Gautam Anand
5. Wonder Woman
After failure of ‘Batman v Superman’ both commercially and critically, one didn’t have high hopes with ‘Wonder Woman’. But ultimately, it turned out to be the only solid piece in an otherwise fragile DC armor. Wonder Woman seemed to make a statement that DC is still alive. Set in the World War 1 era, it follows Princess Diana, a fierce Amazonian warrior and her quest to put an end to the war. The plot is fairly straightforward but what wins points is the treatment meted out to the substance and the heart thumping music. Not to mention Gal Gadot’s unexpectedly brilliant performance, making it a treat to watch.
4. It
All though the story has been around for quiet sometime and have had its TV adaptations, what makes the 2017’s It different is Andy Muschietti’s craftsmanship in molding a retro clown from the gutters to suit the audiences of today. Regardless of what age group you might belong to, the film promises a narrative that explores the shadiest routes and keeps us vigilant through out with a sensation of danger lurking all around. Selling the scary bits by cleverly hiding them under the clown’s devious smiles, the movie might scar you forever with a fear for anything that remotely represents a circus clown. The film also will take you back to what you feared during your childhood, it will bring back thoughts of the boogeyman under your bed or even the strange looking shadows that fell on your windows during those nights when you actually believed ghosts were out there waiting for you to fall asleep. IT strikes hard on our childhood fears and makes a successful attempt at making us feel like the ‘kid from the block’ again. To summarize, IT is more like a journey back in time, only this time, it takes you to places where you probably didn’t want to return.
3. Thor : Ragnarok
Thor movies are hit and miss. The same is true for sequels. Do any horror fans remember the debate teenagers have in Scream 2 as to which sequels surpass their predecessors. There are a few and the Thor movies almost make it a rule. The Dark World (2013) was miles better than the first one and Thor: Ragnarok completes the trilogy while making it better at the same time. The cheesy lines uttered by Hemsworth are still intact and so is the humor along with effective use of action packed CGI making it one of the highest grossing Marvel films.
2. Logan
X-Men films are big gamble. Sometimes they work. More often they don’t. Therefore, ‘Logan’ — which happens to be the best X-Men film — was such a big surprise when it turned out so well. The film truly is Marvel’s answer to The Dark Knight (2008) (yes, some may disagree strongly). Being R-rated it is violent at times, with gritty performances and sets genre defining precedence. The reason I drew comparisons with The Dark Knight is because the movie stands for more than just an action packed superhero film. It is a movie where you genuinely care about the characters, a movie that showcases that Wolverine is bigger than just another superhero and is right up there with The Dark Knight if not better.
1. Split
Without question, the biggest surprise of the year. It is not usual for a Director to get back at his critics with a splendid film especially after being bashed down repeatedly for poorly received films. M Night Shyamalan’s career had its ups, downs and way too down’s in the past few years. But boy is he back! Split is Shyamalan’s revenge at dexterously owning our suspense nerves again. As usual, he uses his unique language to induce fear from the beginning and introduces us to a set of character, only this time they are all played by the same actor. James McAvoy delivers his career’s best in this dark and brooding story of a young man who is trapped inside a dozen personalities. The film reinvents the ‘multiple personality’ genre and delivers a stunning narrative that keeps us on the edge through out.
