Hon. Mention: Soldado, Wonder Woman, A Sense of an Ending, Happy End, Ghost in the Shell
30. Battle of the Sexes dir. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
We know Emma Stone and Steve Carrell can be hilarious, and they've also shown themselves to be fine dramatic talents in recent years - plus this is being directed by the folks who made Little Miss Sunshine! With Stone coming hot off what I presume will be an easy Oscar nom and likely win, and the latter being given what should be a particularly meaty role, as tennis players Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, who get embroiled in a public feud that results in a tennis showdown, I don't see why I should not be excited.
29. Logan dir. James Manigold
I'll admit that trailer got me hyped. As someone who's not a huge X-Men fan, I have to admit that the prospect of seeing a no-holes-barred, gritty and low-key Wolverine film is really intriguing.
28. Wind River dir. Taylor Sheridan
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The scripts to Sicario and Hell or High Water were some of the highlights of both excellent films, so in similar vein I'm eagerly anticipating what I suspect will be our first look into Sheridan's complete filmmaking vision. Also seeing Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olesen team up outside the Marvel universe should be interesting. 27. The Shape of Water
Guillermo del Toro + Fantasy + war setting? Pan's Labrinyth again, anyone? I could be wrong but just this idea alone has me excited.
26. Thor: Ragnarok
It wouldn't have made my list at all if not for the fact Taika Waititi, who helmed the wonderful Hunt for the Wilderpeople this year, is in the director's chair. Please don't limit him Marvel.
25. Hostiles dir. Scott Cooper
Sounds like it'll be one of those brooding, atmospheric, tense journey films in the West, with Christian Bale (who gave one of his best performances in Cooper's Into the Furnace) in the lead.
24. Under the Silver Lake dir. David Robert Mitchell
Andrew Garfield. I know it's crazy to base you anticipation of a film on one actor, but if Hacksaw Ridge, and my expectations for Silence are anything to go by, I'll watch anything this fellow does. Oh, and neo-noir plots are almost always my cup of tea.
23. Spider-Man: Homecoming dir. Jon Watts
It's been a while, about 13 years to be exact, since we've had a good Spidey film. Please be good. I really like the overall feel of this trailer; hopefully it's a true representation of the final product. 22. Kathryn Bigelow's 1967 Detroit Riots Movie
It's been a while since The Hurt Locker, and the strong ensemble cast (featuring John Boyega, Jason Mitchell, Will Poulter, Anthony Mackie, Hannah Murray, among many others) plus Bigelow's assured quality of direction (far as I'm aware she's never made anything less than a solid film) makes for an intriguing prospect in depicting this very significant event in American history. 21. The Snowman dir. Tomas Alfredson
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I love this sort of thriller anyway, it's based on an acclaimed novel, Alfredson's last film was the terrific Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and it'll be pleasing to see Michael Fassbender in a good movie again if it turns out to be just that.
20. Annihilation dir. Alex Garland
I really took to Ex Machina and am really anticipating Garland's next step into the sci-fi genre. The plot details are vague at best at this point, but I'm glad since one of the strengths of Ex Machina was its pure unpredictability.
19. American Made dir. Doug Liman
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Tom Cruise with a big role in another Doug Liman (who directed the underrated Edge of Tomorrow) film, this time about an 80s pilot who transported contraband for the CIA and the Medellin cartel? Why not. 18. John Wick: Chapter 2 dir. Chad Stahelski, David Leitch
Keanu Reeves reuniting with Laurence Fishburne, as John Wick, who kicked all kinds of ass in the first film, returning with a vengeance (hopefully no dog involved this time). What's not to get psyched for?
17. The Dark Tower dir. Nikolaj Arcel
I'll admit my lower ranking for this is purely because I have no idea what the source material is about, plus I'm always slightly wary about films with such long pre-production troubles. Nevertheless, the combination of Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey is nothing to smirk at, and considering I thoroughly adored 11.22.63 without having read the Stephen King novel, I'll keep expectations high for this adaptation as well. 16. Wonder dir. Steven Chbosky
Movie Insider
I'll defend Perks of Being a Wallflower to the death, so any Chbosky film has me quite excited. Add in Jacob Tremblay who astounded us all with his magnificent performance in Room, and we could have a modern-day Mask on our hands in this tale of a young child with a facial deformity who tries to fit into a new school life. 15. How to Talk to Girls at Parties dir. John Cameron Mitchell
The title and concept behind this sounds just quirky enough to pucker up my interest. I loved the last Neil Gaiman adaptation I saw, Stardust, and if this film brings some of that distinctive quirk to the sci-fi genre, I'm all eyes and ears.
14. Kursk dir. Thomas Vinterberg
I've still got to check out a great deal of Mr Vinterberg's filmography (think I'll check out The Hunt finally, today), but as Far From the Madding Crowd showed he has a keen, visually sumptuous eye, and this story - centred on the 2000 K-141 Kursk submarine disaster, is a very tantalizing prospect. Plus he's reuniting with Matthias Schoenaerts.
13. Okja dir. Bong Joon-Ho
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Bong is a brilliant director (anyone who hasn't seen Memories of Murder better do so soon), and the fact he's getting 50 million USD to play around with in what seems to be a monster-on-the-run film is tantalizing. Behind-the-set pictures have the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal and Tilda Swinton all dressed up in anime-esque attire. I'm so pumped.
12. Darkest Hour dir. Joe Wright
Empire Magazine
Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill. It's been too long since you've had a plum role, Gary. Far too long.
11. The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara dir. Steven Speilberg
Steven Speilberg's been on a role recently, exempting the relative disappointment of The B.F.G., and this would seem to be a promising dramatic venture. Having Mark Rylance back on board is never a bad thing. 10. Wonderstruck dir. Todd Haynes
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I absolutely adored Carol, so obviously I'm flocking to whatever Haynes has up his sleeves next. The concept behind this I'll admit doesn't immediately scream 'must-see', but neither did Carol's and that ended up becoming my favourite film of 2015.
