My 50 Favorite Movies I Watched in 2017
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- DirectorTetsuya NakashimaStarsTakako MatsuYoshino KimuraMasaki OkadaA psychological thriller of a grieving mother turned cold-blooded avenger with a twisty master plan to pay back those who were responsible for her daughter's death.Absolutely the best movie I watched all year. Riveted the whole time. Every sub-plot works. Even watching the trailer after the fact gave me chills.
- DirectorJordan PeeleStarsDaniel KaluuyaAllison WilliamsBradley WhitfordA young African-American visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.A comedy-horror that somehow manages to be hilarious, terrifying and socially conscious. Just wonderful.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsAmy AdamsJeremy RennerForest WhitakerA linguist works with the military to communicate with alien lifeforms after twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world.High-concept sci-fi + linguistics is a combo perfectly suited for me but I never knew this until now.
- DirectorSatoshi KonStarsMegumi HayashibaraTôru EmoriKatsunosuke HoriWhen a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients' dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it.Wow! Mind-blowingly original, insane, amazing. Super glad I didn't finish watching this back in 2007.
- DirectorEdgar WrightStarsAnsel ElgortJon BernthalJon HammAfter being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.Perfect style. Perfect soundtrack. Left the theater feeling so freakin' pumped.
- DirectorGreta GerwigStarsSaoirse RonanLaurie MetcalfTracy LettsIn 2002, an artistically inclined 17-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.Saoirse Ronan is a goddess, the script is fantastic, the coming-of-age flick we all needed.
- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsSong Kang-hoShin Ha-kyunBae DoonaA recently laid off factory worker kidnaps his former boss' friend's daughter, hoping to use the ransom money to pay for his sister's kidney transplant.Oh, Park Chan-wook! Oh, revenge flicks! Oh, everything I've ever loved!
- DirectorEdward YangStarsNien-Jen WuElaine JinIssei OgataEach member of a middle-class Taipei family seeks to reconcile past and present relationships within their daily lives.Really amazing from start to finish. An art-house, slice-of-life flick that isn't pretentious and has really human feelings involved.
- DirectorPeter RichardsonStarsHarry BrutonRay CarnayCody CurtisIn 1994 Oregon became the first state to legalize a terminally ill person's request to end his or her life with medication. At the time, only Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands had legalized the practice. 'How to Die in Oregon' tell the stories of those most intimately involved with the practice today -- terminally ill Oregonians, their families, doctors, and friends -- as well as the passage of a similar law in Washington State.Just about cried. Absolutely wonderful. Exactly the kind of documentary this cause needs.
- DirectorNgai Choi LamStarsGloria YipWaise LeeChristine NgAn adaptation of the novel Old Cat, by Ni Kuang. A cat from outer space teams up with a young alien girl and her knight, along with an adventure novelist named Wisely, to fight a murderous alien that possesses people.Craziest movie I watched all year. Absolutely insane from start to finish. Brought unbridled joy to my heart.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.Such an epic. So strange watching films like this while living in Vietnam, should've watched more.
- DirectorMichael ShowalterStarsKumail NanjianiZoe KazanHolly HunterPakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings.Super sweet and heartfelt. I'm kind of a sucker for stuff like this (sometimes).
- DirectorJohn PirozziStarsNorodom SirivudhNorodom SihanoukSisowath KossamakThrough the eyes, words, and songs of its popular music stars of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, 'Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock & Roll' examines and unravels Cambodia's tragic past, culminating in the genocidal Khmer Rouge's dismantling of the society and murder of two million of its citizens. Combining interviews of the surviving Cambodian musicians themselves (a total of 150 hours of interviews were filmed) with never-before-seen archival material and rare songs, this documentary tracks the twists and turns of Cambodian music as it morphs into rock and roll, blossoms, and is nearly destroyed along with the rest of the country.Everything a good documentary needs. It's heartfelt, informative, emotionally draining, but makes you feel good sometimes too.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsHarrison FordRyan GoslingAna de ArmasYoung Blade Runner K's discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard, who's been missing for thirty years.One of the best-looking films I've ever seen. And not just because Ryan Gosling is in it.
- DirectorTom McCarthyStarsMark RuffaloMichael KeatonRachel McAdamsThe true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.Love a good journalism drama. Watching journalists do their job perfectly is always a good time.
- DirectorDavid FarrierDylan ReeveStarsDavid FarrierDylan ReeveDavid StarrJournalist David Farrier stumbles upon a mysterious tickling competition online. As he delves deeper he comes up against fierce resistance, but that doesn't stop him getting to the bottom of a story stranger than fiction.Most bizarre documentary of the year. Fantastic, keeps you guessing throughout, and leaves you devastated by the end.
