Jack's Favorite Movies of 2017 (Part I)

Well, it's that time of year again. Remember, if there's a movie on here you didn't care for or a movie that I left off for one reason or another, don't panic. It's just my silly opinion. There's also the important factor that these lists are always flexible One man's trash is another man's treasure and all that. With all that babbling out of the way, on with the show.

#20) A CURE FOR WELLNESS

Modern Hollywood doesn't tend to allow for much in the way of creativity in even their mid-level budgeted pictures. Yet, every now and then, an auteur gem like A Cure For Wellness is bestowed upon us. Visually sumptuous yet repellent and intricately plotted, this one mother of a gothic horror flick with plenty of grotesque ideas and some of the best production design in recent memory. Plus, I’d put this alongside Rango as justifications for why Gore Verbinski is one of the most interesting mainstream directors of the past twenty years or so. Love it, hate it, you won’t forget it. That’s for sure!

#19) DUNKIRK

Dunkirk is far from the most character-based war film; but, it surpasses a lot of others in how it effectively places the viewer in the violent chaos that is warfare. Christopher Nolan works his usual magic and manages to keep the suspense of each solitary moment tightly wound to its breaking point. Technically unmatched, it’ll be little wonder if this sweeps the upcoming Oscars. I would call it this year’s Gravity; but, this is an infinitely superior film to that and works just as well on the small screen as it does in the theater.

#18) THE BAD BATCH

Cinematic moodpieces can go either way for me. They can end up being insufferably pretentious detritus like Darren Aronofsky's mother! or they can be technically superb yet emotionally intangible like A Ghost Story, Sometimes, there's one that just works well with me. The Bad Batch happily fits that mold. Atmospheric and eclectic, Ana Lily Amirpour’s hallucinatory desert daydream may be slow-moving; but, its a film that I couldn’t take my eyes off of. Plus, what other movie will contain both Jim Carrey as a wacky hermit and Keanu Reeves as an over-the-top, Southern, life-of-the-party cult leader?

#17) ATOMIC BLONDE

Personally, the phrase “style over substance” has never really clicked with me. There are cases where that may be true; but, for now, I’ll stay right over celebrating movies like Atomic Blonde where the style is the substance. Plus, ultra-sleazy James MacAvoy is hands down my favorite flavor of James MacAvoy. Atomic Blonde is synthpop fueled, neon-lit bone-crunching action at its finest. Check it out!

#16) THOR: RAGNAROK

Let’s put aside the idea that this is the best out of the Thor movies (even if that assessment is right on the money). Thor: Ragnarok works best on own its merits. Taika Waititi’s quirky sense of humor gels with the 80s metal album cover/cosmic Jack Kirby-influenced hybrid action-fantasy aesthetic surprisingly well. It’s also a big event comic book blockbuster flick that’s not afraid to let the world end for once and start on newer paths. Bonus points for containing one of the best uses of Led Zeppelin’s discography in cinematic history.

#15) ALIEN: COVENANT

Ridley Scott seems to have had a pretty year, what with him reshooting over half a movie mere weeks before release and having it be greeted with critical acclaim. But, let’s not forget what he accomplished with . After the fascinatingly polarizing Prometheus, it's nice to see he came back swinging with Alien Covenant. While it has plenty on its mind to ponder, it also works as a brutally nasty sci-fi horror flick. So, we get the best of both worlds. A movie that questions the nature of curiosity while also having a harrowing climatic spaceship fight and a shower kill straight out of a slasher movie.

#14) GOOD TIME

Urban crime flicks are something that's always welcome in my cinematic diet and Good Time is no exception. The Safdie Brothers direct this city-based adrenaline rush with effortless skill and Robert Pattinson gives it his all (who knew this dude could actually act?). It should also be mentioned that the score from Oneohtrix Point Never is killer. The icy synth beats bring to mind names like Tangerine Dream and add layers of energetic tension to every scene. Give this one a watch in the near future!

#13) BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99

Undercut by a swingin' original soundtrack and an intriguing sense of pathos, Brawl In Cell Block 99 is a might fine prison picture. Vince Vaughn is peak form as an honest blue-collar man trying his best to make it out in one piece in a world that grows uglier and uglier every single day. All that tense drama overrides the picture's grindhouse-style cheap thrills; but, boy, is that bloodletting ever so satisfying. Keep punching that car with all your ever-loving strength, Mr. Vaughn!

