It was quite a year. In 2017 we saw many major figures in movies and media be accused of sexual harassment including Harvey Weinsten, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Spacey, Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose among them. America had to get used to Chancellor Trump and a new daily controversy involving him or his administration. It has become "the new normal".When the world gets a little crazy, some of us turn to movies as a distraction. But, as I always say, movies don't exist in a bubble. Movies are a reflection of the world we live in. Some filmmakers want to make social and political commentaries. They want their movies to be relevant to the moment. A great example of this is Steven Spielberg's "The Post" (2017). Although based on a true story it also was meant to parallel today and the current attack on the media.
I mention this because it is difficult (not impossible mind you) to escape reality in the movies. At least, as I grow older, those are the movies I find myself most absorbed in. Sure I love "Hollywood escapism" as much as the next person. I have my guilty pleasures, some on this list, but movies that say something about the world we live in have been the movies I've begun to cling to. I believe this has given to the rise of documentaries. Documentaries have been turned into political tools. So, has the movie business changed or just me?
This was also the first year I noticed Netflix released some good movies. Not all of them made my list but there was the charming "Our Souls at Night" (2017) with Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, the unique "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond" (2017) and a few political documentaries like "Get Me Roger Stone" (2017).
And Netflix proved helpful for me as, is usually the case, I struggled to find ten movies that really stood out to me and made a lasting impression. Every year the movies that the critics (sheep) hype leave me indifferent. And so I have to search under every rock to find an ignored gem. On this list you will not see "The Shape of Water" (2017), "Dunkirk" (2017), "The Darkest Hour" (2017), "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" (2017), "Get Out" (2017) or "Lady Bird" (2017). I saw all of them. Some I thought were good but not great.
I was also struck by the lack of quality non-English language films released this year. Usually there is a standout. I often try to create a diverse list of more than ten dramatic American movies and add a few international titles. Not so this year but there are some films from the United Kingdom on my list.
Looking at my list a lot of the movies are socially aware. I don't know that there was a major theme to the movies released in 2017 but my choices focused on the class system, racial justice, love, discrimination, family, tradition and dolls coming to life. Just a typical Saturday night in Chicago.
Here are my favorite movies of 2017!
1. I, Daniel Blake (Dir. Ken Loach; U.K.) - I love and hate this movie at the same time. I hate it because of the horrible truths it shows in our society and love it because of the characters, each of whom I wish I could give a big hug to. How and why this movie has been ignored by the American mainstream media and public is a mystery to me. It even won the Palm d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
Although this movie, directed by the legendary British filmmaker Ken Loach, takes place in England the social conditions it depicts of the working class should be recognizable to Americans as well. It shows us a government system that only makes things harder on the poor, the people it is supposed to help.
This movie began a social moment in the U.K. maybe the threat of that prevented the media from giving the movie more praise in the U.S. however this is truly a movie of our times. We are all Daniel Blake.
2. Saving Capitalism (Dirs. Jacob Kornbluth / Sari Gilman; U.S.) - Capitalism may be a fine economic system but it leaves out the Daniel Blakes of the world. It is a system that works for the few. Is there a way to improve it? That is what this Netflix documentary asks. In some ways it is a follow-up for director Jacob Kornbluth who gave us "Inequality For All" (2013). That documentary, like this one, follows former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich as he discusses the flaws in our current system and how to save it.
3. Molly's Game (Dir. Aaron Sorkin; U.S.) - The directorial debut of Aaron Sorkin just knocked me out with its screenplay (also by Sorkin) and the performance given by Jessica Chastain. How unfortunate she was snubbed of an Oscar nomination. It was a tour-de-force performance.
4. Loving Vincent (Dirs. Dorota Kobiela / Hugh Welchman; Poland / UK ) - An Oscar nominee in the best animated film category "Loving Vincent" is a bio-pic, of sorts, on the life of Vincent van Gogh. The movie is comprised entirely of hand drawn paintings, done in the style of van Gogh. Structurally the movie resembles "Citizen Kane" (1941) and Oliver Stone's "JFK" (1991) as a young man is given the task to deliver a final letter written by van Gogh to his brother, Theo. Trying to locate Theo the young man meets a variety of people, each with a different opinion of the great painter, and a conspiracy begins, did van Gogh really commit suicide?
This is a beautiful looking movie done with amazing artistry and depth.
5. Roman J. Israel, Esq. (Dir. Dan Gilroy; U.S.) - Another movie the critics ignored. From the reviews I have read, even the positive ones, it seems like no one "got" this movie. Here is a movie about a man that loses his moral center. He has devoted himself to civil rights, working as a lawyer for more than three decades. But he has nothing to show for it in terms of material possessions. Life doesn't reward us for being noble or selfless. So what do you do when you work hard your whole life for a cause you believe in but see nothing change and no reward?
Some complain the narrative is confusing and loses focus. These people, for whatever reason, couldn't relate to the dilemma the lead character is in. I perfectly understand him and all the choices he makes. The one thing that we can all agree on is Denzel Washington gives a great performance and was rightly nominated for an Oscar.
6. Wind River (Dir. Taylor Sheridan; U.S.) - Another quality movie ignored by the critics. This murder mystery, starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen taking place on a Native American reservation, was beautifully written by Taylor Sheridan. Very engaging movie featuring two strong performances.
7. Alone in Berlin (Dir. Vincent Perez; U.K.) - Based on a true story of a German couple that learns their son has died fighting in WW2. Filled with grief and anger they decide to leave postcards all over Berlin with messages exposing the lies and corruption of the Nazi government. How can the story of an individual standing up against a corrupt government not seem relevant today?
8. Coco (Dirs. Lee Unkrich / Adrian Molina; U.S.) - I really enjoyed Pixar / Disney's "Cars 3" (2017) but "Coco" was their best movie of the year. A charming, humorous story about family and tradition. I am amazed at how Pixar often finds wonderful new ways to tell us familiar stories with the same themes. This is one of those animated movies adults and children can both enjoy.
9. Lady Macbeth (Dir. William Oldroyd; U.K.) - This British Victorian drama has nothing to do with Shakespeare but instead was based on the novel "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District" by Nikolai Leskov about a woman forced into a loveless marriage but has a sexual awakening when she meets one of the work hands on the estate.
10. Annabelle: Creation (Dir. David F. Sandberg; U.S.) - Last year I praised David F. Sandberg's "Lights Out" (2016) as the horror movie of the year. Sandberg has done it again. The remake of "It" (2017) might be a more popular choice but the movies coming from the "Conjuring Universe" have impressed me greatly. Sandberg is going to be a great talent to watch out for.
HONORABLE MENTION: "An Inconvenient Sequel", "It Comes At Night", "The Dinner", "Wonder Wheel", "On Body and Soul", "Lady Bird"
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