Lady Gaga’s talents as a singer/songwriter/actress/dancer are undeniable, but Chris Moukarbel’s documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two effectively humanizes Stefani Germanotta, the woman behind the iconic moniker. From her relationships to her family history to her feelings about her body, Gaga nearly bares it all. There’s an emotional phone call with a friend fighting cancer; there’s Gaga suffering through painful body spasms caused by a prior hip injury; there’s some brief discussion about that Madonna beef; there’s Gaga talking about growing into her best self and having less of a tolerance for bullshit from men. The star doesn’t come off as an eccentric artist, but rather a creative genius who also happens to be a fairly normal-ass person. Gaga continues to demonstrate creative control and masterful musicianship that, when mixed with her insane charisma, can evoke an emotional response from her audience. In other words, I found myself crying at least once. (dir. Chris Moukarbel; available on Netflix)

The Portland Mercury's Super Cinema Strikeforce™ had a bunch of other favorite movies in 2017, too! Check them all out here.