This week we have the stoner action-comedy The Pineapple Express, with Seth Rogen, James Franco and new boy on the comedy block Danny McBride, plus My Little Eye writer James Watkins makes his directing debut in British hoodie-horror Eden Lake. Then there's The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, a family film focussing on the horrors of the Holocaust, and finally the remake of the 1939 classic The Women, with a stellar all-woman cast (Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes) titled, somewhat unsurprisingly, The Women. But what did the critics have to say?

Pineapple Express hit the UK screens this week with critics loading their reviews with weed references as heavily as a stoner loads their spliff (whoops, there I go too!), but what did they actually think of the movie? With Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg on script duties again following their mega-hit Superbad, which was awarded Certified Fresh and received 87% on the Tomatometer, this time round the critics were divided. While more high-brow publications derided the movie for its weak stoner-based humour, a second half that seemingly belongs to another movie and some strange gross-out bloody moments, at the other end of the scale the more - how should we put it - down to earth critics applauded the movie for its entertaining action, solid performances and classy direction from David Gordon Green. So it might be one for you, it just depends on how you roll when it comes to smoke infused comedies.

Having recently wowed the critics with another outstanding performance in Somers Town, Thomas Turgoose returns to our screen, albeit in a minor role as a terrorising teen thug in the British horror Eden Lake. Making his directing debut, James Watkins - who was also on scriptwriting duties - has impressed the critics with this genuinely chilling thriller overflowing with socio-political overtones, commenting on the current British talking point of gang and youth violence. Most critics found the film grim and disturbing with shocks and scares aplenty, although a few dismissed it as formulaic and unrealistic. Currently standing at a healthy 75% on the Tomatometer, it looks like the British film industry has a new name in the making with Watkins.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is told through the eyes of eight-year-old Bruno, played by Asa Butterfield, who befriends a concentration camp inmate through a barb wire fence in his back garden, this touching and haunting drama has won over UK critics with its heartfelt portrayal of a incredibly tough subject, especially as this movie is aimed at a family audience. Superb performances and a solid production divert the attention away from the glaring impossibilities of the plot, and currently at 82% on the Tomatometer, this is vital viewing.

The Women, based on a George Cukor 1939 classic original and boasting a star-studded all female cast, (Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett-Smith), what could possibly go wrong with this remake? Well just about everything if you listen to the UK critics, who say the movie lacks any of the charm, wit or interesting characters prevalent in the original and go on to dismiss the scripting, direction and performances as little more than dull. While many didn't bat an eyelid at the lack of male performances in the movie, writer and director Diane English's apparent disdain for her own fairer sex was an issue. Described as making Sex and The City sound like Billy Wilder"(Anthony Quinn, The Independent), The Women is currently languishing at a Rotten 10% on the Tomatometer.

Also out this week on a limited release...

Eraserhead - David Lynch's surreal Eraserhead uses detailed visuals and a creepy score to create a bizarre and disturbing look into a man's fear of parenthood.

Jar City - A sublimely directed thriller, Jar City combines murder mystery, family drama and ample slices of Icelandic culture into a fascinating cinematic experience.

Quote of the Week

"This is a Class A comedy about Class B drugs. It has a Rizla-thin plot but Camberwell-carrot sized laughs." Pineapple Express. The Sneak, Sun Online.