2016 was a great year for films, granted we had to slog it
through a crushingly disappointing summer of one mediocre blockbuster after
another (with a few bright spots that I’ll address later) and several outright
disasters. But leave it to the indies, foreign movies and awards contenders to
pick up the slack and deliver some truly exceptional entries in the cinematic
year. We saw new talents like Damien Chazelle and Barry Jenkins cement
themselves as voices to watch out for, while directors like Denis Villeneuve
and Jim Jarmusch proved they are still at the height of their creative powers. There
was even room for a few old masters like Scorsese himself to prove his best
days are far from behind him. But before all that, as ever I have to name a few honourable
mentions and for this year in particular there are a great deal to recognise.
I saw a few films that were, for better or worse so
completely committed to their bold and unique style that I have to praise them
for that. ‘High-Rise’ by Ben
Wheatley and ‘Swiss Army Man’ by The
Daniels both mark their makers out as creative forces to watch out for. As does
Taika Waititi’s oddly endearing ‘Hunt
for the Wilderpeople’, especially as the New Zealand director will be
moving to the lofty heights of Marvel Studios nest year. ‘Tower’ tackled its subject with such an innovative style that I can
imagine numerous imitators following soon.
We saw many strikingly magnificent horror films this year as
well, almost restoring my faith that modern horror movies can be artful and
brilliant once more. ‘Under the Shadow’
and ‘The Witch’ were terrifically
unnerving and carried social weight with them, but for pure and utter chaos executed
to perfection one cannot overlook ‘Green
Room’, which stands as one of the last entries in a career tragically cut
short but at least Anton Yelchin’s oeuvre speaks for itself.
Every year Cannes delivers a group of films that are more
than worthy of praise. While you are likely to see a few entries from the festival
later in this list, for now I will shine a light on ‘Julieta’ and ‘Toni Erdmann’
which stand on complete opposite ends of the scale of emotive resonance but are
both equally impactful.
But of course there is also the entertainment factor. While
I had great enjoyment with ‘Deadpool’,
‘Captain America: Civil War’, ‘Star Trek Beyond’ and ‘Rogue One’ I have to say that the movie
that brought me the most joy, the film that I have re-watched the most and enjoyed
it just as much every time I’ve seen it is Shane Black’s ‘The Nice Guys’, criminally underrated at the box office but praised
by virtually all who saw it, ‘The Nice Guys’ is a callback to classic comedy
capers and low budget action films all polished with Black’s usual brilliance.
Grand Jury Prize -
‘O.J: Made in America’
It is still disputed whether or not ‘O.J: Made in America’
counts as a movie or a miniseries. Though it was made with the intention of
being a seven hour long movie and was shown in that format in a few selected
cinemas many people (including myself) saw it in its serialised format. So
rather than make up my mind I’m leaving it here with a special mention. But
even if I could decide what it was, is almost seems unfair to rank ordinary
movies against something like ‘O.J: Made in America’. What director Ezra
Edelman has achieved here is not just a hauntingly complex character study that
so intricately sows the seeds for its subject’s path to self-destruction that
it feels like a Shakespearean tragedy. What he achieved with this film was to
capture an entire chapter of American culture, for its triumphs, failings and
conflicts that all coincided with the downfall of one damaged individual. It
analyses everything from a factual standpoint but once you have finished
watching it you feel as if it’s asking whether Simpson was the product of his
environment, or did he shape his own environment. They seem so intertwined that
it has to be one or the other.
10: The Edge of
Seventeen
Many have compared the directorial debut of Kelly Fremon
Craig to the work of John Hughes and though that may be a worthy comparison I
want to briefly look at the film in its own light. Craig’s film is painfully
hilarious portrayal of high school life and its hardships, cutting through the
falseness of other teen comedies to create something much more truthful and more
poignant as a result. But for all its teachings on what it means to be young it
also offers a broader statement on grief and loss that can resonate with anyone.
The script renders its characters as fully realised individuals and embraces
them for their faults as well as their attributes. Boasting a career best
performance from Hailee Steinfeld and a wonderful supporting role by Woody
Harrelson, it never fails to feel authentic and truthful. But at the same time
that never stops it from being wondrously profound and humorous.
9: Manchester by
the Sea
The most emotionally draining, soul crushing, heart-breaking
and exhausting film of the year. Make no mistake when I say ‘Manchester by the
Sea’ is not an easy film to watch, but where Kenneth Lonergam succeeds so
brilliantly is how he takes those moments of anguish and weaves them into a
continuously flowing story that balances its humour, character moments and
heartfelt drama perfectly. Its characters are full bodied and excellently realised
by the superb cast with Casey Affleck delivering a truly remarkable performance.
Affleck takes an emotionally despondent character and turns him into one of the
most empathetic sights of the year, always maintaining an internal performance
but never leaving you at a loss for what he is feeling. The supporting cast of
Michelle Williams and Kyle Chandler are equally brilliant, making excellent
components that make ‘Manchester by the Sea’ worth far more than just the sum
of its parts.
8: Paterson
There is beauty within simplicity, and few filmmakers
understand that more than Jim Jarmusch. At a glance his latest film ‘Paterson’
lacks all plot and meaning, but therein lies both its plot and meaning. It is a
film concerned with celebrating the simplicity of average lives, the daily
routines its titular character undergoes and how much joy it brings him.
Without even realising it, we too are absorbed into this perfectly average
world, gradually picking up on the patterns and poetry that surround Paterson
and his bus journey every day. In the lead role Adam Driver is simply superb,
bringing a performance that matches the film perfectly, quietly existential and
keenly observant, but also inspiringly poignant when it wants to be and somehow
knowing on a deep level. When you add Jarmusch’s keen eye for visual splendour
then ‘Paterson’ becomes a delight.
