As 2017 is finally behind us, it is now a time of reflection on the past, as well as anticipation for the future. In this article, I’ve compiled what are, in my opinion, the top 10 movies of the year. In this list, you’ll find just about everything, from superhero movies, films that reflect the horrific reality of our society, and even a thriller about a clown that lures children into sewers..This year allowed remakes of old classic movies to actually be original for once, and also produced some stand-out solo films as well. However, the film industry had some incredibly low points this year too. We lost iconic actors like Adam West, Carrie Fisher and John Hurt. The Kevin Spacey’s and Harvey Weinstein’s of Hollywood — more importantly, their accusers — revealed to us some of the unacceptable norms of the industry, and justice will be coming for them. Anyway, enough rambling and let’s get on with it! Here are The Blueprint’s top ten movies of 2017:

10. Okja: This Netflix original features a story about a farm girl rescuing her pet super- mutated pig, Okja from the same evil corporation that Okja was created in. While the film started many American actors, such as Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, and Lily Collins, they all played the supporting characters. South Korea’s very own rising star Ahn Seo- Hyun plays Mija, is the main protagonist of the film and dominates every scene she’s in. Before watching this movie, I never that I actually cared about animals. I found myself a bit more self-aware when it comes to animal abuse after Okja (although I’ll still be eating burgers). The film shows how big corporations profit off of animals and how humans play the real life role of “The Executioner” in everyday life. The cinematography in Okja was very authentic, and the only thing that was a real issue for the film was the pacing. It was too fast. One could easily forget the names of most characters, other than the giant hybrid pig, only because her name is the title of the movie. I felt that this movie could’ve been more in depth and the writers could have expanded a bit more on character development. All in all, Okja was a movie that brought me to tears and left me unsatisfied at the same time. Check out the trailer here.

9. Blade Runner 2049: This sequel to the 1982 film, Blade Runner, definitely deserves to be on this list, as it beats all others in one category: Cinematography. The science-fiction noir is utterly captivating in its production. Every setting in this film will have you in awe, marveling at the visuals orchestrated by lead cinematographer, Jordan Cronenweth. The film features Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, who starred in the 1982 version of the hit movie, and it is obvious how much his acting has evolved. Dave Bautista and Jared Leto also executed their roles to near perfection, and Blade Runner 2049 now has fans eagerly waiting for the sequel. Here’s a great clip!

8. The Big Sick: Stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani plays himself in this romantic comedy about the Pakistani-American falling in love with a caucasian girl that his parents do not approve of, her falling into a coma, and him struggling in living his dream career. The film is loosely based off of Kumail’s real-life romance with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. From a great cast to relatable, heart-throbbing scenes, The Big Sick has it all. This film brought a fresh take into the romantic genre and is likely the only Rom-Com I’ll be watching for a while.  Here’s a clip.

7. War For The Planet Of The Apes: My initial expectations before watching this movie were not at all high. “Oh, it’ll be another CGI all-action film”, and “they’re just monkeys that fight humans”, I said to myself.  I was completely wrong. War For The Planet Of The Apes had viewers spiraling all over the emotional spectrum. Anxiety, empowerment, hopelessness, you name it. This film and characters were made entirely out of special effects, with veteran Joe Letteri at the help. Andy Serkis’ “Caesar” allows viewers to get a sense of nostalgia in the third part of the 2011 series.. As a person who’s not familiar with this franchise, knowing that this was the last film in the trilogy has left me pretty unsatisfied. Check out the trailer here.

6. Baby Driver: Director Edgar Wright has done it again. Wright managed to make a movie about cars, action, and love without mimicking the Fast and Furious movies. The story  is centered around a young getaway driver who participates in robberies as the getaway driver as he tries to leave his dangerous career for his deaf foster father and the love of his life. The most notable thing about this movie was the soundtrack. The music narrates the entire film from the opening titles of our hero Baby dancing, to Harlem Shuffle in the streets of Atlanta, Tequila playing during the gang trade scene to the finale with Brighton Rock as the banger. Overall, great performances out of everyone, amazing soundtrack, intense action scenes, and a lot of heart. This film embodies what a standalone film should be like. See some of the action here.  

5. IT: One of the most anticipated movies of 2017 seizes the number 5 spot on this list. The Stephen King adaptation IT takes  place in 1988 and follows a group of kids who fight for their lives trying to escape Pennywise The Dancing Clown. Bill Skarsgård’s performance as Pennywise is undeniably marvelous. The fear of the children in the film is so raw and  organic that, I could feel their fear from my seat. These children have left me optimistic for the future of the film industry. This film perfectly touches on the theme of “every kids worst nightmare” and that in a way, we all run for our lives but it will always come back to us, making us step up into maturity in order to conquer our fears.  Watch an extended movie clip here. 

4. The Florida Project: This American drama follows the life of a 6 year old who lives in a motel with her struggling teen mother as they try to stay out of trouble. This one was very unique. IT’s main characters were at least 10 years old while the star of this film is even younger. Brooklynn Prince stars as Moonee, a curious child carelessly roaming Florida while her mom Halley, is struggling to make a living. Prince demonstrates her character’s youth and innocence immaculately, so basically she stays in character all the time. The scenery in this film may seem generic however, the film was shot with a 35mm film so everything was magnificent, especially the Disney World scenes. This film stands as one of A24 Studios best films of all time. Here’s a clip from the movie. 

3. Ladybird: The coming to age story about a young female becoming an adult and her mangled relationship with her mother. We’re placed in the head of lead actress Saoirse Ronan as she navigates her own adolescence. Psychologically, we see how maturity works, the things it makes us do because from square 1, we’re confused, we are find out who we are. Deep down, we’re troubled and that’s what Ronan display so easily in her character and that even though she things that enrages us especially her relationship with her mother, it’s just her growing up. This masterpiece is both beautiful in all aspects of film, from setting to dialogue to character development. All of it. Check out a clip from Ladybird here.

2. Logan: Hear me out on this one. As a long time fan of the superhero movies, especially from Hugh Jackman’s character, this film was everything. Also ending the trilogy in the Wolverine franchise, this movie was Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart’s final film as their iconic characters so, they made sure to deliver stunning performances.. The movie takes place in the future where mutants are extinct. Logan is a limo driver who’s striving to protect a broken Professor X from any trouble until a girl needs their help. This film had many themes; redemption, struggle, hope and most importantly, family. The action was very brutal which is why this film is one of the R-rated superhero films. The cinematography was stunning and the character development was very captivating. “One last ride.” is the motif that begins the movie and ends with it. Since this was Jackman’s and Stewart’s last film as these characters, I can’t possibly see anyone else that can play their characters. Watch the trailer here.

1. Get Out: You should’ve seen this coming. Director Jordan Peele creates a film that is of the horror genre, mystery, comedy and surprisingly, social commentary. The plot is about an African American man who is visiting his Caucasian girlfriend’s family at their far-out, rural home, which is where things become particularly strange. I hate to spoil anything, but there isn’t a monster or clown coming after our main character, Chris (played by Daniel Kaluuya), it’s his girlfriend who turns out be just as racist as her suspect family really is. What I loved about this movie were the Easter eggs spread throughout the film because they depicted real racial issues that we see in our society today. The “hitting the deer” scene, and the alternate ending that involves the cops is a prime example of this. It’s all very psychologically-based, and I recommend watching this movie more than twice to identify all of the subtle factors of racism and white privilege. Get Out will remain one of the most intelligent and thought provoking movies ever made. It’s been nominated for a Grammy this year as well. Here’s a compilation of some great clips.