Amon Warmann

A thoughtful, affecting debut feature from Tremblay that puts a necessary spotlight on Indigenous peoples — featuring another exceptional performance from Lily Gladstone.

Tessa Thompson has never been better as the titular not-so-desperate housewife in Nia DaCosta’s bold, stylish reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s timeless play.

Giving the gloves to Michael B. Jordan both in front of and behind the camera leads to satisfying results, and the year of great Jonathan Majors performances continues.

Come for Taylor’s breakout performance, stay for a tender, confidently told story of Black motherhood and sacrifice. Rockwell is one to watch.

Timeless, generational music combines with thrilling showmanship and insightful creative musings as Zimmer (& friends) bring his act to the big screen with winning results. Almost no bum notes detected.

The human drama isn't always as compelling as it wants to be, but at its best Godzilla is a hugely entertaining blockbuster that starts strongly and finishes with a mighty roar. The king of the monsters has returned, and it appears he's here to stay.

While comparisons to Moonlight are not without merit, The Last Tree bucks the coming-of-age blueprint in new, specific ways.

Gyllenhaal flexes all his considerable acting muscles in this taut, tense thriller. One of the better remakes you’ll see.

A stylish, laugh-out-loud blast that has something to say but doesn’t sacrifice enjoyment to do so, anchored by a trio of great performances. Quite the debut for Juel Taylor.

Come for the wise alien spider, stay for Adam Sandler at his sombre best in this strange, heartfelt sci-fi drama. Here’s hoping he continues to push himself to new highs.

Zendaya and John David Washington deliver career-best performances in this mesmerising two-hander that ruminates on love, life and art.

The fraternity versus parents premise is a decidedly simple one, but the surprising amount of depth to the characters helps mine it for all its worth.

Combining beautiful aesthetics with winning performances from Thompson and Asomugha, Sylvie’s Love is the rare Black period drama that tells a sweet and satisfying love story without revolving around the racial adversity of the era.

This Hallow Road is paved with brilliant performances, a smart, unpredictable script, and tight, precise direction from Anvari. An unsettling ride worth taking. 

A bold and tender story well told, and elevated by its personal nature. This is a strong debut from Gharoro-Akpojotor — she’s one to watch. 

Pugh and Garfield are a dynamite duo in this likably earnest, satisfyingly complicated love story. Worthy of your time, and your tears.

Moving, enlightening, but above all entertaining, this is a worthy tribute to a prolific talent that fortifies our appreciation for Vandross and his art.

The charming performances make this a win for colourblind casting. On the list of period romcom requirements, the sweet love story ticks all the right boxes.

It helps that Candyman is exquisitely shot. Right from the first frame, DaCosta is always doing something interesting with the camera. There is smart visual storytelling almost everywhere you look, from the clever use of mirrors, to edgy scene transitions, to set design that starts to mirror Candyman’s look in interesting ways. The jump scares are rare but hardly needed: all this contributes to a growing feeling of dread as the film speeds towards its bold conclusion.

A viscerally rendered plane crash gives way to an affecting story of humanity and survival. Bayona is on impressive form here.

Though it may be derivative, Smile still manages to be a scary, unsettling ride that’s powered by an impressively committed Sosie Bacon performance and some assured direction. Finn is one to watch.

Snyder’s Justice League is an entertaining if overlong superhero flick in its own right. If this is the last DC film Snyder directs, it’s a satisfactory exit.

The creatively gory fighting and amusing — if shallow — characters just about compensate for the paper-thin story. But at its best, it’s a lot of dumb fun. 

Too often The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain favours eccentricity over actual insight. But even when the tones jar, Cumberbatch’s vulnerable, layered performance always rings true.

The story is a bit slight, but it’s fun to watch Ana de Armas punch, shoot, stab and blast everything and everyone in her way. A Wick-edly entertaining addition to one of cinema’s best action franchises.

A solid conclusion to an unlikely trilogy and a fitting end to Robert McCall’s character arc — with Washington still entertaining as a deliverer of slick justice.

Hustle follows a familiar game plan but executes it well, with a love of basketball culture shining through — alongside a likeable Sandler performance.

Some wonderful visual flourishes and two brilliant central performances by Wright and Lawrence help to illuminate the Gibbons sisters’ headspaces. But without important context, true insight and understanding remains elusive.

This is a come-for-Lopez, stay-for-Lopez endeavour, and she’s on fine, movie star form in this serviceable, if forgettable action thriller.

Operating with more of a steady pulse than a full-on thrill-ride, this revenge flick exchanges fists for brains with only decent results.

A few storytelling decisions don’t ring true, but the winning performances and loving celebration of Black British culture help conjure up just enough holiday cheer to make this worth watching.

Odenkirk as an ageing action hero is still a violent delight, but the storytelling in this sequel leaves much to be desired.

Not quite a flawless victory, but a solid win all the same. Any future follow-ups would do well to give us an actual Mortal Kombat tournament to enjoy.

This doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and keeps you waiting too long for the final showdown — but when the creatures collide, it still delivers satisfying thrills.

Neither Bautista nor Jovovich can elevate this ugly-looking misfire. Fans of entertaining fantasy action need not apply. 

Arnie completists will enjoy seeing the Austrian Oak in good form, but as a whodunit thriller Sabotage is found severely wanting.

Solid performances can’t keep this from being a tonally erratic disappointment. Here’s hoping the next Hoover adaptation is a little less regrettable.

Pompeii make tick all the necessary movie checkboxes, but its execution is unoriginal and uninspired.

Snake Eyes finally speaks, but with frustrating action scenes, a middling story and unearned sequel-baiting, there’s not much here that’s worth listening to, or watching.

Despite good performances from El-Masry and Brosnan, this fails to pack the heavyweight knockout punch it sorely needs. Judge’s decision: a narrow loss, on points. 

Despite strong lead performances and some intriguing themes, this rarely rises above being a serviceable action thriller.