Genre
Thriller
Ijogbon
Four teenagers from a rural village in South West Nigeria stumble upon a pouch of uncut diamonds but before long, others come looking for the bounty.
Bodies
Four detectives. Four timelines. One body. To save Britain's future, they'll need to solve the murder that altered the course of history first. Stephen Graham stars in this time-hopping crime drama inspired by Si Spencer's graphic novel.
Kaala Paani
When a mysterious illness descends upon the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a desperate fight for survival collides with a race to find a cure.
May the Devil Take You
When her estranged father falls into a mysterious coma, a young woman seeks answers at his old villa, where she and her stepsister uncover dark truths.
Amityville: The Awakening
This umpteenth sequel in the Amityville franchise isn't that great, but it's surprisingly better than most of the other entries. Directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2, the remake of Maniac, etc.
Patriots Day
For this tense real-life drama, director Peter Berg weaves a wide, vivid tapestry of Boston; it's an admirable feat, but his unrefined techniques grow exhausting after a long 130 minutes.
Allied
Deliberately evoking Casablanca, director Robert Zemeckis proves with this wartime romance that he's a highly skilled craftsman.
Inferno
As in the previous movies based on Dan Brown's books, it seems like smart stuff is happening here, but it's really all lifeless and empty, despite the scenic locales.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
This action sequel is an odd mix of thrilling and inert: It's entertaining enough, and the fight sequences are heart-pumpingly good, but the pacing is sometimes glacial and the plot predictable.
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Ouija (2014) was terrible, but this prequel takes off in an entirely new direction with its mesmerizingly weird compositions and rhythms and wicked humor.
The Accountant
The movie's main storyline of an accountant/assassin with autism is gimmicky and predictable, but its fabric is made up of enough good scenes and characters to make it worthwhile.
The Girl on the Train
This thriller is atmospheric and suspenseful, like the best-selling Paula Hawkins novel it's based on.
Blair Witch
As it grows more unreal, this "threequel" to the original "Blair Witch" Project becomes intensely scary, but it's undone by a weak set-up and irritatingly dumb, shallow characters.
Snowden
Oliver Stone biopic brings emotion to controversial story.
Morgan
Despite a great cast and similarities to Ex Machina, this sci-fi movie doesn't really have much to say outside of a vague cautionary message.
The 9th Life of Louis Drax
Sometimes it can be good to think outside the box, but this strange, unsettling mishmash of dark fantasy, disturbing behavior, and child psychology is ultimately more dismaying than refreshing.
Don't Breathe
The first three-quarters of this simple, intense thriller are something close to masterful -- and then it goes a little too over the top, with an outlandish reveal and elements of torture and gore.
Mechanic: Resurrection
It's difficult for anyone involved to sell this weakly plotted, emotionally empty sequel as anything more than a lazy cash-grab.
Imperium
Daniel Ragussis' debut feature is better at being suspenseful than it is at being socially relevant; but at the same time, it has moments in which it terrifies and inspires despair and dread.
Blood Father
This well-made action-chase movie could have easily fallen apart along its well-worn story grooves, but nifty characters and electric dialogue, along with intense action, keep it alive.
Jason Bourne
The CIA's most dangerous former operative is drawn out of hiding to uncover more explosive truths about his past.
Nerve
This lightweight thriller for the new millennium is flashy, with decent, likable characters and adrenaline-fueled thrills, even if it grows ever more implausible and ultimately disposable.
Our Kind of Traitor
Interesting relationships in violent John le Carré thriller.
Free State of Jones
This intense drama sheds light on a little-known but significant part of U. S.
The Shallows
Like the shark at the center of its story, this movie pulls you in the minute Nancy grabs her surfboard and gets in the water.
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?
The original TV movie was sheer guilty-pleasure trash, but though this remake is pretty darn campy, the acting, writing, and general dignity given to its characters make it a cut above.
Now You See Me 2
Much like its predecessor, this heist thriller's main driving force is the stylized, large-scale magic tricks that the film uses to both dazzle and take viewers behind the scenes.
The Nice Guys
"The Nice Guys" is full of vim and vinegar in the best way, channeling a 1970s L. A. vibe that's been bungled by many other filmmakers but is channeled to great effect here.
I Am Wrath
This Taken copycat is nearly unwatchable, despite -- or perhaps because of -- Travolta's commitment to playing a vengeful husband who will kill anyone who knows anything about his wife's murder.
