Top 10 Must Watch Movies in 2017
We'll be the first to admit that drawing up a list of potentially great forthcoming movies is far from an exact science. But with 2017 so chock full of promising films both large and small, we've at least made an attempt to sort through the crowded schedule, pick out the ones we're looking forward to, and sort them into some kind of order.
1. Blade Runner 2049
What a difference approximately 35 years make. If, back in 1982, you'd asked anyone involved with Blade Runner whether they thought there'd be a sequel, they'd probably have asked you to get off their lawn. But here we are, worryingly close to the year in which Ridley Scott's sci-fi thriller was set (that's 2019), and along comes its belated follow-up.
We have to admit, one of the things we loved about Blade Runner is that it stood all by itself, unsullied by sequels, prequels or remakes, its bleak future world undimmed by the numerous movies, TV shows and games that have freely borrowed from it. But if the laws of Hollywood economics dictate that a sequel has to happen, then at least we can rest assured that it's in the hands of a great director. Denis Villeneuve's spent the past few years building up an incredible body of work, including Incendies, Enemy, Sicario and the sci-fi drama Arrival.
When you place Villeneuve next to returning writer Hampton Fancher, a cast which includes Harrison Ford (returning as a much older Rick Deckard), Ryan Gosling and Robin Wright, plus photography by Roger Deakins and music by Johan Johansson, and you have an exciting-sounding genre recipe.
We know little more about the project other than its pedigree right now, but that pedigree is what leaves us clinging to the hope that Blade Runner 2049 will be that rarest of things: a belated sequel that complements what came before it.
When you place Villeneuve next to returning writer Hampton Fancher, a cast which includes Harrison Ford (returning as a much older Rick Deckard), Ryan Gosling and Robin Wright, plus photography by Roger Deakins and music by Johan Johansson, and you have an exciting-sounding genre recipe.
We know little more about the project other than its pedigree right now, but that pedigree is what leaves us clinging to the hope that Blade Runner 2049 will be that rarest of things: a belated sequel that complements what came before it.
2. War For The Planet Of The Apes
For us, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes was the Godfather Part II of summer sequels: a visually spectacular, operatic expansion of 2011's Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes - a movie that was itself surprisingly excellent.
Director Matt Reeves set himself a high bar with War For The Planet Of The Apes, which follows ape leader Caesar and his comrades in an intensifying conflict with an army of humans. With much of the same cast and crew from the previous film returning - writer Mark Bomback, ape actors Andy Serkis and Terry Notary - we were cautiously confident that War would be one of the smartest, most emotionally satisfying summer movies of 2017.
3. The Death Of Stalin
Director Matt Reeves set himself a high bar with War For The Planet Of The Apes, which follows ape leader Caesar and his comrades in an intensifying conflict with an army of humans. With much of the same cast and crew from the previous film returning - writer Mark Bomback, ape actors Andy Serkis and Terry Notary - we were cautiously confident that War would be one of the smartest, most emotionally satisfying summer movies of 2017.
3. The Death Of Stalin
Armando Ianucci’s single film as director to date, In The Loop, remains one of the best British comedies of the last decade. For his second, he’s adapted – with David Schneider - Fabien Nury’s graphic novel The Death Of Stalin. It follows the days after Stalin’s death, and the jostling for power and battles that ensue. As the poster teases, “everybody wants a piece”.
Ianucci’s sharp eye for political satire needs little introduction – The Thick Of It and Veep speak for themselves – and his film will feature Olga Kurylenko, Rupert Friend, Andrea Riseborough, Hello To Jason Isaacs, Steve Buscemi, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael Palin and Paddy Considine. That’s just a flavour of the cast list, and it can take pride of place already amongst 2017’s most impressive ensembles.
Ianucci is a rare talent, and we’ve got everything crossed that The Death Of Stalin meets his very high standards.
