A Year in Review: Adam's Top Ten Films of 2016

It's been a crazy start to 2017, one that inevitably delayed me from working on this list. But fear not, I'm finally ready to reveal my Top Ten of 2016!

Unlike previous years, I was more selective of the films I watched. This was a really good year to be a fan of film.  We will be talking about a lot of these films for years to come.  But there are always two side to every coin. Even though I was more selective, the bad films I watched made me question why I ever had a fragment of hope for them.  I'm talking about you, Independence Day 2!!

This year's trend was that the big blockbuster films were just good-to-average.  There were exceptions like Captain America: Civil War and Star Trek: Beyond.  Unfortunately, a lot of the bigger films were overhyped and/or disappointed me (X-men: Apocalypse, Deadpool, Ghostbusters, Batman v Superman, and Rouge One)

The smaller indie films made me more emotional than any other year in recent memory.  Fences, Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight, and La La Land were a few of the culprits that moved me to tears.

While we are on the subject of tears, let's take a brief moment and remember some of the actors and actresses we lost this last year:
Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, Alan Thicke, Florence Henderson, Gene Wilder, Kenny Baker, Garry Marshall, Anton Yelchin, Patty Duke, Garry Shandling, and Alan Rickman.

Now, lets move on to some awards:

Total films seen: 147
Thumbs up Percentage: 70% (up from 64% in 2015)

Actor of the Year:

Adam Driver

Film: Midnight Special, Paterson, Silence

T.V.: Girls

Video Games: Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Actress of the Year:

Amy Adams

Films: Arrival, Nocturnal Animals, Batman v Superman

Best Actor: Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea, Chris Pine - Hell or High Water, Denzel Washington - Fences, Andrew Garfield - Silence, Adam Driver - Paterson

Best Actress: Amy Adams - Arrival, Viola Davis - Fences, Rebecca Hall - Christine, Emma Stone - La La Land, Ruth Negga - Loving 

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali - Moonlight, Stephen Lang - Don't Breathe, Ben Foster - Hell or High Water, Shia LeBeouf - American Honey, Aaron Taylor-Johnson - Nocturnal Animals 

Best Supporting Actress: Michelle Williams - Manchester by the Sea, Naomie Harris - Moonlight, Jena Malone - The Neon Demon, Soo-an Kim - Train to Busan, Lupita Nyong'o - Queen of Katwe

Best Break-Out Performance: Ruth Negga - Loving, Auli'i Cravalho - Moana, Anya Taylor-Joy - The Witch, Angourie Rice - The Nice Guys, Noel Sethi - The Jungle Book

Best Director: Denis Villeneuve - Arrival, Martin Scorsese - Silence, Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea, Ezra Edelman - O.J.: Made in America, Barry Jenkins - Moonlight

Best Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea, Hell or High Water, Swiss Army Man, The Nice Guys, La La Land

Best Adapted Screenplay: Moonlight, Arrival, The Neon Demon, Fences, Nocturnal Animals

Most Underrated Films: The Nice Guys, The Neon Demon, Hush, The Edge of Seventeen, Midnight Special 

Most Overrated Films: Deadpool, The Birth of a Nation, Florence Foster Jenkins, Ghostbusters, Rogue One

Biggest Surprise: Don't Breathe, The Invitation, Barbershop 3, Eddie the Eagle, Hello, My Name is Doris

Biggest Disappointment: X-men: Apocalypse, Batman v Superman

Best Sequel: 10 Cloverfield Lane

Best Laughs: The Nice Guys, The Bronze, The Edge of Seventeen, Popstar, Keanu

Best Scares: Don't Breathe, Hush, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, The Witch, The Conjuring 2, Lights Out

Bottom Five of the Year (from Bad to Awful): Boo! A Madea Halloween, Hardcore Henry, The Darkness, The Other Side of the Door, Independence Day 2

Movies that I haven't seen, that could make my list:  The Handmaiden, Shin Godzilla, Toni Erdmann, The Salesman, 20th Century Women, Neeja, Live by Night, Kicks, Captain Fantastic, Morris from America, A Monster Calls, The Monster, The Eyes of My Mother

 Honorable Mentions:

Fences

(Denzel Washington)

La La Land

(Damien Chazelle)

Nocturnal Animals

(Tom Ford)

Moana

(John Musker, Ron Clements, Don Hall, Chris Williams)

Christine

(Antonio Campos)

10.

