The Code Is Zeek

On January 1st, I will be publishing my Top Ten of 2015 over at Why So Blu?  and on this site as well. Leading up to the Top Ten, I will be posting a number of lists reflecting my thoughts on the films from this year. The following post features a variety of films I basically wanted to shout out. They may have been underrated, underseen or just films I believe deserve a little more respect, despite not making my favorite films of the year list (and many of these really are just randoms). So here are some shout outs I wanted to deliver (with review links for each).

On January 1st, I will be publishing my Top Ten of 2015 over at  WhySoBlu.com  and on this site as well .  Leading up to the Top Ten, I will be posting a number of lists reflecting my thoughts on the films from this year.  The following post features my Top 20 through 11.  Things got tough, as many of these picks were in and out of my final Top Ten list, because I really enjoy or appreciated all that each of these films had to offer. Anyway, here is the next batch of my favorites from 2015 (with links to the review for each).

This week’s episode of Out Now with Aaron and Abe features a double dose of holiday releases. Aaron and Abe are joined by guest Ana Bosch to discuss Concussion and Joy . Among topics covered, we have a fun round of Know Everybody ( 7:39 ), some Out Now Quickies™ ( 15:09 ), trailer talk for The BFG ( 23:00 ) and Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them ( 28:10 ), the main reviews ( 32:47 ) and ( 53:20 ), Out Now Feedback ( 1:23:14 ), and Games ( 1:31:54 ). We then wrap things up ( 1:44:00 ) and end it all with some bloopers ( 1:56:56 ), following this week’s close out song.  So now, if you’ve got an hour or so to kill… You can also find links to the episode at AudioBoom .  Subscribe via iTunes HERE

On January 1st, I will be publishing my Top Ten of 2015 over at  WhySoBlu.com  and eventually on this site as well.  Leading up to the Top Ten, I will be posting a number of lists reflecting my thoughts on the films from this year.  The following post features what I consider to be the biggest disappointments of the year, along with what I believe to be the worst films of the year. Disappointments may not be bad films, but I certainly expected more, while the worst is only in reference to what I managed to see (sorry Paul Blart 2 ). With that in mind, here we go:

On January 1st, I will be publishing my Top Ten of 2015 over at  Why So Blu?  and on this site as well .  Leading up to the Top Ten, I will be posting a number of lists reflecting my thoughts on the films from this year.  The following post features my Top 30 through 21.  As usual, I am always pleased with how these runner-up lists essentially look like a great top ten list of their own. These picks may not have been in my Top Ten, but I still really appreciated what they had to offer. Anyway, here is the first batch of my favorites from 2015 (with links to the review for each).

It's Christmas and what better way to celebrate than by enjoying both a new Tarantino film (The Hateful Eight) and Star Wars! There's also a bunch of other movies that came out and they are mostly worth your time. It's a great time of year to catch up on the movies, but also feel free to check out the links, podcasts and more that I included in this week's exciting recap. In Theaters This Week: The Hateful Eight -  http://www.thecodeiszeek. com/2015/12/the-hateful-eight- is-tarantinos.html (Tarantino delivers again) Joy -  http://www.ranthollywood. com/2015/12/21/joy-is-a-messy- look-at-building-a-legacy- from-scratch/ (Jennifer Lawrence does fine work) Daddy's Home -  http://www.ranthollywood. com/2015/12/24/the-script-for- daddys-home-lacked-good- parenting/ (Mixed results) The Revenant -  http://www.thecodeiszeek. com/2015/12/the-revenant-is- stunningly-beautiful.html (Leo provides the most acting of the year) Concussion -  http

The Hateful Eight : 5 out of 5 This Christmas season gave me both a new Star Wars film and the 8 th film from Quentin Tarantino, so that’s plenty of excitement right there. With The Force Awakens delivering the kind of satisfying feelings akin to the original trilogy I wanted, delving into The Hateful Eight means getting something original from one of my favorite filmmakers. Once again, Tarantino has delivered. The Hateful Eight is a tense and exciting piece of work from a writer/director who has only evolved for the better as a filmmaker, while still delivering on what he knows best.

The Revenant: 4 out of 5 A great frontier story means delivering on the thrill of exploring uncharted lands and dealing with all that comes with it. Alejandro G. Inarritu has approached this idea, but with an intense eye that makes Jerimiah Johnson look like a walk in the park for Robert Redford. There are a great number of to behold in The Revenant , but if you have come for a deep story, this film comes up lacking. This does not stop us from seeing a painfully extreme performance from star Leonardo DiCaprio, but it was a bit of a surprise to see a lengthy film predicated on such a standard western tale of revenge.

This week’s episode of Out Now with Aaron and Abe has the guys heading to a galaxy far, far away. Aaron and Abe are joined by guests Ali Mattu and Mark Johnson to discuss Star Wars: The Force Awakens (and dive into spoilers) . Among topics covered, we have a fun round of Know Everybody ( 4:30 ), some Out Now Quickies™ ( 9:50 ), trailer talk for Star Trek Beyond ( 13:53 ) and Independence Day: Resurgence ( 23:15 ), the main review ( 31:33 ), Out Now Feedback ( 1:32:41 ), and Games ( 1:44:20 ). We then wrap things up ( 1:54:46 ) and end it all with some bloopers ( 2:02 ), following this week’s close out song.  So now, if you’ve got an hour or so to kill… You can also find links to the episode at AudioBoom .  Subscribe via iTunes HERE

The Force Awakens has arrived, so what better film to cover than the original Star Wars . Aaron is joined by Ana Bosch, Brandon Peters, Jim Dietz and Maxwell Haddad to discuss one of the biggest cinematic events ever and all that came with it. Be prepared for fun and humor as the guys dig into what makes this film such an everlasting joy. Important Note:   This commentary may feature both juvenile uses of language and jokes that may be considered un-PC.  We of course are just trying to have a fun time… So now, if you’ve got an hour to kill…

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is finally here and it is a blast. The film delivers on what you want in a Star Wars film and that's a very good thing. Also out: Sisters, which is a fun comedy with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. But yes, Star Wars is certainly the highlight this week. That said, enjoy all the reviews of the new releases on Blu-ray as well, not to mention some other fun links I put together. May the Force be with you.

