The Best of 2017 in Movies, Animation & TV!

Indeed, 2017 has seen a great run in terms of movies, TV shows, and even animated projects. We have seen a lot of great entries for this year, both from the independent side, down to the mainstream end of things. Truly, it is nice to see new names rise to the occasion and take on bolder routes as they create new stories for the audience. The times are changing – and evolving, we must say.

Having said those, we at FlipGeeks counted down the best of 2017 in film, TV, and animation.

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Yuri Mangahas (Managing Editor for Movies, TV and Animation, IG: @yurithekid)

Best Film: Blade Runner 2049
It’s a rare feat nowadays to infuse artsy elements in a commercial film. Thankfully, Denis Villenueve breaks the mold with his sequel to Ridley Scott’s cult magnum opus, Blade Runner. Unlike most films, it is visually stunning, filled with allegory, and is, in essence, a comic book-esque film due to its number of eyecatching shots. It also succeeds in paying homage to the original film’s legacy, and lights a new path towards more stories in the future. Guess Rick Deckard’s story isn’t over yet.

Best TV Show: Mindhunter
Truth be told, you’ll never go wrong with Netflix’ ever expanding library to fill your taste for entertainment. One of the sparkling gems in its library is the newly conceived crime thriller, Mindhunter.

Set in the 70s, the show centers on a group of FBI agents and a psychologist as they interview serial killers on a bid to discover how criminals behave, in the hopes of applying their learnings to future cases. It is easily one of the best TV shows to date, as it engagingly discusses various themes linked to crime and the human psyche. In addition, the character development has been woven intricately, hooking you on to the characters as they progress through the show. Its visuals are also impressive – an adjective we rarely spew with TV shows nowadays.

Best Local Film: Birdshot
I’ve said this once in my socials and I’ll say it again: Birdshot strikes the target as 2017’s best local film. It dares where no filmmaker had gone before, as it juxtaposes a seemingly hopeful coming of age tale in darker waters. Treat the film as a metaphorical iteration of John Milton’s Paradise Lost, as it deconstructs people down to their bare instincts, all while ingeniously utilizing the Philippine Eagle and the mountains as backdrops to this great thriller. At age 24, filmmaker Mikhail Red has surpassed a number of helmers in terms of storytelling ability.

Best Animated Project: Coco
Pixar truly has a knack for stories that easily pierce through our heartstrings, and Coco is one of those films that does exactly that. Inspired by the concept of the Mexican holiday “Day of The Dead,” Coco follows 12-year-old boy named Miguel Rivera who is accidentally transported to the land of the dead, where he seeks the help of his deceased musician great-great-grandfather to return him to his family among the living.

Similar to previous Pixar entries, Coco deals with various themes such as legacy, acceptance, and ultimately life in a manner acceptable to viewers of all ages. The art direction is also splendid, starting from how the Land of The Dead was conceived, down to the film’s best shots. It also managed to tear me up, which made me consider Coco as 2017’s best animated project.