By Dominick Ferrara V, Editor In Chief
Now that 2016 has officially come to a close, it’s time to honor my ten personal favorite films of 2016. Our Senior Editor, TJ Blankenship, and Managing Editor, Jonah Lewis, will be publishing their personal top ten lists later this week. These are my 10 personal favorite films of 2016, and are not the ten films that I gave the highest grades to. These are the films that I came out of the theater wowed by something that I had just seen, and have replay or awards value.
First off, here are some honorable mentions that just missed the cut:
- NOCTURNAL ANIMALS – A spellbinding and sometimes intense thriller with an ending that will leave you thinking about the film long after you see it.
- CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR – One of the most purely entertaining films of the year, with plot and character layers that make it more than just a superhero film.
- THE JUNGLE BOOK – Groundbreaking CGI and Jon Favreau’s steady direction had this remake exceeding all expectations.
- ZOOTOPIA – What appears to be a simple film about talking animals is really a deep social allegory that is now more relevant than ever.
- 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE – John Goodman delivers one of the year’s finest performance, and deserves a lot more awards buzz than he has received.
- MOANA – A throwback to the classic Disney musicals of the ’90s, with a great soundtrack and two great central characters.
- SAUSAGE PARTY – The raunchy comedy and outrageous ending mask this film as a deep, effective commentary on religion.
- ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY – The film’s fantastic characters and terrific final 45 minutes make this film one of the year’s finest blockbusters. Oh, and VADER!!!!!!
I also must note that I have not had the chance to see everything this year, and missed films like MOONLIGHT, HACKSAW RIDGE, and LION, while SILENCE and 20TH CENTURY WOMEN still have not opened in my area yet.
Without further ado, here are my 10 favorite movies of 2016!
10
FENCES
dir. Denzel Washington
While FENCES fail to accomplish much cinematically, thanks much in part due to its origins as a play, powerhouse performances by Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, who deserves an Academy Award for her stirring work, lift this film into the top ten of the year. Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, and Mykelti Williamson also turn in terrific supporting performances. August Wilson’s WGA-nominated screenplay, based on his own stage play, really brings out the best in its actors. FENCES is an emotionally draining film, but is also a film that you can’t take your eyes off of.
9
JACKIE
dir. Pablo Larraín
Like Fences, JACKIE is lifted from a good movie to a great one by its lead, with Natalie Portman delivering the best pure acting performance of the year. While the supporting characters were weak, Pablo Larraín’s brilliant direction and beautiful cinematography make JACKIE a haunting portrait of grief and power.
8
OJ: MADE IN AMERICA
dir. Ezra Edelman
Many of you may have seen OJ: MADE IN AMERICA on TV, but since it completed an Oscar qualifying theatrical run in New York City and Los Angeles, it qualifies for this list. While the film’s 10 hour long runtime (broken into five parts) may turn some viewers away, OJ: MADE IN AMERICA is a masterpiece, the magnum opus of ESPN’s acclaimed 30 for 30 franchise. Edelman is able to not only paint a haunting portrait of one of pop culture’s most polarizing figures, but also uses historical events to make audiences understand how the “Trial of the Century” was the perfect storm. If you haven’t seen it, spread it out over a few days and watch it, because this is arguably the most important film of 2016.
7
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
dir. Kenneth Lonergan
No film was more emotionally stirring in 2016 than MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, Kenneth Lonergan’s beautiful film about grief, family, and responsibility. Casey Affleck delivers a performance that will have him onstage holding an Academy Award on Oscar night, and Lonergan’s WGA-nominated screenplay is the finest of the year, realistically capturing a group of people when they are most vulnerable. The blue color tones perfectly capture Affleck’s character, making MANCHESTER BY THE SEA one of the best looking, and best, films of 2016.
