Mike's Musings: The Top 10 Movies of 2017
Is January 3rd too late to do this? I think not. Besides, it was only technical difficulties that stalled me (more on that to come later in another Mike's Musings).
2017 was arguably the weakest year for movies since I started doing this "professionally." There were definitely some good movies that came out this year and one bonafide masterpiece, but in general, it sucked. The much overloaded superhero genre has become a gluttonous yet still amazingly profitable creative black hole in Hollywood, leaving anyone who doesn't hang out in comic book shops all day with a lack of interest and creative minds like Jodie Foster and Clint Eastwood frustrated that film as storytelling, as opposed to $200 million extravaganzas of fan service and set-up for the next installment, is becoming an endangered species.
That said, there were some truly awesome movies this year, and they're all worth sifting through the muck of mediocrity to find them. So, here are some good rental ideas for those who are bored with MCU and DC or have finished binge watching their favorite TV show.
10. Goodbye Christopher Robin. This is not a flawless picture; the beginning is messy and a little confusing. However, once it gets going, it becomes a powerful, emotional experience. Themes of creativity, fame, and the bond between father and son are explored thoroughly and the acting is of a consistently high caliber. Domnhall Gleeson, Margot Robbie and Kelly Macdonald all deserve Oscar nominations that they won't get (although Robbie will probably get one for "I, Tonya" if her momentum doesn't sag). Despite the subject matter of "Winnie the Pooh," this movie isn't for kids, nor is it intended to be. It's for adults who like films that enrich the mind and touch the heart.
9. Gifted. One thing I hate is when a movie wastes an interesting premise for cheap thrills or laughs. "Gifted" is different. It raises an interesting question, which is how to raise a genius child, and gives weight to both sides of the issue. Neither Frank nor Evelyn are "right," as both their views have pluses and minuses for Mary. But the film explores them without taking sides. And I also liked how despite having to resolve the situation in court and their frosty relationship, the two still found time to bond and joke around and not resort to playing dirty. Just as normal people would in real life. The performances are top-notch. Chris Evans shows a heretofor unseen dramatic side and no one plays a frost queen like Lindsay Dunchan. But the movie belongs to young McKenna Grace. Her spunk and humor provide the anchor for the film.
8. Baby Driver. For every action lover who is utterly bored with superheroes (such as myself), Edgar Wright provided a welcome tonic: "Baby Driver." This mix of action, comedy and music was hip and offbeat without ever calling attention to itself. It moved fast, threw in a few surprises and was big time fun. A string of good performances only sweetened the deal. If only summer movies were filled with movies like this as opposed to the umpteenth installment in the "Transformers" franchise or the MCU. Movies like this should be the rule, not the exception.
7. The Wall. So the title is bland. And the set-up, while good, seems limiting. But like just about everything in the film world, it's all about the execution, and that's where "The Wall" strikes gold. The amount of tension that director Doug Liman generates from three people in a single tiny setting is a testamount to how well the film is constructed, something that will always make or break a movie. In this psychological game of cat and mouse, even a minor movement can make your heart skip a beat. And the movie throws in one hell of a plot twist for good measure.
6. A Bad Mom's Christmas. Laziness is the death of filmmaking. From a studio executive greenlighting a sequel only because the previous installment made money to a director or actor who relies exclusively on the stars' ability to improvise, if there's no hard work that's put into the movie, nothing good will ever come out of it. It's what separates a movie like "A Bad Moms Christmas" from crap like "The Little Hours" or "The House." The cast and crew took the effort to come up with good material and execute it well. If the people behind this movie can keep it up, I would love for this franchise to continue. Belly laughs never go out of fashion.
5. Silence. Despite the big names of Martin Scorcese, Andrew Garfield and Liam Neeson, "Silence" tanked. As much as it breaks my heart, it doesn't surprise me. "Silence" is a $50 million art film. It has little plot and character development since such things are irrelevant to Scorcese's focus. Instead, he concentrates on big theological questions with no easy answers. He asks us to take a hard look at ourselves and what we believe. Unlike other Christian films like "God's Not Dead" and its sequel, Scorcese doesn't use faith to fire up his audience. He takes it very seriously and makes us draw our own conclusions. It's a tad too long and takes a lot out of you while you watch it, but the experience is not to be missed.
4. Coco. "Coco" is Pixar at its best. While I don't think it will be remembered as fondly as "Finding Nemo," it should be. A lovable hero in a captivating story told with spectacluar visuals that only Pixar can bring, it was a shoo-in for this list. Unlike other Pixar movies, music isn't just used for montages and background noise. It's the beating heart of the film, and the song and dance numbers are germane to the story, which separates it from other music-focused films. It's a movie about music as opposed to being a straight musical, and that's one of the many aspects of the movie that makes it fresh.
