The Top 10 WORST Films of 2014

Well...we already covered the best films that came out this past 2014. Now it is time to look at the stinkers. These were the films that were either massive disappointments, or just absolute garbage. There are no honorable mentions unlike the last list (or would that be dishonorable?) so let's just get right into it.

Again, like in the last list, these are simply my opinions. Film is subjective and everyone has an opinion on films. All I ask is that you please respect my choices for this list.


These are the 10 films I thought were the worst in 2014.


#10. The Monuments Men

 

This had great potential written all over it. You had a pretty stellar cast (George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray AND John Goodman involved), a plot that sounded incredibly entertaining to watch, as if it could mix an old war movie from the 40s with a heist movie from the 50s, as well as it being based on a true story In the hands of Clooney, who HAS proven to be a capable director, and with a great cast and interesting story, I should have been entertained by the film. Not completely bored to tears by it. What happened? Perhaps it is the fact that Clooney had difficult finding the tone of light humor with the serious nature of the subject matter (rescuing pieces of art history in WWII before Adolf Hitler destroys them forever). Maybe it's the fact that it's a bit TOO rooted in its nostalgia. Whatever the reason, I came into The Monuments Men with pretty high expectations and came out of it feeling sorely disappointed. It feels like there could be potential for a great movie in there, the execution was just rather poorly executed.

 

 #9. Need For Speed

 

 

 

Another year, another pointless attempt at adapting a video game into the feature film format....seriously, will we ever learn that these do not work? The latest attempt is an adaptation of EA's Need For Speed franchise. What's sad is I was actually HOPING for this to be good, mainly due to this being the first post Breaking Bad project for star Aaron Paul. Paul tries his best to rise above the material given to him, but his character of Tobey Marshall comes across as bland and almost a little too angry for his motivations. The plot itself is absolutely preposterous. While I understand this is nothing more than a mindlessly B movie, there is a fine line between entertainingly stupid (Fast and the Furious for example), and just....incredibly stupid, of which the movie falls into. I'm sorry, but how is Kid Cudi able to pull helicopters and tanks and all other vehicles out of his pocket like they are wrappers in the wind? And without getting in heaps of trouble for about two-thirds of the film? When I have to think of questions such as those in a movie where I shouldn't be thinking those questions, then we have a serious problem.

 

 

#8. The Amazing Spider Man 2

 

 

I am probably going to garner a lot of controversy for this next choice, but the fact of the matter is that this new Spider-Man movie was....pretty bad. The only things I can salvage are that Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have fantastic chemistry and the effects were decent, the entire movie around them is god awful. The plot of this film suffers from the exact same problem that Spider-Man 3 suffered from: TMSGO, or Too Much Stuff Going On. The script is unnecessarily crowded. Why was Rhino in the film? To set up for the Sinister Six movie of course! Why did we need to see what happened to Peter's parents? Because we screwed you over last time and wanted to give you something that has NO impact on the story whatsoever! Why was Chris Cooper in this movie if he was going to DIE five seconds later? REASONS! Also, the villains in this movie were just terrible. I was really excited to see Jamie Foxx finally bring Electro into the Spider-Man film universe, but what Foxx gave us was a villain who flip flopped between good to evil within five seconds. He gets mad at Spidey....because Spidey was trying to help him? Oh-kay that's cool....I think. Also, Foxx utters some of the worst dialogue in the entire film, such as:





 I would like to point out this happens during one of the film's better moments

 

Another problem I have is all the potential build up that the movie shoves forcefully down your throat in regards to their plans for an expanded Spidey Cinematic Universe. We get it, you are all really excited by your plans for a Sinister Six movie.....now stop shoving all of this in my face. Sony, just do us a favor.....give the rights back to Marvel Studios. Let them handle the character and see what they do with it. It would probably be less convoluted than this.

 

#7. As Above, So Below

 

 

Out of all the horror movies I managed to see this year (which trust me, wasn't a lot), this was the one that stood out as one of the worst ones. You had a cool idea (something evil lurks in the catacombs of Paris) and for the first 20 minutes, sets up this idea extraordinarily well. But then, as the film goes on, it just falls into the same old tired clichés that we've seen in so many horror movies in the past: group gets trapped and decides to find another way out, insert some type of supernatural element here, the list goes on and on. This is also a found footage movie, and man is it completely awful. The idea of found footage and enclosed spaces where you have to wriggle around a lot was a terrible idea, as I started not only trying to figure out what was going on, but feeling incredibly sick as well, even to a point where I had to step out a couple of times, which is rare for me. As Above, So Below tries desperately to break the mold of most found footage films, only to find itself falling into those routines halfway through.

 

 #6. Dumb and Dumber To

 

 

I know this might seem pretty pointless to put on this list, as the whole idea of this movie is...well to be dumb. But the thing about Dumb and Dumber To is that it tries and fails miserably to capture what made the original so fun in the first place. Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, and the Farrelly Brothers knew they were being idiots and they played along with it and had fun with it, which in turn allowed you to have fun as well. There was a certain charm to the 1994 original that still holds very well today. With this sequel, it feels as if they were much more mean-spirited this time around and trying in absolute vain to recapture the charm of the original film, making the whole film unpleasant and rather unfunny to watch. I laughed maybe once, but other times, I was trying to force a chuckle out. The story itself is basically the same as the first, making you realize throughout the film you could have just stayed home and watched the original. Dumb and Dumber To tries to be funny, but perhaps it has been 20 years too late.

