Top Five Movies from 2016 That You May Have Missed

2016 was a crowded year at the movies. While there were more hits than misses, there were bound to be some that slipped through the cracks. Here are five of my favorite movies from 2016 that you may have missed.

Not to dwell on the negative, but we need to remember where we came from: There were a number of disappointing and forgettable sequels last year. Too bad so sad, but it's true. For example, Independence Day: Resurgence (yes, that is a movie), Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice (also a movie that exists), and X-Men: Apocalypse (ok a guilty pleasure of mine but still a CGI explosion of incoherency). However there were also a number of highly enjoyable solid hits like Captain America: Civil War, Moana, Zootopia, Hell or High Water, Doctor Strange, Hacksaw Ridge, Star Trek Beyond, and The Jungle Book. Not a bad list at all so far.

Here are some true home runs from 2016 that you may have missed - or at least deserve a second chance. 

10 Cloverfield Lane

Confession: I have never seen the first JJ Abrams produced, Matt Reeves directed Cloverfield movie. With that being said, I can confidently say that I thoroughly enjoyed this movie having no knowledge of the first movie with which this shares its title. 10 Cloverfield Lane is a delightful, slow-burn of a thriller with an intensely creepy performance from John Goodman to boot. Essentially Mary Elizabeth Winstead's character gets in a car wreck only to wake up in a bunker where John Goodman and one other man are supposedly the only living people around due to an apocalyptic event that occurred while she was knocked out. To give anything more away would be a disservice to the movie, but it you like great performances, a keep-you-guessing plot, and an eerie atmosphere, give 10 Cloverfield Lane a try. 

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Simply put: this is one of the best comedies to come out in a long time. It has big laughs, loads of heart, and characters you love instantly. Sam Neill's character and his wife take in a Tupac-loving-pre-teen with a behavioral problem. When certain events take an unexpected turn, the boy and the "old man" find themselves on the run from the police. Written and Directed by New Zealander Taika Waititi (the helmer of the next Thor movie), this is a familiar tale told very well. I was laughing from start to finish. 

Stranger Things

It's no secret the love I have for Stranger Things. While I hesitated having it on this list, because of the cinematic style of the episodes (it really is meant to be viewed as one long movie rather than individual episodes), I felt it appropriate to include here. The characters are memorable, the 80's environments and style is immersive, and the story is enthralling. Not to mention the music - please just put it in my veins. 

Arrival 

Attention: Arrival is not an action movie. It is not your typical alien invasion movie. It is not loud. It is not full of guns. It is not fast paced. Still interested? Good, because you are in for a treat. This movie struck me so profoundly that I sat in silence for nearly five minutes once the credits started rolling in the theater. The themes of loss, time, love, and the powerful impact and effect of choices in our lives resonated with me like the recently strummed strings on an acoustic guitar. Stick with this one, feel it, experience it - and then allow it to knock you off your feet. If you knew what was coming, the pain, the joy, the sorrow, the happiness, would you have changed anything? 

La La Land

With all the hype that surrounded La La Land last year, it's surprising how many didn't actually see it. I mean that in two ways. 1. Not many people saw it and 2. Those that did didn't see it. Yes, it's a musical. Yes it's an intentional throwback to the days of the Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby era, but it's also so much more. Like with Arrival, I found myself knocked flat after this movie - and I still do, four viewings later. La La Land is all about following our dreams, falling in love, and then seeing the effects that those two have on each other - and like Arrival - asking ourselves, if we could see the outcome from the beginning, would we have changed anything? La La Land is the magic of the movies at its finest. I found myself totally swept off my feet and all-in on the lives of Mia and Sebastian. Look past the surface and see how the depths of this movie reflect in your own life and there you will find the power of the movies like this.