Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Top Ten Favorite Films / Video Games Of 2017

My Top Ten Favorite Films / Video Games Of 2017

Say what one will about this year for themselves or our world, it’s certainly been commendable for media across all fields.  It’s wild to believe how much has come and gone, and how much of it stands amongst the greatest of greats.  As always, if something obvious is missing, I haven’t experienced it or enough of it to justify… or I don’t agree. Here it goes:

Top Ten Films Of 2017
1.       Star Wars: The Last Jedi: For bringing us back Luke Skywalker almost like we once knew him… for having him reunite with R2-D2, Chewie, etc… and for making Rey’s journey just as epic and more unexpected, with incredible visuals / cinematography … for shaking up what Star Wars was and can be.
2.       The Disaster Artist: For the ultimate on-screen Wiseau impression aside the guy himself from Franco. For being hilarious, both to anyone and even moreso…the fans. Yet also, dramatic and inspirational.
3.       Dunkirk: For adding another crisp directed film to Nolan’s lineup…haunting, gritty, realistic at the same time… war the disaster movie.
4.       Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2: For taking the first movie and making things bigger, crazier, more colorful, more action packed and wild and funny with legend Kurt Russell… and baby Groot.
5.       Blade Runner 2049: For being both a fantastic followup to the original as well as its own, music and atmosphere drenched noir story.. with great performances and transporting one to the future.
6.       The Shape Of Water: For its wonderful set design, music, romance and horror..not just from the monster. For showing that words aren’t needed for emotion.
7.       War For The Planet Of The Apes:  For bringing Ceaser’s journey to a close, with style, epic stakes, and emotion. For sweeping vistas and evil Harrelson, and a sense of closure and motivation.
8.       Logan: For being the most different X-Men film yet..and in its own dark , gritty way. For being a western with claws, for having not just a great sendoff for Wolverine..but for Professor X as well.
9.       Baby Driver: For being hilarious, frenetic, totally Edgar Wright…great soundtrack. Great performances, from everyone.
10.   The Lego Batman Movie: For being the ultimate Bat-tribute, incredibly charming and with a lesson or two amidst wild fun.
Honorable 11 -13:
11.   Thor: Ragnarok (ZANYHULK)
12.   It (SCARY80SCLOWN)
13.   Detroit (GRITTYTRAGEDY)


Top Ten Video Games Of 2017
1.       YET ALSO, 2 .. I cant choose…Nintendo was stellar. Super Mario Odyssey: For going back to that 64 / Sunshine style… and some Galaxy…and some NES….and fresh.. a little bit of everything. Gorgeous, free, fun , the cap is so fresh from capture to movement..games in one.. so much to do yet not long enough, but oh so sweet while it lasts… the one that was dreamed of.
2.       YET ALSO, 1 .. I cant choose...Nintendo was stellar The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild:  For being worth the long wait and journey. For taking the franchise to a more open and influenced by others place than ever while also being true to the series’ best aspects. The setting, the music, the ideas (weapons aside).. the dream.
3.       Sonic Mania: For showing Sanic games can be awesome again. For letting a fan make what fans want.. both using the original while having tasty morsels of new, packed with references and fun. For making one feel like its back in the day exactly again.
4.       Gravity Rush 2: For putting an open world into its tutorial, and then bringing one to an open world(s) all next to each other. For being fun, fluid, fresh and beautiful.
5.       Horizon: Zero Dawn: For being shiny and fresh in concept. For mixing a great narrative heavy story with freedom. For showing that companies can be fresh out of a box.
6.       Splatoon 2: For being as great as the first game, and better. For bringing in features wanted and unexpected. For some of the best single player level design, and for being the game the first was meant to be.
7.       (Episodes 3 to 5 Of Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season 3 A New Frontier… epic, emotional stuff with wildly varying choices. But, was released between 2016/2017 so really...) Injustice 2: I must admit, I have a personal attachment via NRS. However, truly fun for its refined fighting system, gorgeous visuals, DC tributes, and content and roster. It’d be up here anyways.
8.       Mass Effect: Andromeda: For being so shiny and open..even if it wasn’t everything it should have been. For its ideas and ambition, for its combat, for perhaps one last ride.
9.       Golf Story: For being a retro throwback yet so fresh. For its soundtrack and writing, and making golf wild and more fun than ever.
10.   Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle: For being so weird it somehow works. For making tactical combat accessible . For its laughs and charm and depth.
Honorable 11 – 13:
11.   A Hat in Time(COLORFULINDIE)
12.   Star Wars: Battlefront 2(STARWARSSIMULATORWITHCAMPAIGNANDCLONEWARSANDDEEPERSHIPS)

