NITRAMInto the abyss of one of our greatest tragedies

A haunting, at times gothic, ultimately overwhelming look into the abyss of a man who saw pain and chose to laugh. And it is one of the most important, powerful and accomplished films of the year.

DEAR EVAN HANSENA disappointing, misguided adaptation of the award-winning musical

This film adaptation delivers barely a whimper. It doesn't serve the material, it doesn't serve Ben Platt, doesn't serve Evan Hansen and, most of all, doesn't serve its audience.

THE FIRST WIVES CLUBSisters are still doin' it for themselves 25 years later

The film is tremendously entertaining, wickedly funny and, at times, enormously silly. But it has persisted as a cultural icon largely thanks to its surprisingly powerful subtext.

MALIGNANTAnother bombastic horror rollercoaster from the great James Wan

You'll jump, you'll scream, you'll look away, you'll giggle, you'll gasp and you'll leap out of your seat with joy, and emerge back out into the sun still tingling from the adrenaline rush.

CHILDREN OF MEN15 years at the end of the world with Alfonso Cuarón's masterpiece

It's one of the finest films ever made, but not because it is clever or technically impressive. It's a masterpiece because it is humane, as humane as one could ever hope for cinema to be.

ANNETTEA musical fantasy that never reaches the heights it aims for

Leos Carax is a purveyor of dreams, and 'Annette' is a gorgeous dream to swim in, even just to see and hear the many sights it has to offer.

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDONBeware the moon on the 40th anniversary of a horror classic

After 40 years, there are still very few films like it. It could be called a classic comedy or a classic horror film, but it is undeniably a classic.

LUCAPixar's gorgeous ode to the art of acceptance

It isn't only a story on the art of being accepted, but also the art of allowing yourself to be accepted, to be vulnerable enough to allow yourself to be seen by others as who you are.

MARTIN EDENA frustratingly dull portrait of an artist as a young man

This find will leave you exhausted from trying to do the work the film seemed disinclined to do itself, to imbue itself with the same life and passion and fury of its protagonist.

IN THE HEIGHTSA dazzling screen adaptation of the modern musical classic

A special kind of film musical miracle, dazzling and bright and life-affirming, an adaptation that digs under your skin and sends bolts of electricity through your heart every time you think about it.

MCelebrating the 90th anniversary of Fritz Lang's masterpiece

This is not a film that leaves you with clear answers. By the end, it's hard to know how to feel about Hans Beckert. What we are left with is how inadequate the binary concepts of good and evil are.

CITIZEN KANECelebrating the 80th anniversary of the great American masterpiece

You expect a dusty old object, lofty in its legacy, but once the dust was wiped away, it's full of staggering dynamism and power. 'Citizen Kane' is one of the greatest films of all time.

FRENCH EXITA farcical and ridiculous delight

Michelle Pfeiffer's tremendous central performance, full of camp and acid and sadness, would be enough of a reason to see this, but it's all the more rewarding for how complete an experience it is.

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGONA solid return to form for Walt Disney Animation Studios

The legacy of Disney animation has been to speak to the deep emotional truths of the human experience in a way that is accessible to anyone, and this is a worthy part of that legacy.

THE TRUFFLE HUNTERSJoy and dedication in the dirt of Northern Italy

A gorgeous film, one that leaves you with a profound sense of the beauty of time, tradition and integrity, and the importance of preserving them.

ABOUT ENDLESSNESSA magical journey through Roy Andersson's field of dreams

A reinvigorating experience, a bowl of the best chicken soup you've ever had. It's a piece of pure poetry, a work of deep and generous humanity.

NOMADLANDThe extraordinary Chloé Zhao delivers another American classic

An extraordinary film from an extraordinary artist with extraordinary stories to tell, and you can't help but feel that same call of the open road and the vastness of the sky.

MONSTER HUNTERA meandering, mundane monstrosity

This isn't fun. It's too loud, too hard to follow, too bonkers to be appealing, and not anywhere near bonkers enough to be good for a laugh. It yells aggressively at you for an hour and a half.

KING KONGThe sound and fury of Peter Jackson's epic on its 15th anniversary

Peter Jackson's 'King Kong' still feels like cinema of the impossible. It certainly deserves to be celebrated as a grand, magnificent film that was almost a masterpiece.

