Top 10 horror movies of 2017

IT

2017, and 2018 to some extent, have been good years for Stephen King and his fans. On this list alone I've selected two very well-made adaptations of his works. There are several reasons why Andy Muschietti's It is so great, including moving the plot forward to 1989 instead of 1958, the excellent collection of child actors in the leading roles, the decision to adapt it into two films where the upcoming sequel will adapt the second part of the novel, and the creepy and fun scares, topped by a satisfyingly grotesque portrayal of Pennywise the Dancing Clown.  

GET OUT

By definition, a horror film is a film that is meant to elicit fear in the viewer. The horror on display in Jordan Peele's now legendary Get Out is, in my humble opinion, too specific to induce fear in anyone who cannot directly relate to racism and the concept of slavery, particular in relation to American history. However, Peele plays with the style of horror so well that at the least, one would have to define Get Out as a new type of horror, one which takes satire to extreme levels. Of course it is also too political and important not to be included on any list covering the horror genre, despite how untraditional of a horror movie it is.

GERALD'S GAME

Netflix has become a reliable purveyor of genre material, as evidenced by the fact that there are three movies on this list that are distributed by the streaming service. The first is this Stephen King adaptation, much darker and more serious in tone than It at the top of this list, which is largely down to director Mike Flanagan, who has quickly become one of the most celebrated and respected horror film makers in the world over the past couple of years, thanks to excellent movies like Oculus, Hush and Ouija: Origin of Evil. Gerald's Game, the psychologically terrifying story about a bondage game gone wrong that leaves a woman chained to a bed all alone, is so good that it has already put Flanagan on pole position in his game.

GHOST STORIES 

Sometimes, the old ones are best, even in horror. Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson's Ghost Stories, based on their play, is a callback to classic British horror of old, done with both style, intelligence, wit and very creepy ideas. That we would ever see a horror movie based on a stage play is in itself quite unexpected, let alone one this good. Anthology films are quite common in horror (Creepshow, V/H/S, Three...Extremes, amongst others), but they usually contain one or two good stories and a lot of waste of time. Ghost Stories tells three creepy little tales in the context of a great frame story, one that in the end sheds a different light on everything. Great to see more and more horror movies that aren't afraid to be clever.

ANNABELLE: CREATION

After his breakthrough in horror with Lights Out in 2016, I was very excited to see what fellow Swede David F. Sandberg would be doing next. That he would turn out a sequel to a rather mediocre spinoff from the otherwise excellent The Conjuring films, i.e. 2014's Annabelle, did not sound very promising to begin with. But the result was much better than expected, one of the best scary movies of the year, which goes to show that all a good horror movie needs is a capable film maker who understands the concept of horror and knows how to create it; not with jump scares and violence, but with atmosphere, realism and building tension. 

THE RITUAL

Another Netflix release on this list, this story of a group of backpackers getting lost in the Scandinavian wild and stumbling upon an ancient cult and a godlike monster may sound like somewhat of a Blair Witch Project ripoff, and the Balkan forest that stands in for Sweden is too dissimilar of a setting to be believable. But, The Ritual works, it's creepy and well-made, and the monster at the end of the film is perhaps one of the best of its kind I've seen in a while. In a horror film like this, where the whole experience hinges on the reveal of the demon or the monster or whatever, it is essential that the thing is at least interesting and memorable, and the mythological beast in The Ritual certainly is.  

MARROWBONE

I've always said that the best horror films are tragedies at heart. For example, see Sergio G. Sánchez's directorial debut Marrowbone. Sánchez was the writer behind J.A. Bayona's successful films The Orphanage and The Impossible, so we already know he can write a good film. His film direction leaves a little to be desired, for the film suffers from an uneven pace. But Marrowbone has so many good things in its favour to warrant a view and praise, one of which is an excellent cast of young British horror actors, consisting of George MacKay (11.22.63), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness) and Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things). Most importantly, after the scares are over and the creepy mysteries are explained, Marrowbone tells a heartbreakingly sad story about family, love and loss. 

