Joe's Top 10...and More

For a year buoyed by big-time hits and misses (with the usual cadre of Marvel and Star Wars films dominating the landscape, along with a few big-time DC flicks this year as well), for much of the year 2017 seemed to fly under the radar. There were a few solid films early, but it wasn't until September that how good a year it has been started to shine through.

As a lover of popcorn blockbuster-type cinema, there has been plenty of it this year. Each of those aforementioned properties had major successes, and only DC among them had a big-time miss (for "Justice League," for a franchise/universe that, save "Wonder Woman," has been an unmitigated disaster). We had no fewer than five films with the word "Wonder" in the title (though only one made my Top 10), and we got "Logan," "Lucky," and "Logan Lucky" all coming out in the same year.

But among all of the chaos and confusion, there has been some really great cinema. Here are my picks for the Top 10 of 2017.

10. Dunkirk

A riveting, harrowing look at the darkest hours of World War II for the Allies. The British, on the verge of defeat at the hands of the Germans, have been pushed to the literal brink, holed up on the beach at Dunkirk as they wait and hope that the British navy will arrive in time to rescue them. A film that has few stars (Tom Hardy and...(boy band idol) Harry Styles are among the more recognizable names) creates a story that puts you in the middle of the war both on the ground and in the air, creating a "American" war film that doesn't spotlight the American military, and manages to be every bit as relevant and watchable as any other war film. After "Dunkirk," get the macro view of the war from Joe Wright's "Darkest Hour," if nothing else for how it ties into this film.

9. Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992

A breathtaking documentary outlining racial unrest in one of the U.S.'s largest cities, "Let It Fall" is the definitive response to anyone who says that racism doesn't exist in the U.S. Outlining LAPD policies on how to treat inner-city perps (read: minorities), leading up to the violence that exploded in the early 1990s. A harrowing, heartbreaking documentary that puts a real face on racism and politics.

8. Blade Runner 2049

A haunting follow-up to the classic sci fi film, "Blade Runner 2049" does the virtually impossible: it creates a worthy sequel to a film decades after the original. As a successor to Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), Ryan Gosling's K is largely expressionless, but only seems to be without emotion. Director Denis Villeneuve ("Arrival") adds to the rich world Ridley Scott created years ago, and adds to the legacy of the original rather than leeching off of it. That the film was a financial disappointment is a fitting legacy for two films that will be among the more universally beloved sci fi of all time.

7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Perhaps the most divisive film of the year, "The Last Jedi" delivers. Forget the grumblings of jilted fans: this movie delivers a fitting next act to the Saga. Don't think Luke Skywalker was Jedi-like? Compare his actions to those of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda late in their lives. Think Canto Bight was a waste of time? You're not looking at the bigger picture. "Jedi" plays with our expectations, trolls us, and along the way crafts a story that not only tells a wonderful story of hope in the face of losing it all, of stepping out into the warm glow for one last time, but in inspiring another generation. For the first time "Star Wars" seems to mean more than good vs. evil, and has larger ramifications than simply good vs. evil. Is it a slow burn? Sure, but it's worth it.

6. I, Tonya

A manic look inside the (unreliable) true story behind one of the craziest, most memorable events of the 90s, "I, Tonya" looks at the rise and fall of Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie in a film that cements her as a major star). As both the shame and one of the biggest stars of figure skating, Harding rose from the gutter, surviving an abusive mother (Allison Janney in another role that should net her a whole bunch of award statues), an abusive husband (Sebastian Stan), and the media circus that resulted from her "incident" with Nancy Kerrigan. Comparisons to "Goodfellas" is more than just hyperbole, this is a manic, grimy, drug flashback to the event where the country truly became driven by 24-hour tabloid media. Robbie, Stan, and Janney give epic performances in a story that you have to see to believe. Kind of.

5. Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

It's perhaps fitting that the same year we finally get a Wonder Woman live-action movie we get this tremendous film about the origins and inspiration behind the character, and her real-life origin story is much more grown up and impactful than being molded from clay by Zeus. Professor William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans) and his wife Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall) entered into a three-way relationship with Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcoate), and they lived something of a secret life as husband, wife, and wife. "Marston" focuses on the struggle and integrity of the women involved, and how his relationship, and society's unwillingness to accept it, led him to create the definitive female character in modern pop culture. Not a movie for children, "Marston" is not a superhero movie, but is the true-life tale of people doing superheroic things.

4. Detroit

A supercharged tension machine, "Detroit" takes us inside the 1967 Detroit riots, a pivotal event in 1960s race relations, where a group of young people, white and black, were victimized and abused by police officers, whose unchecked authority allowed them to mercilessly beat, threaten, and kill innocent people in the name of finding justice. Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker") takes us inside the minds of people involved on both sides, and shows us how power corrupts, and shows us how brutality can reign on one (or every) night.

