It's that time of year again - your vote for best film of 2016?

After seeing the wonderful Moonlight today, I'm revising my list:

1. La La Land
2. Hell or High Water
3. Moonlight
4. Manchester by the Sea
5. Hacksaw Ridge
6. Arrival
7. Hidden Figures
8. The Witch
9. Loving
10. Captain America: Civil War

 

"La La Land" being released this year in France, I won't include it, but it would have been n°1, hands down. That'll be for 2017 !

1. The Neon Demon
2. Merci Patron (french political stuff) / The Handmaiden
4. Midnight Special
5. Ma Vie de Courgette (french animation)
6. Comancheria
7. Spotlight
8. Virtual Revolution
9. Cafe Society
10. Sweet Bean / Everybody Wants Some

 

Pretty good top 10 from what I've seen and highly regarded which I plan to see! What about American Honey? Thinking the Marvel flick has to move back a few spots outside of top 10.

FILM COMMENT <---- link

Personally, I like the above poll from the elite critics, but one must recognize that there will likely be a few full blown "art films" and perhaps a few political selections. Their reader's poll coming soon is useful as well.

 

It probably will once I've seen every 2016 movie on my list. For example, I've yet to see Paterson. Not sure about the status of American Honey, though -- if it opened here already, I don't remember it.

 

I screen everything on blu-ray in my theater. One of those remaining 4 million Netflix mail service members! Do you see everything at the theater!? So pricey for poor image and sound.

Everyone should have American Honey somewhere in their 50 "must see" for 2016. The individual performances aren't necessarily special, but the screenplay captured on film is quite an achievement. I even enjoyed the old school aspect, which is about 75" diagonal for me.

 

I try to catch all the movies that interest me in theaters. For whatever reason I missed American Honey, but I'll try to watch it on DVD.

 

I really liked the first half of The Lobster. It was funny and weird. The second half got all serious and ruined the movie for me.

 

I'm sorry, but this movie wasn't very good. Plodding and boring. Nothing fresh, nothing new. Proof positive that making a movie has becomes as easy as driving... and there are a lot of bad drivers out there. I don't think the lead actor spoke more than two paragraphs the entire movie! There was definitely some revenge going on, but why and against who was impossible to figure out. What it does, it does well, but the film never crosses into memorable territory.

 

My final top 10:

1. Paterson
2. Moonlight
3. Manchester by the Sea
4. Hell or High Water
5. Silence
6. Fences
7. La La Land
8. Arrival
9. Zootopia
10. Lion

 

I don't see a lot of films, but here are the 2016 movies I saw that I really enjoyed:

Sing Street: My favorite film of 2016. Warm, funny, smart, full of music and a great cast. I recommend it to all, especially to those who like movies about music.

Zootopia : I had so much more fun with this movie than I expected. A great Disney film.

Rogue One: I know not everyone loved it, but it was one of the best Star Wars movies for me. Intense, beautiful to look at and engaging.

Star Trek: Beyond: My husband and I have been watching Star Trek films all year and I thought this one was a step up from Into Darkness. I really like the cast in these new films. They are what sell the enjoyment for me and parts of this film felt like a great episode of the series, which I really appreciate.

That's it. I was disappointed by Deadpool. Of the award show movies, I think I want to see La La Land and Hell or High Water. I have also been recommended The Nice Guys so I would like to see that as well.

 

I made it about 20 minutes in and had to shut it off. The jive that Zombie writes into his scripts was just too much. Within that time: Sherrie Moon flirting with an old man, a guy on the crapper, Meg Foster chanting something about sucky and f-y.... Rob's done it all before and it's hard to watch again.

 

"La La Land" will win it, hands down (IMO), game over, stop the clock!

 

Yes the Film Comment List is definitely one that speaks to my heart!!! I'm a snob what can I say?

