Donald Strohman’s Top 10 Movies of 2016
- Southside With You
Painfully forced romance stories like Dear John or Twilight are a dime a dozen in Hollywood. So, it’s surprisingly refreshing to see a humble, small scale date come to the screen for a change. It just so happens that this particular story is about the future president of the United States, Barack Obama, and future First Lady Michelle going on their first date together. Thanks to the chemistry of leading actors Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter, Southside with You is the love story done right, creating one of the most genuine on screen romances of the year.
- 10 Cloverfield Lane
A “sequel” to the 2008 found footage flick “Cloverfield” may have not been the most demanded feature on the planet, but who can argue with the end result? Thanks to a commanding presence from actors John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, 10 Cloverfield Lane is not only the necessary “unnecessary” sequel we needed, it also proves itself to be leaps and bounds better than what the original provided.
- Finding Dory
Finding Dory was thankfully not just another ocean trotting adventure to find a missing fish. Rather, this time titular character Dory, played by the ever charismatic Ellen DeGeneres, was trying to find out what happened to her family, whom she had long since absent mindedly forgotten. Introducing its audience to an array of colorful characters that range from hysterical to lovably flawed, Finding Dory is thankfully another Pixar sequel done right.
- The Jungle Book
I think this one surprised us all. Disney’s decision to remake their animated tales didn’t sit well with many fans, but this year’s releases of Pete’s Dragon and The Jungle Book proves many of the naysayers otherwise. Of the two, however, The Jungle Book was the superior, thanks to outstanding animation and performances. Instead of just copying and pasting the animated version into live action, director Jon Favreau combined elements of the original with unexplored moments from Rudyard Kipling’s book, making the 2016 version of The Jungle Book stand entirely on its own.
- Kubo & the Two Strings
Laika is one of the few Hollywood studios that continues to embrace the stop motion format on a regular basis, and the end result of their efforts have usually been great pieces. Their 2016 outing with Kubo and the Two Strings, however, tops every other adventure they’ve done to date. Showcasing the very best of their animation efforts, all while being backed by a fun, exciting romp through Japanese folklore, Kubo is a unique, vividly enthralling tale unlike anything else 2016 had to offer.
- Queen of Katwe
Disney is certainly no stranger to feel good sports films, but who knew they could make something like learning chess one of their best of the genre to date. For someone who never got the hang of chess, I was surprised how engaged I was throughout the run. With a commanding performance by Lupita Nyong’o, and one of the best feel good underdog stories of the year, it’s a shame Queen of Katwe didn’t do better at the box office, because it definitely deserved to.
- Arrival
Alien invasion movies aren’t really my forte, so when Arrival was announced I wasn’t expecting much. However, the trailers don’t do this movie enough justice, because I was surprisingly blown away by the mythos and tense atmosphere Arrival carried. Not focused on the invasion itself, but rather the communication process that comes with meeting a new form of language, Arrival is one of the few film examples of what an actual encounter with extraterrestrials might be like in reality.
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- Moana
The Disney princess doesn’t need a prince to save her, and Moana proves this in its colorfully fun adventure on the sea. With an excellent score co-written by Hamilton’s Lin Manuel Miranda, and great comedic adventure to back it up, Moana is an absolute blast from beginning to end, and further proves that Disney is top dog of the animated realm.
- Captain America: Civil War
Thanks to the risks taken with Winter Soldier paying off, Captain America: Civil War was able to go further and create what is arguably Marvel’s darkest adventure to date. Showcasing some of Marvel’s finest at the forefront, and containing one of the best comic book twists in cinema, Civil War feels like the best kind of action adventure commanded by an excellent direction from the Russo brothers.
- Zootopia
Who would have guessed from the trailers that Zootopia would be something truly special in the year 2016? Not to say the trailers made the movie look bad, but it just came across as a cute, animated romp starring anthropomorphic animals in a city. However, the end product not only contains some of Disney’s best animated work to date, but the themes addressing xenophobia and racism are a surprisingly welcome addition. Kids will love the comedy and adventures of leading characters Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, but Zootopia is the family film done perfectly by including adults in the fun as well. In fact, Zootopia may be one of the few animated pictures you’ll grow to appreciate more as you grow up, picking up on the messages of equality and fighting stereotypes when you grow older.
Honorable Mentions: Rogue One, Hush, The Finest Hours, Deadpool, Doctor Strange
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