Under the Radar: Fierce performances and feminist-driven genre films

Our annual compilation of overlooked films. Each reviewer chose five films to highlight.

“Lady Macbeth”: Florence Pugh gives a ferocious performance in William Oldroyd’s mannered and meticulous “Lady Macbeth,” a haunted and angry depiction of lusty feminine rebellion in 1865 England. Vacillating between control and chaos, powerhouse Pugh makes Katherine one of the more unforgettable cinematic antiheroines of the year.

“Band Aid”: Star-writer-director Zoe Lister-Jones employed an all-female crew for her directorial debut, a funny, poignant and deeply affecting study of relationships and the messy business of creation of all kinds.

“Princess Cyd”: Chicago-based filmmaker Stephen Cone’s latest feature is the kind of open and generous filmmaking we don’t see too much of these days; it’s a pleasure to luxuriate in its warmth. Featuring two of the best undersung performances of the year from Rebecca Spence and Jessie Pinnick, who stuns as Cyd in her first film role.

“Kill Me Please”: An audacious debut from Brazilian filmmaker Anita Rocha da Silveira combines gruesome slasher movies and teen coming-of-age comedies in a film that plays like “Halloween” meets “Heathers.” This abstract and visually striking film explores the fascinating psychological intersection of sex and violence.

“Only the Brave”: This impeccably directed and emotionally moving film, based on the true story of Arizona’s Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite wildland firefighting crew, should have been an “American Sniper”-sized hit. Anchored by Josh Brolin in one of his best performances, “Only the Brave” becomes especially poignant and relevant after the wildfires that have devastated California this year.

Yes, please: 2017 brought a swath of fiercely smart and feminist genre films directed by women — from the French teen cannibalism romp “Raw” to the anthology film “XX” and the superhero triumph of the year, “Wonder Woman.” These films prove that feminist horror, sci-fi and comic book movies are the most exciting thing going today.

No more: Studios funding Woody Allen films. We’ve had more than enough of his takes on women, aging and May-December relationships. Let’s try some new perspectives.

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