2017 Favourites

I am very much in mourning for the diminishing quality of the Star Wars films which came to light in the recent release of The Last Jedi. I had a whole plan about this article having a section on how much I enjoyed it. And after the losses of Mother and Split as well its been a pretty disappointing year. BUT, there have also been some surprises, and I've learnt that rather than hyping myself up for films that may disappoint me, I need to branch out with what I watch in order to find the true gems.

Feminism dominated TV in GLOW and The Handmaid's Tale

In 2017 I found the feminist in me, and it was made all the more powerful by these two TV shows. Although each takes a different approach, GLOW and The Handmaid's Tale used popular TV to push us into thinking about how our gender has been treated throughout time. Even more so, it shows how can, and have, fought against the system without being accused of being hysterical women, or crazy feminists. Although The Handmaid's Tale is dystopian, it touches on issues that are very real for many countries in the third world, while GLOW reminds us that oppression was more severe than we realised in our recent past. Yet amidst these miserable themes both shows empowered me, and I would highly recommend them to men and women alike. 

Korean cinema smashed it again with The Handmaiden

Although this was technically a 2016 release, The Handmaiden came to the UK in April this year. Oldboy is one of my favourite films of all time, and so I jumped at the chance to see another Park Chan-wook film. It couldn't have been more different to Oldboy, a very dark reflection of how we can disassociate from our actions in the modern age. The Handmaiden instead tells a classic love story of two women saying fuck you to the patriarchy and taking down the men that control them (do you see a pattern here). I love that it takes an era romanticised through literature and turns it on its head through the LGBT theme. It's interesting, thrilling and uplifting, a U- turn from Oldboy but a fantastic piece all the same. 

A thoughtful and decent horror was made in Get Out

Initially after seeing Get Out I was a bit pissed off that the trailer seemed to have shown all the best bits of the film, but on re-watching it I've released its similarities with my favourite film EVER- Scream. Scream parodies the horror genre in a time when it was essentially fetishised, and remains scary at the same time by suggesting the real issues which obsessions with horror raise. Get Out works similarly, by placing a genuinely terrifying social concept into the horror film frame. Whether or not you guessed the twist, I think Get Out uses the horror genre to make us think about what we should really be scared about. And, like Scream, it makes you laugh, both at the film and at yourself.

Marvel made a film I actually enjoyed in Guardians II

Of all the films I watch I have never enjoyed Marvel films, not because I don't think they're good, I just don't really get excited for all these superheroes from comics I've never read. Especially when Antman became a thing I just thought they're pushing it here. So when Guardians came out a few years ago I didn't bother watching it, and I randomly saw it this year and loved it. So then when number two came out I was hyped, and it was great as well. I like these films for the very simple reason that all the characters are amazing and the sound track is banging. Chris Pratt is funny, that big blue guy is an adorable gentle giant and Baby Groot is the cutest thing to happen since the ewoks. It's uplifting and fun and just great so thanks Marvel for actually making something I like it's nice to be proved wrong sometimes. 

My favourite TV show returned with vengeance

For a lot of people I sound like a broken record on this one but I DON'T CARE. AHS Cult redeemed itself and made up for all the disappointments of the year. It seized the day and showed used current affairs to show how power corrupts, absolutely. What I loved most about it was that for the first time there was nothing supernatural, because our greatest fears are no longer speculative, but very real, with the election of Donald Trump. It's so clever. And I LOVE IT. Thanks Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck for making the happiest horror nerd ever. 

We cried because something other than a dog died in Okja. 

Any vegetarian will tell you that pigs are the most intelligent animal out there, and so eating bacon is no different to eating a dog or an animal we deem domestic. Everyone is turning veggie and its a prominent theme in the news. Netflix's Okja seized this opportunity and tells a wonderful love story between a young girl and her pet Okja, a weird pig like hippo hybrid. I know a lot of people steered away from meat after watching this film, and it really does pull on your heartstrings and remind you to think about where your food is coming from, and subverts the traditional human-farm animal food chain. Its a tear-jerker, but also parodies the vegan stereo-type to have you in stitches too. It's thoughtful without being preachy, and one of the best things on Nerflix right now. 

SO those are my favourite things to have happened this year. But all in all I've learnt that film should always be about trying something new, and sticking with the old favourites in moderation. Saying this, I obviously still watched Scream, Return of the Jedi and Oldboy this year, at least five times each. Maybe seven.