Just because you're arty, it doesn't mean you don't like the occasional blockbuster. Read on for Part 1. For Part 2, click here.

BABEL (2006)

Babel is the latest project from Mexican director Alejandro Gonzíƒ ¡lez Iíƒ ±íƒ ¡rritu, best known for his critically acclaimed crime thriller 21 Grams (2003) and the Oscar nominated Amores Perros (2000). The film follows Iíƒ ±íƒ ¡rrituí¢â‚¬â„¢s signature structure, a fractured narrative sparked by an accident that resonates across three different sets of characters and, in this case, across the globe from Morocco to Mexico and Tokyo. This unique approach to storytelling worked well in Amores Perros, but six years later the split story structure is beginning to look both tired and forced.

Despite an A-List cast including Hollywood heavyweights Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, Babel fails to carry the weight of such an ambitious and tenuous web of global stories, relying heavily on frequent montage sequences of the beautifully shot locations to get its í¢â‚¬Ëœmessageí¢â‚¬â„¢ across. And this deep message, positively rammed down our throats, is that we all just need to like, communicate a little more, man.

This is exactly the kind of film that will be championed at the dinner tables of thirty-something investment bankers living in Putney, keen to impress upon their guests that they have their finger firmly on the pulse of popular culture. Picture the scene as the host opens the third bottle of red wine over the cheese-board, his guests rapt: í¢â‚¬Å“It just struck me watching this film that communication is so vital, I mean, if we all just listened to one another, the world would be a much more peaceful place.í¢â‚¬  Cue sage nodding around the table.

Babel is worth watching for its stunning cinematography and great performances especially from Adriana Barraza as the unfortunate housekeeper Amelia, but it ultimately collapses under the weight of its own self-importance.

Leanne Welham

HOT FUZZ(2007)

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have come a long way from the first few episodes of Spaced and, for their sophomore film effort Hot Fuzz, theyí¢â‚¬â„¢ve put together a strong story with a lot to offer. The film has a very standard issue premise, with London supercop Nick Angel being reassigned to the remote town of Sandford. There he is partnered with his exact opposite, PC Danny Butterman, in a quiet community which seems to have nothing better for him to keep an eye on than errant swans. Hilarity ensues?

Well, yes!

A large cast of memorable characters, such as 1970í¢â‚¬â„¢s moustachioed í¢â‚¬Å“The Andyí¢â‚¬â„¢sí¢â‚¬  or the sneering villain played by Timothy Dalton, all provide humour from a variety of quarters. If they arení¢â‚¬â„¢t lovingly sending up small town England then they are making you fall in love with it. Meanwhile, action enthusiasts and those with an eye for detail will be rewarded by the carefully assembled script. Fans of the duoí¢â‚¬â„¢s previous work will even notice the occasional nod to both Shauní¢â‚¬ ¦ and Spaced. But thanks to the sincerity and warmth of the main characters friendship, as well as that of the actors playing them, Hot Fuzz stands above other gag-a-minute comedies.

Oliver Brackenburry

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006)

Valerie Faris and Jonathan Daytoní¢â‚¬â„¢s Little Miss Sunshine is a breath of fresh air. In equal parts charming, bitter and funny, it was a surprise hit both at the Sundance film festival and at the box office on its general release. Taking as its subject the weird and tacky world of beauty pageants, the film skewers the event through the experiences of a dysfunctional, albeit realistic, family who undertake a road trip so their young daughter can take part in the event. Independent movies about dysfunctional families, especially American ones, are nothing new but Little Miss Sunshine puts such a unique spin on proceedings, one caní¢â‚¬â„¢t help feeling moved as the family attempt to overcome their difficulties.

Eschewing much of the whiz-bang flashiness of their music videos, directors Valerie Faris and Jonathon Dayton bring warmth to the film by eliciting excellent performances from the cast. Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Steve Carell and little Abigail Breslin (who is nominated for an Oscar for her performance) all excel. However, it is Paul Dano, as the teenage son, who really shines. Effortlessly embodying the teenage frustrations of his character, the scene where he suddenly lets everything out is a great dramatic moment and one of the many reasons to seek out and see this Best Picture Oscar hopeful.

Andrew Skeates

PANí¢â‚¬â„¢S LABYRINTH (2006)

Paní¢â‚¬â„¢s Labyrinth is a rare occurrence in the world of cinema, a fairytale for grown ups. Dark, sinister and not afraid to show the atrocities of real-life violence, the film mixes these harsh images with the fantastical world of the lead character, a young girl named Ofelia.

Ofelia and her recently married mother are taken to stay on a remote farm occupied by her husband, army Capitan Vidal (Sergi Lopez) who is out to quash the remaining resistance fighters at the end of World War II. Finding her future stepfather a hostile figure, Ofelia escapes into the fantasy land of Paní¢â‚¬â„¢s Labyrinth where she embarks on several adventures given to her by the mysterious Faun (Doug Jones). Meanwhile, violence erupts in the real world, as Capitan Vidal begins to loose his grip, threatening the lives of Ofelia, her mother and all those around him. Soon, Ofeliaí¢â‚¬â„¢s two worlds are colliding with the threat of violence ever present in both.

Working in a similar way to his earlier work, The Devilí¢â‚¬â„¢s Backbone, Del Toro creates a vivid world, both real and unreal, in a story that is as much about Spainí¢â‚¬â„¢s fascist regime as it is about the wonders found in Ofeliaí¢â‚¬â„¢s fantastical labyrinth. The dark side of human nature is explored, often graphically, with Lopez perfectly inhabiting the cruel, sadistic and power hungry madness of the Capitan. This and the other strong performances in the film prove that Del Toro has the gift of coaxing realistic performances no matter how fantastical the surroundings become. A mention must also go to the wonderfully realized fantasy elements, well deserving of the Oscarí¢â‚¬â„¢s for best Art Direction and Make Up. Paní¢â‚¬â„¢s Labyrinth is a beautiful and brutal film, from a writer/director who is shaping up to be one of the greats of modern cinema.

Andrew Skeates