Top Ten Films 2017

It's been a great year for cinema, so many good films. It was difficult to pick just ten to feature on this blog (you can check out my whole ranking of the year here...). Here we are though, my top ten films of 2017. Read on and enjoy.

10. The Big Sick

Finally a comedy worth paying for and a breath of fresh air in the Rom-Com genre. It's hilariously funny and beautifully sad, all at the same time. It's a beautiful film, based on the real life story of Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V Gordon; both proving themselves as great screenwriters and I hope they create more art together soon! Read my full review here.

9. The Killing of a Sacred Deer

It's not even the weirdest film on this list and that's saying something from a new Yorgos Lanthimos film. It's a bit of a thriller; keeping you on edge throughout the whole film, constantly second guessing every facial expression of every character. If Barry Keoghan doesn't get a supporting actor nomination this year I'd be shocked. Read my full review here.

8. War of the Planet of the Apes

This franchise gets overlooked by most but it really does seem to be doing something different in every aspect of blockbuster filmmaking; this third installment in the prequel/reboot trilogy was no different. It fully rounded off the story in a satisfying way, whilst giving us some of the most emotional moments in cinema this year... and it was about talking apes. Read my full review here.

7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

It tried to do something new with the franchise and in my eyes it succeeded. The film truly passed the torch tp the new characters whilst also delivering some of the saga's greatest moments yet. The performances are the best they've been and the stakes have never been higher. I can't wait to see where they take Star Wars next. Read my full review here.

6. The Florida Project

Caught this one late but it definitely left an impression on me and I haven't been able to shake it from my mind for the last month. It's probably one of the most beautiful looking films of the year, about one of the ugliest topics. It's got some amazing performances and will no doubt win big at this year's academy awards. I didn't write a full review but you can check out more of my thoughts on The Florida Project here.

5. Mudbound

Mudbound was the surprise of the year for me. It dropped on Netflix and was easily their best original film. I'm still trying to see it on the big screen (no luck in the UK...). It's a beautiful epic tale of war, racism and family; it has some of the most moving relationships depicted this year. Most people have Netflix now - so come on, see this one ASAP! Read my full review here.

4. Super Dark Times

I saw this one at a horror film festival in Lisbon and although from the trailer I knew I was probably going to like it, I didn't realise that it was a masterpiece in horror filmmaking. It looks like it could just be a feature version of Stranger Things; but it's not. It's more grounded and emotionally resonant with some of the most shocking turns in a film this year. Read my full review here.

3. Blade Runner 2049

I'm not a huge fan of the original Blade Runner but after learning the director behind 2049 was Denis Villeneuve I knew I had to watch this one in the cinema. I'm so happy I did because this film was a masterpiece in the Sci-Fi genre; it's deep philosophical musings against the backdrop of some of the most beautiful landscapes brought on screen ever - it just blew me away. It's long but it's worth it, this film was easily the best Sci-Fi film of the year. Read my full review here.

2. Raw

Definitely the weirdest film I've seen this year but it totally works. This French/Belgian horror/thriller film kept me gripped throughout and I didn't avert my eyes once - no matter how gruesome it got. I was just in awe at the sheer visuals and score going on. I can't praise this film highly enough, you've really got to see it for yourself, it was very close to being my number one film of the year. Check out my full review here.

1. Get Out

Jordan Peele's directorial debut is the film that sums up 2017 and it's awesome. It's a horror/thriller/comedy which acts as an extremely relevant social commentary. At one moment it scares you, at the next it has you in fits of laughter. It's probably the easiest film to show other people; I haven't met one person who hasn't enjoyed it. It's such a great watch - my number one film of the year, check out my full review here.

There you go guys, my favourite films of the year. Let me know yours in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Kept in the dark, unsure of what is going on, the orchestral score running deep into the pit of your stomach before you’re caught off guard by a striking image, a beating heart (I think anyway, I don’t know anatomy) open in surgery, horrifying but beautiful at the same time. The opening scene of The Killing of a Sacred Deer gives you all you need to know about Yorgos Lanthimos’s new film.

I could end my review now, but I’ll try and put into words my experience of this film without spoiling the story, this is really one you want to go in to with a blank slate. The basic premise is ‘A Teenager’s attempts to bring a brilliant surgeon into his dysfunctional family take an unexpected turn.’

If you saw The Lobster (and if you haven’t it’s on Netflix, you should see it) then you will know that Yorgos Lanthimos likes to make weird films and this one is no exception. The joy of this film is not knowing what’s going on and trying to figure out from every image and every small tick from the characters on screen, what on earth you’re actually watching. You’re left in the dark for a lot of it as it goes from surreal drama to a plot you might see in a Batman film before it’s tense and jaw clenching final act.

The cast of this film are incredible, the three mains being Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and Barry Keoghan. Keoghan who was last seen in Dunkirk gets a lot more screen time here to show off his acting chops, I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of him after his performance in this film. Like I said before though, the whole cast is on top form, fully investing you in the characters, all relishing in Lanthimos’s dead pan style.

The cinematography is crisp, clean and an awe to look at, pushed along with this loud orchestral score that’s terrifying to behold as it comes through when the tension is at breaking point. It reminded me of one of my other favourite films this year, Raw, with its horror nature mixed with the surreal. It’s a delight to watch even if it could have been a tad shorter but not all of these kinds of films are as easy to watch, be invested and lose yourself in it.

The Killing of a Scared Deer carries on the trend of great cinema in 2017, if you can take a bit of surreal with your film watching then go see this one in the cinema ASAP. I’m rating it a 4.5/5.

Have you seen it? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!