The Five Best Films of 2017
Unlike my worst list, which was easy to put together once I started it, the best list was hard to construct. Not because there were a lack of great films, but once I decided to only pick five films to feature on each list, my job became incredibly difficult. There were many occasions where it was a painful struggle to omit a film from making a spot in the five. To be fair, some of these entries were clear from the minute I finished watching them and now, I give you my list on what I thought were the best films of the year.
Note: I have not seen the more independent films that are getting major award recognition, so if you are expecting to see them here, you are going to be disappointed.
5. Thor: Ragnarok
Initially titled "my least favorite MCU film of the year," I was surprised that when reflecting on the three Marvel Cinematic Universe films that came out this past year, "Thor: Ragnarok" actually proved to be better than the two I had put above it. No disrespect to "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" or "Spider-Man: Homecoming", but "Thor: Ragnarok" was too strong of competition to not be the best MCU of 2017 as well as my fifth favorite film of the year.
The first time I watched this movie, I was disappointed in it which, upon reflection, were for pretty ridiculous reasons. Upon my second viewing, I came to the realization that this was a far better movie than I had prematurely conceived. I believe that my first experience went wrong because I was not allowing myself to enjoy the movie. I thinking too much about how I would review than film, that I robbed myself a unique experience that I managed to get the second time I watched it.
At its core, this is a comedy and while you might expect that from the MCU, you do not anticipate the degree to which they went to with "Thor Ragnarok." Prior to this film, I had always believed that Thor shines the most when he's making people laugh and not trying to be serious a hundred percent of the time. Since that was touched on in his first film, along with the two Avengers movies, I was glad to see the heads at Marvel recognized that and made Thor's third film an all-out comedy. Casting actor Jeff Goldblum in a movie was one of the best decisions this movie made, as comedy is what the actor is shown to have done well on multiple occasions. Even the director, Taika Waititi, got to join in on the fun as he voices one of the most lovable characters in the MCU.
The main cast look like they are having a great time acting out their parts. Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, and Cate Blanchett all have an opportunity to shine in the spotlight and they use it the fullest. There's a lot of chemistry between the old and new and the camaraderie between the veteran members do their job in deepening the relationships between these characters. The raw banter between them brings utter joy and while it's not the funniest Marvel film for me, that title belongs to "Ant-Man," "Thor: Ragnarok" delivered on what it promised: a comedic and colorful Thor film.
All of the CGI and set design are detailed beautifully and each frame is full of life and color. There were a few obvious CGI settings, but it's otherwise seamless throughout. We get a new and improved design for the Hulk and it is the best we've seen him in any of his film appearances. The movie is paced perfectly and no character is poorly handled. At this point, I don't have any doubt that Marvel will continue to put out great films and "Thor: Ragnarok" is one of their more boldest films in recent years.
Grade: A-
4. Wonder Woman
While "Thor: Ragnarok" is another ridiculously strong brick in the MCU pyramid, "Wonder Woman" is an important and much-needed win for the DCEU.
Things were not looking good for "Wonder Woman." It was coming off the three poorly-recieved DCEU films and was also the first female-led superhero film to come out since "Catwoman" and "Elektra." Both were released in the early 2000s and neither film was good to say the least. Fortunately, "Wonder Woman" beat the naysayers and if 2017 will be remembered for one thing, it's that it was Wonder Woman's year.
Origin stories have had their time in the sun, but after many iterations of Spider-Man, not to mention failed attempts with the Fantastic Four, I had begun to think that a truly unique and wholesome origin story might not come anytime soon. Director Patty Jenkins proved me wrong and showed that such a thing is possible if one takes advantage of a unique opportunity and treats the character he or she's adapting, with with respect.
After seeing how well she did in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," I knew Gal Gadot was perfectly cast as the Amazonian. My faith proved to be well-spent in the actress and she delivers a flawless performance as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. There's no question that she earned all the praise she got for this performance, though not as much as Patty Jenkins is getting. As much as Patty Jenkins helped the film from a director point of view, Gal Gadot makes the movie on screen as she manages to make Wonder Woman a relatable character for all, including myself. She turned in such a memorable performance that the character was able to replace Batman as my favorite DC superhero. I didn't think a feat could ever be accomplished, especially since this was a film that I didn't expect much from.
