Wow, I can't believe that 2017 is at its end already. It seems like it was only yesterday I stayed up late to watch the 89th Academy Awards live and the mishap with the award for Best Picture. In terms of film, 2017 has been a great year. In this blogpost, I'll be listing my favourite films from this year.
This was one of the first films I watched this year and I had high hopes as it had been released in America a few months earlier and received a lot of praise. Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed. La La Land is, put simply, a musical masterpiece created by Damien Chazelle who wrote and directed it. The opening sequence shows drivers, who are stuck in traffic on the motorway, getting out of their cars and dancing to 'Another Day Of Sun'. This is one of my favourite songs from La La Land as its uplifting and inspiring and the sequence is choreographed perfectly. The camera follows the dancers and it never cuts, making for smooth transitions. When I first watched it in the cinema, I had to try my very hardest not to get up and dance. It is one of those dance sequences that should've been met with applause once it ended. We then see Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) who are in their own cars and they meet for the first time after Sebastian overtakes Mia's car. Unfortunately, it isn't a 'meet cute' as you might expect as Sebastian gets annoyed at Mia, who was rehearsing some lines for an audition, for not driving. However, the two meet again when Mia hears piano music coming from a bar. The music is so beautiful she has to walk in and see who is playing it and, of course, it's Sebastian. Unfortunately, he gets fired by his boss (J.K. Simmons) for playing original music instead of Christmas tunes. In the trailer, the scene shows Sebastian walking up to Mia and kissing her passionately on the lips, however, when I watched it in the cinema, I was very surprised to see Sebastian walk right past Mia. This was a great technique by the editing team. What I loved about La La Land was that it took time to develop Mia and Sebastian's relationship which made it all the more believable, especially the chemistry between Stone and Gosling. However, it's not surprising the two work well together as this is the third film they've worked on after Crazy, Stupid, Love and Gangster Squad. In February, La La Land won a total of six Academy Awards, Stone receiving an Oscar for her performance. She truly deserved this award as she gives a breathtaking performance as Mia, especially when she sings 'The Fools Who Dreams'. Stone really is one of the best actors working today and she truly made the role of Mia her own. La La Land keeps you engaged throughout its 128 minute runtime and I highly recommend you watch it.
Moonlight isn't just a coming-of-age story about a boy named Chiron, it's also a piece of art. It's moving and incredibly powerful and it truly deserved to win the Best Motion Picture award at the Oscars earlier this year. When I was watching the Academy Awards, I was hoping that Moonlight would win as it's different from any film I've ever seen. Initially, I was happy for La La Land as I did love that but I have to admit I was delighted when it turned out that Moonlight won. The story follows a boy, Chiron, at the three most important stages of his life: as a child (Alex Hibbert); as a teenager (Ashton Sanders) and as an adult (Trevante Rhodes). Throughout these different stages, we see Chiron coming to terms with his sexuality and growing up in a rough neighbourhood in Miami. His mother (Naomi Harris who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards) is a crack addict which leads to him becoming close with her drug dealer, Juan (Mahershala Ali). Chiron learns a lot of things about the world from Juan. In one sequence, Juan teaches the young Chiron how to swim. What makes this a moving scene is that Ali really is teaching Hibbert as, when production started, he hadn't been taught. Although he only appears in the first stage of Chiron's life, Juan makes a lasting impression and so did Ali as his impressive acting won him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor earlier this year. Each actor portraying Chiron gives a strong performance and, because they didn't meet during production, they all gave their own unique take on the role. Director Barry Jenkins wanted each actor to portray their own persona of Chiron with no influence from the other portrayals. One of the biggest themes of Moonlight was sexuality and we see Chiron accepting his and developing feelings for his friend, Kevin (Jharrel Jerome). A sequence shows Chiron and Kevin coming to terms with their love for each other and sharing a passionate kiss on the beach. This scene is shot so beautifully with the moonlight focusing on the two boys sharing an loving embrace. In my original review of Moonlight, I said that a lot of homosexual people or people in the LGBT community find it difficult to accept their feelings and some are, sadly, ashamed of who they are. Moonlight proves that there's no reason to go against your true emotions and shows that accepting yourself leads to contentment. Members of the audience don't have to be a person of colour, male or a homosexual to feel empathetic towards the main character's situation. I'm sure that Chrion's experiences in life will resonate with anyone watching and will, most likely, have an emotional impact, especially in Moonlight's climax. Overall, Barry Jenkins has crafted a moving motion picture that features a timeless story of human connection and self-discovery, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami.
