My Best and Worst of 2017

What went on at the movies this year? As I look back on this year’s hits and misses, I am most excited for my favourite part in the film buff’s calendar: Awards Season. A time for glamourous gowns and A-lister scandals, but, most importantly, the moment when every contender’s fate is determined by the very words ‘and the Oscar goes to…’ It feels like only yesterday when the wrong envelope was opened in February this year, which saw starry musical hit ‘La La land’ mistakenly announced as the Best Picture winner. No doubt we will still be talking about that blunder in many years to come, and hoping with caution they manage to get it right from now on. Getting back to my forthcoming lists of favourites and forgottens, I venture to point out that my chosen films are not all 2017 releases. Instead, I have chosen to collate a selection of films I saw this year despite the year of their release. Some of my higher ranked choices were released towards the end of last year, and they were too brilliant to not get a mention.

For the need of fast ticket sales, small releases are taken off cinemas almost as soon as they are released to make way for franchise flicks and hotly-anticipated blockbusters. It’s completely unjust that low-budget releases are seen by so few, as they tend to be deemed among the year’s best by critics. Such is the cutthroat film business that another year goes by and hardly anyone has seen the best on offer by the smaller studios. As it’s the end of December and a time of reflection, my biggest regret is not seeing indie drama ‘The Florida Project’, simply because it wasn’t available locally. Providing it gets noticed at various film festivals and penned on the awards shortlists, it will be brought back onto a select few cinemas to boost its takings. Anyway, I’ll round this off by wishing you a merry Christmas and happy viewing for what promises to be another exciting film year.

My Best Five

5. ‘Wonder Woman’ (dr. Patty Jenkins). At last the comic book superheroine got the overdue cinematic treatment. Punchy and fast-paced yet a gripping study of human nature, ‘Wonder Woman’ boasted a unique take on the superhero genre but still provided a feast of special effects and fight sequences to satisfy those hungry for action. For its record-smashing box office takings, the film’s commercial success not only promised us a sequel, but also marked a radical step forward for female directors in Hollywood.

4. ‘Manchester by the Sea’ (dr. Kenneth Lonergan). A slow-burning volcanic eruption of irreparable heartbreak and repressed guilt, Lonergan’s small release delivered in both its emotional gut punches and sardonic humour. Casey Affleck’s understated performance is a masterclass in self-restraint and inexpressible sadness. His reunion with his ex-wife (played beautifully by Michelle Williams) showcased some of the decade’s best acting hands down.

3. ‘La La Land’ (dr. Damien Chazelle). A heartfelt love letter to golden age Hollywood, this film was a worthy Best Picture winner for its charm, wit and unforgettable original songs (once you start whistling ‘City of Stars’ you can’t stop). Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling were a match made in movie heaven and their chemistry a sheer delight to watch. While their dancing abilities don’t exactly rival those of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, they did their best with what they were given, and the result was all the better and more enjoyable for it.

2. ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (dr. Bill Condon). Who can resist a live-action update of an animated classic so cherished by viewers and critics of all ages? Not only did the remake pay tribute to the much-loved original and its soaring musical numbers, but also reminded us of the steps Disney took to modernise its heroine in comparison to her dainty princess predecessors. This is more than can be said for the talking teapot and cup. A tale as old as time it may be, but its confrontation of social issues gave it a freshness and contemporary feel.

1. ‘Dunkirk’ (dr. Chris Nolan). A meticulously crafted and technically perfect piece of modern cinema, Nolan’s apocalyptic drama will be referred to as the film that captured the spirit of the evacuation for decades to come. Fuelled with edge-of-your-seat suspense throughout, the cinematic experience felt closer to that of a thriller than an average war drama. The film was best seen on the biggest possible screen, for its cleverly synchronised score and frighteningly realistic sound is not shown to best advantage on a small even with surround sound.

My Worst Five

5. ‘Kong: Skull Island’ (dr. Jordan Vogt-Roberts). A disaster of monstrous proportions, this film’s biggest issue was that it took itself far too seriously for one of its genre. The overdone tendency to lionise its group of misfits and write them as flawless saints was enough to make anyone give up and leave. There is only so many times we can watch Kong defeat every variation of reptilian beast and bang his chest with a deafening roar without stifling a yawn. With a release date of 2020 for ‘Godzilla vs Kong’, it’s clear that the monster movie is not going extinct anytime soon.

4. ‘Hampstead’ (dr. Joel Hopkins). Marketed as a sort-of ‘Notting Hill’ for silver cinema-goers, this is one to avoid if you’re expecting something as good as Richard Curtis’s classic romcom. Diane Keaton’s screen presence was on point as always, and Brendan Gleeson’s acerbic delivery fittingly good, but unfortunately the laughs came few and mild. The best feature was Hampstead Heath’s natural greenery.

3. ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ (dr. Gareth Edwards). A bombastic intergalactic space adventure no doubt beloved by its passionate fanbase, sadly I wasn’t convinced. A simple enough storyline to follow, the implausibility of the fight sequences bordered on the ridiculous. Felicity Jones’s acting talent was wasted here, as she wasn’t given enough of a character arc for Jyn to be an appealing heroine. The computer-generated Carrie Fisher not only looked horribly tacky, but seemed disrespectful to the actress’s memory.

2. ‘Blade Runner 2049’ (dr. Denis Villeneuve). I may be the only person on Earth with anything negative to say about this film. A gargantuan spectacle with too many insane special effects overcompensating for the absence of a storyline. Ryan Gosling walked around looking like the messed-up hero and carrying a gun he hardly used. Harrison Ford’s so-called ‘leading role’ was reduced to a cameo appearance at the end of three draining hours of nothing. For such a lifeless film, it was a surprisingly exhausting experience.

1. ‘The Snowman’ (dr. Tomas Alfredson). In the words of Craig Revel Horwood, this film was dull, dull, dull. A crime thriller adaptation with the potential to be great, but aimless drifting between timelines and overdone clichés let it down pretty badly. Michael Fassbender as leading man was a wasted opportunity here, as his character came across as too elusive and conniving to root for. Fingers crossed there won’t be a sequel. Or if there is, let it at least see an editing room before it’s unleashed on unsuspecting viewers.

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