Moana Review

     Every time I've written a review for a Disney animated movie since I created this blog I've always started off by saying basically the same thing, over the past few years Disney has taken back the crown as the best animation studio in the world. Since 2010, Disney Animation has killed it with movies like "Tangled," "Wreck-it-Ralph," "Frozen," and "Big Hero 6." Earlier in 2016 they released another hit movie, and the best of the bunch, "Zootopia." Tackling themes of racism and stereotyping, the film was a critical and commercial success. Many called the movie a future classic, and it would even go on to gross over a billion dollars at the box office worldwide. With such a successful film you'd imagine that Disney Animation would call it a year, turns out they were just getting started. "Moana" is the long awaited next Disney princess movie (with the last installment being 2013's "Frozen). While the film has been met with a myriad of criticism over the past year, Disney is sure that it's going to be their next big hit. 

     Moana is the young woman living on a small pacific island; being the daughter of the village chief, she is expected to take up many responsibilities and eventually lead her people when the time comes. Moana has always had a fascination with the ocean and wishes to explore the world, but due to her responsibilities she is forbidden by her parents to go out on the sea. But everything changes when the island begins to die. After discovering the origins of her people, Moana sets out on the ocean to seek the help from a Demi-God to bring the world back to order. 

     I love Disney's animated movies, I always have; they're some of the earliest movies I remember seeing. And while I was never a huge fan of the princess movie (excluding "Mulan," which technically isn't a princess movie), I've loved their recent princess movies. I adored "Tangled," and "Frozen" ranks among some of my all time favorite films. And just like its predecessors, I absolutely loved "Moana." As with all of Disney's recent movies, the animation in "Moana" is stunning. The level of detail and use of colors are beautiful; overall, I'd say that this is one of the best looking 3D animated movies ever made. And in a few cases, the movie also employs 2D animation, all of which is stylish and gorgous. Much like "Frozen," "Moana" features a great original score with a wide variety of unique tracks. "Moana" is also filled with catchy and fun songs that will be stuck in your head long after you leave the theater. As with most animated Disney movies, "Moana" finds a good balance of humor and emotion. This movie has a well written script that will make you laugh many times, and pull on your heart strings more than once. The writers did a great job using the Polynesian culture and setting as inspiration for the film, and doing so really helps the film stand out among many of the other Disney princess movies. What really elevates "Moana" would be the characters, Moana and Maui a some of the most loveable and memorable characters I've ever seen in an animated movie. What helps with the characters would be the voice acting. Dwayne Johnson brings his grandiose personality to Maui's voice, and steals more than a few scenes. But the real star of the show would be the young actress who voiced Moana, Auli'i Cravalho. Cravalho is a native Hawaiian who's only 16 years old, and mark my words this girl is going to be a star. She was perfect casting for the character, and let me tell you for someone so young she has quite the pair of pipes on her. "Moana" feels like classic Disney, a beautiful musical filled with action and adventure; and I truly believe that it's one of the best Disney princess movies we've seen yet. If I had to point out an issue, it would be that at times the movie feels rushed. A lot happens in not a lot of time, and there were a few times where exposition was blown through. But despite that issue, I loved this movie; it was exactly what I was hoping would be. I'd go so far as to say it was one of my favorite movies of 2016. And for the second time this year, I think Disney has put out an animated movie that will be remembered as a classic.

Pros: Stunning animation, great original score, memorable and lovable characters, great voice acting and casting from Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, very funny and well written, a few emotional moments, filled with catchy and fun songs, one of Disney's best princess movies, feels like classic Disney, great use of Polynesian inspired setting and lore.

Cons: Feels rushed at times.

4.5/5 Stars

5 Games to Look for in 2017

Honorable Mentions: For Honor, Agents of Mayhem, Crackdown 3, Prey, Scalebound, Yooka-Laylee, Sea of Thieves, Absolver, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Halo Wars 2, Shenmue 3, Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age, Tekken 7, The Surge, Rime, Battalion 1944, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, System Shock, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands, Nier: Automata.
Note: I've decided to omit "Mass Effect: Andromeda" from this list, since I included it on this same list for 2016 games; but it was then delayed.

