Well I have to say that I think it has been an excellent year for cinema. I think I can illustrate this no better way than by saying for the first time in 7 years I have been to the Cinema over 100 times in a full year.
That certainly means that a lot of trailers have caught my eye, and gotten me into more screenings this year, but that does not necessarily mean that the quality of the film as a whole has been better.
We will start on a high and look at some of the many films that have really entertained me this year.
Scorsese....Lian Neeson....Andrew Garfield....Adam Driver....A compelling story and stunning photography.
A wonderful and welcome return of some richly created characters, brilliantly acted
Mel Gibson shines behind the Camera with a stunning performance from one of this years brightest stars - Andrew Garfield
A great film telling an astonishing story of a group of extraordinary women
(what more do I need to say?)
Denzel & Viola....enough said
Like "Hacksaw Ridge", the year got off to a remarkable start with another powerful true story. January was going to be the month to beat
Here are some more of the amazing movies that have been just a pure delight to watch over the last 12 months
Quite a diverse selection.
A year of great love stories, with Annette Bening on top form as Gloria Grahame, Dame Judi Dench reprising her Oscar nominated role as Queen Victoria, Ashton Saunders excels in "Moonlight", Dev Patel shows the love for his Mother in "Lion" and Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet are on Award winning form in "Call Me By Your Name".
As discussed above, the use of true life shines brightest this year, with as mentioned "Lion", "Hacksaw Ridge" & "Hidden Figures" all great films in their own right. But it didn't end there. We also had the great McDonalds story as told in "The Founder", a look at the end of the British reign in India in "Viceroy's House", and India coming to Victorian England and a great friendship between two very different people in "Victoria & Abdul".
Great heroism in "Patriot's Day", and heroics of a different kind as Emma Stone is at the top of her game as Billie Jean King in "Battle of the Sexes".
Having not been a huge fan of the first two 'Thor' films, it was pleasing to see the third film really bring some fun back, and this ranks as one of the most entertaining films of the year.
A long overdue return to form for Writer / Director M.Night Shyamalan with his brilliant thriller "Split", chilling performance from James McAvoy, and what an ending......
But as with all things, there is an opposite, as so there has to be a selection of less pleasing films, and here they are.....I know that there is at least one controversial choice.
Some of the Worst Films of 2017.....
"Manchester By The Sea"....too depressing, and in my opinion Casey Affleck was not the Best Actor, far from it. He should not have even been nominated for an Oscar, let alone have won it.
Several much loved films did not fair to well for me...films like "It Comes At Night" and "Baby Driver".
One of the biggest disappointments of the year was the gritty thriller "The Snowman", which promised so much....it was directed by Tomas Alfredson who directed one of my all time favourite movies - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", it had an excellent cast, the likes of Michael Fassbender, Toby Jones, J.K. Simmons, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Val Kilmer, and from the trailer looked really good.
Oh dear......oh well, you can't always judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a film from its trailer.
But down to the most important choices, and my favourites of 2017....here we go.....
Although I am awarding Best individual performances, there is one actor I need to single out for being the most prolific and consistently wowing us with one great performance after another, and he is.......
Andrew Garfield
Preaching the word of God, in a land where Christianity is outlawed he was dazzling in Martin Scorsese's "Silence"
A great actor playing a truly great hero, Desmond Doss in the powerful and moving drama from Mel Gibson "Hacksaw Ridge"
Another true life story and the life of Robin Cavendish and the many lives he changed in "Breathe"
And although this was a theatrical performance I did get to see it thanks to a National Theatre Live Screening, and this will be the performance that people will be talking about for years, and rest assured come Award season, he will need a well enforced shelf to store all his awards from his performance in "Angels in America"
Here come the big three.....
Best Performance By An Actor in A Leading Role
A few quick special mentions, especially to the already mentioned James McAvoy in "Split", the amazing Ewan Bremner, who for me stole the show with his amazing performance in "T2 Trainspotting", Denzel Washington in "Fences", Ali Fazal in "Victoria & Abdul" and Jamie Bell in "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool". Great work from each and every one of them. But there can be only one winner......
Timothee Charlamet
He gave a mature and heart breakingly beautiful performance in the love story of the year in "Call Me By Your Name". The scene that everyone talks about is probably one that many may miss as it plays out during the end credits, but from start to finish he conveys the angst of a young man and his journey into love which may or may not be reciprocated
Best Performance By An Actress in A Leading Role
Yes there is still much to be said about Women and the lack of great material, and even more so on equal pay, but if this year is anything to go by then Women are creating some truly outstanding performances.
Natalie Portman was the highpoint of "Jackie", and Emma Stone was good in "La La Land", but Oscar worthy, not for me.
All three leads of "Hidden Figures" were exemplary. As was Danielle Macdonald in "Patti Cake$". And a firm favourite of mine continues to give a beautiful performance in "Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool" and she is Annette Bening.
But there can be only one Winner.....or can there???
Jessica Chastain
It's clearly a case of red
heads rule. Jessica Chastain has shown her brilliance in great films
like "The Help" and "Zero Dark Thirty" but this year it was her
performance in "Miss. Sloane" that blew me away.
Emma Stone
She may have started the year with an Academy Award for her work on "La La Land", and the debate as whether it was deserved will continue, but for me she should be getting an Oscar this year for her work as Billie Jean King in "Battle of the Sexes". Best Picture
I have really wrestled over this one. And for me it is bizarre in that there are films that featured in last years Oscars Ceremony and films that will no doubt feature in this years Ceremony. There in lies the problem of having Oscar movies released in the UK between November and March of any given year.
I would normally always try and have just One Best Picture Winner, and worst case scenario I would have to allow for two or if really pushed then three would be my absolute maximum.
But this year I am torn between four top movies, and given that I cannot choose between them, I am going to have to declare a four way tie. So which are the four top films of 2017?
"Moonlight"
"Battle of the Sexes"
"Miss. Sloane"
"Call Me By Your Name"
I mentioned at the beginning about what a strong year that 2017 has been, and I think that I can give no other better example of this than by the result for Best Picture. To have a four way tie is just plain bonkers but I cannot pick between these four first class films, and I will be proud to have all of them added to my Film collection when they become available on Blu Ray...yes I already have "Moonlight", and "Miss Sloane".
We can only hope that 2018 will be half as good.....Happy viewing
