Phil’s Best & Worst 2019 Films… 1st Edition (18th March 2019)

Phil’s Best & Worst 2019 Films… 1st Edition (18th March 2019)

by Phil Hobden Quick Review Year In Review

So this is my semi-regularly updated of the BEST and WORST of the films from 2019 (2019 Films), as well as the best films I missed from last year and, of course, the Phil’s Quick Capsule Review ‘Sharknado’ Award.

All in my very humble opinion…

 

BEST Films Of 2019… So Far:

  1. Green Book
  2. Fighting With My Family
  3. Captain Marvel
  4. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden City
  5. Vice

Honourable Mentions: Happy Death Day 2U, Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, Fyre Fraud, Instant Family, Behind The Curve, IO, Reign Of The Supermen, The Kid Who Would Be King

 

WORST Films Of 2019… So Far

  1. Alita: Battle Angel
  2. Close

Dis-Honourable Mentions: 

 

 

The 2019 Sharknado Award for Films So Good (!) They Cant Be Rated:  

 

 


The 2019 Films I just couldn’t Finish…

 

Great Films Of 2018 That I saw In 2019:

The Domestics, After The Screaming Stops, They Shall Not Grow Old, Assassination Nation, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Free Solo, The Last Movie Star, Incredibles 2

 

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Rated: Marvel Cinematic Universe (up to Captain Marvel)

Rated: Marvel Cinematic Universe (up to Captain Marvel)

by Phil's Quick Review A Blog

RATED looks at EVERY Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film and gives a QuickReview as well as putting them in order of BEST to Iron Man 2.!  Updated as and when a new Marvel (Studios) film is released…

(Note scores reflect my original IMDB ratings)

Best: Captain America Winter Solider

A cold war thriller with Robert Redford and a mini Avengers team up.  Add in the always awesome Frank Grillo and a genuinely interesting script and you have Marvel’s strongest cinematic outing.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

2. Guardians Of The Galaxy

Massively far out of Marvel’s usual comfort zone, Guardian’s introduced spaceships, talking racoons and a giant tree person. Cracking script, expert action and a heap of fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

3. Iron Man 3

The Iron Man film that broke a lot of Marvel fans, Shane Black took the playbook and ripped it up.  Twists, turns and a cute central relationships made this a different take on the norm and was all the better for it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

4. Thor: Ragnarok

Well this was a bundle of fun.  The previous Thor films have been okay but Ragnarok delivered a brilliant romp which dragged in The Hulk, a handful of memorable new characters (Korg!)  and some great set pieces to end up being one of Marvel’s best films yet.

★★★★★★★★★★

 ——

5. Marvel’s The Avengers 

All the groundwork paid off as Marvel delivered it’s first ever super hero team up.  The Hulk was back (and done right this time), Hawkeye and Black Widow joined the team and director Joss Whedon delivered the goods.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

6. Spider-Man Homecoming 

Funny, charming, with Marvels best villain and best Spiderman (yup sorry Andrew Garfield) Homecoming is a joy of a film that is by far the closest to what the comic book Peter Parker is.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

7. Avengers: Infinity War

Shocking, well paced and with one of Marvel’s greatest screen villains Avengers Infinity War ALMOST delivered on it’s considerable promise.  Almost.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

8. Iron Man

The Film that started it all… Iron Man was a rock n roll action movie with an unlikely lead, an even more unlikely director and enough balls out moments to wow.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

9. Captain Marvel 

A great origins story, a fun film and a great soundtrack – what more could you ask for really?

★★★★★★★★★★

——

10. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

Loud, silly and funny as heck, Vol. 2 isn’t quite the tight film that it’s 2014 original is but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.  Add in an amazing cast (including Stallone, Hasselhoff and Russell) and you have another winner from Marvel…

★★★★★★★★★★

——

11. Ant-Man

Ant-Man is a heist movie. With Ants.  And fights on toy trains.  It’s crazy but it’s also full of charm, humour and fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

12. Black Panther 

Black Panther takes a different approach to the usual Marvel film, yet falls into a lot of the same traps of relying a bit too much on visual effects at times.  That said it’s one of Marvel’s most intimate stories and whilst not perfect is a really strong entry into the increasingly bigger MCU.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

