Age of the Geek

Ten Movies in 2016
  
     We made it.
     We're mere days away from the end of 2016.
     I think we can all agree this hasn't been the best year. Unless you are a Cubs fan, this is the year that we may just want to omit from the history books.
     That said, there were plenty of movies released in 2016.
     These are ten of them.
 
Deadpool
     It only took eleven years, but Ryan Reynolds finally convinced Fox Studios to make a Deadpool movie. It was worth the wait.
     "Deadpool" might just be this year's most important movie. In an age where even the horror movies are PG-13, it proved that there is still an audience out there for R-rated material. An R-rated super hero movie no-less.
     Gaining both critical and popular acclaim, along with becoming the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time, "Deadpool's" success is validation for every comic book fan frustrated by risk-adverse studios. It's good to see a passion project like this get rewarded. Now we just have to hope that the sequel doesn't disappoint.
 
Zootopia
     Far less risky, but no less fun, "Zootopia" continued Disney's recent 3D renaissance. On the surface "Zootopia" seems like a cutesy movie about cartoon animals with a simple morality message about prejudice, but it's actually rooted on a far more serious subject. The allegory isn't perfect, but "Zootopia's" plot is lifted almost directly from the crack cocaine epidemic of the late 80s and the racism that resulted.
     A pretty heavy subject for a movie about a cartoon rabbit.
 
Captain America: Civil War
     As though "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" didn't flop hard enough, "Captain America: Civil War" shows that you can pit hero against hero in a movie that still has a coherent plot, interesting characters, and more than a smidgen of levity.
     Even better, "Captain America: Civil War" is the rare example of a comic book movie that is better than its source material. Where the original comic book story was an incoherent mess, the movie presents the "security vs. freedom" argument in a much more consistent way.
 
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call
     I gave Paul Feig every benefit of the doubt when I heard about this movie, but somehow "Ghostbusters: Answer the Call" ended up being even less funny than the already terrible trailer intended to promote it.
     Shockingly, Feig brushing everybody that didn't like the movie off as a horrible sexist did not endear audiences. It turns out that you can't shame people into the theaters and, thankfully, the movie lost enough money that it's unlikely we'll see Sony attempt to continue this botched attempt at a reboot.
 
Star Trek: Beyond
     On the other hand, I gave "Star Trek: Beyond" no benefit of the doubt at all. The first two JJ Abrams movies are insults to the franchise and passing the reins to the guy that directed a Fast and the Furious movie did not seem like a step in the right direction.
     Such prejudices seemed to be confirmed by a trailer so dumb looking that even the movie's writer's disavowed it.
     Surprisingly, "Star Trek: Beyond" defied expectations. I wouldn't say it was a great Star Trek movie, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. Who would have thought?
 
Suicide Squad
     The contrast between "Suicide Squad" and "Deadpool" couldn't be more clear. Where "Deadpool" was a labor of love with made with a clear direction and minimal studio interference, "Suicide Squad" was a mess that didn't seem to know what it wanted to be.
     I am convinced that a good "Suicide Squad" movie was made, but too much of it was left on the cutting room floor to save it. It's still currently the best movie in Warner Bros.' DC Cinematic Universe, but tripping over that low bar isn't saying much.
 
Sausage Party
     On the surface, "Sausage Party" is a very kid-unfriendly comedy filled with raunchy humor, racial stereotypes, and food puns. Just below the surface, it's even more raunchy humor, racial stereotypes, and food puns. But even further below that is one of the smartest movies about culture and religion I've seen in recent memory.
     The movie presents an evenhanded look at the nature of religion and how believers and non-believers alike can communicate better with each other. Right before it presents and extended sequence of a food orgy.
 
Kubo and the Two Strings
     If there's any movie I regret not seeing in the movie theater, it's "Kubo and the Two Strings." Which is basically the same regret I have about any Laika film.
     The stop motion studio behind "Coraline," "ParaNorman," and "The Boxtrolls" consistently make amazing films and are consistently underappreciated. "Kubo and the Two Strings" may be their best movie yet, and may also be their biggest box office flop.
     One of these days I'll remember how much I like Laika films when they're actually in theaters.
 
Doctor Strange
     Marvel Studios took a big risk with this one. Who would have thought audiences would go for a movie about a self-absorbed genius who gets critically injured and goes on a journey of self-discovery to ultimately become a super hero?
     Okay, "Doctor Strange" is essentially "Iron Man" with magic, but that's okay. It doesn't change the fact that it was a fun time. One might criticize Marvel Studios for being formulaic, but the formula works.
 
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
     Let me be blunt. "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is so good that it makes Episode VII look like a worse movie by comparison. All the little flaws in Episode VII you might have excused before suddenly seem bigger when put next to a movie that doesn't have them. The movie's third act in particular is everything I wanted out of the third act of Episode VII, but didn't get.
     Gareth Edwards has raised the bar and hit JJ Abrams over the head with it. Hopefully Rian Johnson can live up to the new standard Rogue One has set for Episode VIII.
 
     Travis Fischer is a news writer for Mid-America Publishing and is glad to be done with 2016.