Looking Forward to in 2017

2017 is the year I turn 40. Wow, hard to believe! It's also the year where I'm going to be so busy I can't see straight. For starters I have 3 months to loose 50 pounds before my birthday. It's a lifestyle change not a resolution! Secondly, 2017 is the year I'm going to start making movies. And last but not least, transition to a website instead of a blog. For the past few weeks I've been analyzing too much that I can't continue to review movies and make movies at the same time? That I can't do both? Challenge accepted!

I'm ready for 2017. Seeing that I already posted my favorite movies of year, I figured I'd get one more post in before the end of 2016. With Springfield getting it's very own Alamo Drafthouse in Spring of 2017, I thought it'd be nice to list my most anticipated films of 2017. It's still early, but there is already a good amount on the slate for next year. Let's get to it shall we!

And as far as order goes, lets rank them from least to most anticipated. I think 15 should be enough! Keep in mind these will be mostly genre films and summer blockbusters.

LA LA LAND

Yes I know, this film was released last year but we're probably getting it in theaters early 2017 if at all? I loved the directors last film WHIPLASH and I greatly appreciate old Hollywood musicals, and LA LA LAND looks like one if you ask me!

SILENCE

Another 2016 release, but the film doesn't get a wide release until January. Don't let me down Springfield!

LIVE BY NIGHT

Okay, this is the last 2016 release I swear. Same situation as SILENCE, and with Afleck notorious for casting beautiful people in his gritty crime dramas (THE TOWN), the major multiplexes shouldn't have a problem releasing it?

JUSTICE LEAGUE

A DC Comics superhero team-up movie, of course I'm looking forward to this it! Hopefully Warner Bros has heard the constructive criticism as they continue to move forward with the DCEU. I just hope they don't hire Trailer Park to edit these movies anymore?

GHOST IN THE SHELL

This is probably going to be weird and terrible, but in a good way I'm hopping. And let's be honest, fans of the original animated film are going to roast it anyway. Nerds are a hard sell, which is good but...

BLADE RUNNER 2049

Even with a visionary director at the helm, I don't see how they can pull this off? I bet they do!

THOR: RAGNAROK

This better be Thor and Hulk having adventures in space and we get to see Space-Gladiator Hulk!

A CURE FOR WELLNESS

Super creepy asylum film from the director of THE RING. Sold! Plus it looks very inspired from 70's cinema. Double sold!

ALIEN: COVENANT

Fans of the franchise and haters of PROMETHEUS should be pleased. I think they heard your complaints.

WONDER WOMAN

The wait for a Wonder Woman is finally over! Why did it take so long for a superhero movie like this to come out? The trailer is fantastic. Cannot wait!

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER TWO

I'm ready for another story in this universe. LOGAN

Potential to be the greatest comic book movie ever!

KONG: SKULL ISLAND

Favorite film of the year excitement on this one! Fingers crossed this will be the first movie I see at Alamo Drafthouse!

STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII

Will we find out who Rey's parents are? Will Kylo Ren betray the Dark Side like his grandpa? I cannot wait to find out!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2

Super predictable pick I know but there is a reason this is probably everybody's most anticipated film of 2017!

Happy New Year!!!!!

Disappointments of 2016

At first I really wasn't going to do one of these lists this year because with time, money, and Rotten Tomatoes why watch bad movies at all? The future of my blog is uncertain in 2017. I may be revamping a switching to an actual website next year. It'll be written reviews with the intent of video blogs and YouTube channel eventually.

But, I received some constructive criticism the other day that might make me scrap the whole thing. If I am not a member of the press or have connections to get early screeners for movies, I shouldn't give Hollywood my money to continue to produce crappy movies. This person has a point, and it's making me rethink some things.

So this years list is more of a selection of disappointments rather than 'Worst' movies I saw. It's going to be a mixture really. And maybe disappointments are far greater punishment? No, not really.

Top 10 Disappointments of 2016 (10 – 1)

JASON BOURNE

For a good part of the year this movie was between 'Close But No Cigar' and 'Disappointments'. It came down to this and HARDCORE HENRY. I'm not a fan of either, but JASON BOURNE has no excuse for how terrible it is. Shame on the actor and director for laughing all the way to the bank I actually went to see this on a Thursday night with a large group of fans, and NONE of them liked it.

THE BOY

I remember the trailers for this and I couldn't take it seriously. Sorry, but evil dolls just don't do it for me unless they are named Chucky. It wasn't until a recommendation from BirthMoviesDeath that made me wanna check it out.

THE BOY was never going to set the horror world on fire, but I found myself enjoying the movie quite a bit. Then the ending ruined all of that! And I'm not talking about the twist. Toward the end a dumb ex-boyfriend character shows up out of the blue to create drama and suspense that the movie didn't warrant or need. Dumb.

MR. RIGHT

Written by Max Landis and directed by somebody. On paper this movie kinda works but on screen it just keeps getting worse and worse. The only thing that saves this movie are it's two stars, Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick. They are both having fun with their characters and salvaging what they can to make MR. RIGHT worth watching. I personally think the director needs to watch more tough guy movies and rely less on goons saying the 'F' word.

HARD TARGET 2

It breaks my heart to have this movie on this list, but HARD TARGET 2 definitely earned it. Not even one of Hollywood's greatest action stars working today saved this movie. I hate that Scott Adkins is in this! His appearance in DOCTOR STRANGE makes up for it.

HARD TARGET 2 reminded me of those terrible Rambo knock-offs from the late 80's and early 90's. The good old days of when two mounted machine guns on a motorcycle is better than one! Cool!!!!

THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY

Comedies really shouldn't be on lists like these, because what I find unfunny someone else will think it's hilarious. Too much of what this film was going for punch line wise I just didn't care for. But we call agree the movie is probably better than FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK.

HOW TO BE SINGLE

Again, comedies really shouldn't be on the list but this movie was a chore. Rebel Wilson is amazing but here she kinda got on my nerves. And Dakota Johnson has ZERO star power whatsoever!

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

Not crazy enough and not rated R. A PG-13 zombie movie when there is a popular television show that's more graphic than most horror films? Get real.

THE FOREST

Jump scare, dream. Jump scare, dream. Wash and repeat.

INDEPENDENCE DAY RESURGENCE

If this is one of the worst or most disappointing movies I've seen this year then I'm probably doing pretty good. I lay it all out in my review, check it out. But it's worth repeating that the studio messed up big time by not showing up to Will Smith's house with a dump truck of cash!

CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON: SWORD OF DESTINY

Awe yeah! Martial arts and wu shu action from the director of IRON MONKEY and action choreographer of THE MATRIX! What could go wrong? Everything apparently. Probably not the worst film of 2016, but it sure pissed me off!

Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Favorites of 2016

This year wasn't a great year for film. A lot of the one's I wanted to love ended up being just okay. And let's face it Summer movies sucked in 2016! Either I'm getting older or they're getting stupider? The answer is both. But, I have a feeling 2017 is going to rock in terms of cinema!

To help ease the pain of January we've got SILENCE and LIVE BY NIGHT to look forward to. And we got LEGO BATMAN MOVIE and JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2 helping us through February. Then in Spring of 2017, things are going to start becoming awesome with Springfield, MO getting it's very own Alamo Drafthouse theater! I cannot wait.

Before I list my favorite movies of 2016 there are some films I haven't seen yet, LA LA LAND and MANCHESTER BY THE SEA were two movies that I was really hoping to see but probably won't get to until next year? Oh well. And as always if there is a critical darling that's not on my list it's because I probably haven't seen it, or didn't think it was as good as the 10 I picked.

Let's get to it shall we!

First, some honorable mentions: 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS, CAPTAIN AMERICA – CIVIL WAR, and THE NEON DEMON.

Top 10 Favorites Of 2016 (10 – 1)

EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!

When I heard that Richard Linklater was making a spiritual sequel to his 1992 film DAZED AND CONFUSED I like everybody else was skeptical. At least it wasn't going to be an actual sequel, that was good news! But could Linklater repeat the brilliance of his sophomore film without it being just a repeat? The answer is yes. The similarities are there and obvious, but I actual found the film to have more in common with his debut feature SLACKER. They're not all masterpieces but I've learned to never doubt the auteur Richard Linklater.

EDGE OF SEVENTEEN

I haven't been a teenager in quite awhile but I can't help but think that this film is the real deal. EDGE OF SEVENTEEN is the funniest and most important teenage coming-of-age film I've seen in a long time. I think moviegoers are afraid of real these days, especially real women. Nadine, who is the main character in this is a hot-mess and audiences don't like uncomfortable. They want Disney or 90's Alicia Silverstone.

THE HANDMAIDEN

From the director of OLDBOY, that's the only reason I saw this film. If not for Chan-wook Park I probably wouldn't have giving the film a shot. THE HANDMAIDEN is proof that I'll continue to watch anything from the director. I'm planning on a full review for Valentine's Day next year, so look forward to that! This film made me blush. Who says the erotic thriller is dead? Maybe fluff like FIFTY SHADES OF GREY but not THE HANDMAIDEN, nope, no sir.

DOCTOR STRANGE

In a time where comic book movie fatigue is starting to rear it's ugly head, Marvel Studios pulls a stunt like DOCTOR STRANGE and totally redeems the origin story superhero films that fans are getting tired of.

ARRIVAL

I think I like last year's SICARIO better, but Denis Villeneuve is a genius and I cannot wait for BLADE RUNNER 2049!!

ARRIVAL is great for being the alien invasion film it is not. That's all I can really say other than I highly recommend seeing the movie.

GREEN ROOM

I'm happy as a clam to finally have a grindhouse horror film on my 'Favorites' list. A beautifully shot drive-in movie is how I describe GREEN ROOM, and I love that!

HELL OR HIGH WATER

A movie about two brothers who only rob banks to pay off a mortgage with a Texas Ranger hot on their trail. The trailers for this made the movie look like a run-of-the-mill DTV release. The movie is anything but that! Highly recommended for those who love 70's cinema.

THE NICE GUYS

Shane Black just needs to go ahead and write and direct all the movies! That's going a little overboard I know, but damn, I just love Black's style. He is a master in pulp, double feature this with his KISS KISS BANG BANG and you'll know what I mean. This pairs very well with PULP FICTION so I'm told, and I 100% believe that!

And my favorite movie of 2016 is...

SING STREET

I haven't stopped thinking about this movie since I saw it. When it came out on Blu-Ray I let four or five people borrow it! A review is coming soon. Seriously, any of my top 5 picks could be number one, and up until 1/06/17, SING STREET was it. But not anymore.

And my favorite movie of 2016 is...

LA LA LAND

I almost didn't update my list but thinking about LA LA LAND overnight I couldn't stop help myself. The film is just pure musical magic. And what I think the movie is really about hit close to home. My review says it all!

Thanks for reading! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

ROGUE ONE

It's hard to imagine that a year ago STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS was released in theaters. And thus a new tradition is born, a new Star Wars film at the end of every year! It's weird to me that these movies are going to continue after I die. Will I want to even see the new Star Wars when I'm 75?

When news broke about the first Star Wars Anthology film being about the Rebel spies stealing plans for the Death Star, I thought it sounded brilliant. I love the men-on-a-mission genre. THE DIRTY DOZEN and THE GUNS OF NAVARONE are two of my favorite war films. The only doubts I had of ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY was if it was a story that needed to be told? The opening crawl of STAR WARS told us basic information, and our imagination did the rest. Was this new movie just an excuse to have Darth Vader (a.k.a brand recognition) appear in the new cannon?

The verdict is still out if I think this is a “necessary” Star Wars film? That doesn't imply that I didn't like the movie because ROGUE ONE is pretty awesome! It's a war movie set in the Star Wars universe, WHERE EAGLES DARE with Droids! What's not to like!

Days if not hours leading up to seeing the film my anticipation was getting the best of me. Debating with friends on how much this “standalone” film was going to compare with the Episodes? It was confirmed by Lucasfilm that there would be no crawl at the beginning of the movie. Those are only for the Skywalker saga. That actually makes sense but now begs the question, what other things will be missing? The Star Wars logo? The famous Kurosawa transition swipes?

After the Lucasfilm logo and the most famous blue lettered title card in cinema history, the movie begins! No Star Wars theme or crawl. This was jarring at first but a nitpick that was easily forgiven and forgotten.

