#also tom hardy did a stellar job so no surprise there

[nighttimepixels]

i don’t normally make posts like this, but for the sake of my fellow monster-lovers, i feel it’s my civic duty:

Venom was a fantastic movie, holy hell, go see it & don’t believe the bad critic reviews.

long story short & no spoilers, but this absolutely turned out to be one of those cases where the bad reviews are largely coming from the point of fanboys being mad that the interpretation wasn’t a gritty grim dark bloody angst fest (which, one, the movie’s PG-13 so no duh it wasn’t going to be extremely gorey, and two, if you watch the trailers it really gives you the vibe of the movie very accurately).

seriously, if you like monsters, if you like shenanigans where monsters and humans figure out how to.... operate together, if you like hilarious amounts of sass and excellent comedic timing from Tom Freaking Hardy, then go see this movie.

[getseriouser]

20 THOUGHTS: Everybody was kung-fu fighting

TWO weeks to go, we’re almost there, and it’s probably a race in three.

Top of the ladder Adelaide, second-place by a game and half, the GWS, and the bolter from the zip-six start in Sydney – it will be a hard task for any of the others in the mix to overcome at least two of those three in the one September campaign.

Mind you, 11 months ago a team from seventh did topple both reigning Grand Finalists in eight days, so buckle up, there’s most likely more surprises on the way.

 1.    Firstly let’s acknowledge Stevie J from last week then Bob and Gibbo from yesterday. One will go down as one of the most mecurial, successful and likeable small forwards the modern game has seen. Another, a 300-game player, the heart and soul of the Bulldog breed, an All-Australian captain. The other won two best and fairests in premiership years, a three-time premiership backman who was essential to the Hawks dynasty. Three mega careers, and the Retirement Class of 2017 just continues to mesmerise.

 2.    Then let’s get the MRP out of the way, it’s become such a fixture of weekly discussion and controversy. Greene, hmm, is it a week? Jarrod Waite does that all the time. There isn’t technically a rule for it, perhaps there should be. Then again, when Anthony Rocca tackled Bob Murphy, aggressively but not unfairly in 2006, and Bob did his knee sadly, would that come under scrutiny in these days? You couldn’t be 100% sure it wouldn’t, and that’s a concern in itself.

 3.    Impact and outcome are too closely linked, bad record and early pleas are doing too much damage. Players would challenge some of these, and should feel like they could. The penalty for doing so and losing should not equate to exactly a week extra, maybe it comes into the deliberations of the tribunal if you challenge but lose. Half the MRP issues would be solved if players could feel safe challenging their rulings. The plea bargaining is muddying the waters.

 4.    Back to the footy, need to acknowledge the demolition Saturday afternoon up in Sydney. The Swans would be outright favourites for the flag if they could sneak into a double chance. They are the most in form side in the competition, winning 12 of their last 14. The Crows comparatively have won nine of their last 12, the Giants, only four of the last nine. It’s been a stellar coaching job to recover from 0-6, credit to Horse Longmire but also to Stewart Dew, who is clearly a senior coach in waiting.

 5.    And given how things are panning out, it looks ever more likely that the Giants and Swans would be projected to meet in the Preliminary Final. AFL House would love that. Whilst a Grand Final would be that extra bit special, it would be played down in Melbourne and that would take ever so slightly some of the gloss off. But a huge prime time Grand Final decider up in Sydney, right in the heart of Rugby League finals, a finals campaign which will feature prominent games in Queensland and Melbourne, would be almost as good a result the game could ask for.

 6.    If there’s a long range Norm Smith book open somewhere, you could do a lot worse than throwing some loose change on anyone named Crouch. These two sticking together will attract success for years to come. Brad, 23, averaging 27 touches a game, he is 12th in the league for tackles averaging seven a game, and 15th in the comp for stoppage clearances. His brother Matt, 22, is averaging 32 touches, is third in the competition for disposals and effective disposals, sixth for contested possessions and ninth for stoppage clearances.

