#1 Manchester by the Sea
Directed by Kenneth Lonergan
A devastating film that invoked the most emotional reaction out of me in 2016. Beautifully shot to contrast the dark, grim subject matter; this film isn't for a light hearted, fun day at the movies. There's not a single thing wrong with this film.
#2 La La Land
Directed by Damien Chazelle
What can I say? This movie is just pure, cinematic fun. It's one of the most enjoyable theater going experiences I've had in a very long time. I hate musicals, but this film just blew me away. The cinematography, the lighting, the singing, the dancing. This film swept me off my feet. Emma and the Gos are both so charming. The end was unexpected and heartbreaking, yet hopefully optimistic and uplifting. It's a movie that took me from an ear to ear grin at the highest of the highs, to uncontrollably sobbing at the lowest of the lows. Can't say enough great things about this movie.
#3 Captain Fantastic
Directed by Matt Ross
There's a trend. Each year I always put extremely depressing, sad, heart-wrenching films at the top of my list. Maybe I'm a sadist, who knows. But this film is extremely sensitive, and deals with a single father grieving of loss while trying to raise children off the grid, against the wishes of their grandparents. It's full of heart, humor, and downright sadder than sad scenes. Not enough people saw this, and it definitely demands a viewing.
#4 Green Room
Directed by Jeremy Saulnier
R.I.P. Anton Yelchin. This is a pretty straight forward horror/thriller film, set in the world of DIY punk music scene (something I grew up in as well). The depiction of the music scene is the most accurate I've ever seen on film. The movie is brutal, unrelenting, and a total thrill ride. Saulnier is one of my favorite currently active film makers, and this movie is his turkey. By that, I mean it's his third perfect film in a row. Murder Party, Blue Ruin, and Green Room are all extremely well put together, fun movies that have a very distinctive feel and tone. I can't wait to see what he does next.
#5 The Handmaiden
Directed by Chan-wook Park
Saw a handful of foreign films in 2016, and this was my favorite. A puzzling tale of seduction, desire, and wealth. Told in different parts from different perspective, this film is almost like a South Korean Gone Girl, and I'm not sure which is better. Something I can't wait to revisit once more.
#6 The Lobster
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Super super dry humor. Odd and bizarre story. Absurdist. All the while being very fun, quirky, hilarious, sad, and entertaining. Definitely not a film for everyone, but absolutely perfect for a certain subset of movie lovers. I'm glad I was able to find it so wonderful.
#7 The Witch
Directed by Robert Eggers
One of the most stylized films of 2016. I'm actually quite ashamed that it's so far down on my list. This is a perfect horror film. This is everything I want out of the horror genre. Mood. Visuals. Story. Performance. The score was one of the best scores all year. The attention to detail Eggers had in every aspect of this movie is nothing short of OCD. The film LOOKS amazing. This is another divisive film, but I feel like more people liked it, than not.
#8 Operation Avalanche
Directed by Matt Johnson
Probably the most "out there" choice on my list. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the only person who has this on their Top 25 in this entire thread. It's a found footage, mocumentary set in the late 60's about CIA agents that infiltrate NASA and film a fake moon landing. It's just brilliant all around. The way Matt Johnson and his crew approach movie making is inspiring. They put the magic back in film, and create things that are just pure wonder. This also gets my vote for Best Cinematography. This is one film that I was convinced was shot on 16mm film, only to find out it was shot on RED cameras, and processed. It's so warm, grainy, and authentic feeling. I need to watch this again. RIGHT NOW.
#9 The Edge of Seventeen
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
A very late addition to my list, only catching up with it in mid February. A very very realistic, authentic, down to earth film about high school, and specifically one girl's journey during it. A coming of age story of a typical teenager that is slightly awkward and alone. It's funny and heartwarming, and Hailee Steinfeld is amazing in her role.
#10 Morris From America
Directed by Chad Hartigan
Another coming of age story, one that is a little more hard to relate to on a personal level, but doesn't detract from it's enjoyability. Craig Robinson gives an AMAZING performance as the father of a young teenage boy, living in Germany. The bond between the two is so wonderful to watch, and what most dad's probably strive for. A simple film, but that does not detract from the wonderful story that's told.
And in case you're keeping count, yes, this is the 4th A24 film in my list.
#11 Take Me to the River
Directed by Matt Sobel
Like Operation Avalanche, this is another film that has been criminally overlooked. A story not too unlike Moonlight, that deals with a homosexual boy having to deal with his identity when it comes to his family and those close to him. It gets VERY tense and a bit of a thriller when old family secrets are dug up. A brilliant directorial debut and wonderful performance from the lead, Logan Miller.
#12 The Fits
Directed by Anna Rose Holmer
This is a film I was very confused about when leaving the theater, and wasn’t until much later, that I appreciated it’s brilliance. A very strange and odd movie, where a tomboy who has grown up training in a boxing gym with her older brother, has a sudden interest in joining a hip hop dance/cheerleading squad. Struggling with identity and personal interest, the young female lead gives a performance well beyond her years. Strange things start happening in the community center, when random girls start passing out and having seizures. The films end requires a bit of open-mindedness, but will leave you breathless.
#13 The Nice Guys
Directed by Shane Black
Probably the most “fun” movie on my list. Gosling and Crowe’s chemistry and relationship is a comedic goldmine. They have such great interactions, and both give hilarious, slapstick performances. A somewhat convoluted storyline, but draws a lot of parallels to something like The Big Lebowski. Fun fun fun.
