People say that, "Well, 2017 has been a disappointing year." And, I question in what aspect. I can agree with some aspects in today's world that people are either negative or divisive that I can mostly agree upon. But, I would not think that 2017 has been a disappointing year for the movies. If you think it is, then, you have not seen the right movies. I will grant that it had been an ok summer for the movie but overall, there have been some surprises and also potential bursts of brilliance throughout the year that has a probability of being classics over time.
What I loved about 2017 in the movies and what defines 2017 in the movies is the diverse variety of movies that people will enjoy in whatever taste of genre they have an affinity for. Even though the sales are down, word-of-mouth and debates have been stronger especially compared to when Star Wars: The Last Jedi came out. Critics loved it, audiences are mixed. Take a look at Rotten Tomatoes. My initial opinion over some movies have grown this year and it is relevant to this year's crop of the best movies of 2017, which were difficult to select the top choice because there were 5-7 movies to select to become the top spot, however, like I said before, I could see them become classics in their own respectable genre.
Without further ado, here are my choices for the best movies of 2017. Because there were so many good movies in 2017 (30 movies in contention), instead of a top 10, I've decided to do a TOP 15. Surprise! But, don't celebrate because I will not do these often. This was probably the most difficult list to rank probably ever. (I've seen The Post, Molly's Game and Phantom Thread but one was really in contention but you're going to wait until next year for my reviews.)
Honorable Mentions:
The Florida Project
Good Time
IT
Phantom Thread (coming soon)
(TIE) Spider-Man Homecoming/Wonder Woman
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
You Tube Video:
15. I, Tonya
It is a sports biopic that is unlike any other sports biopic I've seen chronicling the life of Tonya Harding until the attack on Nancy Kerrigan and also the "mostly true" interviews surrounding that incident. Margot Robbie and Allison Janney give such strong, awards-worthy performances to gear this movie up a notch. If you like Scorsese's Goodfellas, you'll like Craig Gillepsie's style of the biopic.
14. The Disaster Artist
"Oh, hai Mark!" I had fun with this movie. What can I say? There have been some comedies that were quite mediocre but there were a few movies that were off the map that made me laugh such as this one. A movie about making movies but really "the worst movie ever made". It is all thanks to James Franco for delivering such a brilliant performance as Tommy Wiseau that at times, I cannot recognize him. It was a joy to watch this movie about the making of The Room come to life.
13. Wind River
Taylor Sheridan's trilogy of movies: Sicario, Hell or High Water (the two he had written) and his directorial debut of Wind River can arguably be said to become a strong batch of movies that have dealt with the same themes but in different times and in different locations. Jeremy Runner probably gives the best performance of his career as a man who is more complex than written on the page. Plus, it has another fantastic mystery thriller that is The Godfather compared to the awful, The Snowman.
12. Coco
If there is another animated movie to win at the Oscars this upcoming ceremony, there will be a riot because there is no way that this beautiful, poetic Pixar movie can be beat. It is a great tribute to Mexico and to Dia De Los Muertos that teaches us the importance of family, culture and death. This movie will tug your heart strings and will definitely make you cry. If not, your hear is made out of stone. (Ok, 4 movies got me misty-eyed, but, this is one of the two movies this year that made me bawl.)
11. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
This and Coco and Wind River were fighting for #10 but even though there are great performances by Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell and the screenplay and direction by Martin McDonagh is dynamite, thinking about that ending bothered me a bit. However, it does not take away how powerful this story is about a mother trying to serve justice by avenging his daughter's death. It is quietly chilling but also has a balance of dark comedy and sadness underneath that strong woman.
10. War for the Planet of the Apes
Again, it was a big fight for slots #8-#10 as 6 or 7 movies were fighting and it was painful to leave off Coco, Three Billboards..., or Wind River. That's how competitive it was for my list. If they all fell in a different order, I would have been ok. However, Matt Reeves capped off the Apes trilogy with such chilling and quiet suspense thanks to an overlooked but powerful motion-capture performance by Andy Serkis as Caesar. I felt sadness and pain in that character. It is a remarkable achievement to end the rebooted Apes trilogy. If anybody is attempting to make another Apes movie, good luck.
9. The Big Sick
Why can't we get romantic comedies like this anymore? It had been a while to discover a good romantic comedy but a true romance, I'll take it. This is an intelligent, sweet and funny movie about a couple who have deal with the cultural differences while balancing a serious situation regarding an illness. Kumail Nanjiani's and Emily V. Gordon's screenplay is poignant and honest but director Michael Showalter does not play down to caricatures or cliches onto the moments even between Nanjiani and Ray Romano and Holly Hunter. He lets it go by having a true love story become something real until the very last scene which made me smile.
8. Baby Driver
This movie is so much fun. This is one of the two movies on my list that made me evolve my opinion from my initial reaction as it provides both electric flair of music and humor with the car-driving action sequences and light-hearted moments that make it fantastic. Director Edgar Wright's experiment works as he provided an innocent character with some unpredictable characters that could do damage to his life and the lives he cares about. It is one of the most stylistically original movies of recent years.
