100ish Movies in 2016
Past movie totals:
137/100 movies in 2015
111/100 movies in 2014
118/110 movies in 2013
127/100 movies in 2012
115/100 movies in 2011
125/100 movies in 2010
79/100 movies in 2009
95/100 movies in 2008
2016
1. The Big Short ........ A-
Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
January 1, 2016
An engaging and surprisingly funny examination of the financial collapse with an all star cast. I was impressed with the degree to which they managed to convey fairly dry material in an entertaining way. One leaves the theatre feeling both amused and horrified.
2. Brooklyn ........ B
Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson
January 1, 2016
The strength of this film is Saoirse Ronan's beautiful portrayal of its protagonist. Her homesickness, love for her family and yearning ambition all come across perfectly. The actual story I found did not match the depth of Ronan's performance. Other characters are far too underdeveloped and I found her final decision very hard to buy.
3. See Girl Run ........ C+
Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong
January 2, 2016
Largely a waste of time for two great leads.
4. The Hateful Eight ........ B+
Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh
January 3, 2016
Although the final showdown is worth the wait, I found this outing even more demanding of patience than Tarantino's last few efforts. At least an hour could have been pared down. I do understand that that's part of his style, but it makes for a challenging watch. The score of this film is especially fabulous. I hope it takes home the hardware at the Oscars.
5. The Fifth Estate ........ C-
Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl
January 4, 2016
I found the story interesting, and Cumberbatch's portrayal convincing, but the way the film was put together just didn't work at all. The strange, metaphoric shots of the inner office of the online world were distracting and ineffective.
6. Wild Card ........ C+
Jason Statham, Michael Angarano, Milo Ventimiglia
January 5, 2016
Entertaining enough in places, but this movie did not at all take advantage of its comedic potential. Jason Statham really needs to never take himself seriously. Ever.
7. Carol ......... B+
Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
January 9, 2016
Although gorgeously filmed and superbly acted by the two leads, the actual story felt a bit thin and the film dragged.
8. 5 Flights Up ........ C+
Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman
January 11, 2016
It's a sweet story, but doesn't quite work as a film. I felt like it might have made a better play. The performances from both Keaton and Freeman also feel surprisingly phoned in.
9. Trois couleurs: Rouge (Three Colors: Red) ........ B+
Irène Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant
January 12, 2016
A delightful bout of complete French weirdness.
10. The Last Time You Had Fun ........ B
Kyle Bornheimer, Eliza Coupe, Mary Elizabeth Ellis,Demetri Martin
January 13, 2016
This film definitely does a good job of capturing how depressing adulthood can actually be. It also made me nostalgic for those neverending crazy nights. I'm not sure the story itself really worked in a believable way though.
11. Scent of a Woman ........ B-
Al Pacino, Chris O'Donnell
January 18, 2016
Though definitely dated, the film is still pretty enjoyable. It is a little mind boggling that this is the performance Al Pacino won an Oscar for, but still an entertaining character.
12. The Revenant ........ B+
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
Jaunary 19, 2016
My overall feelings about this film were conflicted. The performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy are outstanding, as is the art direction and cinematography. The fact that a film about the fur trade has been made at all is pretty great in and of itself. Some of the more intense moments are like nothing I've seen on screen. All that said, the pacing is super odd. I find myself actively bored a few times. I also found the fever dreams about the main character's dead wife to be almost cheesy, and wish that Tom Hardy's character hadn't been written so morally unambiguous. Thankfully Hardy's portrayal elevates the character far above moustache-twirling villain, but I felt like the story would have been so much more interesting without the more damning embellishments on true events.
13. CBGB ........ C
Alan Rickman, Ashley Greene, Donal Logue
January 24, 2016
Despite critical panning, I found this film pretty entertaining and charming. Many of the elements used to put the film together didn't really work though. The comic book segments, some characters who appear for two seconds, the general frantic feel. I saw where the vision was coming from, but it was never realized.
14. Dirty Grandpa ........ C+
Robert DeNiro, Zac Efron
January 25, 2016
There are a couple of laugh out loud moments, but for the most part this is just yet another unfunny attempt to recreate the Hangover.
15. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi ........ C
John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale
January 27, 2016
Allowing Michael Bay to direct a serious war story was the first mistake. I was impressed that there were even vague attempts to show humanity in the middle east, but mostly the racism comes across loud and clear, not to mention poorly timed given the adjacent presence of Donald Trump in the media.
16. Hail, Caesar! ........ C+
Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich
February 7, 2016
There are a collection of really great scenes embedded in what's mostly a super tedious story. Some of the movies within the movie are great, and I also loved the religious focus group. Otherwise I found this one pretty hard to get through.
17. Amy ........ B+
Asif Kapadia
February 11, 2016
An interesting picture of the troubled singer's life. It benefits from sticking almost exclusively to footage of Amy herself, but suffers from being overly long.
18. The Little Death ........ A-
Bojana Novakovic, Damon Herriman, Josh Lawson
February 11, 2016
A fantastic little indie comedy exploring the sexual perversions of a group of interconnected couples.
19. Couples Retreat ........ C
Vince Vaughn, Malin Akerman, Jon Favreau
February 11, 2016
This is pretty much exactly as anticipated. Very stereotypical, vague sexist reasons for marital discord lead to predictable hijinx.
20. 45 Years ........ B-
Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay
February 12, 2016
Although a lovely performance piece in some ways, the story is far too stark and plodding to hold interest for any length of time.
21. Showgirls ........ D-
Elizabeth Berkley, Gina Gershon
February 13, 2016
Oh man, did this one ever live up to its reputation of one of the best/worst movies ever made!! It's difficult to determine whether the script or the acting is actually worse. It's inconceivable that anyone ever thought this was legitimately a good idea! So incredibly entertaining though.
22. The Overnight ........ B-
Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche
February 14, 2016
What could have been an interesting exploration of marital boredom just doesn't quite work here. Certain scenes taken alone are fantastic, but the overall product doesn't satisfy.
23. Movie 43 ........ C+
Cast of thousands
February 15, 2016
I want to somewhat blame my intense stomach flu and feverish state for how much I didn't hate this collection of ridiculous shorts, but it might actually be that the panning was vaguely unfair. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that only one story revolved around feces. It is somewhat of a delight to see how many legitimate thespians consented to put themselves in the totally ridiculous, pervy situations as depicted in this movie. Unsurprisingly as with all collections of this nature, some shorts are FAR better than others though.
