My Top 10 Least Favorite Films of 2017

        Well ladies and gentlemen it's that time of the year where I reflect on the of 2017 in movies and we see what films made me want to stop doing the blog all together and some where I wanted to punch someone in the face. Out of the 121 films I've seen this year, these films have the honor of being torn apart and never to be heard of again. With that being said I'm going to bring you my top 10 least favorite films of 2017 and the reasons why I hated each film and why they are on my list. So without further ado...





Dishonorable Mentions: 

• Father Figures
• Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
• The Bye Bye Man
• Underworld: Blood Wars
• Snatched
• Suburbucaon
• Unforgettable
• The House
• xXx: The Return of Xander Cage
• All Eyez on Me

10. Rings


        The Ring is easily one of the best horror films of all-time and it's sequel just completely trashes that entire mythos. So you'd think that a film that comes out 12 years after the awful sequel would give the filmmakers time to come up with a clever story that builds upon what the first film did. Instead we get another garbage horror film that follows the same beats as previous horror films and fails to be anything different. In a year where we've had a lot of stellar horror films like Split, Get Out and It, this is a film that stands out as the worst horror film of 2017.



9. Flatliners


        Ok so the original film may not be as great as some people would think, but it did present a very interesting concept that done inn the right way could be something special. This film now had a shot to really make the concept something special with advancements in technology and with more people paying attention to detail. However this film takes the concept, changes eveything up and makes the film a horror film that just doesn't work. You bring back Kiefer Sutherland from the original film and you put him in an entirely different role when he could've been the one to help guide them along their journey as they try to replicate what the first film did. Look I agree it's ok to be different, but the film changed everything and nothing about this is special. This is a film you yourself may flatline while watching the film.



8. Kidnap


        Halle Berry is a phenomenal actress and an Oscar winning actress at that, but she has been in a lot of really terrible film and you can add this one to the list. She was in a film a couple of years ago called The Call where she had to save someone who had just been kidnapped. In this film she is a mother trying track down her son who has been kidnapped. So you can see she's trying to do the same film with a couple of minor changes and it just doesn't work. The way everything plays out in the film is utterly stupid and doesn't male a whole lot of sense of paper. It's a film that follows the same beat points as other action thrillers and as a whole the film just doesn't work.



7. Geostorm


        Over the years there have been a lot of really terrible films, but some of those films have redeeming qualities to where you know how bad it is,but you keep watching it. With the premise presented in Geostorm, you'd think you might have the same thing, but in reality it's a film that you never want to watch again. Director Dean Devlin is a guy who produced a lot of Roland Emmerich films so you can see where he gets the disaster chops at, but being that this is his directorial debut, it probably wasn't a safe choice to go back to the well and try to make a film you incapable of making. The visual effects look like they were done in Photoshop and look as bad as some of the bad action films from the 1990's and it's just a film that might be the dumbest film ever made. 



6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul


        This is a franchise that is intended for kids and in the first film you sent a precedent going forward for who your target audience is going to be and when building a franchise you need to try to keep the cast together to help build characters and let the target audience grow up with them. However this film decided it was time for a completely new cast in hope of rejuvenating the franchise and at its core it forgot who the film was going to be for. Much like another film later on in the list, it tries to appeal to audience by making the main plot point to meet internet stars and really those aren't appealing and haven't been for a long time. It's a film that just fails on so many levels and it's something that basically has killed a franchise.



5. Sleepless 


        Seeing Jamie Foxx in a cop thriller is something a lot of people would want to see especially when it's based off of a well received novel. However the film just becomes you basic action film with nothing to truly get you excited and all of the action scenes are done the same way over and over again and often drag on fro way too long and never find a way to end. The film has a cast that includes Michelle Monaghan , Scoot McNairy and David Harbour all of which are great actors who have nothing to do in the film whatsoever. Jamie Foxx also sleepwalks through the film and you never really see any true emotion out of him to help you connect better with him. Action films are becoming a mockery when films like this come out and follow the same paths other films do and lack any originality.



4. The Nut Job 2


        The first film in this franchise was nothing special, but this film got made simply because the first film made just enough money for the studio to make a sequel. However this film is just as bad as the first film if not worse than the first film and it just really doesn't work as a theatrically released film. The film would've worked better had it been sent straight to DVD. The animation is awful and the jokes are just way too childish even for children and nothing about the film works at all in a year where animation wasn't really that strong this year.



