Little Foxes: The New Chapter

New year. New possibilities to explore. I'm cautiously optimistic that I'll post somewhat more frequently, try new hobbies, find new employment, finish school, engage with people more, and experience a more enlightened America that will bring us to a Democratic majority in the house and senate. But first: it's Top 10 season!

I'm nowhere near ready to post mine. A lot of the movies I want to see haven't even opened in Nashville yet. New Year's resolution for distributors: stop waiting until the end of December to release your movies! No one benefits from having too many options to choose from during the busiest season of the year. Statistically speaking it doesn't help your Oscar chances either, since not a single film released in December has won Best Picture since 2004.

But I digress, my main hope is to at least begin posting my Little Fox movie awards for 2017 before Oscar weekend, which would be a considerable improvement on last year's awards. Still, I still have a long list of movies to watch before I can even think about my favorites of the year. So with that, I thought I'd make a list of films that are on my radar in one way or another before publishing my Top 10. In order of anticipation, they are:

• Call Me By Your Name - Anxious to engage with and form an opinion on this one. Primed to obsess over it.
• BPM (Beats Per Minute) - This bizarrely never played in Nashville. Did I dream the raves and Cannes prizes?
• Phantom Thread - Curious to see if this will be admired-but-eh PTA or lovable PTA. That trailer!
• Loveless - Elena and The Return are completely stunning. Much quieter release than Leviathan?
• Ex Libris: The New York Public Library - Adore Wiseman and can't wait to be transported again.
• Happy End - I doubt it'll be my favorite Haneke or anything, but my interest has definitely been piqued.
• Félicité - Local arthouse has let me down so far in terms of a release for this one. Hurry up and get here!
• God's Own Country - Received universal acclaim, and is supposedly super lovely, so of course it never opened here.
• Whose Streets? - Undoubtedly timely and vital in many respects. Ashamed I missed it.
• Graduation - Mungiu gave us 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, so this is easily high on my list.
• A Fantastic Woman - Thrilled to see Vega's success story and for Lelio's Gloria follow-up.
• Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool - Flawless queen Annette Bening and Jamie Bell have the hots for each other. In!
• The Square - I chuckled a lot during that trailer, especially at Moss's reaction. Plus: Palme d'Or completist
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Tried one day, but the projector broke. Delayed seeing it ever since.
• The Woman Who Left - Not sure I'll quite have the time, but Diaz is worth setting aside four hours.
• Heal the Living - Shamefully have never seen a film by Quillévéré. Also stars Tahar Rahim, so yay!
• Last Men in Aleppo - A subject U.S. media has poorly covered. Looks like an utterly sobering feat.
• The Wound - I enjoy having my notions of queer cinema shaken up, so this should be a treat.
• The Greatest Showman - "The new Burlesque," I keep hearing, so that translates to "masterpiece" for me.
• John Wick: Chapter 2 - Honestly, this should probably be higher. So ready for this.
• Staying Vertical - I liked Stranger by the Lake a lot, so I'm definitely curious about this one.
• Human Flow - I'll always go to bat for docs that bind the humanist and the political into one.
• The Breadwinner - Blinked and I missed it when it was in Nashville. Shame since Kells was so impressive.
• The Midwife - The raves for Deneuve is all the reason I need to rent this. No other info necessary.
• Tom of Finland - Certainly could be an odd duck, but I'm inclined to lean towards optimism.
• I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore - Netflix title I'm most ashamed of putting off. Lynskey!
• The Post - Spielberg has equipped himself well ever since Lincoln. I'll obviously be there.
• Molly's Game - Not the biggest Sorkin person, but I'd see just about anything with Chastain.
• Coco - I've become a tad restless with Pixar, but all the right people have said its worth giving a go.
• Wonder - Planned on skipping it until I realized Stephen Chbosky made it! Loved Perks.
• Slack Bay - I love Dumont in madcap, Li'l Quinquin mode. This side of him is a total revelation.
• One of Us - The Jesus Camp directors examining a strict Hasidic community in New York.
• Menashe - The minor publicity and the smitten reactions are a good sign if you ask me!
• The Unknown Girl - Heard it was minor Dardennes, but I suppose even that's worth checking out.
• In the Fade - Even if it weren't Akin, I'd be there to see Kruger bring down the house. Gutsy premise.
• Casting JonBenet - Looks as nervy and conceptually/contextually daunting as The Act of Killing.
• Nocturama - Another arthouse title that slipped under my radar but promises rich rewards.
• Dawson City: Frozen Time - Based on what I've seen, I'm not sure I get Morrison, though his images do stun.
• Free in Deed - Festival hit that went totally flew under my nose upon its theatrical release. Strong recommendations
• Lady Macbeth - Stirred lots of interesting reactions, but I've been a tad resistant. Sounds ugly?
• 4 Days in France - A queer travelogue/Grindr exploration is as far up my alley as you can get.
