The Best And Worst Films Of 2016

2016, love it or hate it there has been a lot to see in the world of film this year, as well as a lot of new rising stars to look out for and some film icons who will be sorely missed. I have always been a major Star Wars fan and to lose Carrie Fisher at the end of this year has really rocked a lot of people all over the world, never forget that she was so fiercely herself and an incredible inspiration to women and people with mental illness. Only a day after losing Ms Fisher her mother, Debbie Reynolds, passed away; I saw Singing In The Rain for the first time last year and since that point I've really just started to touch on the major mark she has left upon cinema for all time. A young up and comer, Anton Yelchin, who left his mark upon the Star Trek and Terminator universes was someone i was looking forward to seeing stun us all for the rest of his life; it's a tragedy he was only with us for such a short time. Finally one of the other legends who will be sorely missed is Alan Rickman, who passed earlier this year; he's played many roles that I've grown up loving and I'm mournful that the world will be deprived of his talent and his grace in the years ahead.

My list for this year is an interesting one, the first three months of 2016 provided a lot of good material but nothing really came close to the top five in the five months following these; it wasn't until the last few months of the year that my top five began to change as some decent content emerged. I would argue that cinema's taken a bit of a creative blow this year which is a shame to see, however it has also allowed for truly unique and creative minds to shine through the cracks. Those who know me well will be surprised to hear that not a single superhero film made it to my top five best films of the year; if you want to see where the Marvel/DC/Fox films landed keep on reading, for now let me kick off with...

The Best:

5. Hacksaw Ridge - 9/10

This is the sort of war film I like to see, it takes a realistic approach in how the carnage of war is displayed but there is also a very human element presented in the main protagonist's drive to help his fellow soldiers. Andrew Garfield stands out in this central role, embodying the compassion and determination needed in a role like this. The actions of Desmond Doss are commemorated and masterfully captured by Mel Gibson as the film's director, truly a worthy endeavour. It is a film that succeeds despite Vince Vaughn's meddling presence.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/11/hacksaw-ridge.html

4. Deepwater Horizon - 9/10

This is man-made disaster film that really strikes a chord with the viewing audience who watch it, it is a hrash reminder that sometimes the worst disasters are caused by humans and a greed for profit. It's a wild spectacle of a feature with cinematography that leads you all throughout the environment of the rig, sound editing that will have you captivated and special effects that place you right in amongst the flames of the burning oil rig. The cast in this film all do a great job, experienced legends such as Kurt Russell and John Malkovich bring their A game to the film; I'm also very excited to see more of Gina Rodriguez in her future works. Overall this is Mark Wahlbergs film through and through, in my opinion it is his best performance to date.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/10/deepwater-horizon.html

3. Spotlight - 9/10

It's not really surprising that the film which got an Oscar for Best Film this year is on my top 5 list; in fact since it came out in January Spotlight has held the number one position on my list right up until mid-December. It's a testament to this film that it can purely be driven by the cast and narrative without any real importance place upon the technical qualities of the film that it still retains a high spot. In this film the investigation which exposes institutionalised pedophilia in the Catholic Church is cast under a heavy microscope; we're quickly given every detail of this investigation as well as see many consequences and implications of the crimes committed by this Church. Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Jamey Sheridan and Mark Ruffalo all come together to deliver one of the most thought-provoking performances by an ensemble cast I have ever seen.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/spotlight.html

2. La La Land - 9/10

This film is a love letter to classic cinema, it's accomplishes what had seemed to be the impossible: delivering a good film musical. Everything within this feature is so vivid and stunningly captured, it will take you back to those classic musical films from the 50s when cinema really knew how to get unique and creative. The story here is one of ambition, love, futility and lost potential; it is a journey unlike any other and a must see. Emma Stone and ryan Gosling bring some of their best work to date, and I wouldn't be surprised if this film cleans up at the Oscars in 2017.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/12/la-la-land.html

1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - 9.5/10

Well it's official, Star Wars has been number one on my list two years in a row! It was a close call for me this year, the enchanting quality of La La Land and the incredible spectacle of Rogue One competed fierecely against one another. I chose Rogue One quite simply because it recreated a feeling in me that I haven't had with any Star Wars films but the originals when I was a kid, the tone felt the same and the story immersed itself in this science-fiction landscape effortlessly. There was so much here for Star Wars fan but likewise there was a really important story for newcomers too. The characters at the heart of this film are delivered incredibly; some of the best coming from Alan Tudyk, Felicity Jones, Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang, Ben Mendelsohn and James Earl Jones. In many ways this film recaptures the Star Wars spirit in ways that the Force Awakens didn't and it proves that there is a place for anthology films in the years to come.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/12/rogue-one-star-wars-story.html

There have been many films that seemed to be competing for the spot of bottom five this year but I've narrowed this list to my bottom five. Here they are...

