Best of '16: Hell or High Water

-You fellas robbin' the bank?
-What's it look like old man?!?
-But you ain't Mexicans.

Any devoted reader of my movie blog knows I am a sucker for a bank-robbin' movie. This is especially true when the perpetrators are logical (banks are insured, insurance companies are crooks, we're just robbing the robbers), noble (this money is just going to help my family/sick cousin/lame dog/etc.), and charismatic (it helps if you cast somebody like McConaughey, Willis, or, you know, Chris "Capt. Kirk" Pine). It's even better when the robbers are pitted against an equally logical, noble, and charismatic lawman (extra points if you can find the money for Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, or, you know, "The Dude" himself.

This movie is darn near perfect. I can't imagine anybody who likes a good "western"-type movie disliking it. This movie is on DVD and streaming services. Close this browser, put down your phone, get off the computer, go watch this now!

Best of '16: Kubo and the Two Strings

He looked into my eyes and uttered four simple words. These words changed everything... You are my quest.

There's something about an art-form that is as tedious and time-consuming as stop-motion animation that brings out the best in storytellers. I have long been a fan of Aardman studios (most famous for Wallace & Gromit) and the Rankin/Bass specials from the '60s are downright timeless.  Laika studios has joined this tradition with their animated models that take the practice to incredibly detailed levels. Seven years ago they scared my pants off with their "button-eyed" creepy debut Coraline. Both ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls were respectably fun, but Kubo sets a new bar. This story transcends the film and would have succeeded as live-action, traditional animation, a novel, or even a comic. I foresee that we will be hearing plenty about Moana and Zootopia coming up this awards season, but a little boy and his magical guitar represent the one of the very best films of the year.

Best of '16: Hail, Caesar!

Would that it were so simple.

I was genuinely concerned with the Coen brothers' newest movie was pushed to the movie graveyard of an early 2016 release. This usually means there is something wrong with the movie or a big star doesn't want it released to embarrass them and thus their award chances. After seeing the film, I can only guess that studio execs were simply taken aback by the brothers' return to silly comedy that hearkens back to their early career. I, for one, welcome the return. Llewyn Davis, True Grit, and A Serious Man were beautiful, slow-burning near-masterpieces, but this film channels the fun of O Brother, Barton Fink, and Raising Arizona. The movie is worth the watch if for only the scene referenced in the quote above where Ralph Fiennes stuffy British director struggles to get a young studio heartthrob to speak in a way befitting a "true" thespian. I truly believe future Coenites will look back on this one as an underrated gem.

Best of '16: Arrival

If you could see your whole life laid out in front of you, would you change things?

I wouldn't suggest Hollywood gets into the habit of translating cerebral sci-fi short stories into prodding, beautiful, feature-length films. Still, if you're gonna do that, THIS is how it is done. Yes it is slow, but purposeful. Dreamy, but beautiful. Light on story, but successfully tells its delicate little tale in a way that sticks with the viewer long after the final credits have rolled.  

This is also another entry into what is quickly becoming the golden age of science fiction: The Martian, Interstellar, Moon, Edge of Tomorrow, Midnight Special, Ex Machina, etc.

Best of '16: 10 Cloverfield Lane

...I accept your apology.

Most of the time, when a movie is released in February or March it is usually either a mindless piece of drivel or an attempt by the studio to hide what turned out to be an embarrassing waste of money. This year a significant handful of quality cinema was released very early in the year. I don't really know why, but I certainly welcome this exception to what is usually a Hollywood graveyard.

This film is a sequel to 2008's viral marketing victory Cloverfield, but shares little with its predecessor other than name and universe. Original, claustrophobic, twisting, and shocking, "Lane" offers a diverting entry into the horror/monster genre.

Best of '16: Moana

I know the way! I AM MOANA!

Disney is on a pretty solid win-streak in this decade. Purchasing Marvel and Lucasfilm while keeping the Pixar folks on board may prove to be the most financially lucrative decisions of the new millennium. Combine that with actually telling solid stories in their tentpole features (aka "the Pixar method") and you are on a roll.

As for this film, it is the best of the new Disney. It does everything the classic films did right and avoids nearly all of their unfortunate paternalistic lessons. I actually think it would have been even better without the Rock's Maui character. His motivation was a little unclear (he actually caused the entire conflict), and he is little more than comic relief or an excuse to have a central "boy" character. The movie still succeeds at being the most inspiring and beautiful mainstream animated film of the past few years.

Best of '16: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

-Mr. Scamander, do you know anything about the wizarding community in America?
-I do know a few things, actually. I know you have rather backwards laws about relations with non-magic people. That you're not meant to befriend them, that you can't marry them, which seems mildly absurd to me.

At long last! It is time for the annual return to blog-life for a recap of the year in film and countdown to my favorite night of entertainment self-congratulation: The Oscars! Without further ado, I present the twenty or so films that qualify for my prestigious label of "Best of '16":

The first Harry Potter film came out in 2001. I had not read the books, but I am a sucker for just about any film that comes prepackaged with the amount of fanaticism that requires midnight showings and cosplay at the theater. I was underwhelmed, but I kept coming back over and over. I really enjoyed Goblet of Fire, but fell asleep during Half-Blood Prince. I rediscovered the series when Abby wanted them read as bed-time stories, and although I'm still not a huge fan, I still appreciate Rowling's fantastic world. 

With that in mind, it only took fifteen years for the franchise to release a truly exceptional movie. That's right, Fantastic Beasts is easily the best film set in the Wizarding World. Maybe it is because Rowling wasn't bound to fan expectation, but nearly every aspect of this film is superior to the Potter stories. I look forward to what these characters and this corner of Rowling's universe have in store for us next.