Best of the Year So Far: Mid-Year Top 5 2019

Another ugh year, mostly due to the less-than-stellar summer movie season.  When I bemoan the summer films, everyone says: but Lion King! Problem is, it's not out yet. Will it be good?  My personal summer movie hopeful is the Tarantino.  So, with what I've got to work with, here are my top five films so far, with no real frontrunner, but if I had to pick one it just might be Ask Dr. Ruth!

My top 5 2019 so far (listed alphabetically)
Ask Dr. Ruth
Avengers: Endgame
Captain Marvel
Rocketman
Spider-Man: Far From Home

Summer begins with the Entertainment Weekly Summer Movie Preview! I've been back to school so the blogging has been slow and this post has been delayed until after finals. Thus, I've already seen Tully and it won't (unnecessarily) appear on my annual list of....

Top Ten Movies I'm Most Looking Forward to Seeing this Summer

(1.) Ant-Man  and the Wasp (opening: 7/6).  Peyton Reed is back. The original was the surprise hit for me of summer 2015 and I sooooooo want lightning to strike twice.

(2.) Solo: A Star Wars Story (opening: 5/25, duh). It's Star Wars! And the trailers look good. And it's Star Wars! Nice to see Lawrence Kasdan in on the writing. And of course cutie Emilia Clarke is in it. Admittedly, I'm jut as worried as everyone about Alden Ehrenreich, so we'll see.

(3.) Action Point (opening: 6/1). I seriously can't wait, I fear there is something wrong with me.

(4.) Mission Impossible: Fallout (opening 7/27). It's been 22 years since Cruise launched this franchise playing Ethan Hunt, which is a long time --wow! I loved Ghost Protocol (2011) but Rogue Nation (2015) did not keep up the momentum and this new movie is from the same director (Christopher McQuarrie, mostly a writer, who has almost exclusively done Tom Cruise movies for the last several years). Has a flashy trailer; seems to have a lot of Paris in it.

(5.) Puzzle (opening: 7/13). Puzzle is by Marc Turtletaub, king of the quirky indie, so there's that plus I love puzzles and there's something Wordplay-esque about the trailer.

(6.) Deadpool 2 (opening: 5/18). I wasn't gaga about the first one but I did like it for its wise-assery and the opening titles alone made it worthy of a thumbs-up. This sequel could go either way, let's hope they didn't screw it up.

(7.) Don't Worry He Won't Get Far on Foot (opening: 7/13). Interestingly, this movie opens on the same day as Puzzle. Well who can say on this one, but Jonah Hill's performance is touted and I like everything he does, Joaquin not so much, but maybe it'll be a much-needed comeback for him. Gus Van Sant has had big critical successes and big critical failures, but at least he has the potential for greatness.

(8.) Ocean's 8 (opening: 6/8). Sure it's a stunt (just like me putting it at #8!), but it seems to have the right ingredients. Another good trailer. Wonder if the "boys" will cameo?

(9.) Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (opening: 6/22). Jurassic World was just alright, and I think I'm on board for this sequel mostly based on inertia, but there's Chris Pratt and the return of Goldblum (even if reportedly just in a glorified cameo).

(10.) The Wife (opening: 8/3). Did they consult Woody Allen on the title for nail-on-the-head blandness? Nonetheless, I like Pryce and the critics are already talking up Oscar bridesmaid Glenn Close. I don't recognize the director (from Sweden).

Honorable Mention: Hotel Artemis (opening; 6/8). OK, it's a possible disaster with a good cast, but I have my fingers crossed-- however, I'll want to see what the reviews are like first.

And a few question marks that are on my radar: Under the Silver Lake (opening: 6/22; maybe it's impossible to create a trailer for it; but It Follows was interesting and it's the same director); Skyscraper (opening: 7/13; the Rock in a Towering Inferno dealy, with Neve Campbell still looking pretty cute); Like Father (opening 8/3; with Kelsey Grammer and Kristen Bell as father-daughter).

Note: I haven't seen The Avengers: Infinity Wars, but EW deemed it before the summer movie season (i.e. it came out in April) so I've stuck to that, will be seeing it this weekend though.

