Best Film Performances of 2015

February 13, 2016

jmunney Best in Film 2015, Best of 2015, Cinema , , , Leave a comment

OscarIsaac-ExMachinaDance

Here is a rundown of the excellence in individual performances in films in 2015, starting with my choices for the 2 best and then the rest in alphabetical order. At the top are a fellow who talked and talked his way through a freaky-cerebral premise, and a lady who cracked her buoyant starting point into a heartbreakingly complicated interior.

Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina
Alison Brie, Sleeping with Other People

alison-brie-sleeping-other-people-dance

Christian Bale, The Big Short
Elizabeth Banks, Love & Mercy
Angela Bassett, Chi-Raq
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Josh Brolin, Sicario
Steve Carell, The Big Short
John Cusack, Chi-Raq
Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
Benicio Del Toro, Sicario
Robert De Niro, The Intern
Deanna Dunagan, The Visit
Joel Edgerton, Black Mass
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Walton Goggins, The Hateful Eight
O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Straight Outta Compton
Michal B. Jordan, Creed
Brie Larson, Room
Peter McRobbie, The Visit
Jason Mitchell, Straight Outta Compton
Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Seth Rogen, Steve Jobs
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Jason Segel, The End of the Tour
Phyllis Smith, Inside Out
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road
Lily Tomlin, Grandma
Stanley Tucci, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Best Film Ensembles of 2015

February 13, 2016

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When the folks who say the words and act out the movements flocked together, these were the groups who made the most thunder.

big_short_yelling

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Best Films of 2015, 11-20

February 13, 2016

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FuriosaScream

I already posted my top 10 list, but wouldn’t you know it, there were plenty of other great movies. Here are three less than a baker’s dozen worth:

11. Mad Max: Fury Road – Charlize barks at the moon, giving us our most iconic image of 2015.
12. Krampus – The tricks are a treat, as is the teamwork among a dysfunctional family.
13. Creed – Adonis unapologetically forges ahead to be true to his identity and establish his family.
14. Sleeping with Other People – The question this time isn’t, “Can men and women be friends without wanting to sleep with each other?” but “Why wouldn’t they if they like each other enough?”
15. The Visit – Right at home on the corner of creepy and hilarious.
16. Brooklyn – Even when Eilis Lacey’s life is hard, there is so much love in her world.
17. Unfriended – The most formally ingenious movie in years, perhaps decades even.
18. The Peanuts Movie – Charlie Brown is preternaturally neurotic; ergo, this one’s a thinker.
19. Room – Tight corners promote empathy.
20. Furious 7 – The first F&F movie in which I actually remembered some of the plot aftewards.

Best Super Bowl 50 Commercials

February 13, 2016

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The Super Bowl was 6 days ago. I am posting this list on a Saturday. The biggest trends this year were cinematic montages and Paul Rudd.

SuperBowlBabies

4. AXE, “Find Your Magic” – Inclusivity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzTSE6kcLwY

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My Favorite TV Ships of All Time

February 12, 2016

jmunney Television , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Inspired by the latest AV Club Q&A and the upcoming Cupid Day, here are my favorite TV ships of all time. Generally, I only ship characters who legitimately could get together in-universe. Also, I prefer couplings that are actually healthy for the couples; pairings of folks who are wrong for each other can be entertaining, but rooting for them is something different than shipping (at least the kind that I practice). Organized by category, here are my top choices.

PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
-Barry-Caitlin, The Flash

Snowbarry

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The Middle 7.14: “Film, Friends, and Fruit Pies”

February 11, 2016

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Gestating a child for another couple is kind of a big commitment, especially with all of Sue’s extracurriculars. http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2016/02/11/the-middle-season-7-episode-14-recap-f

New Girl 5.6 – “Reagan”

February 10, 2016

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Where the hell is Winston’s cherry? http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2016/02/10/new-girl-season-5-episode-6-recap-mega

The Muppets 1.12 – “A Tail of Two Piggies”

February 10, 2016

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Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Diapers http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2016/02/10/the-muppets-season-1-episode-12-recap-

SNL Recap February 6, 2016: Larry David/The 1975

February 7, 2016

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SNL: Larry David, The 1975, Kate McKinnon

This review was originally posted on Starpulse in February 2016.

If you want to enjoy life, it is best to keep complaining to a minimum. But if you want to put on a good comedy show, you’re going to want to have some complaints. That is why Larry David is an ideal “SNL” host, even though he is the type of guy who hates hosting anything. That tension of constantly being bothered by the things that he is best at is the stuff that dreams, and memorable television, are made of. The fact that he also looks and sounds exactly like one of the major presidential candidates is just a bonus.

A Message from Ted Cruz – The show kicks off with “SNL” showing perhaps its strongest bite yet in this election cycle, with Taran Killam pulling no punches in his portrayal of Ted Cruz as the most odious human being ever. While this is admirably fearless, it is not the freshest angle. It kind of writes itself, honestly, what with his daughter refusing to hug him and tricking voters into believing that an opponent has dropped out of the race. Framing the greatest challenge of his campaign as overcoming the handicap of “Being Ted Cruz” is a neat enough trick, making for a cold opening that is more clever than surprising. B-

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This Is a (Quickie) Movie Review: Hail, Caesar!

February 7, 2016

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews , Leave a comment

Hail-Caesar

Capitol Pictures head of production Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) has a full slate of fires to put out: a kidnapped George Clooney who comes under the sway of communism, the need to curry favor with various religious figures, a pregnant starlet who needs a husband to maintain her good girl image, an ambush by gossip columnist twin sisters, and a cowboy actor struggling with erudition in his first romantic comedy. It’s all in a day’s work for Mannix. As world-threatening or paradigm-shifting as some of these crises are, they all turn out okay in the end. Despite the weightiness of the subject matter, this is decidedly a light feature. “Would that it were so simple”? Actually, it is.

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