The Post is a perfect film for today's climate, plus the 10 best movies I saw in 2017

The Post, the latest film from master craftsman Steven Spielberg, is set in 1971, and it easily feels like present day.  In fact, I'd say we live in a current political time not seen since the days of Nixon.  It's a wonderful film that reminds us that, in the days of fake news, we need a free and independent press more than ever.   This film tells the dramatization of The Washington Posts efforts to publish a series of leaked federal documents (known as The Pentagon Papers), which exposed a targeted cover-up and a misinformation campaign by the government to lie the US into the Vietnam Wars.

This film also resonates in another way... specifically with issues of sexism both in and out of the workplace.  Merryl Streep's character is the lone female voice in a world of men, and has to work twice as hard to have her voice heard... even though she owns the paper.  As my friend Adam put it, you can't help but think of the Me Too and Time's Up movements while watching this film.

The Post is total gang busters from the start and doesn't let up until the end.  Sadly, I didn't know much about this subject, but it made it fresh for me.  I mean I knew briefly that the papers would get published, but I'm always marveled about the talent it takes to make a film interesting where you already know the ending (Spielberg also did this wonderfully in Lincoln).  This sense of urgency is developed through great editing as well as the wonderful performances by the group of actors in this film.  Tom Hanks and Streep shine in the meatiest roles.  However, its the group of supporting actors (like in a newsroom itself) that make this film sizzle.  Bob Odenkirk (so wonderful as TV's Saul Goodman) gives the standout performance among the supporting cast as Ben Bagdikian, the reporter who breaks the story for the Washington Post.  Bradley Whitford (continuing his stellar year after a great performance in Get Out) and Tracy Letts also shine as the "suits" representing the newly publically traded company.  Come to think of it, another theme of money and power permeating throughout the media is another interesting subject that is prevalent throughout the film.

I absolutely loved this film.  Yes, I have a few minor squabbles with the film (specifically the lack of another developed female character), but overall I highly recommend it.  It'll surely be in my top 10 of 2017.

Speaking of which... I've finally seen enough films to put together my top 10.  I am still missing out on a few Oscar contenders, so this list is incomplete.  Deal with it... and now, the 10 best movies I saw in 2017.



10)  Detroit - A total powder keg of a movie that is just as relevant to today's society as The Post.  Katherine Bigelow manages to cram the intensity of an entire riot into a small hotel for most of the film and you feel like the bomb could go off at any moment.

9)  Thor: Ragnarok - In a great year for the superhero genre, this one stood out for its originality, which is striking considering it's the 3rd Thor film.  The comedy was so fresh and the performances really drove this one.  Ragnarok is perhaps the funniest superhero film ever made.  Kudos to all involved with this one.

8)  The Big Sick - A totally refreshing dramedy which details the real life courtship between star Kumail Nanjiani and his wife.  Despite the topic of illness, it's a real delight.

7)  Logan - A fitting send off for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine... and an emotionally satisfying film that took a chance on an original story.  Though, with Disney's recent acquisition of  20th Century Fox, you have to wonder if this truly is the last time Jackman dons the adamantium claws.

6)  Blade Runner 2049 - The best looking film (by far) of 2017 from my favorite working director today.  It wasn't quite the financial hit that I expected, but that's because it was more of a cerebral piece of art than a mainstream action film.

5) The Post - Like I said above, a joyous film that tells a story that's just as important today as it was back in 1971.

4)  Good Time - Robert Pattinson completely breaks away from his Twilight days with his virtuoso performance as a down on his luck criminal having a very bad day.  This film was shockingly overlooked and undervalued this year.

3) Star Wars: The Last Jedi - The most polarizing Star Wars film since the much maligned prequels... and I'm not sure why.  It managed to shed the saga from its past, while heading in a new and exciting direction.  I absolutely loved it, and I'm very excited about where Star Wars goes from here.  It was dark, dramatic, and cute as hell.

2) Get Out - The subversive horror/comedy from Jordan Peele is unlike any movie we've seen in a long time.  It's timely, smart, funny... while at the same time working on its own as a thriller.  I hope it's the dark horse for Oscar season.

1) Dunkirk - Christopher Nolan's masterpiece.  In dark times, this film about the true meaning of bravery resonated with me in a way no other Nolan film has done.  It's an action spectacle that shows the importance of true leadership and courage.  My favorite film of the year.

