PREVIOUS
10. Run The Jewels - Legend Has It
9. We Were Sharks - Beyond Repair
8. New Found Glory - Party On Apocalypse
7. As It Is - Hey Rachel
6. Silverstein - The Afterglow
5. All Time Low - Last Young Renegade
4. Roam - Alive
3. Neck Deep - Motion Sickness
2. The Maine - Bad Behavior
1. The Gospel Youth - Kids
Showing posts with label 2017. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 February 2018
Monday, 5 February 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: 100 Best Songs of 2017 Part 9 (20 - 11)
PREVIOUS
20. Seaway - Airhead
19. Grayscale Ft. Patty Walters (As It Is) - Come Undone
18. The Gospel Youth - Moods Like English Weather
17. Mayday Parade - Black Cat
16. I Prevail - Come And Get It
15. With Confidence - Archers
14. Neck Deep - Where Do We Go When We Go
13. State Champs - Slow Burn
12. Broadside - Paradise
11. Roam - Playing Fiction
NEXT
20. Seaway - Airhead
19. Grayscale Ft. Patty Walters (As It Is) - Come Undone
18. The Gospel Youth - Moods Like English Weather
17. Mayday Parade - Black Cat
16. I Prevail - Come And Get It
15. With Confidence - Archers
14. Neck Deep - Where Do We Go When We Go
13. State Champs - Slow Burn
12. Broadside - Paradise
11. Roam - Playing Fiction
NEXT
Sunday, 4 February 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: 100 Best Songs of 2017 Part 8 (30 - 21)
PREVIOUS
30. Neck Deep - Parachute
29. Like Pacific - 22A
28. Set It Off - Hypnotized
27. I Prevail - Lifelines
26. A Day To Remember - We Got This
25. Knuckle Puck - Gone
24. Grayscale - Love Yourself
23. Broadside - Hidden Colors
22. Real Friends - Empty Picture Frames
21. For The Win - Us Versus Them
NEXT
30. Neck Deep - Parachute
29. Like Pacific - 22A
28. Set It Off - Hypnotized
27. I Prevail - Lifelines
26. A Day To Remember - We Got This
25. Knuckle Puck - Gone
24. Grayscale - Love Yourself
23. Broadside - Hidden Colors
22. Real Friends - Empty Picture Frames
21. For The Win - Us Versus Them
NEXT
Saturday, 3 February 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: 100 Best Songs of 2017 Part 7 (40 - 31)
PREVIOUS
40. The Summer Set - Jean Jacket
39. Anti-Flag - Digital Blackout
38. Silverstein - Retrograde
37. New Found Glory - Happy Being Miserable
36. Courage My Love - Need Someone
35. Yellowcard - A Place We Set Afire
34. Pierce The Veil - Floral And Fading
33. With Confidence - Waterfall
32. Good Charlotte Ft. Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens) - Keep Swingin'
31. The Maine - Taxi
NEXT
40. The Summer Set - Jean Jacket
39. Anti-Flag - Digital Blackout
38. Silverstein - Retrograde
37. New Found Glory - Happy Being Miserable
36. Courage My Love - Need Someone
35. Yellowcard - A Place We Set Afire
34. Pierce The Veil - Floral And Fading
33. With Confidence - Waterfall
32. Good Charlotte Ft. Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens) - Keep Swingin'
31. The Maine - Taxi
NEXT
Friday, 2 February 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: 100 Best Songs of 2017 Part 6 (50 - 41)
PREVIOUS
50. The Menzingers - After The Party
49. Our Last Night - Caught In The Storm
48. Fall Out Boy - Champion
47. The Gospel Youth - Tired Eyes And Heavy Hearts
46. As It Is - No Way Out
45. Less Than Jake - Bomb Drop
44. Seaway - Apartment
43. Knuckle Puck - Double Helix
42. Neck Deep - Happy Judgment Day
41. Grayscale - Atlantic
NEXT
50. The Menzingers - After The Party
49. Our Last Night - Caught In The Storm
48. Fall Out Boy - Champion
47. The Gospel Youth - Tired Eyes And Heavy Hearts
46. As It Is - No Way Out
45. Less Than Jake - Bomb Drop
44. Seaway - Apartment
43. Knuckle Puck - Double Helix
42. Neck Deep - Happy Judgment Day
41. Grayscale - Atlantic
NEXT
Thursday, 1 February 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: 100 Best Songs of 2017 Part 5 (60 - 51)
PREVIOUS
60. With Confidence - Long Night
59. Boston Manor - Drowned In Gold
58. Relient K - Candy Hearts
57. The Maine - How Do You Feel?
56. New Found Glory - The Sound Of Two Voices
55. Bayside - Mary
54. Neck Deep - In Bloom
53. We Were Sharks - Stay
52. All Time Low - Good Times
51. Anti-Flag - When The Wall Falls
NEXT
60. With Confidence - Long Night
59. Boston Manor - Drowned In Gold
58. Relient K - Candy Hearts
57. The Maine - How Do You Feel?
56. New Found Glory - The Sound Of Two Voices
55. Bayside - Mary
54. Neck Deep - In Bloom
53. We Were Sharks - Stay
52. All Time Low - Good Times
51. Anti-Flag - When The Wall Falls
NEXT
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: 100 Best Songs of 2017 Part 4 (70 - 61)
PREVIOUS
70. Story Of The Year - Bang Bang
69. Paramore - Fake Happy
68. All Time Low - Dirty Laundry
67. Our Last Night - Tongue Tied
66. Silverstein - Lost Positives
65. Marianas Trench - Astoria
64. The Gospel Youth - Your Love Is A Cancer
63. Carousel Kings - Grey Goose
62. Seaway - Lula On The Beach
61. Four Year Strong - Men Are From Mars
NEXT
70. Story Of The Year - Bang Bang
69. Paramore - Fake Happy
68. All Time Low - Dirty Laundry
67. Our Last Night - Tongue Tied
66. Silverstein - Lost Positives
65. Marianas Trench - Astoria
64. The Gospel Youth - Your Love Is A Cancer
63. Carousel Kings - Grey Goose
62. Seaway - Lula On The Beach
61. Four Year Strong - Men Are From Mars
NEXT
Monday, 29 January 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: 100 Best Songs of 2017 Part 2 (90 - 81)
PREVIOUS
90. Hedley - Better Days
89. AFI - Hidden Knives
88. Pierce The Veil - Today I Saw The Whole World
87. I Prevail - Already Dead
86. Arkells - Knocking At The Door
85. Good Charlotte - War
84. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - So Close
83. Our Last Night - Broken Lives
82. Anti-Flag - American Attraction
81. All Time Low - Nice2KnoU
NEXT
90. Hedley - Better Days
89. AFI - Hidden Knives
88. Pierce The Veil - Today I Saw The Whole World
87. I Prevail - Already Dead
86. Arkells - Knocking At The Door
85. Good Charlotte - War
84. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - So Close
83. Our Last Night - Broken Lives
82. Anti-Flag - American Attraction
81. All Time Low - Nice2KnoU
NEXT
Sunday, 28 January 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: 100 Best Songs of 2017 Part 1 (100 - 91)
100. Dashboard Confessional - We Fight
99. Pvris - Anyone Else
98. Crystalyne - More
97. Green Day - Revolution Radio
96. Run The Jewels - Call Ticketron
95. Tonight Alive - Temple
94. Comeback Kid - Somewhere, Somehow
93. Prophets Of Rage - Hands Up
92. Sum 41 - Goddamn I'm Dead Again
91. We Came As Romans - Lost In The Moment
NEXT
99. Pvris - Anyone Else
98. Crystalyne - More
97. Green Day - Revolution Radio
96. Run The Jewels - Call Ticketron
95. Tonight Alive - Temple
94. Comeback Kid - Somewhere, Somehow
93. Prophets Of Rage - Hands Up
92. Sum 41 - Goddamn I'm Dead Again
91. We Came As Romans - Lost In The Moment
NEXT
Sunday, 21 January 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: Best Movies of 2017
63. Rings
62. Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
61. Ghost In The Shell
60. Coin Heist
59. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets
58. Snatched
57. The Emoji Movie
56. Annabelle: Creation
55. The Mummy
54. Kidnap
53. CHiPs
52. The Circle
51. Atomic Blonde
50. Beauty And The Beast
49. Daddy's Home 2
48. Power Rangers
47. Free Fire
46. Smurfs: The Lost Village
44. Bright
43. Justice League Dark
42. Fist Fight
41. Stronger
40. Monster Trucks
39. King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword
38. Downsizing
37. Kong: Skull Island
36. Dunkirk
35. American Made
34. The Belko Experiment
33. Marshall
32. Going In Style
31. The House
30. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
29. The Founder
28. Blade Runner 2049
27. The Dark Tower
25. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
24. Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle
23. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
22. Batman & Harley Quinn
21. Get Out
20. Captain Underpants: The Epic First Movie
19. Happy Death Day
18. John Wick: Chapter 2
17. Despicable Me 3
16. It
15. Molly's Game
14. Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
13. Underworld: Blood Wars
12. Kingsman: The Golden Circle
11. Logan
10. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
8. The Big Sick
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming
6. Justice League
5. Coco
4. Baby Driver
3. The Lego Batman Movie
2. Thor: Ragnarok
1. Wonder Woman
Sunday, 14 January 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: Top 10 Music Videos of 2017
10. Roam - Playing Fiction
Why? Alright so at first glance I'll admit this video looks like a Furry's Fantasy. But that's not the case. Delve in deeper to the lyrical content and you'll realize the song is about gussying up life so it's like a fairytale... hence the song title "playing fiction". So Roam had a bunch of people dress like storybook characters as they roam (heh) through the city initially being weirded out but eventually coming to terms with it and joining in for the final act.