3. Detroit. "Detroit" grabs you by the jugular and doesn't let go. This movie is intense; it's as psycholigically violent as it is physically. What happens to the innocent men and women at the Algiers hotel is torture by any definition of the word. Critics of the film have called its veracity into question, but that's irrelevant. Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal did not set out to create a documentary but a narrative film, which is governed by different rules rather than straight recitation of facts. Bigelow is only bound by the need to make it a good narrative. However, the psycholigical brutalization by a power hungry, short-tempered racist sheds some light on the Black Lives Matter movement. It doesn't matter if any of "Detroit" actually happened at all. She tells the story to suit her thesis and in doing so sheds new light on current events.
2. Only the Brave. I did not have very high hopes going in to see "Only the Brave." I thought it would be like "Sully" or "Patriot's Day," which were cash grabs on famous events helped along by a few publicity friendly buzz words about the victims. Not that the filmmakers don't care, as I'm sure they do. It's just that these movies rarely add anything we don't already know and are made too quickly to provide any sort of context or meaning. Essentially, any reason to watch the movie as opposed to reading the stories on the internet. "Only the Brave" is different. It sees these brave men and women as real charactes as opposed to props for the story. I felt like I was really with them every step of the way, and that's what made the film so overwhelming. Knowing the end didn't detract from the story. Rather it enhanced it. "Only the Brave" is about the people, not the event, and that is where it gets its heart and meaning.
1. Dunkirk. When I walked out of an IMAX screening of "Dunkirk" with my dad, I told him that I had seen the best film of the year. True statement. When I compiled the list, this was the clear winner. This movie is an experience. No other word does it justice. It's as violent, frightening and emotional as "Saving Private Ryan." While not as gory, it's just as intense. I feel terrible for every parent who took their child to see this movie, believing it would be along the lines of "The Dark Knight" or any other summer blockbuster. What separates the film from others like it is that it's about the event itself. Character development and even dialogue are rendered irrelevant (although when I watch it on Blu Ray, I'll turn on the subtitiles to see what I missed). That separates it from other war films. There's nothing else like it, and it's my pick for the best film of 2017.
2017 was arguably the weakest year for movies since I started doing this "professionally." There were definitely some good movies that came out this year and one bonafide masterpiece, but in general, it sucked. The much overloaded superhero genre has become a gluttonous yet still amazingly profitable creative black hole in Hollywood, leaving anyone who doesn't hang out in comic book shops all day with a lack of interest and creative minds like Jodie Foster and Clint Eastwood frustrated that film as storytelling, as opposed to $200 million extravaganzas of fan service and set-up for the next installment, is becoming an endangered species.
That said, there were some truly awesome movies this year, and they're all worth sifting through the muck of mediocrity to find them. So, here are some good rental ideas for those who are bored with MCU and DC or have finished binge watching their favorite TV show.
10. Goodbye Christopher Robin. This is not a flawless picture; the beginning is messy and a little confusing. However, once it gets going, it becomes a powerful, emotional experience. Themes of creativity, fame, and the bond between father and son are explored thoroughly and the acting is of a consistently high caliber. Domnhall Gleeson, Margot Robbie and Kelly Macdonald all deserve Oscar nominations that they won't get (although Robbie will probably get one for "I, Tonya" if her momentum doesn't sag). Despite the subject matter of "Winnie the Pooh," this movie isn't for kids, nor is it intended to be. It's for adults who like films that enrich the mind and touch the heart.
9. Gifted. One thing I hate is when a movie wastes an interesting premise for cheap thrills or laughs. "Gifted" is different. It raises an interesting question, which is how to raise a genius child, and gives weight to both sides of the issue. Neither Frank nor Evelyn are "right," as both their views have pluses and minuses for Mary. But the film explores them without taking sides. And I also liked how despite having to resolve the situation in court and their frosty relationship, the two still found time to bond and joke around and not resort to playing dirty. Just as normal people would in real life. The performances are top-notch. Chris Evans shows a heretofor unseen dramatic side and no one plays a frost queen like Lindsay Dunchan. But the movie belongs to young McKenna Grace. Her spunk and humor provide the anchor for the film.
