Shawn Eastridge's Favorite Films of 2016 Part 3: The Top 20

We made it!...this far. Now we come to it at last: the great 'Favorite Films' list of our time. Well, no, I wouldn't go that far, but these are the movies that I personally believe went above and beyond the call of duty in 2016. Let's push off, shall we?

THE ONES I MISSED

• ELLE
• FENCES
• THE HANDMAIDEN
• I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO
• JACKIE
• LIFE, ANIMATED
• LOVING
• NOCTURNAL ANIMALS
• SHIN GODZILLA
• SILENCE

TOP 20 FAVORITE FILMS OF 2016

First off, a special mention for a little diddy that got knocked off my list at the last second by another film. Let's take a moment to pour one out for...

DEADPOOL

After years and years of pushing for a film that did R-rated justice to this much-beloved character, Ryan Reynolds efforts have paid off in spades. Deadpool was some of the most fun I had in a theater in 2016. It’s hilarious, exciting and a welcome change of pace from the standard superhero fare, even if it ends up relying on the genre’s tried and true tropes more often than it would like to admit.

AND NOW ON TO THE MAIN EVENT

20. MOANA


Disney Animation continues to churn out the hits, and while Moana’s storybeats and characters are a little too familiar, it still succeeds overall thanks to incredible animation, a great soundtrack and wonderful voice performances.

19. ZOOTOPIA

Zootopia manages to tell a fun and engaging story while effectively slipping in a fitting social commentary in a way that doesn’t feel overtly preachy or obnoxious. Easily one of 2017’s best animated efforts.

18. POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING

No movie released in 2016 made me laugh as hard as Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island team have outdone themselves.

17. STAR TREK BEYOND

Star Trek Beyond is a wonderful homage to the Original Series and a fitting 50th anniversary tribute, regaining the sense of optimism and character building that has made this universe so special.

16. HIDDEN FIGURES

I was expecting this to be a simple, safe effort made exclusively for the day-time television crowd, but Hidden Figures is much, much better than that. Though, yes, it does carry many of the traits associated with that specific audience, it is a sincere effort that rings emotionally true. The trio of leading ladies - Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae - are marvelous.

15. THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN

One of the funniest and most genuine films released in 2017, Kelly Fremon Craig’s coming-of-age effort has shades of Juno, but it’s far less obnoxious. Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson are a pure joy together.

14. MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

Jeff Nichols’ excellent foray into the world of sci-fi may have been forgotten in the wake of his more Oscar friendly work Loving, but it is another worthy addition to his repertoire.

13. HELL OR HIGH WATER

Hell or High Water is just plain ol’ great moviemaking. On every level – technical, story, performance, etc. – it is a rousing success. Chris Pine and Ben Foster are spectacular - Jeff Bridges too, but, you know, that's pretty much a given by this point.

12. THE WITCH

Absorbing, hypnotizing and ridiculously terrifying, The Witch is gorgeous moviemaking and one of the best horror films of the decade.

11. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE

Perhaps the most underappreciated film of this bunch, 10 Cloverfield Lane is an expertly crafted thriller and a remarkable debut for first time feature director Dan Trachtenberg. Don’t even get me started on John Goodman – that man is a national treasure.

10. DON’T THINK TWICE

Hilarious and thoughtful, Mike Birbiglia’s latest effort takes a look at the world of improv comedy and what happens when you have to accept that success might not ever come your way.

9. HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE

An absolute delight. Taika Waititi’s superb comic and cinematic sensibilities combined with Julian Dennison and Sam Neill’s magical chemistry make this one of the finest efforts of 2016. Can’t wait to see what Waititi does with Thor: Ragnarok.

8. A MONSTER CALLS

An incredible film that deals with the power of storytelling as a means to process grief. A Monster Calls is further proof that director J.A. Bayona is a major rising talent. His greatest challenge will be in making me care about what happens in Jurassic World 2, but if this one is any indication, I have faith he can pull it off.

7. LA LA LAND

Who doesn’t love a good musical? Especially one starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone directed by Damien Chazelle, the man behind 2014’s brilliant Whiplash. La La Land harkens back to the good ol’ fashioned days of fun, heartfelt musical-making. I get people's complaints about it not having much going on beneath the surface, but it is so endearing and so lovable that only the most stonehearted cynic will walk away unimpressed.

6. CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

So many heroes, so many storylines, so much action, and yet the Russo Brothers, once again, deliver one of Marvel Studios’ best offerings yet. Civil War features some of the best action sequences and most poignant character moments of the entire series.

5. MOONLIGHT

I can only read so many reviews written by straight, white males about how Moonlight is one of the definitive statements on the black, queer experience before I want to jump off a bridge, but Moonlight rises above these pretentions. Barry Jenkins delivers a deeply felt, beautifully shot work of art.

