Top 10 of 2018

Top 10 of 2018

#10

Thoroughbreads

Small indie movie, shot well and well acted by the two female leads. A bit slow and unrealistic at times, but the payoff at the end is pretty genius, heinous and comical all at the same time.

#9

Heriditary

I'm not a horror genre fan and although this is a horror movie, it's not a horror genre movie. I don't think there is one jump scare within the entire movie. The film's tension and horror come from the movie being 100% atmospheric and 100% unpredictable. There are moments where the creepy evil thing is in the corner for the room, but you can barley see it. "Is it even there? I think it is? But it's not moving? Damn, that is F'ing creepy." The film makes you uneasy and uncomfortable and that is what all horror movies should do. The cinematography is beautiful, I love the doll house imagery that ties in with the narrative. It's not without it's faults though. It's slow, sometimes tedious and the ending to me could have been left a bit more open-ended although it's freaking bananas and does add to the WTF value of the movie.

#8

Red Sparrow

Red Sparrow had a lot of Oscar hype before it came out but not so much after it's release. I'm not sure why, I think it's one of the best spy thrillers I've seen in years. Jennifer Lawrence is great although I'm not an expert on Russian accents and I'm a huge Joel Edgerton fan. The only way a movie like this can work is if the character development works, and it does here. Believing the characters could make both a good and evil decision is a true testament to the development and writing. 

#7

A Quiet Place

When I reminisce about this movie I tend to think up more negative than positive thoughts but I won't forget the initial viewing experience which was unique to say the least. I've never been in a theatre so quiet. It felt like a participatory movie as everyone was breathing and holding their breaths along with the movie. It's a great idea, but one that cuts thin the more you think about it. Very much like an M. Night movie, you either believe in the world that is built or don't and that effects how you view the ending/twist. 

#6

Deadpool 2

I'm not a comic book fan boy, at least anymore. As you all know, I'm sick of comic book movies, but this is a straight up action comedy and it might be better than the first one. It's more of the same but has enough new action set pieces and one liners to keep it fresh. The kid actor really dragged the movie down for me but everyone else was top notch.

#5

American Animals

Not to be confused with Animal Kingdom (a fantastic movie yet a poor TV show) or Nocturnal Animals (another fantastic movie), American Animals is a true story based on a group of college kids trying to steal a very valuable book from their college library. Most of the movie deals with the planning of the heist as well as the aftermath. It's, at times, narrated by the real life participants which I've never seen before, and I think that adds to the dramatics of the story. What really makes things interesting is the real life narrators have different recollections of the events and the film plays out both of them at times, which adds some humor and thought provoking-ness to the story. It has it's flaws, but it's fast paced, unique and exciting.

#4

Tully

This is too high on the list for sure. It's replay value isn't high but I was extremely touched by this movie. They take what could have been a simple family drama and dial it up a bit with a classic twist. It's a bit of a novelty but I think it adds a bit more energy to the story. It resonated with me for two reasons, the 2 children and no sleep thing, but more importantly the son's borderline developmental disorder. Although I'm lucky enough that my children are healthy and mentally sound, it's all a fine line when you're a parent and just the idea of the boy in the movie dealing with what he deals with, yet being as smart and important to the family as he is, is just, touching.

#3

Avengers Infinity War

The exception and not the rule. I believe this might be the first Marvel movie to make my top 10 and it might be the last. I've already seen End Game, and this is by far the better of the two part "finale". I didn't like the journey (however many Marvel Superhero movies it took) but I really enjoyed the destination. Thanos is an amazing villain and his purpose makes enough sense that it works. I love the ending and really do wish it could have been the final ending. End Game just gets a little too cute for me.

#2

Blindspotting

Perhaps the only Oscar "worthy" movie thoroughly I enjoyed this year. although it wound up getting snubbed in the end. Typically, social commentary isn't my cup of tea, but when it's done well, I can get on board. The Florida Project is a movie that feels very similar to this and that was one of my favorites last year. Blindspotting takes a very current and sensitive issues responsibly ubiast. The movie doesn't hit you over the head with the issues it presents but it handles them with some light humor and realism. The main two actors do a great job and the cinematographer has some good tricks up it's sleeves at times.  

#1

Bad Times at the El Royal

This film has flaws for sure but it's the movie that has stuck with me the most over the past year. It's super stylistic, has a great cast and entertains throughout. The first act, really hooked me yet sadly, the film can't hold the same tension and mystery throughout. The entire cast does a great job with their roles, some more mysterious and some more over the top. The replay value of the movie is high, although a bit long and the Tarentino like conversations make the character interactions must watch scenes. 

