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Favorite/Standout Actors, Actress, Supporting Roles, and Villains of 2016
The end of the 2016 doesn’t just mean putting out your best/favorite movies of year. It can be a time to reflect the individuals like directors, actors, actress, supporting roles, villains and everything in between. So, that said, I’m here to do just that. We all have our favorites, and these are mine. This is of course my opinion. I tried to shorten the list as much as I could, but like every year, it was a bit too hard so I left the lists as such.
Also, villains are considering Supporting Actors in other lists, but again, to not only make the lists shorter, I want the villains to have their own category, because everyone loves a good villain right?
Finally, everything and everyone will be in alphabetical order. This is also part one of two different lists. Enjoy.
Directors
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – The Revenant
Alejandro G. Inarritu has become one of the big name directors in Hollywood, especially around Oscar season, and The Revenant is one of those films. Of course, that doesn’t mean the film is just marketed and targeted toward Oscar viewers, the film is a beautifully shot and put together. What Inarritu was able to bring out of his cast – and put them through – just proves that he’s here to stay and a director everyone should get use to seeing.
Anthony and Joe Russo – Captain America: Civil War
The Russo Brothers have now directed, yet again, another great addition to the Captain America series and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two were able to bring one of the most iconic storylines in the comics to the big screen, and not only create a great film, but one that was personal and emotional at the same time.
Billy O’Brien – I Am Not a Serial Killer
Billy O’Brien arguably made a film adaptation that was better than the novel. I Am Not a Serial Killer was a film adaptation I didn’t even know was getting made – having read the book a few years ago – and I’m glad I got to see this on the big screen, because it is so well done and perfectly executed. Highly recommend you watch this.
Damien Chazelle – La La Land
Damien Chazelle made waves with Whiplash, and while the two films are vastly different, I think La La Land was his better film. Dripping with homage to old Hollywood, even down to some of the style, the film surpassed any expectations I had. Chazelle is definitely a name you should look out for in the future.
Dan Trachtenberg – 10 Cloverfield Lane
Another not yet household name, Dan Trachtenberg really broke out in with his short film Portal: No Escape – based on the video games – but Trachtenberg held his own in his first feature film, and one that had a lot of attention toward it. What he was able to pull off was a great thriller that caught everyone off guard. Even the having to bring in the Cloverfield twist was handled okay, a bit jumbled, but still good.
Denis Villeneuve – Arrival
Denis Villeneuve has quickly become one of my favorite directors in the short time he’s been in the limelight, which is why I was looking forward to Arrival. What Villeneuve was able to do by balancing the drama in the story of Amy Adams’ character and the sci-fi element of the aliens – without turning it into a typical aliens coming to Earth film – was great to watch.
Fede Alvarez – Don’t Breathe
Fede Alvarez was under a microscope after he made his Evil Dead film, and he didn’t disappointment with his follow-up film Don’t Breathe. While this film doesn’t have as much gore as Evil Dead had, Don’t Breathe made up for it with the production and sound design.
Gareth Edwards – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
In a lot of regard, Gareth Edwards finally gave us a good Star Wars prequel. Even with all the criticism and worry that Rogue One was “suffering” because of the reshoots, Edwards proved all the doubters wrong by giving us a great fun-filled ride with a great cast with an amazing third act.
Jon Favreau – The Jungle Book
Jon Favreau was able to create, somehow, a vivid world that seemed real from the moment we saw it on screen for the first time. Not only that, he was able to create a great adaptation of The Jungle Book that we’ve never seen before, and arguably, probably never see again. Well, until the sequel anyway.
Justin Lin – Star Trek Beyond
At this point, we know that Justin Lin can come in to an already established franchise and bring something new to the table. However, what he was able to do with Star Trek Beyond was highly impressive. Especially after Into Darkness made some fans weary of the future films, but Lin made an awesome addition of the series, and what better way to do it than in the series 50th anniversary.
Robert Eggers – The Witch
Eggers isn’t a household name – yet – but the way he handled The Witch is a great start. He, along with his great cast and cinematographer, were able to pull off a creepy, unnerving and sometimes hard to watch horror film.
Scott Derrickson – Doctor Strange
Scott Derrickson, mostly known at this point as a horror film director, took the reins of Marvel’s most out there and magical character Doctor Strange, and absolutely nailed it. Doctor Strange was filled with special effects that have never been seen in a Marvel film, and some really trippy ones at that. However, what Derrickson was able in bringing this new side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a huge feat on itself.
Tim Miller – Deadpool
Tim Miller is one lucky man. He brought to life the film that many fans have been clamoring for: a true adaptation of the Merc with the Mouth: Deadpool. Miller, who directed the “leaked” proof of concept video managed to create a feature-length version that worked, and was an overall enjoyable film that made many fans, including me obviously, very, very happy.
Travis Knight – Kubo and the Two Strings
It’s quite surprising that this is only the fourth Laika Entertainment film, and it’s also the first film directed by CEO Travis Knight, who has also worked in the art department of all their films. I personally loved pretty much everything about Kubo and the Two Strings, and knowing how passionate Knight is with all their films, you can see that once again with this beautiful film.
Honorable Mentions
Barry Jenkins – Moonlight
Chan-wook Park – The Handmaiden
James Wan – The Conjuring 2
Jeff Nichols – Midnight Special
Kenneth Lonergan – Manchester by the Sea
Mel Gibson – Hacksaw Ridge
Peter Berg – Deepwater Horizon
Ron Clements/John Musker – Moana
Richard Linklater – Everybody Wants Some!!
