Members of the Boston Online Film Critics Association celebrate the end of 2016 with an extended-length breakdown of our Top Ten movies of the year!
BEST PICTURE:
MOONLIGHT
BEST DIRECTOR:
Damien Chazelle – LA LA LAND
BEST ACTOR:
Casey Affleck – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
BEST ACTRESS:
Isabelle Huppert – ELLE
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Mahershala Ali – MOONLIGHT
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Michelle Williams – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
BEST ENSEMBLE:
MOONLIGHT
BEST SCREENPLAY:
Kenneth Lonergan – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
THE HANDMAIDEN
BEST DOCUMENTARY:
CAMERAPERSON
BEST ANIMATED FILM:
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Natasha Braier – THE NEON DEMON
BEST EDITING:
Nels Bangerter – CAMERAPERSON
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:
Mica Levi – JACKIE
THE TEN BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR:
MOONLIGHT
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
LA LA LAND
PATERSON
HELL OR HIGH WATER
GREEN ROOM
SILENCE
CERTAIN WOMEN
THE HANDMAIDEN
ELLE
PETE’S DRAGON
“It’s one thing for the movie to acknowledge Elliot as a character, and another thing entirely for the movie to acknowledge Elliot as a living, breathing entity of empathetic depth.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine
“… a breath of fresh air in a summer where updates to franchises intended for children and teenagers are all glum, ironic, violent, self-aggrandizing and ultimately hollow.” – Kristofer Jenson, C-Ville Weekly
“A reimagining of the same studio’s 1977 live-action/animation hybrid, Disney breathes excellent new life into this story in all the right ways—beginning with, of course, the dragon.” – Greg Vellante, Forces of Geek
“Tender, warmhearted and, most importantly, earnest to its core, PETE’S DRAGON hearkens back to old adventure stories, an E.T. for today’s generation of kids that inspires wonder and the want for exploration.” – Allyson Johnson, Cambridge Day
SAUSAGE PARTY
“Most of the time, I sat in disbelief at how they got away with this stuff — but I’m so glad they did.” – Greg Vellante, Edge Boston
“Just when you think this surreal world can’t surprise you any longer, it comes up with something else that may make you gasp or wince but will most likely make you laugh.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies
“SAUSAGE PARTY is a nasty, crass, and unique movie that only Rogen and Goldberg could concoct.” – Max Covill, Film School Rejects
“Bottom line: This movie is piss your pants funny, and not just because I almost laughed hard enough to do that, because it’s the kind of humor where pissing your pants would actually be the punchline.” – Bob Chipman, Movie Bob
“Respect for other people and their beliefs is something that we shouldn’t have to talk about as adults.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS
“…like ED WOOD (1994), it’s a movie in which love of art and kindness of heart triumphs over lack of talent.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies
“Nicholas Martin’s script prompts us to cringe at her, rather than laugh with her.” – Allyson Johnson, Cambridge Day
“Streep, Frears, and company have mounted a tender and revealing spectacle onstage and off, at Carnegie Hall and behind the scenes, and finally on the imaginary stage on which we each see ourselves.” – Joyce Kulhawik, Joyce’s Choices
HELL OR HIGH WATER
“Since humans from every walk of life tend to only view things from their perspective, I guess it’s normal for movies to want to tell us as viewers how to feel, think and behave.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential
“The themes of brotherhood and male bonding are some of the most powerful in Taylor Sheridan’s decidedly smart script.” – Michael Cox, Edge Boston
“As an entertainment, this film is a mixed bag, but as a lesson in courage, ANTHROPOID makes its case in no uncertain terms.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston
DISORDER
“From its maelstrom of violence and hyper-vigilance there emerge cunning ambiguities and questions left artfully unanswered.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston