Saturday, April 28, 2018

The Michigan Movie Guy's Top 25 Best Films of 2017


2017, for all of the bad things that happened, including the political turmoil & the Tad Cummins incident, was a great year, especially for film. It was the best year since the epic year for film since 2007. 2017 beats any year for film in recent memory. And now, after many weeks of careful consideration, I now present my list of the Top 25 Best Films of 2017.

(Note: All but one film will have a link to my review of that film).

25. Wind River


A terrific crime thriller with some great performances, a great screenplay, excellent cinematography, & terrific sound design. My review can be found here.

24. Wonderstruck


A wondrous film adapted from a great young adult novel filled with great performances, beautiful cinematography & gorgeous period elements. My review can be found here.

23. I, Tonya


A terrific dark comedy about one of the wildest moments in sports history, filled with great performances, terrific editing, & some excellent makeup & hairstyling. My review can be found here.

22. Columbus


A beautifully quiet film filled with terrific performances, excellent writing, gorgeous cinematography, & a beautiful score.

21. The Disaster Artist


A terrifically funny film about the making of The Room, buoyed by a terrific performance from James Franco & a brilliant screenplay. My review can be found here.

20. Detroit


A disturbing & horrifying thriller about one of the most terrifying moments in not only American history, but local Detroit history. My review can be found here.

19. Star Wars: The Last Jedi


This is one of the best Star Wars films. The performances, direction & screenplay are all great, but the best aspects are the technical elements, especially the visual effects. My review can be found here.

18. Baby Driver


An excellent crime-comedy-thriller with sleek direction, fast-paced editing, killer sound design, & an awesome soundtrack. My review can be found here.

17. Darkest Hour


A terrific political biopic, led by an outstanding performance from Gary Oldman, along with some amazing visuals & gorgeous period elements. My review can be found here.

16. Brigsby Bear


One of the quirkiest films in recent memory, but also one of the most heartwarming, & led by a sweet & good-natured performance from Kyle Mooney. My review can be found here.

15. Logan


One of the best superhero films in recent memory, with an amazing performance from Hugh Jackman in his final appearance as Wolverine. My review can be found here.

14. The Post


One of the most important films of 2017, & some of Steven Spielberg's best work in a while, led by great work from Meryl Streep & Tom Hanks. My review can be found here.

13. Last Flag Flying


An amazing comedy-drama featuring excellent performances across the board, & an excellent screenplay from Richard Linklater & Darryl Ponicsan. My review can be found here.

12. Molly's Game


An excellent directorial debut for Aaron Sorkin, with a brilliant screenplay from Aaron Sorkin & a powerhouse performance from Jessica Chastain. My review can be found here.

11. The Florida Project


An excellent film about people on the fringes of society, led by excellent performances, especially from newcomer Brooklynn Prince & Willem Dafoe. My review can be found here.

10. The Beguiled


A well-crafted drama from Sofia Coppola, with tremendous performances across the board, an amazing screenplay, & some beautiful period elements. My review can be found here.

9. Get Out


One of the most brilliant films in recent memory, led by a powerhouse performance from Daniel Kaluuya, great direction, a brilliant screenplay, & excellent editing. My review can be found here.

8. The Shape of Water


A gorgeous fantasy film, featuring excellent performances, amazing direction, a brilliant screenplay, beautiful visuals, & some gorgeous period elements. My review can be found here.

7. Blade Runner 2049


One of the best sci-fi films ever made. The performances are great, the direction is superb, the screenplay is brilliant, the visuals are perfect, the period elements are fantastic, & the score is amazing. My review can be found here.

6. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri


One of the best dark comedies ever. Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson & Sam Rockwell all give career-best performances. The direction is excellent, the screenplay is brilliant, & the score is fantastic. My review can be found here.

5. Dunkirk


Simply the best war film ever made. The performances are great, the direction is fantastic, the cinematography is phenomenal, the editing is excellent, the sound design is impeccable, & the score is amazing. My review can be found here.

4. Call Me by Your Name


One of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer & Michael Stuhlbarg are nothing short of perfect, the direction is amazing, the screenplay is so realistic, & Sufjan Stevens's music is delightful. My review can be found here.

3. The Big Sick


One of the funniest films in recent memory. The cast is amazing, the direction is great, & the screenplay is hilarious. My review can be found here.

2. Phantom Thread


One of the best films ever made. The performances are excellent, the direction is fantastic, the screenplay is brilliant, the visuals are gorgeous, the period elements are perfect, & the score is beautiful. My review can be found here.

1. Lady Bird


My favorite film of all time. Everything about this film is perfect, from the performances to the direction & screenplay. I completely fell in love with this film, & I had such a huge emotional connection to it. This film has got me through a lot of stuff, & this will be my favorite film for a long time. My review can be found here.

Well, that's my list of the Top 25 Best Films of 2017. 2017 was a great year for film, & I can't wait for what will be the best of 2018.

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