My Top 10 Movies of 2016

   OK its that time of the year.....the end. So in honor of that I've put together a few lists of the best and worst in movies and television that I've seen this year. Now before you go sending messages about omissions and such let me clarify. This is a listing of movies and TV I've actually seen this year. While there may be better movies or shows out there since i didn't see them yet they're ineligible for this list. Anyway now that's we cleared that up here's my list of top 10 movies of 2016 starting with a few that almost made the list.

Honorable Mentions: Sausage Party, Keanu, Hardcore Henry, Deadpool

10. The Shallows

   Talk about a movie coming out of nowhere to become a hit a pretty good movie at that. Not it is true i  was in Florida when this movie released and to say the marketing was everywhere for this film down there is an understatement. Don't let that fool you however as this is actually a very effective thriller. Blake Lively is actually quite good, especially when you consider she basically carries the entire movie. Its also a very pretty movie to look at and is very well directed. Its not one that's going to curb any fears of the beach but still well worth a watch as its probably the best shark attack movie since "Jaws"

9. Triple 9

   Here's one that is destined to become a cult action movie for years to come. "Triple 9" was kinda overlooked this year but anyone who saw it definitely has excellent things to say about it. Comparisons to "Heat" and "Training Day" were unavoidable considering the plot is about crooked cops and double crossing criminals but that's not a bad thing, The action is fabulous, the plot is intriguing and always keeps you on your toes and the cast is beyond stellar, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Winslet, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus and Gal Gadot all appear which makes it even more surprising how most people passed over this movie. Don't be one of them and check it out

8. Star Trek Beyond

   The third part of trilogies have a reputation as often being the weakest entry in a series but with "Star Trek Beyond" that streak has at least been temporarily broken. The third in the JJ Abrams "Star Trek" series might actually be the strongest in the series, The cast has all grown into their roles and are totally comfortable in them, even making them their own in many ways while remaining homages to the original. That care for the original series is also seen in the plot itself as this movie feels the most like a part of the original movie and TV shows then before. The action is good and colorful and some of the best in the entire series as a whole. The cast both returning and new are universally excellent and have a real rapport with one another that really makes you but them as a cohesive team. This movie proves there really is more life in this series, hopefully we get to see more of it as despite its excellence it was a disappointment at the box office. Don't miss out folks!

7. Doctor Strange

   Ahhh Marvel movies, the gift that keeps on giving. Marvel was apparently a bit concerned when they first began preparing "Doctor Strange" fearing audiences wouldn't get it and that they wouldn't be able to properly bring the character to the big screen, luckily for us they pulled off both masterfully! Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect as the titular doctor as he brings both gravitas and smugness, plus a surprising does of humor, to his character. The magic of the film is handled with care and fits perfectly into the already established universe like a glove, The film is also visually breathtaking, giving us visuals we haven't seen on film in years! Do yourself a favor and check it out in 3D if you get a chance, they really take advantage of it and it adds another layer to the already impressive visual feast!

6. 10 Cloverfield Lane

   When word came out that "Cloverfield" was getting a "sequel" i was both excited and nervous on what to expect. The cryptic trailer enforced that and had me wondering how this film connected to the first (it doesn't BTW) and if the second could build on the franchise, can you really do another big monster movie? Well once it came out and you see it all those worries and ideas disappear and what you're left with is one of the best thrillers of the year. Mostly taking place in an underground bunker the movie is basically a three person play with John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Gallagher Jr as they try to survive an attack on the surface, The movie is at its best whenever John Goodman is on screen, he's absolutely on fire as the man who built the bunker who also seems like he has a secret and whose temper could be more dangerous then whatever is outside. His performance alone is enough to suggest checking out this film as its fantastic from beginning to end. As the mysteries of the bunkers begin to show themselves the movie just keeps getting better and better, not going to spoil anything but if you are looking for a stripped down sci-fi thriller with incredible acting this is the one for you!

5. Hell or High Water

   This is a movie that almost doesn't exist but thank goodness it does! Based on a black listed script by Tyler Sheridan "Hell or High Water" is a neo-western centering on brothers Toby and Tanner Howard (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) as they run a series of bank robberies across Texas. They're pursued by a pair of Texas Marshall's in Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) and Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham). This is not a heist movie that relies on gun fights however as it aims more for character development and complex script. This movie will at times remind you of "No Country for Old Men" but considering that was a Best Picture winner that's not a bad comparison at all! If you're looking for a heist movie for adults this is your film.

4. The Nice Guys

   Shane Black has long been one of Hollywood's best action writers/directors ever since his work on "Lethal Weapon" and his newest movie "The Nice Guys" keeps up that winning streak as he brings us one of the best buddy comedies in years. Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling seem to be having an absolute ball in the 70's setting, Gosling in particular is fantastic as he gets to flex his comedy muscles as well as some dramatic parts to even it out. Crowe is perfectly cast as the grumpy and grizzled half of the team and gives one his best performances in awhile. The film is a great mix of action and comedy and definitely gives off a "Lethal Weapon" vibe without coming across as derivative. If you're looking for an adult popcorn movie then here's the movie for you.

3. Captain America: Civil War

   Team up movies were all the rage in Hollywood this year but the only one to nail it was Marvel's entry with "Captain America: Civil War". This could easily have been released as "Avengers 3" and honestly in many ways its a much better film then even "Age of Ultron". The movies basically covers what happens after an accident as well as an attack leads to the governments of the world to create the "Sokovia Accords", basically the cinematic version of the Superhuman Registration Act of the comics. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) believes this is the only way to gain some order in a rapidly escalating superhuman community by keeping tabs on the enhanced, meanwhile Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) believes that this is taking away the freedoms of these people and could be used for evil means if enacted. This leads to a literal split of the Avengers as all the characters you love (minus Hulk that is) that exist in the movie universe to pick sides and face off, which leads to one of the best team fight scenes in movie history! Ever want to see.......well I'm not going to spoil the match-ups, All of that and we haven't even gotten to the actual villain of the movie (whether that is a good or bad thing is up to you when you see it). As far as big event movies this was easily one of the biggest and best executed and stands heads and tails as one of the best movies of the year,....oh yeah and SPIDER-MAN!!!!