Like I mentioned earlier, ROGUE ONE is a war movie. For years the Empire has secretly been building a battle station rumored to destroy planets. An Imperial pilot has defected and has vital information regarding the technological terror the Empire has constructed. Galen Erso, the engineer who designed the weapon for the battle station has a message for his old friend and extremist Saw Gerrera about said weapon. Rebellion Intelligence learn from this and sends Cassian Andor to intercept. Cassian finds Erso's daughter Jyn, in hopes of convincing Saw to tell the Alliance everything he knows.

Jyn learns of the trap that her father designed into the Death Star so that it can be destroyed. At the Rebels secret base it is decided that this information is too vague to launch an attack upon the Empire. It's up to Jyn and a band of rogues to steal the data that could save the galaxy.

SPOILERS!!

While I really really like ROGUE ONE it goes without saying that I have issues with the film. First of all the characters aren't that memorable, unlike last years STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS. The other issue I have is the return of classic characters. Since ROGUE ONE is a prequel to STAR WARS we see Grand Moff Tarkin. Instead of casting an actor who resembles the late Peter Cushing and apply prosthetic facial makeup, the filmmakers decided to go with CGI?

I've seen the movie twice and the first time was in 3D IMAX, the CGI face I didn't find too distracting. But when I watched it a second time in a regular theater, the CGI was super noticeable. The technology is getting better but I don't think will ever be perfect.

Speaking of CGI the next scene I wanna mention is the final shot. Love it or hate it, it's one of those seemingly mandatory shots in any spin-off tying together the main story. Yes, I'm talking about Princess Leia. I like the scene because I'm a Star Wars geek. But completely understand why folks would hate it and deem it pointless. It does seem like a gag for the fans sitting up in the cheap seats.

In fact, I wish the film would have ended with Jyn and Cassian's dying embrace. Too much of a downer I know. That might have be too bleak?

But I gotta give Disney credit for allowing ROGUE ONE to go as dark as it did! In the beginning of STAR WARS I felt is was always implied that the Empire killed the spies who stole the Death Star plans. And like any good suicide mission film, nobody in ROGUE ONE was coming back home.

I would have put money down that Disney mandated the character of Jyn and at least two others safely escape the Empire. Turns out I was wrong, and I'm happy about that.

The first two acts of ROGUE ONE are pretty slow with some nice action beats sprinkled here and there. I found the cloak and dagger stuff interesting. All the intercepting of transmissions involving the Intel of the Imperial defector, Saw, and Galen felt like an old school spy/war movie.

But it's the films final act that earns ROGUE ONE it's full admission price. The attack of Scarif is the catalyst for STAR WARS. It's the opening crawl come to life. Was it necessary? Probably not, but for those fans who always dreamed that this universe was bigger than the Skywalker family, Episode IV is now even better because of it.

I don't know for how long (probably since 1977) but among fans of STAR WARS there has been a debatable plot-hole in the film. That of the Death Star's weakness, the thermal exhaust port. The design flaw has been the butt of the joke for many fans of the film. ROGUE ONE has fixed that. From now on it will be kinda cool knowing that Galen Erso made the flaw on purpose. He gave the Death Star a fuse.

Now the moment you're probably all wondering, what did I think about Darth Vader? I'm happy to announce that Vader is back! Back to the Vader we know and love. George Lucas dropped the ball big time with the character in REVENGE OF THE SITH.

Vader is awesome in ROGUE ONE! The film gives him the menace that we remember in the original trilogy. He has his own castle in the movie! And despite what Lucas tried to make us think, Anakin is not in that suit 24/7. Which reminds me, the suit. The suit is a throwback to how the design looked in STAR WARS. They did a fantastic job. I wanna believe the costume was practical but I'm unsure? What looked CGI to me could have been crisp digital projection?

But let's talk about that castle for a bit. Way before REVENGE OF THE SITH the Obi-Wan and Anakin duel on a lava planet was already cannon. In the early stages of per-production on EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, Lucas toyed with the idea that Darth Vader lived in a castle on a lava planet. A planet where Anakin became more machine than man.

I swear that when I was younger a friend of mine had a Star Wars comic book that showed Obi-Wan defeating Anakin on a lava planet! Maybe it was a origin of Vader issue? Regardless, I love the fact that this was cannon before Episode III. And that ROGUE ONE does a bit of retcon when it comes to the prequels. Meaning, the new film might be using notes and concept ideas that predate REVENGE OF THE SITH by a long shot Yeah, Vader probably lives on Mustafar as a tragic reminder to himself of the monster he's become. But was it always called Mustafar?

There is only one lightsaber in ROGUE ONE and rightfully so! Probably my favorite Darth Vader moment is when the Imperials board a Rebel cruiser. The Rebel soldiers are ready for battle! Scared but ready. The fear on their faces when Vader appears tells you everything you need to know about the Dark Lord of the Sith's reputation in the galaxy!

Due to budget and special effects limitations the classic lightsaber duel from STAR WARS is pretty un-spectacular by today's standards. So in the new film when Vader goes all Jason Voorhees with his lightsaber, it feels somewhat out of place. The scene becomes glorified fan fiction. I normally hate fan fiction but here I give it a pass.

ROGUE ONE needed to have Darth Vader be scary and kick ass. For far too long has the character been the mascot for Star Wars. Everything from hip-hop dancing at Disneyland, car commercials, and greeting cards it was time to remind people that Vader was once the greatest film villain ever!

In conclusion, I highly recommend ROGUE ONE. Is the film "necessary"? I think so, and so will other Star Wars fans. It's a great war film first and a good Star Wars story second. I just hope the Han Solo movie doesn't end with him and Chewbacca setting a course to Mos Eisley?

And I almost forgot to mention K-2SO. He's great! A welcomed tradition of memorable droid characters in the Star Wars universe. But contrary to popular critic belief, K-2SO is not the only memorable thing in the movie.

May the Force be with you!

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS is a 2016 film written and directed by fashion designer Tom Ford. It is his second movie following 2009's A SINGLE MAN, which was a critical darling. I am unfamiliar with the world of fashion but after watching only his second directorial feature, the man should get behind the camera more often.

With a film staring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal you'd think such star power would have NOCTURNAL ANIMALS playing nationwide? I love going to my local art-house movie theater, but given the chance, I'm picking the multiplex. It's a matter of better presentation, sorry. So as I was saying, two big movie stars and no wide release? Weird. It wasn't until the movie started that I realized why this wasn't playing across the hall from MOANA.

