2017 - The Highlights (Tetris_King)

With another year drawing to a close, it is once again time to reflect on what we did and did not like about it. As with last year, a large number of new movies were watched and a good amount of new games were played, resulting in a rather lengthy list I found difficult to trim down. Much like last year, due to the high volume of movies from this year that I actually enjoyed, I have split my top movies of the year between live-action and animation. As per usual, the lists below are presented in no particular order, with links to reviews on the blog where applicable.

Top Live-Action Movies of 2017

Wonder Woman

After a few missteps while struggling to keep up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it looks like the DC Extended Universe may finally be headed in the right direction. Wonder Woman succeeds where it predecessors failed, providing an enjoyable experience with an overall more light-hearted tone and a hero you actually want to root for. With a sequel set for release in a couple years, hopefully the DCEU can live up to what Wonder Woman has to offer.

Transformers: The Last Knight

Beginning from this movie, the Transformers Live-Action Film Series is set to become its own Cinematic Universe. Having been hyped enough to attend a special early screening, I found myself enjoying the film in spite of its flaws (more on that below). While the movie has a lot of plot in it, the well-placed humor and world-building (including borrowing elements from the “Aligned” continuity) kept my interest throughout. If the upcoming Bumblebee: The Movie, to be directed by Laika alumni Travis Knight, is any good, then the new Cinematic Universe might turn out well in the end.

Logan

Another R-rated X-Men movie produced after the success of Deadpool, Logan puts the spotlight on Wolverine once again, this time taking place in a future without mutants as he winds up protecting both an out-of-control Charles Xavier and a small child with mutant powers similar to his own as they make their way to a supposed mutant sanctuary. Logan manages to both tell a well-written mature story and make itself accessible to newcomers, meaning you do not need to have seen any of the previous X-Men movies to follow along. In short, Logan is a mature comic book movie done right, as well as a great movie on its own merits. The black-and-white version, Logan Noir (included with the Blu-ray), is also worth a viewing, since, though telling the same story, it offers a much different experience.

Wonderstruck

Having enjoyed Hugo, I was intrigued to find out another Brian Selznick book was being adapted, to the point where I bought the book at the signing I was at and read it shortly thereafter. The movie, written by Selznick, is not only a streamlined, faithful adaptation of the book, it also tells a rather engaging story that makes it an enjoyable movie in its own right (though it does drag a little bit in one spot). It doesn’t have the same tone or style as Hugo, however I loved Wonderstruck all the same.

Thor: Ragnarok

The Thor movies have never been the strongest movies in the MCU for me, and so this newest entry caught me by surprise. Not only is this movie highly entertaining to watch, I would honestly consider it one of the best movies of Phase 3 so far. It breathes new life into the Thor sub-series by not taking itself entirely seriously, with moments of genuine humor found all throughout the movie as well as some new development on the Hulk. Only time will tell if this new take on the God of Thunder will carry over into the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War.

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Following up on The Force Awakens, this movie picks up where it left off and provides a lot more insight into Rey and Kylo Ren. As with Transformers: The Last Knight, a lot of events transpire in this movie, some of which could arguably have been shortened a little, however I found the story engaging and found myself overall enjoying it. It’s not exactly the best Star Wars movie one could hope for, however it is worth watching, especially if you want to see the late Carrie Fisher play Princess Leia one last time.

Top Animated Movies of 2017

Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions

As a Yu-Gi-Oh! fan, I was already looking forward to this movie upon learning details at a Comic-Con panel featuring creator Kazuki Takahashi himself. Taking place after the end of the original manga, the movie introduces a new villain, Aigami, while placing the spotlight on Seto Kaiba and his growing ambitions to defeat the Pharaoh in a Duel. The movie is animated spectacularly and gives some good character development to both Yugi and Kaiba as they head towards their future goals, plus it was actually nice to hear the English voice actors reprise their roles once more. Aigami is also given some good development for a movie-exclusive character, which is more than I can say for Anubis from the Pyramid of Light movie, though even as a Yu-Gi-Oh! fan I couldn’t quite understand how Dimension Dueling, Aigami’s preferred method, worked exactly. Still, the movie is highly entertaining for existing fans of the series and is worth a look.

