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PARNELLA PICKS! 2017 FAVORITE FILMS!

I don’t know. I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know how to feel. I’m just in complete shock and sadness as to what’s happened to my industry. Did we delete 33 thousand emails or something in an effort to cover our backsides? For goodness sake, WHAT HAPPENED?!! 

The Oscars were just oh so white and so Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs caved to the pressure. Now the Oscars are oh so colorful. So was that black actor truly deserving of the recognition or was insert people behind the awards ceremony trying to fill a quota? THIS will hover over all awards from now on. Congratulations. And if “black actor” triggers you because I should’ve said, “person of color” or whatever is the new social acceptability, you’re proving my point all the more. WHAT HAPPENED?!! 

I miss the days when cinema brought us together to escape, not to remind. To address not infiltrate with political divisiveness because “you have to agree with this or you’re a racist!” Everything now has to be some reminder of what you should think, how you should behave, what lens you should see the world through. I can no longer acknowledge 2 actress anymore as apart of my “girls” because I keep getting billy clubbed over the head with another reminder, “agree with this or you’re a bigot!” “Think this way or there’s something wrong with you” and then insert whatever cringe worthy song is hot in pop culture at the moment in the end. Sex scandal after sex scandal and what? She knew all along but is “standing up for those brave victims”? We’re not going to take this anymore but the industry will give a pass to convicted sex offenders of the likes of pedophiles and rapists? More and more women are fed up and speaking out and now, and all of a sudden if the words “due process” are mentioned, you’re a rape apologist. And the credibility and overall effectiveness of your judicial system, the one where lady justice is supposed to be blind, is still in shambles. If Lady Liberty had her hands on her face in November 2016, then she’s still in the same position because the pendulum swinging dramatically in either direction is just as terrible. People’s lives are ruined. It effects people both ways. And the cinematic expression that’s supposed to artistically document events and points of view to help one another get through these trying times are no better than the demons being vilified by the characters that run the industry. 

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

It makes it harder and harder to recognize and truly embrace what good is still being produced from the industry. To re-enforce the ideals that encourage newcomers and fans and people who still believe in the heart and the art of cinema. To inspire, to uplift, to encourage, to continue for the next who’s hopefully been inspired, and so on thereafter. And yet, 2017’s blockbuster summer was the worst in 25 years. It’s fully on display now and now overtly recognizable. Making it harder and harder for everyone, especially us movie lovers to connect and truly engage, letting the beauty of film do what it’s supposed to do without any excess fat and baggage. Every year I find myself with a slightly more daunting task of identifying the true gems of the year. Partly because as an avid experiencer of film, it takes a lot more than most to move me. But PRIMARILY because you suck Hollywood! I miss the days of old, classic and not too long ago. My Netflix rentals are almost never anything recent. Partly because I already got around to what was somewhat worthy of taking the time (kind of) and PRIMARILY because I just. don’t. care. I used to lose sleep because I had to make sure to get all my movies in to create the best most amazing list of year end favorites for my followers. Now I’m more active with life, but nonetheless, the “why” is extremely prevalent. Hollywood’s making it so hard to care anymore. 

Throughout the frustration, I paid attention to my behavior. I still found myself making sure to see what was playing. And then to make the effort to review previews and promotions, making a note of the debut and see the film around that time to check it off the list and move on the next one. I even ran into Viola Davis and her family, really nice people. I think it’s more than just a habit being a working professional. As a fan, deep down I want there to be great films for us to experience. Which is why I’m so frustrated as to how far we’ve fallen. So I know, buried beneath the anger and where others would walk away and go to Netflix and YouTube (because they're so much better right now), this is where the majority of my talents lay. This is where I can truly make a difference. I still feel, deep down, that an artsy, grainy film look, arthouse film at the neighborhood or special kind of theater that gets everything early is what's truly to beat and to live for. So it may have been a little bit harder than previous years to wade through the formulaic, repetitive construction of studios clinging hard to what they feel works and not taking any chances. But what I did find made me happy. More so than enough to say, “it was worth it”. 

Patti Cake$

So buried beneath, one could say with the state of activity, even more so now than ever, people like me are going into these films hoping that this will be the spark to light things up again. Ironically, in some way, we’re still going into everything hopeful, not ready to give up, and still believing. As if we haven’t forgotten how we felt that day as a 5 year old kid, seeing for the first time, our childhood hero, Batman, as real, live, human being, right there in front of us, right there in full on the screen ... and almost coming to tears. 

