Best movie lists are all over the map. Artsy fartsy movies that have no staying power.

Bleak, powerful, unpleasant movies that are well made but I wouldn’t see again on a bet.

Thinking about 2016, to this point, I found five movies that I believe are 1. Really good

2. Favorites 3. Importantly, I would see them again today.

This criteria is one reason you won’t find a strong, powerfully acted movie like Manchester By the Sea on my list. Bleak and painful with limited joy, I’m glad I saw it and glad I won’t be watching it again when it comes on cable.

5. Hacksaw Ridge: The section where he spends the night rescuing soldiers from the battlefield and hauling them down the cliff is powerful. Critics and much of Hollywood automatically pick at anything Mel Gibson does. Whatever happened to the notion of forgiveness. Plus, whoever said you have to be a fine person to make a fine movie?

Gibson did a great job here, and my only hesitation is the unrelenting violence which is just too much for me. A really good but flawed movie, I put in on my list with a little bit of a “fuck you” to those who review Gibson, not his work.

4. Zootopia. Nice to go from ugly to joy. Great characters, great story line and a world I can’t wait to visit again. Grandson and grandfather heaven.

3. Sing Street: Loved the story and music and characters as they struggle and grow.

2. Edge of Seventeen: More than a coming of age movie, a smart movie about how hard it can be to connect. Thank God Woody Harrelson is around to help.

1. Hell or High Water: Every scene clicks. And for those who love the Jack Nicholson “stick it between your legs” scene in Five Easy Pieces, wait till you see two grizzled lawmen served by a Texas “hon”. Glorious.