Film: The five best films

1

Antz (PG)

Computer-animated comedy voiced by a stellar cast stars Woody Allen as a worker ant who becomes an unlikely war hero and opponent of the colony's totalitarian regime. Terrific fun, and Allen's best work in a while.

2

My Name is Joe (5)

All that one would expect from a Ken Loach film - humour, indignation, emotional sympathy - driven by Peter Mullan's scarily intense performance as a recovering alcoholic.

3

Ronin (5)

John Frankenheimer's action thriller will divide audiences (see review, right) but is buttressed by a fine international cast (Robert De Niro), moody French locations and a clutch of car chases.

4

Snake Eyes (5)

This is burdened with a join-the-dots plot and heavy-handed symbolism, but you'd forgive Brian De Palma's film much more for the opening 20-minute tracking shot and Nicolas Cage's joyfully corrupt cop.

5

Insomnia (5)

Accomplished debut by Erik Skjoldbjaerg starts out with a policeman (Stellan Skarsgard) investigating a sex killing in north Norway, yet becomes a haunting study in guilt, duplicity and sleeplessness.