Favorite/Best Films of the 21st Century So Far

After looking over the NY Times’s list of the 25 Best Films of the 21^st Century to date, I starting think about what films would be on my list. It is tough. On one hand you have all your favorite movies, some are more objectively good and some are certainly not; and on the other hand, you have films that are great but not necessarily films you seek out to watch. I decided on a compromise. These are the films that I think are the best – but with my biases/loves built in, let run wild. I also included my favorite documentaries at the end. Ranking all these films is impossible (I narrowed it down to 103; 13 documentaries and 90 features). So, this list is organized by year for the features, followed by documentaries and finally my personal 25 favorites.

2000

American Psycho, directed by Mary Harron

2001

Amelie, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Black Hawk Down, directed by Ridley Scott

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, directed by Peter Jackson

No Man’s Land, directed by Danis Tanovic

The Royal Tenenbaums, directed by Wes Anderson

2002

The Hours, directed by Stephen Daldry

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, directed by Peter Jackson

The Pianist, directed by Roman Polanski

2003

The Barbarian Invasions, directed by Denys Arcand

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, directed by Peter Jackson

Lost in Translation, directed by Sofia Coppola

Open Range, directed by Kevin Costner

2004

2046, directed by Kar Wai Wong

A Very Long Engagement, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Downfall, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, directed by Alfonso Cuaron

Hotel Rwanda, directed by Terry George

House of Flying Daggers, directed by Yimou Zhang

The Life of Aquatic with Steve Zissou, directed by Wes Anderson

Million Dollar Baby, directed by Clint Eastwood

Sideways, directed by Alexander Payne

Spider-Man 2, directed by Sam Raimi

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War, directed by Je-gyu Kang

2005

Batman Begins, directed by Christopher Nolan

The Beat that My Heart Skipped, directed by Jacques Audiard

Munich, directed by Steven Spielberg

Pride & Prejudice, directed by Joe Wright

Serenity, directed by Joss Whedon

The Squid and the Whale, directed by Noah Baumbach

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, directed by Marc Rothemund

2006

Black Book, directed by Paul Verhoeven

Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuaron

Mission: Impossible III, directed by J.J. Abrams

Once, directed by John Carney

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, directed by Gore Verbinski

The Prestige, directed by Christopher Nolan

The Road to Guantanamo, directed by Michael Winterbottom

2007

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, directed by Andrew Dominik

Atonement, directed by Joe Wright

The Darjeeling Limited, directed by Wes Anderson

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, directed by David Yates

No Country for Old Men, directed by the Coen Brothers

There Will Be Blood, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

The Visitor, directed by Tom McCarthy

2008

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, directed by David Fincher

The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan

Forgetting Sarah Marshall, directed by Nicholas Stoller

Hunger, directed by Steve McQueen

Revolutionary Road, directed by Sam Mendes

Vicky Cristina Barcelona, directed by Woody Allen

WALL-E, directed by Andrew Stanton

2009

Inglourious Basterds, directed by Quentin Tarantino

Up, directed by Pete Docter

2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, directed by David Yates

Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan

Never Let Me Go, directed by Mark Romanek

The Social Network, directed by David Fincher

True Grit, directed by the Coen Brothers

2011

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, directed by David Fincher

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, directed by David Yates

Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve

Jane Eyre, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga

Super 8, directed by J.J. Abrams

2012

The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon

The Dark Knight Rises, directed by Christopher Nolan

Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee

The Master, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow

2013

12 Years a Slave, directed by Steve McQueen

Her, directed by Spike Jonze

Short Term 12, directed by Destin Cretton

The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorcese

2014

The Babadook, directed by Jennifer Kent

Gone Girl, directed by David Fincher

The Grand Budapest Hotel, directed by Wes Anderson

The Imitation Game, directed by Morten Tyldum

Interstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan

2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron, directed by Joss Whedon

Bridge of Spies, directed by Steven Spielberg

Brooklyn, directed by John Crowley

Carol, directed by Todd Haynes

Inside Out, directed by Peter Docter & Ronaldo Del Carmen

The Revenant, directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Sicario, directed by Denis Villeneuve

2016

Arrival, directed by Denis Villeneuve

Hacksaw Ridge, directed by Mel Gibson

Hunt for the Wilderpeople, directed by Taika Waititi

Manchester by the Sea, directed by Kenneth Lonergan

Silence, directed by Martin Scorsese

Documentaries

The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons front the Life of Robert S. McNamara, directed by Errol Morris