3. Fifty Shades Darker


        Ok look you all know how much I hate this franchise, but I will admit that the first film while overall it is a bad film, there are some redeeming qualities that if the source material was a little better, the film could've worked. The same cannot be said about this film in any way, shape or form and it's one of the most unbearable films to watch. The craziest thing about this film is that E.L. James hated the first film because it didn't follow here vision (which actually made the film better), but she had the director and writer fired from the film and instead decided her husband should be the one to write the film and that's not gonna turn out bad is it now. The film has no direction whatsoever and you can tell that both Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan look so uncomfortable in the film with every line of dialogue. Honestly I'm glad that they aren't splitting the last film into two parts because this franchise needs to die immediately and thankfully we'll get our wish next year.



2. CHiPs
 

        Where to begin with this film. Let's be honest, the television show isn't' all that great to begin with and a film based off a pretty terrible television show just doesn't seem like it's going to work from the start. Not only does Dax Shepard star in the film, but he also wrote and directed the film so everything falls back on him and this isn't a good look for him going forward. Michael Pena feels out of place in the film and I know Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell are married, but she doesn't need to be in the film she doesn't belong in the film and is a forced love interest. If your a fan of the television show then  you'll probably be really disappointed that this feels nothing like the television show and it almost feels like a spoof comedy.



1. The Emoji Movie


        Whoever came up with this idea needs to be fired immediately. Look the film isn't meant for and it never was meant for me, but the fact of the matter is that adults are going to have to see this film because of their kids and you have to at least give them something to like about the film and there isn't anything for them. The film teaches a lot of lessons that kids should never be taught and it's a film that tries to appeal to all types of people with material that isn't even relevant anymore. None of the jokes work in the film and the story is a complete rip-off of Wreck it Ralph. Nothing about this film is appealing and it should never been seen by human eyes for the rest of eternity.


        So ladies and gentlemen what are some of your least favorite films of 2017 and what do you think of my list? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2017

        Well ladies and gentlemen it's that time of the year where I reflect on the of 2017 in movies and we see what films were just simply amazing and films that will be remembered for the rest of time. Out of the 121 films I've seen this year, these films have the honor of being continually praised . With that being said I'm going to bring you my top 10 favorite films of 2017 and the reasons why I loved each film and why they are on my list. So without further ado...




Honorable Mentions: 

• Stronger
• Baby Driver
• Mother!
• Lady Bird
• Wonder Woman
• Spider-Man: Homecoming 
• The Shape of Water
• Coco
• Split 
• Darkest Hour

10.  The Lego Batman Movie


        This is easily one of my favorite films of the year and one of my favorite Batman films of all-time. The Lego movie franchise so far has been 2 out of 3 for me so with Ninjago being that lone exception and when coming out of The Lego Movie everyone loved Batman and from the moment they announced the film was going to happen I had high expectations for the film. It's a film that is both hilarious and serious at the same time and it's Warner Bros. being able to make fun of themselves and their most beloved character. I think now after seeing him twice we now have to officially consider Will Arnett a part of the list of actors to portray Batman and he's probably my third favorite Batman to date and this film helps pad his case.



9. Thor: Ragnarok


        As a fan of the MCU, they've done it again by having another film make a top end of the year list. The things Taika Waititi was able to do in this film really changes the whole dynamic of Thor and it just takes the character in a whole new direction that a lot of people didn't think was possible. The choice to go from a 50/50 mix of humor and seriousness to probably 90/10 is a bold risk that ultimately pays off for the film. Chris Hemsworth is once again great in the role of Thor and the film has probably the best villain to date in the MCU (outside of Loki) in Hela played by Cate Blanchett and you can just see how much fun she had in the role. I live how it retread and went back to the post-credits scene in Doctor Strange to help bridge those two films and characters together. It does a lot of world building and it really does take the MCU into a whole new slew of possibilities.



8. It


        I honestly can't tell you how much I loved this film. Being a fan of the original miniseries version from 1990 I've often wondered what modern version of the book film adaptation would look like and boy I wasn't disappointed. This film is so much more than a horror film as it feels more like a coming of age film like The Goonies or Stand By Me and the dynamic by the child actors in the film is just so special. Also Bill Skarsgård was phenomenal as Pennywise and many thought he couldn't compare to Tim Curry's version, but Skarsgård did it better and his version is just so haunting and even hilarious at times and it does a great job of setting up for the second part due to come out in 2019.



