If you haven’t already noticed, 2016 is going to be a one hellofa year for films. In fact, the first half of the year alone is gearing up for some of the biggest, and best movies to hit theatre screens in a long time. You’ve probably heard of some of the more billboard-friendly ones, specifically, the massive budget super hero movies. Everything from Batman vs Superman to X-Men: Apocalypse to Suicide Squad to Captain America: Civil War has gotten comic geeks really excited. But even if the surface may seem like it’s only super hero films to look out for, there are so many more movies that are just as incredible if not more that aren’t getting as much attention. So we decided to compile a list of some movies we think you should look out for before the summer.
***
The Witch
Release date: February 19
Despite its rather uninspiring title, this film was actually a massive hit at last year’s Sundance taking home the Best Director prize. Robert Eggers’ sleep-banishing, debut film is not only mightly impressive, but also a horror film unlike any we’ve seen in recent history. Set in the 17th-century around a family who are exiled from their Puritan village. The clan is forced to build a new life for themselves on the edge of a haunted forest.
Triple 9
Release date: February 26
Another dark film for the list, but this time Australian director John Hillcoat brings with him an incredible ensemble of actors. Co-starring Woody Harrelson, Aaron Paul and Kate Winslet, and revolving around corrupt police officers who rob banks in their spare time, Triple 9 is a film that will almost definitely keep you entertained.
The Wave
Release date: March 4
If you love disaster movies then you’re in luck, because The Wave is set for an international release next month. This is a film worth mentioning because of the fact that it’s a Norwegian film, it’s done with a surprisingly low budget and competes with if not outshine its American counterparts. Critics have applauded the performance, visual effects, cinematography and score in this film. The film sees an entire town facing a giant tsunami caused by rockslides.
Knights of cups
Release date: March 4
Terrence Malick is wildly regarded as one of the greatest film makers alive today. He is also notorious for being very slow at making films with only three films made from 1973-1998. That’s why it comes as an incredible shock to fans that he will be releasing not one, not two, but three films this year alone. Knights of Cups stars Christian Bale as a Hollywood star who indulges in his wild side with a stripper, a model and a married woman.
The Brothers Grimsby
Release date: March 11
The new Sasha Baron Cohen film, initially set for release summer of last year is hitting theatre screens this March. Cohen plays a football crazed hooligan in search of his long, lost brother who just so happens to be an MI-6 assassin. The two must team up together to save the world.
Hardcore Henry
Release date: April 8
Probably the most action packed film you will see this year that isn’t a super hero film. From the director that brought us the awesome, first-person music video The Stampede that went viral, comes the first first-person feature film ever. An action packed ride where YOU are Henry, brought back to life from the dead by your wife who is kidnapped only five minutes later. You decide to go get her back. And that really is all you need to know.
Tale of Tales
Release date: April 22
Continuing with films that are different, this one is weird in a completely different sense. To give you a better understanding of this film, watching Salma Hayek devour a giant, gory heart is definitely not the weirdest thing you will see in this film. Italian director Matteo Garrone set out to create a film that was true to the earliest forms of some of our most beloved fables like Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.
Keanu
Release date: April 29
Key & Peele is hands down the funniest two-person sketch comedy show to come out of the US since… ever. If you’re a fan of the show of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele then you’ll probably already know they are all set for their first a feature film set to be released. If you didn’t already know, you should be pretty excited right now. Key and Peele play timid cousins who have to pretend to be gangster to get their kitten ‘Keanu’ back from real thugs and in the process start a gang war. Yes, you read that right.
High Rise
Release date: May 13
An adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s cult novel about a luxury high-rise building where residents are isolated from the rest of society. A dangerous social situation erupts causing everyone in the building to form tribes as violence runs wild. The film starring Tom Hiddleston, and if you’ve enjoyed any of his other performances, this one looks to be his most interesting yet.
The Nice Guys
Release date: May 20
Closing out our films list is a buddy cop starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe. This a dark comedy/thriller from the creative mind of Shane Black is set in 1970s LA, where two mismatching detectives work together to investigate the case of a missing pornstar.