Super Size Me, directed by Morgan Spurlock

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, directed by Alex Gibney

Why We Fight, directed by Eugene Jarecki

Man on Wire, directed by James Marsh

Inside Job, directed by Charles Ferguson

Magic & BirdL A Courtship of Rivals, directed by Ezra Edelman

The House I Live In, directed by Eugene Jarecki

The Imposter, directed by Bart Layton

Citizenfour, directed by Laura Poitras

13^th, directed by Ava DuVernay

O.J.: Made in America, directed by Ezra Edelman

Five Came Back, directed by Laurent Bouzereau

My Personal Favorite 25

The Dark Knight Trilogy

Lost in Translation

Inception

Inglourious Basterds

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the whole saga really)

Pride & Prejudice

Amelie

Spider-Man 2

Interstellar

The Prestige

Serenity

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

No Country for Old Men

The Lord of the Rings

Hunger

Zero Dark Thirty

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

The Darjeeling Limited

Atonement

The Royal Tenenbaums

There Will Be Blood

American Psycho

Gone Girl

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

My Personal Favorite 25 (Redux)

Within the NY Times rules of One Film per Director

The Dark Knight

Lost in Translation

Inglourious Basterds

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Pride & Prejudice

Amelie

Spider-Man 2

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Serenity

No Country for Old Men

Hunger

Zero Dark Thirty

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

The Darjeeling Limited

There Will Be Blood

American Psycho

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Life of Pi

The Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Arrival

Downfall

Her

LeapBackBlog 2016 Film Awards

2016 was a wonderful year for film, from fun blockbusters to innovative and engaging independent films. There were so many good films, performances and technical feats that many that I really liked did not make my top 25 in each category. I have put an “*” next to my personal favorite from each category.

Favorite 25 Films of 2016

Arrival, a sci-fi thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve

Captain America: Civil War, an action adventure directed by the Russo Brothers

Captain Fantastic, a comedy directed by Matt Ross

Certain Women, a character drama directed by Kelly Reichardt

The Conjuring 2, a period horror thriller directed by James Wan

Deadpool, an adventure comedy directed by Tim Miller

Everybody Wants Some!!, a comedy directed by Richard Linklater

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a fantasy adventure directed by David Yates

Green Room, a thriller directed by Jeremy Saulnier

Hacksaw Ridge, a war drama directed by Mel Gibson

Hell or High Water, a modern western directed by David Mackenzie

Hunt for the Wilderpeople, a comedy directed by Taika Waititi*

The Jungle Book, a family adventure directed by Jon Favreau

Lion, a character drama directed by Garth Davis

The Lobster, a dystopian romance dramedy directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Loving, a character drama/romance directed by Jeff Nichols

Manchester by the Sea, a character drama directed by Kenneth Lonergan

Moana, an animated family adventure directed by Ron Clements & John Musker

Moonlight, a character drama directed by Barry Jenkins

The Nice Guys, a mystery comedy directed by Shane Black

Pete’s Dragon, a family adventure directed by David Lowery

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a sci-fi action adventure directed by Gareth Edwards

Silence, a period character drama directed by Martin Scorsese

Sully, a character drama directed by Clint Eastwood

The Witch, a period horror thriller directed by Robert Eggers

Favorite 25 Performances of 2016

Amy Adams, leading performance in Arrival

Casey Affleck, leading performance in Manchester by the Sea

Mahershala Ali, supporting performance in Moonlight

Jeff Bridges, supporting performance in Hell or High Water

Laura Dern, leading performance in Certain Women

Colin Farrell, leading performance in The Lobster*

Andrew Garfield, leading performance in Hacksaw Ridge

Andrew Garfield, leading performance in Silence

Greta Gerwig, supporting performance in 20^th Century Women

Ryan Gosling, leading performance in The Nice Guys

Tom Hanks, leading performance in Sully

Naomie Harris, supporting performance in Moonlight

Nicole Kidman, supporting performance in Lion

Ruth Negga, leading performance in Loving

Sam Neill, supporting performance in Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Dev Patel, leading performance in Lion