The Worst:

5. How To Be Single - 1.5/10

So back in 2014 the number five worst film spot was taken by a romance film called Love, Rosie; this year it's taken by a romantic-comedy called How To Be Single. So either I have something against romance or Hollywood is really working hard to add this genre to bargain bin alongside comedy and horror. In How To Be Single we're presented a very generic story about a girl sleeping around until she realises the only true person to love in life is yourself. With the right execution maybe this could have worked, when your lead actress was also the star of 50 Shades of grey then you know what you're in for. Not even comedic heavyweights such as Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, Damon Wayans Jr. or Leslie Mann could salvage this trainwreck.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/02/how-to-be-single.html

4. Teeange Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows - 1.5/10

It's actually rare for a blockbuster film to make my bottom five films, usually it's plagued with bad romance films, comedies or animated features so this is something new. The first TMNT film that was produced by Michael bay was pretty bad and hard to watch so surely the sequel couldn't be any worse? Ha ha, nope. This is the guy who went from the first Transformers to Revenge Of The Fallen so no great shock there. I think what really went wrong this time was that the story got too outlandish; suddenly aliens, interdimensional travel and animal mutation became important plot points which got a bit out of hand. New characters like Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady got butchered by a weak script and glaringly bad special effects. A couple of the Turtles mo-cap performers pulled out the stops to give and alright performance and even Will Arnett and Tyler Perry do a pretty good job but ultimately this is one of the worst possible sequels that could have been made to an already terrible original film.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-out-of.html

3. Why Him? - 1.5/10

Sometimes by the end of the year you get the feeling that things can't get any worse and then they dump this crap on you. Why Him? doesn't work for a number of reasons but probably the most glaring issue was that none of the cast seemed to have any chemistry with one another. Bryan Cranston does some of his worst acting ever, Zoey Deutch awkwardly tries to portray Franco's girlfriend (failing miserably) and you get some horrible side performances from Megan Mullally and Griffin Gluck. There isn't much depth to the narrative and the film almost seems to be blindly staggering about in the hunt for a good joke every ten minutes. James Franco and Keegan Michael-Key do a fairly good job but that's about the only redeeming quality of this film.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/12/why-him.html

2. Bad Santa 2 - 1.5/10

So looks like we've all been naughty kids cause we don't just the one lump of coal (Why Him?) but two in the guise of Bad Santa 2! This comedy is really as lowbrow as it gets, there is no attempt to make you like these characters and the humour is so deep in the gutter we might as well say it's drowing in the sewer. Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox pull out the stops to do just as well as they did in the original Bad Santa; however the pair are let down by newcomers, Kathy Bates and Christina Hendricks, as well as returning cast member Brett Kelly. This is the worst a comedy film can get and a complete waste of time.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/11/bad-santa-2.html

1. The Witch - 1/10

Horror films never score too highly and there's a general reason for that; they all tend to follow the same formula in terms of narrative structure or the types of characters in the film. So The Witch is refreshing because it's such an original attempt at the horror genre while also managing to be the most garbage film this year. What this film delivers is something that looks like a film grads first attempt at a feature film, it's not great and it looks worse. The story is sloppy to say the least and half the time makes no sense, in fact I can't even really say I was scared once by any of the moments in the film. The cast doesn't boast any big names and you're not going to remember any of the people in this at all.

http://ciaranknight.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/the-witch.html

I have managed to watch and review 141 films on my blog this year which is about 13 up from last year. It has been so interesting to see such a spectrum of film whether it be blockbuster or indie, romance or sci-fi. If you want to see where your favourite films wound up on my best to worst list check out below:

