Beyond the Screen: January 2020

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Gentlemen

The Gentlemen is Guy Ritchie's return to his mob comedy roots that kickstarted his career, like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. Starring an ensemble cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam, and Henry Golding, this film has amazing performances with well written and witty moments. Centering on an American-born and Oxford dropout cannabis drug lord, played by McConaughey, as he deals with competition, sabotage, and the prospect of his business being bought out. Most of the film is told in this unique style wherein Grant's private investigator is telling the drug lord's right hand man all the information they may need as a film screenplay pitch so as to bribe them for the information they need. You'd think a story like would be very straightforward and involve what you expect from other mob movies. While it does, this film also adds viral video creating amateur boxers, a former KGB agent turned Russian oligarch, and a pig. Ritchie crafts such a hilarious film with well paced editing, a phenomenal cast, and small bits of great detail that you wouldn't think were that important until you get to the end. What makes McConaughey's performance really unique is that he manages to be scary even when his character is calm. If there were a few problems it would be that because of the fast dialogue and many character's thick accents, it's sometimes hard to tell what they're saying. While I have not seen Ritchie's previous mob comedies, I have no doubt that they'll have the same level energy and fun that The Gentlemen has. Over all: 100%
2020 top list so far:
1. The Gentlemen
2. Bad Boys for Life

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Top Short Films of the 2010s

2010 2012 2013
1. Day & Night 1. Paperman 1. Get a Horse!
2. The Crush 2. Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"
3. Dirty Laundry

2014 2015 2016
1. Feast 1. Power/Rangers 1. Piper
2. Lava 2. Frozen Fever 2. Inner Workings
3. Party Central 3. Sanjay's Super Team

2017 2018 2010s
1. Deadpool: No Good Deed 1. Bao 1. Get a Horse!
2. Olaf's Frozen Adventures 2. Paperman
3. Deadpool: No Good Deed
4. Piper
5. Power/Rangers
6. Day & Night
7. Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"
8. Bao
9. Feast
10. Dirty Laundry
11. Frozen Fever
12. Olaf's Frozen Adventures
13. Inner Workings
14. Lava
15. The Crush
16. Sanjay's Super Team
17. Party Central

Friday, January 24, 2020

Monday, January 20, 2020

Bad Boys for Life

With Michael Bay giving directing duties to Belgian duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah after helming the first two film, with the first being his directorial debut, Bad Boys for Life sees Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunite as Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. After Lowrey is nearly killed by a shooter in a motorcycle, he becomes obsessed with the assailant that is going after him and others associated with a case from when he fist became a cop in the early '90s. Needing to convince Marcus to get out of retirement after the birth of his grandson, the two must work with a team of tech based young officers who must find clues and leads that get them closer to a dark part of Mike's past. Right from the get go, you can tell this isn't done by Bay due to a more focused style and direction, more polished editing, and balanced action scenes. Smith and Lawrence's performances are powerful in not only making their characters believable but also the strong chemistry they share in making us believe they've worked together for over twenty years. While the story is nothing new, and can sometimes feel cliched, it is well told and lands some great surprises. Another indication of Bay's absence is the humor is better than what he offers in many of his films, mainly how juvenile and immature they can be. Though not all of the jokes land and at times can either feel a little forced or don't work that well as running gags. The action scenes are captured a whole lot better than Bay's usual frenetic, over editing, and shaky cam style, but many of them lack more music to it that makes it less exiting. Bad Boys for Life is a fun throwback to over the top action films of the '80s and '90s, much like Bay's early films, but doesn't reach the same heights. Over all: 85%
2020 top list so far:
1. Bad Boys for Life