Your Name.

My interest in this movie came from hearing how successful and highly praised this boy-meets-girl story was in its native Japan, and so I took the chance to view it as part of a limited theatrical run. I could see where the praise was coming from, as I got emotionally invested in both the plot and characters. I don’t want to give anything away, though I would consider Your Name. a must-see anime film.

Loving Vincent

This movie’s premise is rather interesting, telling the story of someone investigating renowned artist Vincent van Gogh’s final days and getting multiple viewpoints on how his death played out. While the story is very engaging, the main draw is the movie’s animation style, being animated entirely using 65,000+ paintings that emulate van Gogh’s particular painting style to amazing effect. This, combined with imagery and characters inspired by the subjects of van Gogh’s paintings, creates a very immersive world that you’ll want to visit again.

Top Games of 2017

Little Nightmares

Little Nightmares is a horror game that’s very effective at building up and maintaining an atmosphere throughout. While not the type of horror you can find in Resident Evil 7, this game goes more for the psychological, and the overall design and aesthetic contribute to this expertly well to create a very unnerving experience. With a string of DLC and a comic book currently being rolled out, this is an experience I’d gladly revisit once it’s all been made available.

Puyo Puyo Tetris

In a rather unexpected crossover, the Puyo Puyo and Tetris puzzle game series have come together for the first time, delivering normal Puyo Puyo and Tetris gameplay in addition to a number of other game modes (including a mode that combines the two games together). The music and sound design are also good, as is a surprisingly entertaining story mode featuring Puyo Puyo characters meeting a new set of characters representing Tetris. Though I had more fun with the Tetris segments due to personal skill level, I did find myself getting the hang of Puyo Puyo’s gameplay over time, which helped me get more into the other game modes. This is a great game for puzzle fans, especially for those who enjoy Tetris and/or Puyo Puyo.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Having never played any of the Crash Bandicoot games prior to this collection (unless the cameo in Skylanders: Imaginators counts), I found myself really enjoying it. Though difficult, the three games in this collection have a world and characters that keep you wanting more even in the face of failure, especially in regards to the first installment. With intricately remade graphics, great voice acting and a catchy soundtrack that doesn’t stop, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is the perfect starting point for any new Crash Bandicoot fan.

Cuphead

Before this game was released, I was hyped up by the art direction alone, taking inspiration from 1930’s cartoons and being animated entirely by hand. The game itself has a very strong difficulty curve, however beating a boss to get their Soul Contract is very satisfying and makes you want to go back for more. The visuals capture the 1930’s aesthetic very faithfully, which, along with the gameplay, make the game’s lengthy development cycle worth it. Regardless of whether you're in it for the gameplay, the animation is something that would make me recommend it to those who are fans of this particular style or possibly even animation students looking to study said style.

Top Disappointments of 2017

Transformers: The Last Knight

In spite of my praise for this movie above, I recognize the movie has some issues. Aside from any plot holes (one being Bumblebee’s new ability to Iron Giant himself back together to sell more toys), the movie has an overabundance of story, including a whole Suicide Squad-style sequence that ultimately goes nowhere, and so things could have easily been cut to shorten the run time. There’s also admittedly an overabundance of new characters, most of which don’t even have toys to sell, and the short screen time for many of them makes it a little difficult to care. Regardless, the next two films, one of which centers on Bumblebee, have a chance to rectify where this one went wrong.

Despicable Me 3

After the disappointment of Minions, Illumination had the opportunity to steer the Despicable Me franchise back on track. Unfortunately, while somewhat better than Minions, this movie suffers from an overabundance of sub-plots, leaving not much room for development for either characters or story and lowering my expectations for a teased fourth installment. The only real saving grace of the movie is Trey Parker as the entertaining villain Balthazar Bratt, and even then, his performance alone could not salvage it.

