Fun musical numbers and cartoonish humour give way to a bland sermon about the evils of the music industry.

While the sun shines, it’s a four-star thriller with a superb turn from Smith. When the moon rises, it’s a two-star horror cartoon with some of the worst FX we’ve seen all year. So, really, it has to average out at…

An engaging melodrama whose less convincing plot points are superseded by some astonishingly affecting performances from the mostly unknown cast.

Not quite a complete write-off, but basically a folly.

The kind of film the tabloids will call to ban. Don't take that as a reason to see it.

Gorgeous cinematography, a lilting score and near-faultless performances, under Wright’s assured direction, make this the first contender for next year’s Best Picture Oscar.

A crushing disappointment for fans and a scuppered opportunity for a cinematic event. That the first book has been so mishandled doesn’t bode well for the (already greenlit) more complicated ones to come.

As in Cocoon, the emphasis is on sentiment, feel-good and reclaiming the elderly from the scrapheap. But the performances are nowhere near as subtle.

Attempting to encompass too many genres dulls the overall effect but this still commands a certain fascination.

A sharp-edged, sweet-centred, warm-hearted coming-of-age movie that’s always just that little bit smarter than you think it is.

A poignant reflection on what it means to be alive and, visually, a true cinematic experience.

An enjoyable satire is let down by a third act that juggles too many ideas for its own good.

A richly nuanced American comedy, with two acting talents working at their absolute peak.

Even thought it's the third such effort to employ handheld camera in a zombie flick, this has more than enough shocks to hold its own.

Unapologetically preposterous, but it is a (very sweet) fairy tale and Highmore is captivating.

It’s essentially, y’know, for kids, but the dedicated fairy tale fan will have tons of fun spotting all the references. Adams, meanwhile, gives one of the comedy performances of the year.

An extraordinary attempt to encapsulate the many faces of Bob Dylan that plays better to the convert than the sceptic. Like the nasal twang of the man in question, the film finally beguiles more than it irritates.

Criminally overlooked in the States, this is one of the best horror movies of the last few years.

Like mum's home-made comfort food, it's warming but not really that good for you.

It’s not a reinvention of the wheel, but in 3D this is an astonishing experience that borders on ‘must-see’, and raises the bar for what James Cameron is planning with Avatar. And you’ll be glad to know that the creepy dead eyes thing has been fixed.

A sharply observed but bleak examination of family dysfunction, anchored by solid performances.

Structurally it’s a bit ragtag, but, as your mum would say, it has its heart in the right place. For all its wilful oddness it’s enchanting, imaginative and genuinely moving.

De Palma is incapable of making a dull movie, but poor performances and a see-sawing tone make this an unsatisfying experience.

A bold and sometimes garbled take on modern American politics, this nevertheless marks an effective and surprisingly funny comeback for a film that many deemed to be DOA.

It creates a seasonal glow, but inconsistencies keep Fred Claus off the ‘Nice’ list this Christmas.

A smart, accessible, surprisingly balanced look at our dysfunctional world. Compelling stuff.

Violent, poetic, gripping, thrilling and blackly funny: that’ll be the Coens doing what they do best then. Now with added humanity.

An entertaining romp through familiar cop-and-crim cat-and-mousery, bolstered by strong star turns from Washington and Crowe. Still, it has neither the intelligence nor the grip to jump from the merely good to the truly great.