Year-End Lists

Darren Hughes: 10 Favorite Films of 2016 (as posted on Twitter along with a list of films yet to be released in America)

[see also 2021 • 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012]

1. My Golden Days
   Arnaud Desplechin
2. Aquarius
   Kleber Mendonça Filho
3. No Home Movie
   Chantal Akerman
4. Cemetery of Splendor
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
5. In the Shadow of Women
   Philippe Garrel
6. Mountains May Depart
   Jia Zhang-ke
7. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
8. The Fits
   Anna Rose Holmer
9. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
10. Certain Women
    Kelly Reichardt

Village Voice Film Poll: Top 50 Films of 2016 (as published by The Village Voice, comprised of votes from 124 critics)

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
2. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
4. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
5. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
6. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
7. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
8. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
9. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
10. Certain Women
    Kelly Reichardt
11. Cemetery of Splendor
    Apichatpong Weerasethakul
12. No Home Movie
    Chantal Akerman
13. The Lobster
    Yorgos Lanthimos
14. Arrival
    Denis Villeneuve
15. Hell or High Water
    David Mackenzie
16. Silence
    Martin Scorsese
17. Jackie
    Pablo Larraín
18. American Honey
    Andrea Arnold
19. Love & Friendship
    Whit Stillman
20. Things to Come
    Mia Hansen-Løve
21. I Am Not Your Negro
    Raoul Peck
22. Happy Hour
    Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
23. Everybody Wants Some!!
    Richard Linklater
24. Right Now, Wrong Then
    Hong Sang-soo
25. 13th
    Ava DuVernay
26. 20th Century Women
    Mike Mills
27. The Fits
    Anna Rose Holmer
28. The Love Witch
    Anna Biller
29. Green Room
    Jeremy Saulnier
30. Fire at Sea
    Gianfranco Rosi
31. Loving
    Jeff Nichols
32. The Neon Demon
    Nicolas Winding Refn
33. The Witch
    Robert Eggers
34. Hail, Caesar!
    Joel & Ethan Coen
35. Sing Street
    John Carney
36. Tower
    Keith Maitland
37. Fences
    Denzel Washington
38. Aquarius
    Kleber Mendonça Filho
39. Knight of Cups
    Terrence Malick
40. Weiner
    Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
41. Sunset Song
    Terence Davies
42. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
    Taika Waititi
42. The Edge of Seventeen
    Kelly Fremon Craig
44. Sully
    Clint Eastwood
45. The Other Side
    Roberto Minervini
46. I, Daniel Blake
    Ken Loach
47. My Golden Days
    Arnaud Desplechin
48. Embrace of the Serpent
    Ciro Guerra
48. The Nice Guys
    Shane Black
50. Julieta
    Pedro Almodóvar

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Miriam Bale: Top 14 Films of 2016
• Village Voice Film Poll: Scott Tobias: Top 10 Films of 2016

Bilge Ebiri: 20 Best Movies of 2016, as published by The Village Voice

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2015 • 2012]

1. The Fits
   Anna Rose Holmer
2. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
4. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
5. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
6. Fire at Sea
   Gianfranco Rosi
7. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
8. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
9. Tower
   Keith Maitland
10. Hell or High Water
    David Mackenzie
11. Little Men
    Ira Sachs
12. Knight of Cups
    Terrence Malick
13. Aquarius
    Kleber Mendonça Filho
14. I Am Not Your Negro
    Raoul Peck
15. Love & Friendship
    Whit Stillman
16. The Jungle Book
    Jon Favreau
17. Julieta
    Pedro Almodóvar
18. La La Land
    Damien Chazelle
19. Toni Erdmann
    Maren Ade
20. Kubo and the Two Strings
    Travis Knight

Dennis Cooper: 15 Favorite Films of 2016

[see also 2019 • 2017 • 2015 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

• Cameraperson
  Kirsten Johnson
• No Home Movie
  Chantal Akerman
• The Death of Louis XIV
  Albert Serra
• Nocturama
  Bertrand Bonello
• Malgré la nuit
  Philippe Grandrieux
• Knight of Cups
  Terrence Malick
• The Forbidden Room
  Guy Maddin
• Brothers of the Night
  Patric Chiha
• Les malheurs de Sophie
  Christophe Honoré
• Ashes
  Steve McQueen
• Cemetery of Splendor
  Apichatpong Weerasethakul
• Kuo’s Eyes
  Benedetta De Alessi
• Measuring Change
  James Benning
• Three
  Johnnie To
• Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey
  Terrence Malick

