John's Top Ten Films Of 2017

2017 as a year is one in which the events of the broader outside world drew me to examine with fuller intent  "what do I truly believe in? and which hills will I choose to die on?" Perhaps I'm just overreacting to current events and letting people that should have no business in determining my emotional status do just that. It's just seems like a smaller symptom of a larger problem, a spiritual war that is taking place in the minds and hearts of every individual in western society! How's that for an introduction for a random selection of movies you probably have no ambition to view? I'm back on the blog bebbe! 


Anyhow, in a famous scene in Fight Club, Tyler Durden seems to attribute this subjective lack of meaning to the disappearance of the emotional bonding that normally takes place during the times of a war between members inside chosen tribal groups. From a historical standpoint, the human race has always been on the precipice of conflict. It's only been the better angels of our nature that have allowed us to develop survival strategies over time that work better than caving each other's skulls in. Without an outside threat we've been afforded the chance of having these deep, introspective fears gestate in our hearts and minds. How lucky are we? Quite actually. Rather than worry about collecting tin to aid the war effort or make a push into no man's land (that's an allusion for things to come in my list), we have to determine for ourselves what actions we take and values we create for ourselves to provide purpose that keeps us calm at night when no one else is around. It's this dizziness of freedom that is causing mental illness to rise, suicide to become more prevalent in the first world and people to look for fleeting dopamine distractions in every nook and cranny. I'm not going to talk down to you and tell you that it's a terrible sin to look at your phone during dinner, the only person you're hurting is yourself there. However to choose distraction over purpose is a choice we all have to make a hundred times each day and we're only accountable to our own standards.

So what does this have to do with the pictures? Everything and nothing really. For me going to the movies is the purest form of inspiration I have in my life. I love reading, the theater and going to concerts, I just find that the movie going experience is where I get the best bang for my buck. I was debating with Clarke about whether the new Star Wars was the best or the worst in the franchise. I realized, after leaving, that I never did really explain to him why I truly felt Episode VIII was the best. I had stated that at this point you kind of know what you're going to get in a Star Wars film and that story is largely secondary to me in that case. I'd rather see stylistically what a new director can do in the playground George Lucas created forty years ago. What I should have started with is that the main question I ask myself after viewing any movie "Why did that story need to be a film and not a book, play, television series or podcast?" The idea here being that when something is a movie it's because it demands the full sensory integration of the audience. The best sound, the finest visuals on the grandest stage to propel humanity's art to another level. The role of art, I believe, is to illicit and inspire change in it's audience from the simple to the grand. It could be a change in thinking or a change in the way you interact with those around you. Perhaps even just a change in the attitude you carry that day for the positive or critical. From this change, life begins to be manipulated around you in very tangible ways. Both the extreme sides of political leanings know about the subconscious nature of art and how it is a weapon of countering flawed ideas and programming. It's typically one of the first parts of life to be censored or outlawed in a totalitarian state. 

All this is to say that, I believe a hill I'm willing to die on is for the freedom of film in this fear inducing time. The opportunity for all that have something to say to create and my responsibility to view all sorts of features that may not align with my worldview to test and forge a stronger person. It's almost inevitable that the film industry is going to implode on itself for multiple reasons I don't feel like talking about at length here, but for the time being I am committed to viewing art as empathetic as possible. To laugh and cry alongside the true believers and creators. As divisive as the world is currently, the wrong reaction would be to shut down and become complacent.Why Episode VIII succeeds in my mind, is that it had many competent tellings of the hero's journey, explored conflicts that were believable and looked jaw dropping on the big screen. More importantly, it was also filled with Rian Johnson's personality and  he chose to explore messages I believe I need to hear more often. One of these was to choose to save what you love rather then fight what you hate! Goddamn I love that man.

So after all that the proper action in fighting this spiritual war (for me) is to love as fully as you can and to show a patience to those you may not agree with. No more flame wars, no more fanboy outrage and no more snide elitism. Love what you love and allow others to love what they do as well. Have many conversations and continue to love! 

It was a really strong year for film looking back across the full landscape. M. Night Shayamalan gave us the twist we'd been begging him to give us for fifteen years. We said goodbye to our favorite X-Man with a haunting final shot. Along that line, studios continued to give us sub par comic book entries into their larger universes (both established and developing), but they also gifted us with the strongest entry into the genre since The Dark Knight. We got two female led trip movies, which were just as good as any Hangover film. Jordan Peele, in his directing debut, gave us one of the most layered horror movies to come out in the last ten years and, in the process, made me forget about the "substitute teacher" clips from his television days as a main point of reference. He's going to be incredible to watch going forward. A24 killed it almost every month with a distinct and original vision. Netflix was booed at Cannes, along with everyone else probably. There was a Stephen King resurgence for richer and poorer. Ridley Scott gave us two interesting features with the criminally under-seen Alien: Covenant and the miracle production (post #metoo) turnaround of All The Money In The World. Luc Besson released Valerian which grossed the same amount of money in it's opening weekend as The Fifth Element did twenty years earlier, (without any added inflation, you guys have to give this one more love). Caesar went to War For The Planet Of The Apes and seemingly pulled off the final chapter of a trilogy of sequels that surpassed their original counterparts. This lofty feat was repeated months later with Denis Villenueve's latest. Stephen Soderbergh returned from retirement with Ocean's Seven-Eleven. Kumail Nanjiani and his wife, Emily, wrote the first romantic comedy in which the guy falls in love with...  wait for it... the girl's parents. The cornerstone of the much anticipated Agatha Cristie cinematic universe was built and was fairly good. 

Most importantly, in the 2017 cinemas, I was shown time and again and again, that John Denver can trigger me. In my other blog I've been doing a dissection of my life experiences against the backdrop of my favourite films of all time. It's been a rewarding process and Aaron loves to interview me on the posts I write. It occurred to me during his line of questioning about The Place Beyond The Pines (the daddy issues one) that perhaps I didn't paint my father in the fullest light. While our chances of reestablishing any semblance of a relationship is not great, I don't always view his presence in my life as an entirely negative thing. When I was young and he was around he used to whistle the tune of Take Me Home, Country Roads around the house. He'd then usually belt out "West Virginia!" at the appropriate time. I remember liking the way it sounded, despite not knowing more then those two words and a framework of the music. 

For some reason the producers in Hollywood decided to licence the hell out of that song this year. It seemed to show up every couple of months and it hit me like a load of bricks each time. What I realized is that John Denver's most recognizable song carries emotional stakes I didn't really know I'd placed on it. Now when I hear that chorus I think about what it was like to not be the person where the buck stops, to have someone you trust to catch you if you fall. In real life my dad never did catch me, but the ideal of that emotional stability is felt in my heart, bringing me back to a place of trust. I got really sentimental and weepy. It seemed to happen in the weirdest films as well: 

The Kingsmen sequel (which gives Michael Bay a run for his pervy shot money not thirty minutes prior)

An Alien movie (in which Scott is seemingly trying to tell us that people are the problem and they deserve their violent ends) 

The previously mentioned Logan Lucky. 

Each time they use the song as shorthand to draw emotion from the audience and it worked for me; I was a triggered little snowflake. 

I really had a wonderful time at the movies this year learning more about myself and filling up my inspirational tanks. So without further ado, these are the top ten films I chose, I hope you enjoy!

Number Ten- Free Fire

I took in this gem at the Calgary underground film festival. I was hesitant in my expectations as Ben Wheatley's previous film "Highrise" was screened at the previous year's festival and I came out of it mostly indifferent. Wheatley's earlier works are harrowing and full of violent surprise, I was hoping Free Fire would be more like those. It really wasn't. This is a film which could be the Reservoir Dogs for the up and coming generation. Due to the single setting, you become well acquainted with both the environment and the characters. Through the fog of gunfire my alliances shifted (although never away from my boy Armie) and by the end I was happy I'd taken the roller coaster ride Wheatley had crafted. 

Number 9- Wonder Woman

As I said above, after The Dark Knight, Wonder Women may be the pinnacle of this genre of film. After Deadpool last year, the industry needed to take a look at their complacencies in story telling and come up with new ideas or fresh looking characters. The alternative was a death knell for audiences already talking about "superhero fatigue". Choosing to evolve, studios in 2017 gave us a unique look at Wolverine's final adventure from the perspective of a western and it gave us our first female led comic film. Take that post-modern pseudo-Deathstroke!

