Something You Said’s top films of 2017
It’s that time when our contributors vote for their favourite things from 2017. Here are the ten best films of the year, as selected by our team:
1. BLADE RUNNER 2049
Blade Runner 2049 was everything I hoped it would be. Big, bold, futuristic and otherworldly. On the big screen, it often felt as though there were no boundaries between myself and what I was seeing. The cinematography was absolutely brilliant and captivating. The plot was enjoyable, with a rather pleasant twist at the end and Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling work surprisingly well on screen (and look just as good – no surprises there). A must-see film for any sci-fi fanatic. Melissa Barrass
2. PADDINGTON 2
Who’d have predicted that the sequel about the small brown bear would finish so high up our end of year poll? But anyone who has seen Paddington’s return will understand why the film won the hearts of critics and audiences alike. It scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes for a reason, after all. Containing lively assortment characters, Paddington 2’s brightly coloured palate pays tribute to the magic and charm of illustrative children’s storybooks many have grown up reading. A film for all ages containing villains, heroes, friendly faces, and a whole lot of marmalade, Paddington 2 had us laughing at its silly antics, its charming nature the perfect blend of family fun served with a dollop of adventure. Bobby Townsend/Addy Fong
3. GET OUT
Race in modern America skewered by this razor sharp satirical horror. A fantastic piece of genre cinema that is equal parts nerve-shredding pulp fiction and terrifying allegory. Neil Martin
4. MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE
This stop-motion comedy-drama is beautiful, sad, funny, charming and heartwarming and deserves to be seen by absolutely everybody. Bobby Townsend
5. RAW
Fucking hell! It doesn’t get any more visceral than this, just absolutely stunning. One of those films where you sit there sweating all the way through because it’s so stressful. It builds masterfully and the gore is held back but whenever it’s used it is gloriously utilised for maximum impact. Incredible performances, direction, sound work and just everything about it is superb. Proof, yet again, if it were needed that the vast majority of the most interesting work in cinema is happening in genre movies. A genuine modern horror masterpiece. Neil Martin
6. TONI ERDMANN
This German language film is truly hilarious, but it an oddball way. It garners its laughs from its strangeness, its awkwardness, its silliness and its surreality. It doesn’t feel as long as its hefty 162-minute running time either and the characters never outstay their welcome. In fact, you grow to like them more and more as the narrative unfolds. Bobby Townsend
7. DUNKIRK
The tension in Christopher Nolan’s retelling of the Dunkirk evacuation of World War II begins as soon as Hans Zimmer’s score kicks in and it doesn’t abate until you are out of the cinema and on the bus home. Bobby Townsend
8. T2 TRAINSPOTTING
It was a blast to be in the company of Renton, Sick Boy and Begbie again. But, as good as it was to be back around those degenerates after all these years, this was actually Spud’s story. A tale of addiction, friendship and the mourning of the passing of time, T2 brilliantly mixed the zeitgeist with those hazy memories of times gone by. Jayne Cheeseman
9. I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE
10. IN PURSUIT OF SILENCE
This reminded me of something we all know instinctively. That there is never silence. Even the closest we can get we still hear wind, or our heartbeat. And it introduced me to John Cage’s piece, 4’33, which is performed across the world by famous orchestras and performers. I love a good docco and this was my favourite for the year. Damon Collum
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