Taika Waititi – Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Todd Haynes – Carol
Actors
Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss – Hacksaw Ridge
This year was definitely the year of Andrew Garfield, and while Silence wasn’t released in my area I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. However, his performance in Hacksaw Ridge can’t be forgotten. His portrayal of unknown real-life hero Desmond T. Doss was amazing to watch on screen. Garfield conveyed every emotion in his powerful performance that I couldn’t imagine not putting on my list.
Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler – Manchester by the Sea
I sometimes feel that Casey Affleck doesn’t get the recognition he deserves, but that will definitely change after people watch Manchester by the Sea. Affleck’s performance in this was nothing short of magnificent as a man dealing with grief and finding out he has to take care of his nephew. The performance is very layered and becomes more enthralling as the film goes forward.
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America & Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man – Captain America: Civil War
We’ve seen Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. plays their respective Marvel characters multiple times now. However, there was something different in their performances in Civil War. We finally had to choose, who’s better and who’s right? The great thing they did was giving us reasons to choose them, but also giving us reasons to see how wrong they are. Evans and Downey already have these characters locked down, but seeing them reach a new peak in their characters was a grand experience to watch.
Chris Pine as Toby Howard & Ben Foster as Tanner Howard – Hell or High Water
Chris Pine is always reliable when given great material, but it was also Ben Foster who made Hell or High Water a fantastic film to watch. Ben Foster is also one of those actors you tend to forget – only because he’s not in a lot of stuff – and then he does a film and role like this and you realize how great of an actor he is. Have these two play bank-robbing brothers and you have yourself two great leads.
Jack O’Connell as Kyle Budwell – Money Monster
Jack O’Connell has made a nice name for himself here in the States with his indie performance in ’71 and the Angelina Jolie-directed Unbroken (even a small role in 300: Rise of an Empire), but it was his performance in Money Monster that really got me to notice him. O’Connell was able to make his character feel real, and you almost want to root for him, even though he’s supposed to be the “bad guy,” at least at the start of the film. Although, George Clooney is technically the lead, O’Connell shares the same amount of screen time with Clooney.
Julian Dennison as Ricky – Hunt for the Wilderpeople
It’s a little hard to believe that Julian Dennison only has four credits to his name, and while watching him in Hunt for the Wilderpeople, it was hard to believe that. Dennison’s Ricky is the biggest highlight of the film, and I can’t wait to see what else Dennison does in the future.
Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass – The Revenant
I mean seriously. Look at what Leonardo DiCaprio put himself through in this film. Not only that, for the lack of dialogue his character has, DiCaprio was able to get us invested in the hell he went through just by using body movement and facial expressions. If that’s not the sign of a true actor, I don’t know what it is.
Max Records as John Wayne Cleaver – I Am Not a Serial Killer
Max Records was apparently the kid from Where the Wild Things Are, well, he’s little anymore! Records played John Wayne Cleaver so well you believed him as this conflicted character, and one that kept driving the film forward.
Russell Crowe as Jackson Healy & Ryan Gosling as Holland March – The Nice Guys
It’s a shame not many people saw The Nice Guys because it was really good, and what made it work was the chemistry between Crowe and Gosling. It sounds like a miss-matched pairing, but believe me it really worked. The two off-set each other in the perfect way and work together so well, that I can’t wait to see if they do anything together again in the future.
Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool – Deadpool
If anyone could have bought Deadpool to life, Ryan Reynolds is the man to do it. A fan of the character himself, you know he wasn’t going to mess it up, nor mess it up for the fans who have been waiting for a Deadpool movie for a long time.
Honorable Mentions
Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange – Doctor Strange
Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Chris Pratt as Jim Preston – Passengers
Dwayne Johnson as Maui – Moana
Jake Gyllenhaal as Davis – Demolition
Jake Gyllenhaal as Tony Hastings/Edward Sheffield – Nocturnal Animals
Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde – Zootopia
Mark Rylance as BFG – The BFG
Taron Egerton as Eddie Edwards – Eddie the Eagle
Will Smith as Deadshot – Suicide Squad
Actress
Amy Adams as Dr. Louise Banks – Arrival
Amy Adams has had quite a year, but it was Arrival that sticks out the most. Adams perfectly embodied the drama and multiple conflicts the character faces throughout the film. All of it comes together in those last ten minutes of the film that is an emotional-filled rollercoaster.
Angourie Rice as Holly March – The Nice Guys
It’s quite a feat when you can stand toe-to-toe or even steal a scene from Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, but Angourie Rice did just that in The Nice Guys. Playing Gosling’s daughter in the film, she was able to carry herself so well and really drive home the fact that even though she’s younger than the people around, she’s ten times smarter.
Cate Blanchett as Carol Aird & Rooney Mara as Therese Belivet – Carol
After watching Carol, I don’t think it would have worked without the great performances by both these women. They felt like real people and watching those two in a real just talking was enough to keep me attached to them from beginning to end.
Emma Stone as Mia – La La Land
There’s always something about Emma Stone when he does a big role like this, where it feels like you can’t tell where Stone comes in as an actress and when she’s doing the actual character. La La Land is no different, but it makes the most sense. Let’s also take a minute to appreciate her singing voice, and the song “Audition.”
Madison Wolfe as Janet Hodgson – The Conjuring 2
If Madison Wolfe chooses her projects carefully in the future, she will be an actress to be reckoning with, because her performance in The Conjuring 2 was fantastic. She played the horror of being stuck in a haunted house and possessed greatly, and being able to hang with Vera Farmiga is so easy feat either.
