U.S. Release Date: 2016-01-15
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity)
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Michael Bay
Cast: John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, Dave Denman, Dominic Fumusa, Max Martini, Dave Costabile, Toby Stephens
The movie is imperfect and overlong but it’s never boring.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-01-29
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Disaster Movie Images)
Genre: Adventure
Director: Craig Gillespie
Cast: Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Graham McTavish, Holliday Grainger, Ben Foster, Kyle Gallner, John Magaro, Eric Bana
With expertly crafted high seas disaster sequences, "The Finest Hours" feels more like a summer spectacle than a winter throw-away.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-02-05
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Profanity, Sexual Content)
Genre: Comedy
Director: Joel & Ethan Coen
Cast: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill, Alden Ehrenreich
There are some good one-liners and offbeat moments but the goal is more to provoke chuckles than guffaws.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-02-26
MPAA Rating: "PG"
Genre: Drama
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Cast: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken, Tim McInnerny, Jo Hartley, Keith Allen
"Eddie the Eagle" is clichéd, manipulative, and old-fashioned. Yet, despite those qualities (or perhaps because of them), it’s charming.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-02-26
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity, Sexual Content, Nudity, Drugs)
Genre: Thriller
Director: John Hillcoat
Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Clifton Collins Jr., Gal Gadot, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet
A suspenseful mixture of adrenaline and testosterone with a chaser of neo-noir cynicism, it’s as engaging as thrillers come this time of year.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-03-04
MPAA Rating: "PG"
Genre: Animated
Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore
Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Octavia Spencer, Shakira
There’s a lot here for kids to like and nearly as much to keep parents from fidgeting.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-03-11
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Violence, Disturbing Images, Profanity)
Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.
Take away the anti-climactic final act and this is an effective white-knuckle psychological thriller.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-04-08
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Sexual Content, Nudity, Drugs)
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Blake Jenner, Juston Street, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Wyatt Russell, Glen Powell, Zoey Deutch
Offers a painless two hours for anyone who wants to reminisce about a fast-fading era without being forced to consider a strong storyline.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-04-15
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity)
Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller
Director: Ariel Vromen
Cast: Kevin Costner, Gal Gadot, Gary Oldman, Jordi Molla, Ryan Reynolds, Tommy Lee Jones, Michael Pitt, Antje Traue
As a race-against-time, Jason Bourne-inspired adrenaline cocktail, "Criminal" offers a couple of hours of popcorn-munching entertainment.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-04-15
MPAA Rating: "PG" (Violence)
Genre: Adventure
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Neel Sethi, Ben Kingsley, Baloo, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, Giancarlo Esposito
This edition of "The Jungle Book" may not go down in history as a classic but kids (and maybe their parents) will love it all the same.