WrathOfHan's Top 20 (and Bottom 10!) Movies of 2017

[WrathOfHan]

#17. The Florida Project

"My wife's from Brazil; they love Disney!"

The Florida Project is a darkly comic look at life in one of the many dumpy parts in Orlando. Watching this movie was a trip as I recognized some of the locations in here, especially the Magic Castle Gift Shop. The first two-thirds of this film are really breezy and full of humor while having dark undertones that are escalated in the third act. It's almost never a fun watch despite how much I was laughing at these kids' adventures. Sean Baker did an excellent job directing these kids, and they never came off as poor actors. Willem Dafoe is the real scene stealer as Bobby and gives one of the year's best performances; Dafriend is a side of him we do not see often enough! As for the ending, I'm still not hot on it, but it's hard for me to drag the rest of the film down with it. The Florida Project is simply engaging all the way through.

[WrathOfHan]

#16. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2

"You may dress like us, but you'll never hear the horns of freedom when you die, Yondu!"

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is the only movie I saw multiple times in theaters last year. I was pretty down on it when I saw it OD and thought it was a pretty significant step down from the first. Seeing it again in IMAX one week later was a significantly better watch and made me rethink a lot of my complaints from a week prior. By my third watch on Blu-Ray three months later, I fully fell in love with it. This does everything a sequel should do: give more of what we loved from the first (humor/Awesome Mix) while extending the story of the characters we're invested in. Kurt Russell is a blast as Ego bringing a strong emotional core to the film, and how can I not mention Sly? That quote above is legendary and possibly the best piece of dialogue from any film in 2017. The jokes all hold up through multiple viewings as well. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is by far the best comic book movie of 2017.

[WrathOfHan]

#15. Lady Bird

"I want to go where culture is, like New York or Connecticut or New Hampshire."

Lady Bird is probably the most relatable film of the year for me. Obviously, it isn't hard to see why; I hate where I live and am stuck at that bad period on the verge of college. Granted, my social life is far from where Christine's is over the course of Lady Bird, but this is one of those slice of life films that has something for everyone. The cast? Nice. Gerwig's writing and directing? Nice. The setting and references? Nice. It's simply a nice, pleasant movie to watch. I wanted it to be a bit longer, but that works in the movie's advantage by making me want more. I'm really excited to see where Greta Gerwig goes with her next film.

[WrathOfHan]

#14. Ingrid Goes West

"#IAmIngrid"

Shit, and I thought my stretch of social media stalking was bad! Ingrid Goes West has been called a horror movie by some, and it is an apt label. The slow deterioration of Ingrid is horrifying to watch unfold, and I do not think it would have worked as well with someone else playing the character. It is a fantastic role for Aubrey Plaza and actually fully utilizes her talents unlike so many other things she's been in post-Parks and Rec. The rest of the cast is great too, especially Elizabeth Olsen. Her character is just as fragile as Ingrid is, only she has the fame and attention that Ingrid so desperately wants. The final shot of this film is easily the most shook I've been by an ending in a 2017 film. It's a shame that Ingrid Goes West collapsed when it starting going wide because this is a movie worth everyone's attention.

[WrathOfHan]

#13. Mudbound

"When we was overseas they didn't make us use the back door. General Patton put us on the front line."

Mudbound is a harrowing look at the south in the early 40s. The film tells the stories of two families that share many similarities yet are divided by class and race. The first half or so of the film is engaging, but it really takes off once Jason Mitchell and Garrett Hedlund arrive home from war. Both of them, especially the former, give fantastic performances in a stellar ensemble. Dee Rees' direction is great and truly makes the film feel authentic to its time period. At 2:14, the film is a little on the long side, but it never feels as long as the runtime suggests. Mudbound is a gripping tale that had me invested all the way through.

[WrathOfHan]

#12. Blade Runner 2049

"You look like a good Joe."

Blade Runner 2049 is the year's grandest blockbuster. The entire film is an adventure, and that is largely due to its runtime. 2049 knows you are not going anywhere for a while and lets you relish every scene. This was a criticism for many but a gigantic plus to me. Ryan Gosling gives a very subdued performance as K in possibly his best role to date, and Harrison Ford rules in his gray t-shirt. I don't quite think it's as good as the original, but Blade Runner 2049 comes close to its predecessor.

[WrathOfHan]

#11. Detroit

"I need you to survive the night."

It is a goddamn crime that Detroit bombed at the box office and went unnoticed come awards season. This is an excellent film that showcases an unknown tragedy. Kathryn Bigelow is at the top of her game directing this and always providing a feeling of unease throughout. Will Poulter stands out at Krauss, a terrifying cop that is the combination of several from the real event. No film in 2017 left me angrier than this one did, and it's a shame that police brutality is still an issue in many parts of the country.

[Ethan Hunt]

Damn @ Detroit just missing the top ten

 

[WrathOfHan]

#10. Coco

"Until you're in my arms again, remember me."

2017 was a pretty dire year for animation, wasn't it? The Dreamworks stuff was fun filler (don't @ me Tele), but everything else ranged from forgettable to trash. Fortunately, Coco came out. This is probably Pixar's second best of the decade behind Inside Out thanks to its strong emotional core. I cried at least three times in this movie and am not afraid to admit it  The world of Coco helps the movie stand out among other Pixar films, and Miguel's adventure is one that shines in Pixar's library. Even if it treads on familiar ground at times, Coco is a pleasure to watch and one I will revisit many times in the future.