9. Courage My Love - Need Someone
Why? Sometime simplicity is all you need for a good video. This one almost didn't make the cut as I went back and forth but upon re-watching it months later I realized not only does this deserve a spot, but it's not just sneaking in at spot #10 either. The band acts there way through all the emotions with a song about being Friendzoned but still wanting to look out for that person. It's sad, it's fun, it's heartful and passionate. It's also #9 on this list.
8. Yellowcard - A Place We Set Afire
Why? Yellowcard is so much more than a band to me. The band may have announced their departure with the aptly named Rest In Peace but A Place We Set Afire is the song and video where we officially say goodbye. The video represents fond memories for any of us lucky enough to see Yellowcard live. A fitting goodbye, even though I still wasn't quite ready for it.
7. Ok Go - Obsession
Why? I don't fault anyone for putting this higher on their list, as far as production goes this probably deserves to be #1 on my list. The problem I have is Ok Go does these crazy videos so often that they are more famous for them than they are for their music and with every new video they come up it lags behind their earlier creations. Kudos for them for still entertaining us but this one probably ranks in the bank half of their videography.
6. All Time Low - Good Times
Why? Unfortunately discrimination is still prevalent in our society. Luckily now more than ever people have an outlet for their voice to be heard. Here All Time Low provide the lyrics that'll make you feel better, it's not all bad, one day you'll be able to leave and be appreciated, and when you do, don't forget the Good Times. I can be describing the song or the video here as they go hand in hand. In the video a middle eastern women is bullied and at the end on prom night she celebrates with her friends. It's a good time, and also a new beginning.
5. The Gospel Youth - Tired Eyes And Heavy Hearts
Why? The Gospel Youth released a few music videos this year but Tired Eyes is definitely their best. It's a sequel to their first single "Moods Like English Weather" which features a narrative similar to this with a man going through problems but also a performance piece from the band. Here, they ditched the performance piece and stuck with the narrative which also follows a man going through a tough time. At the end of the video he climbs a water tower, presumably to jump, just like in it's predecessor but when up there he runs into the man from Moods and both give each other strength. It's a look at the difficulties people may face but at the end of the day someone is always there to talk to and listen to you. They also provide the Suicide Hotline so anyone watching knows exactly where they can find an ear.
4. Fall Out Boy - Champion
Why? Fall Out Boy has made some really cool videos in the past, but it's been a while since they really had a good narrative to go along with the visuals. They knocked it out of the park with Champion though. It's a series of people using VR to pretend they are someone else. Some people want to be sexier, the sexy people want to be powerful, the powerful want to be rich and the rich want to be Pete Wentz. It's all connected!! Also ICU Jaden Smith.
3. Grayscale - Love Yourself
Why? So Grayscale is a pretty small band doing a cover of a Justin Bieber song, how the hell can they get ahead of bands like Fall Out Boy, Ok Go and All Time Low with a simple club performance piece? It's the message they get across. Justin was singing about Selina and her vanity. Grayscale took the song subject matter and turned it on it's head. They want everyone to truly love themselves, love their flaws, love their weakness', love their defects. The video was taken down shortly after going up (thanks Justin) but luckily went back up as the video spoke to me and was a joy to watch because of it.
2. The Summer Set - Jean Jacket
Why? I'm a huge movie fan so anything with a killer narrative catches my attention. The Summer Set went big for their last video from their last release (maybe ever?). I say maybe ever since the band is on hiatus so the singer can try out acting, something he should excel at given this video. Essentially the video is boy loves girl, girl gets kidnapped, boy has to save girl. But there are plenty of twists and turns along the way, including a surprise ending. The voiceover work (which usually annoys me in music videos) is surprisingly strong and the cinematography is top notch.
1. Run The Jewels - Legend Has It
Why? What Run The Jewels is doing for hip-hop is near unprecedented. What they are doing for the country IS unprecedented. El-P and Killer Mike make sure their voices are heard regardless of if they are trying to fix the country or smack down the corrupt leader of it. In the Legend Has It video they tackle the police and their racial profiling showing that all because someone acts a certain way doesn't make them criminals, often times it's the puppeteer pulling the strings behind the scenes that is. It's socially significant, it's well executed, it's my #1 video of 2017.
Why? Alright so at first glance I'll admit this video looks like a Furry's Fantasy. But that's not the case. Delve in deeper to the lyrical content and you'll realize the song is about gussying up life so it's like a fairytale... hence the song title "playing fiction". So Roam had a bunch of people dress like storybook characters as they roam (heh) through the city initially being weirded out but eventually coming to terms with it and joining in for the final act.
9. Courage My Love - Need Someone
Why? Sometime simplicity is all you need for a good video. This one almost didn't make the cut as I went back and forth but upon re-watching it months later I realized not only does this deserve a spot, but it's not just sneaking in at spot #10 either. The band acts there way through all the emotions with a song about being Friendzoned but still wanting to look out for that person. It's sad, it's fun, it's heartful and passionate. It's also #9 on this list.
8. Yellowcard - A Place We Set Afire
Why? Yellowcard is so much more than a band to me. The band may have announced their departure with the aptly named Rest In Peace but A Place We Set Afire is the song and video where we officially say goodbye. The video represents fond memories for any of us lucky enough to see Yellowcard live. A fitting goodbye, even though I still wasn't quite ready for it.
7. Ok Go - Obsession
Why? I don't fault anyone for putting this higher on their list, as far as production goes this probably deserves to be #1 on my list. The problem I have is Ok Go does these crazy videos so often that they are more famous for them than they are for their music and with every new video they come up it lags behind their earlier creations. Kudos for them for still entertaining us but this one probably ranks in the bank half of their videography.
6. All Time Low - Good Times
Why? Unfortunately discrimination is still prevalent in our society. Luckily now more than ever people have an outlet for their voice to be heard. Here All Time Low provide the lyrics that'll make you feel better, it's not all bad, one day you'll be able to leave and be appreciated, and when you do, don't forget the Good Times. I can be describing the song or the video here as they go hand in hand. In the video a middle eastern women is bullied and at the end on prom night she celebrates with her friends. It's a good time, and also a new beginning.
5. The Gospel Youth - Tired Eyes And Heavy Hearts
Why? The Gospel Youth released a few music videos this year but Tired Eyes is definitely their best. It's a sequel to their first single "Moods Like English Weather" which features a narrative similar to this with a man going through problems but also a performance piece from the band. Here, they ditched the performance piece and stuck with the narrative which also follows a man going through a tough time. At the end of the video he climbs a water tower, presumably to jump, just like in it's predecessor but when up there he runs into the man from Moods and both give each other strength. It's a look at the difficulties people may face but at the end of the day someone is always there to talk to and listen to you. They also provide the Suicide Hotline so anyone watching knows exactly where they can find an ear.
4. Fall Out Boy - Champion
Why? Fall Out Boy has made some really cool videos in the past, but it's been a while since they really had a good narrative to go along with the visuals. They knocked it out of the park with Champion though. It's a series of people using VR to pretend they are someone else. Some people want to be sexier, the sexy people want to be powerful, the powerful want to be rich and the rich want to be Pete Wentz. It's all connected!! Also ICU Jaden Smith.
3. Grayscale - Love Yourself
Why? So Grayscale is a pretty small band doing a cover of a Justin Bieber song, how the hell can they get ahead of bands like Fall Out Boy, Ok Go and All Time Low with a simple club performance piece? It's the message they get across. Justin was singing about Selina and her vanity. Grayscale took the song subject matter and turned it on it's head. They want everyone to truly love themselves, love their flaws, love their weakness', love their defects. The video was taken down shortly after going up (thanks Justin) but luckily went back up as the video spoke to me and was a joy to watch because of it.
2. The Summer Set - Jean Jacket
Why? I'm a huge movie fan so anything with a killer narrative catches my attention. The Summer Set went big for their last video from their last release (maybe ever?). I say maybe ever since the band is on hiatus so the singer can try out acting, something he should excel at given this video. Essentially the video is boy loves girl, girl gets kidnapped, boy has to save girl. But there are plenty of twists and turns along the way, including a surprise ending. The voiceover work (which usually annoys me in music videos) is surprisingly strong and the cinematography is top notch.
