2019 is almost here and Oscar nominations will be announced Tuesday, January 22, 2019.
Since the Academy, movie critics, and people living in huge metropolitan cities (read: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc.) get access to some movies before the rest of us, some of these movies made 2017 lists. Oh well!
Here are my favorite movies I saw this year. There are two documentaries on the list that were not released in theaters, but it’s my list and I’m including them. 🙂
If these two weren’t on the list then “The Greatest Showman” would have been my #20 movie of the year and “Halloween (2018)” would be at #19. But, they’re not. 🙂
Before we kick off my countdown of my favorite movies of 2018, this Oscar nominated movie was my 2017 favorite!
“LION”
“THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $157.2 MILLION
“JONESTOWN: TERROR IN THE JUNGLE”
“I, TONYA”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $54 MILLION
“BLACKKKLANSMAN”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $88.6 MILLION
“PEPPERMINT”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $51.8 MILLION
“PADDINGTON 2”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $227.3 MILLION
“THE FLORIDA PROJECT”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $5.9 MILLION
“VICTORIA & ABDUL”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $65.4 MILLION
“SEARCHING”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $75.1 MILLION
“BOBBY”
“LOVE, SIMON”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $66.3 MILLION
“A QUIET PLACE”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $340.7 MILLION
“GOD’S OWN COUNTRY”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $335,609
“BORG VS. McENROE”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $231,346
“FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $1 MILLION
“CRAZY RICH ASIANS”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $238 MILLION
“BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $702.5 MILLION
“WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $22.6 MILLION
“THE SHAPE OF WATER”
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $195.2 MILLION
Before I reveal my favorite movie I saw in 2018, here are four worst movies I saw this year.
4th Worst: “BREAKING IN”
In September, I gave it a “D+” and I wrote, “This movie will likely have a mention in my year end blog of my 20 favorites movies of the year. But, it’ll be on a different list — the worst movies of the year!”
I added, “it’s terrible. I couldn’t wait for it to be over because it was so unrealistic!”
3rd Worst: “THE FIRST PURGE”
In November, I gave it a “D” writing, “it was so jokey and silly that I was mostly bored. Pretty sad because I really liked the first three movies in the series. Skip this movie if you haven’t already seen it and if you need a “purge” fix, check out the 10-episode USA Network event.”
2nd Worst: “THE SNOWMAN”
It pains me to say that “The Snowman” was the second worst movie I saw this year.
I loved the book and my man, Michael Fassbender, is so hot.
I gave the movie a D+ writing under the headline “THE SNOWMAN (DISASTER)”!
I added, “it was the most disjointed thing I’ve seen in a long time. It was like they had a script and threw out pages here and there and just pieced it together.”
WORST MOVIE OF THE YEAR: “HAPPY DEATH DAY”
In March, I gave it a “D” and wrote, “‘The Snowman’ is no longer my least favorite movie I’ve seen in 2018. This horror movie is atrocious!”
Now it’s time for me to “pick” my favorite movie I saw this year. It should come as no surprise if you’ve read my blog on a regular basis.
I mentioned it last year when I counted my favorite movies of 2017. It made the critics’ list, it was nominated for several Oscars. But, it didn’t open wide until 2018, so it’s on list at the top!
I appreciate those of you that have taken the time to read my three blogs I’ve shared in 2018. I’ve expressed many times that I love writing and it’s like therapy for me — it gives me an avenue vent about things and share thoughts.
So, as long as a certain number of people click on and read my blogs (yes, I get the stats and I have a threshold I want to reach), I’ll keep sharing.
Have a great weekend and read on…
F.B.I. THOUGHTS
Thanks to James Comey and many failures on behalf of the F.B.I. (Federal Bureau of Investigations), these days I’m only liking fictional FBI agents like Fox Mulder and Dana Scully…
Clarice Starling…
and Holden Ford on Netflix’s “Mindhunter”, played the adorable and sexy Jonathan Groff!
GOVERNMENT, OBSTRUCTIONISTS, AND CULTS
I believe that the U.S. government, for all the good it does for the American people, is corrupt and harbors many secrets — secrets that started way before Roswell and Area 51.
It also scares me when groups of people, in the name of God and religion, put their faith in people claiming to be prophets that speak for the Lord.
Yes, those two meet in this thought today.
Recently, I watched the excellent recent ABC special, “Truth and Lies: Waco” about the early 1993, 51-day standoff between Branch Davidians cult leader David Koresh and the FBI and the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives).
