Film Actually's Year in Review

And here we are, signing off another year into the history books. As I reflect on 2015, these 12 months will certainly go down as some of my most memorable. Though I started the year with a set of resolutions that weren't fully accomplished, there was still lots to be proud of at Film Actually.

Film-wise, the year began with Rob Marshall's musical adaptation "Into the Woods", a film that I would re-visit by year's end. 310 films later, I capped the year with late-breaking Oscar contender "The Big Short". As always, the awards season was a big focus of my writing, both here and at The Awards Circuit. And I'm particularly proud of the community I've developed through my annual Oscar Contest, which has become a highly anticipated staple of the site.

Indeed, I'd be nowhere without you wonderful people who take time out to read and comment on any of my posts. This year, I achieved one of my biggest goals as a blogger - attending the Toronto International Film Festival - and I know that your support is a major reason why I was afforded that opportunity. That trip was certainly the highlight of my year, a true haven for cinephilia where I was able to partake in a feast of great cinema, meet up with friends both old and new, and hobnob with people I admire in the film industry.

Of course, the year wasn't all perfect. There was a period of self-doubt when I was rejected by the New York Film Festival, the Online Film Critics Society and AFI Fest in quick succession. But overall, the good far outweighed the bad. So in celebration of hopefully greater things to come, here's a recap of some of my top articles this year, as selected by the readers:

Most Popular Posts:
Teeth and Blood review
Whiplash review
Life Inside Out
Top 20 Acting Performances of 2014
The Girl is in Trouble review
20 Most Anticipated Performances of 2015
Panama Canal Stories review
10 Must-See Bollywood Films
Hit Me With Your Best Shot: A Room with a View

As I look ahead to 2016, the only resolution I have is to be the best writer I can be. I hope you'll continue to join me on that journey. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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MOVIE OF THE WEEK/OSCAR WATCH: The Revenant

After last year's brilliant dark comedy "Birdman", Alejandro González Iñárritu is back with another venture in the genre phase of his career. In "The Revenant", the Mexican director takes on the Western in all its unsavory glory. In this brutal revenge tale, it's man vs the wild, men vs each other and man vs himself.

Leonardo Dicaprio stars in the film as Hugh Glass, a frontiersman in the 1820s who is part of a group of men hunting for pelts (furs from animals used for coats). Making their way through dangerous territory in the Northern region of the USA, they are ambushed by Pawnee Indians one day, leaving many men dead. Glass and the remaining few escape by the skin of their teeth, but more trouble soon arises when he is attacked by an aggressive grizzly bear. After some attempts to revive him and carry him home to safety, one of the men (John Fitzgerald, played by Tom Hardy) decides to leave Glass and his son - who he kills - behind. Miraculously, Glass survives, and upon the realization that his precious son was murdered, he sets out on an epic journey to avenge him.

Terence Malick meets Sam Peckinpah in this stunningly photographed and unflinchingly violent Western. The former's longtime collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki is in fine form here, reprising the jaw-dropping long takes that made "Birdman" so audaciously entertaining. And when the camera isn't up close and personal to the action, it steps back to capture the beauty and wildness of the environment. Nature truly becomes as much a character in the film as the actors, both literally (Judy the Bear) and figuratively.

But most of all, "The Revenant" is an authentic Western in the vein of Peckinpah, and a great one at that. It features all the elements we've come to expect from the genre - savage Indians and frontiersmen, horses, stunning landscapes and of course, violence. And within that violence, the film is anchored in not just the motives for our lead character's revenge plot, but the effects of revenge long before it is executed. Iñárritu's script (co-written with Mark L. Smith) engagingly explores the way revenge consumes you, both mentally and physically. As Glass braves the wilderness, it becomes clear that his mission is self-destructive, almost like a murder-suicide.

Naturally, the actors are also crucial in creating the staggering sound and fury of the film. As the brutish Fitzgerald, Tom Hardy crafts a striking villain, using his natural brooding skills and imposing physicality to great effect. But it's Dicaprio who's the star, giving a deeply committed, almost wordless performance. Once again, he proves why he's one of the most beloved actors of our time. Some may she he's trying too hard, but I don't mind seeing an actor sweat for his work. And ultimately, it's this level of intense dedication that makes "The Revenant" so awe-inspiring. From cinematographer, to composer, to the visual effects artists, everyone involved goes above and beyond, much like our determined protagonist.

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Happy Holidays!

