*Thanksgiving Special* Top 10 Movies I Watched With The Fam Over The Holiday

Now that we have wrapped up another fulfilling Thanksgiving weekend, I finally get to reminisce on the last couple of days filled with splurge shopping, mounds of food, and level five family bonding achieved only through viewing tons of great film that we missed throughout the year. It has started to become somewhat of a tradition for me on Black Friday to buy tons of movies for “the low” (meaning for cheap if you are confused by that phrase) that my family can watch throughout the holiday weekend. This year we found most of our Blu-ray deals at Best Buy, but we also snagged a few good ones at Walmart. Best Buy had the better deals when it came to movies, but Walmart is slowly starting to become my go-to spot for video game sales on Black Friday. Today, with a little assistance from the lovely fancymypantsy aka Some Gal Named Elaine , we will share with you our top 10 movies we saw over the holiday weekend. Feel free to comment below if you have seen these movies before. We would love to know what you thought of them.

#1 – The Raid (2011)

This movie follows Rama (Iko Uwais) and a team of other rookie cops on a mission to subdue a notorious gangster by the name of Tama (Ray Sahetapy). They seek to put an end to his operation and stop the reign of terror he has caused the city of Jakarta. However, this is not a simple task and some would even call it a suicide mission. Tama runs his operation in a huge multi-floor building where he is located at the very top. There is only one way in and one way out. Rama and his team will have to travel floor-by-floor through top-notch security while facing some seriously talented and deadly adversaries who won’t hesitate to kill a police officer. Will their mission be a success?

For years now, my girlfriend has been trying to get me to watch this movie. Well, I finally got to check it out and OMG. I can’t believe I am just now seeing this. This movie, along with the sequel, generated the most emotion out of all of the movies on this list. We’re talking non-stop bone-breaking action that kept everyone glued to their seat. It was a fast-paced thrill ride that I never wanted to end. It’s been a long time since I yelled in excitement or been in a room where everyone was genuinely cheering the main character on. The main character Iko Uwais plays is so likable and has some serious fighting skills to rival those of your favorite martial artist. I look forward to watching more of his movies, and if you have not seen this movie you should definitely check it out ASAP.  However, I do have to admit the English voice actors in this movie are HORRID. If you can, please watch this in the language it was intended to be watched in. (Phil)

#2 – The Raid 2 (2014)

A direct sequel to the previous movie on this list, The Raid 2 offers just as much heart-stopping action as its predecessor. Following the same protagonist of the first film, Rama, now under the alias of Yuda, has been sucked back into the seedy underground of the gangster world, but this time as an undercover cop instead of the wide-eyed rookie he was before. With just as much, if not more, action, blood and guts as the last film, you’ll be clinging to the edge of your seat once again during this thrill ride. Watching this film with my boyfriend and his mother has been the most enjoyable moment in my life. Both of them were yelling and swatting at the TV, fervently cheering on our hero and cringing at the beautifully choreographed violence. (Elaine)

#3 – Justice League (2017)

I have to admit that growing up I was into Justice League more than The Avengers. Like most people though, I have thoroughly enjoyed the onslaught of Marvel movies over the last decade. However, I have been patiently waiting for Justice League for a while now, so I was ecstatic when I finally got a chance to see this film. After watching/reading tons of reviews leading up to my viewing, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I can say I really enjoyed this movie and so did everyone I went to see it with. This movie did something on this list that the others couldn’t: it made me smile. There were times in this movie where I genuinely felt like a kid again. No spoilers but there was one scene that made me damn near jump out of my seat in excitement. It was one of those moments where you do something embarrassing and then look around to see if anyone saw you do it. Yep, that was me.  It was cool though because nobody complained (they didn’t want these problems).

The movie did have its shortcomings, though. For example, the two-hour run time definitely hurt the movie. The characters were not fleshed out enough, and at times, the movie seemed rush. However, even with the small amount of screen time, I saw enough of Flash, Aquaman (Atlantis looks pretty dope), and Cyborg to want to see more. I can’t wait to see what DC comes out with next. (Phil)

#4 – Wonder Woman (2017)

Although this movie had its slow moments, Wonder Woman was a very enjoyable film. Diana really has the moves and the gumption to not only take out villains but to put the DC cinematic universe on the right track with their movies. We got an (almost) satisfying view of Themyscira and Diana’s fellow Amazonians. I will admit that I wanted waaaaay more than they gave, but I was ok with the glimpse I got. Diana is fierce, beautiful and oddly charming. Gal Gadot really played her excellently. And because of the time period this movie was set in, I almost for a second believed she was a real person. The movie blends the superhero and war genres together beautifully although I felt like more people should have been questioning her superhuman (goddess) abilities more thoroughly back in that time period. I mean, the woman can scale buildings in one jump. No one thought it was a little weird? (Elaine)

