2017: My Year in Film

With the Oscars coming up, I figured it was time to post this list. I said that I had hoped to have it up in February, and it is the end of February.

Once again, I found this to be a generally underwhelming year. There have indeed been standouts, but overall there is no film(s) that caused me to swoon or commit to a day one home video purchase. Fittingly, this will be a quick list.

There are films which I still have not seen such as I, Tonya and The Darkest Hour, but I doubt they would have made a difference if I had. I have seen all the other Oscar best picture nominees, and plenty of others.

Another thing I despised was the late dumping of Oscar hopeful films in limited release at the end of the year, many I did not even hear about until 2017 when they were finally widely released. This practice creates a distorted ceremony, and it reveals a lack of faith by distributors in the strength and quality of their material.

Enough of the prologue, here follows the list. 

Hidden Figures

Last year I refused to put this on my list due to release date. Here it finally is. See, it was good enough to be remembered after all this time. 

20th Century Women

Again. Last year I refused to put this on my list due to release date. Here it finally is. See, it was also good enough to be remembered after all this time.

Wonder Woman

This is the first female superhero onscreen that I haven't found lacking since ever. I own this on Ultra-HD.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

I also own this (in 3D!).

The Zookeeper’s Wife

Fascinating true story about a zookeeping family and the holocaust.

Molly's Game 

 

Once again, Jessica Chastain (also in The Zookeeper's Wife) shows up on the list. Man, she was the hottest thing on the screen all year. And Aaron Sorkin's rapid-fire script turns her voice into the hottest on the sound system. And this film had one of those sentimental moments that really choked me up near the end. (And after doing some follow-up reading, I can't think about Tobey Maguire the same way ever again).

Get Out

I saw this because of a Facebook post by G. Arthur Brown. Glad I did. A truly original story.

Battle of the Sexes

Another fascinating true story about history-making absurdity in the realm of professional tennis.

The Birth of the Dragon 

 

This controversial film about the legendary rivalry between Wong Jack Man and Bruce Lee was mesmerizing, old-fashioned martial arts entertainment. Sure, it may be haeavily fictionalized, but it's effects on my spirit and psychological outlook are completely real. It is more about character than combat. The actor (Philip Ng) who plays Bruce Lee has a similarly inspiring physical prowess. However, it is Yu Xia as Wong Jack Man who steals the show with his Kwai Chang Caine-level wisdom and restraint. Of course, the real Wong Jack Man (and the ancient Shaolin temples and martial arts schools) preceded Kung Fu. Most people don't get what I got out of this film, but I hope you do.

Oscar Pick 

The Shape of Water

No duh, I forgot Guillermo Del Toro's most enjoyable serious film ever. I loved the inter-species dynamics and am ashamed I temporarily overlooked this on an earlier version of this list. This film clearly has parallels with Shrek, Splash, The Little Mermaid, The Swamp Thing and Beauty and the Beast. But this somehow strikes a deeper chord. It contains my favorite original music of the year, for one thing. Perhaps it is the lack of a common language that elevated The Shape of Water above the earlier films. In all of those films the creature speaks English. I truly hope this wins best picture (with great concern). 

Horror honorable mentions.

It

This was significant because this Summer was the summer of Stephen King, for me. I caught up on a myriad of films, not fully aware of the upcoming It. One such film was the television mini-series, which lacks the humor, but is more unrelentingly chilling. Of course, The Dark Tower was the real disappointment. Ultimately, this was a very funny film, as evidenced by the audience's frequent laughter, and it is simply beautifully shot. As for horror, I think the second chapter will prove more serious.

Happy Death Day

Time-loop movies generally annoy me. Even Source Code, one of my favorites of 2011, has been avoided on my shelf since a month after I bought it. I must say that the final reveal in Happy Death Day takes what seems like a weak resolution to a strong concept and makes it fittingly strong. This is a good time to be sure.

Nostalgic honorable mentions from that period living in the hotel by the theater during the renovations of the apartment:

Logan

 This film is like a Mad Max version of the Wolverine. I love powers, especially seeing powers, or their effects, which I have never seen. And this film delivered. I was transfixed by Professor X's epic seizures and their terrifying effects. 

Ghost in the Shell

I have to admit that I enjoyed this Blade Runner-like manga/anime adaptation more than Blade Runner 2049. There is something dreamy about this film that puts me into a sleepy state, but in a welcome and restorative way. The oddly familiar quality of the holograms in this film had me searching my memory for other past films with a similar look, but I couldn't specifically recall one. This film certainly had its flaws, but it found a special resonance for me that is as intangible as a literal ghost in the machine.

