The Best Theatrical Releases of 2016
HomeThe Best Theatrical Releases of 2016
Posted January 4, 2017 03:24 PM by Webmaster
Faith during World War II, teen angst in a bad jacket, chess in Africa, Texas justice, backstage horror, family ties, east coast grief, the life unlived, a manhunt in Boston, and the comfort of a green dragon. Blu-ray.com's Brian Orndorf takes a look at his favorite films of 2016.
Hell or High Water
While it's not a reinvention of the crime drama, "Hell or High Water" delivers a pitch-perfect version of cops vs. robbers, transforming essential acts of intimidation and pursuit into a western-style examination of financial desperation, obsolescence, masculinity, and family. Brilliantly scripted by Taylor Sheridan, the feature provides a wealth of pure filmmaking delights and abyssal characterization, getting to know the players in this mournful game of Texas need. Laughs are there for the taking, big ones too, but "Hell or High Water" is best as an examination of responsibility and routine, dusted with all kinds of dizzying, bruised cowboy antics.
Pete's Dragon
As the Walt Disney Corporation continues to massage their animation library to inspire live-action blockbusters, it's a small miracle that's something so delicate and sincere as "Pete's Dragon" could find its way to multiplexes. While technically a remake, the picture manages to be something fresh and exciting, easily outpacing the original 1977 effort, heading in a more emotional, folksy direction, cared for through stellar direction from David Lowery. "Pete's Dragon" is a beautiful, warm, genuinely magical feature, showcasing a stunning depth of soul to match its more fanciful green-dragon-on-the-loose adventure.
Hacksaw Ridge
Turning his attention to World War II, Mel Gibson revives his understandably dormant directorial career with "Hacksaw Ridge," which merges the brutality of combat with the power of faith. Violence is extreme, but intentionally so, watching Gibson recreate the experience of war and the vicious sacrifice it demands. It's a bloody, pounding viewing experience, and positioned between sequences of savagery is a powerful spiritual journey that actually makes sense of heavenly belief. Gibson cracks the faith-based film secret code with "Hacksaw Ridge," which manages to be a blistering war picture with guts and brains splattering on the camera and an articulate, illuminating odyssey of religious devotion facing the programmed submission of military duty.
Manchester by the Sea
Writer/director Kenneth Lonergan adores characterization, and "Manchester by the Sea" is driven primarily by behavior. While tragic deaths inspire a plot, the feature finds true inspiration in relationships between irritable characters and an extended psychological dissection of bottled-up grief. Lonergan scripts superbly, capturing rough personalities in the midst of painful transitions, and, as a filmmaker, he creates an evocative understanding of regional reactions and freezing locations. Perhaps "Manchester by the Sea" comes off as a downer, but there's beauty in this ocean of sorrow, and Lonergan repeatedly creates vivid interactions among broken people desperate to connect.
Green Room
Emerging as a major player in the game of screen suspense, writer/director Jeremy Saulnier follows up the triumph of 2014's "Blue Ruin" with "Green Room," which manages to go a bit beyond the nail-munching norm. Unease flows throughout the picture, and escalation is exceptionally managed by Saulnier, who keeps this siege film small in scope but rippling with evil energy, creating a disturbing intimacy with crazed people to go along with exploitation interests. It's brutal work, not for the faint of heart, but "Green Room" is efficient, ruthless, and riveting.
Patriots Day
Dismissing the work of director Peter Berg has become habitual, with the sledgehammer-swinging helmer often delighting in the creation of noisy nonsense. September's "Deepwater Horizon" was a change of pace, showcasing a mature Berg trying to capture real-world horror with respect and a dash of cinematic chaos. With "Patriots Day," Berg absolutely nails the balance of suspense and analysis, creating an edge-of-your-seat procedural thriller about the Boston Marathon Bombing. Refusing to be exploitive, Berg masterminds a propulsive picture, teeming with colorful performances and a rich understanding of surroundings, but also a movie that grasps all that was tragically lost during that horrific day. It's not precise journalism, but "Patriots Day" is exceptionally evocative, providing a needed reminder of the human spirit and its amazing durability.