 

#5. A Million Ways To Die In The West

 

 





I like Seth MacFarlane. The man can actually be genuinely funny at times. Sure, Family Guy has stumbled in recent years and sometimes the jokes can be....astonishingly crass and misogynistic. But the man is capable of making genuine humor, and that showed with his 2012 directorial debut, Ted. That film reminded me that Seth MacFarlane could still be very funny and was awaiting what he could do without the restrictions of television by having the landscape of comedy on film. Unfortunately, A Million Ways to Die in the West is the most disappointing and worst comedy I've seen all year. All the best jokes that the film had were spoiled in the film's trailer (seriously, why would you spoil the cameo from Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown? That would've been an absolutely great reveal) and the other jokes, while some funny, you'll barely remember within 10 minutes of walking out of the theater. In regards to Seth MacFarlane....he just makes for a really unlikable male lead, as he spends most of the film literally listing off why the West is awful. The script is also a bit of a mess, as some of the jokes feel slapdashed together for the sake of needing a joke. It's a real shame because I know Seth MacFarlane HAS the ability to tell good humor, it just did not show here.

#4. Transcendence

 

Well, now that Christopher Nolan has introduced a wave of smart science fiction films for a new generation, we have people trying to follow in his footsteps. This brings us to Transcendence, the directorial debut of Nolan's longtime cinematographer Wally Pfister. With an idea involving Johnny Depp being uploaded as an artificial intelligence, this had numerous possibilities for being a sleek and thought provoking science fiction thriller. Unfortunately, the film's pace is so incredibly slow, dragging out its 119 minute run time. Not only that, but the plot holes in this film are huge, as most of the film's logic seems to make absolutely no sense (so....we're just going to upload his brain into a computer....without any sort of consequence....okay thanks Jack Palgen). The film's great cast is entirely wasted on this premise and while Pfister knows how to set up a beautiful shot, it can't save him from helping create one utter mess of a film.

 

#3. I, Frankenstein

 

 



Take a look at the image above. Go ahead, just take a look. Everything that is wrong with this movie is captured in this image. I, Frankenstein might be one of the most inane, idiotic movies I have ever had the misfortune of seeing. The idea to basically turn Mary Shelley's classic story into an Underworld knockoff (seriously....you're knocking off UNDERWORLD of all things) was an awful idea. The acting is terrible, the dialogue is awful, and the story....OK I'm going to veer into spoiler territory but this is a plot hole that is so big it basically negates the movie's existence so spoilers ahead:

So Aaron Eckhart is forced to kill Jai Courtney's gargoyle character near the end of the film, because he has no soul so he is able to kill both demon, and, if need be, gargoyle. The demon king Naberius (Bill Nighy) wants to use Adam as a vessel for a legion of demons, as Adam has no soul and therefore can be possessed like a human corpse. Naberius also plans to use Frankenstein's formula of creating Adam to make hundreds more like him. However, when Adam's body starts to become possessed, he rejects it and is still normal, stating that he has a soul. Now....correct me if I'm wrong....but he killed an angel just moments prior after being forced to.....I'm pretty sure you are not just GIVEN a soul and forcing to ascend an angel does not qualify as such. Also, he is human made not born like everyone else....pretty sure you also CAN'T grow a soul all on your own.....it's this kind of idiotic logic that pretty much negates this film's existence.


##2. The Legend of Hercules

Oh wow....wow was this film bad. What's even more shocking to realize is that this film was made on a budget of $70 million and looks like it was made on the budget of those Saturday night schlock fests you see on Syfy. Everything in this movie, from the costumes to the CGI to the action, looks incredibly cheap and fake and it is incredibly easy to tell how fake it looks. Also, the story is...bad. This focuses on how Hercules, before being told he is the son of Zeus, was a soldier, then betrayed, then becoming....Spartacus? The story isn't fun enough to keep yourself entertained nor is the drama in the story enough to keep you invested. Not only does this film look like it ripped heavily off of 300 if it was done on a shoestring budget, in terms of story and effects, but it also fails in the acting department. Kellan Lutz is an absolutely terrible choice for Hercules. He is bland, boring, uncharismatic, and speaks everyone of his lines as if he's reading for a middle school play. Do yourselves a favor: Skip this Hercules and see the far more superior and entertaining film starring Dwayne Johnson.

And the worst film of 2014 is....

 

 

#1. Transformers: Age of Extinction

 

 

 

I. F*****g. Hate. This. Movie. Everything about Transformers: Age of Extinction fails on every single level. Michael Bay has reached a new level of garbage that I did not even think was possible to reach. First off, the film is THREE HOURS. There are parts in this movie that could have been honestly cut out and made the film a lot more quicker. The scenes in Shanghai for example, are extremely unnecessary as we are just there to see new Transformers tech (and to give Bay an excuse to be blatantly racist to the Chinese). But honestly, even if you did cut a lot of this out, I don't think that would have even helped out as the acting and dialogue is some of the worst I've seen. Honestly, I feel bad for Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci. They're both extremely good actors but they both are bogged down by the idiotic script and dialogue that are given to them. Tucci tries, he tries so very hard to escape it, but it's not helped by lines like "Death is on our tail, death is on our tail!"

