It was four years ago that I didn't quite feel right ranking the cinematic achievements I'd witnessed in 2012, and here it is, another leap year, and I find myself doing the same in 2016. The films I saw in 2016 (37 in total, 28 of them in theatres) were in the majority, thoroughly enjoyable and well crafted films. Many that I anticipated to be dogs turned out to be surprisingly good and even the worst of the bunch had redeeming qualities. My movie watching continues to be predominantly trips to the cineplex, as my time at home is consumed by either work or reading, and when there's time for entertainment at home, it tends to be the emergence of excellent television content (Netflix, HBO, AMC and CW) that accounts for my time in front of the screen. I just don't seem to sit down to watch a full film at home, opting for the entire movie going experience for films I'm wanting to see.
Now that my daughter is getting older, we tend to mutually agree on films we want to see, and I must admit, her film choices resulted in some pleasurable surprises for me. Who knew The Angry Birds Movie would be the witty take on colonialism that it was, or that Trolls would be that much fun and Ice Age: Collision Course would provide animated laughs for the adults too, courtesy a Neil deGrasse Tyson cameo? Remakes and sequels accounted for more than half the films I saw, so it goes without saying, how exciting it is to see new, original ideas that seem few and far between. As a whole, the year was filled with the usual sequels or franchise instalments that disappointed, those that reinvented, and other studios continually delivering on high expectations. It's a small sample size, but here's my 10 favourite films I saw (in theatres, on home video or The Movie Network premiere in the calendar year of 2016) in no particular order, other than alphabetical...
Arrival; A refreshingly novel approach to an alien invasion movie, that plays the event as real and intimate, focusing on a few characters and their role in wondering what their arrival is all about. Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner (a DC/Marvel comic book team up!!) work well off each other, with Adams proving why
she's one of the best actresses of the past decade (yet not having achieved an Academy Award while lesser actors have won against her). The film's approach to alien invasion, the importance of communication and the intricacies of love, language, and loss, make for a fascinating film that will make for interesting second viewing. I look forward to revisiting this film on home video when it is released.
Captain America: Civil War/
Doctor Strange; What would a Top 10 list of mine be without cheating to include an extra entry? Marvel's one-two punch this year (the 13th and 14th films in the franchise, for those counting) could make an argument that the franchise just keeps getting better and better. Though I've enjoyed single films in
the Marvel cinematic universe better, these two instalments need to be acknowledged for their ability to continue to deliver high quality, highly enjoyable, visually exciting movies. Despite DC's best attempts to counter (
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and
Suicide Squad were both enjoyable for me, more often than not), Marvel continued to show how to appeal to mainstream moviegoers and comic book fanboys and fangirls alike. Bring it on, Marvel. Excelsior!!
Deadpool; I haven't watched this since I saw it in theatres in February, so I'm curious if it will be every bit as tantalizingly naughty, fun and violent as I remember it. If it holds up the second time round and has the repeat viewing quality that I imagine it does, I deserve to be ridiculed for giving it an A- upon release. Despite being a comic book reader/collector for decades, Deadpool isn't one of my interests, so delivering on the character for non-fans and kickstarting what will hopefully be an era of superhero films that are in on the joke while kicking our asses with a sense of humour (which bodes well for our upcoming friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man), this film was the superhero movie we needed, and probably one
FOX didn't deserve. At least we got to see what the character would be like when he actually talked. Now, if he'd just shut up for a second!!
The Hateful Eight; It's been almost a year since I've seen this film. I'm not sure I can watch it on a small screen. It was glorious to view in theatre (and I didn't get to go to one of the 70mm screenings that were in select cities). Yet, I'm pretty sure that this feature film would be as equally enjoyable as an audio podcast, or a minimally dressed stage play. That's the type of cinematic treasure one gets from Quentin Tarantino; a feast for the eyes and a delicious dose of dialogue for dessert. The cherry on top of this snowy western is the amazing cast that delivers the script its due. T
arantino claims to not have many films left in his cannon, which is a shame, because year end Top 10 lists won't be the same without his name mentioned. For me, this one was a welcome entry that surpassed my expectations.
Kubo and the Two Strings; Another
Laika film, another Top 10 worthy achievement. The stop motion studio continues to make highly original and inspired works of art unlike any other animation department on the planet. More importantly, Laika films pay as much attention to visual detail as they do to crafting an interesting and compelling story. These films are truly treasures to behold, and Kubo is no exception. The voice work by a host of excellent actors delightfully matches the fantastic elements of the film. Kubo's journey is exciting, adventurous and unexpected. For what is often thought to be geared (or marketed) towards children, Laika films like Kubo and the Two Strings pack more emotional punch than most adult fare. Here's to another decade of brilliant animation and inspired storytelling from the minds of Laika.
