BEST OF 2016
Well, once again we have reached Oscar night, which means I get to look back at the movies I watched in this past year/Oscar season. But like last year, this will not be a “Top 10 Best/Worst Movies of 2016” list, mostly because I don’t think it would be fair to create that kind of list without seeing every film the year has to offer, especially when it comes to the foreign films that unfortunately did not screen around where I live. For those who are disappointed, there will still be a “Favorite Film” and a “Worst Film I Have Seen” in this article. The rest of this article…well, we will get to that.
Unlike last year, I managed to go out and see far more films this year:
Arrival
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice
Central Intelligence
Deadpool
Doctor Strange
Hail, Caesar!
Independence Day Resurgence
La La Land
The Legend of Tarzan
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Money Monster
A Monster Calls
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
Office Christmas Party
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Rams
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
The Secret Life of Pets
Sausage Party
Star Trek Beyond
Suicide Squad
Sully
Swiss Army Man
Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween
Zoolander 2
In addition, I managed to catch these re-releases in theaters:
Ghostbusters
Planet of the Apes
The Ten Commandments
Young Frankenstein
Now, without further ado, let us begin!
BEST SOUND
DON’T BREATHE and A MONSTER CALLS
Honorable Mention: GHOSTBUSTERS (RE-RELEASE)
In my review of Don’t Breathe, I said this:
The use of sound in this film is fantastic. The house creaks and groans with each step a character takes, and the characters’ breathing is so audible, it’s hard for anyone to miss. Even clothing rustles rather loudly while the characters are searching through the house. This makes it more believable that this blind man could hunt them down by sound alone, and actually made this reviewer realize how much noise people make on a daily basis without even thinking about it.
And I still stand by the assertion that this film’s sound design deserves far more credit than it has received. This actually reminds me of another film that was snubbed last year, Krampus, which also had fantastic sound design. Maybe it’s because both films are horror films and looked down upon by the Hollywood bigwigs, but the idea that they seem to have been overlooked in their respective years is a travesty.
And speaking of travesties, another film with incredible sound design that has largely been ignored is A Monster Calls. The use of sound in this film is well done, particularly the contrast between the deafening sounds of the titular Monster as well as the horrific events of Conor’s recurring nightmare and the complete silence during the more somber and reflective moments is incredible, especially in a movie theater with up-to-date sound equipment. It’s a shame no one seems to have bothered to see the film.
And finally, I had to at least mention the re-release of Ghostbusters because the remastered sound is so well done. Hearing the proton packs charge up for the first time, as well as hearing the bursting of energy emitted from the packs is satisfying and definitely more impactful when seeing the film in theaters.
MOST DISAPPOINTING SOUND
LA LA LAND
Yes, I am going to get a lot of flack for this, but the sound mixing for La La Land was average at best. At the very least, the film does not deserve to be an Oscar contender for Best Sound. While most musicals can at least convince the audience that the characters are singing their parts on film and not just lip-syncing a pre-recorded track (if not just having their actors sing the music live), La La Land fumbles with this quite a bit, with a great deal of the vocals (particularly from the side characters and Ryan Gosling) sound overly processed and unnatural, if they’re not being completely drowned out by the accompaniment. That said, the numbers where John Legend and Emma Stone sing are not bad, mostly because the two of them are the strongest vocalists in the film.
BEST ACTION SCENES
HARDCORE HENRY, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, DEADPOOL, KEANU
This will be yet another divisive category, as Hardcore Henry was…divisive, to say the least. While in my review of the film, I found the first-person POV gimmick a mixed bag overall, the action setpieces and choreography, particularly when parkour is involved, are meticulously choreographed and engaging. The scene where Henry and Jimmy mow down a caravan of Akan’s security vans is a particularly fun highlight, with the two heroes shooting out the back of one of the vans and driving their motorcycle right through it. The plot of the film is, frankly, nonsensical and ridiculous, but the film earns a lot of credit for being aware that it is a dumb action film and just running with the concept. For those looking for more cartoonish and inventive action, this is one to check out.
