Gremlins (dir: Joe Dante, 1984, 12A)
The picture postcard perfection of Kingston Falls, clearly a parody of It’s A Wonderful Life’s Bedford Falls, is usurped with gloriously violent abandon by hoards of killer gremlins. If only Billy had kept his Mogwai dry.
Fri 5 Jan 8.40pm at The Mockingbird, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Birmingham B9 4AA £5 veezi.com

Human Flow (dir: Ai Weiwei, 2017, cert 12A)
Artist Weiwei’s epic documentary is breathtaking in scope and execution as it explores the enormous human tragedy of mass migration in horrifying detail, the figures are astonishing and will weigh heavily on the viewer long after the screening has finished.
Fri 5 Jan to Thu 11 Jan at mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH £9 macbirmingham.co.uk

Mountains May Depart (dir: Jia Zhangke, 2017, cert 12A)
Chinese director Zhangke is one cinema’s greatest contemporary filmmakers and his latest work has taken some two years to reach the big screen since its debut at Cannes in 2015. It’s worth the wait, the sumptuously shot tale of love, friendship and loyalty takes place over three acts (and aspect ratios) and across several years, thoughtful and contemplative movie making of the highest order.
Sat 6 Jan & Thu 11 Jan at mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH £9 macbirmingham.co.uk

Merlot on the Orient Express wine tasting 
Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic is littered with stars and twenty first century pizazz but lacks the simple class of the 1974 production, where a bristling Albert Finney twirls the relentless Belgian detective Poirot’s moustache. What this screening does have though, is a selection of fine wines to taste selected by somelier Tony Elvin and themed along the many stations the titular locomotive passes through.
Sun 7 Jan 5pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £24 www.theelectric.co.uk

Happy End (pictured) (dir: Michael Haneke, 2017, cert 15)
If ever a title was more misleading or less appropriate to a film makers oeuvre then we have yet to see it. The master of sociopathic and malevolent bleakery excels again in his portrayal of the toxic and self-absorbed Laurent family, oblivious to the parade of human misery unfolding in the Calais jungle just out of view. It’s uncomfortable but oddly funny, this is Haneke’s meanest trick, you will laugh but hope nobody notices.
Sun 7 Jan to Wed 10 Jan at mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH £9 macbirmingham.co.uk