My top 25 movies of 2017
Counting down some of the best films of the past year
2017 has probably been a bigger year for cinema than many realise. For us in the UK, it began with heralded Oscar contenders like La La Land, Moonlight and Manchester By The Sea, going on to bring sci-fi spectaculars in Blade Runner: 2049, Alien: Covenant, and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, along with huge blockbusters like Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Wonder Woman, Justice League, and Spider-Man: Homecoming. There’s been a lot to like on the big screen this year, so I’ve increased my list from 15 last year (check out that rundown here) to 25 movies this time around.
As ever, the way I do these lists means that only films released in the UK during 2017 are eligible for consideration. In most cases I just simply haven’t seen a lot of next year’s Oscar contenders (except Molly’s Game, which I saw at a preview screening and can report is superb). Anyway, without further ado, here are my top 25 films from the past year:
25. The Beguiled
I’ve always been a fan of Sofia Coppola as a writer and director, and she delivers again with The Beguiled. This is a gripping film that’s shot beautifully, and is full of juicy twists and turns. The performances from Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning are particularly incredible.
24. It
This adaptation of Stephen King’s It is a supremely creepy affair, boasting an instantly memorable and unsettling performance from Bill Skarsgård as the demonic murderous clown Pennywise. The rest of the cast is similarly impressive, as the film wrestles with compelling thematic undertones while working well as both an entertaining film and unnerving horror.
23. Blade Runner 2049
I was never the biggest Blade Runner fan and this may still be a little too long, but Denis Villeneuve has made something majestic and captivating here. For me, Blade Runner 2049 is even better than the original and the cinematography from Roger Deakins is among the very best you can find. This is challenging and thoughtful science fiction, and while it won’t really work at all if you missed the first film, it’s really impressive stuff.
22. Free Fire
Ben Wheatley’s just about the only filmmaker who could make almost an entire movie about a shootout in a warehouse and have it be this damn good. It really is just one long shootout, but Free Fire is well worth watching. The actors are terrific and it has a wonderful dark sense of humour. It’s unhinged madness that is very funny and very violent.
21. The Lego Batman Movie
It’s not quite on the same level as The Lego Movie, but this is still a tremendous amount of fun. It’s a terrific spoof comedy with brilliant gags, a vibrant visual energy, and a wonderful voice performance from Will Arnett as Batman.
20. Raw
Raw is definitely not for everyone. This French movie is a grisly, savage and uncomfortable animalistic horror about a young girl who becomes a cannibal while at veterinary school. It’s also one of the most strangely poignant and relatable coming-of-age movies in a long while, if you can stomach it!
19. Hidden Figures
Hidden Figures fully deserves both the acclaim and the box office success it received. It may feel a little familiar but this is a thoroughly entertaining and highly worthwhile film. The three leading cast members are fantastic, and the subplots all develop beautifully.
18. Ghost In The Shell
It’s a controversial opinion, I know, but I really liked Ghost In The Shell. It doesn’t attempt to adapt the anime entirely, and that makes it more interesting and more exciting. It’s hard to ignore that the casting is an example of whitewashing, but Scarlett Johansson is impressive in the leading role. It looks stunning and succeeds when it comes to the atmosphere and the themes too, making for a gripping sci-fi thriller.
17. War for the Planet of the Apes
War for the Planet of the Apes makes for a more than fitting finale to the Apes saga, concluding what’s been one of the most compelling trilogies of the past decade or more. The film is filled with nuance and emotion as it develops the character arcs that have been built over the past two films. The motion capture effects are mind blowing, and Andy Serkis deserves awards for his amazing performance. This is both a tragic and triumphant end to a gripping franchise.
16. Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol 2
Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol 2 ticks all the right boxes, and works as an ideal sequel to the first film. It’s one of Marvel’s best films that stands on its own and it has loads of charm, humour, colour and heart to fuel it. This is an entertaining and surprisingly emotional adventure, and it somehow has an even better soundtrack than the first one!
15. The Disaster Artist
The Disaster Artist won’t appeal in the slightest if you haven’t seen the “so bad it’s good” masterpiece The Room, which has a reputation that makes it still popular to this day. This film follows how The Room got made and the key driving force behind it, Tommy Wiseau (played magnificently by James Franco). If you’re in the target audience for this, you’ll see it as a complete work of brilliance and one of the year's funniest movies.
14. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Few films feel as much like a comic book brought to life onscreen as the energetic and entertaining Spider-Man: Homecoming. Tom Holland fits the roles of Peter Parker and Spider-Man perhaps better than any other actor to have played him before, and the movie wisely has smaller stakes than a lot of over Marvel flicks. It’s a great, straightforward adventure that really knows how to get this character right.
