My Top Ten Films from 2016

Here's a list of my top ten favorite films from 2016.  While 2016 was not as strong as 2015, especially the summer releases, the year rebounded in the fall with some stellar films.

10.Keanu (Dir. Peter Atencio)

9. Hacksaw Ridge (Dir. Mel Gibson)

8. Cafe Society (Dir. Woody Allen)

7. Free State of Jones (Dir. Gary Ross)

6. The Witch (Dir. Robert Eggers)

5. Sully (Dir. Clint Eastwood)

4. 10 Cloverfield  Lane (Dir. Dan Trachtenberg)

3. The Nice Guys (Dir. Shane Black)

2. Fences (Dir. Denzel Washington)

1. Manchester by the Sea (Dir. Kenneth Lonergan)

A Tribute: Carrie Fisher (1956-2016)

The year 2016 continues to take so many beloved cultural figures away from us.  The news of Carrie Fisher's passing earlier this afternoon continued the melancholy trend of this infamous year.

The daughter of Hollywood stars Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Carrie grew up an introverted child who preferred the world of books.  As a teenager she followed her mother's footsteps and pursued acting, making her screen debut in the Warren Beatty film Shampoo.  

After the overwhelming success of Star Wars Fisher became known to the entire world as Princess Leia. When casting for Star Wars the director George Lucas narrowed the field down to trios of actors and eventually decided on Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, and Fisher as Leia.  In a special effects heavy film, their three performances added humor and humanity.  Fisher did an amazing job of portraying a strong and brave heroine. 

In the next two episodes The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi she continued to add depth to the role.  Fisher consistently lamented giving her likeness away for merchandising purposes, but always kept a sense of humor about it.  And she was never one to dismiss Star Wars as childish entertainment, but always treated fans and the material with respect.

Outside of Star Wars, Fisher made many more memorable appearances in film and television. She hosted a classic episode of Saturday Night Live, and had notable roles in The Blues Brothers, The Burbs, and When Harry Met Sally. In 2015 she returned as Princess Leia in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Fisher also established herself as a talented writer in the 1980s with her excellent autobiographical novel Postcards from the Edge.  She was also a much sought out "script doctor" for several movies including Hook and Sister Act.

It's impossible to imagine the original Star Wars films without her, Fisher contributed a special spark and charm to those movies that will be remembered and loved for decades to come.

Rouge One: A Star Wars Story ** (2016)

The first of the spin off films to the Star Wars franchise is a dreary and occasionally entertaining entry into the series.  Set before the events of the 1977 original film, Rogue One follows the group of rebels who stole the plans to the Death Star, the plot point that drove the original film.  For starters, these characters simply aren't that memorable, they are fighters and warriors and most of their dialogue simply advances the plot.  Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, the orphan leader of the band, completely lacks personality and dimension. Action takes precedent over character development much to the film's detriment. The jokey charm of the George Lucas films is almost totally absent.  I understand that the creators are trying to expand the universe and add more depth to Star Wars, but for the most part Rogue One plays as above average fan fiction. It was well publicized that Disney ordered re-shoots and that's never a good sign. The editing gets rather jerky as they hop from planet to planet.  There are a couple memorable moments, but those are references to the previous films.  Darth Vader appears and has one great scene, but the rest is mediocre Star Wars.  

Manchester by the Sea **** (2016)

There's a quiet emotional stream running through Manchester by the Sea that stays with you long after watching the film.  Starring Casey Affleck as Lee, a handy man in a working class town, who withdrew from life for reasons that become apparent as the story unfolds. After Lee's older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) succumbs to heart disease he's named the guardian of Joe's teenage son Patrick (Lucas Hedges), a popular hockey athlete at the high school. Through flashbacks it's revealed that Joe was the more responsible brother and was well respected by the community, while Lee went into exile.  Michelle Williams co-stars as Lee's damaged ex-wife, but only appears in a few scenes. Quite simply, Manchester by the Sea is a film that must be experienced. Realistic and emotionally complex.  As we get to know the characters we see their dignity and flaws. The acting, especially by Casey Affleck, is about as good as you'll ever see. Relationships evolve and life goes on.The music of Lesley Barber contributes a spiritual component.  Kenneth Lonergan's writing and direction are a series of small moments that add up to something powerful - and meaningful.

Rules Don't Apply ** (2016)

Warren Beatty's return to the big screen stops and starts up until the very last reel.  Rules Don't Apply is never boring, but never takes off either.  Well paced scenes are followed by short confusing ones.  Set in the early 1960s, Beatty stars as the legendary aviation pioneer Howard Hughes, who was also famous for being a recluse and has been the subject of several movies.  So, do we really need another film about Howard Hughes?  Especially after Martin Scorsese's 2004 epic The Aviator did such a fantastic job with Hughes as played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Beatty even retreads some of the scenes from Scorsese's picture, such as the Spruce Goose flight and Hughes's well documented OCD tendencies. 

The "main" plot follows aspiring actress Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins) and Hughes's driver Frank Forbes played by Alden Ehrenreich  Their on and off again romance centers around their views on religion, although the religion angle oddly disappears after the story takes an unfortunate turn. 

Rules Don't Apply revels too much in nostalgia, evidence being the generic soundtrack of rock standards heard in countless other movies.  

Beatty's still got it and manages to make the film hum along, yet those moments are fleeting.  He's the last of a generation of actor/directors who shaped American cinema in the 1960s and 1970s, yet most moviegoers probably have no idea and don't care. 

Rules Don't Apply feels like that last trip in your old beat up car before you retire it. Bittersweet. I hope Beatty takes on some more acting roles to introduce him to a new generation, with the right script and subject he could reach a younger audience. 

Hacksaw Ridge *** (2016)

Mel Gibson's new film Hacksaw Ridge never shrinks from the horrors of war nor does it necessarily condemn war itself.  The film stars Andrew Garfield, in perhaps his best acting to date, as the real life pacifist/hero Desmond T. Doss who saved the lives of 75 men at the Battle of Okinawa. The first hour of the film explores Desmond's life before the war in the Blue Ridge region of Virginia.  His alcoholic father played Hugo Weaving is haunted by memories of the First World War and urges Desmond not to enlist. These early scenes are reminiscent of the 1941 film Sergeant York starring Gary Cooper, a Tennessee pacifist who won the Medal of Honor for his heroics on the Western Front.  Desmond eventually enlists as a medic with the intention of saving lives instead of taking them. At first other members of Desmond's unit resent him for being a conscientious objector, specifically his refusal to carry a gun. Vince Vaughn does fine work as the drill instructor(another war movie cliche) who comes to respect Desmond.  Once the film gets to Okinawa, the battle sequences are intense and graphic, recalling Saving Private Ryan.  Desmond's heroics are juxtaposed with Gibson's penchant for filming brutality, even including a few references to his controversial film The Passion of the Christ.  While some of the conventions of the war film are unavoidable, Hacksaw Ridge is a powerful piece of cinema about standing by your principles in face of incredible peer pressure and moral chaos.

Doctor Strange ** (2016)

In the latest from the Marvel Factory we are introduced to the mysterious Doctor Strange. Played ably by Benedict Cumberbatch, the first half of the film is engaging. Cumberbatch does a great job with the origins story, playing a brilliant neurosurgeon who loses the use of his hands in a car accident and then searches the ends of the earth for a cure.  One of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's creations from the 1960s, the character was a unique fixture in the Marvel Universe, one who used magic and sorcery to protect Earth from mystical threats.  Being a Marvel film, the second half collapses into a pointless CGI extravaganza. That's not to say all the visuals were boring, there's a colorful journey into another dimension that channels the star chamber of 2001: A Space Odyssey. As the 14th Marvel movie, the question is raised: Can the cinematic experience replicate that of the comic book? I suppose so, but the recent slate of these movies offer little but diminishing returns. As mere escapism, Dr. Strange will suffice.