The 2016 Films to Search For

2015 was a pretty good year for film. 2016, however, is shaping up to be one of the better years to go to the theater, from huge blockbusters to fun indies to even some really amazing sounding passion projects. In this blog, I will seek to help tell you why you should be excited for the films I am pumped to see! Last year, my anticipated list involved a lot of films that I was so-so on, but the hype train sold me on including them. No more. This list is comprised of films that (as of the posting) I am very excited for! You will notice some films missing (sorry, Disney's Marvel fanboys and girls. No love for you here), but in their place will be movies you NEED to seek out to see either on VOD, cinema, or Walmart. 

Enough of my jibber jabber, let's start this list! Here are the 9 films you need to search for this 2016 year.

The Hipster Category (Ones You Didn't Know Were Coming)

Under the Shadow (January 22 @ Sundance Film Festival)

Trailer

If you want a head start on Oscar season, you need to pay attention to Sundance. This foreign language darling debuted there this year and is already drawing comparisons to the 2014 horrifying Australian film "The Babadook". That's mighty high praise for this Persian film, seeing that "The Babadook" is one of the best horror films I have ever watched. 

This film appears to have a psychologically horrifying story playing out over an equally horrifying landscape of waitron 1980s Tehran. While it might play out to be a simply overused "demon terrorizes home of desperate poor innocent family" trope yet again, I am sensing a fresh take on the story. Look for this one either at an Indie theater or Walmart this summer. 

The Hollars (January 24 @ Sundance Film Festival)

Trailer 

Jim returns home from his 13 Hours in Benghazi to find Beca is now pregnant with Pitch Perfect 3's plot. 

Ok, maybe that's not true, but John Krasinski's 2nd directorial endeavor appears to be able to tug all of the right heart strings to make a beautiful melodic indie film. This was picked up almost instantly at Sundance by Sony to distribute, which tells me that this was quite a catch. It will be quirky and hilarious (starring John, Anna Kendrick, and Charlie Day, how can't it be?), but the awesome story of a man returning to his home town after a long time away will be an interesting and thought provoking element to the story, one that almost all of us will be able to relate to. 

The Witch (February 19)

Trailer (if you dare)

Kid's, this isn't Hocus Pocus. Set in 1630s New England, this horrifying film from one of my favorite distributors, A24 (seriously. I could do an anticipated list with just their films), promises to scare the pantaloons off your rear, the pilgrim hat off of your head, and make you never want to celebrate Thanksgiving again. 

The trailer promises a chilling, gritty, freakish experience. In a world where horror films tend to rely on old tropes and gore over solid terrifying story, this film breathes fresh air to bring it back to life...only to scare the life out of you. 

Baaaa baaaa baaaa (don't get why that's there? WATCH THE TRAILER.) 

The Mid-Range Favorites 

Demolition (April 8)

Trailer

Jake Gyllenhaal is a man that is in the prime of his career right now. That previous sentence may be an understatement. He has played 3 distinctly different people in his 3 major films the past 3 years (Nightcrawler, Southpaw) and now Demolition. This film promises to have quirky humor and a darker story. I mean, come on: he's writing a letter to complain about getting cheated out of peanut M&Ms 10 minutes after HIS WIFE DIES IN A CAR ACCIDENT. After his life was figuratively demolished, he will physically build it back from the ground up.

This will definitely be a challenge to his acting range, as he will need to be charming yet deep, funny yet sad, and overall awesome. Along on the ride will be Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper, both stellar talents in their own right. Fox Searchlight is a reliable studio, and they've backed this film, which means you should too come April. 

Nice Guys (May 20)

Trailer

Confession: I am not a Ryan Gosling fan. I loved "Drive", but one of the things that bugged me about the film was that they were making Gosling out to be a tough guy. The soft voice is not "tough guy" to me. I'm sorry (I'M LYING). 

However, that being said, this is a perfect casting. Gosling is a private investigator that is, well, not a tough guy. Russell Crowe is a tough guy that is, well, not the brightest. They will team up to be a hilarious duo running around 1970s California, leaving a trail of broken windows, explosions, bullet holes, and laughs. This film looks to be good enough to make me forgive Shane Black (the director) for the atrocity that was Iron Man 3.

The Little Prince (March 18)  

The Little Trailer Here 

"You will make an awesome grown up some day"

That line perfectly captures the problem with our youth's busy schedules these days, and it is the poignant message of this film. The mixture of cg animation and stop motion is beautiful. The voice cast (Paul Rudd, Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, James Franco, Benicio del Toro, Ricky Gervais, Paul Giamatti, Marion Cotillard, etc) is amazing, and the classic tail seems to be interwoven well into a bigger story. 

