This January was surprisingly a very crowded, busy month. Great films from the passing year were released in accordance with the coming of award buzz, new blockbusters were swarming up; and Sinekdoks made annual list called Best of 2016. I watched all Oscars-nominated films, but I intend to post the reviews in a long-streak of post in February. I joined up in two series I once participated in 2015.
Here's a recap to help readers catch up with what went in Sinekdoks along January 2017!
New releases I watched on theaters along January 2017 (listed from the higher score to the lower):
La La Land >> Arrival >> Solo, Solitude >> Patriots Day >> Live by Night >> xXx: Return of Xander Cage >> The Great Wall >> Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
SHORT REVIEW
The BFG (2016) | Director: Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg returns to a familiar family trope in his adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic-a story about an odd friendship between an orphan, Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) and a Big Friendly Giant (motion-captured Mark Rylance). The world's full of visual spectacles and CGI-infused idylls; however, (the late) Melissa Mathison's script under-uses some pivotal elements in the story, e.g., feud against a band of bigger giants and dream-catching subplot. Its surprisingly dialogue-heavy plot is what makes the storytelling uneven, resulting in lack of profoundness in this buddy film. Score: 2.5 out of 4.
The Birth of a Nation (2016) | Director: Nat Parker
This harrowing tale of black slave revolt led by a literate slave-preacher, Nat Turner (Nate Parker) is a preachy-yet-poignant study to America's blackest history. The title is cleverly opposing the idea of the 1915's The Birth of a Nation, which subdued black people and gained fame to KKK. Dreadful and haunting pictures pose as strong images (in a similar way to 12 Years A Slave) to justify the brutal, short-lived revolt; unfortunately, the film's preachy tone hinders it from being monumental. Parker's directorial debut gives its heart too late and finishes too soon. Score: 2.5 out of 4.
The Great Wall (2017) | Director: Zhang Yimou
Don't bother asking about why Matt Damon is in the story. It's purely the industry's gimmick to support the first Hollywood-China's collaboration. While Damon's character can actually be played by anyone, there's only one thing to argue: is Zhang Yimou a perfect choice for blockbuster spectacle? The director shows up his prowess in crafting grand design and vibrant warfare; however, The Great Wall falls short in crafting a non-cliched, complex story of why the 'hidden legend' even matters.
Sinekdoks sums up the best gems in cinema from January 31, 2016 to January 28, 2017 in five Best of 2016 posts:
Music Moments: Top 10 music moments in films.
Scenes, Posters & Quotes: List of best scenes, posters and quotes from films.
Performances: Top 15 best acting performances by actors and actress.
Biggest Misses: List of missed highest-rated and most-discussed films.
Films: Best 20 films of 2016.
Back again to Blindspot Series 2017 by the matinee. For January, I finally watched Rob Marshall's Oscar-winning musical, Chicago (2002), which I finally liked due to its raw, vicious nature to law & order.
There were 4 Thursdays on January and here's the recap of Thursday Movie Picks in which I pick three films each week in accordance with the theme:
Week 1: Legal Thrillers | Week 2: Fashion World | Week 3: Skipped | Week 4: Television Edition: Sci-Fi
To celebrate the new year, Sinekdoks also shared some giveaways to the lucky one who had shared their #1 film of all time as seen in this page.
That's January 2017 in Sinekdoks. Award seasons have started. See you on February!