Oscar Predictions 2017 - Best Picture nominees ranked

You guys know how this work: you sit back and guffaw at my contentious opinions, after which point you get to laugh at me for not predicting the right film for Best Picture because I'm ever so slightly biased against it. Well, might as well give you what you want.


Best Picture

9. Darkest Hour

I am sick of watching old British men arguing in dimly lit rooms... I just thought I'd mention that. Darkest Hour is my pick for the most Oscar bait movie in this entire lot: Second World War, a historical biopic, lots of makeup, lots of line shouting, Gary Oldman nearly disappearing into a role, but not quite because I still knew ahead of time it was Gary Oldman... It was kinda designed to be released late in the year, much like a lot of Joe Wright's prestige movies, which haven't done a lot for me outside of the divisive Atonement. That said, I cannot dismiss this movie; it's a solid interpretation of the events that led to the evacuation of Dunkirk, even though it's pretty easily outdone by the actual interpretation of the evacuation of Dunkirk, or even the interpretation of what happened after the evacuation of Dunkirk... Oh right, nobody else saw Their Finest... that's a bit unfortunate. Gary Oldman still owns his performance, for which he is easily going to win his long-awaited Best Actor award. It will be interesting to see what he has to say during his speech, that's for sure, he's rather unpredictable these days.

*** 1/2 out of *****


8. The Post

So, funny thing: as I was compiling this list... I completely forgot to include The Post until I reached my #2! Well, that doesn't seem to bode well for the film that I spent a month of binge reviewing all of its acclaimed star's previous Oscar-nominated roles. I'll actually be fair to the film as it is, because when I had finished watching it, I felt that it was a significant improvement over Spielberg's last Best Picture nominee. I felt more engaged with the characters and their dilemmas in The Post than in Bridge of Spies, which had one very fine performance going for it, and that's it. It's fairly clear that the film was made with an Academy Award nomination in mind, especially when you have the three highest gods of the American cinematic pantheons collaborating on a film that speaks to a very relevant issue. Gratefully, all three of these titans do very fine work, including the mighty Meryl Streep, whose performance is appropriately more subdued in this film than several of her previous nominations. The fact that I basically forgot this film compared to every other nominee past this point does paint a pretty clear picture of how I'll probably view it in the long run. Still, it was a pleasant enough film with a positive message about freedom of the press and making the right choice at the right time and other Spielberg-ian niceties. This is one film that your parents will certainly like, but gratefully, from where I stand, you can enjoy it too.

**** out of *****


7. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

I will say it now just to get it off my chest: if Three Billboards wins, and someone else has now convinced me it will, it's very likely gonna become my new Birdman. This is the kind of film where I appreciate it, I think it succeeds at stirring up people's emotions, there's good filmmaking style on display here, and the performances are uniformly very good. As I've implied earlier, though, I can't shake the feeling that Martin McDonagh was trying really hard to make a Coen Brothers movie, and I don't think he made as strong a movie as Fargo was and still is. On a more personal note, I ended up wishing that the film had made me laugh more; I'm a sucker for black comedy, but the jokes were too few and far between, buried under a lot of - I'll be fair here - righteous indignation. This film feels like a very good discussion piece, and I won't be surprised if it wins as a result. From my perspective, however, there are many films that were better, more subtle, more artful, and more complete that I enjoyed from last year. Maybe I'll rewatch it again at some point and my mind will change, that's entirely possible; however, that did not happen when I saw Birdman a second time, so I'm rather skeptical about this film.

**** out of *****

6. Call Me by Your Name

Here's one case where I think the acclaim definitely wore me down before I saw the film, as well as the mild controversy regarding age of consent. Now in this movie's defence, assuming they are taking the angle of this being a family who identifies as Italian rather than American, Italian age of consent is 14 years old, and from my perspective, if it's legal, the 7 year age gap doesn't seem that dramatic to me. What does seem pretty dramatic for me - or undramatic, I should say - is how generally slow the film is. It's gorgeously shot and well-written with strongly realized and realistic characters... but it can get pretty boring. The music can also be kinda jarring at times, with the flighty Oscar-nominated indie songs playing in the middle of a scenario that doesn't seem very fitting. Still, the well realized characters are the real draw here, and they're wonderfully performed by Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, and especially Michael Stuhlbarg, who should have been nominated for something this year. Maybe he shouldn't have stopped at three movies, he should have starred in all nine of the Best Picture nominees, then they'd be impressed.

**** out of *****

5. Dunkirk

I'm basically gonna start repeating myself at this point, but I do want to emphasize that Dunkirk is absolutely worthy of the praise that it has gotten. It's the most audacious war film to come out in many decades, probably since The Thin Red Line and Saving Private Ryan changed the public's perception of the Second World War. Dunkirk succeeds in a very different way, one that is almost entirely cinematic and is extremely visceral as a result. Christopher Nolan has challenged himself with this film and he took that challenge full on. The film does not have quite the same emotional impact than his previous films, nor is it utterly flawless. Still, when the pros overpower the cons so profoundly, you can't help but sweat in your seat as the German planes bombard you from above. It is just that daunting.

