My Favourite Films of 2018

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My Top of 2018 + Oscars commentary

One of these years I’ll publish this maybe at the end of the calendar year rather than 2 months into the next year. But this is not that year! Again I had to rush in the first few weeks of 2019 to see some of the films of 2018. And even so, I have not see all the films nominated for Best Picture as I usually intend to do. My blindspots? Vice and The Favourite. I’ve heard one of these really is great to the point that I even honored it in the title of this post. (Eh? See what I did there?) If you have seen any of those or others not mentioned here, please comment and let me know your thoughts and recommendations.  

I saw a total of 37 films that came out this year. I also had the opportunity to see two classic films that saw rereleases in 2018: 1968’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, honoring its 50th anniversary, and Schindler’s List, honoring its 25th anniversary. These are two of the greatest films of all time and deserved some recognition as well, so holla!

Unlike previous years, this list is perfect and my top 10 are not influenced by any bias whatsoever. So just accept what I have to say. Obviously, the Oscars disagree with me. They think they know what the best 8 films of 2018 were (they can choose 10. Just choose 10 next year!). I agree with some but disagree with others, as you will see. I decided to expand my honorable mentions this year by also including some honorable moments—scenes from films which weren’t close to my top 10 but still offered something beautiful and impressive to cinema in 2018.

One last note: I'll do my best to keep any comments/discussion as spoiler-free as possible, but there's always the chance something may be given away. So be careful out there. 

Now, without any further adieu, here are a few...

Honorable Mentions/Moments 

In no particular order.

 

“Shallow” - from A Star Is Born

Though the film itself didn’t make my top 10, this moment may be one of the best moments of the year. Anchored by powerhouse vocals from Lady Gaga, this moment comes early in the film and sets the bar immeasurably high for everything else that follows. Unfortunately, I feel like the 90 minutes that follow never quite reach these heights. The rest of the film is fine and both performances by Bradley and Stefani (I had to look up her real name) as well as one of the best supporting roles of the year by Sam Elliott. The camerawork and direction in this scene from the film is superb, but some of Cooper’s choices aren’t quite as effective. That being said I’m okay with the nominations this film has received and this song is a lock for Best Song. 

 

The Rider

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I finally saw this film last week after my brother told me months ago that it was one of his favorite films of the year. It may very well climb the ranks but as of now when I’m writing this post it sits just outside my top 10. It has some of the most beautiful cinematography of the year and some very impressive long takes. Additionally, the narrative is semi-biographical as the lead character Brady, played by real-life rodeo star Brady Jandreau, displays for the audience his road to recovery after a traumatic brain injury he suffered. The opening of the film shows Brady removing staples from his head post-surgery. Apparently that wasn’t any kind of makeup trick, as this was raw footage of the actor actually removing his dressing in real life, too. It’s a very interesting bridge between documentary and narrative. The story chronicles how this rider pushes through life after he is no longer able to do the thing he was most passionate about. Had I seen this film before I finally passed my PANCE exam when it seemed like I wouldn’t be able to pursue my career as a PA I might have been affected in an entirely different way. Regardless, I will watch this again and again for the stunning way that director Chloe Zhao captures the relationship between horses and their riders.

 

Avengers: Infinity War

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This film is a miracle. Finally, after 10 years of build up, it has all come to this. Well, this and then part 2 (Endgame) coming out in April 2019. To be honest, that’s probably why I didn’t have as high a reaction to this as I expected because it seems obvious where it’s going but they only had the time to do half the story. Contrast that with The Empire Strikes Back, which had one of the biggest cliffhangers in cinema history. Back then moviegoers had to wait 3 years to see if that happened. And the Star Wars universe and Lucasfilm wasn’t the powerhouse it is today so even then it was still possible that a third part would never happen. But nowadays we KNOW Marvel will resolve the loose ends after only 1 year. Despite my problems with the film, it has some amazing moments. The meeting of various Avengers with the various Guardians of the Galaxy is fun and the way the Russo Brothers crafted those exchanges while maintaining the unique and strong personalities of each character is a masterwork in storytelling. The moment Thor lands in the fields of Wakanda is chill-inducing. And the devastation wrought by one large fisted man snapping his fingers left a collective gasp over my audience. There may not be another movie-going experience quite like that for some time.