#14 Moonlight
Directed by Barry Jenkins
Best film of the year, according to the Academy. Didn’t quite find it that great, but still enjoyed it thoroughly none the less. Parts 1 & 2 were the standouts for me, while kind of heading south for Part 3. As a whole, it’s a wonderful film that was very deep in it’s exploration of self and identity. Wonderful camerawork to boot.
#15 Hell or High Water
Directed by David Mackenzie
Yes, my flip flop choice. Hated it the first time around, really really enjoyed it my second. Just goes to prove some films are worth a revisit. A modern western, shot beautifully and filled with brilliant performances from some seasoned actors. Movie was almost Coen-esque.
#16 Swiss Army Man
Directed by The Daniels
Yes, this is the “farting corpse” movie. Blah blah blah. Filled with so much more than crude humor, this film touches on so many different topics. From loneliness and seclusion, to what it means to be human, to what love means; this movie is full of meaning once you peel away the outer layers.
#17 Nocturnal Animals
Directed by Tom Ford
Another film on my list that reminded me heavily of 2014’s Gone Girl. Features a story-within-a-story. Jumps through time. Yet at the heart of it, a pretty straight forward story of loss, grief, and revenge. Plus, Michael Shannon.
#18 Christine
Directed by Antonio Campos
Death amazes and intrigues me. From a very early age, I visited websites such as Rotten.com, and did my best to find copies of Faces of Death. Seeing people die is just super interesting to me. A bit morbid and strange, sure. So I’ve known about Christine Chubbuck for a long time. She is infamous for killing herself on a live, on-air news broadcast. This was a while back, before DVRs and the internet existed. For that reason alone, people have been trying to get their hands on a copy of the video footage, which apparently only the family own. So when I heard about a film showing at Sundance about Christine, I was very curious. I didn’t know anything about the woman herself, or what her life was like. What we get in this film is a very troubled woman, dealing with way too much to handle by herself. Ultimately, it got the best of her, and she wasn’t able to cope with it any longer. The film is delicate and non-intrusive, and pays homage to her as human being, without making a spectacle out of her death. Well done, well acted, and nicely filmed, this movie was a bit heavy, but a wonderful viewing.
#19 Krisha
Directed by Trey Edward Shults
An insanely unique film that centers around a Thanksgiving dinner, and the family in attendance. Specifically, one woman; Krisha. She’s a bit off her rocker, a big strange, and not an immediate part of the family. So when she comes to dinner, things are very off kilter. The style in which Shults made this movie is highly original and unique, definitely throwing his voice out into the film world. And it worked.
#20 Trash Fire
Directed by Richard Bates Jr.
At first I didn’t have this on my list at all. I saw it at a film festival in October of 2016, and wasn’t aware it actually received a real release that same year. A horror comedy in a way you’d never expect. Not typical whatsoever. The “comedy” is very dry, and centers around a couple that are clearly not meant for each other. The man is one of the biggest sarcastic a-holes I’ve ever seen, and the woman isn’t very pleasant either. With the girlfirend’s insistence, they go visit the man’s grandmother and sister, whom he’s been out of contact with for decades. Things get pretty bizarre and strange, while keeping the uncomfortable, awkward laughs rolling in.
#21 The Eyes of my Mother
Directed by Nicolas Pesce
Another horror film I saw at the same festival as Trash Fire. A stylish, black and white horror film about a lonely young woman living by herself in a remote countryside, struggling with inner demons and demons from her past.
#22 Train to Busan
Directed by Yeon Sang-Ho
I guess I should recommend and invite everyone on here to come check out the Telluride Horror Show, considering this is the third film in a row on my list that I saw there. Another South Korean film, which is a zombie movie. Reminded me of Zombieland mixed with Snowpiercer. Movie takes place primarily on a train, with a zombie infection spreading from car to car, and minimal survivors. We really feel connections with certain characters, while completely despising others. There’s a character in this film that feels SO good to hate. Funny, charming, and extremely violent; this movie is a very fresh take on the zombie genre.
#23 Transpecos
Directed by Greg Kwedar
I can’t really put my finger on why I liked this film so much. I guess you could call it a Western, as it takes place on the border of US and Mexico, out in the lonely stretch of desert. It involves a border crossing, some border patrol officers, and a major mess up during a routine stop. Things spiral out of control, take twists and turns, and will keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat. Just a pretty solid thriller, featuring the wonderful actor Gabriel Luna.
#24 Equals
Directed by Drake Doremus
Another story of love, or failed love, from the director of Like Crazy. This film takes place in the future, and features a society in which emotions have been removed from the human condition. Simply no emotions. A very bland, meaningless existence. People are sorted into jobs, given places to live, and dress in all white. That is, until you find out a rogue group of people still have their emotions, and refuse to let them go. This is a very subtle, calm, stylistic, and somewhat bland (not in a bad way) story about a man with his emotions intact, that falls in love with a female, and isn’t sure if she can even feel it. Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult.
#25 Remember
Directed by Atom Egoyan
Might be the longest lasting film on my list. I saw this movie at the very beginning of 2016, and it managed to hang onto a spot. A film where it’s main characters are very elderly, which is a very nice change of pace. A Holocaust survivor tries to hunt and track down an ex-Nazi guard that is responsible for the murder of his family. Emotionally gripping, and very tense, this is a thriller like you probably haven’t seen before. Yup, another A24 film as well. Which brings the total of 9 films out of my Top 25. That’s almost unheard of.
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