First adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s book into a play by Nick Stafford, the story of War Horse has now been set loose on cinema audiences in Steven Spielberg’s latest epic. Having divided critics upon its release, we decide to make like a horse and canter towards a sunny meadow of consensus. And clover.

Just when you thought being married to Uma Thurman was stress enough for poor Ethan Hawke, he moves to Paris and gets involved with a vampy older woman who may or may not be real. That’ll teach him to have a silly name, eh? The Woman in the Fifth is a fascinating tale which will lead you into a completely new world and do its level best to leave you there.

Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, Margaret has been in production for nearly five years, delayed due to multiple set-backs arising from Lonergan’s stubborn pursuit of the elusive perfect cut (and further exasperated by multiple ongoing law suits), concluding in a limited release orchestrated by Fox Searchlight Pictures. With only a handful of showings across the country, Margaret may be the best film you never see this year.

Having picked up the award for Best Actress In A Drama at Sunday’s Golden Globes, it is already very clear what The Iron Lady’s strengths are. In choosing to take the woman out of the politics (or rather, the other way around), however, director Phyllida Lloyd runs the risk of wasting everyone’s time in exchange for one award worthy performance.

As I understand it, there’s a genre of young adult dystopian fiction which sees teenagers or children dealing with issues and stuff in post-apocalyptic or distressing settings of some description. The ‘Tomorrow’ series, by Australian author John Marsden, is one example. Tomorrow, When The War Began is the first in this series, and it’s now a MAJOR MOTION PICTURE. Or a quietly released DVD.

A bleak look at the unravelling life of a New York sex addict, Shame showcases brave work by director Steve McQueen and his second time collaborator, Michael Fassbender. Expertly shot and powerfully acted, the film takes an affliction often the subject of ridicule and uses it to tell an affecting story of vice and isolation.

Oliver Reed is the best thing in this historical adventure from the Hammer studios, out-acting everyone else on screen by a mile. Aside from his performance, though, this film lacks the vigour and excitement of a good historical epic, and isn’t exaggerated enough to be fun as a bawdy period romp.

“Do you ever wonder where your dreams come from? Look around you; this is where they’re made.” Hugo allows an adult audience to experience the sheer childlike joy of solving a mystery, of keeping of a great big secret and, most importantly, of seeing a film for the very first time…

It’s not often you get an All-American Sports Movie that celebrates the joys of cold, clinical science over fuzzy, intangible human emotion, but then Moneyball isn’t exactly your average sports movie. The true story of a baseball squad that defeated the odds by taking emotion out of the game, Moneyball combines the frankly terrifying talents of Bennett Miller, Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian and Brad Pitt; expertly demonstrating the true potential of a perfectly constructed team.

How much do you know about manga? Specifically, gekiga? Specifically, the gekiga of Yoshihiro Tatsumi? Loads? Fantastic, you’ll absolutely love Tatsumi. This beautiful, profound and very odd animation veers between enthralling and unnerving, but the casual viewer may leave the cinema a wee bit baffled.