January has long been known as the dump month for films, and amongst the litter and debris of January's crummy offers, a quality film is a rare exception. Such is Paddington 2, a delightful and charming family-friendly feature that is here to deliver us salvation during the dump month depression. The film is brimming with warmth and cheer and will plant a smile so firmly on your face that you'll still be wearing it as you exit the theater. 

The Post is by no means the most exciting film Spielberg has ever made, and it's far from his best, but it is a well crafted and well acted drama that explores important moral and ethical questions. It also takes us back to a time where the news was far from fake and telephones were connected by wires, when the press unanimously looked after the public interests, not some corporation. It's a film with an important story to tell, and it feels extra sharp and timely considering America's political climes. Loaded with some big speeches, a surprising cast and strong performances abound, it's a fairly engrossing and clever precursor to All The President's Men and another solid Spielberg entry. 

Phantom Thread is the latest from auteur director Paul Thomas Anderson, and the film not only marks his collaborative return with Daniel Day Lewis (in his [supposed] final performance), but also marks PTA’s first attempt at conducting his own cinematography (although he takes no credit for it). It’s one of the most anticipated films of the year, and it was well worth the wait — it doesn’t disappoint, and is without a doubt one of the year’s crème Del la crème. However, with that being said, I don’t think it will be everyone’s cup of tea, but shouldn’t alienate any devout PTA fans. It’s a step up from Inherent Vice and on the level with There Will Be Blood. If you’re looking another Boogie Nights, you won’t find it here, and it may not eclipse the artistry exhibited in TWBB, but it’s as fine a send off performance as one could hope for from Day-Lewis. 

Alexander Payne's social satire Downsizing is one of those films whose premise sounds extremely interesting but isn't effectively explored to any compelling extent. It's an ambitious concept, but it comes off jumbled and confused, failing to grapple with the many themes it tries to juggle. Some of it manages to stick (as things tend to do when you throw a bunch of crap at a wall), and the film manages to tread some very unexpected terrain, yet still manages to be a long, tedious, seldom gratifying drag. 

Call Me By Your Name is the latest film from Italian filmmaker, Luca Guadagnino, and is based on the book of the same name by André Aciman. The film is a potent story of the elation and devastation of first love and the fragility of young love. It may take a bit of time for the film to cast its spell upon you, but eventually you'll find yourself seduced by the languid Italian countryside and wholeheartedly invested in the budding relationship of young Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer). Unlike films like Brokeback Mountain or Moonlight, Call Me By Your Name is not concerned with the villainous and oppressive environments that seem treaded commonplace within queer cinema. Here, the only villain is time and its looming expiration.

Guillermo del Toro is at his visual best with his latest fairy tale, The Shape of Water. The filmmaker's longstanding obsession with the classic Universal Monsters is in full force here, and his penchant for spinning "fish stories" has never been more ironically on the gills (or nose). While there are notes of things like Creature from the Black Lagoon, King Kong, The Lure, and even E.T., there is nothing pastiche about it; love it or hate it, it's singularly del Toro, and it's the strongest his vision has been since Pan's Labyrinth. 

Just as Robert Pattinson shed himself from his Twilight skin with this year’s Good Time, James Franco has also shed himself of his past failures as a writer/director with his latest film, The Disaster Artist. He's finally achieved something from a director standpoint that can actually be watched, and he’s taken his acting to another level with his portrayal of Tommy Wiseau, who, to those that aren’t familiar, is the bizarre, enigmatic (bordering on extraterrestrial) “visionary” of the cult favorite The Room (not to be confused with the Brie Larson film). And, The Disaster Artist works largely because it’s not just another movie about the making of a movie — it’s got a legitimately interesting and odd story behind it that’s delightful to see unfold on screen. It also helps that both Wiseau and his good-bad, non-sequitur masterpiece are sublimely intriguing cultural phenomenas that are good for a laugh, of which The Disaster Artist has plenty.

It’s the CGI mess we’ve all been waiting for, and wouldn’t you know it, it even rhymes with superhero fatigue. It’s a bird, it’s a plane—oh, wait, no, it’s just the Justice League... 

Taika Waititi steps up to the helm of the Thor franchise to bring his awkward New Zealand comedic charm to the superhero blockbuster series. The result is somewhat of a breathe of fresh air. While the film doesn’t tell a story we haven’t seen before, when you sprinkle the cutesy Waititi charisma over top the fun superhero action Marvel is known for, the franchise begins to crinkle with a bit of crisp freshness again, despite it being the 17th effort. However, the thing that really keeps the film afloat over its 160 minute runtime is its strong, steady heartbeat that undulates underneath it’s fairly simplistic storyline, akin to James Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy, which should prove to be just endearing enough to overcome any of its low points or missteps. 

Coco, the latest Pixar film, is described by co-director Lee Unkrich as a “love letter to Mexico.” It was released early in Mexico on October 27th, in time for the Day of the Dead celebrations. Since then, Coco has become the highest grossing film in Mexican history.

What would you do to your boss or co-workers if you were infected with a virus that legally granted you immunity to any heinous act of violence or debauchery you could commit while under its influence? That's what director Joe Lynch and screenwriter Matias Caruso explore in their latest film, Mayhem; what happens to a dog-eat-dog work environment when it literally becomes cutthroat. The end result feels part comic book, part video game, which equals a whole lot of bloody fun.  

Charles Dickens is one of the worlds most renowned authors of all time. We're reminded of this every few years with another depiction of his classic tale A Christmas Carol. That time is now again upon us with Bleecker Street's The Man Who Invented Christmas. Thankfully, this film is not a shameless retelling of the classic story we're all likely familiar with, but is instead a look from the other side of the glass into the creation of the famed novel. Based off Les Staniford's historical non-fiction novel of the same name, The Man Who Invented Christmas is a fizzling tale of triumph over writer's block and dark memories that is sure to deliver the proverbial dose of holiday cheer. 

The Square is a highly ambitious and hysterical satire from the mind of Swedish writer/director Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure) that explores what happens when you try to put the concept of helping those in need into practice (amongst other things). The film made a splash at this year’s Cannes film festival, receiving the prestigious Palme d’Or, the festival's highest accolade, which it undoubtedly deserves. The film explores uncomfortable truths in equally uncomfortable fashion, and while the situations the film presents are extreme, they're ostensibly tangible. 

The LEGO Batman Movie provides a fresh and satirical take on the Caped Crusader, who is commonly depicted as a dark and brooding loner. The film takes aim at the hero's dark past as the reason he's afraid to let other people into his life (except for Alfred, of course), and also examines his twisted relationship with Gotham's many villains and how either would be nothing without their opposite counterpart. It's a bit deeper than you'd expect a kid's move to be, and the result is a good time for the whole dang family. 

Killing Ground is the feature debut from Tasmanian writer/director Damien Power, and the end product may be too disturbing for some. Power's employs a heavy does of realism to the violent acts committed in the film, which will result in one of two things: amusement or abhorrence — all depending on what you want out of your horror film experience. It falls right in line with other Aussie flicks like Wolf Creek; however, it also does very little to innovate the whole killer-lurking-in-the-seemingly-innocent-woods premise. 

Darkest Hour is a great companion piece to Dunkirk, showing the political end of WWII as felt from London, as opposed from the beach/air/ocean of Christopher Nolan’s film. However, Darkest Hour is about much more than just the battle of Dunkirk — it’s a rousing tale of a Prime Minister thrust into power at the darkest conceivable time, forced with the tough decision to bow down to evil forces or die fighting.