This year turned out a whole lot different than we were anticipating a few months ago. A lot of my anticipated movies of this year got shuffled and a few were moved to next year (so some of them will be on my anticipated list for 2021). I do want to take the time and let you know my heart and prayers go out to all of you that have been affected by this pandemic, whether health wise or financial wise, and I hope the best for all of you through this hard time.
Any way, at this time the best place to be to help stop this pandemic is to stay home, and thankfully we have a ton of content available at our fingertips. I thought I would take the time and give you 25 recommendations of what you can check out through streaming. These are ones you can find through services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, etc.
The idea of this list is to help you find content that you have not have been aware were available to watch via streaming, ones you haven't seen or heard of before, or ones you saw before but may have forgotten about. Anyway I hope this list helps you out a bit. I put a mix of different things, there are mainly movies but there are a few tv shows in the mix, and from different platforms.
These aren't in order, but just ones I thought of recommending to help you through this hard time.
Here is the list:
-Onward (Disney+): This was just released in theaters right before the pandemic hit, and I managed to catch it in theaters. This had a great story about a couple of brothers working together to bring their father back for one day. It was done by Pixar, and had a great voice cast. It is a ton of fun that will give you great laughs and also will give you things to think about, totally worth seeing.
-Spider Man Into The Spiderverse (Netflix): I am sure many of you have already seen this, but if not, now is the opportunity to see it. This isn't your traditional Spider Man movie, it has a unique animation style, a pretty cool story, this is an excellent movie that should not be missed.
-Spider Man 2002 (Hulu): Before the MCU, Superhero movies were few and far between. I was familiar with Spider Man as a character because of the cartoon series, so I was excited for this movie to come out, and it was a great movie for me when I saw it in theaters. I still enjoy rewatching the movie to this day, it is a bit cheesier than I remember, but still a ton of fun to watch.
-Minority Report (Netflix): How many of you are familiar with this forgotten Steven Spielberg film? I saw this movie in theaters back in 2002, and it is a cool Science Fiction film, it features a grim world, but there are plenty of good twists and turns found in the movie. I don't want to ruin any of these twists so I recommend checking it out if you are a fan of Science Fiction movies, or a fan of Steven Spielberg movies.
-The Replacements (Amazon Prime): I haven't watched this all the way through in a while, but this movie hits 20th anniversary this year. It also features Keanu Reeves before the Keanu renaissance, it is actually pretty funny, and there are some other well known actors in the movie, like Jon Favreau, Gene Hackman, Orlando Jones, and Rhys Ifans.
-The Social Network (Netflix): A movie about Facebook, I really thought this was a bad idea, but then I saw it and I was amazed how engaging the movie was. The performances were great, I already talked about this in my top 50 of the 2010s, but I still highly recommend this movie if you have not checked it out.
-Hook (Netflix): This is another one that you may or may not have seen, but if you haven't, then this is a fun movie to watch. This is about Peter Pan who grows up and puts Neverland behind him, only to find out that his kids are taken and he needs to return to Neverland to save his kids. Robin Williams as Peter Pan, Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, and directed by Steven Spielberg.
-National Treasure (Netflix): Do you want an adventure movie, a treasure hunt type movie? Then this is one you can check out. This is probably one you have already seen, but it wouldn't hurt to rewatch again, would it?
-Infinity Train (Cartoon Network): I first learned about this mini series back in 2017 when I watched the pilot they created to gain interest. This is about a 12 year old girl on her way to computer camp who is brought to a unique train where each car has it's own pocket universe, she ends up having a number on her hand which she doesn't know why it's there, this show is about her journey to get off the train, and the friends she makes on her journey. If you liked Over The Garden Wall, I recommend checking this out, you should be able to watch it on the Cartoon Network app.
-Gargoyles (Disney+): This is a cartoon series that started in 1994. I recently rewatched the series, and I think it holds up pretty well today. It is rather epic for a kids show back in the mid 90s, features everything from magic to time travel, and many other really cool things, plus it features connections to works of Shakespeare. This show is totally worth checking out.
-Willow (Disney+): I state that this is my favorite movie, and it holds up for me today. This is a grand adventure movie, especially if you are a fan of fantasy movies from the 80s and enjoy Lucasfilm movies. It takes you to some really nice looking locations, it has a ton of fun moments and adventurous moments that should be able to put a smile on your face.
-Goldeneye (Amazon Prime): Was No Time to Die high on your list to see? It was for me, but good news is that all the James Bond movies (minus the Daniel Craig ones unfortunately) are available on Amazon Prime so you can go back and rewatch any of James Bond's previous adventures. I am going to go with Goldeneye as I really like that one.
-Secret of Nimh (YouTube): This movie is available to watch in full on YouTube. If you like Don Bluth, you should have already seen this, if not, then I highly recommend checking this classic from 1982 out.
-Seinfeld (Hulu): Everyone's favorite show about nothing, okay maybe not everyone, but it's a show I love to watch, especially in moments when I am a little stressed and need a bit of a laugh to get me going again, or just get a smile on my face.
-A Quiet Place (Amazon Prime): While we wait for the sequel coming out in September now, we can go back to rewatch the first one on Amazon Prime. If you haven't seen this one, I strongly recommend seeing it, it is a unique movie with a unique idea and works well with the concept.
-Gravity Falls (Disney+): Are you looking for a kids show that combines X-Files and Stranger Things? This is the show that is for you. I first watched the show two and a half years ago, and the premise intrigued me, the mysteries surrounding the town of Gravity Falls caught my interest, but also the characters are a ton of fun to watch. This is one of those Disney cartoon shows I totally recommend checking out.
-Amphibia (Disney+): I heard about this show last year, watched the first episode on YouTube when it was available to watch for free, I enjoyed it, then started to catch it on Disney+. It is a cartoon show about a girl transported to a world of frogs. It features a crazy world, has good morals, and I get plenty of good laughs from it. This is one of those shows I could put on and could destress me.
-Tron Uprising (Disney+): One forgotten animated show that takes place between Tron and Tron Legacy. The movies can be criticized for not really having a very good story, this series has a pretty solid story, and the visuals are similar to Tron Legacy, so it's sleek. The animation is also really cool.
-Clue (Amazon Prime): A board game movie that actually works, then again I don't think there are many of those. So many fun performances, particularly Tim Curry as the butler Wadsworth. You will get plenty of laughs out of the movie.
-John Carter (Netflix): Disney's attempt to do a huge Space Opera before they purchased Lucasfilm and worked on Star Wars. Honestly the spectacle behind this is really cool. Yeah, there are issues with the pacing and story, but the world created is fun to explore.
-Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (Netflix): Here is a movie that has the style of a video game, it's very different but really cool. If you are a fan of video games or comic books, I strongly encourage to check this out if you have not seen this yet. This can brighten your day or at least turn your day upside down.
