As the quiet post-Oscar season continued, the critical failure of Batman v Superman became the biggest story of March. The DC Comics powerhouse may have broken records at the box-office, but it left audiences feeling rather underwhelmed.
There were, however, enough enjoyable films for March movie-goers to sink their teeth into.
So let's take a look at the best films this month had to offer.
5) Hail, Cesar
Classic Coen brothers absurdity pervades this highly-enjoyable ode to the workings of 1950's Hollywood studios.
The oddball plot of movie fixer (Josh Brolin) desperately trying to find his kidnapped movie star (George Clooney) is punctuated by rip-roaringly entertaining old-school Hollywood set-pieces.
The Film excels with a whimsical style and delightful cameos from Ralph Fiennes, Alden Ehrenreich, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum and Tilda Swinton.
4) The Club
The Club is a punishingly dark and brutally honest watch.
Unlike Spotlight, there is no glimmer of hope in this tale of child abuse in the Church. Instead, this is a frank assessment of the hypocrisy and corruption that can be bred - and hidden - in institutionalised religion.
The Club reveals an ugly side of the Church, and then forces us to stare at it through all of the repulsion and farce.
The result is a disturbing and darkly humorous watch.
3) 10 Cloverfield Lane
"Monsters come in many forms" - is the tagline of this 'blood-brother' sequel to Cloverfield (2008).
10 Cloverfield Lane takes us away from the handheld city-wide chaos of its predecessor, and into the claustrophobic setting of a bunker. It makes for a gripping paranoia-fest, as our protagonist - played by the excellent Mary Elizabeth Winstead - has to come to terms with her situation and work out her best hope for survival.
However, it is the erratic and controlling figure of John Goodman that steals the show. In this tight setting, his size alone makes him a cyclops-like figure of menace. He walks a fine line between misunderstood kook and pathological maniac, which leaves you grinning one moment and a nervous wreck the next.
Ultimately, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a gripping and unsettling watch.
2) Zootropolis
Zootropolis is one of the biggest surprise packages of 2016.
Not to be passed off as another skippable kids animation, Disney delivers a film that is so emotionally layered and well-executed that it rivals the very best of their sister company Pixar.
Zootropolis presents an engaging story filled with witty, well-rounded and loveable characters. Most impressively, the animal city of Zootropolis brilliantly mirrors our own society, with allegories for issues of race, gender and politics that will resonate with audiences of all ages.
1) Anomalisa
With the crowdfunding help of Kickstarter, writer-director Charlie Kaufman teamed up with Duke Johnson to create a masterpiece in stop-motion animation.
Anomalisa reaches into the mind of a lonely, self-destructive and disenchanted middle-aged man, as he begins to unravel in the confines of a hotel.
The beautiful stop-motion animation gives free range to Kaufman's inventiveness; allowing him to artfully play with images and voices in both amusing and profound ways.
Simply put, this is one of the best films of 2016. Anomalisa is a work of pure genius.
