Top 10 of 2018

Still working on a mega-post of Everything Else new I saw this year, but here's the top 10. Not necessarily the best -- I don't consider myself an authority on that -- but the 10 that meant the most to me.

"Three bags of Tostitos Scoops I noticed."

"There was a special on these tonight. Three for one."

"Three for one?"

"Yup."

"How can that be profitable for Frito-Lay?"

I didn't expect much out of Game Night, particularly as it was released in February, a notable wasteland for quality movies. So imagine my shock when this turned out to be a near perfect piece of popcorn entertainment. It starts with an exceptionally tight and funny script by Mark Perez (whose previous credits included The Country Bears and Herbie Fully Loaded, so you could be forgiven for not expecting much) and has a phenomenal cast of well-drawn characters, led by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams (the latter of whose full comedic gifts are on display for a director who actually knows what to do with her). Jesse Plemons is the MVP, though, playing a "weird" neighbor the game night group continually tries to avoid. Nothing is wasted here; it's a lean 100 minutes with no lulls in the humor or action. And there is an ADORABLE DOG. What more could you want? (Streaming on HBO. For purchase on Amazon/YouTube/iTunes/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Aunt Lucy said, if we're kind and polite the world will be right."

I found the first Paddington movie charming, but the sequel is something quite special. With a story that celebrates community and family (and the magic of marmalade sandwiches!), and even has something to say about the criminal justice system, this is a sequel along the lines of Toy Story 2 -- one that deepens the characters and our affection for them. I'd long been a fan of Ben Whishaw, but between this and Mary Poppins Returns, he's a definite favorite. And Hugh Grant turns in a gloriously hammy performance as the film's villain. Much has been said about the new Mary Poppins movie and how we need movies like that now, and this is very much a film with that kind of spirit and optimism. I think we could use as many of these as we can get. (Streaming on HBO. For purchase on Amazon/YouTube/iTunes/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Sometimes I think that when I'm older, I'll have a daughter of my own or something... and I feel like if she was like me, then being her mom would make me sad all the time. I'd love her because she's my daughter, but I think if she turned out like me that being her mom would make me really sad."

So, I wasn't *exactly* Kayla when I was in eighth grade. I thankfully had a little circle of friends to bouy me through that harrowing time. But there's a lot for me to identify with in this movie, even as a (*gulp*) forty-three year old. The being invited to a schoolmate's party and knowing it was just because their parents made them invite you. The wanting to impress a guy and pretending to be more experienced than you are. The feeling like you're already a failure and a disappointment at barely the start of your life. And perhaps especially the finding out that that person you sort of avoided because you thought they were a little weird is actually pretty great. (Available to rent on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Stand up straight. Stand up. Only pussies and little girls slouch."

Lynne Ramsay's first feature since We Need to Talk About Kevin, You Were Never Really Here is a Taxi Driver for the 21st century, where our modern-day Travis makes his living taking out the likes of Sport and his Iris is a bit more proactive. To say that Joaquin Phoenix's Joe has a lot of demons is an understatement. We see almost as much of his suicide attempts and ideations as his violence against others. And perhaps the most frightening thing is how easy it is to root for him when his targets are what they are. The use of flashbacks is genius -- usually just brief snatches of memories, enough to drive home how these moments inform what's going on in the current timeline. There are a lot of great scenes, but my favorite includes the greatest use of "I've Never Been to Me" EVER. (Available on Amazon Prime.)

"It's the same story told over and over, forever. All any artist can offer the world is how they see

those twelve notes. That's it. He loved how you see them."

The fact that I could enjoy and be moved by this movie in the midst of a frankly historic assault from my uterus about 45 minutes in is proof enough of its power. I'd never seen any of the previous versions until about a month before this came out, but I prepared for the movie by watching them all (and enjoyed each of them in very different ways). I sincerely think this one is the best (though the Garland version might have been if the studio hadn't botched it). I think it fixes what was hard to like about the Norman Maine character and makes the romance much more believable. Lady Gaga is getting most of the attention and her director and co-star Bradley Cooper seems happy to give it to her. But while Gaga is great, Cooper gives maybe the best performance of his career so far, while beautifully directing the film at the same time. The soundtrack deserves a mention too, as it perfectly portrays the character beats of the movie, particularly Aly's transition from making music in Jackson's world to exploring more of what's inside of her. "I Don't Know What Love Is" is still my favorite. (Still in theaters.)

