The Best Movies of 2016 You May Have Overlooked
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The Best Movies of 2016 You May Have Overlooked

For the pretentious side in all of us.

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The Best Movies of 2016 You May Have Overlooked
1000 Awesome Things

If you are anything like me, you hate the person you become when you walk through a movie theater. Bitter, angry, repulsed etc.. You must walk past 9 auditoriums playing whatever loud noise Marvel has released this month to get to the small auditorium in the very back of the cineplex playing the one showtime of the small, well-written character drama nobody cares about.

“You hate all movies” is a phrase you hear a lot because everybody hates talking movies with you. You hate what they like and you almost always come across as cynical and mean. The truth is, you are probably infatuated with film and respect it for the art form that it is.

Filmmaking is a nightmare with so many cogs in a gargantuan mechanism. Many things can go wrong during production which only furthers an appreciation for when a film can truly achieve the impossible -- be recommendable. The following list is dedicated to the movies you may have overlooked this year and why you should fix that error as soon as possible.

10. "Tickled"


What It's About: "Tickled" is a documentary set around a team led by journalist David Ferrier desperately trying to undercover the secrets that lie within the world of underground competitive tickling.

Why It's Great: It is so rare to "experience" a film nowadays. To be emotionally affected in such a way that the plot feels personal is an unparalleled thing of beauty. To be so moved by a *documentary* is a downright achievement. "Tickled" plays out more as a thriller than a standard documentary and knowing any amount of the film's countless surprises is a detriment to David Ferrier's incredible journey. This documentary is funny, shocking, heart-breaking, infuriating, and immensely watchable. Now just go watch it.


9. "Blood Father"


What It's About: John Link (Mel Gibson) is trying to put the past behind him. His alcoholism and time in prison has robbed him of the life he could have had. The only thing giving him strength is the hope of finding his daughter that has been missing for quite some time. With two years of sobriety under his belt, Link lives a quiet life in a trailer on the outskirts of a small town. His peaceful life is about to be rocked, however, when his missing daughter Lydia (Erin Moriarty) tracks him down for help in evading dangerous drug dealers trying to murder her.

Why It's Great: In a Post-”Taken” world, the “father-on-a-mission-to-rescue-his-daughter” genre can feel rather stale. Fortunately, “Blood Father” pulls out all stops in an effort to appear fresh and satisfying. While trailers might make this film look like a non-stop action thrill ride, “Blood Father” is more focused on connecting audiences to its characters. Both Link and Lydia are very broken people and watching these broken people help fix each other adds a surprisingly tender and genuinely heartfelt layer to this hardened action saga.

Plus, Mel Gibson and Erin Moriarty produce career-defining performances here, with a natural chemistry rarely found in first-time collaborators. The icing on the cake of this movie comes from its amazing action sequences. It is true that “Blood Father” would rather choose a small character moment than a large-scale action sequence if given the chance, but make no mistake, when the action hits, it hits hard. There is a razor sharp intensity found here and seeing bad guys explode into piles of mush after being gunned down by Gibson is unbelievably satisfying.


8. "Morris From America"


What It's About: In the world of freestyle rap, there is no bigger fan than Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas.) In fact, rap seems to be about the one thing keeping him sane when his father Curtis (Craig Robinson) packs them up and relocates the two of them to Germany for a career opportunity. Unfortunately for Morris, making new friends is difficult as all of the kids are downright awful. Well, all except for a pretty girl named Katrin (Lina Keller.) Immediately smitten with Katrin, Morris begins his path out of childhood as he experiences the victories and the losses that come from courting the girl, chasing the dream, and discovering what it takes to find your place in the world.

Why It's Great: “Morris From America” has a charm so overwhelming, keeping it from escaping the screen is an impossible feat. Right from the opening scene, writer/director Chad Hartigan paints his characters in an endearing light, allowing Markees Christmas and Craig Robinson to fully encapsulate the charm of Morris and Curtis Gentry. These are characters worth investing in as their fears, dreams, insecurities, and hopes are laid out in an empathetic way. Even the side characters have amusing roles to play in this chapter of Morris' life.