END OF THE CENTURYThe exquisite beauty of love that could have been

Though barely an hour and a half long, it somehow dares to ask enormous questions about love and longing and desire that very few queer films on the relationships of gay men have asked before.

THE WORLD AT WARThe landmark documentary series restored in high definition

It's hard to imagine another documentary series doing a better job at capturing the full, furious scope of the Second World War. It wholly deserves its reputation as a landmark television series.

MANKA dazzling damnation of the hypocrisy of power

Rather than a burst of cinematic energy, this is a meticulous, subtle film. David Fincher asks what the point of cinema is - and in the process, may have delivered the best film of the year.

DAVID FINCHER, RANKEDThe darkness and the soul of a legendary filmmaker

Daniel rewatched the legendary director's films in chronological order to work out why his work is so affecting and inspiring.

DAVID BYRNE'S AMERICAN UTOPIAOne of the greatest concert films ever made

A celebration of everything that makes us human, and the dream that is what America could be. It's one of the best films of the year, and one of the greatest concert films ever made.

AMMONITEFrancis Lee delivers another beautiful portrait of love and longing

A beautiful, soulful and intelligent film, made with honesty, integrity and an unexpected sense of humour that breaks through the rock encasing it.

TOTALLY UNDER CONTROLWatching the dominos fall in the U.S. pandemic catastrophe

The story at the centre of this documentary is not one of mistakes and misfortune, but of a known danger being alerted and then wilfully ignored. It's certainly a film that feels necessary right now.

AN AMERICAN PICKLEAn uneven comedy that hasn't quite fermented enough

Its greatest assets are Seth Rogen's performances and first-time director Brandon Trost, who shows great potential, but it has an uneven flavour, where the many ingredients don't come together.

SERVANTSAn austere glimpse behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia

While it's certainly impressive, filled with striking cinematography and flashes where we glimpse the strange, surreal world behind the Iron Curtain, it feels like an unfinished film.

MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS: THE COMPLETE SERIESSketches at a revolution

It speaks to the intellectual and primal all at once, to our desire to make sense of the chaos of life while also encouraging us to embrace it. 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' is a miracle.

BOYS STATEA revelation on the power of politics and young minds

An absolute revelation, a blockbuster of a documentary, a rollercoaster ride of endless shocks and surprises, and easily one of the best films of the year.

SHIRLEYA hypnotic dreamscape of one of the greatest writers of all time

It is pure Shirley Jackson and yet entirely a work of its own, and one of the best films of the year so far - one that you'll feel watching you just beyond your periphery long after it is over.

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELDA rhapsodic delight on taking ownership of our own stories

It brims over with humanity, humour and heart, and reminds us of the importance of these things for a rich and satisfying life. This is an absolute gem of a film, and one of the best of the year.

WAR OF THE WORLDS15th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's darkest nightmare

15 years on, it has not lost one ounce of its power. This speaks to its incredible craft and unwavering convictions, but also because the collapse it depicts is a nightmare that has never gone away.

STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACKCelebrating the 40th anniversary of the legendary sequel

'Empire' reminds us of what lies at the very heart of the 'Star Wars' saga and brings us back to the most thrilling of all the theatres of storytelling - ourselves.

WATERLOOAn epic recreation of the legendary battle

As difficult as it is to emotionally engage with, 'Waterloo' is still an impressive production, and certainly a film that deserves attention.

SORRY, WRONG NUMBERAn inventive slice of 1940s film noir

Its narrative, visual inventiveness and a thoroughly engaging plot make it an enjoyable journey into 1940s film noir.

I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACEThe world Blu-ray debut of a 1950s sci-fi curio

It doesn't stray too far from the run-of-the-mill 50s sci-fi that has become a pop-culture cliché, but it offers audiences something more substantial than the usual B-grade monster scares.

THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F. DONOVANXavier Dolan's flawed but fascinating English-language debut

This isn't a hidden masterpiece, but it also is nowhere near a disaster. It's an arresting misstep from a deeply passionate filmmaker who cares about every frame.

LITTLE WOMENGreta Gerwig touches the sublime with another American masterpiece

'Little Women' is the story of being alive, of finding where you fit in the world when age and experience bring you to a point where redefining it is inevitable.

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOODA new American classic and a quiet miracle we so desperately need

Marielle Heller's quiet miracle is a classic for all time, but more importantly, a classic for our time. Tom Hanks achieves the miraculous as Fred Rogers; this might be his finest performance.