TOP 12 FAVORITE FILMS OF 2017: #6-4

Welcome back to Rhode Island Movie Corner’s big end-of-the-year list in which I count down my picks for my Top 12 Favorite Films of 2017. This is Part 3 of 4 and today we’re kicking off the second half of this list by looking at films #6-4. If you missed the first half of this list, click the following links below to be directed over to the previous two parts. But for now, it’s time to get back to the list…

PART 1

PART 2

(Also, quick disclaimer, if you’re not a fan of the superhero genre, you might want to skip this one as today’s post will be entirely devoted to superhero films…)

When it came to November’s big superhero-oriented releases, most people were mainly looking forward to Justice League. At the end of the day, though, who would’ve thought that the equivalent of a sci-fi buddy road trip comedy would end up being vastly superior to it?

6. THOR: RAGNAROK

Thor: Ragnarok is hands down the best Thor film to date; obviously, though, many will argue that this isn’t saying much. While the first Thor did manage to keep its title character from becoming a total joke in the eyes of most audiences, it’s not really brought up much nowadays when people talk about the best MCU films. And as for Thor: The Dark World… well, most people consider it to be the weakest installment of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thankfully, Ragnarok manages to avoid going down that road again by fully embracing the sillier aspects of its premise and setting. By comparison, the first two Thor films worked to maintain a balance between having their plots be set on both Earth and Thor’s home-world of Asgard. And while I personally didn’t mind the parts of the films that were set on Earth, the same can’t be said for other folks. Ragnarok, on the other hand, is set almost entirely off-Earth, resulting in the best use yet of its cosmic setting while also having the most consistent humor of any film in the Thor franchise. Yes, Thor: Ragnarok is full to the brim with the MCU’s trademark humor; this, however, has proven to be a rather controversial development amongst some fans for one main reason. In the comics, the concept of ‘Ragnarok’, AKA the destruction of Asgard, was treated in a generally serious manner. In contrast, Thor: Ragnarok is a lot more comedic-based. However, that doesn’t mean that this is all that the film has going for it.

Oh sure, the film has plenty of great humorous moments, so much so that I can literally do an entire Spoiler Post based solely on them. There’s the extended version of the Doctor Strange mid-credits scene, complete with Strange submitting Loki to the torture of having to fall non-stop through an alternate dimension (“I have been falling… FOR THIRTY MINUTES!”). There’s the scene where Thor tries to calm Hulk down by using Black Widow’s ‘Sun’s Getting Real Low’ routine from Age of Ultron… only to get smashed around a la Loki in the first Avengers, complete with Loki himself excitedly reacting to the fact that he’s not on the receiving end of that beatdown this time ("Yeah!! That's how it feels!!"). And, of course, there’s everything that involves the always hilarious Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster, ruler of the planet of Sakaar, including the film’s post-credits scene (“It’s a tie!”). But that doesn’t mean that the film doesn’t have any effective emotional moments, like the scene where Thor and Loki share one last moment with their father Odin before his death. But when it comes to the best emotional moment in the film, I’d say that honor goes to the scene between Thor and Loki in an elevator as they head to the Grandmaster’s ship hangar. When Loki remarks that he’s planning on staying on Sakaar, Thor agrees with his plan as he notes that he once thought the world of Loki and figured that they would be fighting side-by-side until Loki’s treacherous nature was truly revealed, a comment that Loki responds to in a hesitant manner. And while the scene does culminate in a funny gag in which Thor and Loki fool some guards with their ‘Get Help’ routine, this doesn’t take away from the feels that were on display in that elevator scene. And, really, who doesn’t find their ‘Get Help’ routine funny?

In all seriousness, though, when the film does tackle the subject of Ragnarok and the takeover of Asgard by Hela the Goddess of Death (a solid member of the MCU’s rogues’ gallery thanks in large part to Cate Blanchett’s excellent performance in the role), it does treat these narrative developments in a serious nature. In fact, the film isn’t even afraid to pull a few shocking punches here and there. As soon as she gets to Asgard, Hela kills off the Warriors 3 (sans Lady Sif because Jaimie Alexander was unable to return due to scheduling conflicts). During the final battle, Thor ends up losing his right eye a la Odin. But perhaps most notably is the simple fact that Ragnarok does, indeed, occur. Yes, the film doesn’t end on a cliched note by having Thor save Asgard from destruction. Following a vision that he has of Odin, Thor realizes that the heart of Asgard lies within its people and that the kingdom’s destruction is the only way of stopping Hela. Thus, he and his allies unleash the demonic creature Surtur who then swiftly proceeds to destroy Asgard. And sure, like the elevator scene, this moment also features a humorous joke in which Thor’s Kronan ally Korg (played by the film’s director, Taika Waititi) remarks that Asgard can be rebuilt if the foundations are still there… only to retract his statement when the kingdom is truly destroyed. At the same time, though, Waititi does deserve a lot of credit for pulling off such a ballsy move in the MCU. Plus, it’s hard not to appreciate all the little details that he put into the film as well, including a scene that straight-up parodies the infamous tunnel scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In short, yes, Thor: Ragnarok is undeniably one of the most comedic entries in the MCU. But I must ask… why is that such a bad thing when it is handled so well here? Because thanks to some excellent action sequences and some of the best performances that Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo have had in the roles of Thor and Hulk, respectively, Thor: Ragnarok is a total blast from beginning to end.

At the #5 spot, we have a very special entry in the superhero genre, as it served as the last hurrah for one of the genre’s greatest leads. Thankfully, this film managed to give him the finale that he deserved after 17 years in the role.

5. LOGAN

Ever since he was first cast in the role of Wolverine in the original film adaptation of X-Men back in 2000, Hugh Jackman has undeniably been one of the biggest standouts of the entire X-Men film franchise. He was so popular, in fact, that he ended up getting his own line of Wolverine spin-off films. However, the overall critical response to these spin-off films has been mixed at best. Despite all the hype surrounding it, many were ultimately disappointed at 2009’s X-Men Origins Wolverine for its unfocused narrative, mediocre effects, and its infamous handling of the character of Deadpool. 2013’s The Wolverine, based on the comics storyline in which Wolverine travels to Japan, fared a lot better by comparison but still wasn’t that big of a critical success. But thanks to the success of Deadpool, Jackman and The Wolverine director James Mangold were given the opportunity to give the character of Wolverine a proper send-off with Logan, which was announced as being Jackman’s final outing in his iconic role. And if there was one crucial thing that helped Jackman and Mangold in making this the best Wolverine film yet, it was the fact that they were able to make it an R-rated superhero film. Yes, after years of seeing Wolverine partake in primarily bloodless action sequences, this film allowed him to utilize his famous claws to their full potential, resulting in a full array of unabashedly gory action sequences. But just like the previously mentioned War for the Planet of the Apes, this film also boasts a poignant story full of well-layered characters that very much matches the quality of its action sequences.

Set in a future where most of the mutant community has been wiped out, the film sees an aging Wolverine embarking on a journey with Professor Charles Xavier, whose mental state has degraded considerably, to protect a young mutant girl named Laura from an evil corporation that has been using mutant DNA to create a group of young mutants to be used as warriors. Logan also learns that Laura was created specifically from his DNA, effectively making him her ‘father’; in other words, she is Wolverine’s famous clone from the comics, X-23. What follows is a journey that quite frankly puts them all through the emotional wringer. To call Logan and Xavier’s road to ruin in this film tragic would be an understatement, especially for the latter. In contrast to his calm and hopeful attitude from previous films, the Xavier in this film is a broken man who speaks in a cruder manner than we’ve ever seen before. Simply put, Patrick Stewart is as great as he’s always been in the role but, suffice it to say, it’s not an easy performance to watch either, especially once it’s revealed that his mental seizures, which causes him to lose control of his telepathic powers, ended up killing multiple members of the X-Men years prior. And Xavier’s death in the film is just as tragic, as he is unceremoniously killed at the hands at X-24, the violent clone of Wolverine who closely resembles his younger self. On that note, Hugh Jackman is also just as phenomenal as he’s always been as Wolverine. And in this film, he’s arguably at the best that he’s ever been in the role thanks to the excellent arc that the character goes through in which he once again finds something that’s worth fighting for. That something is the matter of protecting Laura and her fellow young mutants from the sinister corporation known as Transigen. Laura herself is easily the film’s biggest standout thanks to a terrific performance from newcomer Dafne Keen, and I think many will agree with me in saying that she’s poised to have a future in both this franchise and the film industry in general.

My only real complaint with this film is that the villains are a little mediocre. Now, admittedly, I don’t necessarily think this about X-24 or Transigen’s cybernetic head of security Donald Pierce. Jackman handles the dual role of Logan’s clone quite well as X-24 proves to be quite the intimidating threat. And Boyd Holbrook is perfectly fine as the enjoyably despicable Pierce, who constantly proves to be a thorn in Logan’s side throughout the entire film. Ultimately, when I say that this film’s villains are mediocre, I’m mainly referring to the character of Zander Rice, the head scientist behind Transigen’s mutant experiments. There is some backstory established for the character in which it’s revealed that Logan had killed his father during his escape from the Weapon X facility at Alkali Lake (as previously seen in X-Men: Apocalypse). But in this film, he shows up briefly in the finale to talk to Logan… who promptly kills him not long after. I also think that this slow-moving, near two-and-a-half-hour film maybe loses a bit of steam near the end, but that doesn’t mean that I think that it drags at any point. Because at the end of it all, this film concludes on one of the genre’s greatest emotional moments. After Logan and Laura manage to defeat X-24, who ends up impaling Logan on a tree branch, Logan finally succumbs to his wounds right when Laura acknowledges him as ‘Daddy’. This is then followed by her and her fellow young mutants giving him a proper burial, which culminates in her moving the cross at his grave on its side so that it looks like an ‘X’. And thus, the most famous X-Man of all ends his run in the franchise in the best way possible. With that said, on behalf of my fellow superhero film fanatics, I’d like to thank Hugh Jackman for everything that he has done with this character.