Natalie Portman, leading performance in Jackie*

Daniel Radcliffe, leading performance in Swiss Army Man

Margot Robbie, leading performance in Suicide Squad

Michael Shannon, supporting performance in Nocturnal Animals

Octavia Spencer, supporting performance in Hidden Figures

Hailee Steinfeld, leading performance in The Edge of Seventeen

Emma Stone, leading performance in La La Land

Anya Taylor-Joy, leading performance in The Witch

Michelle Williams, supporting performance in Manchester by the Sea

Favorite 25 Artistic, Technical & Aesthetic Achievements of 2016

Volker Bertelmann & Dustin O’Halloran, composers of Lion

Jarin Blaschke, cinematographer of The Witch

Nicholas Britell, composer of Moonlight

Doug Chiang & Neil Lamont, production designers of Rouge One: A Star Wars Story

Stuart Craig, production designer of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Robert Eggers, director of The Witch

Greig Fraser, cinematographer of Lion

Mel Gibson, director of Hacksaw Ridge

Christopher Glass & Abhijeet Mazumder, production designers of The Jungle Book

Barry Jenkins, director of Moonlight

Johann Johannsson, composer of Arrival*

Mark Korven, composer of The Witch

James Laxton, cinematographer of Moonlight

Mica Levi, composer of Jackie

Mark Mancia, Lin-Manuel Miranda & Opetaia Foa’i, composers of Moana

Seamus McGarvey, cinematographer of Nocturnal Animals

Rodrigo Pieto, cinematographer of Silence

Jeremy Saulnier, director of Green Room

Martin Scorsese, director of Silence

Shane Valentino, production designer of Nocturnal Animals

Patrice Vernette, production designer of Arrival*

Denis Villeneuve, director of Arrival*

Taika Waititi, director of Hunt for the Wilderpeople

David Wasco, production designer of La La Land

Bradford Young, cinematographer of Arrival*

10 Great Under-the-Radar Indie films and Documentaries that are Must-Sees

Don’t Think Twice, a dramedy directed by Mike Birbiglia

The Edge of Seventeen, a comedy directed by Kelly Fremon Craig

Jackie, a period character drama directed by Pablo Larrain

Love & Friendship, a period comedy directed by Whit Stillman

Midnight Special, a sci-fi drama directed by Jeff Nichols

Nocturnal Animals, a character drama/mystery directed by Tom Ford

O.J.: Made in America, a documentary directed by Ezra Edelman

Sing Street, a musical comedy directed by John Carney

Swiss Army Man, a comedy directed by Dan Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

13^th, a documentary directed by Ava DuVernay

Good Films I Have Yet to See (that probably would have factored into the above lists)

Christine, a character drama directed by Antonio Campos

Elle, a character drama/thriller directed by Paul Verhoeven

Fences, a period character drama directed by Denzel Washington

The Handmaiden, a drama directed by Chan-wook Park

Paterson, a character drama directed by Jim Jarmusch

TV Spotlight – 10 Favorite TV Shows of 2016 – December 2016

The amount of Television I consume is not immense. I mostly only watch series available on HBO, Netflix and FXnow (but, thankfully that is generally where the best stuff can be found). I have indicated my personal favorite with an (*).

Ten Favorite Series of 2016:

Atlanta, season 1 – created by Donald Glover (FX)

BoJack Horseman, season 3 – created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg (Netflix)

The Crown, season 1 – created by Peter Morgan (Netflix)

Daredevil, season 2 – created by Drew Goddard (Netflix)

Game of Thrones, season 6 – created by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (HBO)*

Girls, season 5 – created by Lena Dunham (HBO)

The Night Of – created by Richard Price & Steven Zaillian (HBO)

Stranger Things, season 1 – created by The Duffer Brothers (Netflix)

Vice Principals, season 1 – created by Jody Hill & Danny McBride (HBO)

Westworld, season 1 – created by Lisa Joy & Jonathan Nolan (HBO)

Ten Favorite TV Performances of 2016:

Will Arnett, leading performance in BoJack Horseman

Millie Bobby Brown, leading performance in Stranger Things

Claire Foy, leading performance in The Crown*

Kimberly Hebert Gregory, supporting performance in Vice Principals

Brian Tyree Henry, supporting performance in Atlanta

Anthony Hopkins, supporting performance in Westworld

Gillian Jacobs, leading performance in Love (Netflix)

Thandie Newton, supporting performance in Westworld

John Turturro, leading performance in The Night Of

Evan Rachel Wood, leading performance in Westworld

Ten Favorite TV Episodes of 2016:

Juneteenth, Atlanta – directed by Janicza Bravo

That’s Too Much Man, BoJack Horseman – directed by J.C. Gonzalez

Assassins, The Crown – directed by Benjamin Caron

Battle of the Bastards, Game of Thrones – directed by Miguel Sapochnik

The Winds of Winter, Game of Thrones – directed by Miguel Sapochnik*

People Persons, Orange Is the New Black – directed by Lev L. Spiro (Netflix)