How excited am I? Let it go on record that this film WILL BE NOMINATED AND MIGHT WIN BEST ANIMATED at the Oscars in 2017. Write that down.   


The Stuff Of Legends (Or, What We've All Known About)

Silence (2016) 

Trailer

Martin Scorsese. Liam Neeson. Rising stars Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver. Do I need to really sell you on this anymore? I will. 

This is the film Scorsese has been trying to bring to the big screen for years now, and 2016 we are going to get it...hopefully. A heart wrenching story about Jesuit priests in 17th century Japan who are spreading Jesus' name and rescuing their mentor. Even judging by the crew involved and the stills we have gotten from the production, this looks to already be a major Oscar front runner whenever it finally hits. Once the release date is out, mark your calendar. This will be a tear jerker and inspiring tale. 

Suicide Squad (August 5)

Trailer 

"Man of Steel is too somber." "DC films have no humor." "DC movies wouldn't know a joke if it hit them." "The funniest thing about DC movies is that they actually thought Green Lantern was good." 

In comes Suicide Squad. This crazy, zany, utterly chaotic action movie is going to be the talk of the year, well after another film that is. What makes this movie so unique is that it is a huge departure from the typical comic book film. The first team up film in the comic book cinematic universe era to feature villains instead of heroes will be an interesting dynamic, especially since the marketing has appeared to show no real attempt to make the villains heroic. 

The big talk surrounding this so far has been Will Smith as Deadshot, Margot Robbie as the lovable Harley Quinn, and the new Jared Leto Joker. The latest trailer, however, may reveal that the real scene stealer might be Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang. Any way you slice it, this looks to be a truly entertaining movie unlike any the comic book hero world has seen yet. 

It also might show how awesome all of Batman's villains are, and really help establish how super Bats is, which brings us to...

My Most Anticipated Film of 2016

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (March 25)

Trailer 

To anyone that knows me, this is no surprise. As I sit typing this out in my "Batfleck" shirt, I can't help but think back at the 3 year wait we have had for this film. It has not been easy. The popular thing to do is to nitpick everything that comes out, but alas that is the life of a film fan. 

We are getting the 2 biggest heroes in history on the same screen for the first time. We have a Batman that looks like the Batman we all imagined. We get the first major motion picture version of Wonder Woman. That will sell itself. 

I am really hoping this will be as good as it can be, and unlike many people, I have full faith in director Zack Snyder. Watchmen is one of the greatest CBM of all time. Man of Steel brought together the best of Superman (hope in the face of hopelessness, full air to air combat, muscles). Now, take that vision and throw in one of the best directors today (Ben Affleck), and you can bet that the end product will be good. Batman is my favorite hero, and this film will do him justice. 

Yes that was a Justice League pun. 

Anyway, what about you? What are you looking forward to this year? Civil War will be cool, Deadpool will be nuts, X-Men will be crazy to say the least! We'll be back this time next year to see how right and how wrong I was about all of this as well. 

The Far Too Long List of 2015 Films and Opinions On Them You Don't Care About: Revisited

2015 was a fun year to go to the movies! There were some great films, some lack-luster ones, and then there was "Jem and the Holograms", which may cost as much for 1 blu-ray as it made in it's entire theatric run. At the beginning of 2015, I made a list of films I was anticipating going into the year. Well, now it's time to keep me accountable. Do I have regrets? Did they all live up to they hype? Here's how we are going to rank them. 

From best to worst, this is how we will be defining the 2015 films:

Buy Full Price 
Buy It At Buy-Backs
Red-Box This 
Don't Even Let Someone Pay You To Watch It 

Now, here are some honorable mentions that I did not have on my list going into last year, but are pretty well known. Are they definitely worth your time, or should you skip them? Here's my 2 cents! 

Ex Machina-Buy Full Price 
Mad Max: Fury Road-Buy Full Price 
Shaun the Sheep Movie-Buy It Full Price
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation-Buy It At Buy-Backs 
Hateful Eight-Buy It At Buy-Backs
Furious 7-Red-Box This
Black Mass-Red-Box This 






Ok, now here's my most anticipated list from 2015: revisited. 

The Hipster Category (Ones You Didn't Know Were Coming)

Chappie (March 6) 
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 31%

This movie may be my biggest regret on this list for a few different reasons. First off, no matter how much I tried to defend the film, the best parts were in the trailer. The robot was adorable and fun, but nothing else really was. Second, the side characters were annoying, Hugh Jackman was wasted, and it was just overall a big mess. But the biggest reason I regret this? Because when I wrote the piece last year, I had another film in this slot. It was a little movie called "Ex Machina". You read that right. I subbed piece of poop "Chappie" in for the film that's nominated for best original screenplay and best visual effects Oscars, and should arguably been nominated for best supporting actress and best picture.

