Category Archives: Best Movie Bracket

1990s, Anniversary, Article, Best Movie Bracket, IMDB 250, Lists, Longform, Top 3, Video Essay

1994 Best Movie Bracket

Leave a comment

It was a simpler time 25 years ago. A time when everyone was glued to the 24-hour news coverage of the unfolding dramas of Tanya Harding and O.J. Simpson. I was busy playing on my Super Nintendo and figuring out this new thing called the World Wide Web with the help of Yahoo! As far as movies go, I’m actually surprised at some of the stuff I saw. If you asked me then what my favorites were I would have probably said North, Street Fighter, The Mask, Angels in the Outfield, and Maverick. And I won’t apologize for that, I was eleven! Besides, I still love Maverick, it’s so much fun.

I still got to see some amazing films because our family’s favorite past-time was going to the video store on Friday night and renting an armful of movies. Did anyone else have a two VCR set up and a stack of blank VHS tapes? Has the statute of limitations run out on that type of copyright infringement? I loved being a latchkey kid. I got off school and was alone at home until my parents got home after most people had already eaten dinner. My dad would put me in charge of recording the VHS tapes, and even if he didn’t I would just watch them anyway, which meant that I got to watch a lot of movies! Still, looking back through the common top lists for the year, I do still have a couple of notable blind spots including Little Women, The Last Seduction, Cronos, Shallow Grave, Immortal Beloved, Heavenly Creatures, The Crow, Naked, In the Mouth of Madness, and Satantango.

Onto the best of the year, let me start with some honorable mentions. In another year without so many heavy hitters, many of these could have been my number one. Ed Wood is the Best Tim Burton directed Johnny Depp film that it seems like no one has ever seen. Quiz Show got four Oscar nominations, it is easily the best film that Robert Redford has ever directed. With Hoop Dreams, Steve James created one of the best documentaries of all time. The Three Colors Trilogy is a masterpiece of French cinema by Kieslowski and I don’t think nearly enough people have seen it. Lion King was the pinnacle of the great Disney animated films, everything after went downhill. And unlike some, I really love Forrest Gump which won the Best Picture Oscar for the year even though it is clearly not the best film. But enough with those losers, let’s get to my Top 3.

# 3 – Leon: The Professional

Rossatron gives a good breakdown of why Leon: The Professional is full of action that we care about.

As is my tradition, I have to narrow down my favorites to a top three, and I’m not allowed to do a three-way tie even though it is very tempting. Coming in at number 3 is Leon: The Professional. There’s been a movement to downgrade this movie because of alleged misconduct by its Director, Luc Besson. There are others who see the plot of the film which involves a complicated relationship between hitman Jean Reno and a stellar 12-year-old Natalie Portman in her first film appearance as troublesome. Some have even said that it promotes pedophilia and they condemn it.

However, I remember watching this around 1997 when I was about 15 and I fell in love with that damaged little girl. It is a performance reminiscent of the young Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver. She conveys so much emotion in her face. Especially the scene at Leon’s door which is so powerful as their worlds collide for the first time. The thirst for revenge against the man that slaughtered her family is palpable and that man is played deliciously over the top by the incomparable Gary Oldman. It is far and away Besson’s best film and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

#1 – The Shawshank Redemption

WARNING! LANGUAGE! Logos Made Flesh explains why The Shawshank Redemption might just be the greatest Christian movie of all time.

The Shawshank Redemption has been seated atop the IMDB Top 250 list for the past 15 years. Despite not doing well at the box office in 1994, it was nominated for 7 Academy Awards and didn’t take home a single statue. However, has received new life over the years as it is one of the most widely seen moves of all time. If you’ve never seen it, just turn on TBS or A&E this week and you’ve got about a 65% chance that it either is on currently or will be soon.

I consider it to be one of the greatest movies of all time. It is a wonderful story crafted by one of the masters, Stephen King, and directed by a powerful visionary in Frank Darabont. I’m not going to say a negative word about it. It has an amazing cast featuring the soothing narration of Morgan Freeman and so many great character actors that you should know. It is clearly and unflinchingly a prison movie but we aren’t trapped inside. Instead, along with Andy and Red, we get to experience new life and redemption that comes when you die to self and start really living.

That means that we are going to be faced with another year with a tie. If you’ve been following along, you know that when I covered 2007, we had a stand-off between what I believe are the two best films of the 2000’s right there in the same year, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. Here atop the 1990’s we have Shawshank Redemption matched with another masterpiece from 1994.

#1 – Pulp Fiction

Wisecrack’s Garyx Wormuloid shares thoughts on Pulp Fiction now that Earth has been destroyed and aliens are rediscovering our culture through film artifacts.

I love that even the name of the movie is a subversion of what you are going to see. Pulp Fiction makes you think of trashy paperbacks that you read once and then toss, but Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece is known for its rewatchability. It’s profoundly violent yet somehow feel-good. It’s full of iconic scenes and characters that you can’t wait to spend time with again, and the narrative structure is so different that it takes a few views just to really grasp at what point everything happens in relation to one another. At the same time this structure takes nothing away from the telling of the story and in fact I would not want to see it chronologically. The streams all coming together perfectly the way they do is part of the magic.

I’m an actor-centric movie reviewer. This just means that I really relate to a film by the people that I see on the screen. I always have the director and his vision in the back of my mind, but I will usually judge a film on the power of its performances first. I don’t know how young Quentin Tarantino video store clerk was able to assemble this fantastic cast with just one film under his belt, but Bruce Willis, Samuel L Jackson, Harvel Keitel, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and Christopher Walken. That’s something.

Pulp Fiction sent shockwaves through cinema when it was released in 1994. It was a wakeup call and it lit a spark under an independent film market that was ready to explode. It made $213.9 million worldwide making it one of the highest-grossing independent films to ever be made. It helped Tarantino to create his own genre of dialogue-heavy scenes, non-linear narratives, violence and dark humor. This genre is now lazily called Tarantino-esque as there have been dozens of films inspired by Pulp Fiction and many others that have just ripped it off hoping to make a buck on its runaway success.

What about you? What’s your top movie of 1994? Do you hate Luc Besson and everything he makes? Do you feel like my picks are too pedestrian and would rather elevate something truly original and independent? Let me know. Comment here or on social media. I want to hear from you.

