Category: Top Lists

WAMG’s Top 10 Films Of 2024

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

The cinematic landscape in 2024 was indeed exciting, with films tackling profound themes of human connection, imagination, and the pursuit of utopia in a dystopian world. The cinemas offered prequels, sequels and franchises, highly anticipated adaptations and reboots and remakes.

The world witnessed various events in the last 12 months.

International sporting competitions, such as the 2024 Paris Olympics or the Cricket World Cup (first major ICC tournament to feature matches played in the U.S.), brought together athletes and fans from around the world.  

2024 saw Americans go to the polls and elect Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, four years after he left office as the 45th. Elections and political developments in various other countries influenced national and international landscapes, while efforts to address social issues, humanitarian crises, and global challenges continued to be important areas of focus.

Further developments in the era of AI, including large language models and their applications across various fields, continued to be a major area of progress and concern. The 2024 solar eclipse and discoveries related to space exploration, including those focused on missions to the Moon and beyond, captured public attention and research and innovations in healthcare, medicine, and other scientific fields contributed to new knowledge and potential solutions to global challenges

New releases in music, film, and other forms of entertainment provided cultural experiences and captured public interest. Ongoing discussions and movements related to social justice, equality, and cultural shifts continued to shape public discourse. 

Always a favorite to share with you every year, have a look at what Hollywood offered to movie fans!

As we head into 2025, WAMG’s Cate Marquis, Jim Batts and Michelle McCue are celebrating the diverse year that was 2024 and one that had something for everyone!

We kick it off with our Honorable Mention, HARD TRUTH – Cate

The great Mike Leigh is famous for his truth-telling dramas about human nature and historical events, and HARD TRUTHS, reportedly the director’s last film, does indeed hit hard. Pansy is no delicate flower but an angry, hyper-critical woman who is massively unhappy in her life, and seemingly determined to make everyone around her unhappy too, particularly her hard-working husband and beaten-down, 22-year-old son. Marianne Jean-Baptiste gives an astounding performance as Pansy, revealing layers and nuances of this angry, self-destructive woman, while Michele Austin is wonderful as her cheerful, loving sister, the only one who seems able to reach through Pansy’s defensive walls. A tough but telling family drama in Mike Leigh’s signature style that does indeed tell hard truths about toxic unhappiness.

The legendary director joins the star of his new film HARD TRUTHS in the Criterion Closet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1RJNZak2Dw&ab_channel=CRITERION

10. DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE – Jim

For the first time in more than a decade, we were treated to a single flick this year from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (not to be associated with the dreadful trio of Sony “Spidey-verse IP), but what an event as Deadpool entered the MCU. And Ryan Reynolds brought Hugh jackman back as Wolverine. Or at least a “variant” from another “multiverse”. Yes, Wade is still the “merc with a mouth” so the movie is bursting at the seams with “meta gags”, inside “jabs” and a demolishing of the “fourth wall”. And it’s the first film involving the Time Variance Authority from the Loki series on Disney+. The two heroes make a splendid comedy team when they’re not trying to eviscerate the other. So yes, there’s action and laughs, but there’s a real beating heart thanks to the great cameos and a surprisingly touching “send-off” to the Marvel films released by New World and Fox (now part of Disney). This bodes well for the other acquired additions to the MCU (welcome FF and those misunderstood mutants). (review)

Streaming on Disney+: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/movies/deadpool-wolverine/4TQTHo9Qto2m

9. WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL – Jim

Fancy another visit from our favorite cheese-loving man and dog duo? Crikeys, yes! Netflix teams with Aardman Animation for a brand new feature-length romp that’s an action-packed sequel to one of their most popular short films, “The Wrong Trousers”. And this means another showdown with their greatest adversary, the equally brilliant and ruthless Feathers McGraw, that pilfering penguin. Naturally, there are also plenty of laughs with sophisticated satire mixed with hilarious slapstick and sight gags (they somehow make the morning “wake up” a blast). Plus the big final boat/train chase rivals anything from those big live-action blockbusters (fast, furious, and so, so funny). After thirty-five years these characters have lost none of their charm and wonder, even as the visual tech becomes more polished and eye-poppingly gorgeous. It’s true cinematic art, so how about a theatrical run for the next adventure, eh?

Streaming on Netflix: Jan. 3

8. LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL – Jim

So you remember that infamous episode of the 70s talk show that involved demonic possession, the one they couldn’t air? You don’t? Well, that’s because it’s part of a clever conceit dreamed up by the directing siblings the Cairnes Brothers in a truly spirited (sorry) twist on the now tired “found footage” horror flick. In this alternate universe, an “outlier” TV network decides to challenge “Carson the King” (as many did in fact) with their own past prime-time offering “Night Owls with Jack Delroy”. As the host, talented character actor David Dastmalchian gets to pull out “all the stops’ as the lead by portraying a TV personality who seems to be “uncomfortable in his own skin” as the “flop sweat” stains his polyester leisure suits. The show’s ratings are “swirling toward the drain”, so he makes a desperate Halloween ratings grab by having therapist hypnotize and interview a young woman who is the sole survivor of Manson-like satanic cult. And literally all Hell does break loose. Yes, there are lots of scares but there are plenty of nostalgic laughs from the recreation of 1977 kitsch (especially the sets, fashions, and hairstyles) and a terrific “history” of Delroy mixed with “backstage ” footage of him with his hapless on-air sidekick and the show’s seedy producer. this is a real “under the radar” “old school” chiller that will reward anyone who gives it a look. (review)

Streaming on HULU: https://www.hulu.com/movie/late-night-with-the-devil-a5c3c6e5-da1c-40ec-b708-4c7987689657

7. THE WILD ROBOT – Jim

The talented artisans at Dreamworks Animation finally broke away from their successful franchises (SHREK, KUNG FU PANDA, etc.) and delivered a very original animated adventure that pulls inspiration from many diverse sources. It’s futuristic science fiction set among cuddly forest animals. Plus there’s a good dash of consumer society satire and an engaging subplot about an unlikely friendship. A service robot named Roz is washed ashore on an island full of animals who react with fear, resulting in a first act that’s a slapstick symphony similar to the classic silent film clowns and the best of Golden Age cartoon shorts. The movement is fluid, especially of the title character who is a few basic circular shapes supported by flailing coil arms and legs. There’s also great character design and animation of Roz’s main sidekick Fink the fox, with Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal providing their voices (part of a superb vocal ensemble). It’s interesting that this film would come out 25 years after that cult classic THE IRON GIANT since they both involve machines developing emotions, often more in tune with them than many humans. This is brought “home’ in the thrilling climax that cements this work is real cinematic gem that is truly for “all ages”. (review)

Streaming: Available to watch in 4K Ultra HD on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms.

6. STRANGE DARLING – Michelle

Having its premiere at the 2023 Fantastic Fest Film Festival, writer/director JT Mollner’s STRANGE DARLING is a clever and relentless thrill ride that defies audience expectation at every turn. Nothing, and we mean nothing, is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree. A different film to be sure, the terrific revelations were that actor/producer Giovanni Ribisi was a first time director of photography on the film, catching the cat-and-mouse game like never before, and actor Willa Fitzgerald’s (JACK REACHER, Season One), performance is easily one of the best of the year and one we can’t rave enough about. Everyone’s advice on our #6 pick was to go in blind and we still highly recommend a first time, SPOILER-FREE viewing of the remarkable STRANGE DARLING.

Streaming to rent: YouTube, Apple, Amazon, and Vudu.

5. THE BRUTALIST – Cate

 Adrien Brody gives his best performance in years as a Jewish Hungarian architect who survived the Nazis and post-war relocates to America full of hope, in director Brady Corbet’s brilliant epic drama THE BRUTALIST. Mirroring countless immigrant tales, the architect goes from joy on arriving in America to facing the hard reality of living in a new land. In his home country, the architect was famous as an acclaimed, ground-breaking modernist but here he is an unknown, and he struggles to find his way in this very different world. Guy Pearce gives a chilling performance as rich man who hires, then tries to own, the architect. Felicity Jones is touching as the architect’s wife, once thought lost, who arrives unexpectedly, after surviving a concentration camp, as this fictional tale reflects countless post-war immigrant experiences. The drama, shot on 35mm film, is long but has an intermission, and it is so engrossing that one doesn’t feel the running time.

In select theaters December 20.

4. THE APPRENTICE – Jim

During one of the most divisive election years in this nation’s history, the producers of this film took a big swing, and a big risk, by making this searing dramatized look at the formative years (the mid-70s through the 80s) of Donald J. Trump. Though many were tired of the endless news cycle, and some theatres were leery of booking it, this tale was well worth exploring thanks to the sharp direction by Ali Abbasi, who captures the seedy, grimy look of a “wormy” Big Apple, and a sharp script from screenwriter Gabriel Sherman that’s neither a “puff piece” nor a demonizing cinematic screed. Rather, it’s almost a classic comic book “origin” story as we see the beginning of the person who dominates the media. But what really sets this apart from a “basic cable” biopic are the superb performances. In the lead, Sebastian Stan strays far from the MCU, and avoids going the caricature path. with a gradual descent into the too-familiar gestures and speech patterns. Yes, it’s a bold and gutsy role, but the juiciest character may be the “mentor” Roy Cohn, played brilliantly by the compelling Jeremy Strong, who should be up for all the awards. If Donald is Anakin, then he is Palpatine. His Cohn is a dead-eyed reptilian power-broker who relishes leading others to the “dark side” before he embarks on his own very tragic march to tragedy. This film is worth seeing for this truly dynamic duo that brought recent (and ongoing) history to dazzling light. (review)

Streaming to rent: YouTube, Apple, Amazon, Fandango

3. CONCLAVE – Cate

In this lavish and visually lush drama from director Edward Berger (ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT), Ralph Fiennes is excellent as a Cardinal in the unsought position of organizing and directing the College of Cardinals in a conclave to pick the next Pope of the Catholic Church. CONCLAVE is twisty and intrigue-filled, a smart, well-acted ensemble film that blends political thriller and psychological drama. CONCLAVE is suffused with startlingly beautiful images, and boasts an excellent cast that also includes Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and a marvelous Isabella Rossellini, as a nun who suddenly injects some pointed words into this man’s-world gathering. (review)

Streaming on Peacock: https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-movies/conclave

2. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN – Cate

Director James Mangold helms this biopic with Timothee Chalamet as a young Bob Dylan at the beginning of his career in New York’s folk music community, up to the famous pivotal moment when he split with the folk music movement, and went electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. In this warts-and-all biopic, Chalamet is both charming and callous as the talented Dylan, but Edward Norton is astonishing as he channels folk legend Pete Seeger, in this excellent biopic filled with wonderful music.

In theaters Christmas Day.

1. SING SING – Michelle

The stellar performance from the Oscar-nominated Colman Domingo (RUSTIN), as well as many real-life formerly incarcerated men who were themselves alumni of the program during their incarceration at Sing Sing, lands the #1 spot on our list. Already having received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama, Domingo is brilliant as John “Divine G” Whitfield, gives one of the great performances of the last decade (and a lifetime) and there’s no other choice this year – he is the obvious winner for the Academy Awards Best Actor Oscar.

Cinematographer Pat Scola said of the theme of SING SING (review), “the film is about men finding their humanity inside of this place behind these walls and it’s about to the joy and warmth and heartbreak of everything that these men go through inside.” (interview) The ending is made even more compelling with the original song “Like A Bird” written and performed by Grammy-winning artist Adrian Quesada of the Black Pumas and breakout artist Abraham Alexander.

The artists sought to capture the infinite complexity of the moment – the song and the movie helps the audience to see someone’s longing for freedom, immerse themselves in empathy and tops our list as the best film of 2024.

Streaming to rent: YouTube, Apple, Amazon, and Vudu

Below are the Geeks individual favorites of the year…

Cate’s Top Ten Films of 2024

  1. THE BRUTALIST
  2. SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
  3. CONCLAVE
  4. SING SING
  5. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
  6. QUEER
  7. NOSFERATU
  8. NICKEL BOYS
  9. LA CHIMERA
  10. THE APPRENTICE

HM: STRANGE DARLING, WALLACE AND GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL, ANORA, THE SUBSTANCE, HARD TRUTHS.

Jim’s Top Ten Films of 2024

  1. SATURDAY NIGHT
  2. INSIDE OUT 2
  3. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
  4. SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY
  5. SEPTEMBER 5
  6. WICKED
  7. WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL
  8. REMEMBERING GENE WILDER
  9. THE APPRENTICE
  10. DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE

HM: STRANGE DARLING, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, THE WILD ROBOT, WOMAN OF THE HOUR.