#5 – Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

I went into Mad Max blind. I’ve never seen any of the films before it, and I had no idea what it was about. However, after the credits rolled, I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this film. The chemistry between Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy was real and they both seemed to integrate themselves seamlessly into this unique world. This particular film was about Charlize Theron’s character, Imperator Furiosa, and she completely stole the show. I think my favorite aspect of this movie has to be the cars though. They all were special and inventive…I want one. In all seriousness though, this movie is a unique experience and you will be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check it out. (Phil)

#6 – Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

HELA IS THE BEST SUPERHERO VILLAIN THAT TRUMPS ALL OTHER VILLAINS THAT DC OR MARVEL HAS INTRODUCED TO US THUS FAR. She gave ZERO F*CKS. Lawd, she slaughtered indiscriminately, and I would have loved to see her conquer the nine realms and beyond. Besides all of the deaths, we got to see some familiar faces with the return of Loki, Dr. Banner, and Heimdall. We also made some new friends in the Valkyrie and Korg. Even with all of the death, the movie was filled with jokes and homages to other Marvel movies and comics, so this movie never felt too dark even though I would’ve liked it a tad bit darker. The movie was vibrant and beautifully colored. It was definitely a fun ride. I can see where they are setting up to make Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy collide, and I cannot wait! (Elaine)

#7 – Power Rangers (2017) 

As a Power Rangers fanatic, I really enjoyed this movie. I think this is a fresh take on my childhood favorite. I’m by no means a purist when it comes to my fandoms, so I may be a little more open-minded than most when it comes to re-imaginings of some of my favorite books and movies. This movie was a fantastic origin story to the new Power Rangers universe they are creating. There was action and comedy. Plus, the movie took itself seriously but not like an edgy teenager who is trying everything to not be seen as a kid anymore. It is more like a dorky adult who knows their nerd roots but fully embraces it with just the right amount of seriousness. This is such a fun movie, and Billy was definitely a showstopper for me. The only thing I hate are the Rangers’ suits. Ever since those Transformers movies, everything has taken on this weird, edgy, alien look (looking at you too Cyborg in the Justice League movie). All in all, I could watch this movie any time. With a drink in hand, I’m happy I can still enjoy my childhood as an adult. (Elaine)

#8 – The House (2017)

Listen, my family knows that I am A GIGANTIC Will Ferrell fan. We’re talking massive. We’re talking like borderline stalker level. Lol that was obviously a joke…I think. I do have to be honest and admit that I didn’t expect much from this movie. I just didn’t get much excitement from the trailers that I saw, and that was weird because I really like Amy Poehler. I was excited for her and Will to partner up and deliver something epic. After watching this movie, I didn’t get the epic film that I not-so-secretly wanted, but what I did get was a very enjoyable film. It wasn’t a great movie, but it also wasn’t as bad as some critics made it out to be. Admittedly, some of the jokes were a little stale, but they were balanced out by a few that made me literally laugh out loud. I liked the premise, too. I know a lot of parents are in a situation where they are trying to figure out how to send their kids to college. So what do you do? Rob a bank? Maybe. Probably a bad idea. How about start a casino? Probably an equally bad idea. Will and Amy tried it though, and at times it was pretty funny. (Phil)

#9 – It Comes at Night (2017)

So, this is the only movie on the list I’m not sure how people will receive. I personally liked it and want to watch it again, but that’s only because I enjoy when movies do not explain everything and expect for the audience to form their own opinion about what happens. I love theories and it makes me feel smart if I can solve the mystery the director left for me. However, I will be perfectly honest. After watching this movie, I have no idea what the hell comes at night. So that should give you some idea what type of movie this is. People are getting sick, but you are never told what is infecting everyone. The movie had great tension and mystery though. You are constantly questioning what’s real and second guessing who to trust. The film is shot beautifully and the actors did a phenomenal job portraying their characters. If you are someone who expects everything to be explained to you, this film is probably not for you. (Phil)

 

#10 – Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

SPIDER-MAN!! SPIDER-MAN!! Gosh I enjoyed this standalone movie. Tom Holland did an incredible job of portraying our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. You know how a movie just has heart and makes you feel good? This is one of those films. I was excited to see the webslinger in action, and I’m super grateful to Marvel for not putting us through yet another origin story. This is the Peter Parker we deserve. His journey into finding himself as the hero we all believed he could be is such a fantastic tale. Also, I looooooved the diversity in the movie! The characters weren’t all the same and for once in my life, I’ve seen a movie that was casted on acting chops with a stress on diversity. I saw people who were just regular folks that looked like me. That was the part that geeked me out the most. And Michael Keaton as the vulture!!! Oh he was phenomenal. (Elaine)

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