What I love about Wonder Woman is not that it's a feminist film, it's that it's a film with an actual ideal to strive towards. In the spluttering DC film franchise we have an emo Superman and a kill happy, gun toting Batman. It's not really the squad goals I personally enjoy from the Justice League. Patty Jenkins gives us a hero whose power, outside of her demigod physicality, is compassion; it's glorious. Why Diana succeeds where seemingly most every hero nowadays doesn't is that she's excited and engaged, not just a brooding watered down version of Christopher Nolan's Batman. I'll admit I kind of hate that they needed to throw in a CGI bad guy at the end to keep things status quo, as there were other ways to go about talking about the default setting in the hearts of men, but ultimately the movie succeeds where so many other forgettable ones fail. Give me more heroes that protect because they love and care about human kind, not because they're ripped or rich and they feel obligated to. 

Number Eight- Baby Driver

Edgar Wright was given a big budget and it was a blast! Since Wright's editing, art direction and scripting is typically always better than average, I was excited to see what he could do with a story about a getaway driver in Atlanta. There are chase sequences that are some of the best put to screen and action beats that show homage to the greats before, but Baby Driver is distinct because it wants to be a musical. I included the first six minutes of the film to this section so you can test out whether or not it interests you. Did you notice how the sound and action on screen align? Wright is a master of editing, he creates a whole film that try's to convey to the audience what the world must seem like to Baby after his hearing loss. Like Wonder Woman, there is a third act out of character moment that took me out of the film; but it's still a great time.  

Number Seven- David Lynch: The Art Life

I got to see this one a bit early as well at the underground festival in March, I remember coming out of it feeling really inspired to create. I have to assume how much you can pallet David Lynch's idiosyncrasies will definitely determine the appeal it has for you, but I love him. It's a really unique amount of access into a director that is usually quite secretive or deliberately mystifying. The film explores a lot of the early years in his life before he started making films and when he wanted to be a painter. Thanks to the level of success from his film and TV career, he now has time to work on all the different art projects he can think of and they are truly wondrous to behold. If you're a creator looking for motivation, this film is marvelous. 

Number Six-  Mother!

Darren Aronofsky has the ability to create some of my very favorite films or ones that rattle me to the core and make me never want to see them again. His last film, Noah, really struggled to find an audience as it was filled with too much religion for secular audiences and too much interpretation for believers. I remember taking my mom to Noah, she told me she thought it was good just a bit too weird for her. Aronofsky's weirdness is why he's one of my favorite working directors, he has the ability to show me something I've never imagined, let alone seen, before. With Mother! he was given a wide release window to general audiences and a large budget. He chose to make this film, with those factors in play, I have to say that takes a lot of courage. Audiences hated it and walked out, it made no money and even critics were polarized. For me, this movie is a brilliant blending of multiple allegories and themes. I was dumbstruck by the way he chose to shoot it, as 99% of the shots are either from Jennifer Lawrence's point of view, over the shoulder or a close up of her. This makes the movie claustrophobic to me and made the empathetic connection easy. What comes from this movie is a greater sense of humanity, creativity, gender roles, environmentalism, religion and even Shel Silverstein. I loved every minute of it. 

Number Five- Blade Runner 2049

I mentioned that I may have a heretical idea brewing in my mind. I'm starting to think that I like the sequel to Blade Runner more than the original. I haven't finalized my decision yet, I am just in awe of the artistry on display from, Canadian director, Denis Villenueve. He expands on the first film in every way and takes the ideas Ridley Scott created to soaring new heights! To start the look of this film is gorgeous, Roger Deakins creates the best looking film of 2017 in my opinion. Then we have wonderful acting bouts from Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Ana De Arnas, Jared Leto and even Dave Bautista. Canadian actress, Mackenzie Davis takes her limited screen time and shines in one of the most memorable love scenes I've seen in years. Come to think of it, it was a good year for love scenes; more on that later.