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018

Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018 is a collection of stories telling different tales from various versions of The Doctor that either relate to a story or just give us a small and fun adventure. The first story is a first person perspective of a Tenth Doctor companion lost in space but found by the Twelfth. In the second, the Seventh Doctor and Ace stop an alien army from invading other civilizations and is a lead up to a storyline. With the third, the Eleventh Doctor stops at an alien diner for a snack and helps out two other aliens from starting a fight. The final story is just a one page lead up of the Thirteenth Doctor landing the TARDIS on an alien planet and stepping out into the unknown. Each of the stories have their own writers and artists and all of them do a fantastic job at capturing the fun and spirit of the show. Much of the artwork for each story is unique and different to one another, like the first story's diary drawings compared to the third's more realistic style, though with some small but noticeable touches that show some similarity. Each story is also written differently, thus showing the many ways Doctor Who can be told without alienating long time fans. The first is a touching and slight tearjerking first person narrative, the second has epic action sequences, the third is a comedy befitting the era of the Eleventh Doctor, and the intro for the Thirteenth Doctor is all about getting people excited. Much like the series, Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018 has such amazing artwork that its impossible to put down while writing that could also worked in as actual episodes. Over all: 100%
Top list so far for 2nd set of comics:
1. Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018
2. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6
3. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #5
4. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #4
5. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3
6. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #1
7. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #2
8. Howard the Duck Vol. 1 #1
9. Deadpool Kills Deadpool
10. DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #1
11. Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness
12. Wonder Woman: Rebirth (2016) #1
13. The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2018
14. Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR
15. Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Shmoopsy
16. The Legend of Wonder Woman (2015-2016) #1
17. Free Comic Book Day: The Legend of Korra & Nintendo ARMS 2018
18. Ant-Man (2015) Vol. 1 #1: Second-Chance Man Part 1
19. Batman/The Flash: The Button
20. The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500
21. The Unworthy Thor (2016-2017) #1
22. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #5
23. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #6
24. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #4
25. Thor: God of Thunder Vol. 1 #1
26. Wonder Woman Free Comic Book Day 2017 Special Edition (2017-) issue #1
27. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #2
28. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1
29. Incredible Hulk (1999-2007) #92: Planet Hulk Part One
30. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3
31. Wonder Woman (2006-2011) #1
32. The Astonishing Ant-Man (2015-2016) #1
33. Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation #1
34. Tate's Not At Comic Con Local Indy Anthology #8

Friday, January 10, 2020

Top Movie Moments of the 2010s

2010:
1. Saying goodbye to Andy in Toy Story 3.
2. The battle with the Red Death in How to Train Your Dragon.
3. James Franco's performance in 127 Hours.
4. Ending to Shutter Island.
5. Ending to Inception.
6. Jesse Eisenberg's performance as Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network.
7. The Fenway Park robbery going wrong in The Town.
8. The End of Line Club fight in Tron: Legacy.
9. Parachuting with a tank in The A-Team.
10. Metro Man's explanation for his survival in Megamind.
Honorable Mentions:
Final battle in Iron Man 2.
Opening airplane fight in Knight and Day.
Michael Cera's performance as a split personality in Youth in Revolt.

2011:
1. Georges Melies's story in Hugo.
2. Climbing the Burj Khalifa in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol.
3. Caesar being able to speak in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
4. The ending to The Artist.
5. Albert and Joey reuniting at the end of War Horse.
6. Voldemort's death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
7. Steve waking up in the modern world at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger.
8. Po redirecting the cannonballs in Kung Fu Panda 2.
9. The surprise ending to Final Destination 5.
10. Thor regaining his powers in Thor.
Honorable Mentions:
Rango meeting the Spirit of the West in Rango.
The Chicago battle in Transformers: Dark of the Moon
The train crash in Super 8.
Punching Parallax into the sun in Green Lantern.
"I Wanna Party" number from Rio.

2012:
1. The entire New York battle in The Avengers.
2. The final battle in Bond's childhood home in Skyfall.
3. The bloody Candyland shootout in Django Unchained.
4. Creating a fake movie throughout Argo.
5. Batman and Bane's second fight in The Dark Knight Rises.
6. "I Dreamed a Dream" number from Les Miserables.
7. Smaug's attack and takeover of the Lonely Mountains at the beginning of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
8. The final airport battle in The Expendables 2.
9. The production design and cinematography of Moonrise Kingdom.
10. Spider-Man using cranes to get to the Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man.
Honorable Mentions:
The Alaskan drone fight in The Bourne Legacy.
Agent J traveling back in time in Men in Black 3.
Rue's death in The Hunger Games.
Monte Carlo chase from Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted.

