Luna Carmoon’s grimy study of loss might ultimately be too strange for its own good. Nevertheless, this debut boldly announces the arrival of one of Britain’s most promising new filmmakers.

Exceptional turns by Mélusine Mayance and the ever-excellent Kristin Scott Thomas illuminate a tense and compelling story. The contrived modern-day framing works less well.

Clara Bow is mesmerising in this ahead-of-its-tie air force drama.

A well-put together team performance, with enough in-jokes and self-effacement to steer clear of any detours into bad taste.

Despite the pleasant feel and fun performance from Zane there's something missing from this superhero adventure.

A surprisingly sweet romantic comedy debut from Ben Stiller.

Though it tries to be different, with hair's-breadth escapes that don't depend on implausible stunts or Bondian-scale explosions, Conspiracy Theory is an uneasy mix of laughs and thrills; suspense and soap.

Sweet but predictible angst-ridden Brat Pack outing.

It's good to know that the widely liked but underused Andy Garcia has here a juicy dramatic role he can get his chops into.

The Wild roars back from a rocky opening act to a storming last reel, just managing to claw its way above comparisons with "Madagascar."

While it may prompt some to think again next time they're in Starbucks, this astute insight into the coffee business is better at lauding the good guys than taking the multinationals to task for the iniquities of the global economy.

Overlord injects a healthy dose of schlock into familiar war-movie tropes to create an entertainingly grungy hybrid, but it never quite kicks into overdrive.

Cronenberg's attempt to meld his style with an established writer didnít exactly pan out.

Mortensen shines but a contrived, issue-driven plot destabilises what could have been a great Russian gangster movie.

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

An elegant, entertaining, informative picture with a gallery of vivid supporting turns, this provisionally crowns the winning Blunt as a Brit-pic star - but it skimps a bit on the bodice-ripping, blood and thunder.

Both leads are likeable and have the cutting neuroses that Brooks delivers so well. They can’t really carry the film until the dramatic plot twist but from then on its all good fun.

Familiar but enjoyable. Not being funny, the elephant (Rosie, played by nine-foot enchantress Tai) is the real star as the most moving and only joyful presence in sight.

Totally crackers but it gets powered by pure invention and eccentricity alone.

The simmering implication of incestuous emotions between Lili and Roy, leading to the shocking denouement, is badly underdeveloped and mishandled, leaving a lingering sense of anti-climax.

Former pop promo director Sena knows how to give a glossy sheen to the blank surfaces and rough edges of roadside America, but the results look cheap and shoddy rather than seductively challenging.

All three leads are genuinely appealing here, with Ryder once again acting her bobby sox off and giving yet further reminder of just how sorely she was missed in Godfather III.

It may not be as good as the material it's sourcing, but it's still fun to see so many faces from the genre in one place.

If you are immune to the charms of Carrie and co., this will do little to convert you. Still, it has more than enough sass, style and sentiment to keep the faithful satisfied. Add a star if you're a fan.

The storytelling is a little loose, but as a workplace comedy with a side-line in romance, this earns its laughs thanks to the immensely game Henson and a stellar supporting cast.

Deftly balancing multiple genres, Tornado’s occasional pacing issues are propelled by Jed Kurzel’s ferocious score, Robbie Ryan’s haunting cinematography, and standout performances from Kōki and Tim Roth.

A watchable, if by-the-book, documentary. It’s only a pity that the conventional storytelling hems in such a deeply unconventional director.

Weirdly, the film’s problem is that it revs up the tension so much that, like one character’s submersible sinking into the high pressure of the titular Abyss, it finally bursts. The climax – as Bud descends to defuse the nuke and meet the aliens – just doesn’t work.

A few plot holes hold back what is otherwise a well cast and compelling picture.

It’s "Ferris Bueller" with an existential crisis. Very funny and very weird.

What makes the film work is the double act between the two actors, and some great one-liners that pepper the script and cover up the fact there isn’t a great deal of originality in the plot.

A worthy but wordy look at the inequities of the US legal system, saved by a handful of terrific scenes and a tour-de-force turn from Washington.