Now I realize that there have been quite a few instances in these past few posts where I’ve heavily bashed the weak link of the superhero genre’s 2017 film slate, Justice League. Fear not, though, DCEU fans, as your franchise’s other big 2017 release, which is hands down its greatest installment to date, ends up taking a prime spot on this list.

4. WONDER WOMAN

I cannot stress it enough how big of a success that Wonder Woman truly was for everyone who was involved with it. For starters, it was the DCEU’s most critically acclaimed outing to date and rightfully so. Even as someone who does like Man of Steel and both cuts of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (yes, even the theatrical cut…), it’s hard to deny that Wonder Woman manages to avoid quite a few of those films’ shortcomings to produce the franchise’s most high-spirited installment yet. Of course, this film serves as the long-awaited solo outing for DC’s iconic heroine following her cameo appearance in Batman v Superman while also being the first major female-led superhero film of the genre’s modern era (i.e. circa 2008). And thanks to the wonderful direction from Patty Jenkins, the film is an excellent representation of its title character. Unlike the dark and serious tone of previous DCEU films, Wonder Woman maintains a more light-hearted tone throughout with a lot more humorous dialogue, which mainly stems from the various ways in which Diana responds to things in the real world (e.g. a newborn baby and ice cream, just to name a few). The action sequences are excellent, highlighted by what is easily one of the best scenes in the entire film in which Diana traverses through ‘No Man’s Land’ to take on the German forces in a small village known as Veld. But at its core, the film also has a great heart to it all, and this is mainly thanks to Gal Gadot’s fantastic performance in the role of the titular Amazonian warrior princess from the hidden island of Themyscira.

Now, of course, as many of us know, when Gadot was first cast in the role of Wonder Woman for BvS, she was subjected to the typical backlash that any major superhero film casting gets from fans of the comics. In her case, it was mainly for two reasons. First, some felt that she wasn’t the best pick for the role performance-wise given that, at the time of her casting, she was mainly known for her supporting role as Gisele in the Fast and Furious franchise and not much else. The other reason was, unfortunately, a more sexist one as there were a few jerks out there who were critical of Gadot’s physical appearance in relation to how the character traditionally looks in the comments. Heck, some people even insulted Gadot’s brief tenure in her native country of Israel’s military. As for me, though, there was one moment where I became fully convinced that she was the perfect choice for the role, and it wasn’t even an onscreen moment. Instead, it was when I attended a panel that she appeared at during the 2016 Rhode Island Comic-Con. In the span of a half-hour, I could see that she perfectly conveyed the charisma and all-around warmth that have always been defining traits of the character in the comics. And while Gadot was already one of the biggest standouts of Batman v Superman, it was ultimately through her own solo film where she was truly given the chance to shine. This is mainly thanks to the terrific arc that Diana has in the film where, after initially being unaware of what life is like outside of Themyscira, she ends up bearing witness to the darker side of humanity when she is forced to deal with the pressing matter that is World War I.

She’s backed by an equally excellent supporting cast headlined by Chris Pine as Diana’s love interest, pilot Steve Trevor. Thankfully, the film manages to avoid having Steve overshadow Diana in her own film (something that was apparently the case with a prior Wonder Woman screenplay written by Joss Whedon, which is all that I’m going to say about that, for the record, as that one never got made) while still making him her equal in terms of his role in the plot. This remains consistent throughout the entire film all the way up to his heroic sacrifice during the final battle when he detonates a plane full of poison gas at a safe altitude. And despite Diana’s initial despair over these turn of events, it ultimately ends up being the nobility of Steve’s actions that manages to convince her that, contrary to what it may seem, there is still a sense of good left in humanity. The two of them are, in turn, joined by an equally memorable group of allies in their band of specialists consisting of Said Taghmaoui as the fast-talking spy Sameer, Ewen Bremmer as the shell-shocked sharpshooter Charlie, and Eugene Brave Rock as the stoic smuggler Chief. As for Diana’s allies from her home in Themyscira, Connie Nielsen is excellent as Diana’s mother, Queen Hippolyta. While her role in the film is arguably rather brief, as she doesn’t appear again after Diana and Steve leave for Europe, she does a great job as the noble ruler of Themyscira who desperately tries to keep her daughter from learning the truth about the outside world and her ultimate purpose in it. The same goes for Robin Wright as Diana’s aunt, General Antiope, who trains her to become an Amazonian warrior. Again, it’s a relatively small role in a larger film, but Wright leaves such a great impression in her brief amount of screen-time, so much so that the scene where she is killed by a German soldier to shield Diana from an oncoming bullet is genuinely one of the best emotional moments in the film.

Like Logan, though, this film’s weakest links are its villains; though, again, I wouldn’t go as far as to call them ‘terrible’. First off, there’s Danny Huston as the brutish German general Ludendorff who orchestrates a scheme to keep the war going at a time when it’s on the brink of conclusion. Huston’s fine in the role but said role is basically just a straight-forward bait-and-switch antagonist for Diana to take down. Elena Anaya gets a bit more interesting material to work with as Ludendorff’s enigmatic chemist, Dr. Isabel Maru AKA Doctor Poison, who develops a deadlier form of mustard gas capable of causing even more death and destruction in the war. Unfortunately, she’s somewhat waylaid by the character’s limited screen-time. Finally, there’s the main villain of the film, Ares the God of War. Initially assumed to be dead following an encounter with Zeus, as explained via backstory that Hippolyta tells Diana when she’s a child, he is later revealed to be alive having taken the identity of Sir Patrick Morgan (David Thewlis), one of Diana and Steve’s diplomatic allies in Europe. To the film’s credit, the big twist surrounding the reveal of Ares’ identity is handled decently, namely given the fact that Diana was initially led to believe that Ludendorff was Ares and that killing him would immediately end the war, only to discover that this wasn’t the case. Ultimately, though, the final fight between Diana and Ares boils down to a rather simplistic visual-heavy battle. Despite this, though, Wonder Woman was an undisputed delight that ended up giving the DCEU its best film to date. I’m serious, DCEU fans, you really should be grateful for everything that this film did right as it’s quite arguably the only genuinely successful film that the franchise has had at this point.

And that’s the end of Part 3 of Rhode Island Movie Corner’s annual ‘Favorite Films of the Year’ list. Thanks for following along and be sure to check back tomorrow for this list’s big finale, where I’ll be listing my Top 3 Favorite Films from this past year. What film will end up taking the #1 spot? Stay tuned…

2017 Midyear Recap

Well, we’re now halfway through 2017, and for those who have been following this blog for a few years now, you know exactly what that means. Yes, today I’m looking back at these past six months of the year, recounting every film that I’ve seen during that time, and ultimately ranking them from worst to best. And unlike previous years where I didn’t keep much track of everything that I saw, the film fan website Letterboxd has allowed me to keep a ‘diary’ of the films that I’ve seen, thereby making these posts easier to assemble. And, overall, I’d say that this year has been quite excellent in terms of its new releases. Sure, there will always be those out there who will say otherwise (hopefully, in a few months, we won’t have another situation like last year where the entire internet expresses disappointment over this year’s summer slate) but, as usual, there has been a great variety of films from multiple genres to appeal to all age groups. Though, of course, there have also been a few notable ‘stinkers’ that I’ve seen this year, as there always is. However, for now, at least, I’ve found that the ‘worst’ films that I’ve seen this year so far have been more ‘disappointing’ than ‘anger-inducing’. After all, as I’ve made it clear in the past, I rarely get angry at films anymore because I find it to be rather pointless in a time where I feel that film fan culture is starting to get more nitpicky and negative due to overly heightened expectations. I mean, the internet does have this tendency to focus more on the ‘bad stuff’ than it does with the ‘good stuff’… and, simply put, that’s just not what I’m about as a film fan. Thus, with that in mind, here is my annual Midyear Recap of every film that I’ve seen so far in 2017, starting with my worst of the year and culminating with my current Top 5.

Also, just as a quick warning, there may be a few spoilers ahead for some of these films.

WORST FILM OF THE YEAR (SO FAR)

BAYWATCH

While I had never watched an episode of Baywatch before seeing it, it seemed like this year’s R-rated film adaptation of the cult TV series was shaping up to be the big comedy hit of the summer, especially given all the marketing that went into it. Sadly, it ended up being the complete opposite; in other words, Baywatch was a colossal dud. Its talented cast, which included the likes of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Zac Efron, and Priyanka Chopra, was ultimately stranded with a mediocre script that failed to produce any major laughs. From what I’ve read, the show took a more serious approach by comparison. At the same time, though, nowadays the show is regarded as being overly cheesy; thus, there legitimately was some potential for some good humor that poked fun at the show’s goofier elements (e.g. its iconic motif of lifeguards running in slow motion). However, this film ends up having one of the worst hit-miss ratios that I’ve ever seen out of a comedy, producing only a few chuckle-worthy moments and not a single laugh-out-loud moment. And it’s sad because many of the people involved in this have done better in other films, especially comedies. Zac Efron, of course, has been a stand-out in the Neighbors films while Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is one of the most charismatic actors in the business. But even with their solid on-screen camaraderie, their best efforts do nothing to save this film. As such, this new adaptation of Baywatch does quite a piss-poor job of representing its source material. I mean, I probably will watch a few episodes of the original show someday, but if you’re like me and you went into this film having never watched Baywatch before, this does not portray it in a positive light.

