Well with a general crap year there's nothing quite like the catharsis, inspiration, and creative exploration of the movies. My favorites ranged from coming of age to horror. There's been some incredibly moving and poignant stories told from all sorts of genres. Here are my favorite movies of the year plus honorable mentions and highly anticipated listed at the bottom.
This slow burner horror film relied more heavily on what we imagine is out there than what is actually out there. And like any good horror movie (in my opinion), it reflects on how the monster inside each one of us is as dangerous as any sort of zombie or boogey man.
The joke density is crazy high on this one. I was happy to be along for the ride. Haven't gotten around to see Ninjango (too soon?) but my multiple viewings of The Lego Batman Movie were a fun ride.
8. Call Me by Your Name
A coming of age story in which there's no villain. A 17 year old boy who falls for a man presumably in his late 20s. It's charming and lovely and sad. Set in beautiful northern Italy in an idyllic spot which doesn't reflect many people's actual experience but the emotions are real and the movie is executed expertly. Also some Sufjan songs throughout.
This was a fun action movie in which I laughed a lot. So basically exactly what I'm looking for when going to a super hero movie. Director Taika Waititi did an expert job with the film and his comedic and international perspective showed in just the right ways.
I am loving the new Star Wars movies. They're daring and unique and hold onto the excitement and adventure of the originals. The Last Jedi wasn't afraid to explore who Rey and Finn and Kylo are. And the few new characters were great add on. The visuals were on point. The funny asides served their purpose and the porgs weren't super annoying. Not mad that the Star Wars universe is expanding.
One of Pixar's more beautiful movies. The visuals were fairly incredible. The themes of the movie were relatively standard though the whole context in which it was set was unique. I just loved how specific and sweet and inspiring the story was. From a cultural standpoint, it celebrated the customs and intricacies without appropriating them. Hooray for Miguel, I'll be remembering this one.
Wow, this movie was a spectacle. Three stories woven together to tell a snapshot story of the battle of Dunkirk. With Nolan at the helm, I was fearing a heavy, drawn-out thinker movie but was pleased that it was lean, human, and to the point. Oh, and Harry Styles in a real movie. Why not?
Gosh I loved everything about this one. Greta Gerwig had an excellent debut as director. Saoirse Ronan continues to be fantastic in everything that she's in. Another coming of age movie. About a girl who thinks she's bigger than her home but really mostly just doesn't quite fit. She likes boys and has a few friends and listens to Dave Matthews Band (it's set in the early 2000's). I laughed so many times in the movie and felt for so many of the characters. Greta, keep 'em coming!
A rom-com. Heavy on the comedy and fairly romantic. The story of how Kumail and his wife actually met. Wouldn't have guessed that Ray Romano would play a supporting role in one of my favorite movies of the year but the movie has tons of heart and is so funny and deals with issues of race in authentic ways.
1. Get Out
Jordan Peele as director. With a comedian giving direction, he knows how to keep the movie moving and doesn't run into pacing issues. He also clearly knows his horror stuff. And then he flips most of the tropes when the themes of race get tied into the horror. Again, Peele's time on Key and Peele keeps the themes from coming across as inauthentic or preachy. He knows how to make a point and then move on. This movie is scary, funny, and well executed. It's also chock full of metaphors and themes that are so relevant to the black experience today. I loved hearing what others picked up from the movie. And while it's easy to pick apart and discuss as a think piece generator, it's just a plain great movie. Go see this movie and keep watching it.
Honorable Mentions (10 more, listed alphabetically)
Baby Driver; The Shape of Water; The Disaster Artist; A Ghost Story; The Killing of a Sacred Deer; The Lego Batman Movie; Logan Lucky; Spider-Man: Homecoming; Whose Streets?; Wonder Woman
Highly Anticipated (10 more, listed alphabetically)
Blade Runner 2049; Brigsby Bear; Darkest Hour; I, Tonya; Ingrid Goes West; It; Logan; Mudbound; Phantom Thread; The Post
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