2017: The Year in Review

It is the end of 2017, but it may as well be not be, for this year – even on the heels of last year – has felt beyond-interminable, this in spite of its many ferocious pulls in pretty much every single f---in’ direction.

That’s part of the reason I took a sabbatical from this non-sense about which, yes, I have been known to be quite serious, to become much more of aware of the world beyond the movies.

To keep tabs on the real world.

To try and keep up not only with the Kardashians, for a change, but with the people who are supposed to be representing and leading this country and, closer to the ground and to home, with my community.

Still had time to watch some films, though. Some movies and some flicks, too.

Most of ’em were good and fun, although a few were fairly awful. Not as terrible as...you know what? He’s not worth it. He is not me, he is not us; he’s got zero to do with this, and he certainly doesn’t deserve any more attention.

So here’s to the year that was, and to 2018, which, IMHO, is already full of promise.

I tell ya, it’s gonna be a good one.

Because woof.

Now, without further ado, my picks with a little silliness thrown back in for good measure.

10 Best Films of the Year (in alphabetical order):

Battle of the Sexes
The Big Sick
Call Me by Your Name
Dunkirk
The Florida Project
Get Out
Kedi
Lady Bird
Logan
The Shape of Water

Honorable Mention (tie): Beach Rats and Beatriz at Dinner

Best Directors: Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water), Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name), Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman), Jordan Peele (Get Out)

Best Look: Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde

Best Makeover: Chris Hemsworth’s in Thor: Ragnarok

Best Props: It’s myriad red balloons

Best Setting: Call Me by Your Name’s Italian countryside

Best Switcheroo: Allison Williams’ in Get Out

Best Supporting Actors: Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project), Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name), Andy Serkis (War for the Planet of the Apes, Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Patrick Stewart (Logan) Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me by Your Name)

Most Welcome to the A-List: Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman)

Most Ready to Channel Ivanka Trump for a Remake of Single White Female That Ought to Be Titled Single White Nationalist: Unforgettable’s Katherine Heigl

Most Surprising: The Foreigner’s Jackie Chan (Jackie Chan!)

Best Supporting Actresses: Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), Holly Hunter (The Big Sick), Tatiana Maslany (Stronger), Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird), Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water)

Can’t Wait to See More of – Female: Danielle Macdonald and Bridget Everett, from Patty Cake$

Can’t Wait to See More of – Male: Kumail Nanjiani, from The Big Sick

Best Actors: Timothée Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name), Jake Gyllenhaal (Stronger), Hugh Jackman (Logan), Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), James McAvoy (Split)

Best Actresses: Halle Berry (Kidnap), Cate Blanchett (Manifesto), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), Saiorse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Photos: Universal Pictures (Get Out); ScreenFellows.com (Call Me by Your Name); Warner Bros. (Unforgettable); Variety.com (Stronger).