NEW RELEASES
50 Shades of Grey: EL James’ best-selling kinky fan fiction gets the Hollywood make-over. *** HR
Are You Here: Despite the gathering of formidable on-screen talent, this lacklustre comedy from the creator of Mad Men never passes muster on any level. ** HR
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
Romeo & Juliet: Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad are the star-crossed lovers on Broadway, for a very limited screening this week only. (Not reviewed)
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
Treasure Island: Children’s play courtesy of the National Theatre, based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic. On screen for a limited time. *** IND
ON CIRCUIT
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
Barbie in Princess Power: Computer generated Barbie is Princess Kara who has an alter ego with super powers, Super Sparkle. (Not reviewed)
Big Hero Six: This bright, smart and just a little scary animated adventure story has something for everyone. Plus, a very cool robot that just wants to be your friend. **** 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
Foxcatcher: A chilling true crime drama which gives Steve Carrell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffallo very meaty roles to dig their teeth into. **** WP
Fury: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf and a band of other known faces star as US soldiers in World War II whose lives are endangered by an inexperienced member of the pack. It’s a fast-paced and surprisingly heart-wrenching 134 minutes of blood, guts and gore. **** MV
Into the Woods: Appealing, fun, funny Disney musical with huge, well-choreographed singing sequences and gorgeous visuals. And, Johnny Depp as a singing wolf for all of five minutes. *** TS
Jupiter Ascending: The Wachowski siblings go big on visual splendour, forgetting to flesh out the characters or plot in their latest sci-fi actioner. *** TS
Mooirivier: Another Afrikaner romance with little comedy but lots of technical flair. This time think Love Actually in a klein dorpie, with stodgier characters. Lovers of bland will lap it up and ask for more. *** TS
No: A throwback in storytelling style, this film tells the story of the overthrow of Chilean dictator Pinochet, underlining the more things change, the more they stay the same. Brilliant performance from Gael Garcia Bernal. **** DdB
Paddington: The marmalade-loving bear from Peru is realistically brought to life on the streets of London, amidst gorgeous art design, bringing home the idea that there is a home for everyone. **** TS
Pride: Feel-good, poignant crowd-pleaser which neatly balanced heart and formula. It is a little bit funny, a little bit sad, and a whole lot of entertainment. **** TS
Selma: Powerful reminder that Dr Martin Luther King Jr wasn’t always a patient man and that the American civil rights movement was about black people asserting the right to be recognised as human. **** TS
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
St Vincent: Bill Murray is excellent in this character study about a hard-drinking, cantankerous old man who agrees to babysit the kid next door. **** TS
Taken 3: Badly edited action sequences, clichéd characters and worn-out plot for an action film with no thrills or spills. Even Liam Neeson looks bored. ** TS
Tracers: Sharkboy has a bike and he’s gonna use it. There’s supposed to be parkour in here somewhere, but it’s mostly a heist gone wrong story with Taylor Lautner. ** TS
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 Interview: America’s obsession with celebrity culture becomes the butt of Seth Rogen’s jokes, until the film descends into fart jokes. A massive blow against censorship this is not. What it is, is a fratboy film with a huge budget. *** TS
The Wedding Ringer: This stale comedy about a friendless schlub who rents a best man for his big day was written more than a decade ago and it shows. ** HR
Unbroken: Well-made, well-intentioned bio-pic which hits all the expected notes a would-be epic wants to hit, directed by Angelina Jolie the story of Olympian Louis Zamperini is rousing, if rather heavy-handed. *** IND