2017: The Pieper Review
Best Picture: The Florida Project, Mother!, A Ghost Story, Phantom Thread (...It is difficult to pick a clear favorite this year.)
Best Director:
Jordan Peele, Sean Baker, David Lowery, Darren Aronofsky, Paul Thomas Anderson
Best Actress*:
Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread)
Bria Vinaite (The Florida Project)
Frances McDormand (Three Billboards)
Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)
Garance Marillier (Raw)
Best Actor*:
Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread)
Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out)
Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name)
Adam Sandler (The Meyerowitz Stories)
James McAvoy (Split)
Best Supporting Actress*:
Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread)
Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
Rooney Mara (A Ghost Story)
Sophia Lillis (It)
Best Supporting Actor*:
Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project)
Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards)
Patrick Stewart (Logan)
Javier Bardem (Mother!)
Rob Morgan (Mudbound)
Overrated: The Shape of Water (I want to see a Director's Cut, it just felt like there was a lot taken out and it blunted the impact of the story for me.)
Underrated: It Comes At Night & The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
Biggest Disappointment: I Love You, Daddy; Free Fire
Pleasant Surprise: The Lost City of Z
*These are NOT Oscar predictions, they are merely my personal favorite performances of the year. These are performers that offered acting that I had never seen before or were so affecting that I cannot get them out of my head.
Best Director:
Jordan Peele, Sean Baker, David Lowery, Darren Aronofsky, Paul Thomas Anderson
Best Actress*:
Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread)
Bria Vinaite (The Florida Project)
Frances McDormand (Three Billboards)
Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)
Garance Marillier (Raw)
Best Actor*:
Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread)
Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out)
Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name)
Adam Sandler (The Meyerowitz Stories)
James McAvoy (Split)
Best Supporting Actress*:
Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread)
Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
Rooney Mara (A Ghost Story)
Sophia Lillis (It)
Best Supporting Actor*:
Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project)
Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards)
Patrick Stewart (Logan)
Javier Bardem (Mother!)
Rob Morgan (Mudbound)
Overrated: The Shape of Water (I want to see a Director's Cut, it just felt like there was a lot taken out and it blunted the impact of the story for me.)
Underrated: It Comes At Night & The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
Biggest Disappointment: I Love You, Daddy; Free Fire
Pleasant Surprise: The Lost City of Z
*These are NOT Oscar predictions, they are merely my personal favorite performances of the year. These are performers that offered acting that I had never seen before or were so affecting that I cannot get them out of my head.
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- 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.Sean Baker's slice of life of a Floridian "welfare hotel" will break and warm your heart in equal measure. Baker takes his compassion for society's unseen (the same compassion that he showed in Tangerine) and combines it with his talent and chief influences (Truffaut, Malick, and Linklater) to create one of the year's absolute best.
My Grade: A
RT: 8.7 - DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsJennifer LawrenceJavier BardemEd HarrisA couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.Tour de force is an overused term that should only be used for films like Mother! by Darren Aronofsky. This is a devastating piece of work in the best possible way. Worthy of study, discussion, and dissection, but will and should remain - first and foremost - a visceral experience. Like it or not, if this movie does not make you react in some way shape or form, then a movie theater may not be the right place for you. Try the morgue instead.
My Grade: A
RT: 6.7 - 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.A masterful work of minimalist filmmaking from David Lowery. Although I was not impressed by the Malick-lite Ain't Them Bodies Saints (although, I may need to re-evaluate it in light of this accomplishment), Lowery takes on a style of his own here with the confidence of a director with a truly original vision. Like Mother!, there is nothing quite like A Ghost Story. It is a true cinematic experience that runs the gamut of human emotion.
My Grade: A
RT: 7.9 - DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsVicky KriepsDaniel Day-LewisLesley ManvilleSet in 1950s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.Like I did with The Master and Inherent Vice, I just walked out of Phantom Thread knowing I had seen something great, but not quite understanding it yet. That is exactly what makes Paul Thomas Anderson a national treasure.
