My Favorite Things of 2016: Movies

2016 was actually a pretty good year in movies. Granted, I didn’t even get a chance to see half of the movies that were released in the theaters, but I still enjoyed myself nonetheless. I actually spent most of the year catching up on movies released in 2015, films on my “movie bucket list”, and other indie picks that I wanted to check out. Here is a compilation of 2016 films that made the top of my favorites.

Secret Life of Pets

The Secret Lift of Pets was one of the cutest animated films of the year. The movie follows the quiet life of a terrier named Max who is upset when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes. Though most of the pets featured in this movie were cats and dogs, I still enjoyed the varieties that they included and how each pet had their own distinct personality. This film is so much fun!

Moana

I was super psyched when I heard about Moana being released from the first announcement of the film. I was eager to see a Polynesian Princess from Disney and hearing the soundtrack was party produced by musical genius Lin Manuel Miranda had me equally thrilled. This film was so entertaining from the superb voice acting, intriguing story line, and even catchy soundtrack! The animation was also amazing and I highly recommend you see this film if you haven’t already.

The Magnificient Seven

I used to not like Westerns at all, but now that I’m older I’m starting to grow a fondness for them. The Magnificent Seven is a reboot of 1960s film about seven gunmen in the old west gradually who come together to help a village against thieves. It has a star-studded cast and the acting was great. What made this movie so enthralling to watch was not only the action, but the cinematography and action. There was never a dull moment!

The Conjuring 2

Not as strong as the first film, but still holds its own against the other 2016 Horror movie releases (because let’s be honest, there were a ton of horrid horror movies this past year). The film follows the Warrens as they travel to Britain to assist the Hodgson family, who are experiencing poltergeist activity at their house in 1977. The second movie in the Conjuring series definitely has many thrills and chills due to James Wan’s excellent directing.

The Finest Hours

Based on a true story, The Finest Hours is a film about the Coast Guard  who makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952. Though this film is traditional rescue drama, the cinematography, acting, and CGI gives the movie a highly realistic feel. There were so many jaw-dropping moments where I was literally on the edge of seat and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

Eddie The Eagle

Looking for a feel-good, inspirational movie? Eddie The Eagle is the film for you! The movie follows the story of Eddie Edwards, the British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics. The on-screen chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton is absolute gold and I loved the overall story. It’s a light-hearted, fun, and dramatic film that will warm your hearts.

Barbershop: The Next Cut

It’s been forever since a Barbershop film was released (second film came out in 2004). I wasn’t sure if it would work out since their was a huge gap in time since the last film, but I was proved wrong. In the third installment the surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, the crew at Calvin’s Barbershop come together to bring some much-needed change to their neighborhood. I think this film worked out so well (in my opinion) is because most of the original actors came back and the story was so timely to what’s going on socially.

Keanu

Last, but not least on my list is Keanu! Key & Peele come together in this feature-length film about friends hatch a plot to retrieve a stolen kitten by posing as drug dealers for a street gang. I was so excited to watch this film since I’ve been a big fan of these comedians since they were on MadTV. It was hilarious, super violent, and full of kitten cuteness all at the same time!