My Favourite Movies of 2017

2017 wasn’t a stellar year for films. Many films got released: Wonder Woman, It, Justice League, War of the Planet of the Apes, to name a few. The list below is my cream of the crop, but I also haven’t seen films like The Disaster Artist or Blade Runner 2049 – films that are apparently very good. Alas, here we go…

Logan

Hugh Jackman’s final go as Wolverine is a brutal film about death and redemption. This was easily the best Wolverine has ever been story-wise, and with Hugh Jackman’s acting. I wasn’t a fan of the final third of the film with the introduction of the Wolverine clone, as it descended Logan into a more typical comic book film, but the rest of the film was strong enough to overlook it.

A great farewell to the character.

Get Out

Easily the quirkiest horror film in a while, Get Out is a film thats ‘smarts’ become more apparent on repeated viewings. Never a seriously scary film per se, it nonetheless explores disturbing racial issues, and the power of a tea cup.

Baby Driver

A film reviewer friend of mine invited me to a premiere of Baby Driver, so I was lucky to see it early. How awesome to see a new Edgar Wright film! I left the cinema claiming that it was a true cult movie-in-the-making that explores the way music can shape the world around us and the world of film. My friend did not share the same views and pushed back against many of my thoughts here. Haha.

This is probably my favourite film of 2017.

Dunkirk

I love films based during World War 2. This film, based on the evacuation of British and French troops on the beaches of Dunkirk, is a part of the war I’d not heard much – or anything – about. The film is an experience more than anything. A faceless enemy reminiscent of the shark in Jaws, with moments of genuine terror. Dunkirk was easily the most nail-biting film of 2017, and another great film by Christopher Nolan.

Thor: Ragnarok

After Captain America: The Winter Solider, this is by far my favourite Marvel film. This is easily the funniest movie of the year. The quirky Kiwi humour brought by director Taika Waititi makes this the best Thor film of them all!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I waited to complete my list until I’d seen The Last Jedi. As you have probably now seen, it is the most polarising Star Wars film ever. After viewing it, I really liked it, and then having read a few articles and mulling it over, I now really love it. It is nothing of what you expect, with some truly crazy twists. The last experience I had where I felt this pushed as an audience member was The Dark Knight Rises. The Last Jedi is obviously quite different, but I think it has parallels in terms of how far it pushes the viewer into despair of the situation onscreen – things get very dour to say the least.

The backlash is understandable, and if I was seriously caught up on my nostalgic childhood views of the classic characters, maybe I’d be mad, but what is done here is very surprising indeed.

What do you think? What were your favourites of 2017?