That’s especially true for 2016, since my second daughter was born in March. Life with a baby isn’t exactly conducive to the marathon viewing sessions that are typically required at year’s end, when studios flood the multiplex with their award contenders. So, don’t think of these as the absolute “best” films. Rather, they’re narratives that left such a memorable impression on me that I want you folks to experience them as well.
I’m disappointed that the funniest comedy of 2016 bombed, but it’s destined to become one of those movies people discover in the future and kick themselves for not seeing on the big screen. This is Spinal Tap for millennials, it’s a perfect summation of the current YouTube/Kardashian generation, which prides itself on fame above all else – including talent. The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer) absolutely nails the vapid, ridiculous nature of the modern pop star, but the trio writes better songs.
Like the best sci-fi, Denis Villeneuve’s alien invasion story isn’t “just” about beings from another planet. It’s also a cerebral reflection on the human experience and the fleeting nature of everything we take for granted. Repeat viewings are mandatory, not because the plot is overtly complicated, but because a late-story reveal makes you realize it’s a completely different movie than you thought. Plus, the stellar performances by Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner are so nuanced that it takes a while to truly appreciate them.
While it’s appropriate for family viewing, this gorgeous, quietly devastating story of a young boy on a mystical quest in ancient Japan lets you know up front that it won’t be sugarcoating anything for kids. I wasn’t expecting that kind of emotional complexity from stop-motion animation, but I certainly appreciated it. The voice cast (including Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey and Ralph Fiennes) adds further weight to a tale that’s already so dramatic you’ll need to have tissues ready – especially when you figure out what the title means.
I’m in the tank for anything Richard Linklater does, so I was predisposed to love his spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused before I walked into the theater. The plot is practically non-existent – in the early 1980s, a group of baseball players (including Blake Jenner, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell) settle in the weekend before college starts – but the characters are so endearing that it doesn’t matter. Best of all, Linklater doesn’t pretend this is a realistic world. Instead, it plays out the way most of us like to remember our past. We dwell on the good times, gloss over the bad stuff and make ourselves seem better than we really were. I had a big, goofy smile on my face for two hours.
Writer-director Kenneth Lonergan’s meditation on grief and some people’s inability to overcome it isn’t a fun watch by any means, but it’s an important one. The story of a troubled man (Casey Affleck) who returns to his hometown following the death of his brother (Kyle Chandler) is an emotionally devastating, gut-punch of a movie. However, it’s masterfully shot and acted. It feels like this world continues to exist even when the cameras aren’t rolling. It’s not total misery porn, however; Lonergan scatters plenty of tension-relieving gallows humor throughout. It’s an incredible movie, but I think it will be a long time before I can watch it again.
Like most people, I missed this love letter to music during its brief theatrical window, but I’m happy that many people are discovering it on Netflix. Writer-director John Carney (who covered similar ground with Once and Begin Again) transports viewers to 1980s Dublin, where a young boy (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) puts together a band to impress a girl (Lucy Boynton), but quickly discovers he’s got a talent for songwriting. The fantastic music and performances make the film a must-watch. The standard “kids pursue an improbable dream” trope often comes across as cheesy or maudlin, but it works here thanks to Carney’s pragmatic approach.
This modern Western – reminiscent of the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men, but not as nihilistic – finds a pair of bank-robbing brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) trying to steal enough money to save the family farm with two dogged sheriffs (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham) on their heels. The performances are stellar across the board (it’s nice to be reminded that Pine is more than just a blockbuster guy), Taylor Sheridan’s screenplay has a wicked sense of humor and there’s an unbearable sense of tension that builds until the inevitable, brilliantly executed, third act.
Ezra Edelman’s superb documentary, clocking in at almost eight hours, is a work of journalistic art. Although its primary focus is the formerly beloved icon, now one of America’s most reviled villains, it’s also interested in chronicling the institutions responsible for both his success and that shocking verdict. Granted, it’s initially jarring that a film about Simpson spends so much time focusing on seemingly unrelated aspects. But that’s where the second half of the movie’s title comes in. Once all the puzzle pieces click into place, you realize how brilliantly crafted this sprawling narrative has been from the start.
The word “masterpiece” gets overused this time of year, but it’s tough not to employ it when discussing Barry Jenkins’ look at three crucial periods in the life of an African American kid named Chiron (played at different ages by Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes). The gorgeous film overflows with emotion and radiates compassion for its characters – even those who may not seem worthy of it at first. Nowhere is that more evident than in the story’s depiction of a goodhearted drug dealer (Mahershala Ali), who sees something special in Chiron, and the young boy’s mother (Naomi Harris), whose love for her son is overshadowed by her growing addiction.
I’m pretty sure my inner theater geek died from joy during the opening number of Damien Chazelle’s tribute to the golden age of musicals. It’s an unapologetic sequence that tells viewers exactly what they’re in for – inviting them into this heightened world or letting them know there’s still time to get a refund. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone radiate chemistry as dreamers hoping to beat the odds. Chazelle miraculously makes the perfect narrative decision at every turning point in the story, but what sealed the movie’s spot at the top of my list is the swoon-worthy epilogue. It made me remember why I love the power of movies – even as it ripped my heart out.
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
Captain America: Civil War
Deadpool
Edge of Seventeen
Hail, Caesar!
The Jungle Book
Moana
The Nice Guys
Pete’s Dragon
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Weiner
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