Favorite Movies of 2017

I actually saw over one hundred new releases in the theater this year so I thought I would compile my top ten favorites of 2017 (click on the link to go to my original review of each movie). 

10.  Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

I loved this dark comedy because it allowed two incredibly compelling characters to not only express their rage over untenable situations but to also find some sort of forgiveness with each other.  It really struck a chord with me because I find narratives about tragically flawed people behaving badly but ultimately finding redemption to be incredibly cathartic (it is a theme in many of my all-time favorite movies).  Both Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell give tour de force performances and I thought about this movie long after I left the theater.

9.  The Shape of Water

What I loved most about this film is that, in an age of conformity, a group of misfits is able to triumph over a truly despicable authority figure and that, ultimately, love wins!  All of the characters mirror the otherness of the humanoid they are trying to protect and I think it is a beautiful exploration of what it means to be different and that the monsters are not who we think they are.  Sally Hawkins gives a remarkable physical performance that it is worthy of all of the accolades she is receiving.

8.  The Florida Project

This film is another that stayed with me long after I left the theater.  I loved the juxtaposition of people living on the margins of society right next to Disney World, the Happiest Place on Earth.  In a nation of great abundance, what do we do for the people who fall through the cracks?  A young girl chooses to turn the tragic circumstances of her life into a daily adventure and I found myself rooting for her young mother, who despite some major character flaws and some questionable behavior, tries her best to do what she can for her daughter with limited resources.  Brooklynn Prince gives a truly affecting performance as does Willem Dafoe.

7.  Blade Runner 2049

This movie is a visual masterpiece that exceeded my expectations in every way (which is very rare).  I've always been a fan of the original Blade Runner and, in this latest installment, Denis Villeneuve continues Ridley Scott's world-building to its logical progression to tell a compelling story of what it means to be human.  There are some scenes that resonated very powerfully with me and I loved Ryan Gosling's performance.

6.  Dunkirk

This movie was a truly immersive experience for me that literally left me breathless with brilliant cinematography that put the audience in the middle of the action, whether in an aerial dogfight or on a sinking ship.  It is a powerful portrayal of one of the most defining moments in history and the subject is survival itself.  The action is unrelenting and the three different timelines kept me completely engaged with the story.  I loved the small acts of heroism with standout performances by Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, and Kenneth Branagh.

5.  Logan

I enjoyed this film much more than I anticipated.  I think it resonated so deeply with me because it is such a raw portrayal of a tortured man living with regrets who is ultimately redeemed by a young girl who faces the same demons.  The tone is much more somber than the other movies in the franchise, and much more violent, but the message is one of hope about people who are different and the final resolution left me with tears in my eyes.  Hugh Jackman gives a highly nuanced performance that, in my opinion, should generate some attention this awards season.

4.  Lady Bird

As a huge fan of Greta Gerwig's particular brand of humor I knew that I would really love this film.  It is a quirky coming of age story that perfectly captures the narcissism of youth as a teenager navigates her senior year and her combative relationship with her mother.  I had a deep emotional connection to the character of Lady Bird and Saoirse Ronan is brilliant in the role as is Laurie Metcalf as her mother.  It made me want to call my mother after I walked out of the theater.

3.  Wonder Woman

In my opinion Wonder Woman is the best superhero movie, ever.  I loved everything about it!  Diana is such a dynamic character and Gal Gadot brilliantly captures both her strength and naivete.  World War I has always been of particular interest to me and setting the narrative during the war to end all wars worked very well because her struggle is against war itself and man's inclination to evil.  I loved that her relationship with Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) and his capacity for love is what redeems mankind in her eyes.  I may or may not have had a tear in my eye during the No Man's Land scene!

2.  Personal Shopper

This film is a fascinating exploration of a young woman's search for identity.  The juxtaposition between the spiritual and the material is brilliantly portrayed as Maureen (Kristen Stewart), who is a medium and a personal shopper for a celebrity, is haunted by a ghost and a stalker.  I honestly don't know which scenes are more menacing: the ghost in an abandoned house or the stalker's texts to Maureen on the train!  Stewart gives one of the best performances of the year (I find her to be vastly underrated).  I saw this multiple times in the theater and I've watched my copy countless times because this is a film that makes me think!