Chappie is a definitive and unabashedly "Don't Even Let Someone Pay You To Watch It". 

True Story (April 10)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 44%

"This could be one of the better films of the year!"-Raymond Morris, February 2015

That guy was actually right for once. I Red-Boxed this limited release indy a couple of months ago, and it was well worth the $1.99 I payed for it. Don't let James Franco fool you with his "This Is The End" and "The Interview" roles; when he puts his mind to it, he is one of the better actors working in Hollywood today. His role as a manipulative convicted murderer that preys on the vulnerable Jonah Hill is nothing short of chilling and brilliant. While Felicity Jones's role is subdued and not-noticeable, she did well. Jonah Hill was also very solid in another dramatic role for his bright career. The story and direction and slow and methodical, but in a way that keeps you very interested and guessing all the way until the end. 

True Story is a "Buy It At Buy-Backs". I'm serious. True story. 

Southpaw (July 31)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 60%

When this movie came out, a lot of the buzz surrounding it was not about the quality of the film, but the fact that the trailer ruined the film. That fact, along with the generic "meh" feeling of the film after it came out lowered my expectations a bit. Perhaps that lowered expectation helped out in my viewing experience. From a technical standpoint, there are beautiful shots, great performances from Jake Gyllenhaal (who, fun fact, is playing a role originally intended to be played by Eminem in the film) and breakout star Oona Laurence (who plays his daughter), a solid story, plus (being a youth pastor) I found the plot line with Forest Whitacker's character was really cool. There are clichéd elements, but that's tough to avoid in any sport's film. 

What left the biggest impression on me in this film was the ridiculously depressing first hour/hour and a half of this two hour film. Just when you think it cannot get any worse for Billy Hope (Gyllenhaal), it does. There's no over-acting here, which really helps make this film good. Also, the big plot device early in the movie had me tearing up a mere 20 minutes in. 

The action is crisp and engaging. The ending, although somewhat predictable, was one of the best fights I have seen. Part of me wishes there was more fighting in the film, but looking at is from a full-story perspective, they got just the right amount in it. In a year where "Creed" would not have been out, this would have gotten more buzz. 

Southpaw is a knock-out in the "Buy It At Buy-Backs" category, although if you are a sucker for sport's films with adult language, this one is a "Buy Full Price".   

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (August 14)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%

This movie took my money, and I was ok with it. I went and saw this bad boy in theaters, even after what I would consider a "weaker than Gumby at the gym" marketing campaign. 
This film suffered in the respect that it could not figure out who it's audience was. Are you going for the people who watched the '60s spy show? Are you trying to introduce this to a new 18-34 demographic? From the commercials, you could not really tell, and that showed in the box office returns. 

Despite all of this, the film was a fun, action packed, lighthearted summer popcorn flick. Guy Ritchie has his fingerprints all over this film, which is definitely to it's benefit. The same time machine he used to transport us back to watch "Sherlock Holmes" was used again to take us back to the 1960s world of suave spies, femme fatales, and fancy cars. The dialogue was witty  the action was fun, and the music was...AHH...fantastic. The music is something I will always commend Guy Ritchie for in his films. He is a master at grabbing the essence of the time period and putting a modern twist on it, and it is no different here. 

For me, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. garners a "Buy It At Buy-Backs", just missing the top tier. 



The Stuff Of Legends (Or, What We've All Known About)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 74%

I am going to be honest here, I was not THAT excited to watch this movie. The reason it was on my list was because I felt as though I may be lynched if it were excluded. That being said, it lived up to my lack of anticipation. 

This movie is one of the bigger disappointments of the year. I will hand it to the Marvel fan-boys out there: Ultron in the trailers looked mighty menacing. The problem is similar to Chappie in that the robot's best parts were all in the trailer. Instead of menacing, we got a sarcastic child in robot form. He reminded me less of a menacing villain and more of a 5th grade bully who thinks he's the funniest kid in class. Marvel has a tough time developing villains, and it simply continued here. And without a good villain, how good can a super hero film be? 

Also, lets take a moment and point out how afraid this movie was to take itself seriously. There's a difference between having clever meta dialogue that points out what we in the audience are thinking and then beating us over the head with it. The first is fun, the second is fear to be serious. That's another thing I have begun to notice with the MCU (and was repeated in Ant-Man). 

Also also, how Marvel essentially pulls a "Look at us, we aren't Man of Steel. LOOK, WE'LL SPEND 30 MINUTES SHOWING HOW EVERYONE IN THE CITY ESCAPES ON THE HELLICARRIER!" scene. 

