Effie Gray (12A)
Directed by Richard Laxton
3 stars
THE intriguing love triangle between Victorian England’s most renowned art critic John Ruskin, his teenage bride Effie Gray and Ruskin’s protege John Everett Millais is scrutinised in Emma Thompson’s new period drama, which poses more questions than it answers.
It is a compelling tale which ironically ends in Gray (Dakota Fanning, below) leaving Ruskin (Greg Wise) for the pre-Raphaelite painter Millais (Tom Sturridge).
The film shows how, despite being madly in love with his wife, on seeing her naked for the very first time Ruskin was so disgusted by what he saw — her pubic hair? —  that he refused to have any intimate relations with her. Five years later she had the marriage annulled for non-consummation.
Was Ruskin asexual or just interested in young girls? The film unfortunately doesn’t provide answers, although it does suggest he fell for Gray when she was still a child.
Fanning gives an exceptional performance as the tormented Gray. She is bullied and controlled by her in-laws (Julie Walters and David Suchet) while rejected by Ruskin — a perfectly cast Wise — the repressed genius who was mollycoddled by his mother.
Written by Thompson, who fought and won two lawsuits to get the film made, Effie Gray is an exquisite-looking gothic melodrama. But what it lacks is passion and sexual frisson.
Nor does it follow through on the story of how Gray eventually married Millais, had eight children by him, and was subsequently ostracised from high society by Queen Victoria as a result of her divorce. Ruskin escaped unscathed.
Maria Duarte

Gone Too Far (12A)
Directed by Destiny Ekharaga
3 stars
GONE Too Far is a warm and witty comedy that’s not afraid to tackle the tricky question of British identity in the multicultural melting pot.
Malachi Kirby plays the  British-Nigerian Yemiwho  who tries his best to be hip, only for his older brother Ikudayisi (OC Ukeje) to turn up and complicate matters.
It’s the same old story of competition for the bad girl who prefers the bad boy before the brothers bond and establish their credentials without resorting to weaponry.
Jeff Sawtell

Annabelle (15)
Directed by John R Leonetti
2 stars
EASILY susceptible to loud music and jump cuts? If so, this horror about a possessed doll will have you on the edge of your seat.
Annabelle, the terrifying doll from The Conjuring, has been given her own spin-off film which reveals how she became evil courtesy of Charles Manson’s followers, a fascinating detail which is never fully explored.
Not as complex or as accomplished as The Conjuring, Annabelle relies heavily on predictable horror cliches and an overly dramatic music score to escalate the tension and deliver cheap scares.
Bar one truly chilling moment, another case of deja vu.
Maria Duarte

GOLD (15)
Directed by Niall Heery
2 stars
GOLD tells the tale of estranged father (David Wilmot) who, after a 10-year absence, reappears on the scene only to find wife (Kerry Gordon) and daughter (Maisie Williams) living with her former teacher (James Nesbitt) who’s developing a training formula for gold medal winners.
It’s a witty and a well-meaning comedy about our competitive culture driving people to extremes, clearly designed for the small-screen format, being financed by the lottery and the BBC.
Jeff Sawtell

Filmed in Supermarionation (PG)
Directed by Stephen La Riviere
4 stars
THE enduring legacy of Gerry Anderson and his legendary creations are explored in this insightful and lovingly made documentary.
Hosted by Lady Penelope and Parker, it charts the rise and decline of Anderson’s company AP films as it made Stingray, Captain Scarlet and the inimitable Thunderbirds.
This fascinating story is told through a wealth of previously unseen archive footage, along with new interviews with those involved as well as clips from the shows themselves.
It also features some surprising cameos by Nicholas Parsons, Cliff Richard, Kenneth Connor and Brains who explains the “science bit” in the supermarionation process.
Captivating and nostalgic, it’s a must-see for Anderson fans.
Maria Duarte

The Maze Runner (12A)
Directed by Wes Ball
3 star
THIS is yet another teen action thriller set in a dystopian society based on a series of tween books — this time, think Lost meets Lord of the Flies.
It centres on Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) who finds himself among a community of boys with no memories who are trapped in a maze.
Reluctant to conform, Thomas is determined to discover an escape route.
It’s a fast-paced and gripping thriller until reams of confusing exposition are shoehorned in to lay the ground for the sequels where, no doubt, “all will be revealed.”
Maria Duarte