 

The rest of the supporting cast does not fare well, with Nicola Peltz actually somehow being a worse actress than Megan Fox. Finally, we come to the action scenes, or rather, being bombarded with mindless explosions left and right. Now, I love action and I love seeing explosions as much as the next guy. Bay has proven to be an explosion master. However, what I don't like is having my mind bombarded with bright lights and explosions attacking my senses to the point where it's just numbing to look at. When the Dinobots, who you know are the main focus of the marketing material, show up almost TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER, I should be excited, not praying to whatever movie gods are out there for this torture to just end already. Not only is Transformers: Age of Extinction the worst movie of 2014, but it is one of the worst movies I have ever seen period. It's lazy, unfocused, and an attack on how much your senses are able to withstand this much garbage. Somehow, it managed to reach a new level of crap I didn't even think existed.

 

Also, GOOD GOD BAY COULD YOU NOT BE ANY MORE SUBTLE WITH YOUR PRODUCT PLACEMENT??

 

 

So that was my 10 worst of 2014. These are the films I pray I will never have to watch again. Got any films you hated seeing that I forgot to mention? Disagree with some of my choices and want to discuss? Sound off in the comments below or follow me on Twitter @filmfan108!

 

Now, as we move away from the past and say goodbye to 2014, let us look ahead to the future, and see what 2015 has in store. Stay tuned for my 15 most anticipated films of 2015!



The Top 10 Movies of 2014

Well....another year has come and gone. In regards to films, this was a pretty great year for movies. We got a ton of surprises in the form of a talking raccoon, construction toys, and a twelve year journey.

But what were some of the best films of the year? Which ones did I think truly stood out among everyone else. Well, here they are: These are the top 10 films that I managed to see in 2014.

I would also like to mention that this is simply just my list and that these are my opinions. Film is subjective, everyone has an opinion. I welcome your own thoughts on best movies of 2014, but I also please ask that you respect mine.

Before we begin, there are some honorable mentions that JUST missed the cut for the top 10. These are fantastic films, but I thought there were 10 films better than these.

THE HONORABLE MENTIONS

Gone Girl

 

Big Hero 6

 

Foxcatcher

X-Men: Days of Future Past

 

22 Jump Street

 

How To Train Your Dragon 2

 

 

Edge of Tomorrow 

 

 



Godzilla

And now, onto the list!

#10. Snowpiercer

This film came out of nowhere for me this past year. We don't see a ton of dystopian future movies that are meant to be seen for adults. That's what makes Snowpiercer so refreshing to watch, it's not a young adult dystopian future film, but rather, it's a gritty, hard hitting, and extremely well done. The premise feels like it's from an 80s action thriller but with a more poignant message, that of the class system and how far one can go in order to achieve bliss. The cast is incredibly solid, with Chris Evans turning in a commanding performance along with Tilda Swinton, who's near unrecognizable. It's a fresh original take on the dystopian genre that's been overrun by young adults these days.


#9. The Babadook

It's been a pretty bad year for horror movies. From As Above, So Below to Ouija, horror movies this year became rather stale and uninteresting. So it came as a pleasant treat to find this truly terrifying film hidden among the garbage we got this year. What's so great about The Babadook is that rather than relying on showing the creature immediately, it just builds tension throughout the course of the picture, to the point that when the monster IS revealed, you're absolutely terrified as to what will happen. It's exactly what a horror movie SHOULD do, rather than rely on crappy jump scares. The film also benefits from fantastic performances from leads Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman.

#8. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Marvel Studios had a pretty fantastic 2014, and man did they kick things off with a giant bang. Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a film that didn't just improve on The film effortlessly combines usual Marvel and superhero tropes with a whipsmart, edge of your seat political thriller that alters the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe forever. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo combine wonderful action with great humor and the cast, particularly Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, and Robert Reford, give some excellent performances.



#7. Nightcrawler

 

 

I dare you to find a performance more unsettling and downright creepy this year than Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler. As Leo Bloom, Gyllenhaal gives the strongest performance of his career. You can tell underneath the charm and charisma that something almost...evil lies within this character. In addition to a tour de force by Gyllenhaal, the film is a rather impressive directorial debut for screenwriter Dan Gilroy. He makes the nighttime escapades of Leo Bloom feel almost delirious, as we're caught up in the thrill of finding the next big scoop. Part of that also goes to cinematographer Robert Elswit, as he makes the city of Los Angeles look drop dead beautiful and almost haunting at night. But this is mainly Gyllenhaal's show, and he commands every second of it.

 

 

#6. Guardians of the Galaxy

 

If Captain America: The Winter Soldier helped continue Marvel Studios' successful run, then Guardians of the Galaxy solidified them as the most successful makers of comic book films working today. There are so many ways that James Gunn's sci-fi action comedy could have failed miserably. After all, this is a movie featuring a talking raccoon and a tree that says only one sentence. Yet Marvel and Gunn prevailed, delivering a genuinely fun and entertaining summer blockbuster. Gunn makes the movie feel almost as if it's a late 80s, early 90s sci-fi movie (bolstered by the wonderful soundtrack), as I felt the same excitement watching this movie as I did when I watched those types of films as a little kid.  Chris Pratt proved he's now a bona fide box office star and the chemistry among him and Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper is incredibly fun to watch. Guardians of the Galaxy is one of Marvel's most obscure comic book heroes, but now they're finally welcomed into the spotlight.

