Best of 2017

And so another year of cinema has come and gone. While I didn't see as many movies in theaters as I would have liked to see, I would still say that 2017 was a very eventful year for movies. A lot of great movies started out the year, with films like "The Lego Batman Movie," "Get Out" and "Logan," while having a bit of a dry summer that led into a captivating fall and winter that had more than enough movies to keep us interested.

At this time, there are still plenty of movies from 2017 I haven't seen, including "Shape of Water," "Call Me By Your Name," "Phantom Thread," "All the Money in the World" and "Darkest Hour," just to name a few. But, in the mean time, it's about time we went over the best (and worst) films of the past year. As always, I've broken down films into certain categories that determine how I'll remember this past year.

So let's start things off with...

Biggest Surprise - "Get Out"

I'll be honest, when I initially saw the trailer for "Get Out," I laughed at how serious it was taking itself, while the trailer kept repeating "Get out! Get out! Get out!" It wasn't until I saw the stellar reviews the film was getting that I started taking it seriously. And the entire time the film was going, I was transfixed, adoring how it presented a perspective and fear that I had never seen before or since. I left that theater absolutely loving every minute of this movie and respect how intelligent and well-thoughtout it was.

Most Technologically Impressive - "Coco"

While there weren't a whole lot of films that I was impressed with on a technical level this year, I guess the one that stands out is the animated film that felt like it invented all sorts of new colors. I swear, "Coco" used such a vibrant color scheme that I saw shades of neon I've never seen before, like the whole film was this never ending technicolor rainbow of varying colors. I would consider that more impressive than anything any other film has done technically this year.

Most Fun in Theaters - "Thor: Ragnarok"

The best popcorn film of the year was such a blast! If I wasn't laughing at the witty banter or great jokes, I was enthralled by the use of norse mythology and/or colorful alien worlds. Korg might be one of my favorite characters in the entire Marvel universe now, and we finally get a Thor film that never took itself seriously, leading to some really awesome action sequences that take full advantage of their wacky scenarios. This film was this year's definition of fun.

Sleep Inducer - "Colossal"

This goes here because I'm pretty sure I fell asleep at one point. This is a boring, hateful movie that never fully embraces its genres of comedy and giant monsters, turning into a forgettable and sometimes hard to watch film that I'd rather forget about. Save yourself the trouble with this film and just watch "Shin Godzilla" instead.

Need to See Again - "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"

I really wanted to see the newest Star Wars in theaters again when I had the opportunity, but that chance hasn't come quite yet. I feel like, in order to fully get Rian Johnson's vision of Star Wars and what he really wanted to add to this universe, you need to see this film twice (again, very ingenious move by Disney). It felt like it added so much more to this sci-fi fairy tale that I missed on my initial viewing, so I do think a second watch is in order.

Funniest Film - "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2"

I would have said "Thor: Ragnarok" again for this one, but I don't want to repeat myself, so instead I'll go with the film that honestly did leave me in stitches at a couple of points. Watching "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is like watching Abbott and Costello trying to travel across the galaxy - the comedic timing between all of the main cast is pitch perfect and their witty banter is some of the best I've heard in any Marvel film. Plus, this film gave us the iconic line, "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!" You really can't go wrong with Yandu.

Biggest Disappointment - "Power Rangers"

As a longtime Power Rangers fan, this film was nothing but a big disappointment. While I didn't have many expectations going into this film, I did expect to be entertained by some classic Power Ranger stuff, and we didn't even get that. Instead it was teen angst and Krispy Kreme, never delving any deeper than a plastic spork on solid volcanic rock into what made the Power Rangers so great and memorable. The ultimate problem with this movie is that it doesn't understand what made Power Rangers so iconic, even though it is something very simple that even the 1995 terrible movie understood. Hell, I'd take that turd of a movie from my childhood over this crapfest.

Most Forgettable - "American Made"

I completely forgot I saw this film until I looked through all of my reviews of 2017. My picks for this category are always the film that left literally no impression on me. They weren't terrible enough to remember, nor did they have anything good to talk about to others. They just exist in the ether that means nothing to me. While "American Made" wasn't a bad movie, it certainly wasn't good either. Just a forgettable okay. And sometimes, that can be even worse than being a bad film.

