Five star - Latest Top Rated Film Reviews from the Guardian

Conclave review – Ralph Fiennes is almighty in thrilling papal tussle
Fiennes gives one of the performances of the year as a cardinal assailed on all sides in Edward Berger’s elegant adaptation of Robert Harris’s Vatican bestseller - Wendy Ide
All We Imagine As Light review – Cannes prize-winning Indian drama is a quiet, tender marvel
Payal Kapadia’s poetic, everyday tale of three women who work at the same hospital is all the more remarkable for being her fiction feature debut - Wendy Ide
Beatles ’64 review – Fab Four radiate an inexhaustible, almost supernatural energy
Contemporary interviews and amazing archive footage combine in a sublime snapshot of the band’s whirlwind first US visit - Peter Bradshaw
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat review – superb study of how jazz got caught between the cold war and the CIA
Johan Grimonprez’s fascinating documentary uses the assassination of DRC prime minister Patrice Lumumba to launch a dizzying look into the politics of jazz in the 1950s and 60s - Wendy Ide
A Thousand Fires review – mesmerising study of Myanmar’s homemade oil wells
Documentary shows the gruelling labour put in by a married couple wringing out drops of black gold as their son looks for a different living - Phuong Le
Moana 2 review – Disney’s most intrepid heroine is as sparky as ever
The livewire teen sets sail with a new crew in this vividly realised mythic romp - Wendy Ide
Conclave review – Ralph Fiennes shines as papal election results in high-camp gripper
Fiennes is broodingly compelling as a potential English pope caught up in murky Vatican intrigue around choosing the next pontiff - Peter Bradshaw
Your Monster review – Melissa Barrera excels in cheery romance with nice-guy beast
The Scream star shows impressive range in this horror-comedy, where the real peril she faces comes from a much more ordinary man - Catherine Bray
The Taste of Mango review – powerful memoir of family secrets in Sri Lanka
Film-maker Chloe Abrahams combines documentary and memory in candid conversations with the women in her family - Peter Bradshaw
Never Look Away review – Lucy Lawless’s portrait of a fearless news camerawoman
Fascinating documentary about Margaret Moth, whose footage from war zones almost killed her in 1992, lives up to her motto ‘don’t be boring’ - Cath Clarke
Sweethearts review – charming teen comedy updates When Harry Met Sally
Nico Hiraga and Kiernan Shipka play friends who decide to dump their partners at Thanksgiving in this sweet, and often spicy, winner - Adrian Horton
Bread & Roses review – astonishingly brave documentary about Afghan women under the Taliban
Using guerilla tactics, Sahra Mani’s film follows activists campaigning at huge risk to themselves for basic rights in the fundamentalist regime - Wendy Ide
Wicked review – Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande make the magic happen
The stars enchant as young rival witches in Jon M Chu’s impossibly slick first instalment of his two-part adaptation of musical juggernaut Wicked - Wendy Ide
Layla review – Amrou Al-Kadhi’s queer club romance is a sparkling, sensual spectacle
Bilal Hasna is magnificent as a non-binary drag artist from a conservative Muslim family, struggling to stay true to their exuberant self - Wendy Ide
Witches review – impressive study of postpartum psychosis recovery equated to witchcraft
Director Elizabeth Sankey’s free-ranging film uses interviews with actors and support groups alongside clips of cinematic covens to draw parallels with her own experiences - Leslie Felperin
Bread & Roses review – Afghan women reveal crushing reality of Taliban rule
Made under dangerous conditions, this documentary charts how the lives of three women were turned upside down by Afghanistan’s overthrow in 2021 - Peter Bradshaw
Snow Leopard review – enigmatic tale of man v beast is late Tibetan film-maker’s final word
Pema Tseden’s swan song about the fate of a snow leopard imprisoned by a vengeful farmer gains new layers of political meaning following the director’s death - Peter Bradshaw
Mediha review – remarkable Yazidi victim of Islamic State’s sexual slavery tells her own story
After her village was destroyed, Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad was sold aged 10 by IS. With determination and charm she navigates a difficult aftermath - Peter Bradshaw
Wicked review – Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are a blast in sugar-rush Wizard of Oz fantasy
Stephen Schwartz’s musical prequel has been brought to the big screen, with Erivo’s charismatic Elphaba exerting a planetary pull over a star-studded cast - Peter Bradshaw
C’est Pas Moi review – Holy Motors director Leos Carax pays witty homage to himself
