My Top Twelve Underrated Movies

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After potentially ticking people off with my opinions on overrated movies, I thought I’d make it up to everyone by suggesting some perhaps unfamiliar films that deserve greater attention. I’m sure everyone out there has some obscure movies that they love and wish more people knew about. You know, the kind that you watch and then really want to talk about with others until you find out no one else has seen or even heard of it. Well, I’ve seen quite a few such films since starting this blog, and I want to give these criminally underseen films their due.

Just to clarify, these are not simply movies that got bad reviews. In fact, two of them have 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. With one exception, neither are these just movies that I like and others don’t; that kind of list would have to include Brother Bear, Spider-Man 3, and the Star Wars prequels. Rather, these are all movies that, for whatever reason, are not as widely known as they ought to be. You might also call it my Top Twelve Hidden Gems. To avoid listing my same old favorites, I’ve also chosen to exclude anything that’s in my Top 100 movies, so that leaves out the likes of Elizabethtown, Saints and Soldiers, and 84 Charing Cross Road. Their placement on that list already shows how I feel about them, but these other movies deserve mention too.

These aren’t even necessarily ranked by how much I like them, but by how much I think they deserve better recognition.  Thus, here are my Top Twelve Underrated Movies:

 

12. Wrinkles (2011)

This animated Spanish film was a pleasant surprise, tackling sensitive topics like aging and mental illness with a deft hand and compassionate attention to its characters. I’ve often mentioned that I enjoy mature animation that doesn’t wallow in mature subject matter, which is rare outside of anime, and Wrinkles fit that preference perfectly.

 

11. Ink (2009)

Someone get Jamin Winans a bigger budget. For a clearly low-budget production, there’s a lot going on in his cult film Ink: a battle between good and evil, dreams and nightmares; a long-nosed monster trying to steal a little girl’s soul; a distant father’s nearly broken relationship with his young daughter; and a strange and profound reflection on life, death, and regret. I’m still not quite sure what to make of this under-the-radar fantasy, but it’s definitely worth seeing, as evidenced by the 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. I’ll also mention Wynan’s next film, The Frame, which is also good but a bit too existential for me. Neither one is kid-friendly, due to language, but they’re a unique brand of filmmaking.

 

10. Harrison Bergeron (1995)

This Showtime movie from the ‘90s may not be well-known among dystopian cinema, but it should be. It stars Sean Astin as a young genius whose intellect is a source of shame in his egalitarian society where no one is allowed to be better than anyone else. At times, the extremes of this dystopia come off as laughably absurd, but it gets darker as it goes, with a hauntingly sad conclusion.

 

9. Dominick and Eugene (1988)

We’ve all heard of Rain Man, but what about the other movie that year about a pair of brothers, one of whom is mentally handicapped? While it has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, Dominick and Eugene suffers from the sad fact that no one remembers it. I only happened to catch it on an obscure movie channel. Though it’s already distinguished by outstanding performances from Ray Liotta and Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Hulce should have earned an Oscar nomination (not just a Golden Globe nod) for his performance as a mentally impaired garbageman helping his twin brother to work through medical school.

 

8. Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011)

Everyone seemed to love Your Name last year, but I knew of Makoto Shinkai’s talents before that, thanks to this gorgeously animated adventure (also known as Journey to Agartha) that is every bit as magical as a Studio Ghibli film and feels very much like a tribute to Miyazaki’s fantasies. Following a schoolgirl’s journey into the mystical underground realm of Agartha, accompanied by an obsessed member of a secret organization, it’s a subtly emotional story of learning to say goodbye, even when the grief threatens to destroy you and others. As marvelous as Your Name is, this one holds an even more special place in my heart.

 

7. Counterpoint (1967)

The obscure nature of this Charlton Heston war film may make you think it’s a dud, but not so. In fact, I’d say Counterpoint is among Heston’s best films, casting him as the head of a touring orchestra whose entire ensemble is captured by Nazis during the close of World War II. A cultured Nazi general (Maximilian Schell) confines them to a castle and insists they play a recital for him, and what is to follow is threateningly vague. It’s a great battle of wills and egos between Heston and Schell, highlighted by an excellent collection of classical music.

 

6. Hidden (2015)

I’m not even sure where I first heard of this horror gem, but I’m glad I discovered it. After an outbreak of some disease, a family hides in an underground bunker from whatever lurks above them. Alexander Skarsgard and Andrea Riseborough play two wonderful parents, trying to encourage their daughter (Emily Alyn Lind) and keep her spirits up in this frightening situation. The family dynamic helped me care about the characters and made the tense moments all the more potent.

 

5. Waterworld (1995)

Don’t let Waterworld’s reputation as a notorious bomb deter you. It’s actually a surprisingly entertaining actioner, one with quite a bit in common with Mad Max: Fury Road, just with water instead of desert. I’m not really sure why it’s earned such a bad reputation. The acting may be over-the-top at times but no more than Mad Max, and the expansive maritime setting is still impressive proof of the film’s ambition.

 

4. Surrogates (2009)

I seem to be more forgiving of sci-fi than the critics. Another piece of good science fiction that somehow suffered from bad reviews, Surrogates is about a warily plausible world where people only interact with the world through robotic lookalikes. Bruce Willis investigates a rare instance of murder and is reminded just how sheltered the people of this dystopia have become. Most critics said it squandered a great premise, but I think it succeeded as both cool action and thought-provoking fiction.

 

3. Shuffle (2011)

Another low-budget movie that transcends its limitations with a brilliantly original story, this time-travel flick from writer/director Kurt Kuenne doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page! T.J. Thyne plays a man who jumps to a different day of his life every time he falls asleep, which is often, and the threads of his life are gradually revealed with every leap in time. Some say it gets too sentimental by the end, but Shuffle didn’t disappoint me at all.

 

2. King of Thorn (2010)

I have never seen this anime on a single list anywhere. It’s mostly unknown even in anime circles, which is a crying shame. When a collection of people awaken from stasis after a worldwide epidemic of a virus that turns people to stone, they are thrust into a fight for their lives against monsters and reality-bending dangers. This thrilling and atmospheric blend of Aliens, Inception, and Lost has loads of unguessable twists and turns to elevate its survival-horror premise. It can be violent and confusing, but it’s also awesome and vastly underrated.

 

1. Cloud Atlas (2012)

I debated what should be #1, since any of these could have been ranked higher, but Cloud Atlas won the day. This is a movie that could have won Oscars, perhaps Best Score, Best Makeup, and maybe even Best Picture, if the Academy had been a bit more adventurous. Covering six distinct stories separated by centuries yet somehow linked by cosmic connections, Cloud Atlas is a wildly ambitious film with an incredible cast, all of whom play multiple, very different roles. It’s also a polarizing story, and I can easily see people walking away either mind-blown or just confused and exasperated. It’s long, strange in its shifts in tone, and full of New Age-y  nonsense, but there’s so much to appreciate and take in that it’s an amazing ride worth taking all the same.

 

 

And here are some other films that deserve more awareness. If you haven’t seen these movies, I highly recommend widening those horizons.

 

About Time – Fantastic time travel romance with Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams.

Bright Star – Quietly poetic biopic of John Keats.

Cannery Row – Fun and funny Steinbeck adaptation.

Flightplan – A tense Jodie Foster thriller about a mother whose daughter disappears on a plane.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir – Excellent supernatural romance with Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison.

In Time – Brilliant dystopian premise of the time of one’s lifespan becoming currency.

