The Year in Movies - 2016

I am an unashamed movie nut.  Every year for the last post of the year I pontificate on the best and worst from only the movies I went to see during the concluding year. I’ve also included what I considered to be the worst movies of the year, because that’s almost more fun. I’ve chosen a quote from each of the top ten movies. If nothing else, the films below (except for the bottom three) were hugely enjoyable. Again this is only one man’s opinion and reflects only the movies I saw this year. I await the inevitable criticism from my progeny. My daughter has been making big noise over La La Land (but that could be a Gosling thing) which I have not seen.

Best Movies of the Year

#1 - Deadpool – I love movies that take chances and they certainly did here with the superhero genre and scored a huge win. I don’t think I’ve laughed as much at a movie in years as I did at Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds nails the sardonic, witty, hero-challenged title role. The pointed and very funny lines are relentless and would seem silly if it wasn’t backed up with a solid plot and fantastic action sequences. Reynolds doesn’t just break the “Fourth Wall” he desecrates it which ends up being some of the funniest moments in this hilarious film. It was smart and innovative and so nice to see a superhero movie overcome the corporate need to tranquilize itself down to PG-13 levels. I tried to move several other movies above Deadpool but it kept winning out – just a fantastic movie.

Quote: 

Colossus: You will come talk with Professor Xavier.

Deadpool: McAvoy or Stewart? These timelines can get so confusing.

#2 – The Nice Guys – I really liked this when I first saw it and it rose in my estimation with each subsequent viewing. Incredibly inventive and relentlessly funny; an engorgrged Russel Crowe and Ryan Gosling, who is finally speaking in movies) were a terrific pair together. The semi-fondly remembered 1970s also got an unremitting skewering. The tone is irreverent from the start when a nude porn star drives her car through an adolescent boy’s house. It veers shamelessly between slapstick and action and never forgets to be fun. It’s the best thing Crowe has done in a long while and maybe the best thing Gosling has ever done.

Quote:

Fred's Widow: It's my husband, he's gone missing.

Holland March: Missing ?

Fred's Widow: I'm terribly worried, it's just Fred's never gone this long before.

[March casually looking around room when he notice ash urn with Fred's name on it]

Holland March: How long has he been missing ?

Fred's Widow: Since the funeral.

Holland March: Well, I can start right away.

#3 – Manchester by the Sea – A stark story of a much damaged man with the barren, cold, winter landscape of Manchester mirroring the seemingly soul-dead man. This movie should be a film school standard on the skillful use of flashback scenes to explain how the man evolved into what he’s become. Casey Affleck is absolutely perfect as the severely damaged lead trying to maintain his thin hold on sanity and not give into the barely held back rage. There’s a surprising amount of subtle humor laced throughout and you eventually can’t help but understand and sympathize with Affleck’s character. I really liked the scenes involving Affleck and his on screen nephew who trying to deal with the death of his father, a really weird uncle/guardian, and usual teenage drama. The plot doesn’t go for any grand gestures and felt more like a true life – a tragic story of family. There are some things you never recover from and while that’s painful to see it’s understandable. One of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time.

Quote:

Lee Chandler: I can't beat it. I can't beat it.

This single quote captures the desperation of Affleck’s chaachjter understanding how damaged he is and his frustrating inability to overcome it.

#4 – Edge of Seventeen – Looking from the outside you’d think this was another in the long line of teen coming of age dramedies which rely heavily on typecasting and formulaic, angst ridden plots. This was so much more. It felt very true, especially with the teen relationships, whether mother-daughter, sister-brother or friends. It was also incredibly funny with each actor allowed her/his space without going over the top. Hailee Steinfeld continues her remarkable young career as the self-centered brat who somehow comes across as truly likable. I’m still trying to figure out how she carried that off. Everyone will be able to pick out a situation that resonates with them from their own high school experiences. It wasn’t a caricature and it didn’t have to be to be funny and poignant.

Quote:

Nadine: There are two types of people in the world: The people who naturally excel at life. And the people who hope all those people die in a big explosion.

