MiB's Top 20 Movies of 2016!
By MadeinBangladesh 35 Comments
(Excuse my unprofessional and limited vocabulary)
I used to be very active on Comic Vine but since I kind-of lost my love for comics and this site, I don't really come here often. I still keep up with film a whole lot. I did a list like year on here also so check it out: MiB's Top 25 Films of 2015
As for 2016, many people thought it was an underwhelming year for movies. I disagree. Yes, 2016 sucked for blockbusters. Most of them were a huge letdown. 2016 was the year I decided to stop getting hyped for any film just based off of a trailer or who is attached to it. Though, 2016 was a GREAT year if you are more into indie and non-blockbusters. I watched about 160 films from 2016 to finally compile my Best-of list. There were so many good stuff this year.
SOME CAUTION BEFORE I START: It is all just my OPINION. It is all based on what I loved instead of which is objectively the better film. Don’t be rustled if 1) your favorite movie is not on my list 2) A movie you hate is on my list or 3) You don’t like my placement.
A lot of the films on my list are movies that you never ever heard of or seen. I will link the iMDB of each of the films if you are interested in any of them… just click on the name.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Some Documentaries since I did not include them in my list- Tickled (MUST WATCH!), Weiner, Jim: The James Foley Story, 13th.
Train to Busan, I Am Not a Serial Killer, Loving, Deepwater Horizon, Captain America: Civil War, The Ones Below, Hidden Figures, Eye in the Sky, & Land of Mine.
20. Fences

I had to have it in my top 20. I knew I was going to like this right from the trailer. That one scene where Denzel is telling off his son absolutely sold it for me. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis are the stars of this film. They steal every scene and bounce off of each other so well. The themes behind the movie really affected me. Having a father like Denzel’s character really got to me.
19. Patriots Day

Peter Berg was on a roll in 2016. I enjoyed both of his biographical movies this year: Patriots Day and Deepwater Horizon. Patriots Day hit me more than the other one. It is also a better written and directed film in my opinion/ There was so much tension during the second half of the movie. I was on the edge of my seat even knowing what has already happened. It can take a lot to invoke that much suspense of a recent tragic event. This movie accomplished that. Berg’s golden boy Marky Mark does well in portraying all these biographical characters. Maybe he should stick to these type of roles instead of Transformers and other blockbusters.
18. 10 Cloverfield Lane

A lot of movies that came out earlier in the year got knocked out of my list since so many good movies come out at the end of the year. It is a testament of how solid 10 Cloverfield Lane that it still made my top 20. It was pretty much a bottle film. The suspense was also through the roof thanks to John Goodman. His character and acting was brilliant in this. It was also refreshing to have a protagonist who wasn’t a goddamn idiot unlike in so many horror/thrillers. I also loved the mystery and its connection to the Cloverfield series. I can’t wait for the next installment.
17. The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book is the only big budget movie to make my official list. I simply adored this remake.The voice acting, animation,cgi work was spot-on. All the song renditions were not good as the original but they are still fantastic. The world they created in this was so vibrant. Jon Favreau did everything right with this.
16. The Handmaiden

It is a travesty this got ignored at the Oscars. Well, it isn’t exactly their fault. South Korea did not submit it to be nominated. This absolutely deserved more recognition. Everything about this movie was breathtaking. It is beautifully shot. Not even some big hollywood movies can look this good. The twists and turns are amazingly written. It this was cut down by 25 minutes it would have been higher on my list. All I’m going to say to convince you to see this is: Sexy Asian lesbians.
15. Aligarh

Aligarh is a Indian film that tells the real life story of a gay University professor who was berated and suspended because of homosexuality. Aligarh is such a heartbreaking film.Majority of Bollywood movies are made for mindless entertainment with song and dance. Though every year there is a small portion of real authentic films made in India that challenge the viewer. This is one of them. It is nothing compared to a lof the Middle Eastern countires but homesexulity is still looked down upon. That is why this is such an important film. Major Bajpayee, who portrays the professor does an amazing job making you feel deeply empathic with the character. THere is so much emotion that he conjured with this role. The resolution of this film is a real tear jerker. You will even get teary-eyed knowing what happens.
14. The Red Turtle

I’m extremely picky when it comes to animation. My tastes are quite unorthodox for that genre of film. I’m typically not a fan of a lot of animated films that are generally loved by most people. That’s why movies like Zootopia, Moana, and even Kubo & the Two Strings aren’t on my list. Not a lot of people heard of this but I decided to check it out after seeing some buzz for it. I was pleasantly surprised. This film contains almost zero dialogue. Everything is conveyed through the animation and music. The art style is uniquely gorgeous and expressive. The music score is epicly moving. Within 80 minutes, it tells such a simple and touching story that leaves you captivated. I always have love for creative one a kind films. The Red Turtle deserves more love than the typical Disney/Pixar films we get every year.
13. The Wailing

