ScreenAnarchy's Top 10 Movies of 2016

The above still is of Sandra Hüller in Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann. To me this shot exemplifies 2016 in a number of resonant ways. It is: exacerbating, embarrassing, heartfelt, and frightening. But where does Toni Erdmann fall on our list? Oh, you'll just have to read through the gallery to find out...

(Note that the number after each title indicates the number of points each film accumulated in our weighted vote)

Honorable Mention:

11. Paterson (dir. Jim Jarmusch, USA/France/Germany) (25 points)



12. Hell or High Water ( dir. David MacKenzie, USA) (23 points)



13. Swiss Army Man (dir. Dan Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, USA) (22 points)



16. 10 Cloverfield Lane (dir. Dan Trachtenberg, USA) (21 points)

16. La La Land (dir. Damien Chazelle, USA) (21 points)

16. Train to Busan (dir. Yeon Sang-ho, South Korea) (21 points)



17. I am Not Your Negro (dir. Raoul Peck, USA/France) (20 points)



18. Happy Hour (dir. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Japan) (19 points)



19. Nocturnal Animals (dir. Tom Ford, USA) (18 points)

20. Cameraperson (dir. Kirsten Johnson, USA) (17 points)

10. The Neon Demon (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, USA/Denmark/France) (29 points)

Through a delightful alchemy of influences – David Lynch, Ridley Scott, Stanley Kubrick and Dario Argento are all distinctly quoted – one of the many striking things about Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon, is how heavily it builds itself on the fusion of soundtrack and imagery. The film, along with Nocturnal Animals and La La Land, makes an interesting case in 2016 for the relevance of Los Angeles as the centre of film culture.

The Neon Demon is first and foremost a mood piece, one that keeps amplifying the energy and the stakes to a conclusion that straddles the line of cathartic and self-parody. To dance on that line is a dizzying act of grace. Here is a filmmaker being both earnest and ironic, smashing politics and convention with aplomb. To live in the recent films of Nicolas Winding Refn is to live in a world that is too intense and too abstract to be real. A character at one point asks, “Are you food or are you sex?” This becomes the mantra for Los Angeles and by extension, show-biz, the carnivorous entity that eats bright young things for breakfast. The Neon Demon is tasty and exhilarating filmmaking. -- Kurt Halfyard

9. The Nice Guys (dir. Shane Black, USA) (32 points)

Picture it: Detectives working in the city of Los Angeles, California. This is a combination that Shane Black has been exploring for, literally, 30 years, being influenced by film noir to the point of doing a deconstruction of its style - or genre for some - with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang his hilarious debut as director. The formula that Black continues to use emerges from the subgenre known as buddy cop: from Lethal Weapon to his most recent film, The Nice Guys, the protagonists are a pair of unusual detectives, who are instantly a peculiarity among the unfolding crime story of the film. 

The Nice Guys is a very somber neo noir, but at the same time both Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are fantastic for the fun and absurd side of the film. There's pretty much always a reason to laugh with this tale of crime and mystery that's also a period piece, having such things from the seventies as social activism, porn made for movie theaters and the music of Earth, Wind & Fire (the whole soundtrack is memorable). 

If Black keeps creating energetic couples and imaginative moments - from brilliant visual gags to surreal stuff that is always relevant to the argument - his recurring explorations of the mystery film are going to be welcomed. In fact, the work of Gosling and Crowe is so enjoyable here, that it would be a real shame if a sequel is not released any time soon. -- Eric Ortiz García

8. O.J.: Made in America (dir. Ezra Edelman, USA) (33 points)

The O.J. Simpson trial was a symptom of many, many uniquely American things. So many that the effects are still being felt today in ways we cannot fathom. It was a turning point for African America, but not exactly the one that they were hoping for; desperate for. In this sense, O.J.: MIA is as much about the culminating burden of a partial justice system and the selective culture it favors as it is about the televised trial of the century, which was so accidentally entertaining in its big-top presentation of law and order, that it can now be seen as a prototype to the modern cesspool of reality television.

Director Ezra Edelman is so unafraid of the scope of his subject that no topic is spared to bring the tragic epilogue of the civil rights movement to the screen in a digestible, necessarily long yet concise package. The film effortlessly moves from the days of OJ's football glory years, spent ducking an image of the black athlete, being used by advertising companies to exploit his demographic, to a man who very likely ended his stint of spousal battery by murdering his wife Nicole Brown Simpson.

The gang-like brutalizing of Rodney King was the last straw for a fed up community and, in its wake, people were not going to see another black man go down in a white system. They were so hungry for justice that it allowed for the false martyrdom of a man who refused to contribute to their own cause. So deep were the wounds of continuing historic injury that O.J. got off for a crime he blatantly committed and the verdict was seen as an African-American victory.

