A LOT HAPPENED!
Hey everyone! What's up? Year is over and now I want to share my overall thoughts of the highlights of the year cinematically (at least on my perspective). There are a TON of movies I haven't seen yet and I really want to and a few of those are: La La Land, Arrival, Silence, Hell or High Water, Manchester by the Sea, Moana, Moonlight, Edge of Seventeen, Hacksaw Ridge, Nocturnal Animals, Sully, Your Name, Paterson, Deepwater Horizon, and A Monster Calls. Yeah, you gotta wait for the releases here in Costa Rica.
Those are movies that, given the hype they've been credited for, I'm pretty sure I would've wanted talk about because they really appeal to me and have generated a lot of conversation, but unfortunately I haven't had the chance to see them yet. Enough of that! Let's talk about 2016 in a nutshell.
Underrated: The Witch, Swiss Army Man and 10 Cloverfield Lane
These three movies are not for everyone... but the right target audience will enjoy each for sure. The Witch is a horror film at its best that doesn't use jump scares but rather terrifying imagery with long shots and it's all very rewarding because of the dark journey each character goes through. 10 Cloverfield Lane is some sort of sequel or spin-off (not sure) to the original Cloverfield realeased back eight years ago. The direction is amazing, the atmosphere feels truly claustrophobic and is a psychological ride. The ending, though, might turn off some people, but it's super entertaining and the performances are the strongest point of the film. Swiss Army Man may be the weirdest (it really embraces it) and most original film I've ever seen in a while. There's nothing out there like this gem. Daniel Radcliffe gives his all, the musical score is one of my favorites of the year, and it has so much heart. Definitely give it a chance. So good, one of the best of the year. It's the kind of movie that needs to be supported.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy all these movies. The thing is... I don't think they lived up to the hype for me. I wanted to love them. They were entertaining for the most part, but just a couple of scenes of each of these movies stood out for me from the rest of the film. They're all very ambitious, but the execution felt flat in terms of the construction of the story and the characters, and they lacked raw emotion that they should have. Doctor Strange is just another formulaic origin story that, yes, it has beautiful visuals, but the story is so thin and lackluster that it hardly had any emotional effect on me. Civil War had some serious structure and logic issues that bugged me, despite the power of the conflict (which I highly respect). The second act was fantastic, but the third act went to out of place territory with the whole Bucky and Cap vs Tony that felt a bit emotionally manipulative because of the reasons behind the fight. Spidey was great though. And yeah, I know! I didn't love Rogue One, but I was decently satisfied with the third act... but that's what was so underwhelming for me. I wasn't disappointed exactly, I was perplexed by the poor character development and great focus on the action, which was distracting because the core of Star Wars relies on the journey of the characters and not the visual effects extravaganza. But hey! If you loved these movies, great, I'm glad you did! I just didn't get what I thought they could've been: bold and enriching stories.
Good Time with Family, Friends or by Yourself: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and The Jungle Book
One is heavier in terms of content and the level of maturity, and the other is lighter but still powerful. The first one is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which is the first Harry Potter spin-off set in the 1920s. It has the tone of the last Harry Potter films, and even though the characters may not be as engaging as the originals, they are charming enough in this first outing, and the biggest strength of this movies relies upon the boldness to set apart from the already successful franchise: at its core, the story expands the universe of magic, and the moral message matters within delicate themes such as animal care or domestic violence. On the other hand, The Jungle Book is that rare remake that, in my opinion, is better than the original (the animated one). Not only is it an astounding visual achievement (probably winning an Oscar for Visual Effects), but it's a fun and heartwarming film that, even though the story is not complex or to be wowed of, the joy of watching these characters interacting and going through this journey pays off.
Most Surprising: Deadpool, Zootopia and Kubo and the Two Strings
Who would've thought the ultimate Valentine's Day movie of the last couple of years at least is Deadpool? No one saw it coming. The success was overwhelming, and it really is a game changer for studios in order for them to develop R-rated projects and embrace the nature of the story that they'd be willing to tell. Not only was it entertaining, but it accomplished at being a stylistic revenge and love story with the dialogue and non-linear storytelling. Also, it has been a fantastic year for animated movies, and Kubo and Zootopia are the top contenders for being the best animated feature of the year. Personally, I give the first one a slight edge above the other one simply because of the originality and superior storytelling, but the Disney flick is also amazing with the powerful social commentary it executes and the buddy-cop film feel regarding a bunny and a sly fox.