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MOVIE OF THE WEEK: Mustang

Growing up can be tough. For Lale and her four older sisters, the central characters of "Mustang", it is practically dehumanizing. In this winning debut feature from director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, the typical coming of age tropes are imbued with an uncommon sense of dread, resulting in a poignant film about sisterhood and female empowerment.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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OSCAR WATCH: Room

If you need to be reassured that "love conquers all", then Lenny Abrahamson's "Room" is the film for you. Of course, this old adage would seem more suited to a corny "Hallmark" movie. But this Brie Larson-starrer takes on poignant meaning through its sensitive, affecting filmmaking.

Larson plays Joy, mother to a little boy named Jack (Jacob Tremblay). Despite her name, feelings of elation are hard to come by. She and her son have been confined to a room for years, held captive by a man who kidnapped her 7 years ago. Under the harsh circumstances, she makes the best of the situation, ensuring that Jack feels safe and comfortable. She convinces him that the outside world is not real, and that Old Nick (their kidnapper) is a friendly man who kindly provides them with their daily needs. But when Jack's 5th birthday arrives, she decides it's the right time to finally tell him the truth, in the hopes of hatching an escape plan to return to the world that beckons from their skylight.

Based on Emma Donoghue's adaptation of her own novel, Lenny Abrahamson takes her horrifying ripped from the headlines premise and brings it right where you live, knocking on the door to your heart. "Room" is immediately empathetic, framed from the perspective of the endearing young boy named Jack. Born as the product of a sociopath and an innocent victim, he could have been a "bad seed" of sorts. But our introduction to the character shows a regular child like we all were, blissfully ignorant of the abnormality of his life.

And Tremblay is truly remarkable in the role, with a piercing glare and actorly awareness that could make him a future star. Alongside an equally terrific Brie Larson, they convey a genuine mother-son relationship, as every acting beat feels informed by the love they share. Working with Donaghue's emotionally resonant dialogue, it comes as no surprise that both actors have developed a close relationship in real life. Indeed, for a debut screenwriter, Donoghue has an impressive understanding of how to portray the intricacies of human relationships, which allows this often unbelievable story to suspend all disbelief. Throughout each plot turn it asks you, what would you do for someone you love?

In answering that question, the film is absolutely gripping from start to finish. And that's helped in no small part by the film's incredible pacing. Through Nathan Nugent's masterclass in "invisible" editing, "Room" manages to feel like the shortest film of the year.

Ironically, the tremendous pacing ended up being the film's biggest drawback for me. Perhaps I'm just nit-picking, but it ultimately felt a bit too lean and neat. Especially in the latter half when Joy attempts to assimilate into her family - which itself was significantly affected by her kidnapping - I wanted more of the messiness that comes with the trauma of her ordeal. I wish the film left more room (pun intended) to explore the other relationships and characters - like the brilliant Joan Allen, who is almost wasted as Joy's mother - that are revealed at the end of the film.

In essence, "Room" gave me everything but the kitchen sink (i.e. kitchen sink drama). Though I was satisfied with what came before, the ending still left me with an intense craving for more from these characters and their story. Indeed, for Joy and Jack, life is just beginning. Likewise, the film left me with a feeling of a world of possibilities still waiting to be explored.

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CONTEST: Predict the Oscar Nominations!

It's that time again! The best Oscar contest on the web is back for a fourth year as experts from the international blogging community compete for bragging rights and fun prizes. I've always enjoyed the friendly rivalry this competition provides, and with such a wide open Oscar race this year, it promises to be even more exciting. The regulars should know the rules by now. But if not, the idea is simple - just predict as many correct Oscar nominations as you can!

Once again, the top prize will be a $50 gift card (USD, or the equivalent in another currency) for the Amazon store of your choice (US, UK, Canada etc). In addition, there are other bonus prizes up for grabs (read below).

GENERAL INFO/RULES
1. This contest is open to any interested bloggers.
2. To register: fill out the entry form below by 6PM US Eastern Time on January 9th, 2016.
3. To submit your predictions: send me (via twitter or email) a link to your blog post with your FINAL predictions. I will then save your predictions and enter them into my spreadsheet. Your predictions are due by 6PM US Eastern Time on January 13th, 2016. Absolutely no changes to your predictions will be accepted after they have been submitted.
4. Here are the categories I need you to include:

BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
BEST EDITING
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST SOUND MIXING
BEST SOUND EDITING
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING
BEST ORIGINAL SONG(name the song, not just the film)

SCORING
Each correct prediction will earn you 1 point. However, in the Best Picture category, every wrong prediction will lose you 1 point. With the current rules for this category (anywhere between 5-10 nominees), this will force you to choose wisely!

