Before I start the top 10, here’s a list of “acclaimed” films that I have not seen yet.
*Hacksaw Ridge, Manchester By The Sea, Loving, Fences, and Nocturnal Animals
I had fun with each one of these movies in my top 10. Some pulled at the heart strings, while others had me on the edge of my seat. I cheered for the heroes. I laughed out loud. Maybe I shed a tear. Shut up!
Here we go!
10. Don’t Breathe
I had so much fun with this movie due to the twisty turnys, intense scenarios, and the character developments. Looking forward to this revisit.
9. The Conjuring 2
I am a fan of James Wan and what he’s been bringing to the horror table. His horror films have a pretty serious tone to them, as in the same vein as The Exorcist or close to it, which makes the movie more scary in my opinion. I really enjoy The Conjuring franchise. Hope there’s a 3rd.
8. Kubo and the Two Strings
These Laika stop-motion animation films are exceptionally original and look so amazing. I really dug the main kid character and his side-kicks that he travels with. Bring on the next one Laika.
7. Tickled
I love documentaries and this did not disappoint. Talk about an edge of your seat film. I was engaged from beginning to end. It says it right on the poster, “It’s not what you think”.
6. Star Trek Beyond
I was only a Star Wars fan growing up, but then I became a JJ mark and checked out the first Trek film. I became hooked and now I adore these films. This 3rd installment was so much fun and never lost its luster. I hope the future sequels remain fun and interesting.
5. Midnight Special
I really enjoy Jeff Nichols’ work, like Take Shelter and Mud, but this film is in my wheelhouse. This sci-fi film is like a subtle Spielberg-esque film. Although, it has a very serious tone as opposed to the lightness of a Speilberg film, which is not a bad thing on either side. Midnight Special is special.
4. Swiss Army Man
What a cool film. Super original and a great watch. I had a blast with this movie. Outstanding performances by both Dano and Radcliffe. The story was captivating, funny, crazy, and heartfelt.
3. Captain Fantastic
This may be one of those movies that I watched at the right time, but I was engaged in this film from beginning to end. It’s fantastic.
2. 10 Cloverfield Lane
I am a Cloverfield devotee. Anything and everything Cloverfield…I’m there. Bring on God Particle.
1. Sing Street
The actors, the songs, the story, all hit home for me. I related to this film on so many levels. I truly enjoy the original music of this film on a daily basis as well. Congrats Sing Street, you’re #1.
This column will introduce you to the most popular movies that are coming out in theaters this weekend and why you should go see them. Which one will you see?
Live By Night
Reasons to see this:
Ben Affleck stars, writes, and directs this roaring 20’s crime drama about organized crime during the Prohibition Era. Also starring are Scott Eastwood, Zoe Saldana, Elle Fanning, Sienna Miller, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Cooper, and more. If you don’t know, Affleck has directed Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo. He is also set to direct “The Batman” movie. Live by Night is based on the novel written by Dennis Lehane, who also wrote Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone, and Shutter Island. Live it up tonight, by checking this out.
Patriots Day
Reasons to see this:
Patriots Day is based on the horrific events that took place during the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. Starring in this dramatic thriller are Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, Michelle Monaghan, J.K. Simmons, and more. Peter Berg directs Wahlberg for the 3rd time. The other 2 films were Lone Survivor and Deepwater Horizon. Berg has also directed the infamous Law and Moreno shroomed Battleship, Hancock, and The Kingdom. Be a patriot and see this flick this weekend.
Sleepless
Reasons to see this:
Sleepless is about a cop who uses his connection to the criminal underworld to help find his kidnapped son. Starring in this crime thriller is Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney, David Harbour (Stranger Things), Gabrielle Union, and more. Baran bo Odar is the director of this film. Are you having Sleepless nights? Then get out of bed and hit the theater this weekend.
Kupka and Batch are here to bring you the first episode of the New Year while Mr. Valley is smashing it to the Patriot’s bye week. I’m starting to think he’s just looking for reasons to smash it these days… Anyways, they discuss the awesomeness they missed from 2016, what they are looking forward to in the first quarter of 2017 and may even have a special surprise at the end. Only one way to find out. NOW GO LISTEN!
This column will introduce you to the most popular movies that are coming out in theaters this weekend and why you should go see them. Which one will you see?
Hidden Figures
Reasons to see this:
Based on a true story, Hidden Figures is about a team of African-American women in 1969, who give NASA important data that helps launch the first successful space mission. Starring in this historical drama are Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, and more. Theodore Melfi is the director of this film. Melfi has directed St. Vincent as well as several shorts. Go check out Hidden Figures this weekend.
A Monster Calls
Reasons to see this:
This fantasy flick is about a young boy who befriends a giant tree monster to help him cope with his sick mother. Lending his voice as the tree is Liam Neeson. Other cast includes, Lewis MacDdougall (Pan), Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell (Fantastic Four 2015), and more. In the director’s chair is J.A. Bayona. Bayona has directed The Orphanage, The Impossible, and will be directing the Jurassic World sequel. So, if there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call this weekend? A Monster.
Underworld: Blood Wars
Reasons to see this:
Underworld 5. Wow. I did not know that there were this many. Anyway, the 5th installment is about Selene (played by Kate Beckinsale) who must end the war between Vampires and Lycans. Other cast members include, Theo James (Divergent), Tobias Menzies (Casino Royale), Lara Pulver (Edge of Tomorrow), Charles Dance (Imitation Game), and more. Directing this action flick is Anna Foerster who has only directed TV so far, however, she is signed on to direct Source Code 2, but no distributor or actor has signed on yet. If you love this franchise, then go check this out this weekend
Well guys and gals, here it is. Something I started doing a few years ago is back by absolutely NO demand. Everyone does top 10 lists, so instead I just rank everything I saw. Is it efficient? Yep. Is it easy? Not really. But everything I do, I do it for you (Binge), so here’s what I’ve got so far. Also, keep in mind several films pull that BS around this time of year where they are not available in my neck of the woods yet qualify for awards. So, if there’s something not on this list that is looking like a big flick dropping soon, I just haven’t seen it yet. Deal with it. On to the list.