9. Blade Runner 2049 dir. Dennis Villenueve
The recent teaser has raised my hopes up signficantly .Villenueve seems to know exactly what made Blade Runner tick, and if he sustains what I saw in the teaser to a full-length feature film, I am completely on board with an idea I'd previously thought very little of; Blade Runner might have ended perfectly, but it does have a wide expansive universe I hope this film will utilize.
8. The Racer and the Jailbird (Le Fidèle)
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'The film is about a love story between a gangster and a racing car driver set against the background of a brutal crime gang in Brussels'. That alone has my curiosity. Add in the highly underrated Michaël R. Roskam (who's directed two of my favourite films of the decade so far, Bullhead and The Drop), his terrific leading man Matthias Schoenaerts (again, big fan), and Blue is the Warmest Colour star Adèle Exarchopoulos. Now you have my attention.
7. T2: Trainspotting dir. Danny Boyle
The boys are back. What more can I say? I'm actually fairly confident in this film. Despite not being a massive fan of Steve Jobs, I have to admit it was incredibly well-directed, so Danny Boyle's on a role. He clearly has a passion for the material, as do the cast, and at the very least this will offer some terrific throwback nostalgia, at best it'll be a masterpiece. 6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 dir. James Gunn
This could easily be the most fun film of the year, as long as it matches the heights of its predecessor. I eagerly look forward to another bout of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, (more) Yondu, Rocket Raccoon and (Baby!) Groot's antics, and hope that Gunn's passion for these misfit heroes never wanes.
5. Baby Driver dir. Edgar Wright
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I'm somewhat dubious about the choice of lead (Ansel Elgort just has not impressed me in anything he's done), but remember back in 2010, when he used the charming but extremely limited Michael Cera to perfection in Scott Pilgrim v.s. the World? That worked, and I have faith in Wright that this will too. The plot synopsis sounds like Wright's take on the likes of Drive, Bullit and Le Samourai and it's intriguing even if you're not a Wright fan, drool-inducing if you're a Wright fanatic like me.
4. Star Wars Episode VIII dir. Rian Johnson
So many questions up in the air! So many answers! Add in Rian Johnson's distinctive directorial style and a script that's been getting raves from all over the place, the poignancy factor of this being Carrie Fisher's last appearance as Princess Leia, and new inclusions of Benicio del Toro and Laura Dern...Star Wars December can't come sooner.
3. Dunkirk dir. Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan going into WWII period piece territory, and picking out such a compelling piece of history, is enough to sell me. Add in that excellent first trailer, and a huge all-star cast, and I'll be severely disappointed if this is anything less than great.
2. Paul Thomas Anderson/Daniel Day-Lewis Untitled Film
Last time these chaps turned up to make a film, we got one of the greatest films of all-time, There Will Be Blood. Now that doesn't necessarily mean anything, but owing to how selective both actor and auteur are, I can't help but think they've found something truly special to work on before even knowing what the general gist of the film's about.
1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri dir. Martin McDonagh
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Easily my most anticipated film of 2017. McDonagh's already made two masterpieces and with his stage work also being taken into account, he's on a role. This film - a tale about a small-town mother who seeks justice from the police after her daughter is murdered - will probably test McDonagh's ability for drama as well as comedy, which we all know after In Bruges and especially Seven Psychopaths he's particularly adept at. Of course, with McDonagh you never know, this could be another dark comedy, and just the thought of how he'll pull that off tantalises me. Add in an eclectic cast (Peter Dinklage, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish and most excitingly, Frances McDormand in the lead, who seems like she was born to star in a McDonagh film) and you have me awaiting with bated breath for what could be his next masterpiece.
I technically watched Wolf Hall this year but it was a 2015 miniseries, plus I'm also covering Sir Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis and probably Claire Foy at a later date so for the timebeing I'll be looking at The Night Manager, Stranger Things, American Crime Story: The People v.s. O.J. Simpson, 11.22.63 and The Night Of. Our Avatar Lead (s)
I hate to rank all of these performances because they're really all at the very least, very, very strong.
5. Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
bustle.com
Hiddleston I rank last even though he gave a rather excellent performance, and I hate that this implies I disparage his performance in any regard. He gives a compelling portrayal of the undercover agent, effectively conveying the strong reactionary moments he needs to make an impact to Jonathan Pine's plight for justice against Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), also adding some of that characteristic Hiddleston charm and wit to the role. I'd say the character itself isn't terribly interesting overall but Hiddleston makes him quite compelling, nevertheless.
4. Sarah Paulson and Sterling K. Brown, The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
mashable.com
Paulson and Brown, playing the two main prosecutors of the titular O.J., Marcia Clark and Christopher Darden, give two very interestingly opposed performances in terms of style. Paulson gives one of the louder and more overtly stylized performances in the cast as the opinionated and outspoken Clark, and Darden gives by far the most subdued and understated performance. They work extremely well together in establishing themselves as the audience's avatar into the convoluted courtroom world, and Paulson has some knockout moments in showing Clark's resilience against the overwhelming odds the court throws in her way, while Brown's underplayed approach as the most sincere and kind character in the series is equally effective.
3. Finn Wolfhard and Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
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Wolfhard, outside of one or two slightly iffy moments, anchors the terrific sci-fi hybrid series that is Stranger Things extremely well as the ostensible protagonist (although if you ask me, it really is a ensemble piece through and through). Mike Wheeler could have easily been an overly cloying kid who'd get on the audience's nerves, but I find Wolfhard brings just the right amount of sweetness combined with naturalism in the role to make the character work, and he has some fantastic chemistry, in particular with his onscreen best friends and Millie Bobby Brown. Ryder, in probably the biggest role she's had in a project this popular in a long time, is a bit of a point of contention for many who watch the series. I personally think she's pitch-perfect, incredibly powerful in showing Joyce's overwhelming desire to find her son, and her love for him, and completely earns those big emotional payoff moments with her character.