2. Arrival

   Sci-fi has been making a comeback in terms of prestige movies lately and "The Arrival" is the latest excellent addition to the genre. Director Denis Villeneuve is one of the top young talents in Hollywood today and his latest is a work of sci-fi genius. The movie centers on Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) as they attempt to communicate with one of 12 alien spaceships that have mysteriously appeared around the globe and determine why are they here. What seems to be a rather basic set-up quickly becomes a much richer and thoughtful piece of art once you realize what is really going on. In addition to the usual questions of how would the world react to this sudden occurrence it also takes a surprisingly deep dive into how communication with an actual alien species might occur. This attention to minute detail and procedure may sound laborious but it actually is quite absorbing and helps draw you into the mystery more. It also dives into much headier topics about fate, life and pre-destination that will make you think deeper about yourself as well as the characters on screen. The performances are incredible as well as seem destined to score Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner Oscar nominations and Director Villeneuve the nominations for Best Picture and Best Director he was robbed of last year with "Sicario". The plot, the music, the acting are all top notch and lead this to be one of the most wonderful movies of the year.

1. Rogue One 

   "Star Wars" tried something different this year as the first movie not to be a part of the core Skywalker narrative was released and the result? The best movie in the franchise since "The Empire Strikes Back" that's what! This movie took a throwaway line from the first movie about the theft of the Death Star plans and turns it into a hybrid heist/war/team movie that at times more resembles movies like "The Dirty Dozen" or ""We Were Soldiers" as opposed to the "Star Wars" movies we've had up to this point. This movie boasts a narrative that is both wholly original while still weaving in classic characters that never seem like fan service at all. Any cameos make sense as to where they'd be at the time in the overall story. It makes sense that they're there as opposed to just pop up to appear. Not only that it also adds to the overall mystique of all returning characters! As awesome as all those are though they still are only second level to the new characters who are destined to be fan favorites going forward, Jyn Erso (Felicity Huffman) joins a pantheon of strong female characters in the franchise and carves a niche all her own. Her quest to free her father and redeem him and how that eventually leads to her help form the rebellion is a better character arc then Darth Vader received over three movies in the prequels. The other members of her team also have moments to shine and none seem like they're just along for the ride, each is able to contribute and seems a vital part of the mission as a whole. The acting, the plot, the call backs and the addition of who may be the best droid in the series with K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) makes this the can't miss movie event of the year and my top film of 2016!

My Worst 5 TV Shows of 2016

   OK its that time of the year.....the end. So in honor of that I've put together a few lists of the best and worst in movies and television that I've seen this year. Now before you go sending messages about omissions and such let me clarify. This is a listing of movies and TV I've actually seen this year. While there may be better movies or shows out there since i didn't see them yet they're ineligible for this list. Anyway now that's we cleared that up here's my list of top 5 worst TV shows of 2016!

5. Fear the Walking Dead

   It may seem like kicking a wounded animal at this point but is there a more pointless, unnecessary and unwanted show on TV right now then "Fear the Walking Dead"? This spin-off started just as the fandom on "Walking Dead" was dying down and had an interesting premise, what was it like when the outbreak began? Sounds like an can't miss idea right? Nope sorry turns out you can when you focus on family drama, heroin addiction and do the whole thing on a small budget so you can't show anything large scale. Instead of a zombie show we get a family drama with zombies in it full of unlikable characters and ludicrous decisions. Wanna know another good idea? I feel like the writing room had to sound something like "How about a time jump halfway through the season to skip over all the good stuff people want to see? Then we'll put them all on a boat with no zombies at all for half of the next season, sounds awesome right?". No guys it wasn't awesome at all. Apparently it got slightly better in the second half of the season but I'd long since checked out by then. Just stay away

4. Vinyl

   Martin Scorcese, Mick Jagger, Terrence Winter and Bobby Cannavale all combining for a show set right in the middle of the 70's rock explosion, sounds like a can't miss prospect right? Well it did miss, it missed big time. Despite all the money, all the marketing and the fact HBO really wanted this show to work audiences couldn't have cared less and frankly who could blame them. After teasing a hyper kinetic, energy filled show through all the previews we got a slow and deliberate pacing, considering Winter's involvement something we should have expected, which pretty much killed it right off the bat. Its the ultimate case of promising one thing and delivering another. The show couldn't find its footing or any momentum in that first episode and that was pretty much that. Viewership continued to drop and poof it was done. The show is well acted there's no doubt there but it almost seems like the show leans to heavily into its setting instead of building the world out from there. True its a work of "faction" so you can't stray too far from the source but guys give us something to work with here. By the time the show got mildly interesting and it seemed to decide a direction it was going in it was already the end of the season, too far in for decisions that should have been made from the start. Its a wonderfully produced and acted show but the plot and what this show actually is leaves way too much to be desired and the show deserved to be the failure it was. 

3. Flaked

   Some actors just aren't lead material, "Flaked" is a show that demonstrates that Will Arnett is one of those actors. Don't get me wrong, Arnett can be hilarious in smaller or supporting roles. The style of humor he excels at is undoubtedly funny but really doesn't work in the long run as his characters tend to grate on you the longer you're around them and that's one of the central problems with this show. Arnett plays another version of his man child routine but since he's the star he can't play it up too much as he has to be a straight man of sorts. Basically what that means is you get a selfish, self absorbed slacker jerk as your main character who floats from one self inflicted issue to another with little regard for his actions effect on other people or himself. Frankly he's just an unlikable jerk that one wonders why the creators thought he'd be  compelling protagonist. Another problem with "Flaked" is that its a dramedy, a genre which itself is always a questionable choice. This means that anytime something kind of funny or amusing happens we get smacked with some melodrama that throws cold water on any excitement we may have gained watching. The whole concept of this show is just begging to go fully in either the comedy or drama direction where maybe a better show can emerge. Being stuck in the middle basically means it can't excel at either one. Between the unlikable characters, middling plot and mixed tone i can't see any legit reason at all to watch this show. 