1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – 9.5/10
2. La La Land – 9/10
3. Spotlight – 9/10
4. Deepwater Horizon – 9/10
5. Hacksaw Ridge – 9/10
6. Eye In The Sky – 9/10
7. Sing – 9/10
8. Moana – 9/10
9. Eddie The Eagle – 9/10
10. The Big Short – 8.5/10
11. Deadpool – 8.5/10
12. Star Trek: Beyond – 8.5/10
13. Finding Dory – 8.5/10
14. The Jungle Book – 8.5/10
15. Captain America: Civil War – 8.5/10
16. Blood Father – 8.5/10
17. Zootopia – 8.5/10
18. Steve Jobs – 8/10
19. The Revenant – 8/10
20. 10 Cloverfield Lane – 8/10
21. Kung Fu Panda 3 – 8/10
22. Sing Street – 8/10
23. The Finest Hours – 8/10
24. Sully – 8/10
25. The Light Between Oceans – 8/10
26. Jason Bourne – 8/10
27. Arrival – 8/10
28. Independence Day: Resurgence – 8/10
29. Room – 7.5/10
30. Hail, Caesar! – 7.5/10
31. X-Men: Apocalypse – 7.5/10
32. Now You See Me 2 – 7.5/10
33. A Violent Prosecutor – 7.5/10
34. Concussion – 7.5/10
35. The Accountant – 7.5/10
36. Mahana – 7.5/10
37. The Tunnel – 7.5/10
38. Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates – 7.5/10
39. Bad Moms – 7.5/10
40. Kubo And The Two Strings – 7.5/10
41. Storks – 7.5/10
42. The Magnificent Seven – 7.5/10
43. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back – 7.5/10
44. Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned – 7.5/10
45. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 -7.5/10
46. The Girl On The Train – 7/10
47. Allied – 7/10
48. Train To Busan – 7/10
49. Boyhood – 7/10
50. Florence Foster Jenkins – 7/10
51. The Huntsman: Winter’s War – 7/10
52. Point Break – 7/10
53. Ouija: Origin Of Evil – 7/10
54. Thirty Million – 7/10
55. The Nice Guys – 6.5/10
56. Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them – 6.5/10
57. The Himalayas – 6.5/10
58. Brooklyn – 6.5/10
59. Central Intelligence – 6.5/10
60. The Hateful Eight – 6.5/10
61. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi – 6.5/10
62. Phantom Detective – 6.5/10
63. Bad Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising – 6.5/10
64. Hunt For The Wilderpeople – 6.5/10
65. The Shallows – 6.5/10
66. The Conjuring 2 – 6.5/10
67. The Founder – 6.5/10
68. Sausage Party – 6.5/10
69. Bridget Jones’s Baby – 6.5/10
70. Blair Witch – 6.5/10
71. Oddball – 6.5/10
72. Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie – 6.5/10
73. A United Kingdom – 6/10
74. The Wailing – 6/10
75. Ride Along 2 – 6/10
76. Bastille Day – 6/10
77. Warcraft: The Beginning – 6/10
78. The BFG – 6/10
79. Lights Out – 6/10
80. Nerve – 6/10
81. Doctor Strange – 6/10
82. Underworld: Blood Wars – 6/10
83. Trolls – 6/10
84. The Secret Life Of Pets – 6/10
85. Me Before You – 6/10
86. Luck-Key – 6/10
87. The Boy – 6/10
88. Don’t Breathe – 6/10
89. The Divergent Series: Allegiant – 6/10
90. London Has Fallen – 5.5/10
91. Ben-Hur – 5.5/10
92. Inferno – 5.5/10
93. Risen – 5.5/10
94. The Legend Of Tarzan – 4.5/10
95. Our Kind Of Traitor – 4.5/10
96. Ghostbusters – 4.5/10
97. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – 4.5/10
98. War Dogs – 4.5/10
99. Mother’s Day – 4.5/10
100. The Man Who Knew Infinity – 4.5/10
101. Dad’s Army – 4.5/10
102. Poi E – 4.5/10
103. Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice – 4/10
104. Pete’s Dragon – 4/10
105. Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children – 4/10
106. Alice Through The Looking Glass – 4/10
107. Spirits’ Homecoming – 4/10
108. The Age Of Shadows – 4/10
109. Keeping Up With The Joneses – 4/10
110. Dirty Grandpa – 4/10
111. Ice Age: Collision Course – 4/10
112. The Danish Girl – 4/10
113. The Lady In The Van – 4/10
114. The 5^th Wave – 4/10
115. Nocturnal Animals – 4/10
116. Office Christmas Party – 4/10
117. Grimsby – 4/10
118. Love And Friendship – 4/10
119. Chasing Great – 4/10
120. David Brent: Life On The Road – 4/10
121. The Monkey King 2 – 4/10
122. The Boss – 3.5/10
123. The Handmaiden – 3.5/10
124. Robinson Crusoe – 3.5/10
125. Suicide Squad – 3/10
126. Gods Of Egypt – 3/10
127. Ip Man 3 – 3/10
128. Sisters – 3/10
129. Cafe Society – 3/10
130. The Angry Birds Movie – 2.5/10
131. A Bigger Splash – 2.5/10
132. Three Wise Cousins – 2.5/10
133. Zoolander 2 – 2/10
134. Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie – 2/10
135. The Rehearsal – 2/10
136. League Of Gods – 2/10
137. How To Be Single – 1.5/10
138. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows – 1.5/10
139. Why Him? – 1.5/10
140. Bad Santa 2 – 1.5/10
141. The Witch – 1/10

Here's to 2017 and another year of film, be it better or worse!

Moana

This review may contain spoilers!

This is a film that does a lot of good by Pasifika cultures and is set to be yet another Disney classic. I would give Moana a 9/10.

I enjoyed how different this was from other Disney films in regards to how culture was presented and celebrated; Pasifika culture wasn't merely the background of this film it was at the heart of the narrative which is what makes it such an important film. The adventure that unfolds is about Moana, a chieftain's daughter, sailing out on her own to drag a demi-god, Maui, kicking and screaming all the way to save the world. It's a beautiful story in which this young woman saves the day for her people and also manages to discover a lot about herself and her people along the way. The animation is stunning, the settings and very vivid colours set the whole thing apart but also the tiny details such as hair or how objects in an environment move. The score for the film is very powerful and grounded in Pasifika roots; the songs are also brilliant character pieces and have a lot of depth in how they're presented, my personal favourite being 'You're Welcome' sung by Dwayne Johnson.

Dwayne Johnson, who voiced Maui, is such a cocky jerk in this film that's kind of funny to watch; however Johnson brings a great deal of humility to the character as the narrative moves along that is really fulfilling to watch. Rachel House, who voiced Gramma Tala, provides a sweet nurturing figure to the central protagonist of the film; House also has some great line delivery and stands out as one of the funniest characters of the film. Temuera Morrison, who voiced Chief Tui, made for a good authoritative figure and for the most part a pretty good father figure; Morrison creates a role who is very brash and stubborn as a result of a past trauma he endured at a younger age.

However the best performance came from Auli'i Cravalho, who voiced Moana. I appreciated that it was firmly mentioned that Moana didn't view herself as a princess, she was wayfinder looking to save her people; it's an important distinction as Moana quickly becomes pivotal as the hero of this story. This role is really a force unto herself, she charges headfirst into danger and has a kind, compassionate heart that enables her to look out for her people, Maui and Te Fiti. Cravalho takes this character to some tough places and we see her come close to breaking many a time; yet it's also the drive Cravalho puts into her portrayal that makes Moana such a brilliant character to watch. Her singing is also enchanting and some of the best I've heard in a Disney film.

The problem I had with the film's narrative is that it did tend towards the predictable and had a lot of themes or plot devices identical to other recent and classic Disney films; unfortunately what this meant was that you felt like you were being delivered the same old model of storytelling at times and it'd be nice for the stories to deviate from form. The plot should have also lingered a little longer on Moana and her time at the village; she was never really explored too heavily here as a character, in fact we only get some ideas about her and were instead given more information about her people and culture at this point. Finally the animal companions are an old trait of Disney films but in this particular one they felt excessively redundant, frankly if the pig and chicken had been taken out then nothing would have been any different at all.

