Fury (15)

Directed by David Ayers

3/5

WAR is loud, it isn’t pretty and never ends quietly. 

That’s the resounding message from Brad Pitt’s new WWII movie which closed this year’s London Film Festival.

It’s set in April 1945 and Pitt, who also produced the film, plays a battle-hardened sergeant who commands a Sherman tank on a deadly mission behind enemy lines as the Allies make their final push into Germany. 

Director David Ayer, whose previous includes End of Watch, delivers another gritty action film in which he finely balances the human drama of war with the ferocious brutality of combat. 

The fight scenes are painfully intense and exquisitely choreographed. But the film lacks some credibility when an SS soldier shows a glimmer of mercy. 

Wishful thinking. 

Maria Duarte

The Book of Life (U)

Directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez

4/5

LOVE, heroism and death are some of the themes explored in this wonderfully colourful and vibrant children’s animated feature inspired by Mexican myths and folklore. 

It begins in a museum where a mysterious tour guide (Christina Applegate) introduces a group of rowdy schoolkids to the Book of Life and the story of childhood friends Manolo, (Diego Luna), Maria (Zoe Saldana) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum). 

They become the centre of a deadly wager between the rulers of two ghostly worlds and ex-spouses La Muerte, (Kate del Castillo) and Xibalba (Ron Perlman). 

Directed and co-written by Jorge R Gutierrez and produced by Guillermo del Toro this is a gorgeous-looking film, full of rich and dynamic characters fashioned out of wood. 

Set in Mexico, it’s multi-layered and punctuated by an inspired musical soundtrack. 

Surprisingly dark, it is still huge fun and features a fabulous eclectic voice cast which includes Placido Domingo, Ice Cube and Danny Trejo. 

Guaranteed to capture the imagination of both young and old and a welcome alternative to Disney and Pixar. 

Maria Duarte

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (PG)

Directed by Miguel Arteta

3/5

DESPITE the mouthful of a title, this is a sweet and fast-paced oddball family comedy. 

It centres on the worst day in the life of 11-year-old Alexander(Ed Oxenbould) and his wish that his perfect parents (Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner) and siblings could understand for once what he is going through. 

Over a 24-hour period just about everything that could go wrong in their lives does so. 

Rather predictable but thanks to Carell and Garner, who give it their all, hugely enjoyable. 

Maria Duarte 

Night Train to Lisbon (12A)

Directed by Bille August

4/5

RAIMUND GREGORIUS (Jeremy Irons), a Swiss schoolteacher, is on his way to work when he sees a young woman attempting suicide. 

He prevents her but she soon flees, leaving her coat and a book written by the revolutionary Amadeu de Prado during the era of Salazar’s fascist dictatorship in Portugal.

When a ticket for the Lisbon night train falls from the book’s pages, Gregorius finds himself doing the first spontaneous thing he’s done in a very long time and catches the train. 

What follows melds past and present in an intricate structure of flashbacks, in which the director shows great emotional engagement in the destiny of de Prado. The result’s a truly original piece of filmmaking.

Rita Di Santo