Suicide Squad – 2/10
It has been a long time since I saw such a complete and utter disappointment as Suicide Squad. Fundamentally flawed, reeking of studio interference and featuring the worst on-screen depiction of Joker we have yet seen, this movie is a tragic misstep in the DC Movie Universe’s ultimate plan going forward. The only thing about the movie that works moderately well is Harley Quinn’s performance by Margot Robbie, but even that is marred by awful writing. Also, any time Batman allows a child to stand in the way of a bullet means that you don’t understand that character, or his fundamental values, on any level.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice – 3/10
Incredibly the two DC entries sit next to each other in my rankings. You can pretty much just copy/paste my thoughts on Suicide Squad and apply them here. The saving grace of this film is Affleck’s portrayal of Batman. It is not perfect, but it is unique and, I think, shows promise for a more well-rounded, better directed film. Zack Snyder and the producers are holding this series back in a big way.
Ghostbusters – 4/10
There is only one question to answer when considering this movie: is it funny? The answer is no. It’s not funny. This is a comedy that isn’t funny. In fact, the one time I laughed throughout the runtime was before any of the Ghostbusters even appeared on screen. This is a film full of funny ladies, made by a funny director that, simply put, isn’t funny.
Batman: The Killing Joke 4/10
For a Batman fan this year was a real test. This was the third in a series of disappointing Batman films that DC gave us this year. I guess this will be the norm from here on out. A poorly conceived introduction fleshing out Batgirl and Batman with a really misguided romance, the entire first third of this film has been wiped from my copy of it. The animation does not serve the original work at all and, despite having Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy, the direction does nothing for the material. Another missed opportunity.
Blair Witch – 4/10
Oh boy did the hype train derail quickly for this one! I’ve been on record on the site saying that The Blair Witch Project is a favorite of mine. It endures as a horror film and as an independent feature. This film does neither of those things. It has no redeeming qualities, aims for jump scares and makes no real sense. The best plot point of the film, dealing with a misconception of time, is almost completely ignored. What a shame.
X-Men Apocalypse – 5/10
X-Men will always have a soft spot in my heart. I was 9 when the first film was released and X2 still stands up as one of my favorite action movies out there. All that being said, the franchise is dull and needs some new blood. Apocalypse should have been awesome. I mean, Oscar Isaac, my OG boy goin way back, should have knocked this out of the park, but ultimately the flick just doesn’t really have anything interesting to offer. Many of the action beats are riffs on previous scenes from Days of Future Past and the muddled timelines of the series are more of a hinderance now than they ever were before. Also, if you’re going to do Weapon X, please give him the correct costume. We’re at a point where we are going to see Spider Man with web wings. Just give us what we want.
Blood Father – 5/10
Blood Father is Mel Gibson’s Taken. It’s fine, but it’s nowhere near as good as his heyday of Mad Max or Lethal Weapon. Hell, even Hacksaw Ridge, his directorial effort, is miles above this. That being said, if you want a “Dad Movie”, this is perfect. I can’t really recommend this to anyone with confidence.
Mascots – 5/10
Mascots is exactly the movie you’d expect the director of Best in Show to make. That’s the biggest problem with it. Almost joke for joke, Mascots is a rehash of Best in Show. This might sound great on paper, but there’s a lack of silliness in this movie, basically just going for the awkwardness over the laughs, that makes it seem like its trying too hard. There’s also a horribly wasted cameo that I won’t spoil here, but when the credits roll you wonder whether it made any sense shoehorning that character into this film. Really disappointing, but I hope it does well on Netflix so Guest gets to make more films, because even when they’re not great the world is a better place when Christopher Guest is making movies.
Keanu – 6/10
I love my cats. No shame. Sawyer and Sadie, they’re great, and as a cat owner Keanu was a must see. It’s not horrible, but it is very familiar. There’s nothing in this movie you haven’t seen before, save for maybe the hot cat-action scenes. As a Binge listener, I do have a soft spot for George Michael, so all the references to him and his work were fantastic. You could do a lot worse than Keanu when it comes to comedies, but you can absolutely do a lot better, too.
Yoga Hosers – 6/10
This is probably the most hated movie of the year, but I’m just not there on this one. Yeah, I’m a Kevin Smith fan. Yeah, I like Hollywood Babble-On. That probably factors into this. This flick is something that I felt like I had to tolerate once, and I’ll never watch it again, but I find it far from the worst movie ever made. So Smith decided to make a home movie with Johnny Depp and his kid, big deal. I get the hate but I think it’s a bit much in this case. That being said, I can’t recommend anyone to watch this movie. Take that as you will.
Hail, Caesar! – 7/10
I am now and always will be all-in on a Coen Brothers movie. This one pairs really nicely with Barton Fink as both films deal with the early days of Hollywood and concern some existential questions about faith and control. This isn’t the movie that it was advertised as, and I’m sure that annoyed a lot of people, but from the moment Michael Gambon’s narration begins I was hooked. Is it a Lebowski-level masterpiece? Nah, but I think this movie will find its audience in time.
Zootopia – 7/10
Zootopia is a very strong Disney animated film. That’s great, and I hope they continue making these, but for me I just didn’t really care that much. The voice acting is great, the animation is fantastic and the characters are well written. The movie has a great message for kids to hear and the jokes, for the most part land. And yeah, the sloth is kinda funny, but if you saw the trailer then you already got that one for free. This just isn’t a favorite of mine. Sue me, dickhead.
Green Room – 7/10
Green Room was good, but I wanted it to be great. A fantastic premise, good music, solid casting and some really economic filmmaking made this a really interesting story, but I didn’t feel that the movie was viscious enough. At no point did Patrick Stewart, playing the heel here, feel intimidating or scary. This movie is supposed to be a punk-fueled nightmare, but it ultimately felt half-baked. I still look forward to whatever this director has coming next, but I hope he takes more chances in his next outing.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping – 7/10
Speaking of Christopher Guest movies, it looks like The Lonely Island did Guest-level parody better than Guest himself. Popstar is the cinematic equivelant of throwing everything against the wall and hoping something sticks. You’ve got every kind of joke in here and a TON of cameos to speak of. Add in to that a bunch of catchy parody songs and you’ve got a pretty solid comedy.
