Beautiful understated performance from Colin Firth in a film that gathers momentum. 8/10
Joyful movie but watch out for that tear-jerker of an opening. 8/10
Intelligent, disturbing, and highly unusual sci-fi with more than a tip of the hat to 2001. Excellent. 10/10
Silly, but funny. Nice cameo from the man himself.
Really one for the film nuts. Its importance in the world of cinema was a bit lost on me, though it is “a classic”. 5/10
Yawn. Next. Overrated from the much fêted Charlie Kaufman, who drifts into the self-indulgent here despite a cast to die for. If you want to see Michelle Williams in something good – check out Wendy & Lucy that I saw the day before. 4/10
Michelle Williams proving how versatile she is in this low-budget touching film that feels very close to a true story. 9/10
Interesting, but not engaging enough and too languid. 6/10
Fantastical and amazing in Imax format (even if I was sitting a bit too close to the front). Feels too much like an adaptation rather than a film in its own right. 7/10
Powerful documentary about Hurricane Katrina
Very much an authorized documentary that opened an interesting door on Annie Leibovitz, one of the 20th century’s great photographers. 8/10
Not Alex Gibney’s finest work – but an entertaining docudrama about Hunter S. Thompson. 7/10
Extremely bizarre Dennis Hopper film that possibly should never have been made. Dennis was supposed to turn up for Q&A, but pulled out. Possibly that was the plan all along. Meta. 5/10
More serious than one might imagine from the posters. Brolin ensures Dubya is a three-dimensional character. Decent but a bit long, while Toby Jones as Karl Rove slightly steals the movie. 7/10
This Hungarian film is peculiar and ponderous. I’m glad I saw it, wouldn’t watch it again. 6/10
Excellent debut film by Courtney Hunt. What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in plot and acting, with Melissa Leo superb in the lead role. 9/10
Very hyped French film with non-actors playing most of the kids. Good but not great and although based on a true story, too many scenes later on feel too contrived. Enjoyable, but doesn’t live up the billing. 6/10
Not my favourite Atom Egoyan film. It has some interesting ideas, but never really hangs together like his other classics. Still a class apart from most filmmakers though. 7/10
Wonderful, surprising, charming. The highlight of the 2008 London Film Festival for me. 9/10
Hilarious spoof. Bond meets Austin Powers in this highly enjoyable French film. 9/10