 

AND NOW...MY TOP FILMS OF 2018, STARTING WITH...

 

10. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

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This film is action gold. Tom Cruise is a national treasure. How many actors have jumped out of a plane 106 times to get footage for a HALO jump scene that lasts no more than 5 minutes of screen time? Sure, there are moments of cheese with screenwriting but Chris McQuarrie and Tom Cruise really know what they’re doing here. With McQuarrie back at the helm following Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, it’s the first time a director has returned to this franchise. And it carries forth the plot of the previous film, too. Apparently McQuarrie is signed on to make 2 more films set to release in 2021 and 2022 that will film back-to-back. All I can say is this might be the best action franchise out there right now. You’d be hard pressed to find anything to compare with its stellar fight sequences, insane stunts, elaborate and inspired set pieces, and characters that the audience cares about. I can’t wait for what’s next, though how can they top this one? I guess we know who the first man to Mars will be and which director will bring back the footage for us mere mortals to enjoy.

 

9. Eighth Grade

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This is where I start to mention films that the Academy really dropped the ball on. Eighth Grade is a heartfelt study of a young girl at the end of her eighth grade year and it deserves award recognition. The screenplay is perfect and the acting is superb. Elsie Fisher plays this eighth grader and is fantastic. The film is equally terrifying and lighthearted. It’s interesting that now that I’m older I relate much more to the older characters in these kinds of films, specifically Kayla’s father. I fear for everything my daughter will face in her life and hope that she will always trust me enough to tell me everything that she is going through. If you were a fan of 2017’s Lady Bird then this film will be right up your alley. And for everyone else just watch it as well. I laughed out loud. I cried. I was a nervous wreck, but I came away feeling like I revisited my eighth grade years while also catching a glimpse of what the current generation is going through with social media being such a key part of their growing up.

8. Free Solo

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The first documentary on my list. I saw this with my brother-in-law Hayden and we were squirming in our seats from how crazy some of these shots were. As inspiring as the story is of Alex Hannold’s free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite, I can’t get over how stupid you would have to be to do something like that. That being said watching this film was exhilarating as I could witness this awesome feat from the comfort of a theater seat. It is an inspiring testament to pursuing a passion and accomplishing greatness. Above that, Alex’s climb was an execution of perfection, as even the smallest mishap when he was up 1500 feet would have led to his death. What he did took an incredible amount of practice so he would know exactly where to put his fingers and feet on the rock face during his ascent. What we get as an audience is a great character study of artists or athletes pursuit of perfection and some of the most beautiful shots of any film here.

7. Roma

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Many people may have heard of this, or seen it in their Netflix suggestions. Please don’t let the black and white camerawork prevent you from seeing this. It has some of the most vibrant shots of any film this year. The black and white services to tell us that this is a story of memories of childhood and specifically the caretaker in direct Alfonso Cuaron’s life who did so much for him and his family so thanklessly. It is a timely film as tensions relating to the border and immigration are so high right now. Often we go about our lives and there are individuals all around us who have a big influence on us but we see them more as supporting roles in the movie that we are starring in. This film shows us the beauty of those roles and how they are stars in and of themselves. Alfonso Cuaron has always been a master behind the camera and this film is no exception, featuring moving tracking shots, marvelous single take sequences, and so much life and wonder filling the entire frame of the film. While not my top pick to win Best Film at the Oscars tonight, it is undoubtedly deserving. And what’s more, it’s an easy film to access. Just hop on your Netflix and add it to the queue now.

