List
2017 Staff Picks: Movies & TV
Our expert staff take a look back at the year and share their favorite titles.
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This Beautiful Fantastic
2017Get this item"This was the year's biggest surprise for me. I was entranced by this gem of a film that seems to come from nowhere. Sweet, endearing, and filled with heart, this one you can watch with the whole family."
Recommended by Cecilia.
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Fences
2017Get this item"A virtuoso performance by Denzel Washington who directed as well as stars in this film version of the powerful August Wilson play. The ending is perfect, and a sweet note after a hard ride."
Recommended by Lukie.
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Cameraperson
2017Get this item"Kirsten Johnson’s documentary was one of the most original I’ve ever seen. Made up from portions of unused documentary footage she’s accumulated in her 25+ years as a documentary cinematographer, it tells a story, a kind of montage poem, ruminating on memory and the things we choose to make present and the things we choose to make absent in the stories we tell."
Recommended by Chris.
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Caïn: Season 2
2017Get this item"My new favorite police procedural from the French. The twist is that the detective is handicapped and must use his wheelchair to get around—but he does get around. Sexy, sassy, great dialogue, and character development along with unusual plots/storylines. Went right from the First Season to the Second and can't wait for the Third."
Recommended by Mary.
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Moonlight
2017Get this item"Moonlight tells the story of Chiron, African American, bullied, gay, and virtually homeless, who has a junkie mother and crack dealer father-figure. This visually and atmospherically stunning, highly emotionally charged movie is utterly riveting and, I guarantee you, a surprisingly intimate experience for any viewer."
Recommended by Lukie.
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Arrival
2017Get this item"Perfect movie! Suspenseful, intellectual, and great acting. A different take on alien encounters."
Recommended by Mike.
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Agent Hamilton
2017Get this item"The super spy with a heart as only the Swedish can depict it for us. This series is based on the classic espionage series by Jan Guillou. I think it is always interesting to see how the American involvement in international affairs is portrayed especially when you're reflecting the twisted psychology of arms dealers and hostage takers. Thrilling, fun, and educational with scenes shot in Afghanistan, Africa, and locations throughout the Middle East."
Recommended by Mary.
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20th Century Women
2017Get this item"I love this charming, eccentric, shrewd, nostalgic (1979) movie so much, I want to live in it (except for the cigarette smoke), but will have to settle for watching it again (and again). Great characters excellently portrayed, including my favorite Greta Gerwig role yet."
Recommended by Lukie.
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Paterson
2017Get this item"Adam Driver inhabits the character of Paterson wonderfully, drawing us into his simple life as a poetry-writing bus driver in a dreary town that seems anything but dreary through his eyes. Instead, there seem to be little miracles of creative life all around him and I, for one, am grateful to Jarmusch for sharing that vision."
Recommended by Lukie.
"Here is one week in the life of Paterson, a New Jersey bus driver and part-time poet. Character driven and thoughtfully plotted, this indie filmmaking makes my inner person cheer with geeky admiration. Attention dog lovers, an English bulldog (called Marvin, played by Nellie) that belongs to Paterson’s wife manages to steal every scene; she won the 2016 Palm Dog Award at the Cannes Film Festival."
Recommended by Sharon.
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The Collection
2017Get this item"Another stunning period piece by Masterpiece Theatre with costumes, makeup, hairstyles, and sets to delight and bedazzle us. Superb acting throughout and a storyline that involves murder, competition, jealousy and fame. But you don't have to be a fashionista to enjoy because this thriller offers so much more."
Recommended by Mary.
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The Good Place
2017Get this item"Eleanor Shellstrop has died and bureaucratic Michael tells her that she is in the Good Place. This news is a big surprise to Eleanor because she was not a good person. So, before anyone figures out that she doesn’t belong in the Good Place, Eleanor along with “soul mate” Chidi sets out to learn what it means to be a good person and to belong in the good place. This show is super funny, very smart and, just when you think it has exhausted all the possibilities of the storylines, throws an unexpected, wickedly fun curveball."
Recommended by Lynnanne.
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Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2
2017Get this item"Starlord and the gang are back, and this film gets right into the action! The film focuses more on Starlord's past and is has some interesting twists!"
Recommended by Dan.
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The interrogation
2017Get this item"It might seem strange to call a movie about the prison interrogation of the Commandant of Auschwitz “beautiful,” but the carefully composed shots and muted palette make this feature film look like an Andrew Wyeth painting come to life."
Recommended by Steven.
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Shin Gojira: Shin Godzilla
2017Get this item"There hasn't been a Japanese-made Godzilla movie since 2004 so it was a long wait for this one. This is a really interesting reboot to a time when the world is first meeting Godzilla and the film uses him in a new way. I love the way Simon Abrams put it on rogerebert.com: 'Like a quasi-Aaron Sorkin-esque civics lesson that happens to be about a giant monster.'"
Recommended by Becky.
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John Wick: Chapter 2
2017Get this item"John Wick was one of my favorite movies of 2015, so I eagerly awaited the sequel. I was not disappointed. While some may say Neo or Ted is Keanu Reeves’ best role, I would argue that honor belongs to John Wick. Reeves brings a haunting presence to Wick, a hitman who would dearly love to stay retired. The slamming action scenes (you will never look at a pencil in the same way again) and the addition of Common and Laurence Fishburne to an already stellar supporting cast makes this movie a must watch. Stay tuned for my “Best of 2019” post for John Wick 3."
