We're just a little over halfway through 2017, so what better time to look back on the first few months of the year and the best of what cinema had to offer us so far. From awards season treating us to brilliant outings such as La La Land and Moonlight to the beginnings of a strong-looking summer blockbuster with the likes of Wonder Woman and Baby Driver, there's certainly been something for every kind of movie lover to enjoy.
From Manchester By The Sea and Fences to Hugh Jackman's last stand as Wolverine, Logan, All Things Screen lists the titles that have come out tops when it comes to both critics and fans alike...
Get Out
Jordan Peele's directorial debut Get Out delivered everything you could hope for from a successful suspense thriller; uncomfortably tight close-ups, a jumpy score, a creepy opener and an inevitable twist. But when you combine those elements with one heck of an original story and a satirical script as sharp as this, it's no wonder the film made history with Peele becoming the first black writer-director to make $100 million with a movie debut. And boy, has it surpassed that figure now.
The movie centres on Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a young African-American man who agrees to visit his white girlfriend's family one weekend. Despite the early protestations of his other half Rose (Alison Williams), things seem odd as soon as the pair arrive on the estate. Little does Chris know, the get-together is soon to get a lot more sinister.
Alongside it's obvious observations about society, Get Out isn't afraid to tackle the problems with over-the-top white liberalism either, never shying away from shining a light on the kinds of micro-agressive racist comments that so often masquerade as empathy or cultural appreciation; "Black is coming back in fashion." It's poignant, provocative and definitely one of 2017's must-sees.
Wonder Woman
Empowering, joyous, thrilling and funny. What more is there to say about the first big-screen depiction of Wonder Woman other than 'about bloody time'? Filmmaker Patty Jenkins sure had a lot of pressure on her shoulders, due to how desperate comic book movie fans were for a female-led film, but there's no denying that she smashed it.
The outing focuses on the woman who came before the titular hero was created; Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), an Amazonian warrior born on a secluded island called Themyscira. One day, Diana meets World War II officer Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), after his plane crash lands on her paradise and she learns of the raging conflict the outside world is facing.
Determined to help, she leaves her homeland with Steve to join the fight; a decision which subsequently leads her to become the lasso-slinging, world-saving Wonder Woman.
John Wick: Chapter 2
JohnWick: Chapter 2 once again centres on Keanu Reeves' titular assassin, as a former associate of his catches wind of his return to the world of underground crime and calls upon him to carry out a difficult task. The mission? To kill his sister so that he can take her place at the High Table; a council of high-level mob bosses.
Naively believing he can carry out the deed and then walk away a free man, Wick soon finds himself in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse as almost every assassin across the world tries to kill him before he leaves the circle again.
Manchester By The Sea
Boston handyman Lee (Casey Affleck) doesn't have all that much going for him. He rents a dingy one-room apartment in the building where he works, spends his days conversing with awkward tenants and his evenings getting into drunken brawls in bars.
But his life faces a dramatic change when he is drafted back to his hometown of Manchester-by-the-Sea after his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) passes away and he assumes guardianship of his teenage nephew Patrick. Unfortunately for Lee, returning to his former neighbourhood and adopting a father-like role proves difficult too, due to personal demons and even more tragic memories from his old life there.
Armed with brilliant performers such as newbie Lucas Hedges, Michelle Williams and Affleck, Kenneth Lonergan presents a truthful depiction of different reactions to grief and manipulates the film into a quiet-yet-powerful character study rather than, what so easily could have been, a manipulative, sensationalised drama. For every tearjerker moment that literally makes your heart sting, there's a scene which will have a smile creep up on your face and that's where the film's beauty lies.
Logan
Set in 2029, Logan sees Hugh Jackman's eponymous mutant working as a driver-for-hire and living a humdrum, lonely life on the Mexican border, following the mysterious disappearance of almost all of the former X-Men. During his downtime, he cares for telepath Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), who is succumbing to the effects of a neurogenerative disease that causes everyone within a mile-or-so radius to become paralysed every time he suffers from a seizure.
But their somewhat quiet life becomes threatened when their path crosses with Laura's (Dafne Keen) a young mutant who's more like Logan than he would care to admit. Before long, the trio find themselves embroiled in a dangerous cross-country manhunt, as they try to save Laura from the relentless pursuits of a menacing corporation lead by scientist Dr Rice (Richard E Grant).
To say Logan is the best Wolverine film is to do it a disservice - (the two that have come before it have hardly been ground-breaking) - it's undoubtedly one of the best comic-book films going, as it centres on self-doubt and personal connection. For that reason, calling it a superhero movie doesn't quite seem fitting either, as it wholeheartedly abandons formulaic traditions, that need to tease a sequel and that cape-filled, cheesy gloss in favour of something much more universal; a truly affecting and gritty human story.
