Man on Fire - Trailer Reaction
"A gritty, high-stakes reimagining of a classic tale of vengeance and protection."
STREAMING ALERT: Premiering on Netflix - Coming Soon 2025
Showing posts with label Commentaries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Commentaries. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Monday, March 09, 2026
In the Grey - Trailer Reaction
In The Grey - Trailer Reaction
"Director Guy Ritchie returns with his signature action flair and silky smooth style."
CALENDAR ALERT: In Theaters May 15, 2026
Sunday, March 08, 2026
Fackham Hall - Review: An Enthusiastic Chuckle Rather Than a Knee-Slapper
By Ray Manukay
2025
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R
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1h 37m
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Comedy / Parody
Thursday, March 05, 2026
The Boys- Final Season Trailer Reaction
The Boys: The Final Season - Trailer Reaction
"Never Meet Your Heroes."
VOUGHT ALERT: The Epic Series Finale - Streaming Soon on Prime Video
Wednesday, March 04, 2026
Lanterns Trailer Reaction - The Green Lantern arrives in the DCU in the latest prestige HBO Max show
Lanterns (HBO) - Trailer Reaction
"In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night..."
DCU ALERT: Lanterns - Coming August 16, 2026
Tuesday, March 03, 2026
Monday, March 02, 2026
2026 Oscar Best Picture Nominees Ranked
Ranked by Ray Manukay
Lucky 13 Presents
THE 10 BEST PICTURE
NOMINEES RANKED
From the bottom of the prestigious bargain bin to the absolute cream of the 2025 cinematic crop.
By Ray Manukay • March 2026
Scary Movie 2026 - Trailer Reaction
Scary Movie (2026) - Trailer Reaction
"The Wayans are back to cancel Cancel Culture."
PRODUCTION ALERT: The OG Cast Returns - In Theaters June 12, 2026
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Friday, February 27, 2026
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
The Best films of 2015 = By Ray Manukay
This Article first appeared on PassMeThePopcorn (Now Defunct)
By Ray Manukay
Honorable Mention:
99 Homes
Anamolisa
Ant-Man
Bridge Of Spies
The Big Short
The Danish Girl
Carol
Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison of Belief
Room
The Kingsmen: The Secret Service
Love & Mercy
#20: The Walk
directed by ROBERT ZEMECKIS
#19: The End Of The Tour
directed by JAMES PONSOLDT
#18: Steve Jobs
directed by DANNY BOYLE
#17: Crimson Peak
directed by GUILLERMO DEL TORO
#16: Slow West
directed by JOHN MACLEAN
#15: Inside Out
directed by PETE DOCTER & RONNIE DEL CARMEN
#14: Beasts of No Nation
directed by CARY FUKUNAGA
#13: Brooklyn
directed by JOHN CROWLEY
#12: Danny Collins
directed by DAN FOGELMAN
#11: Straight Outta Compton
directed by F. GARY GRAY
And my Top 10 Films of 2015 are…
#10: The Hateful Eight
directed by QUENTIN TARANTINO
Quentin Tarantino made his much publicized return to the western genre, but The Hateful Eight had more in common with his debut film Reservoir Dogs, than it did with his last film Django Unchained. Taking place mostly in one location, The Hateful Eight is a delightful, talky and suspenseful work. It is a bit surprising, and disappointing that the film wasn’t embraced critically, and commercially as much as his other films. Filled with fun performances, and a wicked sense of humor, The Hateful Eight will likely stand out in years to come as an under appreciated gem in Tarantino’s eclectic portfolio.
# 9: Ex Machina
directed by ALEX GARLAND
It was a great year for science fiction and Ex Machina was near the top of this year’s list for that genre. But Ex Machina also stands out for being a mesmerizing, intense, and provocative work of drama. It helps that the film is anchored with star making turns by Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander and Domhnall Gleeson. But the real breakout star of the film is writer turned director Alex Garland, who made one of the most impressive directorial debuts in years.
#8: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
directed by J.J. ABRAMS
Let’s be real here.
There was no way Star Wars: The Force Awakens could live up to the astronomical expectations that preceded its release. The truth is the movie has some serious flaws that are hard for a grown man like me to overlook. Like its unimaginative use of yet another “Death Star” or its almost beat for beat retelling of Star Wars: A New Hope.
