Cindy Prascik's 2018: My Year in Movies

Dearest Blog: 2018 was a strange year for movies, as it was a strange year in many, many ways. I only saw 70 new movies during the year that's winding down, which is 20-30 off my normal total. At fault were two main factors: First, there were fewer movies that felt like imperative viewing, and, secondly, the behavior of movie audiences has become so bad that I'm less inclined to get out and see something just to see it, or merely to have content for the blog. I've become much more likely to seek out something I can watch at home than to brave the talkers, texters, seat-kickers, and smuggled-candy rattlers at the cinema.

Normally, year's end finds me trying to whittle 20-25 favorites down into a top-ten list, but this year only 13 movies earned final consideration. This year also may mark the greatest divergence yet between my list and the lists of people who get paid for their movie opinions. As usual, that's due in part to many awards contenders not getting screen time locally until they rack up a pocketful of major nominations, but mostly paid film critics and I just don't agree on what makes a good movie. I hope you'll consider both of our opinions, then get out to the movies and form your own.

Disclaimer: As usual, repeat viewings or the lack of opportunity for same may result in a film's original Weasley rating not being reflected in its year-end position.

Without further ado, my top ten best/favorite movies of 2018:

10. Black Panther (original Weasley rating 9/9) Black Panther is a superhero whose time has come. Marvel once again hits the casting jackpot with Chadwick Boseman, who fronts a compelling tale fleshed out by vibrant visuals and an amazing score. It burns me just a little that Black Panther will be the first of its genre to earn serious awards consideration, an honor deserved by The Dark Knight and/or Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but that's the system's problem and can't be held against the movie. Two claws way up!

9. Sherlock Gnomes (original Weasley rating 8/9) Sherlock Gnomes took a beating from critics and fans alike, but I loved it for its bright colors, boppy tunes, extremely reasonable runtime, and, of course, Johnny Depp. If there hadn't been much good said about it before, upon the release of Holmes and Watson, at the very least it became the best big-screen Sherlock Holmes of 2018.

8. Aquaman (original Weasley rating 8/9) DC's big-screen Aquaman takes a long-ridiculed, B-list hero and makes him a box-office juggernaut, thanks to a well-crafted film and Jason Momoa's effortless coolness. It's not as dark as past DC offerings, nor as silly as garden-variety Marvel; instead Aquaman makes its own niche and is better for it.

7. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (original Weasley rating 8/9) I love the Hotel Transylvania franchise for its ability to bring a little bit of creepiness into any season. The third installment in the series is colorful, bouncy fun, and, as always, benefits from limiting Adam Sandler to just one stupid voice, as opposed to his usual array of MANY stupid voices. Long live Drac!

6. Green Book (original Weasley rating 9/9) Green Book is an "inspired by actual events" story that, if it takes some liberties with real life, its message is no less timely or important for it. Magnificent performances from Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen make Green Book one of the year's true must-see movies.

5. Hunter Killer (original Weasley rating 8/9) Quit laughing, will ya? Hunter Killer is an epic two hours of enormous effects, steely glances, and male posturing, all the things that bring me to the big screen regardless of any other considerations. Throw in my fave, Gary Oldman, and Gerard Butler doing his best meathead hero, and you've got a guaranteed new classic that I'll watch hundreds of times once it hits cable.

4. Darkest Hour (original Weasley rating 9/9) Oscar says this is last year's film, but I didn't see it 'til January, so it makes my 2018 list. An everything-winning turn by Gary Oldman heads a picture that keeps you on the edge of your seat despite knowing how it all turns out in the end.

3. Bohemian Rhapsody (original Weasley rating 9/9) Another based-on-a-true-story that takes some cinematic license with the facts, Bohemian Rhapsody is an uplifting biopic that proves the old saying: a happy ending depends on where you end your story. A star-making turn by Rami Malik makes Bohemian Rhapsody a top contender as we cruise through the heart of Awards Season.

2. Paddington 2 (original Weasley rating 9/9) Paddignton 2 is a delight. The charming and thoroughly-English continuing adventures of an endearing teddy bear and his family boasts a top-notch cast, with a standout performance by Hugh Grant as its villain. Paddington 2 is movie-making at its finest, not to be missed by anyone of any age.

1. Den of Thieves (original Weasley rating 8/9) From its first trailer, I started calling Den of Thieves my number-one movie of 2018. If we're being honest, along the way I truly expected some big-budget superhero epic or favorite actor's awards bid to unseat it, but...here we are, and here it is. I re-watched it again the night before last just to be sure this was where I wanted it, and, yeah, it is. Shootouts, car chases, Gerard Butler's chest-thumping anti-hero, and an unexpectedly terrific ending make Den of Thieves the kind of movie that will always draw me to the cinema. (For the record, I noticed upon preparing this list that I saw my number-one and number-two movies on the same day, way back in January, and that about sums up the kind of year it’s been at the cinema.)

So, dear reader(s), another year draws to a close. Many thanks to everyone who reads this blog, who takes the time to like, comment, and share, and especially to Daniel, for letting me be a part of his first-class movie page. Best wishes to everyone in 2019, may it be a better year for us all. Happy New Year!

