Rath Awards 2016

Wow! What in God's name happened to 2016? It feels like I was just posting the 2015 Rath Awards and now we're already ringing in 2017. Crazy how time flies. 2016 was a year that saw many ups and downs around the world and in the realm of entertainment. But this post will celebrate the highs (mostly) and not just of film. Ohhhhh no! The Rath Awards are where I go BIG. How BIG you may ask? For the past 365 days, give or take, I've been tracking my favorites in music, TV, videogames, and of course, movies. Below are my musings on what I loved in 2016 and why. Disagree? Think you have a better list? Shoot me a comment -- I love to hear all your thoughts about the Rath Awards. It is my favorite post after all!

For previous Rath Awards, feel free to check out the links below:

RA 2015 -- RA 2014 -- RA 2013 -- RA 2012 -- RA 2011

As always, we're starting with the most subjective of award categories: music. I'll be honest; it was an okay year for my earbuds. I wish I could exclaim that I was blown away like last year but I really wasn't. Maybe my taste in music is changing, or maybe it's the odd focus on singles as compared to albums anymore. But there were a rare few albums that I enjoyed all the way through. So here are my picks for R&B, Alternative, Rap/Hip-hop, and Pop. Enjoy!

Best R&B Album

Majid Jordan by Majid Jordan

DARKNESS AND LIGHT by John Legend

Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande

Blonde by Frank Ocean

Winner: DARKNESS AND LIGHT by John Legend
Runner-up: Majid Jordan by Majid Jordan

This year it seems the R&B genre was lacking, but hey, we still got a damn good John Legend album out of it. Normally I really enjoy this genre and the directions that it's taking, as Legend tries in his album, but overall there just weren't many competitors this year.

Best Alternative Album

Matter by St. Lucia

All I Need by Foxes

Pool by Porches

55 by The Knocks

The Human Condition by Jon Bellion

Two Vines by Empire of the Sun

Winner: All I Need by Foxes
Runner-up: Two Vines by Empire of the Sun

I have a best of 2016 playlist that I monitor on Spotify. Many, many songs made it from the alternative genre as it had an amazing year. Each of these albums has its high points, but as far as alternative goes, I really enjoyed whenever my 2016 playlist would bring up any of the 4-5 Foxes songs I placed on it. 

Best Rap/Hip-hop Album

The Life of Pablo by Kanye West

VIEWS by Drake

COLLEGROVE by 2 Chainz

"Awaken My Love!" by Childish Gambino

Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper

Winner: Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper
Runner-up: VIEWS by Drake

I'll admit, I haven't listened to this particular album a whole lot this year, especially when compared to the runner up. But Chance the Rapper is insanely talented and I think this is the best pure rap album to come from anyone this year. It's got some great tracks, including probably one of my favorite of the year with "All Night". It's fun and witty and stands out in an overly crowded genre. 

Best Pop Album

ANTI by Rihanna

Mind of Mine by ZAYN

Glory Days by Little Mix

24K Magic by Bruno Mars

Starboy by The Weeknd

Lady Wood by Tove Lo

Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin by Kid Cudi

Winner: 24K Magic by Bruno Mars
Runner-up: Lady Wood by Tove Lo

Obviously by all the nominees there, the lines of this genre are starting to blur with other genres, specifically this year. But this was the album that stood out to me as the best "Pop" for most of its duration. In classic Mars fashion we get hooks that instantly ingrain themselves in our head and get our feet moving. And isn't that what Pop is all about? 

Best Hit Song

Don't Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers

Work From Home by Fifth Harmony

Can't Stop the Feeling! by Justin Timberlake

24K Magic by Bruno Mars

Closer by The Chainsmokers

Starboy by The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk

Winner: Can't Stop the Feeling! by Justin Timberlake
Runner-up: Closer by The Chainsmokers

I can almost hear audible groans from those of you trying to escape these songs, but c'mon people! Every nominee is a catchy, toe-tapping dancing kind of song. In a world of single song releases, these ones caught fire quickly and have yet to burn out. JT's seemingly good ol' fashioned dance track is infectious. Unfortunately all the terrible DJ's that post up in Denver bars don't necessarily agree with me whenever I request it -- must be why their dance floors are always empty!

Artist of the Year

Drake

The Chainsmokers

Ariana Grande

The Weeknd

Fifth Harmony

21 Pilots

Winner: The Chainsmokers
Runner-up: Drake

They pretty much lived and died (ok, basically only lived) in the single-track scene, but their songs have been destroying the charts. I'm about 99.9% sure they have toppled a few world records this year and you can't go very far without hearing "Closer", love it or hate it. Throw in the fact that I saw them at Red Rocks for a fantastic show and you've got your busiest Artists of the Year.

Album of the Year

5 - Gouldian Finch by San Holo

4 - Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin' by Kid Cudi

3 - Starboy by The Weeknd

1 - The Human Condition by Jon Bellion
2 - 22, A Million by Bon Iver

Picking the bottom two albums to round out this list was really difficult this year, but I've had my Top 2-3 established for quite some time now. Bon Iver is about the only artist that didn't disappoint in any way with their highly anticipated return album, nor did The Weeknd, though Starboy wasn't quite as great as his achievements last year. Jon Bellion outdid them all though. Wha?? Who?? I also had no idea who this was, but his album is an incredibly fun audible journey -- almost a story -- that has phenomenal singles, great vocals, solid rapping, and is insanely able to be listened to again and again. In a year where music was only slightly above "meh" for the most part, these are a couple of albums that were anything but. 

Television truly seems to be the medium that keeps on giving these days. I'm not sure I can necessarily remember the last time I've been super disappointed by an entire year of TV and this year had icing on the cake with a ton of great new shows that made their debut. Hell, there's five new shows in the title pictures above alone. Not to mention we got some really strong seasons of our current favorites that just kept audiences coming back for more.