13.   For Honor(INTENSE)

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review

Star Wars "Episode VIII" : The Last Jedi
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast Headliners: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, more
Original Release Date: December 15th, 2017

                It’s crazy to think that Star Wars has not just been back after a long absence, not just overall great and worthy, but has reached Episode 8 of the sequel trilogy. Star Wars: The Last Jedi has the “middle chapter” aspect to answer in the franchise which defined the darker middle chapter in the first place. It’s sprawling, it’s epic, it’s action-packed, it’s emotional, it’s not perfect but it’s a heck of a ride. As Luke says the film “does not go the way one thinks”… going against audience expectations for at times worse yet for the most part better. It’s old, it’s new, and it’s something beyond.
                Taking the story back to the main continuation of the saga after last year’s Rogue One, this is next set of complications in the conflict of the evil First Order and the Resistance. The base of D’Qar is under attack as an evacuation is underway. It’s a sequence that perhaps crystallizes the essence of both the film and Disney’s era as it has humor both fun and awkward, beautiful cosmic scenery in its exhilarating action (iMAX 3d as always adds much) and dramatic stakes. The situation of bombers and space cruisers could be the climax of some other movies but here it’s just the start, as is tradition.
                Really, the main arc of the plot picks up literally where 2015’s The Force Awakens ended. Rey (Daisy Ridley) is delivering Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) his lightsaber back on the remote island planet of Ach-To to both gain his help in the war and training / answers for herself. Suffice to say, this does not go smooth. Luke is stubborn and regretful and the greatness of the film is what it takes for him to be ready for the world again.  There’s also Rey’s visions, notably her distant communication via magic Force bond to Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).
                Everything about this “A story” arc is wonderful. Daisy Ridley’s Rey is as charming, funny, and fierce as she was in the last film. More than ever, the stakes at play have her character go to some dark and conflicted places as she moves along the path of the Jedi.  Adam Driver was amazing as Kylo in the last film and he’s even more incredible this time in his evilness and doubling down on the moral ambiguity. In a sense, he’s just as much of a protagonist as Rey.  It’s as if the hero’s journey of the OT of films and the angsty confliction of the PT happens at once. Paired together, hating each other, trying to find the hope of the dark / light in each other between these two characters is memorable, emotional, epic…particularly ramping up as the plot goes on. They are each mirrored in a mentor, although these range in impact.
                Almost the titular character of the movie is the legendary Luke Skywalker. Luckily, he says more than the nothing he had in the last film. He says a lot, and important things at that. Hamill is… so great in his return. Now this will likely be a point of contention amongst past fans …forever, but it’s the way his story led in that he’s far from the perfect hero anymore. This old man Luke is broken, regretful, and likely depressed. But finds a new hope.  It’s ironic that his existence has ended up much like his old masters Yoda and Obi-Wan in that he’s a homeless wanderer on this isle who has eschewed the Force and its trappings along with the world as a whole.  This is due to some shocking revelations about him and Kylo Ren / Ben Solo that is handled for the most part profoundly. Hamill’s sorrow is felt but so too eventually is his confidence and power. He’s wise and or a spark of his old heroic charisma when the time comes. He’s even funnier than ever, a sign of how Hamill has grown since the OT via his voice and other work. It’s great to have him as such a key and important part, especially with Rey, Kylo, and others (including some really nice reunion moments with R2-D2 and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo)). It may be filled with a couple bits of controversy and plot decision to his extent of involvement but one cannot fault the long wanted return of him to the plot.