Jemaine Clement, who voiced Tamatoa, was a bit of an odd antagonist; Clement's comedic delivery is usually fairly entertaining but it felt a bit off base in this film. Nicole Scherzinger, who voiced Sina, was a victim of the Disney curse around motherly roles; they usually get minimum screen time and don't really get developed as was the case with Sina here.

La La Land

This review may contain spoilers!

This is the sort of film that makes me completely fall in love with cinema again. I would give La La Land a 9/10.

What must be noted is that this is unapologetically a musical film, it cannot exist without highly theatrical use of music and song likewise it constructs itself heavily on an intense narrative about love, ambition and nostalgia. The plot of this film focusses on two equally intriguing characters both yearning for something tied to their love of the past; as the story progresses the two become entwined and we're given the most engaging and honest tale of love I've seen in a long time. It's a film that knows both how to be delightful and melancholy, there is a lot of respect paid back to the past within musical culture and film culture; there is so much content that it's impossible to truly appreciate all this film can offer with just one viewing. The cinematography glides and seems to dance alongside the characters, it's a very fluid and enchanting way of capturing action. The editing is a blend of amazing old visual styles and new ones, boasting a range of transitions that make this film feel timeless. The score for this film is really beautiful and quite moving; however it is the songs that are performed throughout that work so well, it's unique and a cinematic feat I haven't seen done in anything except iconic 50s musical cinema.

Emma Stone, who played Mia, really showcases her range as a performer in this film; I liked seeing her transition from a very optimistic character to one filled with despair and outrage. J.K. Simmons, who played Bill, was a fun minor role; his stubborn and stern role fit quite well and was countered in a really humourous way with his final scene of the film. John Legend, who played Keith, was a surprising stand out role with a lot to bring to the discussion of music; Legend had so much energy and felt very open and honest in his portrayal of Keith.

However the best performance came from Ryan Gosling, who played Sebastian. Gosling is naturally quite a witty performer who can deliver his lines very well, there are a lot of scenes where he brought a lot of natural comedy to his character. There was a lot of passion behind this performance as well, an important part of Sebastian is how much he cares for jazz and I enjoyed how much Gosling sold the audience on this quality of the role. There is so much conflict in Sebastian once he meets Mia, you see his love for her performed so well but he becomes twisted and different after trying to get a steady job to impress her. Gosling takes this role on an amazing journey and I have to say it might be one of his best roles to date.

The only real issue with La La Lan was minor pacing issues in the transition from the second to the third act; it's a big tonal shift and as such there are a lot of scenes to set this change up which leads to things dragging on for a little longer than they should have.

Terry Walters, who played Linda (Coffee Shop Manager), is a really stiff minor role; Walters is dealt a stereotype to play and never really gets the chance to define her role as a character. Callie Hernandez, Jessica Rothe and Sonoya Mizuno, who played Tracy, Alexis and Caitlin respectively, are very forgettable roles who live with Stone's character; unfortunately this never results in engaging interaction with Stone and the three are delegated to little more than background performers. Rosemarie DeWitt, who played Laura, had no real chemistry with Gosling; I found it a bit unconvincing to view them as a brother/sister duo. Jason Fuchs, who played Carlo, was a minor role with a shtick that wasn't as funny to an audience as it might have been to a Hollywood producer; it didn't help that Fuchs didn't have much screen presence. Finn Wittrock, who played Greg, was a very sudden character to appear in this film; unfortunately we were basically told about his role and Wittrock never really got given the chance to present much of the role himself. Tom Everett Scott, who played David, was the big twist that would have sunk this film if it hadn't been for the amazing writing and directing; Scott's role was as Stone's husband and supposedly 'final' partner of the film and it's so out of nowhere and the pair have no chemistry that it was a very risky move.

Why Him?

This review may contain spoilers!

2016 can't do a good Christmas film to save itself, just not even remotely. I would give Why Him? a 1.5/10.

This film is only aided along by it's scenes of sheer absurdity, every time the bar is raised and things get even more out of control the more chance the scene had of being funny.

James Franco, who played Laird Mayhew, is really not afraid to take his role to any level in this feature; his wild and unbridled approach to comedy led to some of the better moments of comedy. Kaley Cuoco, who voiced Justine, is one of the more original and entertaining aspects of the film; a snarky A.I. with more presence and impact than most of the cast.

However the best performance came from Keegan-Michael Key, who played Gustav. This is a really zany role, a sort of mentor figure to Franco who takes scenes to a fun and over the top place. It's very clear that Key was having fun throughout the film and he managed to keep a role that felt consistent and entertaining throughout. It was the close bond between Key and Franco that made the film so fun to watch; I especially liked their 'self-defense' training and 'evasive parkour'.

The comedy feels awkwardly handled and often unnatural, the jokes get taken so far that they just become more awkward or cringeworthy rather than funny. As far as the plot goes there clearly wasn't a whole lot there, certainly not enough to make a feature film out of. The rivalry between Franco and Cranston was poorly handled, at times the conflict just didn't seem fuelled enough. Furthermore the idea that Cranston's company seemed to be having financial problems was a really flimsy aspect of the plot that you lost interest in easily. Frankly what was actually relevant in this film would have struggled to make an hour long film, there was so much meaningless filler content that it became difficult to sit through. The cinematography and editing had such little attention paid to it that it became clear almost immediately that the film had no sense of visual style, everything about how it was shot screamed a lazy director. The soundtrack for the film was a weird and jarring blend; at times it seemed to want to attempt to create it's own sound but ultimately it was just a rather bizarre blend of bad Christmas music and old school rock.

