The five 2017 movies I'm most excited about (as of right now)

Harrison Ford in Blade Runner 2049

2017 is just beginning and this time of year usually the doldrums when it comes to new releases. This is the time when film buffs like me typically catch up on the awards-caliber film we couldn't quite squeeze in earlier -- and I still have work to do. So stay tuned for my takes on Elle and Silence, for instance.

But in the meantime a few articles hyping this year's slate of films have cropped up, and although this year -- like any other -- is stuffed with tired sequels and reboots, there are at least five films that I am extremely enthusiastic and optimistic about.

They are -- in no particular order:

Blade Runner 2049 - Although, in my opinion, Ridley Scott bungled his last attempt at rebooting a classic, long moribund franchise (with Prometheus), I have a lot more confidence in his return to the world of replicants. First of all, he's a producer on this one, and he's turned over the directing reins to one of the most exciting filmmakers working today -- Denis Villeneuve, he's got a leading man on a hot streak (Ryan Gosling) and the trailer looks fantastic. My only concern is how this film is going to handle/explain Harrison Ford's presence (although I am always happy to see him in fighting form), especially since the original Blade Runner strongly hinted his character should have not lived to be an old man. But I'm intrigued.

Star Wars Episode VIII - This still untitled follow-up to The Force Awakens has even more potential than its predecessor from a story perspective. Although it'll be missing Han Solo, we'll finally get to see Mark Hamill fully reprise his iconic role as Luke Skywalker, we might finally get the return of Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian and on a more bittersweet note, we will be treated to the final big screen performance from the late great Carrie Fisher. Also I'm psyched for the return of Finn, Rey and Poe, plus curious about what roles Bencio Del Toro and Laura Dern will be playing.

I Am Not Your Negro - This highly acclaimed documentary, which was screened originally last year, is supposed to be one of the great recent cinematic statements on race in America. It's centered on one of my favorite writers and figures of the civil rights era -- James Baldwin -- and even the trailer gave me goosebumps. I expect this to be an emotional and thought-provoking work and we need it now more than ever. This one if opening wide in February, just in time for Black History Month.

War of the Planet of the Apes - Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a pleasant surprise, and then along came Dawn of the Planet of the Apes -- which was a bonafide masterpiece to my mind. This series of films has quietly been killing it with critics and audiences, while boasting some of the most seamless and gorgeous CGI effects I've ever seen. Dawn ended on something of a cliffhanger, so I am very fascinated to see where the series will go next and pleased by how dramatically its broken from the (I think) overrated films that inspired them in the first place.

Get Out - As a huge fan of Key & Peele I was fascinated to find out that one half of that comedy duo -- Jordan Peele -- has written and directed what appears to be a black comedy mixed with elements of horror. The premise, based on trailer, seems to be about a shady cabal of white people which seek to cleanse black people of their cultural identity. It's a high risk concept to say the least, but if the film is smart and original, I think it could be a real conversation starter and perhaps one of the first cinematic statements on the Donald Trump era.