Anna Smith

A voluptuous slice of historical drama that will satisfy period fans and Mikkelsen admirers equally.

Nail-biting and genuinely heartbreaking moments mean it's emotionally involving, even if it isn't the cheeriest drug dealer saga in town.

Lightly humorous, well performed and not nearly as smutty as you might imagine. The earth may not move, but there are tingles of pleasure along the way.

A moving drama set against beautiful Latin American backdrops - just don't expect fireworks.

It's overlong, but with its gorgeous cast, irreverent humour and beautifully drawn characters, this smart comedy-drama is the kind of movie Couples Retreat and Grown Ups should have been. Please, nobody let Adam Sandler anywhere near a remake.

Greg avoids the curse of the three in the third outing for the Wimpy Kid. Hardly groundbreaking but plenty of fun for its target audience.

Music fans will love this indie documentary. Try to avoid Googling him before you watch, though.

Charming, delightful and amusing - just what you'd expect from the star-studded cast of veterans.

As awkward as McGregor's geeky hero and almost as confused as the titular plan, Salmon Fishing is still very likable if you're prepared to take the bait. And it might even be Scott Thomas' funniest turn since "Four Weddings And A Funeral."

An insight-filled take on prejudice in post-11/7 London that packs a hefty punch.

A tender, sensitive French drama rich in hazy atmosphere.

A simplistic portrayal of historic race relations boosted by terrific performances from some of the best actresses working in Hollywood today. Sure, it's corny, but it mostly works.

That innocuous title disguises a Mexican thriller with genuine bite, though the hokey ending doesn't quite live up to the edgy plotting and Sigman's classy turn as a tough heroine in an impossible situation.

This will divide audiences as much as "The Tree Of Life," but it's a brave and beautiful calling card for both filmmaker and star. Drink it up, sit back and think of a very different Australia.

This coasts along just fine thanks to charm and comical interludes, but it fails to deliver the sassy story it promises. Fine for a romantic comedy, but an inferior follow up to director Gluck's edgier "Easy A."

With good performances and characters, Beginners is an enjoyable, amusing and occasionally poignant watch. Indie film fans will want to catch it, but it falls short of being a must-see.

A tough but very rewarding watch.

Finally, a female ensemble comedy that balances realistic characters with smart laughs and side-splitting farce. Not everything works, but there's more than enough here to keep you chuckling - not to mention baying for a sequel.

A toe-tapping triumph for dance fans, though less so for non-converts.

Like a Gallic "Nine To Five," Ozon's comedy is a uniquely French skew on the gender politics of the home and the workplace. It's mostly funny, fast and fondly made although it drags a little towards the end.

Charming slice of small-town France.

Moving, bold, unconventional and impeccably staged, The Arbor is a worthy tribute to a powerfully artistic voice.

Whoever demanded a third installment of Lawrence's mirthless mash-up of weak gags and cross-dressing horrors should be imprisoned and forced to watch it on repeat until they repent. Avoid.

A low-grade comedy that'll have Jonathan Swift turning in his grave.

A witty, warm exploration of family life that's conventional and unconventional in equal measure.

Light and entertaining, if a little clunky at times.

The vocal cast are great fun, and the animation is smooth and vibrant. Except for a few treacly songs, this is great entertainment for all.

Inventive and endearing in places but ultimately an unsatisfying mix of slow plotting and superficial characterisation.

A startling movie, I Am Not a Witch is many things. It’s a magic realist fable set in present-day Zambia that has plenty to say about gender and superstition. It’s also a satire, a tragedy and a comedy. And, impressively, debut writer-director Rungano Nyoni makes this heady mix work.

Fails on both an emotional and comedic level.

It may not be as daring as Young Adam, but this is a well-performed adaptation of an absorbing melodrama.

Paltrow does an excellent job as the shy loner, affecting youthful, sulky mannerisms without resorting to stereotype. Anthony Hopkins, meanwhile, brings both gravitas and dark humour as Catherine's mentally ill father, while Jake Gyllenhaal makes for an effective, if buff, maths geek.

The Stolen doesn’t dig too deep into its characters, so it’s not the emotionally devastating watch it could have been. But it has something to say about a penniless woman’s plight in the era, and it’s engaging and refreshing on several counts.

The gags swing between mildly inventive and screamingly obvious, but even the latter are performed and timed well enough to draw a laugh.

Amused, maybe - but you won't be seduced.

This freshly 4K-ed masterpiece of German Expressionism deserves to be seen on the big screen. Track it down and be rewarded with possibly cinema's first ever twist ending.

Despite the talent on show, there's little to distinguish this from any other bland family comedy.

Money can buy you happiness in this inferior remake - although its makeover storyline may please fans of "The Princess Diaries" et al.

There’s little interest in probing characterisation, but the plot progress is steady and the performances likeable.

This glimpse into a decadent era has its charms, but they’re mostly visual. While Pfeiffer and Friend perform well, the script is tonally confused and lacks edge.