In Your Eyes – Peculiar romance between two people who see through each other’s eyes.

Labyrinth of Lies – This German film about remembering Nazi war crimes should have been a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nominee.

Lunopolis – Conspiracy-filled found-footage sci-fi with a great twist.

The Man Who Never Was – Historical story of how a dead man helped win World War II.

Millennium Actress – Uniquely told anime of an actress seeking the unattainable.

The One I Love – A relationship movie with a Twilight Zone twist.

The Quick and the Dead (1987) – Engaging western with Sam Elliot at his mustached best.

Rabbit Hole – Affecting tale of parental grief every bit as emotional as Ordinary People.

Regarding Henry – Harrison Ford’s most underrated performance as a mentally damaged husband.

Right at Your Door – Terrifyingly real and down-to-earth disaster movie.

Secondhand Lions – Anecdotal charmer with great support from Michael Caine and Robert Duvall.

Sophie Scholl – The Final Days – Well-acted German tribute to an anti-Nazi martyr.

Strings – Very unique fantasy told completely with marionettes.

Time of Eve – Understated anime about androids discovering their humanity.

Tomorrowland – I actually found this Disney bomb to be a surprisingly fun ride.

The Way Back – Emotional journey of escapees from a Russian gulag, who walk all the way to India.

Woman in Gold – Strong performances from Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds in this tale of reclaiming art stolen by the Nazis.

 

Thanks for checking out these lists to celebrate my 500 follower milestone. Many more poems, reviews, and lists will come, and I hope to discover many more underrated movies in the future. Feel free to leave any suggestions below. I’m always on the lookout for more hidden gems!

 

My Top Twelve Overrated Movies

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We all have films that others love and we just…don’t. In fact, the whole world may love a film, critics laud it, bloggers sing its praises, Rotten Tomatoes pronounces it hot-off-the-vine Fresh, top film lists rank it among the best of its genre, and you just don’t see what all the hype is about. There’s no objective measurement of why certain films are overrated. It’s all a matter of opinion, and this list is mine.

I freely admit that “overrated” is a subjective term. I personally love movies that others may despise, like Forrest Gump, Titanic, La La Land, and Les Miserables, so don’t expect any of those on this list. Likewise, there are movies I don’t like, such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but I at least recognize why others love it. This list is for movies that I don’t quite understand why they’ve earned all the acclaim they’ve gotten. To be honest, I do like some of these films, and two are even on my Top 365 list (which I’ll note below), but all of these fill my definition of overrated, regardless of how popular or iconic they are. I won’t be pulling any punches, so feel free to agree or disagree and plug your own opinion too. Don’t hate me ‘cause I’m honest! 🙂

 

12. North By Northwest (1959)

I’ve never been that enamored with Alfred Hitchcock’s films, which range from great to boring, but how North By Northwest has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes is beyond me. It’s a decent Hitchcock thriller, fueled by coincidence and mistaken identity, but only a few scenes stand out among the twisty plot. Plus, the ending is laughable. One minute, the main couple is clinging to the face of Mount Rushmore, the next they’re celebrating on a train. What the heck? It’s the most jarring shift of tone I’ve ever seen, and no one else seems to point it out.

 

11. Frozen (2013)

I do enjoy Frozen for its return to the Disney princess formula, and it’s currently #201 on my Top 365 List, even if I’m not a fan of the villain or how everything is suddenly resolved by the realization of “love” or something. But why is it that four years later, there are still Frozen toothbrushes, Frozen backpacks, Frozen breakfast cereal, Frozen juice boxes, Frozen shampoo, Frozen this and Frozen that. You can’t walk into a grocery story without seeing Anna and Elsa on some kind of merchandise. Disney somehow made Frozen merch into a commercial empire and is milking it for all its worth. But why not Wreck-It Ralph or Big Hero 6?

 

10. The French Connection (1971)

This is one thriller that was just lacking. Gene Hackman’s character of Popeye Doyle had no personality or character development to speak of, making the whole hunt for drug traffickers an uninvolving affair punctuated by a few admittedly memorable and well-shot scenes. I never like it when a film’s ending leaves me saying “That’s it?”, which is exactly what happened with that open-ended final scene. It’s not a bad film, but why it landed on AFI’s top 100 twice, I’ll never understand.

 

9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

I can’t argue against Snow White’s significance in movie history as the first feature-length animated film and Disney’s first feature. Yet what was so revolutionary back then doesn’t necessarily hold up now. I remember the last time I saw this classic being annoyed by Snow White’s grating voice and the familiar fairy tale tropes that have been done better since. And again, AFI named it the greatest animated film ever? I love the dwarfs, but Snow White feels like a film that is more respected for being the first than for being the best.

 

8. The Third Man (1949)

I have read reviews of this film noir that praise the acting, the atmosphere, the cinematography, and [shudder] the score. The score? Who could possibly like the zither-heavy score to The Third Man? It’s one of the most annoying soundtracks I’ve heard and a total contrast to the mood the rest of the film tries to create. Seriously, it sounds like music that belongs in SpongeBob SquarePants, not a dark thriller. I honestly don’t remember the rest of the movie that well, but whenever I see the score named among great soundtracks, I can’t help but shake my head in frustration.

 

7. The Dark Knight (2008)

Don’t explode. It’s okay, I don’t hate The Dark Knight, but neither do I think it’s the best superhero movie ever. The whole trilogy is currently #178 on my List, but I much prefer The Dark Knight Rises to The Dark Knight. For one, as good as Heath Ledger is as the Joker, I’ve never been a fan of dark gritty superhero movies. But the worst part of The Dark Knight is the ending. I just don’t get it. Why does Batman have to take the blame for Harvey Dent? Because the people of Gotham couldn’t take it? Please, all it does is create a can of worms and distrust for the next film to open, and the decision is too rushed to really make sense. Good movie, weak ending.

 

6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Steven Spielberg has made some fantastic movies over the years, but this is not one of the better ones. True, it’s become an icon of alien abduction cinema, but it’s also among his least entertaining features. We’re treated to Richard Dreyfuss acting crazy and ruining his marriage for much of the film, and then it ends with a tone-based light show, because what could be more riveting than a tone-based light show? There’s no twist, no deep emotion, no meaningful explanation to it all; it’s just aliens, which is surprisingly boring in this case. I can’t help but wonder if the government eventually found out that the alien message was a cook book called To Serve Man.

 

5. Shakespeare in Love (1997)

This is another film that isn’t necessarily bad. It’s actually well-acted, well-written, and well-produced. But it is not the Best Picture of 1998! It still boggles my mind that Shakespeare in Love somehow beat Saving Private Ryan and Life Is Beautiful, plus Elizabeth and The Thin Red Line. It reeks of studio bribery or favoritism. The fact that it’s complete fiction also takes away any historical significance. Plus, though Judi Dench did well as Queen Elizabeth I, what about her short performance warranted Best Supporting Actress?

 

4. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

I hate to badmouth a Studio Ghibli film that is clearly a favorite of so many, but I really don’t see what the big deal is about My Neighbor Totoro. It’s a cute movie, but how can people call it Miyazaki’s best or one of the best films of 1988? Two annoying girls frolic with forest spirits; later, one thinks something bad happened but it didn’t. The end. Such a weak plot could be redeemed by Miyazaki’s proven movie magic, but I didn’t feel it. Totoro himself seems more intimidating than cuddly, especially when the only sound he makes is a big roar. Maybe I need to see it again, but I don’t get the hype.

