My Top 10 Movies Of 2017 So Far

MY TOP 10 MOVIES OF THE YEAR SO FAR...

As we reach the middle of 2017, it's time to once again to pick the highlights of what has been, so far, a pretty great six months in the cinema. Oscar winners have inspired, blockbusters have thrilled, comedies have amused and horrors have, well, horrified. But before we take look at the very best films 2017 has offered cineasts so far, here's a quick reminder of the movies that were indeed great but still didn't quite make it into the final ten:

'Lion'
'The LEGO Batman Movie'
'Patriot's Day'
'Elle'
'Jackie'
'Wonder Woman'
'Get Out'
'The Void'
'Colossal'
'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2'

These are all wonderful movies in their own right and any one of them deserves to feature in any respectable rundown of the best films of the year. However, I was lucky enough to see ten that were even better.

10) 'SPLIT'

James McAvoy delivers a barnstorming performance in M. Night Shyamalan's hugely entertaining psycho-thriller that may not be the most accomplished film of 2017 but is certainly the one I had the most fun watching.

Read my full review for 'Split' HERE


9) 'HIDDEN FIGURES'

The first of a number of Oscar nominees in this list, Theodore Melfi's wonderful bio-drama about the many black women who helped NASA achieve the seemingly impossible during the height of the Space Race is a joyous celebration of diversity and equality.

8) 'RAW'

As fearsome as it is provocative, Julia DuCournau's blood-soaked body-horror opus is one of the year's most disturbing yet most rewarding viewing experiences and an absolute must see for fans of extreme cinema. 

7) 'PREVENGE'

The second horror debut from a female director to feature in my countdown, Alice Lowe's hilariously black comedy slasher is one of the greatest British movies of 2017 so far. Starring as a recently widowed pregnant woman who believes that her unborn daughter is urging her to kill, Lowe (who was herself heavily pregnant during production) delivers a brilliantly twisted performance as well as direction that outshines any of her male counterparts. The new queen of horror has arrived.   

6) 'MOONLIGHT'

Barry Jenkin's lyrical Best Picture winner is a hypnotic masterpiece that deftly tells it's beautifully tender story of forbidden love in a way that is both incredibly moving and deeply profound. 

Read my full review for 'Moonlight' HERE


5) 'THE FOUNDER'

The always charismatic Michael Keaton gives a career best performance as the unscrupulous founder of fast food giant McDonalds in John Lee Hancock's hugely entertaining biographical drama. 

Read my full review for 'The Founder' HERE


4) 'DENIAL'

Cemeting her place as one of this country's finest actresses, Rachel Weisz shines here as noted Jewish historian Deborah Lipstadt who found herself at the mercy of the British courts when she was sued for libel by the infamous Holocaust denier David Irving, played so brilliantly in the movie by Timothy Spall. At a time when the phrases ''alternative facts'' and ''fake news'' are being banded around like sweets in a candy shop, it's refreshing to see a film that sorely devotes itself to the cold, hard truth.

Read my full review for 'Denial' HERE

3) 'LA LA LAND'

Damien Chazelle's glorious Academy Award winning fantasia of sound and colour is a remarkable achievement of cinematography and direction that stands shoulder to shoulder with the greatest musicals of all time.   

Read my full review for 'La La Land' HERE


2) 'LOGAN'

Hugh Jackman's violent and emotionally rich final turn as the razor clawed Wolverine is the greatest 'X-Men' movie to date and may, in time, be rightly recognised as the greatest superhero movie ever made. 

Read my full review for 'Logan' HERE


1) 'A MONSTER CALLS'

Quite simply put, J.A Bayona's heartbreakingly powerful adaptation of Patrick Ness' beloved fantasy novel may just be one of the most important films I have ever watched. 

Read my full review for 'A Monster Calls' HERE

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So there you have it, the ten best films I have seen so far this year. With another six months to go, this list is sure to undergo some big changes before 2017 reaches its end and with the impending releases of films such as 'War For The Planet Of The Apes', 'Baby Driver' and 'Dunkirk', there is still plenty of movies to look forward to this year. However, before they come along the conveyor belt, we must first address those motion picture experiences which made going to the cinema in 2017 a chore rather than a pleasure....

In the wise words of 'Jurassic Park's John Arnold -
''Hold onto your butts!''