Honorable Mentions: John Wick: Chapter 2, The Lego Batman Movie, The Lost City of Z, Wonder Woman, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, T2: Trainspotting, Hounds of Love, Okja, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Wind River, Uncertain, It, Logan Lucky, Mother!, Brawl in Cell Block 99, Killing of a Sacred Deer, War for the Planet of the Apes, Thor: Ragnarok, Brigsby Bear, Coco, The Big Sick, The Square, Mayhem, Columbus, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Icarus, Call Me By Your Name, I Tonya.
Note: This list is based solely off my own personal opinion of what I thought were the best/most memorable/impressive movies released during 2017 and is ordered alphabetically (not including the runner-ups which are listed before the top 10, also in alphabetical order). To qualify for this list, a movie must have had a limited or wide theatrical or online release in 2017 (festival screenings alone do not count); I would like to mention I was not able to watch every movie released in 2017.
Runner-Up: Detroit
What gets me excited about a movie is not the subject matter, or the actors, or the writers; what gets me excited about a movie has to be the director. "Detroit" already looked interesting, but when I found out it was being directed by Kathryn Bigelow, my interest was really peaked. If you don't know, Bigelow is one of the most talented directors working today. She directed "The Hurt Locker" and "Zero Dark Thirty," and is the only woman to win the Oscar for best director. With "Detroit" she stepped away from the war in the Middle East like her previous two films, and with this one focused on a war that happened in our back yard. In 1967, there were massive riots in Detroit that resulted in countless injuries and arrests, but the worst moment of the riots happened at the Algiers motel. One night of the riots, the police and national guard stormed the Algiers motel claiming that someone was firing at them front the second floor window. They began interrogating the occupants, which resulted in one of the worst cases of police brutality in American history. Now in all honesty, "Detroit" is the weakest installment of Bigelow's three most recent films. It doesn't have the same impact, or weight behind it, that her previous two films had. Even so, it's great. With some of the year's best performances and memorable scenes, as well as Bigelow's strong direction, "Detroit" will be one of the stand-outs of 2017 for many.
Runner-Up: Lady Bird
If
you were to go back to the beginning of 2017, and tell me the most critically
acclaimed movie of 2017 (according to Rotten Tomatoes anyways) was going to be
an indie coming-of-age film about a teenage girl from a first time director,
I'd ask you politely but firmly to leave the room. Well, 2017 wasn't exactly a
conventional year anyways. "Lady Bird" tells the story of Lady Bird
(her self-given name), a young woman from Sacramento growing up in the early
2000s. Lady Bird is an interesting girl, who has dreams to make it out of
California and go to college on the east coast where culture lives. Along the
way she fights her family, her friends, and herself. "Lady Bird" is
one of the better coming-of-age movies I've seen in the past few years. The
screenplay is clever, funny, and often very sincere, Saoirse Ronan gives
one of the best performances of the year in the title role, and the fact that
this is the directorial debut for Greta Gerwig is actually pretty impressive.
While "Lady Bird" may not have blown me away like it did some people,
it's easy to call it one of the year's best.
Runner-Up: Logan
I think this is the first time a super hero movie has ever appeared on my lists of the best films of the year. There have been a few times where one came close like "Civil War" or "The Winter Soldier," but this is the first. "Logan" is the latest installment in the X-Men franchise, and the third film revolving entirely around Wolverine. Loosely based off of the acclaimed "Old Man Logan" comic, "Logan" takes place several years in a future where mutants don't really exist anymore. Only a few are left and they're often hunted by the government. Logan (aka Wolverine) is working as a driver in Mexico while taking care of a dementia ridden Professor X. Logan hopes to make enough money to buy a boat so him and the professor can live away from the mainland, but his plans are derailed when a young mutant girl falls into their laps and needs to be taken to the Canadian border. "Logan" works on so many levels: it works as a super hero film, as a drama, as a neo-noir western, and as an action film. It also took a page out of "Deadpool's" book and just went for that hard R rating (this is an incredibly violent movie). "Logan" is a movie that was even better than I hoped it would be, it brought something new to the franchise and sent the character of Wolverine out on a high note. It's smart, emotional, occasionally funny, and often very exciting. "Logan" isn't just one of the best films of the year; it's the best super hero film since "The Dark Knight."