Sausage Party – 7/10
For whatever reason people went into this movie expecting something more than dick and fart jokes. I understanding wanting more from your comedy, but I’m gonna go ahead and suggest that y’all check yourself before you wreck yourself with that one. I was giggling thoroughly throughout the runtime, especially during that glorious finale scene. If you want to see a Pixar movie gone wrong, then this is for you. Just don’t expect anything more. Literally. nothing more. Just that.
Don’t Breathe – 7/10
I love films with a good moral conundrum, and man does Don’t Breathe give you a good one. In the face of someone truly reprehensible, are you justified in vilifying that person despite your own muddy values? It’s an interesting idea that gets explored fairly well, although the conclusion of the story leaves a lot to be desired. Stephen Lang is a true movie monster in this and the film had its share of well-earned and effective jump scares. I would have liked a little more from this but at the end of the day I think Fede Alvarez has proven that he has a bonafide classic film in him just waiting to be made.
Man Down – 7/10
Shia LeBeouf needs to be in more movies. There, I said it. From a guy who I only knew as the male lead in X,Y and Z tween action flicks I did not expect something like this. The story of the effects of PTSD on a soldier and his family, Man Down does a lot right, so don’t let the Tomatometer sway you. During conversations with writer Adam Simon, he describes the film as a “political cartoon”, which is accurate. The film really plays in the pocket and has a third act that goes to some unexpected places, but upon reflection I think it earns the moves that it makes. Definitely worth a watch.
13th – 7/10
13th makes an interesting argument about slavery and the prison systems, although I left the film slightly unconvinced. The style of this documentary is strong, and everything from the personal anecdotes to the presentation are very well thought out and good looking, but I just left the film feeling like this was an interesting student thesis about the subject, not a fully-fledged indictment of the system and how we enforce the law. There are strong points here, but I think the parts are greater than the sum total in the end. Still, this is worth a watch if only to get the discussion going in your mind.
Tickled – 7/10
Chalk this up as one of the strangest films of the year. Tickled is the story of Competitive Endurance Tickling, a sport that a New Zealand journalist comes across one day and begins to investigate. While going down the rabbit hole of this strange and mildly disturbing sport, a series of events occurs that can only be described as “aggressively weird” starts happening. By the end of the film there is serious doubt about what you watched and the validity of it, but in terms of just having to see something for fear of not having it described correctly to you, I would recommend this flick wholeheartedly. Just expect the unexpected.
My Scientology Movie – 7/10
As a mark for Scientology and all its wackiness, I found this Louis Theroux documentary to be a bit too farcical in comparison to Going Clear or the new Leah Remini series. Theroux is an outsider, being from the UK and quite obviously not a member of the Church, yet the angle he takes to tell this story is fascinating. Rather than interview his subjects and film them telling their stories, he enlists the help of one of Scientology’s former higher-ups to stage theatrical recreations of incidents he describes using young actors in Hollywood. The result is a bit weird, but at times has shades of brilliance, especially during a scene where the actor hired to portray David Miscavidge is instructed to abuse a room full of Sea-Org members. While what is staged is obviously not true, the fact that after the intense performance we are told that Miscavidge would be even worse in person makes this mysterious “religion” even more dangerous, in my eyes.
Holy Hell – 7/10
In a simlar way to the recent forays I’ve had with Scientology documentaries, Holy Hell is very much in the same vein, telling the story of the Buddahfield cult in West Hollywood. Essentially this is your standard cult story featuring a charismatic leader that promises the world to his disciples, yet when it comes time to deliver makes excuse after excuse as to why it won’t happen. The psychological warfare played upon members of this cult is really bothersome to see, and something that happens continually as we see in incidences such as the Jonestown Massacre and the Heaven’s Gate cult. While the documentary paints an odd picture of the man at the center of the cult, including a face-to-face with an ex-member, I feel like the documentary doesn’t do enough to drive home the idea that this organization is evil.
The Witch – 8/10
Tone is really important to me in a film, and God DAMN does The Witch have an unsettling tone. Using early Puritan-English to tell the story of colonists making their own homestead in the wilderness, The Witch does just enough to get under your skin and stay there. Ever get a chill in the Winter-time that just won’t leave? That’s how The Witch felt days after I had seen it. One of my favorites on the year.
Deadpool – 8/10
Proof positive that staying true to character and years of backstory can pay off, Tim Miller’s Deadpool was maybe the biggest surprise of the year. Ryan Reynolds was, in my estimation, spot-on casting. He truly gets Deadpool and plays into his hand very well. The flick itself was standard superhero fare, but by using the 4th-wall-breaking jokes and references, it transcends and becomes much more unique. The hard R rating for the film also proves that being faithful to the material, regardless of the content, can pay off if done right. Deadpool is a blast, despite what GC may tell you.
10 Cloverfield Lane – 8/10
John Goodman is a national treasure.
The Jungle Book – 8/10
For a flick that I had no interest in this was especially impressive to me. I loved the kid who played Mowgli, this year’s GOAT voice actor Idris Elba and all the visuals. I thought the film was a great update of the original Disney film, infusing the right level of fun and adventure to keep my attention. Jon Favreau does not get enough respect as a filmmaker.
Sully – 8/10
Sully is an example of a master filmmaker just doing his thing. Sully plays with conventions right from the beginning, investing you in the story of Sully’s confrontation with TSA over the “Miracle on the Hudson”. Tom Hanks is amongst the greatest living actors, and his performance here is indicative of that. It would be difficult for two heavyweights like Hanks and Eastwood to not deliver a great film. Add in the most majestic moustache of the year from Aaron Eckheart and you’ve got something special here.
Doctor Strange – 8/10
You have to respect a film that shows you things that are, quite literally, indescribable. Doctor Strange does that. Is there standard superhero fare? For sure. Do the jokes land well? Not really. However, there are moments in this film that I cannot describe to you because I don’t know where to begin. In an example of the power of visual storytelling, there are a few moments that I will never forget but can’t begin to tell you about. Plus, there’s a fantastic finale that challenges the conventions of what most of these movies offer. I think this movie serves as an example of how far Marvel wants to stray away from their own formula, and I can see this as the beginning of a new phase of Marvel Studios.