13. Ant-Man & The Wasp

Ant-Man & The Wasp is GREAT fun.  It’s also totally forgettable and delivers what is possibly Marvel’s weakest villain to date.  Not bad by any stretch just off pace of the original.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

14. Doctor Strange

Off the big screen Doctor Strange looses a little but this visually stunning film shows that marvel are still interested in pushing the envelope as far as you can in mainstream blockbusters.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

15. Captain America: The First Avenger 

Solid, fun and well done, whilst it has little rewatch appeal Captain America again took a different approach and gave us a couple of Marvel’s most enduring characters.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

16. Captain America: Civil War

It’s not bad.  It just didn’t gel with me as much as it did others. Don’t get me wrong there’s a lot to like and again it plays with the expected formula, but ultimately i’m just not that keen to go back to it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

17. Thor: The Dark World

I liked The Dark world MUCH more than others.  Okay so it’s flawed for sure but it’s crazy fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

18. Thor

Thor was a sold film, tasked with the near impossible job of making a god fit in a world of men.  It does it well but not one you’ll rewatch much.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

19. Avengers Age Of Ultron

Marvel’s first disappointment, Age Of Ultron was all show and little else.  Too big, too dumb and too long.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

20. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

It has charm and the casting works well but ultimately The Incredible Hulk (whilst FAR better than the Ang Lee version) just doesn’t have enough to recommend it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

Worst : Iron Man 2

The idea was fine but sadly most of the film misses.  Even Mickey Rourke (yes one of the oddest Marvel villains ever) can’t save this.

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Podcast: Captain Marvel (2019) – Phil’s InstaTake

Podcast: Captain Marvel (2019) – Phil’s InstaTake

by RossAndPhil Ross and Phil Talk Movies The Podcasts

On this (solo) episode of the podcast Phil delivers his InstaTake on the latest (and first female led) Marvel blockbuster – Captain Marvel.  Is this a Wonder Woman or a Catwoman (yes I know both DC films but come on there’s no Marvel ones to joke about yet!)

Hosted by Phil Hobden.

Films Discussed: Captain Marvel, Avengers, Wonder Woman

For more on Ross Boyask search @RossBoyask on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Also check out @EvoFilmsUK online.

For more on Phil Hobden check out www.philhobden.co.uk , Twitter (@PhilQuickReview) and Instagram (RossAndPhilTalkMovies)

#RossAndPhil #RossAndPhilTalkMovies #MoviePodcasts #Podcasts

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Podcast: Ross And Phil Talk… 2019 Movies

Podcast: Ross And Phil Talk… 2019 Movies

by RossAndPhil Ross and Phil Talk Movies The Podcasts

 

On this episode of the podcast we talk about the five or so films we are MOST looking forward to in 2019 and the one or two that we could happily miss.  Yup it’s our 2019 preview show!  We also briefly cover off the sad demise of HMV in the UK.

Hosted by Award winning filmmaker Ross Boyask and blogger/writer/failed filmmaker Phil Hobden.

Films Discussed: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,Captain Marvel, Star Wars: Episode IX, Hobbs & Shaw, Toy Story 4, Shazam!, Avengers End Game, Joker, The Irishman, Wonder Woman 1984,  IT: Chapter Two, Frozen 2, Terminator 6,  Pokemon Detective Pikachu, John Wick: Chapter 3, Brightburn, The Lion King 2019, Bumblebee, Aquaman, The Domestics, The secret Life Of Pets 2, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

For more on Ross Boyask search @RossBoyask on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Also check out @EvoFilmsUK online.
For more on Phil Hobden check out www.philhobden.co.uk , Twitter (@PhilQuickReview) and Instagram (RossAndPhilTalkMovies)

#RossAndPhil #RossAndPhilTalkMovies #MoviePodcasts #Podcasts

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Phil’s 2019 Preview & Look Back At 2018’s Predictions…

Phil’s 2019 Preview & Look Back At 2018’s Predictions…

by Phil Hobden Quick Review Year In Review

Phil’s Quick look at what’s wetting his whistle for the upcoming year in films…

2018 once again delivered some great films but mostly it was the Indie movies that did made it.   2019 has the promise to be even more mixed with a bundle of reboots and Disney remakes… so here’s the films I’m most looking forward to in 2019.  And a few that I’d be happy to miss.

