2017 was a very weird year for a variety of reasons, both macro & micro. But a variety of circumstances let me spend more time in a movie theater than I ever have before. While it’s human nature to see current events and personal matters reflected in the art we consume, it seemed more difficult than ever to separate my own experiences, and what was happening in the world around us. This list is always a very personal interpretation, and I can’t stress enough that when doing this, I do not look for the best, just simply my favorites. In some cases they may align, but that’s not what I’m here for. I’m here to share my opinion and some great viewing experiences with others. Having said all that, I did notice that a certain crop of films so clearly rose above the rest, that it was pretty easy to choose what made the list. With a few exceptions the order is more arbitrary than ever, as once you get into that top tier, the quality is stellar across the board. Now please enjoy my overly long and hopefully entertaining list of favorite films released in 2017. 1) Get Out I am not exactly a horror fanatic, so despite hearing incredible things about this February surprise, I didn’t go in expecting to find something this special. So much has been said about the racial politics by those who are more qualified than me to speak on that issue, but that’s kind of the point. Jordan Peele used the framing of a horror story to place those of us who can never truly understand the American black experience into the shoes of Chris (Daniel Kaluuya as a perfect audience surrogate) as he went to meet his white girlfriend’s family in a very white suburb, and was constantly reminded of his place as ‘the other’ even while those around him tried to make him feel welcome, and even celebrated. This world needs more people to understand experiences that they can not live themselves. While many films try that, Get Out frames itself as something else, then sneaks up on the audience, all while being wildly entertaining. This isn’t a historical drama about slavery, this is a modern horror/VERY dark comedy that gets you invested then slowly reveals what it is really doing. I remember halfway through the film just thinking ‘no way is he going to do this,’ and Jordan Peele did it, then went 10x further. The fact that the film became such a cultural phenomenon, and is poised to be a big Oscar player is wonderful, but the film itself is a stark reminder that there is no ‘post-racial’ society, so we must listen to those around us and empathize, instead of pretending we can ever truly understand. 2) Phantom Thread The prickly, perfectionist, inflexible artist is not something new in movies. However, when that artist is brought to life by Daniel Day-Lewis & Paul Thomas Anderson, it is truly something special. The amount of detail in personality, setting, routine, and how Reynolds Woodcock is treated by those around him paints a portrait of a man who lived delicately from birth, and is constantly coddled by every person in his life (almost all of whom are women). His routine includes the occasional girlfriend, but they only last so long and there’s a pretty clear procedure to get rid of them when he is bored. When Alma (Vicky Krieps) enters this life, she is at first a welcome disruption, but quickly becomes an inescapable nuisance and invaluable muse. How their relationship develops is fascinating, as they bicker about the smallest things that Reynolds and his enablers typically control in every possible fashion. But in a roundabout way, he succumbs to the need to be controlled at certain times. The end result is a bizarre mutually dependent blissful relationship unlike anything I have ever seen on screen. It’s also a shockingly funny film with subtle humor and some of the best on-screen shade I’ve ever seen. This is supposedly Daniel Day-Lewis’ final performance, which is a loss for the rest of us, but even within his incredible body of work, this is a high note to end on. 3) The Shape of Water Guillermo Del Toro has gifted us with an enchanting modern day fairytale, overflowing with emotion. Centered around a group of outsiders fighting for one of their own who has been taken out of his natural habitat, this film celebrates life, pleasure, art, personality, and the differences that make us all special. Sally Hawkins anchors an outstanding cast that brings so much personality and specificity to each of their characters that you can’t help but root for each and every one of them. I may not have had a more uplifting experience at the movies this year. Full review 4) Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Three Billboards is a masterclass in balancing humor with dark subject matter, infusing characters with masses of self-awareness or none whatsoever. In a film filled to the brim with great performances, Frances McDormand just storms onto the screen and over everyone else as the fierce mother trying to find justice for her raped & murdered daughter, without blinking an eye about how to get there. Righteous anger has never been so perfectly personified, and she’s surrounded by men telling her why justice isn’t possible, which just brings that fury out even more. In the midst of a horrible situation, McDormand’s Mildred, and Woody Harrelson’s Chief Willoughby have a weird game of one-ups(wo)manship, that borders on pranking each other, yet never diminishes the tragedy of what happened. While there are some issues with how the film handles his character's racism, Sam Rockwell is a perfectly dim-witted reactionary child as Dixon, a cop who clearly shouldn’t be in any position of power. Ultimately this film is a welcome celebration of fighting for a victim who won’t be forgotten, but not an upsetting examination of the incident itself. 5) mother! I love audacious films that push the envelope and really don’t seem to give a shit about what the audience thinks. mother! is the perfect result of Darren Aronofsky using (and maybe sacrificing) his industry clout to get really weird, with an inherently messy story trying to get across a lot of points at once about the environment, the artistic process, abuse, a fear of both commitment and being alone, or a million other potential interpretations. For me, that’s why it works. mother! is truly an experience, and a canvas on which you can place your own ideas. It also seems like a remarkably open exploration of the filmmaker himself, whether that was intentional or not. I think this film was misunderstood precisely because people tried to understand it as a group, when it really doesn’t matter what everyone else thought it was doing, only what you as a viewer took away from it, and I don’t think I left a theater with my mind racing with this many possibilities at any other point last year. It also must be said that Jennifer Lawrence is absolutely remarkable, as the film would have fallen apart with a lesser performance at its center. 