Wonderful art films for Fall 2017

Bored of the same "summer blockbuster" movie selections? Seen too many children's animated poo poo pee pee jokes lately? In the mood to watch something that expands your movie horizons a bit? This is the perfect list for you! These are hand-selected art films you can find on Netflix, iTunes, or other streaming services. You may have missed them the first time around, but now is the perfect time to check them out. This is my *ahem*...."expert"..(I'm simply an expert in my own mind, as a movie lover!) list of wonderful art films for Fall 2017.  (in no particular order)


1. Irrational Man (2015)

This quirky drama was released in 2015 and quickly forgotten. It's a shame that it was so overlooked. The personal controversies and reputation of legendary writer/director Woody Allen and the extremely low marketing budget were a combination that made this little film get swept under the rug. And, the fact that Allen, 82 years old, is trying to write plausible dialogue for 19 and 20 year old undergrad college students is nearly laughable. However, for all its flaws, this little movie has enough charm to make it worth a watch.

Sony Pictures' official description of Irrational Man is this:

When a burned-out, brilliant professor - one who believes in lessons from life rather than textbooks - takes a job at a small college, everyone there is abuzz. He becomes involved with a teacher as well as a precocious student, but it takes a dramatic, existential act to turn his life around and make him see the world through a much rosier and more positive perspective. - Sony Pictures

I've always been a fan of Joaquin Phoenix, and his performance as the burned-out brilliant professor doesn't disappoint. It's also interesting to see Emma Stone being Woody Allen's current muse in the role of a college student. But, my favorite performance is from Parker Posey as a college professor who takes an interest in Abe. (Joaquin Phoenix) It's not a masterpiece, but it's an interesting and compelling art film worth a watch. 

2. Manchester By the Sea (2016)

This is definitely a dye-in-the-wool art film. Manchester By the Sea was adorned with literally dozens of awards, and award nominations when it was released in 2016. It became a favorite of movie critics worldwide. But, I know what you're probably thinking....critical acclaim doesn't always mean a movie is good. And, that's true. I understand why the critics adored this movie, but I also found it a bit of a tough pill to swallow. And that's part of what makes this searing drama so good. It's a bit challenging. It makes you think, and the characters have to deal with some heavy issues. It also helps that it's shot beautifully. It's a fantastic art film drama, and one I'd like to see again soon.

Here's the official description of this movie by Amazon Studios:

After the death of his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler), Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is shocked to learn that Joe has made him sole guardian of his nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Taking leave of his job, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea to care for Patrick, a spirited 16-year-old, and is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife Randi (Michelle Williams) and the community where he was born and raised. Bonded by the man who held their family together, Lee and Patrick struggle to adjust to a world without him.

3. Wild (2014)

Wild is an emotionally intense and criminally underrated art film starring Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl, a young woman who reaches a breaking point in her marriage, and with the death of her mother, and decides to run into nature on a long lonely journey of rediscovery. She's not sure exactly what she'll find on mountain trails by herself, but she's willing to find out. And, as an audience member, I couldn't wait to discover it with her. Even more astonishingly, Wild is based on a true story. I love art films based on true stories! Wild is full of discovery, sadness, excitement, challenge, and love. A fabulous art film! Here's the 20th Century Fox description of it:

With the dissolution of her marriage and the death of her mother, Cheryl Strayed has lost all hope. After years of reckless, destructive behavior, she makes a rash decision. With absolutely no experience, driven only by sheer determination, Cheryl hikes more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, alone. WILD powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddens, strengthens, and ultimately heals her. (c) Fox Searchlight


4. Don't Think Twice (2016)

I feel a strong personal connection to Don't Think Twice. It deals with the culture and plight of improv comedy actors who are desperate to be successful and find their way in show business. I'm connected to this because I have done improv comedy for 20 years. I started in college, and have done it off and on for over a decade since then. Every single character in this movie is painfully accurate, and it's fascinating to watch the struggle of "starving artists" as they broach their mid 30's. Struggling to be successful in improv comedy is adorable when you're 25. And alarming when you're 35. Every character has their own strengths and weaknesses as comedy writers/performers, but they all have stars in their eyes. Don't Think Twice shell-shocked me because I've never seen any show or film so pointed at the world of improv comedy so directly. It was bold of them to make a drama about comedy. And I love it. Here's the official description from The Film Arcade:

When a member of a popular New York City improv troupe gets cast on a hit TV show, the rest of the group - all best friends - start to realize that not everyone is going to make it after all. From the director of Sleepwalk With Me and the creator of This American Life comes Don't Think Twice, a critically acclaimed comedy packed with comic stars Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard and Tami Sagher that presents a hilarious and honest look at the lives of professional funny people. - The Film Arcade

It's worth noting that at the time this review was written, Don't Think Twice is available on Netflix streaming.


5. Boyhood (2014) 

In the world of art films, Boyhood is an undeniable epic masterpiece. It was written and directed by Richard Linklater, who wrote and directed pop culture classics like Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight. 

With true "art film" flare, Linklater took the standard Hollywood template of writing a script, shooting your movie with actors, and editing your footage into a movie and threw it out the window with confident gusto. Linklater hired all the actors (including Ethan Hawke, who he worked with in all the "Before" movies), and filmed his masterpiece over the course of 12 years. That's right. 12 actual years! This allowed the young kids to grow up on film right before our eyes. And that's only the first astonishing thing about this art film.

I'm not sure if Linklater had the whole script plotted out from the very beginning, or if he let time dictate the tone and direction. I suspect the latter. 

Also, Linklater didn't opt for a traditional emotional arc in this art film. What I mean is, there's no solid first act, second act, third act structure in the script. It just unravels slowly, over time, and matures into something so emotionally potent that it blossoms into heartbreaking beauty by the end. There's no cheap plot devices or awkward McGuffins (other than the fact that it was filmed over 12 years). Boyhood is not interested in devices so petty or cheap. No, it is expressing something much more profound. As "art film" pretentious as this might sound, Boyhood attempts to capture real-life childhood. It is beautifully simple. It's an emotional journey for anyone willing to spend the (nearly) 3 hours watching it. Here's the official description from IFC Films:

Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, Richard Linklater's BOYHOOD is a groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (a breakthrough performance by Ellar Coltrane), who literally grows up on screen before our eyes. Starring Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette as Mason's parents and newcomer Lorelei Linklater as his sister Samantha, BOYHOOD charts the rocky terrain of childhood like no other film has before. Snapshots of adolescence from road trips and family dinners to birthdays and graduations and all the moments in between become transcendent, set to a soundtrack spanning the years from Coldplay's Yellow to Arcade Fire's Deep Blue. BOYHOOD is both a nostalgic time capsule of the recent past and an ode to growing up and parenting. It's impossible to watch Mason and his family without thinking about our own journey. - IFC Films

Note: Boyhood is also available on Netflix streaming at the time of the writing of this review.

I hope I've given you some good art film options for Fall 2017. Please write comments and let me know what you think. If you watch any of these for the first time because of this blog, then definitely write me and let me know. Thanks! Have a great day!