ARTHUR (12A)
ARTHUR Bach (Russell Brand) is heir to his family’s vast fortune, presided over by his emotionally cold mother, Vivienne (Geraldine James). Vivienne informs Arthur that he will marry corporate executive Susan Johnson (Jennifer Garner) to ensure she can take charge of the company. If Arthur refuses, he will be cut off from his inheritance and the privileged lifestyle he has known since birth. Arthur resigns himself to marital hell, only to run into tour guide Naomi (Greta Gerwig). Arthur goes ahead with the nuptials while secretly seeing Naomi, aided and abetted by his nanny Hobson (Helen Mirren) and chauffeur Bitterman (Luis Guzman).
STAR RATING: ***
BEASTLY (12A)
SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Kyle Kingsbury (Alex Pettyfer) is the golden boy of high school: handsome and athletic, he exploits his looks to get what and who he wants, regardless of the devastation he leaves in his wake. Kyle foolishly ignores whispers about classmate Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen) being a witch and humiliates her in public. She retaliates by robbing Kyle of his chiselled cheekbones, cursing him unless he can find true love in the next 12 months. Consigned to an apartment with blind tutor Will (Neil Patrick Harris) and Jamaican housemaid Zola (Lisa Gay Hamilton), Kyle gives up on life. Then fate throws pretty classmate Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) into his path and her innocence and sweetness opens Kyle’s eyes to the mistakes of the past.
STAR RATING: ***
FAST & FURIOUS 5 (12A)
FORMER 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 $100m of the corrupt businessman’s ill-gotten gains. On their trail is federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson). He amasses a top crew to bring Brian, Dominic and Mia to justice.
STAR RATING: ***
RIO 3D (U)
BLU (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) is a domesticated blue macaw who lives in relative luxury in the sleepy community of Moose Lake, Minnesota. The bird doesn’t want for anything, his hot chocolate made to perfection with six mini marshmallows by his doting owner and best friend Linda (Leslie Mann). Brazilian conservationist Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) arrives in Moose Lake to ask Linda to bring Blu to Rio de Janeiro, so the rare bird can mate with the only known female blue macaw, Jewel (Anne Hathaway). But the birds are kidnapped by greedy animal smugglers led by the nefarious Marcel (Carlos Ponce). Jewel orchestrates a daring escape bid.
STAR RATING: ***
SCREAM 4 (15)
IT HAS been 10 years since the harrowing events of Scream 3 and traumatised survivor Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has penned a self-help book about her harrowing experiences and embarks on a whirlwind book tour, which culminates in a high-profile visit to her hometown of Woodsboro. The rare visit home allows Sidney to spend some quality time with her aunt Kate (Mary McDonnell) and niece Jill (Emma Roberts), and reunites her with plucky television journalist Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), who has married cop Dewey Riley (David Arquette). Alas, the return brings Ghostface back into Sidney’s life and the crazed killer targets everyone close to the young woman and her loved ones, including Jill’s college pals Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) and Olivia (Marielle Jaffe).
STAR RATING: ***
