My Top 10 Movies of 2016

2016 was a rough year for mainstream cinema. Hollywood relies so heavily upon sequels, remakes, and reboots that everything else feels the squeeze. Now, more than ever, most movies feel like assembly-line product-- made to entertain fans for a few hours and quickly evaporating from the mind later that night. Even most of the good stuff is merely respectable ("oh, another solid, workmanlike entry in Franchise XYZ. 3 stars") rather than memorable. With so many other forms of entertainment, including TV shows (this year, I've dug into Game of Thrones, Westworld, and Insecure) and high-end video games, stepping up their game and imagination, movies are content to rely on built-in fan bases week after week in order to make any money.

If I define a year by the strength of its Top 10, 2016 fell far short of 2015. But no matter how weak a movie year is, there will always be a Top 10 from yours truly. It's just that, in this case, most of the movies on this year's list are found either during Oscar season or outside your local multiplex. That may make me come across as some kind of elitist snob, but anyone who knows me knows that my tastes are wide-ranging. Sometimes, the big-money output just doesn't measure up. The ten films listed here (plus the five runners-up) are here because they're memorable. They linger in your mind longer than most. Some of them will have you thinking and ruminating for days if not weeks. Others are so delightful you'll want to experience them again sooner rather than later.

As always, I present my picks in reverse order, saving the best for last. This time, I've provided a YouTube trailer for each entry on my list. When words aren't enough, sometimes you need a little glimpse to nudge you in the right direction. (NOTE: Due to location issues and a massive time-crunch, I couldn't see Hidden Figures, A Monster Calls, or Silence. I'll likely see all three in January. If they're good enough, I'll give them a shout-out in next year's list)

Runners-Up (alphabetical order)

Birth of a Nation

Say what you will about whether or not you can "separate the artist from the art," but Nate Parker's biopic of Nat Turner stands strong on its own terms. 

Hell or High Water

It's a cops-and-robbers thriller, a family drama, and a commentary on predatory lenders all rolled into one. Chris Pine is a revelation, far better here than in all of his Captain Kirk outings combined.

Queen of Katwe

Even with backing from Disney and ESPN, this inspirational chess drama couldn't catch on at the box office. See it on video and give it the support it deserves.

The Witch

It's slow-burn horror, but atmospheric, beautifully filmed, and creepy as hell. The more you dig, the more you uncover.

Zootopia

My favorite animated movie of the year. Big laughs, fearless satire, and Disney's best non-Pixar film in a long time.

And the Top 10 proper.....

10. The Jungle Book

My favorite remake of the year. Nothing else of its ilk came close. While its success unfortunately gave Disney the green light to remake practically everything in its animated library, at least they've made a strong first step. This visually spectacular, thrilling, emotionally engaging adventure outdoes its animated counterpart in every way that matters (except perhaps songs; there are fewer this time around). It's a rare family movie I'd heartily recommend to adults even without children in tow.

9. Edge of Seventeen

Coming-of-age teenage comedies have fallen out of favor in recent years, and that's too bad. While the genre can deliver its fair share of junk, a well-made, honest one like this is the kind of movie that can put a little extra pep in one's step. The lead character (played by the splendid up-and-comer Hailee Steinfeld) may not always be traditionally likable, but we understand her trials and tribulations. They speak to many of us who were once in her shoes. Edge of Seventeen is the best movie of its type since the Oscar-nominated Juno.

 

8. Manchester by the Sea

Not every high-quality movie has to have a dense, twisty plot to hold your attention. Sometimes, all you need is vivid characters and honest emotions, and two-plus hours fly by. Manchester by the Sea is first and foremost a study of how grief can reduce a person to a shell of his former self, but it surprisingly finds a lot of humor in telling its story as well. With a powerhouse lead performance, Casey Affleck has no doubt emerged from his more famous brother's shadow.

7. Moonlight

This is another coming of age story, albeit of a far different sort. Its perspective: three distinct episodes in the life of a gay black man growing up in poor, urban Miami, is certainly rare and welcome in the movies. But in presenting it, Moonlight explores universal themes. It's about love, repression, poverty, and the toxic masculinity in our culture that can stunt a young person's development. My only complaint is that we don't spend more time in each episode (a minor one to be sure, better for a movie to be too short than too long), but what's there is undeniably powerful and sticks with you long after it's over.

6. Fences

Some have criticized Denzel Washington for failing to "open up" the movie version of Fences, but with a script this strong and performances this affecting, does it matter? Like anything based on a play, this is a talky production, but words in the right hands can be just as riveting, if not more so, than action. With yet another astounding turn by Denzel Washington and a likely Oscar-winning (knock on wood) performance from Viola Davis, this movie develops its characters so vividly that you feel like you've known them for years after spending only a few hours with them.

5. Eye in the Sky

The lost Best Picture candidate. Had it come out in the heart of Oscar season rather than April, perhaps it would've received more love. Nonetheless, this is a powerful and suspenseful drama/thriller hybrid that asks all the tough questions about drone warfare. Is taking one life worth saving dozens? How are decisions made at the highest level? Eye in the Sky does all of this all while being enormously entertaining. And as a bonus, it represents a fitting final performance for Alan Rickman, one of the many famous faces we lost in 2016.

4. The Handmaiden

The first of two foreign films on my list, this one is a dizzying trip from director Chan-Wook Park (best known for the original Oldboy). It's a twisty Hitchcock-ian mystery, a lesbian love story, and an exploration of sexual perversity all rolled into one. Presented in three acts-- with the first two telling the same events from different perspectives-- it's a blast to watch unfold. In fact, with it's puzzle box-style storytelling, it demands more than one watch. For anyone not averse to subtitles or NC-17-level sex, it's a must-see.

3. Elle 

And here's the other foreign film, a twisted, lurid masterpiece by none other than Paul Verhoeven (yup, of Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers). Trust me on this one, this is not a movie for the easily offended, opening with a woman's nonchalant response to her own rape.... and then only getting weirder and more provocative from there. Isabelle Huppert gives, for my money, the best acting performance of anyone (male or female) in 2016. Slowly peeling away her character and circumstances layer by layer, Elle is a gonzo, high-wire act. Love it or hate it, you can't take your eyes off it.

2. Arrival 

No Top 10 would be complete without a little science fiction, am I right? Director Denis Villeneuve knocks one out of the park here. Arrival is an alien "first contact" tale that dives deep into the dilemma of solving alien language. It's devoid of traditional action but packed to the gills with ideas, emotion, and wonder. Its plot twists will wallop you, its politics will intrigue you, and its hypnotically slow pace will entrance you if given the chance. You'll be ruminating over it for a long time. This is the filmmaker behind the long-awaited Blade Runner 2049, and based on Arrival, it's safe to say that project is in great hands.

1. La La Land

It's the rarest of breeds: an original musical, and it's capable of uplifting you to the heavens even on the dreariest of days. La La Land is everything: instantly memorable songs, astonishing visuals, stars with perfect chemistry, and a perceptive story about balancing love and lifelong dreams. It's old-school musical charm with a modern day edge. It's made not just to entertain, but enthrall. And enthrall it will early and often. Director Damian Chazelle, following up the stunning Whiplash with an experience for the ages, is a filmmaker whose next project I'll always await with bated breath. For the best, most invigorating movie theater experience I've had in 2016, there's no place like La La Land. 

And as a bonus, here's a YouTube playlist of all the songs. Because you know you want it.