My Bottom 10 of 2017

10. Justice League

This is just a huge, huge mess in terms of story, character dynamics, introduction of the DC universe elements. Some of the CGI is downright atrocious considering how much money was spent on all this, and I'm not just talking about Henry Cavill's removed moustache. The villain is terrible both in concept and execution. There's some good things about it, as I said it's easy enough to get through and there's potential to be had in most of its heroes, but it could've been so much better.

9. The Hitman's Bodyguard

I didn't hate this, in fact I quite enjoyed some parts, but it is not a good film. Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson are fun to watch together and elicit some laughs, but everything else ranges from painfully mediocre to downright bad. The action sequences are some of the more pedestrian put to Hollywood film in recent years, none of the story beats make all that much sense, it shifts awkwardly between goofy comedy and unnecessarily dark depths, the likes of Gary Oldman and Salma Hayek are wasted and I'm not sure what Elodie Yung was trying to do here. I would have honestly much preferred to just watch an hour long interview with both Jackson and Reynolds in any costume of their choice.

8. Split

There's two good things about this film, one which can be found above. James McAvoy who really gives it his all with a pretty intriguing portrayal of multiple personalities, and the fact it helps set up a sequel to my favourite M. Night Shaymalan film. Otherwise though, I found the film to be a complete waste of time. Like Mother! it feels exploitative without any real reason to be other than to titillate. It never gets under your skin given the potential it has to do so, and again Shaymalan proves dialogue and realistic plot turns to not be his strong suit.

7. Mother! 

I generally don't mind Aronofsky, Black Swan and The Wrestler are both effective acting showcases and Requiem for a Dream is a pretty solid film. But I really disliked mother!, Mother!, whichever way you want to call it. It's not without merit, Aronofsky always has an eye for distinctive set design, the Biblical allegories at the outset are kind of interesting, and Jennifer Lawrence is good in the leading role as usual. But the further it goes with its allegories without any nuance, the more ridiculous it got for me, and not in an entertaining way. The stilted, on-the-nose dialogue really grates on the ears and every attempt at horror or thrills just left me very cold. The third act, which had some potential, is upended by just how exploitative it feels without any substance, feeling like a complete and utter mess. I can see why some love this film, but I really, really didn't.

6. Ghost in the Shell

Funnily enough the things which were causing the most fuss prior to the film's release bothered me the least about this. And yes, the way they try getting around casting Scarlett Johansson as the Major results in a third act revelation that would've probably offended me if I hadn't been so numbed and desensitized by how utterly boring everything else was. The thing is, the action, the scenery, the visuals all look kind of nice, but in a very standard, generic video game way. It's a very hollow exercise in derivative filmmaking, mixed with a mixed bag of performances, and a dreadful final act.

5. The Discovery

Another one which was just boring. The idea of scientists investigating the afterlife and the ethical repercussions of it seems like it could lead somewhere interesting, but it never does. It's an aimless, and very blandly directed film, not helped by the complete lack of chemistry between its two leads. It seems to be trying for something very cold and clinical in its execution of the subject matter, but ends up testing your patience to the point of complete boredom and disassociation with anything going on onscreen.

4. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

I really wanted to like this but I couldn't. It's bad, it really is - like Jupiter Ascending, but without the campy laughs or Eddie Redmanye screaming his head off (in the hammy Brits department this is terribly scarce, with Clive Owen slumming his way through). There's a few nice visual touches but it mostly feels like a glossier, more expensive but altogether less invigorating The Fifth Element. It has a particularly obnoxious lead in Dane DeHaan (Cara Delavigne is actually okay in comparison), a conspiracy plot that goes round in circles and needless detours, and wastes what could've been a pretty cracking, carefree sci-fi yarn for something dumb that takes itself way too seriously.

3. The Snowman 

Genuinely disappointed by this film, since it was on my top 30 'most anticipated' list for the year. It ended up being such a complete mess of tones, storylines, performances - Michael Fassbender gives a pretty bad performance - and Tomas Alfredson, so brilliant in his direction of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, can't keep a coherent storyline together, let alone do anything significant with the mystery genre. It just feels painfully inadequate throughout, the murder investigation never quite makes sense, and though some of the scenery and cinematography is nice, it was a truly painful experience to get through.

2. The Circle

I'm really tempted to put this at the 'top' of my list. James Ponsoldt's last film was The End of the Tour, one of my favourite films of the decade so far - an intelligent and deeply moving depiction of two complex individuals shooting the breeze. This is not an intelligent, moving, or even tonally coherent film whatsoever. In fact it's perhaps the most tone-deaf film of the year. It seems to watn to be a technological satire, but never ends up being particularly techno-savvy, or satirical. It seems oh so straightforward and bland about everything, that it feels like simple watching a normal everyday workplace, except people talk in the most stilted and unnatural manner, and as the film gets more 'ridiculous' in its concepts it clashes horribly with the dull and dreary tone. The performances are uniformly underwhelming (John Boyega, Karen Gillan, and Tom Hanks are wasted), or downright awful (Emma Watson is terrible, Ellar Coltrane is even worse). All in all a pretty miserable experience, thankfully (or not so thankfully) I only had to resort to Netflix for it.

