For anyone paying attention to...just about anything last year, the best way to describe 2016 might just be, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Unless, of course, you’re Josh, who doesn’t know if he’s seen a “best of” anything just yet. Anyway, 2016 certainly had its low points, but the quality of cinematic releases wasn’t one of them. There were some standout films last year, and the Screeners have made it their mission to find as many of them as they can. This episode is...the Best of 2016.

Longtime listeners know the drill here, but if you’re new, you’re, um, not that far behind. It’s your basic top-ten countdown list, with the caveat that only Daniel has seen every movie released in 2016, so he’s the only one who can make a proper list. We think he might be living in a theater; frankly, we’re worried about him. We’ll put the lists below for anyone who happens to be a fan of spoiling their own surprises (you’re the kid who broke into Dad’s office just so you could find out if you got that Power Rangers action figure, aren’t you?), but if you’re not in that crowd, we have just a couple more paragraphs here before you should stop reading and start listening.

After the top 10 is over, the Screeners have a couple of palate cleansers (or palate ruiners, depending on your perspective) for you. First off, they’ll recount their biggest disappointment of the year (did anything disappoint Chris last year?). Up next is the overall worst movie of the year, then one that each host liked despite everyone else* hating it, and, to round things out on a sour note, the movie they didn’t like despite all the good things everyone else said about it.

By this point, the Screeners were approximately 6 hours into recording the episode, so a vote was taken; the best TV of 2016 was mercifully cut from the roster, and the episode was wrapped up. Rest assured, though; Chris and Melody really loved WestWorld.

Anyway, that’s it for 2016. Finally. It’s over. We’ll all tell our grandchildren about it in muted, wavering tones. Join the Screeners next time for a review of M. Night Shyamalan’s Split...if there is a next time. Even if there’s not, we’re sure at least Facebook will survive, so remember us there.

Oh, right. You were promised lists, and lists you shall have:

Episode Spoilers Below

Chris

1. Arrival

2. Moana

3. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

4. Hush

5. Deadpool

6. Star Trek Beyond

7. Zero Days

8. Doctor Strange

9. Weiner

10. Hell or High water

Honorable Mentions:

• 10 Cloverfield Lane

• La La Land

• Pete’s Dragon

Biggest Disappointment

Ghostbusters (Theatrical Cut)

Worst movie of the year:

Allegiant

Movie I liked that no one else did:

13 Hours

Movie I didn't like that everyone else did:

Hail, Caesar!

Daniel

1. La La Land

2. Arrival

3. Green Room

4. Manchester By The Sea

5. Hell or High Water

6. Weiner

7. A Monster Calls

8. Hacksaw Ridge / Silence (A tie! For...8th place!)

9. Patriots Day

10. Sing Street

Honorable Mentions:

• Lion

• Jackie

• Loving

• Moonlight

Biggest Disappointment:

Suicide Squad

Worst movie of the year:

Gods of Egypt

Movie I liked that no one else did:

Passengers

Movie I didn't like that everyone else did:

Kate Plays Christine / Captain Fantastic

Melody

1. Arrival

2. 10 Cloverfield Lane

3. The Little Prince

4. Hush

5. Star Trek Beyond

6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

7. Finding Dory

8. Pete's Dragon

9. La La Land

10. Florence Foster Jenkins

Honorable Mentions:

• Green Room

• Moana

Biggest disappointment:

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Worst movie of the year:

London Has Fallen

Movie I liked that no one else did:

Batman v Superman

Movie I didn't like that everyone else did:

Hail, Caesar!

Josh

1. Hail, Caesar!

2. Star Trek Beyond

3. Arrival

4. Deadpool

5. Snowden

6. Doctor Strange

7. Elvis & Nixon

8. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

9. Sully

10. Finding Dory

Biggest disappointment:

Mascots

Movie I didn't like that everyone else did:

10 Cloverfield Lane

Movie I liked that no one else did:

Hail, Caesar!

Worst movie of the year:

Batman v Superman

Chad

1. Manchester by the Sea

2. Arrival

3. Lion

4. The Edge of 17

5. Tower

6. Nocturnal Animals

7. La La Land

8. Jackie

9. Hell or High Water

10. The Witch

Honorable Mentions:

• Everybody Wants Some

• Krisha

• 10 Cloverfield Lane

• The Invitation

• Kubo and the Two Strings

• Fences

• Moonlight

• Birth of a Nation

• Hunt for the Wilderpeople

• Captain Fantastic

Biggest disappointment:

Batman v Superman

Worst movie of the year:

Independence Day:  Resurgence

Movie I liked that no one else did:

Ghostbusters / The Accountant

Movie I didn't like that everyone else did:

Zootopia

* The definition of “everyone else” here is...fungible. Maybe it’s critics; maybe it’s everyone else on the podcast. As we’ve said time and time again, there are no rules, and everything is meaningless. OK, so we’ve at least said the first part. Maybe Josh has just thought the second part.