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grigori77 · 3 years ago

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Summer 2021′s Movies - My Top Ten Favourite Films (Part 2)

The Top Ten:

10. WEREWOLVES WITHIN – definitely one of the year’s biggest cinematic surprises so far, this darkly comic supernatural murder mystery from indie horror director Josh Ruben (Scare Me) is based on a video game, but you’d never know it – this bears so little resemblance to the original Ubisoft title that it’s a wonder anyone even bothered to make the connection, but even so, this is now notable for officially being the highest rated video game adaptation in Rotten Tomatoes history, with a Certified Fresh rating of 86%. Certainly it deserves that distinction, but there’s so much more to the film – this is an absolute blood-splattered joy, the title telling you everything you need to know about the story but belying the film’s pure, quirky genius. Veep’s Sam Richardson is forest ranger Finn Wheeler, a gentle and socially awkward soul who arrives at his new post in the remote small town of Beaverton to discover the few, uniformly weird residents are divided over the oil pipeline proposition of forceful and abrasive businessman Sam Parker (The Hunt’s Wayne Duvall). As he tries to fit in and find his feet, investigating the disappearance of a local dog while bonding with local mail carrier Cecily Moore (Other Space and This Is Us’ Milana Vayntrub), the discovery of a horribly mutilated human body leads to a standoff between the townsfolk and an enforced lockdown in the town’s ramshackle hotel as they try to work out who amongst them is the “werewolf” they suspect is responsible. This is frequently hilarious, the offbeat script from appropriately named Mishna Wolff (I’m Down) dropping some absolutely zingers and crafting some enjoyably weird encounters and unexpected twists, while the uniformly excellent cast do much of the heavy-lifting to bring their rich, thoroughly oddball characters to vivid life – Richardson is thoroughly cuddly throughout, while Duvall is pleasingly loathsome, Casual’s Michaela Watkins is pleasingly grating as Trisha, flaky housewife to unrepentant local horn-dog Pete Anderton (Orange is the New Black’s Michael Chernus), and Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story) and Harry Guillen (best known, OF COURSE, as Guillermo in the TV version of What We Do In the Shadows) make an enjoyably spiky double-act as liberal gay couple Devon and Joaquim Wolfson; in the end, though, the film is roundly stolen by Vayntrub, who invests Cecily with a bubbly sweetness and snarky sass that makes it absolutely impossible to not fall completely in love with her (gods know I did). This is a deeply funny film, packed with proper belly-laughs from start to finish, but like all the best horror comedies it takes its horror elements seriously, delivering some enjoyably effective scares and juicy gore, while the werewolf itself, when finally revealed, is realised through some top-notch prosthetics. Altogether this was a most welcome under-the-radar surprise for the summer, and SO MUCH MORE than just an unusually great video game adaptation …

9. THE TOMORROW WAR – although cinemas finally reopened in the UK in early summer, the bite of the COVID lockdown backlog was still very much in effect this blockbuster season, with several studios preferring to hedge their bets and wait for later release dates. Others turned to streaming services, including Paramount, who happily lined up a few heavyweight titles to open on major platforms in lieu of the big screen. One of the biggest was this intended sci-fi action horror tentpole, meant to give Chris Pratt another potential franchise on top of Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, which instead dropped in early July on Amazon Prime. So, was it worth staying in on a Saturday night instead of heading out for something on the BIG screen? Mostly yes, although it’s mainly a trashy, guilty pleasure big budget B-picture charm that makes this such a worthwhile experience – the film’s biggest influences are clearly Independence Day and Starship Troopers, two admirably clunky blockbusters that DEFINED prioritising big spectacle and overblown theatrics over intelligent writing and realistic storytelling. It doesn’t help that the premise is pure bunk – in 2022, a wormhole opens from thirty years in the future, and a plea for help is sent back with a bunch of very young future soldiers. Seems Earth will become overrun by an unstoppable swarm of nasty alien critters called Whitespikes in 25 years, and the desperate human counteroffensive have no choice but to bring soldiers from our present into the future to help them fight back and save the humanity from imminent extinction. Less than a year later, the world’s standing armies have been decimated and a worldwide draft has been implemented, with normal everyday adults being sent through for a seven day tour from which very few return. Pratt plays biology teacher and former Green Beret Dan Forrester, one of the latest batch of draftees to be sent into the future along with a selection of chefs, soccer moms and other average joes – his own training and experience serves him better than most when the shit hits the fan, but it soon becomes clear that he’s just as out of his depth as everyone else as the sheer enormity of the threat is revealed. But when he becomes entangled with a desperate research outfit led by Muri (Chuck’s Yvonne Strahovski) who seem to be on the verge of a potential world-changing scientific breakthrough, Dan realises there just might be a slender hope for humanity after all … this is every bit as over-the-top gung-ho bonkers as it sounds, and just as much fun. Director Chris McKay may still be pretty fresh (with only The Lego Batman Movie under his belt to date), but he shows a lot of talent and potential for big budget blockbuster filmmaking here, delivering with guts and bravado on some major action sequences (a fraught ticking-clock SAR operation through a war-torn Miami is the film’s undeniable highlight, but a desperate battle to escape a blazing oil rig also really impresses), as well as handling some impressively complex visual effects work and wrangling some quality performances from his cast (altogether it bodes well for his future, which includes Nightwing and Johnny Quest as future projects). Chris Pratt can do this kind of stuff in his sleep – Dan is his classic fallible and self-deprecating but ultimately solid and kind-hearted action hero fare, effortlessly likeable and easy to root for – and his supporting cast are equally solid, Strahovsky going toe-to-toe with him in the action sequences while also creating a rewardingly complex smart-woman/badass combo in Muri, while the other real standouts include Sam Richardson (Veep, Werewolves Within) and Edwin Hodge (The Purge movies) as fellow draftees Charlie and Dorian, the former a scared-out-of-his-mind tech geek while the latter is a seriously hardcore veteran serving his THIRD TOUR, and the ever brilliant J.K. Simmonds as Dan’s emotionally scarred estranged Vietnam-vet father, Jim. Sure, it’s derivative as hell and thoroughly predictable (with more than one big twist you can see coming a mile away), but the pace is brisk, the atmosphere pregnant with a palpable doomed urgency, and the creatures themselves are a genuinely convincing world-ending threat, the design team and visual effects wizards creating genuine nightmare fuel in the feral and unrelenting Whitespikes. Altogether this WAS an ideal way to spend a comfy Saturday night in, but I think it could have been JUST AS GOOD for a Saturday night OUT at the Pictures …

8. ARMY OF THE DEAD – another high profile release that went straight to streaming was this genuine monster hit for Netflix from one of this century’s undeniable heavyweight action cinema masters, the indomitable Zack Snyder, who kicked off his career with an audience-dividing (but, as far as I’m concerned, ultimately MASSIVELY successful) remake of George Romero’s immortal Dawn of the Dead, and has finally returned to zombie horror after close to two decades away. The end result is, undeniably, the biggest cinematic guilty pleasure of the entire summer, a bona fide outbreak horror EPIC in spite of its tightly focused story – Dave Bautista plays mercenary Scott Ward, leader a badass squad of soldiers of fortune who were among the few to escape a deadly outbreak of a zombie virus in the city of Las Vegas, enlisted to break into the vault of one of the Strip’s casinos by owner Bly Tanaka (a fantastically game turn from Hiroyuki Sanada) and rescue $200 million still locked away inside. So what’s the catch? Vegas remains ground zero for the outbreak, walled off from the outside world but still heavily infested within, and in less than three days the US military intends to sterilise the site with a tactical nuke. Simple premise, down and dirty, trashy flick, right? Wrong – Snyder has never believed in doing things small, having brought us unapologetically BIG cinema with the likes of 300, Watchmen, Man of Steel and, most notably, his version of Justice League, so this is another MASSIVE undertaking, every scene shot for maximum thrills or emotional impact, each set-piece executed with his characteristic militaristic precision and explosive predilection (a harrowing fight for survival against a freshly-awakened zombie horde in tightly packed casino corridors is the film’s undeniable highlight), and the gauzy, dreamlike cinematography gives even simple scenes an intriguing and evocative edge that really does make you feel like you’re watching something BIG. The characters all feel larger-than-life too – Bautista can seem somewhat cartoonish at times, and this role definitely plays that as a strength, making Scott a rock-hard alpha male in the classic Hollywood mould, but he’s such a great actor that of course he’s able to invest the character with real rewarding complexity beneath the surface; Ana de la Reguera (Eastbound & Down) and Nora Arnezeder (Zoo, Mozart in the Jungle), meanwhile, both bring a healthy dose of oestrogen-fuelled badassery to proceedings as, respectively, Scott’s regular second-in-command, Maria Cruz, and Lilly the Coyote, Power’s Omari Hardwick and Matthias Schweighofer (You Are Wanted) make for a fun odd-couple double act as circular-saw-wielding merc Vanderohe and Dieter, the nervous, nerdy German safecracker brought in to crack the vault, and Fear the Walking Dead’s Garrett Dillahunt channels spectacular scumbag energy as Tanaka’s sleazy former casino boss Martin, while latecomer Tig Notaro (Star Trek Discovery) effortlessly rises above her last-minute-casting controversy to deliver brilliantly as sassy and acerbic chopper pilot Peters. I think it goes without saying that Snyder can do this in his sleep, but he definitely wasn’t napping here – he pulled out all the stops on this one, delivering a thrilling, darkly comic and endearingly CRACKERS zombie flick that not only compares favourably to his own Dawn but is, undeniably, his best film for AGES. Netflix certainly seem to be pleased with the results – a spinoff prequel, Army of Thieves, starring Dieter in another heist thriller, is set to drop in October, with an animated series following in the Spring, and there’s already rumours of a sequel in development. I’m certainly up for more …

