Best Films of 2016: JAN - APR

With the summer movie season having officially begun, it's a great time to take a look at the best films of 2016 so far.

May - August is generally regarded as the "summer movie season", and we've had a great set of films that have come out beforehand. Comedy, action and adventure have been the underlying themes of all the following films, most of which you have probably seen. Before we start of, here are some rules I'm using for selection:

• The list will take into account only movies released in 2016 before 1st May.
• This list is based on UK release dates

Honourable Mentions

Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice - This didn't make the list by the slightest of margins, but just shows how disappointing it actually was. Being my most anticipated film of 2016, I left the cinema not fully satisfied. It was by no means a bad film, but it wasn't a cohesive enough story - Superman wasn't used appropriately, the editing was poor and oh yeah MARTHA!! A good film but it doesn't deserve to make this list. Click here to read my review...and also check out HISHE's hilarious video on how BvS should have ended below:

The Revenant - A magnificent, immersive cinematic experience. The cinematography was gorgeous whilst you felt immersed in the world Alejandro Inarritu built. Leonardo Dicaprio and Tom Hardy give exceptional, enticing performances that really drives the film forward. Although I was gripped throughout, the story didn't appeal to me in major way and for that reason doesn't make the list.

Ok now the part that really matters, here are myTop 5 Films of 2016 So Far...

#5 - The Big Short

A black comedy that makes recession darkly entertaining. A story of 4 groups of men who predict the 2008 financial crisis and how they "short" (bet against) the market, making millions in the process. With the core details of the cause of the crisis all factual, the film leaves chills down your spine as you try to comprehend how appalling the situation was.

#4 - Eddie The Eagle

Coming out this film I felt like I could do anything!! The films charts the rise of British ski-jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards and his journey to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. It's heart warming, inspiring journey that will make you believe anything is possible. A great feel good film that will leave you with a huge grin on your face :D.

#3 - The Jungle Book

Coming out of D23, all the buzz was around Disney's next animation - live action retelling of their beloved classic - The Jungle Book. Being sold on it's ground breaking visuals, the film delivered big time with both the visuals and story. The CGI was remarkable making you feel as though these were REAL talking animals while unlike the original, the story was a lot more cohesive and structured. The classic songs were also gelled into the film so naturally. I did however enjoy Cinderella (2015) slightly more.

#2 - Captain America: Civil War

One of the best Superhero films ever put to screen and my favourite MCU film to date. Closing the Captain America trilogy, the film semi-completed Steve Rodger's story arch whilst setting up Marvel's upcoming Infinity War films superbly, leaving you wanting more. The introduction of Black Panther and Spiderman was handled remarkably well, with each character is this large ensemble being given the right amount of screen time to leave a lasting impression. My favourite had to be Scarlet Witch. The action sequences were captivating as well as emotionally charged, and the airport scene was out of this world!!!

#1 - Zootropolis/Zootopia

In my opinion, this is by far the best film to come out of Walt Disney Animation Studios since The Lion King. The animation was beautiful yes and you might even have mistaken this for a Pixar film. There are 3 main reasons why this film is my favourite so far. Number one, the world building. The film does a magnificent job of building this bright and futuristic world where animals live in harmony. The amount of detail that has gone into creating this world, from the different climate regions to the infrastructure for both small and big animals, can be easily seen on the big screen.

Number two, the themes/messages. This film addressed a lot of important issues like racism, discrimination, stereotyping, corruption and media manipulation. This all gave us an honest reflection of some of the problems faced in western societies today. The hope is people see this film and perhaps view certain situations in a different, more understanding light.

Finally, the third reason I loved this film so much was the humour. I never thought walking into this film that it would turn out to be so funny. It may be deep, but there are jokes and laughter throughout the film keeping the viewer entertained. The sloth scene was hilarious (with a great pay off at the end) whilst the Godfather parody was brilliantly done.

I can't recommend the films above highly enough!! I encourage you all to watch these films, especially Zootropolis. Hope you enjoyed!