The 25 Best Movies of 2017

Image via Complex/Jonathan Fouabi

Director: Greg McLean

Stars: John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona, Melonie Diaz

James Gunn had me at “social experiment where co-workers are forced to decide if they murk each other.” The Belko Experiment, which seemed to get shrugs or groans from most critics, was a bag of fun. And fright. And gore. But mostly fun. The problem is that most people tried to delve too deeply into the film; Belko was legit a premise that played itself out on the screen. With the film hitting home media, it might be one of those flicks where you set up a Belko pool, where contestants bet on which employee will survive, then get drunk watching the film, laughing, cringing, and hoping that their pick makes it to the end. Any deeper analysis on this film and you’re doing too much. —khal

Director: Julia Ducournau

Stars: Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Naït Oufella

Okay, hear us out—yes, Raw is a horror movie centered around vegetarians and veterinarians, but boy, is it so much more. French writer and director Julia Ducournau explores the classic horror trope of cannibalism but also manages to add in a telling narrative that touches on feminism, women's sexuality, college hazing, and sisterhood. At its core, though, Ducournau’s Raw is a coming-of-age story about the young and innocent Justine. Raised by strict vegetarian-veterinarian parents, Justine is sent off to a vet university that doubles as a bleak cinder-block hellhole at the start of the movie.

Right from the gate, she’s shoved into bizarro veterinarian-style hazing rituals and parties. And even though she has an upperclassman, older sister, Alexia, we quickly learn she’s not one for babying. After an especially gross haze, which involves forcing these poor freshmen to eat raw rabbit kidneys, Justine (who’s followed a stringent plant-based diet all her life) comes down with a nasty rash. At first, she just brushes it off as a weird allergic reaction, but then she suddenly starts craving meat. Next thing you know she’s scarfing down chicken cutlets out of her dorm room mini fridge. But what’s unique about Raw's depiction of Justine's descent into cannibalism is how the film balances her fresh flesh eating habits with her newfound lust for her roommate, Adrien. It’s a bold, refreshing exploration of a young woman trying to come to terms with herself—even the most gruesome cannibalistic parts. —Helen Owolabi

Director: Nacho Vigalondo

Stars: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudekis, Dan Stevens

If we were compiling a list of the weirdest films of 2017, Colossal might just take first place. Part monster movie, part alcoholism drama, part feminist revenge flick with more than a few hints of romantic farce, Nacho Vigolando’s latest genre-bending exercise is also one of his most breathlessly fun. The basic facts are these: Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is an alcoholic. Returning home after being kicked out of her NYC apartment by her well to do boyfriend, Gloria reconnects with a childhood friend (Jason Sudeikis) and discovers her self-destructive tendencies have massive consequences for the world at large. Those consequences, as it would have it, are manifested in a towering Kaiju that appears over Seoul at the most inopportune moments. It’s a hell of setup, but Vigolando couches his more fantastic monster movie elements in some incredibly compelling dissections of gender dynamics, resulting in a final product that feels less like a fantastical experiment and more like an astute commentary on what happens when “the nice guy” goes very, very wrong. —Aubrey Page

Director: Matt Spicer

Stars: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr.

We’ve all been told that social media is leading to the downfall of society, but Ingrid Goes West is the first film that makes us believe it. At its core, a social commentary, the movie still manages to be funny… but dark as f**k. Aubrey Plaza is literally terrifying in her portrayal of Ingrid Thorburn. She’s a shut-in who recently lost her mom and decides to move to California to befriend #happy and #fulfilled Instagram influencer, Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen). What follows is an insane Instafame-fueled nightmare come to life. If you don’t want to delete Instagram by the end, you’ll minimally start to cringe every time you re-write a caption or add a hashtag. —Madison Hartman

Director: Tyler MacIntyre

Stars: Josh Hutcherson, Brianna Hildebrand, Kevin Durand, Alexandra Shipp

Sure, 2017 had more than its fair share of surprises, but Tragedy Girls, which dropped on the scene with an unfairly small amount of hype, is definitely one of the year’s strangest and charming curiosities. Starring two X-Men alums, Brianna Hildebrand (Deadpool) and Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse), Tragedy Girls is a cynical, gleefully dark piece of f***ed-up work all dressed up in Clueless clothing. Hildenbrand and Shipp star as McKayla and Sadie, sunny suburban high school girls with a dark secret: they’re serial killers.

