10. Coco
Director: Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina Starring: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach Kicking off the Top 10 of 2017 we've got Coco, the latter of two Pixar films this year. Guys, seriously. Coco is pretty awesome. I've said it before, but it takes a lot these days for a children's animated film to impress me. The other Pixar release this year, Cars 3, failed to do so. But I gotta hand it to Coco for surprising me. It's a fun movie, set in a vibrant, colorful world, and it packs the heartfelt messages of the Pixar films of old. So congrats, Coco, for sneaking up on me and becoming my tenth favorite film of 2017. |
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Director: Jon Watts Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei I said at the start of the year, way back in my "Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2017," that if there was any MCU release this year to damage the franchise it would be Spider-Man: Homecoming. I was hesitant about this film merely because it was a shared effort from two studios, Sony and Disney, who hadn't worked well in the past. But Tom Holland, Jon Watts, and everyone else proved me wrong with Homecoming. While I didn't love right away, the film has grown on me since I first saw it, and I must say that Tom Holland epitomizes what I think of when I think Spider-Man. So long, Maguire and Garfield. We've now got our definitive on-screen web-slinger. We've got a fantastic villain in Michael Keaton's Vulture, one who managed to satisfy critics of Marvel's "villain problem." And more props to Homecoming for using RDJ's Tony Stark in some very creative ways that still ring true for that character. Of the two Spider-Man movies I've seen (Spider-Man 3 being the other), Homecoming is clearly the best and I'm glad to call it the ninth best film of 2017. |
8. Thor: Ragnarok
Director: Taika Waititi Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeff Goldblum Right up next we've got my favorite MCU film of the year, the insanely enjoyable Thor: Ragnarok. I went back and forth in my mind a few times over which I ultimately liked more, Homecoming or Ragnarok. But I finally landed on Ragnarok because of how unrelentingly entertaining this movie is. Sure, the villain isn't incredibly fleshed out and the themes are a little undercooked, but guys! Jeff Goldblum! Hulk! Thor! KORG, for Chrissake! This may be a classic example of how I rank this list by my favorite films, not necessarily by which are objectively the best. I had more fun in Ragnarok than I did in Homecoming. I loved how it played with the mythology of Thor and introduced more great characters like Valkyrie. Hats off to Mr. Waititi for creating an incredibly unique film that comes in at my eighth favorite film of 2018. |
7. Dunkirk
Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles Number 7 on my list is Dunkirk, a movie that I really enjoyed at the time, that showed me the horrors of war in an impactful way, and that I don't feel any need to watch again. Dunkirk is perhaps the most cinematic movie of 2017. The action is gripping, the sound keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the cinematography is breathtaking. Critics and audiences were very mixed on Nolan's latest film - I fell squarely on the "loved it" side, but beyond that, it hasn't really struck me as rewatchable. Nevertheless, Dunkirk does a great job of pulling you into this isolated war story, holding you in suspense, and never letting you go. Plus, there's a pretty great Winston Churchill quote at the end. Yeah...I got the feels a bit.... Seventh best of 2017, surely. |
6. War for the Planet of the Apes
Director: Matt Reeves Starring: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval The stunning conclusion to the Planet of the Apes Trilogy! Yeah...that's a DVD box quote if ever there was one. But seriously, War for the Planet of the Apes stuck the landing on a stellar trilogy than nobody really expected much from. The mocap from Serkis is fantastic as usual, the film gets you in the feels, and the story wraps up really neatly. I've heard critics say the marketing for this film was misleading - there's more of a battle than an all-out "war" - but I was pleasantly surprised by the change of pace. WFTPOTA (still salty about that acronym) is a story of two opposing leaders from two opposing sides, and neither is entirely right or wrong. And that's great screenwriting. I loved this conclusion to Caesar's story and War for the Planet of the Apes definitely deserves to be my sixth favorite of 2017. |
5. Logan
