Also Out In Cinemas: November 2014

The big movies out this month include Interstellar, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt 1,The Imitation Game and The Drop. But here we review a selection of the other new releases.

Hugh Grant works the charm hard in his latest romcom, but its not long before the strain shows. All the best bits of Marc Lawrences film are in the first half, when Grants past-it Hollywood screenwriters still a boozy, skirt-chasing louse. Forced to take a teaching gig at a stuffy East Coast university, he has a predictable change of heart once mature student Holly (Marisa Tomei) joins his class that sees that enjoyable cynicism supplanted by sentimental sludge. Cue lots of pretentious talk about third acts, in scripts and in life; shame that the one here offers few surprises. Out now Neil Smith

The latest Nicholas Sparks adaptation is so over-the-top in its, well, Sparks-ness you may at times think youre watching a laser-sharp parody. Dawson Cole (James Marsden) is so unlike any recognisable male youve ever encountered that its impossible to take him seriously. Hes muscular but gentle, street-level but an avid Stephen Hawking fan. He works on an oil rig but stares wistfully at the goddamn stars at night. The film follows him as he falls in and out and possibly (ha!) back in love with high-school sweetheart Michelle Monaghan over several decades. Finely crafted mush clearly geared for hardcore melodrama fans and really nobody else. Out now Ken McIntyre

Following 2012s absurd Battleship and probably just months before Checkers: The Motion Picture, heres another attempt to turn a boardgame into a Hollywood blockbuster. After the mysterious death of their classmate, a bunch of photogenic high schoolers get together for a sance to contact the deceased and find out what happened. Unfortunately for them, their careless tinkering with the occult unleashes a raft of angry spooks who stalk and (sort of) slash through the cast in short order. Sigh. With little shock and gore to speak of, this is strictly tween date-night material, safe and toothless. The actual game is scarier. Out now Ken McIntyre

A TV doc in disguise, this self-aggrandising amalgam of stock footage and vintage movie clips sees ex-Daily Star prank monkey Rich Peppiatt repudiate his former profession and doorstep tabloid editors in order to... annoy them? They shrug it off while hes left looking like a poor Dennis Pennis, and theres little here Leveson followers wont have heard before, better expressed although full-frontal footage of Neville Thurlbeck is an eye-opener. This theatrical release is presumably due to the celebrity cameos but Hugh Grant, Steve Coogan et al were more eloquent giving evidence, and Peppiatt just perpetuates the practices hes decrying. Out 7 November Emma Morgan

Like the titular sea creature, this is a monster of a movie from Russias Andrey Zvyagintsev (The Return), a searing blend of political and personal corruption. Set on the Kola Peninsula, family man mechanic Kolya (Aleksey Serebryakov) is pitted against the towns greedy mayor, who wants to compulsory purchase his property. As their battle unfolds, satire mixes with violence, mystery and even murder in a brutish story accompanied by some stark, symbolic imagery. Its hardly subtle, as the little man is consumed by the government beast, but its highly effective. Out 7 November James Mottram

Subtle, stylish, and illuminating, this documentary by British sociologist Ian McDonald follows three blind Indian teens as they strive to become chess masters and compete in the World Junior Blind Chess Championship. Avoiding placing too much emphasis on their disability, it concentrates instead on their motivation, self-doubts and drive. Theyre led by an inspirational, equally sightless teacher and arguably hindered by one particularly overbearing mother. Although thats for us to judge: the film shows rather than tells, with no explanation or voiceover from McDonald, and is all the more engaging for it. Out 7 November Emma Johnston

In 2013, Hayao Miyazaki, the creative force behind such wonders as Spirited Away and co-founder of Studio Ghibli retired. Mami Sunadas doc follows the then 72-year-old as he strives to complete his final masterpiece The Wind Rises. Befitting its subject, this is a beautifully shot film, one whose intimate access allows Sunada to convey not only the animators perfectionism, but its gruelling effect on himself and others. By its emotional end, its clear that theres only one man who can quite see the world like Miyazaki. Out 7 November James Mottram

