A star rating is not much help, since von Trier’s self-conscious arrogance is calculated to split audiences into extremist factions, but Antichrist delivers enough beauty, terror and wonder to qualify as the strangest and most original horror movie of the year.

Jaa’s period ‘beatquel’ is thick on action but thin on plot. Awesome final fight, though.

A film for anyone who’s ever climbed trees, grazed knees or basked in the comfort of a parent’s sympathy as they’ve pulled you off the ground crying. It’ll make your inner child run wild.

Cliché-ridden and full of plot-holes.

Relentlessly ugly, preposterous and hackneyed of dialogue: guilty on all counts. It will do well, then.

A decent but unremarkable film with a big, unforgettable central performance. Carey Mulligan passes with First-Class Honours.

Sheen thrives in the guise of the idiosyncratic Clough in a brilliantly candid, if bitty, football parable.

Entertainment that tickles the justice-for-all glands.

Proof that when you aim for the stars, sometimes you find a black hole. Hopefully just an anomaly for the usually wonderful Gervais.

Barrymore, among the most consistently admirable women in showbiz, can proudly add a Guides badge for Meritorious Directing to her many other achievements. Excellent emo chick coming-of-age drama plus broads in fetish gear battering each other on roller skates -- frankly, a film that offers something for everyone.

Admirably low-key, deeply compelling and their warmest movie since Fargo.

Compelling performances and some stand-out scenes but this lacks the cohesive language of "Elephant," for example.

An indecently entertaining trashfest.

More a snapshot of a moment than conventional biography, and while less complex than it might want to be, still a quietly thoughtful look at one of the 20th century’s most influential characters.

An Amityville for the YouTube age: potent, primal and genuinely frightening.

Tackling such un-animation topics as loneliness, body image, alcoholism, suicide and Asperger’s syndrome, it’s quirky, compassionate and slightly seedily sweet.

A barbed study of the American economy puts capitalism in the dock but somehow fails to convict.

It sets out to be less pompous than similar films, which inevitably means it feels less substantial. While amusing rather than hilarious, it ought to establish Matt Damon as a star character actor.

Falls between romance and drama without really satisfying either.

Fox is fun as a demonic harpy, but sadly the meeting of Hollywood’s two rock’n’roll queens is closer to safe studio product than slash-and-burn envelope-pusher.

Surprisingly successful adaptation of J. M. Coetzee's superb novel.

Superbly played and realised, this stays with you.

Campion has created another resonant paean to love’s pain and joy, and gives new life to John Keats, too often now associated with dusty school books.

Comes across as more 80s TV movie than 50s period piece.

Even the gratuitous nudity can't quite save a Heathers-goes-to-college horror that's undermined by a silly plot and clunky dialogue.

Not exactly genre-bending innovation or anything but a decent documentary about an important episode in history of oil company exploitation.

A moody, engaging end-of-the-world horror-drama, if a bit too apocalypse-lite.

Light and entertaining, if a little clunky at times.

The novelty factor stops and starts at the 3-D specs: this is a horror movie on tracks, not going anyplace new. Still, there’s some inventive grue-splashing as always.

A splendid study of the forces and passions behind the world’s biggest fashion magazine.

The target audience - pre-teen girls - aren’t going to notice the many shortfalls behind the camera. What they’ll enjoy, regardless of quality, is some naughtiness true to the spirit of the series, Russell Brand and Girls Aloud. For the rest of us it’s tougher going with mostly Everett and Firth to see us through.

Disappointing third act to this brave drama about love and sex in our later years.

One man’s near-emotionless trip through an event that was the high watermark for US counterculture moves along without any real sense of purpose or pace.

With a confidence typical of its director, the last line of Inglourious Basterds is, "This might just be my masterpiece." While that may not be true, this is an often dazzling movie that sees QT back on exhilarating form.

Fascinating history, very good movie -- but demanding, and its lack of easy answers will frustrate some. Lessons about 21st century terrorism are implicit, but not overly stressed.

Think Donnie Brasco, with the IRA instead of the Mafia. Jim Sturgess dominates with a star-making turn, although some stylistic slip-ups let him down a little.

Subtle and multi-layered film-making with compelling performances.

Odd, confident, challenging, and featuring a brilliant turn by Williams. If only there was just a little more to it.

Slow-paced and self-indulgent in places but a bravely intense use of camera work to explore the internal psychology of the characters.

Blomkamp’s prawn cocktail has more than enough stylistic chutzpah and originality to make District 9 an essential date.

Competent and well-cast, but it crams too much into the runtime and loses the elegance of the novel.

Sometimes this kind of comedy just goes too far into rubbishness to make it back.

Surprisingly watchable despite the formulaic teen format.

Keeping it surreal has never been so nauseating and, at times, hilarious.

Bond without the style and Team America without the bellylaughs. The moronic script and nonsensical plot are good for a snicker, though.

Deliciously funny and warming fare, for which the amazing Meryl deserves her ridiculously overdue third Oscar.

Adorable. Ad-or-able. It will melt even the coldest heart.

Anchored by a great Giamatti performance, Cold Souls is built around a terrific idea and has serious fun with it. It also marks Barthes as a filmmaker to watch.

An absolute treat. In spite of its disappointing climax, this is Apatow’s smartest, rudest and -- yes -- funniest film yet.

