Jenna Gibson
Opinions Editor
Being from the small city of Petal, Miss., there’s only so much to do with my time. There are lots of things to do in Hattiesburg, the large college town that is close to Petal, but my friends and I always resort to the movies. I’ve spent way too much money at the movie theater this year, as I always do, and although I’m very easily entertained and biased toward cheesy romantic comedies, there have been a lot of good movies released this year. So, the amateur movie critic inside of me has made a list of the best movies released in theaters this year, and if you haven’t seen any of them, I suggest you do.
Beauty and the Beast
No matter how much I try to deny it, “Beauty and the Beast” will always be a classic to me. Although I was scared that I wouldn’t like this live version as much as the original, I was pleasantly surprised. I love Emma Watson, and even though her singing voice seemed to be as autotuned as T-Payne’s old music, I still loved every second of it. Luke Evans, who played Gaston, was also a huge reason that I loved this movie. If there’s a hot boy in a movie, I most likely already love it, and that was the case for this one. The music was also really great, though, and if you haven’t seen this movie, then get out of the rock you’ve been living under, and go watch it on Netflix.
Dunkirk
I already know what you’re thinking. I only put this on the list because the love of my life Harry Styles is in it. While that’s partially true and the reason that I originally decided to watch this movie, “Dunkirk” ended up being really good. It had very few lines and was very stressful to watch, but it was also very captivating. It was really intense, since it was a movie about war, and it was filled with good-looking men. However, the plot was fantastic. It didn’t have much dialogue, but it didn’t need it. “Dunkirk” was about how Germany advanced into France in 1940, and it left a lot of troops stuck at Dunkirk. If you haven’t seen this one, you definitely should (especially if you’re a fan of Harry Styles).
Baby Driver
If you haven’t seen this movie, stop what you’re doing right now and go watch this. “Baby Driver” is about a teenage boy who gets stuck in the middle of multiple robberies because of his skills as the getaway driver. It is easily the best movie I’ve seen of 2017, and easily my favorite off this list. Not only did this movie have a great cast (except for Kevin Spacey, who I now am not a fan of, but he played the bad guy, so it works out), but this movie also had a great soundtrack. The soundtrack was maybe my favorite part about this film. Edgar Wright directed this film and did a wonderful job, and I loved every single part of this movie. Wright brought the audience into the film by using music as a form of communication, since we listened to what the main character listened to. The plot was genius and inventive, and Ansel Elgort will always be one of my favorite people.
Girls Trip
I always love women-centered comedies, but this movie is also one of my favorites of this year (right behind “Baby Driver”). I laughed throughout the entirety of this movie. Based in New Orleans, this comedy follows four distanced best friends who go to a festival and rekindle their friendship. I even teared up at the end of this, which is embarrassing to admit, but I think it’s essential to my argument. So, if you want a good laugh, go see this movie right now. You won’t regret it.
Murder on the Orient Express
I actually just saw this movie yesterday, and it was really good. This film was about a detective trying to figure out who committed a murder (RIP Johnny Depp’s character) while on a train (hint the title), and the whole movie is full of plot twists. I won’t give anything away, but the end was very unexpected, and I wasn’t ready for it. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also happens to be the star of the film (which was pretty vain, but he still did well), “Murder on the Orient Express” had an all-star cast, and the movie kept me on the edge of my seat at all times. Unlike most films about crime and murder, this movie took on an interesting perspective, and the fact that it all occurred on a train was especially cinematic and captivating.
