GOC’s Top 10 Films of 2017
As we approach the New Year, we reflect on 2017 to recall the amazing things that occurred during a time that tended to give us more stress, uncertainty, and pessimism than anything. Here, at Geeks of Color, we thought it best to compile a list with our top ten movies from this year. Of course, narrowing it down to just 10 is easier said than done but we’ll gave it our best shot!
First, let’s go through some of the honourable mentions. These are films that ranked high amongst those who have actually seen the films. We are a busy group of people spread across the world, so there are many films that just slipped through the cracks or have not reached us. Films like Guillermo Del Toro’s, The Shape of Water or Greta Gerwig’s, Lady Bird failed to reach most of the GOC members before voting, however, for those who have seen these films they were some of the best to come out this year.
Without further delay here is GOC’s Top 10 Films of 2017!
10. It
An instant classic and source of joy for pop culture, 2017’s remake of Stephen King’s lightning rod novel IT was a slam dunk not only at the box office, but with critics. And I can see why! It was one of the most inventive movies of the year, taking the instantly recognizable clown from the novel and making him more performance-art centric, giving him red balloons, and some of the most gorgeous visuals. For that, plus the wonderfully written script, IT is one of our favorites of the year.
– Mikey Mason / @Mikey_Talks
9. War for the Planet of the Apes
Trilogies generally get a bad rap and it’s with good reason. Few hold up well from start to finish. Undoubtedly, the new Planet of the Apes trilogy will be touted as one of the strongest in recent memory. The final in the trinity of films, War for the Planet of the Apes had plenty to live up to and it did, so beautifully.
Concluding Caesar’s story was meant to be a trying venture for both the characters on-screen and the audience watching. No one could have expected it to be so emotionally charged, even with the precedent set by the previous two entries. Andy Serkis gives his most enthralling performance as Caesar yet, and Woody Harrelson makes for a compelling villain opposite him. This isn’t merely one of the best films of 2017, it’s arguably one of the finer crafted big budget action-adventure films of the last decade.
– Brianna Reeves / @PirateBL_R
Read the review here.
8. Baby Driver
Baby Driver was, as the kids say, a wild ride from start to finish. Directed by Edgar Wright and starring an ensemble of star power including Ansel Elgort, Jaime Foxx, Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, Lily James, and Eiza Gonzalez. Baby Driver was quite possibly one of the most unique films of the year. While heist films have been in short supply as of late, this film reaffirmed that good, unique heist films that keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time are still out there. It would be remiss of me not to mention the soundtrack that made this film as amazing as it was. Edgar Wright truly created something unlike anything I’ve ever seen through his utilization of music as a vital aspect of the film and its plot. Each song was incorporated into dialogue and action in a way that will leave you questioning the way most films use music.
– J’Neia Stewart / @neia_the_libra
7. Girls Trip
With all the stress of 2017, we needed a moment to put away our troubles and fears to just laugh. That moment came in the form of the wildly successful and popular Girls Trip. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee and starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish. Girls Trip centers around four women, who have grown apart for various reasons, who travel to New Orleans for the Essence Music Festival and to rebuild their friendship. This film had the perfect balance of comedy and drama with moments bringing me to tears both from laughing so had and being emotionally moved. The film also featured some handsome actors such as Kofi Siriboe, Larenz Tate, Mike Colter, Morris Chestnut, and Common make appearances throughout the film too. Overall, Girls Trip was a fun time and I am thoroughly looking forward to the sequel, and I’m hoping it’s Christmas themed.
– J’Neia Stewart / @neia_the_libra
Spider-Man Homecoming establishes our favorite New Yorker, Peter Parker, in the MCU. This portrayal of Spider-Man has everything we could’ve asked for in a movie: good writing, fun action scenes, and a great costume. Also, he actually acts like a teenager in this movie! The film also takes several risks, as it is currently the most lighthearted movie featuring the superhero. The movie lacks the angst and drama that some audiences disliked in previous instalments. It also sets up some events and characters to come in the future, so I can’t wait to see what the MCU has in store for Spider-Man.
– Joseph Yinusa
After Thor: The Dark World we all sort of gave up on the idea that Thor the character and franchise will ever be done right. In his appearances in the Avengers films and in his solo adventures it seemed the tone of the character was never quite right. No one was able to capture what made Thor so magnanimous and also so relatable, that is until Taika Waititi was brought on to Thor: Ragnarok. Now this is a director who gets it. He was able to nail the tone of the character and his world, and still retain the majesty of Norse mythology and the important element presented in the previous film. He made something unique, and something that finally excited us all. Waititi also did us all a solid by introducing the most compelling female hero and villain into the MCU. The cries for a Valkyrie solo film can be heard all over the world, and cries for more Thor can also be heard. Waititi saved the Thor franchise and introduced a whole new set of possibilities to the MCU.