The Fortress of Sucktitude - My 10 worst movies of 2017

2017 brought was, in many ways, a good year for films.  From the breakout success of Jordan Peele's Get Out, to excellent blockbusters such as Wonder Woman and Dunkirk, to another successful chapter of the Star Wars saga, 2017 has plenty of great films to remember and cherish.  In fact, there's so many good movies, I'm still working on catching up with all of them.  My best movie list is very much still a work in progress, and I won't it ready for you, my loyal readers (ie my mom, wife, and a couple selected randos) for another week or so.  BUT I did see plenty of bad movies this year.  My DVD Netflix subscription allows me to watch terrible movies in the safety of my own home.

Before I dive into my bottom 10,there's also plenty of bad movies that I didn't bother seeing (looking at you Daddy's Home 2!) that could easily make the list.  Without further adieu... here's my bottom 10 for 2017.

10) The House - This should have been a no brainer... a Will Ferrell/Amy Poehler team-up about two down on their luck parents who open up a casino in their home to help pay for their daughter's college tuition.  Instead, everyone involved seems to be going through the motions in order to cash a paycheck.

9) Rough Night - Please, please, please stop trying to make "the next Bridesmaids."  This movie fails on almost every level.  Unfunny cast.  Poor writing.  Pointless plot.  ScarJo should not be a comedy lead.

8) Ghost In The Shell - 2017 was a rough year for ScarJo.  From her uninspired performance in the aforementioned Rough Night, to the white-washed version of Ghost In The Shell, she just seemed out of place.  The producers of this film, turned a legendary Japanese anime film, and turned it into a generic lifeless blockbuster.

7) Justice League - Superman's digital mustache removal alone landed this movie in my bottom 10.  Justice League may be my biggest disappointment of the year.   Any hopes that DC had turned a corner after Wonder Woman were sadly crushed with this total mess of a movie.  There's apparently a director's cut out there that differs majorly from this stinker.  I'd be interested to see if it ever gets released.  Is there a major reboot in store for DC?

6) Life - A total Alien rip-off to the point of insult to the original.  Shame on the producers of this total misfire of a film.

5) - Transformers: The Last Knight - I've spend enough money on Michael Bay films over the years that I could probably put his non-existent kids through college.  I've always held a special place in my heart for these Transformers films.  I can't quit them.  I know they're terrible, but I enjoy Bay's visual style so much that it doesn't matter.  The man can craft an action sequence like no one else.  That being said, The Last Knight was a total piece of crap.  No story.  Actors collecting paychecks left and right.  The wheels have finally fallen off this franchise.  Will I be there opening night for the next one?  Sadly, yes.

4) - Assassin's Creed - Hopes were high for this one to be the first good video game movie.  It had a great cast and an almost can't-miss story.  However, the film was a complete letdown from the opening seconds.  Most video game movies are faulted for not being true to the source material.  Assassin's Creed is guilty of being TOO true to the source... something that made it confusing to anyone not familiar with the game series.

3) - Baywatch - I love The Rock.  I've been an avid fan since his wrestling days and have seen almost all his films.  He revitalized the Fast & Furious franchise, was admirable in the G.I. Joe sequel, among others.  However, his non-franchise choices of late have been stale to uninspired.  I had high hopes for Baywatch.  It seemed like the perfect choice to get the 21 Jump Street, self-reflective comedy treatment.  I just wish it had the same writers.  This movie is one long wet fart of a comedy that had me questioning my Rock fandom.  If he keeps on this route, I am worried for his lasting power.

2) - Snatched - At no point during this terrible film is there anything close to resembling a coherent joke.  Snatched features Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn as mother/daughter on a trip gone wrong.  These two have almost zero chemistry together... not that the script gave them much to work with.  Amy Schumer is funny, but I'm not convinced she's a movie star.  I didn't think I could like anything less this year, until...

1) - The Dark Tower - Wow!  This not only the worst movie of the year, it's a candidate for worst movie of the 2000's.  Where do I begin?  After years in development limbo, THIS is what we're left with???  Who thought it was a good idea to cram 8 novels into 90 minutes of movie?  Idris Elba does his best to give this film some weight, but everything about this movie is terrible.  It was so bad, I watched the second half of it in fast forward on my DVD player.