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
If
you were to make a list of the worst actors of all time, there's a good chance
that Adam Sandler would appear on it. Sandler rose to prominence in the 1990s
as one of the biggest names in comedies. While not critically acclaimed, his
movies "Billy Madison," "The Waterboy," and "Happy
Gilmore" were loved by millions. But starting in the mid 2000s, his
reputation began to dip. He began to make terrible movie after terrible movie
until his name became synonymous with bad film making. The reason I say this is
because I'm legitimately surprised how good he is in the starring role of this
movie. "The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)" is a Netflix
comedy-drama about the Meyerowitz family. It primarily revolves around two half
brothers (played by Sandler and Ben Stiller) and their father. I absolutely
loved this movie. It was funny and sincere, had great performances, and one of
the best original screenplays of the year. When I first saw the trailer for
this movie I immediately wrote it off because Sandler was the lead, but after
watching it I feel like I need to write him an apology letter and congratulate
him on arguably the best films of his career.
Runner-Up: Mudbound
Over the past half decade or so, online digital streaming has been a force to be reckoned with when it comes to traditional TV series. Shows like "House of Cards" and "Stranger Things" established streaming services such as Netflix as a place of great original content. But while their shows have been great, streaming movies haven't quite reached the same level of quality. There have been some strong exceptions in the past (See "The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)" above), but overall there seem to be few standouts. But we saw something different with this movie. "Mudbound" is a southern drama taking place in the 1900s just after the war. It revolves around two families in Mississippi; a white family who recently moved to the state to buy a farm, and a black family that lives on the farm as help. There's some tension between the two but they ultimately get along. As time goes on each family has a loved one return from the war, the son from the black family and a brother from the white. While these returning war heroes have little in common, they find kinship in their shared experiences, which manages to upset some of the racist townsfolk. "Mudbound" may be the best film released through an online streaming service. Beautifully shot, great acting, and strong direction make it one of this year's standouts. Due to the subject matter, it's not an easy watch, but one I'd certainly recommend.
Baby Driver
I
work part time at a movie theater, and like me, many of my co-workers love
movies. And looking back at 2017, the movie that seemed to get them the most
excited was surprisingly "Baby Driver." At the end of the day, it just
looked fun; and considering who the director is, it's not hard to see why
people were excited. "Baby Driver" is the latest action comedy from
the master Edgar Wright, and is one of the year's most entertaining films.
Taking place in Atlanta, the film follows a getaway driver named Baby (a
nickname obviously). Even being so young, he is very good at what he does and
is the favorite of a local crime boss (who met Baby after he tried to steal his
car years earlier). Baby agrees to work for him to pay off his debt, but hopes
to get out of the game soon. Along the way though he falls in love with a
waitress named Debora, and plans on leaving it all behind for her; but getting
out of crime is never that easy. Edgar Wright is the master of action-comedy,
with movies like "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead" in his
filmography; and "Baby Driver" ranks among his very best. Exciting,
entertaining, action packed, and often hilarious, this will be a personal
favorite for many from the past year.
Blade Runner 2049
This movie had a lot to live up to, so much so that many would consider it a miracle if it did. "Blade Runner 2049" is the sequel to the legendary 1982 "Blade Runner" from director Ridley Scott. "2049" picks up a couple decades after the events of its predecessor, and revolves mainly around a replicant named K. K is a blade runner, a type of cop who is tasked with tracking down and retiring old replicants that have gone rogue. One day while out on the job he discovers something, something that could potentially change the course of human history; and he sets out to learn the truth. "Blade Runner 2049" is an impressive piece of modern sci-fi. It hits on all the notes: memorable characters, an interesting story, strong direction, impressive imagery, beautiful cinematography, great acting, etc. It is the sequel that "Blade Runner" deserved, a brilliant film that will stick with you long after you leave the theater.
