It has been a much better year.
2017 cinema has, at last, come to an official conclusion with the 90th Academy Awards declaring The Shape of Water its Best Picture. Yes, yes, well-done Shape of Water, well-done—however, I’ve still yet to reveal my choices for 2017's best. Compared to 2016's disappointing turnout, 2017 is a major improvement both in quality and quantity. 2017 saw a solid amount of high-quality films—both indie and blockbuster—in addition to several truly great films. While the year is still far from reaching the decade's heights of 2010, 2011 and 2013, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
I drastically increased my reviewing game compared to last year, seeing 90 eligible films from 2017 and reviewing a whopping 82 of them! I, unfortunately, never found the time to work on my planned Cars Month despite clearly stating otherwise in my Mid-Year Film List. I have a habit of doing so: making written deadlines for promised material to try and keep me on task. Back on March 9, 2016, I did a film poll where the readers voted on which film they wanted me to review most. The winner was Midnight Special, which I claimed would review and publish between March 16th to March 20th, 2016—cut to December 6th, 2017 where I finally posted the review.
The point I’m making is, while I rarely make my planned deadlines (did I mention I originally planned to finish and release this post on Oscar night), I do, eventually, keep my promises. Cars Month will happen, maybe by this summer, maybe in two years, maybe as part of some massive, Pixar-focused cornucopia. On the plus side, I did get to releasing my planned film analysis for Paterson.
2017 had some close competitors in quality. I had to reread my reviews for #5 and #6 several times and contemplate on some long dog walks before finally deciding their ranking. Two of my top ten films were so close in quality and, surprisingly, in achievement that I ended up giving them a tie spot at #8. I’ve divided the list into two groups: my Top Ten Films of 2017, ordered numerically, and The Other Ten—ten honorable mentions ordered alphabetically. I should call it The Oher Eleven, however (as well as the Top Eleven, seeing how there's a tie), as I’ve placed Dunkirk and Darkest Hour together in a single spot. I find them effective, complementary films that deal with the Dunkirk evacuation from different perspectives (one involved in the action, the other involved in its political climate), and that one should not be viewed without seeing the other.
Because January primarily consists of the previous year’s Oscar contenders, I regard it (film-wise) as the previous year’s end rather than the new year’s beginning. As such, all films—whether Oscar nominees or not—released and seen in January are eligible for this list. In terms of 2017 leftovers, The Meyerowitz Stories is the only film I never found the time to properly review—as such, it will be hopping over to 2018 as an eligible contender.
From my Mid-Year Film List, nine remain on this list, though only five still hold a spot in the top ten. 2017 has been, quite possibly, the most balanced year for film I’ve ever had the pleasure of writing about. Out of the 22 films on this list, 12 are from the first half of the year while 10 released during the Oscar season. You may notice that Get Out made the list over Logan, despite the latter ranking higher on my Mid-Year list. That's because I've come to value Get Out far more than when I initially reviewed it. The more I think about Get Out, the more I truly appreciate its innovative twists and subversions—compared to Logan, which remains a good yet flawed film that had far more potential.
As always, links are provided in each film's title to their review—and remember, these are my opinions and mine alone. You do not have to agree with them, you do not have to like them. There is no such thing as a “wrong” opinion when it comes to something as subjective as film. My favorite might be your most hated and vice versa, yet neither of us is “wrong”, simply entitled to our own opinions.
Now then, ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!!
The Other Ten:
"12 Strong swiftly moves through the mandatory military clichés—setting up the team, saying goodbye to family, etc.—to get to its main mission (do I hear another plus). I write the following without sarcasm: the final battle between the American/Alliance and the Taliban gave me an ever-so-similar vibe to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Maybe it is the men on horses riding into battle, or the battle’s setting, or Dostum showing up during Nelson’s bleakest moment to assist. Nevertheless, the final battle is an exciting piece of old-school entertainment—something rarely seen in modern military films."
