Okja

Korean characters Host an array of international actors in this cleverly commercial creature creation. Though upbeat music, outlandish performances and Miyazaki-esque visuals keep the tone light, this meaty monster movie never shies away from gritty, bruising realism. Incredibly emotive heroine perfectly contrasts caricaturish capitalists and the ending is dishearteningly heart-warming.

Life

This prequel to Gravity features a team of Promethean ‘scientists’ struggling to use what they learned from watching Alien to defeat an invincible space critter. After series of truly terrifying sequences, Donnie Darko makes a last-ditch effort to oust the evil jello-packet by venting the station’s plot logic into space.

Southpaw

Everything goes wrong, including Gyllenhaal’s fighting, which is right. Tracks an unlikely hero who gets hit with every cliché before failing in his quest to gain custody of an Oscar. Fuqed up story goes south as it fails to land gut-punches and shows less heart than a taped-up punching bag.