Top 100 Worst Movies of the 2010s: 70-61

(Source: Slate)

70. The Book of Henry (2017) – Colin Treverrow returns to his indie roots after directing the big-budget extravaganza Jurassic World to make this film that sounds like a Lifetime Movie of the Year. The talented cast featuring Jaeden Lieberher, Jacob Tremblay, Naomi Watts, and Dean Norris can’t even save this tonal catastrophe about a genius boy’s plan to kill his neighbor for raping his stepdaughter (that’s not a spoiler, by the way). Every character makes dumb decisions and the climax left me at a loss for words, and I don’t mean it in a good way.

(Source: Variety)

69. The Space Between Us (2017) – I have never seen a sci-fi/romance so bland, dreadful, and silly as The Space Between Us. Asa Butterfield (Hugo, Ender’s Game) plays a teenager born on Mars who falls in love with a girl (Britt Robertson, Tomorrowland) who lives on Earth. Together, he seems to enjoy this rite of passage while scientists cannot withstand it for a second. The romance is so soapy I used it to wash my hands. Gary Oldman has never been so wasted in an antagonistic role.

(Source: ABC News)

68. Pixels (2015) – I was actually looking forward to seeing this. Adam Sandler and friends fighting off aliens in the form of retro video game characters. Sounds fun, right? Wrong!

Despite some decent action (particularly the Pac-Man sequence and the finale) and the best remix of Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, director Chris Columbus and writer Tim Herlihy suck the joy out of it with its awful attempts at laughs, terrible chemistry between the cast (especially Sandler and Michelle Monghan), and effects that would look alright if Pixels came out in the 1990s. And also, the subplot with Josh Gad’s crush on a hot video game character becomes creepy as hell. I have a theory about Sean Bean (who makes a short appearance): If he doesn’t die, the movie becomes terrible.

(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)

67. After Earth (2013) – Remember when M. Night Shyamalan was hailed as “The Next Steven Spielberg” by Newsweek after the success of Signs? Remember when his commercial hit The Sixth Sense got nominated for Best Picture and Best Director? I was only a child when all of those occurred. 

Now heading into my 20s, this wonderful filmmaker has made some stinkers including The Happening and this mundane, monotonous sci-fi adventure, starring Will Smith and Jaden Smith. After Earth is a movie with so much potential; with Shyamalan taking half-credit for writing the screenplay from Will Smith’s story. Unfortunately, this film is underdeveloped in its science-fiction elements, so preachy in its philosophies, and so dull in its performances. Some of the dialogue (including the argument between the son and his injured father after their spacecraft crashed in a futuristic ecosystem) is nothing short of laughable. Definitely not a father-son duo to root for.

(Source: TIME)

66. Anna Karenina (2012) – I don’t know what the hell Joe Wright was thinking of adapting the Russian novel to the silver screen. I understand why a lot of people love it, but it just didn’t do it for me. This is an overblown, convoluted melodrama that looks marvelous. Keira Knightley leads a massive British cast that don’t bring any depth into their performances. It feels like Aaron Taylor-Johnson is in a satire with his over-the-top portrayal as Anna’s lover. Also, what’s the point with the theatre stage?

(Source: Los Angeles Times)

65. 7 Days in Entebbe (2018) – This decade brought forth some great thrillers based on real events including Bridge of Spies, Captain Phillips, and The Revenant. 7 Days in Entebbe, a film about the 1976 hijacking of four terrorists who put the crew and passengers hostage in a Ugandan warehouse. Daniel Bruhl and Rosamund Pike don’t bring anything to their performances in a film so lifeless, boring, and unintentionally funny. Also, the spiritual dancing sequences that open and close the movie could have worked better in another movie than this.

(Source: Forbes)

64. Jane Got a Gun (2016) – Years of being in production hell, Gavin O’Connor’s lifeless Western still feels rushed and incomplete. Bullets fly, but there’s hardly any blood. The cast including Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, and Ewan McGregor look like they didn’t want to be involved with the project at all. No wonder why it became one of the biggest box-office flops of all-time.