Runner-Up: South Park: The Fractured but Whole

Back in 2009, the creators of "South Park" announced that a new video game based off the show was in development. Despite numerous delays, "South Park: The Stick of Truth" was finally released in 2014. To the surprise of many, the game was actually met with highly positive reviews and would go on to win several awards at the end of the year. Not long after the game's release, a sequel was announced. Based off of, and mocking the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "South Park: The Fractured but Whole" is scheduled for release early in 2017. In my opinion, "South Park" long ago cemented itself as one of the greatest animated shows of all time; and with a resurgence of popularity with the two most recent seasons, "The Fractured but Whole" is shaping up to be a great success. 

5. Pyre
The development studio Supergiant Games has truly distinguished themselves as one of the best indie studios currently active. Their 2011 game "Bastion" was met with critical acclaim for its narrative, story, world, and art design; the game was widely considered one of the best of the year, and it catapulted the developers into the spotlight. They followed up their first title with "Transistor," another brilliant title that was one of the standouts of 2014. Despite only having developed two games, Supergiant Games is revered within the industry; and earlier in 2016 they finally confirmed their next game. "Pyre" is fantasy game where you play as a band of traveling nomads; the gameplay is hard to describe, but revolves around a type of competition within the world. From what's been shown, the game is stunningly gorgeous with a beautiful score, but what has be most interested are the developers; Supergiant Games is one of the best studios working right now, that alone is enough to get me excited.

4. Horizon Zero Dawn
Since the launch of the PS4 in 2013, the console has had some trouble with system selling exclusives; while the PS$ has certainly had some standouts such as "Bloodborne," "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End," and "Until Dawn," Sony has been looking for that one new game that could lead to a new franchise. And from what I can tell, they're hoping that "Horizon Zero Dawn" is that game. HZD is an upcoming action/adventure open world game, where you play as a young woman looking to survive in a hostile world inhabited by dangerous mechanical beasts. Announced in 2015, the game immediately drew attention to itself. It's unique world and premise offered a lot of promise, as well as its impressive graphics and visual design; while I'm a bit worried that the actual gameplay may come off as generic, I have faith that developer Guerilla Games has an ambitious vision. Set to come out in Q1 of 2017, Sony seems to be going all in with "Horizon Zero Dawn."

3. Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
One of the best games of the past five years would have to be "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch," a PS3 adaptation of the DS game "Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn." A modern take on the traditional JRPG, the story followed a young boy as he was sucked into another world after the death of his mother. Most noted for its art style, original score, combat system, and cut-scenes produced by the legendary Studio Ghibli, the game was met with considerable praise. While many had given up hope on seeing a sequel anytime soon, Sony confirmed in 2015 that a successor titled "Revenant Kingdom" was in production. While little information about the game has been given, recent news suggests that the studio is aiming for a 2017 release. "Wrath of the White Witch" was a great game, and I've been hoping for more "Ni No Kuni" ever since; so I can't wait to get my hands on "Revenant Kingdom."

2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
For a lot of people, this is the most anticipated game coming out in 2017. "The Legend of Zelda" is universally considered one of the greatest video game franchises, with several installments in the series often called some of the greatest games of all time. While the most recent major title in the franchise, 2011's "Skyward Sword," was met with criticism from many fans, "Breath of the Wild" has just about everyone excited. The game seems to have an even more open-world feel than the previous games, even introducing some survival/scavenger elements; "Breath of the Wild" seems to be trying something different, attempting to revitalize a beloved franchise. The game was originally scheduled for release sometime in 2016, but was seemingly pushed back to fix some issues and coordinate with the launch of Nintendo's new console, the Switch. "Breath of the Wild" looks ambitious, original, and fun; so much so that it kind of makes me want to buy the Switch, which is what Nintendo seems to be banking on.

1. Red Dead Redemption 2
There are a bunch of really cool looking games coming out in 2017, but no other title has me as excited as this one. In 2010, Rockstar San Diego put out "Red Dead Redemption;" upon its release the game was praised by critics and would go on to sell over 15 million copies. Since then, the game is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made. For the past six years, fans have wanted any sign from the developers that a sequel was in the works; but finally in October 2016, they formally announced that "Red Dead Redemption 2" was in the works. At this point we know almost nothing about the story or the world it will take place in, and knowing how Rockstar likes to keep things hush hush, we won't learn anything anytime soon. "Red Dead Redemption" is one of my favorite games of all time, and I've waited years for a sequel. So naturally, RDR2 would top this list.