OTHER NOTABLE ‘STOINKERS’

(For those unaware, the term ‘Stoinker’ is a homage to Schmoes Know host Kristian Harloff, who often uses the phrase ‘It Stoinks!’ to describe bad films.)

THE CIRCLE

Despite the best efforts of a talented and impressively stacked ensemble cast, director James Ponsoldt’s adaptation of Dave Eggers’ best-selling novel from 2013 felt like a severely watered-down version of its source material. Granted, I haven’t read it at the time that I’m writing this but from what I’ve read about it online, the film clearly cuts out some of the darker elements of the story. This ranges from a plotline in which main character Mae’s (Emma Watson) best friend Annie (Karen Gillan) suffers some serious emotional trauma due to some unearthed family history to the ultimate characterization of Mae herself, who goes down a more sinister path by the story’s end to tie everything back to its themes regarding the dangers of technology. And while I don’t mind the idea of toning these plot elements down to make the film more appealing to audiences, it ultimately feels like there’s not much at stake here. The whole plotline in which Mae and Circle co-founder Ty (a severely underused John Boyega) try to prevent their superiors from misusing employee information doesn’t amount to much. Plus, the film doesn’t do much to make its supposed ‘main villains’, Circle CEOs Eamon Bailey and Tom Stenton, seem like sinister antagonists. I mean, for one thing, it doesn’t help that likable actors like Tom Hanks and Patton Oswalt were cast in these roles, to begin with. Ultimately, though, the overall truncation of the source material is what hurts The Circle the most, as any chances of it being an engaging and even timely technological thriller are wasted in what ultimately becomes a rather dull affair. On that note…

THE MUMMY

It’s quite sad when a Mummy film that stars the one and only Tom Cruise ends up being quite the dull affair. But, unfortunately, that was exactly the case with Universal’s new adaptation of their 1932 horror classic, The Mummy. It tried to be a combination of the horror elements of the original and the action-adventure vibe of the 1999 remake starring Brendan Fraser. Unfortunately, it didn’t really deliver on either of those aspects; it wasn’t that scary and while the action sequences are, at least, well-directed, they feel few and far between. And despite the best efforts of a talented ensemble cast that includes the likes of Cruise, Russell Crowe, and Sofia Boutella in the title role, they’re all stranded by a mediocre screenplay with subpar character development. And then there’s the whole thing about this film being the first installment of a new cinematic universe based around the Universal Monsters. It’s odd, though, because this film does so little to set-up this universe and yet still focuses on teasing future films so much that it ends up being a ‘set-up’ film first and a Mummy film second. Despite this mediocre start, though, I do think that this ‘Dark Universe’ could work because it’s technically been done before in some of the original Universal Monster films. I mean, Bill Condon is set to direct the next installment, Bride of Frankenstein, which he does have experience with because he directed a 1998 film, Gods and Monsters, that partially focused on the making of the 1935 horror classic. But as for The Mummy, while I don’t blame all its shortcomings on director Alex Kurtzman, this new franchise is admittedly off to a slow start.

WORTHWHILE RECOMMENDATIONS

THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE

In director Niki Caro’s newest film The Zookeeper’s Wife, based off the book of the same name by author Diane Ackerman, Jessica Chastain stars as Antonina Żabińska, who ran the Warsaw Zoo in Poland during the 1930’s with her husband, Jan (Johan Heldenbergh). However, most of the zoo ends up getting destroyed when the Nazis invade the country during World War II. Amidst the chaos of their war-torn city, the two decide to use their zoo as a place of refuge for several of the Jewish families who are being aggressively tortured by the Nazi regime. Caro’s direction is solid in this adaptation of a true story and Jessica Chastain does do a fantastic job in the lead role, as does Daniel Bruhl in the role of Nazi zoologist Lutz Heck, who Antonina has a tumultuous relationship with that’s often on the verge of being romantic. The only downside, though, is that I don’t think the film manages to fully capture the emotional depth that it wants to convey. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a powerful story about two people who risked it all to save several during one of the darkest times in history. However, it does feel like the film focuses more on its protagonists’ actions than the protagonists themselves. In fact, it could be argued that Antonina is sometimes overshadowed by her husband despite being the titular character of the story. Still, it’s hard to fault this film when its heart is clearly in the right place. Thus, while it may not end up being the award contender that it’s aiming to be, it still is a fascinating story of hope, one of several that came out of the horrors of World War II.

SPLIT

During the 2000’s, M. Night Shyamalan experienced one of the most brutal periods of ‘rock bottom’ that any filmmaker can go through. Many of his films (e.g. The Last Airbender, The Happening, etc.) were subjected to scathing reviews from critics and audiences, a far cry from his early successes with films like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. However, it seems like things are turning around for him recently thanks to hits like The Visit and this year’s Split, in which James McAvoy stars as a man named Kevin with 23 distinct mental identities. The story revolves around him kidnapping a trio of teenaged girls as he prepares to sacrifice them to his mysterious 24^th identity known as ‘The Beast’. McAvoy truly is the star of the show in a well-layered and multi-faceted role, as he effectively switches in and out of his numerous identities with ease. Some of his most notable ‘identities’ include the 9-year old child Hedwig and the stern matriarch Patricia. Meanwhile, Anna Taylor-Joy is solid in the role of main protagonist Casey while Betty Buckley shines as well as Kevin’s psychologist Dr. Fletcher. And then, of course, there’s Shyamalan’s trademark twist ending. But while many of his more recent twists have gone down horribly with audiences (e.g. nature is responsible for the events in The Happening), this one I think will go over better. Why? Because through a closing cameo by Bruce Willis, it’s revealed that this film takes place in the same universe as Unbreakable. And while I haven’t seen that film yet, I probably will soon as Shyamalan is now preparing to do a third Unbreakable film, Glass, in 2019. Taylor-Joy and McAvoy will be returning from this film while Willis reprises his role of David Dunn once again. And, of course, Samuel L. Jackson will be returning from the original Unbreakable as that film’s main villain, Mr. Glass. Given Shyamalan’s recent track record, I bet that it’ll turn out to be another solid hit.

KONG: SKULL ISLAND

The most legendary ape in cinema, King Kong, returned this year in a brand-new film, Kong: Skull Island. This film is the second installment of Legendary Pictures’ planned Cinematic Universe (AKA the ‘MonsterVerse’) that also involves the version of Godzilla seen in the character’s 2014 reboot. Like that reboot, though, this new take on King Kong has proven to be rather polarizing as well. And to be fair, it’s understandable as to why this is, as Kong: Skull Island is a much different kind of beast compared to other blockbusters both visually and narratively. Plus, like Godzilla, there isn’t much in terms of character development for the human characters, despite some solid performances from the likes of Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Samuel L. Jackson, and John C. Reilly. Though even with that said, Reilly does, in fact, get the most interesting subplot of the group given his character’s status as a WWII pilot who got stranded on Skull Island several decades prior to the time that this post-Vietnam set story begins. But unlike Godzilla, where the monster-based action sequences were mainly limited to the finale, this film doesn’t shy away from its monster action. Featuring the largest Kong yet in film, Kong: Skull Island benefits from an eye-popping visual style and great production design. Thus, overall, I did enjoy it despite its shortcomings. Plus, this is all leading up nicely to future films, including a sequel to Godzilla directed by Michael Dougherty in 2019 and the biggest one of the bunch, a Godzilla vs. Kong crossover in 2020 directed by Adam Wingard.

ALIEN: COVENANT

Speaking of polarizing releases, we have a similar situation with Alien: Covenant, the follow-up to 2012’s most polarizing release, Prometheus. This film claimed that it would answer some of the unexplained mysteries left by its predecessor, which was one of the biggest problems that critics had with Prometheus. Whether it does so is ultimately up to the viewer, but I will say that I did find Covenant to be another solid entry in this long-running franchise. Sure, it probably has one of the weaker overall stories of the franchise and it doesn’t really live up to its promise of returning to the series’ horror roots. That and the ending is rather lackluster because a lot of it is based around a blatantly obvious twist. Still, to its credit, the film’s ending is also a rather ballsy one given the ways in which it sets things up for the next installment. And, of course, just like the other Alien films directed by Ridley Scott, it benefits greatly from fantastic visuals and a terrific production design. As for the cast, the sheer amount of ‘main protagonists’ in this story does sometimes make it hard to keep track of them all, but the plotline of having them all tied together as couples does give some emotional depth to their death scenes. Michael Fassbender is terrific as always in the dual role of Prometheus´ android David, who’s still just as enigmatic as ever, and the new crew’s android, Walter. Meanwhile, Katherine Waterston immediately establishes herself as the most sympathetic member of the new crew, Daniels, after an opening in which she suffers a tragic loss. With all this in mind, Alien: Covenant may not be the best entry in the Alien series but it’s also far from being one of the worst.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

And speaking of polarizing franchises, this year gave us another installment of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, a series that’s done far better commercially than it has done critically. And that overall streak continues yet again with the new installment, Dead Men Tell No Tales. However, as someone who has been a fan of this series and has liked all four of the previous films (yes, even the sequels), I found that I still liked this film about as much as I did the other films. Sure, there are times where the film slips into the same old flaws of its predecessors, like a messy narrative and scenes/characters that don’t really go anywhere (e.g. a truly random scene where Jack Sparrow and his crew are captured by an old associate of his who forces Jack into marrying his sister). But at the same time, directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg did do a solid enough job of keeping things generally fresh, especially with the addition of new main protagonists as well as some solid development for returning characters. Barbossa, especially, gets a major plot thread in this installment that surprisingly elicited some effective emotional results, though it’s mainly because of how big a part he’s played in this franchise. Johnny Depp, even amidst all his recent controversies, is still just as memorable as ever as Captain Jack Sparrow while Javier Bardem is a solid (albeit a bit underwhelming) adversary as the ghostly Captain Salazar. And, once again, I’ll admit that I wouldn’t mind seeing future installments of this franchise. After all, this film’s post-credit scene teases an interesting plot development revolving around the apparent revival of one of the series’ best characters. At the very least, I would like to see how this new development pans out.