#5 – Star Trek Beyond – This is one of the few films that honors Gene Roddenberry’s vision about the possibility of human endeavor. While it is anti-military in tone – I loved it. Any real Soldier would love to see the military become obsolete. This was a return to some of the best features of the original series with all the action you want and the goofy humor the original Star Trek was so good at liberally sprinkled throughout. You finally have a sense of comradery and they let the Kirk character grow up as well. This is definitely the best of the new series.

Quote:

Spock: Lt. Uhura wears a Vokaya amulet which I presented to her as a token of my affection and respect.

Bones: You gave your girlfriend a radioactive jewelry?

Spock: The emissions is harmless, Doctor. But its unique signature makes it very easy to identify.

Bones: You gave your girlfriend a tracking device?

Spock: [realizing] That was not my intention.

#6 – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – This movie was all about adding texture to the original Star Wars movie which is provided in relentless fashion. The female lead absolutely rocks and there’s a gentle graying of the strict white and black of rebel versus empire. The desperate state of the rebellion and the signature battle which this film culminates in will truly resonate with any Star Wars geek (guilty as charged). They even resurrect two actors from that first movie, one of whom has been dead for nearly 40 years. Even without the galaxy far, far away back drop this was a kickass action flick with just the right amount of sly humor injected along with those heaping piles of nostalgia.

Quote:

K-2SO: The captain says you're a friend. I will not kill you.

Jyn Erso: Thanks.

#7 - Arrival – This is one of the most intelligent and thought provoking films I’ve seen in a long time. It was not the usual sci fi action flick but a very cerebral film theorizing what humanity’s reaction would be to the arrival of twelve massive alien aircraft around the world. There’s a poorly disguised but ultimately fulfilling twist which raises questions in the viewers’ mind as to what you would do in the same situation. Despite its somewhat dour tone, this is Denis Villenueve after all, the message is surprisingly optimistic. The smartest movie of the year.

Quote:

Dr. Louise Banks: If you could see your whole life laid out in front of you, would you change things?

#8 – Hacksaw Ridge – Jaw dropping as Mel Gibson returns to the battlefield which he does so well and this might just be his tour de force. It’s really two movies; the first half shows the hero growing up in rural Virginia and enlisting during World War 2. The true life hero, a conscientious objector, turns out to be the bravest man on a hellish battlefield rescuing wounded left behind in enemy territory. The fact that this really happened and wasn’t exaggerated by Hollywood is still more astounding. This movie speaks volumes on courage and faith.

Quote:

Desmond Doss: I don't know how I'm going to live with myself if I don't stay true to what I believe.

#9 – 13 Hours – An accurate portrayal of the Benghazi events in 2012, blissfully stripped of all the politics. The story of some true American heroes, former special forces Soldiers contracted for security called upon to defend an American base against a horde of Islamic radicals. The battle scenes are very realistic. I was wondering why a director like Bay would step into the political mess that is the aftermath of this affair but I honestly believe he was trying to honor the sacrifices of these special men which has been lost in the politics. This movie truly honors them and their incredible toughness and sacrifice.

Quote:

Jack Silva: What would they say about me? "He died in a place he didn't need to be, in a battle over something he doesn't understand, in a country that meant nothing to him."

#10 – Hell or High Water – Another texture flick - it is so . . . Texas. West Texas permeates the film. It should get billing as an additional character because the story of two bank robbing brothers pursued by an aging Texas Ranger plays out on those dusty, oil soaked plains. Anyone who’s visited Texas will see the infinite detail in casting the minor parts and the exterior shots that will bring Texas, with all its warts exposed, into the limelight. This movie belongs to Jeff Bridges, out for his last ride as a Texas Ranger. A vestige of pre-political correctness, his dogged pursuit defines an era passing, as do so many other smaller elements in the movie. It’s not a typical cops and robbers flick as the there was a lot more gray area explored in the search for justice. The final, underplayed confrontation between Pine and Bridges crackled. I don’t think anyone would voluntarily visit West Texas and you now don’t have to, go see this movie and you’ll leave with some grit between your teeth.

Quote:

Toby Howard: I've been poor my whole life, like a disease passing from generation to generation. But not my boys, not anymore.

Honorable Mention:

Passengers – Sci fi done very well because the people were the important focus and not the technology. If there was any doubt (none here) about Jennifer Lawrence’s screen presence this movie should eradicate it. The movie brings up interesting moral questions.

