Review of Films I’ve seen in 2016
Dear Under Southern Eyes Readers,
Another year gone and another round-up of the most interesting films seen in 2016!
On the whole the quality of new mainstream films seems to descend lower and lower into slice-n-dice identity politics (this is true particularly of British historical dramas) and trawling through the equivalent of last night’s dinner thrown into the bin for more inspiration (always true of Hollywood over the past 20 years, only more desperate in the last 12 months or so). Even so, there are occasions where Hollywood allows an up-coming young director to present a film, often one set in the past, that ends up being a wry commentary on present-day social, political and economic trends. Such films included “The Big Short”, “Spotlight”, “Trumbo” and “The Founder”: all of them set in the past yet with a lesson relevant to modern audiences, and all including a cast who believed completely in the narrative of the film, the ideas and themes highlighted by the narrative, and whose acting was inspired to be the very best as a result.
Outside Hollywood, there haven’t been very many memorable movies released over late 2015 / most of 2016. “Son of Saul” and “Embrace of the Serpent” were two very impressive films for their messages. “Marguerite”, based on the life of American singer Florence Foster Jenkins, was a good film with a cast who rallied to the themes and ideas in the plot and who gave their very best.
As for the lesser lights of the year, Studio Ghibli predictably disappointed yet again with the insipid and pointless “The Red Turtle”. Another significant animated clunker was “Batman: The Killing Joke” which, for all the esteem the original comic is held in, should never have seen the light of day.
Legendary rock star David Bowie’s death in early January 2016 prompted me to look up “The Man who Fell to Earth”, “The Image” and a documentary which at the very least was entertaining if not very informative. Of other golden oldies, Martin Scorsese’s “New York, New York” made a huge impression on me as a showcase of Liza Minnelli’s talent (more so than “Cabaret”) and Kaneto Shindo’s “Onibaba” has lost none of its power as a post-apocalyptic shocker. I finally also got to see Sergei Eisenstein’s “Battleship Potemkin” and Todd Dawson’s “Freaks”.
If there is a lesson for me to learn from the films I saw in 2016, it is never to trust anything again from Studio Ghibli and to avoid the new Wonder Woman movie coming in 2017. I have seen the trailer for that film and it sure did not impress me.
I’m always ready and willing for any new surprises and I’m sure that 2017 will bring some new gems to treasure even as more and more dross is churned out.
Wishing all my readers a happy and healthy New Year in 2017.
Nausika / Under Southern Eyes