**** 1/2 out of *****

4. The Shape of Water

You know it just dawned on me: maybe The Shape of Water and Dunkirk actually balance each other out for me. Dunkirk stands as an unique statement of a director changing his style, but it also works best when experienced in the moment. The Shape of Water feels more like a director very confidently stepping back into his wheel house, but fashioning it into a film that resonates with you emotionally long afterwards. I still have great affection for this film and what its character relationships had to offer. Sublime performances and stunning production design come together to create this beautiful but also frightening world. Sally Hawkins should unquestionably win Best Actress, even if I don't get to see Margot Robbie standing beside her. There is so much emotional depth to the experience of seeing this film and revisiting it several times. I can't help but celebrate this tribute to the outcasts of society in the form of an interspecies romance.

**** 1/2 out of *****

3. Lady Bird

Ronan's amazing, Metcalf's wonderful, Gerwig's made an awesome debut and should win Best Original Screenplay, you get the picture.

***** out of *****

2. Get Out

Kaluuya's awesome, the script is tight and intense, Jordan Peele's got a long career ahead of him, and other affirmative things.

***** out of *****

1. Phantom Thread

I just watched it for the third time... I'm still not bored of singing this film's praises! I can't stop finding new things I admire about Paul Thomas Anderson's work and the performances every time I see the film; there isn't a single needless scene, shot, edit, soundtrack, or line of dialogue in the entire runtime. I find so much more to admire in the way that the relationship at its centre subverts expectations, creating a wonderfully intense dynamic between Vicky Krieps and Daniel Day-Lewis. To that end, I've never really talked about how beautifully shot the film is. Just looking at the heavy use of close-ups throughout made me realize something the third time I saw it: this may be Anderson's most intimate film! So it shouldn't be surprising that the reason why there's no Director of Photography credit at the end of this film is because Anderson himself is the one operating the camera! I'm officially a lifelong fan of Anderson; I jumped on the band wagon late, but he's unquestionably one of the most unpredictable, unconventional auteurs of our time. I'll miss Day-Lewis if this is his last film, I look forward to seeing Krieps moving forward, I want Manville to be in every movie ever - okay, every great movie that comes out from here on end, I don't want her career spoiled - I wish everyone on this film the best of luck at the Oscars. And thank you. For everything.

***** out of *****

I am seriously differing from most other people's average ranking this year. I don't quite know what it is that has made Three Billboards soar so high among audiences; hardly anybody saw In Bruge, so it's not prior exposure to Martin McDonagh... I guess it is this image of Middle America that people don't find too far from the truth. It's a difficult film for some people, including me, but I guess I shouldn't really begrudge its success within a certain audience. I'll try to rewatch it at some point to know for sure. The two films that do seem fairly consistent in their rankings this year are Dunkirk and Call Me by Your Name, which seems pretty fair. One was such a brutal, visceral experience, while the other was so quietly powerful in its depiction of a sincere romance. I am kind of baffled by how much the audiences have turned on Get Out and Lady Bird. Is it the critical acclaim that's pushing them back, or are they just trolling us with their faux dislike of anything related to women or minorities? They deserve better. Hey, The Shape of Water is ranked 6th on all of these lists, has that ever happened when I did this before!? It's certainly a film that really needs you to indulge its combination of all thing horrific and romantic at once, so this makes sense. I'm also not too disappointed with where Phantom Thread ranks, at least on IMDb and Metacritic. I don't put as much weight on the Tomatometer rating as much as other people do, so it is what it is. This will be interesting to see who the Academy agrees with this year. (Probably not me, but I can dream, can't I?)

IMDb - (only the #1 in Top 250)

1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - 8.3/10

2. Call Me by Your Name - 8.1/10

3. Dunkirk - 8/10

4. Phantom Thread - 7.8/10

5. Get Out - 7.7/10
6. The Shape of Water - 7.7/10

7. Lady Bird - 7.6/10

8. Darkest Hour - 7.4/10
9. The Post - 7.3/10

Rotten Tomatoes - (Confusing Golden Tomato scores seriously throwing it off this time)

1. Get Out - 99%
2. Dunkirk - 93%

3. Lady Bird - 99%

4. Call Me by Your Name - 96%

5. Three Billboards, Outside Ebbing Missouri - 92%
6. The Shape of Water - 92%

7. Phantom Thread - 91%

8. The Post - 88%
9. Darkest Hour - 86%

Metacritic
1. Dunkirk - 94/100

2. Lady Bird - 94/100

3. Call Me by Your Name - 93/100

4. Phantom Thread - 90/100

5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - 88/100
6. The Shape of Water - 87/100

7. Get Out - 84/100
8. The Post - 83/100
9. Darkest Hour - 75/100

Oscar Predictions 2017 - secondary categories

Alright... let's do this.  Place your bets, and remember... I may not be reliable anymore. I care no longer for my reputation, so long as something surprises me this year... in a good way... Please surprise me.

Best Animated Short Film

My pick (by default): Revolting Rhymes

Winner: Picking one at random... Garden Party

They've somehow made it harder to see most of these short films and I'm not very happy about that.  I only caught Revolting Rhymes on Netflix, and was very entertained by it, mostly because of Roahl Dahl's prose. No, I did not see Cars 3, so I did not see Lou, so I can't say anything to its quality, although I haven't seen any massive support for it. Then again, Pixar wins in this category so often that I wonder if it's just obligatory to hand them the award even before they release the short. The only other serious contender this year is the one with the strongest backlash. It's hard to imagine the Academy giving an award to Kobe Bryant after what they did to distance themselves from Harvey Weinstein. Dear Basketball may have a Disney animator and Mr. Star Wars himself John Williams, but pedigree may not help it this time. I'm just giving a shot in the dark, and I hit on a surprise nominee with frogs on the poster. I have a short attention span, and this looks pretty.