6. First Man

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It’s a shame this film endured so much senseless controversy surrounding what people were calling the “de-Americanizing of the moon landing". Rumors spread that Damien Chazelle (Best Director winner for La La Land only 2 years ago) refused to show the planting of the American flag on the lunar surface. I’ve seen the film, and I saw the American flag. So everyone calm down. It is more patriotic that any film I’ve seen in a while though through the nuanced way that Chazelle shows the science and sacrifice that went into putting someone on the moon. In our era we are surrounded by before-and-after photos which shortchange us hiding the most important part of all: the patience and diligence and hardwork that went into reaching the goal. This film studies those years and weeks and days leading up to the launch of Apollo 11 and we see the way it affected the First Man, Neil Armstrong. It’s a shame this film was not nominated for Best Picture. I think the stupid controversy really hurt its chances, but its raw portrayal of one man’s quest to achieve the impossible. On top of that we get one of the best performances of the year by Claire Foy who plays Armstrong’s wife. She adds another level to the humanity of this American hero that we often just see for that thing he did and not who he was as a person.

5. Blindspotting

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The Variety quote on the poster above says what needs to be said about this film: “If ever there was a film open America’s eyes, this is it.” Set in the city of Oakland 3 days before Collin’s 3-year probation is up, we see him struggling to make it to the end. It’s no secret that America is still grappling with race. Who knows how much longer this will be the case, but for me this film opened my eyes to the reality of gentrification in some of America’s metropolitan areas and the differences between the black experience and the white experience. Police shootings of unarmed black men are a real thing that blacks deal with that I will never fully comprehend. This film speaks to the differences we see in each other and encourages us to change our perception of others, to see each other as the brothers and sisters that we really are. The acting in this film is phenomenal. Daveed Diggs (both Lafayette AND Jefferson of Hamilton fame) plays Collin and his white friend Miles is played by Rafael Casal. These two actors are best friends in real life and this freindship and mutual love of the city of Oakland drives their work both in music and film. They cowrote the screenplay and should be receiving more recognition for their work here. This is a glaring omission from the Best Picture nominees (seriously, Academy, you can pick 10! Why’d you stop at 8?!).

4. Minding the Gap

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Another documentary on the list?! I know, I’m crazy. But after I saw this film I couldn’t get it out of my head. It’s the story of 3 young men (in the poster from top to bottom: Bing, Zack, and Keire) growing up in Rockford, Illinois and how their lives have evolved over the years. Their childhoods had all been touched by domestic abuse in some way, which is what drove them to skateboarding as a means of therapy. The bonds they formed together gave them a feeling of family that they somehow lacked at home. Bing Liu, one of the three men, directed this film, and even includes some of the home footage he took of the the boys skateboarding from years ago when they first met. The scenes of the young men skateboarding around the city are mesmerizing. Each of them is a skilled skater and watching them is like witnessing art unfold around the streets of their town. But the film is much more than that, as it examines the effects their pasts have had on their present, whether its trying to reconcile with the abuse both seen and endured or trying to navigate the cycle of alcohol abuse and domestic violence that seems inescapable. One scene alone raises this from skateboarding documentary to a higher art as Bing shows the past and present of these three young men colliding with each other and the way he edits between their stories delivers more emotion that about anything I’ve seen all year. This is my pick for Best Documentary tonight.

3. BlacKkKlansmen

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Spoiler alert, my last two films aren’t nominated for Best Picture, so this here is my choice for the Oscar for Best Picture. Spike Lee has created a masterpiece here. It has all the fun and energy of a buddy cop story, but intercuts that with hard-hitting realities of racism. The end of the film has a prologue that packs a wallop of a reality check for us. Set in the early 1970s, too many of the injustices we see in the film are things that have barely changed, if at all, in the decades since, at least in some corners of the world, including our own. It’s a shame the John David Washington isn’t getting any credit for his work here. He is sharp, smart, and powerful in his performance and should have been nominated. But Lee finally got a Best Director nomination, and he deserves the win in my book. One scene in particular features footage from a century-old film, Birth of a Nation, which was a ground-breaking film at the time in its use of parallel editing, where it showed two different narratives happening simultaneously but cutting back and forth between the two. You might say that sounds simple, but that’s because the way we make films today is still very much the same and that’s owed to the techniques developed 100 years ago by D.W. Griffith. The problem is that film is racist. Extremely so. And it was used by various white supremacist groups as a sort of rallying cry to grow their numbers in the 1900s. Lee effectively cuts between a KKK screening of that film while showing a gathering of a black student union as they listen to an older gentleman recount a lynching he had witnessed around the time of the release of Birth of a Nation. It is a powerful and important scene and a testament to the power of cinema to deal with the darkness of our past and how we need to make a better present for us and our children to live in. Spike, I’m rooting for you tonight.

