There were 25 films in my shortlist of top films released and seen in 2017, all worthy of the top ten. My choices here are based purely on the visceral feeling I had upon seeing it, not a critical evaluation of the quality of the filmmaking. And had absolutely NOTHING to do with Ryan Gosling. Nothing.
In no particular order:
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THE LOVE WITCH
The Best Achievement award goes to Anna Biller who wrote, directed, produced, set designed and made every single costume and created every single prop herself, over 7 years. Shot on 35mm and in technicolor, a pastiche of ‘60s Russ-Meyer-esque B horror movies, it challenges modern conceptions of gender roles. There’s scene with a tampon in it, during which my cinema-going companion exclaimed “OH GROSS!” – and from the silver screen came the retort “Periods aren’t gross”. Pure witchcraft.
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
This Top Ten only has room for one Casey Affleck feature and although my preference would be the one where he wears a sheet over his head and doesn’t speak throughout, it was this one that made me weep the hardest. (Though it does feel SO last year.)
TONI ERDMANN
The kind of movie you just want to take your dad to, hug him, and say “YES! That.” (or: “JA! Dass.”)
ELLE
Prrrrgh.. I felt conflicted about this, it’s morally dubious, but such a powerfully dark - and often humorous - portrayal of a woman’s revenge, with a terrific performance by Huppert (and her cat).
NERUDA
If you were going to pick one Pablo Larraín film released this year, most people would probably chose JACKIE. But I’m going for the underdog. A very unusual film about the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, it made me feel right clever, it did. And, immediately post-screening, kickstarted my Top Ten 2017 list.
THE HANDMAIDEN
Nothing short of a saucy miracle.
THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE
A dry film, exploring immigration issues with warmth, satire and charm. It was firmly imprinted onto my heart after one of the larger actors in the movie engaged me in a tango upon my arrival at the Berlinale after-party, mistaking me for someone else. [Did I drop something?]
BLADE RUNNER 2049
I won’t lie, I was apprehensive, what with BLADE RUNNER being one of my favourite films. During the opening shot, tears came out of my eyes. I loved that there was no compromise on making the film more commercially palatable by cutting some of the extensive landscape shots to decrease the runtime. It was pure beauty. And I’m not just talking about Ryan Gosling.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
If I had to pick a top film, this would be it. When a film makes you think THAT WAS ME! And you’re not a boy. And you’re not gay. And you don’t have a lovely villa in Italy with amazing parents. But you were, once, in love for the first time...
THE DISASTER ARTIST
I did my homework and actually watched THE ROOM in preparation - there’s time I’ll never get back! This is just a great story about creativity in the face of adversity, plus a hairy butthole. I laughed, I cried, I cried with laughter...