Looking for the top picks and most hotly anticipated cinema releases for the next month? Or maybe the ones to avoid if you can’t make up your mind in the foyer? Then look no further…

Friday 15th January Releases

44 Inch Chest
From the writers of Sexy Beast, 44 Inch Chest is a rollicking gangster flick starring the cream of British ‘ard man talent including John Hurt, Ian McShane and Ray “The Guv’nor” Winstone. It’s profane, violent, slick, has a soundtrack by Massive Attack, and according to McShane himself, makes Sexy Beast “look like Mary Poppins”.
Anticipation rating: 8

All About Steve
The world needs another Sandra Bullock rom-com like it needs another Cold War, and if American reviews are anything to go by, even the staunchest rom-com fan wants to steer clear of All About Steve. Bullock stars as Mary Horowitz, a crossword puzzle writer who after meeting Steve, the man of her dreams (Bradley Cooper) proceeds to… um… stalk him. Colour us freaked out.
Anticipation rating: -4

The Book Of Eli
Despite its oddly right-wing Christian leanings, the prospect of Denzel Washington kicking some post-apocalyptic ass and Gary Oldman hamming it up as the villain certainly has some appeal. The first outing for the Hughes Brothers since 2001’s underwhelming Alan Moore adaptation From Hell, The Book of Eli may well be a box office contender if it plans on The Road blazing a trail for post-apocalyptia.
Anticipation rating: 6

Up In The Air
Ah, Clooney. With your Nespresso ads you even manage to make selling out look kinda cool, and Up In The Air yet again cements you as a guy who can straddle comedy, drama, and heck knows how many other genres. Leaning more towards comedy, Up In The Air sees The Cloon as Ryan Bingham, a frequent flyer forced to reassess his choices and philosophies when his up-in-the-air lifestyle is challenged. Don’t be fooled by any rom-com connotations – Up In The Air is smart and slick enough to entertain all sorts.
Anticpation rating: 9

Friday 22nd January Releases

A Prophet
Hailed as a Goodfellas for the 2010 generation, A Prophet is the latest from French director Jacques Audiard, who helmed 2005’s multi award-winning The Beat That My Heart Skipped. Set in the murky and dangerous world of the contemporary French prison system, A Prophet is the story of Malik, an illiterate petty criminal left to fend for himself after incarceration. Falling in with a bunch of Corsican gangsters, Malik adapts to the system in which he’s trapped, and begins to rise through the ranks. Brutally real, intelligent and looking like to win Audiard another shedload of accolades, A Prophet looks set to be the year’s first must-see.
Anticipation rating: 10

Armored
Seemingly a week for the thrillers, Armored is the well-worn story of a luckless worker (Columbus Short) who becomes embroiled in a heist involving armoured cars – which inevitably gets botched. Also starring Matt Dillon, Lawrence Fishburne and Jean Reno, Armored looks simple, down-the-line and maybe a little dumb. It might be enjoyable enough, but we’d have been more excited if the distributers had at least bothered to spell ‘Armoured’ correctly on the UK posters.
Anticipation rating: 5

Brothers
Based on the Danish film Brødre (no prizes for guessing the translation there) and taking its inspiration from Homer’s Odyssey, Brothers is an all-star drama, perfect if you don’t fancy the more action-orientated releases this week. An analysis of brotherhood, love, and survival against the odds, Brothers treads a fine line between melodrama and romance, with strong performances from Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Anticipation rating: 7