By 2017 was a mixed bag in a lot of senses. From a number of producers, actors and entertainers being called out for sexual allegations to Bill Nye getting his own show on Netflix, there was a lot to be happy and sad about. The same thing went for movies, too. I personally was unable to see many of the great movies that came out this year such as “Lady Bird” and “Blade Runner 2049”, so full disclosure that this list is based on the movies I had the time and money to watch and I’m aware there are some movies not included that deserve to be on here.
“Get Out”
I would not only argue that this is one of the best movies of 2017, but probably one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. Maybe it’s because I watched it in a packed theater buzzing with excitement weeks before the release date, maybe it’s because it was the first movie I got assigned to review or maybe it’s because Jordan Peele is a directorial genius. Seriously, Peele’s take on racism in a “post-racial” America is one of a kind in its use of reality-based horror and portrayal of hero and villain tropes. It was a breath of fresh air in the horror movie category and rightfully takes the cake of 2017 movies.
“Logan”
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a sucker for Marvel movies. The franchise basically has me eating out of their multi-million dollar hand, and I continue to get excited for each new installment. That being said, “Logan” set itself apart from the usual structure and tone of the basic superhero movie and instead went for a more realistic and solemn setting, without overdoing it. From the Johnny Cash soundtrack to Hugh Jackman’s more rugged take on the iconic character, the entire film felt more grounded. Not to mention Dafne Keen’s break-out role as Logan’s confused and dangerously powerful genetically engineered daughter. I cheered for her in the first half while she fought off military cyborgs and cried with her as she buried her newfound father. It felt more like a western than a comic-book movie, but that’s what made it so great.
It’s very rare that a film saga can keep my attention from start to finish, but the “Planet of the Apes” movies are so expertly done in every way, it’s hard to not be a fan. The third installment of the revived sci-fi series tied up every loose end and managed to bring both storylines together in a sensical, patient manner. The movie shows human nature at its most basic instinct: survival. It does this without resorting to a preachy, far-fetched tone. Did I feel a little guilty rooting for apes instead of my own species? Not really. Could I see where the humans in the film were coming from? Absolutely. Woody Harrelson forces audiences to evaluate themselves and consider what we would do in the same situation while Andy Serkis once again gives us a portrayal of Cesar we can’t help but sympathize and root for.
Luckily, there were also many awful movies I did not have to endure. My movie fund is limited so forgive me for not going to see “The Emoji Movie” or the most recent installment of the “Transformers” films. The movies on this list I expected to be good enough to spend my money on, which may be why they hurt even more.
Let me start off by saying that Belle is one of the most underrated Disney princesses. As a child, she was the only princess I could relate to. Even though she’s a petite French woman and I was a chubby Mexican kid, she had brown hair, brown eyes and an infatuation with books — good enough for me. So when I saw that a live adaptation was in the works for the beloved classic, I was excited — then immediately underwhelmed when I saw it in theaters. The art and colors that were once so vibrant in the animated version got muddled down in the 2017 film. All of the enchanted furniture characters that were cute and inviting before just seemed creepy now. I also didn’t care for the backstory they gave Belle’s mother; I thought it drew attention away from the already great plot and took time that could have been used on developing the relationship between Belle and the Beast more. Maybe I just don’t like change, but I’ll stick to the 1991 version.
Adding this movie to the list seems almost like a cop-out, but I still can’t seem to get over the fact that DC Comics just can’t make a decent crossover superhero film. I can go on and on listing the amount of things wrong with this movie — the rushed character introductions, the oversimplification of pivotal moments in the plot, Henry Cavill’s CGI’d upper lip. The franchise did take a step in the right direction by going for a more humorous take rather than their regular gloom and doom, but even most of their jokes fell flat and hung on the same character. We get it, the Flash is funny, not every other line needs to be a joke. It’s almost like DC is trying to do in a handful of movies what Marvel did in almost 20. And you can see the difference. Maybe DC should have Superman turn the world’s rotation backwards and go back in time so they can get a do-over of these awful films. Anything would be better than hearing the line “do you bleed?” on screen again.
“Dunkirk”
Okay, so I know that this is an unpopular opinion. I saw this movie on a number of “Best movies of 2017 lists” but I guess I just don’t see the appeal. There was hardly any dialogue in the film about three different armies fleeing from Germany in World War II. It was hard to keep track of the multiple storylines, and even harder to feel sympathy for the soldiers when you’re dragged away the moment you become interested in their lives. While there were a few powerful scenes and plenty of great visual shots, it wasn’t enough for me to feel connected to the struggles the men were going through. To be fair, half the reason I went to the movie was to watch Harry Styles’ break-out role and I was disappointed at the screen time he received. I left the theater and listened to “Sign of the Times” on repeat.