Top 10 of 2017

Top Movies of 2017

10. Split

For me, M. Night Shyamalan movies are like an ex-girlfriend. There is a comfortable familiarity about being in their presence, and that tempts to invite you back.  It stirs up some good memories and perhaps some butterflies, but it also, almost always, comes with feelings of disgust and disappointment. There is always a hesitation when planning on getting together with an ex, much like there is a hesitation when planning on watching a new M. Night movie. While watching Split, I really couldn't decide if it was a terrible movie or a really good one. Did I only like it because I got those M Night feels, the same ones I got from previous movies? I wasn't sure. I let it resonate for a while, until I stopped thinking about it, then I watched it again. Although it has it's flaws, it is a fine flick. At first watch, I was very thrown off-guard by the ending, not the ending-ending, but the ending that I'll describe as: how Jame's Mcavoy's character ended up. I wondered if it was just silly and out of no where. However, after second view, the movie does spend a good amount of time on droping hints and building the platform for the ending to be, reasonable, I guess is the word I'm looking for. What really holds the movie together are the flashbacks and backstory of the lead acctress. In typical M Night fashion, the resolution may be a bit too simple, but it worked for me. So if you've only seen it once, see it again. One more thing, how about the ending-ending? Only M Night can yet again, invent another way to add a twist.

9. Logan

Finally, a good standalone Wolverine movie! Good is actually a grave understatement, but that is all this movie had to be to be above and beyond those other ones. I told you all last year that Deadpool re-invented the comic book movie genre (or at least turned it on it's head), and Logan is a direct influence of that. The R rating, the necessary grittiness and violence is all completely warranted and needed in a movie with this much weight. I think it's something that everyone would enjoy, even if they aren't into comic book stuff, much like myself these days.

8. Mother

Much like M Night, Darren Aronofsky is very hit or miss. He's an incredible director and visionary, but he does get in his own way sometimes. At times, that's a bad thing (Noah), and at times thats a good thing (Mother). He's been vocal and upfront about what the movie is about, and it's purely a representation of his thoughts on society, nature, religion, politics and probably everything else there is to have thoughts on. And although it's self-aggrandizing and in your face, I'd rather such a movie be that, rather than sneaky or send hidden messages. Unlike the Florida Project, also on this list, this movie hits you over the head with it's agenda and I'm okay with that, because the fact is, it's done very well. The film, for me, is all about the feel. The feel of the house, the feel of the relationship between the two main characters, the way Jennifer Lawrence feels, the increasing tension all the way to the over the top conclusion and the feeling your left with when the movie ends. It's a very similar build and finale to that of The Fountain, one of my favorites of all time. Most people will think this is pretentious, and it might be, but that doesn't mean it's not a beautiful film.

7. War of the Planet of the Apes

Although I'm going to mostly be negative in this synopsis, don't get me wrong, this is a very good movie and a fitting end to the series (I assume it's ending?). This series did an excellent job of creating an attachment to all the CG characters that most movies can't even do with real people. It sets a new standard for the limitations of these types of characters, and that standard is, no limitations. With that said, there a few problems that I have with it. First, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, was so great, and more so, unexpected, that expectations for this film were super high, at least for me. Secondly, and more importantly, most of the movie feels like a detour. The beginning and end do a good job at rounding out Caesar's arc and story, but the middle, the very long middle portion, feels stuck. It feels like a movie you have seen a dozen times already without doing anything new. But, because I cared for Caesar and his crew as much as I did, it is a movie worth watching but only if you've watched the first two. And if you haven't, it's worth watching all 3.

6. Dunkirk

Not your typical war movie, but does Nolan ever do anything typical? It's tense and nerve racking without overloading on blood or limbs. There is no real "story" or main character in this. It's about the evacuation of solders from a beach through a couple different view points without much dialogue or backstory. It's a different take on war and it's what I appreciated about Dunkirk, although what other people may not. In War, from what I would assume, there isn't much time for greetings and small talk. Something happens, you look at the guy next to you and you make a decision without speaking a word, and that is how most of Dunkirk plays out. It's all pretty intriguing. The only negative side effect to this, is that you don't feel as invested in the characters as let's say, Saving Private Ryan. There isn't time to chat about wives and family back home, or previous careers. The medic dying in SPR would not be one of the saddest scenes of all time without the exposition given in the movie. So its a give and take, but I'll take them both!

