Top Ten Films of 2016 - Movie Parliament Prime Minister, Michael Dalton

2016 was a tumultuous year, and one which reminded us of the importance of cinema. Not just for escapism, but also for reflecting and helping us understand the world around us. Whilst many blockbusters disappointed, debutant directors impressed, and cinematic excellence was found in the most unlikely of places. Whilst I could make a top ten list of films that I need to catch up with, below are the best films that I did see. Some films age better than others, and no doubt in a few years time I'd come up with a different top ten. However, these lists are always a good snapshot of the time, and an opportunity to highlight films people may have missed. Find out what made my list below, and contribute yours in the comments. 

Honourable Mentions 

Everybody Wants Some!!, The Nice Guys, Bridget Jones' Baby, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Jungle Book 

10. Don't Breathe 

Good, silly horror fun. Don’t Breathe is about a group of burglars who break into a blind man’s house, after being tipped off that he has a large amount of cash hidden in a safe. Having worked their way into the house, they discover that, ‘The Blind Man’ may be more dangerous than they thought. Directed by Fede Alvarez, Don’t Breathe shows how the horror genre, at its best, maximizes the cinematic experience like no other. Making full use of light and sound, the film has some of the year’s most effective editing and cinematography. Furthermore, the central performances from Stephen Lang and Jane Levy are tremendous, providing the film with believability when the plot starts to stretch credulity. A surprise box-office hit, Don’t Breathe was a successful horror film that relied on suspense and surprise, rather than blood and guts. ​

9. David Brent: Life on the Road 

I was skeptical about, ‘Life on the Road’. I didn’t think Ricky Gervais could play David Brent anymore, and the absence of Stephen Merchant suggested that it could fall victim to the broadness and over-sentimentality of Gervais’ post-Extras output. However, whilst in no way a match for The Office, Life on the Road is a hilarious and heartwarming return for this classic comedy character. The soundtrack is full of cleverly written so bad they’re good songs, whilst Gervais shows what a deceptively strong actor he is. As we see Brent desperately reach for rock and roll fame, it is Gervais' performance which repels and endears in equal measure, always holding our attention. The film essentially repeats the journey that the character went through in, ‘The Office’ but the tragedy and redemption of David Brent is a tale as old as time, and one worth re-telling. In a world that seems to be getting crueler and ever more vacuous, Life on the Road ends as a gentle plea for kindness.

8. La La Land 

An unashamed slice of old-school movie magic, La La Land is a classic musical for modern times. Opening with a song and dance number on the freeways of L.A., made to appear like one continuous take, La La Land only gets more energetic and ambitious from there. Damien Chazelle brings all the directorial force that was on display in Whiplash, but redirects it into something that evokes an altogether different range of emotions. Meanwhile, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone demonstrate their movie star chops,  with their crackling chemistry and range of talents carrying the film along. A scene where the two visit a planetarium and literally dance amongst the stars is one of the most beautiful sequences of the year. When the film reaches its bittersweet conclusion, it is hard to resist the urge to quickstep your way back to the real world. The last film I saw at the cinema in 2016, La La Land is a reminder of the escapist joy that film can provide. ​
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Read the Movie Parliament review here. 

7. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 

Hope. That’s what underpins the Star Wars saga, and especially so in this first spin-off for the series, which takes place before the original film and focuses on how the rebels obtained the plans to the Death Star. Gareth Edwards brings his ground-level perspective that was on display in ‘Monsters’ and ‘Godzilla’ providing a tangibility to the inter-planetary action. Meanwhile, the film’s multi-cultural cast does most of the heavy-lifting in making us care for characters who aren’t Skywalkers or Solos. When the film reaches its third act, we’re treated to perhaps the most satisfying final movement of any blockbuster for quite some time. In the wake of Carrie Fisher passing away, the film’s final line and image gains an added layer of emotion. In ways both intended and unforeseen, Rogue One was one of the year’s most thrilling, controversial, and poignant blockbusters. 

​Read the Movie Parliament review here. ​

6. Captain America: Civil War

The most refreshing thing about Captain America: Civil War, was how its final movement came down to two people having it out, over a personal bereavement. Despite all its superheroes, and corporate mandated franchise building, Civil War is a film about two friends coming to blows. A long-awaited adaptation of the fan-favourite graphic novel, Civil War sees Captain America and Iron Man disagree over a new law which will require superheroes to identify themselves and register with the government. Their stances are deeply rooted in the personal backgrounds which we have seen develop over the course of the Marvel films. However, what directors the Russo Brothers do so well, is to give all characters clear and emotionally grounded motivation. When we reach the film’s much-lauded and visually stunning airport fight scene, we are left in no doubt whatsoever as to who is fighting for what and why. In a landscape where too many blockbuster films are characterized by incoherence and artificiality, Captain America: Civil War is an example of how to do it right, and the apex of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. ​

