2016 Best Shows that I Don’t Watch

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Doc

Better Call Saul (AMC)

Image result for better call saul

I loved Breaking Bad, but I have never gotten into Saul’s solo prequel series. Maybe one day I’ll binge it like I did Breaking Bad.

This is Us (NBC)

Image result for this is it nbc

Apparently the pilot of this was just remarkable. I was not interested. Sterling K. Brown is amazing though.

Game of Thrones (HBO)

Image result for game of thrones

This is probably the biggest hole in my TV viewing, but I feel like I am too far behind to catch up. Maybe one day….

Image result for veep

Veep (HBO). Julia Louis-Dreyfus is always winning awards for this show, but since I do not get HBO, I have to go out of my way to see it and that makes it a time commitment that I just do not have.

Atlanta (FX)

Image result for atlanta tv show

Collider’s TV Talk crew loved Atlanta, but I have not made time to see this either. TV Talk has recommended other series before so maybe this will have to be a binge.

Best TV-Streaming

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Doc

The third and final new category to divide the TV shows into is the Streaming category. This includes all streaming sites such as Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime as well as the pay television networks such as HBO and Showtime.

Best Shows

Honorable Mention: Black Mirror (Netflix), Edge and Christian’s Show that Reeks of Awesomeness (WWE)

#10. The O.A. (Netflix) This was just released last weekend and I binged it on late Saturday and Sunday. I really enjoyed this series about a girl who returned after being missing for years but she was now able to see. I especially liked the ending, which I know caused a lot of uproar in the online community. I hope the series does not get a second season because I love the way the show ended with an ambiguous conclusion.

#9. 11/22/63 (Hulu). Based on the Steven King novel, 11/22/63 was the story of James Franco going back in time to try and prevent the assassination of JFK. Instead of releasing this all at once, Hulu released one episode a week just like normal television outlets. Every Monday night I looked forward to the next chapter in the saga.

#8. Orange is the New Black (Netflix). Orange had another solid season, but there is only so much you can do by this point. The accidental death of Poussey was shocking and traumatic. but I really disliked the season ending cliffhanger because it did not make sense with the rest of the narrative.

#7. The Night Of (HBO). Great crime drama that not only explored the world of racial stereotyping, but also looked at what the prison system can do to an innocent man. Greta performances from both John Turturro and Riz Ahmed made The Night Of appointment TV.

#6. The Tick (Amazon Prime). This is just one episode that Amazon allowed you to vote on to decide whether or not it should go to series. This episode was great. It looked at the Tick in a different light, particularly Arthur who was darker and more troubled. The Tick will be back for a full series order and I cannot wait.

#5. House of Cards (Netflix). The trouble between Frank and Claire highlighted this season as they tried desperately to get Claire as his running mate for the upcoming election. The Underwoods are better together than apart and so is House of Cards.

#4. Westworld (HBO). Cowboys and robots. How can you go wrong? Westworld is based on a 1970s movie of the same name and it had amazing performances and a central mystery of exactly what was going on that engaged the viewer. We have to wait until 2018 for season two of Westworld and that is truly a crime.

#3. Luke Cage (Netflix). Sweet Christmas! Luke Cage came front and center in his own Netflix series based in Harlem. This was funny, exciting, dramatic and full of great music and performances for the ages. Luke Cage continued the trend of sensational Marvel series on Netflix.

#2. Daredevil (Netflix). Speaking of great Netflix Marvel series, the original series returned this year for season two and only upped its game. Daredevil brought us the best ever cinematic Punisher and the best ever cinematic Elektra. Daredevil and Frank Castle in the graveyard is one of the best episodes of TV of the year.

#1. Stranger Things (Netflix). Didn’t see this coming. This eight episode series dropped this year and became a huge pop culture phenomenon. Set in the 1980s, Stranger Things touch on our nostalgia as well as creeped us out. The great cast of young actors engaged us and we fell in love with them. Millie Bobby Brown was one of the best young actors we have seen in a long time. And the central mysteries and mythology of the show were some of the best since LOST. It felt like the X-Files, ET, The Goonies, Alien, Silent Hill, Akira, John Carpenter all mashed into one. I loved Stranger Things.

Image result for genre of stranger things

Best Actor-Streaming

#5. Charlie Cox (Daredevil)

#4. Mike Colter (Luke Cage)

#3. Riz Ahmed (The Night Of)

#2. Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)

#1. John Turturro (The Night Of)

Image result for john turturro night of

Best Actress- Streaming

#5. Sarah Gadon (11/22/63)

#4. Thandie Newton (Westworld)

#3. Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld)

#2. Robin Wright (House of Cards)

#1. Winona Ryder (Stranger Things)

Image result for winona ryder stranger things

Best Supporting Actor- Streaming

#5. Griffin Newman (The Tick)

#4. Ed Harris (Westworld)

#3. Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage)

#2. Anthony Hopkins (Westworld)

#1. Jon Bernthal (Daredevil)

Image result for jon bernthal daredevil against tombstone

Best Supporting Actress- Streaming

#5. Simone Missick (Luke Cage)

#4. Blair Brown (Orange is the New Black)

#3. Samira Wiley (Orange is the New Black)

#2. Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)

#1. Alfre Woodard (Luke Cage)

Why Him?