2013:
1. Gary King's dark past revealed in The World's End.
2. Bilbo and the Dwarves fighting Smaug in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
3. Mjolnir constantly going back and forth during the final fight of Thor: The Dark World.
4. "Let It Go" number from Frozen.
5. Katniss taking out the power to the arena at the end of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
6. Sandra Bullock's performance throughout Gravity.
7. Tony summoning all of his extra suits in Iron Man 3.
8. Tank chase from Fast & Furious 6.
9. Chainsawing the Abomination at the end of Evil Dead.
10. Ben Stiller's performance throughout The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
Honorable Mentions:
Khan vs. Klingons in Star Trek Into Darkness.
The final train fight from The Lone Ranger.
The Bullet Train fight in The Wolverine.
Forrest Whitaker's performance throughout The Butler.

2014:
1. Louie Zamperini's determination in Unbroken.
2. Godzilla atomic breathing into a MUTO's throat at the end of Godzilla 2014.
3. Amy Dunne's plan revealed in Gone Girl.
4. "Time in a Bottle" Quicksilver super speed scene from X-Men: Days of Future Past.
5. Cooper and Brand returning to the Endurance after 23 years from Interstellar.
6. Bradley Cooper's performance throughout American Sniper.
7. The defeat of the evil Bewilderbeast at the end of How to Train Your Dragon 2.
8. Caesar and Koba's fight at the end of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
9. Katniss singing "The Hanging Tree" as a dam is destroyed in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1.
10. Everyone becoming a Master Builder in The Lego Movie.
Honorable Mentions:
Elevator fight scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
"The Apology Song" number from The Book of Life.
Thorin and Azog's final fight in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.
M. Gustave's prison escape from The Grand Budapest Hotel.
The "Nancy's Last Dance" segment of Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

2015:
1. The hate group massacre in Kingsman: The Secret Service.
2. Saoirse Ronan's entire performance in Brooklyn.
3. The ending to Furious 7.
4. The guitar guy in Mad Max: Fury Road.
5. Sylvester Stallone's entire performance in Creed.
6. Hulk vs. Hulkbuster in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
7. Bing Bong fading away in Inside Out.
8. The main villain captured alive in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.
9. Benicio del Toro's entire performance in Sicario.
10. The ending of Spectre.
Honorable mentions:
Butch's story in The Good Dinosaur.
Final dino fight in Jurassic World.
The ending speech in Trumbo.
Mark Rylance's entire performance in Bridge of Spies.

2016:
1. The final act of Rogue One.
2. Quicksilver's mansion save from X-Men: Apocalypse.
3. Ryan Reynolds's entire performance in Deadpool.
4. Dormammu's defeat in Doctor Strange.
5. Airport fight in Captain America: Civil War.
6. Wonder Woman's introduction in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
7. Breaking Bad reference from Zootopia.
8. "We Know The Way" number from Moana.
9. Final ghost fight in Ghostbusters 2016.
10. End of Jason Bourne.
Honorable Mentions:
Shakira's song from the end of Zootopia.
Dory reuniting with her parents in Finding Dory.
The supermarket fight in Sausage Party.
Plane water landing in Sully.
Wolverine's cameo in X-Men: Apocalypse.

2017:
1. The Captain America PSA post credit scene in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
2. Luke throwing away the lightsaber at the beginning of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
3. The opening car chase from Baby Driver.
4. "Immigrant Song" fight sequences at the beginning and end of Thor: Ragnarok.
5. Stan Lee's cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
6. Hugh Jackman's, Patrick Stewart's, and Dafne Keen's performances in Logan.
7. The cinematography by Roger Deakins in Blade Runner 2049.
8. The premiere of The Room in The Disaster Artist.
9. Andy Serkis's performance in War for the Planet of the Apes.
10. The No Man's Land action sequence from Wonder Woman.
Honorable Mentions:
James McAvoy's performance in Split.
Joker's villain roll calls at the beginning and end of The Lego Batman Movie.
Bill Skarsgard's performance as Pennywise in It.
The Rangers suiting up and the following action sequence in Saban's Power Rangers.
Remote controlled car chase from The Fate of the Furious.

