Best Films of 2017

2017 has been a ridiculously good year for film. The amount of legitimately great movies we got is outstanding, but it also made this list extremely difficult to make. There are so many films I genuinely thought deserved to be on my list and having to pick which ones were going to be left out was harder than I thought it would be. I would like to point out that these films are on my list because of how they made me feel, and not necessarily just because of how well-made they are. So, without further ado, here are my top 15 best films of 2017!

Honorable Mentions: The Shape of Water, The Disaster Artist, The Babysitter, Gerald's Game, Battle of the Sexes, I Tonya, Thor: Ragnarok and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

15. Wonder Woman, dir. Patty Jenkins

Wonder Woman has to be looked at as one of the most important superhero films we've ever had. It came out in a year where the female voice was louder and clearer than it has ever been. There has never been a female-led superhero film of this magnitude and seeing how much it has meant to so many people was fantastic. This is a wonderfully made film that deserves to be recognized as more than a superhero film. Wonder Woman deserves every ounce of praise that has been heaped onto it. I think it will continue to be an inspiration for others for years to come.

14. Spider-Man: Homecoming, dir. Jon Watts

Before its release, director Jon Watts made a comment saying that he wanted to make a Spider-Man film in the style of a John Hughes movie. Honestly, I think he succeeded in doing that. I think it's the best and most accurate depiction of the character yet. Homecoming is an amazing change of pace from all of the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Not every superhero film has to be about saving the world. I loved that this was just about a kid with superpowers learning how to balance being a hero with being normal person. It's a film that just made me feel happy all the way through. Not to mention, it has one of the best MCU villains in Michael Keaton's The Vulture. This is the Spider-man I grew up loving and I can't wait to see more of him.

13. mother!, dir. Darren Aronofsky

The moment mother! ended, I knew it was probably going to be the most divisive film of the year. It is creepy enough for a while until it becomes completely chaotic and unsettling. It's not a film I would urge everyone to see, but if you do, I would just ask that you do so with an open mind and warn that it isn't what you expect it to be. The film worked for me and certainly made an impact on me, but it is an unnerving experience.

12. Better Watch Out,  dir. Chris Peckover

I wasn't expecting a whole lot with this film. The only real reason I watched it was because I came across it while looking for films to watch for my 31 Days of Halloween marathon. But, man, I am so glad I found this gem. It is incredibly fun and has so many twists. You never know where this film is going until it gets there. However, the ride there is original, shocking and remarkably fun. If you have not seen this film, watch it without seeing any trailers. It will be much more enjoyable that way.

11. Call Me By Your Name, dir. Luca Guadagnino

By the time I finally got around to seeing this film, I had heard every form of praise for it possible. I didn't think it would live up to hype, and for the first hour and 50 minutes it really didn't. However, the last 20 minutes or so wrap the entire film together in a very strong but tender way that made me feel more emotional than I expected. It's a beautiful coming-of-age love story that everyone should see.

10. Baby Driver, dir. Edgar Wright

Baby Driver was one of the most fun films of the year. From start to finish, the film moves with a relentless pace of action that is blended perfectly to the music that Ansel Elgort's Baby listens to. The car chases are exceptional and incredibly fun to see. But underneath all the fun and the action, this is really a love story. It's about Baby's connection to his late mother through the use of music, his desire to protect his foster father, Joseph, and keep the girl he's fallen in love with safe. Baby Driver was just a joy to watch.

9. Wind River, dir. Taylor Sheridan

Taylor Sheridan has slowly built himself a reputation as one of our finest screenwriters today. In Wind River, he made his directorial debut and it did not disappoint. This film is a tense film that feels real and grounded. Like his other two films, Sicario and Hell or High Water, Wind River is driven by its strong, complex characters. Wind River is phenomenal and culminates with one of the best endings to a film in 2017.

