It appeared that the entire entertainment business was going to completely implode last year due to the seemingly endless revelations that one of our beloved and respected actor, director, executive or fill-in-the-blank was being accused of the heinous act of sexual harassment or assault. While many were shocked (or at least acted shocked), the truth is that Hollywood was built on the exploitation of beautiful women and some of the men in the business used their power to abuse and profit from many of the desperate people who simply wanted an opportunity to work. The one bright spot out of all of this is that victims will no longer have to be concerned about coming forward or being believed. And straight white males won't be the only ones making decisions or calling all the shots in Hollywood. Eventually.
As for the movies, there already appears to be a shift with a greater occurrence for women and people of color to get a chance to create in front of and behind the camera. Some of my favorite films of the past year involved many of these such opportunities. Let's hope (and make sure) that this will not be a short-lived trend by continuing to support and encourage these endeavors. Here are my selections of the best films of 2017 in no particular order:
"GET OUT"
"Get Out", the exceptional feature debut by Jordan Peele, is a clever social satire on race that uses the unlikely horror genre to make a statement. Daniel Kaluuya stars as a young African-American man who goes to an upstate New York town to visit the parents of his new white girlfriend (Allison Williams). While her folks (played by Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener) appear to be an uber-liberal couple, there still seems to be something sinister lurking, not only with them but the entire town. "Get Out" is a well-made funny and scary film that has unexpectedly become a timely cultural phenomenon.
Christopher Nolan continues to astonish with his gifts as a master storyteller with his latest, "Dunkirk", a fact-based drama on the harrowing attempt to evacuate hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers trapped on the beaches of Northern France during WW II. With the story told from three perspectives: land, sea, and air, we witness through the eyes of Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), a young British private frantically trying to stay alive on Dunkirk. The Royal Navy requests that civilian vessels sail out to try and rescue some of the trapped men and we have British fighter-aircraft trying to take down the German bombers. Nolan has placed a greater emphasis on visuals and music (with remarkable work by cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema and composer, Hans Zimmer) to heighten suspense and emotion but you don't need a lot of backstory or dialogue (which there is minimal) to understand the terror, fear and desperation of these soldiers as they are essentially sitting ducks on the beach as they wait, hoping that they'll eventually be rescued.
"THE POST"
What I found amazing about "The Post", Steven Spielberg’s riveting historical drama on the decision by the Washington Post to publish the Pentagon Papers, was how this drama managed to still be thrilling and intense despite knowing the eventual outcome of this event. The New York Times first began publishing the papers involving the Vietnam War but a court injunction forced them to stop. Tom Hanks plays the editor of the Post, Ben Bradlee who gets his hands on a copy of the classified documents and wants to release them in his paper. Meryl Steep delivers another memorable performance as Katharine Graham, now the publisher of the Washington Post after her husband‘s death and very concerned about the challenges of this position due to her inexperience and gender. With the decision to publish resting solely on her shoulders, Graham patiently listens to both sides with concerns from the Board over the newspaper's pending IPO and
potential legal action while Bradlee is pushing this as an important First Amendment cause. In this era of trying to dismiss the media as nothing more than "fake news", "The Post" serves as a well-timed reminder of the importance of investigative journalism and the reporter's unwavering determination to make sure the truth continues to get out.
"LADY BIRD"
I must admit I have never been particularly enchanted by Greta Gerwig as an actor but with "Lady Bird", her solo feature debut as a writer and director, I now can say I have become a hardcore fan. Anchored by two incredible performances by Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf, this insightful and funny film tells the coming-of-age story of an average Sacramento high school senior trying to stand-out as a spectacular individual and her stormy relationship with her weary mother. With outstanding supporting work by Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Lois Smith, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Beanie Feldstein and rising star, Timothée Chalamet, "Lady Bird" is a perfectly crafted and wonderfully charming tale of the difficult time of adolescence and the uncertainty while facing impending adulthood.
"MOTHER!"