1. Run The Jewels - Legend Has It
Why? What Run The Jewels is doing for hip-hop is near unprecedented. What they are doing for the country IS unprecedented. El-P and Killer Mike make sure their voices are heard regardless of if they are trying to fix the country or smack down the corrupt leader of it. In the Legend Has It video they tackle the police and their racial profiling showing that all because someone acts a certain way doesn't make them criminals, often times it's the puppeteer pulling the strings behind the scenes that is. It's socially significant, it's well executed, it's my #1 video of 2017.
Sunday, 7 January 2018
Special: 2017 In Review: Best Albums of 2017
Hello beautiful folks. Welcome back to the end of the year specials. We're kicking off our 2017 in review with my favourite albums of 2017. So just like last year, ranking them is hard so we're going to tier them off.
TOP 5
Seaway - Vacation
Record Label: Pure Noise Records
Choice Cuts: Car Seat Magazine, Something Wonderful, Day Player, Neurotic
Why: Effortlessly melodic and marked by a shiny, '90s alt-rock aesthetic, Seaway's third full-length album, is a confidently executed production; the kind that grabs your attention from the start and never lets you turn away. To achieve this vibrant sound they hooked up with producer Mike Green (All Time Low, 5 Seconds of Summer). and together, they've crafted an uber-enthusiastic pop-punk vision, building upon the best aspects of their previous albums.
Neck Deep - The Peace And The Panic
Record Label: Hopeless Records
Choice Cuts: Motion Sickness, Where Do We Go When We Go, The Grand Delusion, Parachute
Why: I would not have pegged Neck Deep for existential pop punk, but the hook from the excellent closer summarizes the album’s mindset quite well: “I just wanna get one up on life before it kills me.” For the band, the answer comes with living a life with purpose. Neck Deep haven’t become philosophers overnight, but their ability to wrestle with the frustrations of life lends some very welcome gravity to this fun record.
The Maine - Lovely Little Lonely
Record Label: 8123 Records
Choice Cuts: Bad Behavior, Don't Come Down, Do You Remember? (The Other Half Of 23), Black Butterflies And Deja Vu
Why: Lovely, Little, Lonely amalgamates external influences with the band’s own music, past and present, with precision, depth and an obviously loving craftsmanship. The result is an album that feels timeless, even on first impact. It’s the Maine's best batch of songs since Pioneer, their catchiest material since Can’t Stop Won’t Stop and their most cohesive work to date. This is generation-spanning and generationally great pop rock.
Silverstein - Dead Reflection
Record Label: Rise Records
Choice Cuts: Whiplash, The Afterglow, Last Looks, Ghost
Why: When a band has released as many albums as Silverstein, choosing a favorite as a fan isn’t an easy task. Silverstein have managed evolve and grow with each release, making the process even harder, but emotionally, Dead Reflection is easily one of their best releases to date. These songs are raw, powerful, and hard-hitting, something that the band is known for, and sonically, they still manage to surprise fans nearly two decades later.
The Gospel Youth - Always Lose
Record Label: Rise Records
Choice Cuts: Kids, Wildfire, Moods Like English Weather, I Will Deliver You To The Fireflies
Why: Always Lose is a statement and it doesn’t adhere to any rules. When listening you will escape into a world of poignancy and emotional twists. Your heart will take a weight, your optimism may crack, but the thrill will set you apart. Yes, it may be a depressing, dark, venture into territory marked by bloodied hands and shards of misery. This music is a crystal clear inspection of youth and its expectation. At the end of the day they’ve truly delivered a record which matters and inspires.
Just Missed
New Found Glory - Makes Me Sick
Choice Cuts: Party On Apocalypse, Barbed Wire, Say It Don't Spray It
All Time Low - Last Young Renegade
Choice Cuts: Last Young Renegade, Good Times, Nice2KnoU
The Menzingers - After The Party
Choice Cuts: Lookers, After The Party, Thick As Thieves
Grayscale - Adornment
Choice Cuts: Come Undone, Let It Rain, Atlantic
Broadside - Paradise
Choice Cuts: Paradise, Disconnect, Hidden Colours
I Prevail - Lifelines
Choice Cuts: Stuck In Your Head, Lifelines, Come And Get It
Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - Zombies On Broadway
Choice Cuts: Fire Escape, Don't Speak For Me, Brooklyn, You're Killing Me
As It Is - Okay.
Choice Cuts: Hey Rachel, Pretty Little Distance, Okay
Prophets Of Rage - Self-Titled
Choice Cuts: Unfuck The World, Who Owns Who, Strength In Numbers
Roam - Great Heights And Nosedives
Choice Cuts: Alive, Playing Fiction, Open Water
Anti-Flag - American Fall
Choice Cuts: When The Wall Falls, Racists, Digital Blackout
Knuckle Puck - Shapeshifter
Choice Cuts: Gone, Everyone Lies To Me, Double Helix
2nd Tier Classics
Courage My Love - Synesthesia
Choice Cuts: Tough Love, Need Someone
Carousel Kings - Charm City
Choice Cuts: Grey Goose, Glory Daze
Less Than Jake - Sound The Alarm
Choice Cuts: Whatever The Weather, Bomb Drop
Four Year Strong - Some Of You Will Like This, Some Of You Won't
Choice Cuts: Let Me Down Again, Your Ego Is Writing Checks Your Body Can't Cash
The Flatliners - Inviting Light
Choice Cuts: Hang My Head, Nicotine Lips
AFI - AFI (The Blood Album)
Choice Cuts: Get Hurt, Hidden Knives
Our Last Night - Selective Hearing
Choice Cuts: Caught In The Storm, Broken Lives
Pvris - All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell
Choice Cuts: Same Soul, What's Wrong
The Wonder Years - Burst And Decay
Choice Cuts: Cardinals, Coffee Eyes
Story Of The Year - Wolves
Choice Cuts: How Can We Go On, Give Up My Heart
Sleeping With Sirens - Gossip
Choice Cuts: Empire To Ashes, Gossip
Paramore - After Laughter
Choice Cuts: Grudges, Fake Happy
Foo Fighters - Concrete And Gold
Choice Cuts: Run, Make It Right
For The Win - Heavy Thoughts
Choice Cuts: Us Versus Them, How Can I
Other Favourites:
Goldfinger - The Knife
Jule Vera - Waiting On The Sun
I The Mighty - Where The Mind Wants To Go/Where You Let It Go
Sainte - Smile And Wave
Propogandhi - Victory Lap
Rise Against - Wolves
The Used - Canyon
Relient K - Truly Madly Deeply
Comeback Kid - Ousider
TOP 5
Seaway - Vacation
Record Label: Pure Noise Records
Choice Cuts: Car Seat Magazine, Something Wonderful, Day Player, Neurotic
Why: Effortlessly melodic and marked by a shiny, '90s alt-rock aesthetic, Seaway's third full-length album, is a confidently executed production; the kind that grabs your attention from the start and never lets you turn away. To achieve this vibrant sound they hooked up with producer Mike Green (All Time Low, 5 Seconds of Summer). and together, they've crafted an uber-enthusiastic pop-punk vision, building upon the best aspects of their previous albums.
Neck Deep - The Peace And The Panic
Record Label: Hopeless Records
Choice Cuts: Motion Sickness, Where Do We Go When We Go, The Grand Delusion, Parachute
Why: I would not have pegged Neck Deep for existential pop punk, but the hook from the excellent closer summarizes the album’s mindset quite well: “I just wanna get one up on life before it kills me.” For the band, the answer comes with living a life with purpose. Neck Deep haven’t become philosophers overnight, but their ability to wrestle with the frustrations of life lends some very welcome gravity to this fun record.
The Maine - Lovely Little Lonely
Record Label: 8123 Records
Choice Cuts: Bad Behavior, Don't Come Down, Do You Remember? (The Other Half Of 23), Black Butterflies And Deja Vu
Why: Lovely, Little, Lonely amalgamates external influences with the band’s own music, past and present, with precision, depth and an obviously loving craftsmanship. The result is an album that feels timeless, even on first impact. It’s the Maine's best batch of songs since Pioneer, their catchiest material since Can’t Stop Won’t Stop and their most cohesive work to date. This is generation-spanning and generationally great pop rock.
Silverstein - Dead Reflection
Record Label: Rise Records
Choice Cuts: Whiplash, The Afterglow, Last Looks, Ghost
Why: When a band has released as many albums as Silverstein, choosing a favorite as a fan isn’t an easy task. Silverstein have managed evolve and grow with each release, making the process even harder, but emotionally, Dead Reflection is easily one of their best releases to date. These songs are raw, powerful, and hard-hitting, something that the band is known for, and sonically, they still manage to surprise fans nearly two decades later.
The Gospel Youth - Always Lose
Record Label: Rise Records
Choice Cuts: Kids, Wildfire, Moods Like English Weather, I Will Deliver You To The Fireflies
Why: Always Lose is a statement and it doesn’t adhere to any rules. When listening you will escape into a world of poignancy and emotional twists. Your heart will take a weight, your optimism may crack, but the thrill will set you apart. Yes, it may be a depressing, dark, venture into territory marked by bloodied hands and shards of misery. This music is a crystal clear inspection of youth and its expectation. At the end of the day they’ve truly delivered a record which matters and inspires.
