Mass Effect Andromeda Arriving Soon & ME2 Free!

2017 has only just kicked off and Bioware have already blown the doors off with their latest press release. The hotly anticipated release for the latest instalment into the Mass Effect Universe will be arriving in North America on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 and Thursday, March 23, 2017 in Europe.

Bioware's general manager continued by writing - 

"Mass Effect: Andromeda is our most ambitious Mass Effect game to date. We’re telling completely new stories, creating new characters, new planets, new species, and introducing new gameplay systems. And for the first time, we’re bringing Mass Effect to the Frostbite game engine, an incredible engine that’s delivering a tremendous graphical jump from the trilogy to Mass Effect: Andromeda. To deliver on this, we’re taking all the time we can to make sure you’re getting the best possible experience."

In conjunction with this news, NVIDIA released a gameplay trailer showcasing in game footage and a few of the menus, mobs and manoeuvres in glorious HD (#PCMasterRace). From this short snippet alone, visually it looks incredible with crisp lines and a variety of lighting and colour. The menu concerns me due to its rather rapid and clunky looking movements but this could have been sped up.

With such hype and excitement behind Andromeda, EA have made Mass Effect 2 FREE for all users of their Origin platform for PC users. No news surrounding the console community yet but the big partnership with NVIDIA probably influenced such promotional strategies.

Are you excited for Andromeda? Let us know in the comment section below!

Film Review: Silence

"The Moment You Set Foot In That Country, You Step Into High Danger..."

Is there really a better way to start off the year than in the presence of the master of cinema himself, Martin Scorsese? Well, it does depend on what mood he is in I suppose. Whilst I can enjoy the silliness of films such as Cape Fear and Shutter Island, particularly the latter with its' brilliantly honky soundtrack, every true cinephile wishes for the chance to witness for the first time the next Taxi Driver or Goodfellas, particularly when those respective films are the ones which will go down as the true classics of the Scorsese back catalogue. What we have with the latest Scorsese flick therefore is a highly publicised pet project of the legendary director, one which has been squirming within development hell since the 1990's, and one which acts as the end point for the unofficial trilogy of religion-based dramas which began with The Last Temptation of Christ, succeeded with Kundun and now concludes with Silence, based upon the 1966 novel of the same name by Japanese author Shūsaku Endō and featuring a screenplay by Gangs of New York writer Jay Cocks as well as Scorsese himself, adding writing credits to a film for the first time since Casino. Whilst Silence is undoubtedly an impressive piece of cinema, boasting some fine performances and stunning cinematography, Silence is a Scorsese movie which can only be described as an incredibly laboured experience, one which falters in its' rather plodded screenplay and a runtime which sits on the edge of utter misjudgement. 

With a eye-boggling length of 160 minutes, 15 minutes longer than Goodfellas and pretty much nearly an hour over Taxi Driver, Silence is not only a movie which portrays the element of faith being tested on-screen, it is also a movie which tests its' audience's patience, relying on the overkill of numerous torture scenes to get its' point across, acting as the cornerstone of each chapter, amongst endless acts of faith-ridden sacrifices and the questioning of a faith which has completely been lost in the "swamp" of 17th Century Japan. Whilst the movie plods along in a sub-par Apocalypse Now-esque fashion, Silence is saved by some top-end performances throughout, particularly from the leading trio of Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver and Liam Neeson, whilst Issey Ogata's eerie portrayal of High Inquisitor Inoue Masashige adds the villainous element to alarming effect. Whilst the release of a Scorsese movie is undoubtedly a cause for celebration, Silence feels like exactly what it is; a glorified pet project for a man whose best seems to be behind him. Whilst Silence is no means a terrible film, it is one of those rare cases of a movie which is undoubtedly an impressive example of film-making, but instead of blessing us with a masterclass, only succeeds in testing our patience. Lose a good forty minutes, use fewer examples of torture and we might have had a real winner to start the year. Sorry Martin, A Monster Calls is a better film.

Overall Score: 6/10

Film Review: A Monster Calls

"Who Is To Say That It Is Not Everything Else That Is The Dream...?"