My Grade: A
RT: 8.4 - 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.Jordan Peele is no stranger to creepy filmmaking and writing. Watch a few episodes of his sketch show, Key & Peele, and it will only be a matter of time until a dark chord -- however briefly -- is finely strummed. Released from the shackles of sketch comedy, Get Out grants Peele permission to keep playing on the dark side of his imagination and the dark side of American race relations. The true moments of horror are not in basements or scenes of violence but in the garden party small talk and dinner party conversations. Off-putting and thought-provoking, Get Out makes for stellar satire.
P.S. Get Out is even better on the second viewing!
My Grade: A
RT: 8.3 - DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsFrances McDormandWoody HarrelsonSam RockwellA mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder when they fail to catch the culprit.Martin McDonagh is at it again with dark comedy and moral quandaries. McDormand and Rockwell lead the year's most impressive ensemble. Don't read any reviewer who likens McDonagh to Tarantino or the Coens. McDonagh is his own artist, and his third full-length feature, Three Billboards, solidifies him as one of the best writers working today. Unpredictable, unsettling, and undeniably one of the year's greatest works of art.
My Grade: A
RT: 8.6 - DirectorRuben ÖstlundStarsClaes BangElisabeth MossDominic WestA prestigious Stockholm museum's chief art curator finds himself in times of both professional and personal crisis as he attempts to set up a controversial new exhibit.A Palm d'Or winner that tears apart the Cannes attendees and judges who voted for it to win. Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure) ensures that his name will not be forgotten in the history of cinema. This is a movie that I will be thinking about for a long, long time. This is a film that not only grapples with what it takes for increasingly isolated individuals to reveal their humanity, but also the question of what qualifies as art. Mirrors and gravel? Ape men? Apes drawing like men? In the end, The Square is impossible to put into a box.
My Grade: A-
RT: 7.3 - 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.Christopher Nolan extracts raw drama and imagery from existing war films in order to make a film that is truly about war, not the characters. There is no private to save, wind to talk to, or hacksaw to ridge -- there is only time, terror, and the men that need to best them both. Plus, setting Dunkirk's lofty thematic content aside, Nolan's tenth picture features the best aerial dogfights I have ever seen. Dunkirk is, arguably, the most technically and artistically innovative blockbuster of the 2010s so far. Or, at the very least, one of the most unconventional blockbusters of the 2010s.
My Grade: A-
RT: 8.6 - DirectorJames MangoldStarsHugh JackmanPatrick StewartDafne KeenIn a future where mutants are nearly extinct, an elderly and weary Logan leads a quiet life. But when Laura, a mutant child pursued by scientists, comes to him for help, he must get her to safety.Since middle school, I have devoured X-Men film, comics, and TV shows. There is something incredibly stirring about the way that mutants move through the world and the adventures of Logan and Charles in this film are no exception. Mangold's elegiac entry into the X-Men franchise is well-structured and choreographed, but Logan stands out above all the rest of its superhero peers due to its unabashed poignancy. This isn't an origin story or a city-razing, world-saving extravaganza: it's a film about a man's redemption.
My Grade: A-
RT: 7.9 - DirectorRian JohnsonStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaMark HamillRey develops her abilities with the help of Luke Skywalker, as the Resistance prepares for battle against the First Order.After The Force Awakens--a film which successfully revamped a beloved franchise by appealing to nostalgia (sometimes, perhaps, too much) and introducing charismatic new characters--I feared that The Last Jedi would be a "member berries" version of The Empire Strikes Back (and/or Return of the Jedi). Seeing platoons of Porg toys lining Target aisles two months ago did nothing to assuage my fears. But my faith in "Ozymandias" and Looper director Rian Johnson continued to burn brightly in a corner of my mind. Now that I have seen The Last Jedi, I can confidently say that Johnson and company deliver exactly what the franchise needs: a new direction.
Many fans are asserting online that this entry in the saga ruins the characters from the original trilogy. These reviewers are confusing "ruining a character" with logical character development. Characters in long-running franchises should change over time and The Last Jedi finds ways to allow for these changes to happen gracefully.