Zoey Deutch, who played Stephanie Fleming, doesn't really seem that close with Franco which undermines a lot of the film; Deutch lacks the range and depth of character to really make her role relateable. Cedric The Entertainer, who played Lou Dunne, is a rather forgettable role in this film; his humour falls flat and he can't seem to keep the printing company storyline afloat. Bryan Cranston, who played Ned Fleming, is just too dry and stiff in this film to really like or enjoy; I was really let down by Cranston's performance because I know he has a lot of comic potential but he just wasn't a good fit for a film like this. Megan Mullally, who played Barb Fleming, was the type of character who was just all over the place; never really the uptight Mum nor the loose wild character she was caught in this weird limbo that never really felt like a good fit for Mullally. Zack Pearlman, who played Kevin Dingle, was just a creepy character; there isn't a thing funny about some nerdy looking fella slobbering over his boss' daughter. Griffin Gluck, who played Scotty Fleming, brought the cringe hard in this film; Gluck was clearly trying a bit harder than everyone else and at times it became all too painfully obvious that he was taking it too far. Jacob Kemp, who played Randy The Intern, was a bit of a throw away role; there was a ton of potential there but he was never afforded the screen time to explore it. Richard Blais, who played Himself, just couldn't act to save himself; he might be a celebrity chef but he did not suit a fictional environment. Elon Musk, who played Himself, was just a pointless cameo; Musk seemed really out of place and not really relevant to the sort of film this was. Adam Devine, Casey Wilson and Andrew Rannells, who played Tyson Modell, Missy Pederman and Blaine Pederman respectively, were just really revolting characters who were not funny in the least; these roles were dark humour gone shockingly bad. Gene Simmons and Peter Criss, who played Themselves, were really poorly used in this film; such an awkward waste of having KISS in your film.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

This review may contain spoilers!

While The Force Awakens was an amazing return to the Star Wars universe this is the film that has captured the magic that made the original trilogy so special. I would give Rogue One: A Star Wars Story a 9.5/10.

Rogue One brings a depth and darkness to the Star Wars universe that hasn't really been seen since The Empire Strikes Back, the rules seem to shift in this film and even the heroic Rebels no longer seem so noble. The world building is incredible; we finally get more insight into the development of the Death Star, the politics within the Rebel Alliance and finally meet those who secured the plans for the Death Star. The protagonist for this film is very compelling, Jyn isn't much of a rebel when first we meet her but as the action progresses and she becomes more of a figurehead for the cause it's hard not to grow passionate alongside her. It's a heist film, it's a war film, it's a blockbuster and without a doubt it's one of the greatest science-fiction films out there. The special effects are such an accomplishment; throughout the film we're treated to giant ground battles with detailed AT-ATs. Dogfights in space that look stunningly vivid and even the CGI characters such as Grand Moff Tarkin, Red Leader and Princess Leia look good. The cinematography is probably the nicest I've ever seen within a Star Wars film, the way scale is captured really shows the immensity of the spaceships, planets and battles within the film.It's clear Michael Giacchino was only warming up with Doctor Strange, his score for this film is not only a brilliant homage to John Williams but a moving original sound new to the Star Wars films - and very welcome by my standards.

Felicity Jones, who played Jyn Erso, is an exceptional protagonist in this film; Jones does some great work at growing her character's passion and commitment towards becoming a champion for the Rebellion. Donnie Yen, who played Chirrut Imwe, is a very insightful yet fun character in this film; I liked Yen's relationship with The Force and how we never really know if he is a fallen Jedi or a fledgling Force-Sensitive. Wen Jiang, who played Baze Malbus, has a passing indifference and a fierce loyalty to Yen that makes him an interesting role; it's really fascinating to see a Mandalorian chracter who isn't depicted as a minor antagonist so I enjoyed that a great deal. Ben Mendelsohn, who played Orson Krennic, is the standout antagonist in a line-up of some pretty amazing antagonists in this film; Mendelsohn bring a wild rage to his role and a blind ambitious drive to gain power. James Earl Jones, who voiced Darth Vader, really brings back that antagonist who made movie history perfectly; his firm delivery and commanding presence is really great in this film. Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO, is a really fun cameo to witness in this film; his line being a whining complaint to R2 just shows that this film is classic Star Wars. Ingvild Deila, who played Princess Leia, really helped bring forth a character who is classic to these films; while admittedly an incredibly small appearance it's a cameo that really ties this film flawlessly to the original trilogy.

However the best performance came from Alan Tudyk, who played K-2SO. This is such a fun, sarcastic and witty character who often steals every scene he's in. The unique delivery provided by Tudyk makes this droid unlike anything we've ever seen in Star Wars before, an instant classic in the making. I really enjoyed watching K-2 as he came to care much for Jyn and her cause as the film progressed.

The start of this film has a couple of problems with how it sets events up, there is a rush to introduce the characters and key plot elements early which makes things quite rushed and hard to focus upon. Eventually the film does sort itself out and moves on track but the first fifteen to twenty minutes didn't exactly gel together smoothly. I also find that this film is pretty reliant on the fact that you would have a lot of prior Star Wars knowledge (which is fair enough) but to relative newcomers it's going to be confusing and is very lore-heavy.