 

#5. The LEGO Movie

 

 

This is not a deep, engaging, drama that makes you question the meaning of life and everything around it. This is a movie involving LEGO Construction Toys and it is easily the best animated movie I have seen this year. When I first heard the phrase, "a movie based on LEGO construction toys," I rolled my eyes, as did most others. But what directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who are two of the best comedy directors/screenwriters working today, do with this movie is not make a 113 minute toy commercial. Rather the film is a celebration about the legacy of LEGO itself and what it means to play with LEGOs: to be your own person. March to the beat of your own drum, and create your own world, not follow the instructions of what others tell you to create. The final 20 minutes of this film is perhaps some of the most surprising and touching scenes I've seen on film this year.

#4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

 

 

 

How does one improve on a surprisingly enjoyable reboot that surpassed many audiences' expectations? Simple: by expanding upon the groundwork that the first film laid and provide a story that not only delivers great action, but provides thought provoking ideas involving politics, leadership, equality, and the tough choices one must make in order to keep everyone happy. Also, having an ape wield dual frigging machine guns while riding on horseback kind of helps. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was the rare summer film that was not only for the average movie-going audience, but for the thinking man's moviegoer as well. It made you leave the theater actually thinking on what you just saw while also trying to control your heart from racing any further. The idea to set the movie 10 years later was a brilliant move by the screenwriters. In addition, Dawn proved once again why Andy Serkis is the motion capture king, giving one of the best performances of his career returning as Casear. He makes Caesar more world weary, as he is trying to keep the peace between humans and apes. Also equally fantastic? Toby Kebbell as Koba. This character is terrifying to watch, as he wants what Caesar is trying to prevent: all out war against the humans he despises. (Please Academy....take these two into consideration for a nomination at the Oscars this year). Dawn is essentially what Empire Strikes Back was: a film that surpasses its predecessor on every level.

 

 

#3. The Grand Budapest Hotel

 

Wes Anderson is one of the most unique filmmakers working in the industry today. His style, from the characters to the setting to the camera shots themselves give his film their own sense of quirkiness. The Grand Budapest Hotel is the latest in a string of great films that Anderson has made as of late. The film, which focuses on Grand Budapest Hotel owner Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and his most trusted friend Zero (Tony Revolori) as they recover a priceless painting, is so delightfully charming in its presentation. On a visual aesthetic, the film looks gorgeous, with vibrant colors bouncing off of the screen. The sets themselves look particularly beautiful, with Anderson's minute attention to detail showing in every single frame. The film also boasts some fantastic performances from everyone in the cast, particularly Ralph Fiennes as Gustave. Fiennes turns the charm up to 100%, as he is an absolute delight to watch in every scene he's in. His chemistry with young Zero is also enjoyable, as both react almost nonchalantly to what is going on around them. This is due to the wonderful script by Anderson, which has some of the funniest dialogue I've heard on screen this year. If Anderson keeps making great films at this rate, with now Moonrise Kingdom and this film under his belt, I eagerly await his next project.

 

 

#2. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

 

 

When Academy Awards season begins later this month, one name should (hopefully) dominate a lot of conversations: Michael Keaton. In Birdman, Keaton gives the best performance of his career. Due to Riggan Thomson's career after starring in the Birdman movies mirroring Keaton's own life, Keaton is able to pull off a lot of the bitterness and longing that Riggan feels. He has everything riding on this Raymond Carver play. If it fails, then he can no longer be considered a serious actor. Keaton manages to showcase this expertly and I can see an Oscar potentially in his future. In addition, the rest of the cast is exceptionally strong. There is not one weak link in the cast everyone comes in and brings their A-game.  This is also one of the most biting and brutally honest films about fame and success I have ever seen. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu creates an honest and very self aware story about fame and being in show business, a story that has no problem in satirizing numerous truths about being famous as well as the acting process (Edward Norton's character is a fine example of satirizing method actors who go DEEP into the role). The film also brilliantly manipulates the whole film into looking as if it is being shot in one take, which is quite a feat as I could barely tell where the cuts were. Birdman is one of the most unique takes on fame shown on screen in a long time, due to its excellent story and brilliant cast.

 

 

 

And the #1 film of 2014 is....

 

 

#1. Boyhood

 

 

There was no way I was not going to make this #1. Since seeing the film back in August, Boyhood has been the film that has stuck with me the most out of every film I saw this past year. The fact that Richard Linklater was able to shoot this film over 12 years without any kind of hitch is nothing short of incredible, but what really got myself thinking while walking out of the theater is what the film's message is. It's that you aren't defined throughout life by the big moments; the graduations, the birthdays, getting a job etc. Instead, it's the small moments, whether they last an instant or a couple of minutes, that define who you truly are as an individual and what kind of person they'll shape you to be. Every moment that we see of young Mason's (Ellar Coltrane) life is a moment that someone can relate to on a personal level. Coltrane is also backed by a great supporting cast, with Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette delivering career-making performances as Mason's parents, with Ethan Hawke's character Mason Sr. going through his own personal journey over the span of 12 years. Linklater also, rather subtly, lets the audience know what year it is through the use of music or small events, an idea I thought was very well executed. When I see a movie, I want to be entertained, I want to be able to relate and feel for the characters, and I want to be able to walk out of the theater with a lasting impression. Boyhood managed to surpass my highest expectations and still sticks with me to this day. It is for this reason that it is my favorite film of 2014.