Of course, it’s a little more sophisticated than that—the girls aren’t so much after the thrill of the kill as they are the notoriety associated with the murders, as they track the increasingly gory deaths via their social media handle #TragedyGirls. With a pitch like that, it’s inevitable that things get out of hand quickly—but just when you think Tragedy Girls has fallen into a familiar groove, it makes a bloody detour into some pretty dark places. —Aubrey Page

Director: Dee Rees

Stars: Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Mary J. Blige

When you think of period pieces that depict the racism that is woven into the fabric of America, most of those films focus on slavery. It can grow tiresome, especially if you are an African-American who enjoys fine cinema. It's not that those stories aren't important, it's that there are more examples of America's racist past that don't involve black people having their teeth knocked out and whipped like dogs. Dee Rees proves that with her spellbinding film Mudbound, which takes a look at Mississippi in the shadow of World War II. The tale finds two young men, one white and one black, finding common ground on their shared experiences overseas as soldiers, which includes bouts of PTSD. And while this two-plus hour drama is long in weaving its tale, once it hits its horrific climax, you understand the need for so much exposition. What's also shocking is how relevant many notes in this story are to today's America. Kudos to Mary J. Blige for acting her ass off in this film, as well as Jason Mitchell, who proves himself once again. Another W for Netflix. —khal

Director: Greta Gerwig

Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf

There’s a moment at the very beginning of Lady Bird when the titular Christine sits with her mom in the car, tears streaming down their faces, as they finish a particularly emotional book on tape—and then the pair immediately launch into some of the finest passive aggressive arguing ever put to film. It’s the moment Lady Bird proves itself to be something of an insta-classic, but it’s not the only one. From the too-perfect use of “Cry Me A River” during a particularly cringe-y house party scene to the perfectly drawn art-douche object of desire, we all knew Greta Gerwig was a gem, but I’m not sure anyone expected her first foray behind the camera to be this damn good. —Aubrey Page

Director: Angela Robinson

Stars: Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote

The true story of the Wonder Woman character is so much more interesting than you ever thought. The movie tells the polyamorous love story of William Moulton Marston, Elizabeth Marston and Olive Byrne—turns out Mr. Marston literally created Wonder Woman as progressive propaganda and based her on the two women in his life. Luke Evans plays Professor Marston brilliantly, balancing the real-life Marston’s submissive nature and the looks that got him the role of villain in the Fast & Furious series/Gaston. Marston’s legal wife, played by Rebecca Hall, is a f***ing FORCE who ties them all together perfectly. It’s also, thanks to what director Angela Robinson calls "the female gaze," incredibly sexy. Watch it with your girlfriend and she will be very impressed with your feminism and sex positivity. Trust us. —Madison Hartman

Director: Raoul Peck

Stars: Samuel L. Jackson

With the insanity of America put on full display during the 2016 presidential election, it was important that we got to tackle some of the hardcore issues of race in society with a trio of documentaries. While the critically-acclaimed 13th (about prison reform) and O.J.: Made In America (about race in the country, told through the lens of the O.J. Simpson trial) both got full releases in 2016, Raoul Peck’s I Am Not Your Negro only received a short, Oscar-qualifying run before wide release this year. The film, which looks at the history of race via the works of author James Baldwin, gave viewers a pointed look at how racial stereotypes play out in the mainstream, from the films we watch to the news narratives we are fed. From the words of Baldwin’s final manuscript, Peck is able to highlight how life was for African Americans in the Civil Rights era, but it really looks back at the history of how African Americans have been treated from the days of The Birth of a Nation to the riots in Ferguson and Baltimore. If you’re concerned about our nation’s terrible history repeating itself under the Trump regime, heed the words of James Baldwin through Peck’s immaculate documentary. —khal

