Eman’s Must-See 2016 Films

Jan 6, 2017

Another year has come and gone, and 2016 definitely had its fill of great films. Initially, the idea was to try and rank the top ten, however, it was far too difficult to do given the fact that many of these films were awesome in their own right. So instead, here are ten of the best films of 2016 listed by the order of their release date.
Don’t feel like reading? You can watch the best films of 2016 instead here:

Deadpool

While being both hilarious and action-packed, Deadpool was everything it was supposed to be. Ryan Reynolds brought him to life and made tons of comic fans rejoice. Not to mention the fact that this film made huge accomplishments while still being rated R.

Captain America: Civil War

This was as good as it gets when it comes to bringing a huge superhero ensemble together and having them duke it out. Not to mention that the guest appearances by Spider-Man and Black Panther only sent it through the roof. There’s no question this was probably one of the best comic book movies of the year.

The Conjuring 2

Director James Wan continues to amaze in this fantastic sequel. His brilliant camera work and vision continues to find new ways to scare audiences. If there ever were a movie I wouldn’t want to see again, it would be this one. Not because it was bad. The movie was great. It’s just that I’d prefer being able to continue sleeping with the lights off.

Finding Dory

This film not only held up its end of the bargain by being a successful sequel to Finding Nemo, it also created a great platform to have meaningful dialogues with your children about those who may be differently-able. It was funny and heartwarming all at the same time, and a joy to watch.

13th

Without getting political or anything, 2016 had a lot of racial themes and issues throughout the year. Director Ava Duvernay did a magnificent job in 13th detailing just one side of those issues namely addressing the U.S. prison system, and how the history of our country may not be as equal as we may all want to believe.

The Accountant

In my opinion, probably one of the best action films of the year. The Accountant did an incredible balancing act of being action-packed while still being able to draw meaningful attention to people who may be autistic as well.

 Moonlight

Wow. Talk about a deep movie. Probably the one movie of the entire year that has one of the heaviest subject matters. It deals with issues of masculinity, sexual identity, and so much more. Moonlight is a heavy movie that’s well worth any award buzz it may receive.

La La Land

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are at it again, and they are amazing in this musical production. I’ve said in my own reviews that this film is like watching a dream on the screen. If you love musicals then you’re definitely in for a treat with La La Land.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

This side story is definitely a great addition to the Star Wars franchise. It serves as an excellent prequel to Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope, and man oh man does it ever solidify Darth Vader’s street cred. I mean his best moments in this film are nothing shy of simply being epic.

Hidden Figures

For record, this film has a limited release December 25, 2016, while it will be released everywhere in 2017. This is one of my personal favorites. You have awesome performances across the board from Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe, and Octavia Spencer. Not only that but we get a film that displays positive representation of African Americans, but more specifically African American women. What I appreciate is the fact that this film doesn’t necessarily elevate them above anyone else or other groups. It merely demonstrates some stories of American contributions to our nation’s history that oftentimes get overlooked. This movie has #BlackGirlMagic written all over it!
What do you think? I’m more than positive that I missed probably a bunch of other films that should’ve made this list. Do you agree with this? Were any of these films your favorite? Which films would you add instead? Let me know in the comments down below. Feel free to head over to the movies I think you should watch out for, and see what’s coming soon.