There are films that are worth watching just for a single actor's performance and this is true of Jackie, which is a biopic of one of America's most iconic First Ladies, Jacqueline 'Jackie' Kennedy, whose husband, President John F. Kennedy, was tragically assassinated in 1963. Director Pablo Larrain thoroughly captures the life of Jackie after her husband's death in this raw and powerful biopic. After Kennedy's assassination, all eyes were on her which lead to her having to put a brave face which must've been incredibly difficult as Jackie had always lived in her husband's shadow, now the spotlight is on her. As the First Lady, Natalie Portman gives her best performance since her Oscar-winning role in Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan in 2010. She successfully manages to recreate the Jackie we all know and have seen in pictures: the smiling Jackie in her stylish and memorable pieces of clothing and the grieving widow. If it wasn't for Portman's shining performance, Jackie wouldn't work. Fortunately, she gives a strong performance throughout which is the main reason this film is a success. Another performance worth mentioning is Peter Sarsgaad as Robert 'Bobby' Kennedy, who, after his brother's death, developed a close relationship with Jackie. Sarsgaad performs as Bobby with honest emotion. We also see Jackie's relationship with Nancy Tukerman (Greta Gerwig), who was the Social Secretary. Despite the support network around her, Jackie still felt alone, especially without her husband. Jackie may be a tough watch as Larrain doesn't hold back from showing the assassination which may shock a lot of people. We also see Jackie covered in her husband's blood which is a disturbing image but it helps us to understand the horror she went through. Instead of changing out of her blood-stained suit and clearing herself up, Jackie wanted her husband's murderer to see what they did, not only to Kennedy, but to herself. This was an incredibly brave decision, to be seen in public so soon after her husband's death. While it was nominated for a total of three Academy Awards, it wasn't nominated for Best Cinematography which is a bit of a surprise as there are a lot of effective shots throughout, the most memorable being the shot of Jackie walking through the White House in her blood stained suit. The camera follows her and we can tell that she's incredibly shaken up by the whole experience. There are a lot of close-ups that mainly focus on Jackie and, because of Portman's performance, we get an idea of how she's truly feeling. The haunting score, by Mica Levi, emphasises the intensity of the scene. This is one of the best biopics I've ever watched as it thoroughly captures the trauma Jackie went through.
I think that this may be one of the most underrated films on my list as I believe it didn't get the recognition it truly deserved. This is the second feature from Mike Mills and is part coming-of-age drama, part comedy. During the summer of 1979, a Santa Barbara single mom and boardinghouse landlord, Dorothea Fields (Annette Bening) decides the best way she can parent her teenage son, Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann), is to enlist her young tenants - a quirky punk photographer, Abbie Porter (Greta Gerwig), a mellow handyman, William (Billy Crudup) and her son's shrewd best friend, Julie Hamlin (Elle Fanning) - to serve as role models in a changing world. Mills admitted to taking his inspiration from his own family, including his mother and sister for the characters of Dorothea and Abbie. Because of this, I can instantly tell that 20th Century Women means a lot to him. It's a shame that Annette Bening missed out on an Academy Award nomination for Best Leading Actress as she gives the type of performance that normally gets recognised by the Academy. She wants the best for her son and does everything she can to help him grow into the man he wants to be. Every actor gives a solid performance. Gerwig is currently getting recognition for her directing skills with her debut feature, Lady Bird, which I'm yet to see as it's not released in the UK until next February. However, her acting shouldn't go unnoticed either. Gerwig gave a supporting role in Jackie, but her role as Abbie is the more memorable. She makes the character her own and has one of the funny scenes at a dinner table where she talks about menstruation, much to the annoyance of everyone else. I also liked the performance of Elle Fanning. Despite being related to Dakota Fanning, Elle has made a name for herself and has come into her own, with strong performances. She's one of the most talented actresses working today and, judging from her performance here, I can only predict more success for her. There is no plot to speak of as 20th Century Women is a character study and, over the course of the 118 minute runtime, we see Jamie learn new things and have his first experiences, including his first smoke where Julie teaches him how to walk like a cool guy with a cigarette in his hand. Abbie takes him out and shows him how to seduce women in a bar. Near the beginning of the film, Julie asks Dorothea 'Don't you need a man to raise a man?' and the film answers that and states that no, a man doesn't need to be raised by another man. Women can raise a boy to become a man. Mills has written a script that is heartbreaking and, at times, funny. 20th Century Women is one of those rare dramas that is enjoyable to watch. The combination of drama and comedy works really well and it marks another assured step forward for Mills.
