ATTACK THE BLOCK (15)

TRAINEE nurse Sam (Jodie Whittaker) is mugged on her way home by wayward lads Moses (John Boyega), Pest (Alex Esmail), Dennis (Franz Drameh), Jerome (Leeon Jones) and Biggz (Simon Howard). The assault is thankfully cut short by a meteor shower and when the youths investigate, they come face to snout with a creature from another world. The kids slay the snarling beastie and drag its lifeless, furry carcass to the top-floor drug den run by Hi-Hatz (Jumayn Hunter) and his lay-about door man, Ron (Nick Frost). A second downpour of meteors heralds more creatures and the lads gleefully grab weapons to attack the aliens which have descended on the unsuspecting south London council estate.

STAR RATING: ****

BLITZ (18)

DS TOM Brant (Jason Statham) has a knack for getting into trouble and is often splashed across the front pages, thanks to local crime reporter, Harold Dunlop (David Morrissey). Threatened with suspension, Brant is enlisted to work under newly promoted and openly gay DS Porter Nash (Paddy Considine) to catch a cop killer. While Nash plays by the rules, Brant turns to his former boss, Chief Inspector James Roberts (Mark Rylance), for advice. He also keeps an eye on one-time undercover drug cop WPC Elizabeth Falls (Zawe Ashton), who is recently out of rehab and still has valuable informants in play. As the investigation continues, Nash and Brant bond and the men point the finger of suspicion at Barry Weiss (Aidan Gillen).

STAR RATING: ***

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2: RODRICK RULES (U)

BASED on Jeff Kinney's best-selling book, David Bowers’s sequel continues the trials of wise-cracking tyke Greg Heffley. Seventh grader Greg (Zachary Gordon) thinks all of his problems are solved now he has moved up a year at Westmore Middle School. Alas, insults in the corridor are nothing compared to the bullying he suffers at home from older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick). Greg tries to catch the eye of pretty classmate Holly Hills (Peyton List) while embarking on misadventures with long-suffering pal Rowley (Robert Capron) and classmates Fregley (Grayson Russell) and Chirag Gupta (Karan Brar).

STAR RATING: ***

FAST & FURIOUS 5 (12A)

FORMER cop Detective Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and lover Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) spring her brother Dominic (Vin Diesel) from a prison bus then criss-cross borders, eventually hiding out in Rio with Dom's childhood friend, Vince (Matt Schulze). The fugitives are double-crossed by drug lord Reyes (Joaquim De Almeida) and they vow revenge by plotting to steal 100 million dollars of the corrupt businessman's ill-gotten gains. On their trail is federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), who flouts the rules but always gets results. He amasses a top crew to bring Brian, Dominic and Mia to justice.

STAR RATING: ***

THE HANGOVER PART II (15)

TODD Phillips' sequel to the hit 2009 comedy sees the same characters find themselves in a similar nightmare scenario. Dentist Stu Price (Ed Helms) is set to marry Lauren (Jamie Chung) in a traditional ceremony in Thailand. Best friends Phil Wenneck (Bradley Cooper), Doug Billings (Justin Bartha) and Alan Garner (Zach Galifianakis) are invited and while Doug makes an early exit, the others party at the resort with the bride-to-be's 16-year-old brother Teddy (Mason Lee). The next morning, Phil, Stu and Alan wake in a sleazy Bangkok hotel room, with no recollection of the night before and no sign of Teddy. The trio scour the city to find him, crossing paths with shady businessman Kingsley (Paul Giamatti), flamboyant criminal Mr Chow (Ken Jeong) and a larcenous monkey along the way.

STAR RATING: **

INSIDIOUS (15)

JOSH Lambert (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Renai (Rose Byrne) move into a new house with sons Dalton (Ty Simpkins) and Foster (Andrew Astor). Late one night, Dalton hears a strange sound in the attic and foolishly goes to investigate. He glimpses a shadow and lets out a blood-curdling scream. The next morning, Foster tries to wake his brother but the boy has slipped into a coma. Three months later Renai senses something terribly wrong in the home and Foster adds to Renai’s discomfort when he whimpers about an intruder. So Josh’s mother Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) invites her supernaturally gifted friend Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) to survey the property.

STAR RATING: ***

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (12A)

JOHNNY Depp hoists the mainsail once again, embarking on an action-packed adventure directed by Rob Marshall. This time, Jack Sparrow (Depp) joins forces with Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) to locate the Fountain Of Youth: one of the world’s last undiscovered treasures. The quest becomes infinitely more perilous when Jack is forced aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge captained by legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), who is also seeking the Fountain, aided by his sexy daughter, Angelica (Penelope Cruz). Using all of his guile, Jack must somehow outwit Blackbeard and Angelica and reach the Fountain before his rivals. En route, he crosses paths with King George II (Richard Griffiths) and his father, Captain Teague (Keith Richards).

STAR RATING: **

THOR (12A)

IN THE fantastic realm of Asgard, ruled by Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and his wife Frigga (Rene Russo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is an arrogant heir to the throne. He acts first and thinks later, endangering the lives of his trusty companions Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Hogun (Tadanobu Asano) and Fandral (Joshua Dallas) by launching a suicidal attack on the Frost Giants led by the menacing Laufey (Colm Feore).