In the 1950s, a series of movies about a school of mischievous young girls were released in Britain. Today, writer Piers Ashworth has continued the concept with St Trinian’s; a modern take on the traditional concept and a veritable who’s who of (mainly) English stars and household names. Colin Firth is once more doused in water as he self-consciously mocks his ‘Jane Austen heartthrob’ reputation (why does he do this?), Stephen Fry appears as children’s game show ‘quizmaster’ who enjoys his job just a little too much, model Lilly Cole dons glasses and plays a dorky teenager, comedian Russell Brand is a dodgy character from the town’s crime-ridden underground and even The OC’s Misha Barton shows up in a completely unnecessary cameo appearance. And yet, in amongst all these icons, there can be no doubt as to who is the star of the show. That would, of course, be Rupert Everett.

The makers of this film have obviously opted to follow the path set out before them by Hairspray, and have stayed true to the film’s original concept by casting a man to play the school’s eccentric headmistress (even though they have altered so much else). And, though it’s easy to be sceptical about this decision, it has to be said that Everett rises to this occasion magnificently. Whether he’s carefully adding strokes to a still life painting, waltzing down the stairs inexplicably dressed in an Elizabethan gown, or painfully flirting with an ex-lover (played by Firth), Everett’s complete completely exaggerated (yet always so serious) performance is genuinely hilarious. The rest of the story, and the rest of the stars, pale in comparison. I vaguely remember something about the school getting shut down, and the girls organising a full scale heist in the hope of scoring enough money to keep the institution going. No doubt 13-year-old girls will be more appreciative of this storyline, with its irreverent glorification of mischief and, of course, the obligatory make-over scene. Certainly, don’t go out of your way to see St Trinian’s, but, if you’re forced to, don’t panic. There are worse films out there.

Rating: 6.5

Be Kind Rewind, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Initially, the basic premise of Be Kind Rewind will feel just a little too convenient. Despite several warnings from his kindly boss, Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover), Mike (Mos Def) makes a fatal mistake when he’s left alone to man their video store – he lets in his rather wacky and extremely accident-prone childhood friend, Jerry (Jack Black). Things then go from bad to worse, because Jerry (thanks to a recent spate of town power plant sabotage) has become magnetised, and, in the simple of act of perusing the video shelves, manages to erase the store’s entire VHS catalogue with his body’s newly found electromagnetic force. Now, the only way that Mike can maintain Mr. Fletcher’s respect is by recreating all the films’ content, and this can only be done with the help of Jerry, a handheld camcorder, their friend Alma (Melanie Diaz) and a whole stack of homemade props, costumes and setting backdrops. So far, the film seems like the idea set up for director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Science of Sleep) to whip out his beloved cotton wool balls and cardboard cut-outs, and start recreating Hollywood classics as he would have imagined them.

Thankfully, though, this film is so much more than just an excuse for Gondry to get creative. While it’s obvious that he and the actors are having a whole lot of fun sending up everything from Rush Hour 2 to 2001: A Space Odyssey, some sort of story does grow up around their comic antics, especially as Mike and Jerry’s creativity comes under threat and they somehow manage to mobilise an entire community’s support. Indeed, in the end, Be Kind Rewind is actually not so much about the process of hilarious recreating (or “sweeding”) these films as it is about a community reawoken by creative freedom. If you’re willing to look past Gondry’s disappointing scriptwriting (don’t come here looking for fanciful things like character development or subtlety of emotion), his call for communities and individuals to keep their own stories alive is actually quite heart-warming. And it all fits surprisingly well alongside visions of Jack Black’s toxic urine and frightened librarians fleeing the advances of amateur Ghost Busters.

Rating: 8.5

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is jigsaw of narrative strands, jumbled and waiting for you to fit them together. It opens with a scene of happiness, followed quickly by a robbery-gone-terribly-wrong, and from there it jumps haphazardly through a series of different perspectives from different points before, during and after the robbery, gradually adding more layers to the story. Ethan Hawke opens proceedings as Hank, a spineless, cowardly character motivated by a need to appease his demanding ex-wife and thus maintain some sort of relationship with his daughter. Phillip Seymour Hoffman then takes over as Andy, Hank’s far more successful and more self-assured older brother, who has a nice office and a sexy wife (Marisa Tomei), but also a nasty habit and a toxic desire for change. It’s of course Andy who draws the ingratiating Hank into an unthinkable crime.

As much a crime melodrama as it is a suspense thriller, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead will feel a bit much at some points, but the talented cast deliver their lines with such grandeur that it all begins to feel quite appropriate. There’s an almost Shakespearean quality to the film, particularly as tensions escalate towards its dramatic conclusion. In amongst all the fine acting, Hoffman in particular is brilliant as always, casting complexity across his character so you’re left battling feelings of disgust against feelings of sympathy. All these performances, plus some very clever screenwriting, will add up to attract and hold your emotional and intellectual involvement. These are characters that we genuinely care about, so the crime’s emotionally-wrought aftermath is as (if not more) interesting than its suspenseful prelude. If you’re up for some heavy, but totally engaging, drama, 83-year-old writer/director Sidney Lumet has definitely delivered with this one.

Rating: 8.5