"All good things must come to an end". This quote couldn't be more appropriate as Logan showcases Hugh Jackman's final portrayal of the titled clawed mutant. It's hard to believe it's almost been two decades since Jackman made his first appearance as Logan in the first X-Men in 2000. It was an impressive performance that gained the Australian actor recognition and success in America. Since then, Jackman has gone on to become one of the most talented and versatile actors working today. Fortunately, Logan is a fitting conclusion to Jackman's reign as the titular clawed mutant and is the Wolverine film fans have been waiting for. With a 15 rating (R in the US), Logan fully captures the violent nature that is shown in the comic books. It's 2029. Mutants are gone - or very nearly so. An isolated, despondent Logan (Jackman) is drinking his days away in a hideout on a remote stretch of the Mexican border, picking up petty cash as a limo driver for hire. His companions in exile are the outcast Caliban (Stephen Merchant) and an ailing Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), whose singular mind is plagued by worsening seizures. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy abruptly end when a mysterious woman appears with an urgent request - that Logan shepherd an extraordinary young girl, Laura (Dafne Keen) to safety. Soon, the claws come out as Logan must face off against dark forces and a villain from his own past on a live-or-die mission, one that will set the time-worn warrior on a path toward fulfilling his destiny. The Wolverine we've come to know is strong, fierce and, because of his self-healing abilities, can always recover quickly after a fight. Seeing Logan in his weakened state is a shock. In the film's thrilling opening sequence, we see that he's barely able to fight off several thugs that are trying to steal the tyres from his limo. Jackman doesn't just perform as Logan, he embodies the character and gives us further reason to believe why he will always be the best actor for this role. It's difficult to think of any other actor who could give half as good as performance as Jackman. Like Logan, Xavier is struggling too and his mental ability has weakened him. This is far from the kind and helpful Professor we all know from the previous installments. Their father/son relationship has developed a lot since the two first met in X-Men. Seeing them both leave the franchise is heartbreaking but understandable. Like all of the X-Men films, Logan is worth watching just for Jackman's incredible career-defining performance of the title character alone. It's a fitting conclusion to his 17-year long reign as one of the most iconic characters in the superhero genre. It's sad to see him leave but, fortunately, he leaves on a high note. Logan is a violent but surprisingly thoughtful superhero/action film that defies genre conventions.
There has been an increase in live-action adaptations of Disney's classic animated films. The majority of them have succeeded in being just as entertaining and remaining faithful to the original source. Personally, my favourites include Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella and, most recently, The Jungle Book. This lead to high expectations for the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast.
Out of all the animated films Disney has released, Beauty and the Beast is one of their most popular. It was the first ever animated film to win an award for Best Motion Picture at the 1992 Golden Globes. At the Academy Awards the same year, it won two Oscars for Best Music, Original Song and Best Music, Original Score. Because of this, it went on to become one of Disney's most successful films and it is still regarded as a masterpiece over twenty years later. Recreating one of Disney's most beloved animated films must have been an incredibly challenging task but, nevertheless, the cast and crew have worked hard and created a live-action feature film that lives up to expectations and manages to be just as enchanting as the original. This live-action version of Beauty and the Beast was directed by Bill Condon who is best remembered for directing the Academy Award-winning musical, Dreamgirls, in 2006 and he also wrote the screenplay for the 2002 musical, Chicago. This is what makes him a good choice to help bring the classic 1991 animated film to life. Fortunately, he has succeeded. Beauty and the Beast can go up alongside Cinderella and The Jungle Book as one of the best live-action adaptations. The performances are all solid and every actor gives a strong performance as their characters. Watson makes Belle a brave and independent individual. In this remake, there is more to Belle and we see that she has a knack for inventing things and proves to be useful in certain situations. Unlike in the original animation, we learn more about Belle, her childhood and what happened to her mother, giving her more background. The ballroom dance was the big highlight of the original animation so this must've been an incredibly daunting task for both Watson and Stevens to recreate. Fortunately, with Thompson singing the titular song, this dance sequence manages to capture the beauty of the scene. As a child, I loved watching the original Beauty and the Beast and I was fortunate enough to see the stage adaptation twice. This lead me to having high expectations for this live-action remake and I wasn't disappointed. I think that this is the perfect film to watch if you loved the original as it increases the feeling of nostalgia. Children of all ages will enjoy this too and find the characters, especially the enchanted objects, really entertaining. Overall, with an enchanting cast, beautifully crafted songs, and a painterly eye for detail, Beauty and the Beast offers a faithful yet fresh retelling that honors its beloved source material.
