Mallard's Top 10 of 2016

1. Green Room- It's the story of a desperate punk band on the road who find themselves in way over their heads at a neo-nazi venue. A claustrophobic, cringe-inducing, gut punch of a movie. (streaming on Amazon Prime)

2. Manchester by the Sea- Casey Affleck is phenomenal as the traumatized handyman who, after the death of his brother, is faced with the daunting charge of taking custody of his nephew. Incredible performances, and a genuinely moving story that is told with care and an attention to detail.

3. The Witch- A deeply unsettling horror film that never settles for the easy jump scare. An outcast Puritan family attempts to survive in the unforgiving wilderness of 1630s New England. It's remarkably authentic and exceptionally creepy. (streaming on Amazon Prime)

4. Arrival- Amy Adams is perfect as the linguist recruited by the U.S. military to communicate with strange extra-terrestrials who have landed inexplicably across the globe. More than anything, it's refreshing to see an intelligent science fiction film about aliens that isn't a mindless action flick.

5. Don't Think Twice- Basically a love letter to group creativity and live performance. It's the story of an improv group called "The Commune" who struggle to stay together when one their members makes it onto the cast of "Weekend Live" (SNL). I may be biased because I have a background in comedy and improv, but I thought this was an excellent ensemble movie with a lot to say.

6. 10 Cloverfield Lane- AKA locked in a cellar with batshit John Goodman. This one doesn't really have much to do with the 2008 Cloverfield, and that's okay. It's a well-crafted thriller with some great performances and a polarizing climax.

7. Silence- Boasting an arduous 161-minute runtime, terrible accents, borderline overacting from Andrew Garfield, laughable aging effects, and a muddled message. And yet, we still have an excellent film from Martin Scorsese (I'm not being sarcastic). It's obvious he poured his heart and soul into this one, and there's a lot to appreciate. The tension is palpable throughout, and by the time we reach the climax, I found myself highly invested in a moral quandary that is hardly universal.

8. Nocturnal Animals- Highly stylized and uniquely strange, this one is about Amy Adams as an unfulfilled artist who receives a book manuscript from her ex. The film plays out as a story within a story, featuring stellar supporting performances from Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

9. Floyd Norman: An Animated Life- Floyd Norman was the first black animator for Walt Disney Studios. This documentary chronicles his remarkable career, from Sleeping Beauty to present day. As a retiree, he's dealt with ageism more than anything, refusing to give up his passion for animation. (streaming on Netflix)

10. War Dogs- I did not expect this good of a movie from Todd Phillips. It's fun, exciting, and has quite a few memorable moments. Miles Teller and Jonah Hill have great chemistry, and the whole thing just works surprisingly well.

And as always, here's 10 more that are worth watching from 2016.

From top left: Requiem For the American Dream (Netflix), Zootopia (Netflix), Sing Street (Netflix), Tickled, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Star Trek: Beyond, Queen of Katwe, Doctor Strange, Moana, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story