2017 Winners

The John Wick Award

Honorable Mentions: F the Prom, It, Split

Runner Up: Daddy's Home 2

I didn't even finish the original Daddy's Home because I thought it was so dumb. Imagine my surprise walking out of the theater for Daddy's Home 2 with a big grin on my face saying how funny and touching it was. Probably the best Will Ferrell movie in years at this point and one of the more underrated holiday/feel good films I've seen in a while. I'd highly recommend this one going forward this time of year. Unfortunately something else caught me more off guard.

Winner: The Fate of the Furious

I remember when Cody put out his article earlier this year about how April was one going to be one of the worst movie months ever after how amazing March was this year. His main target was The Fate of the Furious and I wholeheartedly agreed that based on the trailer it was going to suck hard. The trailer seemingly gave away everything it and what it didn't give away seemed extremely predictable. While I'm not going to call this a masterpiece or anything, I do know the first words I said leaving the theater were "I honestly loved it". I'm not a big Fast franchise fan but this to me is easily the best in the series and as fun of a movie as I've seen all year.

The Age of Ultron Award

Honorable Mentions: Cars 3, Murder on the Orient Express, Pitch Perfect 3

Runner Up: Atomic Blonde

Imagine a movie about a female John Wick. Sounds pretty awesome right? Well add a bunch of incoherent politics, a lot of unnecessary twists and cut the action down 75%. Once you've added those elements just make everything else shittier and that's what Atomic Blonde was. It's hard to follow and shockingly boring for a movie with some really good action scenes. The trailer for this was magnificent and my body was ready for a female John Wick. Instead I found a much better version of this later in the year with The Villainess (and I didn't necessarily love that either). The second worst time I've had in a theater this year was watching this tedious bust.

Winner: The Snowman

While we are on the subject of trailers that get you hyped, The Snowman had one the more intriguing ones of the year. You see a cool concept, thriller movies when done well are probably the best in cinema and you had a cast loaded with stars (Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson and J.K. Simmons?!). Potentially the worst time I've ever had in a theater up there with Spectre and Transformers 4. Hands down the most boring film of the year and one that included some of the most random pointless subplots of all time. Mr. Snowman, you didn't give us shit for clues. Talk about a shitty movie.

The Nightcrawler Award

Honorable Mentions: 12 Feet Deep, F the Prom, The Bye Bye Man

Runner Up: The Greatest Showman

I'm really not into live action musicals unless it's a Disney flick so I was pretty wary of this upon first learning of it. Eventually the trailers and friends wanting to see it won me over and it was a delight. I've listened to the entire soundtrack numerous times since I saw this last night. I imagine I will continue to do so for a very long time. While the historical accuracy of this is probably somewhere between 0% and 1% that doesn't change the fact that was a really good film. Not only was the music excellent, the characters and emotions were on point as well. I'm glad Hugh Jackman pushed for this one to happen, it just couldn't quite top this list.

Winner: Baby Driver

This is the best type of movie for this award because it's one where I immediately rejected wanting to see based off the trailer. Usually a reliable method for me but when I miss I usually miss hard (ex. John Wick). Eventually the rave reviews forced me to cave in. I really should stop doubting Edgar Wright, he doesn't make bad movies. In his typical fashion he made a completely unique movie that's weird, epic and light-hearted all wrapped together and one the more enjoyable films I watched all year.

The Movie I Wish I Had Paid to See Award

Honorable Mentions: 47 Meters Down, Baby Driver, F the Prom

Runner Up: Get Out

The only reason this isn't number one is because it actually made a ton of money for it's budget. That's what also kept Baby Driver for landing a spot this high and the fact the F the Prom actually want straight to video kind of hurts that one too. Anyways, Get Out is a well-directed, well-acted movie with a unique story and goes a completely different direction than I was expecting. Hopefully we get more like this from Jordan Peele.

Winner: Keep Watching

The main reason this is my winner for this award is because this movie has all the potential in the world for an anthology series or a traditional franchise that I'd love to see. Unfortunately, I probably won't. A movie that gets better with each act, this outside the box take on horror was executed quite well. It's a better, more enclosed version of The Belko Experiment. Like that, I really would enjoy getting another shot at watching this story continued.

The Heath Ledger Joker Award

Honorable Mentions: Billy-Power Rangers, Lucas Ward-Dismissed, Spiderman-Spiderman: Homecoming

Runner Up: Kevin Wendell Crumb-Split

One of the top acting performances of the year by one of my favorite actors. James McAvoy did an unbelievable job playing nearly 23 characters by himself. Not only did he succeed at making them feel completely different, you always know when he was switching unless the movie didn't want you to, he made each one feel interesting and fresh. His Oscar-worthy performance almost makes you forget how insanely difficult this role must've been but he was incredibly enjoyable on screen the entire movie. He certainly deserves an award for this role, unfortunately I won't be the one to give it to him as there is one character I enjoy more.

Winner: John Wick-John Wick: Chapter 2

I thought to myself, do I really need to put John Wick here? He has an award named after him, he's the same character from last time and he didn't win the award then so why even put him here? So I asked myself this question: if I could only watch one character do what he does best for an unlimited amount of time, who would it be? That erased any and all doubt in my mind. John Wick is the baddest man in film and I could watch him dispose of thugs and bad guys for days. The best action scene character of all time in my opinion and the head of arguably my favorite movie franchise. This was a no-brainer.

