Midnight Special - Art-House Theatrical Review

Midnight Special is a film I have been waiting to see since I saw the first trailer late last year. It was originally intended to come out on March 18th and my local major theater even had a poster for the film up. Then March 18th came with no sign of showtimes anywhere near me. Imagine how shocked and saddened I was to realize that Warner Bros, for whatever baffling reason, had made Midnight Special into a limited release film. WHY?! After seeing the film twice now in two days I am at a total loss as to why they felt this little big film couldn't have made at least a nice, if modest, gross from the mainstream audience. Certainly it could have covered its small $18 million price tag. It's got a killer sci-fi/fantasy premise and a mouth-wateringly resplendent cast including, but not limited to, Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, and Adam Driver. Heck, Adam Driver's presence alone could have been milked from the good will rolling off of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (a film that yours truly adores by the way if you see my review on this Blog of mine as well as my Top 7 list for 2015 where it came in #1) where he played the unhinged villain Kylo Ren. Not to mention that writer/director Jeff Nichols' last two films, 2011's Take Shelter (which also starred Michael Shannon) and 2013's Mud (which starred Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon), both received widespread acclaim despite their limited theatrical engagements. Midnight Special deserves far better than what Warner Bros has chosen to bestow upon it. It really should have been given the chance to be a major Spring 2016 release. Oh well. That didn't happen and it's really no use crying about it now because the simple fact is that I, at last, got to see it with my own eyes on a big screen at my local art-house theater here in Columbia, South Carolina known fondly as The Nick. Or Nickelodeon to be more precise. They started showing this film on the 6th and will continue to show it every afternoon and evening up through Thursday the 12th. I caught it Saturday and Sunday night in a row. After my first taste I just had to go back for more. It absolutely required a second viewing to truly settle in. It was well worth it. I promise not to spoil anything major, or otherwise significant, in this review as this film is best experienced with as little foreknowledge as possible. Let us dive right in shall we? Starting things off with the necessary summation of the plot. I stand by my "no spoilers" promise.

Midnight Special tells us the story of a most unusual eight year old boy named Alton Meyer (an incredible young find named Jaeden Lieberher) who, along with his father Roy Tomlin (Michael Shannon bringing full conviction to his part) and Roy's childhood best friend Lucas (a very warm and appealing Joel Edgerton), is on the run from both the U.S. Government, who believe that certain special abilities Alton possesses make him a weapon that they need to contain and control, and a madly determined religious cult who believe that Alton is their salvation from coming judgment. The Government is represented for us by two key characters in a young NSA communications specialist named Paul Sevier, played with surprising warmth and good humor by Adam Driver, and FBI Agent Miller played with straight commitment by Paul Sparks. The religious cult, known as the Ranch, is represented primarily by the great character actor Sam Shepard (who has also worked with director Jeff Nichols before on Mud) as the head of the cult named Tom Blankenship who preaches sermons using "scripture" that he claims was spoken to them by Alton. There are also two henchmen played by Bill Camp and Scott Haze who Blankenship sends after Alton to return him to the Ranch in time for a certain date that has been set by Alton on which the cult believes they will be saved from a cataclysmic event as long as Alton is with them. Alton's mother Sarah, played by a still beautiful Kirsten Dunst (just where has she been lately?), also joins Roy and Lucas in their attempt to keep Alton out of the hands of those pursuing him and help him reach his ultimate destiny which might just be more life altering and world shattering for all involved than any of them can possibly imagine. More than this I will not reveal because Midnight Special is a beautiful slice of fantastical mystery wrapped in an enigma that just has to be seen to be fully appreciated. 

I mentioned the absolute magnificence of the cast and they are the ones who primarily take this beautiful and beautifully "out there" story and make it palatable through the sheer strength of their convictions. These guys are fully invested in their roles and it pays off in spades. Michael Shannon is simply spot on as Roy Tomlin, who knows his son is meant for much greater things than either the Ranch or the Government have in store and is determined to help his son reach that potential. Shannon has a face that can be a little off putting at times, but Roy's love for and devotion to his son always shines through and keeps you totally invested in his journey. A scene where Alton tells Roy that he no longer has to worry about him, and Roy's response is so achingly sincere and full of truth that I'm sure parents everywhere will understand, is an emotional punch in the gut and beautifully and tenderly delivered. As Lucas, a friend of Roy's from childhood before the two drifted apart, but who has now come back into Roy's life to aid him in getting Alton to safety, Joel Edgerton continues to show why he is one of the most well respected actors of this generation. Young Jaeden Lieberher gives a startlingly magnificent performance as the beleaguered Alton Meyer. I said in my Jake Lloyd defense rant that child acting has to be one of the most dangerous professions in the world where children are placed center stage in front of an audience full of people who are more than ready and willing to tear into them and take them down. Jaeden is proof positive though that with the right director at the helm great things are possible and it can't be an easy thing for a child so young to play a character like this who must, by his very nature, be wiser than his years would suggest and grapple with the ever increasing emotional stakes of the story. Jaeden pulls it all off without a hitch and that is as much a testament to Jeff Nichols' direction as to Jaeden's natural talent. Kirsten Dunst is gripping and totally believable as Sarah Tomlin, Alton's birth mother, who was forced away from her son by the Ranch, but still retains a palpable connection with her son and a determined resolve to aid him in reaching his goal. Dunst is on fire here in what is arguably one of the best roles she has had in years. As NSA communications expert Paul Sevier, Adam Driver is given the chance to be warm and ingratiating as well as dryly and deliciously funny when the need for good humor arises. Driver's part is not the biggest, but he makes his every scene more than worth it. I am really looking forward to more from this guy. Sam Shepard is totally believable as the smarmy head of a crazy cult even if his part is incredibly limited. He makes the most of what he has though and remains a class act all the way. Paul Sparks as FBI Agent Miller oozes detached agency professionalism and Bill Camp and Scott Haze, particularly Camp, are chilling if little seen as two cult members tasked with doing unthinkable things to bring Alton back into the fold. The whole cast gives their all, big part or small, and Midnight Special is all the better for their commitment.

