A Complete Unknown review – Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan is an electric revelation
James Mangold’s biopic follows the rise of the era-defining star with Chalamet brilliantly embodying his shapeshifting allure - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarGrand Theft Hamlet review – in-game Shakespeare performance is brilliantly exciting
In a hilarious and surreal documentary, two out-of-work actors decide to stage the tragedy within Los Santos with dreamlike and fascinating results - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarConclave 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
starstarstarstarstarAll 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
starstarstarstarstarBeatles ’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
starstarstarstarstarBetter Man review – Robbie Williams monkeys around in a raw and emotional biopic
Replacing Williams with a CGI ape in an otherwise human cast pays off enormously in Michael Gracey’s warts-and-all tale of the pop phenomenon - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl review – the Aardman duo’s return is an absolute delight
Almost 20 years since their last outing, the cheese-loving inventor and his ever-dependable dog resume battle with a feathered fiend in this precision-tooled caper - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl review – an unmissable, ingenious Christmas treat
Our favourite animated heroes return, facing arch nemesis Feathers McGraw alongside a malfunctioning AI gnome – it’s an exciting, ingenious and utterly timeless joy - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarDead Birds Flying High review – intriguing naturalist portrait swerves the Nazi question
Sönje Storm’s thoughtful film about her great-grandfather Jürgen Mahrt focuses on his photographs of nature and ignores the horror unfolding around him - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarThe Bibi Files review – documentary argues the case against Netanyahu
The Israeli PM’s corruption case comes under the spotlight in a telling portrait of a man desperate to cling to power – and stay out of jail – at any cost - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarSujo review – slow-burning Mexican drug cartel drama
A young man struggles to escape his bloody birthright in Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez’s elegant Sundance winner - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarOn Becoming a Guinea Fowl review – dizzyingly creative Zambian funeral comedy drama
Humour and pathos go hand in hand in Rungano Nyoni’s award-winning second feature - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarSeptember 5 review – taut media procedural revisits Munich Olympics
Journalists take centre stage in Tim Fehlbaum’s tense thriller focusing on 1972’s infamous terrorist massacre through a TV crew lens - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarFrom Roger Moore With Love review – the amazing life of the louchest Bond
Full of celebrity interviews, wild anecdotes and ex-wives, this indulgent documentary gives the star the affectionate treatment he deserves, including an arch Joan Collins - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarThe Bibi Files review – tapes and testimony expose paranoia and petulance of Netanyahu family
Alexis Bloom’s documentary, which shows the Israeli prime minister and his family under police interrogation over corruption charges, reveals their sense of entitlement - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarThe Universal Theory review – chilly German sci-fi noir splices genres with style
Ambitious feature by Timm Kröger moves from lurid colour to stark black and white following an academic’s Alpine adventures in the metaverse - Leslie Felperin
starstarstarstarstarSimona Kossak review – smartly sharp biopic of pioneering Polish ecologist
A charismatic performance from Sandra Drzymalska and pacy direction from Adrian Panek makes for an unexpectedly appealing portrait of an unlikely hero - Phil Hoad
starstarstarstarstarMerchant Ivory review – handsome tribute to the masters of refined costume drama
An insightful appreciation of the director/producer team who gave us The Remains of the Day and launched the careers of Hugh Grant and Helena Bonham Carter - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarBogart: Life Comes in Flashes review – enjoyable look at extraordinary life of mythic star
Kathryn Ferguson uses clips, voiceovers and interview archives to offer a candid and entertaining account of the actor who was at the pinnacle of Hollywood’s golden age - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarFavoriten review – charming kids’ eye view of an inner city Vienna primary
Ruth Beckermann’s compassionate documentary is testament to a diverse group of delightful seven-year-olds and the brilliance of their dedicated teacher - Cath Clarke
starstarstarstarstarA 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
starstarstarstarstarMoana 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
starstarstarstarstarConclave 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
starstarstarstarstarYour 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
starstarstarstarstarThe 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
starstarstarstarstarNever 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
starstarstarstarstarSweethearts 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
starstarstarstarstarBread & 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
starstarstarstarstarWicked 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
starstarstarstarstarLayla 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
starstarstarstarstarWitches 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
starstarstarstarstarBread & 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
starstarstarstarstarSnow 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
starstarstarstarstarBecoming Madonna review – a megastar’s extraordinary ascent to pop royalty
The singer’s journey to the top is retold through archive clips and audio, efficiently albeit perhaps too straightforwardly - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarBetter Man review – Robbie Williams becomes CGI chimp in surreal biopic