"If there’s one major element that stands on par, if not surpasses the 1991 version, it’s the 2017’s interpretation of the Beast. Dan Stevens does a fantastic job as Beast, giving him a distinctive elegance and sophistication that, while not absent from the original, was downplayed in favor of the Beast’s more comedic and ferocious characteristics. The 2017 version initially has trouble finding its footing: it’s pacing is off at times, and follows the original a bit too closely. Yet by the time Beast appears in the film, Beauty and the Beast finds its own ground—still following closely to the 1991’s plot, yet with a refreshing atmosphere created by its actors (namely Dan Stevens) and their altered/additional moments. When viewed by its accomplishments through singular elements, the remake is a remarkably well-made film—succeeding in all the areas Cinderella’s remake falls short."
"Darkest Hour boasts great cinematography and a fantastic performance from Gary Oldman, complete with a makeover that makes him virtually indistinguishable from Churchill. The film does take several liberties with history, including the film’s best scene where Churchill jumps car to ride the London Underground with British civilians. The scene is entirely fictitious, and blatantly so, yet is so rousing and poignant that its fabrication is easy to forgive./Sound is a key player, if not the key player, throughout Dunkirk. The soundtrack is in sync with the intense droning of German bombers diving towards the beaches. The film’s tensest scenes involve the characters slowly realizing the impending assault as they look up to the distant hum of planes, followed by hellish screeches as the bombers rain destruction upon the men and ships."
"I really appreciate a film like this. It gets right to its nonsensical premise—no setup, no backstory, no logical explanation, just a story about a guy who builds a giant, magical, deadly cardboard maze because he was bored. The film is bursting with creativity—unbound from the rules of science and logic, free to do whatever it pleases. From an overview, its key strength is its charming nature, with the film’s darker elements never overtaking its well-meaning nature. Dave Made a Maze is sweet, funny, incredibly creative, and ends up being unexpectedly endearing."
"Dealt is a well-made documentary about a card trick expect coming to accept and appreciate the cards he’s been dealt with in life. The success story of Richard Turner is a fascinating journey, with the documentary doing an impressive job balancing his backstory and current day situation. The film ends on several very touching scenes, including a victory that may have felt cheesy in a biographical feature, yet is moving and satisfying here. Dealt also serves as a secondary account on magicians and card manipulators, showcasing a lot of mindboggling techniques while conveying how vigorously Turner practices to be so good."
"The Disaster Artist captures the “magic” that occurred during The Room's production, and it is an absolute delight to watch. Whether it’s dealing with comedy or drama, everything that occurs behind the scenes is pure, engaging entertainment. The film has an all-around great cast; from its big supporting roles like Seth Rogen to its minor ones like Charlyne Yi, nearly every character leaves an impression. The comedy, as expected from a film about Tommy Wiseau, practically writes itself. There’s a rich scene where Tommy gives Greg an inspirational speech while clumsily tossing around a football. The scene ends with Tommy awkwardly going to punt the football much to Greg’s confusion; “What..what are we doing?” The film’s climax involves the characters going straight Mystery Science Theater 3000 during The Room’s premiere—picking out its flaws before bursting into laughter over the film’s horrible hilarity. While I’m certain Hollywood liberties were taken for the climax, the finale, nonetheless, makes for a satisfying conclusion that sums up The Room’s impact."
"As a thriller, Get Out is noticeably effective. The entire film has a consistent, unsettling vibe even during its more mundane scenes—with several, light jump scares sprinkled in-between to effectively utilize the tension. The horror elements don’t truly appear until the finale, yet when fully revealed, are both really clever and genuinely horrifying (there’s nothing more terrifying to me than the “I have no mouth and I must scream” scenario). I don’t entirely understand why Get Out lacks a “comedy” genre labeling, since there’s as much comedy in the film as horror (think Evil Dead 2, where events can go from disturbing and shocking to goofy and witty by the next or very same scene). Pretty much every scene involving Chris’ best friend Rod (Lil Rel Howery) feels as if it’s straight out of a Key & Peele sketch: making fun of and, occasionally, flat out satirizing the horror/thriller genres (especially during the final scene)."