Technically the film is above reproach. Jeff Nichols' direction is crisp, clean, and totally confident. The cinematography by Nichols regular Adam Stone is both gorgeous and understated in equal measure. The production design by another Nichols protege, Chad Keith, is truly timeless and that is something I do have to praise here. Few films come along anymore that won't be dated in some way just a few years, or less, after their initial release, but Midnight Special, while set in the modern day, has been decidedly and painstakingly designed to achieve a true timeless feel that will allow the film to age with grace and dignity. Fifty years from now, or even beyond that, people will watch this movie and my eyes caught nothing that would allow them to pinpoint the era in which it was made unless they already know it was a 2016 release to begin with. Heck, if I didn't know any better I would have said this film was made in the 80's or 90's. For my generation, and every one after it, Midnight Special is more than able to become a true timeless classic. This is simply a staggering achievement and total kudos go to Nichols and his crew for pulling it off. Razzle-dazzle visual effects are limited and placed carefully throughout the lean and tight 111 minute runtime, but they are of high caliber and quality when they appear. Nichols knows how to make his small budgets stretch for all the bang he can get. The editing by Julie Monroe, who worked with Nichols on Mud, keeps the pace moving and the atmosphere tense, but also allows for moments of genuine wonder. Last, but by no means least, the beautifully pulsating electronic score by yet another Nichols stalwart, David Wingo, is sublime. Flitting between dark and tense and bright and hopeful Wingo's compositions are worthy of major awards recognition. Midnight Special could scarcely be more technically appealing than it is. It is a true triumph of simple and determined design utilized for maximum efficiency and impact. 

There are flaws in every movie, this is the reality of human made creations, and Midnight Special has a few. Namely a couple of plot threads that kind of vanish immediately after being introduced and aren't given any payoff, but these flaws are so small when stacked against everything the film gets right I just cannot bring myself to dock it any in my final rating. Midnight Special is a film imbued with such love and commitment by its makers that it radiates out of the screen and grabs hold of the viewer and holds him/her enthralled. I absolutely love Midnight Special, if I could find a way to see it again (and quite possibly again after that) I would, and I stand by my point that it deserves a far better showing than it has received. I am truly bewildered by the decision to keep this film in limited release while garbage like Green Room gets thousands of screens to itself across the USA. Hey Warner Bros! Care to explain your thinking here? Or confirm if you are even thinking at all? If you live in the Columbia area, or anywhere in driving distance of it, and if you are even the tiniest bit intrigued and interested in seeing a remarkably heartfelt and engrossing sci-fi/fantasy in the vein of the Amblin days of yore, but also more than that, then get on over to the Nickelodeon Theater at 1607 Main Street and catch Midnight Special before its final showing at 5:30 on Thursday evening, May 12th. If you share a love for this kind of film with me I feel safe in saying you won't be disappointed. 

5/5 

Review by Eric Spearman

Mamoru Hosoda's The Boy and the Beast: Or A Long Road Trip That Was Totally Worth It

With the retirement of Hayao Miyazaki, without a doubt one of the greatest practitioners of the magic we know as animation, a few years ago and the future of the Studio he helped found and run hanging precariously in the air, the question has gone out as to who, if anyone, can possibly fill the void left by the departure of a legend. Make that two legends because Miyazaki's fellow Ghibli titan Isao Takahata laid his pencil down too. I adore the films of Hayao Miyazaki, most of them anyway, and Studio Ghibli. It would be impossible for anyone to be the "next Miyazaki" as nobody can be someone they are not. However, there is a shining beacon of hope. Someone who can fill the need for beautiful animated wonderment complete with a stirring and heartfelt emotional core and his name is Mamoru Hosoda. I have seen only two of Hosoda's films prior to The Boy and the Beast, Summer Wars and Wolf Children, and both of them are gorgeous marvels of the art form. I have not seen The Girl Who Leapt Through Time as it is currently out of print in the U.S. until Funimation, reportedly, releases it on our shores again. Hosoda has quickly risen from obscurity into the limelight of the Japanese animation scene and The Boy and the Beast is yet another proof why. It is a truly gorgeous film to marvel at that also happens to have a heart centered on very real human emotion and experiences filtered through a fantastical lens where a world of beasts who walk and talk as men coexists with our own. I drove for almost four hours from Chapin, South Carolina to Durham, North Carolina to catch this amazing film in theaters during its very limited theatrical engagement. And boy was it worth the time! Up and back took all day, but I have this memory to cherish for the rest of my life.

Ren is a nine year old runaway after a family tragedy and one night in the Shibuya district of Tokyo he runs into Kumatetsu, a beast who looks an awful lot like a bear walking on two legs, and ends up following him into the world of beasts where humans are not exactly welcomed warmly as it is a commonly known thing that humans possess a dark hole in the center of their being that could destroy everything if they ever lost control. Kumatetsu is in the running to be the next lord of the Beasts in the greatest beast city of Jutengai and he has been tasked by the current lord, who is in the process of picking what he will become after his transcendence, to take on a pupil despite Kumatetsu's rough and uncouth nature. He of course chooses Ren because he sees a fire in the young boy that makes him believe that Ren can be the pupil that none of his other failed ones were and he gives Ren the new name Kyuta (from the Japanese word for nine based on his age) after Ren refuses to give him his real name. However, Kumatetsu is not very good at teaching and ultimately it becomes a relationship where both boy and beast learn from each other and forge a bond that matters more to both of them than either may ever be willing to admit and that will ultimately be tried in the hottest of fires. 

Okay, so that synopsis may sound a little... Weird? Well, yes it is in theory, but the joy comes in watching the story unfold over the course of nearly two gorgeous hours. The Boy and the Beast is another visual masterwork from Hosoda, who left Madhouse where he formerly worked and formed his own studio, Studio Chizu, to develop his fourth theatrical masterpiece. I could wax poetic about the art of this film for hours, but I must keep it to the point. The animation is crisp and lively and perfectly conveys the emotion of each scene as the story progresses. The voice work is top of the line as well. Funimation saw fit to release both their dubbed version and the original Japanese at the same time in select theaters and I saw it in Japanese with English subs. It was all good though. The emotions were so strong that they overcame any language barrier. The music score Takagi Masakatsu is exceptional as well and does its job without calling undue attention to itself or otherwise distracting from the story being told so beautifully. 

I adore this film and I will not hesitate to see it again in the theater if the opportunity presents itself. I cried at this one alright? It was that strong and I wanted to give it a standing ovation, but alas maybe next time. Do yourself a favor. If you are a fan of great animation and the power the medium can hold when used properly and if you find that The Boy and the Beast is playing anywhere near you, whether it is in your very neighborhood, or at the least at a reasonable enough driving distance as I had to travel, go see it. Trust me, even if you don't totally glow for it I'm sure you will still find it more than worth the time.