So what were YOUR favorite films of 2014? Sound off in the comments below or follow me on Twitter @filmfan108!

 

Get ready for a couple more of these lists coming out in the next couple of days, as I count down the 10 worst movies I saw in 2014.  as well as my 15 most anticipated films for 2015.





The Babadook: The scariest, most effective horror movie in years.

It's no secret that modern horror movies today are kind of really awful. In the last few years, we've seen the use of found footage get beaten to death (see: the Paranormal Activity franchise and everything that tried to copy it afterward) and horror films becoming  generally stale and uninteresting, relying on cheap jump scares.

However, some horror movies, such as The Cabin in the Woods, the Evil Dead remake, The Conjuring, You're Next, and this year's Tusk, have been able to break most horror conventions and be what horror movies should be: entertaining and genuinely thrilling.

In addition to big releases, independent horror films are also becoming increasingly enjoyable to watch, as they buck studio conventions and make the visions that were intended to be seen.

The Babadook is a fine example of this.

Released in Australia this past year, The Babadook focuses on widowed mother Amelia (Essie Davis), who is raising her son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) all on her own. Samuel is a bit of a strange child: he barely sleeps through the night and believes that an imaginary monster is in his home, even going so far as creating weapons to combat it. One night, Amelia finds a strange pop-up book entitled "Mister Babadook," which she decides to read to Samuel. Soon after, strange things begin happening around the house and to Amelia, with Samuel insisting that the Babadook is behind it. Now, Amelia must discover what really is going on before it's too late.

This movie popped up on my radar after hearing countless reviews heaping critical acclaim on the film, with some calling it the scariest and one of the best horror movies in years. Seeing all this critical praise led me to become very interested to see what everyone was talking about.

After finally being able to have a chance to watch the film, I can now see what everyone is talking about: this is one of the most effective, chilling, and genuinely entertaining horror movies I've seen in years.

This is definitely in part to the two main actors, Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman. While there are numerous supporting actors around them who do fine in their roles as well, in actuality, they do not show up as much in the course of the film.

Most of the action is on these two throughout the film. Both of them are spectacular, particularly Davis. Her character of Amelia is such a delicate and fragile person, with losing her husband and taking care of her unusual child. Davis plays this to such great effect throughout the course of the film.

In addition, she has a great relationship on screen with Wiseman. You genuinely feel for these two as they deal with the terror that the Babadook has caused. The relationship feels genuine, and by the end, we feel as if we have seen these characters go through an emotional journey together before coming to terms with each other's faults.

Another thing this film has going for it is that it relies on genuine terror, NOT cheap horror scares. The film has this sense of dread and foreboding the entire time, to the point where I was completely terrified as to when the Babadook would start to show up.

 A lot of credit for that goes to first time writer and director Jennifer Kent. She takes a concept that has been done before (spirit starts to haunt wife and child), but she infuses it with a real sense of thrills and horror.

Once the Babadook starts to play heavily into Amelia's subconscious, I felt terrified and on the edge of my seat for what was about to happen next. It's rare to find a horror movie that does that anymore.

Overall, The Babadook is one of the best horror movies I've seen in a very long time, which is such a refreshing statement to say. If you happen to have a VOD service or it's playing in your nearest theater, I would highly recommend it.

Grade: A+

Netflix Picks: Snowpiercer and Stretch

 I go to a small college in New Jersey (by small I mean private) and I am currently home for a solid month for winter break.

Now obviously, I'm not able to go as much to the movies every single day, but I still want to get reviews out as often as I can on this blog. So I figured, "Why don't I review some movies that happen to be on my Netflix list that many have not heard of before?"

With that said, welcome to the first installment of Netflix Picks, where I pick a couple of films that I feel should warrant more attention. With the year winding down, let's take a look at two of 2014's most underrated films.

SNOWPIERCER

Director: Bong Joon-ho
Screenplay: Bong Joon-ho, Kelly Masterson
Starring: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, and John Hurt

In the last few years, we have seen the dystopian future society genre been done to death, particularly with the younger crowd. We've seen numerous adaptations for young adults be adapted for the big screen, such as The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Giver to name a few. With Snowpiercer, not only do you have a dystopian future movie for adults, but also a brilliant one at that.

(NOTE: I know the film was released in Korea in 2013, but it just came out in America this past July so I'm counting it as a 2014 release).

The plot is rather simple: In the year 2031, after an experiment to counteract global warming fails and throws the entire planet into a new ice age, most of the human race has perished. The ones who remain survive on the Snowpiercer, a massive motion engine train that spans the entire globe in order to keep its inhabitants alive. The train is divided into sections; the rich and wealthy live in the front while the poor live in the tail end section. One of the leaders of the tail section, Curtis (Chris Evans), has had enough of the living conditions and instigates a coup. Now Curtis and his followers must fight their way through the massive train in order to get to the front, all while fighting followers of the train's creator, Wilford.

This is such a simple basic concept: get from point A to point B. And yet that's one of the things that makes it work so incredibly well is that simplicity. Yes the film does have subtle commentary on the class system as well as comments made about global warming. But the film's plot almost feels as if it's something out of an 80s action movie, which is due in part to the great directing done by Bong Joon-ho. He handles the actions scenes with great detail and intensity.  It's just enjoyable to watch from start to finish.