 7.    Such is their dominance but crucially their contribution to the Crows’ season, both Brad and Matt at Adelaide are first and third at the club for disposals, third and fifth for tackles, third and first for contested possessions, third and second for effective disposals. These are the sorts of players that win Norm Smiths, leading their teams to Premierships. Two great careers still in the early days here.

 8.    Big occasion down Sleepy Hollow last Saturday and it was a bit of a fizzer. The Tigers got wind I gave them a rare pat on the back and played accordingly. They brought nothing to the table really and Geelong gets away with another good four points, but gee, a more spirited Richmond would have tested the hosts a hell of a lot more. Shame. So the Tigers still have their question marks, and the Cats are still not ‘that’ good, please don’t be sucked in.

 9.    The Dogs didn’t give too much last Friday night, especially in the second half and it’s a shame. Tom Liberatore’s performance was a bit reflective of the team’s, a bit listless for effort and want, and whilst you back the reigning premier to be much better side next year, for the son of Tony you wonder where he is at. Needs a big pre-season. Or a new club.

 10.  But on the Dogs, let’s not forget that at this time last year, they were nursing themselves into a finals spot, itching for the pre-finals week off, with iffy form and an injury list to work through. That bye can do wonders for someone this year. Without that bye last year the Dogs probably don’t salute, they don’t get that reset, the refresh they desperately needed.

 11.  Another quick one for those gambling types, we do hope you chucked something responsibly on Josh Kennedy a fortnight or so ago when he was over $5 for the Coleman. Now with the clubhouse lead, by one over Joe Daniher, with two rounds to go, he has eased into $1.70. Still, two tough-ish games for the Eagles to come, whereas the Bomber spearhead has two JLT quality fixtures to dine out on, so a good hedge on Daniher wouldn’t be the worst idea.

 12.  We loved the Melbourne-Angus Brayshaw story on Sunday. Firstly the recovery by the Demons when the Saints got within a kick, in front of a stellar home crowd, it was just mega positive for a side that has almost all the tools to have a sniff. Unfortunately, for mine, without a fit Jesse Hogan you put a line through them. But as for Brayshaw, 24 touches, three tackles, a massive influence in the win for his first hitout in the big time for some time, properly good to see.

 13.  The losers on the MCG Sunday afternoon, St Kilda, that’s it for them now. One of the Saints or Dees had September in their sights this year, in fact you felt both were up to it, but the former will fall short and rue lost opportunities. If anyone just needs to make Josh Kelly come home next year it’s the Saints, he could not be more what they need, in fact without him, or someone like him, you can’t see them challenging for that second flag with this group. With him, very much they could.

 14.  Back to the Dees quickly, Jack Watts, where is he at? Wasn’t missed on the weekend and in Hogan’s absence you’d think they will persist with Sam Wideman up forward. If Watts left Melbourne, who would want him? He is basically a shorter Josh Fraser. Not in the future Dees premiership team, doesn’t fit any other team really other maybe than the Suns going for broke

 15.  On the Gold Coast, Rocket Eade said on the weekend if he had known the rabble he would inherit he would not have taken the job in the first place. Oh my Mark Evans, have you got a challenge on your hands. Let’s call a spade a bloody shovel, if their next coach does not work out for the club on-field, then the club’s existence is on the chopping block, they can’t waste another three years. If the AFL had its way they’d make sure Evans got his short, premiership winning friend from down at Waverley to be the next coach, it’s that important.

 16.  As for the other coaching narrative from the week, the Ross Lyon-Collingwood-Brad Hardie yarn. So Hardie believes, with a whole bunch of third parties involved, that Lyon sounded out Collingwood to see if there’d be mutual interest for next year and on. Look, Hardie has copped it from both the Dockers and Magpies, but, where there is smoke there’s fire. To me, it sounds like the Pies have gone “well, we need a few different plans, one would be if we want to poach, who would be poachable, let’s find out from Clarkson’s manager and maybe Lyon’s manager too”. That’s good due diligence. Bucks might end up staying but the Pies if they do move on from him would want a big name for the clubs sake, the narrative, all that. What if via ‘third parties’ said Lyon was gettable, the Pies probably strongly consider it don’t they?

