Well, 2016 was certainly a year to remember… for better and for worse. But in between an ugly, seemingly never-ending election, and untimely celebrity death after untimely celebrity death, there were at least some good movies released!
So the SAGindie staff has looked back on these (long) twelve months to select our FAVORITE FILMS OF 2016. We hope you’ll find a good variety, a surprise or two, and some helpful suggestions for your own holiday viewing. Enjoy your homework, and we’ll catch up with you in 2017!
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Darrien’s Favorites:
So I looked at all (most) of the films released in 2016 and came to one conclusion:
How did I see so few movies??!! Seriously, there are so many I wanted to see and never got a chance. But, out of the few I saw, here are my favorites:
The ones I haven’t seen but plan to love:
Pathetic, really, but there you are. This holiday I’m going to spend the whole time… bingeing Gilmore Girls. But if there’s time, Rogue One and Fences.
Eliza’s Favorites:
- The Lobster
- The Love Witch
- Toni Erdmann
- Elle
- The Handmaiden
- Moonlight
- Viktoria
- I Am Not Your Negro
- Weiner
- Hell or High Water
- The Fits
- Cemetery of Splendour
Colin’s Favorites:
- Sing Street – Remember that thing from 2015 called joy? This movie has so much of it! Best soundtrack too, for my money. (Literally, for my money – I actually purchased it.)
- American Honey – Trashy beautiful epic road trip. It was almost three hours long and I still didn’t want it to end.
- Moonlight – Solid ensemble, cinematography, editing, music, script. What more do you want?
- Jackie – As much as I loved watching Natalie Portman go bonkers in Black Swan, she’s even better keeping a lid on the emotions this time around.
- Green Room – Who knew in 2016 that Nazis would still be a problem? Green Room. Green Room knew. (RIP Anton Yelchin!)
- The Invitation – Probably the film I gave the most word-of-mouth recommendations about. Spreading some love for the most intense dinner party of the year.
- Hell or High Water – Totally unexpected, totally enjoyable.
- La La Land – I can’t believe Damien Chazelle got me to enjoy another movie that features a dude preaching the importance of jazz, but sometimes you gotta give in to the fantasy.
- Hush/Don’t Breathe – Perfect double-feature thrillers containing heroes and/or villains with disabilities.
- Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping – Conner 4 Real 4 Life.
Most devastating and vital viewing of 2016 is 13th, and (while it’s not technically a movie) Honorable Mention for The People v. O.J. Simpson for being one of the most completely entertaining things I watched this year.
Amanda’s Favorites:
As I spend the waning days of this year acknowledging humanity’s flaws, at least I can reflect on some good films.
- Moonlight – Yeah, this is better than Rogue One, and it’s hard for anything in my life to compare, let alone compete with Star Wars. It was my favorite film of the year, and for good reason: hauntingly good performances and a powerfully beautiful script; if you haven’t seen it, make effort to.
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – I have some critiques, but as a companion piece to A New Hope this gives new life to a movie I’ve spent the last 20-some years watching.
- Kubo & the Two Strings – I’m sure Zootopia was good (whatever), but if this doesn’t win some awards I’m gon’ be pissed.
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople – A Sundance pick — It just made me laugh, a lot… think I may need to re-watch soon actually.
- Arrival – A ginger protagonist, FINALLY!
- The Nice Guys – Just a movie about a couple of good dudes. Ryan Gosling has some surprising comedic timing, and old school LA gives you nostalgia for a place you never knew.
- Under the Shadow – Another Sundance pick, and one of the better horror movies I’ve seen recently. Yes, even better than you, Babadook. Set in Tehran, it proves that one thing unites all of us: ghost stories.
- Bridget Jones’s Baby – I love this series. Go ahead, judge me.
- Loving – In a year that generally depressed me, Loving was a little glimmer of hope that love can prevail, even through the worst conditions. Told beautifully by Jeff Nichols, Ruth Negga, and Joel Edgerton.
- Keanu – That darn kitten is so darn cute.
Michael’s Favorites:
The best so far:
But there’s a lot I’ve still yet to see!
WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2016?
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