2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

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When I heard we were getting an animated Spider-Man film at the end of 2018 I was not excited at all. Since 2002 we have had 6 Spider-Man films with 3 different actors in the role of Peter Parker. The most recent, 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, was a refreshing take with a great villain and a scrappy young Peter Parker played by Tom Holland, who perhaps embodies the role better than any of his predecessors. So why were we getting YET ANOTHER Spider-Man film? I’ll tell you why. Because the characters in this universe have rich, colorful, varying stories to tell. And that is exactly what we get in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Throughout the course of the film we meet 7 different Spider-characters, each based on some iteration of the comics since Spider-Man’s first appearance in 1962. It is a testament that “anyone can wear the mask,” something Stan Lee always advocated for but which has not been the case in various depictions we’ve seen over the years. Miles Morales is the newest to don the mask in this film and it is an inspiring origin story for his character while also serving as a redemption for an alternate universe’s Peter Parker who had began somewhat of a recluse and apathetic after he had lost so much that he loved. Come to think of it, that arc sounds very similar to my #2 film last year of 2017, The Last Jedi. And both are deserving of all the praise in the world. Into the Spider-Verse’s animation style and adherence to the comics is a thing of beauty. It is a refreshing take on animation where everything mainstream since Toy Story has felt so derivative. There are moments that feel like panels ripped straight from comic book pages. Without shoehorning any racial politics into the film, the director and screenwriters just matter-of-factly show how anyone, even a biracial kid wearing a hoody with his shoes untied or a girl with short hair, is just as capable of being a superhero as anyone. That is something we all need to remember.

MINOR SPOILERS IN THE VIDEO BELOW: The video below is from a moment later in the film when the hero has his big moment. It is inspiring and the soundtrack is electric. Rey regularly requests to see “Spider-Man show” after the first time I showed her this clip and she gets caught up in his jumping, flying, and swinging, maybe almost as much as I do.

1. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

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It’s rare for me to put 3 documentaries on my top 10, and unheard of that I would have one at my #1 slot. But this film should be required viewing for every human being. Maybe all these documentaries are a testament to the kinds of things that are going on in the media and the world around us. Seeing real, rather than fictional, stories of people rising above circumstances and just being good is something that I needed more of this year. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? delivered on that in spades. If you haven’t seen this yet do whatever you can to see it. It’s baffling that this wasn’t nominated for Best Documentary in the Oscars, especially considering it’s won almost every other documentary award out there. Madison and I had one of the most memorable cinematic experiences as we watched this film. We found ourselves crying at multiple moments throughout the film. When the credits rolled, and the lights slowly started coming on you could feel the collective whimpering of the audience in our full theater. I’m sure each one of us wanted to hug every person in there. It’s hard watching this at times, because it seems like this kind of genuine kindness and care is gone from the world, but I’d like to think that it can still be there if we just take the time to be loving, to be thoughtful, to be neighborly.

 

And that’s a wrap. Hopefully you are persuaded to see something you wouldn’t have seen otherwise because of my thoughts. And please, leave your thoughts or your top 10 or whatever. That’s the point of art isn’t it? To create discussion and to feel a sense of community.

Top Films of 2017

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My favorite films of 2017 + Oscars preview

I am late. What day is it? As of writing it's March 3 but it'll probably be March 4 when it's actually published. Having a 1-.year-old makes it significantly harder to watch all the movies you intend to watch. I could have posted my top 10 back in January, but half of the movies that are on the list now have only made the list in recent weeks as I have scrambled to see the remaining Oscar nominated Best Pictures from 2017. 