-20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Disney+): I am not sure how many of you have actually seen this, but I remember catching this for the first time when I was 8 years old, and I was really intrigued by it, the big highlight was the fight with the giant squid during the last half an hour of the movie. It is an older movie but still pretty cool.
-Treasure Planet (Disney+): There are a lot of classic Disney animated movies, but there are some that didn't catch the attention of the masses when it came out but deserve a second go, this is one of those. The adventure aspect and the animation are awesome. Give this one a chance if you haven't seen it, especially if you like Sci-Fi animated movies.
-Hot Rod (Netflix): Do you want a dumb funny movie? This is a perfect dumb funny movie to watch. There are plenty of laughs to have, it is about an aspiring stuntman who is trying to raise money to save his dying stepdad....so he can beat him in a fight, and yes you are not crazy, you read that right. It's a funny ridicouls movie that I think is worth checking out.
-Dark Crystal Age of Resistance (Netflix): This is a marvel to behold, a 10 episode series created primarily with puppets, and it felt very believable. A prequel series to the 1982 film The Dark Crystal. The world is amazing and wonderful to explore, it just looks beautiful, and it has a good story. If you enjoyed the movie as a kid, you definitely want to check this one out.
I hope this gives you a few different options on various streaming platforms that you can check out. I am sure you seen some of these, some you probably haven't seen but I hope this inspires you to check out a few of them at least. Once everything opens up again, I will be doing more new movie reviews for new theater releases. Anyway, stay safe.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Top 50 Personal Favorites of the 2010s
I apologize that this has taken a while to make, I have been busy, plus I have been debating what my top 50 personal favorites of the decade should be, but I eventually got this list together. I should also note that with the top 10s of the years that I did, some of those (even if they were on the top) may not have made it to this list. This is a reflection of the whole decade and not just the individual years. This was a hard list to make but still fun. Once again, this is my personal list.
50. Logan - A great way to end Wolverine's story. It is a hard movie to rewatch, but gave us a great ending to the character of Wolverine.
49. Skyfall - My favorite James Bond movie to date. The action is great, the adventure aspect is great, and some nice shots in the movie.
48. Lego Movie - Inspires creativity and just tons of laughs to go with it. Plus the way it was animated was very unique.
47. Rogue One - This is the Star Wars prequel movie I really wanted. Great story and great visuals to accompany it.
46. Ford V Ferrari - Awesome movie based on a true story with amazing race sequences. Plus great performances as well.
45. Secret World of Arrietty - A Studio Ghibli movie that is gorgeous and takes you to a world of wonder.
44. Dunkirk - This was the most intense movie going experience for me, and was just amazingly put together.
43. Only the Brave - A true story on firefighters, made me really appreciate their bravery and skill. Plus I really liked the cinematography.
42. Tron Legacy - Story may be lacking, but the visual and audio experience is just incredible, a dream come true.
41. X-Men Days of Future Past - My favorite X-Men in the Fox series with great cast of characters and great use of time travel.
40. Pacific Rim - The giant robot battle sequences are excellent, and just a ton of fun to watch, and benefits from watching on the big screen.
39. Captain Phillips - Great movie from Paul Greengrass. The last 10 minutes of the movie were very intense.
38. Wreck It Ralph - A great movie about the video game world, that featured great cameos, and also had a great story.
37. Scott Pilgrim Vs The World - One overlooked movie that so uniquely put together and just a blast to watch.
36. Coco - For those that are looking for a great movie about family history, this is it. The world of the dead is colorful and amazing, and has great emotion.
35. A Quiet Place - I am not big on horror thriller movies, but this has such a unique concept and idea that made the movie so engaging and worth revisiting.
34. La La Land - A musical that was very engaging and kind of brought me back to the musicals of the 50s, very stylistic.
33. The Social Network - I thought a movie about Facebook was a very bad idea, then I saw the movie and I was extremely surprised, plus it's one that's worth rewatching.
32. Limitless - A very unique concept behind the movie, a pill that can increase your intelligence, and intriguing to see how it's presented.
31. Wolf Children - Director Mamoru Hosoda is one I have been keeping an eye out for. I really liked his previous efforts, this was the one where I wanted to watch anything from this director. This has many beautiful sequences.
30. Rango - A western animated movie from the director of Pirates of the Caribbean that is very bizarre but incredibly intriguing, the world we are taken to was kind of fun to explore, and some of the animation is pretty. Even has a few great sequences.
29. Edge of Tomorrow - The advertisement was intriguing but mainly got me to the door, but when I walked through the door I discovered so much more than I was expecting. This is an action science fiction oriented Groundhog Day, and some of the ideas and concepts made me think.
28. Prisoners - Didn't know anything about Denis Villeneuve until I saw this movie, I saw clips of this and was intrigued by this movie. It is a very dark and very disturbing movie, but there are things about this, especially how it came together that was somehow fascinating. The experience is both disturbing and intriguing.
27. A Silent Voice - This is not an easy movie to watch, but the story is beautiful and there is so much to it. I discovered this through an add on Facebook one day and I am surprised this has had such an impact on me ever since. One of those Japanese animated movies that I think just about everyone should see at least once.
26. Zootopia - Not just a movie about a city of all types of animals, but an allegory of how we can place labels on groups of people that are different from us. I am trying to be a better person each day, and this is one of those movies that helped me be aware of my words and actions towards others. Plus this is really funny in parts.
25. Thor Ragnarok - With many Marvel movies coming out that grabbed my attention, this was not one of them. Wow did this movie surprise in so many ways. I was laughing so hard throughout the movie, and I was blown away by the visuals, they were so unique, it was very unique.
24. Interstellar - Christopher Nolan did it again, gave us an epic space movie. The ideas behind it were very intriguing, and very pretty to look at. The performances were great, especially the actress who played young Murph. Also, I think this is probably the best score by Hans Zimmer.
23. Knives Out - I really like Rian Johnson's movies, and yes, even The Last Jedi, but this is one that I probably like the most. I really loved the murder mystery vibe, but what stood out more was that as you pulled the layers back you get a very intriguing family drama. There were also plenty of twists and turns that kept me invested, especially when I thought I figured out the whole movie.
22. Kubo and the Two Strings - Studio Laika had my attention for the previous movies from them, but this is the one that stands out the most. I really like the story and the visuals are just gorgeous. This was just an amazing movie.
21. Paddington 2 - I was very surprised by the first one, it was a charming movie. I didn't think the second one would be as good, and wow I was very much surprised when I saw this. I was sad to see this got ignored, and I try to tell people about it and hope more people discover this, as it is a hidden gem.
20. Captain America Winter Soldier - This was one of those movies that changed everything for me in the MCU, with how Iron Man 3 and Thor The Dark World turned out, I figured I knew everything, and then this movie changed everything. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, and the action was amazing.
19. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - I wasn't the biggest Harry Potter fans, I enjoyed them, but then when The Half Blood Prince came out, that one got me invested in the overall story somehow. This movie was a grand experience, preparing by rewatching all the previous entries before seeing this, and just loving this final entry and how everything came together. I also enjoy rewatching this and catching all those things I missed the previous viewings of the movie.
18. The Martian - A story of someone being lost on a planet for a very long time, you would think this would be depressing, but I was laughing and I really liked Matt Damon's enthusiasm and optimism in the situation. Gives me the courage to try to be a bit more enthusiastic and hopeful in difficult situations. Plus the shots on Mars are great.
17. Your Name - One of the most beautiful animated movies I have ever seen. Seriously, there are many scenes in this movie that I could take and frame onto my wall, they are so gorgeous, director Makoto Shinkai's movies are very pretty to look out, but this also gets further props by giving us great characters, I was so invested in seeing the two main characters ending up together.
16. Secret Life of Walter Mitty - Something about this movie really stands out to me, the biggest thing is I really relate to the main character Walter. I really love the progression of the movie, especially when you start in dream sequences and then all of a sudden you end up in Greenland. This was an awesome adventure movie from someone that you would think wouldn't end up in one.
15. Blade Runner 2049 - The first Blade Runner is intriguing, I caught it years ago, and one I need to rewatch to better understand. Anyway, this was very stunning visually, and just the whole world is very intriguing. It also has a story that kept me invested, but the world created was the biggest highlight.
14. Mad Max Fury Road - My first experience with Mad Max was Beyond Thunderdome. I heard they were trying to do a sequel for a very long time, I didn't think they would even make it even better than what we got before, but this was just an amazing experience. The action sequences are just amazing.
13. Star Wars The Force Awakens - I know there are many that have quarrels with the new trilogy and anyone would think I am crazy for putting this in my list, but this is a movie that had a huge impact on me. This brought back the nostalgia from the original trilogy when I thought we wouldn't get anything that felt like the original trilogy, and also gave enough new mysteries to get me thinking and wondering. This was a totally fun Star Wars movie.
12. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - The trilogy as a whole is worth seeing, but if I were to single out any of the entries, this is the one I would single out, it was a totally mind blowing experience. The story and the characters kept me very invested, and also the world we got was amazing. I think Caesar is an amazing character, which kept me invested in the final entry as well. This is a trilogy that I strongly recommend checking out, but if not the trilogy, this is still an excellent movie.
11. Gravity - I got to see this on the IMAX screen in 3D, and this is one of those movies where that large screen experience with the 3D really had an impact on me, it was visually gorgeous, all those shots in space. This is one of those movies that after experiencing it, I don't have a desire to be an astronaut because of all that goes wrong, but the beauty is enough to make me rethink that decision.
10. Mission Impossible Fallout - Seriously, when you get an entry this far, there is no way the movies would get better, but this is in fact one of those movies that was the best in the series, I would say this is my favorite if it weren't for the one I put above it. Not only are the action sequences amazing, but the cinematography is beautiful. Plus how some of the details linked to the previous entries, this is one to not be missed.
9. Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol - Yes, Fallout is an amazing movie and probably the best in the series, but I have to say that I really liked this one a hair more, keep in mind the word hair, but this one slightly edges out Fallout, I really love the team in this one, and some of the action sequences are amazing, as well as the use of humor in certain sequences, and the adventure aspect is the big highlight for me here.
8. Guardians of the Galaxy - This entry put us in a new part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and helped to expand it. This was a totally fun space movie, I get complete joy by rewatching this one. Plenty of moments that I busted out laughing and the chemistry between all the main players is fantastic.
7. Inside Out - Pixar hit it out of the park with this one. This one led me to experience all the emotions, plenty of moments where I laughed so hard, and moments I nearly got teary eyed. This movie has a unique concept, and one when I rewatch I catch some new things. This left a huge impact on me. Easily in my top 5 Pixar movies of all time.
6. Spider Man: Into the Spiderverse - I really like Spider Man, but I was tired of all the reboots of the character. But when I saw the first teaser in 2017, I knew I wanted to see this. I got to go to an early sneak peak of the movie and I was blown away, and this movie is one I enjoyed more and more when I rewatched it, the visual style is so unique and awesome that it's hard to look away, plus it's accompanied by a great story and great characters.
5. Arrival - A movie about aliens coming to Earth where Amy Adam's character must make contact with them and find out why they are there. There is a lot more to the movie than I was expecting, mainly the themes present in this movie, like establishing common ground in communication, learning to come together. Also, the cinematography and visuals in this movie are just excellent in this, and the story unfolding is great, which has benefited from multiple viewings for me.
4. Avengers Infinity War/Avengers Endgame - I am going to cheat here, yes these are two movies, but they come together to tell one large story, and I still can't say which one I prefer, as they are both excellent. This was the big finale for the first saga (known as the Infinity Saga) in the MCU. So many satisfying moments, from crowd pleasing moments to small emotional moments. These were huge epic movies that I figured wouldn't be the same for multiple viewings, but they only got better for me with each viewing.
3. How To Train Your Dragon - With the title, you would think this wouldn't be a good movie, but the trailers got my attention and I went to see it, and I just fell in love with the movie, and this is another movie that has gotten better with time. The characters are excellent, especially Hiccup and Toothless, and this was a movie that was totally worth experiencing in 3D. The animation is gorgeous, it is one of those worlds I would love to go to. The sequels are also great as well, and I strongly suggest seeing them all.
2. The Avengers - When Iron Man debuted in 2008, I learned they were working to this. When I saw the first trailer, it looked exciting, but wasn't sure how it would turn out. This one blew me away, it was amazing and funny and all. This was one I really wanted to rewatch immediately after it was over. This is the first MCU movie that I felt I could get an idea of how big this universe was, or so I thought until future entries showed how big this universe really is. All the ideas and concepts were totally fun as well.
1. Inception - In my opinion, this is Christopher Nolan's masterpiece. This is in my favorite movie of the 2010s. It has a very unique concept, yeah I am sure there were movies that attempted entering people's dreams, but this was still done in a unique way, also it is one of those movies you can enjoy the simple narrative the first time through, and then with multiple viewings I would figure out new details that would lead me to see the movie in a different way. Even with the ambiguous ending, I would rewatch the movie to find a way to support if Cobb was still in the dream world or not. This was a superb science fiction movie with a cool look to it.
The 2010s had excellent movies, even more that I couldn't include here, I was originally going to do 20, but I wanted to include more since there were so many great movies. I will continue to do more postings in the future and more reviews.
50. Logan - A great way to end Wolverine's story. It is a hard movie to rewatch, but gave us a great ending to the character of Wolverine.
49. Skyfall - My favorite James Bond movie to date. The action is great, the adventure aspect is great, and some nice shots in the movie.
48. Lego Movie - Inspires creativity and just tons of laughs to go with it. Plus the way it was animated was very unique.
