One of my favorite things to do when I’m home on break is to go to the movies. This is always a great way to take some time off and relax with friends and family. The only downside is, with so many movies being released, it can sometimes be hard to decide which ones to go see. First, to help with your current movie night decision making, here are my five favorite films from 2016.
5. Sing
If you like animated movies and musicals, then this is the film for you! Sing is about a koala named Buster Moon, voiced by Matthew McConaughey, who announces a singing competition in order to save his failing theater. With all the characters having to overcome an obstacle, this is a great film to watch if you need motivation to push through the hard times and follow your dreams.
4. Suicide Squad
If you’re like me and sometimes (or frequently) find yourself rooting for the villains, then you’re in the right place. Suicide Squad features many DC Comics villains as they work to save the world from a magical threat with the Joker, in true Joker fashion, managing to screw up their plans. This film is a great choice if you’re in the mood for an action movie, a comedy, or both.
3. Finding Dory
In 2003, our childhoods were made great with the release of Finding Nemo. Thirteen years later, Pixar finally gave us the sequel, Finding Dory, and the wait was totally worth it. The problem with sequels is that they can sometimes be a letdown, but this is one that definitely lives up to its predecessor. It gives us a new storyline, with all the charm, humor, and heartwarming qualities of the original. Fair warning though, make sure you have your tissues ready. I was not prepared when I saw it the first time and cried like a baby. This film is a great choice if you’re in the mood to watch something different, while revisiting your childhood at the same time.
2. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
2011 was a sad year for Harry Potter fans. With the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, it seemed that the franchise was over for good. But then, J. K. Rowling surprised us with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Taking place approximately seventy years before the birth of Harry Potter, this film introduces us to the wizarding world of the United States. This film is a great choice if you’re in the mood for a two-hour fantasy film adventure.
1. Solace
I wasn’t sure what to make of this film when I first sat down to watch it, but I ended up loving it. Anthony Hopkins plays John Clancy, a retired doctor and psychic who is enlisted by his friend, FBI agent Joe Merriweather (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), to help solve a series of homicides. This film is a great choice if you’re in the mood for a mystery/crime thriller that leaves you guessing right up until the end.
And now, for your future movie-going adventures, here are the five films I am most looking forward to in 2017.
5. Wonder Woman
Whoever said that superhero movies are for boys was clearly wrong. However, a lot of people seem to take this to heart, considering that most of these films star male heroes. That changes this year with the release of Wonder Woman! This film will be a good choice if you want to see what girl power can do, or if you’re simply in the mood for an action/superhero movie.
Release date: June 2
4. Justice League
2013’s Man of Steel and 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice have been building up to this year’s Justice League. After the events of Batman v. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman recruit Aquaman, Cyborg, and the Flash to create the superhero team we all know and love: the Justice League. Just as with Wonder Woman, this film is a great choice if you’re in a superhero movie mood.
Release date: November 17
3. A Cure for Wellness
From the trailer, A Cure for Wellness seems to be about a man who travels to a medical facility to retrieve a colleague, but ends up in the hands of who appears to be an unhinged, psychotic doctor. As all good psychological thriller trailers are, this trailer is veiled with mystery and confusion. If you’re just as confused as I am and are interested in uncovering the truth, this film will be a great choice for you.
Release date: February 17
2. Hidden Figures
As someone interested in women’s history, I am really excited to see this movie. It tells the true story of three women who do the mathematical work necessary to make John Glenn’s mission to be the first American astronaut to orbit Earth a success. If you enjoy history and/or science, this film will be a great choice for you.
Release date: Technically, this was released in the US on December 25, 2016, but since it wasn’t released in my local theater until January 13, I’m putting it under the 2017 category.
1. Beauty and the Beast
This film is a live-action remake of the 1991 Disney film based on the classic French fairytale. If you love Disney, fantasy, and/or romantic films, this is the movie for you!
Release date: March 17