The Curse of Frankenstein review – Hammer horror with Lee and Cushing shows how it should be done

Terence Fisher’s crisply told 1957 classic is unencumbered with good taste and delivered with absolute conviction

The Finest Hotel in Kabul by Lyse Doucet review – a monument to Afghan resilience

A sweeping social history of Afghanistan is seen through the lens of Kabul’s InterContinental hotel, where staff endured the horrific realities of life in a war zone

One of Us by Elizabeth Day review – the inner lives of Tory MPs

Driven by a whodunnit-ish plot, this state-of-the-nation sequel to The Party features a family at the centre of British political life

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight review – heartfelt child’s-eye view of last days of Rhodesia

Embeth Davidtz stars and directs, with outstanding performances from Zikhona Bali and seven-year-old Lexi Venter as Bobo as white minority rule ends

Death of an Ordinary Man by Sarah Perry review – a brilliant meditation on mortality

The Essex Serpent author offers a moving account of her father-in-law’s final illness that will resonate widely

Mr Blake at Your Service review – John Malkovich does worst French accent ever in baffling comedy misfire

Gilles Legardinier’s broad dramedy set in a chateau, co-starring Fanny Ardant and Émilie Dequenne, is an ordeal to watch. Sacré bleu!

What Have I Done? by Ben Elton review – a curious mixture of insight and rampaging ego

The Young Ones and Blackadder writer is sharp on the workings of the comedy industry – and not shy about listing his celebrity admirers

Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon review – his first novel in 12 years tunes into rising fascism in the US

The 88-year-old’s jaunty whodunnit, set during the prohibition era, features clowns, Nazis and a missing cheese heiress

Last and First Men review – sci-fi dance can’t match Tilda Swinton’s cool apocalypse

Composer Jóhann Jóhannson’s moody film, narrated by Swinton and inspired by a classic novel, gains little from a live dance interpretation

Half Light by Mahesh Rao review – a tale of forbidden love in India

A love affair between two men in Darjeeling comes to a violent end in this unfocused tale of heartbreak, secrecy – and the separate lives they return to in Mumbai

Amity by Nathan Harris review – perceptive portrait of slavery’s aftermath

This follow-up to the Booker-listed The Sweetness of Water charts the perilous journeys of a brother and sister in the Reconstruction era, from the deep south to Mexico

When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows by Steven Pinker review – communication, broken down

The Harvard psychologist on unwritten rules, social contracts, shared logic – and what happens when they fall apart

Lord of the Flies review – Piggy’s plea for diplomacy feels more futile than ever

William Golding’s bleak vision of civilisation holds up after 70 years, but Nigel Williams’s 1995 adaptation, revived with a sparky cast, might not be cruel enough for our times

Children and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels

A bothered bear; a great guide to drawing; a life of Josephine Baker; a role model daughter; a search for words and more

Cat on the Road to Findout by Yusuf/Cat Stevens review – fame, faith and charity

The enigmatic singer-songwriter on pop stardom, becoming a Muslim and returning to the stage decades later