People like to be told what to do and you’re no different. You might be different – we don’t know. We’ve probably never met you. If you’re not different and you do like to be told what to do then you might enjoy this list that us friendly folk over here at ReelGood whipped up. Why is it helpful? Glad you asked. This list just so happens to be our top film picks (in no particular order) for this past year. That’s 2016, for those of you who struggle to know things that you should probably know.
That’s right. We sat through hours of bad films so that you don’t have to. It’s been a slow year but there have been some gems among the trash and we’re here to convey them all to you. Without further ado, here are our picks film 2016.
Swiss Army Man
Directors:
Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Writers:
Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Stars:
Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
“A hopeless man stranded on a deserted island befriends a dead body and together they go on a surreal journey to get home.”
Don’t Breathe
Director:
Fede Alvarez
Writers:
Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues
Stars:
Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette
“Hoping to walk away with a massive fortune, a trio of thieves break into the house of a blind man who isn’t as helpless as he seems.”
Embrace of the Serpent
Director:
Ciro Guerra
Writers:
Ciro Guerra
Stars:
Nilbio Torres, Jan Bijvoet, Antonio Bolivar
“The story of the relationship between Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and last survivor of his people, and two scientists who work together over the course of 40 years to search the Amazon for a sacred healing plant.”
The Handmaiden
Director:
Chan-wook Park
Writers:
Seo-kyeong Jeong
Stars:
Min-hee Kim, Jung-woo Ha, Jin-woong Jo
“A woman is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, but secretly she is involved in a plot to defraud her.”
45 Years
Director:
Andrew Haigh
Stars:
Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James
“A married couple preparing to celebrate their wedding anniversary receives shattering news that promises to forever change the course of their lives.”
Eye in the Sky
Director:
Gavin Hood
Writer:
Guy Hibbert
Stars:
Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman
“Col. Katherine Powell, a military officer in command of an operation to capture terrorists in Kenya, sees her mission escalate when a girl enters the kill zone triggering an international dispute over the implications of modern warfare.”
Arrival
Director:
Denis Villeneuve
Writers:
Eric Heisserer
Stars:
Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker
“When 12 mysterious spacecraft appear around the world, linguistics professor, Louise Banks is tasked with interpreting the language of the alien passengers inside.”
Zootopia
Directors:
Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
Writers:
Phil Johnston, Jared Bush
Stars:
Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
“In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy.”
Hell or High Water
Director:
David Mackenzie
Writer:
Taylor Sheridan
Stars:
Jeff Bridges, Ben Foster, Chris Pine
“A divorced father and his ex-con older brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family’s ranch in West Texas.”
Captain America: Civil War
Directors:
Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writers:
Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Stars:
Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle
“Political interference in the Avengers’ activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America and Iron Man.”
Toni Erdmann
Director:
Maren Ade
Writer:
Maren Ade
Stars:
Sandra Hüller, Peter Simonischek, Michael Wittenborn
“A father tries to reconnect with his adult daughter.”
La La Land
Director:
Damien Chazelle
Writer:
Damien Chazelle
Stars:
Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone
“A jazz pianist falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles.
Everybody Wants Some!!
Director:
Richard Linklater
Writer:
Richard Linklater
Stars:
Blake Jenner, Tyler Hoechlin, Ryan Guzman
“In 1980, a group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood.”
Sing Street
Director:
John Carney
Writer:
John Carney
Stars:
Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Aidan Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy
“A boy growing up in Dublin during the 1980s escapes his strained family life by starting a band to impress the mysterious girl he likes.”
Elle
Director:
Paul Verhoeven
Writers:
David Birke
Stars:
Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny
“A successful businesswoman gets caught up in a game of cat and mouse as she tracks down the unknown man who raped her.”
Jackie
Director:
Pablo Larraín
Writer:
Noah Oppenheim
Stars:
Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig
“Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband’s historic legacy.”