Just Missed
New Found Glory - Makes Me Sick
Choice Cuts: Party On Apocalypse, Barbed Wire, Say It Don't Spray It
All Time Low - Last Young Renegade
Choice Cuts: Last Young Renegade, Good Times, Nice2KnoU
The Menzingers - After The Party
Choice Cuts: Lookers, After The Party, Thick As Thieves
Grayscale - Adornment
Choice Cuts: Come Undone, Let It Rain, Atlantic
Broadside - Paradise
Choice Cuts: Paradise, Disconnect, Hidden Colours
I Prevail - Lifelines
Choice Cuts: Stuck In Your Head, Lifelines, Come And Get It
Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - Zombies On Broadway
Choice Cuts: Fire Escape, Don't Speak For Me, Brooklyn, You're Killing Me
As It Is - Okay.
Choice Cuts: Hey Rachel, Pretty Little Distance, Okay
Prophets Of Rage - Self-Titled
Choice Cuts: Unfuck The World, Who Owns Who, Strength In Numbers
Roam - Great Heights And Nosedives
Choice Cuts: Alive, Playing Fiction, Open Water
Anti-Flag - American Fall
Choice Cuts: When The Wall Falls, Racists, Digital Blackout
Knuckle Puck - Shapeshifter
Choice Cuts: Gone, Everyone Lies To Me, Double Helix
2nd Tier Classics
Courage My Love - Synesthesia
Choice Cuts: Tough Love, Need Someone
Carousel Kings - Charm City
Choice Cuts: Grey Goose, Glory Daze
Less Than Jake - Sound The Alarm
Choice Cuts: Whatever The Weather, Bomb Drop
Four Year Strong - Some Of You Will Like This, Some Of You Won't
Choice Cuts: Let Me Down Again, Your Ego Is Writing Checks Your Body Can't Cash
The Flatliners - Inviting Light
Choice Cuts: Hang My Head, Nicotine Lips
AFI - AFI (The Blood Album)
Choice Cuts: Get Hurt, Hidden Knives
Our Last Night - Selective Hearing
Choice Cuts: Caught In The Storm, Broken Lives
Pvris - All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell
Choice Cuts: Same Soul, What's Wrong
The Wonder Years - Burst And Decay
Choice Cuts: Cardinals, Coffee Eyes
Story Of The Year - Wolves
Choice Cuts: How Can We Go On, Give Up My Heart
Sleeping With Sirens - Gossip
Choice Cuts: Empire To Ashes, Gossip
Paramore - After Laughter
Choice Cuts: Grudges, Fake Happy
Foo Fighters - Concrete And Gold
Choice Cuts: Run, Make It Right
For The Win - Heavy Thoughts
Choice Cuts: Us Versus Them, How Can I
Other Favourites:
Goldfinger - The Knife
Jule Vera - Waiting On The Sun
I The Mighty - Where The Mind Wants To Go/Where You Let It Go
Sainte - Smile And Wave
Propogandhi - Victory Lap
Rise Against - Wolves
The Used - Canyon
Relient K - Truly Madly Deeply
Comeback Kid - Ousider
Wednesday, 16 August 2017
Special: Ranking College Humor's Most Underrated Comedies of the Last 10 Years
So this week College Humor released the results of their "Most Underrated Comedy of the Last 10 Years" poll with a list of the top 25 vote-getters. I decided it'd be fun to rank those 25 choices per my tastes. HERE is CH's list if you wanted to see it in full.
My scale is as follows:
1 = Not Good
2 = Had It's Moments
3 = Good Enough
4 = Very Good
5 = Amazing!!!
First off as you'd expect. Let's start with the ones I've never seen and thus can not rank:
25. Sex Drive
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 24.
CH explanation: A movie about teenage hormones literally driving its characters across country? You're revving our comedy engines. With James Marsden as an uncharacteristically unlikeable homophobe, Clark Duke as the unlikely pick-up artist, and Seth Green presenting the sarcastic Amish, this movie fires on all cylinders.
24. Stardust
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 23.
CH explanation: It's a true testament to the magic of Neil Gaiman that this adaptation conjured Claire Danes, Ricky Gervais, Michelle Pfeiffer, a pre-Daredevil Charlie Cox, a pre-Superman Henry Cavill, the voice of Ian McKellen, and Robert De Niro. Another spell cast by director Matthew Vaughn: it's truly fun for the whole family. Even with Robert De Niro doing the weirdest iteration of Shakespeare you've ever seen.
23. Black Dynamite
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 18.
CH explanation: You don't see an American blaxploitation action comedy film every day -- or ever. That's what makes Black Dynamite a special addition to this list and to the pantheon of American films where President Richard Nixon is defeated in a kung-fu battle. (Still the only one?) What makes Black Dynamite really pop is how effortless the parody is: everything just feels dyna-right.
22. Hail, Caesar!
GradE: Never Saw
CH Rank: 17.
CH explanation: The Coen Brothers are the kings of detail and should be hailed for their very specific send-up of post-war Hollywood. This all-star comedy stars all the stars: George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johanson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and even Channing Tatum. It's the perfect marriage of silly and sophisticated in the Hollywood studio system, and has the weird, meandering shaggy nature that some of the best Coen Bros. films sport. It doesn't make for the most memorable story, but it's a fun ride.
21. What We Do In The Shadows
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 10.
CH explanation: Vampires are categorically unfunny, unless of course, you group them up for a mockumentary horror comedy film, which is exactly what co-writers, directors, and stars Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi had the teeth to do. It's a smart, fresh, and funny send-up of four very unhip vampire roommates struggling to keep up in the modern world (and some werewolves - not "swearwolves").
20. Hot Rod
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 8.
CH explanation: Hot Rod as a movie does to its audience exactly what protagonist, Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg), does to his stepfather Frank (Ian McShane) -- earns respect by kicking his ass. On the whole, Hot Rod is exactly what you've come to love and expect from The Lonely Island: offbeat, surreal humor. The greatest stunt the movie pulls off is how consistently it sticks the landing, even 10 years after its initial release.
19. The Watch
Grade: 1.
CH Rank: 21.
CH explanation: The bad boys of comedy (does anyone call them that?) teamed up for a suburban neighborhood watch group that no one should feel safe about. With Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill sharing the driver's seat, Richard Ayoade was left unsupervised to steal the show -- as an alien who has come to love the ways of human life, and oral sex. The movie's pretty solid, but underperformed for a number of reasons - namely, coming out at the EXACT wrong time: right after the tragic death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman. So, uh, not really the ideal time to release a movie about a group of neighborhood watch guys goofing around.
18. The World's End
Grade: 1.
CH Rank: 2.
CH explanation: This is Edgar Wright's icing on the Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz cake. It naturally follows a group of friends who discover an alien invasion during an epic pub crawl. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost do a lot of the hilarious heavy-lifting in this apocalyptic science fiction comedy. We'll drink to that!
17. The Grand Budapest Hotel
Grade: 2.
CH Rank: 4.
CH explanation: An underrated Wes Anderson film? Perhaps. But this ensemble cast, led by Ralph Fiennes, sets off on a nuanced adventure of Guess Who meets Dunston Checks In. Oh, and let's talk a little bit more about the cast, because it is completely insane:
Bill Murray
Jeff Goldblum
Willem Dafoe
Edward Norton
F. Murray Abraham
Owen Wilson
Tilda Swinton
Jason Schwartzman
Harvey Keitel
Saorise Ronan
Adrien Brody
...AND MORE! For real, even if the movie wasn't great (which it IS), it would be worth watching just to see some of the finest actors of their time making a film together.
16. The House Bunny
Grade: 2.
CH Rank: 25.
CH explanation: 2008 was a simpler time. Donald Trump was a TV host, American Idol hadn't peaked yet (see: Katharine McPhee in this movie), and the a reality show about an elderly man and his 3 young, blonde girlfriends living in his sex mansion was pretty popular - like, surprisingly popular. Popular enough that we got TWO movies centered entirely around Playboy as a brand within a year of one another (the other one was Miss March, which is properly-rated as "not good"). Also a service to her country is Anna Farris' pitch-perfect Playmate, falling from grace -- and landing directly on a steaming manhole cover.
15. Swiss Army Man
Grade: 2.
CH Rank: 22.
CH explanation: There aren't a lot of movies where farts and erections are funny for a full 95 minutes, but Swiss Army Man isn't a lot of movies. Paul Dano recalled to Stephen Colbert how he was pitched this movie, with Daniel Radcliffe as a flatulent corpse: "The first fart makes you laugh and the last fart makes you cry."
14. Goon
Grade: 2.
CH Rank: 13.
CH explanation: There aren't enough hockey comedies. Including Mighty Ducks 1, 2, and 3, hockey has typically only served as an inspirational sport. Enter Goon. Written by Jay Barchuel and Evan Goldberg and starring Sean William Scott and Liev Schrieber, Goon understands that the one-two punch of comedy is stunts on ice and locker room banter. You'll laugh so hard, you might knock a tooth out.
13. Reno 911!: Miami
Grade: 3.