"Paddington is a character I wish existed in real life. An incredibly good-natured, benevolent bear that makes his neighborhood a better place and can transform even a hardened prison into a magical, happy place where the warden reads bedtime stories to the prisoners. As with its predecessor, Paddington 2 contains plenty of slapstick antics from the bear involving his jobs and time in prison. There is an old-fashioned innocence and charm to these scenes; they’re cute and silly without resorting to crass humor and vulgarity unlike most modern adaptations to classic stories. The film’s comedy is a gradual buildup of giggles, eventually leading to pure mirth by its finale. Two jokes that had me in stitches involve a guard believing the antagonist to be an “unusually attractive nun” and a subtle newspaper heading reading “’Get Out of Jail Free Card Not Legally Binding’ Says Judge”."
"The Post is right up Steven Spielberg’s alley. The director can make excellent thrillers out of any material, with The Post being no exception. The film is a well-written drama with solid characters and character development, a constant sense of tension, effective moral ambiguity, fluent pacing, splashes of comedy to lighten the mood, a great cast to give its characters personality and impact, and a successful balance between making events comprehensible to uninformed audiences without needing to slow down and tediously explain. The Post does suffer from issues with historical inaccuracy and contrived politically correct moments, yet they do little to drag down the film’s overall effectiveness."
"Wonder is a wonderous film that refuses to stick to a single viewpoint. I walked into the theaters expecting a good film about a boy with a severe facial deformity and walked out of a very good film about a boy with a severe facial deformity and the people around him. Combined with the film’s creative, thoughtful handling of its subject and all-around great acting—especially its child actors’s impressive performances—makes Wonder a delightful success."
The Top Ten:
"Zombie stories are a dime a dozen, and if a writer desires to make an impact with their version, a new concept must be added to the mix. Infected yet immune characters are nothing new to the genre, as aren’t infected yet immune children, or infected yet immune girls. Where The Girl with All the Gifts distinguishes itself with its infected yet immune characters is their persisting desire for living flesh. Melanie is a sweet, compassionate girl, but once she gets hungry her desire for flesh overrides all rationality (though she tries her best to resist). There’s a scene where Melanie is sent out to “hunt” when she begins feeling the effects of the hunger. Melanie’s state, however, makes her a valuable member to the survival party as other hungries ignore attacking their own kind—allowing Melanie to go out and scout for safer routes and/or find animals to use as a distraction. Melanie’s state leads to some tragic scenes, yet also can make for some surprisingly witty dark humor. There’s a scene where Melanie’s hunger causes her to devour a cat, an animal she’s quite fond of. The scene itself is somber, but later leads to a humorous conversation where Melanie’s teacher asks if she wants (to adopt) a cat, causing Melanie to reply; 'No thanks. I already had one.'"
"Columbus is a prime example of how an already compelling story can be further heightened when a director effectively utilizes sound and cinematography. Columbus takes full advantage of its titled city’s unique architecture, both in and out of story. The scenery, sculptures, and buildings are beautiful eye candy to view. Its main duo are architect aficionados, giving the film an in-story reason to extensively focus on such art. The film often uses stationary long shots behind its characters, capturing the size and grandeur of whatever setting they’re appreciating. There’s little soundtrack in Columbus, instead relying on the setting’s serene nature sounds (birds, rain, etc.) to create ambiance. I particularly enjoy the film’s usage of rain, giving scenes a tranquil serenity alongside its rich, beautiful scenery. Mirrors are creatively used to showcase people and expressions from a stationary shot’s nonvisible angles. At one point the film uses two different mirrors for two people positioned in different areas of the room. It’s all so aesthetically pleasing and works wonders alongside the film’s story."
"T2 Trainspotting goes for a very different approach than the original, and it pays off. The sequel has far more sympathetic themes towards family and friends—repairing bonds and developing characters. The returning characters are far more enjoyable and empathetic, the newcomers improve upon their replacements, and there’s a very satisfying feeling by the conclusion, all the while not completely fixing the characters’s issues and ending hunky-dory. 20 years was the perfect gap in time to come back and reexamine these characters’s lives (a shorter timeskip, say 5 years, would have been far less potent). T2 is not only a well-made sequel, but an overall superior film that strengthens and improves upon the original."
