Top 10 Films of 2016
2016 was a strange year for films, evidenced by the fact that it's taken me until February to digest. It was a year that started solid, fell into a cavernous midseason lull, and then frantically attempted to make up ground in the final two months. It was a year that made you work to find the proverbial "diamonds in the rough" of the mainstream Box Office. It was also a year that had many, including myself, contemplating what actually makes a film, a film. But mostly, it was a year that turned out to be.. OK.
In this, the second edition of my yearly review article, I decided to spice things up and add a few categories. So, along with the top 10 list, I will have a "Film That I Didn't Get," and a "Film That They Didn't Get." They're basically just less pretentious versions of "underrated" and "overrated" categories. I used Rotten Tomatoes' "certified fresh" rating as the threshold for the categories, so anything certified fresh was considered for 'Films I Didn't Get,' and anything certified rotten was considered for 'Films They Didn't Get.' Ok, let's do this.
Film That I Didn't Get:
Sully
Directed By: Clint Eastwood Starring: Tom Hanks, Laura Linney, Anna Gunn, and Aaron Eckhart
With an 85% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Sully turned out to be one of the lone midseason hits in 2016. Although I would consider myself to be in the dissenting 15%, there are some things to like about this dramatized version of the famous 2009 Hudson River landing. For one, Tom Hanks is going "full Hanks" in this one. It's asking a lot of any actor to portray a character as well-known and beloved as Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger (If my first name was Chelsey, I'd use a nickname as well), but Tom Hanks isn't just any actor. I also thought the cinematography was great. The shot of Sully climbing onto the ferry with his plane sinking in the background, is one that stands out as being extremely effective.
Unfortunately, I never believed any of the conflict in this film. Whether it be the idea that the National Transportation Safety Board would try to tear down the reputation of someone, who had saved 155 lives and was the most popular person on the planet, or Sully's awkwardly "tense" phone conversations with his wife (Laura Linney), the plot never resonated with me. And while one of the flight reenactment scenes was very effective, the fact that they showed THREE of them in a 96 minute runtime, made this feel more like a light-plot, money-grab.
Film That They Didn't Get:
The Neon Demon
Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn Starring: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Abby Lee, and Keanu Reeves
Perhaps the most divisive film of 2016, Nicolas Winding Refn's The Neon Demon currently sits at 56% certified rotten on Rotten Tomatoes. This film follows the prodigious rise of a young model (Elle Fanning), in the cutthroat LA fashion scene. If you went into this film expecting a straight-forward narrative, then you were probably disappointed. If you went into it like I did, expecting a contemporary, dark fairy tale/fever dream, then you probably enjoyed it.
That's not to say everything in this film worked for me. There are many strange, creepy, turn-your-head-out-of-disgust moments, which help me empathize with the many people who HATE Demon. It isn't really close to my Top 10, and I'm not even sure if I'm comfortable recommending it. But, there is something about Refn's unique visual style and the dreamlike LA landscape he creates here, that help me overlook the film's shortcomings. At the end of the day, give me unusual over straightforward.
Now, let's get to the Top 10.
Honorable Mentions:
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Silence, Sausage Party, The Nice Guys, Sing Street, Everybody Wants Some!!, Rogue One, Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping, Eye in the Sky, and Captain America: Civil War.
10) Don't Breathe
https://youtu.be/76yBTNDB6vU
Directed By: Fede Alvarez Starring: Jane Levy, Steven Lang, and Dylan Minnette
Don't Breathe follows a group of young thieves, who think they're in for the score of their lives, after discovering that a blind hermit is sitting on a large cash settlement at his house. Unfortunately for them, they aren't fully aware of who, or what they're dealing with.
I saw Don't Breathe in August and ever since then, I've been looking for a reason to knock it off of this list. On the spectrum of great 2016 films, it definitely leans more toward popcorn flick, than art house fare. But, before all you hardcore movie buffs begin clutching your pearls because I put it on the list instead of a film like Silence, hear me out.
Alvarez takes a simple premise, and gets the maximum out of it. Without a ton of setting, or dialogue, the camera, which isn't afraid to break away from the "pack" to show us what we need to see, almost becomes a character of it's own. While Alvarez may be borrowing from directors like Fincher (Panic Room) and Hitchcock (Rope), it's his visual flourishes that make Don't Breathe a unique experience. Also, any successful horror/thriller in today's market that doesn't deal with the supernatural, gets extra points in my book.
9) 10 Cloverfield Lane
https://youtu.be/saHzng8fxLs
Directed By: Dan Trachtenberg Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, and John Gallagher Jr.
In this slow-boil thriller from former commercial director, Dan Trachtenberg, a young woman named Michelle (Winstead) wakes up in an underground bunker after a terrible car accident. Howard (Goodman), the owner of the bunker, claims that he saved her and that a mysterious attack has made the outside world uninhabitable.
I don't really know how 10 Cloverfield Lane fits into the reported "Cloverfield Universe," but I do know that it works just fine as a stand-alone film. Trachtenberg uses a claustrophobic setting, in this case a man-made bunker, to slowly and effectively build tension. But, none of it works without Goodman's terrifyingly complicated 'Howard,' who for most of the film, messes with the audience's perception of good and evil.
8) The Witch
https://youtu.be/iQXmlf3Sefg
Directed By: Robert Eggers Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, and Kate Dickie
For those of you who were upset that I chose a popcorn flick for my #10, how about a 16th Century period piece about witchcraft, spoken entirely in old-English? Is that artsy enough for you? The Witch follows a Puritan family who sets out for a new life in the wilderness, after they are excommunicated from their village. Sadly, "the wilderness" has other ideas.
The world-building prowess of Robert Eggers in his first film, is top notch. You feel immediately and fully transported into this time period, without even being told what time period it is. Even though there aren't any obvious "jump-scares" in The Witch, it is definitely a horror film. Eggers throws strange dialect, a hazy setting, and a haunting score into a pot...er...cauldron (I'll see myself out), and creates one of the most unnerving films I've ever seen. While this is definitely a film about witchcraft, it's also a story about the erosion of a family, as well as an open-ended commentary on religion.
7) Moonlight
https://youtu.be/9NJj12tJzqc
DIrected By: Barry Jenkins Starring: Mahershala Ali, Naomi Harris, and Janelle Monae
Film is a great artistic medium for many reasons, but one of it's most important purposes, is to allow people the chance to experience points of view they may otherwise be unfamiliar with. For me, that's exactly what Moonlight did. Barry Jenkins' film focuses on three important stages in the life of Chiron, a black homosexual growing up in the streets of Miami.
The first two acts of Barry Jenkins' Golden Globe "Best Picture" winner have an astounding level of emotional intensity. Although I admit there were a few scenes that made me a little uncomfortable, the camera-work, score, and stand-out performances from Mahershala Ali and Naomi Harris, really elevated the film for me.
6) La La Land
https://youtu.be/0pdqf4P9MB8
Directed By: Damien Chazelle Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and John Legend
Full disclosure here: 'Hate' is a strong word so I won't use it, but I don't like musicals. I tend to enjoy movies that are edgy, and musicals are usually just Hollywood fluff. So, I reluctantly decided to see La La Land mostly because I loved Chazelle's last film, Whiplash (which oozed edginess). Even though it might pain me to say it, I loved this contemporary story of two nobodies chasing big dreams in Los Angeles.
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have always had great chemistry and that is on full display here. The soundtrack is fantastic, the set pieces are full of life, and just when you're beginning to feel a second act lull, Chazelle hits you with one of my favorite endings of the year. After two home runs, I'm excited to see what the wunderkind director bring us next.
5) Green Room
https://youtu.be/VpJeAw2PvRc
Directed By: Jeremy Saulnier Starring: Anton Yelchin, Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, and Macon Blair
Ever since I discovered his micro-budget 2014 hit, Blue Ruin, I've been following Saulnier's career very closely. It was one of my favorite films of that year, mostly because of it's unique honesty in depicting how regular people act in extremely violent situations. Then, when I heard that Patrick Stewart had signed on to play a Nazi skinhead leader in his next film, I remember unconsciously uttering "Ok, take my money." Luckily, that impulse was proven right in this instance.
Green Room follows the story of an off-the-grid punk rock band, whose desperation forces them to take a gig at a backwoods skinhead hangout. When they accidentally witness a brutal crime, they're locked in the green room and forced to scheme their way out.
Between this film, Don't Breathe, and 10 Cloverfield Lane, the "people trapped in small spaces" genre fucking killed it this year. Green Room is an extremely effective slow-burn thriller, that stays true to Saulnier's realistic portrayal of how ordinary people act in extraordinary situations. While this may seem like a violent film, I love the fact that it doesn't actually show that much on the screen, and instead allows your imagination fill in the gaps. Saulnier's real-life story is truly inspirational, and I can't wait to see what he'll do with a more robust budget.
4) Hell or High Water
https://youtu.be/JQoqsKoJVDw
Directed By: David Mackenzie Starring: Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges, and Ben Foster
Out of all the movies that debuted before November 8th, 2016, you couldn't pick a better barometer for what was about to happen, than Hell or High Water. This story of two brothers who go on a bank robbing spree to save their family ranch, paints a picture of rural America that many "coastal elites" have either failed to reckon with, or ignored completely. The film highlights a population who, because they felt both culturally and economically left behind, came out in droves during the election cycle.