Michelle’s Top Ten Films of 2024

  1. ALIEN: ROMULUS
  2. KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
  3. SING SING
  4. CONCLAVE
  5. TRANSFORMERS ONE
  6. A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE
  7. THE FALL GUY
  8. DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
  9. THE WILD ROBOT
  10. STRANGE DARLING

HM: THE BEEKEEPER, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, ONE LIFE, INSTIGATORS, ABIGAIL, ODDITY, FIRST OMEN, FLOW, REBEL RIDGE.

File this under: “TV series that were so excellent they felt like movies” – SHOGUN and THE PENGUIN.

And the STAR TREK film, UNIFICATION. It reminded us what made Star Trek so special!

WAMG Celebrates MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 With Our 7 Favorite Tom Cruise Movies

Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

On September 6, 2020, the first day of principal photography on Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Tom Cruise drove a motorbike off a mountain. Specifically, he drove a custom-made Honda CRF 250 off a purpose-built ramp on the side of Norway’s Helsetkopen mountain, a vertiginous rock face sat some 1,200 meters above sea level. Then he plunged 4,000 feet into the ravine below before opening his parachute barely 500 feet from the ground.

When he landed, director, Christopher Mc Quarrie, and the small crew of his Mission co-stars who had assembled to watch the seminal cinematic sequence from the safety of video village, breathed a collective sigh of relief. Then Cruise picked himself up and did it all again another seven times, just to make sure the footage was perfect.

Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

The stunt was, by any measure, the most dangerous of Cruise’s career – which is saying something given that in previous Mission films he has, among other jaw-dropping endeavors, swung around the outside of the world’s tallest building (Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, in Ghost Protocol), hung onto the side of an Airbus A400M while it was in flight (in Rogue Nation) and launched himself out of a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III from a height of 25,000 feet, opening his chute just 2,000 feet from the ground and becoming the first person ever to execute a High Altitude Low Opening – or HALO – jump on film (in Fallout).

 As is Cruise’s now standard practice, the motorbike jump – in which his Ethan Hunt zooms off the edge, ditches the bike and executes a high-risk BASE jump in the six-second window he has before impact – had been long in the planning. After rehearsing for a year in the UK during pre-production, by the time the cameras rolled he’d completed over 500 skydives and 13,000 motocross jumps in readiness to prepare for the most dangerous stunt he has ever completed on screen.  Currently, the Mission series has grossed over $3.5 billion worldwide.

This, movie geeks, is why Tom Cruise is a global cultural icon who has made an immeasurable impact on cinema by creating some of the most memorable characters of all time. Having achieved extraordinary success as an actor, producer, and philanthropist in a career spanning over five decades, Cruise is a four time Oscar nominee whose films have earned over $12 billion in worldwide box office – an incomparable accomplishment.

His nominations include two for Best Actor (JERRY MAGUIRE and BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY). one for Best Supporting Actor (MAGNOLIA) and one for Best Picture (producer, TOP GUN: MAVERICK).

95th Oscars® nominee Tom Cruise arrives at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars aired on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC.

Fueled by a lifetime goal to entertain audiences around the world, Cruise has worked over the last 40 years to produce and star in movies that stand the test of time. As a result, he has played a leading role in numerous legendary films such as Top Gun, Interview with the Vampire, The Firm, Rain Man, Oblivion, The Last Samurai, Born on the Fourth of July, Taps, The Color of Money, and the Mission: Impossible series, among many others.

Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars aired on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC.

During Cruise’s appearance at the Oscars nominees luncheon in February, to celebrate the Best Picture nominee for TOP GUN: MAVERICK, Director Steven Spielberg told the actor and producer that he “saved Hollywood’s ass.”  

MAVERICK received a total of six nominations at the 95th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects.

In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan’s past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most.

Opening in cinemas on July 12, Rotten Tomatoes currently has MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE sitting at 98% https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mission_impossible_dead_reckoning_part_one

After more than 40 years and 40 films, Cruise continues to lift fellow artists, inspire fans, and entertain audiences everywhere and to celebrate the opening of MI7, the staff of WAMG chose our 7 favorite Tom Cruise movies.

A FEW GOOD MEN – December 11, 1992

By 1983, Tom Cruise had already come to our attention in relatively small films like RISKY BUSINESS, THE OUTSIDERS (1983) and ALL THE RIGHT MOVES (1983). His charm and charisma onscreen launched him into the stratosphere with TOP GUN (1986) and RAIN MAN (1989). In 1989, Cruise was acknowledged for his efforts with a Lead Actor Oscar nomination for BORN ON THE 4th OF JULY, proving that he was more than just a “pretty face.” In 1992, Cruise was tapped to play Lt. Daniel Kaffee in director Rob Reiner’s film adaptation of Aaron Sorkin’s hit Broadway play, “A Few Good Men,” starring opposite heavy hitter and Academy Award-winning actor Jack Nicholson, and an ensemble cast that included Kevin Bacon, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, and Keifer Sutherland. Cruise had already proved he could hold his own against a Hollywood legend (Paul Newman, THE COLOR OF MONEY-1986) and he brilliantly went toe-to-toe with Nicholson’s Colonel Nathan Jessup. The final courtroom scene (“I want the truth!!” “You can’t handle the truth!!”) is pretty iconic and this is easily one of Cruise’s best acting performances to date, if not the best. – Melissa Thompson

EDGE OF TOMORROW – June 6, 2014

What makes this work is Tom Cruise as a charismatic comedian. He makes the audience laugh every time he dies. He isn’t the hero or the savior, but the loser who dies hundreds of time, only to have to relive it over again and again. “If you love Tom Cruise, you see him giving a genius performance, and if you hate Tom Cruise he dies like 200 times in the movie,” confirmed director Doug Liman in a post-footage Q&A. – Michelle McCue

https://www.max.com/movies/8d4640d7-fb4c-4ea8-bdc5-2c63a8b5ffe0

TOP GUN: MAVERICK – May 27, 2022

TOP GUN: MAVERICK is the sequel we never knew we needed until we actually needed it, 36 years later. It doesn’t get any more pop-culture than 1986’s Top Gun, and in sequel-happy Hollywood, it was surprising that Top Gun, with it’s $177M+ haul at the box office, never received a follow-up.  Top Gun: Maverick had been in development at Paramount since 2010. After eight years in development, Top Gun: Maverick finally began filming in 2018, with a release date that was originally set for July 2019. But the covid-19 pandemic had other plans, and the release date was pushed back to June 24, 2020. And then again to December 23, 2020. And again, to November 19, 2021. Finally, as the pandemic began to subside, we got the final release date of May 27, 2021. Finally! It was happening. But would Top Gun: Maverick deliver the same thrills as its predecessor? It was 36 years later – how could it? Fans that had been shut out of movie theaters for nearly 2 years came out in droves, and a big part of that was the sentimental factor. We really did want to see whatever happened to Lt. Pete Mitchell, call sign Maverick. And it was everything we hoped it would be. Audiences were treated to multiple flashbacks from the original film that tied up some loose ends very nicely, and director Joseph Kosinski even recreated the unforgettably high-octane opening credits sequence from Top Gun, shot for shot. As sequels go, Top Gun: Maverick is as good as it gets and proved that Cruise is still the biggest movie star on the planet. – Melissa Thompson

https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/Alcn0hcGx0HosdhcawKteH8DXh3RiOF7/

TROPIC THUNDER – August 13, 2008

It was quite a stunner when the world’s biggest action movie star decided to join up with the “Frat Pack” in 2008 for the Hollywood satire helmed by frequent Cruise satirist Ben Stiller. Swallowed up in a fat suit, bald cap, Brillo-like beard, and massive phony hands, Cruise’s uncredited supporting role as furious foul mouthed producer Les Grossman is a “foreshadowing” take-off on Harvey Weinstein mixed with Scott Rudin and a splash of TOP GUN’s Don Simpson. The character was so popular that Cruise brought him back two years later for some memorable dance moves at the MTV Movie Awards. – Jim Batts

COLLATERAL – August 6, 2004

While his role as producer Les Grossman was slimy and vile, it was Cruise’s performance as the villainous Vincent in COLLATERAL that made audiences and critics take notice. The convincing transformation as the menacing contract killer, along with the actor’s sinister platinum hair and cold black eyes, had us scared and terrified for Jamie Foxx’s cab driver Max. We could barely breathe and were white knuckling it through the 2 hours spent in that taxi with the psychopath. For the first time, we were rooting for our leading man to lose. – Michelle McCue

https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/mSEEbIw3N2cSsPIfcuTo3LREHCsZlrhg/

RISKY BUSINESS – August 5, 1983

It felt fresh and funny at the time. For me, Curtis Armstrong’s anxiety about Guido the Killer Pimp was one of the big takeaways, however most remember Cruise’s now iconic doorway dance. – Mark Glass

JERRY MAGUIRE – December 13, 1996

No list of Tom Cruise movies would complete without JERRY MAGUIRE, the hit comedy romance that gave it’s decade the catch phrases “You had me at hello” and “Show me the money.” It made Renee Zellweger a star, and coming after Tom’s action star role in the first MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, it ahem brought him back down to earth. – Cate Marquis

Top 5 DC Movies To Catch Before Seeing THE FLASH Movie And Check Them Out On Max’s DC Hub

By Michelle Hannett and Marc Butterfield

In one week, Warner Bros. Pictures THE FLASH, directed by Andy Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”) opens in theaters on June 16.

Ezra Miller reprises their role as Barry Allen in the DC Super Hero’s first-ever standalone feature film. Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?

“The Flash” is a film that puts the fan-favorite DC Super Hero front and center in a big-screen outing filled with epic action, surprising humor and heart, along with the wish-fulfilling superpower of the ability to bend time… and change the past. Reuniting iconic and beloved DC characters across timelines– Batman, The Flash, Supergirl and another Batman!–and featuring one of the canon’s towering villains in Krypton’s own General Zod, this film distinguishes itself as a cinematic spectacle that elevates the genre through the unique lens of Andy Muschietti.

And the character of The Flash is more than deserving of such extraordinary treatment. Introduced in 1940 as “quicker than the rapidity of thought” in Flash Comics #1, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. Later, with Fox partnering with Carmine Infantino on 1961’s Flash of Two Worlds, The Flash became the first character in comics to play with a multiverse.

In creating THE FLASH, filmmakers were influenced by two seminal works within the comic book canon:

  • Flash of Two Worlds (Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino, 1961), where a Silver Age Barry Allen finds that by vibrating his molecules at a certain frequency, he is transported to another version of Earth, where he meets a Golden Age Jay Garrick
  • Flashpoint (Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, 2011, a five-issue miniseries), where Barry Allen wakes to discover that his world has changed, and only he is aware of the difference between his real world and this altered one.

To get you pumped for the opening of the film, WAMG brings you the Top 5 movies to catch before you head out to cinemas to see THE FLASH.

5. SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES (MAX)

https://www.max.com/movies/7aa6ea3f-a28d-4a2b-b1d7-8f68e7c3a124

Superman and Batman are in a race against time to stop a world-killing asteroid from destroying the Earth. The mission is complicated by the fact that it is primarily made of kryptonite, so Superman will need Batmans resourcefulness and connections to stop it, all the while President Lex Luthor sees this as an excuse to demand all superheroes do his bidding. Naturally Superman and Batman decline and decide to solve this problem on their own, all the while evading all other superheroes that are out to get them. This is fifth on our list because is shows that Batman is way more than just a man in tights, way more. He is a leader and the brains behind the Justice League.

4. MAN OF STEEL (MAX)

https://www.max.com/movies/73b6c63e-5eb5-4c0d-86f5-c3f398114a15

2013’s MAN OF STEEL stands right up there with 1978’s SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE as one of the best films on the famous Kryptonian. The music for Zack Snyder’s MOS from Hans Zimmer goes hand in hand with John Williams’ soaring score, Michael Shannon’s General Zod is as menacing as Terence Stamp’s in SUPERMAN 2 and, sigh, we never thought anyone could fill the red boots of Christopher Reeve’s Kal-El… and then along came Henry Cavill. Once again the familiar phrase of Truth, Justice and the American Way was an emotional mantra and as the SUPERMAN movie poster tagline said, “You’ll Believe A Man Can Fly.” Indeed we did.

3. ZACH SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE (MAX)

https://www.max.com/movies/d34191ed-48d8-417f-bd98-87d803c0b44f

The four hour version is a triumph and made us want an additional four.

