Aloha, and welcome to the debut of the latest editorial on J-Bang Reviews, the
Best Films of 2017...
So Far. June has come and gone, and has left us at the half way mark of the 2017 year, and since January, films have been PRETTY KICK ASS so far. We had some movies that range from the good that came out to be "better than expected," to the sleeper-hits, that no one even saw coming, but once word of mouth came along, became box office hits as well as cultural phenomenons. (Not to mention how successful these pictures have become thanks to the diversity found in the directors studios trusted with the vision, so yeah, THAT'S AWESOME) Anyway, a couple of rules: This list only incorporate the THEATRICAL releases of films this year, so unfortunately, don't expect "Okja" or "I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore" to be on this list, (Even though they are some pretty groovy pics that I do recommend). And the second rule here is film is subjective (meaning everyone has a right to a different opinion (even though it's sometimes wrong.) That being said, instead of being ranked from 8-1, these films are being categorized in 2 tiers: Tier Beta (films that range from okay to pretty good, like you can watch them if you want but whatever) and Tier Alpha (Holy $#*%!, YOU NEED TO GET OFF YOUR A$$ AND GO SEE THESE SPECTACULAR MOVIES FILLED WITH GREAT STORYTELLING AND AMAZING CHARACTERS! I LOVE THIS, also...WHY AM I CRYING) Anyways, here's the list:
Tier Beta
 |
| Alien: Covenant |
Out of the entire Alien franchise, I'm willing to confess that my favorite film out of all of them is James Cameron's "Aliens." This movie is no "Aliens" but it is very similar to Ridley Scott's original film, "Alien" in terms of both eerie tone and mystery. It also can be gory as F*ck! Although "Covenant" can be some what weird and random at times (i.e. When two androids, who are also brothers, kiss for no reason) it can also be spectacularly horrifying. The film is at its best when the monsters themselves, the Xenomorphs, show up on screen, and it is complimented by the wonderful cinematography captured throughout the narrative. It does have a slow burn however, and you basically have to survive a boring first hour before anything exciting even happens, but all in all, it's a pretty okay film.
 |
| Kong: Skull Island |
Big. Mean. And Extra Thick! "Kong: Skull Island" is exactly what it was supposed to be, a big, dumb, and fun monster movie! Displayed through colorful and extremely dynamic cinematography, Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts brings the big, giant ape to life in a 1970s Vietnam-esque atmosphere. Skull Island wastes no time getting to the action, and what develops is a "balls to the walls" special effects extravaganza. Sure, out of a stacked cast of actors and actresses, some performances end up being slogged down or underutilized due a lack of evenly spread screen time, but when the monsters of Skull Island finally pop up on the big screen, it's hard not to get caught up in the spectacle.
 |
| The Fate and the Furious |
So somehow, I managed to see this movie 2 months after it came out without hearing anything about it or getting plot points spoiled for me. So basically, on some random Thursday, I decided I wanted to get out of the house, and go to the theaters. I spotted that "the Fate of the Furious" was still playing, so I bought a $5 ticket and waited for the absurdity to ensure. I never expect much from a "Fast and Furious" movie, but what developed was an actually compelling story that presented to me one of the best narratives to be produced out of the "Fast and Furious" franchise. I know, crazy right?! Sure, it's still full of crazy, dumb, physics-bending moments (i.e. The Rock breaking a concrete bench off the wall and doing frickin pull ups with it) but the action is fluent, the actors continue to be charismatic with their roles, plus, where else are you gonna find a movie where Jason Statham beats up bad guys with a gun in one hand, and a baby in another?
 |
| Wonder Woman |
Anybody that knows me personally, knows that I am not a fan of the movies produced by DC Comics. That being said, I absolutely ADORED Wonder Woman! Starring the beautiful Gal Gadot and directed by female director, Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman presents a story that is majorly different from your average male-led comic book movie. Set in World War I, Princess Diana of Themyscria follows fighter pilot Steve Trevor on an outreach mission to end the war in an effort to bring peace back to the outside world. The only thing that stops this film from being a "Tier Alpha" movie are the villains, who could have been better written and more developed. Full of compelling character moments and overpowered set pieces, "Wonder Woman" finds itself worthy of being mentioned among other movies such as the Dark Knight, Batman Begins and Superman II.
Tier Alpha
 |
| Baby Driver |
Stupid title, but extremely fun movie! Directed by Edgar Wright, "Baby Driver" rides a narrative that is woven together with a creative and unique usage of music and editing. A crime movie about a young kid who is a get away driver for a crime organization led by Kevin Spacey sounds rad enough. But, when you go watch the film for yourself, you experience a story that uses sight and sound to further progress the tone of plot. See what is cool is that the music itself runs symmetrical to the editing thus, delivering scenes (both action and dramatic) that have more rhythm than a bunch of college students on a late Saturday night in Connecticut. "Baby Driver" was just recently released in theaters, so watch it while you can!
 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 |
Hot Damn! Going into "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," I wasn't expecting it to be better than the first Guardians film. But guess what? IT WAS. I wasn't expecting it to be a visual roller coaster of special effects better than even Marvel Studios last film "Doctor Strange" but guess what? IT WAS! And I sure as hell didn't expect to be sobbing my eyes out by the time the credits started rolling but guess what? You guessed it! I....well, I did. Rather than recapture what made the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" film so successful, director James Gunn decided to change it up the tone and narrative by making this film into a sci-fi family drama that explores friendship, redemption and fatherhood. Complimented by a lit 80's soundtrack, Vol. 2 found itself being rightfully proclaimed as Marvel Studios most emotional movie!
 |
| Logan |
Speaking of emotional...Oh Sh*t...MY HEART! This year has been nothing short but AMAZING for comic book movies, but when it all comes down to it, "Logan" needs to get some love and recognition come award season. "Logan" delivers Hugh Jackman's final performance as the aging metal clawed mutant who must protect his senile mentor, Charles Xavier and his estranged daughter, Laura from hostile forces chasing them across the country. Using elements from both the science fiction and western genre, this Marvel film full of gory action and tension delivers a gritty and heartfelt drama that will stick with you long after the credits roll.
 |
| Get Out |
So when I first saw the trailer for "Get Out," not gonna lie, I thought it was some sort of "Key and Peele" comedy sketch. I did not take it seriously and had no plans on seeing it. THAT WAS... until I learned that for the longest time after initial release, "Get Out" had an unheard of 100% tomato-meter on Rotten Tomatoes. That type of thing turns heads. And so a couple guys and I rolled through to our local movie theater on Thursday afternoon and checked it out. And Sham...Wow! Produced by Universal Studios and Blumhouse Productions, director Jordan Peele uses horror tropes and Hitchcock-like suspense to deliver an edge of your seat psychological thriller about a black man spending the weekend with his white girlfriend and her family. This film is crazy unpredictable and full of exceptional character performances. It's smart! It's funny! It's creepy! It's the whole Damn Enchilada!!!!