2. John Turturro, The Night Of
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Turturro plays perhaps the most entertainingly uncouth role of the bunch here as the quirky lawyer John Stone who takes on Nasir 'Naz' Khan's (Riz Ahmed) seemingly unwinnable case. Turturro goes for a sort of slimy, opportunist approach here with his character, making no qualms about how he initially sees the case as an opportunity to get rich quick with lots of fame. What he adds to that is a strange sort of charm to Stone's antics that endear him to you, even if he is technically a bit reprehensible. He's then very strong in slowly transitioning his character to a more moralistic and genuine sort of man, with a terrific display in the courtroom in defence of his client, without ever losing the humorous edge to the character.
1. James Franco, 11.22.63
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My win though, has to go to, of all people, James Franco. James Franco. I've never been a huge fan of Franco - his performance in Spring Breakers ranks among the barren deeps of 'worst performances of the decade' - but when I have liked him, I've found it's in performance where he decides to let go of the mannerisms and weird James Dean-esque posturing, and give a more naturalistic, charismatic performance. As Jake Epping, or Jake Amberson as he's known as when he goes back into the past, Franco is a terrific avatar for the viewer into this strange situation Jake is thrown into, as he tries to uncover the conspiracy behind JFK's assasination and prevent it. Though most of the series is focused on what happens in the past, to other people whose lives Jake crosses, Franco is outstanding in providing realistic and heartfelt reactions to each of these moments, singlehandedly creating the most poignant or hilarious scenes in the series. Then on his own he creates quite the fascinating of a man thrown back in time and rather enjoying many aspects of it, but with the looming thought of what he must do haunting him. Plus, his chemistry with a certain someone else is out-of-this-world.
Secondary Avatars
5. Bill Camp, The Night Of
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Camp's a welcome presence whenever I see him anywhere, and though on the whole his work in The Night Of is a bit limited in terms of screentime, his performance and character as the chief police detective in charge of investigating the central murder, acts as an effective, counterpointed point of view which we can see how Naz could be considered to be guilty.
4. Chris Cooper and George MacKay, 11.22.63
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Cooper's screentime in 11.22.63 is actually quite limited, but he ends up making quite the impact, setting the tone for the series in the first episode impeccably as Jake's friend with a secret, Al, and his brief returns throughout are incredibly welcome as he reveals the toil of time travel. MacKay, increasingly becoming one of my favourite young actors working today, is really good too as Bill, Jake's friend from the 1960s who he lets in on his little secret. I found he had the right amount of chemistry and heartfelt humanity to his character and also, though the weakest writing of the series is what it does with his character in the last few episodes (largely due to the fact that he has a much more minor role in the novel), his final scene is brilliant.
3. Courtney B. Vance, The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
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Vance has the ultimate scene-stealing role in The People v.s. O.J. Simpson as the one and only Johnny Cochrane. A larger-than-life figure to be sure, and Vance appropriately plays him as such. I'd say his character is the best-utlized one in the series as his purpose is very straightforward, to be the straightforward, ball-busting defence for O.J. that somehow gets him off. It's not written to be an extremely complex character, just a very entertaining one, and Vance certainly succeeds in that regard, particularly towards the end of the series as he increasingly gains the upper hand.
2. David Harbour, Stranger Things
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Harbour's performance as Chief of Police Hopper is terrific as he plays into the stereotypes of the lazy police chief, before gradually developing his character into the hero of the story. One of the strengths of Stranger Things is how it takes the expected 80s tropes of characters and takes them in unexpected directions. Harbour switches from the sardonic comedic relief to the anchoring hero of the series, successfully bringing together various elements of the show, with aplomb, and keeps up with the sometimes drastic turns the script requires of him.
1. Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
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I'd say the MVP of this lot is Colman, however, and it is a very tough choice. Colman plays what is usually the highlight of John le Carré stories, the recruiting agent Angela Burr - another example of this sort of character can also be found in another 2016 release, the film Our Kind of Traitor and Damian Lewis' excellent turn as MI6 investigator Hector. Colman intentionally has a bit of artifice in her potrayal of Burr's sunny personality and incisiveness in her investigations into Richard Roper, which is very entertainingly handled to be sure, but the highlight of her performance are the 'showy' scenes of the recruiting agent revealing their inner thoughts and feelings in private. They never feel like an opportunity to showboat, rather Colman handles this terrific moments where we get the essence of what compels Burr in her pursuit of justice, that feels so emotionally honest and earnt by her portrayal of the agent who will not stop at anything to do the right thing. She has fantastic chemistry with all cast members she interacts with, and carries her character's troubled but ultiamtely satisfying journey to its completion, brilliantly.
The Enigmas 3. Cuba Gooding Jr., The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
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The main flaw, and really the only major one, of this miniseries is that its most important performance is simply not up to scratch. I can like Cuba Gooding Jr., I like him in As Good as it Gets and...um, that's about it. Still, every role is an opportunity for an actor to reinvent himself, but Gooding Jr. just isn't O.J.. He simply isn't believable in terms of disappearing into the role which his co-stars all manage, to some extent, to do, and more importantly he fails to create that extreme charisma that Simpson was renowned for, or that enigmatic quality to this larger-than-life persona. His final scene is actually really good, but by then it's too late; it's a performance where you can see he's trying for something, but for myself at least it never really worked.
2 (tied). Riz Ahmed (The Night Of), Sarah Gadon (11.22.63), Hugh Laurie (The Night Manager)
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Hate to rank any of these performances, and in fact I won't go into too much detail about what role they play in their narratives, since part of the fun from the outset of each series is deciphering how they play into the grand sceheme of things. All three actors, who I'm big fans of anyway, give career-best work. Laurie technically does the least 'chameleonic' disappearing into his role, in fact I'd say he uses his usual onscreen persona as the 'charismatic Brit' and manipulates it into the ruthless, cunning yet still very human arms dealer Richard Roper. It's incredible how Laurie can play the character in such a charming and somewhat likable fashion then in a few seconds reveal the monstrous man lurking underneath.