The acting is very well done, with Evans turning in a very commanding lead performance. Outside of playing Captain America, Evans really hasn't been in much else as of late. Seeing him outside of Marvel is rather refreshing, as his character, Curtis, is likable and commanding, but with a dark past. When the dark past is revealed, Evans is at his most vulnerable. The rest of the supporting cast is great to watch, especially a near unrecognizable Tilda Swinton.

Overall, Snowpiercer was one of the surprise films of the year and easily one of the best. If you haven't gotten a chance to see it, I highly, highly recommend you give it a watch.

Grade: A

STRETCH

Director: Joe Carnahan
Screenplay: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Chris Pine, Ed Helms, Jessica Alba, and James Badge Dale.

 Stretch has had a strange history in getting released. Originally supposed to come out this past March, Universal Studios scrapped the film two months before its release and allowing producer Jason Blum to shop the project to other studios. Universal ended up getting the film back anyway, and decided to release it directly to DVD and Video on Demand outlets.

Now, when the studio moves a film from theatrical to direct to video release, that usually  says the film is so terrible that it no longer warrants being seen in theaters.

So it's rather strange as to why Stretch was released straight to video, as it's actually a very enjoyable, almost self-knowingly goofy film to watch.

The film follows a man simply known as "Stretch," (Patrick Wilson), who works as a limo driver for a living in LA after a failed career in acting. After his girlfriend unceremoniously dumps him, Stretch decides to start turning his life around. Before he can do that, he must drive around mysterious client Karos (Chris Pine), who offers to pay off Stretch's gambling debt of $6,000 if he does everything Karos asks him to without question. Karos must also deal with rival driver "The Jovi" as well as federal officers.

Joe Carnahan, to me, is one of the most underrated action directors working today. Smokin Aces and The A-Team are incredibly underrated action movies and The Grey is a great, tense thriller. With Stretch, this feels much more like a throwback to Smokin Aces, as Stretch is one of the most gonzo and bizarre films Carnahan is made.

If Birdman takes a biting satirical look at fame and trying to be famous, whether as a comeback or not, then Stretch is essentially the violent and bloody Looney Tunes take of that tale.

Carnahan directs every scene with such kinetic energy and moves so briskly that you feel you're along on this crazy and insane ride. That's also in part to the cast he has assembled. Wilson is likeable as the everyday Joe just trying to make a living and get by in life. Of course, he has to deal with some insanity every day, but you still root for him by the end. Jessica Alba is also very good as his friend and assistant in the limo service, as she shows genuine concern for Wilson's character. Alba has improved greatly since coming onto the scene in 2005.

But the two big standouts are Ed Helms and Chris Pine. Helms, playing a limo driver who committed suicide in front of a customer and is a figment of Stretch's mind, serves as the big comic relief in the film and gets some of the best lines. Helms chews scenery in every scene that he shows up in. The same goes for Pine, looking completely unrecognizable as Karos. This is Pine at his absolute nuttiest, as he takes the dial and cranks it up to 20 in a drug fueled rampage. His character is so odd and unique that all thoughts that Pine can just play Captain Kirk are gone. He's just a blast to watch.

I will say that the first maybe 20-30 minutes are extremely tough to get through, but if you can hang on until after that time, you will have an absolute blast with Stretch, as it just gets nuttier and crazier from that point on. This was one of the surprises of the year. Get a bunch of friends together and bask in the insanity.

Grade: B+

Got any Netflix Picks of your own?  Go ahead and recommend any film you've watched in the comments below!

Foxcatcher Review: Stunning Performances from Carell and Tatum

 

When you think of intense drama and the actors that star in them, one of the first that does NOT come to mind is funnyman Steve Carell.

 

Carell is known for being the awkward, bumbling, sometimes idiotic character in most if not all of his movies. Sure, one could easily argue that with Dan in Real Life and especially Little Miss Sunshine, he is capable of pulling off a serious performance.

 

However, those two latter films were also comedies. We've never really seen Carell take on a performance that does a complete 180 from his usual roles that he takes on.

 

Enter Foxcatcher, the latest film from director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball). The film tells the true story of billionaire John E. Du Pont (Carell), an eccentric billionaire who decides to help train former Olympic medalist Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) in wrestling. Mark's brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) later joins Mark to help train him as well as Team Foxcatcher. In January of 1996, while Mark is training for a comeback, du Pont murders Mark and is sent to prison.

 

**NOTE: While I usually would consider this a spoiler, in this case I'm allowing it because it actually happened in real life.

 

This is a type of character that we have clearly never seen Carell play before. I was interested to see if he was able to pull this off after hearing the heaps of praise he and the film received at Cannes this past year.

 

After watching the film, it's clear to see why Carell and the rest of the film are receiving tons of praise. The film is extremely well done, bolstered by strong performances from the two main leads.

 

Carell is terrifying to watch. He makes du Pont seem much more of an eccentric, lonely recluse. All he wants to do is be accepted among friends and be respected, rather than spend so much time with his mother (Vanessa Redgrave). You're on edge whenever he comes on screen, as you are unsure what he will do next. Yet at the same time, you also sympathize with the character, as you wish he could have some semblance of a normal life with actual friends.

