The Optimist's 2016 Top 10 List
2016 has come and gone. For movies, it was a year that taught us that big blockbusters aren't all they crack up to be (Independence Day: Resurrgence, etc.), and that smaller films actually seemed to take the forefront of what would be considered some of the best cinema of the year. Trying to decide on my own top 10 best films of 2016 was a hard feat. Ultimately what I decided was to try and mix what I thought were not only my favorite films of the year but what I actually think were the best films...of the ones I saw. Coming up with that list was difficult; trying to rank them was even more difficult. So, I decided not to rank them and just list them in no particular order. So, behold! The Optimist's Top 10 List!
La La Land - The buzz surrounding La La Land has been palpable and infectious. From the trailers I found myself interested, but the insane amount of positive feedback and whispers of possible golden statues in its future placed La La Land from a "I'll get around to seeing it" level to a "I've got to just see
this thing already!" state of mind. This movie is fantastic. I didn't want it to end, and when it did, the bubbling brew of emotions in the cauldron of my soul cried out for more! (A bit over the top? Deal with it. It's that good!). As a love letter to Hollywood, old-time film-making, and the power of a musical, La La Land will sweep you off your feet, place you gently down while caressing and tugging at every emotional string your body entails.
Arrival - Arrival is easily one of my top five favorite films of 2016. It is by far the best sci-fi film of the year, and probably the best sci-fi film in quite some time. Across the board this movie delivers the goods, without resorting to the use of spectacle for its entertainment value. This movie was not at all what I had expected, and it surpassed my expectations tremendously, which I am so thankful for. This movie is quality film-making at its best and I cannot stress the need to go see it enough. Is it a perfect movie? Almost. My only gripes with the film are minuscule at best and did not take away from my overall experience. Arrival is a suspenseful drama that serves as a truly unique and inspiring character study set on the backdrop of a global alien encounter, which makes for great drama. Fantastic performances all around, especially from Amy Adams.
Swiss Army Man - What threw me for a loop was how heartfelt this movie was. Thismoviecarries the weight of a straight-up allegory about living a life plagued with lonliness and isn't afraid of that idea. Manny the Farting Corpse is as much a metaphor for the perserverance of the human spirit as he is a fully dead corpse. There are significant connections between his mystical powers and the growth he makes when Hank discovers them. I found that so refreshing. Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe are absolutely fantastic. I think that Radcliffe's performance in this film is nothing short of brilliant and easily the best I've seen from him. I honestly can go on for days about this film. After just the one viewing, I put it in my top 5 of 2016 hands down. It's one of the most interesting, different, and weirdest films I've ever seen. It's originality is its greatest strength.
Kubo and the Two Strings - I think it's the best animated feature of the year, and shouldrightfully win the Oscar in that category. I'll also go as far as to say I think this movie stands a chance at also being nominated for Best Picture as well. It wouldn't win, but it's good enough to deserve the nomination. Laika Studios has produced wonderful films through the medium of stop-animation. It's a dying art form that needs to be supported. This movie is not only beautiful to look at, but the story is fun and original, the characters are relatable and intriguing, the voice cast (made up of A-list actors) get lost in the characters, and freakin' Kubo himself is so dang likeable, it's not even funny. He's such a fleshed-out character that it's so hard not to connect with him. The tone of this film is darker than what you'd expect. You'd think because it's an animated movie that it was made for kids, but I really don't think that's the case here.This movie doesn't play it safe; it has a story to tell and it tells it. I was truly in awe of how good this movie was and I can't recommend it enough.
Captain America: Civil War - This movie is not only the best Marvel film to date, it's one of the best action movies to date, period. Granted, there's a lot that has led up to the events of this film, so it can be easily said that that reason alone gives it an edge, but I disagree with that notion. From start to finish, this movie is captivating, action-packed, character-driven, and emotionally engaging. From the introduction to new characters to the ever-growing world-building within this cinematic universe, the Russos have delivered not just an awesome comic book movie but an amazing film all together.
Manchester By the Sea - Two words: Casey Affleck. He is astonishingly good in this movieand it's no wonder that there is strong, early Oscar buzz around his performance. Despite the serious subject matter, there is a surprising level of warmth that permeates this film. This is a movie primarily about a man forced to confront his demons, yet it is also a film about family and the ties that bind us to our core. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you really need to.