2010s, Action, Animation, Awards, Best Movie Bracket, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Family, Lists, Reviews, Science Fiction, Top 3, Uncategorized

2018 Best Movie Bracket

Leave a comment

From my best count, there were about 266 major films released in 2018. That includes all the tentpole blockbusters and the independent festival darlings. It also includes the most prominent foreign films which received a US release and major original releases from streaming platforms. Of those 266, I have seen 111. I’ve still got about 50 for 2018 on my watchlist, but I will probably never see the vast majority of those unless I get a government grant that allows me to stop working and do nothing but watch movies all day every day.

I track and rate all of the movies I watch at Letterboxd.com. Since I usually do this list as a top 3, it is convenient that I have exactly 3 movies from 2018 that I would classify as five-star films. That number may increase because I have a rule that no film can be rated as 5 stars based upon a single viewing. The highest I can go on one viewing is 4 1/2 stars.

Honorable Mentions

It was a very good year for film. I could just list off 20 films that were easily in the running for my top film of the year, but in addition to my top three, I want to highlight a few special films that were unique or extraordinary in some way.

A Quiet Place surprised me because I didn’t expect such an immersive story from Jim from the Office. Upgrade was the best Science-Fiction action film with its locked camera Logan Marshall-Green’s face/body acting split. Mission-Impossible: Fallout was easily the most entertaining film I saw all year, I could watch it a dozen times and still be ready for another go around. 

Leave No Trace is Debra Granik’s long-awaited follow-up to Winter’s Bone (2019) and it was heartbreaking and uplifting and hopeful and brutally honest. BlackkKlansman is Spike Lee’s best since Malcolm X. It caught you laughing about systemic racism and how dumb those Klan members could be then flipped the script and left me with my mouth hanging open and tears in my eyes. Shoplifters left me wanting to be kidnapped and loved so purely whether it is technically a family or not. Finally, I’m so sad to leave First Reformed out of my top three, Paul Schrader had my rapt attention with an arresting meditation on faith’s place in the modern world.

Top Three

3. Blindspotting

The year was filled with amazing films focused on the theme of race relations. We’ve already mentioned BlackkKlansman, but there was also If Beale Street Could Talk, The Hate U Give, and Sorry to Bother You. However, the best, in my opinion, was the one that was criminally overlooked, Blindspotting.

The story is pretty simple. Collin, played masterfully by Daveed Diggs (whom you might know as Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in Hamilton), must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning. Despite his childhood best friend Miles (a solid introduction from newcomer and co-writer Raphael Casal) not being the best influence, Collin is loyal. That countdown clock comes under pressure when Collin witnesses a police shooting and the two men’s friendship is tested as they wrestle with their identity in their rapidly-gentrifying Oakland neighborhood.

I don’t understand why Lionsgate released this unbelievably prescient masterpiece in mid-July rather than holding it a little later for Awards season. It was electrifying while also remaining accessible. However, Blindspotting was released in the same summer as Childish Gambino’s firebrand This is America and it is a perfect companion piece. 

2. Won’t You Be My Neighbor

I wouldn’t usually even think of putting a documentary on my best films of the year, but I was so incredibly floored by Morgan Neville’s documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor. I grew up watching Mister Rogers every afternoon as a little kid and I even remember watching often into my teenage years. At some point, I probably kind of outgrew it and thought that he was uncool. But now looking back as an adult I see that Fred Rogers was the coolest guy in the neighborhood.

If there were one film in 2018 that I would force every person to watch it would be this. The faith, hope, and love that Fred Rogers exhibited in every show is a salve that I believe our culture needs now more than ever. Fred Rogers wasn’t seeking to entertain kids with his show and he wasn’t trying to rush them through growing up like so many try to. Instead, the yellow caution light flashes outside the building even before the familiar song begins as if to signal that it is time to slow down and learn what it means to be a human and how to live as a human with other humans. 

It didn’t fall into the trap of fawning over Mister Rogers. That’s good, because he would push back on being idolized in any way. Instead, he would call us to action, encouraging us to be better neighbors to all in hopes that this love and kindness might spread. Morgan Neville struck gold with this film and I only hope that it stays on constant rotation and that Fred Rogers is allowed to touch the hearts and minds of another generation and that my generation might be reminded of his gentle example.

1. Spider-Man Into The Spider-verse

I was not on the early bandwagon for Spider-Man Into the Spiderverse. I felt like it was too soon to do anything with Spider-Man much less introduce eight new ones. It wasn’t until I saw the sneak preview after Venom that I was even interested. I thought the animation looked great and I was intrigued by the concept and thought that it would be a good movie to take my kids to. However, about 15 minutes into the film, I knew I was watching something special. 

Let’s count the Spider-Men. First, we have Chris Pine’s stellar Peter Parker prime. He’s better than our Peter Parker and Spider-Man in every way except for the turn of events of this film. Second, we have Miles Morales, also from the home dimension of this film. Miles is played by Shameik Moore with bright-eyed energy. Then things get crazy with a whole slew of Spider-people.

Third, the road-weary veteran Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), complete with sweatpants, who is a sadder more tired version of the uber Spider-man. Fourth, Spider-Gwen, which I can easily see getting her own stand alone. Hailee Steinfeld brought some youthful confidence to the powerful girl’s role that will be seen over and over at Comic-con. Fifth, Spider-Man Noir, voiced in an amazing casting choice by Nicholas Cage. It’s seriously the best thing he’s done in years except destroying that pool table while singing the hokey pokey in Mom and Dad.

Sixth, Peni Parker, who shares a psychic connection to a radioactive spider that lives in her deceased father’s robot. I’m not making this up and she’s not even the weirdest. That award easily goes to seventh, Peter Porker (a.k.a Spider-Ham) a Looney Tunes type animated pig who actually started out as a spider but was bitten by a radioactive pig. In case you think I’m making this up, this is a comic you can actually read. Finally, eighth, featured just briefly in the post-credit scene is Oscar Isaac playing Miguel O’Hara as Spider-Man 2099. 

Somehow, all of this works and is magically told with no confusion and incredible balance and confidence. I haven’t even mentioned the supporting cast in Lily Tomlin, Katherine O’Hara, Mahershala Ali, and Liev Schriber among others. It is a truly star-studded cast and with all the right stuff.

So what do you think? Agree or disagree? Did I miss one of your favorites? Let me know in the comments below or on social media.