Ahmed and Gadon both take on some very heavy lifting in terms of accents and physicality for their roles, and both are amazing at it. You'd think Ahmed was a New Yorker teen for real if you hadn't seen any of his previous work, in the same way you'd think Gadon came straight out of the 60s with that unique physicality and vibe she gives off, to their portrayals of an accused murderer Naz, and the delightful love interest Sadie. There's a very naturalistic style to both performances that's remarkable in itself, but even more so is how they use that style to give powerful performances. Ahmed gives an unforgettable portrayal of a conflicted, terrified young man gradually corrupted by prison life, while Gadon is luminous, luminous, luminous (that tricolon was entirely necessary) as the love of Jake Amberson's life.
1. Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
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Great performance, one of my top 5 of the year so far, and I think I'll postpone to a later date to give more extended thoughts, but for now let me quote me previous thoughts on her performance:
Millie Bobby Brown is the youngest main actor on the show and also gives the best performance, while barely speaking a word for long stretches at a time as the 'weirdo', as Lucas insensitively puts it, the kids come into while looking for the missing Will. This sort of character can make or break a series, especially considering the huge backstory and context she has to carry on her shoulders as a mysterious girl who's spent her whole life as a lab experiment for a mysterious government agency. Her assimilation into a normal life with Mike in particular is great, and reminded me in a very good way of the equivalent scenes in Room. Like Jacob Tremblay in that film, Brown carries such weight in her depictions of her past and present traumas, and is extremely moving when those emotions come overtly out; and is utterly joyous in the moments where she finds hope and happiness in her friendship with the boys, with whom she all has great chemistry with, but particularly Wolfhard with who she has some utterly beautiful scenes that build up a tight bond that brings about the finale to a particularly impactful conclusion.
The Ensembles
5. The Night Of
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I rank The Night Of last not because it's supporting cast is weak - it's not, Michael Kenneth Williams, Peyman Moaadi and Amara Khan are quite strong - but its characters are intentionally more simplistic in nature. We don't really get to know them that well which makes sense, since the show is all about Stone and Naz.
4. The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
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The People v.s. O.J. Simpson has a real mixed bag in terms of its cast; David Schwimmer is rather terrific as Robert Kardashian (and the scenes with his family are some rather cleverly inserted bits of satire), especially in his heavy lifting of the 'human' side of O.J. Simpson by Kardashian's relationship to the man, others like Bruce Greenwood, Kenneth Choi, and Nathan Lane are fine, and there's performances like John Travolta which has its fair share of good moments but also some downright terrible ones.
3. The Night Manager
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The Night Manager has a small ensemble overall, and everyone fulfils their roles more than adequately. Elizabeth Debicki is a particular highlight with her alluring and heartbreaking portrayal of Roper's troubled wife Jed, Tom Hollander does his usual thing as the toad-like and oddly charismatic Corky, and everyone else makes the right sort of impact in their smaller roles.
2. Stranger Things
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Stranger Things has a somewhat flawed supporting cast. There's characters like the kindhearted chef Benny I'd have liked to see more of, and others I'd have liked much less of like Steve Harrington's (Joe Keery) asshole friends. Its main supporting characters, however, in terms of the government adversaries led by Matthew Modine, the parents, the teenage duo of outcast Jonathan Byers (underrated Charlie Heaton) and Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), whose relationship I'm glad they didn't transition into a romance, and most importantly the missing Will Byers' best friends Mike, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb MacLaughlin), are all more than stellar.
1. 11.22.63
You'll never watch Transformers the same way again.
My favourite ensemble of the year though has to be 11.22.63. Everyone in the past and present settings are terrific, with particular highlights being Daniel Webber's uniquely pathetic and troubling portrayal of Lee Harvey Oswald, Josh Duhmael's surprisingly effective turn as a terrifyingly abusive husband, Kevin J. O'Connor as a mysterious gentleman who keeps coming into Jake's path, Tonya Pinkin's moving portrayal of the school secretary Miss Mimi, the shattered elderly janitor Harry Dunning...all of them have a particular sort of role and style to play with in this terrific miniseries, and they all impressed me with how well they fulfilled them. The Writing 11.22.63
The Night Manager
The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
Stranger Things
The Night Of
The writing of all these series are stellar, to say the least. So I'm not going to rank them. They're all terrifically written in their own ways. The Direction
1. Stranger Things
2. 11.22.63
3. The Night Of
4. The Night Manager
5. The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
An easy win to Stranger Things here as so much about the show is about the execution of tried-and-tested ideas in a fresh new context. Credit to the Duffer Brothers for taking the well-worn 80s tropes of films like E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and The Thing and finding fresh and innovative ways to deconstruct and pay homage to them visually. 11.22.63 does something similar in terms of its execution of a very modern-esque thriller with the languid backdrop of the 60s, infused with some good ol' conspiracy theory paranoia. It's effectively directed throughout, but the series does not rely on the direction as much as Stranger Things does. The other three series are all very well directed, not in a way that's unforgettably distinctive, but they tell their stories well, set up their characters well, and modulate their varying tones very well too. Cinematography
1. Stranger Things
2. 11.22.63
3. The Night Of
4. The Night Manager
5. The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
Again, Stranger Things has some downright brilliant sequences where the camera is excellently utilized; my immediate thoughts go to that unforgettable Christmas lights sequences with Joyce where the contrast of colours with the grimy background creates such an unforgettable image. I'm close to putting 11.22.63 over it though as that series has amazing cinematography as well, from its lens tinting that contrasts the various places and times Jake partakes in on his journey to kill Lee Harvey Oswald, and heart-pounding sequences towards the climax where the past pushes back against him. The Night Of has some particularly nifty tricks up its sleeves, particularly in the prison sequences where the atmospheric lighting conveys the gradually dissapating nature of Naz's innocence, and The Night Manager has some beautiful shots of luxurious areas that are straightforward but effective in suggesting the glamour of Richard Roper's lifestyle. The People v.s. O.J. Simpson, fitting for a mostly courtroom drama, is mostly workmanlike in this regard, but when it has little flourishes it does them well. Set Design
1. 11.22.63
2. Stranger Things
3. The Night Manager
4. The Night Of