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Stars: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon

At this point, it’s basically a guarantee that anything Guillermo del Toro makes is gonna be incredible—but The Shape of Water is an absolute stunner. Reminiscent of his wonky fairy tale work in the classic Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water is a simple story of star-crossed lovers… except one of those lovers just so happens to be a fish-man. While the story is deceptively straightforward, del Toro manages to create one of his richest worlds yet, one that manages to pay homage both to his movie monster roots and to the Old Hollywood glamour that gives the movie its sumptuous look. It’s deep, it’s sweet—but don’t be fooled, it’s also intense as hell. (And yes, she f***s the fish-man. You know you wanted to know.) —Aubrey Page

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Stars: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg

If you haven’t gotten around to seeing Call Me By Your Name in theaters just yet, its reputation as the movie in which a dude f***s a peach precedes it. Yes, that absolutely does happen (for like, a while) but it’s my responsibility to tell you that despite all the peach boning, it’s pretty much a perfect film, and easily the best romance of the year. If that weren’t enough, the soundtrack is nuts, the cinematography is next-level, and the collective performances of Armie Hammer, Timothee Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg deserve all the awards they’re almost certainly going to get. It’s not the flashiest film this year, but it’s certainly one of the most powerful. You can bet we’ll be talking about this one well into 2018—and not just because of that peach. —Aubrey Page

Director: Andy Muschietti

Stars: Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Bill Skarsgård

In the cinematic personification of 2016's deadly infatuation with scary clowns, the 2017 remake of It rocked and shocked the nation to the tune of almost $696 million made at the worldwide box office. While Tim Curry's Pennywise might have stuck closer to Stephen King's original story, Bill Skarsgård's version wore his sinister creepiness on his sleeve. Updating the story to the '80s was a nice touch, as was casting Finn Wolfhard, who seemingly pulled a 180 from his role as Mike on Stranger Things, stealing the show one four-letter word at a time. The best part? In September of 2019, we get to do it all again! —khal

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Stars: Javier Bardem, Jennifer Lawrence

The movie everyone loves to hate (and love!) mother! was one of the more polarizing flicks in recent memory. Upon leaving the theater, everyone, including my homegirl and myself, asked what it all meant. We dissected scenes and tried to guess who each character was and what their purpose was. Is this about Earth? Misogyny? Is it about the Bible? All three, maybe? Actually, mother! is whatever you want it to mean and it’s pretty dope that a movie like this could even be made in this economy. And if you hated the plot (you’re not alone), but you cannot front on the acting and the cinematography. Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Lawrence, and Ed Harris all pulled up to teach a master class. If you haven’t seen mother!, you should because it’s guaranteed to make you feel something and isn’t that what going to the movies is all about? —Angel Diaz

Director: Malcolm D. Lee

Stars: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish

Almost an hour into watching Girls Trip, there's a scene where two of the four Flossy Posse members ride a zipline and end up spraying the crowd below with piss. The film was already hilarious, and already had me hooked, but it was then that I realized: you rarely get to see black women in film act this insane without there being some kind of problem with them. White dudes have been able to tow the line between gross and hilarious on screen for eons; this feels like a proper revolution. Maybe that's why it was the only comedy film in 2017 to gross over $100 million domestically. It's also the only film that allowed Tiffany Haddish to light audiences on fire with her in-your-face comedy. Whether it's asking Mike Coulter if he was sleeping with Gladys Knight or turning up with Diddy on stage at the Essence Festival; the Earth was properly introduced to the last black unicorn, and Hollywood is that much better for it. —khal

Director: Taika Waititi

Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett

After dropping two sub-par Thor films, Marvel needed a wake-up call. There was no way the series would last kicking the same dead Norse. And while there's no confirmation that the powers that be at Marvel were specifically trying to make Thor more like the Guardians of the Galaxy, that's certainly what Thor: Ragnarok felt like. The first teaser trailer just had a different vibe to it; there's wall-to-wall jokes, there's outer space hi-jinx, there's Tessa Thompson, and THE HULK!