La La Land
Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone and set against a neon-lit Los Angeles, La La Land follows aspiring actress Mia, who works as a barista in a movie studio coffee shop and jazz musician Sebastian, who plays in rundown bars to make a living. Before long, the pair meet and fall in love but, as they each become more successful, certain opportunities they've worked so hard for challenge their relationship.
It's gutsy and bold with its style, having its stars randomly break into tap-dance routines and act out dream sequences set to grand, orchestral sweels. But it never takes itself too seriously, interjecting humour wherever it can.
The visuals are dazzling, the soundtrack is even better and it harks back to the kinds of glamourous movies Hollywood just doesn't make anymore. Basically, Damien Chazelle's modern-day musical was the perfect remedy to sort out audience's post-Christmas blues and that's why it's got to be regarded as one of the year's best!
Jackie
So often, biopics are hailed as masterpieces but in the same breath can be justifiably described as a predictable - given you usually know the subject's story in-and-out already. On the surface, Jackie might be seen as no different as most people already knows what happened on 21 November 1963, in Texas, when President John F Kennedy was assassinated. Fortunately, Pablo Larrain's unusual outing defies convention as he uses a well-known event as the spring-board for his tale of the burden of celebrity and the power of grief, rather than its conclusion.
Focusing on just the seven days after the event, the director and his screenwriter Noah Oppenheim focus on Jackie Kennedy's own acceptance of what she saw that fateful day and what it means for her going forward as the First Lady of the United States. Cleverly, they weave in non-linear flashbacks to offer up a brief glimpse into her life and marriage with her late husband, but fear not, the JFK references are few and far between. This isn't his story, it's hers.
Natalie Portman dazzles in one of her most complex and nuanced roles to date while it's interesting to see a filmmaker boldly use such a shocking piece of history and turn it into a delicate, stripped-back look at how the horrific act of violence affected one woman, rather than a nation.
Moonlight
Well, it didn't win the Academy Award for Best Picture back in February for nothing, you know? More of a social commentary, rather than a mere piece of entertainment consumed by narrative, Moonlight strives to get its audience thinking from the get-go. Exploring themes as broad as self-acceptance, compassion for others and nature vs. nurture.
Adapted from Tarell Alvin McCraney's play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, the film follows Chiron as he grows from a boy to a man in a rough Miami neighbourhood. Divided into three parts, it depicts him at different ages (played by brilliant newcomers Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes), not only trying to find his place in the world but also struggling to deal with his mother's crippling drug addiction and coming to terms with his sexuality.
But for all the subjects it covers, Moonlight certainly doesn't feel bogged down. Particularly with dialogue. It's a much more intimate affair, meaning that viewers are allowed time to digest what the characters say when they do speak, interpret what they're seeing and perhaps even relate it to their own lives. The calculated moments of silence are elevated by Nicholas Brittell's stunning score too, creating something truly beautiful.
War for the Planet of the Apes
20th Century Fox's prequels to the 1968 original - and the further adaptations of Pierre Boulle's novel that followed - have been hailed as one of the most thoughtful blockbuster series and Matt Reeves' concluding chapter War for the Planet of the Apes certainly doesn't let the trilogy down.
This time, it focuses heavily on Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his fellow genetically enhanced apes as they continue to hide from humans in the deep woods and hope to live in peace. But a power-hungry Colonel (Woody Harrelson) and his team of "monkey killers" aren't going to let that happen on their watch.
Part road-trip movie, part character-driven drama with just a smidgen of war film thrown in for good measure - yes, despite the title, there aren't that many explosions on display here - it manages to explore hard-hitting themes surrounding science and the human condition. Thought-provoking and poignant, it's certainly a satisfying end to a great couple of films.
Baby Driver
Edgar Wright's toe-tapping thrill ride centres on Baby (Ansel Elgort); a young man who becomes the getaway driver for bank-robbing mastermind Doc (Kevin Spacey) when he gets caught stealing the latter's car. Using Baby's former crime as leverage for the wheelman's continued involvement in his schemes, Doc takes a cut of Baby's earnings from each successful heist, promising him he'll relieve him off his duties once the debt is cleared. A deal that, unsurprisingly, doesn't take too long to carry out given Baby's talents.
But when Doc conjures up a plan which could set him and his accomplices up for life, he's desperate to get 'lucky charm' Baby back on board. With no other way of persuading him to return to the fold, Doc ditches his father figure-schtick and threatens the safety of Baby's deaf foster parent and new girlfriend, forcing the talented young'un back into the driver's seat one last time.
With its tidy, under two-hour runtime, Baby Driver doesn't allow its foot off the gas once and never suffers from a dull moment. Some parts modern and some parts old-school - purely in the sense that it could even come across simple on its first watch - Baby Driver stands head-and-shoulders above most summer blockbusters. Not only is it refreshingly original and energetic from its thrilling opening car chase to its tense, closing... well... foot chase, where else are you going to see a high-octane shootout set to The Champs' Tequila this century?!
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