Money Monster
Though this familiar material has been done before, both better and worse, Jodie Foster directs with a satisfying combination of admirable skill and old-fashioned Hollywood entertainment.
The Darkness
Oddly, this well-cast horror movie is more interesting for its family drama than for its scares.
The Trust
You may not want to put your trust -- that you'll be entertained, that is -- in "The Trust".
Captain America: Civil War
With its death-defying action sequences, charismatic additional superheroes, and emotional character development, this Captain America threequel is both intense and entertaining.
Colonia
Any intention the filmmakers might have had to make modern audiences aware of a particularly barbaric South American regime and its excesses are lost in this story of atrocity and madness.
10 Cloverfield Lane
Designed to recall but not imitate Cloverfield (2008), this semi-sequel uses three fine actors and a clever script to craft a creepy sci-fi mystery that tingles the brain until the final moments.
Eye in the Sky
Riveting thriller about drone strikes and their human toll.
London Has Fallen
Anyone who was calling for a sequel to Olympus Has Fallen should've been careful what they wished for; this sequel borrows shamelessly from many action classics and ends up lifeless and dim.
Misconduct
Meandering, derivative, and full of predictable twists, this legal thriller is a waste of the considerable talents of Hopkins and Pacino, who work together on screen here for the first time.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Perhaps not surprisingly, this is a poor zombie movie, but it is a pretty good Jane Austen movie. When it focuses on humans, the mood is playful, buoyant, romantic, and even funny.
The Finest Hours
This plays like a throwback film at first, portraying without irony or insight the sexism of its day; but once it hits the water, the scenes of peril and suspense manage to rescue it.
The 5th Wave
Fans of Yancey's gripping sci-fi thriller will wonder how his page-turning action and riveting, charming characters got transformed into this flat, humorless, and disappointing movie.
The Boy
While it's not a terribly original entry in the "creepy doll" horror subgenre, this fright flick nonetheless offers interesting characters, a strong cast, expert pacing, and a spooky atmosphere.
Point Break
Like many remakes, this adventure yarn seems designed more like a soulless factory product, a calculated grab at some overseas profits, than anything anyone actually wanted to be involved with.
Extraction
Bad acting, clunky cinematography and editing, heavy violence, and a less-than-genius screenplay make this a totally disposable action movie, not even recommendable to die-hard Willis fans.
A Royal Night Out
Terrific performances by Sarah Gadon and Bel Powley as Lilibet and P2 give this film charm enough to see its way through a thin plot and a few softly landed attempts at poignancy.
MI-5
Very convoluted and not particularly exciting, this movie will likely only appeal to fans of the TV series, which ran from 2002 to 2011; even then, it's not much more than an extended episode.
#Horror
Clearly this movie has something urgent to say about cyberbullying, social media, and proper parenting; that message isn't clear, but despite its messiness, the movie may still inspire discussion.
Legend
In "Legend", Hardy brings to life two different-but-similar characters in such an eerily authentic way that it's easy to forget the actor and his roles aren't one and the same.
Heist
Despite a high-concept idea and a good cast, this crime thriller feels somewhat half-baked and rushed. It might once have been promising, but it seems like something went wrong along the way.
Spotlight
Put simply, this drama will likely make journalists want to be better at their job and Catholics either quit or commit themselves to making the church do better. It's that thought-provoking.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
Very tenuously connected to the rest of the Paranormal Activity films, this sixth entry follows the familiar routine, with the same old scares and no fresh ideas.
Bridge of Spies
Written by Matt Charman and Joel and Ethan Coen, this film crackles with crispness and clarity.
Knock Knock
Director Eli Roth returns with another loathsome movie, this time gleefully playing around with a home invasion, torture, pedophilia, and revenge but never seeming to know what he wants to say.
The Walk
Director Robert Zemeckis' movie is relatively simple but wonderfully exhilarating; it has the power to make your palms sweat and catch your heart in your throat. (Don't try this at home!
Wildlike
Frank Hall Green's profound coming-of-age drama/adventure may often move slowly, but it delicately explores mature topics like grief and sexual abuse.
Captive
Besides the fact that Mara and Oyelowo are obviously very accomplished actors, "Captive" isn't all that captivating.
Everest
As viscerally intense as Gravity and tinged with the same level of inevitable doom as The Perfect Storm, this is a fittingly harrowing depiction of a most tragic day in mountaineering history.
The Perfect Guy
Fair warning: You will not be surprised by anything that happens in "The Perfect Guy"; we've seen this story told -- and told better -- many times. (See: Fatal Attraction.
