Honorable Mentions
Manchester by the Sea, Hush, Don't Breathe, Moana
The List
10. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is one of the best
mockumentaries I have ever seen taking down the musical documentaries that have
plagued us over the past few years. From “Equal Rights” to “Finest Girl” the
music itself would have been good enough. But The Lonely Island decided to add
a narrative to this album that was hilarious but also surprisingly heartwarming.
9. Hacksaw Ridge tells a harrowing true story about one of
the most courageous men in our nation’s history, Desmond T. Doss. While the
first two acts build the characters, the final act explodes with a necessary
violence inherent to war. Mel Gibson knows how to craft a good movie from the
director’s chair and this movie just goes to prove this point.
8. Sing Street feels true to life and an instant musical
classic that was extremely overlooked this past year. Following a situation
most young boys go through (trying to impress a girl), the movie explores love,
growing up, and finding yourself.
7. Nocturnal Animals is a creepy, thrilling movie that
creeps under your skin and stays there. With some of the best performances of
the year, it expertly maneuvers between two storylines while keeping both
important and fresh.
6. 10 Cloverfield Lane allows its three main actors to lead
the action without relying on spectacle until it became a necessity for the
story. A movie that came out of nowhere, it made enough impact to stay with me
and find itself on my list. With another movie in the Cloverfiled anthology
already due out next, the anthology looks to become an instant classic.
5. The Lobster was definitely the weirdest movie I saw this
past year. This future is one that I have never seen put to screen before, with
rules that seem just crazy enough to possibly become a reality. Colin Farrel
proved that he is a great actor despite what some of his previous movies would
say otherwise.
4. Green Room is thrilling and chilling with some
surprisingly great performances. With subdued violence that is just enough to
make you uneasy, it knows how to bring you to the edge of your seat and then
leaves you there.
3. Captain America: Civil War is a great blockbuster in a year that blockbuster
after blockbuster seemed to fail and disappoint. Drawing upon the previous
entries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it perfectly encapsulates what came
before while also setting up the future and making me even more excited for the
upcoming entries.
2. Hell or High Water is everything good about Westerns. It’s
spin on a heist film is refreshing and new. The quality of this film can be
seen in the fact that it is getting serious award consideration even though it
came out in September. This movie is a thrill ride from the very beginning and
ends on a haunting note.
1. La La Land was the biggest surprise and also the best film I
saw in 2016. I never thought a musical would lead any best lists of mine but
this is such a special film I could not deny it the respect it deserves. From
mesmerizing leads to songs that you can’t help but sing along to, this movie
may become a yearly tradition in my house.
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