 17.  And as for weird off-field ideas, this column has mooted there may be, albiet perhaps not enough to manifest, interest from the Hogan camp to head back to Perth for a multitude of personal reasons. Would a three way deal work where the Dockers receive Hogan, send their first pick, around number five right now, and a player to Adelaide, who then send Jake Lever to Melbourne?

 18.  So some big games this weekend, but firstly, footy in Ballarat for the first time, interesting to see the Bulldogs head down this route. There’s some cash in it, much like the nest egg Launceston/Tasmania has been to the Hawthorn dynasty, but when Sunday saw over 50k for Melbourne-St Kilda, and that the Dogs got over 30k to a match featuring the Giants at Etihad, it would be nice to see these Melbourne sides really solidify their core base and ramp up from there, instead of the novelty cheque books elsewhere.

 19.  But the game itself will be a final for the nominal home team. They lose, especially if the Bombers get up in Queensland later in the day, will call curtains to their flag defence you’d reckon. 12 wins and a good percentage gets you in, and a loss to the Power means they won’t be able to reach that standard unless results go their way along with a thumping of the GWS the week after. But where there’s a will, there is a way.

 20.  Big, big Friday night. Sydney hasn’t made a habit of losing since Easter really, so a big test to take on the top of the ladder Crows at a venue they have only lost at once all year (Hawthorn in Round 14). Adelaide will be super tough to beat but if anyone can bring them down, it’s the hottest team in the land. Don’t. Be. Shocked.

(originally published August 16)

[daleisgreat]

Top 10 and Worst 5 Films of 2014 through 2016

I meant to do this last year, but completely neglected it. When I ran my old podcast, one episode a year, my friends Matt, Jay and I would host our annual best and worst movies of the year episode. We did three installments for films that hit in 2011-2013. The podcast is not around anymore so I have not done it since, but I still have been keeping Word documents on my computer with a list of all the movies I saw each year and constantly update my top 10 and worst 5 rankings of the year. I meant to post the best and worst of 2015 as a blog, but as I said it just slipped past me and I will make up for it now with a triple best and worst list for 2014 through 2016. I had a whole extra year to catch up on Netflix and VUDU on 2014 and 2015 releases I missed so I have seen about 20% more films than I did than 2016. So hopefully that will excuse any glaring omissions that did not make my rankings. That said, I am still feeling pretty good about my 2016 list and there were only a handful of films that slipped by me that I have not seen yet. Movies linked on the lists will take you to my review of the film if you want to see my expanded thoughts on the film. One last thing before the lists, I want to give a shoutout to one of my favorite film critics, Scott Sawitz! I have discussed movies, wrestling and a ton more with Scott for well over a decade and have had the pleasure of having him guest host on my aforementioned podcast several times. I have always been a fan of his reviews and weekly column, Monday Morning Critic, over at Inside Pulse. His latest column is his annual top 10 films of the year I always look forward to. Scott has a twist on his rankings this year because he has been putting a ton of work into his weekly YouTube series, Confessions of a Super-Hero, weekly bite-sized episodic viewing all about what super-heroes do in their off-duty downtime. If you have a moment, please check it out! Now, onto the lists! 2014 TOP 10 10) Wild 9) Nightcrawler 8) Gone Girl 7) Equalizer/John Wick 6) Imitation Game 5) Interstellar 4) Guardians of the Galaxy 3) Whiplash 2) Captain America: The Winter Soldier 1) Boyhood Best Documentary – Life Itself