An army of persuasive fans, and along with one very colorful, newly-shot scene, after four years in 2021, director Zack Snyder returned to the DCEU to complete his vision. Even before the 2017 version of the movie was released, there were rumblings from the fans. First it was quiet. Give us the Snyder Cut. After the movie hit theaters in November 2017, it only got louder. #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, people demanded, circulating petitions and pleading with the studio. Once fans learned an actual Snyder Cut existed, they were overjoyed and doubled down on their efforts. It worked. The extended Justice League allowed for extended world building. Never before seen, existing-footage scenes with Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello), Calvin Swanwick/Martian Manhunter (Harry Lennix), and Ryan Choi (Zheng Kai) rounded out the mythology. We got the opportunity to watch our heroes join forces to eliminate Steppenwolf, much to the chagrin of New God Darkseid, making his first appearance. With his soaring music cues, Tom Holkenborg’s score brought the film and earth’s defenders to new heights.

Interview with : https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2021/03/producer-deborah-snyder-talks-with-wamg-for-zack-snyders-justice-league/

Producer Deborah Snyder said in our interview: “We were planning a 2nd and 3rd Justice League movie where we would be also able to complete the arcs we had fully fleshed out. The idea was to meet Cyborg, who was set to be the heart of this movie. At the time we hadn’t come up with a Cyborg standalone, but that was our plan. So, we did the deepest dive of the movie into Cyborg’s backstory and what makes him tick.”

Review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2021/03/zack-snyders-justice-league-review/

2. BATMAN (1989) (MAX)

https://www.max.com/movies/fab1f111-15a4-4b68-83bb-4d07e28c862e

The OG, Michael Keaton plays Batman/Bruce Wayne and Jack Nicholson, The Joker, go head-to-head in the ultimate BATMAN movie. Danny Elfman’s booming score, Bob Ringwood’s colorful costume design and Tim Burton’s direction instantly made the 1989 movie the ultimate superhero film by which all are measured. Anton Furst was the amazing English production designer who won an Academy Award for overseeing the design of Gotham City and the iconic Batmobile.

1. JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE FLASHPOINT PARADOX (MAX)

https://www.max.com/movies/61e4efde-a2e8-47d8-a174-ab654ae6eb3f

In an effort to change his mothers fate, the Flash causes a temporal ripple that creates a fractured reality where the Justice league has never formed, Superman does not exist and a war rages between Wonder Woman’s Amazons and Aquaman. Flash teams up with Batman and Cyborg to restore the timeline. Staring the voices of Justin Chambers, Michael Jordan, Kevin Mckidd, Dee Baker, Steve Blum, Kevin Conroy, Sam Daly, Dana Delany, Grey DeLisle, Cary Elwes, Nathan Fillion, Vanessa Marshall, Ron Perlman and, James Stuart.

This is number one on our list because it is the animated adaptation of the DC Comics story Flashpoint and THE FLASH Movie is an adaptation of both.

THE FLASH ensemble also includes rising star Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon (“Bullet Train,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”), Ron Livingston (“Loudermilk,” “The Conjuring”), Maribel Verdú (“Elite,” “Y tu mamá también”), Kiersey Clemons (“Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” “Sweetheart”), Antje Traue (“King of Ravens,” “Man of Steel”) and Michael Keaton (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Batman”).

THE FLASH is produced by Barbara Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”) and Michael Disco (“Rampage,” “San Andreas”). The screenplay is by Christina Hodson (“Birds of Prey,” “Bumblebee”), with a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Joby Harold (“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” “Army of the Dead”), based on characters from DC. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Marianne Jenkins.

Joining director Muschietti behind the camera are director of photography Henry Braham (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Suicide Squad”), production designer Paul Denham Austerberry (“IT Chapter Two,” “The Shape of Water”), editors Jason Ballantine (the “IT” films, “The Great Gatsby”) and Paul Machliss (“The Gentlemen,” “Baby Driver”), and costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”); the score is by Benjamin Wallfisch (“The Invisible Man,” the “IT” films).

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film, THE FLASH. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on June 16, 2023 and internationally beginning 14 June 2023.

Plus Max is showcasing the incredible DC Universe in June.

Viewers who are looking for DC’s legendary characters and enduring stories can check out the hundreds of hours of films and series available on Max’s DC hub. Max is the home of fans’ favorite DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains, timeless DC series and movies that resonate with the entire family, and epic blockbusters that feature larger-than-life characters from across worlds and generations.

Max features a collection of classic and current animated series and films spanning across different eras of the DC Multiverse including Batman: The Animated Series, Static Shock, DC League of Super-Pets, Batman: Gotham Knight, Justice League: The New Frontier and more. Even the house’s youngest members can enjoy animated titles such as Super Friends, Batwheels, The LEGO Batman Movie, and the Teen Titans Go! series.

DC favorites like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman are brought to life through a lineup of iconic films and series spanning decades, all available to stream on Max. Oscar® nominees Joker and The Batman, and other notable titles such as Wonder Woman, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Superman the Movie and the HBO Original Watchmen are just a handful of the series and films that bring DC’s characters to life on screen. 

Fans can embrace titles aimed towards older members of the household with films like The Suicide Squad, Injustice, Batman: A Death in the Family and Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons. Max Originals like Peacemaker, Titans, Harley Quinn, and Doom Patrol offer fans an alternative view into the DC library, with dark twists and laughs along the way.

Below is a look at some of the DC library available to stream now on Max:

Animation Masterclass:

Batman: Year One, 2011

Batman and Harley Quinn, 2017

Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons, 2022

Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, 1998

Batman vs. Two-Face, 2017

Batman vs. Robin, 2015

Batwheels, Season 1

Batwheels Holiday Special: Holidays on Ice, Season 1D

Batwheels Origin Special, Season 1A

Catwoman: Hunted, 2022

DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis, 2018

DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year, 2016

DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games, 2017

DC League Of Super Pets, 2022

Green Lantern: First Flight, 2009

Harley Quinn, Max Original, Seasons 1-3

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One, 2023

Justice League Unlimited, Seasons 1-3

Legion of Super-Heroes, 2023

The LEGO Batman Movie, 2017

LEGO Batman: DC Super Heroes Unite, 2013

LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash, 2018

LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain, 2017

LEGO DC Batman: Family Matters, 2019

LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman: Rage of Atlantis, 2018

LEGO DC Shazam: Magic and Monsters!, 2020

LEGO Justice League: Cosmic Clash, 2016

Meet the Batwheels, Season 1

My Adventures with Superman, Season 1

Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave & the Bold, 2018

Static Shock, Seasons 1-4

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, 2009

Superman: Man of Tomorrow, 2020

Superman vs. the Elite, 2012

Teen Titans Go!, Seasons 1-8

Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, 2022

Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam, 2021

Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, 2006

Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans, 2019

Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, 2018

Wonder Woman (Animated), 2009

Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, 2019

Vixen, 2017

Iconic Characters:

Aquaman, 2018

Batman, 1966

Batman, 1989

The Batman, 2022

Batman Begins, 2005

Batman Returns, 1992

Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition, 2016

Batwoman, Seasons 1-3

Black Adam, 2022

The Dark Knight, 2008

The Dark Knight Rises, 2012

DC’s Stargirl, Max Original, Seasons 1-3

Doom Patrol, Max Original, Seasons 1-4

Green Lantern, 2011

Peacemaker, Max Original, Season 1

Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler, Max Original Seasons 1-3

Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, 2023

Supergirl, 1984

Superman: The Movie, 1978

Superman II, 1980

Superman Returns, 2006

Superman & Lois, Seasons 1-2

Titans, Max Original

Wonder Woman, 1975

Wonder Woman, 2017

Embracing the Magical, Mystical and Villainous Side of Comics

The Batman vs. Dracula, 2005

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, 1993

Catwoman, 2004

Constantine, 2005

DMZ, Max Original

Gotham, 1988

Gotham Knights, 2008

Joker, 2019

The Suicide Squad, 2021

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, 2010

V for Vendetta, 2005

Watchmen, 2009

Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic

DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains:

Batman & Robin, 1997

Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn), 2020

The Dark Knight Rises, 2012

Justice League, 2001

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, 2015

Justice League: War, 2014

Justice League vs. The Fatal Five, 2019

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, 2010

Justice League: Gods and Monsters, 2015

Justice League: The New Frontier, 2008

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, 2013

Justice League vs. Teen Titans, 2016

Man of Steel, 2013

Shazam!, 2019

Superman: The Movie, 1978

Wonder Woman 1984, 2020

Young Justice, Max Original

Learn more at DC.com.

WAMG’s Top 10 Movies Of 2022

2022 has been an interesting year for movies, with some of the big blockbuster spectacles getting a lot of attention, smaller ones desperately looking for audiences, and lingering questions about the future of the theater experience past the event films. First time directors and musical delights painted the cinema canvas with mesmerizing swaths of biographical and semi-autobiographical themes, adult dramas, independent and international films, and the crowd pleaser, RRR.

The sequels, and there were many, returned audiences to the worlds of Pandora and Wakanda, the Multiverse of Marvel, the mysterious layers of the Glass Onion, the dominion of dinosaurs and the soaring skies with Captain Maverick Pete Mitchell for one last mission.

And then there’s movie star Tom Cruise. In another year that was challenging for the box office by the covid pandemic and audiences conditioned to stay home with the many streaming services, TOP GUN: MAVERICK proved to be the most important film of 2022 as it cracked a billion dollars at the box office and brought people back to the movies. This Oscar worthy, best picture film was noted for how it made you feel and it’s why we all go to the movies.

For those who follow awards season, nominations for the 95th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. The 95th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

With the end of 2022 drawing near, WAMG gives you our Top 10 Movies of the Year.

Honorable Mentions – RRR, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY and WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVICH STORY

10.EMILY THE CRIMINAL

One of the year’s “outta’ nowhere sleepers”, this modern spin on classic noir thrillers is also an engrossing character study and an unlikely love story. Most of its power comes from the unconventional casting of the title character, as Aubrey Plaza, usually known for comedic roles, commands the screen as a struggling “gig” worker who quickly becomes a diva of deception in the shady underworld of credit card fraud. Filled with heart-pumping danger and double-crosses, this “under the radar” thriller delivers.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/08/emily-the-criminal-review/

9.NOPE

That ending of is he or isn’t he! It left all of us thinking and discussing NOPE way long after we actually saw NOPE! Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, and Michael Wincott are all fantastic in director Jordan Peele’s nod to Steven Spielberg’s CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND and his masterpiece JAWS. “I’m hopeful that people will look at clouds after this movie the way they looked at the surface of the ocean in Jaws,” said Peele and boy was he ever successful with his flying saucer horror film. The filmmaker was also brutally honest with his take on people’s unhealthy fascination with social media and reality tv, as well as society’s blase and indifferent attitude to the recently released UFO videos saying, “it proves that there is a desensitization to spectacle. It’s nerve-wracking and scary.”  The Great American UFO movie, NOPE was this year’s definitive summer event film.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/07/nope-review/

8.DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

The best of the 2022 Marvel Studios feature films debunks the claims that they squelch the personalities of their directors. From the opening few minutes, we’re aware that Sam Raimi has put his distinctive stamp on this imaginative sequel. Plus it has a most unique sympathetic hero turned villain and a showstopping first appearance of comics fan favorites, the Illuminati played by some fantastic familiar faces.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/05/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness-review/

7.THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

Writer-director Martin McDonagh reunites his IN BRUGES stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in a tale of friendship gone wrong, a story that starts out darkly comic but gives way to something darker and twisted, more in the manner of McDonagh’s plays. Set on a remote Irish island in 1923, with the Irish Civil War still raging on the mainland, one man (Brendan Gleeson) decides to end his long-time friendship with another (Colin Farrell). Ruminating on his legacy as a musician and feeling his time growing short, Gleeson’s Colm tells his nice but dull friend Padraic (Farrell) that he doesn’t have time for him any more. The decision leaves the discarded friend devastated, puzzled and looking for a way to restore their friendship. After Gleeson’s character makes a shockingly violent threat, things unravel and lead to unexpected consequences. Brilliant photography and powerful storytelling, along with outstanding acting (including what may be a career best for Farrell) make THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN a top contender for the Oscar for Best Picture.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/11/the-banshees-of-inisherin-review/

6.APOLLO 10 1/2: A SPACE AGE CHILDHOOD

Here’s one of the most unique animating films of the year, as director Richard Linklater returns to the rotoscoping technique he used in A SCANNER DARKLY and WAKING LIFE for his whimsical fantasy of a flight prior to the big moon landing of Apollo 11. Thats’ entertaining in itself, but then the film takes a welcome detour to 1960s nostalgia about the joys of being a preteen in suburbia and the wonders of “boomer” pop culture touchstones ( running home from school to catch “Dark Shadows” on TV). Going into space is almost as much fun as just hanging out with this big rowdy family.