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

My Pick (by default): Heroin(e)
Winner: No friggin' clue... Heroi- Oh wait, never mind, definitely Edith+Eddie!

I very abruptly shifted gears on this one because I actually decided to read the basic synopsis of each of these nominees. Not to discredit Heroin(e), however; I found it to be very genuine and accessible, painting a very admirable portrait of the lives of several women doing their best to maintain order and safety in the drug-ridden community of Huntington, West Virginia. It's a very fine piece and easily accessible on Netflix. Here's the thing, though: Edith+Eddie... a nonagenarians interracial newly-wed couple dealing with a family crisis... That's winning! I haven't even seen it yet, but from that description, it's got everything: a discussion of current events, a sweet and likeable pair of main characters, conflict, struggle, and just a slight bit of schmaltz. The Academy loves all of those things, and since none of the nominees this year are focused on any international conflicts, we can probably bet pretty safely on this one... or Heroin(e), I don't know.

Best Live Action Short Film

Winner: And we're back to no friggin' clues, so... Oh God... DeKalb Elementary

It's about a gunman in an elementary school... That seems way too current not to win... I'm not gonna say anything more about this for fear of triggering people.

Best Sound Editing

My Pick: The Shape of Water

Winner: The Shape of Water

I'm sure you would think I'd pick Dunkirk for both the sound categories, but if we're thinking from the perspective of creating new sounds almost exclusively for a specific film, The Shape of Water takes it. This category went to Arrival last year, so I don't think it's hard to imagine another science fiction/fantasy film could take it again. Just the sound design for the Asset alone is excellent, adding to his character's sense of surprising vulnerability. Even if it's not the winner, I'm more expecting Blade Runner 2049 for this category, but I'll get back to that later. It may not be an overwhelming sound design, but if it adds to the experience and effects your feelings toward the film, it probably deserves this award.

Best Sound Mixing

My Pick: Dunkirk

Winner: Dunkirk

Okay, now we're back to the overwhelming sound design... at least once my ears stop ringing. God, this movie was LOUD!!! Which only makes sense coming from Christopher Nolan. If the man does... well, he does a lot of things well, but immersing his audience through sound is unquestionably one of his trademarks. It's the one war movie nominated in both these categories this year, which is pretty much a guarantee during any award season.

Best Original Song

1. "Mighty River" - Mudbound
2. "This Is Me" - The Greatest Showman
3. "Mystery of Love" - Call Me By Your Name
4. "Remember Me" - Coco
5. "Stand Up for Something" - Marshall

Winner: "This Is Me" - The Greatest Showman

Damnit, Diane Warren! When is it going to set in: The Academy does not reward pop songs! Rap, maybe, but not since 8 Mile and Hustle and Flow... and people actually remember "Lose Yourself". Any who, I'm torn this year between the snobby side of me and the sappy sides of me, because the top two songs are really effective for different reasons. I picked "Mighty River" as my favourite because it's the strongest composition and it makes you feel without overwhelming you with its emotions. I also appreciate "Mystery of Love", but more independent of the film and as an interesting composition rather than as something I'd listen to constantly. That said, nothing's more pleasing than a show stopping number. "This Is Me" is not my favourite song from The Greatest Showman - I'm listening to the opening number "The Greatest Show" right this minute - but this is unquestionably the show-stopping number. It's gotten into the Hollywood Foreign Press's heads, so I would expect no less from the Academy. And you know what, why not have a power anthem that people - that is to say, I - actually remember and enjoy win for once!? It's a pretty fair fight this year, though. May the best belter win.

Best Production Design

1. The Shape of Water
2. Blade Runner 2049
3. Beauty and the Beast
4. Dunkirk
5. Darkest Hour

Winner: The Shape of Water

I'm always a little baffled when war movies and specifically World War movies get nominated in this category, not because they don't have artistic value, but because they're so clearly playing a different game compared to everything else. Science-fiction and fantasy film have so much art direction that build on the world and reflect the character's moods and personality. Darkest Hour and Dunkirk, though... they just kinda exist. The other films make more sense, especially considering how much one of them is trying so hard. By the time I actually watched Disney's latest unnecessary remaster for the PS4 - a.k.a. the remake of Beauty and the Beast - I think I might have grown more lenient towards its designs. I still think most of the set decoration and digital characters are really over-designed, but at least they were a pretty enough diversion in a movie that didn't really add much else of value to the story. Seriously, though, how can this be anything other than The Shape of Water? The heightened colour scheme and hints at both the austerity and the ironic nostalgia for the 1960s really does shine through. Plus, it would be following in the tradition of Pan's Labyrinth if it does win, so how could they resist?

Best Costume Design

1. Phantom Thread

2. The Shape of Water
3. Victoria and Abdul
4. Beauty and the Beast
5. Darkest Hour

Winner: Phantom Thread

Guys, the film is named after an actual technique used by seamstresses! Of course it's going to win, and it abso-goddamn-lutely should!

