The Best Films of 2017
2017 had no shortage of amazing films, but even among the many cinematic heavy hitters, some movies had an outsized impact. Here are four from the year that are considered the best of the best.
Wonder Woman
Originally created in 1941, Wonder Woman finally got the blockbuster film she deserved in the summer of 2017. Starring Gal Gadot in the title role, the movie follows Wonder Woman as she leaves her home on the island of Themyscira to save the day during World War I.
Wonder Woman was the ninth highest-highest grossing film of the year and was the highest-grossing superhero origin film of all time. This high-octane hit killed it at the box office and was one of 2017’s most-discussed films.
Dunkirk
Blockbuster war films have a tendency to be good, but Dunkirk proved just how phenomenal the genre can be. Set in 1940 during the German invasion of France, the film follows the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the city of Dunkirk.
Praised for its unusual structure and minimal dialogue, Dunkirk was a favorite of critics, which explains its numerous award nominations and accolades. However, audiences found themselves drawn to the film as well, which led to it being the highest-grossing World War II movie of all time.
Get Out
Part horror film, part social commentary, Get Out was the stand-out scary movie for 2017. The story follows Chris, a black man visiting his white girlfriend’s family for the first time. While he encounters some of the normal awkwardness that intolerant family members can create, Chris soon realizes that something much more sinister is going on than just everyday prejudice.
This film marked the solo directorial debut of comedian Jordan Peele and left audiences hungry for more from this up-and-coming director. Get Out was nominated for two Golden Globe awards—Best Motion Picture and Best Actor. While it didn’t win either, audiences and critics had already made their voices heard, and their resounding message was that Get Out was the movie to see in 2017.
Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut follows the life of teenager Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson in this charming coming-of-age tale about love, ambition, and mother-daughter relationships. As Lady Bird nears the end of her senior year in high school, her rocky relationship with her mother (portrayed by Laurie Metcalf) becomes even more strained when she reveals her decision to attend college across the country in New York City.
With a coveted 99 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Lady Bird wowed both audiences and critics alike and became one of 2017’s most beloved indie films.
Cities to See in Italy
If you love rich foods and wines, beautiful scenery, and ancient history, Italy is where you should take your next vacation. The best times of the year to travel here are between the months of April and June, as well as September and October. These months provide comfortable temperatures alongside the changing of seasons, so there are many vibrant colors to see. You’ll want to avoid the time between late June to early September as this is the country’s busiest tourism season and crowds can be massive. Here are a few cities that are a must-see.
Rome (Roma)
The capital of this beautiful country has so much to offer. From the food to the historical landmarks, you won’t have trouble finding something to do each day. Take a walking tour through the city to see famous ancient monuments. Some of these monuments are the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the Piazza Navona. You can also see Vatican City, the home of the Catholic Religion and the Pope since 1378. Here is where you will find the infamous Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Florence (Firenze)
As one of the most popular cities in the Tuscany region, you’ll find nothing short of beautiful here. Florence is known for its renaissance architecture and art history. Just like in Rome, it’s suggested to take a walking tour to see all the history this city has to offer. Some of the sights to see here are the Duomo, the Bell Tower, and the Uffizi Gallery. However, my favorite would have to be watching the sunset from the steps of Piazzale Michelangelo with a bottle of Tuscan wine.
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre translated into English means “five lands,” which is appropriate because it’s made up of five seaside villages. Those villages are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Take a train from one village to the next to see stunning views of the coast, the colorful houses, the harbors littered with fishing boats, and steep terraces with clinging vines. Be sure to stop into some of the local seafood restaurants for fresh catches of the day and try the region’s famous pesto sauce.
Welcome!
This is JB Hoover’s first post on his blog dedicated to his personal passions, including golf, travel, and cars.
About JB Hoover, Newport Beach
Based in Newport Beach, JB Hoover is the Founder and Principal of National Quality Construction in Tustin, Orange County, California. Prior to starting his own business, JB spent over ten years as Vice President of Construction at a Custom Boutique Homebuilder. JB mainly focuses on real estate rehabilitation, which consists of flipping foreclosed homes into dream houses for young couples or people buying their first home. Other than his passion for his professional endeavors, JB is also passionate about golf, travel, and cars.
As a student at Whittier College in Los Angeles, JB Hoover enjoyed cars so much that he used to flip and customize them to earn extra money. However, he found few cars that he loved too much to sell and decided to keep them instead. Today, JB’s car collection includes seven rare vehicles — some of which include a few Mercedes-AMG cars, which are modeled after racing cars and are known to be characterized by the company’s courage and passion in the car-making industry.
In fact, JB’s passion for cars is what inspired him to get into the construction and development business. He noticed one of his frequent buyers had a large collection of exotic vehicles, and questioned the buyer about their career. The buyer said he was a successful construction developer in the area, and built residential real estate for families and young couples. JB became fascinated by the business, and decided to pursue the same career path by earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in real estate. He then combined his two passions of flipping cars and construction into a business that creates affordable homes for everyday buyers.
When JB Hoover of Newport Beach is not on the job, he enjoys traveling internationally. With four continents and dozens of countries visited under his belt, JB has truly experienced the different cultures, cuisines and different climates that he’s exposed to on his travels. He particularly enjoys Western Europe in countries like Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
In addition, JB Hoover enjoys golfing on several of the beautiful golf courses that overlook the Orange County skyline. As a player of over 20 years, JB is no longer the talented golfer he used to be, but that doesn’t stop him from enjoying time outside in the California sunshine and attempting to become a scratch golfer again. Inspired by watching golf on TV and observing his grandfather and great-grandfather play the sport, JB Hoover played golf in high school and college and hopes that he, too, can play the game well into his 90s as his grandfather and great-grandfather did.