Best Newcomer

Legends of Tomorrow

The People vs. OJ Simpson: An American Crime Story

Stranger Things

Westworld

Designated Survivor

Luke Cage

Winner: Westworld
Runner-up: Stranger Things

I enjoyed each of the nominated series immensely, but these two really captivated myself and other audiences this year by becoming pop culture phenomenons and also being really damn good. Westworld earned the top spot with an explosive finale and it's clear that HBO has found its eventual successor to Game of Thrones. The promise of more to come from both of these is exciting. 

Best Superhero Show

The Flash

Legends of Tomorrow

Arrow

Daredevil

Luke Cage

Winner: The Flash
Runner-up: Daredevil

This one was truly difficult between the top two. Daredevil's second season was exciting as hell, but I just really, really enjoy the Flash. It rarely has an episode that flat out disappoints me and the combination of fun, memorable characters, time travel, mystery, surprisingly excellent special effects, and action keep me coming back. 

Most Anticipated

The Leftovers Season 3 (Final Season)

The Flash Season 3B

Designated Survivor Season 1B

Game of Thrones Season 7

Stranger Things Season 2

The Defenders (Premiere)

House of Cards Season 5

Winner: The Leftovers Season 3 (Final Season)
Runner-up: The Defenders (Premiere)

This was another really hard decision. Out of all these shows confirmed or highly likely to return in 2017, I want to see how The Leftovers concludes. If you've skipped this show until now, shame on you, but there's time to catch up. It has mysteries to keep you interested but it's a very spiritual experience about dealing with loss and the unknown. Not to mention the piano-based original score will make you cry. Sincerely one of the best things on television right now, and that's some high praise. 

Best Actress

Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark in The People vs. OJ Simpson: An American Crime Story

Keri Russel as Elizabeth Jennings in The Americans

Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores in Westworld

Thandie Newton as Maeve in Westworld

Winona Ryder as Joyce in Stranger Things

Winner: Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark in The People vs. OJ Simpson: An American Crime Story
Runner-up: Thandie Newton as Maeve in Westworld

There are a lot of great performances up there but this one was really no contest for me. Paulson's portrayal was the beating heart of this series and she kept us invested more than any of the men in the room. The series may have made the whole ordeal interesting again, but the life she breathed into this character gave it a lot more gravity and poise. 

Best Actor

Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson in Mr. Robot

Jeffrey Wright as Bernard Lowe in Westworld

Cuba Gooding Jr as OJ Simpson in The People vs. OJ Simpson: An American Crime Story

Jon Bernthal as The Punisher in Daredevil

Kit Harrington as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones

Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman in Designated Survivor

Winner: Kit Harrington as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones
Runner-up: Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson in Mr. Robot

It's hard for me not to give this to Malek, even if Season 2 of Mr. Robot was a bit of a letdown. It's rare that Game of Thrones actors get the spotlight as they have little screentime, but the time we all spent with Jon Snow this past year was memorable. He really drove this season in my eyes and I think that Harrington has become one with the character -- could we really imagine anyone else playing him at this point? I think not and that's what helped him take the edge in a competitive award this year. 

Best Episode

"Welcome to Earth-2" -- The Flash

"Pilot" -- Designated Survivor

"San Junipero" -- Black Mirror

"The Winds of Winter" -- Game of Thrones

"Battle of the Bastards" -- Game of Thrones

Winner: (tie) "Battle of the Bastards" & "The Winds of Winter" -- Game of Thrones & "San Junipero" -- Black Mirror
Runner-up: "Welcome to Earth-2" -- The Flash

Well, there ya have it! The first ever THREE WAY TIE at the Rath Awards. Or at least I think it's the first...Anyway, these were all episodes that I adored. Starting with the lone wolf of "San Junipero", it was a interesting first ride that I wanted to go on immediately after finishing. I hated it until about 30 minutes in when I actually started piecing things together and it's the most beautiful Black Mirror episode there is, not to mention one of that series' best. "Battle of the Bastards" and "The Winds of Winter" worked like a Game of Thrones movie and they were so f**king good that if they had been a combined movie, it likely would have made my Top 10 this year. There was a massive battle, betrayal, manipulation and murder on a grand scale, and some awesome performances. Truly some of that series' best work.

Best Comedy

New Girl

Ballers

The Last Man on Earth

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Modern Family

South Park

Atlanta

Winner: New Girl
Runner-up: Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Both of these shows keep me laughing consistently and choosing one over the other was difficult. but New Girl has recently returned to its old form. In fact, I'd it's currently the best its ever been as characters like Schmidt and Winston are firing on all cylinders. Either way, Fox has a pair of comedies that's it's not likely to let go of anytime soon; they're some of the best on TV right now.

Best Drama

The Flash

The 100

The People vs. OJ Simpson: An American Crime Story

The Americans

Game of Thrones

Daredevil

Westworld

House of Cards

Stranger Things

Winner: Game of Thrones
Runner-up: House of Cards

I really adored House of Cards this year and it was easily its best season yet. Yet, there was something special about Game of Thrones this season and it delivered and delivered and delivered. I've already gushed about the final episodes of the season above, but even before that it was pretty phenomenal and engrossing stuff as we race ever closer to the finish line of this tangled, complicated, and woven conflict. This season also had the added bonus of being a surprise to everyone, even readers of the novels, so it was doubly as exciting for me to see where things went. And boy oh boy, did they get messy. Truly one of the most exciting seasons of TV in some time. 

Each year there is that one form of entertainment that is shoulders above the others. It's the medium that really gives that year and makes it substantially better. For 2016 that was videogames, 1000%. I handed out 4 (FOUR!) perfect scores to videogames this year. Not only that but each 10/10 I handed out was some of each respective genre's absolute best. This Fall/Holiday has been particularly stressful as I painfully endure one of the world's most "First World Problems": I simply have too many awesome videogames to play and not enough time. What a problem to have...