CH Rank: 20.
CH explanation: The first of a few TV comedies to graduate to feature-length, Reno 911! brings its Comedy Central cops to the beaches of Miami. And in accordance with Miami's Law, a convention center that CAN be targeted for a biological attack WILL be targeted for a biological attack. Lieutenant Dangle and company bumble their way to success in an 80-minute episode that reads as a love letter to fans of the show -- and maybe as a ransom note to those unfamiliar.
12. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Grade: 3.
CH Rank: 11.
CH explanation: Walk Hard expertly walks the hard line of what makes a great parody: familiarity. The fake biopic's rockstar protagonist, Dewey Cox, is no stranger. He's basically Johnny Cash with a dash of almost every other popular musician of the time. The irony of the film is further enhanced by real, original, good music.
11. Keanu
Grade: 3.
CH Rank: 15.
CH explanation: In their first big-screen foray as a duo, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key do what they do best: combining absurd premises and charming performances. Throw in a Mexican drug cartel, two identical assassins, and a kitten in a doo-rag and you've got yourself a movie that might as well be called Key & Peele: Hollywood. It's a fun film, it's got a cute cat, and it features two of our generation's greatest comedic minds doing what they do best.
10. ParaNorman
Grade: 3.
CH Rank: 19.
CH explanation: ParaNorman did a little bit of everything: 3D, stop-motion animation, comedy AND horror. Plus, a very surprising coming-out from the film's 18-year-old jock, voiced by Casey Affleck. It has all the makings of a classic children's movie (that's enjoyable for every other age, as well): ghosts, an actual witch hunt, sudden death, and adolescent camaraderie in the face of zombie adversity.
9. In Bruges
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 9.
CH explanation: There's a reason Bruges tourism has spiked. That reason is this movie. Led by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson's terrific performances as Irish hitmen in hiding, In Bruges nimbly toes the Belgian cobblestone that connect witty dialogue and crime thriller elements. Plus, cursing with an Irish accent is never not hilarious.
8. The Nice Guys
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 3.
CH explanation: It's everyone's favorite handsome hammer-wielding murder-driver, Ryan Gosling, and the guy everyone wants to pretend wasn't in Les Miserables, Russell Crowe! The Nice Guys knows exactly what it is -- The Odd Couple doing their best impression of True Detective. Or something like that. Regardless, The Nice Guys is a surprise delight - Ryan Gosling's constant physical ailments are hilarious (namely his attempt at breaking into a house), Crowe plays the tough-guy PI to a hilt, and their chemistry is perfect. But what really puts the film over the top is the Angourie Rice's breakout performance as Gosling's wise-beyond-her-years daughter.
7. Burn After Reading
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 16.
CH explanation: The great part of the film is that it's ostensibly about the intelligence community in Washington DC, but every single character is too stupid, uninformed, or distracted to realize what's going on - which leads to one of the most bizarre and incredible endings of any film ever - JK Simmons desperately trying to understand what ANYONE in the film was actually trying to accomplish:
6. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 7.
CH explanation: Andy Samberg and The Lonely Island aren't alone on this regular-rated list of underrated movies. The trio takes the mockumentary format in ONE DIRECTION and gives us something to BELIEVE in -- the hilarious failures of a larger-than-life popstar, Conner4Real (Samberg). Featuring a soundtrack that could easily make its way up the Billboard charts if literally anyone else's name was attached to it.
5. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 12.
CH explanation: A few rules of thumb: never meet your (meatball) heroes and your favorite kid's book will not be your favorite adult movie. The exception to both rules is Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. But directors/writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller specialize in this kind of thing exactly - making a terrible-sounding adaptation that winds up being far better than you could have ever imagined (we're still in shock 21 Jump Street AND its sequel turned out as incredible as they did). The movie is full of heart, tons of incredible laughs (Andy Samberg's turn as a giant manbaby who becomes one with a giant roast chicken is something to behold), and honestly holds up a lot better than a good number of Pixar films.
4. MacGruber
Grade: 5.
CH Rank: 14.
CH explanation: Okay, here's the thing: MacGruber is maybe THE best comedy of the last 10 years - so, in this author's opinion - y'all messed up. While the sketches on SNL were funny, many people were unsure how the quick, under 5 minute sketches would translate to a feature-length film - and Will Forte 'n crew proved they knew exactly what they were doing, brilliantly sending up action movies and action heroes with the woefully incompetent MacGruber, who manages to accidentally murder his entire elite team, constantly begging to let him suck bad guys' dicks to get out of tricky situations, and have sex with his dead wife's ghost. Also, Val Kilmer plays one helluva villain.
3. Role Models
Grade: 5.
CH Rank: 6.
CH explanation: You can't spell crude without Sean William Scott and Paul Rudd. Well, you can, but it's just not the same. The pair gets into all the trouble it can as they fulfill their requirements for community service, forcing them to LARP with Augie, Christopher Mintz-Plasse in his first post-Superbad role. The film begs the question: is jail really worse than a medieval live action role-playing game?
2. Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil
Grade: 5.
CH Rank: 5.
CH explanation: Y'all sure love your horror comedies, with Tucker & Dale topping the list of movies that can make you simultaneously pee yourself from Laughter & Fear. It gets gory in all the good ways and did "for killer rednecks what Shaun of the Dead did for zombies." High praise for two murderous(ly funny) hillbillies, if you discount its Midnight Audience Award win at SXSW.
1. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Grade: 5.
CH Rank: 1.
CH explanation: Another underrated Edgar Wright film, according to you. More like Scott Pilgrim vs. The Rest of This List. Michael Cera stars as 22-year-old Scott Pilgrim and BOY does he know how to play a lanky, awkward slacker -- and bass. The film is visually dazzling, levels up on crafty and clever dialogue, and includes pre-Captain America Chris Evans, pre-Captain Marvel Brie Larson, a post-Superman Brandon Routh! . Scott Pilgrim defeated 7 evil exes and 49 not-evil movies to secure its place as the most underrated comedy of the last 10 years. That's pretty Bob-Omb.
My scale is as follows:
1 = Not Good
2 = Had It's Moments
3 = Good Enough
4 = Very Good
5 = Amazing!!!
First off as you'd expect. Let's start with the ones I've never seen and thus can not rank:
25. Sex Drive
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 24.
CH explanation: A movie about teenage hormones literally driving its characters across country? You're revving our comedy engines. With James Marsden as an uncharacteristically unlikeable homophobe, Clark Duke as the unlikely pick-up artist, and Seth Green presenting the sarcastic Amish, this movie fires on all cylinders.
24. Stardust
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 23.
CH explanation: It's a true testament to the magic of Neil Gaiman that this adaptation conjured Claire Danes, Ricky Gervais, Michelle Pfeiffer, a pre-Daredevil Charlie Cox, a pre-Superman Henry Cavill, the voice of Ian McKellen, and Robert De Niro. Another spell cast by director Matthew Vaughn: it's truly fun for the whole family. Even with Robert De Niro doing the weirdest iteration of Shakespeare you've ever seen.
23. Black Dynamite
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 18.
CH explanation: You don't see an American blaxploitation action comedy film every day -- or ever. That's what makes Black Dynamite a special addition to this list and to the pantheon of American films where President Richard Nixon is defeated in a kung-fu battle. (Still the only one?) What makes Black Dynamite really pop is how effortless the parody is: everything just feels dyna-right.
22. Hail, Caesar!
GradE: Never Saw
CH Rank: 17.
CH explanation: The Coen Brothers are the kings of detail and should be hailed for their very specific send-up of post-war Hollywood. This all-star comedy stars all the stars: George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johanson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and even Channing Tatum. It's the perfect marriage of silly and sophisticated in the Hollywood studio system, and has the weird, meandering shaggy nature that some of the best Coen Bros. films sport. It doesn't make for the most memorable story, but it's a fun ride.
21. What We Do In The Shadows
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 10.
CH explanation: Vampires are categorically unfunny, unless of course, you group them up for a mockumentary horror comedy film, which is exactly what co-writers, directors, and stars Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi had the teeth to do. It's a smart, fresh, and funny send-up of four very unhip vampire roommates struggling to keep up in the modern world (and some werewolves - not "swearwolves").
20. Hot Rod
Grade: Never Saw
CH Rank: 8.
CH explanation: Hot Rod as a movie does to its audience exactly what protagonist, Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg), does to his stepfather Frank (Ian McShane) -- earns respect by kicking his ass. On the whole, Hot Rod is exactly what you've come to love and expect from The Lonely Island: offbeat, surreal humor. The greatest stunt the movie pulls off is how consistently it sticks the landing, even 10 years after its initial release.
19. The Watch
Grade: 1.
CH Rank: 21.
CH explanation: The bad boys of comedy (does anyone call them that?) teamed up for a suburban neighborhood watch group that no one should feel safe about. With Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill sharing the driver's seat, Richard Ayoade was left unsupervised to steal the show -- as an alien who has come to love the ways of human life, and oral sex. The movie's pretty solid, but underperformed for a number of reasons - namely, coming out at the EXACT wrong time: right after the tragic death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman. So, uh, not really the ideal time to release a movie about a group of neighborhood watch guys goofing around.