While not a perfect film, 2017's third-best Marvel movie was a Taika Waititi project through and through. It could have given us more Cate Blanchett, but they did double down on the low-key Hulk film they've been cultivating, and again, we need Tessa freaking Thompson in all of the Marvel movies. Just shoehorn her in and take all my money. All in all, Ragnarok was some of the best fun to be had at the theater in 2017. —khal

Director: Chad Stahelski

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Common, Ian McShane

Even for superhero and other assorted franchise enthusiasts, serialized blockbusters have become incredibly stale. The yearly population of action movies that don't feature all-powerful beings—gods, robots, mutants... whatever—trading blows with each other is shrinking. Enter John Wick, the hero we needed and deserved. He moves like he's all-powerful, but the best moments in this sequel are the sequences where previous knockdown drag-outs are weighing on him. The centerpiece is without a doubt, a montage of assassination attempts staged like a triptych unfolding concurrently and it's made every bit more thrilling by the idea that he could pass out at any given moment from too many cracked ribs. And still, he manages to put a pencil through an opponent's eye. John Wick is, of course, on its way to becoming a franchise in its own right. This sequel only exists because the original was critically and commercially successful, so by the laws of Hollywood sequels it had a 62% chance of being superfluous and bad. Instead, it's a revenge tale on par with its predecessor, and one unafraid of fully owning up to the consequences of our leading man's actions. And, the fight choreography still looks like it was drawn up by a Russian ballet company. This is pulp perfection, f**k it, bring on John Wick 3. —Frazier Tharpe

Director: James Gunn

Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, Kurt Russell, Vin Diesel

If an animated character could win an IRL trophy during AWARDS SZN, I would campaign for Baby Groot to sweep all of the Supporting Actor awards. The second installment in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy series is book ended with amazingness from Baby Groot, who’s all kinds of young and reckless, with a huge heart. He’s not the only stand-out in this intergalactic tour de force, though; Michael Rooker brings all of the feels in his performance as Yondu, and for a Cinematic Universe that has trouble with their big bads, Kurt Russell’s Ego stands tall. The movie might not be as magnificent as the first Guardians film, but if you loved the original, you’ll be enamored with Baby Groot and the entire production of the sequel. —khal

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Stars: Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas

Blade Runner: 2049 was a tough sell off the rip. It was hard to believe that kids today were trying to rush the theaters to take in the sequel of a 35-year-old film that was very niche and a highly-influential cult classic that has eight different versions. It featured Harrison Ford, who's taking home any check that featured him revitalizing any of his beloved characters, and Ryan Gosling, who continued the "is he or isn't he" conversation about replicants from the original that acted as a deeper look at what it truly meant to be human.

Sadly, Blade Runner 2049 wasn't seen as a major success. Sure, the worldwide box office take is estimated at $258.2 million on a budget that ranged anywhere from $150 million to $185 million, but with a massive 163-minute runtime and the aforementioned difficulties in connecting this already-polarizing series with a mainstream audience led to the film underperforming, even to relatively modest opening weekend expectations. Truth be told, though, if you didn't go see Blade Runner 2049 in theaters, you played yourself. Denis Villeneuve did a magnificent job at crafting a gorgeously bleak future. A future where there are still problematic views of the woman's role in society, which is both troubling and, as Villenevue tried to explain, highly reflective of today's society.