2. The Ranch

   Remember when Ashton Kutcher was the next big thing in Hollywood and Danny Masterson seemed headed for big things as well? Well let me tell you those two now are begging for the production value of "That '70's Show" now that they're stuck on this god awful piece of Netflix trash. How Sam Elliot and Debra Winger got sucked into this show is simply amazing as its way below either of their talents. This entire show is the epitome of laziness. From the premise to the way its shot to to the lighting is just so generic its mind numbing. You know exactly what this show is before you even watch a frame, think a low budget version of "Two and a Half Men". Not surprising considering not only Kutcher but all the Executive Producers came from either that show or "Mike and Molly". Basically this is a show that was deemed to boring for CBS.....think about that. Solidly acted but if I'm gonna watch half-hour comedies on Netflix I'd rather go with "Frasier" re-runs, seems more original.

1. Bordertown

    A Seth MacFarlane animated show on FOX that was so bad it was cancelled in less then one season.....just think about that for a second. How awful does a show need to be that even the man behind "Family Guy" can't get a full season order. Whatever you imagined just now i assure you its still a better show then "Bordertown". MacFarlane's other shows, despite their over reliance at times on crass humor and shock laughs, at least developed unique and multi layered characters to deliver those jokes. In "Bordertown" they don't even bother and pretty much think of every offensive stereotype you can think of, turn the volume to 10 and call it a character. I imagine the writing process for this show boils down to taking a "topic of the day", imagining what a poorly educated high schooler would find humorous about it and then forming a narrative around that. Its humor at its most desperate. Even the way the show is animated is just ugly to look at and screams of the least possible effort being put into it. "Bordertown" is easily the worst show of 2016, just stay away everyone......stay far far away

My Worst 5 Movies of 2016

   OK its that time of the year.....the end. So in honor of that I've put together a few lists of the best and worst in movies and television that I've seen this year. Now before you go sending messages about omissions and such let me clarify. This is a listing of movies and TV I've actually seen this year. While there may be better movies or shows out there since i didn't see them yet they're ineligible for this list. Anyway now that's we cleared that up here's my list of top 5 worst movies of 2016!

5. Suicide Squad

   Movie trailers are a funny thing, they can really make chicken salad out of chicken shit....which is exactly what they did for "Suicide Squad" where the 2 minute trailer is by leaps and bounds better then the finished product. This movie is an absolute mess from top to bottom. First off the whole plot concept is ridiculous. Now i can see the logic in forming a super villain team to combat supernatural threats but with one exception this team has no enhanced abilities whatsoever. I mean the threat in this movie lays waste to waves of highly trained and armed special forces operatives but a girl in hots pants and a baseball bat backed up by a guy throwing boomerangs gets by unscathed? Too say nothing of the fact the villain is a former team member who broke bad about 5 seconds into the movie. Besides the terrible plot (good thing the bad guy stalled on their plan long enough for the team to grab a drink and chat halfway through) the CGI is bad as well, most notably in the big final fight scene where i could have sworn i was watching a mid-90's action movie by the CGI  monstrosities that were assaulting my eyes. They do realize this movie is in HD right? Oh but lest we forget the thing that ties the entire horrible package together.....Jared Leto's Joker. Boy oh boy did that not work. Now I'll give them credit for taking a big ole swing with this interpretation and some parts have potential but just the visual look alone is so distracting it completely takes you away from the performance. I mean the tattoos, the teeth, just the whole general Halloween costume look of the thing just didn't work. Wasted potential is the real theme of this movie, do yourself a favor and stay away.

4. The Witch

   Its becoming clearer lately that when you hear the words "creeping dread" in a description of a horror movie what they really mean is "slow and boring" because that's what you got here with "The Witch". It all starts out well enough with a old fashioned baby snatching in a pretty intriguing set-up of Puritan era America but then decides to take the next hour and a half and fill it with lots of close-ups of goat heads and call it horror. Now I'm not saying you have to have monsters running around or a lady in a pointy hat making threats to have add terror but "The Babadook" showed the proper way to build suspense and dread while also sprinkling in some pay-offs throughout the movie. "The Witch" seems uninterested in that and decides to go more of a character study route which is not the direction to go in with material this dry. All this can be forgiven however if in the end there's some big payoff waiting for us......but there's not. Quite the opposite actually as just as the movie starts to pick up some steam and get interesting we get the always terrible cut to black ending! This is made even more egregious when you realize the movie is barely 90 minutes long and they really could have given a proper ending without being overlong. Considering the pretty good acting and interesting setting its a shame this movie took too long to get where it was going and became nothing more then a bore.

3. Independence Day: Resurgence

   What happens when you make a sequel no one wants 20 years too late and take away the charismatic lead from the original? Why "Independence Day: Resurgence" that's what. Not even Jeff Goldblum using all his Jeff Goldblum powers can save this stinker. Now I'm not gonna bag too much on the plot, this is an "Independence Day" movie after all, but i mean guys were you even trying at parts of this? You literally have a character drive across the country from New York City to Nevada in less the 12 hours, this in the middle of an alien invasion mind you so never mind the traffic issues alone. Then instead of focusing the movie on our established hero and letting Goldblum headline the movie, he has done it successfully before, you decide to introduce way to many new characters that no one cares about nor will they. I can see introducing new young actors to maybe take the reins of the series but why a misfit group of kids in an RV? Why spend time that could be spent on plot development by introducing new cannon fodder we don't care about when you have several returning cast members that can serve the same purpose? While the effects are pretty good things like the space fighters and energy weapons now used by Earth come across as cheesy and give the whole affair a kind of B-movie sci-fi feel. It doesn't help that the majority feels like it was shot on a green screen which further gives it a sanitized SyFy channel feel. With a price tag of around $200 million that is inexcusable. Just watching it you can't help but wonder why did they even bother since it almost seems no one was really taking it seriously and that's why you should avoid it as well.

2. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

   When it takes 7 years to get a movie off the ground and finished that's strike one. When that delay means the book its based on is no longer pop culturally relevant that's strike two. Finally when you're on the tail end of a string of Zombie based movies and TV and you melt into the crowd you're done for. "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" was based on a 2009 book and has been stuck in development hell for 7 years and after seeing the finished product you can see why. The idea is simply bonkers, a zombie story mixed with the Jane Austen "classic", but its the execution that determines this to be a failure. While it can at times look visually interesting you soon find yourself realizing just how hollow it is. It takes lines of dialogue right out of the book but anyone who has read Jane Austen knows that's not always the most audience captivating thing to do. The idea of these people seemingly going on with their lives semi-normally even with an in progress zombie outbreak is just.....stupid. I mean I'm having a hard time even writing this synopsis because the whole set-up is just boring and dumb. That's not aided by the unconvincing acting either. This whole movie could have been helped by any member of the cast realizing what kind of movie this was and playing it a bit looser and playfully. Instead we get a cast of people almost playing the ridiculous concept totally straight and it turns the whole thing into more of a parody then the serious tone they were going for at point. In addition this serious tone makes even less sense when then action kicks in and all the daughters are kung-fu and wire-working their way through waves of the undead. The whole idea of that screams campy but for whatever reason the Director doesn't lean into that and plays it straight instead, big mistake. Another glaring mistake is why are all the zombie gore effects CGI? This is post "Walking Dead" here guy, not saying you can't use CGI to enhance the look as the show does but when all your zombie effects are digital it further takes away any tension you may inadvertently create. Things like a entire room full of zombies being taken out by the sisters but not a single drop of blood getting on any of them completely destroys any suspension of disbelief you may have built up. If they're not even going to bother with small details like that why should i give their terrible premise a chance in return? This movie is an example of a concept/movie missing its window but still stubbornly released anyway. Do yourself a favor and stay away.

1. Gods of Egypt

   If i wrote nothing else here except the fact Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau play Egyptian gods that would be sufficient explanation as why "Gods of Egypt" is the worst movie i saw this year. In fact it doesn't stop there as unless you're a slave there's not a single Egyptian person in this movie. In fact besides Elodie Yung (French Cambodian) and Chadwick Boseman (African American) this entire cast is lily white as can be! Troublesome racism and whitewashing aside (Butler doesn't even try to hide his Scottish accent at all) this movie doesn't get any better once it gets going. For a $140 million budget the effects are complete garbage. You can easily tell the entire movie was shot on a green sound stage as everything has that too smooth look to it that immediately tells your eye "this is fake". The fact that this whole movie boils down to a robot bird fight in the end, yes you read that right, gives you a glimpse of what we're working with here. Now i will give the actors credit that they all give it their all, Boseman actually seems to get what kind of movie this is and leans into it, but even they can't save an at times pointless script. There's more then a few plot lines that go nowhere that are inserted for seemingly no reason and do nothing except bloat the run time to over 2 hours! You can also tell they had franchise in mind when writing this as in addition to plots that go nowhere some are just kind of dropped to be handled or explained later, that's shameless even for me. So we have an unfocused plot, terrible effects and subtle racism right off the bat. Oh did i mention the gods are 25 feet tall so half the time two people in a scene together aren't even filmed at the same time, you can imagine what that does for timing and rapport. Listen at this point its just beating a dead horse but for your own sake just take my word for it and stay away from "Gods Of Egypt"

So what happened to the "White Men Can't Jump" review?

   Well just a quick little update. Yep had one of my reviews inexplicably disappear from here. Not sure exactly why it happened but logged in today and saw that it was gone. Don't have any other copies of it and not going to rewrite it so suffice it to say kinda pissed at both Blogger and myself for not backing it up. Anyway in case anyone was wondering what happened that would be it......oh and the movie is really good and you should watch it if you haven't already

"Rogue One" Movie Review

   When "Rogue One" was announced a lot of people looked at it with cautious optimism. It was going to be the first "Star Wars" movie to not be centered around a Skywalker and its early synopsis showed it was going to cover a part of SW lore, the acquisition of the Death Star plans by Rebel forces, that people have been curious about since it was introduced as a throw away line in "A New Hope". Now that it's here though you can take the cautious out of there as "Rogue One" delivers on every front and is in the running with "The Empire Strikes Back" for the top "Star Wars" movie of all time! Now that may seem to be hyperbole but folks I assure you it is not, if this is the quality we can expect from future installments then the franchise is going to blow your mind for years to come.

   A lot of criticism was leveled at "The Force Awakens" for being more or less a rehash of "A New Hope", which in all fairness it kinda was. Director Gareth Edwards must have been listening as even though he has a movie more closely tied to the original trilogy then "The Force Awakens" he has created something that feels both entirely original and yet still part of the existing universe. The term "war movie" has been used to describe "Rogue One" and that description is quite accurate. There's a gritty feel to this movie that isn't really present in other installments. There are no Jedi in this installment which takes away a kind of win button the other movies could rely upon. Now instead we get real soldiers and a real sense of tension as we realize our heroes are almost hopelessly outmatched by the Empire but remain intent on their mission that could turn the tide of the war to the fledgling rebellion. While this is without a doubt a "Star Wars" movie by stripping away the more fantastical elements in favor of a more militaristic and grounded approach the movie never gets bogged down and keeps its momentum going for the entire running time.

   So "Rogue One" follows our lead Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) as she is recruited by an as yet unformed Rebellion to retrieve the plans for a new rumored super weapon from an Imperial pilot defector Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed). This weapon is being developed by her father Galen (Mads Mikkelsen) and the Empire and has the potential to enslave the galaxy for generations to come. She is accompanied on this mission by Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and Imperial Droid K2-SO (Alan Tudyk), Two members of the Rebellion who have a secret mission of their own in addition to retrieving the plans. Along the way they also run into a pair of defenders of the force in Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen) and Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen). The group then teams up to take one last swing at stopping the Empire no matter what. This simple set-up is just the jumping off point of course but the way these actions are woven into the fabric, seamlessly at that, of the original trilogy is just one of the ways this movie surprises. Not to give anything away but its almost impossible to walk out of this movie and not immediately go home and start watching Episode IV as this is the perfect lead into watching it. "Rogue One" is able to make itself both completely necessary for but not dependent on the previous movies and established lore. Its truly a remarkable feat and one that exceeded all expectations.