Best Makeup and Hair Styling

1. Darkest Hour

2. Victoria and Abdul

Winner: Darkest Hour

For those of you asking, I haven't seen Wonder, because I simply was not interested at this time. Hey, I'm a college student, I don't have to be interested in everything. Otherwise... You do realize that the Asset is covered in makeup and not a costume, right? You couldn't have thrown in a 14th nomination just for niceties sake? There's nothing too spectacular about these nominees, so it's probably safest to say that Darkest Hour will probably win for making audiences temporarily forget that they were watching Gary Oldman... or maybe I was just made aware that he was playing Churchill and they simply shouldn't have revealed it in the trailers.

Best Cinematography

1. Blade Runner 2049
2. The Shape of Water
3. Dunkirk
4. Darkest Hour
5. Mudbound

Winner: Blade Runner 2049

They're not making this easier, are they? I mean they made it a lot easier to predict, but not much easier to rank these Top Three. Now, proper kudos to Rachel Morrison for being the first woman nominated in this category ever. However, from what I hear, Mudbound looks way more impressive on the big screen... I'm hope that's true, because my dinky gaming monitor did not impress me very much. Hoyte van Hoytema really excels at creating worlds with a massive scale while still keeping the characters and their experience the focus of every shot. I love how it feels like he's using as much natural light as possible to create each image also. The Shape of Water feels like such a pure del Toro film in the way Dan Laustsen's camera seems to glide fluidly through every scenario. There is barely a single static shot in that film for a very good reason... Guys, it's Roger goddamn Deakins! You know it, I know it, why are we even discussing this!? He's been passed on 13 times, the cinematography in Blade Runner 2049 is immaculate, he's going to win and he damn well deserves it! (I seem to be using more mild swears on than I usually do... I blame Daniel Day-Lewis... and homework.)

Best Film Editing

1. Dunkirk
2. Baby Driver
3. I, Tonya
4. The Shape of Water
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Winner: Dunkirk

That... is easy. It's either the film that jumps around between different days, weeks and hours, or the film that jumps around between beats, bullets and cars. You can take your pick, but I also think Lee Smith has been jibbed in this category for long enough, so I'm banking on him winning it this time.

Best Original Score

1. Phantom Thread
2. The Shape of Water

3. Dunkirk
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Winner: The Shape of Water

Oooooooh... Do I go with my gut or go with my heart? WHICH ONE IS WHICH!? This category could easily go to either of my top two picks. The other three nominees have their merits; essentially say their names - Hans Zimmer, John Williams, and Carter Burwell - and you don't have to question what each of their scores sound like, and they all seem fitting of their respective films. Even when Hans Zimmer feels more like a sound designer than a composer on Dunkirk, it just proves how much of an appropriate choice he was to mix it. Most people appear to have landed on the side of The Shape of Water as the predicted winner. Immediately, this makes sense, because Alexandre Desplat has crafted some incredibly memorable themes for that film, with all his eccentricity on display between the accordions, the more subdued atmospheric approach to action sequences, and the metal xylophones sounding just like something out of a music box. Obviously, though, I'm biased toward Phantom Thread, but seriously if you haven't heard Jonny Greenwood's near-classical work and how it perfectly matches every single sequence to a T... Guys, let me put it this way... I hate piano and violin-based scores... and not only did I not hate this particular piano and violin-based score, I was absolutely swept away by it, because it fits this particular scenario and these particular characters! There are four separate tracks on the album for this score all called 'Phantom Thread', essentially playing different renditions of the same melody line, and they all feel fresh, exciting and original!  That's how much I love this score! Take your pick, but be sure to listen to this soundtrack before you do! Listen to it and be blown away!!!

Best Visual Effects

1. War for the Planet of the Apes
2. Blade Runner 2049
3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
5. Kong: Skull Island

Winner: War for the Planet of the Apes


I think we are officially in No-Brainer territory. Every other nominee in this category may look cool, beautiful, or... no, just cool or beautiful, it doesn't matter because none of them feel quite as accomplished as this last film in the wildly acclaimed reboot trilogy. I've been sceptical of the quality of the digital effects in these Planet of the Apes films for a long time, which is ironic because I am a fan of the series from a storytelling perspective. Rise was wildly entertaining and Dawn gave us a great nuanced villain in Toby Kebball's Koba, but in both films, I always felt the movement of the apes was still too fluid, too gliding, too neat to be completely convincing. They hadn't quite reached photorealism up to that point... They have now! Let me tell you what scene completely convinced me: when Caesar confronts Winter. Through the combined effort of Andy Serkis's truly powerful performance and the digital wizards, I was hooked in the scene and utterly transfixed by the drama as Winter confesses his wrongdoings. Then, at the absolute right moment, we see Caesar's half-lit face. The subtle movements, the detail, the texture, the performance, they all united, and the thought finally hit me: That's not a man with dots on his face... I'm looking at an ape! I'm looking at the real Caesar! EVERYBODY WINS EVERYTHING!!!!!

I'll see you tomorrow for some other things, okay?

My Favourite Movies of 2017

There is no need for a preamble at this point, although I have to say I am glad I took the time to compile this list after a certain amount of time. I got to see more of my anticipated and important films - with one exception, but that couldn't be helped... sorry, Agnès Varda - but the rest of this list has been prepared to the best of my abilities and for the sake of your enjoyment.

My absentee list still includes ten titles, but they'll be finished eventually, I'm sure.