VERÓNICA

The third Netflix release on this list, the Spanish Verónica, has been touted as "the scariest horror film ever." This it is not, not by a long shot, but it is definitely one of the best scary films of 2017, which is not a surprise considering it's the new work of Paco Plaza, the creator of REC (which actually is one of the scariest films of all time, and most innovative and best to boot). Verónica also purports to tell a true story, loosely based on a case of a teenage girl in Madrid in the early 1990s who died mysteriously after playing around with a ouija board. This too should taken with a grain of salt. Just expect a well-made demonic possession story from an unusual corner of the world with subtle frights and creepy atmosphere and I imagine you'll be properly satisfied with your viewing.

JIGSAW

There were a couple of disappointments in 2017 for horror fans. I'm thinking of both Rings and Leatherface, promising horror movies that didn't deliver. An unexpected surprise though came in the form of Jigsaw, the eighth installment in the franchise, but actually the only watchable one since perhaps the second or third Saw. This was largely thanks to the reappearance of Tobin Bell as Jigsaw, who has helped make the Jigsaw killer a substantial part of horror cinema lore, despite whatever you make think of the quality of the films per se. The Spierig Brothers, who previously made a name for themselves with a small masterpiece called Predestination in 2014 have against all odds turned out a rather clever and entertaining Saw film, which I for one did not expect to see again.

THE EVIL WITHIN 

As amateur horror movies go, The Evil Within isn't all that bad. However, it is still an amateur movie, not on the level of The Room or some such absurdly bad flick, but still far from the best film on this list. Maybe it is in fact the fascinating story behind the making of this macabre nightmarish portrayal of a mentally challenged man's descent into serial killer madness, because it is the life work of a drug addicted millionaire named Andrew Getty (yes, that Getty) who made the film without any experience, with his own money, and died before he could complete it. Considering its bizarre back story, it's a small miracle that The Evil Within is even watchable, but it is, and I think it deserves a special mention because it is at times a truly unique horror movie, with some quite psychedelic and unforgettable imagery. Just don't expect a masterpiece is all. 

Top 10 albums of 2017

ARCADE FIRE Everything Now

The best album of 2017 is loud, joyous, melodious, funky, cool, quirky, innovative and topical, with strong undertones of melancholy and great lyrics. In other words, yet another proof (the fifth consecutively) that Arcade Fire is the greatest indie rock band in the world.

FEVER RAY Plunge

Karin Dreijer's second album under her moniker Fever Ray could easily be misconstrued as a new album by The Knife, her now defunct musical collaboration with her DJ brother Olof, because it explores the same beautiful, disturbing sound and similar subjects of love and anxiety. But with Plunge, Fever Ray has taken her artistic sensibilities to new, ultra-weird levels, as exemplified by the accompanying artwork, some of which look like the self-portraits of a mad woman. In all, a rather demanding but very rewarding electronic album.

JOHN CARPENTER 

Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998

After two albums of original material, film director John Carpenter has now assembled the ultimate collection of his film scores, with absolute classics like Halloween and Escape from New York at the core, but also featuring lesser well-known gems like Assault on Precinct 13 and Ennio Morricone's The Thing. All presented in an innovative and glossy format that is both state-of-the-art but also suitably retro in the best possible sense, resulting in 42 minutes of pure ecstasy.

CREEPER Eternity, in Your Arms

I remember a time when it was generally accepted that punk was dead. These days however, I would say that punk is very much alive and well, especially in England, where you can find acts like Slaves, Idles, Sleaford Mods and new-comers Creeper. Their remarkable debut is a real pick-me-up, full of ceaseless punky, poppy hard rock energy and drive that's catchy as hell. Although they sometimes sound a little bit too much like My Chemical Romance, there are moments, particularly during the more quiet and calmer songs, when you can hear that they have a lot more talent and ambition than that. 