Joshua Rothkopf: Best Movies of 2016, as published by Time Out New York

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
2. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
3. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
4. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
5. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
6. Jackie
   Pablo Larraín
7. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
8. De Palma
   Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow
9. A Bigger Splash
   Luca Guadagnino
10. The Eyes of My Mother
    Nicolas Pesce
11. The Nice Guys
    Shane Black
12. O.J.: Made in America
    Ezra Edelman
13. The Lobster
    Yorgos Lanthimos
14. I Am Not Your Negro
    Raoul Peck
15. The Love Witch
    Anna Biller
16. I, Daniel Blake
    Ken Loach
17. Wiener-Dog
    Todd Solondz
18. Hardcore Henry
    Ilya Naishuller
19. Kate Plays Christine
    Robert Greene
20. The Witch
    Robert Eggers

Christopher Orr: 35 Best Movies of 2016, as published by The Atlantic

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014]

1. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
2. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
3. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
4. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
5. The Lobster
   Yorgos Lanthimos
6. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
7. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
8. Zootopia
   Byron Howard and Rich Moore
9. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
10. Loving
    Jeff Nichols
11. Hail, Caesar!
    Joel & Ethan Coen
12. Sing Street
    John Carney

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)

• The Birth of a Nation
  Nate Parker
• Captain America: Civil War
  Anthony and Joe Russo
• Don’t Think Twice
  Mike Birbiglia
• Elle
  Paul Verhoeven
• Elvis & Nixon
  Liza Johnson
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
  David Yates
• Fences
  Denzel Washington
• God Knows Where I Am
  Jedd Wider and Todd Wider
• Green Room
  Jeremy Saulnier
• Hacksaw Ridge
  Mel Gibson
• The Jungle Book
  Jon Favreau
• Kubo and the Two Strings
  Travis Knight
• Life, Animated
  Roger Ross Williams
• Love & Friendship
  Whit Stillman
• Moana
  Ron Clements and John Musker
• A Monster Calls
  J.A. Bayona
• The Nice Guys
  Shane Black
• Operation Avalanche
  Matt Johnson
• Rogue One
  Gareth Edwards
• Tallulah
  Sian Heder
• 10 Cloverfield Lane
  Dan Trachtenberg
• Weiner
  Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
• The Witch
  Robert Eggers

Jonathan Rosenbaum: Top 10 Films of 2016, as submitted to the IndieWire Poll

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
2. Cemetery of Splendor
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
3. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
4. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
5. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
6. The Love Witch
   Anna Biller
7. Indignation
   James Schamus
8. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
9. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
10. Miles Ahead
    Don Cheadle

Katie Rife: The Best Films of 2016, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

1. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
2. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
3. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
4. Green Room
   Jeremy Saulnier
5. The Lobster
   Yorgos Lanthimos
6. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
7. American Honey
   Andrea Arnold
8. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
9. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
10. Hell or High Water
    David Mackenzie
11. The Love Witch
    Anna Biller
12. The Fits
    Anna Rose Holmer
13. Toni Erdmann
    Maren Ade
14. The Witch
    Robert Eggers
15. Kubo and the Two Strings
    Travis Knight

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2016

Jesse Hassenger: The Best Films of 2016, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014]

1. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
2. American Honey
   Andrea Arnold
3. Green Room
   Jeremy Saulnier
4. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
5. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
6. Hail, Caesar!
   Joel & Ethan Coen
7. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
8. The Fits
   Anna Rose Holmer
9. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
10. Sing Street
    John Carney
11. Star Trek Beyond
    Justin Lin
12. The Lobster
    Yorgos Lanthimos
13. The Witch
    Robert Eggers
14. The Handmaiden
    Park Chan-wook
15. Certain Women
    Kelly Reichardt

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2016

A.A. Dowd: The Best Films of 2016, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013]

1. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
4. Green Room
   Jeremy Saulnier
5. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
6. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
7. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
8. Louder Than Bombs
   Joachim Trier
9. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
10. Don’t Breathe
    Fede Alvarez
11. Krisha
    Trey Edward Shults
12. Everybody Wants Some!!
    Richard Linklater
13. Weiner
    Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
14. Silence
    Martin Scorsese
15. Jackie
    Pablo Larraín

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2016