Top 10 Blockbusters 2016

Since 2016 is coming to a close and I deeply miss film blogging, I decided that 2017 would be the year where I restart. If I'm being honest with you, I can't wait, since there isn't a huge amount of people that are aware of my opinions on film, also my secret (not so secret) obsession with Disney Animation.

I thought to myself, what better way to close a year by reflecting on this years great movies? I would just like to point out that if you are expecting to find 'oscar films' on this list, your expectations won't be satisfied... Since they are (most of the time) very good, I will always get around to watching them, just not when they are first released - I have limited time and I would rather spend it watching a huge blockbuster with a packed theatre on opening night... that's what its about, right?

#10: X-Men: Apocalypse

No, it doesn't match Days Of Future Past, but it was a satisfying conclusion to this trilogy. It has sparked my interest in these so-called 'new' mutants who I hope to further explore in later films. The opening scene was so enthralling, and it was crafted so wonderfully, that it just makes me reflection what could've been. Jennifer Lawrence is one of my fav ppl evah, but I was underwhelmed with her performance and did a disservice to the character of Mystique. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are easily the stand-outs and I pray they will come back for more, and the visuals were so, so breathtaking. There is just something about it that didn't sit quite right with me, and is no comparison to 2014's Days Of Future Past. 74%

#9: Finding Dory

Finding Dory is a very enjoyable and at some points emotional ride yet it fails to reach the triumphs of it's glorious predecessor. Dory can definitely carry her own film, there is no issue in that, however I feel as though the story is rather thin... this may be because the bar was set so high from Finding Nemo but regardless, the cast additions are excellent and our old favourites are as good as new. It was satisfying however to discover Dory's past seeing as we did not get much from the first film. The story may be slightly thin but there couldn't be better characters to go on this journey with. Finding Dory additionally acts as a tremendously satisfying conclusion to such an enjoyable duology (I don't believe we are going to get a third any time soon). 78%

#8: Deadpool

I love this film... it not only invents a new approach to the superhero genre, but is so entertaining on it's own. The action sequences are absolutely spectacular and Ryan Reynolds delivers an anti-heroic performance that is sure to be remembered for decades to come. I am almost certain that many will try to recreate this style (namely Suicide Squad, we all know how that turned out), and Deadpool will be the one that started it all. Deadpool has an excellent supporting cast along with such an original style of story-telling. 81%

#7: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Several of you may be surprised at how low down this is on the list... I am even questioning it! I have only seen it once, so maybe a second viewing would be more enjoyable, but nothing has compelled me to go and see it again - a very different feeling to how I felt after The Force Awakens. I was in no way underwhelmed, in fact I was very happy when the film had finished - I guess it just ended up here because there were six other films that I preferred to it... nothing wrong with that at all. Rogue One offers fans a more in-depth look at the beginning of the rebellion against the Empire, and very seamlessly ties into A New Hope in such a satisfying and uplifting way. K-2S0 is definitely a stand out character in addition with Donnie Yen's Chirrut Imwe. This is a very emotional, dark and impactful movie and does not need the other movies in the franchise to support it. It also gives audiences one of the best space battles... um, ever. 85%

#6: Zootopia

Zootopia is an incredibly entertaining movie with charming characters and excellent world-building. It offers important messages to young people with an aspiration, that you can be who you wish, regardless of your race, gender, sexuality, etcetera, which is the reason why this is such a good movie for everyone, because at what age does this message become unimportant? Aside from the incredibly effective messages of the film, it has an excellent story on the surface that flows seamlessly and set up  a mystery that I and many others were unable to solve. Zootopia sets up such a great world that mirrors our own and I just wish that we had more time to explore. 87%

#5: The Jungle Book

You may soon notice that Zootopia and The Jungle Book have the same score, but this one earned the higher rank due to it's revolutionary visuals, charming characters and an action-packed story. The Jungle Book is a beautiful live-action reboot of the 1967 Walt Disney classic, full of nostalgia but with a darker tone. It is still delightful and joyful to watch at many points but still has that darkness under the surface which comes into fruition in the film's third act with a spectacular battle sequence. The Jungle Book is definitely the best Disney live-action reboot to date... It makes me a million times more excited for the upcoming Beauty & The Beast! 87%

#4: Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange is Marvel's latest entry in it's Cinematic Universe and is one of their best to date. It offers a more fantastical and mythological approach to this franchise and gives audiences a spectacular origin story for Doctor Strange, portrayed brilliantly by Benedict Cumberbatch. With mind-bending yet stunning visuals, Doctor Strange is a film that complements other films in its franchise yet is able to entirely stand on its own with the support of a more than stellar cast and a stunning expansion of this world with supernatural twists and turns. 89%

#3: Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them

This Harry Potter prequel is excellent because it knows that it is a prequel but does not rely on the other movies to boost it. Fantastic Beasts brings a delightful sense of nostalgia as we are brought back to the glorious and magical Wizarding World through the lens of Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scammander, in 1920's New York. What I love is that it doesn't feel like a mere prequel... it's story is very compelling and has closure but leaves fans to eagerly anticipate the epic showdown between Dumbledore and Grindelwald in this series of FIVE MOVIES. 91%

#2: Moana

This is, in my opinion, the best movie from Disney Animation since 1998's Mulan. I am still not over how good this film is. The music, the characters, the voice-work, the story... everything is pretty much perfect. And, how can I forget the ANIMATION!? The animation in this film is absolutely stunning, it's so imaginative yet so classic, full of bright colours and absolutely beautiful scenery. Moana is an incredibly likeable character, superbly voiced by Auli'i Cravalho alongside demigod Maui by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. The music is delightful, the standouts being 'Where You Are' and 'How Far I'll Go'. It is full of adventure led by a worthy heroine with so much mythology being built up yet stills manages to be easy to follow. A worthy frontrunner for the 2017 Best Animated Feature Academy Awards. 96%

#1: Captain America: Civil War

Wow. Civil War is easily one of the most ambitious movies ever made. Along with being amazingly entertaining, the third act is so full of depth and character that it makes you think 'did they really just go there?' It is simply a triumph. The Russo Brothers are now two for two, delivering what many of us feel are some of the best comic book movies of all time, Civil War and The Winter Soldier. Additions of excellent characters such as Spider-Man and Black Panther result in one of the best action sequences ever in the airport battle, something that makes everyone even more excited for what we may see in Avengers: Infinity War. This film is one that will go down in history along with the likes of The Dark Knight and The Avengers. 98%

Sadly, some of my most anticipated such as Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad did not make this list, but I think overall we have been able to find the very best in what has been a fairly underwhelming year in blockbuster films. Regardless, stay tuned for my most anticipated movies of 2017!