5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Martin McDounagh, is not near the level of Villeneuve or Sheridan (mentioned below), but he did write and direct both In Bruges (which gets better and funnier, every single time I watch it) and Seven Psychopaths ( a very underrated movie that you should check out). This movie, although quirky and black-comedy-esque at times, is definitely more serious and dramatic than his past 2 movies. It's being advertised, or at least reviewed, as a dark comedy, but I don't think it's funny enough to be in that category. It feels more like some kind of zany drama. Although categorizing this movie is difficult, it does do a good job of being what it is throughout...whatever that may be. I think one of the things I love most about the movie is that it is completely unpredictable which is extremely rare these days. It's gotten some bad press, mainly because Sam Rockwell won for best supporting actor. The character he plays in the movie is racist but the movie isn't racist, at least in my opinion. So I think the problem is that some viewers tend to think his character is, in the end at least, the protagonist. I mean, although I do think his character goes through a great character arc, I wouldn't say he's a hero by any means. There have been much worse characters that have had more positive arcs in movies, Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, Ben Wade in 3:10 to Yuma (both versions), Jordan Belefort in Wolf of Wall Street, just to name a few. And although those characters weren't racist, they were murderers, thieves, cannibals,etc, which is worse, right? Maybe I'm wrong, but in Three Billboards, the black man that Sam Rockwell's character abuses, handles their next confrontation with dignity and proves that violence isn't necessary. Isn't that what we all want?

4. The Florida Project

I can't say I know much about the themes and environment that The Florida Project represents, but it all feels pretty damn real. This is a low budget, indie to the core, movie. Aside from William Dafoe, the cast consists of first time children and adult actors. If the main actress in this film, was a "real actress", I would say she's guaranteed an Oscar, but I don't think she's acting...So that's the kind of movie this is. Real people, acting in a movie, in roles and situations that are probably real to them. As I said, it feel real, so real that you cringe, you feel bad, you feel sad and feel anger, and all at the same time. It's also quite unpredictable and subverts expectations. Although, at times it's tough to digest, it doesn't go overboard or hits you over the head (like Mother). It has a ton of heart, even though a lot of that is heartbreak. 

I'm sure you haven't heard of it, outside William Dafoe's nomination so I thought of a dead on sales pitch for the movie: "What happens behind Dinsey World stays behind Disney World". If you love Disney, this movie takes a look at the other side of things. 

3. Molly's Game

I bet you knew that Aaron Sorkin wrote the West Wing, Moneyball and the Social Network., but did you know he also wrote A Few Good Men and The American President? I didn't, I just learned that and I'm disappointed in myself. Anyway, why do I bring that up, well he wrote this too, sooooo, stop reading this and go watch Molly's Game already. I can watch Moneyball anytime it's on, the dialogue alone makes for continuous enjoyment, such as with Molly Game...the two movies have a lot in common. Jessica Chastain is always great, and how she isn't nominated for an Oscar is mind blowing. I've seen all the nominated movies for best actress, and in my mind, I believe she has given us the best performance of 2017. Much like Moneyball, the movie does an amazing job at character development and exposition that there isn't need to tack on any romantic interest just to add weight to the story. The entire story is weight. It's a 2 hr 15min+  movie, but it flies by, even though it frequently jumps back and forth and through time. If I have one criticism it is that, again, much like Moneyball, it doesn't paint the full "true story". From my research, it is actually pretty spot on when it comes to the truth, except for one added detail, which the movie really focuses on and makes a point to repeat. This added detail is completely fabricated and what makes it worse is that it is completely unnecessary. It's there to tie things together, but they could have gone in many different ways which would have worked just as well. Either way, it's a movie and not a documentary, and the movie hooked me from the opening scene all the way to the end.

2. Wind River

Taylor Sheridan, who wrote Sicario (my favorite movie in 2016) and Hell or High Water (my favorite movie in 2017), wrote and directed Wind River. Suffice to say, I really don't need to say much more, but I will. It's dripping with suspense and tension throughout the unfolding story. It's rare, for me at least, to actually feel apart of a "murder mystery". Plot points and character arcs are generally paint by numbers, but not here. The movie doesn't rely on twists to create tension, rather, it's more about the story telling and history of the characters and the land in which the film exists. Acted incredibly well, by the usually mundane Jeremy Renner, the main protagonist is tough, cool, smart, determined and all in a non-over the top James bond way. Wind River has a few standout scenes, but one in particular, gave me an incredible amount of chills. It's up there with the Dennis Hopper/Christopher Walken Scene, the Bar Basement Scene in Inglorious Bastards, the Car Kidnap scene in Nocturnal Animals. And even though it's just one scene, Jon Burnthal steals the show. It's excellent and might be my number 1 when I get around to ranking them.

1. Blade Runner 2049

I'm not a big fan of the original, in fact, it's quite boring, and if 2049 movie hadn't been directed by Denise Villeneuve (Sicario, Arrival, Enemy, Incindies), I don't think I would have gambled with the, almost 3 hour, run-time. However, I'd watch anything that he puts his name on, and it doesn't hurt that my by RG is in it. It's an extremely well made movie. From the story & character arcs all the way to the set design, costumes and general mood. Personally, I believe it's a hell of a lot better than the original, even though it is heavily influenced and connected (at least by environment and feel) to it. It's not a movie for everyone, and although I thought the pacing is perfect, it is slow. The movie spends a lot of time on world building, much like the original, and impatient viewers might not appreciate it. There is a story here, a real plot, which I feel is missing from the first one, but again, it's a slow build. This is a movie you need to put your phone away for, turn down the lights, be well caffeinated and fully immerse yourself. If you do, you should have a wonderful experience. 

