Michael Winterbottom gets to the heart of the matter with Everyday; a family drama with a difference. Winterbottom’s regulars Shirley Henderson and John Simm play parents Karen and Ian who are split apart when Ian is jailed for a decade for drug smuggling. Sitting out his term puts a strain on his four young children, played by real-life siblings. This minimalist drama takes the viewer closer to real family relationships than any British film has in years.

When I was told to have a cinematic look at Europe’s capital cities, I grabbed my passport and my rusty camcorder and rushed eagerly towards Heathrow. But it turns out they just wanted me to tell you about the best films featuring those cities. Cheapskates.

How do you know what you’re going to see at the cinema next month? You’re busy people – Facebook won’t update itself, and you’ve probably got a relationship to neglect or something. Oh, you haven’t? Sorry. Well, there’s no point in trying to meet another human adult now, you may as well just read this blog.

First-time deviser-director Gareth Edwards has been much lauded for his debut feature, a sci-fi road movie set six years after Mexico is invaded by gigantic aliens. There’s no doubt that, given the fact that he made it for less than $500,000 and edited it in his bedroom, Monsters is technically impressive – it’s just hard to appreciate his jack-of-all-trades prowess when you’re dozing off.

Hurrah for the bloody goriness that is Guy Fawkes day! A proud, dastardly time indeed in our national history, and a great excuse to give children some fire to mess around with. So considering the film world is usually so ready and willing to hijack our most exciting tales, our question is, where are the films to accompany Bonfire Night?

Another Year, the latest devised-piece-cum-film from Vera Drake director Mike Leigh, has been widely acclaimed at Cannes and the London Film Festival. At the risk of turning Best For Film into some sort of underground band of critical mavericks, I really don’t see why. It may be a far cry from Leigh’s best work, but its extraordinarily realised characters do a reasonable job of balancing out a plot which ends up being more hollow than touching.

Hurrah for us Brits! According to this year’s Toronto Film Festival line-up we’ve got a lot to look forward to in terms of British cinema, with 12 Brit entrants making it into the official selection. Interestingly enough, 8 out the 12 – yep, that’s two thirds – are backed and supported by the UK Film Council (which is why you should sign the official petition to save it here).

Mike Leigh’s gentle send-up of neighbourly relations is as enjoyable now as it was in the Seventies.

Back to the gritty, urban milieu of earlier films such as Get Carter, Michael Caine delivers an uncompromising and sympathetic performance in Harry Brown, a dark and violent revenge thriller. But where the performances stand out, some of the politics in the film fare less well. Read on to find out what we thought of Michael Caine blowing off more than just doors.