Worst2First: 2017 Films #40 - #21

Worst2First: 

2017 Films #40 - #21

2017 was a spectacular year for film, and I was privileged enough to see 80 of those movies.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see them all (such as "The Disaster Artist" or "The Shape of Water"), but I was able to see a large amount.

So I compiled all the 80 movies I saw that were released in 2017 and made four different Worst2First lists, breaking it up so you don't have to read through one super long list.  I've also split the films by color, as well as number:

If the film image is in red, it means I graded it a D+, D, D-, or F, and should probably never be seen again.
If the film image is in yellow, it means I graded it a C+, C, or C-, and if you want to watch them, be warned that they probably won't be great.
If the film image is in blue, it means I graded it a B+, B, or B-, and that means the film was alright - not memorable or terrible, just forgettable.
If the film image is in green, it means I graded it an A or A-, and while they were missing that certain special something, you should definitely give them a shot.
If the film image is in purple, it means I graded it an A+, and was among the best films of the year in my opinion.

So I will now continue the list with ranking #40 - #21.

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

While Ridley Scott's "Prometheus" deviated from the traditional "Alien" franchise, he returned true-to-form with "Alien: Covenant," finding a group of space travelers who come into contact with the murderous alien beings.  Plus seeing Michael Fassbender playing two different characters was intriguing and he managed to pull it off well (even despite that infamous flute playing scene).

Keanu Reeves has re-invented himself as a huge action star, even though he's well over 50, with his John Wick franchise.  Once again he returns to kill a lot of people in a lot of unique ways (such as with a pencil), and the end result is a fun-filled stylistic action epic filled with excitement and non-stop pacing.

The true story of a soldier who fights to adopt her solider dog is filled with heartfelt emotion and packed a powerful punch, mostly due to Kate Mara's excellent acting.

The true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots is the stuff of legend, and seeing how these men stared danger in the face day after day was a true inspiration.  Led by the terrific acting abilities of Josh Brolin and Miles Teller, this film tugs at the heart while also keeps you on the edge of your seat with vivid visuals and a group of men you really care about.

Far removed from Peter Jackson's long-winded opus, "Kong: Skull Island" is a more tight action adventure featuring a looming, tall, overbearing giant of a beast.  Kong is no longer a pining whimpering ape, but the true force of nature he's supposed to be.  Seeing how he attacked the helicopters is downright terrifying, and the whole feel of the film was reminiscent of "Apocalypse Now."  Plus the film featured a standout crew including Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly.

In a time where mainstream horror movies failed miserably ("Jigsaw" and "Wish Upon" immediately come to mind), "Happy Death Day" rose above the ranks and became a knockout hit.  Taking the "Groundhog's Day" theme, a sorority girl (hilariously played by newcomer Jessica Rothe) relives the last day of her life over and over in hopes of finding the killer.  While she begins as a bratty sorority girl, she slowly learns the importance of being a good person, much like Bill Murray's character did.  Plus she has a natural charm and charisma that made us root for her, and the film is actually quite humorous.  An excellent slasher film with surprising heart and humor.

The original "Kingsman" was a farcical take on the James Bond spy genre, yet it also paid homage to it as well.  It was much more than making fun of history, but instead it re-invented it.  The sequel is every bit as good, every bit as stylish and exciting, with the addition of Julianne Moore as the deliciously evil villain.

Films like this have a way of exploiting your emotions - you feel bad for the characters because you feel like the movie forces you to feel bad for them.  What's magical about "Wonder" is that it doesn't do that, yet you still feel bad.  Yet that feeling isn't just sadness, but optimism and hope, seeing how a young boy who endured such hardships at an early age can overcome the obstacles and come out better for it.  Jacob Tremblay gives another excellent performance, proving once again his young star-making power.

Judi Dench is a force of nature, especially playing Queen Victoria (her second time playing the historical figure, and more than likely the second time she'll earn an Oscar nomination for it).  Here, we learn of a lesser known story of Victoria's unlikely friendship with a young Indian man named Abdul, and their unnatural relationship that threatened to cause a rift in the government.  Dench plays Victoria brilliantly, shining in all her glory, and giving a deep emotional core to the story.

Don't believe what the trailers tell you here - this isn't about feral creatures that come knocking at night, but rather a creature that's much more deadly and dangerous: the creature of man.  In a world after a catastrophic event, a family finds themselves locked in a remote home and kept safe from the evils outside, until they let in a family.  What follows is an unnerving, unrelenting spiral to total chaos and insanity, led by a stellar cast and a solid script.