Here are my favorite films for 2017. 


HONORABLE MENTIONS

My list was pretty much set right around the beginning of the end of this season. I just had to wait for the year to officially come to an end and make sure all my dates were set for any upcoming’s and if they were worthy of taking the time. But Professor Marston and the Wonder Women was on the coattails of the last film that made the cut all the way to the very end when the clock ran out. Nicely done film that told a coherent story. I wanted more involvement and intertwining of some characters, but it still delivers in this regard nonetheless. This is closely followed by Thirst Street, a different kind of follow up to A Teacher, which made the TOP cut a while back. Same concept from the lead actress. Seeing an interesting pattern that I’m intrigued to experience again. Good Time, Patti Cakes, and Wind River round out the rest of the list. It’s good to know I didn’t almost not get to 20 this year as I have come close in previous years. So that’s another good sign that we aren’t dead, just in a funk recession. 



Take notes Baby Driver, this is how you make a heist film in 2017. No unnecessary vilifications of likable characters, no overthinking things through because you’re trying to think of everything. It just is, when others aren’t. It does help that it has the director of probably the most popular heist films to date (Oceans) leading it in the right direction. So it makes sense. I had so much fun and this helped to make the time of my birthday celebrations that much more uplifting! 



Well, there’s a first time for everything. I’m actually a fan of and behind a Sofia Coppola movie. I still think she’s overrated though with one passable film (Virgin Suicides). But now she finally has an amazing movie under her belt. Granted the marketing was very misleading. And I can see how some may be turned off by that. But when viewed in its natural light, the same shade as the original from the 70’s with Clint Eastwood, it lives up to any relevant expectation. It’s made to be a horror film. Or a slight horror film that’s actually a thriller that goes dark in one small part of the narrative. When it’s actually a drama. There’s no horror or thriller-esk aspects to it. Just compelling performances from dedicated actors under great direction. I was impressed and happy to say that my relationship with Ms. Coppola actually could be revived. 



Back from an amazing previous film, The Lobster, director Yorgos Lanthimos returns with another eerie intelligence yank starring Colin Farrell. First with the initial romantic conjoining of the human mating experience of The Lobster. And now with the loving bond of the family and the dedication of the human spirit to keep that bond together when under constraint. It kept me on my toes all throughout and though not as well put together as Lobster (that was my number 3 that year), it still puts you in that same eerie mood and feeling, the same higher quality mood and feeling. Garnering it all as something other than, “just another”.



*It debuted at Telluride, Venice, Toronto … just about all the major stops of the awards season for 2016. I even had it on my mid-term aspirations for the upcoming awards season to fill the rest of the year for 2016. But it didn’t debut in any theater I could find until the Spring of 2017, including a major stop at Sundance in January of 2017. However, I didn’t see it on the qualifying list of films for 2017 and couldn’t find the list for 2016. So I chalked it up as a film for 2017 and just left it at that. 

This is a side of me I want to tap into on a frequent basis! A kind of story I want to create, to add to my repertoire. So engaging yet so peaceful, so gentle and kind with my feelings, yet unexpectedly thorough and entire. My romantic and artistic capabilities emulated to my surface and encouraged me to continue to see the world in a softer more compassionate light. I was in a calm state of being after I experienced this. A feeling I want to be acquainted with a lot more and a lot more wholesomely for the days to come.  




A part of my distaste for that film is because this one just got completely thrown by the wayside as we’re all on the bandwagon for the movement of women. Simply refusing to acknowledge the pure, raw talent of James Howlett, our beloved Logan whom the studio powers that be unleashed his claws to their fullest potential and just let Logan … be Logan! The Wolverine!  

Hide your kids from this one. It’s not another run of the mill, bright and colorfully caped superhero film. It’s of the adult nature that Fox created with Deadpool having the baton last we checked. It's not really a superhero film at to be honest. Just an amazing take on a guy we all know about who goes through hardships in the end. And now Fox will merge with the colorfully caped superheroes of Disney (the gobble monster gobbling up all the superhero property that be in the name of "Marvel taking back what's theirs"), so that’ll be interesting if they can keep Deadpool in his raw form with his immature behavior. Wolverine will probably be toned down to blend in. Which is why Logan was so incredible as it’s the character in his true nature. Maybe we witnessed a once in a lifetime experience? Hopefully, the new Wolverine, in his future solo film (most likely eons down the line as Gambit from the X-Men has been chosen to lead the way now) won’t be watered down from his tamed nature when they team him up with The Avengers and the rest. Again, I think we witnessed a once in a lifetime experience here with Logan. It’ll be cool nonetheless to see Storm and Black Panther together though. 



