The Stooges’ story is a natural fit for the silver screen. Unfortunately, superfan Jim Jarmusch’s love letter to them does not quite do it justice.

A crowd-pleasing oceanic musical with big tunes and beguiling characters, Moana is likely to thwack a big smile on your face. And did we mention the idiotic chicken?

Arrival is a beautifully polished puzzle box of a story whose emotional and cerebral heft should enable it to withstand nit-picky scrutiny. And like all the best sci-fi, it has something pertinent to say about today’s world; particularly about the importance of communication, and how we need to transcend cultural divides and misconceptions if we’re to survive as a species.

The story of Britpop’s iconic band at its peak is told with wit, honesty and swagger. Which, given its two leads, is entirely fitting.

A bizarre and beautiful detour on the Marvel journey, which culminates in a mind-bending, expectation-inverting final act. Not to be watched under the influence.

If you’ve asked yourself why on earth there needs to be a movie about Troll dolls, this doesn’t really provide a strong answer, yet for all its awkwardness and fluff-brained logic, its enthusiasm is infectious.

Overall, a superior sequel. Some people will never get over the height discrepancy but character-wise, Never Goes Back brings Reacher closer to the books for the type of thriller that rarely gets made these days.

Covering alcoholism, manslaughter, infidelity and petty crime, there’s a rich spread of melodrama on offer, but none of the tales have meat enough to satisfy alone. Together, though, they form a varied backdrop to showcase some respectable character work.

It’s a little too long, but holds the attention thanks to Lane’s charisma, Ryan’s breathtaking cinematography and the dizzying power of young love.

Perhaps it’s fitting that this story about babies has the attention span and grasp of logic of a newborn.

Neither tribute nor analysis, this doc offers an inappropriately off-beam treatment for such a serious subject.

Wheatley continues an unbroken run of quality, helped by a great cast and a startlingly effective premise. This is seriously cool, stuffed with great dialogue and riddled with bullets.

An unfortunate misfire that has the odd moment of charm and the odder chuckle, but otherwise isn’t worth keeping up with.

Loach scans the contemporary landscape, and instead of a firebrand approach of stereotype, delivers a film of immense sadness. Someone should project this on the walls of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Its plot isn’t going to win any prizes for originality, but Nair tells the story with immense warmth and cheer. You can see just about every move coming, but it’s making all the right ones.

Character motivations are glossed over, explanatory scenes are jammed in haphazardly, and the finale relies on a tonally bizarre combination of schmaltz, coincidence and violence that seems to betray the arc of the whole movie.

This is Mel Gibson back to doing what he once did best, just older and grumpier. The movie has problems but delivers when it needs to.

If you can take the assault on your senses it’s worth sticking with for a core of genuine, affecting drama and dollops of sly, quotable humour.

Theroux’s first big-screen doc is an entertaining affair, peppered with surreal moments and wry wit, but its elusive subject remains out of reach.

An interesting introduction to (or reminder of) Amanda Knox’s story following the murder of her flatmate Meredith Kercher, but it doesn’t have the depth of other recent true-crime investigations.

It’s not the worst of the trilogy, but this is less for fans of thrillers and more for people who are pining after last year’s holiday to Florence.

It's the thriller aspect that most lets the film down, failing to truly engage or offer enough plausible red herrings to send your mind whirring through different theories as to what could have happened. The twists rarely, if ever, have the impact that were intended.

A thinking person’s Bad Boys, this off-kilter indie crime comedy introduces two deliriously warped lawmen to the screen. Here’s to a Cuba-invading sequel.

Too long, arduous, lecturey and patience-testing for even the all-new Matthew McConaughey to rescue. Director Ross is apparently so swamped by a sense of historical righteousness he hasn’t noticed he’s smothered a decent story.

A quality ghost story with an unusual backdrop and great performances.

The premise sounds like an off-Broadway play gone wrong. Far from it — this is extraordinary, vital, and fuelled by great performances.

Even if you didn’t know what comes next, this story of the first days of the Obamas would still seduce as a sweet, smart romance.

While it's neither as dark, funny nor peculiar as you’d expect from Tim Burton, there’s still much here to admire.

Following up Love Is Strange with another slice of urban bohemia, Sachs’ latest is another gem that's full of heart and warmth.

The best zombie-ish apocalypse in years. Sennia Nanua is a major discovery, but it’s the dense social commentary and moral dilemmas that will haunt you.

A gripping if occasionally overwrought drama radiated by a standout turn from Seydoux.

