Author: Seth Harris

An immigrant from the U.S. trying to make sense of an increasingly saddening world.

My Most Anticipated Films of 2018 – Part 1

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There are a lot of films announced for 2018 that have my attention, some more than others. The likelihood I will end up loving all these films is very low, but I’m sure some will live up to the hype. Today’s list is the movies who have official release dates or are debuting at Sundance this year. Tomorrow will be the films that are announced for 2018 but whose release is to be determined.

Eighth Grade (January 19th, Sundance) – Directed by Bo Burnham

I wouldn’t say I am a huge fan of comedian Bo Burnham but is a very unique voice in a field that can be very repetitive. His directorial debut is this film which was shot without much fanfare and has little talk surrounding it until the press release for Sundance. The movie is about a 13-year-old girl who develops a strong online persona dishing out advice via her YouTube channel while being paralyzed with fear in real life situations. The film sounds like a good mix of comedy and drama, looking forward to seeing Burnham’s first outing.

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Favorites of 2017 – Top 25 Films I Saw

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My 25 Favorite Films of 2017

As I have posted online for about ten years now, these are the best films I saw in 2017. They are not just films that were released in 2017, but anything I saw that this year that was one my favorites. The list is in ascending order so we’ll countdown starting with number 25. Click on the title or picture to read my review.

The Levelling

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Movie Review – The Florida Project

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The Florida Project (2017)
Written by Sean Baker & Chris Bergoch
Directed by Sean Baker

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Moonee is a six-year-old girl living in Kissimmee, Florida with her young mother, Hailey. The pair stays at the Magic Castle, a low rung motel where Moonee pals around with her friends Scooty, Dicky, and Jancy getting into tons of trouble The hotel manager, Bobby, tries to keep things in line but finds the girl and her mother to be incorrigible. The kids are desperate for fun over this long summer and discover it where they can. Hailey keeps her daughter in the dark about their money problems but finds the stress growing.

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Favorites of 2017 – Documentary Films

My Favorite Documentaries of 2017

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These are my favorite docs I managed to catch in 2017, all about fascinating people and topics and all very different.

Too Funny To Fail: The Life & Death of the Dana Carvey Show

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In 1996, I watched the Dana Carvey Show and loved it, this comedy that spoke to me. Well, it didn’t speak to everyone and being on right after Home Improvement put it in a bad spot. This hilarious doc brings back the original cast and writers (Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Robert Smigel, Jon Glaser, and more) to talk with a sense of humor looking back at a show that bombed and bombed hard. Only available on Hulu.

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Movie Review – The Disaster Artist

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The Disaster Artist (2017)
Written by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber
Directed by James Franco

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Struggling actor Greg Sestero has a problem bringing out emotion in his performances. Then one night he witnesses Tommy Wiseau, a quiet man in his acting class delivers an embarrassingly over the top monologue from A Streetcar Named Desire. Greg and Tommy strike up a friendship that brings them to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams. Tommy becomes jealous as Greg gets a girlfriend, an agent, and acting parts while he struggles. This pushes Tommy to write the script for The Room which, against all the odds and logic, he produces and goes on to become a modern cult classic.

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Movie Review – The Levelling

The Levelling (2017)
Written & Directed by Hope Dickson Leach

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Clover is a veterinary student estranged from her father, Aubrey. She has returned to the family farm in Somerset Levels wetlands in the south west of England in the wake of her brother, Harry’s death. Clover can tell right away that her brother’s death was a suicide despite Aubrey’s insistence that this was just an accident with a gun in the bathroom. The farm has been in decay since a massive flood which the insurance company would not pay out damages for. As Clover seeks the truth about what drove Harry to kill himself, she finds the tension between she and Aubrey growing.

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Most Anticipated Films of 2017: A Look Back

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At the beginning of the year, I wrote up a post of films that I was anticipating in 2017. Now that the year has come to a close I have either seen those movies or they have been delayed. For the films that I have seen just click on the title to read my review.

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Star Wars Episode VIII (Directed by Rian Johnson) – Exceeded my expectations. First Star Wars movie to leave me having no idea what comes next and that is amazing.

Alien: Covenant (Directed by Ridley Scott) – Hated this movie. So boring and dumb. No interest in the follow-ups

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos) – Lanthimos’ darkest work to date. Loved the aggressive and uncomfortable nature of the film.

Mute (Directed by Duncan Jones) – Delayed to 2018 Continue reading “Most Anticipated Films of 2017: A Look Back”

Favorites of 2017 – Television & Music

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My Favorite Television & Music of 2017

Television

Twin Peaks: The Return

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There’s no question for me that Twin Peaks: The Return is my favorite media experience of 2017. Out of all the books, movies, music, etc. of the year, nothing affected me and meant as much to me as this revival. David Lynch delivered the most surprising piece of art I have seen in many years. I was continually shocked, awed, and frustrated in all the best ways. I wept at the opening titles of Part 1 and found myself sitting in dazed silence and wonder at the close of Part 18. While some people talk about wanting a Season 4, I believe this was the perfect place to end the series. I first watched Twin Peaks when I was nine years old so to be able to return to this world at the age of 36 will always remain one of the most profound honors of my life.

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Favorites of 2017 – Video Games & Tabletop Games

My Favorite Video Games and Tabletop Games of 2017

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Video Games

Dead Cells
dead cellsFrom my Steam Summer Sale write up on this one:

“Dead Cells is an Early Access title, but one that overcomes the stigma that label can sometimes bring. Like a side-scrolling Dark Souls, Dead Cells drops your nameless protagonist in the middle of an island dungeon with no knowledge of how they got there. As you run, jump, and kill enemies, you collect the two currencies of the game: gold and cells. Gold helps you purchase items in the shops and unlock treasure doors during play. The cells are spent at the end of each stage to upgrade and unlock new weapons and abilities. When you die you start over with your primary weapons, but everything you unlock carries over from playthroughs, able to be discovered and purchased. Addictive, smooth gameplay.”

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