this film wasn’t on our master list for
January 2017 when we started watching trailers for this top 20. I didn’t know
it was coming out until just before we went on vacation. By then we both
already had our lists together, and we had to change them last minute.
I don’t regret it.
How could either of us not mention a new Martin Scorsese (Shutter Island, Gangs of New York, The Wolf
of Wall Street) film? I wrote about iconic directors before and, well, he’d
be one of them.
The storyline, the settings, the actors, the crew… there’s
really nothing about this film that doesn’t demand that I see it.
7 – A Monster
Calls (1/6)
Tag Line: Stories
are wild creatures.
Production Company:
Apaches Entertainment, La Trini, A Monster Calls, Participant Media, River Road
Entertainment
Director: J.A.
Bayona
Writer: Patrick
Ness, Siobhan Dowd
Actors: Lewis
MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Ben Moor, James
Malville, Oliver Steer, Dominic Boyle, Jennifer Lim, Max Gabbay, Morgan Symes,
Max Golds, Firda Palsson, Wanda Opalinska, Patrick Taggart, Lily-Rose
Aslandogdu, Geraldine Chaplin, Liam Neeson
Genre: Drama,
Fantasy
Rated: PG-13
Trauma affects children on a deeper level than adults often
realize. In a case like this, where a child is forced to grow up way too
quickly… fantasy is all they have to see them through it.
A Monster Calls
reminds me a lot of A Little Princess (1995),
which is one of my favorite movies ever. As a child I turned to fantasy so
often that a story like this speaks right to my soul. What I wouldn’t have
given to have some of my fantasies and written works come to life when I was
trying to deal with the worst of my childhood…
I really hope this film turns out to be as great as I want
it to be.
6 – Alone in
Berlin (1/13)
Tag Line: In the
heart of terror, they resist everyday life.
Production Company:
X-Filme Creative Pool, FilmWave, Master Movies
Director: Vincent
Perez
Writer: Achim von
Borries, Vincent Perez, Bettine von Borries, Hans Fallada
Actors: Emma
Thompson, Brendan Gleeson, Daniel Bruhl, Mikael Persbrandt, Katharina
Schuttler, Louis Hofmann, Godehard Giese, Uwe Preuss, Jacob Matschenz, Lars Rudolph,
Joshua Grothe, Joachim Bißmeier, Holger Handtke, Rainer Reiners, Hildegard
Schroedter, Marko Dyrlich, Jurgen Tarrach, Rafael Gareisen, Ernst Stotzner,
Monique Chaumette, Katharina Abt
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Brendan Gleeson (Trespass
Against Us, In the Heart of the Sea, Edge of Tomorrow) is all over the
place this month. I’m not complaining. The man is a phenomenal actor.
In this case, his part is in a film that tells a true story
about World War II. It’s a story that really shows the heart of true rebellion
and righteous disobedience. The punk in me feels that rebellion through every
pore. The Jew in me likes any storyline based around trying kill Hitler. The
fan-girl in me just wants to see Gleeson be awesome in an epic historical tale.
Those are just some of the many reasons to want to see Alone in Berlin. It just looks
incredible.
5 – A Dog’s
Purpose (1/27)
Tag Line: Every
dog happens for a reason.
Production Company:
Amblin Entertainment, Pariah Entertainment Group, Reliance Entertainment,
Walden Media
Director: Lasse
Hallstrom
Writer: W. Bruce
Cameron, Cathryn Michon
Actors: Britt
Robertson, Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, K.J. Apa, Logan Miller, Luke Kirby,
Gabrielle Rose, Juliet Rylance, Caroline Cave, Pooch Hall, Bryce Gheisar,
Nicole LaPlaca, Michael Patric, Robert Mann, Chris Webb, Michael Bofshever,
Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Primo Allon, Kalyn Bomback, Brooke Warrington
Genre: Adventure,
Comedy, Drama
Rated: PG
I love dogs. I just do. I’ve always had a dog with me since
I was young. There was a brief time after my first dog, Princess, died that I didn’t.
Those were very bad months. Without a dog I just didn’t handle things well.
