Best & Worst Movies of 2017 (So Far)

Believe it or not, we've passed the halfway point of 2017! Next thing you know it will be 2018 already! Now, last year I cobbled together the Summer 2016 Movie Season In Review to enlighten viewers on five fantastic films they may have missed out on in addition to five stinkers they should stay away from. This year I decided to share my personal ranking of all this year's releases thus far because towards the latter end of the year I suspect these films may not retain their position. I'll include a short blurb justifying each film's position on the respective list but you can visit my full reviews for all of these by clicking the blue hyperlinks with the titles. Keep in mind though that this is my personal ranking and I'm only qualifying the films I've seen this year so if one of your favorite/least favorite flicks didn't make either list, then I may not have ever seen it or I simply didn't like/dislike it as much as you did. Regardless of whether you agree with my opinion or not, I hope you at least enjoy reading my perspective of this year in cinema so far.

Worst Of 2017 (So Far)

Dis-Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical order): The Belko Experiment and The Great Wall.

5. The Fate of the Furious

I'm sure this will be my most controversial pick on either of my lists but The Fate of the Furious is absolutely idiotic. The only Fast & Furious movies I've truly enjoyed are 5-7, which launched the franchise in a completely different direction. However, F8 tests the limit of that mileage to an absurd degree. There are no longer stakes, the action's senseless, and there's simply no more creative fuel left over in the franchise's tank. 

4. The Mummy (2017)

The Mummy is an example of how not to establish a cinematic universe. The Mummy simply gets too wrapped up building a world for these monsters to thrive in that the stand-alone story decays as a consequence.

3. Transformers: The Last Knight

Transformers: The Last Knight didn't disappoint me per se but it didn't redeem the franchise either. The Last Knight just meanders about for two and half hours with very few redeeming qualities. It's just a lot of visual noise with zero substance underneath.

2. A Cure for Wellness

A Cure For Wellness was deeply disturbing and featured some of the most unsettling scenes I've seen in the cinema all year. It was entirely off-kilter but in the worst ways imaginable. So it comes as no surprise that the film delivers on the title's promise, sickening from start to finish. 

1. The Circle

The Circle was the closest I got to bestowing a grade of an "F" this year because it was a sophomoric slog. I know that the captivating concept and accomplished actors make it seem promising but whatever you do, don't circle around for this one because it's an utter waste of time.

Best Of 2017 (So Far)

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical order): Alien: Covenant, Beauty and the Beast (2017), Get Out, John Wick: Chapter 2, and The LEGO Batman Movie.

5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

I understand I'm of the unpopular opinion that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is better than the first but I think everyone can agree that it was a fun time and I had a blast all three times I went to the theater. I enjoyed getting to galavant across space with these miscreants and really getting to the core of what makes each character tick while often laughing hysterically.  

4. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming marks the third time Sony's attempted to launch a Spider-Man franchise following Raimi's trilogy and the two Amazing Spider-Man movies directed by Mark Webb. What makes Homecoming interesting though is how expertly it captures the character while swinging in a different direction by placing Spidey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Homecoming feels like the perfect portrayal of Spider-Man and is easily the most entertaining incarnation of the web-head since Spider-Man 2.

3. Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman not only was a change of pace for the DCEU but a landmark shift for female lead superhero movies. Wonder Woman remains invigorating, visceral, and intense in the heightened moments of WW1 action while reserving time for worthwhile character development and story progression. I've watched Wonder Woman five times now and am continually blown away. 

2. Logan

Logan is the first superhero movie that I whole-heartingly believe deserves to be in the conversation for Oscar gold. In fact, it's my favorite comic book movie to date! Not only was Logan a sensational and sentimental send-off to Hugh Jackman but a fantastic film in its own right that definitely deserves the acclaim.

1. Baby Driver

It was a huge toss-up between the No. 1 and 2 slots on this list considering Logan and Baby Driver were the only films this year I've honored with the distinction of my "A+" rating. Ultimately, I had more fun with Baby Driver though thanks to a varied soundtrack full of rockin' tunes, outrageously entertaining action sequences, and charismatic characters. The love and care that Edgar Wright poured into Baby Driver really shows and I'd say it's an excellent example of meticulous masterclass filmmaking. 