3. Patti Cake$

She may not have the "look," but she has got the hook, and nothing will stop Patti (Danielle McDonald) from chasing her dreams. Living in the inner-city, Patti doesn't let the insults from the people around her stop her and her friend Jheri (Siddarth Dhananjay) from rap stardom. With a great story that isn't afraid to go in weird directions, a fearless performance from McDonald, and some of the best beats you'll hear in a movie this year, "Patti Cake$" is part "8 Mile," part "Hustle & Flow," and ALL PBNJ.

2. The Shape of Water

The best romance of 2017 occurs between a mute woman and a monstrous fish-man, and of course Guillermo del Toro is there to tell the story. Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is a lowly custodial worker in a government facility that houses a variety of spies and a large tank that holds Amphibian Man (Doug Jones), a Creature from the Grey Lagoon whose heart hold something more than his scaly exterior belies. When Elisa takes him with the intention of freeing him, it sends the agents into a scramble, led by the relentless Agent Strickland (Michael Shannon). The romance between the leads is stellar, but it's del Toro's treatment of the supporting characters, particularly Shannon's and a character played by Michael Stuhlbarg that takes the film to another level. And I haven't even mentioned the good work by perennial film thieves Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer. A beautfully-shot, beautfully-acted, and beautifully-told film that you need to see. 1. Lady Bird

Coming-of-age stories are nothing new. Heck, coming-of-age stories following plucky teen girls on the cusp of adulthood are nothing new. But indie It Girl Greta Gerwig tells a wonderful story of a girl that is definitely NOT at all her, played by Saorise Ronan, who lives in Sacramento, the most boring town in California. Of course it covers all the usual tropes--budding romance, friendship, and parental strife. But it's told so bluntly and, paradoxically, with a delicate touch as Lady Bird (Ronan) struggles to feel and be special despite a world around her telling her how average (at best) she is. Laurie Metcalf, she of "Roseanne" fame, OWNS the movie as Lady Bird's exasperated, hopelessly overmatched mother who somehow manages to be her daughter's best friend and worst enemy at the same time. A movie that runs you through the entire emotional gamut, anchored by best-of-year type performances, and offers timeless moments pushes this film to the top of the 2017 heap.

6 Films You May Have Missed

I saw more than 150 new films in 2017, and even then didn't come close to seeing everything released this year. Here are a few really good flicks that you may have missed:

Headshot

If you like your martial arts films insane, then "Headshot" is for you. If the name Iko Uwais doesn't ring a bell for you, you're missing out, as he's one of the preeminent martial arts actors working today. If you haven't seen his work in the "Raid" films, it's a sight to see. In this film, Uwais plays an amnesiac whose past comes back to haunt him and the young nurse (Chelsea Islah) who cared for him. The film's opening prison escape scene is incredible, and the rest of the film will do the same.

Train to Busan

A South Korean zombie flick that works on so many levels. When a zombie virus outbreak hits, train passengers fight for survival, including an absentee father (Yoo Goong) who struggles to protect his daughter from the monsters. An intense, fast-moving film that non-foreign film viewers will find surprisingly accessible, "Train to Busan" is as good as any of its domestic counterparts.

Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America

This documentary follows Daryl Davis, a legendary civil rights activist who reaches out to white supremacists in an effort to promote understanding between races. he quickly finds common ground with many of them, and even "converts" a few along the way. His consitutiency and colleagues, however, aren't always as accepting as they advocate others to be, and sharply criticize his actions. This is a masterful piece that makes everyone with a stake in civil rights (which is to say everyone) look in the mirror and examine their motives.

Landline

In 1990s Manhattan, a teen girl (Abbie Quinn) finds evidence that her father (John Turturro) is having an affair. As she and her older sister (Jenny Slate) debate telling their mother (Edie Falco), they slide into difficulty in their own lives and begin to see their family crumbling. A wonderfully-acted, level-headed comedy/drama, "Landline" is a film about being honest with yourself even as you may be lying to the rest of the world and tackles infidelity in relationships both old and new, as well as offers perspectives on the family dynamic.

Megan Leavey

A relatively low-key story centering on the true story of a troubled young Marine (Kate Mara) who finds her place in the Corps with the help of a similarly-troubled combat dog that raises a new question "Leavey" is the sort of mainstream crowd-pleaser that audiences eat up, but it found its way onto Amazon and under the radar.

Operator

Joe (Martin Starr) is a programmer, and Emily (Mae Whitman) are a young married couple. When Joe needs a new voice for their interactive voice response system, Joe sees Emily's soothing, reassuring voice as the key. But mixing work and relationship turns much more complicated than anyone thought it would be. A terrific cast including Retta ("Parks and Recreation," Nat Faxon ("The Way Way Back"), and Christine Lahti headline this look at relationships in the digital age, and how our issues affect our relationships.