My Grade: A-
RT: 8.2 - DirectorJames GrayStarsCharlie HunnamRobert PattinsonSienna MillerA true-life drama, centering on British explorer Major Percival Fawcett, who disappeared whilst searching for a mysterious city in the Amazon in the 1920s.In 21st century film, stories about characters who stop at nothing to seek out their dream are not in short supply by any stretch of the imagination. For the past 20 years, arthouse directors and award-baiters have made anti-American dream stories or films about striving for goals that have featured cutthroat, monomaniacal men who stop at nothing to get what they want. Some are great (The Social Network), some are so-so (The Founder), and others are entirely forgettable (...). These films have all essentially been attempting to make their own versions of Paul Thomas Anderson's untoppable There Will Be Blood, but the critiques of capitalism and the unquenchable greed of mankind have been done over and over again to the point of becoming trite. But James Gray's epic, The Lost City of Z, offers an old, long-forgotten angle on the story of a man and his dream: purity.
That brings us to Gray's latest which many have dismissed as "flawed" (chronological biopic storytelling) or as the victim of an uncharismatic lead (Charlie Hunnam), but in reality, is really too pure for a jaded pool of critics and too old-fashioned for an ADHD-afflicted mass audience. 21st-century viewers have come to expect a Daniel Plainview around every corner, not a man like Fawcett who is the furthest thing from a sinister imperialist and is able to both maintain friendships and secure forgiveness from his family while pursuing his higher ideals. They have come to expect scenes of violence, sexy allure, and minute-to-minute comic relief, not a movie that shows the real struggles of exploration. Beyond being extremely well-made, The Lost City of Z is refreshing in its lack of cynicism.
My Grade: A-
RT: 7.3 - DirectorNoah BaumbachStarsAdam SandlerGrace Van PattenDustin HoffmanAn estranged family gathers together in New York City for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father.After churning out two releases in 2015, Baumbach is back with The Meyerowitz clan, a dysfunctional family worthy of family therapist recommendations from the Ambersons and the Tenenbaums. Structurally intriguing, idiosyncratic, and unflinchingly honest, Baumbach's tenth narrative feature may prove to be the apex of his career (along with Frances Ha).
My Grade: A-
RT: 7.7 - DirectorTrey Edward ShultsStarsJoel EdgertonChristopher AbbottCarmen EjogoSecure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, a man has established a tenuous domestic order with his wife and son. Then a desperate young family arrives seeking refuge.In his sophomore feature, Trey Edward Shults poses the same question he did in his famously micro-budgeted debut, Krisha: What does it take to destroy the bonds of family? Although the film suffered abysmal reviews from audiences expecting the next Conjuring or Purge movie, It Comes at Night is a harrowing, confident work of art that needs to be chewed over for maximum appreciation. For fans of slow-burn horror and moral dilemmas, It Comes at Night proves to be a sobering a meditation on the consequences of tribal attitudes.
My Grade: A-
RT: 7.4 - DirectorGreta GerwigStarsSaoirse RonanLaurie MetcalfTracy LettsIn 2002, an artistically inclined 17-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.Greta Gerwig proves that her unique presence onscreen transfers nicely to the director's chair in her, as she describes it, emotionally autobiographical debut. The tone that Gerwig strikes in Lady Bird can best be described as somewhere between Linklater (in time-capsuling Boyhood mode) and Baumbach. Saorise Ronan and Laurie Metcalf breathe authenticity as the mother-daughter pair at the film's center. Just like our own memories of high school, Gerwig's film breezes by like a kite string of crystallized emotions.
My Grade: A-
RT: 8.8 - 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.Denis Villeneuve brings the year's most impressive sequel to life with philosophical heft and visual splendor. For my money, 2049 more than successfully extends the world of (and even improves upon) Ridley Scott's 1982 original.
My Grade: A-/B+
RT: 8.2 - 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.A revisionist remake of Don Siegel's 1971 Eastwood-starring western of the same name, The Beguiled is a brilliant showcase of controlled direction, decoration, and performances. Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman are sensational as always, but Dunst and Fanning will linger in the corners of your mind.
