Before the start of each year, cinephiles around the world start chalking up their list of best upcoming films. Lately, however, these hits have been wildly unpredictable with a lot of “sure-shot” hits missing the mark. 2017 managed to add a bit more consistency to our lives by delivering on some big titles, while also giving us some brilliant and unexpected hits. Here is the list of the best six films to hit the theaters in 2017 So Far.
Colossal by Nacho Vigalondo
Monster films are always a favorite with audiences, but as the recent box-office miss “The Mummy” proved, they still need to be well-made and sensible.
“Colossal” is definitely not your average Monster movie, simply because the Monster in question is not your average monster.
Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis star in "Colossal", the surprise hit of 2017 that managed to stay under the radar despite being quite ambitious in its storytelling. Nacho Vigalondo does a great job creating a believable story using humor and good intentions, and slowly peering into its darker side by exploring the worst in humanity. The low-budget does not get in the films way and instead forces the director to get creative with his storytelling tools, and these risks pay off in a big way. (or shall we say a monstrous way)
Wonder Woman by Patty Jenkins
When I first heard about the possibility of a Justice League film featuring stand-alone films for the superheroes, I was most excited about watching a “Wonder Woman” film, simply because the timing of this film could not be more pertinent.
White Washing and Male Domination are common terms associated with Hollywood, but it doesn’t always have to be that way and “Wonder Woman” showed us exactly why that is the case.
After struggling to pick a tone with all the DC movies in the new cinematic universe, it appeared that the franchise would be buried deep by the hysteria revolving around Marvel films.
“Wonder Woman” managed to lead the resurgence of this crumbling world with an honest, poignant and powerful film that managed to showcase the best elements of our most beloved female superhero.
Logan by James Mangold
While DC has been struggling to pick a tone for their cinematic universe until the recently released “Wonder Woman” film, Marvel has been switching tones with reckless abandon and incredible results.
Their space epic “Guardians of the Galaxy” killed with fans, while their R-rated action comedy “Deadpool” managed to change the rules of superhero films.
Marvel took another massive leap of faith with “Logan”, offering a bare-bones, gritty, suspense film that provided a bleak, yet fitting ending to the most famous on-screen superhero of this generation. Hugh Jackman was simply at his brutal best in his swansong, and fans of Wolverine could not have asked for a better tribute to their beloved superhero.
The Lego Batman Movie by Chris McKay
Three superhero movies in this list and each of them could not be more different than the other. The great part about these three phenomenal movies is the level of self-awareness they displayed regarding the history and lore of these characters.
“The Lego Batman Movie” is definitely the weakest film on this list, but it has to also be the most self-aware and the least self-conscious.
A movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously despite tackling a seven-decade-old character is certainly new for audiences, and it makes such a big mark because it puts our beloved bats in the spotlight. With a breathtakingly brilliant opening, a well-justified lull following the mayhem, and a string of well voice-acted characters, “The lego batman movie” is not the movie we wanted this summer, but the movie we deserved.
John Wick: Chapter 2 by Chad Stahelski
I finally understand why Keanu Reeves does not have time to work on his facial expressions. It’s because the man is training his backside off, trying to create masterful set pieces for his action films, and this facet shines brightly in “John Wick: Chapter 2”.
If you haven’t watched the first part of the film, you will be forgiven because not too many people have caught up on this brilliant action series in the making. The second film delivers an even more compelling chapter for the series, building on the mythos of the world created in the film, and offering some exciting new characters. The action is fast paced, brutal, unforgiving and jaw-dropping at times, simply because you know that most of the martial arts being executed on-screen are actually real. There are no shaky cams in this film, just brilliant wide-angle shots so that you can take in the scenery in the background and the brilliant action in the foreground.
Get Out by Jordan Peele
The last two years have belonged to the horror film genre, whether you would like to admit it or not.
No genre has taken greater strides in terms of film-making and storytelling than the horror genre, and that is quite a massive achievement.
The fact that a first-time director like Jordan Peele could make such a ground-breaking film with “Get Out” proves that there is a lot more to be explored in the horror genre than just different ways to execute jump scares. “Get Out” is a race-horror, and that in itself is such a unique experience for the audience. With some top performances from the lead actors and some interesting elements such as hypnotism, “Get Out” managed to become the biggest underdog hit of The Year so far.
