My Top 10 Movies: Part 1 January-June, 2016

So I decided to create a list of my top 10 movies of 2016 thus far. We're almost done with the first 1/2 of the year (It's June 29th). In December, I'll create a new list, my part 2. Some of these movies I've already reviewed in other blog postings and others I haven't. For those, I'll do a quick review in this post. 

10.  Dirty Grandpa: Robert de Niro and Zac Efron. My goodness what a funny duo. This movie, by no means whatsoever, is an academy award winner, but what a fun, raunchy ride. If you're easily offended, pass this one up because the humor isn't for the faint of heart. Rated R

9. Me Before You: The only romance on my list. This was a novel, I didn't know that and I usually read the books first. Emilia Clarke is hilarious and fun as the quirky Louisa Clark. Her style is eccentric and her heart is worn on her sleeve. Sam Claflin plays Will Traynor, a onetime playboy, who suffers a serious accident and becomes paralyzed living out the rest of his days in a wheelchair. This movie does make you think about how fragile life is and what you'd do for love. There's something charming about Will, even with his now cynical view on life. What does one, who was once so active do in a wheelchair. At the end of his life, my father, who never truly retired, even with a cancer diagnosis, was stuck in a wheelchair. As much as he loved his wife and kids, he hated being in that chair. I've seen what that can do to a person. This movie isn't for everyone. It's definitely not a romantic comedy. Rated PG-13

8. The Jungle Book: What a visually stunning film. I know the talking animals are silly, but the CGI isn't bad. Young Mowgli is adorable. This isn't as good as Cinderella, but was still fun to watch. By the way, I love Jon Favreau. He's AMAZING and so talented! Rated PG

7.  Finding Dory: This is the sequel to Finding Nemo (which I think is a better film). I enjoyed this movie and the Pixar animation has gotten a lot better. Young Dory is the cutest thing in this movie. She's talking and then "squirrel". I just don't think that this film had the same charm as the original. Many great actors voiced the characters. Ellen DeGeneres is back as the voice of Dory. Rated PG

6.  Deadpool: The first of the superhero genre to make my list. Wow what an action packed, comedic spectacle. This is not a superhero movie to take the kids to. It's filled with crude humor and innuendos. This is not the same Ryan Reynolds "Deadpool" from X-men Origins: Wolverine. From my understanding, this Deadpool is more accurate to the actual comic book character. Rated R  

5. X-Men: Apocalypse: I already reviewed this movie in another post. I have issues with the continuity, but the plot was good. Rated PG-13 

4.  Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice: I reviewed this in a previous entry. Overall, Henry Cavill...... yum, I mean good, Ben Affleck...... ok (his staged fights looked too staged!) Gal Gadot...... just isn't Wonder Woman to me yet. I'm excited to get the extended version when it comes out July 18th. Rated PG-13

3. The Shallows: Jaws 5? I really enjoyed this movie. I like Blake Lively.I never really watched her films until The Age of Adaline and I loved that movie. She has a very classic look about her, which really fit that film. She was amazing in this too. Some of the CGI was questionable. Would a shark really do that to the buoy? I question that part of the film too. There was just enough gore and fear tactics to keep me interested. The seagull kept changing and that bothered me because he was my favorite character and I notice things like that. Thank goodness I saw this movie because I didn't want to write a top nine and there were slim pickings in movies this year. Rated PG-13

2. Money Monster: When it's George Clooney and Julia Roberts, the movie is bound to be good. I always love a movie about the corrupt business men who control the world. Premise: A young man (the guy from Unbroken) invests $60,000 in a fraudulent investment deal because, Lee Gates (George Clooney) the host of "Money Monster" tells the world that the stock is a sure thing. The guy from Unbroken, loses every single cent and decides to take "Money Monster" hostage. Julia Roberts is the shows producer, trying desperately to save her star and figure out what happened to the stock. I really enjoyed this movie because, yes, some (not all, all is an absolute) businesswomen/men are corrupt people who are only in it for themselves. The girl from Outlander is in this too and Jodi Foster directs. Rated R

1. Captain America: Civil War: This movie was already reviewed in another post. All I can say is, this is one of my favorite Marvel Movies!  Rated PG-13 

Let's be honest, 2016 has been a pretty crap year for movies so far. I'm not excited about many of the "Summer Blockbusters." Without the help of The Shallows this list would only have been my top nine. I hoping the second half of the year is better than the first!