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn – Suicide Squad
Margot Robbie almost seemed like perfect casting for the first big screen appearance of Harley Quinn, and when the film came out, we were all right. Robbie was able to tap into what made all of us fall in love with the quirky character and even bring her own little things to the role. Robbie seems down to keep playing Quinn, and I think all of us are okay with that.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Michelle – 10 Cloverfield Lane
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is always reliable in the small roles or supporting roles she pops in on, 10 Cloverfield Lane was no expectation. Here she was able to stretch her legs a bit more and really show us what she was capable of when given the chance to play the lead.
Min-hee Kim as Lady Hideko & Kim Tae-ri as Sook-Hee – The Handmaiden
The Handmaiden is one of those films that that hits you out of nowhere. The erotic drama thriller is held together by the compelling leads in Min-hee Kim and Kim Tae-ri, who bring their characters to life in a way I don’t think anyone could have ever imagined.
Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy – Jackie
Natalie Portman’s portrayal as former First Lady Jackie Kennedy was by far one of the best performances of the year. Playing Jackie as a flawed, but grief-driven woman was amazing to watch and seeing what Jackie went through, not just as the First Lady, but as a wife was something worth of praise.
Rebecca Hall as Christine – Christine
Rebecca Hall has been a name that’s always been out there, but she’s struggled to find her place amongst the busy actress crowd. It was finally Christine that made her standout among them. Hall’s performance as real-life Christine Chubbuck in this powerful film about her last days is truly something that Hall carries.
Taraji P. Henson as Katherine G. Johnson – Hidden Figures
Taraji P. Henson maybe be making a name for herself on the FOX show Empire, but Henson has been around for a while and has always been a constant surprise in everything she in. Hidden Figures however was something she was able to break loose a bit. She has one particular scene that stands out around the midway point of the film that was worthy of getting her on my list.
Honorable Mentions
Auli’I Cravalho as Moana – Moana
Charlize Theron as Monkey (Voice) – Kubo and the Two Strings
Eva Green as Miss Peregrine – Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Gillian Jacobs as Samantha – Don’t Think Twice
Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps – Zootopia
Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine – The Edge of Seveteen
Jane Levy as Rocky – Don’t Breathe
Kika Magalhaes as Francisca – The Eyes of My Mother
Lucy Walters as Ann – Here Alone
Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan & Janelle Monae as Mary Jackson – Hidden Figures
Teresa Palmer as Rebecca – Lights Out
Supporting Actor
Alan Tudyk as K-2SO & Donnie Yen as Chirrut Imwe – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Alan Tudyk is always great to see, or hear, on screen. That was no different with his new character in K-2SO aka everyone’s new favorite Star Wars droid. When it comes to Donnie Yen, it was just awesome to see him on the big screen in a big role like this in a big franchise.
Alden Ehrenreich as Hobie Doyle – Hail, Caesar!
What a better way to have a breakout role then in a Cohen Brothers movie, with a damn great and funny character. I hadn’t really seen Ehrenreich in anything before, but what he was able to do with his makes me believe that we’ll be seeing him a lot more soon – he is playing young Han Solo. He’s got charm, charisma, likability and knack to tackle anything that comes his way. Don’t believe me, just watch that scene with Ralph Fiennes again.
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa/Black Panther & Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man
– Captain America: Civil War
Chadwick Boseman had the distinct pleasure of bringing a fan-favorite character in Black Panther to the big screen, and did a great job doing so. Boseman was able to tap into what people loved about the character, but bring his own flavor to it that made the character even better.
When it comes to Tom Holland, he stole the show. His Peter Parker and Spider-Man were what fans have been waiting for and even made sense. Holland played the goofy, awkward and brave Parker/Spider-Man that we all know so well. Although we should wait to see what he does in his own film, but so far so good.
Chris Hemsworth as Kevin – Ghostbusters
I don’t think anyone could have imagined Hemsworth playing a dim-wit, but Paul Feig was able to do just that in Ghostbusters. Hemsworth’s Kevin was definitely one of the biggest highlights of the film and surprise performances of the year – at least for me.
Christopher Lloyd as Crowley – I Am Not a Serial Killer
Lloyd’s Crowley in I Am Not a Serial Killer is one of those roles that leave a massive impact on the film when you step back and think it over. Lloyd has one particular scene that involves him reading out a poem that is so powerful, moving, and harrowing all at the same time.
Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver – X-Men: Apocalypse
A lot of people judged Evan Peter’s look in X-Men: Days of Future Past, and then people actually watched the movie (what?) and loved him. So when it was announced that Peters would return in Apocalypse many waited to see what kind of big scene they had in store. Turns out, it was bigger than the last film in every way possible.
Jay Hernandez as Diablo – Suicide Squad
Jay Hernandez’s Diablo was one of the biggest question marks in Suicide Squad since he wasn’t in the promotion material too much. However, Diablo turned out to be one of the best and most well-rounded characters in the whole film. His arch is much more tragic than any of the other characters in the film, and makes Hernandez as bigger name in some people’s eyes. Although the scene comes out of nowhere, and felt a bit forced, it still was a great standout scene.
John Gallagher Jr. as Emmett – 10 Cloverfield Lane
John Gallagher Jr. made a name for himself this year with the Netflix home-invasion horror film Hush, and his great supporting role in this as Emmett. Gallagher Jr. didn’t get to do too much in 10 Cloverfield Lane due to Mary Elizabeth Winstead getting the bulk of the work, but Gallagher Jr. took the screen time he had and made it impactful.
