Hello and welcome to Jeremiah Trotter’s top 10 movies of 2016. Now, let’s be clear: these are the top 10 movies that I enjoyed the most from 2016… that I saw. So, of course you will have different opinions and different ideas of what is “the best” of 2016, but maybe you discover something on this list that you’d like to check out. And I’m definitely not opposed to debating the merits of individual films. Anyway, let me know how you feel in the comments if you get the urge.

We’re going to go in reverse order for the fun of suspense.

10) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

You did it DC. I acknowledge many of the flaws and weird plotlines, but you made it onto my top ten favorite movies this year. I won’t pretend that me being a massive superhero fan and a proud owner of the comic Batman: The Dark Knight Returns doesn’t factor into how much I liked this movie, but I think I also just liked a lot of things other people didn’t within the film.

Let’s talk about Batman, or Batfleck as I most respectfully refer to him. The costume was amazing, the quick and compelling rehash of his origin story at the beginning was beautiful and well done, and Bruce Wayne running through the destruction from Superman’s final fight in Man of Steel was such a perfect way of starting out the conflict and showing the real stakes of having superheroes in our world.

I think these themes of what it means to be a man when a superman exists are very compelling and are the focus of my favorite scenes in the movie. More than any other comic movie, this film really feels like a comic book, with especially some of the weirder eccentricities of the plot. I also really appreciate the symbolism in the classic “Martha” scene that so many people like to make fun of.

However, I don’t need to walk around all the tired controversies that have been talked to death by fans by now. I enjoy this movie especially this Batman, and I hope the DC universe can put out even better films in the future because more superheroes are always better in my book.

9) Doctor Strange

Marvel just keeps on going and I keep loving it, but I think this movie definitely has flaws. I didn’t like the villain in this movie, I thought he was terribly uncompelling. However, once again the hero worked for me and even more so the world building impressed me. I think the shining feature of this film is that it explains its universe precisely where many fantasy movies tend to struggle in this area. At the beginning of the film there is a battle between the Sorcerer Supreme and the movie’s villain, Kaecilius. All kinds of magic is thrown about with crazy visuals, and you just have to sit back and be amazed because you don’t understand anything yet. However, when I think back to that scene after watching the whole movie, I realize that I know everything that was happening in that scene and that’s a triumph when it comes to magic in fantasy.

Doctor Strange succeeded in setting up another aspect of the MCU and another hero to play off of in the future, and I loved the movie despite its flaws… but I am a Marvel fanboy after all.

8) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

There was a question with all of this renewed Star Wars hype, and I think it was answered with this movie. The question was whether or not the expanded universe stories that used to hide in the shadows of paperback novels could be brought into film, and if people would like them. I’m excited that this movie was great. It introduced quite a few characters that I got tragically attached to and operates as a great fleshing out of the universe along with the greater Star Wars films. I’m excited for all there is to come from this universe and definitely endorse this as one my favorite films of the year.

7) Zootopia

This wasn’t originally on my radar of movies I cared to go see this year, but my family unanimously agreed that they loved it when they saw it… and it conveniently ended up on Netflix later. I was surprised by this film. I thought it looked like a childish B animated film from the previews, but it presented likable characters with some real compelling themes without bashing you over the head with them as many kid focused animations do. All those things added up to a fun film I’m happy to put on my list.

6) Moana

I’m a huge Disney fan, and they’ve churned out one hit after another when it comes to animation. And I think they’ve done it again with this. I love that they are pushing for diversity and for this movie I know they even created a panel of people to advice on Polynesian culture so that they didn’t insult and alienate the culture.

But regardless of any of those politics, this is just a great  animated film with a touching message and fun and vibrant songs along with it.

5) 10 Cloverfield Lane

I’m a fan of Godzilla movies. I used to go into Blockbuster and ask my dad to get me a different one every time. (It’s funny that this reference dates me now.) The point of you knowing this is that I love monster movies, and I loved Cloverfield… and this was the weirdest sequel to a horror movie I’ve ever seen. Weird good though.

I was intrigued by this movie and in return it delivered one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve ever seen. All of the story and the tensions is developed from character. This was held high by amazing performances from all of its cast. It really stuck in my head just how exciting they could make hiding in a bunker, and the ability to stack action into a small space is something you really have to appreciate.

4) Arrival

I honestly didn’t know what I was walking into for this one. The previews didn’t look like much and didn’t show much and I decided to go see it almost on a whim, but this thing blew me away. Its rare that a movie reveals a new perspective on life and experience to me, but after I saw this film, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

This was a sci-fi film that didn’t hold its punches. I mean, I love myself the new Star Trek reboot and its sequel; but these are action films and they know it. This was a pure sci-fi film. A thought provoking and brain-breaking conceptual sci-fi movie with a beautiful message. For some people, it’ll be too much or boring or too hard to understand, but if you love sci-fi, this is where to get your fix this year.

3) Captain America: Civil War

This was a year of ensemble performances from our superhero hitters out there, and this was one of the most anticipated. Captain America: Civil War was based off one of the most controversial crossover events in Marvel’s history and focused on a fight between heroes and friends on a huge scale.  Of course, there was no doubt that this movie couldn’t possibly do anything close to the comic event, but watching heroes hit each other is my favorite thing.

This movie did some astounding things. It balanced a cast of ten different super heroes, actually introducing two of them for the first time and not only did the movie successfully juggle its large cast but its newly introduced characters were some of the biggest hits of the movie.

I admit that this movie harboured its own flaws, but I will say that I had so much fun watching all these characters collide that I’ve gone back and rewatched it many times already and I’m sure I’ll watch it many times still. My fanboy is truly happy about this one.

2) Deadpool

When I watched Wolverine: Origins there was one good thing that would come of it, Ryan Reynolds (beautiful man that he is) was cast as Deadpool… well kinda. Anyway that movie was terrible, but the first ten minutes weren’t too bad. DC really wasted Ryan Reynolds on Green Lantern, but now we know it just wasn’t the right character.

Deadpool was a perfect storm of passion, comedy and character. This was the role Ryan Reynolds was always meant to play, I’m just sad they had to ruin his beautiful face to do it. But this movie wasn’t just a triumph unto itself, it also proved that a more adult focused and R-rated hero could steal the show. I definitely recommend this one and own it myself already.

1) The Accountant

This was my favorite movie of this year for sure. I first learned about it when I was watching streams on Twitch and this commercial kept popping up and for some reason the grim music and stoic figure in the commercial caught my attention. I think it was the psychosis of it, a man who is an amazing killer but also has this issue abandoning tasks and in a battle with his own mind. It sounded like an autistic Batman, and it did not disappoint.

The movie had humor and serious issues and dealt with a condition like autism in a heroic way, a way that I hadn’t seen before. It was an original and enjoyable movie that had a near perfect mix of humor, action and mystery. The world deserves Autistic Batman and everyone should check out this movie.

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Editor’s note: Big B and Mo’ Money have both offered their “Top Movies of 2016” lists (here and here) as well. If you are interested in writing a top ten list, let us know. If you are interested in writing something else for Big B and Mo’ Money, let us know that as well.

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Jeremiah Trotter is an avid super hero nerd and appreciator of the adaptation. He believes in the power of catharsis and gets more attached to fictional characters than real people. His favorite things by category are: Favorite book series, Harry Potter; Favorite inspirational film,Children of Men; Favorite superhero film, The Dark Knight; Favorite cult film, Donnie Darko; Favorite comedy, Mean Girls; Favorite buddy cop film, Rush Hour; Favorite Netflix show, Jessica Jones; Favorite superhero, Spider-Man; Favorite fruit, Strawberries.