Opening against the likes of Scorsese and Assassin's Creed, A Monster Calls, the latest from impressive director J. A. Bayona, ultimately offers more of family-friendly adventure then perhaps others on show at the start of 2017, a family-friendly adventure boasting a CGI'd Liam Neeson-shaped tree, one which bears a striking resemblance to the Ents from The Lord of the Rings, who forms part of an impressive cast featuring the likes of Rogue One's Felicity Jones and cult favourite, Sigourney Weaver. With Bayona's career beginning in a solidly admirable manner with his directorial craft stamped on both the Guillermo Del Toro produced horror The Orphanage and the disaster drama The Impossible, A Monster Calls is a melancholic and poignant tale of one boy's capacity to cope with the horrors which wait for him in the future, featuring a superb performance from young Lewis MacDougall and a screenplay which admirably attempts to be something much more mature and complex than your average fantasy romp.

If being based solely from the trailers, it would be obvious to assume that A Monster Calls primarily shouts out to the younger viewers out there, and whilst an element of fantasy is ripe throughout the movie, the true nature of A Monster Calls is so much more understated than one might expect, particularly with a gigantic digital tree at the heart of the film, with Bayona taking full effect of Patrick Ness's adapted screenplay of his own novel in creating a film which will strangely appeal more to an adult audience than one might expect. Furthermore, the ominous and ambiguous nature of The Orphanage is relevant once again, with Bayona choosing to use the sensual appeal of silence to follow our hero to full effect and only using background music when absolutely necessary, creating that eerie atmosphere present within the director's earlier works. What we have with A Monster Calls therefore is the creepy, cold nature of The Orphanage mixed together with the tough examination of humanity from The Impossible. Does it work? Yes, and although there are moments of slight wanderings, A Monster Calls is a poignant and overtly eye-watering success, only continuing the reputation of director Bayona many-fold. 

Overall Score: 7/10

Film Review: Assassin's Creed

"We Work In The Dark To Serve The Light..."

We begin our descent into the year ahead in film with perhaps the most anticipated live-action video game release in recent memory. Beginning all the way back in 2007, the Assassin's Creed franchise was a spectacular addition to the gaming world, producing more and more content with each and every new release, resulting in enough worldwide popularity to garner an inevitable film adaptation. Whilst it has almost become clichéd to stamp every video game adaption as utter, utter tripe, the signs for Assassin's Creed were excitingly upbeat considering the talent on display at the heart of the film's production, with Snowtown and Macbeth director Justin Kurzel being a subverted, interesting choice to conduct the film's leading stars, stars which include the likes of Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, both of whom were so superb in Kurzel's blood-stained Shakespearean adaptation of the Scottish play back in 2015. As a fan of the original video game franchise, something of which I suspect will be the case for the majority of the films' audience, Kurzel's live-action adaptation is a solid, if rather grim adaptation of the famous series, one which is undoubtedly his own movie, a rarity in Hollywood these days, but something of which ironically both positively and negatively effects the final cut of his latest cinematic venture. 

When convicted murderer Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) is sentenced to death by lethal injection, he is swiftly captured by the mysterious Abstergo Industries who reveal themselves as a modern-day incarnation of the religious military order known simply as the Templar Order, a secret organisation who seek the lost Apple of Eden, an object of power which they believe will cure the violent ways of human race. Tutored by the the father and daughter duo of Sophia and Alan Rikkin, portrayed by Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons respectively, Lynch is asked to connect with his ancestor Aguilar, a member of the infamous Assassin's Creed, who is key to locating the long lost object of which the Templar's seek. For those privy to the narrative of the games, the storyline of the cinematic adaptation is pretty familiar, and whilst Kurzel's stamp on the movie is incredibly on-the-nose in terms of how unrelentingly grim and dark it is, both in literal and metaphorical sense, this particular notion does play a major factor in the overall feel of the films' appeal.

On the one hand, in attempting to create a much darker and less-mainstream movie than other video game adaptations in the past, Kurzel does deserve a level of recognition. yet on the other hand, it does ultimately result in a large portion of the movie being a tough nut to break, particularly I would have thought for an audience of the younger ilk of cinema-goers. What you have therefore with Assassin's Creed is an admirable if rather flawed adaptation of a fundamentally bonkers video game, particularly in a narrative sense, and whilst the film may seem a feat for those who have played the respective video games, Kurzel's vision is one of undeniable murkiness, something of which may indeed alienate both the young as well as those who have not previously had the association with the video games that many have had in the past. We start 2017 therefore with an enigma of a movie, but one which at least bears some form of positivity for the future of live-action video game adaptations.  