Most Unique Multiplayer 

The Division

Overwatch

Forza Horizon 3

Watch Dogs 2

Winner: The Division
Runner-up: Watch Dogs 2

First, some housekeeping. You may notice a couple awards for games are missing this year. That's because I didn't feel the need for them as there wasn't a studio that totally stood out to me as the "Best", nor was anything I played a massive disappointment this year. As for this award, I proudly give it to The Division, probably the most hated game of the year and I still cant quite understand why. My friends and I adored our time with it and the Dark Zone is one of the most brilliant things to come along in gaming this generation. It definitely had some problems and loopholes, but my God could it be an intense experience, often times without firing a single bullet. It's the internet and people love to complain, but I for one loved and still do love The Division. 

Best Multiplayer

The Division

Overwatch

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Titanfall 2

Battlefield 1

Winner: Titanfall 2
Runner-up: (TIE) Overwatch and Battlefield 1

This was easily one of the hardest decisions this year across any award. I invested a lot of time into each of these games' multiplayer components and they are each unique in their own right. Titanfall is fast and hectic, Overwatch is fun and strategic, and Battlefield is slow and methodical. Each awesome in their own right and each very fun to play. But Titanfall stood out to me because it's just so much damn fun. Pilots vs. pilots, pilots vs. titan, and titan vs. titan gameplay keeps the short games quick, interesting, and you're always on your toes. It's an absolute blast and the best of the year. 

Best Campaign

Quantum Break

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Gears of War 4

Battlefield 1

Titanfall 2

Winner: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Runner-up: Titanfall 2

The runner-up is so good in this case that it deserves a special shout-out. If you haven't played Titanfall 2's campaign yet, you're failing. But Holy s**t is Uncharted 4's campaign memorable. Some claim that it's third act is overlong (*cough IGN cough cough*) but that person was probably high as a kite when they said that. It's basically perfect and a perfect send off to one of gaming's favorite heroes, both in terms of gameplay and storytelling. It's hard to say it's the best of the bunch mainly because the previous two are so good as well, but I'd argue for it. 

Most Fun

Far Cry Primal

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Overwatch

Titanfall 2

Forza Horizon 3

Winner: Overwatch
Runner-up: Titanfall 2

What defines fun? I don't quite know how to answer that, but I imagine it's very close to just playing Overwatch. When playing alone, Overwatch is a blast, but when playing with friends it's downright incredible. It's highly unique, funny, amusing, frustrating, and invigorating all at the same time. I've had games come down to the last second, even last milliseconds, before and it will get your heart pounding with excitement...or rage...or a bit of both. 

Most Anticipated in 2017

For Honor

Horizon: Zero Dawn

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Halo Wars 2

Winner: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Runner-up: Horizon: Zero Dawn

There's a huge disclaimer to this award that these are confirmed titles only. The list of games probable for 2017 would shift this outcome pretty significantly, but despite that, I'm okay giving the new Mass Effect game top honors for now. It was one of the best and most complete trilogies from last generation and I can't wait to see A) where the story goes and B) what they can do with new hardware. It's sure to be a GOTY contender.

Best Soundtrack/Original Score

Quantum Break

Far Cry Primal

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Watch Dogs 2

Battlefield 1

Winner: Far Cry Primal
Runner-up: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

In previous years I've split these awards up but there weren't enough nominations this year to do so. That shouldn't take anything away from our winner however as one of the best things about Far Cry Primal (among a pretty long list) was the way the music interwove into your gameplay. It was pulsing, intense, and often timed with something that was about to happen, heightening your caveman senses. It added a lot to a game that was already fairly in-your-face to begin with. 

Best Graphics

The Division

Far Cry Primal

Quantum Break

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Battlefield 1

Forza Horizon 3

Winner: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Runner-up: Forza Horizon 3

There was some insane competition this year for Best Graphics. I am a total graphics whore, but even I was surprised that there were games competing with Uncharted 4, the most of which was the painfully gorgeous and sexy Forza Horizon 3. Even still, it's hard to best a Naughty Dog game. They are a development team of witches and wizards and create games that consistently look as good as the screenshot above (which is from my playthrough FYI). The Uncharted 4 campaign took me about 30 hours to complete. That's because I spent about 5+ hours in the game's "photo" mode as I was consistently blown away by the imagery and wanting to keep a memory forever. Not many games can make me do that. With Uncharted 4 I couldn't stop dong that. 

Game of the Year

Honorable Mentions: The Division -- Far cry Primal -- Quantum Break -- Gears of War 4

5) Battlefield 1 

4) Forza Horizon 3

3) Overwatch 

1) Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
2) Titanfall 2

First off, I should recognize that list of games above. Probably the strongest one in the last 6 years I've been doing this. There are four "10/10 -- Instant Classic" ratings in there and one 9.5/10. Simply an incredible gaming year if you knew where to look. And as close as Titanfall 2 came to snagging this award, it's really borderline impossible to beat Naughty Dog at their best, and Uncharted 4 was arguably one of their best. Not even mentioning it's fun and frantic multiplayer or the fact a recent patch added "horde" mode for free, it's a game with deep meaning for one of PlayStation and gaming in general's best heroes. Its story is grand and memorable, the setpieces are absolute jaw droppers, and from a technical aspect it's near perfect. I'll remember all of the games on this list very fondly. But I'll likely adore this capstone of my favorite gaming series the most. 