 

The other knockout star of the film? Channing Tatum. This film basically proved to me that Tatum has the capability to actually act. This is easily the most vulnerable I ever seen him in, as his character just yearns for the glory days and easily buys into the things du Pont tells him. His relationship with his brother Dave (Ruffalo, in a very subtle and quiet performance) is also very well explored, as you can see Mark want to be the greatest wrestler, but feels bogged down by being in Dave's shadow, while Dave just wants to see Mark succeed.

 

Similarly, the bond between du Pont and Mark is equally as fascinating to watch. You see Mark get suckered by du Pont's words of patriotism and success. Mark doesn't want to let down du Pont, as he sees him as a friend and father figure. It's due to Carell and Tatum's strong performances that this relationship is so great to watch.

 

On a technical level, the film looks great. The cinematography done by Greig Fraiser as well as the direction by Miller is fantastic, as there are some really interesting camera shots, particularly when Mark is wrestling his opponent. it feels as if the camera blurs in and out of our vision of him, giving us an up and close view to the action.

 

Overall, Foxcatcher is an excellent, well-made film, bolstered by strong performances from both Steve Carell and Channing Tatum. However, as a warning, the film is VERY dour, especially at the end. If you're looking for an inspirational sports movie with a hopeful end, you won't find it. However, if you want to see some great acting mixed with a well done story, you've come to the right place.

Grade: A-

The Hobbit The Battle of the Five Armies Review: Return to Middle Earth One Last Time

As I type this, I have the strangest feeling of déjà vu.

It was only 11 years ago where I said goodbye to the denizens of Middle-Earth with the final chapter of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. At that time, I was saddened to director Peter Jackson's incredible vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's world behind, but I prayed to the almighty film gods for the day when I could return to Middle Earth for the adaptation of The Hobbit.
Nine years later, in 2012, I got my wish.

And so here we are, at the end of another journey with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the final installment in The Hobbit trilogy.

We pick up immediately after the end of The Desolation of Smaug, with a rather quick opening sequence where Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) starts to lay waste to Lake-Town and its inhabitants, all while Bilbo and the rest of the Dwarves look on in horror.

Smaug is soon quickly dispatched (spoilers if you've never read The Hobbit, though if you haven't....why are you still reading this review go read The Hobbit!) and Thorin (Richard Armitage) soon tries to locate the Arkenstone, the crown jewel of the Dwarven fortune. This begins to drive him mad with dragon-sickness, which is the Tolkien way of saying that Thorin basically gets greedy:

Thorin's thought process summed up in 5 seconds!

 

Meanwhile Gandalf (Ian McKellan), is still held captive by Sauron's forces at Dol Guldur, but is soon rescued by Galadriel, Elrond, and Saruman (Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, and Christopher Lee, respectively). He then goes to warn the others, where the armies of Elves, Men, Dwarves, and Orcs come together at Erebor's doorstep.

 

What follows is quite possibly the biggest and bloodiest real estate battle in history, as the Battle of the Five Armies over who reclaims Erebor and its treasure soon begins.

With the release of this film, this marks the possible final time that we will ever venture into Middle Earth (or, y'know, until Jackson makes The Silmarillion or someone comes up with the oh so brilliant idea to reboot this series...). So does this final entry in The Hobbit trilogy not only satisfy those who have been on the ride since the beginning, but also those who grew up with Lord of the Rings?

While I have a few issues with the film, it is still a satisfying conclusion to The Hobbit trilogy .

 

Both Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage conclude their excellent character arcs and give amazing performances. In Armitage's case, he really gets a chance to shine in terms of his acting. His character goes through this enjoyable arc and his friendship with Bilbo and his kin are wonderful to watch. Freeman himself also shows Bilbo's character arc as well, going from a quiet, helpless Hobbit to a hardened warrior. Both these actors pull this off brilliantly.

The supporting cast did a fine job as well. It's always nice to see McKellan as Gandalf in the role again he owns this character. The Company of Dwarves also stood out because you feel sorry for them near the end. Their leader, their king, is slowly going mad, transforming him into someone completely unrecognizable. You feel sorry for them and that they went through all these trials only to see their leader become lost until he finally snaps out of it.

Now, there are some issues with the supporting cast. For one, I STILL do not see the reason why Legolas needs to be in these films other than to serve as another connective tissue to Lord of the Rings (for further proof of this, wait until Legolas' very last scene.....you thought the references in An Unexpected Journey were obvious....).  The same goes with the appearance of Blanchett, Weaving, and Lee. It's great to see them back (even if I call shenanigans on 92 year old Lee spinning around and swinging his magic staff around like an awesome warrior), but it feels unneeded. They are there only as a way to pad the plot and pave the way for Lord of the Rings

Also, Legolas is not only essentially the elf version of Benjamin Button, but he still defies the law of physics and is basically the third Mario brother (you will understand what I mean if you decided to see it). 

Another issue that I was not a fan of is the romance between Fili (Aidan Turner) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly).  While it was built upon in the last movie, here it feels.....underdeveloped and rather rushed. First they meet, make small talk, then fall in love instantly without barely knowing each other. I know Jackson needed to put this in here to have a romance similar to Arwen and Aragorn, but it feels rather unneeded (although it does give way to one of the most unintentionally hilarious lines delivered in the movie)

However, the big reason people want to see this is because of the Battle and Jackson does not disappoint in this department. While admittedly VERY CGI heavy, the battle does not disappoint and is extremely well shot and choreographed. This rivals Jackson's own work on the Battle of Helm's Deep or the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Some of the fight shots are just breathtaking to watch, especially when the Orcs show up.