Overall Score: 6/10

Film Feature: Looking Forward to 2017 in Film

2017 in Film

With 2016 being such a superb year for cinema, one which once again proved that the golden age of film is most definitely still alive and kicking, the onus is most definitely on 2017 to make it even better. Of course, the cinematic schedule of the year is pretty darn obvious in terms of the big-hitters, the blockbusters and the rafter of franchise advancing sequels, but 2017 is arguably the biggest cinematic year in recent memory, with more superhero films than you can shake a stick at amongst those wild, hidden gems which only arise as the great works of art they are until they are sought out and polished by the critical masses. To start the year off with a bang therefore, it wouldn't be the same without a glance into the near future, admiring the masses of movies that are set to grace our screens over the course of the next twelve months whilst making a psychically-charged attempt to pick out the true highlights, the indie-sensations, the money-grabbing cash-ins and of course, the one we have all been waiting for; Power Rangers. Don't lie, you can't wait either. 

Straight off the bat on January the 1st we begin the year with the triple header of A Monster Calls, Justin Kurzel's cinematic adaptation of Assassin's Creed, and of course, the new Martin Scorsese flick Silence, a historical drama featuring the acting bravura of Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield and Kylo Ren himself, Adam Driver, and whilst Scorsese hasn't exactly really hit the lofty heights of movie classics such as Taxi Driver and Goodfellas in recent years, Silence is an interesting, long-awaited personal project for the directorial legend, one of which surely rivals Michael Fassbender's cape wearing assassin for best film to kick off the new year. Mouthwateringly, the entire month of January is destined to include some real winners, no more so than Whiplash director Damien Chazelle's latest Oscar-touted movie La La Land, a much-anticipated romantic drama starring the winning duo of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, whilst films such as Manchester By The Sea, Lion, Jackie and Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge all manage to fit in screen-time before the final preparations for the upcoming Academy Awards embrace our smaller sized screens at home. 

Heading into February and March, we witness the beginning of the numerous amount of sequels and franchise expanding releases such as Rings, Fifty Shades Darker, Logan and of course Kong: Skull Island which boasts a staggeringly impressive cast with the likes of Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson leading the line against the infamous giant ape. Arguably John Wick: Chapter 2 is the stand-out sequel amongst the many thrown at us this time of year, continuing the tale of the ridiculously entertaining first film starring Keanu Reeves as the titular suave-obsessed hit-man. Elsewhere, Disney gets ready for another hefty pay day with the release of the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast within a two-week period which includes releases of Power Rangers, Ghost In The Shell and an exciting new project from High-Rise director Ben Wheatley in the form of Free Fire which features Cillian Murphy and Brie Larson in leading roles. For Easter however, the respective marketing teams have really got their work cut out with back-to-back releases with Furious 8, yes, the eighth Fast and Furious movie, and of course, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, featuring more retro music and perhaps the coolest character of the year in the form of baby Groot. 

Heading into May and through to June, we continue the rafter of greatly anticipated sequels including the likes of Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant, World War Z 2 as well as the latest in the line of two of the highest grossing franchises of all time in the form of Pirates of the Caribbean 5 and, get ready to feel morbidly ill at the thought of it, the latest Transformers movie from Michael Bay. Budding for the most attention within all of these releases however is the next DC Universe release, this time focusing on the origins of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman who was used so poorly and sparingly within Batman Vs. Superman. Could this finally be the film which reinvigorates the DC canon? Well for starters Zak Snyder isn't involved in a directorial capacity, instead settling for both writer and producer, (Gulp!) with that honour instead going to Patty Jenkins, director of the Oscar winning Monster, and this alone could be the kick-start DC's respective cinematic universe sorely requires. Aside from flying superheroes, the real stand-out movies of the year both arrive in early summertime with Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk and the hotly anticipated release of The Dark Tower, based upon the annoyingly addictive anthology of novels by Stephen King, being two of the movies that I have my sights well and truly set on. 

