Films That Top Off 2016

As we all say after the end of every year, where did the time go? Good news! There are a wide variety of films making their debut in the next five weeks. In this list, I include the standard blockbuster, the notorious poorly received yet fun film, and a few hidden gems. I should note these films I personally find appealing and attractive to close out a wonderful year. The following films are presented in chronological order by release date. I welcome comments and suggestions regarding this list, and share this with any and all movie buffs you know!

Keeping Up With The Joneses

Release Date: October 21, 2016 (USA)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Action/Comedy

Director: Greg Mottola

Premise: The Gaffneys, a suburban couple, become embroiled in an international espionage plot when they discover that the Joneses, their seemingly perfect neighbors, are governmental secret agents.

Doctor Strange

Release Date: Novermber 4, 2016 (USA)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction

Director: Scott Derrickson

Premise: Dr. Stephen Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) life changes after a car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he looks for healing, and hope, in a mysterious enclave. He quickly learns that the enclave is at the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying reality. Before long, Strange is forced to choose between his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence.

Hacksaw Ridge

Release Date: November 4, 2016 (USA)

Rating: R

Genre: Drama/Action

Director: Mel Gibson

Premise: The true story of Pfc. Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), who won the Congressional Medal of Honor despite refusing to bears arms during WWII on religious grounds. Doss was drafted and ostracized by fellow soldiers for his pacifist stance but went on to earn respect and adoration for his bravery, selflessness, and compassion after he risked his life -- without firing a shot -- to save 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa.

Bleed For This

Release Date: November 18, 2016 (USA)

Rating: R

Genre: Film/Sport

Director: Ben Younger

Premise: Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Pazienza (Miles Teller), a local Providence boxer, shoots to stardom after winning two world title fights. After a near-fatal car accident leaves him with a broken neck, he is told he may never walk again. Against all odds and doctor's orders, renowned trainer Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart) agrees to help Vinny return to the ring just a year after the accident for what could be the last fight of his life. Based on a true story.

The Edge of Seventeen

Release Date: November 18, 2016 (USA)

Rating: NR

Genre: Drama/Comedy

Director: Kelly Fremon Craig

Premise: Everyone knows that growing up is hard, and life is no easier for high school junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), who is already at peak awkwardness when her all-star older brother Darian (Blake Jenner) starts dating her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). All at once, Nadine feels more alone than ever, until the unexpected friendship of a thoughtful boy gives her a glimmer of hope that things just might not be so terrible after all.

Allied

Release Date: November 23, 2016 (USA)

Rating: NR

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Premise: In 1942 North Africa, intelligence officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) encounters French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Reunited in London, their relationship is threatened by the extreme pressure of the war.

Man Down

Release Date: December 2, 2016 (USA)

Rating: R

Genre: Fantasy/Drama

Director: Dito Montiel

Premise: With help from his best friend (Jai Courtney), a Marine (Shia LaBeouf) embarks on a desperate search to find his wife (Kate Mara) and son (Charlie Shotwell) in post-apocalyptic America.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Release Date: December 16, 2016 (USA)

Rating: NR

Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction

Director: Gareth Edwards

Premise: In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

Passengers

Release Date: December 21, 2016 (USA)

Rating: NR

Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction

Director: Morten Tyldum

Premise: On a routine journey through space to a new home, two passengers, sleeping in suspended animation, are awakened 90 years too early when their ship malfunctions. As Jim and Aurora face living the rest of their lives on board, with every luxury they could ever ask for, they begin to fall for each other, unable to deny their intense attraction until they discover the ship is in grave danger. With the lives of 5,000 sleeping passengers at stake, only Jim and Aurora can save them all.

Sneak Peek Into 2017

Live By Night

Limited Release Date: December 25, 2017 (USA)

Full Release Date: January 12, 2017 (USA)

Rating: R

Genre: Crime/Drama

Director: Ben Affleck

Premise: It's the Roaring '20s and Prohibition hasn't stopped the flow of booze in an underground network of gangster-run speakeasies. The opportunity to gain power and money is there for any man with enough ambition and nerve, and Joe Coughlin, the son of the Boston Police superintendent, long ago turned his back on his strict upbringing for the spoils of being an outlaw. But even among criminals there are rules, and Joe breaks a big one: crossing a powerful mob boss by stealing his money and his moll.

Myth Behind The Megapixel

There is no doubt that the electronic consumer market is heavily bombarded by the smartphones, and developers are spouting new displays, processors, and OS improvements. To a conscious consumer, phone manufacturers tout the ever-so-popular megapixel. Apple, Samsung, and other curators throw out 10 megapixels, 12 megapixels, and even 20 megapixels. What do these numbers mean? It is presumed the higher the number, the better the camera. The megapixel count alone, rarely, if at all make a camera great. Lenses, image sensor, image processor, shutter speed, and aperture all play an intricate role in the image quality.

Megapixels

The simplest way to explain what megapixels are, is to describe it as the size of the image produced by the camera. To keep with the theme of simplicity, say there is a 5,000 x 3,000 pixel image. Multiply the width (5,000px) by the height (3,000px), and that equals 15,000 pixel picture. Move the decimal point to the left by three spaces, and that is the megapixel count. This theoretical image would be 15 megapixels. 

The frame size of the image can be incredibly significant. Cropping is a popular function in all-things design, and cropping an image is a paramount popular function. For professionals, a desirable image size may be vital to a physical design piece for print. If the image lacks the appropriate megapixel size, the graphic/design will appear pixelated and washed out. For a more in-depth guideline, here is a chart that offers recommendations for acceptable megapixel sizes.

Image Sensor and Processor 

Arguably, the most dire aspect of any camera is the image sensor. The image sensor captures light and allows the camera to produce the image. The higher quality the image sensor, the more light captured by the camera, and therefore, a clearer well produced image. In many cases, the megapixel for one device is significantly better than the other, but because of the lack of an appropriate image sensor, the image quality suffers. 

Depending on the degree of work and professionalism, a 332.27mm image sensor on the Canon EOS 7D is moderate for a modern day DSLR. Sony's A900 and Nikon's D800 pack a massive 861.6mm image sensor. As troubled and improper as it is, many people are comparing the iPhone 7 Plus to DSLRs. The iPhone 7 Plus has 28.7679mm image sensor for the main camera; while the telephoto lens packs a 56.8mm image sensor. Impressive for a smartphone, but impractical as a substitute for a DSLR.

Camera Sensor has a nifty search function that compares different camera models. Makes camera shopping much easier and quicker.

The image processor is more relevant to the features of speed burst shots, and easing the lag between the duration the user captures the image, and the shot being saved to the device's memory. This process is becoming more pronounced and welcomed addition to photographic technology.

It Is All Coming Together

Which is the best method to discern which device is the best option? Remember, megapixels are a marketing point. It is advised to have a higher resolution image, but the piece of technology needs a supportive image sensor to compliment the size of the image. Do the research and find out the image sensor specifics. For example, Samsung reduced their megapixel count; while improving the image sensor and introducing a dual image sensor function. Innovation and iteration will continue with mobile and DSLR camera technology development, and more possibilities will become endless. 

Research and good luck shopping!