The surprise hit of the year! I heard one good word of mouth review, then another and then another from people I trust. I was also glad it went straight to home video as I value that experience so much more than the theater now (you heard that correctly). I was able to focus and whole heartedly absorb everything writer/director S. Craig Zahler wanted to convey about family and how far a man can go to keep his family together. How the film reinforces the importance of both sexes and how we should cherish and admire the differences. When star Vince Vaughn is talking to his little girl in the end, I was tearing up right alongside him having gone through the journey in the passenger seat. When he was literally breaking bones and not giving a crap because his family was about to flatline, I was turning up the radio and dancing in my seat to the music as I was now an avid participant in the road trip. If we get pulled over, I’m just as liable because … I’m in this! Such an engaging story that had me throwing punches, yelling at the screen, emotionally in shock, tearing up, and overcome with bittersweet satisfaction in the end as our road trip was thorough and complete! What a movie is supposed to do with your emotions. The surprise hit of the year! I had to go back and watch Zahler’s previous work and discovered another sleeper that slipped through the cracks for 2015 (Bone Tomahawk). 



Welcome back Woody! Midnight In Paris was a long time ago! I get why people feel the way they do about your personal life and I don’t blame them. But until due process takes its toll, in this particular case, with my tolerance intake, I can separate the art from the artist. So welcome back and heck of a job! 

This was basically theater. Kate Winslet steals the show and is the heart and soul of this story. We derive the narrative in large part to her character motivations. The whims of her emotions determine how this plays out and brings the best in the other players. Such as Juno Temple whom I hope will now have the deserving, prosperous career that’s been eager to present itself to her. Maybe even garnering a spot on my beloved list of “girls”? A couple of new spots did open up. 

Jim Belushi serves as the character that plays best off of Winslet and is the backbone of this wonderfully fleshed out story with Winslet as its heart and soul. She even helps to uplift Justin Timberlake who I would argue could be replaced as those who know me know how I feel about celebrities becoming “actors”. But even he was great and I didn’t feel like I normally would (like whenever I see The Rock or Beyonce in a movie). 

Welcome back Woody. Midnight In Paris was a long time ago. If you stay around to finish out your career with dignity, hopefully we’ll get some more amazing stories like this to help us along the way. Heck of a job! 



Okay, here we go. Getting into the real nitty gritty and the upmost cinematic quality of 2017. 2 of my top 3 are foreign, which I love. Nothing says, “a film worthy of praise” than a foreign film. Kind of like why we Americans think a British accent means that a person is smarter. Nonetheless, despite its cringe worthy nature, I was intrigued by this film. 

It’s “raw” tender, of a rough attribute, and gritty findings kept me up throughout. At first it was off putting and I said I couldn’t watch this ever again. But after juggling it around on my favorites list over and over at the last minute, I realize how powerful of an affect this story had on me. Writer/Director Julia Ducournau’s French-Belgian horror deals with desire and how we deal with the urge to give in to those desires. The will to overcome what we know is unhealthy and unbecoming of oursleves when we succumb to personal gratification and enticing ill desire, tempting and alluring the pleasures of the meaty flesh, literally in this case. Wrapped up in the story of a young girl, vegetarian, studying to be veterinarian and how the urges affect her loved ones and thus tracing their origins. It’s a lot for a typical audience. But worthy to digest. 

You’ve been warned! If you partake of this meal, you will cringe, you will turn away most likely, your stomach may lock up and close itself off to intake for awhile even, but it’s just enough to keep it away from reality and still within the realm of escape. For this is indeed a literal take on a meaningful transition of the discovery human will. 



After reading my book in a themed diner on a Friday night after work in Los Angeles, I stopped over at the artsy movie theater. My ears perked when music I’ve downloaded before started to play. Characters became quirky and likable, showcasing the beauty of humanity and of the city of romance. Turning the experience into an unexpected treat for all audiences willing to witness the magic taking place right before them. Leaving one with no other option, but to feel warm, complete, centered, intelligent, and amazed at how the beauty of mankind when on full display, brings us that much closer together, feeling hopeful for the race. The beauty of cinema! 