Following in the footsteps of The Dark Tower, the latest adaptation of Stephen King's It will grace our screens heading into the latter months of the year featuring Bill Skarsgård as the venomous Pennywise the clown whilst the ultra-reliable Denis Villeneuve tackles the long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, one of my all-time favourite films, featuring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford who reprises his role as the titular bounty hunter, Rick Deckard. With Villeneuve really hitting his stride in recent years with the likes of Sicario and Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 is in safe hands and something that could potentially become the real masterpiece of the year. The final eight weeks of the year feature two of the big blockbusters in the form of Justice League and of course, Star Wars: Episode VIII which will undoubtedly be a melancholic time for fans of the series after the loss of Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher. It will be interesting to see in the cinematic capacity how the film will deal with such a shocking loss, but it also will still be an undoubted success in the hands of Looper director Rian Johnson. 2017 is set to be another supermassive year in the land of cinema and whilst 2016 is a particularly hard act to follow, I look forward to the ambiguity which lies ahead. 

Black Ribbon's Best Films of 2016: Part Two

Best Films of 2016: Part Two

Concluding our cinematic features for the year of 2016 is the second part of our countdown of the best films the past twelve months have had to offer, and whilst the likes of Tarantino, Star Wars and Marvel haven't made the top ten, it just reasserts the power and strength of cinema in the modern era. Beginning our final foray into the best of 2016 therefore, we start with...

10. Creed

Not only does Ryan Coogler's Creed gain kudos for putting Goodison Park, the home of my beloved Everton, on the big screen, it also deserves a rafter of plaudits for reinvigorating the Rocky franchise, resurrecting it from the dead-end many had thought it had drove itself into and proving that with enough solid elements holding it together, such a series can continue to thrive. With Stallone arguably giving the best performance of his career, alongside a superb physical performance from Michael B. Jordan, a continuing collaborator with Coogler, Creed is a thrilling masterclass in how to create a successful sports movie, one which boasts impressive cinematography and sets things up nicely for Coogler's venture into the MCU with Black Panther, a film which of course also stars the magnetic screen presence of Jordan in a leading role.

9. The Revenant

As many predicted, Alejandro G. Iñárritu's visual masterclass The Revenant was indeed the movie which finally brought Oscar success for Leonard DiCaprio, and whilst perhaps in my own opinion the prestigious gong should have gone to Michael Fassbender instead, the reality is those Oscar lot just love a man to suffer before rewarding him, and boy does he. Whether it be being ripped to shreds by a bear, swimming in freezing water or eating a bison liver, a brave decision considering DiCaprio's vegetarian ways, The Revenant takes delight in punishing poor old Leo, yet the movie really shines when admiring the simply stunning cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki who too walked away with a deserved Oscar win, one which made him the first person in history to win three consecutive Oscars for his respective cinematic craft. Not a bad way to enjoy Christmas I suppose. 

8. The Big Short

Whilst there are those who are clever enough to dissect and understand the financial crisis of 2007/8, films like The Big Short act as the sort of gateway many of us cry out for when it comes to understanding an event so critically important yet so fundamentally confusing. With a top-end cast featuring the likes of Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt and Steve Carell holding it together, Adam McKay's comedic take on the unfolding drama works perfectly, creating a film which not only requires the audience's utmost attention throughout but one which is clever enough to not underestimate its' subject matter by resorting to cheesy basil exposition. How does the film manage to bypass this? By not only breaking the third wall but knocking it down completely, with guest stars such as Margot Robbie turning up and doing the explanations for us, something of which seems strange on first watch but suitably fits the feel of the film on repeat viewings, an easy feat when considering the superb nature of the movie.

7. The Neon Demon

As with High-Rise, Nicolas Winding Refn's The Neon Demon is undoubtedly a movie viewers will either really love or really hate. Whilst Refn has some done some superb work in the past with the likes of Bronson and Drive, films like Only God Forgives prove that every once and a while even the most gifted of film-makers can make a real stinker. Fortunately for Refn, The Neon Demon is most definitely a film which sides on all the good things the great Dane can accomplish, with its' simply marvellous cinematography rivalling that of the most accomplished movie-makers, whilst the Cliff Martinez soundtrack continues the solid collaboration between director and composer which began on Drive. Part Lynchian fairytale, part exploitation horror, The Neon Demon is an engrossing and overly arty B-Movie which puts to shame all the weaknesses of his past and poorer attempts to create such. Not only does god forgive Mr. Refn, but so does your trusted audience.