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Doc

Image result for why him movie poster

I hated this first trailer. This looked completely stupid and I wondered why an actor the quality of Bryan Cranston would lower himself to be in this film.

And then I saw it, and I actually enjoyed it very much.

Is it predictable? Of course. Are these characters pretty basic? Yes. But the one thing that this movie is that many movies of the same ilk are not…

It is funny.

Ned (Bryan Cranston) and Barb (Megan Mullally) Fleming head out to California on the bequest of their daughter Stephanie (Zoey Deutch) so they can meet her boyfriend Laird (James Franco). This caught them off guard, particularly Ned, who could not believe that his daughter would have been capable of keeping this kind of secret from him.

When they arrived at Laird’s house, they realize that he is extremely eccentric, foul-mouthed and socially awkward. They also realize that he is a video game creator and is worth millions of dollars.

Laird tried his best to get off on the right foot, but his lack of a filter inside his head only served to show Ned that this man was not right for his little girl. Then, Laird surprised Ned by asking his permission to purpose to Stephanie. When he was rebutted, Laird became determined to earn Ned’s respect and his blessing by Christmas.

Jame Franco does what James Franco does best. He has played this character several times, in several other movies, but I really liked him here. I don’t know the difference, but Franco’s portrayal of Laird seemed more childlike than other times he has played this character. Plus, he had the incomparable Bryan Cranston to work with.

Keegan-Michael Key appeared in the film as Gustav, Laird’s personal trainer and guru, and he is remarkably funny, stealing every scene he is in. If he is not spouting wisdom, he is trying to keep Laird’s reflexes ready by launching surprise attacks on the multimillionaire. Key is easily the best part of the movie.

Megan Mullally (formerly of Will and Grace) is hilarious here as well. She has some really fun comedic moments sprinkled in the story. We also have a cameo of sorts for the voice of Kaley Cuoco, who played a “Siri” kind of character named Justine that has a run of Laird’s house.

The end of the movie does take some twists that are over-the-top (particularly a cameo from Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS), but there are also some good moments to counterbalance the problems.

I cannot argue that the story is not predictable. It is obviously predictable. I actually thought to myself about a third of the way through how this was going to end up, and I came up with two possible endings. And strangely enough, they were both there. Still, there are a lot of things that make why Him? into more than just another dumb comedy, especially the actors and their enjoyable chemistry with one another. And it is funny, which many of today’s comedies cannot claim to be.

3.5 stars

Passengers

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Doc

Image result for passengers movie poster

I heard all kinds of negative reviews about Passengers. Honestly, I thought it was pretty good.

Now, I think this is the issue. There is something that happened in the early part of the film that is somewhat different than what the trailers indicated and that “twist” has caused the fervor over this movie.

Yes, I do not think that this movie takes advantage of the possibilities that it raised. I think this could have been a real science fiction film with an issue that could split the viewers. The problem is that the issue is not developed enough and eventually discarded completely for a more typical, big budget third act filled with set pieces and action. This film could have been as thought provoking or as brave as Arrival was earlier this year, but it decided to stick to the safe path,

Having said that, it may not be fair judging a film on what it is not or what it could have been. Passengers is an entertaining film as is, though there are flaws in it.

Because of technical difficulties on the space ship, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) awakes from his hibernation 90 years early. Jim was one of 5000 passengers on a trip off earth and on their way to a colony on another planet. Problem: it takes 120 years to arrive. So everyone spends time in a hibernation chamber that never malfunctions.

Until it did.

Jim spent a year alone aboard the ship with only an android Arthur (Michael Sheen) to talk to.

I cannot talk any more plot without spoiling the story, so I will not say any more except that Aurora (Jennifer Lawrence) also awakens and the two of them start a romance as the only two conscious people on the ship. However, the ship is continuing to malfunction and they must race against time to prevent the ship from being destroyed.

The ending itself I thought was pretty weak. There are things that happen that stretch credibility so much that it hurt the overall film. I would have liked them to have gone in a different direction, but I understand the decision. The action at the end was just problematic for this film. Honestly, it felt out of place because the movie was trying to be something different than it ended as.

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence are engaging and gorgeous throughout the film and make a solid pair. Their chemistry is good, and they have some fine scenes with them together. The issue with them floats over the story too much though without sufficient result at the end.

The film looked great. There really is no excuse for bad CGI any more. In a world where we can travel dimensions with Dr. Strange and see what looks like real apes riding horse in Planet of the Apes, poor CGI is inexcusable. Passengers looks beautiful, in particular the shots of outer space.

This film certainly is better than 32% on Rotten Tomatoes, and I can only assume that the biggest issues people have is the problem at the moral center of the film. Yes, that problem is not sufficiently handled, but it is not completely ignored either. Passengers could have been considerably better than what it is, but that does not make this a bad film. My lowered expectations probably helped as I was entertained through most of the movie’s run time, but the ending did strain that entertainment some.

3.1 stars

La La Land

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Doc

Image result for la la land movie poster

Musicals are hit and miss for me, but a well done movie musical can be glorious. La La Land certainly fits that bill.

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a struggling jazz pianist who is trying to live out his dream of owning and running a jazz club. Mia (Emma Stone) is a struggling actress who is working at a coffee shop to pay the bills while trying to audition for that big break in Hollywood. These two characters’ stories intersect and we have a great, old-time love story with music.