You might need to be a fan of Carax’s oeuvre to enjoy this act of indulgence but this short autobiography is full of his grandiose whimsy and personal melancholy - Peter Bradshaw
Don’t Let Them Shoot the Kite review – Turkish kid-in-prison tale is touching and urgent
This gentle but energised piece of work has a rather amazing performance from its five-year-old star at its emotional core - Peter Bradshaw
Memories of a Burning Body review – Costa Rican older women talk about sex and desire in deft docudrama
The vivid recollections of three women who grew up in the repressive 1950s and 60s are elegantly re-enacted in Antonella Sudasassi’s prize-winning drama - Wendy Ide
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat review – finger-popping theory of the conspiracy to kill Congo’s leader
Johan Grimonprez’s fascinating documentary suggests that the US used jazz legend Louis Armstrong in a ‘cool war’ offensive to assassinate Patrice Lumumba - Peter Bradshaw
Union review – fighting for your rights under the Amazon corporate jackboot
This documentary follows the formation of the Amazon Labor Union, showing how difficult it is for workers working for a company determined to efface their rights - Peter Bradshaw
Hyper: The Stevie Hyper D Story review – massively entertaining portrait of legendary MC
Even those unfamiliar with 90s drum’n’bass will feel invited in and educated by an impeccably crafted account of this charismatic and vibrant pioneer - Leslie Felperin
The Last Dance review – Chinese funeral business is backdrop for arresting, life-affirming drama
An irascible priest loses his patience with a newcomer to Hong Kong’s funeral traditions in punchy melodrama of a film - Phil Hoad
Gladiator II review – Paul Mescal slays in Ridley Scott’s gobsmacking reboot
Scott’s return to the Roman arena is something of a repeat, but it’s still a thrilling spectacle and Mescal a formidable lead. We are entertained - Peter Bradshaw
Magpie review – Daisy Ridley shines in tense, compelling portrait of a toxic relationship
Fantastic performances from the leads – you can practically hear the eggshells cracking as Ridley tiptoes around the vanities and insecurities of husband Shazad Latif - Catherine Bray
Bird review – Andrea Arnold’s wild, joyous coming-of-age drama
Arnold’s feral, fantastical drama set in the rundown Kent of her childhood stars remarkable newcomer Nykiya Adams as a marginalised child who makes a strange new friend - Wendy Ide
No Other Land review – stark, unflinching West Bank documentary
This award-winning account by Palestinian and Israeli film-makers of the brutal expulsion of Palestinian villagers by the Israeli army is essential viewing - Wendy Ide
Point Break review – Keanu and Swayze ride the waves with freaky, genre-hopping style
Kathryn Bigelow’s action-bromance about bank-robbing surfer dudes is an enduring cult gem, thanks to its joining of tropes and tones - Peter Bradshaw
No Other Land review – an Israeli and Palestinian’s remarkable relationship
When Palestinian villages were bulldozed to make way for the Israeli military, it brought together a film-maker and a journalist from across the divide - Peter Bradshaw
Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story review – electrifying film details violent abuse and remarkable resilience
The former tennis champion is candid about her father’s abuse in this visceral and often sad documentary - Luke Buckmaster
Nosferatu review – Robert Eggers’s respectful homage to a vampire horror classic
The second remake of FW Murnau’s unofficial Dracula adaptation is handsomely shot and stylised, with a forbiddingly gruesome monster, but walks the line between self-conscious and scary - Peter Bradshaw
Remembering Every Night review – drifting drama follows three Tokyo women living their lives
Yui Kiyohara’s film of long shots and silences could be deeply boring or oddly fascinating depending on your point of view - Cath Clarke
Invisible Nation review – insightful primer for Taiwan’s complex history
Documentary provides a useful introduction to the country, even if the geopolitics at times are a little simplistic - Leslie Felperin
Allen Sunshine review – deft character study bathed in a sense of goodness
Debut director Harley Chamandy shows promise with a skilfully constructed portrait of a former music producer searching for simplicity and solace - Phil Hoad
That Christmas review – overstuffed but lovingly detailed animation of Richard Curtis trilogy
Locksmith Animation’s second feature goes overboard on snow and suffering but offers plenty of fun nonetheless - Wendy Ide
Your Monster review – off-the-charts chemistry fuels droll horror-romance
Melissa Barrera’s jilted actor and Tommy Dewey as the monster she finds in her wardrobe fizz in Caroline Lindy’s uneven debut - Wendy Ide
Our Little Secret review – Lindsay Lohan’s Netflix comedy is a minor win
