Film fanatic who can't stop writing about/talking about/ and even make films. Follow me on Twitter: @JustinQuizon and on Tumblr: http://justinquiz.tumblr.com/

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Releasing a movie on Christmas day makes a ton of sense. It’s a day to spend with the family, and for my family we actually spend Christmas Eve celebrating with a big party. So that actually makes Christmas day just a quiet and relaxing for us. So for me watching a movie on Christmas would be a totally acceptable way to celebrate the holiday. That’s why I’m always a bit confused on what movies studios decide to release on Christmas day. One would think that would be the day they would release the family friendly films, the holiday themed movies, or just the all around feel good movies. But no, it seems a lot of the time that’s they decided to release a few films that I DEFINITELY wouldn’t take a kid into.  This Christmas, it continues that strange trend as the movies this week are a bio pic, an action movie, a true tale drama and two (count them TWO) dark and violent westerns! Oh yeah, I can’t wait to take my mom, my 6 year old nephew to see some bloody violent western action! (I mean, I wouldn’t mind that truth be told.) All that aside these movies do have the potential to be pretty good, so lets start the list off with…..

joy

What’s it about? Joy is the story of a family across four generations and the woman who rises to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty.

My thoughts? Writer/director David O. Russell really loves to work with Jennifer Lawrence. I can’t blame him. She’s consistently good in every film she’s in, and this seems like another strong use of her. Seems like. The reviews to this film haven’t been that kind, and many are pointing to the fact that Lawrence is actually missed cast in a role that SHOULD have gone to an older actress. That’s a fair point, and while I’ll wait till I’ll see this one myself to see if I agree. I’m sure Russell’s humor will still shine through, and that Lawrence will be entertaining to watch…but I have a feeling that at best it will be just mildly entertaining while you’re watching it…but you’ll soon forget that you actually saw by next Christmas.

PointBreak

What’s it about? A young FBI agent infiltrates an extraordinary team of extreme sports athletes he suspects of masterminding a string of unprecedented, sophisticated corporate heists. “Point Break” is inspired by the classic 1991 hit.

https://youtu.be/KvKneCIlIVs

My thoughts? Look….the 1991 film is hardly the greatest movie of all time. I don’t consider that film to be sacred ground….but everything about this new take on the concept screams to me that they didn’t understand what made the original memorable at all. Watch the trailer to original below and remember how that film was….

That movie…was SILLY. STUPID. FUN! Keanu is just bad enough to be quotable, and Swayze was just charismatic enough to be enjoyable. But it’s the movie’s tongue in check approach to the silly concept that made it work at all.

You can’t take this idea and try to make it as serious as Jason Bourne film. That’s the wrong kind of stupid. This doesn’t look fun, it looks boring. Go watch the first Fast and Furious movie instead on this day if you want another Point Break that’s not Point Break.

Concussion

What’s it about? In Pittsburgh, accomplished pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu uncovers the truth about brain damage in football players who suffer repeated concussions in the course of normal play.

My thoughts? We can also call the film by the alternate title that me and my friend Victor have been calling it…

Concussion2

All joking aside this film seems pretty solid in the trailers, and while Will Smith seems like his acting here is to finally grab that Oscar gold, it still feels like he’s doing some compelling work. I haven’t heard a ton of word on this movie, but even if it ends up being as memorable as Joy ( i.e. not that memorable) it does feel like a decent adult drama to check out if you’re in the mood for that.

TheRevenant

What’s it about? In the 1820s, a frontiersman named Hugh Glass sets out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling.

My thoughts? Alejandro G. Inarritu’s follow up to Birdman, this film looks to continue to show off how much of a craftsman Inarritu is. This is some gorgeous filmmaking, and I’m sure it’s going to be a visual treat from beginning to the end. But….reviews for the film so far have called out that the film’s visuals are all it really has. Not that the story is bad, but apparently the story is a bit on the simple side and doesn’t have a ton of meat on the bones. For me, I might be ok with that. Sometimes I can enjoy a film solely on the technical achievement, and if the story doesn’t piss me off, then I could live with The Revenant being a beautiful (if too simple) of a movie.

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What’s it about?  In post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunters try to find shelter during a blizzard but get involved in a plot of betrayal and deception. Will they survive?

My thoughts? If you’re not a Tarantino fan, I don’t know what to say. He’s just not for you. For me, I LOVE Tarantino. I’m a big fan, and even his lesser movies (Death Proof) I still love them. This film looks like classic Tarantino all the way. Unsavory characters spilling out Quentin’s sure to be memorable dialogue in a tense situation. I also love he’s reteaming with some of his classic actors. Micheal Madsen and Tim Roth get to be reunited after being in Reservoir Dogs, Quentin gets to use Kurt Russell again, and of course…Samuel L. MOTHERFUCKING Jackson. While I was at first disappointed to see Tarantino go back and make another western so soon after Djanjo Unchained….part of me understands why. Tarantino’s always been a HUGE western fan, specifically he’s a fan of famed Western director Sergio Leone. Leone’s western movies have always influenced Quentin’s films. Every single movie he’s made has echos of a western. Maybe we should just accept the fact that Quentin finally decided to embrace his love for Westerns full on. And if this movie ends up being as great as his others….then whose to complain that it’s just ANOTHER western film he made. (Sidenote: Tell me this wouldn’t be a killer movie watch with John Carpenters The Thing as a double feature!)

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