Director: James Mangold Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook So I didn't love LOGAN right away. I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt because I saw it under bad conditions, but I had a lot of problems with it. Namely the big bad being a clone of Wolvie. But after rewatching it two or three times this year, I can say now that I do love this film. It has its problems, sure. But LOGAN excels at what it's trying to do. It's the gritty, hard-edged Wolverine film we've all been asking for, it's a fantastic sendoff to characters audiences have grown to love, and it's another film that hits you right in the heart. Plus this movie shares my namesake, so it has to be good right? All jokes aside, LOGAN is fantastic, and rightfully takes the cake as the fifth best movie 2017 has to offer. |
4. IT
Director: Andy Muschietti Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis Surprised to see a horror movie break my Top 5? Me too! Back when I reviewed IT (in a really half-baked review, tbh...), I said that this would be one of the big cinematic "events" we remember from 2017. And I think I was right. IT is the first horror movie I've seen that I really love. It blends supernatural terror with a great coming-of-age story, and that's what I like to see from my horror movies. I don't need 120 minutes of slasher gore, I want some kind of story with it. And hey, real talk, guys: Pennywise is terrifying. The design, Skarsgard's performance . . . man, it's good. That was my big takeaway from IT, actually. IT didn't keep me up at night, but IT left an impression of a fantastic, well-made film. I loved IT, I can't wait for Chapter 2, and IT takes Number 4 on my list. |
3. John Wick: Chapter 2
Director: Chad Stahelski Starring: Keanu Reeves, Ricardo Scamarcio, Ian McShane, Ruby Rose, Common One of the best actions movies I've seen in a long time, the follow-up to 2014's sleeper hit John Wick came out early in February this year, and it still leaves a lasting impression in my mind. The common thinking on Chapter 2 seems to be that it doesn't quite live up to the first - that the plot is a little convoluted and the action is a tad overblown. I disagree. John Wick 2: Wick Harder did all the things I feel a great sequel should do: it expanded the universe, it develops the characters further, and it ends in a way that leaves me jacked for Chapter 3. It's like The Empire Strikes Back of movies where Keanu Reeves kills a lot of people. As for the criticisms about Wick only coming back because of a convoluted life debt, I said in my review that it actually seemed like a much more plausible catalyst for the mayhem that occurs. Because really, there's only so much anger I think you'd get out of a dead dog and a stolen car. I did admittedly get a little tired of the action by the time it wrapped up; nevertheless, the cliffhanger ending brought me right back onboard. While I've only rewatched it once (it is an exhausting film), I must say that John Wick: Chapter 2 is my third favorite of the year. |
2. Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi
Director: Rian Johnson Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher (RIP) Hoooooollllly sh!t, guys, do I have a lot to say about this movie. It's everything that I hoped Episode VIII would be. I left The Force Awakens thinking "man, I really enjoyed that, but I really want them to do something new with Star Wars." Rogue One stuck to the tried-and-true stories. But The Last Jedi just blows all that out of the water. Rian Johnson has reinvented Star Wars in a way that leaves me so excited to see what comes next. Episode VIII is full of incredible action, stellar performances (HAMILLLLL!!!!!), and more thematic weight than I've seen from Star Wars in a long time. Now, obviously, this film has come with a lot of backlash. "That's not my Star Wars!" "They ruined Luke Skywalker!" Honestly, if you hated this film, I don't blame you. I entirely disagree with you and I'll argue for days about why The Last Jedi is a masterpiece, but I get the arguments against the film. I still love it. All the character arcs, Luke's included, make sense to me. I love the Snoke and Rey twists, because it's Johnson's way of saying "no" to the elaborate mysteries, speculation, and plot threads of The Force Awakens. It's cinematic nihilism at its best. I can just see Rian Johnson pitching this film, saying "we're gonna do something new here." And boy, did they. The Last Jedi, while not perfect (Canto Bight, anyone?), dazzled me and got me so excited to see more of this galaxy far, far away. The only reason it's Number 2 on my list and not top dog is because one film this year hit home for me more than any other. And I think you can guess what that film is . . . |
1. Baby driver
