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[Cockney Rebel]

Have at it...

[Dan]

Movies seen in 2017 (new movies in bold):
1. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
2. Assassin's Creed
3. Die Another Day

M&D: I was hungover, so this was appropriate. Mostly stupid humor, but definitely some funny parts. Not going to recommend to anyone, though.

Assassin's Creed: everything one would expect. So...I liked it. The music was good. I'm surprised they were able to get three name actors for such a doomed movie, though.

Die Another Day: Amazing at how terrible that film is. So many cheesy one-liners. Rosamund Pike was SO YOUNG and she might as well have been an early version of Gone Girl. (Hah!)

[Butter]

1. The Lobster - 6

I was on board with the concept and everything... and I enjoyed most of it... but I just feel like the complete deadpan aspect of all the acting and situations just didn't match the story.  Also, the ending sucked... I'm for a nice open-ender if that's what you like, but not this.  Plus, if you are going to have a movie like this without at least a peek into the transformation, that's odd.  The film was also either TOO subtle or not subtle enough with its allegory, as I thought it had some very obvious things to say about relationships that didn't really speak to me. Finally, EVERYONE does their line readings as flat as possible, and I don't get why.  I guess that's the style he's going for, but by the end I was just ready for it to be over.  I guess this reads like I didn't like it at all, but most of it was actually pretty funny and surreal.

Moved this from 2016, as I realized I actually watched it in the car over Sunday and Monday... time runs together when you're in a car for 5 days.

[c-lando]

1. HAIL, CAESAR - 01/01/17 - cable - I really liked this one, especially since I still had LA LA LAND in my head. I like when Hollywood turns the lens on itself, especially if it's pointed directly at its golden age.
2. MIDNIGHT SPECIAL - 01/01/17 - cable - It is really hard to take your eye off of Michael Shannon when he is on screen. Homedude is magnetic.
3. LOVE THE COOPERS - 01/03/17 - cable - This was just nonsense. But, I liked a couple of things about it, but not enough to recommend it. It definitely won't become a must-watch Christmas movie.

[c-lando]

1. HAIL, CAESAR - 01/01/17 - cable - I really liked this one, especially since I still had LA LA LAND in my head. I like when Hollywood turns the lens on itself, especially if it's pointed directly at its golden age.
2. MIDNIGHT SPECIAL - 01/01/17 - cable - It is really hard to take your eye off of Michael Shannon when he is on screen. Homedude is magnetic.
3. LOVE THE COOPERS - 01/03/17 - cable - This was just nonsense. But, I liked a couple of things about it, but not enough to recommend it. It definitely won't become a must-watch Christmas movie.

Forgot one...

4. EDDIE THE EAGLE - 01/02/17 - cable - I always love a good OLYMPIC DREAM movie. I even love the bad ones. (I'm looking at you, Mitch Gaylord.)

[trixi]

1. HAIL, CAESAR - 01/01/17 - cable - I really liked this one, especially since I still had LA LA LAND in my head. I like when Hollywood turns the lens on itself, especially if it's pointed directly at its golden age.
2. MIDNIGHT SPECIAL - 01/01/17 - cable - It is really hard to take your eye off of Michael Shannon when he is on screen. Homedude is magnetic.
3. LOVE THE COOPERS - 01/03/17 - cable - This was just nonsense. But, I liked a couple of things about it, but not enough to recommend it. It definitely won't become a must-watch Christmas movie.

Forgot one...

4. EDDIE THE EAGLE - 01/02/17 - cable - I always love a good OLYMPIC DREAM movie. I even love the bad ones. (I'm looking at you, Mitch Gaylord.)

Mmmm...love me some Mitch in American Anthem. 

[Dan]

Movies seen in 2017 (new movies in bold):
1. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
2. Assassin's Creed
3. Die Another Day
4. X-Men: Apocalypse

I'm torn on my thoughts about X-Men: Apocalypse.

