An Aggregated Final List Of The Best Films We Saw Last Year

Using the personal 2016 ten-best lists submitted from a wide swath of ZekeFilm contributors based all over the United States, we’ve compiled this site-wide master list, using a weighted value system.  (Ten points for a number one entry, nine points for a number two entry, and so on.)

Participant lists include Erik Yates, Krystal Lyon, Jim Tudor, Sharon Autenrieth, Taylor Blake, Max Foizey, Oscar Jackson III, Dean Treadway, Robert Hornak, Rob Gabe and Paul Hibbard.

On the evening of Friday, January 20, 2017, ZekeFilm held its sixth annual “Best Films of the Year” live countdown event at Emerson Library on the campus of Webster University in St. Louis, where this list was publicly revealed for the first time.  A number of ZekeFilm friends and family were on hand for short talks on their favorite films that made the list, as well as a few video submissions from afar.

Thanks to James Harrison and the Webster University Film Series, Allied Advertising St. Louis, KTRS 550 AM radio in St. Louis, and Movie Geeks United for pitching in and helping this event to happen.

After the list, have some fun with our 2016 movie trivia questions!

Below you will find audio excerpts from the event itself, as well as the video inclusions.  Enjoy, and let us know what you think of our Best Films list at our ZekeFilm Discussion Group on Facebook, or in the comments below!

Listen to Max Foizey introduce the Live Event:

9. (tie) The Lobster

Paul Hibbard discusses The Lobster:

 

9. (tie) Love & Friendship

Kate Beckinsale in Love & Friendship (2016)

Dean Treadway discusses Love & Friendship:

 

8. Zootopia

NATURAL ENEMIES — Zootopia's first bunny officer Judy Hopps finds herself face to face with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox in Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Zootopia." Featuring the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy and Jason Bateman as Nick, "Zootopia" opens in theaters on March 4, 2016. ©2016 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Taylor Blake talks about Zootopia:

 

7. 20th Century Women

Sharon Autenrieth on 20th Century Women:

 

6. Moonlight

Paul Hibbard, along with Jim Tudor, talks Moonlight:

 

5. The Witch

Andrew Wyatt of St. Louis Magazine and GatewayCinephile.com discusses The Witch:

 

4. Arrival

Taylor Blake shares about Arrival:

 

3. Jackie

Robert Hornak discusses Jackie:

 

2. Hell or High Water

Krystal Lyon on Hell or High Water:

 

1. La La Land

Jim Tudor talks about La La Land, featuring Andrew Wyatt (GatewayCinephine.com) and Jim Batts (WeAreMovieGeeks.com):

 

2016 Movie Trivia!  

Questions 1-5 by Taylor Blake, Questions 6-14 by Dean Treadway.

 

QUESTION 1:

Only 3 movies in the Top 10 highest grossing movies of 2016 were not remakes, part of a series, or based off of an existing comic book. Name one of these movies. (HINT: They’re all animated.)

ANSWERS:

The Secret Life of Pets (4th), Zootopia (7th), and Sing (10th)

—-

QUESTION 2:

Two 2016 movies are now in the Top Ten highest grossing movies in American history. Name one.

ANSWER:

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (7th) and Finding Dory (8th)

—-

QUESTION 3:

Of the top 10 highest-grossing films worldwide in 2016, this much of the dialogue in those movies was given to female characters:

Was it:

A. 16%

B. 27%

C. 44%

D. 52%

ANSWER:

B. 27%.

—–

QUESTION 4:

Two movies were tied for the top Rotten Tomatoes rating in 2016 with a 98% approval rating. Name one.

ANSWERS:

Zootopia and Hell or High Water

—–

QUESTION 5:

What movie broke a Golden Globes record by winning 7 awards at this year’s ceremony? The previous record was a tie between One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Midnight Express.

ANSWER:

La La Land

—–

QUESTION 6:

What’s the name of Ryan Gosling’s proposed jazz club in La La Land?

ANSWER:

Chicken on a Stick

—–

QUESTION 7:

One of the characters in Jackie later became the head of the Motion Picture ratings board for over 30 years. What was his name?

ANSWER:

Jack Valenti

—–

QUESTION 8:

What actor was originally going to play the lead in Manchester by the Sea?

ANSWER: 

Matt Damon

—–

QUESTION 9:

The writer/director of Moonlight has previously made only one film. Name it.

ANSWER:

Medicine for Melancholy (2008)

—–

QUESTION 10:

List the thirteen actors-turned-directors that released major films in 2016.

ANSWER: 

Clint Eastwood, Warren Beatty, Denzel Washington, Mel Gibson, Ben Affleck, Jodie Foster, Ron Howard, Jon Favreau, Ben Stiller, Woody Allen, Peter Berg, Nate Parker, Ewan McGregor

—–

QUESTION 11:

What Academy-Award-winning songwriter–composer of tunes like “Skylark”, “Stardust”, “Heart and Soul” and “Georgia on My Mind”, once sat upon the piano stool that Ryan Gosling treasures in La La Land?

ANSWER:

Hoagy Carmichael

—–

QUESTION 12:

What kind of animal was working behind the counter at the DMV in Zootopia?

ANSWER:

A sloth

QUESTION 13:

What were the names given to the two aliens in Arrival?

ANSWER:

Abbott and Costello

—–

QUESTION 14:

What action/fantasy film bombed in America, but ended up grossing over a billion yen in China?

ANSWER:

Warcraft