So, as we approach the end of 2017 I thought I'd attempt to recall all the things I saw and read over the course of the year in the style of a series of "Top 10" lists. We start with films, or movies as our American cousins would say. Some of these films weren't actually made in 2017 but my criteria for qualification is that I saw the film for the first time in 2017, anyway, here's my list.
1. Dunkirk - Christopher Nolan is one of the best directors around at the moment in my view; this is one of his best films to date. Loved the switching of perspectives, the audience watches the same event through the eyes of different characters, it's a technique that makes the most of a relatively simple story and an ending that everyone knows. Loved the spitfires.
2. Mother! - To be honest I didn't have a clue what this film was about and whilst watching it felt a whole range of emotions from confusion to frustration thru anger and revulsion. It was a very uncomfortable film to watch, but, when you get to the end to don't want it to stop! After watching this I just had to Google for an explanation of the characters and plot, turns out the film is entirely metaphorical and drawn from the Bible and the book of Genesis! Understanding this made the whole thing make sense, you have God (kinda), Mother Earth, Adam, Eve, Cain and Able among other well known figures from that story, it also made me appreciate the film much more on a intellectual level, very clever, very powerful film-making.
3. Back to Burgundy - A wonderful little French film about three siblings reuniting at their parents Vineyard in Burgundy after a period of separation. Gradually their different stories emerge against the backdrop of the death of their father and the complexities of having to potentially sell-off their ancestral home. Lot's of wine-geekery going on and a nice interplay between members of the family, very French (in a good way)
4. Tulip Fever - The story of a beautiful young Woman living in 17th century Amsterdam who marries a much older (rich) man who then commissions a painting of her. The young artist who turns up is instantly attracted to the sexually frustrated wife and a passionate affair develops. All this is set against the backdrop of the Tulip bulb financial bubble. Lovely period drama, costumes, atmosphere, music and sets all really well done.
5. The Big Short - This film was made in 2015 but somehow I missed it. A colleague at work recommended it to me this year and I got a copy. What a great film! Set in and around the financial collapse of 2008 it tells the story of a geeky financial wizard who bets against the rising housing market (essentially predicting the collapse) and makes millions. There's also great performances from a number of well known actors (like Brad Pit and Steve Carell) as several sub-plots and parallel threads emerge as the crisis gains momentum. Based on true stories, it's a riveting film.
6. Maudie - Bit of an odd-ball film about Canadian artist Maude Lewis and her desperately hard life and eventual recognition and success. A bit of a "chick-flick" but also gritty and complex, excellent acting by those playing the main characters; gripping stuff.
7. Get Out - A disturbing story about a mixed race couple visiting the parents of the girl in the relationship for the first time. In the beginning all seems fine but as is usual in these kinds of suspense stories something very dark gradually comes into view and the climax is tense and unexpected. Very much along the lines of the Stepford Wives.
8. Baby Driver - Top action film about a young get-away driver who gets sucked deeper and deeper into an underworld of crime and violence. Fantastic car chase scenes and a kicking sound-track, exciting and very easy to watch. Top blokes film (cool, cars, music, action etc.) but also has a romantic core to it that delivers an uplifting ending.
9. Manchester by the Sea - A powerful story about a working man struggling to make a living in a small Eastern American fishing town. At first the man seems like a bit of a drunken, violent yob but gradually his story emerges through a series of flash-backs and you end up feeling sorry for him. The twists and turns that unfold are gripping, and the ending highly emotional.
10. I Daniel Blake - Dark and yet simultaneously uplifting story of austerity Britain. Set in the North-East of England (Newcastle) it's about a middle-aged man who has a heart attack and whose doctor deems him unfit for work. A horrendous "jobsworth" saga emerges of the man attempting to claim benefits and survive against a tide of bureaucratic catch-22's He discovers that to get paid he has to look for work, which he can't then do because of his medical condition. It's a frustrating subject and difficult to watch but the film has a wonderful human feel to it.
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