I need a dog in order to help me control my emotions. Not a
service dog or anything, I don’t think it’s that bad, but I’m a much different
person without a furry K-9 companion, and it’s a person I don’t like.
Honeybear is my current puppy. I adopted her something like
seven years ago and she was in terrible shape at the time. She was matted from
head-to-toe and painfully skinny. She was afraid of everything and had a mildly
vicious streak. I had been living without a dog for several months at the time
and was desperate for a furry companion.
I met her. She bit me. I brought her home.
Caring for Honeybear by cleaning her up and re-training her
so that she lost that vicious streak and became the loveable fluff-ball she is
today made me feel better than I had in a long time. She was afraid of
scissors, so I had to use nail clippers to painstakingly remove all the mats
from her body. It took double digit hours and three sessions to complete it,
but what a hell of a way to get her to trust me quickly. After that, she just
seemed to feel at home and it made her significantly easier to train.
The tagline of A Dog’s
Purpose is a statement that I couldn’t agree with more. “Every dog happens
for a reason.” I saved my Honeybear, and my Honeybear saved me. Dogs are some
of the greatest creature to ever exist. A movie like this draws my attention
very quickly because of that.
I’d just say that everyone needs to prepare themselves to be
hit by the feels train before watching.
4 – Resident
Evil: The Final Chapter (1/27)
Tag Line: Everything
has led to this.
Production Company:
Capcom Company, Capcom Entertainment, Constantin Film Produktion, Davis-Films,
Don Carmondy Productions, Impact Pictures, Screen Gems
Director: Paul
W.S. Anderson
Writer: Paul W.S.
Anderson
Actors: Ruby
Rose, Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Iain Glen, William Levy, Shawn Roberts, Rola,
Eoin Macken, Joon-Gi Lee, Ever Anderson, Fraser James
Genre: Action,
Horror, Sci-Fi
Rated: R
This is SUPPOSED to be the final film in the Resident Evil franchise but, let’s be honest.
If this film grosses highly enough they’re gonna make another thirty or
something. That should piss me off, and it kind of does, but I love the Resident Evil franchise. The video
games, the movies… I want to not want to watch the next money guzzler they
make, but we can’t all have what we want.
Actually, there’s rumors that there’ll be a TV show
following this film… I’ll probably watch that too. I have no shame.
Something important to note, though, is that a stuntwoman
was badly injured on the set of The Final
Chapter. Recently, Trust the Dice has been trying to recognize the
wonderful stunt people throughout entertainment, and I find this incredibly important
to report on.
Olivia Jackson (Avengers:
Age of Ultron, Dredd, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) was one of Milla
Jovovich’s (A Warrior’s Tail, Survivor,
Faces in the Crowd) stunt doubles. She was involved in a motorcycle crash
during a stunt and was injured so badly that one of her arms had to be
amputated.
Regardless of how you feel about a film, always give your
respect to the men and women that actually put their lives on the line to make
it happen.
3 – xXx: Return
of Xander Cage (1/20)
Tag Line: Kick
some ass, get the girl, and try to look dope while you're doing it.
Production Company:
Maple Cage Productions, One Race Films, Revolution Studios, Rox Productions
Director: D.J.
Caruso
Writer: F. Scott
Frazier, Rich Wilkes
Actors: Vin
Diesel, Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone, Kris Wu, Ruby Rose, Tony Jaa, Nina
Dobrev, Rory McCann, Toni Collette, Samuel L. Jackson, Ice Cube, Hermione
Corfield, Tony Gonzalez, Michael Bisping, Al Sapienza, Andrey Ivchenko, Shawn
Roberts, Nicky Jam, Neymar, Ariadna Gutierrez-Arevalo
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Thriller
Rated: Unrated
There was a time when I didn’t like Vin Diesel (The Last Witch Hunter, Guardians of the
Galaxy, Riddick)… but he grew on me. The original xXx (2002) was one of the films that really started making me enjoy
his performances. Now I definitely see him in a different light.
