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.

Haywire is a funny little thing, a strange mix of gritty action, suave loitering and lots and lots of running. Star Gina Carano is supremely believable as Woman Who Will Kill Everyone, but she never seems quite at home amongst Soderbergh’s splashy cymbals and stylish basslines. At the end of the day, just as Statham will never be Bond, Carano just doesn’t suit the slick-suited world of pseudo-spying – just let her loose in Dublin with a baseball bat and a score to settle next time, eh?

A jaw-lockingly sinister look at the side of modelling never really explored by Tyra Banks Co, Girl Model is a sparse but affecting documentary about the under-age beauty business, its victims and its beneficiaries. Director David Redmon does well to keep quiet, leaving it to his subjects to sketch out an deeply worrying world of exploitation and sexualisation.

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.

Seann William Scott is disarmingly loveable in this blood-spattered sports comedy written by Jay Baruchel and Evan Goldberg. Goon might initially strike you as brainless Lad fare, but don’t let appearances deceive you. It’s warm, funny and actually has something (vaguely) serious to say about a culture which encourages, and even downright applauds, violence – as long as it’s safely in the confines of a sports venue, of course.

A joyful, rich and eye-meltingly beautiful celebration of cinema, an homage to artistry throughout the ages and at its roots a love story, plain and simple – silent film The Artist is as close to perfect as we’re ever likely to get. It might be a little early to place this as the best film of 2012, but frankly, no-one could blame them for being quietly (very quietly) confident about the matter.

Brad Bird’s take on the Mission: Impossible series is a daft, big bucks action fest that falls victim to a cheesy script, a little too much fun-poking and one hell of a dreadful ending. But its breathtaking action sequences and likeable performances ultimately make it a rather entertaining watch. And it’s always fun to see Tom Cruise running about.

In stripping back the Dragon Tattoo story to its bare bones and keeping our attention purely on its central players, David Fincher has created a sleek, sparse and visually arresting adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s opening gambit. Despite being hampered rather than helped by the narrative of their source material, the immensely creative team do an admirable job – underpinned by a stunning performance by star Rooney Mara. The question is – is this story really good enough for them?

Writer-director Jean-Pierre Améris’ latest film is a romantic comedy despite itself. Telling the tale of two romantics as united as they are handicapped by an overwhelming fear of relationships, Romantics Anonymous is a sugar-coated love story that proves every bit as sweet as it does saccharine. Boasting agreeably quirky contrivances and a deeply calorific serving of catharsis, this end of year treat just about manages to have its chocolate and eat it.