Best Films Of 2017
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- DirectorPaul SchraderStarsEthan HawkeAmanda SeyfriedCedric The EntertainerA minister of a small congregation in upstate New York grapples with mounting despair brought on by tragedy, worldly concerns and a tormented past.I've long been a fan of Paul Schrader's work. It's sort of amazing with all that he's done previously, that this truly may be the best film he's ever written. He's getting up there in age for sure, but what he has created here is easily in my view, at the very least, among his finest creations. One Oscar nomination? The American Academy rarely fails to show off its vast depth of incompetence and continued irrelevance. 9/10
- DirectorSebastián LelioStarsRachel WeiszRachel McAdamsAlessandro NivolaA woman returns to her Orthodox Jewish community that shunned her for her attraction to a female childhood friend. Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.So far this is the 2nd best film I've seen from 2017. I thought the acting, story and direction were superb. I'm surprised more people have not found this film to be as fantastic as I did. The current IMDb rating of 6.6 seems extremely low to me. Many critics loved it, as did I. Disobedience I suppose is not a film for everyone. Overthinking can get in the way. Just sit back and watch this subtle and beautiful film and think about it later. As the Buddha is often credited with saying, "Think less, observe more.". I'm pretty sure many people got so offended by certain things in the film that they missed nearly all of the rich and beautiful depth that this film actually has. Sometimes the most clever truths are not so obvious, especially to the distracted mind. In my view most of the greatest pieces of art in history are the pieces that challenge the way we look at things. This is definitely that kind of film. This truly is not just another piece of entertainment like much of the regurgitated and/or meaningless trash movies of our day. This truly is a beautiful piece of art; And to those of you who watched it and missed this fact...too bad for you. More than anything else, this film is about human choice, and sadly for many, that is a very scary subject. Too scary for some to even honestly deal with within themselves. May we All hope for a today filled with greater clarity. 8.5/10
- 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.I saw the Final Cut of the original earlier this year in the theatre in great anticipation of this sequel. I'm not a big sequel person usually, but I had belief in this director, as he has done some of the best films in all of the world in recent years. Honestly, I'd say this new film is as good or perhaps even a little better than the original. I rate them both... 8/10
- DirectorAnahí BerneriStarsSofía Gala CastiglioneDante Della PaoleraDana BassoA young Buenos Aires mother finds employment as a sex worker and struggles to live under the same laws that are supposed to protect her.Not nearly everyone will like this film. Some people will find it to be a very powerful film, while others will find it little more than a complete bore. There is a story, but not much of one really. It's basically just a consecutive observation of a person trying to survive on her own terms over a few days. This is an extreme realist character study, and in all truth, it's probably the most realistic character study I've ever seen, and I've seen literally thousands of films. The lead actress uses her real 1 and a half year old son as her character's son in the film, and this is truly marvelous to a film lover like myself. Of course this made these scenes between the two ultra authentic and undeniably beautiful. What is captured here to me was so powerful. The film really is about Alanis and her son, at least to me it is pretty much entirely. Even apart from the scenes between Alanis and her son, the lead actress is phenomenal here. She's been acting for over 10 years before this film and won awards, including now the Argentinean Academy Award for Best Actress for this very film, and the Argentinian Critics Choice Award as well.
People may notice in my reviews and lists that I'm a huge fan of realist film, and this one really grabbed me. I honestly feel that Alanis, as imperfect of a character as she is, she is still somehow among the most inspiring female characters I've ever seen. I'm not sure that many people would feel that way however, I'm fairly sure I'm in the extreme minority in this. Nevertheless, I loved the film, and I found the character to be very inspiring. To me, films like these make most Hollywood films seem painfully boring, predictable and horribly overdramatic. Films like these also thankfully keep inspiring me to embrace real life and the real world, which I think is so important in these modern times. So many people become detached from reality in ways simply because they've lost sight of the beauty that is in it, and the amazing miracle that it is. Yes, our world is ugly, ugly as hell in a sense, but there is an entirely other beautiful side as well. To loose sight of this is to find your own personal sort of hell, as was described by Milton. Paradise Lost.