5. TILL

In her powerful drama TILL, director Chinonye Chukwu took an unusual but effective approach to telling the story of Emmett Till, the Black teen murdered by Southern white racists for whistling at a white woman. Instead of focusing on the murder itself, TILL focuses on Till’s mother, whose decision to have an open casket funeral for her only child drove home the nation the reality of the violence of racism, as it tells the story from her point of view. Danielle Deadwyler gives a electrifying, star-making performance as Mamie Till-Bradley, and the director’s choice to make her the center of this brilliant film turns it into something unexpected – something hopeful and inspiring as well as heartbreaking, about a mother fighting back for justice and her son’s memory.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/10/till-review/

4.ELVIS

ELVIS was a dazzling spectacle and is number 4 on our list. One of the many highlights of Baz Luhrmann’s film is the blending of period and modern music and artists in a manner only he can envision. The film not only features the voices of Austin Butler (vocalizing the live performances of young Elvis), Elvis’s own iconic vocals in the latter part of the movie, and occasionally a blend of the two voices, but also several of today’s hitmakers, including Yola, Shonka Dukureh and Gary Clark, Jr. as Beale Street legends Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Big Mama Thornton and Arthur Crudup. A range of such powerhouse performers as Doja Cat, Kacey Musgraves, Jazmine Sullivan, Jack White, Måneskin and more are showcased on the soundtrack as well. The other terrific highlight is the close friendship seen in the film is between Elvis and B.B. King (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), whom Elvis goes to for advice, or when things simply get out of control in his life and he needs a safe haven. King is portrayed in the film not only as a musician, but as a shrewd businessman, a role he would continue to fulfill throughout his lifetime. To take audiences back in time through Elvis’s life, production designers Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy focus on blending historic reference with Luhrmann’s larger-than-life visual storytelling. The attention to detail for the Beale Street and Graceland sets are amazing and the whole movie is a one that fans embraced and Elvis would understand and celebrate.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/06/elvis-review/

3.THE FABELMANS

Several directors this year made films that drew on their own personal life experiences, but none as entertaining as THE FABELMANS, Steven Spielberg’s tale of growing up and falling in love with making movies, as his parents’ marriage falls apart. The cast includes Michelle Williams as the mom, Paul Dano as the dad, and Seth Rogan as family friend and dad’s coworker Bennie. The coming-of-age story is full of fun as young Spielberg makes his earliest amateur movies (especially fun for those who dabbled in film-making as kids), and pain has the young character confronts things like moving across the country, bullying, antisemitism, and ultimately his parents’ split.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/11/the-fabelmans-review/

2.SHE SAID

In the great tradition of real journalism docudramas such as ALL THE PRESIDENT”S MEN and SPOTLIGHT comes the tale that is actually still unfolding. Director Maria Schrader uses actual recordings and a stunning cameo from one of those involved to deliver a celebration of reporters that will uncover the truth no matter how powerful the culprits, and showing us that the “fourth estate ” is far from being “the enemy of the people”. And a stellar ensemble cast makes the story truly riveting and compelling.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/11/she-said-review/

1.EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

One of two top Oscar contenders on this list, this fantasy comedy/drama is highly entertaining and incredibly creative with a story that is both touching and thought-provoking. In a mold-breaking performance, Michelle Yeoh stars as a middle-aged Chinese American disappointed with her life as owner of a struggling laundromat, with a husband who decorates everything with googly eyes and a daughter with whom she has a difficult relationship. As she both faces an IRS audit and prepares to throw a birthday party for her disapproving father, she is suddenly sucked into the multiverse where she is expected to save the whole of existence. Packed with humor, martial arts and reflections on existence (in the form of a bagel), it is a creative and visual feast with a wonderful human story at its heart, and a movie where a rock will make you cry.

review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2022/04/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-review/

STAFF PICKS

(L-R): Dale (voiced by Andy Samberg) and Chip (voiced by John Mulaney) in Disney’s live-action CHIP ‘N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Jim’s Top Ten for 2022:

  1. SHE SAID
  2. GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO
  3. ELVIS
  4. SIDNEY
  5. THE FABELMANS
  6. CHIP ‘N’ DALE: RESCUE RANGERS
  7. EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
  8. EMILY THE CRIMINAL
  9. TILL
  10. DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

Honorable Mentions:
WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVICH STORY, TURNING RED, APOLLO 10 1/2: A SPACE AGE CHILDHOOD, WENDELL & WILD

(L to R) Michael Banks Repeta as “Paul Graff” and Anthony Hopkins as “Grandpa Aaron Rabinowitz” in director James Gray’s ARMAGEDDON TIME, a Focus Features release. Courtesy of Anne Joyce / Focus Features

Cate’s Top Ten for 2022:

  1. THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
  2. WOMEN TALKING
  3. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
  4. BENEDICTION*
  5. THE FABELMANS
  6. WOMAN KING
  7. AMSTERDAM
  8. SHE SAID
  9. TILL
  10. ARMAGEDDON TIME

Note: Terence Davies’ masterpiece British drama BENEDICTION played the Toronto International Film Festival in 2021 but wasn’t released in the U.S. until May 2022. However, some consider this a 2021 because IMDb lists it as 2021 film since there was a second film with that title in 2022.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):
THE MENU, EMILY THE CRIMINAL, THE WONDER, THE INSPECTION, ELVIS, RRR, PHANTOM OF THE OPEN, CORSAGE, CLOSE, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO, THE WHALE, MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON, GOOD NIGHT OPPY, BULLET TRAIN.

Some more Top 5 lists for 2022:

Top 5 Horror Films

  1. Men
  2. The Pale Blue Eye
  3. She Will
  4. Nope
  5. Pearl

Top 5 Animated Films

  1. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
  2. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
  3. Apollo 10 1/2
  4. Wendell and Wild
  5. Mad God

Top 5 Action Films

  1. Woman King
  2. Bullet Train
  3. Everything Everywhere All At Once
  4. RRR
  5. The Outfit

Top 5 Comedies

  1. Amsterdam
  2. The Phantom of the Open
  3. The Duke
  4. Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris
  5. White Noise

Top 5 International Films of 2022:

  1. All Quiet on the Western Front (Edward Berger, Germany)
  2. Corsage (Marie Kreutzer, Austria)
  3. Blue Caftan (Maryam Touzani, Morocco)
  4. Close (Lukas Dhont, Belgium)
  5. EO (Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland)

Top 5 Documentaries of 2022

  1. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
  2. The Janes
  3. Louis Armstrong’s Black and Blues
  4. The Automat
  5. Fire of Love
Amber Midthunder as Naru and Dane DiLiegro as the Predator in 20th Century Studios’ PREY, exclusively on Hulu. Photo by David Bukach. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Michelle’s Top Ten for 2022:

  1. NOPE
  2. TOP GUN: MAVERICK
  3. PREY
  4. GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY 
  5. RRR
  6. ELVIS 
  7. DON’T WORRY DARLING 
  8. AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
  9. APOLLO 10 1/2: A SPACE AGE CHILDHOOD
  10. HUSTLE

Special Mention:

EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE is that one must-see movie that is released every year that becomes the “have you seen ______?” Its thought-provoking, bizarre and a glorious trip into the multiverse.

The horror elements that Sam Raimi included in DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS and Elizabeth Olsen’s stunning performance as Wanda Maximoff has undoubtedly become Marvel’s most compelling post-Endgame character as well as Disney +’s Wandavision most interesting and forgivable of characters.

Making you remember Colin Farrell is a great actor bound for Oscar, BANSHEES OF INSHERIN is a simple tale about friendship, heartbreak, and the absurdity of everyday life.

Horror Mentions: 

THE BLACK PHONE – Scott Derrickson’s return to horror along with Ethan Hawke (SINISTER) was terrifying with an ending that left audiences cheering, SCREAM – who knew that the latest entry to this franchise could be so entertaining, SMILE – Holy Moly a ton of fun for horror fans? Can I get a Hell yeah!?, BARBARIAN – a movie that is best experienced knowing absolutely nothing going in, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT – Marvel’s best projects in a long while, X and PEARL – With these two X films—and a third, titled MaXXXine coming soon— Ti West and Mia Goth have created the best original horror franchise of the last decade; ORPHAN FIRST KILL – better than the original and proves rich people are a bit “off”, SPEAK NO EVIL, The INNOCENTS and finally SALOUM.

Movies I Just Had To Include:

CAUSEWAY, BULLET TRAIN, LIVING, THE BATMAN, THE GRAY MAN, THE NORTHMAN, THE LOST CITY, MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON, THE WOMAN KING, THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING, THE ETERNAL DAUGHTER, AMBULANCE and GOOD NIGHT OPPY

When Aliens And Humans Meet – Top Movies To See Before Jordan Peele’s NOPE Opens July 22

Whether it’s a modern alien invasion or a meet-and-greet, movie goers have been fascinated and lured into theaters by images of UFO’s and their visitors.

E.T. the Extra-terrestrial, which hit theaters 40 years ago on June 11, 1982 , and the earlier Close Encounters of the Third Kind, gave moviegoers nicer versions and visions of first contact with friendly alien visitors – coincidentally both scores were from Oscar-winning composer John Williams – while A QUIET PLACE, THE THING and SIGNS were foreboding and cautionary tales of aliens wiping out all of mankind.

Famed physicist Stephen Hawking warned:

“Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they could reach,” Hawking said in 2010 on an episode of “Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking,” a TV show that aired on the Discovery Channel. “If so, it makes sense for them to exploit each new planet for material to build more spaceships so they could move on. Who knows what the limits would be?”

Hawking voiced his fears at the Breakthrough event, saying, “We don’t know much about aliens, but we know about humans. If you look at history, contact between humans and less intelligent organisms have often been disastrous from https://justfucklocal.com/ their point of view, and encounters between civilizations with advanced versus primitive technologies have gone badly for the less advanced. A civilization reading one of our messages could be billions of years ahead of us. If so, they will be vastly more powerful, and may not see us as any more valuable than we see bacteria.”

© 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

In a recent interview with the AP Peele was asked:

AP: How much were you thinking about “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”?

Peele: Yeah, “Close Encounters” is something I think about a lot, as is “Signs” by M. Night Shyamalan. These are big-vision directors who have taken flying saucers and science fiction and have brought magic to the way they told those stories. I wanted to toss my hat in the ring to one of my favorite subgenres, in UFOs, and do it in a way only I can.

AP: When the U.S. government declassified video of Navy pilots encountering unexplained aircraft — something your movie references — how did you react? Were you affected by those images?

Peele: I was. It made it very real, very much in the moment. It’s one of the reasons, I guess, I can proudly say this movie is based on a true story. But what was most nerve-wracking or scary to me about the whole thing is that you’d like to think that when actual video proof of UFOs comes out that something would change in our lifestyle, not it’s really business as usual. It just proves that there is a desensitization to spectacle. We’re addicted and we’re in over our heads with this addiction. We have proof of UFOs or UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena), but the interest with the major public goes so far. It’s very interesting.

Jordan Peele has created with NOPE the “great American UFO story” and a spectacle that people would have to come to the movie theater to see. (video). Winner for Original Screenplay for “Get Out” at the 90th Oscars, Peele reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, NOPE. The film reunites Peele with Oscar® winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice) and Oscar® nominee Steven Yeun (Minari, Okja) as residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.

In the wake of the success of Get Out and Us, both of which disrupted and redefined the horror genre in singular ways, Peele has expanded his cinematic canvas, embraced a challenge unlike any in his filmmaking career so far and tackled the granddaddy of genre movies: the summer event film.

Writer/producer/director Jordan Peele on the set of Nope.

“I had this idea of making the Great American UFO movie — a flying saucer horror film,” Peele says. “And not only a flying saucer horror film, but really, the quintessential one.” Whatever you think NOPE is going to be as you enter the theater, you’re in for more than a few surprises where you’ll never look up at the sky in the same way ever again.

“I’m hopeful that people will look at clouds after this movie the way they looked at the surface of the ocean in Jaws,” says Peele.

WAMG offers up a list of alien invasion thrills for readers to check out before or even after you see NOPE, in theaters and IMAX, Friday, July 22.