It was an...interesting...year at the movies. To say the least. Many large films disappointed on massive scales while others surprised and, to be quite frank, indies ruled the year. Luckily not all blockbusters were below average (or outright bad) and in the realm of comedy it was an absolute goldmine. It's likely that Hollywood learned a great deal this year -- mainly about long dormant franchises and how little people care about them anymore -- and I know I had to get more creative with my searching for great films. Because I'm busier these days I purposefully skipped many outright bad films but I still believe there was enough to love at the cinema this year as long as you knew where to look. *Also, no films are linked this year as it looks kind of sloppy. The site is user friendly and you should be able to find any review your heart desires by searching for it.*

Best Retro Review

Predestination

Aliens

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Saving Private Ryan

Winner: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Runner-up: (TIE) Aliens and Saving Private Ryan

For starters, I should apologize to those of you who love my Retro Reviews. I failed you massively this year and this was basically the casualty of 2016 and me generally becoming busier. Also, how on earth do I pick between those three films? This one really came down to personal preference and I'm sure my answer would change depending on the day, but man oh man do I love The Fellowship of the Ring!

   Best Month

April

May

November

August

Winner: May
Runner-up: April

Looking back, May really was a great month at the cinema. Civil War was obviously the highlight, but it also featured what would become a theme for 2016: strong comedies and strong indies. It was a perfect combo of all three and beats out its eleven jealous brethren. 

Best Season

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winner: Spring
Runner-up: Fall

Spring is historically one of the better seasons for Rath's Reviews every year and 2016 was no different. It includes the aforementioned month of May, but also included another 10/10 film and some others that I really enjoyed. It was significantly ahead of the other seasons that were often weighed down with a couple really poor films. 

Rath's Wrath (aka "Worst Movie")

Dirty Grandpa

Independence Day: Resurgence

Suicide Squad

Assassin's Creed

Allegiant

Zoolander 2

Winner: Suicide Squad
Runner-up: Independence Day: Resurgence

Call it harbored resentment, call it immaturity, call it whatever you want. Suicide Squad still hurts. There was so much potential and those trailers were SO. DAMN. GOOD. Not only was Suicide Squad disappointing, it was outright bad. Stupidly bad. As in, "How on earth did these creative decisions get made?!?!" kind of bad. Other than some standout characters, there was nothing redeeming about it. It's humor was awful and forced, the action was the absolute lamest of the year, the villain was horrifically dumb, and the whole thing was edited together haphazardly. Somehow it made buckets of money (I'm sure Margot Robbie in short shorts had nothing to do with that) so let's hope everyone gets their s**t together for the sequel. 

Biggest Disappointment

Hail, Caesar!

Zoolander 2

10 Cloverfield Lane

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Suicide Squad

X-Men: Apocolypse

Independence Day: Resurgence

Winner: Suicide Squad 
Runner-up: Zoolander 2

To my memory this is the first time that the same film has both won the worst and biggest disappointment award, but if it was going to be any film, it would be Suicide Squad. It had the trailers. It had the star power. It had the look and feel of something special. It had the Joker. It had all the right ingredients to be the movie that DC needed to prove that they're actually going to compete against Marvel. Instead, it was a blubbering mess with clear, asinine involvement from studio heads and made it clear to just about everyone that DC is in huge trouble and Marvel is about as safe as they've ever been. 

Biggest Surprise

Hardcore Henry

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Sing Street

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Sausage Party

The Magnificent Seven

La La Land

Winner: Hardcore Henry
Runner-up: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

This is an award best explained as: where expectations were when entering the theater and where they ended up after. Hardcore Henry was hated by many, but I was definitely not one of them. I thought it was a fun experiment that was as zany and bonkers as you'd think going in. I enjoyed the hell out of a film that made most others get nauseous and to be honest, that's what I had half expected heading into the theater.

Best Movie I Didn't See

Everybody Wants Some

Don't Think Twice

Don't Breath

Moonlight

Winner: Moonlight
Runner-up: Don't Breath

For some reason I couldn't quite ever make time for Moonlight and I honestly don't have a good excuse why. Same goes for most the films on this list which is why I have the award every year. If I were to guess -- I'm betting Moonlight is a fine film, but also somewhat over praised. That may be a hot take, sure, but maybe that's subconsciously why I could never get around to seeing it despite ample opportunity. 

Movie I Overrated the Most

X-Men: Apocalypse

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

Zoolander 2

Inferno

Snowden

Jason Bourne

Winner: X-Men Apocalypse
Runner-up: Inferno

Tell me something. Other than that fantastic Quicksilver scene, what do you remember about Apocalypse? Anything? At all? It was about as derivative as superhero films get and I think a portion of my score was reminiscing about the fantastic previous installment, Days of Future Past. Quite a far fall from grace this film had. Looking back, I think a 6/10 maximum is what this should have gotten instead of its 7.5.

Movie I Underrated the Most

10 Cloverfield Lane

The Nice Guys

La La Land

Doctor Strange

Arrival

Winner: The Nice Guys
Runner-up: La La Land

Often times this occurs in retrospect after many months. Certain films stick with me longer than I presumed initially and they're usually all "good" to "great" films. This year, I think I did disservice to The Nice Guys with an 8.5/10. It was hilarious and I still remember a lot about it's fun characters, crazy plot, and stellar physical comedy. It deserved better...like a 9-9.5 type of better.

Most Original

Zootopia

Keanu

Sausage Party

Kubo and the Two Strings

Arrival

Winner: Arrival
Runner-up: Sausage Party

This year may not have been as striking as last in terms of sheer originality of the winner, but it was more the approach that earned Arrival this award. Focused more on the barrier of language that we're likely to have with any alien encounter, the film was able to be exciting and cerebral and standout pretty distinctly from a genre that's seen its fair share of attempts. 

Most Anticipated for 2017

Star Wars Episode VIII

Spider-man: Homecoming

The Fate of the Furious

Logan

Dunkirk

Justice League

Wonder Woman

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Thor: Ragnarok

War for the Planet of the Apes

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Winner: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Runner-up: Star Wars Episode VIII

First of all -- holy s**t is 2017 likely to be an awesome year for huge films. That list, even if you remove the DC films (since they could go either way) is insane. And second, I realize that I'll probably be hyped out of my mind for Episode VIII, as will everyone. But we've yet to see anything for it, much less hear anything. And let's be real. Baby Groot and more Guardians of the Galaxy is right up my alley. I sincerely imagine that this film will be wonderful and clambering for a spot in my Top 10 at this point next year. 

