Creed

This movie was the surprise of the year for me.  I didn't even know it was coming out until a couple of months ago.  My 9 year old son has gotten into boxing and the Rocky movies recently, so we have watched nearly all of them in the past 6 months.  If you've seen them, you know... they start out awesome, and then go downhill.  Well, guess what?  They came back with Creed and TOTALLY REDEEMED THEMSELVES!  This movie was GREAT.

Directed by Ryan Coogler of Fruitvale Station-- awesome movie starring Michael B. Jordan, who was amazing in that and awesome in this.  And Sylvester Stallone was so, so good as Rocky. The Rocky from #1 & #2 who we loved for his goofball charm and pet turtles.  He still has the same strut and played the character so well, even at 69.  He is nominated for Best Supporting Actor and he has my vote.

The story is so well done, only slightly corny, and thoroughly entertaining. It had enough connections to the original to make it nostalgic, but was updated enough to feel fresh.  There is an amazing street running scene that it so cool.  I must worn you though, you might cry.

Bridge of Spies

I almost always enjoy movies based on a true story.  This one was interesting and well directed.  I enjoyed it, Stephen fell asleep.  It was a little slow at times, and at the end I had several questions I felt were not answered.  But it was good.  I don't think it will win an Oscar, though. B

Brooklyn

It was good, not great.  I am surprised by its nominations.  I have seen other movies that were more deserving this year.  Wait for video.  Don't vote on it on your Oscar ballots. B-

The Big Short

Even though it got several Oscar nominations, I don't know if this will win much-- but it is highly entertaining.  Based on the book by Michael Lewis (the guy who wrote Moneyball) and directed by Adam McKay (Anchorman?) it is smart, informative and funny.  Clearly an amazing cast.  I learned a lot and left feeling a little sick, but the story is real, and they told it in a creative and riveting way. A

Room

Room very well may win Best Picture at The Academy Awards.  I haven't seen all of the nominees, but I have seen most of them, and this one definitely stands out.  I knew almost nothing about it before I saw it, and I think that made it even better.  So, I won't write much, because I don't want to give anything away.  I know that Brie Larson won Best Actress at The Golden Globes, and she deserved it.  She was great.  And the kid!  Man, he was incredible. The acting and cinematography are so real and raw that you feel like you are in the movie with them. You forget they're acting.  This movie will break your heart and sew it back up again.  One of the best movies I've seen in a while. A+

The Martian

So many movies to see, so little time!  Sadly this year, I canceled my Entertainment Weekly subscription because I never had time to read them these days.   And now there are so many good movies out, but even if I can make time to see them, I have no time to do my "research."  So, all I knew about The Martian, was what I had heard on NPR: it was based on a book by a software engineer Nasa-loving nerd who just really wanted to write it and didn't care to make money on it, so he wrote it and put it on the internet... and people LOVED it.  We actually chose it for our book club book this month, but I haven't even started it yet.  I had not even watched a trailer, but knew it was about a guy that got stuck on Mars.  That didn't sound that great to me, and I imagined it would feel like "Gravity," which was beautifully done, but incredibly intense.  Then I saw it was nominated for Best Comedy or Musical Golden Globe, it made it to the Dollar Theater, and Book Club is meeting soon and I haven't started the book.  SO, we got a sitter last night and went with everyone else in East Cobb to see it.  It was awesome!  If you love nerdy problem solvers like we do, it is a must-see. Fantastic cast, great directing, fun music that adds to the comedic element.  It does seem a stretch that the Golden Globes categorized it as a "comedy" and it certainly had some Gravity-type intensity, but it was also a lot of fun and triumphant.  Matt Damon was great and well cast in the role.  I liked everyone, except it is hard for me to accept Jeff Daniels or Kristen Wiig in a serious role, ever.  I was surprised at the end when I saw it was directed by Ridley Scott, as it seemed a different type of movie than he usually does, but I was impressed.  Also, once you see it, "The Martian" seems like the perfect title, but beforehand, you're not sure what you're getting into.  It is really good though, even if you're not all that into science fiction (like me).  I give it an A-.