Uncut

Slow, slow journey into heart of darkness

Stone's intimate document of Castro as man rather than monster

Clint's back at his directorial best with a lean, mean adaptation of Dennis Lehane's gripping crime novel

Metal vocalist's impressive horror debut

Elevated kiddie flick tackles grown-up issues

OPENS OCTOBER 24, CERT U, 67 MINS Scooby Doo, you've gone all blue. And trippy, Daft Punk, the French techno-pop duo who've consistently worked with cutting-edge directors (Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Roman Coppola), have collaborated with their lifelong Manga animation heroes Leiji Matsumoto and Kazuhisa Takenouchi to produce this 'musical', loosely accompanying their 2001 album Discovery. It's fun, and sweet rather than radical. If you're a Manga buff you'll enjoy the quaint sci-fi plotline and imagery, and stare at the female bassist's lovingly-drawn arse.

Colourful spoof of everything Doris Day fought for

OPENS OCTOBER 24, CERT PG, 141 MINS Seabiscuit was the little horse that could—a pop culture phenomenon in Depression-era America who won the 1937 Santa Anita Handicap against all odds and beguiled an ailing nation. Written off in his early years as a grumpy, awkward loser, Seabiscuit was trained for victory by three broken men: too-tall jockey Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire), tragic millionaire Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) and washed-up cowboy Tom Smith (Chris Cooper).

Coens' gangster-movie homage is a dark, off-kilter twister

Amiable shoot-the-shit comedy from hangdog actor/producer Ice Cube, Barbershop reveals a hint of drama (sinister gangster Keith David has designs on the shop), but is really a sitcommy chatabout between neighbourhood eccentrics. Topics range from slavery reparations to "the difference between a woman with a big ass and a big-assed woman!"