Best 3D

The Jungle Book

Captain America: Civil War

Pete's Dragon

Kubo and the Two Strings

Doctor Strange

Winner: Doctor Strange
Runner-up: Kubo and the Two Strings

3D is something that Marvel does surprisingly poorly, at least with in relation to how it could bring more to their films. That changed with Doctor Strange though as it was honestly the best 3D IMAX experience I've had in years, especially in the finale as various cities fold and twist and turn inward on one another. It's a visual treat for sure. 

Best Sound/Sound Editing

Hardcore Henry

Captain America: Civil War

Star Trek Beyond

Jason Bourne

Kubo and the Two Strings

Arrival

Doctor Strange

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Winner: Arrival
Runner-up: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

This was an easy choice for this award because sound and the subsequent editing of it is one of the many things that made Arrival so special, not to mention it plays a huge role in the overall plot. All of this was exquisitely put together in creepy but almost discernible tones that outweighed the more cumbersome blockbuster sounds (that should be noted were also very good this year).

Best Special Effects

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

The Jungle Book

Captain America: Civil War

Independence Day: Resurgence

Star Trek Beyond

Doctor Strange

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Winner: Doctor Strange
Runner-up: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

There were some great examples of fantastic visuals this year, even in some bad films. Doctor Strange took the cake with its stupendous last 30 minutes with a litany of scenes that seemed to be Inception on steroids (or acid). That these scenes looked as real and convincing as they did is a testament to the detail of the team that worked them because you guys just beat Rogue One at special effects. That's no easy feat. 

Best Action

Deadpool

Hardcore Henry

Captain America: Civil War

The Magnificent Seven

Hacksaw Ridge

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Winner: Captain America: Civil War
Runner-up: Deadpool

This year had some rather disappointing action flicks (i.e. Jason Bourne) but there were moments of outstanding, captivating, and well edited action. Civil War had tons of this and featured some of the best choreography of any superhero film ever. The airport scene alone is enough to secure its win for this year, but it also had a stellar chase scene and character-driven finale that was as memorable as it was cool. 

Best Soundtrack

Deadpool

Sing Street

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Suicide Squad

Winner: Deadpool
Runner-up: Sing Street

These are all some very different films nominated for this particular award, but I felt as if Deadpool's soundtrack added the most to that film, leading for some very funny moments, including the one above. I may not necessarily listen to any of these on a regular basis, but I still adore almost every song that plays throughout Deadpool. 

Best Original Score

The Revenant

Hardcore Henry

Finding Dory

Jason Bourne

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Kubo and the Two Strings

La La Land

Arrival

Moana

Jackie

Winner: La La Land
Runner-up: Arrival

What a year it has been for original scores! There has been some memorable and moving original music in a wide variety of films, many of which were perfectly suited for their moments, a la Arrival. La La Land is in a different league entirely though. The music is uplifting, sad, captivating, and monumental all at once. It's unforgettable, just like the film itself. And that original score and original music has been playing consistently on my Spotify ever since.

Best Cinematography

The Revenant

The Jungle Book

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Kubo and the Two Strings

Pete's Dragon

Hell or High Water

La La Land

Arrival

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Jackie

Winner: The Revenant
Runner-up: Arrival

It may have come out all the way back in January (thanks to some poor limited release B.S.) but The Revenant's images still stick with me and what's even more incredible is that the entire movie is like that, not just a few stills here and there. As much as I wanted to give this to Arrival, which is nearly on the same page as The Revenant from a cinematography standpoint, I had to recognize the true king this year. 

Funniest Movie

Deadpool

The Nice Guys

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Sausage Party

Winner: Sausage Party
Runner-up: (TIE) The Nice Guys and Deadpool

This is quite honestly one of the awards with the stiffest competition this year as 2016 was a phenomenal year for comedies. There were a few average ones, but overall, I was laughing a lot this year. But the most outrageous, R-rated, and unbelievable film of them all narrowly (and I should stress narrowly) beat out the others. It was laugh-out-loud funny pretty consistently and that ending was just...well yeah you know if you saw it. A well deserved shout out to every nominated film for this award as it was a challenging delight to pick an absolute winner.

Best Animated Film

Kung Fu Panda 3

Zootopia

Finding Dory

Sausage Party

Kubo and the Two Strings

Moana

Winner: Zootopia
Runner-up: Sausage Party

It should be noted that each of these films have some eerily timely advice about being tolerant of others. As much as I enjoyed Sausage Party, the best at accomplishing this task was truly Zootopia. Aside from getting awfully on-the-nose preachy, it's a blast and features a colorful assortment of characters, animals, and locales to keep things interesting. It's message was fitting for the year that was 2016, but as an animated film it stands up on its own as another rousing success from Disney Animation Studios. 

Best Ensemble Cast

Eye in the Sky

Zootopia

Captain America: Civil War

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

Ghostbusters

Suicide Squad

Sausage Party

The Magnificent Seven

Manchester by the Sea

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Winner: The Magnificent Seven
Runner-up: Captain America: Civil War

I felt as if Magnificent Seven walked away with this one because each player felt important to the film and had their moment to shine. The film was a surprising treat after a summer of mostly duds, and a big reason for that was the characters, both big and small, hero or villain. 

 Biggest Year for an Actress

Felicity Jones

Amy Adams

Margot Robbie

Emma Stone

Winner: Amy Adams
Runner-up: Felicity Jones

This was pretty much a non-contest. Adams is one of the busiest actresses in the industry by a mile and she was in three very significant films this year that ranged from superheros, to aliens, to creeps. I tended to enjoy her best in her phenomenal performance for Arrival, but it's no doubt that she was everywhere this year and doing a damn good job at it too. 

