year in review 2016: films and tv

[wishfulclicking]

Movies

First film watched: Fresh Dressed - a documentary on fashion and hip hop. It was at its best when it so focused on the early 80s and the rise of hip hop, the prominence of diy fashion, and the boom of the 90s. Something was lost as it went to the more recent times and interviews.

Last Film watched: Kubo and the Two Strings - animated film that is really good looking visually, but for all the praise it got from a lot of areas, disappointed me narratively. I have to mention the voice cast and how it it was disappointing the justification the studio had. My favorite scenes were the music origami scenes, very creative and fun to watch.

Favorite Films - Moonlight, Other People, Paris is Burning, Begin Again, Zero Motivation

Favorite Performances - All three leads in Moonlight, Molly Shannon in Other People, the two leads in Zero Motivation, Kate Beckinsale in Love & Friendship, Hail Caesar! cast, Benicio del Toro in Sicario, Emily Blunt in Sicario (but the writing…), Brie Larson in Room (she was excellent in Short Term 12 as well), Janelle Monae in Moonlight, Andre Holland in Moonlight (that smoking scene, the diner), Saoirsie Ronan and Emory Cohen in Brooklyn (so much chemistry!), Keira Knightley in Begin Again, Mark Ruffalo in Begin Again

Unfortunately none could hit the highs of Eddie Redmayne in Jupiter Ascending, but props to Colin Farrell and Jessica Chastain in Miss Julie for making me feel the same shade of confusion.

Props to Refn for making The Neon Demon which is visually striking, yet so empty at its core that I half wonder if it's intentional. Also, it would probably be vastly improved if stripped from all dialogue.

TV

This is the year where I really fell off watching regular television on a schedule. Meaning: I have consumed all of Stranger Things, Black Mirror, Bojack Horseman, Fleabag, Crashing, and other shows but all via streaming and in binge mode. Besides the DC crossover, I have stopped following Supergirl and The Flash (started the Flashpoint stuff, and missed some episodes), but I do plan to catch up.

Shows I have suspended for now: New Girl which doesn’t seem like it has dropped in quality but it seems to be in a holding pattern that I don’t find that interesting. I never thought the Nick/Jess pairing was the albatross others have, but neither do I think they are required for the show to be great. What I don’t like is this purgatory where Jess is so hung up on Nick for so long, and neither of the current love interests seem to have any chance of permanence.

Shows I want to check out: Pitch, Killjoys, Speechless

Comments

[eggcrack]

Paris Is Burning! I loved that movie so much. It was so full of interesting, fascinating people.

[wishfulclicking]

Paris is Burning is a film that I had heard a lot and was on so many lists but it took netflix showing that the film was soon leaving my streaming queue to make me really push to watch it and I am so glad that I did. There were so many interesting people and so many good quotes and shots. It's tells so much in so many layers.