Godland (12A) 
Directed by Hlynur Palmason 
★★★

SET in the late 19th century when Iceland was under Danish rule, this bleak, slow-burning drama explores the differences between the two countries, in their temperaments and their languages as well as religious belief and notions of mortality. 

The film, written and directed by Hlynur Palmason, follows a young idealistic Danish priest Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove) who is sent to a remote Icelandic area to build a church, lead the congregation and photograph the local people.

His faith and ideals are challenged and eventually crushed when he is confronted by the realities of the unforgiving and foreign landscape and life there. As he travels deeper into this harsh land, the more he strays from his purpose, his mission and his moral compass. 

Inspired by an archive of photographs taken by a Danish priest in the 1800s that were the first to depict the south eastern coast of Iceland, it faithfully obseves the action through the same square aspect ratio.

Palmason’s quietly powerful drama is all about atmosphere, lingering looks and miscommunication. 

Palmason’s own daughter Ida Mekkin Hlynsdottier plays a young girl who befriends Lucas when he stays at her home, while her sister Anna (Vic Carmen Sonne) takes a romantic shine to him. 

Lucas finds an antagonist in Ragnar (Ingvar Sigurdsson) who tries to help him acclimatise to his new life but whom he treats very dismissively when Ragnar shows interest in joining the clergy. Lucas refuses to photograph him which leads to an unfortunate showdown. 

Driven by understated performances, this stark and austere slow-moving drama may not be to everyone’s taste. 

Out in cinemas.

Leonor Will Never Die (15)
Directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar 
★★★★

THE lines between fiction and reality become blurred when a former renowned and groundbreaking film-maker is knocked unconscious by a falling television set in this surreal and captivating debut feature by Martika Ramirez Escobar. 

Aging retiree Leonor (Sheila Francisco), who is still mourning the loss of her son Ronwaldo (Anthony Falcon), wakes up in her own unfinished screenplay and becomes the hero of her story which focuses on the fearless Ronwaldo (Rocky Salumbides) who is trying to avenge his brother’s murder.

In reality she is in a coma in hospital with her son Rudy (Bong Cabrera) worried sick watching over her. 

In the meantime she is having the time of her life reliving the glory days in her action-packed dream world where she is respected once more and the harsh realities of her day-to-day existence, beset as they are with grief, unpaid bills and growing old, are a distant memory. 

The film takes escapism to a whole new  level with a mesmerising performance from Francisco who makes it convincingly plausible. 

Poignant stuff, but totally bonkers. 

Out in cinemas.

Ride On (PG) 
Directed by Larry Yang 
★★★

AS he turns 69 Jackie Chan shows he has still got the moves when he plays a washed up stuntman whose acrobatic attempts to stop two debt collectors taking his stunt horse goes viral on social media.

The legendary Chan apparently carried out as many of his own stunts as he was able to — including jumping off a 120-metre-high Ferris wheel — in writer-director Larry Yang’s engaging action film about the love of a man for his horse. 

Believe it or not, the on-screen chemistry between Chan and his animal co-star is the beating heart of this comedy drama. Although the horse, named Red Hare, steals every scene. 

Despite being upstaged, Chan proves himself to be the ultimate professional whose energy and exuberance are a joy to watch.

This film also explores the realities of getting older, of being dismissed as redundant, and father/daughter relationships, but Chan proves that he can give his younger counterparts a run for their money in this wonderfully fun and heartfelt ride. 

Out in cinemas.

Lola (15) 
Directed by Andrew Legge 
★★★

SHOT in black and white, this period-set found-footage sci-fi flick, filmed by one of the protagonists as a warning, is a surreal mind-bending debut feature by Andrew Legge. 

Supposedly found in 2021 in the cellar of a country house in Sussex, the film seems to have been shot in 1941 and shows how sisters Thomasina (Emma Appleton) and Martha (Stefanie Martini) create a machine, called LOLA, that can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future.

So the sisters are able to listen to iconic music and artists like David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone decades before their time.

But when they decide to use LOLA for military intelligence to stop future attacks by the Nazis on mainland Britain and to help end the war, this causes unforeseen ripples in the future. 

Co-written and directed by Legge, and lifted by compelling performances from Appleton and Martini, the film poses moral and ethical dilemmas about time travel and foresight within a found footage structure. 

It is a fascinating and intriguing premise that raises more questions than it can answer. 

Out in cinemas.