CLOVERFIELD series

The popular series of CLOVERFIELD movies, which started with Matt Reeves’ 2008 Cloverfield, was a huge hit and a surprise to movie goers when the first teaser hit audiences prior to TRANSFORMERS screenings with images of the head of the Statue of Liberty hurtling toward unsuspecting New York City party goers. Just like it’s documentary, hand-held predecessor, the subsequent two films (Dan Trachtenberg’s 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE and Julius Onah‘s CLOVERFIELD PARADOX) were released to unaware audiences with fake production titles and a surprise debut on Superbowl Sunday with a trailer and announcement that the third film would air at the conclusion of the big game on Netflix. The mysterious Cloverfield universe, known as “Cloververse” featured monsters, both above in the skies and below in underground bunkers, that no one could escape from.

Streaming now on HBO Max and Netflix.

A QUIET PLACE series

John Krasinski did in Hollywood the almost unthinkable. The actor/director brought audiences an unique, new and horrifying movie going experience. The intimate story of one family trying to survive on their farm as the filmmaker’s A Quiet Place turned silence into the building blocks of fright and forged from the horror-thriller genre a modern fable of family love, communication and survival. With its mix of relentless tension and layered storytelling about a tight knit clan fending off an immensely destructive, sound attuned alien force, the film became a startling hit and cultural phenomenon. After the incredible reception for the first film, a series and franchise of humans VS “death angels” were born.

In PART 2, which picks up right where the first one ends, following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

Both films are now streaming on Paramount Plus and Prime Video.

EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS

Aliens are everywhere, and they’re attacking planet Earth in one of Ray Harryhausen’s most amazing stop-motion sci-fi classics. Dr. Russell Marvin (Hugh Marlowe) works for Operation Skyhook, a government task force sending rockets into space to probe for future space flights. But when the rockets begin mysteriously disappearing, Dr. Marvin investigates along with his wife Carol (Joan Taylor), only to find the rockets are being intercepted by an army of space aliens who give humanity an ultimatum: Loyalty or death! As the aliens begin attacking cities and landmarks across the Earth – including an unforgettable assault on Washington, D.C – its up to Dr.Marvin and his wife to figure out how to stop these diabolical creatures before its too late.

SIGNS

From writer/director M. Night Shyamalan, comes the story of the Hess family in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who wake up one morning to find a 500-foot crop circle in their backyard. Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) and his family are told extraterrestrials are responsible for the sign in their field. They watch, with growing dread, the news of crop circles being found all over the world. SIGNS is the emotional and intimate story of one family on one farm as they encounter the terrifying last moments of life as the world is being invaded. Night’s film is ultimately a story of faith that drives home the tagline “there are no coincidences.”

IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE

Amateur astronomer John Putnam (Richard Carlson) and his fiancée Ellen Fields (Barbara Rush) are stargazing in the desert when a spaceship bursts from the sky and crashes to the ground. Just before a landslide buries the ship, a mysterious creature emerges and disappears into the darkness. Of course, when he tells his story to the sheriff (Charles Drake), John is branded a crackpot; but before long, strange things begin to happen, and the tide of disbelief turns…Based on a story by acclaimed writer Ray Bradbury, “It Came From Outer Space” is a science fiction classic that is as thought-provoking and tantalizing today as it was when it first “landed” on the sliver screen.

UNDER THE SKIN

From visionary director Jonathan Glazer (SEXY BEAST, BIRTH) comes a stunning career transformation, a masterpiece of existential science fiction that journeys to the heart of what it means to be human, extraterrestrial — or something in between.

A voluptuous woman of unknown origin, okay an alien, (Scarlett Johansson) combs the highways in search of isolated or forsaken men, luring this succession of lost souls into an otherworldly lair. They are seduced, stripped of their humanity, and never heard from again. Johansson adjusts to life in new human skin, struggling to make sense of a world that is entirely foreign to her as her alien perspective melds with a human one. “It was a kind of metamorphosis, but there was also something metaphysical about playing this character,” Johansson explains. “It’s hard to put your finger on it and that was part of its appeal for me. This is not a genre movie. It’s more along the lines of an Ingmar Bergman drama in terms of its philosophical inquiry.” Based on the novel by Michel Faber (The Crimson Petal and the White), UNDER THE SKIN examines human experience from the perspective of an unforgettable heroine who grows too comfortable in her borrowed skin, until she is abducted into humanity with devastating results.

Streaming free on Pluto TV, Tubi, Crackle and VUDU

SKYLINE

Strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame, where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth. The great reveal at the end to director Liam O’Donnell’s sci-fi meet up with the aliens is that the hero, Jarrod, becomes one when his brain, glowing red instead of the usual aliens’ blue, is inserted into a new alien body thus defending his pregnant wife. SKYLINE was followed by two sequels, Beyond Skyline (2017) starring Frank Grillo and Skylines (2020) and fans were delighted in December 2020 when writer/director O’Donnell announced plans to continue the series, with plans to bring back the featured cast.

Skyline is playing on STARZ with a subscription; Beyond Skyline and Skylines (2020) are streaming on Netflix.

WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953)

Gene Barry (TV’s Bat Masterson) and Ann Robinson (TV’s Fury) are among the humans intrigued when a meteor-like object crashes to Earth … but its occupants are definitely not friendly. The assault on Earth is underway, and the Martian machines — hovering “swan”-shaped vehicles of destruction — are both beautiful and terrifying as they cut a relentless path of annihilation.

WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005)

Equally, if not more, frightening is director Steven Spielberg’s new take on the sci-fi classic. A contemporary retelling of H.G.Wells’ classic, the sci-fi thriller reveals the extraordinary battle for the future of humankind through the eyes of one American family. Fleeing from an extraterrestrial army of killer Tripods that annihilate everything in their path, Ray Ferrier (Cruise) races to keep his family safe. Features another terrific score from John Williams along with scenes of horrifying disaster from cinematographer and frequent Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kamiński.

Streaming now on Netflix.

THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD and THE THING (1982)

Staying with the theme of original and equally as good if not better, is THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD and THE THING.

In Howard Hawkes’ version, a UFO crashes near an isolated military base in the far Arctic. Scientists recover the craft’s now-frozen alien pilot and take it back to their base. While debating whether to study the alien, try to communicate with it or kill it, the pilot awakens–and the scientists’ question of if it is friend or foe is quickly answered.Now, trapped in a frozen wasteland with an unstoppable, nonhuman creature that sees them as prey, the small band of scientists come face to face with The Thing.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the remake by horror-master, John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from New York) teamed Kurt Russell’s outstanding performance with incredible visuals to build this chilling version of the classic THE THING. In the winter of 1982, a twelve-man research team at a remote Antarctic research station discovers an alien buried in the snow for over 100,000 years. Once unfrozen, the form-changing alien wreaks havoc, creates terror and becomes one of them. Over the decades it has become a cult classic and still sees much debate on which of the two remaining characters, Kurt Russell or Keith David, were The Thing.

Streaming on SHUDDER.

BATTLE LOS ANGELES

Witness the end of civilization unfold as hostile alien invaders attack the planet. As people everywhere watch the world’s great cities fall, Los Angeles becomes the last stand for mankind in a battle no one expected. Now it’s up to a Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his platoon to draw a line in the sand as they take on an enemy unlike any they’ve ever encountered in Jonathan Liebesman’s epic sci-fi action film.

Streaming on HBO Max.

EDGE OF TOMORROW

An alien race, undefeatable by any existing military unit, has launched a relentless attack on Earth, and Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) finds himself dropped into a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage is thrown into a time loop, forced to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again and again. Training alongside warrior Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), his skills slowly evolve, and each battle moves them one step closer to defeating the enemy in this fun action thriller.

BATTLESHIP

“They were here for one purpose… conquest.” Hey its an alien invasion movie so it had to make the list. An international naval coalition becomes the world’s last hope for survival as they engage a hostile alien force in Peter Berg’s BATTLESHIP. Think Saturday afternoon matinee filled with a killer soundtrack, lots of blowup explosions, out of this world VFX and the fact the film cast actual wounded veteran Greg Gadson as one of its heroes along with Vets who fought on a real battleship – the USS Missouri – during World War II.

20 Must-See Documentaries About Making Movies

As a young man of about 11 years of age, I first truly discovered the magic of the movies. It was more than just the youthful awe of watching cartoons and fun family films. It was shortly after seeing Who Framed Roger Rabbit, my first motion picture in an actual movie theater, that I began to realize there was more to this than what meets the eye. The “how did they do this bug” really started to settle into my imagination and I haven’t turned back since.

From that moment in time, I found I could not satisfy my endless appetite for movies. Granted, my taste was relatively limited at first to PG and PG-13 titles, for the most obvious of reasons, but that would not last long. Before I knew it, I was “discovering” R-rated films and expanding my taste into action, horror and science-fiction fare. From there, the sky was the limit.

Over time, all of this has led to a life in progress saturated with movies of all kinds. In high school, I began to consider a life creating special effects make-up for movies, then ultimately pursued film school to be a director. While that didn’t exactly pan out as expected, it did lead me into film criticism and a continued love of movies that was stronger than ever.

I was thinking about our current collective situation with COVID-19 keeping us all home and looking for ways to occupy ourselves and wanted to offer something in the process. Documentaries have become one of my favorite genres of movie, so I figured I’d share some that may help others understand my passion. Here are 20 must-see documentaries about making movies. I hope you enjoy.

1. PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH MARTIN SCORSESE THROUGH AMERICAN MOVIES, A (1995) – This epic documentary series runs 3 hours, 45 minutes and is a must see/must own for any self-prescribed film buff. The documentary itself is extremely well made, but having Martin Scorsese personally walk us through the history of cinema as related to his own personal experience, just adds an invaluable layer of authenticity to the entire series. Sadly, this is not available to stream anywhere that I have found, for free or two rent/purchase. The only way you’ll see this one is by purchasing the 3-disc set on DVD. Amazon usually has someone selling a copy for between $20-$25 and it’s not available on Blu-ray. This is something I currently hold sacred to my own personal collection and have watched it beginning-to-end at least three times, so far. This is like taking a college-level Film History lecture course in your own home, taught by one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time.

2. IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS: A JOURNEY INTO ICONIC 80S HORROR (2019) – This is the newest addition to my list, having only recently been distributed online and in physical media to those who funded the Kickstarter campaign for the making of the film. This documentary has an epic 4-hour, 30-minute run-time and covers the entire 80s decade in horror cinema in chronological order. The film features a candy store full of interviews with the who’s who in horror and, despite its length, maintains a playful sense of fun and fascination. Written and directed by David A. Weiner, we can tell this was a labor of love and thank goodness for crowd-funding, as I don’t see any other way this was likely to get made. Unfortunately, the film is not available to stream, rent or purchase to the general public, however the original soundtrack is available to stream on Amazon. This is one of a handful of “limited-length campaign” project from Creator VC, who are currently in the early stages of funding a similar documentary about 80 science-fiction films. My hope is that, at some point, this becomes more openly available for the general audience to experience.

3. THE STORY OF FILM: AN ODYSSEY (2011) – When I tell you that I’m somewhat obsessed with movies, it’s really not that much of an exaggeration. Sure, I love to watch movies, but I’m just as fascinated with the process and history. In many ways, it’s a way of life, not just a hobby. Perhaps the most crucial yet unknown entry onto this list, this 15-episode television mini-series is narrated by film critic and historian Mark Cousins, whose knowledge is rivaled only by his oddly alluring, accented voice. The series spans the entire history of film from across the globe, not just American film. The series dispels a number of myths and misunderstandings about the history, span and influence of this modern art form. If A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese was a college-level lecture course, The Story of Film is your Master’s study. I have watched this entire series through and through 2-3 times, but have played it in the background allowing the audio to seep into my celluloid soul many more times. Ironically, this is probably one of the most obscure, but most accessible entries on this list. Currently available to stream for free on Hulu, and has been for literally years (as that’s my go-to venue for accessing the series). If you don’t have Hulu, it’s also currently available to “borrow” from Hoopla and Kanopy, both of which are free services that allow you to temporarily “rent” content for free, so long as you have a current library card/membership. Finally, if you prefer to own your content, you can purchase the standard definition download of the series from Amazon.