"We are alone. No matter what they tell you, we women are always alone."

Alfonso Cuaron has been making beautiful, game-changing cinema for years, and every frame of this movie is a painting. Inspired by experiences from his youth, this is very much a meditation on memory. Cuaron gives us a glimpse of the life of a young housekeeper. She is close to the family she works for and lives with, but there's very much a line of demarcation between herself and that family. Things get complicated when she has to rely on them for a very personal matter. This is a very intimate story with a lot of big stuff (including the Corpus Christie massacre) happening in the background. (Streaming on Netflix, but if it's playing at a theater near you, you should definitely see it on a big screen.)

"As it turns out, I'm capable of much unpleasantness."

A bit All About Eve, a bit Mean Girls, but with the fate of a nation at stake. This is the film that is causing the most category confusion for awards voting bodies, because a film with three equal female leads is nigh unheard of, even in this, the Year of Our Lord 2018. It shouldn't be this refreshing to see a movie about women wielding power, but here we are. Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone all shine, and all the men in the movie are glorious side-fops who are chiefly there to look pretty and curry favor so that the ladies can bestow just a little power on them. I love that this isn't your average musty period piece. It feels very modern, to the point of anachronistic (lol that dance!), and is dagger sharp and wickedly funny. One of my New Year's resolutions is to use "Do shhh when I'm thinking" on a regular basis. (Still in theaters.)

"With the right white man, we can do anything."

Dear me, was this ever a year for movies you can't talk about at Thanksgiving! The greatest of which, in my opinion, was Spike Lee's latest, about a black policeman in Colorado who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan. Spike makes no bones about drawing clear parallels between the events of the film and our current nonsense. From discussion of the future political implications of David Duke's outwardly polite appeal, to chants of "America First!" to the movie's final moments, it was an essential reminder of exactly where this mess came from. Seeing the Charlottesville footage on the big screen was almost traumatizing, but it's the perfect final note for a movie that's mad as hell. On a lighter note, there's a cameo in this movie that gave me more delight than any moment in any film this year. If you haven't seen it, I won't dare spoil it, but ... (*heart swells*). (Available to rent on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube/Google Play/Vudu.)

"I don’t have time to be their victim, their AIDS poster boy, their cautionary tale. No, I decide

who I am. I’m going to be what I was born to be, a performer, to give the people what they want.

Go to the heavens, Freddie f***ing Mercury."

This movie had me at Brian May's 20th Century Fox guitar fanfare and never let me go (LET HER GO!). This is pure joy from start to finish and the last twenty minutes are the closest thing our world has come to time travel. Rami Malek is rightly getting much kudos for his incandescent performance as Freddie Mercury, but he's supported by a pretty incredible cast, particularly Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Joseph Mazzello, who play bandmates Brian, Roger and "Deacy," respectively. Their chemistry is amazing and I'm thrilled they were recognized as an ensemble by SAG. (Tom Hollander is great too, as manager Jim "Miami" Beach.) I've heard all the complaints, but ... I just don't care. I feel so differently about it. This is a movie about collaboration, about the power of music to bring people together, and about how hard it can be to be different and sometimes music is all that can pull you through. I've been a fan of Queen for many years, but their music sounds different to me now -- deeper, richer. (Still in theaters, hey hey hey heyyyyy.)

"I'm a quiet soul. My favorite sound in the whole world is the sound of a teacup

finding its place... on a saucer."

