Best Movies of 2016: An Eclectic Roster

I managed to squeeze in over 100 films in 2016.

A good mix of foreign and domestic releases (those looking for blockbusters, comic book flicks and eye candy should search elsewhere).

Here’s my list of favourites:

1. “High Rise” (Director: Ben Wheatley) Sorry, folks, no other film came close. Wheatley’s adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s bizarre novel is just about note perfect. Bravo!                    (Read my review)
2. “The Valley of the Bees” (Director: Frantisek Vlacil) Czech New Wave; 1968            (Read my review)
3. “Loving” (Writer & Director: Jeff Nichols) Nichols’ latest has “Oscar” written all over it. Wise and commendably understated.                                                                                    (Read my review)
4. “The Big Short” (Director: Adam McKay) The 2008 financial meltdown, brilliantly portrayed.
5. “Mustang” (Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven)
6. “Inherent Vice” (Director: Paul Thomas Anderson)
7. “The Hunt” (Director: Thomas Vinterberg) Mads Mikkelsen shines.
8. “Christ Stopped at Eboli” (Director: Francesco Rosi)  A deeply spiritual movie.
9. “Biutiful” (Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu)  Almost unbearably moving.      (Read my review)
10. “Chevalier” (Director: Athina Rachel Tsangari) A movie that manages to be funny and insightful.
11. “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” (Director: Ken Loach)
12. “Mother and Son” (Director: Aleksandr Sokurov)
13. “The Celebration” (Director: Thomas Vinterberg)
14. “The Lobster” (Director: Yorgos Lanthimos)                                                                         (Read my review)

Honorable Mention:

“Alps” (Director: Yorgos Lanthimos)
“The Secret in Their Eyes” (Director: Juan Campenella)
“The Witch” (Director: Robert Eggers)
“Four Lions” (Director: Chris Morris)
“99 Homes” (Director: Ramin Bahrani)
“’71” (Director: Yann Demange)
“Inland Empire” (Writer & Director: David Lynch)
“The Babadook” (Writer & Director: Jennifer Kent)

Documentaries:

“The Wolfpack” (Director: Crystal Moselle) A film almost too good to be true.
“The Occupation of the American Mind”  (Writer & Director: Loretta Alper and Jeremy Earp)  A courageous look at the real situation on the ground in Palestine.
“Dig!”  (Director: Ondi Timoner)
“Beware of Mr. Baker” (Director: Jay Bulgar)