Paterson

(Jim Jarmusch)

What a pleasant surprise this film was.  Adam Driver plays Paterson, a normal guy who lives in Paterson, NJ.  Patersons adheres to a simple routine: he drives his bus route, he writes poems in his secret notebook, he walks Marvin his dog, stops by the bar for exactly one drink; he then goes home to his wife Laura.  Golshiefteh Farahani plays his wife Laura, a woman who has new dreams for life daily and encourages Paterson's poetry. It's a simple observation of the ups and downs of everyday life.  This film doesn't have any action scenes and there isn't a bomb on his bus, but it does however celebrate the life of the normal man.  The chemistry that the two leads have - Driver and Farahani - shines and they are quite charming together.  It also is very funny and captures the little moments in our lives.  It's also worth noting that Rizwan Manji constantly made me laugh each time he was on screen.

9.

Hell or High Water

(David Mackenzie)

From the first trailer I watched I was hooked.  We follow as a divorced father and his ex-con brother resort to robbing banks to save their family farm.  This is one of the few films I have ever re-watched immediately after my first viewing.  It's an indie film, but feels a lot bigger than it actually is.  I love how real the characters were.  They are relatable, and we're able to put ourselves in their shoes and care for them.  Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham, Ben Foster, and Chris Pine all stepped up their games and delivered great performances.  Chris Pine gave the best performance of his career and I'll remember it for years to come.  Even though I'm a fan of Jeff Bridges, I would have loved to see Ben Foster nominated instead.  I also suspect writer Taylor Sheridan is going to have an amazing career,considering he recieved an Oscar nomination for this film and he wrote Sicario as well.

8.

Moonlight

(Barry Jenkins)

Arguably, the most important film that came out last year.  Moonlight, tells the story of Chiron at three different stages in his life, when he is a young boy, a young man in high school, and when he is a grown man.  We witness the struggles of Chiron as he try's to find his place in the world and battle with who he is.  Barry Jenkins, follows up, Medicine for Melancholy, with another extraordinary film.  Jenkins was able to get amazing performances out of his actors, with the standouts being Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris.  This film isn't easy to watch but it's worth it.  I have seen this film a few times now and it gets better and better and I seem to cry with each viewing.  The only reason it's not higher is that the third act wasn't the strongest as the previous two.

7.

The Neon Demon

(Nicholas Winding Refn)

 Nicholas Winding Refn has made one of the weirdest and arguably the most disturbing films of this year.  It's about a young up-and coming model who gets tangled in a web of behavior and a lifestyle that doesn't reflect her character at all.  Jealousy and greed saturate her contemporaries in the industry.  It is so bizarre and really hard to describe with any detail.  I have watched this several times and with each viewing I got something different out of it.  The one thing for sure, the cinematography, costumes, makeup, score, and acting are some of the best of the year.  Elle Fanning and Jena Malone prove that they are amazing actresses that need to be in more stuff.  The ending will leave you speechless and make your stomach turn.

6.

Don't Breathe 

(Fede Alvares)

&

Hush

(Mike Flanagan)

I hate ties as much as the next guy but there was no possible way I could split these two films up.  For starters, they both are home invasion films that have characters that are without certain senses: I.e Don't Breathe - has a blind ex military type man. Hush - has a mute and deaf female writer.  Watching both of these films with the lights off made my senses more heightened and me nervous for what was about to happen next.  Now any other year you wouldn't see a horror film even close to my top ten list but 2016 was special for the horror genre.  These two films were even more special because they were scary but had characters that we're believable and vulnerable and limited the horror cliques that I hate.  Both films cast were top notch as well.  Stephen Lang from Don't Breath and Kate Siegel from Hush showed us that horror films can have great acting in there films and become the exception not the rule.  I strongly recommend these films, they will make you feel uneasy, scared, and put you on the edge of your seat.

5.

Train to Busan

(Sang-ho Yeon)

It's funny the places you hear about films.  Everyday when I drive to work I listen to NPR, and one day they were talking about Korea's first zombie film.  So when I finally watched it, I was surprised by how awesome and intense it is.  This films follows several passengers as they travel from Seoul to Busan while trying to survive a deadly zombie virus outbreak.  I enjoyed this film so much - my heart was beating non stop.  But it isn't just a zombie film.  It has character you both come to believe in and despise as well.  This would be a very fun character study on how the world handles tragedy and horrible situations.  Aside from character development, the technical aspects are also well done.  The effects, sound, makeup, and editing are some of my favorites of the year.  Fun little side note: this movie was my number one for most of the year until recently.  If you don't mind subtitles and want to see a very fun, entertaining, and suspenseful film, check this out.

4.

