2017 in Movies

I was thinking of a way to end my 2017 journey through movies, and I had to make adjustments to make any kind of list because I had only seen 35 new releases when the year ended. I extended my movie year to end on Friday last week so I can do separate worst/favorite movies list and catch up on some of the nominated films, but I'm doing a summary post instead. It wasn't generally a good film viewing year for me, which is fine because I've been focusing on other aspects of life. So here's a summary of my 2017 in movies.

Number of Movie Watched: 47

By the end of December this was 35 (thus the extension). This was a low number compared to previous years, but it might have something to do with the less trips to cinemas.

Best Movie: Dunkirk

Dunkirk easily wins top spot as my best movie of the year because it was the only one that I gave a perfect score to. It was one of Nolan's best works, turning a simple narrative to one of the best films I have seen played out on screen.

Favorite Movie: Call Me By Your Name

I was initially intimidated to watch the film because of the high praise it was getting, but it was well deserved. It was a beautiful film about love, set in the summer time, with all the elements of a coming of age film and summer love present. It had a great script, and fantastic performances by the main characters.

Best Children's Movie: Paddington 2

It was a toss up between Coco and Paddington 2, but I'm throwing the latter the love because it was a fantastic sequel, and much better than its predecessor. Paddington 2 was charming, funny, and had a lot of heart. The voice work of Ben Whishaw was fitting to the bear, and the addition of Hugh Grant was most welcome in this sequel as he made for a suitable villain in a children's story.

Most Surprising Movie: Happy Death Day

I have mentioned this several times before, but I am not a horror movie watcher, and tend to avoid films as such. I've been seeing the advertisements for this movie, and the whole murder-Groundhog Day aspect of it got me curious. This was surprisingly good. It was entertaining, and Jessica Rothe was into her role.

Most Disappointing Movie: Beauty and the Beast

When one says most disappointing, I would think it's the one where one expects much from it, only to be underwhelmed with the results. This year it was Beauty and the Beast. Disney had a good track record with their live adaptation of Disney princess movies. This was the exception. While Emma Watson looked the part, her acting was iffy. The CGI was terrible, and the grandeur of the animated classic was completely washed out in this remake.

Worst Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

There were only 2 movies I rated below 2 stars for the year. One was another disappointment, and one was the worst movie of the year.  I know the movie was going to be bad, and it was. The performances were abysmal. It was a lackluster adventure movie, which is possibly a grave sin against adventure movies. 

Other Notable Works

Blade Runner 2049

Blade Runner 2049 was a hefty undertaking for Denis Villeneuve, and he did not disappoint. It was visually pleasing, and the whole affair was an interesting look at the evolution of replicants. I am so glad Roger Deakins was recognized for his work here.

I, Tonya

Margot Robbie delivers one of her best performances as Tonya Harding, an ex-professional figure skater. The film was entertaining and ruthless in showing everything Harding has experienced in both her personal and professional life. It takes a different approach to presenting the narrative, which adds to the appeal of the film.

Band Aid

Band Aid sticks out like a sore thumb in this list because everything else has garnered attention or buzz and this has quietly slipped through. My attachment to it stems mostly due to Zoe Lister-Jones and Adam Pally, The movie narrates a couple's struggle to deal with their situation, and they end up using music as a medium to air out their grievances to each other.

Wind River

Wind River is probably the one film I won't be watching anytime soon, particularly due to one scene. Still, it has this atmospheric feel that makes a crime thriller chilling. It has good performances by Elizabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner. The conclusion of the film is something that I didn't expect.

Ingrid Goes West

Ingrid Goes West is the film that made me think about it over and over again. I can relate to this easily because this is the social media era, and there are people like Ingrid that model their lives to look picture perfect. While we shouldn't aspire to be like Ingrid, her actions are reflective to society's addiction to portraying a picture-perfect lifestyle.

The Big Sick

The Big Sick had a wonderful story that transcends the usual romantic comedy trope, but what makes this notable for me is the cast. Kumail Nanjiani does a good job carrying the film on his shoulders, but Zoe Kazan, Ray Romano and Holly Hunter were great additions to the film that all four complimented each other and made the film stronger.

Lady Bird

I saw a bit of my teenage years through Lady Bird - that desire to want something more. What I love about her is that she has a strong personality and a low tolerance for bullshit. Saoirse Ronan gives a wonderful performance, and the writing was spot on. This is something I could see myself watching over and over again.