Top 10 Best Movies of 2017

2017 was full of wonderful movies that entertained, challenged, and maybe even frustrated to a degree.  In total, I saw 115 new releases in 2017, making for a ton of choices to choose as the best movies of 2017.

However, with any list, there’s always a caveat.  Some Oscar contenders are still playing in very limited release, making them impossible to see before 2018 comes around.  Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait until 2018 to see the following films, meaning that they won’t appear on this list of the best movies of 2017:

The Post

I, Tonya

Phantom Thread

Molly’s Game

The Florida Project

Call Me By Your Name

Darkest Hour

Whether or not I deem those films worthy as some of the best films of 2017 is not yet determined, but it is worth noting for the construction of my current list.

Anyway, before we get to the actual list, here’s a quick look at some honorable mentions:

The Shape of Water

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond

Mudbound

Thor: Ragnarok

Ingrid Goes West

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Baby Driver

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

Wonder Woman

Gifted

The Lego Batman Movie

Split

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)

Without further ado, here are MovieBabble’s top 10 best movies of 2017:

#10: The Big Sick

In a year that was mostly void of solid comedies, The Big Sick managed to break through to become one of the funniest movies of 2017 while adding more than enough heart to give its central relationship a ton of weight.  Kumail Nanjiani is a revelation as the lead (and writer) of the film, providing enough awkward humor to keep the film warmhearted as he handles the sickness of his girlfriend and her distressed parents.

The Big Sick makes you feel great, which is more than most films in 2017 can say.

image via Roger Ebert

#9: The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film appeals to a very small audience, but it is a moviegoing experience unlike any other.  Lanthimos continues to hone his signature stark, robotic style to an unbelievably unnerving degree.

Calling The Killing of a Sacred Deer a horror movie is a little ill-advised.  Rather, it’s an unsettling group of events that never lets up.  Your questions are never answered, and that’s exactly the effect that Lanthimos is attempting to convey.  You can talk about this film to twenty different people and get twenty different interpretations, and that’s the fun in discussing art.

image via The Atlantic

#8: Coco

Pixar does it again!

Coco has more of the patented emotion that we’ve come to love from Pixar.  However, Coco points toward a far more mature look into themes for the animation studio, blending Alzheimer’s with discussions of the afterlife.  The movie could have been a downer, but it remained colorful, heartfelt, and sweet, becoming one of the best Pixar films to date.

image via YouTube

#7: My Friend Dahmer

Another surprise to the list, My Friend Dahmer isn’t necessarily the Jeffrey Dahmer film that a mainstream audience wants to see, but it’s incredibly thought-provoking, tragic, and fascinating.  Director Marc Meyers managed to show Dahmer as a tragic character of sorts, helping the viewer to understand how Dahmer became one of the more notorious killers in history.  At its core, this movie is a character piece that has a clear respect for its source material and the real life figures involved.

image via Variety

#6: The Disaster Artist

The Room is just laughably awful, and The Disaster Artist captures this “brilliance” without ever becoming a spoof.  The Disaster Artist is full of great characters and motivations, allowing you to truly understand how The Room came into existence.  James Franco is unbelievable as Tommy Wiseau, capturing the enigmatic figure’s essence in a way that is wholly hilarious and heartfelt.  You understand and care for Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero which makes the comedy within the film that much more effective.

image via IndieWire

#5: Wind River

Wind River may be the second most satisfying film of 2017 (you’ll find the most satisfying movie of 2017 higher up on the list).

Writer/director Taylor Sheridan proves that he is a star in the making, directing Wind River to perfection, wringing an unbelievable amount of emotion out of this tightly crafted narrative.

Jeremy Renner is the best he’s ever been in Wind River as a game hunter that aids the FBI in an investigation on an Native American reservation.  This film will make you feel cold from start to finish, making the actions of the characters even more chilling.

image via Geeks of Doom

#4: War for the Planet of the Apes

If War for the Planet of the Apes doesn’t earn Andy Serkis an Oscar in some capacity, it will be a massive disappointment.  The film probably even tricked a large amount of audiences into believing that each ape was real.  Serkis as an ape offers a performance that won’t get the credit it deserves due to the use of CGI.  “War” is a little misleading in the title given the subject matter of the film, but the story given is staggeringly good, offering a dramatic finish to the Planet of the Apes prequel trilogy.

image via The Gospel Coalition

#3: Lady Bird

Out of the best movies of 2017, Lady Bird is the most delightful.  Saoirse Ronan continues to choose great projects, delivering a wonderfully plucky performance alongside her mother played by Laurie Metcalf.  Lady Bird is a coming of age tale that strays away from genre clichés.  Ronan as the title character is strong, passionate, and hilarious, learning to mature into a young woman.

However, the real star of the movie is first-time director Greta Gerwig who delivers a large amount of underlying meaning that makes Lady Bird more profound the more you think about it.

image via Variety

#2: Blade Runner 2049

Movies like Blade Runner 2049 just don’t get made anymore.  Denis Villeneuve constructed what is basically a $180 million art house film, adding his signature touch to a sequel that somehow manages to improve upon the original Blade Runner (don’t hate me, Internet).  Every frame of Blade Runner 2049 is jaw-dropping, adding to the world that Ridley Scott created back in 1982.  Ryan Gosling adds to a reveal-filled narrative that continues to intrigue until the end credits appear on the screen.

Blade Runner 2049 is long, slow, and pensive, but rewards everyone who is willing to take the journey.

image via Roger Ebert

#1: Logan

There’s an argument to make for other films that are more technically perfect, but Logan is perfect from an emotional satisfaction perspective in that it perfectly captures a character that we’ve come to love over the past seventeen years.  Logan is better described as an Oscar-worthy drama that just so happens to contain superheroes.  Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart offer award-worthy performances that are deeply affecting even to moviegoers that aren’t aware of X-Men canon.

Logan transcends the superhero genre in every way.  From defying clichés to providing high stakes in a small-scaled story, Logan works on every level.  It certainly earns its spot atop MovieBabble’s best movies of 2017.

image via MarketWatch

Thanks for reading!  What are your top 10 best movies of 2017?  Comment down below!

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