Good Time: The ulimate ranking of 2017’s best indie films
If you’re looking for something new to stream on Hulu in the near future and are still catching up on some of the best indie films from 2017 then you might like to know that I, Tonya has now been added to the streaming service. Starring Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street) and Allison Janney (The Hours) doing some of the best acting work of their career, Craig Gillespie’s sports drama provides a dramatic look at the life of Tonya Harding and the controversial attack that derailed her career. We still think it’s one of the best indie films of 2017 and definitely worth streaming whether you’ve already seen it or not. But if you’re looking for something else from the past year, then our ranking of the twelve best indie films of 2017 should help point you in the right direction.
12. The Little Hours
Because who doesn’t love a good film about rebellious foul-mouthed nuns who occasionally indulge their sapphic side with each other? Particularly when that film stars Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West) and Alison Brie (The Disaster Artist) as two such sisters of the cloth.
11. mother!
Despite taking a lot of heat from critics and audiences alike who railed against the on-the-nose allegory at the heart of Darren Aronofsky's (Requiem for a Dream) horror we still think it’s a singularly ambitious achievement full of masterful nightmarish visuals.
10. Personal Shopper
Olivier Assayas’ mysterious drama follows a young woman (Kristen Stewart) haunted by the death of her twin brother in literal and emotional ways. Suggestively supernatural and full of restraint the film is hypnotic, devastating, and utterly captivating.
9. Kedi
Shot throughout the streets of Istanbul this charming documentary offers a genuinely fascinating portrait of the city’s wild feline population. The movie isn’t just for fans of our furry feline friends, it offers a delicate and captivating examination of instinct and philosophy.
8. Phantom Thread
Whether or not the film actually will be Daniel Day-Lewis’s (There Will Be Blood) final effort or if he’ll once again leap out of retirement one last time remains to be seen but if Phantom Thread is to be his last ever movie he at least went out with a solid one. Paul Thomas Anderson’s dressmaker drama is brimming with romance, tension, and well played humor.
7. Mudbound
Dee Rees’s Oscar-nominated period drama provides a careful portrait of racism in America that’s masterfully shot. Incredible performances from Mary J. Blige (Rock of Ages), Garrett Hedlund (Four Brothers), and Carey Mulligan (Suffragette) further anchor the film with excellence.
6. Good Time
Delivering the best performance of his career Robert Pattinson (Remember Me) is a thunderbolt of fury in the Safdie brothers’ Good Time. Offering a unique twist on the average crime thriller the film abounds with intrigue and tension bolstered by bold visuals.
5. Gook
A quintessential low budget indie film brimming with complex characters and thoughtful plotting Justin Chon’s monochrome masterpiece explores the civil unrest of 90’s Los Angeles and the marginalized communities impacted by it. Spike Lee’s (Malcolm X) influence is clear in the movie which examines the power of love and hate.
4. A Fantastic Woman
Featuring a standout performance from Daniela Vega (The Guest), Sebastián Lelio’s luminous drama follows a transgender woman challenged by society as she mourns the death of her partner.
3. The Florida Project
Sean Baker’s penchant for charming neorealism is in full effect with The Florida Project where he perfects the formula he’s been playing with in the past ten years or so. Featuring breathtaking performances from Willem Dafoe (Antichrist) and a six year old girl with no previous acting experience (Brooklynn Prince) the film is warm, dreamlike, and full of empathy in exploring an impoverished community.
2. Lady Bird
Establishing Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha) as one of an astounding filmmaking talent more than capably of just casually busting out a masterpiece whenever she likes, Lady Bird offers an emotional, witty, and relatable portrait of a teenage girl coming of age in the early 00’s.
1. Get Out
Jordan Peele’s searing horror draws from timely racial tensions to explore a thought-provoking tale full of social critique, terror, and perfectly timed comedy with impeccable performances from Daniel Kaluuya (Black Panther), Allison Williams (Girls), Bradley Whitford (The Cabin in the Woods), and Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich).