(Source: TIME)

63. Child 44 (2015) – Tom Hardy is one of Hollywood’s tough guys. It’s hard not to love him in movies such as Bronson, Warrior, The Dark Knight Rises, and Mad Max: Fury Road. He has been in a few stinkers including this thankfully forgotten historical thriller about a police detective going after a serial killer preying on young boys. Also starring Gary Oldman and Noomi Rapace, the actors perform in Russian accents that are hard to take seriously. The tone shifts from historical thriller to straight-up mystery; failing on both levels. Those two-and-a-half hours feel like two-and-a-half weeks.

(Source: IMDb)

62. Colombiana (2011) – “Never forget where you came from,” says the heroine’s uncle before his demise.

I wish I could forget seeing this action-revenge tale in theaters. 2011 already brought a terrific action-thriller called Hanna. Then, in late August, a fiasco co-written and produced by Luc Besson. Zoe Saldana is an undeniably attractive actress, but doesn’t give enough to save this unintentionally silly romp that feels anticlimactic. Thank goodness Saldana went onto star in Guardians of the Galaxy.

(Source: The New York Times)

61. The Hangover: Part III (2013) – When one of the early scenes involves a giraffe getting its head decapitated on a highway, it’s not a good sign for the movie. There are a few good scenes; I particularly liked the thrilling scene in Caesar’s Palace. Other than that, there is not a single gag I find funny nor is there a single character to root for.

 

100-91 |  90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

Top 10 Worst Movies of 2017

It’s hard not to argue that 2017 has been one crazy year with all the politics that occurred. It’s also hard not to argue that this year has been a fantastic year for movies. There have been many that went above and beyond my expectations, as well as many disappointments. Today, I would like to start off–like I always do–with the stinkers. There were A LOT of movies in which I would get mad about for day, because I wish I never wasted two hours from my life. Nevertheless, I’m proud that I saw these movies, so you don’t have to. Without further ado, let’s start my list of the top ten worst movies of 2017. (Don’t worry. I didn’t see The Emoji Movie.)

Dishonorable Mentions: Bright, Free Fire, Gifted, Sleepless, Victoria and Abdul

(Source: CNN)

10. Okja – There are two movies on this list I thought were overrated. Okja, the latest from Snowpiercer director Bong Joon-Ho, is the first. I find the first hour or so to be decent. It contains gorgeous cinematography and tackles the means of the food industry. Not to mention the great use of John Denver’s “Annie’s Song” in one scene. Then, the social satire seems to fall apart. The tone is inconsistent throughout (ranging from childish and innocent to dark and depressing), the cast is a bore (except Tilda Swinton), and has no idea what audience it’s aiming towards. Is it me, or is Jake Gyllenhaal doing his best impression of Jim Carrey’s Environmentalist from In Living Color?

(Source: IMDb)

9. A Dog’s Purpose – Remember this film back in January and the controversy surrounding this movie concerning dog abuse? While it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be, it’s still not very good. Lasse Hallström has directed some really good films including What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and The Hundred-Foot Journey. A Dog’s Purpose does have its moments, and Josh Gad is actually not a bad narrator. However, it suffers from a manipulative script, odd point-of-view shots, embarrassing slapstick, and bland characters. This movie is a movie for dog lovers, by dog lovers.

(Source: IndieWire)

8. The Book of Henry – After directing Jurassic World two years earlier, Colin Trevorrow returns to his small-budget roots with The Book of Henry. The first hour is harmless enough, following a gifted boy (Jaeden Lieberher, who would later star in this year’s great horror film It), who supports his young brother (Jacob Tremblay, Room and Wonder) and hard-working mother. Then, it makes the weird transition of being a straight-up thriller. The pacing is all over the place, the acting is mediocre at best, the characters make poor decisions, and, as a result, The Book of Henry plays out more as a Lifetime Movie of the Year.

(Source: Entertainment Weekly)

7. Baywatch – In my original review, I found this movie to be a decent R-rated comedy. Months after thinking about it, Baywatch is not a good movie. There are some laughs sprinkled throughout and Dwayne Johnson and the rest of the cast seem to have a good time making the movie. It just has too much toilet humor, horrible CGI, stereotypes, and mystery that doesn’t seem to care. I hope, someday, there would be another good film adaptation to a TV show that makes fun of the TV show.

(Source: Variety)

6. The Mummy – Whose idea was it to reboot The Mummy? With it being the first film in the so-called “Dark Universe”, this is the beginning of something horrifying, and not in a good way. I love Tom Cruise in almost every movie he has starred in, but he gets his ass kicked quite a bit in this movie. He cannot escape a ridiculous script with numerous plot holes, annoying characters with no charm, forced attempts at humor, and many unintentionally funny moments. Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde truly defines “miscast”.

(Source: Bloody Disgusting)

5. Better Watch Out – This is the second movie I found to be overrated. A Christmas horror/comedy that delivers on neither the laughs nor the thrills. A babysitting night taking a turn for the worst when one of the kids hold the babysitter hostage. Better Watch Out is just as obnoxious and unpleasant as it sounds. Ed Oxenbould and Olivia DeJonge of The Visit star in this stocking full of coal. If you want to watch a good Christmas movie with the right amount of charm, watch Krampus instead.

(Source: Variety)

4. Tulip Fever – This is what happens when a movie stars two Oscar winners–Alicia Vikander and Christoph Waltz. With an all-star cast, they lose their talents in a soapy, unintentionally silly, predictable, and relatively boring period piece set in 17th-century Amsterdam. Even the sex in this movie makes the sex in Fifty Shades of Grey look arousing. Although it has been delayed since the summer of 2016, it should have stayed on the shelves. I like costume dramas, but Tulip Fever is an absolute disaster on many levels.

(Source: Variety)

3. Fist Fight – Is it just me, or does it seem raunchy comedies have been getting exceptionally worse? Fist Fight is another prime example of a bad raunchy comedy. The jokes go overboard with stupidity, the characters are annoying, and the titular fight is so downright predictable. Just like everyone else, Charlie Day tries way too to be funny, especially when he yells at a high pitch. And also, why the hell are the teachers teaching class, if it’s the last day of school? This is the longest 90 minutes of my entire life!

(Source: The Guardian)

2. The Snowman – The movie has every ingredient of a great thriller; ranging from a great cast, great filmmaker, and based on a pretty damn good book by Jo Nesbø. However, with a part of screenplay being cut resulting in a rushed production is what makes The Snowman so bad. From start to finish, this is a boring, befuddled mess of a movie. The characters don’t amount to anything with the mystery. Michael Fassbender’s Harry Hole (supposed to be “hol-eh”, not “hole”) is nothing but a cliched, depressed alcoholic. Val Kilmer gives the weirdest performance of the year whose voice sounds obviously over-dubbed. Fingers crossed hoping there will be a good version of The Snowman someday. Thankfully, this isn’t the worst movie of the year.

(Source: Now Toronto)

1. The Bye Bye Man – This year has seen some great horror movies–from Jordan Peele’s Get Out to Stephen King’s new adaptation of It. First things first, we got The Bye Bye Man, perhaps the worst horror movie I’ve ever seen. It suffers from cheap scares, annoying-as-hell characters, hilarious deaths, and the mystery of “The Bye Bye Man” raises so many questions concerning the train accident, his CGI dog, and its origins. This movie has been delayed since 2016 as an excuse to re-edit it to a PG-13. Again, it should have remained on the shelf.

I hope you enjoyed reading about the ten movies I hated with a passion. Since I got my frustration out of the way, I can think about the good stuff. Stay tuned until January as I present you my list of the best movies of 2017. Please feel free to leave comments about your picks of the worst movies of the year. I’ll see you all in the new year!

2017 Summer Movie Preview: June

I hope every single one of you had a great Memorial Day. Going to a local parade, meeting up with your folks at a local barbecue or restaurant, and remembering those who gave their lives in combat. This past month has been something special. I just graduated from college after three years, and beginning my road to life. I’m still trying to see some movies in theaters. Let’s not waste any time, and talk about what has yet to come in June.

June 2

Source: IMP Awards

Wonder Woman – The DC Extended Universe is off to a rocky start. Before Man of Steel, I was excited to see another rendition of Superman. It looked like a gorgeous retelling of how Clark Kent became the god-like superhero. It seems as if director Zack Snyder misunderstood the origins of one of the greatest superheroes ever. Batman vs. Superman had potential to make up the flaws of Man of Steel, but it ended up being a straight-up disaster.