Hostiles

Top 10 of 2016

Top 10 2016

This list was hard to put together. As always, this will probably change. I still need to see movies such as Silence, A Monster Calls, etc. Nice Guys started off the list and kept creeping up higher, my number 1 has also changed multiple times. I'm still not satisfied with my #10, Manchester by the Sea is very close to taking that spot. With that said, as of right now, here is my list:

#10

Star Wars: Rogue One

Let's start with the bad. It felt rushed, at least the character development did. There wasn't much sense of motive, reason, rationale from the crew to take on this "mission" aside from Jin...and even Jin...to be honest. It all felt forced (no pun intended) and lazy. It felt like; "Well, we are all already here, so I guess we'll do it." Too convenient. The monk and his friend with he machine gun, they are nice people, they'll join the mission! This lead to a weak attachment to the characters and gave much less importance to their sacrifice. Even Jin, I didn't feel for her, or believe in her pain...did she have any? I thought all the characters fell flat and in a Star Wars movie, that's extremely disappointing.


The good. Although dark and dull, it truly had the feel and aura of the originals. I love the brightness and color of the Force Awakens, but it wouldn't have made sense in a direct prequel to "A New Hope". The technology, the costumes...it was all spot on. They did an amazing job of resurfacing nostalgia and just bringing back that original feel.

The best. Those final...7 minutes? Makes you want to pop in the original Star Wars VHS right away. Overall, not a great movie by any stretch of the word, but I'm a fan.

#9

Hacksaw Ridge

Mel is back baby! The director of Braveheart and Apocolypto has almost done it again! I say almost, because it's his 3rd best, but it's hard for anyone to surpass either of those movies. Hacksaw Ridge is a true story that is almost impossible to believe. While watching it, you will question how true to life it is as well all do with every "true story". However, right before the credits roll, they show from first hand accounts how true it is, and believe me when I say, it happened.

Andrew Garfield has never impressed me until now. He carry's this movie on his shoulders even if his character is a bit ho-hum. I love Vince Vaughn, and although he does a better job here than he does in True Detective, he's still distracting. Even when he does a good job of being serious, I still just want to laugh.

The movie works thanks to the acting of AG, the unbelievable true story and the direction. It's all pretty top notch.

#8

Nice Guys

At first view, I enjoyed this film but it felt a little too, I don't know...convenient...or forced? Because the director, Shane Black, also made Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, I had extremely high hopes for this second "buddy detective movie". Plus replace Downy Jr, with Ryan Gosling and Kilmer with Crowe, I was hoping for a home run. But the overall story fell a little flat for me and I didn't think the humor hit as hard as it could have. After 2nd and 3rd viewing, it has grown on me a bit more. 

It's still not as good as KKBB, but it has it's moments and I can't get enough of the GOS. It's over the top fun and has great dialog great for multiple views.

#7

La La Land

(GOS 2 in a row baby!) A lot of buzz lead to high expectations and although I had hoped for more, it's still a great movie. I was prepared for a very vivid, loud and uplifting musical and it was, however, the parts that hit home were the more quieter ones and emotional ones. For a musical, this might be sort of depressing, but for someone who isn't always fond of musicals it's a positive.

Gosling is always aces, and just outright funny, but Emma Stone who I generally don't enjoy, is great in this. I'm not one to comment on singing and dancing chops but I think she does a surprisingly wonderful job and it makes me appreciate her more than I ever have. I actually think she outshines my boy in this one. She deserves the Best Female Oscar.

Every shot in this movie is perfectly lit and setup. It's a visual wonder. Directed by the same guy who directed Whiplash. This guy has some skill.

#6

Nocturnal Animals

Not only is Jake Gyllenhaal great in everything he's in, he picks great things to be in. Nocturnal Animals is one of those movies that you'll love or hate. Initially I hated it, and then I got it...sort of? I'm still not exactly sure about the ending, and what it all means but I do know it's a very well made movie and Gyllenhaal's performance alone puts this in the top 10.

Regardless of the ending, the film had me feeling cautious and nervous right from the opening scene. Without spoiling anything, the film contains two separate (or not so separate) stories, both with their own unique look and feel. Admittedly, one of the story-lines is much more enthralling than the other, but that one half is strong enough to carry the entire movie. Gyllenhall is in that "better" half, and is great once again. I bought into the weakness, fear, anger and all other gambits of emotions his character goes through, partly because of him, and partly because of how realistic some of the scenes play out. One scene in particular just sends chills to the core and is just paralyzing. It's so realistic that it feels like a nightmare I've had.