7. BLACK WIDOW – no major blockbuster property was hit harder by COVID than the MCU, which saw its ENTIRE SLATE for 2020 delayed for over a year in the face of Marvel Studios bowing to the inevitability of the Pandemic and unwilling to sacrifice those all-important box-office receipts by just sending their films straight to streaming. The most frustrating part for hardcore fans of the series was the delay of a standalone film that was already criminally overdue – the solo headlining vehicle of founding Avenger and bona fide female superhero ICON Natasha Romanoff, aka the Black Widow. Equally frustratingly, then, this film seems set to be overshadowed by real life controversy as star and producer Scarlett Johansson goes head-to-head with Disney in civil court over their breach-of-contract after they hedged their bets by releasing the film simultaneously in cinemas and on their own streaming platform, which has led to poor box office as many of the film’s potential audience chose to watch it at home instead of risk movie theatres with the virus still very much remaining a threat (and Disney have clearly reacted AGAIN, now backtracking on their release policy by instigating a new 45-day cinematic exclusivity window on all their big releases for the immediate future). But what of the film itself? Well Black Widow is an interesting piece of work, director Cate Shortland (Berlin Syndrome) and screenwriter Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) delivering a decidedly stripped-back, lean and intellectual beast that bears greater resemblance to the more cerebral work of the Russo Brothers on their Captain America films than the more classically bombastic likes of Iron Man, Thor or the Avengers flicks, concentrating on story and characters over action and spectacle as we wind back the clock to before the events of Infinity War and Endgame, when Romanoff was on the run after Civil War, hunted by the government-appointed forces of US Secretary of State “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt) after violating the Sokovia Accords. Then a mysterious delivery throws her back into the fray as she finds herself targeted by a mysterious assassin, forcing her to team up with her estranged “sister” Yelena Belova (Midsommar’s Florence Pugh), another Black Widow who’s just gone rogue from the same Red Room Natasha escaped years ago, armed with a McGuffin capable of foiling a dastardly plot for world domination. The reluctant duo need help in this endeavour though, enlisting the aid of their former “parents”, veteran Widow and scientist Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) and Alexie Shostakov (Stranger Things’ David Harbour), aka the Red Guardian, a Russian super-soldier intended to be their counterpart to Captain America, who’s been languishing in a Siberian gulag for the last twenty years. After the Earth-shaking, universe-changing events of recent MCU events, this film certainly feels like a much more self-contained, modest affair, playing for much smaller stakes, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less worthy of our attention – this is as precision-crafted as anything we’ve seen from Marvel so far, but it also feels like a refreshing change of pace after all those enormous cosmic shenanigans, while the script is as tight as a drum, propelling a taut, suspense-filled thriller that certainly doesn’t scrimp on the action front. Sure, the set-pieces are very much in service of the story here, but they’re still the pre-requisite MCU rollercoaster rides, a selection of breathless chases and bone-crunching fights that really do play to the strengths of one of our favourite Avengers, but this is definitely one of those films where the real fireworks come when the film focuses on the characters – Johansson is so comfortable with her character she’s basically BECOME Natasha Romanoff, kickass and ruthless and complex and sassy and still just desperate for a family (though she hides it well throughout the film), while Weisz delivers one of her best performances in years as a peerless professional who keeps her emotions tightly reigned in but slowly comes to realise that she was never more happy than when she was pretending to be a simple mother, and Ray Winstone does a genuinely fantastic job of taking a character who could have been one of the MCU’s most disappointingly bland villains, General Dreykov, master of the Red Room, and investing him with enough oily charisma and intense presence to craft something truly memorable (frustratingly, the same cannot be said for the film’s supposed main physical threat, Taskmaster, who performs well in their frustratingly brief appearances but ultimately gets Darth Maul levels of short service). The true scene-stealers in the film, however, are Alexie and Yelena – Harbour’s clearly having the time of his life hamming it up as a self-important, puffed-up peacock of a superhero who never got his shot and is clearly (rightly) decidedly bitter about it, preferring to relive the life he SHOULD have had instead of remembering the good in the one he got; Pugh, meanwhile, is THE BEST THING IN THE WHOLE MOVIE, easily matching Johanssen scene-for-scene in the action stakes but frequently out-performing her when it comes to acting, investing Yelena with a sweet naivety and innocence and a certain amount of quirky geekiness that makes for one of the year’s most endearing female protagonists (certainly one who, if the character goes the way I think she will, is thoroughly capable of carrying the torch for the foreseeable future). In the end this is definitely one of the LEAST typical, by-the-numbers MCU films to date, and by delivering something a little different I think they’ve given us just the kind of leftfield swerve the series needs right now. It’s certainly one of their most fascinating and rewarding films so far, and since it seems to be Johansson’s final tour of duty as the Black Widow, it’s also a most fitting farewell indeed.

6. WRATH OF MAN – Guy Ritchie’s latest (regarded by many as a triumphant return to form, which I consider unfair since I don’t think he ever went away, especially after 2020’s spectacular The Gentlemen) is BY FAR his darkest film – let’s get this clear from the start. Anyone who knows his work knows that Ritchie consistently maintains a near flawless balance and humour and seriousness in his films that gives them a welcome quirkiness that is one of his most distinctive trademarks, so for him to suddenly deliver a film which takes itself SO SERIOUSLY is one hell of a departure. This is a film which almost REVELS in its darkness – Ritchie’s always loved bathing in man’s baser instincts, but Wrath of Man almost makes a kind of twisted VIRTUE out of wallowing in the genuine evils that men are capable of inflicting on each other. The film certainly kicks off as it means to go on – In a tour-de-force single-shot opening, we watch a daring armoured car robbery on the streets of Los Angeles that goes horrifically wrong, an event which will have devastating consequences in the future. Five months later, Fortico Security hires taciturn Brit Patrick Hill (Jason Statham) to work as a guard in one of their trucks, and on his first run he single-handedly foils another attempted robbery with genuinely uncanny combat skills. The company is thrilled, amazed by the sheer ability of their new hire, but Hill’s new colleagues are more concerned, wondering exactly what they’ve let themselves in for. After a second foiled robbery, it becomes clear that Hill’s reputation has grown, but fellow guard Haiden (Holt McCallany), aka “Bullet”, begins to suspect there might be something darker going on … Ritchie is firing on all cylinders here, delivering a PERFECT slow-burn suspense thriller which plays its cards close to its chest and cranks up its piano wire tension with artful skill as it builds to a devastating, knuckle-whitening explosive heist that acts as a cathartic release for everything that’s built up over the past hour and a half. In typical Ritchie style the narrative is non-linear, the story unfolding in four distinct parts told from clearly differentiated points of view, allowing the clues to be revealed at a trickle that effortlessly draws the viewer in as they fall deeper down the rabbit hole, leading to a harrowing but strangely poignant denouement which is perfectly in tune with everything that’s come before. It’s an immense pleasure finally getting to see Statham working with Ritchie again, and I don’t think he’s ever been better than he is here – he's always been a brilliantly understated actor, but there’s SO MUCH going on under Hill’s supposedly impenetrable calm that every little peek beneath the armour is a REVELATION; McCallany, meanwhile, has landed his best role since his short but VERY sweet supporting turn in Fight Club, seemingly likeable and fallible as the kind of easy-going co-worker anyone in the service industry would be THRILLED to have, but giving Bullet far more going on under the surface, while there are uniformly excellent performances from a top-shelf ensemble supporting cast which includes Josh Hartnett, Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice, Sicario), Andy Garcia, Laz Alonso (The Boys), Eddie Marsan, Niamh Algar (Raised By Wolves) and Darrell D’Silva (Informer, Domina), and a particularly edgy and intense turn from Scott Eastwood. This is one of THE BEST thrillers of the year, by far, a masterpiece of mood, pace and plot that ensnares the viewer from its gripping opening and hooks them right up to the close, a triumph of the genre and EASILY Guy Ritchie’s best film since Snatch. Regardless of whether or not it’s a RETURN to form, we can only hope he continues to deliver fare THIS GOOD in the future …

