136 Best Movies & Shows Released in 2016 (Page 9)

Find the best movies and show to watch from the year 2016. These handpicked recommendations are highly-rated by viewers and critics.

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121. A Kid, 2016

This drama from France and Canada is about Matthieu, a 33-year-old from Paris who never knew his father. One morning he gets a call to go to Montreal, where he is told his dad has passed away and where a funeral will take place.

To add to his confusion, upon arrival Matthieu is asked to conceal his identity from his step-mother and step-brothers.

A Kid is made as though the filmmaking styles from the countries it’s set in were mixed together. There are complicated family dynamics reminiscent of Xavier Dolan movies; and identity issues and comments on different compositions of families like the films of Mia Hansen-Løve.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Aliocha Itovich, Amélie Lafleur, Catherine De Léan, Claudiane Ruelland, Emmanuelle Dupuy, Gabriel Arcand, Hugues Leforestier, Jean-Pierre Andréani, Marie-Thérèse Fortin, Martin Laroche, Patricia Dorval, Patrick Hivon, Pierre Deladonchamps, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Romane Portail, Tania Bolduc, Timothé Vom Dorp, Valerie Cadieux

Director: Philippe Lioret

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122. The Five, 2016

This British miniseries is about a group of teenagers who tell a five-year-old who is following them to go home. The boy disappears mysteriously but 20 years later, when the teenagers are all adults, his DNA surfaces in a crime scene.

Somewhat formulaic or perhaps just overproduced, the show is ultimately enjoyable as the sharpness of the source material by famous author Harlan Coben quickly takes over.

Genre: Drama, Mystery

Actor: Don Warrington, Geraldine James, Hannah Arterton, Jonathan Kerrigan, Lee Ingleby, Michael Maloney, O.T. Fagbenle, Rade Serbedzija, Sarah Solemani, Sophia La Porta, Tom Cullen

Director: Mark Tonderai

Rating: N/A

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123. Nobel, 2016

This Homeland-style mini-series is about a Norwegian soldier who returns home from Afghanistan and finds himself tangled in a web of questionable global politics.

Like most Norwegian series on the topic, and there have been quite a few lately, the production value struggles to match Hollywood shows. But paying that small price will get you an abundance of sharp dialogue and a nuanced thriller.

Genre: Thriller

Actor: Aksel Hennie, Anders Danielsen Lie, Atheer Adel, Ayesha Wolasmal, Christian Rubeck, Danica Curcic, Dennis Storhøi, Dennis Storhoi, Eirik Evjen, Hallvard Holmen, Kyrre Hellum, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen, Mads Sjogard Pettersen, Mattis Herman Nyquist, Mohammad-Ali Behboudi, Odd Magnus Williamson, Ramin Yazdani, Rolf Kristian Larsen, Runar Holmstroem, Samuel Froler, Tuva Novotny

Rating: N/A

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124. Magnus, 2016

This Norwegian documentary in English is about Magnus Carlsen, the current world champion who became a chess grandmaster at age 13. It might be tough to believe but Magnus' ascension was slowed down significantly by many crises in self-confidence and difficulty to cope with the pressure at a young age.
With home footage and interviews with everyone from his adversaries to the champion himself, Magnus the movie tries to be a complete portrait of the prodigy. Yet, crucial aspects are missing, such as an explanation for a sudden change in character, and perhaps more importantly, explanations of Magnus' genius in chess. His techniques and approaches are mostly attributed to intuition, but the movie fails to explain how that intuition is reflected in the game.Genre: Documentary
Actor: Garry Kasparov, Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand
Director: Benjamin Ree

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125. Lion, 2016

Lion is the award-sweeping movie based on the true story of a kid in India who gets lost in a train and suddenly finds himself thousands of kilometers away from home. 25 years later, after being adopted by an Australian couple, he embarks on a journey through his memory and across continents to reconnect with his lost family. Dev Patel plays Saroo, and Nicole Kidman plays his Australian adoptive mother. Two truly amazing performances that will transport you to the time and place of the events, as well as its emotions spanning tear-jerking moments and pure joy. An uplifting, meaningful, and beautiful movie.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Abhishek Bharate, Anna Samson, Arka Das, Benjamin Rigby, David Wenham, Deepti Naval, Dev Patel, Divian Ladwa, Eamon Farren, Emilie Cocquerel, Garth Davis, Keshav Jadhav, Khushi Solanki, Lucy Moir, Menik Gooneratne, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Nicole Kidman, Priyanka Bose, Riddhi Sen, Rooney Mara, Sachin Joab, Sunny Pawar, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Tegan Crowley

Director: Garth Davis

Rating: PG-13

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126. In This Corner of the World, 2016

Prior to being defined by that fateful bombing in 1945, Hiroshima was like any other city outside of Tokyo; small but full, quiet but busy, and in the midst of a slow-but-sure journey to modernization. We experience the rich and intimate details of this life through the kind-hearted Suzu, who herself is stuck between the throes of old and new. She is an ambitious artist but also a dedicated wife; a war-wearied survivor and a hopeful cheerleader.