So glad I decided to go to the movies that day! 



My birthday treat (along with Logan Lucky)! But with this one, I didn’t expect to find myself returning to the theater additional times to experience this over and over again. I remember feeling good about myself having lived another year, taken in new experiences, and hopefully grown more wisdom to live as a better person. Well, with this film’s theme of just being yourself, stop worrying about pleasing others or trying to have this perfect life that you think you need because you see other people doing what you should be doing … being yourself. Only then, when you stop trying to imitate others being themselves, and focus on bettering yourself in the truest way you know, will your life start to make sense. Only then when you see that pleasing others pleases no one, will you learn the true meaning behind, “life is to be enjoyed”. Only when you realize what you will stand for and what you will not stand for, when you know what you believe, when you study the truth, the real thing and know what it is, do you know what lies and deception are. When you know where your place is and no one holds anything over your head because of status and popularity do you finally, once and for all, know, beyond the shadow of a doubt … that you are enough. You are amazing. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Yes, this commercial, non-Oscar-esk, small, indie film that most people will discover 3 years from now on Netflix, is deserving of the number one spot for me this time. It’s definitely not better than any of my recent number ones (Neon Demon, Ex Machina, Nymph, Spring Breakers), but I like it nonetheless and know, just like myself, it is enough. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By now you should know I’m not like most people, let alone other film critics. But if you’re just getting to know me, and you didn’t see what you “expected” … 


11. T2 Trainspotting
12. A Ghost Story
15. Okja
16. The Meyerowitz Stories
17. Land of Mine
18. The Disaster Artist
19. Lady Macbeth 
20. The Florida Project 

Okay, time to address all the “outrage” and “disappointment” because, “how could you not have included … ???” Bear with me, and we’ll get through this.  

So, disappointments, let’s talk about that. 


DISAPPOINTMENTS 
(Be it I downright hated it, or it failed to deliver on its potential)

The Circle
The Ticket
The Bad Batch
The Little Hours
The Lovers
The Dinner
The Shape of Water 
Baywatch
Beauty & the Beast
Power Rangers
Personal Shopper
A Cure for Wellness
It Comes At Night
King Arthur
Baby Driver 
Colossal
Valerian
Their Finest 
Batman & Harley Quinn
Sleight
Bright
Life
Mother! 
Murder on the Orient Express


Yeah, that’s right, Spider-Man (my childhood hero) was a disappointment. Marketed as another Marvel film for everyone when it should’ve been hyped up for what it actually was … a children’s film. Still decent, but far from what I expected/what it could’ve been. 

If we’re ranking these, The Circle is the absolute worst movie of the year followed EXTREMELY close by Baywatch. 


WHATEVERS

Dunkirk
The Big Sick
Split
Cars 3
Napping Princess 
Lady Bird 

Dunkirk??!! Omg Ben, what’s wrong with you? It’s in my top 3 this year and arguably the best of the year, blah blah blah. 

My mother and I went to see Lady Bird on a mother/daughter outing and it brought us together you one-dimensional man, yada yada yada.   

YOU: I liked The Big Sick, it truly is the Best Picture nominee we need! 
ME: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! 


TWO BIG MIDDLE FINGERS UP



GET OUT

Nowhere near the ballpark, let alone inside it, but packing up our things to soon get going on the road to get to said ballpark, this is my beef with Guardians of the Galaxy. People who take average, decent, good for the moment to forget tomorrow, fun with not much substance kind of films, and make them a million times more than what they actually are. Because they “had so much fun (Guardians)” or it addresses (however lightly) an important issue in society, like race relations (Get Out). And because of this, since I laughed uncontrollably, or because the issue the film deals with is so important, and since it’s obvious the movie didn’t suck, therefore, clearly, the only option is, THE MOVIE IS SPECTACULAR!! 