Kissing Your Sister, VEEP – directed by David Mandel (HBO)

Gin, Vice Principals – directed by Jody Hill

No Way Out, The Walking Dead – directed by Greg Nicotero (AMC)

The Bicameral Mind, Westworld – directed by Jonathan Nolan

Movies Spotlight – 2016 Movies, Part 2 – August 2016

Overall, 2016 has felt disappointing at the movies. Yes, we have a few great movies like Everybody Wants Some!!, Green Room and The Witch, but the year seems to have produced one disappointment after another (especially this Summer). Captain America: Civil War, The Jungle Book, Zootopia, Finding Dory, and Deadpool lived up to our expectations (and surpassed them), but Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, X-Men: Apocalypse, The BFG, The Legend of Tarzan, Jason Bourne, and now Suicide Squad have all come up short (seemingly pulling down our opinions of the whole year and our enthusiasm for what is to come). And yet, there are a number of films to still be excited for:

Pete’s Dragon

At face value, it is surprising that Disney would remake Pete’s Dragon, a back-catalog 1970s musical that I imagine anyone under 35 does not even know ever existed. But Disney has done something interesting with this remake, they have only taken the very basics from the original and let indie auteur David Lowery run with it, resulting in a family film that actually feels substantial. Lowery also has a great cast with Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford and Karl Urban. In theaters August 12^th. Check out the trailer.

The Light Between Oceans

Derek Cianfrance makes brooding dramas, steeped in deep, dark emotions. This all makes him the perfect filmmaker to take on an adaptation of The Light Between Oceans, a drama about a man and wife who decide to raise a baby they find adrift only to discover years later that the child’s mother is still searching for it. The cast is among the year’s absolute best with Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender and Rachel Weisz. This could be 2016’s first serious Oscar contender. In theaters September 2^nd. Check out the trailer.

The Girl on the Train

Paula Hawkins’s novel was a huge success, making this adaptation one of the most anticipated films of the Fall. Emily Blunt leads a good cast and Tate Taylor has proven very adept in his ability to produce strong cinematic adaptations (like The Help). The mystery thriller is about Rachel Watson, a divorced woman who takes a train past her old house everyday on her way to work; only, one day something is different when she believes that she witnesses a murder, but that is not the whole story. In theaters October 7^th. Check out the trailer.

The Birth of a Nation

Writer/director/star Nate Parker won both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival with his slavery drama The Birth of a Nation. The film feels vital, given the #OscarsSoWhite controversy and our current sociopolitical climate. Parker also represents a much needed fresh cinematic voice. The film is about Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher who organizes a rebellion against the masters in the antebellum South. In theaters October 7^th. Check out the trailer.

Doctor Strange

Marvel Studios can do no wrong with their Cinematic Universe (aka the MCU), or so it seems. Doctor Strange, however, represents an interesting challenge. Marvel bottled lightening with Guardians of the Galaxy, a gaggle of heroes unknown to general movie-going audiences, but can they do it again with Dr. Stephen Strange? They certainly have the goodwill of their fans, a promising (and different) concept and a phenomenal cast, headlined by Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Eijiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton. In theaters November 4^th. Check out the trailer.

Loving

Indie auteur Jeff Nichols is one of America’s brightest independent filmmaking stars. His new drama tackles the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple struggling to live in 1958 Virginia. Like The Birth of a Nation, Loving feels tonally vital right now. The buzz out of the Cannes Film Festival, where it screened in May, was very strong with special notices for leads Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton. In theaters November 4^th. Check out the trailer.

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

Filmmakers have had limited success tackling the Iraq War, as it seems to be difficult to really capture the tone of such a twisted and problematic conflict and portray the struggles faced by the men and women in the middle of it (my personal favorite is the HBO miniseries Generation Kill). That said, auteur Ang Lee is a good fit to take it on. Lee also has a good eclectic cast with Kristen Stewart, Vin Diesel, Steve Martin, and Chris Tucker. The film adaptation is about Billy Lynn, a war hero who temporarily gets to come home. In theaters November 11^th. Check out the trailer.