Dunkirk
It's
been a while since we've had a truly great war movie, probably not since
"Zero Dark Thirty" back in 2012. Then in comes Christopher Nolan to
deliver one of the best the genre has ever seen. "Dunkirk" is about
the Dunkirk evacuation from France in 1940. Several hundred thousand British
troops were stuck on a beach in the city of Dunkirk while being surrounded by
Nazi troops. The film follows a couple different groups of soldiers and
civilians caught up in the whole mess. "Dunkirk" is one of those
movies that acts as a love letter to cinema. It is very old school in its
approach, from how it was filmed to how it was made; the use of practical
effects, thousands of extras, shot on 70mm film, and the tone and pacing as a
whole. With this, Nolan gives us one of the best movies of his already
illustrious career. If I had to choose something to criticize, it would be that
several of the characters are forgettable (many of the soldiers just kind of
blend together). But if you can get past that annoyance, "Dunkirk" is
a remarkable film that will be admired for years to come.
The Florida Project
There
are certain things I really enjoy seeing in movies, one of which is true
humanistic properties. So often with movies, TV, etc., it's an idealistic or
perfect portrayal of the human condition; in reality, it rarely is. That's one
thing "The Florida Project" does well, it's believable from start to
finish. This is the only movie in recent memory, that isn't based off of real life,
which could conceivably happen in real life. And that's something rather
unique. "The Florida Project" takes place during the summer
in Kissimmee, Florida. The film primarily revolves around Mooney and her
mother Halley as they live out of a motel. While Halley struggles to pay the
bills and support her daughter, Mooney is mostly unaware of the situation and
goes about her life with her friends without a care in the world. This is a beautifully
ugly movie, which sounds like a contradictory statement. What I mean is that
life is a difficult, but to watch children enjoy their lives while the walls
crumble around them is a site to see unfold in this movie. "The Florida
Project" is one of 2017's indie darlings, and a truly heartfelt film.
Get Out
If
you're going to talk about what 2017's sleeper hit was, you have to talk about
"Get Out." Acting as the directorial debut from comedic actor Jordan
Peele, "Get Out" is a comedic horror-thriller that vastly surpassed
anyone's expectations. Chris is a young black man living in New York who has
recently started dating a beautiful woman named Rose. Rose has invited Chris to
spend a few days at her parent's home, telling him at the last minute that they
don't know he's black but shouldn't have a problem with it. When they arrive
Chris is met with open arms, but he soon begins to feel that something is off
with the family's cozy little neighborhood. "Get Out" is an utterly
brilliant movie to say the least; a fantastic original screenplay, original
premise, great use of humor, fantastic acting, and strong direction from a
first time director. One of the best horror movies in the past few years,
"Get Out" will undoubtedly top many "best of the year"
lists.
Good Time
If I had to guess what will go down as the most underappreciated movie of the year, it would be this one. Receiving a very tiny limited release, and only in theaters for a short time, few people actually had a chance to see one of the year's best films. "Good Time" is crime-drama about two brothers; the older brother Connie, and the younger brother Nick who is mentally challenged. One day the two attempt to rob a bank, only for things to go south and Nick getting arrested. Connie escapes and sets out to get bail money together to get him out of jail, but as you'd imagine things don't come easy. "Good Time" is a surrealist film in my eyes; it's like watching someone experience a horrible dream. Featuring some interesting film techniques and an Oscar worthy performance from lead actor Robert Pattinson, this movie was one I won't soon forget.
Raw
Going into 2017, there were a lot of movies I was looking forward to; but one that flew under the radar that had peaked my interest was a French-Belgian movie by the name of "Raw." "Raw" played at a few small film festivals back in 2016 to rave reviews and intense audience reactions. Apparently, many movie goers passed out and vomited while watching it. This alone was enough to get me interested. "Raw" follows a young vegetarian woman named Justine as she follows in her family's footsteps in going to veterinarian school. All seems fine until a hazing ritual that has her eat a piece of raw meat, after that she begins to change and gains an unquenchable hunger that leaves her wanting something a bit more taboo to eat. "Raw" did something special, it really stuck with me. After walking out of the theater, I thought about this movie every day for weeks; and when I think of movies that came out this year, this one pops into my head first. There's something memorizing and special about it; it's stylish, sexy, loud, and bloody. It's a brilliant little art house-horror that is the best I've seen from the genre in a long time. And if you ask me, I think "Raw" is the best movie to be released in 2017.
