Top 90 Ranked

The Greatest Films of 2017

Modern Classics and Award Winning Cinema Masterpieces

Explore the top rated films from an iconic year in cinema. Discover must watch dramas, sci-fi epics, and acclaimed thrillers from this collection.

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About Movies in 2017

Looking back at the timeline of the 21st century, 2017 stands out as the moment when the rigid boundaries of the film industry finally began to dissolve. It was a year defined by a startling sense of transition, where the old guard met a ferocious new wave of storytelling that refused to play by established rules. If you ask a film historian why 2017 matters, they will likely point to the sheer diversity of voices that moved from the fringes to the absolute center of the cultural conversation.

The most undeniable shift occurred in the realm of horror and social commentary. Jordan Peele released Get Out, a film that effectively rewrote the blueprint for the modern thriller. It was a rare unicorn of a movie that functioned as a massive box office hit, a meme generator, and a searing indictment of performative liberalism. Watching audiences grapple with its themes in real time was a reminder that cinema could still be a provocative town square. That same year, Greta Gerwig made her solo directorial debut with Lady Bird, proving that the coming of age genre still had untapped depths of sincerity and sharp wit.

It was also the year that the Academy finally looked beyond its traditional blind spots. Moonlight had technically won Best Picture in February of 2017, but the fallout of that historic, chaotic ceremony set the tone for the months that followed. There was a palpable energy that systemic change was not just possible but inevitable. This spirit carried over into the summer with Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot delivering Wonder Woman. It was a massive cultural moment that shattered the persistent myth that female led superhero films were a financial risk.

Even the traditional blockbusters felt more auteur driven than usual. Rian Johnson polarized the Star Wars fandom with The Last Jedi, a film that dared to deconstruct the mythology of the galaxy far, far away. Meanwhile, Denis Villeneuve delivered Blade Runner 2049, a visual masterpiece that prioritized philosophical inquiry over explosions. Then there was Guillermo del Toro, who managed to turn a mid century fairy tale about a mute woman falling in love with a fish creature into a Best Picture winner. The Shape of Water was the ultimate testament to 2017's strange and beautiful heart. It was a year where the weird, the personal, and the political all found a way to coexist on the big screen.

Beyond the specific titles, 2017 is remembered because it felt like the last great year of the theatrical experience before the streaming wars truly cannibalized the marketplace. We were all still going to the theater to see things like Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, experiencing the ticking clock of history in 70mm. It was a year of bold swings and even bolder successes. From the neon soaked streets of Good Time to the sun drenched romance of Call Me by Your Name, 2017 reminded us that movies could be anything they wanted to be, as long as they had something real to say. For those who love the medium, it remains a high water mark of creativity and courage.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
90
2017 in Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017)
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
2017

The unconventional life of Dr. William Marston, the Harvard psychologist and inventor who helped invent the modern lie detector test and co-created Wonder Woman in 1941.

Drama
Romance
1h 48m
Angela Robinson
Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote, Connie Britton
89
2017 in Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)
Roman J. Israel, Esq.
2017

Hard-nosed liberal lawyer Roman J. Israel has been fighting the good fight forever while others take the credit. When his partner – the firm's frontman – has a heart attack, Israel suddenly takes on that role. He soon discovers some unsettling truths about the firm – truths that conflict with his values of helping the poor and dispossessed – and finds himself in an existential crisis that leads to extreme actions.

Drama
Crime
2h 2m
Dan Gilroy
Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo, Lynda Gravatt
88
2017 in Marshall (2017)
Marshall
2017

Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, battles through one of his career-defining cases.

Drama
1h 58m
Reginald Hudlin

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87
2017 in The Wall (2017)
The Wall
2017

An American sniper and his spotter engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game with an Iraqi sniper.

War
Thriller
1h 30m
Doug Liman
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Cena, Laith Nakli
86
2017 in Tulip Fever (2017)
Tulip Fever
2017

An artist falls for a married young woman while he's commissioned to paint her portrait. The two invest in the risky tulip market in hopes to build a future together.

