Film Class Junkies

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Film Class Junkies' Top 20 Films of 2016. #LaLaLand #Fences #Moonlight #Arrival Back from our little hiatus, here's Film Class Junkies' Top 20 Films of 2016.

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The Conjuring 2 Review

FCJ's #TheConjuring2 Review, while the atmosphere is stellar, it fails to live up to expectations. #VeraFarmiga #PatrickWilson

The Conjuring 2 (134 minutes, Rated R)

While The Conjuring 2 is a good representation of what mainstream horror should look and feel like, it unfortunately lacks the impact of the original, resulting in an underwhelming affair.

As a genre guy, it is hard to look at the state of mainstream horror and not be disgusted. But in the last few years, some indies have snuck by and offered up great…

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Warcraft Review

FCJ's #Warcraft Review, yet another disappointing #videogame adaptation. #WorldofWarcraft

Warcraft (123 minutes, Rated PG-13)

[SPOILERS if you have not seen Warcraft]

It appears the video game curse has struck again. In the very complicated history of Warcraft– which is overly convoluted and played straight for the most part – it can be simplified to orcs versus humans. Unfortunately, it takes so long to explain everything that things like character development and motivations get…

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Review

FCJ's #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesOutoftheShadows Review, a fun sequel that somewhat improves on the first one. #StephenAmell #MeganFox

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (112 minutes, Rated PG-13)

This time, the teenagers are having trouble keeping their antics quiet: with a riff in the group about going public, they must stop Shredder and Baxter from opening a portal to another dimension. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadowsis exactly what the first one should have been: a fun kids flick that focuses…

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X-Men: Apocalypse Review

FCJ's #XMenApocalypse Review, a movie that is equally entertaining and disappointing. #MichaelFassbender #Marvel #JenniferLawrence

X-Men: Apocalypse (144 minutes, Rated PG-13)

[SPOILERS if you have not seen X-Men: Apocalypse]

X-Men: Apocalypse is an okay movie. But in the golden age of comic book films – and with how good Days of Future Past was – this is a bit of a letdown.

There are things to love about this movie, but there is also an awful lot to hate. For the most part, this is enjoyable, with the filmmakers opening…

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The Do-Over Review

FCJ's #TheDoOver Review: hardly horrifying, it is what people come to expect from #AdamSandler.

The Do-Over (108 minutes, Not Rated)

About two friends faking their deaths and starting over with some adverse consequences, The Do-Over is yet another step back for the famous comedian.

As I touched on in The Ridiculous 6 review, the big thing is to crap on Adam Sandler. Whether it is his sleepwalking ways or how he admitted that he does movies in tropical locales so he can vacation there, he…

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The Nice Guys Review

FCJ's #TheNiceGuys Review, a fun buddy flick anchored by the chemistry of #RussellCrowe and #RyanGosling.

The Nice Guys (116 minutes, Rated R)

About a private investigator and enforcer teaming up to stop the mob and corrupt government officials, it is a somewhat original caper that will delight fans of Shane Black’s past efforts.

If you grew up watching any of Shane Black’s previous films, you are bound to fall in love with this movie. It is not the best-made feature on the market, but it is damn…

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Captain America: Civil War Review

FCJ's #CaptainAmericaCivilWar Review, an entertaining #Marvel movie that somehow feels too familiar. #Marvel #ChrisEvans #robertdowneyjr

Captain America: Civil War (146 minutes, Rated PG-13)

Call me a grandpa, but I’m feeling the fatigue. Civil War is about a new accord that keeps the Avengers under government control, which creates a rift between Captain America and Iron Man. This all results in a real big, somewhat fun movie that also feels by the numbers.

I am the dissenting opinion. First and foremost, I did not hate Civil…

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Interview with Jon Schnepp and Holly Payne: Director and Producer of 'The Death of 'Superman Lives:' What Happened?'

Interview with Jon Schnepp and Holly Payne: Director and Producer of ‘The Death of ‘Superman Lives:’ What Happened?’

People may know Jon Schnepp from AMC Movie Talk or Collider News, but last year he released a passion project, with the help of producer Holly Payne, called The Death of ‘Superman Lives:’ What Happened? About the failed Superman movie that was supposed to star Nic Cage and be directed by Tim Burton, it was released last year on VOD.