A Fantastic Woman
Dawson City: Frozen Time
Faces Places
Foxtrot
Loveless
Mary and the Witch's Flower
Obit
Patti Cake$
A Silent Voice
Thelma


And the honourable mentions... I was really tempted to just list all my other options, considering how when I compiled my shortlist of all the films I gave 4 1/2 to 5 stars from 2017, I had 24. But since I'm drawing this out long enough, I'll just give you these ones which I feel 'mattered' most... in a particular order, but not necessarily one that's due to ranking:

Logan Lucky
This was a riotously fun heist to watch in theatres, and it deserved more of an audience than it got. At the same time, rather bizarrely, every time I thought about movies that I gave five-stars to, this one always came ups last. Maybe it's a great entertaining time while watching it, but not life-changing.

Loving Vincent
I consider it a privilege to have seen this film in the cinema and to be overwhelmed its artistry as the first ever hand-painted animated film. What a beautiful film and a very sincere tribute to one of the most influential artists of the 19th century. I had the smallest hint of a tear as the end credits played.

The Square
Once again, we have a five star film that didn't quite make it because I don't have as personal a connection to it. That said, this savage satire of the high and mighty art community is so hilarious that it needs to be seen. Terry Notary alone should earns this film a win for Best Foreign Language Film.

Wonder Woman
I want all of you to revisit this film, and consider how important it is for our time. To have Diana Prince be brought to life after decades of waiting and to have the final product be one that respects her as a character and as an inspiration for men and women, that needs to be honoured. We need a hero like Wonder Woman now more than ever. Is it a perfect movie? No. But I love it regardless. Gal Gadot, Patty Jenkins, I salute you both.

And... Hhh...

Dunkirk
I'm as shocked as you are. Dunkirk is an astounding film; thrilling, tense, brutal, masterfully shot, edited and scored, and stunning to watch on an IMAX screen. However, more than any of Nolan's other recent films... I've nitpicked this film the most. There are small technical things that bother me that don't make the film a Dark Knight Rises, but also prevent it from being an Inception. I'm talking stuff like the simple characters, Kenneth Branagh's limited dialogue, and a sunset that defies continuity. These are more mild distractions than anything else. Dunkirk is still Nolan's most visceral film in terms of a theatre going experience, if not quite his most challenging or emotionally strong.


And now:

My Top Ten Favourite Films of 2017


10. The Shape of Water



This is weird, right? This film? This director? These actors? This many Oscar nominations? This 'low' on my list!? I can't deny what I've already said in my review for this film; I still find a lot of similarities between this film and Guillermo del Toro's previous masterpiece Pan's Labyrinth. I was a little more lenient on Crimson Peak when I recognized elements from The Devil's Backbone, but when I'm this much a fanboy of del Toro when he does something new, seeing things pop up so consistently in his films does wear down the excitement a little bit. Where everyone is absolutely right about The Shape of Water, however, and where I have the strongest emotional connection to it is in the relationships between its characters, especially those who are outcasts from their society. Each of them is a distinct personality that is true to del Toro's sensibilities, and they all live their own very sincere and very beautiful lives. There's no question that the true stars of this film are those that don't even speak at all. Sally Hawkins as Eliza and Doug Jones as the Asset are absolutely flawless, flawless in their design, flawless in their physicality, and flawless in their emotionality. Their romance is beautifully realized, and you feel as they feel every second they are together. It's a gorgeously mounted and respectfully written tale of desire and reliance among people of all backgrounds, orientations and species; I may nit-pick it to death, but I shall never disrespect it.


9. A Ghost Story



I struggled to decide whether or not to include certain films on this list. We're facing a challenge in our current atmosphere: how much credit do we give to one person for a film's success, and how much does their current reputation changes your perception of the film? I cannot, however, leave A Ghost Story off his list and denounce the incredible work by everyone else involved in this production. This is not Casey Affleck's film; he is a player in it, but for the majority of the film, his rudimentary but honestly very effective costume does his emoting for him. This is David Lowery's film, and for a particular 20 minutes, it's Rooney Mara's film. That film is remarkable. No other film from 2017 looks and feels so cosmic and so intimate at the same time. While the soaring musical score by Daniel Hart immerses you in the ornate web of time, the film's visual presentation, shot in the style of an old-fashioned home video, give it a sense of simple authenticity. Actually, those two words summarize this film beautifully: simple and authentic. With these virtues supporting it, you don't need any kind of dialogue to explain theme or character, you just need a mood. In fact, when there is a particularly long speech set in the middle of the film, it's actually jarring and is probably not that necessary. That still doesn't detract from how much my emotions welled up in me during the entire experience; by the end of this film, I was legitimately tearing up. Please seek out this simple and authentic film for yourself. David Lowery deserves an audience. He will make you feel things for a spirit you never expected to feel.