7. John Wick: Chapter 2


        The first film was a complete surprise when it was released and typically sequels don't do too well when it comes to surprise hits, but this film defied expectations. It was so action packed and it just changed the game for how action movies are going to be made in the future. The first film introduced a new mythos to us and this film continued to build upon the world and it really does set up the third film very. Keanu Reeves is again the best he's ever been and he just fits into the role so well. It was also great to see Laurence Fishburne be reunited with his Matrix co-star Reeves for the first time since The Matrix: Revolutions. The ending of the film is perfect and it really does give you an idea of how things might play out in the next film.



6. Only the Brave


        This is honestly one of the more surprising films to end up on the list. When looking at the films at the beginning of the year you don't really notice smaller things like this and this is one of the best films of the year. It tells a story that I honestly didn't really know too much about the story and this film does a great job of going into detail about this group of extraordinary heroes and the sacrifices they made. The performances in the film are absolutely remarkable and are career bests from everyone involved. It's an emotional roller coaster from the very beginning and it's truly great to see these men honored in this way and it does give you whole new outlook into their job and you give them so much more respect then you have given to them in the past.



5. The Disaster Artist


        Oh hai The Disaster Artist. This film is truly one of the best comedies of the year and one of the more intriguing looks at the making of the greatest worst film ever made. The Room itself is a disaster and I typically don't watch really bad films, but it's a film that can be looked at as a comedy in a lot of different aspects. James Franc does a great job of directing the film as well as doing his impression of Tommy Wiseau which is absolutely amazing and the fact that he directed the film while still being character takes this film to a whole new level. It's a film that could've easily been a spoof film and instead they take the film and make an emotional drama and show that this guy is a troubled soul, but it also shows that your dreams can come true, maybe not in the way you want them to, but they can come true if you put some effort into it.



4. Blade Runner 2049


        What to say about this epic masterpiece. I'm a fan of the original Blade Runner and I love the world that Ridley Scott gave us in that film so much so that you would need to a sequel to dive deeper into the mythos. Denis Villeneuve does such a remarkable job of telling this story and it just shows how good of a director he really is and he is honestly my favorite director working today. The cinematography from Roger Deakins and mixed with the score from Hans Zimmer truly make this film one of the most gorgeous and engaging films of the year. It presents a lot of neat and interesting ideas that really make you think and it even gives you answers to questions you've always had about the original film. Harrison Ford is back and he looks so engaged into what is going on which is something a lot people rarely say about him and Ryan Gosling is again hitting out of the park with his film choices and he does a great job of bringing something new to the Blade Runner franchise. It's not only one of the best films of the year, but it is eventually going to be one of the best films of all-time.



3. War for the Planet of the Apes


        If you've followed me over the course of the past 4 years then you know how much I love this franchise and this film is one of the more fitting ends to a trilogy I've ever seen. The Planet of the Apes franchise has seen a resurgence over the past few years and it's mainly due to the advancements in technology and how we see these apes. Andy Serkis is the pioneer behind it all and he does another amazing job in the role Caesar in this film. The title is a little misleading, but it does such a great job of not only being an original film and carrying on the franchise, but like the previous two films, it does honor the past and really incorporates the original 1968 film into this film and really builds the new apes films towards that in the future. It does a lot of world building and it really sets up future films nicely. It was also a perfect sendoff for Andy Serkis as he has given so much to the role over the years and it has been a truly special treat to see him do what he is best at it's going to be hard seeing future films with him in the leading role.



2. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi


        So of you who know me best are probably going to be shocked that this film is sitting at number 2, but I have a pretty good explanation for this film being where it is at. Look I get the criticisms of the film and I completely understand why people don't like the film, but to me this is the most original Star Wars film since Return of the Jedi. It's a film that takes the franchise in a whole new direction and Rian Johnson deserves all the praise for his gutsy calls in the film and the risks he took pay off so well that it gets me even more excited for whats to come down the line. Now as for it being number 2, 2 years ago I had a hard decision to make whether to put Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens or Mad Max: Fury Road at number 1 and I went with Star Wars simply because it was Star Wars and we were finally back to getting more films in the franchise, but the comeback was just too juciy to not put it at the top. However I'm not going to do that again because while Star Wars gets me emotional sometimes, the film at number 1 is one of the most pure emotional roller coasters I'v  ever been on while watching a film and it is one of the more fitting conclusions to a character yet.