13. Lion
I know a lot of people would’ve probably seen the trailer for Lion and judged it as mawkish Oscar bait, but there’s far more to it than what you see in the marketing. It’s one of those “inspirational” stories that genuinely feels inspirational, and it really pulls you into the journey of its main character and makes you feel it when it delivers its most emotional scenes. It’s well worth seeking out and watching if you missed it at the cinema.
12. The Big Sick
The Big Sick tells the true story of how comedian Kumail Nanjiani met and fell in love with his wife Emily (who co-wrote the film, and is played by Zoe Kazan in it) and how she was put into a medically-induced coma due to an unexplained illness. It sounds like deep and dark stuff, but this is one of 2017’s best comedies because of how real and specific it feels, and how it deals with unfamiliar issues for romantic comedies. It’s really moving, and really funny.
11. Wonder Woman
I love Wonder Woman. Patty Jenkins has given us the best DC film in recent years by a country mile, and Gal Gadot is utterly fantastic in it. It lived up to all of my expectations and was a genuinely phenomenal success at the box office. It’s deserved too, telling one of the best superhero origin stories and delivering as a tale of a more hopeful and optimistic approach to heroism, with some really memorable moments, loads of charm and powerful themes and messages.
10. Thor: Ragnarok
Thor: Ragnarok is the funniest Marvel film so far. This is a complete blast that’s stuffed to the brim with great laughs that don’t wear thin however much you rewatch the film. It’s just a fun time, the cast is top-notch and the colourful neon visuals really make this stand out as something different in the Marvel universe. It feels like a proper Taika Waititi movie, and the first time Marvel’s really made use of Chris Hemsworth’s comedic strengths.
9. Okja
Okja is the first must-watch Netflix movie, telling the tale of an enormous genetically-engineered super pig, Okja, and the girl, Mija, who raised the unusual animal. When the Mirando Corporation reclaims Okja, Mija goes on a mission to rescue her pet. This is an eclectic film from Bong Joon Ho that is moving and sincere while also being a powerful corporate satire.
8. Moonlight
The Oscar winner is an astounding piece of dramatic storytelling. Split into three compelling sections the follow the life of a boy growing into a man, Moonlight is intimate and challenging. It boasts some of the most stunning filmmaking and acting around, and it’s one of those films that sticks with you and leaves you thinking about it for a long time after having watched it.
7. Your Name
It’s hard not to be blown away by Your Name, which tells the story of two complete strangers who switch bodies and begin to develop a connection. This is an excellent film that really transports you into its world. It’s the most successful anime ever for a reason, and it’s effective as a comedy, a romance, and a highly captivating story with a unexpected amount of emotional resonance and depth.
6. Get Out
Horror, social satire, thrills, humour… Get Out balances it all and makes it look easy. It brings us a refreshingly new and thought-provoking perspective that makes everything feel all the more unpredictable and compelling. It’s a fantastically confident movie, directed wonderfully by Jordan Peele.
5. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a bold and risky blockbuster that makes the world of this franchise more expansive and more interesting, with director Rian Johnson pushing to create something fresh and new. It’s unpredictable, beautifully shot, and prioritises character arcs and journeys in its narrative. It’s emotional, action-packed and epic in all the right ways.
4. Baby Driver
Baby Driver was definitely the most fun you could have at the cinema this summer. Edgar Wright returned to the big screen in style with an action comedy that has a killer soundtrack, exceptional stunts, and a great ensemble cast. There’s a lot to like here, and when it comes to sheer entertainment, this is the movie to beat.
3. Paddington 2
The loveliest and most kind-hearted film of the year by some stretch, Paddington 2 is brimming with sincerity and joy. It’s the rare sequel that improves upon the first film, and it showcases brilliant visual comedy, incredible voice acting and a wonderfully simple but effective script.
2. Dunkirk
There’s nothing quite like seeing Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk on the biggest and loudest screen you can find. As much a sensory experience as it is a work of narrative filmmaking, this is a visceral and tense movie that is more than just one of Nolan’s best, but one of the best war movies ever made.
1. Logan
At first I wasn’t sure about putting a comic book movie at the top of the list, but Logan is so much more than your average superhero film. Hugh Jackman is one of the greatest actors to play a comic book character, and this is the perfect farewell to this iconic portrayal of a Logan. It’s brutal, melancholic and emotional in highly effective ways.
Honourable mentions
Alien: Covenant, Atomic Blonde, Free Fire, John Wick 2, La La Land, Manchester By The Sea, Stronger
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