The opening minutes of NOCTURNAL AMIMALS is the most awkward time I've had in a theater this year. A bunch of middle aged obese women dancing around in nothing but their birthday suit. Awkward. I started to wonder if this was Tom Ford's attempt to be David Lynch? At this moment the context of the naked women became clear, we're watching an art exhibit show. There is a meaning behind them but I best leave that to those better at film analysis.

Susan (Amy Adams) a art gallery owner one day receives a manuscript from her ex husband Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), whom she hasn't spoken to or seen in years. She begins to read the book and quickly discovers it mirrors their relationship.

When we first meet Susan she is a very lonely woman. Which explains her exhibit of naked overweight women. The women are happy and liberated. Susan is not. A lot of empty spaces occupy her home. And the relationship with her womanizing new husband appears unhealthy and toxic. Susan begins to read the book and she gets hooked. At first it's because of how much the story reminds her of what she did to Edward. This is one of three narratives shown non linearly in the film. The novel is second narrative.

The novel is about one man's revenge against those who raped and murdered his wife and child. With the help of a Texas lawman they track the men down and plan to kill them. Without getting too spoiler-ish the events in the book mirror why Susan and Edward ended their marriage. More accurately, why Susan wanted to get a divorce.

The third narrative is how our main characters met, fell in love, and got divorced. This is where the film really gets interesting and cool, or too 'on the nose' depending on your taste. NOCTURNAL ANIMALS is a film that requires undivided attention.

Once we start seeing how Susan and Edward met and fell in love, director Tom Ford starts giving us awesome visual cues. One example; in the manuscript narrative, the mother and daughter are found dead on a red couch. In the past narrative we see Susan telling Edward that she wants a divorce, she's sitting on a red couch.

That was an easy example, there are tougher ones that I won't spoil. The ending is a big one that I'm still trying to figure out. NOCTURNAL ANIMALS is indeed a revenge story but it also might be the best thing to ever happen to Susan. Edward may have hurt her and helped her at the same time?

I was expecting more of a straight forward film noir with NOCTURNAL ANIMALS. But glad I got a more complex movie instead.

In conclusion, I'm only recommending NOCTURNAL ANIMALS to movie buffs. I could see a lot of moviegoers hating the three narrative structure of the film. Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal are good as always!

MOANA

2016 has kinda been the year of the animated film for me. I've seen five this year. Five in the theater, that's a new adult record for me. I'm I ashamed? No. All of them have been very good if not great! To be honest most Disney Animated and Pixar films give the live action stuff a run for their money. That's a scary thought. Not from a creative perspective but a business one. Do movie goers only flock to the theater to see Disney films anymore? That's a opinion I may tackle some other time. Today I'm talking about MOANA.

I almost took a pass on seeing MOANA at the theater. With already seeing ZOOTOPIA and FINDING DORY, I felt MOANA could wait till Netflix. It's a good thing I didn't wait, because MOANA rocks on the big screen. We're well on our way to Winter 2016 so it was inviting to see an animation style lush with color and Polynesian culture. The music is good as well!

This is a animated musical so you gotta talk about the music. You've got the guy wrote the HAMILTON Broadway musical co-writing some of the songs. While I cannot vouch for HAMILTON , I do know that Lin-Manuel Miranda is talented. The songs in MOANA are proof, plus the new cantina song he wrote for STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS is awesome!

But the ultimate credit for the music in MOANA has to go to the directors of the movie, Ron Clements and John Musker. Among others they directed ALADDIN and THE LITTLE MERMAID, so right there it's a automatic win. I had a friend in high school who had the ALADDIN soundtrack. We listened to that thing ironically for the most part, but those songs were catchy I'll admit.

So of course MOANA is about Moana, a young woman who will one day rule her people. But Moana has no interest in such things and would rather go sailing beyond the reef and explore the sea. Her chieftain father will have no such thing as it is forbidden for anyone to go past the reef.

Years go by and something (as in a curse) has been slowly killing the plant life on the island. Moana and her grandmother know the cure is out beyond the reef. The sea has always had a special bond with Moana. She knows it's up to her to find Maui, the demi-god, who according to the myth is responsible for the curse because he stole/lost an important stone.

Against her father's will Moana sets sail to find Maui and return the stone to where it belongs. And it's here where our adventure finally begins.

I say finally because it feels like the film takes forever to get the adventure going. I know this is a kids movie so it's normal for exposition to get repeated, but I clearly felt a redundancy issue with MOANA. There were too many false starts to the adventure in my opinion.

Once Moana and Maui meet the real fun begins. I felt myself getting lost in the mythology of the film. The search for Maui's hook-staff was my favorite part. Our two heroes have to dive into some kind of monster realm to steal back the hook-staff from a giant crab. It reminded me of CLASH OF THE TITANS or a SINBAD film.

It also made me think of another animated film that was released this year. I found myself getting a tad bit distracted thinking about KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS during some key moments. But that's okay, stuff like that is bound to happen in movies. Blame it on coincidence and the writings of Joseph Campbell.

In conclusion, I highly recommend MOANA if you're a fan of Disney animated films. It's a beautiful movie to look at with fun mythological adventure, the songs are great too.

LOVING

The other day while seeing THE HANDMAIDEN at my local art-house movie theater, I saw a trailer for the film LOVING. They had the poster in the lobby and I thought nothing of it. Just looked like a romance movie to me. The trailer however pulled my heart strings. Very moving.

LOVING is a 2016 film written and directed by Jeff Nichols. It is based on the true story of interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving, and their years-long civil rights case that went all the way to the Supreme Court in 1967. The couple went out of state to get married in Washington D.C., the state of Virginia didn't like that very much and put them in jail. And after jail, banned them from the state for 25 years.

After a new residence and three kids later, Mildred decides the city is no place for her children to grow up. Taking a friends advice she seeks the help and writes a letter to then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. The situation gets his attention and a lawyer from the ACLU quickly gets appointed to handle the case.

Spoiler alert, they win. What I love about LOVING is Nichols and his decision to make the civil rights aspect of the film always in the background. What is front and center is two people madly in love and just wanting to be a family. I was waiting to cringe at the Oscar bait moments concerning speeches from lawyers and judges ( if this was the 90's there would be). But there was none. In fact there wasn't one cliché. The film just shows us the power of their love.