No Escape
It's horrifying to consider just how this movie operates, generating so-called thrills based on a blind, empty-headed fear of foreigners.
American Ultra
The movie's excessive, reckless violence rolls right over most of the comedy, but the two leads are so charming together that they save the day.
Hitman: Agent 47
There's limited appeal for non-gamers in this internationally cast action flick that seems like a tribute to the worst of Renny Harlin and Luc Besson's '90s films.
Sinister 2
The original Sinister was a passable chiller, but the sequel feels more like a vague attempt to continue a lucrative franchise than to create anything truly compelling or spooky.
Big Sky
"Big Sky" has a simple premise that could have been interesting, had it been executed well . . . but it wasn't.
Final Girl
As far as thrillers go, "Final Girl" is painstakingly underwhelming -- not to mention endlessly upsetting.
Cop Car
Directed and co-written by Jon Watts, this deceptively simple, low-budget thriller delivers its extremely satisfying suspense through minimal characters, wide-open spaces, and poker-faced patience.
Dark Places
Based on Gillian Flynn's novel, this thriller will no doubt pale in comparison to Gone Girl, but it has its own merits, namely a psychologically rich, complex storyline and fine performances.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Make no mistake, this predictable movie is clearly part of the Mission: Impossible franchise -- by which we mean it checks off all the usual boxes.
The Vatican Tapes
Director Mark Neveldine is known for his loony, kinetic cult movies, but this film, despite its shock ending, can't quite get past the limitations of a genre that peaked with The Exorcist (1973).
Lila & Eve
LILA & EVE has a simple but compelling premise, and Davis is excellent as a mother at the end of her rope.
The Stanford Prison Experiment
This film is a fascinating, revealing, upsetting experience.
Self/less
Former music video/commercial director Tarsem Singh (The Cell, Immortals) is generally known for making movies that are visually impressive and narratively pathetic, and this movie is no exception.
The Gallows
Yet another in the seemingly endless parade of low-budget, "found footage" horror movies, this one feels like it was rushed into production without a chance to develop a strong story or characters.
Terminator Genisys
The fifth movie in the series does well by ignoring the third and fourth installments, but after starting with a good idea, it devolves into a rather typical, monotonous shoot-and-smash fest.
Jurassic World
This may not meet the expectations set by Steven Spielberg's original, but it does surpass the underwhelming sequels that came before.
Insidious: Chapter 3
This time around, screenwriter/actor Whannell assumes the helm of the horror series he helped create; fortunately, he takes several cues from directing predecessor James Wan.
San Andreas
Despite some truly sensational visual and sound effects -- and despite The Rock's undeniable star power -- "San Andreas" relies early and often on a pack of disaster movie cliches.
Survivor
Director James McTeigue has made solid movies before, but "Survivor" feels second-rate, carelessly thrown together by all parties.
Poltergeist (2015)
As unnecessary remakes go, Poltergeist isn't the most egregious, but it's also not a particularly inspired take on the brilliantly creepy original.
Mad Max: Fury Road
The sheer, limitless invention behind this movie's exhilarating, preposterous chase scenes highlights action filmmaking at its finest.
Slow West
Writer/director John Maclean -- a musician and former member of The Beta Band -- makes a noteworthy feature debut with this Western.
Maggie
Henry Hobson, a title designer and a director of the Oscar telecast, makes his feature directorial debut with this highly unusual, unexpectedly moving zombie film.
Child 44
Based on Tom Rob Smith's novel, "Child 44" is a thriller with no thrills. It's too long, too dreary, and too overly serious.
True Story
This film benefits greatly from efficient storytelling and taut editing.
Ex Machina
Author (The Beach) and screenwriter (28 Days Later, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go, Dredd) Alex Garland makes his directorial debut with this film; not surprisingly, it's an atmospheric sci-fi movie.
Furious 7
Talented horror director James Wan takes over the Fast & Furious franchise helm and brings a definite freshness to it in the seventh installment.
Nightlight
Since its debut in 1999, The Blair Witch Project has inspired dozens of imitations and knock-offs, but perhaps none so close to the source -- and yet so uninspired -- as "Nightlight".
The Gunman
While it's an admirable attempt by director Pierre Morel at a more grown-up type of entertainment, the movie winds up feeling rather leaden.
Run All Night
Director Jaume Collet-Serra, who's made two other Liam Neeson movies -- Unknown (2011) and Non-Stop (2014) -- isn't exactly subtle, and his movies can't quite be called tightly crafted or clever.