5. FEAR STREET (PARTS 1-3) – Netflix have gotten increasingly ambitious with their original filmmaking over the years, and some of this years’ offerings have reached new heights of epic intention. Their most exciting release of the summer was this adaptation of popular children’s horror author R.L. Stine’s popular book series, a truly gargantuan undertaking as the filmmakers set out to create an entire TRILOGY of films which were then released over three consecutive weekends. Interestingly, these films are most definitely NOT for kids – this is proper, no-holds-barred supernatural slasher horror, delivering highly calibrated shocks and precision jump scares, a pervading atmosphere of insidious dread and a series of inventively gruesome kills. The story revolves around two neighbouring small towns which have had vastly different fortunes over more than three centuries of existence – while the residents of Sunnyvale are unusually successful, living idyllic lives in peace and prosperity, luck has always been against the people of Shadyside, who languish in impoverishment, crime and misfortune, while the town has become known as the Murder Capital of the USA due to frequent spree killings. Some attribute this to the supposed curse of a local urban legend, Sarah Fier, who became known as the Fier Witch after her execution for witchcraft in 1668, but others dismiss this as simple superstition. Part 1 is set in 1994, as the latest outbreak of serial mayhem begins in Shadyside, dragging a small group of local teens – Deena Johnson (She Never Died’s Kiana Madeira) and Samantha Fraser (Olivia Scott Welch), a young lesbian couple going through a difficult breakup, Deena’s little brother Josh (The Haunted Hathaways’ Benjamin Flores Jr.), a nerdy history geek who spends most of his time playing video games or frequenting violent crime-buff online chatrooms, and their delinquent friends Simon (Eight Grade’s Fred Hechinger) and Kate (Julia Rehwald) – into the age-old ghostly conspiracy as they find themselves besieged by indestructible undead serial killers from the town’s past, reasoning that the only way they can escape with their lives is to solve the mystery and bring the Fier Witch some much needed closure. Part 2, meanwhile, flashes back to a previous outbreak in 1977, in which local sisters Ziggy (Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink) and Cindy Berman (Emily Rudd), together with future Sunnyvale sheriff Nick Goode (Ted Sutherland) were among the kids hunted by said killers during a summer camp “colour war”. As for Part 3, that goes all the way back to 1668 to tell the story of what REALLY happened to Sarah Fier, before wrapping up events in 1994, culminating in a terrifying, adrenaline-fuelled showdown in the Shadyside Mall. Throughout, the youthful cast are EXCEPTIONAL, Madeira, Welch, Flores Jr., Sink and Rudd particularly impressing, while there are equally strong turns from Ashley Zuckerman (The Code, Designated Survivor) and Community’s Gillian Jacobs as the grown-up versions of two key ’77 kids, and a fun cameo from Maya Hawke in Part 1. This is most definitely retro horror in the Stranger Things mould, perfectly executed period detail bringing fun nostalgic flavour to all three of the timelines while the peerless direction from Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon) and wire-tight, sharp-witted screenplays from Janiak, Kyle Killen (Lone Star, The Beaver), Phil Graziadel, Zak Olkewicz and Kate Trefry strike a perfect balance between knowing dark humour and knife-edged terror, as well as weaving an intriguingly complex narrative web that pulls the viewer in but never loses them to overcomplication. The design, meanwhile, is evocative, the cinematography (from Stanger Things’ Caleb Heymann) is daring and magnificently moody, and the killers and other supernatural elements of the film are handled with skill through largely physical effects. This is definitely not a standard, by-the-numbers slasher property, paying strong homage to the sub-genre’s rules but frequently subverting them with expert skill, and it’s as much fun as it is frightening. Give us some more like this please, Netflix!

4. THE SPARKS BROTHERS – those who’ve been following my reviews for a while will known that while I do sometimes shout about documentary films, they tend to show up in my runners-up lists – it’s a great rarity for one to land in one of my top tens. This lovingly crafted deep-dive homage to cult band Sparks, from self-confessed rabid fanboy Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim), is something VERY SPECIAL INDEED, then … there’s a vague possibility some of you may have heard the name before, and many of you will know at least one or two of their biggest hits without knowing it was them (their greatest hit of all time, This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us, immediately springs to mind), but unless you’re REALLY serious about music it’s quite likely you have no idea who they are, namely two brothers from California, Russell and Ronald Mael, who formed a very sophisticated pop-rock band in the late 60s and then never really went away, having moments of fame but mostly working away in the background and influencing some of the greatest bands and musical artists that followed them, even if many never even knew where that influence originally came from. Wright’s film is an engrossing joy from start to finish (despite clocking in at two hours and twenty minutes), following their eclectic career from obscure inception as Halfnelson, through their first real big break with third album Kimono My Place, subsequent success and then fall from popularity in the mid-70s, through several subsequent revitalisations, all the way up to the present day with their long-awaited cinematic breakthrough, revolutionary musical feature Annette – throughout Wright keeps the tone light and the pace breezy, allowing a strong and endearing sense of irreverence to rule the day as fans, friends and the brothers themselves offer up fun anecdotes and wax lyrical about what is frequently a larger-than-life tragicomic soap opera, utilising fun, crappy animation and idiosyncratic stock footage inserts alongside talking-head interviews that were made with a decidedly tongue-in-cheek style – Mike Myers good-naturedly rants about how we can see his “damned mole” while 80s New Romantic icons Nick Rhodes and John Taylor, while shot together, are each individually labelled as “Duran”. Ron and Russ themselves, meanwhile, are clearly having huge fun, gently ribbing each other and dropping some fun deadpan zingers throughout proceedings, easily playing to the band’s strong, idiosyncratic sense of hyper-intelligent humour, while the aforementioned celebrity talking-heads are just three amongst a whole wealth of famous faces that may surprise you – there’s even an appearance by Neil Gaiman, guys! Altogether this is 2+ hours of bright and breezy fun chock full of great music and fascinating information, and even hardcore Sparks fans are likely to learn more than a little over the course of the film, while for those who have never heard of Sparks before it’s a FANTASTIC introduction to one of the greatest ever bands that you’ve never heard of. With luck there might even be more than a few new fans before the year is out …

3. GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE – Netflix’ BEST offering of the summer was this surprise hit from Israeli writer-director Navot Papushado (Rabies, Big Bad Wolves), a heavily stylised black comedy action thriller that passes the Bechdel Test with FLYING COLOURS. Playing like a female-centric John Wick, it follows ice-cold, on-top-of-her-game assassin Sam (Karen Gillan) as her latest assignment has some unfortunate side effects, leading her to take on a reparation job to retrieve some missing cash for the local branch of the Irish Mob. The only catch is that a group of thugs have kidnapped the original thief’s little girl, 12 year-old Emily (My Spy’s Chloe Coleman), and Sam, in an uncharacteristic moment of sympathy, decides to intervene, only for the money to be accidentally destroyed in the process. Now she’s got the Mob and her own employers coming after her, and she not only has to save her own skin but also Emily’s, leading her to seek help from the one person she thought she might never see again – her mother, Scarlet (Lena Headey), a master assassin in her own right who’s been hiding from the Mob herself for years. The plot may be simple but at times also a little over-the-top, but the film is never anything less than a pure, unadulterated pleasure, populated with fascinating, living and breathing characters of real complexity and nuance, while the script (co-written by relative newcomer Ehud Lavski) is tightly-reined and bursting with zingers. Most importantly, though, Papushado really delivers on the action front – these are some of the best set-pieces I’ve seen this year, Gillan, her co-stars and the various stunt-performers acquitting themselves admirably in a series of spectacular fights, gun battles and a particularly imaginative car chase that would be the envy of many larger, more expensive productions. Gillan and Coleman have a sweet, awkward chemistry, the MCU star particularly impressing in a subtly nuanced performance that also plays beautifully against Headey’s own tightly controlled turn, while there is awesome support from Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh and Carla Gugino as Sam’s adoptive aunts Anna May, Florence and Madeleine, a trio of “librarians” who run a fine side-line in illicit weaponry and are capable of unleashing some spectacular violence of their own; the film’s antagonists, on the other hand, are exclusively masculine – the mighty Ralph Inneson is quietly ruthless as Irish boss Jim McAlester, while The Terror’s Adam Nagaitis is considerably more mercurial as his mad dog nephew Virgil, and Paul Giamatti is the stately calm at the centre of the storm as Sam’s employer Nathan, the closest thing she has to a father. There’s so much to enjoy in this movie, not just the wonderful characters and amazing action but also the singularly engrossing and idiosyncratic style, deeply affecting themes of the bonds of found family and the healing power of forgiveness, and a rewarding through-line of strong women triumphing against the brutalities of toxic masculinity. I love this film, and I invite you to try it out, cuz I’m sure you will too.

