Year-End Lists

Cinema Scope: Top Ten Films of 2016

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

1. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
2. Sieranevada
   Cristi Puiu
3. Nocturama
   Bertrand Bonello
4. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
5. The Death of Louis XIV
   Albert Serra
6. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
7. The Dreamed Path
   Angela Schanelec
8. The Human Surge
   Eduardo Williams
9. Aquarius
   Kleber Mendonça Filho
10. Silence
    Martin Scorsese

Special mentions

• All the Cities of the North
  Dane Komljen
• Cameraperson
  Kirsten Johnson
• Hermia & Helena
  Matías Piñeiro
• Moonlight
  Barry Jenkins
• The Ornithologist
  João Pedro Rodrigues

Peter Labuza: 15 Favorite Films of 2016 (as posted to Letterboxd and discussed on The Cinephiliacs)

[see also 2017]

1. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
2. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
3. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
4. Mountains May Depart
   Jia Zhang-ke
5. Creepy
   Kiyoshi Kurosawa
6. Kill Zone 2
   Soi Cheang
7. Love & Friendship
   Whit Stillman
8. Sixty Six
   Lewis Klahr
9. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
10. Allied
    Robert Zemeckis
11. Sully
    Clint Eastwood
12. Hell or High Water
    David Mackenzie
13. Sunset Song
    Terence Davies
14. 20th Century Women
    Mike Mills
15. On Football
    Sergio Oksman

Keith Uhlich: 15 Favorite Films of 2016 (as published at his site and discussed on The Cinephiliacs)

[see also 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids
   Jonathan Demme
2. A Quiet Passion
   Terence Davies
3. Knight of Cups
   Terrence Malick
3. The Neon Demon
   Nicolas Winding Refn
4. The Lost City of Z
   James Gray
5. Ten Mornings, Ten Evenings and One Horizon
   Tomonari Nishikawa
6. The Girlfriend Experience
7. The BFG
   Steven Spielberg
7. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
8. 31
   Rob Zombie
8. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
9. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
9. Things to Come
   Mia Hansen-Løve
10. Nocturama
    Bertrand Bonello
10. The X-Files: Episode “Babylon”
    Chris Carter

Nictate: Top 11 Films of 2016, as posted to Letterboxd

[see also 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

1. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
2. The Lobster
   Yorgos Lanthimos
3. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
4. Things to Come
   Mia Hansen-Løve
5. Knight of Cups
   Terrence Malick
6. A Bigger Splash
   Luca Guadagnino
7. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
8. Café Society
   Woody Allen
9. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
10. The Handmaiden
    Park Chan-wook
11. Elle
    Paul Verhoeven

Brian Darr: Top Ten Feature Films of 2016, as submitted to the Senses of Cinema World Poll. See also his list of undistributed and first-screened-in-San Francisco films and a list of 19 short films.

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

1. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. No Home Movie
   Chantal Akerman
4. The Shallows
   Jaume Collet-Serra
5. The Salesman
   Asghar Farhadi
6. The Love Witch
   Anna Biller
7. Things to Come
   Mia Hansen-Løve
8. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
9. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
10. Nuts!
    Penny Lane

Reverse Shot: 12 Best Movies of 2016

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

1. No Home Movie
   Chantal Akerman
2. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
3. Cemetery of Splendor
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
4. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
5. Aquarius
   Kleber Mendonça Filho
6. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
7. Right Now, Wrong Then
   Hong Sang-soo
7. Sunset Song
   Terence Davies
8. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
9. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
9. Knight of Cups
   Terrence Malick
10. The Illinois Parables
    Deborah Stratman

Miriam Bale: Top 14 Films of 2016, as submitted to Village Voice Film Poll and posted to Twitter (14 films in total)

[see also 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
2. The Love Witch
   Anna Biller
3. Lemonade
   Beyoncé Knowles Carter and Kahlil Joseph with Jonas Åkerlund, Melina Matsoukas, Dikayl Rimmasch, Mark Romanek and Tod Tourso
4. Love & Friendship
   Whit Stillman
5. No Home Movie
   Chantal Akerman
6. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
7. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
8. Cemetery of Splendor
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
9. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
10. Dirty Grandpa
    Dan Mazer

As listed on Twitter

• Moonlight
  Barry Jenkins
• Sully
  Clint Eastwood
• The Love Witch
  Anna Biller
• Lemonade
  Beyoncé Knowles Carter and Kahlil Joseph with Jonas Åkerlund, Melina Matsoukas, Dikayl Rimmasch, Mark Romanek and Tod Tourso
• Personal Shopper
  Olivier Assayas
• Love & Friendship
  Whit Stillman
• Elle
  Paul Verhoeven
• The Dreamed Path
  Angela Schanelec
• No Home Movie
  Chantal Akerman
• The Dreamed Ones
  Ruth Beckermann

This list contributes to:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Top 50 Films of 2016

Ben Kenigsberg: 10 Best Films of 2016, as submitted to The Village Voice Film poll, Indiewire poll, and the survey at RogerEbert.com

[see also 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
2. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
3. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
4. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
5. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
6. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
7. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
8. Kate Plays Christine
   Robert Greene
9. The Other Side
   Roberto Minervini
10. Hogtown
    Daniel Nearing

Uproxx: 20 Best Films of 2016

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017]

1. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
4. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
5. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
6. 20th Century Women
   Mike Mills
7. Jackie
   Pablo Larraín
8. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
9. Zootopia
   Byron Howard and Rich Moore
10. Paterson
    Jim Jarmusch
11. Don’t Think Twice
    Mike Birbiglia
12. Arrival
    Denis Villeneuve
13. Sing Street
    John Carney
14. American Honey
    Andrea Arnold
15. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
    Taika Waititi
16. Weiner
    Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
17. Silence
    Martin Scorsese
18. Hidden Figures
    Theodore Melfi
19. Little Men
    Ira Sachs
20. Rogue One
    Gareth Edwards

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

[see also The 10 (or 11) Best Documentaries of 2021 • The Best Films of 2021 • The Best Films of 2020 • The Best Films of 2019 • Top 15 Films of 2018 • Best Films of 2017 • The Best Films of 2015 • Top 15 Films of 2014 • 15 Best Films of 2012 • Best Films of 2011]

1. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
2. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
3. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
4. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
5. Green Room
   Jeremy Saulnier
6. Jackie
   Pablo Larraín
7. The Eyes of My Mother
   Nicolas Pesce
8. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
9. The Fits
   Anna Rose Holmer
10. Hell or High Water
    David Mackenzie
11. I Am Not Your Negro
    Raoul Peck
12. Under the Shadow
    Babak Anvari
13. Arrival
    Denis Villeneuve
14. Certain Women
    Kelly Reichardt
15. Elle
    Paul Verhoeven

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2016