However, I will say that one of the coolest scenes was when Vision took Thor's hammer. Not only was it very humorous, but it was also brilliant exposition without words. You could spend 15 minutes having a discussion with him to see if he's a good guy, or you can have him prove his worthiness by picking up a hammer. Well done, Joss. Well done. 

That is not enough to save this movie, though. I give Age of Ultron a lower tier "Buy It At Buy-Backs", almost "Red-Box This". 

Jurassic World (Jun 12)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 71%

"I'm throwing this into guilty pleasure territory. It'll be fun. Who doesn't want to see Star Lord (Chris Pratt) play with pet velociraptors?" 

Yep, that's basically what this is, with a little bit of "nostalgia steroids" injected here and there. Look, I won't sit here and tell you that this is a bad movie. I won't sit here and say it's a great movie either. I will tell you that it's fun, it's crazy, and it's very enjoyable, both if you have an emotional connection to the original or if you do not. This wasn't the only "take the plot from the original and just rename the main characters to make it new" film of the year, but my goodness it was fun. 

If you have an emotional connection to the original, this is a definite "Buy At Full Price", but if you don't, it's still a solid "Buy It At Buy-Backs".

Minions (July 10)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 55%

After seeing the previews for this movie, the expectations for me could not have been any higher. I loved the first two Despicable Me films, so I was not going to expect anything less from this one. After it came out this summer, the early buzz from critics was not very positive, especially considering the overall success of the first two. With this in mind (plus the fact my summers become so busy that I hardly see half of the movies I want to), I did not desire to see this much at all. I finally watched it at the end of January. 

I would be lying if I said that this is a masterpiece. I would be lying if I told you that I do not regret putting this on my most anticipated list. But, I would also be lying if I said this movie was garbage. It's anything but! 

Sure, the best parts of the first third of the movie are in the previews. Yeah, the jokes become very repetitive at times (YES, PEOPLE IN ENGLAND DRINK TEA, WE GET IT!). The thing is though, the movie is clever, it is fun, and the minions continue to be adorable. Do we need another one? Heavens no, but this one was ok. What was missing here was a truly solid story to push it through. 

Minions gets a "Buy It At Buy-Backs" ranking, which is good considering I was expecting to give it a "Red-Box This" rank going into the movie.  

Mockingjay Part 2 (November 25)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 70%

I was ready to finish this series off with a bang. I was prepared to forget the dullness of Part 1 and embrace the action packed Part 2. 30 minutes into the movie I was still waiting. This was a definite victim of fluff. There was probably enough here to make an epic 2 hour 30 minute conclusion to the series, but they instead broke it up into two separate films, stuffing as much as they could think of to make enough content for two films. The result, however, was a boring Part 1 and a pretty annoying Part 2. This was not by any means the most disappointing of the year, but my goodness it got close. 

J-Law had moved on from the series and you could tell. However, I do not know if that was because she was acting dull or if the screenplay was that way. I would not be surprised by either option. However, I was surprised by that ending. Yet another reason to wait until after the movie to read the book. That ending and the 20 minutes of action throughout the movie are not enough to save this, however. 

Mockingjay Part 2 gets a weak "Red-Box This". 

Star Wars: the Force Awakens (December 18)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%

Coming into this movie, I remember thinking to myself "man, they've done a great job at not telling much about the movie and getting you to see it based purely off of nostalgia." Little did I know that nostalgia IS the movie. 

Overall this is a very fun exciting movie. It is very much a better made "Jurassic World". What do I mean by that? Basically, if you take the original film in the series's plot and rename everything, you can pass it off as "an original that pays homage to the past films". However, where Jurassic World does it subtly, Star Wars: The Force Awakens does it blatantly (well, at the end). 

For 2/3 of the film, they do a great job of setting up stuff in their own world that is in the spirit of the originals. The final third strips away the subtlety and basically plagiarizes "A New Hope". Fly through a trench, shoot the Death Star Star Killer Base in the right spot and blow everyone up. Tadah! 

Also, Finn was a missed opportunity. Where we could have explored a whole new element to the franchise (a storm trooper on the run? That's awesome), we get to see him turn into comedic relief. To me, it felt more like I was watching Keenen or Kel play Star Wars on All-That than I was an actually character interacting with Han Solo. 

Rey was awesome, however, and I cannot wait to see her journey throughout the series. Kylo Ren has the potential to be one of the coolest and deepest villains we have every seen in this series too. The curious thing to see now will be if Disney will continue to play it safe with simply remaking the original films, or if they will consider their fan-service debt paid and move on to truly fresh and new film ideas with episodes 8 and 9. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, being 2/3 fun and 1/3 remake gets an upper-tier "Buy It At Buy-Backs" from me. And no, I do NOT have a bad feeling about this rating. Thank you. 