CARS 3

Contrary to popular opinion, I really love the first Cars film from 2006. Was it one of Pixar’s absolute best? No, but it was still a charming little story with a heartfelt message about slowing down and appreciating the simpler things in life. Heck, I’ll even admit that I still like Cars 2, Pixar’s first critical dud. Again, it’s nowhere near the studio’s best work, namely due to a messy narrative, but it’s ultimately a harmless affair. Thankfully, with Cars 3, the filmmakers leaned more towards the spirit of the first film; it’s back to racing again and this time, the story of Lightning McQueen comes full circle. In Cars, he was the hot-shot rookie that eventually learned about his mentor Doc Hudson’s devastating crash that put him out of commission before he was ready to retire. This time around, Lightning finds himself in the same situation as he tries to outlast a new and advanced line of rookies who threaten to put an end to his career. Yes, like its predecessors, the story in this film is simple but at the same time, that doesn’t mean that there’s no emotional depth to it. Just look at this film’s terrific implementation of Doc Hudson, despite the character’s passing after the events of the first film due to his voice actor Paul Newman passing away in 2008. Then there’s also the great characterization for new protagonist Cruz Ramirez who, despite starting out as just Lightning’s new trainer, is shown to be very much capable of lasting alongside other racers on the racetrack. If this series ever does continue in the future, I wouldn’t mind seeing her return to become its new main protagonist. After all, to reiterate, this third Cars film did basically conclude the overall story arc for Lightning McQueen. No matter what happens, though, I’ll always argue that while Cars 3 may not be the best Pixar film ever made, it’s certainly more than just a ‘middle-of-the-road’ affair as some critics have been saying.

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT

Yeah, I know… this is a questionable choice to put in the ‘Worthwhile Mentions’ category given that it’s one of the worst-reviewed films of the year and is yet another critical dud in the live-action Transformers series. But, for those who have been following this blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m one of the few people out there who does indeed like every entry in the series; yes, even the most critically despised ones like Revenge of the Fallen and Age of Extinction. The same can be said for The Last Knight. Now don’t get me wrong, this film isn’t even remotely flawless. For one thing, this was the first time where I genuinely got lost at times with the plot. They literally throw everything but the kitchen sink at you when it comes to conveying new ‘information’ about the Transformers. Plus, this time around it’s legitimately a Transformers film where the titular characters themselves are downplayed in favor of the human characters. So… why the heck did I still end up liking this film, you ask? Well, like always, its shortcomings in terms of the writing are [somewhat] saved by the consistently terrific visual effects. Plus, Michael Bay at least deserves some credit when it comes to crafting impressively staged action sequences. Though on that note, hopefully, this will be Bay’s last entry in the series, as he’s claimed, for two reasons. A.) Because it’s time for him to move on to other projects before he gets stuck doing these for the rest of his career and B.) so that new blood can be brought into this franchise to turn things around. I mean, who knows, maybe the upcoming spin-off starring the franchise’s best character, Bumblebee, could turn out fine. After all, it is set to be directed by Travis Knight, director of last year’s critically-acclaimed Kubo and the Two Strings. Only time will tell, though…

POWER RANGERS

This was one of the year’s most pleasant surprises for me. As I’ve noted in the past, I didn’t really grow up with the Power Rangers franchise despite being part of the generation that grew up with it. Still, I was genuinely interested in seeing this new big-budget film reboot of the franchise BECAUSE of its connections to my generation. And even as a casual fan of the franchise, I felt that this film was a solid new take on this iconic facet of 90’s pop culture. Granted, it isn’t perfect; like its source material, there are quite a few goofy moments in this. For one thing, this film has one of the most ludicrous bits of product placement in recent memory involving Krispy Kreme. Despite this, I was impressed by the film’s surprisingly effective handling of its plot. This is a true ‘origin story’, as we see the main characters grow and develop to become the Power Rangers. And when they do, it results in an awesome finale that respects the original Mighty Morphin series while still being its own thing. Sure, this means that the film doesn’t really get into any Power Rangers action until the very end, but unlike, say, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, where the Rangers did nothing until the finale despite having their powers, this film takes its time to develop the main characters. And this is what makes the finale incredibly satisfying because, at this point, we’ve become fully attached to this group of ‘misfits’, portrayed by an excellent group of young leads who work off each other incredibly well. In fact, they work so well together that I genuinely hope that they get to do a sequel. I mean, I know that the franchise’s future is in flux right now because this film didn’t do so well at the box-office, but come on! After that post-credits tag that teased the franchise’s most iconic character, Tommy Oliver AKA the Green Ranger, they deserve at least ONE sequel.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2

In 2014, Keanu Reeves’ career experienced a great bit of resurgence with the action thriller John Wick. Directed by former stuntmen Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, who had both worked with Reeves before on the Matrix films, the film featured some of the most stylish and all-around best action sequences in recent years. These were then packaged nicely with a simple but effective story of a legendary hitman who’s out to avenge the death of his dog against those who attacked him. And while it’s only Stahelski behind the camera this time around due to Leitch moving on to other projects (i.e. Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2), John Wick: Chapter 2 is yet another fantastic and action-packed thrill ride. Keanu Reeves is great once again as the calm and collected badass John Wick, while also being backed by a highly memorable supporting cast that includes the likes of Common, Ian McShane, and Laurence Fishburne. But, of course, the true stars of the show are the action sequences and, once again, they’re excellently choreographed and filmed. Plus, the film ends on an awesome note that sets the stage for what will surely be an epic third installment, in which good ol’ ‘Baba Yaga’ will find himself facing down incredible odds without the help of the hitman community. And that’s because he broke the one rule that a hitman knows never to break; never commit one’s business in the Continental Hotel. With all this in mind, I will, in fact, argue that John Wick: Chapter 2 is one of the rare ‘superior sequels’ to an equally fantastic predecessor. It has a larger scale compared to the first film, as is the case with most sequels, but it still manages to maintain the simplistic but badass nature of the world that it creates.

THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS

We’re now at the eighth installment of this absolute monster of a film franchise. And at this point, you’re either fully invested in it… or you despise it with a burning passion for being so popular despite it getting more ridiculous and goofy with each new film. And yet, that’s precisely what makes these films so damn fun; at this point in the game, they know exactly what kind of series they’re trying to be. And I won’t lie… this new one may have become my new favorite entry in the series. While many of us may have joked at how the film would handle its main plotline of main protagonist Dominic Toretto going rogue against his team, the reveal is surprisingly well-handled. If anything, it ties in perfectly with the franchise’s recurring theme of ‘family’… despite all the behind-the-scenes controversy that happened during this entry of the series. Of course, there was the ‘clearly not staged’ feud between Vin Diesel and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, but now it’s being reported that Michelle Rodriguez may leave the franchise if they don’t start giving its female characters larger roles (which, to be fair, she’s right…). Well, no matter what happens after this, one thing is for certain; the cast still works great together on-screen. Jason Statham is thankfully given a larger role this time around and while Charlize Theron spends most of the film away from the action, she manages to be one of the series’ best villains through her effective manipulation of Dom. In conclusion, though, to reiterate a point that I made in my original review, if you scoff at the sight of The Rock pushing away a torpedo with his bare hands, then this film isn’t for you. But if you’re one of this series’ long-time fans, then I’m sure that you’ll love this new entry just fine.

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

After Warner Bros. scored a big hit in animation with 2014’s The LEGO Movie, they continued their new line of animated LEGO films with yet another smash-hit, The LEGO Batman Movie. Of course, as the title suggests, it focuses on the character that many felt was the standout of the original LEGO Movie; LEGO Batman. And Will Arnett once again does a phenomenal job as this hilarious interpretation of the classic superhero. But this time around, he’s also given a great story arc in which he learns to finally accept people into his life again after years of isolation. This comes to fruition through his ‘unintentional’ adoption of a young ward, Dick Grayson, his sometimes-tumultuous partnership with Gotham’s new police commissioner, Barbara Gordon, and even his ‘hero-villain’ relationship with his greatest nemesis, the Joker. And because of this, the film very much delivers on having a strong emotional depth, just like its predecessor. Meanwhile, the animation in this is just as excellent as it was in the original LEGO Movie. It really is impressive how the animators managed to inject a stop-motion feel (the animation style commonly seen in fan-made LEGO films) into a computer animated film. And, of course, being a Batman film, The LEGO Batman Movie is full to the brim with references to DC Comics and the character’s long, long, long history (“I have aged phenomenally!”). Thus, The LEGO Batman Movie is a fantastic follow-up to its equally fantastic predecessor. Simply put, to quote the predecessor’s iconic song, ‘everything is awesome’ right now with Warner Bros.’ LEGO franchise.

