A Quiet Place

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Directed by: John Krasinski
Written by: John Krasinski · Bryan Woods · Scott Beck
Gross Revenue: $154 mil

    Let's hear it for (Jim) I mean John Krasinski! This was a tense nail-biter that honestly took me by surprise and knocked me off my feet.  Let me say first that I am not that fond of the coveted horror genre. I can do without the gore and the sheer predictability of it all.  However, this movie was more so not about the monsters themselves but about the family and their ability to stay alive which I love. 

     If it was all about the ugly creatures I surely wouldn't have been so impressed. Which yes, I was as well as so many others astonished by this exceptional story and the execution of it. John has done an amazing job with this fantastic soundscape for the eyes. It takes a massive amount of skill to capture a film such as this.  From the body language to the facial expressions to the intensity of the environment. It all had me vibrating with anxiety. It is rare that I find myself yelling in my head at the characters in a thriller such as this, but I was. 

     It was one of those "skin of your teeth" movies and I enjoyed every bit of it. I found myself wanting to talk for them all and to just scream in terror for them!

Ready Player One

⭐⭐⭐⭐



Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Written by:  Ernest Cline · Zak Penn
Gross revenue: $393 mil

    

"This is hardest movie I've done since Saving 

               Private Ryan"

                                               - Steven Spielberg

       I admire Spielberg's honesty, watching the movie I can understand his resolve.Ready Player One is absolutely breathtaking in terms of visuals and detail. Never to have read the book, I can't do the whole book vs. movie thing, though even if I did I wouldn't have done that. People who do the book and adaption run-over full of trigger remarks are always misguided in my opinion. Expecting a film adaption to showcase every bit of a book is like squeezing a rock and expecting water to be expelled from it. Anyway, the adventure of it all, the fantasy of it all, and  the fact that I wished the whole thing were real is what pulled me in and didn't let go until the credits. I am not really a fan of Young Adult tales, be it film or literary I just find it most of the time, bland and uneventful. However, I am very much into video games and most indeed pop culture! However, Following an  18 year old orphan around while he searched for clues in a virtual game, set in 2045 with the "love interest" was not my idea of a good time. Then I thought to myself  "it is a Spielberg film" in a nut shell he sold me on taking a chance to see it. OOOHHH boy am I so relieved that I took that chance, because I was in another realm of bliss with this one.


       Talk about non stop fun and adventure, which I do most certainly love in a film. I feel if this had moved slower it wouldn't have worked so well. There have been complaints with the pacing but I don't have a problem with it. I've learned that when it comes to animation a slower pacing is not a good thing. At least not for me. I will not say there weren't a few bits I could have done without "love interests" in some films make me grind my teeth and this is one of them. Not only was it annoying and shallow, but his love was expressed prematurely and in the most unstimulating way possible. I just felt like it whole heartily didn't belong. I also felt the antagonist wasn't too much of a threat, but that can be looked over by how awesome everything else is. There has also been a bit of shade thrown at RPO due to its use of references. Some have went so far as to say it's just riding on the cat tails of the films they're mentioning. Uhm, how is that possible? AND WHERE?!  If anything I see homages and a massive amount of admiration, I see nothing to the affect of mimicking anyone's films. Honestly the moments they are speaking of were great, I mean the DeLorean alone was a must watch moment. I thought it was the dopest tribute to BTTF I've ever seen.

       Some would say this isn't the best Spielberg had to offer but I beg to differ, aside from what you all choose to say what coulda, shoulda, woulda been done. I say, see what he DID do, I mean this man was an innovator and will be a legend for eons. Though this movie was tough for him, he put all he had into it and you could tell, he spent 3 hours 3 times a week with ILM crafting this beautiful movie for us all. This was no easy feat and it still came out amazing and full of life just as all of his films do. You can tell in certain films that passion and hard work were the reason for the remarkable feature you're witnessing. I for one am happy I went with my gut and watched this movie, it an unbelievable world that I will visit over and over again.

