1 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (12A)
(Gareth Edwards, 2016, US) 134 mins
Whisking you to uncharted realms of the Star Wars galaxy, this spin-off will fulfil a great many Christmas wishes. The faces are mostly fresh, led by Felicity Jones’s rebellious Rebel (Donnie Yen’s kick-ass monk and Alan Tudyk’s robot are standouts). The action is relentless, the visuals spectacular, and although we already know the ending, there are surprises in store.
2 Donnie Darko (15)
(Richard Kelly, 2001, US) 109 mins
The time has surely come for this cult classic: a time-travel tale that was ahead of its time, but fell victim to bad timing (aviation disasters were a no-no so soon after 9/11). Jake Gyllenhaal is perfect as an outsider plagued by an imaginary giant bunny and premonitions of doom to come, on top of the usual high-school trials. Packed with ideas and energy and tracked by a choice retro score, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.
3 Why Him? (15)
(John Hamburg, 2016, US) 111 mins
You could summarise this pre-nuptial comedy as a reverse Meet The Parents. Strait-laced dad Bryan Cranston is horrified to meet his daughter’s fiance: tattooed tech dude James Franco, whose capacity for oversharing and under-thinking marks out the battle lines nicely.
Out on Monday
4 The Eagle Huntress (U)
(Otto Bell, 2016, UK/Mon/US) 87 mins
This panoramic documentary finds a perfect way into the startling Kazakh tradition of training golden eagles. It follows a spirited teen who is determined to become the first female to enter the national championships. She’s got her work cut out: for starters, she must catch an eaglet from a mountain-top nest…
5 Office Christmas Party (15)
(Josh Gordon, Will Speck, 2016, US) 105 mins
A Horrible Bosses/The Hangover-style comedy with little to recommend beyond being consistently funny and not the least bit challenging, which, at this time of year, could be just what you need. Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston and TJ Miller lead a capable comic cast.
