John H. Foote
10. I Tonya
This brilliant, often hysterically funny black comedy about the life of disgraced Olympian Tonya Harding is a wonder of a film, completely unexpected. Harding, portrayed with grit and rage by an extraordinary Margot Robbie, was at one time the finest figure skater in the world. Born on the wrong side of the trailer park, she was abused and beaten by her mother, who believed her actions fueled a competitive nature in her daughter, Harding wanted to escape her past and be the best. She met and married Jeff Gilooly who decide it might help his wife to take out the competition, so he hired someone to injure Nancy Kerrigan. Harding’s life was never the same and after she crashed and burned at the Olympics, was banned from skating for her part in the Kerrigan attack, and for a time was the most hated woman in America. Robbie portrays the skater warts and all, fearless in exploring Harding’s declared redneck status, and that all-consuming drive. The lady is Oscar bound along with Allison Janney as her monster of a mother. A terrific film.
9. Blade Runner 2049
The long-awaited sequel to the great 1982 science fiction is directed by the gifted Denis Villeneuve, and is truly breathtaking. Set in the distant future of 2049, another Blade Runner, K, portrayed by Ryan Gosling is sent on a mission to terminate a unique creation. Replicants are still watched with great care by humans for any sign of revolt, but things have settled down from the events thirty years previous. K will encounter Deckard (Harrison Ford) who may or may not be willing to help him in his quest, which will rock both of them to the core. The production design and visuals are stunning, just a startling glimpse into the future, the effects superb. Harrison Ford brings a painful melancholy to his role, genuine heartache, easily one of the best performances of his career. Gosling as always is outstanding, and Jared Leto terrific as the creator of the new replicants. Sadly, like its predecessor, the film flopped at the box office, but I suspect, like its predecessor will be re-discovered on Blu Ray.
8. Detroit
Detroit is an important film, especially with Trump in the White House and the civil unrest in the south. Directed by Academy Award winner Kathryn Bigelow, who gave us The Hurt Locker (2009) and the extraordinary Zero Dark Thirty (2012), she now turns her keen eye to the race riots that turned the city of Detroit into an inferno in 1967. Focusing on a small group of people being terrorized by a vicious racist cop, portrayed with terrifying fury by Will Poulter the film is troublesome in its depictions of racism against African-Americans. Brilliant but deeply upsetting.
8. Downsizing
Downsizing is a challenging science fiction film, the most ambitious film of Alexander Payne’s career, merging humanity with science fiction fantasy. In the not so distant future scientists have developed a means of shrinking humans down to a height of six inches or less. As they shrink, in a non-reversible procedure their net worth grows substantially, affording them a life of comfort and wealth in specially domed cities. Matt Damon is the decent guy trying to find his way in this new life, but the heart and soul of the film is Hong Chau, the Vietnamese refugee who is dedicated to helping her fellow man. Both a beautiful love story, and powerful film about the future of our planet.
7. The Disaster Artist
The most unlikely greatest film of the year, the finest film comedy since Sideways (2004) the film is a true story about the making of The Room (2002), hailed as the worst film ever made. The mysterious Tommy Wiseau, with long hair, constant sunglasses, over forty but claiming to be twenty, speaking in a strange European accent, with an endless supply of money, and no artistic talent at all, head to Hollywood to make a film, which he directs, writes, stars in and finances. James Franco, who also directed this knockout of a film is brilliant as a Wiseau, capturing every nuance of the man to utter perfection. Oddly funny, but also with some heartbreak in that Wiseau cannot see his utter lack of talent. Franco gives the years best performance, his brother Dave outstanding being, with a cast of their buddies making this an absolute knockout.
6. The Florida Project
Her name is Moonee. She is six years old, an absolute hellion in her world. Born into poverty of which she is blissfully unaware, living in a rundown apartment not far from Disney World, Moonee spends her days creating adventures in and around the hotel, often locking horns with the decent manager Bobby, portrayed beautifully by Willem Dafoe. Her mother Hayley (Bria Vinaite) is herself a child, hot-tempered, her mouth her greatest enemy, doing her best but knowing her best is not good enough. The example she sets for Moonee is terrible and deep in her heart she knows that, yet she remains ferociously protective of her little girl. When Moonee realizes her world is crashing in around her, for the first time, she melts down, her composure crumbles and she melts into tears. In a stunning sequence her friend takes her hand and they run, to where else, The Magic Kingdom. A heartbreaking, stunning film containing the single greatest performance I have seen by a child, Brooklynn Prince, who should win the Oscar for Best Actress.
