Written by Tyrone BruinsmaHonorable Mentions: -Baskin [Dir. Can Evrenol] -Batman: The Killing Joke [Dir. Sam Liu] -Bite [Dir. Chad Archibald] -Black Mountain Side [Dir. Nick Szostakiwskyj] -Blair Witch [Dir. Adam Wingard] -Blood Father [Dir. Jean-François Richet] -Carnage Park [Dir. Mickey Keating] -Criminal [Dir. Ariel Vromen] -Deepwater Horizon [Dir. Peter Berg] -Doctor Strange [Dir. Scott Derrickson] -The Edge of Seventeen [Dir. Kelly Fremon Craig] -Elle [Dir. Paul Verhoeven] -The Founder [Dir. John Lee Hancock] -Free Fire [Dir. Ben Wheatley] -Goldstone [Dir. Ivan Sen] -The Great Wall [Dir. Zhang Yimou] -Hail, Caesar [Dir. Coen Brothers] -Hardcore Henry [Dir. Ilya Naishuller] -Hell or High Water [Dir. David Mackenzie] -Hidden Figures [Dir. Theodore Melfi] -High-Rise [Dir. Ben Wheatley] -Inferno [Dir. Ron Howard] -Into the Inferno [Dir. Werner Herzog] -The Jungle Book [Dir. Jon Faverau] -Kubo and the Two Strings [Dir. Travis Knight] -Lights Out [Dir. David F. Sandberg] -The Lost City of Z [Dir. James Gray] -The Magnificent Seven [Dir. Antoine Fuqua] -Moana [Dir. Ron Clements and John Musker] -Money Monster [Di.r Jodie Foster] -The Monster [Dir. Bryan Bertino] -A Monster Calls [Dir. J. A. Bayona] -Nocturnal Animals [Dir. Tom Ford] -O.J.: Made in America [Dir. Ezra Edelman] -Operation Avalanche [Dir. Matt Johnson] -Queen of Katwe [Dir. Mira Nair] -A Silent Voice [Dir. Naoko Yamada] -Star Trek: Beyond [Dir. Justin Lin] -Suicide Squad (Extended Edition) [Dir. David Ayer] -Sully [Dir. Clint Eastwood] -10 Cloverfield Lane [Dir. Dan Trachtenberg] -Terra Formars [Dir. Takashi Miike] -Triple 9 [Dir. John Hillcoat] -20th Century Women [Dir. Mike Mills] -The Untamed [Dir. Amat Escalante] -Warcraft [Dir. Duncan Jones] -We Are The Flesh [Dir. Emiliano Rocha Minter] -Zootopia [Dir. Byron Howard and Rich Moore] 20. Don’t Breathe [Dir. Fede Alvarez]After directing the awesome Evil Dead remake, Fede Alvarez and producer Sam Raimi produced one of the best original horror films of the 2010’s. A film about criminals trying to rob a dangerous blind man is easily one of the best set ups in recent memory, with its dark twisty narrative pushing it further. The visuals, color grade and cinematography are amazing for a low budget horror film and build genuine suspense. It feels like a mix between rape revenge exploitation thrillers like Last House on the Left and classical slashers like Friday the 13th. The full reveal shocks me to this day, giving the cast a lot of opportunities to show their skill as performers. I just wish its sequel wasn’t disappointing. 19. Deadpool [Dir. Tim Miller]After superheroes cemented themselves as the dominant piece of cinematic blockbuster, the long awaited Deadpool film came along to be a gory, debauched R-Rated mainstream version of the genre. While superhero satires and parodies have existed before-Deadpool correctly made and marketed itself as a barrel of laughs and blood action film with Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The action, comedy, violence, fourth wall breaks, acting and technical proficiency made this an instant classic amongst genre fans. Deadpool isn't a deep film, because it's perfect as the ridiculous joyride that it is. 18. Hacksaw Ridge [Dir. Mel Gibson]While acknowledging Mel Gibson's incredibly problematic beliefs and actions, it cannot be denied that Gibson knows how to make a great film when not blinded by his beliefs. Hacksaw Ridge covers the story of a World War 2 medic who refused to ever fire a weapon on his religious beliefs. It's a powerful story that has a sincere heart in its faith, conveys the full spectrum of humanity and engages in truly gory wartime action. While Andrew Garfield does an amazing job as the lead martyr, he's surrounded by gifted actors including Hugo Weaving, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington and Teresa Palmer. It's as much an earnest emotional tale as much as a violent spectacle. 17. Green Room [Dir. Jeremy Saulnier]From the director of Murder Party and Blue Ruin comes a slick, nasty claustrophobic thriller about why Neo Nazis are bad. Granted I didn't think we needed a reminder of why Neo Nazis are bad, but some people are that dense. Green Room sees a band trapped in a bar owned by violent Neo Nazis, with the film acting as a siege film like Assault on Precinct 13 but focusing more on horrific kills, fallible characters and tension. It's not an easy watch or something for everyone-but absolutely a must-see. 16. Shin Godzilla [Dir. Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi]The first Japanese produced Godzilla film since 2004’s Final Wars sees Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno create nightmarish Godzilla for the new age. A commentary on recent Japanese disasters, bureaucracy, globalization and the continued effects of post War War 2 nuclear power, it’s a reboot the King of the Monsters has been needing for some time. Godzilla’s body horror evolution (which wasn’t even fully explored) is one of my favorite incarnations of the beast, the action scenes contrasted with the satirical political meetings and the amazing score all speak to an artistry that this franchise deserves. The music is awe inspiring yet bone chilling, and that final shot…goosebumps. 15. Captain America: Civil War [Dir. Russo Brothers]Marvel’s first big character crossover that isn’t an Avengers film is easily one of their best. While I dislike the lacking score, gray color palette and other issues: the film, like many Marvel films, is solid to the core. Its strengths are having a cast who comfortably inhabit their characters, the introduction to Spider-Man and Black Panther were awesome, great action scenes and a politically charged emotional story. And yes, that airport battle and final showdown are two of Marvel’s best moments. 14. The Nice Guys [Dir. Shane Black]After making a billion dollars with Iron Man 3, Shane Black decided to make the biggest and best version of the scripts that made him an iconic action writer. The Nice Guys feels like the perfect version of Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, a buddy crime comedy set in the 70’s with an overly complicated plot that ends up being very simple. In a way, it’s similar to The Big Lebowski as an intentionally complex satire of classic noir film while still being a lot of fun. Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling have amazing chemistry, while the visuals, music and action scenes show the skill everyone put into the film. It’s a blast. 13. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi [Dir. Michael Bay]Michael Bay’s earnest and sincere military action film about the Benghazi incident is easily one of his best. Avoiding his dark comedy trappings and nihilistic style, Bay makes an equivalent to Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down as a military action biopic. The action scenes are perfectly handled with an almost horror movie vibe at times, the cast do a great job in both action scenes and character moments, with Bay’s filmmaking having only evolved. It’s one of two films Bay has made that made me tear up and that’s worth something. 12. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story [Dir. Gareth Edwards]The first Star Wars spin-off by Disney turns out to be easily one of the best in the franchise. A tonally and stylistically different film for what’s come before, it actually ties very well to the original’s anti-Vietnam War sentiment by resembling a Vietnam War film and 70’s spy thriller into one. The cast is really good, even if I feel the film doesn't give them enough to do. The film looks gorgeous, has great action scenes and has easily one of the best final scenes in a Star Wars film. 11. Arrival [Dir. Denis Villeneuve] Before he helmed Blade Runner 2047 and Dune, Denis Villeneuve delved into science fiction for the first time with this clever film. Arrival might not be a master's, but it's a well crafted and smartly written sci-fi tale that doesn't give into pure action. While I wish the final reveal was told more visually than just being told to us, the narrative is both a great exploration of language and the language of cinema. Having a cast like Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner just cements the ability the film has to engage audiences. 10. Silence [Dir. Martin Scorsese]For Scorsese to go from the riotous Wolf of Wall Street to this harrowing drama is just a testament to his amazing abilities as a filmmaker. Silence tells the story of Portuguese priests in Japan facing religious oppression by the Japanese state. In doing so, the film examines the nuances of colonialism, religious persecution and the idea of suffering as faith. Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver and Liam Neeson may shine-but the underappreciated Japanese cast do too. It's gorgeously shot, emotionally gripping and very much a modern equivalent to Scorsese's own Last Temptation of Christ. This film is a reminder that Scorsese does not make bad films. 