At least I remember how bad "Power Rangers" made me feel. I can't remember anything about "American Made" other than Tom Cruise flew a plane.

Most Overrated - "War for the Planet of the Apes"

I thought about giving this spot to "The Post," but I think that film does deserve most of the praise it is getting. "War for the Planet of the Apes" on the other hand had very little going for it outside of its continued technological breakthroughs. The world was detailed and emmersive and the effects were stellar, but the story was almost nonexistent and the pacing was horrendous. After a certain point, I just stopped caring about everything these apes were fighting for. While this is a visual masterpiece, this film left me feeling pretty cold by the end.

Most Underrated - "Logan"

While we raved about this film when it came out, it feels like opinions on "Logan" have died down since its release. And while I gave this film an okay review back in March, my opinion on this film has only grown since then as I've realized that it's not just a great comic book movie, but a wonderful conclusion to a story that was told over the course of nearly 10 movies and gave us one of the best unconventional westerns of all time. I love the bitter-sweet feeling to it all, as well as the heartache it provides as everything gets wrapped up. It may not end the way fans wanted it, but I honestly can't imagine this ending any other way.

Best Performance - *Tie* James Franco as Tommy Wiseau in "The Disaster Artist" and Sam Rockwell as Officer Dixon in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"

Two men who put everything they have on the screen for us to bare witness to, letting us judge not only their characters but their very souls. Both of these men were funny, heart-breaking, thought-provoking and always the center of attention when they were on screen. James Franco disappeared in this role as Tommy Wiseau, while Sam Rockwell gave us a performance that made you similtaneously love and hate this man. So I applaud both of these actors for giving us the year's best performances.

Best Scene - Kong's reveal and initial helicopter fight in "Kong: Skull Island"

While there were tons of scenes that I vividly remember, the one that reintroduced us to King Kong might be my favorite. From the camera movement, to the ballet-like movement of the helicopters to the orange and yellow color palette, this scene made me fall in love with Kong all over again.

Most Anticipated Film of 2018 - "Avengers: Infinity War"

How could I not be excited for a film that's been building up for ten years? Litreally everything that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building up since "Iron Man" is coming together in this one movie. The castlist of stars alone is enough to cover up two posters, and it's made by the same guys that did the last two Captain American movies. I cannot wait for this film to come out and see exactly how the heroes will combat the greatest evil they've ever faced.

Worst Film - "Kingsman: The Golden Circle"

This film was infuriating and insulting on more levels than I thought an action movie could be. It's one thing if it's a brainless action film, but it's another thing entirely when an action film talks down to you, makes snap judgments about the world around us, and paints us all as incompetent morons would couldn't save ourselves even if we tried. This film made me want to throw up, and made me hate Elton John! How dare you?!

Now before we get to my top five films of 2017, there's still one question I always like to ask at the end of every year - Was this past year a good one for movies?

My typical criteria for defining what makes a "good year for movies" is the number of stellar or outstanding movies. Ones that weren't just great entertainment, but ones that I'll remember fondly years from now, long passed their initial run in theaters. A good year typically has at least three or four of these types of films, while a great year has five or more. Last year was a pretty good year, with films like "La La Land," "Arrival," "Moonlight" and "Shin Godzilla," though not nearly as good as 2015 with an amazing ten wonderful movies.

But this year? I would say 2017 was a great year. As you're about to find out, I would say there are at least seven or eight movies that are amazing and truly worth everyone's time. And this is without seeing movies like "Shape of Water" or "Call Me By Your Name." It was a year of movies that I felt told honest yet extremely human stories, about people who risked everything they had ever believed in, and offered us their flawed souls. Even blockbusters like "Wonder Woman" and "The Lego Batman Movie" did this exceptionally well.

Which brings us into my picks for the five best films of the year. This proved to be difficult for some of these picks, though I didn't have a problem picking numbers one and two - they were, in my opinion, clearly the best films of the year.

