(A24)
2017 was fucking awful.
Between the endless stream of sexual harassment allegations,
natural disasters, assaults on civil liberties, and the insanity of a President
who would turn the United States into an authoritarian nation without the resistance of those capable of telling right from wrong, it was rather difficult to stay positive. More so than any other year in my lifetime, the cinema
proved to be a sanctuary from our grim reality. And what a year for cinema!
It speaks volumes to the quality of this year’s entries that
I found it incredibly challenging to choose only 10 for this list, and nearly
impossible to rank them all. I have never been so passionate over this many of
a year's films; the top seven entries could honestly be in any order,
they are all worthy of that coveted number one spot.
As I think about these 10 films together, it becomes obvious
that there are some commonalities. For starters, all of them are “escapist”
films on the surface, but they all use that premise to speak volumes about our
world. There are also a lot of common topics explored, like unity, family,
love, and identity. Now, all of these come across as both obvious and generic
on paper, but when so many of our “leaders” continue to display a lack of basic
humanity, they resonate extremely loudly.
This was also a year of terrific mainstream filmmaking. I
was nervous at first that there weren’t enough “small” films in this
selection, but when the blockbusters are this
good, who cares?
But enough of that. Let’s talk about some movies.
(Paramount)
10. mother!
By far the least mainstream-friendly film on this list, mother! is absolute insanity in the best
way possible. An escalating series of disturbing, anxiety-inducing moments that
crescendos into an assaulting, batshit crazy final act, no other movie this
year will make you want to scream “WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?!” more
than this one.
This is ferocious, angry filmmaking, and Darren Aronofsky
must be applauded for the pure audacity of his allegorical endeavor. I don’t
think I have ever been this
uncomfortable and frightened by a film. With its subjective camera, Jennifer
Lawrence’s genuinely terrific performance, and Aronofsky’s fearless direction, mother! claws its way into your brain
and rips it to shreds.
I’m not sure that I like it, but I sure as hell respect it.
(A24)
9. Lady Bird
The best compliment I can give Lady Bird is that it made me completely forget my stress over a
paper due the following morning.
At once optimistic and grounded, Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age
film is an absolute delight. Overflowing with humor, heart, and just enough
spunk, Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson’s senior year of high school proves
itself as an instant genre classic.
What’s remarkable about Lady
Bird is its seamless inclusion of details that are typically just assumed
in similar stories. How many other films refuse to assume the economic status
of their characters without being exclusively about that?
But most importantly, Lady
Bird understands the many nuances of growing up, of wanting to move beyond
your town of origin, of first love, of the relationship between mothers and
daughters, and of so much more. Everything seems effortless and the end result
just leaves you warm inside. Add that to the excellent work by women both in
front of and behind the camera and you have a film worth celebrating.
(Amazon Studios)
8. The Big Sick
Why can’t all romantic comedies be as good as The Big Sick? Not only is it the
funniest movie of the year, the chemistry between its two lead actors is
wonderful.
But to call it a romantic comedy does not do the film
justice. The Big Sick has plenty to
say about intercultural relationships and the struggle to form a new identity without
alienating the family that shaped it in the first place.
However, even with all that on its mind and a story
involving a medically-induced coma, the film never feels too heavy. It’s frequently
emotionally involving and occasionally almost heartbreaking, but there is
always laughter and hilarity along the way.
The complete lack of Golden Globe nominations is absurd. The Big Sick is a lot more than the
year’s best comedy, and it deserves to be recognized for that.
(Warner Bros.)
7. Wonder Woman
Arguably the most important movie of the year, it almost feels
wrong to put Wonder Woman this low on
the list (which should say a lot about how great this year was for cinema). I
adore this film and it is easily among the best of the superhero genre.
But Wonder Woman is
not a perfect film. There is an overuse of slow motion, the villains are thin
and often lean too far on the pulpy side (although that shared evil laugh is
deliciously over-the-top), and it deserves better than its climactic CGI battle.