Doctor Strange – Marvel scores again, ho hum.  Almost hypnotic with cities being turned inside out and Mads Mikkelson doing what he does best – being a deranged villain. The sixties in all their psychedelic glory asserts itself with mind-bending trips around the globe and cosmic battles. This was a great ride, liberally infused with sly humor

The Accountant – As an autistic accountant/assassin, this character slowly emerges through some very well done flashbacks. It's the movies folks so don't get too wound around the axle about this ever being possible - it's a great story and Affleck pulls it off with a lot of nuance and style.

Criminal – Costner does evil way, way better than most leading men and does an interesting job of displaying the inner conflict of a lifelong criminal having a conscience imposed upon him. There’s funny (if very violent) scenes where very polite English society, where the movie takes place, is exposed to the ruthlessly inappropriate Costner character, probably every Englishman’s secretly held opinion of Americans in general.

Captain America: Civil War – Really should have been titled Avengers 3 as everyone’s back. They give heart and depth to these comic book icons and make even semi-believers care. There’s also non-stop action along with an examination of the repercussions of all their prior city busting exploits. The conflict seems forced as none of them truly hate each other but it does lead to a lively, if very crowded confrontation.

Worst Movies:

Zoolander 2 – This took silliness to the ghastly level – never a good thing. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson reprise their roles as idiotic supermodels (I know – unneeded adjective) and are launched on a spy plot but none of the charm of the orignal. The filmmakers sacrificed comedy by going for the record on how many celebrity cameos they could wedge in.

5^th Wave – This is yet another example of young adult science fiction brought to the screen. Maybe (hopefully) this will be the death knell for the genre because this was just a bad movie. Moretz plays a typical Ohio high school girl who’s fighting hormones as well as aliens when they inconveniently interrupt her senior year with a full scale invasion. Worst movie of the year.

Mother’s Day – How someone could make a bad movie with as stellar a cast as this mind boggling but they did. Tapping into an audience’s reverence for mothers shouldn’t be hard and it certainly shouldn’t be compulsory. I left the theater with one word in my head – “cringeworthy”.

2016 Superlatives:

Best Comedy:  Deadpool (with a hefty nod to Bad Moms)

Best Horror Movie:  The Witch

Best Drama:  Manchester by the Sea

Best Romance:  Passengers

Best Action:  13 Hours at Benghazi

Best Special Effects:   Rogue 1

Best Scene of the Year:  Manchester by Sea – Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams confronting the pain of their lost children

Best Quote:  Edge of Seventeen after a hair brained student comes in during teacher Woody Harrelson’s (Mr. Bruner) lunch hour to threaten suicide:

Mr. Bruner: Wow. I actually was writing my own suicide note just now. I have 32 fleeting minutes of happiness during lunch, which has been eaten up again and again by the same especially badly dressed student, and I finally thought I would rather have the dark nothingness.

I couldn’t leave without at least one photo of California perfection – still the biggest star of 2016 – THE FIRST BLOG READER:

Last First Friday of 2016

Rendered

Granddaughter with her Mom, Experiencing First Snow on Deckzilla

The First Blog Reader’s parents returned from their first ever overnight stay away and were greeted with predictable enthusiasm by the granddaughter. While she tolerated her grandparents and behaved remarkably well there really is no substitute for Mom and Dad. They returned just as a snow storm was hitting Worcester so the granddaughter had her first ever experience with snow. The ease she handled this revelation with speaks to the New Hampshire granite present in her bloodlines.

This Stuff is Pretty Cool

I had my own experience with that same snow. I couldn’t make it up the final hill to the house after work. I was stopped about 200 yards down the hill. I slogged up to the house and deployed the snow blower intending to clear a path to the house. I also grabbed a snow shovel to clear around the tires. An old snow shovel head which I had hastily stored during our summer move came cascading down in mid-grab. It gave me a pretty good whack to the face which was about the last thing I needed at that point. I tried to shake it off and went about my car rescue. I was just about done when I noticed I was leaking a lot of blood into the snow. I had given myself a pretty good gash just above the lip, so I’ve got that going for me.

