V MEDIAA TOP TEN FILMS of 2016
My TOP TEN films for 2016
The list was not easy to limit to Ten pictures-
I was fortunate enough this year to keep up with both the Bay Area theatre scene and cover the important films released this year of the TRUMP. It was sad for me to read the whiny critics and commentators who spent the summer and fall complaining about the year in film — all while movies such as Manchester by the Sea, Cameraperson, Paterson, La La Land, Toni Erdmann, Lion and The Handmaiden waited for the fall season. Oscar Nominations seem certain for films like Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight, La La Land and maybe Hell or High Water and Fences.
- Here is my top Ten for best films for 2016
10 - EDGE OF 17 -The Edge of Seventeen is a new coming-of-age movie in the vein of Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club – an honest, candid, hilarious look THAT features an asian male lead in a romantic role in an all white cast. First time an asian american actor is cast in an non asian role -- A huge plus for Asian Hollywood Director: Kelly Fremon Craig
9 - SING STREET - 1980s Dublin seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy named Conor who is looking for a break from a home strained by his parents' relationship and money troubles, while trying to adjust to his new inner-city public school - With original music - Director: John Carney
8 - I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO - James Baldwin's unfinished novel "Remember This House" tells the story of race in America. A must see Doc for this fall season.
Directed by Raoul Peck
7 - AMERICAN HONEY - Classic road film -Star (Sasha Lane), an adolescent girl from a troubled home, runs away with a traveling sales crew that drives across the American Midwest selling subscriptions door-to-door. Finding her feet in this gang of teenagers, one of whom is Jake (Shia LaBeouf), Director: Andrea Arnold
6- DON’T THINK TWICE --Turmoil strikes a New York improv troupe (Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia) when one member leaves to star in a television show. This is the best film I have seen about actors trying to surviving their craft. Directed by Mike Birbiglia
5 - HELL OR HIGH WATER - Toby is a divorced father who's trying to make a better life for his son. His brother Tanner is an ex-convict with a short temper and a loose trigger finger. Together, they plan a series of heists against the bank that's about to foreclose on their family ranch. Director: David Mackenzie
4 -LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP - In the 18th century, the seductive and manipulative Lady Susan (Kate Beckinsale) uses devious tactics to win the heart of the eligible Reginald De Courcy (Xavier Samuel). A costume picture at its best - a wonderful witty script. Directed by Whit Stillman
3 -MANCHESTER BY THE SEA - Lee Chandler is a brooding, irritable loner who works as a handyman for a Boston apartment block. One damp winter day he gets a call summoning him to his hometown, north of the city. His brother's heart has given out suddenly, and he's been named guardian to his 16-year-old nephew. It is the darkest of the season but the best - Directed by Kenneth Lonergan
2 - LA LA LAND -Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their careers. A movie Musical - that brings back fond memories of Fred and Ginger - Original music - certain for best direction by Damien Chazelle.
My Pick for Best Film of 2016 is - MOONLIGHT- A young man deals with his dysfunctional home life and comes of age in Miami during the "War on Drugs" era. The story of his struggle to find himself is told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love while grappling with his own sex. A powerful film from Director Barry Jenkins
OTHER 2016 Films that need to be seen - Fences, Toni Erdmann, Ellie, Jackie, The Witch, Swiss Army Man, Lobster, Lion, Rouge 1, 20th Century Women, The HandMaiden, Paterson, DeadPool and Arrival.