But, all of the reasons I love Hell or High Water have nothing to do with politics.  The performances in this film are exquisite. Chris Pine is in top form, Ben Foster is at just the right volume level, and Jeff Bridges, who is basically playing a parody of a Texas Ranger, couldn't be more enjoyable. Taylor Sheridan's screenplay is engaging and features one of my favorite final scenes of the year. But most of all, the stunning visuals of the dilapidated, yet beautiful, Texas countryside make Hell or High Water worth the price of admission.
3) OJ: Made in America
https://youtu.be/HrB3rOcrJxg
Directed by: Ezra Edelmann Starring: O.J. Simpson
In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in the O.J Simpson story. For those of us who were too young to understand it at the time, this revival is welcomed. His story, while dark, is one of the most compelling in the history of this country. It is a complex combination of race relations, ego, and lust.
With O.J.: Made in America, Edelman has created a 7 hour documentary that not only explores the life of Orenthal James Simpson before, during, and after his murder trial, but lays the groundwork of racial tension in 80s/90s LA, so we can better understand the hysteria surrounding the case. While I thought the fictional FX show, "The People vs. O.J. Simpson" was solid, in my opinion, Edelman's work is head and shoulders above it. Some may fight me on whether or not this is technically a "film," but it debuted at Sundance in one showing, and if you combine the five parts that ESPN broke it down into, they streamline perfectly. Also, it is nominated for an Oscar in the "Best Documentary (Feature)" category, so suck it.
2) Manchester By the Sea
https://youtu.be/gsVoD0pTge0
Directed By: Kenneth Lonergan Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, and Kyle Chandler
Never has there ever been a more raw, honest study of grief than Kenneth Lonergan's 2016 gem, Manchester by the Sea. Now, I know exactly what you're thinking. "Why would I want to watch a movie about grief?" I was wondering the exact same thing until I succumbed to the buzz and saw it in theaters. That turned out to be one of the best movie-going decisions I've made in a long time.
Hot take: this is the funniest movie about grief of all time. While it is primarily a study of emotional torment, the film doesn't get enough credit for it's copious amounts of comedic relief. I think Casey Affleck will/should win "Best Actor" for his performance as Lee Chandler, a grief-stricken man returning to the place where his life fell apart. Michelle Wiliams and Kyle Chandler, two of my favorite actors, are great in supporting roles, and this should be a spring-board for Lucas Hedges, who plays Lee's sarcastic nephew, Patrick. This is an emotional roller coaster that everyone needs to see.
1) Arrival
https://youtu.be/tFMo3UJ4B4g
Directed By: Denis Villeneuve Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker
With every film, Denis Villeneuve becomes an exponentially more complete filmmaker. I really enjoyed his past efforts with Enemy, Prisoners, and Sicario, the latter of which was number five on my Top 10 Films of 2015Â list. But, he does have his detractors, most of whom say that his films tend to be devoid of emotional stakes. While I don't necessarily agree with that sentiment, I can understand it. If I had to choose one word to describe his filmography before this year, it would be "moody." Fortunately, Arrival should silence all of those detractors.
This story follows Dr. Louise Banks (Adams), a language professor who is called upon to help aid the communication process with extra-terrestrials in one of twelve mysterious spacecrafts that have landed all over the world. I know that sounds fairly strange, but this is the type of sci-fi I love. Much like The Martian last year, this film allows you to watch scientists work through their problems and think critically. Don't get me wrong, explosions and phasers are great, but there is something so compelling about watching intelligent people use their intelligence.
Arrival also features some of my favorite cinematography, sound design, and music of the year. Bradford Young, the cinematographer from another film I really liked, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, creates some striking imagery here, and Johann Johannsson's score continues to be a perfect match for Villeneuve films. But, just when you think all of these elements are going to add up to an OK experience, the emotional through-line, aided by Max Richter's beautiful music, comes full circle and hits you like a ton of bricks. I don't want to say anything else, because I think it's important to see this film without much background. Luckily, due to the amount of Oscar nominations it got, Arrival is doing an extended theatrical run, so go see it in NOW! I loved it, and that's why it's my #1 movie of 2016.
Recap
10) Don't Breathe
9) 10 Cloverfield Lane
8) The Witch
7) Moonlight
6) La La Land
5) Green Room
4) Hell or High Water
3) OJ: Made in America
2) Manchester by the Sea
1) Arrival