But this is Star Wars. and as much as as I like to pretend to be a cultured, elitist, film connoisseur, the film is just pure popcorn fun.
Even the biggest cynic could not help smiling watching Han Solo and Chewbacca briefly stomp around the Star Wars galaxy again. The film also nicely sets up the next generation of stories with some engaging and affable characters. Plus Star Wars: The Force Awakens provided this year’s most heated debate. Who is Rey? (For the record I fall into the “Luke’s Daughter theory.”
#7: Creed
directed by RYAN COOGLER
Rocky returns! And there is a lot to like in Sylvester Stallone’s return to his most famous character. But what was really surprising and satisfying was the moving inner, emotional battle of Adonis Creed, Apollo’s illegitimate’s son, played by Michael B. Jordan.
Jordan turned in a touching, and under-appreciated turn as the title character. His in-ring battle mirrored his inner turmoil of rejecting or embracing his true identity.
Meanwhile, Ryan Coogler’s impressive, steady hand expertly balanced the Rocky nostalgia, with the traditional boxing action. It’s his fingerprints which elevated the film from a popcorn action film to an awards season favorite.
#6: The Revenant
directed by ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ INARRITU
Much has been written about the incredible action sequences and groundbreaking cinematography of The Revenant and the buzz is all justified. The decision by director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu to shoot the film with natural lighting and in brutal, unforgiving uninhabited locations resulted in one of the most breathtaking movies of the year.
The excellent performances of Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy even helped audiences overcome the razor thin plot of survival and revenge.
The truth is if The Revenant depended simply on the story, it wouldn’t deserve to be on this list.
Thankfully, that isn’t the only criteria.
The Revenant should go down as one of the best films of the year, if not decade, for its remarkable action sequences and Leonardo DiCaprio’s mostly non-verbal performance. The film had visuals that will likely never be duplicated and deserves to be witnessed by audiences for years to come.
Check out the already classic bear attack scene for proof.
#5: Sicario
directed by DENIS VILLENEUVE
Sicario is a dark, brutal, hard to watch film.
That is an understatement.
Which is likely why the film was mostly ignored during this awards season.
Make no mistake, Sicario is disturbing on many fronts and is not for the faint of hurt.
But that feeling of dread is also what propels Sicario.
The story examines the politically charged topic of the war on drugs and it handles the subject expertly.Sicario doesn’t shy away from showing the human cost of the war. Even though it’s unpleasant to watch, we just can’t look away.
Which is why Sicario isn’t just a compelling film, it’s also an important one. Hopefully it will help create more conversations on the subject. Which definitely demands to be addressed and explored socially and politically.
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#4: Bone Tomahawk
directed by S. CRAIG ZAHLER
Wow.
As much as everyone touted The Hateful Eight as the big cinematic western of 2015, the most traditional and frankly, the BEST western of 2015 was the gritty, violent and unforgiving Bone Tomahawk.
Basically a men on a mission movie. Bone Tomahawk also flipped the western on its head.
Director S. Craig Zahler turned up the brutality in his directorial debut. Bone Tomahawk turned away from the traditional, beautiful, cinematic landscapes of the genre and focused more on the stark, barren, lifelessness of the West. The results had critics grasping for nontraditional descriptions of the genre like horror or cannibal western.
But the best description of Bone Tomahawk is just plain great.
#3: The Martian
directed by RiDLEY SCOTT
The most crowd pleasing film of 2015 was The Martian.
Simply put, a film like this is why we go to the movies.
The Martian had everything audiences could want from a story.
It had drama, action, and suspense. It was touching and heartfelt. But what made the film stand out from the rest, was its optimistic message of hope.
Hope for the space program, hope for the future, hope for humanity.
Cynics probably rolled their eyes at its optimistic outlook. But in a year of brutal, unforgiving films, The Martian stood out for being a feel good experience.
It literally had moments which made audiences stand up and unabashedly cheer.
Which is impressive in this cynical, media savvy day and age.
#2: Spotlight
directed by TOM McCARTHY
Spotlight is the best drama of the year.
It deserves all the kudos it has been earning. From its unflinching look at the Catholic church child abuse scandal, to the painfully meticulous work of the journalists uncovering the shocking truth. Spotlight was just excellent story telling.