The Witch - This movie got under my skin in a real way and by the time the credits began to roll, I was truly freaked out. Director Robert Eggers, making his feature film debut with this movie, takes the time to really harness the period the film takes place. The cinematography is stunning and bland at the same time. The dialogue is done in this old English style, like straight out of the King James version of the Bible, but done fantastically. This movie is more about the family experiencing these supernatural things than it is about the witch, who was portrayed super creepy in the movie, by the way. As the story builds, it doesn't rely on the same old horror movie tropes to gain its scares. The terrifying moments are truly terrifying because you don't necessarily know they're coming. The end of the movie is truly spine-tingling. It is somewhat predictable, but after watching how the movie laid itself out, I was jaw-dropped the whole time with chills running up and down my spine and this uncomfortable, unease sitting in the pit of my stomach.
Deadpool - This film is such a breath of fresh air in a world over-populated with comic book movies. I think this movie came at the right time because it fits within the overly-stimulated world we live in. Ryan Reynolds--who, along with the rest of the world, I believe was born to play this part--has been trying to get this movie made for over ten years now, and his love for the character drips off the screen. The action is fluid and intense, and the fourth-wall breaking is so much fun, it's probably my favorite aspect of the movie. Earning its R-rating, this movie still manages to use the medium to do something new, instead of rehashing old tropes.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - I debated about this entry and what ultimately swayed me is just how awesome Darth Vader is in this movie, lol. With Rogue One we enter this new realm of the Star Wars legacy in that for the first time we have a Star Wars movie that isn't a saga episode, nor does it focus on the Skywalker family soap opera. Rogue One is something new, something fresh, and it's bloody brilliant. I went into this movie with heated anticipation to see just how much this movie connected with the established narrative. Instead I found myself focused on the characters and the story presented, allowing the minor callbacks to past films to garnish the zesty meal of a movie before my eyes. Rogue One will surprise you, it will tap the Star Wars nostalgia button deep down in your psyche, and then gut-punch you with such veracity that you'll be shaken, and thankfully so. This movie is just an absolute joy and one of my favorites of the year.
Honorable Mentions:
The Jungle Book
The Nice Guys
The Conjuring 2
Hell or High Water
Midnight Special
Sing Street
Fences
10 Cloverfield Lane
this thing already!" state of mind. This movie is fantastic. I didn't want it to end, and when it did, the bubbling brew of emotions in the cauldron of my soul cried out for more! (A bit over the top? Deal with it. It's that good!). As a love letter to Hollywood, old-time film-making, and the power of a musical, La La Land will sweep you off your feet, place you gently down while caressing and tugging at every emotional string your body entails.
Arrival - Arrival is easily one of my top five favorite films of 2016. It is by far the best sci-fi film of the year, and probably the best sci-fi film in quite some time. Across the board this movie delivers the goods, without resorting to the use of spectacle for its entertainment value. This movie was not at all what I had expected, and it surpassed my expectations tremendously, which I am so thankful for. This movie is quality film-making at its best and I cannot stress the need to go see it enough. Is it a perfect movie? Almost. My only gripes with the film are minuscule at best and did not take away from my overall experience. Arrival is a suspenseful drama that serves as a truly unique and inspiring character study set on the backdrop of a global alien encounter, which makes for great drama. Fantastic performances all around, especially from Amy Adams.
Hacksaw Ridge - Mel Gibson has done something amazing with this movie. He was able to weave a narrative about the horrors of war, the bravery of Desmond Doss and his fellow brothers in arms, an emotional sense of thankfulness for those who have given their lives in defense of this country, while also showcasing his iconic touch of humanistic sensibility, and an anti-war theme amidst the brutality of war itself. He has done this while also delivering a film that is emotionally engaging and entertaining to boot. Content-wise, the movie is horrifically gory and rightfully so. I haven't seen a war film that was able to do most of these things since Saving Private Ryan, and this might be Gibson's best directorial outing since Braveheart...maybe even surpassing it. Hacksaw Ridge will surely garnish its fair share of awards, and rightfully so. I would put this movie up for Best Picture. I would put Andrew Garfield up for Best Actor. I would most definitely put Mel Gibson up for Best Director. All deserving, all amazing. If you want to see what epic, cinematic film making is like, go see this movie. Even if you don't, go see this movie anyway.