My favorites:
1. Paterson (Jim Jarmusch)
2. Things to Come (Mia Hanson Love)
3. Elle (Paul Verhoeven)
4. Certain Women (Kelly Reichardt)
5. Moonlight (Barry Jenkins)
6. Manchester by the Sea (Kenneth Lonergan)
7. Everybody Wants Some (Richard Linklater)
8. Personal Shopper (Olivier Assayas)
9. Toni Erdmann (Maren Ade)
10. The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos)

 

I'm adding:

20th Century Women
The Commune
Captain Fantastic
Departure
Don't Breathe

 

Since there's no thread for the 2017 Academy Awards yet (or I just haven't seen it), I'll post my predictions here:

Picture: La La Land
Actor: Denzel Washington (Fences)
Actress: Emma Stone (La La Land)
Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
Supporting Actress: Viola Davis (Fences)
Directing: Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
Original Screenplay: La La Land
Adapted Screenplay: Moonlight
Cinematography: La La Land
Production Design: La La Land
Costume Design: Jackie
Film Editing: La La Land
Sound Mixing: La La Land
Sound Editing: Hacksaw Ridge
Visual Effects: The Jungle Book
Makeup/Hairstyling: Star Trek Beyond
Score: La La Land
Song: “City of Stars” (La La Land)
Animated Short: Piper
Live-Action Short: Ennemis Interieurs
Documentary Short: Joe's Violin
Documentary Feature: O.J.: Made in America
Foreign-Language Film: A Man Called Ove
Animated Feature: Zootopia

 

The Revenant. I think it was actually released in 2015. One of the better movies I have seen for quite some time.

 

Changing my mind in two categories:

Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea
Foreign-Language Film: The Salesman

 

Just saw Fences and now I think Denzel was robbed of the Best Actor award. His performance was way better than Casey Affleck in Manchester By The Sea, who basically had the same expression and attitude for the whole film.

Fences is one of those films with minimal action but maintains strong interest because of the incredible screenplay and performances.

 

Wow - I completely disagree. Washington was fine in "Fences" but I thought he - and the rest of the cast - performed like they were doing a stage play.

Which they were, to a large degree, but "Fences" didn't feel like it was sufficiently adapted for the movies. The performances tended to be "big" and not as suited for movies as I'd prefer.

Affleck, on the other hand, offered a master class in movie acting. He portrayed a wide range of emotions and grew as a character - he just didn't do so in a big, broad ACTING! way...

 

I found Fences to be an engrossing movie because of the dialog and because of the performances carrying it. It should have gotten an award for the writing as well.

 

At the risk of being disagreeable... I disagree again!

My main problem with "Fences" remains the issue with its origins I mentioned. It's a stage play that feels like no one attempted to adapt it for the movie screen. Movies and stage plays are very different situations, and what works great on stage may not directly translate to a movie screen.

Movies are a much more intimate medium. Actors can whisper and make small gestures/expressions that'd be lost in a live presentation. Other differences exist in terms of structure and narrative choices.

"Fences" isn't a bad movie, but it's simply not much of a movie period. It's essentially just a filmed version of the play, and I don't think it translates to the screen.

Here's my full review if you're curious. Don't expect you to change your mind or agree, but maybe this will explain my thoughts better:

Fences [Blu-Ray] (2016)

 

I don't understand the premature rush to draw up lists of best 2016 films, esp. when one considers that the Baywatch movie is opening wide on Memorial Day weekend. How could you possible exclude THAT from consideration as one of your top three?

 

Snarkiness aside, this is possibly because "Baywatch" is a 2017 film and not something we would discuss in a "best if 2016" thread...

 

Are you drunk?

 

2016.
Star Track Beyond 6/10
Nice Guys 6/10
Cafe Society 6/10
Silence 6/10
Hacksaw Ridge 7/10
Arrival 6/10
Hell Or High Water 7/10
The Witch 4/10
Spotlight 5/10
Deadpool 7/10
Captain America Civil War 7/10
Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse 5/10