One Line Review's Top Ten Movies and Noteworthy Achievements 2015

TOP TEN 2015 (alphabetical)
Ant-Man (d. Peyton Reed)
The Avengers: Age of Ultron (d. Joss Whedon)
The Big Short (d. Adam McKay)
The Hateful Eight (d. Quentin Tarantino)
Mad Max: Fury Road (d. George Miller)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (d. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)
Mr. Holmes (d. Bill Condon)
People Places Things (d. Jim Strouse)
Spotlight (d. Tom McCarthy)
Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens (d. J. J. Abrams)


NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS:

Best Film: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant

Best Actress: Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight

Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone in Creed

Best Original Screenplay: Bridge of Spies

Best Adapted Screenplay: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Best Director: George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road

Honorable Mentions:

Best Film: Ant-Man.

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs; Michael Keaton in Spotlight; Jason Mitchell in Straight Outta Compton; Jason Segel in The End of the Tour.

Best Actress: Juliette Binoche in Clouds of Sils Maria; Bel Powley in Diary of a Teenage Girl; Kate Winslet in Steve Jobs.

Best Supporting Actress: n/a

Best Supporting Actor: BB-8 in Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens; Steve Carrell in The Big Short; Walter Goggins in The Hateful Eight; Tom Hardy in The Revenant; Samual L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight; Michael Pena in Ant-Man; Seth Rogen in Steve Jobs; Stanley Tucci in Spotlight.

Best Original Screenplay: The Hateful Eight, People Places Things.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Ant-Man, The Big Short, Mr. Holmes.

Best Director: Peyton Reed for Ant-Man.

2015 Movie Year-End Wrap-Up

33 films vie for my top ten of 2015, which I'll announce tomorrow (i.e. must-see and recommended titles). As I didn't have over ten films in my "must-sees" (only 2!!) this constitutes a weak year (in my opinion a VERY weak year).

As always, I've viewed 60 films this year; below are my one-line commentaries on each:

Must see [2]:

Ant-Man. The best summer movie, a surprise hit that gets the humor right and manages to cover the origin story without getting dull.

 Mad Max: Fury Road. I’d love to see the storyboards!

Recommended [33]:

Avengers, The: The Age of Ultron. Exciting start to the summer movie season.

Big Short, The. Well-paced and well-acted.

Bridge of Spies. Good story, good production all around.

Clouds of Sils Maria. Pretentious as all out, but intriguing and well played by its two leads.

Creed. A solid shot for a sentimental Oscar for Sly.

Danish Girl, The. Sensitively acted and told, if just above average.

Diary of a Teenage Girl. Evocative of its time: the era and life stage.

The End of the Tour. Easy to overrate but nonetheless watchable; Jason Segel is quite good.

Ex Machina  Keeps you engaged and not just with its ample nudity.

Get Hard. Hart and Farrell make a good team and Ferrell’s character is funny, but it does get repetitive.

Hateful Eight, The. Violent western-cum-mystery, with a great Morricone score, is exactly the kind of Christmas present you'd expect from Tarantino.

Hunger Games, The: Mockingjay, Part 2. Slick, if not too frequently inspired.

Intern, The. Surprisingly enjoyable; perfect ending.

Listen to Me Marlon. Illustrates that Marlon was full of shit, like all of us, but trapped, like all of us, by our emotions.

Maggie. Somber and depressing and not much happens but not without merit; probably would have been better as a book.

Martian, The. A plotline that’s a string of “problems” and “fixes” with music cues, but a nice commercial for Mars exploration.

Me and Earl and The Dying Girl. Quirkier than thou, but still, enjoyable.

Mr. Holmes. Pleasant mystery befitting both Sirs Arthur Conan Doyle and Ian McKellen.

Paddington. Wes Andersonesque: colorful, funny, diverting.

People Places Things. Sweet, character-driven comedy about life’s frequent confusions.

Revenant, The. A decidedly guy movie, is a showcase for both DiCaprio and Hardy.

Room. Of the “see once” variety; takes the story just far enough to feel complete.

