Well ladies and gentlemen it's that time of the year where I reflect on the of 2017 in movies and we see what films were just simply amazing and films that will be remembered for the rest of time. Out of the 121 films I've seen this year, these films have the honor of being continually praised . With that being said I'm going to bring you my top 10 favorite films of 2017 and the reasons why I loved each film and why they are on my list. So without further ado...
Honorable Mentions:
10. The Lego Batman Movie
This is easily one of my favorite films of the year and one of my favorite Batman films of all-time. The Lego movie franchise so far has been 2 out of 3 for me so with Ninjago being that lone exception and when coming out of The Lego Movie everyone loved Batman and from the moment they announced the film was going to happen I had high expectations for the film. It's a film that is both hilarious and serious at the same time and it's Warner Bros. being able to make fun of themselves and their most beloved character. I think now after seeing him twice we now have to officially consider Will Arnett a part of the list of actors to portray Batman and he's probably my third favorite Batman to date and this film helps pad his case.
9. Thor: Ragnarok
As a fan of the MCU, they've done it again by having another film make a top end of the year list. The things Taika Waititi was able to do in this film really changes the whole dynamic of Thor and it just takes the character in a whole new direction that a lot of people didn't think was possible. The choice to go from a 50/50 mix of humor and seriousness to probably 90/10 is a bold risk that ultimately pays off for the film. Chris Hemsworth is once again great in the role of Thor and the film has probably the best villain to date in the MCU (outside of Loki) in Hela played by Cate Blanchett and you can just see how much fun she had in the role. I live how it retread and went back to the post-credits scene in Doctor Strange to help bridge those two films and characters together. It does a lot of world building and it really does take the MCU into a whole new slew of possibilities.
8. It
I honestly can't tell you how much I loved this film. Being a fan of the original miniseries version from 1990 I've often wondered what modern version of the book film adaptation would look like and boy I wasn't disappointed. This film is so much more than a horror film as it feels more like a coming of age film like The Goonies or Stand By Me and the dynamic by the child actors in the film is just so special. Also Bill Skarsgård was phenomenal as Pennywise and many thought he couldn't compare to Tim Curry's version, but Skarsgård did it better and his version is just so haunting and even hilarious at times and it does a great job of setting up for the second part due to come out in 2019.
7. John Wick: Chapter 2
The first film was a complete surprise when it was released and typically sequels don't do too well when it comes to surprise hits, but this film defied expectations. It was so action packed and it just changed the game for how action movies are going to be made in the future. The first film introduced a new mythos to us and this film continued to build upon the world and it really does set up the third film very. Keanu Reeves is again the best he's ever been and he just fits into the role so well. It was also great to see Laurence Fishburne be reunited with his Matrix co-star Reeves for the first time since The Matrix: Revolutions. The ending of the film is perfect and it really does give you an idea of how things might play out in the next film.
6. Only the Brave
This is honestly one of the more surprising films to end up on the list. When looking at the films at the beginning of the year you don't really notice smaller things like this and this is one of the best films of the year. It tells a story that I honestly didn't really know too much about the story and this film does a great job of going into detail about this group of extraordinary heroes and the sacrifices they made. The performances in the film are absolutely remarkable and are career bests from everyone involved. It's an emotional roller coaster from the very beginning and it's truly great to see these men honored in this way and it does give you whole new outlook into their job and you give them so much more respect then you have given to them in the past.
5. The Disaster Artist
Oh hai The Disaster Artist. This film is truly one of the best comedies of the year and one of the more intriguing looks at the making of the greatest worst film ever made. The Room itself is a disaster and I typically don't watch really bad films, but it's a film that can be looked at as a comedy in a lot of different aspects. James Franc does a great job of directing the film as well as doing his impression of Tommy Wiseau which is absolutely amazing and the fact that he directed the film while still being character takes this film to a whole new level. It's a film that could've easily been a spoof film and instead they take the film and make an emotional drama and show that this guy is a troubled soul, but it also shows that your dreams can come true, maybe not in the way you want them to, but they can come true if you put some effort into it.
4. Blade Runner 2049
What to say about this epic masterpiece. I'm a fan of the original Blade Runner and I love the world that Ridley Scott gave us in that film so much so that you would need to a sequel to dive deeper into the mythos. Denis Villeneuve does such a remarkable job of telling this story and it just shows how good of a director he really is and he is honestly my favorite director working today. The cinematography from Roger Deakins and mixed with the score from Hans Zimmer truly make this film one of the most gorgeous and engaging films of the year. It presents a lot of neat and interesting ideas that really make you think and it even gives you answers to questions you've always had about the original film. Harrison Ford is back and he looks so engaged into what is going on which is something a lot people rarely say about him and Ryan Gosling is again hitting out of the park with his film choices and he does a great job of bringing something new to the Blade Runner franchise. It's not only one of the best films of the year, but it is eventually going to be one of the best films of all-time.