Blade Runner 2049 is ultimately very similar to its 35-year-old predecessor, for good or ill, and will be fascinating to return to when viewers are finally ready to digest it, flaws and all. —khal

Director: Patty Jenkins

Stars: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston

It’s about f***ing time. In more than 50 tries since 2000, DC and Marvel have managed to produce just two female-fronted superhero movies. Finally, DC got around to making Wonder Woman and it turned out to be the highest-grossing superhero origin movie of all time. Gal’s portrayal of Diana Prince is a long way from her Fast & Furious origins, delivering a nuanced, heroic and comedic performance (Diana on discovering ice cream: “You should be very proud.”). Themyscira is very important and we need an entire movie there, focusing on actual boxing legend Ann Wolfe as Artemis. Patty Jenkins direction is visionary, giving us the funniest DC product in a long time, and a film where the hero is actually heroic. Wonder Woman is a leader who stands for truth and love, and her story was a shining beacon of hope in this garbage fire of a year. —Madison Hartman

Director: Jon Watts

Stars: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr.

Tobey Maguire may have owned the Spider-Man mantle for a generation, but you can't front on how close to the comics Tom Holland's Peter Parker was. Born from the long-awaited union of Marvel and Sony (aka Sony needing that MCU brain trust to make their Spider-Man property great again), we get the beginning of the third Spider-Man film series, which could ultimately be the best Spider-Man series. Holland's glimpses of Spider-excellence in Civil War are on full display in Homecoming, from the mile-a-minute banter during boss fights to the fact that he's just trying to fit in with the (Avengers) squad. The trailer and poster may have fooled you into thinking that this was Iron Man: Homecoming, but this was without a doubt the Spider-Man show.

Holland didn't do it alone, though. Michael Keaton gloriously returned to the superhero set as the Vulture, a pissed off everyman who took his genius and turned it into mayhem. The school Parker goes to is wonderfully realistic, perfectly showcasing the diversity within New York City IRL, and Zendaya sowed seeds for a shift in her character that feels like it will pay off huge in the near future.

Even though we didn't get nearly enough Marisa Tomei in this film, damn near everything in this was perfection. Solid foundation for the future of Sony's Spider-verse. Suit up. —khal

Director: Craig Gillespie

Stars: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney

Even when you keep your eyes and ears deeply entrenched in the world of pop culture, there are still projects that blow you away. I, Tonya, the Margot Robbie-starring film that tells the story of figure skating's great villain, Tonya Harding, was that project in 2017. Harding's spent her time in the limelight being hated as skating's bad girl. For good measure, to be honest: she was reportedly part of a plot to take fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan out of competition, and might have if the plan didn't blow up in her face. I, Tonya might not be Harding's redemption song, but it is a great definition of there always being two sides to every story.

Oh, did we mention that there's just as much comedy in this as there is tragedy? Sure, we see young Tonya being forced to pee herself by her abusive, demanding mother, but there are times where real life is just as hilarious as fiction. It's also heart-breaking; at the center of this is a woman with a certain gift who truly just wants to be loved, and she either has to deal with a mother who's devoid of that emotion or a mate who's confused on what love truly is. When expressing herself with her God-given talent, Tonya still isn't good enough. It can give you an "I don't give a f**k" attitude, but in stories like this, those attitudes usually end terribly.

I, Tonya isn't just a film for those of us who watched the story blow up on TV news shows and the National Enquirer; this film is for anyone who wonders how quickly a nation can turn on you. —khal

Director: James Mangold

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen

Logan is by far one of the best X-Men movies in existence. Hugh Jackman turns out a stellar performance as a former superhero whose powers have deteriorated and is now trying to keep a low profile as a limo driver. Realism is the name of the game for the latest final installment in the Wolverine saga set in the year 2029 when no new mutant has been born since 2004. Not only is Logan slowly dying, the same is happening to Professor X who is also losing control of his powers. This movie is dark, bloody, and grown as f**k. X-23, one of the many mutants genetically altered in a lab, may even be more vicious than our protagonist. She’s not only limber and a stone-cold killer; she’s also fluent in Spanish, which made me like this film even more. Both she and the man formerly-known-as Wolverine claw their way out of trouble the same gory way Jason terrorized Camp Crystal Lake. There are interesting twists and turns in Logan that do a good job in creating a narrative for life after Wolverine and his mentor. —Angel Diaz

