It is finally that time of the year again! The Oscars are coming to dazzle us on Hollywood's biggest night on February 28th. Today, the official Oscars 2016 nominations list was released. Like all award shows, some of the movies should not surprise you, but of course, there were a few surprising snubs. I'll cover the bigger awards that audiences wait the entire night for and mention a few others so I can really rant.
Best Picture The Big Short Bridge of Spies Brooklyn Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Room Spotlight Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn Best Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed Best Director The Big Short, Adam McKay Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller The Revenant, Alejandro G. Inarritu Room, Lenny Abrahamson Spotlight, Tom McCarthy
Best Adapted Screenplay The Big Short, Charles Randolph and Adam McKay Brooklyn, Nick Hornby Carol, Phyllis Nagy The Martian, Drew Goddard Room, Emma Donoghue
Best Original Screenplay Bridge of Spies, Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen Ex Machina, Alex Garland Inside Out, Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen Spotlight, Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy Straight Outta Compton, Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff.
Honestly, out of the main awards, I'm not surprised by most of the nominations because these are all great films. Some I haven't seen, such as Joy, Bridge of Spies, The Big Short, or Room. I still have time to see them and The Revenant as well. With the best actor and actress, we have some of the same heavy hitters of recent Oscars past such as Jennifer Lawrence, my odds on favorite, Micheal Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Honestly, I hope Leo can walk away with this Oscar because I'm not sure how much more chances he'll have at the Oscars. If he can walk away with the Golden Globe, the odds are in his favor for an Oscar. Sylvester Stallone, as expected, received an Oscar nomination for his excellent, emotional role as elder boxer Rocky Balboa. As a fan of the Rocky series and its most recent entry, Creed, I'm in Stallone's corner.
But not everyone is happy. It's just the way award shows are sometimes.
Onto the snubs.
- First, no Best Dirctor nomination for Ridley Scott. Really? Really?! The 78-year-old director has earned three nominations before (for Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, and Thelma & Louise), but he can't score a nomination for The Martian. The space dramady (since the Golden Globes labeled the film as a comedy) did earn seven nominations but Scott deserved one.
- Johnny Depp's Whitey Bulger from Black Mass did not earn a nomination. No nomination in the Golden Globes and no Oscar nominations. Double snub that shouldn't have happened but okay.
- Straight Outta Compton. The movie lit up the summer, bringing popularity to its street smart story. I honestly believed it would be a dark horse come nomination time. The N.W.A. biopic did earn one nomination for Best Original Screenplay
- The current reigning and defending box office champion, Star Wars: The Force Awakens didn't manage a nomination for Best Picture or Directing. It should have, especially given the wave of momentum the film continues to ride right now. Instead, it'll have to settle for five technical nominations for Score, Film Editing, Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing.
- The action epic, Mad Max: Fury Road, earned an incredible 10 nominations but nothing for Charlize Theron. I'm just going to leave that alone.
But the one that is really causing controversy? This is the second year in a row that every acting nominee is white. Contenders such as Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Oscar Issac (Ex Machina), and Will Smith (Concussion) were all snubbed. Last year, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite blew up on Twitter, and it might be making a sequel appearance this year with a vengeance. I'm not one to base any argument or boycott based off of race because I have always seen people as equal but this is starting to be a problem. I will admit that there is a lack of diversity in the Academy and in Hollywood in general. While the Academy doesn't have any power over Hollywood and who they hire, they should make a stronger case for them to widen their range and normal stream of thought on performances. Creed deserved a nomination for Best Director for Ryan Coogler, an up and coming director, who has two powerful films under his belt currently, and has signed on to film Marvel Studios Black Panther. He definitely deserved some recognition. I guess only time will tell or #OscarsSoWhite will grow beyond the Oscars.
Either way, I hope all of you go see some of the nominated films and prepare to see the award show in February.