Set before, during, and after the Second World War, the film starts off charmingly mundane at first, but it quickly gives way to inevitable grief in the second half. One stark tragedy follows another as it becomes increasingly clear how much we lose our humanity in war.

In This Corner of the World is the rare film outside of the Hayao Miyazaki canon that captures the latter's heart for detail while still being graciously its own.

Genre: Animation, Drama, Family, History, Romance, War

Actor: Asuka Ohgame, Barbara Goodson, Christine Marie Cabanos, Daishi Kajita, Daisuke Ono, Hisako Kyoda, Kei Tomoe, Kenta Miyake, Kira Buckland, Kohei Kiyasu, Kosuke Sakaki, Manami Sugihira, Manami Tanaka, Mayumi Shintani, Megumi Han, Miki Hase, Minori Omi, Nanase Iwai, Natsuki Inaba, Non, Nozomu Sasaki, Rena Nōnen, Rio Kawakami, Risa Sakurana, Shigeru Ushiyama, Sunao Katabuchi, Tengai Shibuya III, Tomoko Shiota, Tsubasa Miyoshi, Tsuyoshi Koyama, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Yukitomo Tochino, Yuuki Hirose

Director: Sunao Katabuchi

Rating: PG-13

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127. Fastball, 2016

Even those who aren't baseball aficionados should find something interesting and human in this straightforward, brainy documentary Fastball looks at the titular type of pitch not just from a place of scientific curiosity but as a symbolic goal that players all over the world chase after. Through many clear-eyed discussions and testimonials, we begin to see how a large part of the sport has been structured around the idea of understanding speed—and how some careers have been made or broken by trying to catch up with the greats. But in the end, Fastball takes a surprisingly subjective position on the matter; instead of definitively stating who's the fastest on earth, it affirms that everyone has their own legends they look up to, pushing them to be greater.

Genre: Documentary, Family

Actor: Bryce Harper, Chris Cooper, Denard Span, Derek Jeter, Ernie Banks, George Brett, Hank Aaron, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Justin Verlander, Kevin Costner, Mike Schmidt, Nolan Ryan, Tony Gwynn

Director: Jonathan Hock

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128. Esteros, 2016

Esteros revolves around the childhood friends Matías and Jerónimo, who reach adolescence and experience sexual attraction to each other before being separated by circumstance. When they meet again ten years later, they explore their long-repressed feelings for each other.

This moving and emotionally satisfying love story is shot against the backdrop of the Argentinian countryside whose glories are beautifully captured throughout the movie. The performance of the two leads is excellent and the chemistry between them is almost palpable.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Blas Finardi Niz, Esteban Masturini, Felipe Titto, Ignacio Rogers, Joaquín Parada, Marcelo Subiotto, María Merlino, Mariana Martinez, Renata Calmon

Director: Papu Curotto

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129. Deadbeat, 2016

This ridiculous comedy is about a man who works as a medium between people and their ghosts.

Kevin Pacalioglu sees and communicates with ghosts for a living, but that doesn’t mean he is good at his job. His only friend is also a drug dealer whose services end up worsening Kevin’s motivation even more. In his own words, his living clients “end up wanting to spend more time with the ghosts than me.” So to make ends meet, Kevin ends up accepting ghostly missions from dead clients with unresolved issues.

Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Brandon T. Jackson, Kal Penn, Lucy DeVito, Tyler Labine

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130. Christine, 2016

Christine is about Christine Chubbuck, an awkward and complex reporter who was the first person ever to commit suicide on live TV.

Rebecca Hall is terrific as Chubbuck and goes to great lengths to communicate the personality of her subject matter. The movie might seem slow at times, and her acting off, but it’ll all make sense once she immerses you in the complex reality of the character.

An interesting story and an incredible performance.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Alexandra Paul, Allan Cox, Angela Ray, Anissa Matlock, Anthony Triceri, Antonio Campos, Carl Palmer, David Alexander, Hannah Black, Ian Covell, J. Smith-Cameron, James Rackley, Jayson Warner Smith, John Cullum, John Newberg, John Stockwell, Keith Gordon, Kim Shaw, Kimberley Drummond, Lindsay Ayliffe, Maria Dizzia, Masey McLain, Meghan Strange, Michael C. Hall, Morgan Spector, Rachel Hendrix, Rebecca Hall, Rebecca Koon, Ritchie Montgomery, Robert Prosky, Stacy Hall, Susan Pourfar, Susie Spear Purcell, Timothy Simons, Tracy Letts, Wayne Hughes

Director: Antonio Campos, John Carpenter

Rating: R

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131. Big Fish & Begonia, 2016

