The composer of the new film ‘Officer Downe‘ Kyle Sherrod takes time to speak with Monkeys Fighting Robots about the wild film and his even wilder music.
Kyle Sherrod talks how he started in the industry and future projects. Sherrod also shares the surprising fact of how long he’s known director Shawn Crahan!
Check out the interview below:
Special shoutout to the singer of the ‘Officer Downe‘ theme song Scott E. Lemon!
And major thanks to Kyle for taking the time out to speaking with Monkeys Fighting Robots and I! You can follow him on Twitter @musicbykyle!
Check out my review of ‘Officer Downe‘ by clicking here!
‘Officer Downe‘ starring Kim Coates will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on Feburary 28th available through Amazon.
Comment below with who you’d like to see interviewed next.
When I was growing up, television seemed to be amok with Christmas cartoons and specials. That seems to have gone by the wayside now, the exceptions being Rudolph, Frosty, the Grinch, and Charlie Brown. Which is why none of them appear on this list. Here, Dear Reader, I give you four Christmas themed cartoons you may have forgotten about or never seen. Whichever the case, watch them and be a kid again.
“Xmas Marks the Spot” (The Real Ghostbusters)
Written by: J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by: Richard Raynis
This first season episode aired on December 6, 1986. Out on a call, the Ghostbusters are consumed by a violent winter storm which turns out to be a time portal. They’re sent back in time to 19th century London, where Ebenezer Scrooge is being plagued by the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future. They trap the ghosts, return to modern New York, and empty their catch into the Containment Unit. Unfortunately, this disrupts the event of Christmas. Egon Spengler then ventures into the Containment Unit to find the Christmas Ghosts, bring them back out, and set Christmas right again.
A Garfield Christmas
Written by: Jim Davis
Directed by : Phil Roman
This special originally aired on CBS on December 21, 1987. It was shown every year after until 2000. Now it’s only available on DVD. I think. Walmart had it as part of a Garfield holiday pack exclusive to them.
If you can find it, definitely watch it. Jon takes Garfield and Odie to the Arbuckle Farm for Christmas! It’s hilarious with a message that it’s better to give gifts than receive them. Plus Lou Rawls sings “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme”, which may be better than his song for Garfield’s Halloween Adventure.
A Pinky and the Brain Christmas
Written by: Peter Hastings
Directed by: Rusty Mills
Don’t even read this. Just go to BN.com and order the first season of Pinky and the Brain on DVD. This episode is in it. It originally aired as a primetime special on the now defunct WB network on December 13, 1995.
If you don’t almost piss your pants watching this, consider therapy. As per usual, Brain has a plan to take over the world. This time it involves manufacturing millions of mind controlling devices disguised as Noodle Noggin dolls. Of course, the only factory that could possibly manage an output of this magnitude is Santa’s workshop. Pinky and the Brain catch a flight to the North Pole and are immediately captured and interrogated by Shotzie, the head elf. He believes the mice are corporate spies working for either the Easter Bunny or Hershel the Hannukah Goblin. Hilarity ensues as the mice get the dolls made, take the place of two of Santa’s reindeer (Brain: “Just act normal.” Pinky: “Mooooooo.”), and return to Acme Labs.
In the end, Brain’s plan fails epically, as always. Yet he still gets the world – in the form of a key chain. His Christmas present from Pinky.
It’s a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special
Written by: Sherri Stone & Deanna Oliver
Directed by: Jon McClenahan
This. If you don’t actually piss your pants watching this, no degree of therapy can help you. A parody of the classic Jimmy Stewart film It’s A Wonderful Life, it originally aired as a Fox primetime special on December 6, 1992.
Buster Bunny is in charge of putting together a Christmas show at Acme Loonivesity. Unfortunately for him, everything that can go wrong, does. Fed up, he wishes he was never drawn. His guardian angel Harvey grants that wish. Buster is then shown an alternate Acme Acres in which he doesn’t exist. After seeing how much he matters, Buster takes his wish back and happily reassumes control of the show.