Forget Avatar or Avengers Assemble, Lithuanias highest-grossing film of all time is actually this: an excruciating Vinnie Jones gangster comedy that tries to mate Lock Stock with The Hangover. The plot sees four mockney geezers boarding a plane to Vilnius to escape Jones barking mobster. Gutted pigs, axe-wielding strippers and muddy tracksuits abound plus a lorryload of grisly Eurotrash stereotypes that seem hellbent on setting the Lithuanian tourist board back several decades. It says a lot about a film when Vinnies the classiest thing in it. Out 13 November Paul Bradshaw

Near the end of WW2, Hitler ordered Nazi general Dietrich von Choltitz (Niels Arestrup) to destroy Paris most famous buildings while they still held the city. Volker Schlndorffs Franco-German film Diplomacy imagines the fictional all-night efforts of Swedish diplomat Raoul Nordling (Andr Dussollier), who tries to persuade Choltitz otherwise. It is, essentially, a two-man play one smaller in scale than The Monuments Mens take on the topic but far more engaging. Its war of words is not only superbly directed, but its deft exploration of negotiation as an art is masterfully acted by titans Arestrup and Dussollier. Out 14 November Stephen Kelly

Writer/director/Nativity veteran Debbie Isitt has a peculiar approach to musicals, casting kids who cannot sing a note and coercing them to perform elaborate numbers that expose their inadequacies to the most unforgiving spotlight. The twist in this third helping of juvenile Yuletide antics is the grown-ups, led by Martin Clunes amnesiac teacher and fiance Catherine Tate, get to warble too just as badly. This time its a flash-mob competition that has the tots excited, egged on as ever by Marc Woottons aggressively exuberant man-child. The titular donkey has the right idea, having the good sense to exit within the first 10 minutes. Out 14 November Neil Smith

Described in school reports as a complete exhibitionist, David Bowie got the exhibition he deserved at Londons V&A Museum in 2013. Hamish Hamiltons docu-portrait isnt the film he deserves; basically, its just a guide to the exhibitions rare items. But it highlights the humanity behind Bowies ch-ch-changes. If his teenage sketches show early self-awareness, the Labyrinth clip reminds us that even icons stumble. The highlights are the guests: costume designer Kansai Yamamoto is a hoot. Hes wearing my design, he deadpans of one Bowie outfit, for ladies! Out 18 November Kevin Harley

Thai direct or Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit transforms 410 consecutive tweets into the tale of high-schooler Mary in this quirky drama. My life is getting weirder by the day, our heroine notes, and thats only after shes accidentally gotten high on mushrooms, been injured by an exploding phone and cooked her uncles pet parrots as a snack... Endlessly weird and entertaining, though meandering in places, MIH, MIH is an odd cross between TVs Daria (kooky, verbose heroine) and the films of Wes Anderson (everybody wears uniforms). Otherworldly and laugh-out-loud funny, its one of the years strangest. Out 21 November Josh Winning

Hard-up novelist Kevin Kline is delighted to hear he has inherited a sprawling appartment in Paris, but less so to discover it wont be his until current resident Maggie Smith pops her clogs. From this peculiar real estate conundrum springs an often charming, sometimes sluggish comedy drama, complicated further by Klines troubled past and Dame Mags testy daughter (Kristin Scott Thomas). Squarely aimed at the grey pound audience that lapped up The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, this similarly boasts veteran star turns and gorgeously photographed scenery. Yet for all the tasty trappings, its tough to empathise with characters who rarely see beyond their narrow self-interests. Out 21 November Neil Smith

Playing (slightly) against type, Idris Elba is Colin, a malignant narcissist and escaped convict with a laundry list of sex crimes whos making his way to Georgia for God knows what. On a dark and of course stormy night, he charms his way into the home of Terri (Taraji P. Henson), who has no idea shes dealing with a psychopath. Naturally, on the other side of the coin, he also has no idea shes a former lawyer specialising in cases involving violence against women. Further major plot twists await in this fitfully compelling and surprisingly violent suspense thriller that plays like a vintage slasher flick with a stupidly handsome psycho-killer. Out 21 November Ken McIntyre

Returning to cinemas for an encore, Disneys icy adventure hardly needed to increase its box-office haul (its already the highest-grossing animated film ever). But with an irresistible mix of terrific songs, storytelling simplicity and easy-to-warm- to characters, no ones likely to let it go just yet. Ticking the old-fashioned fairytale boxes, it feels fresh thanks being a tale of two remarkably human sisters, in spite of implausibly stylised body shapes and Anna (Idina Menzel) having cold-harnessing magical powers thatd make Mr Freeze weep. And for once, its not the comedy sidekick stealing all the biggest laughs: its Kristen Bells adorkable lil sis Elsa. Out 24 November Matt Maytum