Good morning and Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays with your friends and families. As everyone in the movie community knows, we are getting deeply entrenched in awards season as nominations are released for the Critics Choice, Golden Globes, and Oscars. All of the "Oscar Bait" movies are streaming through theaters while Star Wars: The Force Awakens continues to dominate. We'll see who is left standing with the top four awards on Oscars Night.
With a new year is a new crop of films to help thrill audiences and bring in new ones into established franchises, new prequels, and sequels, this year could be filled with amazing moments caught on film. So here we go!
10) The Jungle Book
Continuing with the trend of live-action remakes of classic Disney animation movies, The Jungle Book tells the story of Mowgli (Neel Sethi), a boy raised by the Indian wolves. When the fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba) threatens his life, he is forced to leave his jungle home. From there, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, guided by the black panther, Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) and Baloo the bear (Bill Murray); all the while, he encounters jungle creatures and threats he has never seen before.
The film also stars Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Christopher Walken. The Jungle Book will be released on April 15, 2016.
9) Star Trek Beyond
Star Trek Beyond is the third film in the rebooted Star Trek series, the first not to be directed by J.J. Abrams, who has stayed on as producer. From what has been shown in the short and, somewhat, disappointing teaser, the crew of the USS Enterprise, led by Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is attacked by a swarm of aliens, destroying the Federation starship, leaving them stranded on a new planet and in conflict with a ruthless alien (Idris Elba), while finding a way off of the planet.
The film will reunite cast members Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg (also a co-writer), John Cho, and Anton Yelchin. It's scheduled for release on July 22, 2016 in celebration of the Star Trek franchise's 50th anniversary.
8) The Legend of Tarzan
Another classic fictional character returns to the silver screen in this adaptation. Alexander Skarsgard takes over the human gorilla, Tarzan, who has left the jungles of Africa behind years ago for a life in London as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane Porter (Margot Robbie) at his side. He has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by a corrupt Belgian Captain Rom (Christoph Waltz).
The film also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Djimon Hounsou, and John Hurt. I wouldn't consider this film before until I saw this trailer, looked at the cast, and the film is directed by David Yates, director of the latter Harry Potter films. The Legend of Tarzan is set to be released on July 1, 2016.
7) X-Men: Apocalypse
X-Men: Apocalypse is the latest installment in the X-Men film series and the sequel to X-Men: Days of Future Past. This time, the mutant family must go against the first and most powerful mutant, Apocalypse (Oscar Issac). Along with the fact that Apocalypse is immortal, invincible, and worshipped as a god, he has assembled his own team in the four horsemen, that includes a stronger Magneto (Michael Fassbender). It is up to Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) to join forces and lead a team of young X-men to save humanity.
The film stars series newcomers Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Olivia Munn, and Kodi Smit-McPhee along with returning members Rose Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, and Lucas Till. Apocalypse rises on May 27, 2016.
6) Finding Dory
It's been 13 years since audiences went on an underwater journey, Finding Nemo. The sequel will pick up six months after those events. Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) suddenly recalls her childhood memories, remembering something about "the jewel of Monterey, California", Nemo (Hayden Rolence) and Marlin (Albert Brooks) accompany their friend as Dory sets out to find her family. I'm considering this movie highly because it's a Disney-Pixar classic for those that started with Finding Nemo and a new generation that is taking the journey for the very first time. Similar to Toy Story 3, I expect the majority of the audience to be in their 20's.
The film also stars Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Willem Dafoe, and Ty Burrell. Dive into the ocean on June 17, 2016.
5) Independence Day: Resurgence
This year must be the year where past films make their returns to bring in new audiences and inform those who watched the original films an update of characters they have forgotten. Roland Emmerich returns to the director's chair for this sequel to the 1996 film. It has been 20 years since the aliens came to Earth and a small band of survivors drove them back. The international community recovers and builds up Earth's defenses using technology salvaged from remains of the alien forces, with some military forces assembled on the Moon. However, the aliens were able to send a distress signal before their final defeat while others went into hiding elsewhere around the world. The aliens in deep space receive the signal and threaten the human race once more with a new, larger and more powerful battle fleet.