I can't forget about Michael Shannon, he's perfect in his role. Amy Adams helms the "lesser" half of the movie, and although I generally love her, she doesn't get to do much here but be mopey and melancholy.

My only issue is the ending. The problem with the ending isn't the execution, because the movie does tie the two stories together well enough. It's just that there are a few things not fully explained that can be left open to interpretation. The film is based on a book, so I'll probably be nose deep in that soon.

#5

The Jungle Book

I've never seen the original, I don't have any nostalgic ties to it and yet I loved the Jungle Book. Hands down, the surprise movie of the year. There is something to say about a movie that comes out of nowhere and blows you away.

 I've seen it twice as a matter of fact, and it holds up even with high expectations. I can't imagine any fan of the original being disappointed by this, especially since Baloo is voiced by Bill Murray, how can you go wrong?. It's great story telling aided by spectacular special effects and a real sense of the jungle. If you haven't seen it, and even if you have no interest in it, I recommend it.

I keep trying to move this off the top 10 list, but it's such a solid movie and multi watch fun. If you love animals, just another reason to watch this.

One last tidbit, the ending credits are freaking amazing...

#4

Deadpool

You've heard me say it enough, but I'll say it one more time, I'm utterly sick of comic book movies. There's no weight to them anymore. Every sequel makes the previous iteration more insignificant. It's always a race against time yet I never feel any sense of urgency. The entire world and human race is always in peril and always gets saved. Forgive my French when I say, these franchises blew their load  way too early. It's hard to raise the stakes when you go from Loki to Ultron. Magneto to Silver Samurai, Green Goblin to Sandman, Joker to Bane. Whiplash to Guy Pierce? So not only do the bad guys get lamer, but they tack on more heroes to fight said lamer bad guys. It's a money pit and not worth our time.

There wasn't anywhere else for these movie to go, until Deadpool. Before Deadpool, all these movies tried to one up the previous one with more special effects, more fighting, more explosions, etc. Deadpool just changed the game. Deadpool, might be R rated, but it's not bigger, it doesn't try to save the universe, the world or even a family member, This is flat out a revenge movie. Deadpool avoids all the typical tropes and in doing so, is such a breath of fresh air.

Deadpool doesn't follow the mind numbing and horrifically slow progression of other superhero movies. When the movie begins, he's Deadpool. Sure we get some flashbacks and montage sequences into his origin, but I'll take that any day of the week over watching Batman's parents die for the 17th time. The bad guy is pretty lame here, but they set the bar low as far as villains go, which is a good thing! Let Deadpool take on progressively stronger villains, I'm fine with that! Let's not forget how freaking funny this movie is. Even though I personally don't love lowbrow humor and this has it's fair share of it, it has some really smart jokes in there as well. You'll find new jokes with every viewing. Ryan Reynolds was born to play this role, and we all know, I love me some Ryan Reynolds. This movie saved the superhero genre...not sure if that is a good thing, but it is what it is.

#3

Captain Fantastic

This year's "Room", Mr. Fantastic begins as one thing, and then ends as another. Viggo Mortensen, where have you been? I still firmly believe his performance in "Eastern Promises" is some of the best acting I have ever seen. He is great here, and hopefully this starts a career revival. I won't spoil the plot but the movie focuses on way a very hippie/holistic way of life and does a great job of not force feeding the viewer and while staying unbiased. This film is directed extremely well, and I look forward to some more projects from this rookie director.

#2

The Arrival

I said it last year, I quote, "Denis Villeneuve is the new David Fincher" and he did it again this year. The Director of last year's #2 Sicario and a new favorite of mine, Enemy, Villeneuve really knows how to create an atmosphere, specifically a dark and tense one. Arrival is not your typical alien encounter movie, there aren't any laser beams or explosions, and that's a good thing. This is definitely a thinking mans movie, one of those, after it's over you'll think so much, that your head hurts. Amy Adams, unlike in Nocturnal Animals, is up to snuff, and should earn a nomination for her work in this. Jeremy Renner, who I find always lack luster, gives a solid performance here and makes me think he's better fit for a nerdy role, than an action hero. And although Forest Whitaker is good here too, the real star is Villeneuve. It's dark, yet beautiful, confusing yet makes sense, tense yet fun. And that Gone Baby Gone type ending...See it!