Diego Luna, who played Cassian Andor, was given a lot of moral ambiguity in this film that made him hard to like as a character; furthermore despite being a main role they never really touch on the role's backstory enough to make him interesting. Forest Whitaker, who played Saw Gerrera, was absolutely wasted in this film; Whitaker's delivery was horrible and his character all over the place to the point that you struggle to understand his place in the film. Riz Ahmed, who played Bodhi Rook, was one of the more forgettable characters in the main cast; Ahmed often fell into the background and didn't have much dynamic when it came to his personality.Mads Mikkelsen, who played Galen Erso, has been completely screwed over by Disney this year; first that horrible antagonist in Doctor Strange and now he is completely miscast as a kindly father figure in Rogue One. Jimmy Smits, Alistair Petrie, Genevieve O'Reilly, Ben Daniels, Stephen Stanton, Ian McElhinney, Fares Fares, Jonathan Aris and Sharon Duncan-Brewster, who played Bail Organa, General Draven, Mon Mothma, General Merrick, the voice of Admiral Raddus, General Dodonna, Senator Vaspar, Senator Jebel and Senator Pamlo respectively, are all political figures within the Rebellion who never stand out or do much in this film; each of these roles provides a lot of exposition but has no major impact on the events of the film. Valene Kane and Beau Gadsdon, who played Lyra Erso and Young Jyn respectively, give quite dry performances; I feel that these two characters are supposed to move you a little at the start of the film but they never really make the impact to do so.

Office Christmas Party

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There have been a great many office party disasters in film but this is going to go down as 2016's worst. I would give Office Christmas Party a 4/10.

The intro for this film starts quite strongly, we get a good insight into the main cast of characters as well as the general plot and themes behind the film. Throughout there are some good gags and laughs, though the best are the ones that get crazier and more extreme than the dialogue scenes. The cinematography is probably the best part of the film, everything looks so crisp and well defined; certainly some of the best camera work I've seen in a comedy film this year.

Jason Bateman, who played Josh Parker, makes for a pretty good main protagonist; his laidback attitude towards banter and crafting relationships with other characters made him immediately likeable. Olivia Munn, who played Tracey Hughes, always does quite well in comedy films; her strong role often leads the action from scene to scene. Jennifer Aniston, who played Carol Vanstone, was a great initial antagonist; her stern manner and constant abrasive attitude was fun to watch. Jillian Bell, who played Trina, was such an over the top role but done in a very funny way by Bell; her intimidating albeit ridiculous presence resulted in a very unique antagonist for the final act. Vanessa Bayer, who played Allison, was a great compassionate role who brought a lot of heart to this film; Bayer creates a role that's easy to relate to and who has a lot of appeal. Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who played Carla, was such an entertaining minor role and one of the funniest characters of the film; Randolph and Bateman had some instant chemistry which led to some of the better scenes of the film. Matt Walsh, who played Ezra, really kicks this film off well; his jibes at Bateman's plight really sets the tone for the comedy used throughout.

However the best performance came from T.J. Miller, who played Clay Vanstone. Miller is an incredible comedic presence, often stealing scenes and throwing out some of the best line delivery of the film. I enjoy how he tries to connect with the rest of the cast and he gives off the vibe that he has a lot of great chemistry with most of them. At the same time there's a very human quality that Miller brings to Clay, you believe he truly cares for his staff and would sacrifice anything to help them out. It's a charming role performed very well.

The story is thrown out the window not too long into the film, potential storylines devolve into weird skits with rather weak punchlines, one of the best examples of this being Vanessa Bayer and Randall Park's 'office romance'. As the story stops paying attention to itself and the comedy fails deliver you can't help getting bored in the long wait between laughs, a clear sign that this film was poorly paced. The editing furthermore let down the nice visual style of this film, moving slow and at odds with the nicely defined shots. The soundtrack for this film was a mismatched monster, often reaching for a punchline rather than adding value to the film.

Kate McKinnon, who played Mary, probably needs to escape these 'Hilary Clinton' type roles before she gets typecast; it's disappointing to watch someone who started this year as a strong comic talent be reduced to a weak link in a strong comic cast. Courtney B. Vance, who played Walter Davis, doesn't really perform a character with such duality very well in this film; his sudden transformation into a party animal feels poorly done and unbelievable. Rob Corddry, who played Jeremy, is one of the performers who manages to fall flat with his jokes the most; Corddry always seems to be trying to hard and is delegated most of the really crude and weak humour. Randall Park, who played Fred, has no purpose in this film whatsoever; his romance with Bayer results in one of the most awkward and cring-inducing scenes that to call it comedy would be a lie. Sam Richardson, who played Joel, didn't really have much screen presence at the start of the film; when Richardson is utilised it's to do little more than to make sound effects for a film struggling to come up with the next good zinger. Karan Soni, who played Nate, is a comedic actor I like which made it all the more disappointing to see that he couldn't handle a leading role; he seems out of place and awkward in his own storyline. Abbey Lee, who played Savannah, fell under Bell's shadow for most of the film; she was a character that fell in the background and was present for mere superficial reasons. Andrew Leeds and Oliver Cooper, who played Tim and Drew respectively, were a duo that didn't really do much and had no impact on the film; their bullying of Soni's role was neither funny nor did it make them very good antagonists. Ben Falcone, who played the Doctor, was victim to repeated jokes from earlier in the film which took away from his appearance; frankly by the time his cameo came around it seemed unnecessary to fit him in at all. Fortune Feimster, who played Lonny, was a weak minor role; swearing loudly does not a comedic actress make. Jimmy Butler, who played himself, is one of the worst cameos to be performed this year; Butler looks as confused about being in this film as I was watching him in this film. Nick Peine, who played Rodney, was probably the most unnecessary character of the film; Peine was often given more screen time than his character deserved and should have been treated as a role that popped in to deliver a joke as opposed to a genuine minor role.