Karl Urban as Doctor ‘Bones’ McCoy – Star Trek Beyond
Urban has already played Bones twice before, but there was something about his chemistry and performances with Zachary Quinto in Star Trek Beyond that made me love him even more as the character.
Lucas Hedges as Patrick Chandler – Manchester by the Sea
If Lucas Hedges plays his cards right, we could be hearing his name more often soon. His Patrick takes some time to really buy into, but his highlight scene involves him finally breaking down and it felt so raw that made me finally buy into Hedges in the film.
Sharlto Copley as Jimmy – Hardcore Henry
Sharlto Copley really had some fun filming Hardcore Henry. Jimmy is a kind of out there character and honestly couldn’t see Copley playing him at all, but low and behold he did and it was one of the best parts of this experimental film.
Honorable Mentions
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Ray Marcus & Michael Shannon as Bobby Andes – Nocturnal Animals
Bill Murray as Baloo – The Jungle Book
Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Glen Powell as Finnegan – Everybody Wants Some!!
Joel Edgerton as Lucas & Adam Driver as Sevier – Midnight Special
Jonah Hill as Efraim Diveroli – War Dogs
Mahershala Ali as Juan – Moonlight
Matthew McConaughey as Beetle – Kubo and the Two Strings
Michael Sheen as Arthur – Passengers
Ralph Fiennes as Laurence Laurentz – Hail, Caesar!
Sam Neill as Hec – Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Ty Burrell as Bailey – Finding Dory
Woody Harrleson as Mr. Bruner & Hayden Szeto as Erwin – The Edge of Seventeen
Supporting Actress
Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Doubters, SHUT IT! Gal Gadot is our Wonder Woman. Arguably the best part of Dawn of Justice, Gadot was able to show she will be a kickass Wonder Woman in the very limited screen time she had in the much anticipated film.
Lulu Wilson as Doris Zander – Ouija: Origin of Evil
Lulu Wilson is the definition of “creepy little girl” in horror films with her role as the youngest daughter in the sequel/prequel for Ouija. Her “description” scene was probably the most stomaching turning and nerve-racking scene I’ve seen all year.
Kate McKinnon as Jillian Holtzmann – Ghostbusters
Everyone fell in love with Kate McKinnon as the witty and completely out there Jillian Holtzmann, and I can see why. McKinnon did bring a different kind of `humor to the film, and was one of the highlights of the film for sure, even having a cool action moment in the finale.
Naomie Harris as Paula – Moonlight
Naomie Harris as the mother to the lead character in Moonlight was equal parts tragic, heartbreaking and emotional to watch. Harris is a damn good actress when given the right material, and Moonlight was just that. Seeing her transform through the life of the character was easily the other best part of the film.
Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One – Doctor Strange
A lot of controversy went into the casting of Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One, which sure is reasonable, but if you’re going to cast anyone other than someone who isn’t Asian – to play what everyone agrees was a stereotypical character to begin with – than you cast someone who is damn good like Tilda Swinton. Swinton played the character so well that you always felt the weight of her lines.
Viola Davis as Amanda Waller – Suicide Squad
While Margot Robbie seemed like perfect casting for Harley Quinn, Viola Davis screams out Amanda Waller. She had the no nonsense, cut throat and mission first ideal to her and Davis delivered on all accountants.
Honorable Mentions
Abbey Lee as Sarah – The Neon Demon
Ariane Labed as Maria – Assassin’s Creed
Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead – Deadpool
Emily Blunt as Queen Freya – The Huntsman: Winter’s War
Greta Gerwig as Nancy Tuckerman – Jackie
Kathryn Hahn as Carla – Bad Moms
Sarah Paulson as Abby Gerhard – Carol
Villain
Bonnie Aarons as Demon Nun & Javier Botet as The Crooked Man – The Conjuring 2
Damn you, James Wan! His demonic creations in The Conjuring 2 were definitely some of the creepiest he’s created, especially the Demon Nun, which was created during reshoots for the film, I am seriously getting freaked out just writing about it. As for The Crooked Man (played by Javier Boet), I haven’t looked at shadows the same way since.
Idris Elba as Shere Khan – The Jungle Book
There is just something about Idris Elba’s voice that makes you frighten, but also makes you respect him. Add all that to a tiger, and you have a formidable and scary villain.
John Goodman as Howard – 10 Cloverfield Lane
I was hesitant to put John Goodman’s Howard here, but for all intent and purposes, he is pretty much the villain in 10 Cloverfield Lane. He doesn’t let Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) leave the bunker and the way he acts toward her and Emmet (John Gallagher Jr.) throughout the movie essentially makes him the villain. There’s especially one moment that makes him very villainous. On top of that, Goodman is phenomenal in this.
Stephen Lang as The Blind Man – Don’t Breathe
Stephen Lang has been around for a while, but it wasn’t until Avatar that people started to actually remember his name. Something tells me that his character of The Blind Man in this will definitely make people never forget about Stephen Lang.
Tom Hardy as John Fitzgerald – The Revenant
Tom Hardy is well known for playing complex characters and while John Fitzgerald isn’t overly complex, it doesn’t mean his character isn’t damn good. Hardy always brings his A-game and there is something about him playing a villain that always sticks out. His character is driven by greed and simply not seeing the reason for Leonardo DiCaprio’s character to live anymore. It’s the little things he does in between that makes his character work so well.
