As I write this, it’s a brisk 16 degrees above zero on the last day of the year here in New York City. 2017 was seemingly a scenario for an end-of-days disaster movie, with hurricane after hurricane and one mass shooting after another, punctuated by daily insults to our sensibilities Tweeted by a former reality-show host from his Oval Office sandbox. It’s not easy dealing with all of this.
But there were a lot of good films to help us out. One can only hope that 2018 will bring films half as good as Wind River, The Square, A Ghost Story, and The Shape of Water, among many others.
Tonight we’re seeing Happy End, Michael Haneke’s new film at Film Forum. He’s a great director, as evidenced by Amour (2012) and The White Ribbon (2009), to name but two.
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The following clip is a montage of scenes from Universal horror films. It was initially designed as a promo for Universal’s proposed “Dark Universe” films, which would be reboots of these classic films. If The Mummy with Tom Cruise from earlier this year is any indication, they should drop these plans immediately. It rightfully tanked, so we may be spared. But I love this clip and am including it here for no particular reason other than it makes me feel really good.
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Stay tuned for recaps of my favorite feature films, documentaries, and TV & cable shows for 2017. In the meantime, here’s Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton to take us out in exquisitely joyous fashion. Happy New Year! – Ted Hicks
Films etc. 
Happy New Year !
Loved the clips, Ted. Happy New Year. I’m going more main stream with my NY Eve movie – taking our youngest grandson to see Star Wars at the movie house around the corner. Good to see crazy 2017 waving goodbye. Come on, 2018!!!!!
Happy New Year, Ted! I’d like to say that I can’t imagine a more unimaginable year than 2017, but with the same pre-school players grovelling in the D.C. sandbox, and the ever-growing list of media giant sexual harassers sharing the spotlight, I think we ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Can anything on screen match the show playing out in real time? Maybe all we need is a reboot of those giant ants that scared the bejesus out of me in the fifties.
Happy new year to you and Nancy! Enjoyed this, as always –I liked your wrapup of 2017 – ugh!! Melanie
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Happy New Year!
Right you are. It was not easy dealing with 2017 and the horrors it held for all of us.
Enjoyed your monsters, though. How could I not?
And I’m glad you mentioned The Shape of Water. I loved it and fell in love with the creature, as well. Onward to the new.
Love to you and Nancy and Sadie and Morgan — and all good thoughts for 2018.
Shana
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Glad you liked The Shape of Water. It is totally great.