The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)

"Gilliam struggles to create a coherent frame for his visual ambition."

Adventureland (2009)

"An Indie romcom which doesn’t pile on the contrived quirkiness and instead concentrates on being believable, smart and sweet."

The Class (2008)

"Don't let the aura of subtitles and arthouse put you off - this is probably the finest schoolroom drama ever made."

Gran Torino (2008)

"Relentlessly gripping, wryly funny yet profoundly moving – another movie masterclass from Clint."

A Serious Man (2009)

"A bold, unique, exquisite gem."

American Teen (2008)

"Anyone who doesn’t like it can stay behind after class."

Angels & Demons (2009)

"Avoiding the pitfalls of The Da Vinci Code, the eventful follow-up makes plenty of its own mis-steps. We now have renewed respect for the corny, endearingly unpretentious National Treasure movies."

Bruno (2009)

"With as many gasps as laughs, and arguably less pleasurable than Borat, Brüno succeeds by sheer dint of Cohen’s unrivalled ability to conceive, and then bravely enact, the most jawdropping stunts imaginable."

Couples Retreat (2009)

"Universal’s latest is merely adequate, and will likely be best enjoyed by the happily indulgent and mildly inebriated."

District 9 (2009)

"Who knew that a movie that begins like an Apartheid spin on Brazilian ghetto drama City Of God, then mutates into The Fly, would wind up pushing some emotional buttons in a way reminiscent of ET?"

Fighting (2009)

"If you want to see a shirtless hunk knocking the shit out of fierce fighters, who better to do it than gorgeous hottie Channing Tatum."

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009)

"Jokes only get you so far, and The Goods gets increasingly bogged down in its uninspired plotlines. Ferrell's cameo is a particular lowpoint."

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

"After the clumsy storytelling and hollow action of some of this summer’s Hollywood blockbusters, Yates’ latest Potter is a shining beacon of quality."

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

"Tarantino likes action, but more than anything he likes seeing actors delivering the dialogue he wrote for them. In the case of the surprising, original Inglourious Basterds, we are happy to indulge him."

Is Anybody There? (2009)

"Whether by accident or design, Is Anybody There? shares its youthful lead and ‘80s setting with funny, inventive Son Of Rambow. It hasn’t emerged from its shadow."

Knowing (2009)

"It probably helps that the trailer flatlined our expectations, but the engaging, unconventional Knowing certainly qualifies as a pleasant surprise."

Looking for Eric (2009)

"Call it Looking For Box Office: king of gritty social realism Loach has made a wonderful feel-good hit."

Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)

"DreamWorks Animation tries something new, but we prefer its talking-animal comedies Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda."

Notorious (2009)

"It’s ultimately a generic music biopic."

Orphan (2009)

"Preposterous in all the right ways, Orphan is this week's true guilty pleasure."

Public Enemies (2009)

"A film more to admire than to love."

Star Trek (2009)

"Star Trek is fresh, funny, exciting and – biggest surprise of all – emotionally engaging."

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

"Now that all the summer’s blockbusters have shot their load, there could be room in the market for this solidly entertaining thriller remake. But your life would hardly be impoverished if you skipped it."

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

"New Moon flirts with various treatment methods – rehab, alternative medication – before giving us the fix we crave. Fans will not be disappointed."

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

"This time, the words really should be believed: a massive return to form for Woody Allen. No lie. At this rate, we might even forgive him for Cassandra’s Dream."