Now that the 2017-2018 movie award season is in full swing, I think it is important to highlight four movies that flew under the radar.
1. "It Comes at Night"
My first pick is "It Comes at Night," a psychological horror movie directed by newcomer Trey Edward Shults. The only backstory given is a deadly virus has engulfed the world, but the scope of this movie is very small. The majority of the 91-minute runtime is spent at a secluded cabin in the woods, and the focus is on the conflicts between two very different families, who compete for supplies.
What I love about this movie is it took an approach similar to Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece "The Shining:" what you don't see is scarier than anything you could see on screen. Shults expertly builds up tension slowly and affectively.
There are several dream sequences throughout the movie that left me feeling disoriented, I lost track of what was real and what was fantasy. The sense of dread throughout had a way of seeping into my bones.
One common criticism of the movie is that it is unsatisfying, there are no concrete answers as to where the virus came from. I love that the movie made me ask questions, which enhanced my experience and disorientation. One thing's for certain, the conclusion is one of the most startling and memorable of 2017.
Available on Amazon Prime, iTunes
2. "Last Flag Flying"
"Last Flag Flying" is directed/co-written by the legendary Richard Linklater ("Dazed and Confused,""School of Rock," the "Before" trilogy) and stars Steve Carrell ("The Office"), Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") and Laurence Fishburne ("The Matrix").
The story takes place in 2003 and centers around three Vietnam veterans. When "Doc" Shepherd (played by Carrell) loses his son in combat overseas, he reconnects with his estranged friends Sal (Cranston) and Mueller (Fishburne) to ask for help arranging the funeral.
What I love about Linklater's movies is he does not focus onextravagant storylines with lots of action; Linklater's focus is on realistic human connections.The dialogue is skillfully crafted, I laughed out loud more than most comedies I saw last year, and I teared up at the movie's conclusion. It also has poignant social commentary about the government and the cost of war.
3. "Score: A Film Music Documentary"
Think of your favorite movie scenes, and now think of how different would they be without music. One of the first that comes to my mind is "Jurassic Park." A lesser score would have made for a good scene; hearing John Williams' music as a kid rocked me to my core. Just thinking about John Williams's weeping and awe-inspiring music gives me goosebumps. For a while, I had it as my alarm clock sound, which was much more pleasant than the standard options!
"Score" is about how music can propel a very good movie to greatness. Director/Writer Matt Schrader focuses a large portionon Hans Zimmer's work, who has revolutionized the blockbuster movie genre through his bombastic scores for the "Dark Knight" trilogy. Overall, I found "Score" to be a fascinating look into how important music can be to a movie's success and legacy.
Available on Hulu, Amazon
4. "Wind River"
"Wind River" is a crime drama directed and written by Taylor Sheridan ("Sicario") and stars Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker"), Elizabeth Olsen ("Godzilla") and Gil Birmingham (Twilight). Its title is its setting, "The Wind River Indian Reservation" in Wyoming.
The plot is about when U.S. Wildlife agent Cory Lambert (Renner) discovers a frozen body miles from civilization, he teams up with rookie F.B.I. agent Jane Banner (Olsen) to investigate. This is Sheridan's third movie in three years, and he's batting .1000 with three home runs.
Wind River is a taut, realistic murder mystery that pulled me in and never let me go. It is dialogue driven, but when the action hits, it's stunning. The actor who stole the show was Birmingham, the father of the victim. His performance is heartbreaking, and he definitely ranks among the best performances I saw in 2017.
I hope all of you are captivated by these films just as I was. What are you waiting for? Go check them out!