My Grade: A-/B+
RT: 7.1 - DirectorChris McKayStarsWill ArnettMichael CeraRosario DawsonA cooler-than-ever Bruce Wayne must deal with the usual suspects as they plan to rule Gotham City, while discovering that he has accidentally adopted a teenage orphan who wishes to become his sidekick.Despite Guardians and Ragnarok, LEGO Batman remains the funniest superhero film of the year, and perhaps the all-around funniest film of the year.
My Grade: B+
RT: 7.5 - DirectorTaika WaititiStarsChris HemsworthTom HiddlestonCate BlanchettImprisoned on the planet Sakaar, Thor must race against time to return to Asgard and stop Ragnarök, the destruction of his world, at the hands of the powerful and ruthless villain Hela.Hilarious and epic; by far the best Thor film. Korg spin-off anybody?
My Grade: B+
RT: 7.5 - DirectorDK WelchmanHugh WelchmanStarsDouglas BoothJerome FlynnRobert GulaczykIn a story depicted in oil painted animation, a young man comes to the last hometown of painter Vincent van Gogh to deliver the troubled artist's final letter and ends up investigating his final days there.One of the most beautiful films of the 2010s, especially for fans of van Gogh. The film also makes for a sincere meditation on mental illness and suicide.
My Grade: B+
RT: 6.8 - DirectorMichael ShowalterStarsKumail NanjianiZoe KazanHolly HunterPakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings.A film that proves that the romantic comedies still have the capacity for truth.
My Grade: B+
RT: 8.2 - DirectorAaron SorkinStarsJessica ChastainIdris ElbaKevin CostnerThe true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut is predictably talky (in the best possible way) and mixes the hypertextuality of The Big Short with the pounding pace and unapologetic fun of The Wolf of Wall Street. In a year of strong female characters, Molly Bloom is perhaps the most badass that isn't a an Amazon warrior. Uncommonly entertaining and a blast to watch, but it gets a little unwieldy in the last half hour or so. That being said, I wouldn't say no to watching it again.
My Grade: B+
RT: 7.2 - DirectorCraig GillespieStarsMargot RobbieSebastian StanAllison JanneyCompetitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.One critic called it "the Goodfellas of figure skating", but in reality, it feels less like Gillespie is drawing from Scorsese than he is drawing from David O. Russell films that have drawn from Scorsese. While I, Tonya's thrice-baked style is entertaining, it does next to nothing to add to the themes that it attempts to fully ruminate on. That being said, the cast is terrifically entertaining and the scenes of domestic abuse are powerfully executed.
My Grade: B+
RT: 7.9 - 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.Edgar Wright crafts the pop song's one true cinematic equivalent.
My Grade: B+
RT: 8 - DirectorJames GunnStarsChris PrattZoe SaldanaDave BautistaThe Guardians struggle to keep together as a team while dealing with their personal family issues, notably Star-Lord's encounter with his father, the ambitious celestial being Ego.The continued adventures of Star-Lord and his intergalactic band of misfits prove to be just as fun and emotionally engaging as Volume I.
My Grade: B+
RT: 7.1 - DirectorJohn Carroll LynchStarsHarry Dean StantonDavid LynchRon LivingstonLucky follows the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off the map desert town.Harry Dean Stanton turns in a magnificent swan song as the titular character, a 90-something loner who is secretly scared of the great void awaiting him. The movie literally defines realism at the beginning of the film and goes on to supply moving monologues from all involved, including a never better David Lynch Lucky's tortoise-seeking bar buddy. Think of it as a geriatric companion piece to last year's similarly low-key beauty, Paterson.
My Grade: B+/B
RT: 7.8 - DirectorYorgos LanthimosStarsBarry G. BernsonHerb CaillouetBill CampSteven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behavior of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister.The team behind The Lobster brings us their take on The Shining. Barry Keoghan gives new meaning to the word sinister.
My Grade: B+/B
RT: 7.8 - 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.In a year of Hollywood sexual harassment allegations, we need a hero like Gal Gadot.
My Grade: B+/B
RT: 7.5 - DirectorLee UnkrichAdrian MolinaStarsAnthony GonzalezGael García BernalBenjamin BrattAspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family's ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.The all-too-familiar Pixar story arc and cookie-cutter character archetypes are unable to blunt Coco's powerful finale and much-needed cinematic representation of Mexican culture.