Biggest Year for an Actor

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Gosling

Dwayne Johnson

Michael Fassbender

Ben Affleck

Tom Hanks

Winner: Ryan Gosling
Runner-up: Dwayne Johnson

Johnson may have had his hands in more this year (everything from TV specials, TV shows, movies, Under Armor, etc.), but Gosling 110% solidified that he is one of the great Hollywood talents with probably the best comedic performance of the year in The Nice Guys and then, totally switching gears, blowing us away in La La Land. I've always viewed him as uber talented, but for those that just thought he was a pretty face until now, you've now been schooled. Gosling is the real deal. 

Best Villain

Tom Hardy as John Fitzgerald in The Revenant

John Goodman as Howard in 10 Cloverfield Lane

The Nun in The Conjuring 2

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in Suicide Squad

Peter Sarsgaard as Bartholomew Bogue in The Magnificent Seven

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Sam in Desierto

Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Winner: John Goodman as Howard in 10 Cloverfield Lane
Runner-up: Peter Sarsgaard as Bartholomew Bogue in The Magnificent Seven

My disappointment with 10 Cloverfield Lane aside, it emerged as a taut and intense thriller. Several months of retrospect later and it's clear that a significant reason for this is John Goodman, probably even more than many people first realized. His Howard is consistently confusing and teeters that fine line between hero and villain, making him all the more terrifying in moments where his true agenda shines through. Fun to note that it's also one of the best male performances of the year too.

Best Hero

Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps in Zootopia

Chris Evans as Captain America in Captain America: Civil War

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War

Sofia Boutella as Jaylah in Star Trek Beyond

Tom Hanks as Captain Sullivan in Sully

Denzel Washington as Chisolm in The Magnificent Seven

Benedict Cumberbatch as Steven Strange in Doctor Strange

Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss in Hacksaw Ridge

Amy Adams as Louise in Arrival

Auli'i Cravalho as Moana in Moana

Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Winner: Tom Hanks as Captain Sullivan in Sully
Runner-up: Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss in Hacksaw Ridge

There are a lot of larger than life heroes up on that nominee list, but I felt compelled to give the winner and runner up award for Best Hero to real life heroes this year, mainly because each respective actor was the best part about each of their movies. Sully really opened my eyes to how seriously catastrophic the "Miracle on the Hudson" could have been and how a combination of gut, skill, calm, and luck played a huge role in saving many lives that day. As the film proves, Sully is undoubtedly a hero, even if he doesn't want to admit it. 

Best Actress

Ellen DeGeneres as Dory in Finding Dory

Charlize Theron as Monkey in Kubo and the Two Strings

Emily Blunt as Rachel in The Girl on the Train

Emma Stone as Mia in La La Land

Amy Adams as Louise in Arrival

Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy in Jackie

Winner: Amy Adams as Louise in Arrival
Runner-up: (Tie) Emma Stone as Mia in La La Land and Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy in Jackie

This year for women might be the most competitive acting category the Rath Awards has ever seen, male or female. Women truly dominated this year when it came to strong, engrossing performances and I had a really hard time deciding a winner, hence the tie in the Runner-up. I'd hear arguments for really any of these and I'm sure there are some I missed from films I didn't see, but to me Amy Adams made Arrival. It was her movie and not only was her performance intricate and layered, but pivotal to the plot. We shared key moments with her that I'll never forget from that film and she deserves this award. 

Best Actor

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool in Deadpool

Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass in The Revenant

John Goodman as Howard in 10 Cloverfield Lane

Bryan Cranston as Robert Mazur in The Infiltrator

Jeff Bridges as Marcus Hamilton in Hell or High Water

Tom Hanks as Captain Sullivan in Sully

Ryan Gosling as Seb in La La Land and as Holland March in The Nice Guys

Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss in Hacksaw Ridge

Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea

Winner: Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea
Runner-up: Leonardo DiCaprio as John Glass in The Revenant

Don't feel too bad for Leo as he technically won a Rath Award before he won an Oscar (for his performance in The Wolf of Wall Street). Casey Affleck's turn in Manchester was phenomenal and is a great lesson in subdued acting. His character is awkward, quiet, and a bit...plain. Throughout the film though we are wowed by this character's sincere moments of devastation that, truly, are haunting scenes. Thanks to Affleck, these are all easy to believe, making them all the harder to watch. 

Top 15 Scenes of 2016

It's the triumphant return of one of my favorite (albeit hardest to decide) awards of the entire post. Below I'll breakdown my 15 favorite scenes and give a quick blurb about each. For the sake of formatting, I've grouped them by sets of five. 

15) Taking Rotating Cover (The Nice Guys): Sometimes the casualty of picking specific scenes is finding a particular image. I couldn't find one for this moment so I chose a Ryan Gosling face that made me laugh regardless. But when he takes cover on a rotating car platform I. Lost. It. Funniest part of an incredibly funny movie. 

14) A Very 80's Rescue (X-Men: Apocalypse): Easily the best scene of this average film, Quicksilver once again stole the show in an inventive, funny, and visually appealing rescue of everyone within the mansion. 

13) Street Chase (Captain America: Civil War): This movie was chock-full of memorable scenes but this one included the only moment of 2016 where I audibly proclaimed "Oh f**k yeah!" in a theater when Bucky one-arm steals a motorcycle, slams it, and rides off. That the rest of this scene even holds a candle to that is amazing in and of itself.

12) T-Rex Fighting (Deadpool): I knew I'd have some scene from Deadpool in here so I decided to choose the one that had me gasping for breath from laughing so hard. Deadpool slowly breaking each of his limbs, but not his spirit, is comical in many senses and is nearly the epitome of the character. 

11) The Orgy (Sausage Party): What...do...I...erm...what do I even say about this one? Again, I was gasping for air from laughing so hard, but could hardly believe what I was watching. An unforgettable scene for sure, but I think we're all slightly scarred.