What the film does well, however, it does so well that those complaints
completely melt away.
Gal Gadot is absolutely radiant in the titular role. Diana
is not just another action film protagonist, she is a bona fide hero (her
ideology is her driving force, her reach greater than just this movie). Wonder Woman is not an achievement
solely because of its female protagonist and director—it earns its praises.
And then there’s No Man’s Land, the single greatest moment
to grace screens all year. There is so much raw, emotional power in Diana’s
stand. It’s a grand statement of female power, but also genuine heroism,
courage, and affection. I was broken down to chills and tears. It’s an
instantly iconic moment.
(20th Century Fox)
6. Logan
If Wonder Woman
was an inspiring, idealistic portrait of a hero, then Logan deconstructs the concept of the hero down to its bitter, grim
reality. With the freedom of an R rating, director James Mangold gives Hugh
Jackman’s Wolverine the sendoff he deserves.
Logan plays out
more like a western than a typical comic book film, and it’s all the better for
it. There are no capes or cowls here—as the title suggests, this film is about
the man behind the legend, brutally human and undeniably flawed. The action is
visceral and the emotions authentic.
Hugh Jackman gives the best performance of his entire
career, and in my mind, the whole year. His pain is so palpable, the weight of
a life lived far too long haunting him and keeping him apathetic. Logan’s
relationships with Patrick Stewart’s Charles and Dafne Keen’s Laura (both
tremendous), in all their dysfunctional beauty, are the heart of this film.
These actors truly shine.
Logan is an exceptionally
affecting piece of cinema, one that warrants real tears and transcends its
superhero roots.
(20th Century Fox)
5. War for the Planet of the Apes
The sad truth about War
for the Planet of the Apes is that so many people have written it off as
silly because of its cast of talking primates. This film is anything but
silly—it’s absolutely breathtaking.
War for the Planet of
the Apes is remarkable for a number of reasons, but it’s largely due to the
countless intimate, tender character moments that overwhelm its massive canvas.
It is incredibly rare for a film of this type and of this scale to speak so
loudly to our most basic and most complicated human emotions.
Far from an action film, War
for the Planet of the Apes is best categorized as a character piece. Andy
Serkis’s Caesar continues to be an achievement in visual effects, but the
actor’s performance is far more impressive. Caesar goes through hell and back
again in this film, struggling between his position as a leader and his own
personal vendettas. Serkis sells every second of it.
Every scene of the film is expertly crafted by Matt
Reeves—the scale is epic, the emotions real, and effects powerful. Woody
Harrelson is also a presence to behold, with his few but lengthy scenes with
Caesar providing exceptional tension, fury, and eventually, catharsis.
(Lucasfilm)
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The backlash over this film is ridiculous. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is not just one
of the greatest entries in the legendary franchise, but also a terrific and
thematically rich film in its own right.
Rian Johnson completely understands what makes Star Wars
great and all of that is in this film. Thrilling space adventure? Check.
Mystical, ethereal moments? Check. Operatic family drama? Check. Social
commentary? Check. It’s all here.
But more than anything, Star Wars has been successful
because of its countless lovable and iconic characters. The Last Jedi has arguably the best line-up of the series (sans-Han
Solo), from Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill at his best) and Chewbacca to BB-8 and
Rey (a character who has inspired more than just a few young girls to want to
be heroes themselves).
The Last Jedi also
resonated especially well in 2017. Among many things, this is a film about failure
and learning from that failure, pulling hope from the unlikeliest of places and
people. It gives even greater significance to the symbol of the Rebel Alliance,
and as the ending suggests, reminds us that there will always be people willing
to fight for what that symbol represents so long as oppression continues to exist.
(Fox Searchlight)
3. The Shape of Water
While The Last Jedi certainly
gives it a run for its money, I think Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of the Water is the most effortlessly magical film of the
year. This fantastical love story between a mute cleaning woman and an
amphibian man is transportive, romantic, lyrical, breathtaking, and sincere.
