Also, this list is not the ten “best”
movies of the year, just my favorite. These are the films I personally enjoyed
the most. Film, like all art, is mostly subjective; so, trying to rank it
objectively as to what’s best is pretty pointless.
Anyways, you know how these
things work. Let’s get to it:
#10: POPSTAR: Never Stop Never Stopping
The Basics:
Who made it?
Akiva Schaffer (co-director/writer), Jorma Taccone (co-director/writer), and
Andy Samberg (writer)
Who’s in it? Andy
Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and lots of celebrity cameos
Synopsis: When it becomes clear that his solo album is a failure, a
former boy band member (Samberg) does everything in his power to maintain his
celebrity status. Trailer.
Popstar
was the funniest movie I saw all year. This ridiculous (in the best way) mockumentary
from The Lonely Island guys aims it satire at the music industry and fame, but it
still manages to fit in a story about friendship, and how it can survive the
disastrous effects of ego and fame. With all due respect to Hot Rod, this is the true Lonely Island
movie-and you don’t have to go much farther than the ridiculous, hilarious
parody songs.
#9: HIGH-RISE
The Basics:
Who made it? Ben
Wheatley (director), Amy Jump (writer, based on the novel High Rise by
J.G. Ballard)
Who’s in it? Tom
Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, and others
Synopsis: A
doctor (Tom Hiddleston) moves into a London skyscraper where rising tensions
and class warfare lead to anarchy. Trailer.
I can’t
place my finger on exactly how or what it was, but High-Rise mesmerized me. As stated in my full
review, the film is completely deranged and absurd, and that’s what makes
it such a fascinating film. Part of me wanted to put it higher on the list, but
the other part was just like “don’t be ridiculous, you can’t even explain why
you like High-Rise so much.”
#8: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
The Basics:
Who made it? Joe and Anthony Russo (directors), Christoper Markus and
Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Marvel Studios.
Who’s in it? Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson,
Chadwick Boseman, Anthony Mackie.
Synopsis:
Political interference in the Avengers' activities causes a rift between former
allies Captain America (Evans) and Iron Man (Downey). Trailer.
Civil War is where the eight years’ worth of world building that
Marvel has done really started to pay off, delivering wildly entertaining
superhero action with a heartfelt, character-centric conflict. Unlike the other
big superheroes fight each other movie, Civil
War, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, spent enough time building its
characters that the conflict not only felt logical, but inevitable. Also, no
one does crowd-pleasing blockbusters like Marvel. Did you see that airport
fight scene?
#7: HUNT
FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE
The Basics:
Who made it? Taika
Waititi (director, writer), Barry Crump (based on the book by)
Who’s in it? Sam
Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata
Synopsis: A
national manhunt is ordered for a rebellious kid (Dennison) and his foster
uncle (Neill) who go missing in the wild New Zealand bush. Trailer.
Wilderpeople is a really funny, heartwarming coming-of-age story about
family and belonging, but has really stuck with me is Waititi’s direction. He
brandishes the double-edged sword of being incredibly inventive and unique,
while also being extremely effective and functional. And he does it with such
confidence! His directorial choices directly help elevate the script and actors,
especially in the comedy scenes. Check out the: Full
Review
#6: THE NICE GUYS
The Basics:
Who made it? Shane
Black (director, co-writer), Anthony Bagarozzi (writer)
Who’s in it? Russel
Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice
Synopsis: In
1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl
and the mysterious death of a porn star. Trailer.
“Funny, violent, and just a little mean” could
be used to describe a good amount of Shane Black movies, but The Nice Guys alternates between
slapstick humor and brutal violence in such a way that’s a little (and probably
intentionally) uncomfortable. A neo-noir mystery set in 70’s LA would have been
enough for me, but add in Crowe and Gosling’s chemistry, a subversive plot, and
some really good character arcs and you’ve got a blast of a film. I mean, when
the two leads are having as much fun as Crowe and Gosling, how are you not going to enjoy The Nice Guys?