It all started on February 28, 1993, when the U.S. government stormed the compound. On that day, 4 government agents and 6 Branch Davidians died.
Talks between Koresh (who told negotiators that his last name meant “death”) and hostage negotiators went on for weeks.
And, then after 51 days, on April 19, 1993, the government told Koresh that they were not going to fire weapons on the compound, but they were going to flood the buildings with tear gas.
On that windy day, a fire almost certainly started by Koresh (which is disputed), quickly spread killing a total of 76 Branch Davidians, including the cult leader.
The bottom line is that the Waco siege was a complete failure by the U.S. Government, under the watch of Attorney General Janet Reno and President Bill Clinton.
But, when you have a doomsday cult preparing for the end of the world with a stockpile of weapons and a leader with a propensity for child molestation and many wives, you have to draw the line somewhere.
One person who saw the government as the evil villain at Waco was Timothy McVeigh.
Two years to the day of the Branch Davidian fire, he blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City killing 168 people and hurting more than 600 others.
He’s definitely not alone. I spent almost a year in Lubbock, Texas, in the late-1990s, and I remember covering a meeting at a local restaurant. It was an anti-government group that wanted Texas to secede from the United States. The story never made air.
RELIOUS CULTS
While I pray every night and I have since I was a child, I don’t believe in organized religion.
With that being said, I sure as hell cannot wrap my head around people giving up their lives and their freedom to follow cult leader like Koresh and Jim Jones.
In November 1978, Jones convinced over 900 followers in his Peoples Temple (many were American and 304 were children) to kill themselves in a mass murder-suicide by drinking poisoned Grape Kool-Aid in Jonestown, Guyana.
Ironically, early on in my time in Lubbock, I also covered the local angle of the “Heaven’s Gate” cult.
On March 26, 1997, police in California found the bodies of 39 cult members that had killed themselves thinking they were going to reach an extraterrestrial spaceship following Comet Hale-Bop!
FAKE NEWS? IT’S FROM THE AP!
OPRAH FOR PRESIDENT
As much as I like Oprah Winfrey and as much as I dislike “that man”, a 2020 presidential run for the former media mogul and news anchor is not something I’m behind.
(*Oh Lord, did I have to say the word “behind”, it made me think of the picture posted above!*)
Could she do the job much better than the <insert your own term here> in the White House now? Without a doubt and with much more integrity and with much less effort.
However, politics is such a farce now that I wouldn’t want her to get into that fray!
“9-1-1”
The dynamic producing-directing-writing team of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk is back with a new hit, “9-1-1”, and it’s incredible.
As you likely know, they’re behind the critical hits, “Nip/Tuck”, “Glee”, “American Horror Story”, and “American Crime Story”, and the one miss, “Scream Queens”.
When I first saw the trailers for “9-1-1”, now on its third episode on Fox, it looked promising.
However, I thought it’d be very easy for all the calls that Los Angeles first responders (9-1-1 operators, cops, firefighters, and paramedics) navigate to become tiresome very quickly.
The reason that didn’t happen is that while the show does show how each situation is handled, the calls (and tragedies) are not drawn out for the entire hour!
The show focuses on the personal lives of those putting their lives on the line (mentally and physically).
Connie Britton is Abby, the 9-1-1 operator, Peter Krause is a fire department Captain, and Angela Bassett is a tough as nails patrol Sargent.
Earlier this week, Fox renewed “9-1-1” for a second season — after just airing two episodes!
And, while I think Krause is SAF, the entire cast is hot!
NBC’s “The Brave”, you have sexy competition!
“BATTLE OF THE SEXES”
When watching movies like Kathryn Bigelow’s “Detroit”, my #4 movie of 2017, about police brutality by white cops toward the black community and “Battle of the Sexes”, about sexism and unequal pay between men and women in the same profession, I’m glad those things from the 1960s and 1970s don’t exist today!
Oscar winner Emma Stone and Academy Award nominee Steve Carrell star as tennis legends Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in this drama about the 1973 televised tennis match between the sexes.
Tennis is played in the movie and, of course, we see that infamous match play out on ABC. However, the movie is more about King and her relationship with her husband and her hairdresser and Riggs and his family and his gambling problem.
It also handles sexism and pay inequality well, along with Australian champion Margaret Court’s blatant homophobic attitude toward King in the 1970s. Well, as an old coot down under today, that hate is still very much alive since she says “tennis is full of lesbians”!
GRADE: A-
EMMA STONE AND BILLIE JEAN KING
In “Out” magazine in August 2017, Stone talked about where King and women were in the 1970s and where we are today “with anarcissistic, self-focused, constantly-stirring-the-pot kind of guy — again this incredible, qualified woman, and at the same time be playing Billie Jean King…”
Stone adds, “Obviously the way this has all panned out has been fascinating and horrifying, and it still feels like we’re in a bad dream, but those parallels make sense to me — the equal-pay issue makes a lot of sense to me. At our best right now we’re making 80 cents to the dollar.”
“PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM”
“Philadelphia Freedom” became Elton John’s 11th Top Ten hit and fourth #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975.
While it’s not a “tennis” song, its title honors Elton’s friend Billie Jean King and her tennis team, the “Philadelphia Freedoms”.
PICK HIT
My future ex-boyfriend (I hope Anna doesn’t mind), Enrique Iglesias is back with new music.
I like the song and he still looks amazing.
I can’t wait for the follow-up to “Sex+Love”, my #1 album of 2014.
By the way, I saw Enrique in concert and he was incredible.
2020 DEMOCRATIC TICKET
Since a potential Oprah run for the White House is making its round in the 24-hour news cycle, I’m throwing this out.
While it won’t happen, they have a year to make nice and find common ground.
Here is the ticket I’d like to see to take on the 2020 Republican nominee for president.
I don’t care which one leads the ticket!
THAT’S IT
With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!
The first story in today’s blog may not set well with some. That’s fine. Read it or scroll past it and check out the rest of my thoughts.
If you’d like to comment (and I’m asking for your opinion), do it diplomatically!
Have a great weekend and thank you for checking out my random thoughts.
REFLECTIONS — ONE YEAR LATER!
It’s been one year now since that fateful night in 2016 when the truly impossible happened.
The bottom line is that former FBI Director James Comey’s October 27th bombshell of reopening the email controversy was (and still is) the main reason for the unthinkable. If that proclamation hadn’t been made, Hillary Clinton would be the 45th President of the United States!
Now that I’ve had a year to reflect on it (and you have, too), I’m still no more at ease than I was in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016.
In retrospective, I’m not mad at the minority of people that voted for “that man”. While I don’t know, I try to understand why they did.
I’m still angrier with the people that voted for Gary Johnson and Jill Stein. Did they really think that either of them had a chance to win the election? No!
Did they vote for them to make a statement against Hillary? Yes!
But, was it worth the outcomes in the battleground states of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin? If a fraction of the votes for Johnson and Stein in those all important states had been cast for Hillary, she would have had the electoral votes to win the election.
Now, my question for those who voted for Trump, are you happy with what he’s done for America? Also, do you think he’s well representing the U.S. and what we stand for on the world stage?
And, I didn’t even get started on the Bernie Sanders supporters that didn’t vote or didn’t vote for Hillary. Again, was the outcome of that anger worth it?
Those are some of the questions I’ve asked myself every day for the past year! I can’t answer them.
I just know how I feel waking up daily and not having Hillary Clinton as my president. 😦
I hope things change.
“AMERICAN HORROR STORY”
The seventh season of “American Horror Story” wraps up Tuesday night, November 14th!
Wait, wrong graphic! 🙂
I can’t wait to see how “Cult” ends. After the dismal fourth and fifth seasons (“Freak Show” and Hotel”, respectively), and the so-so sixth season, “Roanoke”, this season was entertaining and thought-provoking.
FAILED AGGRESSORS!
“History is filled with aggressors who triumphed for a moment. Then failed.”
Who do you think Madeleine Albright, the 64th U.S. Seceretary of State, was talking about in “Time” magazine in 2014?
Since you know me so well, I know who you’re thinking!
Surprisingly, it’s not “that man”. It’s this slime bag– Vladimir Putin!
But, as time will likely tell, it’ll fit well into our current situation, too!
LAS VEGAS AND NOW TEXAS…
It sounds like a broken record.
Here’s what I wrote on July 14, 2017, before the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history in Las Vegas and before the Texas church shooting last weekend.
“When something like the Pulse Nightclub shooting, the Sandy Hook school massacre, or the bombing outside the Manchester Ariana Grande concert happens, we’re shocked for a few days before the news cycle moves on to the next story.
People go crazy on Facebook sharing “Remember <insert city>” or “Pray for <insert city>. And, then we move on, too!”
Why is this a regular part of our lives now?