A cheat? I would argue not, but regardless, it's far and away my favorite thing I saw this year in any medium. Gadsby is in a pretty classic movie cliche for women -- the Woman Trying To Make It In A Man's World. No matter how many brilliant female comedians there are, it's still seen as a "guy's field" and women who do it just as well or better still play second fiddle, even when they're completely nailing it. Gadsby turns comedy itself on its own head, deconstructing the typical stand-up routine and putting it back together as something else entirely. I watched it four times and it wiped me out every time, and I'm floored that Hannah Gadsby did this night after night for months -- opening up her emotional wounds over and over again for an audience and still managing to make them laugh hysterically. (Streaming on Netflix.)

2018 Film Discoveries

Top 10 (or whatever) of this year still to come, but I wanted to do a list of my favorite vintage discoveries from this year. All but one of these I saw in a theater, and the fact that I can say that remains one of my favorite things about living in NewYork.

Listed in the order in which I saw them.

THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS (1949)

(seen on FilmStruck)

Like many, I was prompted to watch this by Paul Thomas Anderson as a companion piece to last year’s Phantom Thread. I don’t like most love triangle stories, because most of them just use what should be incredibly complicated feelings and emotions as a plot device, without dealing with those feelings at all. The Passionate Friends reminded me a bit of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, where a character is torn between two lives - one with a lover for whom they cherish a deep passion and understanding, and one with a spouse with whom they are genuinely happy. Ann Todd is heartbreaking in this, and the end of the film, while simple, blew me away. This is truly Claude Rains’ best work apart from Casablanca and I’m mad at myself for not knowing about this film when I was filling out my BNAT application in 2014 (where we had to take a character actor from Casablanca and list our favorite non-Casablanca role of theirs). (Available to rent on Amazon - if FilmStruck were still around, it would be there as well (*sniff*).)

PEPPERMINT SODA (1977)

(seen at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of their women filmmakers marathon event)

Probably my favorite entry in Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers’ “films directed by women” marathon, this movie is an utter delight. A stunning feature film debut by Diane Kurys (who went on to direct the Oscar-nominated Entre Nous), it is somewhat autobiographical and centers on two Jewish sisters, one 13 and one 15, who split their time between their separated parents in the early 1960s. They spend most of the year with their mother in Paris, where they attend a strict boarding school, and they spend summer break at the beach with their father. There’s an obvious element of nostalgia here, but it’s not precious about the pain of growing up. This is one of those movies I’d love to live in, if only for the beautiful pastel color palette. (Not available right this second, but Cohen Media is releasing a Blu-Ray in February.)

LIQUID SKY (1982)

(seen at Quad Cinema)

In the world of punk films, there is Liquid Sky and there is everything else. Like Rocky Horror Picture Show before it, this movie inspired a cult following that includes midnight screenings and fans willing to dress up as the film’s oddball characters. Set in present-day (1982) New York, Liquid Sky follows several characters, including male model Larry and Connecticut beauty Margaret (both played by the film’s star, Ann Carlisle). And the closest thing resembling a plot in the film is a group of aliens that land on top of a building and feed off the energy released when people get high on heroine (or have orgasms). It is an assault on the senses in the best way. (Available to stream on Shudder, and for rent on Amazon.)

FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN (1967)

(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their Hammer retrospective)

Not without its controversial aspects (particularly when viewed through a modern lens), this is nonetheless a fascinating take on Hammer studio’s Frankenstein mythos -- with a transgender twist. Cushing’s Frankenstein is intent on trapping the human soul of a recently deceased person, believing he can transfer it to the body of another recently deceased person. His eventual subject is Christina, a woman who has drowned herself in despair over her lover’s death. Frankenstein transfers the soul of this lover, Hans — a man unjustly accused of and executed for murder — to Christina and nurtures her back to health. But hijinks (and death) ensue when Christina is compelled by the spirit of Hans to avenge his death. Again, not without its issues, but still one of my favorite Hammer offerings. (Unfortunately not available to stream anywhere and physical copies are hard to find, unless you’re prepared to give an arm and a leg for them.)