 5/5

So yeah, I've been off for a while. I may still be until I see a film that moves me the way The Boy and the Beast did. I will try to be more regular, but as this is currently just a hobby on the side of my real workaday job I may not always have the strength or stamina to go on here and review, but rest assured my love for film and the escape it provides is as strong as ever and keeps getting stronger. 

Theatrical Review: The Revenant

It has been almost six days since I saw The Revenant and my initial reaction has had time to settle and the dust has cleared so I can give a shorter and more succinct review on how I feel about this film. So, without further ado here we go.

Leonardo DiCaprio, in what is truly one of the most intense and challenging roles of his career, plays a fur trapper in the 1800s named Hugh Glass who one day, while scouting ahead of his party for a way back to their fort, is attacked and brutally mauled by a mother grizzly bear protecting her cubs. With his body ravaged and seemingly beyond repair the leader of the party, Captain Andrew Henry, played with loyal compassion by Domhnall Gleeson, offers a bonus to anyone who will stay with Glass until the inevitable and give him a proper burial. Three volunteer. One of them is Glass' half Native American teenage son Hawk, played by newcomer Forrest Goodluck, who doesn't care about the bonus and won't leave his father's side for anything. The other two are a young novice trapper named Jim Bridger, played by Will Poulter, and a sociopathic malcontent named John Fitzgerald, played with feral and malicious intensity by Tom Hardy. The rest of the party moves ahead and the three volunteers are left to care for a shattered Glass until his death. However, Fitzgerald has other ideas. When his attempt on Glass' life ends with Hawk's death Fitzgerald convinces a frightened Bridger to leave with him under the threat of imminent Native attack. Left in a shallow grave to die Glass, fueled by rage over the murder of his son, claws his way out of the dirt and sets out on a path of revenge against the man who destroyed everything he had in his life that he cared about. 

The Revenant is as brutal and unforgiving a film on the audience as the environment it is set in is on the men who traverse it. Filmed in extreme remote locations in Canada and Argentina under hostile conditions and using only what light nature can give, no artificial studio lights were used, The Revenant is a truly remarkable achievement in film. The wilderness is beautiful yes, but that beauty masks a cold heart and punishing intent. Nature is as much a heavy in this film as Fitzgerald is. DiCaprio has stated that The Revenant is one of the toughest and most challenging shoots he has ever been a part of, but boy does it pay off in a performance so far removed from anything he has ever done before that he is virtually unrecognizable under the broken body of his character. DiCaprio nails every moment. His commitment to his craft shines through everything. Tom Hardy is equally up to the task as Fitzgerald and he makes for a man we can actually fear because he isn't some mustache twirling villain. Fitzgerald is a true glimpse into the darkest heart of humanity left unchecked. Will Poulter is exceptional as the frightened Jim Bridger, whose growing guilt and shame over what has happened Poulter nails on the head. Forrest Goodluck makes a stunning impression as Hawk, Glass' teenage half Pawnee son. Hawk's demise is a savage gut punch and Goodluck's performance ensures that the memory of it lingers over the entirety of the rest of the film. Finally, but not least at all, Domhnall Gleeson impresses greatly as Captain Andrew Henry. Gleeson perfectly essays a man who is fiercely loyal to his men and his outrage over what has transpired, once Glass' fate has become known to him, is blistering in its authenticity. Domhnall played in four acclaimed films last year, and I've only seen two, the other being the recent mega successful Star Wars The Force Awakens, but from everything I've read and seen he has proven to be an actor with exceptional range and command. I want to see more of him. The rest of the cast all fall in line respectfully well, but it is these five men who form the center of the story. 

I mentioned the use of all natural light in this film and I was not kidding. The cinematography is simply stunning, using fire, moonlight, sunlight, and real shadows cast to paint a portrait of the wilderness unlike any other. Emmanuel Lubezki, who worked with director Alejandro G. Inarritu before on Birdman and is a frequent collaborator with Alfonso Cauron, deserves all of the accolades for pulling off something that would seem from the outside to be impossible. The production design by Jack Fisk is minimal and authentic to the period. The visual effects, because of course there have to be some, are exceptionally well done and virtually invisible. The score by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alva Noto, and Bryce Dessner is sparse, but driving nonetheless, blending into the background and not calling undue attention to itself. To cap it all, Inarritu's direction is magnificent under what must have been hellish conditions. 

The Revenant is not like any other film you've ever seen before. It is a stunning work of art from a visual and aural perspective and features one of DiCaprio's finest, if not his finest, performances to date. It's harsh and uncompromising and certainly not a film that begs for repeat views on a constant basis, but will I pick it up on Blu-Ray when it is released? Proudly. Just make sure you have the stomach for it because this film will test you. 

4.5/5

Alright, alright, alright. I've been busy with work and all so it took me a lot longer to finally sit down and type this up than I would have liked, but here you go. My next theatrical review might be for either The Boy, The 5th Wave, or Deadpool. We'll see. Until then you can expect some more Blu-Ray film reviews and other articles to spice it up. Thank you to all who read this Blog of mine. I hope you have a great day and weekend upcoming. I may have a Blu-Ray film review of Everest coming up in a day or two so check back with me. And The Intern most likely. Thanks ya'll! 

My Second Theatrical Review: 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Michael Bay is somebody special in the world of cinema. A director who pretty much consistently rakes in less than complimentary, and sometimes downright hate fueled, reviews from major critics, but somehow continues to find the "it" factor in America's current cultural mindset and as a result his films usually rake in the dough by the millions. Now known primarily as the guy who brought the 80s icon Transformers to the screen in 2007 and has shepherded the series through four films now, Michael Bay is seen as one of the primary purveyors, if not THE primary purveyor, of big dumb fun explosion-fests that critics love to hate, but audiences seem to lap up with glee. See here's the thing, Bay has never pretended to be anyone other than himself. When he makes a movie he doesn't make apologies for his own outlook and style of filmmaking. His movies all have his own unique style and cadence to them, be they small or large. Highly saturated, even overblown, colors, shaky camerawork in the fights, a high edit count, and lots of camera pans and dollies. Now, I by no means like all of his films. Bad Boys II, for example, is needlessly mean spirited and makes its central characters borderline, or beyond, deplorable, but for the most part Bay satisfies the desire for slick and gorgeous escapist fare. When he has tried to deviate, even a little, from his norm before (Pearl Harbor and Pain & Gain) it was still met with extremely negative to just mixed results. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is no different. Bay has said that sometimes he has to take a break from giant robots and huge epic action to make a "smaller" movie in order to "recharge his creative juices". That is why he made Pain & Gain in between Transformers 2 and 3. And now after the enormous giant of a movie Transformers Age of Extinction, 13 Hours is indeed a comparatively "smaller" film in that is not mega budgeted and it seeks to tell a more intimate and harrowing story of courage and survival against overwhelming odds using the true story of the attack on the American Diplomatic Outpost and the nearby secret CIA Annex in Benghazi, Libya on November 11th through the 12th of 2012 as a basis. Does Bay's gambit succeed? Well, let's dig in and find out shall we?

