George Beremov's TOP 20 Best-Reviewed Movies of 2016 PART 2 [10 - 1]

[click on the title to read the quick review]

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1. Captain America: Civil War [3D] 
(9.75/10)

Quote: "...flaunting an accomplished direction that manages its multiple characters flawlessly, as well as tons of literally mind-blowing, larger-than-life action set pieces, executed in spectacular fashion."

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2. Zootopia [3D] (9.50/10)

Quote: "...witty, energetic, superbly fun, and packed with many lovable characters, "Zootopia" is an absolute winner on every level, and the best non-Pixar animated film by Disney since "Tangled"..."

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3. Deadpool (9.25/10)

Quote: "...balanced to perfection, restlessly energetic, stylishly action-packed, and led by Ryan Reynolds' delightfully goofball, yet passionate performance, "Deadpool" is literally BLOODY awesome..."

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4. Doctor Strange [3D] (8.75/10)

Quote: "Though at times it offers more than eyes can take, "Doctor Strange" is strangely fantastic, and yet another dazzling entry in MCU. Cumberbatch owns the title character!"

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5. The Conjuring 2 (8.75/10)

Quote: "Helmed once again by Wan, who continues to show his ability to spread dread with skill and style, by utilizing camera techniques that emphasize the atmosphere of the film..."

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6. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (8.50/10)

Quote: "..."Hunt for the Wilderpeople" is every bit as clever as it sounds, mixing elements of a quirky coming-of-age story, and adventurous 'escapism' in an utterly refreshing way..."

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7. The Nice Guys (8.50/10)

Quote: "...what makes "The Nice Guys" really special is the unpredictability, and originality of its ingeniously "nuanced" script that is simultaneously hysterical, witty, and raunchy..."

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8. Hacksaw Ridge (8.50/10)

Quote: "...followed by a brutal, and hyper violent war story that contains one of the bloodiest, most uncompromising, and skillfully-executed 
battle sequences ever put on film..."

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9. Arrival [3D] (8.25/10)

Quote: "With its deeply provoking script built on suspense, perplexity and subtle shocks, as well as the elegant visuals, consisting of impressive shots, realistic CGIs, and dim color palette..."

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10. The Handmaiden (8.25/10)

Quote:  "Telling an intricate story of love, lust, passion, betrayal, and deception, held masterfully in a devious cat-and-mouse fashion that maintains the tension throughout its running time..."
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George Beremov's TOP 20 Best-Reviewed Movies of 2016 PART 1 [20 - 11]

[click on the title to read the quick review]

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11. Moana [3D] (8.25/10)

Quote: "With its vigorous and inventively-told sea story full of life, and a title character that is as brave, daring, lionhearted, and wild, as it is delightful, "Moana" is a crowd-pleaser..."

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12. Star Trek Beyond [3D] (8.25/10)

Quote: "A notch above "Into Darkness", if one below the original, "Beyond" is, indeed, a beyond epic, spectacle-driven, but still fairly smart and superbly-directed thrill ride of a sequel..."

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13. Train to Busan (8.00/10)

Quote: "If you're hungry for a cinematic journey that is exciting, clever, staggering, moving, fun, and running on a high-speed rail, then "Train to Busan" is the right trip to take..."

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14. Hidden Figures (8.00/10)

Quote: "...quicky becomes an inspiring crowd-pleaser, with the help of its charming lead threesome, who each dazzle in their feisty roles, fighting for equality and recognition..."

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15. Nocturnal Animals (8.00/10)

Quote: "...it also arrests the mind and the heart with its aesthetically-bounded story-within-a-story plot about love, loss, violence and revenge that is equally riveting, disturbing..."

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16. Kubo and the Two Strings (8.00/10)

Quote: "Bold, adventurous, amusing, emotionally resonant, and nothing short of astonishing to look at, "Kubo and the Two Strings" is 
yet another diamond in LAIKA's crown..."