6. The Witch

"She's a witch!". Trying to avoid thinking up that particular famous Monty Python scene when it comes to anything resembling witchcraft is a particularly hard feat, yet Robert Eggers' unbelievably tense cinematic debut The Witch is a movie which creeps you out from beginning to end, destroying any hopes of a break from its' melancholic appeal by being just too darn intense and oppressive from the outset. Set in the remote outset of a secluded 17th century New England settlement, one camped right next to the freakiest looking forest of all time, The Witch is a superb and intelligent piece of horror film-making, one which doesn't rely on cheap cattle-prodding as its' main selling point and instead one which focuses on the oppressive state of madness and the ambiguity of an age in which witchcraft was a notion taken very, very seriously. If you want the full effect, turn the ligths off and listen with headphones. It's a guaranteed creeper. 

5. Son of Saul

Cinematic interpretations of one of history's most appalling acts are always a tough watch and whilst Son of Saul adheres to such a notion, this Hungarian Oscar winner is perhaps one of, if not, the definitive Holocaust movie, one which completely disregards the Hollywood based nature of a film like Schindler's List and instead goes for a much grittier approach, one which boasts some outstanding cinematic qualities and a standout performance from its' leading man. With its' sheer harrowing and shocking fundamental nature not exactly being the most enjoyable cinematic experience, Son of Saul rewards the audience in a range of different ways, not only by giving some sort of cinematic justice to the terrible events of the Holocaust, but also confirming the hype surrounding first-time director and actor double of László Nemes and Géza Röhrig respectively who between them leave the audience feeling numb and in awe of such a monumental and powerful depiction of the horrors of war. 

4. Nocturnal Animals

Whilst director Tom Ford is perhaps best known for creating some lovely looking suits in the fashion industry, Nocturnal Animals continues the critical success achieved by Ford with his debut feature A Single Man with this dark, white-knuckle tale of revenge and hatred, one which features top-form performances by both Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal respectively and a movie which revels in its' Kubrick-esque attention to detail. Some may say indulgent, I say beautiful, and with obvious nods to the likes of David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick himself in terms of art direction, cinematography and narrative, one which features all the ambiguity and mystery of a film such as Mulholland Drive, Nocturnal Animals is one of those rare cases of going into a film knowing absolutely nothing about it only to be blown away completely come the end. Aside from an opening title sequence which is a rare obvious mis-step, Tom Ford's second feature is a superb piece of drama and one which deserves all the awards recognition it can get, particularly for the performances from its' leading actors. 

3. Room

Arriving during Oscar season at the beginning of the year, Lenny Abrahamson's cinematic adaptation of Emma Donoghue's critically acclaimed novel went on to receive rapturous plaudits from pretty much everyone, resulting in a deserved win for Brie Larson for Best Actress at the Academy Awards and more importantly, a place in Black Ribbon's top three films of the year. Whilst Room begins in a melancholic and overtly dark manner, yet one which is necessary to the overarching narrative, the concluding half of the movie is an expertly managed portrayal of discovery and wonder. Featuring arguably one of the best performances from a a child actor ever, one which undoubtedly will see young Jacob Tremblay being a name to remember in the future, Abrahamson's latest is an uplifting tale of the unbreakable bond between mother and son, even in the darkest of moments, resulting in Room fully deserving its' place within the best the year has had to offer. 

2. Arrival

Along with Christopher Nolan, Canadian director Denis Villeneuve has swiftly become one of the most interesting and reliable film-makers working out there today, and with Arrival, Villeneuve ventures into the realm of science fiction and pulls it off spectacularly, a particularly good omen when thinking ahead to the much anticipated Blade Runner 2049 in the coming year. Based on Ted Chiang's short story, "Story of Your Life", Arrival takes its' ques from the best of sci-fi cinema, choosing to thrive on the understated rather than the spectacle and featuring a powerful leading performance from Amy Adams, an actress who has really taken 2016 by storm. With its' heartbreaking narrative and time-bending twists, Villeneuve's latest is a beautifully crafted gem, one which stays with you long after leaving the cinema and really emphasises its' brilliance by being a film you simply have to keep coming back to. 