DONNA BRAZILE & HER NEW BOOK
EMMA STONE & SEXISM
In her new movie, “Battle of the Sexes”, Oscar winner Emma Stone plays tennis legend Billie Jean King.
It’s about the historic tennis match with sexist, misogynist Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell).
In “Out” magazine in August 2017, Stone talked about where King and women were in the 1970s and where we are today “with anarcissistic, self-focused, constantly-stirring-the-pot kind of guy — again this incredible, qualified woman, and at the same time be playing Billie Jean King…”
Stone adds, “Obviously the way this has all panned out has been fascinating and horrifying, and it still feels like we’re in a bad dream, but those parallels make sense to me — the equal-pay issue makes a lot of sense to me. At our best right now we’re making 80 cents to the dollar.”
“LOSING SLEEP” — CHRIS YOUNG
I’ll admit upfront that I grew up on country music in the 1970s and abandoned the genre for Top 40/English Invasion/Dance music in the 1980s, and then re-discovered country in the 1990s with Reba McEntire and Patty Loveless.
Once radio cooled on Reba and Patty, I pretty music gave up on the format and especially with its love of bro-country.
When I do buy a country album, it’s usually by female singers. The last male country album I bought was Canadian Brett Kissel’s phenomenal “Pick Me Up”, my #7 CD of 2016.
Before that, it was Michael Ray’s self titled full length in 2015.
I went out a limb and bought the latest from country crooner Chris Young.
I really like the texture of his voice on past hits, “Getting You Home (The Black Dress Song)”, “Voices”, “Think of You” (with Cassadee Pope), and “Sober Saturday Night” (with Vince Gill).
On this album, there are some standout perfect songs.
My favorites and I’m putting them in the order of how I’d love for him to release songs as singles: “Losing Sleep” (his current hit, just outside the Top Ten), the ballad “Where I Go When I Drink”, “Holiday” (the perfect summer song), and “She’s Got A Way”.
“Blacked Out”, “Trouble Looking”, and “Hangin’ On” are also great.
GRADE: B+
I KID YOU NOT! 🙂
This is the “The River 100.5” WTRV in Grand Rapids, Michigan, playlist from yesterday morning!
24-hour Christmas music was being played just after Halloween at some stations! Who needs to wait until Thanksgiving anymore?
As you can see, several Christmas songs are already charting on the Adult Contemporary charts.
CHRISTMAS ALBUMS SALES
In 2016, overall album sales dropped almost 17% (falling from 241.4 million in 2015 to 200.8 million in 2016).
However, Christmas albums sales jumped 10.6% (climbing from 7.2 million units to 7.97 million).
HOT NEW CRUSH
You may not know the name “Henry Golding” now.
But, you will when “Crazy Rich Asians” hits theaters August 17, 2018!
Golding is a 30-year-old British-Malaysian actor and he got married a year ago in August! 🙂 😦
MORE MID-FALL TELEVISION THOUGHTS
“How To Get Away With Murder” — Absolutely loving the fourth season. Analise is incredible and I can’t wait to see what this whole blood bath is all about. Plus, Connor and Frank are so hot this season!
“Mr. Robot” — I’m glad that Tyrell (Martin Wallstrom) was given a full episode to expand his back story. And, Wallstrom is so sexy!
Also, I love Darlene (Carly Chaikin) and I’m always surprised at what comes out of her mouth. In a recent episode, it was “muff divers” and “diddle your skittle”! *The horror!* 🙂
As much as I’ve enjoyed the three seasons so far, I hope it ends with this season.
“Law and Order True Crime: The Menendez Brothers” — I’m DVR-ing it, but have not watched the first episode yet. Should I just delete it and free up the space?
“The Walking Dead” (again) — Episodes 2 and 3 of Season 8 sucked! I’m giving it one more episode and I’m done.
This whole Ezekiel, his pet tiger Shiva, and the Kingdom plot line is such a laughable joke.
PICK HIT
EDM (electronic dance music) producer and DJ Marshmello, who’s identity is unknown (but may be American DJ Christian Comstock), has scored seven hits in the U.S. on the Billboard Dance charts since 2015.
Two have reached the Top Ten. “Alone” reached #9 in 2016.
His current hit featuring Khalid, “Silence” is currently at #2 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. It’s also #36 on the Mediabase Top 40 airplay chart.
“Silence” already topped the Australian Dance chart and hit the Top 5 in Belgium, Norway, Sweden, and on the UK Dance chart.
THAT’S IT
With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!
What's Peeps Thinking About Now? It's Probably Random! 