7. Call Me By Your Name
I'm going to get flak for putting this a bit low on my list but the reason why is re-watchability. I quote my "Requiem for a Dream" rule that this may be a masterpiece that I may not re-watch again or may re-watch every year or two. But, my initial experience with this movie is that director Luca Guadagnino takes some chances in this movie and creates something beautiful and luscious in the Italian setting like you are there underneath that summer heat. Plus, the performances by Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg are what elevate this movie into another level especially the last 20 minutes of the film up until the heartbreaking last shot.
6. Logan
Without question, this is the best superhero movie of 2017 and even one of my favorite superhero movies of all-time. What a great superhero movie can achieve that it can transcend a standard genre picture into something far impactful and emotional. It almost felt like a western at times. Hugh Jackman's last performance as Logan evokes an old, wounded man who has a chance to bring hope into another era for an upbringing culture that has died down. It is a great decision for director James Mangold and Fox to make this last Wolverine movie a hard-R as it matches the tone of the movie. Patrick Stewart should have had more consideration for Best Supporting Actor and Dafne Keen is brilliant as X-23 with an intense Boyd Holbrook in pursuit.
5. Dunkirk
Everybody's expectations of director Christopher Nolan's war movie was that this was going to be action-packed war movie. It is the paradox of rising expectations of thinking that will be the best Nolan film you will ever see. However, it is sad people do not read about the history of Dunkirk because one's critique is they wanted more war action. They want that cliché. It is a RESCUE movie during a war and the soldiers are one character who have one thing in mind: to get home. It is a bombastic, well-shot, tense movie with such realistic sound effects that make you feel like you're there. It is an experimental spectacle accompanied by Nolan's signature filmmaking and it works tremendously.
4. Get Out
In parallel to Baby Driver, director Jordan Peele's movie is the other that made me evolve my thinking from my initial reaction. I would understand from the first viewing that you would not be as positive but watching it now three more times, there are scenes and moments that are quite brilliant. (You cannot tell me that first hypnosis scene between Daniel Kaluuya and Catherine Kenner was not handled perfectly. It is intense with a bit of a dark comedic edge to it.) And, yes, I do not often a horror movie in my top 10 or 15 but this movie is something to behold and talk about for years to come because of the visual styles, symbolism and racial tension in almost every scene. This is a horror film that has the great potential to become a classic.
3. The Shape of Water
I am so happy to see a great movie from director Guillermo Del Toro again because it had been a while. This is a beautiful, dream-like, abnormal and whimsical romantic sci-fi fantasy that will sweep you off the floor. It is not a Del Toro movie if you do not have the adjectives, "abnormal" and "whimsical" in the same paragraph. The cinematography in some frames are like oceanic portraits of tranquility. Sally Hawkins gives a remarkable performance as the mute woman who feels isolated in the world and has chemistry with the monster, played by Doug Jones. Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg and Octavia Spencer are solid too.
2. Lady Bird
You can say that some coming-of-age movies cannot be re-written again because we have too many. I believe that this is a fresh perspective on that genre. This is a unique and original take by director Greta Gerwig with every well-written piece of dialogue that feels like I have heard it in some other places. It felt like Gerwig has been listening to other people talk and mix in the vocabulary with some quirkiness that suits the material. Saoirse Ronan can do no wrong now because yet again she looks like she is in a state of confusion as to what defines her as he makes friends from different places along the way. But, it is the mother-daughter relationship that is at its emotional core with Laurie Metcalf giving a stellar performance. If you want to see one of the movies from the coming-of-age genre that highlights the transition from adolescence to young maturity, this is it.
1. Blade Runner 2049
This is the movie that stuck with for days, maybe a week after this was over. The experience lingered on me as I started thinking about certain, important or emotional scenes that made me ask questions about the movie and also certain possibilities for our future. Director Denis Villeneuve has been on a roll and is one of my favorite directors working today who captures a dystopia that can be nightmarish yet shot so beautifully that it felt like I was placed in another world or in another reality thanks to cinematographer Roger Deakins, who should finally get his first Oscar (or the Academy will not be that smart.) Ryan Gosling fits the character of K so well that he can trick you and the audience of what he is really is. Harrison Ford gives a surprisingly emotional supporting performance as he revisits Deckard from the original Blade Runner. Ana De Armas, Robin Wright, Sylvia Hoeks and Jared Leto all give their own strong performances. This movie has the potential to surpass the original but only time will tell. If you are a fan of Blade Runner, you'll love this. If you love slow-burn mysteries, you'll love this. However, people who were not fans of the original Blade Runner commented said that they liked 2049 better. I know this may not win Best Picture at the Oscars (which is criminal that it will not be nominated), but I predict this sequel will be a sci-fi cult classic like its predecessor. This is the best movie of 2017.
Wow! What a year! Hopefully I get more gems like these in 2018. Until then, Happy New Year!
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