We are only a quarter of the way through the year and we have already had some great films that have been released in cinemas across the United Kingdom. In fact, some of the films have received such high praise from both critics and film lovers in general that the films which have yet to be released this year have a lot to live up to. Let’s take a look at some of the films released in the UK so far in 2017 which have set the benchmark to a very high level already.
'Logan'
It is true that the "X-Men" franchise has had its ups and downs. For every X2, there has been an "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" but "Logan," the latest Film in a franchise which has lasted 17 years, has been praised by X-Men fans and the majority of film critics.
Hugh Jackman signed off as Wolverine in style and the film, for many, transcended the superhero genre to a degree which has not been seen since "The Dark Knight." If a superhero film comes out this year that is better than "Logan", then this genre is in for a great year.
'Get Out'
This horror film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January before it had a wide release in March where it received rave reviews. Praise was levied at the socially relevant issues and themes that "Get Out" deals with as well as the admiration that was shown towards the directing by Jordan Peele. Famous for the sketch show 'Key and Peele," this was Jordan Peele’s directorial debut and he made a film which is very likely to be the best horror film of the year and likely to be on many people's Top 10 lists once this year is over.
Get Out is funny, unsettling, gripping and it has to be seen in a cinema. It has been a LONG time since I heard an audience react like that.
— Philip Concannon (@Phil_on_Film) 17 March 2017
'Hacksaw Ridge'
While this film came out in the United States last year, it came out in the United Kingdom in 2017 and it marked the directorial return of Mel Gibson.
Whatever your opinions about Gibson and his chequered past, the man is a talented director and, in "Hacksaw Ridge," he made a war film that was praised for its brutal depiction of conflict during World War 2.
Indeed, that aspect of "Hacksaw Ridge" was compared to "Saving Private Ryan" which is high praise indeed. It received recognition in the form of Oscar nominations and, once Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk comes out in the summer, you know that it will be measured up to "Hacksaw Ridge". If it comes close to the quality of "Hacksaw Ridge," then we will have had two brilliant war films come out in a very short space of time.