Apart from the characters, this film is gorgeous to look at. While “Morris From America” does not need stellar cinematography to tell its story, it does not hurt to have bright colors pop or actors placed symmetrically in the frame of long takes. Even the camera likes to linger on Morris' on-stage performances with some neat trickery. We're always right there with him as Morris goes from one life lesson to the next, with an amazing soundtrack to pave the way.

Not only is this film great to look at, it also sounds fantastic. “Morris From America” uses music as one of the many tools it has to help shape the world around these characters, and it is absolutely beautiful to watch. All in all, “Morris From America” succeeds at what most coming-of-age dramas fail to do -- tell an honest story. It's a great father/son relationship, a relatable story about first loves, and a beautiful story about putting it all on the line in the pursuit of a dream. This is Morris' Germany and nothing will keep him down.


7. "The Hollars"


What It's About: John Hollar (John Krasinski) has flown from the nest. He and his girlfriend Rebecca (Anna Kendrick) are living in New York City and are expecting the birth of their new baby fairly soon. However, when John's mother Sally (Margo Martindale) is rushed to the hospital after health problems, John must come back to the family, town, and friends he left behind years ago to realize how powerful heritage can be.

Why It's Great: There is no greater defining reason as to why this movie succeeds than the unbelievable cast this movie boasts. John Krasinski, Anna Kendrick, Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copely, Charlie Day, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Josh Groban absolutely knock it out of the park with this film. "The Hollars" encompasses the very definition of the character drama stereotypes and tropes and without this cast, "The Hollars" might have fallen into the same pit as so many that have come before it.

What separates this film from the others is just how wonderful these actors are. "The Hollars" does not break much new ground here, but the execution of a tired concept is what matters and director John Krasinski fully embraces predictability and inserts some serious charm. These are characters that embrace optimism and appreciate the beauties of life. Put a pause on cynicism and give this film a watch. It's easy to let this film overpower you so please let it.

6. "Hush"

What It's About: Maddie (Kate Siegel) is a deaf-mute writer. After a bad breakup, she retreats to the woods to live a life of solitude. She hoped that the quiet isolation would not only better fit her deaf-mute lifestyle but also help enhance her writing abilities. With two neighbors living far down the road and only her pet cat by her side, Maddie's isolation is quite real and the exact thing Maddie wants. But when a masked killer arrives on her doorstep, Maddie must learn to survive the night, evade the killer, and call for help... all without being able to hear or speak.

Why It's Great: "Hush" is kind of a perfect movie. Clocking in at less than 80 minutes, "Hush" is short, sweet, and to the point. This film has a very clear goal in mind- to be fun- and it succeeds at precisely that. The film is fairly simple with a lack of locations, characters, and set pieces. But make no mistake, "simple" is not synonymous with "uninteresting." Writer/director Mike Flanagan (with the help of co-writer Kate Siegel,) has a lot of fun toying with the audience constructing a false sense of security, plot twists galore, and a permeating sense of reluctance.

This is the movie designed with the teenage girls at a slumber party in mind. And Kate Siegel's performance needs to be talked about here. Portraying a deaf-mute person in this night of peril must not have been easy, but she pulls it off amazingly. The killer (who will not be spoiled here) also does an amazing job of playing such a hatable antagonist. These two do an amazing job here and watching them play off of each other is a pure delight to watch. Maddie is one lovable hero and the killer is despicable scum. Watching these two face off begins as a tense thriller but quickly accelerates into an exciting crowd-pleaser. "Hush" is always two steps ahead of its audience and the unpredictability of this night is one of this film's many charms.


5. "The Brothers Grimsby"


What It's About: Nobby and Sebastian Graves (Sacha Baron Cohen and Mark Strong, respectively,) were inseparable as children. In the present, Sebastian has since become a stealthy secret agent and Nobby has since become a family man. Through a series of misunderstandings, Nobby and Sebastian must team up together to stop a terrorist threatening global annihilation.

Why It's Great: It is a downright shame how hard this film flopped. It was critically panned upon its release and only earned a three million dollar opening weekend off of its thirty-five million dollar budget. The film was almost universally hated and that is shocking, to say the least. Sacha Baron Cohen has yet to make a bad movie and with “The Brothers Grimsby,” Cohen might have actually made his funniest film yet. With so many modern comedies trying so desperately to be offensive, outrageous, and wacky, Sacha Baron Cohen creates one that actually is all of those things and more.

