Top 16 films of 2017 — so far
While there are still a few films I need to catch up on (and a few that didn’t make the cut due to timing) this list is pretty solid. I’m…
While there are still a few films I need to catch up on (and a few that didn’t make the cut due to timing) this list is pretty solid. I’m happy to include a few foreign films in the mix, as I don’t get to see as many new foreign language titles as I would like during the year. Check out the list below. Maybe you’ll find something worth checking out.
16) The Lego Batman Movie
This meta, animated delight delivers the hilarious hijinks of “The Lego Movie” with the added bonus of skewering the clichés of the superhero genre with panache.
15) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Writer-director James Gunn brought irreverence and family ties back to the galaxy as this winning sequel to the 2014 hit lives up to the promise of this being the franchise’s “The Empire Strikes Back”.
14) The Wedding Plan
A young woman’s fiancé backs out of their wedding only for the bride-to-be to set out on a journey to find a groom for the impending nuptials while also finding herself. Smart, funny and romantic, this Israeli film is worth discovering.
13) It Comes At Night
Set in a near post-apocalyptic future, a family lives closed off from society only to have someone come crashing into their little corner of the world in this unnerving horror-thriller from writer-director Trey Edward Shults.
12) The Women’s Balcony
The collapse of the titular terrace at a bar mitzvah kicks up a battle of the sexes as the females of the community fight to get their space back, while an upstart rabbi convinces the men that maybe this isn’t the best idea in this warm Israeli comedy-drama.
11) Split
James McAvoy taps into his inner Tatiana Maslany in M. Night Shyamalan’s riveting thriller that sees 3 young women kidnapped by a man with multiple personality disorder in order to groom them for a coming event.
10) Free Fire
Two gangs walk into a Boston warehouse where, inevitably, all hell breaks loose. Ben Wheatley’s latest is a rip-roaring shoot ’em up that’s as violent and funny as you would hope with a cast that includes Cillian Murphy, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley, Sam Riley and Jack Reynor.
9) Wonder Woman
DC beats Marvel to the punch by unleashing its first female-fronted superhero movie. The Amazonian princess gets a worthy vehicle that puts DC’s two male-fronted previous films to shame. Its optimism, big heart and kick-ass/can-do spirit prove comic book films don’t have to be downers.
8) Baby Driver
From its opening heist to its closing moments, Edgar Wright’s latest is a joyous blast of musical violence offset by laugh-out-loud dialogue and a few romantic interludes. MVPs Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx help kick the film up a decibel or two.
7) John Wick Chapter 2
It’s always a thrill to come across a sequel that’s as good as — if not better than — its predecessor. Keanu Reeves returns as the criminal underworld’s boogeyman in this excellent installment of the electric action franchise. Bring on Chapter 3.
6) I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore
Actor-writer Macon Blair makes his directorial debut with this darkly funny thriller about a rudderless woman (Melanie Lynskey) who teams up with a neighbor (Elijah Wood) to track down her stuff after her house is robbed only for them to stumble upon something even bigger.
5) Logan
One of the best comic book films of the year (if not the past few years), Hugh Jackman’s swan song as the X-Man formerly known as Wolverine plunges new depths with both its eponymous character and Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier (aka Professor X). Impressive newcomer Dafne Keen rounds out the formidable trio as a young girl with ties to the man with the adamantium claws.
4) Your Name
Mourning Studio Ghibli? Then dive into Makoto Shinkai’s stunning adaptation of his own novel as two strangers find they can unconsciously body swap. What starts as a wacky concept swerves into more dramatic territory when mysteries start to unravel, grounding the story despite its fantastical premise.
3) Colossal
Like “Your Name”, this creature feature zags when you least expect it giving more heft to the tale of a young woman (Anne Hathaway) in the U.S. who discovers she’s controlling a monster that’s attacking Seoul. Come for Hathaway and the supernatural element, stay for a career defining performance from Jason Sudeikis.
2) Get Out
Writer-director Jordan Peele doesn’t forget his comedic roots in this smart horror film that nods to the late George A. Romero with its social commentary. Daniel Kaluuya joins girlfriend Allison Williams on a trip to meet her parents only to learn that nothing is what it seems. Is it ever?
1) A Monster Calls
Emotionally crippled by his mother’s illness, Conor finds an ally in a creature who helps him cope by showing the boy how to face his fears. J.A. Bayona crafts an indelible film from Patrick Ness’ guileless script, based on Ness’ novel. Lewis MacDougall leads a superb cast also featuring Felicity Jones, Sigourney Weaver, Toby Kebbell and Liam Neeson as the voice of the monster.
Best of the Rest
Beatriz at Dinner; Beauty and the Beast; The Beguiled; The Belko Experiment; A Cure for Wellness; Kong: Skull Island; The Void; and The Zookeeper’s Wife.
Joanne Thornborough is pop culture junkie with a particular love for film, TV and the printed word. Find her at @cinelitchick on Twitter and Instagram.