TEMPLES Volcano

On their new album, Temples' first since 2014, the English band has perfected their Beatles-like psychedelic pop to bring a multifaceted and extremely charming album, which could just as easily have fitted in during the British Invasion in the mid-60s and it feels at home in 2017

OMD The Punishment of Luxury

Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark's third album since their reformation in 2006 is another top-notch synthpop album and although they've now been around for 40 years, they don't sound like they've aged a day, with the same beautiful Kraftwerk-inspired sound that have put them, in my opinion, at the top of their field. The Punishment of Luxury is the most uplifting denouncement of the modern age you're likely to hear.

MYRKUR Mareridt

The second album from goth rocker Myrkur ("Darkness" in Danish) is a real masterpiece, one that seamlessly blends different styles and sounds, including black metal and viking-like folk music. With Myrkur's voice as versatile and wide-ranging as the music, what the award-winning Mareridt amounts to is proper escapist music that will fill your head with images of fjords, dark forests, dragons and witchcraft

CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG Rest

Charlotte Gainsbourg is not just a great actress, she's also an accomplished singer-songwriter. Rest is in fact her fith album, so this is not a case of an actress dabbling in music on the side; music is in fact Gainsbourg's first vocation. Rest is a wonderful collection of ultracool and supersad songs, alternating between the French chanson tradition that she got from her father and the British indie pop sensibility of her generation, featuring funky collaborations with none other than Paul McCartney and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk. 

BLANCK MASS World Eater

A difficult album to define. It's not exactly dance music, though there is a lot of rhythm to it. It has a lot of chillout moments on it, but they are too offset by splendid noise to be chillwave. It has the hypnotic quality of a good trance album, without being trance music. I guess the closest term is ambient techno. But what it is is a strong, imaginative, original experiment in electronic music that (calling the wolf chops on the cover to mind) alternately bites you and then licks your wounds. 

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD 

Murder of the Universe

In 2017, Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard released five albums, which in itself is an impressive feat, made even more so by the fact that one of them is an epic concept album of outrageous proportions. Murder of the Universe tells three weird tales, mixing song and narration ingeniously, but must be listened to from start to finish to be properly appreciated. Definitely not for all tastes, but for those who are interested this is a 46-minute voyage with music that is dark, heavy, complex, freaky, macabre and utterly brilliant.

Top 10 films of 2017

WONDER WOMAN

We had a lot of high quality superhero flicks in 2017 (Logan, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, Thor: Ragnarok, Justice League, Spiderman: Homecoming) but the cream of the crop was Wonder Woman. The excellence of the film is not just the brilliant story, which shows the titular demigod heroine coming into contact with the human world and becoming an active participant of WWI, but largely due to Gal Gadot in the lead role. She is the perfect casting choice, not just because she's tall and beautiful but because of her open, friendly face that perfectly befits the naive and kind Diana Prince, and her deep, husky voice with that slightly mediterranean accent. The DC extended universe have been accused of being too dour (which is not incorrect, but then again there is nothing wrong with dark and serious superhero flicks), but that cannot be said of Wonder Woman. A pure delight from start to finish, even after repeated viewing.

 

T2: TRAINSPOTTING

Danny Boyle's Trainspotting from 1995 is undoubtedly one of the greatest British films ever made, and perhaps one of the most important films ever made. In a way, it helped defined a generation, and certainly defined the '90s. So it was quite a big surprise when a sequel appeared in January 2017, some twenty years later. It might sound a bit out of left field, but the original author Irvine Welsh did write a sequel called "Porno," so it has three guarantees for success: the same writer, the same director and the same cast. To top that, the story is not just a nostalgic repeat of the insanity of the first film, it is actually an original story that feels organic and natural, even a little bit more mature, as a now middle-aged Renton returns to Edinburgh to face the consequences of his actions.

