This year in film I didn’t make it out to the theater as much as years past, which has more to do with my taste as anything else. There are some movies I just don’t want to pay big screen ticket prices for. But there were many quality films in theaters this year and there were several that I had to check out for the first time on the small screen.
The below are the best of the best this past year.
In this reviewer’s opinion anyway,
and you know, we all have one.
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS
What It Is:
This mocumentary about a household of vampires living together in modern New Zealand is nearly a perfect spoof. Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi and Jonathan Brugh are a trio of bloodsucking singles on the make who are willing to take these documentary filmmakers into their world of not doing dishes, mesmerism, flying, cleaning up blood, thralls, etc.
What It Was:
The funniest and most observant spoof I’ve seen in years. It’s Spinal Tap meets Interview with the Vampire. And, on top of all of that, the soundtrack of this film is rich with quality tunes that add a great texture to the final product.
What It Earned:
“A-”
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BIRDMAN
What It Is:
Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thomson, former box office big man on campus, who gave up the idea of the megabucks of the masses for the artistic satisfaction of quality work. Only he’s in the midst of a breakdown as the pressure builds and his attempt at Broadway success nears.
What It Was:
All about the moments between creation and expectation. It’s all about the fear of failure and the desperate need for acceptance and success. It’s about ego and id, fear and fortune. It’s literally a look inside the head of Keaton’s character as he deals with the turmoil in his family, the stress of putting on a play and dealing with the setbacks and even the casting of someone who may overshadow the whole purpose of his effort.
What It Earned:
“A-”
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MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
What It Is:
Water tyrant Immortan Joe enforces his twisted will on desperate survivors of the apocalypse in his desert fortress. Tom Hardy’s Mad Max finds himself attacked and taken prisoner there, only to soon find himself in a convoy hunting down Charlize Theron’s Furiosa as she attempts to free the five wives of the despot and race them away from his territory through the wasteland.
What It Was:
The visual treat of the year. What it lacks in dialog it makes up for in unique visual power and action appeal. There’s so much going on at once on the screen that it nearly overwhelms the senses. My one qualm about the film is that Max himself seems merely along for the ride—as if he may not even be necessary for the story to be told.
What It Earned:
“A-”
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THE HATEFUL EIGHT
What It Is:
Unable to beat a blizzard on the way to post-Civil War Red Rock, Wyoming, Kurt Russell’s John “The Hangman” Ruth has to take shelter with his prisoner, Daisy Domergue, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Trouble is he can’t trust that anyone hold up at the little stagecoach stopover might be part of her gang set on freeing his prisoner before he can deliver her to be hanged. There’s Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Demian Bichir, Walton Goggins and Samuel L. Jackson in the lodge—a strange mix of folks. And there’s a fair amount of palavering among them all as The Hangman tries to discern just who it is who might attempt to take down to free Daisy.
What It Was:
A cold hard look at the social issues that are a natural fallout after a country nearly rips itself in two over such a fundamental issue as slavery. A look at what it takes to bring justice, albeit frontier justice, to a frontier full of injustice. A feast for the ears and mind, more so than the eyes as the perspectives are all shared bluntly and openly amongst people too self-righteous to worry about political correctness.
What It Earned:
“A-“
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EX MACHINA
What It Is:
A programmer, portrayed by Domhnall Gleeson, at a technology company is the winner of a contest within the company to spend a week at the private home of their reclusive boss, an eccentric and odd man played by Oscar Isaac. There, he’s told that he is to assist Isaac in testing the consciousness of a robot named Ava.
What It Was:
A gripping science fiction tale that illustrates the need for caution as we proceed down the path towards sentience for our artificial friends. In other words, it’s a newfangled take on the Frankenstein story.
What It Earned:
“A-“
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FOXCATCHER
What It Is:
This true tragedy revolves around Olympic wrestlers Dave (Mark Ruffalo) and Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and their involvement with a sponsor by the name of John Du Pont, played by Steve Carell.
What It Was:
A dark tale of one man’s power outweighing society’s ability to stop their mental illness from leading to tragedy. Upon first “meeting” Carell’s Du Pont, we can tell something isn’t right with the man’s mind. It isn’t overwhelmingly obvious, but it’s there, under the surface trying to find it’s way out. We can see that Mark suffers from in inferiority complex as his brother is always seen by others as the natural leader, the smarter, more charismatic. All of this leads to the climax we will come to dread.
What It Earned:
“A-“
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IT FOLLOWS
What It Is:
Jay sleeps with her new boyfriend, Hugh, for the first time and right after, he abducts her away, ties her to a wheelchair and begins telling her that he has just passed a curse onto her via sex. What follows is IT. It follows you, it hunts you, it comes for you. And if it gets you, what results is death.
What It Was:
A hell of an interesting premise and an oddly unnerving watch. The kind of unique monster one would expect from John Carpenter. This year’s BABADOOK, it’s something new and different while remaining strangely familiar—after all, just like your typical slasher picture, those who have sex get it. This time “it” is a creature.
