2016

1. Love & Friendship
2. Paterson
3. Fences
4. The Founder
5. Hacksaw Ridge

Honorable Mention: Doctor Strange

All of these films are not only my favorite from the year, but I believe that each of these represents the best work these respective directors (all of whom I find interesting and worth following) have done in their careers.

Top tens are pretty silly. We all know that. But I've found myself resisting them more the past couple of years.

These five (maybe six) films are the ones from 2016 that I want to re-visit. Maybe it's telling that I haven't re-watched any of them yet (I did fall asleep to partial re-views of The Founder and Doctor Strange).

I'm planning on re-watching Rogue One because I just read a good essay on it which made me re-consider it somewhat (and honestly, we all know that I'm a sucker for this childhood pop franchise that won't let me grow up). But it wasn't and isn't a favorite from the year.

There were a lot of good movies in 2016, including some trashy stuff and some art stuff. I was entertained more in 2016 than I was this year or the year before it. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe not. I'm content with my current discontent.

The thing is that I don't care about the rest of the films from 2016. I don't want to re-watch them. I don't feel like discussing them. Was Nocturnal Animals better than Finding Dory better than The Purge:Election Year? How do I rank them? Why would I? I don't know. I don't care. I saw 53+ films from the year and I can only think of 3 (after looking at a list--otherwise I wouldn't have remembered them at all) that I feel were a complete waste of time: Star Trek Beyond, Neon Demon, and Tarzan, for the record. I couldn't force myself to pay attention to either of the first two and the latter has the distinction of being the only film to make me fall asleep in the middle of the morning.

I guess I'd re-watch any of the films from the year if it meant an opportunity to discuss aspects of them with you guys. But it's been a long time since we've all been "in sync" with our viewing habits. It's been at least as long since we've all committed to faithfully engaging with one another here about films.

I'm actually talking myself into an interest in a renewed attempt at a CR5FC "movie of the month" club. I'd be up for it if you guys are.