4. THE NICE GUYS

Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe make one of the best odd couples that have ever graced the silver screen, backed by the master of the ‘odd couple’ genre Shane Black.

3. ARRIVAL

Haunting and beautiful, Arrival is a stunning piece of work which further cements the reputation of Denis Villeneuve and one of Amy Adams' best performances yet. A science-fiction masterpiece.

2. EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!

When it comes to celebrating all the ordinary moments that make life so special, Richard Linklater is without peer and his ‘spiritual sequel’ to Dazed & Confused is no exception. Everybody Wants Some!! perfectly captures that rush of freedom that comes with going off to college for the first time and the realization that every avenue offers a means to better discover who you truly are.

1. MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

The fact that this one knocked a Richard Linklater movie out of my top spot should be enough of an indicator of how incredible it is. The best compliment I could pay any movie is that I didn't want it to end, and after 2 hours and 20 minutes, that's exactly how I felt about Manchester by the Sea. I would gladly have sat in the theater for another two hours just to make sure all the characters in this movie ended up okay. It is an extraordinary and beautiful work, brimming with optimism and hope despite its devastating subject matter. Casey Affleck delivers one of the best performances I’ve ever seen and Kenneth Lonergan’s screenplay and direction are masterful in their subtlety and nuance.

Shawn Eastridge's Favorite Films of 2016 Part 2: Honorable Mentions

And the adventure continues! Here are the 2016 releases I thoroughly enjoyed, but didn't quite make it to the final cut. 

Doctor Strange

Another solid effort from Marvel Studios. Its mind-bending imagery makes up for the standard origin story fare and Benedict Cumberbatch is a welcome addition to the Marvel family.

Finding Dory

Way better than I would ever have expected. Ellen Degeneres shines in this unnecessary, but surprisingly solid sequel.

Hail, Caeser!

Even a lesser Coen Brothers movie is still worth watching, and Hail, Caeser! is no exception. Featuring an extraordinary ensemble cast, the Coens’ trademark humor and a delightful, madcap sensibilites, Hail, Caeser! is another solid notch on the belt of this incredible filmmaking duo.

Hardcore Henry

This is the kind of film you only need to see once, but should experience at least once, especially if you’re in an inebriated state of mind. Hardcore Henry, a film that takes place solely from a first-person perspective, is sheer madness and energy. It doesn’t make a lick of sense and it’s consistently stupid, but it’s a whole lot of fun. Sharlto Copley is a wonderful addition.

Kubo and the Two Strings

The animation intrigued me more than the actual story, but Kubo and the Two Strings is an imaginative, unique effort.

The Lobster

One of the more bizarre movies I’ve ever seen, and one I’m not sure I could say I enjoyed, but the craft on display is unmistakable, as is the quality of the lead performances from Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz.

Pete’s Dragon

Nobody asked for a remake to the bizarre 1977 live-action/animation hybrid Pete’s Dragon, and yet here it is, and it’s far better than it has any right to be. Bojan Bazelli’s cinematography and David Lowery’s direction make up for the well-trod thematic territory.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One suffers from a lack of interesting characters or a strong through line for much of its runtime, but it comes together for a superb, crowd-pleasing finale.

The Shallows

Blake Lively vs. Evil Shark. No more. No less. Lots of fun and very suspenseful.

Swiss Army Man

Like The Lobster, Swiss Army Man will go down as one of the more bizarre things I have ever seen committed to film, but Swiss Army Man is far more charming. Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano are a joy to watch and should try to be in as many movies together as possible.

That's that! Stay tuned for Part 3: My Top Favorite Films of 2016

Shawn Eastridge's Favorite Films of 2016 Part 1: Biggest Disappointments and Worst of the Bunch

Oscar day is nearly here, the perfect excuse for me to finally, at long last, roll out my favorite films of 2016. But as has been the case in previous years, before we can get to the best, we've got to trudge through the worst. Here are my biggest disappointments and least favorites of last year's releases.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS

Captain Fantastic

Let's start this list off with a bang, shall we? Not gonna lie, I hated this movie. Hated the characters. Hated the story. Hated. Hated. Hated. Hate. Ed. Not even Viggo Mortensen can elevate this underdeveloped nonsense, which is liberal, hippie garbage of the most pretentious order. Hated.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

A Harry Potter prequel penned by none other than J.K. Rowling herself – what could possibly go wrong? A great deal, apparently. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them suffers from both an identity crisis and a lack of compelling characters. Its performances are dull; David Yates' direction is stale. That we have to sit through four more of these movies feels more like a threat than something to look forward to.