Hacksaw Ridge – 8/10
Mel Gibson should be directing more movies. The man has a talent that is too strong to allow to sit dormant, and Hacksaw Ridge proves that his style is almost impossible to imitate. Telling a story about a guy who wouldn’t fight by juxtaposing that with some of the most gruesome and violent scenes ever put on film is a ballsy move, but it’s signature Mel Gibson and I kind of love him for doing it. Garfield proves why he keeps earning strong roles and Hugo Weaving even gives one of the more complex roles in recent memory, given his limited screentime.
Swiss Army Man – 8/10
Probably the most creative film of the year, Swiss Army Man is an interesting film at the very least. Utilizing farts, boners and a dead guy’s bowel movements to tell a story sounds awful, but surprisingly Swiss Army Man is an emotional and meaningful film that makes you think. And fart. Mostly fart.
Deepwater Horizon – 8/10
In a way, Deepwater Horizon acts as a nice compliment to a film like Sully in that both stories are about disasters and the way people deal with them. In Sully’s case, we see the actions of someone who did something incredible and saved the lives of everyone on board his plane. With Horizon, there is a much more grim picture, whose tragedy is clearly fueled by the evils of capitalism and big business. The dramatization of the largest oil spill in US history isn’t without its contrivances, especially during the first third which features scenes of Mark Wahlberg’s daughter explaining his job through the use of a straw with some soda, but much like Rogue One the third act of the flick, providing you are still along for the ride at that point, goes a long way to forgiving some of those writing gaffes. Also, Kurt Russell is the man, and he continues to be the man in this flick. No reason not to like this one.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – 8/10
To say there were lofty expectations for this flick is a severe understatement. Some of us (and we know who those people are) had it out for this film from day one, never really willing to give it a fair shake for arbitrary reasons. Others have taken a more positive look at these films, hoping that out of sheer volume that eventually we would get some good-maybe-great Star Wars films. Last year, The Force Awakens was a great primer to get the franchise back in the spotlight, but for my money I think I enjoyed Rogue One more. Yes, there are flaws in the film and the marketing is mildly manipulative due to the massive reshoots, but I’ll be damned if the filmmakers didn’t push all the right buttons by the end of the film. There are some writing conventions that hurt aspects of the film, and admittedly I walked out of the movie not knowing the names of more than half the cast, but I found most of the “member berries” in the film to be justified in their inclusion (save one specific cameo with a pair of very recognizable characters). Couple that with the fact that this film completely and utterly reclaims Darth Vader as one of the great cinematic villains of all time and you have yourself a fun, unique film full of great callbacks and moments of absolute glee.
Team Foxcatcher – 8/10
Since the film Foxcatcher a few years back I’ve been intrigued by this story. For those unaware, Team Foxcatcher was the name given to a group of Olympic athletes, with a focus on Olympic wrestling, headed by millionaire John DuPont. DuPont was a weird guy, to say the least, and the story of his interaction with Mark and Dave Schultz, two of the premiere wrestlers in the world, is one of those stranger-than-fiction stories. This is the third piece of filmmaking I’ve seen based on the story, with this documentary focusing intently on DuPont and Dave Schultz moreso than anything else (you may remember these two were played by Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo in the film, respectively). True crime stories are fascinating, but this one has a twinge of oddity to it that makes it all the more disturbing to read and see about all these years later.
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders – 8/10
If you had laid out The Killing Joke and Return of the Caped Crusaders for me and asked which one I’d bet on being better, I would have went for Killing Joke 10/10 times. Joke was, actually, a bit of a joke, but Return was a blast to watch. Combining all the cheesy, goody-two-shoes elements of the original series, allowing Adam West and Burt Ward, alongside original Catwoman Julie Newmar, to voice the roles that made them famous was a lot of fun. There is a bit of fan service here too, from referencing the three different actresses who played Catwoman on the series to adding in some choice lines from both the Tim Burton and Frank Miller iterations of Batman, but nothing that detracts from the finished product. I wouldn’t recommend this if you hate the Adam West era Batman series, as this is quite literally an extended episode, but for those of you who enjoy the self proclaimed “Bright Knight”, this is a home run.
Captain America: Civil War – 9/10
When superhero movies are good, they’re amongst my favorite experiences in the theater. I LOVED Civil War. Loved it. I saw it three times in the theater and have watched it four or five times at home since. Black Panther is great. Spider Man is great. Giant Man is a moment of pure movie magic. I loved this film and its willingness to end the film with the bad guy winning. I know superhero fatigue is a real thing for some of us, but not for me. I can’t wait to see the next time all these guys are on screen together again.
The Nice Guys – 9/10
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a sorely underrated flick. Val Kilmer as a gay private investigator should be enough to get you in if you haven’t seen it, but it was the re-birth of Robert Downey Jr in the years just before Iron Man that make the flick really fantastic. Oh, and by the way, Shane Black ended up working with Downey again on Iron Man 3, so clearly these two guys have chemistry. Black takes his signature style, changes the setting to the 70’s, swaps Kilmer and Downey for Gosling and Crowe and voila, another bonafide comedy classic. Gosling is fantastic as a complete dope, Crowe kills it as a past-his-prime PI and the writing is razor sharp. This flick deserves more love.
The Conjuring 2 – 9/10
A good ghost story is somewhat hard to come by these days, but thankfully James Wan still knows what makes them great. The Conjuring 2 is fantastic for a lot of reasons, but chief amongst them is the relationship between Ed and Lorraine Warren. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are a perfect movie couple, and if you were to just have a story with those two characters and no supernatural elements I’m convinced it would be great. Conjuring 2 does all the great things that the original did and then takes them a bit further. Maybe some of the subtlety of the first film is gone, but I loved the direction this sequel took their story in.
Star Trek Beyond – 9/10
I have been a Trek fan since I can remember, same as Star Wars. My uncle showed me Star Wars, and my mom showed me Star Trek. Trek was always something that I cherished, despite some of the cheesiness. I always liked the intrinsic nature of the best of Trek, where the conflict came out of the crew’s own choices (The Wrath of Khan) or a fundamental foil of who they are (First Contact). Star Trek Beyond rights all the wrongs of Into Darkness by doing a lot of things right. Firstly, the script finds something for the entire crew to do, an element that the last two films sort of ignored. The enemy in the film, without spoiling anything, is a more closely tied antagonist than you would expect, and the nature of the film utilizing the past to preserve the future all works for me in a big way. Are there some member berries at work here? Sure there are, but in this case I don’t see a problem with that.
