My Year in Film (2016)

Welcome to my second annual movies-of-the-year list. I saw 94 movies that were made in 2016 and I have ranked them from 94 to 1 and added a few comments about each. Let me know if you agree or disagree with my rankings and/or if you have any recommendations for films I missed. If you’d like to keep up with my activity throughout the year, you can follow me on Letterbox. Hope you enjoy!

https://letterboxd.com/boogs31/

Worst Film of the Year

94) Suicide Squad (1/10) – Just a disorganized, boring, mess of a movie.

Really Bad

93) Mike and Dave need Wedding Dates (1.5/10) – Comedy with no laughs or heart.

92) The Monster (1.5/10) – I generally try to give horror movies the benefit of the doubt, but this is just so bad.

91) Ghostbusters (2/10) – An unfunny, unnecessary reboot.

90) Jane Got a Gun (2/10) – As much as I like Natalie Portman, she can’t save this dull western.

89) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2.5/10) – Can I get my two and a half hours back?

88) The Brothers Grimsby (2.5/10) – Don’t get me wrong, this is totally deserving of being in the really bad category, but the humor definitely is of the variety that is so dumb it wears you down until you begin to laugh.

Bad

87) The Finest Hours (3/10) – This is what I end up watching if I’m too tired to pick something good on Netflix.

86) Lights Out (3/10) – Semi intriguing premise that lacks the execution.

85) Nerve (3.5/10) – If you’re thinking about watching this, watch Cheap Thrills (2013) instead.

Below Average

84) Jason Bourne (4/10) – Why do they keep making these movies?

83) Ouija: Origin of Evil (4/10) – A bad movie if you look at it regardless of genre, for a horror movie it’s fine.

82) The Magnificent Seven (4/10) – Haven’t seen the original but I imagine it’s much better.

81) Bad Moms (4.5/10) – Kathryn Hahn is the only saving grace of this movie.

80) The Shallows (4.5/10) – It’s campy enough to make it enjoyable.

Average

79) Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (5/10) – If you like Tina Fey, she has a decent performance in this, but I found it quite boring.

78) My Blind Brother (5/10) – There are moments that make you think a good movie is in here somewhere but it mostly falls short.

77) The Infiltrator (5.4/10) – While Bryan Cranston is always a fun watch, the rest of the movie is way too familiar to be interesting.

76) X-Men Apocalypse (5.4/10) – It’s an enjoyable watch, even if it doesn’t live up to most of the X-Men film universe.

75) Sausage Party (5.6/10) – It’s definitely funny at first but the jokes get old fast, what saves it is the message/metaphor.

74) War Dogs (5.6/10) – I liked this more than I was expecting to. Jonah Hill is on the top of his game.

73) Race (5.6/10) – The Jesse Owens story is certainly worth being told; I just wish it was told better.

72) The Little Prince (5.8/10) – Harmless animated movie on Netflix.

71) Fundamentals of Caring (5.8/10) – Good performances from Craig Roberts and Paul Rudd keep this from being mediocre.

70) Hush (6/10) – Solid scary movie that starts off really well but can’t keep the momentum.

69) The Phenom (6/10) – Ethan Hawk is terrific in his role as an overbearing, dead beat dad. As a sports nerd I can’t help but point out that the main characters throwing motion is one of the most un-athletic looking things I’ve witnessed.

Above Average

68) Eddie the Eagle (6.1/10) – With such a terrific true story and solid performances you can look past the clichés.

67) Deepwater Horizon (6.2/10) – While it’s disappointing it couldn’t do more to talk about the effects the event had on the world, as a pure action film it’s well done.

66) Hail Caesar (6.3/10) – One of the more disappointing Coen Brothers efforts. But even the worst Coen Brothers films have some fun moments.

65) Little Men (6.3/10) – I was very excited for this movie but I left underwhelmed. It took way too long to get anywhere important.

64) Sound of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story (6.4/10) – Interesting documentary that I would recommend if you’re a jazz fan.

63) Pete’s Dragon (6.4/10) – Mostly forgettable movie that’s merely satisfactory on every level.

62) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (6.6/10) – Definitely has some fun/thrilling moments even if the film as a whole doesn’t quite enamor you.

61) Queen of Katwe (6.7/10) - A truly great story with good to great performances. If only the director didn’t play it so safe.

60) Denial (6.7/10) – I enjoyed the courtroom moments but the rest of the film was lackluster.

59) The Conjuring 2 (6.8/10) – While certainly not as great as the original, the Conjuring series is still at the top of the horror genre.

58) The Jungle Book (6.8/10) - Visually it’s spectacular and the voice cast is perfect.

57) Barbershop: The Next Cut (6.9/10) – The Barbershop trilogy is actually pretty good. All of them are at least respectable and the first and third are even more than that.

56) Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong (7/10) – A poor man’s version of the “Before” trilogy. I enjoy romances that seem to take place in real time.

55) Kung Fu Panda 3 (7.1/10) – The voice actors are all great, the action sequences are beautifully animated and all three of the Kung Fu Panda movies have plenty of heart.

54) The Birth of a Nation (7.1/10) – Nate Parker’s acting in this was terrific but the directing should have been given to someone with a little more talent. The pacing was all over the place. This could have been so good.

53) A Bigger Splash (7.2/10) – Great acting from a couple of legends in Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes. I generally like slow burns in terms of pacing but this felt like too much of a slow burn.

52) Star Trek Beyond (7.2/10) – I’ve liked all of the new Star Treks and this one was no exception.

51) Doctor Strange (7.3/10) – This was visually spectacular. It was everything that Inception wanted to be.

50) Florence Foster Jenkins (7.3/10) – Meryl Streep is as good as always. Can’t say the story itself is that interesting.

49) The Witch (7.4/10) – This movie is getting a ton of love from just about everybody but after watching it I was left wondering what all the hype was about. Don’t get me wrong it’s extremely well made from a technical perspective. It’s well acted and all of the costumes and the dialogue are era appropriate. It definitely has its own atmosphere as well. My problem is there’s no plot, fleshed out characters, or intriguing dialogue.

48) American Honey (7.4/10) - Another well made, well acted movie that has moments of brilliance but doesn’t come together as a whole.

Good

47) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (7.5/10) – It was fun to watch a more gritty version of Star Wars. This accomplished something the other prequels could not; it made the original trilogy better.

46) Deadpool (7.5/10) – I definitely didn’t enjoy this nearly as much as most of the people in the theatre. I didn’t find the humor great at first but I will say that the movie definitely grew on me as it went along. I also was surprised by how much I actually cared for the character.

45) Love and Friendship (7.5/10) – Based on Jane Austen’s novel, Kate Beckinsale stars and is very good in her role. I can’t help but be confused as to why certain things are made into movies. It doesn’t have enough going on visually to warrant a film version.

44) Captain America: Civil War (7.6/10) – It definitely isn’t as good of a stand-alone movie as the Winter Soldier, but it accomplishes its goal of setting up future installments in the Marvel universe. In limited screen time, Ant-Man and Spider-Man shine.

43) Southside with You (7.6/10) – A solid romance based on the first date of the former President and First Lady. Parker Sawyers was born to play Barack Obama.

42) Joshy (7.6/10) – This movie really surprised me (in a good way). Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) plays the main character who is dealing with the tragedy of his fiancé committing suicide. It’s a great look at friendships and how they can help someone through life’s difficult times.

41) The Meddler (7.7/10) – One of my favorite character studies of the year. Susan Sarandon plays a woman who for the most part lives her life through others. I feel like she deserved an Oscar nomination for her performance.

40) Blood Father (7.7/10) – I thought 2016 was kind of a down year for action flicks (which is why I’m really looking forward to John Wick 2). Blood Father was one of the few enjoyable ones. Mel Gibson stars as a man trying to protect his daughter who is running from her troubled past.

39) The Wave (7.8/10) – The only disaster film I saw in 2016 and I was not disappointed. As a Tsunami is headed towards his town, a man tries to save his family and as many in the community as he can.