It is not just music where the characters burst into songs (although there are examples of that as well), but the score and background music really is amazing in this film. The dance numbers are spectacular and the story is in perfect tune.

Others have said this, but it is an apt statement so I will say it as well. La La Land is like a love letter to the old time musicals of the 1930s and 1940s. You could almost imagine Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the lead roles of La La Land instead of Gosling and Stone.

Emma Stone is revolutionary here. This is here best performance ever, and while Ryan Gosling is awesome too, Stone stands out so much with the emotion of the story and the doubt that creeps into her mind that she is definitely the highlight of this film for me.

The film’s ending is extraordinary to me. I do not want to spoil it, but I love how they took this in a different, unexpected direction, and it really brought out the emotional feels.

The film is set in present day, but there is a feel of an old time film. If you had told me that the film was set in the 40s, I wouldn’t have any issues believing you. That tone is definitely a choice by director Damien Chazelle. Chazelle also directed Whiplash and used music in a remarkably original way there as well. Not only is the music grade A, but the film is beautifully shot. Scene after scene Chazelle provided a visual masterpiece. Even something so simple as Gosling dancing with an older black woman on a bridge was just jaw dropping in beauty.

The story is exceptional. There is not just the love story here, but it is a tale of two people who want to follow their dreams, but have to come back to reality. That struggle to not give up on your heart’s desire is at the center of La La Land, and might actually get more service than the love story itself.

It is a lot of fun and full of great music. The dance routines are mesmerizing. Both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone deserve Oscar nominations for their performances and La La Land should be considered on the best musicals we have had in many years.

4.6 stars

2016-TV Cable

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Doc

The second of the new categories for 2016 in television is cable. The onslaught of cable TV has been only increasing each year as the number of cable TV networks have increased. Here are the top ten shows from 2016 on cable.

Top Shows

#10. Dead of Summer (Freeform). This show from creators of LOST started really strong, starring LOST alum Elizabeth Mitchell, but it got silly as the season progressed. I lost interest about episode 8, but I did wind up finishing up. The horror genre had a great year in 2016, and this was a television example of that.

#9. Orphan Black (BBC America). I will admit to not having finished season 4 of Orphan Black. It is something that I need to get done, but it is still worth inclusion on this list, if not only for Tatiana Maslany.

#8. OJ: Made in America (ESPN). From the 30 on 30 series, this five part documentary was remarkably engaging. It did not just focus on OJ Simpson, but the way the country was- with race relations and celebrating celebrity. One of the best pieces ESPN ever did.

#7. Preacher (AMC). Based on a comic book, Preacher is another one that took some time to gather itself. However, by the finale, Preacher was cooking with gas. The whole Heaven-Hell aspect of the show is something we have never seen before and Cassidy is the best vampire currently on TV.

#6. Mr. Robot (USA). This is easily the show that is too smart for me. Half the time I am not sure what is happening on Mr. Robot, but I am always entertained. The “sitcom” episode of Mr. Robot is one of the year’s best episodes and Rami Malek is a gem.

#5. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (BBC America). One of the most recent additions to the list, Dirk Gently was a book written by Douglas Adams and adapted for television by Max Landis. It was weird and funny and worth every second. Great chemistry with the show’s stars (Samuel Barnett and Elijah Wood), who might be the best buddies of the year. Plus, the moment when Gordon arrives and Dirk and Todd expect explanations only to discover that Gordon doesn’t know what is going on either is one of my favorite TV moments of the year. I laughed loudly at that.

#4. The Walking Dead (AMC). The show that normally had ruled this category has slipped a little bit. The big cliffhanger reveal could not mask the fact that the show has had some pretty poor episodes over the last couple of seasons. The Walking Dead is still appointment TV, though and with the best villain of the year, Negan, anything could happen.

#3. American Horror Story: Roanoke (FX). After AHS: Hotel, I felt that AHS might be finally slipping. I was not a fan of Hotel, so I approached the new, “mysterious” AHS with trepidation. And they just knocked it out of the park. I loved everything about Roanoke. The faux reality show set up with actors recreating the parts to the “real” people giving commentary were all fabulous. And then, the second part of the season was even better as they returned to the spot of the horror from “My Roanoke Nightmare” for even more frights. Awesome job from Ryan Murphy and crew.

#2. Bates Motel (A & E). Just a fabulous season as Norman Bates creeps closer to the persona of the Psycho killer that we knew was coming. We see how Norma Bates dies this season in one of the biggest surprises there was. Making it all the more tragic was the amazing relationship the show created with Norma and Sheriff Romano. Norma and Alex stole my heart in their all-too-few scenes together. Seeing Alex holding the dead body of Norma was heart wrenching, and makes me want him to get Norman. Of course, he probably won’t do that. Bates Motel will be entering its final season this year and it should be epic.

#1. American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ (FX). On a normal year, Bates Motel would have taken this place easily. However, we had one of the greatest 10-episode series ever in The People vs. OJ. I could not believe how engaging this show was, considering we all knew the outcome. The world watched this trial develop in real time during the 1990s, so you wouldn’t think a scripted show about that same trial would be successful at all. Yet, it was magnificent. Each role was perfectly cast and deserve the awards that have been heaped upon it. This might have been the overall number one show of the year for me.