It's hard to boil the original film down to one particular theme, but I would say it seems to look a lot at mortality and meaning. By contrast, this movie also explores meaning, in all facets of this new future's levels of existence, but does it from a focus on purpose. What a fascinating angle to approach this world from. Rather then a race against the death clock, we get to patiently explore whether or not our place in life is inherent or chosen. This was my number one most anticipated film coming into this year and I'm so glad it lived up to my lofty expectations!  

Number Four- Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan will get my money every time he makes a movie. The interesting thing is that this is a shared notion across general audience members as well. I'm not sure exactly why Nolan curries this level of favor from the public more then other art-house directors (perhaps Batman?), but I'm happy he's given a $200 million dollar budget and can make the films he wants to. Dunkirk was a wonderful theater going experience for me. We took Sara's parents all the way to Regina to see it in full 70mm IMAX projection and it was completely awe inspiring. The movie is crafted in such a way as to put you into the evacuation of Dunkirk with each of the characters. This means restricting the amount of information the audience is given, Nolan desires immersion and it breeds tension. I'm filled with a level of melancholy that I may never get to see this film again on a big screen, how Nolan desired it to be seen (I love that he hates tablet/phone viewing as much as me), but I'm so thankful for the experience I did get to have this summer. This war film is interesting to me because the message seems to be that survival is heroic enough and that's not one we usually get from these types of movies. I thought it was a bold choice and I'm proud to place it high on my list for this year. 

Number Three- Raw

Sara hated the five minute scene I showed her from this movie, I can't say for sure if that may have made me love it even more. This was by far the finest horror movie in my opinion this year and, like the best horror, it's interest is derived from it's metaphor. That being the transitions that occur when you leave home and start to become independent. As it is a female led story there is a ton of gender specific allegory and riffing on this blossoming from being an old child to a young adult, but I like that it understands the inherent instability of that time in a person's life. There are some visuals shown I'll never forget and I'll never be able to shave my nether regions without enjoying a cringe inducing giggle. 

Number Two- A Ghost Story

A Ghost Story was my number one movie of the year until December 28, I think I originally saw it in mid June. It's a film that I felt connected to almost instantly, it depicts a level of situational awareness that exists outside of time and space. The baseline story is fairly simple, but the film works as a whole due to the scope of it's vision. We spend most of our time with a ghost travelling through time and, through this, I became completely enamored with the ideas the director wished to explore. Loneliness, meaning, what we leave behind and what it means to live in an environment of chaos. To make an entire movie about these things, but also have a beautiful score and brilliant camera direction; then you've got me hook, line and sinker. It's why I love Terrence Malick films so much and in a year where he released Song To Song, I just felt more connected to what was happening here. The only reason I dropped this film to two was that while this movie filled me with wonder, my number one provided me with wonder and a level of joy I hadn't felt all year.  

Number One- The Shape Of Water

This movie is so far and away my favourite film of 2017. From the first frame to the last, my heart was in my throat, my brain was in a tizzy of stimulation and my soul was full. Guillermo Del Toro is probably in my top five of working directors, but I hadn't really put any of his movies on my top ten lists since Pan's Labyrinth. They never seemed to become more to me then wondrous visual delights. With this film though, he creates a siren song for the outsiders and the misfits. It has a love story between two leads that is wordless and is still the most romantic movie I saw this year. There is so much of my own heart in this story: a desire to live a compassionate existence, a willingness to stand up for my values (on my own if necessary) and the priority to live intentionally. It all crescendos to a black and white scene that, had my shyness not subdued me, I may have been driven from my seat, arms raised and yelled "Hallelujah!"

I hate that the marketing for this movie gives away a lot of the plot, but at least it leaves some of the most beautiful moments unseen. When I left the theatre my heart didn't leave my throat for another couple hours. I just kind of walked around the mall in the most lovely daze. It made me feel such a strong sense of euphoria. I have to assume this must be like what an Ecstasy user feels and it's why it's my number one film of 2017!


Well, there you have it my magnificent return to blogging in TFLOEG, I hope you enjoyed it! It was a blast to write and prepare for. Were there any films you think I missed that you loved? Let me know down below.

Here's to another year of great filmmaking and another fantastic end to the league writing activities until Canada Day.  I'll call my shot here and say that Annihilation will be my favourite film of 2018. Join me next year to see if this holds up!

-The Commish