The Top 10 Movies Of 2017

2017 has been a hell of a year. The news cycle almost demands us to take a break, and that's what we got this year; a lot of movies gave us a chance to clock out for a minute. So let's take a look back at some the best movies that gave us a respite, and some that gave us something to think about. 

10) It

When I was finalizing this list, it was down to this movie and Spiderman Homecoming. I went with It not only because superhero movies are well-represented on this list but also I was just overall impressed with the movie. I think casting child actors can be difficult, but all the kids in the movie were great, especially Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things, who was hilarious throughout. The screenwriters condensed the story to make it easily digestible, which makes me excited for the sequel.

9) Thor: Ragnarok

The first of a couple superhero movies on this list, but of the three this one is the most fun. That is a credit to Chris Hemsworth, who was finally allowed to let the character match his own silly personality, and the director, Taika Waititi. He is the same guy who did What We Do In The Shadows and is known for his more eccentric humor. Waititi took what has typically been the most boring of the Marvel movies and made it into something fun. Marvel is one of the most creative and successful studios in Hollywood and I can't wait to see where their cinematic universe goes in 2018.

​8) Wonder Woman

Finally, a good DC movie. Warner Brothers decided to not take themselves so seriously and let the movie have a little fun. Gal Gadot and Chris Pine have terrific chemistry, and Patty Jenkins is an amazing director and gives Wonder Woman an interesting origin story. The story falls off a bit in the third act when Jenkins felt compelled to keep the superhero climax and have Diana face off with the big bad guy. But overall Wonder Woman gave DC something to hang its hat on and brought female empowerment to the masses. 

​7) Logan

Okay, the last of the superhero movies, I swear. But this was my favorite of the bunch. FOX took the Wolverine character to its logical conclusion and gave the character the R rating it deserved. (Shout out to Deadpool for helping that happen.) Hugh Jackman could probably play this role in his sleep, but it was interesting to add a new wrinkle, one where Logan was losing his power and wouldn't necessarily be able to regenerate his way out of a problem. This grittier feel was a nice change of pace and is probably what Zak Snyder has been trying to do with his Superman series. In Logan, all the characters are able to breathe before charging into battle and that helped the movie succeed. 

​6) The Big Sick

How can a movie about a girl dying from an unknown medical condition be funny? I have no idea but Kumail Nanjani's semi-autobiographical movie pulls it off. The story has the perfect mix of sweet humor and emotional turmoil. While Kumail is great in the title role, Holly Hunter is the best part of the movie. The character is strong-willed with a Southern accent and serves as the surrogate for Emily when she can't talk. This is another hit for Amazon Studios and I hope gets just as much Oscar buzz as their last movie, without all the rape allegations.
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5) Baby Driver

Speaking of rape allegations—can we still like Kevin Spacey movies? Man, I hope so, because this is a great movie. I love Edgar Wright’s work; a couple years ago I had The World's End on my list, and Wright gets better with every movie he does. In Baby Driver, Wright gives his spin to the getaway genre and while there isn't much in the way of plot, the colors and effects provide eye-popping visual stimulation. The soundtrack, which is an essential part of the story for the protagonist, is full of fantastic selections. The acting (even Spacey) is over the top in a fun way. This movie was similar in its silliness and visual stimulation to Thor: Ragnarok, but the music pushes it to the next level for me. 

​4) Coco

It's almost a guarantee that a Pixar movie is going to be on the list every year, but during the first half of this movie, it didn't feel so obvious. Coco felt like every other Pixar/coming of age story I have seen over the years. As the movie went on, the story tied up every loose end with an emotional payoff. This may be a by-the-number Pixar movie, but when you can do something great why mess with it? Added bonus, the soundtrack is delightful. I still bring it up on my Spotify playlist every so often when I'm looking for something bouncy or need a little Spanish in my life. 

​3) Lady Bird

Of all the movies I saw this year, Lady Bird felt the most genuine and relatable, which is weird because of how personal the story was. But Greta Gerwig's story spoke so honestly about her own experiences that I think many people will connect with it. According to my fiancée, this is the most accurate portrayal of teenage girlhood that she has seen on the big screen. The story wasn't trying to be cute with its characters; it was more concerned with getting that portrayal right. Not only that, but Laurie Metcalf as Lady Bird's Mom is the best supporting role performance I have seen this year. She deserves an Oscar nomination and as of right now she is my pick to win the award.  

​2) Dunkirk

At this point in his career, Christopher Nolan can do anything he wants. That is made clear by Warner Brothers giving him a $150 budget to do a war movie about a battle no American knows about, all while playing with the constructs of time. While there is a mix of big-name actors with relative unknowns, I wouldn't describe this as a Tom Hardy movie or a Harry Styles movie (though Styles is pretty good); this is a Christopher Nolan movie. The visual effects and cuts between shots are the true stars of the film. Nolan uses frequent collaborator Hans Zimmer to emphasize his manipulation of time via the movie soundtrack. This is the most technically daring movie of the year and one that should be awarded with many visual Oscars when the time comes. 
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​1) Get Out

Any great movie should have something to say, and while there may be smarter movies than Get Out, I don't think I have seen one quite so smart that was also a horror movie. But Get Out isn't your typical horror movie; not only does it provide razor-sharp commentary on the fear inherent in being the only black person in a room full of white people, but it also doesn't go for the cheap scare. This isn't a pop out from around the corner kind of scary; this is a movie that steeps itself in tension and then makes you stay there. Jordan Peele gets the absolute best out of his actors, some of them relatively unknown, and gives us a story with something to think about for not only this year but going forward as well. Get Out deserves all the praise it has already received and more. It tells a story from a perspective often neglected in an entertaining way and forces you to change the way you think. That's why Get Out is the best movie of 2017.