Wonder Woman was one of the highly anticipated films of this year.. Last year, the first two installments in the DC Extended Universe franchise, Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad, were released and they were disappointments which lead to a lot of people worrying that Wonder Woman would fail to meet expectations. Fortunately, Wonder Woman proved to be an improvement over the aforementioned films, in terms of acting, storytelling and creating an action-packed film. Simply put, Gal Gadot is perfect as Wonder Woman. I haven't seen Carter's performance in the 1975 TV series so I'm not going to compare the two. Gadot brings Wonder Woman (whose real name is Diana) to life and the film is at its best when she's using her fighting skills to defeat enemies. Special effects were used to show how much of a skilled fighter Diana is and why she's one of the most definitive superheroes. I can imagine there was a lot of pressure on Gadot for her portrayal of Wonder Woman to meet fan's expectations and, fortunately, she doesn't disappoint. Chris Pine gives a solid supporting role as Steve Trevor who is a soldier. While both Steve and Diana share chemistry and work well together, the film doesn't develop a romantic relationship between the two. I think a relationship would've been too distracting from the main plot and the film proves that Diana doesn't necessarily need a boyfriend. In the beginning of the film, we see Diana's home and it looks beautiful. The skies are blue and the women who live there live in peace, however, they are trained to fight in case intruders attack. Once Diana leaves, we see the contrast of her home to London which is a dark, grey and miserable place because of the war. The First World War serves as a backdrop for Diana and, after Steve explains the reality of the war, it has an effect on her and she develops into the famous superhero she is known as today. It's hard to believe this is only the second film Patty Jenkins has directed since her debut, Monster, was released in 2003. It was that film that gained her recognition and won Charlize Theron her first Academy Award for her unfiltered performance as the convicted serial killer, Aileen Wuornos. However, despite Monster's success, Jenkins has directed episodes of various TV series including Entourage and The Killing. Finally, 14 years later, Jenkins returns with her second film and it certainly disappoint. There must have been a lot of pressure to create, not only an cinematic adaptation of Wonder Woman, but one that will please fans of the superhero. I doubt they'll be disappointed as Jenkins successfully captures Wonder Woman's origins and her determination and strength. It's full of action and it also doesn't shy away from showing the true horrors of the First World War which is when this film takes place. The sight of the war has an impact on Diana and this is what leads to her determination to find and kill Ares, the God of War. What's refreshing about Diana, as a character, is that, despite many people, including her mother who is the Queen of the Amazons (Connie Nielsen), telling her she can't do something, she goes and does it anyway. Diana isn't afraid to do what's right for not only her people but for the whole world. In a world filled with misogynists, Wonder Woman is the film we need right now. Because of its leading character, this film proves that women can be just as strong and as brave as men. The film doesn't depict women are better than men, it states that both women and men are equals and that's how it should be.