Throwback Thursday Review: 'The Mummy' (1999)

Sorry for the delay due to a multitude of things but I'm reviewing The Mummy (1999) to tie in with the release of the reboot The Mummy (2017) that will establish a new shared cinematic universe, the Dark Universe. Later this week, I'll cross the finish line on Cars reviews with a Throwback Thursday Review of Cars 2 and a review of Cars 3. Other reviews you can expect for the remainder of June include Throwback Thursday Reviews over Transformers: Age of Extinction and Despicable Me 2 in addition to new reviews over Transformers: The Last Knight, Baby Driver, and Despicable Me 3.

'The Mummy' (1999) Review

Nominated For: Best Sound.

The Mummy accompanies a 1925 expedition of explorers intent on finding unparalleled relics in the Sahara Desert. The team encounters an ancient tomb in the midst of their journey and accidentally free Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian priest condemned to a eternity as one of the undead. The band of adventurers then must find a way to imprison the primal threat or risk the end of the world as they know it. 

This 1999 rendition of The Mummy was the third cinematic iteration of the mythic monster and probably the version modern audiences would be liable to recognize and champion. Stephen Sommers wrote and directed the reboot, instilling elements commonly found in action-adventure epics to fashion a film in the style of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Mummy actually owes a lot to Raiders since that film and the subsequent adventures of Indiana Jones paved the way for even more action-adventure blockbusters in Hollywood.

Sommers ensures The Mummy bolsters an adventurous spirit well throughout its two hour runtime by arranging entertaining action sequences while ingraining amusing one-liners and plucky adventurers into the script. Sommers received story assistance from Lloyd Fonvielle and Kevin Jarre and the trio piece together a rather riveting tale. Jerry Goldsmith also arranged eerie ancient Egyptian-esque compositions that serve as ideal accompaniment for the ongoing events.

The area I feel The Mummy deteriorated most though is definitely the effects arena. The undead Imhotep looks as though he were pulled straight out of an archaic video game and doesn't mesh well with his surroundings. While I don't expect every film's special effects to stand the test of time, several examples of even older films with timeless effects come to mind (Star Wars and Alien to name just two).

In spite of this, The Mummy is anchored by an electric ensemble. Brendan Fraser demonstrates the required roguish charm of a leading man as Rick O'Connell while Rachel Weisz's Evelyn Carnahan is a cut above the average damsel thanks to her spunk and tenacity. The two make a sufficient romantic pairing for the feature with some charged chemistry. John Hannah plays the comedic sidekick Johnathan Carnahan with all the goofiness he can muster and Kevin J. O'Connor fills out the cast as the contemptible coward Beni Gabor.

Last but not least, Arnold Vosloo fills the shoes of the evil Imhotep. Vosloo projects a serious demeanor and slight menace but comes across as cartoonish in some instances thanks to the effects and the writing. Imhotep's motivations are expressed but his character still winds up feeling one-note when it's all said-and-done.

In summary, The Mummy takes the time to wrap up everything needed for a quality adventure flick; action, romance, mysticism, and humor. The Mummy may not be on the level of Indiana Jones but it's an admirable outing nonetheless. 

Film Assessment: B-

'The Mummy' (2017) Review

The Mummy follows reconnaissance officer Sergeant Nick Morton and his partner Chris Vail as they galavant across the Middle East looting any antiquities they can find to sell on the blackmarket. In the midst an Iraqi firefight, Nick and Vail unintentionally discover the tomb of an Egyptian princess. Reinforcements soon arrive along with anthropologist Jenny Halsey, who wants to explore the crypt and retrieve any interesting artifacts the team may come across. The group stumbles upon the sarcophagus of Ahmanet and upon extraction accidentally unleash an ancient evil.

The Mummy is yet another attempt to launch a shared cinematic universe following the footsteps of Marvel Studios' startling success. Other ongoing efforts include Warner Bros.' DCEU and Legendary's Monsterverse (Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island). Anyways, Universal Studios intends to dust off their library of classic creature movies and reboot each character to revitalize one of the very first shared cinematic universes around, Universal's classic monster universe. Their proposed rejuvenated world is being dubbed the Dark Universe and Universal intends to fill it with iconic monsters including the likes of Dracula, Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Phantom of the Opera, and the Invisible Man to name a handful.