**If you have yet to see the film. I would caution you not to read this last paragraph of my review.**
The film does not tell us everything about Alanis and why she does what she does exactly. However I personally found that this is the best way to present this story/film, it's brilliant really. To me the film becomes somewhat profound because even though it's impossible from what we know to entirely like Alanis and agree with her, it also seemed at least for me, impossible to root against her. Why is it hard to root against her? Simply because it is impossible not to see that she genuinely loves her child, and the child loves her too of course. In this sense, the film is incredibly powerful and inspiring. However, most viewers may not even see this at all. The thing there is, if we did know her entire story and understood all of her motivations, would we not want something else for her here entirely? Probably! The more we know, the more questions we'd have of why she didn't do something else. That's part of the magic of the way this story is told. We can't fairly judge her entirely, so we don't question so much why she does what she does. We just hope for her and the boy to find a safe place to land.
8/10 - 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.I have been disappointed by almost every C. Nolan film since Memento, however this one mostly lived up to its buzz. This version of Dunkirk doesn't tell the entire story as fully as the older 50's film did, but this film is overall definitely more entertaining. If you want the whole story, and one closer to the whole truth, you're better off reading about it than watching a Hollywood film anyway, as if that isn't already obvious to most. Anyway, besides being a very good entertaining film, this has again brought back some attention to this old and quite inspiring story.
A 94 out of 100 on Metacritic though? These Metacritics really need to go back to film critic school, haha! The entire story itself isn't even entirely fleshed out here. Regarding this film, an average critic score of 9.4/10 is quite frankly, ridiculous! Nonetheless, it is a pretty strong film overall.
8/10 - DirectorBarak GoodmanStarsSara WeaverDaniel LevitasJess WalterShortly before dawn on August 21, 1992, six heavily armed U.S. marshals made their way up to the isolated mountaintop home of Randy Weaver, his wife Vicki and their three children on Ruby Ridge in Northern Idaho. Charged with selling two illegal sawed-off shotguns to an undercover agent, Weaver had failed to appear in court and law enforcement was tasked with bringing him in. For months, the Weavers had been holed up on their property with a cache of firearms, including automatic weapons. When the federal agents doing surveillance on the property killed the barking dog of the family, a firefight broke out. The standoff that mesmerized the nation would leave Weaver injured, his wife and son dead, and some convinced that the federal government was out of control. Drawing upon eyewitness accounts, including interviews with Weaver's daughter, Sara Weaver, and federal agents involved in the confrontation, Ruby Ridge is a riveting account of the event that helped give rise to the modern American militia movement.A great docu on the Ruby Ridge incident.
- DirectorTaylor SheridanStarsElizabeth OlsenJeremy RennerGraham GreeneA wildlife officer, who is haunted by a tragedy that happened because of him, teams up with an FBI agent in solving a murder of a young woman on a Wyoming Native American reservation and hopes to get redemption from his past regrets.A well textured, intense, emotional trip. It doesn't break any substantial ground really, but it's definitely an interesting enough thriller that one can really enjoy it. 8/10
- DirectorJoseph KosinskiStarsJosh BrolinMiles TellerJeff BridgesBased on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters who risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire.A very good tribute to firefighters, especially the ones who fight forest fires. The film has fairly good balance, held together mostly by a great cast and a respectful script with reasonable depth. 8/10
- DirectorBryan BuckleyStarsAl PacinoEvan PetersMelanie GriffithIn 2008, rookie journalist Jay Bahadur forms a half-baked plan to embed himself with the pirates of Somalia. He ultimately succeeds in providing the first close-up look into who these men are, how they live, and the forces that drive them.