My Grade: B+/B
RT: 8.1 - DirectorDylan BankDaniel DiMauroMorgan PehmeStarsRoger StoneDonald TrumpJane MayerA documentary exploring the life and career of notorious Republican dirty trickster and longtime Trump adviser, Roger Stone, who helped create the real estate mogul's political career.The exploits of a modern Machiavelli that will be looked back on as the peak of his pride before his fall.
My Grade: B+/B
RT: 7.8 - DirectorJulia DucournauStarsGarance MarillierElla RumpfRabah Nait OufellaA young woman, studying to be a vet, develops a craving for human flesh.Cronenberg meets Lady Bird in this cannibalistic exercise in symbolism. Ducournau is a director to watch!
My Grade: B/B+
RT: 7.8 - DirectorBong Joon HoStarsTilda SwintonPaul DanoAhn Seo-hyunA young girl risks everything to prevent a powerful, multinational company from kidnapping her best friend - a fascinating beast named Okja.An uneven, but vital satire of factory farming, protest culture, and the dumbed down populace that doesn't pay enough attention to either of them. The film's greatest downfall: overly jumpy tone shifts and the unusually grating performances from Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal.
My Grade: B
RT: 7.5 - DirectorS. Craig ZahlerStarsVince VaughnJennifer CarpenterDon JohnsonA former boxer-turned-drug runner lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly.Thoroughly entertaining prison flick that contains Vince Vaughn's career-best performance (not that that is saying much.) Bone Tomahawk maestro S. Craig Zahler solidifies his place as today's grandmaster of top-notch trash. Pair this with a few beers, some game friends, and a late clock.
My Grade: B
RT: 7.6 - DirectorNora TwomeyStarsSaara ChaudrySoma ChhayaNoorin GulamgausIn 2001, Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban. When her father is captured, a determined young girl disguises herself as a boy in order to provide for her family.The Book Thief + The Kite Runner / Mulan. The Breadwinner marks a win for representation of Afghan women, solid storytelling, and dazzling animation.
My Grade: B
RT: 7.5 - DirectorDee ReesStarsJason MitchellCarey MulliganJason ClarkeTwo men return home from World War II to work on a farm in rural Mississippi, where they struggle to deal with racism and adjusting to life after war.The first half of the film (besides the scenes of the Jackson family and Carey Mulligan) is pure generic Oscar bait. The second half starts to tread across some dramatic ground that is awarded some fresh nuance through the perspective fo Dee Rees.
My Grade: B
RT: 8.3 - DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJohn BoyegaAnthony MackieAlgee SmithFact-based drama set during the 1967 Detroit riots in which a group of rogue police officers respond to a complaint with retribution rather than justice on their minds.Bigelow's ripped from the headlines film that happens to be set in 1967 is a draining experience. By the end, there is only numbness - mirroring the feeling of being bombarded by today's headlines.
My Grade: B
RT: 7.5 - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsChanning TatumAdam DriverDaniel CraigTwo brothers attempt to pull off a heist during a NASCAR race in North Carolina.Appalachian's Eleven. A fun, stylish time with one of the year's most moving scenes in an unexpected setting: a child beauty pageant.
My Grade: B
RT: 7.5 - 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.Screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (Hell or High Water, Sicario) helms one his own neo-western/mystery screenplays in Wind River. The film does not feel as fresh as his other works, but after a procedural first half, the drama heats up in the last 40 minutes. It would be nice to see more films that take on Indian reservations as their setting.
My Grade: B
RT: 7.6 - DirectorCeyda TorunStarsYaman BarlasSariArzu GölA profile of an ancient city and its unique people, seen through the eyes of the most mysterious and beloved animal humans have ever known, the Cat.For lovers of cats and the simple life.
My Grade: B
RT: 7.8 - DirectorM. Night ShyamalanStarsJames McAvoyAnya Taylor-JoyHaley Lu RichardsonThree girls are kidnapped by a man with a diagnosed 23 distinct personalities. They must try to escape before the apparent emergence of a frightful new 24th.James McAvoy is insane in the best possible way.
