By Mark Pukalo
You never quite know when you are going to see your favorite movie of a particular year.
It could come on the first day of release, a well-planned visit to the theater after seeing promising previews, or simply by chance.
The Year in Movies 2017 ended up being filled with strong films, but very few great ones - perhaps only one. There was plenty of depth with somewhere around 50 that I could recommend, and a solid group of unique, creative movies.
The one that caught my fancy the most was viewed at my neighborhood theater - AMC Regency in Brandon - perhaps the worst run of all the movie houses I have ever gone to. I had heard the film with an odd name was good, but I did not know too much about it. It had been out quite a while, but I had not pulled the trigger on seeing it until the very end of its run in local theaters. Finally, I settled in with my popcorn and found out that it was way more than a pleasant little romantic comedy.
“The Big Sick,” is based on the true story of Pakistani immigrant Kumail Nanjiani, who is working to be a standup comedian, and how he met his American wife Emily. It is about culture, relationships, family, life's obstacles and it is executed beautifully with humor and emotion. It makes you laugh a lot, think and cry.
I had not seen Zoe Kazan in anything since her brilliant effort in a cheeky little movie called “Ruby Sparks” in 2012. Kazan plays Emily with vulnerability, intelligence, cuteness and grace. Holly Hunter, who should have been nominated for an Academy Award, and Ray Romano play her parents very authentically. Adeel Akhtar and Anupam Kher portray Kumail’s parents with aplomb as well. Nanjiani couldn't have played himself any better.
It is a great movie from start to finish. The truth is out there!!
Along with Hunter and Kazan, it was a big year for tremendous performances from women and young girls.
The obvious standouts include Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Margot Robbie (I, Tonya), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) and Frances McDormand (Three Billboards), but there were also fantastic performances from Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game, Zookeeper’s Wife), Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird), Elizabeth Olsen (Wind River), young Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), Anne Hathaway (Colossal), Kate Mara (Megan Leavey), Tatiana Maslany (Stronger), Elle Fanning (The Beguiled), hilarious Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), Emma Stone (Battle of the Sexes), Brie Larson (The Glass Castle), Zendaya (The Greatest Showman), Jennifer Connelly (Only the Brave), Lily James (Baby Driver, Darkest Hour), Riley Keogh (Logan Lucky), McKenna Grace and Jenny Slate (Gifted), Izabela Vidovic (Wonder) and Lola Flanery (Home Again) along with many others.
TOP 25 of 2017
(tie) 25. Get Out - While I believe that the movie was over-rated a bit as far as being nominated for Best Picture, Jordan Peele's creative script should be celebrated and gets it over the hump on the list.
25. Okja - The Netflix original is a unique, odd, but compelling film about a young Japanese girl who tries to save her GMO Super Pig from being slaughtered.
25. Okja - The Netflix original is a unique, odd, but compelling film about a young Japanese girl who tries to save her GMO Super Pig from being slaughtered.
23. Baby Driver - Fast-moving crime drama centers around Baby (Ansel Elgort), who has some mad skills behind the wheel. It's a fun movie overall, although some of the violence is over the top.
22. Dunkirk - Director Christopher Nolan keeps you interested during the difficult evacuation of English troops from France, without much dialogue and few stars.
21. LBJ - Woody Harrelson seemed like he was in every movie of 2017 and somehow he did not get nominated for his brilliant performance as President Lyndon Johnson. The critics got this one wrong. Thought Rob Reiner's film was a good one.
20. The Shape of Water - Guillermo del Toro's Academy Award-winning monster movie is impeccably acted, and the underlying message is about being able to accept people that are different than us. The monster is cool, too.
19. Last Flag Flying - Steve Carell takes his old military friends (Laurence Fishburne and Bryan Cranston) with him on the trip to retrieve his son's dead body, after it returns from Iraq.
18. Megan Leavey - Kate Mara stars in the true story about a lost young marine and a bomb-sniffing combat dog named Rex, who changes her life after she trains him.
17. Battle of the Sexes - Emma Stone (Billie-Jean King) and Carell (Bobby Riggs) make it fun through the story of how one of the most memorable tennis matches of all time came about.
16. Darkest Hour - Gary Oldham kills it as Winston Churchill, trying to get England through the potential of an invasion by Nazi Germany while battling home-grown opponents.
15. All the Money in the World - Impeccably-acted story about the kidnapping of J. Paul Getty's son with Michelle Williams and Christopher Plummer, who was brilliant after taking over for disgraced Kevin Spacey in the role of Getty.
14. The Last Jedi - Episode VIII started slow and finished with an outstanding second half. Mark Hamill has never been better in a movie during the trilogy.
13. Wonder Woman - Gadot is a powerhouse in this well-done story about the female super hero. Had my doubts going in to see this movie, came out very pleased with the script and action.