4. HEARTS OF DARKNESS: A FILMMAKER’S APOCALYPSE (1991) – Francis Ford Coppola is arguably one of the greatest filmmaker’s alive today, and perhaps of all-time, but not everyone loves him. Much like William Friedkin, Coppola has had his struggles and made his enemies over the years due to his often difficult and controversial style of high-demand filmmaking. This documentary chronicles the most extreme example of the filmmaker’s tumultuous history with a detailed account of the making of Apocalypse Now. This film is gritty, raw, revealing and incredibly honest in its sincerity about what went down in order to make an auteur’s vision come to life. For a number of years, this was an extremely elusive film to get your hands on, but with the advent of digital streaming and technology and the growing hunger from fans for collector’s edition DVD and Blu-ray releases filled with hours of special features, the film is no longer like finding Bigfoot. Co-directed by Fax Bahr and St. Louis-native George Hickenlooper, this documentary is available to rent/purchase on a number of steaming services, including Amazon, Youtube, Google Play,             Apple and Vudu. At one time, I owned both the original VHS and DVD releases, both of which are now out-of-print. The DVD alone will run you about $50 on the used market. Currently, I own the Apocalypse Now Full Disclosure Edition Blu-ray set, which includes Apocalypse Now, Apocalypse Now Redux and Hearts of Darkness, available for purchase on Amazon.

5. BURDEN OF DREAMS (1982) – I had the pleasure of attending a lecture from filmmaker Les Blank a number of years ago before he passed, which included the screening of a number of his short films. Prior to this, I had only been aware of his work on Burden of Dreams through my fascination with the films and career of German filmmaker Werner Herzog. Burden of Dreams is a 1-hour, 35-minute documentary that combines the grass roots style of documentary filmmaking from Les Blank with the insane genius of a young Werner Herzog, capturing the madness that was the making of Fitzcarraldo, an ambitious and seemingly impossible endeavor by Herzog. Much like the subject of the film, Herzog pushed himself and the crew beyond reasonable expectations to see his vision become reality. Blank was there for the whole thing, capturing countless hours of footage as it happened to construct one of the most intimate and revealing portraits of an artist spiraling out of control into the abyss created by his creativity. I personally owned Burden of Dreams on VHS for many years until my dreams came true and Criterion Collection picked it up and released it as a wonderful DVD package, which is still currently available. Burden of Dreams is also currently available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon, or free to stream on The Criterion Collection paid service, or through Kanopy with a current library card/membership.

6. AMERICAN MOVIE (1999) – Oddly enough, this amusing documentary directed by Chris Smith is incredibly hard to get your hands on, but if you can, it’s so worth the effort. This is the story of an aspiring filmmaker’s journey to somehow finance his dream project of finally completing his low-budget horror film he had previously abandoned years before. The filmmaker named Mark Borchardt, is the consummate amateur, indie filmmaker and, if not having the knowledge prior to entering into this viewing experience, many would assume this was just a fictional comedy, or mockumentary. American Movie is 100% real-life, authentic documentation of a midwestern dude just trying to fulfill his dreams. For that reason alone, it’s an incredibly engaging story, while also often being hilarious. I remember when this was not that difficult to find on VHS, but over the years as it’s fanbase has increased and its footprint on cult film fandom has grown, the now out-of-print VHS will run you anywhere from $50-$100 on eBay. American Movie is not currently streaming or available to rent/purchase digitally through any service I have seen, so far.

7. LOST IN LA MANCHA (2002) – Talk about life imitating art, imitating life… Legendary filmmaker Terry Gilliam has had more than his share of difficulty getting his films made over his decades-long career. Lost in La Mancha, as a result, also found difficulty being made, as it chronicled the making and ultimate failure of Gilliams’ quest to bring his take on Don Quixote to the big screen. Another example of how a film can often be valuable as a document of history over an artistic achievement, the filmmakers did manage to piece together a relatively solid documentary, despite the chaos and confusion. Until this film, Gilliam was a typically private and reclusive artist, much like Stanley Kubrick, but Lost in La Mancha breaks the creative silence and finally allows fans the opportunity to peer inside his wildly, if not troubled, creative process. Lost in la Mancha is not currently streaming for free on any service, but is available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon and Apple. If you’re more of hands on person the prefers owning physical media, the Lost in La Mancha pre-owned DVD is generally available for under $10 on eBay.

8. DANGEROUS DAYS: MAKING BLADE RUNNER (2007) – It’s 1981 and one of the most loves and influential science-fiction films of all times hits theaters… and, it bombs. Fortunately, we have collectively reinserted our brains into our empty headpieces over the years and discovered the value of this film. Of course, years of controversy, filmmaker-studio rivalries, remasters and recuts, folktales and filmmakers accounts, the reputation and lore of the film’s making has certainly helped raise the film’s notoriety and popularity. While this documentary never received a theatrical release, or even its own home video release, to my knowledge, it is available if you go looking for it. The number of different versions and releases of Blade Runner could make the newbie’s head spin, but some of them do include this recent and definitive documentary to end all Blade Runner documentaries. Personally, I currently own the 2007 Blade Runner 5-disc Complete Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release, which includes 9-hours of special features, amongst them being this 3-hour, 34-minute film. Bits and pieces can be found on YouTube, but due to its length, you may need to spring for one of the physical release copies.

9. JODOROWSKY’S DUNE (2013) – To most people, the name Alejandro Jodorowsky has no meaning, but in the realm of relevance to fascinating cult filmmaking, he holds legendary status. Back in the day when Frank Herbert’s novel Dune first got greenlit for the big screen, David Lynch was tapped to direct, but was ultimately unhappy with the result, due in part to studio interference. While I personally enjoy the Lynch film, I also understand the mixed feelings. This documentary however, reveals what might have been if Jodorowsky had won his bid to make the film. Using extensive interviews with the filmmaker and an unparalleled access to countless examples of concept art for his vision, we realize that the awesome weirdness of Lynch’s vision paled in comparison to what Jodorowsky had in store for fans, had he been cut loose and allowed to run free with this fantastic property. Directed by Frank Pavitch, it’s a pretty straight-forward talking head documentary with mostly interview footage and lots of cutaway shots to artwork, but it’s the incredible nuggets of insight into the filmmaker’s ideas that are what make this worthwhile. Jodorowsky’s Dune is not streaming for free anywhere, but it is currently available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon, Fandango Now, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play, and Apple. There is a Blu-ray/DVD combo release out there, but it’s not very common. I’ve seen them occasionally sell for about $25 on eBay.

10. VISIONS OF LIGHT: THE ART OF CINEMATOGRAPHY (1992) – What is film without light? Essentially, it’s nothing. Light is the most essential element in filmmaking and the responsibility of capturing and mastering that light to create a motion picture falls on the shoulders of the cinematographer. Visions of Light is a documentary that dives into the world of the cinematographer, recounting the history of the craft and the influence of the greats, past and present. Never before or sense, have I found another film even remotely as in-depth and appealing as this to celebrate the person as equally important to the director, but rarely given as much of the credit. Coincidentally, this was one of the very first DVD movies I purchased for my collection when the technology in home video first took hold. Sadly, as many of us do, years ago I fell on hard times and sold off much of my collection. I sure wish I hadn’t, because now the DVD is long, LOOONG out of print and goes for about $100 on Amazon and eBay, when you can find a copy for sale. Fortunately, I recently reacquired the DVD off eBay from Goodwill for a mere $22 (sorry, not sorry) and am now whole, once more. As I’m sure you have already guessed, Visions of Light is not officially streaming anywhere, for free or otherwise. However, here’s a tip, but you didn’t hear it from me… Visions of Light is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube (for now) and it’s not a terrible quality transfer, either.

11. OVERNIGHT (2003) – In case you were wondering, “Where is Netflix in all of this,” I can officially tell you this is not where *Netflix comes into the picture. Crazy, right? Anyway, Overnight is a documentary co-directed by Troy Montana and Mark Brian Smith. The documentary tells the turbulent story of Troy Duffy, contemporary bad boy director of the Boondock Saints movies. This film tells what happened in the process of getting the first film made and the aftermath that followed. Overnight takes the viewer on the Hollywood roller coaster from a 20-something Boston dude named Duffy landing a dream deal with Miramax to get his film made, to how they ultimately pulled the plug on his career and blasting a hole in his rapidly ascending hot-air balloon of “overnight” success. On the other hand, it’s also revealed that Duffy had no small part in self-sabotaging his career, but every fight has two sides, right? As my grandfather would say, “it takes two to tango.” Overnight is available to stream for free on Hoopla with a current library card/membership, but is also available to rent/purchase on Amazon, YouTube, Google Play and Apple. For those of you determined to own a physical copy, there was a DVD release with limited availability that usually goes for $10 or less. *On a side note, I could be wrong, but I believe this was streaming on Netflix for a while, years ago, but not anymore.

12. THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD (2018) Woohoo! Now, finally, I can say Netflix has a role in this list. I realize it took a while, but that unwavering commitment and patience has finally paid off. Who doesn’t love Orsen Welles? [crickets] All right, I hear all of you film buffs back in the corner, but most people hear that name and probably convey a blank look. For those of us who eat, sleep and breath cinema, he’s a legend. So often considered, arguably, the greatest filmmaker of all-time, Oren Welles is a fascinating character in real life, despite what you may think of his movies. No, this is not necessarily a documentary about Welles, but at the same time it is… confused? Yes, I expected that. Much like his life and his films, this documentary is not just one thing, but many mixed together with a plot that shifts and turns and bewilders. This documentary details the story behind Welles’ final film, The Other Side of the Wind,” which technically he never finished, but with help from his friends, colleagues and yes, Netflix, has been completed and was released simultaneously with this documentary. Both films are steaming exclusively on Netflix and boy-oh-boy, what a double feature this is for the consummate cinephile. This film cannot be purchased digitally or on physical media.

13. LOST SOUL: THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (2014) – Richard Stanley is a filmmaker beloved by cult and genre fans, but is little known otherwise. His tragic experience trying to make his Island of Dr. Moreau film did not help, leading to personal and professional hardships. However, this documentary directed by David Gregory has certainly helped rekindle the fans’ passion and the indie-cult genre’s desire to see him rise again like a Phoenix out of the cinematic ashes. Currently set to direct his second film adapted from a Lovecraft story after the relative success of Color Out of Space, Stanley may finally be getting the recognition he deserves. Lost Soul takes us back to witness the Hell that was production on his Island of Dr. Moreau film and does so in spades. This is a story you have to see to believe, explaining in great detail why this was the unfortunate turning point in Stanley’s career, squashing his rising star after making his films Hardware (1990) and Dust Devil (1992) which captured the hearts of genre fans. Stanley was a director on the studio radars, until they and certain cast members had a hand in sabotaging his first big-budget studio endeavor. Personally, I feel Stanley is a filmmaker who shines with the indie spirit, uncaged by financial freedom. Lost Soul is currently streaming for free on Amazon Prime Video and Hoopla. It’s also available for rent/purchase on Amazon, YouTube, Google Play, Fandango Now, Vudu and Apple. Lost Soul is not available on DVD or Blu-ray in the US, but if you have a region-free player, there is was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia and the UK.

14. THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED (2006) – This documentary is a snarky, ball-busting expose of the MPAA motion picture rating system. Few documentaries are equally as fun and frustrating to watch as this one, especially f you’re really into movies like I am, because some of us already realized how ridiculous the entire system is and this film just further proves our point. Director Kirby Dick pulls no punches in this film and lays it all out on the table. This may all sound risqué, but honestly, this film is tame compared to some of the director’s other films, which are equally good and far more, um… tantalizing. Hmm… maybe his personal experience is what drove him to making this film. Food for thought. Strap in and just try putting your objective blinders on while watching this one. This Film is not Yet Rated is not streaming anywhere I could find, except on YouTube (wink, wink). There was a DVD release that can be found on eBay and Amazon, which I’ve seen go for anywhere from $6 to $45… don’t ask me to explain.

15. CORMAN’S WORLD: EXPLOITS OF A HOLLYWOOD REBEL (2011) – If I asked you who has been the most influential person in motion pictures of the last 50 years, who would you say… Spielberg, Lucas, Scorsese? What if I told you it was Roger Corman? That’s right. Sure, he may have made schlocky films of varying degrees of quality, but the truth is he made a LOT of movies and every one of them was a financial success. With that said, countless filmmakers and actors have Roger Corman to thank for getting their start and virtually all of them will tell you what they learned from working with Corman was priceless. This documentary details the life, career and influence of Roger Corman on the art, business and culture of filmmaking. Directed by Alex Stapleton, the film deep dives into not only Corman’s own stories, but the stories of many of his protegees and colleagues throughout his 60+ year career, including insights and memories from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Joe Dante, Ron Howard and many more. This is an entertaining celebration of a man hellbent on making a successful financial career out of filmmaking and became a cultural icon in the process. Corman’s World is not streaming for free on any service, but is available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon, Apple and Vudu. Corman’s World also sells for between $8-$15 for the DVD and Blu-ray releases.