8. Baby Driver. For every action lover who is utterly bored with superheroes (such as myself), Edgar Wright provided a welcome tonic: "Baby Driver." This mix of action, comedy and music was hip and offbeat without ever calling attention to itself. It moved fast, threw in a few surprises and was big time fun. A string of good performances only sweetened the deal. If only summer movies were filled with movies like this as opposed to the umpteenth installment in the "Transformers" franchise or the MCU. Movies like this should be the rule, not the exception.
7. The Wall. So the title is bland. And the set-up, while good, seems limiting. But like just about everything in the film world, it's all about the execution, and that's where "The Wall" strikes gold. The amount of tension that director Doug Liman generates from three people in a single tiny setting is a testamount to how well the film is constructed, something that will always make or break a movie. In this psychological game of cat and mouse, even a minor movement can make your heart skip a beat. And the movie throws in one hell of a plot twist for good measure.
6. A Bad Mom's Christmas. Laziness is the death of filmmaking. From a studio executive greenlighting a sequel only because the previous installment made money to a director or actor who relies exclusively on the stars' ability to improvise, if there's no hard work that's put into the movie, nothing good will ever come out of it. It's what separates a movie like "A Bad Moms Christmas" from crap like "The Little Hours" or "The House." The cast and crew took the effort to come up with good material and execute it well. If the people behind this movie can keep it up, I would love for this franchise to continue. Belly laughs never go out of fashion.
5. Silence. Despite the big names of Martin Scorcese, Andrew Garfield and Liam Neeson, "Silence" tanked. As much as it breaks my heart, it doesn't surprise me. "Silence" is a $50 million art film. It has little plot and character development since such things are irrelevant to Scorcese's focus. Instead, he concentrates on big theological questions with no easy answers. He asks us to take a hard look at ourselves and what we believe. Unlike other Christian films like "God's Not Dead" and its sequel, Scorcese doesn't use faith to fire up his audience. He takes it very seriously and makes us draw our own conclusions. It's a tad too long and takes a lot out of you while you watch it, but the experience is not to be missed.
4. Coco. "Coco" is Pixar at its best. While I don't think it will be remembered as fondly as "Finding Nemo," it should be. A lovable hero in a captivating story told with spectacluar visuals that only Pixar can bring, it was a shoo-in for this list. Unlike other Pixar movies, music isn't just used for montages and background noise. It's the beating heart of the film, and the song and dance numbers are germane to the story, which separates it from other music-focused films. It's a movie about music as opposed to being a straight musical, and that's one of the many aspects of the movie that makes it fresh.
3. Detroit. "Detroit" grabs you by the jugular and doesn't let go. This movie is intense; it's as psycholigically violent as it is physically. What happens to the innocent men and women at the Algiers hotel is torture by any definition of the word. Critics of the film have called its veracity into question, but that's irrelevant. Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal did not set out to create a documentary but a narrative film, which is governed by different rules rather than straight recitation of facts. Bigelow is only bound by the need to make it a good narrative. However, the psycholigical brutalization by a power hungry, short-tempered racist sheds some light on the Black Lives Matter movement. It doesn't matter if any of "Detroit" actually happened at all. She tells the story to suit her thesis and in doing so sheds new light on current events.
2. Only the Brave. I did not have very high hopes going in to see "Only the Brave." I thought it would be like "Sully" or "Patriot's Day," which were cash grabs on famous events helped along by a few publicity friendly buzz words about the victims. Not that the filmmakers don't care, as I'm sure they do. It's just that these movies rarely add anything we don't already know and are made too quickly to provide any sort of context or meaning. Essentially, any reason to watch the movie as opposed to reading the stories on the internet. "Only the Brave" is different. It sees these brave men and women as real charactes as opposed to props for the story. I felt like I was really with them every step of the way, and that's what made the film so overwhelming. Knowing the end didn't detract from the story. Rather it enhanced it. "Only the Brave" is about the people, not the event, and that is where it gets its heart and meaning.
1. Dunkirk. When I walked out of an IMAX screening of "Dunkirk" with my dad, I told him that I had seen the best film of the year. True statement. When I compiled the list, this was the clear winner. This movie is an experience. No other word does it justice. It's as violent, frightening and emotional as "Saving Private Ryan." While not as gory, it's just as intense. I feel terrible for every parent who took their child to see this movie, believing it would be along the lines of "The Dark Knight" or any other summer blockbuster. What separates the film from others like it is that it's about the event itself. Character development and even dialogue are rendered irrelevant (although when I watch it on Blu Ray, I'll turn on the subtitiles to see what I missed). That separates it from other war films. There's nothing else like it, and it's my pick for the best film of 2017.
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