1990s, Article, Best Movie Bracket, Computer, Crime, Detective, Lists, Top 3

1995 Best Movie Bracket

Leave a comment

I have a theory that 12 years old is the greatest age. You are in the homestretch of your childhood and the world is at your doorstep. You haven’t quite entered the dreaded teenager phase where you start caring way too much about what other people think instead of just being yourself. Being 12 is great. 

As a part of that theory, I also think that the movies you see when you are 12 will stick with you and potentially even shape your future. Look back for yourself. What movies did you see when you were 12? I was 12 in 1995 and I remember having some of the best times of my life in a movie theater. It was a different time then and I recall getting dropped off at the theater at lunchtime with $20 and getting picked back up at 5 o’clock or so having binged on popcorn and soda and soaked in the flickering light of the cinema for two full films. 

I remember sitting in the theater as the lights dimmed for Toy Story, Jumanji, GoldenEye, Hackers, Batman Forever, Mortal Kombat, and A Goofy Movie. I remember sneaking into the theater for Se7en, Bad Boys, and Die Hard with a Vengeance. But my greatest memory in the theater was actually on the opening weekend of 1995’s Clueless.

My Greatest Theater Memory

I think it was my brother that took me to the theater when he was going to see Species or something like that. I got my favorite seat in those days which was literally front and center. I wanted my entire range of vision to be absorbed by the experience of the film. The house was packed and I had a group of what I can only describe as colorfully dressed punk rockers and skaters sitting there on the front row with me. The theater was a Regal Cinemas (as it still is to this day) and if you don’t know, Regal has a great intro video before all movies that make you feel like you are on a roller coaster zooming through popcorn showers and past waterfalls of Coca-Cola.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6o6ZlefvOo

As the roller coaster came on the screen, I raised my hands to signify that I was ready for the ride with the confidence that only a 12 year old can muster. As I sat waiting for the coaster to pull out of the station, I looked around and it seemed to my 12 year old eyes that everyone was joining with me in this fanciful charade and we collectively swayed and gasped and screamed as if the coaster was 100% real. It was amazing. I shared a “gimme some skin” kind of handshake with the dude sitting next to me and we launched into Amy Heckerling’s wonderful teenage adventure. Even though I was just 12, I feel like that is the day I became a man, my cinematic bar-mitzvah. 

Best Movie of 1995

As I press on to determine the best film of each year to fill out my Best Movie Bracket, it’s very hard to separate my nostalgic feelings towards some of these films from my critical thinking. I have such great memories of watching my VHS copies of Powder, Braveheart, and Mortal Kombat, but while they may be a lot of fun, they are definitely not the best of the year. That honor belongs to… 

Win: Toy Story

Did you realize that there have been over 250 computer animated films released since Toy Story hit theaters back in 1995? What a way to start. If I look at Pixar’s canon of films, it is hard for me to count this gem out of the running for their greatest. It isn’t because the animation looks super realistic. I’m very glad they decided to go with toys because everything in this film feels plastic. However, the emotions that are conveyed certainly aren’t. 

Toy Story presents us with a buddy cop comedy featuring two leads vying for the attention of their boss. It also feels like a real-life situation for a kid who might feel as though they are being upstaged by a little brother or sister. The emotions of jealousy and anger and fear are well displayed on their plasticine faces, and it touches way down into the hearts of the viewers whether they are 8 or 80.  

Place: Se7en

David Fincher has made 9 feature films, ten if you count Alien 3 (Which I don’t). His experience with that film was so bad that he went back to directing music videos for 3 years and wasn’t sure if he would ever direct a movie again. When he did decide to come back, he created what is probably the most gritty and disturbing crime drama that you will ever see. Everyone asks what’s in the box, but there is so much going on outside of it.

Morgan Freeman is awesome as usual, this is the film that rocketed Brad Pitt into the stratosphere, and Kevin Spacey is a natural at playing the creepy sociopath. In fact, he gets to do it twice in the same year. The second was a better performance (if only because of screen time) but the movie itself fell just short of this one.

Show: The Usual Suspects

The director (Bryan Singer) and the lead actor (Kevin Spacey) may have shown their true colors as filthy scumbags, but that can’t keep me from loving the heck out of this movie. It has one of those twist endings that rivals The Sixth Sense, Soylent Green, and Fight Club, but this film has somehow flown under the radar to the point that you can actually find people who have not sullied their opinion of the film with spoilers. I’m certainly not going to spoil anything here, but Spacey is great as mild mannered Verbal Kint who serves as our narrator as we explore the crime ring led by the iconic Keyser Soze. 

What is your most memorable or transformative movie moment? What 1995 film is your favorite? What movies did 12 year-old you watch and love? Let me know in the comments!

1990s, Action, Alien/Monster, Best Movie Bracket, Comedy, Detective, Disaster, Drugs, Holiday, Lists, Science Fiction, Top 3

1996 Best Movie Bracket

Leave a comment

If you stumbled across this and have no idea what’s going on, you can visit my Best Movie Bracket Page and see what I’m doing here to whittle down a century of film into a bracket so I can determine once and for all which film will reign supreme as the best of all time.

Best Film of 1996

Bill Clinton began his second term after defeating Bob Dole and Ross Perot and DVD’s became a thing. Nintendo released the mostly forgettable N64, and the fear of Mad Cow Disease entered the global consciousness. 1996 was an interesting year. It was a year filled with lots of changes for me personally. I was becoming a teenager and my year started with Pauly Shore in Bio-Dome and along the way, I realized that I liked William Shakespeare through Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo+Juliet and I recognized that I would rather watch a movie like Sling Blade than the live-action 101 Dalmations.

However, after 22 years of watching films and a significant amount of cramming in the last month, I think I have come to a determination of the best films of the year. Obviously, best is a subjective term and if you ask me next week I could give you a different list altogether.

1. Fargo

Fargo would probably be my gut instinct pick for best film of the 90s and the Coen brothers are probably my favorite living directors (definitely my favorite directorial sibling team). So, it should be no surprise that this film is on the top of my list. I don’t think I will get a lot of argument about its inclusion either. Frances McDormand won Oscar gold for her performance as Marge Gunderson, and the Coens won for best original screenplay, but in one of the biggest mistakes in Oscar history, they somehow picked The English Patient as the top of the year and overlooked Fargo for 4 other categories.