Sing Street – 9/10
I was lucky to not get one but two amazing films revolving around a love of music. Sing Street, Jon Carney’s follow-up to Begin Again proves once again the man understands the emotion behind music better than most filmmakers. The simple story, about boy meets girl and starts band to impress girl in 1980’s Dublin, is what it is, but the secondary plotlines about divorce, sibling understanding and high school life are what make the film what it is. Hilarious, heartwarming and reflective, Sing Street is a must-see flick.
Kubo and the Two Strings – 9/10
The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Corpse Bride are films that I really love because of how weird and wacky they are. Both feature the mind of Tim Burton at work, and both utilize the fantastic stop-motion animation work that make those films so iconic, particularly in the case of Nightmare. Kubo and the Two Strings comes from the guys who made Paranorman, Coraline and The Boxtrolls, and for my money this is far and away their best work. I loved, LOVED, the story here about a young boy’s quest to defeat his evil grandfather. The voice acting was good, the special effects are astounding and the music is wonderful. I do not know how Laika can ever top this for me.
Arrival – 9/10
Children of Men marks the last time a sci-fi movie left me completely dumbfounded by its conclusion. Not out of misunderstanding, but out of sheer appreciation for what I had just seen. Arrival took a good twenty-four hours before it cemented itself as a phenomenal film for me. Amy Adams, while typically a strong performer, is fantastic here. Playing a linguist recruited to help communicate with visitors from the beyond, Arrival represents the best elements of true sci-fi stories. There is no big action scene, no war with the aliens and no misguided love-interest subplot forced in. There is, however, an interesting and fairly unique story about communication that, at its core, deals with so many other facets of life. Arrival is the kind of movie that will confuse many, aggrivate others but entertain and excite a special few. Count me amongst the latter.
La La Land – 10/10
As I get older it takes a movie more and more to earn a perfect 10 score. This is a comfortable 9 for me, but one of the year’s best.. Damien Chazelle is clearly one of the next big auteurs, with his focus and love of music being the square fascination of his creative career thus far. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are the best either of them ever has been. The music is emotional, meaningful and entertaining throughout. The cinematography is maybe the best I’ve seen since Mad Max Fury Road. Everything about this film is fantastic, and even the old-timey Hollywood member berries do their job. This is the kind of movie that will be a critical darling come awards season but despite all the praise you’ll see thrown its way it deserves all of it. If you can’t deal with musicals, then you’re doing yourself a big disservice not seeing this film as it has more narrative integrity than most of the straight dramas I’ve seen this year.
You didn’t think you were getting off without me, did you? Wait, what? Okay, let me try that again. Welcome to another edition of Highlights of 2016: The Luke Norris Edition. That doesn’t go against my third-person count, does it?
In any event, I figured that since I used to write the weekend column at this here site, I’d wait until today to get my list of things for 2016 out there. I’ll get to some movies and TV here in a bit, but seeing as I’m the sports guy I’ll go ahead and start there. It just so happens that my favorite thing of 2016 came from the sports world anyway and I don’t think anybody will be surprised by it.
The Cubs Win The World Series
Moreno said it earlier in the week and he was absolutely right. Just saying that the Chicago Cubs won the World Series is still a very strange thing to say and probably will be for a while but that doesn’t mean that I won’t keep doing it. For those that know me, you know how much the Cubs mean to me and to say that watching them win that epic Game 7 was a very special moment for me. I’m trying to keep these short today so I won’t go into as much detail as I did in my “What The Cubs Winning The World Series Means To Me” piece I wrote over at The Luke Norris Experience (shameless plug and I don’t feel bad about it) but it was something that I will never forget and was easily one of the biggest and best stories of the year in any form of entertainment.
The End Of An Era In The NBA
There’s a lot of people out there that simply don’t like the NBA anymore, or just don’t like the NBA at all, but it’s always been something that I’ve followed closely and 2016 marked the true end of an era as three of the all-time greats in Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett all retired, making this current season the first since Bill Clinton’s first term not to have at least one of these three in the league. While Kobe Bryant embarked on a farewell tour, including his 60-point closing game, Tim Duncan stayed true to form and just quietly walked away. I think KG really wanted to play another season but after 21 years of intensity, his body just couldn’t take anymore and he joined his fellow future Hall of Famers as spectators. In the end, these three played a combined 40 seasons, scored 86,210 points, won four MVP awards (how that total isn’t higher is beyond me), played in 48 All-Star Games and won 11 titles. Incredible.
The Dallas Cowboys
Outside of the Los Angeles Lakers, my sports teams have had a pretty good 2016. The Cubs did what they did. Michigan football, while losing their last two games, put themselves in title contention and look to be headed back towards what they used to be and the Dallas Cowboys have surpassed every expectation coming into this NFL season and no matter what happens tomorrow against the Eagles will go into the playoffs with the best record in the NFC. And while I knew that Ezekiel Elliott would do well, especially behind that amazing offensive line, Dak Prescott has shocked everyone with his poise and control as the field leader of this offense. When Tony Romo went down in the preseason, I don’t think anybody could have expected what’s happened since. Obviously, I’ll have to wait until 2017 to see how all of this plays out but the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl could be an early contender for one of my favorite moments of the new year.
The Passing Of Icons
We all know that 2016 has seen a lot of celebrity deaths and the sports world wasn’t immune as a few of the biggest icons in sports history were lost this year. One of the best hockey players in history, Gordie Howe, died on June 10 and it really didn’t get the coverage that it deserved, but that was mainly due to the fact that Muhammad Ali passed only seven days before. And trust me, I could sit here and write for hours on Ali’s legacy but there’s plenty of documentaries and films out there if you’re not as familiar as you’d like to be about him. And yes, they’re all worth watching. And I know I don’t have a big audience for it here, but the death of Arnold Palmer in late September was a big deal to those of us that follow golf and a true loss for the sports world.