Top Five Films of 2017 -

5. "The Disaster Artist"

This is not only the best movie about movies since "Ed Wood," but it feels like a love letter to one of the most bizarre tales in all of Hollywood. It has one of the best performances of the year from James Franco that transcends the typical Tommy Wiseau impression that everyone has these days and a great sense of humor that never lets up. The ending sequence is the reason we go to the movies, offering a visual affection for one of the best worst films ever made.

4. "Lady Bird"

The best coming-of-age tale of the year, and one of the most relatable tales since "Boyhood," "Lady Bird" feels like an entire generation wrapped up in one picture, with all of their dreams, fears, insecurities and style all on full display. With some of the best authentic writing that comes across as both humorous and heartwarming, I have no problem saying this is the film I respect the most in 2017.

3. "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"

I honestly did not see this one coming. "Three Billboards" was just the right kind of different and weird that I wanted to see, while still remaining honest yet brutal. It doesn't pull any punches while not giving the audience a clear answer about its morals and ethics, showing us characters that constantly act like villains but never feel like anything less than flawed humans. It has three wonderful performances and the pacing never lets up. It is my pick for the best indie film of the year.

2. "Blade Runner 2049"

"Blade Runner 2049" makes the number two spot almost because of cinematography alone. Without a doubt in my mind, this is the best visual spectacle of the year and probably the best since "Gravity." The story world is just as fascinating though and is explored in beautiful and loving detail. The mystery is extremely fascinating and Ryan Gosling's character makes for a wonderful evolution in this world where the line between android and human is getting thiner every day. While I feel it does have pacing problems, that is not nearly enough to dissaude me from saying that everyone needs to see this movie and see how science fiction is done right.

1. "Dunkirk"

Visual storytelling at its finest. "Dunkirk" feels like if Alfred Hitchcock made a big budget silent war film - it is eerie, tense, heart-pounding and makes you feel like you're there with these men fighting for their lives against a faceless enemy, and all without hardly ever saying a word. This might be my pick for Christopher Nolan's best film, because of how masterfully he weaves in and out of his three parallel stories to create this dynamic and very human struggle for survival.

Honorable Mentions - "Logan," "Wonder Woman," "Kong: Skull Island," "The Lego Batman Movie," "Thor: Ragnarok," "Get Out" and "It."

Movie Review - "The Post" (2017)

Tom Hanks. Meryl Streep. Steven Spielberg. All of these award-winning factors coming together to make a film about the power of journalism. You have my attention.

Or at least, you had my attention for a small portion of "The Post."

"The Post" feels like a strange hybrid of "Bridge of Spies" and "Argo" - Two good movies based on true events, but never really did much to impress me. "The Post" has a similar sense of something sinister hanging over our characters like "Bridge of Spies" did, while also having "Argo"'s flair for dramatic timing and comedy to alleviate that tension. As a result, "The Post" leaves me the same impression as those two films - it is a solid, well-made film but plays things a little bit too safe.

The film chronicles the tale of the Pentagon Papers, a nearly 4,000 page manifesto that details exactly how poorly the American government was handling the Vietnam War and that we had remained there over five years after experts told the government that they could not win this war, sending thousands of young men to their pointless deaths. The film opens with a reporter leaking most of these papers to the New York Times, but the White House is quick enough to put an order out to stop anymore stories on the Pentagon Papers.

Eventually, the papers leak to other newspapers, in particular the Washington Post, run by newspaper heiress Katharine Graham (Streep) and editor in chief Ben Bradlee (Hanks). After the Times has been barred from printing more stories about the papers, Katharine is concerned about following suit, or else she'd be ruining her father and her husband's family-friendly newspaper, but Ben believes in the freedom of the press and that American needs to know the truth, even if that means they all lose their jobs.

The main reason "The Post" works as well as it does is because of how the struggle in this film parallels what's going on in the White House right now and how the government is trying to silence the media just to protect their own skin. This film is the ultimate weapon against those that throw around the term "fake news" like it's an actual term and not just a way to bully others. It shows that journalism is the first and best guardian for the public, not the officials. Newspapers were created so that governments wouldn't become too corrupt with their own power, or at the very least warn the people that the government has become too powerful. Unbiased, truthful, fair - journalism is the eyes and ears into a world we'd rather not see, but need to know about.