2018:
1. The snap from Avengers: Infinity War.
2. Adonis defeating Viktor Drago in Creed II.
3. Michael B. Jordan's performance in Black Panther.
4. Tim Blake Nelson's performance in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
5. The "Fernando" duet between Cher and Andy Garcia in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
6. Aquaman gaining his signature trident and costume in Aquaman.
7. Stallworth revealing himself as a black man to David Duke in BlacKkKlansman.
8. Final battle from Ready Player One.
9. Ally performing for the first time in A Star is Born.
10. Fred Rogers' defense of PBS funding in Won't You Be My Neighbor?.
Honorable Mentions:
Miles gaining his confidence in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
The ending to A Quiet Place.
The Live Aid performance from Bohemian Rhapsody.
Juggernaut's escape from Deadpool 2.
The Kessel Run from Solo: A Star Wars Story.

2019:
1. The final battle in Avengers: Endgame.
2. Tom Hanks's performance as Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
3. Judy Garland's final performance at the end of Judy.
4. Jojo kicking the imaginary Hitler out of the window in Jojo Rabbit.
5. The final battle in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
6. Jack meeting an elderly John Lennon in Yesterday.
7. The final defeat of Pennywise in It Chapter 2.
8. The defeat of the Manson Family in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
9. Harlan's overly elaborate planning of his own death in Knives Out.
10. Danny unleashing the Overlook ghosts at Rose in Doctor Sleep.
Honorable Mentions:
The ending to Joker.
Mysterio's illusion attack in Spider-Man: Far From Home.
The "Show Yourself" number from Frozen II.
Taron Egerton's performance in Rocketman.
Hiccup reuniting with Toothless at the end of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.

2010s:
1. Louie Zamperini's determination in Unbroken.
2. Georges Melies's story in Hugo.
3. The final battle in Avengers: Endgame.
4. Tom Hanks's performance as Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
5. The snap from Avengers: Infinity War.
6. Saying goodbye to Andy in Toy Story 3.
7. Judy Garland's final performance at the end of Judy.
8. Jojo kicking the imaginary Hitler out of the window in Jojo Rabbit.
9. The entire New York battle in The Avengers.
10. The final act of Rogue One.
11. The hate group massacre in Kingsman: The Secret Service.
12. The final battle in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
13. Gary King's dark past revealed in The World's End.
14. Adonis defeating Viktor Drago in Creed II.
15. Quicksilver's mansion save from X-Men: Apocalypse.
16. The battle with the Red Death in How to Train Your Dragon.
17. James Franco's performance in 127 Hours.
18. Jack meeting an elderly John Lennon in Yesterday.
19. Saoirse Ronan's entire performance in Brooklyn.
20. The ending to Furious 7.
21. Michael B. Jordan's performance in Black Panther.
22. Godzilla atomic breathing into a MUTO's throat at the end of Godzilla 2014.
23. The final battle in Bond's childhood home in Skyfall.
24. The bloody Candyland shootout in Django Unchained.
25. Tim Blake Nelson's performance in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
Honorable Mentions:
Bilbo and the Dwarves fighting Smaug in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Danny unleashing the Overlook ghosts at Rose in Doctor Sleep.
Stallworth revealing himself as a black man to David Duke in BlacKkKlansman.
Cooper and Brand returning to the Endurance after 23 years from Interstellar.
The defeat of the evil Bewilderbeast at the end of How to Train Your Dragon 2.
The cinematography by Roger Deakins in Blade Runner 2049.
"I Dreamed a Dream" number from Les Miserables.
Bing Bong fading away in Inside Out.
"Let It Go" number from Frozen.
Wonder Woman's introduction in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Top Movies of the 2010s

