Best Films of 2017

Director: Peter Berg
His 9th movie
My 7th movie watched from the director

Peter Berg is determined to be a serious director, but he can't get out of derivative storytelling, dull writing, and can't deliver anything memorable. He got closest with "Lone Survivor", but I do appreciate him bringing American stories to light, even if they aren't spectacularly shown.

Added to Lists:

A Bad Day in the U.S.A

Director: Chad Stahelski
His 2nd movie
My 2nd movie watched from the director

Another violent round of Wick and Keanu's 'acting'. I didn't care for this one as much, as it didn't bring much the first one didn't already have and I thought the ending was absurd. Then again, absurdity is kind of the Wick brand, so I should just accept it.

Added to Lists:

One-Man Armies

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Location: Manhattan, NYC, NY, USA

Rating: 6.8

Rating: 6.9

Rating: 7.1

Rating: 7.1

Rating: 7.1

Rating: 7.2

Rating: 7.2

Rating: 7.2

Rating: 7.2

Rating: 7.3

Director: Marc Webb
His 5th movie
My 5th movie watched from the director

Jeff Bridges is his usual awesomeness in this story about a young adult from a rich family having trouble figuring out his family while hooking up with a wildly unrealistically beautiful woman who is the mistress of his father...
IT's got a great soundtrack and decent cinematography, direction and locations along with a nice twist at the end.

Added to Lists:

Movies that are Song Titles
Top Ten Performances - Jeff Bridges (Honorable Mention)
Top Ten Performances - Kate Beckinsale
Best One-Scene-Only Performances - Bill Camp

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Location: Upper West Side, Manhattan & Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, both in NYC, NY

Director: Danny Boyle
His 12th movie
My 14th movie watched from the director

It took me five years to see this movie I was waiting five years before the release, after hearing about its inception. Though not great, I would still say it's worth the wait. Boyle creatively positions its main characters in a position that makes sense twenty years later. There are thankfully plenty of Boyle's creative approaches to the scenes and story, but it lacked the innovation found in the original.

Added to Lists:

The Longest Release Separations from First Movie to its Sequel
Top Ten Films - Danny Boyle (Honorable Mention)

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Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Rating: 7.7

Director: Safdie Brothers
Their 5th Movie
My 2nd movie watched from the directors

Entertainingly kinetic and effortlessly evoking, this Safdie Brothers movie paved the way for the even more kinetic and evoking movie I enjoyed more, Uncut Gems. It's been on my list for about six years now and glad I finally got to it. Not that we are supposed to, but I didn't like any of the characters, which makes it tough for me to truly enjoy. The only thing I did like about them was the love and care for each other, as brothers, even if far from selfless.

Added to Lists:
Top Ten Performances - Robert Pattinson
For Your Brother
Bank Robberies at the Movies


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Locations: Queens, NYC, NY, USA

Rating: 7.4

Rating: 7.4

Director: Ruben Östlund
His 5th Movie
My 3rd movie watched from the director

Ostend does an exceptional job at comedically critiquing our modern world in this movie and the other two I've seen. It's a unique type of humor and I'm here for it. So many strange yet engaging scenes and the acting, mostly from actors I'm unfamiliar with, aids in its success. Ok, Elisabeth Moss is in it, and she is still overpraised and hard to watch.

Added to Lists:
Top Ten Performances - Dominic West (Honorable Mention)
Artistic Movies about Art
The Only Face of Elisabeth Moss

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Locations: Stockholm, Sweden