The film features the return of originals Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch, and Brent Spiner and features newcomers Liam Hemsworth, Jessie Usher, Sela Ward, and William Fichtner. Independence Day: Resurgence lands on June 24, 2016.
4) Untitled Jason Bourne Project
There has been a lot of secrecy around the fifth installment in the Jason Bourne film franchise, featuring the return of Matt Damon to the amnesiac agent. Damon's last performance was 12 years ago with The Bourne Ultimatum, where Bourne disappeared after those events. The only thing that has been revealed is the world that Jason will be inhabiting, one that is not dissimilar to our own. There has been the financial collapse, the great recession, along with cyber warfare and civil liberties; all of this has left Jason in a dark, tortured place. It's interesting to see how Bourne will contend with the world around him.
The film also features the return of Julia Stiles and introduces Tommy Lee Jones into the franchise. The project, currently titled Bourne 5, is set to release on July 29, 2016.
3) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
I'm still on the fence about this film, especially after the most recent trailer and its big reveals. There is no doubt that this will be a big movie for a major fanbase. After the events of Man of Steel, Superman (Henry Cavill) is brought before Congress to answer for the destruction he caused. They aren't the only one he must answer to as Gotham City-based vigilante Batman (Ben Affleck) travels to Metropolis to confront the God-like hero. While the Dark Knight and Man of Steel battle, another threat endangers mankind. This film is set to jumpstart the DC Extended Universe with shared DC Films in the universe, presenting itself as a backdoor pilot for the upcoming Justice League movie so this is a risk for the media franchise to catch up with the standard that Marvel and the MCU has set.
The film also features Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Man of Steel cast members Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and Amy Adams, and introducing Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth and Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. Reports also confirmed that Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, and Ezra Miller will star as Cyborg, Aquaman, and The Flash respectively. Not sure how big their roles will be but it confirms that the Justice League will be on the fast track, the two-part ensemble film already scheduled for release in 2017. The two legendary heroes will collide on March 25, 2016.
2) Captain America: Civil War
Another superhero clash is set to happen to start the summer season with Captain America: Civil War, the third installment in the Captain America trilogy. This installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe takes place after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, finding Earth's Mightiest Heroes in another international incident. As a result, the government form a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to call the heroes. This decision fractures the team, one faction led by Captain America (Chris Evans), who is against government supervision, and another led by Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr), in support of the accords. These two factions of friends and comrades in arms will battle out their differences while protecting the world from a new enemy.
The film also features MCU veterans Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Elizabeth Olsen, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, and Paul Bettany. Newcomers include Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther and Tom Holland as the new Spider-Man. Much has been kept secret about the roles of the new heroes, especially Spider-Man but, knowing Marvel's current track record, fans will not be disappointed. I thought about adding Doctor Strange and it is not to be overlooked, but this clash of the heroes and one-time allies will be epic. The soldier out of time and the iron playboy will meet on May 6, 2016.
1) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
This first film in the planned Star Wars Anthology series, a collection of stand-alone stories set in the Star Wars universe, is planning on capitalizing on the success of The Force Awakens. How well these stand-alone stories will fare in comparison to the original series remains to be seen. The official premise of the upcoming epic space opera states the film: "Following the foundation of the Galactic Empire, where a wayward band of Rebel fighters come together to carry out a desperate mission: to steal the plans for the Death Star before it can be used to enforce the Emperor's rule."
The film stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, and Alan Tudyk. The Galaxy far, far away returns to theaters on December 16, 2016.
That fills out my top ten for 2016. Whether I am right or wrong is another matter but I hope you all enjoy these films. If you have any comments, please leave them on the page! I greatly appreciate them!
Another year is coming to a close and it has been a highly successful year for movies, especially going into the latter half of this year. From a kinky BDSM novel adaptation, a fairy tale brought to life, and a high-octane series saying goodbye to a series regular to the twenty-fourth Bond adventure, the park reopened, and audiences returned to a galaxy far, far away. Of course, there was a Marvel movie involved as well.