#1

Hell or High Water

This is a "modern western". It's long, it has bank robberies, it has a sheriff, it has Indians, it has shootouts, it's fantastic! What could have been a typical and "it's been done before" movie, stands out as one of the years best. The story fits the setting similarity to the western like bravado fits all the characters in the movie. Without the western type backdrop, it would fall flat but because these guys are cowboys, and they are all men of principal (albeit on different sides), it works and it works extremely well. Speaking of the characters, the 3 mains are all acted tremendously by their counterparts. Who knew Chris Pine could actually act? I think he deserves a nomination here. Who knew that Jeff Bridges still had it after movies like R.I.P.D and the Seventh Son? He's amazing as usual. Who knew Ben Foster...I did. Ben Foster has been underrated his entire career and it's about time he gets some attention! He is great here, although his character sort of implodes for no real reason other than, he's crazy. I didn't appreciate that lazy development, but I do appreciate Foster's acting. Even if you don't like westerns, this is a tense, well acted thriller that should please most. It's my favorite movie of the year.

2015 Top Ten Movies

2015 has come and went. To be honest, it's been a slow year for movies however TV is really producing some great stuff. Bloodline, Man Seeking Women, Mr. Robot, GOT (as usual) just to name a few. With that said, below is the list of my favorite movies of 2015. I'm sure as I go, I'll find some better movies, but for now, here are the top 10:

#10

Irrational Man

I'm a sucker for the new Woody Allen stuff but to be honest, this isn't great. I really like the premise (if you don't know, don't look it up!), I thought the character played by Joaquin Phoenix was strangely real and although the plot is simple and straightforward I was thoroughly enthralled while watching. However, it does lack substance and by the time the credits roll, it feels small. Not sure if I have the urge to watch it again but I still had a blast while watching. (And when I say "blast", we're talking in Woody Allen terms here. This isn't a movie I'd recommend to most people.)  I'm surprised what takes place in this movie doesn't happen more often.

#9

Bridge of Spies

Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, what else can I say? A unique kind of spy movie that doesn't involve guns or sexy ladies with euphemistic names. When a movie's runtime is 2h 21mins and it feels more like 1h 45mins, they've done something right. Tom Hanks is your every day man's man. A enjoyable flick for everyone to watch at home.

#8

Mississippi Grind

Ryan Reynolds does some great yet unnoticed stuff. Check out a movie called Voices, came out last year and Reynolds is amazing to say the least. Add this one to the list as well. Mississippi Grind takes a realistic and sad look at gambling addiction in a very entertaining way. Ben Mendleson plays the best losers of all time (even better than William H Macy does) and is always stealing the screen no matter what movie or show (Bloodline) he's in. Two great actors, poker, cross country trip, although a little slow a times, it's a good movie.

#7

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Listen, it is what it is and I loved it. It's a great popcorn flick with ties to my childhood. I do feel they played all their cards too soon in this one. There really doesn't seem to be any mystery left for the following movies, although with Rian Johnson directing the next one, I guarantee it'll be better! 

#6

The Revenant

I'm surprised the Revenant fell this low on my list. The movie is a pure vision to watch. The acting in it is top notch and who doesn't like a good revenge and survival story? After chewing on it, it just felt too long for how simple the plot is, and forgive me for saying, that it does feel like a vehicle for Leo to walk around in a bear skin and win an Oscar. Don't get me wrong, see this movie, it's great, just potentially a little too full of itself. Leo and Tom for the Oscar!

#5

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

What a fantastic surprise this movie is. It's made with such energy and life that it's hard to not fall in love with it. Keep an eye on this director, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon who's worked with Scorsese and Inarritu, as he is going to be big. The young cast is great as well. It's funny, sad and surprising. Watch it and enjoy!

#4

Room

I had zero idea of what this movie was, and I was glad! Watching the trailer or reading about it would definitely take away from the movie. A very unique perspective on something we've seen in movies before. Sad yet motivational, slow yet suspenseful, Room did a lot of contradicting things that some how worked. My only gripe is that it drags on a bit at the end, but the movie is unique as hell and I recommend it to all.

#3

The Big Short

I've seen this 3 times already and I can't get enough. It's pretty much a horror story about how corrupt our financial system is. It's also an extremely complicated story. Seems like it could have been a bore of a movie, yet it's the complete opposite. The cast is superb and they all do aces of a job. The difficult terminology is explained in ways that make the conversations on the screen not only understandable but extremely enjoyable. Watch it and enjoy, and if you do, watch Too Big to Fail as well!

#2

Sicario

Holy Shit, this movie. I have come to the realization that movies these days are pretty predictable and at times predictable because they try to be unpredictable. But this movie, I really had no idea what the hell would happen. My stomach was in knots pretty much throughout. How does Emily Blunt not get nominated for this? How Does Benicio Del Torro not get nominated? Heck, I don't even like Josh Brolin, seriously like in anything, but he does an amazing job in this also. Denis Villeneuve is the new David Fincher and I can't wait to see what he does with Blade Runner. See this movie, try not to shit your pants, I dare you.