Phantom Thread

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Written by: Paul Thomas Andersom
Gross Revenue: $32.8 mil





      Please bare with me because I am still trying to digest what I just saw. I truly believe I should view it a second time before I review it but screw it, I'm gonna just go for it here. After seeing one stellar review after another for  Phantom Thread I decided what the hell Ill give it a shot. Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Thomas Anderson are my only reasons for even considering this film, I mean I'd never even seen the trailer. He engulfs himself in a role and doesn't come up for air until the final shot. I am ever so grateful for that, because his roles are always amazing and potent almost to a point the entire movie no longer matters, at least that's what happens to me when I see him on screen.

    Now, I hate to sound like another PTA groupie because I mean people worship the ground he walks on, I feel like a cornball being one of them but the man is a genius. Not only can he write a fantastic screenplay but his films are beautiful. Frame after frame is nothing short of perfect, but what else can you expect from the man who gave us There Will Be Blood? That movie put me in a state of lustful passion when I saw it and Phantom Thread was along the same lines. The shots held my attention, the dialogue was  intriguing, the score was beautiful and fit so unbelievably well. The thing is though, I wanted more, I know! I sound like a sniveling, snot nosed brat but I did. I feel like a horrible human being saying this, I truly do.The movie was intimate, very well made and in a way a character study, it had a lot less then what I desired to see between them both.

      The dynamic between Reynolds, Alma and Cyril is what kept me in it and is why my complaint is minuscule compared to the level of adoration I have for this film. My thoughts on Phantom Thread at about an hour and a half in began to change due to the amazing turn of events that not even I saw coming, and for me that took this movie to a whole other level. Call it a twist of sorts if you will, and everyone loves a good twisty end. This was a great love story that wasn't your cookie cutter, run of the mill romance, the people are flawed and everyone understands that from the very beginning. This wasn't a romance seen through "rose colored glasses"  it was real and uncomfortable at times. Mushy "too good to be true" romances make my stomach churn. Phantom Thread is what most real love stories look like, and that is another reason Paul Thomas Anderson is an astonishing filmmaker.

Directors of Legend art done by Julian Rentzsch... These are AWESOME!!

Legendary Filmmakers as seen through the eyes of Julian Rentzsch.

Came across a batch of these beauties the other day, I thought they were amazing and they're all in my top ten favorite directors of all time. These are just so great I am definitely buying one....or five. Under each filmmaker is my top three favorite film they've done. If you're interested in his work here's a link to his website. He has other amazing art showcasing these masterful directors.

      

The G.O.A.T Martin Scorsese

• Goodfellas
• Wolf of Wall Street
• The Aviator

Christopher Nolan

• The Dark Knight
• Inception
• Interstellar

 Quentin Tarantino

• Django Unchained
• Inglorious bastards
• Reservoir Dogs

Steven Spielberg

• Jurassic Park
• The Color Purple
• Minority Report

Tim Burton

• Sweeny Todd
• Beetlejuice
• Batman Returns

The color creator Wes Anderson

• The Grand Budapest Hotel

• The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

• The Darjeeling Limited

Thor: Ragnarok

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Directed by; Taika Watiti
Written by: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost
Gross Revenue: $315,034,967
WW Gross: $802,233,599

       Jaw dropped and wig snatched folks!! Taika Waititi just resuscitated this lifeless, dead to the world franchise and brought it back to life. Words are escaping me at the moment, Thor: Ragnarok was so good it's stolen my passion for expression...I'm all choked up on pure joy. I typically wait for the dust to settle to view a big Budget CBM. Don't ask me why it's just how I tick. Now, as I was saying ....or trying to say, THIS IS WHAT A CBM SHOULD FEEL AND LOOK LIKE. This is how you set the bar, this is why Marvel is far superior to the "other guys". From beginning to end it served up all the goods, from Directing, witty fun dialogue, flawless and I mean flawless visuals that make me wanna kiss everyone on the CGI team! It was all so beautiful, I'm talking a rose dipped in 24 kt gold and sprinkled with diamonds beautiful.

    

       If you like the melancholic, dark, abrasive, slow cinematic experience then please, stay far away from Ragnarok, because you'd be getting none of that. Tears literally were welling in my eyes, I was so very pleased with this Thor and yet so very saddened. I feel, manhandled, short-changed, frickin robbed!!! This is the Thor we should have been gifted with long ago! Nope, what'd we get?A boring, bloated, lengthy origin film, and crawling half dead dumpster fire called Dark World. Why, oh why, give me the best Thor I've ever witnessed in the last solo installment?? Cold world, cold, cold world.

