The 16 movies you should have seen in 2016

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Writer: Naseem Randhawa

There have been thousands of Hollywood films released this year, but with big releases securing the attention of the majority, there are some underappreciated films of 2016 that have managed to fly under the radar. It is smaller limited release movies like these that don't exactly rely on the big thrills, cast names and gimmicky marketing - preferring to go the indie route with unusual and often unexplored tales to remind us why great storytelling allows movies to be considered as works of art in the first place. Some of the carefully selected films below may not have even seen a general release at our cinemas, but these 2016 titles deserves all the eyes and acclaim from movie lovers who can appreciate films that have great writing, brilliant acting and originality which is gradually becoming scarce. Here are the films you should've seen in 2016.

Midnight Special

Sci-fi lovers and fans of Steven Spielberg call this film the "E.T." of today's generation. Roy Tomlin played by Michael Shannon is the kidnapper and father of a boy named Alton, who had been left by his mother at The Ranch, a religious cult that believes Alton is their potential prophet as he speaks in tongues and often reveals weird numeric sequences. Turns out, the numbers mean something to the FBI and led by Adam Driver, they too are on the hunt for Alton. Roy believes that there is a bigger purpose for Alton's special abilities, and they go on a mysterious mission which they must complete no matter what the cost in "Midnight Special".

Cafe Society

Fans of Woody Allen would find echoes of his previous work in "Cafe Society", and as the story revolves around an older man (Steve Carell) and his young lover (Kristen Stewart), people might also find echoes of Allen's personal life here. But never mind that, set in the 1930s of glamourous Los Angeles and movie stars, Carell and his nephew played by Jesse Eisenberg are both competing for the affections of Stewart. Throw in Blake Lively as the other female lead and this is a tribute and a love letter to old age cinema.

Manchester by the Sea

Sometimes devastating stories form a great basis for great acting and a great film. The sorrowful "Manchester by the Sea" is no different. Led by Ben Affleck's younger brother, Casey Affleck, the film is about how a group of people attempt to deal with the sudden death of someone they know. Like layers of an onion, "Manchester by the Sea" peels the layers of its characters until they finally unveil themselves when there is nothing left to uncover. When Lee's older brother (Kyle Chandler) dies of a heart attack, he has to return to a place of grief he abandoned a long time ago and discovers that he has been listed as the legal guardian of his brother's troublesome teenage son. You heard it here first; Casey Affleck might win an Oscar for this.

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Cinema Online, 29 December 2016

Related Movies:

The Girl With All The Gifts (17 Nov 2016)
Kubo And The Two Strings (25 Aug 2016)
Midnight Special (14 Apr 2016)
Captain Fantastic (11 Aug 2016)
Green Room (25 Aug 2016)

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