1. Logan

        As mentioned above, this film drained me emotionally more than any other comic book film has before and it's a film that does everything just right to point where you can watch it over and over again and never get tired of watching it. Kudos to Hugh Jackman for playing this character for 17 years and giving us The Wolverine we've always wanted to see and it's going to be hard to replace you in future films. James Mangold knew what he was doing with this film from the moment go and he just does a phenomenal job of telling a story that we often don't see in comic book films and the fact he was able to carry over his vision from The Wolverine into this film really just shows how much attention he pays to his own work. Patrick Stewart gives the performance of a lifetime and it's truly sad watching his character play out on screen after all of the years of service he has given us as the character of Professor X. This is the film we've wanted to see Wolverine in and the fact that 20th Century Fox allowed the film to be rated R really just shows you how willing they were to let the filmmakers tell the story they wanted to tell. The noir version (black and white version) that came out after the release just helps the film be so much better than it already is and it's going to be interesting to see if we'll ever see a comic book film like this down the line.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of my list and what were some of your favorite movies of 2017? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of The Post

        So I recently watched The Post and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado.........







        Katharine Graham (played by Meryl Streep) is the first female publisher of a major American newspaper -- The Washington Post. With help from editor Ben Bradlee (played by Tom Hanks), Graham races to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spans three decades and four U.S. presidents. Together, they must overcome their differences as they risk their careers -- and very freedom -- to help bring long-buried truths to light.

       

        This film is special for a lot of reasons mainly by bring together the main trio involved with the film. You have the greatest director of all-time in Stephen Spielberg, the greatest actress of all-time in Meryl Streep and one of the greatest actors of all-time in Tom Hanks all together in this film and that's something you don't get to see that often. The both give remarkable performances and both of which could possibly be nominated for Oscars in each of their respective acting categories. The film does a great job of bringing to light all of these scandals especially in the political climate we are living in today and it's really ballsy to make a political stand. Now while that is great, films really shouldn't be about political points of view and this film really does lean towards one side and in doing that you alienate one half of the possible audience which causes your film not to be seen by many people. The film also feels like another version of Spotlight and how it's about a group of people working at a newspaper trying to the mystery behind some very devious acts.  The film also feels rushed a lot of points the film is trying to make  just don't come across as appealing as they could've been. Overall this film does a great job bringing to life the story behind everything these people did by bringing together some of the greatest group of talent we've ever seen on the big screen, but the film pushes a political agenda that doesn't fit everyone and it does really expand upon the details brought forward in the film. i give The Post an 8 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of The Post, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of Molly's Game

        So I recently watched Molly's Game and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        The true story of Molly Bloom (played by Jessica Chastain), a beautiful, young, Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons. Her players included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans and finally, unbeknown to her, the Russian mob. Her only ally was her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey (played by Idris Elba), who learned there was much more to Molly than the tabloids led people to believe.

     

        This is a truly fascinating film to watch. Aaron Sorkin has been known as great writer for years the scripts he crafts are all different and unique in their own way, but we've never seen what he can do in the directors chair and boy does he not disappoint. He knows exactly the type of film he wants to make and you can tell in each scene how much attention he puts in to how everything is framed, blocked and shot while also getting the best out of every actor onscreen, but that's not hard to do considering who you have staring in the film. Both Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba are marvelous in each of their roles and each one give some of the best performances of their careers. Chastain just commands the screen in every scene she is in and she is just able to blend in to every scene and is able to do it so smoothly and is able to turn it up a notch at the right times and when to be more subtle. Idris Elba much like Chastain is able to be forceful figure and plays the role of his character to perfection and the chemistry he has with her is just absolute perfection what you want to see between two actors in a film like this. The main thing about the film is that it starts off well and the first hour or hour and a half are really engaging, but the last part of does bring everything down to slower pace and it can take you out of the film especially when your expecting things move along faster. Overall this film is a great debut for Aaron Sorkin as a director and it's exciting to see where his career can go behind the camera and you also get two very special performances from Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba. I give Molly's Game a 9 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Molly's Game, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of Father Figures

        So I recently watched Father Figures and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        Kyle (played by Owen Wilson) and Peter Reynolds (played by Ed Helms), are brothers whose eccentric mother (played by Glenn Close) raised them to believe their father had died when they were young. When they discover this to be a lie, they set out together to find their real father, and end up learning more about their mother than they probably ever wanted to know.

