At last, the trainwreck of a year that has been 2016 is finally drawing to a close. Even the most optimistic among us could struggle to argue with the menagerie of awful events that have happened over the last three hundred and sixty five days. We've lost so many iconic celebrities, especially entertainers, including the likes of David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder, Kenny Baker and even Carrie Fisher, who's death was announced even as I wrote this post. We've also been subjected to an unfathomable number of shootings and terrorist attacks, the Brexit vote and the ensuing political fallout and, of course, the election of a moronic, racist, sexist, untrustworthy pig to the highest governmental position in the United States.
Even on a personal level, this hasn't been the best of years. While I've had a few triumphs such as getting into university and making Viewfinder, my year has still been saturated with various stresses and strife for me, my family and even my closest friends. It's been a hard time for everyone.
But, as ever, I've sought respite in the world of film and TV, and boy what a years it's been. Between uni screenings and just general exploration, I've watched so many films this year, certainly more than any other year. "But Nick," I hear an annoying voice shout from the back of my head, as some confused parallel with my readers, "We all know most of those films are obscure foreign films and mainstream classics you should have seen yonks ago. What about releases actually from 2016?"
Thanks for your input, annoying voice in the back of my head. Yes, that might be true for most of the one-hundred-and-sixty-odd films I've seen this year, but quip all you like, because I'll have you know I've seen a mind-boggling fifteen of 2016's releases (all stats according to Letterboxd, btw), more than enough to make a legitimate list this year...even if that did mean having to rent a couple of releases to catch up.
So yes, unlike last year, I'm pretty confident in saying this year's list is a top 5 of 2016, barring any latecomers too busy on the festival circuit and eager to hijack Osacar season ticket sales to actually make a cinema run this side of NYE, such as Moonlight and La La Land. Which leads me nicely to my exciting new feature.
I've often complained how the best films of each year are often not released properly until Oscar season: too late for this list. So, as a new feature, every year I will now also give a quick updated Top 5 for the previous year, now that I've had the chance to see some more of the bigger contenders. So, here are my revised lists for the previous two years.
Updated Top 5 of 2014
5. Kajaki - Paul Katis
4. The Grand Budapest Hotel - Wes Anderson
3. The Imitation Game - Morten Tyldum
2. Whiplash - Damien Chazelle
1. Birdman - Alejandro González Iñárritu
Updated Top 5 of 2015
5. The Revenant - Alejandro González Iñárritu
4. Inside Out - Pete Docter
3. Jurassic World - Colin Trevorrow
2. Mad Max: Fury Road - George Miller
1. Ex Machina - Alex Garland
So now, without further ado, your feature presentation. Here are the five best films, in my humble opinion, to come out of this sorry excuse for a year.
5. Deadpool - Tim Miller
It's probably no big surprise, especially if you know me IRL, that I'm not the biggest fan of Marvel. The films themselves (Disney's output, at least) just seem a bit bland and forgettable: the only one I've seen that really left any kind of lasting impression was The Avengers. The fanbase for these films doesn't help my opinion either, but that's a topic for another day.
So while I did know a little about Deadpool beforehand, I wasn't expecting a whole lot from the film. But wouldn't you know, the fans are right for once: it's actually quite good. It's not any kind of masterpiece, but then it's hardly trying to be. The humour's pretty low-brow: primarily sex jokes and fourth-wall breaks, but it all fits with the character and the film's semi-parodic tone, so it all works surprisingly well and I found myself laughing more frequently than I would have predicted.