 

3. Blade Runner (1982)

I just saw Blade Runner recently as one of my Blindspots, and I was pretty disappointed for a film that’s supposedly among the best sci-fi of all time. As with The French Connection, Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard has hardly any personality, and the characters that do are like weird caricatures, offset by a plodding pace. I know many have debated stuff like whether Deckard is a replicant, but when the film doesn’t bother to explore that kind of potential, why should I care? And talk about anticlimactic. Rutger Hauer chases him through a building like he’s going to kill him, then saves him, and dies after a short soliloquy. What? I know it’s had a huge influence on the cyberpunk genre, but for me, Blade Runner is all style over substance.

 

2. Avatar (2009)

James Cameron tried to revolutionize science fiction with Avatar, but he might have tried a more original story while he was at it. The visual effects are incredible, especially during the big battle at the end, but doesn’t all that just distract viewers from the fact that this is basically Pocahontas with blue aliens. Dances with Wolves with space marines. It’s the same old environmentalist story of the evil money-grubbing military men spoiling a native paradise and messing with nature’s perfection. I just hope Cameron has something better in mind for the sequels he’s been working on for years.

 

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Southerners have a word for things like 2001: artsy-fartsy. What the heck is this film about? Man’s evolutionary progress? The contrast between man and machine? That may be how people read it, but no, 2001 is about a black rock sending mankind to Jupiter so he can go on an LSD trip. It’s infuriating how praised and lauded this film is when I found it eminently boring and, by the end, incomprehensible. Again, ground-breaking visuals aren’t enough to cover up a stark lack of story, and the way many have discussed 2001’s deep symbolism and message just makes it seem even more pretentious and self-important. Some may say I just don’t get it, and they’re right, I don’t. There may be elements of great filmmaking, but this is by no means a great film.

 

 

Notice all the pictures of shock, anger, and sadness? Sorry if that’s you too right now. And here are some runners-up that I also find overrated.

 

5 Centimeters Per Second – Lovely animation, horribly depressing story.

An American in Paris – Weak plot that exists just for the famous overlong dance number.

Dr. Strangelove – For a classic comedy, it’s not really that funny.

Field of Dreams – The lack of explanation takes away from the fantasy appeal.

Ghost in the Shell – Style over substance, yet again.

The Godfather – Great film, yes, but hardly the best film ever made.

Interstellar – The visuals don’t quite make up for the obvious twist and slow pacing.

Juno – I liked the pro-life aspect but found Ellen Page’s misanthropic character hard to like.

Manchester By the Sea – Good acting but deeply depressing. How did this win Best Screenplay?

Midnight Special – Interesting premise, but a bit too slow-burn with little resolution.

Spirited Away – Sure, it looks amazing, but it’s also downright bizarre.

Urban Cowboy – How could anyone like this piece of trash? Worst movie ever!

 

Ah, glad I got that off my chest. Let the rebuttals begin! On Sunday, I’ll be going the other direction and posting my List of Underrated Movies. Stay tuned!

 

My Top Twelve Potatoes in Movies

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In the spirit of my list of movie corn (one of my favorites to compile), I’ve decided now to turn my sights on another vegetable that has found its way onto movie screens: the humble potato. That’s right, we’re going full spud here, and all manner of cinematic uses for this tuber qualify. Cue the Bubba voice— you got potato chips, potato salad, potato casserole, French fries, hash browns, latkes, knishes, potatoes au gratin, mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, baked potatoes, tater tots, potato bread, potato soup, potato pancakes, twice-baked potatoes, and…that’s about it.

In truth, most of these picks actually feature whole potatoes rather than anything made from them, but there are notable exceptions. I have tried to compile this list with all diligence, even leaving off a few tenuous choices. For instance, I found that the root that Scarlett O’Hara digs up in the “I’ll never be hungry again” scene of Gone with the Wind is actually a radish, not a potato. Likewise, I’ve never seen many films that actually have potato in the name, such as Mashed Potatoes; Hot Potato (several movies by that name); One Potato, Two Potato; Who Made the Potatoe Salad?; and Sex Lives of the Potato Men, some of which apparently don’t even have anything to do with actual potatoes.

Plus, I’m ignoring certain vulgar potato scenes I know of, as in Soul Plane and Sausage Party. In addition, I haven’t forgotten significant potatoes in other media, such as the potato girl from Attack on Titan, the A.I. GLaDOS as a potato battery in Portal 2 (see top picture), and that ridiculously epic potato chip scene from the anime Death Note. (I wonder if they’ll keep that scene in the live-action movie this year.)

So without further ado, here are my top twelve instances of potatoes in movies. I hope you like potatoes.

12. A Fish Called Wanda

There’s something I deeply despise about this scene. Oh, yeah, it’s Kevin Kline as the most charmingly despicable jerk imaginable. I honestly can’t stand this movie, but it’s certainly a memorable scene. And yes, thank you, England, for the culinary contribution that is the chip.
 

11. A Christmas Story

While Ralphie’s little brother Randy complains about meatloaf, he apparently loves mashed potatoes, as long as he can eat like a piggy. I’m glad I was never a finicky eater.
 

10. Animal House

Ah, the famous zit scene in the cafeteria, featuring a grown-up version of Ralphie’s brother. This is one I debated for a while, mainly because I still can’t verify that it’s actually mashed potatoes that John Belushi blows out of his mouth. It’s some scoop of white food, but is it potatoes, cottage cheese, a hard-boiled egg, or something else entirely? It looks like mashed potatoes to me, though, and until I learn otherwise, it counts.
 

9. Ladies in Lavender

In this lesser-known drama about two elderly English sisters (Judi Dench, Maggie Smith) who care for a young Pole (Daniel Bruhl) who washes up on the beach, peeling potatoes transcends the language barrier.
 

8. Everything Is Illuminated

This quirky but deceptively serious tale is about a Jewish-American (Elijah Wood) traveling to Ukraine to investigate his family history from the Holocaust, and a lonely potato serves to illustrate both his compulsive collecting habits and the cultural divide between himself and his guides.
 

7. Empire of the Sun

How the mighty have fallen when once-affluent Englishmen crave a mere potato! Young Christian Bale’s Jim experiences this fall to desperation firsthand after the Japanese occupy Shanghai. “People will do anything for a potato.”

6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

I’m not enamored of this Spielberg sci-fi staple, but you’ve got to love Richard Dreyfuss’s obsessive molding of his mashed potatoes into a tiny model of Devil’s Tower.
 

5. Wolf Children

I am enamored of this beautifully charming anime film about a single mother raising her half-wolf kids. When she moves out to the country, her inexperience at farming shows, but a gruff neighbor provides her a crash course in growing plenty of potatoes.

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Say it with me now. “Po-ta-toes! Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew!” As Sam could tell you, there’s only one way to eat a brace of coneys, and ideally it’s with taters.
 

3. The Martian

Most of you probably saw this one coming, since it’s a more recent movie. After being stranded on Mars, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) uses his incredible botany powers to grow potatoes in his own dung and stretch his food supply. I’m sure they taste much better with ketchup than with Vicodin.
 

2. Faith Like Potatoes

At least I have one movie that actually has potatoes in the name. This Christian film about a real-life South African farmer and speaker makes a stirring comparison between faith and potatoes, both of which remain hidden beneath the surface until harvest time, with inspiring results. Some may find it preachy, but it’s one of the better faith-based films out there.