5. High-Rise 

I first saw High-Rise in September 2015 at the Zürich Film Festival, and had it been released then in cinemas, could have been my favourite film of that year. Nevertheless, it has lingered in my mind throughout 2016, with its depiction of how quickly order can collapse only growing in resonance. Based on the novel by J.G. Ballard, High-Rise is a depiction of societal degradation within the confines of a high-rise apartment building, which has been crudely divided by class. Britain’s Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Sightseers) is one of the best directors working today when it comes to creating a disturbing atmosphere. The production design and soundtrack also work towards establishing the film’s hypnotic and haunting tone. A particular higlight being Portishead's chilling cover of ABBA's, 'S.O.S'. With pitch-black comedy, High-Rise is operatic satire that gets progressively darker. Love it or hate it, one thing is for sure, you won’t forget High-Rise in a hurry. ​

4. Swiss Army Man 

The film where Daniel Radcliffe plays a farting corpse whose penis acts as a compass, Swiss Army Man certainly won’t win any awards for subtlety. However, what it does contain are fifteen of the most joyous minutes of cinema I saw all year. Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano make for a tremendous partnership, as the former's farting corpse helps the latter's suicidal recluse re-enter the wider world. Both performances are incredible, however it is Radcliffe's physically constrained yet emotionally affecting turn, which provides career-best work. The score is one of the year’s best, lending the film much of its energy and urgency. The song ‘Montage’ is one of the most uplifting tunes released this year. Meanwhile, the imagery from first-time directors The Daniels (whose music video for 'Turn Down for What' gives some clues as to what to expect), is arresting and dynamic. A film about not caring what other people think, Swiss Army Man was certainly the most distinctive and original film of 2016. 

3. 10 Cloverfield Lane 

A semi-sequel to 2008’s Cloverfield, 10 Cloverfield Lane, having been filmed in secret, was dropped on us like a surprise album. An indication of what was to come, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a film full of surprises, and keeps you guessing right up to its controversial climax. When Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in an underground bunker after a car crash, she is told by Howard (John Goodman) that she cannot go outside due to a chemical attack. Is he telling the truth? or has she been kidnapped? This is the mystery that drives this ridiculously tense film, which was one of the most enjoyable experiences I had in a cinema all year. The performances are superb, with John Goodman in particular giving career-best, Oscar-worthy work. However, the film is anchored brilliantly by the strong performance of Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Debutant director Dan Trachtenberg shows what he’s made of, with the film playing like an Alfred Hitchcock directed episode of Black Mirror. It was therefore satisfying to see Trachtenberg direct the episode ‘Playtest’ from Black Mirror’s third series later in the year. If you’re a fan of suspenseful thrillers, 10 Cloverfield Lane is an incredibly fun night at the movies. ​

2. Arrival 

Great cinema makes you look at the world in a different way, and that’s exactly what Arrival does. Released shortly after the election of Donald Trump, Arrival proved to be a timely story about the importance of communication, and how we perceive the world around us. Amy Adams plays a linguistics professor, who is called upon by the U.S. army to help them communicate with the aliens whose crafts are hovering above spots around the world. It is hard to explain what is so phenomenal about Arrival without spoiling its surprises, however it is a deceptively emotional film, which challenges our assumptions about the very language of cinema. Furthermore, it has a tenderness and universality to it, which demands that it be seen by those who wouldn’t normally be partial to the sci-fi genre. The film is brilliantly directed by Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario), with the sequence where Banks first meets the aliens being perhaps the best scene of the year, and up there with the imagery of sci-fi classics such as Alien and 2001: A Space Odyysey. Johann Johannsson’s score is hauntingly beautiful, whilst the script by Eric Heisserer expertly adapts a complicated short story for feature-length, mass appeal. Meanwhile, Amy Adams demonstrates why she is one of the finest actresses of her generation. An absolutely beautiful, gripping, and thought-provoking film which will stay with you long after the credits roll. A modern science-fiction masterpiece.

1. Zootopia 

I've written about this at length here, but in the year of Brexit and Trump, no film was more relevant to the world we lived in than Zootopia. Whilst on the surface the film is an incredibly entertaining, visually inventive, and witty children’s noir, its not so subtle political messages became quite prescient. Released in March, Zootopia is essentially a film about discrimination and demagoguery, with the villain of the piece being a politician who exploits prejudice for personal gain. Remind you of anyone? However, despite its depth, this film is incredibly light on its feet, and is bursting with colour and humour. The film builds a beautiful world with the titular Zootopia, centers the film on a believable, and ultimately moving, central relationship, and works as a gripping whodunnit mystery. A triumph for people of all ages, Zootopia was my favourite film of 2016.

(Image: Oliver Baldock http://www.oliverbaldock.com/) 

By Movie Parliament Prime Minister, 
​Michael Dalton 

Agree? Disagree? What were your top ten favourite films of2016? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.