In that regard, "The Post" is refreshing by showing modern-day audiences the full power of the First Amendment and those who are not afraid of being silenced just because they said something that embarrasses the President. The ending to the film is worth the price of admission alone, for reestablishing that journalism is here for the governed, not the governing.

Outside of that though, this is a pretty-straight forward honest portrayal of those who struggled against the Nixon administration on more than one front. The film divides its time between the reporters and editors who broke the Pentagon Papers, and Katharine Graham and her personal struggles as she tries to decide between her personal connections and her duty as the head of a newspaper. Each of these is done fine, especially the thrilling scenes trying to get to print on time, while Hanks and Streep bring their lovable charm and charisma to the roles so that nothing ever feels too stale.

So while I applaud "The Post" for giving audiences a chance to realize that we need journalism now more than ever, I can't really say this film does anything else spectacularly. Don't get me wrong, this is still a solid well-made film with a thrilling climax and some fascinating character development for Katharine Graham. I respect "The Post" more than I enjoyed it. See this one not because it's Steven Spielberg directing Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, see it to be reminded why the world still needs journalism.

Final Grade: B

Movie Review - "Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri" (2017)

Suppose that you had someone you truly care about tragically taken away from you. They're not only gone from this world, but the way they were taken would make even the sanest man weep. Now suppose that the person who did this not only got away, but left no evidence or clues behind, so the police can't do anything would it. What would your reaction be? Who would you be angry at - the person who did it that you may never meet, the police that can't solve the crime, or would you be frustrated at everything and everyone?

I feel like this is the moral crux of "Three Billboard Outside Ebbing, Missouri," and provides the driving conflict between its many sides, all of whom have very good reasons for their actions, while also giving each of our characters morally questionable actions. Add in a small-town atmosphere filled with folks who are just as flawed and broken as our leads, and you get a picture is fueled by rage and discrimination. And subsequently, a film that is impossible to take your eyes off of.

Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) is a woman who feels like she's lost everything. Not only is she a divorced mother who has to raise her teenage kids on her own, but her daughter had recently been raped and murdered. The Ebbing police department have done everything they could to track down her murderer and bring him to justice, but after nearly a year there have been no arrests. So, in an act of absolute hatred, Mildred purchases three old billboards on a country road in their town and uses them to make a bold hate-filled statement against the police department. This naturally sparks controversy and talk in Ebbing, especially from the police chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) and his racist, violent-prone deputy Dixon (Sam Rockwell).

"Three Billboard"'s strength comes from the moral gray area all of its characters sit in - You root for characters like Mildred because of her fight for her right to say what she wants without fear of repercussions, but at the same time she has no regard for other lives besides her dead daughter and hates everyone that isn't on her side. Her solution to finding her daughter's killer is to draw blood of every man in the country over the age of eight and match it with the evidence they got from the scene of the crime. She is fully willing to violate the rights of innocent men and children just to have a slim chance of finding out who killed her daughter.

Then we have the police department, who do seem complacent and removed from these violent crimes, as they go about their lives without continuing the case, focusing inside on the hateful things Mildred is saying about them. But at the same time, Willoughby admits that they've done everything they can within the confines of the law and nothing else can be done. They're not an all-seeing, all-knowing force for their own selfish needs, they're people with their own fears and hates. Willoughby in particular comes across as a man who feels truly terrible about not finding the murderer, like it keeps him awake at night, and now those billboards are just a constant reminder of his failure.

All of these characters are not true heroes or villains, they make loads of mistakes and discriminate against certain people. But what makes this movie so much more powerful is that it doesn't have all the answers - What is the proper way the police and Mildred should handle this situation? The movie isn't really sure, because this is one case that is extremely personal. It's impossible for these characters to remove attachments and feelings and think only morally and logically. The movie doesn't pull any punches either, putting everyone's strengths and weaknesses on full display for us to see.