3. War for the Planet of the Apes
If you've followed me over the course of the past 4 years then you know how much I love this franchise and this film is one of the more fitting ends to a trilogy I've ever seen. The Planet of the Apes franchise has seen a resurgence over the past few years and it's mainly due to the advancements in technology and how we see these apes. Andy Serkis is the pioneer behind it all and he does another amazing job in the role Caesar in this film. The title is a little misleading, but it does such a great job of not only being an original film and carrying on the franchise, but like the previous two films, it does honor the past and really incorporates the original 1968 film into this film and really builds the new apes films towards that in the future. It does a lot of world building and it really sets up future films nicely. It was also a perfect sendoff for Andy Serkis as he has given so much to the role over the years and it has been a truly special treat to see him do what he is best at it's going to be hard seeing future films with him in the leading role.
2. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
So of you who know me best are probably going to be shocked that this film is sitting at number 2, but I have a pretty good explanation for this film being where it is at. Look I get the criticisms of the film and I completely understand why people don't like the film, but to me this is the most original Star Wars film since Return of the Jedi. It's a film that takes the franchise in a whole new direction and Rian Johnson deserves all the praise for his gutsy calls in the film and the risks he took pay off so well that it gets me even more excited for whats to come down the line. Now as for it being number 2, 2 years ago I had a hard decision to make whether to put Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens or Mad Max: Fury Road at number 1 and I went with Star Wars simply because it was Star Wars and we were finally back to getting more films in the franchise, but the comeback was just too juciy to not put it at the top. However I'm not going to do that again because while Star Wars gets me emotional sometimes, the film at number 1 is one of the most pure emotional roller coasters I'v ever been on while watching a film and it is one of the more fitting conclusions to a character yet.
1. Logan
As mentioned above, this film drained me emotionally more than any other comic book film has before and it's a film that does everything just right to point where you can watch it over and over again and never get tired of watching it. Kudos to Hugh Jackman for playing this character for 17 years and giving us The Wolverine we've always wanted to see and it's going to be hard to replace you in future films. James Mangold knew what he was doing with this film from the moment go and he just does a phenomenal job of telling a story that we often don't see in comic book films and the fact he was able to carry over his vision from The Wolverine into this film really just shows how much attention he pays to his own work. Patrick Stewart gives the performance of a lifetime and it's truly sad watching his character play out on screen after all of the years of service he has given us as the character of Professor X. This is the film we've wanted to see Wolverine in and the fact that 20th Century Fox allowed the film to be rated R really just shows you how willing they were to let the filmmakers tell the story they wanted to tell. The noir version (black and white version) that came out after the release just helps the film be so much better than it already is and it's going to be interesting to see if we'll ever see a comic book film like this down the line.
So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of my list and what were some of your favorite movies of 2017? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
Honorable Mentions:
- Stronger
- Baby Driver
- Mother!
- Lady Bird
- Wonder Woman
- Spider-Man: Homecoming
- The Shape of Water
- Coco
- Split
- Darkest Hour
10. The Lego Batman Movie
This is easily one of my favorite films of the year and one of my favorite Batman films of all-time. The Lego movie franchise so far has been 2 out of 3 for me so with Ninjago being that lone exception and when coming out of The Lego Movie everyone loved Batman and from the moment they announced the film was going to happen I had high expectations for the film. It's a film that is both hilarious and serious at the same time and it's Warner Bros. being able to make fun of themselves and their most beloved character. I think now after seeing him twice we now have to officially consider Will Arnett a part of the list of actors to portray Batman and he's probably my third favorite Batman to date and this film helps pad his case.
9. Thor: Ragnarok
As a fan of the MCU, they've done it again by having another film make a top end of the year list. The things Taika Waititi was able to do in this film really changes the whole dynamic of Thor and it just takes the character in a whole new direction that a lot of people didn't think was possible. The choice to go from a 50/50 mix of humor and seriousness to probably 90/10 is a bold risk that ultimately pays off for the film. Chris Hemsworth is once again great in the role of Thor and the film has probably the best villain to date in the MCU (outside of Loki) in Hela played by Cate Blanchett and you can just see how much fun she had in the role. I live how it retread and went back to the post-credits scene in Doctor Strange to help bridge those two films and characters together. It does a lot of world building and it really does take the MCU into a whole new slew of possibilities.
8. It
I honestly can't tell you how much I loved this film. Being a fan of the original miniseries version from 1990 I've often wondered what modern version of the book film adaptation would look like and boy I wasn't disappointed. This film is so much more than a horror film as it feels more like a coming of age film like The Goonies or Stand By Me and the dynamic by the child actors in the film is just so special. Also Bill Skarsgård was phenomenal as Pennywise and many thought he couldn't compare to Tim Curry's version, but Skarsgård did it better and his version is just so haunting and even hilarious at times and it does a great job of setting up for the second part due to come out in 2019.
7. John Wick: Chapter 2
The first film was a complete surprise when it was released and typically sequels don't do too well when it comes to surprise hits, but this film defied expectations. It was so action packed and it just changed the game for how action movies are going to be made in the future. The first film introduced a new mythos to us and this film continued to build upon the world and it really does set up the third film very. Keanu Reeves is again the best he's ever been and he just fits into the role so well. It was also great to see Laurence Fishburne be reunited with his Matrix co-star Reeves for the first time since The Matrix: Revolutions. The ending of the film is perfect and it really does give you an idea of how things might play out in the next film.