8. My Cousin Rachel



I am literally the only person who has this film on their list! And I am damn well defending that! There is very little reason why I would expect anything spectacular from My Cousin Rachel. I had never read the original novel by 'Rebecca' scribe Daphne du Maurier, nor had I seen the original adaptation staring Olivia de Havilland. Directed by Roger Michell, who at the time I saw this film I had forgotten had directed Peter O'Toole in Venus, the only thing that this film had going for it was that Rachel Weisz could do no wrong. So what made me turn around? Probably all of those things combined! With no previous exposure to the material, I allowed myself to be riveted by the suspense at the centre of this film, which starts out as a tense murder mystery and then evolves into a very intriguing deconstruction of very modern perceptions of masculinity, supported by elegant cinematography, costume design and score. And just so I can say so one more time for affectation, Rachel Weisz can do no wrong! She's wonderful as ever, as are Iain Glen of Game of Thrones fame and Holliday Grainger, whom more people should know about except nobody else watched The Borgias before it was very rudely cancelled. This would be my pick for the most underrated film of 2017, but I'll get back to that in a second. In the meantime, I implore you to give this a chance. If you're like me and know nothing about this before hand, I promise this is one mystery that will not stop nagging at you.


7. The Breadwinner



We must now appoint Studio Ghibli's successor. And there is only one traditional animation studio with a 3-for-3 track record of animated masterpieces. An Irish-Canadian coproduction that's also nominated for several Canadian Screen Awards this year, The Breadwinner is the latest from Cartoon Saloon, who also created the magnificent Song of the Sea and The Secret of Kells. If you haven't seen either of those films, that must swiftly be remedied. The Breadwinner takes their aesthetic and applies it to the story of Deborah Ellis's acclaimed children's novel about a young girl trying to support her family while evading the gaze of the Taliban. The result is the most thematically mature children's films to be released by any studio in this decade. This kind of film has not been done successfully since the early 1980s, when films like Watership Down and the early Don Bluth films challenged what it meant to be a family oriented animated film. The Breadwinner is also incredibly honourable for giving a nuanced depiction of the culture at its centre, showing both the brutality of the Taliban, but also the innocent Afghan people trying to earn their living in their midst. The film is not overtly graphic, but its thematic material, the often frightening atmosphere and the acts of violence are probably best suited for audiences of about eight-years-old and above. It's up to parents to decide how much they think their children should experience this, but if I had any say in it, this should be required viewing; it deserves to be taught in schools, just as the original novel is. No other animated film has earned this kind of praise for being this thought-provoking and challenging. There will always be a place for the big animated studio films that people will go to see in the theatre more readily; The Breadwinner stands on a very different ground, and for that, it deserves to be seen by many more people.


6. Lady Bird



I have comparatively less to say about Lady Bird, not because I think less of it, but because I feel like its near universal appeal speaks for itself. Greta Gerwig's directorial debut has swept innumerable people off their feet, giving them a female main character whom any teenager can understand and connect to in some way regardless of background. However, she also manages to subvert a lot of clichés associated with the teen dramedy, especially the disagreeable parents trope. The way the film presents the mother-daughter relationship, you can clearly see where each of them can speak very sincerely to each other while also showing their rough edges; you can see where each of them draws the line when discussing very personal and very volatile emotions. Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf have been awarded their fair share of praise already for their portrayal of that relationship, and playwright Tracy Letts should also be mentioned for playing the more well-meaning father. This script finds the absolute right balance in depicting the kind of angst, enthusiasm, disappointment and sincerity all associated with teenage-hood. All of it is funny, endearing, frank, and thoroughly entertaining.


5. Get Out



Yes... It really has been that good... for this long. What's remarkable about Get Out is how much people connected with all of its genre bending style. I saw this movie twice in theatres in very different contexts. At both screenings, the film was a wild success, with people laughing riotously at its very potent satire and squirming at all its tensest moments of horror. There was even audible applause at the exact same moment during both screenings. That said, the second time I watched it, I also saw a panel discussion hosted by Black Space Winnipeg immediately afterwards, where the panelists discussed how the film reflects a lot of the black experience. Spoilers: the discussion was not very funny. I can't claim to know anything about the emotions of that experience, but hearing that kind of discussion from very honest panelists gave Jordon Peele's movie a lot of context. You've heard enough discussion about how thrilling, entertaining and provocative this film is, and I'd be surprised if you hadn't seen it by now. It's a brilliant, creepy and powerful ride down into the Sunken Place, whatever that may mean to you.


4. The Florida Project



I shouldn't say anything about this movie... I should and I shouldn't... All that matters is I should have seen it sooner so that I could have complained that it wasn't nominated for more Oscars. After Sean Baker surprised many with Tangerine - the feature film shot entirely on an iPhone, for those of you unawares - he surprised and invigorated many more with the release of this heartfelt and often beautiful portrayal of unconventional people living on the fringes outside Disney World. Throughout the film, I could not help but draw parallels to the kind of heightened realism associated with early Federico Fellini. My emotional experience practically mirrored that of seeing Nights of Cabiria for the first time, as The Florida Project meshes elements of childhood whimsy, adult harshness, a lot of sarcastic wit, and a very profound honesty. The film is beautiful to look at even when the locations in the film look more broken and tattered than the city of Detroit. Brooklyn Prince is ingenious as the precocious 6-year-old protagonist Moonee, and Bria Vinaite is just so lively and unpredictable as her mother Halley. Willem Dafoe has outdone himself. The motel manager Bobby Hicks is an amazing character and Dafoe captures every subtle nuance to him; he loves and cares for the female leads, but is always on the verge of cracking under so much pressure on every front. I will protest if he does not win the Oscar this year... very, very quietly protest... without even going outside my house... but I will protest nonetheless. If you're not sold on this film by this statement or by the trailer... I don't care, watch it anyway. It is as wondrous as it is real.


