Some likeable performances — and solid Irish accents — can’t save a dreary parade of clichés. Pray that the Lord forgives these cinematic sins.

In the hands of bolder storytellers this could have been a witty take on "E. T."

A lean, atmospheric and acutely creepy little horror pic - nothing more, nothing less.

A TV show expansion that is much better than expected. Kids will be there on the double to lap it up, and adults will find it tolerable, which is about as much as you can hope for. But we won't rest for one second until we find out what's happened to Everest. Bring in Benoit Bark to solve the mystery next time around.

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.

Like Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody is three parts good but not terribly exciting, and one part absolute joyful, fabulous entertainment that makes you forget everything else around it.

Old friends and new voice talent will delight kids with a never-ending love for the most undemanding animation out there. A megabucks franchise drifts on.

See-saws between straight superhero movie and parody, with layers of soap-opera fudge in between. A lot of solid scenes - but Hancock lacks the power of super-coherence.

A disappointingly straightforward, romance-driven take on a fascinating story of creation, but one that’s lifted by a superb central performance by Elle Fanning.

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

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.

Too glossy to evoke real sexual tension or, more crucially in this genre, fear, Laura Mars suffers from the over complication of something so simple as serial killing.

The action is first-class, and Brad Pitt and Aaron Taylor-Johnson are having a blast — but with all that hyperactive style and cartoonish violence, you’ll be ready to disembark by its final destination.

Heavy-handed in places and bad news for the Detroit Tourist Commission, this is still a slick, fun ensemble piece and a step back in the right direction for Singleton.

Light on laughs, and even lighter on drama, Kyle Mooney’s throwback high-school romcom/tech-horror shifts uneasily between its various modes and tones, but never finds its groove.

Minus a couple of brisk, black laughs, this hollow remake botches the twists and sucks the fun right out of its feisty source.

Amsterdam suffers from a surfeit of story detail without the vigour to whizz you through it. It has likable leads and the craft is on point, but the result, given all the talent involved, is a tonally uneasy disappointment — a romp that fails to romp.

What lifts this at key moments is the outstanding Phoenix's simpatico performance and we can add to the credit side happy casting that for once has assembled actresses and actors who really do resemble each other and present plausible siblings.

Dynamite action. This is a good bet for a night with the lads. And weedy girlies can at least wake up every ten minutes when Denz takes his top off.

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.

Like a lot of remakes, Downhill doesn’t quite make the argument for its existence. But career-topping performances from Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus and an unusually frosty comedic tone make this a mostly rewarding day on the slopes.

Sumptuous to look at, with some decent performances but Branagh's attempt at this gothic horror just doesn't hold together convincingly and fails to engage.

Witty and moving, this is a low-budget Brit triumph that marks its director as a talent to watch.

Either choose to dwell on Little’s formulaic storyline, or be charmed by the confident comedic performances of its three stars. One will lead to an infinitely more fun time at the movies.

It is a noble aim, and Reynolds drenches his movie in earthy, muddy tones.

It’ll pass the time easily enough for young viewers, but everyone else will wish they were spirited away on a more sophisticated adventure.

An amazing exercise in character development which successfully shows the character as they were in the first film and as they are now. It is flawed in the basics, but often delightful in detail.

This comedy holds few surprises, bar the realisation that Hal is Zora's father. After that it's dysfunctional family comedy all the way. But this proves to be no bad thing. Goldberg and Danson handle the material with their usual panache, while a young Smith gives a steady post-Fresh Prince supporting role.