With 2016 ending (Finally!) here’s the list of my Top 5 Favorite Films of 2016!

 

Coming in at #5 – 10 Cloverfield Lane

This was actually a pretty good film. It was tense, interesting, and it kept you on the edge of your seat. Definitely worth watching, there’s some good twists along the way!

 

 

#4 – Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo and the Two Strings was super original and inventive, the animation style was great and the characters were really interesting. It was definitely a surprise this year, and was definitely underrated in my opinion!

 

 

#3 – Arrival

Arrival was a very interesting movie, it wasn’t a typical blockbuster action alien movie. It was slower, but tense and very smart. It’s one of those movies where you definitely need to see it twice. Even with a few plot holes, it still managed to make you think and wonder.

 

 

#2 – The Fundamentals of Caring

The Fundamentals of Caring is actually a Netflix original movie, and it was great. It stars Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts and oddly enough, Selena Gomez. But it’s a very charming, funny, and touching movie, in the vein of Little Miss Sunshine and The Way Way Back. Paul Rudd plays an unemployed, depressed middle-aged man who decides to become a caregiver for some extra money, and even though he’s terribly unqualified, lands a job taking care of Trevor (Craig Roberts), a 17 year old boy with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, confining him to a wheel chair for the rest of his life, and not to mention a messed up sense of humor. After becoming close friends, they decide to go on a road trip to see national landmarks, along the way they meet Dot (Selena Gomez) and Peaches (Megan Ferguson). I really enjoyed it though, I was surprised that I didn’t hear more about it actually, but I highly advise a viewing, it’s definitely worth it!

 

 

And my favorite movie of the year goes to…Hunt for the Wilderpeople!

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a prime example of indie filmmaking. It has the most random story, but with funny and complex characters played by great actors. That’s almost always a recipe for success. I bet you didn’t notice that the old grandpa was played by Sam Neill, also Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park! He’s a New Zealand native, which was where the Director, Taika Waititi, is from, and where the movie was filmed.

 

 

And now for my honorable mentions of the year:

Moana – Disney is really trying to diversify it’s princess line up, which I’m all for, and they did a good job with this one, catchy music, touching scenes and funny characters.

Keanu – It was actually really funny, I was surprised, I felt it was pretty underrated.

Central Intelligence – Also an underrated comedy for the year, I actually saw an advanced screening at the beginning of the year, so they may have changed some scenes around for the official release.

Passengers – SUPER underrated, in my opinion. I actually really enjoyed it, I thought it explored a lot of interesting topics, such as loneliness, being stranded, consequences of actions and regret. One thing that critics agreed on was it had a cheesy or too-easy ending, which I could see, but I honestly didn’t mind that much, I enjoyed it for what it was. It was also beautifully shot, and there were some intense scenes for sure!

 

 

And now for my favorite new TV Shows of the year:

Stranger Things 

If you haven’t seen it yet, then you must be living under a rock! It’s amazing, super well written, very tense, and the kid actors are amazing! If you liked the kids, then get excited for Stephen King’s It that comes out later this year, because they’re in it! Also, stay tuned for a second season!

 

 

Westworld

Another great sci-fi series, they did a great job expanding on the original movie’s premises. I wrote an article earlier in the year wondering how they would make a whole series based off of that one movie, but I think they did a great job expanding and adding in new themes. The acting is also amazing! A second season of Westworld will be coming out in 2018 sometime as well.

 

 

Angie Tribeca

If you haven’t seen this one yet either, I highly recommend it. It’s hilarious, over the top and goofy, which I love. If you’ve seen the Naked Gun or Police Squad, you’ll love it too! It’s nice to see Rashida Jones playing a leading role as well, she’s usually a secondary character that doesn’t get the spotlight, and she does a great job in this one. The second season will be coming out soon!

 

Baskets

If you haven’t started watching Baskets yet, do! It’s hilarious. Zack Galifianakis plays a depressed rodeo clown who went to France to be a classically trained clown, only to flunk out because he didn’t know French. If that didn’t hook you already, then I don’t know what will! Watch it!

 

The highest grossing films of the year were: Captain America with $1.15B, and Finding Dory and Zootopia both with just over the $1B mark.
Now, there are a few movies that I haven’t seen yet that could change my list, these would be: 13th, La La Land, Fences, Hell or High Water, Moonlight, Hacksaw Ridge, Manchester by the Sea and Silence.

What were your favorites from the year?