An efficient and no-nonsense depiction of the worst disaster in US oil drilling history, buoyed by excellent performances.

Slick but forgettable, Fuqua’s suicide squad is a macho posse movie that could use a jab of fun. It’s The Magnificent Seven, but the “magnificent” is silent.

A bit "Up," a bit "Moonrise Kingdom," a bit "Midnight Run," even… Taika Waititi’s latest is an oddball treat of a mismatched-buddy pursuit move.

Effectively scary and occasionally inventive, Blair Witch is a solid genre film both helped and hindered by its franchise’s place in cinematic history.

Often gripping, and elevated by Cranston’s superb central performance. But it’s hard not to feel like we’ve seen this before, often and done better.

Though the story occasionally stretches credibility, the warmth and wit so reminiscent of the original Bridget Jones's Diary propels you along, being due in large part to the return of one woman: director Sharon Maguire. You feel her filthy, funny thumbprints pressed on almost every scene.

It sounded like the dumbest movie of all time, but it’s actually smart, subversive and packed with famous voices saying wonderfully unspeakable things. In fact, it’s a banger.

Part fever-dream, part supernatural thriller and not entirely successful as either, Louis Drax is nonetheless watchable, bolstered by provocative themes.

It’s well designed and shot, but in service of a story that never coalesces into something intelligent or compelling.

Taut, tense and teasing, this fascinating exercise in screen storytelling keeps viewers guessing whether the prime suspect might just be a victim.

A compelling and moving interpretation of a largely forgotten moment in European history.

Taut, tense and burnished by Jeff Bridges at his best. This is a deceptively simple tale of Texan cops and robbers that drags the Old West into the modern age.

A bloody-knuckled fightfest, back-dropped by the beautiful Welsh countryside, this defies its budget to bring a little epic to Viking Britain.

Buoyed by riveting lead performances, and driven by a compelling real-life story, this is proof that Phillips can handle grown-up material. All without a naked Ken Jeong.

An absolute blast, with a frenetic strike-rate and songs that will worm their way into your ears for days. Like Conner, this comedy’s for real.

A fiercely original, pleasantly unpredictable character piece. This is a gang of outsiders with something valuable to say about the world we live in.

Election Year maintains the nervy tension that made the first films entertaining, but doubles down on the political metaphors, overwhelming you with its soap-box rhetoric.

A slick, stylish melodrama with an involving story and a cracking cast. Star Adriana Ugarte is a real find.

An intense, streamlined exercise in gruesome thrills, with a tiny glimmer of social context (it’s all about the economy) which doesn’t take away from the exciting struggle to get out of this house of horrors.

It’s an adequate retelling, mostly, but with moments of eye-rolling ineptitude.

Narratives of the Northern Irish Troubles are a nightmare of bias and bullshit – this superior doc does better than most in cutting through both, and offers a lot to experts and noobs alike.

An otherwise mundane rom-com that doesn’t know how to handle its one point-of-difference; and even that isn’t as much of a big deal as its writers think it is.

It’s an energetic survival thriller and terrific showcase for Lively’s chops, but iffy plotting and a sloppy climax detract from the terror.

Ricky Gervais very much plays the hits in an undercooked but occasionally funny big screen revival that suffers from a crippling case of de ja vu. Brent’s last goodbye? You’d hope so.

A lean, mean scare-machine, and a surprise contender for horror of the year. Seek it out. Then, for God’s sake, buy a bedside lamp.

The ending doesn’t quite land, but this timely right-wing allegory promises there’s much more to come from Corbet.

It still feels old-fashioned rather than timeless and even on its family entertainment terms, it just doesn’t quicken the pulse-rate.

It’s a beautifully animated tale (keep your eyes on the way Kubo’s hair moves) that balances story with comedy and moments of effective (if light) horror.

Ostensibly, a lovingly made study of homemade cooking and old-fashioned values, this beautifully played drama also contains a mordant denunciation of the lack of compassion that shapes Japanese attitudes to social stigma.

A strong cast can’t rescue the repetitively crude and recklessly derivative material. Mike and Dave need a lot more help than in merely finding wedding dates.

An intimate, if unanalytical, portrait of one of movies greatest talents, told in her own words and through an adroitly assembled use of fantastic home movie footage. It’s also probably your only chance to see a Hollywood icon win a sack race.

Like Avengers Assemble forced through a Deadpool mangle, Suicide Squad gives new life to DC’s big-screen universe. So bad-to-the-bone it’s good.