"mother!", a surreal, psychological horror drama from Darren Aronofsky, was one of the most fascinating movies of the year largely due to the extremely harsh critical reaction to it. Jennifer Lawrence stars as the title character, a young woman whose quiet life with her writer husband (Javier Bardem) at their isolated home is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious couple (Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer). I really can't go much further in to describing this story but let's just say that "mother!" becomes far more disturbing, cryptic and deranged as it progresses. I know I loved being challenged and confused by the film and think "mother!" is an extraordinary achievement. But I'm aware that there were many who were very vocal about really not enjoying nor understanding this movie.
Watching "Phantom Thread", another excellent drama from one of the most interesting filmmakers working today, Paul Thomas Anderson, was a bittersweet experience for me due to the knowledge that this may be the final screen appearance by Daniel Day-Lewis. But what an incredible way to make an exit. Set in the world of London's haute couture in the 1950's, Day-Lewis plays Reynolds Woodcock, a master dressmaker who finds inspiration and companionship from a long line of beautiful young women. After meeting Alma (Vicky Krieps), an awkward waitress in the countryside, she quickly becomes his latest muse and lover. But she's unlike any of the previous women he has ever encountered. Strong-willed and opinionated, Alma creates a serious disruption to Woodcock's regimented and structured life. Day-Lewis and Krieps (an actress from Luxembourg who is relatively new to English-speaking audiences) are absolutely riveting but it is Lesley Manville, a veteran British actress best known for her work in several Mike Leigh films, who is the real knock-out here as Cyril, Woodcock's chilly and controlling sister who organizes his business and life.
"THE FLORIDA PROJECT"
Sean Baker is one of the most exciting and inventive indie filmmakers at this moment. Following "Starlet" and the iPhone-shot, "Tangerine", the writer/director's latest, "The Florida Project" continues his trend of telling fascinating and unconventional stories in a way that's thoughtful and entertaining. Set in Orlando at a motel near Disney World, we follow a six-year old wild child named Moonee (the delightful and charming Brooklynn Prince) who lives there with her even wilder and rowdy young mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite). They are dirt poor and Halley does whatever she can to make a buck. The motel is managed by Bobby (played by Willem Dafoe) who does what he can to help the mostly down-on-their-luck tenants, but he also has a business to run. What makes this film unforgettable is how Baker is shrewdly able to take us in to this world of the marginalized and disregarded to make us really see them and their plight.
"CALL ME BY YOUR NAME"
With impressive direction by Luca Guadagnino and an eloquent script by James Ivory, "Call Me By Your Name" is one of the most beautifully rendered romances I have ever seen. Timothée Chalamet (in a breakout performance) stars as Elio, a precocious seventeen year old spending the summer in the Italian countryside with his parents when he becomes infatuated with his father's (Michael Stuhlbarg) young, American assistant, Oliver (Armie Hammer in the film's other magnificent performance). This sensual and erotically-charged film is leisurely paced, taking it's time as the developing relationship unfolds, with both men hesitant to reveal their true desires, to eventual intimacy. And special mention must be given to Mr. Stuhlbarg who gives a tender and moving speech to his heartbroken son near the end of the film that just slayed me.
"THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MO"
Martin McDonagh has found considerable success with his plays and films by finding dark humor in tragic and disturbing situations. His most recent film, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO" features a mother (Frances McDormand) filled with rage and frustration after the horrific murder of her teenage daughter. She lashes out against the local police department for not solving the crime by purchasing three billboards with a message on them demanding to know why. This is some pretty heavy stuff but it's also funny as hell. There are many outstanding performances here, including Woody Harrelson, Lucas Hedges, John Hawkes and Peter Dinklage yet most of the attention has been going to Sam Rockwell as a dim, racist cop (an exceptional actor who after many years of memorable yet little seen performances is finally getting his due) and Ms McDormand. I can't see any other actress who would have been able to bring this angry, quirky and unpleasant character to life and make her palatable and even sympathetic.
"GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOL.2", "SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING", "THOR: RAGNAROK", "WONDER WOMAN"
This was the year that the super-hero movie matured and tried to offer more than the routine. What these four films have in common is that each one offers a fresh spin on the genre and elevates it with an alternative perspective. "Spider-Man: Homecoming" was another reboot of the series but the focus this time was more on the human side of the man behind the mask, Peter Parker, who is now clearly a teenage boy, played with youthful enthusiasm by Tom Holland. Witty, thrilling and a lot of fun, I think this is the best of the Spider-Man movies. The same can be said about two sequels; "Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2" continues as a wacky and rambunctious intergalactic thrill ride by adding more stars (Kurt Russell, Sylvester Stallone) and making Groot even cuter. With a new director on board, "Thor: Ragnarok" seems to have pretended the previous Thor films didn't exist and Taika Waititi ("Hunt for the Wilderpeople") brings a much needed boost of irreverence and amusement to the very serious Norse God series. And finally we have the long-awaited (and long-overdue) big screen adaption of "Wonder Woman". Under Patty Jenkins' invigorating direction and a star-making turn from Gal Gadot, it didn't surprise me at all that this movie became one of the biggest box-office hits of the year.
Honorable Mention: "Atomic Blonde", "Battle of the Sexes", "Beatriz at Dinner", "The Big Sick", "Coco", "Columbus", "Girl Trip", "Good Time", "Ingrid Goes West", "Lady Macbeth", "A Quiet Passion", "Star Wars: The Last Jedi", "The Shape of Water", "The Square", "War For The Planet of the Apes"
Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. September 17, 2017 7:30 PM
Even before I saw the film, I was impressed by the restraint of the trailer for "mother!", the latest from eye-opening auteur, Darren Aronofsky, which disclosed very little of what exactly this would be about. I am one of those people who hate with a passion trailers that heavily details the entire film including revealing key plot points or all the best jokes in the two minute time frame. With star, Jennifer Lawrence featured prominently, it appears that "mother!" could be some kind of fervent horror thriller with a woman in some type of supernatural peril.
After seeing the film, I now understand completely why the trailer was so vague. In fact, it is actually downright misleading. "mother!" is far from the traditional horror film as it was presented and considering some of the previous idiosyncratic work by Mr. Aronofsky ("Requiem for a Dream", "The Fountain", "Black Swan" or even his biblical epic "Noah") that thought never should have been considered. This is clearly the reason for the divisive audience reaction to the film with it receiving the rare CinemaScore rating of "F".
And so the obvious question becomes what exactly is "mother!" about? That is not easy to pin down. Beginning like an intense marital drama involving mysterious visitors and spooky elements, the film shifts with unrestrained abandon in to a surreal nightmare involving religious symbolism, moral decay, the rapid decline of civilization and the inevitable destruction of our planet. And there is also a surprisingly wicked sense of humor to be found here as well.
Mr. Aronofsky doesn't present any of these substantial ideas in a clearly defined way, preferring to leave the viewer to draw their own conclusions of what this all may mean. While this may leave some of the audience thoroughly intrigued and enthralled, others will most certainly be frustrated and annoyed. And this appears to be exactly the director's intention with his polemic film. I was quite intrigued by "mother!' but I must admit I didn't fully understand everything that was happening. Yet I still loved the wild, trippy and puzzling journey the film took me on.
After images involving fire and destruction (which may make slightly more sense to some at the conclusion of the movie) begin the film, we are introduced to a young woman rising in the morning from bed, played by Ms Lawrence. None of the characters are given actual names but she is referred to mother, although she currently has no children of her own. With a mane of long, voluminous dirty blonde hair, her focus is on supporting Him, her older husband (Javier Bardem) who is a successful author now suffering from writer's block and renovating their large, dilapidated house in the middle of nowhere. She appears hopeful that all this devoted attention will bring her a closer connection with them both.
In the middle of one evening, a man (Ed Harris) appears at their door, thinking there was a room to rent. Instead of sending him away, Him invites the man to stay the night, despite mother being uncomfortable with the idea. With the arrival of man's wife, woman (an excellent Michelle Pfeiffer) the next day, the temperamental couple manages to completely disrupt the household. Him enjoys the company and the attention they provide yet mother is left feeling even more alienated and resentful.
Not long after the couple's two sons (played by real-life brothers, Domhnall and Brian Gleeson) burst in to the house, arguing over their parent's love and future inheritance, does a physical altercation erupt between them, ending with a tragic act of violence. And from here, the film begins to shift deeper in to an expressionist style, filling the screen with an explosion of intellectual reflection and artfully designed visuals.