   So lets get into the acting shall we, absolutely incredible across the board. Felicity Jones effortlessly holds the movie together as Jyn, Ultimately this is her movie and she is more then up to the task. She is able to exude a sense of vulnerability and toughness at the same time that would be completely lost by a less capable actress. At no point does she come across as anything less then believable and this makes her an easy heroine to root for, not to mention in just one movie she's already managed to create a character that stands out in a series full of strong female leads. This is the kind of star making performance that should launch her into that next level of Hollywood she was just flirting with before. She's not alone though as Diego Luna is also excellent as conflicted Captain Cassian, a man who is torn between his mission/orders and what he thinks is best once he's in the action. You never question his motives or his decisions even though they don't always line up with Jyn's or what we the audience thinks he should do as his justifications seem completely honest and legitimate. As good as they both are however they are routinely shown up by the newest amazing droid in the "Star Wars" universe as K2-SO is an absolute scene stealer every time he comes on screen. His sarcastic tone and comedic timing help break the tension in many parts and add some much needed levity at times. Its hard to make an impression as a droid in this universe but if he doesn't walk away as a lot of people's new favorite character I'd be amazed. In lesser roles we have Donnie Yen who brings a stoic but unyielding faith to the force as a Jedi Temple defender, no surprise given his talent that he provides the best hand-to-hand fighting scenes in the movie as well as a good amount of the comedy and heart as well. Jiang Wen isn't given much to do but that actually ends up working as his quiet and disillusioned mindset, as well as his weapon choice, is a perfect contrast to his partner Yen and the two work off each other excellently as they play the "old gunslinger" on one last mission roles.

   Another interesting addition is a character off the TV series with hero of the "Clone Wars" Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) adding what the more extreme version of the rebellion looks like. Its through him and Cassian that this movie explores the more morally ambiguous side of the rebellion and makes it less of the black and white good vs bad the original movies were and more of a grey area. By asking questions about how far is too far and is the rebellion necessarily any better then the Empire when they resort to torture and guerrilla tactics without regard for civilian casualties this movie gains a more adult and nuanced feel that's refreshing when viewed against the more stark lines of previous movies. It really does make you ask questions about what is OK to do or become even if you're ultimate motivation is a positive one. Is it ever OK to assassinate civilians? Is lying to people about their actual mission OK if you know they wont agree if they knew the truth? At what point do civilians or soldiers become expendable in the course of a war? It's these morally ambiguous questions that really make you think about what war is really like and are also ideas that can be applied to our own world both now and the coming years.

   Speaking of villains we can't do a review without covering that as "Rogue One" is simply brimming with top tier villainy. The main bad is Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), Imperial Science officer and man in charge of the Death Star's development and construction. Mendelsohn is excellent as he gives the character a kind of slimy ambitious yet charismatic charm that if you were on his side you could totally see yourself being on his side. His ability to manipulate people or situations, whether through pure charm and intelligence or more dubious blackmail and coercion we receive a portrait of a man who we can see would advance through the ranks of the Empire as we know it with relative ease. As villainous, talented and ambitious as he is however the fact that he's the THIRD most evil villain is what truly makes this movie special. Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) is back in a much hyped return and let me tell you it was not over hyped. Any menace or intimidation Vader may have lost with the prequels or even the end of "Return of the Jedi" is brought back and then some in this appearance. We see exactly the reason Vader is the most feared man in the galaxy. His mere presence is enough to intimidate anyone without even saying a word and when pushed into action we're reminded about just how much of a bad ass he truly is. This return to form is one of the best surprises as Vader is once again a villain worth being afraid of.....but he's still only the SECOND biggest bad in the film. No our big bad is actually the return, quite literally really, of Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing). Yes you read that right as Peter Cushing is brought back from the dead through the use of digital effects and steals every scene he is in. This is a man who can actually talk to Vader as an equal without fear and if you can do that, without the possession of any physical power to speak of, you know we're dealing with a special kind of villain. Through a mix of unused footage, audio tracks and digital recreation we see a man brought back from the dead and even though we know its not real we still believe every bit of it. The coldness and matter of factness of his entire aura is 100% recreated here, bringing to life once again one of the series most iconic bad guys, If this is the future of digital technology I'd be very nervous if I was an actor right now because the tech is incredible!

   Another highlight of "Rogue One" is the action. No lightsabers or force magic to be found here folks. Instead what you get is a movie that feels more "Full Metal Jacket" or "We Were Soldiers" when it gets to battle then a "Star Wars" movie. Our camera angles on the ground are down with the troops, we feel their almost panic as they're pinned down behind a sand dune with blaster bolts landing all around them. We see huge walkers towering overhead and bearing down on us as the rebels desperately try to retreat and regroup. The use of actual military tactics is a must as they can't simply rely on a Jedi to come save them and therefore we the audience can feel the immediacy and almost desperation that the troops feel during these battles. This feeling of being outnumbered and almost hopeless is ever present, especially in the movie's third act and adds a grittiness that the series has avoided until now but still feels right at home. At the same time we're also treated to one of the best space battles in movie history as the action flows from space to the air to the ground and back again with such grace and fluidity that you'll be on the edge of your seat the whole time. This isn't the mindless space battles of the prequels either but much more in the vein of the original trilogy but with an extra layer of violence that simply wasn't possible in the '70's. That and the use of unused footage from Episode IV (it makes sense) just makes this movie feel......right. There's no other way to put it really. Everything about this movie just feels right. 

   All of this writing and I haven't even gotten to all the cameos and fan service that is all throughout this movie.......and i still wont now. Suffice it to say there are a HUGE amount of them and all of which will bring a huge smile to your face if you're an avid "Star Wars" fan. Its just incredible with today's technology what filmmakers are able to do in terms of effects. Not to mention looking forward that there is now a whole generation of filmmakers who may have their own idea for a "Star Wars" story and now that its been proven that you can make these kind of concepts work i can't wait to see what some of these talents may have in store! In short of you are a fan of "Star Wars" this movie is a must see but if you're just a fan of movies in general "Rogue One" also will be able to capture your imagination and take you along for the ride. Check this movie out as soon as you can.

