In a year of disappointing blockbuster movies, yes I’m pointing at you Ghostbusters and Independence Day, mixed levels of superhero movie quality across the board and the resurgence of the horror film genre, 2016 was a year where the better movies were not the ones with huge budgets and massive media campaigns. So with that in mind, in no particular order, here are my top 5 movies of 2016.

Criminally ignored by the general movie going audience, a throw back to the classic buddy cop films with  great performances from both Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as two private investigators with demeanour as polar opposite as can be, investigating the disappearance of a girl and the death of a porn star set against a 1970’s back drop. Comedic and entertaining in equal measure with some great over the top violence, Shane Black adds to his impressive resume with this effort.

A young boy struggling with family life in 1980’s Dublin starts a band to impress a girl. Sounds simple? It is, but John Carney makes it so much more, as it becomes a coming of age tale John Hughes would be proud of, a tale of brotherly love beating adversity with hints to ‘sticking it to the man’. Set against a back drop from my childhood and a soundtrack you will not beat, which is unfortunately likely to be ignored at the Oscars, this is a feel good film everyone will enjoy.

This is the one that most people will question but this is an underplayed movie which keeps you guessing right the way until the last few scenes. Jeff Nichols does a fantastic job of disclosing the truth behind who this child may be one step at a time, gradually revealing the motivations behind all the players without ever slowing the film down and adding twist after twist to keep you on your toes. It wont be for everybody but it’s very clever film making at its best.

Take a classic cowboy movie and transport it into modern day, you get Hell Or High Water. Two bank robbing brothers are carrying out scores on local banks pursued by a grizzled old sheriff who has one last case to close before he retires but don’t think that’s all the movie is as there’s much more to this tale. Beautifully shot and fantastically acted (I’ll be very surprised if both Jeff Bridges and Ben Foster are not nominated for this) it may be a modern setting but pays homage to its roots and when the truth behind the brothers motivations is revealed the lines between good and bad become blurred, while hitting a nerve topically in this era of depression and homelessness.

As if it wasn’t already apparent from his earlier movies Prisoners and Sicario, Denis Villeneuve has shown himself to be a master behind the camera in this tale of first contact where Amy Adams is an expert linguist who must battle against time to decipher the message brought by the beings who have landed at 12 separate locations across the globe with the threat of all out war looming the longer the intentions of the visitors remains unknown. Visually stunning and with a superb performance by Amy Adams, Arrival will draw you into the mystery and intrigue of the tale before blind siding you with a twist which changes the whole concept of the film. Absolute class.