As we start approaching Oscar season, October was one of the year’s strongest months for film to date. Here’s what we think you should be trying to see!

3. Sicario

The brutal and visceral cartel drama, ‘Sicario‘, features the best Benicio Del Toro performance in years and a narrative that expertly navigates the murky territory of the cartel wars on the US/Mexico border.

2. The Martian

In most months ‘The Martian‘ would be our favourite film of the month, but not this one! Nonetheless, ‘The Martian‘ is a terrifically entertaining piece of cinema about an astronaut stranded on Mars for a number of years. Superbly produced, funnier than it ought to be and featuring a stellar cast led by Matt Damon, this is Ridley Scott back to his best.

1. 99 Homes

‘99 Homes‘ is an outstanding film that burns with a righteous anger at the way American homeowners were treated by the banks and the government in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, seen through the eyes of Andrew Garfield’s affected Dennis Nash, and the real estate shark that takes him under his wing, played with suitable relish by the imperious Michael Shannon. This is absolute must see cinema.