        At a time of year when a lot of great films are coming out, you get films like this that just ruin everyone else's fun. Owen Wilson and Ed Helms are great comedic actors when they want to be, but they both continue to choose roles like this that just don't put them in good situations at they come off as trying way too hard and come off as not funny in the least little bit. The story is something that has been done several times beforehand and the filmmakers do nothing to make changes to that plot and it comes off as a bland and boring film. It's sad to see a lot of great actors in this film like J.K. Simmons, Glenn Close and Christopher Walken who are all Academy Award winners and they just look so lost in the film and they barely even try to act because they know the film is terrible and they are just there for a paycheck. Director Lawrence Sher is in his directorial debut and this isn't the film you want to start your directing career with and the thing that doesn't help his cause is that he was previously a cinematographer on the following terrible films... Aloha, The Dictator, The Hangover Part II and The Dukes of Hazzard so you can see bad filmmaking is been big part of his career. As a comedy some of the jokes are pretty funny, but most of them are jokes we've seen done time and time again and none of the are really that appealing and if you laugh at the jokes, then you're just laughing because you think you need to laugh becasue the film is telling you too. Overall this film is just an absolute waste of time and it just gives you the worst possible viewing experience you could possibly have and some of the worst performances of the year. I give Father Figures a 0.5. out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Father Figures, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of Phantom Thread

        So I recently watched Phantom Thread and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (played by Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (played by Lesley Manville) are at the center of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutantes and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock. Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a young, strong-willed woman, Alma (played by Vicky Krieps), who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, he finds his carefully tailored life disrupted by love.

       

        If you truly want to see the range that Daniel Day-Leis is has, then you need to see this film. DDL is hands down the greatest actor of all-time and there is no debate about it and to see him in what he says is his last film is truly a special thing to see. They always say you save the best for last and this one of his better roles. He knows how to be subtle in certain scenes and then he knows when to take it up a notch and get that raw and emotionally powerful scene. If this is indeed his last role then it has been an honor to watch all of his films and enjoy what he brought to the big screen and there would be no better way to top it off then by being nominated for another Oscar. Paul Thomas Anderson is again doing what he does best by telling a truly emotional story in a way you couldn't think was possibly when telling a story about fashion designers. It's a creative way to approach a film like this and it just shows you how much range he has as a director. It does make a lot of weird decisions that you typically wouldn't see in a film like this and at times they feel out of place but they often do work to make the film more flamboyant. Overall this film is amazing in a lot of ways and it tries to do lot of different things bring trying different types of emotions in weird spots of the film and some pay off while others don't and it is always a special treat to see a film where Daniel Day-Lewis is the star in what could be his final film ever. I give Phantom Thread an 8.5 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Phantom Thread, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of All the Money in the World

        So I recently watched All the Money in the World and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        All the Money in the World follows the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III (played by Charlie Plummer) and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother Gail (played by Michelle Williams) to convince his billionaire grandfather (played by Christopher Plummer) to pay the ransom. When Getty Sr. refuses, Gail attempts to sway him as her son’s captors become increasingly volatile and brutal. With her son’s life in the balance, Gail and Getty’s advisor (played by Mark Wahlberg) become unlikely allies in the race against time that ultimately reveals the true and lasting value of love over money.

       

