Five star - Latest Top Rated Film Reviews from the Guardian

The Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice review – Ozu's bittersweet triumph
This portrait of married middle age is deliciously flavoured with mystery and melancholy - Peter Bradshaw
Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema review – paean to neglected talent
Film-maker and historian of the movies Mark Cousins’ 14-hour survey of amazing but overlooked auteurs is a marvel of passionate cinephilia - Peter Bradshaw
Funeral Parade of Roses review – surreal classic charts Tokyo's queer underground
Fifty years on, Toshio Matsumoto’s monochrome masterpiece – now rereleased on streaming platforms – still seems like a chilling message from the future - Peter Bradshaw
Never Rarely Sometimes Always review - profoundly moving abortion drama
Eliza Hittman’s coming-of-age story about a US teenager seeking a termination is heartbreaking and painfully authentic - Mark Kermode
The Assistant review – #MeToo drama offers unsettling study of day-to-day abuse
Film about assistant to a New York film mogul details how stress, humiliation and bullying become the enablers for abuse by powerful men - Peter Bradshaw
Take Me Somewhere Nice review – a sultry Bosnian road trip
A bored Dutch teenager searches for identity in her father’s Balkan homeland in writer-director Ena Sendijarević’s stylish feature debut - Simran Hans
The County review – a fierce fight for justice in the Icelandic highlands
A principled woman is rejuvenated by her battle against corruption in Grímur Hákonarson’s stirring drama - Peter Bradshaw
The Orphanage – gritty Afghan drama laced with Bollywood magic
A young boy copes with harsh life in 80s Afghanistan via the joy of cinema in this affecting tale - Wendy Ide
Women Make Film review – an epic trip through cinema's undiscovered world
Mark Cousins’s 14-hour documentary gives a voice to film-makers excluded from the cultural conversation - Wendy Ide
The Orphanage review – terrific tale of an Afghan teen in trouble
In Shahrbanoo Sadat’s energetic and captivating drama, a movie-mad boy is forced to live in a Soviet-run orphanage during the 1981 occupation - Peter Bradshaw
Flatpack screendance festival review – dance that leaps through the screen
These short works, which include performances by a dream lineup of choreographers, are an array of innovation - Lyndsey Winship
The Whistlers review – a glorious romp
This Romanian comedy-drama about a dirty cop doffs its cap to classic Hollywood - Simran Hans
Romantic Comedy review – our love affair with the romcom
Elizabeth Sankey’s engaging documentary reclaims the genre from snooty cinephiles – and proudly pronounces When Harry Met Sally a masterpiece - Peter Bradshaw
Never Rarely Sometimes Always review – tough, realist abortion drama
A teenager bonds awkwardly with her cousin as they take the bus from a rural community to New York so that she can have a termination - Peter Bradshaw
The Assistant review – eloquent sexual harassment drama
Julia Garner excels as a junior assistant to a predatory media mogul boss in Kitty Green’s powerfully understated #MeToo drama - Mark Kermode
Diana Kennedy: Nothing Fancy review – a very British Mexican food fanatic
The no-nonsense 97-year-old food writer is the beguiling subject of this delicious documentary - Wendy Ide
The Good Book review – a taut half-hour of dystopia
James Phillips’s clash of near-future and Arthurian legend imagines patriotic nostalgia taken to extremes, if your nerves can take it - Catherine Love
DAU. Degeneration review – shocking, six-hour satire of Soviet science
This monumental drama, shot in a replica of Moscow’s real-life Institute of Physical Problems, is an arthouse freakout - Peter Bradshaw
The Family Way review – potent portrait of sex in the swinging 60s
In this rereleased comic drama, Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett play a couple plagued by a wedding-night disaster and the neighbours’ wagging tongues - Peter Bradshaw
Diana Kennedy: Nothing Fancy review – fiery queen of Mexican cuisine
Elizabeth Carroll’s documentary dishes up a delicious portrait of the formidable Englishwoman who became a champion of Mexican food - Peter Bradshaw
A Secret Love review – moving portrait of two women's 60-year romance
This heartwarming documentary traces the lives of a baseball star and her partner, now in their 90s, who pretended to be ‘just good friends’ for decades - Cath Clarke
Moffie review – brilliant, brutal South African apartheid drama
Oliver Hermanus has fashioned a striking apartheid-era drama about a gay recruit in the South African military - Simran Hans
Moffie review – swooning eroticism in apartheid South Africa