24. Zoolander 2 ........ C-
Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson
February 16, 2016
As someone who could never fathom the appeal of the first instalment, I'm probably not best poised to criticise this sequel. It seemed only equally unfunny to me, and only worth seeing for the plethora of cameos.
25. Deadpool ........ A-
Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin
February 21, 2016
If only the tedious Avengers series could take a page from this incredibly irreverent and delightful anti-hero story. I'm thrilled that any crossover action will be with the X-Men franchise.
26. The Lady in the Van ........ B+
Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings
February 25, 2016
Maggie Smith is always amazing and shines in this role. The pacing of the film is a little slow, but overall a very interesting watch.
27. The Hunting Ground ........ B
Kirby Dick
February 28, 2016
Presenting stats that are horrifying, if not really all that shocking (which is horrifying in and of itself), this documentary does a good job of putting together a compelling case and exposing the truth of sexual assault on campus in the US.
28. Macbeth ........ B
Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard
March 3, 2016
Two amazing leads could not save this one from tedium for me, but I must confess to having no love for Shakespeare, so can't really review this appropriately. It was beautifully shot. Plenty to look at while sitting through the dialogue.
29. Room Full of Spoons ........ A-
Rick Harper
March 4, 2016
A really great documentary about the worst movie of all time. Not only does the filmmaker go hands on into the story, he manages to treat the subject matter respectfully, even where it really doesn't deserve such.
30. I nostri ragazzi (The Dinner) ........ B-
Alessandro Gassman, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Luigi Lo Cascio
Started March 2, finished March 5, 2016
An interesting take on the adaptation of the novel, I didn't think it held together all that well. The script pretties up the characters considerably, making the ending seem totally out of nowhere.
31. Sicario ........ B
Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin
March 6, 2016
In all honesty I was expecting a lot more from this one. The first fifteen or so minutes are just amazing, but the quality goes almost immediately downhill. It's surprisingly slow and the plot twists end up feeling a bit silly instead of jarring.
32. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ........ B+
Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman
March 11, 2016
Surprised by how much I liked this one. I thought it treated most of the subject matter tastefully, as well as blurring the lines between comedy and drama very seamlessly.
33. How to Be Single ........ A-
Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann
March 17, 2016
Aside from Dakota Johnson not being the most compelling lead of all time, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. So hilarious, and pleasantly not a slave to the romantic comedy formula I was expecting. There were silly, formulaic elements to be sure, but it surprisingly didn't choose to shy away from the actual message contain in its title.
34. Dark Places ........ B-
Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Christina Hendricks
March 17, 2016
Despite great performances, the story here just isn't strong enough to really hold the attention. The big reveal is hard to buy and not particularly shocking considering how out of left field it's trying to be.
35. Straight Outta Compton ........ B+
O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell
March 20, 2016
Although in a lot of ways this feels like a pretty basic biopic, the awesome music and excellent performances from all leads elevate it above that.
36. He Never Died ........ B+
Henry Rollins, Jordan Todosey
March 24, 2016
Really dark. Really weird. Super enjoyable.
37. Time Lapse ........ A-
Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn
March 25, 2016
Upon vague examination, the plot of this indie Sci-Fi thriller sounds a little hokey. However, the end product is smart, well paced, beautifully executed and creepy.
38. The Voices ........ B
Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick
March 27, 2016
Total off the wall creepy weirdness, along with a great performance from Ryan Reynolds make this a very enjoyable watch.
39. Eye in the Sky ........ A-
Alan Rickman, Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul
March 30, 2016
Although this one may be a bit slower paced than some might expect, I thought it was really well put together. It's a very deep examination of a very complicated moral issue, wherein all sides of the argument are well presented and sensible. The frustration of many parties, as well as the avoidance and chain of command issues are totally relatable. Although some might find the general conclusion that there are no good answers unsatisfying, I'm pleased it didn't shy away from the reality.
40. Demolition ........ B-
Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Naomi Watts
April 8, 2016
An interesting idea, but this film doesn't really know what it wants to say, and ends up disjointed as a result.
41. Suffragette ......... B-
Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson
April 11, 2016
Although it ends up feeling pretty formulaic and in no way ground breaking, still an important story to tell.
42. Irrational Man ........ B
Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey
April 20, 2016
Although it certainly feels like Woody Allen recycling one of his well known plots for the third or fourth time, it's still engaging, well acted and enjoyable.
43. Anomalisa ........ A-
Voices of David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh
April 22, 2016
One of freshest feeling films I've seen in a long time. A heart-breaking exploration of the excitement of discovering a new person, and the boredom that ensues.
44. Love the Coopers ........ C+
Diane Keaton, John Goodman
April 24, 2015
Although mildly entertaining, it's mostly just incredible that so many talented performers signed on to this totally pathetic script.
45. Zootopia ........ A-
Voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
April 26, 2016
Beautifully animated, endearing and sweet at the same time as dealing with some pretty heavy and mature themes.
46. The Danish Girl ........ A-
Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander
April 27, 2016
An aesthetically beautiful film featuring wonderful performances. A few page to screen changes were a bit puzzling to me, but overall it captured the essence of the story.
47. The Diary of a Teenage Girl ........ A-
Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Kristen Wiig
May 7, 2016
Simple, entertaining and sexy coming of age story.
48. Secret in their Eyes ........ C+
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts
May 9, 2016
As far as unnecessary remakes go, this one is acceptable. It is just so neutered compared to the original.
49. Captain America: Civil War ........ B
Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr.
May 10, 2016
Definitely my favourite Avengers film of late, this one actually doesn't feel as long as it is and makes good use of its array of characters. Both sides of the dispute are understandable, it's refreshing to see consequences of violence actually explored in this type of movie.
50. Miss You Already ........ B
Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Dominic Cooper
May 18, 2016
Although formulaic, I felt like this was about as honest a look at the horrors of cancer as this time of Hollywood fare can manage. Also a film focusing mostly on female friendship is always welcome.
51. Sleeping With Other People ........ B+
Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie
May 18, 2016
A refreshingly fresh premise for a romcom, if not a very fresh take on male and female attitudes toward sex.