The attacks in Libya in 2012 were headline news. No air support was offered, and four Americans tragically lost their lives when Islamic militants stormed the Outpost and Annex. The U.S. Ambassador, Chris Stevens, was one of the first to die. He was a friend of former First Lady, who became Secretary of State, and current Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. Clinton's part in the whole ordeal is not even brought up in the film because Bay wisely chooses to keep political leanings out of the equation as much as possible in order to just focus in on six men, all ex-military CIA Contractors, who gave their energy and blood to defend their fellow Americans during a brutal onslaught that lasted for the titular 13 hours before rescue finally came. The six men on the roster are Tyrone S. "Rone" Woods (played by James Badge Dale), Jack Da Silva (played by John Krasinski), Mark "Oz" Geist (played by Max Martini), John "Tig" Tiegen (played by Dominic Fumusa), Kris "Tanto" Paronto (played by Pablo Schreiber), and Dave "Boon" Benton (played by David Denman), all of whom made up the Security Team for the Annex. Woods and Silva were both former SEALS. Of these six men it is Woods and Silva who get most of the time on screen, but "Oz" Geist gets a good chunk too, as does "Tanto" Paronto later on in the proceedings once the attacks begin. Other major players included Glen "Bub" Doherty (played by Toby Stephens) and a man this film simply calls "The Chief" (played by David Constabile). My guess is that "The Chief" is not named because he was a CIA operative and therefore his identity is being kept confidential and that is understandable. There is also a CIA operative named Sona Jillani, played by Alexia Barlier, who gains some nice screen time in the latter half as she comes to recognize the great sacrifices being made by the six men to save her life as well as everyone else's. A later scene she shares with Max Martini's "Oz" is a sweet moment of empathy amidst the chaos. While Ambassador Chris Stevens and his aid Sean Smith are portrayed briefly, they are largely cameos and Bay does keep the attention focused on the Security Team. 

And for that team the right group of actors was assembled. This film is not a deep character study, but it does provide just enough background on the men, particularly Woods and Silva, to make them relatable and worthy of our rooting interest. As Tyrone S. "Rone" Woods, or simply Rone as they all call him, James Badge Dale is perfectly cast and delivers on the man's no nonsense mentality and drive to protect the lives of his fellow Americans at any and all costs. As Jack Da Silva, a close personal friend of Rone, John Krasinski is exceptional. Silva's remorse over once again leaving his wife and two young daughters at home to come into a hostile environment that could very easily be the end of him is beautifully portrayed a Krasinski makes it all count. Max Martini is a tough firebrand as Mark "Oz" Geist, or simply Oz, and he also gets the chance to show beneath his toughened exterior the heart of a man who cares deeply about what he does. I mentioned above a later scene he shares with Alexia Barlier's Sona and it is a beautiful moment and the stakes are given even more definition in it. Dominic Fumusa, Pablo Schreiber, David Denman, Toby Stephens, and David Constabile are all more than solid and deliver what they are called on to deliver, making sure that their characters' plight remains intensely borrowing for the audience watching the events unfold. 13 Hours is, once again, not a deep exploration of the human condition of its players, but a full steam ahead brutal and suspenseful portrayal of courage and valor in the bleakest of hours. And for that purpose the performances in this movie are more than sufficient. 

The film's visual look is pure Michael Bay, but also more refined and polished than when he first began. The shakiness of the camera in the action is still there, but it is not terrible, and in fact is very well implemented and serves to bring a raw and gritty sense of reality to the proceedings in keeping with the truth of the story being told. Dion Beebe's cinematography, in his first collaboration with Michael Bay, is fine indeed for the film and Bay's signature visual style is channeled into the appropriate places. The production design by Jeffrey Beecroft is perfectly done and captures the essence of the real location, even though it was filmed in Malta. The music by Lorne Balfe is fine for the film as well, delivering a driving percussive cadence appropriate for the story. Deborah L. Scott's costumes are perfectly realistic and appropriately do not draw attention to themselves. 13 Hours is a fine example of filmmaking meant to serve a purpose other than just pure entertainment. All of the elements are in fine form, but none of them call any undue attention to themselves while the story is playing out. This is how it should be for a film like this. 

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is currently sitting at a "rotten" 59% on Rotten Tomatoes tally of critics' reviews. Now this is much higher than much of Bay's work usually receives, but still indicative of just how unpopular Bay is with the critics on a regular basis. And 13 Hours is not a likely candidate to be a blockbuster box office giant either, especially not with Star Wars currently dominating everything around it, but with a more modest $50 million budget the film should do alright. Of course releasing it in January doesn't help matters much because of the month's reputation as a trash dump for Hollywood's most unwanted films the studios have no faith in, but really it is Star Wars' continued hold over the box office that is going to be the biggest obstacle for 13 Hours, not to mention any other film released this month. As it stands, 13 Hours is a good film made well and with a truly harrowing true story at its core. The film honors the men and respects the gravity of the attacks it depicts. It is a little on the long side at 2 and a half hours, but it is consistently engaging for the most part and the length feels just right. By avoiding politics as much as is possible, and that is for a very good chunk of the film, Bay has done the best thing any director could have with such a hot button issue. He is not out to make a statement, but to tell a story. And he and his cast and crew tell it well. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi rises way above the cold January doldrums it has been released into. Not a film to be watched on a repeat basis, but one well worth watching and one day owning as a film that can sit beside classics of the genre like Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down as a worthy watch around Memorial or Veteran's Day every year. 