A gay, white teenager endures the terrors of national service while hiding his sexuality in a drama that’s grimly compelling – and beautifully tender - Peter Bradshaw
Planet of the Humans review – contrarian eco-doc from the Michael Moore stable
Jeff Gibbs’ film, produced by Michael Moore, takes a pop at green, liberal A-listers such as Al Gore – but doesn’t dare criticise Greta Thunberg - Peter Bradshaw
Beastie Boys Story review – Spike Jonze and the boys are back in town
Ad-Rock and Mike D host a convivial trip down memory lane in this filmed record of a live show held in tribute to third member Adam Yauch - Peter Bradshaw
The Midnight Gospel review – Netflix's new cartoon is a trippy Mr Benn for adults
Over the course of this engagingly bonkers eight-part animation, our hero battles zombies in a quest for philosophical truth on a psychedelic journey through space - Stuart Jeffries
Why Don't You Just Die! review – from Russia with a claw hammer
Kirill Sokolov’s feature debut is gloriously brash – and not for the faint-hearted - Wendy Ide
Circus of Books review – tender doc about family life and gay porn
An affectionate and absorbing documentary from film-maker Rachel Mason about her devout parents, who ran a famous adult bookstore in early-80s LA - Peter Bradshaw
Why Don't You Just Die! review – ingenious drama with hints of Tarantino
This smart, stylish and gory debut by Russia’s Kirill Sokolov follows the twists and violence that ensue when a hammer-wielding man turns up at the door - Peter Bradshaw
Who You Think I Am review – a thrilling web of desire
Juliette Binoche is wondrous as a woman with a fantasy identity in an exploration of the perils and pleasures of life online - Mark Kermode
Martin Margiela: In His Own Words review – philosopher of fashion
Reiner Holzemer’s film about the media-shy Belgian designer is insightful – despite not revealing his subject’s face - Simran Hans
Trolls World Tour review – uplifting animated sequel
More high-octane fun in this trippy adventure voiced by Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick - Simran Hans
Who You Think I Am review – Juliette Binoche turns up the heat in phone sex tale
Binoche encounters an attractive younger man online but refuses to meet him face-to-face in this twisty erotic drama - Peter Bradshaw
The Whalebone Box review – so strange it must be true
The tale of a quest to return an artwork to the Outer Hebrides after 30 years is unexpectedly compelling - Mark Kermode
Body Cam review – Mary J Blige cop horror is halfway haunting
A curious mashup of ripped-from-the-headlines cop drama and gory horror just about finds its footing thanks to director Malik Vitthal’s confident hand - Benjamin Lee
I, Pastafari review – inside the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Michael Arthur tracks the made-up religion’s legal battles to raise questions about the essence of faith – and of satire - Leslie Felperin
The Dalai Lama: Scientist review – a mildly enlightening soft-focus insight
The Tibetan spiritual leader mingles with big-name scientists in a documentary that is enamoured with its wondrous subject - Cath Clarke
The Lovebirds review – wacky Netflix murder-mystery romance
Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani play a couple forced to run for their lives in Michael Showalter’s likably lewd screwball crime caper - Peter Bradshaw
Take Me Somewhere Nice review – quirky arthouse road movie
A teenager travels from the Netherlands to Bosnia to meet her father for the first and last time in an amusing, diverting drama - Peter Bradshaw
The Atom: A Love Affair review – changing reactions to nuclear power
This inconclusive documentary charts the scary history and, in the era of climate crisis, revised views about the prospects for nuclear power - Peter Bradshaw
Cassandro, the Exotico! review – melancholic portrait of wrestling star
Marie Losier’s brief documentary shines a light on the self-proclaimed ‘Liberace of lucha libre’ as he grapples with the end of his career in the ring - Peter Bradshaw
Captain Sabertooth and the Magic Diamond review – pirates on autopilot
Based on the popular Norwegian franchise, this serviceable film aimed at very young kids is in need of a bit more swashbuckling - Cath Clarke
Capone review – Tom Hardy entertainingly feral as a gangster at the end of the road
Fantastic Four director Josh Trank has created a strange, bitter-flavoured account of the celebrated mafioso in terminal decline in Florida - Peter Bradshaw
The Wretched review – grisly holiday horror
A groovily attired witch terrorises a seaside town in this chiller from the directors of Deadheads - Simran Hans
In Search of Greatness review – is 'moneyball' killing sporting genius?