       If Rey has Luke to look up to, Kylo has Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). Snoke, even more realistically captured via CGI mocap) is chillingly evil and powerful. His evil would make Palpatine proud while at the same time having a unique sense of arrogance to him.  It’s a moderate shame that his presence is only slightly more than the prior film and more into his motivations isn’t deeply explored but Star Wars is often, and moreso with Disney, about the current stakes than the background lore (at times) so its logical.  The aesthetics of his headquarters and red Praetorian guards are also imposing and impressive.
                While all of the epic Jedi / Sith story is going on and before it joins them, the likes of the Resistance have their own stories to undergo that are not quite up to the heights but have their gems. General Leia (Carrie Fisher) commands a fleet of ships engaged in a constant struggle with those of General Hux (Domnhall Gleeson). There’s familiar characters like BB-8, C3PO, Admiral Ackbar, Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) who attempt to solve the stakes at hand. These are joined by new faces including Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran).   
                There’s some excitement and twists to be had (as across the film) but the least of these happens amidst the space. So to as happened with past SW films, the less powerful characters get involved in their own struggles that tend to have a bit of mixed importance. Leia, Poe, and Holdo struggle how to lead the Resistance while Finn and Poe take the advice of Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyongo) to find the support on the planet Canto Bight.
                Through these at times over-CGI-and-joke packed locations the characters shine through. Of course it’s unfortunate that we lost Fisher in our world, but in Star Wars she is her best Leia since the old days..much more than TFA. She is just as sassy and wise as the old days while getting a bit more into the literal action this time.  Isaac’s Poe too has an increased role, having some roadblocks to his responsibility amidst his wisecracks and shots fired.  Dern, ever effective, has some cool mean-ness as Holdo although some questionable plot happens but she and her dialogue is effective. Gleeson’s villainous Hux is just as evil and even slightly more humorous this time.
                Boyega as Finn continues to charm, and has some funny and good interactions with Tran’s Rose. She is a more civilian-level take than anyone else and has her own moments of humor and emotion. But their plot to a casino is, while packed with alien galactic wonder, a bit pointless and meandering. There’s a crossover with the shady, stammering criminal DJ (Benicio Del Toro) and the return of Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) to add some excitement (particularly when plot threads converge) but it feels filler with some silly concepts compared to the epic war and Jedi stories.
  At times the humor and seriousness clash with each other ..jokes to serious and back, although this is more of a sign of a post - MCU era than the films fault ..but there's effective of each that add to the wild fun or drama depending. And the Porgs , adorable flying puppy bird creatures, are always a charm.  This movie feels like true Star Wars in it's tapestry of attributes. One in particular takes one back to the past ..

                There’s plot holes, there’s some surprising revelations but the good is good. As a audio-visual standpoint, the Star Wars experience has never been as immersive. Director Rian Johnson, in turn with his wild ideas of what the force can do, brings fantastic cinematography, backgrounds (paticuliary the red and white salt of Crait...unique enough from Hoth ) , and visuals. The action is so great, when it shows up (bearing in mind this is more of a nuanced “Empire” of the era so far) whether in space or on the ground.  The music by John Williams is once again, and more than ever, subdued but some re-used pieces adds to the scenes amidst a couple choice highlights.  For Johnson’s sake, if this didn’t have the frame of reference of being Star Wars his effort would be commendable in itself, and added to Star Wars its wild but mostly works.
    This movie has been met with controversy, from the highest of highs to some vehement fan hate or disappointment, with of course all levels of in between. That’s likely because it’s the most fresh, different Star Wars to date in the post-Lucas era… filled with as much mysteries and questions than answers and excitement. The great is so great though, and even in its confusion its vastly entertaining. In time hopefully people can see its risks as strides. For they are in its epic, emotional ride. 9.78 out of 10