• Faces Places - Every word I hear about this is a joyous rave! Played for such a short time in Nashville.
• Step - Another warmly received documentary I was upset to miss in its theatrical run.
• Landline - I loved Obvious Child so much I don't even care if there's a drop in quality.
• Professor Marston and the Wonder Women - Frank and sexually open-minded from what I hear.
• Brad's Status - Mike White is having a hell of a year, Emoji Movie notwithstanding.
• The Son of Joseph - I'm unfamiliar with Green's filmography. Is this a good place to start?
• Rat Film - Documentary that explores the interconnections between Baltimore's citizens and rats.
• Thelma - Tend to go back and forth on Trier, but the high-concept premise is intriguing.
• Novitiate - Apparently missed out on potent acting and lensing. Avoiding other details.
• Lovesong - Promises rich minimalism and sensitive relationship portrait, so I'm eager for it.
• My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea - From the designer of the comic book in Rabbit Hole!
• It Comes at Night - Wasn't the biggest Krisha fan, but Shultz has a ton of talent.
• Manifesto - You could just say Cate Blanchett and I'll be there.
• The Untamed - Apt title, since Heli was one of the most lacerating experiences I've ever had.
• After the Storm - Like most of Hirokazu's films, could range from cloying to genuinely moving.
• Stronger - I enjoyed Our Brand is Crisis, so I'm even more excited about Green than Jake.
• On the Beach at Night Alone - Difficult to get a read on Hong, but Kim was terrific in The Handmaiden.
• Okja - To be honest, I'm not big on Bong, although his ambitions are always worth exploring.
• First They Killed My Father - Haven't seen any of Jolie's directorial efforts. This one compels me.
• Last Flag Flying - Apparently weak-sauce, but Cicely Tyson is likely worth giving it a shot.
• My Cousin Rachel - Was something of an arthouse hit, yet responses were weirdly tepid.
• Crown Heights - Barely made an impression in theaters, but I'll be there for LaKeith.
• Happy Death Day - Might be crazy, but the trailer indicated a fun, clever, and tense watch.
• An Inconvenient Sequel - Confession: I never saw the Inconvenient Predecessor. Probably should.
• My Happy Family - Thought about ignoring it until Ty Burr's enthusiasm put it on my radar.
• Catfight - Heche and Oh would be enough for me if it didn't already look so funny.
• Wind River - Good reviews, but guessing it waffles between ambitious and dubious politics.
• The Hero - I'll See You in My Dreams was so good, so I worry hearing that this is a lackluster follow-up.
• Ghost in the Shell - I'm not a fan of the original or whitewashing, but this is often described as an ambitious sci-fi.
• Dark Night - Could end up feeling glib and ponderous, but Memphis was very impressive.
• Prevenge - Grisly comedy starring Alice Lowe and her homicidal fetus? Quite a premise.
• A United Kingdom - Asante/Oyelowo are admittedly bigger draws for me than Pike, but still.
• The Wall - American Made soured me a bit on Liman, but the minimalism seems interesting.
• Dave Made a Maze - Could be Community-ish in its quirks, but could just as possibly delight.
• Wonder Wheel - Took a fast and ugly turn from "Blue Jasmine quality" Allen to icky Allen.
• Brigsby Bear - Charmed quite a few people. Plus I've been big on Hamill since he owned Cruz.
• Jane - Wasn't expecting much when it opened, but apparently I was wrong. Best Doc winner?
• Loving Vincent - Doesn't look my cuppa, but the animation does look like it's worth exploring.
• Marjorie Prime - Features a Mica Levi score so that's certainly promising, but I don't know...
• The Dinner - Directed by Oren Moverman, although nothing seems to indicate this is peak material.
• Wilson - Not expecting much other than Laura Dern being her typically fabulous self.
• Colossal - The return of Hathaway! Exciting how smart or misjudged the premise could be.
• The Mountain Between Us - Looks odd, but I'd be remiss to not support Elba as leading man.
• Murder on the Orient Express - Skippable, I'm sure, but frocks and Pfeiffer might do the trick.
• The Bad Batch - Loved A Girl Walks Home Alone... so much. I don't want this to sully it.
• Woodshock - This broke many critics out into hives, but I was digging the trailer. Plus: Dunst!
• Home Again - Sincerely rooting for Hallie ever since The Parent Trap was dedicated to her!
• Marshall - Is this memorable or could I just wait until Black Panther to get my Boseman fix?
• Alien: Covenant - Never saw Prometheus. Many claim this makes me very fortunate.
• Split - Promotional materials and Richardson intrigue me so why have I been so reluctant?
• War for the Planet of the Apes - I enjoy these movies in the moment, but they rarely stick.
• Baby Driver - Edgar Wright isn't always my bag, although even non-converts were charmed.
• I, Tonya - Is this smug, Big Short-ish snark or is it genuinely challenging and thorny?
• The Boss Baby - Some notices were fairly encouraging, but also it looks terrible.
• All the Money in the World - Assumed this was tossed-off Scott, but no I guess?
• The Snowman - Considering the talent involved this had to be a doozy of a misstep.
• Justice League - I think I've successfully avoided this one! Unless I'm forced to watch a blu-ray.

Titles highlighted in red are films I have since seen.

Get Ur Petition-Signing On!