War For The Planet Of The Apes
Six years ago, director Rupert Wyatt released Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes which was his reimagining of the original 1968 film starring Charlton Heston as an astronaut who lands on a planet where humans are enslaved by apes. Almost fifty years later and it still remains one of Heston's most memorable roles. Before the release of Rise, there was doubt it would be any good because the follow-up sequels to the original were disappointing and Tim Burton's 2001 remake received a lot of criticism. Fortunately, it was an impressive reboot and received critical acclaim and over $481 million at the box office. A sequel was soon announced, however, due to his concern that a May 2014 release date would not give him enough time to properly make the film, Wyatt quit and was replaced by Matt Reeves. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes was released three years later and, in a lot of ways, was an improvement over its predecessor. It was darker and more intense as the conflict between the apes and the human race grew. This lead to a thrilling fight between the two species. Earlier this year, the third and final installment was released . Throughout the trilogy, we've followed Caesar's (Andy Serkis) story. Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of pressure to create a film that's just as dramatic and thrilling as Dawn, fortunately, the filmmakers have succeeded. For those of you, like me, who haven't seen the original 1968 film, you'll be surprised at which way the narrative goes. It features a lot of twists and turns to make for an unpredictable watch. These films could be seen as, in a way, prequels to the original Planet Of The Apes films due to how it ends, with the apes being human-like and the humans behaving more like apes. In War, Caesar can now speak in full sentences rather than just words with many apes' intelligence having increased since the last film. The humans are shown from the apes' perspective and they're seen as the main antagonists. I think that this was a good decision to make because, in the original film, the apes were shown from the humans' point of view. By showing the humans in an evil way, we easily connect with the apes, especially Caesar who has developed a lot since the first film. He's a lot braver and more powerful. He doesn't want to fight, however, after a heartbreaking tragedy occurs, he becomes obsessed with getting revenge by killing the Colonel. Throughout this film, he shows a wide range of emotions including anger and sadness which causes us to feel empathetic for him as we know what he's been through. This all comes from Serkis' mesmirising performance. Using motion-capture to create the apes was a great choice. In the original films, computer generated imagery didn't exist so the cast wore make-up and costumes, unfortunately, it looked unconvincing. This was improved upon in Burton's remake with Helena Bonham Carter looking completely unrecognisable as her character. However, the creation of the apes has improved a lot and look a lot more realistic. This is where these films succeed the most as the visual effects are really impressive. The ending is bittersweet and will, most likely, leave viewers feeling emotional and is one of my favourite films of this year.
Six years ago, director Rupert Wyatt released Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes which was his reimagining of the original 1968 film starring Charlton Heston as an astronaut who lands on a planet where humans are enslaved by apes. Almost fifty years later and it still remains one of Heston's most memorable roles. Before the release of Rise, there was doubt it would be any good because the follow-up sequels to the original were disappointing and Tim Burton's 2001 remake received a lot of criticism. Fortunately, it was an impressive reboot and received critical acclaim and over $481 million at the box office. A sequel was soon announced, however, due to his concern that a May 2014 release date would not give him enough time to properly make the film, Wyatt quit and was replaced by Matt Reeves. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes was released three years later and, in a lot of ways, was an improvement over its predecessor. It was darker and more intense as the conflict between the apes and the human race grew. This lead to a thrilling fight between the two species. Earlier this year, the third and final installment was released . Throughout the trilogy, we've followed Caesar's (Andy Serkis) story. Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of pressure to create a film that's just as dramatic and thrilling as Dawn, fortunately, the filmmakers have succeeded. For those of you, like me, who haven't seen the original 1968 film, you'll be surprised at which way the narrative goes. It features a lot of twists and turns to make for an unpredictable watch. These films could be seen as, in a way, prequels to the original Planet Of The Apes films due to how it ends, with the apes being human-like and the humans behaving more like apes. In War, Caesar can now speak in full sentences rather than just words with many apes' intelligence having increased since the last film. The humans are shown from the apes' perspective and they're seen as the main antagonists. I think that this was a good decision to make because, in the original film, the apes were shown from the humans' point of view. By showing the humans in an evil way, we easily connect with the apes, especially Caesar who has developed a lot since the first film. He's a lot braver and more powerful. He doesn't want to fight, however, after a heartbreaking tragedy occurs, he becomes obsessed with getting revenge by killing the Colonel. Throughout this film, he shows a wide range of emotions including anger and sadness which causes us to feel empathetic for him as we know what he's been through. This all comes from Serkis' mesmirising performance. Using motion-capture to create the apes was a great choice. In the original films, computer generated imagery didn't exist so the cast wore make-up and costumes, unfortunately, it looked unconvincing. This was improved upon in Burton's remake with Helena Bonham Carter looking completely unrecognisable as her character. However, the creation of the apes has improved a lot and look a lot more realistic. This is where these films succeed the most as the visual effects are really impressive. The ending is bittersweet and will, most likely, leave viewers feeling emotional and is one of my favourite films of this year.