- DirectorDaniel EspinosaStarsJake GyllenhaalRebecca FergusonRyan ReynoldsA team of scientists aboard the International Space Station discover a rapidly evolving life form that caused extinction on Mars and now threatens all life on Earth.The critics must be on crack, this is definitely the best violent alien film in a long while. One thing that makes this film stand out among many other similar themed films is the sheer plausibility of it all. Where other sci-fi thrillers like the fairly recent The Martian, or even the original Alien are clearly just over dramatic movies, Life seems far more down to earth even in space. Something very similar to this could happen one day you find yourself saying, and that's what makes it extra chilling. Much of the science in this film is very real. In fact we are seeing some of the exact kinds of things this film is concerned with in our very own modern day forests, as the trees, plants, animals and insects continue to change and battle for space/survival. 8/10
- DirectorDoug LimanStarsTom CruiseDomhnall GleesonSarah WrightThe story of Barry Seal, an American pilot who became a drug-runner for the CIA in the 1980s in a clandestine operation that would be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair.This film reminded me a good bit of Blow with Johnny Depp. It's similarly a very fun and entertaining crime romp based on a true story, but obviously dramatized for viewing pleasure. Both films also revolve at least in some part around the notorious Pablo Escobar. There is a good bit of food for thought here as well, as this is a man's story that eventually led to the revelation of the Iran-Contra scandal during the Reagan years. This film is likely even a little more fun to watch than Blow actually, as the pace is delivered here with near perfection thanks to some great writing, directing and editing. 8/10
- DirectorMatt ReevesStarsAndy SerkisWoody HarrelsonSteve ZahnAfter the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.This was a trilogy that exceeded my expectations. The first film was fairly good, and I thought the 2nd one was likely the best, it was a very good film, but this one was nearly as good as the second for me. These apes are far more intelligent than the U.S. president, that's the sad part. 7.5/10
- DirectorEshom NelmsIan NelmsStarsJohn HawkesAnthony AndersonOctavia SpencerAn alcoholic ex cop finds a woman on the roadside, left for dead. He offers to find the killer pro bono as P.I. Her granddad hires him. Things get nasty.Definitely a little underrated in my view. A fun, entertaining, gritty little crime romp with a sense of humor.
- DirectorFatih AkinStarsNuman AcarAdam BousdoukosDiane KrugerKatja's life collapses after the deaths of her husband and son in a bomb attack. After a time of mourning and injustice, Katja seeks revenge.We don't often see dramatic thrillers out of Hollywood that feel this realistic. In fact I would say they are nearly non existent. For those that like films with feeling, this German film packs an emotional punch to be sure. Diane Kruger's performance is exceptional. 7.5/10
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsNicole KidmanKirsten DunstElle FanningThe unexpected arrival of a wounded Union soldier at a girls school in Virginia during the American Civil War leads to jealousy and betrayal.So far I've really hated all of Sofia Coppola's films except for Lost In Translation and this one. This was a pretty interesting watch and also fairly funny I thought. 7.5/10
- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsEwan McGregorEwen BremnerJonny Lee MillerAfter 20 years abroad, Mark Renton returns to Scotland and reunites with his old friends Sick Boy, Spud, and Begbie.Definitely not as good as the original film, but certainly a worthy sequel nonetheless. 7.5/10
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsDane DeHaanCara DelevingneClive OwenA dark force threatens Alpha, a vast metropolis and home to species from a thousand planets. Special operatives Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.A fun and creative film. Well worth seeing on the big screen. 7.5/10
- DirectorTrevor WhiteStarsEd HarrisAmanda CrewJoanne FroggattAn attention-seeking psychic is kidnapped and tries to use the situation to boost his popularity.A film with some pretty good ideas and a decent delivery. 7.5/10
- DirectorS. Craig ZahlerStarsVince VaughnJennifer CarpenterDon JohnsonA former boxer-turned-drug runner lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly.A simple story that's been told in countless ways before. Nonetheless, this film is effective. Likely Vince V's best film in years. 7.5/10
- DirectorTerrell LamontStarsKennedy WaiteHolly WestwoodRodney GrierAn art teacher's plans fall apart when he kidnaps a ballplayer's daughter to repay a debt to a ruthless mob boss.A messed up film about a really dumb guy who crumbles under the pressure of his life. Darkly comedic, emotional, low budget surprise. The film gets a major boost by the amazing performance of the very young Kennedy Waite. In fact I believe it is the total commitment to the script, by the two lead actors that really makes this film work. Main problem is however, no one has seen this film. 7/10
- DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsFrances McDormandWoody HarrelsonSam RockwellA mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder when they fail to catch the culprit.I'm not nearly as big on Martin McDonagh films as many people are. To me they all range in rating from a 6 to a 7, and nothing better than that. Personally I find his films more stupid than funny for the most part, though this one is likely his best film yet. Still to me, I liked it, but it was nothing all that special. 7/10
- DirectorLynne RamsayStarsJoaquin PhoenixJudith RobertsEkaterina SamsonovA traumatized veteran unafraid of violence tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, Joe's nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what could be his death trip or his awakening.Not great, but definitely a solid film in my view. 7/10
- DirectorJoe WrightStarsGary OldmanLily JamesKristin Scott ThomasIn May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.Oldman is amazing as Winston, but there is little else to grab onto in this film. I wanted more of the lead character and more depth in the story. I would agree with many critics that this is for the most part an Oscar bait fluff piece; And look, those Oscar voters went for it too. I'm sure few are surprised. This film deserves zero awards or even nominations in my view other than Oldman for lead actor. A good film, mainly because of the lead, but definitely a far cry from a great film. 7/10
- DirectorDavid LeitchStarsCharlize TheronJames McAvoyJohn GoodmanAn undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.In my view, much better than John Wick 2. The action choreographer I understand was the same for both films. This film has the more interesting story for sure. 7/10
- DirectorMichaël R. RoskamStarsMatthias SchoenaertsAdèle ExarchopoulosEric De StaerckeSet against the background of a brutal crime gang in Brussels, a tragic love story between Gigi, a high-flying gangster, and Bibi, a young racing driver with very upper-class roots.I liked it, but it's not for everyone. 7/10
- DirectorDylan Anthony MoranStarsPaulina AlvarezLisa AlvillarClifford BañagaleFollow the misadventures of two friends as they reconnect to attend a high school classmate's wedding.