Take some time out of your day to support a worthy cause.

Nathan Coflin's ingenious petition to have a Confederate monument in Portsmouth, Virginia replaced with a statue of Missy Elliott has already received over 30,000 signatures! I have yet to hear a convincing argument as to why keeping these statues in public areas is anything resembling a good idea. I'd much rather honor someone whose singular voice has produced artistic daring for over two decades rather than an ideology that has continued to spread hatred and ignorance for well over a century. There's no downside to this becoming a reality!

Happy Eclipse

2016 Little Fox Movie Awards (Part 5): Top 16 and Individual Winners

I've had about seven months to sit on this list, so I feel pretty good about most of these. I wanted to watch American Honey, Silence, and Toni Erdmann again before releasing a finalized version of the list, but they're each in the three-hour range and, as you'll see, I'm very much a fan of all three, so I'll just watch them on my own time. So yeah, I'd say I'm pretty content. Otherwise? Everything I said at the start of this venture remains true. Here's the Top 16 Films (yes, I'm extending it to a Top 16) of 2016.

Top 16 Films of '16

1. 20th Century Women (Mike Mills) - No film held me as warmly while stoking a distant, curious, graceful affection for its characters.

2. Things to Come (Mia Hansen-Løve) - Such a subtly precarious vision of entangled ideals/individual choice, the ways in which they do/don’t liberate.

3. Moonlight (Barry Jenkins) - Artful control of a very rare milieu and character-type, even as psychology and drama constantly shapeshift.

4. The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos) - Singular vision of totalitarian compatibility and self-isolating rebellion; open to which is a more dubious fate.

The remaining titles on the Top 16 are after the jump:

2016 Little Fox Movie Awards (Part 4): Acting

We're already halfway through 2017 and I still haven't finished my year-end lists for 2016. I'm putting the final touches on the Top 10, which will hopefully be up within the coming days if my schedule permits it. But for now, enjoy my favorite performances of last year! Behold:

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Annette Bening (20th Century Women) - Communicates a million shades of hilarity, resentment, openness, and reticence within single reaction shots and line-readings.

Sonia Braga (Aquarius) - Who appears 30+ years/30+ minutes post-prologue and achieves a sense of enduring ease necessary to survive.

Viola Davis (Fences) - Backgrounding Rose with attentive care in first-half scenes and wearily finding her voice in the second.

Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann) - Sustains and brazens through Ade’s precarious comedic tone/setpieces, fluidly transitioning from chagrin, amusement, self-containment, and self-abasement.

Isabelle Huppert (Elle & Things to Come) - Two specific women, equal forms of restraint and nerve, both confounded and intrigued by their reactions.

Matches with Oscar: 1/5. (Viola nominated in Supporting; Bening M.I.A.)

Runners-Up: Portman (Jackie), Stone (La La Land), Steinfeld (The Edge of Seventeen) Adams (Arrival), Negga (Loving), Field (Hello, My Name is Doris), Beckinsale (Love & Friendship), Hightower (The Fits)

Top 25 of the 21st Century

I know there are other projects I need to be working on and that we seem to have had a new "best of the decade/century" list pop up around every new quarter of the past three years or so, but that didn't stop The New York Times from making a new one. But since I enjoy list-making so much and I haven't had an opportunity to discuss some of these movies, I thought I'd show you some of my favorites from 2000-present.

Quick note, before I reveal my own picks: I've put this list together on one previous occasion and it doesn't look anything like it does now, so these are subject to change as certain movies grow or shrink in estimation. For example, I'm not quite comfortable putting any of my favorites from 2016 on here just yet, since: 1. I haven't even revealed my Top 10 yet, and 2. am I ready to say I love 20th Century Women or Moonlight as much as, say, Mulholland Drive or Talk to Her? We'll get to last year's best shortly, but for now here are my 25 favorite films of the 21st century so far:

2016 Little Fox Movie Awards (Part 3): Direction and Screenplays

If you're tired of seeing so much 20th Century Women and Moonlight then you'll be sorely disappointed by these nominees, though perhaps you'll be excited by some of my other favorites that are finally getting mentions:

Best Director

Kleber Mendonça Filho (Aquarius) - Harnessing film's length, images’ energy, and Braga’s magnetism to pinpoint a personal history and its intrusions.

Mia Hansen-Løve (Things to Come) - Few stylistic risks, but understated intersectionalities and frictions of radicalism, disappointment, and freedom are bold feats.

Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) - Synthesizing a triptych of experiences, filtering their reverberations through filming-styles rarely seen within this narrative type.

Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) - Exuding total confidence in his humor, frames, actors, and vision by embracing the bleak, slippery ambiguities.

Mike Mills (20th Century Women) - Seeing in Bening a mother’s ambivalence, and rooted in that ambivalence a whole ancestry of paradox.

Matches with Oscar: 1/5.

Runners-Up: Villeneuve (Arrival), Arnold (American Honey), Ahn (Spa Night), Larraín (Neruda), Audiard (Dheepan), Verhoeven (Elle), Ade (Erdmann), Almodóvar (Julieta)