Okay, the scene I'm about to describe may sound cheesy but I swear it's not. The Loving's just received news that the Supreme Court is taking their case. They tell the lawyers they are not going, seeing that it's not required for them to be present in Court. A tad shocked and dismayed one of the lawyers asks Richard “What do you want me to tell the Court”? Richard replies, “Tell them I love my wife”.

That scene sums up the entire film perfectly! Not to mention the whole point of the film.

LOVING certainly will be one of my favorite films of the year. Will it crack the Top 10? Doubtful. I love a good drama, but I'm a genre kinda guy. But you never know? My list so far has a lot of art-house in it. Here's a preview (in no particular order): THE NEON DEMON, SING STREET, THE NICE GUYS, GREEN ROOM, HELL OR HIGH WATER, and EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!.

I left the theater changed after seeing LOVING. Not to get political or religious but I left a little teary-eyed thinking to myself thoughts about the 'pursuit of happiness', 'enabling rights', and who are we to judge what love is. It's good when a film fills you with emotion to stop and think about society. LOVING didn't get preachy so neither am I.

In conclusion, I highly recommend LOVING if you like a good love story and civil rights drama that's cinematic. Which reminds me. I still need to see Jeff Nichols' other 2016 film MIDNIGHT SPECIAL!

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

One film franchise I've yet to talk about are the Harry Potter movies. I like the series just fine but seven films is something I just don't wanna commit to right now. What I will do is give you a brief history of how I became a fan of the books and movies.

When I first heard about HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERERS STONE I wrote it off as a kid's movie. I eventually saw the film and thought it was okay, okay enough to watch the second movie as well. Cool kids films and nothing more. Long story short, it wasn't until going to see HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX with some friends that I became a fan.

To say the film had me confused is a understatement; but, I loved the world these characters were living in. The next day I went to the bookstore and bought the first three books. I had just gotten out of a terrible relationship and craved alone time. All I did for a month was go to work, and come home to read Harry Potter. Not bragging, but I read Years 1 – 4 in a 2 two weeks time. I slowed down after Book 4.

By the time I got to HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE I was disappointed. The books were becoming way way better than the movies. Meaning the films really felt like they were becoming fan service to those who've read the books. One of these days I might watch them all again just to see if they hold up as just films? PHOENIX, HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, and DEATHLY HOLLOWS I & 2 probably do not.

When Warner Bros announced they were making more Harry Potter films I wasn't very excited. I quickly thought it was going to be about his kids going to Hogwarts. Boring! But when I heard it was a non Potter tale, that's when I became open to the idea. An original movie set in the Wizarding World written by J.K. Rowling, count me in!

The year is 1926 and Newt Scamander is making a brief stopover in New York City. Newt, a collector and document keeper of magical creatures runs into trouble when his suitcase gets swapped with an identical case. The mix-up causes Newt's creatures to run amok in the city causing trouble. Meanwhile ,a dark force is wreaking havoc as well. Coincidence? Or is dark magic afoot?

Porpentina, a lackey for the Magical Congress of the United States of America, notices Newt using magic in public. She tries to report it but gets lectured about her role in the MACUSA. Instead the Congress seem to busy trying to determine if dark wizard Grindelwald is on the prowl. And Percival the security chief is on the case.

Eventually Newt's task of finding all of his Beasts crosses paths with Percival and his investigation. And he must stop the dark force before it's too late.

For a original story FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM manages to make a very entertaining film set in the Wizarding World universe. My favorite character was the aspiring baker Jacob. This character was the audience guide for the movie. The filmmakers did very well with how they handled the info drops to Jacob (and us) to move the plot forward. A lesser screenwriter and director would have put the required exposition in a voice over narration, or something boring along those lines.

The other thing that makes the new film great is that the reminders you are watching a Harry Potter spin-off are kept to a minimum. There was no winking to the audience that we're indeed watching a Potter movie. I noticed a few easter eggs but nothing too obvious.

In conclusion, I might end up liking this new Wizarding World franchise better than the Harry Potter films. It's way too early to tell for sure but I just have a feeling. The seeds have been planted for Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald! Even though fans know the outcome, it'll be a treat to see it play out on the big screen. Wizards during WWII, I cannot wait!

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is highly recommended.

DOCTOR STRANGE

Before I begin I must tell you that if you're going to see this movie you MUST see it in IMAX 3D. Tonight I just saw it in a standard theater, but that's changing tomorrow. Even if I had seen it on the IMAX I'm still seeing it tomorrow. Yes, it's going to be one of those posts/reviews!

DOCTOR STRANGE is my favorite comic book movie of 2016! It's debatable the movie might be my favorite comic book movie of all time! Now, I don't wanna get carried away so I'll give the film some days if not weeks to brew in my head before I make a statement like that legit. But there is a sequence toward the end of the film that is the best live action comic book I have ever seen. Ever!

My knowledge of the Doctor Strange character is very limited but I know enough that the film seemed very faithful to the source material. To be fair this is Marvel Studios we're talking about, they know how to do it right! To prepare for the movie I had been reading the new series for about a year (12 issues and a couple one-shots), and I was surprised at how much I picked up on. If I was able to notice a few easter eggs, then fans shouldn't have a problem finding tons more I'd imagine!

The only thing I dreaded about seeing DOCTOR STRANGE was the chore of sitting through another origin story. Can I just wait and see DOCTOR STRANGE 2? But like it or not origin films are necessary. I really believe Steven Strange is going to play a vital role in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. And for us the audience to buy into what he can do with his powers, they need to start at the beginning. Showing up to save the day in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR without a proper introduction can't cut it these days.

Doctor Steven Strange is one of the best Neurosurgeons in the country, maybe the world. After a horrific car accident leaving his hands practically useless, Steven searches for a miracle procedure, but no surgeon on Earth will take the risk. One day a physical therapist tells him about a patient far worse than him who got better because he didn't give up hope.

Steven meets the patient who then tells him he must go to Nepal if he wants to be healed. Reluctant at first, Steven goes anyway. There he meets the Ancient One, who tells Steven about healing and his greater purpose if he so desires to choose it. After an astral out-of-body experience and trips to several multiverses, Steven Strange wants to know more. All of it in fact. And thus Doctor Strange is born.

Good thing Steven is a fast learner because as soon as he learns some of the mystic arts, he's reluctantly defending one of the three Sanctum Sanctorum's from Kaecilius, a evil Sorcerer Supreme hell bent on destorying Earth.