Pros: It was a well done big budget summer blockbuster. It flowed like a big action superhero movie. It was understandable. It had lots of star actors. It looked beautiful. It had some fun moments.

Cons: It was predictable. It was repetitive. It was meh.

Basically, every superhero movie feels the same now. The X-Men are still dealing with the same issues they always have. They are still bickering amongst themselves. They still feel ultimately invincible if you combine them all. They are great...but uninspiring. Maybe I'm old now and maybe there's been too many movies like this one at this point and maybe that's the reason I'm not all "it was awesome!". Whatever the reason, I'm glad I didn't pay to see this in the theater and while I probably will continue to see superhero movies, I hope that I continue to see them at home instead of paying the exorbitant theater prices.

[Kwyjibo]

Basically, every superhero movie feels the same now. The X-Men are still dealing with the same issues they always have. They are still bickering amongst themselves. They still feel ultimately invincible if you combine them all. They are great...but uninspiring.

You realize that this describes the decades of comics that the movies are based on as well, right?

[Dan]

I didn't when I wrote that, but now that you point it out yes I do.

Perhaps this is why I didn't read comics? I dunno.

[euro60]

Lots of movie-watching to start the year (movies seen in the theater in bold)

1. North By Northwest (1959 - TCM)
2. Office Rules (1999 - Comedy Channel)
3. Vertigo (1958 - TCM)
4. Lion (AMC Merchant Crossing, Ft Myers, FL)
5. Inside Daisy Clover (1965 - TCM)
6. Fences (AMC Merchant Crossing, FT. Myers, FL)
7. East of Eden (1955 - TCM)
8. By Sydney Lumet (PBS)
9. Heaven Can Wait (1978 - TCM)
10. Annie Hall (1977 - TCM)
11. Why Him? (AMC Merchant Crossing, FT. Myers, FL)
12. The Breakup (Comedy Channel)
13. Hidden Figures (AMC Merchant Crossing, Ft. Myers, FL)

Fences has been getting a lot of critical acclaim, and while there are some good parts in it, at 2 hrs. 20 min. the movie is WAY too long for its own good, and could've/should've been trimmed down by AT LEAST a good 20 min.

The first hour of Lion (where the 5 yr. old boy is lost in Calcutta and needs to survive on his own) is fantastic, then it fizzles out (even with Rooney Mara and Nicole Kidman appearing in the 2nd half).

A big surprise for me turned out to be Why Him?, a raunchy comedy that had me up in stitches a number of times, which I totally did not expect. The packed theater seemed to feel likewise. Bryan Cranston as the 'straight' dad is cast perfectly. Zoey Deutch (who looks EXACTLY like her mom/actress Lea Thompson 30 years ago) is gonna make it big, that is also clear.

Best of all the new theatrical releases is Hidden Figures, which can be summarized as "where The Right Stuff meets social segregation". The theater was packed to the rafters and this movie got a huge response from the audience. Check it out!

Saw a bunch of old movies, mostly on the commercial-free TCM. It had been so long since I last saw Vertigo that I had forgotten the plot twister halfway through. Great Hitchcock flick. Amazingly, I had NEVER seen the James Dean flick East of Eden. I hadn't seen the Warren Beatty movie Heaven can Wait since it came out almost 40 years ago. This movie did not age well, and frankly I am amazed that it garnered any Oscar nominations, let alone Best Picture/Director/Actor/Screenplay.

By Sydney Lumet is a nice new documentary with mostly Lumet just talking about his movies, and of course tons of clips. Check it out in reruns on PBS.

[Butter]

1. The Lobster - 6

2. Manchester by the Sea - 9

Most have heard all the wonderful things about this.  I'll second them.  Casey Affleck pretty much nails it, the film wouldn't work without his top drawer performance.  Michelle Williams matches him but only appears in essentially two scenes... though the last is what I will take from the movie.  Great.