[WrathOfHan]

#9. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

"Oh my God! These things are crazy!"

Talk about a surprise in more ways than one. I had no expectations for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle whatsoever. The trailers were not good, and I had no nostalgia for the original as I have not seen it. When strong reviews started pouring in, my interest was piked, and as it smashed the box office, my interest continued rising. It took me a bit of time to see this, but Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle lived up to its box office. This is everything a fun crowdpleaser should be! The film is funny as hell and never drags, and the four main characters are all a joy to watch. Seeing the principal cast act like teenagers is a ridiculous idea that has no right to work as well as it did. Jack Black in particular rules as Bethany/Shelly with some of the year's best lines and delivery. I guess if there's one nitpick I have with the film, it'd have to be the serviceable action, but when the characters and humor work so well, that can be ignored. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a blast and the best blockbuster of the year.

[Ethan Hunt]

Oh fuck. Jumanji. Didn't see that coming

[WrathOfHan]

8. Okja

"I'm fucking HERE, goddammit!"

Following up to Snowpiercer seemed like a tough challenge for Bong Joon-Ho, but somehow he did it with Okja. Radiant with creativity and big on heart, Okja is an exciting film that takes many risks, and all of them pay off big time. The ensemble is stellar with a standout performance from Seo-Hyun Ahn; I would love to see her get more mainstream roles in the future. Of course, how can we not talk about the delicious ham from Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, and Jake Gyllenhaal? All of them are a joy to watch on screen. Okja is simply full of excitement, tension, and thrills that cannot be recreated.

[That One Guy]

why is Jumanji over Blade Runner the fuck is wrong with you

[WrathOfHan]

#7. The Big Sick

"This is why I don't want to go online cause it's never good. You go online, they hated Forrest Gump. Frickin' best movie ever."

The Big Sick is such a good romcom that makes me want the genre to come back in a big way. This is a clear passion project for Kumail Najiani, and co-writing it with Emily Gordon gives the film authenticity that cannot be recreated. It is filled with quotable lines that hold up on a rewatch, and Holly Hunter and Ray Romano give the best comedic performances of the year. I don't know what else to say about this one; The Big Sick is a fantastic comedy and one of the year's best.

[WrathOfHan]

#6. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

"A lady with a funny fuckin' eye?"

Amidst all the heat Three Billboards has been generating this awards season, part of me wonders if the movie really is as good as I thought it was when I saw it a few months ago. I still don't buy the whole Dixon redemption narrative some are pushing, but whatever. I loved Three Billboards when I first saw it, and my opinion hasn't really changed since then. Martin McDonagh's script is great and better than In Bruges, and Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell shine in their soon to be Oscar winning roles. Three Billboards is a morally ambiguous film, and no main character is good or bad outside of Chief Willoughby who's clearly on the former side. The film shows just how far a woman is willing to go to solve the moment that ruined her life, and Mildred's arc is never anything less than heartbreaking. Despite being a dramadey, Three Billboards is a very tragic movie that's all too relevant for today's world.

 

[WrathOfHan]

#5. Get Out

"Sex slave! Oh, shit! Chris, you gotta get the fuck outta there, man! You in some Eyes Wide Shut situation. *Leave*, motherfucker!"

Get Out made every white person in America woke for good reason. Jordan Peele burst onto the scene with a shockingly great directorial debut. Get Out is a film that relishes in every little detail, and rewatching this movie is extremely rewarding. The cast is solid too with a standout performance from Lil Rel' Howery that caused the HFPA to categorize this as a comedy. Get Out really is a pitch perfect masterpiece that is worthy of the insane box office.

[WrathOfHan]

#4. The Post

"My decision stands, and I'm going to bed."

Spielberg has been on a political roll this decade, but The Post is easily his best of the bunch. Sure, it isn't the most unique or inventive film, but having masters of the craft do their thing cannot go wrong. Meryl Streep stands out with her best role in a LONG time as Katharine Graham, and Hanks is great as Ben Bradlee too. There are so many supporting players here with Bob Odenkirk as the most notable one, and watching all these great actors interact with each other is awesome. Spielberg doesn't slouch with his directing either, and this film has the most underrated cinematography of the year. The Post is filmmaking done right.

[SLAM!]

3 hours ago, WrathOfHan said:

 Of course, how can we not talk about the delicious ham from Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, and Jake Gyllenhaal?

 

That's a pun if I've ever seen one.

[The Panda]

Jumanji? 

 

What a casual.

Edited February 18, 2018 by The Mad Panda

[WrathOfHan]

#3. The Shape of Water

"Fuck. You ARE a god."

The Shape of Water is MAGIC. Guillermo del Toro has crafted an absolute masterpiece of filmmaking unlike anything he or anyone else has done. The premise should not work, yet it does to great lengths! I should not find a woman and creature having sex normal, yet I do! At its core, The Shape of Water is a film about lust. Without diving (heh) into spoilers, there are several different areas of lust that are explored, and each facet is unique. The ensemble here is probably the year's best with outstanding performances from Sally Hawkins, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Stuhlbarg, and of course, GOD SHANNON. When the film ended, I immediately wanted to watch it again. The only other movies to do that to me in 2017 were.... well, the last two movies on the list.. The Shape of Water will go down as a hallmark of the fantasy genre and cinema in general.