Our film critic chooses his highlights from the 50th London Film Festival line up, announced today...

The Last King of Scotland
An adaptation of Giles Foden's book about the Scottish doctor who became personal physician to the Ugandan tyrant, Idi Amin. Kevin Macdonald's film stars Forest Whitaker, remarkable as Amin, and James McAvoy, equally good as the doctor.

Red Road
Prized at Cannes, Andrea Arnold's debut features a superb performance from Kate Dickie. She plays a Glaswegian CCTV operator who sees a strange man on her screen and follows him into the slum estates.

Venus
Roger Michell directs, Hanif Kureishi writes, and Peter O'Toole and Leslie Phillips star as two veteran but still employed actors facing up to the ageing process.

Hollywoodland
The much-praised thriller from Venice about the suicide - or murder - of George Reeves, the original Superman. Ben Affleck, who plays Reeves, won the Best Actor award at the festival with his finest performance to date.

Shortbus
Life, love and sex in the New York City of the ultra-cool. Porno patches shocked some at Cannes, but this one isn't for the prurient; well-acted and good direction from John Cameron Mitchell.

Days of Glory
A Second World War tale of four North Africans who join the French army to fight Nazis and end by fighting discrimination, too.

I Don't Want to Sleep Alone
Minimalist but absorbing tale of a homeless Chinese man taken in by Bangladeshi building workers in Kuala Lumpur. From the Taiwanese master Tsai Ming Liang.

Still Life
The surprise winner at Venice, which won the Golden Lion from Catherine Deneuve's equally surprised jury. Jia Zhang-Ke's beautiful film is about a father searching for his missing son. There's also a documentary called Dong, on the making of this movie.

The Family Friend
Controversial Italian film about a money-lender preying on families with whom he becomes intimate. Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, it's one of those love or hate movies.

Babel
Made in four languages, and set in four countries, this impressive portmanteau movie stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Gael García Bernal (see feature, left).

The Times BFI 50th London Film Festival runs 18 October-2 November. Full programme at www.lff.org.uk. Book online or 020 7928 3232 from 29 September. NFT members' booking opens on 18 September.