O.J.: MIA expertly guides us through these points and countless others then concludes with a post-verdict episode that might just be the best of the lot in its exploration of karma. Edelman's epic is indeed a fascinating, intricate and lucidly tragic story that could only happen in America and that makes it essential viewing. -- Zach Gayne

7. American Honey (dir. Andrea Arnold, UK/USA) (35 points)

It's impossible for everyone to agree on the merits of a piece of art, be it film or other. Yet I somehow continue to be shocked when year after year, my annual favorite film seems to be one that causes so much division. I don't chose my faves based on any search for controversy. For me it's all about the visceral reaction I have to a film. That said, there was, without a doubt, no movie that moved me more in 2016 than American Honey.

So I'm relatively pleased to see my number one pick end up a modest #7 on ScreenAnarchy's top ten list. It's a movie that many didn't respond to. But those who have, as I did, seem to have pretty strong feelings. Perhaps it's the star-making role by Sasha Lane or the bold cinematography by Robbie Ryan. Maybe it's the assured, naturalistic storytelling employed by Andrea Arnold or the incredible music she chooses throughout. While all of those things are true, for me it was most about the unbridled sense of optimism for the spirit of youth that prevails throughout. It's a truly gorgeous film – and I'd be happy to argue that point anytime. -- Ryland Aldrich

6. The Handmaiden (dir. Park Chan-wook, South Korea) (39 points)

Without the shadow of a doubt, it has been a spectacular year for Korean cinema and Park Chan-wook's seductive The Handmaiden truly was the cherry on top. I could actually dwell into an infinite list of superlatives to describe how good the film is and how it contains the most gorgeous shots that I've seen this year on a big screen. No matter how unsurprising the script could present itself to the viewer, Park's latest effort remains a pure demonstration of art. Between delicacy and manipulation, The Handmaiden is a constant delight that will make your eyes brighten and your heart swell. -- Loïc Valceschini

6. Arrival (dir. Denis Villeneuve, USA) (39 points)

Despite a marketing campaign - of ominous spacecraft looming over world landmarks - that bore a profound similarity to that of Roland Emmerich’s knuckle-headed Independence Day, Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival is a profoundly more intelligent and emotionally dextrous close encounter. Similar in tone and content, perhaps, to Interstellar, Contact or The Abyss, it tells the story of a linguistics professor (Amy Adams) who is recruited by the US military to help decipher a message from the extra-terrestrial crew of one of 12 identical ships. What follows is more than simply the to-and-fro between nervous, trigger-happy soldiers and cautious, compassionate intellectuals, but an emotional examination of communication, language, and how open interpretation can be both a blessing and a curse.

Villeneuve continues to evolve as a filmmaker, and here takes grand strides towards reassuring audiences that his Blade Runner sequel may be something other than a disaster. Amy Adams, meanwhile, looks set to earn herself a sixth Oscar nomination - and might just win it, should the Academy finally acknowledge the legitimacy of genre cinema. Her performance here is nuanced, compelling and utterly heart-wrenching. The film’s photography from Bradford Young is stunning, the production design - responsible not only for the aliens Abbott and Costello, but also their intricate, circular language - is wondrous and imaginative, while Jóhann Jóhannsson’s score is perhaps the icing on the cake of what has unexpectedly emerged as one of the year’s most emotionally powerful films. -- James Marsh

4. Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins, USA) (42 points)

Chiron, the central character of Barry Jenkins’ exquisitely lyrical triptych of a life observed with uncommon sensitivity, shares his name with a comet which, in astrological terms, is symbolized by the figure of the “wounded healer.” The idea is that having deep spiritual wounds can give one the capacity to heal others. Chiron’s life journey charted throughout Moonlight hinges on how he must endure and survive the wounds, both physical and psychological, inflicted upon him by others. And in a year during which our national body politic often consists of how much pain those in power are willing to inflict upon those in more vulnerable positions, great art is one of the few places where we can experience the best parts of ourselves.

Eight years ago, Jenkins emerged as an interesting director to watch with Medicine For Melancholy. Now, with Moonlight, he has proven himself to be a supreme cinematic artist. Every gesture, every whispered confession, every tear is rendered with almost unbearable loveliness by Jenkins’ caméra stylo. The title of Boris Gardiner’s slice of 70’s soul that opens the film – “Every Nigger Is A Star” – sums it up perfectly. Those pushed to society’s margins – black gay men, black drug dealers, black drug addicts, black men and black people in general – take center stage, and the results are artistically glorious. -- Christopher Bourne

3. The Wailing (dir. Na Hong-jin, South Korea) (47 points)

Developing in a manner that consistently undermined my expectations and gradually worked its way into my subconscious, The Wailing proved to be disturbing and unsettling.

