I have a confession to make: I watch too many movies. Its true. But hey, movies are fun!
Of the movies that were released in the 2016 calendar year, I watched 52 of them. Some were very good…some were very bad. I have found that often times how much I like a film I see is strongly determined by how much I was looking forward to seeing that movie, or rather, how much I was expecting to enjoy the movie. Sometimes I go into a movie not really expecting much from it at all, and I am pleasantly surprised. Other times I go to a movie and expect it to be the best movie of the year, and I am sadly disappointed. Usually, my expectations are met and are somewhat accurate, but not always. I try not to “get my hopes up” too much before I watch a movie, but looking forward to a big summer blockbuster or critically acclaimed award winner is sometimes half the fun!
So I decided to divide all the 2016 movies I saw into 3 categories.
Movies that:
- Exceeded Expectations
- Met Expectations
- Disappointed
Below are all the 2016 Movies I saw, divided into the aforementioned 3 categories, and given a star rating..from a scale of 1 to 5 (1*-5*). Some of the movies that disappointed me were actually very good movies, but I had expected even more from them. Some of the movies that exceeded my expectations were average movies, but I expected to dislike them. I provided a short explanation/review for the movies I saw that exceeded my expectations, but in the interest of time/length, I only provided a star* rating for the movies in the other two categories.
Hope you enjoy! See you at the movies!
(Note: This post looks VERY long…but its 98% pictures after the first section.)
Exceeded Expectations: 9 Movies
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi – 3*
I watched this one on Hulu last month…with very low expectations. Michael Bay is definitely good for blowing stuff up…but not much else. However, overall I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. Was it great? No. Was it a solid action/war movie, yes! The dialogue was still clunky, and there were way too many scenes of guys lifting weights and “bro-ing out” and “getting swole”…but if you trim some of that out, overall it was entertaining. It kind of reminded me of a poor man’s Black Hawk Down. Was it accurate to the events that actually happened in Benghazi? I have no idea.
Kung Fu Panda 3 – 3.5*
I thought the first two Kung Fu Panda movies were fun, but somewhat forgettable. I expected this third installment in the trilogy to be OK…and probably not as good as the two films that came before it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The story and animation were pretty great, and I liked it a lot more than I expected I would.
Bridget Jones’s Baby – 3.5*
I like a good chick flick! As a guy, I know that is an unpopular statement. However, I think a good romantic comedy is very enjoyable. Sometimes a light-hearted movie is exactly what you need. I had actually never seem a Bridget Jones movie before…but I kinda knew the basic premise. I thought this movie was funny, and the acting was pretty good too! Yes, it was predictable, and yes, it had some weird plot devices, but it was fun! I think I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, having not seen the previous movies in this franchise, but even as a standalone movie, I thought it was very entertaining.
The Secret Life of Pets – 3.5*
This was a fun movie. I especially liked Louis C.K. and Kevin Hart (as a bloodthirsty bunny) in this movie. It was a clever movie based on a clever idea.
Star Trek Beyond – 3.5*
I’ve liked all the Star Trek “reboot” movies so far, and this was no exception. My hopes were not quite as high for this film, since I had heard some negative feedback about it before I saw it, and since JJ Abrams was not directing. Justin Lin took over as director, and he is mainly known for the Fast & Furious franchise. Overall, I liked this film. It had a good mix of humor and action. I know Star Trek “purists” DID NOT like it…but I am not a Star Trek purist. It was a good action film, that happened to be a Star Trek film.
The Accountant – 3*
I had not really heard much about this movie, and honestly didn’t really know the plot before I watched it. I was pleasantly surprised! I always like Anna Kendrick, and I thought that Ben Affleck did a solid job in this role as well. The story was interesting…although it took some weird turns towards the end that were a little too far-fetched for me. The end kind of fell apart…but the first 2/3rds of the movie were good.
Moana – 4.5*
I just watched this movie for the first time recently at home, and really liked it! It was like a good classic Disney movie, but updated with the latest CG animation, etc. Disney has been on a roll lately with their animated films, and this one was no exception. Bonus points: The actress who voiced Moana, (Auli’i Cravalho) is only 16 and this was her first real movie role! And she sang the songs (very well!) in the movie! AND, she sang LIVE on stage at the Oscars! I mean…come on…she is impressive!
Zootopia – 4.5*
Great movie! Great story. Jason Bateman is awesome. This movie definitely deserved to win Best Animated Picture at this year’s Academy Awards. I’ve watched it many times (my son loves repeat viewings), and have yet to grow tired of it.
Pete’s Dragon – 4*
I didn’t really even like the original…but the remake was pretty good! I think since I wasn’t a huge fan of the previous movie, I had very low expectations for this one. However, it was a lot of fun, and it makes me want to visit New Zealand (filming location)!
Met Expectations: 25 Movies
La La Land – 4.5*
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – 3.5*
The Angry Birds Movie – 3*
Manchester By the Sea – 3.5*
Trolls – 3*
The Magnificent Seven – 3*
Storks – 3*
Jason Bourne – 3*
Suicide Squad – 3*
Nine Lives – 1.5*
X-Men: Apocalypse – 3*
Captain America: Civil War – 4*
Deadpool – 3*
Mother’s Day – 3*
How to be Single – 2.5*
The Shallows – 3*
The Divergent Series: Allegiant – 2.5*
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 – 3*
The Invitation – 3*
Criminal – 3*
Sing Street – 3*
The Nice Guys – 3*
Hell or High Water – 3*
Kubo and the Two Strings – 3*
Snowden: 2.5*
Disappointed: 18 Movies
Zoolander 2 – 1*
Finding Dory – 3.5*
Arrival – 2.5*
Ghostbusters – 2.5*
The Girl on the Train – 2.5*
Sausage Party – 0.5*
Central Intelligence – 2*
Independence Day: Resurgence – 2*
Now You See Me 2 – 1.5*
Alice Through the Looking Glass – 2*
Money Monster – 2.5*
The Jungle Book – 2.5*
The Boss – 2*
The BFG – 2.5*
The Little Prince – 2.5*
London Has Fallen – 2*
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – 2.5*
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice – 2*
Movies from 2016 I Still Want to See:
Moonlight, Hacksaw Ridge, Lion, Race, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Keanu, The Lobster, Eye in the Sky, Swiss Army Man, Florence Foster Jenkins, War Dogs, Sully, Deepwater Horizon, Masterminds, The Birth of a Nation, Keeping Up With the Joneses, Dr. Strange, Loving, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, The Edge of Seventeen, Nocturnal Animals, Allied, Bad Santa 2, Fences, Sing, Passengers, Hidden Figures, and Silence.
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