#12) IT

2017 was a pretty notable year for Stephen King adaptations. Some were good, some weren't. As you can guess, IT falls into the former category. A thoroughly entertaining amusement park attraction of a horror picture that manages to muster some genuinely moving drama with its young cast. Plus, Bill Skarsgard gives a career-defining turn as Pennywise and its refreshing to see an 80s throwback that shows some restraint with the nostalgia. Here's hoping Part II is even half as good as this was. Also, if you didn't get to check this out in a crowded moviehouse, you missed out big time.

#11) THE DISASTER ARTIST

It would've been so easy to turn the bizarre story behind one of the most ubiquitous cinematic cult phenomenon into little more than a snarky joke at the expense of an elusive werido. Thankfully, James Franco chose to look at of in an way that's strikingly empathetic towards Tommy Wiseau and his baffling celluloid monstrosity. Even if you aren't into The Room or haven't the foggiest idea of what it is, this is still an enjoyable dive into the process of filmmaking that's both admirably sweet and screamingly funny.

And that's it for numbers 20 through 11. Come back tomorrow to see what landed in my Top Ten. Until then, fly casual, dear readers!

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Review

So, here's the thing. About three hours ago, I walked out of The Last Jedi and realized how much of a great film I'd had just seen. My mind was preoccupied with all the great character work, story beats and other technical details that I was left wondering why I didn't completely click with me like it has with everyone else. This isn't to undermine the praise the film has gotten from pretty much everyone else except foolish fanboys. Far from it, I agree that this is about as close to perfect a Star Wars film has come since Empire. While I acknowledge this is most certainly the better film of these two selections, I say that I'm more fond of The Force Awakens as pure entertainment. Who knows? Maybe I'll be swayed from liking it to loving it upon a second or third viewing.

One of the biggest things I can say in this film's favor is that it's chock-full of surprises. The narrative reaches many points I genuinely didn't see coming and takes the new characters from the previous film in new and interesting directions. Most notable and predominantly focused upon are the parallel arcs of Rey and Kylo Ren. Both characters grapple with the emotional weight and themes the story thrusts upon them in starkly different yet equally compelling ways. Even John Williams' score manages to through in some nice new additions. Williams' status as the greatest film composer in the history of the medium and his occasional reuse of classic themes are by now well-established; however, there are subtle moments throughout his new work that manage to be memorable in their own right and help give this new generation of Star Wars films much more of a distinct identity than Rogue One or Force Awakens could've hoped to accomplish.

The performances here are all about what you'd expect. Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac are back and better than ever (the latter of which is actually given something to do this time around, so here his presence is commanding). Kellie Marie Tran is a welcome new addition to the ever-expanding roster of new players. Laura Dern and Benicio del Toro don't have much in the way of screentime; but, it speaks volumes to as their acting chops to know how much of an impression they end up leaving when all is said and done. Then, there's Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill. Fisher's passing about a year ago does add the proceedings with an inescapably tragic overtone; but, suffice it to say, her final turn as Leia is one to be treasured. Plus, as he does in most things, Mark Hamill owns here. He imbues Luke Skywalker with a new sense of guilt and paranoia that shows the character's age effectively.

Now, for the bells and whistles in the film. Rian Johnson may have just directed the most technically efficient film in the entire franchise. About every page in the script is brimming with great dialogue and every story beat is busy yet not overstuffed. There are a few fun editing gags every now and then. Plus, the cinematography is absolutely immaculate. Aesthetically speaking, this is Star Wars in its absolute prime. There's a moment near the very end of the picture where the shot composition and music choices are practically a textbook example of how to effectively reference an iconic franchise moment while creating something new in the process. I won't give it away because it's kind of a massive spoiler; but, suffice it to say, it packs a massive punch.


The Last Jedi might not be the best Star Wars film; nevertheless, it may be the most thought-provoking film in the entire saga. It deals with themes of failure, generational legacy and becoming more than what's expected of you (for better or for worse). It's a bold risk of a film that might work one hundred percent of the way; but, its existence is important regardless.

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI gets a...

BADA$$ out of TEN