1.  A Ghost Story

This film was easily my favorite at Sundance this year and that status was solidified after viewing it again in wide release.  To be sure, there are long sustained shots without much action but I found them to be strangely compelling.  The cinematography is beautiful and the score is one of the most evocative in recent memory.  The ghost, even completely shrouded in a sheet with eye holes, is an incredibly sympathetic character and I was emotionally invested in his journey.  I loved the theme that attachment to people, places, and things is what holds us back because this is something I think about a lot.  It is a masterpiece and I loved it so much!

Honorable Mentions:  Good Time, Brigsby Bear, Baby Driver, The Big Sick, and Ingrid Goes West.

Christmas 2017

It was a wonderful Christmas this year!  On Christmas Eve I went to the final Christmas broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  I can't think of a better way to spend Christmas Eve!  The program was especially beautiful and I loved "Wexford Carol."  In the afternoon I went to see It's A Wonderful Life on the big screen at my local art house theater.  They show it every year and I've always wanted to see it so this year I decided to make it happen.  I love that movie!  In the evening Sean and Tashena opened their traditional Christmas pajamas.

We played shanghai rummy for the rest of the evening which is always so much fun!  Trent won!

Sean gave us very strict instructions about when we were opening presents in the morning.  I thought I was going to be late but I made it with two minutes to spare only to discover that he wasn't there yet!

Santa Claus came and he was very generous!

Sean got lots and lots of games for his Xbox, a wireless controller, and a drone (I kind of want one of those!).

Tashena got a bigger TV for her room, some new basketball shoes, a Kindle e-reader, and lots of body spray from Bath & Body Works (she has so much of that stuff).

I got some books, a sweater, a new chromebook, and lots of movies!  After a fantastic dinner we played shanghai rummy (Tashena won) and then Marilyn and I took Tashena (Sean didn't want to go because he has a million new games to play) to see The Last Jedi (it was the third time for me and I still love it!).

I hope that you had a wonderful holiday as well!  Just like last year, I plan on spending the rest of my winter break in a darkened theater trying to cross off a bunch of movies on my list (reviews will come in the new year). 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert

Last Christmas the Utah Symphony showed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on the big screen with the score played live by the orchestra.  I absolutely loved it and, at the time, I hoped that they would continue with the whole series of films.  It seems as if they are because this year they showed the next film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and I got to see it last night!  This film follows Harry Potter's second year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when the Heir of Slytherin opens the Chamber of Secrets which causes several students (as well as Mrs. Norris!) to be petrified after viewing the monster that is unleashed.  It was so much fun to see this on the big screen again and having the Utah Symphony play the lush score composed by John Williams added so much to the experience.  There was not an empty seat at Abravanel Hall and the crowd, many in costume, was extremely enthusiastic.  There were cheers and applause when every character appeared on screen for the first time (especially Professor Snape) and for all of Harry's adventures including the flying Ford Anglia, the Polyjuice Potion, the spider Aragorn, and the battle with the basilisk.  I especially enjoyed seeing Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) because they were so little and I thought Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh) was hilarious!  It was such a fun night!  If you have not seen a movie in concert with a live orchestra I highly recommend it if you have the chance!  The Utah Symphony just announced that they will be showing Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in June and I am really excited!