47. Rogue One - This is the Star Wars prequel movie I really wanted. Great story and great visuals to accompany it.
46. Ford V Ferrari - Awesome movie based on a true story with amazing race sequences. Plus great performances as well.
45. Secret World of Arrietty - A Studio Ghibli movie that is gorgeous and takes you to a world of wonder.
44. Dunkirk - This was the most intense movie going experience for me, and was just amazingly put together.
43. Only the Brave - A true story on firefighters, made me really appreciate their bravery and skill. Plus I really liked the cinematography.
42. Tron Legacy - Story may be lacking, but the visual and audio experience is just incredible, a dream come true.
41. X-Men Days of Future Past - My favorite X-Men in the Fox series with great cast of characters and great use of time travel.
40. Pacific Rim - The giant robot battle sequences are excellent, and just a ton of fun to watch, and benefits from watching on the big screen.
39. Captain Phillips - Great movie from Paul Greengrass. The last 10 minutes of the movie were very intense.
38. Wreck It Ralph - A great movie about the video game world, that featured great cameos, and also had a great story.
37. Scott Pilgrim Vs The World - One overlooked movie that so uniquely put together and just a blast to watch.
36. Coco - For those that are looking for a great movie about family history, this is it. The world of the dead is colorful and amazing, and has great emotion.
35. A Quiet Place - I am not big on horror thriller movies, but this has such a unique concept and idea that made the movie so engaging and worth revisiting.
34. La La Land - A musical that was very engaging and kind of brought me back to the musicals of the 50s, very stylistic.
33. The Social Network - I thought a movie about Facebook was a very bad idea, then I saw the movie and I was extremely surprised, plus it's one that's worth rewatching.
32. Limitless - A very unique concept behind the movie, a pill that can increase your intelligence, and intriguing to see how it's presented.
31. Wolf Children - Director Mamoru Hosoda is one I have been keeping an eye out for. I really liked his previous efforts, this was the one where I wanted to watch anything from this director. This has many beautiful sequences.
30. Rango - A western animated movie from the director of Pirates of the Caribbean that is very bizarre but incredibly intriguing, the world we are taken to was kind of fun to explore, and some of the animation is pretty. Even has a few great sequences.
29. Edge of Tomorrow - The advertisement was intriguing but mainly got me to the door, but when I walked through the door I discovered so much more than I was expecting. This is an action science fiction oriented Groundhog Day, and some of the ideas and concepts made me think.
28. Prisoners - Didn't know anything about Denis Villeneuve until I saw this movie, I saw clips of this and was intrigued by this movie. It is a very dark and very disturbing movie, but there are things about this, especially how it came together that was somehow fascinating. The experience is both disturbing and intriguing.
27. A Silent Voice - This is not an easy movie to watch, but the story is beautiful and there is so much to it. I discovered this through an add on Facebook one day and I am surprised this has had such an impact on me ever since. One of those Japanese animated movies that I think just about everyone should see at least once.
26. Zootopia - Not just a movie about a city of all types of animals, but an allegory of how we can place labels on groups of people that are different from us. I am trying to be a better person each day, and this is one of those movies that helped me be aware of my words and actions towards others. Plus this is really funny in parts.
25. Thor Ragnarok - With many Marvel movies coming out that grabbed my attention, this was not one of them. Wow did this movie surprise in so many ways. I was laughing so hard throughout the movie, and I was blown away by the visuals, they were so unique, it was very unique.
24. Interstellar - Christopher Nolan did it again, gave us an epic space movie. The ideas behind it were very intriguing, and very pretty to look at. The performances were great, especially the actress who played young Murph. Also, I think this is probably the best score by Hans Zimmer.
23. Knives Out - I really like Rian Johnson's movies, and yes, even The Last Jedi, but this is one that I probably like the most. I really loved the murder mystery vibe, but what stood out more was that as you pulled the layers back you get a very intriguing family drama. There were also plenty of twists and turns that kept me invested, especially when I thought I figured out the whole movie.
22. Kubo and the Two Strings - Studio Laika had my attention for the previous movies from them, but this is the one that stands out the most. I really like the story and the visuals are just gorgeous. This was just an amazing movie.
21. Paddington 2 - I was very surprised by the first one, it was a charming movie. I didn't think the second one would be as good, and wow I was very much surprised when I saw this. I was sad to see this got ignored, and I try to tell people about it and hope more people discover this, as it is a hidden gem.
20. Captain America Winter Soldier - This was one of those movies that changed everything for me in the MCU, with how Iron Man 3 and Thor The Dark World turned out, I figured I knew everything, and then this movie changed everything. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, and the action was amazing.
19. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - I wasn't the biggest Harry Potter fans, I enjoyed them, but then when The Half Blood Prince came out, that one got me invested in the overall story somehow. This movie was a grand experience, preparing by rewatching all the previous entries before seeing this, and just loving this final entry and how everything came together. I also enjoy rewatching this and catching all those things I missed the previous viewings of the movie.
18. The Martian - A story of someone being lost on a planet for a very long time, you would think this would be depressing, but I was laughing and I really liked Matt Damon's enthusiasm and optimism in the situation. Gives me the courage to try to be a bit more enthusiastic and hopeful in difficult situations. Plus the shots on Mars are great.
17. Your Name - One of the most beautiful animated movies I have ever seen. Seriously, there are many scenes in this movie that I could take and frame onto my wall, they are so gorgeous, director Makoto Shinkai's movies are very pretty to look out, but this also gets further props by giving us great characters, I was so invested in seeing the two main characters ending up together.
16. Secret Life of Walter Mitty - Something about this movie really stands out to me, the biggest thing is I really relate to the main character Walter. I really love the progression of the movie, especially when you start in dream sequences and then all of a sudden you end up in Greenland. This was an awesome adventure movie from someone that you would think wouldn't end up in one.
15. Blade Runner 2049 - The first Blade Runner is intriguing, I caught it years ago, and one I need to rewatch to better understand. Anyway, this was very stunning visually, and just the whole world is very intriguing. It also has a story that kept me invested, but the world created was the biggest highlight.
14. Mad Max Fury Road - My first experience with Mad Max was Beyond Thunderdome. I heard they were trying to do a sequel for a very long time, I didn't think they would even make it even better than what we got before, but this was just an amazing experience. The action sequences are just amazing.
13. Star Wars The Force Awakens - I know there are many that have quarrels with the new trilogy and anyone would think I am crazy for putting this in my list, but this is a movie that had a huge impact on me. This brought back the nostalgia from the original trilogy when I thought we wouldn't get anything that felt like the original trilogy, and also gave enough new mysteries to get me thinking and wondering. This was a totally fun Star Wars movie.
12. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - The trilogy as a whole is worth seeing, but if I were to single out any of the entries, this is the one I would single out, it was a totally mind blowing experience. The story and the characters kept me very invested, and also the world we got was amazing. I think Caesar is an amazing character, which kept me invested in the final entry as well. This is a trilogy that I strongly recommend checking out, but if not the trilogy, this is still an excellent movie.