38) The Lobster (7.8/10) – Extremely dry humor about modern relationships. You’ll either like it or hate it.

37) Don’t Breathe (7.8/10) – Arguably the best horror movie of the year. Simple concept – Try and rob a former soldier/blind man. It has solid direction and a few twists that are genuinely unexpected.

36) Hacksaw Ridge (7.9/10) – Mel Gibson definitely knows how to shoot a war scene effectively. My biggest beef with the film was the really underdeveloped, poorly executed romance that takes up the first hour.

35) A Monster Calls (7.9/10) – Extremely sad, well made children’s movie with solid performances and visual effects.

34) Loving (8/10) – Jeff Nichols is one of the most talented directors working today. This has to be my least favorite of all his movies. I didn’t really feel like he elevated the story in any meaningful way. It still features great performances and is a story that needed to be told.

33) Fences (8.1/10) – Denzel Washington and Viola Davis are terrific in their roles. They both had played the same parts when Fences was a play back in 2010. Even though I haven’t seen the play, I don’t expect anything was changed for the film version which made it feel pretty stale from a set design perspective.

32) Equity (8.1/10) – Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) plays an investment banker in this financial thriller. The film focuses on the fact that she’s a female in a predominantly male business. It’s another really good movie that I don’t think too many people are talking about.

31) The Confirmation (8.2/10) – Clive Owen stars as an alcoholic, unemployed, but good hearted father who gets a chance to be with his son for the weekend and try and re-establish a bond.

30) Hidden Figures (8.2/10) – Really great true story with solid performances. Like a lot of true stories I just wish a more talented director was on board to elevate the material.

Really Good

29) Into the Inferno (8.3/10) – Really interesting documentary that talks in depth about volcanoes and takes some crazy but intriguing tangents along the way.

28) Blue Jay (8.3/10) – A movie about two former high school sweethearts who reconnect after many years apart. The dialogue is really great and you sense the collective nostalgia and chemistry the two characters have for each other.

27) Sully (8.4/10) – While I don’t necessarily agree with the decision to tell the story in a non-linear fashion I still really enjoyed it. The crash sequence is genuinely thrilling.

26) Finding Dory (8.4/10) – Another Pixar movie, similar to Monsters University, that I didn’t really feel was necessary. But as an avid Pixar fan, they have built up enough faith that I will see anything they put out (except Cars). This ended up exceeding my expectations just like Monsters University did.

25) Edge of Seventeen (8.4/10) – High school coming of age story that has plenty to say about growing up, dealing with loss and getting over the idea of social rank/status. My biggest complaint is that the movie tries to get you to sympathize with the main character not through her personality, but merely by bad things happening to her.

24) Eye in the Sky (8.5/10) – This is a movie about drone usage and when it does or does not become immoral to use them. The late Alan Rickman stars and shines in one of his last roles.

23) Midnight Special (8.5/10) – While I was disappointed with Jeff Nichol’s film Loving, I really like Midnight Special. Michael Shannon plays the father of a boy who has unusual gifts. He encounters obstacles as he tries to take the boy where he needs to go.

22) Green Room (8.5/10) – After the brilliance that was Jeremy Saulnier’s debut film Blue Ruin, I was very excited for his second effort, Green Room. It follows a punk rock band that end up performing at a neo Nazi bar. Chaos ensues. You may want to stay away from this if you’re squeamish towards violence.

21) Train to Busan (8.6/10) – Imagine Snowpiercer, except with zombies thrown in. Despite the typical norms of the zombie genre, there is actual character development and heart in this as well.

20) Imperium (8.6/10) – Daniel Radcliffe plays an FBI agent that goes undercover as a white supremacist. It’s a really interesting story and there are quite a few suspenseful moments.

19) Kubo and the Two Strings (8.7/10) – It’s one of the most gorgeous animated films I’ve ever seen and the script has a good sense of humor for both kids and adults alike.

18) Hell or High Water (8.7/10) – While I don’t necessarily agree this should be an Oscar nomination for best picture; it’s definitely a good movie. Hopefully it will entice more directors to start making modern westerns which are in short supply.

