TOP 5 MOVIES OF 2016*
*Australian Release Dates
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| We got the panel back together. Again. |
5. Arrival
I’ve never been much of a
fan of alien encounter movies. There’s Alien,
Aliens – and now I’m doodling on my
notepad. It’s not that I don’t like the idea of alien-induced action and
anticipation, I just tend to enjoy movies that possess a bit more thought. That
said, as soon as I saw the trailer for Arrival
– and noted that Denis Villeneuve (Sicario)
was directing – I sent my long time movie date a message suggesting we go see
this one.
Smart and sensitive instead
of an action packed bonanza, Arrival considers
(in-depth) what extra-terrestrial visitation and communication might look like.
It’s in solving this puzzle – working out what the alien visitors are trying to
communicate – that gives Arrival edge
and intrigue. And when you throw in someone with Amy Adam’s depth and
introspection (thank God she’s stepped out of Zack Snyder’s horrific DC
universe!), you are left contemplating the importance of communication, culture
and relationships. Plus, who doesn’t love the idea of a linguist heroine?
4. The Big Short
I drank the Bernie Sanders,
Robert Reich and Elizabeth Warren Kool-Aid in 2016. Can you hear Republican
diehards screaming “socialist”? Yes, I believe the system is rigged, and that
it ought to be called casino capitalism. What’s fascinating is that you don’t
have to be a high-finance guru for McKay’s adaptation of Michael Lewis’ novel
to strike a nerve. (As an aside, was anyone else surprised that funny man
director Adam McKay – Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers and The Other
Guys – got this gig?)
What stood out about The Big Short is that it is bereft of a
protagonist. In other words, all the players are invested in shorting the
market. Sure, Mark Baum (a career best Steve Carell) comes close to snagging
the tag, but when you think about it – he still works for a big bank and plays
the game. Besides being witty and sneakily hilarious, this is the kind of movie
that can hurt your head and heart.
There’s no happy ending, no grand solution and, most significantly, no real changes are made.
3. The Revenant
Writing about The Revenant some ten months after
seeing it at the cinema makes it difficult to recall everything that initially
stood out. One memorable scene that remains in the forefront of my mind,
however, comes early in the piece, just after we are introduced to Leo, his band
of fur-traders and the Native Americans who are hunting the frontiersmen and
searching for a missing woman. After witnessing an immersive and grotesque battle
scene, where indigenous warriors attempt to ambush the fur-traders, take pelts
and find Powaqa, one of the indigenous leaders approaches a contingent of
French soldiers and attempts to trade pelts for guns and horses.
After being told that
horses weren’t part of the deal, and that he should “honour” the original deal,
the indigenous elder responds.
“You stand there and talk
to me about honour?”
The camera stops circling
the campsite and we look straight on at those dark, burdened eyes.
“You have stolen everything
from us. Everything! The land. The animals.”
It’s a solemn yet powerful moment as it helps
transport us into the cruel world of frontier America and force us to consider
the plight of the indigenous people. It would be a shame if all that we take
away from this staggering revenge odyssey is Hugh Glass’ desire to avenge the
wrong done to him and his family.
2. The Jungle Book
I was nervy going into this
one! There’s something about remaking childhood joys that makes me bite my nails,
yank out my eyebrow hairs and get protective. (I’ll give you a moment to digest that.)
Despite my protective
manner, I loved this Jungle Book remake!
From the brilliant blend of live-action and animation (could it get an Oscar
nomination for Best Animation?), the politically diverse ecosystem and
sprawling jungle, to the familiar musical flavour and faithful storytelling,
director Jon Favreau clearly captured the heart and soul of Kipling’s stories
and retained the musical joy Disney brought to the beloved story.
What I most appreciated were the voice actors who made this remake come to life. Given all that we know
(and embrace) about Bill Murray, it’s clear that he’s the perfect fella to play
the lazy hustler Baloo. Then there are the distinct voices that Ben Kingsley
and Idris Elba bring to the pivotal characters of Bagheera and Shere Khan. But
it is Scarlett Johansson as the enticing giant python Kaa, and Christopher
Walken as the larger than life King Louie – a “gigantopithecus” – that spark a
sense of wonder.
1. Spotlight
I hope that I'm not alone when I say
that cover-ups of this magnitude make me sick. As a believer in Christ and
someone who attends a local church, watching Spotlight and seeing how the Catholic Church in Boston covered up
sexual abuse and molestation cases took my discomfort and anger to a whole new
level. This is the kind of movie that forces you to ask yourself, as a believer,
how your church operates and what oversight exists. Spotlight also asks you to venture past the front pages of the
newspaper and actually walk with
those who uncovered the cases, look into the eyes of the abused, and consider
how the Catholic Church in Boston attempted to cover up these dreadful
acts.