My knowledge of Korean cinema is quite limited, but when our own Pierce Conran highly praised the film, and then I noted that it would be playing soon at a local cinema, I avoided all further news about it. Admittedly, I was lost at first; I had trouble following what was happening, story-wise and character-wise. And then something about its urgent insistency snapped at my soul and captured my full attention. From that point forward I was rivited to my seat.

Like a nightmare that unfolds in the daylight, The Wailing sometimes makes no logical sense. (In this regard, it reminds me of Jean Cocteau's brilliant La belle et la bête.) It is a primal tale, told with jumbled building blocks that are diabolical in their intent. I am afraid to unpack the film any further. -- Peter Martin

2. Elle (dir. Paul Verhoeven, France/Germany/Belgium) (48 points)

Convincing an acquaintance, never mind a bunch of strangers on the internet, to go see this dark, hilarious, transgressive and suspenseful masterpiece is tough business. I mean, you can start with those well-earned adjectives, but then comes the inevitable question:

“What’s it about?”

— “It’s a rape-revenge movie. Sort of. It starts with a rape. But, the woman doesn’t react the way you expect. Really, nothing happens in the way you expect. It’s all very tense.”

“Ugh, more rape as entertainment.”

— “No! But it’s really fascinating and subversive and actually, really funny!”

“A rape comedy? I don’t think so.”

— “That didn’t come out right. Please, just see it! It has Isabelle Huppert and she’s amazing! It’s directed by the guy who made Robocop!”

“Maybe some other time. I’m not really in the mood.”

So here, on behalf of the writers who voted for this film, I humbly implore all adventurous moviegoers to put their reservations aside and go see Elle. It is bad taste refined to near-elegance. It also a comedy of manners, a Hitchcockian suspense film, and a sly parody of everything that is dull about modern French middlebrow films. Most importantly, it is a rare example of a director who has the humility and wisdom to more-or-less get out of the way and trust the formidable lead actress to guide and co-author the movie. That lead actress is Isabelle Huppert, and she is an international treasure and you owe it to her to see one of her best performances of all time. Go forth! -- Brian Clark

1. Toni Erdmann (dir. Maren Ade, Germany/Austria/Romania) (49 points)

There are probably very few times when a German comedy would make it to the top of ScreenAnarchy’s end-of-year list. But then, there really isn’t any film quite like Toni Erdmann. The story of a father trying to reconcile with his daughter set against the backdrop of austerity Europe, writer-director Maren Ade takes a simple premise and turns it on its head. At once both completely realistic (what adult child hasn’t been often embarrassed by the antics of a too-loving parent?) and wonderfully absurd (I will never look at petit fours the same way again), Ade takes us on a meandering, hilarious, and frequently painfully awkward relationship. Peter Simonischek and Sandra Hüller’s deadpan and heartfelt performances, following the complexity of their characters and how they reveal to each other and themselves, are the heart of this deceptively complex tale. Coupled with Ade’s unadorned and sober styling, its 162 minute running time is hardly noticeable, and Ade effortlessly manages the shifting tones of sadness, humour and absurdity, at once giving her audience a family drama, a comedy of manners, and a biting satire. -- Shelagh Rowan-Legg

(pictured above is a still from Ryûsuke Hamaguchi's Happy Hour)

Individual Ballots from our contributors:

Peter Martin, Managing Editor:

1. The Wailing
2. The Nice Guys
3. Hell or High Water
4. O.J.: Made in America
5. 10 Cloverfield Lane
6. Paterson 7, Elle
7. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
8. The Salesman
9. Sing Street

James Marsh, Asian Editor:

1. Toni Erdmann
2. A Bigger Splash
3. The Wailing
4. Arrival
5. Swiss Army Man
6. Elle
7. The Handmaiden
8. Fire at Sea
9. Raw
10. Your Name

Ben Umstead, U.S. Editor:

1. Cameraperson
2. Happy Hour
3. I am Not Your Negro
4. Toni Erdmann
5. O.J.: Made in America
6. The Dreamed Path
7. Embrace of the Serpent
8. Dark Night
9. Louder Than Bombs
10. The Untamed

Andrew Mack, Associate Editor, News:

1. Deadpool
2. Rogue One A Star Wars Story
3. Train to Busan
4. La La Land
5. Moonlight
6. The Neon Demon
7. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
8. Headshot
9. I Am Not A Serial Killer
10. Zootopia

Michelle "Izzy" Galgana, Associate Editor: (in no particular order) - The Lure - Evolution - The Love Witch - Always Shine - Buster's Mal Heart - The Autopsy of Jane Doe - I Am Not A Serial Killer - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - The Handmaiden - Swiss Army Man

Shelagh Rowan-Legg, Associate Editor:

