My Top 10 Favourite Movies of 2017!

Chris Miles
Dec 19, 2017
4 min read

2017 is nearly coming to a close, which means that it's time to share out my top ten favourite movies of this year! The peaks reached by the best movies in 2017 were, in my opinion, the highest since 2007 (a year that saw the release of “There Will Be Blood,” and “No Country for Old Men,” to name a few). There were a lot of movies I loved this year, but what I prized most when I was making my list was extraordinary cinematic experiences - artful filmmaking that was enhanced by big-screen viewing; stories and characters that lingered with me...

- The following list is in no particular order of which movies are the top best.

1. T2 Trainspotting (Dir. Danny Boyle)

Being Danny Boyle's first ever directional sequel, T2 Trainspotting was a high-wire risk that we initially thought wouldn't work. But turned out to be the most unexpectedly excellent sequel of the year! T2 Trainspotting adds an intoxicating, emotionally resonant postscript to its classic predecessor, even without fully recapturing the original's fresh, subversive thrill!

Highlight(s): Robert Carlyle's performance as Begbie and the film's amazing soundtrack!

2. John Wick: Chapter 2 (Dir. Chad Stahelski)

John Wick 2 does what a sequel should - which in this case means doubling down on the non-stop, thrillingly choreographed action that made its predecessor so much fun!

Highlight(s): Awesome action set pieces, cinematography and writing!

3. Get Out (Dir. Jordan Peele)

Get Out is a chilling horror film, a savage social comedy, and a frank exploration of the reality that we're already living in both.

Highlight(s): Incredible writing with unexpected twists and Daniel Kaluuya's outstanding lead performance!

4. Logan (Dir. James Mangold)

Hugh Jackman makes the most of his final outing as Wolverine with a gritty, nuanced performance in a violent but surprisingly thoughtful superhero action film that defies genre conventions! Plus if you ever get the chance - watch the 'Noir' version of this film which is exclusively available as an extra disc on Blu-Ray. There’s something about the emotional tone and atmosphere of the film that goes really well with 'black and white' – really unique to the superhero genre.

Highlight(s): Hugh Jackman's performance!

5. Wonder Woman (Dir. Patty Jenkins)

After a few really bad false starts, the DC Extended Universe has its first truly terrific entry under its belt and it's about damn time! Thrilling, earnest, and buoyed by Gal Gadot's charismatic performance, Wonder Woman succeeds in spectacular fashion!

Highlight(s): Amazing direction by Patty Jenkins, awesome action sequences and an excellent music score.

6. Baby Driver (Dir. Edgar Wright)

Being a massive fan of Edgar Wright's work, I had really high hopes for this film when I first saw the trailer. Baby Driver is stylish, exciting, and fuelled by a killer soundtrack. The film also proves that fast-paced action can be smartly written without sacrificing thrills!

Highlight(s): Excellent soundtrack and superb editing!

7. Dunkirk (Dir. Christopher Nolan)

Christopher Nolan shows us the meaning of pure cinema by offering the audience a full immersion in the life-or-death experience of being in Dunkirk, prey to the whims of a dictator and still fired up with the will to resist! Dunkirk serves up an emotionally satisfying spectacle, delivered by a writer-director in full command of his craft and brought to life by a gifted ensemble cast that honours the fact-based story!

Highlight(s): Superb execution with the IMAX format, great cinematography and excellent cast performances backed by an emotionally intense soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer!

8. War for the Planet of the Apes (Dir. Matt Reeves)

War for the Planet of the Apes combines breathtaking special effects and a powerful, poignant narrative that conclude this rebooted trilogy on a powerful and truly blockbuster note!

Highlight(s): Andy Serkis' amazing motion capture performance backed by the film's emotionally satisfying musical score composed by Michael Giacchino.

9. Blade Runner 2049 (Dir. Denis Villeneuve)

As bold as the original Blade Runner and even more beautiful (especially if you see it in IMAX). Visually immaculate, swirling with themes as heart-rending as they are mind-twisting, 2049 is, without doubt, a good year for cinema!

Highlight(s): Visually stunning and narratively satisfying!

10. The Disaster Artist (Dir. James Franco)

"Oh, hai Mark". The Disaster Artist is a surprisingly poignant and charming movie-about-a-movie that explores the creative process with unexpected delicacy!

Highlight(s): James Franco's incredible and bizarre performance as Tommy Wiseau! Sincere and spontaneously funny!

HONOURABLE MENTION:

A Prayer Before Dawn (Dir. Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire)

Earlier this year, as part of my university film course, I had the amazing and unforgettable opportunity to go visit the Cannes Film Festival. A Prayer Before Dawn had its premiere midnight screening over at the festival and this film just unexpectedly blew me away...

A big, bleeding feat of extreme cinema, given elevating human dimension by rising star Joe Cole's ferociously physical lead performance, A Prayer Before Dawn tells the true story of heroin addict Billy Moore who gets arrested and sent to a Turkish prison, where he earns his redemption through boxing!

Special mention go towards the fight choreographer David Ismalone, who delivers authentic results from the ensemble - not least Cole, whose stony physical endurance is only the most superficially impressive aspect of a performance that must at times convey a lot of psychic pain beneath, before letting it all roar out of him. An auspicious presence in TV’s Peaky Blinders, as well as smaller roles in films like Green Room and The Falling, Joe Cole announces himself here as a leading man of sturdy conviction and considerably daring - though it’s hard to imagine what future vehicles will put him through the wringer quite like this one!