8. The Big Sick, dir. Michael Showalter

The Big Sick might just be the funniest film of the year, but that alone is not why it made onto my top 10. In telling the real-life story of how he met and fell in love with his wife, Kumail Nanjiani managed to create one of the very best romantic-comedy of the decade. It is honest, charming and wholly original. The Big Sick never makes fun of the fact that Emily was actually in a coma, but instead it uses that situation to show the good that came from that. It's a hilarious film with a huge heart and I hope more and more people watch it.

7. Logan, dir. James Mangold

The moment that Logan ended, I knew no other superhero film this year would top it. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart deliver some of the finest performances of the year. It's brutal and heart-wrenching, while also providing real moments of happiness and hope. After giving us 17 years as the iconic Wolverine, Logan was truly the perfect send-off for Hugh Jackman's interpretation of the character.

6. Get Out, dir. Jordan Peele

Get Out was one of the most fun experiences I had at the theater this year. This is the type of film that you should try watching with the biggest crowd possible, if only to see/hear how people react. Get Out has a lot of comedic moments, but don't let that fool you. This is a true horror film in every sense of the word.

5. Lady Bird, dir. Greta Gerwig

Lady Bird is probably one of the most genuine films of 2017. In her solo directorial debut, Greta Gerwig created an endearing coming-of-age story that places a chaotic mother-daughter relationship at the center of the film. This film will make you laugh and it will make you cry. It is a beautiful depiction of what growing up is like and if you have not yet seen it, you really should.

4. Stronger, dir. David Gordon Green

Jake Gyllenhaal gives one of his best performances to date in Stonger, the story of Boston Marathon bombing survivor, Jeff Bauman. What I loved most from this film was the fact that it didn't shy away from showing Jeff as he really is, which is a very flawed human being. The film also shows the stress and pressure that comes with being seen as a hero when all you want is to be a normal person. Stronger deserves to be talked about more as a potential Academy award contender. It's incredible.

3. It, dir. Andy Muschietti

My top three may as well be a three-way tie because I love all of them equally for very different reasons. First up is the long-overdue film adaptation of Stephen King's It. Everything about this movie works. From Bill Skarsgard's incredibly creepy performance as Pennywise to the perfectly cast Loser's Club, It unfolds as a horrifying coming-of-age story that doesn't hold anything back. It is frightening at times, but also hilarious at moments. It is never easy to adapt books or other stories into film, especially when the source material is as dense as the It novel. However, Andy Muschietti did a terrific job in choosing which elements they could use directly from the book and which ones they could change to make a more cohesive story. I think that in a few years, It will be seen as a classic horror film.

2. Phantom Thread, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson

Phantom Thread is a sensational film. It is the kind of film that stays with you long after it has ended. It is a romance, but not in the same way that The Notebook is a romance. There are some charming and funny moments sprinkled throughout the film, but you could hardly call this a "cute" or "heartwarming" film. Phantom Thread is dark, twisted and intense. However, it is also immensely captivating. With every second that passed, I became more and more invested in these characters. When the ending finally came, I was legitimately shocked and I stayed seated long after the movie ended trying to understand what I had just seen. It is a hauntingly beautiful film that I will never be able to forget. It is truly one of a kind.

1. Coco, dir. Lee Unkrich

No other movie this year meant as much to me as Coco did. This film made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me feel so many different things. As someone who is Mexican, seeing my culture be represented and treated with so much respect on the big screen meant the world to me. There is so much about it that I identified with. I saw a lot of my family reflected in Miguel's family, including my great-grandmother who we lost to Alzheimer's and dementia a little over 2 years ago. Coco is a film I genuinely feel like I needed in my life. But beyond what it meant to me personally, it is still a beautifully crafted film. The screen is constantly filled with vibrant colors and lights that make it a stunning piece of art to look at. It uses music that is powerful, meaningful and authentic. Lastly, Coco masterfully explores the meanings of life, death and what it truly means to be a family. For me, this is the best film that Pixar has ever made.