I’m slightly late to the party with my end of year favourites but here goes…
I enjoyed a lot of releases in 2017 and it proved difficult to put together a list in any sort of order. Instead of wracking my brain over the small details, I’ve decided to list the three films that made the biggest impression and stayed with me after I left the cinema. I’ll follow it up with a solid batch of honourable mentions and a list of films I’m yet to see.
No spoilers below!
I featured The Florida Project in a previous blog post a few days before its UK release date in November. A24 has had some year with their distribution and for me Sean Baker’s independent gem could arguably be their strongest release in a crowd of some very good films. I read into and watched a lot of interviews with the director which made me even more intrigued to see what a Baker film would be like with a half decent budget. I loved the Richard Linklater feel to the storytelling as the film glides along with the key characters slowly developing in front of our eyes. The casting of the film is spot on – Willem Dafoe has justified the big recognition he’s getting for his role as Bobby the motel manager, and the kids chemistry works a treat as they roam the local areas causing mischief and eating ice cream. The Florida Project’s realism takes you on an emotional rollercoaster and sits rightfully in my top three of 2017.
I went into Christopher Nolan’s war epic with high expectations and it didn’t disappoint. Hans Zimmer’s pulsating score grabs you and doesn’t let go. I was glued to the cinema seat and after the running time I could breath again. The air set pieces are a joy to behold and overall the films cinematography is glorious. The editing and sound departments will have something to say if they don’t clean up with a handful of awards. Dunkirk , like any film, has its critics with people citing the lack of dialogue and character depth as an issue but for me it all worked and it easily made its way into my top three.
I knew very little about David Lowery’s experimental fantasy flick going into the screening. The only thing I did know was that it starred Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck (predominantly in a white sheet) who were the leading actors in Lowery’s 2013 release Ain’t Them Bodies Saints. The casual cinema goer will struggle with the mixture of long shots and limited dialogue in the opening 30 minutes, which includes the infamous sympathy pie eating scene. I wasn’t too sure what to make of A Ghost Story at first but when the film sequences began to unfold I found myself completely wrapped up in the world Lowery had created. Daniel Hart’s emotional score and Andrew Droz Palermo’s shooting in the 4×3 aspect ratio really made the film a stand out for me.
Moving on to my honourable mentions…
The wonderful Call Me By Your Name still has me in an Italian haze and came close to breaking into my top three. In this delicate coming-of-age film , Elio (Chalamet) and Oliver (Hammer) fall for each other during the summer of 1983. The nominations are stacking up for best picture, director and lead actor but Michael Stuhlbarg’s understated supporting performance as Elio’s Father has been overlooked by the Golden Globes and BAFTA.
2017 provided a lot of of memorable performances. Barry Keoghan’s haunting portrayal of Martin in The Killing of a Sacred Deer will live long in the memory. Robert Pattinson’s frantic Connie Nikas in Good Time surpasses his performance in The Rover as he continues to shrug off Edward Cullen. Steven Soderbergh’s return to heist movies with Logan Lucky was an excellent surprise with Daniel Craig’s performance a highlight. Casey Affleck was worthy of his Oscar at the start of the year for his role as a grief-stricken Father in Manchester by the Sea.
Jordan Peele’s Get Out has gained huge momentum since its release. It has been one of the most talked about films of the year with its psychological blend of horror, thriller and comedy delivering a clear message. It was a good year for the horror genre at the box office as Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of Stephen King’s IT exploded to success. The young cast have chemistry and bring comedic elements to a film with really dark themes.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe continued its hot streak with Spider-Man: Homecoming and Taika Waititi’s superb Thor: Ragnarok. The streak looks to continue in 2018 with Black Panther and Avengers Infinity War . The tenth instalment in the X Men film series, Logan, was packed with brutal action and an on form Patrick Stewart. It will be an interesting future for the ever growing comic book genre as the crossover begins with the Disney takeover.
The Handmaiden, Okja and the beautiful stop-motion My Life as a Courgette were strong releases in world cinema from South Korea and France all packing an emotional punch.
I really enjoyed the originality of Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver with repeat viewings planned along with Denis Villeneuve’s stunning Blade Runner 2049. Finally, with its December release, Paddington 2 was an unexpected delight with the rarity of a sequel surpassing the first film.
The following five films are high on my watch list…
- Sicario / Hell or High Water writer Taylor Sheridan’s murder mystery Wind River.
- Yorkshireman Francis Lee’s BAFTA nominated drama God’s Own Country.
- Dee Rees’ Netflix distributed post WWII drama Mudbound.
- Armando Ianucci’s BAFTA nominated comedy The Death of Stalin.
- Golden Globe winner James Franco stars as Tommy Wiseau in The Disaster Artist.
A very strong year in filmmaking! Fingers crossed 2018 can deliver the same quality if not better.
Alex
salmonconnery 