Drama
Romance
1h 47m
Justin Chadwick
Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan, Christoph Waltz, Judi Dench
85
2017 in Brigsby Bear (2017)
Brigsby Bear
2017

Brigsby Bear Adventures is a children's TV show produced for an audience of one: James. When the show abruptly ends, James's life changes forever, and he sets out to finish the story himself.

Comedy
Drama
1h 37m
Dave McCary
Kyle Mooney, Mark Hamill, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Matt Walsh
84
2017 in Breathe (2017)
Breathe
2017

Based on the true story of Robin, a handsome, brilliant and adventurous man whose life takes a dramatic turn when polio leaves him paralyzed.

Drama
Romance
Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Hugh Bonneville, Tom Hollander
83
2017 in Last Flag Flying (2017)
Last Flag Flying
2017

Thirty years after serving together in the Vietnam War, Larry, Sal and Richard reunite for a different type of mission: to bury Doc's son, a young Marine killed in Iraq. Forgoing the burial, the trio take the casket on a bittersweet trip up the coast to New Hampshire – along the way reminiscing and coming to terms with the shared memories of a war that continues to shape their lives.

82
2017 in The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)
The Hitman's Bodyguard
2017

The world’s top bodyguard gets a new client, a hitman who must testify at the International Court of Justice. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time.

Action
Comedy
1h 58m
Patrick Hughes
81
2017 in Wonder Wheel (2017)
Wonder Wheel
2017

The story of four characters whose lives intertwine amid the hustle and bustle of the Coney Island amusement park in the 1950s: Ginny, an emotionally volatile former actress now working as a waitress in a clam house; Humpty, Ginny’s rough-hewn carousel operator husband; Mickey, a handsome young lifeguard who dreams of becoming a playwright; and Carolina, Humpty’s long-estranged daughter, who is now hiding out from gangsters at her father’s apartment.

Drama
Romance
Kate Winslet, Juno Temple, Jim Belushi, Justin Timberlake
80
2017 in All the Money in the World (2017)
All the Money in the World
2017

The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.

79
2017 in Geostorm (2017)
Geostorm
2017

After an unprecedented series of natural disasters threatened the planet, the world's leaders came together to create an intricate network of satellites to control the global climate and keep everyone safe. But now, something has gone wrong: the system built to protect Earth is attacking it, and it becomes a race against the clock to uncover the real threat before a worldwide geostorm wipes out everything and everyone along with it.

Action
Science Fiction
1h 49m
Dean Devlin
Gerard Butler, Alexandra Maria Lara, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish
78
2017 in The Mummy (2017)
The Mummy
2017

Though safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient queen whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension.

Fantasy
Thriller
1h 50m
Alex Kurtzman
Tom Cruise, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Jake Johnson
77
2017 in American Made (2017)
American Made
2017

The true story of pilot Barry Seal, who transported contraband for the CIA and the Medellin cartel in the 1980s.

Action
Comedy
1h 55m
Doug Liman
Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, Jesse Plemons
76
2017 in The Snowman (2017)
The Snowman
2017

Detective Harry Hole investigates the disappearance of a woman whose pink scarf is found wrapped around an ominous looking snowman.

Crime
Thriller
1h 59m
Tomas Alfredson
Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jonas Karlsson
75
2017 in Wish Upon (2017)
Wish Upon
2017

A teenage girl discovers a box with magical powers, but those powers comes with a deadly price.

Horror
Thriller
1h 31m
John R. Leonetti
Joey King, Ki Hong Lee, Sydney Park, Shannon Purser
74
2017 in A Cure for Wellness (2017)
A Cure for Wellness
2017

An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company's CEO from an idyllic but mysterious "wellness center" at a remote location in the Swiss Alps but soon suspects that the spa's miraculous treatments are not what they seem.

