2016 has, so far, been the weakest
year in film of the 21st century.
That’s not to say it was a bad year mind you, in fact, it began noticeably
strong with a promising spring season, before transitioning into average
summer-fall seasons and ending on an incredibly skimpy Oscar season. When splitting the year in half, eight out of my top ten films were released
between January-June (seven of them releasing between January-April), while
only two released between July-December.
I never made a Mid-Year Top Ten list for 2016, but had I it would’ve
hardly looked any different from the end year result—simply remove rankings
two and nine, bump up the remaining eight one placement, and add Into the Forest and Captain America: Civil War to rankings nine and ten respectively.
In terms of quality, 2016’s first
half dwarfed it’s second by a large margin.
It’s gotten to the point where the spring season has become far more
anticipated for me than the winter. Comparing
this year’s top ten to the last three years, only #1-3 could have made 2014 and
2015’s top 10 (with #2-3 facing heavy competition near the bottom), while only
#1 could have made 2013’s top 10. To say
2016 was a disappointment is an understatement, but enough with this negativity!
After all, this post is a celebration of the BEST 2016 had to offer,
not the worst—and while 2016 was, for the most part, a lackluster year, its
well was far from completely dry.
The ten films on this list all
range from very good to great. Each one
succeeds in being high-quality entertainment, in addition to possessing another
praiseworthy aspect: whether it be political, cultural, progressive and/or
educational. In each film, story and
character come first and foremost before secondary objectives. Eye in
the Sky’s political agenda and Zootopia’s
themes on prejudice do not overshadow their drama, their comedy, and, above all
else, their characters. It’s because of such
balance between plot and themes that the films' messages become far more effective—with
the invested viewer far more willing to listen.
Note: I never did get to
reviewing Anomalisa (which would have
easily made the top two), nor have I yet to see The Hateful Eight. Heck,
some of you might still be holding me on reviewing Midnight Special (which I promised to review back in 2016 March). For the latter, I actually did see and write a review for Midnight Special, but decided to save it
for a week-long event I’m planning to post (which may
involve Michael Shannon). As for Anomalisa and The Hateful Eight, I will get to reviewing them eventually, and
while they won’t make this year’s top 10, they can qualify for the best of the
decade post I’m inevitably going to (or at least try to) make.
Now then, ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!! (Links
are provided in each film's title to their review).
Honorable Mentions (In Alphabetical Order):
"Arrival resembles Contact the closest in premise, but certainly not in quality. Arrival is, in every way, superior to its similar predecessor: it has better pacing, better characters, better development, far better cinematography, and a far more satisfying plot that, similar to its alien’s language, comes gratifyingly full circle in a bittersweet conclusion."
"Civil War ends refreshingly cold: refusing to wrap things up in a neat little bow. It’s a satisfying ending that reinforces confidence the MCU isn’t out of tricks yet (with Avengers: Infinity Wars having the same directors and being two parts, I have faith it will be more satisfying than Age of Ultron). I refused to see Batman v Superman in theaters, so I really don’t know for certain whether Civil War is the far superior 'vs' film in every which way, though I can write Anthony and Joe Russo are far superior superhero directors than Zack Snyder. While it’s not my favorite superhero film this year (Deadpool still takes lead), it’s certainly the best MCU film since The Winter Soldier, in addition to being a better Avengers sequel than the actual Avengers sequel."
"Into the Forest features a calm apocalypse: its focus not on action, horror and/or thriller (though it does have bits of the latter two), but on the development and interactions between the two sisters as they learn to survive off the grid. Page and Wood convincingly act as sisters: displaying a wonderfully natural array of emotions and facial expressions through casual conversation, bickering arguments, and loving gestures—their bond given ample time for development."
"Kubo is told as if it’s an ancient story, such as Journey to the West: wildly imaginative, yet not meant to be taken too coherently (try to form logic out of the plot events, and you might end up gaining a brain aneurysm). The film is only an hour and forty minutes, yet feels like it’s exploring a much larger journey (you could separate the story into 6-7 acts). There’s engaging action sequences and rousing drama, yet also time to slow down and give its characters development as they casually bond with one another (as well as interact with the environments they’re traveling through)."
The Top Ten:
"Zootopia is Disney’s best animated achievement from the decade (not counting Pixar as Disney), and a film I’d love to see a sequel for, at the very least, because I really enjoy the main duo’s bond. The film’s filled with witty comedy, beautiful animation, imaginative settings, awesome setups and foreshadowing, well managed themes about prejudice, and two likable characters with great chemistry together."
"Yet what initially drew me in about The Founder is its biographical telling of McDonald’s history—from its humble origins involving the McDonald brothers (a ten minute segment that feels like a genuine, engaging documentary), to Ray Kroc’s gradual seizure and transformation of the family restaurant into one of the world’s largest restaurant chains. In addition to its engaging storytelling, the film is surprisingly accurate to its real-life history—a rare mix to find in cinema, as well as a delightful treat for a history major such as myself. All these elements combined make The Founder a captivating story to watch."