"It is apparent Thor: Ragnarok took notes from Guardians of the Galaxy—hell, a good chunk of the film is set on a colorful, crazy alien planet with zany comedic aliens such as a polite talking rock golem and Jeff Goldblum. What makes Ragnarok’s blend of comedy work better than Guardians, however, is its previously set up lore—similar to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 except with an even better cast. All the great MCU characters absent from Civil War appear here, and it’s a blast of great chemistry and comedy. It has long been evident that Chris Hemsworth was made to play a more comedic role. Past films have proven Hemsworth to be a genuinely funny actor, and his comedy skits about Thor living in Australia are absolutely hysterical. Ragnarok finally allows Hemsworth to fully flex those comedic muscles in his feature-length series, and it works wonders for the character. In one film Thor has gone from one of the blandest MCU superheroes to one of their most charming and endearing. There’s one scene where Thor tries conversing with his female captor Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), leading to a hilarious skit where he clumsily discusses the Valkyrior and how he wanted to be one until he discovered it was an all-female group."
"Wonder Woman’s comedy is an ideal, appropriately placed mix between the action and drama. The film loves its fish out of water jokes, especially regarding its female lead (who grew up on an all-female island) not understanding early 20th century 'male-female etiquette'. The film’s overemphasis on these jokes may have eventually grown trite, if not for the natural chemistry and comedic timing/expressions of Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, who do a really good job keeping the jokes entertaining, occasionally flat out hilarious, and fresh. I enjoy how the film, without directly stating it, has Diana gradually grow more powerful as she learns to better harness her skills—such as when she utilizes her super strength to leap a cavern and create her own hand grips to scale a tower—going from slightly above average Amazon warrior to super-powered demigoddess. Wonder Woman, amusingly enough, is a symbol of hope for the DCEU: despite all the horror they’ve created, there’s still some good within them. Yet Wonder Woman is also a symbol of hope for female-lead superhero films, which, up to this point (Supergirl, Catwoman, Elektra, etc.), have been utter disasters both critically and commercially. Wonder Woman has proven to be neither, and has taken top spot as my favorite superhero film of 2017."
"The Big Sick is a film that gradually progresses into excellence. It starts off a decent, unremarkable romance-comedy with the occasional cute and/or funny moment, but then steadily gains traction as it grows in better comedy, engaging romance, and potent drama. It’s then that The Big Sick hits its middle section, the meat of the story, where the title’s meaning comes into play. I wasn’t aware going in what exactly the title was referring to, but after seeing the film I wholly understand its meaning and why the film is named after such event. It’s the film's 'Big Sick' element where the story’s quality skyrockets to phenomenal levels of innovative concepts and beautifully executed comedy-drama. The Big Sick is a very effective film with really good comedy, really good drama (which should especially be noted as drama is often overlooked in comedies) and several really good performances. It’s a charming, delightful, innovative romance comedy-drama with some downright brilliant scenes and a fantastically executed middle section."
"I’ve seen The Last Jedi twice—once before I saw any reviews and another after seeing them—and my opinion on the film has actually grown since the second viewing. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is in every way a superior film to The Force Awakens. It has better storytelling, better characters and character development, better action, better tension, better comedy, and most importantly, better innovation. Oh sure, the film harks back to scenes and moments from the original trilogy (mostly Empire and Return of the Jedi), but unlike The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi does not resort to a nostalgia-fueled paint-by-numbers retread during its second half. If anything, it’s The Last Jedi’s second half where it really takes a few turns for the new and refreshing. Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, The Force Awakens, Rogue One and now The Last Jedi—I’ve seen five Star Wars films in theaters (the rest at home) and this is the first time I’ve walked out of the theater, twice, without any major gripes towards the film."