This year I saw 34 films. Regrettably I saw very few documentaries, so you will not see any of those on here. There are a handful of other films I have yet to see which could have very well made my list based on things I've heard from friends and critics. Among those are I, Tonya, Wind River, Last Flag Flying, and Mudbound. If you have seen any of those or others not mentioned here, please comment and let me know your thoughts and recommendations.  

As a preface, as I stated last year, my "favorite films" are a hybrid of quality and personal preferences, which includes a level of bias. I am the only me I know so what I deem best will (hopefully) vary from yours. And again, please feel free to share your personal top films. I love to hear your thoughts. 

I will try harder next year to get these out earlier. I do like giving a little preview of the Oscars, so maybe I'll aim to have this out closer to when the nominations are actually announced. We'll see. It's a work in progress.

One last note: I'll do my best to keep any comments/discussion as spoiler-free as possible, but there's always the chance something may be given away. So be careful out there. 

Now, without any further adieu, here are a few...

Honorable mentions. 

In alphabetical order.

The Big Sick

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This was the best romantic comedy of the year. And it also touches on the immigrant experience in an unexpected way. If you have seen Master of None then this film is a perfect companion piece. The story of screenwriter and star Kumail Nanjiani and his wife, co-screenwriter Emily Gordon (portrayed in the film by Zoe Kazan) is lovely. This film has great jokes but it also has so much heart. Emily's parents are played by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter, both of whom do an excellent job and are just as important to the romance at the center of the film as are Kumail and Emily. I wanted this film to be in my top 10 but I just couldn't quite make room for it.  

 

Call Me By Your Name

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A worthy Best Picture nominee. It is another great coming of age story from this year and a story of first love and loss. While the romance didn’t work for me on all levels and felt a little rushed at times, I was in awe of the Italian backdrop of this film. It was a delight following Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) around the Italian countryside and spending time with them. With Moonlight last year and Call Me By Your Name this year I hope we can continue to see more well made films about LGBTQ relationships. A monologue at the end of the film delivered by Elio’s father played by Michael Stuhlbarg is one of the most moving scenes in 2017 films. It says beautifully what La La Land evoked last year of how some loves and experiences are so important in our lives that we can't dwell on the sadness that they leave behind. We need to remember that the people that cross our paths for good or ill shape us into who we are. Rather than looking at what was lost, look at the things they gave us and helped us discover about ourselves. 

 

Phantom Thread

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Daniel Day-Lewis. What can't he do? If he is really retiring after this film then the world is losing a great artist. He apparently learned to actually make a dress for this film. He brings such nuance and little quirks and emotions to this role that I was speechless. Best Actor will likely go to Gary Oldman who gives a brilliant turn as Winston Churchill in The Darkest Hour, and fair enough. His performance there is great. Plus Daniel Day-Lewis already has won the award 3 times. And his performance in each film is completely unrecognizable from the next. As a film, Phantom Thread is slow and meticulous. It seems like a standard romance on its surface but it goes to unexpected places, detailing the life of a genius (Day-Lewis) and the women around him: his sister played by Lesley Manville and his lover played by Vicky Krieps. Krieps is just as spellbinding as Day-Lewis, which is remarkable. I loved seeing the two of them act opposite each other as they sought to portray the sacrifices involved in making a relationship work. 

 

Spider-Man: Homecoming

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Finally, this is what I have wanted Spider-Man to be all these years. Many have said this is what Spider-Man would be like if directed by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off). It's a great coming-of-age / superhero origin story for Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Whatever terms Sony and Marvel Studios agreed to in order to make this film happen was worth it. Tom Holland evokes the perfect Peter Parker. His friends are just as fun and hilarious, especially Jacob Batalon as Ned. As good as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was this year, Madison and I agreed that so many comic book films show our heroes often killing without regret. It was great to see a hero who not only wants to solve problems without killing, but even goes out of his way to save his enemies from death. That was refreshing. Michael Keaton as the Vulture is one of the best villains Marvel has given us. You can sympathize with his plight and Keaton just chews up the scenery. It's a sign of great writing when the most tension-heavy scene of the film takes place between the hero and villain out of costume in a parked car rather than toe-to-toe in a huge climactic action set piece. I can't wait to see what lies in store for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. 