What It Earned:
“A-“
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WHIPLASH
What It Is:
What happens when obsessive jazz drummer (Miles Teller) meets fanatical music instructor (J.K. Simmons)? A hell of an interesting and combative film, actually. A passion for perfection drives both to extremes that spiral both toward potential greatness and/or tragedy.
What It Was:
Disturbing and admirable all at once. One can help but respect the ambition, the drive it takes one to attempt that kind of greatness and, at the same time, it’s a bit disturbing to watch as reality begins to slip from the grasp of the obsessed student.
What It Earned:
“A-“
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DOPE
What It Is:
High-schoolers Malcolm, Jib and Diggy are into ‘90s culture while they bond together playing in their own punk band in a tough Inglewood neighborhood. While at a party in a club, a drug dealer hides his stash in Malcom’s backpack and that’s when all hell breaks loose.
What It Was:
High drama and over-the-top hijinks ensue as they try to evade the dealer, his enemies and the law while trying to get rid of the drugs and Malcolm tries to complete a college essay. Of course, it’s elevated to another level when, in the course of this adventure, we grow to love these geek underdogs and we relate to their struggle. The movie was, as the title suggests, DOPE.
What It Earned:
“A-“
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ANT-MAN
What It Is:
The latest of Marvel’s adapted superhero properties created by the late, great Jack Kirby and Stan Lee is it’s tiniest. Or, more truthfully, it’s his protege—you see Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) is the original Ant-Man and he recruits Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang to act on his behalf as the new Ant-Man.
What It Was:
Easily the most fun to be had in a superhero movie all year. An ensemble cast and a story that doesn’t simply repeat the superhero formula make for a fresh watch. While it’s a shame they made Hank old, this one breathed new life into the genre.
What It Earned:
“A-“
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TRAIN WRECK
What It Is:
An aging party girl doesn’t understand it when the new guy she’s sleeping with wants to hang out and get to know her. She’s always been of the mind that monogamy is unfeasible, so she’s lived her life free of commitment. And so, she finds herself falling in love and begins to wonder if she can learn to be with one guy.
What It Was:
An actual funny comedy. We don’t get enough of these these days. Sure some are humorous and can make one smile, but it’s tough for our discerning gut to get to giggle like it should. Beyond the comedy, Amy Schumer and Bill Hader really make this movie work as their chemistry is natural.
What It Earned:
“B+“
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THE VISIT
What It Is:
A teenage girl (Olivia DeJonge) and her younger teenage brother (Ed Oxenbould) leave their mother on a train to meet their maternal grandparents for the first time. And, at first, things are a little strange. People have their quirks and the kids try not to hold their Pop Pop and Nana’s strange ways against them. But then things just keep getting stranger and stranger…
What It Was:
A return to form for M. Night Shyamalan. Back to fairytale simplicity and the story Shyamalan tells fits the scope of his ability. Hansel and Gretel-like—there is a whole thing with the oven—it is truly harrowing for these kids in this house with the unknown. A fine showing for all—even that annoying boy and his attempts at hip-hop.
What It Earned:
“B+“
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JOHN WICK
What It Is:
Retired legendary assassin John Wick is mourning his wife when a sadistic mobster and his thugs steal John’s car and kill his dog—the last gift his dying wife left for him. One guess what comes for the remaining seventy-five minutes of this film! That’s right, kids: a killing spree!
What It Was:
An artfully made “B” actioner that pulls no punches and misses no bullseyes. The choreography, the slow-motion shots, the stylish turns—it’s a perfect check-your-mind-at-the-door thrill-ride. The qualm being that it doesn’t quite tell us enough about Wick himself for us to care very much for even him. It’s just that the bad guys really deserve what comes for them.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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YOUNG ONES
What It Is:
In a future where drought rules and water is valued above all, Michael Shannon’s farmer defends his land and attempts to find water where he can find it. Nicholas Hoult as a suitor for his daughter (Elle Fanning) has his own schemes for that very land.
What It Was:
Low budget examination of a future disaster that may await many in even rich countries. Also an examination of what one may be willing to do for their family as desperation grows and greed exerts itself.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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GOODNIGHT MOMMY
What It Is:
Twin brothers welcome their mother home after reconstructive surgery and soon come to doubt she’s their mother after all. The two are an inseparable pair, the age at which curiosity and ability can make for a dangerous combination and their mother’s aloof behavior may not help.
What It Was:
A twisted, harrowing tale that goes in directions unexpected. An unpleasant watch that may haunt the viewer with it’s stark callow brutality. And yet, when it comes to the subject, it’s not quite surprising.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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WISH I WAS HERE
What It Is:
Zach Braff plays a struggling actor in L.A. who finds out that his father, played by Mandy Patinkin, is dying. Trouble is his wife, played by Kate Hudson, and kids have come to depend on his father’s money for his children's’ schooling. And so, Braff’s character attempts home-schooling all the while dealing with the issues his dying father are forcing him to confront.