        Despite all of the crazy outside attention this film got, this film ends being one of the best films of the year. Now if you've been living under a rock and haven't heard what this film has been through then let this review help you. Originally Kevin Spacey was in the role of John Getty and was placed in all of the marketing campaigns for the film until the accusations of sexual assault came out about Kevin Spacey leading him to be let go from the film a month before the film was to be released. Ridley Scott then got Christopher Plummer to replace Spacey and re-shoot all of his scenes in one week and were still able to get the film released a month later. That in itself is a major accomplishment for everyone involved and thank goodness for advancements in technology were everything is now digital and can be edited in a short period of time to make things like this happen in a short period of time. The film itself doesn't miss a beat without Spacey and Plummer does such a good job in the role despite all of the outside noise and it's one of his better performances he's ever given. Also Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg are also great in their roles as well and the fact that they re-shot their scenes with Plummer for free really shows what type of people and actors they are. The story itself is a fascinating one to be told especially if your someone who doesn't know that much about John Getty and it really just shows you the type of man he truly was and once you understand why he doesn't want to pay the ransom, it actually makes you respect him just a little bit. While the film deserves a lot of praise, there are few things that are wrong with it that stick out like a sore thumb. The biggest problem with the film is that it really doesn't know that type of film it wants to be as it wants to be a drama, but it also wants to be a crime thriller/film noir that on paper looks nice, but it just isn't executed as good as it could be. Overall this film  has been through the ringer and the cast and crew deserve a lot of credit for the work they did to make this film, but it's just confusing on as to what the film wants to be from a storytelling perspective. I give All the Money in the World a 9 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of All the Money in the World, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of Pitch Perfect 3

        So I recently watched Pitch Perfect 3 and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...

 

        After the highs of winning the world championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there aren't job prospects for making music with your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time. 

        This is a film that has a few good parts, but it does truly show that this franchise does need to end. The first Pitch Perfect film was great and a truly breakout hit and the second film was pretty decent but just couldn't capture the original film magic and this film tries to do the same thing as the previous film, but again going to the well to many times really hurts this film. The story is somewhat different than the previous two, but in reality it does follow the same beats as the previous two films. It also has a lot of subplots throughout the film that try to get you as an audience member distracted from the repeated storyline from the first two films and give you something that seems fresh and new and while some subplots in the film work, some of the others are just repeated gags from the other two films. The performances are great and once again Rebel Wilson is the star stand out of the franchise and she just takes her character to the next level and you could honestly do a spin-off film with just her, but nobody probably wants that. One of th best parts of this film is the fact that Elizabeth Banks wasn't directing this film because she took the sequel in a odd direction, but new Trish Sie does bring back the nostalgia of the first film that really just brings the whole trilogy together.  Overall this film is a good sendoff for the crew of Pitch Perfect 3 at the right time because you can only tell a story so many times before it becomes stale and boring. I give Pitch Perfect 3 a 4 out of 10. 

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Pitch Perfect 3, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard. 

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

        So I recently watched Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado....







        Four high school kids discover an old video game console and are drawn into the game's jungle setting, literally becoming the adult avatars they chose. What they discover is that you don't just play Jumanji - you must survive it. To beat the game and return to the real world, they'll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, discover what Alan Parrish left 20 years ago, and change the way they think about themselves - or they'll be stuck in the game forever.

       

        This is a really great sequel to the original film. Jumanji is one of the most beloved films of the 1990's and of all-time and people look back on it with fondness mainly due to the death of Robin Williams so having a sequel come out without him seemed like a bad idea, but it actually works out pretty well. The story is pretty much the same as the original film with a few new twists which are refreshing such as making the game a video game to help relate more to this new generation of movie going audiences, but the basic plot is the same which make the film feel less special and almost a carbon copy of the original film. There are nods to the original film which really do bring home the nostalgia and make you feel back at home with the franchise. Both Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart are great in the film and really play their roles well eventhough they are basically playing the same character types they usually play, but the big standout of the film is Jack Black who is having to portray a 17 year old in the film and he does a phenomenal job of bringing so much character to the role that his parts are the best parts of the film. With the being said the humor in the film is pretty decent, but a lot of the humor is petty and childish that may work for some people, but to others they will barely garnish a chuckle. Overall this is a film that does take a few chances and they pay off with great performances and some nostalgia to go along with it, but the basic story is the same as the original film and a lot of the humor just doesn't work. I give Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle a 6 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                           Jonah Sparks

My Review of The Greatest Showman

        So I recently watched The Greatest Showman and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...

 

        Inspired by the imagination of P. T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business & tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. 