1. Toy Story franchise

And the number one spot goes to none other than Mr. Potato Head, plus his Missus. Don Rickles and Pixar made a lovably irritable character out of the old Hasbro toy, which originated as an actual potato with removable body parts. Thanks to Toy Story, Mr. Potato Head is still popular and even has his own Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon. Now that’s a famous spud.
 
And here are a few runners-up, albeit not many, since there weren’t nearly as many movie potatoes to choose from as there were corn scenes.

The Benchwarmers – Explains that hot potatoes are actually hot.

Barefoot Gen – Two brothers fight over a sweet potato in this disturbing anime film a la Grave of the Fireflies.

Frenzy – This Hitchcock thriller has a killer rummaging through sacks of potatoes for something his latest victim took from him.

Men at Work – Don’t ever mess with a man’s fries.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding – There are no small gatherings when the potato peeling starts.

Napoleon Dynamite – “Give me some of your tots.”

Sling Blade – “I like them French fried potaters.”

Steamboat Willie – The first cartoon with synchronized sound ends with Mickey Mouse peeling potatoes for his musical antics.

The Terminal – A bag of potato chips serves as a messy metaphor for a foreign coup.

Maybe I’ll continue this food theme for future lists, but my top twelve cauliflower in movies may take some time. Thanks to everyone who reads this list, and perhaps now you’ll keep in mind the star power of that tater the next time you peel or eat one. Remember, the spuds have eyes.
 

The List of My Lists

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As much as I enjoy compiling my periodic lists, it hit me that I didn’t actually have a page listing them. So, apart from the List of my Top 365 movies, with its incarnations at the top, here are the smaller lists I’ve posted thus far, including my Top Twelves, my Top 50 Movie Scores countdown, blogiversary lists, and special features like Cartoon Comparisons and Version Variations. I guarantee I’ll be adding to it with more lists to come, and at least now I have a central place to index them. I’m such a list nerd!

My Top Twelves

Movies :

Musical Numbers

Time Travel Movies

Anime Films (An update is coming soon.)

Movie Quotes No One Seems to Remember

Scary Movies

Meet-‘Em-and-Move-On Movies

Movie Corn

Movie Elevators

Movie Doors

Poems in Movies

Rain Scenes in Movies

Candy in Movies

Movie Final Scenes

Disney Animated Movies

Pens in Movies

Scenes Seen in 2016

Films of 2016

Potatoes in Movies

Less Obvious Christmas Movies

 

Music:

Na Na Na Songs

Coldplay Songs

Contemporary Christian Songs

End Credits Song Hall of Fame

Lindsey Stirling Songs

Fast-Sung Songs

Songs of 2016

Head-Banging Songs

 

TV:

Favorite TV Series

Star Trek: Voyager Musical Highlights

Star Trek: Voyager Episodes

 

Blogiversaries:

2^nd Blogiversary List Additions

3^rd Blogiversary List Additions

 

Top 50 Movie Scores :

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Full List

 

Cartoon Comparisons:

Ordinary People (1980) / Colorful (2010)

Sleeping Beauty (1959) / Maleficent (2014)

Metropolis (1927) / Metropolis (2001)

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) / The Dark Knight Returns (2012)

Upside Down (2012) / Patema Inverted (2014)

 

Version Variations:

True Grit (1969, 2010)

Of Mice and Men (1939, 1992)

Adventures in Babysitting (1987, 2016)

A Star Is Born (1937, 1954, 1976)

Pete’s Dragon (1977, 2016)

My Top Twelve Head-Banging Songs

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After a whole month of NaPoWriMo poems, I don’t want anyone to think I just sit around watching movies and thinking up words that rhyme with orange. Like everyone else, I have a wild side too, even if claiming I have a wild side probably means it’s rather tame, but the best way to manifest it for me is to listen to the head-banging goodness of rock and/or good pop music. These are songs that I can’t help but let loose and bash my cranium against the atmosphere. (Warning: Bashing one’s head against the atmosphere is a known cause of headaches, seeing spots, and other forms of dain bramage. Bash responsibly.)

I feel I should preface this list with a caveat, namely that my taste in what constitutes “head-banging” may be unconventional next to the definition of the hardcore metal-heads out there. For me, it’s a fine line between “head-banging” and just noise, so the majority of metal does not appeal to me, and the same goes for a lot of hard rock with those endless guitar solos. I think my list is actually pretty varied, but be aware that it’s unlikely to match the majority of similar lists. Because the head-banging quality is rather subjective, I’ll also be including my mom’s list at the end, which errs more on the side of classic rock. That will provide a different generation’s contrasting opinion and show where I got my head-banging genes; there’s an asterisk by my picks that would be runners-up for her list. I don’t know if anyone will agree with my picks here, but at least now I’ll have all of them compiled in one place anytime I feel like giving myself whiplash!

12. “Don’t Leave Me This Way” – Thelma Houston (1977) *

Written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert, this catchy tune transitioned from soul to disco when Thelma Houston made it into a hit two years after its original recording by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. The Communards later 80s-fied it in the next decade, but, as good as all three incarnations are, Thelma Houston’s is the best, in my opinion. It killed me when her version was included in the soundtrack of The Martian but was cut off right before it really took off.
 

11. “Delilah” – Florence and the Machine (2015)

After discovering Florence and the Machine last year, I’ve become quite a fan of their unique sound and Florence Welch’s voice, and I think “Delilah” is the high point of their discography thus far. The way it builds and lets loose after those stark piano notes is genius, making this a good example for my idea of an unconventional head-banger.
 

10. “Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen (1975) *

Well, I don’t think I’ll get much dissent on this one. Thanks to that classic scene from the beginning of Wayne’s World, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” is almost synonymous with head-banging (and singing along to weird lyrics). This one speaks for itself.
 

9. “One More Night” – Cascada (2004), Nightcore version

For those who don’t know what Nightcore is, it’s basically a lazy YouTube version of a remix which just speeds a song up and slaps a random anime picture on it; a side effect is that it sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks, but the faster tempo often enhances the instrumental beats, especially in the Eurodance music of Cascada. Pretty much all of their songs sound even better sped up, but for some reason “One More Night” most gets my head jamming.
 

8. “Good Time” – Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen (2012)

This little collaboration was one of the most feel-good summer hits in recent years, and it’s a shame that a now-defunct copyright lawsuit kept it off the airwaves for a time. I remember mowing the lawn to this wholesome headbanger back in 2012 and loving every minute of it.
 

7. “Flyers” – BRADIO (2015)

Have you ever seen an anime series called Death Parade? No? Neither have I, but boy, do I know its opening theme song. Beginning with possibly the greatest opening note of any song, this is upbeat funk at its finest, and I don’t even mind that it’s in Japanese. I especially love the guitar solo.
 

6. “Livin’ on a Prayer” – Bon Jovi (1986) *

Possibly Bon Jovi’s biggest hit, “Livin’ on a Prayer” doesn’t know when to culminate. The chorus just keeps building, and it’s head-banging glory.
 

5. “Timber” – Pitbull, featuring Ke$ha (2013)

As much as I usually detest rap, Pitbull actually has some decent songs to his name, though they’re usually good in spite of his rapping, as is the case with this country-ish dance hit. Leave out the rap entirely, and it’s infinitely better with just Ke$ha’s vocals and that harmonica. This is one I always crank up by the end.
 

4. “Shut Up and Dance” – Walk the Moon (2015)

Yes, perhaps my subconscious youthful bias for recent music is showing, but “Shut Up and Dance” has a strangely ‘80s vibe to it too. Its dance-floor exhilaration instantly made Walk the Moon one of my favorite modern bands. This song might also have fit on a list of songs I can’t stay still to, but that’s another list and shall be told another time.
 

