Bad Times at the El Royale

Bad Times at the El Royale is a neo-noir thriller written and directed by Drew Goddard and stars an all star cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Dakota Johnson, Cynthia Erivo, Jon Hamm, and Chris Hemsworth. The film concerns several people who have nothing to do with each other as they stay in a hotel in the middle of the Nevada and California border in 1969, with each of them dealing with their own dark secrets. You have a concierge who works at the hotel that spies on its own occupants, an FBI agent investigating the hotel, a woman wanting to be a singer, a priest looking for something, and one woman holding her own sister hostage. What makes this so interesting is that while some of the stories are resolved in the end, a few never get any conclusions despite the many questions never answered. El Royale is very stylish and colorful, has a well written story with great dialogue, very surprising moments, and the performances by everyone makes it hard to not love each of them despite their pasts. While the movie is an ensemble piece, there are a lot of times where the focus is on Erivo's struggling singer who gives a lot of long and well done singing sequences that feel out of place at times, though she does give the most powerful performance either way. These singing moments also don't help in the fact that the film is way too long and certain things feel like padding. You don't get to know a lot of the characters' backstories, and the flashbacks we get are very vague, though they're all enough for one to understand each of them. An interesting aspect is that the film is told in chapters, each one named after the rooms or times associated with each character that the chapter is focused on. Over all: 95%

2018 top list so far:
1. Halloween 2018

2. Won't You Be My Neighbor?/BlacKkKlansman (tie)

3. Incredibles 2

4. Avengers: Infinity War

5. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

6. Solo: A Star Wars Story

7. A Quiet Place
8. Deadpool 2

9. Black Panther

10. A Star Is Born 2018

11. Ant-Man and the Wasp

12. Ready Player One

13. Bad Times at the El Royale

14. Sicario: Day of the Soldado

15. Ocean's 8

16. Isle of Dogs

17. Game Night

18. Venom

19. Thoroughbreds

20. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

21. The Predator

22. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Halloween 2018

A direct sequel to the original 1978 film that ignores all of the other films that came after, Halloween 2018 is about an older Laurie Strode dealing with the events that occurred 40 years earlier. Much like how 98s H20 dealt with it but by no longing making her Michael Myers' sister, staying in Haddonfield and waiting for his return, and Myers having been captured and locked up again after the ending of the original. This installment is produced by Blumhouse, has John Carpenter return as an executive producer and working on the music, is cowritten by Danny McBride, and directed by David Gordon Green. It is by far the best sequel that the Halloween franchise has been given, with clever writing, excellent direction, great performances by the entire cast with Jamie Lee Curtis giving Laurie a touch of both strength and vulnerability, and the way Michael is played and the actions he does keeping it true to how he has been portrayed in the past while giving us a much darker aspect that was never thought possible. Halloween 2018 does have a touch of comedy, though not always working, as it is cowritten by Danny McBride which keeps it from being too dark and depressing while also giving us really great moments between Laurie and the troubled relationship with her family. While there are violent and bloody deaths, Green's direction and the cinematography manages to subdue them compared to what the other sequels did and the over the top gore from the Rob Zombie films. The ending of the film is very powerful as Laurie manages to defeat Michael in such a way that the series could end there as well as leave it open ended without being forced. Over all: 100%

2018 top list so far:
1. Halloween 2018

2. Won't You Be My Neighbor?/BlacKkKlansman (tie)

3. Incredibles 2

4. Avengers: Infinity War

5. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

6. Solo: A Star Wars Story

7. A Quiet Place
8. Deadpool 2

9. Black Panther

10. A Star Is Born 2018

11. Ant-Man and the Wasp

12. Ready Player One

13. Sicario: Day of the Soldado

14. Ocean's 8

15. Isle of Dogs

16. Game Night

17. Venom

18. Thoroughbreds

19. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

20. The Predator

21. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

A Star Is Born 2018

The third remake of a 1937 film that had been remade in 1954 with Judy Garland and 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, A Star Is Born 2018 is Bradley Cooper's directorial debut and Lady Gaga's first leading and starring role in a feature film. Having been in development since 2011 with Clint Eastwood originally set to direct and Beyonce to star, the film follows the same general story as the previous films of an up and coming performer falling in love with an older professional who helps her achieve fame and recognition all while he suffers from alcohol and drug addiction. This is the first version of the story I've seen, though I know that the original 1937 film is the only version where the focus is on acting rather than musicians. While the film tells a story that has been told before both by previous versions and other films with the same theme, A Star Is Born 2018 tells its story very faithfully and in such a way that it teaches you about the dangers of fame and success. As Cooper's first directing effort he does a phenomenal job, though there are some bits here and there that do show his inexperience such as some long camera lingers and issues with editing. Gaga is truly breathtaking in this very truthful and inspirational role, with the chemistry between her and Cooper being a strong aspect. Besides Gaga and Cooper, the film also stars and provide great performances by Sam Elliot as Cooper's half brother and manager, Andrew Dice Clay as Gaga's father, and Dave Chappelle as a friend of Cooper's. The first few minutes are a bit slow and kind of point out why the two shouldn't be together due to Cooper's addictions that even she points out at first but doesn't bring it up again until midway through the film. Also, the way Cooper is initially infatuated with her and gets her to his concerts does feel a bit stalkerish and hard not to see how she's not more worried. One interesting aspect that the film does that is both unique but hurts it at the same time is that nearly every scene has either Cooper, Gaga, or both of them and even when Gaga becomes a well known singer or Cooper deals with his rehab after an incident at the Grammys we never see reactions or the news talk about it on television. And while Cooper's performance is powerful, the way he does the voice makes you wonder if he's supposed to sound drunk or trying too hard to copy Elliot's deep gravely voice due to their relation. The one thing I can't complain or question is the magnificent music and songs that are played throughout the movie. Over all: 95%

