X-Men: First Class (12A)
(Matthew Vaughn, 2011, US) James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, January Jones. 132 mins
Considering the odds were stacked against this ? preceding as it does four X-Men movies (including Hugh Jackman's Wolverine), entering a superhero-stuffed summer schedule, juggling scores of characters, and telling a story fans know already ? this does a remarkably good job. The cold war setting offers a new take on closeted mutanthood, and a parallel version of the Cuban missile crisis, not to mention Bond-like stylings, and McAvoy and Fassbender add dramatic ballast to some overbearing special effects.
Senna (12A)
(Asif Kapadia, 2010, UK) 106 mins
A Formula One doc that doesn't follow the formula, this assembles a compelling, even moving, biography of the superstar Brazilian driver using only archive material and audio interviews; no talking heads or modern-day footage. The racetrack excitement is contagious.
Last Night (12A)
(Massy Tadjedin, 2010, US/Fra) Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Eva Mendes. 93 mins
A smart Manhattan couple are tempted into respective infidelities in this teasing drama, but will they stray? Over nights of booze, flirtation and talk, often in designer apartments, we're given more eye-candy than brain food.
Mammuth (PG)
(Gustave de Kervern, Beno�t Del�pine, 2010, Fra) G�rard Depardieu, Yolande Moreau, Isabelle Adjani. 92 mins
Another social comedy with a gentle touch from the makers of Louise-Michel, in which the elephantine Depardieu sets off on a road trip to secure his pension, winding across a changed working landscape and heading down memory lane.
Rio Breaks (12A)
(Justin Mitchell, 2009, UK) 85 mins
Not your typical surfing-doc wannabes, the subjects here are favela kids in Rio, whose dreams of turning pro are put into life-or-death perspective by the local drug-dealing gang culture.
The Flaw (NC)
(David Sington, 2011, UK) 82 mins
A welcome companion to Inside Job, explaining the 2008 financial meltdown ? and the unscathed power structures behind it ? with analysis, informed experts and vintage cartoons.
Prom (U)
(Joe Nussbaum, 2011, US) Aimee Teegarden, Thomas McDonell. 104 mins
Every cliche of the teen prom is woven into this sanitised comedy that juggles high-school tribulations in a John Hughes-style manner.
Donor Unknown (12A)
(Jerry Rothwell, 2010, UK) 80 mins
Novel, if small-screen-scaled documentary in which half-siblings track down their sperm donor father, who turns out to be something of a leader in the field and an eccentric beach bum.
Screwed (18)
(Reg Traviss, 2011, UK) James D'Arcy, Noel Clarke, Frank Harper. 110 mins
A prison drama based on the revelations of a former warden, but disappointingly free of surprises. Former squaddie D'Arcy learns the ropes, takes the shivs and gets into painful situations.
Ready (NC)
(Anees Bazmee, 2011, Ind) Salman Khan, Asin, Deepika Padukone. 125 mins
Khan is kept fighting, dancing and romancing in an Asia-roving action comedy.
Out from Friday
Kung Fu Panda 2
Strike two for the unlikely animal action animation, with Jack Black leading a celebrity-heavy voice cast.
Kaboom
Weird goings-on at a California campus spiral out of control in Gregg Araki's raunchy, funny, apocalyptic teen movie.
Point Blank
A male nurse is forced to break the law to save his wife in a French kidnap thriller.
Honey 2
Katerina Graham replaces Jessica Alba for more streetdance-centred urban drama.
Mother's Day
Rebecca De Mornay serves up matriarchal evil in a nasty home invasion horror
Cria Cuervos
Reissue for Carlos Saura's haunting 1970s tale of family trauma, led by Geraldine Chaplin.
Coming soon
In two weeks ? Ryan Reynolds sees the light in Green Lantern ? Globally sourced YouTube diary doc Life In A Day ?
In three weeks ? Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne star in sisterhood comedy Bridesmaids ? Nuke doc Countdown To Zero ?
In a month ? Put in your earplugs for Transformers: Dark Of The Moon ? Robert Redford's The Conspirator deals with the Abe Lincoln assassination ?
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/jun/04/this-weeks-new-films
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