Well, it’s the end of the year and that means it’s time to look back and take stock of 2016. And, of course, the movies play a big part of any annual retrospective. While many movies disappointed this past year (Batman v. Superman, we’re looking at you!) – and plenty of movies were just plain over hyped (*cough*Suicide Squad*cough*) – some films managed to surprise and even exceed expectations during 2016. A few movies even inspired hope for better films to come in the future. Here is the Goliath list of what we feel were the best movies over the past year. If you haven’t seen these yet, set aside some time over the holidays for a movie marathon!
14. Midnight Special
A cross between Starman and E.T., Midnight Special came out of nowhere in 2016 to become one of the best independent films of the past few years. Anchored by strong performances from Michael Shannon as the protective father of a boy with special powers and Adam Driver as a determined and curious FBI agent, Midnight Special succeeded by focusing on the human story in the film and using special effects sparingly to complement the narration, rather than assault audiences with a barrage of CGI effects. Good action sequences and attention to detail make Midnight Special a movie worth seeking out. The directors also reveal the plot of the film slowly, drawing the audience in as they go. This is the opposite of how most movies today just vomit the plot in the first five minutes and then proceed to hammer viewers with one big action sequence after another.
Via YouTube