2019 Movie Previews

There are a lot of good movies planned for 2019.

Here is what I am looking forward to: (Note: Release dates may change)

January
Escape Room - A horror based on the popular escape room trend... that I think Saw did back in the early 2000s? I'll still watch.

A Dog's Way Home - From the same author who wrote A Dog's Life. Looks like a cute family movie

Glass - The third movie in the Unbreakable Trilogy. Looks like Shyamalan will finally complete the story.

February
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part - Another silly animated movie from LEGO with daffy humour and fun times.

Happy Death Day 2U - I loved the first one so I can't wait to see where they go for the sequel.

How to train your Dragon: The Hidden World - I love Toothless and can't wait to see how they wrap up the series.

March
Captain Marvel - We finally get to see the story about the MCU superhero that will help lay a beating against Thanos

Us - The next Jordan Peele thriller that may or may not connect to Get Out according to internet rumours

Dumbo - Tim Burton looks like he has another hit on his hand with his take on the classic Disney movie.

April
Shazam! - I have been wating for this movie for a while as my sci-fi stories originally followed the plot of a kid who became an adult hero. Looks fun.

Pet Sematary - I disn't know if I wanted to see this remake, but with John Lithgow in it as Crandall, I am sold.

Avengers: Endgame - We finally see our heroes thump Thanos! Or do we?

May
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Stop messing with his dog, please... and him.

Aladdin - Could be great, could suck... I'll have to watch to find out.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - My favorite monster fights other monsters and I am gloriously happy

June
Dark Phoenix - Any chance to see Fassbender as Magneto again, I'm in.

Men in Black: International - The Trailer looked like a lot of fun

Toy Story 4 - If they keep up the trend, should be a fun, emotional story.

July
Spider-Man: Far From Home - I'll keep watching any MCU superhero movie.

The Lion King - The classic reboot looks phenomenal.

August
Hobbs and Shaw - Fast and Furious spin off... I'll do it.

Dora the Explorer - My kids loved the movie in their younger days, as did I, so I'll watch the live action one

Artemis Fowl - Please don't screw up this adaptation of the book.

Angel has Fallen - The third movie in the Gerard Butler Olympus as Fallen secret service agent action series.

September
It: Chapter Two - After the great job they did with the first one, I can't wait for them to end the story

October
Joker - One of many planned Joker movies... I am not sure because from what I have seen I am not impressed on how they are handling my favorite comic book character.

Zombieland 2 - Apparently this sequel is on its way. Should be fun.

November
Frozen 2 - Where will the go for the sequel? Hopefully somewhere fun!

December
Star Wars: Episode IX - There is no pleasing fans after Last Jedi, but I am anxious to see how they wrap up the Skywalker storyline.

Happy viewing!

2018 Movie Reviews

I rarely post on here, so maybe that's my New Years Resolution.
I watched 192 films this year; not all from this year, and some were short films (an hour or less)

Here are my top 10 movie reviews for 2018.

1. Crazy Rich Asians - My favorite movie for 2018. It was funny, had great actors/actresses in it, and told a story that could be cliche at times, but in the end, it was all to put a smile on my face. I loved everything about it, and went on the emotional journey the director wanted. 

2. Searching - I found this movie very intense and held my interest the whole time. John Cho gave a great performance as a father searching for his missing daughter. Lots of easter eggs scattered throughout to hint at the ending, but they still managed to throw in a twist that I should have seen coming, but didn't. Also, having it shot on cell phones/computer camera throughout was well done.

3. Won't you be my neighbor - A beautiful documentary about Fred Rogers and how his idea for a kids show would change the lives of so many people as he took on tough topics right from the first episode and never talked down to kids, acknowledging their fears, hopes, and dreams.

4. Avengers Infinity War - I became a Marvel fan after watching Thor and have stayed with the MCU ever since. I love how everything led to this movie and united the characters, put forth a tragic, sociopathic (take that Netflix) villain I could relate to, and then have the balls to kill off most of the main characters at the end. Such a fun time at the movies.

5. Black Panther - After the Civil War movie, Black Panther became one of my newest favorite Marvel Heroes. I love African Culture, so for a super hero movie to be set there, I was loving it. Great action, comedy, and they had BATTLE RHINOS!!! A great MCU solo movie.

6. A Quiet Place - I LOVE horror thrillers, and I especially love ones that take a risk in telling a new type of story. A Quiet Place did that by being quiet for most of it, raising my panic as the monsters got closer and closer. Plus, the underlying story of a Father's battle to save his family hit home for me.

7. Tag - I saw this with my best friend and what a joy this movie was. It wasn't life changing, but it was VERY funny and told how having fun with friends, and the bond of friendship, can last a lifetime. Just an overall funny movie.

8. Mary Poppins Returns - The sequel did the original justice and had a lot of new concepts to build on from the original. I love how they stayed true to the stylization of the first movie and even the plot pace. The music was great, and any review that says they were not memorable songs hasn't taken a couple more listens because most were memorable. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a gem and I will keep seeing any movie he's in, especially when he's singing.

9. Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse - This was a fun Spider-Man movie that brought in extra Spider-Characters from the multiverse and had some fun with it. The Animation was unique and the story was compelling.

10. Hereditary - I debated about adding this horror movie to my list. It was extremely good, but so disturbing, I don't think I could watch it again. Great performances, terrible events, horrific and disturbing moments fueled with raw emotion. The ending was so messed up, I had to sit in my car after the movie for 10 minutes and think about my life and faith. Any movie that can mess me up that much is worth the rating.

Honorable Mentions:

Alpha
Christopher Robin
Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Worst Movies of 2018:

The Nun - How can you take a part of the Conjuring universer and make it not scary? Hell, Annabelle had scary moments and the doll didn't move.

Annihilation - How do you take a great idea and make it boring? And end the movie with a dance off? Sorry, Guardians of the Galaxy did it first. I know a lot of people loved this movie and rated it high in 2018, but I was not impressed at all.

2017 Movie Previews

There are some pretty awesome movies coming this year. Here are the ones I want to see, and maybe you do to! Sorry to ones I leave out that some of you might be DYING to see.

NOTE: Release dates subject to change.

January
6 - A Monster Calls - Liam Neeson voices a monster tree that helps a kid cope with his mom's terminal illness

20 - Split - James McAvoy plays a man with 24 personalities that kidnaps three girls and terrorizes them.

27 - A Dog's Purpose - The soul of one dog is resurrected through multiple dogs and influences its owners, making a connection to them all. Seems like a tear jerker for any dog owner/lover

27 - Resident Evil: The Final Chapter - I've seen the others and, other than the second one, they were pretty decent.

February
3 - Rings - I am a huge fan of the horror series, so I will for sure watch this one. Fun Fact: Ali and I got engaged on the night we saw the sneak preview to the original remake.

10 - Lego Batman Movie - Because Batman.
10 - John Wick: Chapter 2 - I just saw the first one, so I hope the second one is good too. As long as it doesn't turn into a Taken franchise disappointment after the second one.

24 - There's a Cloverfield Anthology Movie scheduled here - Of course I will watch it, even without a title yet.

March
3 - Logan - Old Man Wolverine? Sign me up
3 - The Shack - I read the book, so I'll see the movie.
3 - T2 Trainspotting - Of course I'll see the follow-up. Hopefully it can be as good as the first.

10 - Kong: Skull Island - Because King Kong
10 - Raw - A horror movie about a vegetarian forced to eat meat and becomes a cannibal. Sold.

17 - Beauty and the Beast - I think my girls might like this one.

April
7 - Smurfs: The Lost Village - I think my girls might like this one too.

14 - Fast and Furious 8 - Because... fast cars!