2. THE SUICIDE SQUAD – the most fun I’ve had at the cinema so far this year is the long-awaited (thanks a bunch, COVID) redress of another frustrating imbalance from the decidedly hit and miss DCEU superhero franchise, in which Guardians of the Galaxy writer-director James Gunn has finally delivered a PROPER Suicide Squad movie after David Ayer’s painfully compromised first stab at the property back in 2016. That movie was enjoyable enough and had some great moments, but ultimately it was a clunky mess, and while some of the characters were done (quite) well, others were painfully botched, even ruined entirely. Thankfully Warner Bros. clearly learned their lesson, giving Gunn free reign to do whatever he wanted, and the end result is about as close to perfect as the DCEU has come to date. Once again the peerless Viola Davis plays US government official Amanda Waller, head of ARGUS and the undisputable most evil bitch in all the DC Universe, who presides over the metahuman prisoners of the notorious supermax Belle Reve Prison, cherry-picking inmates for her pet project Taskforce X, the titular Suicide Squad sent out to handle the kind of jobs nobody else wants, in exchange for years off their sentences but controlled by explosive implants injected into the base of their skulls. Their latest mission sees another motley crew of D-bags dispatched to the fictional South African island nation of Corto Maltese to infiltrate Jotunheim, a former Nazi facility in which a dangerous extra-terrestrial entity that’s being developed into a fearful bioweapon, with orders to destroy the project in order to keep it out of the hands of a hostile anti-American regime which has taken control of the island through a violent coup. Where the first Squad felt like a clumsily-arranged selection of stereotypes with a few genuinely promising characters unsuccessfully moulded into a decidedly forced found family, this new batch are convincingly organic – they may be dysfunctional and they’re all almost universally definitely BAD GUYS, but they WORK, the relationship dynamics that form between them feeling genuinely earned. Gunn has already proven himself a master of putting a bunch of A-holes together and forging them into band of “heroes”, and he’s certainly pulled the job off again here, dredging the bottom of the DC Rogues Gallery for its most ridiculous Z-listers and somehow managing to make them compelling. Sure, returning Squad-member Harley Quinn (the incomparable Margot Robbie, magnificent as ever) has already become a fully-realised character thanks to Birds of Prey, so there wasn’t much heavy-lifting to be done here, but Gunn genuinely seems to GET the character, so our favourite pixie-esque Agent of Chaos is an unbridled and thoroughly unpredictable joy here, while fellow veteran Colonel Rick Flagg (a particularly muscular and thoroughly game Joel Kinnaman) has this time received a much needed makeover, Gunn promoting him from being the first film’s sketchily-drawn “Captain Exposition” and turning him into a fully-ledged, well-thought-out human being with all the requisite baggage, including a newfound sense of humour; the newcomers, meanwhile, are a thoroughly fascinating bunch – reluctant “leader” Bloodsport/Robert DuBois (a typically robust and playful Idris Elba), unapologetic douchebag Peacemaker/Christopher Smith (probably the best performance I’ve EVER seen John Cena deliver), and socially awkward and seriously hard-done-by nerd (and by far the most idiotic DC villain of all time) the Polka-Dot Man/Abner Krill (a genuinely heart-breaking hangdog performance from Ant-Man’s David Dastmalchian); meanwhile there’s a fine trio of villainous turns from the film’s resident Big Bads, with Juan Diego Botta (Good Behaviour) and Joaquin Cosio (Quantum of Solace, Narcos: Mexico) making strong impressions as newly-installed dictator Silvio Luna and his corrupt right hand-man General Suarez, although both are EASILY eclipsed by the typically brilliant Peter Capaldi as louche and quietly deranged supervillain The Thinker/Gaius Greives (although the film’s ULTIMATE threat turns out to be something a whole lot bigger and more exotic). The film is ROUNDLY STOLEN, however, by a truly adorable double act (or TRIPLE act, if you want to get technical) – Daniella Melchior makes her breakthrough here in fine style as sweet, principled and kind-hearted narcoleptic second-generation supervillain Ratcatcher II/Cleo Cazo, who has the weird ability to control rats (and who has a pet rat named Sebastian who frequently steals scenes all on his own), while a particular fan-favourite B-lister makes his big screen debut here in the form of King Shark/Nanaue, a barely sentient anthropomorphic Great White “shark god” with an insatiable appetite for flesh and a naturally quizzical nature who was brilliantly mo-capped by Steve Agee (The Sarah Silverman Project, who also plays Waller’s hyperactive assistant John Economos) but then artfully completed with an ingenious vocal turn from Sylvester Stallone. James Gunn has crafted an absolute MASTERPIECE here, EASILY the best film he’s made to date, a riotous cavalcade of exquisitely observed and perfectly delivered dark humour and expertly wrangled narrative chaos that has great fun playing with the narrative flow, injects countless spot-on in-jokes and irreverent but utterly essential throwaway sight-gags, and totally endears us to this glorious gang of utter morons right from the start (in which Gunn delivers what has to be one of the most skilful deep-fakes in cinematic history). Sure, there’s also plenty of action, and it’s executed with the kind of consummate skill we’ve now come to expect from Gunn (the absolute highlight is a wonderfully bonkers sequence in which Harley expertly rescues herself from captivity), but like everything else it’s predominantly played for laughs, and there’s no getting away from the fact that this film is an absolute RIOT. By far the funniest thing I’ve seen so far this year, and if I’m honest this is the best of the DCEU offerings to date, too (for me, only the exceptional Birds of Prey can compare) – if Warner Bros. have any sense they’ll give Gunn more to do VERY SOON …

1. A QUIET PLACE, PART II – while UK cinemas finally reopened in early May, I was determined that my first trip back to the Big Screen for 2021 was gonna be something SPECIAL, and indeed I already knew what that was going to be. Thankfully I was not disappointed by my choice – 2018’s A Quiet Place was MY VERY FAVOURITE horror movie of the 2010s, an undeniable masterclass in suspense and sustained screen terror wrapped around a refreshingly original killer concept, and I was among the many fans hoping we’d see more in the future, especially after the film’s teasingly open ending. Against the odds (or perhaps not), writer-director/co-star John Krasinski has pulled off the seemingly impossible task of not only following up that high-wire act, but genuinely EQUALLING it in levels of quality – picking up RIGHT where the first film left off (at least after an AMAZING scene-setting opening in which we’re treated to the events of Day 1 of the downfall of humanity), rejoining the remnants of the Abbott family as they’re forced by circumstances to up-sticks from their idyllic farmhouse home and strike out into the outside world once more, painfully aware at all times that they must maintain perfect silence to avoid the ravenous attentions of the lethal blind alien beasties that now sit at the top of the food chain. Circumstances quickly become dire, however, and embattled mother Evelyn (Emily Blunt) is forced to ally herself with estranged family friend Emmett (Cillian Murphy), now a haunted, desperate vagrant eking out a perilous existence in an abandoned factory, in order to safeguard the future of her children Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and their newborn baby brother. Regan, however, discovers evidence of more survivors, and with her newfound weapon against the aliens she recklessly decides to set off on her own in the hopes of aiding them before it’s too late … it may only be his second major blockbuster as a director, but Krasinski has once again proven he’s a true heavyweight talent, effortlessly carving out fresh ground in this already magnificently well-realised dystopian universe while also playing magnificently to the established strengths of what came before, delivering another peerless thrill-ride of unbearable tension and knuckle-whitening terror. The central principle of utilising sound at a very strict premium is once again strictly adhered to here, available sources of dialogue once again exploited with consummate skill while sound design and score (another moody triumph from Marco Beltrami) again become THE MOST IMPORTANT aspects of the whole production. The ruined world is once again realised beautifully throughout, most notably in the nightmarish environment of a wrecked commuter train, and Krasinski cranks up the tension before unleashing it in merciless explosions in a selection of harrowing encounters which guaranteed to leave viewers in a puddle of sweat. The director mostly stays behind the camera this time round, but he does (obviously) put in an appearance in the opening flashback as the late Lee Abbott, making a potent impression which leaves a haunting absence that’s keenly felt throughout the remainder of the film, while Blunt continues to display mother lion ferocity as she fights to keep her children safe and Jupe plays crippling fear magnificently but is now starting to show a hidden spine of steel as Marcus finally starts to find his courage; the film once again belongs, however, to Simmonds, the young deaf actress once and for all proving she’s a genuine star in the making as she invests Regan with fierce wilfulness and stubborn determination that remains unshakeable even in the face of unspeakable horrors, and the relationship she develops with Emmett, reluctant as it may be, provides a strong new emotional focus for the story, Murphy bringing an attractive wounded humanity to his role as a man who’s lost anything and is being forced to learn to care for something again. This is another triumph of the genre AND the artform in general, a masterpiece of atmosphere, performance and storytelling which builds magnificently on the skilful foundations laid by the first film, as well as setting things up perfectly for a third instalment which is all but certain to follow. I definitely can’t wait.

