Sam's Top 10 Films of 2016
As of right now, I've seen 110 of 2016's releases. This was such an exceptional year for movies that I considered compiling a Top 20. But I'm a traditionalist, and I feel like these 10 films best represent what I loved the most about 2016's cinematic offerings.
Before I get to the list, a few honorable mentions: With its potent blend of quirky characters and gritty crime drama, "Hell or High Water" struck me as the best movie that the Coen Brothers never made. On the less conventional side, "Author: The JT LeRoy Story" moved me as an exploration of personal identity and the thin line between life and art. They didn't make the list today, but who knows about tomorrow.
Without further ado, here are my favorite films from last year.
10. Don't Think Twice As soon as the lights went up at the Keystone Art Cinema after this indie comedy was over, I went to Facebook and wrote this: "The lights go down, your world fades away and you're transported to another. You forget your worries as you enter this foreign territory. But the deeper you go, the more familiar it feels. You're flooded with reminders of your friends, your family. And you ultimately see reflections of yourself in the strangers on this strange land. You see yourself in their hopes, dreams, fears, flaws. You laugh, you cry. And then you leave this dark place with a light in your heart. I love movies. And I really loved 'Don't Think Twice.' "
9. Christine Like the titular character, this film is at once quirky, tender and tragic. "Christine" is not only an intimate, disquieting character study; it's also a sharp examination of sensationalism. And Rebecca Hall delivers a devastating performance as the reporter who went to the edge and confronted her darkest demons in front of the camera.
8. Southside with You "Before Sunrise" with the Obamas. Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter gracefully slip into the roles of Barack and Michelle Obama in this enchanting chronicle of their first date. Writer-director Richard Tanne delivers a refreshing fairytale here — a hopeful, heartfelt story in a year defined largely by hate.
7. The Handmaiden One of the most intricate and exciting con-game thrillers I've ever seen. When a Korean matchstick man hires a fellow grifter to pose as a maid in an effort to steal an heiress' fortune, their scheme unlocks a world of disturbing rituals and sexual exploration. It's an unforgettable masterwork from Chan-wook Park, who sweeps the rug out from under our feet as seamlessly as the con artists at the center of the story.
6. Sausage Party Yes, an animated comedy about walking, talking grocery store items is the year's most biting social satire. The film presents a rich melting pot of misfits: a homosexual hard-shell taco (Salma Hayek), an embittered Middle Eastern flatbread (David Krumholtz), a diabolical douche (Nick Kroll) and more. As they fight to reach "the great beyond" outside the store, the film takes an unflinching look at the discrimination that can occur amid the quest for divine perfection.
5. Denial Timothy Spall plays Holocaust denier David Irving, and Rachel Weisz stars as Deborah Lipstadt, the author who exposed his warped view of history. Let's face it: We're also watching Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton here. On the surface, "Denial" may seem like a square Oscar-bait drama. But it emerges as a striking reflection of the zeitgeist — a film that calls out for intolerance of ignorance and hate.
4. O.J.: Made in America For nearly eight hours, this film holds you firmly in its grip. It's an intimate yet epic Shakespearean tragedy, following a towering figure's shocking fall from grace. Director Ezra Edelman reveals how the "crime of the century" wasn't simply the result of a couple's quarrel; it was decades in the making. Issues of race, class, celebrity and corruption converged to turn O.J. Simpson's pursuit of the American Dream into our nightmare. In the end, this documentary isn't just a brilliant work of investigative journalism; it's an act of justice.
3. Silence A masterful film about the power and pain of belief. Martin Scorsese's intimate knowledge of Christianity courses through this tale of Jesuit priests wrestling with their faith in the midst of harsh religious persecution. "Silence" ultimately seems like an act of catharsis for Scorsese — a processing of his Catholic upbringing and its impact on his growth. One thing's for certain: This film will leave you in awe regardless of where you stand on the religious spectrum. As his friend Robert De Niro would say, that's because Scorsese didn't grow up to be a priest. He became the "high priest of film."
2. The Witch A New England folktale, a nightmare from the past and the first great film of 2016. Writer-director Robert Eggers’ vision haunted me all year long. Set in 1630, the film follows a family forced to leave their colonial plantation and move to a farm on the edge of a serene yet sinister forest. Needless to say, supernatural drama ensues. As paranoia infects each family member, the film turns into a chilling exploration of how religious convictions can hold people captive. And it ultimately emerges as a new horror classic.
1. Moonlight I’ve written a lot about how “Moonlight” is timely. I’ve talked about how, in a time of openly racist and homophobic leaders, this sensitive portrait of a black, gay man is important. Some friends and colleagues think I wish to only make a political statement with my praise of this film. And that’s my fault … because I haven’t written about what makes it timeless. “Moonlight” does what all movies should do, regardless of their genre or when they’re released. It evokes a moment-to-moment feeling of discovery. It’s full of mystery, leaving us wide-eyed in anticipation of the paths its protagonist will take. Whether he’s standing up to bullies, coping with his mother’s drug addiction or grappling with his sexuality, Chiron is a marvel to behold. "Moonlight" is one of those films that makes you realize how movie magic doesn't lie only in otherworldly spectacles; it also shines through in slices of ordinary life.