For all its bleak edges, The Angels’ Share warms like a sip of the good stuff.

Say what you like about director Justin Lin’s lack of subtlety (or understanding of the laws of physics), but he knows how to kick-start an action movie.

As time passes, a real sadness creeps in as we suspect that we might be witnessing the extinction of a species, though an inspired sight gag is never far away. This is a film that needs to be seen to be believed.

Engagingly off-centre, like Charlie Kaufman taking down Quentin Tarantino, this sunbaked shaggy-dog story is a place-holder film for McDonagh, and often closer to chaos than it is to genius.

Despite the odd awkward tonal gear shift, Knight’s origin story makes refreshingly light work of its uphill climb, fuelled by wit and warmth. And – crucially – with better songs on the retro-tape deck.

An intense and gripping dramatization that, a few liberties apart, does justice to a disturbing true story.

Noirish touches flesh out the wispy plot, yet it’s the old-school animation that engages most: lending clarity to the emotions at stake, ensuring our sickly hero’s resilience tugs on the heart.

Sharp and shiny as the jewellery its twisted teens pilfer, Coppola’s cautionary tale eschews action for angsting about celeb- obsessed culture. Worth it just to hear Watson snarl “I wanna ROB!”

Mixing candid talking heads with scarcely believable video footage, Miller’s taut narrative shifts gears (black comedy, thriller, even a love story), but is mostly driven by outrage at the powers that be.

“You did well!” Bening tells Driver. Writer/director Burns deserves the same praise, and more besides.

Joachim Lafosse’s drama is an unsentimentally observed, credibly acted study of a marriage turned sour.

With recriminations turning to compassion, the film sings when these French titans share the screen, Deneuve’s loose cannon a mixture of hedonism and terror. If only the other scenes were as compelling.

A curious hybrid of grim fairytale and gory horror, del Toro’s ninth feature is striking but sorely lacking in surprises. Great ghosts, but del Toro is capable of so much more.

Amini’s film offers elegant pleasures and holds the interest – but it never grips as it should.

It may not dazzle as much as Attack the Block, but Cornish’s second feature is a fun family adventure.

Eddie Redmayne shines as a transgender trailblazer. But a stiff love story and stately staging make this Danish too sweet…

Zellweger knocks it out of the park, lighting up this punchy and moving late-life biopic with big-hearted, big-voiced panache.

King’s flair for transposing peak British TV comedy’s character to film is also apparent, thanks to a fine support haul of Peep Show and Ghosts alumni.

Freestyle, funny but finally just too repetitive, Ice's affectionate home-movie needed someone to structure it into a deeper documentary.

A taut, chilling little horror-thriller making maximum use of minimal resources to tap into our primal fears of the unknown.

Based on an oft-adapted ’60s sci-fi novel, this charming, visually fertile film captures the conflicted emotions of first love and embarrassment of being a teen with real sensitivity.

Jordan’s apparent resolve to make an anti-Twilight unfortunately results in a movie that, if not for a fistful of moments of shock, style and excess, would be as drained of colour and tension as Ronan’s victims are of hemoglobin.

Like marriage, White Noise might not be exactly what most expect going in… but there’s fun to be had in the many surprises it throws your way.

Director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) tells this pandemic-era David-and-Goliath story energetically.

Simple but effective, The Good Dinosaur doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s still damn fine family entertainment. Slow to get going, it comes into its own when its heroes buddy up.

Despite suffering from middle-act wobbles, The Desolation Of Smaug nevertheless delivers rousing action, incredible visuals and one stupendous dragon.

It isn't perfect but this reboot's wins outweigh its wobbles. The leads charm, the action crackles and the grooves are well-laid for part two. Untold story? Next time, then.

It's definitely the 'other' Gordon-Levitt film out this month, but this silly cycler whizzes by amiably. Star charm helps: JGL's enjoyment in his job adds welcome levels of Levitt-y.