Film Feature: The 10 Best Films of 2016, By Patrick McDonald

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Moonlight

Moonlight
Photo credit: A24

Identity is something we all struggle with, and it is thrown into the blender of our lot in life – socially, economically and status-wise. “Moonlight” is an extraordinary examination of those determinants, told through a story about a poor African American male, portrayed by three actors in boyhood, high school and young adulthood. The boy happens to be gay, and that situation in his environment is not exactly conducive in “coming out.” What is expressed is as much a cycle of his life lottery – crack addict mother, drug dealer role model and law-of-the-jungle friendships – as who he eventually becomes. There are sensitive portrayals all around, especially by Mahershala Ali (as the role model), plus Trevante Rhodes and André Holland as the adult best friends. Their highly charged reunion in the third act is a fulfillment of quid pro quo intervention.

HIGHLIGHT: The subtleties of that third act, which is expressed as much through the subtext of looks and gestures, as it is in words.

Click here for the full review of “Moonlight.”
Click here for an interview with director Barry Jenkins and writer Tarell McCraney of “Moonlight.”
Click here for an interview with actor Naomie Harris of “Moonlight.”
Click here for an interview with actor André Holland of “Moonlight.”

Paterson

Paterson
Photo credit: Bleecker Street Media

From politician/poet Pablo Neruda to bus driver/poet Paterson is not much of a stretch, in the universe of creativity. Sizzling hot actor Adam Driver portrays the low-key driver/poet, who naturally (of course) drives his vehicle in Paterson, New Jersey. Written and directed by the terrifically low-key Jim Jarmusch (“Broken Flowers,” “Dead Man”), this exploration is about dreamers, as the aspirations of Paterson and his young wife (Golshifteh Farahani) stay on the front burner of their middle class lives. Poetry is everywhere, as the film expresses, and Paterson lives through those “everywheres” and delivers his heart. There are triumphs, tragedies and everyday people, in a rhythm that inspires the verse.

HIGHLIGHT: The confrontation of Paterson and a Japanese tourist towards the end, that motivates a new beginning.

Paterson is currently in limited release (January 20th, 2017, in Chicago), see local listings for theaters and show times.

Toni Erdmann

Toni Erdmann
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

Did you know that Romania is the hotbed for foreign language films this year? “Toni Erdmann” is the fifth film of writer/director Maren Ade, and is a combined German/Austrian/Romanian production that hilariously indulges the meaning of life. Ines (Sandra Hüller) is a hard-charging business woman, who rarely sees her wacky and widowed father Winfried (Peter Simonischek). When Winfried’s beloved dog passes away, he decides to shadow his daughter and increase her appetite for living, in the guise of his alter ego Toni Erdmann. There are so many highlights in the film there are too many to list, needless to say it’s a poignant reminder of the short porch we all stand on, in life’s rich pageant.

HIGHLIGHT: The first five “Plot Keywords” on the Internet Movie Data Base are father/daughter conflict, father/daughter relationship, deadpan humor, male full frontal nudity and pubic hair. Interpret that as you please.

“Toni Erdmann” – nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes – is in limited release (January 20th, 2017, in Chicago). See local listings for theaters and show times.

Hell or High Water

Hell or High Water
Photo credit: CBS Films

To get a sense of “Hell or High Water,” it’s best to reference the anti-hero films of the 1970s (“Five Easy Pieces” comes to mind). A truly American film, from its Texas settings to its economic intricacies, the plot is a simple circumstance of two brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) robbing banks, and a two-weeks-before-retirement Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) out to capture them. What is not simple is the complexities of the reasons behind the robberies and the characters that are encountered along the way, in addition to the culture of Texas and post-millennial America. The pursuit is strong, as the Bridges character represents an older version of justice, and the brothers represent a newer version – one where other criminals rob as well, just not with guns and masks. The film is expressive and dramatically pleasurable from the first frame to the last, with performances that fit perfectly within the story – this is simply a great roller coaster ride of a film.

HIGHLIGHT: Give credit where credit is due – the writer is Taylor Sheridan (“Sicario”) and the Scottish/UK director is David Mackenzie, who makes his American film debut.

“Hell or High Water” is available for download and was released on DVD in November of 2016.

Jackie

Jackie
Photo credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures

This may be a generational thing, but I thought “Jackie” perfectly encompassed the tragedy of the United States, through the mourning of a president’s widow after he was killed – by a bullet to the brain on a American street. Jacqueline Kennedy (Natalie Portman) was only 34 years old when John F. Kennedy was assassinated right next to her, and the film follows her planning of an elaborate funeral for her husband, while the feelings whirl around this horrific event. This is director Pablo Larrain’s second 2016 biography film – from a script by Noah Oppenheim – and like “Neruda” he doesn’t do a straight line narrative, opting to create a rich palette of symbolism and a representative portrait of the First Widow. Natalie Portman provides one of the best performances of the year, and the camera never blinks through a killing field of lost hope.

HIGHLIGHT: In recreating the assassination, director Larrain moves the presidential limousine through a series of underpasses, a reference that Jackie Kennedy made in the interviews she did right after the tragedy.

Click here for the full review of “Jackie.”
Click here for a one question overview of how director Pablo Larrain of “Jackie” captured the JFK assassination (scroll down, it’s in the slideshow article).

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com