2016 – My Faves
Another trip around the sun. Whether you loved or hated this year, I saw a bunch of movies and wrote about many of them. Here are my favourites of 2016.
(In case you’re wondering, I couldn’t be bothered doing a worst of list, most of them were just mediocre and the only two offensively awful ones were Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad and those have already been analysed to death as to where and how they fail.)
10) Hell or High Water
Our first film on this list comes from a Scot. This story of bank robbers in the present-day deep south contains some brilliant direction, writing and acting. It doesn’t go much deeper than other films of its kind, but I admire the dark turn from Chris Pine, who this year with this film and Star Trek: Beyond.
09) Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
The only good DC movie since 2008, period. Adam West and Burt Ward came back for an animated tribute to a simpler time. When comics were kid things and Batman didn’t pay Batgirl the same as Robin (look it up). This is a very funny and charming movie, even moreso than Deadpool. Check it out if you want to know why West will always be the best Dark Knight.
08) The Big Short
Like I said, this list goes by UK release date, so if you’re from outside the UK you should not be shocked to find this here. This amazingly candid look at the causes of the 2008 financial crash is funny, poignant, dark and anger inducing in all the best ways. Often documentaries are better than any recreation of a true event can be. This movie decides to be both and succeeds.
07) Hail, Caesar!
While not the best of the Coens, this is one of their zany pictures. A lovely tribute to the Golden age of Hollywood (God if there aren’t a million of those already) but with a bit of that random magic that the Brothers have for having everyone be as thick as mince by using dialogue as sharp as a thistle.
06) When Marnie Was There
Once again this was going to be Ghibli’s swansong, but The Red Turtle changed that. This very western style story of teenage friendship with hints of magic and properly beautiful animation, obviously.
05) The Revenant
I’m surprised that this is so far down the list. This film proves that you can film anything if you’re crazy enough. While the story is nothing to write home about, Leo’s performance and Inirittu’s Tarkovskian filmmaking make this a pretentious cinephile’s wet dream.
04) High Rise
Based on the J.G Ballard novel of the same name, this part-sci-fi part period piece is everything we’ve missed from science-fiction for the past forty years. The uncompromising, poetic, funny and terrifying world, so close to ours is a real treat for those scared of society at the end of this year.
03) The Hunt for the Wilderpeople
My bestie, Miss Emma Malins dragged me along to this and I could not be happier that she did. This New Zealand comedy follows a troubled youth as a he grows to love his adopted father over an extremely grand adventure across the real Middle Earth. This writer/director is a genius when it comes to cinematic comedy. This is the funniest film of the year and I can’t recommend it enough.
02) Victoria
Victoria is a Spanish lady on a night out in Berlin. When she meets a band of charming criminals, she somehow gets roped into being their escape driver for a bank heist. This film is the best simulation I’ve ever seen for a night out in the 21st Century. On top of that we grow to love this girl we barely know and the friends she makes. Oh and did I mention that it was all done in one continuous 2-hour-long take!
My Runners Up
Not all the good films of this year could make it to this list. Here are just a handful of them that deserve an honourable mention:
01) Room
Not to be confused with The Room which is also brilliant for very different reasons, this tells the story of a mother and son who have been locked in a room by a monstrous man. Cinema to me is a mass-producing emotion machine and if you were to judge a film on the emotions it gives you, this is up there. This film thrills me across the entire emotional spectrum like few others. I adore Room and I hope you will too.