My Grade: B
RT: 6.4 - 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.Stranger Things, I mean, It, marks an entertaining resurrection for the Goonies. I can't wait to see Sloth in Part Two!
My Grade: B
RT: 7.2 - DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsBryan CranstonLaurence FishburneSteve CarellThirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry "Doc" Shepherd re-unites with his old buddies, former Marines Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War.Like his 2014 magnum opus, Boyhood, Linklater goes back to the early 2000s in Last Flag Flying, this time to follow the lives of a wily trio of road tripping Vietnam veterans. Although the film has a somewhat trite anti-war/pro-soldier message and exists on an occasionally incongruent border between prime "hang out" Linklater and a more traditionally plotted narrative, LFF is able to sporadically dive successfully into the psyches of the people who serve with the aide of its leads.
My Grade: B
RT: 7 - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsMeryl StreepTom HanksSarah PaulsonA cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country's first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.Imagine this: a movie about the press gets great press. The film is exactly as far as 2010s non-kiddie Spielberg goes, The Post ranks somewhere between War Horse and Bridge of Spies, but falls short of the electrified history of Lincoln. Nonetheless, this is the most timely film Spielberg has ever made; successfully exploring themes of feminism and autocratic press repression through his role as America's most reliable cinematic historian. The only problem is that we have seen Spielberg, Streep, Williams, and Hanks do this kind of thing before about a dozen times already.
My Grade: B
RT: 8 - DirectorBharat NalluriStarsDan StevensMark SchrierPatrick Joseph ByrnesThe journey that led to Charles Dickens' creation of "A Christmas Carol," a timeless tale that would redefine Christmas.Dan Stevens proves that he can carry a motion picture on his back - with some help from Christopher Plummer and stellar art direction. In my mind, the film confirms the writing process movie (Adaptation, Barton Fink, Seven Psychopaths) as a true subgenre.
My Grade: B
RT: 6.4 - DirectorJon WattsStarsTom HollandMichael KeatonRobert Downey Jr.Peter Parker balances his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens with his superhero alter-ego Spider-Man, and finds himself on the trail of a new menace prowling the skies of New York City.While Holland came close to stealing the majority of his scenes in Captain America: Civil War, he starts to feel like too much of a good thing at times in this Spider-Man reboot. All in all, Watts' looser tone and shakier camera work (noticeably less composed than most Marvel factory films) is an apt reflection of the high school web slinger's developing skills.
My Grade: B
RT: 7.6 - DirectorLuca GuadagninoStarsTimothée ChalametArmie HammerMichael StuhlbargIn 1980s Italy, romance blossoms between a seventeen-year-old student and the older man hired as his father's research assistant.The age and power dynamic between the couple may be a little off-putting for some viewers (especially in a year of highly publicized struggles), but there is no denying the power in a few of the passages (Michael Stuhlbarg's speech) from Luca Guadagnino's latest. Is it as great as critics allege? No. Definitely a little bland overall. Many will consider it to be pretentious.
My Grade: B/B-
RT: 8.8 - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsSally HawkinsOctavia SpencerMichael ShannonAt a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.Del Toro is up to his usual tricks in The Shape of Water and he succeeds in delivering an extremely well-crafted exercise in genre pastiche. Unfortunately, this will not necessarily translate into the stirring romance that it wants to be for all audience members.
My Grade: B/B-
RT: 8.5 - DirectorDave McCaryStarsKyle MooneyJorge Lendeborg Jr.Matt WalshAfter being freed from his life in an underground bunker, a man sets out to make a movie of the only TV show he has ever known.Despite not delivering the goods with a dynamite concept, Brigsby Bear is a comedy that eschews all-too-common snarky irony for a genuinely warm heart. One could find worse comedies at their local Redbox.
My Grade: B/B-
RT: 6.6 - DirectorGillian RobespierreStarsJenny SlateJay DuplassAbby QuinnIn 1995, a teenager living with her sister and parents in Manhattan discovers that her father is having an affair.Gillian Robespierre and Jenny Slate strike less of an emotional chord here than they did with their stunning 2014 debut, Obvious Child, but Landline remains almost as funny and honest, if ultimately shapeless.
