Top 10 of 2017
Honorable mentions: Ingrid Goes West, The Post, Get Out, It Comes at Night, I, Tonya
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- DirectorDavid LoweryStarsCasey AffleckRooney MaraMcColm Cephas Jr.In this singular exploration of legacy, love, loss, and the enormity of existence, a recently deceased, white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to try to reconnect with his bereft wife.Who likes existential crises? This independent, critical hit is best described as an existential horror film that studies the 5 stages of grief along with themes of love and the uncertainty of the afterlife. Though the word "masterpiece" is overused nowadays, this film is exactly that when it comes to arthouse/avant-garde style cinema. Centering on a deceased husband (Casey Affleck) who comes back as a ghost to comfort his wife (Rooney Mara) to no avail, "A Ghost Story" will make you jump from concepts like purgatory and limbo to non-linear time within seconds. The movie ultimately makes you sit in silence to contemplate it, much like the characters in the movie do - sitting silently to process emotions. Director David Lowery captures plenty of stillness by rarely cutting away during the mundane activities of daily life - showcasing intimacy (between a husband and wife), uncertain reality (a body lying in a morgue), and utter grief (Rooney Mara sorrowfully eating a pie for about 5 straight minutes). The movie dares you to sit through all of its excruciating long takes for two reasons: 1) if this isn't for you, get out while you still can, and 2) be prepared to question everything you've ever believed once you realize there's beauty behind the normality of life. The simplicity of the ghost (see poster) allows Lowery to convey every emotion possible through lighting. An angry ghost means orange light, depressed means blue, so on and so forth. Those hollowed out eyes do so much more than you think. Topped off with an appropriately sentimental and haunting musical score, "A Ghost Story" is daring but ultimately beautiful, even though it might push some away. It's one of the best movies I've ever seen, but I recommend it with reservation - it's tough to sit through. See it alone, perhaps not even in a theater (wait for Blu-ray/DVD or streaming), because annoying people will definitely whisper and inappropriately giggle during the quiet first half.
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsJennifer LawrenceJavier BardemEd HarrisA couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.Stephen King's "It" was child's play. I'd like to see Pennywise the clown dance around this subversive and twisted artwork about...art and its sacrifice. Where to start with this nightmare...director Darren Aronofsky is no stranger to squirmy, artistic horror-like films, so go into "Mother!" with an open mind and expect to be shocked. And perhaps my one mild complaint is that there are so many symbols and allegories that it's overkill; but my what fun overkill it is. Like "Get Out" (Jordan Peele) from earlier this year, "Mother!" is a horror film that begs for a myriad of reactions and interpretations from different types of people. And perhaps because it's so open-ended is the reason why people don't like it as much as "Get Out." Is this movie vehemently anti-Christian? Is it about mother earth? Is it about the human ego? Artists and their inspirations? Feminism? Donald Trump? Well, it can be all of those things and more - we just sort of pick and choose. And believe me, I've heard and read all of the above reactions from different sources and people. I'll argue that it works mostly as a cautionary tale about what happens when man tries to play God, especially when he becomes a godlike celebrity in the eyes of his followers, ignoring the love right in front of him. Perhaps that's an innocent interpretation, but the many strong Biblical references lend support to it, and like the man's (Javier Bardem) poem, everyone is affected differently by art, but they're affected nonetheless. Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence bounce off each other exceptionally well, and Lawrence in particular wows once again as she takes on all of the pain, joy, confusion, terror, and sorrow that a woman, especially a mother (literal or allegorical?), goes through in life. We're with her the entire 2 hours through claustrophobic cinematography and intimate sound mixing to make the chaos deafening and real. People will hate or love this film. I'm in the latter category because Aronofsky does the number one thing right: people will TALK about this.