 

The Must See’s



Most Excited:  Toy Story 4
This could be a major bust but Pixar and Toy Story have always been a match made in heaven.  Can this sit alongside one of the best trilogies ever made?  I get the feeling it just might.

 

2. Hobbs & Shaw
The Rock.  And The Statham. In a Fast & Furious Spin Off.  If anything about that sentence doesn’t make you go ‘I’m in’ then you are probably dead already…

 

3. Star Wars: Episode IX
So the ball’s back to JJ to land the end of the Skywalker(less) trilogy.  Whether he can or not will depend on just how he takes the curve balls Johnson delivered and brings them in to make this trilogy feel complete.

 

 

4. Captain Marvel
Marvel’s first female led superhero film could be something really special and judging by the trailer this is a must watch.

 

5. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
This could see Tarantino return to the form he’s lacked since the early days.  The story, the setting, the cast… are all first rate.  But this will all come down to whether the Hollywood darling can control his worst impulses.  Let’s hope.

 

Bubbling Under: Avengers Infinity War Part 2 (Marvel delivers big as Phase 4 ends), IT: Chapter Two (Part One was amazing), Wonder Woman 1984 (the original was mostly excellent), Frozen 2 (come on!), Glass (Split was great and this could be something else), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (Monsters!  Thousands of ’em), Spider-Man: Far From Home (Marvel + Spiderman = HIT), Joker (I could be wrong here but this looks pretty interesting) , Jumanji 2 (Welcome To The Jungle was great fun), The Irishman (Hopefully it will make it this year!)

 

 

The Must Nots


(Just a reminder of what T6 has to live up to!)

Stinker Of The Year: Terminator 6
It pains me to say it but the Terminator films have done nothing since T2.  Yup Cameron is back (as  producer) and yup it’s reboot territory again but I just don’t see a world where the 6th Terminator film can get anywhere near the form of its classic siblings.


Also Dreading: The Lion King 2019 (the trailer looks like the’ve done a Psycho ’98 here),  Pet Sematary (this doesn’t have an IT feel about it), Dumbo 2019 (I’d love to see it work but Burton’s not delivered in a long time), Pokemon Detective Pikachu (yup not interested), What Men Want (Remake of sorts of What Women Want… say no more), Aladdin 2019 (I’m not anti-Disney but this is yet another film that isn’t needed), X-Men: Dark Phoenix (The last X-Men movie was a total dog),  John Wick: Chapter 3 (Part 2 was a bore), Alita: Battle Angel (Looks pretty bad), Men in Black Spin Off (The world doesn’t need another MIB film)

 

Last Year…


So how did I do last year?

This is the time of the year when I look back at my picks of the good, the bad and the ugly from 2018 and see how close I was (or as it often is the case, how far!)…

 

For best: I tipped   Bohemian Rhapsody, Deadpool 2, Avengers: Infinity War,  The Incredibles 2 & Black Panther as my most anticipated of 2018.  And you know what all delivered one way or another.  Which to be honest is a major first! Okay so Deadpool 2 and Infinity War would never be QUITE the films our mind’s had created.

 

As for the rest? Tomb Raider wasn’t great and neither was Ant Man & The Wasp.  The Predator wasn’t great but it didn’t deserve the bashing it got, Mission Impossible 6  was epic (top 5) and The Happytime Murders again got a bashing that was (for the most part) pretty undeserved.   The Purge: The First Purge  ended up being the worst or the series so far and The Irishman never landed.

 

As for the Stinkers? Fifty Shades Freed ended up in second place behind Cloverfield Paradox, Solo – A Star Wars Story was okay (but little more),  Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom disappointed, Day of The Dead: Bloodline wasn’t amazing but passed the time, Ready Player One was actually really good, X-Men: Dark Phoenix & Scarface didn’t land, Oceans 8 was everything you knew it would be and a little less and  Pacific Rim: Uprising was far better than I expected.

 

So here’s to 2018… see you again next year!