#movies 2021 #werewolves within #werewolves within movie #the tomorrow war #army of the dead #Black Widow #black widow movie #black widow mcu #wrath of man #fear street #fear street trilogy #fear street movies #The Sparks Brothers #gunpowder milkshake #the suicide squad #a quiet place part ii #a quiet place part 2 #awesome sauce

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effectsdatabase · 5 years ago

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Last week's top 20 videos (2019, week 37)

Top 20 videos last week (September 8-14)

COLOR ME IMPRESSED - BluGuitar AMP1 Iridium METAL (by Ola Englund)

BOSS 200 Series Pedals Explained: OD-200 Hybrid Drive (by Boss)

DEATH BY AUDIO x LEVITATION - PHOSPHENE SCREAM SPACE TRIPPIN' REVERB & DELAY (by Death By Audio)

BILLIE JOE IN A BOX! MXR DOOKIE DRIVE (by Pete Thorn)

Retro-Sonic Flanger review (by BjornRiis)

FAQ Mondays 258: Amptweaker Pedals & Fanned Frets (by fluff191)

Mike Dawes Demos the ToneWoodAmp in 60 Seconds for Andertons (by ToneWoodAmp)

Vixen Germanium Booster from Sitek Guitar Electronics | Tone Tasting (by Peter HonorÃ©)

The Precision Drive x Connor Kaminski vol.1 (by Horizon Devices)

Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive Pedal - One Of The Greatest Ever! (by Nevada Music UK)

Guitarra com som de pato? Envelope Filter Fuhrmann (by Marcos De Ros)

Seymour Duncan / Dark Sun - Digital Delay & Reverb????????????? (by digimartnet)

???????????????????????? 7 Ibanez SH7 7TH HEAVEN Guitar Effect Pedal (by Chatreeo)

Korg Nu:tekt NTS-1 ? Build it, Tweak it, Connect it. (by Korg)

SOUNDWAVE BREAKDOWN by Death By Audio (by Andy Othling)

Dan Explains It All - Haunt Fuzz (by Old Blood Noise Endeavors)

BOSS DD-200 Digital Delay (by Mike Hermans)

Knobcon 2019: Korg NTS-1 (by sonicstate)

Dunlop Fuzz Face Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys Mini Distortion Review (by DawsonsMusic)

Mad Professor Supreme B side rock demo by Ben Granfelt (by Mad Professor)

Overviews of the previous weeks: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/video/weekly

from Effects Database http://bit.ly/32SWiwS

#FXDB #Effects Database

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notourlasthunt · 6 years ago

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Shadowhunters Fans Take Out a Billboard Ad in Times Square to Save the Show

Digital Spy. Joe Anderton. June 29, 2018.

Update: Shadowhunters fans truly are a dedicated bunch! On Friday (June 29), the fans made good on their promise to take out a billboard in Times Square in hopes of saving their favourite show. Good luck to the #SAVESHADOWHUNTERS brigade!

#news #saveshadowhunters #saveshadowhunters news #save shadowhunters #shadowhunters #digital spy

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wolff06wolff-blog · 6 years ago

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Educating Blunders You Do not Want To Make.

A mom of 2 and also enthusiastic health and fitness speaker, Lisa M. Wolfe had her first physical fitness post released in 2001. In the final edge there was an iron entrance much like the door the rangers entered from, yet as opposed to having a diamond in the middle, it had a photo of Earth. studiosante could be an excellent choice for strength athletes, especially those that dedicate severe gym time to the Olympic raises in particular. Pneuma: Breath of Life is an enthralling first person puzzler putting gamers' minds to the examination in an aesthetically stunning globe using the power of Unreal Engine 4. Pneuma supplies gamers with a feeling of admiration and an unrelenting resolution to solve every puzzle as well as development via a narrated tale of self-discovery, discovering the essential nature of being. Some individuals draw real motivation from the team environment of the social gym. Hi, I'm Nick Webster, and I'm below to answer the question the best ways to shoot a reduced power shot in soccer. Kite Power Solutions anticipates to open the UK's initial kite nuclear power plant in March 2017 at the Ministry of Protection's West Freugh website in Stranraer, Scotland. Or, if you need a stairway lift for only a brief amount of time, consider renting one. The sizzle of navy power is typically electrifying, however this moment I do not register the sensation. You should be physically near a health club to eliminate, however a fitness center could not remain in the most good of locations. In fact, it's nearly difficult to lift more than you prepared to in order to overtake an additional rival in points. This exercise devices is usually accompanied by a display screen that tracks the heart rate,. along with other info like the number of miles run or calories burned. Il est vrai que j' y consacre a peu prés 4 heures par semaine chez moi en musique et je peu vous alarming que je ne rate aucune séance tant je me sens bien après mon heure de power plate. There are various other basic functions of porch PL-P portable wheelchair lift are as follows. The Supreme Court already chose that concern too in American Electric Power v. Connecticut, in 2011. Both gyms have moved around the central city location of Sparkhill and also provide for a mainly Muslim customers. The Lumo Raise costs ₤ 80 in black, white as well as grey with black and silver magnets. Like many Canal & River Count on projects, the Anderton Boat Lift survived thanks to neighborhood volunteers, most of which are still entailed. Sarah Ridgard, nonetheless, confesses that she chose her university location at the LSE on the basis that the building had a paternoster - an ever-moving lift which passengers enter. The federal government recognizes the possible human expense of coal power stations shuttering, claiming plant closures could have a substantial influence on communities" as they utilized around 100-500 people directly. Your one-rep max, or 1RM, is the heaviest weight lots you could effectively raise as soon as with excellent strategy. Increase your hips by pushing your heels right into the sphere and also raise until your hips, heels and also shoulders develop a straight line. After years of lack of exercise, Carlos returned as the Black Space Ranger in order to help the Galaxy Rangers fight the Psycho Rangers. I haven't check out the key however I think the power communicates the exact same message that was in the key, from a various angle. To Billy went the Triceratops Power Coin, offering him the power of the Triceratops, and also control of the Triceratops Dinozord. Childhood obesity gets on the increase, as well as this is one reason gyms are ending up being so popular. Practising dead lifts, for example, will certainly assist you raise hefty things securely; performing core exercises will assist your stance as well as strengthen the muscles that sustain your lower back. We were controlled by Lothor right into striking the one force with the power to save this world. Turning up to the gym and putting even more weight on bench than you could raise appropriately and also struggling through one sloppy representative is a proven means to stagnate in your toughness objectives. Unexpectedly, from much up the lane, the audio of wheels grating on the snow, might be listened to simply. Only two mayors lifted their bans following the Villeneuve-Loubet judgment: the Socialist mayor of Oye-Plages near Calais and also the centrist mayor of Eze in the Alpes-Maritimes. Near the equivalence point, rather small increments (3 to 5 declines) will be made use of. Taking unmitigated coal power out of our power mix and changing it with cleaner innovation, such as gas, will significantly lower discharges from the UK's power usage," he stated. They typically aren't cheap yet they include that 'Olympic training area' really feel to any type of gym as well as are a whole lot simpler on the flooring if they need to be gone down. In simply 2 years, Vivint had placed solar panels on twenty two thousand houses, producing 274MW (5.6% of overall created in Nigeria), the dimension of a power station! However the national relationship with the gym might be concerning an end, inning accordance with brand-new main figures revealing a depression in the number of normal individuals after years of evidently relentless growth. There is a danger that Liverpool can be as well known for gymnastics as it is for football if they are effective. In Could, Engie's president, Isabelle Kocher, informed a French Us senate board the firm intended a progressive withdrawal from coal-fired power generation, which the share of coal in its power mix would be up to about 10% from 15% over the following couple of years. Every model or variation of staircase lift has their different functions as well as tools yet operations of all of them are very similar. In celestial spaces, regarding a quarter of a mile distance from the Megaship, the Pink and also Red Astro Rangers waiting for their Galaxy Gliders for the shuttle bus to appear. Additionally, allow's not forget that the Power Rangers are a team of young adults - and also most teens do not have bionic busts to fill those sizable metal cups. A variety of gyms now support 360-degree" tracking solutions that consider participants' exercise executed outside the health club, as well as their nutritional intake. At his one year Secondary school get-together, Conner is given the future by Broodwing where he, Ethan, and Kira meet up with the S.P.D. Rangers. When travelling from the main island (Fitness center Island) to the various other islands, boosting your stats will aid you to beat your adversaries. His professional swordfighting ability and also remarkable firepower make him among the Rangers most dangerous villains. When Master Vile turned around time and also returned the Rangers to youngsters, the Ape Power Coin was later damaged by Zedd and also Rita. Luckily, the spell is damaged and also he retrieves himself as he later on becomes the White Power Ranger. With that, the photo of Zordon, along with the columns, vanished, leaving the 6 Terran Rangers standing changed amongst the damages of the Command Facility. Joe relocated the fitness center in Santa Monica over to Venice in one more massive structure that he made manually and it was tri-level. In circumstances such as this one, we typically claim that we are preparing or looking into the most effective technique, however these rationalizations allow us to feel like we are moving on when we are just spinning our wheels. If, at the end of the year, the higher power does not want me to be champion with everything I have offered towards it, I will need to accept that. This paralyzed your interest and you gave up not since you should, but because you felt like it. Your emotions created you to turn a Phase 1 or Stage 2 failing into a Phase 3 failure. The practices of the Exodus from Egypt, which Jews, Christians, and also Muslims share in typical, talk about a dispute in between God's power and also the power of Pharaoh and also the formation of alternate power which was organized by Moses, Aaron, and their sis Miriam. Shane is slowly uncovering his natural management capabilities as a Power Ranger. Bonjour Nathalie, Je suis moi-même à la recherche d'un centre power plate sur Bruxelles. A morning yoga exercise session given by the health club authorities keeps you fresh all day.

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plungermusic · 7 years ago

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Who’d use a Live album as their calling card?

... it’s a pretty brave move to have as your debut release an impromptu live recording, rather than a carefully orchestrated, painstakingly-made studio effort.