18. The World's End
Grade: 1.
CH Rank: 2.
CH explanation: This is Edgar Wright's icing on the Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz cake. It naturally follows a group of friends who discover an alien invasion during an epic pub crawl. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost do a lot of the hilarious heavy-lifting in this apocalyptic science fiction comedy. We'll drink to that!
17. The Grand Budapest Hotel
Grade: 2.
CH Rank: 4.
CH explanation: An underrated Wes Anderson film? Perhaps. But this ensemble cast, led by Ralph Fiennes, sets off on a nuanced adventure of Guess Who meets Dunston Checks In. Oh, and let's talk a little bit more about the cast, because it is completely insane:
Bill Murray
Jeff Goldblum
Willem Dafoe
Edward Norton
F. Murray Abraham
Owen Wilson
Tilda Swinton
Jason Schwartzman
Harvey Keitel
Saorise Ronan
Adrien Brody
...AND MORE! For real, even if the movie wasn't great (which it IS), it would be worth watching just to see some of the finest actors of their time making a film together.
16. The House Bunny
Grade: 2.
CH Rank: 25.
CH explanation: 2008 was a simpler time. Donald Trump was a TV host, American Idol hadn't peaked yet (see: Katharine McPhee in this movie), and the a reality show about an elderly man and his 3 young, blonde girlfriends living in his sex mansion was pretty popular - like, surprisingly popular. Popular enough that we got TWO movies centered entirely around Playboy as a brand within a year of one another (the other one was Miss March, which is properly-rated as "not good"). Also a service to her country is Anna Farris' pitch-perfect Playmate, falling from grace -- and landing directly on a steaming manhole cover.
15. Swiss Army Man
Grade: 2.
CH Rank: 22.
CH explanation: There aren't a lot of movies where farts and erections are funny for a full 95 minutes, but Swiss Army Man isn't a lot of movies. Paul Dano recalled to Stephen Colbert how he was pitched this movie, with Daniel Radcliffe as a flatulent corpse: "The first fart makes you laugh and the last fart makes you cry."
14. Goon
Grade: 2.
CH Rank: 13.
CH explanation: There aren't enough hockey comedies. Including Mighty Ducks 1, 2, and 3, hockey has typically only served as an inspirational sport. Enter Goon. Written by Jay Barchuel and Evan Goldberg and starring Sean William Scott and Liev Schrieber, Goon understands that the one-two punch of comedy is stunts on ice and locker room banter. You'll laugh so hard, you might knock a tooth out.
13. Reno 911!: Miami
Grade: 3.
CH Rank: 20.
CH explanation: The first of a few TV comedies to graduate to feature-length, Reno 911! brings its Comedy Central cops to the beaches of Miami. And in accordance with Miami's Law, a convention center that CAN be targeted for a biological attack WILL be targeted for a biological attack. Lieutenant Dangle and company bumble their way to success in an 80-minute episode that reads as a love letter to fans of the show -- and maybe as a ransom note to those unfamiliar.
12. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Grade: 3.
CH Rank: 11.
CH explanation: Walk Hard expertly walks the hard line of what makes a great parody: familiarity. The fake biopic's rockstar protagonist, Dewey Cox, is no stranger. He's basically Johnny Cash with a dash of almost every other popular musician of the time. The irony of the film is further enhanced by real, original, good music.
11. Keanu
Grade: 3.
CH Rank: 15.
CH explanation: In their first big-screen foray as a duo, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key do what they do best: combining absurd premises and charming performances. Throw in a Mexican drug cartel, two identical assassins, and a kitten in a doo-rag and you've got yourself a movie that might as well be called Key & Peele: Hollywood. It's a fun film, it's got a cute cat, and it features two of our generation's greatest comedic minds doing what they do best.
10. ParaNorman
Grade: 3.
CH Rank: 19.
CH explanation: ParaNorman did a little bit of everything: 3D, stop-motion animation, comedy AND horror. Plus, a very surprising coming-out from the film's 18-year-old jock, voiced by Casey Affleck. It has all the makings of a classic children's movie (that's enjoyable for every other age, as well): ghosts, an actual witch hunt, sudden death, and adolescent camaraderie in the face of zombie adversity.
9. In Bruges
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 9.
CH explanation: There's a reason Bruges tourism has spiked. That reason is this movie. Led by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson's terrific performances as Irish hitmen in hiding, In Bruges nimbly toes the Belgian cobblestone that connect witty dialogue and crime thriller elements. Plus, cursing with an Irish accent is never not hilarious.
8. The Nice Guys
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 3.
CH explanation: It's everyone's favorite handsome hammer-wielding murder-driver, Ryan Gosling, and the guy everyone wants to pretend wasn't in Les Miserables, Russell Crowe! The Nice Guys knows exactly what it is -- The Odd Couple doing their best impression of True Detective. Or something like that. Regardless, The Nice Guys is a surprise delight - Ryan Gosling's constant physical ailments are hilarious (namely his attempt at breaking into a house), Crowe plays the tough-guy PI to a hilt, and their chemistry is perfect. But what really puts the film over the top is the Angourie Rice's breakout performance as Gosling's wise-beyond-her-years daughter.
7. Burn After Reading
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 16.
CH explanation: The great part of the film is that it's ostensibly about the intelligence community in Washington DC, but every single character is too stupid, uninformed, or distracted to realize what's going on - which leads to one of the most bizarre and incredible endings of any film ever - JK Simmons desperately trying to understand what ANYONE in the film was actually trying to accomplish:
6. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 7.
CH explanation: Andy Samberg and The Lonely Island aren't alone on this regular-rated list of underrated movies. The trio takes the mockumentary format in ONE DIRECTION and gives us something to BELIEVE in -- the hilarious failures of a larger-than-life popstar, Conner4Real (Samberg). Featuring a soundtrack that could easily make its way up the Billboard charts if literally anyone else's name was attached to it.
5. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
Grade: 4.
CH Rank: 12.
CH explanation: A few rules of thumb: never meet your (meatball) heroes and your favorite kid's book will not be your favorite adult movie. The exception to both rules is Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. But directors/writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller specialize in this kind of thing exactly - making a terrible-sounding adaptation that winds up being far better than you could have ever imagined (we're still in shock 21 Jump Street AND its sequel turned out as incredible as they did). The movie is full of heart, tons of incredible laughs (Andy Samberg's turn as a giant manbaby who becomes one with a giant roast chicken is something to behold), and honestly holds up a lot better than a good number of Pixar films.
4. MacGruber
Grade: 5.
CH Rank: 14.
CH explanation: Okay, here's the thing: MacGruber is maybe THE best comedy of the last 10 years - so, in this author's opinion - y'all messed up. While the sketches on SNL were funny, many people were unsure how the quick, under 5 minute sketches would translate to a feature-length film - and Will Forte 'n crew proved they knew exactly what they were doing, brilliantly sending up action movies and action heroes with the woefully incompetent MacGruber, who manages to accidentally murder his entire elite team, constantly begging to let him suck bad guys' dicks to get out of tricky situations, and have sex with his dead wife's ghost. Also, Val Kilmer plays one helluva villain.
3. Role Models
Grade: 5.
CH Rank: 6.
CH explanation: You can't spell crude without Sean William Scott and Paul Rudd. Well, you can, but it's just not the same. The pair gets into all the trouble it can as they fulfill their requirements for community service, forcing them to LARP with Augie, Christopher Mintz-Plasse in his first post-Superbad role. The film begs the question: is jail really worse than a medieval live action role-playing game?
2. Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil
Grade: 5.
CH Rank: 5.
CH explanation: Y'all sure love your horror comedies, with Tucker & Dale topping the list of movies that can make you simultaneously pee yourself from Laughter & Fear. It gets gory in all the good ways and did "for killer rednecks what Shaun of the Dead did for zombies." High praise for two murderous(ly funny) hillbillies, if you discount its Midnight Audience Award win at SXSW.
1. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Grade: 5.
CH Rank: 1.
CH explanation: Another underrated Edgar Wright film, according to you. More like Scott Pilgrim vs. The Rest of This List. Michael Cera stars as 22-year-old Scott Pilgrim and BOY does he know how to play a lanky, awkward slacker -- and bass. The film is visually dazzling, levels up on crafty and clever dialogue, and includes pre-Captain America Chris Evans, pre-Captain Marvel Brie Larson, a post-Superman Brandon Routh! . Scott Pilgrim defeated 7 evil exes and 49 not-evil movies to secure its place as the most underrated comedy of the last 10 years. That's pretty Bob-Omb.
Sunday, 26 February 2017
Special: 2017 Oscars Roundup!
Hey everyone, the Oscars are tonight so it's time for me to give you my picks for what movies I think will win the awards tonight and who I think should win them. My ranking shows the order I would vote. (LW) represents the likely winner and (NS) indicates a film I have never seen.