This week’s episode of Out Now with Aaron and Abe goes the distance. Aaron and Abe are joined by Jonathan Van Dyke to discuss In The Heart Of The Sea and The Big Short . Among topics covered, we have a fun round of Know Everybody ( 3:39 ), some Out Now Quickies™ ( 8:05 ), trailer talk for TMNT: Out of the Shadows ( 11:32 ) and X-Men: Apocalypse ( 15:17 ), the main reviews ( 21:16 ) and ( 34:48 ), Out Now Feedback ( 1:02:52 ), and Games ( 1:19:03 ). We then wrap things up ( 1:27:18 ) and end it all with some bloopers ( 1:37:28 ), following this week’s close out song.  So now, if you’ve got an hour or so to kill… You can also find links to the episode at AudioBoom .  Subscribe via iTunes HERE

The Force Awakens is coming and what better way to prepare than with the first of two Star Wars commentaries this month. So here it is, our commentary track for Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace . Aaron and Abe are joined by Brandon Peters, Peter Paras and David Yeh to discuss one of the biggest cinematic events ever, despite the fallout that came after. Be prepared for a lot of arguing, defending, ridiculing, fun, and humor as the guys dig into what works and doesn’t work about this first of the prequels. Important Note:   This commentary may feature both juvenile uses of language and jokes that may be considered un-PC.  We of course are just trying to have a fun time… So now, if you’ve got an hour to kill…

In The Heart Of The Sea is the latest film from Ron Howard, but this whaling adventure is not nearly as great as Adam McKay's The Big Short , which takes a scathingly funny look at the 2008 financial crisis. Reviews for both are here, along with a look at what's new on Blu-ray and a really fun podcast episode covering last week's releases. Be sure to enjoy all the links put together here, as it's a lot of good stuff. In Theaters This Week: In The Heart Of The Sea -  http://www.ranthollywood. com/2015/12/08/in-the-heart- of-the-sea-is-a-mediocre-sea- voyage/ (Great to look at, but a little shallow) The Big Short -  http://www.ranthollywood. com/2015/12/09/the-big-short- is-as-scary-as-it-is- hilarious/ (Scathingly funny) Here's The Archive Of Every Review Throughout The Year(s) -  http://www.thecodeiszeek. com/p/review-archive.html

This week’s episode of Out Now with Aaron and Abe is a wild double-header. Aaron and Abe are joined by Markus Robinson to discuss Krampus and Chi-Raq.   Among topics covered, we have a fun round of Know Everybody ( 5:55 ), some Out Now Quickies™ ( 9:56 ), trailer talk for Zoolander 2 ( 22:26 ) , the main reviews ( 28:10 ) and ( 52:30 ), Out Now Feedback ( 1:25:06 ), and Games ( 1:32:20 ). We then wrap things up ( 1:39:19 ) and end it all with some bloopers ( 1:49:10 ), following this week’s close out song.  So now, if you’ve got an hour or so to kill… You can also find links to the episode at AudioBoom .  Subscribe via iTunes HERE

The week after Thanksgiving is always an odd one for movies and what could be odder than Krampus ? Well, not much. The horror-comedy focused around Christmas is okay. Meanwhile, Spike Lee released his best film in a decade this week with Chi-Raq . You can also enjoy Michael Caine in Youth , if you happen to find out. With the reviews out of the way, be sure to check out all the fun links I've put here, as there are a lot of good posts coming out of this week. Enjoy! In Theaters This Week: Krampus -  http://www.thecodeiszeek.com/ 2015/12/krampus-plays-nice- with-comedy-but.html (Good, but could have been better ) Chi-Raq -  http://www.ranthollywood. com/2015/12/02/chi-raq-is- spike-lees-best-film-in-over- a-decade/ (Spike Lee's Best movie in a Decade) Youth -  http://www.ranthollywood. com/2015/12/03/youth-comes- alive-through-skilled-veteran- actor-performances/ (Michael Caine and crew are great) Here's The Archive Of Every Review Throughout The Y

Krampus: 3 out of 5 A Christmas horror-comedy is wonderful to see. However, it is unfortunate that Krampus does not quite reach the heights of a film that can sit up with pride over the fireplace. Despite a great cast, some terrific production values and a fine mix of practical and digital effects, this is a film that only manages to just get by.

This week’s episode of Out Now with Aaron and Abe goes the distance. Aaron and Abe are joined by Adam Gentry and Zaki Hasan to discuss Creed . Among topics covered, we have a fun round of Know Everybody ( 4:20 ), some Out Now Quickies™ ( 10:15 ), trailer talk for Captain America: Civil War ( 28:43 ) , the main review ( 37:12 ), Out Now Feedback ( 1:07:26 ), and Games ( 1:20:44 ). We then wrap things up ( 1:26:56 ) and end it all with some bloopers ( 1:39:51 ), following this week’s close out song.  So now, if you’ve got an hour or so to kill… You can also find links to the episode at AudioBoom .  Subscribe via iTunes HERE