- DirectorSean BakerStarsBrooklynn PrinceBria VinaiteWillem DafoeSet over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Walt Disney World."The Florida Project" is a beautiful movie, but you feel just a little gross watching it. Taking place at a cheap motel on the outskirts of Disney World, "The Florida Project" analyzes a messy grey area as a single mother named Halley (Bria Vinaite) tries to raise her daughter Moonee, played with such beautiful conviction by newcomer child actress Brooklynn Prince. Prince has set a new precedent for child actors, much like Jacob Tremblay did in "Room" (2015, Lenny Abrahamson). As Halley pursues drugs and entertainment over parenting, we'd expect Moonee's life (and the lives of her other six-year old friends from around the motel) to crumble. Instead, the film shows us the innocence of childhood through every low angle, imaginative frame, and effortless tracking shot. She manages to find beauty and fascination in everything, as a child should. This is a movie about children, but not for children, as it invites its audience to reflect on the imagination and wonder of childhood amidst such a scummy backdrop. And though Halley definitely fails as a mother, she knows how to work a sleazy system of income inequality, taking advantage of ignorant Disney tourists in the only ways she can. Vinaite plays the "white trash" wannabe rockstar flawlessly, though I wonder how much she'll be able to branch out from this...director Sean Baker discovered her on Instagram. Finally, Willem Dafoe has already received plenty of attention for his performance, and though it is much more of a supporting role than a lead, he plays the motel manager/"guardian angel" perfectly, with the most subtly stunning moments of any performance so far this year. Though it is a grunge-filled portrait of childhood innocence in the face of utter depravity, "The Florida Project" is surprisingly light enough to stomach and appreciate as a truly gorgeous work.
- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJohn BoyegaAnthony MackieAlgee SmithFact-based drama set during the 1967 Detroit riots in which a group of rogue police officers respond to a complaint with retribution rather than justice on their minds.Man, does Kathryn Bigelow know how to direct a good story of truly searing subject matters. While "Zero Dark Thirty" (2012) is still arguably her best work, "Detroit" isn't far behind, singling out the intense standoff between racist cops and innocent African American men at the Algiers Motel in Detroit, 1967. This gripping and visceral film captures racism at its worst as an ideology that still manages to have ugly roots in today's society. Once the dust settles though, who we blame or how we argue isn't the point - it's that brutality can't ever be tolerated. The movie features three types of cops: good (only a select few of them), bad (many), and cowardly (seems to be naturally embedded in the system). Bigelow strikes the chord that there's no justice within this kind of system, and though some may suggest it's just as bad today, the film urges us more to seek goodness and even salvation out of the evil. And there's plenty of evil for us to endure. Will Poulter ironically gave the movie's best performance as a punk-like racist police officer...and that's an understatement. Poulter embodies a commanding hatred for the black men he assaults, instilling fear and even angry annoyance in both us and the characters onscreen. The entire film is expertly cast, with Algee Smith and John Boyega (of "The Force Awakens" fame) also being standouts. It's also signature Kathryn Bigelow style filmmaking that is gritty and quasi-documentary to increase the tension and reality of the situation. And of course it's normal for her to end a film in silence, and the use of a Gospel song right before a bout of silence makes for a gut-wrenching conclusion.
- DirectorGreta GerwigStarsSaoirse RonanLaurie MetcalfTracy LettsIn 2002, an artistically inclined 17-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.What a refreshing and unexpectedly funny movie! While I tend to favor coming-of-age films, "Lady Bird" tackles parenthood and single-sex Catholic education in admirable and innovative ways. It hits all of the coming-of-age marks: first relationships, college applications, and rough friendships, but leads them all to a brilliant, pivotal moment that I really don't want to mention for sake of its sentimental reveal. I'll just say the ending scene makes the rest of the movie ten times better. Up to that point, we're given an incredibly charming film with plenty of delightful moments, even though it earns its R-rating for coarse dialogue and explicit references. Semi-autobiographical on the part of director Greta Gerwig, "Lady Bird" gives special attention to the assumed carefree attitude of California, and shows us the hardworking middle-class side of Sacramento paradise. Saoirse Ronan always manages to impress me, and her work here as the titular character is no different. It's perhaps her best performance since "Atonement" (2007, Joe Wright) or "The Lovely Bones" (2009, Peter Jackson) as she masters an entitlement aura, but has unbelievable chemistry with everyone. She can add brilliant comedic timing to her resume now. Laurie Metcalf plays Lady Bird's mother and is a perfect match for Ronan, being an incredibly honest portrayal of a mother who does literally everything behind the scenes for her daughter. Ultimately thoughtful, "Lady Bird" excellently acknowledges the roles of parenthood and religion in the mess that is adolescence, making for a surprisingly positive film.