The two comic book films on the list ranked high with Marvel having a stellar year. Guardians surprised me because the concept just seemed impossible to pull off in live action with an animated tree and talking raccoon, but somehow Marvel did it and it kicked all kinds of ass. Winter Soldier was an awesome modern day follow up to The First Avenger. I seem to be in the minority of people when discussing Interstellar, and while I would rank it a notch or two under other non-Batman Christopher Nolan classics like Inception, I still very much enjoyed it that it made it into the midst of my top 10. Life Itself is an excellent documentary all about Roger Ebert in his final days as it documents his and Gene Siskel’s breakout rise as the go to film critics of the nation. Wild hit all the right nerves for me on Cheryl Strayed’s arduous journey of self-discovery. Nightcrawler shocked me at the lengths Gyllenhaal went to get the ultimate creep-o look down and his convincing transition from wannabe ripoff artist to the quintessential conman. I was expecting Equalizer to be a by-the-numbers action flick, but Denzel Washington proved me wrong by adding on many layers to it, and it is bizarre how John Wick came out within weeks of it and both were nearly identical plots, but both delivered in their own unique way. John Wick also gets my dubious award for best ever Kevin Nash cameo. Finally, props to Richard Linklater for delivering on his film that was literally 12 years in the making with Boyhood. Linklater is a risk taker with his ambitious projects, and he knocked another one out of the park with Boyhood getting my vote as best film of 2014. 2014 WORST 5 5) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4) Tekken 2 3) Pro-Wrestling Zombies 2) Amazing Spider-Man 2 1) Transformers: Rise of the Fallen 2014 saw many terrible films, I actually had nearly 10 films as being ‘worst 5-calibur’ material. The TMNT remake had a few bright spots and scene-saving moments from Will Arnett, but he alone could not save a film with so many gut-wrenching jokes and awful retconning of the TMNT lore I grew up with. I actually dug the first Tekken film as a kind of solid nonsense fighting tournament movie that was kind of faithful to the source material ala Mortal Kombat, but the sequel was this awful attempt at a mafia-crime-mystery-drama that failed on all levels. Pro-Wrestling Zombies was a very low budget zombie slashing film starring Matt Hardy, Jim Duggan and Roddy Piper, but with these wrestling legends it was not even enjoyable in an ironic way like most zombie films, and was just flatout bad. Amazing Spider-Man 2 shocked me because I legitimately enjoyed the reboot, and thought this would be another easy follow up with most of the same cast and crew returning. However, Spider-Man and Electro both cast painful jokes and banter throughout that did not exist in the prior film, and there were countless groan inducing moments. The latest Transformers film outdid the straight-up bad humor and moments throughout the entire wreck of a film. Michael Bay somehow found a way to make it a nearly insurmountable task to get through. 2015 Top 10 10) Southpaw 9) Ant Man 8) The Martian 7) End of the Tour 6) Mad Max: Fury Road 5) Revenant 4) Creed 3) Steve Jobs 2) Spotlight 1) Hateful Eight Best Documentary – Tie: Electric Boogaloo & Winning: Racing Life of Paul Newman

Yeah, I like my feel good boxing/sports films as Jake Gyllenhaal shined again this year in Southpaw and Creed surpassed my expectations with its contemporary take on the Rocky franchise. While the lighthearted moments from Damon seemed a little forced, I still very much dug his Mars survival story, but not as much I got immersed into Dicaprio’s and Tom Hardy’s intense wilderness survival adventure that is The Revenant. Fury Road marked the first Mad Max movie I saw and the bombastic costumes initially had me raising an eyebrow, but once the heavy metal guitar semi-truck graced the screen in its infinite glory I instantly went on board with the film and never got off. I recently reviewed Steve Jobs, and if you recall I absolutely loved its use of creative license to tell a nonstop dialogue juggernaut of three big moments in Jobs’ life. Spotlight is the perfect way to tell a slow building mystery film where investigative journalists gradually picked away at their biggest scoop ever. Finally, I am biased towards Quentin Tarantino as I view the man as being one of the absolute best at dialogue in films, and he delivered once again with countless another excellent script and scenes that stole the show in The Hateful Eight. The setting worked perfectly and I was on my toes waiting to see which one of the eight was going to make the first move in a powdered keg filled with characters ready to burst. 2015 Worst 5 5) Fantastic Four 4) Jupiter Ascending 3) Chappie 2) Ted 2 1) Pixels

