NEW RELEASES
Black or White: While the film has more to it than the average family drama, its approach is too much like its title, never really delving into the shadings in between. ** WP
Gunman: Sean Penn’s amazing physique overshadows the rote plot in yet another chapter in the saga known as action for over 50s. ** WP
La Donna del Lago: Paul Curran’s directorial debut is solid and leads Joyce DiDonato and Juan Diego Florez impress in Rossini’s Scottish opera, which takes its cue from Walter Scott’s poem. **** PB
Robot Overlords: British sci-fi starring Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson. Aliens have invaded Earth and a quartet of kids figure out a way to fight back. Shades of WWII resistance meets millennial moxie. *** HR
Spare Parts: The underdog story of a team of Arizona high school inventors, all undocumented Mexican Americans, gets the narrative-feature treatment, with George Lopez playing their substitute teacher. *** HR
ON CIRCUIT
50 Shades of Grey: EL James’ best-selling kinky fan fiction gets the Hollywood make-over. *** HR
American Sniper: With well-choreographed fight sequences and hyper-real sets this film resembles a role-playing video game featuring a sniper out to kill people. Bradley Cooper bulks up and turns off the charm, but this is not about the US’ fight on terror, it is about one person’s perspective. *** TS
Annie: This remake of the musical-turned-movie stars a very cute Quvenzhané Wallis and a bored Jamie Foxx. Bland material for adults, but little fans of Frozen will lap this up. *** TS
Ballade vir ‘n Enkeling: Beautifully lensed modern remake of the popular TV series which makes good use of the haunting original music. *** TS
Birdman: Alejandro González Iñárritu directs an ambitious technical showcase powered by a layered story and outstanding performances from Michael Keaton and Edward Norton. **** WP
Chappie: Neill Blomkamp explores what it means to be human in his latest action sci-fi flick set in Joburg, which stars Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver, Dev Patel and Sharlto Copley as the robot. *** TS
Cinderella: Kenneth Branagh gives the Disney fairytale a lush real-life makeover, even if it does drag at times. *** WP
Danny Collins: A solid cast supports Al Pacino as a loveable rogue of an ageing rocker, who wants a do-over because maybe being rich and famous isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. *** TS
Focus: Though it has too many twists and turns, this one almost skates by on the glamourous setting and effortless charm of actors Will Smith and Margo Robbie. ** IND
Furious 7: This latest sequel is a sentimental last hurrah for Paul Walker, filled with fast cars and impossible stunts. *** TS
Hear Me Move: A high-energy South African dance film set against the backdrop of a dramatic coming-of-age story that is bound to be a hit with dance flick fans. **** LN
Home: Issues around friendship, compassion, family and loyalty are relayed in a light-hearted and funny story of Oh and Tip and their adventure into friendship. *** LN
Inherent Vice: Frustrating to anyone looking for a coherent plotline, this 70s crime drama will appeal to fans of director Paul Thomas Anderson and the original novel by Thomas Pynchon. *** TS
Insurgent: The sequel to Divergent dives right in and Shailene Woodley gives it a good old try, which is just as well, since she’s in almost every frame. YA fans will love it. *** TS
Kingsman: The Secret Service: Smart, funny and super-stylish, this is both spy movie spoof and homage to the genre that gave us James Bond, Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer. Except it’s Colin Firth, Mark Strong and Michael Caine, with ab-tastic Taron Egerton to boot. **** TS
McFarland: Solid, well-made film which shows that the inspirational sport drama may be old hat, but it still works if you have a talented director and likeable stars in the mix. *** HR
Nightcrawler: Restless and visually sleek, this dark, thought-provoking and pulse-pounding thriller features a star performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. **** IND
Rosewater: Solidly acted, this unashamedly earnest adaptation of Then They Came For Me, the 2011 memoir of Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, is timely and serves as a splendid calling card for first-time director Jon Stewart. **** WP
Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge out of Water: Once Spongebob and co leave the water they also leave behind the surreal silliness that we love. Luckily that happens late on in the otherwise zany yet sweet, mostly animated, kiddies movie. *** TS
Still Alice: Heroic yet harrowing tale of a woman whose life and livelihood depend on her love of language, but Alzheimers is stripping away her mind and therefore her very self. Julianne Moore is scarily sublime with an extraordinary supporting cast. **** DdB
Strikdas: Afrikaans universiteit romcom in which an eccentric boy is taken home by a manipulative girl intent on rubbing her father up the wrong way. Clichéd storyline, but oh so beautifully shot. *** TS
Top Five: Chris Rock writes, directs and stars in this clever take on being a black entertainer and just what it means to be famous. **** TS
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them: Led by strong performances from Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, this is a haunting rumination on love and loss. *** HR
The Imitation Game: Benedict Cumberbatch is compelling in this haunting biopic about Alan Turing, the mathematician widely credited as the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. **** TS
The Lazarus Effect: The talented cast and not-too-shabby idea are wasted on insipid characters and recycled plot points. ** HR
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: The star-studded cast from the original are back in India in a humorous, poignant take on life that will lift your spirits. **** LdM
The Theory of Everything: It’s all about the performances of Eddie Redmayne (who was rewarded with an Oscar) and Felicity Jones as Stephen Hawking and his wife Jane on whose book it is based. A story of love rather than science. **** DdB
Whiplash: It’s the battle of the bully who believes he is living his life to further the success of others and being the hard taskmaster means his victim’s ultimate saving grace. JK Simmons is the perfect fit as the relentless teacher who pushes too hard. It’s tough, troubled and pitch perfect for our times. **** DdB