                

The Disaster Artist Review

The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco

Cast Headliners: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, many many others
Original Release Date: December 1st, 2017 (limited)
   Quotes like “Ahahahahhaha, what a story Mark”  , “You’re tearing me apart Lisa!”, and of course” Oh hi Mark” define legendary movies. Or at least to those in the know, they’re from the infamously bad…yet so terrible it’s in a way good film, 2003’s The Room. The Disaster Artist is a film about the making of that film, and the enigmatic hilarious legend of its creator Tommy Wiseau. On the surface it seems like it could be as silly as its source, but within is a hilarious and heartfelt recreation and tribute to the situation that led to that…disasterpiece.
The story, mostly adapted from the biographical novel of the same name, details the meeting of the two friends, collaborators, and stars of The Room in Tommy Wiseau(James Franco) and Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). This is after (the first sign of this) a funny montage, likely true, of celebrity cameos commenting on the films importance from JJ Abrams to Danny McBride more. The focus goes from acting school to the duo’s bonding over old films to the insane idea of making a film together.. luckily that they did. 
What a story Franco rather, who (in addition to directing / producing it) embodies Wiseau so incredibly well in his performance. His look, his method of speech, his movement… he’s almost unrecognizable as his usual self and is nearly 100 spot on as Tommy. It’s a hard task as Wiseau is a one of a kind person, having a distinct accent that’s “New Orleans” and Franco lives it up wonderfully. The laughs come both from the famous circumstances in addition to original pieces to add to the Wiseau canon. Even when not causing humor, he’s sincere and endearing, angry and hateworthy… each moment doing what it needs to. The only time this falters is into some slight over-exaggeration of things, and when a scene calls for Franco to not have the trademark hair look on fully display. Otherwise he’s the perfect take a fan would want or would cause mirth to anyone.
The other Franco as Greg is a bit less spot on , with some cheesy makeup but he is alright in his dumb innocentness. What is believable, and funny, is how Greg is amazed and intrigued by Wiseau. Their friendship leads to some of the best jokes and drama of the film.  Great care was placed into giving the rest of the cast to the usual comedy crew. Particularly the likes of The Room’s Peter / Kyle (Nathan Fielder), Claudette / Carolyn (Jacki Weaver), and even Chris R (Zac Efron) and Denny / Phillip (Josh Hutcherson) are spot and slapstick. Lisa / Juliette (Ari Graynor) is of course a part although she is reserved mainly for jokes.
Characters that viewers of the Room have no prior basis on are good as well. Of course Seth Rogen makes his way to a James Franco / Evan Goldberg made flick, here as surprisingly more subdued than usual (for his roles) sarcastic script supervisor Sandy.  There’s so many minor original parts that show up… played by the likes of Sharon Stone, Hannibal Burress, Bryan Cranston, Randall Park, Bob Odenkirk,  and more. While purists of The Room may view these as unneeded, they are actually fine and for better worse momentary additions who often have extremely humorous lines to add to the script. 
   That’s the main thing about The Disaster Artist. Its primary audience to enjoy it the most will be fans of The Room’s cult status. There are plenty of moments that mock, or endear, parts of that film. However, the movie is funny enough to be enjoyable to any due to the inanity of Wiseau and peers around. The drama , sadness, and inspiration make it a (odd) inspiring story amidst some occasional melodrama. 
Of unique note is the effort placed into its setting and references. The late 90s / early 00s California are felt strongly from clothing to pop music. One will not hear at “Rhythm Of the Night” without a big smile after viewing.  The flow of it all works silly and swell.
       Just as its title implies, something wonderful is made out of a bad situation. The Room is known as one of the worst movies ever but at the same time one of the most iconic.  This film has taken its behind the scenes into something just as funny and with some deeper stuff as well. This is coming from a fan , but..for hoping what it should be… what a story Franco, 9.52 out of 10 