*Facepalm* 

I kind of did this with 21 Jump Street (2012). However, the only argument I see here is dropping it down a couple ranks in the picks (I had it at my number 3 that year). But I don’t buy that argument as that story was coherent, fluent, the plot points perfectly ran together to tell an entertaining story with a good message, friendship and trust. My number one this year, Ingrid, falls somewhat in this realm. The overall entertainment value is worth it. And this is the argument for Guardians or Get Out. And I will continue to fight you on this. Show me a coherent story and cut through the fluff. So there are funny moments in Guardians, why do I want to stand in the circle with the rest of the team as the 6th jackass/now fully on board as a part of the team? I don’t, and I still don’t after the 2nd installment came out this year, though I liked it better than the first. So it was cool to see a cult of white people get taken out by blacks because … white privilege! Be honest, is that just your hatred of “the man” coming out and projecting onto this run of the mill horror flick? Show me a coherent story. Why were only black people being abducted? Every answer I get is some cultural, political, social message from outside that has almost nothing to do with the actual narrative of the movie. It’s a mediocre, lack luster, run of the mill, commercial horror flick that’s cool to check out for the moment, nothing more. But because it taps into the “anger we’re supposed to have because whites have it better”, it’s a spectacular, masterly crafted, piece of cinema that kindly graced us with its presence and anyone who says otherwise is clearly a racist … … annnnnd now I hate this movie. Because you’ve taken an average film, and MASSIVELY turned it into something that it isn’t (it's now poised to have an actual shot at winning the Oscar, the BIGGEST most PRESTIGIOUS award ANY movie can receive, I hate you Hollywood). Projecting all kinds of outside relations onto it and turned a friendly time talking about movies into yet ANOTHER political debate. 

Oh look, this movie was so entertaining and had me on the edge of my seat. I loved it. Oh you loved it too? Yeah I know it was incredible. This entertaining, run of the mill, horror flick. LET’S GIVE IT AN OSCAR!!! On top of that, let’s rate it a PERFECT SCORE on Rotten Tomatoes!!! On top of that, let's become shocked and appalled whenever someone doesn’t think it’s anything less than God’s gift to mankind. 

… Really? THIS film? Another mediocre horror flick that holds no weight but does a lack luster job of keeping you entertained? Did you watch The Belko Experiment? If anything, that fun and entertaining horror flick deserves WAY more recognition than this. Okay, one time it had you going. But be honest, is it SO INCREDIBLY WONDERFULLY AMAZING IT WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE ALL TIME GREATEST THAT IT DESERVES A COMPLETELY SPOTLESS RATING BECAUSE IT’S SO DEEPLY POWERFUL AND WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME BECAUSE IT’S SOOOO INCREDIBLY WONDERFULLY AMAZING!!! … ? 

Oh I’m just a racist? Ohh okay, now I get it. “Art is subjective Ben, YOU’RE the one making this more than what it actually is!” When you’re the one who attacked me for not liking the movie in the first place. I’m clearly just letting my immature temper get the best of me, because I'm the only one who doesn't like it. And what's really going on is I’m not on board with the movement and don’t care at all or enough about race relations in the country … because I’m a racist. 

Yeah, XXXX this movie, and XXXX you too. 


WONDER WOMAN

On my way to the theater, I said that I’d be criticized by the feminist movement for daring to speak any slight negativity on the film. For it’d be taken as an attack on the movement itself and not just a critique on the actual film. And that’s the problem, just like with Get Out, the message and concepts the film deals with seem to mean that elevates the actual quality of the film itself. This does not make a great story, but a story that deals with a great subject. 

But we can’t just leave it there. Anyone who says something we don’t like, that must mean it’s an attack on the movement. I stated this is what's wrong with the movement and that's what set all the angry feminists off. Just look at director James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar). He said something about the strength of Diana (Wonder Woman) and compared her to what he felt was the stronger character of Sarah Connor from Terminator. He went on and feminists everywhere took it personal. So much so that Patty Jenkins, the director of WW, “destroyed” him on Twitter and “put him in his place”. Take that you big, stupid, evil man! Any attack on WW is an attack on women in general, and we’re all pro-woman here right? RIGHT?!! 

We couldn’t leave it at, “well, that’s his opinion. I disagree with it but, he can say what he wants.” Or respectfully go into why the problem exists all around and show him where he’s going off track maybe? Nope, it’s clear he hates women and let’s make sure that sexist gets put in his place. Which he constantly stated in his message, he put Sarah Connor as his lead opposite Schwarzenegger when strong female leads were scarce (Sigourney Weaver in Alien was probably the only other major one around the time). I’m not saying I agree with him (because I don’t) or it’s us vs. them, for that’s the problem here. I must hate women because I said something negative about apart of the face of the movement. “What, you’re not for equality Ben? That must be the reason”. 


