Year-End Lists

Mike D’Angelo: The Best Films of 2016, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
2. Right Now, Wrong Then
   Hong Sang-soo
3. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
4. Tower
   Keith Maitland
5. The Witch
   Robert Eggers
6. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
7. Author: The JT LeRoy Story
   Jeff Feuerzeig
8. Indignation
   James Schamus
9. London Road
   Rufus Norris
10. Everybody Wants Some!!
    Richard Linklater
11. Aquarius
    Kleber Mendonça Filho
12. Divines
    Houda Benyamina
13. A Monster with a Thousand Heads
    Rodrigo Plá
14. Weiner
    Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
15. Arrival
    Denis Villeneuve

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2016

The A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2016

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. Green Room
   Jeremy Saulnier
4. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
5. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
6. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
7. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
8. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
9. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
10. The Lobster
    Yorgos Lanthimos
11. Elle
    Paul Verhoeven
12. American Honey
    Andrea Arnold
13. Silence
    Martin Scorsese
14. The Fits
    Anna Rose Holmer
15. Everybody Wants Some!!
    Richard Linklater
16. The Witch
    Robert Eggers
17. Right Now, Wrong Then
    Hong Sang-soo
18. Midnight Special
    Jeff Nichols
19. Jackie
    Pablo Larraín
20. Louder Than Bombs
    Joachim Trier

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• A.V. Club: A.A. Dowd: The Best Films of 2016
• A.V. Club: Ignatiy Vishnevetsky: The Best Films of 2016
• A.V. Club: Jesse Hassenger: The Best Films of 2016
• A.V. Club: Katie Rife: The Best Films of 2016
• A.V. Club: Mike D’Angelo: The Best Films of 2016
• A.V. Club: Noel Murray: The Best Films of 2016

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

[see also 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013]

1. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
2. The Lobster
   Yorgos Lanthimos
3. Midnight Special
   Jeff Nichols
4. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
5. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
6. Sully
   Clint Eastwood
7. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
8. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
9. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
10. Three
    Johnnie To
11. Kill Zone 2
    Soi Cheang
12. High-Rise
    Ben Wheatley
13. Paterson
    Jim Jarmusch
14. Louder Than Bombs
    Joachim Trier
15. Right Now, Wrong Then
    Hong Sang-soo

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2016

IndieWire Poll: Top 50 Films of 2016 (as voted by 200 critics)

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
2. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
4. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
5. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
6. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
7. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
8. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
9. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
10. Jackie
    Pablo Larraín
11. Elle
    Paul Verhoeven
12. Certain Women
    Kelly Reichardt
13. Cameraperson
    Kirsten Johnson
14. The Lobster
    Yorgos Lanthimos
15. Cemetery of Splendor
    Apichatpong Weerasethakul
16. Silence
    Martin Scorsese
17. Everybody Wants Some!!
    Richard Linklater
18. The Fits
    Anna Rose Holmer
19. American Honey
    Andrea Arnold
19. The Witch
    Robert Eggers
21. Aquarius
    Kleber Mendonça Filho
22. Love & Friendship
    Whit Stillman
23. Green Room
    Jeremy Saulnier
23. No Home Movie
    Chantal Akerman
25. Sing Street
    John Carney
26. 20th Century Women
    Mike Mills
27. Things to Come
    Mia Hansen-Løve
28. Loving
    Jeff Nichols
29. Nocturnal Animals
    Tom Ford
30. Right Now, Wrong Then
    Hong Sang-soo
31. I Am Not Your Negro
    Raoul Peck
32. A Bigger Splash
    Luca Guadagnino
32. Knight of Cups
    Terrence Malick
34. Kubo and the Two Strings
    Travis Knight
35. Happy Hour
    Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
36. Krisha
    Trey Edward Shults
37. Chevalier
    Athina Rachel Tsangari
37. Hail, Caesar!
    Joel & Ethan Coen
37. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
    Taika Waititi
40. Swiss Army Man
    Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
41. I, Daniel Blake
    Ken Loach
42. 13th
    Ava DuVernay
43. Sunset Song
    Terence Davies
43. Weiner
    Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
45. Fire at Sea
    Gianfranco Rosi
46. Embrace of the Serpent
    Ciro Guerra
47. Neruda
    Pablo Larraín
48. Captain Fantastic
    Matt Ross
49. The Neon Demon
    Nicolas Winding Refn
50. Christine
    Antonio Campos