Honorable Mentions
Alicia Vela-Bailey as Diana – Lights Out
Charlize Theron as Ravenna – The Huntsman: Winter’s War
Daniel Bruhl as Zemo – Captain America: Civil War
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Sam – Desierto
Patrick Stewart as Darcy – Green Room
Rooney Mara as The Sisters – Kubo and the Two Strings
So, who were some of your favorites this year?
Be on the lookout for Part 2 of the list where we look at the other sections in Hollywood.
‘Hacksaw Ridge’ Review
Director: Mel Gibson
Writers: Robert Schenkkan and Andrew Knight
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Luke Bracey, Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffths, and Vince Vaughn
Synopsis: WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
*Reviewer Note: This will be a spoiler free review.*
Directed by Mel Gibson, his first since Apocalypto in 2006, Hacksaw Ridge tells the story of a real-life hero during World War II in Desmond Doss, whose story I’ve personally never heard of, and it’s unbelievable that his story isn’t told more. The film isn’t a full look into Doss’ life, nor is it his full time in the war, but only a small part during the Battle of Hacksaw Ridge. Gibson himself said that he took some liberties with some parts of the battle and didn’t including everything because he thought some audiences wouldn’t believe it, which if and when you watch the film, it hard to believe that Doss did even more than what was shown.
Hacksaw Ridge follows Desmond Doss (Garfield), a religious man who is the son of a World War I vet, Tom (Weaving), who decides to enlist into the army to be a medic and help save his fellow soldiers. However, his beliefs of not picking up a gun puts him into a headstrong battle with his military superiors and fellow soldiers, who see him as a coward, and after getting through a Court Marshall hearing, is sent into war without a weapon to defend himself with, becoming a Conscientious Objector. What follows is an incredible heroic story of what Doss was able to do and how many lives he saved during that horrific battle.
Doss’ life is certainly one that will make you question his beliefs, which is reasonable and it’s something that Gibson doesn’t shy too much away from, especially at the time this film takes place. However, Gibson and Andrew Garfield’s performance do bring humanity and reason to Doss’ beliefs, and his convictions keeps us invest throughout the film. We almost have no choice but to root for him, especially when the army tries to punish him.
His heroism is put on full display during the war scenes. Of course, we know that Gibson can direct war battles, and this was a real event were many men lost their lives, so walking in we already knew that this was going to be brutal to watch – and it was. The constant bombs going off with bullets whizzing by makes you feel that sometimes you’re running with the men on Hacksaw Ridge. The battle sequences are brutal, but not as brutal as Gibson’s other films, especially since the film relies a bit of CGI for some scenes – you can’t go blowing people’s face off now can you?
Despite this being a war film, the film is carried and driven by the performances. Garfield is terrific as Doss, playing him at first as the off-beat character from Virginia, so harrowing hero in the midst of death surrounding him. Teresa Palmer plays his future wife, Dorothy, who brings levity to the film, but once Doss goes to the war, she is never seen again, which is kind of a shame but makes sense. Luke Bracey’s Smitty Ryker is one of the antagonistic soldiers to Doss, but has a great scene with Doss near the middle of the film that makes you forget he was in the Point Break remake.
Vince Vaughn pops in as Sgt. Howell, and while it is a little hard to believe him as an army sergeant at first, but Vaughn plays the role well enough. Sam Worthington play Captain Glover, who leads the charge to get Doss to quit the army. Worthington has been great since taking a break from mainstream big studio films, and he continues the trend here. Hugo Weaving as Doss’ father, Tom, has a great arc in the film and even with minimal screen-time he does what he has to do. The rest of the cast do well too, but most of them have only small amounts of screen time and once we get to the battle scenes it’s a bit hard to really recognize them.
The most important thing about this film is that it doesn’t go straight into the war battles. We really get to know Doss before and after he registers, and see who he is before he’s thrown into war. The film does introduce someone close to Doss’ life that suddenly disappears without reason, and while you can say “that’s a little thing,” when you look at the film with a wider lens, it would have been nice to see that character mentioned or seen again.
All in all, Hacksaw Ridge is a great look into a hero that I don’t think many people knew about. Andrew Garfield brings Desmond Doss to life and shows us the hardship he went through to save others during World War II. Filled with some great action, and some surprising humor, Hacksaw Ridge has me waiting to see what Mel Gibson does next.
Hacksaw Ridge
4.5 out of 5
November Movie Releases
It’s Turkey Month ladies and gentlemen!
Happy Early Thanksgiving! It’s now at the point that we have a great film or films coming out every week and some that will for sure divide films fans. Now let’s jump right into the fray and see what’s coming out!
4th
Limited Release: Loving
Loving has been getting some great reviews on the film festival circuit, and it helps that the film is based on a true story. Richard and Mildred Loving (Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga), an interracial couple, are sentenced to a prison in Virginia in 1958 for getting married. The film also stars Will Dalton, Alano Miller, Chris Greene, Sharon Blackwood, Nick Kroll, Bill Camp, Marton Csokas, and Michael Shannon.
Trolls (Animation – 20th Century Fox/DreamWorks Animation)
Yes, a movie about those lovable toys from the 80s is getting a feature-length filmed. Does it really matter what it’s about? You’re taking your kids to go see whether you like it or not! The voice cast includes Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, James Corden, Zooey Deschanel, Gwen Stefani, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kunal Nayyar, Quvenzhane Wallis, Russell Brand, Ron Funches, Christine Baranski, Jeffrey Tambor and John Cleese.