Horror
Mystery
Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, Mia Goth, Harry Groener
73
2017 in The Glass Castle (2017)
The Glass Castle
2017

A young girl is raised in a dysfunctional family constantly on the run from the FBI. Living in poverty, she comes of age guided by her drunkard, ingenious father who distracts her with magical stories to keep her mind off the family's dire state, and her selfish, nonconformist mother who has no intention of raising a family, along with her younger brother and sister, and her other older sister. Together, they fend for each other as they mature in an unorthodox journey that is their family life.

Drama
2h 7m
Destin Daniel Cretton
72
2017 in Baywatch (2017)
Baywatch
2017

Devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon butts heads with a brash new recruit. Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay.

Comedy
Action
1h 56m
Seth Gordon
Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Alexandra Daddario
71
2017 in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
2017

When the child Arthur’s father is murdered, Vortigern, Arthur’s uncle, seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword Excalibur from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy... whether he likes it or not.

Action
Drama
Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey, Djimon Hounsou
70
2017 in The Boss Baby (2017)
The Boss Baby
2017

A story about how a new baby's arrival impacts a family, told from the point of view of a delightfully unreliable narrator, a wildly imaginative 7 year old named Tim.

Animation
Comedy
1h 37m
Tom McGrath
Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Miles Bakshi, Jimmy Kimmel
69
2017 in Cars 3 (2017)
Cars 3
2017

Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician with her own plan to win, inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet, and a few unexpected turns.

Animation
Adventure
1h 42m
Brian Fee
Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper, Nathan Fillion
68
2017 in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
2017

Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Capt. Jack Sparrow feels the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost sailors led by his old nemesis, the evil Capt. Salazar, escape from the Devil's Triangle. Jack's only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it, he must forge an uneasy alliance with a brilliant and beautiful astronomer and a headstrong young man in the British navy.

Adventure
Action
2h 9m
Joachim Rønning
67
2017 in John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
John Wick: Chapter 2
2017

John Wick is forced out of retirement by a former associate looking to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to aid him, Wick travels to Rome and does battle against some of the world’s most dangerous killers.

Action
Thriller
2h 2m
Chad Stahelski
Keanu Reeves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio
66
2017 in Atomic Blonde (2017)
Atomic Blonde
2017

An undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.

Action
Adventure
1h 55m
David Leitch
65
2017 in Paddington 2 (2017)
Paddington 2
2017

Paddington, now happily settled with the Browns, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy, but it is stolen.

Adventure
Comedy
1h 44m
Paul King
Ben Whishaw, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Madeleine Harris
64
2017 in The Emoji Movie (2017)
The Emoji Movie
2017

Gene, a multi-expressional emoji, sets out on a journey to become a normal emoji.

Animation
Family
1h 26m
Tony Leondis
T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph
63
2017 in The Dark Tower (2017)
The Dark Tower
2017

A boy haunted by visions of a parallel world aids its disillusioned guardian in preventing the destruction of the nexus of universes known as the Dark Tower.

Fantasy
Action
1h 35m
Nikolaj Arcel
Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim
62
2017 in The Greatest Showman (2017)
The Greatest Showman
2017

The story of American showman P.T. Barnum, founder of the circus that became the famous traveling Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Drama
1h 45m
Michael Gracey
61
2017 in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
2017

In the 28th century, Valerian and Laureline are special operatives charged with keeping order throughout the human territories. On assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two undertake a mission to Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis where species from across the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence, and cultures. At the center of Alpha is a mysterious dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

Adventure
Science Fiction
2h 17m
Luc Besson
Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna
60
2017 in Justice League (2017)
Justice League
2017

Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen, Arthur Curry and Victor Stone to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.

59
2017 in Split (2017)
Split
2017

Though Kevin has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher, there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey, Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him — as well as everyone around him — as the walls between his compartments shatter apart.

