My top 10 most anticipated upcoming 2016 releases (UPDATED)

The Founder

Back in January, I came up with a list of movies I couldn't wait to see that were scheduled to be released sometime this calendar year.

As the summer season starts to wrap up and we enter the very condensed awards season in Hollywood, I thought the time was right to make some revisions. After all, a lot has happened in the last eight months.

Some of the films I was excited about have already come out -- Keanu, The Nice Guys, and Hail Caesar largely lived up to my expectations, the new Ghostbusters -- not so much.

Meanwhile, I will not be seeing Suicide Squad until it winds up on HBO or Netflix, I just can't bring myself to see a movie that is so critically reviled just because it is an "event movie" (see my Batman vs. Superman blog post from the Spring).

Still, there is a lot that remains high up on my list of must-sees, with a few new entries that have caught my attention because of some terrific early trailers and buzz. This fall and winter look like a real boon to film fans seeking more diverse, if not wholly original, subject matter.

My list features sci-fi blockbusters and typical awards fare -- to be honest, I have yet to see any trailer that has totally floored me besides Rogue One (although Loving looks very moving). Still, it's pretty early and there is always a sleeper surprise or two. For now, these are the films at the top of my list.

Loving - This film, which tells the true story behind Richard and Mildred Loving's courageous battle to get interracial marriage legalized nationwide in the late 60s, looks like awards fodder. But it also appears to be quiet and emotional in a refreshing way. I don't expect to see big, rousing speeches in this one. The material doesn't need to be overstated, it should be compelling enough on its own.

Doctor Strange - Just when I thought I couldn't be more burnt out on the whole superhero genre, the trailer for Marvel's Doctor Strange came along got me all excited. Not only does it look like an Inception-type brain teaser, but Benedict Cumberbatch appears to be delivering a committed, unironic performance in the lead role. The casting of Tilda Swinton as a character who was supposed to be Asian gives me pause, but I am intrigued by this one, even though I don't know the character at all.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story -The first trailer had me at hello, but the second one -- which featured a little tease of Darth Vader -- had me getting heart palpitations. This film appears to have doubled down on all that was great about The Force Awakens, but it could possibly be even better since it doesn't bear the responsibility of reintroducing and reinvigorating many pre-existing characters. It could still be a disappointment, Star Wars trailers have been better than the finished products before, but I will definitely be marking my calendar for this one.

Arrival - This kind of film has been done many times before -- aliens make contact with earth and we must decide whether they are benign or a threat. Inevitably, military people are skeptical, while the scientists are more interested in playing nice. What makes this sci-fi melodrama look better than most is the cast (Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker) and its director Denis Villeneuve -- who has been on an amazing hot streak following Prisoners and Sicario. That's enough to get me on board.

Hidden Figures

The Founder - Right now all the smart money is on one of my all-time favorite actors, Michael Keaton, to be the Best Actor front-runner at the Oscars this year for this anticipated biopic about Ray Kroc, the man behind the modern McDonald's franchise. He's certainly do, after being snubbed for Birdman and totally overlooked for Spotlight. The trailer has me a little worried that the tone will be too light and breezy. But I trust in Keaton, who is finally getting the chance to show off his considerable chops on a regular basis after a long lost period.

Hidden Figures - I've been excited about this biopic ever since I first heard of its conception. It's just the kind of black history-tinged biopic I've been waiting for -- both inspirational and original -- looking at a trio of brilliant black women who played a crucial role behind the scenes of NASA during the early days of the space program. The first trailer suggests a real showcase for the resurgent Taraji P. Henson and a potential breakout role for one of my favorite singers, Janelle Monae.

Fences - Denzel Washington directing himself and Viola Davis in an adaptation of the August Wilson classic -- what more do you need to know? There have been no trailers or even photos to emerge from this production yet. but its pedigree already has it high up on the list of likely Oscar contenders this year. Flight promised a return to Denzel's more dramatic roots and I am hopeful that this film will be as authentic and compelling as some of his best work has been.

The Magnificent Seven - But, even if Fences falls short, Denzel is bound to have a hit with this western popcorn flick remake, which he stars in alongside Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and many more. The exciting trailers suggest a real fidelity to the original with some refreshing multicultural flair. And although director Antoine Fuqua's track record is sometimes suspect, I have faith that this shoot 'em up will deliver the goods.

Silence - There is a lot of mystery around this Martin Scorsese passion project about missionaries in Japan (starring Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield), but since he's my favorite director, and he rarely, if ever, totally disappoints me -- I feel compelled to give this movie a chance. After a string of box office hits with Leonardo DiCaprio, Scorsese is making a real shift here to more introspective territory and I am intrigued by what this legendary director has to say at this point.

The Birth of a Nation  - This already controversial Nat Turner slavery epic has become even more polarizing in the wake of resurrected rape allegations from 1999 against its writer-director-star Nate Parker. That certainly casts a shadow over the film, and for some people will make it unwatchable, but I am still open to giving it a chance. It looks to be a powerful, provocative piece of work and I look forward to judging it on its own terms.