ALIEN: COVENANT

The highly-anticipated (at least, by me) prequel sequel Alien: Covenant is proof that the world of the "Alien" franchise is one that favours expansion, in fact gets better the more is built upon it. At 80, Ridley Scott has shown that you only need three ingredients along with a good cast and a capable idea, which are: xenomorphs, creepy androids and an expendable space crew. It is the recognizable aspects of Alien: Covenant that are so warmly welcoming when you see it for the first time. But what will keep you going back to it is Michael Fassbender, one of the greatest male actors of our times, and his dual role as crazy android David and kind android Walter. Besides the fascinating development of the alien and the gruesome deaths of the crew members, it is the scenes in which Fassbender acts with himself that put Alien: Covenant on this list. I would even venture so far as to say that this is the third or maybe even second best part of the entire "Alien" film series.

 

BABY DRIVER

Edgar Wright's fun, sweet and thrilling action movie has kind of fallen into obscurity since the scandals surrounding co-star Kevin Spacey hit the news in the fall of 2017, which is truly a shame. Baby Driver was one of the most acclaimed and anticipated movies of the year, and if you can overlook Spacey's participation momentarily, or at least separate the actor from the art, then you will surely see why. The story about a young getaway driver's attempt to leave his criminal career is deftly edited in synch with the music, which is something you have to see to appreciate. The action, the editing and the music is as much the star of the movie as Ansel Elgort in the role of Baby. Then there's another thing about it that you have to see to appreciate: Jon Hamm as the baddie, something he should be doing more often.   

GOOD TIME

Usually, I don't even consider indie crime dramas for my lists, because they are predominantly forgettable fare. However, Good Time (like Josh and Benny Safdie's previous film, the harrowing Heaven Knows What from 2014) is in fact one of the most unforgettable films on this list. There is something about the film that grabs hold of your guts and refuses to let go for the entire running time. This is largely due to the searing, haunting electronic soundtrack by Oneothrix Point Never and an outstanding performance by Robert Pattison, who in recent years has grown into a very interesting movie star. Good Time reminds me of the way films used to be made in the '70s, like early Scorsese, in regards its visual style, its naturalistic acting and its bizarre plot twists. It's a kind of visceral movie experience that all indie films should provide.

DUNKIRK

A new film by Christopher Nolan is always an event for film lovers, and if he is giving a WWII movie the Nolan treatment, be sure to expect jaw-dropping practical effects without a hint of CGI, detailed historical research, top-notch UK actors, an intense Hans Zimmer score, Academy Award-winning sound effects, virtually no unnecessary sentimentality, exposition or politics and trimmed down action almost entirely devoid of dialogue, putting us right there in the pilot seat of the Spitfires, in the hull of a sinking boat or aboard a small fishing vessel on its way across the channel to rescue stranded soldiers, with the intent of keeping you on the edge of your seat and possibly even throw in shell-shock into the bargain. Dunkirk will leave you shook up and have you lining up to take the ride again in no time.

  

MOTHER!

An audacious film from an audacious filmmaker, Darren Aronofsky's mother! is truly love it or hate it. If you're not turned off by religious allegory and metaphorical storytelling, you'll find a film full of symbolism, beauty, profound intellectual meaning and arty horror. It is hard to exactly define mother! but it is in essence a macabre and abstract retelling of the Bible with an overt environmental message about the way we treat our planet, as embodied by Jennifer Lawrence, who is both muse to and victim of God (or mankind), as embodied by Javier Bardem. Adam and Eve also enter the story, as do Cain and Abel, then fanaticism enters and takes over the house (or the world) as the mysterious invasion devolves into chaos like there is no hope in humanity. At least that's the impression that I got once I put all the pieces together. It is a rare and intriguing feeling to be so baffled and marveled simultaneously and hopefully the controversy mother! sparked won't discourage Aronofsky from continuing to be such a weird and wonderful auteur. 

