It's nearly obligatory to release a "best of" list at the end of each year.  2016 was a great year for movies, so much so that we've expanded the list this year to 20 films instead of the usual 10.  Too many?  Well, the whole point of "Best of" year-end lists is to celebrate the best work of the year, so why not?  There were more than a handful of very good films (and maybe one or two great ones) that found release throughout the past calendar year.

These lists, of course, rarely have any lasting resonance. They are meant to be easily digestible, read mainly as a means of comparison to see just how closely a particular critic falls in-line with your own personal preferences. Most moviegoers will read these lists with hopes of finding their favorite films listed among the obscure, mostly irrelevant (to them), independent or foreign films that seem to populate many critic's year-end lists. Others will scour over the choices waiting to pounce. "You picked that?!? That movie sucked!"

Surely, this list will produce similar cries of foul and maybe a few agreeing cheers, perhaps both well warranted.  Wishfully thinking, this list will inspire you to seek out a few titles that you have not yet seen or were unfamiliar with.  These are subjective picks and rest assured that these selections are not meant to be "controversial" or to "raise eyebrows."  These are simply my favorite films of the year, reputation and stature be damned.  And oh yes, due to embargo, a few movies on this list could not be discussed in detail until their theatrical release.

And with that, here are the top 20 films of 2016:

The Detroit Film Critics Society is pleased to announce the BEST OF 2016 winners in ten categories. The society was founded in Spring 2007 and consists of a group of 17 Michigan film critics who write or broadcast in the Detroit area as well as other major cities within a 150-mile radius of the city including Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Flint, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio. 
 
This year, there are two winners in Best Supporting Actress due to a tie, Viola Davis for FENCES and Greta Gerwig for 20th CENTURY WOMEN share that honor.  Also three categories, Best Actress, Best Breakthrough and Best Documentary, had six nominations due to ties.  MANCHESTER BY THE SEA received the most nominations (eight) and picked up one win for Casey Affleck as Best Actor.  Other top nominees include MOONLIGHT with six nominations and HELL OR HIGH WATER with five nominations and one win for Jeff Bridges as Best Supporting Actor.   20th CENTURY WOMEN had four nominations with two wins – all in acting categories. The big winner is LA LA LAND with five nominations and four winners – Best Picture, Director, Actress, and Screenplay.  See full results below by clicking READ MORE.
 

As seen on the syndicated TV show "Movie Show Plus." movieshowplus.com

This week film critic Tom Santilli reviews "Rogue One," "La La Land" and "Jackie."

Tom Santilli is a film critic for AXS.com, the current President of the Detroit Film Critics Society and member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association. He appears on air weekly on the syndicated TV show "Movie Show Plus" and on "Critic Lee Speaking" on FOX-2 in Detroit. Follow him on Twitter: @tomsantilli

Today the Detroit Film Critics Society announced their official Nominations for 2016!  Winners will be announced on Monday, December 19th.

Here are the nominees in each of the ten categories:

 
1.  BEST PICTURE

• THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN
• HELL OR HIGH WATER

• MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
• MOONLIGHT
• LA LA LAND

 
2.  BEST DIRECTOR

• DAMIEN CHAZELLE – LA LA LAND

• BARRY JENKINS - MOONLIGHT
• KENNETH LONERGAN – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
• DAVID MACKENZIE – HELL OR HIGH WATER
• DENZEL WASHINGTON - FENCES

 
3.  BEST ACTOR

• CASEY AFFLECK – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
• JOEL EDGERTON - LOVING
• ANDREW GARFIELD – HACKSAW RIDGE
• RYAN GOSLING – LA LA LAND
• DENZEL WASHINGTON - FENCES

 
4.  BEST ACTRESS

• AMY ADAMS - ARRIVAL
• ANNETTE BENING – 20TH CENTURY WOMEN
• REBECCA HALL - CHRISTINE
• RUTH NEGGA – LOVING
• NATALIE PORTMAN - JACKIE

• EMMA STONE – LA LA LAND

 
5.  BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• MAHERSHALA ALI - MOONLIGHT
• JEFF BRIDGES – HELL OR HIGH WATER
• ALDEN EHRENREICH – HAIL, CAESAR!
• RALPH FIENNES – A BIGGER SPLASH
• LUCAS HEDGES – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

 
6.  BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• VIOLA DAVIS - FENCES
• ELLE FANNING – 20TH CENTURY WOMEN
• GRETA GERWIG – 20TH CENTURY WOMEN
• FELICITY JONES – A MONSTER CALLS
• MICHELLE WILLIAMS – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
  
  

7.  BEST ENSEMBLE

• 20TH CENTURY WOMEN
• EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!

• HELL OR HIGH WATER
• MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
• MOONLIGHT

 
8.  BEST BREAKTHROUGH

• MAHERSHALA ALI – MOONLIGHT, HIDDEN FIGURES - ACTOR
• KELLY FREMON CRAIG – EDGE OF SEVENTEEN – DIRECTOR/WRITER
• LUCAS HEDGES – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA - ACTOR
• BARRY JENKINS – MOONLIGHT – DIRECTOR/WRITER
• TREVANTE RHODES – MOONLIGHT - ACTOR
• TREY EDWARD SHULTS – KRISHA – DIRECTOR/WRITER

 
9.  BEST SCREENPLAY

• DAMIEN CHAZELLE – LA LA LAND
• ERIC HEISSERER - ARRIVAL
• BARRY JENKINS – MOONLIGHT
• KENNETH LONERGAN – MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
• TAYLOR SHERIDAN – HELL OR HIGH WATER

 
10.  BEST DOCUMENTARY

• 13TH
• GLEASON
• LIFE, ANIMATED
• O.J.: MADE IN AMERICA
• TICKLED
• WEINER