7: Moonlight
It feels as if there is little to say about Barry Jenkins’ ‘Moonlight’
that has not been said already following its universal acclaim. I can say that
it is unique in almost every aspect of its construction, its screenplay, style
and subject matter are all innovative and ground breaking works of art. It is a
film that speaks volumes about how our environments shape us while acting as an
intriguingly staged character study, that becomes astonishingly intimate
through its story told in three chapters. Of course this is all well and good
but the strongest aspect of ‘Moonlight’ may well be its brilliant performances.
Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes are all equally terrific but
for very different reasons as the lead character at three different stages of
his life, along with great supporting roles from Naomi Harris and Mahershala
Ali.
6: Arrival
Every year I have to write the same sentence about how Denis
Villeneuve has further cemented his reputation as quite possibly the finest
director of this decade. I could place ‘Arrival’ on this list for its ambition
and scope alone, the way it tackled huge existential questions and never
supplied easy answers for its audience. But at the same time its epic scale is
anchored by its intimately drawn characters, a plot that revolves around simple
communication and heavily emotional undertones. Amy Adams turns in a brilliant
performance that ensures that for all its stunning set pieces, existential
minefields and visual eye candy the film has a beating and deeply emotional
heart. Ranking Villeneuve’s filmography is an exercise in futility, they are
all masterworks. But for what it is worth with ‘Arrival’ he has delivered a
science fiction masterpiece for the ages.
5: Silence
The subject of faith has long been a thematic anchor of
Martin Scorsese’s career, driving his characters and their decisions for
decades on the silver screen. It should come as no surprise that ‘Silence’
embraces that theme as well, but what is surprising is just how committed
Scorsese is to realising his epic vision on the screen while also taking his
themes to unexplored territory, pushing them further than he ever has before. It
examines how much someone can endure in the name of their faith and questions
whether their unwavering belief is the salvation or detriment of them. As ever
Scorsese is surrounded by a hugely talented cast in the form of Andrew
Garfield, Adam Driver and Liam Neeson. ‘Silence’ bears the unmistakable mark of
a master filmmaker working at the height of his creative talent, a truly monumental
piece of cinema.
4: The Handmaiden
Park Chan-wook’s ‘The Handmaiden’ is a rare film that seems
to become all the more intriguing and remarkable the more I watch it. Its structure
and intricately layered plot may seem meditative at first, but as the story
spirals out of control it establishes, subverts and outright destroys your
expectations several times over. It is tense and thrilling put also quiet and
artful all at once. The plot is structured to intrigue the viewer and then
emotionally involve them in such a way that you will find yourself increasingly
desperate to know where the plot will turn next. But hopefully the viewer will
not overlook Chan-wook’s exquisite production design that is gorgeously
detailed. His impeccable compositions and synchronistic framing gives the
isolated environments a sense of entrapment that can reflect his characters own
personal issues. ‘The Handmaiden’ is viscerally unnerving but also quietly moving
as well as absolutely enthralling.
3: Elle
Leave it to Paul Veerhoven to make a film of such extremes
that it has to be brilliant. ‘Elle’ is a layered and complex piece of cinema
that does not shy away from the brutally disturbing aspects of its story,
becoming an intricate study of abuse and obsession as well as delicate
character study. It examines why we tolerate abuse in a society, why we take so
long to heal from it and how projecting abuse onto others can lead to a
self-perpetuating cycle that destroys can lives, and even more tragically,
define them. The titular character is so brilliantly realised by Isabelle
Huppert, creating what I can say without doubt is the best performance of the
year. Huppert displays such an intense range in the film with the ability to be
helpless, powerful, manipulative, terrifying and even funny at various points
throughout the narrative, but always with an underlying sense of consistency
that never makes you doubt that you’re watching the same strong character. ‘Elle’
is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.
2: La La Land
Movies like ‘La La Land’ are why I love movies. It is
empathetic, complex, thoughtful, artistic and wonderfully entertaining. Damien
Chazelle revives the movie musical so brilliantly and thoroughly, with each
musical set piece enforcing the characters and story, reinforcing the films
substance at ever turn. Chazelle’s direction is equally fantastic though, with
his camera moving in such an active and vibrant way that invigorates the whole
film with a pulsating energy, but then when it is time for a quitter and more intimate
moment Chazelle masters that as well. It is a dazzling spectacle to behold, but
what makes it even more engaging are the brilliant performances being turned in
by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone who are equally magnificent when together and
when separate. It is a love letter to classic cinema, but also to life itself for
all its wonder and joy, its pain and heartbreak, its hopes and dreams.
1: Nocturnal
Animals
My favourite film of 2016 is perhaps the boldest, most
intricately crafted and stunningly realised feature of them all, Tom Ford’s ‘Nocturnal
Animals’. Some have deemed the film too cold and clinical, but the boldest of
cinema demands empathy, not sympathy. The beating heart of ‘Nocturnal Animals’
is a visceral, awe inspiring one that weaves themes of grief, guilt, fear,
revenge and loss. It frames a story of literal revenge within a story of symbolic
revenge, contrasting the sleek world of high class L.A and the rustic brutality
of the Texan landscape. Ford merges each layer masterfully, creating a tale of
awe inspiring complexity and deep thematic layers. Its ensemble cast are all
terrific, from Amy Adams icy observer, Michael Shannon’s cold eeriness and Aaron
Taylor Johnson untapped insanity with Jake Gyllenhaal handling two separate roles
excellently. ‘Nocturnal Animals’ is evocative and challenging, but also
inspiring in its construction, a masterwork of layered storytelling and
exquisite direction that will enthral anyone from start to finish.
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