Kong: Skull Island  

My parents convinced me to watch this. If you took Jurassic Park, Apocalypse Now, and King Kong and put them in a blender, you would get something like this (assuming you turned the blender on). 

This film has intriguingly incorporated archival footage of past wars and politicians, giving this fantastic film a grounding in the real world. King Kong, finally, is truly massive and fierce. In the original, Kong looks small compared to the Empire State Building, in this film he is probably half as tall as that building. My mother pointed out how the woman in the original sticks out of Kong's closed hand, on both sides, whereas, in this film, Kong's grip completely encloses the woman. 

I would also be remiss if I failed ti acknowledge that Brie Larson is a worthy successor to the cinematic tradition of attractive women in white tank tops. 

Overall, an unexpectedly good movie.

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Wow, I wrote more about the honorable mentions. Perhaps that is because the films I considered the best speak for themselves, whereas, the honorable mentions were here primarily due to their context in my life and a wish to share my stories about them.

Creed: Review

I just finished re-watching Creed on Blu-ray the other night.  It is one of my favorites of the year without a doubt but certainly not without its weaknesses. 

Michael B. Jordan as Adonis.

This film centers around Adonis Johnson/Creed (Michael B. Jordan), who is the son of Apollo Creed (out of wedlock).  I originally thought the name Adonis was kind of silly, but when I think about it, Apollo is a highly unlikely name as well.  He's either been institutionalized or liven with foster parents to bitter ends.  He feels like a man without a home or a family.  He's been fighting underground in Mexico and is undefeated in that market.  However, he wants to transition to mainstream professional boxing.  One day he quits his nice Los Angeles office job shortly after a promotion to pursue these dreams.

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky.

He relocates to Philadelphia so that he can find Rocky Balboa and hopefully train with him as well as get some answers about Apollo.  This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  This relocation also leads to a fateful meeting with a beautiful young woman downstairs named Bianca who has progressive hearing loss (Tessa Thompson).  A romantic relationship begins that is meant to recall the Rocky-Adrian relationship that is so pivotal to the original series.  

Tessa Thomson as Bianca.

The primary adversary in this film is one of the weakest in all the films.  "Pretty" Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew) has a considerably less impressive physique than Adonis, Rocky or any of Rocky's primary adversaries.  Of course, physique aesthetics is a relatively superficial measure of adversarial worthiness, but the weaknesses also extends to the fact that the fighter is at the end of his career and just doesn't have the same level of charisma as prior adversaries, cartoon-like as they may be.  One thing is certain though, Ricky Conlan is the most realistic adversary of the series thus far since he is played by a real professional British boxer.

Tony Bellew as Ricky Conlan.

This film renews the spirit of Rocky in which going the distance and winning the crowd is more important than winning the judges.  This film also weaves much of the cinematic DNA of the series into it: Mickey's gym, the Front Street gym, chasing chickens, illness and hospital vigils, Apollo Creed's trunks from the original film, the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, footage from the original films, and plenty of references to the past.  By the end, I was nearly misty eyed.

I am excited for where a new Creed series may go, especially in the escalation of of Creed's ring adversaries.

Ant-Man: Review

When I saw Ant-Man the family-packed, mid-to-lowbrow crowd laughed and cheered and basically had a rollicking good time.  I love that salsa music is used on the soundtrack early in the film, indicating that this is going to be light and fun.  Watch out for the Baskin Robbins joke, which worked in the theater, yet played quite differently when I watched it again by myself, but echoes of the laughter from my memories were there.  Much of the humor in this film is of the Jon Stewart type where supposedly absurd or outlandish or obscure ideas are later confirmed or fulfilled in the face of all odds and rationality.

Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily.

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is an average type of guy playing an awkward superhero.  He is a professional burglar recently released from prison who has vowed to never steal or again be a criminal.  His comical fast-talking friend Luis (Michael Peña) has doubts about this resolution (he's also part of the Baskin Robbins joke).  Lang is also trying to reconnect with his son and redeem himself in the eyes of his ex (Judy Greer) and her current partner (Bobby Cannavale).  

Michael Douglas

Lang is recruited by the original ant-man, who is a genius scientist and inventor Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), to be the new ant-man for one special mission.  Businessman Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) has dangerous plans for the secret shrinking technology.  Dr. Hank Pym and Lang are assisted by Hank's daughter Hope (Evangeline Lily).  Tensions occur as Hope want to be the person in the suit (Ant-Woman).  Hank's reasons for forbidding this are more obvious than the film pretends, but it's not a big problem for the story. 