Like All
The President's Men before it, what makes Spotlight stand out is its
devotion to investigative journalism and the process The Boston Globe's Spotlight team took in
uncovering the Catholic Church's suppression of abuse claims in Boston. We ride
shotgun with the Spotlight team as a story about one former priest who
allegedly molested children turns into a systemic issue that leads to the
underlying question: did Cardinal Law know?
Director Tom McCarthy appears to have
assembled the who's who of actors at the top of their game. Mark
Ruffalo's stock continues to rise as the rambunctious Spotlight investigator,
Mike Rezendes. But it's also the way these lead actors - Rachel McAdams,
Michael Keaton, Brian d’Arcy James, John Slattery and Liev Schreiber - work
seamlessly as a team to serve the story, rather than shoot for individual honors,
that impressed me.
What Spotlight also shines a
light on is the depth of psychological trauma and abuse felt by individual
victims and later by Catholics everywhere. There's no shying away from
criticism, but it also isn't a movie that simply dismisses or attacks faith. Spotlight actually highlights the
complexity of faith, religion and how church impacts culture, identity and
society. This is best demonstrated by an ex-priest turned psychiatrist, who,
when asked about how Catholics reconcile the abuse claims with their
faith, responds, "My faith is in
the eternal. I try to separate the two."
Sixth Man of the Year: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
If I had to sum up Rogue One in one word it would be ballsy. Gareth Edwards’ salute to the
original “rebel scum” exceeded my expectations and left me emotionally charged.
Who would’ve thought a Star Wars
movie would be this dark, gloomy and filled with uncertainty as to who would make it out alive?
What this instalment lacked
in character development, it made up for in plot progression. In part, it felt
like there was no time for character development (was that the plan?), even
though Felicity Jones nailed the intense demeanour and pain that Jyn Erso
experienced during her traumatic childhood. Weaving in and out of rebel
outposts, the Death Star’s development and meeting the players who would help
put the plans in Princess Leia’s hands consistently upped the ante and set a
course for Scarif. It’s during this climactic heist/battle on Scarif (think
Star Wars equivalent of the Maldives), where the Death Star’s plans reside, that Edwards’ aggressive plot
progression shines brightest and leaves us feeling the
depth of the rebellion and realising what sacrifices had to occur for the plans to reach
Leia. In other words, this is a prequel which properly complements the movie that follows in its wake.
Disappointment of the Year: The Hateful Eight
Let me be clear, I didn't dislike The Hateful Eight. It just didn't meet
my lofty expectations. Is this the risk you take when you become a fanboy? (Inglourious Basterds still ranks as one
of my favourite movies of the 21st century.)
Whereas Basterds and Django took us on an adventure and
challenged the way we see and think about the past, The Hateful Eight possessed a few staple Tarantino joys -
meticulous dialogue, suspense and badassery - but didn't possess the plot or
adventure that ties all these elements together. Maybe it comes down to how you
define/want your adventure?
"Give me back my money, you swindler!" of the Year: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
It's not often that I go into a movie
with rock bottom expectations and feel I underestimated how bad it
would be. There's absolutely nothing in this movie I found interesting or
exciting. Heck, the showdown between Batman and Superman lasted, what, 5
minutes? Maybe a tad longer if you count the ridiculous "Martha"
moment.
A question worth asking is whether Zack
Snyder is the most overrated director in Hollywood. The dialogue was
diabolical; what was Jesse Eisenberg thinking taking on a role that is one
deranged psychobabble line after another? The plot was pathetic, so much for an
earthshattering superhero brawl. Character development consisted of a moody
Superman, vengeful Batman and a one-dimensional baddie. Thankfully, Amy Adams
had Arrival still in the bag! Were
the special effects decent? Probably. There’s something positive.
Here's the best thing about the
movie.
Surprise of the Year: Zootopia
Zootopia ticks the three
boxes I want animation movies to ✓.
1. Visually
captivating ✓
2. Ageless humour ✓
3. Genuine depth
Our introduction to
Zootopia, alongside incoming police officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), is
nothing short of spectacular. When I saw the pristine water, sprawling
metropolis and all the vast “Districts”, I was reminded of Thomas More’s Utopia.
Beyond the visual spectacle (doesn’t every
animation put on a visual masterclass these days?), there’s a depth, intrigue
and excitement to Zootopia that
reminded me of Chinatown. Yes, Chinatown. Much like the classic
detective mystery, Zootopia pushes
the envelope and takes shots at societal and political issues. I don’t think
animation movies pitched at children, but also rewarding for parents and
adults, should necessarily lower the bar and shy away from teaching children
that racism, xenophobia and prejudice exist and need to be thought through
and intelligently opposed. It’s the manner in which Zootopia considers, processes and deals with these pressing issues
that impressed me most, especially in a year that saw fear, distrust of the
other and blind assigning of blame take centre stage.
A handful of movies to catch in 2017: Silence, Manchester By The Sea, Dunkirk, Blade Runner 2049, Star Wars: Episode VIII