16. STANLEY KUBRICK: A LIFE IN PICTURES (2001) – Often touted as one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time, director Stanley Kubrick was equally talented and reclusive, controversial and private. Despite the fact that he made only 13 feature-length films over a 48-year career, few filmmakers can equal the overall level of mastery and art that each and every one of his films conveys. Kubrick was a true auteur and was driven by his determination to create his vision, everyone else be damned. This film chronicles Kubrick’s life and career, much like a well-written biography, assembled with the care and attention to detail that reminds the viewer of Kubrick’s own films. A Life in Pictures is the ultimate motion picture reference for the Kubrick fan. This film is not streaming for free on any service, but is available for rent/purchase on Amazon, Apple and RedBox. There was also a stand-alone DVD release that can be purchased from $6-$45, depending on who you buy it from… I guess. However, if you’re the kind of Kubrick fan I am, you’ll go fork out the $100-$150 for the 2011 10-disc Blu-ray Stanley Kubrick Limited Edition Collection box set, which includes this documentary, and just be happy.

17. ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS (2014) – Do you know the names Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus? Well, you’re about to learn these are the two men primarily responsible for Cannon Films, a powerhouse of genre filmmaking in the 80s. Cannon was responsible for many of the films from the 80s we love to hate and hate to love, including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Superman IV and Masters of the Universe, amongst many others of varying quality and cult status. Electric Boogaloo finally tells the official story of how these two men bucked the odds and lived the Hollywood dream. The documentary chronicles the unlikely rise and ultimate failure of Cannon Films, including numerous filmmaker and celebrity interviews. This film is not just informative, but it’s loads of fun to watch. Nostalgia is high for my generation when watching this film, so watch it with your and witness their bewildered reactions to what you watched as a kid. Electric Boogaloo is not streaming for free on any service, but is available to rent/purchase on what seems to be virtually every VOD venue out there right now. There were also DVD and Blu-ray releases in the US and foreign markets, still randomly available at various price points.

18. BEST WORST MOVIE (2009) – Troll 2 was a terrible sequel to the otherwise average-decent first film, Troll, but is a quintessential “so bad its good” viewing requirement. Best Worst Movie isn’t just a documentary about the making of Troll 2, but it’s also a coming of age story for Michael Paul Stephenson, a child actor who starred in Troll 2 and grew up to make the feature-length documentary about Troll 2. A film crowned the “worst movie of all time” by some, Troll 2 is not a cult favorite and rite of passage for lovers of bad genre film. Coincidentally, Best Worst Movie has also garnered its own cult movie status with fans and together, the two films join forces to offer one of the most absurdly entertaining, gut-busting, crowd-pleasing double features ever conceived. The story of how the film was made is just as crazy and unbelievable as the film’s story itself, and this documentary captured the heart of it all with modest perfection. Best Worst Movie is streaming for free on Amazon Prime and Tubi. The film is available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon and Apple. Best Worst Movie had a couple DVD releases that range from $5-$20 on eBay, but is not currently available to buy on Amazon.

19. THAT MOMENT: MAGNOLIA DIARY (2000) – Here’s the rare gem of the lot, in that there’s only two ways to watch this one. That Moment a documentary that gives a fascinating glimpse into the making of Magnolia, a film by modern master filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, who also directed Boogie Nights, Punch-Drunk Love and There Will Be Blood. Magnolia is an incredible film and has garnered a very loyal following. That Moment is a 112-minute documentary originally only available of a special feature on the DVD and Blu-ray releases, but has sense become fairly readily available on YouTube in its entirety and in parts. With that said, you never really know when things like this will disappear, so try to check this out while you can, if you don’t own a physical copy that includes this documentary. In my opinion, Paul Thomas Anderson is the closest thing to this generation’s Stanley Kubrick we have and That Moment serves as a great insight into the mind of a master at work.

20. MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN (2014) – Perhaps my least favorite entry on this list, I still found this documentary worthy of viewing. The film chronicles filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn during production and release of his film Only God Forgives (2013). The documentary is directed by Refn’s wife, Liv Corfixen, and gives the viewer a glimpse inside the mind and workings of one of the most interesting, if not controversial and polarizing filmmaker’s working today. For many, the career (so far) of Refn holds a love/hate relationship. For many fans of film, they either love or hate him as a director, but I personally fall in the middle. I feel his films range from iconic to pretentious, but his talent and vision cannot be argued, in my opinion. Running a mere 58-minutes, the film shows that Corfixen is not a filmmaker at heart, but despite its artistic failures, the film serves as a valuable document of the process and allows us to witness what few are allowed in the world of filmmaking… the difficult and often unpleasant truth behind the golden veil of Hollywood.

Panning for Gold: Discovering the New Golden Era of the Western

Perhaps the only genre of film that has ever feared the status of going extinct is the western. For many, it may seem that’s already the case. Believe it or not, this quintessential American genre of filmmaking is still holding on by its bootstraps.

However, despite the abundant history of western movies, the bulk of the filmography pre-dates the 1960s. I argue that the modern era is the true golden age of the western and the showcase for what potential the genre holds.

For me, the western is the epitome of quantity over quality. Prior to the 1960s, the Hollywood machine churned out countless examples of mostly formulaic flicks. Only a select portion of these deserved any significant praise.

Our contemporary fare, however, shows the opposite to be very true. As uncommon as it is to see a new western film hit theaters, or even direct-to-streaming, we find a much higher ratio of quality attached to these films.

Relative to the sheer number of titles in the genre, I far more frequently pleased with the outcome of the modern western than I am discovering an old one for the first time. One theory is obvious, given we have virtually no rules of content anymore, in comparison to the pre-1960s motion picture codes of decency.

More directly, I feel like the ease of access to technology and resources and relatively lower cost of filmmaking is what has reintroduced modern filmmakers to this genre. Indie filmmakers have especially found the western to be a rich and fertile playground.

So much of the western focuses on the actor and location. The western typically is not subject to the burdens of special effects. This is a genre once known for lacking involved plots or any real character development, instead focusing on action and popcorn entertainment.

Now, it’s an opportunity for eager writers and filmmakers to take a dying genre and infuse it with fresh blood. This has proven time and again to be a vibrant, often volatile cocktail, leading to powerful and occasionally controversial storytelling.

Consider taking some time during this time of quarantine to introduce yourself to some great new films and a few legendary classics of the genre. I’ve developed a list of some of the best western movies currently streaming for free, current as of April 1st, 2020.

With all the gritty, gunslinging and riding off into the sunsets available in the list below, remember this is just a drop in the bucket of the greatness that is the modern western. Amongst the many options not currently available to stream for free include, but are not limited to The Wild Bunch, Silverado, Unforgiven and Maverick. Another point of interest that I chose not to include are the modern crossover westerns, such as the comedy/western Blazing Saddles or the vampire/western Near Dark. Finally, if you blow through this list and need more, there are a slew of spaghetti westerns from Italian filmmakers available online, many of which are streaming from the Amazon Prime catalogue, but beware, as many are of poor transfer quality.

(*Hoopla and *Kanopy are free apps that allow you to “borrow” and stream books, movies and music for FREE with a valid library membership card.)

1. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968) – Netflix, Prime, Crackle

2. THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS (2018) – Netflix

3. BONE TOMAHAWK (2015) – Prime

4. THE HATEFUL EIGHT (2015) – Netflix

5. WALKER (1987) – *Hoopla

6. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) – Prime

7. THE PROPOSITION (2005) – Prime

8. THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY (1966) – Prime

9. TRUE GRIT (1969) – Netflix, Prime

10. TRUE GRIT (2011) – Prime, Hulu

11. THE SISTERS BROTHERS (2018) – Hulu

12. THE KEEPING ROOM (2014) – Prime, Vudu

13. MEEK’S CUTOFF (2010) – Prime, Hulu

14. SLOW WEST (2015) – Netflix, *Hoopla, *Kanopy

15. THE LONG RIDERS (1980) – Tubi, Prime

16. BAD COMPANY (1972) – Prime, Hulu

17. STAGECOACH (1939) – Prime

18. SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO (2007) – Prime

19. THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995) – Crackle

20. THE HOMESMAN (2014) – Prime, Hulu

15 Films To Catch While Waiting For A QUIET PLACE PART II

Evelyn (Emily Blunt) braves the unknown in “A Quiet Place Part II.”

This Friday fans would’ve seen the opening of the highly anticipated A QUIET PLACE PART II. But with cinemas nationwide closed, and people self-quarantining due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moviegoers are watching films through the various streaming services.

Paramount’s announcement from last week:

“After much consideration, and in light of the ongoing and developing situation concerning coronavirus and restrictions on global travel and public gatherings, Paramount Pictures will be moving the worldwide release of A Quiet Place Part II.  We believe in and support the theatrical experience, and we look forward to bringing this film to audiences this year once we have a better understanding of the impact of this pandemic on the global theatrical marketplace.”

The studios have decided to get their movies to the public via rentals or purchase.

Sony is releasing BLOODSHOT early to buy:

“Given unprecedented theater closures nationwide, Columbia Pictures has set the sale date of Bloodshot on EST (electronic sell through) for March 24, 2020. The Valiant comic-book property will be available for digital purchase for a suggested retail price of $19.99 in the U.S. with all leading digital retailers. International digital sale dates will be solidified in the days ahead with territory-specific COVID-19 impact considerations.

“Sony Pictures is firmly committed to theatrical exhibition and we support windowing,” said Tom Rothman, Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group. “This is a unique and exceedingly rare circumstance where theaters have been required to close nationwide for the greater good and Bloodshot is abruptly unavailable in any medium. Audiences will now have the chance to own Bloodshot right away and see it at home, where we are all spending more time. We are confident that — like other businesses hit hard by the virus — movie theaters will bounce back strongly, and we will be there to support them.”

Based on the bestselling comic book, Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison, a soldier recently killed in action and brought back to life as the superhero Bloodshot by the RST corporation. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he’s an unstoppable force –stronger than ever and able to heal instantly. But in controlling his body, the company has sway over his mind and memories, too. Now, Ray doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not – but he’s on a mission to find out.”

The Invisible Man, Birds of Prey, Emma and The Hunt will be available to home audiences TODAY Friday, March 20.The films willl be available to watch on a wide variety of on-demand platforms starting Friday, at a suggested price of $19.99 for a 48-hour viewing window.

THE INVISIBLE MAN (Review) https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B084SDJ2ST/ref=atv_hm_hom_4_c_N2mPGu_MhN98U_2_1

EMMA (Review) https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B084PY4S4Z/ref=atv_hm_hom_4_c_N2mPGu_rZssnR_2_2

THE HUNT (Review) https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B085N5RWKZ/ref=atv_hm_hom_4_c_N2mPGu_bWE9do_2_3

It’s also been announced that Trolls World Tour will be Universal’s first day-and-date release, available Friday, April 10. Other popular titles available now or coming soon to VOD include Little Women, Jumanji: The Next Level, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Here are the on-demand services that will offer the three movies:

Amazon Prime

Apple’s iTunes

Comcast

Vudu

Google Play

YouTube

FandangoNow

DirecTV

Charter

Dish

Cox

Altice

Verizon

Sony

Frontier

Walt Disney Studios announced today that Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” will be available to buy digitally and on Movies Anywhere beginning today at 5:00PM PST/ 8:00PM EST and on Disney+ on April 3 in the U.S.

Review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2020/03/onward-review/

The film premiered in theaters on March 6 and earned rave reviews from audiences, including a 95% Verified Audience Score on RottenTomatoes. With cinemas currently impacted by closures due to the global health crisis, Disney will offer the film ahead of schedule to purchase on digital platforms in the U.S. beginning today at 5:00PM PST /8:00PM EST for $19.99.

Marcus (Noah Jupe) braves the unknown in “A Quiet Place Part II.”

WAMG is hoping that Paramount Pictures considers releasing John Krasinski’s sequel to buy or rent via streaming services.

Synopsis: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence.  Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path. Stars Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe and Djimon Hounsou.

Regan (Millicent Simmonds) braves the unknown in “A Quiet Place Part II.”

In the meantime, here’s a list of 15 films you can catch that feature both monsters as well as post-apocalyptic themes. Some are free with the streaming services subscription while others are available to rent.