I also enjoy the action of Captain America: Civil War and Deadpool, but not as much as Hardcore Henry’s action scenes. While their action is decently filmed and choreographed, a lot of it feels a bit standard, at least as far as superhero films go. While Civil War has the exciting airport fight between all of the Avengers, it does feel a bit jarring when one considers the film as a whole and remembers the darker tone established by the opening and the climax/conclusion of the film. That said, the action scene in question is still great, particularly when Ant-Man is involved. Seriously, though…if Hollywood ever makes an Attack on Titan film, they need to get the Russo Brothers involved.
Deadpool’s action is also fun, and it does have the advantage of being far gorier than most Marvel superhero films. But, once one gets past the gore, the action is fairly standard stuff for a superhero film. It’s difficult to explain without just showing the film, but after seeing films like Hardcore Henry that take risks with their action scenes and go completely off the deep end, films like Deadpool seem less risky in comparison.
And finally, we have Keanu, whose shootout scenes, particularly during the opening of the film, are surprisingly well-executed for a comedy film about two grown men trying to rescue a kitten. Even the car chase scene at the end of the film is suspenseful and fun to watch, especially when compared to the heavily-edited and incomprehensible action scenes that seem to make their way into today’s action films. Speaking of which…
WORST ACTION SCENES
MORGAN and SUICIDE SQUAD
Where do I even begin? Morgan suffers from the same problem that most action films do (other than a moronic plot): the editor can’t stop cutting between shots. Maybe it’s just because it’s a pet peeve of this reviewer, but constant quick cuts that barely last a second are not engaging—they are irritating and headache-inducing. When I sit down to watch an action film, I expect to be able to at least see the action. While Hardcore Henry shook and fumbled around occasionally during its action scenes, at least it had the excuse that it was being filmed on a Go-Pro. Morgan does not have this excuse, making these scenes practically unwatchable.
Suicide Squad suffers from a similar problem with its action: the editing and framing of action scenes is all over the place, making a great deal of the action feel sluggish and dull. Mix that with lackluster setpieces, poor lighting, and an over-reliance on CGI, and what this film ultimately has is unappealingly filmed action that could have been at the very least watchable and average were it not for these basic editing and framing issues.
BEST TRIBUTE
DEADPOOL and KEANU
2016 was rife with celebrity deaths, one such death being that of pop icon George Michael. Oddly enough, there were two films which discussed George Michael, be it his solo work or his work in Wham!.
Deadpool not only features George Michael and Wham! in the soundtrack, but also the titular character gushing about the artist to the point where the film almost becomes a sort of an eerie precursory tribute to the late popstar.
The other film that, oddly enough, features an extensive tribute to George Michael is Keanu, where Keegan-Michael Key’s character is a huge George Michael fan, using the music to bond with the gang he and Jordan Peele’s character work with in order to eventually get Keanu, an adorable little kitten, back into their custody. But the best sequence is during a hallucination scene, where (SPOILERS) Key’s character hallucinates himself dancing along with George Michael in the famous “Faith” video. (SPOILERS OVER) While an amusing moment in the film, it (like Deadpool’s moments of tribute) oddly feels like a goofy yet oddly reverent tribute to the pop star before he passed away in December 2016.
BEST SCORES/SOUNDTRACKS
SWISS ARMY MAN, LA LA LAND, A MONSTER CALLS, POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING
Was there even a question that Swiss Army Man’s score would end up here? The score is impressive, inventive, quirky, funny, and somber. It not only perfectly complements the bizarre atmosphere of the film, but it also stands on its own very well as a fantastic collection of music. It’s a shame that it could not be eligible for an Oscar nomination (it utilizes pre-existing music) because this score has a lot of good things going on, particularly the energetic and fun track, “Montage.”