The Nutcracker 2017

I am now officially on winter break and I am so excited (and relieved). The past week at school has been extremely stressful and, honestly, I didn't think I would make it! The one thing that got me through the day yesterday was knowing that I would be seeing a performance of The Nutcracker by Ballet West later that night. This is a cherished tradition every Christmas and I was even more excited than usual this year because it is all new! The new production retains everything that I love about this ballet, namely the incomparable score by Tchaikovsky and William Christensen's iconic choreography, and adds some beautiful new sets and costumes. I loved it! The set during the party scene has a very Baroque feel to it with lots of jewel tone colors.  I especially loved the falling snow visible in a picture window behind the tree. I also really liked the special lighting effects when the tree grows in size. The set for the Snow Pas de Deux is like a woodland winter wonderland with the Northern lights in the background.  I particularly liked the effect of viewing this scene through diamond paned windows as Clara and the Nutcracker Prince leave the house. The set for the Land of the Sweets has a very tropical feel with candy hued costumes for the pages and attendants (and monkeys!). The new costumes are incredibly opulent and my favorites were the Waltzing Flowers and the furry mice. I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing this ballet and I eagerly anticipate all of the divertissements offered by the Sugar Plum Fairy to entertain Clara. As ever, my favorites are the Arabian dance because it is so exotic and sensuous and the Russian dance for its sheer athleticism (it received the loudest cheers). I wait through the entire ballet for the Grand Pas de Deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. I love this because Tchaikovsky's music here is so incredibly romantic!  The Sugar Plum Fairy was danced by Sayaka Ohtaki last night and she was fantastic. I think she is so classically graceful and she seemed to glide across the stage and whirl through the air. It was a wonderful evening and the perfect start to winter break! I highly recommend seeing this amazing update of a Christmas classic.  It runs at the Capitol Theatre through December 30 and tickets may be purchased here.

Gingerbread Houses 2017

My nephew Sean is the keeper of the family traditions and he started asking me about doing gingerbread houses last weekend when I was over playing cards.  Every year I keep expecting that Sean and Tashena will no longer want to make them but it seems like they still look forward to it and that makes me happy.  We planned our epic gingerbread party for last Sunday night and it was as fun as it always is!

Various stages of construction.  We eat as much candy as we put on our houses!

Sean's house.

Tashena's house.

Marilyn's house.

My house.

The whole village!

Sunday Ritual

Every Sunday in December I have been getting up early in the morning to attend the Music and the Spoken Word broadcasts.  It has been so lovely to walk through an almost silent city in the cold brisk air to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing Christmas music.  I have been loving it so much!  Last Sunday was such a treat because the broadcast featured a portion of the Christmas concert and both Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville were there!  My friend in the choir mentioned that some of the songs from the concert would be repeated but I didn't know that the guests would be there as well.  I was thrilled!  Sutton Foster sang "Christmas Time is Here" and "Angels From the Realm of Glory" and Hugh Bonneville read the Christmas story from the Bible.  The choir performed "Joy to the World," with the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble, "Unfold, Ye Portals," which was absolutely thrilling once again, and "Silent Night."  After the broadcast the choir sang "God Be With You 'Till We Meet Again" to Foster and Bonneville and that was just incredible.  There is one more special Christmas broadcast on Christmas Eve and I am so looking forward to it!  Honestly, I will be a little sad when Christmas is over because this has been wonderful!

The Shape of Water

Saturday night I took a break from my regularly scheduled viewings of The Last Jedi to see another film I have been anticipating for months.  The trailers for The Shape of Water were absolutely luminous and I couldn't wait to see it!   It is a fantasy set during the height of the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.  A humanoid fish captured in the Amazon is brought to a government research lab in Baltimore by Colonel Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) to be studied for application in space travel because it can breathe both air and water.  Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute janitor at the facility, sees the "asset" and befriends it with hard-boiled eggs and Jazz music.  Soon they become close and Elisa decides to help it escape after the government decides to dissect it for study, enlisting the help of her coworker Zelda (Octavia Spencer), her neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins), and a scientist at the facility who has misgivings about the project (Michael Stuhlbarg).  It is a beautiful love story and what I loved about it is that the misfits triumph over conformity.  Strikland is the quintessential soldier in mainstream America with a wife and two children in the suburbs and a Cadillac but he is a despicable character and I loved the symbolism of his decaying fingers.  All of the other characters mirror the otherness of the humanoid.  Giles is a closeted gay man who is also an out of work commercial artist struggling with alcoholism.  Zelda is an African-American woman, downtrodden by an abusive husband, who is too lowly even to merit being questioned by Strickland.  Dr. Hoffstetler is a Soviet spy, disillusioned when ordered by his superiors to kill the humanoid to stop the Americans from getting information.  Elisa is, perhaps, my favorite character because her muteness makes her so isolated and I love that she lives above an old movie theater and watches old movies (the sequence where she and the humanoid reenact an old Busby Berkeley type musical made me smile) to escape her tedious routine.  Sally Hawkins is absolutely brilliant in an entirely physical role.  She conveys so much emotion in just a gaze.  I loved that the entire film seems to be suffused in shades of blue-green and the score is beautiful (Alexandre Desplat can do no wrong in my opinion).  This movie may not be for everyone (nudity, sex, and violence) but I loved it and I highly recommend it!