Ghostbusters (2016)

Can someone explain to me why we needed this movie? Ghostbusters (2016) isn’t particularly bad, but it is by no means particularly good either. Its biggest failing is that it’s not very funny, despite the involvement of a talented cast. Leslie Jones stands as the best of the bunch, the only actor here who feels like an actual character instead of a shallow comedy routine.

Hacksaw Ridge

A Hallmark movie for dads and grandpas. I think Mel Gibson legitimately gets off on absurd levels of violence, but he goes overboard into cartoonish territory here. Andrew Garfield holds things together despite a laughable southern accent with his sincere portrayal of Army Medic Desmond Doss. Doss’s story is incredible, there’s no argument there. I just wish this effort had been more worthy of his accomplishments.

Jason Bourne

I’m a huge fan of The Bourne Trilogy, so when Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass announced a sequel, I couldn’t have been more excited. What a shame that their first effort in nearly a decade is so lackluster. Everything that transpires in Jason Bourne carries the weight of a heavy, disinterested sigh. Everyone is going through the motions and the final result is perhaps the worst thing Greengrass has ever produced.

Sing Street

It actually pains me to include this one here. Sing Street doesn’t do anything overtly wrong, as most of the films on this list do. I loved the music and the young cast is excellent, but story-wise the film never finds its focus and its young adult-style romance is undercooked. The entire thing rang false to me, which is a shame because I really wanted to enjoy it.

X-Men: Apocalypse

I keep forgetting this movie exists. It’s by no means the worst X-Men film of the bunch (I’m looking at you, X-Men 3), but it is overblown and overstuffed with plotlines. I wish Bryan Singer had chosen to focus on the young students (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler) and their development instead of shoehorning in the whole Apocalypse storyline in such an unsatisfactory way. It’s like Singer’s need to compete with Marvel Studios’ action-packed efforts caused him to forget his biggest strengths as a storyteller.

THE WORST OF THE BUNCH

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

I’ve already spoken ad nauseum about BvS: Dawn of the Death of Cinema, so I’ll keep things brief: this movie sucks. Like, it really, really sucks. It’s an insult to Batman, it’s an insult to Superman, it’s an insult to the talent involved and it’s an insult to filmmaking in general. I can’t wait to see Zack Snyder’s studio-influenced, ‘make it funnier!’ take on the Justice League. It’ll be a glorious shitstorm.

Central Intelligence

I’m paraphrasing here, but I’m fairly certain there’s a line in Central Intelligence where someone says, “Can we just go home already?” I recall turning to my wife in the theater and saying, a bit too loudly, “Yes, PLEASE. Can we?” Central Intelligence is garbage. It is one of the least funny ‘comedies’ I have ever seen in my life. Not even Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s charm and stunning good looks could save this mess.

Collateral Beauty

What is this movie? I saw this with my dear friend, the talented and dashing Matthew Schott, and at nearly every moment we turned to each other, expressions of sheer bewilderment on our faces, and asked, ‘What the hell is happening?’ It is a disaster of epic proportions and I am shocked it found its way to the big screen with such a shoddy screenplay. I encourage anyone interested in screenwriting to take a gander at this film. It is a MASTER CLASS in what not to do when writing your script, or really for anything regarding good filmmaking.

Independence Day: Resurgence

If one pointless sequel could have done with a bit more shameless referencing of its predecessor, it would be Independence Day: Resurgence. This movie is so dumb, but it lacks the self-aware absurdity that made the original Independence Day such a delight. If Resurgence had recognized just how stupid it was and embraced it whole-heartedly, it would have been far more entertaining. Instead, it’s just another bland, lifeless, effects-driven blockbuster.

Sausage Party

If the thought of obvious sexual references involving food and cartoon characters with potty mouths appeals to you, then jump on board. Once I realized that was all Sausage Party had going for it, I quickly checked out. The film is painfully unfunny and its attempts at social relevance are embarrassing and juvenile.

The Secret Life of Pets

Basically Toy Story only way less funny and far more annoying. The Secret Life of Pets has absolutely nothing going for it. That's all.

Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad is better than Batman v Superman in one respect: it is absolutely insane. It has this manic energy that propels its nonsensical plot forward with such zest that all I could do was laugh and laugh. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s still a terrible film, but at the very least I was more entertained by its terribleness than I was with BvS’s. Will Smith and Margot Robbie are the only members of the cast who turn in anything resembling a worthwhile performance. Jared Leto’s performance as ‘Not-Really-Joker-Just-A-Creepy-Mobster’ is painful.

There you have it, folks! Part 2 and 3, detailing my Honorable Mentions and Top Favorites will be coming either today or tomorrow. Stay tuned!