Blind Spot Series 2016 Rankings

Gotta say, I picked some goodies for 2016! With the exception of my least favourite, of course. All the other movie scored pretty decently, and I don’t regret checking these out. 2016 is now officially done and dusted, and a new year means a new list, right? 😉

Man, did I have the worst internal struggle deciding on my number one film choice? I went back and forth for ages! Anyway, here’s the rankings for my 2016 Blind Spot film picks!

12. Oldboy (2003)

Ugh. Easily my least favourite pick. Unpopular opinion time: I actually quite liked the remake. I figured heck, everyone hating on the remake and loving the OG’s gotta mean something, right? Wrong. For me. This was nasty, took forever, and I was just not into it. I totally regret going down this road. Why did I do this to myself?!

11. Into the Wild (2007)

Another something with so much hype, something that I thought was okay, but quite a way off from fantastic. And it was long. Oh, so very, very long. I was also not the biggest fan of the characters, but it wasn’t a bad watch. I am glad I have seen it, but it didn’t move me as it did most people.

10. Swingers (1996)

Yeah, always heard I should check this out, and I thought it was okay. I really like a young Vince Vaugh, and Jon Favreau is also someone who I quite enjoy. Bringing them together? I sort of expected more. Not a bad movie, just not something that resonated with me at all, but not a waste of time, per se.

9. On The Waterfront (1954)

Well made, pretty well acted, a decent story, but it felt way too long. I sort of expected more mob, too. I have now seen this classic, and can’t argue against the tide that it is good, but certainly not a favourite of mine, and not something I will be rushing to watch again, if we are being honest.

8. True Romance (1993)

A Tarantino script that wasn’t directed by him? Consider my interest piqued. I thought it was a solid movie, totally crazy, and a fun cast. It caught my attention from the beginning, and kept it there. I still feel that there were cast members who were underused, but with a cast of this size, I suppose that is to be expected.

7. Let the Right One In (2008)

For years people have been giving me lip about not seeing this. Finally I can say that I have ticked this off the old to-do list, and I liked it. It was stark, dark, beautiful, engaging, and I liked the friendship between Oskar and Eli. I also liked how it dealt with bullying, and how it was a different spin on vampires than we are used to. It is also shot incredibly well, with stark colours and massive contrasts, it definitely lends to the atmosphere.

6. Chinatown (1974)

I don’t watch nearly enough neo-noir films. I don’t, and I should, because they are something I love every time I do see one. Chinatown is no exception. It was masterfully crafted, totally engrossing, and Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway carried this film to perfection. Worth being on my list, and something I will be revisiting.

5. Billy Elliot (2000)

Man, this movie had me grinning, sad and all invested at times. It was hectic, and I really liked it. I felt so sorry for Billy, I did, and I was stoked to see him get involved in something he loved. Watching him attend the ballet dances was absolutely awesome, and seeing him practicing relentlessly to achieve him dream, his love of dance? Yes. Just so much yes! There was a lot of humour, and plenty times where you were sad and crushed and touched. I see why this was so exceptionally popular when it came out when I was a kid.

4. The Breakfast Club (1985)

I honestly didn’t expect to like this. In fact, I was dreading it (you all know what a fan I am off Ferris). I was so pleasantly surprised by this. I really liked it. I liked the closed off, limited school setting, and the small cast. We got time to learn about these characters, to see how they influenced one another, how things changed. Detention has never looked like such a blast, I tell you. It was funny and heartwarming, a teen film well worth the watch, and I now understand why there is a lot of hype attached to it. I can definitely see myself watching this again.

3. Moon (2009)

Gosh, not an easy one to talk about. I went in knowing nothing, and I can tell you that it is the best way to go into it. It was a thought provoking movie, and Rockwell was at his absolute best here. He carried the entire movie on his own, and man… I don’t actually want to talk about it too much because of spoilers. Spacey, too, was good – you just never knew with Gertie. Absolutely worth checking out – everything about this movie just works.

2. Insomnia (2002)

Christopher Nolan can do no wrong in my eyes, you all know this. I have always said I would watch this, and I just never got around to it. When I did, I had no regrets. Insomnia is visually breathtaking. I mean wow. The cinematography alone is worth the watch. Never mind that, we get to see the greats like Al Pacino and Robin Williams grace the screen, armed with a complex and engaging story to work with. The movie is shot well, sounds great, is carried by really good performances, and is definitely an underrated Nolan film. Definitely want to be adding this to my collection.

1. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

Ha! This! So long to get to it, I am ashamed! I enjoyed every single minute of this movie. The characters were great, Stewart and Reed were simply phenomenal together (and oh, so gorgeous), the soundtrack suited it, the movie felt ahead of its time, and it had a pretty good message, too. Plus a Christmas movie that I liked? What is this? Definitely worth a look see if you haven’t seen it, that’s what!