The Peanuts Movie (November 6) 
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%

This was my most anticipated for 2015. There was only one other time in my life where I felt THIS excited going into a theater, and that was for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. We all know how that movie went over. So, did the Peanuts Movie live up to my rather lofty expectations, or was I left in an emotionally unstable state after watching a series almost ruined?

Quite simply, this film did not meet my expectations. 

IT DEMOLISHED THEM AS IT WENT TO A CRAZY NEW AWESOME LEVEL. 

This film was perfect, quite simply. The characters were just as I remembered them. The new animation was awesome to see and still left me feeling right at home. The story was cute and felt ripped from the comic itself. Being the oldest person in the theater that was not with a child, I figured that the reason I loved this was the nostalgia. However, about half-way through the film, a little kid that was maybe 6 or 7 blurted out "HAHAHAHA, Snoopy!" 

That simple phrase proved to me that this film not only pleased nostalgic twenty somethings, but also was successful in reaching new fans. I was hoping it could break in and get a Best Animated Film nomination at the Oscars, but alas it did not. But just because Charlie Brown never kicked the football doesn't mean he stopped trying! And just because it did not get a nomination does not mean we won't see new Peanuts movies. I am looking forward to the next one! If there is not a new one made, I will be happy we got this one. 

The Peanuts Movie gets a "Buy It Full Price" rating from me, no questions asked. No "oh good griefs" needed. Save your nickel, because if you do buy it full price you won't need that psychiatric help. 




So what do you think of the assessments from last year? What was your favorite film from 2015? Stay tuned for my most anticipated list for 2016, which will feature some surprises! 

-Raymond Morris

Film Geeks Win: or Why the Academy Awards Help and the Grammys Hurt

Awards season is upon us. Soon, the trending topics and Facebook feeds will be filled with news about nominations for the top of two very distinct entertainment avenues: film and music. While both of these avenues share a common theme of entertainment, the pinnacle of achievement for both (Academy Awards for film and the Grammy Awards for music) could not be any more different if we tried. One of these ceremonies helps further the development of it's industry, while the other is a laughable ploy to generate further funds and ignore the greater artistry available inside it's own industry. While one may play to the popular, the other celebrates the diversity within it's industry, almost to the aggravation of the masses.

What I'm trying to say is simply this: the choosiness of the Academy Awards helps further film as an art, while the Grammy's are a detriment to the music industry.



Let me explain a little bit. But first, I have a confession: I am a much bigger fan of film than I am of music. I tend to check IMDB at least 5 times a day, read at least 5 articles a day about what's going on in the film industry, as well as watch a couple of different youtube channel shows on film and even check daily on what my favorite film critics and professional cinephiles are writing/saying/talking about in the indie and Hollywood world. However, being into film helps me to see how things that take place in the film industry effect the greater Hollywood film-scape; specifically in understanding the choosiness of the Academy. 

This "choosiness" is many times seen by the masses as "pretentious", "snooty", and "out of touch with reality". But, just like vegetables are not always the tastiest but necessary to good health, the celebration of these films actually can (and does) help take the film industry to a place that the money-hungry Grammy's can only dream of going.  Films like "Birdman" (2015), "The Artist" (2012) or "The King's Speech" (2011) can seem very boring and tedious to watch, and names such as Alejandro Iñárritu (2015) and Alfonso Cuarón (2014) are ones that many people in the general public may not actually recognize, despite the fact that all three of the films won the Oscar for "Best Picture" and these two directors won "Best Director" in their respective years. 

Did any of these films or directors top the charts in ticket sales or box office returns in those years? No. In fact, in the last 7 years, only 2 films that grossed in the top 20 domestically won best picture, and 2 directors won best picture with that feat. (King's Speech, 2011, #18 and Slumdog Millionaire, 2009, #16, along with their directors). What is even crazier is this fact: out of 35 best director nominations over the past 7 years, only 5 have been involved in movies that cracked the top 20. In fact, only 52% (39/75) of Best Picture nominees have been in the top 50 grossing films domestically in the past 10 years. 

In short: the quality of the film and quality of directing is the bench-mark for winning the Oscar. Many of these films are not wide release or huge in their budgets, but these budgetary constraints force the filmmakers to focus more on story and characters than thrills from mindless explosions and effects ("Ex Machina", with a budget of $15 million, is nominated for a VFX Oscar this year. This is the smallest budget since the '80s to gain such a nomination, and it was a film that very well could have been nominated for best picture). 