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS

Luc Besson's new comic book sci-fi marvel begins with a prologue depicting the building and development of the Internal Space Station, where more and more alien nations are added to it over the centuries, until it finally becomes the titular home of a thousand planets, all to the tune of David Bowie's "Space Oddity". This opening is one of the most beautiful intros to a sci-fi movie I've ever seen, and the rest of the movie is a bonus. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is Besson's best movie since The Fifth Element, and very reminiscent of that 1995 classic, which may be because that was inspired by the French comic book series "Valérian and Laureline" from the 1960's, a favourite of Besson's that he always wanted to adapt. The end result is a fun space romper with quirky special effects, all self-funded, two charismatic leads in Dane DeHaan and Clara Delevingne, a sci-fi of epic proportions and humor unlike most sci-fi projects that at least makes me hungry for a series of Valerian and Laureline films from these wonderful people.

  

THE SHAPE OF WATER

That Guillermo del Toro would eventually put his long-time collaborator, contortionist Doug Jones, into a fishman costume (similar to the one he donned in Hellboy) and write and direct a King Kong meets The Creature from the Black Lagoon came as no surprise to fans, who more or less know what to expect from the geeky, arty film master. But there were two noteworthy surprises with The Shape of Water, del Toro's tenth feature: first, the amount of sex and nudity which, though never gratuitous and actually quite romantic, is not something one has come to expect from him and secondly, that such a dark and dreamy 20th century fairytale would go on to get the Academy Award for Best Picture. Maybe it has something to do with the message in the film, wherein a mute cleaning lady falls in love with a creature captured in the Amazon jungle that is secretly held in captivity and tortured by the CIA during the Cold War, a message about respect for all life and governmental, and to some extent, patriarchal oppression. One thing is for sure, del Toro deserves all the Academy Awards he can get.

  

BLADE RUNNER 2049

2017 was certainly the year for long-awaited sequels. First we had the follow-up to Trainspotting, then a new series of Twin Peaks, and finally a new Blade Runner movie. What a year for fans of weird. Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 is indeed weirder than Ridley Scott's 1982 original, but it hews so closely to the classic in format and intellect that it feels like a perfectly natural sequel. Although it is a bit overlong, and a lot can be said abot the roles women play in it (and has), the world and the concepts are so perfectly imagined and realized, managing to both update the story and stay true to the original at the same time, that one quickly forgets the downsides and just surrenders to the sheer spectacular and nightmarish beauty of it.

(Honourable mentions: The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Brawl in Cell Block 99. Kong: Skull Island. Star Wars VII: The Last Jedi. The Villainess. A Ghost Story. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

Top 10 Limited Series of 2017

TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN

When I first heard the news two or three years ago that legendary Twin Peaks was going to make a comeback, I couldn't believe my luck. I never thought that I would live to see the day that my favourite TV show ever would return to television, so in a way it was a small miracle. But don't expect a nostalgic show that seeks to recreate the cozy and moody atmosphere of the original - Twin Peaks: The Return is pure Lynchian horror. Some were disappointed by the utter audacity of hardly giving the fans anything of what they loved about the show, but if you think about it Twin Peaks, like almost every movie David Lynch ever made, is really a horror show. Granted it hadn't always been the plan to go that way, that only happened after the studios forced David Lynch and Mark Frost to reveal who killed Laura Palmer, which they had actually never intended - that's when the show introduced all those outlandish supernatural aspects like otherworldly dimensions or aliens or demons, whatever you want to call it. Twin Peaks: The Return is, like the title, primarily about Dale Cooper's return from that other world called The Black Lodge, and it's just as weird and funny and scary and surreal as you'd imagine that would look like. Whatever you may think, there is nothing else out there like it. It's truly its own thing, its own marvelous, unforgettable thing.

GODLESS

Nothing beats a good western, and Netflix's Godless, written and directed by Scott Frank and exec-produced by Steven Soderbergh, is not just a good western, it's an amazing western. Not only does it have an original, smart and highly entertaining story (which is about a small mining town of almost only women that has to defend itself against an outlaw posse), and Jeff Daniels in one of his best performances ever as the villain - it also looks like a proper film. In short, a beautifully written, beautifully acted, and beautifully shot masterpiece.

