Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Michael Bay released his first feature-length film, Bad Boys, in 1994, bringing Martin Lawrence and Will Smith together for buddy-cop comedic gold. The trio returned again in 2003 for the unfavorable but hilarious Bad Boys II. Twenty-five years later, we find the pair back together again for the third installment… and it feels like they never left.
If I had time to see this movie before the end of 2019, my top movie list would look quite different. Most war films are a highlight reel; full of blood, glory, and noble sacrifice for the greater good. There’s even a love story or two involved to help ground the audience (not that we don’t already have enough doing that). 1917 isn’t a new tale being told by director Sam Mendes – an impossible-mission drama, like Dunkirk and Saving Private Ryan before it – but it was how the story is told that made all the difference.
2020 is now a full week in. The confetti and streamers have been cleaned up and we’ve all gotten adjusted to the new year and a new decade. The year where our patience finally pays off has arrived. The movies offered in 2020 have been some that we’ve waited to land on the movie screen for some time. Long awaited follow-ups to Bad Boys and Coming to America arrive while the Wyld Stallyns reunite in Bill & Ted Face the Music. It’s not all sequels and reboots though, we’re getting a new musical with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights coming to the big screen, courtesy of Crazy Rich Asians’ director Jon M. Chu. There’s a new slew of thrillers, horror films, colorful animated treats, action-adventures, and more. It’s never too early to get excited about movies so start marking these titles on your calendar.
What another year for movies! As we close out this year (and decade!), I wanted to take a look back and rank the films that captivated my mind, heart, and emotions. Like every year, this year’s list wasn’t how I thought it would turn out at the start of 2019. But that’s the wonderful surprises of the business.
Without any further ado, here we go!
9 movies. 42 years.
The Star Wars saga (affectionately known as The Skywalker Saga) was delighted audiences for generations. After the fan base dividing Last Jedi, the final chapter was approached with reservations by fans and critics. Despite this, the enduring story of the Skywalker Saga didn’t disappoint me once I sat down to board the Millennium Falcon for one last adventure.
Netflix changed the game of television programming with its original programming with shows like House of Cards and Orange Is The New Black. Last year, Netflix changed the game again, this time with original films, with the Oscar-nominated, slice of life film Roma. Those who thought the Alfonso Cuaron film was a one-off film for Netflix entering the awards game, you were wrong as Marriage Story aims to devastate your heart.
When it comes to murder mysteries, I haven’t run into many that I’ve overall liked in the last few years, most falling into the category of one and done viewings. Thank God for Rian Johnson using his writing and directorial talents to Knives Out, a silly, stabby, brilliant whodunit.
I think we can all agree that Nazis are bad, right? In this world where ignorance still lives in the dark corners of today’s world, we all seek moments of positivity to shine through. Light, laughter, and love helps us get through those times when hate enters the scene. The genre of Holocaust and World War II humor has been largely, and thankfully, sparse.
Taika Waititi takes a huge swing with Jojo Rabbit – a bold piece of Third Reich playfulness that shouldn’t have worked as well as it did; especially since it’s about a boy whose imaginary friend is Hitler. I’m here to say that the swing paid off.
Comedy is a genre that needs to evolve with the times. What was funny in one generation might not be in the next. Funny men of yesterday struggle to stay current and fade out. But every once in a while, some make a return that you’ve been waiting to celebrate.
Eddie Murphy has done just that.
As a comic book and movie fan, I enjoy when source material is stretched; attacked from different angles to give a fresh perspective on a story. Upon hearing that a super-villain would be getting his own film, I was intrigued. Especially considering he is one of the most iconic villains and fictional characters ever created.
Unfortunately, Joker is anything but a laughing matter.
