15 Films you Probably missed in 2016!
Yay, it's that time of year again! I tend to write two types of lists, a top ten of the year, and a list of films that are great but people may have missed. This year was so good with movies that I had to make a top 15 list. This is in no order, this is supposed to promote films that people generally might not have seen. So, let's get to it and check it out!
15. Pete’s Dragon
While this may be the biggest budgeted film on this list, by no means did people give a flip to go see it in the movie theater. I think it did alright, but it is very underrated. Pete's Dragon is such a wonderful film, and a family friendly film that we haven't had in a long time. Notice I didn't say kid's film, because Pete's Dragon is told in a way that's mature, but also comes from a place of wonder that kid's will enjoy. All ages will like this, and it's one of the few remakes that takes the original, and spin it in a new direction without going too far. On one hand it's almost exactly like Pete's Dragon, the original, when it comes to story beats, but it holds up as it's own movie instead of being a remake. I'd put it on my list of favorite remakes up there with Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
14. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
This one really surprised me. I thought the first film was okay, but I didn't think it deserved a sequel. In this, the actors and filmmakers were able to take a step back and just have fun. There are some surprising adult moments of characters trying to figure out where they are in their lives, and how to grow up all while crazy antics ensue all around them in an effort to hide from their adult selves. Is this a deep film asking questions about the human soul? No, but I think it manages to do more than it's predecessor while also focusing on being a fun film, not a dumb comedy.
13. Hush
This film hit Netflex at the start of 2016, and probably kicked off the year with a great reintroduction to horror. This is a horror film where they've done an interesting take I've never seen before. Basically, a serial killer stumbles upon a house where a deaf girl lives, and once he finds out that he can literally be right next to her without her knowing it gives the film an added layer of tension. Stupid decisions that'll make you scream at your TV will turn into heart pounding action scenes, because the girl in this film isn't stupid. She just can't hear him coming, and the writers play with that idea to the best results.
12. The Boy and the Beast
This is an anime film that was released in English last year. I was a big fan of the director, and when I saw this I just had to clap at the end. This is a beautiful story about growing up, finding your identity, and so much more. A boy accidentally wanders into the magical world of man-beasts, who walk and talk and wear clothes away from the human world. There he is taken in by the drunk (basically) of their village and a very strained father/son relationship starts to take shape. This film is fun, wacky at times, and really focuses on character first and foremost. The dilemmas this kid is faced with are all fascinating, and at times heart wrenching.
11. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
This is a very unique indie film directed by the guy who will make the upcoming Marvel film Thor: Ragnarok. It's a mix between comedy, and drama, but it's a film that's difficult to talk about. Not from the subject matter, but I always find it hard to articulate why people should see this movie, even though they should. It feels like it was taken out of the 80s or 90s, and really puts the characters into interesting positions as they try to deal with their messed up lives. Worth a watch, like everything on this list.
10. Nocturnal Animals
This is the latest film with Jake Gyllenhaal, and like any of his previous films it's mind bendingly awesome with a heart wrenching performance by him. Now, the film isn't actually about him, but his failed relationship with his ex. His ex reads a book that he published, and through his words starts to relive their feelings from his dark and gruesome story. This is a film that will make you think, and you can come up with many theories as to what the film is about, but above all it's one that will muck with your mind.
9. Green Room
This thriller really made me jump and squirm with what it presented. When a band stumbles upon a gruesome scene they find themselves being hunted. While I think this movie is good, what pulls it apart from other movies is how nonchalant the camera is when the action happens. The film doesn't glorify the bloody sequences, and treats it as if it were another scene, another frame of the film, as if it were nothing, and that's what made this film really scary. Do not watch this film if you're a dog lover, or can't stand horror, because this is just gruesomely good.
8. The Witch
Another horror film, and one that will get under your skin. This film relies more on atmosphere than jump scares, but it's that atmosphere that will dig into your flesh and crawl under your skin as you watch naked old women run through the woods, and you don't know if they're actually witches or crazy old ladies. This is a great film to put on at midnight while you under the covers, because once the third act comes up you'll be whispering 'Holy Moley.'
