Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017 Martin McDonagh & scr)

McDonagh writes complex material cloaked beneath simple storylines, both dark and funny. Thus I found the film was touching on race, the media, police brutality, families, religion... Anything else? Third World debt? We wanted Rockwell's character to somehow improve throughout the film. It does. It's a great screenplay.

Enacted by a sterling cast with Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell winning Oscars. With Woody Harrelson, Caleb Landry Jones, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, Zeljko Ivanek, Sandy Martin, Peter Dinklage and Clarke Peters.

Won BAFTAs for Best Film and Outstanding British Film and for the screenplay, McDormand and Rockwell.

Has a scent of the Coen Brothers about it, reinforced by the presence of McDormand and the music of Carter Burwell. Edited by Jon Gregory and shot by Ben Davis in Panavision.

The small 'o' in the title is exactly as it's written on screen.

Film of the year so far, ahead of Battle of the Sexes, Paddington 2, Logan Lucky, This Is Where I Leave you, Wonder Wheel and The Big Sick.