     

There were so many good elements in this movie. Mmm Thor, Hulk holding a legitimate conversation, Jeff Goldblum as himself, the witty banter, Thor with no hammer, Thor with no hair and Korg...I severely wanted more of him!! Oh, and let's not forget that sexy little fight bit in the last act! I think thaaaatsss about it......oh right LOKI, he's flipped flopped more than a pair of Nike slides worn by Usain Bolt. However, I'm willing to get over it as long as I get to keep seeing his beautiful face!

     I just am so very pleased with this movie, there isn't a word big enough that describes my feelings at the moment. I'm not someone who lives and breathes for the next superhero movie, but Marvel sure knows how to make a girl sweat. I'm so anxious to see infinity war now, my bones are vibrating!! If this is the kind of delivery they've committed to I'm so in for the next 20 movies they've got in the slow cooker.

The Shape of Water

⭐⭐⭐⭐


Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Written by: Guillermo del Toro &     Vanessa Taylor
Gross Revenue: $110.7 mil



Guillermo Del Toro is a glorious master at his craft.  There is just something about a film that is developed with passion. The love and creativity is viewed in every frame. There is nothing like a Del Toro film, he puts his heart into every piece of art he directs and writes.

 I say everything, from cronos on down, even hellboy II which I believed the flack was highly undeserved. It all was brilliant. The Shape of Water is beyond astonishing and he, as with everything else executed this project with perfection and precision. From the opening credits I was in awe, it provoked a phenomenal feeling I only seem to get with his films. The ability to perfect the use of  darkness is always something I look forward to.

His vision of the "monster" is   
something I can understand seeming as I too have an affinity for fantasy of the dark persuasion.  I just love how he deals with very dreary subjects  and somehow makes it amazingly beautiful. There's poetry in his films and it's evident more so in The Shape of Water. It was such a great movie with an unbelievable cast, cinematography and score that was so good I got misty eyed. Del Toros mind is just beautiful and I'm so envious of it. He has the ability to create beings that would be seen as monsters and horrid creatures and make you fall in love with them. You empathize with them, you want them to thrive, live and love. My heart was with "the Asset" the entire time I wanted to free him as bad as Elisa did.

  Speaking of which, let's give Sally Hawkins a standing ovation please. Also, a moment of silence for the actresses in the same leading category for the Oscars. Cause she's got it, there's no doubt in my mind she'll win. To convey the amount of emotion needed without saying a word is TALENT and not everyone can do that.  She perfected the art of body language and facial expression down to a science and she deserves up most recognition.

  Michael Shannon and Octavia Spencer were more than good and I've always enjoyed them both. Shannon isnt new to playing no nonsense off the cuff characters and I genuinely love it when he does them. He does the antagonist so very well. However, this one was disturbingly amazing and made my stomach churn but he was fantastic.  Octavia is just adorable and her performances are always full of heart and sass and I love that.

The cast and crew executed this film masterfully . I felt at home watching this and I seldom feel that way with films so when the feeling does arrive I get emotionally attached and that's what happened here! Sweet, stunning and smart! Bravo! c'est magnifique!

Den of Thieves

⭐⭐

Directed by: Christian Gudegast

Written by:  Christian Gudegast Paul Scheuring

Gross Revenue : $34.4 mil

mis·lead·ing

giving the wrong idea or impression:

I WAS IN FACT  MISLEAD!! When I went into Den of Thieves I was expecting an action packed "cops and robbers"  type of situation. I mean, that is what the trailer LEAD me to believe as it did everyone, now I'm no stickler for action, its like my 6th favorite genre I think. However, when you show me something like this, which is what I have a soft spot for.....you know heist films. I expect just that! Not some half baked idea that sluggishly got off the ground. The trailer had me under the impression this would be a gun fighting non stop race against time type of movie and IT WAS NOT! One thing I hate most is when they edit trailers in a way  that totally contradicts the entire film.