Horror
Thriller
James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula
58
2017 in Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Beauty and the Beast
2017

A live-action adaptation of Disney's version of the classic tale of a cursed prince and a beautiful young woman who helps him break the spell.

Family
Fantasy
2h 9m
Bill Condon
Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline
57
2017 in The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
The Lego Batman Movie
2017

A cooler-than-ever Bruce Wayne must deal with the usual suspects as they plan to rule Gotham City, while discovering that he has accidentally adopted a teenage orphan who wishes to become his sidekick.

Animation
Action
1h 44m
Chris McKay
56
2017 in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
2017

Four teenagers in detention discover an old video game console with a game they’ve never heard of. When they decide to play, they are immediately sucked into the jungle world of Jumanji in the bodies of their avatars. They’ll have to complete the adventure of their lives filled with fun, thrills and danger or be stuck in the game forever!

Adventure
Comedy
1h 59m
Jake Kasdan
55

Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.

Action
Adventure
2h 13m
Jon Watts
54
2017 in Hostiles (2017)
Hostiles
2017

A legendary Native American-hating Army captain nearing retirement in 1892 is given one last assignment: to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory back to his Montana reservation.

Drama
Western
2h 14m
Scott Cooper
Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Wes Studi, Jesse Plemons
53
2017 in Happy End (2017)
Happy End
2017

A well-to-do French family living in Calais deal with a series of setbacks and crises while paying little attention to the grim conditions in the refugee camps within a few miles of their home.

Drama
1h 50m
Michael Haneke
Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Mathieu Kassovitz, Fantine Harduin
52
2017 in Ferdinand (2017)
Ferdinand
2017

Ferdinand, a little bull, prefers sitting quietly under a cork tree just smelling the flowers versus jumping around, snorting, and butting heads with other bulls. As Ferdinand grows big and strong, his temperament remains mellow. But one day five men come to choose the "biggest, fastest, roughest bull" for the bullfights in Madrid— and Ferdinand is mistakenly chosen.

Animation
Family
1h 48m
Carlos Saldanha
John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Anthony Anderson, Bobby Cannavale
51
2017 in Alien: Covenant (2017)
Alien: Covenant
2017

The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise but is actually a dark, dangerous world.

Horror
Science Fiction
50
2017 in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
2017

Based on the bestselling book series, this outrageous comedy tells the story of George and Harold, two overly imaginative pranksters who hypnotize their principal into thinking he’s an enthusiastic, yet dimwitted, superhero named Captain Underpants.

Family
Comedy
1h 29m
David Soren
Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll
49
2017 in Darkest Hour (2017)
Darkest Hour
2017

In May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.

Drama
History
2h 5m
Joe Wright
Gary Oldman, Stephen Dillane, Lily James, Ronald Pickup
48
2017 in Kedi (2017)
Kedi
2017

A profile of Istanbul and its unique people, seen through the eyes of the most mysterious and beloved animal humans have ever known, the Cat.

Documentary
1h 19m
Ceyda Torun
Bülent Üstün
47
2017 in Victoria & Abdul (2017)
Victoria & Abdul
2017

Queen Victoria strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Indian clerk named Abdul Karim.

Drama
History
1h 52m
Stephen Frears
Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Tim Pigott-Smith, Eddie Izzard
46
2017 in Wonder (2017)
Wonder
2017

The story of August Pullman – a boy with facial differences – who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.

Family
Drama
1h 53m
Stephen Chbosky
Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic
45
2017 in You Were Never Really Here (2017)
You Were Never Really Here
2017

A traumatized veteran, unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, his nightmares begin to overtake him, and a conspiracy is uncovered—leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.

Crime
Drama
1h 29m
Lynne Ramsay
Joaquin Phoenix, Judith Roberts, Ekaterina Samsonov, John Doman
44
2017 in Logan Lucky (2017)
Logan Lucky
2017

Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy and Clyde Logan set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

43
2017 in Detroit (2017)
Detroit
2017

A police raid in Detroit in 1967 results in one of the largest citizens' uprisings in the history of the United States.