1. Transformers: The Last Knight

Yeah, to be honest the main reason I put this at the top is that, while there's some 'so bad it's kind of amusing' touches to The Circle, The Last Knight represents the nadir to Michael Bay's career (of which the peak was of course, The Rock). I actually pulled my phone out in the middle of watching this in the cinema, a cardinal sin in almost any regard though it was a very empty cinema, with only a friend next to me. Mark Kermode described it as not the worst Transformers film, but rather the most dull one - I'd have to concur apart from the 'not the worst' part because this was just an exercise in failure, in pretty much every regard. I don't consider myself an expert on aspect ratios, but it was distracting to the point of a headache here with how often they switched it around. The script is a hot swirling hogwash turd mix of Arthurian legend, offensive stereotypes, a villainous plan that's too complex for even its instigator to fully comprehend, and Anthony Hopkins being oh so very British and uncouth. Speaking of which he gives the only vaguely passable performance in the film, once again many decent actors are wasted entirely, and Mark Wahlberg gives a lead performance devoid of any charm, conviction, or even unintentional comic moments. The worst thing about it, though, might be the action. Each action sequence is an indistinguishable mess, you never know what to focus on and you really don't want to, and the only feeling I got out of watching the robots pummel one another was that of utter defeat: any potential the Transformers films ever had is gone, gone.

Top 30 Films of 2017

Honourable Mentions: Spider-Man Homecoming, a slight but enjoyable return of the friendly neighbourhood webslinger; Last Flag Flying, an entertaining old-school buddy dramedy with stellar performances across the board; Baby Driver, lesser Edgar Wright but still entertaining Edgar Wright; Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, predictable but heartfelt tearjerker; Logan Lucky, a flawed but delightful crime caper with a great cast; God's Own Country, a low-key and affectionate rural romance; Free Fire, a slightly contrived but very entertaining comedy-thriller; Molly's Game, a somewhat hit-and-miss but frequently compelling Aaron Sorkin feature.

2017 has been a pretty great year for films thus far; let's see how my top 30 shape up at this point (subject to change)

30. The Death of Stalin

Entertaining political comedy from the one and only Armando Iannucci. It doesn't quite hit the heights of In the Loop in the satire department, Alan Partridge in the laughs department, and it feels a bit tonally imbalanced towards the end, but it's effortlessly entertaining for the most part, with fine performances across the board exploiting the ludicrous horror of the the Soviet power struggles. 

29. Stronger

One could consider this a failed attempt at Oscar bait, with regards to it underperfoming in awards season thus far. I'd say this is a far better film than a lot of similar fare, though. It tells the inspirational story of the recovery of Boston Bombing victim Jeff Bauman with many of the usual story beats, but with nice doses of humour and honesty that make it seem far more genuine than the usual 'inspirational biopic', with excellent performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany.

28. Maudie

A simple, straightforward real-life tale of Canadian artist Maud Lewis (played brilliantly by Sally Hawkins) who defied her impoverished background and arthiritis condition to become an underdog success story. It's very much your standard sort of prestige biopic, but what elevates it are amazing performances by both Hawkins and Ethan Hawke as her brutish husband with hidden depths, and sensitive direction by Aisling Walsh who creates a portait-like atmosphere with every frame.

27. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

I'll admit my enthusiasm for this particular Marvel film has diminished a bit over time. I still like it a great deal, but it does go through the plot in an all-too-predictable yet somewhat disordered fashion, and fails to develop many of its characters. Having said that, it's still very funny, very entertaining, visually impressive, and with many outstanding sequences, many involving either Michael Rooker's Yondu being a badass, or Dave Bautista's Drax just being Drax.

26. It

Another film I'm still a fan of, but removed from the hype I've come to appreciate it more as a pretty good rather than great horror film. It ticks all of the boxes in terms of scares and chills, and brings together the Loser's Club gang together in an organic and realistic fashion, but never quite goes the extra mile for me to truly love it. It's a strong film overall, but it never quite gets under your skin like it could. I will say though that it's testament to the strength of 2017 that this is so low on my list.

25. Thor Ragnarok 

This is a great example of both Marvel's greatest weaknesses and strengths. On one hand it's constrained a bit by the universe-building aspect of its films, particularly the Thor films, and Cate Blanchett's villain is severely underwhelming. Having said that, the rest of the film when it's delving into less serious waters, is fantastic. Taika Waititi proves once again there's no one around quite like him, delivering both as a deliciously inventive sci-fi/action auteur and mo-cap rock monster Korg. It makes one of the less interesting Avengers surprisingly endearing and brings us along on a somewhat uneven, but more often than not very entertaining ride.

24. Lady Macbeth

Not an adaptation of Macbeth from the female perspective as the title might suggest, but a brooding, slow-burn period drama with a terrific star-making performance by Florence Pugh as Katherine, a socially and sexually repressed Victorian woman in a loveless marriage, who soon finds herself in a dangerous liason that spirals out of control. The film tests your patience and I'm not quite sure about the ending, but is genuinely quite exhilirating, haunting and even darkly funny in its portrayal of a Victorian household gone mad.

23. Your Name 

A small, modest and straightforward anime film that delivers on everything you'd expect of it - the tale of two teenagers divided by location, space and time is an endearing, enjoyable watch with a surprising amount of heart. This could easily go up my rankings with a re-watch.

22. Trainspotting 2

This one actually requires re-watches to properly appreciate. It's by no means a reprise of the original Trainspotting, a very different sort of beast. It is a more heartfelt, contemplative film on a very different set of themes. It may be a bit too understated at times, with a few unnecessary subplots. But while it's not quite as good as the first film, it is an effective, poignant and at times quite hilarious successor, and has particularly moving arcs for Sick Boy and Spud.

21. The Lego Batman Movie

The best film starring Batman this year, but that's not quite enough praise. I liked The Lego Movie but I liked this one even more. It's got perfect voice casting across the board, a gag within every frame that rewards repeat viewings, and a more poignant exploration of Batman as a father figure than perhaps any Batman film, ever. It's not perfect, there are a few groaners and they might employ one too many popular villains for their own good, but it's one of the most purely enjoyable films I've seen this year.