Moonlight
Although it deals with heavy subject matters, including drug abuse, bullying, and self-denial, "Moonlight" is the most tender, touching feature of the year. Its open-hearted take on the gradual awakening of a hardened soul is something to behold, with writer/director Barry Jenkins falling in love with his characters, paying close attention to subtle signs of distress and vulnerability, ultimately making a movie about the internal scream of personal need. "Moonlight" is gorgeously composed and performed, but it truly captures something primal about the human experience, doing so artfully and passionately.
The Edge of Seventeen
"The Edge of Seventeen" is a wonderful movie for many reasons, but its most critical achievement is how it manages to treat the adolescent experience with complete authenticity. Sure, dramatics wind and weave throughout the picture, but writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig captures the exhaustion of self-involvement and the pain of social desperation. She's written one of the best comedies of the year, and one with uncommon intelligence, embodied perfectly in Hailee Steinfeld's lead performance. Instead of recycling cynicism and following trends, Craig designs her own special love letter to awkwardness, trauma, and mistakes, given a special spin by legendary producer James L. Brooks.
Other People
In "Other People," writer/director Chris Kelly manages to find laughs in the face of despair. It's not an easy mix to master, as Kelly pulls off the impossible with this charming, heartfelt indie feature, which attempts to find the joy and discovery of life lived in the shadow of gradual loss. Kelly's sense of humor can be a tad dark at times, but it's always inventive and sold with incredible timing, locating strange character beats that miraculously melt into the emotional flow of the effort. "Other People" is idiosyncratic but never quirky, and heartbreaking, with standout performances from Jesse Plemons and Molly Shannon leading viewers through the absurdities and family awkwardness, especially inside a household dealing with cancer.
Queen of Katwe
Put a film about chess and Africa in the local multiplex, and few will go near it. It's a crushing reality about the ticket-buying public, with "Queen of Katwe" dying a quick death at the box office this past fall. It's a shame more audiences didn't sample it, as director Mira Nair constructs an endearing feature that celebrates intelligence and perseverance, also adjusting the routine when it comes to depictions of life in poverty-stricken Africa, finding obvious adversity but also resilience and warmth. "Queen of Katwe" is an absolute audience-pleaser, but it's smart, lively, and determined to squash stereotypes. It's built for the entire family, and should be priority home video viewing for all ages in 2017.
Also of Note: A War, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, In a Valley of Violence, Krisha, Tale of Tales, Sing Street, The Meddler, Captain America: Civil War, My Blind Brother, Only Yesterday, Certain Women, In Order of Disappearance, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Jackie.
Please check out the Blu-ray.com community 2016 theatrical picks here
Hell or High Water
While it's not a reinvention of the crime drama, "Hell or High Water" delivers a pitch-perfect version of cops vs. robbers, transforming essential acts of intimidation and pursuit into a western-style examination of financial desperation, obsolescence, masculinity, and family. Brilliantly scripted by Taylor Sheridan, the feature provides a wealth of pure filmmaking delights and abyssal characterization, getting to know the players in this mournful game of Texas need. Laughs are there for the taking, big ones too, but "Hell or High Water" is best as an examination of responsibility and routine, dusted with all kinds of dizzying, bruised cowboy antics.
Pete's Dragon
As the Walt Disney Corporation continues to massage their animation library to inspire live-action blockbusters, it's a small miracle that's something so delicate and sincere as "Pete's Dragon" could find its way to multiplexes. While technically a remake, the picture manages to be something fresh and exciting, easily outpacing the original 1977 effort, heading in a more emotional, folksy direction, cared for through stellar direction from David Lowery. "Pete's Dragon" is a beautiful, warm, genuinely magical feature, showcasing a stunning depth of soul to match its more fanciful green-dragon-on-the-loose adventure.
Hacksaw Ridge
Turning his attention to World War II, Mel Gibson revives his understandably dormant directorial career with "Hacksaw Ridge," which merges the brutality of combat with the power of faith. Violence is extreme, but intentionally so, watching Gibson recreate the experience of war and the vicious sacrifice it demands. It's a bloody, pounding viewing experience, and positioned between sequences of savagery is a powerful spiritual journey that actually makes sense of heavenly belief. Gibson cracks the faith-based film secret code with "Hacksaw Ridge," which manages to be a blistering war picture with guts and brains splattering on the camera and an articulate, illuminating odyssey of religious devotion facing the programmed submission of military duty.
