1. Tulpan: Remarkable romantic comedy set among a nomadic tribe in Kazakhstan.
2. An Education: Nick Hornby's sensitive adaptation of journlaist Lynn Barber's excellent memoir of her first boyfriend.
3. The White Ribbon: Michael Hameke's Palme d'Or winner at Cannes is set in a German village just before the start of the First World War.
4. 2012: Roland Emmerich's thrilling apocalypse movie with John Cusack as the hero.
5. Fantastic Mr Fox: Wes Anderson’s take on Roald Dahl is full of quirky magic — with a sly George Clooney voicing Mr Fox.

Critics' Choice

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Andrew O'Hagan

quote An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance quote

2012 Theatre

Fiona Mountford

quote The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C quote

Blood Brothers Music

John Aizlewood

quote The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed quote

Muse

Reader reviews

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Rachel Dalziel

quote I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play quote

Gilbert Is Dead Restaurants

Raja, London

quote I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food quote

Babbo Music

Katy, London

quote Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW! quote

Muse

Dame Helen crowned queen of film awards

By Alexa Baracaia, Evening Standard 30.11.06

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Charles Dance and Dame Helen Mirren with her movie award

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Dame Helen Mirren has been crowned queen of the British Independent Film awards - despite the movie which features her acclaimed performance as the monarch failing to grab the main awards.

Mirren, 61, was given a special award for film achievement. Other winners included This Is England, about fascist skinheads, and Red Road, Andrea Arnold's big screen debut which wowed Cannes in May.

Controversial director Ken Loach won the special jury prize while actor Jim Broadbent, most recently on screen as Lord Longford, was given an award for outstanding contribution to British film.

This Is England, set in the Eighties and by British director Shane Meadows, beat The Queen, in which Mirren starred, to be best British independent film. Thomas

Turgoose, who plays the central role of the 12-year-old boy, took the award for most promising newcomer. The Last King of Scotland, about Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, won the prize for best director for Kevin Macdonald and the technical achievement award.

Red Road's Tony Curran was best actor and his co-star and fellow Glaswegian Katie Dickie was best actress. Screen veteran Leslie Phillips, 82, was best supporting actor for Venus, written by Hanif Kureishi.