The Shape Of Water Review

The Shape Of Water
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Cast Headliners:  Sally Hawkins, Doug Jones, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Michael Stuhlberg 
Original Release Date: December 8th , 2017


Gullermo Del Toro is synonymous with “personal aesthetic”. His, almost always some level of fantastic, films have a distinct sense of style and technique. His fascination of the supernatural have  covered immersive topics from defending the world from aliens, gothic ghost stories, fairy tales amidst war, or fitting to his plate adaptations of the likes of Hellboy and Blade. His latest film, The Shape Of Water, is an original tale that distinctly sets itself in 1950s/60s Cold War Americana that showcases in nearly every aspect its sense of “beautiful”.
The protagonist of this dark romance is government facility cleaner Elisa (Sally Hawkins), who is mute. She lives a bit of a mundane but content existence, capturing the repeating sense of urbia in her daily commute and scrubdown. All performances in the film are of the highest caliber, but Hawkins is even more notable in how convincing she is. She uses ASL signage with no words , and she moves as one who was a real user would. Even without even hand dialogue, Elisa’s every expression, action, movement is endearing, humorous, or inspiring.  This makes sense for the prime premise… there’s a fish-like being in The Asset (Doug Jones), who she becomes attached to helping out. Jones is great (as always when paired with Del Toro’s vision)… the Asset is so realistic and at the same time, chillingly alien. Both practical and CGI, his appearance is cool while having a spark of charm. Together these two scenes are great. One wouldn’t think a romance with these circumstances  could be so moving, but it is. 
The supporting cast of this shady science saga range are great whether allies or foes. There’s Elisa’s kindly yet nervous father figure Giles (Richard Jenkins) and her co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer). There’s a surprising element of what Dr.”Bob” (Michael Stuhlberg) is doing behind the scenes. Minor roles like government aligned Fleming (David Hewlett) and General Hoyt(Nick Searcy) ride more along the line of being merely kooky stereotypes, but maybe that’s Del Toro going for the pulpiness he is often found of. 
To mess up this twisting, exciting tale (much more than meets the eye) is Colonel Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon), who is more of a monster than the Asset could ever be perceived as. Shannon often finds himself in the villainous seat in his film career, but it is for great reason. Strickland is remorseless, demanding, occasionally very funny (the quality script aids in all situations). Shannon brings the utmost of fury and emotion to his scenes. Like the best villains, there’s a bit of sympathy for where he’s coming from and the audience surely is as interested in his scenes as the others. This is a role for him for the ages.
The plot is a slow burner at times but it adds to the mysteries of whats going on. The main arc of Elisa and the Asset finds its way to those around her, and is both emotional and exciting in its feels. Surprises aid to this and the less that’s known the better going in.  It’s long, but justifies itself by the end, allowing for side-stories and interactions that add to the drama. This makes action that much more intense when it appears.
Beautiful as a word most applies to the amazing soundtrack by Alexandre Desplat. It’s gorgeous in use of strings and choir, and has a fitting aquatic quality that helps with the immersion. There’s also choice uses of retro pop and etc music that add to the distinct Cold War, urban and suburban archetype feel that takes the viewer back.
Del Toro knows how to cast, knows how to excite, knows how to arrange a score but as always he’s best at a sense of magic visually. The directing and cinematography is crisp and quality. Wide shots give a sense of place. This is aided by fantastic set design that feels gritty realistic and at the same time slightly surreal.  This feels Del Toro more than ever.
Overall, because of that, this film is incredibly reccomendable. Great performances, immersion, audio/visuals, and emotional drama. There’s very little wrong with this, although one must know its not so much a horror as it is a charming romantic tale …between some bloody dark drama. The Shape Of Water’s shape is of a great film. 9.05 out of 10