Top 10 Best Movies of 2016

The Top Ten
1 Captain America: Civil War

How should I put it? It's basically an awesome superhero movie of 2016. Disney and Marvel made a third Captain America movie following 2014's Winter Soldier. This time, it marks the beginning of Phase 3 for the MCU franchise, leading to many other superheroes in their own films. The Avengers became divided into two teams: those who hand themselves over to the government and those who resist.

Amazingly, Iron Man and Captain America lead their respective team members into a combination of action figures fighting each other, which feels like child's play. There were many shocking revelations, especially when Iron Man discovered his disturbing past. It all boiled down to Bucky Barnes being held responsible. Spoiler alert: a mad scientist assigned Steve Rogers' friend to kill Tony Stark's parents.

Many battles have occurred between the Avengers and enemies threatening to destroy everything. These conflicts nearly shook the Avengers, especially when many innocent victims died, leading to the government blaming them.

Aside from all the superhero drama, I appreciated the humor used to lighten the mood. It lowers the tension of superheroes getting divided into a conflict. Plus, there are a few surprises that add a good laugh. You can't have tragedy without comedy for a few moments. I give Civil War a 9 out of 10.

2 Deadpool

I loved everything about the movie. I laughed when, instead of the traditional names at the beginning of the movie, they did stuff like "God's perfect mistake" and "A really moody teenager" (laugh out loud). Ryan Reynolds was perfect for the role of Deadpool, and I can't get over his wisecracks in battle. Heck, he broke the fourth wall so many times! The jokes never get old, and considering the low budget they had, they did an amazing job. It's the perfect mix of comedy, action/violence, and romance. It's officially my favorite movie, and I absolutely cannot wait for the second one. Now remember everyone, always use MAXIMUM EFFORT!

This is a revolutionary Marvel flick for many good reasons. For one, it did something that other Marvel treasures haven't done: be raunchy and hyper-violent. It also was really funny. While other Marvel flicks were hilarious, they weren't as gut-bustingly funny as Deadpool. Not only that, they did justice to Deadpool/Wade Wilson. You know, after that whole X-Men Origins fiasco? So, that was great, and I can't wait to see what we have in store with Logan!

3 Zootopia

Let me begin with this: I did not want to see this movie. The trailers made it out to be a generic, paint-by-numbers, forgettable film that would have been forgotten in a month. I only saw it because it was a Tuesday (5-dollar movie tickets) and my whole family went. I was shocked by how good it was. Rarely have I been so immersed in a movie, void of any thoughts of home, personal plans, or anything other than what is going on in the movie. It has some of the best character development I've seen in a while and holds as one of the strongest animated movies to date.

The ice-cream shop had me in awe, and the sloth scene had me out of breath, haha. It has some really cute and good voice acting paired with some extremely good animation (mostly props and cities).

It delivers an extremely helpful message to the younger audience. Be whatever you want to be, no matter who brings you down, and you might just do something great in your life. If not, it will still be a wild ride. Favourite movie of 2016 and my favourite animated Disney movie.

4 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Far better than The Force Awakens! I mean, VII was good, but it borrowed so much from the original trilogy it felt like a reboot rather than a sequel. This one had more interesting characters, a better story, and the visuals made it actually feel like it took place right before the original. No spoilers, but that scene with Vader at the end was terrifyingly amazing.

I know many people would not agree, but I've liked this movie (and I think it's better) more than "Captain America: Civil War" and "Batman v Superman." Felicity Jones was a good choice for this movie. I love her performance. It's so captivating and made the film better.

Remember the opening crawl to the original Star Wars? Well, this is the opening crawl as a movie. That may not sound amazing, but combine that with epic action scenes and awesome visuals, and you have the first ever great prequel to Star Wars.

5 Finding Dory

I grew up with Finding Nemo. I've watched it at least 20 times, and it's one of my favorite movies ever. So naturally, I went into Finding Dory with huge expectations. It didn't disappoint. The movie has the heart and wit that made the original such a classic. There are flat-out hilarious scenes, emotional scenes, and tons of well-written and well-acted dialogue to keep you completely invested along the way.

Also, this is quite possibly the most beautiful movie that I have ever seen. You can truly get lost in the beautiful imagery that this movie has to offer. This movie left me completely satisfied. I left the theatre with a smile that lasted until I woke up the next morning. This is one of the greatest films that Pixar has ever made and one of the greatest sequels ever, in my opinion. It'll be very interesting to see whether Zootopia or Finding Dory will take home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Only time will tell.