10) "War" (Hunt for the Wilderpeople): Again, not one I could find an exact screenshot for, but regardless, the finale of this wonderful little film is as inspiring and emotional as it is funny. It's well filmed and combined with the memorable characters and original score, pretty hard to forget.

9) A Chance Encounter (Manchester by the Sea): Talk about a painful scene. I won't spoil any details but suffice it to say that these characters interacting is hard to watch given their history. Both parties do a great job conveying that pain in a scene that is likely to bring many to tears.

8) Getting Through the Shield (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story): This is really an award for the finale of Rogue One as a whole, which was utterly exciting and the most "war" that Star Wars has ever seen. The special effects were fantastic and the transition between the ground and space battle kept things moving at an accelerated pace. Throw in a kick-ass (or kicking-ass) cameo and you've got one hell of a lead in to the original trilogy. 

7) "Sell the Bread!" (Eye in the Sky): Easily one of the most intense scenes of the year, if not the absolute most. Every muscle was clenched as the film rocketed toward a climax of which I shall not discuss. Seeing as how I gave the film a perfect score, you should probably just see it anyway. 

6) City Mazes/"I've Come to Bargain!" (Doctor Strange): I had my issues with Doctor Strange's routine approach to the hero story, but its finale was one of the best in any Marvel film yet and it was highly unique. In IMAX 3D it was an absolute spectacle and the last 30 minutes of the film are quite literally, like nothing you've ever seen before. 

5) Pioneers v Indians One-Shot (The Revenant): The movie opened up with intensity and didn't let up. This scene let us know exactly what kind of gorgeous suffering we were in for and the fact that it was all orchestrated within a single take was nothing short of mesmerizing. 

4) The "Weapon" (Arrival): Less a single scene I suppose rather than a collection of them, the "twist" of Arrival was one of the greatest reveal scenes in a film for quite some while. It made a lot of things come full circle, but also melted your brain.

3) What Could Have Been (La La Land): Simply put, one of the most poignant and perfect endings I've ever seen in a film. It took a film I was already in love with to the stratosphere and has since really stuck with me, even after two viewings. Much like the film itself, it's an absolute treasure. 

2) First Encounter (Arrival): What do you get when you combine absolute perfect cinematography, original music, and atmosphere? You get this scene from one of the best movies of the year. I felt completely transported into the alien ship and was intensely uneasy, but excited to see what came next -- exactly what the film wanted you to feel. 

1) Airport Brawl (Captain America: Civil War): The scene that we (or at least "I") will still be talking about 20 years from now is the airport scene from this third Captain America. When I first released my review I dubbed it as 20 minutes of "pure cinematic perfection" and I still stand by that 100%. It's a perfect blend of humor, surprises, character interaction, innovative action, and just pure fun. It's scenes like these that Marvel's competitors should be taking notes from, but at the same time showing just how far ahead of the game Marvel is. One of the most enjoyable scenes I've ever seen in theaters.

Best Director

Alejandro G. Inarritu for The Revenant

Anthony and Joe Russo for Captain America: Civil War

Shane Black for The Nice Guys

Lazlo Nemes for Son of Saul

Taika Waititi for Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Travis Knight for Kubo and the Two Strings

Clint Eastwood for Sully

Damien Chazelle for La La Land

Denis Villenueve for Arrival

Winner: Damien Chazelle for La La Land
Runner-up: Alejandro G. Inarritu for The Revenant

I had the pleasure of listening to a Q&A with Damien and Emma Stone at the Denver Film Festival. For starters, I could not believe how young this talented guy was. Second, it's clear that La La Land was an absolute vision of his that he's been working toward creating for over a decade now. It shows in the film and the result is a fully realized dream of spectacle, music, and love.

Best Blockbuster

Zootopia

Captain America: Civil War

Finding Dory

Doctor Strange

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Winner: Captain America: Civil War
Runner-up: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Basically if you weren't an entity of Disney this year, your blockbuster disappointed me on some level. I won't sugar coat it -- other than the films listed above, it was a rough year at the movies for "big" films. Easily the worst since I've started reviews. But luckily the two highlights mentioned above were incredible. I stated something to the effect that Civil War was the most fun I've had in a theater in good long time. That still holds true and even after seeing it 4-5 times now, I love it every time. That it's this far into Marvel's gameplan amazes me that I'm more invested now than I've ever been. 

Best Indie

The Revenant

Eye in the Sky

Son of Saul

Sing Street

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Hell or High Water

La La Land

Manchester by the Sea

Jackie

Winner: La La Land
Runner-up: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

La La Land is literally seared into my memory. The movie is captivating and engrossing, transporting the audience into this musical world that's rich with emotion. 2016 was certainly a great year for indies -- just look at that list -- but La La Land stood above the rest in my humble opinion. 

Reader's Choice - Top 10 Films of 2016

10) (tie) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them/Zootopia: Both are very enjoyable films and I think the Harry Potter spinoff may age really well, similar to that series' first films. Zootopia won Best Animated film this year so it's safe to assume it very narrowly missed my Top 10 too. 

9) The Nice Guys: Interesting to see this on my list as not many people saw it in general. Granted my surveys don't reach all corners of the globe by any means but glad to see that this was a "best" movie of 2016 for those that were able to catch it. 

8) The Revenant: It's hard not to remember this film; it sticks in your mind like glue. It's a beautiful but hard-to-watch movie that deserves the awards and accolades it received earlier this year. 

7) Doctor Strange: The only remaining film that we disagree with on this list. I really liked Doctor Strange, but for me it was far too generic for 75-80% of its runtime. That last half hour is a doozy though. 

6) Eye in the Sky: Fantastic film in almost every regard. Happy to see it up here and that so many shared a similar sentiment as me. 

5) Deadpool: Give the people what they want and they'll reply in kind. Deadpool was a perfect example of that and even though it was well received by most critics, audiences lapped it up ten fold. Solid choice. 