As much as I hated Batman vs. Superman, I thought Gal Gadot’s portrayal of Wonder Woman was one of the only redeeming qualities. A movie featuring the origin story of Diana Prince, the Princess of Amazon, encountering World War I in front of her own eyes, might be good. Yet again, it might end up being like its predecessor. I’m surprised to hear this movie getting positive reception. I’ll keep an open mind.

Source: IMP Awards

Captain Underpants – Any one of you remember reading the book in elementary school? I’ve never read any of the Captain Underpants books. Just because this movie features a gifted cast including Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, and Jordan Peele, and having similar animation to The Peanuts Movie, it doesn’t mean it sparks my interest. This movie is easily intended for kids only.

Source: IMP Awards

The Exception – Lily James is one of the most charming actresses working today. From playing an aristocrat in Downton Abbey, to playing Cinderella, to kicking zombie ass as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, she has a pretty damn impressive resume. Here, she plays a Jewish Dutch woman who falls in love with a German soldier (Jai Courtney) on a mission to protect Kaiser Wilhelm II (legendary Christopher Plummer) from a spy. To be fair, this seems to be a very standard romance taken place in World War II.

Source: IMP Awards

Churchill – One of two movies featuring the British prime minister (the other being the upcoming Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman, released during the holiday season), this movie follows Churchill, played by Brian Cox, during his rise to power during D-Day. This might be okay due to Cox’s portrayal of Winston Churchill, but I would rather wait to see what Gary Oldman can bring to the screen.

June 9

Source: IMP Awards

The Mummy – This is the beginning of a new cinematic universe: the Universal Monster “Dark Universe”. It’s going to feature the Bride of Frankenstein (coming in 2019), the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Invisible Man, Van Helsing and Dracula, and the Wolf Man. The Mummy stars Tom Cruise as Nick Morton who discovers an ancient tomb where an ancient princess lies. For someone who has never seen The Mummy with Brendan Fraser, I would rather see this (and the 1930s version) over the ones starring Fraser. On the verge of age 55, Tom Cruise proves he can do just about anything. With him having a showdown with Russell Crowe’s Dr. Jekyll should be a sight to see.

Source: IMP Awards

It Comes at Night – A24 has distributed one of the best horror films in recent memory with last year’s The Witch. It relies more on atmosphere and the supernatural as opposed to cheap scares. It Comes at Night seems as if this will forget about those terrible horror films that are always coming recently. Some people are claiming it as a “horror masterpiece”. So—let’s hope this delivers.

Source: IMP Awards

Megan Leavey – This is the movie what Max should have been. The true story of marine corporal Megan Leavey (Kate Mara) whose trains a German shepherd named Rex, and accomplishes hundreds of missions together. After the devastating Fant4stic, Mara went on to do better movies including The Martian. This seems to be a very powerful movie, and something I would definitely like to see with my father (who used to be in the Army National Guard).

Source: IMP Awards

My Cousin Rachel – When I saw Daphne du Maurier’s name watching the preview for this movie, I had no idea she wrote The Birds and Rebecca. Her stories have been adapted into movies directed by Alfred Hitchcock. My Cousin Rachel seems to be an intense story of an Englishman’s plot for his revenge on his cousin for killing his guardian becoming complicated. I think Hitchcock would be pleased with this.

June 16

Source: IMP Awards

Cars 3 – I never miss out on a movie by Disney/PIXAR. This animation company has created some of the greatest shorts and movies of all-time; appealing to both kids and adults. While I did enjoy the first Cars for having its heart and soul at the right place at the right time (while some of the comedy fell short), the sequel was the only PIXAR film I hated with a passion. Not only was it a little too violent for a G rating, but this colorful adventure sucked out all the fun. I hate to say this, but Cars 3 will be the only PIXAR movie I will most certainly skip.

Source: IMP Awards

Rough Night – Oh boy—another raunchy comedy with a dead person involved. As much as I love Scarlett Johansson, it seems she doesn’t give much to it. I swear, Jillian Bell plays the same character in everything that she’s in. Skipping this one for sure.

Source: IMP Awards

47 Meters Down – The shark-attack movie has always been familiar in the B-movie territory. With The Shallows, it was refreshing to see a good shark movie without any B.S. In my opinion, 47 Meters Down might be a tense survival flick, but it just looks so boring.

