My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2017 - Part 1
This past year was another great year for movies! In this weeks post, I'm going to go through my 10 favorite movies from this past year and why they are my favorite, as well as some good takeaways from each one. But before I get into my top 10, I want to talk briefly about a couple of my honorable mentions.
Honorable Mention 1
First is the live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast"; it didn't quite make my list but it was a very heartfelt and enjoyable movie to watch. I really like seeing what Disney can do with all of the remakes of their classics that I grew up watching. I gave Beauty and the Beast a 7 out of 10 as it kept the charm of the animated classic while bringing deeper development and new life to the story and its characters. I saw the main takeaway from this movie to be similar to a verse in the bible.
It is stated in 1 Samuel 16:7 that "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Not everyone is as they appear to be on the outside, and just like God does to us, and Belle to Beast in the movie, we should look to peoples hearts and the way God created them.
It is stated in 1 Samuel 16:7 that "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Not everyone is as they appear to be on the outside, and just like God does to us, and Belle to Beast in the movie, we should look to peoples hearts and the way God created them.
Honorable Mention 2
My other honorable mention is "Logan". This was a powerful long-awaited movie for many X-men fans myself included. The reason it is an honorable mention for me, rather than being on my list, is because it is such a depressing movie. That may sound like a silly excuse, but please also know, that I also factored the overall fun and likeability that each movie gave me while watching it.
Logan is a heavy, well-made character driven movie that I did like and gave an 8.5 out of 10. But because of the exhaustive depressing mood of the movie, I decided to leave it at an honorable mention. I saw the message of the movie as one's legacy, and what they leave behind for those after them.
When we first see Logan at the beginning of the movie, he is at the weakest point of his life, and his journey has certainly taken a serious toll on him to the point where he has lost his purpose in life. All of that changes though when a little girl with similar abilities to his comes into his life. Because of their similar powers and personality, he is able to find new purpose in life through her. This reminds me of the struggle that we all have here on this earth. We all desire to have a purpose in life, and God is the only one who can bring us the kind of fulfillment that is eternal.
Logan is a heavy, well-made character driven movie that I did like and gave an 8.5 out of 10. But because of the exhaustive depressing mood of the movie, I decided to leave it at an honorable mention. I saw the message of the movie as one's legacy, and what they leave behind for those after them.
When we first see Logan at the beginning of the movie, he is at the weakest point of his life, and his journey has certainly taken a serious toll on him to the point where he has lost his purpose in life. All of that changes though when a little girl with similar abilities to his comes into his life. Because of their similar powers and personality, he is able to find new purpose in life through her. This reminds me of the struggle that we all have here on this earth. We all desire to have a purpose in life, and God is the only one who can bring us the kind of fulfillment that is eternal.
10
Now for my top 10! Sitting at the top is in my opinion, one of the most heartwarming family films of the year that everyone should see; Wonder. Wonder tells the story of a young boy named August (Auggie) who was born with some facial differences and follow how he and his family take those differences and use them to show that we are all meant to stand out and be unique individuals.
One of the most memorable quotes from the movie is "When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind." This is such a simple phrase, but it speaks volumes. Auggie goes through some tough bullying throughout the movie, but his teacher Mr. Browne continually reminds him of this motto and challenges him to show kindness towards others through his struggles. This is an excellent lesson that we can all learn a little something from. Overall, Wonder is a charming movie filled with lots of heart; and I give it a 7.5 out of 10.
One of the most memorable quotes from the movie is "When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind." This is such a simple phrase, but it speaks volumes. Auggie goes through some tough bullying throughout the movie, but his teacher Mr. Browne continually reminds him of this motto and challenges him to show kindness towards others through his struggles. This is an excellent lesson that we can all learn a little something from. Overall, Wonder is a charming movie filled with lots of heart; and I give it a 7.5 out of 10.
9
Next, at number 9, we have one of the most nail-biting, and intense movies of the year: Patriot's Day. Patriot's Day is the story of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and gives us a peek into the lives of many of those involved. We also follow the city-wide manhunt to catch the terrorists responsible.
I gave this movie an 8 out of 10, as the tension from beginning to end is incredibly tangible. This has become a common theme through other Peter Burg films like Lone Survivor and Deepwater Horizon. Like those other movies, this one manages to capture the American spirit of resilience and never giving up in a way few films these days can. It is an inspiring thing to watch the tragic events play out and see each character react in their own way to protect those they care about.
One other common theme I saw in this movie is that of hate and how to combat it. Acts of hate are unfortunately more familiar to us than we would like, and it can be difficult to decide how one will respond to such acts. Proverbs 10:12 tells us that "Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs." Now, I don't think that this verse is saying that "lovey-dovey" feelings will fix everything; but I do think it is saying that true love from God can heal all wounds. Psalm 82:4 says: "Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." I think this verse best describes the tone and message of the film to its viewers.