#1

Mad Max: Fury Road

Tough to put this above Sicario, but I haven't had more fun watching a movie in 2015 than I did while watching Fury Road. It starts and doesn't stop, much like last years "Lone Survivor". It's a constant race against time and it's great fun the entire way. The world feels new, completely unique yet real. The characters have so much wear and tear and their personalities show it. It's beautifully filmed and the practical effects are amaze-balls. I could keep on going, but there is no need. It's the best film of the year.

Top Movies of 2014

Top 10 of 2014

10. The One I Love

    Like most indie movies, I didn't have any clue of what this was about when I watched it. I avoided the trailers and I'm glad I did. I might still not have a clue even after watching it, but I do know that I enjoyed every minute of it. I don't want to get into the details of the plot, but I can say, don't let the title fool you. On the surface, it is a romantic drama\comedy but as plot points unfold, there's more to it than just that.

    The acting is solid, the film making is above average but it's the mood of the movie that really stuck with me. It's very unique and un-explainable. All I have left to say is watch it, and I dare you to try not to think about it after its over.

(You can watch this on Netflix)

9. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

    I can't believe I just wrote those words (above) in a top 10 list. Is that a discredit to the movies of 2014 or is it a credit to the movie. I don't really know...both?

    A sequel to a prequel of a reboot. Yes, that's what this movie is, and generally when you say one of those words (reboot, prequel, sequel) , I'm internally built to disregard the movie. The reason this movie works is due to the fact that it doesn't have a lot of boundaries placed by the other movies. The prequal, nor the originals have told this story before, so it's free to develop on its own. 

    There are a lot of, "I should have seen that coming" moments, most are heavy handed but they all work and are, most of the time, enjoyable. The majority of what you will take away form this movie are themes of power, corruption and humanity. As much as these apes hate humans, they have to act like humans to get what they want. It's a pretty sly satire that earned it's place as one of the best movies of the year.

8. Edge of Tomorrow

    First the bad; I hated the ending. You now how it's going to end, but you don't see how they can pull it off, so it almost tricks you into thinking it won't end that way...then they introduce this cockamamie deus ex machina to fix it all and you want to punch the television in the heart. 

Other than that, it's got everything. Action, laughs, the groundhog day effect, Tom Cruise, robots, aliens, alien robots! It even has some spurts of realism and drama. It's a fun blockbuster flick that everyone will enjoy. 

7. The Rover

    I'm torn on this movie as it almost didn't make the top 10...but now it's #7. I had high hopes for this as I knew the director from a previous film called Animal Kingdom (which is slowly becoming one of my favorite movies). I got what I expected, an in your face, harsh and mean vision of an Australian apocalyptic future. Visually, the movie is beautiful yet gritty. The world feels lived in, and you get a sense of the pain, despair and desolation that the characters have. Guy Pierce does an amazing job (not the first time that's every been said) with little dialogue. He's mean, he's crazy, he's got nothing left but he wants his car back, and as silly as that sounds, you believe him every second of the journey. Which is what this movie is, a journey from point at to point b with some stops and new characters in between...an odyssey if you will. However, like many odysseys, it drags on a little too long, and certain stops and characters are un-needed. Robert Pattensen isn't a bad actor but his character really annoys me and practically ruins the enjoyment out of any scene he is in. Take out his character, and you get a shorter yet more satisfying movie. 

    The ending is a coin flip in my opinion, I appreciated it, however I see why it will be hated as well.

6. Night Crawler

    Nightcrawler is a fantastic look behind the eyes of someone who is a psychopath. Definition of a psycopath: a person with a psychopathic personality whose behavior is antisocial, often criminal, and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience. Bang. That is what you get here through an amazing performance by Gyllenhaal. The character is not over acted, not in your face crazy, there is no "I want chaos" mentality, he's just f-ing crazy. Since Enemy and Prisoners, Gyllenhaal has been someone I've started to pay attention to but this movie puts him over the top. You actually wonder at points of the movie if this is who Gyllenhaal really is since he pulls it off so well.

    The movie has some flaws though. Media culture plays a big role in the movie and they ham it up a bit too much and it's not anything we haven't seen before. So that gets tiresome. What also gets tiresome is Hollywood's habit to not trust the audience and overfeed us. The ending in this movie is a prime example of that. The filmmakers spend almost 2 hours showing us how crazy this person is. It's a slight and steady crawl (get it) into his brain but we do...get it. We don't need a big dramatic confrontation to prove that this man is crazy but they do it anyway and to me it takes away some of the realism and subtleties it had going for it. 

    With all that said, I can forgive the ending because it's such a unique view into a twisted mind.