I was surprised at how bad Jupiter Ascending turned out to be, and did not expect Channing Tatum to be the only decent part of that film. After the dud that was Sucker Punch and now Jupiter Ascending, I am cutting myself off from all future Wachowski-directed films. I am a fan of District 9 and its director Neil Blomkamp and felt burned by his latest film, the insufferable Chappie in numerous ways. I was anticipating bad things from both Fantastic Four or Pixels, but part of me forced myself to go to see how awful they ultimately were. Fantastic Four was mostly drawn out and dull, and had some very head-scratching moments throughout. I cannot remember the last Adam Sandler film I legitimately liked, does the first half of Funny People count? Any marginal hopes of a semi-decent film were squashed the second Kevin James popped up on screen as the dopey president of the USA. Practically the entire film was bad, but I will at least give it minor props for some pretty good use of the videogame CG in the film. 2016 Top 10 10) Purge: Election Year 9) Deadpool 8) Star Trek: Beyond 7) 13 Hours: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 6) Captain America: Civil War 5) Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice 4) Hacksaw Ridge 3) Sully 2) Fences 1) The Accountant Best Documentary – ESPN 30 for 30: The ’85 Bears

The last two Purge films have turned into guilty Halloween pleasures like the old Final Destination films. Election Year kept up the same gritty, over-the-top tone and pace as Anarchy Reigns before it. Deadpool surprised me at not being a dud, and far exceeded my expectations with tons of great jokes, dialogue, action and unapologetically aware 4th wall-breaking references throughout. It has been awhile since I got wrapped up in an intense R-rated war film, and 2016 had two of them with 13 Hours and Hacksaw Ridge that both get high recommendations from me. I am a wee bit of a Clint Eastwood fan, but I will give him and Tom Hanks righteous props on how they somehow made Sully’s heroic emergency plane landing into the Hudson River a thrilling feature length film. Some of you who saw the list are probably baffled at why I rank the controversial Dawn of Justice over the much-loved Civil War, but the two ranked so close together I just might change my answer if you ask me any day of the week. If I am splitting hairs I did not care for the shoehorned Spider-Man extended cameo, and his dialogue has me worried that Homecoming is going to be filled with an equal, if not worse script than Amazing Spider-Man 2. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis are sublime in Fences. The small, but mighty cast here delivered powerful performances, with Washington and Davis especially delivering in this dialogue-driven-tour-de-force about hard times for a family making ends meet in the 1950s. I did not know too much going into The Accountant other than it had what appeared to be a gimmick of an assassin with Autism. I could not have been more wrong as there is so much more going on with this film that it entertained me throughout its near two and a half hour runtime. Ben Affleck continues his streak of excellent performances, and I cannot wait to see how his upcoming solo version of The Batman turns out. Worst 5 2) Suicide Squad 1) Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

I have only seen two movies this year that qualify as “worst 5-caliber.” I could not get into Suicide Squad. The first third of the film played out like an extended trailer scored with worn out songs that I am use to only hearing off trailers. There were several WTF moments throughout, and add in the film felt compromised after audiences griped that Dawn of Justice was not lighthearted enough. DC/Warner Bros. responded by pasting in several post-production groan-worthy zingers that played more to the mainstream, but made me cringe. I am optimistic for the presumable sequel though, because I did dig Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie’s portrayal of fan favorite, Harley Quinn and I am even interested in what direction they take The Joker next. Halftime Walk usurped it as my worst film of the year however because of how unlikeable the cast is. About 20% of the film is war flashbacks that I actually liked, but the other 80% is the members of the military squad’s day being honored at a football game, and just being super dick-ish and incredibly un-empathetic throughout it. I know this is based off a book, but I do not know if something got lost in translation or if this was the desired vision of the film. Either way, it yields my worst of the year honors! Thanks for sticking with me rambling all this way, see you next year!