Even in regular old 2D, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk was one of the year’s most quietly meditative experiences, respectful, despite the frills. Its success will depend largely on how well it does in the awards season. It’ll fail. But don’t let that deter you.

If only the care that was put into the staggering, MC Escher-esque visuals from the final act were put into the characters. If only the fantastic special effects and a strong central performance from Cumberbatch were put in service of a more cohesive script. Maybe then Doctor Strange could’ve been the trippy, psychedelic adventure it always promised to be, and not a middling entry in a 14-film-old franchise.

Train to Busan is one of the best surprises of the year; a redemption tale that reminds us how close we are to losing our humanity, but also the compassion we are capable of. All aboard.

Queen of Katwe is a real movie, with real people, real drama and a real sense of place. It’s aided by a soundtrack filled with local flavour, and despite being a Disney film, it isn’t afraid to shy away from the harsher truths of slum life. When it hits, it hits hard. But there’s humour in the unlikeliest of places, there’s a spirit that just refuses to die. No matter what, that chin stays up. On a side note, do not miss the end credits.

Fuqua’s film is sleek and shiny, like the barrel of Denzel’s gun. It is sweeping, just like the vast landscapes upon which it is set. It ends with one of the most stunning gunfights you could hope for.

It’s a magnificently crafted film, tightly paced, impeccably cut, with tense direction, just enough drama to anchor it all, and a livewire of a Blake Lively performance to keep it afloat when it threatens to get swept under the current.

The final few minutes of Sully are exhilarating. It’s what the film has been surging towards. Watching it unfold on that huge screen was incredible. The sounds, the images, the atmosphere envelopes you.
And then, another curious thing happened. There was applause – not hooting or whistling – but real applause – genuine, respectful, appreciative and very uncommon.
Like Sully.

Star Trek Beyond is an extension of the movies that came before it. It makes the series feel connected and whole.

What makes a movie, that might on the surface look like it’s just another release date, another intellectual property exploited for its lasting legacy, another grim retelling of a beloved modern hero – transcend every hurdle in its way, and become satisfying, surprising… What makes a film win you over, and become, against all expectations, something you can picture yourself watching again?

Warcraft is joyous fun. It might be cluttered and overwhelming at times, there is no denying that it is a film made with love. It is unafraid to be nerdy, it laughs in the face of mockery. It embraces its goofiness. When it beckons you to join in on the fun, let it.