Best Films of 2017 (So Far)

If it's good enough for Mark Kermode, it's good enough for me to offer my top ten favourite films of 2017. It isn't a halfway through the year list, as I have a couple of July releases on the list.

Starting off in January with the first film I saw in 2017 is A Monster Calls. Adapted from his own novel by Patrick Ness, it's a story about a boy coming to terms with his mother's cancer through the stories that are told to him by a giant tree monster (voiced by Liam Neeson). It's a wonderfully told story and when viewing, a large box of hankies is strongly recommended.

Hidden Figures, which was my favourite of the Oscar Best Picture nominees, is about the contribution of African-American women to the space race. As well as covering an important issue, it's also a fun, entertaining movie.

Beauty and the Beast for my money was a much better musical than La La Land. Some outstanding performances from the likes of Kevin Kline, Luke Evans and Josh Gad - and decent enough jobs done by most of the others. It's difficult to see past the animated version, but there are some nice additions song-wise, a decent expansion of the Belle-Beast love story with a subplot side trip to a Parisian windmill, and I watched it seven times at the cinema, so I must have liked it.

The Handmaiden was a Korean retelling of Sarah Waters' novel The Fingersmith. A very cleverly mounted production with a nice twisty plot and some gorgeous design. Erotic scenes mean that it's probably one that you don't want to watch in the company of elderly relatives.

Their Finest - a Second World War dramedy set around the production of propaganda films by the British Ministry of Information. Funny and moving with Bill Nighy chewing the scenery like the professional scenery-chewer he is.

Wonder Woman - aside from the climactic battle, one of the best superhero movies made. Can hold its head up with the likes of Superman the Movies (which also has a bit of a ropy ending).

A Man Called Ove - if you still have that box of tissues from watching A Monster Calls, you might need it for this. Very funny and touching film.

Spider-Man: Homecoming - the Spider-Man remake that no one thought we wanted. Only it turned out (in my book) to be one of the best of the Spider-Man films, and certainly the best Spider-Man actor we've ever had (and I'm including Nicholas Hammond).

War for the Planet of the Apes - Andy Serkis is brilliant. The film is great. That's all I think I need to say.

Dunkirk - pure cinematic joy.