BUST’s Top 27 Movies Of 2017

by Erika W. Smith

 

It’s that time of year — year-end list time! I’ve combed through BUST’s print magazine, website, and podcast to find the movies that BUST contributors loved the most in 2017. They’re here in order of release date, along with links to our coverage. Also, none of us have seen the Post yet, but we are psyched for it, so someone please send us a screening invite!

1. I Am Not Your Negro, directed by Raoul Peck (February 3)

Director Raoul Peck’s documentary is based on James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript and incorporates modern-day footage of Black Lives Matter protests and other events. Discussed on Poptarts.

2. A United Kingdom, directed by Amma Asante (February 10)

BUST writes “A United Kingdom is, at its heart, a gorgeous love story about a two people from radically different worlds.” Read our review here.

3. I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore, directed by Macon Blair (February 24)

Melanie Lynskey gives a powerful performance as an angry, clinically depressed woman who takes matters into her own hands after a home burglary. Read our review here

4. Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele (February 24)

Jordan Peele’s debut movie redefined the horror genre in the best way possible. Discussed on Poptarts.

 

5. Personal Shopper, directed by Olivier Assayas (March 10)


Kristen Stewart plays a young woman grieving the death of her brother in this powerful movie. Read our review here.

6. Raw, directed by Julia Ducourneau (March 15)



French director Julia Ducourneau’s cannibal coming-of-age story is a horror movie masterpiece. Read our review here

7. The Zookeeper’s Wife, directed by Niki Caro (March 31)



Jessica Chastain brings a real WWII heroine’s story to life in this biopic. Read our review here

 

8. All This Panic, directed by Jenny Gage (March 31)

This moving documentary explores the lives of teenage girls as they graduate high school and begin college in Brooklyn. Read our review here.

9. Colossal, directed by Nacho Vigalondo (May 19)

“Anne Hathaway goes indie in this utterly delightful and strange movie about heartbreak, addiction, and literal monsters,” BUST writes. Read our review here.

10. Paint It Black, directed by Amber Tamblyn (May 19)

“Amber Tamblyn’s directorial debut, Paint It Black, is a visually stunning exploration of grief,” BUST writes. Read our review here.

 

11.  Wonder Woman (June 2)

BUST writes, “Director Patty Jenkins totally nails the larger-than-life superhero blockbuster vibe necessary to thrill fans and sway the haters.” Read our review here.

12. The Big Sick (July 14)



Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon turned their love story into a romantic dramedy you’ll want to watch and re-watch. Read our review here.

13. Landline, directed by Gillian Robespierre (July 21)

The team behind Obvious Child — director Gillian Robespierre and actress Jenny Slate — teamed up for another amazing dramedy, this one following two sisters in 1990s New York who discover that their father is having an affair. Read BUST’s review here.

14. The Incredible Jessica James, directed by James C. Strouse (July 28)

Jessica Williams’s first starring role proves she should be the lead in all the rom coms ever. Read BUST’s review here.

15. Step, directed by Amanda Lipitz (August 4)

This moving documentary follows a high school girls’ step team through their senior year.

 

16. Ingrid Goes West, directed by Matt Spicer (August 25)



“Ingrid Goes West is an entertaining look at how social media allows us all to remake ourselves – at a cost,” writes BUST. Read our review here.

17. Battle of the Sexes, directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton (September 29)



Emma Stone and Steve Carrell star in this biopic about Billie Jean King’s memorable tennis win. Read more here. 

18. The Florida Project, directed by Sean Baker (October 6)



“The Florida Project is ultimately a beautiful, rough portrait of childhood set against the backdrop of the remains of the dreams of adults,” writes BUST. Read our review here.

19. Faces Places, directed by Agnes Varda and J.R. (October 6)

French film legend Agnes Varda looks back at her 60-year career as she goes on a road trip with young street artist JR. Read our review here.

20. Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, directed by Angela Robinson (October 13)


This biopic explores the real-life story of the creation of Wonder Woman, and the polyamorous relationships of the creator. Read our interview with Angela Robinson here

21. Novitiate, directed by Maggie Betts (October 27)



“It’s hard to imagine a film that more thoroughly passes the Bechdel Test than Novitiate, a period drama about nuns coming to terms with the changes Vatican II brought to the Catholic Church in the 1960s,” writes BUST. Read our review here.

22. Lady Bird, directed by Greta Gerwig (November 3)

Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut is a coming-of-age story that will 100% make you cry. Read our interview with Greta Gerwig here.

23. Mudbound, directed by Dee Rees (November 17)


“Writer/director Dee Rees (the filmmaker behind Bessie and Pariah) aims high with Mudbound, a sprawling Southern Gothic tale of two families whose fates are impossibly intertwined,” writes BUST. Read our review here.

24. Call Me By Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino (November 24)

Call Me By Your Name is “a beautiful coming-of-age story that hasn’t been told before,” writes BUST. Read our review here. 

25. The Shape Of Water, directed by Guillermo del Toro (December 1)

“Bursting with themes from writer/director Guillermo del Toro’s oeuvre—including the horrors of war, the pain and loneliness of being an outsider, and the ambiguous nature of those we call monsters—this fantastical love story is one of the best movies of the year,” writes BUST. Read our review here.

26. The Disaster Artist, directed by James Franco (December 8)

James Franco *is* Tommy Wiseau in this biopic about the story behind the ultimate cult classic, the Room. Discussed on Poptarts.

27. I ,Tonya, directed by Craig Gillespie (December 8)

Director Craig Gillespie takes us back to the infamous ’90s rivalry between figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, focusing on Tonya’s side of the story. Read our review here. 

top image: Wonder Woman

 More from BUST

BUST’s Holiday Gift Guide For The Best Presents At Every Price Point

I Tried 4 HIstorical Christmas Recipes — Here’s What They Taste Like

BUST’s Poptarts Podcast Gives “I, Tonya” A Spin

You may also like

Get the print magazine.

The best of BUST in your inbox!

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

About Us

Founded in 1993, BUST is the inclusive feminist lifestyle trailblazer offering a unique mix of humor, female-focused entertainment, uncensored personal stories, and candid reporting that tells the truth about women’s lives.

©2023 Street Media LLC.  All Right Reserved.