Hacksaw Ridge (Biography War Drama – Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment/Cross Creak Pictures/Vendian Entertainment/Demarest Media/Icon Productions)
Mel Gibson returns to the director’s chair with this film that follows WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), who served during the Battle of Okinawa, who refused to pick up a gun and kill, and became the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Say what you will about Mel Gibson, the man knows how to direct and the film looks great. Hacksaw Ridge also stars Teresa Palmer, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Rachel Griffiths, Matt Nable, Vince Vaughn and Hugo Weaving.
Doctor Strange (Fantasy Action Adventure – Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures)
Marvel is once again being ambitious by bring the magic side of the comics to life. After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under his wing and trains him to defend the world against evil. Scott Derrickson directs Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange aka Doctor Strange, Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Scott Adkins. The film looks pretty trippy and, yes, does have an Inception-vibe, but with a cast like this, and director Scott Derrickson onboard, we’re looking at another big hit for Marvel.
11th
Limited Release: Elle
Based on the novel by Phillppe Djian, and directed by Paul Verhoeven, the film follows a successful businesswoman (Isabelle Huppert), who gets caught up in a game of cat-and-mouse as she tracks down the unknown man who raped her.
Limited Release in 3D: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (Comedy Drama – Sony Pictures/TriStar Productions/Marc Platt Productions/Dune Films)
Directed by Ang Lee and based on the novel by Ben Fountain, 19-year-old Billy Lynn (newcomer Joe Alwyn) is brought home for a victory tour after a harrowing Iraq battle. Through flashbacks the film shows what really happened to his squad – contrasting the realities of war with America’s perceptions. The film doesn’t look that bad, and Ang Lee is doing the interesting move on filming the movie in a high-frame rate. The film will star Vin Diesel, Chris Tucker, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Makenzie Leigh, Tim Blake Nelson, and Steve Martin.
Shut In (Drama Thriller – EuropaCorp/Lava Bear Films)
A widowed child psychologist (Naomi Watts), who lives in an isolated existence in rural New England with her comatose son (Charlie Heaton), gets caught in a deadly winter storm. However, that’s not her only problem as she starts to question her reality and tries to find a boy (Jacob Tremblay) she recently lost under her care. The film looks pretty creepy, and the isolation aspect could lead to some great moments. The film also stars Crystal Balint, Tim Post, Clementine Poidatz and Oliver Platt.
Almost Christmas (Comedy – Universal Pictures)
A dysfunctional family gathers together for their first Thanksgiving since their mom died. The cast includes Danny Glover, Gabrielle Union, Jessie Usher, Omar Epps, Mo’Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, and Kimberly Elise.
Arrival (Sci-Fi Drama – Paramount Pictures/FilmNation Entertainment/Lava Bear Films/21 Laps Entertainment)
Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario), the film takes place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat. Arrival has some good things going for it. Villeneuve is a great director and has a cast of Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg and Tzi Ma. It also helps that early reviews have been nothing but positive, even saying Arrival could be a surprise Oscar contender.
18th
Limited Release: The Take (Action Drama)
A young con artist (Richard Madden) and former CIA agent (Idris Elba) embark on an anti-terrorist mission in France. The film was originally titled Bastille Day, a special holiday in France, the film was pushed back and delayed after the attacks in France, and is now getting a release date. The film also stars Kelly Reilly, Charlotte Le Bon, and Anatol Yusef.
Limited Release: The Eyes of My Mother (Horror Drama)
A young, lonely woman is consumed by her deepest and darkest desires after tragedy strikes her quiet country life. The film looks rather creepy to be honest, and the fact that the film is shot in black and white makes it all the more.
Limited Release: Manchester by the Sea (Drama)
An uncle (Casey Affleck) is forced to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy’s father dies, but is also dealing with his own personal troubles. Manchester by the Sea looks absolutely fantastic, and I’ve hear NOTHING but good things about this. The film also stars Kyle Chandler, Michelle Williams, Matthew Broderick, Josh Hamilton and Tate Donovan.
Limited Release: Nocturnal Animals (Drama Thriller)
Based on Austin Wright’s novel “Tony and Susan,” an art gallery owner is haunted by her ex-husband’s novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a veiled threat and a symbolic revenge tale. Again, another film with a great cast that I’m surprised is getting a limited release. Nocturnal Animals stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Laura Linney and Michael Shannon.
Expanded Release: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
Bleed for This (Biography Drama – Open Road Films/Verdi Productions/Magna Entertainment/Bruce Cohen Productions/Younger Than You)
Based on the story of World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza (Miles Teller), who after a near fatal car crash which left him not knowing if he’d ever walk again, made one of sport’s most incredible comebacks. The film doesn’t look to bad really, and I’m a bit surprised it’s only getting a limited release. Bleed for This also stars Katey Sagal, Aaron Eckhart, Ted Levine, and Ciaran Hinds.
The Edge of Seventeen (Comedy – Sony Pictures/STX Entertainment/Gracie Films)
High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) when her best friend, Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), starts dating her older brother (Blake Jenner). I didn’t really think anything about this, I thought it would be just another teeny bopper movie, but I saw the trailer and it does looks pretty damn funny. The film also stars Woody Harrelson, Alexander Calvert, and Kyra Sedgwick.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Fantasy Adventure – Warner Bros.)
Set 70-years before the events of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling brings us back to the Wizarding World by following writer Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) who ends up in New York with a secret community of witches and wizards, and has to track down fantastic beasts that have gotten out of his magical briefcase. Harry Potter series director David Yates comes back to direct and also stars Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol, Samantha Morton, Dan Fogler, Colin Farell, Ron Pearlman, and Jon Voight.