The Last Jedi is thrilling, dark, moving... and cute as hell

Whoa, baby!  Could a film as hyped as The Last Jedi actually live up to it?  We'll get into that.  But first, I want to throw out my spoiler free thoughts on the movie event of the year.  The Last Jedi picks up where The Force Awakens left off.  The Resistance is in retreat as The First Order has taken full control of the galaxy.  As its numbers dwindle, The Resistance is forced to flee for its survival.  General Leia Solo (a fantastically stoic Carrie Fisher, in her farewell performance), Poe Dameron and Finn lead the remains of The Resistance across our favorite far, far away galaxy - barely holding off Kylo Ren's First Order.  And that's essentially what a large part of this film is... a chase.  A race across the galaxy towards an uncertain future.

Whereas The Force Awakens was essentially a refresher course in what made us all fall in love with Star Wars (after its initial critical and commercial success, it's been unfairly labaled as a clone of A New Hope), The Last Jedi treads new water.  The new actors take center stage in this film - each further fleshing out their characters in new and exciting ways.  New actors are introduced here (the best being Kelly Marie Tran's Rose) in fun and creative ways.

That's not to say that the Star Wars universe is done with the old guard quite yet.  Mark Hamill delivers the performance of his career in his 4th performance as Luke Skywalker (well, 5th if you include his cameo at the end of Force).  Hamill plays Skywalker as a jaded Jedi, who is reluctant to train Rey in the ways of The Force.  He's been burned in the past by Kylo Ren, and wants The Jedi to come to an end.  I really this angry, older version of Luke.  Carrie Fisher seems emboldened at playing Leia once again.  She's wise, strong and motherly in a way we haven't seen out of her yet.

I absolutely loved this film.  For a film that's supposed to be this trilogy's Empire, it certainly lives up to that legendary film.  It launches the Star Wars universe towards a new future.  One that will be defined by this wonderful cast of characters in a way that the prequels completely failed.  It's filled with life, love and loss.  The color palatte of this film is an absolute joy to look at for 2.5 hours.  There's a bunch of unexpected twists and turns that I won't ruin here.  Director Rian Johnson delivered a fantastic film.

Now, back to the cute factor.  This film is full of wonderfully cute moments... but cute moments that don't totally distract from the moment at hand, and the depth of the story going on.  The porgs are a wondeful addition to the Star Wars canon.  They were cute in a way that didn't annoy me like Jar Jar Binks or the Ewoks.  There's also a lot of humor that reminds us that at the end the day, we're watching a space odyssey that's supposed to give us an escape and a sense of wonderment.

I'm giving Star Wars: The Last Jedi 3.9 stars out of 4.  There are a few things I could do without... the entire casino sequence for example... but these are so minute that they're hardly worth mentioning.

I can't wait to relive this wonderful film again and again.

Logan Lucky: Steven Soderbergh tries his best Coen Brothers impersonation... and fails.

I finally got around to seeing Logan Lucky, Steven Soderbergh's return to filmmaking after a self-imposed retirement, last night and boy was I underwhelmed.  I meant to see it to during its initial theatrical run, but having two kids doesn't allow me to get to the theater as much as I would like.  I tend to wait for Netflix on a lot of movies that I used to go see in the theater.  Going in, I have to admit that I was pretty psyched for this one.  It had a great cast.  An hilarious trailer.  And a fun premise.  Basically Ocean's Eleven with rednecks.  However, I have to admit that there wasn't much to this film.  It didn't add anything new to the heist genre, and it was a pretty disappointing return to filmmaking for Soderbergh. 

Logan Lucky tells the story of two brothers.  One is a former high school hero turned real life zero (played by Channing Tatum), and the other is a one-armed army vet who runs a local bar (Adam Driver).  Together, they concoct a scheme to rob the local NASCAR event so Tatum's character can provide for his estranged daughter.  Along the way, you get a lot of tomfoolery, a couple laughs, and a plot that seems like a (very) poor man's Ocean's Eleven.  I kept waiting for it to take off, and it never quite went anywhere.  The characters weren't zany enough to be considered a Coen Brothers homage, and the story wasn't interesting enough to add anything to heist genre that we haven't already seen before.

There were a couple bright spots to this film, namely Daniel Craig's goofy explosions expert, "Joe Bang," but they weren't enough to save this formulaic film.  I'm not sure why Soderbergh decided that this was the film he wanted to make after stepping away from the game, but it was a poorly executed mess from a master filmmaker.  Seth MacFarlane is in this film as an over the top NASCAR driver, but he seems like a bad SNL skit (with a bad wig and mustache nonetheless).  Like I said, there's a lot of poor choices in this film.

If you're looking for a better heist film, I highly recommend you check out Good Time, a much better film with top-notch directing and acting.  Save yourself some time and skip Logan Lucky.