DOCTOR STRANGE is your standard origin comic book film. But there are enough interesting distractions that make you forget it is a standard origin movie. I actually found myself wanting more scenes of Strange learning the mystic arts. It's so good! My favorite is a shot of him sleeping while his astral body is hovering bedside reading a book.

I still have lots and lots to say, but I wanna give people a chance to see it. And I want to see it a few more times as well! I'll try my best and share more thoughts at the end of the year.

In conclusion, I highly recommend DOCTOR STRANGE. It's my favorite comic book movie of 2016 I have no doubt. And in all seriousness I can't believe we even got a Doctor Strange film to begin with? What will they give us next? Thank you Marvel Studios! If they keep making them I'll keep saying “Make mine Marvel”!

BLOOD AND BLACK LACE

There are lots of dastardly deeds going on at the Christian haute couture fashion house. Everything from backstabbing (naturally), drugs, and murder. Yes, murder. Somebody knows a secret and is killing off the staff to keep it that way.

BLOOD AND BLACK LACE is a murder mystery that popularized the giallo genre. It also became the prototype for slasher flicks decades later. The film is beautifully shot and directed by Mario Bava, the godfather of Italian horror.

The plot of BLOOD AND BLACK LACE is extremely thin, but that doesn't matter because Bava's film is style over substance done right. The story is best described as Agatha Christie “lite”. You don't have to pay that close of attention to realize who the killer(s) are.

What you really want to admire is the production design, staging of the scenes, camera movement, and lighting. As it turns out, BLOOD AND BLACK LACE is homework if you ever want to make a slasher movie.

Fashion model Isabella knows a secret, a secret so scandalous that she got strangled to death because of it. Her diary becomes a hot commodity and the body count rises due to it's popularity. A masked killer starts offing staff left and right to get their hands on the diary. A investigator shows up to arrest some suspects. But like always, the murders continue. And the killer is revealed to the audience.

Like I said, the killer in BLOOD AND BLACK LACE is easy to spot. It's the technical aspect of the film that is amazing.

Mario Bava's films are just as influential to the modern slasher film as Hitchcock's PSYCHO was. Even more so I'd say. The only difference is there is hardly any “slashing” in a giallo film. Victims are almost always choked to death in those movies. Sometimes a straight razor shows up, but only sometimes.

It's not that the kills are inventive or anything, it's more how they are staged and lit. I will say a few of them are creepy which leads me to the next influence.

Another influence is Dario Argento's SUSPERIA . That film would not exist if not for BLOOD AND BLACK LACE.

Both of these masters of Italian horror know how to use Technicolor really well. Half the time I don't know what's going on in SUSPERIA. All I know is that I love watching it!

I've been slacking this year but I'm going to try and watch more of Bava's films in the future. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite horror movie directors. I even loved his last film before he died, SHOCK. It's not very good but found it more entertaining than THE BABADOOK. Yeah, I said it!

In conclusion, if you're a fan of horror and a slasher flick movie buff, then BLOOD AND BLACK LACE is required viewing.

Happy Halloween!!

JEEPERS CREEPERS

JEEPERS CREEPERS is an awkward film to talk about. This is one of those judge the art and not the artist scenarios. For those that don't know, the writer and director of the movie did a bad bad thing. Look it up if you desire because we're not here to talk about that, we're here to talk about his film.

Released in 2001, JEEPERS CREEPERS seemed to come out of nowhere and became a semi-cult hit.

I don't recall seeing any previews for the film in the theater or on television? The first I'd heard about JEEPERS CREEPERS was from a friend of mine. He told me what the film was about and let me read all about it in one of his Fangoria magazines. With the admiration of my friends enthusiasm and the magazine article, I was on board!

It may have been 16 years since I saw JEEPERS CREEPERS at the theater, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. Yeah, it was one of those experiences. The showing wasn't sold out, but I'd say it was about half full? I remember the movie starting off great, but there was a vibe among the audience that people's patience was wearing thin. There were a few too many “smarter than the movie” type of moviegoers in attendance that night.

To be fair JEEPERS CREEPERS is far from a perfect movie, and the film does require a lot of suspension of disbelief.

Driving home for Spring Break a brother and sister are taking the scenic route to visit their mom. On the road they encounter a scary truck (something out of a Mad Max movie) that nearly runs them off the road. After a terrible fright, things settle back down. But later on they see the truck again, this time at a house and someone is dumping what looks like bodies down a huge pipe. They get caught spying and the truck starts chasing them. Once again they are run off the road with the truck driving away. You'd think the guy would get out of the truck and “take care of them” for spying?

Curious about what was being tossed down the pipe, Trish and Darry go back to the house and investigate. After a gruesome discovery underneath the house (which upon a closer look was a church) the siblings high tale it to the nearest town and call the police. But it's too late as we find out that the truck and it's mysterious driver are stalking them!

The encounters start to become weirder and weirder as it become revealed that the mysterious driver is some sort of winged creature, a gargoyle if you will. It was around this point in the film, that a lot of the audience was having no more to do with this movie. I on the other hand was enjoying the film quite a bit! JEEPERS CREEPERS does have it's fair share of weak spots, but overall it's a pretty great creature feature.

When the movie was over you could tell people we're pissed. I especially loved the couple trying to get their money back. My advice to moviegoers like them is to suck it up! Go to a coffee shop order some pie and have a good laugh about what you saw.

In conclusion, I recommend JEEPERS CREEPERS. This Halloween make it apart of your scary movie marathon.

Happy Halloween!!

BATMAN

It was early 1989 when I got into Batman comics. The DEATH IN THE FAMILY trade paperback was this first Bat-book I ever read. At this early stage I wasn't really collecting comics yet, and my reading was inconsistent due to issues selling out fast. It'd be at least a few more years before I started a subscription.

The first I'd heard about a Batman movie was reading the letters section of DETECTIVE COMICS #598. The issue number is the only detail I remember other than being super excited. I was so pumped! I remember the casting of Micheal Keaton as Bruce Wayne being such a big deal. Mr. Mom as The Dark Knight? Weird. I was too young to be cynical in 1989 so I didn't freak out, I just found it odd that a comedic actor was playing the part.

The time came and it was the summer of Batman. Everybody had Bat-fever and the movie was a smash hit! The film was so popular that it was several weeks if not a month or two till we saw the movie.