Sokurov's use of space, religious symbolism and raw emotion compensate for any sense of exclusion.

It's a good job this works so well as a machine-made movie, because its grasp of political realities is nebulous.

Bleak, bewildering, and a bit bonkers. Kaufman’s uncompromising originality is always welcome — but you’ll need time to let this one percolate.

Coming off like a peculiar mash-up of The Host and Dr Strangelove, Shin Godzilla is weirdly paced but does add a new twist to the old formula.

Chekhov is notoriously difficult to film and this adaptation boldly taps into the play's mordant wit. But the fidgety and over-emphatic visuals detract from the themes and the stellar performances.

An improvement on the first film, in the end, and an encouraging rallying cry against fear and intolerance, but it’s still far too busy and baroque to match its leading lady’s elegance.

While it doesn’t capture the magic of the original, this Halloween brings much-needed closure to a troubled franchise, with Curtis excellent and Michael Myers pleasingly terrifying again.

Casablanca Beats hits a lot of clichés on the educational-drama cue sheet, but still manages to find bracing new variations on the formula. The lesson plan is familiar, but it’s still worth attending this school of rap.

While never scaling any great heights, there's lots of little points - and some bigger ones, like the pairing of the leads - to enjoy.

His unique vision as a committed artist and unrepentantly crude joker makes this sweet, disarming, intelligent fun.

Karate Kid: Legends doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its Cobra Kai-meets-Mr Han marketing. But for breezy feel-goodness, you’ve come to the right dojo.

Though it delivers some entertaining comedy and bloodshed, Candyman is clunky and overly instructive in its metaphorical purpose — killing subtext as often as it does anyone foolish enough to summon the eponymous spirit.

Laurent's brushstrokes always feel a little too broad to capture the finer details of the legendary New Wavers, but some fascinating archive footage saves his documentary from missing the mark altogether.

Dated even at the time of release this nevertheless has a comic performance from Walter Matthau worth catching.

This sequel is still considerably funnier than the original, with the male leads excelling in their roles.

Resurrections suffers from an identity crisis, going from being supremely fun and knowing to weirdly pedestrian. It’s a slippery mish-mash— entertaining in big bursts but ultimately a little hollow.

Fans of the original won't be disappointed, but ultimately it's just another decent, arguably unnecessary, '70s horror remake.

Definitely of the so-bad-it's-almost-good genre, this kinda stands the test of time in a camp way, mainly because of the charm of Pfeiffer and Carrington.

After a strong start, the story ceases to challenge itself and its characters, offering easy options and a Prozac-soft finish.

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

In avoiding narration, interviews, music or any traditional method to draw the audience in, the film has a cold, unengaging feel, leaving it mostly for art buffs who like seeing taxidermied bears having their hair fastidiously cleaned with a tiny toothbrush.

Brand fan? You'll likely enjoy his antics. But Russellophobics would be better off seeking out the original.

It's a good story, well told.

Odenkirk as an ageing action hero is still a violent delight, but the storytelling in this sequel leaves much to be desired.

A daring, formally audacious yet messy ode to cinema from one of the most enterprising filmmakers working today. Bravura and baffling in equal measure. Strap in.

An inspired middle-hour pumped by some solid action gives you an idea how good the franchise could be, but we now live in a post-Bourne, recalibrated-Bond universe, where Ethan Hunt looks a bit lost.

An unlikely buddy comedy that comes to life whenever Kingsley appears - he doesn't so much steal the show as roll it into a fat blunt and smoke it.

This is maximum-gloss entertainment with its fair share of tricksy rug-pulls. But, like one of the neon-coloured cocktails Smith drinks in it, it’s more of an immediate rush than something you’ll remember in a year.

An interesting and catchy take on a traditional tale of repressed teenage rebellion.

This Is It delivers neither the full-on Jackson stage experience or a revealing portrait of his complex mindset. Yet it does not dishonour his memory and you can’t deny the power of the music.

With its bestial themes, conceptual humour and cartoonish thespians, this consciously arch farce will intrigue some and infuriate others.