7. 10 Cloverfield Lane
Not a sequel to Cloverfield Lane, but a spin-off of sorts. This film traps a girl in an old guys' underground bunker, and the biggest question that has to be answered is if the world is unsafe to live in, or if this old guy is keeping the girl for nefarious reasons. This comes with a great cast, including John Goodman, and has one of the best slow burn stories I've seen in a while. At least until the end, because I really didn't like the ending.
6. Eye in the Sky
One of Alan Rickman's final roles is in this wonderful film about morality when it comes to drone strikes. Trying to take down a terrorist on the CIAs most wanted board, a team has to define a question we humans have been arguing for millennia. Do we kill a few to save a thousand, or do we wait until everyone's safe but we're in jeopardy? Aaron Paul, from Breaking Bad, plays the drone pilot who has to handle these questions, and he really plays the emotional patron as he witnesses brief moments in family lives surrounding the terrorists, and kids playing near the bomb site. This is definitely one of the best films you probably never saw last year.
5. Sing Street
This film, like many in the past few years, calls upon the nostalgia and glory that is the 80s. An outsider trying to survive a Catholic school, and is in love with the girl next door accidentally tells her he's in a band. Now, he has to find people to create the band and create songs to impress her. Through his lie he gains friends, opportunities he never would have had, and creates fond memories that will make any watcher cry with joy as this film is criminally under seen.
4. Imperium
Along with Swiss Army Man, Daniel Radcliffe shines in this close intense thriller based on a true story. Radcliffe is an FBI agent who's dream is to work in the field. When an opportunity comes knocking and he's the only one willing to go undercover in a group of white supremacists, it's up to him to find out who and where a bomb will go off. I thought this was an interesting view into the different sections of white supremacy, and as the film goes on you'll get sucked into it more and more as the tension racks up right until the end. The best part about the film, though, is that it will leave you with the question "Did Radcliffe's character really go through all of that to stop this rumored action, or was his involvement the reason it went through?" and that powerful thought will stay with you after the credits.
3. The Neon Demon
The latest film by Nicolas Winding Refn, who had previously done Only God Forgives and Drive, is a powerfully mind bending film full of visual metaphors. This film isn't for everybody, and at the beginning I didn't think it was for me, but as the film went on I found myself falling in love with this weird piece of cinema. It's the classic story of looking for fame, and trying to stay at the top with jealous seniors who are ready to eat you alive. Glory for beauty, and new, will eventually take down the old, and a battle will be waged if you make one wrong move. This film will stay with you for days, weeks even, and is a visual feasts for cinephiles. The Neon Demon is definitely the most visually creative film of 2016.
2. Midnight Special
A science fiction film that goes beyond any space blockbuster in years. A young boy finds himself having special powers, and the small town that he grew up in forms a cult to worship his Godly power. His parents just want him to be a normal boy, and the father steals him away to live a normal life and try to have some sort of peace. The whole movie is mostly a chase for the boy, and this film explores things that I didn't think were possible in this day and age where people only care about explosions. Midnight Special is truly special, and gives you some great performances from Michael Shannon and Joel Edgerton to boot.
Directed by Shane Black, who did Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Nice Guys brings back the comedy in the best ways possible. A great story, classic characters who are memorable, and jokes that flow so naturally that you'll be laughing your butt off all through it. Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are pitch perfect together, and create one of the most interesting team ups you'll ever see in film. The Nice Guys is so smart, funny, and nearly perfect that it's a must watch for any film fan, or anyone who's human.
These are but a taste of some really great films that came out last year. So, stop saying 2016 sucked and sit down and enjoy yourself as you go through the year again and find hope, laughter, fun, and whatever else you crave as these 15 films were underappreciated, and deserve some love. Thanks again for reading this all the way through, and if you're curious about what my top 10 movies of 2016 were you can click HERE and don't forget to share your thoughts. Happy viewing fellow readers, and let's enjoy the new year of cinema together!
