Top 10 Films Of 2017

Woah what a year right? I actually saw some stuff! I saw what, 30 new movies this year? Damn. But what were the best? I'm glad you asked....

10. Justice League. The DC universe is off to a good start and I cannot wait for more!

9. Blade Runner 2049. For a sequel to a movie that I desperately need to watch again, Blade Runner 2049 was an excellent film, visually striking and a cerebral plot. One of a kind.

8. IT. God bless it Bill Skarsgard, why must you be so awesome? I was hesitant at first, but this was a great movie. A lot of awesome talent, decent scares, and continuing in the not too distant future.

7. Baby Driver. Awesome. That is the one word I would describe this movie.

6. Kong Skull Island. Kickass monster movie leading to the greatest rematch in cinematic history!

5. Logan. Hopefully not Hugh's last stand, because lord knows I love the guy and this is a phenomenal movie, and will no doubt be one of the greatest comic book movies ever made.

4. Wonder Woman. Damn girl. Just damn. Everybody loved it, I love it, you love it, what more is there to say?

3. The Shape Of Water. Odd? Yes. Lovely? Yes. Sally Hawkins? How do I ever even think to say no?

2. The Last Jedi. Jesus, that was a polarizing movie. Still really liked it, not the greatest, not the worst, definitely will buy it. I can't complain.

1. War For The Planet Of The Apes. Apes together.....strong. This is the strongest trilogy I've ever seen. More than Star Wars! Because every sequel kept getting better and better, it had a beginning and an end, with a great story, an Oscar worthy performance by Andy Serkis, and really I knew when I saw it that the only competition for best film of the year would be The Last Jedi. It was the only movie that could top this movie, and as we can see it did not.

So let it be written, so let it be done. The best films of 2017. Hopefully this year will be just as great as last year at the movies. See you then.

In Retrospect: Wonder Woman

On second viewing, yeah still very awesome.

At last! A film I desperately needed to see again and yes, it is just as great as it was the first time! You know what I noticed this time around? The film is very sweet and loving, I mean we are dealing with Wonder Woman here: Compassion, respect, dignity, strength, intelligence, and love, so it makes sense that this would be the message of the story, love triumphs over all and that doing what you believe can have great reprocussions on the world. Another thing I noticed is how well the movie does justice to the character of Diana Prince, I mean really when you get right down to it it is not possible to screw up Wonder Woman. Why is that though? I'm not sure, she's a very popular comic book character, potrayed before by Lynda Carter and that was in the 70s, so even then she was popular and loved. So I obviously can not say that she's not as famous or loved as Superman or Batman because that's a lie, but those characters have had their missteps, but not with Wonder Woman. Why? No idea, but I'm obviously looking forward to seeing her in Justice League and sequel talk has risen, so I expect great things in the future. If people ever had a problem with the new DC cinematic universe, they shut up real quick when this movie hit. And that's all they have to do really, tell a good story while doing justice to the character with love and admiration for their history and standing in pop culture. Bam! You done good DC, this is why you're my favorite. I know it can succeed, just like Universal's Dark Universe with all the classic monsters, true The Mummy wasn't a smash hit but they have until 2019 to work the kinks out for The Bride Of Frankenstein so I'm optimistic for it. I have great faith in the future of movies, and I hope you share in it with me.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Well that movies was cool.