Spoilers--Two Movies, Two Nights: Night 1 X-men Apocalypse

This year we're not gifted with just one Superhero movie we get 5 or 6 if you count Suicide Squad and Rogue One.  So far Captain American: Civil War has been my favorite and with the release of X-Men Apocalypse, it's going to pretty much stay that way. 

While this probably the better of the three in the new trilogy, I'm annoyed at the continuity timeline. I'm aware that the last X-Men film pretty much rewrote the entire original trilogy, but I have so many more questions than answers after watching this and that's annoying. 

First off, why isn't Magneto older? Isn't he like 12 during WWII. He was in Auschwitz, this movie takes place in 1983, wouldn't he be like close to 50? Ian McKellen was about the right age back in 2000. Magneto can age that much and turn into Ian McKellen's Magneto in less than 20 years? 

Another problem, Scott Summers is a teen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That movie takes place in the 70's, but he's a teen again in 1983.? He was one of the kids who was rescued from the island at the end of the film by a HORRIBLE CGI Patrick Stewart, who might I add was already bald in the 1970's (per that film). Miraculously, James McAvoy regained a full head of hair in 1983 oh and could walk too. The walking could easily be explained by the drugs he was taking via the X-Men: Days of Future Past.   

Let's not forget that in the end of X-Men: The Last Stand, a walking, bald Professor Xavier and an old Magneto went to visit Jean Grey. I'm not as angry at the lack of continuity between the first trilogy and the second, because X-Men: Days of Future Past changed the timeline. 

This is one of my biggest pet peeves.... Stryker!!!He was an old man on X-Men Origins: Wolverine set in the 1970's, a young guy in X-Men: Days of Future Past, set in the 1970's and the same young guy in X-Men Apocalypse, set in 1983. So. how can he be old and young in the same decade? When I say old, he's like very old. Days of Future Past couldn't have changed the timeline that much.

Another continuity issue, but it doesn't actually relate to this movie, Emma Frost. She was on the island, as a teen with Scott, but them was an adult in X-Men: First Class??? Explain that to me...

Wolverine was a part of Team X in the 1970's and yet his skeletal structure was changed in 1983, according to this film. 

This movie wasn't as bad as the critics made it out it out to be. I love seeing Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine, I know we don't get him for much longer. Watching online, I'm worried about where they're taking his character in his final outing as Wolverine. I don't want to see a Rated-R "Old Man Logan" Western.  

There were some comic relief moments. Why doesn't Raven talk in the original trilogy? I loved Quicksilver, Jean, Scott and Nightcrawler. Wasn't Angel a Senator's teen son in Last Stand, there's that continuity thing again. I loved it when Scott said, "I hope we don't see him again," referring to Wolverine. I liked Jean. It was a bit creepy to see an old Logan and a teen Jean, considering in just a few years he's going to have the hots for her. 

I think that Oscar Isaac was a really cool addition to the cast. I know that my hubby loves his acting style. I think he's ok. I liked the character of Apocalypse and the first 30 minutes of the movie were very entertaining. I wasn't confused at all. I felt like more could have been done with the character, but I didn't feel like the movie was rushed either. Days of Future Past was too rushed for me. 

I really liked Eric/Magneto. I don't blame him one bit for his rage. His entire family was taken from him, not once, but twice. So was his daughter supposed to be "Scarlet Witch"?

I didn't understand the really lame end credit scene. I felt like it was just added in there at the last minute with no thought whatsoever. I felt cheated. If Apocalypse is dead and he's in cahoots with Mr. Sinister, I hope they revive Apocalypse.

Overall this wasn't a horrible film. I liked it and as soon as it's $5 at Target, it'll be added to my comic book film collection. Too bad none of the Avengers go on sale. 

I would rate this film 3.5 Pink Gerber Daisies out of 5. Those continuity issues just bug me!!! More questions and not enough answers. I need the answers, that's how my analytical brain works.

I'm an X-Men