Source: IMP Awards

The Book of Henry – With Colin Treverrow returning to his indie roots, this looks rather standard, by-the-numbers thriller. After his breakthrough roles in St. Vincent and Midnight Special, Jaeden Lieberher has a long career ahead of him (same goes to his co-star Jacob Tremblay). Who knows? Maybe The Book of Henry will become one big surprise. I don’t know.

Source: IMP Awards

Maudie – After earning an Oscar for her supporting role in Blue Jasmine, Sally Hawkins went on to star in supporting roles in Godzilla and Paddington. Here, she plays a woman from Nova Scotia who gets attention in her small community when she becomes a painter, and admired by President Dick Nixon. This seems to be a delightful little film about following one’s dreams. I will see anything starring Ethan Hawke, even when he does his best attempt at a Canadian accent.

Source: IMP Awards

All Eyez on Me – The first movie featuring the rapper Tupac Shakur (otherwise known as 2Pac), who became the best-selling rapper in the 1990s until he got shot in 1996. I’m not the biggest fan of rap/hip-hop, but Straight Outta Compton was one of the most powerful movies in recent memory having to do with rap. All Eyez on Me seems to be no exception.

June 23

Source: IMP Awards

Transformers: The Last Knight (opens June 21) – Ah—back to the franchise that I didn’t care about after the disastrous Revenge of the Fallen. What the hell is Anthony Hopkins thinking to sign on a project like this?

Source: IMP Awards

The Beguiled – Another remake coming out this summer. Yes, as a matter of fact, this is a remake of the 1971 film starring Clint Eastwood as a Civil War veteran seeking shelter at a girl’s school in Virginia, run by Martha Farnsworth, played by Nicole Kidman. Sofia Coppola won the Best Director award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (the second woman to win such an award). This seems to be one hell of a nail-biter!

Source: IMP Awards

The Big Sick (expands nationwide July 14) – Today’s comedies have been nothing but tiresome and clichéd as all hell. After receiving unanimous praise at this year’s Sundance, I can say this seems to be a funny and adorable romance. Produced by Judd Apatow, the movie stars Pakistani comedian, played by Kumail Nanjiani, who falls in love with a grad student in Chicago. When a medical scare tears them apart, things get serious. Also starring Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, I’m prepared for a good laugh and tearjerker.

June 30

Source: IMP Awards

Baby Driver (opens June 28) – OH MY GOD! Can June 28th come quicker!?

Director Edgar Wright, who also wrote the screenplay, always wanted to make a movie that can be carried through by music. He seems to be right at home here with Baby Driver. With a seemingly killer soundtrack, car chases, a marvelous cast including Kevin Spacey, Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jon Hamm, and Jamie Foxx, is there anything else not to get excited about?

Source: IMP Awards

Okja (opens June 28) – After directing the Orwellian Snowpiercer, South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho returns to his roots of his monster flick The Host with an all-star cast. All I can say is, Wow! This looks to be visually stunning! And certainly more than just your typical monster movie. I look forward to watching it on Netflix!

Source: IMP Awards

Amityville: The Awakening – After having this being delayed so many times, can I just say that this might be a gigantic flop? And also, Bella Thorne needs a new acting agent, pronto! Moving on.

Source: IMP Awards

Despicable Me 3 – Great. Another installment to one of the most overrated movies of the decade. In the words of Deputy Sam Gerard from The Fugitive: “I don’t care!”

Source: IMP Awards

The House – Will Ferrell is bit of a mixed bag. Some people think he’s really funny, while others think he’s really obnoxious. I, for one, like Will Ferrell. Starring alongside Amy Poehler, The House might be okay for a laugh or two.

Recap:

Most Anticipated: Baby Driver, The Beguiled, The Big Sick, It Comes at Night, Maudie, The Mummy, My Cousin Rachel, Okja

Least Anticipated: 47 Meters Down, Amityville: The Awakening, Captain Underpants, Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, Rough Night, Transformers: The Last Knight

I hope you enjoyed reading on what my thoughts are on several movies for the month of June. Tell me in the comments below on what your most anticipated movies are. Stay tuned for a movie preview for the month of July at the end of the month. Take care.