Its starts with guns and ends with guns. But the middle is filled with lengthy character development and scenes that serve no purposes. Like the prom date, what exactly was that for? The divorce? It was personal but Gerard's character seemed unaffected by it, it didn't have any psychological ramifications. In my opinion, this film had no business being 2hr and 13 minutes. A good 3 scenes could have been easily thrown out. This entire story could have been done in 90 minutes. There was entirely too much of nothing going on for a good chunk of it. I enjoy the story, the premise is exactly the kind of thing I'd watch. However the execution was riddled with flaws and the directing even made the movie seem more boring then it could have been.

As far as performances go? Well Gerard Butler for me, was the only saving grace and he even seemed a bit off center in this role. Assuming you'd get a decent performance from  50 cent or  O'shea is like assuming you can squeeze water from a rock. I've seen 50 shine more in his show "Power" then in any movie he's ever done. As far as O'shea is concerned, well I'd rather watch his dad, Ice Cube in "Are We There Yet?" (which for me is the worst movie he's ever done) three times in a row rather then watch him ever. 

It was my fault for jumping to conclusions and thinking Den of Thieves was going to be the high grossing year opener. Word of mouth is powerful and chatter surrounding it was nothing short of disappointing, It dragged over the 7 day finish line with a $20 mil in the bank, which would surprise me if the month of January wasn't a nightmare for all releases. Let me just say that for fun, for entertainment and for a "okay" heist movie this would be a good choice, more so if you were really bored and stuck in the house with nothing else to watch yeah.

The Darjeeling Limited

    

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Directed by: Wes Anderson
Written by: Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola
Gross Revenue: $35 mil





         Last year I made a vow that I'd see ever Wes Anderson movie ever made and I'm still at it. Every time I go into one of his movies I say "oh my gosh what if I don't like it?" I say this only because I've yet to see one I haven't enjoyed. He has a way of bringing every environment to life in a way I don't see anywhere else. His vision is unmatched, it's something I am very happy to say I am addicted to and will be anticipating from now on. I feel like, I missed out on great in theater experiences that I could have witnessed if I wasn't such a mainstream junkie. However, as the saying goes, "you know better you do better" 

     I knew I was in for a treat by just reading the description of The Darjeeling Limited. The moment I saw the trailer I said    "yep, okay I'm gonna watch it and oh lort I hope I like it" and of course I fell in love with it. Only Wes can capture the tight quarters of a train and make it into something so magical. Each shot was beautifully done and well executed. Death! Is all the rage in Wes's films but its done so elegantly and so lighthearted you find a peace in that person passing rather than sadness. The message he gives is very direct but not in a preachy, in your face way which I love.

     I often envy those who flawlessly create dialogue that is both witty, fresh and amazing. Somehow Anderson does it every time and I am just in awe of his literary skills. Words, just words can leave me unable to blink when watching his films, I never want to miss one sentence, one word, one syllable . The comedy is always so awkward, strange a little dark by oh man is it remarkable. I often find myself wanting Wes humor in other films and I'm sure that's weird but I admire his writing that much. Its always a cut above and something that wont ever be replicated.
    

 

Adrian Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman  are Andersons golden boys and I have zero complaints about that and I love them all individually. So, this was a treat for me because the brotherly dynamic was so well done, the chemistry was through the roof. Alone, well they were as always perfect in the most awkward way. Only Wes Anderson can make this cast as astonishing as it was.

The Killing of The Sacred Deer

🌟🌟🌟🌟


Directed by:Yorgos Lanthimos
Written by: Yorgos Lanthimos,   Efthymis Filippou
Gross Revenue: $2.29 mil

   
       What in the amazed balls did I just witness??? Simplified??? A young boy inflicts revenge on his father's surgeon, whom he believes killed his father on the operating table. That sounds like a nice suspenseful, good over evil thriller right?? WRONG, WRONG, I'm not in the business of just blurting out spoilers so I won't delve too deep but I've gotta vent about this gem for a moment.

Not being familiar with any of Yorgos previous work, so I wont even try and dissect this the way I really want to. However, I will say nothing about this movie is "bad" aside from screwing with my mental with the total and utter lack of emotion and sterile environment, it's great. I found the performances to be the most astonishing part of the film. Martin? Was cringe worthy just to say the least, I was squirming in my seat, more than once I felt overwhelmingly uncomfortable. The dialouge in this was beautifully executed and that pulled me in even deeper. Just when I thought, okay I'm done, I kept watching, I could not look away it was magnificent.  


