My Thoughts on 2016 Movies: Part 2

You may not remember, but back in January I did a part one of this post on 2016 movies. At that time, not all the movies I wanted to watch were out, so I had to split it into two parts. Now, however, I am ready to give you my thoughts on some more movies from last year.

Passengers

Original Thoughts: Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence in one movie? Yes, please. It also looked like an interesting story.

Thoughts After Watching: To be honest, I was surprised. The filmmakers left one of the biggest parts of the plot out of the trailers. Yeah, you don't want to give everything away, but at least a bit of a warning would have been better. One of the best parts of this movies was actually the robot barista, played by Michael Sheen. Other than that, it was pretty good, even if the premise was a bit scary.

Recommendation: If you like survivalist movies, or sci-fi ones, this is for you. It's best for older kids, since there are some heavy themes and adult content, if you get my meaning.

The BFG

Original Thoughts: It looked absolutely magic. And since it was a book first, I had to read the book before watching it.

Thoughts After Watching: It was still magical. Spielberg did a great job creating the world of the giants. The dreams were my favorite part of the whole thing. The actress who plays Sophie was great, as the BFG himself. The second act did drag a little, however. On the whole, it was amazing, especially backed by John Williams score, which was reminiscent of Harry Potter. (Although, what happened to the gorgeous letters they used in the trailers? The ones in the movie weren't half as good.)

Recommendation: A child of any age can enjoy this movie, although younger ones might be frightened by the giants. Great for any time you want a magical movie with lots of heart. (Also, Doctor Who fans may recognize a familiar face among the cast. Hint: she's royalty.)

Pete's Dragon

Original Thoughts: I'd watched the original movie only once, so I wasn't totally sure what to think about this one. It looked good, but you can never tell by the trailers.

Thoughts After Watching: This movie was so, so sweet. The kid who played Pete was a great actor, as was the rest of the cast. Elliot was adorable and made me want to have my own dragon. The only problem with this film was the villain, who wasn't very good. And it was filmed in New Zealand, so lots of lovely scenery. (Don't forget to listen through the credits to hear Lindsey Stirling's song for the movie "Something Wild". It's beautiful.)

Recommendation: Another one anyone can enjoy. There are some sad bits, like when Pete's parents die in a car accident, and the ending, so you'll probably want tissues. A fun and whimsical movie.

Kubo and the Two Strings

Original Thoughts: My dad showed me the trailer for this one, and I thought it looked kind of interesting. I also liked the animation style, which is a form of claymation stopmotion (like The Nightmare Before Christmas or Boxtrolls.)

Thoughts After Watching: This movie was sweet, mysterious, and heartbreaking all at once. Can you say plot twists? Because this movie was full of them. It was a great adventure film with a theme of family and letting go. Kubo was a great protagonist with a good arc through the movie. It's placed in Japan, so lots of interesting culture is included.

Recommendation: This may be a kids movie, but a person of any age can take something away from this film. You'll probably want tissues for this one as well. It's a great story with some spot on humor.

Moana

Original Thoughts: It looked awesome. Another amazing Disney princess for me to adore. Oh, and Maui and a weird chicken.

Thoughts After Watching: Moana is one of my top favorite Disney princesses. There was so much I adored about this movie, I can't cover it all. The characters, the jokes, the music (done by the man, Lin Manuel-Miranda, himself), and the world. Just take my word that it is awesome and should be watched immediately. Because you know I'm the expert on these things.

Recommendation: Whether you want a strong female heroine or some awesome music, this movie will probably have something for you. Disney did another great job with Moana.

Doctor Strange

Original Thoughts: Benedict Cumberbatch is in it. That's good enough for me. Okay, I was also interested in seeing the next part of the MCU, especially their venture into other dimensions.

Thoughts After Watching: It had some problems, but on the whole, I really enjoyed it. It was fun seeing Benedict being American (and trying to catch when he slipped). The whole dimensions thing was awesome and slightly sickening. I really thought his ex-girlfriend would have a much bigger role, and then she didn't, so that was slightly disappointing.

Recommendation: A must see for Marvel fans. Or Benedict fans. It was a good movie and had lots of head spinning action. And don't forget to stick around for the two after credits scenes. It's worth it.

Star Trek Beyond

Original Thoughts: I couldn't wait. I'd see the first two movies and was looking forward to the third. The only damper on that was having Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin both die before it could come out. Oh, the feels.

Thoughts After Watching: On the personal side, I thought this was great. On the plot side, a little less so. There was a giant plot whole at the end of the third act that only accumulated in problems from there. (Watch the HISHE to see what I mean.) But other than that, it was well done. The characters continue to fight alien bad guys and stick with each other through out.

Recommendation: Star Trek fans should definitely give this one a try. It's high stakes with lots of sci-fi action.

Arrival

Original Thoughts: The trailers were quite cryptic as to what the movie was about. That was intriguing, and one of the reasons I wanted to watch this. It's not the sort of movie I would generally go for.

Thoughts After Watching: Mind-bending. That's how I'd describe this movie. It's the classic, aliens arrive on Earth and we try to communicate, but with an unusual twist. I can't say more than that without spoiling it, but be warned if you watch this, it's a bit hard to understand.

Recommendation: If you like movies that make your brain hurt trying to understand it, then you'll enjoy this one. It also had some great discussions about linguistics, if you like that sort of stuff.

La La Land

Original Thoughts: It looked just like all those old musical I love. And it had Ryan Gosling in it. So I was quite excited to finally see the film everyone had been talking about.

Thoughts After Watching: It was amazing. Once I got past the fact that it actually takes place in the modern day, I loved it. Yes, the ending was different than anyone thought, but it was a good ending. The music was one of my favorite parts of the whole thing, as was the romance between the leads.

Recommendation: If you love old musicals, you'll love this. It's not child friendly, but it has some amazing scenes and shots in it.

Rogue One

Original Thoughts: It's a Star Wars movie. Of course I'm going to watch it. 'Nuff said.

Thoughts After Watching: It was really good. And really sad, because all my fears came true, but it tied in so beautifully I wanted to cry. In fact, I watched Episode IV right after it and it was awesome how many little references there was. Anyway, it also had a solid plot and great characters. K2SO is the sassiest droid you'll ever see.

Recommendation: Star Wars fans should totally watch this. Be warned, it's a pretty sad ending. But a great addition to the Star Wars cannon.

Sing

Original Thoughts: I saw the first trailer for this and was hooked. From there, I couldn't wait to watch this movie.

Thoughts After Watching: It was just as good as I expected. The characters really were the best part of this movie, as they each had their motivations and wants and needs. There was great music, a great cast, and a great plot. The world is similar to Zootopia, but not as well built, which would be my only problem with this.

Recommendation: Although it's animated, it's a good movie for anyone to watch. If you like musicals or just want a lighthearted film, give this one a try.

That basically covers all the movies I was really excited to see in 2016. A few I still haven't watched, like Ghostbusters and Hidden Figures, but this wraps up the majority of them.

Let's talk! Have you seen any of these movies? What did you think of them? What were your favorite films of 2016? Tell me in the comments.