20. Good Time

It was maybe a bit overhyped for me going in to see it - seems to be every Reddit film fanatic's top film of 2017 - but it certainly is a very, very good film. Featuring yet another excellent performance by Robert Pattinson (he's choosing such interesting projects) as a real scumbag, it's a fast-paced ride by the Safdie brothers where interesting visuals, a pulse-pounding soundtrack and some morbidly fascinating turns in the story make for a rather compelling trip through nighttime New York.

19. Battle of the Sexes

I'd go even higher if it weren't for a few nitpicks about how it uses certain individuals as straw men and women, but on the whole this is just a delightful old-fashioned crowd-pleaser. It merges the personal and professional lives of Billy Jean King (Emma Stone, fantastic) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell, surprisingly great) seamlessly, delivers its message for equal opportunity with the right amount of substance, and builds to its emotional finale very well. It's good comedy and effective drama blended together into a very sumptuous concoction.

18. Foxtrot

A strange, odd little Israeli drama, which takes perhaps the most twists and turns of any film I've seen this year even though it's not strictly speaking a mystery or genre picture. It is an excellently directed film by Samuel Maoz about a rich family finding out their son has died in the line of duty as a soldier - but it's not quite what it seems. The film endlessly pulls emotional tricks on the audience with a very deft hand, as it reveals the very odd and disconcerting story at its core about life in the military service gone terribly wrong. It might be a bit lacking in subtext, and not every stylistic touch pays off, but when they do it's a unique and compelling take on the traumas of life as a soldier.

17. Wind River

It's got a pretty terrible performance by James Jordan in a pivotal role and may feel a bit underwhelming for those expecting the heights of Sicario and Hell or High Water from screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (here making his directorial debut), but I really dug this low-key drama set on an Indian Reservation in Wyoming. It's tautly directed and written with that organic, beautifully flowing dialogue Sheridan's known for, and while the casting of its lead may be somewhat questionable, Jeremy Renner is pretty phenomenal in the role.

16. Wonder Woman 

I have a few issues, namely the once again underwhelming villains (though more forgettable than outright bad) that somewhat obscure the message the film is trying to make. However, it succeeds in so many regards that I'd have to call it a pretty big success overall. It's got beautiful cinematography and music, with such care and detail paid to its technical elements, and with such a inspiring streak of goodwill and optimism coursing through its veins that make it stand out so well among much of the overly snarky/cynical blockbuster fare nowadays. And that 'No Man's Land' scene will stand the test of time.

15. Paddington 2

Like the adorable little bear and his jar of marmalade, sweet and endearing as ever. Every bit as entertaining as the first film, it's marvellous how Paul King has managed to carve out a Wes Anderson-esque visual feast for the eyes in the story of this simple little bear and his beloved Brown family. It's got particularly entertaining turns by British veterans Brendan Gleeson and Hugh Grant (yes, Hugh Grant), Ben Whishaw's voice is pitch perfect as ever for Paddington, and pretty much every gag lands. A delightful film.

14. The Big Sick

It stalls a bit in the third act, but The Big Sick is one of the funniest films of the year, with Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon bringing to life elements of their real-life romance to the silver screen. I really enjoyed the film for its frequently hilarious puns playing on stereotypes and ethnic preconceptions, but what stood out for me most was its depiction of the love interest's parents, played perfectly by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter, as fully-fledged, four-dimensional figures.

13. Blade Runner 2049

This return to the Blade Runner universe is supported by Roger Deakins' spellbinding cinematography, strong performances with the highlight being Ana de Armas, and a real sense of affinity with the original while stretching out in its own directions as its very own beast. There are problems I have with it, namely in its villains which I found a bit underwhelming compared to the original, and I'm still not quite sure how I feel about some of the last-minute third act revelations. But it certainly is a visual marvel, and I'm very glad Denis Villeneuve got to make his dream project since it's a damn fine film.

12. The Last Jedi 

As with the two other recent Star Wars film, this is a tough one to rank. I've settled on The Force Awakens as being a 'very entertaining if very safe' film and Rogue One as an 'daring but flawed film', and for this one I've no idea whether I'll end up more on the positive or negative side of things. There are elements of it that are pretty bad, and I don't mean the porgs: a subplot detour into a strange casino planet, and a few poorly placed jokes or corny moments, which don't feel as organic as in The Force Awakens, plus it doesn't build upon some of the best dynamics between the characters in that film. But almost everything else is very good or downright amazing. Everything between Luke, Rey, and Kylo is perfect. The action sequences once they really get going, carry a real weight and the cinematography is really fantastic. Every minute of the third act is the best Star Wars has ever been. I loved a lot, to the point I forgive a lot of the poorly conceived elements, though I still can't ignore them.

11. Call Me By Your Name

Blasphemy! I hear you say. How can this be so low? Well as I've iterated before, it's testament to the year that films I had such strong feelings for feel relatively 'low' in placement, and this is certainly the case here. This is a visually sumptuous romance that depicts its central relationship with style and yet without pretension. It feels heartfelt and earns every bit of joy and sorrow it squeezes out of you, and creates a real sense of being in the presence of true love and pain. A beautiful film.

10. The Shape of Water

Guillermo del Toro is simply a genius fantasy filmmaker. Everything here involving his Asset, played by of course Doug Jones, and its romance with the mute Eliza (another great Sally Hawkins performance), is some of the best filmmaking he's ever done. Del Toro recreates the period setting of 60s Baltimore with such eloquence and passion. Technically a few of the subplots are a bit on the simplistic side, but they still work well for the film, and it only ever moves and resonates with the depiction of its odd, affecting, and oddly affecting central relationship.