A QUIET PLACE – Amazon Prime and HULU

https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Place-Emily-Blunt/dp/B07BYSTXMF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=344V4GQQWTJWJ&keywords=a+quiet+place&qid=1584718315&s=movies-tv&sprefix=a+qui%2Cinstant-video%2C354&sr=1-1

https://www.hulu.com/movie/a-quiet-place-dd89e42d-56b8-497e-b108-bbc0ac89c82f

28 DAYS LATER – HULU https://www.hulu.com/movie/28-days-later-83d001f9-979e-4a5b-99c1-95def26fed72?entity_id=83d001f9-979e-4a5b-99c1-95def26fed72

BIRDBOX – Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/80196789

CLOVERFIELD – Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/70082268

TRAIN TO BUSAN – Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/80117824

IT COMES AT NIGHT – Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/80174959

ATTACK THE BLOCK – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdQU9xk2ZqU

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH starring Vincent Price, THE OMEGA MAN starring Charlton Heston — Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/Last-Man-Earth-Vincent-Price/dp/B07DMRC834/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+last+man+on+earth&qid=1584713058&s=instant-video&sr=1-1

I AM LEGEND – FUBO TV https://www.fubo.tv/lp/program/MV002001050000/?al=al1%3Fv%3D1%26a%3Dplay%26t%3Dprogram%26pid%3DMV002001050000%26o%3D0

WORLD WAR Z – Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B00F91H666/ref=atv_dl_rdr

CARGO – Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/80161216

TWELVE MONKEYS – HULU https://www.hulu.com/movie/12-monkeys-87dab8ef-1279-47cd-a587-315c58ecd4a1?entity_id=87dab8ef-1279-47cd-a587-315c58ecd4a1

CHILDREN OF MEN – HULU https://www.hulu.com/movie/children-of-men-b83bfcac-d1a7-4df4-a3cc-4fa52d8c009d?entity_id=b83bfcac-d1a7-4df4-a3cc-4fa52d8c009d

THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN – Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B00D5UK7FA/ref=atv_dl_rdr

THE BEST MOVIES OF THE DECADE (2010 – 2019)

It was the best of times… it was the worst of times. 2010 through 2019 saw dramatic climate changes, unconventional leadership choices to the political landscape and walls being built to further divide cultures.

When we came together, we came together strong.

Our world witnessed many extraordinary things such as a 16 year girl succeeding in turning vague anxieties about the planet into a worldwide movement calling for global change, in 2015 same-sex marriage became legal, millions attended the Women’s March in 2017, in 2018 mankind experienced a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse, while in April of 2019, we got our first glimpse of the most mysterious spectacle in the universe: the black hole.

Political commentary was the focus of many mainstream movies, sociological topics metaphorically took the form of horror films while creatures past present and future captured the zeitgeist of the past decade. The eighth and final installment in the Harry Potter film series — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 — hit theaters on July 15, 2011 and the greatest superheroes in the universe series concluded with a mighty one-two punch and epic win in Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

One hundred years prior, from 1910 – 1920, the silver screen entertained audiences with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Birth of a Nation and the first film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. We’ve come very far in a century of film-going.

Before we ring in the New Year and kick off the new decade of the Roaring 2020’s, the staff of WAMG looks at our favorite films of the last decade.

The Social Network

Michael:

  1. The Social Network – “What the hell am I doing here? I don’t belong here.” The lyrics of “Creep” by Radiohead echoed through the trailer as a choir of children sung the haunting lyrics without knowing what their futures lives will feel like on the internet. In many ways, no one knew what Facebook would turn into – not even Mark Zuckerberg. And that’s one of the many points of David Fincher’s THE SOCIAL NETWORK. It’s the origin story of a technological beast that has consumed our lives and morphed into something no one saw coming. Through Aaron Sorkin’s fast-paced, razor-sharp dialogue, we learn of its creator’s blind ignorance and see his unhappiness unfold, despite the cocky, all-knowing persona he exhibits to the world. We are all Mark Zuckerberg living behind a screen that projects a false happiness, and as Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross’s digital score looms over the precedings, it’s a reminder that this beast has become sentient and is now in control… not us.
  2. Mad Max: Fury Road
  3. The Tree of Life
  4. The Wolf of Wall Street
  5. Boyhood
  6. Holy Motors
  7. High-Rise
  8. The Shape of Water
  9. Upstream Color
  10. Get Out

Honorable Mentions: Inside Llewyn Davis, Moonlight, Mandy

Credit: Warner Brothers Pictures

Tom:

  1. Mad Max Fury Road – the movie every action fan had been waiting for since THE ROAD WARRIOR, was pure dynamite, with enough wit and ingenuity to put all recent action films to shame. Director George Miller staged his film as one long, gonzo action set piece, mostly involving custom vehicles of death barreling down deserted post-apocalyptic highways at breakneck speeds, brilliantly sustaining an edge-of-your-seat 120-minute chase with crisp editing, sharp photography by John Seale, and a pounding music score by Junkie XL.
  2. Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood
  3. Life Of Pi
  4. Dunkirk
  5. Hacksaw Ridge
  6. Birdman: The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance
  7. Django Unchained
  8. The Shape Of Water
  9. Under The Skin
  10. The Mule
Twentieth Century Fox’s “War for the Planet of the Apes.”

Michelle:

  1. The Planet of the Apes Trilogy (2011, 2014, 2017) – Andy Serkis’ amazing performance, the incredible VFX work done by Weta Digital and composers Patrick Doyle and Michael Giacchino’s beautiful and epic score brought an emotional quality for fans of the sci-fi franchise.
  2. A Quiet Place (2018)
  3. John Wick Series (2014, 2017, 2019)
  4. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
  5. Logan (2017)
  6. Dunkirk (2017)
  7. The Tree of Life (2011)
  8. Get Out (2017)
  9. Interstellar (2014)
  10. World War Z (2013)

Honorable Mentions: MCU Films (2008 – 2019), Alita Battle Angel, Edge of Tomorrow, Inception, Moneyball, Looper.

Photo Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures. © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

Jim:

  1. The Shape of Water (2017) – Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece is a delightful mix of romance, comedy, thrills, social commentary, nostalgia, classic monsters, and even 30’s musicals that perfectly combine to make a passionate love letter to the magic of motion pictures.
  2. La La Land (2016)
  3. Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)
  4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse (2018)
  5. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
  6. Bridesmaids (2011)
  7. Argo (2012)
  8. Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood (2019)
  9. The Artist (2011)
  10. Drive (2011)

Honorable Mentions: Hugo (2011), Life of Pi (2012), American Hustle (2013), Spotlight (2015), Whiplash (2014)

A restored and colorized image showing a moment from Peter Jackson’s acclaimed WWI documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Cate:

  1. They Shall Not Grow Old – Peter Jackson brings all his LORD OF THE RINGS technical wizardry to bear in a jaw-dropping transformation of old silent black-and-white WWI footage into an astounding pristine, full-color, speed-corrected, 3D sound film. Genius is the only word for it. Going way beyond restoration, the documentary showcases what current technology can really do, while also giving us a glimpse into the experiences of ordinary British soldiers in that first modern war. Best seen with its companion “making of” documentary, where Jackson describes the cinema magic used for feat, THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD also is a perfect companion to this year’s hit WWI drama 1917.
  2. 1917
  3. The Revenant
  4. The Favorite
  5. BlacKkKlansman
  6. The Grand Budapest Hotel
  7. The Big Short
  8. Birdman
  9. Embrace Of The Serpent
  10. 12 Years A Slave

Honorable Mentions: Ex Machina, Incendies, The Post, Blue Jasmine, Spotlight, The Descendants, Handmaiden, Black Swan, Apollo 11, Get Out, Honeyland

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Stephen:

  1. The Tree of Life – Incredibly broad in scope, yet insanely specific in experience, The Tree of Life is a beautiful answer to the questions of why bad things keep happening and why we should keep going?
  2. Okja
  3. Two Days, One Night
  4. Phantom Thread
  5. Phoenix
  6. Under the Skin
  7. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
  8. Beyond the Hills
  9. The Turin Horse
  10. Cosmos

Honorable Mentions: Inherent Vice, Shoplifters, Raw, Knight of Cups, A Separation

Celebrate Apollo 11’s 50th Anniversary With These Films

Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifts off with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. at 9:32 a.m. EDT July 16, 1969, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A

It’s been exactly 50 years since the U.S. launched Apollo 11, the first mission to land men on the moon.

Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969.

“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”

See these films as we celebrate to 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11’s historic mission to the moon.

For All Mankind, a superb 1989 documentary film by Al Reinert about the Apollo program (1969–1972).

https://www.amazon.com/All-Mankind-Neil-Armstrong/dp/B004BQTEGA/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5S09S9184CAC&keywords=for+all+mankind&qid=1563568375&s=instant-video&sprefix=for+all+ma%2Cprime-instant-video%2C144&sr=1-1

Apollo 11, a 2019 documentary film by Todd Douglas Miller with restored footage of the 1969 event.

Chasing the Moon, a July, 2019, PBS three-night six-hour documentary examined the events leading up to the Apollo 11 mission. An accompanying book of the same name was also released.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/chasing-moon/

The Right Stuff shows the early days of NASA’s Mercury program is one of the best narrative films on the subject.

The Last Man on the Moon is the story of one of the very few men who went to the moon not only once, but twice. He first went to the moon on the Apollo 10 mission. It was the dress rehearsal for Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 landing on the Moon. His next flight was Apollo 17, the last time men would go to the moon. Riding aboard a Saturn V rocket, the largest and most powerful and impressive rocket that ever successfully flew, he was on man’s last mission to explore earth’s closest neighbor. The first moon landing had one moonwalk which lasted a little over two hours. He had three moonwalks, averaging around 6 hours each. He drove an electric car on the moon, saw and recovered orange soil on the lunar surface, and stood next to lunar boulders that were larger than a house.

There is a small, elite club – with only 12 members. These are the men who actually walked on the moon. They were able to stand on the “ground” and with their own eyes, look up and see the earth. He is one of them.

Review:
https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2016/02/the-last-man-on-the-moon-the-review-2/

Read our interview with astronaut Gene Cernan here:
https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2016/03/apollo-17-commander-capt-gene-cernan-discusses-being-the-last-man-on-the-moon/

HBO’s From The Earth To The Moon is one to watch again. From executive producer Tom Hanks, this 12-part miniseries explores the origins and milestones of the Apollo lunar landing program, its history-defining mission, as well as those whose lives and careers were affected by NASA’s journey into space. Now available to stream.

https://www.hbo.com/from-the-earth-to-the-moon

Hidden Figures is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe)—brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.

First to the Moon is a new documentary film that tells the amazing story of the Apollo 8 mission and the three men that crewed it. Through restored archival films from NASA, The National Archives, and the Astronaut’s own personal collections, this documentary takes you through time from the upbringing of each crew member and onward to present day.

This film will show you how the Apollo 8 mission happened, from launch to landing, in a visually and musically exciting film told through animation and archival film and photo. Coupled with an orchestral score and live musicians, First to the Moon will be a truly cinematic experience.

http://www.firstmoonmovie.com/

First Man was a fantastic and riveting look at the subject matter. Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for the riveting story behind the first manned mission to the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the decade leading to the historic Apollo 11 flight. A visceral and intimate account told from Armstrong’s perspective, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the film explores the triumphs and the cost—on Armstrong, his family, his colleagues and the nation itself—of one of the most dangerous missions in history.

The Dish is a gem of a film. Based on an amazing true story the funny and moving tale of Australia’s part in the Apollo 11 moon mission. THE DISH is the story of the role played by the staff of the radio-telescope at Parkes in the middle of outback New South Wales, Australia as Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon.

Check out The Martian. Okay, so its not the moon, but its still pretty cool! During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return. Based on a best-selling novel, and helmed by master director Ridley Scott, THE MARTIAN features a star studded cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Peña, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

And finally Apollo 13. Watch it alone for the launch scene! We hope our next trip to the Moon is as magnificent as it was when we traveled to our nearest celestial body on the mighty Saturn V rocket.

Also on the horizon is Ad Astra. Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos.

Another one to be on the lookout for is Apple TV’s For All Mankind – an Apple Original drama series coming this Fall to Apple TV+. For All Mankind is created by Emmy® Award winner Ronald D. Moore (Outlander, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica), Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi. Told through the lives of NASA astronauts, engineers and their families, For All Mankind presents an aspirational world where NASA and the space program remained a priority and a focal point of our hopes and dreams.

For All Mankind stars Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman, Wrenn Schmidt, Shantel VanSanten, Sarah Jones and Jodi Balfour.