4.5/5

Eric Spearman - 1/16/2016

P.S. Wow. Only my second theatrical review since starting this Blog at the end of December. Well, stay tuned, because tomorrow I might have a new theatrical review on here for The Revenant. Until then, have a great weekend everybody. 

STOP THE PRESSES! It's one of my favorite films of all time.

Seabiscuit - A Blu -Ray Film Review

"You know, you don't throw a whole life away just 'cause he's banged up a little."

I remember the night I first saw Seabiscuit. I was 17. I had graduated from Home School High School just a couple of months before. There was a frighteningly huge thunderstorm rolling in as I entered the theater. I went to see it primarily for Tobey Maguire because I had loved him in Spider-Man the year before, Spidey being my favorite superhero, but I had no real interest in horse racing. Or any other kind of racing. I'm not a sports fan. Football I can handle alright because it's fast paced, but you still wouldn't catch me turning my TV to a game if I had any other options available for entertainment. So Seabiscuit wasn't just an underdog movie by formula, it was an underdog movie for me personally. I was not expecting it to uppercut me so. To blindside me with how powerful it was. For it is not merely a story about a great racehorse from a bygone era, but a story of three men, each battered and broken in their own ways by the cards life has dealt them, who come together with an equally broken horse to forge a weird, yet beautiful in its own way, family and how they help heal each other. It's a beautiful story told with a fiery passion and deep compassion for both its central characters, both human and animal, and through them for humanity at large. And it based on a true story that was chronicled in a book by a lady named Laura Hillenbrand. 

In the early 1900s Charles Howard, played by Jeff Bridges, moves to San Francisco with his wife to start his own bicycle shop. Business does not take off and one day, when he helps a gentleman fix his Stanley Steamer, Howard is pulled into the brand new automotive industry and becomes the best salesman for automobiles on the west coast. Tom Smith is an older cowboy drifter who works with a Wild West show who happens to have a special connection with horses. Johnny "Red" Pollard, played younger by Michael Angarano and older by Tobey Maguire, is a young boy living in Canada with his well to do family who has a knack for riding horses beautifully and a love for classic literature encouraged by his dad. Three individuals whose fates are tied before any of them know it. The Depression hits. Johnny's family is reduced to the slums. When his father discovers that Johnny has made some money working at a nearby stable he decides that he has to leave his son in the care of the stable's owner who has a "real house" and so Johnny is left without his family and grows into an angry young man who tries to work as a jockey by day, but moonlights in illegal boxing matches, the blows from which eventually leave him blind in his right eye. At the same time Howard has lost a good deal of his business and had to lay many employees off, which he is none too happy about, but even more tragedy is headed his way when his young son Frankie dies in a horrific car accident. When his wife leaves him he eventually finds his way, simultaneously with Johnny and Smith, to the border town of Tijuana where gambling and alcohol are both legal and in endless supply. While there to obtain a "quickie divorce" he meets Marcela Zabala, played by the gorgeous Elizabeth Banks, and strikes up a new romance that finds them getting married soon after. He takes up an interest in horse racing at the same time and goes to Smith to seek his help as a trainer. Smith agrees. Back in the States, Smith helps Howard pick a smaller horse who bears the title moniker because of the animal's "spirit". Seabiscuit is an angry horse and when Smith catches sight of Johnny, now dubbed Red, fighting angrily with a group of stablehands he notices how the two match each other. And so Johnny "Red" becomes Seabiscuit's jockey despite being bigger than the standard jockey is supposed to be. Now that the three broken men and the equally broken horse have finally come together they will all learn more about themselves, and each other, than they ever thought possible and out of the fires of adversity and heartbreak a new and more powerful family is born. 

The above synopsis may sound "trite", but let me assure you that this is one film that takes a "formula story" and works it so passionately and with such consummate skill and artistry that it transcends that formula to become something so much more powerful and lastingly meaningful. Sure, there may be a few liberties and licenses taken with events and characters in order to streamline the narrative to fit the cinematic format, but none of them take away from the credibility of the events depicted, or much more importantly the central beating heart of the story. The performances from every cast member are outstanding across the board. Jeff Bridges is perfect as Charles Howard. His early optimism for "the future" and his love for his work and his family segueing into the depression of a man who loses two of the most valuable things in his life and then into the renewed vigor of a man with a new purpose and family to fight for. Bridges is masterful and never hits a false note. Tobey Maguire could not have made a more complete 180 from his Peter Parker persona. Leaner and most definitely meaner, his Johnny "Red" Pollard is an always lit fuse full to bursting with seething anger and resentment for a family who, despite their good intentions, essentially abandoned him to never be seen or heard from again, but Maguire never lets us forget that outward ferocity masks a heart that is wounded and bleeding and in desperate need of healing. His scenes with the title horse are beautifully written and performed as the two angry individuals grow closer to one another and form an inseparable bond. Chris Cooper is a quiet and thoughtful standout as Tom Smith, playing a man with a seemingly simple intellect, but a ton of common sense and a heart full of compassion for the majestic animals he helps train as well as people, Cooper nails every scene he has and shares fantastic chemistry with Bridges and Maguire. Elizabeth Banks plays Howard's second wife Marcela Zabala and while she may not have as much time on the screen as her costars she still makes the utmost of what she has and delivers a warm and ingratiating presence when she is around. Her love for Howard forged when she first sees him in Tijuana and recognizes the deep pain of a man who has lost everything that matters and her more maternal relationship with Red are beautifully played and Banks hits every note just right. Gary Stevens plays a friend and fellow jockey of Red's named George Woolf and he is also a warm presence when around. His final scene with Maguire is one that made me cry even now over a decade after first seeing the film. William H. Macy turns up in a smaller supporting role as a motor mouthed radio announcer named "Tick Tock" McLaughlin and he is always a hoot when he appears. 

The performances are aces, but the film is also no less a technical treat. The production design by Jeanine Oppewall and cinematography by John Schwartzman perfectly convey the setting of the film's era from the 1910 to the 30s. The racing sequences are also wonderfully filmed, but never flashy for flashy's sake and they are always there to provide another opportunity for the growth and development of the central players. The editing by William Goldenberg is tight and fluid, keeping the story moving forward at a nice and steady pace that never drags, but also doesn't get too fast to allow the story and characters to breathe. What visual effects are there are of the "invisible" variety and used solely to aid in the depiction of the story's bygone era, never calling any undue attention to themselves. The score by Randy Newman is pitch perfect and and soars to all of the appropriately triumphant heights when needed while also never feeling like just cheap manipulation. And over all of these things is the expert and assured screenwriting and direction of Gary Ross, who distills Laura Hillenbrand's biographic novel into a tight and focused screenplay that, as mentioned above, has to take a few liberties with events and timelines to make for a more streamlined film experience, but never dishonors the story being told. 

