Best Movies of January 2017

Although January is often referred to as the “toilet bowl” of the movie industry calendar, that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t any decent movies released in the past month.  Some movies in January can be hold-overs from the awards season that weren’t released wide enough to be considered in the best movies of December, while others just happened to be a pleasant surprise that dropped into our laps.  Let’s take a look at the top three best movies of January:

#3: The Founder: There’s no doubting that The Founder is solidly acted and professionally directed while containing one of the most fascinating stories of capitalism about one of the most far-reaching companies today.  However, at least in my mind, putting Ray Kroc as the lead character was the biggest detriment of the movie since he isn’t very likable in any way whatsoever.  Like I said in my full review, the main character of a movie should have some trait about him or her that makes it possible for you to get invested in his or her journey even if he or she has some major character flaws.  That way if he or she does something wrong, you can somewhat forgive them since you like them in some manner.  However, Kroc becomes more irredeemable as the movie progresses, leaving me checked out and somewhat bored.  That being said, you should see The Founder if you are intrigued in the McDonald’s story.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score: 82%

Metacritic Score: 67

MovieBabble Score: C

image via Hollywood Reporter

*To read my full review of The Founder, please click here

#2: Hidden Figures: This film may have the most apt title of any movie to come out in theaters the past few months.  Hidden Figures is a feel good film about the unknown African-American heroes that helped astronaut John Glenn orbit the Earth while also changing the tide in the space race with the Soviet Union.  Hidden Figures is a very touching story of breaking racial barriers, however is does get unnecessarily preachy and focuses on beating its message into your head while forgetting to progress the story forward at times.  Where Hidden Figures succeeds best is where it focuses on just telling a good story.  It’s in these parts that its messages shine the most because its themes are super present through great story telling and dialogue.  I may, however, be one of the more negative reviews on the film since it was recently nominated for the Academy Award for best picture.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score: 93%

Metacritic Score: 74

MovieBabble Score: B

image via Apple Trailers

*To read my full review of Hidden Figures, please click here

#1: Split: Thank you M. Night Shyamalan for returning to us.  Split is an audacious film that rests completely on the shoulders of James McAvoy in the lead role who plays a character with 23 different personalities.  If this film would have come out last November, McAvoy would probably be nominated for an Oscar for his troubles.  Although it’s unevenly paced at moments, Split is a twisted thriller that certainly pays off in the end.  Some of the most exciting things to come out of this movie are its implications moving forward.  If you’ve seen the film, you know what kind of implications in which I’m referring in regards to the film itself.  But for Mr. Shyamalan, it might be time to treat him as a legitimate director again, which is definitely something that many film lovers are excited about.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score: 73%

Metacritic Score: 62

MovieBabble Score: A-

image via splitmovie.com

*To read my full review of Split, please click here

That’s the list!  Were there any other movies that came out this month that you really enjoyed?  Comment down below with some of your own thoughts!

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