52. Man Up ........ B-
Simon Pegg, Lake Bell
May 20, 2016
There are some great scenes in this movie, but the disproportionate reaction to the "crime" derails the story extraordinarily.
53. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising ........ B-
Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloë Grace Moretz
May 24, 2016
As far as sequels to this type of comedy go, although this one falls short of the original, it's not bad. I particularly enjoyed the strong feminist angle, which is quite refreshing in a comedy of this nature.
54. Alice Through The Looking Glass ........ B
Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp
May 25, 2016
Visually gorgeous, and far more enjoyable and coherent than Tim Burton's first Alice in Wonderland outing.
55. A Bigger Splash ........ B-
Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes
May 28, 2016
Interesting story, but far too slowly paced.
56. Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny ........ B-
Jack Black, Kyle Gass
May 29, 2016
Totally ridiculous, but funnier than expected.
57. The Nice Guys ........ B
Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe
May 31, 2016
I found this one to be a bit disappointing. Too similar to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang to fall so far short of being as clever and entertaining as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
58. X-Men: Apocalypse ........ B
James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
June 1, 2016
As far as the treatment of the Apocalypse storyline, I was alright with this movie. It was well put together and exciting. However the studio's inability to allow fan-favourite Jennifer Lawrence or Michael Fassbender to actually be villains is very frustrating. The absurd backstory justifying Magneto's return to the dark side was so unnecessary and insulting to the viewer.
59. Moonshot ........ C
James Marsters, Andrew Lincoln, Daniel Lapaine
June 3, 2016
So slow. So boring.
60. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping ........ A-
Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer
June 4, 2016
A hilarious and clever send up of the concept of popstars, and celebrity culture in general.
61. Now You See Me 2 ........ D+
Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson
June 16, 2016
So disappointing. The original film was fresh and fun. This tepid sequel, which was unnecessary to begin with, seems to indicate that the filmmakers had no idea what made the original fun to begin with. Suddenly full of fights and car chases, and magic tricks that are completely absurd and poorly thought out, this instalment is almost painful to watch. Daniel Radcliffe's villain is the only redeeming part.
62. Bridge of Spies ........ C+
Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance
June 29, 2016
As much as I appreciated the art direction and historical depiction, the film itself is a yawn-fest.
63. The Winter Guest ........ C+
Emma Thompson, Phyllida Law
July 3, 2016
Meandering and seemingly without point.
64. Maggie's Plan ........ B-
Greta Gerwig, Julianne Moore, Ethan Hawke
July 5, 2016
A fun movie, although the twist can be seen from miles away. Julianne Moore is scene-stealing.
65. The To Do List ........ C
Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader
July 7, 2016
So much potential, such a good premise and such an excellent cast. How shockingly and pathetically unfunny it turned out!
66. Central Intelligence ........ C+
Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart
July 9, 2016
Pretty much as entertaining as expected.
67. The Legend of Tarzan ........ C
Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie
July 12, 2016
Casting Samuel L. Jackson in a historically improbable role does not do much to minimize the awkwardly racist story. Also, requiring Alexander Skarsgard to attempt a hoity-toity British accent is inadvisable in the first place, but especially wherein the character of Tarzan had supposedly spoken for the first time 6 years prior and his first contact was an American. Logic, people??
68. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates ........ C+
Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza
July 15, 2016
Entertaining in a totally mindless sort of way.
69. Mistress America ........ B+
Lola Kirke, Greta Gerwig
July 17, 2016
A fresh feeling story and charming turn from Lola Kirke. This role is also far more suited to Greta Gerwig's talents than the sweet, innocent characters she's been playing of late.
70. Swiss Army Man ........ B+
Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe
July 18, 2016
One of the most (dare I say only?) original stories I've seen on screen in a long time. Although the flatulence based humour is definitely excessive, the story as a whole being about love and the strange things all humans keep private, it's well worth watching.
71. The Secret Life of Pets ........ B-
Voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet
July 21, 2016
I was very disappointed with this one. The best moments are in the observational humour about the behaviour of household pets. The overblown adventure story feels unnecessary and cliched.
72. Unfinished Business ........ B-
Vince Vaughn, Dave Franco, Tom Wilkinson
July 23, 2016
Formulaic and fairly dumb, this silly comedy still didn't quite deserve the critical panning it got.
73. Weekend ......... B+
Tom Cullen, Chris New
July 24, 2016
Beautiful, believable and fresh. Too slow in places, but well worth a look.
74. Every Thing Will Be Fine ........ B-
James Franco, Charlotte Gainsbourg
July 24, 2016
Although the premise is interesting, the end product attempts to span too much time, and ends up feeling a bit without message or point.
75. Ghostbusters ........ B
Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy
July 25, 2016
Fun and silly. Did it need to be remade? Of course not. Nothing does. The decision to remake the film with an all female cast just added to its worthiness though. If one doesn't have an original idea, one can at least mix things up a bit.
76. American Ultra ........ B+
Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart
July 28, 2016
A fun take on the innocent unwitting human weapon subgenre. That's a thing now, right?
77. Jason Bourne ........ B-
Matt Damon, Alicia Vikander
August 1, 2016
Although still decent as far as the genre goes, a very disappointing Bourne sequel. The plot is half-assed and the performances feel phoned-in.
78. Slow West ........ B-
Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender
August 5, 2016
Very slow and very strange. Still ultimately satisfying and interesting.
79. Star Trek Beyond ........ B-
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban
August 8, 2016
I've never really understood the popularity of the new Star Trek films, but this one felt even more lacklustre than previous instalments. The plot is very silly and the pace drags.
80. Ira & Abby ........ A-
Jennifer Westfeldt, Chris Messina
August 9, 2016
A surprisingly clever romcom that is both an exploration of whether marriage is really important, and a send up of the psychiatry community.
81. The Big Lebowski ........ B
Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore
August 10, 2016
Although I'm not sure I quite get the huge cult status that this movie has garnered, it was still a pretty entertaining romp.
82. Chinatown ........ B+
Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
August 12, 2016
Very interesting film, although extremely dated. I'm glad to have finally seen it. It holds up, but I'm not sure it in any way holds up as one of the supposed best films of all time in my opinion.
