Perfect pair in harmony

La La Land (12)

Sure to leave a smile on your face as you lap up its giddy joy and brilliance, La La Land is another triumph for writer-director Damien Chazelle.

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling share off-the-charts chemistry and the musical showpieces are astounding; the songs are instantly catchy and you’ll be humming them for days.

Manchester by the Sea (15)

This tough drama sails through some rocky waters to take viewers on a beautifully-acted, moving journey.

Casey Affleck provides the finest work of his career and Michelle Williams is terrific.

There’s no escaping the gloomy central storyline, but warmth and humour are gently drip fed into proceedings.

Assassin’s Creed (12)

With the director ( Justin Kurzel) and stars (Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard) of 2015’s scorching Macbeth behind it, the odds seems to be in favour of Assassin’s Creed breaking the video game movie curse.

But while no Super Mario Brothers or Street Fighter, we’re in no better than middle-of-the-road, Tomb Raider-style, territory here.

The convoluted plot does Kurzel and his cast no favours as it’s difficult to keep up with the cavalcade of information.

Fortunately, the set pieces are easier to register, with the game’s “Leap of Faith” providing an exhilarating visual.

But it climaxes with a damp squib of a finale in London that feels inferior to earlier sequences.