A candid look at the toxic force of envy that drove his musical career but turned a talented musician into a deeply unhappy man. But why the CGI? - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarThe Order review – Jude Law does solid work in vehement account of white supremacists’ takedown
Nicholas Hoult plays a wannabe far-right martyr, and Law and Tye Sheridan the feds on his tail, in a well-cast if anticlimactic true-crime tale - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarHow to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies review – sad but sweet Thai inheritance tale
The premise – a young man cosies up to his grandmother for the sake of her will – sounds cynical, but this is actually a tear-jerker with an important point - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarA Man and a Camera review – doorstep prank movie is pass-agg psychological study
Film-maker Guido Hendrikx goes house-to-house in a Dutch suburb, ringing doorbells and then mutely filming – we see what people will say and do to fill the silence - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarMufasa: The Lion King review – technically dazzling Disney origin story lacks soul
Moonlight director Barry Jenkins’s all-action tale boasts uncanny CGI effects and songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, but the screenplay is schmaltzy and derivative - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarSonic the Hedgehog 3 review – Jim Carrey supplies laughs and energy for hedgehog threequel
Carrey’s Dr Robotnik is the best thing in elaborate third-instalment shenanigans that are pretty good fan-service fun - Andrew Pulver
starstarstarstarstarMufasa: The Lion King review – storytelling takes pride of place in punchy origin tale
This heartfelt prequel to the 1994 classic recounts the dramatic backstory of King Mufasa but is scarred by a forgettable musical score - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarNosferatu: The Real Story review – insightful probe into a vampire classic
Robin Bextor’s documentary about FW Murnau’s 1922 silent masterpiece makes some sharp points but leaves noticeable holes - Phil Hoad
starstarstarstarstarHold on to Your Butts review – Jurassic Park redone with DIY dinos
This recreation of Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic is frenetic fun, with the dinosaurs brought to life using physical comedy – and traffic cones - Chris Wiegand
starstarstarstarstarThe Universal Theory review – beautiful, wigged-out German multiverse mystery
Gorgeous images and a lush score intrigue in Timm Kröger’s 60s-set noir thriller about a postgrad student’s alpine adventures - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarNightbitch review – Amy Adams carries frustrating mum-on-the-edge comedy drama
Adams plays a struggling mother who starts to turn into a dog in Marielle Heller’s uneven adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s bestseller - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarElton John: Never Too Late review – few surprises but plenty of joy in official life story
On the eve of his retirement, the much-loved musician revisits his rise to stardom and his evolution as a gay man in a flashback-filled documentary - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarSujo review – Mexican coming-of-age drama in the shadow of a cartel killing
A story about a boy deciding whether to enter the criminal underworld or become a student that lacks enough passion and anger to really hit home - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarThe Night Before Christmas in Wonderland review – Santa’s down the rabbit hole in charming animation
Voiced by Gerard Butler and Emilia Clarke, this is cosy-as-crumpets family fare, although padding out the book into an 80-minute film is a stretch - Cath Clarke
starstarstarstarstarSo This Is Christmas review – most wonderful time of the year in a small Irish town
This quietly compelling documentary tells the stories of a select group of people as they cope with Christmas with hardship and humour - Catherine Bray
starstarstarstarstarScrap review – Vivian Kerr’s subtle performance as flawed single mum comes up trumps
Kerr writes, directs and delivers a layered lead performance as an unemployed woman who lies to her family about sleeping rough in her car - Cath Clarke
starstarstarstarstarBetween the Lights review – a truly madly deeply felt love story that transcends time
A scientist dates a medium in Michael Groom’s ambitious supernatural romance that interweaves a trio of timelines - Phil Hoad
starstarstarstarstarKapr Code review – operatic retelling of composer Jan Kapr’s turbulent life
Lucie Králová’s daring documentary uses a choir and an original libretto to recount the story of the renegade Czech musician - Phuong Le
starstarstarstarstarRumours review – close encounters for Cate Blanchett and the magnificent G7
Seven world leaders – including Charles Dance’s dozy US president – are trapped in a forest in this amusing but bizarre apocalyptic comedy - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarNational Anthem review – dreamy study of queer rodeo riders making hay while the sun shines
Charlie Plummer plays a local lad who joins a ranch run by an LGBTQ+ group in Luke Gilford’s debut feature that’s bathed in light but fails to catch fire - Leslie Felperin
starstarstarstarstarThe Commander review – true story of patriotic heroism tries to avoid being political football
The story of an Italian submarine commander who disobeyed orders from fascist leaders and rescued enemy sailors after sinking their ship - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarNocturnes review – entrancing film on how to study moths by night in the Himalayas
Sparse and precise, this meditative film immerses the viewer in the world of lepidopterist Mansi Mungee and her assistant as they survey hawk moths - Leslie Felperin
starstarstarstarstarPorcelain War review – beautifully rendered portrait of Ukraine’s artist-warriors
Documentary following a ceramicist and a painter who have joined the battle to defend against the Russian invasion is perhaps a little too picturesque - Phil Hoad
