I’ve been a film critic at the Copenhagen Post for some years now. I’ve seen many films of varying quality in the course of that time – but there are few films which, during the screening, I felt my life energy leaving my body so acutely as while I was trapped in a screening of Now You See Me.

Mercifully I remember very little, mostly a curious mix of fear and incredulity at how this amorphous excretion ever made it into cinemas so, as you can imagine, that same reaction was doubled at the prospect of Now You See Me 2. Obviously the team behind the film missed a trick in not naming the sequel Now You Don’t – and I’ll wager that’s the least of the tricks they missed. See it at your peril – you won’t see me there.

Barbershop: The Next Cut is the surprise comedy threequel in a series that started in 2002 with Tim Story’s Barbershop. Following the exploits of a community centred around a barber’s in south-side Chicago, Ice Cube etc return for more of the same. The reviews have been fairly positive.

Also on release is the comedy drama A Perfect Day in which a group of aid workers try to resolve a crisis concerning a body stuck in a well during an armed conflict. An impressive cast seem unable to raise the middling reception the film has thus far attracted.

Lastly, a new documentary on bad boy photographer Robert Mapplethorpe is showing at selected cinemas. Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures is reviewed this issue.

At Cinemateket (dfi.dk/filmhuset), there’s plenty going on, including a series on Polish master Krzystof Kieslowski, Iranian cinema, Iran 1960-90, and Fik Du Set Det, Du Ville? – a second chance to see the year’s best films. This Friday you can catch Paul Feig’s comedy Spy at 19:00.

On Sunday at 14:15, there’s the Danish on a Sunday series where, this week, they’re showing the documentary The Visit that examines Earth’s preparations for first contact with an alien race. Tickets are 45-70 kroner and an extra 40 kroner will get you coffee and a pastry. (MW)