- DirectorKyle RideoutStarsJudy GreerDaniel DohenySiobhan WilliamsA socially awkward home-schooled kid forces his way into public-school against his suffocating but loving mother's wishes.So far, definitely a little underappreciated. 7/10
- DirectorDale HeslipStarsKiefer SutherlandEd BelfourPaul CoffeyStories of those who have won hockey's highest honour, the Stanley Cup.Cause he's Mark Messier, and you're not.
I actually gave this an 8/10 but to lump it in with regular movies, I figure it deserves to be right about here on this list. If you enjoy hockey, it's worth watching for sure. - DirectorJameson BrooksStarsDave DavisGlenn MorshowerLuke SheltonBomb City is a crime-thriller, about the cultural aversion of a group of punk rockers in a conservative Texas town. Their ongoing battle with a rival, more-affluent clique leads to a controversial hate crime that questions the morality of American justice. Based on the true-life story of Brian Deneke.This is almost like a modern version of The Outsiders. Don't get me wrong, the story here is not quite as good overall as The Outsiders. Nor is it nearly as convincing in who is to blame. But of course The Outsiders is fiction, and this is based on real life. Who's to blame, and how much blame is actually deserved in reality, is so much harder to pinpoint than in most works of fiction.
While I think this film is reasonably good, and well worth a watch; I really don't think the film is nearly as effective as it thinks that it is. It also seems to show a little bias of it's own in fact. Watch it yourself and see what you think. The guy who ends up sentenced was actually given 10 years probation, a long time, and then when caught drinking which violated his probation, he wasn't treated so lightly. He actually ended up serving nearly 4 years in prison.
While sometimes I don't mind some of the points that Marilyn Manson has brought up from time to time about American culture, I really felt he didn't help this film much, if at all; As his narration at the beginning is somewhat interesting & thought provoking, but when he finishes what he has to say at the end, it really amounts to little more than stupidity. Manson also states that not one day was spent in jail by the young man portrayed here, but in fact, as I already stated due to his probation violation in connection to this event, he did eventually end up serving many, many days. But Manson rarely seems interested in truth, but rather his interests lie mostly in shocking people. To me, I understand an artists desire to stir things up, to try and provoke change. Manson however is not one to attack things in a fully authentic fashion, hence the lack of his effect on cultural change on any large scale.