Speaking of bloodlines the Keene Friend gifted me with a book he found in a Keene bookstore. It was a short memoir penned by a recently deceased 90+ year old who grew up in Keene during the 1920s and 1930s. It was a fascinating look back at the era my father and his many siblings were ranging around Keene so they must have known each other. Many of the locations I remember my father talking about from his youth were brought into vivid focus while reading the book. I was struck by how much more outdoorsy young people were back in that time. All of their free time was spent in the woods, rivers, and mountains surrounding Keene. I was particularly interested in how much more the Ashuelot River was as a social scene back in that day. The biggest surprise was learning I was distantly related, by marriage, to the author. He talked about courting and eventually marrying a half-sister of my grandfather. We may have even met at one of the more prevalent family reunions of the 1960s. Life has a funny way of circling back on itself. I also found a picture of what Keene’s Main Street looked like in 1965. I’ve written before about what an impression the garlands strung across the width of Main Street made on me. I’m just sorry the picture wasn’t in color to capture the majesty that made such an impression on the younger version of myself.

Keene's Main Street in 1965

Bound Frail Deeds

My daughter and Wingman’s big Christmas gift to me arrived yesterday. My daughter had spent countless late night hours laboriously copying, pasting, and editing the first year and a half of Frail Deeds Dancing to be bound into a volume suitable for passing on to the intended readers, my grandchildren. She highlighted certain passages for what passes as my advice so those future readers wouldn’t miss it. I was so touched by the thought and effort she put into this that I was bereft of words. She had five copies created which I can bequeath each to a grandchild. The First Blog Reader will obviously get the first. I’m going to have to think about something weighty enough for that dedication to convey how much she means to me. My daughter plans to continue her editing until there’s a volume made for each year.

Sharing Dinner Last Night

As you read this many years from now when I’m probably long gone, know that nothing is more important than family. You were particularly blessed in the parent department, whether it is the Cali-Daughter, Favorite Son, Wingman, or the ABFA. There is an undeniable pull of shared blood that cannot be wished away. Delve into that feeling to know true happiness. Opening that book last night was a lot more emotional than I was prepared for but at the same time one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.

Babysitting 101

A Very Happy Pair

My wife and I shook off the rust of several decades and became the primary babysitter for our granddaughter overnight. We offered to take care of her so Cali-Daughter and Wingman could have a bona fide night to themselves. They took us up on the offer which would represent the first time mother and daughter had been away from each other overnight since they met. It turned out to be tougher for mom than for daughter.

Nap Monitoring in the 21st Century

They left us with a well-defined guide on what was expected of us and a rudimentary explanation of the new technology they employed. That was kind of cool as they have an infrared camera which monitors the sleeping baby even in complete darkness. This is linked to an IPad so we would know when she was awake from her nap. I got home from work to find her still asleep and spent the next twenty minutes staring at the screen wishing for her to wake up. It’s different for grandparents than parents who would probably be praying for the opposite.

Cart Pushing Around the House

While her parents snuck away to a local hotel and a night on the town the First Blog Reader conducted extensive training of the grandparents.  She’s a very active young lady and my back was certainly barking at me after a few hours of following her around to make the necessary course corrections to whatever cart she was pushing around the house. When she woke up for her afternoon nap we had to tour the entire house and I got the sense she was searching for the missing parents but she seemed to take their absence in stride. I’d like to think that’s a tribute to how much fun we have together and how comfortable she’s getting with us.

The Team at Work

The Final Solution

We took a break from our walks around the house to completely re-arrange the Nativity Scene once again. She eventually settled on having a stuffed dog in the manger surrounded by all the buildings she could fit in it. I played a key role in supplying the artiste with whatever object was to be placed next. She would point and I was expected to pick up the correct one. If I picked up the wrong one she would shake her head, say “no”, and deliver a penetrating look which obviously questioned my intelligence. A correct choice was rewarded with a room alighting smile. I could have done this for hours, just for the smiles. The amazing thing was she did this all while fragrantly filling her diaper. I employed my “go to” tactic of pulling my t-shirt over my nose (used when confronted with canine flatulence) but she was having none of that. She pulled the t-shirt down each time. Apparently this was an olfactory experience we were meant to share. When she completed her task(s) she was overcome with emotion at her accomplishment(s) and started clapping and screaming in pleasure. It was the highlight of my day.