3. “Free Bird” – Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974)

One of the quintessential staples of looooong rock ‘n roll, “Free Bird” isn’t just here to prove I do have a taste for classic rock. It’s simply an undeniably awesome rocker, and I’ll always associate it with that also awesome scene from Elizabethtown with the sprinklers and the flaming bird. There’s also a wistfulness to the tune, especially considering how several of the band members died.
 

2. “No Way Out” – Vicetone, featuring Kat Nestel (2015)

Oh, this song…this song is like a shot of adrenaline for me, making me wonder why I’d never heard it until recently. When the chorus builds to its climax with those heavy piano notes, I’m lucky if my head doesn’t go flying.
 

1. “Wake Me Up” – Avicii (2013) *

Like “Timber,” I’ve seen “Wake Me Up” described as folktronica so maybe I should explore that hybrid subgenre more. Sung by Aloe Blacc, this self-confidence anthem may have grown a little less “head-bangy” for me with repeated listens, but it had to be #1. I remember when I used to work late, this song would come on the radio while I was driving home, and I’d let out all the frustrations of the day by giving myself a concussion to this tune. Great stuff!
 
 

Mom’s List

She didn’t have the heart to rank them, so here are my mom’s personal favorite head-bangers in alphabetical order, all of which are runners-up of mine as well:

“Abacab” (Live version) – Genesis

“Don’t Fight It” – Kenny Loggins and Steve Perry

“Free Bird” – Lynryd Skynyrd

“Get It On (Bang a Gong)” – The Power Station

“Long Time” and the whole of the Boston album – Boston

TIE:  “Panama” and “Jump” – Van Halen

TIE:  “Rockin’ the Paradise” and “Come Sail Away” – Styx

“Roll with the Changes” – REO Speedwagon

“Rosalita” – Bruce Springsteen

“Roundabout” – Yes

“Thunderstruck” – AC/DC

“Who’s Behind the Door?” – Zebra
 

And here are my many runners-up, not including my mom’s list above, which also rank among my favorite head-bangers but just couldn’t quite crack the top 12:

“Angel” – angela, opening song to the anime series Coppelion

“Anytime” (Live version) – Journey *

“Carry On, My Wayward Son” – Kansas

“Cherry Pie” – Warrant

“Come with Me Now” – Kongos

“Done” – The Band Perry *

“Don’t Look Back” and “Let Me Take You Home Tonight” – Boston

“Drumming Song” – Florence and the Machine

“Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” – Coldplay

“Get ‘em Up” and “Burn It to the Ground” – Nickelback

“Hell to Your Doorstep” – The Count of Monte Cristo musical

“Hot n Cold” – Katy Perry

“I Bet My Life” – Imagine Dragons

“It’s My Life” – Bon Jovi

“I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts version *

“Little Talks” – Of Monsters and Men (just one little part)

“Pour Some Sugar on Me” – Def Leppard

“Pyromania” and “Runaway” – Cascada (Nightcore versions)

“Rock You Like a Hurricane” – Scorpions

“Scream” – High School Musical 3

“Stairway to Heaven” – Led Zeppelin *

“Turn Me On” – David Guetta, feat. Nicki Minaj

“Turn Up the Radio” – Autograph *

“Uma Thurman” – Fall Out Boy

“Up All Night” – Hinder

“The Way We Roll” – Newsboys *

“You’re Not Ferb” – from Phineas and Ferb, episode “Invasion of the Ferb Snatchers”
 
 
And I have to end this post with the song that inspired it, Kansas’s “Carry On, My Wayward Son,” which is among my favorite rock songs ever (I remember exactly where I was the first time I heard it), but was sadly beaten off the list by stronger head-banging competition.

Thanks to anyone who banged their heads along with me for this list! (Sorry for any neck injuries.)

NaPoWriMo 2017 Recap

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Lists

Well, 2017’s National/Global Poetry Writing Month has finally come to an end, and I’m both proud and relieved to have made it through with thirty poems and reviews to show for it. Some are better than others, but at least I got through a backlog of films I wasn’t sure I’d get around to reviewing. A big thank you to everyone who liked, followed, commented, and supported me through the busy month of April, as well as the NaPoWriMo website for all the thought-provoking prompts for each day.

Here is a list of the films I reviewed, each with its own poem, in case you missed a day:

 

April 1 – Catch Me If You Can (2002) – List Runner-Up

April 2 – A View to a Kill (1985) – List-Worthy

April 3 – Rabbit Hole (2010) – List-Worthy

April 4 – The Imitation Game (2014) – List Runner-Up

April 5 – The Wall (Die Wand) (2012) – Honorable Mention

April 6 – The Visit (2015) – Honorable Mention

April 7 – The Lego Movie (2014) – List Runner-Up

April 8 – Con Air (1997) – List-Worthy

April 9 – Deathtrap (1982) – List Runner-Up

April 10 – Love and Mercy (2014) – List Runner-Up

April 11 – The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972) – Honorable Mention

April 12 – Big Eyes (2014) – List Runner-Up

April 13 – They Were Eleven (1986) – List Runner-Up

April 14 – 12 Years a Slave (2013) – List Runner-Up

April 15 – Empire of the Sun (1987) – List Runner-Up

April 16 – Risen (2016) – List Runner-Up

April 17 – Bright Star (2009) – List Runner-Up

April 18 – Blast from the Past (1999) – List Runner-Up

April 19 – They Live (1988) – Honorable Mention

April 20 – Queen of Katwe (2016) – List Runner-Up

April 21 – The Help (2011) – List Runner-Up (my Blindspot pick of the month)

April 22 – The Good Dinosaur (2015) – List Runner-Up

April 23 – Passengers (2016) – List Runner-Up  (My most popular post and my first to get 20 likes!)

April 24 – The Boy and the Beast (2015) – List Runner-Up

April 25 – In Time (2011) – List-Worthy  (My personal favorite poem of the month)

April 26 – Ghostbusters (2016) – Honorable Mention

April 27 – Chocolat (2000) – Dishonorable Mention

April 28 – Starter for 10 (2006) – List-Worthy

April 29 – Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) – List Runner-Up

April 30 – About Time (2013) – List-Worthy  (My favorite film reviewed this month)

 

Now that NaPoWriMo is over with, I’ll be writing at a much more relaxed pace, back to the two or three a week that I averaged before, but I’m already looking forward to the same challenge next year!

 

My Top Twelve Star Trek: Voyager Episodes

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Lists, Sci-fi

Of all the Star Trek series I’ve seen, my favorite is undoubtedly Voyager, a classic example of a show that started with promise and kept getting better as it went. I wavered on whether or not to make a list of my top episodes, unsure if anyone would even care, but after learning of other fans, namely the lovely ladies of Violet’s Veg*n E-Comics, I couldn’t resist any longer. I’ll likely do a favorites list for all my favorite shows at some point.

For those who don’t know, Voyager is in the same universe as all the other Star Trek series and is the last to occur chronologically. It’s basically a space-faring version of The Odyssey, with the title ship (and a rebel Maquis ship) being blasted into the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light years from Earth, and the two crews must combine to begin the 75-year journey home, with quite a few adventures along the way. The best part of Voyager is its characters, all of whom feel like a family by the end, from Kate Mulgrew’s first female Trek series Captain Kathryn Janeway to Robert Picardo’s egotistical holographic Doctor (“I’m a doctor, not a tricorder.”) to Ethan Phillips’ ever lovable Talaxian cook Neelix. With its far-flung setting, it also explores planets, aliens, and themes unseen in other Trek series and features some of the best time travel episodes of the franchise.