Overall I think the film is a good cautionary tale. Even though it seems to think it is more than that. 7/10. - DirectorAngus MacLachlanStarsSteve CoulterMax GailFrancis GuinanAfter their father dies, a middle-aged brother and sister wrestle with legacy and ownership when three brothers, whose family farmed the land for generations, return after 50 years.6.5/10
- DirectorGreta GerwigStarsSaoirse RonanLaurie MetcalfTracy LettsIn 2002, an artistically inclined 17-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.Funny at times, and also very relatable at times. To me however, certainly one of the most generally overrated films of the year. 6.5/10
- DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsKenneth BranaghPenélope CruzWillem DafoeWhen a murder occurs on the train on which he's travelling, celebrated detective Hercule Poirot is recruited to solve the case.It's far from great, but it's far from terrible as well. Overall I liked it, but not a lot. 6.5/10
- DirectorRupert SandersStarsScarlett JohanssonPilou AsbækTakeshi KitanoIn the near future, Major Mira Killian is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world's most dangerous criminals.A good popcorn action flick. Nothing too special, but a good film in terms of escapist entertainment. 6.5/10
- DirectorCory FinleyStarsOlivia CookeAnya Taylor-JoyAnton YelchinTwo upper-class teenage girls in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems-no matter what the cost.The ending left me underwhelmed. 6.5/10
- 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 pretty strong film in many ways, but I did find it overly predictable. I wasn't creeped out much while watching this film. For the most part, I was bored, as I saw most things coming before they happened. The film is not nearly as original or brilliant as many have been saying. Sorry, but there's nothing too special here at all. Calling this a great film is a complete joke to me. A decent film, but not a great one at all. 6.5/10
- DirectorRian JohnsonStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaMark HamillRey develops her abilities with the help of Luke Skywalker, as the Resistance prepares for battle against the First Order.Well, it was far from great in my view, but it wasn't nearly as bad as that dog The Force Awakens either, (Which I rated a 3 out of 10, and that was being nice. The modern Disney company is little other than a giant corporate whore in my view.). I can't believe people actually liked that joke of a film. This one, worth a look I'd say for fans of the older films, but don't expect too much. 6.5/10
- DirectorPatty JenkinsStarsGal GadotChris PineRobin WrightWhen a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, Diana, an Amazonian warrior in training, leaves home to fight a war, discovering her full powers and true destiny.I think the general public and critics have been pretty generous to this film for the most part so far. The writing is very weak in places and it's a little long for what it is. I feel I'm being a little generous with my rating as well. 6.5/10
- 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.A lot of the interaction between the kids was good, some of it was really funny. I didn't find the horror aspect of the film very good though, nor was the overall story itself well fleshed out or interesting enough in my view. The old mini-series was better in both of those areas, but that was also far from a perfect series. I liked the older series for the most part, but the end kind of killed it for me. In the end, I rate both this film and the old series the same as far as numbers go. However, I definitely lean to the older series in a small way. 6.5/10
- 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.It was actually a little better than I expected. If it wasn't quite so overdone, we would have actually had a really good action film here. 6/10
- DirectorRobert MocklerStarsAddison TimlinIan NelsonLarry FessendenA young woman sets out on a crime spree that she broadcasts on social media.Actually well worth a watch for real film lovers. To me the movie is almost entirely saved by the hotel owner character alone, played by Larry Fessenden. He and Timlin are both good, but his character is really quite great. He's actually the ONLY character in the film I liked much at all, but his character was incredibly strong. Personally I felt the editing needed help here, and so did the writing overall, and some of the scene executions themselves. In fact the opening robbery scene is something that an Ed Wood picture could rival. It really is THAT bad, and ridiculously silly! Nonetheless, by the time it's all said and done, the film does have its interesting and creative moments, and most of all it has the one really great aspect/character. 6/10
- DirectorChad StahelskiStarsKeanu ReevesRiccardo ScamarcioIan McShaneAfter returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life.It's even harder to buy the story in this one, there's some very weak writing in places, but the action is still really good. This one was definitely not nearly as enjoyable as the original film in my view. I'm not sure how the public and critics have so far rated this sequel higher than the original. The story itself doesn't even hold up to basic logic, it's just silliness; Whereas the original film is quite simple story wise, but with a good back story, and overall it was well executed. The story in the sequel just left me shaking my head in places as it was so hard to buy into. Some character's motivations are not shown in a logical manner at all, and same goes for some of the story line itself. The action is great, the story is nonsense. 6/10
- DirectorLucia AnielloStarsScarlett JohanssonKate McKinnonZoë KravitzThings go terribly wrong for a group of girlfriends who hire a male stripper for a bachelorette party in Miami.Not great, but it was definitely pretty funny overall. I thought it was actually a good bit better than its current IMDb rating of 5.3/10.
