Penguins Of Madagascar (U)
(Eric Darnell, Simon J. Smith, 2014, US) Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, John Malkovich, Benedict Cumberbatch. 92 mins
Putting these intrepid, irresponsible birds in charge of a movie is like giving toddlers the keys to a monster truck, but nobody really gets hurt. It’s a rollercoaster of chaotic slapstick adventure, with a flimsy story (polar fauna v mad-scientist octopus) that does at least address the pertinent issue of relative animal cuteness.
St Vincent (12A)
(Theodore Melfi, 2014, US) Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts. 102 mins
Bill Murray plays to his strengths as a deadpan misanthrope with a predictably decent core in this neighbourhood comedy.
Black Sea (15)
(Kevin Macdonald, 2014, UK) Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Grigoriy Dobrygin. 115 mins
Captain Law struggles to command his rag-tag crew (and his Scots accent) in a submarine heist thriller that’s primed for claustrophobic tension, but not exactly watertight.
Get Santa (U)
(Christopher Smith, 2014, UK/US) Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall. 102 mins
Broadbent makes the perfect kindly-but-confused Santa in this kids’ caper.
Men, Women & Children (15)
(Jason Reitman, 2014, US) Jennifer Garner, Rosemarie DeWitt, Adam Sandler. 120 mins
Weaving a sprawling tapestry of teens and adults, this strangely dated drama explores how social media and the internet have, y’know, changed stuff.
The Grandmaster (15)
(Wong Kar-wai, 2013, HK/Chi) Tony Chiu Wai Leung, Cung Le. 108 mins
Wong brings his usual emotional turmoil and visual grace to this fragmented kung-fu story, centred on Bruce Lee’s real-life tutor, Ip Man.
Bonobo (15)
(Matthew Hammett Knott, 2014, UK) Tessa Peake-Jones, Josie Lawrence. 83 mins
Gentle satire and self-discovery as a middle-class mum enters a commune inspired by sex-loving apes.
Eastern Boys (15)
(Robin Campillo, 2013, Fra) Olivier Rabourdin, Kirill Emelyanov, Daniil Vorobyov. 126 mins
A Parisian man’s flirtation with a rent boy sets up an intriguing thriller.
The Pyramid (15)
(Grégory Levasseur, 2014, US) Ashley Hinshaw, Denis O’Hare. 89 mins
Reckless tomb-raiders get a subterranean game of death in this Egyptological horror.
Hello Carter (15)
(Anthony Wilcox, 2013, UK) Charlie Cox, Jodie Whittaker. 81 mins
A loser’s quest to reconnect with his ex prompts a picaresque London odyssey.
Me, Myself And Mum (15)
(Guillaume Gallienne, 2013, Fra/Bel) Guillaume Gallienne. 87 mins
Autobiographical comedy on a bourgeois son’s confused sexuality.
Mea Culpa (15)
(Fred Cavayé, 2014, Fra) Vincent Lindon. 87 mins
Lindon’s retired cop re-arms to save his family.
Open Bethlehem (PG)
(Leila Sansour, 2014, UK) 90 mins
Sansour’s heartfelt report on her holy hometown.
School Of Babel (PG)
(Julie Bertuccelli, 2014, Fra) 94 mins
Doc tracking an immigrants’ French-language class.
Out from Friday
The Polar Express
10th anniversary rerelease of the animation. Out from Mon.
Montana
Thriller with a hoodie hero. Out from Thu.
The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies
The Middle-earth saga redefines the meaning of epic, again.
Electricity
Agyness Deyn impresses as a woman with epilepsy.
Face Of Love
Annette Bening falls for her late husband’s double.
The Green Prince
Story of a Palestinian double agent and his Israeli handler.
Tinker Bell And The Legend Of The NeverBeast
Fairy animation for juniors.
Manakamana
Doc observing pilgrims in Nepal.
Merchants Of Doubt
The climate-change denial industry exposed.
A Tale Of Samurai Cooking – A True Love Story
The caterers’ side of history.
The Circle
Story of a European gay romance.
The Great Museum
Doc on top Vienna museum.
We Still Kill The Old Way
Gangster showdown.
Bringing Tibet Home
A New York exile’s journey.
Coming soon
In two weeks... Carrey and Daniels, just like old times, in Dumb And Dumber To… A London-set Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb…
In three weeks... Christian Bale is Moses in Exodus: Gods And Kings… Tim Burton’s outsider-artist caper Big Eyes…
In a month... Stephen Hawking story The Theory Of Everything… Michael Keaton in ex-superhero comedy Birdman…