11. Gravity - I got to see this on the IMAX screen in 3D, and this is one of those movies where that large screen experience with the 3D really had an impact on me, it was visually gorgeous, all those shots in space. This is one of those movies that after experiencing it, I don't have a desire to be an astronaut because of all that goes wrong, but the beauty is enough to make me rethink that decision.
10. Mission Impossible Fallout - Seriously, when you get an entry this far, there is no way the movies would get better, but this is in fact one of those movies that was the best in the series, I would say this is my favorite if it weren't for the one I put above it. Not only are the action sequences amazing, but the cinematography is beautiful. Plus how some of the details linked to the previous entries, this is one to not be missed.
9. Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol - Yes, Fallout is an amazing movie and probably the best in the series, but I have to say that I really liked this one a hair more, keep in mind the word hair, but this one slightly edges out Fallout, I really love the team in this one, and some of the action sequences are amazing, as well as the use of humor in certain sequences, and the adventure aspect is the big highlight for me here.
8. Guardians of the Galaxy - This entry put us in a new part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and helped to expand it. This was a totally fun space movie, I get complete joy by rewatching this one. Plenty of moments that I busted out laughing and the chemistry between all the main players is fantastic.
7. Inside Out - Pixar hit it out of the park with this one. This one led me to experience all the emotions, plenty of moments where I laughed so hard, and moments I nearly got teary eyed. This movie has a unique concept, and one when I rewatch I catch some new things. This left a huge impact on me. Easily in my top 5 Pixar movies of all time.
6. Spider Man: Into the Spiderverse - I really like Spider Man, but I was tired of all the reboots of the character. But when I saw the first teaser in 2017, I knew I wanted to see this. I got to go to an early sneak peak of the movie and I was blown away, and this movie is one I enjoyed more and more when I rewatched it, the visual style is so unique and awesome that it's hard to look away, plus it's accompanied by a great story and great characters.
5. Arrival - A movie about aliens coming to Earth where Amy Adam's character must make contact with them and find out why they are there. There is a lot more to the movie than I was expecting, mainly the themes present in this movie, like establishing common ground in communication, learning to come together. Also, the cinematography and visuals in this movie are just excellent in this, and the story unfolding is great, which has benefited from multiple viewings for me.
4. Avengers Infinity War/Avengers Endgame - I am going to cheat here, yes these are two movies, but they come together to tell one large story, and I still can't say which one I prefer, as they are both excellent. This was the big finale for the first saga (known as the Infinity Saga) in the MCU. So many satisfying moments, from crowd pleasing moments to small emotional moments. These were huge epic movies that I figured wouldn't be the same for multiple viewings, but they only got better for me with each viewing.
3. How To Train Your Dragon - With the title, you would think this wouldn't be a good movie, but the trailers got my attention and I went to see it, and I just fell in love with the movie, and this is another movie that has gotten better with time. The characters are excellent, especially Hiccup and Toothless, and this was a movie that was totally worth experiencing in 3D. The animation is gorgeous, it is one of those worlds I would love to go to. The sequels are also great as well, and I strongly suggest seeing them all.
2. The Avengers - When Iron Man debuted in 2008, I learned they were working to this. When I saw the first trailer, it looked exciting, but wasn't sure how it would turn out. This one blew me away, it was amazing and funny and all. This was one I really wanted to rewatch immediately after it was over. This is the first MCU movie that I felt I could get an idea of how big this universe was, or so I thought until future entries showed how big this universe really is. All the ideas and concepts were totally fun as well.
1. Inception - In my opinion, this is Christopher Nolan's masterpiece. This is in my favorite movie of the 2010s. It has a very unique concept, yeah I am sure there were movies that attempted entering people's dreams, but this was still done in a unique way, also it is one of those movies you can enjoy the simple narrative the first time through, and then with multiple viewings I would figure out new details that would lead me to see the movie in a different way. Even with the ambiguous ending, I would rewatch the movie to find a way to support if Cobb was still in the dream world or not. This was a superb science fiction movie with a cool look to it.
The 2010s had excellent movies, even more that I couldn't include here, I was originally going to do 20, but I wanted to include more since there were so many great movies. I will continue to do more postings in the future and more reviews.
Thursday, January 2, 2020
My 20 anticipated movies of 2020
It's now 2020, a brand new year, a brand new decade, so it's time to look at what's coming this year, and I would like to talk about the 20 movies that I am most excited for this year. Unfortunately we don't have one like Avengers Endgame, but that doesn't mean we don't have good movies coming, we have plenty of movies that look like they could be excellent. So let's go through my 20 movies I am looking forward to in 2020.
20. Infinite - I was going through what is coming out this year and the premise of this movie caught my attention. I don't know too much about it beyond that but it has a solid cast. I am intrigued to learn more.
19. Free Guy - This looks like it could be a fun movie, there is something about Ryan Reynolds that he can get a few laughs out of you.
18. Dolittle - The trailer caught my attention a couple of months ago, it looks a lot better than I thought it would look. It also looks like it will be fun to see Robert Downey Jr playing a different role than Tony Stark, he did a great job as Sherlock Holmes so I look forward to see what he does with this role.
17. Jungle Cruise - At this point, anything with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson will be entertaining at the very least, even if it's not a very good movie, I can guarantee it will be a fun time at the movies, and this looks like it will be a fun time at the movies, plus it seems like him and Emily Blunt have good chemistry in this.
16. Bill and Ted Face the Music - I don't know much about this except it's being made, and that the first Bill and Ted movie from 1989 is very good, it is a ton of fun to watch. Keanu Reeves has been on a roll recently. I look forward to seeing him revisit one of his earlier roles.
15. Raya and the Last Dragon - I know nothing about this movie, this probably should be lower on the list for that reason, but the fact that it's a new Disney animated movie that looks to take place in China, and some of the concept art I saw looks kind of good.
14. Godzilla Vs King Kong - The latest movie was very enjoyable for me, I was very entertained especially by the battle sequences, I also really liked Kong Skull Island, some of the shots were gorgeous. I am excited to see how it all plays out when they come head to head in November
13. Fast and Furious 9 - We have gotten plenty of good Fast and Furious movies recently, yeah they are dumb fun, but I enjoy dumb fun. I don't know what this will involve this time but I look forward to seeing what we will get out of this when the first trailer debuts soon.
12. Soul - One thing I missed from Pixar recently was the abundance of original movies, that was how they made a great name for themselves, and we get two original movies from Pixar this year, this being one of them. I don't know too much about it but the first trailer we got was very nice. Count me very intrigued.
11. The Eternals - As we get into Phase 4 of the MCU, I hear things are suppose to get weirder and more interesting. I have heard very interesting things about this property. This being an entry of the cosmic realm, I am excited to see what this brings.