9. Moonlight [Dir. Barry Jenkins] Moonlight is not an epic film, but it is a great film for the ages. The exploration of a gay black man from childhood to adulthood, his environment, and the forces that made and fought him is one of the best films in recent memory. It's visually gorgeous in its use of blue and purples, the entire cast is brilliant and it's a showcase for Barry Jenkins as a new masterclass filmmaker. While I'm not a fan of the 2019 Lion King remake, I am actually interested in the sequel Barry Jenkins will be helming. 8. Train to Busan [Dir. Yeon Sang-ho]South Korea released 3 masterpieces in 2016, with the most popular being this awesome zombie action horror flick. Train to Busan is easily the best zombie film since 28 Days Later, providing thrilling sequences of horror and action with near perfect direction. It might retread some familiar ground in the long lasting sub-genre, but will likely not be topped for many years. As for its American sequel…fingers crossed, but Train to Busan was so hard to follow even it's sequel didn't please many. 7. The Shallows [Dir. Jaume Collet-Serra]This is easily the closest someone has come to making a killer shark film as good as Jaws since Deep Blue Sea. Workman thriller director Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Unknown, Non-Stop) efficiently directs this creature feature as "Die Hard with a shark" better than most filmmakers recently have. Blake Lively as the solo lead commits herself to the role and reminds everyone that she can carry blockbuster films. Scary, well crafted, exciting and far better than it deserved to be-I recommend this universally. 6. Fences [Dir. Denzel Washington] Based on the classic stage play, Denzel Washington and a power house cast bring this intimate drama to life for the big screen. Denzel's direction is simple, but extremely effective in allowing the iconic dialogue and his cast's performances to speak for themselves. While there is obviously a lot going on in regards to race relations in America's not so distant past, I related to this film immensely in terms of difficult father and son relationships. This should be mandatory viewing for all. 5. The Wailing [Dir. Na Hong-jin]South Korea's other masterpiece was this 2.5 Hour horror film that belongs in the pantheon of classic horror cinema next to The Shining. The Wailing is one of the most perfectly crafted horror films in recent memory, narratively addressing themes of sin, religion, xenophobia and the concept of faith. Its performances are Oscar caliber, the horror is brilliantly handled and its gut punch ending will leave you shocked. I cannot recommend this enough to horror fans. 4. The Neon Demon [Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn]But the best horror film of 2016 belongs to Danish mad genius Nicolas Winding Refn with his appropriately titled The Neon Demon. Told in an unconventional way similar to Refn's prior film Only God Forgives, the story explores beauty, sexuality and femininity in glorious art house fashion. While you may have to reach the film to fully understand its narrative, the visceral experience is gorgeous, sexy and righteously disturbing. It truly falls in line with similar horror films like A Cure for Wellness, Mother!, Hereditary and the remake of Suspiria - I can't guarantee you'll like it, but you won't easily forget it. 3. Your Name [Dir. Makoto Shinkai]The anime film that took the world by storm is genuinely excellent. Your Name blends a great story, emotional beats and peak animation quality into one perfect package. Your Name sees two characters connected by a sci-fi element in what at first starts out with funny hijinks, before making many emotional turns. Anyone who has seen the film or the director’s prior works; The Garden of Words or The Children Who Chase Lost Voices can attest to the visual delight it has. Anime has continued to dominate pop culture and the animation scene, making me wish western companies would capitalize on this and go back to theatrical 2D wonderlands. Your Name easily stands as one of the best recent animated films, rivaling Disney and Pixar while outpacing the likes of Illumination and even Dreamworks. 2. The Handmaiden [Dir. Park Chan-Wook]For all intents and purposes, The Handmaiden is the best film of 2016. As far as inventive, engaging, perfectly crafted, brilliantly written, pristinely acted and just unbelievably amazing films-it’s one of the best films you can see. While not widely known as Parasite, the film is by prior masterpiece director Park Chan-Wook who directed 2003’s Oldboy. I won’t spoil the plot because really you should just take my word for it and watch it blind, because the story is that well told. Sexy, funny, dark, thrilling, romantic and deeply artistic: The Handmaiden will one day join the pantheon of perfect films alongside Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Schindler’s List, Gladiator and The Dark Knight. But it’s not my favorite film of 2016… 1. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition) [Dir. Zack Snyder]Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition) is my favorite film of 2016. Divisive is a kind way to put the response this film got from critics, audiences and fans. Some people label it as one of the worst films ever made in the modern era, while others vehemently defend it to this day. The reasons I love this film are far more nuanced than many of the “Snyder Cultists” who blindly use this film and the other pre-Justice League films in an imaginary war against Marvel.
As a filmmaker and creator, Zack Snyder and myself have similar aesthetic tastes, along with a similar development around comics and film. Batman v Superman is a film composed of imagery, sequences, mood and storytelling that directly appeals to me. I’ve always wanted to see a live action film where Batman beats the living snot out of Superman, and I was very happy with the results. I loved the cinematography, use of color, action sequences, darker tone, deconstructionist themes, performances and bombastic score. I recognize the issues people have (and prefer the Ultimate Edition as it fixes plenty of the story and pacing elements) including the “Martha” scene, but that doesn’t stop this being a film that I continue to rematch and use as artistic inspiration. I despise how anti-Marvel, anti-artistic and conspiratorial minds have co-opted Snyder’s surface level work on the DC universe as some sword and shield on social media to complain about anything they want. Snyder had a difficult time balancing Batman V Superman as his own artistic vision, a sequel to Man of Steel, a foundation for the DC Extended Universe and direct lead into the then planned 2 Justice League films. I appreciate Snyder’s artistic goals and efforts, and despise that toxic fake fans of his work would use his face just to push an anti-artistic agenda. DC and Marvel have pushed out good films and bad films, suffered from production nightmares and director fallouts, and have reasons to dislike both. But the idea that Batman V Superman is one of the worst films ever, or some untouchable work that “proves” Marvel is bad aggravates me. Zack Snyder is a very talented filmmaker who has achieved a lot in his career and for me, his epic DC film is my favorite film of 2016.
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Written by Tyrone BruinsmaDishonorable Mentions -Allegiant [Dir. Robert Schwentke] -The Angry Birds Movie [Dir. Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly] -Assassin’s Creed [Dir. Justin Kurzel] -Atomic Shark [Dir. A.B. Stone] -Batman: The Killing Joke [Dir. Sam Liu] -Before I Wake [Dir. Mike Flanagan] -Ben-Hur [Dir. Timur Bekmambetov] -Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk [Dir. Ang Lee] -Cabin Fever [Dir. Travis Zariwny] -Cell [Dir. Tod Williams] -Collateral Beauty [Dir. David Frankel] -The Curse of Sleeping Beauty [Dir. Pearry Reginald Teo] -Cyborg X [Dir. K. King] -The Darkness [Dir. Greg McLean] -Echo Rhyme [Dir. Caleb Johnson] -The 5th Wave [Dir. J Blakeson] -The Forest [Dir. Jason Zada] -Freshwater [Dir. Brandy Berry] -Ghostbusters [Dir. Paul Feig] -The Girl on the Train [Dir. Tate Taylor] -The Huntsman: Winter's War [Dir. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan] -Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party [Dir. Dinesh D'Souza and Bruce Schooley] -I'm Not Ashamed [Dir. Brian Baugh] -Jason Bourne [Dir. Paul Greengrass] -Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy [Dir. Takeshi Nozue] -La La Land [Dir. Damien Chazelle] -The Last Face [Dir. Sean Penn] -London Has Fallen [Dir. Babak Najafi] -Max Steel [Dir. Stewart Hendler] -Me Before You [Dir. Thea Sharrock] -Miracles From Heaven [Dir. Patricia Riggen] -Misconduct [Dir. Shintaro Shimosawa] -Nine Lives [Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld] -Now You See Me 2 [Dir. Jon M. Chu] -Passengers [Dir. Morten Tyldum] -The Perfect Weapon [Dir. Titus Paar] -Risen [Dir. Kevin Reynolds] -Rupture [Dir. Steven Shainberg] -Sea of Trees [Dir. Gus Van Sant] -Snowden [Dir. Oliver Stone] -Suicide Squad [Dir. David Ayer] 10. The Legend of Tarzan [Dir. David Yates]I think the fact that this Warner Brothers produced Tarzan film was thought to be a remake of Disney's 1999 Tarzan by some is hilarious. But this movie sucks as an adaptation and general blockbuster filmmaking attempt. While there's a very solid cast, they're given very little in way of chemistry or script to end up with a good film. The lackluster action scenes are few and far between, the film looks incredibly ugly despite the budget and the pointless real history inclusions feel in bad taste. And for some reason this film has a constant obsession with close ups of characters hands that conveys…nothing. If you want a gritty live action Tarzan, go watch the 1984 Greystoke film-it’s pretty good. 9. Gods of Egypt [Dir. Alex Proyas]The aesthetic of this film is about the only consistently good part of the film. Gods of Egypt is a messy film that contains a sloppy pulp sci-fi 50s comic book tone, CGI that ranges from good to terrible and a cast of moderately good actors not doing their best. The action scenes are bad; with is sadly feeling like a poor rip-off of Zack Snyder's 300. It only has a few bright spots like the fire breathing snakes, Chadwick Boseman and anti-capitalist message. The worst aspect of the film was the director's ego when audiences and critics soundly rejected his bad film, just take the L. 8. Independence Day: Resurgence [Dir. Roland Emmerich]20 years after Independence Day, Roland Emmerich returned with a thoroughly worthless sequel. On top of an underwhelming cast, the story is a weak attempt at a sequel with no sense of the atmosphere or genuine epic tone. The action scenes have nothing but genetic polish and the illusion of scope. Bad writing, bad action, bad acting and overall a bad sequel. Also, they recast the president’s daughter in this film, despite the original daughter being Mae Whitman, a very talented actress most people know as Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender. 7. X-Men: Apocalypse [Dir. Bryan Singer]I've never been a huge fan of the X-Men films, but Apocalypse finally made me realize why this series was mostly a waste: these movies always reset their status quo despite being supposed epics. X-Men: Apocalypse is named after a villain meaning the end of the world but has very little of interest happening within the entire film. None of the returning cast has anything fresh to bring to the table while that new cast does very little to enchant the audience. The action scenes are all underwhelming attempts to recreate the MCU aesthetic, with only a pointless and overly long Wolverine diversion being semi-entertaining. It's not exactly a compliment for a film when the best scene in your film is one that has no importance. 6. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them [Dir. David Yates]In an attempt to revive Harry Potter, JK Rowling and Warner Brothers have produced a very lame and misguided film. Rowling’s first directly written screenplay in the series; she writes very poorly and in an obvious manner, along with questionable racist coding. Most of the talented cast (And Eddie Redmayne) is far better than the material deserves, the film being relatively plotless and structureless for a majority of the story. David Yates continues to be a mediocre director with inconsistent CGI effects, decent production design and boring colors. If the movie was purely about finding monsters in New York (which just makes this film a lesser version of Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla) it would be fine, but all the unfocused political dealings make it bad and boring. There’s morsels of unique ideas like anti-witch humans and animal protection being smothered by self-made fan-fiction that isn't interesting and comedy that’s not funny. Also, JK Rowling is a toxic person with transphobic beliefs and has never been that good a writer. 5. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter [Dir. Paul W.S Anderson]After hitting a highpoint with the stupid but entertaining Resident Evil: Retribution, Paul WS Anderson decided to drive his video game film franchise into the ground with the worst one in The Final Chapter. After skipping what would've been a cool sequence promised in the last film, this film decides to proceed at with a nonsense plot, random action scenes and incoherent filmmaking. In trying to emulate Mad Max: Fury Road, Anderson instead makes The Book of Eli if it was edited in a blender. The structural and momentary editing are so atrocious, you'd swear Olivier Megaton made this-full of random action beats that go nowhere. If you want Milla Jovovich killing monsters, fine-but don't expect anything approaching a good movie. 