23rd
Expanded Release: Nocturnal Animals
Rules Don’t Apply (Comedy Romance Drama – 20th Century Fox/RatPace Entertainment/New Regency Pictures/Shangri-La Entertainment/Demarest Films)
Warren Beatty returns behind the camera after twenty plus years, and follows an unconventional love story of an aspiring actress (Lily Collins), her determined driver (Alden Ehrenreich), and the eccentric billionaire (Beatty) who they work for. There was something about the trailer that doesn’t grab me, and if the trailer has trouble define what tone it’s going to take, that is a bit of a problem. The rest of the cast is also great with Haley Bennett, Alec Baldwin, Taissa Farmiga, Matthew Broderick, Steve Coogan, Annette Bening, Ed Harris, Candice Bergen and Martin Sheen.
Allied (Thriller – Paramount Pictures)
Robert Zemeckis directs and Steven Knight (Locke, The Hundred-Foot Journey, Peaky Blinders) writes Allied. Set in 1942, Max (Brad Pitt), a French-Canadian spy, falls in love and marries French agent Marianne (Marion Cotillard), after a mission in Casablanca. Max is notified that Marianne is likely a Nazi spy and begins to investigate her. Allied also stars Lizzy Caplan, Matthew Goode, Raffey Cassidy, Charlotte Hope and Jared Harris.
Bad Santa 2 (Comedy – Miramax/Broad Green Pictures)
The long awaited sequel to Bad Santa will finally arrive, and fans look to be excited. The film will bring back Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) as he’s roped into another heist by his fresh-out-of-jail -sidekick Marcus (Tony Cox) to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve, the problem is that Willie’s mother, played by Kathy Bates, finds out and joins in. The film will also stars Christina Hendricks, Brett Kelly, and Ryan Hansen.
Moana (Animation – Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Animation Studios)
A young woman, Moana (Auli’I Cravalho) uses her navigational talents to set sail for a fabled island. Joining her on the adventure is her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui (Dwayne Johnson). The film is being directed by longtime Disney animated film directors Ron Clements and John Musker, who have directed films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Treasure Planet, and The Princess and the Frog. The rest of the voice cast includes Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, and Alan Tudyk.
25th
Lion (The Weinstein Company/See-Saw Films/Aquarius Films/Screen Australia)
Based on the novel by Saroo Brierley, a five-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Caluctta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he set out to find his lost family. The film stars Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, Nicole Kidman, and David Wenham
Miss Sloane (Drama Thriller – EuropaCorp/FilmNation Entertainment)
An ambitious lobbyist, played by Jessica Chastain, faces off against the powerful gun lobby in an attempt to pass control legislation. The film also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Allison Pill, Mark Strong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Dylan Baker, Douglas Smith, John Lithgow and Sam Waterston.
What are you looking forward to?
New Podcast: Suicide Squad Response, Drama and Mini Review & Tons More
This week podcast is live!
I tried to control all the craziness of movie news that was this week, and yes give you a mini-review of Suicide Squad. The review will be up tomorrow.
‘The Expendables 3’ Review
Dir: Patrick Hughes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, Kelsey Grammer, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Harrison Ford
Synopsis: Barney augments his team with new blood for a personal battle: to take down Conrad Stonebanks, the Expendables co-founder and notorious arms trader who is hell bent on wiping out Barney and every single one of his associates
*Reviewer Note: This will be a spoiler free review*
Let’s face it, The Expendables 3 is review-proof. No matter what anybody says, any action movie fan is going to go watch their action movie heroes deliver one-liners, shoot some big guns, and kick ass, right? Of course! While the cast has gotten bigger, and younger, The Expendables 3 is more or less of the same with some new characters and same ol’ explosions.
The movie starts off like the trailers, with Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Statham), Gunner (Lundgren) and Toll Road (Couture) riding a helicopter alongside a train to rescue Doc (Snipes) for another mission. During the second mission, the group finds out that the person arranging the thing they are trying to break up is Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), the co-founder of the Expendables. Everything goes to hell, once Barney realizes it’s Stonebanks, someone he thought he killed years before, Stonebanks nearly kills the group and gets away.
After the near death experience, Barney realizes he doesn’t want their deaths on his conscious, and disbands the group, much to the other dismay. He then asks an old friend Bonaparte (Grammer, in a glorified cameo) to assemble a younger team that is hunger and willing to do anything. During all of this, Barney also gets orders for CIA handler Drummer (Ford) to take down Stonebanks and capture alive, which you can probably guess doesn’t make Barney happy.
So before I get further in the review, I do have to mention the big thing that everyone is talking about it, the PG-13 rating. Some people have even boycotted the movie because of the rating, which in my opinion is the dumbest reason to boycott a movie. You can get away with a lot in a PG-13 movie nowadays, and while Expendables 3 does have some obvious showings that the rating is holding it back, it doesn’t mean it’s not fun. I personally don’t need massive amounts of blood in an action movie as long as the movie is fun, which thankfully Expendables 3 is.
To date, it is the biggest cast yet. The new team has a new weapon technician solider Mars (Ortiz), hacker Thorn (Powell), combat expect Luna (Rousey) and former Navy SEAL Smilee (Lutz). The standouts of this young cast will most likely be Lutz, since he has some more screen time than anybody and stands off against Stallone. Rousey is okay, she cracks a few jokes but is kind of meh of a character, especially when she delivers a specific line it’s almost cringe-worthy. Powell is okay but doesn’t do a lot to stand out, and Ortiz might be the least compelling, never really showing off his boxing skills as opposed to Rousey who does. They each have their own moments to show what they are good at when Barney and Bonaparte are recruiting them but they get captured right after their first job so they disappear for a bit of the movie until the final action sequence.
