New Films

THE HI-LO COUNTRY (15, 114 mins)

Director: Stephen Frears

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Billy Crudup

Hailing from the dying days of the Old West, The Hi-Lo Country has cowboy brothers Harrelson and Crudup adrift in an increasingly modernised New Mexico and falling out over a foxy femme fatale (Patricia Arquette). The acting rings tough and true, and the 'Scope photography is endlessly beguiling. Meantime, Brit-abroad Frears moves his yarn at a leisurely (at times too leisurely) pace, giving us plenty of time to drink it in.

Limited release

IT ALL STARTS TODAY (12, 117 mins)

Director: Bertrand Tavernier

Starring: Philippe Torreton, Maria Pitarresi

See The Independent Recommends, right.

Limited release

KOYAANISQATSI (U, 71 mins)

Director: Godfrey Reggio

This protracted stretch of eco decoration zips from city to canyon to power station to rainforest in a blur of time-lapsed coloured spaghetti, National Geographic greenery and chill Philip Glass strings. Shed a tear over the evil we're doing to our world. And pass the bong while you're about it.

Limited release

MULAN (U, 89 mins)

Director: Barry Cook & Tony Bancroft

Starring: Eddie Murphy

And so the historic nine-and-a-bit-month anniversary of the original British release of Mulan is commemorated with a re-issue perfectly timed to occupy all the bored pre-teens during those dry days between the end of school and that trip to Disneyland Paris. Still, as Disney re-releases go, there's a lot to like about Mulan; this spry, witty epic about a little slip of a lass who saves first-century China from an invasion by the Hun. A bit like Kurosawa at times. Except funny, and with Eddie Murphy as a jive-talking lizard.

Limited release

NIGHTS OF CABIRIA (PG, 117 mins)

Director: Federico Fellini

Starring: Giulietta Masina

Re-issued with a restored seven minutes, Fellini's 1957 favourite turns a loving lens on Masina's wide-eyed whore with a heart of gold. Less flamboyant than the fancies that characterised the director's later years, Nights of Cabiria goes a bundle on stark neo-realism (prowling Rome's shabby fringes) and bold Vaudeville emoting.

Limited release

SOUTH (NC, 71 mins)

Director: Frank Hurley

Hurley's stirring silent-screen antique looks less documentary than time- capsule, trailing Ernest Shackleton through the ice flows during the course of his 1914 push down through Antarctica. Colour tints give an eerie beauty to the endless white-on-white imagery.

Limited release

WEST BEIRUT (15, 105 mins)

Director: Ziad Doueiri

Starring: Rami Doueiri, Mohamed Chamas

See The Independent Recommends, right.

Limited release

Xan Brooks