The inside jokes are non-stop. At one point Whoopi Goldberg shows up with Billy Crystal and says, “I’m just here for comic relief.”, a reference to the charity comedy special they used to do on HBO with Robin Williams. Speaking of which, Williams then flies by in the background dressed as Peter Pan. Another scene has Elmyra dressed up as New York socialite Leona Helmsley. Kids won’t get these jokes, but adults certainly will.
This might be the most quotable cartoon ever written. It was released on VHS, but never on DVD. Which is a shame. If any Christmas cartoon deserves to be seen year after year, it’s this crazy masterpiece.
That’s all, folks! Check them out if you want. It might be a nice vacation from Burl Ives and Snoopy.
You may not recognize the name, but you’ll recognize the voice. For me, Darlene Love has been synonymous with Christmas since 1992. That’s the year she sang “All Alone on Christmas”, written by Steven Van Zandt, for the movie HomeAlone2:LostInNewYork. The song accompanies the montage of Kevin McAllister’s initial adventure through Manhattan.
The chiming bells, blaring horns, and an infectious drumbeat light the song like a rocket. Gives it that 1960s rock ‘n roll sound.
A sound Ms. Love helped create.
IN THE BACKGROUND
On July 26, 1941, number eighty-four on RollingStone‘s100 Greatest Singers list was born. Darlene Love was the daughter of a minister in San Antonio, Texas. She honed her instrument in the church. In her teens, she joined a little-known girl group named the Blossoms.
In 1962, the Blossoms began working with uber-record producer Phil Spector. They were one block in Spector’s legendary “Wall of Sound”.
Ms. Love recorded “He’s A Rebel”, her first song singing lead vocals. Upon hearing the song for the first time on the radio, Ms. Love was sandbagged – the song was credited to the Crystals. They were a more experienced girl group produced by Spector, who thought using their name would promote the song better. The song hit number one in November of 1962. And no one knew it was Ms. Love’s voice cascading over them from their transistor radios.
The Blossoms contributed back ground vocals for many of the 1960’s biggest hits. “Be My Baby” (The Ronettes), “Johnny Angel” (Coach actress Shelley Fabares), “Monster Mash” (Bobby “Boris” Picket), and “That’s Life” (Frank Sinatra) are just a few of them.
Ms. Love’s first brush with Christmas was on the 1963 compilation AChristmasGiftForYou from Phil Spector. The song was “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”. Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes was supposed to supply lead vocals, but wasn’t able to inject enough emotion into the song. Ms. Love stepped up. This song is now her signature tune.
During the 1970s, Ms. Love took a break from singing to focus on her family. While working as a house cleaner in Beverly Hills, she heard her Christmas song on the radio and decided to ditch the Pledge and return to the stage.
A conversation with E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt brought Ms. Love to New York City in 1982. A jukebox musical titled LeaderofthePack was opening on Broadway. It featured the rock n’ roll songs of Ellie Greenwich. Ms. Love played herself in the show. Of course, you’ll recognize her from another acting gig: playing Danny Glover’s wife Trish Murtaugh in the LethalWeapon movie series.
TAKINGCENTERSTAGE
Band director Paul Shaffer once declared, “Darlene Love is rock n’ roll!” The other man who knew this was a former Indiana weatherman who now had his own late night talk show on NBC.
That man was David Letterman. In December of 1986, Mr. Letterman invited Ms. Love to perform her signature Christmas song on his show, LateNightwithDavidLetterman. Ms. Love’s appearance became a yearly tradition; one which Mr. Letterman and Mr. Shaffer brought with them to the LateShowwithDavidLetterman on CBS starting in 1993.
There, Ms. Love performed her song every year with the exception of 2007 when the Writer’s Guild strike brought late night talk shows and the entertainment industry to a halt. When Mr. Letterman announced his retirement, Ms. Love performed her song one last time on December 19, 2014. Mr. Letterman has said that Ms. Love’s performance is his favorite part of Christmas.
People were recognizing the name Darlene Love. And so did the music industry. In 2011, Ms. Love was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by one of her greatest admirers, the divine Bette Midler.
Of Ms. Love, Ms. Midler said: “She changed my view of the world, listening to those songs, you had to dance, you had to move, you had to keep looking for the rebel boy.”
