My Rembrandt (12A)
Directed by Oeke Hoogendijk
★★★★

IF YOU believe the world of the Old Masters art scene to be pretentious, dull and stuffy then think again — this documentary paints a gripping picture, full of intrigue, professional rivalries and diplomatic rows.

Writer-director Oeke Hoogendijk's follow-up to her award winning The New Rijksmuseum is a fascinating exploration of Rembrandt and the passions his work instils in his devotees.

It looks and feels more like a gripping international thriller as it follows a number of compelling stories involving the Scottish Duke of Buccleuch, French baron Eric de Rothschild and aristocratic Dutch art dealer Jan Six.

The latter discovers what may be two new Rembrandts, while another focus is on the political battle waged between the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Louvre in Paris when Baron Rothschild decides to sell two Rembrandts, the first to come to market in 40 years.

Despite the compelling personalities, it is the Dutch master's work that takes centre stage and the film provides a unique up-close and detailed look at Rembrandt's masterpieces, particularly An Old Woman Reading and the portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit.

Hoogendijk's captivating account of art and art lovers definitely needs to be seen on the big screen.

In cinemas and on video on demand.

Pinocchio (PG)
Directed by Matteo Garrone
★★★

WRITER-DIRECTOR Matteo Garrone returns to Pinocchio's authentic roots for this enchanting yet surreal live-action feature of the classic story.

It's set in a gorgeous-looking Italy, where wood carver Gepetto (Roberto Benigni) carves a puppet of a young boy from what turns out to be a magical wooden log.

He receives the surprise of his life when his cheeky creation, whom he names Pinocchio (Federico Ielapi), can talk, walk and run like any other youngster. So he decides to raise him as his son.

But Pinocchio's inquisitiveness gets the better of him and he runs away, but on his journey he meets an array of odd and sinister characters who lead him astray. With its darker and edgier look, this bears little resemblance to the cutesy Disney version but its off-kilter and grittier visuals are enjoyable enough.

Some very young children might find it a little frightening and even the Blue Fairy seems a little cold and aloof.

Nevertheless, it's an interesting re-imagining of the much loved classic tale.

In cinemas.

Spree
Directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko
★★★

PEOPLE'S obsession with becoming famous and relevant on social media is taken to extremely immoral ends in this deliciously dark satire about an influencer culture gone mad.

“If you're not documenting yourself, you just don't exist” says 23-year-old Uber-style driver Kurt (a charismatic and bonkers performance from Joe Keery) as he livestreams to practically no-one.

Kitting out his car with numerous cameras to stream his rides, Kurt has devised a killer plan to go viral and get the thousands of followers he so desperately craves.

He'll do whatever it takes, including drugging and killing his passengers live on air. “What we are doing here is important, we are creating a brand” he tells his audience as he loses all sense of what's right and wrong.

Real-life comic and writer Sasheer Zamata, with a healthy social following, provides the moral balance as she catches a ride with Kurt. But can she stop him?

Shot like a mockumentary, co-writer-director Eugene Kotlyarenko's surreal comedy thriller provides a sobering critique on how social media has warped some people's sense of identity and morality in a culture which promotes attention at any cost.

A wild ride.

In cinemas.

Sputnik
Directed by Egor Abramenko
★★★★

IN THE 1980s, a Russian cosmonaut returns from a space mission with more than he bargained for in this complex and spine-chilling debut horror from writer-director Egor Abramenko.

A gripping cross between Species and Alien, Sputnik has a renowned Russian psychologist (the stunning Oksana Akinshina) called into a secret research centre to evaluate the well-being of space hero Konstantin Veshnyakov (Pyotr Fyodorov).

The bad news is that he is not alone, having brought back an unwelcome friend with him.

Cue an uber-tense and frightening sci-fi horror, featuring an intelligent alien with disgusting eating habits and a Russian military boss determined to weaponise the extra-terrestrial.

This multi-layered thriller is enthralling, with plenty of jump-scares for avid horror fans. But it's not recommended for those with a sensitive disposition or stomach.

Available on digital platforms.

Project Power (15)
Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
★★★

A LOCAL cop, a teenage drug dealer and a former soldier team up to track down and stop the group responsible for distributing a new pill which either gives the user a bespoke superpower for five minutes or kills them instantly.

Unfolding over the course of a day and a night in New Orleans, this high-octane sci-fi thriller, reminiscent of Neil Burger's Limitless, is entertaining and compelling, largely due to commanding performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback and Jamie Foxx.

Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman from an impressive script by debut screenwriter Mattson Tomlin, this is very much a fight-the-system film in which the good guys are all shades of grey but nevertheless determined to battle for those who don't have a voice.

It provides a fresh new twist to an overdone genre.

Available on Netflix.