Gabe Polsky’s documentary asks whether the modern obsession with stats is extinguishing something immeasurable - Peter Bradshaw
Hearts and Bones review – Hugo Weaving brings characteristic pathos to restrained postwar drama
From the director of Ghosthunter, this slow rumination on the lingering effects of wartime trauma is consistent, if not cinematic - Luke Buckmaster
Camino Skies review – touching study of a pilgrimage of hope
Troubled by personal loss or painful illness, six hikers embark on a 500-mile spiritual odyssey in this undemanding documentary - Cath Clarke
The Shed review – goofy, gory vampire horror
Tormented at home and at school, a troubled teenager faces new challenges when a recently infected blood-sucker holes up at the bottom of the garden - Leslie Felperin
Spaceship Earth review – intriguing Biosphere 2 documentary lacks insight
The fascinating story of the men and women who chose to spend two years in an innovative structure in Arizona makes for a watchable, if not gripping, film - Benjamin Lee
Becoming review – tantalising tour of Michelle Obama's life
This carefully authorised documentary offers glimpses of a dazzling presence on America’s political stage - Peter Bradshaw
Ema review – Pablo Larraín dances to a different tune
The Jackie director switches tone in this melodramatic portrait of a dancer and her choreographer husband’s fraying marriage - Wendy Ide
All Day and a Night review – stylish Netflix father-son crime drama
Moonlight’s Ashton Sanders gives a compelling lead performance as a young man trying to escape his father’s shadow - Benjamin Lee
Dangerous Lies review – diverting yet dopey Netflix thriller
A ridiculously titled film about a couple who stumble upon a stash of money is absurd and cliched but mostly entertaining - Benjamin Lee
The Half of It review – charming Netflix teen comedy takes on Cyrano
A talented trio of young actors enliven a familiar yet engaging tale of a queer love triangle at high school - Benjamin Lee
Ema review – a sexual odyssey, with flame-throwers
In Pablo Larraín’s emotional drama, a woman embarks on a bizarre journey after regretfully returning an adopted child - Peter Bradshaw
Blood Quantum review – grimy zombie horror offers intriguing twist
A visually distinctive, semi-effective Canadian thriller pits a First Nation community against a zombie invasion - Benjamin Lee
Astronaut review – a heartwarming trip to inner space
Richard Dreyfuss holds together an earthbound tale of an old widower who dreams of a voyage to the stars - Mark Kermode
Endless Sunshine on a Cloudy Day review – touching tribute to an Instagram influencer
John Connors’ heartrending documentary traces the true story of Jade McCann who recounted her cancer diagnosis online - Peter Bradshaw
Astronaut review – care-home resident shoots for the stars
Richard Dreyfuss plays a retired engineer who wins a place on the first commercial space flight in an amiable, late-life adventure - Cath Clarke
Extraction review – hokey, high-octane action thriller
Chris Hemsworth plays a super-tough mercenary on an all-guns-blazing mission to rescue a crime lord’s kidnapped son - Peter Bradshaw
A Russian Youth review – horror and heartbreak on the eastern front
After being blinded, a young soldier becomes a human listening post in this absorbing but quirky first world war drama - Peter Bradshaw
The Willoughbys review – imaginative animated Netflix adventure
A manic pre-summer caper skirts near dark territory but remains a mostly kid-friendly tale of an unusual family - Benjamin Lee
Selah and the Spades review – stylish leader of the pack
This arresting debut about a high-school ‘queen bee’ nurturing her successor-in-crime heralds a singular new talent in director Tayarisha Poe - Mark Kermode
Ghost Town Anthology review – unnerving supernatural mystery
Rural Quebec receives visitations from beyond in an elegant, if mystifying, drama - Wendy Ide
Sergio review – fact-based Netflix UN drama opts for old school romance
Wagner Moura and Ana de Armas give strong performances in a mostly effective retelling of the life and tragic death of a celebrated Brazilian diplomat - Benjamin Lee
Selah and the Spades review – teen cliques drama balances satire and surrealism
This uncanny story of preppy drug dealers has a touch of Heathers and a bit of Bret Easton Ellis, and an intriguing take on what high school is really like - Peter Bradshaw
Rising High review – a charmer scams the Berlin property market
This breezy German comedy-thriller follows an unscrupulous wheeler-dealer with an illegal get-rich-quick scheme - Peter Bradshaw
Americana Kamikaze review – film noir and Japanese horror chill reality into a dream
Temporary Distortion’s stage scarer uses filmic elements to gripping and claustrophobic effect in a story of infidelity and murder - Arifa Akbar
New Movement Collective review – eerie journeys into Auster and Homer
There are striking moments in the films of this dance group’s performances, inspired by New York Trilogy and The Odyssey - Lyndsey Winship
Tigertail review – dreams, regrets and a life built on a lie
A young Taiwanese man faces an agonising choice when offered a new life in the US in this heartfelt drama from a writer of Parks and Recreation - Peter Bradshaw
Martin Margiela: In His Own Words review – portrait of the couture Banksy
This documentary about the enigmatic Belgian designer, who became disenchanted with the sexification of fashion, is uncritical but refreshingly serious - Peter Bradshaw
Beyond the Door review – peace, love and a pact with the devil
There’s plenty of silliness in this rereleased horror movie set in 70s San Francisco but also some dark, disturbing moments - Peter Bradshaw
The Grand Bizarre review – trippy travelogue to who knows where
Experimental artist-animator Jodie Mack’s film is a strange, colourful, kaleidoscopic odyssey around the world but with no apparent destination - Cath Clarke
Sea Fever review – sturdy, slimy sci-fi horror trawls for cliches
A parasitic infection plagues a fishing boat in a low-budget Irish B-movie that provides modest entertainment before a damp ending - Benjamin Lee
Hamlet review – the Wooster Group resurrect Richard Burton's Dane
John Gielgud’s 1964 production of Shakespeare’s play haunts this meta-spectacle that questions the nature of performance - Kate Wyver
The Other Lamb review – artful cult drama simmers with unease
The English language debut from Małgorzata Szumowska tells of a toxic male leader of an all-female cult with striking visuals and patchy intrigue - Benjamin Lee
Four Kids and It review – good-natured family fantasy
After their parents fall in love, two pairs of siblings learn to get along – with the help of a magical beach creature - Peter Bradshaw
Edge of Extinction review – a gruelling fight to survive … and stay awake
Some well-crafted action scenes are thwarted by a stilted script in Andrew Gilbert’s plodding post-apocalyptic thriller - Peter Bradshaw
The Final Wish review – curse of the cliche puts paid to haunted-vase tale
Muddled and unimaginative plotting leaves this 90s-style low-budget chiller as a disappointing missed opportunity - Peter Bradshaw
Scoob review – scrappy animated reboot is a ruff ride
A messy and mystery-free relaunch of the classic animation tries, and fails, to update the formula, adding a charmless superhero spin - Benjamin Lee
Proximity review – campy sci-fi close encounters
Eric Demeusy’s silly yet good-looking film about a Nasa scientist on the trail of extraterrestrials is in serious need of a script doctor - Leslie Felperin
The Wretched review – by-the-numbers, unscary horror movie