Arrival

Auteur Denis Villeneuve made my favorite film of 2015 with Sicario; he is back in 2016 with the sci-fi drama Arrival. It is about an expert linguist who is recruited by the military to determine if an alien race that has landed crafts across the globe comes in peace or are a threat. Villeneuve again champions the need for more roles and better roles for female actors by casting Amy Adams in the lead (he famously gender switched the lead in Sicario, casting Emily Blunt). In theaters November 11^th.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Cynically speaking, we all knew Warner Bros. would find a way to keep the Wizarding World of Harry Potter going; however, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them has the pedigree to delight fans. J.K. Rowling is providing the script, David Yates (who directed films 5-8 of the Harry Potter series) is behind the camera, and Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne stars. The film is about the adventures of Newt Scamander, a specialist in magical creatures, in 1920s New York City. Even after eight films, I am excited to return to the Wizarding World. In theaters November 18^th. Check out the trailer.

Manchester by the Sea

Auteur Kenneth Lonergan is finally back with a new film with Manchester by the Sea, a drama about an uncle who must take care of his teenage nephew after the boy’s father passes. The film has a ton of Oscar buzz coming out of its early festival screenings, many calling it the best film of 2016 so far. It boasts a solid cast, led by Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler and Michelle Williams. In theaters November 18^th.

Moana

Disney’s latest ‘princess’ film aims to be something completely different. First, Moana, a young Hawaiian woman, is actually voiced by a young Hawaiian woman in Auli’I Cravalho and second Moana is her own hero without a love interest. This feels like a big step forward for Disney, who has made big recent strides forward in promoting its female characters. The film also features voice-work from Dwayne Johnson as Maui the demi-god. Ron Clements and John Musker lead the creative team (they have given us some of our most beloved Disney films like The Little Mermaid and Aladdin). In theaters November 23^rd. Check out the trailer.

Allied

Each new Robert Zemeckis film feels like a big deal, as he is a filmmaker known for pushing the visual envelope forward while telling big stories. His new film, Allied, is a WWII action romance about two spies working for the Allies who marry each other and work together, but what if one of them was really a double-agent working for the Nazis? The film also happens to have two of Hollywood’s most dynamic leading actors in Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard playing its spies. I think this is a sleeper for film of the year. In theaters November 23^rd.

La La Land

Bursting onto the scene with Whiplash, writer/director Damien Chazelle is back with a musical dramedy and he has J.K. Simmons with him again. We need more good musicals; this one looks magical and sublimely charming. It stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling (who has fantastic chemistry) and is about a jazz pianist who falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles. In theaters December 16^th. Check out the trailer.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Set right before the beginning of A New Hope, Rogue One is about the team of rebels who steal the plans for the Death Star. Director Gareth Edwards describes the film as a war movie, set in the Star Wars Universe. Writer Tony Gilroy is working with Edwards presently finishing up the final editing process, getting the tone just right. Everything we have seen so far is very promising. Plus, the cast, fronted by Felicity Jones, is very good. This is the film I am most looking forward to seeing. In theaters December 16^th. Check out the trailer.

Passengers

Sony’s most high profile film of 2016 is Passengers, a sci-fi adventure about a spacecraft shuttling thousands of people to a distant colony planet that experiences a malfunction in one of its sleep chambers awakening two passengers 60 years early. The story sounds intriguing alone and then you throw in the very charming leads Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt and Passengers suddenly jumps to the top of a lot of ‘Most Anticipated’ lists. If Lawrence and Pratt have chemistry, I cannot imagine this not being highly entertaining. Rising star Morten Tyldum is behind the camera. In theaters December 21^st.

A few others to look out for: Queen of Katwe, American Honey and Lion. 

Movies Spotlight – 2016 Movies – May 2016

So what have I seen so far in 2016? The answer is not much, really. Most of my movie-watching time has been spent on the endless catching up on the classics of the past (and revisiting my favorites). There is seemingly an infinite amount of films from the past I am curious to see. Also, my desire to go to the movies has waned a bit. Watching most things at home is just as pleasurable, basically because it is easy. (Here is a link to all my reviews for reference).

But what have I seen – well… twelve films. That is it. Let me just go through them quickly: Loved Captain America: Civil War. We do not get too many massive blockbusters that have characters and story arcs that resonate emotionally while also keeping the promise of fun and entertainment. The airport fight scene is wonderfully joyous. Suddenly, I am just as interested in the new Spider-Man and Black Panther films as I am Thor 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Marvel, once again, hit homeruns with their casting for these new characters. Deadpool is a riot. Ryan Reynolds does the best work of his career. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is disappointing (big surprise). Zack Snyder has so much visual talent; he just struggles with story and character. He really needs to bring on people to help him craft and structure his future DC films. I am, however, interested to see what Ben Affleck does with his solo Batman film.

