A mixed assortment this week. The best of the bunch was Eileen, which reminded me of a twisty crime novel.

Anne Hathaway plays a steely prison counsellor, Dr Rebecca St. John, who starts work at the youth prison where Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie) works. Enigmatic Eileen's life is transformed by Dr Rebecca's arrival, and pleasingly the trailer didn't give away any of the big twists contained within the film's tight 96 minute running time. A strange film, but one that I found captivating, complete with its haunting, jarring jazz soundtrack. With it being a quiet release week ahead of Wonka, it's nice to see a movie like this at the multiplexes, and it's definitely worth a watch. It's stylish, a little Hitchcockian, and a decent suspense thriller.

I was really disappointed by Saltburn. Perhaps fate was attempting to intervene when I went to see the wrong film in Nottingham the other week. Barry Keoghan was admittedly fantastic as a Prescot lad who joins a posh family for the summer in their palatial country pile, and his unique dance to Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Murder on the Dancefloor towards the end of the picture is one that will linger long in the memory. 

I guess this one just wasn't for me. One review described it as the "most divisive film of the year", and that's probably fair. Look out for a bathwater scene that may gross you out, and if you're easily offended in general, it's probably best avoided. The issue for me was more a lack of plot, to be honest, although I did think Rosamund Pike and Richard E Grant were good as the plummy-voiced posh parents attempting to persevere with their small talk, even as their entitled world crumbled around them. Was Saltburn looking to poke fun at the posh black tie set, or was it in awe of them? I am not entirely sure.

A couple of streaming titles to mention, both on Amazon Prime Video. Dirty Games sees a group of eager young contestants entering a house packed full of surveillance cameras, and play a game streamed online, where viewers can make requests and they earn extra cash if tasks are completed. I'll let you use your imagination, but let's just say that strip poker is just the beginning of their adventures. Who will win the "Game of Love"? The acting was hammy, and it was all a bit low rent, but still strangely quite entertaining in its own way. Rather like Big Brother.

And Candy Cane Lane sees a neighbourhood compete for a 100,000 dollar prize for the best decorated house at Christmas. Eddie Murphy stumbles upon a pop-up Christmas store off the highway, and elf Pepper sells him an elaborate Twelve Days of Christmas tower, which then starts coming to life. There follows a search for gold rings, rubbing of a golden partridge, a few cool Christmas songs ("Zat You Santa Claus?" is a highlight), and all the elements that make a fun family festive film. Definitely worth a watch in your matching Christmas PJs on Christmas Eve with a large Baileys.