Shawn Eastridge's Top Ten Favorite Films of 2017 (and all those other ones too)

The Oscars are happening this Sunday! And what better excuse to scrounge together a list of my favorite 2017 films. Sure, it might be a bit late to post this, but it's my blog so DEAL WITH IT! Here, at long last, are my Top Ten Favorite Films of 2017.

Before we get started, here are the films I missed still haven't seen, but hope to get around to seeing some day:

• DARKEST HOUR
• THE FLORIDA PROJECT
• GERALD'S GAME
• GOOD TIME
• THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
• HOSTILES
• I, TONYA
• JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
• THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER
• KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
• LOGAN LUCKY
• MOLLY'S GAME
• T2: TRAINSPOTTING
• WONDER

THE TOP TEN

10. LADY BIRD
(Directed by Greta Gerwig)

Lady Bird has no shortage of enthusiasm and spunk and it’s got the heart to match. Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut makes a lasting impression thanks to sharp writing and excellent performances from its cast led by Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf. Gerwig does an excellent job balancing zany humor and characters with sincere emotion and modesty.

9. THE SHAPE OF WATER
(Directed by Guillermo del Toro)

Guillermo del Toro is one of the greats and has gone far too long without this kind of acclaim and awards attention. Not only has he crafted some of the most imaginative and beautiful works of cinema this century (The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth, Crimson Peak), he’s made some of the most crowd-pleasing and heartwarming entertainments (Hellboy 1&2). The Shape of Water is the second of his English-language films to demonstrate his more thoughtful, ‘arthouse’ sensibilities. It works as both a culmination of his own career, which favors a running theme of acceptance and appreciation of ‘the other,’ in addition to being a love letter to the movies and movie monsters in particular.

8. BABY DRIVER
(Directed by Edgar Wright)

No one can make a kinetic action film like Edgar Wright and Baby Driver is further proof. It’s a fast-paced, hilarious and gripping crime thriller/musical (yes, you read that right), and maybe, JUST MAYBE, the most fun I had at the movies in 2017. Not to mention that glorious soundtrack, which, thanks to Wright’s direction and Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos’ editing, becomes just as integral a player as the actors.

7. LOGAN
(Directed by James Mangold)

Logan is the rare beast that transcends its genre trappings to become something more. It’s brutal, bloody and easily the best of the three Wolverine films, though to be honest that’s not saying much. What is saying much is James Manigold has delivered a superb send-off for the much beloved character and Hugh Jackman has never been better.

6. GET OUT
(Directed by Jordan Peele)

Jordan Peele’s first feature chucks him right to the forefront of Exciting New Directors. It’s one of the most assured directorial debuts I’ve ever seen. With its intelligent view on the country’s racial divide paired with iconic imagery, heart-wrenching thrills and a raucous sense of humor, Get Out is an instant horror classic that I am more than happy to welcome into my annual Halloween viewings.

5. CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
(Directed by Luca Guadagnino)

Call Me By Your Name is a beautiful coming-of-age romance that captures in vibrant detail the joy and sadness that goes hand in hand with young, unbridled and passionate love. Everything about its setting and premise screams ‘pretentious,’ and yet it side-steps these descriptors, coming across as genuine and sincere in its emotions. Sometimes achingly so. Couple all that with those gorgeous Italian vistas (expertly captured by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom’s cinematography) the excellent soundtrack and the incredible performances and baby, you got a stew goin’. Timothée Chalamet might not walk away with the Oscar come Sunday, but he sure did walk away with my heart. (And don’t even get me started on the Armie Hammer snub. We’ll be here all day.)

4. BLADE RUNNER 2049
(Directed by Denis Villeneuve)

You say, “Blade Runner sequel,” and I respond, “Terrible idea.” But that was before I found out Denis Villeneuve was attached to direct backed by renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins. Throw in Ryan Gosling for good measure and my interest is piqued. What’s more impressive than the team assembled to create this 35-years-later sequel is that it would manage to hold a candle to Ridley Scott’s ground breaking 1982 classic. Not only does Blade Runner 2049 earn its place as a worthy follow up, it manages to craft a more compelling character drama, deepening its predecessors' themes while paving its own way. An incredible accomplishment that will no doubt be analyzed and scrutinized in the years to come, joining the ranks with Blade Runner as one of the great cinematic works of our time.

3. WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
(Directed by Matt Reeves)

A powerful conclusion to one of the best film trilogies this side of The Dark Knight. Writer/Director Matt Reeves pulls out all the stops for a thrilling and emotional finale featuring what may be Andy Serkis’ finest performance to date. War may be dark and tragic, but it is also stunning and emotional, daring in its subject matter and vastly more intelligent than most effects-laden blockbusters. So impressive is the effects work here that I never once thought of the apes as anything other than flesh and blood creatures occupying real space in their environments. I’m still giving the edge to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, but I applaud Reeves and co. for committing to their somber tone and seeing this trilogy through to its satisfying and masterful conclusion.

2. TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN

(Directed by David Lynch)

No, I’m not trying to add fuel to the fire of the debate that is the whole ‘Is Twin Peaks: The Return a TV Show or a film?’ thing. I know some critics have argued in favor of the latter, spurred on by David Lynch and Mark Frost’s insistence that the new season was written as a single entity and filmed as such, and that’s fine. (If you must know, I error on the side that insists it should be seen as television) 

But, here’s the thing: I don’t do a favorite TV shows list and I needed to profess my love for Twin Peaks: The Return SOMEWHERE. So here we are. 

With this much-anticipated third season, Lynch and Frost took full advantage of the creative freedom offered by Showtime and created something that blew the doors wide open on what television, and visual storytelling in general, could be. Week after week I never knew what to expect. All I knew was I was in for a treat that would engage and challenge me in a way few other films or shows ever have. By the time the series reached its baffling, mind-boggling conclusion, I knew for certain it would go down as one of the most unforgettable viewing experiences I’d ever had.

1. DUNKIRK
(Directed by Christopher Nolan)

Dunkirk is a cinematic triumph of the tallest order and one of the finest examples of the artform I’ve ever seen. Throughout his career, Christopher Nolan has always displayed a mastery of his craft, but never has he produced such a strong, visually oriented narrative. It’s as if everything in his career was leading to this distilled example of the medium’s power. His insistence on using practical sets, props and effects only adds to the experience. I had the immense pleasure of attending the 70mm IMAX presentation and the experience was overwhelming. This may, in fact, be his best film yet, which, when you consider a filmography that includes the likes of Memento and The Dark Knight, is a major accomplishment. Honestly, this one joins the ranks with Mad Max: Fury Road as one I could watch on repeat, I love it so dearly.

But beyond its undeniable technical achievements, Dunkirk succeeds as a celebration of the human spirit, our capacity for compassion, our struggle to survive against all odds and our willingness to put ourselves in harm's way for the greater good. Another modern classic from one of our greatest living filmmakers. 

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That's our show, folks! Thanks for tuning in. And for those interested, here are the other movies that either missed it by *that* much or just weren't very good. See you next year! (Or technically this year?)

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THE OTHER TEN

11. THE BIG SICK (Directed by Michael Showalter)

12. COCO (Directed by Lee Unkrich)

13. STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE LAST JEDI (Directed by Rian Johnson)

14. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 (Directed by Chad Stahelski)

15. THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (NEW AND SELECTED) (Directed by Noah Baumbach)

16. THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI (Directed by Martin McDonagh)

17. OKJA (Directed by Bong Joon-Ho)

18. THOR: RAGNAROK (Directed by Taika Waititi)

19. WONDER WOMAN (Directed by Patty Jenkins)

20. A GHOST STORY (Directed by David Lowery)

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• AMERICAN MADE (Directed by Doug Liman)
• DETROIT (Directed by Kathryn Bigelow)

• FATE OF THE FURIOUS (Directed by F. Gary Gray)

• GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (Directed by James Gunn)

• IT (Directed by Andrés Muschietti)

• IT COMES AT NIGHT (Directed by Trey Edward Shults)

• MOTHER! (Directed by Darren Aronofsky)

• THE POST (Directed by Steven Spielberg)

• SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (Directed by Jon Watts)

• STRONGER (Directed by David Gordon Green)

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS

• ALIEN: COVENANT (Directed by Ridley Scott)

• BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Directed by Bill Condon)

• THE DISASTER ARTIST (Directed by James Franco)

• PHANTOM THREAD (Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)

• POWER RANGERS (Directed by Dean Israelite)

THE WORST OF THE BUNCH

• BAYWATCH (Directed by Seth Gordon)

• JUSTICE LEAGUE (Directed by Zach Snyder)

• THE MUMMY (Directed by Alex Kurtzman)