THE WEEKEND IS coming up, and that means new movies for you to see.

But which is a must-watch, and are there any you should avoid?

We take a look.

A Hologram for the King

What we know

Good ol’ Tom Hanks stars as a businessman sent to strike a deal in Saudi Arabia. He finds himself a fish out of water in the country. Based on Dave Egger’s book.

What the critics say

• There’s no denying the ambition in A Hologram for the King, but a struggle does not add up to a satisfying movie — or even a reasonable facsimile of the beauty and terror Eggers evokes on the page.” – Rolling Stone 
• “Not unlike the holographic display referenced in the title, the result plays like a striking but somewhat faltering visual projection of its source material. Still, the movie does make the most of another sly, persona-tweaking performance from Tom Hanks…” - Variety

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 6.2/10
• IMDB: 6.4/10

Departure

What we know

Juliet Stevenson stars in this film about a newly single mother who brings her sons to live in a village. But then both she and her son get fixated with a local boy.

What the critics say

• “The horror of a mother flirting with her son’s new friend is communicated in a subtly witty fashion: Departure is acutely aware of Elliot’s social awkwardness, potential for embarrassment and his strained relationship with his mother.” - Empire
• “There’s a sharp, funny moment when the blase Clement responds to one of aspiring scribe Elliot’s soliloquies with “You’re a bit of a cliche — ‘the poet,’” but it’s practically the first and last time the film acknowledges that our young protagonist is, in fact, a bit insufferable.” - Variety

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: None yet
• IMDB: 7.1/10

Heart of a Dog

What we know

Musician Laurie Anderson tackles the subjects of love and loss in this tribute to her dog, Lolabelle. It also features music she composed, and music composed by her late husband Lou Reed.

What the critics say

• “A dog is at the heart of this film, but there’s room for all manner of extraordinary insights about finding love and giving love, being canine and being human.” - Wall Street Journal
• “This purposefully fissured quality extends to the movie itself, which is by turns narratively straightforward and playfully experimental, light and heavy (it’s a fast 75 minutes), accessible and opaque, concrete and abstract.” – New York Times

What’s it rated?

• RottenTomatoes: 8.1/10
• IMDB: 7.3/10

Which film would you go see first?