Kiss Me Deadly (US, 1955)

Superior, stylish, mysterious late-noir.

Amen (FR/RO/DE, 2002)

Recounts the actions of SS Man Kurt Gerstein whose efforts to alert the Vatican to Nazi atrocities in the East were largely ignored.

It's a rather long film, and perhaps lacking in comparison with other similar WWII dramas.

Post Mortem (Chile, 2010)

An offbeat, morbid and easy to follow yet puzzling film, with some nice pastel tone photography .

The Inbetweeners Movie (UK, 2011)

Entertaining depiction of four suburban lads between seconday school and further education/working lives, as they head off on their first major trip abroad. There's sun, booze, chicks, gross-out moments and laughs aplenty.

Melancholia (DK/SE/FR/DE, 2011)

Divided into 2 segments, each told from the perspective of sisters Justine (Nina Persson lookalike Kirsten Dunst) and Claire (the always sincere and watchable Charlotte Gainsbourg).

The first part charts the disintegration of Justine's nuptial celebrations. The second meanwhile deals with the run-up to a one-off cosmic event: the appearance of stray planet Melancholia.

The cinematography is strong throughout and in places inventive and beautiful. Can't say I've ever been a fan of Lars Von Trier, but have always been a doom lover.

One of the year's better movies.

Midnight in Paris (US/FR, 2011)

A magic realism taxi (yes) draws American screenwriter Gil deep into Paris' early C20 golden age, trotting out a predictable succession of its luminaries - Picasso, Hemmingway, Dali - inspiration surely for his upcoming novel...meanwhile his bride-to-be is unwilling to join in his late night city excursions, and they begin to grow apart.

Talked up as being one of his best and a strong return to form, this is fairly regular Woody Allen fare.

Tyrannosaur (UK, 2011)

Peter Mullen as the angry and frustrated council-house dweller, prone to aggressive outbursts, yet retaining morality and decency. Olivia Colman's Hannah plays the outwardly well-to-do charity shop worker whose home situation is anything but desirable.

The scenes of inter-class tenderness may seem a tad idealistic, and it's sometimes heavy viewing. Both lead performances very good.

The Leopard/Il Gattopardo (IT, 1963)

Set in Sicily around the time of Italian Unification, this screen adaptation of the novel of the same name impresses with opulent sets, authentic costumes and fine scenery. It's a little on the boring side though - one for the Italophiles and/or history buffs.