83. Alien ......... A-
Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm
August 13, 2016
Another one that's extremely dated; I was surprised by how slow it actually is. The iconic scenes certainly hold up though.
84. Looking: The Movie ........ B+
Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, Murray Bartlett
August 14, 2016
Although it's fantastic that this beloved cancelled show got the opportunity to close itself off with a film, it just tries too hard to tie up every storyline neatly with a bow. I wouldn't have expected "Looking" to resort to "Quick, let's pair EVERYONE off" tactics to shove things into a happy ending. That being said, there are still plenty of scenes serving as a reminder of the reasons the show was so fabulous. Totally organic, relatable conversations and charming characters.
85. Léon: The Professional ........ B+
Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman
August 20, 2016
Once you get past the unbelievable 90s attire, this action flick holds up quite well. Gary Oldman is absolutely fabulous and scenery-chewing. I appreciated the lack of shying away from the vaguely creepy Lolita-esque story. Although read in the trivia that some of those scenes may not have been shown in the states. Interesting and a shame.
86.Where to Invade Next ........ A
Michael Moore
August 24, 2016
Absolutely one of the best films I've seen in a long time. Michael Moore's "happy" movie is organized in a very clever way, starting with concepts that it's hard to imagine most Americans opposing (8 weeks of vacation in Italy? Yes please!) and slowly moving to the concepts they are more likely to find difficult or offensive, such as Norway's ultra-humane, rehabilitation-geared prison system. Moore is not as heavy-handed as usual in pointing out America's flaws, such as the racism in the supposed "war on drugs" and the revenge-based prison system, instead choosing to focus on the much more effective alternatives. Unfortunately it's hard to imagine most of the individuals who would seriously oppose these innovative ideas actually sitting through the film. A breath of fresh air for sure though.
87. War Dogs ........ B
Miles Teller, Jonah Hill
August 25, 2016
Nothing like as funny as the trailers suggest, and in fact quite slow and draggy in places.
88. Sausage Party ........ B+
Voiced by Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Edward Norton
August 27, 2016
Unlike "The Secret Life of Pets", the main adventure story in this movie (oddly not even hinted at in the trailers) is as entertaining as the "food being eaten" scene we all watched on youtube a million times. Although parts are of course incredibly stupid, the anti-religious social commentary is surprisingly on point, and the overall concept weirdly clever in its ridiculousness.
89. Suicide Squad ........ B+
Will Smith, Margot Robbit, Viola Davis
August 29, 2016
Talk about unfair critical panning! I had such rock bottom expectations going into this one, but was pleased to discover a very entertaining popcorn flick. By no means ground-breaking, it certainly suffered from the extreme amounts of hype attached to in, but in the end just as good (dare I suggest probably better) than any Captain America that's received piles of undo praise. Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn is without a doubt the highlight.
90. Chef ........ A-
Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Emjay Anthony
September 1, 2016
Although unapologetically feel-food and a bit schlocky in places, "Chef" has well developed, endearing characters and genuine performances that elevate it above its peers. The amazing-looking food doesn't hurt either. For the love of God, don't watch while hungry!!
91. Crimon Peak ........ D+
Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston
September 3, 2016
No amount of pretty (whether we're talking art direction, or Tom Hiddleston's bum) can make up for how bad this movie is.
92. The Confirmation ........ B-
Clive Owen, Jaeden Lieberher, Maria Bello
September 4, 2016
Quiet and lovely, although arguably too slow.
93. The Lobster ......... A
Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz
September 9, 2016
94. Sully ........ B-
Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart
September 21, 2016
95. Weiner ......... B
Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin
September 24, 2016
96. Hell or High Water ........ A-
Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges
September 25, 2016
97. Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes) ........ B
Darío Grandinetti, María Marull, Mónica Villa
September 26, 2016
98. Audrie & Daisy ........ A-
Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk
September 28, 2016
99. The Last Witch Hunter ........ C-
Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood
September 29, 2016
99. Queen of Katwe ........ B
Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o
September 30, 2016
100. Snowden ........ B
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo
September 30, 2016
101. X-Rated: The Greatest Adult Movies of All Time ........ B-
Bryn Pryor
October 3, 2016
102. The Details ........ C-
Tobey Maguire, Elizabeth Banks, Laura Linney
October 7, 2016
103. Under the Tuscan Sun ........ B-
Diane Lane, Sandra Oh
October 10, 2016
104. Masterminds ........ D+
Kristen Wiig, Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson
October 12, 2016
105. The Dressmaker ........ B
Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth
October 15, 2016
106. Bad Moms ........ B-
Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell
October 23, 2016
107. The Magnificent Seven ........ B+
Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke
October 25, 2016
108. The Girl on the Train ........ B+
Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson
October 28, 2016
109. Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant ........ B-
Chris Massoglia, John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson
October 30, 2016
110. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ........ B-
Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston
October 31, 2016
111. Keeping Up with the Joneses ......... C+
Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm
November 1, 2016
112. Doctor Strange ........ B+
Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton
November 5, 2016
113. The Accountant ........ B+
Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons
November 6, 2016
114. Freeheld ........ B
Julianne Moore, Ellen Page
November 7, 2016
115. I Smile Back ........ B+
Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles
November 14, 2016
116. Eddie the Eagle ........ B
Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman
November 14, 2016
117. Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie ........ B+
Kôjiro Shimizu, Kenji Haga, Miki Fujitani
November 18, 2016
118. Moonlight ........ B+
Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes, Naomi Harris
November 19, 2016
119. The Edge of Seventeen ........ B+
Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick
November 20, 2016
120. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ........ B+
Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol
November 22, 2016
121. Allied ........ B
Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard
November 29, 2016
122. Arrival ........ B+
Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner
December 3, 2016
123. Loving ........ A-
Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton
December 3, 2016
124. The Meddler ........ B
Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne
December 5, 2016
125. The Intervention ........ B+
Melanie Lynskey, Jason Ritter, Clea DuVall, Cobie Smulders
December 7, 2016
126. Nocturnal Animals ........ A-
Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon
December 10, 2016
127. Collateral Beauty ........ C-
Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Edward Norton, Kate WInslet
December 19, 2016
128. Manchester by the Sea ........ A-
Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges
December 23, 2016
129. Fading Gigolo ........ B-
John Turturro, Woody Allen
December 26, 2016
130. Bridget Jones's Baby ........ C+
Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey
December 27, 2016
137/100 movies in 2015
111/100 movies in 2014
118/110 movies in 2013
127/100 movies in 2012
115/100 movies in 2011
125/100 movies in 2010
79/100 movies in 2009
95/100 movies in 2008
2016
1. The Big Short ........ A-
Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
January 1, 2016
An engaging and surprisingly funny examination of the financial collapse with an all star cast. I was impressed with the degree to which they managed to convey fairly dry material in an entertaining way. One leaves the theatre feeling both amused and horrified.