Chris Pine delivers what may be the best performance of his career. He and Gal Gadot have an unprecedented amount of chemistry together and they form one of the greatest comic book movie romances since Clark and Lois in the original Superman series. Chris Pine constructs an interesting character even without Diana. Since they have a female superhero as the lead, Patty Jenkins doesn't make the character of Steve Trevor a male version of a damsel in distress. Instead, he's just as a conflicted and personable character that Diana is.
Some plot points feel familiar, the villains are kind of weak, and the third-act action sequence is reminiscent of BvS as well as many video games. Aside from that, this is one of the most important superhero films to come out in the last few years. There's a small part of me that thinks "Wonder Woman" is a tad bit overrated, but if a struggling franchise like the DCEU, can achieve this much success, they should be able to celebrate that success. By a long shot, it was the best superhero film of 2017.
Grade: A-
3. Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan has done it again! As we've seen with "Inception" and "Interstellar," the director seemingly and effortlessly takes a high concept and complex idea and is able to execute it without fail.
Normally, I'm not one for war films. Most of the time, I either find them slow, dull, and/or needlessly long. Since I knew a lot about the events that unfolded at Dunkirk before I saw this film, I was beyond curious to see what Nolan could do with what may seem like a simplistic story for him to tackle. Well, simplistic compared to his other movies, where wormholes and dreams within dreams are involved.
As Nolan does, he elevates the tension of the situation that the characters are in. Because the circumstances of this movie surround an desperate evacuation, it's only made even more scary, not just by what's on the screen, but with the use of the sound effects. Normally, I overlook sound effects, but "Dunkirk" made me realize how effective sound can be, if it's used in a creative way. I guess that's why they call them that. I can't remember a time where I was more terrified in a theater. Christopher Nolan actually got me to be afraid for the next scene to unravel. It was that intense. His talent as a filmmaker is on full display in this movie. Though there are actors spread throughout it, Nolan is the real star of this film. His ability to get you scared for these men with limited dialogue and absolutely no arch is what makes "Dunkirk" such a fantastic movie. It is these things that set this apart from the common war movie.
The characters may not be actual characters since they don't have an arch or development, but that doesn't keep you from getting emotionally invested into the soldiers and civilians in this movie. Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Harry Styles, and Cillian Murphy are exceptional with their ability to sell the events that are currently unfolding when the picture opens. It's a nonstop ride from beginning to end and the actors showcase their abilities to engage and entertain.
When the composer teams with Christopher Nolan, Hans Zimmer always turns in a brilliant score and "Dunkirk" is no exception. It, unlike their previous collaborations, is more important because the score is what helps add tension to the film. The combinations of the score and sound effects, not only make the tension more potent, but keeps things going at a fast pace. With every new entry, Hans Zimmer never ceases to amaze.
If there was ever a time to give Christopher Nolan his Oscar, it's now. "Dunkirk" is not only a testament of great filmmaking, but how great Nolan is as a director. I can't imagine a director that deserves it more.
Grade: A
2. Coco
We have gotten some great animated films in the last two and a half years, but not since Pixar's own "Inside Out," did I see an animated film that gave me the same feelings that returned to me while watching the studio's latest film, "Coco."
It's become an on and off thing with Pixar. Once, they were able to deliver masterpiece after masterpiece, but as that run ended after "Toy Story 3," a truly great Pixar film has become something rare. "Brave" and, as previously shared, "Inside Out," are the only exceptions to that.
"Coco" is a revisit to that as Lee Unkrich gives us a sophisticated animated feature set during the Mexican holiday, Día de Muertos. By far, my favorite thing about this film is that it promotes family and the importance of remembering your ancestors. Seeing this movie in theaters was a special experience, because I saw it Thanksgiving Day with not only my immediate family, but with my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. It was undeniably perfect and I could not have had a better experience watching this movie.
While I don't celebrate the holiday, I did know about Día de Muertos before seeing this film and that helped me understand and appreciate the level of care and respect that this film has for the holiday. The level of authenticity to the when the film opens. It's just beautiful to behold. "Coco" is home to vibrant colors that are present throughout the film and that only makes it more authentic to the holiday, but beyond that, it makes Pixar's previous films look ridiculously dated. The quality of their films may vary throughout each entry, but Pixar consistently improves their animation with each film and "Coco" is the best showcase of how good their animation can get. It's jaw-dropping.
