The year 2017 has come to a close, and it was a doozy on almost every front. So many great films and games were released in the last 12 months, and we’ve seen and played most of them. On the film side, 2017 saw the return of beloved franchises, and new, wholly original fare. We saw comic book movies, both good and bad, and historical epics. War and peace had a good showing, as did love of all kinds. There truly was something for everyone at the local cineplexes, and we hope that you enjoyed some great films.
Below find our list of the top 10 films of 2017. Our criteria involves both audience pleasing attributes, as well as critically acclaimed thinkers. This is a good mix of both, as on top of being critics, we’re also fans, and we liked to be entertained as much as anybody. Without further ado, here’s the list.
10. Spider-Man: Homecoming
In our first of two comic book movies of 2017, Spider-Man: Homecoming comes in at No. 10. Homecoming was Spidey’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after a brief appearance in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Tom Holland captured the character of Peter Parker exceptionally well, and the John Hughes-vibe of the whole film worked on every level. Also, Michael Keaton’s Vulture/Adrian Toomes was one of the best MCU villain performances ever, putting him up there with Tom Hiddleston’s Loki as the best CBM villain so far.
9. Last Flag Flying
There was something about this Richard Linklater film that resonated with me deeply. As in I spent most of the film watching through tear-filled eyes. This was punctuated by the use of one of my all-time favorite Bob Dylan songs in the closing credits. The story of a father seeking out his Vietnam war buddies to help him bury his son is an emotional wallop of a film. The trio of Steve Carell, Laurence Fishburne, and Bryan Cranston carried the film through honest, strong acting, with Carell turning in a masterful performance in the lead. The notes of the whys of war and what is lost — no matter which war we’re talking about — hung over the entire script, and I can say that I was particularly moved by it all. I highly recommend this film to anyone.
8. Get Out
In one of the biggest surprises of the year, Jordan Peele showed the world that he’s more than one half of a comedic duo and turned in one of the best films of 2017. A long form Twilight Zone episode, Get Out brought racism and class warfare to the forefront in a smart, sickening way. Strong performances and some stunning use of music score and blocking make for one spectacular argument that race is, and sadly always will be an issue in society.
7. Wonder Woman
Warner Bros. needed a win as they try to turn their DC Comics characters into a franchise like Disney has done with Marvel. Luckily, Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot delivered in spades. Wonder Woman was thrilling, funny, smart, and respected the character and her history by not trying to shoe-horn her into a poorly written concept like the other “Justice League” characters. The biggest win here is that my niece absolutely loved the film and was inspired by it. I can think of no better role model that Diana/Wonder Woman. If only the good will created by this film wasn’t destroyed by the awful Justice League film in November.
6. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
There’s never been a more divisive Star Wars film, and that’s okay. Director Rian Johnson broke the mold and decided to do away with the saga’s biggest cliches for some good old storytelling. The Last Jedi plays out like a novel, with subplots and deep characterization — some of the deepest characterization of any Star Wars film. Some of Johnson’s decisions did not sit well with fans, but in the end, they work to close out the stories of the “old guard” and to give the Star Wars universe a new life, post-Skywalker clan. In 20 years, people will look back on this film as a classic, and possibly one of the best in the series. Empire Strikes Back was hated too when it first came out in 1980. Just you wait.
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
A mouthful title doesn’t change the fact that Three Billboards is one of the best films of 2017. The script doesn’t play around, and avoids most cliches by telling an honest story. This could have been a true story, as real as Frances McDormand played the role of a mother fed up with the local sheriff (Woody Harrelson) for not doing enough to catch the killer of her daughter. Sam Rockwell absolutely shines as piece of garbage deputy who learns some very hard lessons, and the open ended denouement excited me in its brilliance. This is one of the best scripts of the year, and it translated well onto the screen.
4. I, Tonya
I can’t say enough good things about I, Tonya. It’s funny, shocking, absurd, and all based on a true story — taken from actual interviews with the principal players in an act that captivated the world in 1992. Margot Robbie becomes Tonya Harding, and her supporting cast, including Sebastian Stan as Jeff Gillooly and Alison Janney as LaVona Golden, Tonya’s mother, make for one of the best times I had watching a film all year. By the end, through the laughs and the abject horror of it all, you’ll have to remind yourself this all really happened — and director Craig Gillespie punctuates it by running the real interviews during the credits. Deliciously fun.
3. Dunkirk
This was my number one film for most of 2017. Christopher Nolan created a veritable masterpiece that had a deep effect on me. It was best seen on an IMAX screen, with a superior sound system, but even without the technical enhancements, Dunkirk tells a wonderful story in a unique way about a very dark time in World War II. Presenting three different tales, all taking place in different times around the siege of the beach at Dunkirk, yet all converging in the climax worked amazingly well, and the end result was a true film experience. This is a film that will be taught in film classes for years to come.
2. The Post
The latest film on the list, one that doesn’t even open wide for another week, Steven Spielberg’s The Post is a timely cautionary tale about the true power of the free press battling against a tyrannical government that wants to stifle it for their own nefarious purposes. Using the Pentagon Papers as a basis for the drama, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep deliver solid performances in a film for our time. When “fake news” is used to discredit institutions that have, for generations, provided a light of truth in the dark hallways of corruption, we, as a people, suffer. History will not be kind to those who actively work to block the free press from the truth, and The Post reminds us all of that. We just hope that it doesn’t take 50 years for our current story to be told. The Post is the second best film of 2017, and one that will resonate for years to come.
1. Blade Runner 2049
Director Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival) did the unthinkable: he made a sequel to one of the most important science-fiction films of all time, and he bettered it in almost every way. Blade Runner 2049 tells the story of Agent K (Ryan Gosling), who uncovers a secret that could change the course of humanity forever. Roger Deakins’ cinematography and a score by Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer help create a world that fits perfectly in the Blade Runner universe, and Harrison Ford reprising his Rick Deckard after 35 years is the perfect punctuation to a story that has been debated in sci-fi circles and even college classrooms since 1982. Everything about Blade Runner 2049 works, and it is a modern masterpiece that will follow its source film as a teaching tool for fantastic storytelling in the future setting. Blade Runner 2049 is not only the best film of 2017, but one of the best films I’ve ever seen.
There you have it. These are the best films of 2017. There are some great honorable mentions, like Thelma (seek it out), Baby Driver, and Logan that were left off the list, but I can say that 2017 was a wonderful year for film, and if 2018 can come close to the variety and splendor that we saw last year, we’re all in for another incredible year at the theater. Did we forget a film that you loved? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