My rating 6/10 - DirectorDavid LoweryStarsCasey AffleckRooney MaraMcColm Cephas Jr.In this singular exploration of legacy, love, loss, and the enormity of existence, a recently deceased, white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to try to reconnect with his bereft wife.Some parts were really good actually, but much of it dragged badly and missed the mark for me. 6/10
- DirectorJonathan MostowStarsSam WorthingtonOdeya RushAllen LeechAn assassin helps a young woman avenge the death of her family.As escapist entertainment, there's certainly a lot worse. There were a few things about this film I actually enjoyed. Writing wise it's a little weak here and there for sure. However it's worth a watch if you just want some fairly mindless action to lose yourself in for awhile. The action scenes themselves, the lead actor, and the cinematography in this film are all fairly strong. 5.5/10
- DirectorJon LucasScott MooreStarsMila KunisKristen BellKathryn HahnAs their own mothers drop in unexpectedly, our three under-appreciated and over-burdened moms rebel against the challenges and expectations of the Super Bowl for mothers: Christmas.The film, much like the original desperately needed the script to be edited and thought out a lot more. It's all over the place once again. While there are a few really funny parts, most of it is sort of just too much over the top cliche after cliche. The laughs fall flat and most of it just feels like been there, done that trashy comedy, and it likely feels that way even if you don't watch many movies; Simply because most of it is just very standard stuff, but really overdone. Again Katherine Hahn mostly steals the film. 5.5/10
- DirectorCate ShortlandStarsTeresa PalmerMax RiemeltMatthias HabichA passionate holiday romance leads to an obsessive relationship when an Australian photojournalist awakens in a Berlin apartment one morning and is unable to leave.It was okay-ish at times. I liked a few things, but I didn't like all that much of it. 5.5/10
- DirectorMaggie BettsStarsMelissa LeoLisa StewartAlyssa BrindleySet in the early 1960s and during the era of Vatican II, a young woman in training to become a nun struggles with issues of faith, the changing church and sexuality.Interesting, but Somewhat Shallow and Disrespectful In The End.
I thought this was an interesting and sad story. However this is definitely a failed project to say the least.
The film centers around how the 1960's reforms of the Catholic Church, basically took away many of the older extreme views of the past church, and introduced much more leniency in Catholic nunnery. All of a sudden nuns were not held in a higher regard than that of the average Catholic. Their 'Brides of Christ' designation and special place in the church was entirely abolished. Thus of course taking away the designation in an instant what many nuns had given their entire lives for, to be known and recognized as a bride of Christ by the church. While it is sad for these ladies, or perhaps I should call them 'Sisters', the film really has no real depth to it other than this main theme, and also that these reforms are why Catholic nunnery has since almost entirely disappeared.
It is quite clear from watching the film that the writer does not believe in God. This too hinders the film, and to where it eventually leads, as openness in this regard would have made for a much more interesting and effective story, and it quite frankly would have been much more respectful to it's subjects. The film basically comes across in the end as, well it's better that girls are not becoming nuns anymore, and that they are free to love physically as this actually gives more to them than God can. I'm not kidding either, I know it sounds ridiculous, but that is basically the note on which the film ends.
The story is simple, but interesting. However the script and the direction needed serious help. The film fails to find any real depth besides the fact that these older nuns had their life's work taken away from them, and that it takes hard work and sacrifice to become a nun. It often shows superficial and stereotypical, and occasional fairly realistic struggles with faith among the young nuns, but nothing really meaningful or insightful is ever flushed out. It often feels overdone and too rehearsed because of it's lack of depth.
The direction and editing are also seriously to be questioned as there are so many unrealistic to the time period things in the film. For starters, why is the lead character nude under her habit, and secondly why are we even shown this in the first place? Scenes like this made absolutely no sense at all; And going even further, it is very obvious that this young woman of at least 18, who has been locked in a convent for around two years now, has a shaved pubic region in the 1960's! Just silliness!! It kinda makes you wonder if this film was produced by another Harvey Weinstein kind of sleezeball. There was entirely no point to this nude scene other than to make the film seem less authentic, or more sexy; And I don't see how the film being more sexy fits into the story. Did the minds behind this project all of a sudden decide to give a homage moment to the old 70's nun exploitation films or something? We are shown nuns getting dressed far too often in the film, without any reason at all. Why? No nudity is shown really until near the end, but all in all it just seemed so odd, so out of place. There are also other scenes that seem to lead to no point in the story at all. Nor does basically anything in this film at all give you any sense that this is the 1960's. It seems as if it's in present times for the most part.
If the subject matter interests you, it may be worth a watch. Although this review alone basically gives you the entire story, because there really is no depth to it beyond this at all. The film is greatly flawed, and offers no interesting insights or depth other than the effect the Catholic reforms has on the hearts and minds of the nuns who have given so much of their lives; And in fact, even this main aspect of the film is not very well explored. I will give it a 5 for the acting and interesting story. Even if it is a shallow, fairly ignorant and somewhat underdeveloped vision of it's subject matter. At least I did learn one new thing and the acting was good, it wasn't a total loss. 5/10 - DirectorMichael PearceStarsJessie BuckleyGeraldine JamesOliver MaltmanA troubled woman living in an isolated community finds herself pulled between the control of her oppressive family and the allure of a secretive outsider suspected of a series of brutal murders.Overrated. Nothing new here really. A clunky film trying to pass itself off as art. Some good performances and some great landscape shots were the highlight in my view. The writing and scene execution needed help in many places.