A United Kingdom

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Maybe with a better sense of direction and style this film could have delivered the inspirational story it attempted to convey. I would give A United Kingdom a 6/10.

This film works really well at showcasing it's two main protagonists and their struggle against the systemic discrimination that tried to block their love for one another. This is a film that creates a great discussion about the history of apartheid, colonisation and institutional discrimination that existed within England, South Africa and even Botswana. I think the best parts of the narratives were the subtler scenes that created a powerful message, Ruth breastfeeding with a group of native Batswana mothers or Alistair Canning arriving to an empty meeting ground are some of the finer moments of the film. The score is a passionate backing, providing the perfect sound to Ruth and Seretse's defiant and powerful love for one another.

Rosamund Pike, who played Ruth Williams, was a strong lead to this film; I found it fascinating to watch this character adapt to and become a part of the Batswana culture. Jack Davenport, who played Alistair Canning, is an exceptional antagonist within this film; his arrogant and smug role really lords above all others in many of the scenes he's in. Tom Felton, who played Rufus Lancaster, is another great antagonist within this film; his 'by the books' manner and indifferent attitude towards the Batswana people creates great conflict. Terry Pheto, who played Naledi Khama, is a really strong and compassionate role; it's really nice to see the relationship grow between Pike and Pheto's characters throughout the film. Vusi Kunene, who played Tshekedi Khama, was a very forceful patriarch within the film; Kunene creates a leader who cares for his people and who has a lot of power in how he is presented which creates some great similarities to Oyelowo. Abena Ayivor, who played Ella Khama, was a fairly minor role that really made her mark upon this film; her initial confrontation with Pike sets the tone for the struggle ahead and it is only when Ayivor and Pike reconcile at the end of the film that you feel the narrative has come full circle.

However the best performance came from David Oyelowo, who played Seretse Khama. Oyelowo presents a powerful role who is fueled by a love for his people and his wife. This is a character who really has to struggle throughout this film, you see Oyelowo hit a breaking point a few different times which is only a testimony to his range as an actor. The love he displays towards Ruth is very sincere and quite touching, I feel that even if Oyelowo and Pike don't have the best chemistry all the time there is certainly a great deal of love at the heart of this film. Yet what makes Oyelowo stand apart is something he did amazingly in Selma as well, it's his ability to project and perform incredibly moving speeches that encourages not only the characters to move forwards to a better future but us as an audience as well.

The two main characters of this film are performed well by Oyelowo and Pike and the narrative focusses upon them but I did feel that the script didn't provide them with the best chemistry at times. Furthermore the subject matter of the film could be presented with a lot more impact, as it was things moved at a gradual pace. We got plenty of insight into the events that occurred throughout but there was no depth or strong personal hook into the subject matter of the film, this felt more documentary than biopic at times. The cinematography was also pretty lackluster, everything was filmed in a very safe and simple manner which left you rather underwhelmed by the visual style. The editing likewise was very slow, providing even more problems with the film's pacing.

Laura Carmichael, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Anastasia Hille, who played Muriel Williams, George Williams and Dot Williams respectively, all do a rather bad job at playing Pike's family in this film; these roles all feel disconnected from one another and there's no sense of family there at all. Jessica Oyelowo and Charlotte Hope, who played Lady Lilly Canning and Olivia Lancaster respectively, seem to be hastily written antagonist counterparts to Ruth; while very vicious the manner in which these women perform their roles gets a bit over the top during their scenes. Jack Lowden, who played Tony Benn, was a character that was introduced too late to make much impact; his role within the British parliament wasn't very interesting and dragged the film along.

Underworld: Blood Wars

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Well at least it's better than Underworld: Awakening. I would give Underworld: Blood Wars a 6/10.

This film brought the series back on tone after the events of the fourth film, we're plunged deep into the conflict between vampires and lycans (the humans are left in the background where they belong). What is really intriguing about this instalment of Underworld is how the politics of the vampire covens is put under a spotlight and we see the power games that go on amongst the vampire leaders. As the film moves along there are several interesting twists and turns that further your intrigue, sudden character deaths or clever revelations. The score for the film sounds great, it has that Gothic intensity I've always enjoyed about the first few films. The fight sequences also look great, in particular the special effects that happen within them such as lycan transformations or vampires combusting.

Kate Beckinsale, who played Selene, has been a very consistent protagonist for these films; her role has a detached air when first you see her but this always conceals a deeper fierce passion that sets her role apart. Theo James, who played David, really suited having a lot more to do in this film; his bravado and compassion towards others has set him up to be a great Elder character. Charles Dance, who played Thomas, suits this transition from a cowardly to a calculating role; Dance brings forth a gentler quality ot his role that strengthens his chemistry with James and makes Dance's death all the more tragic. James Faulkner, who played Cassius, has the stern authoritative manner of a vampire lord that we've come to recognise in these films; he really made for a great rival for Pulver's character.