Out of all of those films, I've narrowed it all down to a top 10 list for this year:
10) Avengers: Age of Ultron
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's A-Team of superheroes reunited again with reinforcements to battle a villainous artificial intelligence program from ending the world. While it wasn't as good as the first Avengers film, it held its own with amazing special effects and giving each hero screen time. Another great installment in the successful Marvel Franchise with the ending result having a major ripple effect on the established world, setting the stage for Captain America: Civil War.
9) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
The Hunger Games film series took up the mantle left behind by Harry Potter as a successful adaptation of young adult novels that reaches far behind its intended audience. The final film brought an epic conclusion to the series as Katniss took on the Captiol, seeking to bring change to the world of Panem. As a fan of the novel, I was impressed with the movies than the novel (which was the weakest of the three). While I didn't think the novel, which is the same length as the other two, it proved to be beneficial in providing a satisfying end to the film series that launched Jennifer Lawrence into the stratosphere.
8) Spectre
A lot has been said about the role of James Bond as Daniel Craig prepared for the release of his fourth outing as the secret agent. From media reports, the spectrum has run from Craig saying he isn't done to him saying that he was exhausted and tired of the role. With the future of 007 and Craig's status left unknown, I would say that he left the franchise better than when he found it with Spectre. A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a mission to uncover a sinister organization that holds ties to him while M (Ralph Fiennes) battles to keep the secret service alive. With amazing action, stunts, a soulful theme performed by Sam Smith, and anchored by a strong performance by Craig, Spectre is another strong installment in the James Bond franchise while we await to see if Daniel Craig will suit up for a fifth run.
7) Straight Outta Compton
If there was one surprise that I had this year, it was this film. Usually, biofilms about music stars don't fair well in the box office. They don't seem fit to last but this one goes against the norm. The engaging performance by a solid cast of newcomers channeling the energy of the infamous rap group from Compton, N.W.A., helped carry the film to the top of the box office in August. Produced about Ice Cube and Dr. Dre,, who provided their expertise because they lived the events, and directed by F. Gary Gray, the ups and downs of the group and richly observed, enjoyed by audiences.
6) Creed
Now this one gave me a bit of trouble in my top 10. Not that it wouldn't make the list but where to place it! But considering the rest of my list, this is as high as I could go. In my review, I labeled Creed as Rocky 7. I still stick with that statement but it doesn't take away from the power of the film. Creed chronicled the young underdog Adonis Johnson, the illegitimate son of former world champion and Rocky's rival, Apollo Creed. This film is not only about Johnson's personal journey but Rocky Balboa's (Slyvester Stallone) as well. Michael B. Jordan gave a commanding performance as the young Creed, fighting his way out of the shadow of his father and Stallone's performance was inspiring, just enough to earn him a Golden Globe nomination and possibly an Oscar nomination. I definitely recommend this film to any fan of the previous Rocky films or wanting to bring new fans to the series with a gritty film.
5) Mad Max: Fury Road
We get to the top five now! The last Mad Max film premiered 30 years ago in 1985. The fourth film has sat in "developmental hell" since then and it didn't seem like it would see the light of the camera again. This year, we were treated to a new film. Fury Road follows Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) as he joined forces with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) to take on the cult of Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). It has been named one of the best movies of the year by critics and publications. With exhilarating action and praise for acting, screenplay, stunts, and humor, Mad Max: Fury Road is an impressive installment in the Mad Max franchise. Hopefully, we won't have to wait 30 years for the next installment.
4) Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The current box office king had to end up on my top 10 list. I remember watching the re-release for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope during its 20th anniversary. I fell in love with that universe, and while I wasn't really impressed with the prequel trilogy, I was so excited when I heard about Episode VII. Set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, a new band of heroes join forces with the original heroes to take one a new dark force in the galaxy. Audiences young and old, fans of the films and newcomers will be astonished by the work done by J.J. Abrams. It was like greeting old friends and bringing new ones into a family that we haven't seen for years. This film continues to shatter box office records even now so I suggest everyone get on board.
