Scotland’s most shocking son has finally made it to the big screen. Bruce Robertson, the thieving, snorting, cheating, abusing plain-clothes maniac whose increasingly evil “games” make up Irvine Welsh’s best novel, would surely be a gift to any director looking to make his name – and Jon S. Baird has certainly made sure that his…

We love you, Bruce.

A whole two months earlier than expected!

I, Anna features tremendous performances by its leads, but this is not enough to sustain the viewer through a lackadaisical and uninteresting plot. Initially intriguing but ultimately forgettable, the film is never as thrilling, meaningful or insightful as it would like to be. Although it calls itself Film Noir, I, Anna is somewhere closer to beige.

Cliched performances, shallow characters and a patchy narrative. Still, it involves medieval torture and the Spanish Inquisition, so there’s at least something to see here.

A merciless exploration of rage, shame, paralysis and bitterness, Tyrannosaur would be nigh on impossible to watch if it wasn’t also absolutely hypnotic. Staggering central performances from Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman add powerful weight to a sparse, unpretentious script – a debut piece for writer/director Paddy Considine. Enjoyable might be the wrong word, but this is vital viewing all the same.

GO ON GARY

Gritty, absorbing and stylishly handled throughout, this independent British drama is a must-see. Making the most of a serious subject matter, the raw talent of the stellar cast manages to make a film about war, drugs and homelessness utterly enjoyable until (almost) the very last scene…

In his debut as a major director and screenwriter Paddy Considine brings us a film about two seriously troubled individuals who just so happen to find and, in a sense, save each other. If you’re a big fan of deep, realistic dramas, and simply don’t mind, gritty violence and hardcore swearing then please do read on.

Dwarf? Nick Frost? Well, they can do a lot with effects these days…