2016
Be My Cat is a satirical found footage film that manages to poke at the superficial ideologies of filmmaking while also being entertaining.
Collateral Beauty is a messy film that is almost saved by its heartwarming theme and performance by Will Smith – though still not quite.
The Love Witch is an aesthetically sophisticated and deeply-layered dramatization of the gender obstacles that we continue to embed in our society.
Twenty Twenty-Four is a sci-fi that alerts its audience as to a possible world-ending scenario, though it’s not a complete success.
The Seasons in Quincy is a series of four essays that each paint a portrait of the late John Berger, an extraordinary and versatile artist.
La La Land is a tribute to classic musicals, yet also attempts something different by subverting the romanticized outlook that they have.
Though with no dialogue, The Red Turtle is a profoundly moving work of art, culminating in one of the better animations in recent memory.
Passengers is a dull sci-fi that is neither saved by its star power nor by the potential of the story which it initially seems to convey.
With little of the humor and spark that made the original a Christmas classic, Bad Santa 2 is a misconstrued disaster for all involved.
Despite its length, Toni Erdmann succeeds because of the character study at its core, and also contains one of the best scenes of the year.
Brutal is an unentertaining slog to get through from start to finish, and it should have been abandoned on the very first day of shooting.
Cameraperson interweaves many distinct stories brought to the screen by Kirsten Johnson; it is an unwavering work and truly worth your time.
Manchester by the Sea is a subtle, nuanced story of loss and grief, brought to life through restrained direction and powerful performances.
On New Year’s Eve, six friends get together and reflect on their lives, and the bigger issues in the world. Auld Lang Syne is a nice addition to the small collection of films written, directed, and shot by women.
In Loving, Jeff Nichols’ historical drama about an interracial couple who helped change marriage laws in The United States, the characters are reflections of Nichols own lineage and it’s quite the different kind of biography.