Best Actor- Cable

#5. Dominic Cooper (Preacher)

#4. Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel)

#3. Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead)

#2. Rami Malek (Mr. Robot)

#1. Courtney B. Vance (American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ)

Related image

Best Actress- Cable

#5. Lily Rabe (American Horror Story: Roanoke)

#4. Melissa McBride (The Walking Dead)

#3. Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)

#2. Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel)

#1. Sarah Paulson (American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ)

Image result for people vs oj

Best Supporting Actor- Cable

#5. Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead)

#4. Joseph Gilgan (Preacher)

#3. Christian Slater (Mr. Robot)

#2. Nester Carbonell (Bates Motel)

#1. Sterling K. Brown (American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ)

Image result for people vs oj sterling brown

Best Supporting Actress- Cable

#5. Lauren Cohen (The Walking Dead)

#4. Ruth Negga (Preacher)

#3. Adina Porter (American Horror Story: Roanoke)

#2. Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Roanoke)

#1. Carly Chaikin (Mr. Robot)

Image result for carly chaikin mr robot

Best TV- Network

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Doc

I split the television categories into three separate sections. They would be Network, Cable and Streaming/HBO/Showtime. It is amazing that there are so many great TV shows out there now a days that I have to categorize them. It was just a few years ago (after LOST went off the air) that I thought I had nothing to watch.

First category to cover will be Network TV. This will include ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and CW shows.

First up: TV Shows

#10. Scandal (ABC). This one has been higher up in past years, but it has been damaged for me. Ever since the “Olivia Pope was kidnapped” story line, I have found Scandal to be slipping. I still watch it every week though, so I haven’t given up on this Thursday night staple.

#9. The Big Bang Theory (CBS). Another long time show that has seen better days. I do like the advancement of the three main couples on the show, and it is still a funny show. Sheldon Cooper has probably changed the most of any main character on a TV show.

#8. Flash (CW). The Flash has been up and down for me. I go through time when I think the show is really great and other times when it feels like the same old stuff. This year’s midseason finale was very strong though so hopefully the second half of this season will be solid. The Flash has great characters and entertaining actors. The whole “Flashpoint” part of this show felt rushed and weak. I have enjoyed the addition of Tom Felton.

#7. Speechless (ABC). This one was unexpected. A comedy about a boy in a wheelchair who has cerebral palsy? Who thought that would work? But it is really funny. They took it to the only reasonable level… making these characters anything but the typical lovable characters we see on TV. These characters have edges to them. And Minnie Driver is just fantastic! Kudos to Micah Fowler as well. He is really good in this show.

#6. Agent Carter (ABC). Sadly, this looks to be the final season of this show. Agent Carter was a great show with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) as an early age agent and the scene stealing star Jarvis (James D’Arcy). We also got Madame Masque in this season! What happened on Agent Carter has also affected the world of Agents of SHIELD.

#5. The X-Files (FOX). Mulder and Scully returned for some fun episodes and some serious nostalgia. The episodes were uneven, but it was great just to see Mulder and Scully back together again. And the episode “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster,” was classic X-Files fun.

#4. How to Get Away With Murder (ABC). This show recovered from a weaker season two to recapture some of the magic from the first amazing season. It did it on the back of a serious surprise. SPOILER… Wes was the dead body under the sheet. Wes? Who saw that coming?

#3. Designated Survivor (ABC). The highest new series on the network list, Designated Survivor brought Kiefer Sutherland back to TV and put him in the White House. It also threw a ton of behind the scenes Machiavellian tricks and machinations. Is it kind of hard to believe? Sure, but it is always exciting. And the midseason finale? I can’t wait for this one to come back.

#2. Agents of SHIELD (ABC). This one had Ghost Rider! That’s right…Robbie Reyes was a regular on Agents of SHIELD. His scenes with Daisy were great and these two had chemistry off the charts (unlike the lack of chemistry Daisy had with Lincoln). The end of last season had knocked this show down a bit, but it returned strong this year. Plus, we got a “Slingshot” online mini-series.

#1. Gotham (FOX). Yes, I typed that. I know… I can’t believe it either. Season one of Gotham was pretty bad. Season two got better early, but slipped into the realm of camp during the second half. I was not thinking much about Gotham. Then this season started and we were introduced to Jervis Tetch (aka The Mad Hatter) and the season was off to a sprint. And it just got better each week. Each story was exciting and must see. Everything was working. I just hope it can maintain this pace in the second half of the season.

Best Actor

#5. Jim Parsons (Big Bang Theory)

#4. David Duchovny (X-Files)

#3. Grant Gustin (Flash)

#2. Kiefer Sutherland (Designated Survivor)

#1. Clark Gregg (Agents of SHIELD)

Image result for clark gregg season four

Best Actress

#5. Gillian Anderson (X-Files)

#4. Felicity Huffman (American Crime)

#3. Hayley Atwell (Agent Cooper)

#2. Minnie Driver (Speechless)

#1. Viola Davis (How to Get Away With Murder)

Image result for viola davis who is under the sheet

Best Supporting Actress

#5. Candice Patten (Flash)

#4. Ming-Na Wen (Agents of SHIELD)

#3. Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory)

#2. Bellamy Young (Scandal)

#1. Chloe Bennet (Agents of SHIELD)

Image result for daisy Johnson

Best Supporting Actor

#5. Jack Falahee (How to Get Away With Murder)

#4. James D’Arcy (Agent Carter)

#3. Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham)

#2. Gabriel Luna (Agents of SHIELD)

#1. (TIE) Cory Michael Smith and Benedict Samuel

Image result for cory michael smith riddler season three

Image result for jervis tetch gotham

Assassin’s Creed

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Doc

Image result for assassin's creed movie poster

One of these years there will be a movie based on a video game product that is good. However, Assassin’s Creed is not that movie.