Of course one of the biggest reason these people come off as so relatable is because of the terrific performances from the three main leads. Francis McDormand deserves all the praise in the world for her performance as Mildred Hayes, and taking an angry, crazy woman and making her cause seem noble and just. I would dare to say this is McDormand’s best performance since "Fargo," if only because Mildred is the antithesis of Marge Gunderson, and yet McDormand’s role feels just as heartfelt and sincere. Woody Harrelson’s chief of police is calm, but is clearly someone with a lot on his mind. It feels like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, which makes all of his interactions with McDormand some of the best scenes in the movie.

And then there’s Sam Rockwell’s Officer Dixon. I have never simultaneously loved and hated any character in cinema as much Dixon, and that’s all because of Rockwell’s bizarre yet honest performance. He has all of the best comedy throughout the movie, whether he’s being pathetic or inept at his job, while also having a good amount of character development that feels welcomed in this town filled with animosity.

Overall, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" is one of the hardest films of the year to watch, but is also the most rewarding. It paints an honest picture of a small town that is as emotional as it is discriminatory, without giving the audience any clear answers to its morally difficult questions. Each of these characters is a delight, even if they make some questionable choices. I loved this movie and I think it’ll be one of the most talked about films of the year.

Final Grade: A

Movie Review - "Lady Bird" (2017)

It is my belief that "Coming-of-age" stories depend entirely on what time period they are set in. Who we are and how we are shaped varies wildly depending on where and when we grow up. While we've all grown up and been through growing pains and learned important lessons along the way, we've all needed to learn different lessons and experience individual pains. So a lesson about finding courage in friends like in "Stand By Me" has a different effect than a more modern tale like "Boyhood" or "Moonlight."

At the same time, if the viewer grew up around the same time period as the film, that will have a different effect also. I bring this up because I saw "Lady Bird" surrounded mostly by people who were double or triple my age, and my reaction to this film was vastly different from anyone else in the theater. The room was mostly quiet for the entire run time, except for my constant laughter and snickering at the relatable teen angst in a desperate search for identity in only ways that kids from the 2000s could understand.

From the opening scene, as our titular Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) literally throws herself out of the car so she can stop listening to her nagging mother (Laurie Metcalf), I was pulled in by this films' fierce independence and witty writing and dialogue. While "Lady Bird" is, more or less, a teen drama about our main character trying to find her place in the world and what she wants to do with her life, it is told in a way that doesn't feel artificial or sugar-coated, giving us raw and honest moments of how life can be thrilling, terrible, but always worth living.

The film is set in Sacramento shortly after 9/11, when anyone in their teens or younger was looking for something to hold onto, hoping that they could still be themselves in a world that didn't seem so safe anymore. Christine, who prefers to be called Lady Bird, is about to graduate from high school, and refuses to stay in Sacramento after she graduates even though her mother insists that the best she'll be able to achieve is going to a city college nearby. She sends in applications to many east coast art colleges, even though her grades are not great and she doesn't know what she wants to study.

Lady Bird is a passionate, opinionated, fiery individual that is unsure what she wants to do with her life. She's surrounded by people who tell her that she needs a goal or something to strive for, but those same people don't seem to practice what they preach. She ends up doing a lot of things that she doesn't fully understand, like say terrible things about where she lives, all in a desperate teenage attempt to find out more about herself. More than anything, she wants her own identity that is unique and beauty, just like she believes she is.

The struggle comes from Lady Bird being almost exactly like her mother, who is just as fierce and vocal as she is. They of course spend most of their time fighting, but only because they're so much alike and they're both too stubborn to admit it. It's hard to create your own identity when someone exactly like you is trying to hold you back. Their relationship is as tumultuous and heated as it is beautifully refreshing and often hilarious.

And those are the main words I would use to describe "Lady Bird" - refreshing and hilarious. The dialogue feels natural for an angsty teenager trying to be artsy and mostly failing at it, leading to some of the best comedic lines of the entire year. The whole film feels honest to its time and setting without sacrificing its charm and sense of humor. When there are big life changing moments, they take the time to let those scenes sink in and settle, whether they are good or bad. The acting, especially from Soairse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf, reflects this attitude and makes these moments feel real and, for lack of a better term, human.

