Top 13 films of 2017: from three old men robbing a bank to the third Spider-Man in 15 years, here are the movies we liked best

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2017 has been quite the year at the box office. Here are the the top films recommended by the Young Post team

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2017 has been quite the year at the box office. From the release of the much awaited Star Wars: The Last Jedi, to the beautifully produced, Loving Vincent, there have been plenty of critically acclaimed hits to grace the big screen.

Here are the the top films of 2017 recommended by the Young Post team.

Going in Style 
This is a wonderful, gut-busting comedy starring Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin as a trio of unlikely bank thieves. ’Cause, you know, they’re super old. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as much watching a film as I did watching this one. 

Ginny Wong, Sub-editor

Spider-Man: Homecoming 

Although I’m a bit sick of every Marvel film having to be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this second reboot of the Spider-Man franchise is generally quite fun, colourful and easy to watch. Tom Holland’s performance as Peter Parker is especially noteworthy.
Joshua Lee, Reporter

Logan

It’s such a departure in style from the rest of the X-men franchise, it’s light years better than the other Logan/Wolverine movies (let’s not talk about those), and it’s so beautiful in terms of story, performances, emotions, aesthetic ... Logan isn’t just a good movie in its superhero genre, it’s a Good Movie. 
Heidi Yeung, Assistant web editor 

Loving Vincent

There’s so much more to Vincent Van Gogh than “that Dutch artist who cut off his ear”. And there’s so much more than his most famous pieces, such as Starry Night and Cafe Terrace at Night. The amount of work and passion – 125 artists worked on more than 65,000 paintings – put into this masterpiece of a film, recreating the work and vibe of my favourite artists, are to be savoured. 
Sebastien Reybauld, Reporter

Okja

In this beautiful tale about a young girl and her animal best friend, the movie makers brilliantly brought the titular creature – a genetically modified, digitally altered pig – to life with sincerity, mischief and soul. The film delivers an effective animal rights fable, with amazing performances from its star-studded ensemble cast.
Rhea Mogul, Web reporter

Abacus: Small Enough to Jail

Abacus is a documentary movie about the only bank prosecuted for the 2008 US financial crisis; it is an incisive look into both financial malfeasance and the faults in the justice system. Bonus: you can watch for free at www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/abacus/
Edmund Ho, Reporter

Paddington 2

It may have been released for the festive season, but it’s a good one to watch all year round. Following a sweet and warm-hearted bear on his adventure across London, it’s not just a good laugh, but also reminds us of the importance  of friendship and family, among other life lessons delivered over a marmalade sandwich.
Young Wang, Senior reporter

The Salesman

The 2017 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film is an intense thriller about a young Iranian couple who become embroiled in violence because of something the previous tenant of their home did. With literary references to Arthur Miller’s play The Death of a Salesman, the movie is an intelligent, mysterious, breath-taking masterpiece.
Nicola Chan, Reporter

A Dog’s Purpose

On the top of my list this year is A Dog’s Purpose. I’m just a sucker for anything that involves dogs or puppies, and this film had me sobbing waterfalls at the end. I’ve not seen Coco yet and I’ve been told I will love it, so that might possibly take the top spot before the end of the year.
Nicole Moraleda, Sub-editor

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I have to go with Star Wars: The Last Jedi, even with the forced romance side-arc that was atrociously bad. Mark Hamill gives a nuanced performance and the newcomers aren’t half bad either, especially Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver. Needed more lightsaber duels though, like 30 minutes more.
Jamie Lam, Sub-editor

IT

I didn’t see many of 2017 movies but IT stands out as the best for me. I haven’t seen Star Wars yet, so I won’t judge. As a long-time Stephen King fan, I found IT more than satisfying. Usually King takes his time to convince his readers that things are real before he plunges in the knife, but films don’t have that luxury, so the movie gets off to a quick start. Bill Skarsgard (of the Skarsgard empire) plays a convincing and utterly terrifying Pennywise, the clown, and if his acting isn’t creepy enough, that thing that he does with his eyes (you’ll see), that he can do for real, will. No CGI needed.
Susan Ramsay, Editor

Beauty and the Beast

There was no way Disney was going to make everyone happy with this live-action remake, but if you manage to let go of your childhood, it’s a beautifully made film. I went to see it two days in a row.
Charlotte Ames-Ettridge, Sub-editor

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, this contains searing criticism on the way black people have been mistreated and belittled in America over the years, in a fascinating, heart-rending (true) story. But what makes it one of the best films of the year is Oprah Winfrey’s STAGGERINGLY BRILLIANT performance as Lacks’ emotionally unstable, complex, frustrated, loving individual. She really needs to act more often (and I can’t wait for next year’s A Wrinkle in Time!).
Karly Cox, Deputy editor

Edited by Charlotte Ames-Ettridge

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