What It Was:
A fine attempt to examine everything from the meaning of life, the meaning of death, to parental relationships, to sibling relationships. In short, it’s a fine film dedicated to what family means and what sacrifices we make for those we love.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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GREEN INFERNO
What It Is:
College student Justine meets and falls for a charismatic activist named Alejandro after a hunger strike for increased wages for janitors at the college. She then agrees to go with his group to the Amazon in order to stop deforestation. There, she learns he is as manipulative and ambitious as any politician and that’s just the beginning of her learning curve.
What It Was:
Everything one could want from an Eli Roth homage to Cannibal Holocaust about privileged youth preaching morality and traveling to the 3rd world only to have themselves become food for the very people they’re trying to save. The gore isn’t as bad as Cannibal Holocaust, of course, and the media hype makes more of what there is than what is actually on screen, so don’t let that discourage you—this is tasty stuff!
What It Earned:
“B+“
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STUNG
What It Is:
Genetically mutated wasps attack attendees at a waspy garden party, the result of which are giant wasp monsters. Think Aliens as party crashers minus the huge studio budget. And what helps that comparison is Lance Henriksen as the mayor, Caruthers.
What It Was:
“B” movie love done up to almost TREMORS-level quality. The story follows two catering staffers as they set up for an outdoor affair at a rural mansion that’s seen better days. Clearly the assistant, Paul, is crushing on his boss, Julia, but he lets work get in the way of his feelings. And so we follow them through this creature feature until the ever lovin’ end.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
What It Is:
Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, Kylo Ren and the First Order have risen to attempt to reclaim all that was lost. Meanwhile, a Stormtrooper named Finn (can you say Huck?) abandons his post and rescues a pilot being tortured. Rey (of light?), a scavenger, has claimed the droid BB-8, which holds intelligence essential to the Resistance. And so we have the redeemer and the searcher, both looking for where they belong in the galaxy, caught up in a continuing war that seems never-ending.
What It Was:
Overall, a fine return to form for the franchise. What we are seeing that was left of the Empire was akin to what our soldiers saw upon hitting the outskirts of the last remnants of the 3rd Reich… children and fanatics. Those ignorant enough to keep fighting in a cause that was clearly lost and those naive or too obedient to realize they can give up. And that’s what makes these brown shirt types in the First Order dangerous, I suppose. And it’s what makes Kylo Ren terribly interesting too—that and the fact that he is who he is. As for our old pals, they are fun as ever—though with Luke out of the loop and Leia busy leading an army, it’s not complete. Still, it’s a foundation from which to build on—too bad it took so long to get back to this… long time ago.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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AMERICAN SNIPER
What It Is:
Bradley Cooper beefs up for his role as Chris Kyle a Navy SEAL who struggles to deal with life during and after the war in Clint Eastwood’s latest film.
What It Was:
Though well directed and acted, the script just felt like it didn’t get it’s arms around the story well enough to explore the heart of the tale. Sure, it’s touched on, but it’s so episodic that the transition from war to home life doesn't get a full exploration.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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THE MARTIAN
What It Is:
Matt Damon is an astronaut on Mars who gets lost in a freak storm and presumed dead as a mission comes to a quick end and his comrades leave the red planet for home.
What It Was:
A well told tale of survival and perseverance, that was so sprinkled with humor that the true danger Damon’s character was in felt a bit diminished. And, honestly, that’s probably the most realistic thing about the film. How he uses his mind to solve the problems of survival and uses humor to keep himself from giving in to the probable temptation to give up.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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ANOTHER ME
What It Is:
A wee British indie about a teenage girl named Fay, who, after her home life turns tragic, begins to sense that she’s being stalked by a lookalike who is out to steal her life.
What It Was:
A film that uses it’s limited tools effectively. Shadows and whispers play strong roles alongside players like Sophie Turner, Rhys Ifans and Claire Forlani as young Fay either begins to lose her mind or an external supernatural force works itself on her.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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SICARIO
What It Is:
FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) accepts a top assignment in a task force run by mysterious official Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) that is escalating the war on drug cartels. Led by the enigmatic Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro), they cross the border back and forth using one boss to flush out bigger fish.
What It Was:
The tension builds inside the task force as Emily Blunt’s character becomes less and less comfortable with the methods being utilized to get the job done. And we the audience become uncomfortable, seeing how unclear it is how far they will go to shut down the descenting voice. If you enjoyed this film, I recommend the TV series THE BRIDGE that had a few excellent seasons and I was reminded of it several times as I watched this film.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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CRIMSON PEAK
What It Is:
Guillermo del Toro’s gothic romance or supernatural thriller is a tale of one woman’s struggle for independence, respect and love all the while reconciling her past.
What It Was:
Lush. A beautiful picture with terribly lovely monstrosities that allows it’s mystery to unfold at a gothically slow pace. It leaves one longing for a solution nearly as much as young Edith, played innocently and determinedly by Mia Wasikowska. Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain also supply fine performances as siblings.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL
What It Is:
The title says it all, really. An episodic look at the daily lives of a small circle of friends as one of them is going through a bout with cancer.
What It Was:
Not really the tear-jerker the title implies. Funny and sadly sober, sure, but it doesn’t get sappy. It takes on the subject heartily and a neat, if uneven film is the result.
What It Earned:
“B+”
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