Logan
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| Be really careful holding his hand |
This film is supposed to be Hugh Jackman's last time playing Logan, a character he has been playing for nearly eighteen years. If it is his last time then it was a very good ending. To me part of Logan's problem as a character is that he is too good, his healing powers and skeleton made him practically immortal surviving point blank gunshots to the head, numerous stabbings and even an atomic bomb, at some point it loses the sense of jeopardy. But early on in Logan it is shown that Logan isn't as strong as he used to be, his powers don't work like they did before, not only is he older, he's weaker. Logan starts the film as a driver, trying to keep a low profile, while he saves up money to buy a ship. Some recent disaster has seen the X-Men and Xavier's school destroyed and Logan now takes care of a very ill Charles Xavier. Xavier seems to be suffering from some sort of dementia and for a man as powerful as he is that is extremely dangerous. For a couple of decades, mysteriously, no mutants have been born.
Then someone tracks Logan down, a woman, who asks for his help, mainly for her "daughter", Laura, who is being hunted by a distinctly sinister organisation, and Laura has eerily similar powers to Logan and even an adamantium skeleton. Logan, who had done his best to avoid conflict, puts himself right in the middle to help her. The film is very violent and really shows what a fight with Logan would result in - missing limbs, torn out throats and more. The film shows the toll a life like Logan's can take, and not just his unusually long and bloody life but anyone who gets involved with conflict. At one point the characters watch the film Shane and we see the scene with the line, "there's no living with a killing" and Logan has killed so many. And it's not just even the people Logan has killed and the friends who have died but the innocent bystanders unlucky enough to cross paths with him who wind up dead.
In short the film is brilliant, going into areas most superhero films are unwilling to go, and not just the violence but the ideas of ageing, death, guilt and more.
The Babysitter
An odd Netflix film that I really, really enjoyed, it's a bit of a cheat putting something I didn't see at a cinema but it's my list so I can do what I want. I didn't realise until the end that it was directed by McG - which was probably for the best as that would have put me off - but looking back that makes sense. The film is about a nerdy youngster, Cole, who is perhaps a little too old for a babysitter, but still has one - the extremely cool Bee. Cole is somewhat infatuated with her. Determined to find out what happens after he goes to sleep Cole stays up and sneaks downstairs - to see Bee and her friends sacrifice someone to the Devil. What follows is a desperate battle for Cole's survival, fighting Bee and her deranged friends.It was a surprise just how good this was.
Atomic Blonde
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| Apparently Theron wouldn't be a convincing superhero |
Charlize Theron is one of the best actors in the world and is also quickly becoming an action superstar. Theron was the real star of Mad Max: Fury Road and I'm reliably informed was good in whatever number of Fast and Furious she was in. And then Atomic Blonde. I loved this film. I have always been interested in the Cold War and in particular the curious arrangement of the city of Berlin and how it became split between different superpowers and a venue for their war to be fought. Theron plays a British spy, sent to Berlin on a dangerous mission to retrieve stolen information, she must work with fellow British agent, and loose cannon, James McAvoy. Interesting as the setting is the film comes alive in first-rate fight scenes, and the already famous stairwell fight scene is unbelievably good. Incidentally Charlize Theron was considered for Captain Marvel but was thought to be too old (I mean she's only ten years younger than Robert Downey Jr) and while Brie Larsen will be fantastic it's a great what-if example of casting. An interesting feature of the film is that while Theron is very good at fighting she is not shown as indestructible, the film is told via Theron's recollection of events and the film starts showing Theron's battered and bruised body. While not for everyone I thought this was a really enjoyable film, if you like this sort of thing, see it.
Wonder Woman
I was worried about Wonder Woman. It's unfair but the film existed under a lot of pressure - basically would a superhero film centred around a female character be successful? Not would it be good...but successful - a successful film would help support the idea that such a film can draw a big audience. Would a commercial flop put an end to a Black Widow film or Captain Marvel or a stand alone Harley Quinn film and any other potentially interesting film based around a female character. It does feel ridiculous to even be thinking about this in 2017 when to me the obvious answer is make a good film and it will get an audience. So there was a lot of pressure. Fortunately Wonder Woman was amazing, Gal Gadot was great and most surprisingly of all I didn't hate Chris Pine. The film captured a lot of the pointlessness of the First World War with Gadot furious at the casual slaughter and disregard for soldiers lives - even from their own generals. The film has some astonishing scenes, Gadot venturing into No Man's Land and the subsequent battle being as good, if not better, than any action scene from another superhero film. The ending of the film is a bit of a letdown but that is a failing common on many superhero films but I would definitely watch the sequel.
