The Films of 2016: Ranked and Reviewed

The Top 50

Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) has a chat with his biological father (Michael Shannon) in a convenience store parking lot where satellites are about to descend in #48, "Midnight Special."

50. Toni Erdmann - A strange yet likable blend of funny comedy and poignant drama.
Full Film Review

49. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping - A diverting music mockumentary from The Lonely Island. Full Film Review

48. Midnight Special - Unusual tale defies convention and does a reasonable job of rewarding patience. Full Blu-ray Review

47. Southside with You - An appealing and creative imagining of the Obamas' first date. Full Blu-ray Review

46. A Hologram for the King - A compelling and atypical tale well sold by Tom Hanks' lead performance. Full Blu-ray Review

Andrew Garfield may have relinquished Spider-Man, but he still gets two films in the Top 50, including Mel Gibson's Best Picture-nominated World War II drama "Hacksaw Ridge" at #44.

45. Now You See Me 2 - More appealing escapist entertainment on the order of the first film. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

44. Hacksaw Ridge - An intense, stirring, and slightly unconventional World War II drama. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

43. Maggie's Plan - A mature and intelligent dramedy. Full Blu-ray Review

42. Café Society - Charming and scenic comedy is among Woody Allen's better efforts. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

41. Allied - A compelling original story distinguishes this classical World War II spy drama. Full 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Review

Death isn't enough to stop Hank (Paul Dano) and Manny (Daniel Radcliffe) from enjoying an epic friendship in #38, "Swiss Army Man."

40. The Red Turtle - Animated feature lets visuals and music, not dialogue,

tell a stirring story. Full Blu-ray Review

39. Sing Street - Agreeable tale of a youth rock band in '80s Ireland is the very definition of feel-good cinema.

38. Swiss Army Man - Kinda brilliant, kinda insane castaway comedy is unusual and original. Full Blu-ray Review

37. The Jungle Book - An adequate new take on an interesting and well-known story. Full Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray + DVD Review

36. Patriots Day - You may question the timing and taste, but this Boston Marathon bombing docudrama consistently engages. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

In "Keanu", #34, the beloved titular cat is fitted with a kitten-sized do-rag and renamed New Jack Kitty by a gangster.

35. Gold - Somewhat slow but also gripping, unpredictable, and fun, this drama wins you over. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

34. Keanu - Key and Peele's gang/feline comedy is consistently funny. Full Blu-ray Review

33. Eddie the Eagle - Flavorful, feel-good cinema that doesn't rely too heavily on true sports movie formula. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

32. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - A sterling spin-off that comes close to recapturing that Harry Potter movie magic. Full Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray + DVD Review

31. Captain America: Civil War - Marvel's rich universe yields another entertaining time in this hero-packed adventure. Full Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray Review

The little-seen Jake Gyllenhaal movie "Demolition" places 26th in our ranked list of 2016 films.

30. Jackie - A compelling study of a public figure's private grief. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

29. The Birth of a Nation - Another moving look at slavery from one man's point of view. Full Film Review

28. The Edge of Seventeen - Sharp and funny dramedy adds to the tradition of appealing movies about high schoolers. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

27. Paterson - Jim Jarmusch's portrait of a New Jersey poet/bus driver is both idiosyncratic and winning.

26. Demolition - An arresting and powerful dramedy about unconventional grief processing. Full DVD Review

"War Dogs", starring Miles Teller and Jonah Hill as unlikely multi-million dollar military contractors, comes in way above most the competition, ranking 23rd among 2016 theatrical releases.

25. Nocturnal Animals - An inventive and absorbing drama with both style and substance.

Full Film Review

24. Doctor Strange - More standard yet stately (and visually stunning) Marvel entertainment. Full Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray + DVD Review

23. War Dogs - An engrossing and funny true story told with strong acting and directorial flair. Full Blu-ray Review

22. Voyage of Time - A powerful but too short IMAX documentary on the history of the universe. Full Film Review

21. The BFG - An agreeably faithful, artistic, and whimsical adaptation of Roald Dahl. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

Disney's animated musical "Moana", #19, offers an admirable depiction of Polynesian culture and a strong female lead.

20. The Meddler - A surprisingly delightful indie comedy. Full DVD Review

19. Moana - A spirited and flavorful addition to Disney's musical fairy tale tradition. Full Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray + DVD Review

18. Suicide Squad - A highly enjoyable if not always graceful superantihero tale. Full Film Review

17. Loving - A sweet, human historical drama told with a suitable, understated touch. Full Film Review

16. Christine - A fascinating portrait of a troubled 1970s TV journalist.

In #12, "Hail, Caesar!", Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) fixes the problems of Capitol Pictures and its stars.

15. Moonlight - A unique and original coming-of-age tale in three parts. Full Blu-ray Review

14. O.J.: Made in America - An exhaustive documentary on one of the most fascinating crimes and trials of last century.

13. Hunt for the Wilderpeople - An inventive and appealing New Zealand film unlike comedies we're used to. Full DVD Review

12. Hail, Caesar! - Coen Brothers' celebration of 1950s Hollywood is expectedly fun, though not for everyone. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

In #11, "Arrival", Louise Brooks (Amy Adams) gathers her thoughts in Montana, the site of one of twelve hovering alien spacecrafts.

11. Arrival - A unique, evocative, and thought-provoking piece of science fiction. Full 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Review

10. Silence - Scorsese's epic drama is a potent study of faith and persecution. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

9. Lion - Powerful and poignant journey absorbs in both of its distinct halves. Full Blu-ray Review

Clint Eastwood's "Sully", ranked 6th, stars Tom Hanks as Chesley Sullenberger, the seasoned pilot whose quick thinking performed the forced water landing dubbed the Miracle on the Hudson.

8. Fences - Enough substance and terrific acting not to mind the limitations that come from adapting a stage play. Full Blu-ray Review

7. Finding Dory - Pixar's sequel maintains its predecessor's high standard with much fun and minimal fatigue. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

6. Sully - A triumphant tale of uncommon heroism and the fallout from it. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling's underperforming early summer buddy comedy "The Nice Guys" was better than all but four of the theatrically released 2016 films seen.

5. Hell or High Water - A gripping and atmospheric tale of Texas cops and robbers. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

4. The Nice Guys - The most enjoyable buddy comedy we've seen in several years. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

3. Zootopia - Creative and entertaining detective tale defies nearly all expectations. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

"Manchester by the Sea", the second best film of 2016, is at its most powerful and heartbreaking near its end, when Randi (Michelle Williams) tries to rebuild a relationship with ex-husband Lee (Casey Affleck).

2. Manchester by the Sea - A powerful, moving, and original drama. Full Blu-ray + DVD Review

Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) gotta dance in "La La Land", the #1 film of 2016.

1. La La Land - A magnificent and irresistible love letter to Los Angeles and dreaming. Full Film Review