Chris Tilly

Belfast is a love letter to both a city, and the ghosts of Kenneth Branagh’s past. There’s clearly soul-searching going on as he re-examines events from his childhood, and how they affected those he loved, and the decisions they made.

King Richard is a simple tale of triumph over adversity. The supporting cast shines, Will Smith excels, and while this might not be the full story, King Richard nevertheless works as both character study and feel-good sports movie.

A Hidden Life is both inspiring and heartbreaking, and the result is Terrence Malick’s best film in nearly a decade.

The central plot is a devious one that pulls the rug out from under the audience on multiple occasions; no mean feat in a genre where every variation and outcome would seem to have been tried and tested. But what really sets Knives Out apart from the competition is its humor.

The period setting is sumptuous, and Edward Norton brings true humanity to the role of Lionel Essrog.

The action is thrilling and the science fiction stuff compelling, but there are several occasions where it feels like the screenplay is talking down to its audience, most notably during its heavy-handed climax.

Wrinkles the Clown is a documentary that frequently entertains, but lacks true insight into the viral phenomenon.

Abominable is a simple, sweet, slight story that’s been told before, and told better.

Writer-director Jason Lei Howden does try to sneak social commentary into proceedings, the film satirizing reality TV and attacking the poison of online comments. But ultimately this is balls-to-the-wall action, with Guns Akimbo delivering thrills, spills and genuinely spectacular kills.

Strikes just the right balance between comedy, tragedy, and drama, the result being a very funny WWII film that nevertheless carries an incredibly important message about the here and now.