Okay, I’ll stop with the sports stuff for a minute and get to some TV. I’ve mentioned before on a few podcasts that I’m a very impatient person when it comes to television and I miss out on a lot of conversations because of it. It’s why I don’t watch a lot of new TV, even with all of the amazing shows that are out there right now. I’ll often wait until a series is completely over until I even start an episode because I don’t like waiting nine or ten months before it returns. But I did make a few exceptions this year, and will likely make a few more in the upcoming year, and I’ll start with another obvious entry.
Better Call Saul
It’s no secret that I’m a big Breaking Bad guy and I could write and talk for hours upon hours about that show. And yes, I’ll go ahead and take the blame for falling behind on those podcasts that we were doing. We had some scheduling conflicts and I had some computer issues and we just got away from it. Sorry. But I love everything about that universe and although I was scared in the beginning that Better Call Saul wouldn’t be able to live up to the hype, I’m okay with being wrong on this one. While the first season was very solid, the second was exceptional and I can’t even imagine what the third has in store for us. Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks have both been brilliant and the supporting players are carrying their own weight and then some. There isn’t a scene that I don’t look forward to and while we may question them in real time, every one ends up having a purpose in the overall story. And then you add Gus Fring to the mix coming up. Damn.
The Path
And since we’re on Breaking Bad a little bit, I have to mention how much I enjoyed The Path. I’ve made no secret of the fact that Jesse Pinkman was my favorite character on the show and I hoped that Aaron Paul wouldn’t fall off the map after the show ended. After a role like that, it’s easy for an actor to only be looked at as that one character and I’m extremely happy that both Paul and Bryan Cranston have found success beyond Breaking Bad. Paul’s role as a husband and father on this show is obviously very different than what he did before and he’s doing it well. I won’t get into the plot points or anything here for those who haven’t seen it, but I highly recommend watching the first season before the second gets going here in a few weeks. Very nice surprise.
Stranger Things
Honestly, I really had no plans to watch Stranger Things right away. But after everyone and their mother started talking and posting about how much they enjoyed it, Shawshank and I sat down one night and started it, figuring we’d watch an episode to get the feel of it and go from there. Nope. I think we stayed up until about 2 or 3 in the morning watching five or six episodes that night and I’m pretty sure we finished it the next day. That kind of show normally isn’t my thing but throw in all of the 80s goodness, Winona Ryder, Matthew Modine and I’m in. Another fun surprise.
O.J.: Made in America
I don’t know if they’re classifying this as TV or a movie but I really don’t care. O.J.: Made in America was absolutely phenomenal. I watched these events unfold in the mid-90s as a teenager and I was captivated by it then. As a sports fan (and a Naked Gun fan as well), I knew who O.J. Simpson was but as his football career was before my time, I really didn’t know a ton about him except that he was one of the all-time greats. I knew he was an actor and a celebrity and that everyone seemed to like him, which is obviously what made those murders the big deal that they became. And this documentary captured all of it. From his time in college to his pro career to his acting days and his personal relationships, every single aspect of this man’s life was covered. Mix all of that with the controversial history of the LAPD and the trial coverage and you’ve got one of the best documentaries of the year. It took me back to my high school days when I couldn’t get enough of the coverage and I learned so much more. Outstanding.
Yeah, I know once I get rolling that these things get a little long but I just want to mention a few flicks and I’ll let you out of here. Now, there’s a couple of the awards season contenders that I haven’t gotten to yet and while I will mention a couple of those below, I first want to quickly talk about a couple of movies that will obviously not be a part of that conversation.
I’m always looking for fun, stupid movies. Movies that you can hit up on a Sunday afternoon when you’re hungover and don’t want to have to think about anything. And I found a couple of those year.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
I love the Lonely Island and their brilliance is on full display here. Following all of their albums and music videos and such, it was only a matter of time before they tried it out on the big screen and I’m so happy that they did. Outside of the guys themselves, this flick is full of outstanding cameos (I think Seal might be my favorite…”Fucking wolves”) and crazy awesome tracks that I’ve got no problem admitting I listened to repeatedly just so I could get all of the lyrics down. Don’t judge me.
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
I really had no idea what to expect from this one but I sat down and gave it a chance one day and I’m glad that I did. Again, there’s not much substance here but I’m okay with that. You’ve got Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick playing crazy chicks who like to drink (I’m sold right there) and a very funny dude in Adam DeVine. And then you’ve got Zac Efron. Now, I don’t know who exactly it was that decided he was going to start being in all of these comedies, but I want to shake that person’s hand. He’s the only thing that’s good about the Neighbors movies and he upped his game even more in this one. And you’ve got Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick playing crazy chicks who like to drink. Wait, did I say that already?
The Magnificent Seven
Was this remake necessary? Certainly not. But did I enjoy the hell out of it? Absolutely. I’ve always been a big Denzel fan and watching him in this role only proved that this guy can do it all. He’ll likely get an Oscar nomination for Fences, which will be well-deserved I’m sure, but he was cool as hell here. And I did mark out a little bit seeing him and Ethan Hawke back onscreen together as I’m a big fan of Training Day. Throw in Chris Pratt in the Steve McQueen role and you’ve got gold. Really fun flick. And watch Seven Samurai already, will ya?
The Birth of a Nation
Just getting this film made was a difficult task for writer/producer/director Nate Parker, but the end result was amazing, even if it became a disappointment at the box office. There were always going to be people out there that wouldn’t like it for a variety of reasons, including the controversy surrounding Parker himself, but strictly from the perspective of a moviegoer, I was captivated from start to finish. To me, it was everything that 12 Years A Slave wasn’t. And yes, I’m aware that the latter took home numerous Best Picture awards but I could never get into it. Although the source material was great, I was never connected to the characters and it always felt very flat to me. It was the complete opposite for me here. The story of the relationship between Parker’s Nat Turner and Samuel, played brilliantly by Armie Hammer, was told very well and the supporting players were excellent. I may be in the minority here but I really dug this flick.