With a cast of mostly unknown actors, the makers of "Coco" do not waste their talent and what they come up with is exactly what carries you throughout the movie. Creating characters that are immediately identifiable is another strength of the studio and is especially important in this movie. I found myself laughing and crying throughout many scenes in this movie and that is due to how well and relatable this family is. Pixar has become known for making you cry a lot and similar to those other films, "Coco" earns each tear you shed.
As Pixar's first musical, they knocked it out of the park. Michael Giacchino's score, mixed with Robert and Kirsten Anderson-Lopez's lyrics, made the perfect combination. The Lopez's, who previously wrote the songs for Disney's "Frozen," managed to top themselves with "Coco." Giacchino had a productive year composing film scores and "Coco" was a great way to conclude his busy year.
"Coco" was another great entry in the Pixar pantheon and let's all hope that the upcoming Incredibles sequel follows suit.
Grade: A
1. War for the Planet of the Apes
As amazing as these last four films were, and they are mind you, there was only film that I awarded an A+ in 2017. It was to a film that, much to my delight, did everything right.
Great trilogies are hard to come by. Almost always, a trilogy trips up at a point in its three-film run. More often than not, it's always the third installment that tends to discredit the work done by its predecessors. "War for the Planet of the Apes" is a film that defies those preconceived views and is, in my opinion, the best of the "Planet of the Apes" franchise. It joins "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" as being the best of its immediate trilogy and is an absolute masterpiece.
Maybe a person that did not like this film as much as I did can, but when I went back and watched this film multiple times, I could not find anything wrong with it. That's amazing, because, it's among my favorite films where I don't find any flaws. I'm not quite sure if it is one of my favorite films, but I'll surely take this under consideration if I decide to make a post about my favorite films one day.
After watching this film for the first time, I felt like I could write an entire essay about why Andy Serkis is one of the best actors working today. More specifically, I could write an essay about why his role in this movie is as good as I make it out to be. Andy Serkis has been working in the motion-capture business for most of his career. This guy is a master of this artform and it is continually puzzling why this man has not received any major accolades for his work. Caesar is, so far, his best role. There's many reasons why and all of them are on full display in this movie. From the thought-provoking arch, to his more emotional scenes, Andy Serkis can do no wrong in any scenario he finds himself in not only this movie, but in any of his other roles. I can give nothing but the highest praise for this man and I hope he continues to do equally great work as he expands his career as a director.
While he manages to overshadow everyone else, Andy Serkis isn't the only one giving a spectacular performance. Woody Harrelson's Colonel is a cold, calculating, and magnificent antagonist in this movie. As someone who has only seen the actor in semi-comedic roles, it was refreshing to see the man take on something new by showcasing a different side of his ability to act. Steve Zahn's Bad Ape could have gone poorly, but by some miracle, Matt Reeves and company managed to allow this character to lighten the mood in a way that did not derail the rest of the movie. Amiah Miller adds an element of heart as the younger incarnation of Nova and, like everyone else in the movie, does a terrific job fulfilling her part.
The VFX goes above and beyond with this third installment. Each and every one of these apes is rendered with intricate detail and each of the people that worked on these visual effects all deserve awards in their own right. There is no question in this movie as to the believability of the apes. How is it possible that computer generated images have evolved to this degree? They look as if they are actually real. It's VFX at its finest and by far the best I've ever seen. This, compared to the first installment, makes those effects look dated and that only came out six and a half years ago.
Michael Giacchino contributes to the film with another score that's a slam dunk for the composer. His score for "War for the Planet of the Apes" is right up there with his compositions for films like "Up" as one of his best works.
I could not be happier with this film. It surprised me on every level and wraps up one of the best trilogies we have had in a long time. I am ecstatic to see what Matt Reeves writes/directs next, because he was an absolute master throughout this movie. Every single person involved with the making of this movie is to be congratulated.
Grade: A+
Conclusion
So, that is my list for what I thought were the five best films of 2017. I'm curious to hear you thoughts on my list and to see what you thought were the best films of the year. Thanks for sticking with me throughout this past year and I am exciting for what the new year of movies will bring. As always, share this with your friends and/or family. Thanks for reading, I'm the Film Fanatic, bye-bye.
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