The Worst Movies of 2016

It would be nice to unveil my list of the top movies of 2016 before the Academy Awards Sunday, but there are still too many interesting films to watch before I can make the final decisions.

I'm hoping to find a way to see at least some of the following movies in the next month - Nocturnal Animals, Allied, Fences, Miss Sloane, Loving, Silence, 20th Century Women, Queen of Katwe, Elle, Doctor Strange, Moana, Hacksaw Ridge and The Edge of Seventeen.

So, we will start with another countdown. Other critics can do it. Why not me? My list of the best movies of 2016 will be posted in late March or early April, but now it's time for the very worst of the year among the 80-plus movies I have seen. And there were several good choices.

Barely worth a red box rent, but only if you are desperate - The Boss, The Finest Hours, Ghostbusters (Why?), Inferno, London Has Fallen 10 Cloverfield Lane, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, The Nice Guys, The Whole Truth (Keanu as a lawyer?), Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Joe Lunardi's first five out of the top 10: The 5th Wave (Cute Chloe Moretz saves it from the worst 10), Zoolander 2, Hologram for a King (Hanks in a stinker), Batman vs. Superman (come on, man), A Bigger Splash (Dakota Johnson's brief nudity saves it from ninth or 10th worst).


Worst 10 of 2016

10. Into The Forest - Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood can't save this movie with an apocalyptic story line.

9. Approaching the Unknown - A mission to Mars that is quite boring.

8. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising  - The first one wasn't very good and this one wasn't much better, if any.

7. Marauders - Bruce Willis and Christopher Meloni (Stabler) wing it in this confusing, uninteresting crime drama,

6. Broken Vows - Jamie Alexander is quite attractive, but the Fatal Attraction-styled movie is cliched and unwatchable.

5. Run Lola Run - Bad film about bad people, but the somewhat surprising ending pushes it from worst of the year to fifth worst.

4. Midnight Special - Probably would be my pick for most disappointing of the year, because it's the only one of the 10 that I spent money on in the theater. There was a lot of nothing before an unsatisfying ending.

3. Hail Caesar!! - George Clooney can't rescue this totally dull film, which provided no laughs or interesting dialogue.

2. Point Break - Why? Sort of a remake of the classic film in a different local. After about 15 minutes, you are just waiting for it to end.

1. 13 Hours - Went in with an open mind wanting to learn a little bit more about what happened in Benghazi, but left not having an idea what was going on.


HOPES FOR OSCARS  

Best actor - Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea (but Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic was really good)

Best actress - Emma Stone, La La Land (Natalie Portman did a strong job in Jackie, too)

Best supporting actor - Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water (but Dev Patel, Lion would make me happy)

Best supporting actress - Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures (but Nicole Kidman, Lion is close)