 

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Grosse Point Geek’s 2018 In Review

Grosse Point Geek’s 2018 In Review

by Phil Hobden A Blog Year In Review

Each year Will and Phil compare notes on their favourite and least favourite films of 2018… here’s Will’s look at what’s been and what he’s most looking forward to in 2019.

 

Top Ten Best:

 

  1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri (just superb – loved it)
  2. First Man (brilliantly directed and the moon landing sequence was brilliant)
  3. The Darkest Hour (had me in tears)
  4. Mission Impossible Fallout (a genuine summer blockbuster, featuring a proper movie star doing his own stunts and the kind of balls to the wall action scenes we have haven’t seen in years)
  5. BlackKKKLansman (funny and brilliant – I usually don’t like Spike Lee but this was incredibly good)
  6. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rami Malik’s performance was incredible and the Live Aid concert re-enactment at the end was gobsmacking)
  7. Avengers Infinity War – (exciting, fast paced, funny, great action, a cracking villain and THAT ending – roll on Avengers Endgame)
  8. A Star Is Born (a trio of incredible performances  – Lady Gaga was a revelation, Coopers acting and direction were brilliant plus Sam Elliott was astounding)
  9. Creed 2 (not as good as Creed or Rocky Balboa – but still great and had lots of heart)
  10. 12 Strong – balls to the wall action, great story, v well-acted

 

 

Top Ten Honouree mentions

 

  1. Deadpool 2 (v funny and extremely clever in parts)
  2. A Quiet Place –  (tense and scary  – a great directorial debut from John Krasinski)
  3. Hunter Killer (ridiculous but really great fun with a smashing performance from Gerard Butler)
  4. Ant Man and The Wasp (not Marvels best but I really liked it)
  5. The Meg (complete nonsense but a good laugh)
  6. Rampage (utterly insane but top drawer entertainment)
  7. Skyscraper (a Die Hard clone but who cares when its this much fun?)
  8. Mile 22 (I must be the only person on the planet who liked this one!)
  9. Mamma Mia 2 (a genuinely lovely film that had heart and soul and wanted nothing more than to entertain and have people leave the cinema with a big smile on their faces)
  10. Outlaw King (well made, top final battle and a great turn from Chris Pine)

 

Top Ten Worst

 

  1. Death Wish (terrible terrible terrible.  Bruce  – you obviously can’t be bothered anymore so either start putting in the effort or do us all a favour and give it up)
  2. Red Sparrow (what should have a been a balls to the wall action caper turned out to be nothing more than catastrophically over long and boring as all hell)
  3. Pacific Rim Uprising (not as bad as the first one but still rubbish)
  4. Equalizer 2 (utter pants, dull and completely pretentious to boot)
  5. Love Simon (I liked the message it was trying to give but hated the way it did it)
  6. Ladybird (yes I know it was loved by the critics but I HATED this film with a vengeance!)
  7. Fantastic Beasts The Crimes of Grindelwald (so boring I nearly fell asleep- this franchise needs a new director – fast)
  8. Ghost Stories (complete bilge and made no sense)
  9. 15:17 To Paris (now this was awful – Clint we love you but dear God mate what were you thinking?????)
  10. Mortal Engines (not the worst film I’ve ever seen and certainly gets an ‘A’ for effort but this just didn’t work at all)

 

 

Biggest Letdown:

 

The Predator  – someone PLEASE tell Shane Black that he isn’t as good as he obviously thinks he is  -also somebody please explain to me how in the hell they managed to blow this one????

 

2019 Most anticipated:

 

  1. Avengers: Endgame
  2. Star Wars Episode IX
  3. Rambo: The Last Blood (yeah I said it!)
  4. Angel Has Fallen (yeah Hobden you read it right -I said that too!)
  5. Captain Marvel
  6. Glass
  7. Godzilla King Of The Monsters
  8. Hellboy
  9. Spiderman: Far From Home
  10. Captive State
  11. Brightburn
  12. Hobbs and Shaw
  13. The New Mutants
  14. X-Men Dark Phoenix
  15. Fighting With My Family

 

See you next year!

 

Author: Will Strong 

 

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