So it’s that time of the year for us to appraise what we thought were the best and worst films of the year and in the office this has frankly degenerated into a fist fight where we’ve had to judge the best and worst by judging which of the team has the most bruising and least bruising related to the film they raised as being best / worst.
In which case we will start with our favourite films of the year and in no particular order the best or least favourite by our reckoning were:
ARRIVAL
After the fantastic Mexican drug smuggling thriller, ‘Sicario’ director Dennis Villeneuve proves equally adept as Sci-fi and is reassuringly the best choice to have made the long awaited Blade Runner sequel out later in 2017.
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS
Meryl Streep is great but the real stand out turn is a reminder that Hugh Grant is a light comedy actor par excellence in this beautifully made comedy from Stephen Frears.
GREEN ROOM
Director Jeremy Saulnier continues to make great thrillers that have you wincing in pain and gasping in shock. One of Anton Yelchin’s last films.
I, DANIEL BLAKE
A reminder that cinema can provide devastating social comment. At over 80 years old director Ken Loach is still at the top of his game.
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS
Tom Ford continues to show that he was not a one hit wonder in this, his ‘difficult’ second album…..um…..film.
SUBURRA
For those who say they can’t watch subtitled films you should make this film an exception in a mafia film that is up there with the best. We were even mentioned on the poster!
THE SHALLOWS
In a summer of disappointing blockbusters here was a film stripped down to basics about a girl vs shark that was brilliantly thrilling.
FINDING DORY
Pixar continue to make kids films that adults will love perhaps even more.
SPOTLIGHT
A true life story that you can scarce believe is true played out by a superb ensemble cast. It won an Oscar too for Best Film.
And now for the WORST FILMS…….
BEN HUR
A remake of a remake but in 3D with Morgan Freeman as a rastafarian. Please no more!
BREAKING THE BANK
Breaking the Bank in title only as nothing seems to have been spent on anything else. Andrew Sachs last film….thankfully we will still remember him as Fawlty Towers’ Manuel.
DIRTY GRANDPA
Possibly the worst film of the year and an all time carer low for one of the greatest living actors. A dirty stain on DeNiro’s filmography.
NATURAL BORN PRANKSTERS
An alleged comedy featuring Amerian youtube stars – if only they’d called it Natural Born Prankers we could have put the title down as being cockney rhyming.
THE COMEDIANS GUIDE TO SURVIVAL
James Buckley continues and fails to find a decent role now that The Inbetweeners has ended.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haHiNmgdb1A&t=11s
THE NEON DEMON
Horror? Critique of the fashion industry? Or just rubbish – we went for the latter.
BASTILLE DAY
Idris Elba’s audition to be Bond. Turned out to be an audition to be bland.
ZOOLANDER 2
A sequel 15 years too late with dozens of cameos and not a single one of them funny. Always a set back if it’s meant to be a comedy film. And we still can’t believe that Owen Wilson seems to have a penis as a nose.