- DirectorTaylor SheridanStarsElizabeth OlsenJeremy RennerGraham GreeneA wildlife officer, who is haunted by a tragedy that happened because of him, teams up with an FBI agent in solving a murder of a young woman on a Wyoming Native American reservation and hopes to get redemption from his past regrets."Hell or High Water" seems to have set a new precedent for the modern Western film, and just like the themes within, it did so in the most subtle way possible. "Wind River," directed by Taylor Sheridan (writer for "Hell or High Water"), follows this trend into the fierce winter of Wyoming near a Native American reservation community. Focusing on the unreported disappearances of Native American women, "Wind River" reinforces its intense subject matter with strong cues that relate to governmental corruption, family dysfunction, parenthood, and even the brutality of poverty. Again, all of this is subtle, buried within a riveting crime drama that refuses to pull punches. This brings out all of the heartache and loss for both us and the characters onscreen incredibly well. The script is also very smart and goes in the character study direction on one hand, but then on another introduces a plot "twist" that pleasantly defies expectations while sucking out all of our hope as well. The harsh winter environment is therefore the perfect backdrop to this utterly brutal film. Jeremy Renner always pulls through, and he has a knack for choosing roles that you don't think he'd get much out of, but then he surprises with loads of creative depth. He is a master at waiting for other characters to react before swooping in and delivering a fine performance. As tough as it may be, "Wind River" is an example of a great film that can get any audience to care about a unknown social justice cause
- DirectorLuca GuadagninoStarsTimothée ChalametArmie HammerMichael StuhlbargIn 1980s Italy, romance blossoms between a seventeen-year-old student and the older man hired as his father's research assistant.It’s an obvious Oscar bait movie, but it’s one of the best. Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me by Your Name” attempts to whisk us away into the summertime of northern Italy, where we’re wrapped into an intense romance between Elio (Timothee Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer). On paper, this might not be all too appealing, because the movie has many of the tropes of a “first love” narrative and clichés of a gay love story. But Guadagnino directs this film to make it a tribute to life experience and emotional turbulence, all in the quiet Italian countryside. The result is an honest, accurate, beautiful, and painful depiction of love within a coming-of-age mindset. How does he direct it so well? Sure, lead Timothee Chalamet knocks his role as 17 year-old Elio out of the park because he’s easy to identify with and can break your heart with just a few tears, and Armie Hammer is expertly casted to resemble the physicality of Roman statues (a major visual theme), but the real talent is behind the scenes. Each shot of “Call Me by Your Name” is gorgeous with enough of that lazy summertime aesthetic to draw you in closer to the paradise. Guadagnino plays so much with intimate lighting, space, and natural beauty that we are hooked and can’t be let go. But that’s still not the main proponent – it’s the music that MAKES this movie. The bits of classical music help us rise and fall with Elio in his Italian heaven, but it’s the original work from independent rock artist Sufjan Stevens that solidifies the music’s importance. It’s captivating, tragic, and intimate whenever his songs start playing; both “Mystery of Love” and “Visions of Gideon” deserve best song nominations. Breathtakingly beautiful and emotionally wrenching, “Call Me by Your Name,” despite its slightly subtle social message, is so well crafted and dynamically presented that it’s really like a fantasy that transports us into its setting and makes us feel its passions.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsSally HawkinsOctavia SpencerMichael ShannonAt a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.“The Shape of Water” is classic literature for the silver screen. Every single image and color has loads of symbolism behind it, and it’s up to the audience to dig them out. To name just a few: green is a prominent color to represent a scary future for those stuck in the past, eggs can symbolize a role reversal in sexual intimacy (between Elisa and the merman), and the violence has a significant place in the brutal, natural world. There’s more where that came from, and this poetic movie certainly has some inherent “Life of Pi” (2012, Ang Lee) vibes to it where many of the most shocking parts can be read allegorically. It tackles numerous social issues about the oppressed while still engaging audience attention. It’s basically English major heaven. However, in typical Guillermo del Toro fashion, this is a dark adult fairytale. Almost acting as a companion piece to “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006), “The Shape of Water” is excessive particularly in its violence, and the rather controversial sex scenes provide more of the weird allegorical backdrop. The commitment to practical visual effects makes the movie a breathtaking watch; you can’t tear yourself away from it. Even the illustrious set design makes us think this is an old European art film instead of a 1960s-set fantasy during Communism scares in America. Sally Hawkins displays tremendous power and vulnerability as a mute maid caught up in a “Beauty and the Beast” type romance, with Octavia Spencer delivering perfect humor while Michael Shannon channels his best villain vibes. “The Shape of Water” is a strong, dark film in all of its twisted excess, but is not for the faint-hearted.