Sharknado 5: Global Swarming

The Sharknado series began as a funny joke, however that joke has probably more than run its course. While it may have been able to sustain itself for 3 movies and pushed it a bit with 4, the fifth annual installment, Global Swarming, fails to really capture the same enjoyment, relying more heavily on B-list cameos, plot contrivances, shoe-horned references and ripping off better movies to keep swimming. Though the ending teases the inevitable Sharknado 6, it seems like it may be time for this shark to finally stop swimming.

Ghost in the Shell (2017)

I’ll admit my experience with Ghost in the Shell lies mainly within the 1995 animated feature and the Stand Alone Complex (SAC) anime series, however I actually enjoyed those unlike this movie. Casting controversies aside, the 2017 movie manages to capture the look of Ghost in the Shell, though I can’t say the same about the feel. It does take some scenes from the 1995 movie almost wholesale to try and ground it within that setting (while also borrowing elements from SAC), however it can’t seem to decide whether it wants to be a remake or tell an original story, overall just falling short of its real potential. If you’re looking to have a good time with Ghost in the Shell, you may as well just stick with the 1995 movie instead.

Justice League

After Wonder Woman pushed the DCEU in the right direction, Justice League feels more like a step back. Odd villain choice aside, the movie attempts to emulate the MCU’s The Avengers without understanding exactly what made it work so well, establishing a team before many of the individual members rather than the other way around. There is some humor in places and the movie is overall a major step up from Batman v Superman, however that isn’t saying much and it overall wasn’t as fun as the movie it was trying to copy. The upcoming Aquaman movie has some promise to turn things back around, hopefully borrowing more from Wonder Woman rather than this film.

Honorable Mentions

The Hitman’s Bodyguard

Though a bit of a sleeper movie, The Hitman’s Bodyguard is one that I found rather enjoyable. The main draw though is that it co-stars both Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, each essentially playing a version of their most famous characters (Wade Wilson/Deadpool and Nick Fury, respectively); the two of them have surprisingly good chemistry together, their characters being good foils for each other. It’s not likely the two will share a movie like this again (pending company merger notwithstanding), though in any case it’s still worth a viewing.

Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island

Another game in the recent 3D platformer revival boom, what attracted me to this particular title was, in addition to the art direction, the ability to manipulate time to solve puzzles. Though it has some shortcomings (including some technical issues), the game is actually pretty enjoyable and I found the approach to puzzle-solving interesting. While not perfect, the game presents enough potential for a follow-up title, though whether the developer will tap into this potential remains to be seen.

Rime

While I was once again captivated by the art direction, what interested me was the idea of exploring an island and solving puzzles (though it presents itself in a more linear, story-focused fashion). The puzzles can get a little difficult, however this did not stop me as I wanted to get through it and discover what the island was all about. These puzzles, coupled with a powerful ending (plus one of the best tutorials I have ever seen), make Rime definitely worth a look.

Despicable Me 2

It seems that every year now I see trailers and ads for movies that are either sequels or reboots for existing franchises, usually to be released in the summer; if it's not in these categories, these same trailers and ads often give me something to groan about regardless. In 2013's sea of reboots and sequels, there are some movies that I know I am going to see, but there are only a few that I'm legitimately excited for, one of them being Despicable Me 2. I liked the original Despicable Me when I first saw it in theaters as well as later on DVD and when I saw advertising for the sequel, I became more optimistic about how it would turn out. Seeing it on its release day felt like something which had to be done, and walking away from it I feel glad that I did, though it was a little different than what I expected (in a mostly positive sense).

Following the events of Despicable Me, a secret research base in the Arctic Circle is stolen out of the blue by a mysterious villain with a giant magnet. In response, the Anti-Villain League, an organization that does what you probably think they do, sends agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) to bring Gru (Steve Carell) to their base for briefing. After he is forcibly abducted, Gru at first rejects, and later accepts, a mission to act as an undercover spy to locate the one responsible for the theft of the Arctic base, as it contained a valuable experimental fluid which mutates those injected with it. As Gru goes undercover in a shopping mall, since the culprit works there, he also finds out that he's beginning to fall for Lucy, his partner on the job.

The hot-blooded Lucy Wilde, voiced by Kristen Wiig.