4. Mechanic Resurrection [Dir. Dennis Gansel] The 2011 remake of The Mechanic was an admirable dramatic thriller until it turned into a generic action film. This unnecessary sequel feels like a more expensive version of something Steven Seagal would’ve churned out. The film is an ugly looking, poorly edited action film with terrible green screen sets and CGI effects that barely has any form of engaging action. The talented cast including Michelle Yeoh and Tommy Lee Jones are wasted with a boring story that takes itself way too seriously, despite the silly premise. There’s one unique kill that’s unfortunately spoiled by bad effects and the rest of the film feels like a generic shoot ‘em up anyone could’ve made. You might argue a $40 Million USD doesn’t get you much anymore, but we also got A Monster Calls, Arrival and Hacksaw Ridge for roughly the same price tag. Budget is no excuse for bad quality anymore, so the only saving grace is the film isn’t gratuitously offensive. 3. Red Billabong [Dir. Luke Sparke] As an Australian, I want my country’s films to be good…but sometimes they come out as truly terrible. Red Billabong is the worst Australian made movie I have ever seen, worse than Baz Luhrman’s Australia by many miles. The film is an overly long, melodramatic mess that takes itself way too seriously and barely focuses on the fact that it’s a horror film. The characters range from boring to downright stupid, motivations and dialogue often make no sense (seriously there’s a Wizard of Oz quote in here for no reason), the actually interesting and culturally relevant Aboriginal Australian characters don’t get enough screen time and the plot overall has too much and not enough going on. And I could forgive that if the monster aspect of the film was good, but they can’t even keep the creature consistent. The creature changes from the size of a T-Rex to a large dog, its noises range from Xenomorph screeches to lion roars and the CGI effects used were not even sup-par. I expected a half decent monster movie and ended up getting a poorly acted, poorly written, overly long and inconsistent drama that couldn't commit to being a monster movie. It has the lowest bar to cross and managed to fail that simple task. Unfortunately, the director would go on to make similarly bad films in Occupation and its sequel that no one cared about, while 2018 saw another bad Aussie monster movie called Boar be released. Let’s do better Australian filmmakers, please? 2. Code of Honor [Dir. Michael Winnick]Steven Seagal is a sexual creep, Putin bootlicker, likely a fraud of his many claims and a terrible actor. Most of his films since Executive Decision have all been terrible, poorly acted, barely written movies with no good action. Code of Honor is seemingly like all the other junk he's made for almost 2 decades (a terrible generic action thriller), but contains a completely ridiculous attempt at making a Fight Club/Usual Suspects style twist that makes it almost insulting. Aside from maybe one long take and that preposterous attempt at a twist, there's nothing of value here unless you want to see awful acting, terrible action scenes and laughable effects. I don't know why or how Steven Seagal trash like this got made, but I hope he never makes another film, harms another woman or speaks another garbage opinion again. 1. Norm of the North [Dir. Trevor Wall]Originally set to be direct to DVD garbage, Lionsgate somehow had the confidence to put Norm of the North into theatres. That confidence did not pay off as this visual abomination not only lost out to good films in January 2016 like 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Kung Fu Panda 3 and The Boy, but couldn't even out compete bad films like The Forest, Ride Along 2, Dirty Grandpa and The Finest Hours. Norm of the North is one of the worst animated films ever made alongside Foodfight-wherein the animation is genuinely horrible despite a decent production budget. While I expect washed-up failed human Rob Schnieder to be here; why are Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, Gabriel Iglesias and Bill Nighy here? The comedy, animation, voice acting, story and entire "goal" of this film is complete failure to the point kids will despise it. A film with zero redeeming qualities and the WORST film of 2016 by a somehow wide margin.
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