BABY DRIVER

It’s good to see that Edgar Wright has managed to come back after his tumultuous exit from Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man. Clearly, both sides have moved on from that problematic ordeal; Marvel Studios continues to dominate the superhero genre (as we’ll see in a bit) and Wright has another stylishly entertaining film for us with Baby Driver. Influenced by a music video that he directed for the band Mint Royale in 2003, Baby Driver focuses on a young and generally innocent getaway driver for a local kingpin who constantly listens to music. This allows him to both drown out the hum in his ears following a traumatic incident from his past and to be the best getaway driver in the business. And that is very much apparent thanks to the film’s exceptional car chase sequences, all of which were done practically and are excellently shot and edited. But the real star of the show is the film’s soundtrack. Not only does the film feature a rocking soundtrack full of classics but Wright also manages to seamlessly tie them into every action that happens on-screen, from a shoot-out set to ‘Tequila’ to a scene where Baby takes the time and effort to restart a song so that he’s in the proper mindset. And it’s all backed by an excellent ensemble cast, which includes the likes of Ansel Elgort as the film’s charismatic lead, Kevin Spacey being the Kevin Spacey we all know and love, and a great collection of supporting characters played by, including but not limited to, Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx. Thus, if you’re a big fan of Wright’s previous work, including the legendary Cornetto trilogy, then I bet that you’ll love his latest directorial effort just as much. It truly is fantastic.

AND NOW, MY TOP 5 OF THE YEAR (SO FAR)

Spoilers… almost all these are superhero films! So much for that superhero fatigue, eh?

5. CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS: THE FIRST EPIC MOVIE

Yes, a film adaptation of a popular children’s book series that has been around for two decades has turned out to be one of my favorite films so far in 2017. The main reason why is because it managed to be one of the most faithful adaptations of any given source material that I’ve seen in recent memory. Director David Soren and screenwriter Nicholas Stoller (AKA the director of comedy hits like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Neighbors, along with co-writing the screenplay for the two most recent Muppets films) perfectly capture the crude but charming style of Dav Pilkey’s best-selling series, right down to the on-screen implementation of its iconic running gags. Seriously, I damn-near cheered when they brought in the classic ‘Flip-O-Rama’ segment from the books. But amidst all the toilet humor (figuratively and literally as there are, in fact, sentient toilets in this), this film genuinely has some heart to it. This is mainly represented by the terrific friendship between main protagonists George Beard and Harold Hutchins, who are excellently voiced by Kevin Hart and Thomas Middleditch, respectively. Meanwhile, Ed Helms is a great pick for the dual role of Mr. Krupp AKA Captain Underpants as is Nick Kroll as the film’s main villain, Professor Poopypants. Really, I can’t say much more about this film except for that I really felt like a kid again while watching it because I used to read these books all the time when I was growing up. And even though it’s been years since I’ve read any of them, the kid in me was very much satisfied with this adaptation. TRA LA LA!!!!

4. LOGAN

After 17 years in the role of Wolverine, Hugh Jackman ended his run as one of the best casting choices in the history of the superhero genre on the best note possible. With Logan, Jackman and director James Mangold managed to give the iconic hero the film adaptation that his fans have long wanted to see; a brutal, no-holds-barred, and all-around gory R-rated superhero film. They almost got that with 2013’s The Wolverine, but Jackman and Mangold were forced to cut that film down so that it would be PG-13. Thankfully, an uncensored cut was released on Blu-Ray and it was, obviously, the superior version of that film. But as for Logan, nothing is toned down here; these fights are so brutal that they’re very much capable of eliciting visceral reactions from the audience. But even amidst all the awesome action sequences, the film also does a great job in concluding Logan’s story. Part of this is through the introduction of a young girl named Laura, AKA Wolverine clone X-23. Newcomer Dafne Keen straight up steals the show while Jackman and Patrick Stewart give arguably their greatest performances in the roles of Logan and Xavier AKA Professor X, respectively. Save for a few underdeveloped villains, this film is an incredibly well-layered story that also serves as the final curtain call for the X-Men of the original film series. Of course, the cast of the franchise’s First Class era lead the show now and will do so again next year in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. But as for Logan, not only is it the best Wolverine solo film to date (though some may say that this isn’t saying much), but it’s also one of the best entries in the entire X-Men franchise. And it achieves this with a story that, as we expected, really hit us on an emotional level.

3. WONDER WOMAN

After suffering tons of critical backlash in 2016 with Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, Warner Bros. and DC finally managed to catch a lucky break this year with the fourth installment of the DC Extended Universe, Wonder Woman. Director Patty Jenkins did a phenomenal job in bringing the beloved member of DC’s Trinity to the big-screen in her long-awaited solo film after initially debuting in BvS. And, of course, Gal Gadot did an equally phenomenal job in the role of the iconic heroine, very much proving her critics wrong thanks in part to a terrific character arc in which the initially naïve Amazonian princess soon learns about the harsh reality that is the darker side of humanity. But even though the film is primarily set during World War I, that doesn’t mean that it forgets to be a fun and light-hearted superhero film that ties in perfectly with Wonder Woman’s characterization, complete with epic action sequences and an equally terrific supporting cast to back Gadot up. Chris Pine is a great foil to Gadot as Diana’s love interest Steve Trevor, never once overshadowing her while still being more than just a typical love interest. Meanwhile, the two are joined by a highly memorable group of supporting characters in the form of their fellow team members (Sameer, Charlie, and Chief), while both Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright give great, dignified performances as Diana’s mother Hippolyta and aunt Antiope, respectively. And while I do think that the villains are ultimately some of the weaker elements of the film, that doesn’t take away from everything else that’s great about it. In short, Wonder Woman is one of the most satisfying entries in the superhero genre and a much-deserved win for all who were involved.

2. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Sure, maybe this entry in Disney’s continuing line of live-action remakes was a questionable one given that the original Beauty and the Beast is one of the studio’s most beloved animated efforts. And sure, at the end of the day, it’s mostly just the same plot as its predecessor, making its overall status even more questionable in the minds of those who aren’t fans of remakes. But even with all this in mind, and ignoring the completely overblown and 100% stupid controversy revolving around the announcement that the film would feature Disney’s first ‘exclusively gay’ moment (a moment which, may I add, is so subtle that some may not have even noticed it if it hadn’t been pointed out by the media beforehand), at the end of the day this is just a highly satisfying ‘feel-good’ film. It respects the original film while also doing just enough to be its own thing, even if it is admittedly the same general narrative. Still, the changes to the narrative are subtly executed without ever betraying the heart of this classic story of embracing people for who they are on the inside. And if that wasn’t enough, the film is visually spectacular with terrific visual effects and a great production/costume design. It also boasts a terrific ensemble cast highlighted by Emma Watson as Belle (P.S. Contrary to popular opinion, I thought that she was perfectly fine in terms of her singing), Dan Stevens as the Beast, Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as LeFou, and an awesome supporting ensemble to fill the beloved roles of the Beast’s servants, from Ewan McGregor to Ian McKellen to Gugu Mbatha-Raw to Emma Thompson. And of course, who can forget the classic songs from Disney icons Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, plus a few new songs as well that are great additions to this ‘tale as old as time’ (I especially love the Beast’s new solo, ‘Evermore’). In conclusion, no, I don’t think that this was better than the original; that was a tough act to follow, after all. But even though the original Beauty and the Beast is one of my Top 5 favorite Disney animated films of all-time, that doesn’t mean that I was going to be judgmental towards this new take on the story because of it.

1. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2

Now when I first reviewed this film, I noted that I felt that there were some instances where, to quote the common argument seen in almost EVERY SINGLE DAMN REVIEW for the film, ‘it wasn’t as good as the original Guardians of the Galaxy’. However, as I thought about it more, I realized that, contrary to popular opinion, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 IS better than the first film. Don’t get me wrong, I still adore the original Guardians for its successful efforts in making us care for a group of characters who were once viewed as a ‘C-list’ superhero team in the comics. However, writer/director James Gunn manages to take the strong emotional depth of the original one step further with the sequel thanks to a poignant story based on the theme of fatherhood. And while some may question the decision to have the Guardians be split up into pairs of two for most of the film, it ultimately works because each pairing (e.g. Drax and Mantis, Yondu and Rocket/Groot, etc.) is a perfect match. This all leads to what is arguably the most emotional moment in any Marvel Cinematic Universe film to date, which is backed by the scene’s excellent score by Tyler Bates (i.e. the track ‘Dad’) and is then followed by the perfect use of Cat Stevens’ song ‘Father and Son’ in the subsequent scene. And just like the original, the main characters are all lovable and portrayed by an excellent ensemble cast, the film boasts gorgeous visuals, and it’s all backed by the kick-ass tunes of Awesome Mix Vol. 2. Simply put, I adored Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and because I do think it’s better than the original, that effectively makes it my new favorite entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And bear in mind that at the time that I’m writing this, I’ve only seen it once. That, my friends, is saying a lot!

And those are all the films that I’ve seen so far in 2017. Thanks for following along and be sure to sound off in the comments below with your own personal Top 5 of the year so far.

Logan (2017) review

There have been many iconic superhero film casting choices over the years; Christopher Reeve as Superman, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, the list goes on. But, easily, one of the most iconic casting choices of the entire genre, namely due to how long he’s been in the role, has been Hugh Jackman in the role of the clawed mutant James ‘Logan’ Howlett AKA Wolverine. Jackman was first cast in the role in Bryan Singer’s first X-Men film back in 2000, and while some may have taken issue with a 6’2’’ Broadway actor taking on the role of a character who is a full foot shorter by comparison in the comics, it would end up becoming the definitive role of Jackman’s career. He would then go on to reprise his role in almost every subsequent X-Men film, either in a leading role or an awesome cameo. The popularity of the character even resulted in a few spin-offs. However, the Wolverine spin-offs have been a bit more hit-and-miss. The first of these, 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, was savaged by both critics and audiences for its flawed screenplay, disastrous deviations from the comics (e.g. ‘Deadpool’, a term used loosely in this case), and for being overcrowded with other mutants. Even Jackman himself has admitted that it didn’t turn out as well as he had hoped. Thankfully, he managed to get Wolverine a much more satisfying spin-off in 2013 when he teamed up with director James Mangold (whom he had previously worked with on 2001’s Kate and Leopold) for The Wolverine, based off the popular 1982 limited series of the same name by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller. And while not perfect, it at least did better with critics and audiences compared to the previous film. However, the film truly shines with its unrated Extended Edition. Debuting with the film’s home media release, this was easily the superior cut of the film, partially because it gave fans some of the R-rated Wolverine action that they had been hoping for after many years of PG-13 rated Wolverine action in the previous films.