The Disaster Artist
In
2003 the world was greeted with "The Room," a drama that was written,
directed, produced, starred, and funded by Tommy Wiseau. Upon its release,
"The Room" was panned as one of the worst movies of all time. There
were no redeeming factors, other than the fact that it might be fun to watch
when drunk with friends. Over the years it's become a cult film because of how
bad it truly is, and a lot of it is because of Wiseau. The man behind the film
is a pariah, we don't know where he's from, how old he is, or how he made his
fortune. And watching his interviews, the guy just seemed off. Because of this
though he has become the stuff of legend, and everyone wanted to know more. A
few years back, the co-star of "The Room," Greg Sestero, wrote a
book about his relationship with Wiseau and the making of the movie. The book
was praised, and somewhere down the line James Franco and Seth Rogan wanted to
turn it into a movie. So "The Disaster Artist" is the adaptation of
the book, and all that went into making one of the worst movies ever.
Fortunately, this movie is good. "The Disaster Artist" may be the
years best comedy, but it's so much more. James Franco, who directed the film
and starred in it by playing the on screen version of Wiseau, shines. Dave Franco
who co-stars is equally brilliant, with both of the Franco brothers giving the
best performances of the year. Pair that with a brilliantly adapted screenplay,
and you have a movie that is easy to love and a joy to watch.
The Shape of Water
There
are few people in the film industry that I like better than Guillermo Del Toro.
The Mexican born director has made a name for himself over the years with his
visually stunning movies; many of which often center on practical visual
effects, production design, and over all visual design. Unfortunately his story
telling and writing have made his movies more hit or miss. While he has a
masterpiece like "Pan's Labyrinth" under his belt, he has other lack
luster films like "Crimson Peak in his filmography as well. But at the end
of the day Del Toro is a visionary, a wholeheartedly unique filmmaker who loves
what he does. And I'm so happy his latest film is so good. "The Shape of
Water" centers on Elisa, a mute who works as a cleaner at a high security
government facility in Baltimore. One day she learns of a creature that has
been brought to the facility, some sort of aquatic human/fish hybrid captured
in the Amazon that the government plans to run tests on. She begins to grow an
unlikely relationship with the creature, and wishes to see it free at whatever
the cost. "The Shape of Water" will be called the best of the year
by many. Filled with stellar performances, beautiful cinematography and visual
design, a unique and creative story that acts as a love letter to the
films of the 1950s with a modern/sci-fi twist, this is unquestionably one of
Del Toro's best movies, and one of the best of 2017.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
When I first watched the trailer for this movie, I thought it was going to be great; then when I learned who the director was I was positive it would be. Martin McDonagh is a British director and writer, and before this he had only directed two feature length films. While he may not be the most experienced director, those previous two movies were "In Bruges" and "Seven Psychopaths," both of which were exceptional dark comedies. Now with his third movie he brings us "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," and you can make a strong argument it's the best movie of the year. The story follows Mildred, a divorced mother living with her son in Ebbing, Missouri. Several months before the movie takes place, Mildred's daughter is raped and murdered but her killer is never caught. She blames the police department for their incompetence, and to bring awareness she rents three billboards just outside of town condemning the department; while the whole town is turning against her, she is determined to continue her one woman war. Towards the end of the year, this was one of the movies I was most excited for. From the first trailer it really did look like it could be great, and it turns out it was. Phenomenal performances from the leads, a funny but emotional screenplay, and strong direction from McDonagh all come together beautifully. "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" is a great movie that I'd recommend to almost anybody.
Best Actor in a Leading Role: James Franco (The Disaster Artist)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Best Actress in a Leading Role (Tie): Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)/Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
Best Animated Feature: Coco
Best Cinematography (Tie): Blade Runner 2049/Dunkirk/Raw/The Shape of Water
Best Costume Design: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Best Director: Julia Ducournau (Raw)
Best Documentary Feature: Icarus
Best Film Editing: Raw
Best Foreign Film: Raw
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Shape of Water
Best Original Score: The Shape of Water
Best Original Song: Remember Me (Coco)
Best Picture: Raw
Best Production Design: Dunkrik
Best Sound Editing: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Best Sound Mixing: Raw
Best Visual Effects (Tie): Blade Runner 2049/Dunkirk/Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Disaster Artist
Best Original Screenplay (Tie): Get Out/Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