But that’s probably indicative of the both the confidence and different approach of the JAB, something that shows in the five originals and two covers included on the album, recorded when the band supported Saiichi Sugiyama at Billericay’s New Crawdaddy Blues Club.

After the vanilla Brit Blues Boom lope of Pretty Little Lady Blues the band show a wider palette with the breezy Youngian harmonica-spiced Americana of Running, the Stonesy strut of Disappear with its rocking double-speed close, a mellow Something In The Way She Moves-style maybe-love-song Angel (Heaven Sent), and the mid-paced Dead-meets-Dylan Dog Days with spacious chords, liquid bass and a short-but-sweet southern-fried noodle.

A loose and louche cover of the Stones Dead Flowers (with highly Jaggeresque vocals!) is followed by the 11-minute hypnotic, sprawling epic of Neil Young’s Down By The River, a chance for Joe to cut loose on guitar more than previously: ranging from discursive trenchant fuzziness to squealing bends and, in a sophisticated stab at a spacey jazz-rhythmed mid-break, some very Garciaesque Dark Star slide.

That latter track aside, Joe does seem to be thinking more about the song than the next solo, particularly in his originals, and while his vocal does have a lot of Young-style “quavering approximation” it works with the material. Joe is ably backed by stalwart Andy Hayes doing the leg work on rhythm guitar, with stylish bass from Trev Turley; and while new drummer Joe Fowkes has sizeable shoes to fill, he pulls it off in an unfussy way.

The production is also unfussy, no overdubs or mucking about, with all the elements are nicely balanced. All in all a pretty impressive way to announce your arrival... maybe everyone should try it?

Live At The NCBC is available at Joe Anderton Band shows, details on the website here: http://www.joeandertonband.co.uk/gigs/

#joe anderton #new crawdaddy blues club

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wazafam · 4 years ago

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Steven Spielberg may be the most inventive director of all time. Widely regarded as a master of the craft, Spielberg has crafted numerous iconic films - many of which are visually resplendent blockbusters with extravagant action sequences. He dominated the 1980s with a string of indisputable classics and has continued strong ever since.

RELATED: 10 Movies Steven Spielberg Almost Directed

Unfortunately for financial backers, these types of movies don't come cheap. Action sequences are expensive - particularly the ones that Spielberg envisions. Many of Spielberg's movies have inflated budgets owing to their extravagance, sets, locations, and special effects. But which of his movies are the most expensive? The answers may prove surprising.

10 Munich (2005): $70 Million

Munich is one of Spielberg's most reserved films. Released in 2005, Munich concerns the titular Munich massacre that took place at the 1972 Summer Olympics. While the movie was positively received and appeared on a few best-of-the-year lists, Munich underperformed at the box office. The movie was reportedly made for $70 million but grossed just $130 million worldwide. Its domestic performance was particularly disappointing, as it grossed just $47 million in the United States and Canada.

9 Saving Private Ryan (1998): $70 Million

Often regarded as one of the greatest war films ever made, Saving Private Ryan was released to immense critical acclaim in the summer of 1998. Part of the acclaim stemmed from the movie's scope and convincing production values - production values that certainly didn't come cheap. Like Munich, Saving Private Ryan was made for $70 million. However, $70 million in 1998 is the equivalent of $110 million today. Luckily, every bit of that budget was put on the screen.

8 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997): $73 Million

Serving as the hotly anticipated follow-up to Jurassic Park, Universal put a lot of money behind the production of The Lost World. According to Box Office Mojo, The Lost World was given a budget of $73 million. When taking twenty years' worth of inflation into account, The Lost World was made for the 2020 equivalent of $120 million. Funnily enough, that number seems like nothing today, when dinosaur blockbusters are being made for $200 million.

7 A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001): $100 Million

Another rather low-key Spielberg effort was A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Starring Haley Joel Osment, the movie was released in the summer of 2001 to good-not-great reviews and a rather muted box office performance.

RELATED: 10 Things You Don't Know About Steven Spielberg

With a massive budget of $100 million (about $150 million today), A.I. grossed just $78 million at the domestic box office and $235 million worldwide. It probably wasn't the type of smash hit that Warner Bros. and DreamWorks were expecting, but it proved relatively successful nonetheless.

6 Minority Report (2002): $102 Million

While Spielberg has a solid filmography of science fiction films behind him, Minority Report may be one of his greatest. Based on Philip K. Dick's novella of the same name, stars box office megastar Tom Cruise as Chief John Anderton. The movie was reportedly made for $102 million, which may seem a huge risk for a piece of heavy science fiction (as heavy sci-fi doesn't tend to do well). Luckily, Cruise's box office draw helped make Minority Report a success, and it went on to gross a very respectable $358 million at the worldwide box office.

5 The Adventures Of Tintin (2011): $130 Million

The Adventures of Tintin proves one of Spielberg's rare forays into animation. Based on the comic series by Hergé and adapted by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, and Joe Cornish, The Adventures of Tintin proves a remarkable piece of animation. As it should, considering the movie's $130 million budget. Unfortunately, the movie failed to generate much interest at the domestic box office, and it grossed just $77 million in the United States and Canada. Luckily, the film performed much better in the international market.

4 War Of The Worlds (2005): $132 Million

Another adaptation of a classic sci-fi story, War of the Worlds may prove one of Spielberg's most divisive. Many people cannot get over the tacked-on, anticlimactic ending, whereas others believe that the rest of the film is good enough to forgive its wobbly conclusion.

RELATED: 10 Best Steven Spielberg Movies, According to IMDb

Regardless, War of the Worlds looks spectacular even to this day, and that's in no doubt due to its extravagant $132 million budget. Like Minority Report, War of the Worlds proved another Spielberg-Cruise success, grossing $603 million worldwide.

3 The BFG (2016): $140 Million

Another one of Spielberg's forays into animation (mostly), The BFG was released in 2016 and served as an adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's novel of the same name. It's quite obvious that The BFG cost a considerable amount of money, as its animation is second to none. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The BFG was made for $140 million - a considerable sum for an "original" piece of animation. Unfortunately, the movie mostly came to naught and was quickly forgotten.

2 Ready Player One (2018): $155-175 Million

Serving as Steven Spielberg's most recent movie, Ready Player One was released in the spring of 2018, serving as the long-awaited adaptation of Ernest Cline's popular novel. Cline adapted his own novel for the screen (alongside Zak Penn), and Spielberg served as director. The budget of the movie remains disputed, with some sources going as low as $155 million and some as high as $175 million. Regardless, it's a very expensive movie. And regardless, it's still not Spielberg's most expensive. That distinction goes to...

1 Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008): $185 Million

Serving as the long-anticipated follow-up to The Last Crusade, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull served as the fourth entry in the Indiana Jones series and saw a 66-year-old Harrison Ford returning as the titular hero. An unbelievable amount of money went into the production of the film - $185 million to be exact. This makes Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Spielberg's most expensive film ever made - even if it's far from his best.

NEXT: 10 Best Performances In Steven Spielberg Movies

Steven Spielberg's 10 Biggest Movies, Ranked (According To The Budget) from https://ift.tt/38wvubv

#Blogger

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the-record-obituaries · 5 years ago

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June 5, 2019: Obituaries

Christine Felts

Christine Davis Felts, the matriarch of the Felts Family went home to be with the Lord, June 1, 2019 at Westwood Hills Nursing Facility. She was born March 19, 1936 to Luster and Beulah Davis in Lenoir, N.C.

She went to work at an early age to help her husband make a living. They soon bought a grocery store in Thomasville N.C. and built that business from ground up. Then 52 years ago they moved to Wilkes County with their two daughters and purchased a grocery store in McGrady, N.C. She then helped build that business into a thriving grocery, snack bar and gas business. While they were building this business she managed to keep her family on the road spreading the Gospel in song, while faithfully serving the church and community. She always enjoyed visiting the sick. She never failed to make herself available to help with any needs whether it was food, prayers, visiting or just going in and cleaning a house. Mrs. Felts was preceded in death by her parents.

Mrs. Felts is survived by her husband of 66 years, J.C. Felts; daughters Cathy Felts Bumgarner and spouse Garey, Vicki Felts Carty and spouse Tim all of North Wilkesboro; six grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren; two sisters; and a brother.

Funeral services were June 4, at Mountain Valley Baptist Church in McGrady with Rev. Ronnie McManus, Rev. Curtis Herring and Rev. Jason Bumgarner officiating. Burial followed in Cane Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. Flowers will be accepted. Memorials may be made to Cane Creek Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, Cane Creek Church Road, McGrady, NC 28649 or to Mountain Valley Baptist Church, Cane Creek Church Road, McGrady, NC 28649. Miller Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

The family would like to express our gratitude to all the family and friends who have visited our wife and mother in the last 4 ½ years at Westwood Hills Nursing Facility. We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire staff of Westwood Hills for their kind, gentle, loving care of our wife and mother during this difficult time. A special thank you goes out to Sandra Monney for making it possible for us to leave in her loving hands.

Pallbearers were Tim Carty, Junior Greene, Anthony Minton, Tim Benson, Sterlin Church and Bobby Lovette. Honorary pallbearers will be Garey Bumgarner, Seth Lovette.