Most Divisive: Suicide Squad and X-Men: Apocalypse
Suicide Squad was good despite the narrative flaws, I believe. The main characters were very well explored and within the action and the excitement there were heartwarming moments that enhanced the purpose of the story: is a film of guys trying to redeem themselves through different perspectives of love in order to accept themselves. I think this is the most important aspect of the film and I thought that theme was executed beautifully between the great cinematography and music, and I thought that was pretty overlooked. The story is nothing out of the box and the villains don't really do "bad" things per se, and the third act went to a formulaic direction, therefore dividing audiences. But the thing is, the characters matter, which I truly appreciate. Same for Apocalypse! It was harshly criticized for the controversial characterization of the villain and the "end of the world" story line, but again! The depth of the film is found within the soul of the characters, and the drama the ensemble go through is a fascinating experience because it's a movie about faith and self-acceptance... and that's what X-Men is all about. And above all... it's pretty damn fun.
Most Disappointing: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
I could've easily put this movie as one of the worst because I thought it was a mess from start to finish with no focus whatsoever and uninteresting story... but there were worse. However, that doesn't mean that this movie wasn't disappointing because all the potential it had was dropped from the first act. What's the purpose of this film? Was this just fan service? What was the main conflict? Why are there so many unnecessary sequences? Why is everyone acting like complete utter idiots running from one place to another waiting for the plot to move along as fucking Luthor (the hell was that performance, Jesse?) is arranging the his convoluted clusterfuck plan. Oh but wait, here are some interesting places where the story could go with Batman/Bruce Wayne! Oh no, it's dropped... and that's about it. Boring, joyless, and uninspired, this film has but one redeeming quality thanks to Ben Affleck's efforts to challenge the whatever the fuck was that script.
And this is why you don't see me talking about movies like this in my page. Kind of enraging.
Maybe For You-Maybe Not: Warcraft and Sausage Party
You really gotta see these by yourself. As a fan of the games, I enjoyed Warcraft for what it was with all its flaws and everything. Same for Sausage Party! Even though it embraces its absurdity, it's a pretty fun ride the more you accept that concept. They both set up possible sequels for the future. If you're not into stories about conflicts between orcs and humans and some magic there, Warcraft is not the way to go, but if you do, check it out. I think it builds well the world and mythology. As for Sausage Party, it definitely earns the R rating, and they go to some bold places involving subliminal messages and a fucked up third act with insane deaths and sex and things I couldn't think of seeing anytime soon in a movie like this. So there you go! Warned. I enjoyed them, but don't expect the greatest films ever... keep that in mind.
Worst: Independence Day: Resurgence and Gods of Egypt
If you wanna laugh out loud and just have a good time with your friends with some alcohol to at least enjoy these films, that's fine... 'cause they're unintentionally funny. Not recommended, but hey! Aliens blowing up shit and a CGI crapfest in Egypt and a fucking green screen extravaganza? Please, enjoy if you can. Nonsensical story, stupid characters... they don't even try. So! there you go. Again, if you're willing to watch them, go with the lowest of expectations to find some enjoyment. Warned!
Best: Sing Street and The Nice Guys
Go. Watch. Them. Now! Both incredibly under seen movies (now on Netflix) that totally capture the environment of the 80s and the 70s. All the performances were great across the board, the direction was flawless and euphoric, both story lines are compelling and inventive, highly energetic conflicts within the characters' souls and externally. The screenwriting is phenomenal and it all flows so smoothly. Gotta say: these movies are hidden gems under any person's radar because of the lack of advertisement, and the same goes to these films as I said about Swiss Army Man: these need to be supported. Movies like these are rare to be found nowadays because of the setting and the topic and the dialogue all mashed in. Totally different movies from each other, but awesomely entertaining with a rich story and fun characters that one would likely see multiple times after first viewing (at least I have). GO SEE THEM!!! Highly recommended.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Let's kick some ass in 2017!
ALPHAS!
So! What did you think about these movies? What do you recommend? Do you agree with my picks? What else would you have added? Leave your comments below!
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NO DARKNESS WITHOUT LIGHT AND DREAMS DON'T END HERE!
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