THE DEFENDERS

A culmination of sorts to Netflix's and Marvel's collaboration, which has yielded so much quality, but fortunately not the last we will see of the heroes in question. Needless to say, if you have followed the separate adventures of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, you'll get a huge thrill from seeing them meet, get to know each other, squabble and fight each other and ultimately save New York City together. A bonus treat is seeing Sigourney Weaver, usually such a congenial presence with her warm voice, in a chilling role as the villainous leader of the Hand. 

WORMWOOD

Master documentary filmmaker Errol Morris made a true crime show unlike any other for Netflix about the true story of Frank Olson, a scientist working for the CIA who fell or jumped out of a New York hotel window in 1953 and whose son Eric spent the rest of his life trying to find out the true story behind the apparent accident/suicide. Dynamically shot and edited interviews with real people like Eric Olson and others involved in the private investigation is interspersed with some very well-made reenactments of the events leading up to and including the night in question featuring proper actors (Peter Sarsgaard, Molly Parker, Tim Blake Nelson), and they all serve to make an excellent and unforgettable docudrama.

FIVE CAME BACK

Netflix's three-part documentary about the experiences and work of five legendary Hollywood directors (John Ford, William Wyler, John Huston, Frank Capra and George Stevens) during WWII is the perfect marriage of film and history. The war propaganda that those five stalwarts of the golden age of Hollywood created are analyzed and honored by five modern filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro, and the brilliance of Five Came Back is that it manages to provide an entirely new aspect to a subject matter that has been so thoroughly exhausted in countless documentaries and movies over the years.

THE VIETNAM WAR

Speaking of history, Ken Burns ten-hour documentary on the Vietnam war is perhaps the best history lesson ever made. It feels like enough time has now passed to give the subject the proper justice and objectivity needed for a thorough analysis, which this is, more than anything else. What led up to the war is equally as important as the horrors that took place during it and how it affected American society back home, thus changing history itself. Very informative, moving, troubling and impressively made, The Vietnam War is simply obligatory viewing.

THE KEEPERS

Netflix is not only the master of TV series, but of true crime as well, and the top show of 2017 in that regard was The Keepers. On paper it doesn't sound all that remarkable, simply telling the story of the unsolved murder of a young nun in Baltimore back in the early 1960's, investigated years later by her former alumni. At least not remarkable enough to warrant seven hour-long episodes. But once the mystery begins to unravel, a disgraceful conspiracy is revealed that has international religious repercussions, dramatic and outrageous enough to rival any of the many controversies in relation to the Catholic church that have surfaced over the past twenty-five years.

ALIAS GRACE

As Hulu's adaptation of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale lapped up every media's attention this year (rightfully so, of course), another Atwood book was brought to our television screens, on a slightly smaller scale, but with equal amounts of panache. It's been many years since I read the book, but I still remember it more strongly than the other Atwood novel I mentioned, as such an interesting little story, in Atwood's engaging and gripping writing, based on an actual case, that of a housekeeper called Grace Marks who was convicted of a double murder in 1843, apparently quite a notorious case in Canadian criminal history. Written by Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho), starring Sarah Gadon (11.22.63), this excellent miniseries should not be overlooked.

FARGO

Noah Hawley's third iteration of Fargo, an in name only spin-off of the Coen brothers' 1995 film, on FX is slightly sharper, weirder, funnier, better, cooler, and more gross than the two previous seasons. I include it here freely because it is an anthology series, so each season is like a miniseries of its own, although all three stories share the same styles, themes and settings. This season has an excellent cast down the line, led by Ewan McGregor in a dual role as twin brothers Emmit and Ray Stussy, but it's David Thewlis' obnoxious and demonic villain Mr. Varga that will leave an indelible impression, especially if you're squeamish. If you unbelievably haven't already seen it, consider yourself warned! 

