Last night I was asked what my top ten favorites of the year were, and I blurted out the first few I could think of. But after some careful thought today, I have listed them here for y'all to judge. Remember, these are my favorites, not what I personally deem 'Best Of". That will be another blog altogether sometime before the Academy Awards roll around. Or not. The Oscars are bullshit but I do love an awards show!
In order as ranked by yours truly:
10. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. Frances McDormand = National Treasure
9. Atomic Blonde. Super soundtrack. Charlize Theron kicks every dude's ass.
8. Lady Macbeth. Dark, twisted, intense. Evocative period piece with an incredible performance by Florence Pugh as Katherine (aka Lady Macbeth) who does not give AF.
7. Baby Driver. The soundtrack. The car chases. Jon Hamm. Edgar Wright wins again.
6. Wonderstruck. Todd Haynes' latest is a gorgeous love letter to things I'm a sucker for- New York City in the 1920s, the 70's, small bookshops, museums, unexpected friendship, all wrapped in a mystery told in two converging stories, with very little spoken dialogue.
5. Pin Cushion. This gem of a film played during Ithaca Fantastik this year and I feel honored to have seen it. Deborah Haywood's film about an eccentric mother and daughter dealing with bullying and depression is unlike anything you've seen. Candy colored and dreamy, this packs a punch and has an ending you won't soon forget.
4. Get Out. Jordan Peele turned the horror genre on its head with his debut film, about Chris, a young black man meeting his girlfriend's white parents for the first time. That's scary enough, right? The parents are overly friendly, and there are some other odd things happening around the house which make Chris suspicious about his girlfriend and her family's intentions. Peele's film is both an outstanding genre film and one of the smartest social commentaries on race of the last year.
3. The Little Hours. I knew I loved this the minute the opening titles started. Jeff Baena's medieval nun tale is ridiculous, raucous, and laugh out loud funny with a great cast including Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, John C Reilly, Kate Micucci, Molly Shannon, and Nick Offerman. I laughed harder the second time I watched it, which makes me think a third viewing is required soon.
2. Raw. Yes yes yes, THE FRENCH CANNIBAL MOVIE. Its so much more. Maybe not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, Raw is a subversive tale of burgeoning sexual awakening, coming of age, and sisterhood. Oh, metaphors! So many metaphors with eating people. Hey-ooooooo! I Really loved this film, but I don't recommend eating while you watch it.
1. The Shape of Water. This was my most highly anticipated film of the year and I was almost scared to see it for fear my expectations were too high. I was not let down. Guillermo Del Toro does not disappoint with this cold war era fairy tale, co-written by Vanessa Taylor. Beautifully shot with incredible production design (That lab! Those apartments!)and a stellar cast, The Shape of Water is a perfect blend of suspense, fantasy, and romance all woven together with a deeper message of standing up against hate. Sound familiar, 2017?
Honorable Mentions:
Professor Marston & The Wonder Women, The Lure, Toni Erdmann, BPM, A Quiet Passion, The Endless, Tragedy Girls, Whose Streets?, A Ghost Story, Dean, It Comes at Night, Colossal, Kedi, Ingrid Goes West, Annabelle: Creation
Good but meh:
Lady Bird (overhyped) The Last Jedi (so many story lines) Wonder Woman (did a man write this?!?) Mother! (Stop it, just stop)
Wish I didn't miss:
Thor: Ragnarok, Lost City of Z, Brigsby Bear, Step, Happy Death Day, The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Wish I had missed:
Valerian, Jigsaw, Alien: Covenant, Personal Shopper
(I did see these with friends and we made fun of these films in quiet whispers, which made up for the terribleness, so viewing them on the big screen was still worth it.)
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