2. Brooklyn ........ B
Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson
January 1, 2016
The strength of this film is Saoirse Ronan's beautiful portrayal of its protagonist. Her homesickness, love for her family and yearning ambition all come across perfectly. The actual story I found did not match the depth of Ronan's performance. Other characters are far too underdeveloped and I found her final decision very hard to buy.
3. See Girl Run ........ C+
Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong
January 2, 2016
Largely a waste of time for two great leads.
4. The Hateful Eight ........ B+
Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh
January 3, 2016
Although the final showdown is worth the wait, I found this outing even more demanding of patience than Tarantino's last few efforts. At least an hour could have been pared down. I do understand that that's part of his style, but it makes for a challenging watch. The score of this film is especially fabulous. I hope it takes home the hardware at the Oscars.
5. The Fifth Estate ........ C-
Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl
January 4, 2016
I found the story interesting, and Cumberbatch's portrayal convincing, but the way the film was put together just didn't work at all. The strange, metaphoric shots of the inner office of the online world were distracting and ineffective.
6. Wild Card ........ C+
Jason Statham, Michael Angarano, Milo Ventimiglia
January 5, 2016
Entertaining enough in places, but this movie did not at all take advantage of its comedic potential. Jason Statham really needs to never take himself seriously. Ever.
7. Carol ......... B+
Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
January 9, 2016
Although gorgeously filmed and superbly acted by the two leads, the actual story felt a bit thin and the film dragged.
8. 5 Flights Up ........ C+
Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman
January 11, 2016
It's a sweet story, but doesn't quite work as a film. I felt like it might have made a better play. The performances from both Keaton and Freeman also feel surprisingly phoned in.
9. Trois couleurs: Rouge (Three Colors: Red) ........ B+
Irène Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant
January 12, 2016
A delightful bout of complete French weirdness.
10. The Last Time You Had Fun ........ B
Kyle Bornheimer, Eliza Coupe, Mary Elizabeth Ellis,Demetri Martin
January 13, 2016
This film definitely does a good job of capturing how depressing adulthood can actually be. It also made me nostalgic for those neverending crazy nights. I'm not sure the story itself really worked in a believable way though.
11. Scent of a Woman ........ B-
Al Pacino, Chris O'Donnell
January 18, 2016
Though definitely dated, the film is still pretty enjoyable. It is a little mind boggling that this is the performance Al Pacino won an Oscar for, but still an entertaining character.
12. The Revenant ........ B+
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
Jaunary 19, 2016
My overall feelings about this film were conflicted. The performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy are outstanding, as is the art direction and cinematography. The fact that a film about the fur trade has been made at all is pretty great in and of itself. Some of the more intense moments are like nothing I've seen on screen. All that said, the pacing is super odd. I find myself actively bored a few times. I also found the fever dreams about the main character's dead wife to be almost cheesy, and wish that Tom Hardy's character hadn't been written so morally unambiguous. Thankfully Hardy's portrayal elevates the character far above moustache-twirling villain, but I felt like the story would have been so much more interesting without the more damning embellishments on true events.
13. CBGB ........ C
Alan Rickman, Ashley Greene, Donal Logue
January 24, 2016
Despite critical panning, I found this film pretty entertaining and charming. Many of the elements used to put the film together didn't really work though. The comic book segments, some characters who appear for two seconds, the general frantic feel. I saw where the vision was coming from, but it was never realized.
14. Dirty Grandpa ........ C+
Robert DeNiro, Zac Efron
January 25, 2016
There are a couple of laugh out loud moments, but for the most part this is just yet another unfunny attempt to recreate the Hangover.
15. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi ........ C
John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale
January 27, 2016
Allowing Michael Bay to direct a serious war story was the first mistake. I was impressed that there were even vague attempts to show humanity in the middle east, but mostly the racism comes across loud and clear, not to mention poorly timed given the adjacent presence of Donald Trump in the media.
16. Hail, Caesar! ........ C+
Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich
February 7, 2016
There are a collection of really great scenes embedded in what's mostly a super tedious story. Some of the movies within the movie are great, and I also loved the religious focus group. Otherwise I found this one pretty hard to get through.
17. Amy ........ B+
Asif Kapadia
February 11, 2016
An interesting picture of the troubled singer's life. It benefits from sticking almost exclusively to footage of Amy herself, but suffers from being overly long.
18. The Little Death ........ A-
Bojana Novakovic, Damon Herriman, Josh Lawson
February 11, 2016
A fantastic little indie comedy exploring the sexual perversions of a group of interconnected couples.
19. Couples Retreat ........ C
Vince Vaughn, Malin Akerman, Jon Favreau
February 11, 2016
This is pretty much exactly as anticipated. Very stereotypical, vague sexist reasons for marital discord lead to predictable hijinx.
20. 45 Years ........ B-
Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay
February 12, 2016
Although a lovely performance piece in some ways, the story is far too stark and plodding to hold interest for any length of time.
21. Showgirls ........ D-
Elizabeth Berkley, Gina Gershon
February 13, 2016
Oh man, did this one ever live up to its reputation of one of the best/worst movies ever made!! It's difficult to determine whether the script or the acting is actually worse. It's inconceivable that anyone ever thought this was legitimately a good idea! So incredibly entertaining though.
22. The Overnight ........ B-
Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche
February 14, 2016
What could have been an interesting exploration of marital boredom just doesn't quite work here. Certain scenes taken alone are fantastic, but the overall product doesn't satisfy.
23. Movie 43 ........ C+
Cast of thousands
February 15, 2016
I want to somewhat blame my intense stomach flu and feverish state for how much I didn't hate this collection of ridiculous shorts, but it might actually be that the panning was vaguely unfair. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that only one story revolved around feces. It is somewhat of a delight to see how many legitimate thespians consented to put themselves in the totally ridiculous, pervy situations as depicted in this movie. Unsurprisingly as with all collections of this nature, some shorts are FAR better than others though.
