Louise Dumas

This might have been schmaltz but it isn't: it's a film that unpacks slowly to show pure gold in terms of character, script and setting. An American college in heavy winter snow creates an atmosphere of chill, gradually thawed by the astonishing redemption and ultimate sacrifice of Paul Giametti, It isn't the pupils, as in Dead Poets Society or The History Boys, who score - they mostly remain, with one exception, 'spoilt hormonal philistines' - it's the teacher. Nothing here is predictable, except perhaps the revolting hypocrisy of the Head, finally castigated as PenisCancer in an ultimately satisfying finale. It is one of the most rewarding films I've seen in years and will remain in the mind for a long time. A wonderful experience and outstanding performances from the actors and backstage crew.

This macabre tale in a beautiful old country house has very little to recommend it other than the setting and Rosamund Pike. The familiar trope of poor Oxford scholarship boy in painful contrast to spoilt gilded youth has nothing of the wit and sensitivity of Waugh's Flyte and Ryder, and needs to capture interest with sinister characters, degenerate siblings, obsessive erotica and shadowy lighting. It fails miserably on all counts and manages to be both embarrassing and slightly dull. Class difference, portrayed with a very heavy hand, reeks of outmoded sensibilities. None of the characters are remotely likeable and most appear damaged, ridiculous, downright unpleasant or all three in a very thin storyline with no agreeable complexity and no subtlety of any shade, colour or kind. At least we saw a streamed version and didn't have to buy a cinema ticket. I would have walked out.

No one today knew, or even met, Napoleon Bonaparte. Interpretations are subjective, audience reactions coloured by time, nationality, conscience or dazzling cinematography. I just hope the truth isn't this historically inaccurate, battle- bloody version by Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix. Rod Steiger (1970) and Herbert Lom (1956) portrayed Napoleon with charisma, power, emotion and nuance: they were fine actors with intelligent scripts. Phoenix looks the part, especially in the coronation scene (staged precisely from the David painting of 1807) but his speech delivery is feeble, his expressions limited to variations of scowl and he never ages from ambitious soldier to ruined outcast. Vanessa Kirby does convey something of Josephine's allure in a performance which almost saves the film. Poor Marie- Louise barely features. The film jumps and skips through history - episodes are fragmentary, with written titles for dates and scenes. Battles - Austerlitz, Borodino and Waterloo - are as spectacular. Scott's mastery of huge military forces is amazing, if terrifying. But where are all the characters? Where are Napoleon's siblings? (There is a glimpse of Lucien but no mention of the rest, most of whom were made Kings by their brother.) Mother Mere gets an honourable mention. Where are the generals? The politicians? Why no Code Napoleon? It's an enormous story and can't possibly be properly achieved in two and a half hours. Perhaps the ' directors' cut' makes a better fist of it, but nothing can save this dire representation of a great hero.

The weasel word is ‘based’. This allows flagrant distortion of Jane Austen’s novel to such an extent that it almost is unrecognisable from the original, Characters are missing, dialogue altered, scenes cut and Anne herself morphs from mature, discreet and intelligent reserve to a wine slurping pathos with frilly edges. It is embarrassing but beautifully filmed. What a stunning waste of time, talent and scenery but thank goodness, it has very little to do with Jane Austen.

Brilliantly acted and dramatically filmed account of two powerful women amidst a clutch of scheming courtiers, conflicting loyalties and religious fanaticism. Dark and rich as a Caravaggio painting with a heady mix of sex, violence and history, the film takes a few liberties with facts but as none of us was either under the bed or in M’ladies chamber, we can’t know Rizzio or Darnley’s gender preferences for certain.Did Elizabeth and Mary really meet? In a tent hung with veils? An atmospheric score adds an extra dimension, helping create an almost overwhelming sensual effects and modern speech patterns, vocabulary and dialogue help relate the heroines of yesterday into inspiration today. .

Much vaunted vehicle for the acting abilities of Di Caprio and Di Niro but indulgent exercise for octogenarian Scorsese. Politically correct showcase for the corruption and greed of white oil hunters who destroy indigent native American Indians, inevitably portrayed as calm and dignified, in contrast to the murderous newcomers. The film has powerful moments but tedious half hours: overlong with mumbled speech that is often difficult to hear. Subtitles from the Indian dialect offer welcome narrative. Ingenious finale.