General: Mark Kermode's Top 10 films of 2016

Three days ago I published my personal list of the top 10 films of 2016. I've had a few private discussions with friends, but nobody has been brave enough to post his own list. Maybe they're afraid of criticism? They shouldn't be. I love it when people disagree with me, because it prompts me to think about my opinions. If I'm wrong good arguments can convince me to change my mind, but if I think I'm right there's never any harm in rethinking things.

I've decided to share Mark Kermode's top 10 film list for 2016. He's a film critic for the Observer, but I know him best for his weekly film reviews for the BBC. When I compare myself with him we're like chalk and cheese. Our tastes are at opposite ends of the spectrum. If he praises a film that I haven't yet seen I can assume that I won't like it.

Mark Kermode's Top 10 films of 2016

1. Under the Shadow
2. Notes on Blindness
3. Embrace of the Serpent
4. Son of Saul
5. 13th
6. Room
7. Julieta
8. I, Daniel Blake
9. Your Name
10. A United Kingdom
10. Things to come

As you can see, he made it a top 11 by putting two films in equal 10th place. I've only seen one of them, "Room", which I actually quite liked. So maybe we do have a small overlap in our opinions.

Click here for Mark Kermode's comments on the films 1 to 5.

Click here for Mark Kermode's comments on the films 6 to 10.

At least Mark has people leaving comments with their personal top 10 lists. Unlike me he's a celebrity.

Mark Kermode has also published a list of the worst 10 films of 2016. That's something I would never do. If I expect a film to be bad I don't watch it. As a professional film critic it's different for Mark. He's required to watch films he doesn't want to watch, it's his job. I'd watch bad films if I were paid for it.

Mark Kermode's Worst 10 films of 2016

1. Dirty Grandpa
2. Bad Santa 2
3. 31
4. Gods of Egypt
5. London has fallen
6. Fifty Shades of Black
7. Inferno
8. Criminal
9. Ben Hur
10. Batman vs Superman
10. Suicide Squad

If you check my reviews for the five films in the list that I've seen you'll see that I gave them an average rating of 4 stars, i.e. "Good".

Click here for Mark Kermode's comments on the films 1 to 5.

Click here for Mark Kermode's comments on the films 6 to 10.

However much I might disagree with Mark Kermode's opinions on films, I have to give him respect for being a very colourful reviewer. For instance, in speaking about "Criminal" (which I gave 4 stars) he describes the plot:

"Ryan Reynolds is brainsplanted into the body of Kevin Costner, who then goes around Merry London kicking in the heads of people in kebab shops. It's bang out of order!"

Wow! I couldn't have said it better myself! In speaking about "London has fallen" (which I gave 5 stars) he says:

"In an alternative imagined universe Britain voted to stay in Europe, Donald Trump lost the election and Hollywood gave us a sequel to 'White House Down'. In the real world Brexit means Brexit, we've all been trumped and Hollywood gave us a sequel to 'Olympus has fallen'. I like fantasy".

Brilliant! Why can't I say clever things like that?