2016 has been an absolutely superb year for films. I can tell you right now that it was extremely difficult coming up with just 10 films. A top 20 could've been done, but that will be on my YouTube channel. The year is coming to a close and it's time to tell you guys my top 10 favorite films of 2016.

10. "Hell or High Water"

We've had a recent resurgence for the Western genre, with films such as Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight and The Revenant. David MacKenzie's modern-day Western is one that manages to grab the audience with the great performances, beautiful cinematography and the compelling screenplay from Sicario writer Taylor Sheridan. Jeff Bridges will receive an Oscar nomination for his turn as a racist, but caring, cop on the verge of retirement as his task is to find two criminal brothers (Chris Pine & Ben Foster, who are also phenomenal here).

It was also a huge surprise hit at the box office, as being one of the highest grossing indies of the summer.

9. "Moonlight"

It may come as a shocker that Barry Jenkins' three-act masterpiece is so low on my list. The reason is that I can't see myself watching it again for at least a few years. But, it's still a beautifully-crafted story, as it's one of the front runners for Best Picture. We follow an African-American boy (then teenager, then man) named Chiron as he struggles with his sexual orientation and living in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Miami. If I had to sell this film to someone, I would say it's "Boyhood meets Boyz n the Hood mixed with Brokeback Mountain".

Mahershala Ali is currently my pick for Best Supporting Actor, despite his limited, but important time on screen. It's been a strong year for him with this and Luke Cage.

8. "Arrival"

I cannot believe Denis Villeneuve is already 4 for 4 with Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario and now Arrival. His self-contained piece of science fiction is something I never would have guessed to experience in my life. We follow linguist Louise Banks, who is played wonderfully by Amy Adams, as she's hired by the government to communicate with aliens that have come down to Earth for reasons I will not get into. This is Villeneuve's best directed film and will be the chance for him to potentially get the Best Director nomination he has deserved since 2013's Prisoners. The story is fleshed out brilliantly to the point where it feels simple, while being a huge mind-thinker.

Blade Runner 2049... can you come out already?!

7. "Swiss Army Man"

A film about a man befriending a dead corpse that has the powers of a swiss army knife is beyond original and not enough people went to see it. Is it for everyone? Absolutely not. But, it's the heart and comedy given by Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe that makes Swiss Army Man a wonderful effort from writer-directors Daniel Kwon and Daniel Scheinert. I will go on a limb by saying that this will be in the history books one day. All up-and-coming filmmakers should give this at least two viewings, not one, but two.

I bought the "Montage" song on iTunes immediately after I saw this film in the theater. It's been playing non-stop in my head since July.

6. "Don't Breathe"

This has been a wonderful year for mainstream horror films and Fede Alvarez's follow-up to 2013's Evil Dead reboot is a soon-to-be classic, in my eyes. Three friends (Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette and Daniel Zovatto) decide to rob the house of a elderly blind man (Stephen Lang), who turns out to not be the typical blind man we all generally see. They get trapped inside and we are in for a 90-minute thrill-ride that left me gasping for air once the credits started rolling. The scares are there and poke at the cliches we see in most mainstream horror films. It's a wonderful film and I'm glad it did extremely well both critically and commercially.

If there was an Academy Award category for Best Villain, I'd nominate Stephen Lang's "The Blind Man" in a heartbeat.

5. "10 Cloverfield Lane"

When producer J.J. Abrams announced two months before the film's March 11th release that we were getting another film in the Cloverfield universe, people lost their minds, including myself. No one expected 10 Cloverfield to be any fantastic, but it was a clever, suspenseful and compelling thriller. The three-central performances, particularly John Goodman, were perfection and the screenplay (which was co-written by La La Land's Damien Chazelle) was tight and well-balanced. Dan Trachtenberg is a filmmaker that's high on my radar, especially after this brilliantly-handled film.

This film came out the day before my birthday and man, it was a great birthday present for this guy!

4. "La La Land"

Damien Chazelle is only 31 years old and he's on the verge on becoming one of the best filmmakers working today after only doing two films. How crazy is that? The praise for La La Land has been extremely well-deserving and this is a high contender for many Oscars. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are both perfect, as are the original songs that are catchy and memorable. While this isn't as good as Whiplash, I still adored La La Land and wouldn't be shocked if it takes home the Best Picture Oscar this February.

Oh yeah, if this film loses Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing... then, I'll riot.

3. "Captain Fantastic"

Matt Ross was definitely paying homage to Wes Anderson in this beautiful dramedy about a father (Viggo Mortensen) and his six children who leave their lives in the wilderness for the unexpected. It's funny, it's heartbreaking and it's hard to not enjoy. Mortensen gives one of my favorite performances of the year and I hope he receives more award buzz, which he's starting to. All the kids were great too, but the star of the film is writer-director Matt Ross. When you go from playing Gavin on Silicon Valley to helming this, you know you're on the verge on becoming a big talent.

I'm not fond of covers for the most part. But when the family sings "Sweet Child O' Mine", it really got to me. It made me smile and cry at the same time. Good job, Matt Ross.

2. "Manchester by the Sea"

Casey Affleck gives my favorite performance of the year in writer-director Kenneth Lonergan's heartbreaking, yet endearing drama about Lee Chandler, a Boston janitor, finding out he has to look after his nephew (newcomer Lucas Hedges) after the passing of Lee's brother (Kyle Chandler). The performances felt realistic, more than any I've seen this year. Affleck, Hedges and Michelle Williams are all strong for the Academy Awards, especially Affleck who will win the Best Actor award. The writing and directing were fantastic, as we felt we were following these characters and this tragic story. The amount of dark humor too was unexpected and handled wonderfully.

If this and La La Land are tied for Best Picture, I would be surprised and proud at the same time.

1. "Sing Street"

"When you don't know someone, they're more interesting. They can be anything you want them to be. But when you know them, there's limits to them." - Conor, the protagonist.

I saw this film in March and it has been my number 1 since then, which is wonderful. This is one of the most relatable films I've ever seen, as we follow Conor in 1980s Dublin as he forms a band to win the heart of a girl. The relatable aspect of this film is of someone wanting to follow their dreams and finding who they truly are. I'm currently in a college freshman following a path of becoming a filmmaker after I graduate. The quote at the end of the film solidifies the true meaning behind John Carney's coming-of-age musical drama: "For brothers everywhere."