Of course, no series is immune to some duds, and I don’t want anyone’s first exposure to Voyager to be “Threshold” or “The Fight” or “Barge of the Dead.” Thus, for fans and not-yet-fans alike, here are my top twelve episodes of Star Trek: Voyager. I say “not-yet-fans” because I would hope seeing the show at its best would win over any potential viewer. Because Voyager rules! And so the countdown begins….

 

12. “11:59” – Season 5

Oddly enough, the first episode here doesn’t even take place on Voyager. When Captain Janeway recounts the story of one of her forebears, we’re treated to an endearing flashback of her ancestor (also played by Mulgrew) falling in love with a nostalgic bookstore owner (Kevin Tighe of Lost) on New Year’s Eve of 2001.

 

11. “Before and After” – Season 3

The episodes with Kes (Jennifer Lien) weren’t always the best, despite the uniqueness of a budding telepath with a nine-year lifespan, but “Before and After” was easily her best episode. She begins to live her life backwards, starting as an old woman and trying to figure out what’s happening before she jumps further back in time.

 

10. “Shattered” – Season 7

Every series likes to have some kind of recap episode for the more nostalgic fans, and “Shattered” again uses time travel for that very purpose. After a warp core accident, first officer Chakotay finds himself the only one unaffected when the ship is broken up into different sections of its own history. Kudos for all the references to past episodes!

 

9. “Nemesis” – Season 4

Another Chakotay episode, this time he crash-lands in the middle of an alien war and becomes a pawn in the struggle. There’s a potent message about how both sides of war encourage hate for the enemy, and I love the unique alien vocabulary used (“glimpses” in place of eyes, “trunks” in place of trees). Seriously, this episode should have won an Emmy for its writing.

 

8. “Rise” – Season 3

There was always a great odd-couple dynamic between gregarious Neelix and logical Vulcan Tuvok, and the tension finally bubbled to the surface in “Rise,” where they must work together with some disaster survivors to escape a planet’s atmosphere via a literal ground-to-space elevator. The concept alone is cool!

 

7. “Equinox, Parts 1 and 2” – Seasons 5/6

Yes, I’m counting two-parters together. Guest-starring John Savage and Titus Welliver (aka “the Man in Black” from Lost), this double-header that segued from season 5 to season 6 provided an excellent contrast between the straight-laced Starfleet ideals of Voyager and the more ruthless tactics of another stranded ship, the Equinox. Ghost-like aliens and an evil Doctor made this a memorable season finale/opener.

 

6. “Year of Hell, Parts 1 and 2” – Season 4

Fleshing out a future time period seen in “Before and After,” “Year of Hell” pit Voyager against Kurtwood Smith’s Annorax, a man with a time-altering ship trying to erase other species to restore his own people’s former glory. This episode shows Janeway and her crew at their most desperate, proving why she’s such a resilient leader.

 

5. “Blink of an Eye” – Season 6

With subtly transcendent themes, “Blink of an Eye” has one of the more unique set-ups for a Trek episode, a planet that revolves so rapidly that years and centuries on its surface pass within hours outside its atmosphere. When Voyager is caught in its gravity, the crew watches an entire civilization develop before their eyes, and the viewers get to see a closer perspective from the ground. Lost alert for Daniel Dae Kim as one of the planet’s inhabitants.

 

4. “Timeless” – Season 5

It’s always a big deal when a series reaches its 100^th episode, and Voyager marked the milestone with a fantastic time travel tale. When the ship is destroyed during an attempt to get home sooner, two survivors risk everything to undo the doomed mission.

 

3. “Future’s End, Parts 1 and 2” – Season 3

Wow, there sure were a lot of time travel episodes, and all great ones. In this two-parter, a timeship captain from the future tries to destroy Voyager to prevent an eventual disaster, and a mishap sends both ships back to the 21^st century. With shades of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, it also boasts an unlikely villain in Ed Begley, Jr., and introduces an important plot device for the Doctor that would prove invaluable in future episodes. Oh, and early Sarah Silverman is in it too.

 

2. “Deadlock” – Season 2

While it doesn’t seem to get much attention compared with, say, the two-parters, “Deadlock” is science fiction at its best. When the ship is attacked (which happens a lot, now that I think about it), a spatial anomaly divides the ship in two in a most unique way.

 

1. “Scorpion, Parts 1 and 2” – Seasons 3/4

To compare it to a classic Next Generation episode, “Scorpion” is Voyager’s “Best of Both Worlds.” With a story set in the Delta Quadrant, it was only a matter of time before their journey ran into the home turf of the Borg. A turning point for the series between seasons three and four, it pits Janeway and company against not only the Borg but a new species unlike any seen before, which threatens even the Borg collective. A tense and rather scary tone, a great new background score, and the introduction of Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine make this one of the high points of the series.

 

And here are the runners-up, which were not easy to whittle down, considering how fantastic all of them are. My VC likes most of my picks but also has a few episodes I didn’t choose that she is fond of and wanted to highlight. In the order they aired:

 

Season 1:

“Caretaker” – Series premiere
“Faces” – First major development for B’Elanna Torres

VC Picks: “Time and Again” and “Heroes and Demons”

Season 2:

“Resistance” – Sad episode for Janeway with a great guest role for Joel Grey
“Meld” – Tuvok tries to help a psychopath on board (Brad Dourif)
“Tuvix” – Tuvok and Neelix fuse in a transporter accident; silly concept exploring serious sci-fi themes
“Resolutions” – Janeway and Chakotay: what could have been….
“Basics, Parts 1 and 2” – Season 2 finale with the crew forced onto a primitive planet

VC Picks: “The 37s” and “Lifesigns”

Season 3:

“Flashback” – A cool revisiting of the events of Star Trek VI, complete with George Takei and Grace Lee Whitney
“Real Life” – Possibly the show’s biggest tearjerker with the Doctor
“Displaced” – The crew is slowly replaced by aliens.

VC Picks: “Remember” and “Blood Fever”

Season 4:

“Scientific Method” – Do you ever feel like a headache is torture? There could be a scary reason why.
“The Killing Game, Parts 1 and 2” – A race of hunters brainwash the crew for holographic sport. It’s the only place you’ll see Nazis and Klingons side by side.
“Living Witness” – An amazing what-if episode questioning the accuracy of history.

VC Picks: “Day of Honor,” “Hunters,” “Prey,” “Unforgettable,” and “Demon”

Season 5:

“Night” – Season 5 premiere with Janeway at her most self-doubting.
“Nothing Human” – Deep ethical questions, guest-starring David Clennon as a Cardassian
“Counterpoint” – Music, romance, and mistrust abound
“Macrocosm” – Attack of the giant killer germs! The new movie Life might have drawn some inspiration from this.
“Bride of Chaotica!” – Just a fun, silly homage to old-fashioned cheesy sci-fi
“Gravity” – Tuvok and Tom Paris stranded on an invisible desert planet, guest-starring Lori Petty
“Course: Oblivion” – Deeply sad what-if episode
“Think Tank” – Alien geniuses make an offer Voyager can’t refuse, guest-starring Jason Alexander
“Juggernaut” – Awesome horror-thriller episode on a deserted(?) toxic waste vessel
“Someone to Watch Over Me” – Poor Doctor!
“Relativity” – Voyager does it again with an amazing use of time travel.