**10/10 Stars**

I am one with the Force, The Force is with me

"Resident Evil 4 HD" Game Review

   They say that you can't go home again, that you can never recreate a certain time and place and any attempts just tarnish the original experience. Well that seems to be the case for "Resident Evil 4 HD", a once great game that the past 11 years haven't been kind too.

   So why don't we start with the good news, the story still holds up. For those who have been living under a rock it follows "Resident Evil 2" co-protagonist Leon Kennedy. Leon now a special government agent and is tasked with finding and bringing home the missing daughter of the President, seems they'd send a few more people then just one for a job like this but no matter. Anyway the Umbrella Corporation is no more, turning a whole city into zombies and then blowing it up tends to have a negative stock and legal consequences. Instead Leon runs into a cult names "Los Illuminados" whose members are infected with the "La Plagas" parasite. Sure its a form of zombie but one that is far quicker, smarter and more aggressive then before. From there it goes off onto the usual "Resident Evil" conspiracy path but still holds itself together. I don't want to give away any plot spoilers for those who are new but there are many twists and turns to be had before the end, including a few old faces returning. There are the ridiculous elements to be sure, the trench coated vendor being the most obvious example, and the story does go crazy at times but that's always been apart of this series and i dare say some of its charm.

   Other bright spots include the environments, enemies and level design. Sure they're not the open world variety we're used to now but the game does a good job mixing it up between large, multi-tiered areas more compact and claustrophobic ones. You're also kept on your toes by QTE events that pop up from time to time. This series has always done a good job in changing up enemy types as you go and ramping up their difficulty as you progress and "Resident Evil 4" is no different. By the end you'll have fought quite the rogues gallery of enemies and that's always a good thing for a game. Not to mention you'll have felt like you've been on a journey as all the acts are different from one another, saving you from the sense of boredom that might set in. Sure there's some backtracking involved, this is a "Resident Evil" game after all, but this game is definitely geared more towards combat then exploration. It was a big change at the time to put the emphasis more on action then survival. looking back it was the wrong way to go for the franchise but in this case it works like a charm. 

   So what exactly is the problem with the game then? Well pretty much it all has to do with it being basically a port of a very good 2005 game that only the graphics were touched up on. It seems to me that if you're going to do a remaster that you have to do more then just a minor upgrade to the graphics. This series has already done an amazing job with the original "Resident Evil" remake by updating graphics, game play/control scheme and even adding entire areas to the classic mansion to make a more modern game that fans and newcomers could both enjoy. What we have here is none of that finesse. The environments, while varied, often feel empty and somewhat soulless. There's no real secrets to find as the whole game is fairly linear so you'd imagine the areas would be densely packed with stuff. That's not the case however as most places have a few crates or baskets to destroy but that's about it. That made sense with the limited power of the Gamecube but here in 2016 on modern consoles its very noticeable. The graphics too will leave you expecting much, much more. For an HD remake everything looks very muted and even gross at times. Textures look fuzzy and pixeleated even from a distance and the closer you get the worse it becomes. Everything also has a "blocky" problem as many of the character and weapon models seem to have sharper edges and corners then one would not expect to see nowadays, especially when looking at the hands and feet. This is an old problem developers were dealing with for a long time but seemed to have worked passed, which is why seeing it here was so glaring to see it now. I'm not saying rebuild the code from scratch but if you're offering an HD upgrade things have to look better then they do here. In fact no parts of this game jump really scream HD at all. I found myself more feeling like i was simply playing the Gamecube version on a new console, not at all what i was looking for.

   All that could have been forgiven though until we get to the biggest issue with this game, the controls. Yup they pretty much took the exact control scheme from the original and left it on here without and updates or options to change it and said "good luck". Maybe I'm just bad at games all of a sudden but i could not re-wrap my brain around the old tank controls. Even the aiming system i remember so fondly back when i first played this at first release was serviceable but barely. The not being able to move while aiming may have added tension a decade ago but now it just adds frustration. Its basically just find a spot with as much distance as you can and aim for legs and heads til they get close and you have to move again. That and the fact you can't look around with the camera as its stuck just your front POV is also unforgivable in the modern gaming times. Again these are mechanics i didn't mind 11 years ago but now they sucked me right out of the game. Games like "Dead Space" used similar mechanics but they also adapted as time goes on. Maybe a new control scheme would have slightly broken the game and made it easier but frankly that would have been preferable to the mess it was to play now. I don't know how many times i died simply because the controls either seemed so obtuse or i had to actively remember in the moment how to do something, neither of which are feelings or thoughts you want to have for a game, especially an action one.

   What a disappointment this game was. I remember playing the original on my Gamecube and imagining how if this was the future of gaming i was all in on it. However after playing this one i look back at my old self and wonder what the hell was i thinking? I suppose for the story if you haven't played "Resident Evil 4" give this one a try but if you have and are looking for a nostalgia trip just leave this one alone and stick to your memories.

**4/10 Stars**

Leave the past in the past

"Things involving Sneakers" Sporting Blog 12/2/2016

   Welcome to another blog series idea i'm toying with everyone. This one im planning to focus on more physical related stuff such as running and any other sports i end up competing in, usually hockey. The hockey stuff will be limited to either Wednsdays or Thursdays since i play the night before and really can't write anything before actually playing can i? The running aspect should come a tad more frequently since staying to the schedule of my last marathon and 5 days a week so expect a few more of those.

   So anyways a bit of the specifics here for some background. On the hockey front sticking to floor, the combination of getting old and never being able to stop on skates to begin with makes this a very easy decision. Won somewhere around 16-17 championships in various leagues over the years, not a huge amount but still pretty good if i do say so myself. As for the running front i'm a 4x Marathong finisher and counting. Have completed the Buffalo one twice (2014/2015), the Washington DC Marine Corps Marathon (2015) and the Chicago Marathon (2016). Next up ideally is the New York City one but we'll see how the entry attempt goes. As for race victories only have 1 so far and that was in a 5K but hey its something. Current goal is obvious as its every runners but is to qualify and run the Boston Marathon, we'll see how that goes though **fingers crossed**. So without further ado lets get some actual recapping of events shall we.