There is absolutely no question that this is the single funniest movie of 2016 and it is a darn shame nobody came to support it. Mixed with a laugh-a-minute pacing are some fun action sequences (some even utilizing first person POV shots) to further how much fun this movie actually is. “The Brothers Grimsby” is the best comedy of 2016 and further proof how far Cohen's crazy antics will go just for a laugh. There isn't much else to say about this movie without spoiling how crazy it gets, so just do yourself a favor and watch it. Odds are, you probably haven't seen it yet.

4. "Don't Think Twice"


What It's About: In New York City a group of best friends have formed a popular underground improvisational comedy troupe. This ensemble troupe consisting of Jack (Keegan-Michael Key,) Sam (Gillian Jacobs,) Miles (Mike Birbiglia), Allison (Kate Micucci,) and Lindsay (Tami Sagher) are all chasing the dream of fame and success. But in New York City, the success all comedians strive for is landing a spot on the cast of the weekly television show "Weekend Live!" But when casting directors of "Weekend Live!" start searching for members inside the troupe, the bonds of this group start severing as these friends start to realize not everybody has what it takes to make it.

Why It's Great: Much like the aforementioned "Morris From America," "Don't Think Twice" has the courage to portray stories in an honest light. While most movies would overdramaticize heartache and pain, "Don't Think Twice" portrays it as simple as pain can be. This is a film that romanticizes the starving artist as well as realistically portraying how difficult that lifestyle can be. Succeeding in the entertainment industry is difficult and this movie teaches its characters this lesson fairly frequently and at great cost.

But don't worry, this film isn't all heartache. "Don't Think Twice" is a very funny movie about very funny people. It is an instantly relatable story with friends trying to navigate life, and anybody with a performance background will enjoy the additional layer of what it's like to perform and why so many dream to do it professionally. As honest as this film is about dreams and success, it is also a deep love letter to the art of performing and will ignite (or reignite) the spark of any actor's love for theater just within this film's opening scene. This film portrays theater as an art form and actors as artists.

For a film that tries desperately to convince audiences to remain realistic in chasing dreams, an optimistic view of life also burst through the foreground -- success is not measured by fame, but by how hard the people around you love you. Not all of these characters have happy endings, but with their best friends by their side, it doesn't matter. Life is filled with love, laughs, and tears, but it is when you have someone by your side to experience it all with that success shines brightest.


3. "In A Valley of Violence"

What It's About: In the old west, there lies a small town called Denton. Populated by less than a dozen people, it doesn't seem like much to fresh eyes. When a quiet stranger named Paul (Ethan Hawke) and his adorable dog Abby stroll through the town one day, the hot headed deputy named Gilly (James Ransone) picks a fight with him. Little does the deputy realize, Paul is not one to be messed with, as with one punch, Gilly is defeated.. This easy victory for Paul leads to a grave misunderstanding that has the entire town in a bloody battle with a sore loser Gilly, a frustrated Marshall (John Travolta,) and an absolutely furious Paul.

Why It's Great: This film is undeniably epic. Taking a break from being a tour de force in the independent horror scene, writer/director Ti West has crafted one darn fun time out at the movies. “In A Valley of Violence” is the rare non-event film that begs to be seen on the largest screen and with the loudest sound system available. The insanely brilliant Ethan Hawke leads an astonishing cast including a delightful Taissa Farmiga, an over the top James Ransone, a hysterical Karen Gillan, a wickedly talented, one and only John Travolta, and the single greatest performance of 2016 going to the dog, Abby.

It is absolutely clear that the set of this film was a party as every actor is giving his or her all in the most over the top way imaginable. Fans of a no-nonsense, quiet stranger slowly turning to stare into the camera as the clueless antagonist keeps threatening him while the dramatic music builds, “In A Valley of Violence” is the movie of your dreams. Even in the film's more upsetting and dramatic moments, this film will bring any house down as a riot of a crowd-pleaser. This is a film where bad guys are pure ugly and the good guys have no other character trait than wanting those bad guys to suffer.

