This week’s movie releases

There’s no denying Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra has got a good thing going with Liam Neeson. Their two previous collaborations, thrillers Unknown and Non-Stop, form an interesting, twist-filled sub-genre within the sub-genre that is the by-now-familiar nuts-and-bolts Neeson actioner, which began back in 2008 with Taken. Now, their latest drops the mind games for the same brand of straight-up, efficient action. Run All Night has Liam as a regretful, drink-soaked former Irish mob hit man forced to clean up his act and save his estranged son from his old boss (Ed Harris), chiefly by punching and shooting his way around NYC. Vincent D’Onofrio plays the detective doggedly following his trail, while rapper Common is a ruthless rival contract killer.

The new film from UK stop-motion specialists Aardman Animation, Shaun the Sheep marks the big-screen debut of the fluffy ovine star of the children’s TV series – itself a spin-off of the studio’s Wallace and Gromit franchise. The no-dialogue adventure, which has received glowing praise for its slapstick comedy, sees Shaun and his friends head off to the big smoke to bring back their missing farmer.

Given a rough ride by critics, Lost River marks the directorial debut of Drive star Ryan Gosling. Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks plays a single mom trying to protect her toddler and teenage children in a grimly fantastical version of Detroit. With Iain De Caestecker, Matt Smith, Saoirse Ronan and Eva Mendes.

Havana good time?

French director Laurence Cantet (The Class) travels to Cuba for his latest dialogue-heavy drama, Return to Ithaca. Set on a Havana rooftop, the Spanish-language production follows the conversations of five middle-aged friends as they sip rum, reminisce and reflect about how their country has failed them.