Film: The five best films

Anthony Quinn
Saturday 26 December 1998 00:02 GMT
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1

Out of Sight (5)

This tale of love on opposite sides of the law knocks spots off every previous Elmore Leonard adaptation, and boasts in George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez the swooniest romantic pairing of the cinema year.

2

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.

3

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.

4

Ronin (5)

John Frankenheimer's action thriller is buttressed by a fine international cast (Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Stellan Skarsgard), moody French locations and a clutch of supercharged car chases.

5

Slums of Beverly Hills (5)

Tamara Jenkins' feature debut is a winning rites-of-passage movie about a family coping with poverty in Los Angeles' richest suburb. Alan Arkin excels in the role of unreasonable but affectionate father.

THE FIVE BEST REVIVALS

The Lavender Hill Mob (NFT)

One of the great Ealing comedies, this classic caper stars Alec Guinness, the wonderful Stanley Holloway and a host of other comedy faces (Alfie Bass and Sid James among them). Mon, Wed

2

The Philadelphia Story (Curzon Soho)

As civilised and graceful as any romantic comedy ever made, this features a once-only pairing of Cary Grant and James Stewart, who perform like great jazzmen showing off their chops in a spirit of mutual regard.

3

It's a Wonderful Life (Curzon Soho)

Despite its reputation as a national treasure, Frank Capra's hymn to small-town selflessness is fraught with all kinds of contradictions and blind spots. James Stewart is magnificent in the lead role.

4

Adventures of Robin Hood (NFT)

The perfect antidote to the Christmas blues. Michael Curtiz's merry and inventive romp, one of the great swashbucklers, stars Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains (938). Wed 6.0pm

5

Now, Voyager (NFT)

Irving Rapper's 942 cruise-ship melodrama is brought to extraordinary life by the performances of its stars, Bette Davis, Paul Henreid and Claude Rains (again). Tomorrow 6.20pm

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