Not to mention the great work of its impressive ensemble of actors. Who each nailed their individual performances, while elevating the entire team.
In a year full of amazing action, and fast paced thrills it was refreshing to finally watch a pure, dramatic experience. As much as we enjoy watching fun movies, the real reason why film is an art form is its ability to educate, move, and help inspire audiences.
The fact that it is based on an ongoing, growing scandal makes Spotlight immediate and important. Thankfully, the film will continue to shed light on an important subject like this for years to come.
And my favorite film of 2015 is…
#1: Mad Max: Fury Road
directed by GEORGE MILLER
Well… was there really ever any doubt that Mad Max Fury Road would be my favorite film of 2015? I’m an unabashed fan of science fiction. I’m also a huge fan of westerns. Smash the two genres together and Mad Max: Fury Road is what we get.
The film was just incredible.
From it’s eye popping chase sequences to its brilliant performance from Charlize Theron, Mad Max Fury Road was ground breaking. Throw on top of all that awesomeness the world building by writer director George Miller and Mad Max: Fury Road had everything audiences could ever want.
Wow! What a great year for movies! I’m a little ashamed that this list didn’t feature any international films or more documentaries. But I’m also happy to have seen practically all of the award season films this year.
I can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store. Hopefully Hollywood will be able to build on the great success of 2015. Let us know what you think in the comments! We love discussing films.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Best Movies of 2014 - By Ray Manukay
This Article first appeared on PassMeThePopcorn: (Now Defunct)
By Ray Manukay
Honorable Mentions:
A Most Violent Year
Chef
Birdman
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The Lego Movie
Under the Skin
Magic in the Moonlight
Edge of Tomorrow
The Drop
Boyhood
And here are my favorite films of 2014…
#15: A Most Wanted Man
directed by ANTON CORBIJN
#14: Noah
directed by DARREN ARONOFSKY
#13: Guardians of the Galaxy
directed by JAMES GUNN
#12: Begin Again
directed by JOHN CARNEY
#11: The Imitation Game
directed by MORTEN TYLDUM
And my Top 10 Films of 2014 are…
#10: Inherent Vice
directed by PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
Thomas Pynchon’s works are noted for their complexity, digressions and eccentric characters. All of those traits are present in the challenging and off-kilter Inherent Vice.
The film is an intentionally, awkward, mish-mash of genres that prefers to be absorbed rather than deciphered. Just when the viewer starts to get some semblance of the direction the story is taking us, Paul Thomas Anderson and Thomas Pynchon delightfully take the viewer down a different and more complex rabbit hole.
This is where the film can make it or break it for the viewer.
Although one can argue Inherent Vice fails to deliver a satisfying, traditional, and tidy cinematic story. The truth is Inherent Vice is more about the journey than the destination.
And it is a great journey. One that deserves and arguably requires repeat viewings to fully be appreciated.
# 9: Only Lovers Left Alive
directed by JIM JARMUSCH
I’d be hard pressed to come up with a genre more over-saturated in entertainment than vampires.
But director Jim Jarmusch still manages to add his own unique, eccentric spin to the vampire mythology. Less interested in the typical blood lust and super-powered abilities that most stories about the creatures focus on , Jarmusch examines the emotional and psychological price of immortality.
How torturous would it be for immensely educated, centuries-old cultured beings to exist in a world full of primitive, base and short-sighted, immature humans?
Putting aside the philosophical element of the film Only Lovers Left Alive is just a cool movie. Beautiful look, hip feel, and just an awesome overall uniquely Jarmusch vibe.
#8: Blue Ruin
directed by JEREMY SAULNIER
Revenge. In all it’s bloody, complicated and sticky forms and consequences.
Arguably, some of the most suspenseful and thrilling cinematic sequences of the year.
The less the viewer knows about the film going in the better. I’ll simply say check it out.
#7:The Raid 2
directed by GARETH EVANS
At its core The Raid 2 features cops, robbers… and just plain, wicked, violent, gangster shit.
But story is not what one watches The Raid 2 for.
Super extended and elaborate fight sequences and thrilling non-cgi action make this the best pure action film of the year.
Don’t let the subtitles intimidate. Just pure, glorious, bloody action.