The Jungle Book was far better than I would have ever imagined it could be. I even enjoyed its use of 3D. Disney’s other early release, Zootopia was also surprisingly good. I thought it was there “B” animiated project for 2016, with Moana being their “A”; but, Zootopia is funny, sweet and has a good message for children. It is a very good family film.

My favorite indie film so far this year is The Witch, Robert Eggers’s period horror film. It is a beautifully made and acted film that is scary and hits all the right aesthetic beats. I doubt there will be a better horror film this year. Anya Taylor-Joy is a star in the making. I also really enjoyed Hush on Netflix. It is a great horror/thriller from Mike Flanagan (who also made Oculus). 10 Cloverfield Lane was a fun thriller highlighted by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Making something work when in most takes place in one room is very tough. Midnight Special, from Jeff Nichols, is also a thematically interesting sci-fi drama. Very strong performances from his cast.

All the Way, which just debuted on HBO, is a good period drama about LBJ’s first year as President of the United States following President Kennedy’s assassination. Wonderful performances from Anthony Mackie and Bryan Cranston. Hail, Caesar! the new quirky comedy from the Coen Brothers is good, but probably one of their weaker efforts. It reminds me of A Serious Man (which I liked a lot more). And finally, Ricky Gervais’s new comedy on Netflix Special Correspondents is probably his worst project to date. Even his biggest fans can skip it.

There three films I missed in theaters earlier this year that I am very much looking forward to seeing at home. First, Sing Street, the new musical from John Carney about a young boy who forms a band to impress a girl in 1980s Ireland. I loved Once and also enjoyed Begin Again (more the second time I saw it). Second, Everybody Wants Some, the seemingly thematic follow-up to Dazed and Confused from Richard Linklater. The film looks like a fun, cool hangout which a bunch a guys playing college baseball. And third, Green Room, the new horror/thriller from Jeremy Saulnier (who also made the intense Blue Ruin). Saulnier, along with Mike Flanagan, Adam Wingard and Ti West, has really rejuvenated the American indie horror film.

Now, what am I most excited to see for the rest of 2016? Let me start with the blockbusters. Rogue One, the new Star Wars one-off from Gareth Edwards (who also made Monsters and Godzilla), looks fantastic. I really enjoyed The Force Awakens, but it is still somewhat bogged down in being an origin story for its new characters and paying so much fan service (I think Episode VIII is going to be much stronger). Rogue One may fall into the same trappings, having to introduce us to a bunch of new characters and hopefully it will not fall back on characters we do know (like Darth Vader, Han Solo and so on) too much (or at all), but it looks like a great action thriller. Ben Mendelsohn as the villain is going to be incredible; he very well might be our best character actor right now. I love the Harry Potter films; they are among my very favorite adventure genre films. That said, I was out on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for most of its preproduction. I just was not into the casting choices and I feel like it is generally a mistake to go back in time (because, ultimately we know what happens in the end, which reduces the stakes – I mean, how bad can the events of this new series be if we have never heard about them once during Harry Potter?). But the latest trailer has me all the way back in. It looks good. Doctor Strange has a phenomenal cast, but the teaser trailer did not grab me at all. In fact, the Inception-like elements of it felt like a big letdown, lazy. I hope it turns out well in the end. I imagine D23 will give us a new, and hopefully better, trailer. Suicide Squad has had a few great trailers and Margot Robbie looks brilliant as Harley Quinn. Will DC and Warner Bros. get this one right? Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass are both back for Jason Bourne the Bourne sequel that no one knew they wanted until they saw the teaser. I hope Alicia Vikander has more to do they talk at monitors though.

Disney has some great animated films upcoming too (and their remake of Pete’s Dragon, which is totally random. I grew up with that film on a VHS my mom made recording Marry Poppins and Pete’s Dragon off the TV, but I never thought anyone saw it as essential or a major Disney project. Disney is also remaking Mary Poppins incidentally). Their Walt Disney Animation Studio release is Hawaii-set Moana, from Ron Clements and John Musker (who also directed/wrote The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Hercules). The voice cast features Hawaii’s own Auli’I Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson. Their Pixar release is Finding Dory, which is both awesome and disappointing. Awesome because everyone like Finding Nemo and the same creative team is making this sequel. Disappointing because I think we all want Pixar to focus on original projects like last year’s fantastic Inside Out (although, their “B” film The Good Dinosaur was poor by Pixar standards).