- DirectorJoe WrightStarsGary OldmanLily JamesKristin Scott ThomasIn May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.Give Gary Oldman his Oscar now. Though credit is due to the makeup and costume department as well, Oldman gives the performance of the year as Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour,” a movie with stunning political commentary for the modern audience. Sinking effortlessly into the central role, Oldman commands every scene, even if he’s showing a rare vulnerable side. And as the center of attention, there are plenty of intricate ties made between Churchill and…Donald Trump? Throughout the film, Churchill irritates people with his unorthodox antics and is criticized for his extremely large ego. He ruffles feathers and is far from perfect. Yet, he’s praised as the only Prime Minister who could strike fear into the heart of Adolf Hitler, and is crucial in getting British soldiers out of Dunkirk (Christopher Nolan’s film can be a companion to this). This complicated political commentary was stunning, and a very interesting surprise in a movie that I didn’t think would be that engaging. There’s another sequence that hints at the question: why don’t governments listen to their people anymore? Oldman plays Churchill as a man who appeals largely to the emotions of people, and cares for the individual lives of citizens. On the directing front, Joe Wright holds back on his signature visual flair here and there, but still has a little bit of fun where he can. He shows off some topsy-turvy camera angles for scenes in Parliament, perhaps reflecting the very nature of those crazy meetings, and also gives the film an appropriately pale color palette. “Darkest Hour” is wonderfully complex and asks a lot of its audience, as the bulk of the film is people sitting and talking, but the dialogue opens up some extremely apt political connections to 2010s America, all while toting Gary Oldman’s finest performance the entire time.
- DirectorJames MangoldStarsHugh JackmanPatrick StewartDafne KeenIn a future where mutants are nearly extinct, an elderly and weary Logan leads a quiet life. But when Laura, a mutant child pursued by scientists, comes to him for help, he must get her to safety.If last year's "Deadpool" was the hilarious R-rated comic book film, then "Logan" is its sentimental equivalent. Director James Mangold does a stellar job distancing this from the rest of the messy "X-Men" franchise, which has really gone off the deep end with "Apocalypse" (2016, Bryan Singer). Though there are some long-term effects here that make us wonder what's next for the X-Men, "Logan" is a very accessible standalone drama. Hence its title, this is a stripped-down comic book film that hints at where these types of movies need to go to succeed. We can only take large scale ensembles and explosions for so long. "Logan" demonstrates what Christopher Nolan's Batman films did, and why "Captain America: Civil War" is such a standout compared to recent Marvel fare. These films can be as personal and gritty as Oscar winning dramas, and they can still entertain with action that doesn't try to cause destruction of cities and countries. Hugh Jackman takes his role as Wolverine to heart in this film, turning in a gripping performance, but the real honor goes to Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier. Stewart takes his iconic X-Men character to new emotional levels, portraying a tragic, sympathetic character who enhances Jackman's work even more. If Stewart doesn't receive an Oscar nod for his performance, then the Academy will have a new (and much greater) nomination controversy on its hands. "Logan" boasts its subversive status through its action as well; gone are colorful effects and fantasy elements. The fights are gritty, bloody, and real. "Deadpool" was gruesome, but it had a meaning of comic effect. Here, the violence represents a world of brutality for Logan. Though the movie's script does try to exclaim "hey look I'm R-rated" through multiple f-bombs, it's a tight story that tugs at heartstrings and presents a superhero narrative that most aren't prepared for.