Though it can be predictable and a little simple, The Bad Guys 2 smooths over some of the frustrations of the first — bringing a sharper and (slightly) more mature sense of humour to its compellingly cartoonish animation.

It’s juvenilia, straight-up goofballing, but there is a tittering innocence at work here.

Average example of MadMaxploitation.

Blue Beetle owes a lot to the sheer wit and warmth of its supporting cast, which will earn it far more approval than its so-so CG antics and origin-story familiarity.

Weighted by a reliably mesmeric performance from Alan Cumming, this visually varied doc misses an opportunity to ask big questions, but still manages to pack a punch on a small scale.

A safe, effectively jumpy transfer of Alien to the depths that restores the fear of Jaws into an environment momentarily softened by The Abyss.

Messier than recent Hammer output, but effectively chilling when it’s not making us feel the noize.

A no-holds-barred assault on hollywood cop sensibilities that could have benefited from more comic diversions.

It would like to be "Traffic" with guns, but comes out more like "Blow" with bullets.

An important story of injustice inspires but fails to fully ignite, despite two towering central performances from Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan.

The young cast, which resembles a collection of Gerald Scarfe illustrations, acquits itself reasonably well, but is too ordinary to be heroic. And, once action is introduced into the mix, Barry Levinson'’s direction falters.

Not up there with the best King adaptations, but a fun Gothic yarn that, like all good ghost stories, is simple and dripping with dread.

More The Magnificent Seven than American Sniper, this flag-waving true story is an effective — if overly simplistic — neo-Western that's eventually carried over the line by a sparky ensemble cast.

Vice Versa knows its place and, rather than attempting anything oddball, sticks close to the body swap formula in order to gain a decent smattering of laughs. No classic, but a watchable comedy that will find an audience.

A slow-burn, sluggishly surreal horror, The Feast takes its time getting to the point — but the bloody final act is something to really sink your teeth into.

Funny and unthreatening, it's not subversive but it's plenty of fun.

You’ll long for a slightly smoother animation style (Pixar won’t be quaking in their boots), but this surprisingly fun yarn will undoubtedly have youngsters reaching for the nearest guitar.

Herself tells a compelling story, but combining a tough realist drama about domestic abuse and homelessness with an optimistic tale of solidarity weakens the foundations of this otherwise admirable film.

Despite the luminous Lombard and the venomous March, this is perhaps better for its idea than its execution.

With Hercules, Brett Ratner and Dwayne Johnson are out to entertain you — no more, no less. And that is just what they do.

Entertaining Sunday afternoon stuff.

Yippee-ki-yay! Willis still has the goods.

A comic take on Rear Window, Badham's latest has the acting talent to carry it over the sizeable gulfs in plot to an end product that brings laughs aplenty.

Slightly weird, occasionally funny thriller.

Odd, but intriguing.

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.

Jeremy Hersh’s debut is naturalistic and well played. If it initially lacks momentum and oomph, the film becomes a multi-faceted look at issues surrounding surrogacy, anchored by Jasmine Batchelor’s central performance as a woman forced to make a life-changing decision.

Like most of the recent exports from Apatown, Get Him To The Greek -- aka Russell Brand’s My Filmy Wilm -- is patchy, but home-run hilarious from time to time. If only it didn’t detour into darkness so often, this could have been a genuine treat.

Another solid directorial effort from the occasional filmmaker.

As a visceral, camera-shuddery ride into foamy-mouthed zombie hell, it’s efficient enough -- but if you’ve already seen [Rec], steer clear...

Intense direction (Pekinpah) coupled with assured acting (McQueen).

A bizarre, intriguing combination of political allegory and old-fashioned paranoid horror.

A fiendishly effective holiday-gone-wrong thriller that's better at cranking up the agoraphobic action than fleshing out its characters. Still, it'll find few fans at the Mexican Tourist Board...

In its best scenes, it adds dynamism and British grit to a genre that had previously tried to get by on atmospherics and mood alone. It manages to be shocking without being especially frightening, and its virtues of performance and style remain striking.

An often amusing reimagining of Bronze Age history 
that, while it doesn’t quite match the best of Aardman, is still solid family entertainment.