6. Only the Brave
This is honestly one of the more surprising films to end up on the list. When looking at the films at the beginning of the year you don't really notice smaller things like this and this is one of the best films of the year. It tells a story that I honestly didn't really know too much about the story and this film does a great job of going into detail about this group of extraordinary heroes and the sacrifices they made. The performances in the film are absolutely remarkable and are career bests from everyone involved. It's an emotional roller coaster from the very beginning and it's truly great to see these men honored in this way and it does give you whole new outlook into their job and you give them so much more respect then you have given to them in the past.
5. The Disaster Artist
Oh hai The Disaster Artist. This film is truly one of the best comedies of the year and one of the more intriguing looks at the making of the greatest worst film ever made. The Room itself is a disaster and I typically don't watch really bad films, but it's a film that can be looked at as a comedy in a lot of different aspects. James Franc does a great job of directing the film as well as doing his impression of Tommy Wiseau which is absolutely amazing and the fact that he directed the film while still being character takes this film to a whole new level. It's a film that could've easily been a spoof film and instead they take the film and make an emotional drama and show that this guy is a troubled soul, but it also shows that your dreams can come true, maybe not in the way you want them to, but they can come true if you put some effort into it.
4. Blade Runner 2049
What to say about this epic masterpiece. I'm a fan of the original Blade Runner and I love the world that Ridley Scott gave us in that film so much so that you would need to a sequel to dive deeper into the mythos. Denis Villeneuve does such a remarkable job of telling this story and it just shows how good of a director he really is and he is honestly my favorite director working today. The cinematography from Roger Deakins and mixed with the score from Hans Zimmer truly make this film one of the most gorgeous and engaging films of the year. It presents a lot of neat and interesting ideas that really make you think and it even gives you answers to questions you've always had about the original film. Harrison Ford is back and he looks so engaged into what is going on which is something a lot people rarely say about him and Ryan Gosling is again hitting out of the park with his film choices and he does a great job of bringing something new to the Blade Runner franchise. It's not only one of the best films of the year, but it is eventually going to be one of the best films of all-time.
3. War for the Planet of the Apes
If you've followed me over the course of the past 4 years then you know how much I love this franchise and this film is one of the more fitting ends to a trilogy I've ever seen. The Planet of the Apes franchise has seen a resurgence over the past few years and it's mainly due to the advancements in technology and how we see these apes. Andy Serkis is the pioneer behind it all and he does another amazing job in the role Caesar in this film. The title is a little misleading, but it does such a great job of not only being an original film and carrying on the franchise, but like the previous two films, it does honor the past and really incorporates the original 1968 film into this film and really builds the new apes films towards that in the future. It does a lot of world building and it really sets up future films nicely. It was also a perfect sendoff for Andy Serkis as he has given so much to the role over the years and it has been a truly special treat to see him do what he is best at it's going to be hard seeing future films with him in the leading role.
2. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
So of you who know me best are probably going to be shocked that this film is sitting at number 2, but I have a pretty good explanation for this film being where it is at. Look I get the criticisms of the film and I completely understand why people don't like the film, but to me this is the most original Star Wars film since Return of the Jedi. It's a film that takes the franchise in a whole new direction and Rian Johnson deserves all the praise for his gutsy calls in the film and the risks he took pay off so well that it gets me even more excited for whats to come down the line. Now as for it being number 2, 2 years ago I had a hard decision to make whether to put Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens or Mad Max: Fury Road at number 1 and I went with Star Wars simply because it was Star Wars and we were finally back to getting more films in the franchise, but the comeback was just too juciy to not put it at the top. However I'm not going to do that again because while Star Wars gets me emotional sometimes, the film at number 1 is one of the most pure emotional roller coasters I'v ever been on while watching a film and it is one of the more fitting conclusions to a character yet.
1. Logan
As mentioned above, this film drained me emotionally more than any other comic book film has before and it's a film that does everything just right to point where you can watch it over and over again and never get tired of watching it. Kudos to Hugh Jackman for playing this character for 17 years and giving us The Wolverine we've always wanted to see and it's going to be hard to replace you in future films. James Mangold knew what he was doing with this film from the moment go and he just does a phenomenal job of telling a story that we often don't see in comic book films and the fact he was able to carry over his vision from The Wolverine into this film really just shows how much attention he pays to his own work. Patrick Stewart gives the performance of a lifetime and it's truly sad watching his character play out on screen after all of the years of service he has given us as the character of Professor X. This is the film we've wanted to see Wolverine in and the fact that 20th Century Fox allowed the film to be rated R really just shows you how willing they were to let the filmmakers tell the story they wanted to tell. The noir version (black and white version) that came out after the release just helps the film be so much better than it already is and it's going to be interesting to see if we'll ever see a comic book film like this down the line.
So ladies and gentlemen what did you think of my list and what were some of your favorite movies of 2017? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
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