Their paths would cross again in 2014 when Ms. Midler released an album paying tribute to the many girl groups that inspired her. Ms. Midler and Ms. Love recorded a duet of “He’s Sure the Boy I Love”. It’s a standout on a flawless album.
The 2013 documentary 20 Feet From Stardom was made to shed light on the music industry’s unsung background singers. Ms. Love played a prominent role. She took the stage at the 86th annual Academy Awards when the film won the Oscar for Best Documentary.
On September 8, 2015 – a gift from God. IntroducingDarleneLove was released. Ms. Love’s first solo CD in years. The entire album was produced by Steven Van Zandt. Two of the songs were written specifically for her by Bruce Springsteen, another long-time admirer.
As of now, I know of no plans on a follow-up album, but it’s possible. Ms. Love is still out there, singing the hell out of any tune she wants. A song should be so lucky. And if you’re in New York City, stop by BB King’s Bar and Grill to catch Ms. Love’s annual Christmas show.
I can attest to Ms. Love’s talent. I had the privilege to see her perform live when I was living in New York City. It happened quite by accident. Lance Bass was performing in Hairspray on Broadway, so I bought tickets to see it. He wasn’t in the matinee performance.
But Ms. Love was.
She was playing the role of Motormouth Maybelle. Any disappointment I had of not seeing Mr. Bass went out the window at this fortunate turn of events. Ms. Love brought the house down with her character’s signature number “I Know Where I’ve Been”. I saw the show two more times after that. Eventually I saw Mr. Bass. But what I remember most is seeing Ms. Love every time.
One performance my friend and I won the lottery. Two seats in the first row for $25. When the entire cast took the stage to perform the last song “You Can’t Stop the Beat”, there was Ms. Love standing directly over me. She belted it out. Attacked it, even. All while absorbing the frenetic energy thrown back by the crowd. At one point she looked down. We made eye contact. I mouthed “Great job” and “Thank you”. Maybe I was delirious with joy, but I’m pretty certain she smiled and nodded at me.
Even if she didn’t, who cares? I saw Darlene Love live!
Below is Ms. Love’s last performance of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on the Late Show with David Letterman.
‘Goonies’ legend Sean Astin called the Monkeys Fighting Robots hotline today to discuss his latest project Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed which is available today on video on demand (iTunes, Amazon).
“I fell in love with the subject matter, and I fell in love with Jeremy Snead’s passion for a subject,” said Astin .
The actor also gave an update on a ‘Goonies’ sequel that fans might not be excited to here.
“This is no update, except to say that Richard Donner I know is absolutely determined to get it made and I know Steven Spielberg likes it and I know they have developed a lot of different screenplays and some day you got to image it has to happen,” said Astin.
“My thing now is I think they will just reboot it from scratch,” said Astin.
Astin couldn’t comment on season two of Stranger Things but did hint that his character Bob Newby, might last longer than his character from The Strain, Jim Kent, who was killed off after eight episodes.
Liste To The Complete Sean Astin Interview – December 16, 2016
About Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed Video games have gone from an obscure science experiment in the early 1960’s to the biggest entertainment medium on the planet. Unlocked is an eight-part documentary series that provides firsthand stories by industry icons, celebrities, consumers, and field experts on the culture, technology, history, and future of the video game industry. Unlocked follows several familiar faces as they learn about the exciting world of video games. (iTunes, Amazon)
Although this is all entertaining speculation, neither CBS nor Paramount has confirmed any of it via startrek.com. So, valid or not, without an official announcement, rumours of Martin-Green’s involvement remain rumours.
But, while fans of Sasha, Martin-Green’s character on The Walking Dead, chew their nails, Star Trek fans seeking to get a better picture of what Star Trek: Discovery will involve enjoy three more deliciously confirmed casting announcements. Check out my recent article on Discovery’s three previous casting announcements.
And, not only are they confirmed, they’re all Klingons. This is happy news to Star Trek fans who have been waiting for an announcement about how the new show will reference familiar elements from the franchise. But, some Trekkies worry about what the Klingons will look like.