5. The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
Again, all the sets suit their purposes, some more so than others. The set design of 11.22.63 is of course, particularly superlative in its recreation of that very particular sort of environment Jake Amberson undertakes his investigations in, from small-town Jodie to the larger city of Dallas. Stranger Things and The Night Manager are also excellent in this regard as they create such a throwback feel to their contemporary settings just by the subtly stylistic touches they put to their respective environments. The Night Of and The People v.s. O.J. Simpson don't really require exquisite sets, and thus their set designs are far more simple and straightforward, never bad though. Costume Design
1. Stranger Things
2. The Night Manager
3. 11.22.63
4. The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
5. The Night Of
Stranger Things has unforgettable costumes in the subtlest sort of fashion. It makes use of very everyday sorts of clothes (and in some cases, wigs), and combines them to create characters who visually imprint themselves into your mind from the outset. Particular credit to whoever thought up Eleven's disguise, and Matthew Modine's creepy David Cronenberg meets Steve Martin getup. 11.22.63 and The Night Manager have very impressive resumes of costumes to both their names, with particular highlights of the former going to its subtle variations on the 'gentlemanly' attire of the 1960s depending on the character, and for The Night Manager essentially the whole of Debicki and Hiddelston's wardrobes (though credit to the actors too for pulling every sort of fashionable look off). The People v.s. O.J. Simpson has a mixed bag of makeup and costume work, the work done on Travolta (if it was makeup at all) is a bit poor, but Sarah Paulson's wig and the general costuming works very well in helping the actors disappear into their characters. The Night Of is standard in this regard, nor does it need to be anything more than that.
Score
1. 11.22.63
2. The Night Manager
3. Stranger Things
4. The Night Of
5. The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
I'll admit none of these have a strikingly memorable score. But they're all good, atmospheric musical pieces. 11.22.63's soundtrack, as is typical for Stephen King, is incredibly crucial to maintaining the series very particular sort of vibe, and its final song, Sam Cooke's 'Nothing Can Change this Love', being rather exceptional in creating a both heartwarming and heartbreaking conclusion to a great series. 11.22.63 and Stranger Things are effective in using tense 'thriller' music in the required scenes but also 'emotional' music when things turn more heartfelt, The Night Of uses its soundtrack sparingly but effectively, particularly in its opening and final episodes, and though I can't remember the soundtrack to The People v.s. O.J. Simpson all that well, it must've been fine.
Conclusion:
I'd wholeheartedly recommend all of these television series. They're good in different ways, if I had to rank them I'd go,
1. 11.22.63
2. Stranger Things
3. The Night Manager
4. The Night Of
5. American Crime Story: The People v.s. O.J. Simpson
But they top two are just about equally marvellous, The Night Manager is a terrific miniseries, The Night Of a very solid one I'm greatly anticipating the second season of, and American Crime Story shows a great deal of promise for the future.
Next on my list: Westworld, The Crown, Daredevil, Atlanta, and yeah of course I need to get down to House of Cards...
Billy Bob Thornton played Willie Stoke in Bad Santa
Thought I'd start off with the Santa of every parent's nightmares. Bad Santa is one of my favourite 'crass comedies' of recent times. It's unrepentant, unreserved approach to the uncouth material, inspired by the Coen Brothers no less, makes it a tremendously entertaining film all-round. It does admittedly peak at the beginning with the titular bad Santa at his very worst swearing at kids, engaging in hanky panky in the dressing room stalls, and insulting every friend or foe (mostly foe) that crosses his path, and some of the latter bits where things start to get serious are a bit tonally imbalanced. Nevertheless, it contains one of the funniest and least try-hard scripts in recent memories and has a certain heart to all its vulgarity, which I'll get onto in a bit. Also, any film with added Bernie Mac as a sideshow of added hilarity is a very good one.
Billy Bob Thornton is not exactly the first name that comes to mind when you think Santa, and that's the genius behind the casting choice. Thornton plays very much into his body of work as an actor before this film as a generally Southern hillbilly sort, or at the very least an extremely deadpan sort of fella, and makes Willie Stoke a man in his element cussing, heavy drinking, shagging, and crime, being not averse at all to it on the job. His Santa is a Santa of the most depraved and haggard variety and thus utterly hilarious. Every scene where we watch his Willie Stoke try his best to conduct himself as a 'respectable' Santa in public and utterly failing is a joy to behold, whether it's through his incredulous responses to kid's requests for gifts, or arguing with his boss (John Ritter) about what is and isn't acceptable for Santa to be doing on the job, as he almost acts as an evil cousin to Edmund Gwenn's Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street as a menace to the cheery air of the department store he works in.
The more personal elements to Willie are seen in his interactions with other characters. With his partner in crime, the dwarf Marcus (Tony Cox) there's a breezy rapport undercut by a certain animoysity as despite being fellow criminals, neither is entirely trusting of the other; and with Lauren Graham's Sue, there's a buregeoning relationship that's twisted and darkly funny in its own way (wait till you see what she thinks of Santa as a kink), but also rather sweet. Most importantly there's his relationship with the overweight, guillble but rather sweet and strangely named Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly). Thurman believes that Willie really is Santa, despite Willie's best attempts to prove to him otherwise with his antisocial behaviour, and thus goes under his wing to the man's horror. Thorton's performance is brilliant in how he manages to make Willie slowly warm up to the boy without ever losing that venomous edge to the character. He even makes the somewhat inadequate and sudden scenes towards the end where Willie begins moralizing rather powerful in a way through his character's subtle transition. It's a brilliant comedic performance and Thornton and the writing make it into essential Christmas viewing for the atypical, perhaps somewhat miserly, viewer. Edmund Gwenn played 'Kris Kringle' in Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Miracle on 34th Street is a terrific Christmas film, up there with my absolute favourites, and contains within it one of, if not the, most iconic, definitive cinematic Clauses to the silver screen in Edmund Gwenn's 'Kris Kringle', a role he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for but which is really a lead role. The film is centred around Kringle, offering his services to replace the inadequate, inebriated Santa at a Macy's Day Parade, and subsequently doing such a good job that he's offered a job as the department store Santa on 34th street. Complications arise when Kringle's repeatedly insists that he is Santa Clause. Various courtroom proceedings and hijinks to prove this very fact result in hilarity, an a surprisingly emotional core to how Kris impacts the affably goofy lawyer who defends him (John Payne), his cynical boss (Maureen O'Hara), and her loveable daughter (Natalie Wood).