The other new additions are Grammer, Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford and Antonio Banderas. Grammer, like I stated before, is nothing more than a glorified cameo and doesn’t get into any action scenes but it’s nice to see him and has some great scenes with Stallone. Banderas however might be the highlight of the movie. Banderas plays Galgo, a former fighter desperate to be on any team that will have him. Galgo might come has as annoying to some, mostly because he is almost consisting talking, even if he’s in a fight, but the way Banderas plays him it’s welcoming and awesome to see him on screen.
Hey baby
Snipes play Doc (or his full name Doctor Death), who has some nice chemistry with Stallone and even pokes fun at himself, which is funny and refreshing to see. Ford, who is replacing Bruce Willis, actually looks like he’s having fun and gets in a few jokes in at the expense of Jet Li (who only has about five minutes of screen time) and Jason Statham.
Ford as Drummer and Stallone as Barney Ross
Finally, the last addition is Mel Gibson, who plays the villain Conrad Stonebanks who happens to be the former co-founder of The Expendables. Gibson is having a blast playing the villain and it was really cool seeing him embrace it. But Stonebanks also brings up some rather interesting points that go against Barney’s views and might even become change your view of the situation.
My gun isn’t big enough!
The old – and I use that term loosely – cast does the same old same old. Statham is still the second in command, Lundgren and Couture play the muscle and heavy hitters, Arnold comes in, cracks some jokes and even pokes some fun at Stallone. There is really nothing new for them to do and when the younger team moves in, they disappear too.
The action scenes are pretty cool and although the rating might have hindered some of them, they are still fun to watch. Some of them could have been better if the rating was R but hopefully people can get past that. Even the final fight between Stallone and Gibson is a bit underwhelming even though the build-up is great.
There is also the issue of some CGI. Although I know its nitpicky some unwanted CGI fills some of the action scenes and it kind of took me out of it. But what is nice is that director Patrick Hughes (Red Hill) does a pretty good job leaving the feel of some of the old 80s movies.
All in all, The Expendables 3 is more or less of the same, which if you enjoyed the others movies than that will be fine. There are some descent action sequences and great jokes scattered throughout. Gibson and Banderas are definitely the standouts and nice additions to the cast of ass-kickers.
The Expendables 3
4 out of 5
‘Machete Kills’ Review
Dir: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Danny Trejo, Demain Bichir, Amber Heard, Sofia Vergara, Michelle Rodriguez, Charlie Sheen, and Mel Gibson
Synopsis: The U.S. government recruits Machete to battle his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer who looks to launch a weapon into space
*Reviewer Note: This is a non-spoiler review*
Who knew that a fake trailer in Grindhouse would lead to an actual movie, I’m sorry movies. Robert Rodriguez comes back to direct this more over-the-top and ridiculous, and I do mean that, installment to his now famous Machete character. Unlike the first movie Machete Kills tries to hide its social commentary a little more and instead just wants to you enjoy the ride. Also, in a fun little twist the movie kicks off with a fake trailer that seems like nothing at first but pay attention and you’ll see how important it is.
Machete gets summoned to the White House by the President himself, played by Carlos Eztevez aka Charlie Sheen, to stop a Mexican revolutionary that has lost his mind, turned terrorist, and has a missile aimed directly at Washington. Of course, Machete is the only man who can save world. He makes his way to Acapulco, causes chaos, kills a few ton of bad guys and finds out there’s a lot more going on than what he thought.
Sheen surprisingly doesn’t go over the top playing the President as one might expect but he sure is enjoying himself; even casting a certain someone playing one of his top secret service agents. The rest of the cameo cast also had their moments, Walton Goggins, Cuba Gooding Jr., Antonio Banderas and Lady Gaga play their very small roles well enough but they never really amount to anything other than a cool concept.
Sofia Vergara gives what may be the most over-the-top performance of the year as Madame Desdamona, owner of brothel, and some interesting weapon choices (even a throwback to Rodriguez previous work). She always has a group of her “girls” with her that include an all grown up and former Rodriguez Spy Kids alumni Alexa Vega. Amber Heard plays Miss San Antonio, a beauty pageant queen who doubles as the handler for Machete
Mel Gibson plays are main bad guy, for the first time in his career, Voz who is a billionaire that may be a little to into science fiction and may, and does, come off as a bit mad. Gibson even kind of pokes fun at himself here and there which is nice to see.
But as with the first Machete, the film belongs to Danny Trejo. As ever he’s a man of few words, but Trejo doesn’t need dialogue to convey his meaning; his eyes hugely expressive – most notably during a scene in which he’s hanging from a noose – and his actions oftentimes speaking louder than words for this larger-than-life character.
Of course like almost every Rodriguez movie the tones jump around which some will find a bit annoying but it keeps everyone on their toes and does slow the movie down just a bit. That being said, when you finally get to the third act it just feels like its run out of steam but also changes the genre completely. Is it for the better? Well that for you to decide.
Some might feel a bit cheated by the ending but considering what Rodriguez did in the beginning in the movie and even saying he wanted to make this a trilogy (in the first movie!) people shouldn’t be surprised.
All in all, Machete Kills is a little more “silly” (the two movies are suppose to be) than the first and maybe for the better. With over-the-top action, humor, and a pretty big cast Machete Kills is just one of those movies you need to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Machete Kills
4 out of 5
Movies with Chris 