Justice League is (wait for it)... just an average superhero movie

Going into Justice League, the new DC superhero mashup from Zack Snyder (and an uncredited directing effort by Joss Whedon), I had pretty low expectations.  After walking out, I can say that they were mostly met.  Like every other DC cinematic universe film (with the exception of the joyful Wonder Woman), it was marred with shoddy storytelling, not quite fleshed out characters, and tooooo much CGI.  It's a microcosm  of the entire DCCU, which has been trying to play catch up the larger, and more successful, Marvel Universe.  The fact that we're already at a team-up film after only 2 films (plus a prequel of sorts with WW) is all you need to know.  Whilst the Marvel Universe took its time to develop characters and stories before teaming all its heroes up, DC seems to think you won't care that they're essentially introducing three new characters during its first team-up effort.  Save for a couple brief cameos, we have never met or seen The Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman.  That's not to say that they weren't entertaining characters, but how can we fully care about any of them if we're just meeting them minutes before a big boss battle.

The story of Justice League essentially boils down to this... Superman is dead, bad guys are coming, and it's up to Batman to get a team strong enough to stop the evil Steppenwolf (no, not that Steppenwolf!) before he can destroy the world.  Each character is given roughly 10 minutes of introduction before they're banding together.  I barely had enough time to register the lackluster plot before we're engulfed in another Zack Snyder slow-motion fisticuffs.

There are some good things about Justice League.  The Flash (played by Ezra Miller) steals the show as the film's comic relief.  It's clear that DC was intended to liven things up, and The Flash reaps the main benefits of this tonal shift.  Jason Momoa actually makes the worst superhero in history, Aquaman, palatable.  He plays him as equal parts lone wolf and rockstar, and it totally works.  Gal Gadot is great, as always, as Wonder Woman.  DC has a real star here in Gadot.  And I feel bad for Ben Afleck because he is actually pretty good as Bruce Wayne/Batman.  I would like to see his now scrapped Batman solo film.  Too bad that it looks like he's leaving the franchise as soon as he can.

The bad does, sadly, outweigh the good.  The main villain, Steppenwolf, is as bad as his CGI.  There is minimal backstory to him, and I could not care less about this character.  I feel like the villain of this film should have been Zod, Doomsday, or even a convoluted Lex Luthor plot.  It's too bad they already wasted them in previous films.  Cyborg's character is about as inhuman as his robotic body.  He's supposed to be the glue that binds all the characters together, but he's not given enough to work with here.  And (spoiler alert) Superman's CGI mustache removal is a major distraction throughout the film.

I'm giving Justice League 1.75 stars out of 4.  It's a big step back for DC after the commercial and critical success of Wonder Woman.  I don't think this is the end for the DCCU, but they're going to have to develop these characters way more before they even think about Justice League 2.

Thor: Ragnarok... a new comedy duo is born!

Abbott and Costello. Gleason and Carney. Pryor and Wilder. Murphy and Hall.  Aykroyd and Belushi... and now Thor and The Hulk???  You read that right.  In the annals of comedy duos, we have seen the birth of the next great duo.  Thor: Ragnarok is the funniest Marvel film ever and Thor and The Hulk should have their own series of films.

Thor is a major part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and yet, his solo films have always felt like also-rans... filler used to advance a larger Avengers storyline.  The first Thor film seemed to exist solely to introduce us to Loki and the Tesseract (which would be the main foils of the first Avengers movie).  The second Thor film (The Dark World) is widely regarded as the worst of the MCU films.  In that film, we barely get a coherent story, and the sole purpose of it was to introduce the MCU to another infinity stone.  That's not to say that they were bad films.  In fact, I quite enjoyed them both.  However, they are the first examples you can point to to the assembly line nature that the MCU has sometimes been labeled with.  It's also not to say that Thor, himself, was a bland character.  He often brings levity to the films that he's in (the diner scene in the original Thor, and the late night test of strength in Age of Ultron).  It's refreshing to see Chris Hemsworth given so much more to work with in this film... the first full-blown comedy in the MCU.

Ragnarok picks up two years after the events of Ultron.  Loki is still up to mischief, and The Hulk has shown up on a mysterious planet where The Master (played hilariously by Jeff Goldblum... doing a great Jeff Goldblum impersonation) has staged gladiatorial style fights for leisure.  Thor ends up on this planet after being banished from Asgard by his long-lost sister Hela, the Goddess of Death (played by the agelss wonder Cate Blanchett).  You see, she was Thor's father's first child, and wants her throne back.  The fact that she's a complete psychopath and has been banished by her father and wiped from Asgardian history comes as a complete surprise to Thor and Loki.

