Fantastic Mr Fox (PG)
(Wes Anderson, 2009, US/UK) George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Wally Wolodarsky, Bill Murray. 87 mins
Anderson puts his own distinctive stamp on Dahl's children's tale, with an agreeably retro stop-motion animation crammed with detail, style and dry comedy. In fact, it's more of an American hipster take on English country life – which works great. There's a lot that will go over kids' heads, but the visuals alone should keep them entranced.
The Cove (12A)
(Louis Psihoyos, 2009, US) 92 mins
This gripping documentary is structured like a heist movie, as a Japanese village's highly secret annual mass slaughter of dolphins is exposed by a dedicated team of activists and film-makers – a sort of oceanic 11. Between details of their tense operation, we're painlessly primed on the wider issues – Japan's whaling record, global overfishing, campaigner Ric O'Barry, who formerly trained Flipper, and the general awesomeness of dolphins – which only adds to the emotional impact of the final scenes. Unlike a heist movie, there's little reward at the end of this mission, just a tragic reality powerfully brought to light.
Johnny Mad Dog (15)
(Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, 2008, Fra/Bel/Lib) Christophe Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy. 98 mins
Based on fact and acted by real-life former child soldiers, this verité-style depiction of an unspecified African civil war feels so authentic, it's often downright terrifying. There's a great deal of intense, violent confrontation, but a redeeming humanity, too.
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (PG)
(Paul Weitz, 2009, US) John C Reilly, Chris Massoglia, Josh Hutcherson. 109 mins
Another supernatural novel series churned into a tween-friendly movie, as a bored teen and his friend become vampires (and enemies) after a visit to a strange freakshow. They don't really face off till the sequel – assuming there is one.
Made In Jamaica (15)
(Jérôme Laperrousaz, 2006, Fra/US) 120 mins
Taking Bob Marley as Year Zero, this documentary surveys the broad territory of Jamaican music, comparing the old guard (Bunny Wailer, Toots) and their more violent and sexual modern counterparts (Bounty Killer, Elephant Man). It's too much to cram in but still watchable.
Colin (18)
(Marc Price, 2008, UK) Alastair Kirton, Daisy Atkins. 97 mins
Some pickings for zombie connoisseurs in this resourceful film, which transcends a lack of budget to deliver the simple saga of a zombified Londoner.
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (15)
(Neal Brennan, 2009, US) Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, James Brolin. 89 mins
A comedy about used car salesmen that feels a little second-hand itself, in a Will Ferrell sort of way. Piven leads sketch-like ker-razy shenanigans as rival dealers face off. Political correctness is an early casualty.
Coffin Rock (15)
(Rupert Glasson, 2009, UK/Aus) Lisa Chappell, Robert Taylor, Sam Parsonson. 92 mins
Effective, if far-fetched, Aussie thriller in which a small-town couple's fertility issues are compounded by the wife's one-night stand with a creepy young Irish drifter. Big mistake.
OUT FROM FRIDAY
9
Rag dolls save humanity in this post-apocalyptic animation (pictured).
Starsuckers
Hoax-happy documentary on celebrity.
Dead Man Running
Crime thriller with Danny Dyer.
Tales From The Golden Age
Collection of stories from Ceausescu's Romania.
Love Exposure
Four hours of Japanese pop weirdness.
The Horseman
Gory Aussie revenge horror.
Aladin
Bollywood fairy tale with Amitabh Bachchan.
An Education
Charming 1960s tale on a smart girl's coming of age.
An American Werewolf In London
Horror classic.
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Jacko's posthumous tribute concert to himself.
Citizen Kane
Welles' media-baron saga reissued.
COMING SOON
In two weeks ... Megan Fox is a maneater in Jennifer's Body … Ben Whishaw shines briefly in Jane Campion's Keats biopic Bright Star…
In three weeks ... Michael Haneke's Cannes-winner The White Ribbon … Internet celebrity doc We Live In Public …
In a month ... The Coen brothers' Jewish chronicle A Serious Man … Get ready to swoon at The Twilight Saga: New Moon …