This is a gentler, less confrontational Solondz. It makes you laugh, but probably won’t leave you reeling after. Some fans of his might consider that a disappointment, others might find it a relief.

Strong performances and direction make the most of a lightweight tale.

Hawke is compelling, offering a magnetic portrayal of an exasperating but deeply charismatic, engaging figure.

Unflinching in its eschewal of objectivity, this provides a unique perspective on a notorious case, while correcting some of the impressions about urban black youth the media cravenly peddled in its aftermath.

Yes, Jason Bourne basically amounts to a trio of action set-pieces elegantly strung together. But who really cares when they’re this impressive?

All cast and crew do an impressive job in making this unlikely proposition such an engaging, thought-provoking and darkly funny watch.

A gruelling watch and a searing indictment of America's disregard for its indigenous peoples.

Even by the standards of animation, the logic fails here are impressive. But the bigger problem is the lack of charm, focus and original storytelling as the animals suddenly have to save the world instead of just surviving it.

Considering it’s the debut of one of TV’s hottest double-acts, Keanu is a slight disappointment. But there’s plenty of funny stuff, and George Michael fans in particular should have faith, faith, faith.

Hilarious in places, hideous in others, this struggles to make its philosophical case. But the performances are exceptional and the conceit could not be more daring or distinctive.

Precious Cargo is a film out of time. In the ’90s it would have been a serviceable DTV alternative when the Van Damme/Jeff Wincott flick was out at Blockbuster. These days it is a lacklustre anachronism. Bruce Willis should really know better.

A return to fun, and a return to form for the new version of the old Trek. The 13th Trek movie is also the second good odd-numbered instalment in a row. Lucky for some.

Giant expectations may lead to tiny disappointments in this two-hander that’s slow in parts. But it still offers magic and visual delights, and the final act is a treat.

The film works for the most part, and even though the laughs notably dry up as the CGI spectacular kicks into gear, its feelgood vibes will most likely have already won you over.

Funny and nasty in the best traditions of Headhunters and Jackpot, this is the Stellan Skarsgård vengeance thriller we've all been waiting for.

Notwithstanding the efforts of a game cast, this is a grotesque miscalculation that disrespects the memory of those who perished in one of the darkest episodes in recent history by turning it into a piece of white-knuckle entertainment.

It's scatty, scrappy and thoroughly OTT, but then that's like the characters themselves.

Not so much a ripping yarn, more of a dripping yarn, Yates’ reinterpretation of the Lord Of The Jungle is a big disappointment.

It’s an impressively starry cast, but sadly, this lacks the charm, wit and, yes, magic of the original. You’ll like it, not a lot.

Witty and moving, this is a low-budget Brit triumph that marks its director as a talent to watch.

As spectacular as you’d hope from a sequel to the 1996 planet-toaster, and as amusingly cheesy. You’ll enjoy yourself enough that you won’t even miss Will Smith.

Grotesque rather than scary and severely underplotted – but certainly strong meat.

You have to be in the right mood for it, but this is one of the season’s finest films.

Pixar sequel-phobes be damned — this is a dazzling and technically impressive return to form that delivers a similar high to Finding Nemo without feeling like a retread.

An action comedy without any action or comedy – not even The Rock’s charisma and enthusiasm can save this dud.

A perfectly cast comedy of manners that couches complex emotional questions in joyous farce and continues Gerwig’s reign as the undisputed Queen Of Quirk.

The Neon Demon pulls off the unique feat of being both boring and bravura all at once. Like the world it depicts, it’s a feast for the eyes but little else.

Notwithstanding the efforts of a game cast, this is a grotesque miscalculation that disrespects the memory of those who perished in one of the darkest episodes in recent history by turning it into a piece of white-knuckle entertainment.

An affable adventure with a strong voice cast. What it lacks in originality, it claws back with strong visual gags and a witty script.

There’s not a lot of consequence to this bizarre meeting, or really the film, but as a character study of two men alone at the top, it’s both very funny and quietly astute.

It’s tastefully shot and Crowe commits to the horrors of Jake’s illness (his seizures are upsetting) but the writing lacks depth, the character psychology is dime-store Freud and the performances are variable.

A lesser entry in the LeCarré Cinematic Universe, though Damian Lewis and Stellan Skarsgård rescue it from complete blandness.

Odd-couple chemistry and a dark underbelly keep this Danish noir adaptation compelling.

Uncompromisingly authentic, impeccably played and quietly compelling.

Though inspired by real-life journals, Guerra’s haunting and beautifully shot film transports us into the realm of the mystical and surreal.