Look back on 2017’s most impactful movies

The year 2017 was a debacle in more ways than one. From natural disasters to political drama, Hungry Chuck’s closing and the mumps, this past year will easily go down in history. Films, usually a reliable source of escapism, suffered this year, with yearly box office totals in decline and with a plethora of high-profile men in the industry being ousted for sexual misconduct.

But if you found yourself in a theater, you were presented with some diverse and thought-provoking stories told through film. Riding off the high that was “Moonlight”’s historic Best Picture win, we were gifted with comedian Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” a satirical horror film that taps into subtle racism and the objectification of black bodies, and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman,” the saving grace of the DC Universe and the highest grossing female-directed film.

Also in the mix are the critically acclaimed “Call Me By Your Name,” a coming of age story about a boy realizing he’s gay, and the film “Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri” which tackles a number of current social issues including police brutality, rape culture and racism. Movies this year faced issues head-on, and to great effect if you actually went and saw them.

Though I’d like to think I carry some clout when it comes to claiming what’s what in the movie world, a definitive ‘Best Of’ list from anyone should be taken with some reservation. Taste in film, much like music, comes with personal preference, exposure and cultural background, among many other factors.

But yearly ‘Best Of’ lists can help narrow entertainment choices, foster discussion and debate and expose people to quality titles they may not have considered otherwise. And while unfortunately I can’t present a list in nearly as epic a fashion as IndieWire critic David Ehrlich can – revel in its glory here – I can compile a list of the most impactful, moving and entertaining films I’ve seen this year, in no particular order.

Best Film to See in Theaters

“Dunkirk”

In the midst of Netflix’s small screen reign, “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan gave us the best reason to seek out a big screen since maybe James Cameron’s “Avatar.” Filmed and presented in IMAX 70mm, “Dunkirk” ’s optimal viewing experience – there were under 40 theaters in the US who screened the film in its “proper” format – offered a resolution that was equivalent to watching in 12K. To put that into perspective, most new TV models boast a 4K high-definition viewing experience. While the story was relatively simple for a Nolan flick, the sound and picture quality put you on the front lines of World War II in a way no other war film has done before. Reduce this to watching on your MacBook via Pirate Bay and it’s just not the same experience.

Best Netflix Release

“Okja”

“Okja,” one of Netflix’s best self-produced films, caused a bit of a stir at its Cannes Film Festival debut. Objections were raised to Netflix’s choice to release the film both on its streaming platform and also in a handful of theaters. Despite the heated debate over whether streaming-only films can be considered for prestigious film awards, “Okja” stands strongly on its own. From Korean director Bong Joon-ho, who also made the bad-ass “Snowpiercer,” “Okja” follows a young Korean girl and her best friend, a giant genetically-engineered “Super Pig” whose purpose for being includes ultimately ending up on someone’s dinner plate. Jake Gyllenhaal and Tilda Swinton provide kooky supporting roles in this heartwarming, albeit unusual, tale about a girl and her pet, with some political commentary on Monsanto-esque corporations thrown in for good measure.

Most Ambitious

“Mother!”

It’s hard to delve into what makes “Mother!” such a bombshell without giving too much away. This is easily Jennifer Lawrence’s boldest role, and rightfully so, since the camera is fixated on her for the majority of the film. She plays a doting wife to Javier Bardem, a poet with worse writer’s block than me, who is tirelessly renovating their isolated Eden of a home. Trouble ensues, and quickly turns to chaos when strangers start to show up. “Black Swan” director Daren Aronofsky defends his hotly debated film, saying it’s an allegory on both climate change and the Bible. If you have a strong stomach, delve into this one blind and with an open mind — I won’t spoil the fun.

Most Unique

“A Ghost Story”

An unexpectedly touching film, “A Ghost Story” seems on the surface to have an almost silly premise. Casey Affleck spends 90 percent of the film’s runtime underneath an actual bed sheet as the titular ghost. But those barren black holes that represent the endearing ghost’s eyes translate into endless heartbreak, as the unnamed ghost eternally waits for his love, who is played by Rooney Mara, to return to him. Effectively utilizing sound — and lack thereof — to embrace the melancholy of the afterlife, “A Ghost Story” is a quiet, sentimental film reflecting on what it means to have loved and lost. I cried. And I don’t cry.

Audience Picks

“Get Out” “Baby Driver” “Lady Bird”

For this piece, I polled several other college students, from Syracuse to NYU to Penn State, on their favorite films of the year. Any movie that convinces college students to cough up the ticket price should be impressing on that merit alone, but three titles repeatedly came up in conversations.

“Get Out,” mentioned above, was a popular pick, with its use of horror and comedy to convey the menace of subtle racism in society. “Baby Driver” was a close second: an Atlanta heist flick with a twist, “Baby Driver” choreographs entire chase scenes, fights and walks down the street to an eclectic soundtrack, in what is easily the slickest edit job of the year. Rounding out the audience picks is Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird,” a fresh breath of air in the coming-of-age teenage dramedy. If you don’t want to hug your mom after seeing it, you may be lacking a soul.

Here’s to the movies that helped us get through 2017, and to hoping that 2018 is a little easier on us.

Lilly Stuecklen is a senior television, radio and film major. She can be reached on Twitter @Stuecks or by email at lsstueck@syr.edu.