Prevenge
I've loved Alice Lowe since Garth Marenghi's Dark Place and kept an eye out for her, she's popped up in all sorts of things from Sherlock to Hot Fuzz to Sightseers, always very good. Then she made Prevenge, a horror about a pregnant woman going on a revenge killing spree. It's worth pointing out Alice wrote, directed and starred in Prevenge while really pregnant. Lowe's character is pushed to commit these murders by her unborn child urging her on, demanding that she kill these people, the audience hears the voice of the unborn child and it is genuinely creepy as well as being "very articulate". The film is very good but the image of Lowe dressed up for Halloween to complete one of the murders will stay with me for a long time
Free Fire
Ben Wheatley is a very good director and has pretty dark sensibilities. This is undoubtedly the lightest of his films in terms of tone, despite virtually all of the film being a protracted gunfight. An illegal arms deal between visiting IRA members and weapons dealers goes badly wrong - for an unexpected reason - and all hell breaks loose - at one point one character shouts out that he has forgotten which side he is on and that is not surprising. It's an ensemble cast of very good actors - Cillian Murphy, Sharlto Copley, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer and Wheatley alumnus Michael Smiley. The film is pretty much shot in real time and while this is fun it does limit what can actually happen and I would say is my least favourite of Wheatley's films but one of the more enjoyable to watch (while it is brilliant you do not enjoy watching High-Rise).
Baby Driver
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| Jon Hamm isn't the star of the film or the best person in it but he is still Jon Hamm so he gets to be in the picture |
Possibly the best comedy film ever made. Easily the greatest action film in British film history. An insanely good geek film. A wonderful and poignant sci-fi comedy. These are my feelings of Edgar Wright's previous films (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World & The World's End) and if we also include Spaced - perhaps my favourite sitcom ever - my expectations were pretty high for Baby Driver. And it had Jon Hamm in it as well. Baby Driver is a brilliant film but, perhaps inevitably, I was disappointed. The film is meticulously well made and this is not just limited to car chase scenes, the matching of visuals and audio is amazing and I am looking forward to watching it again to see all the things I missed.
Kong: Skull Island
One night I chose between seeing Kong: Skull Island and Get Out. I chose Kong: Skull Island and history will judge me accordingly. Having subsequently seen Get Out it is undoubtedly the superior film, I say superior, as I did enjoy KSI. It is extremely over the top and silly fun but I liked some of the things it said about Vietnam War (Samuel L Jackson's character is clearly struggling with America's defeat) and was interesting to see Kong shown as, effectively, a good guy. I also enjoyed John C Reilly's stranded American pilot. And yes Brie Larsen was great...she usually is.
The Death of Stalin
In my opinion you can make a joke about anything, no topic is off limits, but that doesn't mean there are no consequences. You take on a sensitive issue you have a duty to think about what you're doing, what point you're trying to make, and be prepared for criticism and saying "it's just a joke" is a pretty poor defence. That said, The Death of Stalin, is hilarious. The aftermath of the death of one of the world's worst tyrants does not immediately suggest comedy but it is easily the funniest film of the year and even manages to convey the terror and absurdity of living under Stalin. From the impossibility of finding a good doctor for Stalin (as he had all the good ones purged) to the horror of a radio producer being forced to create a recording for a concert no one recorded it was funny and terrifying. The cast is brilliant but it's hard not to single out Jason Isaacs for a brilliantly over the top performance as General Zukov, no one speaks in a Russian accent in the film, with Isaacs adopting a thick Yorkshire accent to, presumably, convey Zukov's place in Russian society. The film is a triumph from start to finish.
The Big Sick
This was the sort of true story of Kumail Nanjiani and his wife's relationship - specifically how quite early on in their relationship she ended up in a coma and how Kumail has to then deal with Emily's family. Kumail Nanjiana is a stand up comedian and actor, probably best known for being in Silicon Valley. The film is very funny and emotional, Emily's parents are played by the always wonderful Holly Hunter and usually terrible Ray Romano (who is actually very good in this). the relationship between Kumail and Emily's parents is strained from the beginning, this being the first time they've met. The film is a brilliant look at family and relationships - as well as dealing with Emily's parents Kumail has to deal with his own family who want him to marry someone from their community, to the extent that they cut off relations with another family member who didn't do this. There are interesting insights into what it's like being a Muslim in America, from the outright racist comments when Kumail is performing stand up comedy that he should join ISIS (to which Holly Hunter's character perfectly responded why are you recruiting for ISIS?) to the less overtly aggressive Ray Romano's character asking what Kumail thought about 9/11. The film is a joy to watch and I would highly recommend it, it's better and more interesting that most romantic-comedies.
