Mental Health Through Pop Culture

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Brandon's Top 10 Movies...So Far

The first six months of 2020 are done with, and it’s been a short first half of the year for movies thanks to stupid Covid-19, but thankfully before the bottom fell out we were able to get in some pretty awesome films. Here are my top ten films of the year so far:

Bad Boys was a movie franchise that I didn't watch a lot of growing up, but I always enjoyed them when I did see them, and I was actually pretty pumped for this one. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence delivered some strong performances and had stronger chemistry than ever before. It had some solid twists that I didn’t see coming and really delivered on excitement. This was a solid film and a great watch for any fan of Bad Boys.

This was a movie that I was really looking forward to for two reasons. One, I really love birds of prey and two, Black Mask. Despite Ewan McGregor’s Black Mask being uber disappointing, Margot Robbie and the rest of the cast of BOP members made it a fun and exciting film. It was cool to see different DC characters get some shine on the big scream while allowing Harley Quinn to continue riding the momentum she’s had since Suicide Squad. This was a fun film with some very funny moments and cool action scenes and I think any comic book fan would enjoy it.

Underwater was a film that I felt like fell in the overlooked category as being a great film. A lot of people didn’t like it where a lot of other people really enjoyed it. And for me, I absolutely enjoyed this film. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, anxious as ever. I’m a sucker for sci-fi monster movies and this one really delivered for me. I’ve been a huge Kristen Stewart fan for years and I thought she really carried this movie very well. For the lover of all things sea creatures and being trapped in an underwater oil rig, this is for you.

This was another one I was super excited for because the graphic novel adaption of this story is one of my absolute favorite books of all time, heck, I’d say it ranks at number 2 on my all-time list. The film adaptation did not live up to the book but it was a solid outing and made for one heck of a ride. Director Sam Liu did a fantastic job and cast a solid group of voice actors to voice this iconic story. It had some routes that are totally different from the book, but despite that, this was a great watch for any fan of Superman.

This was a movie that wasn’t exactly on my radar at first, but I just went and saw it anyway and I walked out very, very satisfied at what I had witnessed. It really packed a lunch throwing in a good mix of comedy, suspense, gang violence, and tons of weed, tons of it. This movie had a solid cast featuring Matthew McConaughey, Henry Golding, Charlie Hunnan, Hugh Grant, Collin Farrell, and Michelle Dockery, just to name a few. This is a movie I’d highly recommend everyone checkout.

 This movie had a lot of doubt going into it but it ended up being one of the very best films of 2020 and quickly became the talk of the town. This movie underwent some changes before being released but the finished product was absolutely solid. The chemistry between James Marsden and Ben Schwartz was solid and really made this movie feel special. But let’s not forget about the show stealer of this film, Jim Carrey, who captivated us all as Dr. Robotnik. I had such a fun time seeing this in theaters, heck, I’ll admit it even made me cry at one point. This was just a very solid film and is highly recommended to everyone.

Oh my goodness this movie!!!! Another one that was high up on my radar but good god, it blew me away after I watched it in theaters. It was everything you’d want for a science fiction horror movie. The suspense was top-notch, the acting was top-notch, and the conclusion to the film was very top-notch. This to me was Elisabeth Moss’s breakout performance. If you’re a horror, sci-fi, suspense, or psychological horror fan, don’t waste time not seeing this, see this now!

This was the end of what I like to call “the New 52 animated movie-verse”, and it was one heck of an ending. It was everything you could ask for, to be honest. Amazing and beautiful visuals, incredible storytelling, solid direction, and a conclusion that you’d never see coming. The star of this film to me was absolutely Matt Ryan lending his voice for John Constantine. And I say he’s the star because this movie wouldn’t have been as great as it was without him telling the Justice League what needed to be done in order to save the world. The way this movie ended was absolutely amazing and I will not spoil it, you will just have to go see it for yourself. Solid, solid, SOLID movie. The DC animated team knocked it out of the park big time here.

Man oh man, this was epic. I was highly anticipating this one and it did not disappoint at all. I’m a huge fan of any and all things Mortal Kombat, and I needed this to be amazing, but amazing ended up being an understatement. This movie was exactly what the first live-action film needed to be. This was a solid retelling of how Raiden’s team got together and it also gave us a good Scorpion story and a reason to get behind him. I hope this is just the first entry of an MK animated movie universe. This was just absolutely outstanding. Don’t sleep on this one.

Here we are, number 1! And it absolutely has to be Onward! This movie really took me by surprise at how much I loved it, partially because it hit on something that I personally went through growing up and I stood up out of my seat after the movie with the wettest eyes you’ll ever see. It was just absolutely spectacular. Amazing storytelling, amazing animation, and a strong cast of voices to complement the characters. Check this film out and join Tom Holland and Chris Pratt on a journey of a lifetime Disney, you did well here!

Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, Micah Kimber & Brandon Miller . Music by Yuriy Bespalov & Various Artists. This post was edited by Cam Smith. These movies are property of their respective studios. We do not own nor claim any rights. You can pick up your copy now, by clicking here.

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