The Last Jedi

After the beautiful Christmas concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir I went home and changed into some slightly less formal attire and went to my local Megaplex for a midnight screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.  The theater was absolutely packed!  Many were in costume and all were excited for the latest installment in the Star Wars Saga.  Cheers and applause greeted the iconic John Williams fanfare and the opening crawl and I have to admit that I was caught up in the excitement myself!  Despite a few flaws, I loved this movie so much!  The Resistance is on the run, being pursued by the First Order, while Rey (Daisy Ridley) tries to convince a reluctant Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to return.  Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) try to figure out a way to stop the First Order's pursuit and Rey begins learning the ways of the Force and must contend with an unsettling connection with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).  This movie is much darker in tone and is more complex than The Force Awakens and many of the characters are developed more fully.  I loved the character arc of Luke from the first trilogy to this movie, especially in terms of what it means to be a Jedi and what it means to possess the Force.  He has a wonderful scene near the end with Leia (Carrie Fisher) that will leave you gutted and I loved his scenes with Rey.  I loved the conflict within both Kylo Ren and Rey between the light and the dark and there is a truly epic lightsaber battle in Snoke's throne room.  My favorite character from The Force Awakens has always been Kylo Ren and I was happy to see more revelations about his backstory, especially his relationship with Luke (Driver gives a brilliant performance as a villain haunted by his own actions).  I also loved the new character Rose because her story arc brings up some questions that are incredibly thought-provoking, and, of course, the porgs are absolutely adorable in their interactions with Chewbacca.  Having said that, some of the characters don't really have a lot to do.  Chewbacca, C-3P0, General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson), and, to some extent, Leia (because of the creation of the Vice Admiral Holdo character, played by Laura Dern) seem to exist merely for other characters to play off of them (although many of General Hux's scenes are hilarious).  My biggest complaint, however, is with the portrayal of Supreme Leader Snoke.  I thought he was much more menacing when he was a hologram in The Force Awakens and I would have liked more backstory for him.  My complaints are very, very minor and, overall, I loved this movie!  I loved the experience of watching it because the visuals are stunning, especially the aerial dogfights between the Resistance and the First Order in the opening sequence and the awesome AT-AT Walkers in the final battle, and I loved the use of red throughout.  I think most fans of the franchise will be very happy with this installment.  Go see it on the biggest screen possible!

Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

A ticket to the Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert is highly coveted in these parts.  I very much wanted to go (I even schlepped my laptap on my trip to Los Angeles after having trouble using the website on my phone in the past) because this year the featured guests were Broadway star Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham!).  But, alas, I couldn't get tickets.  I was really sad but I knew that I had a lot of really fun things planned in December (The Last Jedi!) and, since you can't do everything, I got over it!  Then my wonderful friend, who sings in the choir, offered me one of his tickets (I got a ticket to a later screening of The Last Jedi because sleep is overrated).  The concert began with the choir, along with the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble, singing "Joy to the World" and that pretty much began the waterworks because it was so stirring.  The stage was decorated like the prow of a ship with sails, maritime signal flags, portholes, and flickering lanterns hanging all around.  The effect was stunning and the significance was revealed a bit later.  Sutton Foster, Hugh Bonneville, and hundreds of dancers dressed in Victorian costumes sang "Just Once a Year" which was a lot of fun.  Then Foster sang "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Christmas Time Is Here."  Next came my favorite part of the concert which was titled A Classical Christmas.  The choir and Richard Elliott, on the most amazing organ you can imagine, performed "Unfold, Ye Portals" from The Redemption by Charles Grunod and then "Sing!" based on the Toccata from Organ Symphony No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor.  That was spectacular and I could hardly catch my breath!  Then Foster sang an amazing version of "Sunshine on My Shoulder" by John Denver after telling an affecting story about her mother.  Seriously, the waterworks began again (so much so that the adorable older gentleman sitting next to me felt the need to comfort me!).  The Orchestra on Temple Square performed "Sleigh Ride" and then Foster followed with "Snow," from A White Christmas, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Happy Holiday."  Mack WIlberg, the conductor of the choir, led the audience in a rousing version of "Jingle Bells" complete with snow falling!  Richard Elliott performed an epic version of "I Saw Three Ships" on the organ and then Hugh Bonneville appeared in the audience very close to where I was sitting to tell the story of how Horatio Spafford came to write the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" after losing most of his family after a ship they were traveling on at Christmas time sank in the Atlantic Ocean.  It was quite moving because the choir sang the hymn at various times in the story.  Then the choir sang a beautiful version of "Silent Night" with lighting that made the women look like angels in their white dresses.  Bonneville then recited the Christmas Story form the Bible.  The concert ended with an incredible version of "Angels From The Realms of Glory" performed by Foster and all of the dancers.  I will never forget this night!  It was a beautiful and inspiring concert and I am beyond grateful that I got to go (Thank you so much, Stanford!).

Note:  Look for my review of The Last Jedi tomorrow!

Tashena's Christmas Concert

I love Christmas music and I especially love hearing it performed live!  I have now heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Lower Lights, and now the Bountiful High School Concert Choir!  Last night my family went to hear Tashena sing but the concert was with the whole music department and I was so impressed with the sheer number of kids involved.  There were four different choirs, the chamber orchestra, and the concert orchestra.  Every group sounded so beautiful and I especially loved one of the songs that Concert Choir sang called "There is Faint Music" accompanied by a harp.  Goosebumps!  It was such a lovely concert and I am so proud of Tashena because she is such a talented girl.

Note:  Where do schools get these Concert Choir dresses?  Is there a company that does nothing but supply these dresses to schools?  They all seem to look alike but with different colors to represent the school (HHS has the same dresses but in navy blue with a white sash).  Do the girls every wear them again after the school year is over?  I'm fascinated!  I think Tashena rocks the Concert Choir dress.

Foo Fighters at the Vivint Arena

I honestly don't know how I made it through the school day yesterday because I was so excited for the Foo Fighters concert.  I could hardly stand it because I absolutely love the Foo Fighters!  I have seen them several times in concert but I have to say that last night was probably the best one yet!  They played for over three hours!  They got the night started with "Run" from their latest album, Concrete and Gold, and that got the crowd screaming along with Dave Grohl.  They played a few other songs from the new album, such as "The Sky is a Neighborhood," "Sunday Rain," and "Dirty Water," but they mostly played the hits!  My favorite moment came early on when they played "The Pretender," my favorite Foo Fighters song, with some fabulous extended solos.  In fact, almost every song they played featured epic solos which was just fine with me.  They played "All My Life," "Rope," "My Hero," which included a lot of audience participation, "These Days," "Walk," "Times Like These," "Breakout," "Monkey Wrench," and "Best of You."  Throughout their set they played a few covers, such as "Under My Wheels," by Alice Cooper, "Another One Bites The Dust," by Queen, "Blitzkrieg Pop," by the Ramones, "Let There Be Rock," by AC/DC, and "Breakdown," by Tom Petty (another highlight!). During a cover of "Under Pressure," by Queen, Dave Grohl got behind the drum kit (sigh!).  They also played an awesome rendition of "Dear Rosemary" with Bob Mould, who opened for them.  They ended the evening, as they often do, with "Everlong."  I think Dave Grohl is just so damn cool and he kept up a steady stream of wisecracks at the audience ("I've been playing for two and half hours!  Get up off your asses!").  It was an amazing concert!  Did I mention that they played for over three hours!  The show didn't end until after midnight so I honestly don't know how I will make it through the school day today!