In terms of execution, Despicable Me 2 is pretty good and manages to tell a solid story from beginning to end. While the ending does a nice job of wrapping everything up, I found that the movie was more ambitious than the original, as it introduced quite a few plot threads, not all of which lead somewhere. For instance, Edith (Dana Gaier) seems to have some ninja thing going on, as she carries a sword at least twice in the movie, but we never learn anything more than what is implied. Margo (Miranda Cosgrove) also has a relationship with a boy named Antonio Perez (Moisés Arias), though their time together is pretty much there merely to establish the kind of father that Gru has become, possibly as a result of his rather tragic childhood. There are probably some others that I'm not thinking of at the moment, though my point remains. A couple of twists from the movie could also be predicted thanks to the context of some of the plot threads, which I won't go into due to spoilers. I also thought it was interesting that literally everyone who worked on the previous movie came back, though I'm not sure why they felt they needed Kristen Wiig again; Lucy seems to be included just so they could have a reason to bring her back for another go.

The humor in Despicable Me 2 is also very good, with plenty of moments that had me laughing out loud in the theater. However, it still has its fair share of crude humor, which is something I think more and more "children's" films need to get away from. The first five minutes have a joke involving a guy in a port-a-potty and the fart gun from the first movie has a more prominent role, which means the one fart joke that was actually funny gets old after it's used in, of all things, a 21 gun salute. Despite this, I think they still managed to nail the humor that works and any future movies Illumination makes should focus on that smart humor and stray further away from appealing to what kids stereotypically find funny. The antics from the Minions that occur during the end credits were also very amusing.

Gru's Minions continue to impress.

As for the animation, the quality is mostly the same, though there are some scenes that are done rather impressively and show some sense of improvement. For example, there is a scene, which is longer than what is seen in the trailers, where Lucy is driving her car underwater after is has converted to another mode. Other effects that impressed were realistic glare off shiny objects, thankfully not overused, and reflections off certain surfaces. This attention to detail, which includes paying attention to continuity on a particular object near the end, is what I always appreciate from studios that put the effort into it. I also don't really have complaints about the character designs, but I didn't really need to see their advanced chest hair rendering for one overly long scene.

Voice acting is as good as the previous movie, since the actors manage to fit the roles of their characters pretty well. Steve Carell still impresses as Gru and even though I didn't think they really needed to bring back Kristen Wiig, I admit that she still managed a solid performance. The music by Pharrell Williams and Heitor Pereira is also still pretty good and fits well at the right moments, though some of it is recycled from before, most noticeably the "Fun, Fun, Fun" song.

While Despicable Me 2 is a good film, even as a sequel, I honestly am not sure how to feel about it when comparing it to the first one. It's more ambitious with its more adult themes (relationships), but this ambition leads to a few plot threads not really leading anywhere and some crude humor that doesn't really belong. The individual elements continue to impress, but it is perhaps a little more mishandled than the original, but I don't mean to knock the quality by saying this. The film is great for fans of Despicable Me, as well as families looking for a good time. I liked going back to this world and its characters, but now I'm a little more worried as to how they'll be able to do a movie centered entirely around the Minions. I suppose only time will really tell on that one.

Stubs - Despicable Me

Despicable Me (2010) Starring the voices of: Steve Carell, Jason Segel. Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, Danny McBride, Jemaine Clement, Jack McBrayer, Julie Andrews. Directed by Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud. Produced by Chris Meladandri, John Cohen, Janet Healy. Screenplay by Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio. Original Story by Sergio Pablos. Run Time: 95 minutes. U.S.  Color. Animated, Crime, Comedy

The Summer of Reboots and Sequels, at least the 2013 version, continues, but for a change there is a sequel that I’m actually looking forward to, the follow up to Despicable Me, aptly named Despicable Me 2. And as with any sequel/reboot it’s always nice to remind yourself why you’re looking forward to it, by going back and re-watching the original.

When I first went to see the first film in a theater, I didn’t go in with great expectations. While I appreciate Steve Carell, I can’t say I’m a major fan of his and Mac Guff, a French CGI Animation studio acquired by Illumination Entertainment, had never made a film before. But the inaugural pairing of the two turned out to be a very funny animated feature that appeals to a wide audience.