5. How to Train Your Dragon 2

    What a franchise! Although I can't say that this is better than the first, it is just as original and heart warming, which is rare of a sequal. I had my doubts but as the movie progressed I realized that they weren't just making a a sequal, they were progressing the story and advancing the franchise. This is a kids movie but I was kept on the edge of my seat with twists and turns and a wonderful story. One last thing to add, much like the original, this is a movie that should be seen in 3D. It's flipping amazing!

4. Fury

    First, let me start off by saying, Saving Private Ryan is the greatest war movie that ever is, ever was and ever will be. When discussing other war movies,  it is best to forget about SPR because nothing will hold a candle to it, nothing.

    Now that we got that out of the way, Fury is a great war movie. At times it's unique and at times typical, but an enjoyable experience all around. The thing that separates this film from others is the dynamic of the group of men you spend over 2 hours with. It isn't your typical band of brothers, we're best friends stuff. The first impressions of the group unity come off as rocky at best. These guys really don't like one another, and would you? After spending years cooped up in a tank with strangers, it feels real. Their arguments on religion, their confrontations about women it all feels awkward and tense. Brad Pitt does a great job as usual here. You believe him when he feels remorse, you believe him when he forces murder upon someone else and you believe him when he says he's going to rape someone. It's a crazy range but he pulls it off without any over acting. There are so many great scenes in this movie but non more when the group of men drink a little too much and decide to confront Pitt. I haven't seen a more tense moment on film since the last Tarantino movie.

    My only problem with the movie is the ending. It's a little too glorious and over the top for me, especially since the movie is a pretty realistic and grim view of war.

3. The Drop

    I could say a lot of things about The Drop, but what it all comes down to is Tom Hardy's character and the performance he puts into it. The movie is as unpredictable and tense as any this year and that has a lot to do with Hardy. The movie feels a lot like Eastern Promises which also featured a strong lead character played by Vigo Mortensen. 

    This is Gandolfini's last role and it's a beauty, it's sad to see him go. The 'villain' of the film also does a great job at making the audience terrified even if he has no reason or purpose for what he's doing. Usually, I don't appreciate a characters motivation being chaos and death mostly because it's not realistic. However, with this character, you see it in his eyes and you believe that he doesn't have a reason to do something, but he'll still do it. 

    Overall, it's a "small picture" movie that feels much grander and it will make you wonder about people that you think you know.

2. Birdman

    About halfway through the movie, I knew this was going to make the top 10, I just didn't know where it would be positioned. I'm still not sure it is my second favorite movie of the year but due to it's originality and shoot for the stars mentality, it deserves to be here (for now at least). 

    Going into the movie I knew what to expect, I knew about the editing of the movie and about the ambiguous ending. Although I love continuous tracking scenes, (Children of Men has some of my favorites) I thought it would be gimmicky and tiresome. To my surprise neither was the case, in fact it really added a depth to the movie that it would not have had if it were filmed in a typical fashion. After a while it was easy to forget about the camerawork as it drew you into the story and more so, the mind of the characters. The constant moving of the camera made you feel the intensity and the busyness of what was happening much like an ER episode. The movie will be shown in film school for years to come for it's technical ingenuity. 

    The camerawork and editing aren't the only stars in this movie, Keaton, Norton are the highest level they have ever been. Although I love Keaton, that isn't saying much, but for Norton, he's a tremendous talent and he really outdoes himself here. The supporting cast is great as well and at different points in the movie each one gets their time to shine. With that said, Norton disappears for the last 20 minutes of the movie giving the others some more room but you do miss him as there is a lack of tension without him.

1.Lego Movie

    This movie is hands down the best movie of the year. It's not just a Lego fan's movie, its a movie fan's movie. It makes fun of other movies, itself, Legos, pop culture, all the while having a heart and soul that isn't forced. The story, the jokes and the characters fit in perfectly together and the sappy ending doesn't feel sappy at all. In fact, I agree with Lord Business!

    Technically speaking this movie is a generation ahead of other animated movies. This movie is made to look as if it were stop motion, but it is fully animated. The direction is outstanding  and if there was ever a nomination for 'best director' that went to an animated movie, it should be this one. The details that were added are unbelievable to the point of obnoxious. Every digital piece of lego used in the movie is based on a real piece. Every building has a Lego schematic. The Legos move like Legos would, and at times when they need to move in ways that aren't physically possible, well the pieces pop out as if a child was playing with them. Dust and fingerprints were added to the Lego pieces to make them seem even more realistic. 

    I've seen the movie a few times already, and each time I watch, I catch a new joke or something visually different in the background. It's a movie that will never get old and it is the best movie of 2014.

I can literally go on forever, but just watch some outtakes:

Honorable Mentions

A Most Wanted Man

Chef

22 Jump Street

Joe

Ex Machina

Worst Movie of the Year

Tammy