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17. Finding Dory [3D] (8.00/10)

Quote: "..."Finding Dory" finds its creators at their dor(k)iest, most carefree spirits yet, in the best sense known - sweet and touching, but also energetic, funny, and paced to perfection..."

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18. A Monster Calls (8.00/10)

Quote: "Sad, poignant, and rather wise, "A Monster Calls" deals with grief in a darkly unique way, but also conveys a moral message, and 
J. A. Bayona creates a grim atmosphere..."

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19. The Jungle Book [3D] (8.00/10)

Quote: "Murkier in tone and less sweet than the 1967's animated classic, but in a refreshing way, this grown-up adaptation is entertaining, adventurous, and a visual wonder to behold..."

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20. The Wailing (7.75/10)

Quote: "A smooth blend of oddball Asian mythology, and some classic genre elements, mashed into one gripping whole, and wrapped in a morbid, often chilling atmosphere..."
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Almost Made the Cut:

The Shallows (7.75/10)

Quote: "...grows into an exciting, highly taut survival thriller that alternates nasty, hyper- intense shark attacks with moments exposing the physical and emotional struggles..."

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[5.00/10] Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)

Quick Review: Ironically sub-titled "Never Go Back", this Jack Reacher sequel shouldn't have gone back on the big screen in the first place, as it has nothing new to offer -- tediously by-the-numbers, hence too easy to predict, lacking in clever writing and any well thought-out twists and turns and executed very tastelessly, "Jack Reacher 2" is a snooze-fest, whose reasonably action packed final act is the only watchable part, plus, Cruise seems a bit tired of it all.

[6.75/10] Headshot (2016)

Headshot (2016)

Quick Review: Though a bit similar in style, and sharing the same main star, this Indonesian action movie is not as accomplished as "The Raid". That said, everyone hungry for wild action will be more than impressed with what this flick offers in spite of its conventional plotting - relentless, outrageously violent, and executed in real hectic fashion, "Headshot" is a sheer blood-splattered carnage of a movie that never apologizes for its cruelty, although Iko Uwais' likability softens it down a notch.

[8.50/10] Logan (2017)

Logan (2017)

Quick Review: Quite grisly in tone, and with a western-like atmosphere that suits it surprisingly well, yet still polished in looks, this one has more of a real-life feel, than a comic-book one, which reflects its gritty nature. Jackman turns in his best Wolverine yet, but it's Keen's as the savage lil' Laura that wows the most. "Logan" is R-rated for a reason -- the action scenes are graphic, gory, and brutal as well as inventively-shot, and the thrilling plot will keep you on your toes until the sad finale.

[7.00/10] The Salesman (2016)

The Salesman (2016)

Quick Review: Growing from an emotional family drama dealing with trauma to a strained revenge thriller with a twist, and really smoothly so, "The Salesman" is a neatly-crafted slow burner that is pretty credible in its approach but unlike the director's previous movie "A Separation", this one never manages to maintain the tensity strongly enough throughout, with the stage play parts feeling a bit distracting and out of place. The climax is worth the wait though, and the acting is believable.

[4.50/10] Fist Fight (2017)

Fist Fight (2017)

Quick Review: The 'bully teacher' role suits Ice Cube quite a lot, and he does a pretty good job at looking mean and throwing stuff around, the actual fist fight is sort of amusing to watch, and little Ally's performance of Big Sean's "I Don't Fuck with You" is a true laugh-out-loud moment, but Day is obnoxious, and the script is a bit too heavy on crude humor to be truly hilarious, plus, "Fist Fight" fails to convey its 'stand up for yourself' message properly, ending up being moronically over-the-top.

[5.50/10] Paterson (2016)

Paterson (2016)

Quick Review: The oddly peculiar charms this movie possesses can't be denied, as well as the fact that Adam Driver is really captivating in the lead, giving a quiet yet engaging performance as the bus driver who tries to find happiness in little things in his ordinary day-to-day life, plus, Farahani steals the show, but those unaware of Jarmusch unusual style could find "Paterson" a bit sluggish, pointless, and at times even awfully pretentious, and actually, that is not far from the truth. Yawn.