The star’s third film with the streamer, in which she plays a woman lying about her ex during the holidays, is the best yet even if the bar is incredibly low - Benjamin Lee
Made in Ethiopia review – knotty study unpicks China’s industrial influence in Africa
Three women – a manager, a worker and a farmer – tell their stories in this nuanced exploration of Ethiopia’s booming Chinese-led manufacturing sector - Cath Clarke
Power Alley (Levante) review – Brazilian volleyball teen finds support in Bolsonaro-era nightmare
A star player gets pregnant and is harassed by the religious right in this tense and engaging film - Peter Bradshaw
The Silent Hour review – intriguing cat-and-mouse thriller with deaf protagonists
Our heroes have an unexpected advantage over their murderous pursuers in The Machinist director Brad Anderson’s shadowy crime drama - Leslie Felperin
La Ricerca review – paean to man who uses stone to make sense of the world
Reverential documentary reveals how Luigi Lineri has dedicated his life to creating a temple of rock - Phuong Le
Snow Leopard review – striking Tibetan drama about one big cat’s fate
A rare snow leopard becomes the centre of a tense family dispute in the late Pema Tseden’s final film - Wendy Ide
The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh review – festive fair play in well-meaning kids’ toon
This family film contains many useful lessons for little ones but could have done with more loveable heroes, boo-hissable villains and witty dialogue - Catherine Bray
Layla review – heartbreak looms in coming-of-age yarn of a secret affair and queer identity
A drag artist from a strict Muslim family embarks on a relationship with a strait-laced executive in Amrou Al-Kadhi’s strong feature debut - Peter Bradshaw
The Man With a Thousand Faces review – triumphant takedown of international dating scammer
There are some jaw-dropping moments in this story of a man who conned numerous women, but this quietly lo-thrills documentary lets the victims tell their stories - Cath Clarke
The Flight of Bryan review – magnificent nerds and their remarkable flying machines
This documentary about a 1977 prize for human-powered flight uses archive footage, interviews and reconstructions to cobble together a fun celebration of human endeavour - Leslie Felperin
BAM! review – smart gig-economy comedy is a rollicking modern-day farce
Director Jordan Tragash marks himself out as one to watch with these interlocking stories of a vibrant group of 20-somethings all hustling for money - Phuong Le
Pimpinero: Blood and Oil review – road thrills with South American border smugglers
The brutal petrol trade between Venezuela and Colombia in 2012 is the backdrop to Andrés Baiz’s starry if slow-paced tale of brothers navigating the future - Cath Clarke
Silent Men review – man puts himself on the spot as he dives into his big emotions
Film-maker Duncan Cowles braves the discomfort of putting himself in front of the camera to address men’s inability to talk about their problems - Phil Hoad
Monster Summer review – Mel Gibson finds berth in teens v supernatural forces throwback
Gibson is one of a recognisable adult cast slumming it in this toothless 80s-style tale of kids duking it out with evil menaces - Catherine Bray
The Bilbaos review – soulful study of a tough guy boxer dealing with emotional baggage
Pedro Speroni’s documentary follows Iván Bilbao’s return from prison to a family full of troubles and tenderness - Phuong Le
The Last Dance review – the Chinese funeral home comedy you’ve been waiting for
A wedding planner turned undertaker struggles to win over a Taoist priest in writer-director Anselm Chan’s drama with hidden depths - Wendy Ide
Joy review – Jack Thorne-penned IVF drama captures the intense pressure its inventors faced
James Norton, Thomasin McKenzie and Bill Nighy star in a solid study of the trio behind the first test-tube baby - Wendy Ide
Gladiator II review – Paul Mescal fends off sharks, rhinos and a scenery-chewing Denzel Washington
Tapping into just the kind of bloodlust that thrills in ancient Rome, Ridley Scott’s violent, spectacular sequel so resembles the original it could be a remake - Wendy Ide
Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound review – Glasgow postrockers let the music do the talking
Mogwai have been making their beautiful noise for nearly three decades, and while this film is sketchy on the details, it truly soars when capturing them live - Phil Hoad
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story review – a pleasure of a film about an unlikely bond
Beautifully shot among Shetland’s epic scenery, Charlie Hamilton James’s documentary follows Billy and wife Susan, as Molly changes their lives in the most uplifting way - Cath Clarke
Hot Frosty review – Netflix’s sexy snowman romance is as silly as expected