Helping with Dishwasher

We had a lot of fun at dinner where she seems to really enjoy having other people eating at the same time she does. If she feels you are not paying sufficient attention to her antics she will stop eating and stare at you until your behavior improves. After dinner she took another whack at re-arranging my wife’s spice racks and pitched in to help unload the dishwasher.

Bathtime

All too soon it was time for her nightly bath which she loves. She’s quite a splasher and likes making swimming motions with her hands underwater. After the bath I was summarily ordered out of her presence because it was the pre-bedtime quiet period and I am a known purveyor of excitement (who knew!). I spent the next half hour glued to the monitor watching her as she tried to fall asleep. Child care is so much more fun as a grandparent.

In Residence

Helping Gramma with her Spice Racks

I’ve decided it should be required every year to have my granddaughter in residence to assist me in my usual post-Christmas funk – that period when I’m coming down from the annual high I always get around the holiday. She’s a lot of fun to have around, endlessly entertaining – at least for her grandparents. I found myself studiously watching the clock yesterday morning, counting off the hours until I could head home for lunch and some “hang time” with her.

Unwrapping the Last Present

She did not disappoint as she has quickly established the living room as “her room” with toys liberally spread about to validate the claim. She gave me one of her trademark smiles when I came in and was soon lecturing me on the importance of stair climbing and bubble popping. She found a large present (a stroller for her) that hadn’t been unwrapped yet so she climbed on top of the box and started ripping away.

Buddy at the Scene of the Crime with the Deceased Lobster

I was praying for time to slow down to extend the lunch hour but that was sadly not in the cards. She was freshly up from her nap when I returned home after work though. In the interim Buddy had decided to perform his signature surgery on one of her Christmas gifts. He feels compelled to remove any noise making device lodged inside a stuffed animal. Yesterday’s unwitting victim was a stuffed lobster my wife had gifted our granddaughter. Buddy carefully cut the lobster out from the literal pack of stuffed animals and retreated to his basement lair to remove the offending noise maker. My wife didn’t even know the lobster had a noisemaker until I showed her the chewed up remains. Fortunately the First Blog Reader has a couple dozen other animals and hardly noticed the reduction in their population. Buddy once again firmly established himself as persona non grata with a certain grandmother.

Spices Belong in the Coffee Maker

She was in turn cheered up when the granddaughter decided her spice storage arrangement was all wrong. Our granddaughter had already fixed this issue for her parents back in L.A. and decided to lend her abuela a hand. She removed all the spices bottle and jammed as many as would fit into the top of the coffee maker which made a lot more sense than the spice racks my wife was using. She then turned her attention to the nearby refrigerator where every magnet was removed and inspected. It was highly entertaining.

Hard at Work for Abuela

Doesn't This Make More Sense Grandpa?

Now Let's Talk About this Refrigerator

Where to Start!

She was also the star of the show at dinner where she loved having everyone around the table as a captive audience for her posturing. She seems to revel in getting everyone to laugh by simply making silly faces. She’s an absolute joy to be around. I’d just returned from deckzilla where my wife had me barbecuing by flashlight. My granddaughter quickly assumed control of the flashlight and after a rudimentary lesson was turning it on and off by herself. This is what grandparents are supposed to do – pass on new talents to make the life of their grandchild’s parents more interesting. You are welcome.

The Dinner Show

Flashlight Times

I was very sad yesterday to learn of the death of Carrie Fisher. She was truly the princess for my generation and was virtually the same age as I am (mortality sucks). She of course burst onto the screen as Princes Leia in Star Wars and seduced an entire (and subsequent) generations of male geekdom (guilty), even before she donned the gold bikini in Return of the Jedi. More importantly she was a strong vibrant role model for young women who saw her more than hold her own against the men, both good and bad. She was as close to American royalty as we’ll tolerate and was a talented writer which I hold I much higher esteem than any actor. I’m going to miss having Princess Leia around not realizing the mistake she made in never tracking me down as her one true love. Of course there are millions of other middle aged men thinking the same thing today. 

Had to be Something Special to Make that Hairdo Work
And She Certainly was - R.I.P.