While my feelings regarding La La Land’s sound mixing were, well, mixed, I feel like its score deserves the all the love it is receiving from critics and awards voters. The music is at times fun and peppy, and at other times somber and reflective, but that is not what makes the music so important to the film. The use of the music in the film as a symbol of the starry-eyed idealism of our lead characters rather than as just an excuse for empty spectacle is laudable for a musical film such as this. The musical genre tropes do serve an important narrative purpose and never feels like a gimmick. This different take on the musical genre makes the overwhelming critical love the film is receiving understandable, even if this reviewer’s feelings regarding the film aren’t exactly the same.
Like Swiss Army Man, another film whose score seems to have been completely overlooked is that for A Monster Calls. No, the score is not as memorable as those of the aforementioned films, but its melancholy tone suits the depressing subject matter of the film well, particularly during the sequences where the Monster tells Conor different stories. The piece, “The First Tale,” is particularly moving, especially when paired with the beautifully animated story that it accompanies, which we will bring up again in a later category.
One film whose music has been understandably overlooked because of its overall raunchiness is The Lonely Island’s soundtrack for Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. The film is…ridiculous and definitely an acquired taste, one that will definitely appeal to fans of Andy Samburg and his style of comedy. The soundtrack is in exactly the same boat, as like the band’s other hits like “Dick in a Box” or “I’m on a Boat,” the music here has some rather…colorful lyrics, particularly in the track, “Finest Girl,” whose chorus is both surprising upon the first listen and hilariously offensive. But the melodies of the songs, like them or not, are very catchy and well produced.
WORST SOUNDTRACK
SUICIDE SQUAD
Unlike most of the choices on this list, this one was incredibly easy to name without any hesitation. Suicide Squad handles its soundtrack list poorly. The licensed music feels less like it fits in their respective scenes, and more like they were thrown in because the filmmakers had already purchased the rights to these songs before they knew how many they would actually need. Unlike the eclectic soundtracks of films by the likes of Tarantino, this soundtrack is a tonal mess that is at times a bit too spot-on and obvious with its song choices, while bafflingly inappropriate in other sequences of the film.
BEST SET/COSTUME DESIGN
HAIL, CAESAR!, THE WITCH
Both the set and costume designs of Hail, Caesar! are incredible and successfully immerse the audience in the trappings of the time period in which the film takes place. Having minored in Film Studies in college and read articles on the Studio System and how the Red Scare affected Hollywood, this film serves as an excellent—albeit cartoony and over-the-top—representation of the time period. The synchronized swimming scene toward the beginning of the film in particular is spectacularly put together, and looked amazing on the big screen.
The Witch’s set and costume design also immerse the audience in the historical setting of Puritanical America during the Salem Witch Trials. The costumes and sets are simple, but feel rustic and broken-in, not just items the prop and set crews put together for the film. I suppose the best way to describe this film is authentic and gritty, from the small farm that the family lives on to the gnarled shack of the titular Witch.
BEST STUNTS
HARDCORE HENRY
This is one of those categories where simply talking about the stunt work is not the same as just showing the film’s impressive stunt work and fight choreography. The aforementioned parkour scenes are particularly breathtaking, and the helicopter fall that occurs in the film (and in most of the trailers) is enough to give the audience vertigo. There are only a handful of movies whose stunt work have impressed this reviewer this much, and this film is certainly toward the top of that list.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
A MONSTER CALLS
Yet again, A Monster Calls gets completely overlooked in a category where it clearly excels. The animation is spectacular, particularly in the expressiveness of the Monster as well as the beautiful watercolor-esque story sequences that pepper the film. The blending of practical and CG effects are incredible here, especially when Conor is interacting with or being picked up by the Monster. Out of all the snubs this film received at the Oscars, this one is the most painful for this reviewer.