Daniel Wingler, 70

Daniel Richard Wingler, age 70, of North Wilkesboro, passed away Saturday, June 1, 2019 at Carolina Caring Hospice in Newton. He was born April 22, 1949 in Wilkes County to Richard Filmore and Dorothy Coltrane Wingler. Mr. Wingler was a member of Liberty Grove Baptist Church. He loved antique cars and enjoyed fishing, traveling and motoring. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Surviving are his wife, Sylvia Adams Wingler; brother, Douglas Wingler and spouse Kathy of North Wilkesboro; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, David and Linda Adams of Austin/Traphill.

Funeral service was June 4, at Miller Funeral Chapel with Rev. Jimmy Gilreath officiating. Entombment followed in Mountlawn Memorial Park Mausoleum. The family has requested no flowers. Memorials may be made to Mt. Zion Baptist Church, PO Box 1603, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659.

Miller Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Dorothy Shealy, 73

Dorothy Louise Anderton Shealy May 28, 1946- June 1, 2019

Heaven gained a saint as Dottie Shealy, age 73, passed away peacefully in her home in Mulberry, North Carolina on June 1, 2019 surrounded by family. For the past three years she lived with advanced cancer and was a model of dignity, strength and grace during a challenging time.

Dottie was born in Lewisburg, Tennessee and grew up in Decatur, Alabama, the eldest of four daughters to Margaret Schoonmaker Anderton and Clebie Arnel Anderton. Faith and family were the cornerstones of her life.

She attended the University of Alabama prior to her marriage to Frank in 1965 and moved to Mulberry, North Carolina in 1976. She attended Salem College, earning a Master's Degree in Sociology in 1983. Throughout her adult life she served her community by directing the daycare center at Wilkes Community College as well as working for Smart Start and the school district. Dottie volunteered many hours at the Crisis Pregnancy Center and was an active member of Baptist Home Baptist Church.

Dottie enjoyed an active retirement with many family vacations on adventures like hiking through the Grand Canyon, national parks, beach trips and many Kenyan Safaris. Dottie and Frank served as missionaries in Honduras, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brazil, Russia, Peru, and several extended trips to Kenya, where she touched many hearts and formed lifelong friendships.

Dottie is survived by Frank Shealy, her loving husband of 54 years; daughter Stacy Shealy Cantrell of Huntsville, AL (Chris), daughter Sandy Shealy Edwards of Birmingham, AL (Alan); son Jeff Shealy of Greensboro, NC (Juliana); daughter Susan Shealy Utting of San Diego, CA (Paul); sister Ginger Shelton of Decatur, AL (Kyle), sister Jeannie Bryan of Fairhope, AL (Ed); sister Faye Willingham of Decatur, AL; sisters-in-law, Carolyn Tolbert and Sherry Snoddy; nieces and nephews, Kyle Shelton Jr., Michael Shelton, Brent Shelton, Craig Bryan, Leslie Bryan, Kenny Willingham, Kerry Willingham, and Kurtis Willingham, Robin Davidson Caine, Lori Pullen, Tracy Snoddy, Danny Snoddy, Kelley Snoddy Ward.

Dottie had a special relationship with her 9 grandchildren and will live on in the hearts and memories of Jacob Tillman, Justin Tillman, Kayleigh Cantrell, Steven Edwards, Andrew Edwards, Camila Shealy, Marina Shealy, Sophia Utting and Alexandra Utting.

A home-going celebration was held at Baptist Home Baptist Church on June 2nd. There will be a private graveside ceremony at Roselawn Cemetery in Decatur, Alabama.

In lieu of flowers please donate to any of the following organizations, which held a special place in Dottie's heart:

Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center, 301 8th Street, North Wilkesboro NC 28659;

Seeking a Reason for Hope Ministries, c/o Jeff Pinkerton, 223 Azalea Lane, Wilkesboro, NC 29697; and Heshima.org, Providing Dignity for Children with Disabilities in Nairobi, Kenya.

Special thanks to the medical staff at Wake Forest Baptist Health - Wilkes Medical Center, Forsyth Medical Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Wake Forest Baptist Hospice Care at Home.

Everette Lyall, 72

Mr. Everette Lyall, "Jr." better known as Junior, age 72 of Millers Creek, passed away Tuesday, May 28, 2019.

Funeral services were June 2, at Arbor Grove United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Susan Pillsbury-Taylor and Rev. Dr. Ed McKinney officiating. Mr. Lyall was born July 18, 1946 in Wilkes County to Everette Lyall, Sr. and Lola Hazel Bauguess Lyall. He was retired as owner of Lyall Harley Davidson and Carolina Cycle Supply and was the former oldest dealer member of the Harley Davidson Dealers Association in N.C. For several years, Junior and his wife Betty owned and operated Cookies n Cream in the Wilkes Mall. Junior gave greatly to his community working with the American Children's Home and serving as secretary of the Junior Order. He was a member of Arbor Grove United Methodist Church where he was a charter member and officer of the Arbor Grove United Methodist Men, Superintendent of Church School, Church School Teacher and served as the church Finance Committee Chairman, and served on the Building Committee for the new Fellowship Building. Junior spent some time in the classroom teaching at Fairplains Elementary School.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Mr. Lyall is survived by his wife; Betty Sue Shepherd Lyall of the home, two sons; Dr. Gregory Lyall and wife Mandy of Clemmons and Kevin Lyall of Winston-Salem, a grandchild; Pierce Lyall, a sister; Betty Lou Lyall Miner of Hickory, a brother; Marsh Lyall and wife Pat of North Wilkesboro and several nieces and nephews.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Arbor Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund, 480 Shepherd River Road, Millers Creek, NC 28651 or American Children's Home 3844 NC Hwy 8, Lexington NC 27292.

Daniel Clonch, 46

Mr. Daniel "Shane" Clonch, 46, of Wilkesboro, passed away on Sunday May 27, 2019.

Shane was born on Tuesday October 5, 1972 in Caldwell to Roger Lane Laws and Barbara Cecilia Clonch.

Shane loved his children and enjoyed spending time with his best friend Mark Bare. Shane was also a member of the bands Life Long Hate and Armed for the Fall.

Shane is preceded in death by his father and step father Roy Bare.

Shane is survived by his mother, Barabara C. Clonch of Millers Creek, daughters, Sierra Nicole Clonch, Skylah Shay Clonch, Telsa Kay Clonch all of Wilkes County; sons, Zerek Sage Clonch, Danek Shadd Clonch also of Wilkes County; sisters, Leatrice Ann Clonch of Millers Creek; brother Cecil Gordon Bare and wife, Amanda of Purlear.

The family conducedt a memorial service on May 30, at The Church of God of Union Assembly in Wilkesboro.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to Adams Funeral Home of Wilkes P.O. Box 396 Morvain Falls, NC 2865 to help with final expenses.

Adams Funeral Home of Wilkes has the honor of serving the Clonch Family.

Gladys Handy

Gladys Grace Shumate Handy of Roaring River, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, May 26, 2019. She passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family while they serenaded her with many of her favorite gospel songs and reading of scripture. She was lovingly cared for by her sons and daughters as her health declined. She was visited daily by friends and extended family members. Psalm 116:15 says "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints".

Funeral services were May 29, at Middle Cross Baptist Church with Pastor Jason Whitley, Pastor Donnie Shumate and Pastor Joe Sturgill officiating. Burial was at Middle Cross Baptist church cemetery.

Gladys was born to the late Charles "Charlie" and Mamie Lowe Shumate on May 10, 1928.

Gladys was the widow of Lonnie Caldwell Handy with whom she was married for 63 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, two daughters; 11 month old Clara Belle Handy and Peggy (Steven) Knox, a great grandson; Caleb Benfield, two sisters; Mable (Elder Fred) Shumate Dillard and Irene (Rayford) Shumate Handy Crouch and her brothers; Tracy (Faye) Shumate, Paul (Hazel) Shumate, Clay Shumate, Jimmy Shumate and Conard (Louie) Shumate.

She is survived by her children; Joyce (Bobby) Handy Faw of Hays, Marie (Milton) Handy Jolly of North Wilkesboro, Carl (Tammy) Handy of Roaring River, Mary (James) Handy Minton of Hays, Ray (Deborah) Handy of North Wilkesboro.

Gladys has fourteen grandchildren; Shelly (Bob) Faw Benfield, Alisa (Chris) Faw, Dawson, Kristina (Monroe) Faw Hawkins, Jeff (Christy) Jolly, Michael (Amanda) Jolly; Wendy McKeenan, Tim (Tara) Handy, Matt (Angel) Handy, Amy (James) Williams; Kurtis (AnnaLisa) Parker, Logan Parker, Robbie (Melissa) Martin, Stacee (Adam) Whitley, and Stephanee Lee, forty-two great-grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren making five generations, also several special nieces and nephews.