9. Okja 

Bong Joon-ho is one of the best directors working today, blending entertainment and emotional depth like few others, and with Okja he's made perhaps the most accessible of his films. It works as an exciting adventure story, an environmental/animal rights message film, a clever social satire, it blends together so many different tones and themes, yet works completely. There's an overwrought performance by Jake Gyllenhaal that slightly sullies things, but the acting is otherwise stellar across the board, and you really grow to care so much about the big lumbering creature.

8. Lucky

A remarkable film which may not seem like much on the tin, old scraggly man confronting his mortality, where have we seen that before. Well this one really stands out from the ouevre by being genuinely heartfelt, moving, as well as incredibly hilarious, without ever really making a fuss about it. I loved every moment spent in the company of the titular individual, played to perfection by Harry Dean Stanton. It's a breezy film that finds profundity in the smallest moments, with John Carroll Lynch proving that he may well be the next great actor-cum-director with his Jim Jarmusch-esque work here.

7. Logan

The best Wolverine film, the best X-Men film, and one of the greatest comic book movies of all-time. It puts such an inspired spin on the character and utilized a perfect blend of hard-hitting violence and emotional depth and devastation, to craft a great neo-Western and a fitting tribute to not only Jackman's Logan but also Stewart's Charles Xavier. I don't even like the X-Men all that much in general, but I loved this film.

6. The Florida Project

Divisive ending which I've grown to like in its own peculiar way aside, this is a near-masterpiece which manages to make the worldly housing projects of Orlando have an air of childlike magic, while never shying away from its unsavoury truths. It's a powerful and poignant film, but also filled with such optimism at its edges, and directed beautifully by Sean Baker with two wonderful performances by Brooklynn Prince and Willem Dafoe (Kermode discusses it really well here so I'll link his review)

5. Dunkirk 

The best directed film of the year, this might not be Christopher Nolan's best film but it's probably the best example of his direction. The film is an unflinching symphony of war, amplified by an outstanding Hans Zimmer soundtrack, depicting the horrors of war in an utterly devastating yet compelling. It's a terrific war film that achieves so many things at once, from dogfights to sea warfare to a heartfelt tribute to the British spirit.

4. The Disaster Artist

The funniest film of the year, and also one of the most inspiring. It nails the insanity of Tommy Wiseau's 'The Room' and the man himself, but is also a rather fascinating examination of the unique and sometimes ugly determination of the man to achieve his dreams. The Franco brothers are both great, and the film achieves the perfect balance between comedy and drama, and uncanny recreations of scenes from The Room.

3. Get Out

WARNING: if you haven't seen the film, don't watch the trailer. Instead, I'll leave one of Key & Peele's funniest sketches here. Anyway, this is another film which perfectly balances laughs with a more serious side, though here the horror element is more prevalent. I loved every moment of Get Out, a tale of meeting the parents evolving into more than meets the eye, and thinking more about it just makes me even more excited and giddy talking about it. Jordan Peele is a great debut director and a fantastic screenwriter, and he crafts such a compelling, genuinely unnerving while also eerily realistic film, with just the right amount of hilarious jokes and crowdpleasing moments. TS, motherfuckin' A indeed.

2. Detroit

The scariest film of the decade so far, and it's not even really a horror film. This is Kathryn Bigelow's masterpiece as she takes the real-life incident of the 1967 Algiers motel incident and makes such a horrifying, tense yet human tribute showcasing the racial tensions and escalating horrors of the time period. It's got a fantastic ensemble and strikes the perfect balance in each act, the first such a masterful buildup, the second such a nerve-wracking experience, the third a tragic release.

1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 

Much as I loved all my top 10 or so, I have to say my #1 pick was fairly easy. Martin McDonagh has made something nearly as good as In Bruges. Although I must say don't go in expecting the next In Bruges, cause it's a very different sort of film. Its more of a bleak drama than black comedy, feeling a bit like the cunt kid of In Bruges' absurdist morality play and Seven Psychopath's madness, in the best possible way. It's a haunting and funny, hard-hitting and heartwarming, enjoyable and painful watch all in one. 

Golden Globes 2018 Nominations: Recap/Breakdown

The Post, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and
The Shape of Water lead the way with 6 nominations each

Best Picture – Drama:

• “Call Me by Your Name”
• “Dunkirk”
• “The Post”
• “The Shape of Water”
• “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Recap: Well, all five of these films are close to being locks for a Best Picture nomination, especially Call Me By Your Name, Dunkirk and The Post. They've ticked all the boxes in terms of being very Oscar-y films, and have the reviews and critics' accolades to back it up. The Shape of Water and Three Billboards are a bit more niche-y, auteur's films that have managed to find huge acclaim at this point in the year, and given the love given to the films through the rest of the nominations this is a huge boost overall.

Snubs?: I would have thought Darkest Hour or Phantom Thread might have been able to sneak in here, or even Molly's Game given their love for Sorkin, but it looks like these three films will hinge their awards successes on their lead performances. Was hoping for Detroit to maybe get in but that's a lost cause now.

Thoughts: I've seen all of the nominees bar The Post. Three Billboards, Dunkirk and The Shape of Water all make my top 10, and Call Me By Your Name is just on the edge, so I'm very happy with these.

Who will win?: Dunkirk 

Best Picture – Comedy or Musical:

• “The Disaster Artist”
• “Get Out”
• “The Greatest Showman”
• “I, Tonya”
• “Lady Bird”

Recap: as expected. The Disaster Artist is building up its reputation as a serious awards contender, Lady Bird continues its recent hot streak, and Get Out is admirably hanging in there - glad they went for this category for it. I, Tonya has gotten good reviews for the film itself and great ones for its performances, so no surprise there. I suppose I wasn't fully banking on The Greatest Showman getting in but it's the one big musical film this year, so I guess no surprises there. 