But, this year, fans of the character are finally getting what they’ve always wanted, as Mangold and Jackman team up once again for their second Wolverine solo film, this one simply titled Logan. Like The Wolverine, the film takes inspiration from a famous storyline in the comics; in this case, Old Man Logan, a 2008 mini-series by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven which centers on an aged Wolverine in an alternate future where supervillains have taken over the world. However, in this instance, the film is not a direct adaptation of the source material, probably because some of the key characters featured in that story are over at Marvel Studios. But, of course, most of the hype surrounding this film is due to one primary reason, and that is that it is set to be Hugh Jackman’s final outing in his career-defining role. As such, he and Mangold seek to give the iconic X-Men member a fitting onscreen send-off. And, thanks in part to the success of last year’s Deadpool, the two were given the chance to do what fans of the character have been demanding since Jackman first debuted in the role; an R-rated Wolverine film that wasn’t tied down by the limits of the PG-13 rating that was given to every other X-Men film to date (minus Deadpool, of course). Having now watched this film, I can safely say that it does live up to its status as a gritty and brutal R-rated Wolverine film. But, of course, now the big question remains; does this new film manage to not only be the best of the Wolverine films but also serve as a fitting send-off for one of the superhero genre’s greatest icons? The answer… is a resounding yes.

The year is 2029 and most of the mutant population has gone extinct. One of the last surviving mutants, Logan (Hugh Jackman) AKA Wolverine, now spends most of his days working as a chauffeur in Texas. He also looks after his increasingly senile friend, telepath Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), with the help of mutant tracker Caliban (Stephen Merchant) as it becomes clear that Logan himself is starting to age as well due to the diminishing nature of his healing powers as the result of poisoning caused by the adamantium in his body. One day, he is approached by a woman named Gabriela (Elizabeth Rodriguez) who asks for his help in escorting her and a young girl named Laura (Dafne Keen) to a place known as ‘Eden’ in North Dakota. Logan reluctantly accepts but Gabriela is soon murdered and he, Xavier, and Laura begin to be pursued by Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook), the ruthless, cybernetically-enhanced head of security of the company that Gabriela used to work for, Transigen. Logan learns that the company had been experimenting with mutant DNA on the children that they had been breeding. When the children were set to be killed following the completion of a different mutant project known as ‘X-24’, Gabriela helped several of the children escape, Laura being one of them. Not only that, but it’s revealed that Laura was bred with Wolverine’s DNA, resulting in her not only having the same abilities as him but also technically being his ‘daughter’. Now forced to go on the run, the trio embarks on a road trip across the country in hopes of finding the mythical ‘Eden’.

One of the coolest things about director James Mangold’s two entries in the superhero genre is that both films are more than just ‘superhero films’. The Wolverine, being set in Japan, utilized a lot of the elements that are commonly seen in samurai action films, especially from a stylistic perspective. And in the case of Logan, he basically made a superhero film that was a western, a genre that he’s certainly well-versed in having directed the 2007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma. It’s also worth noting that these last two Wolverine films don’t rely heavily on action sequences. Now, that’s not to say that they aren’t there because they are. But just keep in mind that this is a slow-moving film, especially considering that it’s over two hours long (admittedly, it may be just a tad bit overlong). But, that’s ultimately one of the key elements of the film’s narrative. The longer runtime allows you to become fully invested in the lead trio of Wolverine, Xavier, and Laura as they embark on their road-trip, so much so that even if you probably guessed in advance how it’s all going to end, the film ends on one of the best emotional notes in the history of the superhero genre. It also very much stands on its own compared to the other X-Men films; for one thing, they don’t tie it too much into the series’ overall continuity, which is probably for the best because it just would’ve sparked more debate over the series’ infamously convoluted canon. As for the action sequences, fans will be pleased to know that the film does live up to its status as an R-rated Wolverine film. These action sequences are intense and bloody and many of them will have you audibly saying ‘oh s***’ when they happen because of how brutal they are. Seriously, Mangold doesn’t hold back on them; not even Deadpool was this intense.

I’ve talked about how great Hugh Jackman has been in the role of Wolverine many, many times over the years (in fact, I just did so again the other day) so I’ll try not to repeat myself too much here. However, this may arguably be his greatest performance in the role to date and if so, it’s only fitting that it came from his last appearance as the character. Logan’s trademark hard-edged persona is still there, of course, but that’s well-mixed with the tragic nature of him being at a point in his life where he’s clearly past his prime. Patrick Stewart is also great as usual in the role of Xavier, whose role in the film is also one based in a tragic light as we sadly see the beloved telepath becoming more and more senile by the day. In fact, one of the darkest plot-points in the film establishes that Xavier inadvertently had a hand in the decimation of the mutant population due to the intense, seizure-induced psychic attacks that he now suffers from on a regular basis. Still, he works great off Logan, as always, and while the film does maintain a generally serious tone throughout, the R-rating does allow for some funny moments in which Stewart gets to be a bit cruder than he usually is in these films. The two are joined by newcomer Dafne Keen, who makes one hell of a great first impression in the role of the primarily mute but often quite volatile young girl who becomes the closest thing that Wolverine has ever had to a daughter. Stephen Merchant also has a memorable supporting role as Caliban, who had previously appeared in a much smaller role in X-Men: Apocalypse. As for the villains, they’re admittedly the weakest links of the film. Still, Boyd Holbrook proves to be an enjoyably despicable antagonist in the role of Donald Pierce, who’s shown to be quite a big fan of Ol’ Wolverine. The same can’t really be said, though, for Richard E. Grant, who plays Zander Rice, a scientist who is revealed to have an interesting personal connection to Wolverine. Despite this, he’s barely in the film.

Hugh Jackman has been in the role of Wolverine for nearly two decades. He was first cast in 1999 and has since appeared in all but one of the ten currently released films in the X-Men franchise. And with Logan, he and director James Mangold give the character the proper send-off that he deserves in a film that is pretty much the official finale of the original X-Men series. From an action perspective, this film delivers some of the most epic and brutal action sequences that the genre has ever seen. But, through all that bloodshed, stabbing, and numerous scenes of limbs being sliced off, the direction from Mangold is fantastic. This is an unrelentingly brutal but also fully emotional story in which the film’s [possibly] overlong runtime gives you plenty of time to care about the main characters in their endeavors. As such, if you’ve been a longtime fan of this franchise, it is practically guaranteed that you will get teary-eyed at one point or another while watching this film. Thus, not only is this the best Wolverine film, by far, but it’s one of the best installments of the entire X-Men series. Clearly, 2017’s lineup of live-action superhero films is off to a great start. And on that note, I’d like to salute the legend that is Hugh Jackman by saying thank you, Mr. Jackman, for all your contributions to both the X-Men franchise and the superhero genre in general. Because at the end of the day, the story of Weapon X ended on the best note possible.  

Rating: 5/5!

(P.S. When you go to see this film, be sure to get there in time before the film starts. Without giving anything away, there’s a special little clip that plays before the opening credits that’s sure to put a smile on your face.)

Top 20 Most Anticipated Films of 2017: Part 1 (#20-11)

Well, folks, since we’re getting closer and closer to the end of the year, I figured that it was a good enough time for me to do my annual ‘Most Anticipated Films of Next Year’ list. I’ll admit that I’m always unsure about when I should post this because some of the films that I discuss in these lists tend to get pushed back a year. Some past examples of this happening to me included my 2014 list, when Tomorrowland was apparently still intended to be released that year, and 2015 when I put Jon Favreau’s remake of The Jungle Book as an Honorable Mention… and then it was pushed back to April of this year. Thankfully no instances of rescheduling have happened with any of the films that I put in last year’s list (yet…) but anyway, now it’s time to look ahead to 2017. And let me tell you… there’s quite a lot of exciting new films coming out next year. Heck, 2017’s film lineup is even more exciting than 2016’s lineup. And with that said, yes, as I’ve gone over before, there have been quite a few people on the internet who have been expressing disappointment towards a lot of this year’s film releases… but that’s another story. It’s time to look ahead at 2017 and like last year, I’ve managed to come up with not just a Top 10 but a full Top 20 list of my most anticipated films of 2017. From the newest superhero films to some very intriguing sequels, and yes even some original films are in there, you can bet that I’m excited for many of the films that will be hitting theaters next year. So, without further ado, this is Part 1 of my 2-part list of my Top 20 most anticipated films of 2017. Today I’ll be going over #20-11 but first, here are my Honorable Mentions…

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Instead of giving each of these five films their own heading, I’m just going to rattle them off here quickly. First, there’s the new reboot of Power Rangers (March 24^th). Not being a big fan of the Power Rangers franchise, despite technically being part of the generation that grew up with it, I don’t have much personal stake in this new film but I am generally curious as to how it’ll turn out. Will it be able to appeal to both long-time fans and newcomers to the franchise? Next up is the reboot of The Mummy (June 9^th), the recently-designated ‘first’ entry in Universal’s new line of monster films. It’s unclear at the moment as to how this planned ‘Cinematic Universe’ will pan out but this new take on The Mummy does sound interesting, especially considering the talent involved, including Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, and Sofia Boutella in the title role. Another reboot that I’m quite intrigued about is Jumanji (December 22^nd). For the record, this isn’t a remake of the 1995 film starring Robin Williams but is instead a sequel. I’m genuinely curious as to how it’ll connect with the original and if you ask me, you can’t go wrong with a film that stars people like Dwayne Johnson and Karen Gillan. Going into the horror genre for a moment, we have Alien: Covenant (May 19^th). Ridley Scott returns for another installment of the franchise that he helped start back in 1979 with this sequel to 2012’s Prometheus, which in turn was a prequel to the original Alien. While it will be centering on a new cast that includes the likes of Katherine Waterston and Billy Crudup, Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace will be reprising their roles from the previous film. Will this new film answer some of the unanswered questions that people had after watching Prometheus? We’ll just have to wait and see. And finally, there’s The Greatest Showman (December 25^th). Hugh Jackman will star as P.T. Barnum, who was a co-founder of what would eventually become the Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus. As someone who has many fond memories of going to see this circus as a kid whenever it came to Rhode Island, I’m definitely interested in seeing its origins represented on film. The film will also star Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson, and Michelle Williams.

