Jennie Punter

Even in a season of apocalyptic films, these facts are really, really scary.

One of the most irresistible films of the year so far.

Turns out to be one of the most compelling, finely orchestrated and oddly enchanting films of the year so far.

It's an exquisite, humanistic and subtly topical work of cinema art that manages to keep the intimate, revelatory sensibility of a one-man play intact while fleshing out the characters and creating a very realistic and richly detailed school community.

Thrilling and beautifully crafted.

What elevates Foy's impressive first feature (he also served as editor and composer of the dark, whimsical score) above, say, your average "unsolved mystery" TV episode, is the emotional connection he gradually builds between Duerr and the elusive creator of the Toynbee tiles.

An unforgettable portrayal of the unglamorous gangster life, which is often short and never sweet.

Authentic, fresh and utterly relevant.

Lanthumos's accomplished and fascinating Dogtooth pushes the notion of parents screwing up their kids into seriously disturbing and darkly comic terrain.

The movies have given us plenty of loquacious teenagers – from such fast-talking truants as Ferris Bueller to such overachieving political animals as Tracy Flick ( Election). Hal Hefner is not one of these kids.

My Summer of Love may sound like the title of a hot teen flick, but it is a truly refreshing grown-up big-screen film, a rare gem in this summer of duds.

With Monsters, Edwards transcends the special-effects auteur label, creating a memorable sci-fi story in which the hero and heroine are true equals in the adventure. How's that for an alien concept?

A taut, gorgeously filmed and enjoyably wicked cinematic treat.

With young audiences definitely in mind, the film puts a fresh spin on the issues and struggles of the civil-rights movement.

Everything's Gone Green is the second feature directed by Paul Fox (The Dark Hours), who maintains an energetic, lighthearted tone throughout the film, even when the story loses focus at its not-quite-satisfying ending.

Both Speedman and Tyler deliver solid, nuanced performances as a couple caught at the most fragile moment in their relationship.

Humpday is mostly foreplay. But isn't that usually the most fun anyway? It certainly is in this film.

It may not be a pretty picture, but A Tale of Two Sisters is definitely a satisfying piece of less-is-more cinematic horror.

More heart-breaking and action-packed than one imagines from a monastery travelogue film.

Swords cross, blood spurts and bosoms heave in The Princess of Montpensier, French director Bertrand Tavernier's thoroughly ravishing drama.

The documentary My Date with Drew is "Don Quixote" meets "Bowfinger" meets "Swingers" for the reality-TV generation.

Given Paine's penchant for B-movie-sounding titles, let's hope he gets to make it a trilogy that concludes with The Electric Car Lives!

A sprawling personal journey, filled with an array of fascinating characters, through the world of wine.

Both a cathartic and a creative family entertainment.

There is also a parallel subplot following the fate of two Ukrainian girls caught in the sex-slave ring Kathy targets. This storyline isn't dramatically satisfying, but it does provide context and ensures the victims in this story are not portrayed simply as faces in the dark.

A late summer treat. And in case you are wondering, yes, there is mumbling.

New Zealand-born director Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors, Die Another Day) avoids biopic tropes, filling the screen with the jolts of a violent thriller and exploiting the few comic possibilities.

Gets under your skin as another thought-provoking wake-up call about the power of studios and the corporations that back them.