The film opens with the world realizing that the Great Pyramid of Giza has been stolen. The world wonders which super villain took it. The answer is not Gru (Steve Carell), who decides to top the crime by shrinking and stealing the moon, a plan he announces to his Minions, several hundred or possibly thousands of genetically altered yellow creatures who talk in a giggly language that sometimes sounds like English.

Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, is a super villain.

Though the announcement seems sudden, Gru promises his Minions that he and his partner, Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand), have been planning this theft for some time. In fact, Gru’s fascination with the moon goes back to his own childhood, when his mother, Marlena (Julie Andrews), was never supportive.

Even when Gru builds a working rocket, his mom is unimpressed.

But like any business venture, stealing the moon takes capital. And like any other small businessman, Gru goes to the bank to get a loan. But he doesn’t go to just any bank, instead it’s the Bank of Evil run by Mr. Perkins (Will Arnett). But despite being impressed by Gru’s planning, Perkins wants him to get the Shrink Ray Gru’ll need first before he’ll give him the money.

Mr. Perkins, the President of the Bank of Evil, looks a lot like Dilbert's boss.

Stealing the Shrink Ray from a secret base in Asia (which I took to be North Korea) was easy, but Vector (Jason Segel), an up and coming super villain, quickly steals it from Gru. And Gru tries to steal it back from Vector’s fortress, but is defeated by several booby traps Vector has planted around his home. (In a nice touch, The Giza Pyramid, painted to look like the sky, stands right behind the fortress.)  However,despite the problems he’s having, Gru notices three orphan girls, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher) have no trouble gaining access to sell cookies.

Vector Perkins with the Shrink Ray. I think he looks a little like Bill Gates.

The light bulb goes off for Gru and he decides to adopt the girls. Using fake credentials as a dentist, Gru goes to Miss Hattie’s (Kristen Wiig) Home for Girls. Miss Hattie is all too happy to get rid of the three and despite the references, being typed in by the minions, readily agrees. But Gru’s house is not a place for girls and he has no interest in being a parent. The girls for their part know the hardships of Miss Hattie’s and are willing to put up with a lot of bad parenting in return, just as long as they get to attend their ballet class.

Edith, Margo and Agnes, three orphans who change Gru's world.

Using the girls as a front, Gru and a couple of his minions gain access to the vault with the shrink ray, utilizing cookie-shaped robots that shoot lasers. But the cookie-robots also trap Gru inside the vault and he and his minions make a narrow escape.

On the way back to his home, the girls see Funland, a seaside theme park, and beg Gru to take them. He agrees, thinking he can dump the girls there now that he no longer has any use for them. But the attendant at the roller coaster tells Gru the girls can’t ride with an adult and so he’s trapped. He finds himself having a good time and bonding with the three. What puts him over the top is the treatment they get from a shady carnival barker (Jack McBrayer) who runs a rigged shooting game. In order to get revenge, Gru blasts a hole in the back of the stand. And Agnes, who is unicorn-obsessed, wins the stuffed animal she craves.

The girls trying to win a fluffy unicorn, but the game is rigged.

Back home, Gru contacts Perkins by video-conferencing to show him that he’s got the shrink ray. The girls have messed with his presentation, but that isn’t the reason Perkins denies him funding in favor of the younger Vector, who just happens to be Perkins’ son, Victor.

Word gets around the minions that the bank has denied funding and Gru confirms that the rumors are true and that the moon theft is off. But when Margo, Edith and Agnes offer the meager contents of their piggy bank, the minions throw in money too and the caper is back on. The only problem is that the date they’ve selected conflicts with a ballet recital the girls will be in.

Dr. Nefario doesn’t like the time Gru is spending with the girls and their interfering with their plans, so he calls Miss Hattie to say Gru has changed his mind. And despite his not liking the situation, Gru doesn’t fight it. At about the same time, Mr. Perkins informs his son, Vector, what Gru is up to. Vector tries to tag along, but Gru thwarts him and steals the moon, but arrives back too late for the recital.