"10 Cloverfield Lane is very different from Cloverfield, in both plot, perspective, and genre. The only real similarity between them is the alien-monster attack, and even that has several alterations. This is neither a disparagement towards the original nor the 'sequel', but an indisputable fact that both films are very different, yet offer very enjoyable concepts. Cloverfield is a pure popcorn flick: exciting, thrilling, and mindlessly entertaining. 10 Cloverfield Lane is more a combination between 10% War of the Worlds and 90% Misery: offering a fleshed out story, fleshed out characters (all three of them), actual character development, great performances, and an engaging, well-constructed sci-fi thriller. The two are like day and night, though if I had to pick between them, 10 Cloverfield Lane would win as the superior film."
"The film’s most remarkable, and unexpected, element is the way it’s told. Bennett, the film’s narrator, is portrayed to the audience from two perspectives: the 'writer' and the 'doer'. Such unique perspective is an incredibly refreshing addition to The Lady in the Van’s good, yet familiar plot: enhancing the comedy, drama, and character development, as well as softening to completely eliminating the typical clichés found in similarly told stories. The film’s ending is a prime example of such improvement: taking what looks to be a predictably sad conclusion and flipping it 180 with a heartwarming and surprisingly hilarious finale—bringing the film full circle in a satisfying way. The Lady in the Van is a well-balanced comedy-drama, containing solid performances from Maggie Smith and Alan Jennings, along with enough innovative storytelling techniques to distinguish its plot from the mass of typical British comedy-dramas."
"The Jungle Book is very different from its animated counterpart, and here, different is very good. The film is the finest live action remake Disney’s made so far, and rivals the 1967 classic in quality entertainment. It adds plenty of new scenes and additions to blend with its nostalgic familiarity: reducing—though not eliminating—slapstick comedy for thrills and action. The film’s conclusion between Shere Khan, Mowgli and the jungle is an epic finale that matches even the best superhero blockbusters in raw action, excitement and intensity. If Disney can keep up this refreshing seal of quality for future live-action remakes (I’m looking at you Beauty and the Beast), then the days of sub-par Cinderella/Sleep Beauty recreations might finally be over."
"The Invitation wouldn’t be a complete thriller without an effective usage of sound. From the erupting focus on singular noises, to the more melancholy notes during Will’s somber flashbacks, the sounds work in tandem with the film’s beautiful cinematography and editing. Despite the film’s moderate runtime, the remaining cast are given sufficient time and effort to develop as characters. Will’s friends are noticeably diverse in appearance, but more importantly, diverse in personality. The Invitation does an effective job giving subtle character traits to uniquely define each character. The friends are each given one-on-one screen time with Will: asking how he’s doing, reminiscing about old times, and/or showing concern over Will’s steadily increasing paranoia. The writers understand how to make their secondary characters memorable without having to provide significant screen time, which ends up working devilishly well for the film’s finale."
"And now comes the part of the review where I talk about all the serious aspects of Deadpool, such as how it’s surprisingly sweet at times, features some of the best romantic chemistry in a superh̶e̶r̶o̶ film, and how Ryan Reynolds can be effectively emotional. I will write with 100% certainty that I did not expect Deadpool to have a well-made crying scene, let alone it coming from Deadpool himself. The emotion scenes work, however, without spoiling the film’s 'charming' dark comedy. The flashback system used is a feature I always prefer with origin stories, successfully balancing the action sequences with Deadpool’s backstory. The film’s generic, British antagonist works effectively, for once, as a constant source of comedic gags for Deadpool, especially with his name being Francis."
"Eye in the Sky is an astoundingly effective modern military film. Above its complex political and military themes is an engaging thriller with a large array of interesting, well-acted characters. It manages to make complex characters alongside its morals—the latter ending up being effectively and surprisingly more vague than expected. I can say with confidence the film's trailers do not, at all, represent the final project, and recommend Eye in the Sky as a surprise treat to anyone who likewise avoided the film based on its commercials."
"Fences (adapted from a play of the same name) succeeds with creating complex, beautifully written, three-dimensional characters—yet its well-written characters are only a portion of what makes Fences great. When it comes to play adaptations, where dialogue is forefront and key, it serves to have some really effective acting. Denzel Washington (who both directs and stars in the adaptation) has long-since proven to be a great actor, so it should come as little surprise when I state he, once again, does a terrific job playing the protagonist Troy—delivering not only a powerful performance, but the best I’ve seen all year (there’s no uncertainty here on who deserves Best Actor). It’s not just Washington, however, but the entire cast who deliver noteworthy performances all-around—in particular Viola Davis’ beautifully poignant presentation as Troy’s wife Rose, which she reprises from her stage performance of the play."
"One of the highest complements I can give to a story is it left me giggling like an excited school girl.
'Fantastic' is the first word that comes to mind for describing The Handmaiden, but I can also think of a few more: exhilarating, passionate, engrossing, refreshing, comical, erotic. I must confess, I hold a particular fondness towards well-written erotic stories, emphasis on well-written. Fifty Shades of Grey is not a well-written erotica, The Handmaiden is—in fact, it’s a great one, because it does what your run-of-the-mill erotica fails to do. The film keeps surprising until the very end, where all the puzzle pieces come fitting together quite satisfyingly. The story, the surprises, the characters, the comedy, the romance, the erotica—it’s all a complete delight. The Handmaiden doesn’t just deliver what it offers, but goes further beyond expected and then some."
Alright, it's time to move onto 2017 and finally go see Lego Batman and Logan (internally squeals in anticipation).