3) Jurassic World
The park is open. 22 years after the first Jurassic Park film, the park on the island of Isla Nublar has been open to the public and audiences returned to the land of genetically created dinosaurs. Chris Pratt joined the franchise as Owen Grady, a Velociraptor expert and trainer at the park who helps out Bryce Dallas Howard's Claire, the park's operations manager when her nephews go missing in the park and a hybrid dinosaur escapes from its prison. The score, acting, along with the direction of Colin Trevorrow helped carry this film, which broke records as well before The Force Awakens came around. An exciting summer flick that has complete rewatchability.
2) The Martian
I've read the novel so I had to see the movie. Once again, the world had to go save Matt Damon and got a huge payday out of it. The Ridley Scott-directed science fiction film is based on the novel, where Damon stars as Mark Watney, an astronaut who is mistakenly presumed dead and left behind on Mars, learning how to survive while rescue attempts are made to bring him home. The film is funny and thrilling, having a "last man on Earth" feel to it. I can tell that NASA had a huge involvement and real science seemed very involved in making this film. It makes attempts to be realistic and a real human story of survival on a barren planet. If you are looking for a true science fiction film that you can watch again and again and a real human story that the science is supporting, here it is.
1) Kingsman: The Secret Service
Talk about rewatchability! This amazing movie surprised a lot of audiences early this year, bringing some fun to the spy genre. This British-American spy film is stylish and, overall, just pure fun. Starring Colin Firth as a member of a spy organization who recruits a young juvenile with promise into the group and at the right time in order to stop Samuel L. Jackson's tech villain. It's better when it doesn't make sense, that doesn't stop Kingsman from being enjoyable. The overall favorite scene is the wonderfully choreographed church scene. Overall, I felt like this film was the best of this year.
I hope you all have seen these movies at least once (or many times!) but if not, this is a list of films you could watch as the new year comes. I'll be putting out a list of my top 10 for 2016 soon!
There are very few movies that becomes a part of pop culture and transcending generations like Star Wars. From the original trilogy to the prequel trilogy, television shows, video games, merchandise; Star Wars is a phenomenon that everyone has heard about, whether they have seen the movies or not. If someone is interested in the films and start to watch them, they jump on a hyperspace ride of the epic space battle between good and evil. After Return of the Jedi in 1983, fans, new and old, wondered what came of the heroes of the Rebellion. This weekend, the answer was given.
The wait is over. I, along with other Star Wars fans around the world, stopped panting and were able to breathe as we took our seats in theaters for J.J. Abrams The Force Awakens. Abrams' Episode VII installment delivers exactly what you want it to: a rollicking adventure encased in epic mythology, a perfect amount of fan service that fires your geekiest impulses, and a perfect cliffhanger ending that paves the way for future installments. In a way, Abrams accomplished the same he did with 2009's Star Trek reboot prequel. He took a worshiped pop-culture franchise with a rabid legion of disciples, treated it with respect to what came before, and made it matter again. Abrams had huge shoes to fill and, in a way, The Force Awakens is about exactly that - being worthy of the legacy that came before you.
I didn't plan on keeping a distance away from theaters for the first Star Wars movie in a decade (I bought Thursday night tickets for a 10:30 showing the day tickets went on sale). As I took my seats and everyone who brought their FX lightsabers powered them down, I'd be lying if I didn't feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and salute as the familiar opening of John Williams' score struck up in the IMAX theater and the familiar opening crawl of text rolled up the screen. I was 8 years old again, seeing remastered edition of A New Hope in theaters for the first time. Now, I'm going to refrain from spoiling the film but I feel like the informative text crawl is fair game: Luke Skywalker has vanished. The First Order has risen from the ashes of the Evil Galatic Empire and is hellbent on finding the older Jedi and destroying him. Princess Leia (now going by the title of General Leia Organa) is leading the Resistance and sends her best pilot to the planet of Jakku to find clues about Luke's whereabouts.
