2017 may not have been the best year at the box office, but it still offered a number of great films. Below I have chosen the top 10 movies that I saw this year. Some movies have not been released locally yet, and as such I have not included them on my list.
10. Wind River
Slow-paced enough to build suspense, this film takes the case of a missing girl and turns it in to a dangerous thriller across a gorgeous snowy landscape.
Directed by: Taylor Sheridan
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, and Graham Greene
Click here for my full review.
9. Mudbound
A gritty drama that asks a lot of important questions about race, this one puts a realistic spin on the realities of life in the South during World War II.
Directed by: Dee Rees
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, and Mary J. Blige
Click here for my full review.
8. Coco
Pixar did it again with this one and their take on the Day of the Dead left everyone in the theater contemplating death and longing for their long-lost loved ones.
Directed by: Lee Unkrich
Starring: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Alanna Ubach, and Benjamin Bratt
Click here for the full review.
7. A Ghost Story
An interesting analysis of life after death, this romance follows the serene story of a man who refuses to be separated from his wife even after his untimely death.
Directed by: David Lowery
Starring: Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara
Click here for my full review.
6. Baby Driver
Action-packed with a killer soundtrack, this film puts a fresh spin on the heist genre with great performances and a master director behind the wheel.
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, and Elza Gonzalez
Click here for my full review.
5. The Florida Project
Independent films don’t make the money that blockbusters do, but they have a lot more to offer; this one follows a young girl’s adventures in a Florida hotel with her mother.
Directed by: Sean Baker
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, and Caleb Landry Jones
Click here for my full review.
4. The Shape of Water
A fantastically fantastic film that tells the real story of beauty and beast and asks the question of how far someone should go to find their true love.
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, and Richard Jenkins
Click here for my full review.
3. Get Out
An interesting commentary on race relations within this country, this film takes the viewers on a thrilling ride that puts a fresh spin on the horror genre.
Directed by: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, and Bradley Whitford
Click here for my full review.
2. Dunkirk
The runner-up for best movie of the year features a thrilling true story told with so much emotional intensity and so little dialogue that the chilling score is almost unnecessary.
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, and Tom Hardy
Click here for my full review.
1. Lady Bird
The best film of the year features great acting and a story that is so relatable it can’t not be based on a true story. There is a lot to love about this film, but it is newcomer Greta Gerwig who really shows her chops as a director in this larger than life tale about small town American life.
Directed by: Greta Gerwig
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, and Lois Smith
Click here for my full review.
Honorable Mentions:
Wonder Woman – The biggest superhero film of the summer, was both good for women and great for everyone else.
War for the Planet of the Apes – The third film in a refreshing reboot of the Planet of the Apes series.
The Big Sick – A refreshing comedy of errors that makes you root for love, while simultaneously turning away from the awkwardness.
Happy New Year and thanks for reading!
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