'WONDER WOMAN' REVIEW - "ONLY LOVE WILL TRULY SAVE THE WORLD"

Directed by PATTY JENKINS

Starring GAL GADOT, CHRIS PINE, DANNY HUSTON, 

CONNIE NIELSON, and ROBIN WRIGHT

I am on hiatus or semi-retirement (haven't decided which). I'm still active on social media and I visit blogs, but I no longer review films as I once did. It's partially because I don't have much free time. I work, have a family, and I'm in grad school. Once grad school finishes (in 2018) I planned to review films again, but I don't know if I will.

I don't want to waste 2 hours of my life on a bad (or semi-bad) film. I also don't want to feed the monster. Hollywood has serious problems with representation, which I've discussed in previous blog posts. I still watch movies via streaming, but I rarely go to the theater. So before watching 'Wonder Woman' I only saw two films in theaters this year-- 'Logan' (which was one of the best comic book movies since the 1978 'Superman') and 'John Wick 2.' That's it.

"Given that this is a WB/DC Comics film, I prepared myself for the worst." 

MY BEST & WORST LIST OF 2016

Whew, what a lovely five month hiatus. I'm finally posting my best and worst list for the year 2016. After this post I will probably cocoon again...popping up occasionally. Mind you I am still lurking on everyone's blogs. You may see me pop in every now and then. Although I may not update it often, this blog will continue as long as I watch films and have breath! So hopefully this blog will continue to run for a very long time...albeit intermittently.

Admittedly I have seen a good number of films this past year, but I have not have an opportunity to write about them all. The reasons why are abundant. I am in my late 30s, in grad school, have a 3 year old, a husband, and a full time job. So unfortunately this year, my blog went by the wayside.

I hope you enjoy my best and worst list for 2016. Please share with me yours, agree, or disagree with me in the comments. I look forward to reconnecting with everyone.

I preface my film list by saying that I don't necessarily qualify this list as the best films of the year. They are simply the best films I HAVE seen thus far this past year. I think 2015 was a much better year at the movies. Have I mentioned that 2016 was a bad movie year?

DON'T BREATHE REVIEW [SPOILERS] - STILL ON HIATUS!

I took a mini-break from my hiatus to review 'Don't Breathe.' Similar to this Spring's '10 Cloverfield Lane,' 'Don't Breathe' took me by surprise. I didn't know anything about it before I went to the theater, but 'Don't Breathe' is a slick little horror film, with a great cast, and a thrilling (yet unbelievable) plot. Admittedly, the film has enough plot holes to drive a truck through it, but it kept me on the edge of my seat--which is hard to do. What I liked about the film is that none of the characters are particularly likable. This is one of the few horror films in which there are no heroes.

OH AUGUST! HIATUS=MINI-REVIEWS + SPOILERS

This past month has been a bear. Having a full time job, a family, and being in grad school is no joke! I will be on hiatus for a few months. I will still be popping in to see my favorite blogs and make an occasional post, but I won't be able to post regularly for a while. If only I could be a blogger full time right? I really don't know how people are able to do that unless thy are independently wealthy. I finally finished up my last paper for the semester, but will be starting a new semester in a few weeks. Ugh. I am so behind on my film reviews. So much so I will have to create a combo post.

In the months of July and August I've seen the 'Ghostbusters' remake, 'Lights Out,' and now 'Bad Moms.' I've also seen 'Stranger Things' on Netflix. In my effort to limit my exposure to bad movies, I have purposely left several films off the list. I believe I have succeeded...so far. 'Batman v. Superman' was the "worst" film I've seen this year and it wasn't that bad. Don't get me wrong, BvS was not a good movie, but it wasn't terrible. It was just "ok." Notably absent from my list is 'Suicide Squad,' 'Jason Bourne,' and the 'Legend of Tarzan.'

'PURGE: ELECTION YEAR' REVIEW - "THE SOUL OF OUR COUNTRY IS AT STAKE" [SPOILERS]

The 'Purge' films get a lot of flack. I've heard some reviewers refer to fans of the purge films as sociopathic. After all, these are not highbrow films, nor do they stimulate intellectual conservation. And yes these films are violent, but thankfully, writer and director James DeMonaco never crosses the line into "torture porn" territory. The horror of the film is all about the buildup. The tension is created in the idea of "what could happen" and less on what is actually happening. But what these films lack in critical acclaim, they more than make up for in their entertainment value. Lastly, these films are highly allegorical. The symbolism and social satire in these films only add to its charm.

