Well, this has certainly been a crazy month as there so much that happened. In late June, there was plans to bring in the daughter of a family friend to stay with me and my parents for a few days but something bad happened forcing her brother and his girlfriend to stay with us for more than a week. It was very chaotic but I was surprised at how calm I was through the whole ordeal. Then weeks later, another major change came from the assholes at AT&T and DirectTV which I knew wasn’t a good idea. It had been a year since we changed satellite/cable providers but I had been suspicious about DirectTV and my suspicions definitely got confirmed. Once again, we had to change cable/telephone/internet providers with Spectrum but I’m still unsure if it’s a good idea. It’s too early to tell about the service as I was forced to make changes into everything I wanted to see though I’m fortunate that I was able to get one of my Blind Spots available on DVD through the local library and three of them are going to be on TV in the coming months.
In the month of July, I saw a total of 35 films in 24 first-timers and 11 re-watches. Down from last month but it was still really good considering the fact that I saw more films this month in the theaters than I did in recent years. One of the highlights this month is definitely my Blind Spot assignment in Rio Bravo. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for July 2017:
1. Dunkirk
2. The Beguiled
3. Stalag 17
4. The Big Short
5. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
6. Dirty Harry
7. Baby Driver
8. 99 Homes
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming
10. 20th Century Women
Monthly Mini-Reviews
Bad Moms
This was actually a nice surprise as it is definitely a very funny film as it revolves Mila Kunis whose husband has left her as she deals with work, taking care of two kids, and living up to all of the things at the PTA. She vents out by hanging out with two other stressed out moms as all hell breaks loose where it is just bonkers from start to finish. Add a cool Martha Stewart cameo, some fucked up moments, and all sorts of shit. You got a recipe for a funny movie that my mother really fucking loves.
Horns
This was a weird late night movie that I watched yet it was a pretty cool film. Daniel Radcliffe plays a young man who has been accused of killing his girlfriend as he later gets horns growing in his head as he tries to find her killer. It’s a very strange thriller with some very offbeat characters and situations as it has Radcliffe in a great performance as he displays some humility and grit while also being kind of a badass. It’s a fun film that blends horror, suspense, and dark comedy.
Descendants 2
I’ve only seen bits of the first film from the Disney Channel as I know what it’s about. The sequel is actually pretty good since it revolves the children of famed Disney villains who not only adjust to living in a kingdom ruled by the son of Beast from Beauty and the Beast but also the pressure for Maleficent’s daughter Mal to be his girlfriend. The performances of Dove Cameron as Mal as well as Sofia Carson as Evie (the daughter of the evil queen from Snow White), and China Anne McClain as Uma (daughter of Ursula of The Little Mermaid) are definitely the standouts with McClain being the antagonist. It also include some nice musical numbers and moments that actually appeal to more than just the teen audience as it’s got some substance that showcases the idea of growing pains and being true to yourself as I recommend for kids.
Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy
From HBO is a documentary about Diana, Princess of Wales as it’s told by her sons who finally share their own experiences with their late mother. Along with Sir Elton John, her brother Earl, and other close friends, the film showcases not just aspects of Diana’s life but also the role she played as the Princess of Wales in which she used it as something meaningful by reaching out to the people as well as take causes involving the homeless, those with AIDS, and landmines. That willingness to help people is something her sons have continued to do in their role as royals as it’s something they hope to do and pass down toward their children.
Passengers
I like sci-fi films when they’re done right and have a unique premise as this is a film that could’ve worked in its study of isolation in space. Instead, it’s just a by-the-numbers sci-fi thriller with some drama. While Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen, and Laurence Fishburne give fine performances, they’re not given any strong material to work with while there is also that sense of morality into what Pratt has done to Lawrence that is just creepy and wrong. For all of its grand visuals, it’s just a total letdown of a film.
Top 10 Re-Watches:
1. Love & Mercy
2. Iron Man
3. About a Boy
4. Maradona ‘86
5. Sudden Impact
6. Bachelor Party
7. The Golden Child
8. Role Models
9. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
10. The Dead Pool
That is it for July. Next month, I hope to see theatrical releases like Detroit and Lucky Logan while I would spend much of time watching different films from new DVR list as one of them will be the long version of Wim Wender’s Until the End of the World which I had considered to have as a Blind Spot for next year but decided to watch it immediately. I’m also thinking of reviewing a few films I’ve recently purchased at the Barnes & Noble Criterion DVD sale. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off.
© thevoid99 2017
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