24. Zoolander 2 ........ C-
Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson
February 16, 2016
As someone who could never fathom the appeal of the first instalment, I'm probably not best poised to criticise this sequel. It seemed only equally unfunny to me, and only worth seeing for the plethora of cameos.
25. Deadpool ........ A-
Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin
February 21, 2016
If only the tedious Avengers series could take a page from this incredibly irreverent and delightful anti-hero story. I'm thrilled that any crossover action will be with the X-Men franchise.
26. The Lady in the Van ........ B+
Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings
February 25, 2016
Maggie Smith is always amazing and shines in this role. The pacing of the film is a little slow, but overall a very interesting watch.
27. The Hunting Ground ........ B
Kirby Dick
February 28, 2016
Presenting stats that are horrifying, if not really all that shocking (which is horrifying in and of itself), this documentary does a good job of putting together a compelling case and exposing the truth of sexual assault on campus in the US.
28. Macbeth ........ B
Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard
March 3, 2016
Two amazing leads could not save this one from tedium for me, but I must confess to having no love for Shakespeare, so can't really review this appropriately. It was beautifully shot. Plenty to look at while sitting through the dialogue.
29. Room Full of Spoons ........ A-
Rick Harper
March 4, 2016
A really great documentary about the worst movie of all time. Not only does the filmmaker go hands on into the story, he manages to treat the subject matter respectfully, even where it really doesn't deserve such.
30. I nostri ragazzi (The Dinner) ........ B-
Alessandro Gassman, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Luigi Lo Cascio
Started March 2, finished March 5, 2016
An interesting take on the adaptation of the novel, I didn't think it held together all that well. The script pretties up the characters considerably, making the ending seem totally out of nowhere.
31. Sicario ........ B
Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin
March 6, 2016
In all honesty I was expecting a lot more from this one. The first fifteen or so minutes are just amazing, but the quality goes almost immediately downhill. It's surprisingly slow and the plot twists end up feeling a bit silly instead of jarring.
32. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ........ B+
Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman
March 11, 2016
Surprised by how much I liked this one. I thought it treated most of the subject matter tastefully, as well as blurring the lines between comedy and drama very seamlessly.
33. How to Be Single ........ A-
Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann
March 17, 2016
Aside from Dakota Johnson not being the most compelling lead of all time, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. So hilarious, and pleasantly not a slave to the romantic comedy formula I was expecting. There were silly, formulaic elements to be sure, but it surprisingly didn't choose to shy away from the actual message contain in its title.
34. Dark Places ........ B-
Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Christina Hendricks
March 17, 2016
Despite great performances, the story here just isn't strong enough to really hold the attention. The big reveal is hard to buy and not particularly shocking considering how out of left field it's trying to be.
35. Straight Outta Compton ........ B+
O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell
March 20, 2016
Although in a lot of ways this feels like a pretty basic biopic, the awesome music and excellent performances from all leads elevate it above that.
36. He Never Died ........ B+
Henry Rollins, Jordan Todosey
March 24, 2016
Really dark. Really weird. Super enjoyable.
37. Time Lapse ........ A-
Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn
March 25, 2016
Upon vague examination, the plot of this indie Sci-Fi thriller sounds a little hokey. However, the end product is smart, well paced, beautifully executed and creepy.
38. The Voices ........ B
Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick
March 27, 2016
Total off the wall creepy weirdness, along with a great performance from Ryan Reynolds make this a very enjoyable watch.
39. Eye in the Sky ........ A-
Alan Rickman, Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul
March 30, 2016
Although this one may be a bit slower paced than some might expect, I thought it was really well put together. It's a very deep examination of a very complicated moral issue, wherein all sides of the argument are well presented and sensible. The frustration of many parties, as well as the avoidance and chain of command issues are totally relatable. Although some might find the general conclusion that there are no good answers unsatisfying, I'm pleased it didn't shy away from the reality.
40. Demolition ........ B-
Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Naomi Watts
April 8, 2016
An interesting idea, but this film doesn't really know what it wants to say, and ends up disjointed as a result.
41. Suffragette ......... B-
Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson
April 11, 2016
Although it ends up feeling pretty formulaic and in no way ground breaking, still an important story to tell.
42. Irrational Man ........ B
Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey
April 20, 2016
Although it certainly feels like Woody Allen recycling one of his well known plots for the third or fourth time, it's still engaging, well acted and enjoyable.
43. Anomalisa ........ A-
Voices of David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh
April 22, 2016
One of freshest feeling films I've seen in a long time. A heart-breaking exploration of the excitement of discovering a new person, and the boredom that ensues.
44. Love the Coopers ........ C+
Diane Keaton, John Goodman
April 24, 2015
Although mildly entertaining, it's mostly just incredible that so many talented performers signed on to this totally pathetic script.
45. Zootopia ........ A-
Voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
April 26, 2016
Beautifully animated, endearing and sweet at the same time as dealing with some pretty heavy and mature themes.
46. The Danish Girl ........ A-
Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander
April 27, 2016
An aesthetically beautiful film featuring wonderful performances. A few page to screen changes were a bit puzzling to me, but overall it captured the essence of the story.
47. The Diary of a Teenage Girl ........ A-
Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Kristen Wiig
May 7, 2016
Simple, entertaining and sexy coming of age story.
48. Secret in their Eyes ........ C+
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts
May 9, 2016
As far as unnecessary remakes go, this one is acceptable. It is just so neutered compared to the original.
49. Captain America: Civil War ........ B
Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr.
May 10, 2016
Definitely my favourite Avengers film of late, this one actually doesn't feel as long as it is and makes good use of its array of characters. Both sides of the dispute are understandable, it's refreshing to see consequences of violence actually explored in this type of movie.
50. Miss You Already ........ B
Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Dominic Cooper
May 18, 2016
Although formulaic, I felt like this was about as honest a look at the horrors of cancer as this time of Hollywood fare can manage. Also a film focusing mostly on female friendship is always welcome.
51. Sleeping With Other People ........ B+
Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie
May 18, 2016
A refreshingly fresh premise for a romcom, if not a very fresh take on male and female attitudes toward sex.