6
SING STREET
dir. John Carney
While this film only saw a very limited release, SING STREET is easily one of the most delightful and entertaining films of 2016. Carney continues his winning streak of music-related films, this time guiding an incredibly talented group of young actors, led by newcomer Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, to great success. Jack Reynor stands out as the protagonist’s older brother, delivering the finest performance of his career to date. The music is incredibly fun and easy to listen to, and the messages about family and finding yourself are sure to tug on your heartstrings. If you haven’t seen SING STREET, and odds are that you haven’t, the film is available to stream and download on Netflix right now, so go give it a shot!
5
DEADPOOL
dir. Tim Miller
The rare genre film that is able to cross boundaries, DEADPOOL came out of nowhere to be one of 2016’s biggest financial and critical successes. Ryan Reynolds not only plays Deadpool, but IS Deadpool, turning in the year’s most iconic performance. The WGA-nominated screenplay delivers laughs galore, and also forces audiences to buy into its love story, which unlike in many superhero films, is not forced just to have a love interest, as it is central to the character of Deadpool. The action set pieces are terrifically directed and really feel like a more personal battle. Based on pure entertainment value, DEADPOOL is one of the year’s finest films.
4
THE NICE GUYS
dir. Shane Black
One of the most underseen films of 2016, Shane Black’s THE NICE GUYS is another one of the year’s most entertaining films. Ryan Gosling delivers the best comedic performance of the year, turning in some of the funniest physical comedy in recent years, which deserves more attention during awards season. Russell Crowe is also excellent in a great return to form for one of Hollywood’s finest actors. Angourie Rice is phenomenal as Gosling’s daughter, and walks away with almost every scene she is in. Black’s screenplay is sharp, witty, and hilarious, and has audiences in stitches from beginning to end. The action set pieces are excellently choreographed, and Black is even able to find levity within those action sequences. If you haven’t seen THE NICE GUYS, do yourself a favor and check it out!
3
HELL OR HIGH WATER
dir. David Mackenzie
If you want to know what happened to the western genre, look no further than HELL OR HIGH WATER. This striking, intense film from David Mackenzie is thrilling, and has fantastic characters that strike a chord with audiences. Chris Pine delivers the best performance of his career, Ben Foster is terrific as usual, and Jeff Bridges turns in a vintage performance reminiscent of his earlier work. The cinematography adds to the grittiness of the world that the characters populate, and it all leads up to a thrilling climax. Taylor Sheridan’s WGA-nominated screenplay does an outstanding job of setting up the characters’ world and delivering a film that will bring back the western.
2
ARRIVAL
dir. Denis Villeneuve
In modern Hollywood, truly smart and original science fiction is rare, which is what makes ARRIVAL so special. Amy Adams is fantastic as Louise, and we are truly able to see what pains her as a character in her eyes, which do much of her acting here. Jeremy Renner is, as usual, the perfect supporting actor, as he is the Scottie Pippen to anybody’s Michael Jordan. Forest Whitaker, aside from his accent (We love you Forest, but please stop trying accents!), is also very good in the film. Eric Heisserer’s WGA-nominated screenplay works on so many levels, and is topped off with Denis Villeneuve’s expert direction and Bradford Young’s stunning cinematography. Partially because of when the film came out, ARRIVAL’s message really resonated with me, making it one of the year’s most important films, in my opinion.
1
LA LA LAND
dir. Damien Chazelle
If you read my recent review of this film, there should have been no doubt about what my favorite film of the year was. With its incredible music, breathtaking cinematography, expert direction, and terrific performances, LA LA LAND was the best all-around film of 2016. Emma Stone delivers an Oscar worthy performance, and Ryan Gosling solidified himself as the film industry’s MVP in 2016, between this and The Nice Guys. Damien Chazelle’s WGA-nominated screenplay is more magical than any other in 2016 both on the page and on screen. His direction was also second to none in 2016, not only pulling off one of the most ambitious films in recent years and testing his abilities as a filmmaker, but he also passed that test with flying colors. I came out of the theater smiling from ear to ear and humming some of the film’s songs, including “Another Day of Sun,” “Someone In The Crowd,” and “A Lovely Night.” This movie casts a spell on everyone who sees it, and it certainly cast that spell on me.
What are your top 10 movies of 2016? Comment below and let us know!
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