By Brett Blake The conventional wisdom regarding 2017 has (so far) been that it was an excellent year at the movies, one of the best in recent memory... but I don’t think I really agree with that. While I don’t at all think it was a bad year by any means, I am unable to buy into the hype. For the most part, I think 2017 produced many good films, but relatively few great films. Also, it should go without explanation that when I call this list “My Favorite Films of the Year,” what I’m really saying is that there are the movies I enjoyed the most, not necessarily the ones that were objectively the best. Before we get to the ranked Top 10, here are 10 additional - unranked - “Honorable Mentions” to present a slightly more complete view of the types of movies that I enjoyed in 2017: • SPLIT • I, TONYA • THE BEGUILED • MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS • THOR: RAGNAROK • GERALD’S GAME • CREEP 2 • GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 • A CURE FOR WELLNESS • STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI And now... My 10 Favorite Films of 2017 10. PERSONAL SHOPPER (Olivier Assayas) A haunting and evocative examination of grief, loneliness, and temptation. Kristen Stewart, an actress I’ve never been particularly fond of, delivers a textured and nuanced portrayal of a young woman dealing with - among other things - ghostly forces and a sinister stalker. Though the movie has trappings of the horror genre (and contains a few moments of genuine suspense), it’s far more interested in the internal hang-ups and conflicts of Stewart’s character. Genre fans may feel (correctly) that the movie could probably use a few more overt spooky moments, but for the most part this the film is eerie and understated in ways which give it a unique flavor. 09. THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER (Yorgos Lanthimos) This tale of a surgeon’s unhealthy relationship with an unusual - and unusually troubled - teenage boy is one of the most uncomfortable and confrontational movies of the year, and yet... somehow... it’s a compelling and engrossing watch throughout. Writer/director Lanthimos clearly has peculiar sensibilities, and those are on full display in this movie, set in a world where people are both oddly stilted and oddly frank in their interactions, and where one very strange individual can ruin the lives of a family. Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman are terrific here, but young Barry Keoghan is the real revelation, contributing a turn of mundane weirdness that is incredibly memorable and unsettling. It must be stressed, though: this is not a movie that will be to everyone’s taste. 08. LOGAN (James Mangold) A graphically violent, Western-inspired comic book movie, LOGAN turns the page on the Hugh Jackman era of the Wolverine character, and it may represent the finest work he’s ever done on screen in any role. Jackman brings a degree of self-loathing to this (his ninth time playing the character) that is palpable and striking, but he also manages to convey that the character’s heroic nature is buried... but not fully gone. This is mature, adult material that takes risks with its characters and its story, and is an affecting and cathartic send-off for one of superhero cinema’s most iconic characters. 07. BLADE RUNNER 2049 (Denis Villeneuve) Visually, this is the most spectacular film that 2017 had to offer. Roger Deakins’ cinematography is absolutely stunning from start to finish, and coupled with the production design and the costumes, it makes the movie a true sight to behold. As with the original BLADE RUNNER, I’m skeptical that there is as much thematic depth under the surface as the movie seemingly thinks there is, but this is by no means a story devoid of interesting questions, particularly ones that relate to the nature of memory, its reliability, and its connection to our humanity. Make no mistake, though, this movie is on this list because of how incredible it looks. 06. IT (Andy Muschietti) An incredibly faithful tonal adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, but I won’t argue with anybody who didn’t find the movie scary; certain moments got me to jump, sure, but the strength of this particular film is not how well it functions simply as a horror movie, but as film overall. The young characters around which the yarn is spun are played by some very talented performers who have such a palpable, tangible, wonderful camaraderie and friendship develop over the course of the movie, which patches over some of the possible weaknesses of the horror sections. And even still, there’s a roller-coaster ride energy to the big scare setpieces that gives them a viscerally satisfying punch (for me), and Bill Skarsgård hands in an effective and fun performance as Pennywise, the sinister clown embodiment of evil at the heart of the story. 05. DARKEST HOUR (Joe Wright) The performance of Gary Oldman’s career, and that’s really saying something. Oldman takes the part of the Winston Churchill - one of world history’s most pivotal players - and dives in, embodying the cliches that might come to mind when one thinks of Churchill, while also bringing a whole other layer of humanity and unexpected warmth to the role. In conjunction with the makeup, it’s a remarkable piece of acting. Director Wright keeps things visually engaging at all times (scene transitions are often inventive and kind of fun), and Dario Marianelli's strings-and-piano-led musical score adds a propulsive feel to the proceedings. Historical dramas often run the risk of being stuffy and boring, but DARKEST HOUR is never not fully engaging. 04. WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (Matt Reeves) While it doesn’t surpass the previous movie in this latest APES saga, WAR continues that very high level of quality and depth of character. The movie grapples with interesting philosophical questions without ever getting too bogged down by them, and it puts Caesar, our ape hero played by Andy Serkis, into difficult spots, both morally and physically. The effects work used to bring the ape characters to life is somehow even better than ever, effortlessly convincing us that we’re seeing real animals interacting with real space. What the film lacks in the kind of quirk and silliness that the old PLANET OF THE APES series had, it makes up for in a desire to tell a rather personal, moving story about a leader trying to keep his people safe. On that score, I was deeply satisfied by this (concluding?) entry in the franchise. 03. WIND RIVER (Taylor Sheridan) A crime mystery, but one with a beating heart and a keen interest in humanity, in all its flaws and attributes. The crime angle of the story is effective, and will satisfy those who are just along for the mystery, but where the movie excels is in the quality of the character writing, as well as the decision to set the story in a cold, desolate, and under-represented part of America, a place where hard decisions are made and people have to do their best (or perhaps not their best) to get by. Jeremy Renner is so good here in the lead role, bringing an understated and subtle warmth to what could have been a very cliched “type.” He’s naturalistic and convincingly grounded, and it’s one of his best performances. 02. GET OUT (Jordan Peele) GET OUT is a potent horror movie: one that has something on its mind, has a definite point of view, but also doesn’t sacrifice the genre elements at the altar of “having a message.” GET OUT fully works just on the horror level, drawing fun inspiration from any number of older sources and synthesizing them into a very fresh, entertaining package. Beyond that, writer/director Peele uses the genre as a vehicle to tackle the issue of race, and he does it in ways both pointed and restrained, yes, but he also - very refreshingly - doesn’t come at the issue from the obvious angle one might expect. He leaves room for nuance and complexity, while also never pulling his punches, and that’s a pretty remarkable achievement. 01. DUNKIRK (Christopher Nolan) An accomplishment of impressive scale, DUNKIRK represents Christopher Nolan at the height of his powers as a director. He stages sequences of staggering scope here, often involving copious extras, stunt work, real ships and planes, explosions, and fire, and when one thinks of the logistical considerations required to make all that work, Nolan’s achievement here cannot be understated. He also brilliantly employs a split narrative, which moves forward along three separate timelines, each taking place over a different amount of time; the result is miraculously never confusing, because the editing is so strong and effective. Some will find DUNKIRK to be a cold, removed experience, and I don’t think those people are necessarily wrong, but the arm’s length at which Nolan keeps the audience for the bulk of the movie brilliantly (for me) sets up its final few minutes, which carry a real, powerful, emotional weight to them.
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