starstarstarstarstarNosferatu 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
starstarstarstarstarRemembering 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
starstarstarstarstarInvisible 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
starstarstarstarstarAllen 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
starstarstarstarstarThat 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
starstarstarstarstarYour 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
starstarstarstarstarOur 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
starstarstarstarstarMade 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
starstarstarstarstarPower 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
starstarstarstarstarThe 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
starstarstarstarstarLa 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
starstarstarstarstarSnow 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
starstarstarstarstarThe 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
starstarstarstarstarLayla 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
starstarstarstarstarThe 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
starstarstarstarstarThe 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
starstarstarstarstarBAM! 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
starstarstarstarstarRippy review – kangaroo slasher bounces into Cocaine Bear territory
Horror drama about a marsupial in the frame for murder brings earnestness and maudlin backstory where none is needed - Phil Hoad
starstarstarstarstarInvitation to a Murder review – florist-detective leads crime yarn that out-cosies Agatha Christie
Mischa Barton is the unexpectedly canny flower-bothering sleuth here in a not very mysterious costume thriller - Leslie Felperin
starstarstarstarstarDetained review – Abbie Cornish is best thing in twisty noir that flirts with ridiculousness
Cornish intrigues in an implausible thriller about a woman who wakes up in a police station with no memory of how she got there - Cath Clarke
starstarstarstarstarThe Six Triple Eight review – true story of heroic black women’s battalion fails to deliver
Kerry Washington is the saving grace in Tyler Perry’s plodding drama about the US army corps tasked with clearing piles of undelivered second world war mail - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarDead Hard review – yippee ki-why bother?
Hands Grubby takes over Nakablowme Tower in a slapdash camp parody of Die Hard - Brian Logan
starstarstarstarstarDolphin Boy review – human baby lives under the sea in watery kids animation
A boy raised underwater by dolphins goes in search of his human mother on dry land in Mohammad Kheirandish’s incoherent fable - Cath Clarke
starstarstarstarstarStanding Up review – autism gets sappy treatment in didactic family road movie
Familiar worries about how to raise a neurodiverse child are played out with empathy but little subtlety - Leslie Felperin
starstarstarstarstarQueer review – seedily terrific Daniel Craig carries Luca Guadagnino’s artificial-looking drama
The Call Me by Your Name director’s overlong William Burroughs adaptation boasts some fine performances, but any gritty realism feels totally manicured - Wendy Ide
starstarstarstarstarCarry-On review – Taron Egerton channels Kenneth Connor in misleadingly titled Netflix thriller
Sadly for UK viewers, this is not a sexy reboot of one of our greatest film franchises. All the roles in it, however, have their equivalents - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarKraven the Hunter review – Russell Crowe busts up laborious superhero yarn
Crowe’s safari-going Russian oligarch is the main redeeming feature of this Spider-Man-adjacent tale but there’s not much to like elsewhere - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – redundant, flavourless animation
The plundering of JRR Tolkien’s source material continues with this plodding adventure turning a footnote into a film - Radheyan Simonpillai
starstarstarstarstarMary review – turgid bibical tale has you rooting for Anthony Hopkins’ hammy Herod
The veteran actor’s pleasurably zealous turn could be given twice as much screen time in what feels like a wade through dull dramatisations of bits of scripture - Catherine Bray
starstarstarstarstarThe Six Triple Eight review – Tyler Perry’s war movie is another bomb
Kerry Washington hams it up in the writer-director’s stodgy ode to a battalion of women in the second world war who deserve far better - Jesse Hassenger
starstarstarstarstarNightbitch review – Amy Adams doggy fantasy-satire stays fatally muzzled
While Adams delivers what could be the performance of her career, Marielle Heller’s film shrinks away from a properly funny or scary exploration of motherhood and midlife crisis - Peter Bradshaw
starstarstarstarstarThe Devil Wears Prada review – prosecco o’clock musical is old hat
It is dressed to impress and has powerhouse singing from Vanessa Williams but this retread of the hit book and film rings hollow - Arifa Akbar
starstarstarstarstarHow 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
starstarstarstarstarThat 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
starstarstarstarstarMoana 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
starstarstarstarstarThe 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
starstarstarstarstarDear 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
starstarstarstarstarTwo 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
starstarstarstarstarSpellbound 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
starstarstarstarstarBlink 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
starstarstarstarstarLiverpool 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
starstarstarstarstarI 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
starstarstarstarstarYour Fault review – bizarre and wooden step-sibling romance
Sequel to unaccountably popular Amazon Prime hit finds the same oldsters still out to stop the forbidden young lovers necking in glamorous locations - Peter Bradshaw
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