1. Spotlight

And here we are at last. Who would have thought that after the widely panned bore/cringe-fest which was The Cobbler last year, director Tom McCarthy would have redeemed himself completely with his next cinematic outing, a film which bucked the trend at the Oscars by actually being the deserved winner of best picture and a film more than deserved of being top of the pile for the best films released this year. With an absolutely outstanding cast including the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Michael Keaton, all of whom could have potentially walked off with Academy Awards themselves, Spotlight tells the tale of the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal and its' subsequent exposure by The Boston Globe during the early years of the 21st century, and whilst the subject matter is fundamentally hard to examine on any platform, Spotlight manages to mix the winning formula of understatement and unrelenting drama in portraying a story so integral to recent history. With 2016 being such a stupendous year for cinema, picking the top spot may have been a unforgiving challenge, yet with Spotlight the choice was clear, resulting in a winner that concurs with those on the Academy Award board. Who'd thunk it? 

Next Time: Looking Forward to 2017

Black Ribbon's Best Films of 2016: Part One

Best Films of 2016: Part One

Beginning the countdown of the year's best films is always a resounding joy, a feat which reminds you that whatever has happened throughout the past twelve months, the escapist medium of cinema is always there to dissolve any troubles. With 2016 deciding to hit us with a particularly puzzling set of circumstances, the irony that the year in film has been one of the strongest in recent memory is a relieving notion, one which once again argues against the common misconception that the "golden age" of cinema is well and truly behind us and one which allows us to create a list of best films so diverse, so rich in quality that it can only be regarded as a pleasurable reminder of the year in film. So sit back, grab a beer and enjoy the first part of our annual inspection of the best of the best, beginning ever so swiftly with...

20. Rogue One - A Star Wars Story

For the latest Star Wars entry to not be one of the best films of the year would have been a universe-ending disaster and although Rogue One isn't on par with others in the series, particularly last years' The Force Awakens, it is undeniably an effective addition to the ever-increasing canon. Whereas Rogue One's overarching theme is one of a melancholic downer, the final act, where our beloved heroes, led by Felicity Jones, attempt to steal the Death Star plans, setting out the plot for the original trilogy of movies, is a masterclass in visual splendour, throwing grounded battles amongst dogfights within space, reminding that when Star Wars hits the popcorn button, it does it better than anyone. 

19. Jason Bourne

Returning to the Bourne franchise after a nine year hiatus, the one-two success partnership of director Paul Greengrass and Bourne himself, Matt Damon, this time decided to hit us will a full-on, adrenaline soaked thrill ride, journeying from Greece to London and from Russia to Las Vegas, with each stop-off attempting to out-do the other in terms of flashy set pieces. Among the spectacle, the concluding chase scene down the Las Vegas strip is amongst one of the best bone-crunching practical stunt-filled scenes in recent history. Whereas directors like Zak Snyder feel the desire to fill each action set piece with CGI, thank the lord for people like Greengrass who understands the power of keeping the adventure down-to-earth, resulting in Jason Bourne being a thrilling continuation of our favourite amnesia-ridden super spy.

18. Under The Shadow

This internationally co-produced Iranian hidden gem is a fantastic example of modern horror cinema, refusing to rely on cheap jump scares and instead infecting the audience with its' low-key ghostly chill. Featuring some of the biggest scares of the year, as well as the creepiest looking duvet cover ever, Under The Shadow flies the flag for the British entry in the upcoming Oscars for Best Foreign Language Movie and whilst wins for horror movies are as rare as becoming president without prior experience in government, wouldn't it be great to see director Babak Anvari pick up the prestigious gong for this impressive directorial debut. 

17. Captain America: Civil War

Without doubt the best blockbuster of the year, Captain America: Civil War is an excellent top-end addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, gelling a mind-boggling array of characters into an effective narrative which sees our beloved Avengers fall out over the publication of the Sokovia Accords, a red-tape filled containment of their powers which adds a political edge into the series director siblings Anthony and Joe Russo began in The Winter Soldier. Where Batman v. Superman became bogged down in awful storytelling and laughable CGI, Civil War continues as a reminder of the success of the MCU, which not only remains a bankable franchise for Disney but continues to release movies of a successful ilk, paying off the hopes of fans whilst wetting the appetites for the many future releases to come. 