T’Kuvma, forehead ridges or no?
Star Trek: Discovery, Chris Obi – T’Kuvma
Whatever they look end up looking like, it appears that the Klingons will be back to their old habit of engaging in civil war. Startrek.com’s casting announcement notes that Obi’s character T’Kuvma will be working on uniting the various Klingon houses.
Klingons resolve their bridge disputes in unique ways … how long will Kol stay T’Kuvma’s protégé?
Star Trek: Discovery, Shazad Latif – Kol
But, no Klingon politician is complete without a protégé. So, Shazad Latif, probably best known for playing Dr. Henry Jekyll in Penny Dreadful, will play Klingon commander Kol.
With a presence like Barbara March‘s, Chieffo looks like a good fit to play a Klingon battle deck commander.
Star Trek: Discovery, Mary Chieffo – L’Rell
Like the other confirmed Klingons, Paramount and CBS haven’t said much about L’Rell’s back story. Seemingly picked for her six feet of height rather than her experience appearing in science-fiction roles, Chieffo’s credits include Girls! Girls! Girls! and the short film The Perfect Fit.
Marvel Comics announced Friday afternoon the company will release 26 VENOMIZED VARIANTS in March.
The month of March. Spring is in the air. Flowers are blooming. And Venom is taking over! That’s right True Believer, the sinister symbiote made his big return in the pages of Mike Costa and Gerardo Sandoval’s hit Venom series. But that was just the beginning! Marvel’s celebrating all things Venom in the month of March with a big issue and an even bigger variant program. It all kicks off with the can’t-miss VENOM #5, as the new host comes face-to-face with the symbiote’s greatest nemesis – the Amazing Spider-Man! Plus, a shocking return that will have fans everywhere talking! – Marvel PR
“Mike and Gerardo have a lot up their sleeves and they’re just getting started,” says Associate Editor Devin Lewis. “Each issue ramps up the stakes, and March’s VENOM #5 is the biggest one yet. With a knock-down, drag-out fight with the one-and-only Spider-Man and a cliffhanger that’s definitely going to turn lots of heads.”
Are you excited for the VENOMIZED VARIANTS? Comment below.
The complete list of artists and covers:
1. ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #18 by Francesco Mattina
2. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #25 by Dave Johnson
3. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS #5 by Humberto Ramos
4. AVENGERS #5 by David Marquez
5. BLACK PANTHER #12 by Elizabeth Torque
6. CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS #13 by Tom Raney
7. CHAMPIONS #6 by Mike Deodato
8. DEADPOOL #28 by David Lopez
9. DOCTOR STRANGE #18 by Tess Fowler
10. GAMORA #4 by Stephanie Hans
11. GHOST RIDER #5 by Dustin Weaver
12. HULK #4 by Emmanuela Lupacchino
13. INHUMANS PRIME #1 by Ryan Stegman
14. INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #5 by Rick Leonardi
15. KINGPIN #2 by Clayton Crain
16. MAN-THING #1 by Stephanie Hans
17. THE MIGHTY CAPTAIN MARVEL #3 by Clayton Crain
18. OCCUPY AVENGERS #5 by Paolo Siquera
19. OLD MAN LOGAN #19 by Gustavo Duarte
20. SPIDER-GWEN #18 by Sophie Campbell
21. SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #15 by Dave Williams
22. THANOS #5 by Rob Guillory
23. THE TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #17 by Mike Choi
24. THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #18 by Kate Leth
25. THE UNBELIEVABLE GWENPOOL #13 by Yasmine Putri
26. X-MEN PRIME #1 by Kris Anka
20th Century Fox released the first trailer and images for ‘Snatched’ starring Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer. This is the Mother’s Day raunchy comedy that everyone was asking for (no), not sure if mom and raunchy go together.
Hawn and Schumer get ‘snatched’ in South America, shenanigans then ensue. Watch the RED BAND trailer below.
‘Snatched’ is directed by Tom McGrath, from Katie Dippold’s script, and stars Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn, Joan Cusack, Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes, and Christopher Meloni.
After May 31, 2017, Mother’s Day will never be the same. What did you think of teh traier? Comment below.