Drama
Thriller
John Boyega, Will Poulter, Anthony Mackie, Algee Smith
42
2017 in The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017)
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
2017

An estranged family gathers together in New York for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father.

Comedy
Drama
1h 52m
Noah Baumbach
41
2017 in Molly's Game (2017)
Molly's Game
2017

Molly Bloom, a young skier and former Olympic hopeful becomes a successful entrepreneur (and a target of an FBI investigation) when she establishes a high-stakes, international poker game.

Drama
Crime
2h 21m
Aaron Sorkin
40
2017 in Loveless (2017)
Loveless
2017

Zhenya and Boris are going through a vicious divorce marked by resentment, frustration and recriminations. Already embarking on new lives, each with a new partner, they are impatient to start again, to turn the page – even if it means threatening to abandon their 12-year-old son Alyosha. Until, after witnessing one of their fights, Alyosha disappears.

Drama
2h 2m
Andrey Zvyagintsev
Maryana Spivak, Aleksey Rozin, Matvey Novikov, Alexey Fateev
39
2017 in First They Killed My Father (2017)
First They Killed My Father
2017

A 5-year-old girl embarks on a harrowing quest for survival amid the sudden rise and terrifying reign of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

War
Drama
Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Mun Kimhak
38
2017 in The Square (2017)
The Square
2017

A prestigious Stockholm museum's chief art curator finds himself in times of both professional and personal crisis as he attempts to set up a controversial new exhibit.

Drama
2h 31m
Ruben Östlund
Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, Terry Notary
37

Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela.

Action
Adventure
2h 11m
Taika Waititi
36
2017 in mother! (2017)
mother!
2017

A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.

Horror
Drama
2h 1m
Darren Aronofsky
35
2017 in Thelma (2017)
Thelma
2017

A college student starts to experience extreme seizures. She soon learns that the violent episodes are a symptom of inexplicable abilities.

Drama
Mystery
1h 56m
Joachim Trier
Eili Harboe, Kaya Wilkins, Henrik Rafaelsen, Ellen Dorrit Petersen
34
2017 in T2 Trainspotting (2017)
T2 Trainspotting
2017

After 20 years abroad, Mark Renton returns to Scotland and reunites with his old friends Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie.

Drama
Comedy
1h 57m
Danny Boyle
Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Robert Carlyle
33
2017 in Columbus (2017)
Columbus
2017

When a renowned architecture scholar falls suddenly ill during a speaking tour, his son Jin finds himself stranded in Columbus, Indiana - a small Midwestern city celebrated for its many significant modernist buildings. Jin strikes up a friendship with Casey, a young architecture enthusiast who works at the local library.

Drama
Comedy
1h 44m
Kogonada
John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Michelle Forbes, Rory Culkin
32
2017 in The Lost City of Z (2017)
The Lost City of Z
2017

A true-life drama in the 1920s, centering on British explorer Col. Percy Fawcett, who discovered evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization in the Amazon and disappeared whilst searching for it.

Adventure
Drama
2h 21m
James Gray
31
2017 in Ingrid Goes West (2017)
Ingrid Goes West
2017

Ingrid becomes obsessed with a social network star named Taylor Sloane who seemingly has a perfect life. But when Ingrid decides to drop everything and move west to be Taylor's friend, her behaviour turns unsettling and dangerous.

Comedy
Drama
1h 38m
Matt Spicer
Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell
30
2017 in War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
War for the Planet of the Apes
2017

Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.

Drama
Science Fiction
2h 20m
Matt Reeves
Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Karin Konoval, Terry Notary
29
2017 in The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
2017

Dr. Steven Murphy is a renowned cardiovascular surgeon who presides over a spotless household with his wife and two children. Lurking at the margins of his idyllic suburban existence is Martin, a fatherless teen who insinuates himself into the doctor's life in gradually unsettling ways.