PRIZES
1. The person with the highest score will receive a $50 online gift card (USD or the equivalent in another currency) for their relevant Amazon store (US, UK, Canada etc.).
2. In the event of a tie, the winner will be the person who scores highest in the Best Picture category. If there's still a tie, we'll go to Best Director and further down the list (in the order above) until the tie is broken. The loser of the tie will receive a DVD/Blu-ray of one of last year's Best Picture nominees (your choice).
3. Anyone who is the only person to predict a particular nomination correctly will receive a DVD/Blu-ray of one of last year's Best Picture nominees (your choice).

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OSCAR WATCH: Predicting the Foreign Language Shortlist

just a few days, the foreign language shortlist will be announced, thereby making or breaking the Oscar dreams of films from around the world. In the long road to an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, this represents the most pivotal stage of the process, as 80 films are ruthlessly cut down to 9. This three-tier voting system is infamous for throwing up shockers, and with a high quality field this year we expect nothing less. Making sense of the race is therefore a challenge, even for those who follow it closely. But that’s all part of the fun of Oscar predicting. With that in mind, here’s my rundown of the top contenders as we await the impending shortlist.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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REVIEW: Goat

In contemporary slang, the acronym GOAT is commonly used to refer to “Greatest Of All Time”. That word takes on ironic meaning in the English translation of "Goat", the latest feature from Ivan Ostrochovsky’s and the Slovakian Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film. Originally titled "Koza", this drama follows the exploits of a boxer who is way past his prime, resulting in what is handily the most unorthodox sports film of the year.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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OSCAR WATCH: Critics Choice Nominations

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone." After the confusion of last week's SAG and Golden Globe nominations, the race is starting to take shape across the various categories. If you weren't convinced before, then now you should know that "Mad Max: Fury Road". The action extravaganza lead all films in today's Critics Choice nominations with a whopping 13 nominations. Also holding on strong are "Spotlight", "Carol", "The Martian", "The Revenant" and most unexpectedly, "The Big Short". Until something drastic happens like a whisper campaign, these are your top contenders, folks. The next phase will begin in a few weeks with all the red carpets and speeches we love. And then after that, it's the Oscar nominations! Will the Academy match up with the critics this year? Peruse the nominations below and let me know what you think.

Best Picture
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Sicario
Spotlight

Best Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Supporting Actor
Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Director
Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian
Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies

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MOVIE OF THE WEEK: The Club

All sins are not equal. All sinners are not created equal. Pablo Larraín serves up a stark reminder of these truths with "The Club", a scathing statement on abuse and its dangerous ties to religion.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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REVIEW: The Fencer

Around this time of year, it’s common to see dramas centered around inspiring men, especially those based on real life. Indeed, the proliferation of biopics in Hollywood over the years has contributed to the popularization of the term “Oscar bait”. But this formulaic style of filmmaking isn’t only the domain of Hollywood, as evidenced by "The Fencer", the latest film from Finnish director Klaus Härö.


Read more at The Awards Circuit

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OSCAR WATCH: Golden Globe Nominations

Well, after the madness that was yesterday's SAG nods, some normalcy was returned to the awards season via this morning's Golden Globe nominations. Coming on strong was "Carol", leading all films with 5 nods. Elsewhere, the love was spread across many of the usual suspects, with "Spotlight" still looking like the film to beat. Each category is still way too open to gauge any other sort of momentum shift though. So without further ado, here are the Golden Globe nominees:

Best Picture (Drama)
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Best Picture (Musical/Comedy)
The Big Short
Joy
The Martian
Spy
Trainwreck

Best Actor (Drama)
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redymane, The Danish Girl
Will Smith, Concussion

Best Actor (Musical/Comedy)
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Steve Carrell, The Big Short
Matt Damon, The Martian
Al Pacino, Danny Collins
Mark Ruffalo, Infinitely Polar Bear

Best Actress (Drama)
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Rooney Mara, Carol
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Actress (Musical/Comedy)
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck
Maggie Smith, The Lady in the Van
Lily Tomlin, Grandma

Best Supporting Actor
Paul Dano, Love and Mercy
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress
Jane Fonda, Youth
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Director
Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
Todd McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian

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OSCAR WATCH: SAG Nominations

Hey Oscar junkies, have you recovered from this morning's whiplash? Those SAG nods were so out of left field that many were left wondering if we were being punked. Some of the most surprising nods, among many, included Sarah Silverman for "I Smile Back", Christian Bale for "The Big Short" and double nods for Helen Mirren! And I must give a special shoutout to the cast of "Straight Outta Compton" for getting an unexpected nomination for Best Ensemble. Nothing had me more elated this morning than to see that richly deserving cast get some love. But the most shocking outcome was that "Trumbo" was the most nominated film, considering hardly anyone was talking about it prior to today.