Hollywood has a few very good looking films as well this Fall/Winter. Passengers sounds amazing on paper. A sci-fi film from Morten Tyldum (who also made Headhunters and The Imitation Game) starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt (who will hopefully have the best chemistry of all, as they are maybe our two most likable stars right now). It is about a man who prematurely wakes up from cryogenic sleep, years too early, during space travel. Instead of facing his life alone, he decides to wake up another passenger. I like everything about this film. I hope it is great. Robert Zemekis is back with a new film, which is generally a good thing, a very good thing. Allied stars Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard and is about spies during WWII (I am 100% in). The Girl on the Train looks like a potentially superb thriller (even if Tate Taylor is doing his best David Fincher impression). This also has a great cast, highlighted by Emily Blunt and Rebecca Ferguson. Out right now is Shane Black’s The Nice Guys. I am a big fan of Black’s films (as a writer: Lethal Weapon and The Last Boyscout; as writer/director: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3 and now The Nice Guys). He really just makes the same film over and over, but I am not tired of it yet. His LA detective stories, his plots that are really about something else, his great dialog, and his very funny humor.

The best films from 2016, however, seem to be the prestige indies coming this Fall/Winter. The Light Between Oceans, the new drama from Derek Cianfrance starring Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender and Rachel Weisz, feels like the way-too-early frontrunner for best film of 2016. The trailer showcases the heartbreaking drama and incredible performances of the film. Ang Lee’s new drama, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, very much looks to take its place as a definitive narrative on the Iraq/Afghanistan War and the soldiers who come home from the horror faced over there. Sundance favorite The Birth of a Nation (I assume very specifically titled as a comment on the D.W. Griffith film) should make a big awards season impact. Nate Parker, who writes, directs and stars in the film, seems to have emerged as 2016’s brightest new talent. J.A. Bayona’s family film A Monster Calls also promises to be aesthetically and thematically just right (like a better version of Steven Spielberg’s summer release The BFG), feeling akin to Pan’s Labyrinth.

There are also a number of films that do not yet have trailer that sound potentially great. James Ponsoldt (director of Smashed, The Spectacular Now and The End of the Tour) has a new sci-fi drama due out starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. Martin Scorsese has long been working on a period drama called Silence about priests in Japan. It stars Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson and Adam Driver. Terry George (director of Hotel Rwanda) is finally making a new film, the drama The Promise with Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac. Denis Villeneuve (director of Incendies, Prisoners and Sicario) has a new drama called Story of Your Life with Amy Adams. Damien Chazelle (director of Whiplash) returns with a musical called La La Land, starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and J.K. Simmons. Jeff Nichols (releasing another film this year) just won a ton of acclaim at Cannes for his new romance drama Loving. And, Kenneth Lonergan’s new drama Manchester by the Sea was also a darling of Sundance, many naming Casey Affleck’s performance as an awards season must.

Much like last year, the blockbuster season/summer releases feel a little disappointing and all the best stuff will come out in the Fall/Winter – even the best blockbusters still to come do not come out until November (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) and December (Rogue One).

LeapBackBlog 2015 Film Awards

2015 was a fantastic year for film. There were so many good films that many that I really liked could not make the top 25 (and even more wonderful performances did not make the top 25 performances). I have put an “*” next to my personal favorite from each category.

Favorite 25 Films of 2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron, an action adventure drama directed by Joss Whedon – Trailer

Beasts of No Nation, a coming of age/war drama directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga – Trailer

The Big Short, a character drama/financial drama/comedy directed by Adam McKay – Trailer

Blackhat, a thriller directed by Michael Mann – Trailer

Bridge of Spies, a spy drama directed by Steven Spielberg – Trailer

Brooklyn, a romance drama directed by John Crowely – Trailer

Carol, a romance drama directed by Todd Haynes – Trailer

Creed, a sports drama directed by Ryan Coogler – Trailer

The End of Tour, a character drama directed by James Ponsoldt – Trailer

Ex Machina, a sci-fi drama directed by Alex Garland – Trailer

The Hateful Eight, a western directed by Quentin Tarantino – Trailer

Inside Out, a coming of age comedy directed by Pete Docter – Trailer

Joy, a character drama/bio-pic directed by David O. Russell – Trailer

Macbeth, a period drama directed by Justin Kurzel – Trailer

Mad Max: Fury Road, an action adventure drama by George Miller – Trailer

The Martian, a sci-fi drama directed by Ridley Scott – Trailer

The Revenant, a western thriller directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu – Trailer

