Hacksaw Ridge

Actors: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Vince Vaughn

Rating: 8 out of 10, This was jaw dropping. Mel Gibson has always done battles well and this might just be his tour de force. It’s really two movies; the first half shows the hero Desmond Doss growing up in rural Virginia and enlisting during World War 2. While this was a solid introduction for the action that follows, it was also fun watching the almost entirely British/Australian cast pull off deep woods Virginia accents. Spiderman is finally truly amazing as conscientious objector who still wants to serve as a medic. He turns out to be the bravest man on a hellish battlefield rescuing wounded left behind in enemy territory. The fact that this really happened and wasn’t exaggerated by Hollywood is still more astounding. The movie ends with the clips of the real survivors speaking. Mr. Doss earned the Medal of Honor and this movie speaks volumes on courage and faith.

MVP: Garfield as Mr Doss

Manchester by the Sea

Actors: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges

Rating: 10 out of 10, Every bit as good as you have no doubtedly heard about. I worry when a film is so exhaustively praised that there is no way it will live up to its reputation. Manchester does and then some. A stark story of a very damaged man working as a janitor in Boston who’s called back to Manchester when his brother dies. The barren, cold, winter landscape of Manchester mirrors the seemingly soul-dead janitor. This movie should be a film school standard on the skillful use of flashback scenes to explain how the janitor evolved into what he’s become. Casey Affleck is absolutely perfect as the severely damaged lead trying to maintain his thin hold on sanity and not give into the rage barely held back. The crushing seminal event is exposed about halfway through the movie to perfect effect. The summary so far may sound depressing but there’s a surprising amount of subtle humor laced throughout and you eventually can’t help but understand and sympathize with Affleck’s character. While everyone will point to the scene with his ex-wife for drama, I liked the scenes involving Affleck and his on screen nephew who trying to deal with the death of his father, a really weird uncle/guardian, and usual teenage drama. The plot doesn’t go for any grand gestures and felt more like a true life – a tragic story of family. There are some things you never recover from and while that’s painful to see it’s understandable. One of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time.

MVP: Affleck as the haunted Lee, unable to deal

Warrior and the Sorceress

Actors: David Carradine, María Socas, Luke Askew, Anthony De Longis

Rating: 4 out of 10, A film from Roger Corman’s Argentinian period – who even knew that was a thing. A very bad film but since its Corman you’ve got plenty of sword fights and bouncing breasts. I think the 16 year old version of myself would have worshipped this but now its watchable simply for the unintentional comedy level. David Carradine plays another Kaine wandering the desert (again) until he chances on the opportunity to pit two warlords against each other. Watch it for the breasts because the action is laughably bad.

MVP: María Socas as Naja the Sorceress for two very good reasons 

Barbarian Queen

Actors: Lana Clarkson, Katt Shea, Frank Zagarino, Dawn Dunlap, Susana Traverso

Rating: 3 out of 10, Another Corman outing with Phil Specter’s murder victim in her most famous role. She plays a queen with the unfortunate (for her) habit of losing her top at every turn as she tries to rescue her pretty boy intended from an evil empire. Corman’s attempt to bring a Boris Vallejo painting to life with predictable results. So bad, it’s likable.

MVP: Lana Clarkson as Amethea for same two reasons

Chips

Actors: Dax Shepard, Michael Peña, Rosa Salazar, Adam Brody, Vincent D'Onofrio

Rating: 8 out of 10, I really enjoyed this. I don’t think I ever saw a complete episode of the old television series this is based on so I wasn’t encumbered with expectations. Dax Shepard and Michael Pena make an interesting set of buddies with some real chemistry. It was nice to see Pena finally getting some top billing as he’s always killing it in supporting roles. He gets the Ponch role and plays it to the hilt as a womanizer with the unfortunate habit of serially shooting his partner. I think fans of the original series are angry because this translates the plot into raunchy comedy but it is very funny. There are too many cameos to highlight and everybody seemed to have a great time. The script is lot smarter than its getting credit for.

MVP: Michael Peña as Frank "Ponch" Poncherello

Hell or Highwater

Actors: Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Gil Birmingham

Rating: 10 out of 10, It is so . . . Texas. West Texas permeates the film. It should get billing as an additional character because the story of two bank robbing brothers pursued by an aging Texas Ranger plays out on those dusty, oil soaked plains. Anyone who’s visited Texas will see the infinite detail in casting the minor parts and the exterior shots that will bring Texas, with all its warts exposed, into the limelight. Ben Foster and Chris Pine get down and dirty as the brothers on a quest against a bank trying to steal their land and future. There was a convincing rhythm to their interaction that seemed more real than most true brothers. This movie belongs to Jeff Bridges though, out for his last ride as a Texas Ranger. A vestige of pre-political correctness, his dogged pursuit defines an era passing, as do so many other smaller elements in the movie. It’s not a typical cops and robbers flick as the there was a lot more gray area explored in the search for justice. The final, underplayed confrontation between Pine and Bridges crackled. I don’t think anyone would voluntarily visit West Texas and you now don’t have to, go see this movie and you’ll leave with some grit between your teeth. Loved this movie, in case you hadn’t figured that out.

MVP: Jeff Bridges as Ranger Marcus Hamilton

LA La Land

Actors: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, Finn Wittrock, Jessica Rothe, Sonoya Mizuno, Callie Hernandez, J. K. Simmons, Tom Everett Scott

Rating: 9 out of 10, This is about dreamers. It tells a simple love story but the more important message it to hold on to your dreams. L.A. is probably the sun center for dreamers and this was a poignant ode to them. While most movies expose the heartbreak of broken dreams, and while there’s some of that here, it’s mostly about possibilities. You’ll hear more about the song and dance numbers which are dazzling but this movie is all about heart. While Gosling is very good, this film belongs to Emma Stone who tells the entire story through her eyes. I’m sure there will be thousands of would be actresses trying to line up self-financed one woman shows after seeing this but none of them are Ms. Stone. I’m not big on song and dance movies but there was an imbedded magic to this flick that drew me in.

MVP: Stone as the liquid eyed Mia