ALSO SHOWING

A MILLION LITTLE PIECES (15)

DIRECTOR Sam Taylor-Johnson distances herself from the controversy that engulfed James Frey’s 2003 memoir A Million Little Pieces by taking her own artistic liberties to visualise the book’s first-person stream of consciousness.

Some of these bold choices pay off – the opening image of James dancing naked around a flat establishes the grim, nihilistic tone, and her husband Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s, pictured unwavering commitment to the lead role.

A nightmarish root canal procedure without anaesthetic, which was a centrepiece of the book, is terrifying when we can hear the piercing scream of the dentist’s drill as it burrows into infected teeth.

Stylistic flourishes abound but Frey’s internal conflict and the demons which drive him to self-destruct in a fug of booze and crack are frequently lost in the melee.

THE MUSTANG (15)

RENDERED mute for long stretches by simmering rage, Roman Coleman (Matthias Schoenaerts, pictured) is a glowering brute, jailed for repeatedly hitting his wife’s head against a kitchen sink during an argument.

After myriad failed attempts to curb his temper, Roman takes part in a rehabilitation programme in which he must train a wild mustang so the animal can be sold at auction. Roman develops a close bond with his horse, Marquis, and the animal appears to soothe Roman’s inner rage.

A powerhouse performance from Schoenaerts and Ruben Impens’ stunning cinematography gradually cast their spell as the gossamer-thin story reveals regret and despair in the thuggish inmate’s complex personality.

CRAWL (15)

A FATHER and daughter (Kaya Scodelario, pictured) discover they are far from the top of the evolutionary food chain in Alexandre Aja’s diabolical masterclass in sustained tension and jump-out-of-your-seat scares.

Set in Florida during a category five hurricane, Crawl is essentially Jaws with alligators, albeit with considerably more on-screen gore courtesy of the French director of the 2006 remake of The Hills Have Eyes. There are plenty of hide-your-eyes moments as the apex predators eviscerate or death-roll almost every character who dares to dip a toe into rising flood waters unleashed by Mother Nature’s fury.