Overall, "Lady Bird" is a phenomenal coming-of-age tale that perfectly balances quiet honesty with heartfelt comedy. It encapsulates the troubles, fears, and wonders of growing up in a Post-9/11 world and what it meant to strive for an identity at the time. Everything about this film feels natural and genuine, from the writing and dialogue to its performances. If you grew up around the same time or ever tried desperately to be your own person, then you'll find at least something relatable about this movie.

Final Grade: A

Movie Review - "It's a Gift" (1934)

My first introduction to W.C. Fields was through "The Bank Dick," and I only ever remember Fields being a rambling, aimless Mr. Magoo-like character that left little to no impression me. It painted my perspective of Fields as an insult comedian on the same level as Groucho Marx or Rodney Dangerfield while still having a slight flare for visual comedy. This perspective changed entirely after I saw another of Fields' movies, "It's a Gift."

The W.C. Fields in this films is practically the polar opposite of the Fields I remember from "The Bank Dick" - quiet, low-tempered and rarely feels like the star of the show. While Fields still plays the main character, the middle-aged Harold Bissonette, he basically plays the straight man to an entire world that seems to go out of its way to screw with him. He has a nagging wife that is never satisfied, two kids that do not care about the world around them, he runs a small grocery store that is bombarded with angry or self-destructive customers, and his only employee is as stupid as he is sleepy. Most of this hour-long movie is little comedic vignettes as Harold becomes the center of bad luck and even worse timing.

From trying to shave in the morning at the same time his daughter is trying to put on makeup, to dealing with a blind and mostly-deaf customer while being yelled at by someone demanding something he doesn't even have, to Harold simply trying to get some sleep, everyone and everything goes out its way to make Harold's life nothing but misery. And yet he hardly ever complains. He doesn't whine or get angry, he merely accepts that this is the way the world works for him. Some of the funnier bits in the film are Field's nonchalant and accepting reactions to all the chaos that befalls him, like he's achieved a state of inner peace among the chaos.

Most of the sequences in "It's a Gift" are lifted straight from W.C. Fields' vaudeville routines, but each of them feel wholly unique and contribute to the larger story at play, as Harold trades in his life in the bustling crazy city for a quiet one where he can focus on just growing oranges. These are some of the best visual gags outside of a Charlie Chaplin film I've ever seen, and each one provides consistent laughs, with the visual jokes continually building off each other.

There's a lot of charm and heart in "It's a Gift" that makes me appreciate W.C. Fields far more than I did. While his visual gags are non-stop and string together nicely, his demeanor and attitude provides a pleasant contrast that never grows tiresome. While the story is bare-bones, the film works best as a series of vignettes tied together by a loose thread. For a film just barely over an hour, it sure manges to pack in a lot of comedy.

Final Grade: B+

Movie Review - "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972)

The early 1970s were an interesting time for Hollywood. This was the era when filmmakers could finally tell more hardened and outlandish tales, without having to worry about the harsh restrictions that were present since the beginning of Hollywood's golden age in the 1930s. This led to the creation of R-rated films and eventually summer blockbusters. But in the middle of all that, a new genre was created - the big-budget disaster movie.

Started by films like "Airport," "The Towering Inferno" and "Earthquake," they followed a very simple formula that led to extravagant sequences of tragic events and how a small group of people (typically big name actors) respond under these dangerous and deadly situations. While these types of movies were certainly made before the 1970s, producer Irwin Allen changed this up by adding much more money to give these events the Hollywood treatment and the addition of the all-star ensemble cast, meaning if you weren't entertained by the effects then you at least had some of your favorite actors working off each other.

And although "Airport" was one of the first films to do this, the one that people keep coming back to is "The Poseidon Adventure," mostly because of how it takes that genre-type story and flips it on its head, literally. The story follows an old cruise ship, the S.S. Poseidon, on New Years Eve on its way from New York to Athens. As the clock strikes midnight, the ship is hit by an enormous tidal wave, capsizing it.