Finally, while I did complain about having characters and name references in for the sake of making connections to Lord of the Rings, I felt as if the ending tied everything up very seamlessly. The last two minutes of this movie feel as if we now have a natural story to watch with Jackson's Middle Earth saga. The final connection is there and it felt like we had come full circle and that we are ready to say farewell to this world, possibly forever. (Billy Boyd's song at the end credits definitely helps that).

Overall, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is a very satisfying conclusion to The Hobbit trilogy as well as Jackson's Middle Earth saga, although not without its issues. While the trilogy may not have packed the emotional punch as the original LOTR trilogy did, there is no denying the legacy of these movies  that many will discover for years to come.

Grade: B+

 

 

 

Marvel Unleashes Phase Three: Nine New Films Announced

Today, at a special fan and press event held at the El Capitan Theater in LA, Marvel Studios unleashed the next phase in their master plan for the Cinematic Universe. Nine films were announced that will span from 2016 until 2019.

 



Many were led to believe that Ant-Man, which hits theaters July 17, 2015. However, it is now confirmed that "Captain America: Civil War" (which was before "Captain America: The Serpent Society", revealed to be a ruse to the audience) and that Robert Downey Jr. WILL be starring alongside Chris Evans. The film will be released on May 6, 2016.

I personally am very excited to see how this story will play out, as it is based off one of Marvel's biggest stories, "Civil War." That story had the government ordering superheroes to unmask themselves to the public so the government can have some sense of control on them. Cap thinks this is immoral while Tony Stark think it's the right thing to do. This, of course, leads to them butting heads and causing many superheroes to take sides, including Spider-Man (no word if Sony and Marvel have struck a deal to include him in the film). I'm curious to see how the events of "Age of Ultron" play into "Civil War."

The next film to be officially confirmed is "Doctor Strange", which has been speculated by many to be involved in Phase Three of the MCU. Feige has been pushing to make this film for quite some time now, and it has a confirmed release date of November 4, 2016, something also long speculated, however, most rumors had it in July rather than November.

Interestingly enough, Kevin Feige made no word on Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor supposedly in final talks to play Strange as reported on Tuesday. Perhaps this means that Cumberbatch isn't playing Strange? Or that he is, they just don't want to officially confirm anything? Personally, while Cumberbatch is a wonderful actor, he does not look like Dr. Strange. I would love if someone like Oded Fehr got the part he looks and sounds like a fantastic Strange. If Cumberbatch does get it however, I wish him all the best.

Next, James Gunn, director of "Guardians of the Galaxy," came on screen via a video message and announced that the sequel to "Guardians" would be released on May 5, 2017, rather than July 2017 as lead to believe this year at SDCC .

The film that will take the July 28, 2017 date, which was "Guardians 2's" date will be "Thor: Ragnarok". Not much is known on this except Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston will return as Thor and Loki respectively and, according to Feige, this film will shake things up heavily for the MCU. This makes sense as *SPOILER* Loki essentially took the throne of Asgard from Odin and is now Ruler of the Nine Realms. But there is also the very strong possibility that the effects of this film could reverberate throughout the rest of Marvel's films.

A few other films were announced at the event: "Black Panther" was announced for November 28, 2017 (which means Marvel is now releasing THREE films a year), along with "Captain Marvel" on May 4, 2018 and "Inhumans", a project I am VERY excited to see, on November 2, 2018.

Finally, Feige announced one (or rather, two) more films for Phase Three, which would conclude the phase. He mentioned that everything in the MCU so far and to come had been building towards this film.

The introduction starts with a video introduction showing all our heroes in despair throughout all of the teams, Avengers and the Guardians included. and then finally......

Big ups to Superhero Report on Twitter for getting this awesome screen shot!

 

 

 

BAM! THANOS AND THE INFINITY GAUNTLET! The title then shows up on screen: "Avengers: Infinity War", which is to be divided into two parts. Part 1 releases May 4, 2018 while Part 2 releases May 3, 2019. I could not be more ecstatic about this film, as we've been teased with Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet since the first "Avengers" movie waaaaaaaaay back in 2012. Whatever Marvel has been planned for this movie is going to be very BIG.





Before the end, the audiences were treated to one more surprise: Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans (Iron Man and Captain America) not only took the stage to reveal the true title for the third "Captain America" movie (as shown above), but to also reveal one brand new cast member to the MCU: Chadwick Boseman is to play the Black Panther!

Giving credit where credit is due: Big thanks to Mark Ellis from Schmoes Know for getting this awesome video!

Personally, this might be Marvel's best casting decision they've made since they casted Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. Boseman is perfectly cast for this role, as he's proven twice in the last year to have major acting chops (Jackie Robinson in "42", James Brown in "Get On Up") and I believe he will be more than capable of handling such a big role.

Ball's in your court DC. Let's see what you got up your sleeves next.

So what say you all? How do you feel about the slate of films that Marvel has planned? And what of the casting of Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther? Sound off in the comments below!