I probably enjoy this film so much because of Marge Gunderson. Cathleen Falsani in her book The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers, says:

Marge is a Christ figure, a mouthpiece for God, willingly risking (with unfailing good cheer) her own safety in order to vanquish evil and restore moral order. In the face of death, she is, quite literally, a fecund life-giver, poised to deliver a child – and a new beginning – into the world. She could also be viewed as the Madonna, the gentle, willing vessel of the Lord. Perhaps her initials, M. G., even indicate this interpretation as Mother of God.

The Rev. Bob Barron, my friend and a catholic priest, suspects the film’s title, Fargo, describes Marge’s mission in life – to go far out to the margins in order to bring wayward sinners back to grace. “She represents Christ; she represents the church at its best,” Barron says. “She’s able to go out to the margins but she is not compromised by it. She’s not drawn into that world. She’s able to go into it in a very intense way; she’s not afraid of it…yet she’s not attracted to it, she’s not drawn into its power. And that’s what the church at its best ought to do.”

I’ve heard that the recent television version of the story is good, but I haven’t caught it yet. Let me know if it’s worth my time.

2. Trainspotting

Director Danny Boyle is exciting to watch. Some auteurs have a particular gimmick, style, genre, or theme, but Boyle is always keeping us guessing. He might give us a dark comedy about heroin use in Scotland, or he could tell us a true story about a hiker who gets trapped and is forced to cut his own arm off to survive, or any number of others like Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later, Steve Jobs, Sunshine, or The Beach. Whatever the film, he does it with excellence as if he has always produced that type of film and he brings a visual style and a storytelling flair that is unmatched.

In Trainspotting, the story goes much deeper than heroin as it becomes a stand in for any number of vices and addictions, like sex, violence, or the mindless consumerism that fills much of our days. This is on full display in Renton’s opening/closing “choose life” monologue. Warning Strong Language!

Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life.

3. Independence Day

The other two were easy choices, but this one took a bit of reasoning. It might help that I sit writing this on the evening of July 4th as I listen to dozens of fireworks boom throughout the neighborhood outside. This film captured my attention for an entire summer and left me wanting more. It did for aliens what Jurassic Park did for dinosaurs. 

As I’ve said before, this Best Movie Bracket list isn’t always about the most critically acclaimed film. There are many different ways to measure the best. Financially and culturally, Independence Day won for 1996 and it left a mark that still resonates today. Alyssa Wilkinson writing for Vox gets to the heart of why I chose Independence Day over a half a dozen others vying for this bronze pedestal.

Independence Day is more product than movie, which isn’t really a strike against it: Like an amusement park thrill ride or a skydiving expedition, the experience of watching it is more about adrenaline and excitement than the artistic qualities of the movie itself. The catharsis of seeing the world destroyed (and then seeing the American president save it) was just right for its moment — when just enough optimism still reigned and computer animation was new enough that the images felt new and invigorating rather than dark and foreboding — and people loved it.

Movies like Independence Day partly succeeded because people could see the movie with their friends or family in the theater and talk about it at work, or over the backyard grill. It was cool and awesome and fun, and that’s all it needed to be.

And, like any good product, the success of Independence Day was a function of its then-pioneering marketing push, which set a template for future big-budget films. Today, selling your film to audiences isn’t just about cutting a good trailer and running it on TV during NFL games, and maybe getting a toy into Happy Meals. It’s about teaser campaigns and cross-promotion and stealth marketing and post-credits scenes that make people want to see the sequel that hasn’t even been shot yet.

All that money, all that marketing, all that big-budget spectacle: It’s quintessentially American, and quintessentially Hollywood. Love it or hate it, that’s the world that Jaws built and Independence Day made inescapable.

Honorable Mentions

So, where were you in 1996? What fond (or not so fond) memories do you have? Did I leave out one of your favorites? let me know in the comments below. You can also share what you enjoy about these or other top films on social media using the #BestMovieBracket. Thanks for joining me!

1990s, Best Movie Bracket, Blindspotting, Lists

Upcoming 1996 Movie Nights

Leave a comment

It seems like I missed a lot of good movies from 1996. It was probably because I just turned into a teenager and I didn’t have free rein to watch whatever my heart desired. Now that summer is here, I want to relive those awkward days and fully embrace 1996 with a 12 movie marathon. I’ve mixed in some movies that I consider the best of the year along with some popular films that I’ve never seen. 

They are in no particular order, and I’m sure that I will have something come up to cancel one or more, but this should give me a good framework to base my decision on the best movie of the year by the end of June. I hope you’ll join me on Rabbit as I watch these. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

  1. A Time To Kill

    June 2 @ 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm EDT

  2. The Crucible

    June 3 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm EDT

  3. Mars Attacks

    June 4 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm EDT

  4. Trainspotting

    June 9 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT

  5. Bottle Rocket

    June 10 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm EDT

  6. Breaking the Waves

    June 11 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm EDT

  7. Pusher

    June 16 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT

  8. Secrets and Lies

    June 17 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm EDT

  9. Fargo

    June 18 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm EDT

  10. Crash (1996)

    June 23 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT

  11. The Birdcage

    June 24 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm EDT

  12. The English Patient

    June 25 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm EDT
     
1990s, Art-house, Best Movie Bracket, Detective, Drama, Film Noir, Lists, Trailers

1997 Best Movie Bracket

Leave a comment

On to the year 1997 in our journey to find the Best Movie of all time. If you’re new to this Best Movie Bracket. You can learn more on my Best Movie Bracket Page. There you can explore the whole idea as well as 20 years worth of reviews and countdowns. 1997 was monumental, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was first published and would soon set the world on fire with Pottermania. Scottish scientists successfully cloned Dolly the sheep, we landed a rover on Mars, and we mourned the loss of Princess Diana.

But the biggest news in the film world was of course James Cameron’s epic Titanic. It opened in December and overshadowed everything else that was released that year and even into 1998. Even by today’s standards, many of the effects are amazing and ambitious. It was nominated for 14 Oscars tying 1950’s All About Eve and took home a record tying 11, sharing that feat with 1959’s Ben-Hur. It was the first film to ever cross the $1 Billion earnings mark staying at the top of the box office charts for 15 straight weeks and within the top ten for 26!