Very few people survive the initial hit, and the ones that do survive are trapped on a slowly sinking ship. They quickly figure out that the ship has been flipped upside down, and that the only way out is upward towards the bottom (now top) of the ship, through the outer hull. Most of the survivors think this is a crazy plan and that they should just wait to be rescued, but a few people take matters into their own hands. They include an unorthodox reverend (Gene Hackman), an aging police detective (Ernest Borgnine), the sole survivor of the New Years band (Carol Lynley), an old married couple on their way to Israel to see their grandchildren (Jack Albertson and Shelley Winters) and the injured bartender (Roddy McDowall), as they traverse the upside down and sinking ship for their slim chance at survival.

What I enjoy about "The Poseidon Adventure" is that this doesn't necessarily feel like a group of random stereotypical people throw together to please certain demographics. They all strangely have some things in common that you don't really think about, like how most of them have been so focused on their careers and plans that they don't make time for love. Red Buttons plays a hypochondriac that has spent his whole life working, and is now passed the point of finding love, yet he undergoes a personal journey as he develops a friendship with the singer. Jack Albertson and Shelley Winters' married couple admit that they can't remember the last time they took time away from work and made time for each other, or even when the last time they said they loved each other. This broken desire for love is actually the driving force behind their motivation to keep going, so that they can have another chance to fix it.

Of course, with our main character being a Reverend, there are constant themes and messages about God and religion, but without being forceful and overbearing. Gene Hackman's character believes that we shouldn't pray to God to save us, but to pray to the piece of God inside of you to show you the way. Hackman very rarely mentions God throughout their journey, but continually gives the other the motivation to keep going, to remind them why this is a struggle worth overcoming. He is both nurturing and forceful at the same time, which works amazingly well for this story.

For 1972, these effects and set pieces are wonderfully detailed and creative. They went all out on making this upside down cruise ship feel like its own character, which each room feeling just as dangerous and ominous than the last. Even though this is certainly a character driven piece, the action pieces are just as intense as anything else in the movie.

Overall, "The Poseidon Adventure" is the best example of a disaster movie done right. It takes full advantage of its unique situation while giving us broken yet likable characters that we want to see overcome all these deadly traps. The film has a surprising amount of things to say about love and religion, which makes it worth watching more than once. Even for 1972, this film still looks amazing today. If you want to see where every disaster movie came from, look no further than "The Poseidon Adventure."

Final Grade: B+ 

Paul's Recap of 2017

And so 2017 has come to an end. As a whole, 2017 was a marked improvement over 2016 in some areas, but was just as hard to get through. In terms of cinema, 2017 offered a greater variety of blockbusters and some stunning films near the beginning of the year, as well as two of the most visually pleasing films of the past decade.

As for this blog, 2017 was by far the most productive year to date, and that blows me away. While I only watched 91 new films, far fewer than 2016's 115 new movies and not even close to 2015's 127, I still managed to generate 131 blog posts this year, which is more than any other year I've been writing reviews and editorials. I guess the main reason for this is the Godzilla-thon, as well as each movie getting its own review. But in any case, it's a sign that I've been writing much more than usual and I intend to put even more work into the blog this year.

So, in case you were wondering, here's a recap of every film I watched in 2017 and the final grade that I gave all of them. The only ones I didn't write about were 2016's "The Jungle Book" and "McCabe and Mrs. Miller."