Snubs?: Kind of surprised not to see The Florida Project here but maybe they couldn't decide whether it was a comedy or drama. Battle of the Sexes I sort of expected to get in, but maybe the lukewarm reviews and lacklustre box-office performance wrote it off. Globes usually like Linklater too so I thought Last Flag Flying might have an outside chance, and John Carroll Lynch's Lucky really deserved to get in, but oh well. Lastly, this snub might have killed off any chance of Oscar success for The Big Sick. 

Thoughts: The Disaster Artist and Get Out are in my top 5 of the year and I loved both just about equally. I very much look forward to seeing if Lady Bird lives up to expectations, and the other two I await with differing levels of anticipation.

Who will win?: Toss-up between Lady Bird and The Disaster Artist. 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama:

• Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
• Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread”
• Tom Hanks, “The Post”
• Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
• Denzel Washington, “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”

Recap: Well hello again Denzel - despite bad reviews for the film itself, it seems he's stood out enough to convince the Globes to hand over another nomination. The others are all the usual suspects, Day-Lewis with his final performance (so it would seem), Hanks, Oldman (although given his less than savoury comments about the Globes in the past I'm surprised, he was snubbed for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and breakout star Chalamet (really happy for him). 

Snubs: Surprised to see Jake Gyllenhaal left off in favour of Washington, given that he's in a much more Oscar-baity film and by all accounts a much better one. Robert Pattison and Chadwick Boseman were kind of long shots to get in, so not really 'snubs', but I wouldn't have been that surprised to see either on the list.

Thoughts: I've only seen Chalamet and he's very good indeed, and I wouldn't mind him winning since based on his interviews, he'd give a very nice and articulate speech. 

Who will win?: I don't think it'll be Oldman considering the HFPA's anymosity. So Chalamet. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama:

• Jessica Chastain, “Molly’s Game”
• Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
• Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Meryl Streep, “The Post”
• Michelle Williams, “All the Money in the World”

Recap: They didn't have all the time in the world, but All the Money in the World clearly made some sort of impact on the Globes since they've nominated Michelle Williams and Christopher Plummer in the acting categories, and Ridley Scott in the director category. I hope it's a good film given the unfortunate circumstances that's been impacting it. The other four nominees are very much predictable ones - Chastain, Hawkins, McDormand and Streep all have very awards-friendly roles in acclaimed films (especially Hawkins and McDormand). 

Snubs: Annette Bening for Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool looked like a sure thing earlier on this year but looks like support for it's died down, unfortunately. I was hoping for a big surprise like Florence Pugh in Lady Macbeth, but you can't have everything I guess. 

Thoughts: Seen two of these performances, Hawkins and McDormand, who are both fantastic, and seeing Chastain tomorrow. I'm sure Streep will be good at the very least - she rarely isn't - and Williams is fairly consistent when she's given emotionally driven roles.

Who will win? McDormand. As much as the Globes love Streep, they really like McDormand too and she hasn't won eight times. 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy:

• Steve Carell, “Battle of the Sexes”
• Ansel Elgort, “Baby Driver”
• James Franco, “The Disaster Artist”
• Hugh Jackman, “The Greatest Showman”
• Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”

Recap: Elgort is the big surprise here, especially since this is Baby Driver's only nomination - and the first performance ever to be nominated from an Edgar Wright film, I believe (what took them so long?) I don't think it means anything, but good on him. Carell's nomination is expected, though it might conflict with his contention in the supporting category at the Oscars. Franco's nomination was a given, Jackman's was too I suppose, and Kaluuya is a pleasant surprise. 

Snubs: Harry Dean Stanton guys! Anyway, that unlikely nomination for Lucky aside, can't think of any other performance that could have and should have made the cut - I'd have liked Kumail Nanjiani to get in for The Big Sick over Elgort but I can't really complain since Elgort was good too.  

Thoughts: Happy for the Kaluuya nomination, it's the momentum he needs to mount a dark horse Best Actor nomination campaign. Him and Franco were both superb, and oh so different performances, and Carell's no slouch either. I liked Elgort, but given my feelings towards the film I don't really mind if he got in or not. As for Jackman, much as I hope he's great in The Greatest Showman I wish he was getting love for Logan (though not in this category, obviously). 

Who will win? Franco's got this in the bag (please invite Tommy). 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy:

• Judi Dench, “Victoria & Abdul”
• Helen Mirren, “The Leisure Seeker”
• Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”
• Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
• Emma Stone, “Battle of the Sexes”

Recap: Dench is both a surprise and not a surprise, the film bombed financially and critically but she's Dame Judi Dench. Mirren too, but again she's Dame Helen...(you get my drift). The other three were always going to be in the category, and Robbie and Ronan are pretty much locks for the Oscars, as is Stone to a slightly lesser extent. 

Snubs: I thought Jennifer Lawrence should have gotten in for the utter farce of Mother but I digress.

Thoughts: I've only seen Stone out of this lot who was terrific, and I'm glad she's had such a great run these past few years. I'm sure the rest are good to great, they're all great talents.

Who will win?: Ronan seems to be the obvious choice but I'm actually going for Robbie.  

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:

• Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
• Armie Hammer, “Call Me by Your Name”
• Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
• Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World”
• Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Recap: Well this is where there were more than a couple of surprises. Dafoe getting in was expected, as was Rockwell. Hammer getting in instead of Michael Stuhlbarg though, is surprising to me given that Stuhlbarg has more of the 'Oscar-y' sort of role they go for as well as veteran status (though maybe the Academy will pull a Nocturnal Animals and nominate Stuhlbarg instead). Jenkins getting in is a surprise given the fact he's in a genre film, but they do show love for these consistent character actors occasionally. And Plummer, Christopher Plummer. Having not even seen the film...I'm impressed. A few days of work replacing a shunned Kevin Spacey, if this is testament to his unseen performance then he is really the most efficient actor in Hollywood.

