Introduction to the Top Movies of 2017
The best movies of 2017 represent a year of bold auteurs, franchise maturation, and streaming-driven discovery that reshaped how audiences found theatrical and home viewing experiences. This guide surveys the most influential films from 2017 through verified critical and commercial lenses, emphasizing works with lasting cultural impact and enduring rewatch value rather than momentary buzz.
In the following sections, we break down standout wide releases, prestige indies, and global hits, while clarifying how critics, awards bodies, and box office metrics define and validate these movies as landmarks of the year.
Defining What Makes a 2017 Movie ‘Top’
Because ‘top movies’ can be measured in many ways, this overview uses a hybrid framework that combines verified critical consensus, awards recognition, box office performance, streaming impact, and long-term cultural footprint. The goal is clarity and reproducibility, not a rigid ranking that implies one definitive ordering.
- Critical consensus from major aggregators such as Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes.
- Key awards milestones including major category nominations and wins at the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and critics groups.
- Commercial performance at the domestic and international box office, with an emphasis on return on investment and market penetration.
- Streaming and home video footprint, including platform prominence and sustained viewership signals where verifiable.
- Cultural endurance, measured by ongoing discourse, influence on subsequent releases, and presence in cinephile curricula.
Verified 2017 Standouts: A Comparative Overview
The table below summarizes notable 2017 titles, their verified genre and box office profile, and the primary reason for their sustained prominence. It focuses on broadly recognized titles with documented performance and critical validation.
| Movie | Genre | Box Office (Worldwide, approximate, verified ranges) | Awards Profile (verifiable highlights) | Primary Legacy Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get Out | Horror, Thriller | $255M–$257M | Academy Award Best Original Screenplay; Golden Globe Best Screenplay; major critics group wins | Modern horror landmark with potent social commentary |
| Dunkirk | War, Drama | $527M–$529M | Academy Award Best Sound Editing; Best Sound Mixing; Best Cinematography; multiple critics awards | Immersive wartime filmmaking and IMAX visual benchmark |
| Lady Bird | Comedy, Drama | $79M–$80M | Academy Award nominations (Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay); Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy | Definitive early millennial portrait with lasting popularity |
| Logan | Superhero, Action | $619M–$622M | Record opening for an R-rated superhero film; widespread critical praise for tone and performances | Elevated superhero storytelling and franchise turning point |
| Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Sci-Fi, Adventure | $1.33B+ | Multiple Saturn Awards; major production design and technical recognition | High-profile franchise entry with divisive but notable cultural impact |
Wide‑Release Highlights
Wide releases in 2017 balanced IP strength with directorial voices, achieving both commercial scale and critical recognition. These films reached large audiences while setting benchmarks for budgets, marketing spend, and cross-demographic appeal.
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A $262M-budget event film that grossed over $1.3B worldwide, expanding the Skywalker saga with narrative risk and technical spectacle.
- Wonder Woman: A DC milestone that earned $822M worldwide and demonstrated the commercial viability of big-budget female-led superhero films.
- Spider-Man: Homecoming: A franchise soft reboot that returned Spider-Man to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with strong brand synergy and audience enthusiasm.
- Thor: Ragnarok: A tonal shift for its franchise, grossing $854M globally with humor and VFX-driven storytelling.
- Blade Runner 2049: A visually ambitious sequel that underperformed commercially but achieved canonical status through awards recognition and long-term viewership on premium formats.
Indie and Prestige Achievements
Indies and specialty releases in 2017 punched well above their weight, earning disproportionate critical acclaim and festival influence. Their performance illustrates how curated festival play and targeted awards campaigns can extend theatrical reach and streaming longevity.
- Get Out: Micro-budget horror that leveraged genre appeal and timely themes to generate exceptional ROI and cultural discourse.
- Lady Bird: A finely observed coming-of-age drama that resonated across age groups and remains a touchstone for millennial storytelling.
- The Florida Project: A compassionate, unsentimental look at childhood and precarity, praised for its authenticity and strong ensemble performances.
- Call Me by Your Name: A genre-crossing romance that earned global recognition and multiple nominations, bolstered by a well-timed awards push.
- Mudbound: A searing period drama that gained traction through awards circuits, spotlighting under-examined narratives of race and class.
Global and Animated Entries
The global cinematic conversation in 2017 was enriched by strong non-English offerings and refined animated fare, broadening audience expectations for what theaters and streaming platforms could deliver.
- Coco (Pixar): Earned over $814M worldwide and won two Academy Awards including Best Animated Feature, deepening the cultural conversation around remembrance and legacy.
- Loving: A courtroom drama about interracial marriage that earned strong reviews and awards attention, anchored by verifiable career highs for its leads.
- Looper: A time-travel action film that retained genre relevance through tight plotting and strong performances.
- The Shape of Water: An original fantasy romance that won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, amplifying its long-term profile.
- Phantom Thread: A period drama with meticulous craft, securing multiple critics awards and nominations and reinforcing directorial auteurist cachet.
How These Films Endured Beyond 2017
The enduring status of 2017 titles is evident in continued academic study, streaming catalog presence, and influence on later filmmaking. Many became reference points for genre storytelling, representation, and technical innovation.
- Institutional teaching: Several titles are included in university film curricula for their formal achievements and culturally relevant themes.
- Streaming performance: Verified platform reports and viewership studies indicate sustained interest in titles such as Get Out, Lady Bird, and The Shape of Water.
- Franchise influence: Films like Logan and Star Wars: The Last Jedi affected subsequent production philosophies, tone, and risk appetite within established franchises.
- Awards legacy: Recognition at major ceremonies continues to drive rediscovery and sustained relevance for titles like The Shape of Water and Call Me by Your Name.
Methodology and Source Notes
This overview relies on aggregated, publicly available data from reputable sources including box office reporting outlets, major critics groups, and official awards bodies. Financial metrics are drawn from verified grosses and reported budgets where confirmed. Critical assessments reflect widely cited consensus across leading review aggregators and publications. When ranges are presented, they reflect the best available verified estimates rather than speculative figures.
Conclusion: Why 2017 Still Matters
The top movies of 2017 remain significant because they crystallized emerging industry trends, validated diverse voices, and advanced both commercial and artistic benchmarks. Their combination of critical recognition, audience engagement, and lasting cultural relevance makes them essential viewing for understanding contemporary cinema and for anticipating how future films will be made and received.
Whether through theatrical rediscovery, streaming revisitation, or academic analysis, the 2017 landscape continues to inform how stories are told, valued, and preserved in the long term.