I truly believe were are in a new Golden Age of comics. Not only have they invaded the mainstream via cineplexes and TV screens, the funny books themselves have gotten increasingly varied, earned higher exposure, and received more respect than they ever have. With that in mind, I compiled a list of what I consider to be the five best graphic novels and collected works released in 2016. As I said, variety has been key, as this list contains everything from talking biker monkeys, time-travel, slackers, Batman, and the very real battle for civil rights.
Patience – Fantagraphics
Daniel Clowes latest, Patience, is perhaps his best work in a long time. A time-travel and psychedelic epic, the story of a grieving man’s quest to go back in time and avert his wife’s murder is both highly accessible and mind-bending unique. It’s the kind of genre story only Daniel Clowes could tell. It also features some of the most gorgeous art Clowes has produced in years, with Jack Kirby inspired layouts and designs that leap off the page. It’s a beautifully bound book too, with the highest of printing qualities. More than a one-time read, this is a must own.
Dark Night: A Batman Story – DC/Vertigo
Paul Dini’s and Eduardo Risso’s original graphic novel is one of the most powerful books DC/Vertigo has ever done. Dini, best known as one of the creative forces behind the juggernaut that wasBatman: The Animated series, tells a highly painful and personal story about loneliness, the dark side of success, and how a violent and random act can almost destroy a person. In opening up about his mugging and battles with depression, Dini uses Batman and his rogues’ gallery as metaphors for the aspects of one’s own psyche. Risso, using different art styles, brings it all to life and creates some truly haunting and gut-punching images. It’s a Batman tale we have never seen before.
Minimum Wage Book Two: So Many Bad Decisions – Image Comics
Bob Fingerman’s Minimum Wage returned to Image after an original run on Fantagraphics. But that decade-long sabbatical did nothing to affect the book, as Minimum Wage continues to be funny, relatable, and compulsively readable. The on-going story of Rob, his many attempts at romance, success in comics, and experiences in New York with his motley crew of friends is some of the most fun you can currently have reading comics. With art that is reminiscent of the best of Mad Magazine and underground comics, Minimum Wage will keep you laughing and turning pages. Book Two brings in a new job for Rob, a friendship with comedian Marc Maron, and of course another heartbreaking break-up. This is the best modern sitcom not currently on television.
The Humans Volume Two: Humans Till Death – Image Comics
The Humans by Keenan Marshall Keller and Tom Nelly is truly unique. A ‘70s Roger Corman style biker movie on paper with an added twist; the characters are all anthropomorphized apes. And this isn’t done in a Planet of The Apes-style twist, it’s just taken as a matter of fact. And although there are actual humans in the book, they are slaves and feral. The story is a drug-fueled, crime filled tale of rebellion and counter-culture madness right out of classic underground comics and books. The art is refreshingly hand drawn in look and has some of the best use of panel structure and lettering I have seen in years. The Humans has been slowly making waves in the comics world, and I truly hope it becomes the breakout hit it deserves to be in 2017.
March: Book Three – Top Shelf
Without a doubt the most important comic on this list. In fact, it’s one of the most important books of the year and was the recipient of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. March: Book Three is the final volume in Congressman John Lewis’ powerful autobiography of his catalytic involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Co-written with Andrew Aydin and illustrated with great detail, emotion and atmosphere by Nate Powell (Any Empire), it’s a significant achievement for the power of comics to tell a compelling and necessary part of history. As comics mature in the United States, books like March prove that “comics” are a medium and not a genre. That sequential art can sit among the best novels and textbooks in classrooms and libraries across the world. It’s a monumental achievement on many fronts, and a culture event not to be missed.
So there you go folks. What other graphic novels and collected works did you enjoy this year? Leave some comments below!
The CW’s upcoming show Riverdale is adding yet another teen icon to it’s cast, reports ComicBookResources.com. In addition to 90s heartthrob Luke Perry (Beverly Hills, 90210) as Archie’s father, former John Hughes muse Molly Ringwald will be playing Mary Andrews. The character is described as
A woman who comes back to town in her family’s hour of need. She not only reconnects with Archie and her husband, Fred (Luke Perry), but also her former high school gal-pals Hermione Lodge (Marisol Nichols) and Alice Cooper (Mädchen Amick), just in time for a Homecoming Dance.