Snubs: Will Poulter for Detroit was never going to happen. Still hurts, though. I've been slowly getting through Mudbound and Jason Mitchell is really good too, and I was hoping that Patrick Stewart would have an outside chance of getting in for Logan. Also I was expecting Ben Mendelsohn for Darkest Hour to get in, but looks like this'll be Oldman's show. 

Thoughts: Again, I wish Poulter was here, but oh well. I loved Dafoe, Hammer and especially Rockwell in their respective films, and loved their respective films to boot, and though Jenkins has a less substantial role, he's still really funny and heartwarming in his role and I'm happy for him - he's one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood due to his modesty and low-profile. 

Who will win?: Rockwell. Dafoe's been winning everywhere else but this could be their time to give love to another veteran character actor. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:

• Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”
• Hong Chau, “Downsizing”
• Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
• Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
• Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water”

Recap: Quite surprised to see Chau and Spencer get in, the former because her film's gotten divisive reviews and the latter because she's not really noted to be the highlight of the film. Blige is here as expected, as are the warring mother figures of Janney and Metcalf who seem to be the frontrunners for the Oscar.

Snubs: No one comes to mind, really. Holly Hunter would have been very deserving but they didn't seem to like The Big Sick. Lesley Manville from Phantom Thread appeared to be a likely inclusion, or maybe one of the ladies from The Beguiled. I'd have been delighted to see Tilda Swinton for Okja or Ana de Armas from Blade Runner here, but that'd never have happened. 

Thoughts: So, Blige...I'm getting through Mudbound and she hasn't really impressed me in any scene she's in yet. Haven't seen any of the others besides Spencer, who is good as usual (but when is she ever not good?)

Who will win?: Janney. It's close between here, Metcalf and Blige, though. 

Best Animated Film:

• “The Boss Baby”
• “The Breadwinner”
• “Coco”
• “Ferdinand”
• “Loving Vincent”

Okay, I haven't seen any of these yet...but how was The Lego Batman Movie or Your Name snubbed? I'm really looking forward to Coco in particular, though. 

Who will win?: Coco 

Best Director – Motion Picture:

• Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
• Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”
• Ridley Scott, “All The Money in the World”
• Steven Spielberg, “The Post”

Recap: McDonagh is a surprise here, given that he's thus far had more of a reputation of 'great writer' in Hollywood, but good on him. Scott is a BIG surprise considering the circumstances of his film, though maybe it's just that which contributed to his nomination. Del Toro, Nolan and of course, Speilberg are here as expected for their respective films. 

Snubs: Was expecting Denis Villeneuve to maybe get in for Blade Runner 2049 considering the universal acclaim for his direction, Greta Gerwig for Lady Bird since her film as a whole has been so universally acclaimed, Luca Guadagnino but then again the Globes don't seem to have loved Call Me By Your Name as much as everyone else, longshot Jordan Peele, and even longer shot Kathryn Bigelow. I'd also expected dark horse inclusions of Sean Baker (The Florida Project) and P.T. Anderson for Phantom Thread but their films were snubbed on the whole, so no real surprise I guess. 

Thoughts: The direction is one of the highlights of Three Billboards and one of its more underrated aspects, so I'm glad McDonagh got his dues here. Del Toro's direction is fantastic as well, but I have to say Nolan's direction of Dunkirk is on a whole other level. I'm sure Speilberg will deliver, and I hope Scott has/does too. 

Who will win?: Nolan. 

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture:

• Guillermo Del Toro, Vanessa Taylor, “The Shape of Water”
• Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
• Liz Hannah, Josh Singer, “The Post”
• Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Aaron Sorkin, “Molly’s Game”

Recap: Of course Aaron Sorkin is here, as per usual. The other four nominees are scripts which have been acclaimed as one of the most valuable aspects of their films, expect maybe The Shape of Water which is arguably more of a visual darling. 

Snubs: Definitely did not expect The Shape of Water to get in over the likes of Call Me By Your Name, Get Out and The Disaster Artist, though maybe they're just favouring Original screenplays here. 

Thoughts: The script was actually one of the weaker aspects for The Shape of Water for me, still good on the whole but with a few weak links in terms of the period setting and being slightly too 'on the nose'. Three Billboards has a great screenplay, and I sure hope Sorkin, Hannah/Singer, and Gerwig have similarly knocked it out of the ballpark too. 

Who will win? Gerwig. 

Best Original Score – Motion Picture:

• Carter Burwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Alexandre Desplat, “The Shape of Water”
• Johnny Greenwood, “Phantom Thread”
• John Williams, “The Post”
• Hans Zimmer, “Dunkirk”

Recap: The big surprise here is Johnny Greenwood. Otherwise having John Williams and Hans Zimmer in there seems like almost a pre-requisite, and to be honest, Burwell and Desplat have essentially become mainstays of these awards too. All for films which rely very heavily on their scores to set the tone.

Snubs: Zimmer could have been double-nominated for his work on Blade Runner 2049 too which would have been cool. Otherwise, I can't think of any obvious snubs, besides maybe Call Me By Your Name which also had a pretty lovely score by Sufjan Stevens. 

Thoughts: Out of the three I've seen, Burwell and Desplat deliver strong, eloquent work on their respective films that really helps add to the emotional power of them. But what Zimmer's done on Dunkirk is so close to his career-high of The Thin Red Line that I have to say, he should win, no question.

Who will win? Zimmer. 

Best Original Song – Motion Picture:

• “Home,” Ferdinand
• “Mighty River,” Mudbound
• “Remember Me,” Coco
• “The Star,” The Star
• “This Is Me,” The Greatest Showman

I don't like commenting too much on this category at this point, but I will say that I've enjoyed 'This is Me' whenever and wherever it's being played, and where on earth is 'Mystery of Love' by Sufjan Stevens for Call Me By Your Name?