In this new generation's clash between the forces of good and evil, our heroes are Oscar Issac's Poe Dameron, the hotshot pilot dispatched by General Leia for info about Luke, the stand-out star Daisy Ridley as Rey, a headstrong and fiery Jakku scavenger who possess powers she's not aware of yet, and John Boyega as Finn, a disillusioned Stormtrooper whose conscience causes him to switch sides. There also wouldn't be a group of heroes without a droid so BB-8, the rolling gyroscopic weeble that might take over the favorite droid position in the eyes of female fans, a position that R2-D2 has held for decades. On the Dark Side are Domhnall Gleeson's General Hux, a more fiery version of Grand Off Tarkin from A New Hope, Adam Driver's Kylo Ren, a powerful but arrogant Dark Lord that seems to emulate Darth Vader with a metallic duck-billed muzzle that renders his voice in a digitized growl; and a CGI heavy Supreme Leader Snoke, who looked like a large version of the aliens from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, voiced by Andy Serkis,
It's not hard to keep these characters straight and whose side they are on but one of the best (and weakest) things to me about the movie is that these characters all feel like familiar archetypes, making me feel like we are watching Star Wars: The Next Generation. But Abrams and his co-writers, Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt have not just one, but several aces up their sleeves. If you have seen any of the previous trailers I've posted or the TV spots, you know what I mean: Han Solo, Leia, Chewie, C-3P0, R2-D2, Luke, and even that piece of junk that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, the Millennium Falcon.
It goes to show you that Abrams & Co. put a lot of thought and love into integrating all of these familiar (if slightly more weathered) faces with the new players in a way that feels organic rather than forcing it down audiences' throats. The filmmakers understood what made George Lucas' original trilogy magical, and they successfully recaptured that magic.
Having seen the movie twice (going for a third soon), I know how easy it is to get swept up into the adventure, the nostalgia, and John Williams' superb score that you forget how easy The Force Awakens feels vaguely familiar to A New Hope. I won't go into details (I promised no spoilers!) but while it feels lazy, it works. Like Abrams' Star Trek reboot, The Force Awakens blends in humor and has a lighter touch than the previous Star Wars films. Its aerial dogfights are dizzying and thrilling and its CGI does not feel cheap as it did in Lucas' prequels, which this film surely surpasses in every way. When The Force Awakens ends, it feels bittersweet to leave these characters you have been introduced or reintroduced to because you badly want to get to the next chapter in the saga, especially with the ending. So while the wait is officially over, a new waiting game begins for Episode VIII.
In one weekend, this movie has shattered box office records, raising the financial bar for other films that will come after it. I cannot say enough how much I loved this movie and how it pleased me as a fan to take the journey back to that galaxy far, far away from our own. Take your grandparents, children, and those not yet initiated into the ways of the Force.
I won't be back until after Christmas so everyone have a wonderful holiday season. May The Force Be With You.
For all intents and purposes, Creed is Rocky 7. Let me get that out of the way right now. It's a way for the legacy that Sylvester Stallone started in 1976. However, it would be a mistake to be put off by the late stage number of this franchise. Under the direction of director Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station), Creed delivers with force that has not been seen since the first two Rocky films.
Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station, Fantastic Four) reteaming with Coogler plays Adonis Johnson - the out of wedlock son of Rocky's former rival-turned-friend, Apollo Creed. From the start, you see young Johnson angry that he didn't know his father. He was saved from a troubled childhood by Apollo's widow (Phylicia Rashad). Now grown and hungry to make a name for himself, Johnson refuses to use his famous surname, starting to fight down in Mexico before making his way to Philadelphia. He finds the retired boxer-turned-restaurant owner Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and begs him to train him. After initially refusing, the aging Italian Stallion's reluctance melts as he sees that Adonis reminds him of the young kid reminds him of himself back when he was a hungry but no-hope southpaw looking for an opportunity. Under Balboa's tutelage, Johnson finds what he has been looking for when the opportunity presents itself.