12. Columbus - John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson form a unique relationship by chance in the Ohio City. He is visited his dying father. She is younger and dealing with alcoholic single mother.
11. War for the Planet of the Apes - The latest installment of the modern day version of the trilogy follows the great Caesar and his crew as they try to save their threatened tribe. It is more than just a war movie. It has a heart.
10. Thank You For Your Service - Miles Teller stars as one of three soldiers who come home from the horrors of war and deal the PTSD in different ways. It was authentic and powerful to me.
9. Three Billboards, outside Ebbing Missouri - McDormand is terrific as a mother trying to get more attention after the local police give up on finding her daughter's murderer. Sam Rockwell and Harrelson are outstanding as well in a powerful movie with a few plot flaws.
8. Detroit - Kathryn Bigelow got screwed out of a Best Director nomination as she took a very difficult subject and made a strong film about the racial incident at the Algiers Motel in 1967. It is not entertaining, but it is historic and makes you feel like too little has changed in 50 years.
7. Logan Lucky - Channing Tatum stars in the southern comedy caper with Adam Driver, Daniel Craig and Elvis' grand daughter (Riley Keogh) as the crew makes a unique heist attempt at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
6. Lady Bird - Liked this movie better the second time I viewed it, especially its wonderful dialogue from director Greta Gerwig. Simply said, it is about the difficult relationship of a loving mother and her coming-of-age teenage daughter.
5. The Post - Steven Spielberg's film about the Pentagon Papers, with Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep deciding how to release government secrets the public deserves to know. Bob Odenkirk is also outstanding.
4. Wind River - Jeremy Renner, who should have been nominated for Best Actor, plays a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent who finds an 18-year-old girl dead in the frozen tundra of an Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The mystery of her death takes several turns into a violent, but compelling and emotional ending.
3. Molly's Game - Chastain plays Molly Bloom in Aaron Sorkin's film, based on a true story about a former Olympic-hopeful skier who gets caught up in the world of running underground high-stakes poker games.
2. I, Tonya - Margot Robbie plays Tonya Harding in a hilarious black comedy about the whole sorted episode around the attack of Nancy Kerrigan. Allison Janney easily deserved her Oscar for playing Tonya's mom and Paul Walter Hauser is great as Shawn.
1. The Big Sick - Nanjiani hits a home run with his sly humor "you're the Pakistani Sammy Sosa," and Kazan was the perfect casting as Emily "I don't date time nerds," but the big surprise was Romano's perfect deadpan performance. Everything seems to come together perfectly for this film, which you can watch over and over and still smile throughout.
Joe Lunardi's first seven out
A Ghost Story - The ghost of her dead husband observes Rooney Mara and the progression of lives in their house. It's odd, quiet, artsy, but somehow compelling.
The Year of Spectacular Men - Lea Thompson directs while her two daughters Zoey and Madelyn Deutch star in a likable story about life's hurdles and relationships.
Only the Brave - A gripping film based on the Granite Mountain Hotshots, who died fighting a fire in 2013.
11. War for the Planet of the Apes - The latest installment of the modern day version of the trilogy follows the great Caesar and his crew as they try to save their threatened tribe. It is more than just a war movie. It has a heart.
10. Thank You For Your Service - Miles Teller stars as one of three soldiers who come home from the horrors of war and deal the PTSD in different ways. It was authentic and powerful to me.
9. Three Billboards, outside Ebbing Missouri - McDormand is terrific as a mother trying to get more attention after the local police give up on finding her daughter's murderer. Sam Rockwell and Harrelson are outstanding as well in a powerful movie with a few plot flaws.
8. Detroit - Kathryn Bigelow got screwed out of a Best Director nomination as she took a very difficult subject and made a strong film about the racial incident at the Algiers Motel in 1967. It is not entertaining, but it is historic and makes you feel like too little has changed in 50 years.
7. Logan Lucky - Channing Tatum stars in the southern comedy caper with Adam Driver, Daniel Craig and Elvis' grand daughter (Riley Keogh) as the crew makes a unique heist attempt at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
6. Lady Bird - Liked this movie better the second time I viewed it, especially its wonderful dialogue from director Greta Gerwig. Simply said, it is about the difficult relationship of a loving mother and her coming-of-age teenage daughter.
5. The Post - Steven Spielberg's film about the Pentagon Papers, with Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep deciding how to release government secrets the public deserves to know. Bob Odenkirk is also outstanding.
4. Wind River - Jeremy Renner, who should have been nominated for Best Actor, plays a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent who finds an 18-year-old girl dead in the frozen tundra of an Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The mystery of her death takes several turns into a violent, but compelling and emotional ending.
3. Molly's Game - Chastain plays Molly Bloom in Aaron Sorkin's film, based on a true story about a former Olympic-hopeful skier who gets caught up in the world of running underground high-stakes poker games.
