Cottontail (12A)
Directed by Patrick Dickinson
★★★★

 
A GRIEVING husband travels with his estranged son from Japan to England to fulfil his wife’s last wishes in this understated but quietly haunting and beautiful drama, the debut feature film from documentarian Patrick Dickinson. 
 
In a letter written before Alzheimer’s destroyed her mental faculties Akiko (Tae Kimura) states that she wants her ashes to be scattered over Lake Windermere, the place she loved most as a child and where she chased a Cottontail in 1966.
 
The film follows Kenzaburo (Lily Franky) and his son Toshi (Ryo Nishikido) as they clash over this trip and how best to realise Akiko’s wishes. It is intercut with flashbacks of Kenzaburo remembering key moments in his life with her from when they first met to the loss of her ability to take care of herself. He loses himself in the past as things become more stressful and fraught with Toshi. 
 
Driven by a powerful standout performance by Franky, you cannot help feeling shaken and stirred by Kenzaburo’s plight as he ditches his son and his family in London to head straight to Lake Windermere, which looks breathtaking. His lack of English lands him in a precarious situation and he is befriended by a farmer and his daughter, played by real-life father and daughter Ciaran Hinds and Aoife Hinds. 
 
This slow-burning drama examines grief and family loss, as well as these characters’ inability to voice their own pain and emotion. However, it also shows how they slowly embark on a path towards healing and understanding. 

In cinemas February 14

Memoir of a Snail (15)
Directed by Adam Elliot
★★★★

 
THIS is the bittersweet memoir of a lonely woman who hoards snails, romance novels and guinea pigs, and then recounts her life story to a humble garden snail she named Sylvia in a bonkers yet surprisingly moving stop motion animation. 
 
Oscar winning writer-director Adam Elliot’s grotesque looking animated feature is set in 1970s Australia, and sees twins Grace (Sarah Snook) and Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee) being separated as children following their father’s death. Grace was sent to live with a swinger couple while her brother was fostered by a religious fundamentalist family, bordering on a cult. Grace was left to her own devices and became friends with the force of nature that was old Pinky (Jacki Weaver) while Gilbert had a very tough time at his new home. 
 
A cross between David Lynch and Tim Burton, this is a slowly captivating and gripping film which examines the perils of being a serial hoarder. Once you become accustomed to the macabre and weird looking clay figures it soon reels you in as it explores difficult themes with humour and aplomb.
 
It is unbelievably charming and upbeat. 

In cinemas February 14

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (15)
Directed by Michael Morris
★★★★

 
BRIDGET JONES returns as a singleton again — now a widow in her 50s — bringing up her two young children on her own in the most moving and gloriously funny film to date. 
 
She is an emotional mess, still grief stricken four years after the death of her husband Mark Darcy (Colin Firth); and she isn’t coping as a single mother who is continually judged by the perfect mums on the school run. 
 
Based on Helen Fielding’s last book (which was inspired by her own life), this film explores grief, loss and the obstacles, pressures and judgements that women over 50 face. It also attempts to debunk the negative “cougar” label they are given (while men are described as silver foxes) along with their “sex expiry date.”
 
Renee Zellweger is totally captivating and endearing as Bridget while Hugh Grant steals every scene as Daniel Cleaver, back from the dead. Leo Woodall (One Day) is phenomenal as her sizzlingly hot younger lover while the great Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave) plays her slow burning love interest.  
 
This isn’t your typical Bridget Jones film – it is more grown up and grounded. It is heartbreaking yet will make you howl with laughter. Take tissues. 

In cinemas now 

Captain America: Brave New World (12A)
Directed by Julius Onah 
★★★

 
ANTHONY MACKIE finally takes up the shield and mantel of Captain America in this his first solo film. He does a cracking job, following in the footsteps of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers aka Cap.  

Sam Wilson (Mackie) is called upon to save the globe from World War III in this complex and paranoid political thriller. 
 
This is Wilson’s journey to finding his own way as the first black Captain America who isn’t a super soldier. As the newly elected US president (played sublimely by Harrison Ford who replaced the late William Hurt) tells him: “Watch yourself, you’re not Steve Rogers.” Ouch. 
 
Thaddeus E “Thunderbolt” Ross, who won the presidency on a “Togetherness” campaign is a dangerous figure who only cares about his own survival (sound familiar?) The film is a slow reveal to his transformation into Red Hulk (this is no spoiler — the trailer gives it away) ending in a CGI battle royale with Cap. 
 
I can’t help feeling Mackie deserved better than this perfectly solid but underwhelming film.   

In cinemas February 14