 

AND NOW...MY TOP FILMS OF 2017, STARTING WITH...

 

10. Logan

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It's no surprise: we are living in a time of super hero films. 2017 had 2 DC films and 4 Marvel films. Wonder Woman was fantastic (see my wife's review here). And as mentioned above Spider-Man: Homecoming was a worthy entry and just missed out of my top 10. But Logan was the one for me this year. It makes sense that a hero with claws coming out of his hands would find his home in an R-rated film. But he finally got his chance to shine. I am a Wolverine fan from way back. He was my favorite character in the cartoon from the 1990s. I was stoked when Hugh Jackman first took on the character in Bryan Singer's X-Men film in 2000. In the intervening 17 years we have seen 5 other X-Men films and 2 other Wolverine-centric films. This marks a culmination of all that has come before. Hugh Jackman is an old and weathered Logan. Despite his mutant healing power he is left scarred after all these years. Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier is even worse for wear. But both are brilliant in what has been advertised as their swan song. In what seems to be a theme for films this year, at least many on my list, Logan shows us our heroes at the end of their ropes. Heroes who have seen a world crumble around them, yet they give us reason to need them and believe in them one more time.

The action in this film is great, but even more powerful are the touching character moments for Charles, Logan, and Laura, portrayed marvelously by newcomer Dafne Keen. You will see and feel every beating Logan takes and wish for him to get some relief. But some of our heroes get to where they are, rising above their station, because of all that they can take and their resilience through it all. 

 

9. The Shape of Water

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So there's a good chance people know this as the one where a mute woman gets it on with a fish man. Before you dismiss the idea ask yourself how you feel about Beauty and the Beast? Cool, now that that's out of the way...

The Shape of Water is a gorgeous film. Guillermo Del Toro has created a breathtaking world set in Baltimore during the Cold War. Even richer than this world are the characters that inhabit it. Sally Hawkins plays Elisa, the mute woman who works as a janitor for a government facility. Octavia Spencer is her coworker Zelda. Richard Jenkins is her gay neighbor Niles. Michael Stuhlbarg is the Soviet spy studying the creature. Each is an outcast of sorts of the society at the time for one reason or another and poses a threat to the caricature of a villain played by Michael Shannon who runs the government lab that is housing the creature. This films is part fairy tale for adults and part social commentary of the people society often deems misfits. The acting is great across the board and the realization of the creature and the world around it is marvelous. Like old Hollywood monster films (Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon, King Kong), Del Toro contrasts the humanity in the "monster" with the monster in the human antagonist. This is a serious contender for Best Picture. With 13 nominations it is leading the pack and would be deserving of every award it could win.

8. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

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Another frontrunner to take home the prize of Best Picture at the awards. This film is a writing and acting powerhouse. My money is on Frances McDormand to take home the Best Actress award. She is one tough mother. She portrays yet another strong female character in a long line of strong female characters from 2017. The script is one of the best of the year with twists and turns and setups and payoffs from start to finish. And when you have the likes of McDormand with Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, and Peter Dinklage in supporting roles, you have one of the best films of the year. It's also a beautifully shot film. The titular billboards are depicted throughout the film in different lighting and to great effect. The humor is dark but sharp. I laughed out loud in the theater numerous times. 

The thing I like most about Three Billboards is how we see shades of grey in all our characters. Mildred, our protagonist, is not always good. She does some bad things to get the things she wants. And Officer Dixon and Chief Willoughby aren't the villains you would expect them to be. There are seemingly good people doing awful things and seemingly bad people doing wonderful things. It shows that all of us are here living on this earth together. Especially in our heightened political landscape it's easy to see the world as "us" and "them". But this film shows that our enemies are generally trying to do right as they see it. It's possible for "enemies" to work together to accomplish goals. The sooner we can see our own faults and appreciate the qualities and triumphs in others, the better.

Red Band Trailer - You've been warned.

