1 - Wind River

Wind River is Taylor Sheridan’s directorial debut, he has previously written the screenplays for Sicario and Hell or High Water.  The film is a fantastic debut feature that introduces Sheridan as a filmmaker to watch. Wind River is one of those films you just don’t see anymore, a thriller that takes its time unraveling the mystery.  Jeremy Renner gives the best performance of his career as a wildlife tracker on an Indian reservation who helps a fish-out-of-water FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) solve the brutal murder of a local Native American girl.  The story is gripping from start to finish and is punctuated by one of the more intense sequences I’ve seen in a film since the bridge scene from Sicario.  Wind River also deals with strong themes of how Native Americans have been marginalized by our society.

2 - Stronger

If you’ve been reading my stuff over the past few years, it’s no secret that I’m a huge Jake Gyllenhaal fan. This list is further evidence of that.  First up is Stronger, the powerful true story of Jeff Bauman, a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing who lost both of his legs in the attack.  Gyllenhaal gives another fantastic performance, something audiences have grown accustomed to.  He portrays Bauman going through the understandable difficulties of losing one’s legs.  The anger, the despair and the coming to grips with his new life, but the other aspect Bauman struggles with dealing with is the sudden fame.  Bauman is just a normal guy who is now hailed as a hero just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) is also outstanding as Bauman’s ex-girlfriend, who harbors guilt because of the incident.  It’s a shame more people didn’t see Stronger.  It’s one of the more powerful films of the year.

3 - Mudbound

Netflix has become a powerhouse of entertainment, especially when it comes to their original shows.  Their original films are a different story.  They haven’t quite garnered the attention of the TV shows.  Films like Mudbound deserve to get a theatrical release, and while it’s great that the film is offered to the massive audience Netflix has, they also get lost in the shuffle of everything else the streaming service has to offer. That’s a shame because Mudbound is one of the very best films of the year and it deserves the big screen attention that similar films experience.  Mudbound tells the story of two families in 1940’s America trying to make their way in the world.  The McAllan’s, white farm owners struggling to get their new farm off the ground and the Jackson’s, an African-American family that works on the farm.  Racial differences must be put aside as the livelihoods of both families depends on the farm.  The film also features some of the more stunningly beautiful visuals you will see all year long.  Mudbound is a timely, important film for many reasons.  Most of all is the fact that it’s directed by Dee Rees, an African-American woman.

4 - The Lost City of Z

If you want an idea of how the movie landscape has changed in recent years, look no further than The Lost City of Z. Decades ago, The Lost City of Z would have been one of the most important films released.  Today, it’s an underseen afterthought.  There’s literally no place for it at our local cinemas.  That may not worry you, but it drives me crazy.  The film made just 8 million dollars domestically, which is just insane.  The silver lining is that films like this can be found on streaming devices and that’s exactly where I saw it.  One of the reasons Lost City didn’t appeal to mainstream audiences was the fact that it’s not an action movie.  This is not Indiana Jones.  It’s the rare adventure film that is grounded in reality.  Parts of the film actually feel like you are watching a documentary.  You’re along for the ride with these explorers as they discover uncharted territories and natives.  The film is filled with great performances led by Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy). I’ve never been a fan of Hunnam’s work, but he gives a career best performance.  Robert Pattinson is also unrecognizable as a member of the exploration crew.  The Lost City of Z is also a beautiful looking film, which makes me wish I had seen the film in theaters even more.

5 - The Big Sick

The Big Sick stars comedian Kumail Nanjiani, who also wrote the screenplay, as a struggling stand-up comedian who falls in love with a grad student named Emily.  Their relationship quickly fizzles out when cultural expectations get in the way, but when Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail stays by her side. The Big Sick is actually autobiographical and tells the story of how he and his wife met.  It’s easily one of the funniest films of the year and is by far one of the better romantic comedies in years.  It avoids most of the pitfalls the genre is plagued by and shows what true love really looks like.  The Big Sick also deals with strong themes of what it’s like to be of Arab descent in America.

6 - Thor: Ragnarok

What is Thor: Ragnarok doing on a list about underrated films?  Hear me out.  Yes, the film made a bazillion dollars, but I don’t think people are giving this one the credit it deserves.  When it comes to great superhero films of 2017, most people mention Wonder Woman and Logan, and rightly so, but Ragnarok belongs in that discussion.  It took the most boring character in the Marvel franchise and completely turned everything on its head.  Ragnarok is easily the funniest film I saw all year and might be my favorite Marvel film to date. To what does Thor: Ragnarok owe its success?  In my opinion, director Taika Waititi.  The studio actually took a backseat for once and let Waititi do his thing, which isn’t always the case, just ask Edgar Wright.  What Waititi did was infuse the film with his own unique sense of humor.  This was put on display last year with Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which was one of the best films of 2016.  Who knew he could make the jump from a small New Zealand film like that to Blockbuster superheroes.  Oddly enough, Waititi had his shot at the superhero genre with 2011’s Green Lantern.  The film was a colossal failure, but I’d say he’s redeemed himself.

7 - mother!

The term mainstream audience is kind of difficult to define.  Simply put, if you can’t name a Darren Aronofsky film, then you should probably skip mother! because it’s one of the more twisted, enigmatic films of the year.  I don’t want to give too much away for those that are interested in seeing it because the best part of the film is peeling it apart layer by layer trying to figure out just what the heck is going on!  Mother is one of those films that will stick with you long after you’ve exited the theater.  Jennifer Lawrence has received mixed reviews for her performance here, but for me, it’s nothing short of brilliant.  She carries the whole film and her sense of bewilderment echoes our own.  Love it or hate it, mother! is one of the more memorable films of 2017.

8 - Life

Some films bomb at the box office and it just makes sense.  Then there are films like Life that just have me questioning everything I know about moviegoers.  Life features a great cast, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson and it deals with the tried and true subject matter of an alien lifeform on board a space station.  What’s there not to like?  A lot I guess because audiences just didn’t show up.  Maybe it’s the derivative nature of the story, but the film actually handles familiar territory quite well, begging the question of how far should humans go for the sake of science and what price are we willing to pay?  Life also features an ending that is sure to split people right down the middle.  If you’re a fan of the Sci-fi genre, you can’t go wrong here.

9 - Good Time

My underrated list is made for films like Good Time.  This is one that even the most die hard cinephile probably hasn’t heard of.  Good Time tells the story of two brothers, Connie and Nick, whose attempt to rob a bank goes terribly awry.  Nick, who is also mentally ill, gets caught by the police and Connie, played by Robert Pattinson, must try and free him before he heads to prison.  Pattinson gives the best performance of his career as a low-life thief.  His eyes are seemingly wide and dilated the whole time.  Honestly, I’m not sure he blinks the entire film. His twitchy, panicked state sets the tone for the entire film.  Most of Good Time takes place at night, and the city is literally another character, its energy pulses through every frame.  Once it gets going, the film is engulfed in a feeling of panic and anxiety that throbs throughout the entirety of the film.  As Connie tries to fix things, he ends up just making things worse and worse.  Good Time most closely resembles films like Taxi Driver and Dog Day Afternoon, and with a little time, might take its place next to them.

10 - A Cure for Wellness

A Cure for Wellness is another one of those films that divided people upon release.  Many people were turned off by its twisty plot, but I really enjoyed myself.  The film keeps you guessing the whole time and although the ending was a bit of a letdown, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  The film is directed by Gore Verbinski, who is still working his way back from one of the biggest bombs in film history - The Lone Ranger. A Cure for Wellness is also a visual feast.  Almost every frame is perfectly shot.  If you’re up for a good mystery, give this one a chance.