Kringle is in many ways an uncomplicated character, and also despite the characters within the film making a big deal over whether or not he's Santa, it's pretty clear from the outset that Kris is most certainly Santa. There's such an innate kindness and sweet sincerity to Gwenn's performance from the outset that makes no other outcome possible. He really just is Santa, no question about it, and part of the fun is watching how he inserts this curious, kooky figure into the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. So much of the film's humorous touch relies upon Gwenn's excellent timing in his character's pleasantness and genuine righteousness played against less savoury characters like the nasty psychiatrist played by Porter Hall, his gentle guidance of an overweight and impressionable young employee at 34th street, his easygoing and often hilarious rapport with Payne, and best of all his kindness towards the children. With Natalie Wood, his Kris Kringle makes such an affecting grandfather figure but also a magical Santa figure, and helps to create unforgettable scenes like his Dutch-speaking, Dutch-singing scene with an adopted girl which are truly one-of-a-kind. As the film progresses we watch as the world attempts to tear Kris Kringle down, but Gwenn's consistent portrayal of Kris' kindness makes it convincing how others continue to root for him, and even his opposition gradually find themselves won over by this adorable old man. Richard Attenborough played 'Kris Kringle' in Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Attenborough's performance as Kris Kringle is probably the best thing about this remake, which as far as remakes go isn't terrible. I actually quite love the slight subversion of the 'Dutch-speaking' scene in the remake with the deaf girl as it is genuinely quite moving too, unfortunately most of the cast members just aren't up to scratch, and the direction and script feel merely like pale, derivative imitations of the original, of a lesser variety. Attenborough is very endearing in the role and plays Kris better than anyone could've possibly done in his position, but one aspect the film limits him is in the humorous side of things. The bland direction means tha a lot of the laughs are compromised, and while Atttenborough and Gwenn are just about equally sweet, I'd say Gwenn mines a lot more laughs while Attenborough is forced to be a bit more straightforward by the film. Shame about that since we know how absolutely hilarious Attenborough can be when he wants to be (Doctor Dolittle, Jurassic Park, bits of The Great Escape, and 10 Rillington Place of course, that barrel of laughs). Douglas Seale played Santa Claus in Ernest Saves Christmas
The Ernest films with Jim Varney (probably best known nowadays as the voice of Slinky in the first two Toy Story films) are actually quite a bit of fun, if not exactly very well-made films, and this one is no exception. The dumb but endearing redneck Ernest and his exploits are humorous in a lighthearted way as usual, but Seale as Santa is the highlight of the film, oh so utterly convincing even amidst all the absurdity, and makes his Santa a rather low-key and humorous presence within the film to counterbalance its more extreme elements. Tim Allen played Santa Claus in The Santa Clause
Another Toy Story alumni, Mr Allen, played Santa too in a fun, if slight, little twist on the Santa mythos. Subsequent sequels are by all accounts awful, but this first venture by Allen into the Santa suit is quite a bit of fun. Allen plays Scott Calvin, your classic family film 'divorced', 'overworked executive' father who one night, accidentally pushes a supposed 'intruder', Santa, off his roof and is forced to gradually accept that he is the replacement Santa, with the help of his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), and head elf Bernard (David Krumholtz). I do like the film's very simple approach, which is basically to throw all sorts of difficulties and pratfalls at Allen as he gradually transforms into Santa, and though it's nothing remarkable overall, it works for the film and his gradual transition into Santa Claus is rather enjoyable, overall. Ed Asner played Santa Claus in Elf
Santa plays a relatively small role here - the largest role goes to his oversized elf played by Will Ferrell - but Santa is just another facet of this rather lovely, and deservedly well-praised family Christmas comedy, the voice of the lovely fella in Up here used to give Santa that kindly and fatherly edge that helps encourage Ferrell's Buddy along his way. Tom Hanks 'played' Santa Claus in The Polar Express
Also a small role, and unfortuantely, like most of the mo-cap performances in this Robert Zemeckis misfire, Santa comes across as a bit creepy due to the technology used, and Hanks doesn't really disappear into the role vocally either, making this Santa a rather underwhelming one, fitting to a rather underwhelming film. I will say though that I can see Hanks playing Santa Claus in a more inspired, creatively fruitful incarnation of the character. Boris Karloff narrated/voiced the Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Perhaps the definitive translation of Dr Seuss onto the screen, this adaptation of his most famous children's story flawlessly captures the whimsical, youthful but also rather knowing air of the story of the mean Grinch who stole and eventually finds the spirit of, Christmas. Karloff's narration is essential to this televised version of the story working as the words and rhyme spring off his tongue beautifully, and he manages to bring a bit of humour and even emotion to his deadpan delivery that makes his clipped, concise wordings of the story so fun to listen to. Jim Carrey played the Grinch in Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Now this is an interesting one to examine. This won't be the last Jim Carrey performance I'll be examining this Christmas season, but it's no spoiler to say that this is, in my opinion, the far better of the two. Carrey's Grinch is in an exceedingly problematic film which, for the sake of padding the running time, adds in all manner of unnecessary and somewhat distasteful inclusions to the plot, including a very ill-conceived romantic subplot. Nevertheless, Carrey as is usual for him, gives it all to the film, working under layers of what must've been unbearable makeup and saccharine direction by Ron Howard, and manages to give the Grinch a unique voice and memorable physical qualities that are not just quirk for quirk's sake, but help to create a fairly interesting Grinch. Now beyond that the film has difficulty in making the Grinch's Scrooge arc work with how weird and unlikeable they make him from the outset, but Carrey gives it his best shot and ends up making at the very least his relationship with his sweet little dog and sweet little girl Cindy Lou have some sort of resonance.