3. St. Vincent - 7

Cast really makes this movie, as I really feel like any one of us could've written this script... in our sleep.

4. American Ultra - 6

Not much to say about this one.  It was entertaining enough for an in-flight watch.  Though the juxtaposition of some of the brutality and the jocularity was off-putting.

[c-lando]

1. HAIL, CAESAR - 01/01/17 - cable - I really liked this one, especially since I still had LA LA LAND in my head. I like when Hollywood turns the lens on itself, especially if it's pointed directly at its golden age.
2. MIDNIGHT SPECIAL - 01/01/17 - cable - It is really hard to take your eye off of Michael Shannon when he is on screen. Homedude is magnetic.
3. LOVE THE COOPERS - 01/03/17 - cable - This was just nonsense. But, I liked a couple of things about it, but not enough to recommend it. It definitely won't become a must-watch Christmas movie.
4. EDDIE THE EAGLE - 01/02/17 - cable - I always love a good OLYMPIC DREAM movie. I even love the bad ones. (I'm looking at you, Mitch Gaylord.)

5. MISS SHARON JONES! - 01/07/17 - Netflix - Bittersweet to watch this now, but it was good to spend some time with Miss Jones.
6. BRIGHT LIGHTS: STARRING CARRIE FISHER AND DEBBIE REYNOLDS - 01/08/17 - HBO - Also bittersweet but lovely.
7. TRUTH AND LIES: THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS - 01/08/17 - NBC - Apparently I was on a documentary/real life kick last weekend. I had forgotten a lot of things about this case. I don't think I ever knew about Lyle wearing a hairpiece.

[Cockney Rebel]

New to me films in BOLD

1 ● Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Poor choice for first film of the year. Had its moments for sure, but didn't gel liked I hoped it would
2 ● Mechanic: Resurrection
Jason Statham movies rarely let me down. The sheer preposterous nature of some of the stunts in this had me giggling into my tea.
3 ● Sully
Tom Hanks plays Tom Hanks playing Sully. This was 'film by numbers really
4 ● The Bank Job (BD)
Tbis movie really is a guilty pleasure of mine. The BluRay for less than $4 seemed a no brainer really. There's not a bad performance from start to finish in this heist caper and the fact that it's (based on) a true story that almost undermined the British monarchy and government just makes it more likeable.
5 ● David Bowie: The Last Five Years
This BBC' excellent documentary concentrating on the five years prior to Bowie's death plays like a wake. Some remarkable never-before-seen concert, backstage and personal footage only highlights just how unique Bowie was, and how - despite all the fame - he secretly wanted to be 'normal'

And there it is.... last year by Jan 11th I was almost 20 movies to the good. This year, like I said, being FAR more particular and selective. Doubtless a blessing for fellow villians who had to scroll and scroll then scroll some more through my ludicrous lists of the last few years. There are increasingly fewer and fewer new films I want to watch these days - the Hollywood formula has become all too familiar to me - so I suspect I will be majoratively harkened back to old faves made more impressive by blu-ray. As another indicator, this time last years I had well over 20 to-be-released titles queued from the library, this year I have.... 2

[euro60]

5 ● David Bowie: The Last Five Years
This BBC' excellent documentary concentrating on the five years prior to Bowie's death plays like a wake. Some remarkable never-before-seen concert, backstage and personal footage only highlights just how unique Bowie was, and how - despite all the fame - he secretly wanted to be 'normal'

CR, where/how did you see this? Sounds like a doc I would enjoy tremendously

[Cockney Rebel]

5 ● David Bowie: The Last Five Years
This BBC' excellent documentary concentrating on the five years prior to Bowie's death plays like a wake. Some remarkable never-before-seen concert, backstage and personal footage only highlights just how unique Bowie was, and how - despite all the fame - he secretly wanted to be 'normal'

CR, where/how did you see this? Sounds like a doc I would enjoy tremendously

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