You won’t find Titanic on the top of my 1997 best list. I thought it was a good disaster film on par with The Towering Inferno, or Dante’s Peak with a uninteresting romance thrown in between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. I consider myself a fan of both of these actors, but I don’t think it is their best work, and it appears that I’m not alone in this. The only major acting award received for Titanic was a tie at the Screen Actors Guild for best supporting actress for Gloria Stuart. The other two Oscars that Titanic didn’t take home were for screenwriting. Those went to my top two.

1. L.A. Confidential

I find it funny how Kevin Spacey and Kim Basinger get the top billing and focus in marketing. When you look at Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce today, it is obvious that they are big name stars. But they owe their Hollywood status to the late director Curtis Hanson. He went out on a limb and took this script that he spent years adapting and put it in the hands of two relative unknowns from Australia who hadn’t even perfected their American accents.

It is a great film that captures the look of this hard-boiled noir time-frame all while feeling modern and supremely entertaining. In addition to the big four characters which is still a lot of most films, we still have James Cromwell, Danny Devito, David Strathairn, Paul Guilfoyle, Ron Rifkin, and even a pre-Mentalist Simon Baker. The story moves very well and we have enough character development to fill several movies. The world feels lived in and tactile. There is action, humor, and plenty of twists and turns to make this one of the most engaging films of the 1990’s.

2. Good Will Hunting

Is this a movie about a kid from the wrong side of the tracks trying to cope with the fact that he is smarter than the average Southie, and even smarter than those stuffed shirts at MIT? I guess that is the basic plot, but it is really much deeper than that. Honestly, his genius really only becomes the reason that anyone cares about him, which is pretty sad. He uses his genius to build his walls higher and thicker, but the walls were put there in the first place through abuse. Abuse that is all too common and is often unnoticed. If Will was just an average guy from Southie like his buddies played by Ben and Casey Affleck would we even see him speaking to a therapist? No, he would have been in jail or worse. 

So, we need that piece of the puzzle to pull the movie along, but in reality, the movie is about how to be a friend, how to form relationships, and how to embrace commitment. Matt Damon and Robin Williams establish a great chemistry together and their scenes together make the film. The whole film rests on Sean’s relationship with Will. Is he going to fold under the hostility and egotistical superiority of this savant? Or will he look deeper than the math problem that is Will Hunting’s genius and actually care about him as a person? And by treating the person can he teach Will how to let others in and how to make a commitment?

Honorable Mentions

So, where were you in 1997? What fond memories do you have? Did I mess up my sinking the Titanic? Did I leave out on of your favorites? let me know in the comments below. You can also share what you enjoy about the top films on social media using the #BestMovieBracket. Thanks for joining me!

1990s, Anniversary, Best Movie Bracket, Lists, Top 3

1998 Best Movie Bracket

1 Comment

Best Movie of 1998

I watched several movies to make sure I was well versed including: Out of Sight, The Thin Red Line, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Buffalo 66, The Opposite of Sex, Blade, Rushmore, Happiness, and Dark City. While I did enjoy Buffalo 66, it didn’t have enough substance to knock any of my existing top 3 off their throne. My greatest struggle was over whether The Thin Red Line was going to dethrone another great war movie from the year. Let’s get to it.

Win: The Big Lebowski

His words are quoted, books have been written about him, gatherings are arranged in his honor, and the image of his long hair and flowing robes are legendary. No, I’m not talking about Jesus. Welcome to the modern cult of The Big Lebowski.

The Dude, or ‘El Duderino’ if you’re not into the whole brevity thing, is an aging (and unemployed) hippie who lives a modest life in his Venice, California, bungalow. It seems as if this was the role that Bridges was born to play. He even used much of his own wardrobe to outfit himself for the role.

It was released 12 weeks after the behemoth called Titanic and finished in 6th place in its opening week. After this disappointing start, it made just $17 million in its opening run. It has gone on to become what I would consider to be the definition of a cult classic. Knowledge of Joel and Ethan Coen’s strange tribute to Los Angeles has been spread by word of mouth, DVD sales, and home-viewing parties. Like all cult classics, it has taken on a life of its own. The film has gone on to spawn books, festivals held in various cities, innumerable online tribute videos, and even a religion.

Set in the Los Angeles area in 1991, The Dude roams the Earth with his two friends—Walter (John Goodman), a brash Vietnam war veteran, and Donny (Steve Buscemi), a meek and often befuddled man—in search of justice, the perfect White Russian cocktail and diversionary games of bowling.

So what is it about this movie that attracts its faithful adherents, and what makes film aficionados remember it fondly rather than just as another commercial flop from 20 years ago? If a viewer can get past the seemingly nonsensical premise and plot, one discovers a very funny movie that explores human relationships, friendships, and interactions such as only the exceptionally rare film really can.

Part of the film’s appeal definitely comes from the ethos of The Dude himself, which offers a compelling escapist contrast to the inhabitants of the highly competitive atmosphere of the late ‘90s through today. Not only does The Dude not have to carry a steady job, he is also fortunate enough to have two bowling buddies who are willing to fight and die for him. That is true friendship. We all yearn for friends as loyal as Walter and Donny, as eccentric as they may end up being.

For many, The Dude abides as a symbol of a functional savior of Slackerdom. “If only I could be that free, so unencumbered by material concerns,” says the cubicle dwelling drone, or middle manager, or executive, then I would be happy. This is as much of a functional escape, fantasy, or savior from the mundane as materialism provides. We all wish to have the completeness that the Dude has found in an absence of material possessions but in the companionship of close friends.

Place: Life is Beautiful

Roberto Begnini’s masterpiece is a grand opus on the power of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming struggle. It is the story of a loving father who discovers creative and humorous ways to shield his young son from the terrible realities of the holocaust surrounding them. It is similar to Chaplin’s Great Dictator as both are comic attacks on fascism.

Benigni initially accesses the emotions of his audience through simple comedy, which is a pleasant mix of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. Romance ensues with his real life wife Nicoletta Braschi.  In the first section, we follow the delightful romance that will eventually lead to marriage and the creation of their precocious son Giosue, played by Giorgio Cantarini, whose only other role was the son of Russell Crowe’s father in Gladiator. The five year old greatly reminds me of Toto in Cinema Paradiso, and plays an equally important role in his film.