1. Toni Erdmann
2. Raw
3. Moonlight
4. Lemonade
5. The Handmaiden
6. The Girl with All the Gifts
7. American Honey
8. Embers
9. I Am Not Your Negro
10. Arrival

Brian Clark, Editor at large:

1. The Wailing
2. Elle
3. The Handmaiden
4. Moonlight
5. Manchester by the Sea
6. Men go to Battle
7. Eye in the Sky
8. The Treasure
9. Zootopia
10. Christine

Christopher Bourne, Featured Critic:

1. Happy Hour
2. I am Not Your Negro
3. O.J.: Made in America
4. Cameraperson
5. Moonlight
6. La La Land
7. Yourself and Yours
8. The Wailing
9. Always Shine
10. Wet Woman in the Wind

Dustin Chang, Feature Critic:

1. Toni Erdmann
2. American Honey
3. Academy of Muses
4. Things to Come
5. Elle
6. Cemetery of Splendour
7. Mountains May Depart
8. Kaili Blues
9. The Ornithologist
10. Neruda

Jim Tudor, Featured Critic:

1. La La Land
2. Hell or High Water
3. Jackie
4. The Jungle Book
5. Mountains May Depart
6. 20th Century Women
7. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
8. Love and Friendship
9. Hacksaw Ridge
10. I am Not Your Negro

Pierce Conran, Contributing Writer:

1. The Wailing
2. Elle
3. The Age of Shadows
4. Manchester By the Sea
5. Swiss Army Man
6. Jackie
7. Raw
8. Creepy
9. American Honey
10. Paterson

Patryk Czekaj, Contributing Writer:

1. Bone Tomahawk
2. The Last Family
3. After You're Gone
4. I am a Hero
5. Hell or High Water
6. The Handmaiden
7. 10 Cloverfield Lane
8. Creepy
9. Three
10. Everybody Wants Some!!

Zach Gayne, Contributing Writer:

1. American Honey
2. O.J.: Made in America
3. Nocturnal Animals
4. Everybody Wants Some!!
5. Operation Avalanche
6. Hail, Caesar!
7. Christine
8. Certain Women
9. The Handmaiden
10. Krisha

Jaime Grijalba, Contributing Writer:

1. Paterson
2. Elle
3. The Ornithologist
4. Aquarius
5. The Alchemist Cookbook
6. The Royal Lemon Tree
7. Anti-porno
8. The Handmaiden
9. The Woman Who Left
10. The Nice Guys

Kurt Halfyard, Contributing Writer:

1. Nocturnal Animals
2. The Neon Demon
3. The Lure
4. The Nice Guys
5. Moonlight
6. Paterson
7. Elle
8. Chi-Raq
9. Sierra Nevada
10. Hail, Caesar!

Martin Kudlac, Contributing Writer: (in no particular order) - Bodkin Ras - Endless Poetry - I,Olga Hepnarova - Malgré le Nuit - Mimosas - Scarred Hearts - The Death of J.P.Cuenca - The Death of Louis XIV - The Plague at the Karatas Village - We Are the Flesh

Stuart Muller, Contributing Writer:

1. Embrace of the Serpent
2. Moonlight
3. Mustang
4. Aferim!
5. Arrival
6. Call Me Thief
7. Taxi
8. The Lobster
9. The Accountant
10. Hardcore Henry

Eric Ortiz García, Contributing Writer:

1. Arrival
2. Sausage Party
3. The Nice Guys
4. The Lobster
5. The Neon Demon
6. The Hateful Eight
7. Tangerine
8. Train to Busan
9. Everybody Wants Some!!
10. Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World

Hugo Ozman, Contributing Writer:

1. The Mermaid
2. Cold War 2
3. Trivisa
4. Finding Mr Right 2
5. The Wailing
6. The Boy and the Beast
7. Daylight's End
8. Operation Mekong
9. Line Walker
10. The BFG

Christopher Webster, Contributing Writer:

1. 10 Cloverfield Lane
2. The Neon Demon
3. Green Room
4. Cash Only
5. Arrival
6. Into the Forest
7. The Witch
8. The Invitation
9. Blair Witch
10. Synchronicity

Loïc Valceschini, Contributing Writer:

1. Aquarius
2. Trivisia
3. Heart Attack
4. The Handmaiden
5. Demon
6. Swiss Army Man
7. Toni Erdmann
8. Under the Shadow
9. Elle
10. Everbody Wants Some!!

Ernesto Zelaya Miñano, Contributing Writer:

1. Spotlight
2. The Hateful Eight
3. The Witch
4. The Nice Guys
5. Train to Busan
6. When Two Worlds Collide
7. Creed
8. Green Room
9. Deadpool
10. 10 Cloverfield Lane