2018 top list so far:
1. Won't You Be My Neighbor?/BlacKkKlansman (tie)

2. Incredibles 2

3. Avengers: Infinity War

4. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

5. Solo: A Star Wars Story

6. A Quiet Place
7. Deadpool 2

8. Black Panther

9. A Star Is Born 2018

10. Ant-Man and the Wasp

11. Ready Player One

12. Sicario: Day of the Soldado

13. Ocean's 8

14. Isle of Dogs

15. Game Night

16. Venom

17. Thoroughbreds

18. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

19. The Predator

20. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR

Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR is another comic book I got for free for the 2018 Free Comic Book Day, the first from Dynamite Entertainment, and my first James Bond comic. This is the first issue of an already finished storyline in which Bond investigates the death of 008 and continues the mission he was involved in when he was killed dealing with drug smugglers all over Europe. The opening in which Bond fights and kills the man who murdered 008 sets the tone with its dark lighting, moody atmosphere, and very bloody ending that would fit perfectly as a pre-tittle sequence of a Bond film. While the rest of the comic fits the first few minutes after the title sequence wherein Bond flirts with Moneypenny, is given his new assignment by M, meets with Q, and then showing the villains of the story learning about Bond and sending an assassin after him. From what I read so far this would make for a really good film adaptation as it perfectly captures every moment that the films do. The artwork is really good, the story so far is told well, and the characterization of the characters we already know is spot on. Plus, unlike the films which have certain restrictions on what they can show due to ratings, the comic isn't afraid to show how violent Bond can be. Over all: 100%
Top list so far for 2nd set of comics:
1. Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR
2. Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Shmoopsy
3. The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500
4. The Unworthy Thor (2016-2017) #1
5. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #5
6. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #6
7. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #4
8. Thor: God of Thunder Vol. 1 #1
9. Wonder Woman Free Comic Book Day 2017 Special Edition (2017-) issue #1
10. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #2
11. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1
12. Incredible Hulk (1999-2007) #92: Planet Hulk Part One
13. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3
14. Wonder Woman (2006-2011) #1
15. Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation #1
16. Tate's Not At Comic Con Local Indy Anthology #8

Venom

Sony's first attempt at creating their own cinematic universe inspired by the MCU but with only characters related to Spider-Man, Venom deals with the usual things that occur when Eddie Brock bonds with the alien symbiote and becomes the dark anti hero. Unlike previous versions wherein the suit first bonded with Peter Parker, Spider-Man doesn't make any appearances and so Brock and Venom don't have the exact same backstory that usually is adapted from the comics. This actually works since I feel the symbiote can work with any other Marvel hero and Eddie Brock can have trouble with his life even without Spider-Man. Tom Hardy portrays Eddie Brock and voices the Venom symbiote in a way that ensures both characters are very different, which is the strongest aspect in the film. With Ruben Fleischer on board as director, his over the top take can make the film fun to watch but also can be too much at certain points that makes it hard to take serious. Alongside Hardy is Michelle Williams as his girlfriend, Riz Ahmed as the head of a company and the main villain, and Jenny Slate as a scientist working on symbiotes who gets Hardy involved in the plot, and while they all play their roles well a lot of the time it doesn't fit the over the top nature of both the movie and Hardy's performance. The action scenes are fun and fast paced, while the effects are really good especially whenever Brock turns into Venom. Some of the explanations as to why some of the symbiotes don't work with certain people is not explained that well, the same with Venom's motivation to fight his own kind. Venom doesn't offer anything that new to the superhero genre and the script is all over the place, while the fight scene between Venom and Riot is hard to make out due to similar appearances. For a film that's meant to start a new cinematic universe it hits some of the right notes, such as the post credit scene introducing the future Carnage, but fails at other aspects such as showing more of this universe and what it can offer. Over all: 90%

2018 top list so far:
1. Won't You Be My Neighbor?/BlacKkKlansman (tie)

2. Incredibles 2

3. Avengers: Infinity War

4. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

5. Solo: A Star Wars Story

6. A Quiet Place
7. Deadpool 2

8. Black Panther
9. Ant-Man and the Wasp

10. Ready Player One

11. Sicario: Day of the Soldado

12. Ocean's 8

13. Isle of Dogs

14. Game Night

15. Venom

16. Thoroughbreds

17. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

18. The Predator

19. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom