The King of A Year in Movies - 2016

Somewhere toward the end of 2015, I took the 40-minute ride to AMC Veterans 24 out past the Tampa airport to see a movie that was only showing there at the time. It gave me a chance to see the most amazing performance by an actor under 10-years-old I had ever seen.

His name was Jacob Tremblay and he could not have been better in the emotional movie "Room." About a year later, I made my way to the same theater for the same reason and a young boy from India named Sunny Pawar somehow topped Tremblay.

Pawar dominated the screen throughout the first hour of 2016's best movie "Lion," as a lost child named Saroo trying to find his way through the dangers of Calcutta (now Kolkata) - thousands of miles from his home. Pawar's triumphant performance led you into an equally-emotional second half of the movie where the older Saroo (Dev Patel) searches for his home through Google Maps.

There were many solid films in 2016, but none came close to moving me like "Lion." It is based on a true story and it was told with grace and wonderful pacing. It is about the power of family, love, home and the human spirit. Nicole Kidman is outstanding as Saroo's adoptive Australian mother and the beautiful Rooney Mara plays his girlfriend, who is actually a composite of his female friends. Patel starred in my pick for the worst of 2015 (Chappie) and one year later he provides a strong performance in the best.

Have some tissues available if you are going to see Lion. You will need them - unless you do not have a heart.

I wondered if 2016 was going to be a dud of a year for movies in late summer - after 2015 was the best in my lifetime - but it ended up producing a number of entertaining films in the fall and winter with a variety of subject lines. Some were fun, others had deep, thought-provoking story lines and a few were quite unique. It ended up being a pretty good year, with some of the best performances including Pawar, Ruth Negga (Loving), Bryan Cranston (The Infiltrator), Andrew Garfield (Silence), Mila Kunis (Bad Moms), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures), Natalie Portman (Jackie), Miles Teller (Bleed for This), Emma Stone (La La Land), Jeff Bridges (Hell of High Water), Jessica Chastain (Miss Sloane), Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), Emilia Clarke (Me Before You), Viola Davis (Fences), Colin Farrell (The Lobster) and Marvin the dog (Paterson).

Here's my annual look at the year in movies:

Did not get to see: Queen of Katwe, Elle, A Man Called Ove, Moana, Rules Don't Apply.

Worst: 13 Hours (see the entire list on my worst of the year blog)

Not great, but these films have something redeemable - Demolition, The Purge: Election Day, Get a Job (Bryan Cranston and Anna Kendrick get it over the line), Captain America, Equals, Race, Independence Day- Resurgence (only because the first one was good), The Lobster (so weird it almost became compelling), Mother's Day (great cast), The Accountant (mostly blah, but a few decent moments), The Girl on the Train (glad I didn't spend money at the theater), Cafe Society, Love & Friendship (Kate Beckinsale is great as usual), Bridget Jones' Baby, Sausage Party (not a kids cartoon, adult cringe-worthy laughs), The Legend of Tarzan, The Birth of a Nation, Allegiant (worst of a great series), Keeping up with the Joneses, Masterminds (goofy, stupid, but a few laughs), Doctor Strange, The Founder (Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc, who started McDonald's), Paterson (interesting, but not real exciting), Yoga Hosers (funny and Johnny Depp's daughter is adorable).

Honorable Mention - Jason Bourne (underwhelming, but fits in the series. Alicia Vikander is great as usual), Denial (interesting movie on the trial of a Holocaust denier), Deepwater Horizon (nothing special, but it was better than expected), Eight Days a Week (Beatles doc), Where do we Invade Next? (interesting Michael Moore documentary everyone should see, but won't), Free State of Jones (good Civil War story, but dragged a little), Finding Dory (cute cartoon that held my interest), Star Trek Beyond (first half is confusing, second half pretty good), Allied, Hacksaw Ridge, 20th Century Women, Bleed For This (Vinny Paz story was better than expected), War Dogs, Money Monster (Clooney and Roberts are good, but just didn't hit a home run with me), Me Before You (tearjerker), 13th (Documentary on Racism)

Joe Lunardi's first five out: Collateral Beauty (somewhat hokey and hard to believe, but enjoyable), Bad Moms (more laughs than expected), Nocturnal Animals (strange, strange movie, but keeps your interest), Loving (strong, important story), Patriots Day (well-done movie on the Boston Marathon bombing)


TOP 25


25. Captain Fantastic - Viggo Mortensen shines as the father of a family which lived outside of civilization for years before making a trip to their mother's funeral.

24. Eddie the Eagle - The interesting and likable story of Eddie Edwards, the unusual and inexperienced ski jumper from England who made a splash at the 1988 Winter Olympics

23. Fences - Denzel Washington and Viola Davis provide amazing performances as complicated characters in this film adapted from a play. The strong ending helps get it over the top.

22. Zootopia - Enjoyable cartoon with an underlying racial theme that educates about the advantages of diversity and the problems with stereotyping.

21. Arrival - Amy Adams stars in the science fiction story about a race of aliens who arrive with a message that only she can uncover. It is a powerful movie about seeing the future, but I wasn't as blown away as most people.


20. Everybody Wants Some!! - It's Animal House with a bunch of college baseball players instead of Bluto and Flounder. Director Richard Linklater (Boyhood) does a good job keeping it fun.

19. Moonlight - The Academy Award winner follows a young African American boy struggling with a mother hooked on drugs and confusion about his sexuality. I would have liked to see more of Mahershala Ali's character. Thought it was a good film, just not a great one.

18, Deadpool - Ryan Reynolds is terrific as a superhero with a wild sense of humor. Thought it was a lot of fun, although it got a bit too cartoonish at the end.

17. Jackie - Natalie Portman hits it out of the park with her portrayal of Jackie Kennedy in the aftermath of her husband's assassination. I was in my first year of life while this was going on, so it was educational for me.

16. Silence - Two young Jesuit priests from Portugal in the 17th century go in search of their mentor in Japan, which had outlawed Christianity. Martin Scorsese directs the long (2 hours, 40 minutes), but emotional film and Andrew Garfield is terrific as one of the padres.

15. Sully - Tom Hanks plays hero Chesley Sullenberger, who miraculously saved every passenger by landing a damaged airplane on the Hudson River but ends up facing serious questions about his decision.

14. Manchester by the Sea - The second time watching the film made me understand its power a bit more. The acting from Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams, among others, is outstanding. But it is still a bit too depressing for a top 10 pick.

13. O.J. Made in America - You would need a truck load of popcorn to watch this in a theater but since the Academy made it Best Documentary, why not include it here? Ezra Edelman did an amazing job putting this all together. It is fascinating and sad.

12. The Edge of Seventeen - Hailee Steinfeld, a terrific actress, plays a high school student trying to weave her way through life's problems in a one-parent family. Woody Harrelson is great as her sarcastic, but helpful teacher.

11. Miss Sloane - Jessica Chastain is a win-at-all-costs lobbyist who finds herself in the middle of a political fight over a new gun-control bill. Chastain should have been nominated for Best Actress for her powerful performance.


10. Hell or High Water - Brothers Chris Pine and Ben Foster go on a bank robbery spree to help save the family farm, which they are in jeopardy of losing because of the same financial institutions. Jeff Bridges is outstanding as the local sheriff.

9. Passengers - It may be a stretch to put this film here ahead of other more meaningful movies. But I enjoyed the heck out of it. What would you do if you were alone and had a chance to wake up someone else in suspended animation to keep you company? Yes, I'd wake up Jennifer Lawrence. Sorry Jen.

8. Eye in the Sky - An interesting film starring Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and Helen Mirren that makes you think about the military's use of drones. It was the great Alan Rickman's last action film before he passed away.

7. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Low expectations turned into high praise for this film that works as a prequel to "A New Hope" - the first of the saga released - and a follow to "Revenge of the Sith." Everything fits and it's fun.

6. Snowden - Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an outstanding job playing the enigmatic Edward Snowden, who becomes disillusioned and releases classified information about illegal mass surveillance programs in the United States. Director Oliver Stone does not overdo it this time.

5. Hidden Figures - Tells the untold story of a group of African-American women mathematicians who aided NASA in the 1960s - in racially-divided Virginia. Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer, Taraji Henson are terrific in the educational and entertaining movie.

4. La La Land - Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling make this musical drama go as an aspiring actress and musician, respectively, trying to make it in Hollywood. It was more of a story than a musical, which made me enjoy it much better.

3. Sing Street - Director John Carney provides another enjoyable movie with music as the theme. A young Irish lad (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) puts a band together starting from scratch to impress a complicated, beautiful girl (Lucy Boynton). Mark McKenna is brilliant in a supporting role. It is fun, smart and heartwarming. Line of the movie - "No woman can truly love a man that listens to Phil Collins." LOL.

2. The Infiltrator - Bryan Cranston plays US Customs agent Robert Mazur, who goes deep undercover to end Pablo Escobar's money-laundering operation. How Cranston did not get nominated for Best Actor, I will never know. Beautiful Diane Kruger and former Law and Order star Benjamin Bratt are great, too.

1. Lion - An amazing story and an amazing movie about Saroo Brierly's incredible journey. It was Director Garth Davis' first feature film and he makes it all work without adding any fluff. It should have won something at the Academy Awards, but anyone who saw it knows this was by far the best of 2016.

Previous picks for Best of the Year

2015 - Spotlight

2014 – Birdman

2013 -- Nebraska

2012 – Silver Linings Playbook

2011 – The Descendants

2010 – The Social Network

2009 – Inglourious Basterds

2008 – Frost/Nixon-The Wrestler (tie)

2007 – Once

Best of Decade 2000-2009 – Almost Famous

Top 150 Movies in my 50 years- 130-121

130. Splash - The 1984 romantic comedy stars a young Tom Hanks, who falls for a beautiful mermaid (Daryl Hannah) off Cape Cod. Don’t we all, in our dreams? His brother (John Candy) has the best lines in the movie, and works with Eugene Levy to free the loving couple from the aquarium. “If something works for me, I stick with it.” Words to live by.

129. After Hours - Martin Scorsese's odd, but riveting, 1985 film follows Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) after he decides to go out to a diner after a very ordinary day at work sitting at the computer. Hackett meets a pretty, but very crazy, woman named Marcy (Rosanna Arquette) and sets sail on a strange journey through the New York City night. Surrender Dorothy!

128. Jurassic Park - Developing a remote island with cloned dinosaurs from the DNA of very old frozen mosquitoes - what could go wrong? The 1993 Steven Spielberg film was the best of the series by far and won for sound and the amazing visual effects at the Academy Awards. Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum lead a solid cast, who try to avoid those pesky raptors.

127. Mystery Alaska - It is a far-fetched story with some corny scenes, but there's just enough old time hockey and solid performances to make the 1999 film quite enjoyable. Russell Crowe is the veteran leader who captains an amateur team from remote Mystery that takes on the New York Rangers in an exhibition game that the NHLPA would never approve. Burt Reynolds channels John Tortorella.

126. The Empire Strikes Back - Episode V, which came out in 1980, is a favorite for many from the iconic series. It comes in a close third for me. There is plenty going on for sure with the introduction of the great Yoda and Lando Calrissian, while Luke meets dad. It sets the table well for the next one.

125. The Wrestler - Mickey Rourke plays a past-his-prime wrestler named Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who is dealing with health and family issues as his standout career comes to an end. Rourke should have won Best Actor at the 2008 Academy Awards for his amazingly believable performance - over Sean Penn, who took it Oscar for "Milk." Marisa Tomei shines as a stripper with a heart.

124. One Good Cop - Under-rated 1991 film stars Michael Keaton as Artie Lewis, a talented detective who loses his partner. Lewis and wife (Rene Russo) take care of his fallen partner's three young daughters while dealing with a nasty criminal named Beniamino Rios. Benjamin Bratt shows up as a new partner and the ending is heartwarming and unique.

123. Dead Poets Society - The 1989 film is based in an elite Vermont boarding school where an English teacher named John Keating (Robin Williams) inspires a group of students. Keating's unorthodox methods leads to a demise at the conservative school, but his legacy lived on. Captain my Captain!! 

122. Bend it Like Beckham - While the soccer action isn't particularly well shot, this film is about culture, tradition, tolerance, family and friendship. An 18-year-old Sikh named Jess (Parminder Nagra) secretly joins a girls soccer team in England against her parents wishes, befriends Jules (Keira Knightley) and falls for her coach. If nothing else, you get to hear Keira say "Santa Clahhhra." 