52. Man Up ........ B-
Simon Pegg, Lake Bell
May 20, 2016
There are some great scenes in this movie, but the disproportionate reaction to the "crime" derails the story extraordinarily.
53. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising ........ B-
Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloë Grace Moretz
May 24, 2016
As far as sequels to this type of comedy go, although this one falls short of the original, it's not bad. I particularly enjoyed the strong feminist angle, which is quite refreshing in a comedy of this nature.
54. Alice Through The Looking Glass ........ B
Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp
May 25, 2016
Visually gorgeous, and far more enjoyable and coherent than Tim Burton's first Alice in Wonderland outing.
55. A Bigger Splash ........ B-
Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes
May 28, 2016
Interesting story, but far too slowly paced.
56. Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny ........ B-
Jack Black, Kyle Gass
May 29, 2016
Totally ridiculous, but funnier than expected.
57. The Nice Guys ........ B
Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe
May 31, 2016
I found this one to be a bit disappointing. Too similar to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang to fall so far short of being as clever and entertaining as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
58. X-Men: Apocalypse ........ B
James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
June 1, 2016
As far as the treatment of the Apocalypse storyline, I was alright with this movie. It was well put together and exciting. However the studio's inability to allow fan-favourite Jennifer Lawrence or Michael Fassbender to actually be villains is very frustrating. The absurd backstory justifying Magneto's return to the dark side was so unnecessary and insulting to the viewer.
59. Moonshot ........ C
James Marsters, Andrew Lincoln, Daniel Lapaine
June 3, 2016
So slow. So boring.
60. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping ........ A-
Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer
June 4, 2016
A hilarious and clever send up of the concept of popstars, and celebrity culture in general.
61. Now You See Me 2 ........ D+
Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson
June 16, 2016
So disappointing. The original film was fresh and fun. This tepid sequel, which was unnecessary to begin with, seems to indicate that the filmmakers had no idea what made the original fun to begin with. Suddenly full of fights and car chases, and magic tricks that are completely absurd and poorly thought out, this instalment is almost painful to watch. Daniel Radcliffe's villain is the only redeeming part.
62. Bridge of Spies ........ C+
Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance
June 29, 2016
As much as I appreciated the art direction and historical depiction, the film itself is a yawn-fest.
63. The Winter Guest ........ C+
Emma Thompson, Phyllida Law
July 3, 2016
Meandering and seemingly without point.
64. Maggie's Plan ........ B-
Greta Gerwig, Julianne Moore, Ethan Hawke
July 5, 2016
A fun movie, although the twist can be seen from miles away. Julianne Moore is scene-stealing.
65. The To Do List ........ C
Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader
July 7, 2016
So much potential, such a good premise and such an excellent cast. How shockingly and pathetically unfunny it turned out!
66. Central Intelligence ........ C+
Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart
July 9, 2016
Pretty much as entertaining as expected.
67. The Legend of Tarzan ........ C
Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie
July 12, 2016
Casting Samuel L. Jackson in a historically improbable role does not do much to minimize the awkwardly racist story. Also, requiring Alexander Skarsgard to attempt a hoity-toity British accent is inadvisable in the first place, but especially wherein the character of Tarzan had supposedly spoken for the first time 6 years prior and his first contact was an American. Logic, people??
68. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates ........ C+
Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza
July 15, 2016
Entertaining in a totally mindless sort of way.
69. Mistress America ........ B+
Lola Kirke, Greta Gerwig
July 17, 2016
A fresh feeling story and charming turn from Lola Kirke. This role is also far more suited to Greta Gerwig's talents than the sweet, innocent characters she's been playing of late.
70. Swiss Army Man ........ B+
Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe
July 18, 2016
One of the most (dare I say only?) original stories I've seen on screen in a long time. Although the flatulence based humour is definitely excessive, the story as a whole being about love and the strange things all humans keep private, it's well worth watching.
71. The Secret Life of Pets ........ B-
Voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet
July 21, 2016
I was very disappointed with this one. The best moments are in the observational humour about the behaviour of household pets. The overblown adventure story feels unnecessary and cliched.
72. Unfinished Business ........ B-
Vince Vaughn, Dave Franco, Tom Wilkinson
July 23, 2016
Formulaic and fairly dumb, this silly comedy still didn't quite deserve the critical panning it got.
73. Weekend ......... B+
Tom Cullen, Chris New
July 24, 2016
Beautiful, believable and fresh. Too slow in places, but well worth a look.
74. Every Thing Will Be Fine ........ B-
James Franco, Charlotte Gainsbourg
July 24, 2016
Although the premise is interesting, the end product attempts to span too much time, and ends up feeling a bit without message or point.
75. Ghostbusters ........ B
Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy
July 25, 2016
Fun and silly. Did it need to be remade? Of course not. Nothing does. The decision to remake the film with an all female cast just added to its worthiness though. If one doesn't have an original idea, one can at least mix things up a bit.
76. American Ultra ........ B+
Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart
July 28, 2016
A fun take on the innocent unwitting human weapon subgenre. That's a thing now, right?
77. Jason Bourne ........ B-
Matt Damon, Alicia Vikander
August 1, 2016
Although still decent as far as the genre goes, a very disappointing Bourne sequel. The plot is half-assed and the performances feel phoned-in.
78. Slow West ........ B-
Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender
August 5, 2016
Very slow and very strange. Still ultimately satisfying and interesting.
79. Star Trek Beyond ........ B-
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban
August 8, 2016
I've never really understood the popularity of the new Star Trek films, but this one felt even more lacklustre than previous instalments. The plot is very silly and the pace drags.
80. Ira & Abby ........ A-
Jennifer Westfeldt, Chris Messina
August 9, 2016
A surprisingly clever romcom that is both an exploration of whether marriage is really important, and a send up of the psychiatry community.
81. The Big Lebowski ........ B
Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore
August 10, 2016
Although I'm not sure I quite get the huge cult status that this movie has garnered, it was still a pretty entertaining romp.
82. Chinatown ........ B+
Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
August 12, 2016
Very interesting film, although extremely dated. I'm glad to have finally seen it. It holds up, but I'm not sure it in any way holds up as one of the supposed best films of all time in my opinion.
83. Alien ......... A-
Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm
August 13, 2016
Another one that's extremely dated; I was surprised by how slow it actually is. The iconic scenes certainly hold up though.