It couldn’t just be that I didn’t like Gal Gadot’s acting? She was terrible. In fact, I cringe and almost root against her now whenever I see her as WW. The try-hard is all over her. During Justice League it became apparent. Batfleck was just standing there, not trying in the slightest bit, just. being. Batman. And Gal is next to him trying to look concerned, strong, empowered, virtuous, and “doing it for the young girls” because there’s something wrong and unequal if women aren’t tit for tat with men. And then Flash on the other side annoying and whatever (but that kind of works for that character). It can’t just be that I didn’t like her acting and you worshipped it. I don’t mind being alone on anything cinematic. My tastes have outgrown that of the average moviegoer. I know everyone wonders if we saw the same film. But it can’t end there, I clearly hate women is the real problem here because I hated Gal’s acting. Go back and go over my position on Gal’s casting, when ALL OF YOU were hating her for being too skinny, “because WW is of the athletic type and not the supermodel type.” I defended her, STAUNCHLY when it seemed like hardly anyone else did. There was a meme floating around when the costume reveal at Comic Con debuted of Xena the Warrior Princess upset at the style rip off (my generation grew up with her). I stood by Gal's side and just KNEW she'd pull off the real princess, Princess Diana of Themyscira. I was one of the few avid defenders of the DCEU when everyone else judged it before they saw anything. If you follow me, you'd know that through and through. 

But nope! You’re just a sexist Ben. That’s what’s really going on here. You’re just covering up for that. It's so obvious. 

And then there was all this talk right afterwards of Gal being up for an Oscar for Best Actress, Patty Jenkins for Director and the movie garnering a spot on AFI’s top 10 of the year (their version of The Oscar). And because The Academy doesn’t want to be racist again, they got trigger happy, went on a tangent, and swept up like crazy, inducting SO MANY UNWORTHY PEOPLE!! Gal being one of them. The Rock being another, and Leslie Jones, and Riz Ahmed, AND KRISTEN STEWART, and so on and so forth. Making sure we fill that quota so we're not racist and sexist. Because we take something, in this case another run of the mill, superhero action flick, and because it addresses something we deem extremely important, and because the movie obviously didn't suck (to most people) that means, THIS IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE MOVIE IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND!! No other explanation! And if you disagree, we’ll demonize and vilify you to kingdom come. For goodness sake, it got higher scores than 2 of Nolan’s Batman trilogy (Begins & Rises), and 2 points less than Dark Knight! Be honest, in 10 years (because it’s been 10 for DK), will we be talking about WW (2017) as the unexpected measuring stick for ALL superhero films? Be it how quick or how long of a reference it is, DK always gets mentioned whenever the new superhero film debuts. Is WW going to stick around for years and years to come because it weaves in so many beautiful and eye opening themes about heroism and making the difficult choices in life to reward the tough sacrifices we’ve made to live better lives? That the prevalence of evil in the world is a force to be reckoned with and not to be taken lightly because in the end, in order to live another day, you have to surrender and take the loss, the blame, and the hatred from those who once looked up to you. Will we be quoting scenes word for word and rooting for the bad guy as he creates another bad guy in a hospital before he blows it up as we completely comprehend, understand, and almost mentally allow this newly created villain to be this newly dawned villain that we pretty much approve of his behavior because the filmmakers brilliantly interlaced his motivations, his beliefs, and his inhibitions in this exquisitely and seductively constructed story? Or are you simply just happy that “it’s about time we had a woman”? Will there be an outrage UNANIMOUSLY ACROSS THE BOARD if WW doesn’t get an Oscar nomination? Let alone the win. Causing the entirety of The Academy to completely change operations, voting procedures, and category updates, etc. Never truly bouncing back as it all feels like a poorly constructed apology for the atrocity done a decade ago from not honoring The Dark Knight? A movie that our precious Wonder Woman only scored just 2 points less than. Get over yourselves people, and stop turning mediocrity into masterpiece! Professor Marston, The animated film from 2009 telling the same story, SO MUCH BETTER! 