The Chloë Grace Moretz Hit-Girl Award

Honorable Mentions: Emily-The Big Sick, Rey-The Last Jedi, Valkyrie-Thor: Ragnarok

Runner Up: Tree Gelbman-Happy Death Day

Undoubtedly the best year for female characters since I've started handing out these awards. I had many others on the list before I forced myself to narrow it down and I still went one over my usual. Tree Gelbman stood out among the group for a few reasons. First, she was the main character of one of this years biggest pleasant surprises. She also had one of the more well executed character arcs this year in my opinion. She started the movie as a truly unlikable character who you actually kind of rooted to see die. Her change wasn't immediate, and it took her a lot of deaths to grow but eventually she came around. That was handled masterfully and done exactly the way it should be. Lastly, she was flat out entertaining. The scene where she stops giving a fuck and runs around outside naked? Priceless. The way she changed her interactions during the repeated sequences was just so fun to watch. She probably wins this award most years but 2017 was stacked too stacked at the top.

Winner: Belle-Beauty and the Beast & Wonder Woman-Wonder Woman

I refuse to call having co-winners this year a cop out. It would be an injustice not to crown one of these when they would win in any other year they were in. I cannot speak highly enough of how great a job Emma Watson did portraying Belle and literally bringing a Disney princess to life and absolutely owning it. This role made me a fan of hers for life. I've seen the movie probably far more than a 26 year old guy should and I love each song more every time I hear her sing. On the other hand Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman is now my dream woman and I strongly considered updating the name of this award to represent her going forward. One of the better complex characters in superhero history she absolutely embodies hope and strong will but innocence and naivety as well. One of the better subtle comedic performances of the year too.

The Sammers Random Character Who Needs a Spinoff Award

Honorable Mentions: Bad Ape-War for the Planet of the Apes, Hank Marlow-Kong: Skull Island, Russian Family- Justice League

Runner Up: Korg-Thor: Ragnarok

Korg was one of more fun additions to Thor: Ragnarok even though he actively took away from the film by consistently deflating any tension a scene may have had. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the character and wouldn't want to see more of him though. Just not as much as I want to see a gay 60 year old ninja/rock star.

Winner: Elton John-Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Historically this should have been an easy win for the Russian family in Justice League. An absolutely purposeless addition to the movie that somehow garnered 7 stupid scenes. However, I actually hated them so I wouldn't watch any spin-off they were in unless they were just getting bludgeoned to death. So instead I decided I'd honor some characters I'd actually want to watch. Can you imagine Elton John's Kingsman-self getting his own movie? That'd be the greatest thing of all time. An over the top gay dude who kicks ass when he isn't touring the world in front of millions? Sign me up for the hilarity that would bring.

The Right in the Feels Emotional Moment Award

Honorable Mentions: Belle learns about her mother-Beauty and the Beast, Meet Brian-The Fate of the Furious, Merlyn's Death-Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Runner Up: Will Turner/Elizabeth Swann reunion-Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

In what was a fairly mediocre movie for the most part the fifth installment of the Pirates franchise was really carried by it's final two scenes. The post credit scene is an honorable mention on the next award and the unexpected reunion of William Turner and Elizabeth Swann was handled incredibly well. For a movie that at times didn't seem to know what it was doing it certainly got this part right and nearly won this award.

Winner: Bill accepts Georgie's Death-It

I can't explain it but nothing resonates with me in movies more than the Georgie scenes in both iterations of It. It's uncomfortable and unsettling for me in both versions but hit me especially hard in these years adaptation. I actually physically cringed at his death but the way in which they handled Bill's acceptance, speaking to the fake version of him and then breaking down with his rain jacket after the final battle shook me to my core. Talk about hitting you in the feels.

The Sammers Best Scene of the Year Award

Honorable Mentions: Mob song-Beauty and the Beast, A nightmare from the past-Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Peter gets trapped by rubble-Spiderman: Homecoming

Runner Up: Lightspeed sacrifice-The Last Jedi

A movie I've spent way too much time complaining about and dragging through the mud, The Last Jedi gave us something special with this scene. When Admiral Holdo turns the resistance ship around and hits lightspeed to protect the rebel escape pods from Snoke's ship we received one of the coolest visuals I've ever seen in a movie. From the direction, to the muted sound to the giant explosion afterward everything about this scene gave me goosebumps.

Winner: No Mans Land-Wonder Woman

The epitome of an iconic superhero scene, No Man's Land in Wonder Woman was the first time we saw her in her full superhero get up and was the most masterfully handled scene of the year in my opinion. Doing what she knew was right in trying to save anyone, talking on enemy fire and leading the English forces forward against the Germans was extremely powerful. This is without a doubt the defining scene of the cinematic Wonder Woman character thus far and one of the more inspiring moments I've ever seen in a superhero movie.

The Sammers Best Movie of the Year Award

Honorable Mentions: It, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Spiderman: Homecoming

Runner Up: Beauty and the Beast

Regarding this movie, this is what I wrote in my joint review with Cody back in March:

"As a 25 year old male I shouldn’t be this giddy about a live action Disney movie but I’m 100% going to see this again this weekend."

I ended up seeing it three times in theaters. Something I have only done two other times in my life. I've already spoken at length about how great a movie this was so I'll keep it brief. This was an exceedingly good adaptation of a masterpiece film. Emma Watson and Dan Stevens will forever be on my radar as movie draws. The music is just as if not more magical than the original and would've won this award in pretty much any other year than 2017. Unfortunately this ran into a true action genre masterpiece.

Winner: John Wick: Chapter 2

Arguably my favorite movie of all time, and firmly within the top 5. John Wick: Chapter 2 took the mantle of best movie of the year back in February and never relinquished it. My runner up challenged it at times but at the end of the day this was always going to our 2017 Sammers winner. Undoubtedly best action choreographed movie of all time. This sequel to one of my favorite movies is right up there with Die Hard as the best action movie ever. I said earlier I've only seen three movies in theaters three times. I saw this in theaters three days in a row, that's a first. I could watch this franchise endlessly and never get bored. This was 2017's only masterpiece in my opinion.

2016 Winners