Filmmaker Bob Weide’s relationship with Kurt Vonnegut may detract from a more incisive critical portrait but it is sweetly etched, and the unparalleled access provides a comical, compelling profile of a singular figure in 20th-century American letters.

A delightfully obscene alternative to the usual Christmas tosh.

A story with all the qualities of a classic LA noir is given a very effective spin by transposing it to politically charged Cairo. It’s angry, frustrated and thrilling.

It’s not as effective as Mandy or The Mist, both of which it evokes at points. But Color Out Of Space is still an audacious and admirably out-there attempt at cosmic horror.

The cast hurls itself into the comic-book violence, while the stunt choreography and razor-sharp editing are exhilarating.

A witty, stylish and imaginative variation on the vampire movie.

The guy story is so strong that conventional romantic interludes with the woman torn between two men could easily have been dropped.

This is LaBeouf at his best, stripped down to his bare elements and bookended by two luminous performances from Gottsagen and Johnson. A lightly flawed script may lack Huckleberry Finn epicness, but warms the heart with its parental tenderness.

A hilarious, unexpectedly heartbreaking farce that proves that Chris Morris is still a hugely important voice in telling the stories that we find hardest to hear.

A different beast to Past Lives, this is a razor-sharp look at the competitive marketplace of dating: both rigorously honest and idealistically romantic.

A work of beautiful rage.

Restrained but promising stuff from Keough and Gemmells, who exhibit strong world-building and lightness of filmmaking touch. A moving exploration of fatherhood, racial tension and reservation life.

This is textbook Wes Anderson without falling back on old tricks. The rich world of The Phoenician Scheme can be a lot to take in, but what a view it is.

One of those sunny-natured indie comedies that comes out of nowhere to put a smile on your face.

Bewildering in all the right ways, this is a poetic, sublime interpretation of a sorry story. An evocative, emotional experience, it pits humanity against inhumanity, resulting in something refreshingly new.

With Ahmed and James’ connection holding it together, this is a tight, tense throwback to the paranoid thrillers of yesteryear that just about sticks the landing.

A strangely affecting romance with real heart -- and another sign that Gosling is one of the best young actors around.

A refreshingly low-key treatment of teenage trauma, with a lovely star performance and an unforgettable approach to orthodontics.

Uncomfortable viewing which isn't afraid to engage with race-related violence.

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.

This plays up Lee's heroic accomplishments perhaps more than necessary, but it's impossible to deny the power of the basic thrust of his life story, or the spectacular fight sequences.

A beautifully realised adaptation of a profoundly affecting novel. Intelligent sci-fi provides the backdrop, while in the foreground is a trio of truly impressive performances from Mulligan, Knightley and Garfield.

Jack Nicholson as The Joker helpfully provides all the colour.

A rip-roaring, bloody slice of Russian genre cinema that combines a tightly plotted narrative with a stylish command of craft to hugely entertaining, immersive effect.

It may be too slow for some tastes, but Babel remains emotionally bruising but compulsive viewing.

An exhilarating riff on the cop-thriller drama by a director at the top of his game -- Herzog is also at his most accessible here -- powered by an incendiary performance from Nicolas Cage. A very bad lieutenant, then. And a bloody good film.

Some days a runaway train movie just hits the spot.

No less lovely than former films, in many ways lovelier, but Brave is boutique Pixar: less ambitious, more succinct, excellence at a lower ebb.