Asian cinema was on fire in 2016. The Wailing was another great film that really showed how kickass South Korean films are.The plot of The Wailing is so complex and convoluted. It is one of those movies where you need to look up explanation articles and videos. THere is this one long possession scene in the film that gets your heart racing. After it ends, all you can say is “Holy $#!+.” The movie is very long but not a single scene is wasted. This is another film with so many twists and turns. If you are a fan of horror, this is a MUST WATCH!
12. Swiss Army Man

How to make a deep, heartfelt, and funny movie out of a dumb premise 101. This movie proves that there is no bad premise, just bad execution. Swiss Army Man takes you into a journey of discovery and identity. It takes a special kind of writer to put together such a wonderful flick out a farting corpse This was also one of Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe’s best roles. We need more original and unique movies made in Hollywood like this.
11. Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Taika Waititi has to be one of my favorite filmmaker today especially in the realm of comedy. His movies never fail to make you laugh. Eagle vs Shark and What We Do in the Shadows are his other two films that I really enjoyed. This was also nothing short of great. This is such hilarious and genuine film.The duo of Sam Neill and Julian Dennison’s Grandpa-Grandson relationship was a treat to watch. That is why I have no doubt that the next Thor film will be great under Waititi.
10. Paterson

This is another movie which is not talked about much. It could have been nominated for an Oscar. Then more people would have known about it but the story of this film is too simplistic for the Oscars.There was just something that I absolutely loved about this film.Paterson is definitely not for everyone. It is essentially a movie where pretty much nothing is going on. It is a everyday life-of type of film. I probably would not have liked it either if it wasn’t written so well. I give major props to the filmmakers of Paterson for making about nothing so much interesting and engrossing. That is why I had to have it in my top 10. Just a simply peaceful film that finds the beauty in everyday mundane life. Also, Adam Driver is becoming one of my absolute favorites. He did a outstanding job in a leading role here. He has only been acting for couple of years and already has one hell of a filmography.
9. Your Name

I usually am not a big anime guy but I am glad I checked this one out. This has a lot of the Studio Ghibli qualities that I typically love. What an emotional film with unbelievable animation. Man, 2016 was a great year for the romantic genre that are not the typical cheesy rom-coms. I was glad to see a film like this being such a box office hit worldwide. It made boatload of money.
8. La La Land

How can a movie look this good? How can a movie sound this good? Damien Chazelle that's how! Probably the most beautiful looking and sounding film I have seen! I had very very high exceptions for this film because Whiplash is probably my favorite film of all time. I thought it lived up to it for the most part though I did not think it was near a masterpiece of a film.I wasn’t into the story as much as everyone else. That is the most important structure of a film for me.Then, it could have been in my top 3. I also have to command the hard work that went into making this movie sound and look that good. Especially the lead actors Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Jesus, these two were phenomenal. It's crazy that how much effort they put into these roles. Not many actors could have done their roles. I just overall loved the melancholy vibe of this film as a jazz lover and lofi hip hop music producer. I would be fine if Chazelle just continues to make different genres of film surrounding Jazz and music. The Man is a master at it. All in all, you can not just hate this movie. Everyone will find something to like about this. That is why it has such a high score on imdb, RT, Letterboxd etc.
7. Arrival

I was on-board with the film right within the first 5 minutes. What a ride this was. Denis Villeneuve might be my favorite director currently working. All the movies I have seen from him, I loved. Arrival is yet another one. This might have not been much as good under a different director. The screenplay was also very original and smartly written. It took me a couple hours to realize this after watching the movie, but the way the whole story wrapped up with THAT ending blew my mind. I’m excited to smart sci-fi films being made. Last year, we had The Martian and Ex Machina. This year was Arrival. Amy Adams really deserved to be nominated for this or even Nocturnal Animals.
6. Hacksaw Ridge

God damn Mel Gibson knows how to direct. LOVED this one! This one might have not been popular among some people due it being a bit cheesy, violent, another World War 2 tale and a Mel Gibson movie. None of that bothered me. I was into it all the way through. When the war and battle scenes kick in, it is an adrenaline rush. Definitely one of the best war films I have seen. Gibson really deserves props. it is extremely well directed and toId where you really root for Andrew Garfield’s character. Haven’t seen a more lovable character from last year. It was also quite hard to believe that all that was in the film really happened. I’m glad they told this real life story of a hero through this motion picture.
5. Manchester By The Sea