4. Valerian
A full 20 years after he made the eye-popping sci-fi film The Fifth Element, French director Luc Besson's returning to similar territory with Valerian, based on the comic series of the same name. It stars Dane De Haan and Cara Delevingne as special agents who carry out missions through space and time, and their travels take in gigantic cities, exotic aliens and Rihanna in a bowler hat.
With a starry supporting cast (look out for John Goodman, Ethan Hawke and Rutger Hauer among all the visual effects) and a budget that's huge by European standards, Valerian could be a triumph or - lord forbid - a calamity of Jupiter Ascending proportions. It's that very sense of the unknown that leaves us so intrigued by Valerian. We can't wait.
5. Dunkirk
Ianucci’s sharp eye for political satire needs little introduction – The Thick Of It and Veep speak for themselves – and his film will feature Olga Kurylenko, Rupert Friend, Andrea Riseborough, Hello To Jason Isaacs, Steve Buscemi, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael Palin and Paddy Considine. That’s just a flavour of the cast list, and it can take pride of place already amongst 2017’s most impressive ensembles.
Ianucci is a rare talent, and we’ve got everything crossed that The Death Of Stalin meets his very high standards.
4. Valerian
A full 20 years after he made the eye-popping sci-fi film The Fifth Element, French director Luc Besson's returning to similar territory with Valerian, based on the comic series of the same name. It stars Dane De Haan and Cara Delevingne as special agents who carry out missions through space and time, and their travels take in gigantic cities, exotic aliens and Rihanna in a bowler hat.
With a starry supporting cast (look out for John Goodman, Ethan Hawke and Rutger Hauer among all the visual effects) and a budget that's huge by European standards, Valerian could be a triumph or - lord forbid - a calamity of Jupiter Ascending proportions. It's that very sense of the unknown that leaves us so intrigued by Valerian. We can't wait.
5. Dunkirk
In the spring of 1940, thousands of allied troops found themselves surrounded by German forces as France fell to the Nazis. As some 400,000 allied soldiers were forced to withdraw from mainland Europe, the resulting Evacuation of Dunkirk was one of the major turning points in World War II. The evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo, has been told on screen before - the 1940 version starred Richard Attenborough and John Mills, fact fans - but this new telling of the story's coming from director Christopher Nolan, which is exciting enough all by itself.
Shot on 65mm film and using largely practical effects - including real destroyers and warships, we've learned - Dunkirk promises to be the kind of Hollywood war epic we seldom see anymore. Warner's boldly releasing the movie in the balmy summer month of July, placing it alongside the likes of Spider-Man: Homecoming, War For The Planet Of The Apes andValerian. Will the allure of Nolan, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh and Harry Styles out of One Direction tempt audiences away from the month's lighter, more escapist entertainment? Time will tell.
6. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Shot on 65mm film and using largely practical effects - including real destroyers and warships, we've learned - Dunkirk promises to be the kind of Hollywood war epic we seldom see anymore. Warner's boldly releasing the movie in the balmy summer month of July, placing it alongside the likes of Spider-Man: Homecoming, War For The Planet Of The Apes andValerian. Will the allure of Nolan, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh and Harry Styles out of One Direction tempt audiences away from the month's lighter, more escapist entertainment? Time will tell.
6. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
A less bold studio might have gone with a safe pair of hands when it comes to writing and directing Star Wars: Episode VIII, so it's refreshing to see a filmmaker like Rian Johnson handed the keys to the (former) Lucas-verse. At present, we know little of where the follow-up to The Force Awakens will go, other than it stars much of the previous film's cast, including Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Mark Hamill, while various interviews with those returning actors have hinted at a darker direction for the story.
In many respects, Johnson has a tough task ahead of him with Episode VIII;The Force Awakens relied heavily on resurrecting the icons from the original trilogy - Han Solo, the Millennium Falcon and so on - but its sequel arguably needs to move things forward if this new series of movies is going to develop its own distinctive voice. Here's hoping that Johnson's indie sensibility - see Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Looper - will add a touch of the unexpected to this firmly re-established space opera.
7. Baby Driver
In many respects, Johnson has a tough task ahead of him with Episode VIII;The Force Awakens relied heavily on resurrecting the icons from the original trilogy - Han Solo, the Millennium Falcon and so on - but its sequel arguably needs to move things forward if this new series of movies is going to develop its own distinctive voice. Here's hoping that Johnson's indie sensibility - see Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Looper - will add a touch of the unexpected to this firmly re-established space opera.
7. Baby Driver
For the first time since 2013, we’ve got a new film from Edgar Wright. The story has long been told about how he was supposed to direct Marvel’s 2015 hit Ant-Man, with Peyton Reed eventually taking over after Wright departed late in the day. But then he started developing Baby Driver, a terrific-looking movie that features Ansel Elgort as a getaway driver who relies on his tunes.
There’s a doomed heist in the midst of the film too, and a cast that features Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, and Jamie Foxx, amongst others.
You’d take it as a given that an Edgar Wright film would have a killer soundtrack. In the case of Baby Driver, music is even more integral than usual, so we didn't just get one of the best films of the year, but one of the best soundtrack albums too.
8. Paddington 2
There’s a doomed heist in the midst of the film too, and a cast that features Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, and Jamie Foxx, amongst others.
You’d take it as a given that an Edgar Wright film would have a killer soundtrack. In the case of Baby Driver, music is even more integral than usual, so we didn't just get one of the best films of the year, but one of the best soundtrack albums too.
8. Paddington 2
The gang returns for the eagerly-awaited follow-up to the delightfulPaddington. The original movie was the highest grossing family movie to not be made in America, and for the follow-up, Paul King is directing again, having co-written the screenplay with Simon Farnaby (from the mightyYonderland).
The cast is being led by returnees Ben Whishaw (as the voice of Paddington), Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Peter Capaldi and Julie Walters. New additions this time include Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson, the latter playing the beautifully named ‘Knuckles’ McGinty.
The film is set for release on November 10th, and it looks like being the family movie to beat thus far.
9. Hidden Figures
The cast is being led by returnees Ben Whishaw (as the voice of Paddington), Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Peter Capaldi and Julie Walters. New additions this time include Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson, the latter playing the beautifully named ‘Knuckles’ McGinty.
The film is set for release on November 10th, and it looks like being the family movie to beat thus far.
9. Hidden Figures
Hidden Figures brought to the screen a little-heard story from the history of NASA and the space race. The film starred Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spender, Janelle Monae and Kirsten Dunst, and it told the tale of the team of women who provided the mathematical data behind the mission to launch John Glenn into space.
Their story has – as the title of the film suggests – been tucked down the back of American history's sofa until now. It was brought to the screen bySt Vincent director Theodore Melfi, who also recruited support from Kevin Costner and Jim Parsons.
10. Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Their story has – as the title of the film suggests – been tucked down the back of American history's sofa until now. It was brought to the screen bySt Vincent director Theodore Melfi, who also recruited support from Kevin Costner and Jim Parsons.
10. Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Disappointingly delayed for a few months to September, director Matthew Vaughn tackles a sequel for the first time – having come close at one stage to making Stardust 2 – and he’s re-recruited Taron Egerton for Kingsman 2.
In fact, Vaughn has been doing a lot of recruiting. This is as eclectic an ensemble for a big movie as you’ll see in 2017, with Julianne Moore, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry and Mark Strong alongside the likes of Vinnie Jones and Elton John. Vaughn reunites with regular collaborator Jane Goldman for the screenplay, and the story is set to see the Kingsman team working side by side with their American equivalent, the Statesman. Expect some serious mayhem.
In fact, Vaughn has been doing a lot of recruiting. This is as eclectic an ensemble for a big movie as you’ll see in 2017, with Julianne Moore, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry and Mark Strong alongside the likes of Vinnie Jones and Elton John. Vaughn reunites with regular collaborator Jane Goldman for the screenplay, and the story is set to see the Kingsman team working side by side with their American equivalent, the Statesman. Expect some serious mayhem.
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