San Andreas. Unabashed, campy, crazy action from start to finish.

Second Best Marigold Hotel, The. Soapy; mild; lovingly filmed.

Sicario. Buoyed by its trio of stars.

Spotlight. Engrossing if not very originally told; some good acting work here.

Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Mostly nostalgic trip is a good show, if somewhat lacking in very many 'wow' moments.

Steve Jobs. Flashy film and performances.

Straight Outta Compton. Lengthy, engrossing; however the real footage during the end credits illustrates how much more vivid the film should have been.

Trainwreck. Wobbly and too conventional, but with just enough laughs for a thumbs-up.

What We Do in the Shadows. Many funny moments, if slight. 

Skippable [22]:

Brooklyn. Hallmarkish and therefore good, but not much happens.

Carol. Doesn’t engage you enough emotionally.

Cinderella. Beautiful costumes, but not much more then the same old story.

Daddy’s Home. A few chuckles and a lot of product placement.

Divergent Series, The: Insurgent. A lot fo fake-outs.

DUFF, The. Likeable lead girl does help this out a bit.

Fifty Shades of Gray. I laughed a little anyway.

Furious 7. Loss of co-star Paul Walker is handled well, but little else is.

Gift, The. Conventional.

Hitchcock/ Truffaut. Cinefiles delight, but as a film more “To Catch a Thief” than “Rear Window.”

Inside Out. Loses its originality in about 5 minutes, then it just goes through the motions.

Irrational Man. Another Woody morality tale that should have stayed in the drawer.

Jurassic World. A real grab for cash, but it has little to live up to after all.

Kingsman: The Secret Service. If you’re looking for a silly spy movie with gadgets galore and a cartoonish body count, this movie is for you.

Macbeth. Slow moving, meditative.

Man From U.N.C.L.E., The.  Not enough humor; goes on way too long.

Minions. Excruciatingly “cute.”

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. The last one was much better.

Shaun the Sheep. Gives you that trapped-in-a-Jacques-Tati-movie feeling.

Terminator: Genysis. A good effort that incorporates Arnold well, but the action sequences were dull.

Trumbo. A bit light dramatically, but a good survey of the era if not enough of the man.

Youth. Its arty-fartyness works in its favor, but only in terms of keeping interest.

Avoid [4]:

Anomalsia. Terrible no matter what the critics say; an audio book.

Chappie. Dumb.

Hot Pursuit. Wow.

SPECTRE. Derivative; and a waste of its cast; the worst James Bond movie ever made.

Spy. Unfunny film relies on Melissa McCarthy to swear a million times to “create” humor.

My Picks for the National Film Registry 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!

As is tradition, it's time for me to reveal my votes for this year's National Film Registry, due to be announced in about a month's time by the Library of Congress. We'll see how many of mine they pick! 

Last year's list spanned the years 1913-2004, and included: The Dragon Painter (1919), Down Argentine Way (1940),  House of Wax (1953), Rio Bravo (1959), Rosemary's Baby (1968), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), The Big Lebowski (1998), and Saving Private Ryan (1998).   Also included were the usual selection of obscurer, but no-less-deserving picks such as Please Don't Bury Me Alive! (1976) considered to be the first Chicano feature film.  A link to the Hollywood Reporter article from last year can be found here.

The National Film Registry started in 1989, and there are currently 650 films on the list.  Although there does seem to be less of a push for great films these days over those of "cultural" importance (Librarian of Congress James M. Billington has been quoted to say: "These films are not selected as the best American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring importance to American culture"), there is still at least an unconscious push for inclusion of those considered works of art.  If the selections were based entirely on cultural "endurance" over that of a quality assessment, why would such narrative films that made the list last year as The Power and the Glory (1933), Ruggles of Red Gap (1935), and The Gang's All Here (1943) [films hardly part of the contemporary zeitgeist] make it in over such perennial shut-outs as The Seven Year Itch (1955), The Birds (1963), and Grease (1978)?