Recommended by Lynnanne.
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Toni Erdmann
2017Get this item"I’m completely certain Toni Erdmann is the weirdest, funniest, most generous, and heartfelt German comedy you’ll ever see. At its core is a loving prankster father trying to shock his establishment daughter out of her dull capitalist complacency. The results are giddy, shocking and triumphant."
Recommended by Chris.
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Columbus (DVD)
2017Get this item"This film is so unique and exquisite in its execution, it is a visual feast and so much more. In standout performances, John Cho and Hailey Lu Richardson play two people, at a crossroads in life, who bond over architecture. Every scene that shows a structure or building is meticulously planned, stunning to see, adding depth to the story."
Recommended by Sharon.
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The Promise
2017Get this item"The Promise is an historic drama set during the Armenian genocide and is the only film in the 21st century to acknowledge this horrific event. The film is beautiful, tragic, inspiring, and should be required for everyone so that they can learn just a bit about this real event that so few of us know anything about."
Recommended by Rachel.
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The Lost City of Z
2017Get this item"Based off the best-selling nonfiction book of the same name, I found this film about the early 20th-century Amazon-based exploits of British adventurer, Charlie Hunnam a gorgeous throwback to classic Hollywood cinema. Which is to say I admired its finely honed craftsmanship as much as its transporting, deeply immersive narrative."
Recommended by Chris.
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Dean
2017Get this item"Not content with being a standup comic, author, cartoonist, and musician, Demetri Martin has decided to produce, direct, write, and star in his first feature film. Martin’s gentle “comedy about tragedy” is highly reminiscent of the work of the similarly multi-talented Woody Allen right down to comparisons between New York and Los Angeles. Kevin Kline contributes a touching performance that provides the film’s emotional anchor."
Recommended by Steven.
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La La Land
2017Get this item"Delightful from beginning to end, it's easy to succumb to this homage to old-fashioned song and dance entertainment with the sweet performances of Gosling and Stone. So glad I saw it on the big screen!"
Recommended by Lukie.
"My absolute favorite movie of the year. I walked out of the theater with my toes tapping and my spirits completely lifted. A fantastically vibrant and energized movie."
Recommended by Cecilia.
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Kedi
2017 by Ceyda TorunGet this item"A Turkish documentary that follows seven stray cats through the streets of Istanbul, as they live and interact with various people who take care of them (and many more strays). Filmed from a cat’s perspective, the viewer gets an inside look at an ancient city and the humans who cherish the kitties, insisting that their feline friends enrich their lives."
Recommended by Sharon.
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Lion
2017 by Garth DavisGet this item"My favorite all-around movie of 2016/17. It has everything: drama, passion, emotion. This film made me feel that everything was good and everything had promise. Very inspiring. "
Recommended by Cecilia.
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Personal Shopper
2017 by Olivier AssayasGet this item"Leaving her gleefully cheesy teenage vampire days behind her, Kristen Stewart teamed up for her second film with the great French director; Olivier Assayas. The result is his exquisite meditation on the haunted fractures running through modernity. Or maybe it’s just a ghost story. In any case, I found its spectral charms and Stewart’s cool detachment wonderfully transporting."
Recommended by Chris.
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Kimi No Na Wa = Your Name
2017 by Makoto ShinkaiGet this item"Awesome animation paired with a wonderful, emotionally satisfying story that I will always hold dear. Mitsuha, a high school girl living in rural Japan begins to swap bodies intermittently with Taki, a high school boy who lives in Tokyo. I think that this a must-see for anime lovers as well as a good introduction for those unfamiliar with the genre."
Recommended by Sharon.
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The Shape of Water (dvd)
2018 by Sally HawkinsGet this itemTaking place during the Cold War years of the early 1960s, Sally Hawkins plays a mute janitor who works at a top-secret military research facility. She befriends a new asset captured in the Amazon—Amphibian Man. So begins one of the most unusual cinematic love stories of the year. I think of this movie as a cross between Pan’s Labyrinth, Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon. It is visually stunning, a layered dark fantasy, full of imagination and creativity, which lands firmly in twisty fairy tale territory.
Recommended by Sharon.
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Call Me by Your Name (dvd)
2018 by Armie HammerGet this itemSet in Northern Italy, 1983, this is a coming of age story, chronicling 17-year-old Elio’s romantic involvement with his father’s 24-year-old summer research assistant, Oliver. For Elio, there is infatuation and the sharp pangs of first love, as he deciphers gestures and codes, trying to figure out Oliver. Hence, the story unfolds, not depending so much on dialogue, but more often on what is unspoken, and then shown or done by the actors (and be sure to watch through the credits). Michael Stuhlbarg plays Elio’s father, a classicist/historian/archaeologist. It is perfect for the story, helping to set the right mood. They have one of the most tender and meaningful father/son scenes ever written. I simply fell in love the characters; all became very real to me for two hours and 12 minutes. The more I think about the movie, the more I appreciate the filmmaker’s artistry, the stellar performances, and James Ivory’s sensitive adaptation of the novel.
Recommended by Sharon.
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