5 Movies to Look for in 2017

Honorable Mentions: Thor: Ragnarock, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Kong: Skull Island, Alien: Covenant, Wonder Woman, Ghost in the Shell, John Wick: Chapter 2, Wolverine 3, Fast 8, Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Lego Batman Movie, War for the Planet of the Apes.

Runner-Up: Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan is undoubtedly one of the best directors of the millennium. He has churned out modern masterpieces such as "Memento," "The Dark Knight," and "Inception." While his most recent film "Interstellar" was a bit of a letdown in my opinion, his upcoming movie sounds absolutely incredible. "Dunkirk" will tell the story of the Dunkirk Evacuation in World War 2, when allied soldiers has to be evacuated from the beaches and harbor of Dunkirk in France. Nolan has a very specific style that we've seen in his last few films. He likes things grand, on a massive scale; that alone makes me excited to see what he does with a major moment in WW2. Nolan has never directed a bad movie before, and I don't expect "Dunkirk" to be his first.

5. Live by Night
(Note: After releaseing this article, it was announced that "Live by Night" would be given a limited release on Christmas of 2016. Making it a 2016 movie.)
For the better part of the decade, Ben Affleck was a joke. He went from writing "Good Will Hunting" to "Daredevil" and "Gigli" in just a few years. But in 2007 he made his comeback with his directorial debut "Gone Baby Gone." Praised by critics and audiences, the movie was one of best of the year. Then a few years later he directed the crime thriller "The Town." And in 2012 he directed his magnum opus "Argo," which went on to win best picture at the Oscars. Most will agree that he's a better director than actor, so how could I not include his next film on this list. "Live by Night" is based off of the acclaimed novel of the same name. Following the story of a notorious bootlegger and gangster, "Live by Night" is shaping up to be 2017's sleeper hit; and if anything I'm sure that it will be another great directorial role under Affleck's belt.

4. Star Wars: Episode 8
I'm a little surprised myself that a "Star Wars" film would only rank at number 4 on a list of the year's most anticipated; which really says something about the movies scheduled for 2017. Even so, "Star Wars: Episode 8" is a movie that fans of the series can't wait to see. Little is known about the plot as of now, all we know is that it will pick up shortly after the events of "The Force Awakens." What excites me most about Episode 8 is the director, Rian Johnson. Johnson is most well known for directing the exceptional time traveling thriller "Looper," and several of the best episodes of "Breaking Bad." While I thought J.J. Abrams did a great job with Episode 7, I wholeheartedly believe that Johnson is a more talented director. No matter what I will always be ready for more "Star Wars," and Episode 8 is no different.

3. The Dark Tower

Since the late 60s, writer Stephen King has left an undeniable mark on the literary world. With classics such as "Misery," "It," "The Shining," "Carrie," and many more, he has written some of the best novels of the past 50 years. Yet of all his work, "The Dark Tower" franchise might be his most beloved. A sci-fi western series, the books followed a character known as the Gunslinger as he makes his way across the country side to reach to reach a mysterious tower. After years on the back burner, a film based off the series is finally set to be released mid 2017. It acts as a quasi-sequel to the books, and continues the story of the Gunslinger as he faces one of the series major antagonists, The Man in Black. To be honest, I know almost nothing about this series other than the basic plot; even so I am pumped for this movie; probably because of the all-star cast or the fact that we don't get enough sci-fi westerns. Either way, I'm looking forward to it.

2. T2: Trainspotting
"T2: Trainspotting" is the long awaited sequel to the 1995 classic "Trainspotting." "Trainspotting" followed the story of several heroin addicts living their lives in the UK. The movie was praised upon its release, but as time has gone on it is widely called as one of the best movies to ever come out of the UK; but more importantly, it launched the career of director Danny Boyle. "Trainspotting" was actually based off of a novel by the same name, and many have wanted a sequel for years considering the book does have a sequel titled "Porno." After years of silence, Boyle confirmed that a sequel was in the works with the entire original cast returning. "Trainspotting" is one of my all time favorite movies, so I'm incredibly excited for "T2: Trainspotting" to come out; that being said I'm nervous, how could it possibly live up to the legacy of the original?