Director: Rian Johnson

Stars: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill

It’s hard to create something new, especially when you’re Star Wars and/or being watched by $2 billion worth of picky eyeballs. Writer/director Rian Johnson more than managed it, with his Force-grip on the film’s mid-trilogy destiny to mirror The Empire Strikes Back, a respect for the flavor J.J. Abrams gave the new arc rather than a need to subvert it. An extra hat tip to Johnson for maintaining his own restless, committed imagination, the same one that’s propelled stuff like Looper and the Breaking Bad episodes he directed to true brilliance. (Like: welcome to an entire crucial dimension of the Force untapped over 40 years of movies.)

Johnson bullseye’d the standard checklist innovations like battles so gorgeously different than any we’ve seen, wild untried stratagems, and resonant new characters. But his stewardship of the core of it all, this Skywalker story that’s run for eight films and may end after just one more, resembled nothing on any checklist. Rey, Kylo Ren, Luke, Leia, Finn, and Poe sometimes take familiar journeys around the galaxy, but none of them are retracing anyone’s steps emotionally or narratively anymore. Where Episode IX goes, nobody knows. —Zach Dionne

Director: Jordan Peele

Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Lakeith Stanfield

You can call Get Out a number of things: the little indie social horror film that could. Jordan Peele’s surprise hit of an entry into the world of horror. Daniel Kaluuya’s breakout performance to American audiences. The one-time record holder for the highest grossing film by a black director. Or, you can simply call it the best movie of 2017. The social commentary is real; in almost the same way 2016’s OJ.: Made In America smacked non-black people in the face with the realities of being black in America. Get Out perfectly summarizes how black people are viewed in this country. And even when Peele drops horror tropes that a more seasoned director might escape, it still pays homage to the genre while maintaining the funny and the insanity of these frighteningly real situations. If the best horror is the horror of everyday life, Peele held a mirror to issues of race and racism with Get Out, and deserves all of the acclaim and accolades that came with it. —khal

Director: Sean Baker

Stars: Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Willem Dafoe

After seeing Star Wars: The Last Jedi, I said to myself, "I'm ready for Disney to start taking money directly from my paycheck every month." They technically already have, but the house that Mickey Mouse built is truly dominating the pop culture landscape. Thing is, you can't acknowledge their triumphs (and dominance) without looking at the destruction in their wake. That's where A24's The Florida Project comes in.

Taking place in a series of motels in the shadow of Disney World, we follow the life of a six-year-old girl who is too lit for words. Born to a mother who was no doubt not ready for the responsibility of being a parent, we watch as her life unfolds over a summer: she's making friends, she's panhandling, she's causing all kinds of mayhem. You know, kid shit. The child (magnificently played by Brooklynn Prince) is too (street) smart for her own good, but, only being six, isn't given the tools to handle what life is no doubt going to throw at her.

Prince isn't the only shining star in this film; Bria Vinaite plays her mother, who is scraping together just enough to get by and harming her child's future in the process. Both Prince and Vinaite excel in their breakout performances, and are the emotional crux of a film that also has a brilliant performance from Willem Dafoe, who plays the motel's manager, although he's truly more of a caretaker than any of the parents in this film.

The Florida Project is a film that will make you laugh as much as it makes you cry; it will puff your heart up with emotion, then rip it out of your chest and stomp all over it. Then it will drown it in spit and laugh at you for being hurt before patiently stitching you back up for a tremendous ending. It's real life, happening, every day, and feels like a documentary on how the ratchet, headline-grabbing side of Florida is born. —khal