May
5 - Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - Because I am Groot

19 - Alien: Covenant - Because ALIENS!!!
19 - Baywatch - I never watched the show, but this movie looks like some fun.

26 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man Tell No Tales - Because Jack Sparrow.
26 - Life - This looks like a mysterious, modern, Sci-fi thriller.

June
2 - Wonder Woman - I really am looking forward to this one because she was the highlight of BvS last year.

9 - The Mummy - Tom Cruise? A Mummy? Possibly the start of the Universal Studies monster cinematic Universe? My kid mind cannot take it!

16 - Cars 3 - My kids may want to see this one as well.
16 - Kingsman: The Golden Circle - I hope this sequel is as good as the first one!

23 - Transformers: The Last Knight - I am hesitant about this one as it looks like Bumblebee might be in trouble, and I've liked the others... mostly.

30 - Despicable Me 3 - I think my girls will like this one.

July
7 - Spider-man: Homecoming - Nice to see him back in the MCU and fighting the Vulture. Should be a good one

14 - War for the Planet of the Apes - I LOVE these movies and thing Andy Serkis should get an Oscar for playing Caesar.

21 - Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets - Luc Besson's Sci Fi Movie that looks really neat? I'll check it out.

28 - The Dark Tower - I am a HUGE fan of Stephen King's book series, and to know what they're doing with it and the fact that they've cast Idris Elba in the lead as Roland make me VERY anxious, and scared, for this movie.

September
8 - It - Could be great, could be a disaster. So far, the images from the set look good, but you never know. This classic Stephen King book needs to be handled carefully.

October
13 - Friday the 13th - My favourite horror icon is remade? Redone? who cares... he's back and he's gonna kill 'em all!

27 - Saw: Legacy - Rumour has it this series will do one more movie... and I will be there.

November
3 - Thor: Ragnarok - Thor, Hulk, and Dr. Strange in one movie? YASSSS!!!

17 - Justice League - The DC heroes unite and I hope this one works out. So far it looks good, but you never know.

December
15 - Star Wars: Episode VIII - Because... Star Wars

22 - Jumanji - It seems almost wrong to want to see it, but I do.
22 - Pitch Perfect 3 - Bring the Pitches Back!


Who knows what other gems may appear this year? Happy Viewing all!

2016 Movie Reviews

I saw 30 new releases this year. Most were big box office hits, so I won't get to the Oscar/Golden Globe nominated movies for a while. Many of you may disagree with some, but there are biases for my choices that I may explain in my top 10 or so.

1. Rogue One - I saw it twice and loved the story it told, including the last 20 minutes when all hell broke loose and you see Darth Vader rage against the Rebels. A great bridging movie to A New Hope, and, as a Sci-fi writer, a wonder to behold.
2. Pete's Dragon - I never saw the orginial, and my girls got this one for Xmas, so it was a nice surprise and told a wonderful story about Pete and his Dragon Elliot. Highly recommend.
3. The Jungle Book - My favourite Disney movie of all time, and I loved how they did it, even if I wasn't totally a fan of Walken singing "Wanna be like you."
4. Captain America: Civil War - This was just plain fun that was great to watch. Such great story telling, humour, action, and the introduction of Black Panther was awesome.
5. Deadpool - Outlanding, Irreverant, action-packed, funny, and what the fans wanted.
6. Zootopia - Great story telling with a not so obvious message that kids can really get.
7. Finding Dory - Just short of being as great as Finding Nemo, but still a great watch with lots of humour and emotion.
8. Moana - I am a sucker for any movie that shows hawaiian/polynesian history and adventure, and for Disney to do this... I was in love the whole movie. Great songs too.
9. Star Trek Beyond - Great action, humour, and a solid Trek story that fans like me can appreciate.
10. Ghostbusters - Any movie that can have my girls in awe of the characters and loving the story is a hit for me. Too much bad press on this, mostly from fanboys upset at it being girls, that wasn't warranted.

Here are my final 20. Only one real dud in the bunch. I'll comment on the odd one here and there.