O.J.: Made in America

(Ezra Edelman)

You know a documentary has to be great to make my top ten list.  This is the first documentary to crack my list since my number one film of 2005, Earthlings.  Originally this was a TV documentary series, but I'm so glad that it's being considered a film by the academy.  It is a real, detailed look at the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, but also covers what was happening with the LAPD and in the country at that time.  It is very interesting and frustrating to watch.  Even with a total  run time close to nine hours, you want to know more right away.  I knew very little about O.J. going in and after watching this I felt very upset and disgusted by the man he was.  This film also sheds light on issues that are as relevant today as they ever were.  To quote my friend and fellow film critic, Todd Plucknett: "This isa film about race, the justice system, Los Angeles, celebrity, and most of all - America."

3.

Silence

(Martin Scorsese)

So, one of the main reason this list was delayed was I wanted to watch the next Scorsese film.  Scorsese is my favorite director of all time.  The Departed, Taxi Driver, and Goodfellas are some of my favorite films of all time.  Silence, in time, could join the ranks of the greatest Scorsese films.  This film follows two Jesuit priests and their journey through Japan to find their mentor and friend.  It takes place in 17th century Japan, where the simple acknowledgement of being a Christian resulted in torture and the ultimate price: death.  Ultimately, this film is about true faith and being a martyr for what you believe in.  Even with a long run time it never feels as long as it actually is.  Some of the imagery on screen is hard to watch, so be prepared.  It is criminal that this film was almost enitely snubbed at the Oscars outside of cinematography.

  

2.

Arrival

(Denis Villeneuve)

Denis Villeneuve has finally started becoming a household name.  He is quickly moving up my favorite directors with each film I see.  Arrival, is his third film in the last four years to make my top ten list; the others being Sicario (2015), and Prisoners (2013).  What I enjoy about this film is that we are in a time of alien/science fiction films having a lot of explosions and action, but Villeneuve scales everything back to make a more human story.  Another thing he does well is that he isn't afraid to make strong female characters in his films.  Don't be fooled - Arrival does have aliens, but this film is really about communication and humanity.  It's beautifully filmed and the score is amazing.  Amy Adams gives one of my favorite performances of the year and her lack of nomination is a glaring Oscar snub.  Even with eight nominations at this years Oscars, I feel Arrival, was snubbed for visual effects, score (Passengers and Lion don't even come close), and Amy Adams.  This film will leave you with questions, so multiple viewings are a must.  I have seen it twice so far and I'm still in awe of everything I witness on screen.  

1.

Manchester by the Sea

(Kenneth Lonergan)

There was no film experience of 2016 quite like this one.  Manchester by the Sea is an emotional roller coaster that will be hard to shake well after the credits rolls.  Casey Affleck plays an apartment handyman who receives custody of his nephew after his brother passes away.  We've seen this premise in a lot of other films before, but as the story moves along and the layers of Affleck's character are peeled back to reveal a grief like no other.  Casey Affleck gave us his best performance as well as the best of the year.  He and fellow costar, Michelle Williams, broke my heart as I watched the relationships and pain reveal themselves.  I put myself in his shoes and I never want to feel the pain he felt.  Manchester by the Sea is not just a film - it's the closest experience to actual life that might have ever been put on screen.  It will make you laugh, cry, but most important of all - it will make you appreciate the little things in life and not take them for granted.  I recently just rewatched this and I walked away liking it even more, it truly is a work of cinema mastery.  I feel that Arrival and Manchester by the Sea will forever be locked in a back and fourth death match for my number one film of this year.  

Well that's my list!!  Did I surprise you?  What did I leave off?  Let me know your top ten and your opinions on mine!

Thank you again

ADAM

SNL 40.10 Review - Amy Adams, One Direction

Original Airdate - 12/20/14

The Christmas episode is always is special time at Saturday Night Live.  They always get the top-notch hosts, the best cameos, the best musical guests.  It's traditionally one of the best episodes of the season.  This has at least been the case the last few seasons with superstar former castmembers running the show: Jimmy Fallon three years ago, Martin Short two years ago, and topping it off with the power couple of Jimmy Fallon with Justin Timberlake as musical guest/co-host last year.  For the 40th season, they had to pull out all the stops again for the Christmas episode, right?  Well, Amy Adams is a solid choice for a host, but maybe not ideal as the host for such an important episode similar to Chris Pratt's choice for the season opener.  An amazing Christmas episode was still possible, but then you add in the uncomfortable and awkward mood surrounding a variety show like SNL that lives on social satire the week a movie was pulled from theatres due to alleged terrorists threats from North Korea because it is a satire of their country.  Saturday Night Live had to be very careful with how they responded to such an un-American act of censorship, or did they?  They tried to ride that line very carefully throughout the episode, leading to a solid episode under the circumstances, but overall an underwhelming Christmas episode.

