Top 10 Movies of 2016

2016 is almost over and many will consider it to have been one of the worst years in recent memory. Whether it be because it was an election year, the abysmal blockbusters this summer, or the actors, musicians, and the gorilla we lost, I'm here to focus on the positive. Despite many pitiful sequels that literally no-one wanted there were some truly great films released this year. Once again it's that transition time between years as many reflect on their personal "Best" & "Worst" for the year and this list includes my 10 favorite films of the year and a few honorable mentions. I've seen and reviewed a total of 75 new releases in 2016, probably a record number for me, but I didn't see "every" film released this year and there are a few that could have potentially made this list I didn't have the chance to catch due to limited release or no release whatsoever in a theater near me. A few examples are Silence, Jackie, Patriots Day, Live By Night, The Founder, and A Monster Calls. 

I can guarantee that I'll see them relatively soon though, and post reviews afterwards. Before I get started though I will say to remember that this list isn't necessarily the ten best films of the year but my personal favorites. I feel I've come up with a diverse bunch ranging from superhero blockbusters to indie films to musicals to fantasy to science fiction and I think even those closest to me would be taken slightly aback by my ranking of these 10.

Top 10 Movies of 2016

Honorable Mentions (No particular order): Kubo and the Two Strings, Deadpool, Zootopia, Hacksaw Ridge, Manchester By The Sea, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and The Nice Guys.

10. Doctor Strange

I heavily debated between going with Deadpool or Doctor Strange for this spot on my list but clearly chose the latter. While both were great superhero flicks that tweaked the traditional origin story, Doctor Strange's trippy kaleidoscopic visuals still blow my mind. The action sequences and uses of magic were inventive, the performances all around were terrific, and it managed to have one of the most amusing third act confrontations of the year. 

9. Eddie the Eagle

Eddie the Eagle was one of the first new releases I saw this year and surprisingly it stuck with me all the way to the end. I'm not really one for inspirational sports biopics but Eddie the Eagle is something special. It stays true to the genre, but also stays true to reality. It sends a great message about always giving your all and that it doesn't matter what your results are as long as you tried your best. The original score feels like it was plunged into the '80s subculture, and manages to walk the fine line between feeling inspirational and appropriate for the era being depicted. Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton both provide excellent performances as Egerton proves he's not just a one trick pony after his debut in Kingsman: The Secret Service and Jackman is a steady rock of support. After watching Eddie the Eagle, you will feel like you two can soar!

8. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Anyone that knows me knows I LOVE Star Wars and Rogue One is no exception. Rogue One successfully stands independently while adding greater weight to the events of the Original Trilogy. Rogue One marked the beginning of a new type of Star Wars film where directors can step in and be experimental within the Star Wars universe and it worked out incredibly well! 

7. Moana

Moana tells a classic heroes journey but the voyage is unbelievably fun thanks to a stellar soundtrack of catchy hit songs from Lin Manuel Miranda Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina, some endearing characters, and the talented voice cast. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson brings charisma galore and Auli'i Cravalho's debut as Moana is nothing short of impressive. Moana's just further evidence that Disney's animation division knows what they're doing.

6. Sing Street

Sing Street was a film I was not expecting to like. I was expecting something akin to awkward teen angsty School House Rock, but was amazed to discover a delightful coming-of-age love story. The film's music is a blast while maintaining integrity to the story, the plot plucks the heartstrings. and above all, Sing Street understands the mind of a teenager. In the end, it's a film everyone can enjoy and relate to on some level.

5. The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book is a perfect example of a remake done correctly. Jon Favreau's technical pioneering stands out as some of the best visual effects of the year as all the animals have a tangible aesthetic that makes them feel real. The Jungle Book was practically shot entirely on a sound stage in Los Angeles, but it's nearly impossible to tell. It's not a shot for shot remake of the animated classic, but rather something different that paves it's own way and pays homage whenever appropriate.

4. Captain America: Civil War

After seven months reflecting on this, I hold to my statement that Captain America: Civil War is the greatest comic book film since The Dark Knight. It successfully built upon everything that's happened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, so that the conflict feels justified and effectively introduced both Black Panther and Spider-Man in a way that felt natural and cohesive to the storytelling at hand. The Russo Bros. managed to convey every character's motivation and purpose so that even if you pick one side over the other, you can at least understand the other character's rationale. The action sequences across the board are intense, character driven, and fun to watch. The airport fight alone is every fanboy's dream come true and the third act showdown is both subversive and emotionally stirring. Perhaps the greatest thing about Civil War though is that the events have long lasting implications for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and every character is deeply affected in some way whether it be emotionally, physically, or psychologically.

