Eric Furiosa

#20 Creed Directed by Ryan Coogler "Time takes everybody out; time's undefeated" Box Office: $110M Domestic, $173.6M WW IMDB Summary: The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed. Why It's so Meaningful to Me: It's a little hard to write about my feelings for this movie. Not because its personal, but because much of what can be said about it I have already said about Rocky. The sense of perseverance, optimism, and a fight to be considered great is in this movie, and is done just as strong as its predecessor. So why exactly is it higher on my list? Well, a good part of that comes from its modern-day setting and filmmaking. Now I'm not one of those cynical movie fans that turn their nose up to older movies. If anything, I feel Rocky is superior to Creed in many elements. But being someone who's grown up with the more modern style of filmmaking that Ryan Coogler utilizes, it appealed to me more in my initial viewing. In fact, the themes of young vs. old is something that really does stand out in this movie, mainly due to my own interest in the theme itself. The generation gap really works in establishing the different worlds of Donnie and Creed, and it was interesting to see how this old dog and this pup are able to work together. And when the actual fights emerge, it has just as much grit and intensity, but thanks to updated technology, these fights seem more real and far more brutal. Again, no disrespect to the original, but that first viewing, seeing the blood on the ground and Rocky shouting out strategies and telling Donnie to just keep going? That really impacted me, and really made me appreciate the story and coolness of Rocky even more. I don't have much else to say, but that Creed excelled in taking the Rocky story and putting it in modern day, with a theme of generation gap to boot.

Well what I think could make it more successful than Warcraft is that its plot isn't based on any of the games. It's going to be its own thing, which is good storytelling-wise and possibly financial-wise.

I don't know if it's that bad. Audiences will have Lego Batman and Ninjago come out inbetween, so the wait won't feel as long as something like HTTYD.

Oh shoot, I meant a nomination. If my wording made it seem like I thought it would win, then my mistake. My frontrunner in that category is La La Land.

Then you add in Florence Foster Jenkins, which is guaranteed a Best Picture Comedy at the Golden Globes. It's funny, considering Paramount only had Big Short last year.

I'd assume the limited Christmas release is probably going to be given to Silence or Fences. Both of those seem like bigger Oscar contenders to me.

WB also moved Ben Affleck's movie to January.

The second I read this, I immediatley thought of this:

I don't get why RT put in a consensus after like 25 reviews. It took about 70 or so for Dory, but CI was given one after a couple of hours. Weird.

I thought Dory wasn't into guys.

#21 Rocky Directed by John G. Alvidsen "That bell rings, and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum in the neighborhood" Box Office: $117.2M Domestic, $225M Worldwide IMDB Summary: Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer, gets a supremely rare chance to fight the heavy-weight champion, Apollo Creed, in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect. Why It's so Meaningful to Me: In my opinion, my favorite story of all time is the rags to riches story. However, very rarely is a film a rags to riches story both in front of and behind the camera. The story of Rocky Balboa was so important to Sylvester Stallone that he himself refused to have any other actor portray his character except himself, despite the fact that he was a complete nobody in Hollywood. Hell, he only chose an acting career because he was homeless. He was forced with a limited budget and was kinda considered an afterthought in the minds of United Artists. But much like any great rags to riches story, Rocky has become one of the greatest films ever made. What makes this movie so universal in its appeal is its tone of grit and triumph. It definitely has a dark edge to it, with its slums, crime, and strong violence, but what really makes it work is that feeling of joy that Rocky feels in the climax. He's finally facing off against the champ, the greatest boxer there is. He's no longer just a bum on the street. He's a legend. In all honesty, what makes Rocky so wonderful to me is how he is the personification of the American Dream. He utilizes his talents, his perseverance, and his determination to get to where he is. He may not be the strongest, or the most popular, but his hard work and hope is what made him become the champ, even if he lost. Such hard work is what I both envy and strive for. Anytime I see Rocky, I just want to be better at what I'm currently doing. I want to write better, be smarter, be heathier, and just be a greater person. It's a wonderful picker-upper that tells you to always work hard and have a good sense of optimism and hope, and good things will happen to you, and that's something I'll always appreciate.

1. The Witch 2. Zootopia 3. The Nice Guys 4. Deadpool 5. Civil War 6. Jungle Book 7. Hail, Caesar! 8. X-Men: Apocalypse 9. Batman v Superman

Sausage Party?

Cars 3 I'm actually kinda interested in. It seems to be going away to the stupid spy shit, and if it's closer in tone and style to the first one, I'll probably enjoy it. Coco sounds excellent, though I'm biased towards my love for Mexican culture. Toy Story 4 I thought could've been good, but their proposed story idea sounds way too dumb. Incredibles 2 will be epic.

Oh c'mon, you don't want to hurt Baumer, do you?

Never say never, my boy. My girl Ellen will slay everything in its path. Just you wait.

And BvS

That's pretty solid for CI. Don't know how the NBA will impact it, but doing mid-30s against Dory's still impressive.

The cuteness levels are way too high!

#22 South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut Directed by Trey Parker "We must blame them and cause a fuss before someone thinks of blaming us." Box Office: $52M Domestic, $83.1M Worldwide IMDB Summary: When the four boys see an R-rated movie featuring Canadians Terrance & Phillip, they are pronounced "corrupted", and their parents pressure the United States to wage war against Canada. Why It's Meaningful to Me: Outside of being absolutely hilarious, what I love about this movie is because of the main driving force: Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Say what you will about some of their works, but no other duo in Hollywood is as clever, as smart, as daring, and most importantly, as funny. This movie, based off of a series that's entire premise involved lampooning and satirizing topics and current events in society, tackled censorship, soccer moms, scapegoating, homosexuality, and more in an 81-minute bonanza, filled with hilarious joke after hilarious joke, and brilliant social commentary as portrayed through their horrific, yet oddly endearing characters, and brilliant songs. But again, the true stars here are Trey & Matt. As stated before, I love this duo, but what really makes them such incredible figures in the entertainment industry is their own self-expression, that being "I don't care what you think". These guys don't have interest in sponsorships, or appealing to a certain crowd, or trying not to offend anyone. They just make whatever they feel is funny, and whatever they feel is right to say. They are no holds barred, and will tackle any and all groups, topics, and issues without a care in the world. Such bravery and independence, straying far away from being bought out or thinking about other people's feelings, is something that many artists could never do, and even some satirists likely couldn't do, at least not of the same wit and talent as these gentlemen. Of course, Trey & Matt are better known for their work in television and theater, and both are exceptional in many ways, but I feel Bigger, Longer, & Uncut could be their magnum opus. All of their talents, from songwriting, to comedy, to political satire, is all here and all done flawlessly. Songs like "Blame Canada" and "Kyle's Mom's a Bitch" are insanely catchy, almost every character from the show is given their time to shine, and the celebrity cameos are just perfect. Parker and Stone are two of my personal heroes, and where they shine best is a movie that has Satan and Saddam Hussein as a couple.