Wednesday, January 04, 2017

24 Movies I Missed from 2016

I did pretty well with 2016 movies. In fact, my list of seen movies should be double the list of ones that I missed (assuming that I'm able to catch up on a couple of more this week like I plan). But I did miss a couple dozen that I wanted to see, so here those are; mostly to explain why some movies didn't make it into my rankings. As usual, I'm listing them more or less in the order that they were released:

1. Swiss Army Man



I don't know why I'm so fascinated with Daniel Radcliffe. I like the Harry Potter movies a lot and am enjoying the books (which I'm just now reading for the first time), but I'm not so huge a fan that I want to keep up with everything everyone Potter-related is doing. And yet, I'll see anything with Radcliffe in it.

Of course, the premise of a dead body who goes on adventures with a despondent man would intrigue me no matter who's playing the corpse.

2. Captain Fantastic



I feel like this can only end in heartbreak, but I love the idea of Viggo Mortensen experimenting with raising his kids outside of cultural influences and I really want to see the kids' stories once they have to interact with other people.

3. The Love Witch



Throwback to and parody of the lurid, semi-gothic horror movies of the '60s and '70s like what Hammer used to make. It just hit some festivals and had a small, limited release last year, so I'm waiting for it to hit home video. Hopefully by this Halloween.

4. The Wild Life



I heard almost nothing about this after it came out, which can't be a good sign. Of course, neither can the 15% on Rotten Tomatoes. But I'm up for a silly, animated version of the Robinson Crusoe story.

5. In a Valley of Violence



Neither Hawke nor Travolta are favorites of mine, but it's a Western and I did enjoy Hawke in the new Magnificent Seven.

6. Don't Think Twice



I'll see anything with Keegan-Michael Key at this point, but I'm also into exploring the politics when someone from an improv troupe hits it big and how that effects their relationships with the other members.

7. Hell or High Water



A modern-day Western with Ben Foster and Chris Pine.

8. The Red Turtle



Another animated movie about an island castaway. Probably not as silly as The Wild Life. The animation looks beautiful and I'm intrigued by its not having any dialogue. I love wordless comics, so I'm curious to see if I'll feel the same way about a wordless film.

9. Blood Father



Such mixed feelings, but this is exactly the kind of movie that I used to love Gibson in. I don't know if his offscreen issues are going to make this impossible to enjoy.

10. The Secret Life of Pets



Haven't heard good things, but the trailer made me chuckle.

11. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates



I love all four of the people on this poster. Keeping my expectations low, though.

12. Ghostbusters



I was pretty stoked to see this and support the idea of it, but early reviews (from people who were also expecting to enjoy it) dampened my enthusiasm. I've also heard really good reviews though, so I'm eager to see it and form my own opinion. I just didn't make it to the theater.

13. Pete's Dragon



The original is cute enough, but it never grabbed me like the fully animated Disney movies from that time did. I think I always resented the live-action elements of it. So a remake was never something that I cared about one way or the other, but I've heard a lot of great things, including that it's an improvement on the original story. If nothing else, it's got Karl Urban.

14. Ben-Hur



Morbid curiosity. I love the silent version from 1925 and enjoy the '59 remake. I expect nothing but even more diminishing returns, but want to see what changes have been made and what's been kept for a modern audience.

15. Swallows and Amazons



Hasn't been released in the US yet, as far as I can tell, but as soon as it is, I'm all over this story of a bunch of English kids on vacation who split into rival factions and have adventures.

16. Imperium



My love for Daniel Radcliffe overcomes my disinterest in stories about undercover agents and white supremacist groups.

17. La La Land



You put Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in anything together and I'm there. Even more so if they're singing and dancing.

18. Nocturnal Animals



Wasn't sure about this based on the description, but the trailer nabbed me.

19. The Edge of Seventeen



Hailee Steinfeld is another person on my Gotta Watch list. And I've finally come completely around on Woody Harrelson. Used to not care a thing about his films, but then he made Zombieland and he's become increasingly endearing to me since.

20. Inferno



I've never read Dan Brown and I only sort of liked the previous movies in this series (Wait... did I see Angels and Demons? I forget.), but I like them enough - and I like the genre enough - to give Inferno a look, too. And hey, Jyn Erso.

21. The Rendezvous



Speaking of whatever genre the Dan Brown movies are in, here's one with Kate Beckett.

22. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back



Really like the first one. Heard this isn't nearly as good, but what the heck. It's Tom Cruise running with a gun.

23. Rules Don't Apply



Snow White and Young Han Solo. And it'll be nice to see Warren Beatty again. And crap, look at the rest of that cast: Haley Bennett, Ed Harris, Oliver Platt... and those are just my favorites of that list.

24. Collateral Beauty 



Was originally attracted to this as a feel-good, holiday film with some of my favorite actors in it, but I understand now that the trailer is completely misleading and that the movie itself is nuts (but not in a good way). So now I'm attracted to it as a crazy train wreck with some of my favorite actors in it.

6 comments:

Paxton said...

I love our year end round up articles. You and I seem to have the same proclivities and likes.

Swiss Army Man - I too love Radcliffe. I'll watch him in most anything. Check out Horns. VERY interesting. He was even good in Now You See Me 2. So, I'd heard of this movie, but didn't know the plot. Is it a modern day Weekend at Bernies? Why do I love that idea?