84. Looking: The Movie ........ B+
Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, Murray Bartlett
August 14, 2016
Although it's fantastic that this beloved cancelled show got the opportunity to close itself off with a film, it just tries too hard to tie up every storyline neatly with a bow. I wouldn't have expected "Looking" to resort to "Quick, let's pair EVERYONE off" tactics to shove things into a happy ending. That being said, there are still plenty of scenes serving as a reminder of the reasons the show was so fabulous. Totally organic, relatable conversations and charming characters.
85. Léon: The Professional ........ B+
Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman
August 20, 2016
Once you get past the unbelievable 90s attire, this action flick holds up quite well. Gary Oldman is absolutely fabulous and scenery-chewing. I appreciated the lack of shying away from the vaguely creepy Lolita-esque story. Although read in the trivia that some of those scenes may not have been shown in the states. Interesting and a shame.
86.Where to Invade Next ........ A
Michael Moore
August 24, 2016
Absolutely one of the best films I've seen in a long time. Michael Moore's "happy" movie is organized in a very clever way, starting with concepts that it's hard to imagine most Americans opposing (8 weeks of vacation in Italy? Yes please!) and slowly moving to the concepts they are more likely to find difficult or offensive, such as Norway's ultra-humane, rehabilitation-geared prison system. Moore is not as heavy-handed as usual in pointing out America's flaws, such as the racism in the supposed "war on drugs" and the revenge-based prison system, instead choosing to focus on the much more effective alternatives. Unfortunately it's hard to imagine most of the individuals who would seriously oppose these innovative ideas actually sitting through the film. A breath of fresh air for sure though.
87. War Dogs ........ B
Miles Teller, Jonah Hill
August 25, 2016
Nothing like as funny as the trailers suggest, and in fact quite slow and draggy in places.
88. Sausage Party ........ B+
Voiced by Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Edward Norton
August 27, 2016
Unlike "The Secret Life of Pets", the main adventure story in this movie (oddly not even hinted at in the trailers) is as entertaining as the "food being eaten" scene we all watched on youtube a million times. Although parts are of course incredibly stupid, the anti-religious social commentary is surprisingly on point, and the overall concept weirdly clever in its ridiculousness.
89. Suicide Squad ........ B+
Will Smith, Margot Robbit, Viola Davis
August 29, 2016
Talk about unfair critical panning! I had such rock bottom expectations going into this one, but was pleased to discover a very entertaining popcorn flick. By no means ground-breaking, it certainly suffered from the extreme amounts of hype attached to in, but in the end just as good (dare I suggest probably better) than any Captain America that's received piles of undo praise. Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn is without a doubt the highlight.
90. Chef ........ A-
Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Emjay Anthony
September 1, 2016
Although unapologetically feel-food and a bit schlocky in places, "Chef" has well developed, endearing characters and genuine performances that elevate it above its peers. The amazing-looking food doesn't hurt either. For the love of God, don't watch while hungry!!
91. Crimon Peak ........ D+
Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston
September 3, 2016
No amount of pretty (whether we're talking art direction, or Tom Hiddleston's bum) can make up for how bad this movie is.
92. The Confirmation ........ B-
Clive Owen, Jaeden Lieberher, Maria Bello
September 4, 2016
Quiet and lovely, although arguably too slow.
93. The Lobster ......... A
Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz
September 9, 2016
94. Sully ........ B-
Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart
September 21, 2016
95. Weiner ......... B
Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin
September 24, 2016
96. Hell or High Water ........ A-
Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges
September 25, 2016
97. Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes) ........ B
Darío Grandinetti, María Marull, Mónica Villa
September 26, 2016
98. Audrie & Daisy ........ A-
Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk
September 28, 2016
99. The Last Witch Hunter ........ C-
Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood
September 29, 2016
99. Queen of Katwe ........ B
Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o
September 30, 2016
100. Snowden ........ B
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo
September 30, 2016
101. X-Rated: The Greatest Adult Movies of All Time ........ B-
Bryn Pryor
October 3, 2016
102. The Details ........ C-
Tobey Maguire, Elizabeth Banks, Laura Linney
October 7, 2016
103. Under the Tuscan Sun ........ B-
Diane Lane, Sandra Oh
October 10, 2016
104. Masterminds ........ D+
Kristen Wiig, Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson
October 12, 2016
105. The Dressmaker ........ B
Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth
October 15, 2016
106. Bad Moms ........ B-
Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell
October 23, 2016
107. The Magnificent Seven ........ B+
Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke
October 25, 2016
108. The Girl on the Train ........ B+
Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson
October 28, 2016
109. Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant ........ B-
Chris Massoglia, John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson
October 30, 2016
110. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ........ B-
Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston
October 31, 2016
111. Keeping Up with the Joneses ......... C+
Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm
November 1, 2016
112. Doctor Strange ........ B+
Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton
November 5, 2016
113. The Accountant ........ B+
Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons
November 6, 2016
114. Freeheld ........ B
Julianne Moore, Ellen Page
November 7, 2016
115. I Smile Back ........ B+
Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles
November 14, 2016
116. Eddie the Eagle ........ B
Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman
November 14, 2016
117. Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie ........ B+
Kôjiro Shimizu, Kenji Haga, Miki Fujitani
November 18, 2016
118. Moonlight ........ B+
Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes, Naomi Harris
November 19, 2016
119. The Edge of Seventeen ........ B+
Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick
November 20, 2016
120. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ........ B+
Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol
November 22, 2016
121. Allied ........ B
Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard
November 29, 2016
122. Arrival ........ B+
Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner
December 3, 2016
123. Loving ........ A-
Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton
December 3, 2016
124. The Meddler ........ B
Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne
December 5, 2016
125. The Intervention ........ B+
Melanie Lynskey, Jason Ritter, Clea DuVall, Cobie Smulders
December 7, 2016
126. Nocturnal Animals ........ A-
Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon
December 10, 2016
127. Collateral Beauty ........ C-
Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Edward Norton, Kate WInslet
December 19, 2016
128. Manchester by the Sea ........ A-
Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges
December 23, 2016
129. Fading Gigolo ........ B-
John Turturro, Woody Allen
December 26, 2016
130. Bridget Jones's Baby ........ C+
Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey
December 27, 2016