And now we move on to the Top 20 and boy do we have a rather controversial film to start things off at #20.

20. TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT (JUNE 23^RD)

Yes, folks, you’re reading this right… I’m genuinely looking forward to the fifth entry in the highly maligned live-action Transformers franchise. I’m not afraid to admit that I am a big fan of all four of the previous films in the series. I still argue that the first one is actually really good even after everything that happened with its sequels. And yes, I still like the much critically derided sequels, including the second and fourth films which were some of the worst-reviewed films of their respective years. Sure they’re really nothing more than mindless CGI-heavy action films but I still find them to be really entertaining popcorn flicks nevertheless. So with that in mind, I’m still interested in seeing this franchise continue, which it will do so next year with Transformers: The Last Knight. Michael Bay, of course, returns to direct and this will supposedly be his last Transformers film. Though with that said, he said the exact same thing after the third film and yet he ended up doing a fourth one so who knows? Mark Wahlberg will be returning as Cade Yeager along with Stanley Tucci as Joshua Joyce, both of whom made their series debuts in the fourth film, Age of Extinction. The film will also see Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson return to the franchise as Lennox and Epps, who appeared in the original trilogy but were both absent from Age of Extinction. Like I said before, I’m very much well aware that this will probably be just as mindless as the other Transformers films. But with that said, if it is anything like those films, I’m probably going to like it anyway. Plus, I’m just curious about some of the recent reveals surrounding the film, like how it’s apparently going to involve King Arthur and even Nazis. Yes, you read that right… this new Transformers film is going to include King Arthur and Nazis. I won’t lie, folks… at this point, I’m just eagerly curious to see just what the hell they’re going to do with all of this. The only question, though, is this; will those who aren’t fans of the franchise finally get the damn hint and not go see this new film if they don’t like this series that much?  

Thought #20 was controversial? Wait until you see #19.

19. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (MAY 26^TH)

And now we move on to another franchise that hasn’t really fared well critically when it comes to its most recent installments; Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean. Still, I’ll admit that I’m looking forward to the upcoming fifth installment, Dead Men Tell No Tales. Johnny Depp, of course, returns as the eccentric pirate Jack Sparrow as he tries to find the Trident of Poseidon to combat an old foe, the ghostly pirate Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem). Geoffrey Rush returns as Hector Barbossa while Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario debut as new characters named Henry and Carina. But perhaps the most interesting development of this new film in terms of its cast will be the return of Orlando Bloom as Will Turner, who was last seen as the new captain of the Flying Dutchman at the end of the third film, At World’s End. Sadly, Keira Knightley won’t be returning alongside him as Elizabeth. So, as I noted before, the recent Pirates films haven’t fared as well critically with both critics and audiences when compared to the first film back in 2003, one of the surprise critical/commercial hits of that year. Basically, the main reason why has been due to the common criticism that the series tends to get really overcomplicated at times with its plots. Will this be the case with the new film? Who knows? But, with a new screenwriter and a new pair of directors in Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, directors of 2012’s Norwegian Oscar-nominated Kon-Tiki, perhaps this one will change things up a bit. The recently released first trailer does grab your attention by way of its excellent visuals and rather a dark atmosphere. Ultimately, though, it’s unclear if this will be as big of a box-office hit as the previous Pirates films given that this is the fifth installment of the series. But, at the same time, considering that two of the four films have grossed over a billion, I have the feeling that this one will still be another sizable commercial hit for the franchise.

With the next two films on this list, we have the one-two punch that is Pixar’s next two animated features. The first is the one that’ll be released later in the year but it is still shaping up to be an excellent entry in the studio’s filmography.

18. COCO (NOVEMBER 22^ND)

Of the two Pixar films that are coming out in 2017, I have the feeling that the one that most fans are looking forward to more is the one with an original story. That film is Coco, a story that takes inspiration from Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration. Not much is known about this one yet other than the fact that it’ll revolve around a young boy named Miguel who uncovers a mystery involving his family that’s been unsolved for a century. In the director’s chair is Lee Unkrich, who’s been involved with Pixar since the original Toy Story. He helped co-direct Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo before he was promoted to the position of primary director for 2010’s Toy Story 3, and we all know how that turned out for him. The film grossed over a billion at the box-office, won another Best Animated Feature Oscar for the studio, and was also the third animated film after Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Pixar’s own Up to be nominated for Best Picture. So clearly Pixar’s got one heck of a talented team working on this film, one that is 100% certain to produce some absolutely gorgeous visuals based around Day of the Dead. So, with all of that said, why then is it only at number 18 on this list? Well like I said before, it’s only because we haven’t seen any form of ‘footage’ yet and don’t know much else about it aside from the aforementioned synopsis. After all, we are still more than a year away from its release. Trust me though when I say that I am super excited to see this film, as I’ve always been for Pixar films. It’s just that I’m not one of those folks on the internet who is constantly pressuring the studio to do more original films after they did a few sequels. Speaking of Pixar sequels…

Oh boy, I’m going to get so much flak for putting this above Coco…

17. CARS 3 (JUNE 16^TH)

So why is this film, a Pixar sequel, ranked above an original story Pixar film, you ask? Well, like I said before, it’s only because we haven’t seen much from Coco yet. Granted, we haven’t seen much from Cars 3 either (aside from a recently released teaser that I’ll talk about in a bit) but being that it’s the third entry of that franchise and it’s coming out earlier in the year, we do know a bit more about it than we do with Coco at this moment. Anyway, the Cars franchise has been more of a commercial success for Pixar than it has been a critical one. It’s definitely been one of Disney’s biggest franchises in terms of merchandising, having amassed over $10 billion in sales. As for the films, though, critical reception has been a bit more mixed. The first Cars film, at the very least, did fine with critics. Granted it wasn’t as critically acclaimed as the studio’s other films but it still did fairly well at around a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The second film, however… was the company’s first negatively received film. It got to the point where some people treated it like it was a criminal offense. How dare Pixar make an animated film that wasn’t a complete 15/10 masterpiece? I’m not kidding, people actually made that analogy online. And now as a result, whenever a Pixar film doesn’t get at least a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (e.g. Brave, Monsters University, The Good Dinosaur), it’s immediately seen as a disappointment. But in Pixar’s defense, from what I’ve heard the second Cars film was a bit rushed because of the pressure to be finished by its planned release date. And while I’ve only seen it once, I remember liking it okay.

So, with that said, I do believe that Cars 3 does have the potential to redeem the film franchise. After Cars 2 took a major detour story-wise by going on a world tour and having a rather random subplot involving secret agents, Cars 3 is set to return to the series’ roots of celebrating small-town Americana. The film is being directed by Brian Fee and while this is his first film as a director, he’s been involved with Pixar, and most importantly the Cars franchise, for quite a long time as a storyboard artist. Many of the main characters of the franchise will no doubt be returning in this film, including main protagonist Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson). Per the film’s currently released premise, at this point, McQueen is now a racing veteran who must now contend with a new generation of racers to prove that he’s still one of the best. You can most certainly sense that from the film’s first teaser, which strikes an effective emotional chord by showcasing what will surely be a devastating crash that Lightning is involved in. So, in short, as I stated earlier, the Cars franchise isn’t as well-liked as some of Pixar’s other franchises, especially after Cars 2 was so critically derided. But, also like I said before, I think that this new Cars film does have the potential to at least be an improvement over the previous film, especially since, from a story perspective, it’s going to be more like the first film, which I do think is underrated. And while I do have the feeling that Coco will probably be the better-received of Pixar’s two 2017 releases, I’m still very much looking forward to the continuing adventures of Lightning McQueen and company.

Ride or die…

16. FAST 8 (APRIL 14^TH)

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that the Fast and Furious franchise will soon be releasing its eighth (!) installment. Who’d thought that a franchise that originally started all the way back in 2001 would still be going strong today more than one and a half decades later? Not only that, but this is one of the rare cases in which the sequels increasingly got better and better, namely the ones directed by Justin Lin. Fast Five and Fast and Furious 6 were the first installments of the franchise to perform solidly with critics and both films were huge hits at the box-office. And then there was Furious 7. James Wan took over as director and the film managed to become the first of the franchise to gross over a billion. Though of course, part of that was no doubt due to the film being the send-off of star Paul Walker, who tragically passed away in a car accident before filming was complete. But this series isn’t over yet and now we’ve got Fast 8, which will take Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto and his crew to New York. Once again they’ll contend with Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw as well as a new villain played by Charlize Theron. Once again there’s a change in director but the new director is quite promising; F. Gary Gray, who’s coming off of 2015’s hit biopic Straight Outta Compton. And from what I hear, this new film is going to shift focus in terms of ‘genre’. While the first few Fast and Furious films were simple street-racing stories, Fast Five shifted gears (no pun intended) and became a heist film. But as for this new film, it will apparently be more along the lines of a spy caper. And for the record, yes, you never go into these films for the plot but still, it’s going to be interesting to see what they’re going to do next in terms of action. Pair that with the always excellent camaraderie of the main cast and you’ve got what is sure to be another big hit for the franchise.

