The Iron Giant posterSchool holidays start on Monday and Hollywood is doing its bit to turn your kids’ brains to mush with Transformers, an enormo-budget extravaganza about cars that turn in to robots (or the other way around). Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Michael Bay, Transformers should give the boys plenty of bang for your buck (while the girls get to swoon over current heart-throb Shia LaBeouf). Playing all over town including Readings Courtenay Central; Sky City Queensgate; Embassy; Regent-on-Manners.

Sensible-shoe wearing girls may well get more out of the latest incarnation of teen detective Nancy Drew, this time starring Julia Roberts’ niece Emma. A slightly smaller release this one, at Readings Courtenay Central and Sky City Queensgate only.

After the jump: Heartbreak Hotel, Starter for Ten, Francesca and Nunziata and The Iron Giant.

If you liked The Queen of Sheba’s Pearls last year you might find yourself warming to Heartbreak Hotel from Colin Nutley, the same director (and featuring Helena Bergstrom, the same star). This one is about “two women who strike an unlikely friendship and discover there is life after forty” it says here. Penthouse only.

James McAvoy (from The Last King of Scotland and Becoming Jane) tries on another accent with the coming-of-age-in-the-eighties tale, Starter for Ten. McAvoy plays a working class lad at University, learning about girls and trying out for the University Challenge tv quiz team. Rialto only.

From the Italian Film Festival last year comes Sophia Loren in Francesca and Nunziata at the Empire in Island Bay. In fact, this may have already played a season at the Paramount in town but memory fails to confirm or deny that.

Also at the Empire is a special one-off screening on Sunday morning of The Iron Giant, the acclaimed animated version of Ted Hughes’ children’s masterpiece. Made by Brad (The Incredibles and Ratatouille) Bird in 1999, this is a rare opportunity to see a wonderful film. 11.00am Sunday.

Finally, talking of wonderful films, Breakfast at Tiffany’s plays one more week at the Lighthouse in Petone before moving to their country cousins at Pauatahanui.