You can pick up plenty of the cinematic influences that seemed to inspire "mother!" (Stanley Kubrick, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", Luis Buñuel, "Rosemary's Baby") yet the director has brought his own distinctively extravagant sense of technique and communication to his film. With the help of a minimalistic musical score from Jóhann Jóhannsson, sound designer, Craig Henighan and frequent collaborator, cinematographer, Matthew Libatique, they perfectly create an eerie and murky dream-like atmosphere that continuously transforms and unsettles throughout.
Fortunately, Mr. Aronofsky also has a very game Ms Lawrence who is willing to endure quite a lot thrown at her throughout the film. The young actress, shot in tight close-ups and appears in almost every scene, is exceptional as our guide through this unyielding maze of bizarre twists and turns. While for the most part, all she does is react to the madness surrounding her yet she brings a much needed grounded emotional power.
Without a doubt, "mother!" is one of the most imaginative yet polarizing films of the year. This brilliant but confounding drama gleefully challenges, incites and disturbs in ways that is rarely done anymore, particularly by an American filmmaker. I think it may be required to view the film for a second time for the opportunity to reevaluate and discover what may have been missed the first time. Or for some, watching "mother!" once was one time too many.
The 2017 Venice Film Festivalwill officially kick-off the fall movie season with some of the most interesting and anticipated films of the year. The 74th edition of this Italian-based fest will begin on August 30th and run through September 9th.
The Opening Night film selected is "Downsizing", Alexander Payne's first film since his 2013 film, "Nebraska" which went on to receive six Academy Award nominations. This strange sci-fi satire is about a struggling couple (Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig) who decide the best way to cut finances is to cut themselves literally down in size.
The Closing Night film will be "Outrage Coda", the final chapter of the "Outrage" series from Japanese actor/filmmaker, Takeshi Kitano. This continues the story of the new Hanabishi-kai crime outfit which has unified all of the Japanese underground yakuza into a massively centralized organization. But the members of the former Sanno-kai yakuza who helped create this new group are now seen as expendable and are being taken out one by one.
American actress, Annette Bening has been named President of the main competition jury and the first female to hold this post since 2006. Other members of this year's jury include British filmmaker, Edgar Wright; British actress, Rebecca Hall; Hungarian filmmaker, Ildiko Enyedi; Mexican filmmaker, Michel Franco, French actress, Anna Mouglalis; film critic, David Stratton; Italian actress, Jasmine Trinca; and Taiwan-born filmmaker, Yonfan. The panel selects the major prizes including the Golden and Silver Lions and the acting Volpi Cups. Some of the films in competition for prizes include the latest from George Clooney ("Suburbicon"), Darren Aronofsky ("Mother!"), Andrew Haigh ("Lean On Pete"), Martin McDonagh ("Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"), Abdellatif Kechiche ("Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno"), Paul Schrader ("First Reformed"), Frederick Wiseman ("Ex Libris: The New York Public Library") and Guillermo del Toro ("The Shape of Water").
Stephen Frears, the British director who brought us the now-classic films, "My Beautiful Laundrette", "Dangerous Liaisons", "The Queen" and "The Grifters", will be honored with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory To The Filmmaker Award, a prize given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to innovation in contemporary cinema. His latest, "Victoria & Abdul" will also be making it's world premiere at the fest in an out-of-competition slot. The film is based on the true story about the unlikely friendship between a young clerk from India (Ali Fazal) and Queen Victoria (Judi Dench).
Robert Redford and Jane Fonda will both receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. In addition, the actors have been paired up for the fourth time on film with "Our Souls At Night", a Netflix release that will make it's world premiere at the fest. This drama of a couple unexpectedly finding love late in life is based on a novel by Kent Haruf and directed by Ritesh Batra ("The Lunchbox").
Virtual Reality is making a major splash at Venice with a jury being assembled for the first time specifically for these films. Over twenty VR films will be shown and American director, John Landis will head this jury. His groundbreaking 1982 music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" will be presented for the first time in 3D as a Special Event along with Jerry Kramer's documentary on the making of "Thriller".