The Love Witch - F**K. AND YES.

Valley of Violence - This'll have to be on our show. I like Hawke and depending on the movie I like Travolta. Especially if it's crazy, overacting Travolta that was born after From Paris with Love.

Don't Think Twice - Love love Keegan. However I still haven't seen Keanu. But I want to. SO BAD.

Hell or High Water - Almost watched this last week. GREAT cast.

Blood Father - I'm sort of "out" on Gibson. This feels like that other movie that was his comeback after one of his racist tirades. Remember Edge of Darkness? Meh. Good not great. Or Get the Gringo? Eh, I'm good, Mel. Thanks.

Secret Life of Pets - My kids love this movie.

Mike and Dave need Wedding Dates - I've sort of fallen in love with Zac Efron since Neighbors and even that 17 Again movie. I can't wait to see him in Baywatch. He's great and I love a good R rated comedy. But I'm old so I also don't want it to go too far. Efron's Bad Grandpa went too far.

Ghostbusters 2016 - My wife and I quite liked it. We love Melissa McCarthy (The Heat, Spy and The Boss are phenomenal) and Kate McKinnon nearly steals the entire movie. If you don't get caught up on the past, it's worth a watch.

Pete's Dragon - Unlike you, I'm so wrapped up in nostalgia for the original movie and that movie's soundtrack that I can't be objective in the slightest for this. Despite the great cast. But I will dig deep and watch it at some point.

Ben Hur - I'm curious. I love Toby Kebbel. Screw the haters, he was great in that 2015 Fantastic Four movie as Victor Von Doom. NOT Dr Doom...VICTOR Von Doom.

La La Land - My wife and I saw this over the holiday. One word: Magical.

Edge of Seventeen - I love Haley Steinfeld and I really want to see this.

Inferno - I've read all of Dan Brown's books. The movies are okay. I enjoy Hanks in the role even though I feel like Mark Harmon is a better choice for Robert Langdon. I'm glad they skipped the third book, The Lost Symbol, as it's not very good. But Inferno was a really good return to form for Brown. So the movie should be good. But, that trailer pretty much gives away EVERYTHING in the story. I hate that.

Jack Reacher 2 - I am PISSED I haven't seen this yet. I loved the first one.

Whew. There's my annual "reaction" to your "Movies I've Not Seen" list. Hope it was worth the wait. ;-)

I'm working on my year end lists as well. Hopefully they'll be up soon.

Pax





Erik Johnson Illustrator said...

Swiss Army Man seems to be developing quite the cult following. I joked at the trailer, saying it was like they couldn't get the rights to a "Wilson" solo spin-off to "Castaway" but the hubbub its generated may be worth both of us looking into it.

Siskoid said...

You know this is my favorite part of the year on the Adventureblog. Ok here goes.

Swiss Army Man: We kept seeing trailers for it but it never came, which peeved us OFF! But I got it for Christmas, will watch soon.

Captain Fantastic: Could have seen it at our art house theater, but didn't work out. I felt ambivalent about the premise.

Love Witch: Ooh interesting. I've got a friend who might be VERY interested.

The Wild Life: My friend went with her 6 year old and he asked, midway, if it was over soon. That is... that is terrible.

In a Valley of Violence: Never heard of it, but I like westerns and Ethan Hawke, so...

Don't Think Twice: As someone intimately involved in improv for the past 3 decades, I really really wanted to see this. Never came. Top of my list when it becomes available.

Hell or High Water: Loved it. Huge fun, but also relevant to our times.

The Red Turtle: Came during our one film festival. Beautiful and odd. I recommend.

Ghostbusters: Loved it. Don't listen to naysayers.

Ben-Hur: You know, I've never seen the original, and thought I owed it to myself not to see the (inferior) remake first.

Imperium: We want to see this too. Radcliffe is a VERY interesting actor. Who would have thought based on Harry Potter? He got out of that typecasting very well.

La La Land: Awarded it my prize for best of the year. Just wonderful. I even ALMOST broke my life-long streak of not seeing any film in theaters twice, but a cold kept me at home.

Nocturnal Animals: Saw it, liked it, but polarizing. People left the theater afer 2-3 minutes. It's not all like that, but the idea is to make you feel uneasy.

The Edge of Seventeen: A cute coming of age film with nice performances. Harrelson is hilarious.

Inferno: The trailer is SO STUPID that even if I had any interest in Dan Brown, I would not see it.

Jack Reacher 2: I was disappointed when the reviews came out because I too liked the first one.

Collateral Beauty: Yeah this was either going to be cheesy at all get out, or pretty wonderful (look at that cast!). Apparently, it's even worse than that first option. Sad.

Okay, I'm primed for what you DID see this year :).

Michael May said...

Pax, Swiss Army Man does sound like a modern Weekend at Bernies if Bernie was able to talk about propel himself through water by farting. Hoping to get to it this weekend.

Michael May said...

Siskoid, I immediately thought of you when I heard about Don't Think Twice. Can't wait to hear what you think of it.

Do yourself a favor and watch the silent adaptation of Ben-Hur before the Heston one. They're both worth seeing, but I really like the silent one.

Siskoid said...

I'll try and track it down sometime!

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