It is the first half where the audience can laugh the loudest and delight at the immense comedy talent of Benigni. Unlike so many films nowadays there is nothing crude or course, just his simple innocent humor, which is all the more effective. The way he ties together little strands in the film to create comedy elements shows a great writing ability, and a mastery of timing when it comes to their execution on screen. Various incidents related to the rise of anti-semitism and fascism in Italy show that there are sinister forces at work which come to the fore in the second half of the film.

During this second half, Guido attempts to keep from the boy the horrors of what is going on as they become part of the German’s final solution, and this eventually manifests itself as a game where the aim is to score 100 points, with the winner winning a real tank (which, of course appeals to the young boy). Comic moments are still present, the scene involving Guido’s translation of the rules of the camp is particularly notable, but it becomes somewhat more difficult to laugh when we consider the gravity of what is going on.

As this emphasis begins to shift, we realize that this is a film about human spirit above all else. Guido not only appeals to the audience through his comedy and sheer pleasantness, but also in his love for  his family and the measures that he will go to to protect them. This is certainly no Schindler’s List, but it never pretends to be. Occasionally, events seem a little contrived, but this seems to work in the film’s favor. The balance between emotional weight and historical credibility is perfect.

Benigni shines like a lantern throughout the picture, showing that he is a talent, not only in comedy terms, that far outshines his peers.  Please don’t let the fact that it is a foreign language film dissuade you. There are many that avoid films because they must read subtitles. The language itself adds a beauty of form to the film. Please see this film, and make up your own mind. It’s available to stream on Amazon Prime right now. It is appealing in so many different ways that I’m sure that you will not be disappointed.

Show: The Thin Red Line

This one was hard. I’m not a fan of war or a particularly big fan of war movies. I appreciate the soldiers who fight and die for noble causes, however if I dig deeply I find more and more of a pacifist. The Thin Red Line, based on the novel of the same name by James Jones, Is a war movie for people like me. It was released in the last months of 1998 in the wake of a little war film called Saving Private Ryan. Some have called that the greatest war movie ever and it is hard for me to argue against that point. However, since this is my list, The Thin Red Line has a superior tone and message, and takes the prize.

This film has a cast of over a dozen actors that you will easily recognize, yet there are no big names like Tom Hanks or Matt Damon. Instead we have Sean Penn, Jim Caviezel, Nick Nolte, Elias Koteas, Ben Chaplin, Adrien Brody, George Clooney, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, Jared Leto, John C. Reilly, and John Travolta.

If Saving Private Ryan is a novel about World War II then Thin Red Line is a poem about the war. One is a story, the other is a sermon. One is a ballad, the other is a symphony. For as much as they have in common they are completely different films.

To illustrate this point, lets see what happens when a man gets shot in both films. Spielberg would focus on the bloody face of his character whom we have come to know and understand. The blood would splatter and the agony would be on his face. Terrence Malick instead would show the shot and instead of focusing on the man, we focus on the idea of devastation and death. We would see the pool of blood on the ground mixing with the dirt, we would see the rays of sunlight breaking through tattered leaves as if heaven were reaching down to touch the newly fallen dead.

I loved this movie. It kept me thinking and realistically depicted war without glorifying it. It also spoke to the problems that I have with war without dishonoring those soldiers who gave their lives. This doesn’t even mention how beautiful the film is, it was shot by the underrated John Toll. If you’ve never seen it, I hope you will seek it out.

Honorable Mentions

  • A Bug’s Life
  • American History X
  • Buffalo 66
  • Elizabeth
  • Happiness
  • Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
  • Mulan
  • The Opposite of Sex
  • Out of Sight
  • Pleasantville
  • Primary Colors
  • Prince of Egypt
  • Saving Private Ryan
  • Shakespeare in Love
  • There’s Something About Mary
  • The Truman Show
  • Waking Ned Divine
  • What Dreams May Come

What do you think of my picks? Would you have changed something? What do you think of the great war movie debate of 1998? Let me know in the comments or on social media.

Going Forward as we Look Backward

We are getting into the years where I was not watching quite as many movies especially those with adult themes. I have caught many since I was a teenager, but I still have some blind spots. With that in mind, I’m going to add some structure to these Best Movie of the year posts.

First off, they will be monthly. By the last day of each month, I should have my final determination set. All posts will have a top 3 and an un-ranked honorable mentions list. Because I know how the internet works, I’m going to start the posts from here out by jumping directly into the top film of the year after a paragraph or two of introduction.

Also, because I do have more blind spots as we go further back in time, I want to devote some time to filling in those gaps. There is an amazing site that will allow us to watch movies together. It’s called Rabb.it and I have already created a group and watched several movies from 1998. I would encourage you to go there now and join my group so I can call you to the group when the show is starting. It’s nice because as you watch, you can chat about the movie and if things get interesting, we can even turn on our video/audio and have a virtual discussion. If you go to my Movie Nights page, you can also see the upcoming calendar.

I’m going to do my best to post my list of blind spots and keep the list of upcoming movies going. Not all movie nights will be blind spots for me. There are several movies that I hold in high regard or look on with disdain. I would like to re-watch some of those films to get a better picture of the year as a whole. When I post my blind spot list, I encourage you to give me your suggestions for what we should watch. I might throw in a poll as well.

1990s, Best Movie Bracket, Blindspotting

1997 Blindspots

Leave a comment

Looking ahead to April, we will be diving deeper into 1997. On this post, you will find a snapshot of films from 1997 that I have not seen. I’ve already got a couple in mind, but are there any that you see that would make you think that I don’t have a good grasp on the best films of the year?What is your favorite film of 1997?  I want to know your opinions leave me a comment below or on social media.

2010s, Awards, Best Movie Bracket, Lists

Best of 2017: Top 5

Leave a comment

This is it. I’ve already looked at the rest of my top 20. you can read them elsewhere on the site. (6-10, 11-15, 16-20). But now, it is time for the cream of the crop. These are the movies that made a lasting impact on me. They changed the game somehow or made it impossible for me to shake them. This will also serve as my Best Movie Bracket entry for 2017. Once I publish this post, I’m going to stop looking back to 2017 and start looking at some of the 2018 movies that I have already missed and that are coming on the horizon.