Swiss Army Man - What threw me for a loop was how heartfelt this movie was. Thismoviecarries the weight of a straight-up allegory about living a life plagued with lonliness and isn't afraid of that idea. Manny the Farting Corpse is as much a metaphor for the perserverance of the human spirit as he is a fully dead corpse. There are significant connections between his mystical powers and the growth he makes when Hank discovers them. I found that so refreshing. Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe are absolutely fantastic. I think that Radcliffe's performance in this film is nothing short of brilliant and easily the best I've seen from him. I honestly can go on for days about this film. After just the one viewing, I put it in my top 5 of 2016 hands down. It's one of the most interesting, different, and weirdest films I've ever seen. It's originality is its greatest strength.
Kubo and the Two Strings - I think it's the best animated feature of the year, and shouldrightfully win the Oscar in that category. I'll also go as far as to say I think this movie stands a chance at also being nominated for Best Picture as well. It wouldn't win, but it's good enough to deserve the nomination. Laika Studios has produced wonderful films through the medium of stop-animation. It's a dying art form that needs to be supported. This movie is not only beautiful to look at, but the story is fun and original, the characters are relatable and intriguing, the voice cast (made up of A-list actors) get lost in the characters, and freakin' Kubo himself is so dang likeable, it's not even funny. He's such a fleshed-out character that it's so hard not to connect with him. The tone of this film is darker than what you'd expect. You'd think because it's an animated movie that it was made for kids, but I really don't think that's the case here.This movie doesn't play it safe; it has a story to tell and it tells it. I was truly in awe of how good this movie was and I can't recommend it enough.
Captain America: Civil War - This movie is not only the best Marvel film to date, it's one of the best action movies to date, period. Granted, there's a lot that has led up to the events of this film, so it can be easily said that that reason alone gives it an edge, but I disagree with that notion. From start to finish, this movie is captivating, action-packed, character-driven, and emotionally engaging. From the introduction to new characters to the ever-growing world-building within this cinematic universe, the Russos have delivered not just an awesome comic book movie but an amazing film all together.
Manchester By the Sea - Two words: Casey Affleck. He is astonishingly good in this movieand it's no wonder that there is strong, early Oscar buzz around his performance. Despite the serious subject matter, there is a surprising level of warmth that permeates this film. This is a movie primarily about a man forced to confront his demons, yet it is also a film about family and the ties that bind us to our core. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you really need to.
The Witch - This movie got under my skin in a real way and by the time the credits began to roll, I was truly freaked out. Director Robert Eggers, making his feature film debut with this movie, takes the time to really harness the period the film takes place. The cinematography is stunning and bland at the same time. The dialogue is done in this old English style, like straight out of the King James version of the Bible, but done fantastically. This movie is more about the family experiencing these supernatural things than it is about the witch, who was portrayed super creepy in the movie, by the way. As the story builds, it doesn't rely on the same old horror movie tropes to gain its scares. The terrifying moments are truly terrifying because you don't necessarily know they're coming. The end of the movie is truly spine-tingling. It is somewhat predictable, but after watching how the movie laid itself out, I was jaw-dropped the whole time with chills running up and down my spine and this uncomfortable, unease sitting in the pit of my stomach.
Deadpool - This film is such a breath of fresh air in a world over-populated with comic book movies. I think this movie came at the right time because it fits within the overly-stimulated world we live in. Ryan Reynolds--who, along with the rest of the world, I believe was born to play this part--has been trying to get this movie made for over ten years now, and his love for the character drips off the screen. The action is fluid and intense, and the fourth-wall breaking is so much fun, it's probably my favorite aspect of the movie. Earning its R-rating, this movie still manages to use the medium to do something new, instead of rehashing old tropes.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - I debated about this entry and what ultimately swayed me is just how awesome Darth Vader is in this movie, lol. With Rogue One we enter this new realm of the Star Wars legacy in that for the first time we have a Star Wars movie that isn't a saga episode, nor does it focus on the Skywalker family soap opera. Rogue One is something new, something fresh, and it's bloody brilliant. I went into this movie with heated anticipation to see just how much this movie connected with the established narrative. Instead I found myself focused on the characters and the story presented, allowing the minor callbacks to past films to garnish the zesty meal of a movie before my eyes. Rogue One will surprise you, it will tap the Star Wars nostalgia button deep down in your psyche, and then gut-punch you with such veracity that you'll be shaken, and thankfully so. This movie is just an absolute joy and one of my favorites of the year.
Honorable Mentions:
The Jungle Book
The Nice Guys
The Conjuring 2
Hell or High Water
Midnight Special
Sing Street
Fences
10 Cloverfield Lane
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