16 Best Movies of 2016
It seems that in 2016, we went to the movie theater — and, well, we never left.
Not only was this a pretty solid year for movies, but it was also a stellar year for so many fandoms. Between the first installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, feminist reboots, and so many superhero movies, it’s no wonder that so many of us flocked to the movie theaters in droves throughout the year.
As we get ready to say goodbye to this calendar year and look ahead to the next, we are going to pause to reminisce about the amazing cinematic journeys we took over the past 365 days. Here are 16 must-watch movies from 2016.
1/16Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
I mean, we obviously need to start here. Fantastic Beasts was so amazing because it was a reminder that the Harry Potter story is not over — far from it, in fact. Not only was there a new movie this year full of wizardry and magic, we’re going to get FOUR more. Thank you, J.K. Rowling. Forever and ever.
2/16The Girl on the Train
Not since Gone Girl have we had such a mind-blowing page-to-screen adaptation. The Girl on the Train kept us on the edges of our seats the entire time, and Emily Blunt was so chilling in her performance.
3/16Loving
Loving tells the story of real life couple Richard and Mildred Loving who married during a time when interracial marriage was illegal in Virginia. Not only is Loving a beautifully crafted film, it is also such an important one for our time.
4/16Hunt for the Wilderpeople
This New Zealand film tells a dark story of a young boy named Ricky Baker who is sent to live with foster parents. When his foster mother dies, he and his foster father – who he refers to as his uncle – end up becoming the subject of a manhunt. It was met with critical acclaim, and even earned a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.
5/16The Edge of Seventeen
The Edge of Seventeen, starring Hailee Steinfeld, depicted the awkwardness of high school. The movie was the perfect combination of funny, bittersweet, and dramatic — and it made us adore Hailee Steinfeld even more than we already did.
6/16Finding Dory
We waited literally our entire lives for this movie. And while nothing will ever beat the original, we're pretty sure that the nostalgia alone earns this one a spot on the list.
7/16Moonlight
If you haven’t seen Moonlight, you need to fix that ASAP. The film, which was released in October, is a coming-of-age-story that navigates sexual identity, growing up, and race in an extremely poignant way. It's an award front-runner, and for so many reasons.
8/16The Conjuring 2
Horror movies that are based on true stories are always 10 times scarier (which is the reason why The Exorcist will forever and always terrify us). This movie somehow made the first installment seem like child's play.
9/16Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters was an important movie this year, because it reminded all of us — and especially girls — that women can be tough evil-fighting heroes, too. Plus, Ghostbusters made us fall even more in love with Kate McKinnon and [Leslie Jones])(http://www.teenvogue.com/tag/leslie-jones).
10/16The Shallows
Sometimes you need to watch a movie that makes you think, or makes you cry. And sometimes you just need to watch Blake Lively battle a shark for two hours in the middle of the ocean. The Shallows is here for you when that urge calls.
11/16Sully
This was definitely the year for true stories in films. Sully starred Tom Hanks as Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger, the airline pilot who made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in 2009.
12/16Moana
There are so many reasons to love Moana. Not only did the title character have an incredibly feminist story, but this Disney film added more diversity to its list of princesses. Also, we’ve been pretty stoked about the cast, and are totally in love with the leading lady, Auli'i Cravalho.
13/16Swiss Army Man
The appeal and intrigue of Swiss Army Man can be summed up in four words: Daniel Radcliffe, farting corpse. But really, all joking aside, Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano delivered some serious acting chops in this film – so if you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you ring in 2017 with a viewing.
14/16The Jungle Book
You're never too old for a classic tale. The Jungle Book told the same story as its cartoon predecessor, but it added a visually stunning layer, thanks to modern technology.
15/16Arrival
This is certainly the pick for science fiction fans. Arrival centers around a professor, played by Amy Adams, who leads an investigation after 12 spaceships land on earth at different points around the world.
16/16Jackie
This movie about Jackie Onassis is certainly one to watch at the award shows next year. Starting Natalie Portman as the title character, it tells the story of the First Lady in the days following President Kennedy's assassination.