And yet, the major takeaway is that the race is still all about "Spotlight" and then everyone else. Though its male actor failed to secure nods, it still had a stronger showing than its closest rivals. "The Martian" for example, was completely rejected from the SAG party. I'm sure none of us saw that coming.

Tomorrow could be even crazier with the reliably zany HFPA voters. But for now, let's try to make sense of these SAG nominees for 2015:

Best Ensemble
Beasts of No Nation
The Big Short
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
Trumbo

Best Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Helen Mirren, Woman in Gold
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Jacob Tremblay, Room

Best Supporting Actress
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

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AWARDS SEASON: Chasing the Spotlight

Will Spotlight hold on to its early lead?

If you're an Oscar fan like me, then you know last week was a big one for awards, culminating with Super Sunday, when "Spotlight" made a clean sweep of Best Film awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, New York Film Critics Online and the Boston Society of Film Critics. This ensemble drama from director Thomas McCarthy has been gaining momentum since its successful run through the festival circuit. And now it's position at the top of the field has been confirmed.

But the race is far from over, with many films jostling for their spot in a Best Picture lineup that could have as few as 5 nominees. And looking at these other contenders, one thing that's clear is the potential for one of the most varied Best Picture shortlists in years. Whereas other years reflected an nearly homogenized "mood" or "zeitgeist", 2015 seems set to capture what the Oscars are supposed to be - a celebration of cinema. Indeed, the presumed race spans a wide range of genres, mediums and themes. These include: sci-fi ("The Martian"), action ("Mad Max: Fury Road"), sports ("Creed"), western ("The Revenant"), romance ("Brooklyn") and of course, the requisite historical drama about a great man ("Bridge of Spies"). Particularly noteworthy is the presence of several women-centric films, like TIFF People's Choice winner "Room" and the lesbian-themed "Carol". After last year's overwhelmingly male-dominated field, it's certainly refreshing.

So on the eve of the nominations for the Big Three televised awards (SAG, Golden Globes, Critics Choice), here are my current predictions for Best Picture:

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INTERVIEW: Gabriel Ripstein

Arriving in US theaters at the tail end of a banner year for TV shows and films about the drug cartels, Gabriel Ripstein’s award-winning debut 600 Miles is a film that impressively stands out. A Mexico-US co-production, "600 Miles" eschews some of the more lurid conventions of the subgenre, offering a thoughtful rumination on the inextricable connection between both countries in the world of the cartels and gun trafficking in particular. Recently, I caught up with Ripstein to find out more about his distinctive approach to the film. Below is an edited version of our conversation.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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MOVIE OF THE WEEK/OSCAR WATCH: Creed

"Creed", the title of Ryan Coogler's second feature film, refers to the last name of its protagonist Adonis Creed (played by Michael B. Jordan). But the word also has another meaning. In the dictionary, creed is described as "a set of beliefs or aims which guide someone's actions." Both meanings are at the forefront of this exhilarating drama about life and boxing, which succeeds through the legacy and ambition of the "Rocky" franchise, as well as its own characters and filmmakers.

For Adonis, the name Creed carries a heavy burden, a reminder of the large shadow cast by his late father Apollo, former world champion heavyweight boxer. Acquiring the same athletic gene, Adonis carried a fighter's spirit all his life, a trait that landed him in a youth correctional facility. With the aid of his stepmother Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) however, Adonis becomes a man reformed and eventually finds himself in a plum job at a securities firm.

But his own individual creed to be a world-beating boxer leads him back to the dangerous world of the ring, where he eventually teams up with his father's greatest rival Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Together they form a formidable coach-athlete relationship, as Adonis sets his sights on creating his own legacy (adopting the last name Johnson instead). And on his way to the top, he learns valuable life lessons and the true meaning and pride of being a Creed.

