Another
year has come and gone, and as of this writing I’ve only seen 43 of the year’s movies. At times in the past some fellow movie aficionados have admonished me for not “seeing enough
crap.” I suppose that’s fair. And yet I can’t help feeling a certain
virtue. I try to see movies that
interest me or movies that cross the event horizon of public consciousness or
movies that simply trigger that Pavlovian urge to sit in a dark theater for a
couple hours. Which means I mostly see
things I like or for which I have a natural proclivity. And somehow I still see just enough “crap” to
recognize it as such. I fear if I saw
too much “crap” I might start giving it the benefit of the doubt. Also I read.
A lot. [Side Note: If you like “hard” science fiction, stop what
you are doing and read Cixin Liu’s mammoth Three-Body
trilogy. It will blow your mind.] All this is to say that I have better things
to do than waste my time on lousy movies if I can at all help it.
My
favorite movies this year featured outsiders in main or major roles. Almost every character in THE FLORIDA PROJECT
lives on the fringe of society. In GET
OUT a black boyfriend spends a nightmarish weekend with his girlfriend’s wealthy
white family. And THE SHAPE OF WATER’s
protagonists include a mute janitor, her black co-worker, a gay neighbor, a compassionate
Soviet agent, and a humanoid sea creature.
In movies from the early ‘60s (the era when the movie is set) few of
these characters would even attain supporting stature. The latter two would likely be the villain
and the monster, respectively. Instead
the movie’s monster is a U.S. government agent (normally our ‘60s ostensible hero).
The
best films of 2017 remind us that we can discover courage, understanding and
resilience in unexpected places. Perhaps
we would do well to move beyond our normal comfort zones, both on screen and
off. We might be surprised and heartened
but what we experience there. Speaking
only for myself, pleasant surprises and happy accidents are two of my favorite
things in art and in life. Here’s to
more in 2018.
Thanks
to everyone who has been willing to engage with me and the movies throughout
the year. It’s always a pleasure to
speak passionately and intelligently with such thoughtful and honorable people. For this, I can only offer my most profound
gratitude and humility.
Finally,
thanks to my supportive family and friends. I’m lucky to have
you.
Brian
Pope
March 3, 2018
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THE BEST OF 2017
THE TOP THREE
(in alphabetical order)
(in alphabetical order)
THE
FLORIDA PROJECT Set in “The Magic Kingdom,” a transient hotel
on the outskirts of Disneyworld, Sean Baker’s raucous film explores America’s
indigent underbelly through the eyes of 7-year-old Moonee (a riveting Brooklyn
Pierce) and her struggling ex-stripper mother (an excellent Bria Vinaite). Kindhearted hotel manager Bobby (a tender
Willem Dafoe) acts as beleaguered parent to the kids and emotionally stunted
adults in his reluctant care. Funny,
frustrating and, ultimately, heartbreaking.
GET OUT Writer/director Jordan Peele taps into the cultural
zeitgeist with this pitch black social horror comedy, upending conventional
wisdom about race relations in America. Black
boyfriend Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and white girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) visit
her progressive parents (Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener) at their remote
family estate, but he finds the demeanor (and presence) of black servants
unnerving. The truth, once revealed, is
even more outrageous than imagined, but Peele’s arch tone never wavers.
THE SHAPE
OF WATER At a top secret government lab, mute janitor
Elisa (Sally Hawkins) becomes infatuated with a mystical sea creature (Doug
Jones) captured by a ruthless federal agent (Michael Shannon). She plots to free him with the help of artist
Giles (Richard Jenkins) and fellow janitor Zelda (Octavia Spencer). Director Guillermo del Toro’s gorgeous
fantasy mashes together the disparate genres of espionage thriller, fairy tale romance, and
social drama to create a meticulously crafted and heartfelt love letter to the
movies.
THE BEST OF THE REST OF THE TOP TEN
(in alphabetical order)
(in alphabetical order)
BLADE RUNNER 2049 Heretical as this may sound, director Denis
Villeneuve improves upon Ridley Scott’s visionary but flawed 1982 cult film
with this overlong but visually and thematically rich meditation on identity.
BRAD’S STATUS Mike White turns a father and son tour of
colleges into an awkward comedy drama about the problems of privilege. Austin Abrams is terrific as the son, and Ben
Stiller gives his best performance in years.
THE DISASTER ARTIST An affectionate recounting of the
relationship between enigmatic Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) and actor Greg
Sistero (Dave Franco) and the creation of one of the worst movies ever made.
LADY BIRD This prickly coming-of-age comedy and
unsentimental mother/daughter drama highlights Greta Gerwig’s unique and quirky
cinema voice. Saoirse Ronan and Laurie
Metcalf are absolute knockouts.
LOGAN After
slumming in uninspired X-MEN and WOLVERINE sequels Hugh Jackman finally shows
his acting chops in this violent, resonant elegy that does for superheroes what
THE WILD BUNCH did for cowboys.
MUDBOUND Set in rural Georgia just after World War II
Dee Rees’ richly observed film follows two returning soldiers (one white, one
black) who must navigate the bonds of brotherhood against ingrained Southern
racism.
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI Too uneven in tone to take completely seriously, yet Martin
McDonagh’s film about vengeance, guilt and futility is difficult to shake, as
are the indelible performances of Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell.
Runners-Up
of 2017
(in alphabetical order)
(in alphabetical order)
THE
BIG SICK
I,
TONYA
PATTI
CAKE$
THE
POST
RAW
Honorable
Mentions: BABY DRIVER; BEATRIZ
AT DINNER; CALL ME BY YOUR NAME; JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2; PERSONAL SHOPPER; PHANTOM
THREAD; STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
THE
WORST of 2017
(in alphabetical order)
(in alphabetical order)
DARKEST
HOUR By turns tedious and ridiculous, Joe Wright’s
film torpedoes Gary Oldman’s prodigious thespian effort which sinks to the
bottom of the English Channel.
ROMAN J.
ISRAEL, ESQ.
Even Denzel Washington’s integrity and
intelligence can’t save a film that doesn’t know what it’s saying or how to say
it.
WILSON Daniel Clowes
adaptation of his graphic novel about a misanthrope fails completely in its
translation to the screen, wasting the talents of Woody Harrelson and Judy
Greer.