As big an industry as he was a fighter, Muhammad Ali has already inspired more than his fair share of documentaries. I Am Ali doesnt add much to the deluge, though its use of rare audio recordings and heartfelt testimonies from those who knew him best allows Clare Lewins effort to be a more personal affair than the customary, hagiographic cash-in. All the usual boxes (Sonny Liston, Vietnam, his battles with Foreman and Frazier) are dutifully ticked. Like many of its ilk, however, I Am Ali queasily sidesteps its subjects Parkinsons-ravaged dotage. Out 28 November Neil Smith

A strict Catholic upbringing causes a spiritual crisis for Maria (Lea van Acken) in Dietrich Brggemanns austere religious drama. Structured to mirror Christs journey to crucifixion, the film unfolds in 14 long (mostly static) takes; a gimmick which provides the claustrophobic frame for Brggemanns fable of theological confinement. While the director is unsparing in his dissection of dogmatic indoctrination, the Silver Bear-winning screenplay by Brggemann and his sister Anna achieves a remarkable empathy for Marias flawed faith. Newcomer van Acken delivers a complex performance, matched by Franziska Weisz as her frighteningly severe mother. Out 28 November Simon Kinnear

Concerning Violence begins with distressing footage of chopper troops gunning down grazing cattle at once, a metaphor for the wests blood-soaked colonisation of Africa from its elevated, omnipotent position, and an authentic demonstration of that resource-exploiting land-grab in action. But what happens when the colonised fight back? In this timely documentary, director Gran Olsson weaves archive Swedish TV film of nine anti-imperialistic scenes from Angola to Liberia with text from revolutionary writer Frantz Fanons 1961 call to arms The Wretched Of The Earth the latter righteously intoned by former Fugee Lauryn Hill. Superb, scathing stuff. Out 28 November Kevin Harley

Stanley Kubrick always conceived his sci-fi classic as the ultimate extension (and subversion) of event-movie logic. Apt, then, that this 4K restoration plays in its original roadshow form, complete with entrance music and intermission to recreate the original viewing conditions that so helped define modern cinema. 2001 dazzles with effects, perplexes with its time-spanning narrative, but also warns against complacency: the first human we see, witness to the wonders of space, has fallen asleep. Now that so many people watch movies on tiny black monoliths, heres a welcome reminder that some films demand the biggest screen available. Out 28 November Simon Kinnear

A candid portrait of the artist as a young and not-so-young man, Randall Wrights documentary of influential British painter David Hockney is splashed with colour. Most of it provided by the 77-year-old himself, who proves a very game subject as Wright traces his journey from his early Bradford roots to his life in California, exploring his part in the 60s Pop Art movement along the way. Archive footage and interviews with friends add texture, but the finest brush strokes come from Wrights unfettered access to the incorrigible Hockney, who is an absolute hoot. Both revealing and good-natured, its a very inviting exploration of one of the 20th Centurys major artists. Out 28 November James Mottram

This sequel to the 2012 manga adap sees Takeru Sat reprise his role as the improbably renowned swordsman Kenshin Himura. Once known as the feared assassin Battosai The Killer, hes now trying to lead a peaceful life in 19th-Century Japan. Soon enough, hes struggling with his no-killing moral code, as his sadistic successor returns from the dead with a plot to overthrow the government. Himuras lone wanderer lament feels overfamiliar and overplayed, but the frequent fight scenes are satisfyingly frenetic. And with the stakes soaring, it primes us for a massive showdown in the next, final instalment. Out 28 November Matt Looker

In 2006, a group of British paratroopers stationed at Kajaki Dam, Afghanistan, walked straight into a minefield. This real-time docudrama tells what happened next. The first thing youre made painfully aware of is that mines arent necessarily meant to kill but theyre certainly incredibly effective at taking people out of the game fast. Be extremely warned: this is horribly realistic stuff. Secondly, and unusually for Iraq/Afghanistan war films, it looks like a film: no distancing shaky-cam here and for sheer nail-fraying tension, Kajaki deserves comparison with The Hurt Locker. A powerfully acted, moving tale of sacrifice and courage. Out 28 November Ali Catterall