1. "The Time Machine" (1960) – C+

2. "La La Land" (2016) – A+

3. "In the Mood for Love" (2000) – B

4. "Of Mice and Men" (1939) – B-

5. "Dodes’ka-den" (1970) – B-

6. "In the Heat of the Night" (1967) – A

7. "Moonlight" (2016) – A-

8. "Hoop Dreams" (1994) – A-

9. "Intolerance" (1916) – C-

10. "Hidden Figures" (2016) – B

11. "The Pink Panther" (1964) – B+

12. "Manchester by the Sea" (2016) – C

13. "Lion" (2016) – A-

14. "Adam’s Rib" (1950) – B+

15. "The Quiet Man" (1952) – A-

16. "Fences" (2016) – C-

17. "The Lego Batman Movie" (2017) – A

18. "Cabaret" (1972) – C

19. "John Wick: Chapter 2 " (2017) – B

20. "Split" (2017) – B+

21. "Roman Holiday" (1953) – B

22. "Swing Time" (1936) - B

23. "Shaft" (1971) - B-

24. "Deliverance" (1972) - C+

25. "Poltergeist" (1982) - B+

26. "Kong: Skull Island" (2017) - A-

27. "Nashville" (1975) - C+

28. "Spartacus" (1960) - C

29. "Mrs. Miniver" (1942) - C+

30. "Get Out" (2017) - A-

31. "Logan" (2017) - B+

32. "House" (1977) - B

33. "Power Rangers" (2017) - D+

34. "A Face In the Crowd" (1952) - A

35. "Sleeper" (1973) - A+

36. "An Affair to Remember" (1957) - C

37. "Lady Snowblood" (1973) - B+

38. "Coraline" (2009) - A-

39. "Alien: Covenant" (2017) - B-

40. "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2" (2017) - B

41. "El Dorado" (1966) - A-

42. "Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance" (1974) - B+

43. "Imitation of Life" (1959) - B-

44. "The Omen" (1976) - A-

45. "House on Haunted Hill" (1959) - A

46. "Wonder Woman" (2017) - A-

47. "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1961) - B-

48. "Baby Driver" (2017) - A

49. "Brief Encounter" (1945) - B-

50. "Spider-Man: Homecoming" (2017) - B

51. "War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) - C+

52. "White Zombie" (1932) - D+

53. "Dunkirk" (2017) - A

54. "The Lion in Winter" (1968) - B+

55. "Colossal" (2017) - D

56. "Atomic Blonde" (2017) - C

57. "Dogora" (1964) - B-

58. "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" (1949) - C

59. "Manhattan Murder Mystery" (1993) - B+

60. "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973) - A-

61. "Logan Lucky" (2017) - B+

62. "Marty" (1955) - A-

63. "Murder, My Sweet" (1944) - A-

64. "It" (2017) - B

65. "The Bang Wagon" (1953) - B-

66. "The Lego Ninjago Movie" (2017) - C-

67. "American Made" (2017) - C-

68. "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" (2017) - D

69. "To Be or Not to Be" (1942) - B

70. "My Little Pony: The Movie" (2017) - C+

71. "Blade Runner 2049" (2017) - A

72. "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017) - A-

73. "Destry Rides Again" (1939) - A-

74. "Carnival of Souls" (1962) - D+

75. "THX-1138" (1971) - C

76. "Ugetsu" (1953) - B+

77. "The Dirty Dozen" (1967) - C+

78. "Justice League" (2017) - C+

79. "Coco" (2017) - B+

80. "Road to Morocco" (1942) - A

81. "The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse" (1921) - C-

82. "Amarcord" (1973) - B-

83. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2017) - B

84. "The Disaster Artist" (2017) - A

85. "The Right Stuff" (1983) - A-

86. "High Society" (1956) - A-

87. "A Star Is Born" (1954) - C-

88. "Cinema Paradiso" (1988) - B

89. "The Jungle Book" (2016) - C-

90. "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" (1971) - A

91. "Gilda" (1946) - A-

There are still plenty of films from 2017 that I want to see, including "The Shape of Water," "Lady Bird," "Darkest Hour," "The Post" and many others. What you can expect for this blog in the near future is my usual recap of the best (and worst) films of 2017, my Oscar Predictions once the nominations are announced, and two more additions to my Godzilla-thon (one fairly soon and one not so soon). And, of course, lots and lots of movie reviews.

I've thought about doing some television reviews in 2018, but I've also thought about maybe taking 2018 to write some other stuff that isn't related to movies or television reviews, so we'll see how that goes. This year, I'm aiming to watch around 80 movies that I've never seen before and about 20 television shows that are new to me.

Thank you all for another great year and continually coming back to hear about my thoughts and feelings about the random things I'm watching. You are all amazing, wonderful people. I hope that you enjoy what's coming in 2018 and I'll see you at the movies!