2. I, Tonya - Margot Robbie plays Tonya Harding in a hilarious black comedy about the whole sorted episode around the attack of Nancy Kerrigan. Allison Janney easily deserved her Oscar for playing Tonya's mom and Paul Walter Hauser is great as Shawn.
1. The Big Sick - Nanjiani hits a home run with his sly humor "you're the Pakistani Sammy Sosa," and Kazan was the perfect casting as Emily "I don't date time nerds," but the big surprise was Romano's perfect deadpan performance. Everything seems to come together perfectly for this film, which you can watch over and over and still smile throughout.
Joe Lunardi's first seven out
A Ghost Story - The ghost of her dead husband observes Rooney Mara and the progression of lives in their house. It's odd, quiet, artsy, but somehow compelling.
The Year of Spectacular Men - Lea Thompson directs while her two daughters Zoey and Madelyn Deutch star in a likable story about life's hurdles and relationships.
Only the Brave - A gripping film based on the Granite Mountain Hotshots, who died fighting a fire in 2013.
Roman J. Israel Esq. - Kept thinking about this film after renting it. Denzel Washington plays an enigmatic defense lawyer, who gets himself into trouble with a series of unfortunate decisions and circumstances.
Stronger - The well-acted story based on Jeff Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal), who lost both legs in the Boston Marathon bombing.
Wonder - Cute and heartwarming. Jacob Tremblay is one heck of a child actor.
Icarus - Tremendous documentary uncovers a Russian steroid program for its athletes.
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Most Over-Rated: Phantom Thread - Extremely well-acted, but, frankly I didn't get it.
Hoped to see, but couldn't: Atomica, Father Figures, Justice League, Personal Shopper.
Top Honorable Mention (Recommend): American Made (Tom Cruise is good at smuggling), The Beguiled (weird, but ultimately interesting and different), Blade Runner 2049 (decent long-awaited sequel, but too long), Borg vs. McEnroe (the buildup to a greatest tennis match in history at Wimbledon), Colossal (strange concept movie that held me to an odd ending), Eight Days A Week (Beatles documentary), Gifted (McKenna Grace is adorable), Girls Trip (very fun stuff), The Greatest Showman (better than expected circus movie), I Don't Feel At Home in this World Anymore (Netflix, unique), Logan (liked this X men story), Marshall (historic and well done about old Thurgood), Mudbound, Paddington 2 (liked that bear), Spiderman Homecoming (some cool stuff), Thor: Ragnarok (entertaining super hero flick), Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (liked the science fiction film, but few others did), The Zookeeper's Wife (Chastain was a powerhouse again in this strong film, based in Poland).
Second Honorable Mention (recommend marginally, but make sure it's for you): All Eyez on Me (Tupac), An Inconvenient Sequel (Al), Atomic Blonde (good stunts), The Babysitter (bloody), Bad Moms Christmas (not as good as the original), Baywatch (Alexandra Daddario has some nice eyes, sue me), Before I Fall (Zoey Deutch rocks, but have seen this storyline before), Book of Henry (heartwarming, but a little dull), Call Me by Your Name (Excellent acting, but otherwise, ahh), Daddy's Home 2 (I laughed a lot, sorry), The Disaster Artist (some laughs, but also somewhat annoying), Flatliners (better than expected), The Florida Project (strange film that was quite compelling, but ultimately unsatisfying), Geostorm (lots of action and minor intrigue), The Glass Castle (interesting, but not particularly entertaining), Going in Style (light and funny), Good Time (A24 Crime story), Goon: Last of the Enforcers (not as good as the first one), Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie, Hitman's Bodyguard (not as bad as reviews), Home Again (TV-type movie with Reese Witherspoon, but entertaining), Kong: Skull Island (the big guy held my interest), Mark Felt (historic, but kinda boring), Murder on the Orient Express (nothing special), November Criminals (missed opportunity; great actors, decent story line, really, really bad script), The Only Living Boy in New York (Not a great film at all, but Kate Beckinsale is gorgeous), War Machine (netflix)
Did not see, but don't care that much: Alien Covenant, A United Kingdom, Beauty and the Beast, Blind, Brad's Status, Chips, Coco, A Cure for Wellness, The Dark Tower, A Dog's Purpose, Downsizing. Drone, Everything Everything, The Fate of the Furious, Ferdinand, Fire Fire, Ghost in the Shell, Hostiles, Insidious: The Last Key, Kingsmen: The Golden Circle, Jigsaw, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, The Layover, The Lost City of Z, Maudie, The Mountain Between Us, The Mummy, Pitch Perfect 3, Power Rangers, Sleepless, The Snowman, The Ticket, The Transformers, Tulip Fever, Victoria & Abdul, John Wick, Chapter 2, Wilson, Wonder Wheel, 47 Meters Down.