To contrast this a little bit, let's look at the Grammy Awards. In the last 7 years, only 2 winners of song of the year and only 2 winners of record of the year won with a song that was outside of the top 10 selling singles of the year. Even crazier than that high percentage is the fact that a staggering 78% (39/50) of albums that were nominated for Album of the Year finished in the top 50 in sales the years they were nominated. 

In short: if you sell a lot of records, that's what matters. Quality may not mean as much as long as you make a lot of dough. 

This sort of logic in the Grammy awards voting has led many in the industry to make a mockery of the awards. The lead singer from the metal band "Tool" once declined to show up to receive an award they won, stating "I think the Grammys are nothing more than some gigantic promotional machine for the music industry. They cater to a low intellect and they feed the masses. They don't honor the arts or the artist for what he created. It's the music business celebrating itself. That's basically what it's all about."

Even Michael Bublé made a slight under the breath comment about the state of the Grammy's on Good Morning America, when, after watching the new music video for Psy's "Daddy", he commented that "If this is what we have to look forward to at the Grammys next year, I'm out!"

When the rewards go to whatever attracts the most attention, the effort and attention will go towards shock factor, even to the detriment of the art. 

What is cool to view is how the Academy Awards approaches awards. Do they go to the things that get the most money? Like we stated earlier, no, no they do not. What this does, however, is push filmmakers and studios to a better product across the board. Smaller independent films get awards, shining light on new and fresh talent (both actors and directors, screenwriters and cinematographers). This fresh talent is then added to bigger budget products, boosting the quality of the blockbusters that are available. 

It is a well known fact among my friends that I do not always fully enjoy every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but even I can recognize the improvements they have made across the board with each film that is put out. It is beginning to attract Academy Award caliber talent (Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Redford, Glenn Close, Samuel L. Jackson, etc). This phenomena is not limited to Disney's Marvel either. DC is getting Ben Affleck to star as Batman and to direct a solo Batman film (his film that he both starred in and directed, "Argo", won the Academy Award for Best Picture), and they already had Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner in "Man of Steel". X-Men has Michael Fassbender and did have Ian McKellon and Patrick Stewart. 

Award winning talent in "main stream" films equals better products. These help further the industry and take film in a better quality direction, and a big reason for it is the continued prestige of it's biggest night: The Academy Awards. 

So, what does all of this mean? Certainly, people will continue to pay good money for repetitive music because that's what the Grammy's lend them to. Also, people will continue to purchase tickets for the next explosion fest at the box office that has absolutely no story. There is no getting rid of low quality mindless entertainment. But the difference is this: with film, every October-January, the box office is inundated with "Oscar Bait", or the high quality, high story, high character films that will undoubtedly win a plethora of awards, giving the general viewing audience an avenue for a more "high brow" quality of entertainment. 

The music industry will continue to inundate top-20 stations with music that is (quite frankly) bland, mindless, and sad. People will buy it because there are no other options, and although the music will digress, the money will continue. Much of the music that should be recognized for it's artistic integrity will be ignored because it's biggest stage (The Grammy's), will choose to ignore it as well. 

As both awards ceremonies roll around this February, take a chance to look at the nominees. Have fun discussing what is and should be nominated, and always remember that entertainment is subjective, but high quality is always noticed and should be respected and honored. And the chances are good that if the high quality entertainment is being noticed and honored in the program you are watching, you are probably watching the Oscars. 

Just Be There

I can remember how the room was dimly lit by the afternoon haze pushing in through a drawn curtain and a glowing out of date television with an SEC football game playing. Chairs were set up in a semi-circle around a raised bed, all of our eyes turned to the man resting upon it. I was sitting just off to the right of his left foot, toes curled slightly due to the constantly cool temperature of the facility. I couldn't take my eyes off of him; just laying and snoring, occasionally moving his mouth. The 5-oclock shadow was something none of us were used to seeing on grandpa. He was a very clean shaven guy, and that went for both his face and his life while I have known him. 

Not that we wouldn't have fun, mind you. I remember how he used to get down on the ground and chase me and my siblings around as we would try and outrun the tickle monster. Never in my life have I ever felt so much adrenaline and fear and comfort course through my veins than in those moments. Now, I sat and looked at those same hands that would once reach out and those knees that used to knock against the carpet and realized that they may never that swiftly again. How the once warm voice that once called out for his "A.B. Baker the Junk Man" may very likely simply slur "hey" or "ha ha, yeah" for the rest of the time I'll know him. 

