A SILENT VOICE (M)
Released: April 6 (limited release).
Story: Animated Japanese coming-of-age drama. Young high school student Shoya Ishida (voiced by Miyu Irino) thinks it's a joke when he torments hearing-impaired student Shoko Nishimiya (Saori Hayami). Ishida's classmates ignore his bullying before turning on him, with devastating consequences for all over the next five years. With English subtitles.
TRAILER
Language: 10 swear words
Romance: Discreet references.
Violence: Shoving, pushing, blows, threats, suicide themes.
Ages 3 - 6: Way over their heads.
7 - 12: The subtitles will probably defeat them. That's a shame because many tweens will recognise the same bullying techniques (shoving, tripping and "you creep me out!" insults) they experience in Australian schools.
13-plus: Best for older teens interested in Japanese animation, especially those who know the manga (comic book) the film is based on. They'll sit through 130 occasionally sluggish-feeling minutes for the suspenseful finale. The pen-and-ink-ish visuals are often stunning. Problems? Colloquial variations on character names are confusing; ditto, the sometimes sloppy subtitling ("vault" for "fault").
Adult compatibility: Kudos for an ambitious portrait of the long-term impact of bullying, on target and perpetrator. The absence of father figures is interesting. Those weird shots of students' legs do (eventually) have a purpose.
Critic's rating: 7/10
COLOSSAL (M)
Released: April 13
Story: Fractured romantic comedy drama. New York party girl Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is kicked out by her boyfriend (Dan Stevens). She returns home and meets handsome bartender and former childhood friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis). Gloria becomes convinced that a monster terrorising Korea is acting out her relationship dramas. But is the monster real or a party-hearty hallucination?
TRAILER
Language: Frequent
Romance: Kisses, adult themes, bedroom scenes.
Violence: Punches, fights, threats, death themes. Drug references. Gratuitous drinking.
Ages 3 - 6: Drunken adults will scare them as much as the monsters.
7 - 12: This has fun with Godzilla-ish rampages; the special effects are surprisingly good. But more chat than action will weary them.
13-plus: The Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada star Hathaway is terrific as the imploding but still sympathetic Gloria. The story offers a powerful message for older teens (both girls and boys) about gratuitous partying-turned-addiction but never feels like a lecture. Unusually for a modern romance, it's impossible to pick Gloria's potential love interest.
Adult compatibility: See the above and add gutsy work from Sudeikis in a tricky role and great ambiguity from Stevens (television's Downton Abbey; Beauty And The Beast) as the seemingly perfect boyfriend. Weirdly, the monster scenes work.
Critic's rating: 8/10
DANCE ACADEMY: THE MOVIE (PG)
Released: April 6
Story: Australian-made dance drama spin-off from the popular television series. Sydney-based Tara (Xenia Goodwin) is devastated after a potentially career-ending injury. A trip to New York offers tricky choices: join a professional ballet company, and risk further injury, or work with friend Ben (Thomas Lacey) to choreograph a new show, and risk losing boyfriend Christian (Jordan Rodrigues).
TRAILER
Language: None.
Romance: Kisses, adult themes.
Violence: A scary fall, illness themes.
Ages 3 - 6: Adult-sized problems are too much.
7 - 12: Younger kids should see animated Ballerina instead. Tweens already watching the show should have no problems with this glossy but thoughtful spin-off.
13-plus: Engrossing, addictive, authentic-feeling entertainment about the modern dance world; it's not just for existing fans but series newcomers and any aspiring dancer. Yes, occasional wish fulfilment moments involve luxurious American settings, but many scenes (competitive auditioning, painful injuries) have a tough, realistic edge. Big applause for the expert, intimate cinematography. The fast-paced, female-led story is boosted by sympathetic male characters; this easily passes the Bechdel Test. An energetic, emotional soundtrack includes Taylor Swift and Sia, and eloquent orchestral.
Adult compatibility: Adult non-dancing chaperones can enjoy sly jokes about Natalie Portman's ballet melodrama Black Swan.
Critic's rating: 8/10
DENIAL (M)
Released: April 13
Story: Based-on-fact drama from BBC Films. American history teacher Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) is shocked when she is sued by British Holocaust denier David Irving (Timothy Spall). Deborah must travel to England to defend herself in a court case which is as much about public impact as historical fact. Script by David Hare (The Reader).
TRAILER
Language: 3 swear words.
Romance: None.
Violence: Threats, concentration camp themes.
Ages 3 - 6: Too much chat for them.
7 - 12: Not enough action for them.
13-plus: Older teens interested in history, legal stoushes or media studies should appreciate this quiet but engrossing look at a famous recent court case. The debate over free speech and falsified history is timely in the Donald Trump era, as are inane media soundbites ("no holes, no Holocaust!") which impact public opinion. The Bourne Legacy star Weisz is likable; Tom Wilkson drily funny as the lead lawyer. References to Steven Spielberg (who contributed to the defence fund) and Princess Diana (her divorce lawyer worked on this case) will add interest.
Adult compatibility: Essentially a well-made tele-feature which could be seen on video. However, grown-ups desperate for drama driven by dialogue and ideas will find this worth a cinema outing.
Critic's rating: 7/10
GHOST IN THE SHELL (M)
Released: March 30
Story: Hollywood live action version of the famous Japanese comic book and 1995 animated movie. Cyber-enhanced elite soldier Major (Scarlett Johansson) and ace fighter Batou (Pilou Asbæk) are ordered by their boss ('Beat' Takeshi Kitano) to investigate cerebral hacking and murder at the same robotics corporation which modified Major herself.
TRAILER
Language: Two swear words.
Romance: Stylised nudity.
Violent: Shoot-outs, chases, explosions, falls, deaths.
Ages 3 - 6: Not the right cartoon for them.
7 - 12: A plot using themes from Blade Runner (false memories), The Matrix (virtual worlds) and Johnny Mnemonic ('jacking in' to transfer data) will exhaust them.
13-plus: Visuals of geisha robots, bionic-eye implants, 'spider' tanks and holograms used in street advertising will entertain science fiction lovers. The excellent international cast includes Juliette Binoche, Anamaria Marinca and Borgen tele-star Pilou Asbæk. Legendary Kitano's role is subtitled cameo only.
Adult compatibility: More slick, undemanding world-building from Snow White and The Huntsman director Rupert Sanders. Result? A simplified adaptation designed for Western audiences; viewers at one multiplex screening included teens to older adults, male and female. That controversial 'white-washing' of an iconic Asian role is problematic. But American Johansson is sympathetic, and action-fit in a skin-tight costume which leaves nothing to the imagination.
Critic's rating: 7/10