And it was a shame, because I really thought this could have been the one. After Warcraft earlier this year was not very good, we turned our attention to Assassin’s Creed, starring the excellent Michael Fassbender. Trailers looked entertaining. The question about if this would be the movie that finally broke the trend of crappy video game movies was raised.

Then, we saw the film.

Assassin’s Creed was poorly written, boring, and wasted that opportunity to be a trend setting film to bring the genre of video game movies into respectability.

Cal Lynch (Michael Fassbender) was on death row and was executed for some crime involving a pimp (apparently). However, he was brought back to life by a company led by Sofia (Marian Cotillard). How did they do that? Well, you know, by doing it. That was a detail that was not important here. Instead, what they wanted was to hook Cal up to a machine that could send him back into the past (15th Century Spain to be exact) where he would be inside an ancestor of his named Aguilar, a member of the group known as The Assassins. Through Aguilar’s eyes, Cal would try and find a MacGuffin called the Apple of Eden. The Apple apparently held the power to cure the human race of free will or some kind of crap. Sofia was backed by the Templars, an organization that has always been fighting the Assassins and who wanted the Apple for their own nefarious and underdeveloped reasons.

Plus, when hooked up to the machine, not only did Cal get sent back into the body of Aguilar, but his present day body did all the same actions and movements of the body from the 15th Century.

Oh, and Jeremy Irons was here too. He played Jeremy Irons as the father of Sofia.

I was sorry to be watching this movie ten minutes into it. I was bored and wishing it was done almost immediately. As soon as the movie showed us young Cal (Angus Brown) seeing his mother dead by his father’s hand, things began going downhill.

By the way, Christopher Columbus appears in this movie (played by Gabriel Andreu).

This film had a lot of potential but it squandered it away with a rotten and needlessly convoluted story, dull characters with muddied motivations, and some full out dumbness. Even the action, which was okay, was hard to follow since the camera was constantly cutting form one scene to another. It was impossible to see any of the potentially good action scenes.

The film was filled with cliches as well. At one point, a runaway wagon pulled by horses rushed toward a cliff. Seriously, haven’t we seen this a hundred times?

This film tried to be two different films and, by doing that, really damaged both. It made little sense and was dull, dull, dull.

Assassin’s Creed, with its great cast, could have been the movie that made the video game movie genre not be the butt of the jokes any longer. Unfortunately, this is not even close to being as good as Warcraft. That is a really sad thing to say.

1 star

Sing

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Doc

Image result for sing movie poster

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

The newest animated film, Sing, is nothing groundbreaking or wildly original. It is just a good time with great music and a lot of fun.

We meet our main character Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) as a young koala as he is being enthralled by the theater. Young Buster decided right there that the life of the theater would be the life for him. Unfortunately, it had not worked out quite as well as he hoped. Wracked with money problems and several shows that failed, Buster needed to come up with something amazing to save the theater from repossession.

He decided to throw a singing contest. He was going to offer a prize of $1,000, but an error in printing led to the prize being advertised as $100,000 instead. Buster was having to scrape together everything he had to make the $1,000, so $100,000 wasn’t going to work. The problem was Buster did not realize it until it was too late, and he had cast his show.

The list of amateur performers who were looking to cash in on the non-existent grand prize included ape Johnny (Taron Egerton), who was supposed to drive getaway car for his father’s big robbery, Ash (Scarlett Johansson), a porcupine who is selected over her boyfriend in the contest, mouse Mike (Seth MacFarlane) who crooned like Sinatra, Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), the housewife pig who with her 25 piglets and unobservant husband was being beaten down by life and Meena (Tori Kelly) the beautifully voiced but painfully shy elephant.

The animation was okay, but hardly anything that could be compared to Pixar or Laika, but the cast of voices here is fantastic, and, along with the fabulous music, is easily the standout aspect of Sing. There are all kinds of great songs performed by these characters as well as wonderful songs played in the background. The soundtrack of Sing kept my toes tapping the entire time. Sure there are some songs that you would absolutely expect to show up here (“Hallelujah” anyone?), but that is not a negative. There is a reason why these songs are included. They are beloved.

I really liked Buster Moon as well. McConaughey brought a great voice to the character who was part huckster, part inspirational speaker. He was Kermit the Frog from the Muppet Show mixed with PT Barnum. You always knew where Buster’s heart was found and, even when he would lie about the money, you could understand what he was trying to accomplish.

Sure, the story is simple, but that is not a bad thing. This is not the complex Zootopia with its cultural commentary, or Kubo and the Five Strings with its grand epic narrative. Sing finds its groove early and sticks to what it does best. These musical performances were excellent and took a simple story and filled the theater with entertainment. Plus, there were some feels as we had several characters complete their arcs successfully. Predictable, perhaps. Yet, fully engaging and enjoyable.

