What’s it about?
A low level psychic (Russel Crowe) journeys from Australia to find the remains of his sons destroyed in the Great War. He finds the enchanted world of the former Ottoman Empire has been cut into pieces by the politics of men.

What did we think?
Dan says: I am not a fan of Rusty at all but the guy sure can act. The story that he pushes along is beautifully shot and a joy to behold. It paints the faceless enemy as exactly what they are, more of us. Proud, angry and frightened.

The film treats the delicate story of Gallipoli with a great deal of respect though the third act gets a little bit “Indiana Jonesy”. There are some CGI issues and Rusty’s “Batman voice” can be a tad grating but ultimately this is a measured and heart-warming film with something for everyone. (Except kids. It’s a bit gruesome in parts)

What’s it about?
Egyptian prince Moses (Christian Bale) learns of his heritage with the enslaved Hebrews and leads them to rebel against his former brother, Pharoah Ramses II (Joel Edgerton).

What did we think?
Dominic Barlow says: Ridley Scott, director of Gladiator, attempts to bring both scope and realism to a dull myth that mostly happens outside the characters’ control, and unfortunately doesn’t do enough to change that. There are amazing sets and CGI galore, most appreciated when the plagues of hornets and red river-water sweep through Egypt, but the central conflict of the two brothers is flat and uninteresting. Everyone besides Bale either hams it up (Edgerton, Ben Mendelsohn as a mincing viceroy) or barely registers at all (Aaron Paul, Sigourney Weaver), making the film unsatisfying even at two-and-a-half hours.

What’s it about?
Serena (Jennifer Lawrence) is a beautiful but damaged women living in Depression-era South Carolina, swept up in a whirlwind romance by logging company owner George (Bradley Cooper). She will go to any lengths to protect her new-found life and happiness.

What did we think?
Alice Barbery says: It’s worth the price of admission just to watch Jennifer’s performance as Serena. This is a sensual film managing to manoeuvre through a complex plot with engaging style. All sins are paid for in this story and while the characters are flawed they remain sympathetic. In the end there are always consequences for actions, and these ensure audience is satisfied with all outcomes. You’ll leave feeling haunted by such an intimately shared depth of love, grief, desperation and ambition.

What’s is about?
Three male entrepreneurs (Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis) are scammed out of their own start-up by a slick investor (Christoph Waltz), prompting an attempt to kidnap his hotheaded son (Chris Pine) and use the ransom to keep themselves afloat.

What did we think?
Dominic Barlow says: Terrible, but you’d expect nothing less from the film-maker behind such movies as That’s My Boy and We’re the Millers. When Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis aren’t yabbering at each other, it’s dispensing thuddingly dumb jokes that are sometimes just bold-faced sexism and racism. The caper sequences toward the end have some visual creativity, and the supporting actors (particularly Chris Pine) seem to be having fun, but it’s not nearly enough to make the movie worth seeing.

What’s it about?
In modern-day Texas, three compromised families are fraught with lust, change and despair as they navigate the world found online and off.

What did we think?
Dominic Barlow says: In this soothingly intimate and captivating film, Reitman (the director of Juno and Up in the Air) pulls together various stories in a sincere bid to understand how technology is infused into our lives, by visually representing the characters’ text messages and computer desktops with great flair. His broad approach can sometimes become disaffecting, particularly with a motif involving an intergalactic satellite and narration by Emma Thompson, but his amazing cast of actors (which includes the likes of Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer) give highly engaging and nuanced performances. It’s unabashedly dramatic, but also quite humorous and much more self-aware than many reviewers give it credit for.

What’s it about?
A thief who witnesses an accident starts a business filming incidents and selling them to local news.

What did we think?
Imogen Chapman says: Jake Gylenhaal is excellent at two things: being super beautiful, and playing intense weirdos. He’s serving the latter in Nightcrawler, and it’s definitely one of his creepy best. This is the kind of movie that will make you feel so morally uncomfortable at what you see happening that you’ll need to take a shower. That being said, it’s amazing. It’s the kind of movie that you keep thinking about for days afterwards. I can still kind of feel JG’s giant eyes staring at me…