2017 Screenflowers
Written by dorrk |
Overlooked, uninvited and underappreciated movies of 2017.
With the Oscars approaching to distribute awards for the “best” movies of 2017, there are invariably many fine movies from the past year which have been excluded. Some of these movies were too weird for a mainstream awards gala; some were too small to get noticed; some were misunderstood or overshadowed. I call these kinds of movies “Screenflowers,” just like the shy or misfit kids that don’t get asked to dance. As usual, I took a few liberties by including a couple of movies that are getting a little bit of attention from the Oscars, but maybe not as much as I expected or as much as they deserved.
This is not a complaint about the movies from 2017 that are being lavished with praise during awards season. I like most of 2017’s heralded films, notably Get Out, Phantom Thread, and Lady Bird. It was a strong year about which I have few complaints. The movies in this list, however, are the ones that I think also belong in the conversation about which movies mattered or tried something meaningful during 2017.
Screenflowers 2017: Twitter Moment
This series was posted on Twitter. Excerpts:
With Oscars coming up soon, this week I'll draw attention to 2017's #Screenflowers : overlooked and obscure movies from last year that I think haven't and aren't getting the attention they deserve.
#01 - Columbus (2017)
Dir.: Kogonada
#02: On Body and Soul (2017)
Dir.: Ildik Enyedi
#03: Nocturama (2016)
Dir.: Bertrand Bonello
#04: Graduation (2016)
Dir.: Cristian Mungiu
#05: Thelma (2017)
Dir.: Joachim Trier
#06: The Lost City of Z (2016)
Dir.: James Gray
#07: Brad's Status (2017)
Dir.: Mike White
#7 of my #ScreenflowersOf2017 is #BradsStatus (2017) by #MikeWhite starring #BenStiller and #AustinAbrams - a small comedy/drama about adult angst within a currently ridiculed upper middle class white milieu, but sharp and thoughtful.
#08: The Lure (2015)
Dir.: Agnieszka Smoczynska
#09: A Ghost Story (2017)
Dir.: David Lowery
#9 of my #ScreenflowersOf2017 is #AGhostStory (2017) by #DavidLowery starring #CaseyAffleck and #RooneyMara - a seemingly absurd concept turned into a fascinating reverie on loss from a ghost’s point-of-view.
#10: Wonder Wheel (2017)
Dir.: Woody Allen
#11: Lucky (2017)
Dir.: John Carroll Lynch
#11 of my #ScreenflowersOf2017 is #Lucky (2017) dir. by #JohnCarrollLynch and starring the great #HarryDeanStanton - a small but perfect finale to the long career of this ubiquitous character actor.
#12: The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Dir.: Yorgos Lanthimos
#12 of my #ScreenflowersOf2017 is #TheKillingOfASacredDeer (2017) by #YorgosLanthimos and starring #ColinFarrell #NicoleKidman #BarryKeoghan #RaffeyCassidy #SunnySuljic & #AliciaSilverstone - Maybe also only half-eligible due to stars & wide release, but difficult & underrated.
#13: The Florida Project (2017)
Dir.: Sean Baker
#13 of my #ScreenflowersOf2017 is #TheFloridaProject (2017) by #SeanBaker - I thought this could be a surprise winner for Best Picture but its only nomination is for #WillemDafoe as Best Supporting Actor.
Here is my complete list of favorites from 2017, including all of those movies you're already tired of hearing about:
- Columbus
- Get Out
- Phantom Thread
- On Body and Soul
- Lady Bird
- Nocturama
- Blade Runner 2049
- Graduation
- Thelma
- The Lost City of Z
- Brad's Status
- I, Tonya
- Mother!
- The Lure
- A Ghost Story
- Wonder Wheel
- Lucky
- The Killing of a Sacred Deer
- Brigsby Bear
- The Shape of Water
- Good Time
- It
- Wonderstruck
- The Disaster Artist
- The Florida Project
