MY FAVORITE FILMS OF 2016
DEADPOOL
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This is easily the best and my favorite superhero film of the year. With just the right balance of humor and action, Deadpool manages to change the game while honoring it at the same time plus what other movie can you see a hero breaking the fourth wall and literally counting his bullets.
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FINDING DORY
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Disney has a tremendously successful year with some pretty excellent movies but Finding Dory is a rarity as its a sequel that tops the original in every way from its emotional core to its humor. From its opening frame with Baby Dory to its final moments, its a fun adventure that is most definitely memorable.
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GHOSTBUSTERS
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| This was one of the most talked about and discussed films of the summer and despite all the hoopla (both positive and negative), Paul Feig's reinvigoration of a team of parapsychologists who create the technology to bust and trap ghosts was both fun, funny and had some great action set pieces especially in the big final fight climax. But, the single best part is the chemistry between McCarthy, Wiig, Jones and McKinnon with the latter practically stealing the show in some scenes. If loving this film is a crime, guilty as charged. |
HARDCORE HENRY
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| Hardcore Henry takes what would normally be a clichéd action storyline, injects it with adrenaline and speed and plants you dead center in the middle of the action. The technical prowess and skill it must've took to this film resulted in some of the most jaw dropping action stunt pieces I've ever seen in a cinema. The experience might be dizzying to some but it's one that will be planted into the action genre as a cult classic. |
LA LA LAND
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| La La Land is a cinematic treasure that is more than just another film released around awards season. It captures the spirit of cinema and music and melds it together with a modern sensibility that creates for an unforgettable experience. If I could take only one film on this list to a desert island, It would most definitely be this one. |
THE LOBSTER
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| One of the biggest surprises of the year for me this year was The Lobster, a dark-warm-humorous-sometimes frightening look at a dystopian reality where you have 45 days to find someone to love or you are turned into an animal of your choosing. It examines the extremes of relationship thinking while presenting a romantic story of two people caught in the midst of this reality. |
LOVE & FRIENDSHIP
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| Unlike "The Lobster", Love & Friendship is a much more lighter on its view of romance and relationships. With a terrific central performance by Kate Beckinsale and some very witty writing and banter, it's a period piece that manages to have as much humor and funny moments as a modern day rom-com along with the flair and stylings of Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" or Milos Forman's "Amadeus". |
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN
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| Faith-based films always walk a tight rope from appealing to everyone or appealing to no one. This one tells a universal story of family struggles and triumphs, mother's love for their children and what truly makes a miracle to a family that goes through some traumatic experiences. Jennifer Garner gives a fantastic performance as Christy Beam and along with a great supporting cast and some surprisingly colorful cinematography makes this a nice, warm and emotionally satisfying treat. |
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
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| While "The Force Awakens" may have revitalized "Star Wars" and paved the way for further adventures of both the new and original characters, "Rogue One" is the film that gives you a look at the "Wars" aspect of "Star Wars". It is an action packed blockbuster that doesn't skimp on the emotionality or dark aspects of its leads or setting. "Rogue One" manages to connect itself to its corresponding chapter very well but most importantly, it stands as its own unique and almost perfect chapter in the "Star Wars" saga. |
ZOOTOPIA
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| Zootopia could've been just a mindless animated buddy cop comedy set in a world where animals evolved instead of humans but the makers decided that there was more to this idea than just that. It's a smartly written, fun, and thought-provoking action-comedy that tells a universal and timely story without losing the smile-inducing touch that Disney Animation is well known for. |
MOST DISAPPOINTING FILM OF 2016
WARCRAFT
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| This year had not one but four video game movies released in theaters but if there was one that I was really rooting for, it was this one as not only did I like the director involved (Duncan Jones) but also the cast (featuring Travis Fimmel of "Vikings" and Toby Kebbell) showed some real promise as most of them weren't established stars. Unfortunately, something was somehow and someway lost in translation and what should've been a world-spanning LOTR-type of epic was diluted into a jumbled incoherent mess that required a encyclopedia sized knowledge of the source material. It isn't one of the worst films of the year but man, this was an angering letdown of gigantic proportions. |
THE WORST FILMS OF 2016
MAX STEEL
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| Based on Mattel's action figure line and cartoon series, this "superhero origin story" is one of the most vapid, boring, rage-inducing movie going experiences that I have ever had. It doesn't even feel like a film as much as its a rejected television pilot for a tween action series. The acting, story, special effects and structure are so poor and make the intended audience feel like they've never seen a film like this before but its still so confident in itself. It's even so sure and confident of itself that it leaves a lot open for a potential "franchise". Keep dreaming, Max Steel because the only potential that you have is where your spot is going to be in the bargain bin barrel if you'll even be in there at all. |
THE DO-OVER
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| Mr. Sandler, I liked "Blended" and "Pixels" and I grew up with films like "Happy Gilmore" and "Billy Madison", Why must you lazily put out something as mean-spirited and dumb like "The Do-Over". It's 90 minutes of pure dumb humor with a twist that is so out of left field that it makes this film like two bad films crammed into one travesty. Please, Mr. Sandler, I beg you, Leave your contract with Netflix and come back to making decent funny movies. They don't have to be masterpieces but come on, man. You are so much better than this garbage of material. |
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE
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The next time someone tells you that "Batman & Robin" is the worst film based on the Caped Crusader, point to this and say "Are you really sure about that?". "The Killing Joke" graphic novel by Alan Moore is a one-shot comic classic that had a major influence on many incarnations of The Dark Knight including being one of the major influences behind Tim Burton's "Batman" from 89'. This "adaptation" however is a misguided, confusing and borderline misogynistic mess with animation that ranges from standard to really poor. If you want Batman in animated form done right, watch "Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm" or any episode of the Batman animated series. This is just a bait and switch to get people talking and doesn't have any replay value whatsoever.
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