Vector isn’t done. He kidnaps the girls and will exchange them for the moon. It’s an exchange Gru   agrees to, but which Vector renegs on. Angered, Gru easily defeats the sort of booby traps that stopped him the first time. Fearing Gru, Vector uses part of his fortress as an escape pod with the girls and the moon.

Dr. Nefario has meanwhile discovered that the effects of the shrink ray are only temporary and that the bigger the object the quicker it will return to normal size. The moon is already starting to resize and in a daring mid-air rescue, Gru, Dr. Nefario and the minions rescue the girls from Vector’s ship.  The moon meanwhile explodes to original size and takes up its orbit around the Earth with one new inhabitant, Vector, trapped on its surface.

Gru readopts the girls and they are a family once again. The girls perform their ballet for Gru, his mother and the minions. Everyone ends up dancing, even Vector on the surface of the moon.

Now this is not a G rated film. It’s right there in the rating reason, rude humor. It’s as if filmmakers can’t help but put in a few references to bodily functions for the supposed laughs they generate. Again this appeal to the lowest common denominator doesn’t seem to be ebbing any time soon. In the case of Despicable Me, Gru asks Dr. Nefario to build him a dart gun, which Nefario, being old and hard of hearing, mistakes for a fart gun. I’ll pause while you laugh out loud at the humorous images this no doubt brings to mind (or see below)...Ready to continue? … All right. While I’ll give this one to the creators, what they didn’t really need was a drawing of Gru on the toilet that the three orphans supposedly placed in the middle of his presentation to Mr. Perkins. I’m always a little disappointed when people find going to the bathroom all that funny. But there you have it, my complaints with the film.

Some of the rude humor. Dr. Nefario misunderstood Gru's request for a Dart Gun.

Otherwise, the humor is pretty tame, with the bulk of it coming from the Minions and even though some of them are actually named and voiced by the directors,  Pierre Coffin voices Tim, Mark, Bob, Phil and Stuart; and Chris Renaud voices Dave, Billy and Larry (someone named Jemiane Clement is credited with voicing Kevin and Jerry), one minion pretty much looks like another minion as we learn in Orientation, a short included with the movie on the Blu Ray disc, all the minions are genetically related. The minions are sort of like adult children and it is their reaction and participation in the events of the film that much of the humor comes from. Depending on the task they are given, minions can be scared children or ninja like warriors. But they all seem to share a radical devotion to Gru and treat him like a father-figure/rock star (I’m sure Mick Jagger gets similar treatment when he’s at home.)

Minions hang on every word Gru says.

The film also has fun with the depths of Gru's villainy, which is tantamount to a wading pool. In the beginning of the film, we see him cheer up a little boy whose ice cream has fallen on the pavement, by making him a balloon animal. And then once the kid is all happy, Gru pops the balloon. Next, he uses a freeze ray to get to the front of the line at a coffee shop. He's a super villain but he uses evil in small ways and ultimately, we find out, has a heart of gold.

I don’t usually think much about the music in movies, unless it’s obviously important to the story (musicals, etc.), but I think Pharrell Williams’ songs really add to the film, especially Gru’s theme, “Despicable Me”, and “Fun, Fun, Fun” which accompanies the scenes at Funland. The music Williams and Heitor Pereira wrote for the actual soundtrack also adds some really nice touches throughout the film.

Having "Fun, Fun, Fun" at Funland.

I always think it’s hard to judge voice acting. I know it can be bad, but it’s hard to know when it’s good. Carell, Segel, Brand, et al all do good work, but with the exception of Carell, I really didn’t pick up on who was doing which part until I read the credits. Maybe that says something about me, or that the voices seemed to go really well with the characters so they weren’t noticeable. That is not to say Carell doesn’t do a good job. For an actor with a tendency to sometimes go too far, his Gru is just right.

I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone with children older than seven or anyone that just wants to have good time. I only hope that this isn’t a case of beginner’s luck. I haven’t seen the studio’s other offerings, Hop (2011) and Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax (2012), neither of which appealed to me, based on trailers and commercials that I saw. But I’m hoping to really enjoy Despicable Me 2 and have high hopes for Minions coming in 2014.