“Here’s the thing. Life is an endless series of trainwrecks with only brief commercial-like breaks of happiness. This had been the ultimate commercial break. Which meant it was time to return to our regularly scheduled program.” – Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool in Deadpool.
Deadpool (2016)
Director: Tim Miller
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano, Leslie Uggams, Brianna Hildebrand, Stefan Kapicic
Written By: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Running Time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 18 minutes)
Genre(s): Action, Comedy, Superhero
In the wrong hands, Deadpool could have been an outright disaster.
It’s very self-aware (and some points too much so), but it thankfully stays thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. In an era of nonstop superhero blockbuster flicks, Deadpool’s subversive take on the genre is one that is refreshing (although definitely not something everyone will enjoy).
Like I said, if there is one critique I’d give this film it’s that sometimes it is a bit too self-aware for its own good. It feels like the writers included scenes just to let the audience know they’re in on the joke and that can get a little tiresome.
But Deadpool does a lot right as well. For a character as antiheroic as Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), the movie does a good job at building a backstory for him. For example, the relationship between him and Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) is constructed well-enough to the point where his desire to protect her is both believable and touching.
The backstory also lays the groundwork for the rest of the film and for Deadpool’s motivations of getting revenge against Ajax (Ed Skrein).
Ryan Reynolds is surprisingly fantastic in the role, delivering line after line with precision. Baccarin, Skrein and Leslie Uggams are all good too.
I don’t know if Deadpool will work well as a franchise, but I do know that this film was fun and enjoyable. 4/5.
2016 Personal Ballot (updates are in bold)
Best Picture
1. Moonlight
2. Hell or High Water
3. Sing Street
4. Loving
5. The Jungle Book
Best Director
1. Barry Jenkins – Moonlight
2. David Mackenzie – Hell or High Water
3. Jon Favreau – The Jungle Book
4. John Carney – Sing Street
5. Jeff Nichols – Loving
Best Actor in a Leading Role
1. Joel Edgerton – Loving
2. Viggo Mortensen – Captain Fantastic
3. Chris Pine – Hell or High Water
4. Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
5. Ferdia Walsh-Peelo – Sing Street
Best Actress in a Leading Role
1. Sally Field – Hello, My Name Is Doris
2. Ruth Negga – Loving
3. Taraji P. Henson – Hidden Figures
4. Emily Blunt – The Girl on the Train
5.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
1. Ashton Sanders – Moonlight
2. André Holland – Moonlight
3. Mahershala Ali – Moonlight
4. Ben Foster – Hell or High Water
5. Trevante Rhodes – Moonlight
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
1. Janelle Monaé – Hidden Figures
2. Lucy Boynton – Sing Street
3. Naomie Harris – Moonlight
4. Octavia Spencer – Hidden Figures
5. Janelle Monaé – Moonlight
Best Original Screenplay
1. Hell or High Water – Taylor Sheridan
2. Sing Street – Simon Carmody, John Carney
3. Hello, My Name Is Doris – Michael Showalter, Laura Terruso
4.
5.
Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Moonlight – Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney
2. Loving – Jeff Nichols
3. Hidden Figures – Theodore Melfi, Allison Schroeder
4. The Jungle Book – Justin Marks
5. Deadpool – Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Best Film Ensemble
1. Moonlight – Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Alex Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monaé, Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali
2. Hell or High Water – Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Gil Birmingham, Marin Ireland, Katy Mixon, Dale Dickey, Kevin Rankin, Katy Mixon, Margaret Bowman
3. Hidden Figures – Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monaé, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Glen Powell, Mahershala Ali, Aldis Hodge
4. Sing Street – Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Jack Reynor, Aidan Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Kelly Thornton, Don Wycherley, Ben Carolan, Mark McKenna, Percy Chamburuka, Conor Hamilton, Karl Rice, Ian Kenny
5. Captain Fantastic – Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Samantha Isler, Annalise Basso, Nicholas Hamilton, Shree Crooks, Charlie Shotwell, Kathryn Hahn, Trin Miller, Steve Zahn, Erin Moriarty, Missi Pyle, Frank Langella, Ann Dowd
Best Original Score
1. Moonlight – Nicholas Britell
2. Loving – David Wingo
3. The Jungle Book – John Debney
4. Hell or High Water – Nick Cave, Warren Ellis
5. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – James Newton Howard
Best Original Song
1. Sing Street – “Drive It Like You Stole It” by Gary Clark
2. Sing Street – “To Find You” by Gary Clark
3. Sing Street – “Up” by John Carney, Gary Clark, Graham Henderson, Carl Papenfus, Ken Papenfus, Zamo Riffman
4. Hidden Figures – “Runnin’” by Pharrell Williams
5. Hidden Figures – “I See a Victory” by Kirk Franklin, Pharrell Williams
Best Production Design
1. Passengers – Guy Hendrix Dyas, Gene Serdena
2. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Stuart Craig, James Hambidge, Anna Pinnock
3. Hidden Figures – Missy Parker, Wynn Thomas
4. Sing Street – Tamara Conboy, Alan MacDonald
5.
Best Cinematography
1. Moonlight – James Laxton
2. Hell or High Water – Giles Nuttgens
3.
4.
5.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
1. Deadpool – Bill Corso
2. Sing Street – Barbara Conway, Sandra Kelly
3.
4.
5.
Best Costume Design
1. Sing Street – Tiziana Corvisieri
2. Hidden Figures – Renée Ehrlich Kalfus
3. Captain Fantastic – Courtney Hoffman
4. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Colleen Atwood
5. Loving – Erin Benach
Best Film Editing
1. Moonlight – Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders
2. Hell or High Water – Jake Roberts
3. The Jungle Book – Mark Livolsi
4. Sing Street – Andrew Marcus, Julian Ulrichs
5. Deadpool – Julian Clarke
Best Visual Effects
1. The Jungle Book – Andrew R. Jones, Robert Legato, Dan Lemmon, Adam Valdez
2. Passengers – Pete Dionne, Sebastien Gourdal, Erik Nordby
3. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Tim Burke, Pablo Grillo, Christian Manz, David Watkins
4. Deadpool – Alex Burdett, Jonathan Rothbart, Ryan Tudhope, Alex Wang
5. Hell or High Water – Jeremy Cox, Scott Hastings, Daniel Holt, Michael Prawitz
2016 Ranked (updates are in bold)
1. Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)
2. Hell or High Water (dir. David Mackenzie)
3. Sing Street (dir. John Carney)
4. Loving (dir. Jeff Nichols)
5. The Jungle Book (dir. Jon Favreau)
6. Hidden Figures (dir. Theodore Melfi)
7. Deadpool (dir. Tim Miller)
8. Hello, My Name Is Doris (dir. Michael Showalter)
9. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (dir. David Yates)
10. Captain Fantastic (dir. Matt Ross)
11. Passengers (dir. Morten Tyldum)
12. The Girl on the Train (dir. Tate Taylor)
Cinema All Day 