7. Lady Bird

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There are so many coming of age films. So. MANY. But Lady Bird is different. And I'll be honest: for the first half I actually did find myself wondering "Why does everyone say this is SO good? Why is everyone talking it up so much? It's kind of cliche." But then it hit a point and I realized how much better this film is than so many others. Lady Bird was comforting a close friend who is gay. Just the way the film spent a few important moments with these characters during that time was extremely moving.

Greta Gerwig has done something truly magical with this film. On the surface it is a very specific story. Lady Bird is a Catholic teenage girl growing up in Sacremento, CA dealing with a difficult relationship with her mother. I am none of those things. And I never was. Yet I found her story so relatable. Saoirse Ronan may not get Best Actress this year (see Three Billboards above), but considering her pedigree so far it's only a matter of time. Her performance here is so good like everything else she's done before.  And all the characters around her are so beautifully written and brought to life by the cast in a relatable way. Laurie Metcalf as Lady Bird's mother is so great, and deserves any every award given to her. But the father, played by Tracy Letts, was a revelation to me. As a father with a daughter I perhaps related to him the most. There is a scene between Lady Bird's father and brother that moved me to tears just by the sheer honesty that Letts brings to that moment. But like every good coming of age drama it is balanced by smart and fun comedic moments. And on top of all that it's such a beautiful love letter to home towns, especially the smaller ones. No matter your desire to grow up and leave your home town behind, there's always something special drawing you there.

6. The Florida Project

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I'll say it upfront: it's a tragedy that this film was not nominated for Best Picture. I admit, there are other films in my top 5 that may not be worthy of a Best Picture nomination. The Florida Project is equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting. It is superbly acted across the board from veteran Willem Dafoe (give him Best Supporting Actor, please!) to newby sensation Brooklynn Prince. I'm always a fan of films that can show me a slice of life that I am totally unfamiliar with. Director Sean Baker does just that with this film by taking us into and around some of the motels housed in the shadows of Disney World in Florida: motels with near-copyright-infringing names like The Magic Castle and Future Land. This film is told largely from the perspective of Mooney. It would be easy to play up the fact that Mooney and her single mother are living in the projects of Orlando, to dwell on the income disparities that exist as some families are traveling there to live out their dreams of going to Disney World while Mooney's mother is struggling to pay rent each month at this motel. Yet when told from the perspective of this precocious girl, every day we see her living out her dreams. 

But like I said, her life is not without heartbreak. At times Mooney’s whole world is nearly upended. Yet with the magic that she and her friends create and the beauty of her simplistic life she is able to persevere. See this film.

5. Get Out

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Get Out came out at the beginning of 2017 yet somehow we didn’t manage to see it until a month ago. Part of that was because I had to convince Madison to see it. The last horror film I got her to see was The Conjuring on Halloween a couple years ago and I paid for it by having to take Luna out every night for a couple weeks. The horror in that film definitely sticks with you. Get Out sticks with you as well, not because of its horror but because it perfectly executes it’s construct and balances satire, comedy, horror, and social commentary in a brilliant way. It deals with a contemporary kind of racism that I certainly overlook. I’d like to think this film made me better understand the daily struggles that many people of color face.

The acting in this film is also among the best I’ve seen this year, which I would never have expected to say of a horror film. Leads Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams are fantastic as are the performances of Williams’s parents by Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener. But my favorite acting moment comes from housemaid Georgina played by Betty Gabriel. A key scene with her (seen below) begins to reveal the darker secrets and horrors that Kaluuya’s character is in store for. I can’t endorse this film enough.

4. Coco

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Never rule out Pixar. They are possibly one of the greatest film studios currently in operation. I regret not seeing this film earlier but Madison and I were finally able to catch it as it was about to leave theaters. And instantly this film rose to one of my favorite Pixar films. The animation is among the most stunning I have ever seen, especially in the realization of the Land of the Dead. The original songs are beautiful and catchy. I bought the soundtrack shortly after seeing the film. And the message of pursuing your dreams and the importance of family is eternal. Though I even found myself predicting some of the turns the movie took, I was still riveted. The script is smart. And if the opening 5 minutes of Up  broke you, prepare to be broken again. I was moved to tears twice in this film. Sometimes Pixar’s films can be a little too emotionally manipulative. Coco earns these moments. I can’t wait to share this film and it’s messages with Rey as she gets older. 