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my leg. My mother was sitting on the edge of her dad's bed now. She was telling him all about how her classes were going that she was teaching and how my little brother had just gotten his senior pictures. She reached for her phone and called up the website so she could show grandpa how high my brother could jump in the photo of him dunking. I used the break to check my Twitter and Facebook, but soon realized that for the past 2 hours my phone had been in the car. Normally, this would prompt me to really worry because, you know...I HAVE to stay updated. I NEED to know what's going on. But in that moment, in this time, it was ok. 

This was a time I needed to be fully present. He deserves it. 

We all do, really. 

The smile is just a genetic thing, I suppose. 

The last time I saw my grandfather before the stroke was Christmas 2013. I remember sitting in a crowded basement with a ton of family members I would normally only see about twice a year. It was a very typical night with laughter, food, punch, screaming babies, annoyed in-laws, and one perturbed 21 year old who couldn't stay off his phone...at all. That was me. You see, what was important at that moment was to ignore my grandparents and figure out how to save a pretty new relationship. The only means to save it would be for me to be fully invested in the texts and potential phone calls that would come from my phone, and anyone or anything that would distract or ask about it would cause me to become angsty and, quite simply, angry. My grandma and grandpa sat back and tried to enjoy the moment, asking what I was doing and how my senior year was going. I would give a hasty reply, then sneak back to my phone. The only thing that really brought me back to reality was the only dating advice my brother has ever given me: "no matter how THAT (gestures to my phone) whole thing plays out, you'll still have tomorrow. But today THEY (gestures back to family) are here." 

I noticed Fred outside my grandpa's door. Fred was a 95 year old guy in a wheel chair that, whenever he'd get bored, would scoot down the hall and park in front of people's doors so he could watch and see what was happening. If you had guests, he'd stay longer. Why? "It's better than television for me". 

"How 'bout them Eagles?" 
Grandpa was awake now. Maybe it was the stale air that woke him. Maybe it was the lemon sponge cake that mom just got out. I looked back to him and chuckled. He was grinning that goofy crooked smile that I knew him for. It reminded me that no matter what would happen, something was secured: my memories of him. 

No matter how much the memory loss would reek havoc on his mind or the paralysis would stiffen up his right side, it can never take away the playing football in the back yard or the epic tickle fights that would ensue. Whenever I'm on the road, I always find myself buying a tastey-cake with my coffee to munch on while driving, just like he would have. It will always remind me of the times sitting at the kitchen table, eyes watering from my apparent allergy to Pennsylvania, eating a cake along with my grandpa while listening to him talk (usually sarcastically but always passionately) about his Phillies and Eagles. Only one thing would be able to really strip that from happening in the future, and that's if I would make the mistake I made a couple Christmas's ago.

There was no way I would have known that a couple months later my grandpa would be more/less taken away by a stroke. But that's just the thing. It's very easy to take the little things, the simple things, the traditions that happen each year or day for granted. To think that the staples of our lives would always be there. The sad reality is though, they won't. 

But even as I left that day to return to Vienna, I was at peace. No, it isn't easy. It never is when you leave a loved one. But I have the life lessons, the memories, the crooked smile, the love for baseball that he passed on to me. The smiles he's given. That's enough to be more than thankful for. Heck, even the memories that I have because I was told about them since I was too young to remember them, such as my grandpa correcting people when they just called me "Ray" as a baby. It was a game of sorts. They'd say "Ray", and he'd add in the "mond". Sure, when I think about all of these things it may bring a tear to my eye, but its one that is born from a deep rooted love that was showered on me before I was even born. 

The short film we made earlier this year that was inspired by my grandfather

Holidays are tough on many people because of lost loved ones. I can understand how we may get down, but remember the things that were! Remember the laughs, the tears, and the times that made that life so memorable. And then do the unthinkable: turn off the phone and unplug. Invest in the people and moments around you that day and time. Twitter will be there tomorrow. Someone will have a picture of turkey that you can double tap to like on Instagram on Black Friday. Give a hug to your parents. Tell your grandma about that one person you liked and almost asked out. Or subtly change the direction of conversation towards an embarrassing fact about your siblings. Whatever! The fact is to be in the moment. 

Unplug and be present this Thanksgiving.  

I love you, Grandpa. Happy Thanksgiving to you, my family, and to everybody! I hope that no matter where you are or who you are with, that you pause and remember all the moments and memories you have had with those people, and all the reasons you have to be thankful for them.  

Pause Before You Post

What is one of the best things about social media is the fact that it can give a voice to those who may not otherwise be heard. One of the worst things about social media is that it gives a quick reactionary voice to many people who may speak before they take a chance to be informed, and consequently never become informed. The events of recent days have brought this out of many people once again. 