PS: Where's my Cats trailer??

MOVIE REVIEW: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, Allen Leech, Mike Myers

Release Date: November 2, 2018

Genres: Biography, Drama , Music

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, suggestive material, drug content and language

Runtime: 2h 12 min

Review:

Bohemian Rhapsody is a serviceable if sanitized rock biopic that’s helped greatly by great performances.  Bryan Singer’s film bears some of his style but there is a sense that after he was let go there was a bit of committee thinking going on resulting in some generic decisions.  Even though the film plays out in a predictable paint by the number pattern, there’s plenty to love about it.  Rami Malek makes the film by delivering a star making performance.  Malek transforms into Mercury and he’s always the most interesting person on screen.  He captures the look and feel of Mercury especially during the musical portions that it makes it easy to overlook some of the film’s short comings.  Helping matters is the supporting cast which delivers equally impressive work as the rest of the band mates.  The music itself is irresistible and through some impressive blending of actual singing and lip syncing you really feel the performances which drive the film ending with the iconic Live Aid show. 

B

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms & Bohemian Rhapsody

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and Bohemian Rhapsody.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

First on the docket: Christmas comes early with The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.

 

On Christmas Eve, a grieving young lady is transported to a mysterious world where her help is needed.

 

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms wants to know two things: How soon is too soon to go full Christmas? and: How is it possible to go so wrong with this story, this cast, and the full weight of Disney in your corner?

 

We'll start with the positives, because there are a few. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a spectacular production with gorgeous sets and costumes, and the CGI is astonishing throughout, avoiding those missteps that have become common in even the priciest productions. The cast is top notch and mostly seems to be having fun despite the poor material. James Newton Howard's lush score perfectly compliments familiar excerpts from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. All of those things ordinarily would keep the Four Realms spreading its cinematic cheer all the way through the new year, but...

 

...the Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a lousy movie. All the bells and whistles in the world can't offset a paper-thin story, an easy-to-spot twist, and a mysterious world that looks beautiful but feels more mundane than magical. An underused Helen Mirren is the only principal who seems to recognize just how badly it's all going to turn out, and she appears uncomfortable every second of her too-little screen time. The movie runs well shy of two hours, but feels very long indeed. Setting itself up as a new family holiday tradition, the Nutcracker and the Four Realms is likely to disappear from cinemas and from the memories of those who see it long before ol' Santa slides on down the chimney.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms clocks in at 99 minutes and is rated PG for "some mild peril."

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a criminal waste of some wonderful resources. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms gets three.

 

Fangirl points: Matthew Macfadyen! Jack Whitehall! Gustavo Dudamel! The divine Misty Copeland!

Next up, the much-anticipated Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.

 

The story of one of the world's most revered rock n' roll bands, from inception through their performance at 1985's Live Aid.

 

Well, dear reader(s), as I've mentioned a time or twelve, I make every effort not to read reviews prior to writing my own, to ensure nothing outside of the film itself informs my opinion. Having said that, I spend a LOT of time online, and there's no avoiding headlines and friends' posts all the time. From what I've seen, it appears fans absolutely love Bohemian Rhapsody, and critics are somewhat less enthusiastic. I understand both sides, and I'll talk a little about each, but mostly I want you to know why I come down firmly on the side of the former.

 

Bohemian Rhapsody is less a grittily-realistic biography than it is a loving tribute to Freddie Mercury. While his less-flattering diva moments aren't entirely missing, they're easily outweighed by the affection with which the film presents him. The surviving members of Queen come off very well, as people who live to tell their own stories tend to do.

 

Though the trailers promised to tell "his story," Bohemian Rhapsody doesn't delve too deeply into Mercury's difficulties with a disapproving father, nor the painful reality of being a gay man in the 70s and 80s. It's all there, but none of it is really the focal point it might have been in a Very Serious Film releasing into awards season. It feels like filmmakers backed off a bit for fear of alienating the broader audience for which they clearly are aiming, which results in some unfortunate missed opportunities, but a happier film overall. Bohemian Rhapsody navigated a tumultuous road to the big screen, so of course there are those who feel it would have been better served by other talent that had been attached along the way. Personally, I think it does beautifully with the talent it has. Though they aren't necessarily A-List (yet), I am more than a little familiar with Rami Malik, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, and Joe Mazzello, yet I never saw anyone other than Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon up on the screen, so effectively do they embody their characters. The supporting cast is equally extraordinary. If the film is guilty of glossing over some of the lower moments in the band's and Mercury's histories, it more than makes up for it with iconic performances, perfectly mimicked by four fantastic actors. Choosing to end on a high note--with the rousing Live Aid performance--might be considered contrived, but it's a fitting tribute to a legend and that's good enough for me.

 

Bohemian Rhapsody runs 134 minutes (could have gone another 134 with no complaints here) and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements, suggestive material, drug content, and language."

 

Bohemian Rhapsody may be a less-than-factual biopic, but it's a joyful tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time, and I enjoyed every minute. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Bohemian Rhapsody gets nine.

 

Fangirl points: Gwilym Lee!! Rami Malek! Tom Hollander! Aidan Gillen! (This might be my favorite cast ever!)

 

Until next time...