6 La La Land

By far the best movie I've seen in years. It doesn't try to be edgy to attract more adult audiences. It just is what it is. Honestly, I think this is what Hollywood has been needing. A simple movie that showcases great acting, great story, and great music. I feel like that alone makes it more powerful than most other movies that try to make an "artistic" or "political" statement.

This movie is very, very good. I am not a fan of musicals at all, but I really enjoyed this one. It blurs the lines of fantasy and reality perfectly to give a deep, profound feeling to the audience. The meaning and depth of this film are perfect, and it is a must-watch.

How often are musicals made nowadays? How often are they made without animation or without kids as the target market? La La Land is easily one of the year's best films, and I expect it to sweep the music categories at the Oscars and be nominated for Best Picture.

7 Kubo and the Two Strings

A very strong, beautiful, and mature movie, as timely as 'Zootopia'. It calls us to embrace our flawed world and search for all the beauty in it, not concentrating on its negativity. It urges us to stay strong and positive during such harsh times. Besides the movie's messages, it is a highly emotional, occasionally funny, gorgeously animated masterpiece which you'd never get tired of.

First off, this is not a movie for young kids. It's definitely a darker, more mature animated movie compared to Zootopia, Moana, or Trolls. It has beautiful animation and storytelling, an excellent cast of wonderfully portrayed characters, and one of the best scores I have ever heard for an animated movie. 10/10. Best movie I've seen in a very long time!

The animation was beautiful, the voice acting and characters were amazing. The only thing that disappointed me was the end of the film. The beginning was intriguing, the middle was doing a little less well, but still pretty close to great. However, the ending just didn't make my cut. The plot was very interesting also, but something about it was bugging me, telling me it was a little cliché. Overall, Laika did a fantastic job on this movie, and it definitely deserves a spot on this list!

8 Hacksaw Ridge

I went into this movie with high expectations. I saw the trailer, was impressed, and realized it would be directed by Mel Gibson, who is a phenomenal director in my opinion. This movie managed to surpass even my high expectations.

I had half expected this to be more of a religious movie, like his Passion of the Christ, but this movie, while it has religious undertones, is not just a movie for Christians and religious individuals. It is a movie for everyone to see - a true spectacle. It has the most realistic depiction of war I have ever seen. In fact, I would argue that this depiction surpasses that of Saving Private Ryan, The Pacific, and even Band of Brothers. Whether this movie is better than the aforementioned movies is up for debate. It is a masterpiece.

I am surprised this movie didn't get a larger audience. It's a shame, but I suppose that's to be expected from a director who messed up. Some people just don't want to see a Mel Gibson movie, and that's unfortunate. I don't care what Mel said all those years ago anymore. He's a fantastic director! He's probably the most underrated director who ever lived!

If you haven't seen it in theaters, do yourself a favor. When you see it on TV, record it, watch it, buy it, do whatever you can to watch this movie because it is a story that deserves to be told!

9 The Jungle Book

I actually like this movie. Even though it wasn't very entertaining for many people since it's just a "remake," Walt Disney (the company) put some effort into this. So the people who criticized this movie didn't realize it was just a remake.

This was very underrated, but God, it's good. The voice acting was awesome, the visuals were very good, and it has scary moments for adults and cute animals for kids.

Loved it, bringing the classic tale back. (They shouldn't have changed it so much though, gives me fear about The Lion King live-action film by the same director.)

10 Moana

Disney has done it again! This movie is a masterpiece! The animation is jaw-dropping, the musical numbers brought me to tears, and the characters are all great and very unique. Moana is a very welcome addition to the Disney Princess lineup.

This movie was amazing, to say the least. It made me feel so many things, and I was crying a lot even though it was not that sad. It just really touched a nerve for me. I would recommend this movie a hundred times to anyone.

This was definitely the best movie of 2016. It has really good animation, amazing songs, a good plot, and interesting characters.

The Contenders
11 Doctor Strange

Not better than Civil War, but VERY close. I feel like, as funny as this movie was, it just had more humour than it needed, and plenty of jokes just didn't hit. However, I loved the visuals, and the action was excellent. I also loved the characters. It had me excited the whole time. (I almost fell down leaving the theater)

Vote for it, guys! To get it at least into the top ten of 2016. It was intriguing, chilling, and dark, yet so funny and humorous! The visual effects are literally some of the best I've seen in a long time in an action movie. Benedict completely owned the titular character! The climax could've been a little better, but on the whole, it was 10/10.

Its narrative can feel a bit clunky on the pacing side of things, but Doctor Strange is a fun and exciting time at the cinema, with some good performances, some mind-blowing effects, and a decent villain. Not Marvel's best outing, but a sufficient way to spend a Friday night.

12 Arrival

It really struck me in the heart and stayed with me for days. I didn't expect that at all. I thought I was watching an ordinary alien movie, yet it was far from it. I realized that after I sat down with my popcorn, all pumped up as though I was about to watch Independence Day, before starting to cry like two minutes in. Glorious... Just to show how well made the movie is, to accomplish that when you don't even know the characters yet.

You have this small side-story in the movie, and then you have this big reveal that changes the whole perspective of the movie. You realize that what you thought was the side-story is actually the whole point of the movie, all that truly matters in the end. The music and cinematography are gorgeous. I was in tears by the end. But it was beautiful. Denis did a fantastic job with this movie.

As close as I came to choosing La La Land, I can't think of a single movie that I have ever seen that has come anywhere close to beating how mind-blown and heartbroken I was at the end of this movie. The directing, the effects, the performances (Adams was snubbed by the Oscars), and, oh my lord, the music! Just wow...

PS. The short story it's based on is almost as fantastic as well.

13 Suicide Squad

Ok, seriously guys! Can we stop treating Suicide Squad like it's the worst movie ever? I don't even get it. What's so bad about it apart from the editing? Oh wait, I know. It's because of all the bitter Heath Ledger fanboys who are spiritually obligated to hate every new Joker. Yes, I agree, he was a little too over the top at times, but just like the movie, it's not the complete travesty people are making it out to be.

Yes, Enchantress was kind of a stupid villain and the climax was just your run-of-the-mill, big CGI explosions with debris flying everywhere schtick. But the movie gave us a really solid Harley Quinn, a good Joker, a great character in Deadshot, a really enjoyable Killer Croc, a surprisingly good performance out of Jai Courtney, and a break from the typical dark and depressed tone that people complain about when DC uses it. But then when they don't use it, they say they're just trying to be Marvel. Make up your minds, guys! Do you want them to be serious or light-hearted?

Overall, the movie is enjoyable. It's not perfect, it's not one of the best movies ever, but it's not the abomination that so much of the population has labeled it.

14 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

I am a Harry Potter fangirl and even have the Fantastic Beasts book that lists all the creatures, so this was one of my most anticipated films of 2016. I got to see it a few days after my birthday in January (so the theater was almost empty, which was nice), and while not the very best Harry Potter film, I think it's the most fun I've ever had watching one.

I liked seeing how magic works in America because it was quite a bit different. The visuals, as to be expected, were phenomenal. All of the creatures are great, both in design and actions. Newt has easily become one of my favorite characters in the franchise. While it's probably not the best film from 2016, I do think it's the one I had the most fun watching.

It's the best Harry Potter movie of all time! It had no legacy of a book to live up to, which didn't leave me disappointed and sad (looking at you, Harry Potter movies. You made Ron a buffoon. You WILL PAY). We got to see some great effects coupled with a sense of humor and explore a new era of the wizarding world, and a new country. Brilliant, which is what I expected from Rowling as a screenwriter.

15 Kung Fu Panda 3

At the beginning, it was so-so, but once you get to the middle and end, the plot gets way better. It was heartwarming, funny, epic, adorable, and overall a very great movie to watch.

Watched it with my friends. Just because it's for kids doesn't mean a bunch of 14-15 year olds can't watch it. It was pretty hilarious too, and I enjoyed it 9/10.

It's the weakest of the series so far, but does that mean it was a bad movie? Nope. This movie was good.

16 Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice

Overwhelming and huge at the same time, it's basically a good DC Comics superhero movie. Lots of cash was spent on director Zack Snyder, A-list actors, production design, cameras, film sets, screenwriters, producers, explosions, and visually stunning CGI effects. There are a few problems with it. Why does it need to be about 2 and a half hours long? It's too epic to handle while getting glued to the seat for a long time.

Of course, the overall tone is too melodramatic. Did I forget to mention that immature fight scene between Batman and Superman? Yeah, they acted like a bunch of kids until they got it. Between these two, I'm not going to say they deserve to fight each other because they hate each other over who's the best superhero who can save the world. I'm not going to decide if Batman or Superman should be the best. They're both awesome.

After all, Henry Cavill did a better Clark Kent/Superman than Brandon Routh did in that 2006 flop. Seriously, people thought Ben Affleck would not outsmart Christian Bale's performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman from the Christopher Nolan trilogy. I thought Ben Affleck was nicely prepared to take on the role as the Caped Crusader. Sometime later, those two guys eventually work together with Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and Green Lantern. Justice League sometime? Maybe involve Hans Zimmer's Inception soundtrack in all of the DC Extended Universe movies sometime. How would I rate Dawn of Justice? 8.5/10. Next time, add a few jokes in it.