A film that would've been forgotten if it wasn't for the real-life issues behind it, this Ridley Scott-led drama tells the true story of John Getty's grandson, who was kidnapped and held for ransom, but the wealthy oil tycoon refused to pay.  While the performances (especially by Michelle Williams) is awards-worthy, it was Scott's decision to cut out every scene that featured the now disgraced Kevin Spacey and replacing them with Christopher Plummer - in just nine short days - that's the most memorable.  Plummer even earned a Golden Globe nomination, and he too will probably receive an Oscar nomination for his brilliant performance.

Sometimes there's a movie that comes around that makes you not care about any sense of plausible plot or storyline, and "The Hitman's Bodyguard" was that type of film.  When you get comedian heavyweights Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson together, you're bound to have the laughs roll like a snowball at the top of a mountain, resulting in a hilarious avalanche by the end.  The two are comedic gold together, and even though the script is as basic as it comes, you don't really care - you just want to see these two working off each other.

Charlize Theron once again proves herself to be one of this generation's biggest butt-kickers as a spy during the Cold War who goes undercover to find a spy and save the world.  The fighting sequences are intense and exciting, giving obvious parallels to another action blockbuster: "John Wick."  It's no surprise, since the director also directed "John Wick," and star Keanu Reeves trained with Theron in preparing for her role.

It's rare to find a decent horror film.  It's even rarer to find a decent horror sequel.  Then it's an even rarer thing to find a decent spinoff of a horror film.  It's almost totally unheard of to find a decent prequel of a spinoff of a horror film.  Yet that's what "Annabelle: Creation" did - it was a tense, terrifying adventure to the depths of horror and dread, all centering around the most creepy doll in cinematic history.

No other film was more anticipated than "Star Wars," and after it was released, no other film was as divisive.  While some loved it, others absolutely loathed it (even saying it's worse than the prequels).  I, for one, find myself leaning toward loving it, but it did have some serious faults (the "spacewalk" scene, the whole time spent in that Las Vegas-style planet), but as a whole I found myself captivated by the tale, especially the tumultuous relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren.

People have quirks where they can't stand a particular actor, no matter how good they are in a film.  For me, that actor is Ansel Elgort.  I don't know specifically what I dislike about him, but I just don't like him.  While this is my own quirk and I readily admit it, it's what made "Baby Driver" an A instead of an A+ film.  Everything about it was perfect - Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, even the now disgraced Kevin Spacey, the car action scenes were set brilliantly to the music Baby was listening to, and everything else about it was absolutely brilliant - but I just couldn't get over Elgort's performance.

Heading into A+ territory, we get the newest film by M. Night Shyamalan, a film centering on a man who suffers from multiple personality disorder - he has 23 distinct personalities, but the 24th is the most dangerous.  After he kidnaps three young girls, he struggles with releasing that final personality, and James McAvoy gives a commanding performance here as he effortlessly switches from a young boy, to an uptight man, and a domineering woman among other roles.  He captivated the screen, igniting his character and propelling the film to a higher standard than what would've been if it was done by another actor.

The first "Guardians of the Galaxy" was a surprise hit for Marvel, and the sequel was every bit as good as the original, except the fact that the surprise was now gone.  We didn't wonder how a film about a talking raccoon and tree would fare - we already knew that we loved Rocket and Groot, so the magic of their performances was diminished slightly - but we still enjoyed the ride.  Star Lord searches for his real father, and we learn the importance of family - both blood and the family of friendship - as well as treated to some of the best one liners of the year (no one will ever forget "I'm Mary Poppins y'all!").

When Marvel acquired the rights to Spider-Man, everyone was thrilled.  Finally, the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man would be placed in the same world as our other iconic heroes, and his cameo in last year's "Civil War" was pure genius.  Here, we're not given the typical origin story: we've seen it all before.  We didn't need to see Uncle Ben die, we didn't need to see the spider bite, and thankfully we're not given those scenes.  Instead, we get a young, excited Peter Parker who is still learning the ropes, but doing so in a deeply realistic and teenage way.  The casting of Tom Holland was genius, as he epitomizes the youthful appearance Peter Parker was supposed to have - you truly believed he was just a high school student with superpowers.

The original Disney classic was the first animated film to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.  For their live-action adaptation, they stuck very true to the original feature and gave us, once again, a tale as old as time.  Emma Watson truly shines as Belle, and Dan Stevens as Beast brilliantly blends his animal nature and his humanity.  Even Luke Evans' Gaston is an intriguing character, and so much can be said about the Beast's living household items.  The songs are beautifully sung and choreographed, with vivid colors and excitement.  They were able to bring back the old magic and make us believe in love again.



Thanks for reading through!  Be sure to check back tomorrow as I reveal my top twenty films of 2017!