The one and only Edgar Wright will have a new film out next year. And it lands the #15 spot on this list.

15. BABY DRIVER (AUGUST 11^TH)

Edgar Wright is a filmmaker who needs no introduction. He’s given us some of the funniest comedies of the past few years, namely his Cornetto Trilogy; 2004’s Shaun of the Dead, 2007’s Hot Fuzz, and 2013’s The World’s End. While all three films are different in terms of genre, with the only real ‘connection’ between them being the appearance of Cornetto ice cream in one way or another, they’re all excellent send-ups of their respective genres; zombie films, buddy cop action films, and sci-fi films. Of course, as we all know he almost directed Ant-Man for Marvel Studios last year but he ended up dropping out due to creative differences. And you know what? I think that it’s actually a good thing that this happened. It allows Wright to have full creative control over his work instead of having to deal with a ‘creative committee’, which was still in effect at Marvel Studios at the time. And this will certainly be the case with his new film, Baby Driver. Described as a crime drama that was apparently inspired by an old music video that Wright made back in 2003 for the band Mint Royale, the film will center around a young, silent getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) as he ends up partaking in a heist gone wrong. The film will also star Lily James as the driver’s girlfriend, Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm as members of a gang of bank robbers, and Kevin Spacey as a crime boss. Music will also no doubt play a huge part in the film as the main character Baby is being described as ‘music-obsessed’ and I’m excited to see what kind of soundtrack Wright comes up with for the film. But of course, at the end of the day, the main selling point of the film is the fact that it’ll be another film from the master of ‘visual’ comedy, Edgar Wright.

As Harry Hart once said, “Manners. Maketh. Man”.

14. KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (OCTOBER 6^TH)

Matthew Vaughn gave us one of the most entertaining films of 2015 in the form of Kingsman: The Secret Service. Based on the comic series of the same name by Mark Millar about a young delinquent who is recruited into a spy organization, the film was a stylish ode to the classic spy films of the 60’s (e.g. the Bond films) complete with awesome action and a great cast. And next year will see the release of a sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Matthew Vaughn returns to direct and the major players of the first film will return to reprise their roles, including Taron Egerton as ‘Eggsy’, Mark Strong as ‘Merlin’, and… Colin Firth as Harry Hart? Yes, despite being (SPOILERS!) killed off by Samuel L. Jackson’s Valentine in the previous film, Firth will be back for this film in some as-of-yet unknown form. Did he fake his death? After all, one of the teaser posters (featured above) is an image of a pair of glasses that Hart wore in the first film (with one of the lenses taken out) that are positioned in front of a quote saying that “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated” At this point, who knows? Anyway, the film will see Eggsy and co. heading to America, where they’ll be teaming up with their US counterparts, the Statesmen. New additions to the cast include Halle Berry and Channing Tatum as Statesman agents, Jeff Bridges as the head of Statesman, and Julianne Moore as the new main villain. I absolutely loved Kingsman: The Secret Service so you can bet that I’m excited to see another installment of this stylish spy thriller franchise.

My #13 pick is one of the biggest question marks of 2017’s film lineup. However, I’m still rooting for it to succeed despite the odds that are currently against it.

13. JUSTICE LEAGUE (NOVEMBER 17^TH)

I still have hope, folks, which I know is something that’s rather questionable at the moment for many people after DC’s two 2016 releases, Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, both performed horribly with critics and were generally polarizing amongst audiences as well. However, I’m confident that their 2017 output will fare much better, especially now that Geoff Johns has taken over control of the franchise. In other words, he’s become DC’s ‘Kevin Feige’ and that will no doubt help the DC Extended Universe moving forward. And sure, Zack Snyder is still back as the director but I have faith in him to succeed with this long-awaited adaptation of DC’s iconic superhero team, the Justice League. The first ‘trailer’ that was released during Comic-Con showed off a different kind of film compared to Batman v Superman. Instead of being a generally serious/dark superhero flick, this new film looks much more light-hearted in tone as primarily seen in some of the interactions between characters, like when Batman and Wonder Woman discuss the former’s rather failed attempt to recruit Aquaman and with Bruce Wayne’s first encounter with Barry Allen AKA The Flash. Newcomers Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller (though I use the term ‘newcomers’ loosely because they both cameoed in BvS) are also shaping up to be excellent new additions to the cast as Aquaman and the Flash, respectively. Granted this change in tone doesn’t mean that this new film is trying to be exactly like the films of Marvel Studios but it certainly looks like the filmmakers are, at the very least, aware of the problems that people had with BvS (the theatrical cut, at least). It may be unclear at the moment if DC will be able to turn their luck around with both this and their other 2017 film (which, spoilers, will be appearing in Part 2 of this list) but I’m still confident that they’ll be able to make it work with Justice League. I may be a bigger fan of the MCU but I genuinely want Justice League to succeed just as much as everyone else.   

One of the most iconic castings of the superhero film genre will be back for one last go in this, my #12 pick.

12. LOGAN (MARCH 3^RD)

Hugh Jackman is Wolverine; no doubt about it. Ever since he was first cast in the original X-Men film back in 2000, he’s become one of the most successful superhero casting choices of all-time. He quickly became the most popular character in the franchise, even if it did come at the occasional expense of other characters’ development, and has appeared in every X-Men film to date, even if it was just for an awesome cameo like in First Class and Apocalypse. But with his next X-Men film and the third Wolverine spin-off, Logan, this will be Jackman’s final turn in the title role. James Mangold returns to direct this film after helming the second spin-off, 2013’s The Wolverine. And just like how that film was based on an iconic Wolverine storyline of the same name from the comics, this one will also be inspired by another big Wolverine-centered storyline, one that I bet a lot of fans have been waiting to see done on the big-screen; Old Man Logan. For those unfamiliar with this storyline from 2008 written by Mark Millar, it’s basically Wolverine’s Dark Knight Returns as it centers on him years into the future. Plus, while the last Wolverine film grappled with going all-out as an R-rated Wolverine film, though ultimately it only did so in the form of the Extended Cut which was released when the film hit home video, by all accounts it appears that this will be the R-rated Wolverine film that fans have been waiting for.

They recently released the first trailer for the film and I must say that it looks fantastic. One of the best things about director James Mangold’s superhero films is that they’re more than just ‘superhero films’. The Wolverine, being set primarily in Japan, featured a lot of great Japanese elements in it. In the case of Logan, it’s clear that he’s going for something out of a western. And you can totally see that in the trailer, especially with the use of a Johnny Cash song, ‘Hurt’, a fitting choice seeing how Mangold directed the Johnny Cash Biopic Walk the Line in 2005. The story, set years in the future where it’s established that something happened to most of the mutant population (possibly because of Wolverine as deduced by the line “Logan, what did you do?”), sees Wolverine and Professor X (again played by Patrick Stewart in what will no doubt be his final turn in the role as well) having to protect a young girl named Laura (known in the comics as Wolverine’s clone, X-23) from a group known as the Reavers. Now despite what I said earlier, it’s becoming clear that this isn’t a direct adaptation of Old Man Logan. But, to be fair, it’s hard to do an adaptation of that now given the appearances of characters who are currently over in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But, as someone who isn’t a big comic reader, I’m not bothered by this. Really, it’s the overall execution of the film itself that matters the most. And thanks to an international red-band trailer, we can now rest easy knowing that the film will indeed be R-rated and that the filmmakers are truly going ‘all-out’ with this one. But at the end of the day, I must say that this first trailer really delivers in terms of hitting you on an emotional level. And that’s a feeling that I bet a lot of people will have when we go to see this; the last go for one of the greatest leads in the history of the superhero film genre. It’s going to be an emotional rollercoaster.

And closing out the lower half of the Top 20 is the latest film from Ben Affleck. Director Ben Affleck, to be more precise…

11. LIVE BY NIGHT (JANUARY 13^TH)

While Ben Affleck is currently pre-occupied with being the DCEU’s Batman, 2017 will see the release of his latest directorial effort, his first since he won Best Picture for his 2012 film, Argo. Despite having only directed three films to date, Affleck’s proven himself to be one of the top directors in the industry thanks to 2007’s Gone Baby Gone, 2010’s The Town, and Argo. For his newest film, Affleck takes on his second adaptation of a story by author Dennis Lehane after Gone Baby Gone; Live by Night. Affleck stars as Joe Coughlin, the son of a Boston police captain who moves to Florida and ends up becoming a gangster. The film also stars Zoe Saldana as Coughlin’s girlfriend, Sienna Miller as his mistress, and Brendan Gleeson as his father along with Elle Fanning, Chris Cooper, and Chris Messina. I should probably note, though, that even though this film’s current wide release date is January 13^th, 2017, it will see a limited release this Christmas, effectively qualifying it for this year’s awards circuit. So, technically, that would mean that this is a 2016 film… so why then is it in this ‘Most Anticipated of 2017’ list? Well, simply put, I had first made this list before this film got its limited release date. Plus, I don’t know just yet if I’m going to be able to see this film before the year’s through so for now, it stays on this list. But, regardless of when I see it, it’s safe to say that I am really excited to see Affleck’s next directorial effort.

And that concludes Part 1 of my Top 20 Most Anticipated Films of 2017 list. Thanks for following along and be sure to come back tomorrow when I post Part 2 and list my Top 10.