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language:

• “A Fantastic Woman”
• “First They Killed My Father”
• “In the Fade”
• “Loveless”
• “The Square”

Haven't seen any of these, unfortunately. Would have liked to see Foxtrot get in, but I would need to watch these films first. 

Superhero Films 2017 Showdown

First, let's have a quick recap/overview about what was released in the superhero spectrum of films this 2017:

• 20th Century Fox, coming off the financially and critically acclaimed Deadpool and the tepid, underwhelming X-Men: Apocalypse, gave us Logan. 
• The Marvel Cinematic Universe, coming off a great year with the highly succesful Captain America: Civil War and Doctor Strange, continued their hot streak with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Thor: Ragnarok. 
• Warner Animation, having found great success with The Lego Movie several years previously, gave Will Arnett's animated Dark Knight his own feature with The Lego Batman Movie.
• The DC Extended Universe, having financially and critically underperformed with Batman v.s. Superman: Dawn of Justice while critically underperforming, and financially overperforming with Suicide Squad, made their first stab at Wonder Woman while also doing their first big get-together of the Justice League squad.

So without further ado, let's have a recap of whether or not this was a good year for superhero films...

Biggest 'disappointment'?

I'd have to go with Justice League here, although in many ways it was a 'pleasant surprise'. It not a drag, far less offensive than Batman v.s. Superman, and though it's a train wreck of editing, CGI, and messy plot points, there's fun to be had in there. Having said that...it could have been done a lot better. The villain is horrible, there's too much world-building distracting from the flimsy plot, and Superman's turnaround felt extremely forced. It's not one of the worst films of the year, but as their other film this year showed, the DCEU can do so much better.  

Biggest (pleasant) surprise? 

Definitely going to go with that other DC film, Wonder Woman here. I was naturally going to be cynical after the misfires of 2016, but I really think that Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and co. nailed the character of Wonder Woman and all she represents perfectly here. It's not a perfect film on the whole, the villains are a bit uninspired, but it was a thrilling, powerful and humorous ride which made use of stunning cinematography, a sensitively crafted romance, great music, and a remarkable lack of snide cynicism to create a great superhero origin story. 

Best reprise?

Well I thoroughly enjoyed the return of all the Guardians of the Galaxy, especially Drax, and Thor has never been more delightful, but this easily goes to Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Charles Xavier (Sir Patrick Stewart) in Logan. I absolutely adored Logan through and through despite some very minor quibbles, and these two actors reprising their iconic characters for the last time was most essential to this. Seeing Wolverine finally utilized in all his R-rated, rage-fuelled glory was mesmerizing, and it was haunting to see the wear and tear of the years in Logan's body. And if seeing Charles in such a mentally frail and unstable state doesn't move you, well, I don't know what will. I don't even like X-Men all that much but these reprises were brilliant final goodbyes to the characters. 

Best new character? 

This would definitely have to go to the other principal character of Logan, Laura/X-23 (Dafne Keen). I have no idea if they're planning on making any more films with her, if they leave it just at that I'm more than fine with it, but Laura is just a fantastic new inclusion to the X-Men universe. Essentially a Wolverine in a kid's body, the character has such a great, heartbreaking backstory, is worked so effectively into the fantastic action sequences, and the way she interacts with Charles and Logan is brilliant.  

Best comic relief?

Giving a big rock monster the voice of a pleasantly soft-spoken Kiwi was an inspired choice, as Korg (Taika Waititi) in Thor: Ragnarok  is the highlight of some of the best comedy sequences in a Marvel film, in one of the MCU's funniest films thus far. I particularly love the recurring joke of the deceased Doug and his sudden arrival in the third act to infuse some much-needed humour. Loved every minute of this new character and I hope he returns.

Best 'villain'?

Well it's about time, Marvel, to step up your non-Loki villain game. Baron Zemo from Civil War was really effective, but Michael Keaton's portrayal of Adrian Toomes, or The Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming is brilliant. For most of the film he's menacing as the benevolent but no-nonsense criminal boss, with just the right amount of comedy to balance it out, never falling into the usual Marvel trap of being too much of a joke. Then there's that twist and that scene, which I must say is a tad too coincidental, but results in a downright chilling scene where Toomes threatens Peter Parker. It's the best scene in the film and neither indivdual is even in costume. 

Best 'dark horse' character? 

Let's be honest, Caliban kind of sucks as a mutant, his 'tracking powers' are some of the vaguest 'powers' ever, and on the whole he's a bit of a deadweight. They even used him last year in X-Men Apocalypse as a random plot device. But in the hands of James Mangold and Stephen Merchant (yes, Stephen Merchant) in Logan you grow to really care for the character. He's a funny, pathetic, sympathetic, and surprisingly complex side character in his brief screentime, and has excellent anti-chemistry with Boyd Holbrook's Donald Pierce that results in a final scene which is quite something - one wonders what Karl Pilkington thought of it. 

Best duo: 

I love the original Spider-Man films but one thing I never bought was Harry and Peter being friends, something which worsened in the Andrew Garfield films, as anyone who'd want to befriend that Harry Osborne (played by Dane DeHaan) was clearly not fit to be any sort of Spider-Man. In Spider-Man: Homecoming Tom Holland's Peter Parker and Jacob Batalon's Ned feel like very natural best friends. Their camaraderie and rapport feels so fresh and humorous without trying too hard, like you're really seeing two high school students having a good time. Extra points for Ned being endearing and even kind of helpful towards the end, culminating in one of the biggest laughs from the audience at my cinema with his final scene. 