Hell or High Water
As I mentioned earlier, there’s still a few movies from this year that I’ve yet to get around to but this is my favorite film of 2016. It’s got a very No Country for Old Men feeling to it without being No Country for Old Men. Jeff Bridges is always going to do his thing but underappreciated actors Ben Foster and Chris Pine absolutely slay it in this film. It’s unfortunate that so many people will only ever see Pine as Captain Kirk because he’s got so much more versatility than he’s given credit for. I dug him next to Denzel in the underrated Unstoppable and he showed he’s got some comedic chops as well in last year’s Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp. I’m hoping the attention this movie’s going to get during awards season wakes people up a bit. And Ben Foster was phenomenal in this flick. I remember seeing him in a couple of episodes of Boston Public when he was a youngster years and years ago and he’s been killing it ever since. This is another one I could go on and on about…the direction, the acting, the cinematography…everything was superb here.
Okay, I think I’ve held you up long enough. Happy New Year to everyone in our little slice of paradise here at Binge Media.
Everybody has been busy giving their highlights of the year (except Kupka – what the fuck was that?) and the good thing about going last is that you get to cheat off everybody else and say “I liked that shit too.” But I’ll try not to do that because a) I’m a professional, and b) I forget most of what they wrote and don’t feel like clicking my mouse a couple times to find out. Here goes – my favorite things of 2016
BOOKS
I fell away from reviewing books on the BingeCast this year partly because I’m a drunk idiot and always forget, and partly because I went on a tear this year, sometimes finishing two books a week, and couldn’t keep up with myself. Here’s a couple that come to mind as I wrap the year up. IN THE DARKNESS, THAT’S WHERE I’LL KNOW YOU: THE COMPLETE BLACK ROOM STORY by Luke Smithered in a brilliant little novel about a dude that wakes up inside a strange woman’s head. That’s all I can give without ruining the rest. CRITICAL FAILURES is a series of books by Robert Bevan in which a group of friends get thrust into their role playing game called Caverns & Creatures (not unlike Dungeons & Dragons). It’s a fun read filled with shit talking, farts, and dick jokes a plenty. The best audiobook I listened to by far this year though was ALIEN: OUT OF THE SHADOWS by Tim Lebbon. I can’t remember who recommended this to me on Facebook but I can’t thank them enough. The audio version is a full budget presentation with sound effects and entire cast. The story plays as an alternate sequel to the original ALIEN film (but officially says it takes place between ALIEN and ALIENS) and finds Ripley waking up aboard a mining ship in deep space. Said mining ship finds a shit load of Xenomorphs. It takes a lot for me to give a book credit that is basically going head-to-head with the greatest sequel ever made in my opinion so give it a shot and see what you think.
VIDEO GAMES
I’m pretty sure I played one actual video game this year. That’s okay because I absolutely dominated it with my boy, Pete MC. This year at Lawlapalooza in Chicago we met up with Chad D, Chad C, Nick, and Creepy 209. Add Moreno, Pete, myself, and lots of lovely wives and we lived through the greatest meet-up yet. At some point we stumbled into a bar/arcade and started talking shit. After a few rounds of Ninja Turtles, getting my ass handed to me on Donkey Kong, and a few shots of pure death, Pete and I settled into our spot on NBA JAM and started kicking everybody’s assholes all over the walls. That’s right, the walls were painted in assholes. I’m retired from gaming for now, a champion, a hero, a complete prick.
ANIMATED FILMS
As a whole, the animated genre is in it’s golden age. No longer is it just Pixar followed by everybody else. KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS is the biggest surprise on my list as I absolutely loved (almost) every second of it. Bundle that with the likes of ZOOTOPIA, FINDING DORY, MOANA, TROLLS, STORKS, and Pixar’s short film, BORROWED TIME, and you have one hell of a list. There were some clunkers too (THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS, ANGRY BIRDS, SAUSAGE PARTY) but those are easily outweighed by some brilliant films.
VADER
As I write this I’m gearing up for an all out podcast war with some of the other asshats from this site where we’ll argue about the importance, quality, and overall necessity of ROGUE ONE. Whatever the outcome of that conversation, there is one fact that I will not back down from – when Vader lights up his saber in the pitch black hallway after a few seconds of just his breathing is the single greatest shot in the history of STAR WARS cinema. What immediately follows is the best representation of the big bad we’re ever going to get on screen. Remember how excited we all were when we got to see Yoda kick ass in ATTACK OF THE CLONES? And how stupid it turned out to be? The Vader equivalent is anything but stupid – it’s glorious.
TV
There’s lots of good and bad in the television I watched this year, sometimes within the same series. STRANGER THINGS was good but failed to capture me the way it did countless others. THE WALKING DEAD had a great half hour of the premiere episode and then literally shit the bed every other second of screen time in what I consider to be one of the worst seasons of television I’ve ever watch throughout. SOUTH PARK started off on fire but felt like it went on a tad too long and lost some steam with me by the end. AMERICAN HORROR STORY pulled off the impossible by my standards by having me tap out mid-season and then having me tap back in before the end of the season (this is 100% Ammon’s fault and he’s an asshole). CHANNEL ZERO was the horror show I’ve been looking for, and even if it didn’t nail the landing, there were enough creepy moments to last a lifetime. VEEP was incredible from start to finish this year, leaving me wonder how they can ever top what they pulled off. I welcomed back BLACK MIRROR with open arms and was not disappointed. There’s an argument here that this show was pound-for-pound the most entertaining thing (movie or TV show) I watched this year. Some new shows caught my eye too – HORACE AND PETE was emotional, funny, and incredibly performed. ATLANTA was hilarious, all too real, and original. And DIVORCE was a triumphant comeback for Sarah Jessica Parker to HBO. The runs we were treated to by John Oliver on LAST WEEK TONIGHT and Samantha Bee on FULL FRONTAL might never be matched as they fell face first into a political shitstorm for the ages. ASH VS. EVIL DEAD was simply the greatest this year. I’ve ranted and raved enough about it on the show and in my personal life so I can hear everybody saying “We get it!” Shut up and watch. And of course, the first fully un-spoilerable season of GAME OF THRONES grabbed me by the jaw from the first episode and never let me look away. I loved it all. Book purists can sit and pout all they want, this was fantastic television.