WORST/MOST DISAPPOINTING FILM(S)
SUICIDE SQUAD, COLLATERAL BEAUTY
Contrary to what many would believe, I did not want Suicide Squad to fail. From the trailers, it would look like a fun/ridiculously over-the-top action film that would make me forget the disappointment that was Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. While I still think BvS is a terrible film, seeing Suicide Squad and how poorly mishandled just about everything in it was in comparison, my feelings regarding the former film have softened quite a bit, as at least the action sequences were somewhat satisfying and Ben Affleck actually made a decent Batman despite a messy script.
Suicide Squad is a bad film not because it’s a D.C. film (contrary to what those “Boycott Rotten Tomatoes” fools would have you believe). It is bad because it doesn’t understand how to tell a coherent story with likeable characters and exciting action. The story has a lot of moments that are redundant, particularly when it comes to the opening where Amanda Waller (the Nick Fury of the Suicide Squad) introduces the idea of the Squad not once, but twice within two consecutive scenes. The editing is sloppy and dulls whatever impact the action could have had on the audience. The soundtrack choices, while good songs on their own, are atrociously cobbled together. The characters are hastily introduced and, in some cases, just as hastily ushered off the screen. The acting ranges from annoyingly over-the-top (Jared Leto as Joker and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn) to boringly understated (Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag). Everything about this film was unpleasant, and were it not for having someone who was just as displeased with the film watching it along with this reviewer, this film would have been impossible to finish.
But then, along came Collateral Beauty, whose concept seemed interesting to this reviewer. Since there’s a whole review on the site detailing why this film is so unpleasant, I will spare the details, but the trailers to the film are so misleading. The film is not heartwarming, but mean-spirited and often nonsensical in its plotting. The acting is at times wooden, and at other times inappropriately over-the-top. The “twist” ending was horrible enough to make this reviewer almost leave the theater in disgust before the credits even began to roll.
But which is honestly worse? While Suicide Squad is terrible on almost every count, it at least delivered most of what the trailer promised. It was not misleading, other than it made the film look better than it actually was. Suicide Squad did not advertise itself as a superhero action film, only to actually be a drama about Joker dying of cancer or something schmaltzy like that.
Collateral Beauty, on the other hand, lied about just about everything in their trailer. And even when it tries to go back on its dishonesty by the end of the film, it’s so poorly done that it left this reviewer feeling disgusted at wasting his money on a ticket, money that could have been spent on a five-pack of Kraft Mac and Cheese or charity or something more productive than sitting through this film.
FAVORITE FILM
A MONSTER CALLS
Did this really surprise anybody?
The film is beautifully shot, and its visual effects are spectacular. The story is depressing, but still engaging. The acting is also very well done, especially from Sigourney Weaver, who actually does do a very good British accent. Felicity Jones is very good as Conor’s ailing mother, and the struggles that she is facing are made all the more heart-wrenching by Jones’ performance. Lewis MacDougall is also great as Conor, and pulls off the emotional scenes of the film very well. And, of course, Liam Neeson is perfectly cast as the voice of the Monster.
There are so many memorable moments in this film, sequences so beautiful and haunting that they will stick with the audience long after the credits have begun to roll. The fact that this film did so poorly here in America is a travesty, to say the least, as this is probably one of the most poignant and dramatically satisfying films based on a young-adult novel to come out in quite some time. It’s a film that takes risks and does not pull its emotional punches. It’s a film that poses existential questions that have no real satisfactory answers, and it fully acknowledges this fact.
See this film…just see it.
And with that, I shall conclude my 2016 retrospective. There were a great deal of films I saw this year, far more than the relative handful I collected my categories from last year. So many films, that I couldn’t possibly talk about them all without writing a full novel. For my thoughts on the films I reviewed but didn’t discuss here, I have linked the titles to their respective reviews, if they exist on this site.
And for those of you wondering why I didn’t include the Ghostbusters remake in this article, I didn’t get a chance to see it just yet. And also, just remember…
…October will be here before you know it.
MWAHAHAHAHAHA! Okay, this loses some impact without the sound…
Stay tuned.
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