Lacey Chabert falls for a snowman with abs in streamer’s latest cheap, cheerful foray into Hallmark territory - Adrian Horton
The Lost Children review – extraordinary story of missing kids in the Colombian rainforest
Account of the search for the young siblings after their plane crashed and how the eldest, Lesly – just 13 years old and injured – kept them alive for 40 days - Cath Clarke
India’s 1st Best Trans Model Agency review – rocky and emotional journey for acceptance
Documentary about India’s ‘hijras’ highlights the harmony within the community and prejudice against it, but shies away from anything too political - Phuong Le
Joy review – warm and intensely English portrayal of the birth of IVF
Bill Nighy, James Norton and Thomasin McKenzie form the unlikely trio who doggedly, quietly and courageously made the discovery that would change lives around the world - Peter Bradshaw
Memories of a Burning Body review – tenderly conceived docudrama about the enduring sexuality of women
This well-acted film is distilled from the experiences of three women in their 60s and 70s who speak with wit and warmth - Peter Bradshaw
What We Find on the Road review – American road trip in the low-key indie odyssey style
A journey across the US in a convertible that holds some secrets – like a coffin welded into the boot – as a teenager seeks out his father - Catherine Bray
No Place for You in Our Town review – uncomfortably up close with Bulgarian football hooligans
Nikolay Stefanov’s documentary, which follows fans of FC Minyor Pernik, reveals much about what is behind this toxic masculinity - Phuong Le
Piece by Piece review – Pharrell Williams biopic told in Lego is a bit of plastic fun
Morgan Neville’s novel animated documentary, featuring interviews with the US musician, captures his artistic process, if not the whole story… - Wendy Ide
The Piano Lesson review – handsome if stagey August Wilson adaptation
Danielle Deadwyler and Samuel L Jackson shine in Malcolm Washington’s debut feature - Wendy Ide
Paddington in Peru review – hard stares at all involved
Our furry hero goes in search of his Aunt Lucy in a high-action jungle sequel that’s perfectly enjoyable but lacks the wit and magic of its predecessors - Wendy Ide
The Piano Lesson review – Washington family get stuck into August Wilson’s powerful play
This beautifully acted film version of Wilson’s play set in 1930s Pittsburgh is powerful enough without the gothic trimmings it gets here - Peter Bradshaw
Skincare review – Elizabeth Banks horror thriller is a thing of beauty
An LA salon-owner gets involved in an escalating feud with a rival facialist in this blackly comic thriller with a pleasing female focus - Leslie Felperin
Bird review – Andrea Arnold’s untamed Barry Keoghan tale is a curate’s egg
Toads who sweat hallucinogens, lonely pre-teens and a sudden German in a kilt: Arnold’s pick’n’mix latest dives as much as it soars - Peter Bradshaw
A Sudden Case of Christmas review – Danny DeVito plays it safe in mushy festive fare
The comedy veteran is wasted as a grandad hosting Christmas early to keep his family from falling apart - Catherine Bray
Meet Me Next Christmas review – Netflix kicks off season with passable romcom
Christina Milian is a charming lead in the streamer’s first festive offering of the year which is watchable enough given the low bar - Benjamin Lee
I’m Charlie Walker review – stereotype-busting sort-of true story of a trucker and an oil spill
An entrepreneur’s struggles with obstructive business and endemic racism are refreshingly free of preconceptions - Leslie Felperin
Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers review – blockbuster portrait of a thoughtful master
Exhibition on Screen’s latest gallery documentary offers a walkthrough of the National Gallery’s winter show, complete with extras - Andrew Pulver
Bookworm review – father-daughter heartwarmer casts a spell on failed magician Elijah Wood
Though the story is only going one way after a disappointed Vegas conjuror returns to New Zealand to look after the child he’s never met, it’s a fun ride - Cath Clarke
True Chronicles of the Blida Joinville Psychiatric Hospital in the Last Century, when Dr Frantz Fanon Was Head of the Fifth Ward between 1953 and 1956 – review
This sober but compelling study of the man who radically transformed treatment at an Algerian hospital explores the link between mental illness and imperialist violence - Phuong Le
One Mother review – poignant memoir grapples with trauma of foster care
Mickaël Bandela’s documentary reflects on the events that left him in care as a child, and the generational losses that came before - Phuong Le
Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom review - intriguing fantasy franchise is far from your average anime
Its Game of Thronesian intrigue, benevolent Skeletor protagonist and surprising lack of gratuitous violence sets this series apart - Phil Hoad