#5: ROGUE
ONE: A Star Wars Story
The Basics:
Who made it? Disney,
Lucasfilm, Gareth Edwards (director), Chris Weitz & Tony Gilroy
(screenplay)
Who’s in it? Felicity
Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendolsohn, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen, wow
there’s a lot of awesome people in here, Darth Vader
Synopsis:
The Rebel Alliance, led by Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and Cassian Andor (Diego
Luna), makes a risky move to steal the plans for the Death Star, setting up the
epic saga to follow.
Rogue One had so many elements that I’m a sucker for it wasn’t really
fair: Star Wars, war epic, ragtag
group of companions facing insurmountable odds, heroic deaths. Credit goes to
Gareth Edwards for delivering the best looking and awe-inspiring (visually) Star Wars movie yet. Check out the: Full
Review
#4: ZOOTOPIA
The Basics:
Who made it? Disney,
Byron Howard and Rich Moore (directors), Jared Bush and Phil Johnston
(screenplay)
Who’s in it? Animated
anthropomorphic animals, voices of: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
(!), others
Synopsis: In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and
a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy. Watch the trailer.
I
wrote a full
review of Zootopia, and I really feel like I have nothing new to add here.
So, quick recap: It’s legitimately funny. Offers a surprisingly really solid
noir mystery story. And even adds in a very unexpected social allegory. And
being Disney, it offers a heartwarming, happy (and very un-noir) ending.
#3: GREEN ROOM
The Basics:
Who
made it? Jeremy Saulnier (director and writer)
Who’s
in it? Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Patrick Stewart, Macon Blair
Synopsis:
A punk rock band is forced to fight for survival after witnessing a murder at a
neo-Nazi skinhead bar. Trailer.
Here
are some actual phrases that have been used to describe Green Room: “machete sharp,” “cruel work of high tension,” “claustrophobia
inducing,” “cuts straight to the bone,” “grisly treat.” ‘Bout sums it up.
When it comes to pulpy genre fare, no one is
better than Saulnier (2013’s Blue Ruin
is a terrific revenge thriller). Narratively, Green Room is a fairly basic thriller/horror flick, but what really
sets it apart is who tightly wound the narrative is and that the protagonists
are actually active participants in the plot. Instead of sitting by and barely surviving
as terrible things happen to them, they are fighting from the jump, working to
make the situation better for themselves. They’re a punk rock band; they aren’t
gonna take sh!t from a bunch of neo-Nazis. Add in some visual artistry (the
titular color is imbued everywhere-same
with Blue Ruin-I love it) and a
great cast led by the late Anton Yelchin and a terrifying Patrick Stewart, and
you’ve got one of the best movies of the year.
#2: HELL OR HIGH
WATER
The Basics:
Who
made it? David Mackenzie (director), Taylor Sheridan (writer)
Who’s
in it? Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges
Synopsis:
A divorced father and his ex-con older brother resort to bank robbing in order
to save their family's ranch in West Texas. Trailer.
If you know anyone that decries modern cinema
with a “They don’t make ‘em like they used to,” go ahead and show them Hell of High Water. While there are
plenty of crime thrillers with sympathetic anti-heroes, few reach the heights
of my second favorite film of the year. A true post-Great Recession film,
brothers Toby and Tanner face a plight that many Americans have gone through:
imminent foreclosure. The film itself is truly mournful of the circumstances and
conditions that have brought about its characters’ actions. It’s a taut, lean ‘modern
Western’ (think No Country for Old Men) whose only flaw is that its general story has been done before- the
performances, script, cinematography and direction are all phenomenal, and
includes a top-notch bank heist set-piece. There really should be more ‘modern
Westerns,’ and Jeff Bridges should be in all of them.
#1: ARRIVAL
The Basics:
Who made it? Denis
Villeneuve (director), Eric Heisserer (screenplay), Ted Chiang (story) Bradford
Young (cinematographer)
Who’s in it? Amy
Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Abbott and Costello.
Synopsis:
When
mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, a linguist (Adams) is recruited by the military to assist in
translating alien communications. Trailer.
A film that’s as beautiful visually as it
is thematically, I don’t have much to add than what I said in my full
review. By far my favorite experience watching a movie this year.
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