Director: Edgar Wright Starring: Ansel Elgort, Jon Hamm, Lily James, Jamie Foxx Hey L-Train, why is Edgar Wright your favorite director of all time? Easy. Watch Baby Driver. It's not a perfect movie. While Lily James is fantastic, her character Deborah is somewhat underdeveloped. Many critics have said this film is an exercise in "style over substance." And the epilogue is a little tacked-on. Guess what? I don't care. I absolutely, positively, adore this film. It's tightly written, dazzlingly impressive, and incredibly rewatchable. Plus it's got heart for days. Yes, Baby Driver, I'll spend twenty bucks on your soundtrack. I'll listen to it on repeat. I'll buy a Baby Driver poster online and hang it in my room. This movie, while not entirely what I expected it to be, hit home for me the way Sing Street did last year, and I suspect I'll still be going back to it in thirty years' time. Really quickly, I'd like to address the Kevin Spacey in the room. I wish I didn't have to, but it'd be a cop-out to dodge the topic. If the stories are true, Kevin Spacey is indeed an asshole of the nth degree and he deserves for his career to be over. But guess what? He's just one guy; there were easily 200+ other, good people who worked hard on this film, and they deserve to have their work recognized. Plus, Spacey puts in an enjoyable performance here. So all his bullshit aside, I still love Baby Driver. Elgort, James, Hamm, Foxx, and the rest are all fantastic. And I can't wait to see what Edgar Wright does next. So congrats to Baby Driver for officially taking the "prestigious" title of EFR's Best Film of 2017! |
Honorable Mentions
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Director: James Gunn Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Kurt Russell There it is, right? You were all wondering where this was in my Top 10! While I really liked Vol. 2, it just barely got edged out by the others on my list. I think 2017 was a good year for the MCU - there was no fantastic hit like last year's Captain America: Civil War, all three installments were solid and serviceable in their own right. I think GotG 2 is probably the lesser of the three; it gets really bogged down in the second act, and the finale is rather inconsequential. However, it may have the most heartfelt scene of any MCU movie in Yondu's funeral, it's got another killer soundtrack, and it definitely deserves an Honorable Mention. |
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Director: Martin McDonagh Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones I caught this movie for a cheap Tuesday at my local theater because I'd heard great things about it and the trailer was intriguing. It's actually the first movie I've ever gone to alone, just because everyone else was busy. And I enjoyed it. It's dark, heavy, but also very comedic and offbeat. What stands out most about this movie are its performances. McDormand, Harrelson, and Rockwell are all incredible - Rockwell in particular does fantastic as this racist a$$hole of a cop - but the plot doesn't go very far, the resolution is a bit underwhelming, and it's ultimately a pretty unpleasant film, and that was enough for me to keep it off my Top 10. Still deserves an Honorable Mention, though. |
- Wonder Woman
Director: Patty Jenkins Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, David Thewlis Okay, I'm gonna do my best to avoid backlash here. Look . . . Wonder Woman is a very good film. Gal Gadot is fanstastic as the title character, and she brings a great blend of power, optimism, and naivety to the role. Chris Pine is awesome, as usual. But this film didn't hit as hard for me as it did for everyone else. It's certainly an achievement in what it means for superhero movies and female heroes, but the story break down a little in the last act. David Thewlis's Ares is almost as bad of a villain as the dud that was Steppenwolf in Justice League, and the plot does bear some resemblances to Captain America: The First Captain America. But because the two leads are so likable, the messages are so powerful, and there are some truly standout action sequences, Wonder Woman earns an Honorable Mention from me. |
- Happy Death Day
Director: Christopher Landon Starring: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine Yeah, you won't find this one on many other "Best Of" lists. Maybe this is where it shows that I didn't see all that many movies this year. But I just wanna give a quick shoutout to Happy Death Day for being a wholly enjoyable, satisfying movie experience I had this year. Is it one of the year's best? Probably not. But there were enough creative twists and turns here to keep me entertained, and Rothe's performance keeps this movie alive. I had a great time with this one, and for that, Happy Death Day earns my final Honorable Mention. |
Image & Info Credits!
Star Wars: The Last Jedi Poster:
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt2527336/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Three Billboards Poster:
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Three Billboards IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt5027774/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Wonder Woman Poster:
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Wonder Woman IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt0451279/?ref_=nv_sr_3
Deuces meme: memegenerator.net/img/instances/38247102.jpg