Eric the IF

#14 The Witch Directed by Robert Eggers "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?" Box Office: $25.1M Domestic, $40.3M WW IMDB Summary: A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession. Why it's so Meaningful to Me: Now this is probably the hardest movie to write about, not only because it came out this year and there are people that haven't seen it, so spoilers are a no-no, but because this is a film that is able to have many different interpretations depending on who you ask. In its message, some found it to be propaganda for Satanism, but what I got out of the film was that it was an attack on religious extremism, and sharing the dangers that it causes to people that follow that route. For those who don't know, The Witch follows a Puritan family in Massachusetts who are exiled from their hometown and are forced to have their barn be in a secluded forest, far from civilization. In that time, a supernatural force from Satan comes to lay down a terrible curse upon their farm, resulting in the family tearing each other apart, and accusations that the eldest daughter Thomasin, played wonderfully by Anya-Taylor Joy, who I'm sure will quickly become one of the best young actresses working today in a few years, is a witch. While there are so many admirable things about the film, such as its gorgeous cinematography, its phenomenal acting, and its well-developed script, I feel that what it really tackles best is its themes of religious extremism. While I myself am not a religious person, and consider myself a Christian in name only, I'm also well aware of its importance to many people, as it has defined history and helps in keeping many people happy and sane. But one problem that I have with all religions is extremism. Many people consider this film to be a promoter of Satanism, and while that element is found in the film, particularly in its ending, what really grabbed me to this film was its look at a family using their religion as a scapegoat and a way to blame one another. The father in particular goes especially cruel, willing to tear down the relationships he has with his children just to keep himself and his wife safe. And the reason why the father would do this is because of his affiliation with God. The only answer to any problem he has is to pray and believe that all of his actions is what God would want him to do. He refuses to believe in Thomasin's denial, which leads to the entire family going crazier and wilder, leading to a rather unique ending, which I won't spoil for those that have yet to see this feature. Seeing how the two parents interact with their world and their affiliation with Christianity very much reflects the religious fundamentalism and mass hysteria found in that time period, but oddly enough, it also translates into a rather timeless message. Nowadays, in a world of religious extremists that either take the word of what they follow to absolute extremes and the threats they cause in people's livelihood, whether it be acts of discrimination or flat-out terrorism, it seems fitting that a movie like this is released today, to tell us that we haven't improved from centuries ago, and we should do better in not letting our beliefs and deities cloud us from being respectful and wonderful people. It works even better, as it stigmatizes Christianity, a religion known for its preaching of love and kindness, and supports Satanism, an occult group that supports what is considered the root of all evil, showing how religious followers come in multiple spectrums for any conceivable religion one can think of. I'm not sure if this was Robert Eggers' intended moral or idea, but that's what I got out of it, and I'm thankful for Eggers' wonderful film, and I can't wait to see what his next film will be.

BFG DECREASED??!

Did Jr. like it?

You saw it too.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I don't know when I'll see it, but hopefully it doesn't disappear from theaters fast.

1. Passengers 2. Rogue One 3. Suicide Squad 4. Jason Bourne 5. Moana 6. Fantastic Beasts 7. Kubo 8. Beauty and the Beast 9. Billy Lynn 10. Sausage Party

I love the fact that my two closest theaters are less than 15 minutes away.

Let's just let him be. I don't think we need to continue this flame war.

Well CJohn isn't stanning for it. That means it's okay.

Pets is projected to make more in three days than BFG's entire run...I hate all of you.

RPO? That's debatable. But Indy 5? C'mon! That's 100% guaranteed to be above Raiders (although Crystal Skull numbers are currently debatable).

http://deadline.com/2016/07/star-trek-beyond-box-office-projection-ghostbusters-secret-life-of-pets-1201782223/

Well to be fair, you and your family live in China, so I doubt his movies were meant for you in the first place.

Unless it makes humongous headlines, which I kinda doubt, then no. Besides, there's still Regal and AMC.

Why are we saying the numbers for Tarzan are good? It's got a $180M budget, and this will be like a $25M opening.

More horrible than this?

Day 1 movie.

#15 Harry Potter Directed by Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and David Yates "There won't be a child in our world who doesn't know his name." Box Office: $2.39B Domestic, $7.723B Worldwide Why it's So Meaningful to Me: At a young age, everyone experiences their first attachment to a film franchise. The one where every subsequent film released fills them with great anticipation. For me, that would have to go to The Boy Who Lived. Admittedly, I didn't get super into the franchise until the movie version of Goblet of Fire rolled around, but from 2005 to 2011, Harry Potter was pretty much my life, similar to other kids my age growing up. I read the books cover to cover, I saw the first five movies on DVD multiple times, and the following three on TV multiple times, and each time I'm transported back to being a kid again, experiencing these well-written stories and interesting characters, watching as the films progress in their darkness and themes. Of course what makes this even more special was the appeal this series had towards my entire family. There are very few movies that everyone in my family gets equal enjoyment out of, but the Harry Potter series is definitely one of them. The films have been rewatched multiple times over the years in the household, and the excitement between all of us when the last two movies were coming was through the roof. We all pretty much caught Pottermania, and it still sticks with us, as pretty much any time one of the movies is passed by during a channel surf, at least one of us will sit down and watch it all the way through. But what's arguably the most important part of it all is that it kickstarted my love for fantasy and worldbuilding. The ideas of mythical creatures and unique sorcery were so fascinating and fun, which has helped me later fall in love with Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and How to Train Your Dragon, and it helps that the Wizarding World was so multi-layered and strongly developed. The ways of transportation, the structure of Hogwarts, the different blood purities, the political systems found in the Ministry of Magic, the creatures, the Quidditch matches, the towns; fucking everything! Rowling's unique universe is so well-developed, especially for a young adult series, as it takes the idea of fantasy, witchcraft, and wizardry to its full effect, all the while creating a fun, dramatic, and interesting story around it. So due to it being my first fanboy franchise, a wonderful thing for the family to bond over, and the reason why fantasy and worldbuilding kick so much ass for me, the Harry Potter franchise holds a special place in my movie-loving heart. And if you're wondering, yes, the whole family's beyond excited to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.