When we did finally see the movie is was like an all day thing. My parents and I saw it at the Battlefield Mall. We couldn't get right in so we bought tickets and walked around the mall until showtime. Back then it was perfectly normal to see a movie weeks if not months after opening weekend. These day if you don't see a film on it's opening weekend, you're yesterdays news.

I loved the movie! I wanted to see it again but couldn't due to a summer vacation to Disney World. My parents let me buy the novelization instead and I read it on the plane. I don't think I ever saw the movie again till HBO or getting the VHS for Christmas.

So that's my BATMAN story. Does the film hold up after all these years, especially now after the Christoper Nolan films? The answer is yes, kind of.

The dark humor of the film has turned slightly campy thanks to the Nolan trilogy, but it's nothing I have a problem with.

THE DARK KNIGHT is the better film but the 1989 film will always kick ass. 100% because of sentimental reasons. These days I feel like I'm watching a Hollywood blockbuster more than a comic book movie. But,viewing the movie as an adult the new thing I love most about BATMAN is the Film Noir aspect to it. Something I knew nothing about as a kid. Other than that you've got a decent Batman movie in there somewhere.

While I think we had yet to have a true comic book movie version, you cannot deny how classic BATMAN is. Jack Nicholson as The Joker is still just the best. The look of the film is still awesome. Danny Elfman's score is still to this day iconic! And lastly, Micheal Keaton will always be my favorite Batman. However, I love what Ben Afleck is doing with the role, so my opinion may change soon? Time will tell.

As time goes on (if not slightly already) I do believe Tim Burton's film will become completely overshadowed by Nolan's trilogy and future franchise installments. Who knows, maybe Ben Afleck's THE BATMAN (20XX) will set a new standard? Because like it or not, his portrayal is the closest they've come to a comic book version of the character. Okay that's not entirely true. I recently watched the animated movie BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM, and that film is probably be best screen adaptation of the character we've seen so far. And why isn't it on Blu-Ray yet? Lame.

OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL

OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL is a 2016 film directed by Mike Flanagan. It's a prequel to the 2014 movie OUIJA, which I have never seen and most likely never will. From the trailers it looked like garbage and was a critical and box office bomb.

I was shocked to death when I saw a trailer for a new OUIJA movie. That film made enough money to warrant a sequel? Needless to say, I barely paid attention to the preview. It wasn't until I saw it again that interest peaked. It was a prequel (oh dear) set in the 60's or 70's and it actually looked creepy as hell. But come on, it has to be a piece of crap! Doesn't it?

Talking with a friend at work we convinced ourselves it was worth a shot. The movie was coming to us from the people behind OCULUS and HUSH. Two very effective horror films! So I was sold. And even if the movie sucked, kudos to Universal Pictures for releasing a horror film in October. What a concept!

With OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL being a prequel I was really hoping one didn't have to see the original first? Turns out you don't thank goodness. More on that later. The movie takes place in 1967 Los Angeles. A widowed mother with the help of her two daughters runs a seance business out of her home. The oldest calls it like she see's it and considers what they do a scam. She isn't wrong. But the mom reassures her that what they do gives comfort to people.

One night Lina (the oldest) sneaks out to go to a friends house. Her and her friends mess with a new game called Ouija. A good scare happens and Lina thinks the board will be a good addition to her mothers business.

Alice (the mom) takes up her daughters suggestion and buys a Ouija. She doctor's it up a bit and gets the scam ready. But unbeknownst to her, a evil force is invited into their home. Slowly her youngest daughter Doris gets possessed and the horror begins.

QUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL is really good. I can't remember the last time (especially in the horror genre) where a sequel was “night and day” better than the original. This isn't a EMPIRE STRIKES BACK situation. This is more like if THE SHINING was a sequel to THE FOURTH KIND.

The thing I love most about the movie is that it's creepy as hell! And on top of that there is no annoying jump-scares. The scariest moments in OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL is the long drawn out moments of silence. And the pay off is spooky, not just a jump-scare.

I was continuously surprised. Just about every time I thought the movie was going to do something dumb, the outcome happened to be smart. There's a scene when Doris puts the magnifying piece thingy ( It has a name, I just don't know it) to her eye and looks around the room. I thought typical jump-scare coming right up! But no, all we get is a reaction. A slow burn. Doris does this two more times in the film and it gets scarier each time. Refreshingly brilliant if you ask me!

The acting in this is really good! Every character is given material where you care about them as the story progresses. One of my favorite character moments is when the mom meets her oldest daughters guy friend. She gives him “the talk” and it's a great scene!

By no means is this film a perfect movie. I had some major problems with it toward the end. I won't go into spoilers too much, but the filmmakers decided to go all psychological at the end and it really didn't work for me. I could be wrong but I'm calling it a studio ending.

Even with talking myself into seeing the movie, I almost waited to just rent OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL. What got me out of the house and into the theater was that I heard the director made the film look vintage. It's set in 1967 and you can tell. With whatever techniques and after effects they used the end result turned out great. Not at all did it feel gimmicky to me.

In conclusion, I highly recommend OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL. If you're interested in seeing it I highly suggest seeing it on the big screen. I'm glad I did!

THE THING (1982)

John Carpenter's THE THING might be my favorite from the director! BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA is cool and HALLOWEEN has a special place in my heart, but THE THING is a masterpiece. I cannot remember the first time I saw the film, but I do remember avoiding seeing it at all costs. When I was a kid I would always catch snippets on HBO. THE THING was one of the first films ever to give me nightmares.

Growing up with HBO and renting movies from the video store, John Carpenter was my favorite filmmaker; however, I was just too young to realize it. It wasn't till 8th grade or my freshman year of high school that I even knew who John Carpenter was. This was a time where I rented a lot of the movies I loved as a kid. There was CHRISTINE, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, and ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK just to name a few. Re-watching them I noticed something, this guy named John Carpenter had his name above the title of the movie.

As a child of the eighties I only knew two names of directors, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. So you could say that my early love/discovery for John Carpenter films was a catalyst for becoming a movie buff.

Before the internet and IMDB, browsing the video store was where you found what movie you were looking for. I found out that the Carpenter films I hadn't seen yet were mostly horror. I had seen CHRISTINE already, but no way was I watching THE FOG or HALLOWEEN! Those box covers were creepy. And THE THING? Forget about that!

