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: 2016-03-04
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: 2016-03-04
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Disaster Images)
Genre: Thriller
Director: Roar Uthaug
Cast: Kristoffer Joner, Thomas Bo Larsen, Ane Dahl Torp, Fridtjov Saheim, Jonas Hoff Oftebro, Arthur Berning, Laila Goody, Edith Haagenrud-Sande
Without jettisoning the tropes and clichés of the disaster film genre ,"The Wave" provides a little more intelligence and drama.
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: 2016-02-26
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: 2016-02-05
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: 2016-01-29
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: 2016-01-15
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: 2016-01-08
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.
U.S. Release Date: 2015-12-25
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Profanity)
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Director: David O. Russell
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Elizabeth Rohm, Edgar Ramirez, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini, Diane Ladd
The story is quirky and offbeat but the dialogue and acting set Joy up as an engaging late-year repast.