Christopher Nolan is probably best known for his mind-blowing action thriller, Inception, and for reimagining the Batman films in his The Dark Knight trilogy. However, here, he has created his most serious and impressive film to date. World War II was fought primarily in three places, on land, in the air and at sea. Dunkirk takes a similar approach, choosing to tell three different stories from each of these distinct point of views. On the beach, we follow a young soldier, Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), as he struggles to survive and get home. In the air, a pilot, Farrier (Tom Hardy), focuses on shooting enemy planes down to try and stop them from bombing ships that are taking the soldiers home. At sea, a sailor, Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance), takes his boat to try and pick up soldiers from Dunkirk. Meanwhile, Commander Bolton (Kenneth Branagh) is on the pier to make sure the soldiers are evacuated via the ships safely. This is all presented in a non-linear narrative which leads to an emotional conclusion. I can't think of a better person to direct and write this other than Nolan. In the past, he has proven himself to be a master at both directing and writing with films such as Memento, Inception and The Dark Knight proving to be huge successes, both at the box office and with critics and audiences alike. His previous film, Interstellar, was a science-fiction masterpiece with stunning visual effects and an thought-provoking narrative at the centre. Of course, because of all this, there was a lot of pressure for Nolan to create a war film that's recreats WWII effectively. Fortunately, he has succeeded. I think that this is the best war film since Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Unlike the aforementioned film, Dunkirk has very little gore. Most of the shock factor comes from the bomb explosions and the reactions from the soldier's faces. Seeing them struggling to survive is heartbreaking as we know not everyone survive. Dunkirk is fast paced and involves the lives of innocent people being at risk. Despite the characters being underdeveloped, we still feel for them and want them to survive, especially Whitehead's Tommy, who is a 19 year old soldier who wants to get home but this doesn't stop him from helping others. Most directors would've chosen an older and more experienced actor for this role, however, Nolan chose Whitehead as he was the same age as the soldier he plays in the film. I think this was a good decision as he gives an impressive performance in his debut film. Tommy is brave and smart and someone we hope will make it back home. Speaking of performances, apart from Whitehead, there's no stand-out. However, there's not a bad performance to be found. Dunkirk features a lot of well-known names including Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and Cillian Murphy to name a few. Hardy gives an understated performance as the pilot determined to shoot the enemy planes down. Rylance gives a great performance as Mr. Dawson as the sailor who, along with his two teenage sons, performs a selfless act by rescuing many soldiers who are stranded at sea. He soon picks up Murphy's character who is simply credited as 'Shivering Soldier'. Murphy is effective in this role as we can clearly see how much the war has had an impact on him and when he finds out that Mr. Dawson is heading towards Dunkirk, where he's just escaped from, he panics as he worries that they'll all die out there. Director Nolan knows how to get the best out of every actor and this clearly shows in Dunkirk. Nolan filmed this in its titular location in France. Other filmmakers would've shot in other locations to cut the costs but because Nolan didn't want to cut corners, he chose to film in the same location where the World War II events took place. In this sense, the film seems determined to be as historically accurate as possible and Nolan has succeeded. What I liked most about Nolan's approach to this film is his lack of computer-generated imagery. While CGI isn't necessarily bad, it can look artificial at times. Nolan chose to use practical effects which meant that all the explosions that featured in the film actually happened which mean that the reactions on the actors' faces are genuine looks of horror. Dunkirk is an emotionally satisfying spectacle and is delivered by Christopher Nolan, a writer and director who is full command of his craft. It's also brought to life by an ensemble cast who all honour this fact-based story. It deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible and is the kind of film that should be taught in history classes, to give the younger generation an idea of what the world was like over 70 years ago.