The Killing of The Sacred Deer was this vast, morbid pit of despair that just when I thought would make sense and a shinning resolution would be found, nope. Just more despair, more of "what the hell" and the type of person I am I enjoyed this film, that was void of all life and emotion. Its unlike anything I've ever seen, an endless ride to absolutely no where. I was left feeling despondent and I am totally okay with that.

Martin: If you dig a hole in the yard, better make it a big one.

Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐


Directed by: Martin McDonagh
Written by: Martin McDonagh
Gross Revenue: $24.6 mil

   

  Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri was something that took me by amazing surprise. Besides the name i knew nothing of it, I hadn't even looked at the trailer. I know what a shame on me because I could have been in cinema bliss a long time ago. Let me just get this out of the way now, Frances McDormand is in a league of her own folks, she walked on that set and stole every single spotlight and made it hers. I've never been a Mcdormand fan per say but I believe I am slowly becoming one. She's a tour de freaking force, it seems every role she plays it is MEANT for her. Seriously, each of her roles fit like a latex bodysuit three sizes too small. She without a doubt brings every character to life in a way that many actors try to do but cannot execute. She is getting better and better with age. I know now that if the cast includes Frances I am more than certain I will love the movie, simply because of her. She well deserves every award she wins.

The movie itself is on a whole other level of greatness, its a dramedy in every sense of the word which is my 4th favorite genre. It punches you in the gut with subject matter that are tough to deal with and at all times more uncomfortable to watch. However,  when you want to see a mama raising hell over her deceased daughter due to her prolonged unsolved murder, this would and should be your first choice. Everything about it is fantastic though abrasive at times it's a must see. To be totally honest, i'm not familiar with  Martin McDonagh and his work at all, I know of hIs fIlms but i've never seen one. This, however has me second guessing my decision on never seeing In Bruges.



Not only was his direction spot on and very impressive, the writing was impeccable. Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, whom of which won a globe for his Earth shattering performance. The cast alone made this movie an excellent experience, which made me proud to be a film fanatic. Though as I said it’s rough around the edges but it’s real, in a very dark comedic way. It grabs at your heart strings and sends a message that's incredibly hard to ignkre. Film, is very subjective I know, just because I love dark, twisted, humor shrouded in turmoil doesn't mean everyone will. That fact aside I beg you, if you haven't seen it pay yourself the honor of seeing it at least once. You may just like it and if you don't well that's okay to

The Disaster Artist

🌟🌟🌟🌟


Directed by: James Franco
Written by: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Gross Revenue: $20.6 mil



       Critic Consensus:

Oh, hai Mark. The Disaster Artist is a surprisingly poignant and charming movie-about-a-movie that explores the creative process with unexpected delicacy.

    I simply cannot agree more, Rotten Tomatoes aren't always fair but they are known to be right on occasion.
The Disaster Artist is a one chance look at a very private Tommy Wisesau at a time where his dreams were both shattered and made real. It goes without saying, though some may beg to differ, you really should watch The Room to understand where The Disaster Artist is coming from. Sure, you can watch it alone without viewing The Room but I think you can't understand and get the full gravity of what Tommy was trying to do unless you see the actual film.

    I'm not going to sugar coat it or put a pretty ribbon on it, The Room was horrendous, it was bad. Like, nails on a chalkboard bad, I'd rather watch paint dry bad, though there was a silver lining....it was hilarious. Which is something you could tell just by watching it, it's definitely not what Tommy was trying to do.  I love The Disaster Artist for giving us an inside look, so to speak into  the mind behind the madness.  Wiseau is such a passionate soul,  the movie more times then not had me thinking of myself and my own dead and buried dreams. You can respect Tommy for his effort and the amount of heart he tried to put into his movie.

     Oh before I go, let me just say that ONLY James Franco can deliver in a film like this. Before even watching it I often said he was meant to play Tommy. That fact was solidified by his brilliant exectution both in front and behind the camera. The chemistry that he and his brother Dave have is the sweetest thing to watch. It was like he was speaking through Tommy with the endering things he was saying. I just admire them both a great deal and I'm so happy I'm living in a time such as this, when James Franco is at his best.