Seabiscuit is another crowd pleasing masterpiece. And once more I say that it is no bad thing to be crowd pleasing when it is pulled off with this much skill and heart. An underdog story that is so much more than just an underdog story and a sports movie where the sport actually plays second fiddle to the broader dramatic reach of the story, Seabiscuit is one of my favorite films of all time. It's a formula film that transcends the formula to become something truly special and wonderful. 

5/5

Eric Spearman 1/12/2016

My name is Gladiator!

Gladiator - A Blu-Ray Film Review

"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius. Commander of the Armies of the North. General of the Felix Legions. Loyal servant to the true Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son. Husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."

Ridley Scott delivered one hell of a crowd-pleasing masterpiece in the year 2000 with a little "revenge flick" called simply, Gladiator. Starring Russel Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, the late great Oliver Reed, and the late great Richard Harris, and featuring a bevy of still impressive ancient vistas and battles, Gladiator seemed to singlehandedly revive audience interest in a thought dead sub-genre, the historical, or "sword and sandal", epic. The story is as basic as they come in terms of plot and the progression of said plot from point A to point B, but within this simple frame of a story lie characters that are all deeply realized individuals, for the most part anyway, with inner lives and demons that serve to make them relatable and likable, again for the most part, to the audience. 

In the year 180 A.D. Caesar Marcus Aurelius' long campaign against the Germanic "barbarians" is coming to an end. The armies of the great Caesar are led by a valiant and honorable man named Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russel Crowe, who is much beloved by the men he leads because he fights with them and treats them as men. When Aurelius makes known to his son Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix, that he intends to leave the throne of the Roman Empire to Maximus after his death in order that Maximus might then cede the rule of Rome back to her people through the Senate, Commodus murders his father in a fit of hurt and jealous rage. To ensure that his father's last wish remain unknown Commodus orders the immediate execution of Maximus, as well as Maximus' wife and son in far away Spain. Escaping his execution Maximus rides for his home, but arrives to find that his beloved wife and son, whom he had not seen for almost three years, have been brutally crucified and burned alive at Commodus' orders. Near death himself he is picked up by a band of slavers and finds himself sold into the service of Proximo, played by the late Oliver Reed, along with a Numidian named Juba, played by Djimon Hounsou. Under the ownership of Proximo Maximus becomes a gladiator and rather quickly gains the fervent appreciation of the crowds who come to watch these men fight to the death. His climb in the arena eventually leads him to Rome and a collision course with Commodus that can only end one way for either of them. 

So, Gladiator is essentially a time honored tale of revenge by a noble man who was wronged by a wicked other. However, the story takes on some deeper political and moral themes that ensure it doesn't stay that way entirely. More shades are allowed to form as the film progresses over its rather extensive 2 and 1/2 hour runtime, with an added 15 minutes for the Extended Cut that I watched. Maximus, under the keen guidance of actor Russel Crowe and director Ridley Scott, goes from a good and honorable General who is a simple man and farmer at heart, to a man consumed with grief and rage and bent on eventual revenge, and finally almost full circle back to a man who realizes that there is far more at stake than his revenge against Commodus for his family's murder. Rome herself hangs in the balance and however Maximus' journey ends, the outcome will seal her fate for good or ill. Russel Crowe is outstanding as Maximus Decimus Meridius, the role that launched him into the mainstream spotlight. He digs deep into his character and ensures that Maximus' noble heart is always visible, even when the overwhelming pain of his loss and the blood and filth of the gladiatorial arenas seems to have almost snuffed it out. Maximus remains a man that we as an audience can invest in and root for to find his way, not only to his retribution, but back to the man we know him to be at his core. Crowe is simply magnificent and it is no wonder he won the Oscar for Best Leading Actor at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards in early 2001. 

The rest of the cast is equally up to the challenges presented by their roles. Joaquin Phoenix makes for a legitimately frightening psychopath in the role of Commodus. Highly volatile and paranoid to an unfathomable degree, not to mention harboring incestuous lust for his own sister Lucilla, played by Connie Nielsen, Commodus is a terrifying tyrant worth rooting against, but Phoenix also brings shades of fear and genuine pain to Commodus that also make him rather pitiable. His desire for his father's approval and eventually his explosive jealous rage when he feels he has been usurped by Maximus is all brought to vivid life by Phoenix who never flinches from the darkest corners of his character's shredded soul. As Commodus' sister, Lucilla, Connie Nielsen makes a stunning portrait of a woman who knows how monstrous her brother is, but must walk a fine line for the sake of her own son Lucius, played by then newcomer Spencer Treat Clark, who would appear later in the same year as Bruce Willis' son in the M. Night Shyamalan superhero thriller Unbreakable. Knowing she must do what she can to get her insane brother out of the seat of power, but knowing still yet that doing so puts her and her son in mortal peril, Lucilla is a woman whose motivations are at first murky to the audience, but as the film moves along they become clearer and clearer and her deep love for her son and desire for his safety even above her own life make her a compelling character to watch. A strong woman who is quickly growing tired of being strong as she lives every day in fear that her brother may snap and turn on her and her son, Lucilla is really the secondary protagonist after Maximus himself when you think about it because her stakes are the highest of almost anyone else. As Juba, a wrongfully captured Numidian who is sold into slavery to Proximo along with Maximus, Djimon Hounsou is a warm and soulful presence. His innate friendly nature and growing friendship with Maximus puts him in danger as well, but his courage is formidable as he has his own family he yearns to return home to. Hounsou is fantastic and his final line in the film never ceases to bring this grown man of thirty years to huge baby tears. I mean balling. Derek Jacobi plays Gracchus, a Roman Senator who is firmly against Commodus' rule and whose alliance with Lucilla, as well as some other Senators who know they have a madman on the throne, brings him into Maximus' path. Jacobi is another outstanding piece in a highly esteemed ensemble and in his character's own words he knows he is "not a man of the people", but he does try to be "for the people". As Proximo, a former gladiator himself who was once freed by Marcus Aurelius, the late Oliver Reed plays a man who knows all too well that his time in the arena has left him cold and seemingly without any sense of decency, but once Maximus enters his estate he too begins to learn what it really means to fight for something greater than oneself or ones own profit. Reed is a cantankerous scene stealer and his final scene in the film is a powerful one because of the conviction that Reed brings to Proximo's every twist and turn as a character. Oliver Reed tragically passed away before filming on Gladiator was finished. As a result, the final few scenes his character appears in had to be meticulously retooled using stand in body doubles and digital face and voice recreation. He could not have given a better final performance. And finally, the late Richard Harris appears all too briefly in the film's earliest part as ailing Caesar Marcus Aurelius. Harris brings a warmth and spry humor, but also an undercurrent of sadness and regret as Aurelius comes to recognize the many failures in his life, especially in regards to his son, and this makes the fragile Monarch someone we can feel for and his demise at the hands of his own son the stuff Greek Tragedies are made of. Richard Harris would pass only two years later after giving his final performance as Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, in the hugely successful film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in 2001 and Chamber of Secrets in 2002. Richard's work in these last three films will ensure he is never forgotten. 

