As far as our sociopolitical environment is concerned, 2017 has been a dumpster fire inside a locked building full of orphans. But as we have witnessed with the tumultuous period of the 1970s, such times usually result in daring, transgressive, and sometimes even revolutionary artistic work. Therefore, it makes sense for this year to provide some of the most original and exhilarating films to be released from all demographics of genre, budget, studio, etc… Overall, 2017 feels like a major turning point in how filmmakers and studios approach their craft, and how audiences consume it. Many giant budget franchise installments underperformed, hopefully leading Hollywood to consider dialing back on these “sure thing” investments and start divesting their efforts to propping up more mid-budget original material.
This was a year that saw filmmakers take same interesting risks in the name of advancing and changing the art form. Some big-budget projects based on well-established intellectual properties weren’t afraid to challenge their audiences beyond the tacit expectations laid out by said IP, sometimes even taking a literal torch to set-in-stone canonical elements in order to open the narrative up to brand new and exciting possibilities. “Blade Runner 2049” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” immediately come to mind.
Horror was also reinvigorated with genre-bending gusto, in a way that hasn’t been witnessed since the late 70s. “Get Out” proved that an excellent suspense story could be intermingled with some astute cultural messaging, and not come across as didactic and preachy. Films like “mother!”, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”, and “It Comes at Night” pushed the boundaries of what constitutes “horror.” My number one film of the year, on the other hand, I believe will be hailed as a modern horror masterpiece in years to come.
Instead of creating a traditional Top 10 list, I decided to edit a video countdown that — I hope — entertainingly outlines my picks. I realize that the video doesn’t come with any commentary from me regarding the reasons behind these choices, and that’s firmly by design since I wanted the films to speak for themselves. That being said, if you have any questions about why I did or didn’t pick certain titles, or you just want to use Twitter for its intended purpose of calling a stranger a “moron” based on no facts or argumentative logic whatsoever, you can reach me @egekozak
What an excellently surprising list!
A Cure For Wellness? MA MAN! It won’t make mine but I was deeply enthralled by its beautiful madness.