#6:The Immigrant
directed by JAMES GRAY
If the reader has never heard of the film The Immigrant I wouldn’t be surprised. Released without any promotional support…at all.. the movie came and went with barely a whisper.
The problem is that The Immigrant was a fantastic movie.
Not only does the film feature excellent performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant is also an absolutely gorgeous film.
I mean incredibly, stunning and jaw dropping production design. During my screening I literally paused the film mid-viewing just to admire the scenery and cinematography.
At one point I became convinced that director James Gray and his cast and crew took a time machine to 1920’s New York and shot this film.
Shamefully under-rated The Immigrant deserves to be seen and rightfully praised. Don’t let this film slip by.
#5: Nightcrawler
directed by DAN GILROY
I am of the strong opinion that most television news is more harmful than helpful or even informative for that matter.
Nightcrawler confirms my beliefs.
Dan Gilroy’s look at exploitative network news is at once illuminating and morbidly thrilling. Featuring an excellent performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, the movie examines the relationship between news reporting and providing entertainment to the masses.
It is easy to blame the media for the seedy featured content shown nightly on news programs. But the truth is that we the audience feed that machine.
The villainous or arguably strangely heroic Lou Bloom, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is simply, good or bad, a product of this machine.
The film is likely not receiving the usual award season buzz because of its scathing critique of the media. But if one puts all that aside Nightcrawler is an excellent film that will leave the viewer thinking.
#4: Interstellar
directed by CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
Much has been said about Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.
The truth is I don’t really have much more to add to that conversation other than to say Interstellar is a thrilling, fascinating and surprisingly touching movie.
I get where the negative criticism comes from. Interstellar can be dense with the science talk, and at times overly sentimental.
But there is no denying that it is an awe inspiring, thought provoking film, by a visionary director in Christopher Nolan that is at the top of his game.
#3: The Grand Budapest Hotel
directed by WES ANDERSON
Wes Anderson.
Everyone knows what they are getting when they sit down to one of Wes Anderson’s films.
There are parodies everywhere of his distinct style.
But The Grand Budapest Hotel is likely a turning point for the director. Besides being his most mature film to date, The Grand Budapest Hotel displays the confidence of a developing master storyteller.
The film is uniquely his own, but unlike his previous, frivolous film Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel has surprising substance and touching, emotional depth which stays with the viewer long after its final frame.
Rather than just being stylish for the sake of it. Like his films usually are. Wes Anderson uses his traditional, gorgeous, eccentric, visuals to emphasize the beauty of the memories of various characters. They are precious representations of a cherished time gone by. Combined with the touching narration, it gives the film a poignancy, previously unthinkable in a Wes Anderson film.
Probably the most moving movie of the year. Without being overly sentimental or dramatic.
#2: Whiplash
directed by DAMIEN CHAZELLE
There have been many films showing the trials and tribulations of the artist.
But Whiplash illustrates, probably most accurately, the sacrifice, struggle and uncompromising drive to be great.
J.K. Simmons delivers a performance for the ages, simultaneously, provoking disgust and admiration in his portrayal of Fletcher. But all the while keeping the character feeling real and human.
Is Fletcher an evil manipulator or a much needed artistic motivator?
That is the cinematic argument of the year and one that should provide plenty of debate and conversation amongst viewers for years to come.
Easily the most exhilarating film of the year, Whiplash also delivers one of the most satisfying, inspiring, cinematic experiences of all time.
And my favorite film of 2014 is…
#1: Snowpiercer
directed by BOON JOON-HO
Fight your way to the front.
Snowpiercer rightfully fought its way to the front by being the most remarkable film experience of the year.
Demonstrating a wide variety of genres and powerful themes, Snowpiercer not only hits the viewer in a visceral sense, but also on an intellectual and political level.
Snowpiercer raises challenging questions, while also entertaining viewers with breathtaking action.
Featuring an inspired performance from Chris Evans and a brave, eccentric one from Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer is also arguably the best and brightest that the science fiction genre has ever offered on film.
Illuminating and thought-provoking Snowpiercer for me, was easily the best film of the year. And likely will be recognized as one of the best films of the decade.
If the viewer is looking for a movie with everything. Literally. Snowpiercer is it.
The perfect representation of a great, thrilling and unique year in cinema.
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