'FREE STATE OF JONES' REVIEW - "THIS FIGHT IS FOR OUR CHILDREN"... [SPOILERS]

IT AIN'T JUST FOR US. 

BLACK, WHITE, RICH, POOR, 

IT'S FOR EVERYBODY.

-Newton Knight [to Moses]

Wow, it's been a while since my last review. Unfortunately, I had to remove 'X-Men: Apocalypse' from my film review list. I just can't bear to see and review terrible films. I've also had to remove 'The Huntsman: Winters War,' 'The Boss,' and 'Batman v. Superman.' As you may recall last year, I made a resolution not see so many crappy movies this year. After all, we only have so much time and I can't get two hours of my life back. I also put a lot of time and effort into writing a review. So I will occasionally cull films off my list. 'Free State of Jones' was almost removed from my list because of mixed reviews, but overall I'm glad I saw it.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR REVIEW - "WE USED TO BE FAMILY." [SPOILERS]

*Sigh. If only DC Comics could make movies like this. I recently read that 'Captain America: Civil War' was a direct response to 'Batman v. Superman.' Well, let this DC fan be the first to tell you that Marvel does 'Batman v. Superman' better than DC Comics/Warner Brothers does. It's such a shame. Someone at DC Comics/Warner Brothers Studios needs a different job because they really suck at making superhero films. This problem goes beyond Zack Synder and Henry Cavill--both of whom I firmly believe need to be replaced as well.

In the past I have had issues with Marvel Studio Head Kevin Feige--namely because of his refusal to feature female superheroes in starring roles. But Marvel has changed this stance once DC announced the 'Wonder Woman' film. Feige has publicly committed to making films featuring Captain Marvel and Black Widow. So whatever DC does, it seems Marvel just does it better (with regard to film). DC Comics has the corner market on television. Bless DC Comics' hearts, but Marvel Studios sure knows how to make a good superhero movie and they know how to use their character catalog. Unlike DC, they're not stuck making Batman or Superman films for 40 years. Side note: I would exclude 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' from the "good movie" category.

WEEKLY RUNDOWN NEWS + LINKS

Before getting into any of the happenings this week, I wanted to take a moment and acknowledge that the movie blogging community has suffered a huge loss. Thank you to Chris at Movies and Songs 365 for his wonderful post about Chip. First, I want to say how personally saddened I am by this news. Chip was one of the first bloggers who visited my site when I was just starting out 8 years ago. He was an incredible film blogger with deep insight and and a friendly disposition. I will always be grateful to Chip's kind words when I was a new blogger with very few friends in the community. He was a class act and just a wonderful person. Chip you will be missed. May God rest your soul and Godspeed friend. Godspeed.

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE REVIEW - "I AM KEEPING YOU ALIVE" [SPOILERS]

This movie is one of the few movies I knew very little about before seeing. I typically visit Rotten Tomatoes before I throw down $30 for a movie, popcorn, and a drink, but I didn't have time this past weekend. Thankfully '10 Cloverfield Lane' didn't disappoint. As a sequel/prequel to the original 2008 'Cloverfield' film, one would expect '10 Cloverfield Lane' to "go big," but instead "it goes home." LITERALLY.

15 MORE RIDICULOUS THINGS ON 'THE WALKING DEAD' [SPOILERS]

I like to preface my "most ridiculous list" by emphasizing my love for 'The Walking Dead.' I have been reading the comics for almost a decade and I've watched the show since its debut in 2010. I'm a hardcore fan. Despite occasional problems on the show, I'm on the train until it hits the wall. Meaning, I will be watching until it ends. So in the spirit of fun, here is a continuation of the Most Ridiculous Things on 'The Walking Dead!' with 15 More Ridiculous Things on 'The Walking Dead!' You can see my original 2014 list here. Admittedly, some of the items below may be the writers illustrating that human behavior is often NOT logical.