VC Picks: “In the Flesh,” “Thirty Days,” and “The Disease”

Season 6:

“Riddles” – Tuvok and Neelix bond when Tuvok is mentally impaired.
“One Small Step” – A testament to the importance of “early” space travel
“Fair Haven” – The crew enjoy a holographic Irish village.
“Life Line” – The Doctor gets to meet the scientist who designed him after himself.
“Unimatrix Zero, Parts 1 and 2” – Season finale and a game-changer for the Borg collective.

VC Picks: “Pathfinder,” “Memorial,” “Ashes to Ashes”, “Live Fast and Prosper,” and “Muse”

Season 7:

“Flesh and Blood, Parts 1 and 2” – The Doctor must choose between his crew and renegade holograms.
“Lineage” – Big character development for B’Elanna
“Workforce, Parts 1 and 2” – The crew is once again brainwashed as workers on an industrial planet.
“Homestead” – Oh, Neelix. *sniff*
“Endgame, Parts 1 and 2” – Not perfect, but satisfying series finale

VC Picks: “Body and Soul,” “Author, Author,” and “Friendship One”

And to wrap it all up, here’s the beautiful opening theme and credits, which I also included in my post of Voyager musical highlights. Now I want to watch this show again!

Oscar Recap and My Top Twelve Films of 2016

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Now that I’ve reviewed all the Best Picture nominees, with the exception of Moonlight, I thought I’d rank them to give a clearer picture of my regard for each of them. As I said in my La La Land post, 2016 has produced one of the best crops of awards contenders in a while, most of which have earned a spot on my Top 365 list. While I haven’t seen the actual Best Picture winner, I’m still convinced that La La Land should have won, even though most of the others would have been worthy of winning in a weaker year. So here they are again in order:

Moonlight – not seen

8.  Manchester By the Sea

7.  Hell or High Water

6.  Fences

5.  Lion

4.  Arrival

3.  Hidden Figures

2.  Hacksaw Ridge

1.  La La Land

 

And although my third blogiversary post listed my favorite newly watched films last year, here’s also a Top Twelve list of my favorite films of 2016 overall, just to put the previous ranking in perspective. I still haven’t seen nearly as many as a lot of bloggers, including ones of interest like Passengers, Moana, The Red Turtle, Queen of Katwe, and A Monster Calls, but this is the first year that I feel I’ve seen enough to warrant a list like this. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone else with this particular ranking, so at least I know this list is all my own. Thus, here’s my countdown of all the films I enjoyed or would recommend from 2016, from least to best. I hope 2017 will be just as good or better!

First, the Runners-Up:

Midnight Special

Miracles from Heaven

X-Men: Apocalypse

Race

The Young Messiah

Hell or High Water

The Jungle Book

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

10 Cloverfield Lane

Kung Fu Panda 3

Sing Street

Fences

Life, Animated

Kubo and the Two Strings

Finding Dory

 

12.  Doctor Strange

 

11.  Star Trek Beyond

 

10.  Lion

 

9.  Eddie the Eagle

 

8.  Arrival

 

7.  Your Name

 

6.  Hidden Figures

 

5.  Hacksaw Ridge

 

4.  Zootopia

 

3.  Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

 

2.  Captain America: Civil War

 

1.  La La Land

 

 

My Top Twelve 2017 Films I Hope Are Good

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Lists

 

Now that the year’s first two months of typically unimpressive movies are about over, I thought I’d compile a list of the films I’m most looking forward to in 2017, as long as they’re good. I will be quite disappointed if any of these turn out to be stinkers, but I certainly hope that my expectations are justified. These are all films set for release in 2017, but there are even some long-expected 2018 films that have great potential if done right, such as Spielberg’s Ready Player One (I’m planning on reading the book closer to its release), an adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, and a sequel to Mary Poppins, believe it or not. Here then are the films I sincerely hope will be worth waiting for.

12. The Dark Tower

While I haven’t read the Stephen King series it’s based on (it’s apparently meant to be a sequel), the concept of an apocalyptic gunslinger (Idris Elba) and interdimensional travel certainly has me intrigued.

11. Hirune Hime

Around the time the live-action Ghost in the Shell hits the theater, the director of the original film’s sister series Stand Alone Complex will be releasing this fantastical-looking film in Japan. Featuring what appear to be a robotic flying motorcar, a giant monster, and a magic tablet, it has the potential to be this year’s standout anime.

10. My Little Pony: The Movie

I’ll admit that I’m a casual fan of the Friendship Is Magic series, so I know that if this movie is done right, it could be really good. It could also be terrible, but with big-name stars like Emily Blunt, Liev Schreiber, and Zoe Saldana, there’s a chance the movie could gain wider appeal.

9. Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan directing a war movie about one of the largest and most daring rescues in military history? Can’t wait. I do hope Nolan keeps the violence controlled to appeal to as wide an audience as possible.

8. 2:22

I love a good time loop story, and ever since I heard of this Source Code-sounding thriller in the works, I’ve been eager to see how well it compares with the others of its genre.

7. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Not many trailers get me hyped just from the visuals alone, but this time-and-space-traveling sci-fi based on a comic looks like a special effects extravaganza and just plain cool. Luc Besson can direct some weird movies, but I hope this one will be more accessible.

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

I still enjoy the second and third Pirates sequels, flawed as the third one is, but the fourth undoubtedly missed the mark. With this fifth tale of Captain Jack Sparrow versus ghost pirates, I’m crossing my fingers that it’s a fun and worthwhile story and not just another cash grab.

5. The Current War

I was thinking of doing a list of films I wish would get made, and the history of Edison and Tesla would have been near the top. Lo and behold, it’s due out this year! Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Edison, Michael Shannon as George Westinghouse, and Nicholas Hoult as Tesla, this looks like a likely Oscar candidate for the end of the year, and I hope they do the true story justice.

4. Alien: Covenant

I’ll be honest, the trailers for the next Alien installment don’t thrill me. It looks like everything we’ve seen before from the franchise, but I’m hopeful that this sequel to Prometheus has more than meets the eye. They haven’t even shown Noomi Rapace from Prometheus, so the advertising is likely holding something good back.

3. Death Note

Forget the live-action version of Ghost in the Shell; I’m much more interested in an American adaptation of Death Note, the acclaimed manga and anime about a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. If done right, the battle of wits between a megalomaniacal student (Nat Wolff) and the eccentric detective (Keith Stanfield) tracking him down could be amazing. I’m a bit concerned that Adam Wingard is directing and might lean it more toward the horror genre, but we’ll have to wait and see.

2. Anything Marvel

This encompasses all three Marvel movies for the year ahead, including Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, and especially Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. There’s a lot to hope for. Can Marvel’s treatment of Spider-Man live up to the original? Will a team-up between Thor and Doctor Strange be as awesome as it sounds? Will Guardians still have the nostalgic sense of fun that the first had? The trailers are promising, and Marvel still appears to be going strong.

1. Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi

I liked The Force Awakens, but compared with how everyone else loved it, I was disappointed with its over-reliance on nostalgia and familiar plot points. Rogue One had a different tone, but it felt original. If Episode 8 can combine the feel of Force Awakens with a more original storyline, it could be the best Star Wars movie yet, as long as they stop killing off main characters. Due to Carrie Fisher’s passing, I know what to expect for Leia, but if they kill off Luke too, I will NOT be happy. Please be awesome!