That being said, xXx:
Return of Xander Cage looks like a solid action flick and it stars some
significantly experienced actors. I’m particularly looking forward to how Ruby
Rose (Orange is the New Black, Sheep
& Wolves, Around the Block) does in this kind of film. (She’s another
actor that’s appearing in a couple of different projects this month.)
Not much to say here. The trailer speaks for itself really.
2 – Patriots Day
(1/13)
Tag Line: The
inside story of the world’s greatest manhunt.
Production Company:
CBS Films, Closest to the Hole Productions
Director: Peter
Berg
Writer: Peter
Berg, Matt Cook, Joshua Zetumer, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson
Actors: Mark
Wahlberg, Rhet Kiss, John Goodman, Christopher O’Shea, Rachel Brosnahan, Jake
Picking, Lana Condor, Michelle Monaghan, Jimmy O. Yang, Melissa Benoist, Alex
Wolff, Themo Melikidze, J.K. Simmons, Martine Assaf, Pamela Amicy, James Colby,
Brandon Wahlberg, Kelby Turner Akin, Billy Smith, Paige MacLean, Cara
O’Connell, Dustin Tucker, Lucas Thor Kelley, Toby Dearing, Kevin Bacon, Adam
Trese, Hampton Fluker, Jay Giannone, Dean Neistat, John Fiore, David Ortiz
Genre: Drama,
History, Thriller
Rated: R
Normally my historical interests are limited to very few
events. The reason this film breaks through into it, should be obvious. The
Boston Marathon bombing is still very fresh in everyone’s memory. The images of
that horrible day are up there with some of the worst terrorism images taken on
American soil.
So many people were hurt and/or affected in some way by the
horrible events of that day. The more information out there, the better.
Especially since there’s always that small group of conspiracy theorists that
believe these things didn’t actually happen. I’ll never understand the logic
behind that kind of denial. Anything that serves as a tool to break through the
idiocy, is good in my book.
I really hope they did the story justice. If this film is
bad, then they should never have released it. If you’re gonna tell a horrific,
traumatizing story… tell it well.
1 – Underworld:
Blood Wars (1/6)
Tag Line: Protect
the bloodline.
Production Company:
Lakeshore Entertainment, Screen Gems, Sketch Films
Director: Anna
Foerster
Writer: Cory
Goodman, Kyle Ward, Kevin Grevioux, Len Wiseman, Danny McBride
Actors: Kate
Beckinsale, Theo James, Tobias Menzies, Lara Pulver, Charles Dance, James
Faulkner, Peter Anderson, Clementine Nicholson, Bradley James, Daisy Head,
Oliver Stark, Sveta Driga
Genre: Action, Horror,
Supernatural
Rated: R
I saw the original Underworld
(2003) in theaters with my best friend Mike. Do you see the amusing factoid
there? For those that don’t, I’ll remind you that my name is Selina and the
main characters of that film were Selene and Michael. There was no end to the
amusement we felt because of that. It’s such a simple little thing… but it made
us giggle anyway.
I enjoy the Underworld
franchise. As a veteran Vampire: the
Masquerade table-top RPer, I find I really adore the storyline and I think
the movies are relatively well made. I also really like Kate Beckinsale (Stonehearst Asylum, Total Recall, Everybody’s
Fine) as an actor.
One way or the other, Underworld:
Blood Wars would have made this list. The reason it’s number 1 is because
of the director.
I’ve expressed my distaste for the sequel/remake culture of
Hollywood right now. The big directors don’t want to remake someone else’s
story, they want to work on unique stuff. Except people like Michael Bay (Transformers: Age of Extinction,
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), of
course, but we’re not gonna go there.
However, there is a certain benefit to all these sequels and
reboots/remakes. It allows some big opportunities for newer directors to make a
name for themselves. If they only hired new directors for this stuff, it wouldn’t
bother me at all.
In this case, Anna Foerster (Outlander, Unforgettable, Criminal Minds) is directing Underworld: Blood Wars as her first full-length
feature film. She’s directed a few television episodes, starting in 2011, but
this is her first project going to the big screen. I think it’s phenomenal that
a newer director was chosen. Taking a chance on talent is often a really good
thing.
I can’t wait to see what she does with the franchise.