Manchester by the Sea will just leave you sad and distraught. Such a heavy film but I absolutely loved it. God damn what a depressing ass movie this was but the dry Boston humor complimented it so well. Felt like such a real authentic film. I was worried about this film being 2 hours and 20 minutes. It is quite long for a drama film but I had no problem with the pacing. The writing and screenplay was perfect. I was into the film all the way through. I also wasn't sure if Casey Affleck would live up to all the hype and praise he was getting for me. He was incredible. You keep waiting to find out why Affleck’s character is so somber all the time but when the reason is revealed, it hits you hard. You can totally sympathize with him. Michelle Williams was also brilliant. She stole the small scene she was in. My one issue was the music placement in one of the major scenes but it is just a minor flaw.
4. Anthropoid

In my Opinion, Anthropoid has to be the most underappreciated film of 2016. You probably never even heard about this movie. GO SEE THIS as soon a possible. when I thought I was getting tired of Nazi war movies, came along this one. Anthropoid left me with goosebumps! This movie is even underrated by the critics. After the first act. This was a 3.5/5 film After the second act, this was a 4/5 film. And after the final act this is definitely a 4.5/5 for me, which I don't give often. It just got better and better. The third act is one of the most intense experiences I had watching a movie. Also, brilliant performances from everyone involved. This film deserves to be seen as much as Hacksaw Ridge.
3. Captain Fantastic

Captain Fantastic was my number 1 throughout the whole year until all the Oscar contenders came out later in the year. In a way, this was the most heartwarming movie I have seen from 2016. The dynamic of Captain Fantastic is such an interesting premise. I absolutely loved Viggo Mortensen playing a father who raised his six kids away from society and how it all plays out throughout the film. It had me glued to the screen right from the opener. Majority of the cast is full of young actors. They are all directed fabulously well by the director, Matt Ross. I was shocked to find out that the actor of Gavin Belson from Silicon Valley wrote and directed this all by himself. The dude is hella talented. I can’t wait to see what else he makes in the future. This still could have been by #1 favorite film of 2016, but the last 5 minutes kind-of brings it down a bit.
2. Lion

I was debating if this one should be my #1 or not. It is definitely my favorite film if I only counted the story. There was just another film that fit on all cylinders for me. Lion is nowhere near the best film of all the Oscar nominees but it definitely hit me hardest. It is the only film that got me close to shedding some damn tears last year. I guess I connected with it more also as a brown dude. The first first of this film is incredible. It is almost like a horror movie set in India seeing a little kid wandering around trying to find a way home. It slows down a bit in the middle but it ends the film with a real tearjerker. Dev Patel was great in it. It might be his best role. But the real star of this film is the little kid Sunny Pawar. He plays the young version of Dev Patel’s character. That kid gotta be the cutest kid in the damn world. It’s like seeing a puppy. Give all the Oscars to that boy!
1. Moonlight

Last year, my favorite film was Room. This year it is MOONLIGHT. I knew this was going to be good, but I had no idea it was going to be THAT GOOD! This film is close to a masterpiece in all category. The trailer for this reeled me in with the incredible melodramatic string soundtrack that reminded me of Max Richter The Leftovers soundtrack. It is crazy to think this is Barry Jenkins first full feature film and he already made something so special. This is close to a perfect film that deals with some heavy subjects about race, sexuality, class etc. The story takes you through three periods of the protagonist' life how he deals with it. This was definitely the best character study from 2016.The three actors who play the main character of Chiron are so well casted. They all look so much alike! I thought they made this movie similarly to Boyhood for a second. The supporting cast also were tremendous especially Naomi Harris and Mahershala Ali. Ali truly was huge breakout actor of 2016. First House of Cards. Then, Cottonmouth in Luke Cage. And now Moonlight. Can’t wait to see more from him in the future. Also can’t wait to see what film Barry Jenkins takes on next. People have been debating over Moonlight and La La Land for a while now They are both different types of films but they also had lot of similarities. The colour blue was heavily emphasized in both films. Also, the cinematography and music in both films were out of this world. The big debate is about which film should win the Oscar. I would be happy if either one wins because they are both deserving. But I would love to see Moonlight win Best Picture while La La Land wins most of the other awards. La La Land is a technical masterpiece but Moonlight just had a deeper story over La La Land. Story is the most important part of a film for me.
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