Room, a character drama directed by Lenny Abrahamson – Trailer

Sicario, a crime drama directed by Denis Villeneuve – Trailer*

Spectre, a spy action adventure directed by Sam Mendes – Trailer

Spotlight, a drama directed by Tom McCarthy – Trailer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a sci-fi fantasy adventure directed by J.J. Abrams – Trailer

Steve Jobs, a character drama directed by Danny Boyle – Trailer

Tomorrowland, a sci-fi fantasy adventure drama directed by Brad Bird – Trailer

Trainwreck, a romantic comedy directed by Judd Apatow – Trailer

Favorite 25 Performances of 2015

Christian Bale, a leading performance in The Big Short

Cate Blanchett, a leading performance in Carol

Emily Blunt, a leading performance in Sicario

Marion Cotillard, a leading performance in Macbeth

Matt Damon, a leading performance in The Martian

Paul Dano, a leading performance in Love & Mercy

Leonardo DiCaprio, a leading performance in The Revenant

Michael Fassbender, a leading performance in Macbeth*

Michael Fassbender, a leading performance in Steve Jobs

Tom Hanks, a leading performance in Bride of Spies

Tom Hardy, a supporting performance in The Revenant

Samuel L. Jackson, a leading performance in The Hateful Eight

Brie Larson, a leading performance in Room

Jennifer Lawrence, a leading performance in Joy

Jennifer Jason Leigh, a supporting performance in The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara, a leading performance in Carol*

Eddie Redmayne, a leading performance in The Danish Girl

Daisy Ridley, a leading performance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Saoirse Ronan, a leading performance in Brooklyn

Jason Segel, a leading performance in The End of the Tour

Sylvester Stallone, a supporting performance in Creed

Kristen Stewart, a supporting performance in Clouds of Sils Maria

Alicia Vikander, a leading performance in Ex Machina

Alicia Vikander, a leading performance in The Danish Girl

Kate Winslet, a supporting performance in Steve Jobs

Favorite 25 Artistic, Technical & Aesthetic Achievements

Adam Arkapaw, cinematography for Macbeth

Carter Burwell, composer for Carol

Roger Deakins, cinematography for Sicario

Jack Fisk, production design for The Revenant

Cary Joji Fukunaga, cinematography for Beasts of No Nation

Dennis Gassner, production design for Spectre

Colin Gibson, production design for Mad Max: Fury Road*

Todd Haynes, directing for Carol

Hoyte Van Hoytema, cinematography for Spectre

Alejandro G. Inarritu, directing for The Revenant

Johan Johannsson, composer for Sicario*

Jed Kurzel, composer for Macbeth

Edward Lachman, cinematography for Carol

Emmanuel Lubezki, cinematography for The Revenant*

Arthur Max, production design for The Martian

George Miller, directing for Mad Max: Fury Road

Ennio Morricone, composer for The Hateful Eight

Thomas Newman, composer for Spectre

John Seale, cinematography for Mad Max: Fury Road

Francois Seguin, production design for Brooklyn

Steven Spielberg, directing for Bridge of Spies

Quentin Tarantino, directing for The Hateful Eight

Yohei Taneda, production design for The Hateful Eight

Denis Villeneuve, directing for Sicario*

John Williams, composer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A Few More Fun, Entertaining and Interesting Smaller Films You Might Have Missed from 2015

’71, a thriller directed by Yann Demange – Trailer

Clouds of Sils Maria, a character drama directed by Olivier Assayas – Trailer

The Danish Girl, a period character drama directed by Tom Hooper – Trailer

Dope, a comedy directed by Rick Famuyiwa – Trailer

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, a documentary directed by Alex Gibney – Trailer

It Follows, a horror thriller directed by David Robert Mitchell – Trailer

Love & Mercy, a character drama directed by Bill Pohlad – Trailer

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, a dramedy directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon – Trailer

Slow West, a western directed by John Maclean – Trailer

What We Do in the Shadows, a horror comedy directed by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi – Trailer

Good Films I Have Yet to See (that probably would have factored into the above lists)

99 Homes, a drama directed by Ramin Bahrani

The Hunting Ground, a documentary directed by Kirby Dick

Son of Saul, a period war drama directed by Laszlo Nemes

Suffragette, a period drama directed by Sarah Gavron