Widely considered as the dawn of Chinese animation, Big Fish & Begonia frankly isn’t as outstanding as Japan’s Spirited Away, but it does share some of its charms. The awe-inspiring natural spirit world looks something akin to the worlds of Studio Ghibli, as well as the cute creatures, this time in dolphin-fish form. Even those unfamiliar with Chinese mythology can recognize the folklorish elements in the story, particularly the magic that feels reminiscent of Little Mermaid, and as each of the teen protagonists makes a sacrifice, it still tugs at the heartstrings. It’s not perfect, and the third act does get a tad convoluted, but Big Fish & Begonia still works emotionally as an homage to Chinese folklore.Genre: Adventure, Animation, Fantasy
Actor: Ji Guanlin, Jie Zhang, King Shih-Chieh, Pan Shulan, Su Shangqing, Timmy Xu, Xue Lifang
Director: Liang Xuan, Zhang Chun
Rating: PG-13

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132. Tower, 2016

The unbelievable true story the first mass-shootings in America, and a documentary made with so much attention that it is almost impossible to forget. The animations might put you off if you watch the trailer, but they are what makes this movie so amazing. Added to old tapes and current statements from survivors and heroes, they perfectly fill the gaps in the enactment of what happened. An equally sad, gripping and incredibly well-made work on an event that happened 50 years ago and to which there are still no solutions.

Genre: Animation, Crime, Documentary

Actor: Aldo Ordonez, Blair Jackson, Chris Doubek, John Fitch, Josephine McAdam, Louie Arnette, Monty Muir, Rebecca Beegle, Reece Everett Ryan, Steve Eckelman, Vicky Illk, Violett Beane

Director: Keith Maitland

Rating: TV-14

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133. The Ivory Game, 2016

As the value of ivory appreciated by the Chinese middle-class, the demand for it has skyrocketed. This brought elephants to a dire outlook: extinction in as early as the next 15 years. “Traders in ivory actually want extension in elephants, the less elephants there are the more the price rises” as one of the commentators in the film says. To bring awareness to this threat, filmmakers went undercover for 16 months and followed the ivory from where it was stolen to where it hits the shelves of Hong Kong. The result is a genuine thriller, far more gripping than you’d expect from a documentary. It portrays the brave and hopeful men and women trying to combat these atrocities, the battle they may be losing, and all the obstacles they face. An extremely important watch.Genre: Documentary
Actor: Andrea Crosta, Ian Stevenson, Kief Davidson, Prince William, Richard Ladkani
Director: Kief Davidson, Richard Ladkani
Rating: N/A, Not Rated

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134. Sing Street, 2016

In 1980s Dublin, a young Irish catholic-school boy, whose family is facing financial problems starts his own band with the sole objective of impressing a mysterious femme fatale. The film takes you on a beautiful and witty journey through the band’s path to success and our protagonist’s quest in conquering his love all to the rhythm of some of the biggest 80’s pop-rock hits and the band’s own original soundtrack. Without a doubt this film is the long awaited passion project of filmmaker John Carney (Once, Begin Again). Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance
Actor: Aidan Gillen, Art Campion, Ben Carolan, Des Keogh, Don Wycherley, Eva-Jane Gaffney, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Ian Kenny, Jack Reynor, Karl Rice, Keith McErlean, Kelly Thornton, Kian Murphy, Kyle Bradley Donaldson, Lucy Boynton, Lydia McGuinness, Marcella Plunkett, Maria Doyle, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Mark McKenna, Paul Roe, Percy Chamburuka, Peter Campion
Director: John Carney
Rating: PG-13

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135. It's Only the End of the World, 2019

Based on a play and taking place in the span of one afternoon, It’s Only the End of the World is about a successful writer returning to his hometown in rural Canada baring life-altering news. But before he can share anything, he is faced with the remnants of his life prior to moving out and his family members’ eccentric, but relatable, personalities. This is a movie by one of the most interesting directors working today, Canadian Xavier Dolan. Contrary to his plot-heavy Mommy (which earned him the Cannes Jury Prize at 25 years old), in It’s Only the End of the World the story unfolds in a far more important way. It’s an exploration of dynamics: between brother and sister, between son and mother, between brothers, etc. Don’t go into it expecting things to happen, or waiting for what will happen in the end. Instead, the purpose of this film can be found in how Xavier Dolan handles his usual themes of family through big talent: Mario Cotillard, Vincent Cassel, and Léa Seydoux among many others.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Antoine Desrochers, Arthur Couillard, Gaspard Ulliel, Jenyane Provencher, Léa Seydoux, Marion Cotillard, Nathalie Baye, Patricia Tulasne, Sasha Samar, Stephan Dubeau, Théodore Pellerin, Vincent Cassel, William Boyce Blanchette

Director: Xavier Dolan

Rating: N/A, Not Rated

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