Again, nothing spectacular, but its an entertaining and off-beat little pastiche, with a surprising amount of heart behind it, and it will almost certainly make you chuckle, maybe even enough to warrant the brown pants. 8/10, Medium Recommendation
4. The Nice Guys - Shane Black
I'm not the biggest fan of Russell Crowe, but it is apparently possible to make him in to an enjoyable character. For those who missed it, The Nice Guys is a 70's-set comedy thriller about two detectives, Crowe and Gosling, who end up investigating the murder of a porn star, leading to a grand conspiracy (because it's never not a conspiracy). Pretty standard stuff, but what sets it apart from other detective thrillers is how outrageously funny it is. From Gosling's attempt at punching through a window, to a group of pollution protesters trying to play dead, this film is full of hilarious scenes as well as some great lines ("They had their balls removed. What's that called?" "Marriage?"). This is only Shane Black's third film, (after Iron Man 3) and I'm already excited to see what he does next, and to watch his first work, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
If you have a dark sense of humour, this is definitely worth a watch: I, for one, was pretty much laughing throughout. Either way, if you're looking for a solid, dark comedy to brighten up your evening, this is definitely a nice choice. 8/10, High Recommendation
3. 10 Cloverfield Lane - Dan Trachtenberg
At the heart of 10 Cloverfield Lane is a central dilemna that creates an incredible sense of drama and tension. Our two leads are locked in an underground bunker with an unstable conspiracy theorist who claims that the outside world has been ravaged by some kind of extra-terrestrial attack. They've either been saved by a misunderstood do-gooder, or they're being deceived and held captive by an unstable conspiracy nut, or possibly a mix of both, with no clear answer until right at the end. It's a fantastic catch-22 situation, and there's a constant paranoia and suspicions throughout the film, as the audience, along with the protagonist, scrutinize every detail to try and find the truth, and there's enough evidence to suggest either scenario. The end is really the only faltering point. Without spoiling, we do find out the truth and it does feel a little bit of a letdown. It's not enough to hurt the movie, but it would have been a lot stronger if it ended on an ambiguous note, maybe about ten minutes earlier. It also suffers a bit from it's 12 rating: there are some pretty violent and intense moments, and it does do a good job of doing a lot within its restrictions, but especially during a moment near the end involving corrosive acid, it could have done with a 15 certificate to really make it work.
These are minor nitpicks though, and otherwise this really is a pretty impressive and memorable film, and John Goodman is absolutely incredible as Howard, the conspiracy theorist; his performance is utterly terrifying at points, and really helps sell this films premise. Don't worry if you've never seen the original Cloverfield (although it too is worth a watch), this film is practically its own self-contained story and works just fine, arguably better, without any prior knowledge of the original. Definitely worth venturing outside the bunker for. 8/10, High Recommendation
2. Zootopia - Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
And yes, I am using it's original, American title. Because 'Zootopia' is an actual pun that works, and 'Zootropolis' is a nonsensical mess. Why the change? Apparently, there's a zoo somewhere in England already called Zootopia, and they didn't want the film to go by the same name. And who can blame them? How awful must it be to have a business that shares a name with a Disney property, thus generating a massive surge in business from the family demographic as kids flock there through sheer brand recognition. Just what would they do with all that money?
Anyway. I've always had a bit of an indifference towards Disney. I was brought up on their films as a kid like everyone else was, but they just must not have left that much of an impression because I barely remember any of them to this day. That being said, Zootpia definitely seems to capture that so-called Disney magic, and it had me smiling from ear-to-ear by the end credits. There's some absolutely superb writing, both in the dialogue and humour, as well as the integration of themes and morals of racial discrimination in such a way that was obvious enough that it was clear for the kids, but still really engaging and not too preachy, at least, not to the excruciating degree that most racism films are. The world building and lore also show a lot of attention to detail: it's clear that a lot of effort has been put into fleshing out this city of animals, and the mechanics that allow it to operate.
I was really taken aback by just how good this film was, especially considering my previous preconception of Disney as this corporate, money-grabbing supergiant (which it still is), but no, there was genuine effort and heart on display here, and definitely a great film for kids. 9/10, High Recommendation
1. The Neon Demon - Nicholas Winding Refn
Bit of a controversial choice for number one, but I stand by The Neon Demon as being one of the best of the year. Certainly a divisive film: most people seem to either love it or hate it, much like marmite. A fitting comparison, as this film is dripping with a heavy, dark and unsettling atmosphere: one that really helps to make this more of an experience than just a film.
The only other film I've seen of Refn's is Drive (I know right, aren't I a special snowflake) and both it and this have this sort of strange surreality to it, and while Drive left me cold for taking itself a bit too seriously, The Neon Demon fully embraces its utter absurdity and really flourishes because of it, playing out like some kind of beautiful nightmare. As with Drive, the cinematography and use of lighting are orgasmically good, and the soundtrack by Cliff Martinez contributes a lot to the film's heavy atmosphere: it's a film that demands a cinema viewing. It's certainly not for everyone, but I'd encourage anyone even remotely interested to give it a try. For me at least, this was the one that stood out the most to me this year, and I can't wait to rewatch it when I get ahold of it on Bluray. This film is a diamond in a sea of glass. 9/10, Medium Recommendation
Well, that concludes another year. I guess besides 'A Muse Retrospective' I haven't posted too much this year, but there are plenty of posts in the works, don't you worry. The Oscar double bill should be up in January and February as usual, then after that I'm going to try and finish off some of these draft posts (one of them's about 1000 words in and I haven't touched it for months!). Thanks to everyone for their continued patience with me and my procrastination: I am very grateful to all of you who actually read the stuff I write, it makes it all worth it.
So, I wish you all a belated merry Christmas and a hopefully better new year!
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