MOVIES
I’m not going to get into my top films of the year here as we like to record a BEST OF 2016 BingeCast for that type of shit, but I will talk about some of my favorite moments. Such as the fantasy prom scene from SING STREET. This shit plays to my inner musical fan like a perfectly beat drum. I love random choreographed dance scenes in films. Don’t know why, just do. The fight between all the heroes in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR was as epic as they could make it. Sure nobody died, but we got to see Spider-Man hanging with his new friends and Ant-Man own almost every second of screen time he has. DON’T BREATHE made me gag and almost throw up at work, DEADPOOL made me laugh harder than I have in years, and HACKSAW RIDGE had one of the most unrelenting war scenes of all time and almost made me press pause to catch my breath. Twice. I got a cool-as-fuck Denzel in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, a scary as all hell John Goodman in 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE, and a hot-as-shit Blake Lively in, one of my biggest surprises of the year, THE SHALLOWS. I loved Kevin Costner in CRIMINAL, wanted to hang with Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling in THE NICE GUYS, and marveled at the subtle indifference of Amy Adams in ARRIVAL and NOCTURNAL ANIMALS. I can’t tell if she’s an amazing actress or not, but I like her.
I guess that’s it. Prepare yourself for lots of shit talking in the new year on the BingeCast and, as always, have a drink or two for me whenever you have one.
Wow, I can’t believe I’m writing one of these. But, I’ll save the sappy stuff for the end. On that note, here we go…..
Sing Street
Sing Street is probably my favorite movie of the year. The story, the acting, and the songs are great. This movie is very relatable on many levels, especially being a musician. But if your’e not a musician, it still works as a coming-of-age/get the girl film. If you haven’t checked this one out, please do. I think you’ll like it.
10 Cloverfield Lane
Another one of my favorite movies of the year is 10 Cloverfield Lane. No one saw this one coming. This movie was under the radar, or should I say, had no radar. Soon after JJ released The Force Awakens, the trailer started popping up and it’s one of my favorite trailers of the year as well. 10 Clov. is not a direct sequel to Cloverfield, however it lives in the same universe. This movie is gripping and fun as hell. Goodman puts on a stellar performance as well as Winstead. I love everything and anything Cloverfield. Bring on the next one. God Particle, I think.
Sebastian Maniscalco
I am very picky when it comes to stand-up comedians, however Sebastian Maniscalco hits home for me. I think he and I had the same parents, the same upbringings, and the same view on human interactions. His stories and jokes are about his Italian upbringing as well as the absurdity of everyone around him. His specials are called, “Aren’t You Embarrassed?” and “What’s Wrong with People?”. I mean seriously, what is wrong with people? Check him out.
Hottie Fantasy League
* 2016 Winner – Where’s my plaque? *
Making a Sass Quatch
Wow, did this blow out of proportion. What started as a simple Facebook account created by Moreno, myself, and our wives, it then turned into a love/hate fest and a podcast. I had so much fun being a part of this. My apologies to Jack Falvey and everyone else who hated or pretended to hate Sass. It was all in good fun….I think. Here is the link to the shows – Sass
Sounder Wars
Boy was this fun. Reade, Art, Nate, Logan, J Fernandes, Denny Luis, Tom, Moreno, and myself partook in what was called Sounder Wars on Twitter. These videos consisted of us driving around, putting up drywall, sitting shirtless on the couch, or hiding behind the desk at work singing our favorite Binge sounder or making a new one up on the spot. Seeing my Twitter notifications light up was a treat every time. Maybe there will be a new War in 2017. See you all there. #bingesounders
Binge Meet-Ups
What a year of meeting Bingers. In May, I met up with Jack Falvey and J Fernandes. In June, Art from Cali. In July, Logan. Also in July was my second Lawlapalooza. I met Nick Fortuna, Chad Diiii, Chad Ciiiii, and Robert Anthony Richard. Everyone of these guys is nicer than the next. Besides meeting face to face, I became friends with several listeners on the (insert Ammon’s drop) internet…….. I can’t wait for 2017’s Lawlapalooza, as well as meeting some more listeners along the way.
Binge Media
I started listening to Law and Moreno sometime during 2010 on their old show. This was the first podcast I had ever listened to. I was a daily visitor of the site and discovered the podcast. I instantly became a fan of these guys right away. The way they passionately discussed movies, their quick humor, drunken reviews, sounders, and their love of Cloverfield. These are guys I want to hang out with. I made several sounders for their shows once I heard them play a Jay Fernandes sounder. When they played my sounder, it was the greatest thing ever. Like I said, these are guys I want to hang out with. So fast forward several years later, and I did get to hang with these guys and now I’m writing for them at Binge Media as well as being a guest on Binge casts. This is honestly a dream come true. I can’t thank these guys enough for letting me be a part of their site. They are friends and brothers for life.
Special thanks to Law, Moreno, Ammon, Kupka, Batch, Jack, Luke, and all the binge listeners and contributors.
About a week ago we were asked if we could resurrect our blogs for a year in review to which I immediately said yes. I mean why not, how hard could it be?
Then I sat to write it.
I’ve been sitting here for almost an hour now. We stopped recording the year end GameCast and I sat to write. This is what I have after an hour. I’ve deleted about 4 or 5 starts to it already. This might be the sixth.
Nope. Can’t now. Now I have to finish.
But I want to play “_______”. What about finally watching “____________”. No you need to finally listen to “___________”!
Not until you figure out a way to say the same ol’ bullshit about how there were good times, there were bad times, and somehow we got to the end. Again.
Just like that.
Interesting.
I’ve resorted to writing the inner dialogue in my head in hopes some sort of coherent article comes of it.
I think I’ve officially lost it.
I guess I really don’t know what to say about this year. It’s been a long strange trip for sure. I’m just happy I got to spend it with some of the best CSers this side of the internet. Seriously though, for as fucked up as this year has been it’s nice to know that there is a place out there where a bunch of (mostly) like minded people can get together and bust each others balls on the regular. It’s a rarity these days and I’m glad to know it still exists. I wish you all a very Happy New Year and here is to more Binge Shenanigans in 2017!
Except 4 on 10. Bar Pics or GTFO.*
*Trademark Jack Valley
This nonsense took me an hour and forty-five minutes. This is why my brother is the writer.