     

        This film is one of the more disappointing films of the year. When you have a musical, that's somewhat of a biopic and Hugh Jackman is the star of the film there are some high expectations the film needs to meet and it does meet some of them to a degree. The acting in the film is subpar when you consider the cast involved in the film. Hugh Jackman is great as always,but people like Zac Efron, Michelle Williams and Rebecca Ferguson just feel out of place in the film Visually it's one of the more beautiful films of the year and it definitely deserves an Oscar nomination for Visual Effects, Production Design and Costume Design. When you dive deeper into the backstory of P.T. Barnum, you realize the film itself really doesn't explain much of his life and it instead tries to tell you a different story all togehter for the the sake of storytelling which is fine if you go down that road, but at least make sure it's going to work before you even go in that direction. One extra piece that does stand out is the music and each piece of the music feels like it belongs and often at times it becomes a character within the film and takes over scenes that just leave you in awestruck wonder. Overall this film had a lot of things going right for it with the cast and visuals, but it ends up failing to live up to the hype. I give The Greatest Showman a 4 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of The Greatest Showman, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                          Jonah Sparks

My Review of Downsizing

         So I recently watched Downsizing and I'm here to bring you my review. So without further ado...







        When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation, Paul (played by Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (played by Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.

        

        This is a film that is ambitious in the way it wants to tell the story, but the story itself isn't anything that haven't already seen before. Alexander Payne is one of the best working directors today and he never really gets a lot of credit for how good his films are and this film is really good with a few minor gripes. The concept of miniaturizing people down to small little figures and then have them live in their own society that is sort of mixed in with regular size humans and the fact that being small can give you so many more opportunities than being normal. Matt Damon is terrific in the film and one of the best performances of his career along with a breakout performance from relative newcomer Hong Chau who could potentially get nominated for an Oscar in only her second feature film appearance which would be remarkable. Visually the film does look impressive when you consider seeing the small versions of people up close to the regular size humans and how much they are able to interact with each other. The biggest problem with the film is the execution and the fact that you have a great premise so now how are you going to tell a compelling story to go along with it and Payne fails to do that and it ends being something of an advertisement in a political nature that just takes the film in a whole new and unnecessary directions. Overall this film is full of great performances and ideas, but the attempted execution of those ideas don't work as often as they should. I give Downsizing a 6 out of 10.

        So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of Downsizing, what would you rate it and what did you think of my review? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                          Jonah Sparks

Weekend Box Office Review 12-22-17 to 12-25-17/ Weekend Preview

        Here are the weekend domestic box office results for the weekend of 12-22-17 to 12-25-17 as well as my 5 key takeaways, as well as my predictions for the top 5 films at the box office this weekend. We're using the 25th because it was a long holiday weekend. So without further ado...

Box Office Totals courtesy of boxofficemojo.com

TW	LW	Film	Studio	Weekend	# of Theaters	Total Domestic Gross	Weeks
1	1	Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi	Walt Disney Pictures/ Lucasfilm	$99,025,055	4,232	$395,627,411	2
2	-	Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle	Sony Pictures	$55,400,000	3,765	$72,005,967	1
3	-	Pitch Perfect 3	Universal Pictures	$26,424,890	3,447	$26,424,890	1
4	-	The Greatest Showman	20th Century Fox	$14,410,116	3,006	$19,008,847	1
5	2	Ferdinand	20th Century Fox	$10,118,526	3,630	$29,601,410	2
6	3	Coco	Pixar Studios	$8,188,615	2,111	$164,307,743	5
7	-	Downsizing	Paramount Pictures	$7,670,130	2,668	$7,670,130	1
8	16	Darkest Hour	Focus Features	$5,514,455	806	$8,367,532	5
9	-	Father Figures	Warner Bros.	$5,480,000	2,902	$5,480,000	1
10	12	The Shape of Water	Fox Searchlight	$4,4,20,381	730	$8,986,046	4

1. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi had a pretty solid weekend at the box office but if you don't count the extra $28 Million from Monday, it only made $71 Million over the weekend which accounted for a 67.5% drop from last week which isn't that surprising considering there were 4 new releases this past weekend. 

2. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle had a really solid opening weekend and it was able to capitalize off of the nostalgia and The Rock's popularity. 

3. Both Darkest Hour and The Shape of Water both had solid weekends while getting a wider release and could have some great success down the line. 

4. The biggest loser of the weekend was Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi as it made 55% less than it did last weekend and the biggest winner of the weekend was Darkest Hour as it made 550.7% more than it did last year. 

5. I went 2 for 5 on my predictions. 

Predictions

1. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi $45 Million

2. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle $21 Million

3. Pitch Perfect $11 Million

4. All the Money in the World $9 Million

5. Ferdinand $5 Million

        So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of this weekend's box office totals and what are some of your takeaways? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                        Jonah Sparks