– Ferdosa Abdi / @atomicwick
4. Logan
To call Logan just another superhero movie is seriously an understatement. If you’re like me, then you have followed the X-Men and Wolverine franchises from the beginning. Throughout these 17 years, we have seen some good films and some not so good films, but Logan is one film that not only give us the throat-ripping action we’re used to, but also closure. Logan is a family drama, an action thriller and an epic superhero story. While there are some intense action scenes, the quiet moments work best and are arguably the best parts of the movie. The experience of watching the film is tense and shocking in places, but what makes the film work is that there is still heart in these people and in the story. The whole thing comes together to produce a beautiful, gritty and gut-wrenching work of art. So, whether you are a comic book fan or a newbie looking for great cinema then Logan is the film for you.
– Xavier Yarbrough / @hoodopulence
3. Coco
Coco, la más reciente película de Disney y Pixar se encuentra en nuestra lista de las diez mejores películas del año no solo porque retrata de una manera fiel y auténtica a la familia mexicana y sus tradiciones, haciéndolo de manera respetuosa y como una “carta de amor” del mundo para México y tomando como base una de las tradiciones más importantes que tiene el país y la comunidad latina en el mundo –Día de los Muertos-, además de que es una muestra que la comunidad latina tiene historias maravillosas por contar al mundo, con su cultura tan rica y vasta, sino también porque es una historia con la que cualquiera puede empatizar, sin importar de donde son, pues habla de la familia y el amor que existe dentro de ella, así como de la gente que hemos perdido a lo largo de nuestra vida pero que no queremos olvidar, manteniéndolos vivos gracias a su recuerdo.
Coco, Disney-Pixar’s latest film landed on our list of top 10 films of the year, not only because it shows an authenticity of most Mexican families and its traditions. It does so in a respectful way, almost in the sense of a “love letter” from the world to Mexico, taking one of the most important traditions in the country and in the Latinx community -Día de los muertos- as a means to do it. It also shows us that the Latinx community has amazing and wonderful stories to tell, due to the rich and vast culture we have, but also because it is a story that anyone, no matter where they’re from, can empathize with. The movie talks about family and the love that exists in it, as well as the people we’ve lost and are no longer with us but we don’t want to forget about, keeping them alive just by remembering them.
– Marie Garduño / @MarieGarduo
Read the review here.
Enter a caption
2. Wonder Woman
With a history that’s gone on for over 75 years, we finally got to see Diana, Princess of Themyscira, on the big screen. It’s baffling that it took until this year, but many thanks to the talented Patty Jenkins, we were given a film worthy of being dubbed the best film thus far in the DCEU. Jenkins and her cast were able to bring the famed Paradise Island to life and had some of the fiercest Amazons imaginable finally on the silver screen. But where the film got me was how Jenkins managed to keep the core values of the Wonder Woman I’ve grown up loving. Diana is strong, compassionate, kind and above all, loving – but can still kick some serious a** when needed. It was something Jenkins captured perfectly and I’ll be forever thankful to her for bringing to life Wonder Woman in such a powerful way.
– Britany Murphy / @britany_murphs
Read the review here.
Enter a caption
1. Get Out
How can you have a ‘Best’ list and not include Get Out? In addition to being one of the first successful horror films to focus on race relations in America, the film’s stellar cast does a spectacular job performing a wonderfully written script by Jordan Peele, who also manages to make a film that was made on a shoestring budget look like a blockbuster. Its commentary is sharp and on-point, and its symbolism is easy to follow and not heavy-handed in the slightest. Get Out is an instant horror classic.
– Mikey Mason / @Mikey_Talks
Condensing the best films of 2017 into a list of just 10 is hard. There are many films that the GOC team loved that didn’t make the cut, but were in many of their top 10 lists. Sadly, not many films directed by women made the cut, this is largely due to poor distribution. Many were unable to see films like Professor Marston & the Wonder Women or Lady Bird. Mudbound barely made the cut for top 10, but ranked high amongst those who had listed the film. However, the list assembled showcases a range of films that offered something different to audiences this year. Finally a woman-led superhero film with a woman behind the camera. The first Indigenous director to take on a blockbuster, took on the challenge of redefining and recreating the world of Thor. An African-American man created one the most compelling horror stories, which was financially and critically successful. In a tumultuous year for the Mexican and Latinx community in the US, Coco breathed new life for Latinx representation in mainstream cinema. The funniest and one of the most financially successful comedies of the year was led by four black women. These are just a few of the many amazing accomplishments to come out of 2017. The most important takeaway is that 2017 was filled with amazing films, created by people who are incredibly passionate about their craft and stories. We hope to see Hollywood wake up to all the possibilities that are right at their fingertips.
Goodbye, 2017. Hello, 2018.
Make sure to add Proud Mary to your calendar’s. Hits theatres January 12th.
Related Articles:
Best Comic Book Movies of 2017
GOC Comics: Top Indie And Non-Big 2 Comics Of 2017
GOC Comics: Top Marvel Comics Of 2017
GOC Comics: Top DC Comics Of 2017
