Top Films of 2017 12-7 Reviewed

12. The Witch -- Out of the many horror films I watched this year, The Witch was one of the newer ones that really stuck with me. Robert Egger's period piece set in the 17th century New England ably captures the struggles of a Puritan family, while showing how fear and prejudice are a continual problem in human communities.
11. Cutter's Way -- Jeff Bridges, in the role of Richard Bone, seems to be working on his template for the character that will later become the Dude in The Big Lebowski. He finds amazing onscreen chemistry with John Heard's Alex Cutter in this charming, little thriller that sends Cutter and Bones on the trail of a mystery. Ivan Passer's film is not flashy, but it carries a lot of depth through weighty performances and characterization.
10. Mona Lisa -- Neil Jordan's Mona Lisa is not just another character-driven crime film because the story and acting elevate it to another level. The performances by Bob Hoskins and Cathy Tyson are stellar. Hoskins plays George an ex-convict who wants to go straight but becomes infatuated with Simone, a high-priced prostitute played by Tyson. Hoskins' understated performance and likability and Tyson's innocent turn as an approachable call girl knock this one out of the park.
9. Safety Last!-- It was tough choosing a Harold Lloyd film for the list. Both Why Worry? and Girl Shy are so much fun, especially the latter. I chose Safety Last! because it has the iconic scene where he hangs from the clock. This one cannot be beat for action and comedy. His stunts are worth the price of admission alone.
8. Border Radio -- Allison Anders' film about musicians robbing their promoter with one fleeing to Mexico is also a blast! His wife, a rock journalist, asks his friends for help in finding him. Chris D from the Flesh Eaters and John Doe from X star in this low budget film that chronicles relationships and bad choices within a fictionalized L.A. music scene. The soundtrack also rocks with performances from the Flesh Eaters, Green on Red, and The Blasters among others.
7. The 400 Blows -- Truffaut's semi-autobiographical film is justly described as a masterpiece. It tells the story of Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud), a young boy in 1950's Paris, who is placed in a Youth Detention Center because his parents do not understand how to deal with his truancy and petty thefts. Henri Decae's cinematography and the performances both accentuate the troubled narrative of a young boy who finds himself adrift in life. Leaud went on to play Doinel in four other films chronicling the character's life, all of which are also remarkable.  

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