A QUIET week for cinemas seems in order given the recent weather, but if you need a break from clearing up after the storms, you can check out a few new tales.

The Brutalist is a period drama film following the harrowing life journey of a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who tries to build a new life for his family in America.

From writer/director Brady Corbet, the film stars Adrien Brody, who reminds us all exactly why he was once the youngest Oscar winner working in Hollywood, alongside Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce.

The Holocaust, racism, poverty, classism, abuse, injustice – it’s all explored here as we watch a gifted but downtrodden man try to build a better legacy.

Far from light-hearted, this may not be the top pick if you need a laugh this week, but it is a film that challenges us to examine our prejudice.

Not necessarily heartwarming but certain to have broader appeal is A Complete Unknown, the much anticipated biopic of the early career of the legendary Bob Dylan.

Starring Timothée Chalamet as the folk singer/songwriter, the film charts the artist’s introduction to his own idol, Woody Guthrie, his gradual rise and growing respect among the folk music scene, and how it all nearly fell apart when he chose to use an electric guitar at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

Director James Mangold (Logan) puts substance over style in this well-crafted but “un-showy” movie, while the cast all turn in solid performances as some of the all-time greats in music.

Sure, it’s no substitute for catching the man himself at a live show… but whatever could be?

Finally for big, dumb fun, a new film by Mel Gibson, Flight Risk, premieres this week.

An intriguing thriller starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace, the idea here is that a US Marshall hires a private plane to escort a Mob witness, only to discover that their pilot is a hitman who has been hired to ensure he never makes it to court.

Whether or not this is worth checking out depends on how much you may enjoy Wahlberg, and your tolerance for Gibson’s capacity for filming violence and action.

By Lindsay HALL