Riverdale will be written by Archie Comics Chief Creative Officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, known for the breakout hit comic book title Afterlife With Archie. It is produced by Warner Brothers Studios and Berlanti Productions (Supergirl/Arrow/The Flash/Legends of Tomorrow). The show’s description is
a subversive take on the classic Archie mythos. The live-action series offers a bold, compelling take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and their friends, exploring small-town life and the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome facade. The show will focus on the eternal love triangle of Archie Andrews, girl-next-door Betty Cooper, and rich socialite Veronica Lodge, and will include the entire cast of characters from the comic books—including Archie’s rival, Reggie Mantle, and his best friend, Jughead Jones.
The show will debut on the CW January 26, 2017. It stars KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Luke Perry as Fred Andrews, Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones, Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom, Ross Butler as Reggie Mantle, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Mädchen Amick as Alice Cooper, and Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge. You can check out a promo below.
While 2016 got off to a relatively slow start at the movies, it appears we are approaching the end of the year with quite a little flourish. What normally would be an easy task of compiling the top ten films of this year ended up being somewhat complicated by the fantastic releases that came out in the fall. So in the interest of being fair to all of these films (also because I couldn’t narrow my list any further) here are the top 16 films for 2016. Please note that I reserve the right to update this list because we’ve not had the opportunity to screen Martin Scorsese’s film Silence yet.
Honorable Mention: Green Room, Deadpool, Jackie, Ghostbusters
If you challenged any critic to come up with a list of films that were different from each other, I’m not sure they could do a better job than this list of honorable mentions. While these films may have little in common with one another, each of them brought their brand of quality to the screen and delighted audiences in their way.
Green Room was an excellent film which was flawlessly executed by a cast lead by Patrick Stewart and the late Anton Yelchin. This wasn’t your typical horror film but certainly wasn’t tame by any stretch of the imagination. The brilliance of this movie is in its narrative. Jeremy Saulnier crafted a tale that was able to utilize the smallest of spaces and the tiniest of details to amp up the tension in the film
Deadpool deserves to be on a majority of best lists due to its impact on the landscape of superhero movies. This film showed that it was not only okay to break that “4th wall” but that rated R super films could flourish (Deadpool’s success lead to Logan being made).
Jackie is a superb look at the life of the former first lady following the assassination of her husband, President Kennedy. Natalie Portman is sensational in a film that will most certainly make her the favorite to win her 2nd Oscar. I had higher hopes for this film as a whole, but it just didn’t warrant being in the Top 16 (but it’s close just based on Natalie Portman’s performance alone).
Director Paul Feig took a risk when he decided to make his new Ghostbusters team all female. Whether anyone is willing to admit or not, Ghostbusters struck a nerve with the public. It was fun, light-hearted, and showed that ladies scientists can kick butt as well. It was also well received by a majority of critics and fans as well. If this film had been given more of a shot and not be subjected to the deluge of hatred from the hardcore old school Ghostbuster fans, this film could have done even better at the box-office.
16. Moana
This film has brought pure joy to the audiences that have already been lucky enough to see it. Disney has managed to craft a narrative that’s equal parts an empowerment story and a stupendously engaging adventure that we haven’t seen since Aladdin. Dwayne Johnson steals the movie as Maui.
15. A Monster Calls
A powerful film about grief and how a boy is coming to terms with his mother’s impending death. Fantastic visual effects and compelling performances by the entire cast.
14. Neon Demon
Did you know that brutality could be made to look so beautiful? This film has to be considered one of the riskier releases and those who took on the film were rewarded with a film that was visually stunning.
13. Lion
Another visually stunning film with tremendous performances. This movie is worth seeing if for no other reason than to witness the how outstanding Dev Patel is.
12. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
A fantastic addition to the Star Wars legacy. Felicity Jones is fantastic in the film, and the narrative is deliciously crafted that Rogue One fits in beautifully in between Episode III and IV.