And have I mentioned yet how this film features the single greatest musical score of 2016? Of all places to find a quality musical score, this low-budget western would have been the last place to look. Fortunately for us, Jeff Grace has created a musical score that is straight euphoria. The icing on the cake goes to Jade Healy and Adam Willis as the film's production designer and set decorator (respectively.) The town of Denton looks like a legitimate working town that has been lived in for years, and seeing these characters dueling in the streets of it only heightens the drama.

Dear reader, there is simply no other way around this -- “In A Valley of Violence” is not just simply one of 2016's best overlooked movies, it is simply one of the best movies this year had to offer. This film will make you laugh, hurt your heart, make you cheer, and will get your adrenaline pumping if you allow it. This is a very simple, very low budget, but very effective adventure that will leave you wanting more. If you still are not convinced, then please watch this movie for the dog. There is a scene where she takes a bubble bath. How can you possibly pass that up?


2. "Green Room"


What It's About: A punk band is going on tour. They don't have a social media presence and hardly have fans. Unfortunately. the lack of popularity secures them spots at only the foulest, rundown bars imaginable. It isn't an ideal situation, sure, but they take what they can get. But when the band hears of a decently paid opportunity playing at a skinhead bar, they jump at the chance. However, when the band accidentally stumbles on a murder in the backstage green room, the band is forced to fight for survival against the murderous gang who desperately want them dead.

Why It's Great: No other film on this list reaches the unbearably tense heights that this film achieves. Even in its first half hour, “Green Room” teases how far this movie is capable of going without even breaking a sweat. The mark of a great filmmaker is not whether or not they make a good film, but by how easy they make making a good movie look.

Director Jeremy Saulnier (“Blue Ruin”) effortlessly cracks that tension up as far as he can go and puts most modern “tense thrillers” to shame. “Green Room” is a stressful film that is an absolute blast to watch. Amidst stressful action sequences, the perfect ensemble cast rises to meet the film's harsh expectations. Especially the late, great Anton Yelchin as the film's main star. Mr. Yelchin delivers the single best performance of his entire career here and this will be the film many will remember him for.

But what is a good protagonist without a vile antagonist? Patrick Stewart is terrifying as the gang leader and his sinister presence is creepily delightful to watch. All in all, “Green Room” was the most intense movie 2016 had to offer and it was phenomenal to watch with a live audience. You'll never look at red shoelaces the same way again.


1. "Arrival"

What It's About: Louise Banks (Amy Adams) has lived a trouble past. Trying to move on from tragedy, she dives deep into her linguistics studies, teaching at the local university. One day, without warning, mysterious alien ships land in different spots around the planet. Desperate for answers, the military enlists Louise to help translate the alien communications

Why It's Great: "Arrival" is the film we needed in 2016. Times are tough right now as fingers are constantly pointed and arguing sides don't listen to each other. Director Denis Villeneuve ("Prisoners," "Enemy," "Sicario") has dropped the microphone on the year 2016 with "Arrival." Not only is this film great but this film is important. "Arrival" romanticizes language as a connection that bridges cultures and breaks down barriers.

This is a film that rewards knowledge and the desire to embrace progress, while condemning cynicism and closed-minded thinking. The messages and concepts in this film are thought-provoking and endearing, plus the execution of these ideas practically guarantees discussion afterwards. Ignoring all of the emotional and metaphorical meanings of things, "Arrival" is a flawless piece of cinematic excellence. Amy Adams delivers the performance of her career with the character of Louise Banks and side characters played by Forest Whitaker and Jeremy Renner are also fantastic to watch. T

he musical score from Johann Johannsson evokes a vast collection of different emotions all at once. The cinematography by Bradford Young is visual ecstasy. Eric Heisserer's screenplay is an unpredictable tale of heightened tension. The list of things to appreciate about this movie is endless as there is not one single flaw to be found here. "Arrival" is masterful sci-fi with powerful ideas presented in a way that most anybody can enjoy and appreciate. Besides it being such an incredible film to experience, this should be mandatory viewing to close out this year.

"Arrival" is a movie that rejects rejection and celebrates thinking. If only one word could describe this film, it would be "beautiful." There is no way around this- "Arrival" is the best movie of 2016 and if you have not seen it yet, you owe it to yourself to watch. The world needed thought provoking escapist entertainment, "Arrival" gave us that in the form of a perfect masterpiece. If you see one movie on this list, make it "Arrival."

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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