Best Picture:
I was on board when they increased the number of pictures that could be nominated from five to a high of ten. We have nine this year but all indications are that this is a two-horse race between the 14 time nominated La La Land and Moonlight. I'm going to say La La Land will likely win the award tonight by but in reality Oscar voters may be swayed and try to save face by giving Moonlight the top prize. Hidden Figures remained the most watched (in terms of Box Office receipts) of the nominated films though voters rarely take that into consideration. However they do enjoy a good historical piece, especially when it comes with a bit of controversy, but Moonlight was the preferred film so it's hard to not think that those two films will take votes away from each other. Manchester By The Sea, Lion and Hacksaw Ridge are all in the running as dark horses as well but they are missing nominations from major categories that'll make it difficult for them to be voted as best (Manchester - Editing, Hacksaw - Screenplay, Lion - Directing).
My ranking:
1. Lion
2. Manchester by the Sea
3. Moonlight
4. Hidden Figures
5. Hacksaw Ridge
6. La La Land (LW)
7. Fences
8. Arrival
9. Hell or High Water
Best Actor:
This is yet again a two-horse race. Casey Affleck long seemed destined to be leaving the Oscars with a statue in hand but with Denzel winning the award from the Screen Actors Guild it's hard to see him not winning here. I'm still going to go with Affleck winning however, only because Denzel is so universally liked they know he won't be hard up for an Oscar (especially already having two in his possession). Affleck deserved to be nominated and (probably win) for his roles in Gone Baby Gone and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (the later of which he was actually nominated for) so I feel like they'll give Casey an acting award before big brother Ben. Some argue that Ryan Gosling is a surprise contender but I'd wager Garfield likely gets more votes than he.
My ranking:
1. Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea (LW)
2. Denzel Washington, Fences
3. Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
4. Ryan Gosling, La La Land
5. Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic (NS)
Best Actress:
This is an interesting category. The early reviews had Portman's name on the trophy already however she's fallen off a bit as of late giving ground to Stone and Huppert who have been campaigning hard. Huppert unfortunately missed out on a SAG nomination and wasn't eligible for a BAFTA thus hurting her chances, not to mention the strong nature of Elle, which may keep some voters from watching. Negga and Streep seem to be in the same boat as "happy to be here" nominations with Negga missing most precursor nominations and Streep's record setting 20th nomination coming after an empowered speech at the Globes.
My ranking:
1. Emma Stone, La La Land (LW)
2. Natalie Portman, Jackie
3. Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins (NS)
3. Isabelle Huppert, Elle (NS)
3. Ruth Negga, Loving (NS)
Best Director:
Oddly enough, usually the film that wins best picture usually ends up with the Directing nod and although it's hard to overlook Chazelle I feel that a lot of voters will have a hard time choosing between La La Land and Moonlight and since I'm picking La La Land for best picture I'll go with Jenkins but this would be going against the precursors as Chazelle won the Director's Guild award which basically guarantees a win tonight so much to my chagrin I'll go with Chazelle taking home the gold statue.
My ranking:
1. Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
2. Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
3. Damien Chazelle, La La Land (LW)
4. Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
5. Denis Villeneuve, Arrival
Best Supporting Actor:
Juan was by far the best part of Moonlight and it's about time that everyone realizes how good seasoned veteran Mahershala Ali is at his craft. The hit against him may be that he doesn't get enough screen time, the same can be said for Dev Patel who is riveting in Lion but not as good as Ali. I'm a big Michael Shannon fan but he won't factor here, nor will Jeff Bridges who plays a racist cowboy as good as anybody. If anyone unseats Ali it's likely to be newcomer Lucas Hedges who puts his stamp on Manchester by the Sea playing second fiddle to Affleck. But as always with the exception of his golden globe loss to Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who isn't nominated here) Ali has fared very well in the precursors so I'm picking him with ease.
My ranking:
1. Mahershala Ali, Moonlight (LW)
2. Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
3. Dev Patel, Lion
4. Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
5. Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals (NS)
Best Supporting Actress:
Denzel has been campaigning hard for Viola Davis who despite impressive turns in films like Doubt and The Help remains Oscar-less. It's going to hard to keep that theme going as she's about as "runaway favourite" as we see this year. Michelle Williams was good with what she was given to work with, as was Kidman but both aren't on the level of Davis in Fences.
My ranking:
1. Viola Davis, Fences (LW)
2. Naomie Harris, Moonlight
3. Nicole Kidman, Lion
4. Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
5. Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Best Animated Feature Film:
Although I will argue until I'm blue in the face that Kubo was not only the best animated feature this year but also the best feature this year. But like a few years back when How To Train Your Dragon 2 was my runaway pick only to be bested by a very strong Disney film (Big Hero 6), I fully expect Zootopia to walk away with the statue winning every precursor with the exception of the BAFTA.. So barring a last minute change of heart, Laika will be looking at their fourth feature only walking away with a nomination just like the three before it (Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls).
My ranking:
1. Kubo and the Two Strings
2. Zootopia (LW)
3. Moana
4. My Life as a Zucchini (NS)
4. The Red Turtle (NS)
Best Adapted Screenplay:
No doubt in my mind that out of these five contenders Moonlight had the best script, and I don't think the voters would dispute me on that either. The problem seems to be that many voters feel the script wasn't really adapted at all which opened the door for others to win the precursor awards. I'd love to see Lion win, I'd also like to see August Wilson win his first Oscar 11 years after his death. But these are simply aspirations. Looking at the facts Moonlight deserves to win but with the voters likely voting elsewhere out of spite I can't help but wonder if Hidden Figures will see an uptick in votes. I have to stick to my guns and hope that since Barry Jenkins is likely not taking home a Directing Oscar he'll at least get one for writing.
My ranking:
1. Moonlight, Barry Jenkins and Tarell McCraney (LW)
2. Lion, Luke Davies
3. Fences, August Wilson
4. Hidden Figures, Allison Schroeder
5. Arrival, Eric Heisserer
Best Original Screenplay:
This award may very well set the stage for the whole night. If La La Land can pull out a win over Manchester By The Sea it may very well be the juggernaut that everyone expected, that being said Manchester not only deserves to win but should win. Kudos to the Academy giving nominations to 20th Century Women and The Lobster (their only nominations) but they aren't a real threat to the 2 heavy hitters mentioned above nor is dark horse candidate Hell Or High Water which is likely looking at an 0 for 4 night at the Oscars
My ranking:
1. Manchester by the Sea, Kenneth Lonergan
2. La La Land, Damien Chazelle (LW)
3. Hell or High Water, Taylor Sheridan
4. The Lobster, Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou (NS)
4. 20th Century Women, Mike Mills (NS)
Before we jump into the technical categories of sound, visuals and post-production let me just say I've learned my lesson from a few years back when I avoided picking Whiplash in the sound categories... Case and point if your movie is focused on or around music and is an Oscar favourite it's likely going to take home those awards. So on that basis I'm going to say La La Land will win Sound Mixing (Sorry Hacksaw Ridge) and Original Score (Sorry Moonlight/Lion). Other sound awards La La Land is nominated for include Best Original Song (Nominated twice) and Sound Editing. These I don't think it'll take home because Lin-Manuel nominated for Moana for Original Song "How Far I'll Go" will get just enough with the 2 La La Land songs splitting the vote (Though I truly believe City of Stars deserves the win). Sound editing involves adding layers of sounds and it's hard to pick against Hacksaw Ridge in that regard even though I'm doing so in the Sound Mixing category.
Now let's look at the 2 awards La La Land is not nominated for... Makeup And Hairstyling and Visual Effects. Let's start with Makeup... Always best to look at the overall use of Makeup and although Star Trek boasts a lot of aliens, the general cast does not really wear much of note... Suicide Squad on the other hand is filled with it. Case and point after tonight we'll be saying "Academy Award Winner Suicide Squad". The fanboy in me wants Kubo to win in the Visual Effects race but it seems a stretch for an animated film. Instead I expect one of the three Disney pictures (Dr. Strange, The Jungle Book, Rogue One) to take the award. Marvel has yet to win an Oscar and although I could see Doc Strange being the first I think The Jungle Book is the more obvious choice.
Back to La La Land... I can see them losing in the Costume Design field as Jackie was more difficult in the sense that they had to recreate a beloved American's equally loved sense of style. Film Editing and Production Design I feel like are a flip of the coin between Arrival and La La Land. If La La Land is indeed as loved as Hollywood wants us to believe then it'll sweep but if the voters still want to give some awards love to other films look for Arrival to take both trophies. Finally we have Best cinematography, an award that used to go for the most beautiful film (Moonlight) however more recently we've seen films with complex shots get the award and there's nothing more complex than La La Land which is why it'll win.
I'm not going to be talking about the short awards, documentaries or foreign language pieces since I haven't seen any of them. Let's finish up by having me rank the films I've seen with more than one nomination...