Let's go ahead and fast forward to where I finally became a fan of horror movies. After seeing all the Freddy movies and Jason films (most of them anyway), I was ready for the other masked killer Micheal Myers. I had forgotten HALLOWEEN was a John Carpenter film, so I was a little pumped to watch it. After the movie both my friend and I became hard core Carpenter fans. And while it's not his film, HALLOWEEN II made me become an all time horror movie fan.

I was ready for THE THING. Turns out, I wasn't. Some images are burnt in your brain forever, I quickly found that out watching the movie. I didn't cover my eyes or look away, but I wanted to. Never had I seen a horror movie like that before. Some of the most gruesome special effects I had ever seen! And let me just say, even after 35 years the effects still hold up! Now that's saying something.

John Carpenter's THE THING had such a profound effect on me that I never rented it again. It wouldn't be until DVD that I revisited the film again. And it wasn't until Shout Factory's Collector's Edition Blu-Ray that I realized THE THING is my favorite John Carpenter film. I might have to watch HALLOWEEN this year to confirm?

For those that don't know, THE THING is about an American research team in Antarctica. It's the first week of winter and the group get a unwelcome guest. An alien force that can assimilate into anything it touches. It's up to the members to stay alive and be sure of who is human, and who is not.

So right off the bat, the thing I love most about the film is the special effects. For 1982 it's still fantastic looking! Added to this I wanna mention the production design, you really feel the isolation this group is facing. A small base camp surrounded by snow and ice.

Next, I love the tone of THE THING. From the beginning of the film things don't start off quite right. You're kinda confused at what's going on just like the characters are. And you don't know who the alien is and when it's going to strike next. A great showcase of terror and suspense from the director.

The ensemble cast is great. Kurt Russell is great as always, but everyone is believable in the role that they play.

In conclusion, I highly recommend THE THING. The film isn't for the faint of heart, the creature effects and gore will knock your socks off if you're not careful. But the movie is required viewing if your a horror movie fan.

BLAIR WITCH

To this day, 17 years later THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT is my favorite marketing of a movie. This film had horror fans going nuts! Was the footage real or was it fiction? Yeah of course it was fake, but back in 1999 the debate raged on even after leaving the theater.

For me the hype/curiosity all started while hanging out with my best friend(also a fellow movie buff). We were at his house one day and he asked me if I had heard of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT? No, I said. What's the Blair Witch? Almost immediately we went to his computer and checked out the website. My friend read me the legend and showed me the video clips. And went on and on how the kids filming a documentary went missing. I found the whole thing creepy and convinced it was real.

Then a few weeks later a special aired on the Sci-Fi Channel and their was something about it that made the whole THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT found film seem very fake. But I still wanted to believe. Then days leading up to the theatrical release MTV News broke the story that the film was indeed fake. My friend and I were crushed. But deep down we knew all along the film wasn't real.

When THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT came out it was an instant blockbuster smash hit! It became (and still is I think) the most successful independent film of all time. All because of a clever marketing campaign. Was it fake or real? That was the conversations happening in theater lobbies across the nation. Very quickly however, came the backlash.

Some theater goers hated the found-footage style of the film, and could not see beyond a 87 minute movie of people lost and screaming in the woods.

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was definitely not a movie for everybody. In my opinion for the film to work, the viewer really has to be in the mind set that the woods are haunted and cursed. This suspension of disbelief is key, without it you're likely to find the movie boring and stupid.

After the success of the movie, Hollywood rushed a sequel into production. It bombed. I haven't seen BOOK OF SHADOWS: BLAIR WITCH 2, but after hearing some people talk about it I may check it out. There were talks of a third Blair Witch movie but after the poor box office of the sequel, those plans were quickly scraped.

So the Blair Witch “franchise” died off, but the found-footage horror sub-genre lived on. I don't know how long Lionsgate has been wanting to relaunch the Blair Witch films? But I'm going to take an educated guess and say they wanted to bring the franchise back to life after the success of PARAMORMAL ACTIVITY.

It took 17 years for THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT to get the sequel fans deserve. And what better team to bring it than director Adam Wingard and screenwriter Simon Barrett. I have been a fan of these filmmakers since their contribution to V/H/S. And after seeing their film YOU'RE NEXT I became a fan for life.

Adam and Simon's new film was going to be a horror film called THE WOODS. Cool, of course I'll see it. I couldn't wait!

They showed THE WOODS at this years San Diego Comic Con. But what the audience saw that day was BLAIR WITCH, a true blue direct sequel to THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. The geek community went nuts. And of course I was excited but also a tad discouraged my two new favorite filmmakers were not making something original.

BLAIR WITCH takes place 17 years after the events depicted in the original film. After discovering some video footage of what appears to be his sisters experiences in the haunted woods of the Blair Witch, James and a group of friends head to the forest in search of his lost sibling.

My first impressions of BLAIR WITCH were not that great. I left the theater thinking it was just okay. Don't get me wrong, I thought the film was very effective and scary. The sour taste in my mouth was that the movie had too many similar moments from the original. Which automatically makes it one of those remake/sequel things. And they added jump scares this time, which the original had none.

But after mulling it over in my head for about 48 hours, I love the film the more I think about it. Because just like with THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT you have to be in the mind set that getting lost in a haunted forest is some scary shit! And BLAIR WITCH builds on this mythology perfectly!

The main thing I kept thinking about was how much I loved the haunted forest. The filmmakers still follow the less-is-more aspect of the original, but also add a little to the legend. In THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT it's implied that the three teens get lost because the witch is messing with them. In the new film they add the aspect that if you stay in the woods overnight, that's when the Blair Witch curses you.

I love stuff like that! Adding to the mythology of the story without heavy handedness.

And lastly, the film was just down right scary! There is a thunderstorm at the end of the film and the lightning shining through the boarded up windows of the decrepit old house was absolutely terrifying. And yes, we are shown the Blair Witch this time. It seems like something unnecessary, but it's appearance is brief if not subliminal and maybe out of this world. And I found that very cool.

If I had to pick somethings that I didn't like about the movie I'd say that the jump scares could have been left out of the movie. Probably a studio mandated thing? And the film has a antagonist that I found really pointless. I don't know if the point of that character was to make you think the curse and Blair Witch doesn't exist and that crazy townsfolk cultists are behind it all?

My final thoughts are that I highly recommend BLAIR WITCH. It is a good worthy sequel done with love and respect for the original film.