With the Oscars on their way, FIELD OF STREAMS presents five award-worthy flicks.
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While most of the big award winners are still in theaters, there are a lot of great, award-worthy films available now for streaming. Using a list of best pictures gathered by Awards Daily, we present five movies that represent some of the best of cinema in the year 2017.
MUDBOUND (Netflix)
Our very own Two Cents column recently explored this very movie, and the consensus was that it’s a winner. Set in pre- and post-war Mississippi, Mudbound follows two families intertwined by the land and their shared, often-hateful history. The cast makes this one special, and Mary J. Blige in her role as the matriarch of the Jackson family has her up for some awards consideration. Engaging throughout, Mudbound continues to show the dedication Netflix has to top-notch programming.
A GHOST STORY (Amazon Prime)
Not everyone will like A Ghost Story. It’s a slow burn, with a bit of a fantastical edge. A buddy of mine used these words to defame the film while going off on a group irate people:
They’re super angry, like me after realizing A Ghost Story was building to a climax where Will Oldham does a soliloquy on meaninglessness for 10 minutes.
My buddy’s an idiot. What’s not to like about a Will Oldham existential crisis?
A Ghost Story is a beautiful meditation on time and loss. Sure, Casey Affleck walks around with a sheet over him for two hours while Rooney Mara mopes and misses him, but it’s great in spite of (if not because of) this. Director David Lowery has followed up Ain’t Them Bodies Saints with another beautiful, heartfelt work.
THE BIG SICK (Amazon Prime)
Earlier in the year, many people thought The Big Sick might be up for some of Hollywood’s biggest awards. While it hasn’t been completely forgotten, other movies stole a bit of its shine. Still, this is a fantastic film, mostly drama with some inevitable comedy thrown in. The real life story of a comedian and his girlfriend as she faces her own mortality at a young age. Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan are great as the leads, but Holly Hunter and Ray Romano shine as her parents, as do Anupam Kher and Zenobia Shroff as his.
A QUIET PASSION (Amazon Prime)
America’s most famous poet, her life shrouded in mystery, might not seem like the best place to find a compelling story, but A Quiet Passion finds some amazing raw material there. Essentially a 19th-century period piece, the film hinges on great performances. Cynthia Nixon shines in the role of Emily Dickinson, exuding a reserve that hides an untamed ferocity. Life seems small here, but the fire that burns inside her make for a compelling watch.
COLUMBUS (Hulu)
Almost more photography exhibit than traditional film, Columbus takes an offbeat place and makes it a co-star in this small, powerful film. Centered around a small Indiana town famous for its Modernist architecture, Columbus follows two strangers as they get to know each other and themselves. The shots of the building along are worth the price of admission, and performances by Haley Lu Richardson and John Cho live up to their surroundings. Hulu isn’t always known for its movie offerings, but this one should make people take notice.