Most 'surprisingly good' part of a film?

As I've said, Justice League is not without merit, and what they did with Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) is certainly admirable. While they've made Aquaman into a bit too much of a 'surfer bro' for my liking, I really enjoyed the humour and vibrant energy we got from Barry Allen and his fast-talking, fast-running antics even if his costume is a bit on the iffy side. I also was surprised that I liked Cyborg. It's a different take to, say, the Teen Titans version of the character, but I liked his inclusion and thought he was well implemented into the film. Hopefully next time round he'll get to loosen up a bit.

Most 'surprisingly good' part of a film?

Drax (Dave Bautista) once again being the highlight of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It's a bit more of the same thing with a bit less focus, but I was delighted every time he was onscreen, laughing at his own dumb jokes, asking inappropriate questions, giving terrible romantic advice or going all-out in battle sequences. 

Most surprisingly bad part of a film?

The CGI Spider-Man in certain scenes in Spider-Man: Homecoming was pretty bad, he looked a bit like a video game recreation at certain points. Most of the time the technical aspects were good, but there's a few shots where he's webslinging which feel really artificial. I usually don't nitpick, but given that Marvel have all the money in the world, this is one aspect that I hope they'll rectify in the future. 

Best direction? 

Though I have a few issues with the finale, what Patty Jenkins did with Wonder Woman is really admirable. She controls the fine line between humour and darkness brilliantly, and each action sequence feels organic and integral to the storyline. She brings out excellent performances from both her leads, and I really appreciated the effort she took into making what could've been a very disposable.

Best screenplay? 

I loved all the little references Logan made to the wider universe, from Laura's comic books to the callbacks to Charles Xavier's school of mutants he so loved and who haunt his memory. It's a terrific screenplay that does not shy away from its comic book roots, but uses them to reinvent itself into a neo-Western, to brilliant effect. 

Best costumes? 

Thor: Ragnarok. It wins on account of whatever Jeff Goldblum was wearing alone. 

Best visual effects? 

Thor: Ragnarok was honestly the best-looking Marvel film, and possibly the best-looking superhero film this year. Every Flash Gordon-esque aesthetic scene was pitch-perfect and I loved every frame of the film. 

Better Batman? 

The Lego Batman Movie > Justice League. One of the weakest things about Justice League was that honestly, I did not care the least about Batman or Bruce Wayne, and it's not really Ben Affleck's fault. There were flashes of brilliance in BVS, especially in that very entertaining warehouse scene, but here all of that is disposed of, while the problematic aspects of the character are still retained. The film never seems to know whether it wants Batman to be the darker, brooding figure or the wisecracking Tony Stark-esque figure, and it ends up being a complete mess. Whereas Will Arnett's take on Batman is as great as it was in the first Lego movie. His voice is a pitch-perfect fit for the Caped Crusader, and he manages to be equal parts funny and believable just through the vocal performance. I really hope we get more of Lego Batman. 

Best action sequence?

HM: Hotel Showdown, Logan

Slo-mo gore and high stakes make for a very taut, entertaining bout of Wolverine violence. 

5. Yondu's Arrow, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

A perfect song choice intertwined with the most lethal weapon in the MCU. Technically this is a very questionable group of individuals to root for, but this scene makes it work. 

4. Chase through Sakaar, Thor: Ragnarok

Just a bonkers and delightful fun ride throughout Waititi's crazy mind, peppered with great one-liners and amazing visuals throughout. I couldn't find a clip of that so here's one of another scene analysed/broken down by the great Taika Waititi. 

3. Laura's very much like Logan,  Logan

The moment I realized just how violent the film was going to be, but it's a great sequence involving some very fine editing, and summed up brilliantly by Wolverine's incredulous expression. 

2. Logan's Final Run, Logan

No words needed - this is the Wolverine we've always wanted to see: no-holds-barred direction allows for Hugh Jackman to go ape on a bunch of soldiers, and it's a magnificent moment. 

1. No Man's Land, Wonder Woman 

The perfect buildup leads to a perfectly executed moment. The film does itself a great service by not shooting its wad too early, allowing us to get glimpses into Wonder Woman's abilities before unleashing them all in a truly astounding sequence where she daringly steps where no man has stepped before. The best scene in the film. 

Most heartbreaking moment? (SPOILERS)

5. Losing two dads, The Lego Batman Movie

I actually think this is the best execution of the 'Batman needs a family' subplot in any of the Batman films, Nolan's included. It's a heartbreaking moment and the film does a superb job of making you care for Bruce Wayne's loneliness and the solace he finds in his few friends.

4. Yondu's redemption, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Okay, so it's a bit rushed, and perhaps we needed more scenes between Yondu and Peter, but I do think this goodbye to the loveable, flawed but ultimately redeemed rogue is a breathtaking scene. I've always criticized Marvel's reluctance to kill off their 'heroes' while being all-too keen to kill off their 'villains'. Here it works very well in making the film's conclusion rather affecting. 

3. Charles Xavier's last Night of happiness, Logan  

This was brutal to watch in the cinema. The sudden, jarring change from peacefulness and Charles's sorrowful rumination about his past to a terrifying massacre makes for an extremely effective sequence. The most troubling touch to the scene of course, is Logan's desperation to tell the dying Charles that it 'wasn't him' who killed him. 

2. Steve Trevor saves the day, Wonder Woman

Above average Chris Pine made us weep for the heroes of Wonder Woman, as he dashes off into the skies, elated at having saved the day...only to realize there's one more thing he must do. It's superb acting on Pine's behalf (some of the best of his career) and makes for a very resonant heroic sacrifice. 

And to cap it all off, it'd have to be Logan's Final scene in Logan I'm going to discuss it in more detail in the near future, but here's the clip of it for now.