1. Kubo And The Two Strings
2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
3. Moana
4. Lion
5. Manchester By The Sea
6. Moonlight
7. Hidden Figures
8. Hacksaw Ridge
9. La La Land
10. Fences
11. Arrival
12. Deepwater Horizon
13. Hell Or High Water
14. Jackie
Best Picture:
I was on board when they increased the number of pictures that could be nominated from five to a high of ten. We have nine this year but all indications are that this is a two-horse race between the 14 time nominated La La Land and Moonlight. I'm going to say La La Land will likely win the award tonight by but in reality Oscar voters may be swayed and try to save face by giving Moonlight the top prize. Hidden Figures remained the most watched (in terms of Box Office receipts) of the nominated films though voters rarely take that into consideration. However they do enjoy a good historical piece, especially when it comes with a bit of controversy, but Moonlight was the preferred film so it's hard to not think that those two films will take votes away from each other. Manchester By The Sea, Lion and Hacksaw Ridge are all in the running as dark horses as well but they are missing nominations from major categories that'll make it difficult for them to be voted as best (Manchester - Editing, Hacksaw - Screenplay, Lion - Directing).
My ranking:
1. Lion
2. Manchester by the Sea
3. Moonlight
4. Hidden Figures
5. Hacksaw Ridge
6. La La Land (LW)
7. Fences
8. Arrival
9. Hell or High Water
Best Actor:
This is yet again a two-horse race. Casey Affleck long seemed destined to be leaving the Oscars with a statue in hand but with Denzel winning the award from the Screen Actors Guild it's hard to see him not winning here. I'm still going to go with Affleck winning however, only because Denzel is so universally liked they know he won't be hard up for an Oscar (especially already having two in his possession). Affleck deserved to be nominated and (probably win) for his roles in Gone Baby Gone and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (the later of which he was actually nominated for) so I feel like they'll give Casey an acting award before big brother Ben. Some argue that Ryan Gosling is a surprise contender but I'd wager Garfield likely gets more votes than he.
My ranking:
1. Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea (LW)
2. Denzel Washington, Fences
3. Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
4. Ryan Gosling, La La Land
5. Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic (NS)
Best Actress:
This is an interesting category. The early reviews had Portman's name on the trophy already however she's fallen off a bit as of late giving ground to Stone and Huppert who have been campaigning hard. Huppert unfortunately missed out on a SAG nomination and wasn't eligible for a BAFTA thus hurting her chances, not to mention the strong nature of Elle, which may keep some voters from watching. Negga and Streep seem to be in the same boat as "happy to be here" nominations with Negga missing most precursor nominations and Streep's record setting 20th nomination coming after an empowered speech at the Globes.
My ranking:
1. Emma Stone, La La Land (LW)
2. Natalie Portman, Jackie
3. Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins (NS)
3. Isabelle Huppert, Elle (NS)
3. Ruth Negga, Loving (NS)
Best Director:
Oddly enough, usually the film that wins best picture usually ends up with the Directing nod and although it's hard to overlook Chazelle I feel that a lot of voters will have a hard time choosing between La La Land and Moonlight and since I'm picking La La Land for best picture I'll go with Jenkins but this would be going against the precursors as Chazelle won the Director's Guild award which basically guarantees a win tonight so much to my chagrin I'll go with Chazelle taking home the gold statue.
My ranking:
1. Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
2. Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
3. Damien Chazelle, La La Land (LW)
4. Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
5. Denis Villeneuve, Arrival
Best Supporting Actor:
Juan was by far the best part of Moonlight and it's about time that everyone realizes how good seasoned veteran Mahershala Ali is at his craft. The hit against him may be that he doesn't get enough screen time, the same can be said for Dev Patel who is riveting in Lion but not as good as Ali. I'm a big Michael Shannon fan but he won't factor here, nor will Jeff Bridges who plays a racist cowboy as good as anybody. If anyone unseats Ali it's likely to be newcomer Lucas Hedges who puts his stamp on Manchester by the Sea playing second fiddle to Affleck. But as always with the exception of his golden globe loss to Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who isn't nominated here) Ali has fared very well in the precursors so I'm picking him with ease.
My ranking:
1. Mahershala Ali, Moonlight (LW)
2. Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
3. Dev Patel, Lion
4. Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
5. Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals (NS)
Best Supporting Actress:
Denzel has been campaigning hard for Viola Davis who despite impressive turns in films like Doubt and The Help remains Oscar-less. It's going to hard to keep that theme going as she's about as "runaway favourite" as we see this year. Michelle Williams was good with what she was given to work with, as was Kidman but both aren't on the level of Davis in Fences.
My ranking:
1. Viola Davis, Fences (LW)
2. Naomie Harris, Moonlight
3. Nicole Kidman, Lion
4. Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
5. Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Best Animated Feature Film:
Although I will argue until I'm blue in the face that Kubo was not only the best animated feature this year but also the best feature this year. But like a few years back when How To Train Your Dragon 2 was my runaway pick only to be bested by a very strong Disney film (Big Hero 6), I fully expect Zootopia to walk away with the statue winning every precursor with the exception of the BAFTA.. So barring a last minute change of heart, Laika will be looking at their fourth feature only walking away with a nomination just like the three before it (Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls).
My ranking:
1. Kubo and the Two Strings
2. Zootopia (LW)
3. Moana
4. My Life as a Zucchini (NS)
4. The Red Turtle (NS)
Best Adapted Screenplay:
No doubt in my mind that out of these five contenders Moonlight had the best script, and I don't think the voters would dispute me on that either. The problem seems to be that many voters feel the script wasn't really adapted at all which opened the door for others to win the precursor awards. I'd love to see Lion win, I'd also like to see August Wilson win his first Oscar 11 years after his death. But these are simply aspirations. Looking at the facts Moonlight deserves to win but with the voters likely voting elsewhere out of spite I can't help but wonder if Hidden Figures will see an uptick in votes. I have to stick to my guns and hope that since Barry Jenkins is likely not taking home a Directing Oscar he'll at least get one for writing.
My ranking:
1. Moonlight, Barry Jenkins and Tarell McCraney (LW)
2. Lion, Luke Davies
3. Fences, August Wilson
4. Hidden Figures, Allison Schroeder
5. Arrival, Eric Heisserer
Best Original Screenplay:
This award may very well set the stage for the whole night. If La La Land can pull out a win over Manchester By The Sea it may very well be the juggernaut that everyone expected, that being said Manchester not only deserves to win but should win. Kudos to the Academy giving nominations to 20th Century Women and The Lobster (their only nominations) but they aren't a real threat to the 2 heavy hitters mentioned above nor is dark horse candidate Hell Or High Water which is likely looking at an 0 for 4 night at the Oscars
My ranking:
1. Manchester by the Sea, Kenneth Lonergan
2. La La Land, Damien Chazelle (LW)
3. Hell or High Water, Taylor Sheridan
4. The Lobster, Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou (NS)
4. 20th Century Women, Mike Mills (NS)
Before we jump into the technical categories of sound, visuals and post-production let me just say I've learned my lesson from a few years back when I avoided picking Whiplash in the sound categories... Case and point if your movie is focused on or around music and is an Oscar favourite it's likely going to take home those awards. So on that basis I'm going to say La La Land will win Sound Mixing (Sorry Hacksaw Ridge) and Original Score (Sorry Moonlight/Lion). Other sound awards La La Land is nominated for include Best Original Song (Nominated twice) and Sound Editing. These I don't think it'll take home because Lin-Manuel nominated for Moana for Original Song "How Far I'll Go" will get just enough with the 2 La La Land songs splitting the vote (Though I truly believe City of Stars deserves the win). Sound editing involves adding layers of sounds and it's hard to pick against Hacksaw Ridge in that regard even though I'm doing so in the Sound Mixing category.
Now let's look at the 2 awards La La Land is not nominated for... Makeup And Hairstyling and Visual Effects. Let's start with Makeup... Always best to look at the overall use of Makeup and although Star Trek boasts a lot of aliens, the general cast does not really wear much of note... Suicide Squad on the other hand is filled with it. Case and point after tonight we'll be saying "Academy Award Winner Suicide Squad". The fanboy in me wants Kubo to win in the Visual Effects race but it seems a stretch for an animated film. Instead I expect one of the three Disney pictures (Dr. Strange, The Jungle Book, Rogue One) to take the award. Marvel has yet to win an Oscar and although I could see Doc Strange being the first I think The Jungle Book is the more obvious choice.
Back to La La Land... I can see them losing in the Costume Design field as Jackie was more difficult in the sense that they had to recreate a beloved American's equally loved sense of style. Film Editing and Production Design I feel like are a flip of the coin between Arrival and La La Land. If La La Land is indeed as loved as Hollywood wants us to believe then it'll sweep but if the voters still want to give some awards love to other films look for Arrival to take both trophies. Finally we have Best cinematography, an award that used to go for the most beautiful film (Moonlight) however more recently we've seen films with complex shots get the award and there's nothing more complex than La La Land which is why it'll win.
I'm not going to be talking about the short awards, documentaries or foreign language pieces since I haven't seen any of them. Let's finish up by having me rank the films I've seen with more than one nomination...
1. Kubo And The Two Strings
2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
3. Moana
4. Lion
5. Manchester By The Sea
6. Moonlight
7. Hidden Figures
8. Hacksaw Ridge
9. La La Land
10. Fences
11. Arrival
12. Deepwater Horizon
13. Hell Or High Water
14. Jackie
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