   Well its now firmly in the downward trend of tempatures but despite what the calendar may say Buffalo has been hanging in there with the warmish days, had a few 60's in the last week. Unfortunately thats pretty much been cancelled by the a few factors. One is the rain pretty much everyday chilling the air and making it feel way colder then it really is. Two is that it gets dark at noon and having a day job pretty much means i'll be doing night running for the next few months. Either way not gonna complain too much considering i know whats coming so gonna soak up the chilly weather a bit. Honestly though night running isnt all that bad. Sure there's the threat of getting hit by an unsuspecting motorist but as long as you wear light colored clothing and dont run in the street, AKA common sense, you'll be fine. Plus the anonimity provided by running in the dark can be freeing in ways. Don't really have to worry what youre wearing or what weird faces you make while running since noone will be able to see it anyway. Also there's extra room out there on the more popular paths as the more "fair weather" runners have started to hibernate for the winter. Anywho long story short for now Buffalo needs to keep tempatures just about this as long as it can and night running isn't really that bad, my 2 cents on that for the day

   As for hockey was a all together good week. Tuesdays at Milsher game was fun if a bit too close for comfort. Came out with a 5-3 victory against Maloney. Good game all around and nothing really out of the ordinary happening except one of our guys being drunk off his ass and running around like a maniac, all things considered though he was hustling so thats half the battle. Wednesday at Scoops was more of a mixed bag. The early game was a 5-1 loss but considering it was against the 3rd place team, which we are definitely not, thats not too bad in this league. The rink is not at all big so its more of a shooting gallery then a hockey rink, still the games are fast and fun and you definitely get chances to score even if we didn't here. Plus i was the best player on my squad if i do say so myself and thats a rarity, also shows why we didn't score many goals (not my forte). Bonus this week as well as a late game at Mineral opened as i was needed as a sub. No problems on my end because not only is that team good, and the taste of the loss earlier was still in my mouth, but its also at a rink i enjoy playing at and is a step up from the other two. Anyway despite the late time we were able to cruise to a 10-1 victory and i was able to snap this snazzy looking selfie here pre-game.....

   Look at that sexy bastard, thats the face of a guy taking a game totally seriously for sure. Anyway not sure what else to say for the moment as this is the first post of this series and not sure what format i'll be using for it so adios for now and get out there and get active folks!

"Sausage Party" Movie Review

 

  Folks.....i loved this movie, I'm just gonna start right there. Sometimes you just see a movie that for whatever reason connects with you and that's what happened here with "Sausage Party". Everything about this movie just works for me. Sure its a ridiculous, borderline offensive, concept at times but the way Seth Rogen and company fully embrace their idea and go for it made this an absolute blast to watch. Its also once again proof that you don't need a huge budget in any medium to produce outstanding work as long as you have a script and idea that stand on their own as this one does in spades.

   So lets start with the set-up. Basically imagine all your food is sentient and all their lives all they're looking forward to is being chosen at the supermarket and go to the "great beyond" with the "gods", which is what they call us humans. The story itself centers on Frank Wienerton (Seth Rogen) and his girlfriend Brenda Bunson (Kristen Wiig), a sausage and bun destined to be together due to their proximity on the shelves. Both are excited since its 4th of July weekend and their both excited to have Frank sliding into Brenda, yup its a sex thing. Anyway all is going good, the two are even chosen by a god, but it all comes apart when Honey Mustard (Danny McBride) is also chosen. He's seen what happens on the outside and has no intention of returning. Anyway this all leads to Frank, Brenda and their new friends Lavash (David Krumholtz), Sammy Bagel Jr. (Edward Norton) and Teresa Del Taco (Salma Hayek) going on a quest to return to their proper shelves and be chosen again. However along the way Frank learns the dark truth and must warn the others before its too late, wll while being hunted by a damaged and deranged douche (Nick Kroll).

   Sure there is nothing groundbreaking in the plot itself but as is usually the case its the journey that matters. This is 100% NOT a cartoon for children, if you try to convince yourself it is and let the kids hang around you'll change your mind in the opening musical number (written by 8-time Oscar winner Alan Menken might i add). The swearing flies fast and furious so if you're expecting a slow ramp up then don't. This is 100% the type of movie one would stereotype Seth Rogen in, complete with drug use, shocking sex and a cameos from all the usual suspects. (Try and catch James Franco and Paul Rudd before the credits) The fact they're working in animated form really loosens them up to go in pretty much any direction they want for jokes and humor and this freedom really pays off as this movie is hilarious the entire way.

   So on to the humor, i hope you're a fan of food puns because not surprisngly there is a TON of them in here. Luckily though its not the sight gag Carrot Top kind and more the play on words type which will catch you off guard in a good way at least a few times. Another area a ton of the humor is played from is the horrific violence against the food. I mean its pretty graphic stuff but considering again the format it takes the edge off and allows you to just laugh at the absurdity of it all. Humans aren't left out of the fun either though as a few human characters as well have some pretty gruesome things happen to them. I won't spoil it but they do provide some of the best laughs in the film. Also leave your PC hats at home because there are racially and steroetype charged jokes as well. This never comes across as offensive however because not one group is spared, This film is an equal oppurtunity offender and if Mel Brooks has taught us anything about comedy its as long as you hit everybody then swing away! It also helps that at 88 minutes the movie always keeps moving and doesn't get bogged down in one joke or scenario for too long. This keeps the momentum going as well as making sure it never overstays its welcome.

   Now thats not to say this entire movie is just raunchy humor either. Suprisingly there is a real question and theme about the nature of religion in here as well.  It does also question, but not entirely tear down the idea, of the blind faith alot of people have towards a deity. About how the whole thing could (and probally is) one big story made up to spare people the existential and actual dread of oblivion and what death really is. Its not just a one-sided view of whether "having religion is dumb" however as it also gives the opposing view of "how is believing in nothing better?". It does lean in one direction for sure but the fact they included these themes and ideas at all considering the rest of the movie was both surprising and refreshing. Its an example of knowing who your audience will be, in this case 20-30 something adults, and catering the humor and level of ideas towards them. Maybe the kind of specialized writing more in Hollywood should adopt.