11. Hacksaw Ridge
A scintillating look at the actual story of private Desmond Doss and at a portion of World War II that is often ignored in Hollywood. Andrew Garfield’s performance in this film will garner him attention during awards season as will the direction of Mel Gibson.
10.Nocturnal Animals
Tom Ford’s look into the depravity of the human condition is hard to stomach at times, but no matter how much you want to look away, it’s impossible to do. Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Laura Linney, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson all are fantastic in the film.
9. 10 Cloverfield Lane
While you won’t find 10 Cloverfield Lane on too many “Best of” lists, this film cracks the Top 10 based on the performance of John Goodman. Goodman is so violent, scary, and so manipulative that I was tense the entire time. To me, this film was a guilty pleasure that I’d watch again in a second.
8.Captain Fantastic
This is the best Viggo Mortensen film I’ve ever seen. This movie has and will continue to blow audiences away. The reason why it’s not higher that 8th is it gets to be a tad bit long towards the end but overall it’s one of 2016’s must see films.
7. The Edge Of Seventeen
Anyone who goes into this film thinking it’s going to be your typical run of the mill teen “dramedy,” is sadly mistaken. This movie has a perfect balance of great acting, a poignant narrative, and film with such heart that most audiences will be emotional towards the end of the movie. Woody Harrelson and Hailee Steinfeld deliver knockout performances.
6. Hell or High Water
If I were writing a list of the most surprising films of 2016, The Edge of Seventeen and Hell or High Water would certainly be in my top two. Instead of the usual plastic performances that we’ve grown to expect from Chris Pine, we were treated to a nuanced and incredibly layered one. Ben Foster doesn’t disappoint in a film that will surprise anyone that’s willing to give it a shot.
5. Fences
Denzel Washington directs and stars along with Viola Davis in a film based on the August Wilson play. Washington shows such vision in the staging of the play and is tremendous in the lead role, but the story of this film is Viola Davis.
4. Arrival
This certainly has been Amy Adams year. Arrival is an outstanding film anchored by blistering performances by both Adams and Jeremy Renner. It’s the first alien invasion I’ve seen where a single shot isn’t fired.
3. Manchester By The Sea
If this list were the best performances of 2016, then Casey Affleck would be number one, and it wouldn’t even be close. Never have I seen a film deal with grief in such a raw and real way. This movie grabs hold of its audience and refuses to let go.
2. La La Land
Deciding between the first and the second-ranked films was pretty challenging. La La Land is exceptionally staged and masterfully directed. On top of that, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling both deliver world class performances in a film that transports you to the golden age of Hollywood.
1. Moonlight
Beautifully shot, masterfully directed, and skillfully performed are just a fraction of the mountain of compliments I could give this film. This movie affected me on both a personal and professional level (which was the ultimately the deciding factor). Moonlight is the type of film that will resonate with me long after I’m done reviewing movies for a living.
What was your favorite film of 2016? Comment below.
This first season episode aired on December 6, 1986. Out on a call, the Ghostbusters are consumed by a violent winter storm which turns out to be a time portal. They’re sent back in time to 19th century London, where Ebenezer Scrooge is being plagued by the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future. They trap the ghosts, return to modern New York, and empty their catch into the Containment Unit. Unfortunately, this disrupts the event of Christmas. Egon Spengler then ventures into the Containment Unit to find the Christmas Ghosts, bring them back out, and set Christmas right again.
This special originally aired on CBS on December 21, 1987. It was shown every year after until 2000. Now it’s only available on DVD. I think. Walmart had it as part of a Garfield holiday pack exclusive to them.
Ms. Love recorded “He’s A Rebel”, her first song singing lead vocals. Upon hearing the song for the first time on the radio, Ms. Love was sandbagged – the song was credited to the Crystals. They were a more experienced girl group produced by Spector, who thought using their name would promote the song better. The song hit number one in November of 1962. And no one knew it was Ms. Love’s voice cascading over them from their transistor radios.
People were recognizing the name Darlene Love. And so did the music industry. In 2011, Ms. Love was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by one of her greatest admirers, the divine Bette Midler.
