TOP TEN MOVIE OF 2017 REVIEW
Get Out (I) (2017)
R | 104 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
7.7 84 Metascore
It's time for a young African-American to meet with his white girlfriend's parents for a weekend in their secluded estate in the woods, but before long, the friendly and polite ambience will give way to a nightmare.
Director: Jordan Peele | Stars: Daniel Kaluuya ,
Allison Williams , Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener
Votes: 217,906 | Gross: $175.48M
The first two acts are fantastic, creating a palpable sense of growing unease and mounting dread, before the explosive finale brings the story to a satisfying conclusion - all the tension culminating in a brutal final confrontation that isn't afraid to go dark; in the end this one of the absolute best horror films I've ever seen.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
R | 122 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
7.5 75 Metascore
After returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life.
Director: Chad Stahelski | Stars: Keanu Reeves ,
Riccardo Scamarcio , Ian McShane, Ruby Rose
Votes: 205,294 | Gross: $92.03M
One of the rare sequels that matches the quality of the first, this is a highly entertaining film with amazing fast-paced action that's perfectly choreographed and beautifully brutal; the feature also promises a third entry that has the potential to truly excel, whilst standing on its own feet as a staple of modern action cinema.
It Comes at Night (2017)
R | 91 min | Horror, Mystery
6.2 78 Metascore
Secure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, a man has established a tenuous domestic order with his wife and son. Then a desperate young family arrives seeking refuge.
Director: Trey Edward Shults | Stars: Joel Edgerton , Christopher Abbott , Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough
Votes: 43,612 | Gross: $13.99M
This taught, tense and gripping psychological thriller is easily one of the most interesting and affecting films of the year, a layered and enigmatic feature that uses it's brilliantly ominous score and unsettling visuals to create a unnervingly bleak atmosphere; it's truly great stuff, an experience that gets under your skin and stays there for days, that represents smart and inspired film-making done right.
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
R | 137 min | Drama
7.9 96 Metascore
A depressed uncle is asked to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy's father dies.
Director: Kenneth Lonergan | Stars: Casey Affleck ,
Michelle Williams , Kyle Chandler , Lucas Hedges
Votes: 171,737 | Gross: $47.70M
While it may lack a proper ending, instead leaving things very unchanged and providing little closure, this is an endearing drama that is wonderfully written, astutely directed and masterfully acted; it feels less like a movie and more like a slice of life.
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
PG-13 | 140 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
7.5 82 Metascore
After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.
Director: Matt Reeves | Stars: Andy Serkis , Woody Harrelson , Steve Zahn , Karin Konoval
Votes: 142,866 | Gross: $146.88M
The conclusion to this consistently high-quality, intelligent trilogy is just as good if not better than its predecessors, telling a dark and mature tale without ever feeling too dour; the superb score, impressive spectacle and almost photo-realistic CGI all enhance the the story rather than overshadow it, and it's the genuine emotional resonance that allows this film to have the lasting impact that it does.
Silence (I) (2016)
R | 161 min | Adventure, Drama, History
7.2 79 Metascore
In the 17th century, two Portuguese Jesuit priests travel to Japan in an attempt to locate their mentor, who is rumored to have committed apostasy, and to propagate Catholicism.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Andrew Garfield ,
Adam Driver , Liam Neeson , Tadanobu Asano
Votes: 67,848 | Gross: $7.08M
You do start to feel the length, but this is a thought-provoking and ambiguous film that tackles challenging themes of both faith and the loss of it whilst keeping you riveted throughout; it feels profound, almost like it is more than 'just a movie.'
The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)
PG | 104 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
7.3 75 Metascore
A cooler-than-ever Bruce Wayne must deal with the usual suspects as they plan to rule Gotham City, while discovering that he has accidentally adopted a teenage orphan who wishes to become his sidekick.
Director: Chris McKay | Stars: Will Arnett , Michael Cera , Rosario Dawson , Ralph Fiennes
Votes: 89,211 | Gross: $175.75M
At its best when satirising both past Batman films and the overall lore, this is a brilliantly animated, expertly crafted feature with relatable themes and a mile-a-minute pace that packs as many jokes as possible into a taught little package; it's just sad that the best big-screen incarnation of Batman we're going to get for a long time is made out of plastic.
Raw (II) (2016)
R | 99 min | Drama, Horror
7.0 81 Metascore
When a young vegetarian undergoes a carnivorous hazing ritual at vet school, an unbidden taste for meat begins to grow in her.
Director: Julia Ducournau | Stars: Garance Marillier , Ella Rumpf , Rabah Nait Oufella, Laurent Lucas
Votes: 30,109 | Gross: $0.51M
Not just a 'cannibal movie' but rather a complex coming-of-age drama with themes of repressed taboo desires (cranked up to eleven) and feelings of alienation; it's effecting on many levels, an indie film with artistic direction and a masterfully realistic edge, and is a remarkable achievement.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
PG-13 | 136 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
7.8 67 Metascore
The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage.
Director: James Gunn | Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista , Vin Diesel
Votes: 316,260 | Gross: $389.81M
It isn't as good as the first and the finale gets too big for its own good, but this is still a fun film with a keen focus on character that stands mostly alone from the wider universe and as such provides an entertaining sequel experience that maintains the enjoyable rag-tag spirit of its predecessor (even though it never surpasses it in terms of quality.)