"Creed" continues a saga that began almost 40 years ago with 1976's "Rocky", the little movie that became the year's big box office and awards champ. And it's with that same underdog mentality that "Creed" emerges as a triumphant work of quality mainstream entertainment. Indeed, who could have predicted that this re-hash of a longtime sports movie narrative, from a new filmmaker, would become one of the year's most outstanding studio efforts?

Well, "Fruitvale Station" was clearly just the warm-up for Coogler, who has now delivered a superlative knockout from top to bottom. "Creed" is funny, sexy and absolutely thrilling. From existing players like Stallone's Rocky Balboa, to the love interest Bianca (Tessa Thompson), each character is well-written and played with compelling nuance. Most notable of course is our aptly named star Adonis, played perfectly by Michael B. Jordan. On a superficial note, his superhuman physique makes everyone else in the film look like lesser mortals. But more importantly, his brings great emotional depth to his character's impressive physicality.

That performance is largely the result of the exciting teamwork between director and actor, one of many collaborations which make the film soar. One scene in particular lays a strong claim to being the best of the year, showcasing the film's strong attention to craft at all levels. In one long unbroken take, we see Adonis engage in his first fight and the immersive quality of the sights and sounds was nothing short of glorious. Rarely has a boxing film - or any sports film in general - so viscerally captured the adrenaline rush and sensory hyper-awareness that comes with intense athletic competition.

"Creed" features several other enthralling - and sometimes downright extravagant - moments throughout its fleet-footed 133 minute running time, enough to compensate for its less inspired elements. Specifically, by depending so heavily on the iconography of previous films - music cues, story beats, locations - the film feels like it can't fully stand on its own despite its fresh energy. As with anything in life, it's certainly less impressive when some of your best attributes aren't of your own making.

By large however, the nods to the original series enhance "Creed" and adhere to the core philosophy of the film and its filmmakers. Namely, it shows how greatness is achieved through the collective efforts of yourself, those who came before and the ones who are presently by your side. And by applying this with such sincerity both inside and outside of the ring, "Creed" firmly secures its place alongside the other great boxing films of our time.

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OSCAR WATCH: AAFCA Awards

With an upcoming "Celebration of Hip Hop Cinema" event already announced, I had a strong feeling that "Straight Outta Compton" would top this year's African-American Film Critics Association's awards. Sure enough, the summer hit lead the field in AAFCA voting, taking awards for Best Film, Best Supporting Actor (Jason Mitchell) and Best Ensemble. Following closely behind was Ryan Coogler’s Creed, which won for Best Director, Breakout Performance (Michael B. Jordan) and Best Supporting Actress (Tessa Thompson).

Below is a complete list of the AAFCA Awards Winners for 2015:

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REVIEW: Félix and Meira

There’s no doubt that romance has been a major attraction in 2015 cinema, with love stories ranging from Fifty Shades of Grey and Carol capturing the hearts of moviegoers. And when it comes to romance, there’s hardly anything more compelling than forbidden love. In "Félix and Meira", Maxime Giroux gives us just that, as two strangers find comfort in each other despite coming from wildly disparate worlds.

Read more at The Awards Circuit

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COMING SOON: Chi-Raq

By now you've heard of the infamous all-white Hollywood Reporter cover in honor of this year's Best Actress roundtable, an unfortunate reflection of the state of film in 2015. The truth is that there was a noticeable dearth of good leading roles for black actresses this year, save for "Tangerine". But Spike Lee may have the answer for that, with his latest film "Chi-Raq", starring the talented Teyonah Parris. In this modern, semi-musical take on the classic Greek text "Lysistrata", Parris leads the women of Chicago in a sex strike to rid the community of the never-ending cycle of gang violence. The film has already received strong reviews and I can't wait to see it. Check out the trailer below.



"Chi-Raq" releases in select theaters tomorrow (December 4th).

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5 Thoughts On "Gods Of Egypt"

For a while, conversations about films for 2016 were largely dominated by the upcoming superhero projects. "Captain America: Civil War," "Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice," and even "Suicide Squad" and "X-Men: Apocalypse" are headlining the talk about the coming year. In all likelihood these are still the films that will make the most noise at the box office in 2016, but another title suddenly seems to be seizing most of the attention. Lionsgate's "Gods Of Egypt" was unveiled through a wild trailer in November, and the Internet has been abuzz ever since.

However, it's been for all the wrong reasons, as the film is receiving a great deal of criticism due to various factors in the trailer. But in the interest of taking a real look at what this project might be, here are five general observations about it judging by the trailer and IMDb page.

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