PHILIP K. DICK'S ELECTRIC DREAMS

In the wake of Charlie Brooker's hit show Black Mirror, it is quite a formidable task to make an impression on the public with another clever and sometimes creepy science fiction anthology show. Channel 4 and Amazon Video have done their best to bring ten short stories by the late great Philip K. Dick to television and make them stand on their own. My verdict is they pulled it off. As with the aforementioned Black Mirror, the quality of the episodes vary, but the best ones (like The Commuter and Kill All Others) are so good that the lesser ones (like The Hood Maker and Autofac) are quite palatable as well when the show is consumed as a whole. After all, there would be no Black Mirror-style of intellectual sci-fi without Philip K. Dick, or at least he came first. 

  

     

Top 10 new TV series of 2017

LEGION

Get ready for a superhero show unlike any you've ever seen before, "Legion," the latest brainchild from the genius behind FX's "Fargo," Noah Hawley. Based on a Marvel character, Dan Stevens (in perhaps the greatest performance of his career so far) gets to act out his full range as David Haller, a schizophrenic with supernatural abilities who's in an insane asylum in the pilot episode and ends up part of an organisation of mutants (X-men style) hunted by the government at the end of the season. The brilliance of the show is its mix of weird, funny, stylish, creepy and smart, owing to the fact that the whole story is told through Haller's unstable viewpoint. Another plus is the supporting cast, in particular Aubrey Plaza as a very entertaining aspect of Haller's clashing psyche. 

TABOO

At the height of his career, Tom Hardy (one of our generation's top actors) takes a break from movies to focus on a very personal project, the Gothic adventure drama "Taboo," which he devised with his father. Co-created by Steven Knight, the man behind "Peaky Blinders" (a show that is very similar, both in quality and style), "Taboo" tells the story of James Delaney who, after some time in Africa, returns to London to bury his father and gets into a prolonged conflict with the East India Company. Set during the Georgian period, "Taboo" is a show that addresses British imperialism from a very moden perspective, presented with an exquisitely disgusting high-quality attention to detail. The filthy world of London in the early 19th century has never been more decadent.

THE HANDMAID'S TALE

To make a great TV show you need more than a great story, great actors and great production values. A truly great TV show requires a level of ambition and inspiration behind it, and Hulu's adaptation of Margaret Atwood's classic feminist dystopian novel has just that. It not only has perfect timing, as it was released just a few months ahead of the #MeToo revolution, but it's also supported by passionate storytelling from creator Bruce Miller, director Reed Moreno, and leading lady Elizabeth Moss. This was a TV show had needed to be made and needed to be enjoyed, which it certainly has been.

THE PUNISHER

Personally, I've been a big fan of Jon Bernthal ever since he portrayed Shane in "The Walking Dead" eight years ago, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him cast as Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, in season two of Netflix's "Daredevil" back in 2016. I would in fact venture to say that Bernthal is the perfect Frank Castle, although I'm not terribly well-read on the comic book character and have only seen the film versions "The Punisher" from 2004 and "Punisher: War Zone" from 2008. The reason I can give for my opinion is that Bernthal has an intriguing mix of tough guy machismo and soft nice guy, that type of rough charm that some action movie stars used to have back in the day. A character like The Punisher needs those kinds of layers, particularly when you move him up from supporting character to hero. And you need to pace the action with deliberation, so that toward the end of the season, when things finally kick off, you really get excited to see some indiscriminately mindless violence.   

AMERICAN GODS

After he finished putting a personal and brilliant touch to NBC's re-interpretation of Hannibal Lecter in "Hannibal," Bryan Fuller apparently felt it was time to do the same to Neil Gaiman's classic urban fantasy novel "American Gods." Like "Hannibal," Fuller's highly anticipated "American Gods" is drenched in beautiful, colorful, vibrant and violent imagery, the kind of grotesque art that's rather rare. The season begins to lose steam half way in, which is not a surprise considering that the season only adapts about half the novel and fills in the rest with new material. But the opening part is so strong, it carried my interest through to the end. "American Gods" also has perfect casting, with Ian McShane (who else) as Mr. Wednesday, Peter Stormare in his first non-irritating role for the first time in some 20 years as Czernobog, Gillian Anderson having a lot of fun as the new goddess Media and Crispin Glover, one of the weirdest actors in the US, as Mr. World. 