You liked it. Okay, I get that. But we can’t just leave it at that. That I thought it was an atrocious, glorified Lifetime flick; and you thought it was the greatest movie ever (until Captain Marvel comes out next year). We can’t just leave it at you loved it and I didn’t. Uh uh, I’m a sexist, chauvinist pig, who has mommy issues and obviously hates women so much that it’s clear I’m not for the empowerment and advancement of women because I didn’t like a key component of the face of the movement and I need to be scolded, insulted, ganged upon, and belittled in every way possible because I dare said something negative about the movement. Because remember, any attack on this film is an attack on the movement. THIS is why the majority of women want equality but don’t identify as feminists! And that probably triggers you beyond belief and you can’t wait curse me out if you’ve even read this far! And that’s what talk of this freaking movie always turns into whenever it comes up! Making sure people adhere to certain beliefs or forceful persuasion will ensue. We can’t just agree to disagree. Nope! I’m a XXXXING sexist! Nothing else explains it! And if you can't wait for me to finish so you can bxxtch me out then voila! You've proved point! 

!!!THAT’S WHY I XXXXING HATE THIS MOVIE!!!


DETROIT

Anti-Cop propaganda.

Don’t believe me? Just wonder why it primarily takes place in the hotel and focuses on that one horrific incident that showcases the police clearly in the wrong engaging in bad behavior, and then is titled the name of the city as if this hotel incident happened everywhere. Driving the point home on how justice wasn’t truly reached with people hating the cops and acts as if this was the modus operandi for ALL of the police force. Changing facts like the occupation of the white girls trapped in the house with the others. Or belittling John Boyega’s character as the one defense for the police force (… but not much because … come on, cops are racist! And we have to make sure you FINALLY see that). The log line is "it's time we knew" for goodness sake.  

But director Catherine Bigelow, being the talented director that she is, does a great job building the tension with her veteran team that works well together. Just like with director Christopher Nolan and his films, there was that brilliantly conveyed sense of urgency and direction on where to engage and where we're headed with this story. Immediately it says, "dive right in and be ready to run because we're hitting the ground running at a fast pace from the get go!" I liked that! I was riding the ride as the car was well equipped to take me there. I just wish they would’ve left the politics out of it. There’s a story to be told here with a great message that brings both sides to the table, willing to listen. Instead, let’s continue to push the narrative that the cops have it out for minorities. Or if you truly believe that, is isolating one incident (slightly changing up facts to pack the punch as hard as possible) where the other side is in the wrong and highlighting that on full display as much as possible really going to solve anything? I get it, I’m walking into a brick wall here. I’ll just say, Quentin Tarantino did a Nazi movie and screened it for German WWII descendants. He laced it with his comical nature and presented the issue in a way that had them all laughing. It put a smile on Tarantino’s face. Especially when afterwards, with joyful tears, the descendants were thanking Tarantino as they told him they can now finally no longer look at these events through the eyes of guilt. But rather a feeling of closure and a rightful and ease of a sense that it’s time to move on. THAT’S addressing the issue!


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Alright, for another year, let’s recap: 

1. Ingrid Goes West
2. Lost In Paris
3. Raw
4. Wonder Wheel
5. Brawl In Cell Block 99
6. Logan
7. Frantz
8. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
9. The Beguiled
10. Logan Lucky
11. T2 Trainspotting
12. A Ghost Story
13. The Belko Experiment
14. War for the Planet of the Apes
15. Okja
16. The Meyerowitz Stories
17. Land of Mine
18. The Disaster Artist
19. Lady Macbeth 
20. The Florida Project 


ANTICIPATIONS 


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Normally, right here I'd say go check out the Oscar nominations but, yup, they let in Kristen Stewart and Leslie Jones and The Rock and ... shaded in the ballots and caved into pressure, all in an effort to not be racist but kept quiet for decades about rapists and pedophiles, keeping them around, working, because they shared the same politics which helped them look the other way, and now are all so brave but not willing to name names and a lot of these people are still in power so we're being brave for nothing and the honor and dignity of people is sadly being disrespected, not to mention the honor and integrity of the awards themselves, all the awards, not just The Oscars ... ... it's a joke. It's all a freaking joke. When Hollywood gets serious, then I'll take them seriously. Until then, I'd rather be an action figure and keep kids pure than win an award. It's about the people who makes these films/stories possible, the good hearted people that haven't forgotten the real meaning, the true message, and the glorious and beautiful power ... of the art ... of cinema. 

To YOU, my people, I say, never give up. Never lose hope. And never forget that you are enough, you are powerful, you are amazing, and you can do anything!

Peace & Love, 

2 Fingers


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