Nick Schager: The 25 Best Movies of 2016, as published by Esquire

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
2. The Lobster
   Yorgos Lanthimos
3. Green Room
   Jeremy Saulnier
4. Gleason
   Clay Tweel
5. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
6. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
7. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
8. The Fits
   Anna Rose Holmer
9. Jackie
   Pablo Larraín
10. Moonlight
    Barry Jenkins
11. Mountains May Depart
    Jia Zhang-ke
12. Paterson
    Jim Jarmusch
13. Manchester by the Sea
    Kenneth Lonergan
14. Embrace of the Serpent
    Ciro Guerra
15. Chevalier
    Athina Rachel Tsangari
16. The Nice Guys
    Shane Black
17. Hush
    Mike Flanagan
18. The Invitation
    Karyn Kusama
19. Louder Than Bombs
    Joachim Trier
20. The Handmaiden
    Park Chan-wook
21. Don’t Breathe
    Fede Alvarez
22. Kaili Blues
    Bi Gan
23. Ouija: Origin of Evil
    Mike Flanagan
24. Kill Zone 2
    Soi Cheang
25. Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids
    Jonathan Demme

Nick Allen: Top Ten Films of 2016, as published by RogerEbert.com

1. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
2. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
3. Pervert Park
   Frida and Lasse Barkfors
4. Masterminds
   Jared Hess
5. Blood on the Mountain
   Mari-Lynn C. Evans and Jordan Freeman
6. Off the Rails
   Adam Irving
7. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
8. Southside with You
   Richard Tanne
9. Sausage Party
   Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon
10. Spa Night
    Andrew Ahn

This list contributes to:

• RogerEbert.com: The Ten Best Films of 2016

Simon Abrams: Top Ten Films of 2016, as published by RogerEbert.com

1. April and the Extraordinary World
   Franck Ekinci, Christian Desmares
2. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
3. The Love Witch
   Anna Biller
4. Love & Friendship
   Whit Stillman
5. Evolution
   Lucile Hadzihalilovic
6. Cosmos
   Andrzej Zulawski
7. Louder Than Bombs
   Joachim Trier
8. Hail, Caesar!
   Joel & Ethan Coen
9. My Golden Days
   Arnaud Desplechin
10. Embrace of the Serpent
    Ciro Guerra

This list contributes to:

• RogerEbert.com: The Ten Best Films of 2016

Jacob Oller: Top Ten Films of 2016, as published by RogerEbert.com

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2017]

1. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
2. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. Kubo and the Two Strings
   Travis Knight
4. 20th Century Women
   Mike Mills
5. Green Room
   Jeremy Saulnier
6. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
7. The Lobster
   Yorgos Lanthimos
8. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
9. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
10. 10 Cloverfield Lane
    Dan Trachtenberg

This list contributes to:

• RogerEbert.com: The Ten Best Films of 2016

Sheila O’Malley: Top Ten Films of 2016, as published by RogerEbert.com

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

1. The Fits
   Anna Rose Holmer
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
4. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
5. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
6. No Home Movie
   Chantal Akerman
7. The Love Witch
   Anna Biller
8. Cemetery of Splendor
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
9. Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids
   Jonathan Demme
10. Under the Shadow
    Babak Anvari

This list contributes to:

• RogerEbert.com: The Ten Best Films of 2016

Nell Minow: Top Ten Films of 2016, as published by RogerEbert.com

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019]

1. Fences
   Denzel Washington
2. 13th
   Ava DuVernay
2. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
2. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
2. Kubo and the Two Strings
   Travis Knight
2. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
2. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
2. Sing Street
   John Carney
2. Zootopia
   Byron Howard and Rich Moore

Runner ups

• Eye in the Sky
  Gavin Hood
• Don’t Think Twice
  Mike Birbiglia
• Southside with You
  Richard Tanne
• Finding Dory
  Andrew Stanton
• Moana
  Ron Clements and John Musker
• Love & Friendship
  Whit Stillman
• Arrival
  Denis Villeneuve
• Loving
  Jeff Nichols
• The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years
  Ron Howard
• Keanu
  Peter Atencio
• The Edge of Seventeen
  Kelly Fremon Craig
• The Meddler
  Lorene Scafaria
• Hello, My Name Is Doris
  Michael Showalter
• Weiner
  Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
• Zero Days
  Alex Gibney
• Command and Control
  Robert Kenner
• I, Daniel Blake
  Ken Loach
• Little Men
  Ira Sachs
• A Monster Calls
  J.A. Bayona

This list contributes to:

• RogerEbert.com: The Ten Best Films of 2016