This year has been one of the more diverse and varied in my recent memory. In this list we have indie films next to billion dollar blockbusters. We have psychological horror next to morally ambiguous drama, next to totally ambiguous metaphorical experimental cinema. Three of these five films have a female as the lead protagonist and we have a black screenwriter/director as well.  The point should never be diversity for the sake of diversity, but these are amazing films and they deserve the credit that they are getting. Let’s dive into my top 5 of the year!

5. mother!

The award for the most audacious, controversial, and avant-garde film this year goes to Darren Aronofsky’s awkwardly titled mother! I hope that you, like me, have been shrieking the name like Norman Bates from Psycho every time it comes up in conversation. This is a film that many did not appreciate but that I could not forget. I left the theater thinking about it and as my whole family can attest, I did not stop talking about it and pondering it for days and weeks afterwards.

Jennifer Lawrence plays the titular character and is featured in close-up, over the shoulder, or from her point of view for nearly the entire film. This promotes a claustrophobic feeling within this house which she is painstakingly attempting to restore to its former glory. She does all of this for her husband, played by Javier Bardem, who is known only as Him or the poet. The entire film is a metaphor or allegory for a multitude of different things that have been debated since its release. They are probably all somewhat right in their own way.

We’ve got an allegory of the biblical creation story mixed with a little bit of awaited messiah worship. These biblical themes are overlaid with a struggling creative type who ruins his relationships with his writers block and subsequent struggle with newfound fame and mixed in for good measure is a metaphor for climate change and environmentalism. Essentially, it is a big jumbled mess, but it is marvelous and hideous to behold all at the same time.

4. Get Out

Jordan Peele, half of the comedy duo, Key and Peele, writes and directs his first film. This is not the comedy that you might expect, if it is a comedy at all. We are presented with the story of a young black man invited to a weekend at the family home of his white girlfriend.

This could be the source of an interesting romantic comedy, but there is something wrong with this setting that we just can’t put our finger on. Is it the overt anti-racist statements that her father makes? “I would have voted for Obama for a third term if I could.” Why are the two servants the only black people around and why are they acting weird? Is this all just in his head? Is he being racist to think that there must be something else going on under the surface?

This will go down in a long line of movies that use racism as a theme, like American History X, The Help, Django Unchained, Crash, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. However, this film is unique because it turns the horror genre on its head. There is no boogeyman, no monster in the closet, there is no supernatural force of evil. The nefarious evil of Get Out is displayed in the white people who cannot be trusted. It is so impactful because this fear is something that is all too real for many young black men all over this country. We might hope that we would have moved on from racism in our country, but it is alive and well and it’s just as ugly, evil, and scary as any movie monster.

3. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

It may sound like I love horror movies based on the marketing of my two previous choices. The fact is that I love movies that do things differently that other films that I’ve already seen. I like original concepts and execution that is done with high quality.

In Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri we get a more conventional narrative story but the psychology of its characters pushes it into the outstanding category. It is a dark comedy to be sure. Coming from Martin McDonagh, who brought us In Bruges, I would expect nothing less, but as with that film there is also earth shattering heartbreak and pain. This is the duality of the world that we live in. There are notes of joy, beauty, grace and absurdity punctuated by hate, violence, hypocrisy, and apathy.

Frances McDormand is a force of nature. She carries such emotion through her performance that we can’t help but root for her even though she is crude, mean-spirited, and hateful. The growth of all of the characters is what keeps us rooted as viewers to this story. We know that her meanness is coming from a place of deep pain and sorrow and we want to see justice. We also see the ignorance and racism of the deputy played by Sam Rockwell. Our desire to see the good in people leads us to hope for his change and redemption. This film delivers on all sides.

2. Logan

I hope you can see from this choice that I am not like most critics. I try to take a look at all different types of film regardless of their standing within a particular community. I cross the gap so a film like Logan can go toe to toe with an indie film that only saw a limited release. I try to look at each film for what it is and for its merits and efforts to do what it set out to do.

I was looking forward to Logan since the initial teaser trailer and the revelation that a big budget R-rated Wolverine film would now be sharing my name. As the campaign continued I only got more excited to see that we were going to be exploring the Old Man Logan story line from the comics. We were going to see Hugh Jackman in his final performance as the adamantium-clawed anti-hero and he was going to be grizzled and broken.

The film joins Logan years into the future where no new mutants have been born and most of the old mutants are mysteriously absent. We get some beautiful touches of the paternal relationship between Logan and Charles Xavier played expertly by Patrick Stewart in his final role of the franchise as well.

The thing that impressed me the most about Logan was that there were huge sections of the film that I forgot this was supposed to be a superhero movie. It took its time in storytelling and character building and we are left with beautifully stark western about the consequences of a life of violence and how there can be hope for change but not without sacrifices. It is rich and deep and immensely entertaining for a fan of the X-Men but even if you’ve never picked up a comic book or seen another superhero film this is a story that will resonate and hit deeply.

1. The Florida Project

If you follow any of my social media feeds, it should come as no surprise that this is on the top of the heap for my year end list. I’ve been in love with this film since I first saw it. I love the style that Director, Sean Baker, brings to the table. It is rich and grounded and humanistic. All of his stories have been semi-documentarian. Starlet and Tangerine both focus on sex workers and their real-life struggles in a fictionalized setting. However, this is his most accessible film and it drips with charm.

The film was actually shot on site at a budget motel in Orlando outside Disney World called the Magic Castle. During filming, the motel was still operational, so many of the people featured in the film as extras were actually real residents of the motel. Willem Dafoe brings an air of gravitas to the role of Bobby, the on-site motel manager. He’s playing against type for him and is warm and paternal with many of the residents and their kids, however he still buzzes around this castle keeping it magical.

 There really isn’t much of a story in a narrative sense. We just get to spend a portion of the summer with a couple of families that live in this budget motel. Our main characters are young mom Halley and her precocious young daughter Mooney. The trick of the film is that the movie is told from the perspective of the kids. We are seeing this world with all of the potential wonder and hope while we keep our knowledge and it makes a profound difference. What kind of trouble will Mooney get into, is that going to affect Halley’s ability to raise her?

Can meaning be found in the shadow of the false god of consumerism? Is there happiness when the happiest place on earth is out of your reach. The film struggles with deep religious and philosophical and religious themes without ever mentioning any of them or having an expository scene. It is also a marvel to behold with gorgeous cinematography from Alexis Zabe who’s only other credit that I recognized was the music video for Pharrell Williams’ hit song “Happy.” His use of color and framing was so vivid and rich and reminded me of Wes Anderson in a good way without becoming distracting. This will be added to my Blu-Ray collection as soon as I can add it and I would encourage you to do the same.

