Top 10 of 2016

As is customary with New Years Eve here at Movie Mad Reviews, here is my personal top 10 films released in the UK in 2016:

10. The Hateful Eight

I struggled with this one. Being a Tarantino fan ever since I came across Pulp Fiction back in 2009, I’ll be the first to admit I have a biased opinion when it comes to the mans movies. Instantly assuming that by January 8 I’d already have my number 1 film of the year ready after seeing The Hateful Eight in glorious 70mm, it turns out I was wrong. H8ful has some great moments as well as a fantastic cast and a score to die for so it deserves a spot on the top 10 for sure. But only just.

9. Eye In The Sky

Of the numerous celebrity deaths this year, Alan Rickman was one of the toughest. We can take solace at least in his final on screen performance shortly before his voiceover work in Alice Through The Looking Glass, in Eye In The Sky. A fantastically tense piece of writing from Guy Hibbert, Eye In The Sky holds up on repeat viewings and boasts an incredible lineup including Dame Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul and Barkhad Abdi.

8. Goosebumps

Instead of adapting one of the many books in the Goosebumps series, Jack Black takes on the role of author R.L. Stine in this zany comedy which  brings the classic villains to life along with laughs aplenty. No other childrens film would be able to pull off a Shining gag in quite the same way!

7. I, Daniel Blake

Definitely one of the most heartwrenching films of the year, I, Daniel Blake tells the story of a man trapped in the arguably inhumane social welfare system. With incredibly strong performances from both Dave Johns and Hayley Squires,  I, Daniel Blake will bring tears to your eyes and anger to your heart.

6. Spotlight

This tale of the events leading up to the revelation of paedophilia within the Catholic Church is an intense watch which is made even more eye-opening with 4 pages worth of areas in which the scandalous acts of crime were committed.

5. Zootopia

Or if you’re British, Zootropolis. Disney’s first of two animated features this year sets up its world of predators and prey wonderfully with colourful characters, the hilarious Flash being one of the many highlights, before it moves into a much more serious plot. Zootopia is definitely a film which fits the year it was released in.

4. Eddie The Eagle

The story of Eddie Edwards is perhaps the most inspirational one to hit cinema screens this year. The struggle and determination of Taron Egerton’s Eddie is portrayed wonderfully bringing some true heart to the screen. Read my full review at Red Carpet News TV here.

3. David Brent: Life On The Road

Ricky Gervais brings back his most popular character and brings a toe-tapping soundtrack along with it. Life On The Road is for my money, the best comedy of the year. Check out my review here.

2. Room

Winning Brie Larson her first Oscar earlier this year, Room is much more than just her performance. Relying heavily on the viewpoint of Jacob Tremblay’s Jack is a risky move for the then 8 year old actor but it pays off beautifully.

1. Sing Street

Director John Carney’s latest is a moving and genuinely heartwarming film set in 1980s Dublin which, like Life On The Road offers a memorable soundtrack, though not in the same tone. On rewatchability alone, Sing Street comes out on top without a doubt. Read my full review here.

Bottom 10 of 2016

As 2016 draws to a close, it’s time for the annual tradition of the top and bottom 10 films of the year. And since it’s been such a shitty year all round what with Brexit’s, elections, and deaths (oh my!) it feels right that we start with the worst films, so we can at least end the year on a bit of a high with the next post.

So, without further ado:

10. I Saw The Light

Being a huge fan of musical biopics thanks to Walk The Line, I was so excited for Tom Hiddlestone to bring Hank Williams back to life. While it kicked off with an absolutely gorgeous opening scene, not much else followed unfortunately. Read my full review at Red Carpet News TV here.

9. Dad’s Army

After it’s seemingly eternal run of adverts in cinemas and basically everywhere you looked, Dad’s Army was finally released and… did nothing. While it was well cast, nothing could recapture the brilliance of the hit BBC sitcom and it’s a shame to see any attempt even being made.

8. The Girl On The Train

Emily Blunt stars in this boring tale of an alcoholic’s adventures on a train. What makes this worse is it’s blatant attempts to pull off the look and feel of 2014’s Gone Girl.

7. Grimsby

Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest ‘comedy’ was not much more than a crude 83 minute piece of stale cinema which used getty images for 2 characters. Nuff said.

6. Blair Witch

When it was revealed that Adam Wingard (The Guest) had been secretly working on a sequel to arguably the mother of the found footage genre of the last 20 years, I had hoped that this would be similar case to 10 Cloverfield Lane, where a secret sequel breathes fresh new life into a much loved film.

5. The Neon Demon

A gorgeous film to look at, and not just in its opening scene, Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest is not much more than beautiful cinematography. Read my fill review at Red Carpet New TV here.

4. Weiner-Dog

This was my first foray into the work of Todd Solondz, and after seeing Happiness earlier this year I’ve since realised it wasn’t the best way to start me off. Told through the eyes of the titular weiner-dog, the film moves from story to story without much to connect it and slaps in a random interval for no apparent reason. The irony however comes in the form of Danny DeVito’s Dave Schmerz, a screenwriting lecturer who basically discusses the problems with the very film he’s in!

3. The BFG

After bombing in the states, I was determined to see Spielberg’s take on the Roald Dahl classic and give it the support t surely deserves. How wrong I was. The BFG had barely any threat and spent more time focussing on a farting queen than it did on its script.

2. We Are The Flesh

The only film from this year’s Horror Channel FrightFest to deserve a place on this list, We Are The Flesh is without a doubt the longest 80 minutes I’ve ever spent in a cinema. A couple of days ago I spent 6 hours and 40 minutes watching Napoleon at the BFI Southbank and that felt quicker!

1. Suicide Squad

But of course, this years worst film must be Suicide Squad. When it wasn’t ramming every song it could think of down our throats in its opening sequence, it was showing us a strange gyrating Cara Delevigne. But the worst act of this heinous movie is the fact that it now stands as a reminder of what we lost the frankly brilliant Suicide Squad from Arrow for. Read my full review at Red Carpet News TV here.

 

Now that’s out of the way, stay tuned for my top 10 films of the year before the day is out!