Gladys worked in the cafeteria of Roaring River Elementary School and was a homemaker. She had a strong love of family and her faith was extremely important to her. Her life verse was………"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15, which was also her testimony throughout her life. Going to church was her greatest joy. She was a charter member of Middle Cross Baptist Church in the Rock Creek community and was also their oldest member. She was faithful to her church as long as her health allowed and would cry on Sundays when she was not able to attend. She especially loved her Pastor Bro. Jason Whitley and wife Elaine, and her Senior Adult Sunday Class that was taught, for years, by Bro. Earl Alexander and which is now taught by her son Ray Handy. Gladys grew up in the depression years and learned to be frugal at an early age. She lived a simple and humble life. She liked to use things until they were worn out or rusted out and only then would they be thrown away. She was a skilled seamstress who made items of clothing for all of her children while they were young. She quilted blankets and sewed handmade items for all of her grandchildren. She was an avid gardener especially loved helping her son Carl with his garden which they were both blessed by sharing with others. She particularly loved roses and hens and diddles. She enjoyed collecting antique glassware, hens on nest and thimbles from around the world. One of her favorite pastimes was chatting on the phone with family and friends and she always did what she could to help others.

She will be missed by all who knew and loved her, she left a legacy that will last for generations to come; you can say hers was a life well lived.

Special thanks to Wake Forest Care at Home Hospice; Pauline Watts, Megan Cheek, Ashley White, Kimberly Bush, Ben Lankford and retired Hospice Nurse, Judy Kirk.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may to Gideon's International North Camp, PO Box 1791, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 or Middle Cross Baptist Church Building Fund, 2305 Rock Creek Road, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659

Online condolences may be made at www.reinssturdivant.com.

Geraldine (Gerry) Haynes Elledge, 87

Geraldine (Gerry) Haynes Elledge, 87, passed away after a long illness on Sunday, May 26, with her loving family by her side.

She was born to Alma Macy Haynes and Hayes Haynes in Jonesville, NC on March 5, 1932. She graduated from Jonesville High School and then Grace Hospital in Morganton, NC, as a registered nurse. She began her forty-one year nursing career at the old Wilkes Hospital and then at the current Wilkes Regional Hospital. She specialized in Labor and Delivery, assisting with the birth and care of thousands of newborns. She often gave the on air "Stork Report," a feature on WKBC radio.

Throughout her life, children of all ages were drawn to her, and she had a unique talent for calming their fears and tears. Many friends, neighbors, and members of her Mountain View Baptist Church family affectionately refer to her as a second mother because of her influence on them as children and adults. She was known for her kindness and for always serving others before herself.

She met her husband, John Sherman Elledge (Jack) on a blind date. The couple married in 1956, lived in North Wilkesboro, and then built a house on Haymeadow Road in Hays where they have lived since. She was "the best mother in the world" to four children: John (Johnny) Sherman Elledge Jr., Martha Carol Elledge, Elizabeth (Beth) Haynes Elledge Gossett, and Amy Maria Elledge. She was the beloved grandmother of eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Gerry loved to read and passed this love of reading onto her children. She often would read late into the night, when she wasn't staying up late to cook, sew, or prepare for holiday celebrations. She loved to garden and created bouquets from her roses and zinnias. She established and landscaped a memorial garden for her daughter Amy. She was a talented homemaker, known for her love of cooking and baking. Her cookies, cakes, salsa, homemade strawberry jam, ice cream, and spaghetti sauce were favorites of her family, and she baked bread almost every week for decades. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren have fond memories of what they called G-bread. She collected dolls and displayed them in her home. Her nursing class held a reunion every year for over seventy years that she attended and was a highlight of her year. She enjoyed picnics and camping trips on the Blue Ridge Parkway, trips to The Great Smoky Mountains area, and enjoyed traveling extensively throughout the United States and to Mexico, especially after her retirement. Over the past twenty years she created scrapbooks for all her children and grandchildren and for special occasions such as her husband Jack's fishing trips. In her final years she was accompanied by her loving and loyal protector, her dog Ace.

She was an active church worker at Mountain View Baptist Church, and she established a church library and served as the librarian for many years. She quietly gave monthly donations for many years to over ten charities and organizations that helped the poor, and she had a special place in her heart for the homeless and the efforts of Habitat for Humanity. She was a role model of Christian virtue to her children, and her whole life was a lesson in service to others and humble kindness.

Geraldine Haynes Elledge was preceded in death by her parents, Hayes and Alma; a brother, Vess Haynes; and daughter, Amy Maria Elledge.

She is survived by her loving husband, John (Jack) Sherman Elledge Sr.; son, John Sherman Elledge Jr. and daughter-in-law Ellen (Ellie) Koch Elledge; daughters, Martha Carol Elledge, and Elizabeth (Beth) Haynes Elledge Gossett and son-in-law Jason Gossett; sister, Sue Haynes Tharpe; grandchildren, Jacob Gabel, Cody Gabel, Candace Gabel Nelson, Jessie Gabel, Caleb Gossett, Connor Elledge, Tristan Elledge, and Aden Gossett; six great-grandchildren, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

The family thanks all the nurses, doctors, and other caregivers over the past year; the employees and volunteers of Hospice; friends, neighbors, church members, and all the thoughts and prayers from churches and co-workers of the family.

A private burial ceremony will be on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at Mountlawn Memorial Park. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 2, 2:00 pm, at Mountain View Baptist Church in Hays with Rev. Julius Blevins and Rev. Brian Blankenship officiating. A visitation will follow after the service in the church fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, Gerry requested donations be made to Habitat for Humanity in her name. Miller Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences may be made to www.millerfuneralservice.com

Lucy Christine Church Gambill

Ms. Lucy Christine Church Gambill went home to be with Jesus and her two beloved sons, Christopher and Hobert "Craig" Gambill, on Saturday, May 25, 2019 at Wilkes Senior Village.

Lucy was born Friday, October 14, 1932 in Wilkes County to the late Doctor Loran Church and Nora Ellen Brown Church.

Lucy was a beautician and retired as a seamstress from Tom Thumb Glove. She was of the Baptist faith. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, playing rummy, and cooking. She loved spending time with family and friends. Lucy was also the first Miss North Wilkesboro High School when she was a teenager.

Including her parents, she was preceded in death by: two sons, Christopher Daniel Gambill and Hobert "Craig" Gambill; an infant sister, Inez Church; sister, Elsie Church Adams and her husband, William Grant Adams.

Those left to cherish her memory include: her daughter, Tina Gambill Blankenship and husband, Paul Travis Blankenship of Mt. Pleasant; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandchild.

The family would like to give special thanks to our Wilkes Senior Village family and dear friends, Grace Cooper and Linda Hamby for all of your love, support, and care.

The graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at Mountlawn Memorial Park, North Wilkesboro. Pastor Paul Siceloff will officiate.

Condolences may be sent to: www.adamsfunerals.com.

Adams Funeral Home of Wilkes and cremation services is honored to be serving the Gambill Family.

Leo Prevette, age 73

Leo Prevette, age 73, of Roaring River, passed away Friday, May 24, 2019 at his home. He was born June 10, 1945 in Wilkes County to Oakery Marcus and Sallie Durham Prevette. Mr. Prevette was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Patty Harris Prevette; son, Marcus Prevette; five brothers; and three sisters.

Surviving are his son, Gary Scott Prevette and companion Diane Terry of Yadkinville; daughters, Jeannie Lynn Moore and spouse Tommy of Salisbury, Tina Annette Baker of Winston Salem; sisters, Geraldine Whitaker of Moravian Falls, Jalie Billings of Roaring River; grandchildren, Dustin Taylor Holcomb, Paige Noelle Maltba and spouse Josh, Austin Cody Cahill and spouse Amber all of Roaring River; great grandson, Brantley Ryan-Dean Chastain of Roaring River; numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at Miller Funeral Chapel with Rev. Tony McCann officiating. Burial will follow in New Light Baptist Church # 1 Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Miller Funeral Service from 12:00 until 1:00 on Tuesday, prior to the service. Flowers will be accepted. Miller Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences may be made to www.millerfuneralservice.com

Tommy "Tom" J. Coffey, age 74

Tommy "Tom" J. Coffey, age 74, of Purlear, passed away Friday, May 24, 2019 at his home. Tom was born October 22, 1944 in Wilkes County to Joshua "Nick" and Mabel Parsons Coffey. He was a retired truck driver for L&L Machinery and Bassett Walker, driving most of his adult life. He attended Davis Memorial Baptist Church and enjoyed watching NASCAR, bee and squirrel hunting. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Mary Ruth Coffey; three sisters, Josephine Porter, Hallie Crenshaw, and Grace Coffey; and a brother, Wade Coffey.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Soots Coffey of the home; son, Tommy Junior Coffey and spouse Mary Doris of Millers Creek; two daughters, Susie Adams and spouse Bo of Millers Creek, Brenda Stanley and spouse Barry of North Wilkesboro; two grandchildren; and one great grandson;

Funeral service will be held 1:00 p.m. Monday, May 27, 2019 at Davis Memorial Baptist Church with the Rev. Hadley Triplett officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at Davis Memorial Baptist Church from 12:00 until 1:00 on Monday, prior to the service. Flowers will be accepted. Memorials may be made to Davis Memorial Baptist Church, 311 Red Top Road, Wilkesboro, NC 28697. Miller Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences may be made to www.millerfuneralservice.com

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