Drama
Thriller
2h 1m
Yorgos Lanthimos
28
2017 in It Comes at Night (2017)
It Comes at Night
2017

Secure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, a man has established a tenuous domestic order with his wife and son, but this will soon be put to test when a desperate young family arrives seeking refuge.

Drama
Horror
1h 31m
Trey Edward Shults
Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough
27
2017 in Okja (2017)
Okja
2017

A young girl named Mija risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend - a massive animal named Okja.

Adventure
Drama
2h 0m
Bong Joon Ho
An Seo-hyun, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun
26
2017 in A Fantastic Woman (2017)
A Fantastic Woman
2017

Marina's life is thrown into turmoil following the death of her partner. Mourning the loss of the man she loved, she finds herself under intense scrutiny from those with no regard for her privacy.

Drama
1h 44m
Sebastián Lelio
Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco, Aline Küppenheim
25
2017 in Raw (2017)
Raw
2017

In Justine's family everyone is a vet and a vegetarian. At 16, she's a gifted teen ready to take on her first year in vet school, where her older sister also studies. There, she gets no time to settle: hazing starts right away. Justine is forced to eat raw meat for the first time in her life. Unexpected consequences emerge as her true self begins to form.

Horror
Drama
1h 38m
Julia Ducournau
Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Nait Oufella, Laurent Lucas
24
2017 in BPM (Beats per Minute) (2017)
BPM (Beats per Minute)
2017

Paris, in the early 1990s: a group of young activists is desperately tied to finding the cure against an unknown lethal disease. They target the pharmaceutical labs that are retaining potential cures, and multiply direct actions, with the hope of saving their lives as well as the ones of future generations.

Drama
2h 23m
Robin Campillo
Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Arnaud Valois, Adèle Haenel, Antoine Reinartz
23
2017 in The Beguiled (2017)
The Beguiled
2017

During the Civil War, at a Southern girls’ boarding school, young women take in an injured enemy soldier. As they provide refuge and tend to his wounds, the house is taken over with sexual tension and dangerous rivalries, and taboos are broken in an unexpected turn of events.

22
2017 in Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman
2017

An Amazon princess comes to the world of Man in the grips of the First World War to confront the forces of evil and bring an end to human conflict.

Action
Adventure
2h 21m
Patty Jenkins
21

Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order.

Adventure
Action
2h 32m
Rian Johnson
20
2017 in Good Time (2017)
Good Time
2017

After a botched bank robbery lands his younger brother in prison, Connie Nikas embarks on a twisted odyssey through New York City's underworld to get his brother Nick out of jail.

Crime
Thriller
1h 42m
Benny Safdie
Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Buddy Duress, Taliah Webster
19
2017 in Mudbound (2017)
Mudbound
2017

In the post–World War II South, two families are pitted against a barbaric social hierarchy and an unrelenting landscape as they simultaneously fight the battle at home and the battle abroad.

Drama
2h 15m
Dee Rees
Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige
18
2017 in A Ghost Story (2017)
A Ghost Story
2017

Recently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife, only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away.

Drama
Fantasy
1h 33m
David Lowery
Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, McColm Cephas Jr., Kenneisha Thompson
17
2017 in I, Tonya (2017)
I, Tonya
2017

Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the sport is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.

Drama
Comedy
2h 0m
Craig Gillespie
16

After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.

Action
Crime
1h 53m
Edgar Wright
15
2017 in The Disaster Artist (2017)
The Disaster Artist
2017

An aspiring actor in Hollywood meets an enigmatic stranger by the name of Tommy Wiseau, the meeting leads the actor down a path nobody could have predicted; creating the worst movie ever made.

Comedy
Drama
14
2017 in The Big Sick (2017)
The Big Sick
2017

Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings.

Comedy
Drama
2h 0m
Michael Showalter
Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano
13
2017 in Logan (2017)
Logan
2017

In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hideout on the Mexican border. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces.