Corey Stoll as a supreme prick.

I liked this film more the second time for one reason: 3D.  I saw this film in 2D in theaters.  The humor makes for fun, if not laugh-out-loud, viewing, but the 3D is the best that I saw in any 2015 movie.  I believe it is one of the best 3D presentations ever (right up there with Hugo and the better content from IMAX and Pixar).  Due to the simulated perspective of being shrunken with over-sized surroundings it reminded me of Disney's Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!  Watching it at home from my projector was like being in a theme park 3D auditorium.

Scenes like this blow the senses in 3D.

Favorite Films of 2015

This list comes at an appropriate time, just a day after the Academy Awards.  This was another underwhelming year for the movies in my opinion (sure, profits were up).  Nonetheless, there were definitely greats in relative isolation at the top of the mountain.  There were many films that proved disappointing, either partially or completely.  There are still some movies yet to be seen but overall this is pretty much it.  More over, many film reviews are overdue.

Jurassic World

  

Straight up the most fun and entertaining film of the year, it will take a bite out of the summertime blues.  Having watched this again recently I was happy to be reminded that this is, in part, a Christmas movie.  Sadly, the 3D version, as screened in my home, was less than enthralling.       

The Walk

  

People have been talking about Oscar snubs, and I honestly think this may be one of the biggest.  This film follows in the footsteps of the best documentary winner Man on Wire about wire-walker Philippe Petit.  Man on Wire and Fahrenheit 9/11 are the only documentary winners that I know off the top of my head.  I loved the documentary and can understand how people would think that this film was unnecessary.  I was skeptical but captured by the transcendent spirit.  Furthermore, this film has a solid 3D presentation, which heightens the experience.

The Hateful Eight

I have yet to offer up my full review on this, which is overdue since I attended a road show screening in 70mm.  Needless, to say, the nearly three hour movie flew by.  This is especially impressive as this year I’ve checked my watch more than any other at the movies.  Tarantino plays with timelines like few directors, and he really reminds you how much we take for granted in life and in the movies. 

Creed

If The Hateful Eight is my favorite film on a technical level then this is my favorite on an emotional level.  I love that they branched out from Rocky and created an Apollo Creed legacy story, I never would have thought to do this.  Indeed, this is my favorite exhibit in favor of all the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.  They get back to basics here and reminded me of what made the original films so powerful, it wasn’t the training or the matches, but the life difficulties and perseverance outside the ring that made us care about the training and the boxing.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Yet another cast steps into their roles years later.  I credit this film as being the best since the original series.  Luke Skywalker’s absence from most of the film enhances the mystique of the character and gives us something to anticipate.  This was a master stroke of storytelling, Skywalker is not to be taken for granted, neither is the force.  Harrison Ford who seems to have been grudgingly acting (the antithesis of Han Solo) through much of his recent roles somehow brings Han Solo back to the screen as if he was never away.  The newcomers yield promise but I still care most how Luke fits in events to come.   

San Andreas

This is my favorite film with Dwayne Johnson.  This is also one of my favorites with Carla Gugino.  Paul Giamatti is quite fun to watch here as well.  I wasn’t expecting to like this or even want to see it, but I must have been desperate when I decided to check it out.  Well, I love that this is yet another sunny romp through California.  Furthermore, the central role of Caltech was gratifying as my uncle went there.  I would say that this is my favorite earthquake movie and one of my favorite disaster movies.  What is it about disaster and happy endings that go together so well?

The Bridge of Spies

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I cared about these characters.  Furthermore, like Argo or Catch Me If You Can (if you prefer), this is yet another glimpse into a fascinating, relatively obscure part of history.  Thomas Newman’s first effort for Spielberg (or rather Spielberg’s first film minus John Williams) was nothing special, but it worked enough wonders to get the job done. 

Honorable Mention

Straight Outta Compton

This is the other best argument in support of all the Oscars controversy.  I honestly didn’t want to see this film originally, partly because I didn’t know what it was about.  I partially blame poor advertising (the kind that didn’t reach me) in that regard.  Sure, I saw posters but no trailers or something more revealing.  

Once I realized what this film was about I was more interested, especially with the screenwriting nomination.  Not only was this film riveting, the portrayal of Ice Cube by O’Shea Jackson Jr. was particularly impressive.  This film made me a fan of NWA, and rehashed my interest in Ice Cube, for about five minutes.  I admire Ice Cube’s practicality and direct approach to living life.  In the end, though, this still is not top notch entertainment for me, which is why I watch movies.