OLD ENOUGH (1984)

(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their NY Woman series)

Don’t let this movie’s title put you off! It is a thoroughly engaging coming of age drama about a friendship between an 11-year-old from an upper class family and an older girl from the lower middle class (in true New York fashion, their wildly different worlds are only a couple blocks from each other). The two become friends and learn about each other’s different lifestyles. Like Peppermint Soda, this feels achingly honest and the film’s two leads feel very much like real girls and have a great chemistry. (This movie is also the film debut of a very young and adorable Alyssa Milano.) I got to see this as part of Quad Cinema’s “NY Woman” series, and I’m so glad I took a chance on it. (Available to stream for free on Amazon Prime.)

BABY FACE (1933)

(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their NY Woman series)

This is another entry in Quad Cinema’s “NY Woman” series. Barbara Stanwyck is a stone cold badass in this movie and doesn’t give a hoot if you don’t find her “likable.” Her character, Lily, sleeps her way to the top, both socially and financially, and thinks little of the lives she steps on along the way. I love that you can’t pass judgement on Lily’s actions in this movie without also examining what her options are as a woman in this time period. Not only did this movie have to be edited with extra moralizing in order to pass the New York State Censorship Board, it also is one of the handful of films that brought an end to the Pre-Code era in Hollywood. It also features a very young John Wayne in a small role. (Available to stream on YouTube, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and Vudu.)

STAR 80 (1983)

(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their Fosse series)

I watched this and was so impressed by it that I bought it, but I’m not sure I ever want to watch this again. This is the last film directed by the great Bob Fosse and it is brutally ugly. The movie tells a semi-fictionalized version of the tragic story of Dorothy Stratten, who was a celebrated Playboy Playmate and burgeoning actress before she was murdered by her husband Paul Snider. Mariel Hemingway is great as Stratten, but the film centers on a truly brilliant performance by Eric Roberts, who gives Snider a surprising amount of humanity without losing any of his sliminess or giving him one iota of forgiveness. The end of this film is a gut punch, and you can tell Fosse utterly loathes the men in this movie, who treat Stratten — even after her death — as a product. (Available to stream on YouTube, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and Vudu.)

WELCOME HOME, ROXY CARMICHAEL (1990)

(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn as part of their Winona Forever event)

Where has this movie been all my life?! When it comes to iconic female role models played by Winona Ryder, Heathers and Beetlejuice are the movies you probably think of first. Oh, and Little Women, of course. But Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael reigns over them all, and I truly wish I’d known about this movie when I was a teen and could have identified with this scruffy dog lover who doesn’t need a guy in her life bad enough to put up with not being treated like the queen she is. All hail Dinky Bossetti! (Available to stream for free on Amazon Prime.)

LOS SURES (1984)

(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of their I Love Old New York event)

I don’t watch a lot of documentaries, but this one knocked me out. Part of the Yonkers Drafthouse’s “I Love Old New York” marathon, this is a doc about the Brooklyn neighborhood that is now known as Williamsburg. It’s almost unfathomable that the area of Brooklyn seen in this film is the same as the upscale hipster haven that Williamsburg is today. Los Sures was one of the poorest neighborhoods in NYC when this film was made and was once called the worst ghetto in America. The film follows five individuals and is an incredible portrait of a community that struggles with crime and disenfranchisement but also has people who are willing to fight to make it better. (Available to rent on Amazon.)

ANGUISH (1987)

(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of Dismember the Alamo)

It’s been a couple of months since I first saw this and I’m still not sure what I saw. What begins as a creepy mother-son psychic revenge plot with major eye squickiness (and top-billed Zelda Rubinstein!) takes a HARD left turn about thirty minutes in. The trick this movie pulls is one that should definitely be used sparingly, but it really works here and becomes (for me, at least) a much more relatable nightmare. I can’t really say much more without spoiling, and I can’t imagine how they advertised this movie, but it’s a very solid slasher that isn’t like a hundred slashers you’ve seen before. I’m so glad I got to see this in an actual movie theater, and that I think is the ultimate way to see it. Provided you can handle the eye squick. (Hard to find, unfortunately - there’s a Blu-Ray but it’s Region 2. Some Region 1 DVDs for sale by some collectors on Amazon, but you’ll probably get a better price on eBay.)