Living in Hawaii must be like living in paradise, right? Not for Matt King (Clooney), whose wife has suddenly fallen into a coma following a boating accident, forcing Matt to reconnect with his two teenage daughters - despite being the self-confessed 'back-up parent'. He also finds out that his wife was having an affair, causing him to reconsider not only his own life but the real truth of his marriage. Taking a road trip with his daughters from Oahu to Kauai, he is forced to confront both the reality of his wife's condition and the future of his family's relationships.

The newest film from director Alexander Payne (Sideways, About Schmidt), The Descendants is a tender film that looks at the way families can be made, broken and pulled back together again. The idyllic setting of Hawaii is perfect for this film, juxtaposing the serenity of the beach and mountains with the drama of Matt's life-altering problems. Clooney is totally in his element here, and his two daughters (Woodley and Miller) create some very real moments that are genuinely touching. Worth seeing for the setting (and Clooney) alone, The Descendants draws you in and keeps you thinking even after the credits have rolled.

In the vein of Cloverfield, Attack the Block and Skyline comes a new thriller from the director of Wanted. The Darkest Hour is an action sci-fi film that tells the story of five 20-somethings left stranded in an abandoned Moscow after a devastating alien attack.

Sean (Hirsch, Into the Wild) and Ben (Minghella, The Social Network), have flown into Moscow with the intention of launching their own social network tool. Unfortunately, their potential partner, a Swede named Skyler (Joel Kinnaman, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - also screening this semester), has swindled them, claiming the tool as his own. After consoling themselves with Russia's finest and meeting up with some female tourists, the group is soon engulfed in darkness and the alien attack - and battle for survival - begins.

Despite some cheesy dialogue, occasionally not-quite-convincing effects and some questionable narrative choices, this is a surprisingly suspenseful little thriller. If you can look past its flaws you may well be taken in by an interesting premise and serviceable acting from a young cast that's fairly easy on the eyes.

It's unfortunate that budget constraints limited the scope of The Darkest Hour, because there's a fantastic movie in here, it just wasn't one they could afford to make. But if you're capable of ignoring some slightly dodgy special effects and enjoy lightweight sci-fi, you'll like The Darkest Hour.