However the best performance came from Lara Pulver, who played Semira. Pulver brings forth an engaging antagonist that rivals that of Nighy's Viktor from previous films. She has a calm and diplomatic tone when first we meet her, she's clearly willing to conceal layer upon layer of herself to achieve her end goal. Once Selene comes into her role's possession Pulver brings forth a brutal and vicious temper. This is a role who is happy to cull as many of her fellow vampires as it takes to gain more power. A fascinating performance and role.

This film is burdened down by what has always been a problem for these films, a constant onslaught of exposition. We're constantly being introduced to new characters or settings or customs that we haven't seen before, the problem with this is that it's a lot to process all at once and the film is still charging ahead trying to tell you about many other aspects of the world. After a point the sudden twists become a bit tiresome or poorly set up, a loyal henchman betrays his master with no build up or indication, a new vampire character is barely introduced before her affair with a lycan becomes a major plot point, the revelation that David is Amelia's son feels like it could have been better devised and Selene's resurrection barely made sense. The pacing of the film moved very quick and then excessively slow, there was indecision about whether to present this as a simple action romp or a calculated Gothic fantasy. The cinematography showed promise but had some weak moments of framing and action scenes felt dizzy as opposed to epic; the editing was snappy and often shots didn't match up with one another as well as they could have.

Tobias Menzies, who played Marius, made for an antagonist with very little depth to him; his motives for fighting the vampires and killing Michael were never really explored. Bradley James, who played Varga, was such a pointlessly flippant role; his sudden betrayal of Semira wasn't clever so much as it was lazy writing. Daisy Head, who played Alexia, had very little screen presence; her sudden relationship with Menzies felt very bland and lacked chemistry. Clementine Nicholson, who played Lena, felt a bit over the top even by Underworld standards; her Northern Monk role didn't really gel with the tone of the rest of the series. Oliver Stark, who played Gregor, was another minor role who didn't stand out very well; to be fair it's not surprising the henchman to Menzies was forgettable. Peter Andersson, who played Vidar, felt so out of place it was ridiculous; his zen monk got a bit cringeworthy at times.

Trolls

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This films got a few good laughs and a few good musical numbers but it ultimately falls flat with a rather weak plot and voice cast. I would give Trolls a 6/10.

This is an animated film with a strong sense of comedy, Dreamworks has always managed to work with some great comedic scripts for the animated features and Trolls is no exception. The animation looks great, the vivid use of colour versus absence of colour to define moods, characters and setting is done really well and I love how the style will change to Poppy's 'scrapbook' design from time to time. Yet what this film really thrives upon is it's music, the soundtrack for this film is perfect and adds to the comedic tone a fair bit; Anna Kendrick in particular is a singing powerhouse within the film.

Christine Baranski, who voiced Chef, is a perfect antagonist for this film; her sinister line delivery and manic desire to roast up some trolls makes her a classic animated villain. John Cleese, who voiced King Gristle Sr., has the perfect stately manner to introduce this film to the Bergen and their kingdom; Cleese has done some great work with Dreamworks in the Shrek films and he continues to do so in the Trolls film. Jeffrey Tambor, who voiced King Peppy, has a bold and heroic manner when we first get to see his role in the film; however as the narrative continues we see a great comforting father figure develop.

However the best performance came from Anna Kendrick, who voiced Poppy. Kendrick has that youthful energy this film needs in it's central protagonist, a voice that steals any scene it's in. If the Pitch Perfect films and Into The Woods hadn't already cemented it in Kendrick is an amazing singer and delivers some great musical moments throughout the film. The character of Poppy is so persistent, optimistic and hopeful that you can't help but enjoy as she works to free her friends and bring happiness to the Bergen.

This is a movie that kept things a little too simple, the action progressed alarmingly quick and it became all too apparent that the writers had to cram in some meaningless moments just to fill up the run time. There seems to be a lot of unnecessary ensemble characters or moments where the action pauses to create a cheap running gag which just draws you out of the story. The love story between Bridget and King Gristle is probably the hardest pill to swallow, a rushed and poorly parodied recreation of the Cinerella fairytale, this subplot is given far too much screen time and the main characters being paired together aren't exactly the most likeable to watch.

Justin Timberlake, who voiced Branch, gives a very exaggerated and over the top performance when first we're introduced to him; furthermore the character development for this role just seems to happen there isn't really any established reason for him getting to where he is by the end of the film. Zooey Deschanel, who voiced Bridget, is one of the weaker voice talents amongst the main cast; Deschanel creates a role who's shrill voice and over the top love for the king makes for a rather nauseating role. Christopher Mintz-Plasse, who voiced King Gristle, has essentially been typecast at this point; his nasally whiny boy-king is a bit of a blight on the film. Russell Brand, who voiced Creek, doesn't even seem to be putting any effort into his performance in this film; Brand has never exactly been the best actor and he struggles to actually embody even the basic concept of his role in this film. Gwen Stefani, James Corden, Ron Funches, Aino Jawo, Caroline Hjelt, Kunal Nayyar and Walt Dohrn, who voiced DJ Suki, Biggie, Cooper, Satin, Chenille, Guy Diamond and Smidge respectively, were quite a weak ensemble cast backing the main voice actors of this feature; any jokes that fell flat or moments that came off as awkward generally originated from this bunch. Walt Dohrn, who voiced Cloud Guy, voices a few characters in this film and unfortunately two are some of the more disappointing roles in the film; in the case of Cloud Guy we get a very obvious example of a character being jammed into the film to add a bit of time and not really do much for the narrative itself.