Manchester by the Sea
Writer/director Kenneth Lonergan adores characterization, and "Manchester by the Sea" is driven primarily by behavior. While tragic deaths inspire a plot, the feature finds true inspiration in relationships between irritable characters and an extended psychological dissection of bottled-up grief. Lonergan scripts superbly, capturing rough personalities in the midst of painful transitions, and, as a filmmaker, he creates an evocative understanding of regional reactions and freezing locations. Perhaps "Manchester by the Sea" comes off as a downer, but there's beauty in this ocean of sorrow, and Lonergan repeatedly creates vivid interactions among broken people desperate to connect.
Green Room
Emerging as a major player in the game of screen suspense, writer/director Jeremy Saulnier follows up the triumph of 2014's "Blue Ruin" with "Green Room," which manages to go a bit beyond the nail-munching norm. Unease flows throughout the picture, and escalation is exceptionally managed by Saulnier, who keeps this siege film small in scope but rippling with evil energy, creating a disturbing intimacy with crazed people to go along with exploitation interests. It's brutal work, not for the faint of heart, but "Green Room" is efficient, ruthless, and riveting.
Patriots Day
Dismissing the work of director Peter Berg has become habitual, with the sledgehammer-swinging helmer often delighting in the creation of noisy nonsense. September's "Deepwater Horizon" was a change of pace, showcasing a mature Berg trying to capture real-world horror with respect and a dash of cinematic chaos. With "Patriots Day," Berg absolutely nails the balance of suspense and analysis, creating an edge-of-your-seat procedural thriller about the Boston Marathon Bombing. Refusing to be exploitive, Berg masterminds a propulsive picture, teeming with colorful performances and a rich understanding of surroundings, but also a movie that grasps all that was tragically lost during that horrific day. It's not precise journalism, but "Patriots Day" is exceptionally evocative, providing a needed reminder of the human spirit and its amazing durability.
Moonlight
Although it deals with heavy subject matters, including drug abuse, bullying, and self-denial, "Moonlight" is the most tender, touching feature of the year. Its open-hearted take on the gradual awakening of a hardened soul is something to behold, with writer/director Barry Jenkins falling in love with his characters, paying close attention to subtle signs of distress and vulnerability, ultimately making a movie about the internal scream of personal need. "Moonlight" is gorgeously composed and performed, but it truly captures something primal about the human experience, doing so artfully and passionately.
The Edge of Seventeen
"The Edge of Seventeen" is a wonderful movie for many reasons, but its most critical achievement is how it manages to treat the adolescent experience with complete authenticity. Sure, dramatics wind and weave throughout the picture, but writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig captures the exhaustion of self-involvement and the pain of social desperation. She's written one of the best comedies of the year, and one with uncommon intelligence, embodied perfectly in Hailee Steinfeld's lead performance. Instead of recycling cynicism and following trends, Craig designs her own special love letter to awkwardness, trauma, and mistakes, given a special spin by legendary producer James L. Brooks.
Other People
In "Other People," writer/director Chris Kelly manages to find laughs in the face of despair. It's not an easy mix to master, as Kelly pulls off the impossible with this charming, heartfelt indie feature, which attempts to find the joy and discovery of life lived in the shadow of gradual loss. Kelly's sense of humor can be a tad dark at times, but it's always inventive and sold with incredible timing, locating strange character beats that miraculously melt into the emotional flow of the effort. "Other People" is idiosyncratic but never quirky, and heartbreaking, with standout performances from Jesse Plemons and Molly Shannon leading viewers through the absurdities and family awkwardness, especially inside a household dealing with cancer.
Queen of Katwe
Put a film about chess and Africa in the local multiplex, and few will go near it. It's a crushing reality about the ticket-buying public, with "Queen of Katwe" dying a quick death at the box office this past fall. It's a shame more audiences didn't sample it, as director Mira Nair constructs an endearing feature that celebrates intelligence and perseverance, also adjusting the routine when it comes to depictions of life in poverty-stricken Africa, finding obvious adversity but also resilience and warmth. "Queen of Katwe" is an absolute audience-pleaser, but it's smart, lively, and determined to squash stereotypes. It's built for the entire family, and should be priority home video viewing for all ages in 2017.
Also of Note: A War, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, In a Valley of Violence, Krisha, Tale of Tales, Sing Street, The Meddler, Captain America: Civil War, My Blind Brother, Only Yesterday, Certain Women, In Order of Disappearance, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Jackie.