1. 10 Cloverfield Lane - A nice surprise. John Goodman is an acting god.
2. Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice - Yes, I liked it. But I am a Batman fan at heart and I liked Man of Steel, so this one was good for me. But watch the Ultimate Version, much better.
3. Independence Day: Resurgence
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of Shadows
5. X-Men: Apocalypse
6. Dr Strange
7. The Conjuring 2 - Not as scary as the original, but still creepy.
8. The Witch - A nice surprise as well. Starts slow, then the terror gets worse... Bad goat.
9. Central Intelligence
10. Suicide Squad - Yes, I did like this one as well. Leto's Joker was ok, but Smith's Deadshot and Robbie's Harley Quinn were just awesome.
11. London Has Fallen
12. Secret Life of Pets
13. Batman: Killing Joke - The first half was ok, regarding Batgirl, but when the 2nd half came, that was when it got very good. It's hard to take an iconic graphic novel like that and turn it into a movie, but they did a decent job.
14. Sing
15. Miss Peregrine's School for Peculiar Children - They changed the ending from the book more than what I was comfortable with, so it wasn't a total let down, but it could have been better
16. Midnight Special - A neat surprise about a "special" child with powers wanted by the government. The ending was pretty neat.
17. Storks
18. Angry Birds Movie
19. Hardcore Henry - It started pretty good, then got worse. Great concept, but didn't work as well as it could have.

Total DUD: Sharknado 4 - The first two were fun, but they should have stopped.



Happy viewing for 2017!

Summer & Fall

Due to a broken CPU and issues with my mobile app, I've had issues updating the blog. So I'll keep this one as short as I can.

What a busy summer  and fall it has been for the Gillespie Family

After Vancouver, I was able to take Anisha to the Father/Daughter fancy gala again. It was a great night!

We then went to Calgary for the Calgary Comic Expo. It was a great experience, and I got to meet some celebrities, but I didn't sell much. I don't think I will return. We also celebrated Anisha's 9th Bday there and she, Ali, and Sami spent time with Ashley and Family exploring Calgary and the nearby mountains.

This May and June we were able to cheer on the Saskatoon Rush as they claimed NLL top prize in the league by winning it all. It was a great experience. 

June brought along some time for family as Sami graduated from Kindergarten and we celebrated the Prince Albert Street Festival.

In July, Anisha got a new fish and named it Quicksilver.

We also spent some time at the SPCA playing with the cats.

August brought around the Exhibition with all the rides and midway!

We got to take in a game at the old Mosaic Stadium in Regina to cheer on the Riders before they leave the old stadium for the new one.

 While in Regina, Anisha and I took in the Weird Al concert and had a blast!

September rolled in and Anisha started Grade 4 and Sami started Grade 1,

I also took in the Saskatoon and Edmonton Expo, getting to meet some more celebrities, including the late Carrie Fisher. It was great. Here is me and Anisha meeting Garret Wang from Star Trek: Voyager.

 Ali and I managed to go to the Book of Mormon musical in September and loved it. We were chosen to trade in our balcony tickets for Front Row Center tickets and thought it was a great upgrade.

 At the Edmonton Expo, I got to meet Mr. Inconceivable himself: Wallace Shawn. Great guy!

 I returned to the acting stage in October and played the butler Rogers in Spark Theatre's production of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. I'm standing 2nd from the right in this photo.

 Some Halloween Fun with the girls.

In November, we joined the rest of the Webster Clan on a trip to Mexico, specifically Iberostar Playa Mita, north of Puerto Vallarta. It was Sami's first plane ride, and it was an amazing time.

The service was great and the maids often left cute towel animals for us.

 They have a resort hawk that they use to keep away vermin birds. It still amazes me.

December is now here and other than Pageants at church and Xmas concert, we've kept it easy this December. I'll try to update more often now that I have figured out this new CPU better. Have a great New Year Everyone!