Chappie
Underwhelming robot sci-fi thriller is really violent.
Kidnapping Mr. Heineken
There's no real suspense in this film.
Parallels
The creators try their best to clarify what it is a very complicated premise.
The Lazarus Effect
The movie is a terrible recycling of old ideas, ranging from classics like Frankenstein and The Monkey's Paw to 2014's Lucy, not to mention the routine effects and jump-scares.
Project Almanac
The movie fails to go very deep, and it ignores several interesting time-travel possibilities, but it's worth seeing overall.
Wild Card
Statham remake is violent and contemplative, not thrilling.
Black Sea
"Black Sea" is a solid, mostly thrilling submarine movie . . . with one big flaw (see below).
The Boy Next Door
Director Rob Cohen has made some terrible films, and this one is no exception. Not one thing about "The Boy Next Door" is even remotely credible, much less suspenseful.
Blackhat
In some ways, "Blackhat" is fascinating, given the international espionage and cyberwarfare that it brings to life on screen.
Vice
Director Brian A. Miller and star Bruce Willis previously gave us the terrible The Prince, and now they're back with this equally terrible entry.
Taken 3
Neeson appears to have grown comfortable with Bryan Mills, wearing the character like a broken-in old pair of shoes -- but only when he's relating to other humans.
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death
Director Tom Harper's horror sequel suffers from being unnecessary and also pretty boring in the frights department.
A Most Violent Year
When it comes to setting the vibe for gritty, early '80s New York City, "A Most Violent Year" is a tour de force.
The Gambler
"The Gambler" is yet another Hollywood remake, and, as usual, it's not as good as the original.
The Captive
Director Atom Egoyan is known for creating films that capture a certain melancholy -- the kind that solidifies after years of pain -- against a landscape that reflects it.
Dying of the Light
This movie isn't exactly terrible, but it's also not particularly sharp or fresh.
Murder of a Cat
It's a shame to see Simmons, Danner, Kinnear, and even the two familiar-but-not-top-tier stars wasted in this disappointing first feature by Gillian Greene.
The Imitation Game
Without question, Cumberbatch is up to the task of bringing to life a complicated, brilliant man. Turing is multi-dimensional, his emotional depths layered.
V/H/S: Viral
The gripping third movie in the series that also includes V/H/S and V/H/S/2, "V/H/S: Viral" abandons its predecessors' set up of a creepy house filled with old video cassettes.
Bad Turn Worse
Feeling like a forgotten offspring of Blood Simple and Reservoir Dogs, "Bad Turn Worse" is an above average crime tale.
Fugly!
Uneven dark comedy follows a stand-up comedian's failures.
Open Windows
"Open Windows" is interesting but ultimately a missed opportunity.
The Lookalike
This movie feels unbalanced, as if it were either trying too hard or not trying hard enough and never really decided what it actually wanted to -- or could -- be.
Before I Go to Sleep
"Before I Go to Sleep" feels like an slightly better-than-average made-for-cable movie from the 1990s.
Nightcrawler
The brother of filmmaker Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton), screenwriter Dan Gilroy (Real Steel, The Bourne Legacy) makes a dynamic directorial debut with "Nightcrawler".
John Wick
Few films in this genre are known for their intricate, layered dialogue or depth of feeling, and this doesn't exactly break these conventions.
Stonehearst Asylum
Brad Anderson (Happy Accidents, The Call) is one of our most reliable genre filmmakers; he rarely makes anything great, but, likewise, he rarely makes anything truly bad.
White Bird in a Blizzard
Audiences expecting their favorite young adult-adaptation heroine to channel Hazel Grace or Tris should be warned -- this is Woodley playing a very different kind of teenager.
Kill the Messenger
Jeremy Renner is an actor with incredible access to his intensity, and it's primarily because of him that "Kill the Messenger" delivers. When he seethes, his entire person seethes.
Left Behind
Directed by legendary stuntman Vic Armstrong, "Left Behind" is a bigger-budget but subpar reboot of the faith-based indie hit from 2000, itself based on a series of best-selling novels.
The Two Faces of January
For capturing the look and feel of Europe in the early 1960s, especially of the American expatriates who roamed the continent, "The Two Faces of January" deserves kudos.
Reclaim
"Reclaim" is a totally routine movie that tries to combine a message about trafficked children with a lowbrow thriller about loved ones going missing in a foreign country.