Travel and work got on the way big time this year. Watching films on the big screen thus became a bit more challenging. Here is where online streaming and, to a lesser extent, DVDs come to the rescue. In the past, missing a film implied waiting for months if not years to play catch up. Television was usually an option and one that offered edited films on a narrow (never mind small) screen. Not that I miss those old days. But on the other hand, most film revival houses have disappeared.
New digital companies such as Netflix and Amazon are going beyond film distribution and are now betting on film production. Perhaps real competition to Hollywood backed by big money is finally emerging. Will these and other similar companies disrupt the sector? Perhaps. But the good news is that film production is now increasing thus offering new opportunities to filmmakers beyond Hollywood’s payroll, including international artists.
Anyways, below is my list displayed according to the date I saw them. No rankings here. That I leave to you. Note however that I probably missed a few films I was unable to watch.
Best films:
- I am not your negro – Raoul Peck (2017, Haiti)
- A Quiet Passion – Terence Davies (2016, UK)
- Kaili Blues – Gang Bi (2016, China)
- Good Time – Benny and Josh Safdie (2017, US)
- The Florida Project – Sean Baker (2017, US)
- The Square – Ruben Östlund (2017, Sweden)
- Faces Places – Agnes Varda (2017, France)
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Martin McDonagh (2017, UK)
- Lady Bird – Greta Gerwig (2017, US)
- Mudbound – Dee Rees (2017, US)
- Nocturama – Bertrand Bonello (2016, France)
- Get Out – Jordan Peele (2017, US)
- Coco – Lee Unkrich & Adrian Molina (2017, US)
Recommended:
- Things to Come – L’avenir – Mia Hansen-Løve (2016, France)
- Graduation – Cristian Mungiu (2016, Romania)
- Buena Vista Social Club: Adios – Lucy Walker (2017, UK)
- The Midwife | Sage Femme – Martin Provost (2017, France)
- Detroit – Katrhyn Bigelow (2017, US)
- Wind River – Taylor Sheridan (2017, US)
- Bright Nights – Thomas Arsian (2017, Germany)
- From the Land of the Moon | Mal de Pierres – Nicole Garcia (2016, France)
- The Unknown Girl | La Fille Inconnue – Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne (2016, Belgium)
- Call me by your name – Luca Guadagnino (2017, Italy)
Cheers, Raúl