2010: 2011:
1. 127 Hours 1. Hugo
2. The Town 2. War Horse
3. True Grit 2010 3. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
4. How to Train Your Dragon 4. The Artist
5. Toy Story 3   5. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
6. Inception 6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows - Part 2
7. The Social Network 7. Captain America: The First Avenger
8. Tron Legacy 8. Horrible Bosses
9. Shutter Island 9. Super 8
10. The American   10. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Honorable Mentions Honorable Mentions:
Megamind Final Destination 5
The Expendables Midnight in Paris
Eat Pray Love Rango
The A-Team
The Book of Eli

2012: 2013:
1. Django Unchained   1. Frozen
2. Moonrise Kingdom 2. The World's End
3. Trouble with the Curve 3. Gravity
4. The Avengers 4. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
5. Skyfall 5. The Wolverine
6. Les Miserables 6. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
7. The Expendables 2 7. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
8. Argo   8. Evil Dead
9. The Hunger Games 9. Iron Man 3
10. The Dark Knight Rises 10. The Butler
Honorable Mentions: Honorable Mentions:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Elysium
The Bourne Legacy The Lone Ranger
Ice Age: Continental Drift Star Trek Into Darkness
Prometheus Man of Steel
Act of Valor Texas Chainsaw 3D

2014: 2015:
1. Unbroken 1. Inside Out
2. Gone Girl 2. Bridge of Spies
3. American Sniper   3. Creed
4. How to Train Your Dragon 2 4. Brooklyn
5. The Book of Life   5. Ant-Man
6. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 6. Mad Max: Fury Road
7. Guardians of the Galaxy 7. Kingsman: The Secret Service
8. X-Men: Days of Future Past 8. Sicario
9. The Grand Budapest Hotel 9. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier   10. Spectre
Honorable Mentions: Honorable Mentions:
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies   The Martian
Top Five Trumbo
The Lego Movie Spy
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

2016: 2017:
1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 1. The Disaster Artist

2. Moana 2. Baby Driver

3. Zootopia 3. It

4. Doctor Strange 4. Coco

5. Sully 5. The Shape of Water

6. Deadpool 6. Thor: Ragnarok

7. Captain America: Civil War 7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
8. Finding Dory 8. Wonder Woman

9. Arrival 9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

10. Sausage Party 10. Logan

Honorable Mentions: Honorable Mentions:

Star Trek Beyond Professor Marston and the Wonder Woman

The Shallows Dunkirk

The Nice Guys John Wick: Chapter 2

Hail, Caesar! Saban's Power Rangers

Split

2018: 2019:

1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 1. Jojo Rabbit

2. Halloween 2018 2. Judy

3. Won't You Be My Neighbor? 3. Avengers: Endgame

4. BlacKkKlansman 4. Knives Out

5. Incredibles 2 5. Ready or Not

6. Avengers: Infinity War 6. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

7. Mission: Impossible - Fallout 7. Doctor Sleep

8. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 8. Frozen II

9. The Mule 9. Joker

10. Bumblebee 10. The Lighthouse

Honorable Mentions: Honorable Mentions:

Roma Hustlers

Bohemian Rhapsody Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Solo: A Star Wars Story Ad Astra

A Quiet Place Hobbs & Shaw

Ready Player One

2010s

1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

2. Hugo

3. Jojo Rabbit

4. Judy

5. Avengers: Endgame

6. Inside Out

7. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

8. Knives Out

9. Halloween 2018

10. Won't You Be My Neighbor?

11. The Disaster Artist

12. War Horse

13. BlacKkKlansman

14. Django Unchained

15. Baby Driver

16. Moonrise Kingdom

17. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

18. It

19. Coco

20. Moana

21. The Shape of Water

22. Bridge of Spies

23. The Artist

24. Creed

25. Brooklyn

Honorable Mentions:

Mad Max: Fury Road

Sicario

127 Hours

How to Train Your Dragon 2

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Avengers: Infinity War

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Skyfall

Frozen

The Lighthouse