1. THE DEPARTED
Scorsese's best in years. A blistering all-star treat.

2. UNITED 93
Heartfelt, frenzied chills from a real-life tragedy.

3. CASINO ROYALE
An in-yer-face return to form for the Brit franchise - and there's still room for improvement.

4. 16 BLOCKS
A forgotten Bruce Willis character piece with tension to boot, with the Die Hard legend playing it down for a change.

5. DEJA VU
A ludicrous plot twist can't stop this thriller from oozing big budget balls.

1. BORAT
Who knew that such cheap laughs could actually say something about the world today. Genius.

2. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Indie chuckles courtesy of the family from hell. Veteran scene stealer Alan Arkin, as grumpy Grandpa, is a legend.

3. NACHO LIBRE
Warm-hearted, well-meaning and beautifully odd, Napoleon Dynamite helmer Jared Hess once again proves that classic comedy can be as weird as you wanna.

4. TALLADEGA NIGHTS
Will Ferrell is the best movie dumb-ass in the business - the world of American Deep South motor racing is a gift for him.

5. JUST FRIENDS
Ryan Reynolds is nearly always better than his material - this is no different. But the laughs are still there.

1. HARD CANDY
A devastating two-handed reworking of Little Red Riding Hood for the internet generation. X-Men star Ellen Page is a star to watch.

2. PAN'S LABYRINTH
One of the most decorated flicks of the year effortlessy blends a children's fairytale with adult politics. Hauntingly good.

3. MARIE ANTOINETTE
French history with an 80s New Wave soundtrack. Sofia Coppola once again shows she's the premier portrayer of teenage life on the big screen.

4. SEVERANCE
Brutal splatter horror meets hilarious comedy, with Danny Dyer and pals facing slashers in Eastern Europe.

5. RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR
Worryingly realistic zero-budget thriller about a terror attack on LA. Prepare to cack yourself.

1. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Filling the gap left by Sex & The City, this is a spot-on portrait of just how seductive success, stars and shoes can be. Meryl Streep casts a spell.

2. VOLVER
Penelope Cruz proves how good she really can be in this beautifully judged tale of family loyalties and hidden secrets.

3. STEP UP
Cheesy-as-ell but hilariously entertaining hip-hop riff on Dirty Dancing and Save The Last Dance.

4. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
Slow by sexily made epic, based on the bestseller and at the very least guaranteed to make you gawp at the stunning moods, tones and colours.

5. THE HOLIDAY
Personally I only likes the Jude Law/Cameron Diaz part of the story - but the pretty settings and even prettier cast was enough to make this worth checking out.