This Week's New Films

Seven Psychopaths (15)
(Martin McDonagh, 2012, US) Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Abbie Cornish, Tom Waits. 110 mins

It's a cult movie formula to die for: Pulp Fiction meets the Coens meets Adaptation, with postmodern high-jinks, wacky crime thrills and lashings of irreverent comedy. The latter redeems a movie that's almost too manically clever for its own good. Reality barely enters into this story of a blocked screenwriter caught up in a dognapping escapade, but there's never a dull moment. Perhaps it could do with a few.

Celeste And Jesse Forever (15)
(Lee Toland Krieger, 2012, US) Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Ari Graynor. 92 mins

A made-for-each-other couple have trouble staying separate in this relaxed romcom, which doesn't go down the obvious path. The leads are good company.

I, Anna (15)
(Barnaby Southcombe, 2012, UK/Ger/Fra) Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne, Hayley Atwell. 93 mins

Rampling is femme fatale to lovelorn cop Byrne in a London thriller that's stronger on mood than plausibility.

Confession Of A Child Of The Century (15)
(Sylvie Verheyde, 2012, Fra) Peter Doherty, Charlotte Gainsbourg. 120 mins

So that's what became of the likely lad. This 19th-century love saga plays up to Doherty's romantic poet affectations, if not his acting skills.

The Oranges (15)
(Julian Farino, 2011, US) Hugh Laurie, Leighton Meester, Allison Janney. 90 mins

Two close, white suburban families get even closer thanks to an inter-generational affair. Heavy, if familiar issues, very lightly explored.

The Man With The Iron Fists (18)
(RZA, 2012, US/HK) RZA, Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu. 95 mins

RZA takes his kung-fu passions one step further than he did with Afro Samurai in a Kill Bill-like spectacle set in an imaginary China filled with fantastical fighters and an amazing soundtrack.

You Will Be My Son (15)
(Gilles Legrand, 2012, Fra) Niels Arestrup, Lorànt Deutsch, 102 mins

Wine-making and family traditions collide when Arestrup's St Emilion patriarch sidelines his son.

So Undercover (12A)
(Tom Vaughan, 2012, US) Miley Cyrus, Alexis Knapp, Jeremy Piven. 94 mins

A teen detective must go undercover at a sorority house and… unless you're a 10-year-old girl, that's all you need to know.

When Santa Fell To Earth (U)
(Oliver Dieckmann, 2011, Ger) Alexander Scheer, Noah Kraus, Mercedes Jadea Diaz. 107 mins

A German boy helps a fugitive Santa evade evil giant nutcrackers in this cheap, dubbed kids' fantasy.

Gremlins (15)
(Joe Dante, 1984, US) Zach Galligan, Hoyt Axton, Phoebe Cates. 104 mins

Welcome reissue for the anarchic creature feature, still the perfect antidote to cutesy commercialised Christmas fare.

Khiladi 786 (12A)
(Ashish R Mohan, 2012, Ind) Akshay Kumar, Asin, Mithun Chakraborty. 141 mins

Action hero Kumar returns to the comedy franchise that made his name.

Out from Friday

Smashed

A young, alcoholic couple struggle to stay sober.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth.

Out from Thu

Neil Young Journeys

The rocker revisits his Ontario home town.

Chasing Ice

One man's quest to document the melting polar landscape.

Code Name: Geronimo

Dramatisation of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden.

Dead Europe

Dark secrets await an Aussie traveller to Greece.

False Trail

Swedish detective mystery.

What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford's celebrated face-off.

Love Crime

Kristin Scott Thomas leads a French corporate thriller.

UFO

Jean-Claude Van Damme helps fend off an alien invasion.

Tinkerbell And The Secret Of The Wings

Fairy animation for juniors.

Baraka

Ron Fricke's globe-spanning montage.

Babette's Feast

Twenrty fifth anniversary reissue for the Danish foodie classic.

Coming soon

In two weeks... Another crouching tiger in Ang Lee's Life Of Pi … Anna Kendrick is on point in Pitch Perfect …

In three weeks ... Tom Cruise on the case as Lee Child's Jack Reacher … Low-tech time-travel romance Safety Not Guaranteed …

In a month ... Maggie Smith leads Dustin Hoffman's Quartet … Ewan McGregor faces a tsunami in The Impossible …

This article was written by Steve Rose, for The Guardian on Saturday 8th December 2012 00.05 Europe/London

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