Here are some other films you may or may not be expecting that I hope will be good, in order of how eager I am. How’s that for subjective? What other upcoming films have captured your interest?

The Mummy – Can’t be as good as the Brendan Fraser version, but I’m keeping an open mind.

Murder on the Orient Express – Strong ensemble and Kenneth Branagh as director have my interest.

Cars 3 – It looks more serious than the silly Cars 2, and I hope it redeems the franchise.

Logan – Why does it have to be R-rated? Will Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart leave their X-Men roles with a bang?

God Particle – This follow-up to 10 Cloverfield Lane will be set in space but takes place in the same universe.

The Zookeeper’s Wife – Based on a true story, a zoo-keeping couple hide Jews in Nazi-occupied Warsaw.

Pitch Perfect 3 – I enjoyed the second film more than the first, so hopefully part three won’t disappoint.

Life – A smaller-scale version of Alien set much closer to home.

Kong: Skull Island – Another remake seems unnecessary, but the action looks cool.

Coco – Another animated take on Mexico’s Day of the Dead. Pixar, don’t fail me now.

Wonder Woman – I thought Suicide Squad would do it, but this is DC’s last chance to convince me they can make a good superhero movie.

Jumanji – I love the original, so this remake with the Rock better not ruin it.

Downsizing – The incredible shrinking Matt Damon! Sounds interesting enough.

Godzilla – This anime version has potential since the man behind Madoka Magica is its screenwriter.

The Breadwinner – The animation studio behind Song of the Sea looks like it’s tackling a more realistic subject about a girl in Afghanistan who must pretend to be a boy to support her family.

Tulip Fever – This romance with Dane DeHaan and Alicia Vikander has possibilities, since the tulip-mania of the Netherlands is an interesting slice of history.

Brain on Fire – Technically from last year, but Chloe Grace Moretz stars as a real-life journalist with an unexplained brain disorder.

Wonder – Looks like an updated version of 1985’s Mask but with Jacob Tremblay as a boy with a facial deformity.

Tommy’s Honour – When was the last inspiring golf movie? Long enough ago for another, I’d say.

My Top Twelve Pens in Movies

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Lists

Every now and then, when pondering about potential lists, I think of an unlikely topic and say, “Surely there aren’t ten or twelve examples, enough to make up a list.” Yet, in this case, I thought of another one and then another and another; the examples kept coming, and thus, this list of movie pens was born! The lowly pen is both a handy household item and an essential tool for writers through centuries, one we very often take for granted. I, for one, am extremely glad that the quill pen and ink bottle went the way of the dodo since compact ballpoint pens are so much more convenient and have made for some memorable movie moments over the years. Thus, here are my Top Twelve pens used in movies (with one pencil thrown in as a cheat).

12. The Conversation (1974)

In the subtle world of surveillance where Gene Hackman’s Harry Caul is a legend, even something as simple as a pen can trip up the master. Planted by a competitor as a gift, Caul soon learns to his embarrassment that it was a recording device all along.

11. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)

As mythical weapons go, a pen is certainly the most inconspicuous. When the uninitiated demigod of the title is given a pen for protection, I always get a kick out of his incredulous reaction.

10. Awakenings (1991)

In an otherwise dramatic film, I do love this little moment of levity where a mental patient reveals to Dr. Sayer (Robin Williams) an irrational fear of pens.

9. The Naked Gun (1988)

In this hilarious scene, Ricardo Montalban’s villain makes the mistake of showing Detective Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) two priceless items, including a samurai pen impervious to everything but water…and then turns his back. Who’s the stupid one here?

8. TIE: Never Say Never Again (1983) and Goldeneye (1995)

James Bond movies got a little over-the-top in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and pens are a great hidden gadget for such spy films. I love how these pen scenes were skewered a bit in Skyfall, when Q tells Bond, “Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don’t really go in for that anymore.”

7. The Bourne Identity (2002)

From the first film of the franchise, we saw how Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) could make any household item lethal. A knife might have been better, but a pen will do.

6. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

This one’s not higher only because it’s so brief. As Marcus Brody and Henry Jones, Sr., grapple with Nazis in a tank, a pen becomes Marcus’s secret weapon. Don’t you see, “the pen is mightier than the sword.” And all the literature fans groaned….

5. The Dark Knight (2008)

Cheat time to allow a pencil into the mix! If the opening scenes weren’t enough, Heath Ledger’s Joker shows just how deadly and unpredictable he is with this sudden and violent “magic trick.”

4. Liar Liar (1997)

After his son’s birthday wish makes him incapable of lying, Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) tests his hilarious handicap on the color of a pen. It’s Jim Carrey doing what Jim Carrey did best. (Language warning for the end of the video.)

3. Zootopia (aka Zootropolis) (2016)

A carrot pen actually becomes the tool that brings Nick and Judy together to solve their missing persons case, thanks to its handy secondary use as a tape recorder. It even proves invaluable at the end.

2. Say Anything (1989)

The pen-ultimate place can be summed up with one line: “I gave her my heart, and she gave me a pen.” You’ve got to feel sorry for John Cusack after his girlfriend, pressured by her father, gives him a pen as she breaks up with him. As parting gifts go, it’s pretty cold. Interesting note: Cusack must have been traumatized by that pen because he actually kills someone with a pen in Grosse Pointe Blank. Both are in the video, but again a language/violence warning.

1. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Pens serve as the emotional high point of A Beautiful Mind. After seeing the pens ceremony honoring esteemed faculty members years earlier, John Nash is bestowed with the same distinction. The ceremony itself may be completely made up for the movie, but its poignancy is exceptional, all because of pens.

Here are some runner-up pens and pencils for the road, in alphabetical order. Can you think of any others I missed?

Captain America: Civil War – Tony Stark offers Cap a special pen to sign the Sokovia Accords.

Casino – Don’t give Joe Pesci a pen…ever.

The Empire of Corpses – A pen serves as a sign to John Watson that there’s hope for his zombified friend.

Ernest Goes to Jail – This is why you shouldn’t gnaw the end of your pen.

The Expendables 2 – Even the pens in these movies are tough-looking, in this case a Montegrappa Chaos pen, designed by Sylvester Stallone himself.

Girl, Interrupted – Angelina Jolie threatens herself with a pen to the neck.

Grosse Point Blank – Another pen stabbing, as mentioned above.

Groundhog Day – Bill Murray breaks a pencil to test what’s going on and wakes up the next day to find it whole again.

Johnny English – Don’t give Rowan Atkinson a tranquilizer pen…ever.

Lethal Weapon 2 – Riggs discusses how a gold pen helped him through his wife’s death.

The Martian – Donald Glover’s explanation for saving Mark Watney involves a pen in place of the Taiyang Shen supply rocket.

Music and Lyrics – Drew Barrymore has a nervous habit of clicking her pen while writing.

The Peanuts Movie – Charlie Brown saves the pencil of the Little Red-Haired Girl as he tries to work up the courage to talk to her.

Red Eye – Yet another pen stabbing. Why are those things so sharp?

The Running Man – Schwarzenegger signs a contract on someone’s back only to pin it to said back with the pen.

The Theory of Everything – At the end, Stephen Hawking dreams of standing up to hand someone a fallen pen.

The Wolf of Wall Street – Psych! Despite the picture at the top, I’ve actually never seen Wolf of Wall Street (and don’t plan to) so it couldn’t be on the list. I do like the “Sell me this pen” scenes, though.

Your Name – A pen falls when Taki and Mitsuha’s meeting is cut short.