This movie is all smiles from start to finish.

This film works because it strips Thor down (and, gasp, cuts his hair).  He loses his hammer and has to build himself back up from lowly gladiator to god (or Lord, as he's hilariously referred to, in this film) of thunder.  This film really picks up during the Thor/Hulk brouhaha.  From that point on, they are a comedy duo for the ages, delivering zingers that would make a Judd Apatow production jealous.  Thor realizes that he needs The Hulk to help in his quest for revenge.

There's a lot to like in this film.  The comedy is gold.  The acting (especially the supporting cast) is superb.  And the special effects are top notch.  That's not to say that it's a perfect film.  The storyline feels a little disjointed in places.  It's basically a mash-up of two comic book runs (Ragnarok and Planet Hulk).  There are parts in the film, where the comedy feels out of place or forced.  However, I'm not knocking it too much.  It's a genuinely delightful film.  Kudos to director Taika Waititi for pumping life into Marvel's stalest character.  Definitely go see Thor: Ragnarok. 3 out of 4 stars.

Stay through the credits for the standard MCU advancing scenes.

Blade Runner 2049 is a beautiful film... but it's not for everyone.

 The original Blade Runner is on the sci-fi films Mt. Rushmore.  It's bold, beautiful, and timeless.  However, it wasn't widely praised when it was originally released.  It was only after many years (and director's cuts) that Ridley Scott's original film was labeled a masterpiece.  It served as a cautionary tale about studio meddling, and was widely viewed as a flop.  I bring this up because its much anticipated sequel, Blade Runner 2049, is having its own trouble getting out the gates.  The film is already being labeled a "bomb" at the box office, which is a tad premature to say.  Despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews, 2049 didn't quite knock it out of the park during its first weekend at the box office.  It's sad to say that we live in a culture where a first weekend means everything to a film's financial success.  I hope that this new film can find its legs through word of mouth and repeated viewings, but I'm not too optimistic about that.

Blade Runner 2049 is a wonderful film.  It's beautiful, bold, and ambitious like the original classic.  It's set 35 years after the events of the first film.  The Tyrell corporation has gone bankrupt.   In its place is the Wallace Corporation (run in full method acting glory by the great Jared Leto).  The world has seen ecological devastation, and replicants (human androids) have only been brought back out of necessity.  The original batch of replicants (Nexus 8 models) are being hunted and "retired" by a new crop of Blade Runners.  You see, those original models can think for themselves, whereas the new crop are totally and completely loyal to their human masters.  We follow the story through the eyes of Ryan Gosling's "K," a newer model replicant (this isn't a spoiler... it's revealed in the first 5 minutes of the movie), who is tasked with retiring the Nexus 8s.  He soon finds out that there is more than meets the eye to the official company line, when he meets an older model (played in a brief but memorable manner by Dave Bautista).  It seems that a body is buried in his front yard that opens up a world of endless (and forbidden) possibilities for replicants.

What follows is a classic Hollywood film noir style story that happens to be set in the future.  It's Chinatown with flying cars.  It takes its time to build a case and doesn't take shortcuts in getting to the conclusion.  Some could argue that its too long and plodding... however, I felt that it was such a beautiful journey that I didn't mind sticking around for its almost 3 hour run time.  The great cinematographer Roger Deakins has crafted a film in which every frame is a piece of art.  So, although, the film tends to lag in parts (especially during the robot sex scene), it was still one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.  I didn't mind the (very deliberate) pace of this film.  Like I said, it felt like Chinatown (one of my favorite movies) set in the future.  If you go in expecting Star Wars, you'll sadly be disappointed.

I can see why this film is not for everyone.  In fact, multiple people left the theater during its screening.  It's a blockbuster that has very little resemblance to today's modern shoot-em-ups.  It's deliberate almost to a fault.  It tries to be a little too philosophical at times.  But ultimately, I feel like this film delivers everything that I wanted from it.  Director Denis Villenueve further cements his status as one of the great modern film directors.

You don't even need to have seen the first one to enjoy this one.  It can stand on its own two feet.

I'm giving Blade Runner 2049 3 out of 4 stars.  It has its flaws, but ultimately, it's a rewarding film that warrants repeat viewings.  I think I'll get more out of it during each viewing.