- DirectorWilliam AsherStarsJimmy McNicholSusan TyrrellBo SvensonAn orphaned teenager finds himself being dominated by his aunt who's hell-bent on keeping him with her...at all costs.Superb '80s horror. Not even a lick of cheese, just pure, great filmmaking. And acting as well!
- DirectorAndré ØvredalStarsBrian CoxEmile HirschOphelia LovibondA father and son, both coroners, are pulled into a complex mystery while attempting to identify the cause of death of a young woman who was apparently harboring dark secrets.Super clever and original. I feel comfortable saying we're living in a horror renaissance.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.Sometimes, classics are classics for a reason.
- DirectorMakoto ShinkaiStarsRyunosuke KamikiMone KamishiraishiRyo NaritaTwo teenagers share a profound, magical connection upon discovering they are swapping bodies. Things manage to become even more complicated when the boy and girl decide to meet in person.Oh, so good, even if it ends with a cheesy J-rock song montage. More anime in 2018.
- DirectorShunji IwaiStarsHayato IchiharaShûgo OshinariAyumi ItoThe problematic lives of teenager students for whom the singer Lily Chou-Chou's dreamy music is the only way to escape an alienating, violent and insensitive society.Too many scenes of people standing in fields, and it's all rather convoluted, but I loved most of this. Watched so many really good Japanese flicks in 2017.
- DirectorBob ClarkStarsJohn MarleyLynn CarlinRichard BackusA young soldier killed in the Vietnam War inexplicably shows up at his family home on the night of his death.Geez, I'm just wondering why Bob Clark isn't considered one of the best directors of all time. Thought-provoking and atmospheric.
- DirectorChris PeckoverStarsOlivia DeJongeLevi MillerEd OxenbouldOn a quiet suburban street, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from intruders, only to discover it's far from a normal home invasion.The plot twists and turns in so many directions, who knows where it will end up? Really cleverly done. A Christmas classic!
- DirectorHugh SullivanStarsJosh McConvilleHannah MarshallAlex DimitriadesA man's attempt to construct the ultimate romantic weekend backfires when his quest for perfection traps his lover in an infinite loop.Anybody who knows me knows that time travel films will always blow my mind. Keep 'em coming.
- DirectorHans Petter MolandStarsStellan SkarsgårdBruno GanzPål Sverre HagenAfter his son is murdered by drug dealers, a snowplow driver starts seeking revenge.Blacker than black is my favorite kind of comedy. This is a great one, deserves to be more widely watched.
- DirectorBarry JenkinsStarsMahershala AliNaomie HarrisTrevante RhodesA young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.Great, great, great. The plot flows rather predictably, but it's very well-done and keeps the heart hits coming.
- DirectorDave McCaryStarsKyle MooneyJorge Lendeborg Jr.Matt WalshAfter being freed from his life in an underground bunker, a man sets out to make a movie of the only TV show he has ever known."Heart-warming" is almost never a film descriptor I look out for, but this is both heart-warming and really great. Interesting concept, well-done.
- DirectorNicolas Winding RefnStarsElle FanningChristina HendricksKeanu ReevesAn aspiring model, Jesse, is new to Los Angeles. However, her beauty and youth, which generate intense fascination and jealousy within the fashion industry, may prove themselves sinister.Style over substance? Yeah, so? This has ALL of the style and enough substance to make me <3 it.
- DirectorDavid A. PriorStarsCameron MitchellTroy DonahueTed PriorA group of sadistic mercenaries kidnap people off the streets and set them loose on the grounds of their secret camp, so the "students" at the camp can learn how to track down and kill their prey.RIP David A. Prior, I love you. I must keep watching your movies.
- DirectorYeon Sang-hoStarsGong YooJung Yu-miMa Dong-seokWhile a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan.Zombie flicks are stale now, unfortunately. Fortunately, there are still good stories to be told.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsFred MacMurrayBarbara StanwyckEdward G. RobinsonA Los Angeles insurance representative lets an alluring housewife seduce him into a scheme of insurance fraud and murder that arouses the suspicion of his colleague, an insurance investigator.Yeah, go noir flicks! Aged rather well, great performances and it keeps you well on the edge of your seat.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsFionn WhiteheadBarry KeoghanMark RylanceAllied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.An exceptionally tense war flick with only a few glaring missteps. Not Nolan's best work, but great.
- DirectorRobert BentonStarsDustin HoffmanMeryl StreepJane AlexanderAfter his wife leaves him, a work-obsessed Manhattan advertising executive is forced to learn long-neglected parenting skills, but a heated custody battle over the couple's young son deepens the wounds left by the separation.Maybe my first big Meryl Streep movie? She's good, indeed. Mostly just buoyed by its acting.