17) Morris from America (8.8/10) – A really good coming of age story about a kid who is forced to move to Germany with his dad. This is the first time I’ve seen Craig Robinson in a major role and after his performance he deserves more opportunities.

16) 10 Cloverfield Lane (8.8/10) – This film rewards the viewer’s patience and is a well executed, slow burn of a sci-fi thriller. John Goodman is really fun to watch in it as well.

15) Silence (8.9/10) – Andrew Garfield is nominated for best actor in Hacksaw Ridge but I thought his performance in Silence was even better. While this movie isn’t one of Martin Scorsese’s best films, it’s certainly a worthy addition to his collection and a beautiful film to look at.

14) Jackie (8.9/10) – Natalie Portman puts on a really good performance as Jackie Kennedy. The film takes place almost immediately after the assassination of her husband while she’s still very much in the grieving process. The shots that were used to recreate actual events looked like they were taken straight from the 60’s.

Borderline Great

13) Hunt for the Wilderpeople (9/10) – A coming of age story with plenty of heart and wit. It also features an impressive performance from Sam Neill (Jurassic Park).

12) The Nice Guys (9/10) – Despite absolutely bombing at the box office, this is one of the best movies of 2016. I can’t remember having more fun watching a film all year. Russell Crowe has more comedic chops than I thought.

11) Lion (9.1/10) – Despite an average middle act, the first 45 minutes are absolutely edge of your seat stuff and the climax definitely pulls on the heart strings. This is actually a case of one of those “based on a true story” movies made by a talented director.

10) Moana (9.3/10) – Despite a familiar plot formula, the soundtrack (by Lin Manuel-Miranda) and visuals are so spectacular it wins you over.

9) Zootopia (9.4/10) – This was quite a great year for animated films and this one topped my list. It has a good message and plenty of laughs for the kids while also having plenty of mystery and action for the adults.

8) Don’t Think Twice (9.5/10) – I don’t feel like this movie is getting enough love. It’s funny at times, sad at others, and is a detailed look at friendship, jealousy, and collaboration.

7) Sing Street (9.6/10) – This is the feel good movie of the year. It’s a musical, romance, and coming of age story all at once. The older brother is one of my favorite movie characters of all time.

Masterpieces

6) 13th (9.6/10) – Best documentary I saw all year. I’ve heard the OJ: Made in America doc would give it a run for its money but I haven’t gotten to that yet. 13th is certainly a tough watch, but it is essential viewing.

5) Everybody Wants Some!! (9.7/10) – Thought this was even better than its predecessor, Dazed and Confused. Really funny, bunch of interesting characters and the philosophy bits don’t feel as preachy as some of Linklater’s other films.

4) Arrival (9.7/10) – Best Sci-Fi film I’ve seen in a long time. Denis Villeneuve’s work keeps getting better and better. I’m very much looking forward to his next project, Blade Runner 2049.

3) La La Land (9.8/10) – Can’t say anything other than Damien Chazelle is a masterful director. The opening scene is jaw dropping. Similar to Whiplash the ending is pitch-perfect. His movies don’t have happy endings per se, but they do a great job of connecting all the themes to make it extremely satisfying.

2) Manchester by the Sea (10/10) – Really beautiful looking film. Terrific performances from the whole cast but especially Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams. They should both win their respective acting categories at the Oscars.

1) Moonlight (10/10) – Similar to Boyhood in that it depicts the growing up process in great detail and how certain events in your life can shape the type of person you will become. This film is perfect in almost every respect and it’s one of the best films I’ve seen this decade.

Watch-list:

OJ: Made in America

The Dark Horse

Captain Fantastic

Elle

The Wailing

Paterson

Kicks

Toni Erdmann

Indignation

Swiss Army Man

My Life as a Zucchini

The Neon Demon

Miles Ahead

The Salesman

Hello My Name is Doris

Nocturnal Animals

A Man Called Ove

The Handmaiden

The Red Turtle