   I haven't even gotten into the voice talent involved either. In addition to the already awesome cast previously mentioned Bill Hader, Jonah Hill and Michael Cera also join in on the fun and everyone is superb. Its almost like the whole cast is feeding off the absurdity of the concept and just going for broke. Every performance is spot on comedically, as one would expect, and also able to add some depth in the few places its needed. Really helps the material as it strikes the right balance between serious and ridiculous.

   Overall i can't suggest this movie enough. Whether you're looking for a hard R-rated comedy, a allegory on religion or you just like cartoons with swearing in them this is the movie for you. Highly recommended for everyone........except for kids under 15.

**9/10 Stars**

Awesomesauce

Movie Scoring System

   So I've gotten a few emails regarding how exactly my rating system for movies works. Whether I'm doing them in more of a critical viewpoint or a more popular perspective. Well i tend to believe its a mixture of the two. In the end it mostly comes down to how i feel about a movie, as in did i enjoy watching it. That's where the review pretty much starts. For instance a "terrible" movie can still receive a good review if its enjoyable. No one will ever call "Don't tell mom the babysitters dead" an excellent movie but I'll be damned if i don't enjoy the hell out of it. Its probably the movie I've seen the most in my life and I'm not even sure why. My point being just because something is dumb doesn't mean it cant get a good review from me,

   That being said i wont overlook if a movie totally sucks it up in the more critical areas as well. If the movie looks like garbage, the acting stiff or plodding or if the direction isn't where i think it should be i will have no problem calling it out and holding it against it. Also don't expect just because something is set up or hyped for the Academy Awards that means it will get its ass kissed here either. Critics notoriously sing the praises of movies that when viewed without that lens tend to be boring or not what people are told it will be, "The Witch" being an example of a movie many critics loved but as i watched it i found myself wondering what all the hype is about.

   Basically this all boils down to my rating system being based solely on how i myself enjoyed a movie. Yes some ratings when taken at number value will seem a bit weird, "Deer Hunter" and "The Nice Guys" are only half a point apart in my view after all, which is why its important to read the whole thing in order to know why it receives the rating it does. Guess i could have said that right from the start but hey content is content right? Anyone email me anymore questions to thedrizzle37@outlook.com and i'll reply post haste.

"The Magnificent Seven" Movie Review

   So right off the bat I'm a huge fan of the original "Magnificent Seven", it was one of the first westerns i ever saw and remains a favorite of mine. It's because of that i went into the remake just dying to fall in love with it but unfortunately that's not what happened. While still a fun and enjoyable movie in parts it falls well short of its pedigree.

      Now for those who don't know the original itself is a remake of the Japanese classic "Seven Samurai" which means the new movie has quite a large and distinguished history attached to it. The story is a group of villagers are being taken advantage of by some thugs and they hire some mercenaries to protect them. Simple plot really but one that leaves a ton of room to flesh out the world. What the original and Samurai had in common was they not only focused on the leads but also spent quite allot of time developing the side characters as well. No member of the group in either film was without some kind of story arc or personal quirk which not only let you relate to their actions but also made you care about whether they lived or not. One of the issues in the new movie is it doesn't do a great job of endearing all the members of the seven. I found myself staining to remember all the members because of the very limited screen time some receive. I understand you have Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt as your leads, both of whom are excellent BTW, but Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen were just as big stars and they had no problem sharing the screen. In an ensemble piece like this it's important that every character has some reason or skill that justifies their being around. This is a rule director Antoine Fuqua seems to have forgotten. That's to say nothing of the almost nonexistent screen time our villain receives. He's in possible 4 scenes the entire movie which is a shame really as there are hints that they could have done more with him as Peter Sarsgaard does give an intriguing performance in limited time.

   

   The movie also suffers from some pacing issues. There's a huge chunk in the middle where the movie grinds to a halt and becomes boring in what should be some of the best parts, assembling the team. Ideally you want this to be a series of vignettes highlighting the skills of each member and giving the audience a concise idea of their personality and skills. Instead it almost seems like they just stumble upon each member with a minimum of explanation why or how they were chosen. Worse yet is a few members of the group are pretty much forgotten about. Vazquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) make such a small impression that's its easy to forget they're even on the team.  Another issue, as in most westerns is how fast people get around the world. Seems horseback is just as fast as driving, that or everyone lives so close to one another its hard to believe they haven't met already. Not to mention how fast everyone seems to be getting around on horseback. 

  

   Now i don't want to just shoot down the movie because i did enjoy parts of it. The action is actually top notch, a bit more modern then one would expect for a movie set in the old west but still once things get rolling the action is quite enjoyable. Its also at this time that each member finally gets to show what they bring to the table and when it starts to feel like an actual team and not just a bunch of individuals. Antoine Fuqua has always had a talent for directing action and he doesn't disappoint at all here. Just makes you wish they'd have gotten to this part sooner. 

   Another highlight is the acting, well for the most part that is. Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt are both charming and believable but really what else do you expect. Sure there's not too much "heavy" acting to be done but they could have easily just phoned it in and coasted on charisma. Neither does it and it saves the movie in those slow scenes in the middle. Haley Bennett is fine as the widow who hires the group but ultimately is kind of forgettable. Vincent D'Onofrio and Lee Byung-hun are both very good in limited roles and both show what can be done when you take advantage of time you're given no matter how small. They both give a hidden depth and hint of humor to their characters when they easily could have just faded into the background....kinda like two of their previously mentioned co-stars. Ethan Hawke however is a real standout among the cast as he jumps from charming drunk to intimidating solider and to a man haunted by his past effortlessly and easily gives the best performance in the movie. Truly am surprised how good of an actor he's turned out to be.

This is the guy from "Singles" right?

   Overall I'd say that "The Magnificent Seven" is an enjoyable yet ultimately unnecessary remake of a couple of classics. Its the kind of movie you won't feel cheated for having watched, even enjoying quite a few parts of it, but once its done you're not going to remember it because there is nothing more to it then surface level. The utter definition of a summer popcorn flick.

**7/10 Stars**

Hardcore OK