Godzilla, A Touch Of Sin, In Secret: this week's new films

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/may/17/this-weeks-new-films

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Godzilla (12A) (Gareth Edwards, 2014, US/Jap) Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche. 123 mins

Considering it's a movie about nuclear-enhanced, city-trashing monsters, there's a conviction to this reboot that most disaster epics lack – both in the relatively logical plot and the carefully detailed tableaux of mass devastation – drawing on recent real-life disasters as well as movie lore. The human scale suffers as a consequence (the actors have less character than the creatures) but in pursuit of true epic-ness, that's a price worth paying.

The Two Faces Of January (12A) (Hossein Amini, 2014, UK/US/Fra) Viggo Mortensen, Oscar Isaac, Kirsten Dunst. 96 mins

Ripley-esque overtones as a trio of Americans get into hot water in 1960s Greece in this handsome Patricia Highsmith-based thriller. After an accidental murder, suspicion and deception bring plenty of shade to the sunny landscape, even if the tension doesn't always spark.

A Touch Of Sin (15) (Jia Zhangke, 2013, Chi) Jiang Wu, Zhao Tao, Wang Baoqiang. 130 mins

Jia adds more than a touch of genre violence to his latest, damning survey of modern China, ripping four tales of death, dissatisfaction and inequality from the headlines and rendering them in panoramic, often gory strokes.

In Secret (15) (Charlie Stratton, 2013, US) Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Felton, Oscar Isaac. 107 mins

Doe-eyed Olsen pays the price for choosing decent sex (and murder) over loveless marriage to Draco Malfoy, in a tasteful but clunky adaptation of Zola's Thérèse Raquin.

Concussion (15) (Stacie Passon, 2013, US) Robin Weigert, Julie Fain Lawrence. 96 mins

Almost a modern Belle De Jour, in which a bored New York "hot dyke housewife" turns high-class lesbian prostitute – which has its complications. Smarter and nowhere near as salacious as its sounds.

Touchy Feely (15) (Lynn Shelton, 2013, US) Rosemarie DeWitt, Ellen Page, Josh Pais. 88 mins

Naturalism and new ageyness in a tale of self-healing and navel-gazing, centred on a masseuse who loses her mojo and her dentist brother who finds his.

Pantani: The Accidental Death Of A Cyclist (15) (James Erskine, 2013, UK) 94 mins

A cycling fable to file alongside The Armstrong Lie, detailing the Italian champ's tragic descent from glory, via doping, conspiracy theories and cocaine.

An Autumn Afternoon (PG) (Yasujiro Ozu, 1963, Jap) Chishu Ryu, Shima Iwashita. 112 mins

To his trademark observation of domestic crises and societal change, Ozu adds colour for his final film, resulting in a poignant, painterly study of a postwar widower and his grown-up children.

Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey (15) (Ramona S Diaz, 2012, US) 103 mins

A musical fairytale/promotional device for our times, detailing how revived rockers Journey found a new lead singer via YouTube – in the Philippines.

Out from Friday

Pulp Fiction

Tarantino's 20-year-old landmark twists again.

Out from Tue

X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Time-travelling Marvel blowout.

Out from Thu

Fading Gigolo

John Turturro is pimped by Woody Allen.

Heli

Brutal romance set in Mexico's drug wars.

The Punk Singer

Documentary on Kathleen Hanna and the rise of Riot Grrrl.

Another Day, Another Time

Folk concert pegged to Inside Llewyn Davis.

Blended

Sandler and Barrymore romcom.

Run & Jump

Irish drama with Maxine Peake.

Beyond The Edge

3D docu-dramatisation of Hillary and Norgay's ascent of Mount Everest.

Legends Of Oz: Dorothy's Return

Animated sequel to the Wizard Of Oz.

Postman Pat The Movie

Feature-length postie adaptation.

Top Dog

Crime, violence and gangster geezers in a London thriller.

Coming soon

In two weeks... Angelina Jolie is Maleficent… Tom Cruise on sci-fi repeat in Edge Of Tomorrow…

In three weeks... Nicole Kidman is Grace Of Monaco… Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are back for 22 Jump Street…

In a month... A mixed-race woman in 18th-century England in Belle… Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon in murder story Devil's Knot…