6/10

There is a current fashion for nostalgic films about Paris, with The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc Sec, Midnight in Paris and Hugo all giving us their version of the Parisian past. Now there's an animated French film set in the same city, which is not at all bad.

6/10

Not so much Dances With Wolves as "Oh God, there's wolves everywhere, and they're trying to kill us!' - which I agree is not a very snappy title, but possibly better than The Grey, which conveys absolutely nothing at all.

7/10

It's a pity that this has come and gone from cinema screens so quickly, since it is an excellent film, but make sure you catch in on DVD; it would make an excellent double bill with Inside Job. This is my kind of film - talky, intelligent and dealing with the real world.

8/10

If ever there was a film that provided the adage/cliche that less is more, this is it. Short, simple, sweet and sophisticated, it says as much about love and relationships as two hundred other films based on the boy meets girl template.

7/10

Despite the endless and tiresome predictions of the demise of British cinema, each year young and imaginative directors somehow find the money to make films which are interesting, unusual and worth seeing. Last year there was Skeletons. In 2011, the award for originality on a low budget goes to this film by Will Sharpe and Tom Kingsley.

7/10

You have to admire Steven Soderbergh. Working with a speed and economy unmatched by any director other than Clint Eastwood, he knocks out his films at the rate of two or three a year, while his fellow directors struggle to manage one. And on this occasion he has produced an excellent thriller with an exceptional cast.

8/10

If you were wondering (or worrying) whether Steve McQueen could follow up the brilliance of Hunger with another stunning piece of work, set your mind at rest. He has produced a second superb film, equally challenging, beautiful and original.

6/10

It's hard to imagine what the real Maggie Thatcher would make of this film, if indeed she would make anything of it. We are led to believe that she is in the advanced stages of dementia and incapable of recognising anything very much. But if she did watch the movie, she might feel that she came out of it pretty well.

6/10

At this time of year, there is hot (or in the case of Happy Feet Two, cold) competition for the kiddie audience, and since animals are always an important ingredient, the dancing penguins are trumped by the cute cats.

7/10

If you have read the original novel, and/or seen the Swedish movie, you will find no plot surprises here. With one or two minor exceptions, this film stays faithful to both the content and the spirit of the book. So why go and see it? Because it is directed by David Fincher, and he is a director who knows how to make films.

8/10

Ralph Fiennes has been a major presence on cinema screens for nearly 20 years, since he came to prominence as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights and Amon Goeth in Schindler's List. He has never yet appeared in a Shakespeare film, nor has he directed a movie. This rectifies both omissions, with great success.

8/10

It's been seven years since Alexander Payne made Sideways, but it's been worth the wait since his new film is as good if not better - apart from the title which is awful.

9/10

This is the first film I saw at Toronto (2011), and it's one of the best films I've seen in a very long time. There's no way it could be improved, and I hope everyone will go and see it. Yes, it's that good.

6/10

Aardman fllms will always be measured against the yardstick of Wallace & Gromit, which may be unfair, but is inevitable. By that standard, Arthur Christmas is enjoyable, but not memorable. Fine for kids, OK for grownups.

7/10

Andrew Logan has been organising The Alternative Miss World contests for well over 30 years - though contest is something of a misnomer. Jez Benstock's charming and witty documentary captures perfectly the mood of anarchically creative mayhem that is the result of Andrew's efforts.

7/10 (Laurence Turner)

Those hoping for the next high concept Apocalypse-fest in the vein of 2012 or The Day After Tomorrow will be sorely disappointed with Take Shelter. The film is not big on explosive thrills. Instead, this belongs in a new breed of films dealing with an ominous, unstoppable but distinctly oblique threat (see also the mysterious, looming planet in Von Trier’s recent Melancholia, or the unnamed global devastation that befalls the characters in the recent adaptation of The Road).

7/10

Terence Davies directs Terence Rattigan in an adaptation of a play that is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Rachel Weisz plays the wife of a High Court judge who embarks on a passionate relationship with an ex-RAF pilot (Tom Hiddleston) with has a drinking problem.

6/10

Nanni Moretti's new film might sound like an Italian version of The King's Speech, but in fact it is an altogether different kettle of fish, though not an entirely satisfactory experience.

7/10

I love political films. I think Clooney is a great star, and a fine director. I adore Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Ryan Gosling, Jeffrey Wright and Marisa Tomei. This is my kind of film, and even though it's not perfect, it's a lot better than 90% of everything else out there.

7/10

It's always a pleasant surprise when a film is better than you expect, and this movie proves that it doesn't matter if a story has been told before, as long as it is told well. As this one is.