How would I rank these performances as 'Santa?
Billy Bob Thornton, Bad Santa
Edmund Gwenn, Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Boris Karloff, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Douglas Seale, Ernest Saves Christmas
Richard Attenborough, Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Tim Allen, The Santa Clause
Jim Carrey, Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Ed Asner, Elf
Tom Hanks, The Polar Express
How would I rank these Christmas films?
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) (5/5)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (4.5/5)
Bad Santa (4.5/5)
Elf (4/5)
The Santa Clause (3/5)
Ernest Saves Christmas (3/5)
Miracle on 34th Street (1994) (2.5/5)
Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Polar Express (2.5/5)
Bonus -
Darren McGavin played Mr Parker/The Old Man in A Christmas Story
Now this is a film I haven't seen in ages, and perhaps it's apt time to revisit it. Anyway, Darren McGavin doesn't actually play Santa here, but rather the titular Ralphie's (Peter Billingsley) dad/Old Man. Even without having seen it in a long, long time I still remember McGavin being a hilarious but ultimately rather sweet presence as the boisterous and kindhearted dad who soars with delight at his 'leg lamp' Christmas gift and who ultimately gives Ralphie his heart's desire.
There's a small but harrowing moment in the midst of one of the many unforgettable war scenes of Mel Gibson's latest directorial effort, where an American and Japanese soldier unleash primal screams of unbridled rage, as their flailing limbs interlock in a violent embrace, and a grenade goes off between them. War is hell, mindless hell for both sides, one which drives men to the very edge - quite literally, here, in the setting of the titular ridge, a battleground enclosed by the cliff face of Maeda Escarpment in Okinawa. There is no good or bad in killing, only pain and suffering that blurs all such distinctions; Mel Gibson's latest film depicts war vividly, but refuses to glorify it in the process.
And yet ultimately, Hacksaw Ridge, though immersing the viewer in a bleak and horrible setting where horrors and fears set in even before the first bullets are fired, is at the same time the most inspirational film of the year, and I'd argue this decade so far. As viscerally realized as the terrifying state of war, is the focal figure of our story, real-life war hero Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a Seventh-day Adventist Christian who enlists in WWII as a conscientious objector, a combat medic who goes into battle without a single weapon to protect himself, and wound up rescuing over 75 soldiers in the Battle of Okinawa.
It's a fantastic real-life story, to be sure, and Gibson himself has admitted that creative licence was not required often in the planning stages of Hacksaw Ridge; all the heroism and drama is there in the life and times of Desmond Doss. Yet a great real-life story or figure is not a guarantee of a great film. The onus was on Gibson, a man who has experienced his fair share of controversy over the past few years with regards to his personal life, to not only distance himself from those unfortunate incidents in the public eye, but also the purity of his work as an actor and director. For some, recent incidents have retroactively tainted his work as an actor (which I don't quite buy even though I'm not the hugest fan), and a director (which I completely disagree with since I still think Braveheart and Apocalypto are stupendous directorial achievements). As for this film, some have called it a redemptive piece, a musing on peacefulness and morality in the face of insurmountable odds; now who am I to make judgement on whether it is or isn't, that's Gibson's personal business, and subject to opinion. What is undeniable is that he's crafted a film that is both a cinematic marvel in almost all regards, but also a powerful homage to a great man that never loses sight of what he stood for.
The film kicks off in medias res on the battlefields of burning bodies and relentless artillery firing, a taster so to speak of things to come as the voiceover of Desmond Doss muses over the resilience of God's kindness and love towards his children. What could seem overbearing and sanctimonious in the wrong hands is eloquently rendered in the mellifluous delivery of Garfield, spouting out his lines with an earnest and endearing Southern accent, and I was completely won over by Doss before I'd even gotten to properly meet him. Meet him we do, by going back to his early life before the war, as Gibson's direction switches to an old-school, rather earnest style in depicting how Doss becomes the man we glimpsed briefly on the battlefields.
The tone and style of these scenes might put some off as they are largely rather old-fashionably wholesome in their approach, with Doss' courtship of his future wife Dorothy Schutte (Teresa Palmer) in particular hearkening back to the days of Howard Hawks and (dare I say it) a bit of Frank Capra. Though simple, however, these scenes of Desmond and Dorothy never feel out of place. The two actors establish a chemistry and understated love between the two that pulsates throughout the film even through the second half. Undercutting the 'aw shucks' courtships of Desmond and his general happy-go-lucky attitude (he loves birds and walks through the woods, he helps his mum out decorating the church) are Desmond's father (Hugo Weaving), an alcoholic WWI veteran haunted by the deaths of his brothers in arms, a growing interest in medicine, and news from the front lines which build up to Desmond enlisting. These formative experiences all help in one way or the other to give a sense of his code of religious pacifism, and his natural compulsion to help others as a US army medic. Some might consider these scenes a drag, but they are absolutely essential to making the film work as well as it does.
Things kick off into higher gear once Desmond goes off to war camp, and if comparisons to Forrest Gump may have come in to your mind from the early suburban scenes of sweet awkward Desmond Doss, then the trials of Private Doss will immediately subvert that from the moment Vince Vaughn's Sergeant Howell, an deliciously comedic spin on the drill sergeant commander role, steps in to mouth off and insult every man in his regiment. Tougher times lie ahead, and while Desmond is every bit the physically adept, driven and respectful soldier like ol' Gump (and a quick runner too, to boot), there's a catch: he refuses to even touch a rifle due to his pacifist stance of not killing. This section in the film is rather excellent and reminded me of Paths of Glory in more ways than one, as nailbiting scenes of Army trials and tribulations present out hero with his first adversities. Doss gets an awful lot of shit from both the higher up authorities and his fellow soldiers for what they see as 'cowardice', but what he sees as sticking to his principles in the face of adversity: participating in a war not through violence, but to help piece together what it shatters through violence.
