Not all of
my favourite films are “perfect” films. Often they are admittedly imperfect yet
hold for me a special quality which brings me back to them time and again,
providing me with endless joy despite any so called “flaws.” Sure there may be
things to critique about them but that doesn’t matter when I love watching them
over and over. Other times my favourite films are movies which I love to pieces
and also happen to be technically and artistically exquisite. What is important
in either case is they provide that emotional resonance which moves me. Sometimes
they may not live up to objective standards despite my undying love for them. I
don’t care. For me my favourite movie each year is the one which gave me the
greatest film going experience I had that year and the movie I will watch with
pure joy over and over for years to come.
2017 was a
year that provided for me a copious amount of amazing films and I will look
back on this as another stellar year for cinema. Sure there were
disappointments but there were so many films I enjoyed quite a bit and many I downright
loved. From innovative films like Get Out, I Tonya, Colossal, Ghost Story,
Personal Shopper, The Bad Batch, Brawl in Cell Block 99, Loving Vincent, and
Patti Cake$; to fun and inspiring blockbusters like War for the Planet of the
Apes, Kong Skull Island, It, Lego Batman, John Wick 2, and the lovely Coco; to fascinating dramas like Molly's Game, Gifted, Maudie, My Cousin
Rachel, Beatriz at Dinner, Dunkirk, Lady McBeth, Wind River, Lady Bird, Wonder,
Wonderstruck, T2 Trainspotting, Gerald’s Game, the Breadwinner, and the
beautiful Mudbound; to funny and romantic movies like The Big Sick, Battle of
the Sexes, Victoria and Abdul, and A United Kingdom; 2017 was full of great
films.
However
none of the above made my top favorites of the year.
I even enjoyed
some so called “disappointments” such as Justice League, The Dark Tower, Alien
Covenant, and Bright. While I found some hits disappointing (to say the least),
such as Thor Ragnarok, The Disaster Artist, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Kingsman
the Golden Circle, and Beauty and the Beast, there were still plenty of other movies for me to enjoy. And there was mother! a film which
both fascinated me, frustrated me, and bored me simultaneously. I have to mention Call Me
By Your Name, a beautiful and confounding film which will many people loved but
I struggled with for a number of reasons, despite loving so much about it.
Sometimes it is the films we struggle with which end up meaning the most to
us.
Like last
year, I had a hard time, no impossible time, narrowing it down to only 10
films, so I’ve expanded that list once again to encompass all the incredible
films 2017 had to offer. Despite all of the above fascinating films, here is my list, in no
particular order (except my favorite), of imperfect but fabulous films which I
love and will enjoy time and time again into the future.
Three
Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Writer/director
Martin McDonough has been a critics darling for a while now but it wasn’t until
this quiet, odd masterpiece that I have fully come on board. It completely
defied my expectations, is filled with some of my favourite performances of the
year, and moved me in ways I did not contemplate. Funny, tragic, and melancholy
in the very best way, Three Billboards is the kind of film that gives you so
much more than the sum of its parts.
Sleight
A movie
that flew under everyone’s radar but when discovered delivers magic (pun
intended). This powerful unassuming tale surprised me and made me an immediate
fan of writer/director J.D. Dillard who I believe has a very promising career
ahead of him, as does magnetic star Jacob Latimore. One of four films on my
list made on a shoestring budget showing just what amazing talent can do with
very little. 
The Florida
Project
Sean Baker
is the king of the microbudgets. Working with very little he has delivered
another powerful story that is easily one of the best made films and most
engaging movies of the year. Newcomer Brooklynn Prince is amazing. Willem Defoe
does some of his best work ever. Up and comer Bria Vinaite is heartbreaking.
This film will rock you right up to its ambiguously tragic/happy ending.
It Comes at
Night
A truly
terrifying film. Not because of any jumps or gore or violence. It is terrifying
because of the way it deconstructs how easily we can become our own worst
enemies. It Comes at Night implicates us in the horror while most “scary” films
pit us against the “villain.” But this film is villainless and explores how we
become horrible to each other. It is truly terrifying. 
Good Time
Another
film which pounced on me out of no where and destroyed all my expectations.
Yes, believe it or not, Robert Pattison gives one of the best performances of
the year. This chronicle of one disastrous night is emotionally powerful and
charged with adrenalin. It is a beautiful portrait of love.
The Shape
of Water
A Norman
Rockwell world turned inside out so we can see the beauty of the so called
monstrous, The Shape of Water is writer/director Guillermo Del Toro’s most
stunning and daring work yet while also being one of his most commercial. A
grotesque love story which goes so far as to make us question who we are.
Murder on
the Orient Express
Remaking a
film which is already a classic is not only a challenge but also a task filled
with hubris. Fortunately actor/director Branagh was up to the job. He has
delivered a clever reworking of the famous story which explores issues not
touched on before. He also delivers one singularly delicious performance which,
when paired with his signature operatic directing style, reminded me why I have
been a fan of his for so long despite the last decade of disappointments from
him. This is his glorious return to the top of my list of film makers to watch.
Edgar
Wright is another of my favourite writer/directors and with Baby Driver he has
made another wholly original movie which entertains with pure unadulterated
joy. Baby Driver is one of those films which provides us with a completely
fleshed out world, showcasing extensively developed characters and creating an
entire universe for them to live in. He tells a story that invites us a long
for one very well appreciated ride.
Blade
Runner 2049
I love it
when a sequel can not only live up to its predecessor but enrich it even
further. Villeneuve has achieved a minor miracle by making a worthy follow up
to one of my favourite films of all time, and making it a strong contender to
join that list on its own. A lot has been said of how visually stunning 2049 is
and that’s hard to deny, but it is the emotional journey that 2049 takes you on
which is the most stunning thing about this brave film which takes the time it
needs to truly tells its story properly.
Logan
The X-men
franchise at Fox is one I love. It has had it’s ups and downs with Days of Future
Past being, for me, the pinnacle of the series, but that is now challenged by
this beautiful melancholy noir piece, best watched in Black & White filled
with the kinds of performances from Jackman, Stewart, Merchant, Pierce, (and
the remarkable debut of Keen) that we have been waiting all series for.
Star Wars
The Last Jedi
Dark and
difficult for a blockbuster. Writer/director Rian Johnson took a chance by
making a film about loss, bad decisions, death, and holding out against the
worst odds. Instead of making a crowdpleaser, he took a different path making a
challenging and subversive film, and it paid off with one of the deepest tentpoles
you’ll come across. Star Wars is the reason I first became a cinephile and The
Last Jedi reminds me why.
And on that
note, my all time favorite film of 2017:
Wonder
Woman
For me this is THE film from 2017 I will watch over and over with a big
goofy grin time after time for years to come. It’s a film I have been waiting
my whole life for, a film which managed to not only made my dreams come true
but exceed all my expectations. Director Patty Jenkins pulled off a miracle
with her loving tribute to superhero films, feminism, and the elusive beauty of
true peace and justice. I will never tire of the way the stars align to make
this movie be the experience it is. While I appreciate that it has received
both the critical and popular success it deserves, that has nothing to do with
the love for this movie, a film which easily sits among my favorites ever, a
film I know I will continue to enjoy for years to come.
So that's it, another great year for film lovers. Here's hoping 2018 can live up to this legacy!
Great List.....nothing missed from all accounts
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