Action
Drama
2h 17m
James Mangold
Hugh Jackman, Dafne Keen, Patrick Stewart, Elizabeth Rodriguez
12
2017 in Coco (2017)
Coco
2017

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.

Family
Animation
1h 45m
Lee Unkrich
Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach
Why it ranks

Pixar reaches a new emotional zenith with this vibrant exploration of ancestral legacy and the permanence of memory. It utilizes breathtaking folklore-inspired animation to tackle the finality of death with a warmth and musicality that is universally shattering.

11
2017 in Phantom Thread (2017)
Phantom Thread
2017

In 1950s London, a renowned dressmaker's meticulous lifestyle begins drastically changing as his relationship with his young muse intensifies.

Drama
Romance
Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville, Camilla Rutherford
Why it ranks

Paul Thomas Anderson delivers a meticulously stitched psychodrama that explores the toxic, rhythmic power struggles of creative obsession. It is a decadent and perverse delight, featuring a swan song performance from Daniel Day-Lewis that is as sharp as a silk-lined needle.

10
2017 in The Florida Project (2017)
The Florida Project
2017

The story of a precocious six year-old and her ragtag group of friends whose summer break is filled with childhood wonder, possibility and a sense of adventure while the adults around them struggle with hard times.

Drama
1h 52m
Sean Baker
Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Rivera
Why it ranks

Sean Baker finds vibrant, candy-colored life in the shadow of the Magic Kingdom, documenting a hidden class with unflinching rigor and immense heart. It is a kaleidoscopic look at childhood innocence maintained against the grinding machinery of poverty.

9
2017 in Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Call Me by Your Name
2017

In the summer of 1983, a 17-year-old Elio spends his days in his family's villa in Italy. One day Oliver, a graduate student, arrives to assist Elio's father, a professor of Greco-Roman culture. Soon, Elio and Oliver discover a summer that will alter their lives forever.

Romance
Drama
2h 12m
Luca Guadagnino
Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar
Why it ranks

Luca Guadagnino captures the agonizing slow-burn of desire through sun-drenched visuals and a script that thrives in the unsaid. This is an exquisite sensorial experience where every rustle of fruit trees and every hushed conversation carries the weight of a life-changing summer.

8

Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.

Science Fiction
Drama
Why it ranks

Denis Villeneuve achieves the impossible by expanding a sacred sci-fi canon into a contemplative, mournful meditation on the soul. Roger Deakins’ cinematography defines the year's visual palette, turning brutalist architecture and neon haze into a haunting existential playground.

7
2017 in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
2017

After seven months have passed without a culprit in her daughter's murder case, Mildred Hayes makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at Bill Willoughby, the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Jason Dixon, an immature mother's boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing's law enforcement is only exacerbated.

Crime
Drama
1h 55m
Martin McDonagh
Why it ranks

Martin McDonagh balances a razor-sharp comedic edge against a backdrop of inconsolable grief and systemic failure. Driven by a scorched-earth performance from Frances McDormand, the film interrogates the messy, non-linear nature of justice in a fractured America.

6
2017 in The Shape of Water (2017)
The Shape of Water
2017

An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, where a mute janitor working at a lab falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape.

Why it ranks

Guillermo del Toro crafts a tactile, bioluminescent symphony that reclaims the monster movie as a vessel for radical empathy. This lush adult fairy tale finds profound beauty in the margins, proving that the most exotic romances are often the most human.

5
2017 in The Post (2017)
The Post
2017

A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country's first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government. Inspired by true events.

Drama
History
Why it ranks

Meryl Streep finds a new gear of understated mastery as Kay Graham, trading her signature technical bravura for a quiet, trembling evolution from socialite to steel-spined publisher. It is a landmark turn that strips away the artifice, proving late in her career that her greatest weapon is not an accent but the gradual hardening of a gaze. She captures the precise, agonizing moment a woman finds her voice in a room full of men who expect her silence.

4

An FBI agent teams with the town's veteran game tracker to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation.

Crime
Mystery
1h 47m
Taylor Sheridan
Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Graham Greene
Why it ranks

Jeremy Renner trades his blockbuster quips for a haunting, stoic minimalism that remains the most grounded work of his career. He anchors the film with a weary, tactile precision, portraying grief not through outbursts but through the steady, watchful eyes of a man who has mastered the silence of the wilderness.

3
2017 in Lady Bird (2017)
Lady Bird
2017

Lady Bird McPherson, a strong willed, deeply opinionated, artistic 17 year old comes of age in Sacramento. Her relationship with her mother and her upbringing are questioned and tested as she plans to head off to college.

Drama
Comedy
1h 34m
Greta Gerwig
Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges
Why it ranks

Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial turn is a masterclass in specificity, capturing the friction of daughterhood with bracing wit and zero sentimentality. It eschews coming-of-age clichés to find the operatic stakes in a Sacramento thrift store or a teenage bedroom.

2
2017 in Get Out (2017)
Get Out
2017

Chris and his girlfriend Rose go upstate to visit her parents for the weekend. At first, Chris reads the family's overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter's interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.

Mystery
Thriller
1h 44m
Jordan Peele
Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Why it ranks

Jordan Peele’s debut transcends the jump-scare mechanics of its genre to deliver a searing, sophisticated indictment of performative liberalism. It is the definitive cultural document of 2017, weaponizing psychological unease to expose the rot beneath suburban politesse.

1

The story of the miraculous evacuation of Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France, who were cut off and surrounded by the German army from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk between May 26th and June 4th 1940 during World War II.

War
Action
Why it ranks

Christopher Nolan strips away the traditional war epic's bloat to create a ticking-clock mechanism of pure tension. By prioritizing elemental survival over nationalistic sentiment, he delivers a visceral masterwork of spatial geography and auditory assault.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

The 2017 greatest films showcased a remarkable variety of genres including drama, thriller, science fiction, and romance. Notable examples include the sci-fi epic 'Blade Runner 2049', the thriller 'Get Out', and the romantic drama 'Call Me by Your Name'.

Several films highlighted visionary directing in 2017, such as Christopher Nolan's immersive war drama 'Dunkirk', Jordan Peele's socially charged horror 'Get Out', and Greta Gerwig's heartfelt coming-of-age story 'Lady Bird'. These directors showcased unique storytelling styles that helped redefine cinematic narratives.

Diversity and a sense of cultural transition were central to many 2017 films, exemplified by movies like 'Get Out', which explored racial tensions through a thriller-horror lens, and 'Call Me by Your Name', a romantic drama highlighting LGBTQ+ themes. These films contributed to expanding the representation and narratives seen in mainstream cinema.

Films such as 'The Post', directed by Steven Spielberg, tackled historical and political themes by dramatizing the Pentagon Papers' publication, while 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' explored social justice issues through its compelling crime drama narrative. These films used real-world contexts to deepen their storytelling impact.

Yes, 'Coco' was a standout animated family film in 2017, celebrated for its vibrant storytelling centered on Mexican culture and music. It combined adventure and heartfelt themes, winning critical acclaim and broad audience appreciation.

Absolutely, films like 'The Shape of Water' seamlessly merged drama, fantasy, and romance to create a unique cinematic experience. Similarly, 'Wind River' combined crime, mystery, and thriller elements to deliver a gripping narrative full of suspense.

Many 2017 films balanced commercial success and critical praise by combining innovative storytelling with compelling performances. For example, 'Logan' offered a deeper, more emotional take on the superhero genre, while 'Blade Runner 2049' impressed with its stunning visuals and thoughtful sci-fi narrative.

Drams such as 'Lady Bird', 'Phantom Thread', and 'The Florida Project' are celebrated for their emotional depth and nuanced character portrayals. Each film provides a unique exploration of personal and familial relationships, making them essential viewing for cinema enthusiasts.
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