1. Blade Runner 2049
In 1982, legendary director Ridley Scott released "Blade Runner." While reception upon its release was lukewarm from many, as time has gone on the movie is now considered a sci-fi masterpiece alongside the likes of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and the original "Star Wars" Trilogy. For over 30 years people have been calling for a sequel, but it just never happened; but only recently, the stars have aligned. The story is set to pick up a few decades after where the original leads off, Harrison Ford is returning but from what I understand Ryan Gosling will be the new lead. One of the original writers is also returning, and Ridley Scott will be producing. The director in charge of the operation will be Denis Villeneuve, one of the best directors working today and the perfect man to helm this film. This is a movie that many thought would never happen, and the fact that it will be coming out so soon is almost unbelievable. While everyone behind it must be feeling the pressure, I truly believe that it will be a worthy sequel to a true masterpiece.

Moonlight Review

     Believe it or not, I try to know as little as possible about a movie when going into the theater. While for some movies it is impossible to not know at least a little about it, smaller titles are easier to go into blind. This is a practice I've started fairly recently since I feel movie trailers often give too much away of a film's plot. So if possible, I don't watch the trailers, read the plot summaries, or even look at the full cast; I try and watch them knowing as little as possible. And in my opinion, it's made my movie going experience even more enjoyable. The surprises regarding the film are more enjoyable when you don't know what to expect. The latest picture I've tried this with was "Moonlight," an indie film from the people over at A24. Going into this movie, I knew nothing about it other than the fact that it had received glowing reviews from critics. So watching it unfold was surprising and felt like a breath of fresh air. And I have to say, it may be the year's best movie.

     "Moonlight" follows the story of Chiron, a young black man raised by a drug addicted mother. The plot shows Chiron during three stages of his life: as a young child, a teenager, and as an adult. Revolving around his relationships with others, we see Chiron grow and come to grips with who he is.

     When I first heard of this movie, I only heard good things; with many calling it the best movie of the year. And as of writing this review, it is. First off is the real star of the movie, director Barry Jenkins. A small time director with no other major films under his belt, he knocked it out of the park. His direction was brilliant, taking the movie in directions I wasn't expecting. If he doesn’t get an Oscar nod in 2017 it would be a travesty. You can also see his influence on his actors who do fantastic. Everyone gives a powerful, emotional, and authentic performance. I have to give particular praise to the three actors who play Chiron throughout his life. What really helped was that a few of the characters are unique and memorable. And with a well written script with great dialog, the actors put on some truly great performances. What really helps elevate this movie would be the story. Throughout the entire run time, the plot is original and emotional. "Moonlight" tells the complicated coming of age story of one-of-a kind young man. No other movie this year made me the level of emotion that this one did. The only issue that you can argue this movie has would be that at times, it slows down a bit too much. While many movies such as this suffer from this problem, you can't help but want the story to move on a bit quicker at times. Despite that minor issue, "Moonlight" is special. This is the best movie I've seen so far this year; whether it be the substance of the film or the beautiful cinematography and score, this movie is a gem. If "Moonlight" is playing anywhere near you, take some time to go see it. And if this movie doesn't appear at this coming Academy Awards, hold me back because I'll come out swinging. 

Pros: Several powerful performances, original and emotional story, beautiful visuals and cinematography, brilliant direction from Barry Jenkins, well written screenplay and dialog, memorable main character, beautiful score.

Cons: Slows down a bit too much at times.

5/5 Stars

The Birth of a Nation Review

     In 1915 the world was greeted by a film titled "The Birth of a Nation," directed by D.W. Griffith. Upon its release it was met with both criticism and acclaim, and would go on to become the highest grossing movie of the time. The film was meant to glorify the KKK, and show them as the heroes that the United States needed. While the film's subject matter is certainly disturbing, the movie is generally considered a classic of the silent age based solely upon the film's technical prowess. Griffith included several cinematic techniques, transitions, and storytelling elements that were years ahead of their time. "The Birth of a Nation" is not for the faint of heart; personally, I found it to be one of the most difficult movies to ever sit through. But now, a little over 100 years later, we get something different. 2016's "The Birth of a Nation" is based off the true events of one of 19th century America's most important men, Nat Turner. In a time when race relation in America are not at their best, director Nate Parker tells the story of one man's fight for freedom and equality. But is it as good as I hoped it would be?

