Alien: Romulus ★★★☆☆
Directed by Fede Álvarez. Starring Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu. 15A cert, gen release, 119 min
The umpteenth effort to recapture the grim magic of the first two Alien films fares better than most predecessors, but it is still pretty thin stuff. A huddle of youngish people take over an abandoned space vessel with predictably fatal (and chest-bursting) results. The action is fine. The atmosphere is grim. The poor ending falls into a trap already encountered by an early episode. What sets Romulus apart, happily, are fine lead performances from Spaeny and Jonsson as plucky colonist and gentle android. The series has barely revealed such humanity — and pseudo-humanity — since the first episode. Full review DC
Only the River Flows ★★★★☆
Directed by Wei Shujun. Starring Yilong Zhu, Chloe Maayan, Hou Tianlai, Tong Linkai. 15A cert, select release, 102 min
This intriguing noir, in which a world-weary chief detective investigates a series of murders in rural southern China, was a sizeable indie hit in its native country following a critic-pleasing debut at Cannes. Only the River Flows is set in the early 1990s, when older values and analogue tech continue to shape society. A jigsaw puzzle, dream sequences and continuous snatches of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata build towards an uneasy denouement. As the cop at the centre of the vortex, Yilong Zhu makes for a mesmerising, hard-bitten presence: picture a cynical, cherry pie-less Agent Cooper. Full review TB
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Swan Song ★★★★☆
Directed by Chelsea McMullan. Streaming, 103 min
In this absorbing behind-the-scenes doc executive produced by Neve Campbell, Canada’s most celebrated former ballerina (Karen Kain) prepares to retire as the artistic director of the nation’s National Ballet. Her parting gift will be a new, definitive production of Swan Lake. Amid a swirl of engaging characters — including patient choreographer Rob Binet and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s favoured set and costume designer Gabriela Tylesova — the real star of the film is, as ever, the corps de ballet. Feathers, synchronicity and sheer graft define the world’s most popular ballet. Full review TB
The Union ★★☆☆☆
Directed by Julian Farino. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry, Mike Colter, JK Simmons, Jackie Earle Haley, Lorraine Bracco. Netflix, 109 min
Berry recruits old pal Wahlberg into an intelligence outfit composed of blue-collar Joes. This is another of those bland, superficially lavish thrillers that Netflix pumps out at the end of summer for those too dehydrated to reach the pause button. Lots of travel. Lots of explosions. Someone actually says “Sh*t, we got company!” All interiors shot in the unexciting light that, if included on a Dulux colour wheel, would be listed as “Netflix Drab”. The only distinguishing feature of this exhilaratingly bad film is its apparent close association with London’s tourism authorities. Full review DC
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