Not Recommended: American Assassin, The Circle, Fist Fight, The Foreigner, The House, It, Just Getting Started, Kidnap, Life, Snatched, Suburbican, Woodshock.
Almost the worst of the year: Beatriz at Dinner, The Dinner, Rough Night
Worst of 2017: Mother! - Shame Jennifer Lawrence. This was confusing, uninteresting, gross at times and just not watchable. One of the worst movies I have ever seen.
Stronger - The well-acted story based on Jeff Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal), who lost both legs in the Boston Marathon bombing.
Wonder - Cute and heartwarming. Jacob Tremblay is one heck of a child actor.
Icarus - Tremendous documentary uncovers a Russian steroid program for its athletes.
---
Most Over-Rated: Phantom Thread - Extremely well-acted, but, frankly I didn't get it.
Hoped to see, but couldn't: Atomica, Father Figures, Justice League, Personal Shopper.
Top Honorable Mention (Recommend): American Made (Tom Cruise is good at smuggling), The Beguiled (weird, but ultimately interesting and different), Blade Runner 2049 (decent long-awaited sequel, but too long), Borg vs. McEnroe (the buildup to a greatest tennis match in history at Wimbledon), Colossal (strange concept movie that held me to an odd ending), Eight Days A Week (Beatles documentary), Gifted (McKenna Grace is adorable), Girls Trip (very fun stuff), The Greatest Showman (better than expected circus movie), I Don't Feel At Home in this World Anymore (Netflix, unique), Logan (liked this X men story), Marshall (historic and well done about old Thurgood), Mudbound, Paddington 2 (liked that bear), Spiderman Homecoming (some cool stuff), Thor: Ragnarok (entertaining super hero flick), Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (liked the science fiction film, but few others did), The Zookeeper's Wife (Chastain was a powerhouse again in this strong film, based in Poland).
Second Honorable Mention (recommend marginally, but make sure it's for you): All Eyez on Me (Tupac), An Inconvenient Sequel (Al), Atomic Blonde (good stunts), The Babysitter (bloody), Bad Moms Christmas (not as good as the original), Baywatch (Alexandra Daddario has some nice eyes, sue me), Before I Fall (Zoey Deutch rocks, but have seen this storyline before), Book of Henry (heartwarming, but a little dull), Call Me by Your Name (Excellent acting, but otherwise, ahh), Daddy's Home 2 (I laughed a lot, sorry), The Disaster Artist (some laughs, but also somewhat annoying), Flatliners (better than expected), The Florida Project (strange film that was quite compelling, but ultimately unsatisfying), Geostorm (lots of action and minor intrigue), The Glass Castle (interesting, but not particularly entertaining), Going in Style (light and funny), Good Time (A24 Crime story), Goon: Last of the Enforcers (not as good as the first one), Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie, Hitman's Bodyguard (not as bad as reviews), Home Again (TV-type movie with Reese Witherspoon, but entertaining), Kong: Skull Island (the big guy held my interest), Mark Felt (historic, but kinda boring), Murder on the Orient Express (nothing special), November Criminals (missed opportunity; great actors, decent story line, really, really bad script), The Only Living Boy in New York (Not a great film at all, but Kate Beckinsale is gorgeous), War Machine (netflix)
Did not see, but don't care that much: Alien Covenant, A United Kingdom, Beauty and the Beast, Blind, Brad's Status, Chips, Coco, A Cure for Wellness, The Dark Tower, A Dog's Purpose, Downsizing. Drone, Everything Everything, The Fate of the Furious, Ferdinand, Fire Fire, Ghost in the Shell, Hostiles, Insidious: The Last Key, Kingsmen: The Golden Circle, Jigsaw, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, The Layover, The Lost City of Z, Maudie, The Mountain Between Us, The Mummy, Pitch Perfect 3, Power Rangers, Sleepless, The Snowman, The Ticket, The Transformers, Tulip Fever, Victoria & Abdul, John Wick, Chapter 2, Wilson, Wonder Wheel, 47 Meters Down.
Not Recommended: American Assassin, The Circle, Fist Fight, The Foreigner, The House, It, Just Getting Started, Kidnap, Life, Snatched, Suburbican, Woodshock.
Almost the worst of the year: Beatriz at Dinner, The Dinner, Rough Night
Worst of 2017: Mother! - Shame Jennifer Lawrence. This was confusing, uninteresting, gross at times and just not watchable. One of the worst movies I have ever seen.
Previous picks for Best of the Year
2016 - Lion
2015 - Spotlight
2015 - Spotlight
2014 – Birdman
2013 -- Nebraska
2012 – Silver Linings Playbook
2011 – The Descendants
2010 – The Social Network
2009 – Inglourious Basterds
2008 – Frost/Nixon-The Wrestler (tie)
2007 – Once
Best of All Time - Almost Famous
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