3. It Comes At Night

Man, A24 had a boss year!  And no, I'm still not posting the trailer for this film, because I am assuming that most people who hated this film did because they saw the trailer first and did not go into the film blind and with an open mind! I still see angry responses everywhere to this film, which contrary to popular belief is not a horror film in the typical sense. It Comes At Night relies on the absence of a physical threat to truly build tension, as a family of survivors attempt to live by the set rules of their household in a vaguely apocalyptic world. Even my review of it, where I tried to give my personal take on what I thought the titular 'It' was, I couldn't really capture how awesome, tense, and raw this film was if viewed without any prior knowledge. Everyone involved with this film is completely committed to keeping the real source of fear in this film a secret, and the film succeeds because of it. Trey Edward Shults' writing and direction, Drew Daniels' cinematography, the performances by Carmen Ejogo, Joel Edgerton and Kelvin Harrison Jr., they all burrow into your brain and gnaw away at it as the film continues to disturb and intimidate you days afterwards. That's how it made me feel anyway, and I hope that more of you take the chance to see it with unprepared eyes. You will not want to go out at night for a long time afterwards.


2. I, Tonya



I went wild during this movie! In fact, everyone in the theatre went wild during the movie! I, Tonya is the best hyper-active biopic that has followed in the wake of The Wolf of Wall Street, which seems only fitting, since it was produced by and stars the real breakout of that film. Give Margot Robbie an Oscar! Give her an Oscar now! She is, as always, a genius comedien, but her transformative performance as Tonya Harding goes beyond being wildly funny and comes to encapsulate every tricky, weird and determined quirk people associate with the character. But the script is much smarter than to simply indulge one specific perceptive on Harding's life, giving a very powerful case for her defence while simultaneously reminding you that you can't take everything the film shows you at face value either. There are so many ironies and so many moments that are bewildering in how insane each characters' perceptive could get. The casting in general is ingenious, including Allison Janney in a role that will likely win Best Supporting Actress this year as Harding's mother, as well as Sebastian Stan as her husband and Paul Walter Hauser as her bodyguard, characters who are often brilliant in their idiocy. If your opinion of Tonya Harding as a public figure is set in stone, I'm not sure if this film will change your mind. What it does provide, however, is a wildly inventive, potent and spectacular interpretation of the events and certainly one that I want to see again. The discussion that can come from this film is just as exciting as the film itself.


1. Phantom Thread



What were you expecting? Anything else? I said the moment I finished watching Phantom Thread for the first time that I wanted to see it four more times in the cinema... Sadly, the underperforming box office was of a different mind... I'm ever so slightly disappointed in everyone who did not heed my advice. That said, even though I only saw it once more before it disappeared, that one time was enough to confirm that nothing from 2017 compares to Paul Thomas Anderson's latest masterpiece. This gorgeously designed, impeccably written, flawlessly acted, masterfully directed film enveloped me from its opening shot all the way through its methodical 130-minute runtime. The incredibly artful and cinematic fashion by which Anderson deconstructs and critiques a one-sided relationship between artist and muse is unlike any other romance I've seen, and earns it all of my respect and appreciation. No doubt people will remember this as the last film that Daniel Day-Lewis made before his retirement - assuming that it will be - and this performance is more than worthy of that honour. He may not transform his voice as many people expect him to, but as he always does, he finds the character in dialogue, posture and expression, and thus becomes the character of fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock - yes, that name is meant to be funny, as are a lot of things in this film. Vicky Krieps meanwhile earns her star making role as said muse Alma, and Lesley Manville may just give my favourite performance of 2017 as the fashion designer's soft-spoken but all-seeing sister Cyril. By the time the film was finished, all I could do was sit in stunned silence, listening to Jonny Greenwood's elegant score and allowing all of its elements to wash over me one more time. I went so far as to use the word 'transcendental' in my initial review, and I'm about to break that ground again. This film managed to reach a tier that no recent film has reached since the release of Inception: Phantom Thread is in my Top 20 of All Time!

You may not agree with me, and if you can defend your opinions well, I shall respect them. But to quote Cyril: "Don't pick a fight with me, you certainly won't come out alive. I'll go right through you, and it'll be you who ends up on the floor. Understood?"


Thank you all for your patience.  I'll speak to you all about my predictions soon.

2017 Oscar nominee reactions

Do you think I care about absences this year? Because I don't any more... not after they named those five names... Those five names.

Christopher Nolan

Jordan Peele

Greta Gerwig

Paul Thomas Anderson

Guillermo del Toro

BEST BEST DIRECTOR LINE-UP IN NEARLY A DECADE!!! POSSIBLY LONGER!!!

And now, Three Billboards has no chance at winning Best Picture anymore! Is that giving away my opinion on the film, I don't care. I'm too happy about these five people.

There isn't honestly that much to say about anything else. There were upsets, there were surprises, but once again, there weren't any disastrous absences... unless you're a fan of actors in superhero movies, but I honestly wasn't expecting their presence. I mean, it's not like any of the X-Men films was gonna get a screenplay nomination or anythi- WHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Logan: It simultaneously took the Academy long enough, after snubbing The Dark Knight in this category, but also kind of too late to save themselves, since they didn't also nominate Hugh Jackman. I'm not personally saying that I would nominate Jackman for this movie - although I might have, I need to watch it again to be sure - but most agree it's his best work as the character since... forever. He's gonna win the Saturn Award for sure, but even that's not enough to sate the rabid fans.