Blade Runner 2049
I love the original Blade Runner. I think I have seen two of three existing different cuts. It is a great film and one of the most influential sci-fi films ever made so I was a little anxious when I heard that a sequel was being made. First off, sequels happening decades later are rarely good and Ridley Scott has a bad record with his prequels to Alien. But when I heard it was Denis Villeneuve who was making it I felt a lot better. I love Sicario and Arrival and have heard good things about his other films. Then I heard it was to star Ryan Gosling who is an amazing actor and I began to think it might it good. I really enjoyed Blade Runner 2049. Gosling played K, a replicant working for the police as a blade runner, hunting down rogue replicants. K became involved in the hunt for a particular, a possibly miraculous replicant. I don't want to say too much as there is a lot of potential for spoilers but everything in the film is great from Gosling's portrayal of K to the extended cast (including Dave Batista who has made a very successful transition from professional wrestling to serious acting). Jared Leto is suitably inscrutable and sinister as Niander Wallace, the owner of Wallace Corporation who have taken over the manufacturing of replicants, Robin Wright is a great tough police boss and I especially liked Sylvia Hoeks playing Luv, Wallace's replicant assassin and fixer. The film looks amazing and isn't just retreading the same dystopian urban landscape of the original with K at one point visiting an abandoned city with toppled statues and fallen monuments. The resolution of the film is very satisfying and left me thinking about the film for days afterwards.
Dunkirk
I am a huge fan of Christopher Nolan. He is one of the few directors I can think of who hasn't made a bad film and even the worst of them - Interstellar in my opinion - is a really good film. I also feel Christopher Nolan has been consistently overlooked in terms of Oscars (the recent change in the Academy increasing the number of Best Picture contenders has been attributed to some by the shock in The Dark Knight not being nominated) and it will be somewhat annoying if Dunkirk wins as it will add further evidence to the idea that the academy does not respect sci-fi. Anyway, Dunkirk, a film told in three different perspectives - 1. Soldiers waiting to be evacuated from the beach 2. One of the "little ships" sailing to Dunkirk to help the soldiers 3. A RAF fighter pilot providing air support. The cast is first rate from Nolan regulars Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy to newcomers to Nolan Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh. Interesting the German soldiers attacking the British and French are never really shown but the impact of their attacks certainly are. The film is an amazing spectacle but the acting is also brilliant and Nolan's film is not so simple to show the British as heroes. There are moments of cowardice, betrayal, anger and worse, showing what can happen when your survival is on the line. Particularly memorable were Mark Rylance and Cillian Murphy's performances, Rylance captaining one of of the little ships and Murphy a soldier who he rescues. Rylance is all stoic bravery while Murphy is suffering from shellshock and only wants to escpe. Even if it might annoy me, it would be a worthy Oscar winner.
The Last Jedi
In the few weeks we've had since the release of The Last Jedi there has been a lot of discussion about the film with a petition to have the film stricken from the Star Wars canon garnered thousands of signatures, something that none of the prequels did and they are all terrible films and a million times worse than The Last Jedi. I enjoyed the film but didn't feel it was as good as The Force Awakens or Rogue One. I had some problems with the film but don't understand the hatred that some people have shown towards it, the relationship between Kylo Ren and Rey was very well done, and I liked the portrayal of Luke as a real person, not some omnipotent super being who is always completely right and moral. The battle scenes were impressive and there were some very good visuals, and I liked some of the nods to old Star Wars characters like Admiral Ackbar and even Nien Nunb. I won't go into too much detail about some of the things I liked and didn't like as that would lead to a lot of spoilers but overall it was good, not great.
Get Out
A last minute New Year's Eve viewing for Get Out, a film I had wanted to see for a long while. Get Out was written and directed by Jordan Peele who is not very well known in the UK but is part of a very big sketch comedy double act with Keegan Michael Key in America. I've watched some of their sketches and like many sketch shows are hit and miss, my favourite of their sketches is the discussion on a news programme between the two white news anchors and the black weatherman and reporter about the dangers of black ice, it quickly becoming a thinly veiled argument about race. Get Out is a horror film that is about racism in America, Daniel Kaluuya plays Chris Washington, a photographer who has been dating Rose Armitage for several months. Chris is black and Rose is white. Rose is taking Chris to meet her parents and at the beginning of the film Chris is anxious about how her parents will react to her having a black boyfriend. The trip does not go well for Chris beginning with an unpleasant encounter with the local police and things just get worse, and weirder, from there. At first the only black people Chris sees are those who work for Rose's family. While Rose's parents don't seem overtly racist they do make things tense, the father telling Chris how much he liked Barack Obama and things like that. When more guests arrive it gets worse. Then there are also odd things, like who is continually unplugging Chris's phone when he is trying to charge it? I can't really say too much more but it is a great film. There is an alternate ending on the DVD which is definitely worth watching with the commentary as Peele talks about how Trump's election changed how he wanted the film to end.
So those are my favourite films of 2017 and I think my favourite and best is probably Logan. There are lots of good films coming out soon I'm particularly excited about The Shape Of Water and The Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
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