A very superficial look at what it may be like trying to romance someone on the autistic scale.

Poor script, poor direction and poor performances mean a dismal 70's disaster movie is the result.

The song and dance scenes are hard to beat in terms of sheer energy and atmosphere, but the dramatic storylines leave several loose ends.

Attempting to encompass too many genres dulls the overall effect but this still commands a certain fascination.

The tension dips occasionally but stick with it and you'l be richly rewarded.

Touches on some interesting philosophical ideas, but it's poorly-produced and unclear in tone.

Illuminating as to the reality of being a victim of crime in a dangerous society but not exactly absorbing entertainment.

Cute, comical kids help make this ballroom dancing comp-romp a feelgood winner despite inexpert editing.

There's a good film in here somewhere, but it's buried under a messy structure and unclear direction.

It's poetic, hypnotic and well-performed, but fails to either draw out its characters with conviction or fully draw its audience in.

A sad story, but well told, with respect for its subject and an eye for the Shakespearian tragedy in the tale.

This fantasy comedy should entertain its pre-teen female market – and repel those silly superficial boys (swoon).

A strong opening, bursting with wit and vigour, gives way to a predictable, patronising and immensely lazy second half. Could have been so much more.

Lazy but functional tween fare.

A fascinating portrait of a broken rock star picking up the pieces, this misses a few tricks but still entertains.

The highschool hijinks may entertain the young, but those more familiar with the Bard will recognise this as a wasted opportunity.

Rubbish. Irish eyes will be hard pressed to grimace, let alone smile.

Strong turns from its female leads and Amanda Seyfried elicits more sexual tension from proceedings than "Jennifer's Body" ever managed.

Though occasional acerbic touches remain, the sections that are drawn directly from the original remain hampered by the loss of Coward's dialogue. But the first half of the film, an addition detailing events only described in the play, is pure Hitchcock, its combination of conciseness and idiosyncrasy demonstrating his mastery of silent narration.

It means well, but it's all just a bit too tired a formula - even by the standards of a kids film. Put this one in the top field to 'rest'.

A lowest common denominator spoof.

Though infuriatingly difficult to categorise, the film is bold, inventive, stimulating and extremely entertaining.

Witty and articulate but the continual editing devices can distract from the momentum.

This is one expensive folly.

Fun musical numbers and cartoonish humour give way to a bland sermon about the evils of the music industry.

This has charm and glamour but little profundity.

This Indian immigrant family saga is a pleasant watch, but given the emotive source novel, it’s surprisingly superficial.

Predictable and pleasant, with enjoyable performances.

From chases on boats to bust-ups on buses, the action and locations are fitfully engaging, but the story feels cobbled together and the dialogue is often painful.

Both the well-choreographed crash scenes and the gritty cinematography hint at a better film. Shame no-one took the time to make it.

Sporadically amusing but rarely inspired.

There's charm in this simple underdog tale, but clunky plotting and characterisation mean it has 'telemovie' written all over it.

A far-from-rosy life story makes this lengthy biopic entertaining, but despite a strong lead performance it fails to get under Piaf’s skin.

Bland, but wholesome.

Surprisingly watchable despite the formulaic teen format.

This has the power to unite a female audience ready and willing to overlook its supposed weaknesses.

Falls between romance and drama without really satisfying either.

Likeable stuff despite being slow paced and rather sentimental.

While the tone may shift from satire to farce at times, this is a highly assured debut by Rizvi.

Occasional funny moments but this is very very thin.

A load of formulaic nonsense that should still turn a few young heads thanks to its fantasy plot and Jesse Metcalfe's chest

Music And Lyrics never really finds its tone. Fans of Barrymore and Grant are likely to enjoy their pleasing ramblings, and the modern-day, down-to-earth courtship is handled well. But this is unlikely to go down as either actor’s finest hour.

An amusing watch, this has a freshness and naturalism rarely found in the typically over-styled French romcom genre.

While the quirky structure could be taken as a bold move, the story still feels frustratingly incomplete, rendering the preceding hour or so a tantalising glimpse at what could have been.

LaBoeuf is good, but his performance is – ironically – desperately serious, as is the tone of this film.

Superficially interesting in many ways but this doesn't really engage on a deeper level.

One of the definitive mystery chillers of all time. Poignant, beautiful and devastating.

Slow, ponderous, meticulously rendered realism that will appeal to specific audiences of slow, ponderous, meticulously rendered realism, with a heart.

Undemanding, observant and beautifully performed, this is Richard Curtis-lite with added reassurance: no challenging questions here.

Fans of the Ramona Quimby books will be disappointed, but tween girls will love it.

If you're looking for a film to put you off marriage, children, affairs, and indeed life itself, look no further than this melancholic ensemble piece about listless adulterous couples in small-town New England.

Not quite as nauseous as its plot might suggest, Little Manhattan is sassy as well as sweet.