Speaking of superheroes and rabid fans...

Wonder Woman: I wasn't banking on a major nomination for Patty Jenkins or Gal Gadot, but I would have appreciated something on this film's part. It may not have been a flawless movie, but it is important, and the Academy would have done well to acknowledge it on some level. Costume or Production Design, Sound Mixing or Editing, maybe get to work on that Stunt Choreography category you're always teasing, just do something. I don't care if Beauty and the Beast looked really pretty, Wonder Woman accomplished way more, and you should acknowledge that. Don't you think it might have helped your public image just a little?

And finally:

James Franco for The Disaster Artist: I am both surprised and not that Franco's name wasn't announced in this category. Then again, it might be for the best. Avoid any kind of controversy while you can, and still acknowledge the true strength of this film with an Adapted Screenplay nomination.

The Florida Project: Um... haven't seen it, definitely going to, will tell you how much of a snub this is later.

Luca Guadagnino for Call Me by Your Name: Ditto.

Martin McDonagh for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: Was I not clear at the top of this on the top of this post? I quote: "BEST BEST DIRECTOR LINE-UP IN NEARLY A DECADE!!!" If you laughed at this movie as much as I was expecting to, that's great. I'll be fair to it in my later assessments, but at this point, it doesn't matter.

Apart from that, everything's gorgeous... well, not so much gorgeous but expected. Here's the stuff I didn't expect to see anytime soon, or else was scared to assume.

The Boss Baby and Ferdinand: Umm... Whaaa? I guess the animated category was out of international films to herald, so they just resorted to... these things... I have not seen either of these movies, but I wasn't planning to and kind of hoped I didn't have to, because they don't sound exceptional, even for children's entertainment. And now I'm obligated to watch them... or am now making it obligational... maybe... joy.

Rachel Morrison for Mudbound: Apparently, this surprised nobody except me. Now I need to rewatch Mudbound fairly soon and see what it is that makes the cinematography distinct in that film. However, I do acknowledge its legitimacy on two fronts: the first ever female cinematographer to get nominated, and the first time when Netflix was given this distinct an honour. It's not a Best Picture nomination yet, but it's a step in the right direction.

Woody Harrelson for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: You know, I started this season out absolutely certain that Willem Dafoe would win Best Supporting Actor, because he deserves one of these things more than any other living actor. When Harrelson's name was announced, I had some hope that that would be the case... and then they named Sam Rockwell anyway. Dang it. They can still pull an upset, but it's still mildly annoying. As for Harrelson's performance itself... honestly, I like it better than Rockwell, so if he wins in an upset, I'm fine with that... Like I said, I'll be fair to this movie later.

Darkest Hour: I was expecting some traction for this film, but not this much. Gary Oldman, yes. It's basically his to lose. But Picture... That's something that the BAFTAs would do... and I guess I should have expected it from the Academy, but there's a lot more worthy stuff they could have acknowledged.

Paul Thomas Anderson: I am dead... dead and gone to Valhalla. I had hoped against hope that Anderson would get this nomination... They heard me. They understood me. They appreciate a true craftsman, and this, his most stunning accomplishment thus far. Too premature an opinion? What does it matter? They have embraced a masterpiece. That's all I asked for.


Bravo to the other two favourite directors, Nolan and del Toro, for sweeping this many categories. You've damn-well earned it. Bravo to Jordan Peele and Greta Gerwig for making such stunning debuts. Congrats to everyone else, and other positive reinforcements. I'll be speaking on all of these subjects and more soon enough.


P. S., Nothing.

Something is not the same - Phantom Thread

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
U. S., 2017
130 minutes


Nothing is the same.

I've said that a lot lately, but it's true.

All throughout my viewing experience of Phantom Thread, I was struggling to find a word that summarized. I knew it was spelled with a 't' at the beginning, but it was constantly escaping me. Then, as the end credits rolled, and I sat there in stunned silence, I found myself using a word that I haven't used to describe a movie in almost five years: 'transcendent'.

Literally from the first frame of this film, I was in love with it, and that love never wavered through the rest of Paul Thomas Anderson's methodically directed 130-minute film. I am utterly astounded by everything that I witnessed onscreen. A sumptuous production, beautiful but unobtrusive cinematography, a score that feels like something a classical composer would write, a script that knows exactly what the characters should say at any given time, acting that puts every other potential nominee at the Oscars this year to shame. No other movie I've seen from 2017 has compared to this movie, and at this point, I hope nothing else does.

...

And that's all I really want to say about it right now.

I know, it's a cop out to end the review so quickly after starting it, but here's the thing: I know I love this film, I want all of you to see it for yourselves. In addition to that, I also want to study it before I really talk about it, and I fully intend to.

Like Salieri in Amadeus, I intend to witness this Don Giovanni at least four more times in the cinema.

Join me in this epic quest if you dare. It started yesterday, let's hope it lasts a long time. We will experience this film many times over.

...

Oh, and I guess I should say, I'll be postponing my Best of 2017 list until mid-February, giving me enough time to witness this and many other films that I've missed up to this point. Hope you can live with that. I'll try to make it worth your while.


***** out of *****