I believe Dracula Untold was originally intended to be the foundation of this universe, but after that film flopped the burden shifted to The Mummy. Naturally, Universal quickly went to work assembling as many A-list actors for their franchise as possible, recruiting the likes of Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Johnny Depp, and Javier Bardem. Therefore, Universal has a lot riding on The Mummy if they want to actually get this universe off the ground in one piece.

Alex Kurtzman helms the monster movie as his second feature length film and the end result is an unfocused, tonally inconsistent film. On one hand, Kurtzman deserves praise for successfully piecing together some cool action sequences in his first big budget affair. It's well known that Tom Cruise is one of the most dedicated action stars around today, always insistent on performing the most outrageous stunts and the insane set piece this time around is a plane crash that was actually filmed in Zero-G. However, Kurtzman doesn't really allow for these stunts to appear as though they were actually filmed in-camera. The way cinematographer Ben Seresin shoots the action and editors Andrew Mondshein and Gina & Paul Hirsch splice things together doesn't provide Cruise the guise of authenticity he's offered by his Mission: Impossible antics. 

For example, in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol it is quite apparent that Cruise is a lunatic for actually dangling off the side of the world's tallest building. You can feel the sense of unease because Brad Bird allowed for longer takes and fewer cuts. The Zero-G sequence on the other hand, looks as though it were edited by a spastic five year old. 

Accomplished technical elements that are scattered throughout The Mummy include an exceptional union of visual effects, costuming, and hair and makeup utilized to fabricate Ahmanet's aesthetic. The technical crew managed to grant Ahmanet an unsettling, commanding appearance that works exceptionally well for the purposes of the film. Elsewhere, the surrounding vfx felt hastily made with a rough unfinished look (even though they're light years ahead of the 1999 version) and the score from Brian Tyler was forgettable to say the least. 

Where The Mummy fails most however is in prioritizing world-building over quality stand alone storytelling. The script simply had too many writers working on it with credits to a screen story developed by Jon Spaihts, Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet and screenplay credits for David Koepp, Christopher McQuarrie, and Dylan Kussman respectively. The screenwriting team were well intentioned in trying to incorporate elements of the overarching Dark Universe in The Mummy but it simply compromises the standalone nature of the story.

Imagine if Iron Man had been bogged down by constantly informing viewers other superheroes existed instead of telling a dedicated origin story for Tony Stark and simply teasing the viewer with the possibility of The Avengers in its infamous post credits stinger. The Mummy spends way too much time with needless exposition, much of which is repeated multiple times over the course of the one hour fifty minute runtime. If the overabundant exposition doesn't freak you out, then get ready for painfully unfunny one-liners and weak characters you aren't liable to care about.

Tom Cruise commands attention from the get-go as Nick Morton, throwing himself into the mix as he would in any Mission: Impossible installment. It's exceptionally rare that Cruise doesn't deliver a dedicated performance and thankfully that's not the case here. If anything, Cruise is held back by limits the screenplay places around his character. Annabelle Wallis' Jenny Halsey is unfortunately relegated to the confines of being the damsel-in-distress and spouting out anthropologist jargon but she makes a decent love interest with what she's provided.

And it is with a heavy heart that I declare Jake Johnson's Vail character to be the most annoying sidekick imaginable. Johnson was one of my favorite parts of Jurassic World so seeing him be written as an obnoxious obstacle here was incredibly disheartening and I hope to see him bounce back.

Sofia Boutella strides forward as Ahmanet and showcases an unwieldy creepiness, that's only amplified and accentuated by her undead army. Boutella brings out the most with what she's given but is portrayed with an over sexualized characterization that simply wasn't necessary. Rounding out the cast, Russell Crowe plays an enigmatic genius and entrepreneur heading up a shadowy society and is definitely the Nick Fury of this franchise (I won't reveal exactly who he's playing in case you haven't heard).

In my mind there's no question about it, this weekend you should definitely check out Wonder Woman if you haven't already or watch it again rather than digging up this mediocre monster movie. If you're dying to get wrapped up in watching The Mummy, then I'd advise not paying any more than matinee ticket price.

To wrap things up, The Mummy had plenty of potential to be an interesting standalone feature but it sacrificed that goodwill to establish future Dark Universe entries. Perhaps The Mummy would have been better left buried, but I'm admittedly intrigued by everything the Dark Universe has to offer.

Film Assessment: D+