4) Captain America: Civil War: I love this movie, you guys love this movie...I'm hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't. It's so entertaining from start to finish and it gives us something we haven't seen before with true hero vs. hero conflict. 

3) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: No surprise here. Audiences love Star Wars, as was indicated by my inability to even see the movie a second time last weekend since it was sold out. This one is a change from the norm, feels fresh yet familiar, and has some great fan service. But I think we can all agree it's time for Star Wars to permanently move on from the Death Star. 

2) La La Land: It makes my heart sing to see this so high on this list. I'm glad that people are supporting it and I'm even more happy to see that it's making other people happy too. Truly a standout film this year.

1) Arrival: This is a big surprise at #1, but I don't disagree with it in the slightest. In fact it makes me really glad to see that enough of you connected with an original, thought-provoking film enough to label it one of the year's best. It's what Hollywood needs more of, especially after how hard 2016 was for many "tentpole" films. This is a fitting choice at #1!

Rath's Reviews Top 10 Films of 2016

Let me first start by stating some honorable mentions. All films I enjoyed to varying degrees, but not necessarily enough to make my Top 10 list. 

Honorable Mentions: Kung Fu Panda 3, Son of Saul, Zootopia, Hardcore Henry, Sing Street, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, The Conjuring 2, Finding Dory, Kubo and the Two Strings, Hell or High Water, Sully, The Magnificent Seven, Deepwater Horizon, The Accountant, The Edge of Seventeen, Moana, Manchester by the Sea, and Jackie.

10) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Bringing the "war" to Star Wars, this very first stand alone tale set the expectations high for how these will continue onward in the future. Rogue One told a fascinating story fairly well and even helped to bring a lot of context to the original trilogy. Not to mention it ends with one hell of an awesome spectacle. 

9) Sausage Party: I sincerely think there may be people afraid to put this on their Top 10 list. They don't want to admit that Seth Rogen and Co. crafted a, in my opinion, genius parable of acceptance through the hilarious faces of various foods. It's smarter than it has any right to be, far funnier than I expected, and is insanely rewatchable. I had a great time with Sausage Party and I'm not afraid to admit it; it's a blast. 

8) The Nice Guys: I feel like I was overly critical on this film, but after time settled and I thought back to it, I had only fond memories. It was a delightful and very funny buddy cop movie with a scene-stealing Ryan Gosling. In a very strong year of comedy, I think this was one of the funniest, even if it took me a little while to recognize it. 

7) Deadpool: It's crude. Lewd. Violent. Sexual. Inappropriate. And also one of the most entertaining films of the year. Ryan Reynold's finally got his baby on screen and it was well worth the wait. Despite being a kinda-sorta cliche origin story, this film is firing on all cylinders for the duration of its runtime. The action is well done, I enjoyed the straightforward revenge plot, and the banter/4th-wall-breaking that the character is known for is a breath of fresh air for the superhero genre. 

6) Eye in the Sky: Probably the most intense film of the year. Several times I was definitely forgetting to breath and the whole film is an exercise in expert pacing and perfect performances. It earned a perfect score from me because truly, I couldn't find nearly a single thing wrong with it. The debate it poses on drone warfare is even and thought-provoking while the actual events taking place are harrowing and so intense you'll probably get an ulcer.

5) Hunt for the Wilderpeople: Taika Waititi is fast becoming one of my favorite directors, even if I still do have the damndest time remembering how to spell his name. His brand of comedy features exquisite timing, biting dialogue, and just a general controlled, but zany approach to physical comedy. Wilderpeople was a perfect example of all this, but also featured his honed skills at crafting a grand tale that's heartwarming and fun -- all set in New Zealand. So yeah, I really loved this movie. 

4) The Revenant: Some may dispute this film appearing on this list but for us peasants, (i.e. most of the general public) this didn't hit theaters until January due to a frustrating limited release schedule. So...it's 2016 material. Despite the 12 months since its release, I still remember the film in great detail and the painstaking realism that it presents. Leonardo's Oscar was well deserved, even if there were only a few lines, and the cinematography was breathtaking -- truly one for the ages in that regard. Pain and suffering have never looked so beautiful. 

3) Arrival: This film grew on me tremendously since I saw it (and loved it initially too). I love cerebral films that have you thinking long after you walk away from them and, with time, I've come to forgive/reason out my issues with the film. So what you're left with is Villenueve proving once again that he's in the top echelon of directors, an impeccable Amy Adams lead performance, and such an effective combination of original score and cinematography that it reminded me of a Christopher Nolan film. And that's never a bad thing.

2) Captain America: Civil War: As soon as I exited this film I remember thinking, "this is going to be incredibly hard to beat." I was so jazzed. I still am. I love Civil War immensely and it's right up there with The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy for best Marvel film. High praise for sure and it truly nearly did win out. It's a blockbuster full of characters with most of them getting their proper due. It may seem like an Avengers film, but this is a Captain America movie through and through. Aside from the perfection of the airport scene, it's a blast but also a critical look at these superheros and their flaws. The tension is often palpable for fans that have been around since the beginning and the film moves the overall Marvel plot forward significantly all while giving fans what they've come to expect and love from these movies. 

1) La La Land: Color me surprised but I just freaking love this movie. I love Gosling and Stone, I love the imagery, I love the music (even when it's corny), and I've slowly come to accept the single scene that I thought was hokey, even if it still is. La La Land is a director's vision come to life and I imagine the tale of staying with your dreams is one that Chazelle lives and breaths everyday. This is a film that will stand the test of time and is one that I'll remember for a long, long while. Deservedly so too. 

There you have it, everyone. That's 2016 in a nutshell! A very long nutshell, but I hope you enjoyed it! Despite the amount of time it takes to put this together, this is always my favorite post of the year and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Here's hoping 2017 is a great year for your eyes and ears both in the cinema and outside of it. As always, thanks for reading Rath's Reviews as I truly do this for all of you out there -- it's the best reward and you guys rock.