Best films of 2016 that many are overlooking

KIRO Radio’s film critic Tom Tangney reviewed 2016’s cinematic offerings and whittled down the list to the year’s top 10 films.

Film reviews by Tom Tangney

10. A sci-fi double bill. It’s a tie between “Arrival” and “Midnight Special.” One is a clever take on communicating with aliens, the other is a moody piece about a parent desperate to protect his child from outside interference.

9. “Finding Dory.” I’m frankly surprised that “Zootopia” is getting all the year-end love since I much prefer this Pixar sequel-of-sorts. A psychologically rich and emotionally resonant film about life, loss, and family under the sea.

8. “The Handmaiden.” A visually elegant tale of criminal deceptions twisted obsessions, and high-end erotica by acclaimed Korean director Park Chan-wook.

7. “La La Land.” I admire the heck out of this movie that lovingly tries to recreate the classic movie musical from scratch — with all original music — and with stars who aren’t natural singers or dancers. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are no Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, but good for them for trying.

6. “20th Century Women.” A great performance by Annette Bening holds together this loose-limbed film about three key women in a young boy’s life.

5. “American Honey.” A rambling and mostly improvisational film about a motley crew of teenagers who sell magazines door-to-door. Sure it’s a scam, but the camaraderie that Director Andrea Arnold captures among her mostly non-professional cast make the daily grind not only bearable but enjoyable. Even insightful.

4. “Moonlight.” It’s refreshing to see this movie upending so many of our cinematic expectations about growing up black in America. A delicate character study of three crucial stages in a young man’s life.

3. “Manchester by the Sea.” A powerful and moving film about
monumental grief that’s all the more remarkable for how quiet and understated its telling is. Casey Affleck stars as the most reticent of men.

2. “The Lobster.” I love the sheer audacity of this film’s premise. It posits a world in which single adults are given 45 days to find a mate or they’re turned into an animal of their choosing. This comic-absurdist fable is treated with deadpan earnestness which makes it all the more frightening and hilarious.

1. “Weiner.” I suppose it’s only fitting that the best film of Election Year 2016 is a documentary about a disgraced politician, Anthony Weiner. Due to its unprecedented access to the behind-the-scenes goings-on, this movie reveals almost too much about not only a campaign in crisis but a marriage in crisis, as well. Painfully honest and appallingly funny.