2017: A wild year, good for the movies
The past year of 2017 may have been largely a box office dud and a certifiable factory for wild news, but for great movies, it was most definitely a fantastic 12 months.
Whether it was a creative blockbuster, indie gem, kid flick that worked for adults or whatever the case may be in the wide world of cinema, 2017 offered us much to love. Looking at recent “best of” lists shows a wide diversity, and that’s the case here in my list.
In at least two of these movies, “Dunkirk” and “Baby Driver,” the soundtrack is absolutely essential to our experience of the film, more so than for your average film. Two movies are aimed primarily at kids. Two of them appeared on Netflix, while two of them deal with interracial romance as a core issue.
Unfortunately, this movie reviewer hasn’t seen every promising movie of the year, such as “Phantom Thread,” “Lady Bird” and “Shape of Water,” movies I’m reasonably sure I’ll enjoy. But such are the breaks, and I’m confident this Top 10 represents a cross-section of what made cinema so great this past year.
Here are my Top 10 movies of the year that was 2017, presented in order from best to least best:
1. “Dunkirk”— Christopher Nolan’s immersive account of an infamous World War II battle is easily the best film of the year, a movie that demands to be seen in the cinema, because the big screen with big sound and a big Hans Zimmer score does this terrifying beauty justice. Although the plot is timed with machine-like precision, the power of “Dunkirk” rests less in the story arc and more in the second-by-second intensity of this human experience, both individually and collectively felt by soldiers stranded on a beach. It’s a masterpiece.
2. “Get Out”— No movie stirred up the cultural zeitgeist and mixed genre expectations quite like “Get Out,” the Jordan Peeledirected mashup of horror and comedy that is, nevertheless, a serious exploration of the insidious, malignant power of racism in contemporary American life. Particular kudos should be given to Daniel Kaluuya for his portrayal of Chris, a young man in an interracial romance who gets more than hospitality when he meets his girlfriend’s parents in the lily white suburbs. By terms, grimly funny and horrifying.
3. “Blade Runner 2049”— Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to a sci-fi cult classic, “Blade Runner 2049” picks up the themes explored in Ridley Scott’s original and deepens them. In addition to the gorgeous art direction portraying a bleaker, emptier, dystopian nightmare of Los Angeles, there’s much to love here, including the return of blade runner Rick Deckard, given the grumpy, craggy treatment by Harrison Ford. As it is in the best of sci-fi, this “Blade Runner” follow-up is essentially about what it means to be human.
4. “Wormwood”—“Wormwood,” a recent addition to Netflix, is a mesmerizing, profound documentary that works within a sort of feature flick-series hybrid format. This six-episode series/movie combines a passionate personal quest to find the necessary truth with pure, creepy Cold War terror as the son of a scientist searches for clues to why his father died mysteriously in 1953. A great work from groundbreaking documentary film artist Errol Morris, “Wormwood” augments archival footage with contemporary interviews and dramatic scenes reenacting what may have happened.
5. “Coco”— Who knew Pixar could get right what so many Hollywood movies get wrong—namely, portraying Mexican culture with authenticity and care? Well, it’s actually not far-fetched but definitely the case with “Coco,” a sweet, funny and moving tale about Dia de Muertos and one young boy’s pursuit of his fervent dreams to make it in music. This wise gem of a flick shows that pursuing your dreams can be reconciled with your own family’s heritage. Though it’s a kid’s flick, “Coco” is rich enough thematically for adults to savor.
6. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”— An emotional, thrilling and forever-surprising installment in the Star Wars pantheon, “The Last Jedi” reimagines and reinvigorates this grand space opera series for the future. Director Rian Johnson, much to the chagrin of some longtime Star Wars zealots, pushes the narrative forward in a striking manner. Full of rip-roaring space adventures, “The Last Jedi” portrays the Resistance at some of its lowest, most desperate hours, but it also gives us complex, human heroes who break free from old molds. A generous film that rewards a second viewing, “The Last Jedi” is one of the best of the Star Wars bunch.
7. “Baby Driver”— This relentlessly propulsive work of pure popcorn fodder and summertime fun rolls a lot into its highspeed thrills, including a romance, a caper and a bit of mystery as we follow Baby, a getaway driver for a crime boss. Ansel Elgort in the title role is perfect, but so is the ensemble cast around him, including his new honey, Deborah, played by Lily James. Unfortunately, Kevin Spacey can’t be edited out of this movie now. But no matter, this is great escapist entertainment with a bit of depth to the speed.
8. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,
Missouri”— A black-as-night comedy with the incomparable, Oscar-winning Frances McDormand as the mother of a young woman who was murdered. A slow-moving investigation pleases her none, so she rents, you guessed it, three billboards outside of town that criticize the local police chief. It’s grim, shocking, funny and pretty darn perceptive about the power of anger and grief, featuring great direction and scriptwriting from Martin McDonagh and memorable acting from all, especially Sam Rockwell as Officer Jason Dixon.
9. “Okja”— This South Korean-American production from Bong Joon-ho rummages through all sorts of issues with a tonal mishmash that, most of the time, works wonders. Part children’s movie, part scathing satire, “Okja” is an action film with a huge heart for the creatures with whom we share this Earth, most specifically a super-sized pig named Okja, who is raised lovingly in the country by a young girl and her grandpa. The company responsible for this pig, though, has other designs on Okja, and therein lies the conflict. “Okja,” which you can find on Netflix, is weird and wonderful.
10. “The Big Sick”— For a laugh-out-loud funny romantic comedy about cross-cultural understanding, interracial romance and more, “The Big Sick” has a lot to say about the sacrifices it takes to really love someone. Written by Pakistani-American stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon, “The Big Sick” in a based-on-real-life-way explores what happens when Kumail meets Emily, a young, white, hip woman who, at first, resists falling into a romance. They date, break up and then Emily becomes gravely ill, leading to some life-changing realizations for both of them. Smartly written, outrageously funny and wise all at the same time, “The Big Sick” will make you feel anything but bad. It’s a life-affirming gem.