Director Darren Aronofsky is known for his psychological horrors such as Black Swan and Requiem For A Dream, and his latest film, mother! may be his most controversial work yet. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in early September and received both cheers and boos. While most critics went on to deem it a 'horrific masterpiece', some were not so appreciative of what Aronofsky had created. However, it is those films that were initially deemed controversial and disturbing that have gone on to become iconic and known as masterpieces, including Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and The Shining, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby (which Aronofsky found inspiration from for this film). I think that, because of this, we should be giving mother! a chance and congratulating Aronofsky for having the guts to make something directors would be too scared to even try and make into a film. Yes, it is violent, disturbing and hard to watch at times but the same can be said for the aforementioned films. mother! isn't suitable for all audiences but those who love and appreciate dark, disturbing thrillers such as The Shining and Rosemary's Baby will find something to appreciate in mother!. The plot mainly revolves around a couple (Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem) whose relationship is tested when uninvited guests turn up at their home and turning their peaceful paradise into a claustrophobic nightmare. I think it's best to go in to mother! totally blind as that is what Aronofsky wanted for his audience. He barely gave any details about the plot and even the trailer raised more questions than answers. However, I think that this was a good strategy as it intrigued audiences and persuaded them to see it. Another marketing scheme included uploading mother!'s posters to Aronofsky's Twitter account. The first poster was a painting and showed Lawrence's character holding out her heart. However, Aronofsky soon pointed out there were hidden Easter Eggs and clues in the poster, vital to the film's plot. Those who are interested in watching mother! should think twice as it involves a lot of violence, especially in its third act. It's one of those films that is definitely not for the faint hearted. There's many reasons why Jennifer Lawrence is one of my favourite actors working today and her performance in mother! is one of them. Lawrence is best known for her Oscar-winning performance in David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook and as the feisty Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise. However, her performance as mother exceeded all expectations I had. She proves that she's capable of handling a wide variety of roles and this may be her toughest one yet. Her character goes through mental, emotional and physical pain and Lawrence sucessfully captures that. The camera follows Lawrence so if her performance was poor, the entire film would've failed. Strong supporting roles come from Javier Bardem as her husband and Michelle Pfeiffer and Ed Harris as two of the uninvited guests. mother! was been one of my most anticipated films of this year and it certainly exceeded my expectations. The evening before its release in September, I accidentally saw a spoiler which put me off watching it. However, I knew I had to watch it, mainly for Jennifer Lawrence's captivating and intense performance. Although I normally don't like these type of films, I thoroughly appreciated all the hard work that went into creating it. This is the second film of Aronofsky's I've seen (the other being Black Swan), however, I can definitely say that he is one of the most creative and visionary directors working today. I'd say that the the intensity and disturbing tone of mother! is similar to that of Requiem For A Dream. Overall, mother! is a thought-provoking product of a singularly ambitious artistic vision.
In the wake of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women's movement, the 1973 tennismatch between women's World #1 Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-men's-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) was billed as the 'Battle of the Sexes' and became one of the most watched televised sports events of all time, reaching 90 million viewers around the world. As the rivalry between King and Riggs kicked into high gear, off-court each was fighting more personal and complex battles. The fiercely private King was not only championing for equality, but also struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, as her friendship with Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) developed. And Riggs, one of the first self-made media-age celebrities, wrestled with his gambling demons, at the expense of his family and wife Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). Together, Billie and Bobby served up a cultural spectacle that resonated far beyond the tennis court, sparking discussions in bedrooms and boardrooms that continue to reverberate today. Battle of the Sexes comes from the married filmmaking duo Jonathan Dayton and Valeria Faris who are best known for directing the heartwarming drama, Little Miss Sunshine, which also starred Carell. The pair are known for creating a drama that can be entertaining by adding small bouts of comic relief throughout, however, it still has an emotional touch. The same can be said for Battle of the Sexes. Its tone is lighthearted and is an easy watch. The issues featured, including sexism, are handled with deft assurance. Women's liberation, sexual freedom, equal pay for equal work are all themes that feature heavily within the film. Battle Of The Sexes opens with King demanding why the prize money is eight times less than it is for men to which former tennis player turned advocate, Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman), replies 'it's important that the men get more money' which doesn't make sense. There's a fine line between preaching the gospel and dictating it, however, Dayton and Faris use humour and whimsy like a balm to sooth the serious scenes. Of course, the pair want to send out messages that hit home. They show the characters and their flaws with an even hand. It's the definition of comedy and drama. The actors are all well chosen, especially Stone and Carell, who, by changing their appearances, resemble the characters they're playing. Stone, in particular, stood out as Billie Jean King as she captures all of her mannerisms and embodies her passion for tennis. However, she soon develops a relationship with her hairdresser, Marilyn (Andrea Riseborough) that she has to hide otherwise it could jeopardise her career. Although she never comes out in the film, at the age of 73, she is now open and honest about her sexuality and is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. The real King was impressed with Stone's portrayal of her and said that she managed to capture her fierce determination to prove that women deserve equal rights. The relationship with Marilyn is effectively shown and both Stone and Riseborough share a lot of chemistry. Despite the love she has for her female partner, King felt conflicted as she was still married to Larry (Austin Stowell). Despite knowing her affair with Marilyn, Larry remained faithful and supportive of Billie throughout her career. I wouldn't be surprised to see Stone, who earlier this year won her first Academy Award for her performance in La La Land, nominated for an Oscar next year. Battle of the Sexes is a well-made biopic as it recaptures the titular tennis match really well and it represented Billie Jean King's character in an effective way, making us feel for her. It also shows how hard women had to work to prove themselves worthy and is an important film that needs to be seen, especially by those who still think women don't deserve equal rights.
