15 Best Films Of 2016 (So Far)

2016 has been dominated by massive blockbusters that try so hard to be many different things in a bid for four-quadrant appeal and future franchise potential that when a movie comes along that can actually balance explicitly being multiple things in one it almost feels like this is the first time it's ever happened. The Nice Guys is a period piece, a neo-noir pastiche, a genuine thriller, an inventive action movie, a subversive buddy cop movie and, through it all, never once doesn't feel like a Shane Black picture. That's refreshing.

The central duo are in particular excellent, Ryan Gosling playing incompetent and Russell Crowe morally brutish. They're an odd couple, but they share the typical traits you'd expect between them, skirting around type; Gosling's the alcoholic and Crowe the one aspiring to climb higher.

One of a select few studio features to secure a mid-range budget despite a "hard" sell, The Nice Guys is everything we've been clamouring for; an inventive, complete, non-franchise film. And yet limited box office success (it's just scraping its budget back) means this will be viewed as a gamble that didn't pay off, limiting similar projects in the future. If you constantly bemoan more sequels and reboots, then maybe you should check this one out while you still have the chance.

For more on The Nice Guys, check out 4 Ups And 1 Down.