The Shape of Water
is impeccably crafted by del Toro, employing every possible shade of green
imaginable in gorgeous, hyper-realistic settings. It’s old-fashioned
moviemaking with the precision and resources of modern cinema.
As both a timeless tale and a tale for our time, The Shape of Water will hit close to
home to anyone who has been scoffed at (or worse) because of some part of their
identity. Del Toro’s ode to the other is clearly his most personal work, and it
earns a spot just under Pan’s Labyrinth as
one of the director’s, and the fantasy genre’s, very best films.
(Warner Bros.)
2. Blade Runner 2049
I’m going to preface this one by saying that I have no
particular affinity for Ridley Scott’s original Blade Runner. I’ve seen it twice, I think it’s a good movie and
recognize its importance in film history, but that’s the extent of it. Blade Runner 2049? That’s a different
story.
Denis Villeneuve’s sequel is masterful, breathtaking,
knock-your-socks-off level filmmaking. If there was any doubt that the Arrival director wasn’t already one of
the greats, Blade Runner 2049 proves
it. From the technical to the emotional, everything about Blade Runner 2049 is utterly spectacular.
This is a grand vision with big ideas, but what sticks out
to me the most is just how sensationalistic the whole thing is. Roger Deakins’s cinematography—the framing, the colors, the lights, the
shadows—Villeneuve’s impeccable direction, the sound, and the score all combine to create an
essential, deeply effective, and uniquely cinematic experience.
My favorite sequence is a cross between Her’s inventive sex surrogate scene and Alicia Vikander’s tender “skin
dress up” in Ex Machina. It’s one of
those moments that is so magnificent that the rest of the film could have been crap
and it would still go down in cinematic history.
(Warner Bros.)
1. Dunkirk
And finally, just barely coming out on top is Christopher
Nolan’s latest masterpiece. When I initially heard Nolan was working on a World
War II film, I was disappointed that one of the most visionary science fiction
filmmakers was wasting his talents on something so familiar. But of course, Dunkirk isn’t just another World War II
film—it’s a Christopher Nolan World War II film.
This is, without doubt, the director’s least
audience-friendly film to date. Dunkirk
is perhaps the most incredible—and expensive—experimental film ever attempted
in a commercial setting. From the minimal dialogue to the inventive structure
and lack of traditional character focus, Dunkirk
is bold, Oscar-worthy work from one of cinema’s greatest living masters.
It’s such a breathless piece of cinema, difficult to
properly discuss in words because the whole thing is told in such a uniquely
cinematic language. Incredible IMAX images, inventive and tight editing,
unbelievable practical effects, a hair-raising ticking clock score, thunderous
sound design—these are the many cinematic tools Nolan uses to pull you into the
film and experience the events like you were there.
And thematically, Dunkirk
clicks too. I think most people felt defeated this year. Dunkirk is about forging victory out of
crushing defeat. Retreat does not need to be the end. Survival is reason to
take a moment, breathe, and return to give them hell.
Here’s to 2018.
But that’s not all. There were so many terrific movies
released in 2017 that to not mention more would be criminal. David Lowery’s A
Ghost Story was a quiet and thoughtful meditation on mortality, legacy,
and time. Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor:
Ragnarok were both wondrously fun. Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver was endlessly
stylish and entertaining. Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying was hilarious, touching, and
under-discussed. I’m in the minority, but I also loved Ridley Scott’s Alien:
Covenant for its incredible craft and philosophical ambitions. Kathryn
Bigelow’s Detroit was disturbing and all too relevant. Other standouts
included Jordan Peele’s satirical debut Get Out, Pixar’s Coco,
Columbus,
The
LEGO Batman Movie, Call Me by Your Name, The
Florida Project, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
I will also mention that there were many films that had the
potential to be on this list, but I did not have access to or time to see them.
These include Molly’s Game, I, Tonya, Phantom Thread, The
Post, Okja, All the Money in the World and The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
Read my full reviews of some of these entries here:
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