As 2016 winds down, I feel the need to assess the movies released (theatrically, not at festivals) this year and assemble a list of those that impressed me the most. I know the year isn't over yet, so I might yet find another gem to add. There are at least a few key films that I missed and will try to view soon, so that I can perhaps update this list. I know I'm a little premature doing this list, but here are my favourites, ranked pretty much in order:
The Witch - excellent, intelligent, and subdued horror in a very authentic historical setting
Sing Street - feel-good film of the year... bursting with fun and musical energy
Arrival - smart sci-fi that'll leave your brain humming for days
Arrival - smart sci-fi that'll leave your brain humming for days
PeeWee's Big Holiday - silly and entertaining beyond belief. After all these years, a winner!
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years - what can I say? It's The Beatles!!!
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years - what can I say? It's The Beatles!!!
Zootopia - this hilarious and terrific-looking animated comedy took me by surprise
Neon Demon - bold and stylish, not Drive quality, but certainly hard to forget
The BFG - a fun fantasy about a lovable old giant, thanks to film-meister Spielberg
Don't Breathe - a breath-taking thriller about punks robbing an old man blind
The Jungle Book - a fun adventure with Mowgli and his jungle animal pals - visually amazing
10 Cloverfield Lane - a bit of a hidden gem... unsettling and fun with fine performances
Neon Demon - bold and stylish, not Drive quality, but certainly hard to forget
The BFG - a fun fantasy about a lovable old giant, thanks to film-meister Spielberg
Don't Breathe - a breath-taking thriller about punks robbing an old man blind
The Jungle Book - a fun adventure with Mowgli and his jungle animal pals - visually amazing
10 Cloverfield Lane - a bit of a hidden gem... unsettling and fun with fine performances
Everybody Wants Some - director Linklater hits one out of the park with this college baseball day-in-the-life
Hail, Caesar! - the Coehn brothers at their lightest and most fun... not their best, but still....
Hail, Caesar! - the Coehn brothers at their lightest and most fun... not their best, but still....
Honourable Mentions, in no particular order:
The Invitation - creepy and horrific, a lean and effective thriller
Weiner-Dog - an oddball film about a sweet Dachshund who links together quirky short stories
The Lobster - strange and wonderful, thoughtful and absurd... hard to describe, but riveting
The Lobster - strange and wonderful, thoughtful and absurd... hard to describe, but riveting
Midnight Special - suspenseful and tense, building to a climax that doesn't exactly underwhelm, but leaves you with a sense of something hopeful and unfulfilled
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