The whole family can enjoy Sing and parents will not be bored. The music energizes the film and elevates the material to another level. Jukebox musicals do not always work, but Sing is one that does.

4.1 stars

Best and Worst Sci-Fi Movies

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Doc

Best Sci Fi

We’ve had better years in the past in science fiction than in 2016. Still, we have our first official movie award for 2016. That is the Best and Worst Science Fiction Movie of the Year.

Best

Arrival.

Arrival is a true science fiction film. It is smart, well-acted, well-written and full of drama. Amy Adams is magnificent and Jeremy Renner is great as well. Arrival is the best Sci-Fi movie of the year!

Image result for arrival movie

Runners-Up

#2. 10 Cloverfield Lane– This one was actually close, because this is such a great movie. John Goodman is exceptional in this surprise sequel.

#3. Star Trek Beyond. A great sequel for the Star Trek series. This is the third strong film in the new world of Star Trek.

#4. Midnight Special. It was a bit of a familiar story, but great performances elevated this.

#5. Nerve. One of the surprises of the year. I enjoyed this online game more than I ever thought I might.

Worst

Independence Day: Resurgence

How do you follow up one of the classic movies of the 1980s? With garbage, stupidity and bad, bad writing. The characters from the original were jokes, there was no sign of Will Smith (I wonder why…) and the new characters were waste of time. A terrible movie.

Image result for independence day resurrection

Runners-Up

#2. 5th Wave. One of the YA adaptions that were terrible. An alien invasion? Yawn.

#3. Max Steel. a movie based on a toy? I didn’t know that when I saw it. It was just bad.

#4. Allegiant. This film is so bad that they decided to take the conclusion of this series and make it a TV show with new actors. Hm.

#5. Morgan. Bio-engineered girl who kills people. Oh well.

Best and Worst of WWE

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Doc

wwe

This year has been an up and down year for my favorite wrestling company. They did a brand split, Smackdown went live, but I found it harder to cheer for very many performers. Gone are my favorites such as CM Punk, Daniel Bryan (in ring, at least), and some of my other favorites such as Cesaro and Sami Zayn seem to get passed over for other, less interesting wrestlers. I will admit to being bored by much of RAW lately.

Still, there are many positives out there as well. And I am going to hit on them here.

Wrestler of the Year: AJ Styles AJ Styles arrived at the Royal Rumble this year and went into a feud with Chris Jericho. From there, he tore down the house with John Cena and became one of the few to win a feud with Cena. He is the WWE Champion on Smackdown Live and should be considered one of the best performers in the world. Runners Up: Kevin Owens, Shinsuke Nakamura, Sami Zayn

Tag Team of the Year: New Day. The combination of Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods held onto the WWE World tag Team Championship for most of the year. They set a record for holding the title for over 483 days before losing the title at Roadblock. The New Day was consistently entertaining and funny and worked as both a heel team and a face team. They had been given a losing gimmick, but they made it amazing. Runners-Up: The Revival, American Alpha, DIY, Cesaro and Sheamus

Woman of the Year: Charlotte. Charlotte Flair won the RAW Women’s Championship four times this year. She main evented a PPV. She and Sasha Banks were in a Hell in the Cell. Charlotte and Sasha switched places multiple times this year and either one could have been the Woman of the Year, Charlotte ended up on top and so she gets the duke. Runners-Up: Sasha Banks, Bayley, Asuka, Becky Lynch.

Misused Superstar of the Year: Sami Zayn. Sami Zayn has many match of the year matches yet creative seems to not have much for the talented star to do. I will never understand why they let someone like this sit on the back burner when he could be a main event star. I have a slight hope since they have been doing something with Sami and Braun Strowman but I am still afraid that that program is more for Braun than for Sami. Runners-Up: Cesaro, Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper

Wrestling Show of the Year: CWC. The Cruiserweight Classic was must see TV for several months on the WWE Network. The best 32 Cruiserweights in the world participated in a tournament to crown the first ever CWC Tournament Champion. Many performers from outside the WWE came and participated and we got several amazing matches. Plus with Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan on commentary, it was clear that you had two men who loved the sport we ere seeing. This is far and away the best show of 2016. Runners-Up: NXT, RAW, Smackdown Live

Feud of the Year: John Cena vs. AJ Styles. Cena and Styles were great together and Cena did not wind up winning the feud. The had several amazing matches. Styles is a perfect opponent to put opposite Cena. And this one may not be over yet. Runners-Up: Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler, Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins, The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan

Mike Man of the Year: Kevin Owens. Kevin Owens is great on the mike. He is funny, but he is also a true heel. He yells at the crowd. He insults people. He can talk them into the building. His combination with Chris Jericho near the end of the year is just gold. Runners-Up: Paul Heyman, Chris Jericho, Dean Ambrose, The Miz

Breakout Star of the Year: Braun Strowman. He looks like a monster. He is destroying people and he looks so much better than when he was stumbling around with the Wyatt Family. He is one of the biggest successes from the brand split. Strowman looks to be a huge mountain for anyone to climb. Runners-Up: Bayley, American Alpha, New Day, Cedric Alexander

Daniel Bryan Shining Through the Crap Award: Sami Zayn. Just for the fact that Sami Zayne has multiple match of the year contenders, Sami has been used poorly this year. I just can’t believe they don’t do something with this stud while he is young and healthy. Runners-Up: Cesaro, Kevin Owens, The Miz, Dean Ambrose

Top 12 Matches of 2016

#12. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch (Wrestlemania). Charlotte came out on top, but Becky and Sasha were great as well.

