1 Mindhorn (15)
(Sean Foley, 2016, UK) 89 mins
A quintessentially British comedy that makes up for its small-screen values with self-deprecating humour and unbridled silliness. Julian Barratt plays a washed-up 1980s TV detective who’s called in to help with a real-life crime case It’s a Partridge-style comedy of crapness, with a likable cast including co-writer Simon Farnaby, Andrea Riseborough and, yes, Steve Coogan.
2 Lady Macbeth (15)
(William Oldroyd, 2016, UK) 89 mins
Brit costume drama is stripped down to something altogether more modern and bracing with this tale of a 19th-century teenage bride who refuses to bow to tradition. Set almost entirely within an austere country house, it’s an exercise in visual elegance and increasingly dark emotions, led by a breakout performance from Florence Pugh.
3 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 (12A)
(James Gunn, 2017, US) 136 mins
It could never recapture the novelty of the first film, but this sequel still has charm and comedy on its side, and it’s good to revisit Marvel’s colourful, 1970s-styled universe. The plot is a little more scattershot this time, revolving around Chris Pratt’s reunion with his father (Kurt Russell).
4 Burden (NC)
(Richard Dewey, Timothy Marrinan, 2016, US/UK/Bel/Swe) 88 mins
An enlightening documentary on an artist worthy of greater recognition. Chris Burden’s extreme 1970s performance pieces included getting shot in the arm, holding a TV interviewer at knifepoint, and crucifying himself on a car, but in person he was a thoughtful, serious creator, who later found less dangerous forms of expression.
5 Heal the Living (12A)
(Katell Quillévéré, 2016, Fra/Bel) 104 mins
More substantial and less sentimental than the set-up sounds, this compassionate French drama explores the ramifications of a teenager’s death from the point of view of his family, the medical staff and the recipient of his transplanted heart.
