Saturday 12 May 2018

Top 10 Films of 2017

Once again, now that we're almost halfway through 2018, I've finally mainly caught up on seeing a lot of great films from 2017. Granted, there's still a few I haven't seen (Phantom Thread for example) but I feel I can finally put together my top 10 list! To be honest, there wasn't a whole lot of movies I was passionate aboout this year. I had a small handful of films I loved and most others I was somewhat apathetic about, which is unusual for me. However, I have put together a list of 10 films I really liked and my top 4 that have really resounded with me this year.

10. I, Tonya
I, Tonya chose the perfect format to tell it's story, beginning with the preface that it is based on "irony-free, wildly contradictory, totally true interviews". It really sets the stage for how this story will be told and how seriously we should take it. However, Margot Robbie still gives a career-making performance, one that will probably be remembered for a long time as one of her best. Glib, snarky and smart, I, Tonya is a ride.

9. Blade Runner 2049

It's not so much that I loved Blade Runner itself. It's more that Denis Villeneuve is a fab director and I knew he would deliver something special. And here he created a film that I have no idea how it was able to get made because it's so not mainstream but its beautiful and fabulous anyway. Ryan Gosling gives a shattering performance and Villeneuve brings sci-fi to even higher levels. I couldn't stop thinking about this movie for days.

8. The Disaster Artist

It was a shame when the stuff about James Franco came out because I had already seen The Disaster Artist and was sold on this film. It's hilarious and heartbreaking and James Franco was incredible as Tommy Wiseau. It's wacky and a true story and I really, really enjoyed it.

7. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

What a perfect year for this film to come out. It seems to be the encapsulation of the atmosphere of the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018. Anger. And female anger. Frances McDormand blows it out of the park here. It's really a film to chew on (though not perfect at all) but is an angry film that perfectly defines what's currently going on.

6. Baby Driver

It's an action-thriller-musical? It's a tricky one to describe because it both is and definitely isn't a musical but I'm not sure why no one has made a movie quite like this yet. Action sequences perfectly synched up to great music is where it's at! I found the film less engaging in the second half when it departed from that a bit but this film is charming and should really solidify Jon Hamm as a movie star.

5. The Big Sick

I'm a sucker for a really, really good comedy/rom-com and The Big Sick is one of the best. It's just a really feel-good film and actually stars someone who isn't white?? And he's playing himself? So cool! Kumail Nanjiani is a new favourite and I've always loved Zoe Kazan.

4. Call Me By Your Name

I'll admit that the main draw to this film was the original music by Sufjan Stevens. I've been a fan of his for 10 years and was so excited for his music. But the movie itself enchanted me. It's warm and pretty and just makes you feel good. Timothee Chalamet is astonishing in this and is going to go on to have an incredible career. Also, the Sufjan music is magic as well.

3. Dunkirk

I'm a big Chris Nolan fan and was eager to see his foray into war films. Dunkirk feels so different from any Chris Nolan movie, but also is very much a Chris Nolan movie. It's so grand in scale, epic in action and beautifully shot. Tom Hardy is my personal favourite storyline of the piece but it all works together so well.

2. Get Out

A year ago I watched this movie on a plane because I'd been hearing all about it for months but was scared to watch this scary movie. Immediately I understood the hype and knew I had watched something special, something that would be dissected for years to come. Get Out is 100% worth your time, even if you don't like scary movies. Seriously, if you haven't watched it by now, do yourself a favour and watch it!

1. Lady Bird

I don't know what I can say about Lady Bird that hasn't already been said. It's incredibly real and relateable and fresh. Saoirse Ronan proves that she is already, at 23, going down as an all-time great as she completely owns the role of Lady Bird. And Greta Gerwig smashes it out of the gate with her directorial debut. I'm not sure what makes Lady Bird so great but it's just so real. By far my favourite film of the  year.