"Personal Shopper is an amazing psychological thriller with some downright terrifying moments (the scariest modern film I’ve seen since It Follows). It’s in Personal Shopper that Stewart delivers her best performance to date. I won’t say she makes the film, because Personal Shopper has so much more to offer, but she definitely has a large part to play in its overall effectiveness. Personal Shopper’s minimalistic soundtrack usage and focus on Stewart’s body language (such as her trembling fingers as Maureen texts the unknown messenger) allows for a very relatable, incredibly natural performance. The big moments where Maureen showcases shock and fear are handled beautifully, yet it’s also the smaller touches—such as Maureen’s hesitancy to talk about her interests in ghosts (which, in turn, showcases her own clashing uncertainty over their existence), to the simplest moment of her pushing away some overly enthusiastic dogs—that turn Maureen into an all-too-realistic character. As strange as it might seem, it’s the latter enthusiastic dogs moment that really stood out for me; it’s an entirely unnecessary moment to the plot that could easily be taken out, yet adds an extra layer of realism to the story as it further humanizes Stewart’s character."
"Its name is no deceiver, Super Dark Times is a f@#%ed up film…a f@#%ed up film with great cinematography, a thoroughly engaging story, and phenomenal acting. The first twenty-five minutes of Super Dark Times is such a grounded, realistic portrayal of teenagers. I’m not certain how much dialogue was previously written and how much is improvised, but major credit must be given to the actors here for so effortlessly conveying how teenagers act. From the very beginning my first thoughts were; “My god, they actually sound and act like real kids”, and such thought process only grew stronger as the film progressed. For the first twenty-five minutes, it doesn't feel like you're watching a film, but rather a hidden camera documentary about teenagers that was polished in cinematography postproduction. Super Dark Times’ gorgeous cinematography combined with the film’s cold, desolate winter setting gives the story an eerily calm, chilling atmosphere. Kevin Phillips’ directing debut is a messed up film, a wonderfully mess up, oh so realistic film. I wouldn’t mind getting a sequel to this film, possibly set in the future with the characters as young adults/grownups—sort of a counter film (one that I’m willing to watch) to that other sequel being made about the kids and the clown. Give me more high-quality films similar to Super Dark Times than It and I will be a very happy man."
"If I were to pick a motto for The Florida Project, it’d be; “It’s the little things that matter”. The motto is a double entendre, as it refers to both the children the film is primarily focused upon and the small added touches and moments throughout. There’s an inexplicably hilarious background moment where a man in a wheelchair jaggedly goes over a speedbump. I’m not even certain the moment is supposed to be funny, but it got my friends, my brother and I laughing good. Moments such as this one, Bobby talking to the cranes, and Moonee bumping her head too hard could have easily been taken out of the film without disrupting the plot—yet doing so would remove half of what makes The Florida Project so endearing. If the children make up the film’s heart, then it’s the small added touches and moments that make up its soul. I love The Florida Project. It contains all-around exceptional, genuine performances, including some of the best child acting I’ve seen that, whether improvised or scripted, feels entirely real without a hint of adult meddling. It’s funny, it’s charming, it’s organic, it’s heartwarming, it’s heartbreaking, it’s gorgeous to look at, it’s brimming with personality, it’s incredibly unique and it’s definitely one of 2017’s best films."
"Paterson is humorously dry, incredibly elegant, and beautifully subtle. It’s engaging, sublime, and thoroughly thought-provoking. It’s a film full of poetic themes and coincidences involving pairs, cycles, and parallels. Paterson contains a fantastic character arc and a stunning portrayal of everyday life. It’s a story about an imperfect yet loving couple living an ordinary routine, yet also a story of ambition and a willingness to take risks to achieve one’s goals—all without contradicting its grounded approach. The film is incredibly relatable and portrays its main couple in a striking way I’ve never seen before. Laura and Paterson’s relationship is the closest a film’s ever come to mirroring my wife and I’s relationship. Their's is a marriage about love and supporting each other—of concern, caring, friendship, teasing, joy, empathy, and comfort. About the subtle character flaws and dilemmas that affect all relationships, instead of the big dramatic conflicts cinematography usually portrays. What else can I write except that Paterson is an absolutely brilliant film."