10. A Quiet Place Part 2 - A Quiet Place was a huge surprise for me in 2018, and now we get a sequel for the movie. I don't know how it will turn out, but the trailer we recently got has me very intrigued. Plus with John Krasinski back in the director's chair, I am excited to see how he advances the story.
9. Mulan - With so many Disney live action remakes, I am not too excited about them anymore, there are a few that I would like to see happen though, but I am very intrigued by this, that recent trailer we got made the movie so epic, and seems to shake things up a bit that I am excited to see this and see what they do with it. I just hope it's not a disappointment.
8. Onward - Again, I am happy we are getting original Pixar movies again. This totally looks like it will be fun, the premise totally seems like a ton of fun. Plus they have an awesome voice cast, I am curious who they will get to voice the father of the boys.
7. Wonder Woman 1984 - The first was a surprise, I was concerned with how it would be because of DC's track record, but this came and surprised me. We got the first trailer recently and I am officially pumped for their latest movie. Plus I am very curious how Chris Pine's character is back.
6. Black Widow - Time for Phase 4 of the MCU. I really like the character of Black Widow so I was interested in this no matter what, even with the events that occur in Endgame and this takes place before Infinity War, but the trailer caught my interest and this just looks like a ton of fun, and I can tell I will be entertained regardless.
5. No Time to Die - Daniel Craig has been a great James Bond, I have enjoyed his movies in this era of Bond, even the ones that were weaker, my favorite has been Skyfall thus far. The trailer we got about a month ago looked amazing, and with that trailer my intrigue went from interested to extremely excited.
4. Ghostbusters Afterlife - I am a fan of Ghostbusters. I was excited to learn of this coming, and the trailer that we got a month ago didn't just get me intrigued, but I can't wait to see this. I am use to the idea of knowing the Ghostbusters formula, but this looks like it could shake things up a bit and I like where it could potentially go.
3. Top Gun Maverick - The original Top Gun wasn't something I really grew up with, I did watch it once and maybe parts of it here and there, but that's it. What grabbed my attention was the director, Joseph Kosinski, who directed Tron Legacy and Only The Brave, plus a solid cast. Then I saw the trailers and the aerial shots looked gorgeous, and then my excitement only grew from there.
2. Dune - My only exposure to the property of Dune is the 1984 movie, which was alright, but why this is so high on my list is director Denis Villeneuve, who has become one of the directors that I look forward to seeing what they make next. I have heard amazing things out of the book, and everything I hear about this movie just sounds amazing and I can't wait for it to debut in December.
1. Tenet - One director that I get pumped for no matter what is Christopher Nolan, when the news broke last year that he was developing a new movie and didn't announce the title, I didn't care, I would have bought a ticket to the movie without a title, everything I have seen from Christopher Nolan has blown my mind, or at the least has intrigued me very much, plus he knows how to make an epic scale movie. I don't know a whole lot about the movie, but I like not knowing a whole lot, and I am excited to see everything unravel before me. Day 1 on IMAX!
There are plenty of other movies that I am looking forward to, but these are the ones that I am the most intrigued in. What are your most anticipated movies of 2020?
20. Infinite - I was going through what is coming out this year and the premise of this movie caught my attention. I don't know too much about it beyond that but it has a solid cast. I am intrigued to learn more.
19. Free Guy - This looks like it could be a fun movie, there is something about Ryan Reynolds that he can get a few laughs out of you.
18. Dolittle - The trailer caught my attention a couple of months ago, it looks a lot better than I thought it would look. It also looks like it will be fun to see Robert Downey Jr playing a different role than Tony Stark, he did a great job as Sherlock Holmes so I look forward to see what he does with this role.
17. Jungle Cruise - At this point, anything with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson will be entertaining at the very least, even if it's not a very good movie, I can guarantee it will be a fun time at the movies, and this looks like it will be a fun time at the movies, plus it seems like him and Emily Blunt have good chemistry in this.
16. Bill and Ted Face the Music - I don't know much about this except it's being made, and that the first Bill and Ted movie from 1989 is very good, it is a ton of fun to watch. Keanu Reeves has been on a roll recently. I look forward to seeing him revisit one of his earlier roles.
15. Raya and the Last Dragon - I know nothing about this movie, this probably should be lower on the list for that reason, but the fact that it's a new Disney animated movie that looks to take place in China, and some of the concept art I saw looks kind of good.
14. Godzilla Vs King Kong - The latest movie was very enjoyable for me, I was very entertained especially by the battle sequences, I also really liked Kong Skull Island, some of the shots were gorgeous. I am excited to see how it all plays out when they come head to head in November
13. Fast and Furious 9 - We have gotten plenty of good Fast and Furious movies recently, yeah they are dumb fun, but I enjoy dumb fun. I don't know what this will involve this time but I look forward to seeing what we will get out of this when the first trailer debuts soon.
12. Soul - One thing I missed from Pixar recently was the abundance of original movies, that was how they made a great name for themselves, and we get two original movies from Pixar this year, this being one of them. I don't know too much about it but the first trailer we got was very nice. Count me very intrigued.
11. The Eternals - As we get into Phase 4 of the MCU, I hear things are suppose to get weirder and more interesting. I have heard very interesting things about this property. This being an entry of the cosmic realm, I am excited to see what this brings.
10. A Quiet Place Part 2 - A Quiet Place was a huge surprise for me in 2018, and now we get a sequel for the movie. I don't know how it will turn out, but the trailer we recently got has me very intrigued. Plus with John Krasinski back in the director's chair, I am excited to see how he advances the story.
9. Mulan - With so many Disney live action remakes, I am not too excited about them anymore, there are a few that I would like to see happen though, but I am very intrigued by this, that recent trailer we got made the movie so epic, and seems to shake things up a bit that I am excited to see this and see what they do with it. I just hope it's not a disappointment.
8. Onward - Again, I am happy we are getting original Pixar movies again. This totally looks like it will be fun, the premise totally seems like a ton of fun. Plus they have an awesome voice cast, I am curious who they will get to voice the father of the boys.
7. Wonder Woman 1984 - The first was a surprise, I was concerned with how it would be because of DC's track record, but this came and surprised me. We got the first trailer recently and I am officially pumped for their latest movie. Plus I am very curious how Chris Pine's character is back.
6. Black Widow - Time for Phase 4 of the MCU. I really like the character of Black Widow so I was interested in this no matter what, even with the events that occur in Endgame and this takes place before Infinity War, but the trailer caught my interest and this just looks like a ton of fun, and I can tell I will be entertained regardless.
5. No Time to Die - Daniel Craig has been a great James Bond, I have enjoyed his movies in this era of Bond, even the ones that were weaker, my favorite has been Skyfall thus far. The trailer we got about a month ago looked amazing, and with that trailer my intrigue went from interested to extremely excited.