BIG LITTLE LIES

Another show that became a big deal largely thanks to perfect timing was David E. Kelley's HBO project "Big Little Lies," from a novel by Liane Moriarty. Co-produced by its two main stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, the multi-award winning seven episode drama focuses on spousal abuse, the trials of parenting, in particular motherhood, and rape. So it does have an air of importance to it. But it's also quite droll, and it's all told in a context that's recognizable and easily digested, namely that of a murder investigation. But what elevates "Big Little Lies" miles above your average TV murder mystery melodrama is the impeccable casting and Jean-Marc Vallée's ultra-cool direction. Although they should have kept it as a mini-series and not given in to popular demand to do a second season, it will admittedly be quite interesting to see what they come up with next. 

ANNE WITH AN E

I confess there is a big gap in my cultural education, because I have never read the children's classic "Anne of Green Gables," nor seen any of the multitudinous adaptations. But that doesn't keep me from feeling quite familiar with the iconic character, which may be because she is very similar to our own Pippi Lockstocking here in Sweden. Nor does it hinder me in any way from thoroughly enjoying this new version from Netflix and Moira Walley-Beckett, supposedly bringing us a more mature adaptation of the familiar story. Although one would probably get fed up with Anne Shirley and her constant prattling after about five minutes in her actual company, on television she is positively delightful and a character that can truly be said to be a good role model for girls and kids in general; intelligent, strong, imaginative and full of hope and love. 

LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS

Netflix is now the king of television, and they opened the year of 2017 in a strong way with this adaptation of Daniel Handler's modern classic. To begin with, the show may suffer a bit in comparison with the 2004 movie adaptation, which of course has to do with the fact that Neil Patrick Harris in the role of Count Olaf is no Jim Carrey. But if you drop the comparison, try to put the movie out of your mind or at least look beyond that particular scene-stealer's participation, you will come to really appreciate both Mr. Harris and this version for the brilliance it is. And toward the end of the season it really starts to get good, which might have something to do with the fact that the movie never got that far. However, "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" has all those qualities that I love in a show; it's cute, weird, smart, beautiful to look at, imaginative and at times quite dadaistic in its humor.

GLOW

This wonderful 'period piece,' loosely based on the creation of The Glorious Ladies of Wrestling during the glorious 1980s, co-produced and co-written by Jenji Kohan, most famous for "Orange is the New Black," has that quality that I always felt "Orange..." aimed for but never really reached, which is an assortment of quirky and highly likeable oddball characters. But again, it's inherently more entertaining to partake of a show about female wrestlers than female prison inmates. "G.L.O.W." is often very funny and sometimes quite moving as well, but most of all it is well-made, in everything from the perfect recreation of the trappings of the 1980s to the acting, where we get to see Alison Brie show just how talented she is and legendary stand-up Marc Maron receive the hilarious part he rightly deserves as the has-been B-movie director hired to bring the wrestling project to life.

IRON FIST

Despite prevailing opinions, I thought Netflix absolutely smashed it with "Iron Fist." Smashed it again, I should say, because Netflix's collaboration with Marvel has been nothing short of perfection all the way, and it doesn't look like they will ever fail (despite what some if not most people may think in this instance). Whatever your reservations about the character of Danny Rand/Iron Fist may be, I happen to love it. He's the classic billionaire vigilante superhero, like Batman, which is the best kind. And the connection with Eastern martial arts and a magical alternative Buddhist dimension is added fun. But what "Iron Fist" succeeds with most is in its villain, which I always say is the most important part of a superhero story. You need a great villain to make a great superhero, and in Danny Rand's arch-nemesis Harold Meachum, delightfully portrayed with utter slimy psychopathic creepiness by the marvellous David Wenham, we get a perfect villain. 

Honorable mentions: Dark (Netflix), Happy! (Syfy), Crashing (HBO), Feud (FX), Mindhunter (Netflix)