     Nat Turner was born on a plantation in the early 1800s, and spent his entire life on that same plantation with his family. From a young age, Turner seemed to have a fascination with books and reading. The wife of Turner's owner couldn't help but notice this, and taught him how to read. Turner grew up very religious, and when he got older he would take time to preach to the other slaves. Turner's master noticed this and capitalized on the opportunity, having Turner preach to other plantation's slaves in an attempt from their masters to calm them down. But after seeing how his fellow slaves were treated by men even more cruel than his own master, Turner decided enough was enough. 

     Going into the final quarter of 2016, "The Birth of a Nation" was my most anticipated movie left this year. To be honest, I think 2016 has been a rather lackluster year for movies. Compared to some previous years, there's hasn't been a movie in 2016 that I will remember vividly years down the line such as with last year's "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "Ex Machina." When I first heard the early review for TBOAN, I was sure that it would be 2016’s saving grace. Finally after seeing the film, it might not have been as good as I was hoping but it still has its moments. Almost everything that "The Birth of a Nation" does best comes back to writer, actor, and director Nate Parker. Parker stars as Turner and does a fantastic job; a director staring in their own movie can sometimes get in the way of the movie itself, but Parker did a great job bringing Turner to life in one of the best leading performances of the year. He also did a great job adapting the powerful true life story into a solid script with some strong writing. The movie does a good job exploring some interesting themes regarding religion and the idea that it is better to die on your feet than live on your knees. While Parker has directed a short film or two, TBOAN is his feature length directing debut and he does a great job. You can tell he had a firm grip on the film, and attempted to be as ambitious as possible; he managed to put in several emotional, as well as disturbing moments throughout the film that really make you feel the slaves' bottled up anger. The only problem would be that in some of the transitions between scenes, huge amounts of time would pass with no indication. For future work, that's something Parker needs to address. While Parker was the backbone of the film, you have to give credit where credit is due. Parker may have been the standout, but many of the other actors gave some strong performances. And Elliot Davis behind a camera did a lot with what he was given for the cinematography. The designers behind the sets and the costumes did a good job with the authenticity; they help pull you into the time. I just wish they had a bigger budget; at times you can tell that this is a small budget film in the way things are designed. Sets are small, and the feel of the movie is less grandiose than a movie like "12 Years a Slave." Finally, the movie features a lovely soundtrack; both the original pieces and the previously existing ones ad to every scene in which they are used. Going into this movie, I had heard some criticism regarding the historical accuracy. I give a bit of leeway when it comes to historical accuracy in a biopic, they need a little wiggle room to actually make it into a movie; but with this movie, it's clear that director Nate Parker saw Nat Turner through rose colored glasses. Looking at the events leading up to the rebellion, it's clear that Turner was suffering from severe delusions of grandeur. He viewed himself as a profit, like Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt. He even launched the rebellion the day he thought he received a sign from God. Frankly put, the movie makes him seen a little less crazy. The movie also glosses over a lot of atrocities that he and the rebellion committed. When things kicked off, Turner and his fellow slaves killed literally every white person they came upon, including children. The movie completely glosses over the more unseemly parts of the whole event solely to make Turner look better. It reminded me of "American Sniper," where the film's creators ignored some of the more unpleasant parts of Chris Kyle's personality to make him look better. It's clear that Parker ignored the truly terrible parts of the rebellion because he knew it'd make Turner look like less of a hero. A movie can change the past to a certain extent; things don't have to be exactly like what really happened. But the second you change history to make the focus of your story come off as pitch perfect with few to no faults, you undercut the true story you're trying to tell. "The Birth of a Nation" is not a perfect film, it's not even as good as I hoped it would be; but by no means does that make it bad. This is one of the most impactful movies I've seen this year, and to many it will be one of the best. Whether you view Nat Turner as a hero or a killer is irrelevant, it's just about time that he gets his story told on the silver screen.

Pros: Beautiful cinematography, strong performances major actors, particularly great performance from Nate Parker, powerful true story, some very good writing, explores some interesting themes, authentic costume and set design, lovely soundtrack, several emotional and disturbing moments, strong direction from Nate Parker.

Cons: Skips out on some historical accuracy, some transition issues, clearly a low budget movie at times.

4/5 Stars