How to Make Gravy review – a well-intentioned, mawkish misfire
This soupy Christmas drama based on Paul Kelly’s song tips into corny sentimentalism – and comes dangerously close to suggesting that gravy is actually magic - Luke Buckmaster
That Christmas review – seasonal Richard Curtis yarn is kid-friendly but short on ho-ho-hos
There’s a nice nod to Love Actually, but this tale of a seaside town hit by a blizzard may still leave you cold - Peter Bradshaw
Moana 2 review – vacuum-packed Disney ocean adventure that will leave you cold
Auli’i Cravalho’s Polynesian princess embarks on a quest to save other islanders oppressed by evil god Nalo – but this frictionless sequel lacks genuine passion - Peter Bradshaw
The Contestant review – the cruelty of reality TV on show in one of its earliest manifestations
Tomoaki Hamatsu was a sensation over the year he stayed alone in a single room amusing the camera, but this documentary is not as charming as it thinks - Peter Bradshaw
Dear Santa review – Jack Black plays Satan in mediocre Christmas comedy
The high-concept streaming movie, where a kid accidentally sends a letter to the wrong mythical figure, can’t decide if it wants to be naughty or nice - Benjamin Lee
Two of a Kind review – Ghanaian summit meeting of the sexes in cleared-out luxury hotel
Three couples navigate marital strife at an empty resort in heavy-handed relationship drama - Phil Hoad
Spellbound review – Netflix’s misfiring Disney princess knock-off
An old-fashioned adventure, complete with Alan Menken music, nobly tries to tackle the effect of marital discord on children but never really casts a spell - Benjamin Lee
Blink review – family’s poignant bucket list trip turns into glossy travelogue
A couple who discover that three of their four children have a degenerative eye disease go on a round-the-world family holiday in this beautifully shot but saccharine documentary - Leslie Felperin
Liverpool Story: Portrait of a City review – city symphony goes down the identity route
Daniel Draper’s ultra-fluid style, trailing his finger across the surface of the city’s life, loses its narrative path - Phil Hoad
I Want to Talk review – Abhishek Bachchan is Mad Men-style ad man who declares war on cancer
A greater degree of setup would have given this story of a Don Draper type’s determination to beat a terminal diagnosis more dramatic heft - Catherine Bray
The Merry Gentlemen review – more forgettable festive filler from Netflix
Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray go through the motions in the streamer’s latest cheapo Christmas comedy - Benjamin Lee
Listy do M 6 (Letters to Santa 6) review – pick ’n’ mix Christmas tales coast on a sugar high
While director Łukasz Jaworski gets spirited performances across the board in the sixth instalment of the hit Polish franchise, it leans heavily on familiarity with the characters - Phil Hoad
Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point review – daringly dull Long Island family drama with nepo trimmings
Francesca Scorsese and Sawyer Spielberg could be the draw in this tedium-rich tale of an Italian American festive gathering - Wendy Ide
Laurie Anderson: Ark: United States V review – portrait of America is a multimedia mess
A mix of beat poetry, opera, communal screaming, TikTok and tai chi, Anderson’s state-of-the-nation work is occasionally poignant but mostly baffling - Daniel Dylan Wray
Piper review – Elizabeth Hurley dances a merry tune in cheesy rat-based folk horror
Hurley arrives in Pied Piper territory with her daughter to take a teaching job at a creepy private school. Soon enough the town’s infamous rodent problem starts being an issue - Leslie Felperin
Red One review – charm-free festive caper with Dwayne Johnson
A strictly bodyguarded Santa is hijacked in this oddly pitched, CGI-heavy action-adventure - Wendy Ide
Piece By Piece review – heartfelt biopic of Pharrell Williams’s life … in Lego
The remarkable story of a brilliant musician and producer is told in this surreal but also strangely wrongheaded film - Peter Bradshaw
Pontypool review – scattershot horror with a shock jock but few frights
The 2008 Canadian film about zombie-like hordes spreading a verbal virus is given a Welsh update, with a radio host refusing to rein in his divisive rhetoric - Chris Wiegand
Holiday Twist review – could this be the worst Christmas movie ever?
This tale of a female Scrooge discovering ‘the true meaning of Christmas’ will elicit copious tears … at the time you have wasted watching such drivel - Catherine Bray
Red One review – bronto-head Dwayne Johnson weighs down Santa kidnap comedy
Christmassy slush and gush smothers all attempts at comedy in this bland family film about Santa’s musclebound personal security guard - Peter Bradshaw