Kung Fu Panda 3; I have a close to indescribable love for the Kung Fu Panda films. Five years had passed between this instalment and the sequel to 2008's original, which had me concerned going into the theatre. There also didn't seem to be much push or faith from the studio, dumping it in January with little to no fanfare. However, Kung Fu Panda 3 is every bit as charmingly silly and lovingly true to kung fu as its predecessors. Though the characters may be wearing thin, it is still a joy to hear all the voice actors reprise their roles in the midst of full on animated action hijinks. What this film brings is a spiritual element that the first two consciously downplayed, venturing into territory that feels neither forced nor frivolous, but rather organic in its growth as a franchise and the continuing story of the unlikely panda master of chi, Po. A fitting bookend to my favourite trilogy, animated or otherwise.
Mad Max: Fury Road; I tried to see this in theatres in 2015. Several attempts were thwarted, rescheduled or postponed. It wasn't until an afternoon in March that I got around to watching the PVR'd premiere on my television. I can't begin to imagine how amazing, how intense and how mind (and ear) blowing it must have been in AVX or IMAX. I could care less for this franchise, and despite the armful of Oscars it collected, I still wasn't prepared for what a breathtaking experience this was. Hype usually kills whatever surprise or amazement that treats the audience member that takes an early trip to the theatre. Not true for this film. This is one for the ages. Many films from 2015 will be forgotten (anyone recall which film won Best Picture?) but this one will remain in cinema minds and all-time best lists in perpetuity. See it!!!
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life; At the risk of sacrificing any semblance of credibility I may have had in your minds, I offer you this film for pre-teens right next to Mad Max: Fury Road. This is not to say these two movies even exist in the same universe, let alone the same galaxy. However, I was pleasantly surprised to bear witness to a family film that balanced silly middle school shenanigans with real emotional elements and crazy animated interstitials, all in one, and actually delivering on all fronts. There are a zillion ways this film could, and should have failed, but it managed to crack me up, make me smile and laugh, shed a tear and pump my fist in a way that few films have, especially those geared to pre-teens. I thought about reconsidering this movie's inclusion on my list several times, but felt it could be filed under other overlooked (and questionable) inclusions I'm prone to fall favour to on these Top 10 lists of mine (for further evidence, see Shoot 'em Up, John Wick, and Blade: Trinity).
Moana; It's difficult to comprehend how decades have passed and here we are with yet another attempt at depicting an Indigenous culture by the Walt Disney corporation. Thankfully, tremendously, amazingly, they've learned some lessons since
Pocahontas and have given us a much better representation of the ways and beliefs of (still pan)
Polynesian people. It's a fine line to walk amongst representation, appropriation, misrepresentation and celebration of culture. Wonderfully, through
a more careful approach, Disney managed to do a LOT of good in Moana, offering us a film that young Indigenous women can be proud to watch, that also just so happens to have an amazing soundtrack to go along with the stellar animation and excellently
crafted relationships in the film. I choose to claim this film a triumph, with a beautiful heart and spirit that resonates long after the first (of many) viewings.
Sing; There's something to be said for the audience you see a film with, as they can both make and break a viewing. The best comedies I can recall are ones I saw with people who love to laugh, in crowded theatres. Sharing the enjoyment is an infectious phenomenon, which is also why I continue to write these lists, year after year, in hopes that you, too, will share in some of the pleasure I found in these films. Seeing the presentation of a work in progress,
Sing, at the Toronto International Film Festival, was a truly memorable experience, as the crowd laughed at each carefully animated beat and clapped after every single musical performance in the film. If unabashed happiness and unbridled joy were to be summarized into an animated film, the result would be Sing. It is such a fun, heart pumpingly paced movie that hits the highs and lows superbly, it begs to be shared with loved ones, which is what we did on two additional occasions to end the calendar year. My hope is that 2017 can bring the optimism of a Buster Moon to both the cineplex and our own lives. May the magic touch your life in the year to come, in darkened theatres and in our brightly coloured days so
you don't worry about a thing.
Honourable Mentions:
Finding Dory,
Hell or High Water,
Hunt for the Wilderpeople,
The Magnificent Seven,
Zootopia
Traditionally, I would offer you my 5 worst films of the year, along with snarky commentary and snake tongued barbs. Yet, as I reach the end of typing the Top 10 films, I'm left feeling as though 2016 had enough vitriol and negativity, that I will forego the usual and point out how wonderful it was to hear the sounds and songs of David Bowie, Leonard Cohen and George Michael in the movie Sing. Their gifts are their songs and we are better for having lived and loved them. It's always better to celebrate than to construct hate. Please take a moment to share your favourite films of 2016 in the comment section, or just give me a thumbs up (or down) if you enjoyed reading.
Peace and Be Wild! I wish U love...
