2017 SLEEPERS
                                                               Part 2

Herewith the second installment of underappreciated movies from last year. All of these rated 8 (out of 10).
Wonder is as predictable as the sunrise, but I dare you not to like it anyway. Young unknown Jacob Tremblay is terrific as Augie Pullman, unfortunately afflicted by Treacher Collins syndrome, a genetic condition rendering the face, well, a mess. He has had multiple surgeries but is still quite disfigured. His parents, nicely played by Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson, decide to stop home schooling him and send him to public middle school. He is of course scorned and picked on but, hey, this is a Hollywood movie so you know it will turn out okl!
Battle Of The Sexes is about the historic tennis match between women’s champion Billie Jean King and journeyman player Bobby Riggs. I am actually old enough to remember when this happened (1973). Underrated Steve Carrell is super as preening, boasting Bobby and Emma Stone is very good as Billie Jean. He starts the battle by publicly proclaiming that he (or most any man) could handily beat any woman. She accepts the challenge and the battle is on. The film does a good job of leading up to the match and the tennis is really fun!
We recently went to see Paddington 2 because we loved the first one. The bear from darkest Peru who lands in London and is adopted by a typical British family is just so much fun and so dear. Believe it or not (I was amazed) the second one is even better than the first. Sally Hawkins is back as the family’s Mom and Hugh Bonneville as Father. She was up for an Oscar for The Shape Of Water (2017) and he was fabulous as Robert Crawley, Lord of Grantham, in the PBS smash hit Downton Abbey. And Paddington 2 features the most unlikely of actors as the villain- Hugh Grant. Through a misunderstanding (of course) Paddington gets sent to prison,where he quickly wins over the hardened cons and guards (and us).
And there’s another bear movie in this group. Brigsby Bear is the very strange and very charming story of a boy who is raised in an underground dwelling by people who kidnaped him as an infant. They have produced a series of movies about Brigsby Bear, together with all the assorted paraphernalia that goes with it. The boy is rescued and restored to his true parents, but he misses the bear who has become such a big part of his life. He later produces a movie about the imaginary (?) bear which is a big hit. It’s a lot more complicated (and more fun) than my synopsis.
Remember that incredibly cute couple in Barefoot In The Park (1967)? Okay, maybe you don’t. Anyway, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford are back 50 years later in Our Souls At Night. Based on Kent Haruf’s wonderful book, it is the story of two aging people finding companionship and even romance. Both have survived the death of a spouse, and the story begins when she asks him to come over and sleep with her. Platonically, just for the warmth and comfort of another person. He reluctantly agrees. 
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. Wonder and Paddington 2 are actually fine for all ages. The rest are for adults.