And shatter it does, physically and emotionally on the soldiers of the 77th Infantry Division. From the very moment they enter Okinawa and watch rows of wagons carrying dead, dying and disillusioned soldiers, the stench of death and decay can be felt in every frame. Gibson's work up to that point is stellar, but it's from the moment we enter the war zone where he makes a case for some of the best direction of not only his career, but of any war film ever. Gibson builds the tension up to unbearable levels and releases it into unrelenting bursts of violence, the gore terrifying but never excessive, as we watch valiant men crushed by the enemy forces. Some dive in with courage and hardboiled conviction, others are realistically portrayed as terrified and out of their element, and many are mown down in great numbers. The chaotic incoherence in many action films nowadays is nowhere to be found here; each brutal death on either side is realized in often brief but incredibly effective fashion. The cinematography of Simon Duggan, and the concise editing of John Gilbert create a visual experience of war like few others, the flames and gunfire against the stark gray landscape creating some unforgettable images. Perhaps even more impressive, though, is the sound editing: each gunshot and scream imprints itself so powerfully in your mind, that I think I'll need a re-watch to properly appreciate how the terrific work of the sound department amplifies the visual work through its immersive enclosure of the audience.
Gibson combines all these elements together to create a great depiction of a terrible war, seemingly having taken a few pages out of Terence Malick and Peter Weir's notebooks on how to create beautiful horror in warfare. What pushes his direction a step further is the inspirational element he brings to it through all the chaos. As he did with the romanticized tale of William Wallace, Gibson treads the fine line between misery and hope brilliantly and never loses sight of his protagonist's emotionally empowering journey as a saviour to his people. Unlike the largely fictionalized exploits of Wallace, however, all Private Doss did was real. If you haven't watched any of the trailers yet, I'd advise you not to - it further enhances the impact of his acts of courage if you're watching them all for the first time, scrambling across the battlefields, finding strategic ways of helping his comrades that cleverly hearken back to earlier scenes, and uttering words of comfort and solace to the wounded and dying. There's a powerful core to every action of this fast-moving Private that not even the great Braveheart touched in how such a 'coward' can be in the spur of the moment, the bravest man on the battlefields without raising a gun. His heroism is handled in a largely realistic fashion, as you can feel the strain and effort of every life saved at Desmond's hands, and the fear at being discovered and killed by the Japanese, that even the scenes which stretch the boundaries of reality a bit (for example, a somewhat Hollywood-esque bout of sniper-ing by Vince Vaughan, and a crucial act of bravery on Desmond Doss' behalf in the last act that actually happened) feel completely earnt. Like Jesus walked on water, you'll believe this Desmond can do just about anything.
Note I haven't talked all that much about the central performance thus far; I feel I'll be talking a lot about him come awards season thus far, so for now I'll be coy. But, without giving away too much, one particular scene where he internalizes a distraught pleading to God into a dignified conviction in the Lord's command is some of the finest bit of acting I've seen so far this year. I'm so glad his release from The Amazing Spider-Man series has brought such great projects to him; can't wait till Silence. And though Garfield is the star and centrepiece, the rest of the cast is uniformly excellent too. Palmer is a charming and infectious presence, making the most out of a very simple love interest character, while Weaving gives what might be a career-best turn as the distraught, abusive but deep down, loving father figure whose big scenes are some of the film's most affecting - I could've gone for a lot more of him. On the soldier front, Vaughan is a rather enjoyable, off-kilter presence as the abrasive 'mentor' to the men, Sam Worthington's Captain Glover is a stoic but emphatic presence, and all of Doss' cohorts make a collective impact in their reactions to the war (a re-watch will be required to pick out particular standouts since everyone was on point, but I liked Luke Pegler's Hollywood Zane a great deal). Special credit must go to Luke Bracey who manages to transition his callous bully in the camp scenes to a real hero by the end of his war scenes.
Though it's tempting to pine for what would have been the second and undoubtedly brilliant collaboration between James Horner and Mel Gibson before the former's untimely death, Rupert Gregson-William's score is in itself a masterful bit of work that enhances the emotional impact or tension of every scene without going overboard, helping to drive forward a very strong and well-rounded screenplay by Andrew Knight and Robert Schnekkan. Some might consider the presentation of the enemy Japanese as overly simplistic, but I'd say that's kind of the point of the film: the adversaries are almost always viewed from afar as distant but lethal threats, bar two scenes, one which I'm still ruminating over whether it's entirely necessary, but the other which is one of the most powerful scenes of the film, a sort of The Thin Red Line statement of how in death we are all at one with another.
Speaking of which, the film shows Desmond Doss treating and rescuing Japanese soldiers, which he certainly did partake in his real-life exploits. Reading about the real-life truths of his service (http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/hacksaw-ridge/) shows what a truly heroic figure he was, to the extent that Gibson had to leave some stuff out like his rescuing of a wounded soldier after being heavily wounded by sniper fire himself. Simply put, this is a brilliant film, my favourite of 2016 (and it'll take something amazing to top this), and if I had to summarize it with a comparison, I'd say it's a bit of Mr Smith Goes to Washington in Garfield's portrayal of an ultimate Jimmy Stewart-esque do-gooder with full-bodied sincerity and convcition in the face of overwhelming odds, with the great war vibes of The Thin Red Line and Paths of Glory as aforementioned. And don't be surprised if after you check it out, Desmond Doss' 'Please, Lord, let me get one more' rings again and again in your head; it's an unforgettable experience.