A taut, thrilling documentary that plays out like a heist movie while never overshadowing its message or activist credentials.

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

Recalling the work of Jacques Tati, this is a grim but amusing and ultimately successful effort.

It's not as risqué as it wishes it were, nor as likable as it should be. Butler's rarely been better-cast, but the material's too patchy to support him .

Predictable and been-there, seen-that, but entertaining nevertheless at times.

Perfectly played, simultaneously serious and light, endlessly inventive, this is a strong contender for the most original date movie of the year. (Terrific) stuff.

We're marking time before the final battle between Good and Evil, with the promised darkness sitting somewhat clumsily with teen romance and humour.

Meadows in a minor key but still a major delight; his improvised feel, sparky comedy and interest in the truth of youth services a story that’s both winning and winsome.

Painfully unfunny, I Love You, Beth Cooper is more likely to elicit the opposite reaction.

A patchy, hit-and-miss comedy with a few outrageous highs and a lot of just-okay padding, Brüno suggests that Sacha Baron Cohen's in-your-face fool routine sadly isn't working any more.

A real treat for fans of Ali and music alike.

Long-in-the-tooth characters detract from the usual high-spirited fun and frolics.

Intelligent and challenging: Mann's crime epic could take two viewings to fully absorb, but it's worth every devoted minute.

The most literally exciting film you will see this year. Forget the off-putting banner of another Iraq movie -- go, watch, marvel, endure and book in the palliative of a stiff drink afterwards.

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.

Don't expect anything too profound from this middleweight fare - but it'll still be better than the inevitable remake.

A super-sized second helping, but the novelty factor and some of the charm’s gone. Hey, at least there's more Megatron / Starscream squabbling this time round.

Unless you pine for second-tier Mel Brooks, you'll find more laughs in the Old Testament itself.

Despite good moments and likable leads, this lacks both heart and humour in a confection that smacks of the over-familiar.

Pelham One was first class. Pelham Two stuck to the schedule. Pelham Three needs a bus pass.

Compelling, entertaining and illuminating documentary which makes you think twice, and then a few more times, about eating anything at all in U.S.

Genuinely sweet and endearing Murphy film, at last.

They do make ’em like they used to -- a fresh blast of old-school sci-fi, bursting with ideas and a stellar turn from Rockwell.

A furiously paced, inventive and flat-out hilarious take on a tried-and-tested formula. An exemplary bromantic comedy that doesn't sacrifice heart in pursuit of laughs, maintaining plenty of the former and a superabundance of the latter.

While cynics may find it twee, Mendes fans should greatly enjoy this (gently) surprising change of direction. Go in with the right frame of mind and you’ll leave with a big, goofy grin on your face.

Humdrum adaptation that should, given the ripe nature of its source material, have been much better.

If it had lived up to its golden first five minutes, Up would have been the film of the decade. As it is, it remains the best animated flick of 2009, a funny, moving, beautifully made argument that dreamers can move mountains.

Thrilling and often hilarious, it’s good to see one of Hollywood’s most inventive directors fully reinvigorated. On this form, Spider-Man 4 should be a belter.

Heart-warming, funny, wise and profound. Not to be missed.

It’s funnier this time, but still veers noticeably from kid-friendly slapstick to adult-friendly banter.

Good central performances but short on plot.

While its tone occasionally wavers and there are some wobbly performances, this has moments of true lightness, and a welcome sense of whimsy often missing in the costume genre.

McG has sparked a moribund franchise back to life, giving fans the post-apocalyptic action they’ve been craving since they first saw a metal foot crush a human skull two decades ago.

Captivating and essential viewing.

More entertaining than "The Da Vinci Code," but still tosh.

Deftly played and beautifully photographed, this may lack depth, but its observations on human transience are deeply moving.

Despite strong turns, it feels little more than an Egoyan lecture on Serious Stuff; lots to talk about, little to enjoy.

Odd-number curse be gone. The most exhilarating Trek to date marks a new future for Kirk and co. If this can boldly go on to seek out ideas to match its speed and style, a franchise is reborn.

Cool, handsome, self-assured... but, as the existentialists might say, what’s the bloody point?

Can everyone stop making moody origin stories now, please? While not a disaster, this isn’t the claws-out, rampaging adventure we hoped for. No-one cares where Wolverine found his jacket — a spin-off with him kicking ass in Japan would have been way more fun.

Intelligent and uncompromising, with knock-out performances from Downey Jr. and Foxx .

Very humane portrait of a potentially extremely unlikeable character.

At times a subversive, sub-Marvel thrill, it might be best to come back to this after the glut of goody-goody heroes due to bombard our screens have passed.

Once you get over the unlikelihood of Affleck and Crowe as buddies, State Of Play stands as a sterling thriller, benefiting from admirable convictions and an arguable return to form by Russell Crowe.

Proof that you can make good movies based on video games, as long as you don't bother making a video game first. Juice us up for Crank 3D.

Caine leads an impeccable cast in a story that is as touching as it is funny, turning the mundane minutiae of fading lives into a vibrant display.

A positive and personal look at the Israel/ Palestine divide through the quest of one woman to maintain her own property.

The lyrics to AC/DC’s Long Way To The Top were never more appropriate. Anvil! is exactly what's needed to slap the recent rash of doomsayer documentaries in the face -- preferably with a studded, fingerless leather glove.

Lazy but functional tween fare.