Blade Runner 2049
In 1982, Ridley Scott released his second science-fiction feature, Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford as the titular character, Rick Deckard, whose job involved finding and killing Replicants, androids that looked and behaved exactly like humans. Over 30 years later, it is now known as a cult classic to many, especially those who first saw it in cinemas back in the early 1980s. I recently watched it and this lead to me having high hopes for its sequel, Blade Runner 2049. However, is it a good follow-up or a major disappointment? A new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Development for a Blade Runner sequel began almost 20 years ago when British filmmaker, Stuart Hazeldine, wrote a sequel based on K. W. Jeter's novel, The Edge Of Human, and it was titled Blade Runner Down, unfortunately, it was rejected. It wasn't until 2007 that Scott, who directed the original, announced he was considering developing a sequel to his 1982 sci-fi feature. Now, over thirty years after the original, the much-anticipated sequel has finally been released, with Ford returning to his role as Deckard and Ryan Gosling also starring. Denis Villeneuve replaced Scott as director due to Scott being busy directing his sequel to Prometheus, Alien: Covenant. In answer to my earlier question, yes, Blade Runner 2049 is just as good as its predecessor, maybe even better, in my opinion. Fans of the original will not be disappointed. Blade Runner 2049 has a visually impressive look, giving the setting its unique and futuristic look. The city is filled with bright, neon holograms that stand out from the dull and grey backdrop of Los Angeles. It's one of those science-fiction films, like Christopher Nolan's Interstellar and Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, that needs to be seen on the big screen. I didn't see it in 3D, however, I can tell that some scenes would've looked a lot better if I'd been wearing 3D glasses. I'll be very surprised if the special effects aren't nominated for an Oscar at next year's Academy Awards as the computer generated imagery is very impressive and a huge improvement on its predecessor. When Scott failed to return to direct, the production company searched for other directors who were capable of making a sequel that lived up to the standard of the original. At first, Christopher Nolan was rumoured to be directing, however, this proved to be untrue. However, Denis Villeneuve was soon hired. In the past few years, Villeneuve has proven himself to be one of the best directors working today. Prisoners, Sicario and last year's Arrival have all been successful films in their own right so it's understandable why he was chosen. After he was hired, Villeneuve knew he was under a lot of pressure from fans of the original to make a sequel that is just as good. Fortunately, Villeneuve has yet to disappoint and makes Blade Runner 2049 a thrilling watch that results in an emotional impact. He knows how to create exhilarating action sequences and balances this out with a touch of drama and mystery throughout. The majority of the film follows Gosling's detective as goes on a quest that leads him to former Blade Runner, Deckard. Blade Runner ended with Deckard and Replicant, Rachael (Sean Young), forming a relationship. To those who wondered what happened to the pair, this sequel answers those questions. Those hoping to see a lot of Ford in his role as Deckard will be disappointed to learn that he doesn't make his comeback until halfway through the film. Because the film is set thirty years later, Deckard has changed a lot, both physically and emotionally. He lost both Rachael and their child which has caused him to live as a recluse in a hotel, set in the middle of nowhere. When K turns up wanting his questions answered, Deckard reluctantly opens up about what happened. He was forced to leave a pregnant Rachael behind with the Replicant freedom movement to protect her. Unfortunately, this lead to her death and their child being sent away to an orphanage. This is where most of the emotional impact comes from as we can see Deckard feels guilty for what happened to Rachael.
Because the majority of Blade Runner 2049 revolves around his character, K, Gosling has a lot to live up to, fortunately, he doesn't disappoint. Like Deckard, he's fierce and isn't afraid to do what's right. Despite being a replicant that is forced to work for the LAPD, K has been having vivid memories of himself as a child. At first, he thinks that this is merely an implant in his mind, however, he soon discovers the memories are real. This leads us to wonder if K is actually a human or if he has someone else's memories living inside his head. Supporting roles come from Jared Leto, Robin Wright, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks and Mackenzie Davis who, despite their limited appearances, give solid performances. Overall, Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 is a successful follow-up to the original. In many ways, it's an improvement, especially in terms of narrative and special effects. Both Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford give great leading performances.
Those were my favourite films from 2017. If you haven't already, I highly recommend that you give them a watch. Thank you for reading.
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