But despite being released in 2015, Jon and Holly are still…

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Keanu Review

FCJ's #Keanu Review, a comedy that gets increasingly hilarious as it goes off the rails. #KeeganMichaelKey #JordanPeele

Keanu (98 minutes, Rated R)

About a slacker that just broke up with his girlfriend, Rell (Peele) finds new life after finding Keanu: but after his place is robbed and the little kitten is stolen, he goes on a quest to get him back with his cousin Clarence (Key). Keanu starts out stiff, with an awkward set up much akin to last year’s terrible Let’s Be Cops. However, this movie rewards those that…

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Kicks Review (Tribeca Film Festival 2016)

FCJ's #Kicks Review, a worthwhile indie that is heartbreaking and hilarious in one fell swoop. #TribecaFilmFestival

Kicks (80 minutes, Rated R)

Kicks is 2016’s much darker version of Dope. Where the latter was filled to the brim with goofiness, the former portrays a kid’s struggle to be relevant in the grounded reality of poverty. About Brandon, a kid that dreams of owning a pair of Jordans, he finally saves up enough money to buy them. However, after a run in with a dealer, his pair is stolen and Brandon…

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King Cobra Review (Tribeca Film Festival 2016)

FCJ's #KingCobra Review, an intriguing tale that just misses the mark. #JamesFranco #TribecaFilmFestival

King Cobra (91 minutes, Not Rated)

Based on the true crime story, an up and coming gay porn star lights the adult film world on fire. His stardom inadvertently starts a chain reaction that leads to murder. One of the few films I knew about when walking into the theater, people were touting King Cobra as gay porn’s Boogie Nights. The results, a larger than life story that feels like it has no…

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Green Room Review

FCJ's #GreenRoom Review, it is one of this year's best, but is it Film Class Junkies' first perfect score of 2016? #PatrickStewart

Green Room (94 minutes, Rated R)

Green Room will likely be the most intense movie experience of the year, and we are only four months into 2016. It punches the viewer in the gut constantly, barely letting up until the credits roll. About down on their luck punk rockers that take a risky show at a skinhead compound, they witness a murder and must now fight to survive.

From the brain that brought…

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Hunt for the Wilderpeople Review (Tribeca Film Festival 2016)

FCJ's #HuntfortheWilderpeople Review, a heartfelt comedy reminiscent of a 90s kids film. #SamNeill #TribecaFilmFestival

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (101 minutes, Not Rated)

It looks like a Taika Waititi film will make my top ten in back-to-back years: he follows up the gut-busting hilarity of What We Do in the Shadows with the delightfully poignant Hunt for the Wilderpeople. About an aimless foster kid going through the system, he gets lost in the New Zealand wilderness after running away following a traumatic…

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Don't Think Twice Review (Tribeca Film Festival 2016)

FCJ's #DontThinkTwice Review, a wonderfully funny tale about success and failure. #TribecaFilmFestival

Don’t Think Twice (90 minutes, Not Rated)

Don’t Think Twicemay not exactly be a part of the mumblecore genre, but it firmly puts its stance as one of the best to come out of that movement. About improvisers in their 20s and 30s, they have to come to terms that some might not make it, as one of their members gets mainstream success. To make matters worse, their theater also happens to be closing,…

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Tiger Raid Review (Tribeca Film Festival 2016)

Tiger Raid Review (Tribeca Film Festival 2016)

Tiger Raid (92 minutes, Not Rated)

Tiger Raid is a beautiful yet ugly film. It is very hard to describe this in a non-oxymoronic way. About two very unlikable mercenaries attempting to hold a daughter of a rich businessman hostage, it is a character-driven piece that focuses on the captors’ wavering mental states.

Tiger Raidis an extremely bleak film. There is no way around it. It will turn…

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Here Alone Review (Tribeca Film Festival 2016)

FCJ's #HereAlone review, while far from perfect, still an engaging little indie. #TribecaFilmFestival

Here Alone (97 minutes, Not Rated)

Here Alone is an indie film that uses its indie status to its advantage. About a woman living in the woods during a zombie apocalypse, she saves a man and his stepdaughter from death, resulting in a unique, tense relationship that slowly builds until the explosive conclusion.

Here Alone has a lot to visually and narratively digest, which leaves one thinking…

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