An ancient witch preys on the women of a seaside resort in a laborious tale that pinches from Spielberg and Stephen King - Peter Bradshaw
Enemy Lines review – old-fashioned wartime rescue drama
A crack team of commandos set out to snatch a captured scientist from the Nazis in this unimaginative adventure - Cath Clarke
Reborn review – pretentious schlock-horror thrills
Sixteen years on, a reanimated dead baby sets out to find her mother with murderous intent in this pulpy, overly meta movie - Leslie Felperin
Can You Keep a Secret? review – dull, strangers-on-a-plane romcom
A young woman opens her heart to the passenger sitting next to her in this unfunny adaptation of a Sophie Kinsella novel - Cath Clarke
Extraction review – less than a marvel
High-impact action sequences are let down by a dud script in Sam Hargrave’s kidnap thriller starring Chris Hemsworth - Simran Hans
The Easy Bit review – how men get to grips with IVF
This well-intentioned documentary about the first step in fertility treatment has moments of humour but is too emotionally hectoring - Peter Bradshaw
Earth and Blood review – heavy artillery action flick runs out of ammo
Julien Leclercq orchestrates a violent showdown at a sawmill, but in the end his film lacks the necessary firepower - Peter Bradshaw
Cuck review – a heavy-handed Taxi Driver ripoff
A laborious study of an angry, Travis Bickle-alike loner obsessed with with porn and alt-right YouTube videos - Peter Bradshaw
The Host review – a horror for all the wrong reasons
A London bank teller gets involved with the triads and light torture porn in this far-fetched mishmash of a film - Cath Clarke
Love Wedding Repeat review – laboured Netflix romcom farce
A low-budget and lowbrow comedy repeats events at a wedding with slight differences but can’t turn an intriguing set-up into something worthwhile - Benjamin Lee
The Iron Mask review – Arnie slugs it out with Jackie Chan in the Tower
Set in 18th-century Russia, China and England, this bloated action-fantasy adventure features the bizarre sight of Arnold Schwarzenegger in a tricorn hat - Peter Bradshaw
Dreamland review – distasteful dystopian noir
Juliette Lewis plays an unhinged diplomat’s wife and party animal in this pulpy thriller about sex-trafficking gangsters - Cath Clarke
Trolls World Tour review – eyeball-frazzling sequel offers same again
The second dose of the kids animation follows the same bland template as the first – with chilling efficiency - Peter Bradshaw
Four Kids and It review – pedestrian take on a magical fantasy
Michael Caine’s distracting voiceover does nothing to improve this uninspired adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s children’s tale - Wendy Ide
Nona. If They Soak Me, I’ll Burn Them review – a meandering enigma
Camila José Donoso’s experimental drama about a fire-raising grandmother fails to make good on its promise - Wendy Ide
Coffee & Kareem review – fast, filthy and fitfully funny Netflix comedy
A handful of amusing lines and a standout turn from Glow’s Betty Giplin can’t elevate this crass and convoluted spin on a familiar buddy movie setup - Benjamin Lee
The Complex review – frustrating interactive sci-fi thriller
It’s your job to help two doctors – who are also ex-lovers – save an infected woman in this zeitgeist-y drama with eight possible endings - Leslie Felperin
Valley of the Lanterns review – lacklustre fairytale animation
The story of an old woman’s New Year’s Eve lanterns, which may possess magical powers, has as much appeal as a screensaver - Peter Bradshaw
More Beautiful for Having Been Broken review – utterly bizarre stilted soap opera
A big-city FBI agent retreats to the country in this bizarre, monumentally inept erotic thriller featuring a risible plot and jaw-droppingly bad acting - Peter Bradshaw