4. Ghostbusters Afterlife - I am a fan of Ghostbusters. I was excited to learn of this coming, and the trailer that we got a month ago didn't just get me intrigued, but I can't wait to see this. I am use to the idea of knowing the Ghostbusters formula, but this looks like it could shake things up a bit and I like where it could potentially go.
3. Top Gun Maverick - The original Top Gun wasn't something I really grew up with, I did watch it once and maybe parts of it here and there, but that's it. What grabbed my attention was the director, Joseph Kosinski, who directed Tron Legacy and Only The Brave, plus a solid cast. Then I saw the trailers and the aerial shots looked gorgeous, and then my excitement only grew from there.
2. Dune - My only exposure to the property of Dune is the 1984 movie, which was alright, but why this is so high on my list is director Denis Villeneuve, who has become one of the directors that I look forward to seeing what they make next. I have heard amazing things out of the book, and everything I hear about this movie just sounds amazing and I can't wait for it to debut in December.
1. Tenet - One director that I get pumped for no matter what is Christopher Nolan, when the news broke last year that he was developing a new movie and didn't announce the title, I didn't care, I would have bought a ticket to the movie without a title, everything I have seen from Christopher Nolan has blown my mind, or at the least has intrigued me very much, plus he knows how to make an epic scale movie. I don't know a whole lot about the movie, but I like not knowing a whole lot, and I am excited to see everything unravel before me. Day 1 on IMAX!
There are plenty of other movies that I am looking forward to, but these are the ones that I am the most intrigued in. What are your most anticipated movies of 2020?
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
(UPDATED) Top 10 of 2019
We came to the end of another year, in fact another decade. So it's time to do another top 10 personal favorite movies of 2019. I will also do a top favorites of the decade, I think it will be my top 30 of the decade, but I am still thinking about that, but I will post that within a week at the latest.
Please note, I have not seen all the movies this year, there are plenty that are being haled as the greatest movies ever, but I haven't seen them, I may at some point, but this reflects my favorites of the year. Anyway, without further adieu, here are my top 10 favorites of the year:
10. Yesterday - What if you woke up one day and one of the biggest things in the world was forgotten and was gone. The world goes through a weird power out and the music of The Beatles disappeared and only one remembers who The Beatles were, this had such a unique concept that it grabbed my attention. Just FYI, if this happened, I wouldn't be able to bring back the forgotten music into the world.
9. Peanut Butter Falcon - One of those movies I wasn't planning to see, but everyone kept talking about it that I decided to check it out. It had a very good story, for those that don't know what it is, it is about a man with Down syndrome who lives in a senior home and escapes so he can meet his idol, a wrestling pro back in the day on TV. He accompanies a man played by Shia Lebeouf who is running from the law. It's got great cinematography, and a good soundtrack. This was one of those very pleasant movies that I just enjoyed taking the adventure.
8. Apollo 11 - Taken from footage shot during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, Todd Douglas Miller took the footage and put it all together to tell a story of the mission. It was such a cool experience, I saw First Man last year that dealt with one man's emotional journey to space, this dealt with the mission as a whole, and just seeing the footage from this perspective was just awesome, plus the film was in excellent condition, especially being 50 years old.
7. Klaus - So this was a movie I discovered on Netflix, but I believe it did have a very limited theatrical release so I would consider this one worth putting on the list. This is another story of the legend of Santa Claus and how Santa came to be, and it's told from the perspective of a mailman. This movie brought back a ton of nostalgia from animated movies back in the 90s, mainly from Disney, and no this isn't a musical. And this has a great story about a town that is transformed because the good deeds that were done. This is one I will be watching each Christmas.
6. Ad Astra - I remember hearing about this when I was trying to figure out my anticipated list for the year, but I chose not to include it since I didn't know anything about it except it had Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones and it took place in space. This was a visually gorgeous movie and had a great score, I saw it on IMAX and it was so worth it. For me, there was more to it that stood out, I listened to Brad Pitt as he was on his journey to confront his father and all that going through him made me think about those that I personally struggle with and how would I react to those that you aren't sure how it all will turn out. This is a movie I could see evolving over time as well.
5. JoJo Rabbit - What if I told you this movie was about a boy in Nazi Germany that has Hitler as an imaginary friend and it's somewhat of a comedy, would you go see it? That premise is very bizarre that I think the premise alone would not progress the movie to be completed. I don't know how Taika Waititi did it, but this was a very brilliant movie, and the premise is the beginning of the movie, but the boy soon finds a young girl living in his attic who is a Jew and he comes to know the girl and that changes his perception on the world. Without giving too much more away, let's say that the movie evolves as it progresses and there is more emotion than you would anticipate. This one is totally worth seeing.
4. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - Cool part, this trilogy began with the beginning of the decade, and it concludes with the end of the decade. Did they stick the landing, yes I really thought they did. We saw Hiccup and the rest of the characters grow with each new entry, and see Hiccup become a man here. This is a beautifully animated movie, the scenery is just gorgeous, and once again I wish I had a dragon. I also really like how they handle the love story between Toothless and the Light Fury, those moments where they communicate without dialogue is just charming and so well done. Also, I have to say John Powell did an excellent job with the score, the first is still the best, but this is such a wonderful entry and I am thankful we have such a wonderful trilogy of movies.
3. Knives Out - This was first announced late in 2018 and was surprised to hear this would come out this year, all I knew is that it was directed by Rian Johnson and starred Daniel Craig, This was a brilliant movie. It is a murder mystery movie that also has plenty of humor. I think of the movie Clue when I first watched it, but there is so much more to it. I don't know how to explain the movie without giving too much away, but lets say with the death in the family, some of the true colors of some of the family slowly come out. It kept me on the edge of my seat during my first viewing, the second viewing helped me catch what I missed, but even the third viewing I caught more I didn't notice before. I feel I should do a post about this movie and talk about aspects of the movie that really stood out because it's hard to talk about this movie without spoiling too much. See it if you haven't seen it yet.
2. Ford V Ferrari - I am not much of a sports person, but I can admit that one of the sports I enjoy watching is racing, like car racing and bike racing. So that was an aspect that grabbed my attention for this movie and why I really wanted to see it. Plus the cast and a great director, I was excited for it. This was an excellent movie, it had a good story about the small people overcoming the odds of a corporate company. Plus the race sequences were awesome, they were shot in a way that I really felt part of the action, I also watched this in a big theater with Dolby Atmos which enhanced my experience of watching the movie. Both Matt Damon and Christian Bale did an excellent job in their roles, and it was cool to see them work to build a race car to compete against Ferrari and seeing them looking at all aspects of the car to get it to the point it could compete. It was hard when I got out of the movie late at night to not drive my car like a race car. This is so worth seeing.
