You know how this works. A ton of movies were released in
2016, and these are my picks for the cream of the crop.
Despite prevailing opinion, 2016 was a pretty good year at
the movies (and let me be clear, I only mean at the movies), but you had to
venture beyond the major studio releases to get to the good stuff. If you did,
there was a lot to love at the cinema — enough that I had an incredibly
difficult time narrowing down my favorites. As always, these sorts of lists are
fickle. Ask me to rank these films again five minutes from now and I’d probably
come back with the list in an entirely different order. But my number one pick
stays put.
1. “Moonlight” — Barry Jenkins’ triptych tale of identity lost and found again is beautiful,
romantic, and deeply empathetic. When I first saw the film back in September at
the Toronto International Film Festival, I left the theater convinced that I’d just
watched the best film I’d see all year. And I was right.
2. “The
Witch” — Unnerving and atmospheric, this story about a family’s battle with
paranoia and religious fanaticism in Puritan New England is far and away the
best horror film I saw in 2016. An incredible debut from writer-director Robert
Eggers.
3. “Tower” — In recounting the 1966 tower
shootings at the University of Texas, director Keith Maitland entirely forgoes
telling the story of the gunman, and instead focuses on the incredible acts of
courage and compassion demonstrated by the survivors and first responders. The
technique of rotoscope animation allows Maitland to
create an intimacy and immediacy to the film that’s absolutely unforgettable.
4. “Green
Room” — I’ve never clenched my armrest harder than while watching Jeremy Saulnier’s masterfully crafted punks versus neo-nazis siege thriller. Patrick Stewart is the year’s
most chilling screen villain.
5. “The
Handmaiden” — A heist crime-thriller and steamy romance in the guise of a
simple costume drama, Park Chan-wook’s twisted
adaptation of Sarah Waters’s Victorian-era novel, “Fingersmith,” never stopped surprising me the whole way
through.
6. “Manchester
by the Sea” — In a year when a number of films
attempted to dramatize the subjects of grief and death, Kenneth Lonergan’s stood above the rest. Emotionally devastating,
yes, but just as often immensely funny.
7. “O.J.: Made in America” — Ezra Edelman’s eight-hour
documentary chronicles the O.J. Simpson trial in incredible detail, and in the
process tackles the monumental issues of race relations in America, celebrity,
the justice system, and so much more. A staggering achievement and essential
viewing.
8. “The Edge of Seventeen” — Possibly the biggest surprise of
the year was first-time director Kelly Fremon Craig’s
“The Edge of Seventeen,” a John Hughes-esque
coming-of-age comedy. Hailee Steinfeld is fantastic
as the self-involved teen who learns to be slightly less so, and Woody
Harrelson is equally as good as the caustic teacher who becomes her confidante
(whether he likes it or not).
9. “The
Lobster” — Filled with equal parts cynicism and heart, Yorgos
Lanthimos’ wackadoo story about an alternate universe
in which single people must find a romantic mate or be turned into an animal is
one of 2016’s most original creations. With a great, sad-sack lead performance
from Colin Farrell.
10. “Weiner” — Chronicling disgraced congressman Anthony Weiner’s
attempt at a comeback during his 2013 New York mayoral campaign, this film is
still biting and hilarious. But in the wake of the national election, it’s possibly
even more tragic.
11. “Cameraperson” — Kirsten Johnson cobbles together unused
footage from her 20-year career as a documentary cinematographer in order to
craft a personal memoir that carries an unexpected emotional depth.
12. “Being 17” — Filled with wonderful, naturalistic
performances, this coming-of-age story from director Andrรฉ Tรฉchinรฉ
and writer Cรฉline Sciamma screened at ImageOut in October (where it picked up the festival’s
Audience Award), and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
13. “Swiss
Army Man” — Chronicling the bromance
between a man stranded on a deserted island and the corpse that washes ashore
to keep him company, this film was weird and wonderful. Just the way I like ’em.
14. “Loving” — Jeff Nichols had a great 2016 with “Midnight Special” and this unassuming but
incredibly powerful love story about the Virginia couple whose relationship led
to the dissolution of the country’s laws banning interracial marriage. The
movie is anchored by wonderful performances from Ruth Negga
and Joel Edgerton.
15. “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” — I laughed harder
and more consistently during The Lonely Island’s pop music mockumentary than
any other film this year. The soundtrack is fantastic, and if there were any
justice in the world, it would be in the Best Original Song Oscar conversation.
Honorable Mentions: “10
Cloverfield Lane,” 20th Century Women,” “American
Honey,” “Arrival,” “A
Bigger Splash,” “Everybody Wants Some!!,” “The Fits,” “Gleason,” “Hell
Or High Water,” “I Am Not Your Negro,” “In
Transit,”“Jackie,”“Kubo
and the Two Strings,”“La
La Land,” “Love & Friendship,” “The Neon
Demon,” “Other People” “Paterson,” “Sing Street,” “Tickled,”“Zootopia”
This article appears in Jan 11-17, 2017.
Totally agree with Moonlight as number one, though Manchester for me was so close. Also, so glad to see The Edge of Seventeen, Lobster and Weiner, all choices most mainstream fans would disregard! I miss my Rochester film connection and Sarasota hasn’t even had some of your picks, like Handmaiden of which l’ve heard great things.