My Grade: B-
RT: 6.5 - DirectorBenny SafdieJosh SafdieStarsRobert PattinsonBenny SafdieJennifer Jason LeighAfter a botched bank robbery lands his younger brother in prison, Connie Nikas embarks on a twisted odyssey through New York City's underworld to get his brother Nick out of jail.A grimy crime caper that successfully mixes elements of Rain Man, Dog Day Afternoon, and After Hours. Promising style, but it doesn't add up to much else by the time the end credits roll.
My Grade: B-
RT: 7.5 - DirectorJames FrancoStarsJames FrancoDave FrancoAri GraynorWhen aspiring actor Greg Sestero meets the weird and mysterious Tommy Wiseau in an acting class, they form a unique friendship and travel to Hollywood to make their dreams come true.As a longtime fan of The Room and one-time reader of the source memoir by Greg Sestero, I have to say that nothing really surprised me about The Disaster Artist. That being said, Franco occasionally does a decent job at attempting to capture the essence of the film and its enigmatic creator. Ultimately, this feels like an entertainingly enthusiastic cover band performance instead of a purposeful original album. The best thing that about the film is that it will bring more people to Tommy Wiseau's original masterpiece.
My Grade: B-
RT: 7.8 - DirectorDavid SorenStarsKevin HartThomas MiddleditchEd HelmsTwo overly imaginative pranksters named George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking he's a ridiculously enthusiastic, incredibly dimwitted superhero named Captain Underpants.A film that diverges slightly from the tone of its oft-banned source material, but remains a shrine to the joys of imagination and creation.
My Grade: B-
RT: 6.8 - 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.Unfortunately, Dunkirk makes this film feel like a Lincoln knockoff. Oldman has had better performances, but he still deserves long-delayed nomination recognition for his performance.
My Grade: C+
RT: 7.3 - DirectorRidley ScottStarsMichelle WilliamsChristopher PlummerMark WahlbergThe story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.A film that will be remembered for swift Kevin Spacey removal, but also serves as a decent - if forgettable - two hours at the movies. The Boston Globe's Mark Feeney quips that it could be called "All the Movies in the World" due to Scott's attempts to cover a range of genres. AtMitW's unsuccessful excess is certainly part of why it doesn't rank higher, but the film's true curse lies in two unfortunate casting decisions. It is extremely difficult to root for Charlie Plummer (a functional, yet bland actor) and it is even harder to believe that Mark Wahlberg is as competent as his character claims to be. On the bright side, Plummer is an ace in the hole, Williams gives her all, and Romain Duris stands out as someone that I want to see much more of. Ultimately, Scott tries to deliver a similar thematic punchline à la There Will Be Blood or The Wolf of Wall Street, but due to the mixed bag preceding the climax, is unable to pull it off.
My Grade: C+
RT: 7.1 - DirectorBen WheatleyStarsSharlto CopleyBrie LarsonArmie HammerSet in Boston in 1978, a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs turns into a shoot-out and a game of survival.A technically well-made action set piece, but the lack of compelling motivation and charisma of the characters make this a merely occasionally fun trifle as opposed to the more memorable action ensemble flick that could have been.
My Grade: C+
RT: 6.3 - DirectorJoachim RønningEspen SandbergStarsJohnny DeppGeoffrey RushJavier BardemCaptain Jack Sparrow searches for the Trident of Poseidon while being pursued by old rival Captain Salazar and a crew of deadly ghosts who have escaped from the Devil's Triangle.An overly maligned Pirates sequel that knows what it is and proceeds with no shame. Better than On Stranger Tides - in large part due to a few terrific set pieces at the beginning and end of the picture.
My Grade: C+
RT: 4.7 - DirectorJonathan DaytonValerie FarisStarsEmma StoneSteve CarellAndrea RiseboroughThe true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.Like Wonder Woman, BotS is a step forward in the representation of feminist ideology in mainstream American cinema. Unfortunately, the awkward pacing and lack of focus prevent any real attachment to the story.
