For anyone who feels alone in this world, or who thinks their creative genius is being misplaced, Brigsby Bear is going to be the balsam you need to get through your worst days.
Girls Trip (Lee, 2017)
All hail Tiffany Haddish. Her NYFCC win was the sole reason I decided to watch Girls Trip sooner rather than later, and, well, the proof is in the pudding.
The Trip to Spain (Winterbottom, 2017)
When you need something light and guaranteed to make you smile, while also hugging you with its familiarity, The Trip films do the trick nicely. You put one on, and instantly you know what to expect.
Emilija Iš Laisvės Alėjos (Ulvydas, 2017)
Even if Emilija did not exist as a person, one can still imagine others like her finding themselves on the path of resistance, and that type of verity is what makes Emilija a compelling watch—in spite of its relative unevenness.
Shadow of a Doubt (Hitchcock, 1943)
This may be the funniest Hitchcock film I’ve seen yet? Not in the sense that I find Uncle Charlie funny—obviously he’s not a guy you’d want to mess with.
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (Blair, 2017)
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore is as scrappy as they come, colouring within the lines of the comic thriller, while also gunning for something more intellectually engaging.
Good Time (Safdie & Safdie, 2017)
Good Time is gobsmackingly good. Thrillingly so. I’m in awe of what the Safdies achieve here, which is neo-noir (neon-noir?) and social realism mulched into a decayed panic attack.
The Other Side of Hope (Kaurismäki, 2017)
Aki Kaurismäki has done it again, folks. Back after a six year hiatus, his latest feature possesses all his trademarks: the slightly faded aesthetic; the po-faced performances; the scalding Finnish wit hibernating in drab décor and reams of cigarette smoke.
The Big Sick (Showalter, 2017)
The Big Sick will not win any awards for its direction or style. And I’ll admit that that bothered me for the first half hour or so. It’s not an interesting film to look at, and Michael Showalter doesn’t seem to try giving it a boost in that area.
Person to Person (Defa, 2017)
Everywhere you look is a story unfolding. Everything explodes with potentiality. From the crumbs of the mundane comes something magical and alive, and you must train your eyes to see it.
Marjorie Prime (Almereyda, 2017)
The ending of Marjorie Prime is magnificent. It’s the sneakiest of culminations, summing up everything that comes before it while giving significant payoff to a key “omission.”
Kiss Me Deadly (Aldrich, 1955)
One thing’s for sure: I’ve never watched a noir quite like Kiss Me Deadly before. From the moment it begins, with Cloris Leachman breathlessly running on that deserted road, it never lets up on its relentless assault on our senses.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (Stahelski, 2017)
Am I no fun? Because I think John Wick: Chapter 2 is just okay. Not bad, not amazing, and certainly not as good as the first film.
Murder on the Orient Express (Branagh, 2017)
Boy, is Murder on the Orient Express a hard book to adapt. Everything lies in that ingenious solution, and for it to work, a number of elements need to be kept intact. The most important one? The number of suspects.
Personal Shopper (Assayas, 2016)
Personal Shopper contains my favorite Kristen Stewart performance, and I would heartily argue it’s also her personal best.
