Anna Smith

It’s a believable portrayal of the impact of gaslighting and brainwashing: Alice’s conviction that she’s at fault will resonate with many audiences.

Alice Guy-Blaché was the first female filmmaker yet criminally overlooked by history – something Pamela B. Green sets out to correct in this educational and entertaining film.

Kreutzer has her own style of revisionist feminist history, and aided by Krieps’s bold and brilliant turn, it’s riveting stuff.

The Woman King is a story of sisterhood and racial identity that deserves to pack in the crowds. About time, indeed.

Part drama-thriller, part OTT slasher, Pearl doesn’t particularly resolve its internal conflicts, but it does hold the attention.

It’s quietly absorbing and fitfully shocking as we experience the sights, sounds and smells of the streets where a one-year-old child can wander around alone without anyone stopping to wonder why.

It's hard not to be seduced by this folky yarn.

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.

It would have been great to have seen even more myth-busting around weight and health in this doc (presumably that’s covered in her book ‘What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat’), but Gordon is a funny and frank subject: a tour of her vintage diet book collection is a treat.

The young Aprile is a standout in a moving, hard-hitting and surprising adaptation of the Henry James novel.

A tender, sensitive French drama rich in hazy atmosphere.

Don’t expect Austen-style humour, though: ultimately, you may be frustrated by a narrative that punishes its pleasant protagonist so thoroughly. But credit to Brizé and crew for an impressive piece of filmmaking with a refreshingly contemporary approach.

If the storytelling sometimes feels straightforward, it’s more than merited by its captivating story and powerful message.

Not all of it works but it does breeze along, thanks to its likable characters and dry wit.

A slick, stylish melodrama with an involving story and a cracking cast. Star Adriana Ugarte is a real find.

It’s a fun setup with a rousing finale that broadly compensates for a baggy middle section (at two hours, the film seems a little too long).

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

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

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

Geostorm is a watery blend of Armageddon and 24, with enough action to entertain on a basic level. It’ll probably be most appealing to scientists looking for a good laugh.

A charming animation with funny — if samey — moments and a quality voice cast.

All cast and crew do an impressive job in making this unlikely proposition such an engaging, thought-provoking and darkly funny watch.

Likeable stuff despite being slow paced and rather sentimental.

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

If this energetic, fitfully funny version introduces the story to a new generation, heck, bring on a new ‘Sense and Sensibility’ too.

A fizzy, funny, period dramedy with top-notch performances, Florence Foster Jenkins doesn't take many risks but it's a very entertaining experience. And yes, she was that bad.

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

It is an unusual mix of intense, angsty character-driven drama and laugh-out-loud jokes about the film industry. It’ll be best enjoyed by those who live in the milieu it depicts, along with fans of Amstell’s bittersweet wit – and there’s probably overlap between the two.