C'MON C'MON (15)

When comedian and actor WC Fields reportedly coined the showbusiness mantra to never work with children or animals, he clearly wasn't referring to 12-year-old British actor Woody Norman.

The cherubic wunderkind sports a flawless American accent and merrily scene-steals from Joaquin Phoenix in writer-director Mike Mills' bittersweet and life-affirming picture, which explores the bond between a radio producer and his precocious nephew.

Shot in lustrous black and white (a stylistic choice in vogue this year), C'mon C'mon charms and breaks our hearts through delicately staged conversations between the characters, which have the casual flow of documentary filmmaking rather than scripted drama.

That naturalistic vibe is enforced by footage of Phoenix's protagonist interviewing real children from different cities across America about their feelings and fears.

Each non-scripted yet heartfelt train of thought is captured in close-up as the Oscar winner brandishes a microphone and listens intently through his headphones.

The children's articulate and occasionally humorous insights are tinged with hope.

Out of the mouths of babes come simple, unvarnished truths.

Charming chemistry with Norman galvanises every scene, whether the two actors are playfighting, riffing off each other or digging deep into the emotional wounds of a boy who has lost a positive male role model in his life to a mental health crisis.

Mills maintains a slow, steady pace that allows on-screen camaraderie to develop or fray realistically while we silently reflect and shed a tear on our own wonder years.

New York-based audio producer Johnny (Phoenix) is in Detroit, interviewing young people with colleagues Roxanne (Molly Webster) and Fernando (Jaboukie Young-White), when he receives an urgent telephone call from his estranged sister Viv (Gaby Hoffmann).

She implores Johnny to travel to Los Angeles to take care of her nine-year-old son Jesse (Norman) for a couple of weeks while she supports her ex-husband Paul (Scoot McNairy) as he contends with bipolar disorder.

Unprepared for temporary guardianship, Johnny muddles through each day with Jesse, allowing the inquisitive tyke to use his microphone and recording equipment to capture the cacophony of a city in motion.

When Paul's mental state worsens, Johnny agrees to take his nephew on the road to New Orleans for more radio interviews and the bond with Jesse deepens.

Meanwhile, a mentally and physically exhausted Viv makes regular phone calls to Johnny to track her boy's progress.

"I just want Jesse to have his dad," she quietly confides.

C'mon C'mon is a delicate study of the complexities of youth, reflected in tiny moments between Johnny and Jesse as they seek a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other.

Every minute of Mills' film is heartbreakingly beautiful and precious.

This boy's life is truly wondrous.

8.5/10

RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY (15)

In 2002, Northumberland-born director Paul WS Anderson delivered the first instalment of the Resident Evil films based on the hugely popular video game series.

Several blood-spattered chapters later, writer-director Johannes Roberts reboots the zombified carnage with an origin story based on the plots of the first and second games.

Claire Redfield (Kaya Scodelario) returns to Raccoon City to find her brother Chris (Robbie Amell), a member of the Special Tactics And Rescue Service (Stars) Alpha Team.

She intends to warn him about the nefarious activities of the Umbrella Corporation, which managed the orphanage where they grew up.

Claire arrives as a deadly contagion infects residents and transform them into crazed predators.

Chris joins the rest of his Stars squad comprising Jill Valentine (Hannah John-Kamen), Richard Aiken (Chad Rook), Brad Vickers (Nathan Dales) and Albert Wesker (Tom Hopper) to investigate his sister's disturbing claims.

Meanwhile, Raccoon City Police Department rookie officer Leon S Kennedy (Avan Jogia) notices strange behaviour on his patch and he joins forces with Claire to neutralise the infected.

7/10

BOXING DAY (12A)

Christmas is a time for giving up on relationships in writer, director and star Aml Ameen's festive romantic comedy.

Two years after his parents Shirley (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) and Bilal (Robbie Gee) announced their divorce during Boxing Day celebrations, London-born novelist Melvin McKenzie (Ameen) has relocated to Los Angeles with high-flying girlfriend Lisa (Aja Naomi King).

A wedding proposal doesn't go as planned and Lisa agrees not to wear the ring until Melvin 'surprises' her with another perfect declaration of love on bended knee.

In the meantime, he faces an awkward homecoming to promote his latest book.

Back on home turf with Lisa in tow, Melvin trades barbs with his sister Aretha aka Boobsy (Tamara Lawrance), who works as a personal assistant to his old flame, superstar singer Georgia (Leigh-Anne Pinnock).

The starlet has recently dumped her beau Ian Gorgeous (Melvin Gregg) for his tabloid-splashed indiscretions.

When Lisa discovers Melvin used to date Georgia, her insecurities resurface and the relationship falters.

6/10

SILENT NIGHT (15)

Tidings of discomfort overflow when a family convenes for a final Christmas together before a deadly toxin renders humanity obsolete in director Camille Griffin's blackly humorous horror.

Nell (Keira Knightley) hurriedly prepares a last supper for her friends before the arrival of a poisonous toxin that will supposedly guarantee a slow and painful demise for everyone on the planet.

The government prescribes suicide pills and Nell and her husband Simon (Matthew Goode) procure sufficient medication for the family including their three sons Art (Roman Griffin Davis), Hardy (Hardy Griffin Davis) and Thomas (Gilby Griffin Davis).

As guests arrive and alcohol flows, differences of opinion about committing suicide divide the guests.

Conversations become increasingly fraught and some of the revellers including Sophie (Lily-Rose Depp) and her medic boyfriend James (Sope Dirisu) propose a more hopeful and optimistic course of action.

6/10

THE HAND OF GOD (15)

Oscar-winning Italian writer-director Paolo Sorrentino dips lightly into his childhood memories for a tender drama set in 1980s Naples, which uses Diego Maradona's infamous goal against England in a quarter-final of the 1986 World Cup as a backdrop to a teenager's coming of age.

Youngster Fabietto (Filippo Scotti) yearns to be a film director and he looks at the world through an imaginary lens, spying on his alluring Aunt Patrizia (Luisa Ranieri) and members of his close-knit family.

Some of the locals like eccentric matriarch Signora Gentile (Dora Romano) order Fabietto to stop staring at them but on the whole, the youngster is left to his own devices.

When Federico Fellini arrives in Naples to make a new film, Fabietto's older brother (Marlon Joubert) auditions for a part as an extra and the locals are swept up in the excitement of a movie shooting on their doorstep.

8/10