121. Remember the Titans - The 2000 film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer is based on the story of Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), who takes over as football coach at a recently-integrated high school in Alexandria, Va. Hayden Panettiere, Kate Bosworth and Ryan Gosling show up in supporting roles in this emotional story. 

Top 150 Movies in my 50 Years- 140-131

140. Groundhog Day - Pittsburgh weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) lives the same day over and over and over again until he gets it right with Rita Hanson (Andie McDowell). The great Harold Ramis directed this comedy classic with a masterful performance from the groundhog. What if there were no tomorrows?

139. Go - A series of wacky, sometimes raunchy, intertwining stories revolve around grocery clerk Ronna (Sarah Polley) needing to find a way to make some money to pay her rent. Pre-Cruise Katie Holmes produces her best performance while Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf show up as squabbling gay lovers. Tim Olyphant also shines as a heady drug dealer.

138. Top Gun - The iconic 1986 film was one of Tom Cruise’s first big roles as he plays Maverick, a reckless but talented Naval aviator. Cruise’s battles with Ice Man (Val Kilmer) and the forbidden courtship with teacher (Kelly McGillis) are classic. The music pushes the intensity of the movie, especially Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone.” 

137. Better off Dead - Sure, it is somewhat formulaic and Siskel & Ebert hated it, but this zany 1985 romantic comedy still makes me laugh. John Cusack plays Lane Meyer, a man "who knows how to ski" but develops a death wish after his girlfriend Beth dumps him. French exchange student Monique (Diane Franklin) tries to save Lane, but can't help when the paperboy stalks him. Two Dollars!

136. Saving Private Ryan - I am not a huge fan of war movies, which pushes this down the list a bit, but the first half hour of this film depicting the Invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach was very powerful. Tom Hanks goes in search of Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers had already become casualties of war. Steven Spielberg won Best Director in 1998 for the film, which lost out to “Shakespeare in Love” for Best Picture. 

135. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - Stoners Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) get a hankering for some tasty sliders late at night and enjoy quite a journey in the 2004 film. They encounter pretty British girls with stomach problems, a cheetah, the police, some bullies, an odd couple and drugged-out Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) before reaching their destination. I enjoyed a few White Castle burgers in Lexington, Ky. once and they were pretty, pretty good.

134. An Officer and a Gentleman - The 1982 romantic drama was somehow not even nominated for Best Picture, which was later won by "Ghandi" over "ET." Richard Gere or "Mayo-Naise" falls for a local girl (Debra Winger) at boot camp and is worked into shape by drill sergeant Louis Gossett Jr., who won Best Supporting Actor. The ending is triumphant and emotional.

133. Truth - I rated this movie only 12^th in the best year of movies in my lifetime (2015), but after buying it I could not stop watching it over and over. Cate Blanchett plays Mary Mapes with vigor and Robert Redford portrays Dan Rather in a film about the controversy surrounding the 60 Minutes report on George W. Bush’s military service, which gets tangled in a web of corporate scum and partisan politics. Blanchett’s pulsating speech, defending journalism, at the end is one of my favorite scenes of all time. FEA!!

132. Beneath the Planet of the Apes – Tough choice between this one and Conquest, which was the first movie I ever saw at the Norwich Drive-In in Connecticut almost 50 years ago. Beneath was a strong follow up to the original classic as James Franciscus, Charlton Heston and the beautiful Nova (Linda Harrison) encounter an underground race of men worshiping an atomic bomb. There is plenty of symbolism in this one and a strong plot that provides a powerful ending.

131. Shut Up and Sing - Terrific 2006 documentary about how a portion of the American society over-reacted to a simple anti-war statement by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chucks at a 2003 concert in London (Sarah Palin said far worse things about President Obama in Europe in 2005 and no one in Red State America said boo). The controversy led to death threats, a backlash from country radio stations and corporations, and spawned a powerful album with songs about the trio's ordeal called "Taking the Long Way." With how divided we are, it might not change anyone's mind, but an open-minded music lover should enjoy it.