#1. The Shape of Water



The Best Picture Winner from this Sunday's Oscars headlines what's arriving in March. Guillermo del Toro's ambitious effort The Shape of Water ties together elements of drama, romance and comedy with a Cold War spy-thriller backdrop that sounds bonkers, but actually comes together remarkably well. Sally Hawkins stars as Elisa, a mute custodian for a top secret government facility whose world turns upside-down when a new "asset" arrives in the form of a sea creature. As she befriends the creature and soon learns of the government's plans to terminate it, Elisa enlists the aid of her friends (Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer) to help rescue "him". Guillermo del Toro's fairytale is beautifully shot, brilliantly acted and directed to perfection, allowing the oddities surrounding The Shape of Water to shine rather than disappoint. (March 13th)


#2. I, Tonya



Craig Gillespie's "no holds barred" reimagining of notorious figure skater Tonya Harding's rise and fall from the spotlight delivers laugh-out-loud hilarity and pulsating energy. Told through intersecting perspectives from the most unreliable sources, we gives an in-depth look at Harding's (Margot Robbie) turbulent upbringing at the hands of her overbearing mother (Allison Janney), as well as the rocky relationship with her now ex-husband Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) which resulted in the physical assault of her biggest Olympic Figure Skating rival, Nancy Kerrigan. I, Tonya has zero interest in answering questions regarding the unknown truth behind the infamous "incident" that stunned the world, and instead focuses its efforts on delivering a successful uptempo and buffoonish character study of a true American anti-hero. (March 13th)


#3. Lady Bird



Another major Oscar player arriving in March comes from Best Director Nominee Greta Gerwig. Lady Bird tells the familiar tale of a teen (Saoirse Ronan) searching for her personal identity, as she clashes with her outspoken mother (Laurie Metcalf) and dreams of leaving California for a college experience on the east coast. Humor, charm and heart are sewn into the fabric of this well-scripted coming-of-age story. Quick-witted dialogue becomes the trademark of this endearing character who foolishly navigates through a senior year full of exciting new risks and regrettable mistakes. Lady Bird doesn't necessarily break new ground in its typically-crowded genre, yet the effort still provides legitimate laughs and worthwhile characters. (March 6th)
 

Honorable Mention: Some of 2017s biggest blockbusters also arrive in March. Most notably is the Marvel film Thor: Ragnarok (March 6th), which I highly recommend, as well as Star Wars: The Last Jedi (March 27th), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (March 20th) and Justice League (March 13th). Similar to my top 3 suggestions of the month, Oscar nominated films are arriving in full force. Other films include Best Picture nominee Call Me by Your Name (March 13th), Best Adapted Screenplay nominee The Disaster Artist (March 13th), Best Animated Feature nominees Ferdinand (March 13th) and The Breadwinner (March 6th), as well as Best Documentary nominees Faces Places (March 6th) and Last Man in Aleppo (March 27th). A 2017 SXSW selection that I highly recommend is Small Town Crime (March 20th), while other popular titles include Pitch Perfect 3 (March 20th), Downsizing (March 20th) and The Man Who Invented Christmas (March 6th).