2017 in Review -- Movies

With the start of each new year, I like to look back on the movies of the previous year -- how much I saw, what I liked, that sort of thing.

Though I certainly didn't plan it this way, 2017 was an exceedingly light movie viewing year for me. I saw the fewest movies in one calendar year since I started keeping track: 55. I suppose that's still better than one a week (and I'm nowhere close to those "if you see one movie this year" people they talk about in some movie trailers).

I do sort of have the sense that there was quality over quantity, though. By the time January rolls around, I always have catching up to do with Oscar hopefuls -- so when I issue the "first draft" of my Top 10 Movies of the Year, it usually ends up being around 5 movies I really enjoyed a lot and 5 other movies that were just "the best of everything else." The list is usually rounded out with placeholders, including some B and maybe even B- stuff. This time, this first version of the list is all B+ or better, and there are several more movies almost as good that just couldn't quite make the cut.

How my Top 10 of 2017 stands currently:

1. Get Out
2. Spider-man: Homecoming
3. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
4. Baby Driver
5. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2
6. The Big Sick
7. Dunkirk
8. Thor: Ragnarok
9. It
10. Blade Runner 2049

What to say about the list?

• I cannot sing the praises of Get Out enough. It works on so many levels. It's the kind of movie that's supposed to win Oscars -- yet because it's in the form of a horror film, it's the kind of movie that never even gets nominated for Oscars. Normally. Recently, I've been reading think pieces from film critics about how it might actually have a chance at a Best Picture nod. I want very much to believe that, though I hope I'm not getting worked up like Charlie Brown running at the football. Get Out is so damn good.

• There are currently 3 superhero movies on my list. (And two more decent ones, Logan and Wonder Woman, that didn't quite make it.) That feels odd for me, but in any case, it's not likely to last when I catch up with more 2017 movies over the next few months.

• No, The Last Jedi didn't make the list. This isn't because I'm one of those fanatics dumping on it because "different scary!" I think my original review laid out my feelings pretty clearly: I liked it, and liked where it dared to be different most of all. But the movie did have its flaws.

• Everything from #5 down on this list rates really closely to me. With a little more time and distance, I could see the order of them shuffling around a bit.

I'll be back to update the list if I see any more 2017 movies that would displace these Top 10.

I'm looking forward to more great movies in 2018!

Updated 6/18/19:

1. Get Out
2. Coco
3. Brisgby Bear
4. Spider-man: Homecoming
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
6. Baby Driver
7. The Shape of Water 
8. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2
9. The Big Sick
10. Dunkirk