Gladiator is indeed impeccably cast and performed as close to perfectly as is possible, but what about the those aesthetic virtues? Production Design, Cinematography, Visual Effects, and Music. In short, all of them are exemplary. Now, the cinematography goes for a very gritty, grimy, and shaky style in the fighting sequences, but has moments of true grandeur and beauty interspersed throughout. The color palette of the film varies depending on location and mood. In the opening battle and its aftermath, set during the winter, the colors are muted and cold to reflect the chill of the environment. When the battle is raging the camerawork and editing take on a shaky, kind of blurry, and grimy approach that are meant to convey the chaos of a huge battle, with mud and blood sometimes flying right into the camera lens. It's a bold and striking style that not everyone will appreciate for sure, but I applaud Ridley Scott and cinematographer John Mathieson for taking such a risk in their work. For me personally, it pays off. There are scenes in Gladiator that are not meant to be pretty and Scott and Mathieson make certain that they are not. However, there are some truly beautiful shots and scenes throughout the film, especially the establishing shots of Rome and the grandeur of Colosseum. Several dream sequences, or "visions" as they may well be within the story, portraying Maximus walking through a field of wheat towards his home and grazing his hand through the stalks are suffused with an otherworldly lighting and color scheme that make them truly stand out. The set design by Arthur Max is grand in scale, but of course there are tons of digital enhancements to really set them off. What is on the screen is epic and the work it took to get it up there must have been strenuous to say the least. And the music by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard, who also provides some heart stirring vocals, is magnificent and consistently supports and helps propel the action on the screen along. The closing musical theme of the movie, once again, brings this thirty year old man to tears. EVERY... SINGLE... TIME!

Gladiator is one for the ages. And just now reading on ye olde Wikipedia about the script troubles (The script wasn't even finished when filming began and was constantly changing and reshaping throughout the shoot.) on set, which Russel Crowe was reportedly, and admittedly, upset by. He even told one of the writers "your lines are garbage, but I'm the greatest actor in the world and I can make even garbage sound good". Wow! It is truly remarkable then that the final result is as good as it is and holds such staggering emotional power. This is nothing less than the commitment of a cast of fine actors and a director still in his prime who delivered on every conceivable level in spite of, and maybe in some cases even because of, the constant struggles and challenges on the set. Gladiator is a masterwork of crowd-pleasing storytelling. And crowd-pleasing is no bad thing to be, especially when it is done with this much flair and passion. Gladiator still makes me weep openly when its staggering conclusion is reached. Whatever the problems on set, including the untimely loss of one of its key actors in Oliver Reed, the film still comes together as close to perfectly as possible and tells a story that is simple in structure and form, but holds much deeper and more meaningful ideas at its heart when one takes time to peer beneath the surface. Gladiator is a great film. One of its director's finest, and it really probably is my personal favorite of Ridley Scott's extensive filmography that I personally have seen, and I have not and may never see all of his films. It is, in a word, a masterpiece. 

"Are you not entertained?" 

5/5

Eric Spearman 1/04/2016

My Top 7 Favorite Films of 2015!

Okay guys, here is the deal. I tried to do a video, but my internet sucks so bad that I couldn't even upload a four minute video so I'm going to do this the old fashioned way. These are my Top 7 films of the year 2015 which is now two days behind us. So, here we go.

#7: 
Just a freaking fun movie. 2015 was a banner year with two classic film franchises being brought back to their home on the big screen after too long away and Jurassic World was the first out of the gate. Chris Pratt is amazing in the movie, proving that his breakout role in Guardians of the Galaxy was no fluke. Bryce Dallas Howard is back and I really love her. The two kids are fine. Vincent D'Onofrio is the weakest link of the cast, but that's only because his character is the most stock and stereotypical of the bunch so... And Michael Giacchino's kickass score hits all the right notes, bringing John Williams' classic themes back at just the right moments. So there you go. Jurassic World is my #7 movie of 2015.

#6 

People have accused Spectre of being "too lighthearted and formula driven" when compared to the previous three Bond films that kicked off the era of Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007. 2006's Casino Royale, 2009's Quantum of Solace, and 2012's Skyfall are all great films and set the new series up with a continuity that the older Bond films, including the Brosnan era I grew up with, never attempted. They are also all darker and more emotional than any previous Bond films had ever really tried to be before as well, save for maybe the Timothy Dalton duo. Spectre has, in my mind, earned the right to be more lighthearted after Casino, Quantum, and Skyfall set everything up and yet Spectre does this without sacrificing the emotional heart the other three films have. Spectre pays off virtually every single red herring and lead that the first three Craig Bonds set up and it does so in high  and entertaining style. Also Spectre has Lea Seydoux as one of the best Bond Girls ever in Madeline Swan. She is drop dead gorgeous yes, but she is also so much more than mere window dressing for Bond to bed down with. The Brosnan era started this new direction for Bond Girls, but the Craig era has made tremendous headway with the portrayal of women in Bond films and I couldn't be happier with that. Spectre is a perfect fit for the series as it stands now and that makes it my #6 movie of 2015. It also has one of the best Bond Title Sequences ever.

#5

This is a tie. The two Marvel films this year were both huge fun and featured everything a Superhero blockbuster should to be a success. Great stories, great characters, great direction from Peyton Reed for Ant Man and Joss Whedon for Avengers: Age of Ultron, and fantastic visual designs on everything from sets, to costumes, to visual effects all came together just right to make for two truly fun times at the movies and so they both get my #5 spot for 2015.

