Tugg Reminiscences 2016 in Movies, Top 50

I have seen over 100 movies of 2016. This is going to be the better half. While rankings roughly represent my relative appreciation of movies at the moment, they can drastically change in few years since most movies I've seen only once. Some movies may grow on me while others may lose their magic. I was not able to see German "Toni Erdmann" and Japanese "Your Name" given that I have high expectations from both. Consequently these are not going to be included in the top 50.

Hoping to see some movies I've never heard of before, as I didn't think 2016 was a particularly great year.

Also really hoping Toni Erdmann becomes available to view soon.

50. Lights Out
The movie is professionally done and I liked main actress Teresa Palmer. It also plays into my subconscious fear of darkness. But at the end of the day it's run off the mill horror flick which doesn't offer anything that couldn't be found elsewhere.

49. Ghostbusters
There are quite a few good jokes at the beginning, but it loses me in second half when battles with ghost become main focus.

48. Nocturnal Animals
This one could potentially become my favorite, but I found lots of problems after first viewing. First of all,- good stuff. I liked how seamlessly and with internal logic different storylines were intertwined. I liked that it was restrained in it's energy, though at times it should have let itself loose. For example book storyline should have been more forceful at times. I think with risk the movie could have been more emotional at the end, because it left me lacking for defining experience.

47. Off Piste
The movie is about ex soldier dealing with trauma. He chose to get as far away from everything as he could in French Alps. But his mother living with him and his past don't want to let him spend his days in forgotten obscurity. I liked the mood of "Off Piste". The main problem was motivations of some characters, but I can get past that to enjoy it.

46. Sully
"Sully" tells a story about a hero of a day. I liked it's simplicity in storytelling. It managed to capture underlying emotional atmosphere without employing excessive dramatic tools.

45. The Handmaiden
Positives: twists, cinematography. The problem I have is that the movie could not decide for itself if it embraces moral relativism or moral judgement. Also character development did not going beyond necessities of the script which was totally reliant on twists. I would have liked more depth to who they were.

44. Blood Father
It's good to root for father and daughter while watching. And the movie is professionally made. But unfortunately it doesn't stand out from many other similar type of flicks.

43. The Infiltrator
It has lots of problems with editing and flow. A lot relating to cop operations behind the scenes could have been cut out. The strength coms from Bryan Cranston being under cover in high ranks of drugs cartel. The movie should have focused on that and left everything else to a minimum. His relationships with drug lords was cornerstone and his relationship with wife was side plot. Cop matters should have been only used if plot cant's avoid them.

42. Our Kind of Traitor
Director Susanna White managed to get one thing right: she made it easy to root and sympathise with protagonist Ewan McGrgor's character and kept destinies of parties involved uncertain till the end making it a good thriller.

41. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
I am in minority in liking this. It just strikes accord with me when man goes against the system. Besides, Jack has a female companion to help with ass kicking the baddies.

40. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Zack Snyder's directing has problems, true. But his style is like nobody else's and not unilaterally in a negative way. He creates beautiful scenes to look at with beautiful accompanying soundtrack. In BvS he gave grand motivations to his characters, especially Batman. Themes surrounding Batman and Superman and their place in the world they live in resonated with me. Batman saw unacceptable danger in Superman. Superman was not sure what his role on earth should be. As far as them two I'm fine. But Lex Luthor & Doomsday were total nonsense, I give you that.

39. A Monster Calls
Superb acting from the cast, especially leading Lewis MacDougall as well as Felicity Jones. But monster tales were less impressive or I missed the point. Probably later. It's number 39 because it left an impact on me, and that matters.

Cool list mate. Only seen Blood Father, Ghostbuster, and BvS (Hated Ghostbuster).

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38. Allegiant
This one is only for "Divergent" series fans. I thought this instalment continued to develop familiar characters and had good storyline.

37. Sausage Party
If you can get past atheistic narrative and sex innuendos (if you can call THAT innuendos) don't bother you, this animation is total laugh riot. You will never be the same.

36. Why Him?
Again, I'm in the minority, but I have soft spot for bonkers comedies. Bryan Cranston's struggles and James Franco being oblivious "free" self was enough to pull the movie in my eyes. I liked "Meet the Parents" (2000) and this is in the same milieu.

35. Rogue One
It is a big bonus to a movie if it doesn't have to keep it's main characters alive. I was thoroughly entertained watching Felicity Jones Rouge One journey. She portrayed both rational in nature and heroic in essence character. She was the force behind "Rouge One" story.

34. Train to Busan
I liked this one because of constant tension and I never knew who the next zombie meal was going to be. Meanwhile it creates interesting character dynamics, though nothing we haven't seen before. Overall, definitely worth a watch for horror and thriller fans.