3. Dunkirk

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I have already written at length about Dunkirk. I saw this film twice in IMAX. Both times it was...an experience. That is really the best way to describe it. I have yet to see this on home video, and admittedly I am a little hesitant. I fear the immersive qualities of the film will be lost when not viewed in the largest format possible. While other films on my top 10 could be enjoyed just as well on a TV while sitting on your couch at home, I think theaters are made for films like Dunkirk. 

One thing that I loved on second viewing was the importance this film places on hope and surviving. Sometimes in our world with the things going on around us it is a great success if we can just keep going about our lives. We may not always be able to fight things head on. A lot of days we can't. But to survive to fight another day is just as crucial as the actual battles we face. If Dunkirk ever makes its way back to the cinemas please go see it. It is masterfully shot and the tension created by the interweaving of editing, the score, and the plot lines makes for one of the best war films of all time.

2. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

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If you know me you had to know this would be near the top. And I admit I could go back and forth on putting this as my 1 or 2 this year. I love science fiction and fantasy films. The only reason this drops a notch for me is pacing in the second act. 

I know there have been endless articles written both criticizing and defending this film. What director Rian Johnson did with this film is truly special. He has paid homage to the great films of cinema past, including an almost exact imitation of a famous scene from the first Best Picture winner ever, Wings. He has created a way for Star Wars to continue on into the future and to make it relevant for our time. It may be the most important Star Wars film made, as it includes commentary on our current society and perhaps the most diverse cast of any film on this list. Of course that does not inherently make it a great film. But Johnson takes each of these core characters through a journey that challenges them and the audience. Some of the choices are undoubtedly controversial, but we were warned in the trailer when Luke explicitly states "This is not going to go the way you think." I can't wait to see where future films take our heroes and villains in this galaxy far, far away.

MINOR SPOILERS: Some people wish Luke had actually fought the First Order at the end of the film. I think it is a greater triumph for his character and a greater testament to the true ways of the Jedi that he doesn't rely on aggression or attack. Like Dunkirk before, it is proof that sometimes pacifism wins the day.

1. Blade Runner 2049

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So yeah, Denis Villeneuve. He directed one of my favorite films last year in Arrival and returned this year with Blade Runner 2049. If you have never seen the original Blade Runner film from 1982, which I hadn't before a few months ago, you need to. It's a wonderful cult classic and has a fantastic score and one of the best antagonists ever put to film in Rutger Hauer's Roy Batty. And the world it depicts set in the distant future of 2019 (?!?!) is one of the best production designs of any science fiction film. Like Mad Max: Fury Road, Blade Runner 2049 expands on its predecessor in miraculous ways. It maintains the noir feel of the original, which is remarkable for a mainstream film to do in 2017. As such it runs long at over 2 hours and 40 minutes. There are moments of quiet where we follow Detective K, played by Ryan Gosling. But it's no detriment, as every single frame of this film is among the most beautiful images I've seen in film ever. 

Regrettably this film didn't make it big at the box office (Hey! In true Blade Runner fashion). But I hope it will get renewed life in home viewings and video on demand. It deals with artificial intelligence and class differences in poetic ways. Harrison Ford gives one of his best performances as aged and retired blade runner Rick Deckard. There are some breathtaking action set pieces. The world of 2049 is a dark and rainy one, but it is marvelous. I only saw this film once but I can't wait to rewatch it again and again. If you like sci-fi, do yourself a favor and see this film. It's got stiff competition at the Oscars in the technical categories like Cinematography, Production Design, and Visual Effects but I hope it gets some recognition tonight, just so it can hold the title of Academy Award Winner Blade Runner 2049. Maybe then people will give it the attention it deserves.

 

There you have it. Hope it was a good read. Hopefully you'll take the time to see things I recommended that you hadn't before. And hopefully you'll take some time to share your opinions and personal rankings if you feel so inclined. See you next year.