1. Avengers Endgame - When Iron Man came out in 2008, I never thought we would end up here, I knew shortly after the movie came out they were working on a team up movie, but I figured The Avengers would be the biggest they would go, wow was I wrong. After the ending of Avengers Infinity War, this was on my most anticipated list, and that anticipation only grew as it got closer to release. I saw the trailers and I heard the good reception, but that was all I knew regarding the movie, and this movie blew me away in so many ways. This was a movie for the fans and it all paid off in glorious ways. I remember the concerns coming up with the movie being three hours (I wasn't worried since the Lord of the Rings movies were 3 hours), but this was a movie that did not feel 3 hours at all, and the last 40 minutes of the movie was mind blowing. I don't know what to saw that hasn't already been said, this was a rewarding experience for me. And for those that still haven't seen it (I would be surprised if you haven't seen it yet), please do yourself a favor and see it. This was a wonderful time at the movies this year that I got very involved in, and this was my top personal favorite of the year.
So that does it for 2019, there were a lot of great movies this year. There were plenty of great movies this decade, I will do that list as soon as possible. I will also do a list of my top 20 movies I am looking forward to in 2020.
Please note, I have not seen all the movies this year, there are plenty that are being haled as the greatest movies ever, but I haven't seen them, I may at some point, but this reflects my favorites of the year. Anyway, without further adieu, here are my top 10 favorites of the year:
10. Yesterday - What if you woke up one day and one of the biggest things in the world was forgotten and was gone. The world goes through a weird power out and the music of The Beatles disappeared and only one remembers who The Beatles were, this had such a unique concept that it grabbed my attention. Just FYI, if this happened, I wouldn't be able to bring back the forgotten music into the world.
9. Peanut Butter Falcon - One of those movies I wasn't planning to see, but everyone kept talking about it that I decided to check it out. It had a very good story, for those that don't know what it is, it is about a man with Down syndrome who lives in a senior home and escapes so he can meet his idol, a wrestling pro back in the day on TV. He accompanies a man played by Shia Lebeouf who is running from the law. It's got great cinematography, and a good soundtrack. This was one of those very pleasant movies that I just enjoyed taking the adventure.
8. Apollo 11 - Taken from footage shot during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, Todd Douglas Miller took the footage and put it all together to tell a story of the mission. It was such a cool experience, I saw First Man last year that dealt with one man's emotional journey to space, this dealt with the mission as a whole, and just seeing the footage from this perspective was just awesome, plus the film was in excellent condition, especially being 50 years old.
7. Klaus - So this was a movie I discovered on Netflix, but I believe it did have a very limited theatrical release so I would consider this one worth putting on the list. This is another story of the legend of Santa Claus and how Santa came to be, and it's told from the perspective of a mailman. This movie brought back a ton of nostalgia from animated movies back in the 90s, mainly from Disney, and no this isn't a musical. And this has a great story about a town that is transformed because the good deeds that were done. This is one I will be watching each Christmas.
6. Ad Astra - I remember hearing about this when I was trying to figure out my anticipated list for the year, but I chose not to include it since I didn't know anything about it except it had Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones and it took place in space. This was a visually gorgeous movie and had a great score, I saw it on IMAX and it was so worth it. For me, there was more to it that stood out, I listened to Brad Pitt as he was on his journey to confront his father and all that going through him made me think about those that I personally struggle with and how would I react to those that you aren't sure how it all will turn out. This is a movie I could see evolving over time as well.
5. JoJo Rabbit - What if I told you this movie was about a boy in Nazi Germany that has Hitler as an imaginary friend and it's somewhat of a comedy, would you go see it? That premise is very bizarre that I think the premise alone would not progress the movie to be completed. I don't know how Taika Waititi did it, but this was a very brilliant movie, and the premise is the beginning of the movie, but the boy soon finds a young girl living in his attic who is a Jew and he comes to know the girl and that changes his perception on the world. Without giving too much more away, let's say that the movie evolves as it progresses and there is more emotion than you would anticipate. This one is totally worth seeing.
4. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - Cool part, this trilogy began with the beginning of the decade, and it concludes with the end of the decade. Did they stick the landing, yes I really thought they did. We saw Hiccup and the rest of the characters grow with each new entry, and see Hiccup become a man here. This is a beautifully animated movie, the scenery is just gorgeous, and once again I wish I had a dragon. I also really like how they handle the love story between Toothless and the Light Fury, those moments where they communicate without dialogue is just charming and so well done. Also, I have to say John Powell did an excellent job with the score, the first is still the best, but this is such a wonderful entry and I am thankful we have such a wonderful trilogy of movies.
3. Knives Out - This was first announced late in 2018 and was surprised to hear this would come out this year, all I knew is that it was directed by Rian Johnson and starred Daniel Craig, This was a brilliant movie. It is a murder mystery movie that also has plenty of humor. I think of the movie Clue when I first watched it, but there is so much more to it. I don't know how to explain the movie without giving too much away, but lets say with the death in the family, some of the true colors of some of the family slowly come out. It kept me on the edge of my seat during my first viewing, the second viewing helped me catch what I missed, but even the third viewing I caught more I didn't notice before. I feel I should do a post about this movie and talk about aspects of the movie that really stood out because it's hard to talk about this movie without spoiling too much. See it if you haven't seen it yet.
2. Ford V Ferrari - I am not much of a sports person, but I can admit that one of the sports I enjoy watching is racing, like car racing and bike racing. So that was an aspect that grabbed my attention for this movie and why I really wanted to see it. Plus the cast and a great director, I was excited for it. This was an excellent movie, it had a good story about the small people overcoming the odds of a corporate company. Plus the race sequences were awesome, they were shot in a way that I really felt part of the action, I also watched this in a big theater with Dolby Atmos which enhanced my experience of watching the movie. Both Matt Damon and Christian Bale did an excellent job in their roles, and it was cool to see them work to build a race car to compete against Ferrari and seeing them looking at all aspects of the car to get it to the point it could compete. It was hard when I got out of the movie late at night to not drive my car like a race car. This is so worth seeing.
1. Avengers Endgame - When Iron Man came out in 2008, I never thought we would end up here, I knew shortly after the movie came out they were working on a team up movie, but I figured The Avengers would be the biggest they would go, wow was I wrong. After the ending of Avengers Infinity War, this was on my most anticipated list, and that anticipation only grew as it got closer to release. I saw the trailers and I heard the good reception, but that was all I knew regarding the movie, and this movie blew me away in so many ways. This was a movie for the fans and it all paid off in glorious ways. I remember the concerns coming up with the movie being three hours (I wasn't worried since the Lord of the Rings movies were 3 hours), but this was a movie that did not feel 3 hours at all, and the last 40 minutes of the movie was mind blowing. I don't know what to saw that hasn't already been said, this was a rewarding experience for me. And for those that still haven't seen it (I would be surprised if you haven't seen it yet), please do yourself a favor and see it. This was a wonderful time at the movies this year that I got very involved in, and this was my top personal favorite of the year.
So that does it for 2019, there were a lot of great movies this year. There were plenty of great movies this decade, I will do that list as soon as possible. I will also do a list of my top 20 movies I am looking forward to in 2020.
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