Movies 2016

Sarah’s Top 20 Movies of 2016

Top 20 (Award-Worthy) Films of 2016   Listed in order of favorites starting with #1

*Please note that I have not screened Martin Scoreses’s Silence this list may change.

1. Arrival—Science Fiction, based on … Read more

Manchester By the Sea (R) ★★★½

Heartwrenching Family Drama with Excellent Performances

Manchester by the Sea is a movie wherein the more you discuss the great aspects of the film, the more it sounds like your worst nightmare. And by discussing … Read more

Miss Sloane (R) ★★★

“Miss Sloane” Is Ambitious, Fierce 

If this past election has taught us anything, it’s that politics is an ugly business. Even more troubling than the viciousness of elections is that even with all of the … Read more

Bleed for This (R) ★★★

“Bleed for This” – Call It a Comeback

Boxing is nicknamed the “sweet science,” which is a strange name given that it is arguably the most violent and physically punishing sport. Anyone who steps into … Read more

Arrival (PG-13) ★★★½

When is an alien invasion movie not about an alien invasion?

Some of my favorite films (Looper, About Time, Safety Not Guaranteed, Back to the Future, Predestination) and novels (The Time Traveler’s … Read more

The Accountant (R) ★★★

This movie is nuts.

The trailers for The Accountant would lead you to believe that it is a tense thriller in which Ben Affleck plays a high-functioning autistic man (Christian Wolff) who is both the … Read more

Sully (PG-13) ★★★½

Sully is the movie America needs right now.

Time is on Sully’s side.

But it wasn’t on Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s (Tom Hanks) side on January 15, 2009, when a flock of Canadian geese … Read more

Don’t Breathe (R) ★★★★ by Patty Babin

Don’t Breathe keeps you breathless and gasping for air.

It has been an extremely long time since there has been a truly scary, jaw-dropping, tormenting and suspenseful horror/thriller. Don’t Breathe, co-written by Fede Alvarez … Read more

War Dogs (R) ★★½

War Dogs doesn’t know what it wants to be.

When I heard Todd Phillips was directing War Dogs, I became uneasy, even though I’m a huge fan of Old School and the first Hangover… Read more

Pete’s Dragon (PG) ★★★½

Yes, it’s true! Dragons and honest-to-goodness family-friendly films still exist.

I love dragons. I was “the mother of dragons” (Game of Thrones’ Daenerys Targaryen) for Halloween, received “Dragonology” books for past birthdays, love … Read more

Equity (R) ★★½

A compelling financial thriller, but still not the “women on Wall Street” film I was hoping for.

As possibly the only film critic in the world who has two business degrees, used to work in … Read more

Suicide Squad (PG-13) ★★

Suicide Squad makes very little sense.

When I was at Comic-Con a few weeks ago, I couldn’t believe there were hundreds of people—many of whom were in full Joker or Harley Quinn costumes and makeup—standing … Read more

Life Animated (Documentary) ★★★½

An inspiring, hopeful documentary about one family’s experience with autism.

I knew what Life, Animated was about before I saw the film, and so I was not surprised to find my eyes welling up only … Read more

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (R) ★★½

No Need to RSVP to the Theater

Two girls tricking two brothers into taking them to a Hawaiian wedding sounds like an attempt to create a female version of Wedding Crashers. Oddly enough, however, Mike … Read more

The Secret Life of Pets (PG) ★★★½

“The Secret Life of Pets” is a Pet Lovers Delight

The Secret Life of Pets is an amusing, animated tale that centers on the curiosity of what pets do and think about all day while … Read more

The BFG (PG) ★★★½

The BFG, Fantasy Story with a Big Heart

Thankfully, Spielberg’s The BFG stays faithful to the treasured Roald Dahl young adult novel with old-fashioned storytelling of the love between a wise older giant and … Read more

Finding Dory (PG) ★★★½

Finding Dory is a whopper of a film that’s part comedic ‘fish tale’ but mostly life lessons for kids. Sensitivity to disabilities is front and center with the added bonus of parenting advice.

 * Extra … Read more

Genius (PG-13) ★★★

If anyone can make the editing process interesting, it’s Colin Firth and Jude Law.

I love it when a film can expose me to something—a historical figure, a place, an idea, an event—that I would … Read more

Now You See Me 2 (PG-13) ★½

It’s extra sad when a sequel about magicians delivers absolutely nothing magical.

The 2013 “heist… with magicians!” film Now You See Me had plots issues, sure, but overall I found it to be a whole … Read more

Me Before You (PG-13) ★★★

An Inspiring Love Story

Let’s get something out of the way from the get-go: you will, I repeat, you will need to bring a box of Kleenex to the theater while viewing the film Me … Read more