Again, I reiterate, 75 YEARS for Wonder Woman to have a movie?! That's criminal! This film is really damn good, it's not perfect, it's really damn good! Plot wise, not much has changed since the animated venture except if you swap modern day for 1915, Diana fights the germans instead of demons, and it ties in to the DC movie universe. Diana lives with the Amazons, until our favorite pilot Steve Trevor crashes and informs Diana and the Amazons of a war which seems to be the design of Ares, which sets Diana off to stop the war and kick his ass. There is much ass kicking in this movie. Action is spectacular, thankfully the comedy is not as obtrusive as I dreaded, the story is a fine origin story for Diana, but what really came out of left field and wow'ed me was surprisingly the emotion. If not for the whole Amazon and Ares thing, this could be a World War 1 movie. They do not shy away from the grisly nature of that war, soldiers losing limbs, towns raided, women and children killed, and the infamous trench warfare. In fact, name one single World War 1 movie. Not World War 2, but World War 1. I can't name a friggin' one....besides this one. This movie really hammers that for lack of a better word, sorrow and distress that you see in war. It feels a little too real. And I think they chose wisely placing this in 1915 and not in say 1944. I know we want Wonder Woman to punch nazis but trust me the meaning of Diana and her character, and what she represents is and would be leaps and bounds better than if the story was set in World War 2. She is a hero, she acknowledges humans are not all good but some are and that is what you should focus on. People always focus on negative things rather than the positive it seems, except for Diana. Which is why she is an excellent example of a hero. Not just a female hero, even though that should be commended considering her creation and history, but a hero to aspire to be like. Diana would never hurt anyone innocent, she is kind, she is decent, she doesn't think herself better than anybody, and refuses to continue to let bad things happen in the world. And granted, I have not read many Wonder Woman solo stories, but I know deep down I desperately need to. There's no doubt Wonder Woman is without a doubt in the top 3 of my DC heroes, and I hope she becomes a favorite of many, many more people.

Wonder Woman (2009)

Dear God it really took over 75 years for Wonder Woman to get a theatrical movie. But this animated one came out almost 10 years before.

So Wonder Woman got her own animated movie. How is it? I quite like it. It does the most famous origin story ripped straight from the comics of a race of warrior women known as the Amazons whose Queen one day fashions a child out of clay and the greek Gods give her life, and through the years she is trained and taught of the evil of man's world. Until one day, a pilot crashes into their island and starts to stir talk of rejoining the world. Meanwhile, Ares god of war escapes imprisonment and declares war on the Earth and gods alike. So the young woman Diana, takes up the mantle of not only their best warrior but ambassador to the world as Wonder Woman. A very good story, that stays true to the mythos and picks the best aspects of several classic Wonder Woman stories. So story wise, it's good but how are the technicals? Well the animation is great, it looks super clean and well drawn, with excellent fight scenes and damn near pitch perfect character models. Voice acting is quite well done with Keri Russel as Diana, and I quite like her and she nails Wonder Woman's character, we even get Nathan Fillion as the pilot Steve Trevor who gets quite a bit of laughs and is a good anchor to the real world. So the two major elements of animated movies are spot on, but it's not a perfect movie. While the fight scenes are very well animated, some things did bug me. Now I understand this is a PG rated movie, but I think the Amazons turned the gore code off cause when they run through people or hell, even lop off heads which happens twice, not evenna drop of blood. Maybe they coat their swords in non-blood stick, would be handy to have I must admit. Second, this is the only sheer stupid thing there is in this movie but my God does it hit hard. So Ares has his army of undead and demons attacking, in the capitol of Washington DC, seriously it has the Lincoln Memorial and The White House, and I was very confused cause at one point a galleon of Amazons charge by siege boats to rally behind Diana. What? In fact, the animation in terms of backgrounds was getting really bad. First, they are in the capitol, then it shows the Amazons approaching to what looks like a Greek temple, so I thought they would be fighting in Greece, but no, other shots still show them in DC. Just....huh??? You know, I've never been to the capitol of my country but I'm pretty sure there's not a fraking ocean leading to the Lincoln Memorial!! And don't tell me it's magic or some shit, because how? They never really established them to be heavily in magic, bits yes but not enough to mass teleport! In fact...how the french toast do they have an invisible jet?! Yeah, Wonder Woman has her invisible jet because Diana couldn't always fly in the comics. This is a society still living in stone buildings with swords and bows, no guns, no modern architecture, nothing to construct an invisible jet! Did the greek Gods give them that just in case along with the bracelets, tiara, and the lasso of truth?? Maybe it was Steve Trevors plane after he crashed and they enchanted that stuff, but still! Are you dead sucking ferious right now? Maybe I missed something but that really brings this movie, if you can call it a movie, it's barely over an hour down a bit. But I have high hopes for the new Wonder Woman movie, Gal Gadot I have no doubt will do the character justice, and it looks like a kickass movie! So expect that review soon, check this movie out if you're curious, Wonder Woman rocks and I'm out!