In a little more than a week March will have ended and 25% of 2016 will have passed. So let’s assess where we are, highlight-wise. I haven’t much time (our Hanoi airport taxi leaves in 45 minutes) and yes, I usually wait until the one-third mark to post a spitball assessment but here’s a starter list that stood out for me. I haven’t time to re-explain my choices so I’ve included links to original reviews.
I’m assuming that Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which I won’t be seeing until I return on 3.28, won’t be good enough to rank as one of the first quarter’s best nor bad enough to be called a legendary stinker. Apologies for missing films that might’ve been mentioned had I been more diligent:
Three-Way Tie for Best Film of 2016 So Far: Robert Eggers‘ The Witch, Gavin Hood‘s Eye in the Sky and Bob Nelson‘s The Confirmation.
Best New Unreleased Film I’ve Seen in 2016, Hands Down: Kenneth Lonergan‘s Manchester By The Sea.
Reprehensible: Tim Miller‘s Deadpool.
Over-Praised By Lockstep Critics Determined to Give Jeff Nichols A Pass Because He’s One Of The Good Guys: Jeff Nichols‘ Midnight Special.
Wildly Over-Praised: Dan Trachtenberg‘s 10 Cloverfield Lane.
I Don’t Do/Can’t Do/Won’t Do Family-Friendly Animation: Zootopia.
Tragic Collapse: Terrence Malick‘s Knight of Cups.
Very Good For What It Is, But Calm Down: Roar Uthaug‘s The Wave.
Shortfaller, Not Up To Par: Joel & Ethan Coen‘s Hail, Caesar!.
Efficient, Reasonably Decent, Trump-Approved War Movie: Michael Bay’s 13 Hours.
Sloppy, Sometimes Idiotic, Trump-Mentality, Kill-the-Terrorists Exploitation: Babak Najafi‘s London Has Fallen.
