What's On: Cinema previews

ACTION
Angels & Demons (12A)
Tom Hanks

After the critical disappointment of The Da Vinci Code, director Ron Howard promises us a more dynamic adaptation of Dan Brown's thriller Angels And Demons.

Again, we're back in the lucrative and fertile world of secret societies, religion and extreme violence, all of which demand the presence of Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks.

Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati - the most powerful underground organisation in history.

However, when he learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome and joins forces with Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) - an enigmatic Italian scientist.

Embarking on a non-stop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican's only hope for survival.

Producer Brian Grazer recognised the failing of the first outing. He said: "Langdon doesn't stop and give a speech. When he speaks, he's in motion. This one is more dynamic. It's an action movie."

DRAMA
Synedoche, New York (15)
Philip Seymour Hoffman

Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman further explores the nether regions of his perplexed imagination for his directorial debut.

Following such brain-popping treats as Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Kaufman again explores familiar terrain - although on a grander scale - as a deteriorating theatre director recreates his existence in a warehouse and peoples it with actors.

Philip Seymour Hoffman leads an impressive cast as Caden Cotard who begins to blur the lines between his real, troubled, life and its theatrical presentation. Samantha Morten co-stars.

ACTION
Fighting (15)
Channing Tatum

The brutal world of bare-knuckle fighting is laid bare in this rags-to-bruises story of a down-on-his-luck New York newbie who discovers a talent for taking down the bad guys for cash. Channing Tatum plays Shawn MacArthur who finds his new calling with the help of con man Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard).

From selling counterfeit goods on the street, MacArthur is plunged into a world of violence and corruption where the only winners are the businessmen who place their wages on the discardable fighters. The only way MacArthur can escape this dark, go-nowhere world is to take on his fiercest opponent.