6) Loving Vincent The gimmick of this film makes it a stunning visual experience, with every single frame being filmed with actors, and then hand-painted in the style of Van Gogh. But the story is so much richer than the gimmick could have called for. This is an examination of what happened to the late artist shortly after his death, and how much of a part the society around him and his family played in it, yet with no real blame to go around. In the artistic process, there is no satisfaction, there is no completion, there is just finishing. This film spends the entire time looking for a villain, yet the most satisfactory ending is that of there being no true culprit. It’s an examination of mental illness that brings together two seemingly contradictory ideas: regularly being told how great you are, yet still feeling like a disappointment because society has yet to embrace your talent. 7) I, Tonya Part Scorcese, part Coen brothers, I, Tonya brings a little attitude to the world of figure skating, just like its central character. This film wears its potential inaccuracies on its sleeve and is better for it. It’s so damn entertaining and funny that I couldn't care less how things actually happened in the context of this story. It could have focused solely on the Nancy Kerrigan incident, but by showing Tonya Harding’s whole life up to that point, you truly get to empathize with her as a character (whether the real life Harding deserves to be celebrated like this is a murkier subject). The mockumentary structure celebrates the fact that all of the people involved have different stories that don’t line up, often in hilariously contradictory ways. Character work and great performances drive the film, which is dealing with real life people that are more ridiculous and confusing than anyone could have written, so it’s a perfect way to bring this story to life, and more fun than trying to get to the exact truth. The performances are incredible all around, anchored by Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, with Paul Walter Hauser delighting as Harding's ‘special ops trained bodyguard.' 8) The Big Sick Kumail Nanjiani has long been a rising comedic star, finding success in stand-up, the world of podcasts, and as a supporting character in many films & TV shows. With The Big Sick, he cements himself as a true leading man, bringing his personal love story (written with his wife Emily Gordon), to the world. There are two key aspects to this story: first the cultural hurdles that Kumail faces when dating a white woman - primarily coming from his own family, but also some sadly expected run-of-the-mill racism - and then the titular sickness that puts his girlfriend into a coma. This is a specific story that is told in an effectively heartfelt and comedic fashion. The relationship that develops as Kumail gets to know Emily’s parents is one of understanding, love, and a showcase of how horrible circumstances can bind all of us and force you to put aside any preconceived notions. Holly Hunter and Ray Romano are wonderful, balancing that humor & heartbreak perfectly alongside Kumail. The story itself is inherently interesting, but the execution makes this one of the best romantic comedies in years. 9) Brigsby Bear Kyle Mooney has been delightfully weird on SNL, but he really lets his freak flag fly in this bizarre, outrageous story of the one fan of a children’s TV show trying to finish the story once and for all. That’s about as much plot as I want to give away as the less you know the better, but this film celebrates heart, with the infectious passion of one man bringing the world around to appreciating something he loves. As the story builds, Mooney’s James learns more about the world, and finds his own voice in the creation of Brigsby Bear’s finale. It’s the best-case scenario of fan-fiction that one could imagine, and the joy it brings to him emanates off the screen and left me smiling from ear to ear when it was over. 10) Ingrid Goes West Social media has been around long enough that we’re now seeing all sides of it being brought to life on-screen, including the good, the bad, the gorgeous, and the ugly. Ingrid Goes West is all about that FOMO, and the different faces people put on in order to look perfect, but it’s not about the people who put on those faces, it’s about how that image of perfection affects those who see it, especially if they’re not quite stable. Aubrey Plaza is equal parts terrifying and desperate, as the ultimate fan-girl gone wrong, determined to become a part of a life she shouldn’t even be close to. The story shines a light on some of the hazards of documenting your entire life, especially when it’s not everything you pretend it is. A dark comedy at its core, the thriller plot is surrounded by all the absurdities of a performative life, while we watch a couple different characters have breakdowns because of the pressure and/or jealousy it causes. Baby Driver Edgar Wright has always been a stylistic master, and never has that been more clear than in this musical heist film. Filled to the brim with incredibly choreographed action and great deep cuts, this is a purely entertaining ride that keeps you entranced from the first moment. Honestly the biggest criticism I can think of is that the first 10 minutes are so good, the rest of the film has difficulty measuring up. Brad’s Status I had to put this on here mostly because it felt personal, as I can relate to Ben Stiller’s Brad way too well - something I probably shouldn't admit. Brad is the worst: never satisfied, an over-zealous pessimist, and blaming everyone else for his inadequacies. This is another indictment of the world of social media and its impacts on psychologically delicate people, except Brad really just needs to be told to ‘get over’ himself, as he is multiple times throughout the film. Call Me By Your Name A deeply affective love story, acted to perfection by the core ensemble of Timothee Chalamet, Armie Hammer, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The chemistry here is off the charts, and the whole film envelops you into the Italian countryside as young Elio’s feelings evolve into something he can’t control. (full review) The Disaster Artist I’ve been a fan of The Room for a while now, but James Franco took a story we’ve all been laughing at for years and turned it into a film about the perseverance of passion, and how much it means to just create something, even if that something is pretty bad. Tommy Wiseau is a true dreamer, flaws & all, just like the rest of us, and this celebrates the idea of chasing that dream to reality with nothing but heart (and a mysterious fortune). It’s also very, very funny, as any film centered around such an absurd character & story is bound to be. Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond This documentary is an astonishing behind the scenes look at film-making, the creative process, and maybe even a severe psychological episode. As Jim Carrey embodies Andy Kaufman & Tony Clifton in almost every conceivable way, he tortures those around him in the name of capturing a great performance. Watching the legendary Milos Forman beg ‘Andy Kaufman’ to speak to Jim, is almost painful, but also captures one of the great disappearing acts of all time that only partially made it on screen in Man on the Moon. The Killing of a Sacred Deer Yorgos Lanthimos is at it again, with his darkest film yet, which almost eschews the comedy of his previous films completely. But this thriller still has some light edges as it acknowledges and revels in the absurdity of it all, while still keeping you invested in what this family is experiencing - even if you can never decide if the father deserves this cruel punishment or not. Colin Farrell is perfectly self-righteous, slowly making himself even less sympathetic, while Barry Keoghan is absolutely terrifying as one of the weirdest villains I've ever seen. I will never be able to eat pasta the same way again. Lady Bird Greta Gerwig has finally become the star she was meant to be, and it’s all thanks to the honesty she brought as an actress being infused into her work as a writer/director. Having been in high school at the same time, with a sister the exact same age as Lady Bird, it’s very weird that my contemporaries are now making period pieces, but the truth of the story strikes home even more because of it. One of the most remarkable mother/daughter relationships I’ve ever seen on screen is the backbone to this hilarious, already classic coming of age story. Patti Cake$ If you thought 8-mile showed how hip-hop talent could come from an unexpected place, you haven’t seen anything yet. Danielle McDonald is a star, and this film knows it, letting her lead the rest of the cast through tough times in the name of creating an almost cartoonishly rag-tag group of outsiders that hide an enormous well of talent. Another wonderful celebration of people pursuing their dreams, despite no one really wanting to hear it, Patti Cake$ also shows the creative process in a way most just gloss over in favor of showing the final product. Patti’s talent is the story here, whether she’s successful or not. Stronger The story of Boston bombing victim Jeff Bauman is an incredible real-life journey of courage, but it could have easily become another standard uplifting recovery film. But Stronger pulls no punches on its lead character, showing Jeff’s personal flaws and how exaggerated they can become under the most dire circumstances. It still gets to the uplifting part, ultimately feeling more honest because of it. Jake Gyllenhaal & Tatiana Maslany anchor the film with two stunning portrayals of real people, warts & all - avoiding the trap of making all heroes infallible when the history is written. Thor: Ragnarok & Spider Man: Homecoming James Gunn laid the groundwork for Marvel films to start truly differentiating themselves from the pack with the first Guardians of the Galaxy. But 2017 was the year that we saw the potential of letting these stories be told in ways that speak to the characters and/or filmmakers, even if the tones are a different than the films that came before. Thor: Ragnarok is a hysterical buddy comedy with Thor & Hulk at the center of a team that also includes a drunken warrior and Loki, while Spider-Man Homecoming goes full-on John Hughes, with Tom Holland bringing a more hopeful version of the well-worn character to life, making it all his own. Wonder In the world today, it makes me very happy that this is the kind of story being told to kids in theaters, especially since it has done remarkably well. A film about acceptance that never feels cloying to a cynic like me is truly miraculous, striking the perfect tonal balance of how cruel the world can be and how little young kids care about the superficial when not impacted by outside influences. A lot credit goes to an incredible cast led by Jacob Tremblay. Worst: Wonder Wheel - Why would anyone let Woody Allen tell a story about a guy falling in love with his lover’s step-daughter? Unfunny, tone-deaf, and just plain disgusting. I can’t believe he can still get people of this caliber to work with him, especially with a script like this.
Biggest surprise: Jumanji - This unnecessary reboot had a lot to overcome, but it gathered an incredibly charismatic cast, with a fun script that took a different spin on the premise, ultimately resulting in what may be the best video game movie ever (not exactly a high bar). Most forgettable: Fist Fight - Charlie Day & Ice Cube fought in a parking lot. I think. Pretty much all I know is I have a ticket stub. Unsung hero: Professor Marston & the Wonder Women - With all the hype around Wonder Woman (a decent film), I’m surprised this origin story didn’t get more attention. Perhaps because it didn’t hide any part of the original character's inspiration, including the sexual underground of the 1940’s. Most Disappointing: Matt Damon (Suburbicon & Downsizing) - I was so excited for both of these films and they were equally terrible. Suburbicon proved that no one else should try and direct a Coen Brothers script since the tone was all over the map, and Downsizing showed that even Alexander Payne can miss if he can’t decide on one idea and just throws 12 different incomplete thoughts together behind an intriguing premise.
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