My Grade: C+
RT: 7.2 - DirectorBill CondonStarsEmma WatsonDan StevensLuke EvansA selfish Prince is cursed to become a monster for the rest of his life, unless he learns to fall in love with a beautiful young woman he keeps prisoner.Pretty to look at, but vastly unnecessary.
My Grade: C+/C
RT: 6.6 - 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.Branagh's ego outweighs the intrigue in this flaccid Agatha Christie adaptation.
My Grade: C
RT: 6.1 - DirectorJordan Vogt-RobertsStarsTom HiddlestonSamuel L. JacksonBrie LarsonAfter the Vietnam war, a team of scientists explores an uncharted island in the Pacific, venturing into the domain of the mighty Kong and must fight to escape a primal Eden.Come for the monkey fights, stay for the John C. Reilly, forget about them both a few hours after walking out of the theater.
My Grade: C
RT: 6.5 - DirectorLouis C.K.StarsLouis C.K.Chloë Grace MoretzRose ByrneWhen a successful television writer's daughter becomes the interest of an aging filmmaker with an appalling past, he becomes worried about how to handle the situation.Scandal or no scandal, Louis C.K. is an artist worthy of study and reflection. I am not saying that it excuses his behavior towards women, I am just saying that given the chance to watch his work without monetarily compensating him is still worth doing. Well, most of his work anyway. While Louie is indisputably one of the finest TV shows ever made, C.K.'s cinematic endeavors are not up to par with his efforts on the small screen. I Love You, Daddy marks Exhibit A. While C.K. is unafraid to deal honestly with gender, age, and sexual politics, most of the film comes off like he is simply stroking his... ego. Plus, I would remiss if there were not several moments that, in light of the unfortunate scandal, make the movie less than palatable. I would like to believe that scandal or no scandal, the film isn't that fantastic to begin with, but I will never know what my reception would have been like if C.K. was not responsible for negatively impacting the life and careers of a group of women.
My Grade: C
RT: 5.3 - DirectorTerence DaviesStarsEmma BellSara VertongenRose WilliamsThe story of American poet Emily Dickinson from her early days as a young schoolgirl to her later years as a reclusive, unrecognized artist.As a poetry lover, I am disappointed that this film about one of the greatest poets of all time reinforces the false impression that poetry is stuffy and boring. While the feminist message is appreciated, there was a much better literary feminist film last year (Love & Friendship) and a much better film about poetry (Paterson).
My Grade: C-
RT: 7.8 - DirectorJeff BaenaStarsAlison BrieDave FrancoKate MicucciIn the Middle Ages, a young servant fleeing from his master takes refuge at a convent full of emotionally unstable nuns. Introduced as a deaf mute man, he must fight to hold his cover as the nuns try to resist temptation.A cloying cinematic equivalent of an arid Medieval Literature professor attempting to connect with his students by scattering ill-conceived crumbs of modern-day slang into his lecture. Were it not for its "oh-so-artsy" feel, it may have been marketed as Bad Nuns to a mass audience. With a cast this accomplished, The Little Hours is the 2017's biggest disappointment.
My Grade: C-
RT: 6.5 - DirectorTom McGrathStarsAlec BaldwinSteve BuscemiJimmy KimmelA suit-wearing, briefcase-carrying baby pairs up with his 7-year old brother to stop the dastardly plot of the CEO of Puppy Co.An insult to the intelligence of any child who watches it.
My Grade: D
RT: 5.5 - 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.I was rooting for this one. A special effect heavy sci-fi extravaganza based on a (relatively) unknown property. No spinning off, no remaking, just a story that is original to the screen with a budget fit to realize it. Unfortunately, the term "story" can only be used loosely here. Valerian is a film that struggles to tow the line between spy movie blockbuster and Wonderland wanderlust. This may not have been terrible had the leads not been directed to inject flat, uninspired snark into the majority of their scenes. I could go more in-depth about the film's confusing treatment of its female protagonist, the beguiling Rihanna dance scene, or the inexplicable John Goodman and Ethan Hawke cameos, but Valerian isn't worth a thousand words, much less a thousand planets.
My Grade: D
RT: 5.5