I gave this movie an 8 out of 10, as the tension from beginning to end is incredibly tangible. This has become a common theme through other Peter Burg films like Lone Survivor and Deepwater Horizon. Like those other movies, this one manages to capture the American spirit of resilience and never giving up in a way few films these days can. It is an inspiring thing to watch the tragic events play out and see each character react in their own way to protect those they care about.
One other common theme I saw in this movie is that of hate and how to combat it. Acts of hate are unfortunately more familiar to us than we would like, and it can be difficult to decide how one will respond to such acts. Proverbs 10:12 tells us that "Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs." Now, I don't think that this verse is saying that "lovey-dovey" feelings will fix everything; but I do think it is saying that true love from God can heal all wounds. Psalm 82:4 says: "Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." I think this verse best describes the tone and message of the film to its viewers.
8
Now for number 8, one of the best and most thrilling action movies of the year, John Wick: Chapter 2! The John Wick movies are relatively new but have quickly gained a huge following for their well-designed universe, stylized action, and Keanu Reeves being awesome!
Chapter 2 picks up right where the first one left off, and now someone from John's past has come back to claim a debt. John reluctantly returns to the criminal underworld of being a hitman and soon discovers that there is a bounty on his head as well. Now he must fight for his own life, seeking help from the few friends he still has.
I rated the movie an 8 out of 10, as it has some of the best and most fluid action sequences I have seen in a long time. Reeves is barely "acting" as he brutally leaves behind body after body. John Wick (often referred to as "The Boogyman") may be a lethal retired hitman but he does have a moral code, that is tested beyond its breaking point throughout the movie.
I am reminded of Deuteronomy 20:4 that tells us that the Lord goes with us to fight for us against our enemies, and to give us victory. John often feels alone and abandoned throughout the movie, and we can often feel the same way in our own lives. But we must always remember that the Lord is there to help us fight our battles.
Chapter 2 picks up right where the first one left off, and now someone from John's past has come back to claim a debt. John reluctantly returns to the criminal underworld of being a hitman and soon discovers that there is a bounty on his head as well. Now he must fight for his own life, seeking help from the few friends he still has.
I rated the movie an 8 out of 10, as it has some of the best and most fluid action sequences I have seen in a long time. Reeves is barely "acting" as he brutally leaves behind body after body. John Wick (often referred to as "The Boogyman") may be a lethal retired hitman but he does have a moral code, that is tested beyond its breaking point throughout the movie.
I am reminded of Deuteronomy 20:4 that tells us that the Lord goes with us to fight for us against our enemies, and to give us victory. John often feels alone and abandoned throughout the movie, and we can often feel the same way in our own lives. But we must always remember that the Lord is there to help us fight our battles.
7
At number 7, we have the DC movie that really stepped things up for its cinematic universe: Wonder Woman! Wonder Woman (Princess Diana) as a character in this movie, is the perfect example of someone who sees good in others.The movie takes place during World War II, and we follow Diana, Steve (an Ally spy) and their team of misfit "soldiers" as they fight their way through various battles of the War. Diana believes that the man they are trying to get to is Ares, the god of war. She will stop at nothing to get to him and free those under his control ending the war and bringing peace to the world.
I gave the movie an 8 out of 10 as Gal Gadot plays Wonder Woman perfectly in the movie, and the action sequences have fun and unique style of their own. The story and characters remind me of 1 Corinthians 10:24 that says "No one should seek their own good, but the good of others."
6
Next, at number 6, we have the movie with the most personality of the year (bad pun): M. Night Shyamalan's "Split"! I'm not much into the horror genre, but I would consider this one to be more of a thriller. It stars James McAvoy as Kevin, a young man with 23 distinct personalities.To give you some brief background, one of his personalities compels him to kidnap 3 teenage girls in preparation for a 24th personality that will soon surface an dominate all the others. We follow the teenage girls as they try to escape, and Kevin as he interacts with the girls through his various personalities.
I gave the movie an 8.5 out of 10 as this movie shows the incredible range that McAvoy has as an actor. He meticulously and convincingly plays out each personality whether it is a young boy or an elderly woman. There is an overwhelming sense of fear and dread for who and what the 24th personality is throughout the movie, and the big reveal is beyond satisfying (don't worry, no spoilers).
Though it was done more for cinema, thrill, and entertainment, I enjoyed the light that this movie shed on people who have dissociative identity disorder (DID). The main female character of the movie is Anya who was one of the kidnapped girls. She is interesting as well, as she tries her best to understand Kevin and his condition. Just as John 15:13 tells us that the greatest love is one where someone is willing to lay down their life for someone else; Anya being willing to risk her own safety to protect the other girls is an incredibly admirable thing for her to do, and something we can learn from.
Keep an eye out, part two coming soon! We'll finish the list and count down my final top 5 movies for 2017!
God bless! 😃
HisDisciple319
Comments
Post a Comment