16. Bone Tomahawk

The best thing about Bone Tomahawk is in its' desire to mix the gore-inflicted splatter of the B-Movie conventions with Tarantino-esque dialogue, accumuluating in a Western reminscent of classics such as The Searchers and featuring the most menacing, relentless villains since the cannibalistic family in Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. With a reinjuvinated Kurt Russel, appearing in his first of two films on this list, in the lead role as the rugged, no-nonsense sheriff, Bone Tomahawk is a timely reminder that sometimes the best films are the ones you really have to seek out. Sure, any old cinema chain can show the latest blockbuster, but it takes real balls to take the chance on not only the directorial debut of S. Craig Zahler but a movie which features the most violent on-screen death I can remember. And it rules. 

15. High-Rise

Kill List director Ben Wheatley finally manages to develop J.G Ballard's infamous novel to the big screen after years of development hell and inevitably it is the most marmite movie of the year, one which features Tom Hiddleston as Dr. Robert Laing who after arriving in the titular High-Rise, descends into chaos alongside an array of characters each acting as metaphors for the struggling class wars, a notion which transfers from novel to screen as easy as an A-Level sociological study. Although the concluding act is a barmy mix of messy apocalyptic drama, the strange sense of melancholic black humour rife throughout Wheatley's work is what really makes High-Rise a riveting success.

14. Everybody Wants Some!!

Quoted as being the "spiritual sequel" to both Dazed and Confused and Boyhood, Richard Linklater's latest coming-of-age comedic drama takes all the best bits of his previous college-infused delights and creates yet another successful tale of cultural clashes amongst a equally-superb retro soundtrack, ranging from Van Halen to The Knack. Whilst the film follows Blake Jenner in the lead role, the real hero of the picture is Glen Powell's Finn, the charming and hilarious house-mate who leads the way within a band of characters who make Linklater's latest a joyous tale of one weekend's worth of booze, parties and hook-ups. the real goals of college life. Apparently. 

13. Hell or High Water

First noticed on FX's Sons of Anarchy, writer/actor Taylor Sheridan has come very far, very quickly with his narrative abilities, this year following up on his screenplay for last year's Sicario with Hell or High Water, a cracking, hard-boiled anti-western which focuses on the power of in-depth characterisation amongst a socio-political backdrop, with a mirrored band of brothers, both biological and metaphorical, consisting of the likes of Chris Pine, Ben Foster and a superb Jeff Bridges, giving his most growling performance since True Grit. Understated in times, yet thrilling in others, Hell or High Water was the kind of film needed after a summer of disappointment and whilst not as dark and delicious as Sicario, is another notch of success for writer Sheridan, a man who can pick his directorial colleagues well. 

12. Zootropolis

Let's face it, the genre of animation has really hit its' stride recently, picking up plaudits left, right and centre, and whilst last year's success story in the form of Inside Out was Disney hitting its' most imaginative streak, Zootropolis is another undisputed success, one which takes the age-old story of the underdog, or under-rabbit in this occasion, and places it in the imaginary world where animals big and small, predator and prey live together in harmony. Well, that's until a mysterious band of predators become insane and start going missing, allowing our beloved rookie police officer Judy Hopps to take the case and figure out the secrets of their disappearance. With superb digital animation and a stellar voice cast, Zootropolis is yet another Disney masterstroke, one which suitably keeps both children and adults entertained alike. 

11. The Hateful Eight

Love him or hate him, you can't deny the film-making prowess of Quentin Tarantino. Following in the footsteps of Django Unchained and keeping things well within the Western genre of which he seems to be a unrelenting fan of (The Good, The Bad and the Ugly is one of his favourite films), The Hateful Eight boasts a stellar yet familiar Tarantino cast as we witness a three hour mixture of colourful, addictive dialogue amongst an air of paranoia which culminates in B-Movie exploitation goodness. With Tarantino choosing to opt for the retro feel of the Ultra Panavision 70 for the first time in a movie since 1966, The Hateful Eight boasts stunning cinematography, focusing on everything from Kurt Russel's moustache to the snowy terrains of late 19th century western America and whilst Tarantino's latest isn't a smooth sailing classic like his earlier work, it still is a fantastic piece of cinema and one which brings with it a strong sense of admiration.

Next Time: Best Films of 2016 - PART TWO!!!