What’s going on, guys? As you saw a few days ago I was glad to have already got my Worst of 2016 list done and over with. Felt it was a good transition because I can end talking about the films of 2016 on a positive note and I must say this might be one of my new favorite years in all of cinema. I came out of most screenings completely satisfied and gaining that spark of excitement that reminded me why I love movies. These are movies that I ranked based on how much enjoyment I gained watching such titles than what maybe was technically a better made film than another film. This is personal preference and I wasn't able to get around to see every movie. I know there were great films released like Patriots Day and Silence, but I don’t live in New York or LA. They weren’t released in my area, so I wasn’t able to catch them, but hope to check them out very soon for Award Season. Without further ado, in a series of 2 parts here are my TOP 10 FAVORITE FILMS OF 2016!
PART 1 (#10 - 6)
Honorable Mentions
EYE IN THE SKY
HELL OR HIGH WATER
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
10. DEADPOOL -
I honestly couldn’t believe how much I loved watching this film due to the fact that I personally think as a comic book film it was a game changer. The narrative structure for this film, they way in which the story was told, and the darkly comedic style to it all was just something I had never seen done in a comic book film before. The humor works in every way! The action sequences were very well choreographed! Ryan Reynolds was of course the most perfect choice as Wade Wilson/Deadpool. I cared about the romance and I loved the inclusion of Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Colossus. Deadpool was an incredible blast that not only managed to be a very fun film, but a film that had well-done substance that I could believe in and care about.
9. SWISS ARMY MAN -
Two words: Pop Popcorn (if you’ve seen the movie that reference would make sense). This might’ve been the biggest surprise of the year for me due to the fact that I thought this was a terrible premise. A man deserted on an island with a farting corpse? Really? Gimme a break! Then a trailer comes along and I was actually surprised how interested I was in seeing this film. The film finally releases in my area last summer, I go see it, and I walk out completely loving it and not thinking of a single thing I disliked about it. I still have those feelings towards this film due to the fact that since this film was so strange and quirky, it still maintained on being deep, emotional and something one could relate to on what it meant to be human. I loved seeing the bond between the characters portrayed by Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe. Those two displayed amazing chemistry on screen and was one of the best friendships in a film that I’ve seen from last year. This film might not be for everyone because like I said it is very strange in tone, but if it’s something you can handle, by all means give it a watch.
8. HACKSAW RIDGE -
This film was absolutely beautiful and couldn’t have been displayed in a more perfect fashion by director Mel Gibson. I cared wholeheartedly about Desmond Doss’s struggle on and off the battlefield partaking in one of the most brutal battles in WWII. Seeing that war depicted on screen was frightening and realistic and not executed in a way that disrespected these historical events. I’m so glad that this story was told. Not only did the story have an impression on me because of such events that happened in our history, but how this film was constructed to tell such an important story. Andrew Garfield was absolutely amazing in the role of Desmond Doss and is someone who continues to accomplish impressive work in his career. Brilliant performances all around, the emotion didn’t feel forced and the direction was just astounding. Everything about this film worked for me and it was one of the most moving films I’ve seen in recent years!
7. ARRIVAL -
Director Denis Villeneuve is one of the best directors working in the industry today and a film like this proves he can take on different genres and do a very impressive job with what he works with. I loved the twist and turns the story took, which made me want to watch this film again on repeat. After my first viewing I couldn’t wait to see it again and I cannot wait to pick up the Blu-Ray on Day 1. I love how thought provoking science fiction films like this can be, but at the same time tell a pretty riveting story. I loved what this film had to say about the importance of communication and in that way showcased an alien invasion film that wasn’t another Independence Day. This definitely looks to be another sci-fi film to look back on that tells a compelling story, but also displays quality filmmaking helmed by Villeneuve with breathtaking cinematography and visuals and flawless sound design. Arrival is an absolute must-see for sci-fi lovers, film lovers and… probably just everyone in general should see it.
6. KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS -
Kubo was a marvelous animated film that released last year, not only because the animation itself was gorgeous, but the story that was involved and how it was told. I loved seeing the representation of Japanese culture and how that came across to fulfill the design of the film’s aesthetics. In that regard the film looks so amazing on screen. Also, I loved how the film was just this lovely tale about family and making sacrifices for said family. The execution for this film was perfect in every way. I loved how the story resolved and didn’t leave me disappointed. Seeing these characters on screen being Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle were some of the most delightful characters I’ve seen in a film this past year. I absolutely loved this film! It was a keen reminder about what can be accomplished in terms of filmmaking and with the technique of stop motion animation in the mix of it. This film was treated as pure art and gladly enough that was what it turned out to be.
That concludes Part 1 of My Favorite Films of 2016. Part 2 (# 5 - 1) will be posted Thursday, so be on the lookout for that once that’s posted. Also, if y’all are interested you can check out My Worst of 2016 and my Most Anticipated Films of 2017 right here on my blog. In the meantime, see some movies and all that good stuff.
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