[6.25/10] The Light Between Oceans (2016)

The Light Between Oceans (2016)

Quick Review: While the first half completely focuses on the romance between the two central characters without being too corny, or deeply emotional for that matter, "The Light Between Oceans" shifts its delicate tone drastically, turning into a moral dilemma with melodramatic nature. Speaking of nature, the scenery is gorgeous in a refined way, and the whole movie is shot with elegance. Fassbender and Vikander both turn in brilliant performances.

[3.50/10] Guardians (2017)

Guardians (2017)

Quick Review: Rushed, messy and laughably cheesy, Russia's answer to "The Avengers" is an amateurish superhero flick, whose generic plot, horribly dull characters, and clumsy, bland villain make it the worse in the genre since "F4". The film is made with only 5 million USD, and it shows -- both the VFX and practical effects range from okay to downright lame, and the action, while plenty, is badly done for the most part, with Khan's introduction part being the only cool moment in this bummer.

[7.00/10] 20th Century Women (2016)

20th Century Women (2016)

Quick Review: Set in 1977 Cali, it captures the feel of this period both vibrantly, and accurately. The most interesting thing about it, though, is how it makes its humane story about personal struggles very abstract in its approach with a three-act plotting and somewhat eccentric delivery. In the end "20th Century Women" is all about Bening and her ability to drive the whole film with an award-worthy performance that is affecting, quirky and amusing all at once.

[8.25/10] John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

Quick Review: It is John Wick vs. everyone in this slickly-shot sequel that easily surpasses the great first movie. Uncompromisingly violent yet so stylish in its brutality, "Chapter 2" delivers buckets of thrills with its taut plot, and versatile action consisting of crazy stunts, fierce hand-to-hand combats, and blood-filled shootouts. Reeves seems thoroughly 'addicted to vengeance' as Wick, showcasing that you don't need to be muscly to be a badass action star.

[4.50/10] Collateral Beauty (2016)

Collateral Beauty (2016)

Quick Review: It is elegantly-shot, and it has collected one of the very best actors working today, thinking it really gives them the opportunity to take part in something all-so original and that is "Collateral Beauty" main flaw -- it never realizes how silly its premise is, how ridiculous the whole thing turns out, and how it entirely wastes the big amount of talent on screen, throwing them into a story that fails to evoke any real emotion, ending up being very preposterous, instead of truly heartfelt.

[6.00/10] XX (2017)

XX (2017)

Quick Review: Filmed by 4 female directors, and consisting of 4 shorts, "XX" is basically a 50% hit and 50% miss horror anthology, that kicks of strongly with the original, and grisly "The Box", but then it gets mediocre real quick with the half-baked "The Birthday Party". The creature short "Don't Fall" is the most beastly and macabre of them all, followed by the "Her Only Living Son", which fails to impress. The stop-motion animation in between the tales is creepily artsy and the sheer highlight.

[5.50/10] Gold (2016)

Gold (2016)

Quick Review: Yes, McConaughey delivers yet another dedicated main performance of a greed-driven gold digger with guts and determination, but his rather convincing turn is not enough to cover up the fact "Gold" lacks any kind of glow execution or plot-wise, being an incoherent mess with some great ideas on paper, but real lifeless in presentation, wasting its entire potential by focusing more on the cliches, and losing its identity roving between a couple of genres, trying to fit in all of them.

[6.50/10] The Founder (2016)

The Founder (2016)

Quick Review: The retro tone, and outstanding set design will send you straight away into the era the whole thing takes place in, but that is not the film's biggest asset -- it's Keaton and his commanding, yet fascinating performance as the business-driven central character ready to step on anyone to achieve his goal. Due to its unfair nature "The Founder" may leave a bad taste in your mouth, but it daringly reveals some spicy facts behind the foundation of the world's most famous food chain.