As a former movie theater employee and as someone whose friends are huge movie buffs, I saw A LOT of the movies that came out this year. While 2016 was a terrible year overall for most people, the film industry had a pretty good year. Here are some of my favorite (and least favorite) films of 2016.

Best:

1. 10 Cloverfield Lane

From producer JJ Abrams, comes this shocking thriller that loosely connects to the original film Cloverfield. After surviving a horrible car accident, a woman wakes up in a shelter with two men that claim that there has been a chemical attack making the air toxic. This movie takes so many twists and turns that you never really know who to trust at any point in time. I am a sucker for thrillers and this one did not disappoint, With an amazing cast, consisting of only three people, 10 Cloverfield Lane is one of my favorite films of the year.

2. Zootopia

2016 was an amazing year for Disney animation and Pixar with three of my favorites being from these companies. Zootopia is a hilarious family comedy about a rabbit police officer in a city, with big dreams that are challenged by a sly fox. This film is packed with funny animal puns and has a lot of modern social commentary weaved throughout. It is brilliantly made and is a great film to watch at any age.

3. Deadpool

Ryan Reynolds is definitely one of my favorite actors and he began the year with the unique Marvel character of Deadpool. Deadpool is crude, shocking, and violent, but the film overall was fun to watch and made me laugh out loud. After awhile the humor felt a little too forced, but the jokes were still brilliant for the most part and put Deadpool on the map.

4. Finding Dory

As a huge Pixar and Finding Nemo fan, I was a bit skeptical of Finding Dory at first. I went into the film with an open mind and I definitely was not disappointed. It is a very touching film about friendship and family with witty humor that all generations will love.

5. Everybody Wants Some!!

Set in the 1980s, our main character, played by Blake Jenner, begins his first semester in college. He struggles to learn the ropes of adulthood in this new environment. I think I really loved this movie because when I saw it I knew that I would be in their shoes very soon. It was a very entertaining film to watch and very nostalgic for those who were college aged in the 80s.

6. Moana

While being the most hyped film of the year on Twitter, Moana did not disappoint. Beautifully animated, culturally accurate, and with an amazing soundtrack, Moana was one of the best movies of the year. This is one I definitely recommend seeing in theaters to see the aesthetics of the animation on the big screen. All generations will love this film and Moana is a great role model for young girls everywhere.

7. Sully

Sully is the behind the scenes story of the crash landing of the American Airlines flight in the Hudson River. Sully, the pilot, is played by Tom Hanks and he was incredible. This film was made very well and showed the scrutiny that was placed on Sully's back after the incident. The only complaint I have with the film is the strange lightheartedness of the ending. Overall, the film was very enjoyable.

8. Manchester by the Sea

While the beginning of this film was kind of slow, it was an incredibly real and relatable story. This is a story about life and death and greiving and is definitely one of the best movies I have ever seen. I highly recommend seeing this one before it leaves theaters because I am sure it will get an Oscar nomination.

9. The Edge of Seventeen

The Edge of Seventeen is an awesome coming-of-age story that really defines the millenial generation. Hailee Steinfeld's character is a little over the top, but this film is hilarious and made very well.

10. La La Land

The best film of the year was most definitely La La Land. This film musical was beautifully made and the soundtrack is incredible. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have so much chemistry and are such amazing actors and I cannot wait to see this film again. Check it out before it leaves theaters.

Worst:

1. Batman Vs Superman

I really love superhero movies, and I especially love Batman, but this movie was just eh. The storyline was weak and it was very cheesy and choppy. The film was also way too long and often times very boring. Do not waste your time watching this.

2. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

I may be one of the only people who didn't like this movie, but I really wasn't a fan. It was made purely for the money it could make and was excessively long. It was very predictable and should have ended about four times. The endings were added just so they can make more films. I thought that the beasts were really neat though and they were the best part of the film.

3. Suicide Squad

DC did not have a great year. Batman vs. Superman was a disaster and Suicide Squad was not much better. The film was way too focused on Will Smith's character and oversexualizing Harley Quinn, they forgot about the rest of the characters in the movie. I thought Harley Quinn was annoying and the villain was weak and I didn't really understand her. The creators were very dependent on all viewers knowing the characters from the comics that there was a disconnect between much of the audience.

4. Nerve

While the idea behind this movie is really unique, the execution was weak. Although there were some big name actors in this film, the acting was not super great and many of the dare scenes made me extremely anxious. I do not recommend this movie.

5. The Brothers Grimsby

I walked into this one having very low expectations and the movie was even worse than I thought it would be. There was a huge lack of plot and a lot of really bad gross-out humor that took away from the story. I never should have expected anything from Sacha Baron Cohen, but I wanted to give him a chance and I regret giving him it.

Even though there were a few bad apples, 2016 was a good year for film, and I cannot wait to see what 2017 has in store for us.