#11. Zack Ryder wins Intercontinental Championship in Ladder Match at Wrestlemania. Biggest surprise of the year. Who saw Zack Ryder win this match? No one. But he did. Of course, he lost it the next night, but that did not take away from the improbable victory on the grandest stage of them all.

#10. Raw vs. Smackdown Live Survivor Series. Smackdown Live came out on top, but this match went all over the place and was full of dramatic moments. Especially Roman Reigns spearing Shane McMahon while Shane was doing the coast to coast. Shane was legit hurt and the visual was astounding.

#9. AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose TLC Match (TLC). A great Tables, Ladders and Chairs match that ended when James Ellsworth, Dean’s “little buddy”, caused Dean to lose the match.

#8. Johnny Gargano vs. Tomasso Ciampa (CWC). Tag team partners from NXT, “Johnny Wrestling” and Ciampa tore into each other in the Cruiserweight Classic in an amazing show of athleticism and drama. At the end, the team survived and Johnny Gargano moved on.

#7. American Alpha vs. The Revival (NXT: Takeover: The End). The Revival is a team to watch. They are like Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. These two are fantastic old school type wrestlers. Put them in with the athletic American Alpha and magic happens. The Revival won this match to regain their titles.

#6. John Cena vs. AJ Styles (Money in the Bank). AJ’s first big win over Cena, but this was not clean. In the end, his buddies in the Club helped him win. Better was yet to come.

#5. DIY vs. The Revival 2 out of 3 Falls (NXT Takeover: Toronto). This was a show stealer for sure. Gargano and Ciampa finally got the victory over the Revival that had been eluding them. It was such a feel good moment that you wonder why the main roster cannot put on matches like this on a regular basis.

#4. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn (NXT Takeover: Dallas). NXT is all over this top twelve list. This was the best NXT match of he year. This was Sami Zayn’s last NXT match against the debuting “King of Strong Style”. You kind of new what was going to happen, but the pathway was spectacular.

#3. Cedric Alexander vs. Kota Ibushi (CWC). This was the best match in the CWC and it brought Cedric Alexander a WWE contract. You knew this one was going to be fantastic and these two did not disappoint.

#2. John Cena vs. AJ Styles (SummerSlam). Remember these two? They were in an earlier match of the year candidate, but this one was a clean victory by AJ Styles. He kept John Cena from tying the Ric Flair record. I did not expect that. This was a classic.

#1. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens (Battleground). This was billed as the final match between the two former friends (although it was not) and they always have a great match. This was the best of their series. Sami Zayn picked up the win.

Image result for owens vs zayn

2016 Kick Ass Females

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Doc

Woman Power in 2016 once again! Here are our top ten female kick ass character from TV, Movies, comics etc.

#10. Tulip O’Hare (Preacher). AMC’s new series based on the comic book featured the strong female presence of Tulip. Played by Ruth Negga, Tulip showed her bad ass side through the entire season.

#9. Elektra (Daredevil). Elektra joined in on season two of Daredevil on Netflix giving Matt Murdock a love interest and the Hand a dangerous weapon. Sounds as if she will be back for Defenders.

#8. Captain Marvel. Carol Danvers was one of the two major sides to the battle over the Inhuman Ulysses in Civil War II. Captain Marvel believed that they should be using Ulysses‘ foresight powers to prevent crimes while Tony Stark did not like what was happening. Carol became the authority.

#7. Jyn Erso (Rogue One). Jyn Erso is the daughter of the man who built the Death Star and she led the mission to retrieve the plans for that very station. Jyn was played by Felicity Jones.

#6. Lee (American Horror Story: Roanoke). She was the lone survivor of the bloody reality show that took place at Roanoke, and she actually got away with the murder of her husband. Lee was not a heroic character here, but there can be no doubt that she was a survivor. Not even the Butcher could bring her down.

#5. Harley Quinn (Suicide Squad). One of the best parts of the Suicide Squad movie was Margo Robbie’s portrayal of Harley Quinn. She was so popular that Warner’s Brothers wanted to give her a movie of her own. Gotham City Sirens is the reported title.

#4. Wonder Woman (Batman v. Superman). Also probably the best thing about this movie, Gal Gadot eased a lot of concerns over her casting as Princess Diana. She came into the final battle with Doomsday and looked like she was having a blast. Plus, she was involved in one of the best trailers of the year. Wonder Woman could be higher on this list next year.

#3. Moana (Moana). Disney’s newest “princess” is different than normal. Moana stands up to The Rock and makes it clear that she fits with him. Plus, she sings like an angel. Moana brings the Polynesian culture to the big screen in an animated Disney film for the first time.

#2. Deloris (Westworld). We thought Deloris was just a “host” at the park, but she became so much more than that as the HBO show progressed through the season. Yes, she was an artificial intelligence, but pop culture is filled with moments where AIs are trouble. And Deloris is all the trouble that can be handled.

