1 Swiss Army Man (15)

(Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, 2016, US) 97 mins

Before the opening titles roll, Paul Dano has already used Daniel Radcliffe’s powerfully flatulent corpse as a jet ski. Yes, it’s that sort of movie. Closest relatives would be the work of Michel Gondry or Spike Jonze, but absurd surrealism and body-related (specifically dead body-related) humour conceal a surprisingly sincere inquiry into friendship, sanity and the intimacy of farting.

2 Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (12A) (Tim Burton, 2016, UK/Bel/US) 127 mins

Somewhere between Harry Potter and Pan’s Labyrinth, this phantasmagoric children’s fable plays to all of Burton’s strengths. Our hero feels right at home having discovered the eponymous orphanage, presided over by Eva Green, populated by freakishly powered kids and stuck in a Groundhog Day-style time-loop. But what is his power?

3 Little Men (PG)
(Ira Sachs, 2016, US/Gre) 83 mins

Beautifully unforced drama whose focus on Brooklyn neighbours broaches broader themes of family and socio-economic disparity. The latter comes to the fore when Greg Kinnear inherits his father’s apartment, and his son develops a close friendship with the immigrant tenant downstairs.

4 Under The Shadow (15)
(Babak Anvari, 2016, UK/Jor/Qat/Iran) 84 mins

Post-revolution Iran and haunted-house horror prove to be a perfect match in this nerve-jangling thriller, which plays by the rules of the genre but conveys a palpable anger against the repressive politics of the era. An Iraqi missile through the roof of their Tehran apartment is a harbinger of supernatural terrors to come for a mother and daughter.

5 Hunt For The Wilderpeople (12A)
(Taika Waititi, 2016, NZ) 101 mins

A stumble through the New Zealand woods with a plump city teenager and an outwardly gruff outdoorsman proves to be an unassuming little treat, filled with the kind of good-natured, low-key wit that Kiwi comedy seems to do so well.