Now, it is very tempting to take a soap-box to this blog and find a cute or quippy way to spin the recent Syrian refugee situation. We could do that, or we could do what this blog was intended to do. In my first post, I said that this blog was here to "not here to necessarily solve [everything], it is to show the flipside...This is simply a place to help shine light in a new way on things we may/may not encounter in our daily lives." What is surprising (but should not be, really) in this situation is that the flipside of this discussion is the side not many people go to: the facts. 

"Ipsa scientia potestas est", or rather "knowledge itself is power"-Sir Francis Bacon, 1597. 
This is true both in science, the classroom, talk radio, the water cooler, and this particular situation. 

His knowledge of breakfast food is a thing of legend.

What is the vetting process for refugees, both to be in the USA and the EU? Where does it actually say that the P.O.T.U.S. can bring this many people in? Instead of simply regurgitating whatever flavor of news we choose to consume, why don't we go to the facts ourselves? So that's what this post is for, to help all of us gain power in this situation; power that comes through knowledge of the facts, not just opinions. 

Here are some links to help you get started on your quest for knowledge and facts in this situation:  
USA Refugee Vetting Process Link #1
USA Refugee Vetting Process Link #2 

European Union Refugee Vetting Process #1
European Union Refugee Vetting Process #2

Immigration and Nationality Act of 1982 (how the POTUS can do what he's doing) 

Presidential Memorandum on Refugees for the Fiscal Year 2016 

Background Briefing on the United States Refugee Admissions Program 

Syrian Refugee Fact Sheet: World Vision 

Syrian Refugee Fact Sheet: Amnesty International 

Map: Resettlement Centers in the USA

Who is taking in refugees? Country by country breakdown (via CNN)

This is what I urge you, me, everyone to do. 
First, pray. Pray for those who are uncertain where they will live tomorrow or even the next day. Pray for peace in uncertain times. Pray that both the refugees and those seeking to take advantage of the situation will come to know the true God and will live changed lives for the better. Pray for wisdom of both the refugees and those working with them.

Become informed. Before forming an official opinion and taking to the comment sections and mentions to put down everyone from right wing strangers to your weirdly liberal aunt that gets a little too into Bonnaroo each year and shows it all over Facebook, take a day and read up on the subject and process what you have read.

Once you and I are read up on the subject, I would encourage you to take action, whether that is by making your voice heard by calling your congressman or senator or by donating or volunteering to help both here and abroad. 

Finally, as you go back to Twitter and Facebook, I would encourage you to be civil and realize that although people may disagree with you, perhaps the better means of discussion is person-person, not comment to comment. Typing behind a screen gives people a boldness that tends to lead to the leaking of less-than-stellar language and conversation. 

No matter where you end up falling on this issue, remember that we are called to be both "shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16) and "not be afraid of them...Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell." (Matthew 10:26, 28). That One is the One who calls those who believe in Him "son" and "daughter", and the One who seeks a relationship with everyone. 

Pondering Life Moments: Fast Food

In the fabled magical land of jacked up trucks, glorious chemical plants, and a plethora of prestigious institutions of higher learning known as the Mid-Ohio Valley, I found myself sitting in the comfort of my own valiant vehicle known as Bonnie idling in line. As I gazed upon the luminous ora of the intoxicating lights at this wonderful and popular establishment that had managed to draw in quite a congregation both in its lobby and drive through, a curious thought began to percolate inside my mind. Beefy 5 layer burrito or cheesy potato burrito? (Just kidding, that was easy: cantina power bowl, chicken, no guac or whatever that green ooze is they call guac) (WAIT, IS THAT THE GREEN OOZE THAT COULD TURN ME INTO A TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE????) 

Speaking of 90s nostalgia, remember the Burger King Kids Club? Good times, good times. 

Oh, right, the thought that percolated in my mind: 

The name "fast food" doesn't really make sense. 

It was not the fact that the average time at our regional Taco-Bell is an astounding 14 minutes (whether you order 10 quesarito burrito big-boxes or 1 tiny cheesy roll), but rather the fact that fasting is a lack of food. If fasting is not having any food, then what is fast food? Wouldn't fast food then be no food, since that is the food of fasting? Breakfast is breaking your fast with waffles and coffee, or just coffee. So what happens if you break your fast with fast food, but that's truly no food so you didn't break your fast, so you had no breakfast? 

Or maybe it is a warning that fast food is really worth nothing nutritionally, but I digress. 

So here is what I'm thinking: why don't we give it a name that actually fits what fast food truly is? Why don't we call it "full-food"? Or "cheap eats in timely fashion"? "Grease for the least"? 

One of these might catch on, or they won't. Regardless, you can now get a chance to break your fast all day at the golden arches. That's something, no matter how fast or slow the line may be, we all need to take advantage of. Thanks Obama.