#4 

This is going to be a controversial pick because Tomorrowland was neither a box office success or a critical darling. It was a big fat expensive $190 million bomb for Disney and the overall reception from critics was lukewarm at best. Brad Bird's fifth feature film and only his second in live action, Tomorrowland is a film with big imagination and ideas and it is about both of those things. If you don't know who Brad Bird is he directed The Iron Giant for Warner Bros Animation in 1998 and that film was also financially underwhelming upon release, but it has gained a passionate following since. He went to Pixar and gave us the incredible The Incredibles in 2004 and Ratatouille in 2007. He directed what is still my favorite of the Mission Impossible film series with Ghost Protocol in 2011. The man is a true talent and Tomorrowland continues to prove that. No film is perfect and Tomorrowland has its flaws, but after watching it again on fabulous Blu-Ray the flaws no longer weigh so heavily on everything the film gets right. It is about as subtle as a bag of hammers being dropped on your head when it comes to delivering its unabashedly, and some would say naively, optimistic humanitarian view, but I have to give credit to the film for having more on its mind than just the next big special effects set piece. There are a few of those peppered throughout its 136 minute runtime and they are all marvels of modern filmmaking prowess, but the special effects aren't the focus. The story is, as it should be. And the characters. George Clooney is fantastic in a role that is a bit different from his usual persona. Britt Robertson is great and shares great chemistry with Clooney and young Raffey Cassidy. Cassidy gives one of the finest child performances ever. She is AMAZING! And it has another kickass Michael Giacchino score? The awesomeness knows no bounds. If you haven't seen Tomorrowland yet, I urge you to at least give it a try. It is my #4 movie of 2015.

#3 

I am actually kind of amazed that this one is as awesome as it is. I mean, I expected it to be cute and fluffy based on the previews and I was enticed by Kenneth Branagh (Thor and Jack Ryan Shadow Recruit) directing it, but Cinderella has never been my favorite Disney animated feature or fairy tale. That would be Beauty and the Beast on both counts. However, by some shade of awesome Branagh and screenwriter Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass and The Twilight Saga: New Moon) found just the right places and ways to deepen the character development of our title heroine, played by radiant beauty Lily James, and her Prince Charming, here named Kit, played by Game of Thrones' Richard Madden. Kit being my absolute favorite aspect of this new version. The Prince in the Walt Disney Cinderella of old was a bore. He was a stiff hunk of wood whose introduction to the audience was him standing off to the side of the ball yawning in boredom. Wow. What a keeper right? Kenneth Branagh, Chris Weitz, and Richard Madden defy this at every turn and make this new Prince a man we can truly love and care for and want to see sweep our beautiful Ella (the name Cinderella has been restored to its original usage as a cruel putdown used by Ella's stepfamily here) off her feet and away from her horrid stepmother, played with vicious relish by Cate Blanchett, and her nasty idiot stepsisters played by Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger respectively. And Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother? YES! She may only be in the film for all of five minutes, if that, but she makes the utmost of the time she has and delivers a Godmother who is a tad dotty and scatterbrained, but she positively bubbles over with genuine warmth and compassion for the young woman she has come to help. Bonham Carter nails it. I never would have thought this possible, but a Cinderella movie is my #3 movie of 2015. Surprises keep coming.

#2 

Inside Out is not only the best Pixar film in years, but it is also quite possibly my new personal favorite Pixar film. Ever. It is that good folks. Michael Giacchino is back in the musical chair again and delivers another exceptional film soundtrack. The man is a genius and totally the successor to John Williams. When Williams finally does leave us his legacy and influence will live on in composers like Michael Giacchino. Everything about Inside Out works on all levels. The story is fantastic and imaginative, the characters are all lovable and relatable, and the look of the film is just gorgeous. Pixar has a new masterpiece on their hands and that is why Inside Out is my #2 movie of 2015.

Here we are people. It has come down to this.

My #1 Film of 2015 

My reasons for having this one in my #1 spot will be a bit different than most. See, I love Star Wars as a whole film Saga. The Prequels are very special to me because I saw them all theatrically. I saw A New Hope in theaters for its Special Edition re-release in 1997. I own the Saga on Blu-Ray. Well, now we can consider that the first part of an ongoing Saga that has two more films to go. I came to the epiphany recently that Star Wars truly represents everything I love about movies. The escapism, the imagination, the stories, the characters, Star Wars has it all and then some. George Lucas gave birth to a cultural icon in 1977 and though he has been terribly and unfairly castigated by a small, but vicious and loathsome, group of "Star Wars fans" what the man has accomplished can never be taken away from him no matter how much the haters wish it could be. Well, Disney now owns the icon and they entrusted the first film of a new Sequel Trilogy to J.J. Abrams. Their choice paid off. Star Wars The Force Awakens is every bit a Star Wars film and it even makes some fantastic advancements in character roles. A strong female lead? Check. Daisy Ridley is a revelation in the role of Rey and she deserves to become a star for her work in The Force Awakens. John Boyega as Finn? A Stormtrooper who grows a conscience and forsakes the evil system he has been raised into is a wonderful idea and Boyega nails every beat of it. BB-8 is an awesome new droid. Cute and badass in equal measure BB-8 is a crowd-pleaser if there ever was one and that is no bad thing. Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, a Resistance fighter pilot who crosses paths with Boyega's Finn, is a warm and welcoming presence. More of him please Lucasfilm! In all, Star Wars The Force Awakens does the Saga proud and sets the stage for more awesomeness to come. Bring it on I say. 

Well guys, that is my Top 7 for 2015. It was a huge year and had a lot of great things happen in it film wise. These 7 films satisfied every desire I had for them and then some. They did for me what I always want movies to do for me. They gave me fun and exciting vacations from the daily grind of life and excited my imagination with their incredible stories and characters. I hope you appreciate this list as a very personal list for me even if you don't agree with all of my choices, or any at all. I hope you all have a fantastic 2016. There are some awesome films due out this year and I hope to keep reviewing them here. I will also keep reviewing older films on here that I watch on Blu-Ray, or DVD, at home. That is if they speak to me and tell me to do so. Or if I judge them truly worthy of such an honor. Have a great night folks and a great New Year ahead. 

Eric Spearman 1/02/2016