3. Swiss Army Man

Swiss Army Man is undeniably weird, but it's also one of the most original concepts I've seen on film ever. I couldn't help but be amused by the ongoing events as I laughed, teared up, and thought about life. It was one of the year's strangest films that had one of the greatest messages to be yourself no matter how weird other people may think you are. Our insecurities are only insecurities because we let others decide what's weird and we should dictate our own lives to the fullest. It's really something special when you can make a movie about a man alone on an island with a farting corpse convey meaningful life lessons. The technical execution's remarkable the film features an awesome soundtrack, and Daniel Radcliffe delivers a career best performance as a farting corpse.

2. Arrival

Arrival was a film that made me think, and very few films have that power. It's not the typical dumb alien invasion movie it could have been, but rather an intellectual thinking exercise that explores realistic alternatives to aliens coming to planet Earth. Arrival is about language, destiny, and is a really smart science fiction film that stuck with me thanks to excellent direction, a clever screenplay, and an outstanding performance from Amy Adams.

1. La La Land

La La Land could have easily been a generic musical, but instead mashes modern filmmaking and contemporary environments with the magic of classic Hollywood. La La Land doesn't end the way you expect it to with a picturesque portrait of life and romance, but rather a realistic one that sometime pursuing your dreams requires sacrifice. Fans of cinema won't just appreciate La La Land, but will fall in love with everything it has to offer. 

'Arrival' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director; Denis Villeneuve, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.
Won: Best Sound Editing.

Aliens have arrived. Planet Earth's world governments are in disarray as to how the situation should be handled. They gather experts to address the situation and make contact with the extra terrestrials. Sounds like an average alien-invasion movie right? Well, it's how Arrival expands upon that very basic idea that makes it one of the best dramatic science fiction films I've seen in recent memory and maybe even my favorite film of the year so far.

Arrival is based on the short story "Story of Your Life" written by Ted Chiang and tells of the sudden appearance of twelve large egg shaped UFOs and humanity's response. The United States gathers linguist expert Dr. Louise Banks and theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly to establish communication with the extra terrestrials and discover their purpose on Earth. Denis Villeneuve directs the mysterious science fiction flick, as a followup to Prisoners and Sicario, and I believe this addition to his filmography makes him a viable candidate to be the next Christopher Nolan in terms of successfully delivering satisfying thought-provoking material to the cinema.

The technical crew at Villeneuve's disposal serve up top notch visuals as cinematographer Bradford Young frames shots that are both awe-inspiring and cryptic and the visual effects team inject an appropriate sense of scale to the wonderful escapist scenery when factoring in the space craft. The score composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson evokes the perfect blend of mysticism, intrigue, and suspense to match the abstract story and underlying philosophical themes about humanity. If you listened to it independently, you probably wouldn't be wowed but it makes an excellent accompaniment to Arrival. 

Eric Heisserer pens a worthy screenplay that takes Ted Chiang's story and expands upon it in a more modern and relatable context. Heisserer's script is brilliant because it doesn't forget about Earth's socio-political atmosphere, character growth, the realism that must be taken into consideration if there is indeed life beyond, and most importantly, to tell a thrilling story. Heisserer manages to cram all of the aforementioned elements into his script and when the scene changes you're simply left to wonder what it all means.

My best simplification of this is that Arrival is essentially a thousand-piece puzzle. When you first glance at it, you have no idea what pieces fit where, what any of it means, and what the final picture will look like but over the course of the film, the pieces slowly come together and you make connections that are simply mind boggling and leaves you to think, think, and think some more. 

The performances exhibited in Arrival don't disappoint either as Amy Adams displays emotion and nuance in Dr. Louise, making her a relatable entry point for the viewer to latch onto. Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker both are terrific in the capacity used as Ian Donnelly and Colonel Weber respectively, but are relegated to secondary roles in favor of concentrating on the protagonist. And to save you the trouble of IMDBing, you may recognize Michael Stuhl, who does a fine job, from his more recent work in Doctor Strange and Men in Black 3.

In summary, Arrival is cerebral science fiction at its finest. The film is exceptional and commands multiple viewings for cinephiles to properly process and unravel the mystery. While some viewers may leave the cinema puzzled, those entrenched in the plot won't be able to stop their train of thought deciphering the grand scheme that's been presented.

Film Assessment: A+