17 Moonlight

I was caught by surprise by how deep this film was. Not only was it good, but it shows a dark reality of identity and how you display yourself in this messed-up world.

Whoever didn't vote for Moonlight clearly didn't watch it...

Lol, this is by far the worst top 10 of 2016 list. I've lost all faith in humanity. THIS is a masterpiece and the best movie of 2016 in my opinion, and one of the best movies of all time.

18 X-Men: Apocalypse

When I first saw the movie title and stuff, I really thought it would be another "Oh, I'm a superhero. I'm gonna save the day!" kind of film. But it's quite different.

1. Apocalypse... Damn, that guy scares me more than the whole of Conjuring 2.

2. It's an X-Men movie. I'm guessing this is why it's not in the top ten, as kids can't stop worshipping the Avengers. But really, this was my first X-Men movie ever, and I already think that they can't beat the Avengers any second.

3. It's for everyone. Sure, we have Zootopia and Finding Dory, but they're way too childish. Horror movies? Not for kids. This movie has the perfect balance of maturity and childishness.

This is the best movie of 2016, admit it.

Apocalypse is one of the strongest villains ever. I don't know how X-Men members will defeat him without Wolverine. They need Wolverine. Where is Logan in this movie?

Best of the year, it's awesome. If you grew up with the X-Men cartoon, you will love it. It just needed more Wolverine and to have Gambit. Magneto and Xavier are great, the new actors were cool, and Mystique and Psylocke are hot.

19 The Secret Life of Pets

I absolutely adore The Secret Life of Pets. Oh, sure, it's a cliché. The main villain just keeps on screaming, and some characters are either a brat, a crybaby, or a freak. But that's how I like my movies. It's got great animation, pleasant voice acting, and every single character is absolutely adorable. Great humour, too. I hope Sing is just as good.

This should be WAY higher on this list because it's so funny. Like when I saw it in theaters, the start was SO funny, especially when that dog was letting the bowl blender thing rub his back.

I loved it and am excited they're going to make a sequel in 2019 or 2020. This was my second favorite animated film of the year, after Finding Dory. I loved this film so much. It's simply amazing.

20 The Angry Birds Movie

Pretty good, but usually, movies based on games are bad. Take a look at Warcraft and Assassin's Creed for example. I don't think the upcoming Five Nights At Freddy's movie is going to be so good either...

I saw this movie in the theater back in June 2016, and I found it not bad for a video game-based movie. 7/10.

To be honest, this movie wasn't that bad.

21 Hell or High Water

WHAT?! This was a great movie that depicted what it is to be an American living through poverty. How is a disappointing kids' movie (Sloppy Life of Pets) higher than this?

22 The Nice Guys

Perfect. So much fun. I can watch this movie over and over! I absolutely love this film!

Has a vibe similar to Pulp Fiction. Deserves much more recognition. Watch it.

23 Deepwater Horizon

There were a few light moments at first with the oil drill crew members. The rest of the environmental disaster film was depressing, brutal, and sickening.

Heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. It encourages the power of the soul and the power of love. Beautiful story with very talented actors.

This was a well-done movie. It presented the events of the disaster without demonizing the oil industry.

24 Sing

Why is everyone hating it? This movie is AWESOME! The makers really did a good job on making this movie. If Garth Jennings hadn't planned on making the movie, it would have been a hard life for me. One of my favorite movies of... no, how about, my FAVORITE movie of all time?

When I first found out about this movie, I thought it was going to be bad because it looked like a cash grab. But after watching the trailer, I can see that the producers have definitely put some effort into this. It's surprisingly good.

My favorite part was when the piglets were laughing at the washing machine.

25 Alice Through the Looking Glass

Finally, people who actually liked this movie other than me! I love the CGI effects in this movie. At times, it's a bit too much, but wow, is it inventive. The vibrance is very deserving compared to the dark tone of the first movie, and Mia (Alice) does a damn good job in this one. She easily carries the movie. Johnny Depp, admittedly, can get annoying at times, and the whole tart thing is kind of a letdown. However, seeing how a small lie can grow into a giant problem is amazing. The rusting of the world is also one of the best sequences in the movie.

To me, this was better than Civil War. Exquisite costumes and set design, haunting music score, and an engaging and emotional story.

It doesn't hurt that Mia Wasikowska is the most beautiful young actress of our generation, so it's worth seeing her screen presence. Alice is a role model to boys and girls of all cultures and ages.

Forget Captain America and Iron Man battling to become alpha male, Alice Through the Looking Glass is the movie event of the year, bar none.

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