So that’s it for 2017. Next up, I’m hopefully going to be looking at the recent Alex Garland follow-up to Ex Machina, staring Natalie Portman, Annihilation. Stay tuned for that. In the meantime, please let me know your top handful for the year. You can always comment here at LifeattheMovies.com, but you can also visit me on various forms of social media and let me know your thoughts/opinions and leave snide comments.

2010s, Action, Article, Best Movie Bracket, Biopic, Comedy, Drama, Heist, Lists, Musical, Prison, Reviews, Romance, Sports, True Story

Best of 2017: Insiders 6-10

1 Comment

After getting a bit sidetracked with Oscar predictions, let’s get back to the Best of 2017. You can see my 11-15 and 16-20 as well, but as we enter the coveted top 10, we find some truly remarkable films that resonated with me personally. I am proud of the diversity of films from drama to action to biopic. Let’s go!

10. Logan Lucky

Steven Soderbergh comes out of retirement to make his best since the original Ocean’s Eleven remake. He shows off his flair for visual storytelling and gives us a hillbilly fairy tale wrapped up in a heist movie. The cast of characters is outrageous, the premise is outlandish, and the film is outstanding.

The film centers around the Logan brothers played by Adam Driver and Channing Tatum and their plan to rob Charlotte Motor Speedway in efforts to break the 100 year old Logan family curse. Other cast members include Riley Keough, Daniel Craig, Seth MacFarlane, Sebastian Stan, Hillary Swank, Katie Holmes, Dwight Yoakam, and so many more deliciously funny characters.

I know many people who might not be as stereotypically country as these characters are but who suffer from a curse nonetheless. This curse of living paycheck to paycheck and being overlooked and derided is turned on its head as they mastermind a heist that would make Danny Ocean jealous. It is a hilariously wild ride, with a strong focus on family and a message about changing your station in life that might surprise you.

9. Phantom Thread

In opposition to the previous entry, Phantom Thread is set in the alluring world of 1950s British couture. Paul Thomas Anderson helms what is supposed to be Daniel Day-Lewis’ final performance. The previous collaboration of these two produced one of my favorite movies of all time, There Will Be Blood. I hope this isn’t the last we see from Daniel Day-Lewis because he is one of the greatest actors of our time and he has much more to give. However, if he did choose to make this film his last it would be a fitting close to an amazing career.

Hey plays Reynolds Woodcock who is a fictional mashup of several real designers from this time-frame. He is an exacting personality, he is brilliant but petulant and spoiled. The best thing about this film was the surprising humor. It arises from places you would not expect and the whole story goes in a direction that subverts the viewers expectations. It is a twisted picture of love, relationships, and power.

8. I, Tonya

Much like Phantom Thread, in I, Tonya we have a unique character study with dark humor that springs from odd places. People my age and older may think they know this story. We watched much of it play out on television. It happened right at the beginning of this new trend of 24/7 news coverage. So for weeks, you could not escape the saga of Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding.

The story is so strange because of the varied and conflicting versions of the story that come from all sides. Instead of trying to present the truth, it seemed to leave us in an ambiguous place where we are rooting for the good in Tonya while still seeing he faults and part to play in the whole fiasco. Violence was the language that these people spoke and while that does not excuse any actions, it does provide a picture of the twisted mindset that could commit this crime.

Part of me wonders how much coverage this story would have received without the media coverage that it received. Did our thirst of “news” as entertainment feed into this? Because just as soon as a bigger story came along we were off on our next witch hunt. Today, this thirst has grown exponentially to the point that this story would have been nothing more than a blip on our Twitter feeds that would disappear within a few moments as soon as the next viral video appeared.

Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan were very good, and the visuals could almost fool me to think that Margot Robbie trained to actually complete a triple Axel just for this film. The way that they filmed the skating sequences was captivating as well with the camera moving fluidly around the skater as the perform on the ice. However, the real star and one of the best overall performances of the year was from Allison Janney who played the cartoonishly evil mother of Tonya. She was wickedly delightful.

7. Baby Driver

The more I think about this movie the higher I want to put it on my list. Looking back in a couple of years after I own this Blu-Ray and watch it 5-6 dozen times it will probably find its way well into the top five. I love that it came in with a modest budget and blew it out of the water showing that you can make original and artful cinema and still make loads of money.

When I mention Edgar Wright, you might recognize the name from Shaun of the Dead, or Hot Fuzz. Here Edgar wright uses more of his distinct visual style and uses it to craft a musically choreographed heist film. Do yourself a favor and watch the first 6 minutes of the film. If it strikes your fancy then you will love the whole film. If it doesn’t then you may be doing something wrong.

My one issue with the film is that the whole thing isn’t presented as a musical. There are certainly musical elements and complete scenes that are linked directly to the music we hear, but I would have loved to see a full blown action centered La La Land type film.

6. Lady Bird

I have to admit that I jumped pretty hard on the Lady Bird bandwagon, and it’s hard not to. It is delightful. Its simplicity is part of its charm. However, I think that the simplicity might keep it from taking home any of the 5 Oscars it is nominated for on Sunday. But that is okay. It doesn’t need to be controversial or flashy to draw attention.

I feel like Lady Bird was so well loved because the characters albeit quirky are so accessible. Have you ever wanted to spread your wings and escape from your town or your school or your family? Everyone has! So much of this comes from the performances of Soairse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf. Ronan manages to capture that odd teenage limbo between the confidence in their own abilities and the realization that they are clueless as they prepare to leave.

Did anyone else feel like Metcalf appeared out of nowhere like someone had her locked in a time capsule since Roseanne. She was so good. She was warm and motherly and cold and calculated all in the same scenes. I have to give a small shout out to Tracy Letts as well as the dad. With three teenagers or nearly teenagers of my own I always look out for great father figures and he is now up there with the likes of Stanley Tucci from Easy A.

Did you hate any of these movies? Am I out of touch because I chose an Oscar bait movie like Phantom Thread or do I need to give up my Movie cred because I liked a trailer trash movie like Logan Lucky? I want to see your top 10 lists, leave me a comment here or shoot me a message on social media!