- DirectorJohn CarneyStarsFerdia Walsh-PeeloAidan GillenMaria Doyle KennedyA young lad notices a beautiful girl who begins to occupy his thoughts. While struggling with poverty, personal relationships and life's woes, he starts a band, hoping to catch her attention.Great songs! Great performances! Great idea!
- DirectorJames PonsoldtStarsMiles TellerShailene WoodleyKyle ChandlerA hard-partying high school senior's philosophy on life changes when he meets the not-so-typical "nice girl."Let's go, coming of age flicks! This is a really nice, emotional watch with good lead performances.
- DirectorBabak AnvariStarsNarges RashidiAvin ManshadiBobby NaderiAs a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war-torn Tehran of the 1980s, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home.A primo example of how to use horror as social commentary AND make a good fright flick. Great stuff.
- DirectorCatherine BreillatStarsAnaïs RebouxRoxane MesquidaLibero De RienzoTwo sisters confront their sexual attitudes and experiences while on a family holiday.Kind of left me scratching my head afterwards, but I find myself thinking about this movie more often than most of these, which can only mean good things.
- DirectorS.R. BindlerStarsSid AllenBrent BaskinGreg CoxTwenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the truck wins. An absurd marketing gimmick at first glance, the contest proves to be much more...A perfect humanist documentary. Tells a strange tale very well.
- DirectorMakoto ShinkaiStarsKenji MizuhashiYoshimi KondouSatomi HanamuraTold in three interconnected segments, Takaki tells the story of his life as cruel winters, cold technology, and finally, adult obligations and responsibility converge to test the delicate petals of love.Beautifully animated and the first (to a lesser extent, the second, as well) story was perfect. Shame about the last one, though.
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsJennifer LawrenceJavier BardemEd HarrisA couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.Damn near had a panic attack during this. This is flawed, but I like what Aronofsky was going for, and the end result is damn good.
- DirectorWillard HuyckGloria KatzStarsMichael GreerMarianna HillJoy BangA young woman goes searching for her missing artist father. Her journey takes her to a strange Californian seaside town governed by a mysterious undead cult.Has a handful of scenes that are legitimately, absolutely perfect. Really getting into moody '70s horror.
- DirectorHerman YauStarsAnthony Chau-Sang WongYeung-Ming WanFui-On ShingA Chinese restaurant worker wanted for murder in Hong Kong contracts Ebola in South Africa, becomes immune to it, and unknowingly spreads the virus there, then comes back to Hong Kong and continues to infect people with it.Riotous family entertainment. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll puke your guts out.
- DirectorBrian YuznaStarsBilly WarlockConcetta D'AgneseBen SlackAn ordinary teenage boy discovers his family is part of a gruesome orgy cult for the social elite.Wowowow. Shoulda known by the Screaming Mad George tag that I would love this. The last ten minutes is Oscar-worthy.
- DirectorBoaz DavidsonStarsBarbi BentonCharles LuciaJon Van NessWhile receiving a routine check-up, a woman finds herself stranded on the hospital's eighth floor, while someone dressed as a doctor is intent on her never leaving, even if it means killing any staff member who comes into contact with her.Honestly, I've seen so many '80s horror flicks that finding a random one that kicks this much butt is really rare. Absolutely bonkers.
- DirectorJulia DucournauStarsGarance MarillierElla RumpfRabah Nait OufellaA young woman, studying to be a vet, develops a craving for human flesh.Both shocking and poignant. I love coming-of-age flicks and gross-out gore flicks, so this is tailor-made for me.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroVal KilmerA group of high-end professional thieves start to feel the heat from the LAPD when they unknowingly leave a verbal clue at their latest heist.The robbery scene kills it. Real good flick, should've watched it somewhere other than a plane.
- DirectorKenneth LonerganStarsCasey AffleckMichelle WilliamsKyle ChandlerA depressed uncle is asked to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy's father dies.A lot of scenes with boring people being sad. I really liked it.
- DirectorAndy MuschiettiStarsBill SkarsgårdJaeden MartellFinn WolfhardIn the summer of 1989, a group of bullied kids band together to destroy a shape-shifting monster, which disguises itself as a clown and preys on the children of Derry, their small Maine town.Really way better than it had any right being. Some pacing problems, but quite well done.
- DirectorJoel DeMottJeff KreinesIn their final year at Muncie's Southside High School, a group of seniors hurtles toward maturity with a combination of joy, despair, and an aggravated sense of urgency. They are also learning a great deal about life, both in and out of school, and not what school officials think they are teaching.A really intriguing slice-of-life documentary; unjustly forgotten, like a real-life Dazed & Confused.
- DirectorMichael SchaackStarsUlrich TukurMario AdorfHelge SchneiderA cat must investigate brutal murders of other cats in a neighborhood he has moved into with his owner.Can't think of another film I've ever seen like this. Really nice flight watch, a well-done, strange mystery.