Below are my picks for what should be on this year's list (I only do well-known narrative feature films: I'll let the Library of Congress decide on the obscure works).  To me, the film that most needs to be added above all (my choice now SIX years running!) is Blue Velvet.  Last year three of my picks made the list: Rosemary's Baby (1968), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), and The Big Lebowski (1998). 

My choices for this go-round, by year, are:

1920s-30s-40s (6 titles)

The Sheik (1921)

Mutiny on the Bounty (1934)

The Little Foxes (1941)

Lifeboat (1944)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

The Lady From Shanghai (1948)

1950s (10 titles)

Father of the Bride (1950)

Harvey (1950)

The Red Badge of Courage (1951)

Strangers on a Train (1951)

Limelight (1952)

Stalag 17 (1953)

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

The Killing (1956)

The King and I (1956)

Auntie Mame (1958)

1960s (10 titles)

The Guns of Navarone (1961)

101 Dalmatians (1961)

The Misfits (1961)

Lolita (1962)

The Birds (1963)

The Great Escape (1963)

Cheyenne Autumn (1964)

The Naked Kiss (1964)

A Patch of Blue (1965)

Seconds (1966)

1970s (10 titles)

Love Story (1970)

Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)

Carnal Knowledge (1971)

The Poseidon Adventure (1971)

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

The Sunshine Boys (1975)

The Front (1976)

Grease (1978)

The Jerk (1979)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

1980s (10 titles)

Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)

Arthur (1981)

The World According to Garp (1982)

Terms of Endearment (1983)

Aliens (1986)

Blue Velvet (1986)

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

Raising Arizona (1987)

Wall Street (1987)

Die Hard (1988)

1990s (2 titles)

Apollo 13 (1995)

Titanic (1997)

2000s (2 titles)

Bad Santa (2003)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Best of the Year So Far: Mid-Year Top 5 2015

Time to post my top 5 of the year and it's slim pickings again: seems to be a trend in recent years. Here it is, with Mad Max way out in front, although I liked Avengers better than most:

My top 5 2015 so far (listed alphabetically)

The Avengers: The Age of Ultron

Ex Machina

Mad Max: Fury Road

Paddington

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

One Line Review's Top Ten Movies and Noteworthy Achievements 2014

TOP TEN 2014 (alphabetical)

Edge of Tomorrow (d. Doug Liman)

Ida (d. Pawel Pawlikowski)

Interstellar (d. Christopher Nolan)

Locke  (d. Steven Knight)

Nightcrawler (d. Dan Gilroy)
Only Lovers Left Alive (d. Jim Jarmusch)

Selma (d. Ava DuVernay)

The Skeleton Twins (d. Craig Johnson)

Whiplash (d. Damien Chazelle)

X-Men: Days of Future Past (d. Bryan Singer)

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS:

Best Film:

Whiplash

Best Actor:

J. K. Simmons in Whiplash

Best Actress:

Caity Lotz in The Machine

Best Supporting Actress:

Rene Russo in Nightcrawler

Best Supporting Actor:

Ethan Hawke in Boyhood

Best Original Screenplay:

Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Christopher McQuarrie and Jez & John-Henry Butterworth for Edge of Tomorrow

Best Director:

Damien Chazelle for Whiplash

Honorable Mentions:

Best Film: n/a (!)

Best Actor: Bradley Cooper in American Sniper; Michael Keaton in Birdman; David Oyelowo in Selma; Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel; Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler; Bill Hader in The Skeleton Twins; Tom Middleton in Only Lovers Left Alive; Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything; Miles Teller in Whiplash. 

Best Actress: Felicity Jones in The Theory of Everything; Tilda Swinton in Only Lovers Left Alive; Agata Trzebuchowska in Ida.

Best Supporting Actor: Marco Perella in Boyhood; Tyler Perry in Gone Girl; Tom Wilkinson in Selma.

Best Supporting Actress: Sofia Vergara in Chef; Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer; Jennifer Lawrence for X-Men: Days of Future Past; Mia Wasikowska in Only Loves Left Alive.

Best Original Screenplay: Paul Webb for Selma.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Damien Chazelle for Whiplash.

Best Director: Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler.