General: Top Films of 2017

This is my personal list of the 10 best films of the year. Before you read it and angrily write that I shouldn't have omitted <fill-in-the-blank>, let me make a few remarks:

To qualify for the list I must have seen the film in the cinema in 2017. Any film that I didn't see will not be included. Maybe I decided not to see a film. Maybe I missed a film because I was sick in bed and couldn't go out. Maybe a film wasn't shown in my local cinemas. Whatever the reason, if I didn't see a film in the cinema it won't be in the list.

By the same reasoning, it's relevant when I see the film. If a film is shown over the New Year period from December to January (like "Loving Vincent", which begins on December 28th in Germany) the film might be included in one year or the other, depending on when I go to see it. In the same way, some films, particularly the Oscar contenders, are released in the USA in one year but not shown in other countries until the next. That's why I listed "Birdman" and "Whiplash" in my top 10 list for 2015.

1. Tragedy Girls

I saw this at the Stuttgart Fantasy Film Festival in September, and I was totally amazed. This is a film that can regenerate the teen slasher genre.

2. The Bar

Alex de la Iglesia has been my favourite European director for years. This is yet another masterpiece. I loved it so much that I went to see it in the cinema twice.

3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

Last year I had Marvel films in the top three places. This is the only Marvel film this year.

4. Wonder Woman

Overall I've been disappointed with recent DC films, but this is an excellent film, thanks to the work of the director Patty Jenkins. No male director could have made it as good as it turned out. Maybe Quentin Tarantino, but he doesn't count.

5. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

This is a simple but captivating film. I don't understand why it wasn't more successful.

6. Victoria & Abdul

This is the only British film in my list. It's a true story and a comedy at the same time. That's a perfect mix.

7. Queen of Katwe

I can understand this film not being successful. True films about chess players sound boring, but this is a masterpiece. It was released in America in 2016, but the German release wasn't until April 2017.

8. Hidden Figures

This is the third true story in my list. It was made for political reasons, as an answer to the supposed prejudice against black actors at the Academy Awards. For me the race of the three main actresses is irrelevant. I enjoyed the film because it shows three powerful women.

9. IT Chapter One

I saw this in the cinema three times this year. That's a record. It's a very good film, the best Stephen King adaptation for a long time.

10. Divine Order

This is the fourth true story in my list. It's also a film about strong women. This is the second year in a row that I've included a Swiss film in my top 10. I wonder if there will be another one in 2018.

---

That's my list for this year. I went to the cinema 124 times, and I've seen 120 films. (I saw "The Bar" twice, "The Snowman" twice and "IT Chapter One" three times).

I welcome top 10 lists from my readers. Please leave them in the comments.