1 When Marnie Was There (U)
(Hiromasa Yonebayashi, 2014, Jap) 103 mins.
Can this really be Studio Ghibli’s last film? If so, it at least displays all their cherished hallmarks: clean, vibrant line animation and a sincere, emotional story centred on a young girl. Anna is a lonely tomboy, exiled to the countryside, where she’s drawn to a mysterious child in an island mansion. Fascination and infatuation lead to some harsh life lessons.
2 Embrace Of The Serpent (12A)
(Ciro Guerra, 2015, Col/Ven/Arg) 122 mins.
This unique film takes a trip up the Amazon with two white explorers, their journeys separated by 30 years, both of whom lose bearings and certainties in their quest for a fabled plant. Their guide is an indigenous shaman, whose point of view makes this a sort of reverse Heart Of Darkness and, combined with the mystical tone and monochrome visuals, gives it an unforgettable impact.
3 The Nice Guys (15)
(Shane Black, 2016, US) 116 mins.
Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe make a fine double act in this madcap mystery thriller, whose plot snakes through the worst of 1970s America – porn, corporate greed, political corruption, terrible leatherwear – but leavens the sleaze with some irresistibly silly comedy.
4 Where To Invade Next (15)
(Michael Moore, 2015, US) 120 mins.
Less provocative than you’d expect from both the title and the film-maker, Michael Moore’s latest is more of a jovial research trip, seeing what other countries get right that the US gets so badly wrong – like education, equality, food and prison. It’s the documentarian at his jolliest, but his target, as always, is the American Dream.
5 Fire At Sea (12A)
(Gianfranco Rosi, 2016, Ita/Fra) 114 mins.
A report from Europe’s migration crisis that’s commendably calm and even-handed. Set on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, it’s an observant study of contrasts: between the islanders’ proud, traditional way of life and the harrowing plight of their new arrivals from Africa.
