U.S. Release Date: 2016-11-11
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Adult Themes, Profanity)
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mark O’Brien, Tzi Ma
This is a singularly powerful movie, without question one of 2016’s best.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-10-21
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Violence, Sexual Content, Nudity)
Genre: Drama
Director: Ewan McGregor
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning, Peter Riegert, David Strathairn, Valorie Curry
Another in a long line of movie adaptations of revered novels that lose something significant in their translation from page to screen.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-10-14
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity)
Genre: Thriller
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Cast: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Jon Bernthal, J.K. Simmons, John Lithgow, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Seth Lee, Robert C. Treveiler
Provides a solid starting place for a series or, if the box office doesn’t warrant a continuation, an engaging stand-alone thriller.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-08-12
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence)
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Sean Ellis
Cast: Jamie Dornan, Cillian Murphy, Toby Jones, Alena Mihulova, Bill Milner, Charlotte Le Bon, Anna Geislerova, Jiri Simek, Detlef Bothe
Shines a light into a lesser-known corner of the huge chamber that contains all of the World War II stories and informs in addition to entertaining.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-07-22
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Sexual Content, Drugs)
Genre: Comedy
Director: Mandie Fletcher
Cast: Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julie Sawalha, June Whitfield, Jane Horrocks
As funny as the material sometimes is, the flimsy narrative encounters difficulties trying to sustain a 90 minute motion picture.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-05-27
MPAA Rating: "PG"
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Director: James Bobin
Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Rhys Ifans, Matt Lucas, Lindsay Duncan
The movie is frequently incomprehensible and, on those occasions when it makes sense, the viewer may wish it didn’t.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-05-20
MPAA Rating: "PG"
Genre: Animated
Director: Clay Kaytis, Fergal Reilly
Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, Peter Dinklage, Sean Penn
"The Angry Birds Movie" is like the game - an opportunistic attempt to “strike while the iron is hot” that’s devoid of elements that would give it an extended life.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-05-13
MPAA Rating: "R" (Nudity, Sexual Content, Profanity, Violence)
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Luca Guardagnino
Cast: Matthias Schoenarts, Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Dakota Johnson
Despite a strong cast, gorgeous cinematography, and a suffocating sense of sexual tension, this movie takes far too long to get off the ground.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-03-18
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Violence, Profanity)
Genre: Science Fiction/Adventure
Director: Robert Schwentke
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Zoe Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Naomi Watts, Jeff Daniels, Octavia Spencer
"Allegiant" exemplifies what happens when a book or movie exists solely for the purposes of placating fans and maintaining a revenue stream.
U.S. Release Date: 2016-01-08
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Nudity, Sexual Content)
Genre: Animated/Drama
Director: Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson
Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Thewlis, Tom Noonan
Charlie Kaufman at his best and worst, but at the very least a discussion-worthy animated feature.