Title: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Rated: PG-13 | Runtime: 151 min | Theaters nationwide
Hello, readers! It’s been awhile since this site has seen an Email Throwdown, so it has returned to mark the occasion of the highly anticipated Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Surely you’ve already heard and read the many reactions to this movie, but why not see what Andrew, Jun, and Morgan thought of it? Read on and find out! WARNING: Major spoilers ahead.
Title: Zootopia | Rated: PG | Runtime: 108 min | Theaters nationwide
As far as the Disney Revival era goes, Zootopia may just be its best film yet.
Photo (c) Getty Images
(UPDATE: 02/28/16, 9:30 p.m.: As I suspected, this year saw my worst prediction record for the Oscars, as I went 17/24 this year. The categories I got wrong were Picture, Supporting Actor, Film Editing, Costume Design, Original Song, Visual Effects, and Documentary – Short Subject. I can only hope for a better record next year!)
I swear, doing this every year makes me more anxious than it really should.
Title: Deadpool | Rated: R | Runtime: 108 min | Theaters nationwide
From his much-aligned debut in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, fans have loudly clamored for a movie that would do justice to Deadpool. To say that it’s been a long, troubled road to release is an understatement; the film was stuck in development hell as far back as 2000, left to wait in the shop window as a carousel of filmmakers came in and out without ever really liberating it. Fox began treating it seriously not long after test footage leaked to positive reactions in 2014, and even when things were starting to look good, the creative team had to fight budget cuts as well as a proposal to make the film PG-13. At long last, the Merc with a Mouth has arrived on the big screen (again, technically speaking), and his fans seem to be quite happy with Deadpool, even though it’s a decent flick at best, where the parts are clearly greater than the whole.
Ahhh Valentine’s Day. The most blatant example of a Hallmark holiday. Valentine’s weekend, my wife and I had big plans – BIG plans. Go to a winter carnival. Go to Ottawa. Eat some dim sum. You know, pretend we’re in a real city and not Potsdam, NY. We kicked off the weekend with Deadpool. It was Friday, there was a blizzard, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to see this movie. Good thing I forced her out because on Saturday -25 degrees hit us like a sack of bricks. All those big plans? Turned into staying in and eating Taco Bell (well, that’s a good thing for me).
Which meant the only real “going out” we did was watch this year’s #1 romantic movie. Deadpool was all things it should have been: over the top, inappropriate, violent, hilarious, and… AWESOME! So in honor of everyone’s favorite merc with a mouth, here are ten things I like and dislike about the latest superhero movie (potential spoilers ahead)… Continue reading
Title: Hail, Caesar! | Rated: PG-13 | Duration: 106 min | Theaters nationwide
Joel and Ethan Coen, also known as the Coen brothers, are perhaps the most unique American filmmakers to grace the craft. Stocked with eccentric characters and delving into complex ideas and themes, their films typically toe a fine line between absurdist comedy and captivating drama, and their stories unfold in unconventional manners and distinct styles. Hail, Caesar! is likely their most divisive work to date even for their fans, but it’s very much a product of their minds, and it makes for a fun, thought-provoking watch.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
Normally, you’d see lists like these at the tail end of a year, or within the first week of a new one. That would ideally be the case for us, but unfortunately, MediaBrewPub isn’t a full-time commitment for us (though it can be, if you’re a rich benefactor á la Abel Magwitch and want to support us). That being said, January tends to be the month when I attempt to watch as many films from the previous year that I wasn’t able to catch in theaters. January has now passed, and the time has come for me to finally release this list. Perhaps it isn’t as comprehensive as it can be, but given my budget and spare time, it’ll do.
Title: Carol | Rated: R | Duration: 118 min | Theaters wide (reducing)
The best parts of any romance lie in the details. In regards to details, I’m talking about the glances, the brushes of fingertips, the way someone conducts him or herself around certain people, and the attention that he or she gives to that certain someone. These make up the language of love, and what’s fascinating about them is that they can be both overt and subtle, depending on the amount of attention you’re paying to a relationship. Now, when you have a taboo love story, those details matter all the more, especially when the couple in question can’t always be open. Indeed, that’s the relationship at play in Carol, the delicate and intense adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s groundbreaking lesbian romance novel, The Price of Salt.
Title: The Revenant | Rated: R | Duration: 156 min | Theaters nationwide
Typically, there are two transformations occurring in any survival story. One, of course, stems from the physical struggle with the beautiful yet relentless Mother Nature and her elements, forcing the human body to constantly take on more than it can possibly bear. The other is the metaphysical, where the survivor’s experiences forever alter his or her perception and understanding of the world. Depending on the storyteller, both matter equally, or one more than the other. Recent Oscar-winning director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu clearly favors the latter approach to The Revenant, a beautifully photographed film that’s in love with its theme but barely puts any weight behind it.
Title: The Hateful Eight | Rated: R | Duration: 187 min (Roadshow) / 168 min (wide release) | Theaters nationwide
One of the opening shots of The Hateful Eight proves to be quite telling – an extreme close-up on Jesus Christ’s forlorn face, before the camera slowly pulls back to reveal a wooden crucifix alone in a snowy wasteland, with not even a visible rock to keep it company. Here, Christ’s sacrifice to remove the sins of mankind has compelled humanity to commit more evil than ever before, abounding in even greater sin. His work ultimately amounting to nothing, he is forgotten. The world he tried to save instead has hatred running amok, and mercy is nonexistent. With that shot, writer-director Quentin Tarantino draws us into the world of his latest feature film, a mean-spirited and surprisingly political piece that’s surely his most divisive film yet.