Now, I'm not saying that Creed is any different from other boxing movies. It's as formulaic and sentimental as you'd expect any Rocky movie to be, but Jordan and Stallone (looser and more vulnerable than he's been in 30 years) provide the film with fire and soul and an undeniable, emotional intensity. Stallone's performance has been critically acclaimed and earning him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor along with rumors of a possible Oscar nod. I think it's due to the maturity and self-confidence that Stallone has not been able to show in previous films.
Overall, Creed is a film about fathers and legacy for both Johnson and Balboa. It more than preserves the legacy of the Rocky franchise and it reminds you of what made the movie great in the first place. I definitely consider it to be one of the year's best films and a possible underdog for best film once the Oscar nominations are announced.
In 1996, Independence Day redefined the science fiction disaster film genre forever and set a new standard for future films. The groundbreaking special effects along with the score and acting helped carry the film. It made science fiction fun again and brought that genre back to the forefront in movies. For years, rumors swirled around Hollywood about a sequel. Considering how the first film ended, I think it would be hard to make a sequel. Difficulties with the plot, the number of sequels, getting Will Smith to return, and other issues halted the project. Now, 20 years later, Director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day after Tomorrow, White House Down) brings the aliens for some payback.
From the trailer, a lot of advancements have been made by humankind using what remained of the alien technology left after the first attack, using it to protect the world. The unknown danger of the aliens' return has plagued the survivors of that war. Their fears seemed to be realized by David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) discovering active alien structures in a desert. From there, we see the characters, old and new, look as the aliens have made their return, bigger and more destructive than ever.
The official premise of the film:
"We always knew they would come back. After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next chapter delivers catastrophe on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens' advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction."
The film brings back Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, and Brent Spiner reprising their roles from the original film. Newcomers include Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games film series), Jessie Usher (Starz TV Series Survivor's Remorse) to portray the role of the stepson of Smith's character and Sela Ward (CSI: NY, Gone Girl) as U.S. President Lanford.
Because of the twenty year gap between the two films, a fictional "commemorative" historic site has been established to cover that time period since the "War of 1996" at www.warof1996.com. Independence Day: Resurgence will be released on June 24, 2016.
For everyone else's entertainment, here is one of the best speeches I've ever seen in film. Tell me it doesn't still give you chills:
For everyone who has eagerly awaits to crowd theaters in a week for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (like myself!), we were excited to hear that the first trailer for the next installment in the X-Men film franchise would be one of the first previews we would see before traveling to that galaxy far, far away. It seems that 20th Century Fox decided to unleash the first preview ahead of schedule to match up with the previous two releases for next year's superhero epics: Warner Bros Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Marvel Studios Captain America: Civil War.
The preview sets the stage for possibly the best X-Men film ever with the younger versions of our favorite mutants being shown as Jean Grey (Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), and Jubilee (Lana Condor) have been found by Charles Xavier (James McAvoy). Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) has rejoined her former family in a stronger leadership role as she fights alongside the X-Men, including Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), the returning Quicksilver (Evan Peters), and the other newcomers to face the world's first mutant, Apocalypse (Oscar Issac) and save humanity.
Apocalypse has his four horsemen by his side with a young Ororo Munroe/Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Archangel (Ben Hardy), and Eric Lehnsherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender). We don't get a good look at Psylocke's abilities but Archangel looks like he will be better introduced in this timeline than he was in X-Men: The Last Stand. From the preview, Apocalypse is a mutant that Xavier fears, due to his power and ability to control all mutants. Xavier is also needed by Apocalypse, shown when he was taken when the Horseman invade the mansion. It looks to be an action-packed sequel, taking place in 1983, concluding the trilogy that began with 2011's X-Men: First Class, and what director Bryan Singer calls the "true birth of the X-Men." This holds true as the trailer ends with James McAvoy finally embracing the Professor X we all know and love: suit, iconic chair, and bald head.
Only The Strong Will Survive when X-Men: Apocalypse comes out on May 27, 2016.