#1. Mockingbird. She was the star of the best comic of 2016. Bobbi Morse was funny, intelligent, and full of energy. Written by the wonderful Chelsea Cain, Mockingbird was the most original comic and the best female character of the year. It is still a shame that Marvel couldn’t have stuck with her for a longer run.

I Am Not A Serial Killer

Posted on December 18, 2016 by Doc

Image result for i am not a serial killer movie poster

In the year of the horror movie, I found another one.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, this film was released limited in August. It never came anywhere near here. However, I found it on Netflix and decided to give it a try.

And this is another horror winner for 2016.

Teenager John Wayne Cleaver (Max Records) is seeing a therapist. The reason? He has homicidal tendencies. He shares many of the same traits as other serial killers, yet, he is not one. Or at least, he seems to be trying to avoid becoming one. So he has rules. When he has the feeling that he wants to hurt someone, he makes himself give them a compliment. John keeps himself in check this way.

Of course, his own family life is out of control. He works with his mother at the local funeral parlor, while his sisters fight with her. His father can’t be bothered. It tends to make a sociopath upset.

With a local murder taking place, John suddenly discovers that his neighbor, the nice old man Mr. Crowley (Christopher Lloyd) is not only the murderer, but that he is more than what he seems.

This is a very creatively original movie that had me sucked into its tale early on. John is such an interesting protagonist because, being a clinically diagnosed sociopath, his choices and decisions are pulled into question. He struggles with his own internal strife while also trying to figure out exactly what is going on with Mr. Crowley.

Christopher Lloyd is wonderful here. He gives a riveting performance as the old man with a dark secret. The fact that he really loved his wife (Dee Noah) gives this creature humanity. Everything he has done is for her. How many times can you relate to the monster involved in a horror movie? This is certainly one of the times. Heck, there are moments when you wonder if John is the actual monster here instead of Crowley.

This avoids most of the horror genre tropes and really creates something original. It is one more horror winner for 2016.

4.4 stars

2016 In Memoriam

Posted on December 18, 2016 by Doc

2016 was a terrible year because we lost a lot of the greats. From Ali to Prince, from Alan Rickman to Gene Wilder, 2016 brought sadness to many.

We salute these amazing individuals who brought joy and drama to all of our lives.

EYG- In Memoriam

canvas

EDIT

Unfortunately, 2016 is not done. Two more have since passed.

Image result for zsa zsa gabor

Image result for george michael

Edit 2

Well, Hell.

I had hoped that the heart attack she suffered would not claim her, but unfortunately, Carrie Fisher succumbed after all. RIP Princess Leia.

Image result for princess leia

Just a few more days of 2016, which has seen way too many people taken before their time.

Edit 3

Okay, this is just getting ridiculous now.

Image result for debbie reynolds

Edit 4

Dammit. The year is almost over, but it had to claim one more. #2016MustGo

Image result for william Christopher

Manchester By the Sea

Posted on December 17, 2016 by Doc

Image result for manchester by the sea movie poster

Casey Affleck really knocks this one out of the park.

Manchester By the Sea could be considered a downer of a movie, and, to be fair, there are plenty of parts of this film that are depressing, but when the pieces are all brought together, this is a real somber tale of damaged people and their struggles to survive the pain of their past.

When word reached Boston handyman/janitor Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) that his brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) had died, Lee headed back to his hometown of Manchester, a town that held devastating memories of loss for him. Discovering that Joe had left Lee as the guardian of Patrick (Lucas Hedges), his son, Lee does not know what he can do.

As he tries to get by, Lee continues to be haunted by the memories of his past, and the reason why he moved away from Manchester in the first place. He has to see his ex-wife Randi (Michelle Williams), Patrick’s alcoholic mother Elsie (Gretchen Mol) and his brother’s friend and partner George (CJ Wilson).

This story is a real human story. There are none of the manipulative emotional notes like those that are crammed in your face like in Collateral Beauty. The subtlety in this film is perfect and real and hits the audience hard.

Director Kenneth Lonergan is quite the storyteller as Manchester By the Sea spends much of the time using flashbacks to reveal the history of Lee and why he is acting as he is. The tragic circumstances really make you understand why Lee is the unlikable jerk that the film seems to be showing. These flashbacks are seamlessly woven into the fabric of the narrative beautifully, creating a very original feeling story.

Casey Affleck will gain many awards and nominations for his amazingly layered and complex performance in this movie. He could easily have been over the top but his acting choices creates such a rich character that he carries this film. Michelle Williams is also wonderful in a smaller role. Every time Williams is on the screen, you know something powerful is going to happen. And the connection between Lee and Patrick is strong despite actions by both characters that could damage that connection. Lucas Hedges is remarkable here, spending most of his time opposite the stellar Affleck and holding his own.

The dialogue of the film is so true that if you told me that they just filmed real people talking, I would believe it. There are no weak points in the writing of the dialogue or any other aspects of the script.

Manchester By the Sea can be a tough movie to watch because it takes you on such a roller coaster ride of emotions but it also challenges an audience to take that trip naturally, without the manipulations that many tear-jerkers try to use. It is a wonderfully performed film, with realistic dialogue and flawed characters.