- DirectorWill WallaceStarsElisabeth RöhmAshley JuddAmiah MillerIn this story inspired by real characters, three girls from America, Nigeria and India are trafficked through an elaborate global network and enslaved in a Texas brothel, and must together attempt a daring escape to reclaim their freedom.Just another very mediocre made for TV like sex trafficking film. Mediocre acting, directing and script make it mostly a very ordinary borefest. 5/10
- DirectorSean BakerStarsBrooklynn PrinceBria VinaiteWillem DafoeSet over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Walt Disney World.I've liked some previous films from this director, but I really didn't care for this one much at all. As people may know by now, I love realist films, and while many of the critics are saying this is great in that way. I claim that it actually feels very forced in far too many scenes, and the film really doesn't come off as feeling authentic. I've also seen far better versions of practically everything in this film. It also made me feel like being a child was boring, which I've never really felt at all until I saw this film. The writing here was really lame for the most part. Many of the performances were good and there were a few funny parts, but that was really all that it had. To me, this is perhaps the most overrated film of the year. 3/10
- DirectorAaron HarveyStarsWilliam FichtnerJessica McNameeJean Louisa KellyA middle-aged man in a stagnant marriage finds his life upended when an attractive young woman and her seemingly abusive husband move in next door.A MUST SEE FILM! ...in the right place and time.
Is This Suppose To Be A Forrest Gump Sequel?
It seems like it could be a Gump sequel. Or maybe it's just Forrest's son Mike, when he gets older. This film is only good for one thing, and that is that at least you'll laugh at it. It's amazing that they actually try to play this story so straight up thriller. The writing is just so bad, it almost has to be seen because this film is SO bad, that it's funny. So that's what I'm saying really, watch this with a few buddies or something and have a good laugh. It really is a MUST SEE film in the right moment. I think the moral of the story may be, don't ask your old neighbor with the yellow grass for gardening tips. I'm giving this ridiculous film a 3, because at least it was funny in so many ways, that it wasn't even trying to be funny in. Far better than a 1 out of 10 for sure!
3/10 - DirectorLisa AddarioJoe SyracuseStarsMichael CaineOdeya RushKatie HolmesWhen political turmoil forces a British-Caribbean dictator to flee his island nation, he seeks refuge and hides with a rebellious teenage girl in suburban America, and ends up teaching the young teen how to start a revolution and overthrow the "mean girls" at her high school.Extremely dull. Sadly it's far more generic and safe than this type of film needs to be in order to work. 2.5/10
- DirectorAna AsensioStarsAna AsensioNatasha RomanovaDavid LittleMost Beautiful Island is a chilling portrait of an undocumented young woman's struggle for survival as she finds redemption from a tortured past in a dangerous game.This film actually got a fair amount of praise from some critics...which makes me nearly fall over with laughter. It really is hilarious, but also very sad honestly. This is in all truth one of the worst edited films I've ever seen in my life, and quite frankly in many ways, among the very worst films I've ever seen. And I've seen literally thousands of films. We've seen other versions of very similar stories before, and here the script is entirely unconvincing to anyone with a reasonably working brain. Not only that, but the lead character herself is extremely unconvincing as well. The whole film runs in at only an hour and 20 minutes, but it seems like forever, because there really is not much of anything happening throughout most of the film, and what we do see is often somewhat nonsensical, or basically pointless. I honestly feel sad for the brains of those who really liked this film. This could've been a decent film if you take out a few really terribly unconvincing scenes, and shortened it to being the 25-35 minute film it really should be. There's only enough story here for about 25-35 minutes, that is unless you actually want to develop characters that holdup to basic logic. Here, the whole build up and character development leading up to the eventual mysterious reveal was painfully done, both in terms of editing and the writing. Just brutal on both accounts. I almost gave this a 1 star, I was very tempted, it really is THAT bad in many ways. However at least a few moments are somewhat interesting, hence the 2.5 I ended up deciding on.
2.5/10