Cold Opening

The episode definitely got off to its strongest start of the season as they found the perfect way to comment on the events of the week.  After starting "A Very Somber Christmas with Sam Smith," which would match one of the potential moods of an episode where they would be forced to hold back for fear of censorship or retaliation.  It is then interrupted by the only person that could get away with being perfectly blunt and candid on the Sony hack controversy, Dr. Evil.  I mean, he went to Evil Medical for goodness sake!  Mike Myers resurrects this character and gives a scathing commentary on North Korea, Hollywood, Sony, and even his own career.  This sketch did what it needed to do; it broke the ice and loosened everyone up on a night that had the potential to be tough to do comedy.  The main thing this sketch did for me was remind me that we are coming up on 13 years since the last Austin Powers movie.  I know the last one wasn't great, but man that's just way too long of a drought...

Monologue

Amy Adams's monologue officially makes it a trend of the writers simply mailing it in and giving up on writing good material for some bits.  It makes sense that Amy Adams would sing for her monologue.  She has an amazing voice and it's the Christmas episode.  Why not?  If that's all it was, it would have been simple, elegant, and classy.  It would have fit our host perfectly.  However, Kristen Wiig comes out to crash the monologue.  Although it's always cool to see Wiig come back time after time, it felt like she was simply just told to go out and riff.  It felt like an unorganized mess that did what is hard for a monologue to do; it royally screwed it up.

Weekend Update

Here was the next opportunity to comment on the aftermath of the Sony Hack and the shutdown of The Interview.  Jost and Che were hired as Weekend Update co-anchors to push the envelope a little more than Seth Myers and Cecily Strong had been doing.  So here was their chance.  They definitely didn't shy away from the topic.  Could they have done more?  Sure.  Was it good enough?  Sure.  The best commentary on the situation came with the first guest, as Bobby Moynihan comes out in his Kim Jong-Un outfit.  I think everyone in America had the same reaction as Colin did.  "No no no no..."  Referring to him as Bobby instead of by character, Colin talked a very confident Moynihan down from the comedic ledge in one of the better commentaries of the current situation.  Next, Kenan came out as a perfect character for the occasion as he is Positive Willy with nothing to be positive about around the holidays.  It was one of the depressing but funny sketches.  And last but not least, since you have Kristen Wiig around why not pry Fred Armisen away from the Late Night set and have some Garth & Kat time.  These two are so good at this that it never ceases to be funny, even when it's impossible for them to keep a straight face.

Best Sketch

A few episodes ago, there was a sketch about a sitcom that was constantly changing its cast and concept to accommodate to fans' comments about political correctness.  It was a very effective commentary on how our society is so concerned about offending someone that it refuses to make a comment on anything.  What became a sort of follow-up sketch in a way, this commercial for "Asian American Girl" makes a similar statement in a much more direct and funny way.  The doll is completely generic with no cultural or stereotypical statements coming with it.  The kids in the sketch become the voice of reason as the parents did everything they could to not say anything wrong by not saying anything at all.  It is a very clever sketch that is not only funny, but a perfect statement on how our society is getting upset about one kind of censorship (The Interview) but is promoting another form without even realizing it.

Worst Sketch

I didn't really dislike any sketch in this episode.  With that said, this one was just too weird for me.  Two guys out for a drink hear a group of sisters singing when things go a little strange.  The strangest thing about this sketch is someone had to be in some sort of mindset to come up with this insane idea.  For pure originality, this sketch deserves a watch, but wow ... where did that come from?

Dark Horse Sketch

If you have ever read any of my SNL reviews, you will know I have a soft spot when it comes to impressions.  So when this sketch about a Cuban Christmas Special started, I was excited to see what impressions would come out of this sketch addressing one of the lost news stories of the week.  The impressions that came out of it were so-so, and the sketch would have been fairly forgettable if it wasn't for the impression of Fidel Castro.  The sketch is worth watching just to see it.  Don't blink, or you might miss it.

Grade

Like I said, this episode didn't really have a bad sketch.  The problem was outside of the Cold Open, it didn't really have a great sketch either.  Amy Adams is a great host, and this was a strong episode.  However, as a Christmas episode, it was quite disappointing.  Looking back now at the first half of the season, this episode was a great microcosm.  There were some great moments, and some moments where the writers failed.  At other times, the writing has been quite clever and intelligent.  With all that said, I have high hopes for the second half of the season as the show continues to do everything it can to get out of the shadow of Wiig, Armisen, Hader, Myers, Samberg, and the rest of the recent past.

***B-***

View the full episode here: