1. An Education: Nick Hornby's sensitive adaptation of journlaist Lynn Barber's excellent memoir of her first boyfriend.
2. Tales From The Golden Age: Portmanteau film with five stories about the horrific final 15 years of the Ceausescu regime in Romania.
3. Fantastic Mr Fox: Wes Anderson’s take on Roald Dahl is full of quirky magic — with a sly George Clooney voicing Mr Fox.
4. Bright Star: Jane Campion's imaginative portrayal of the Keats/Brawne love affair.
5. Disney's A Christmas Carol: Starring Jim Carrey as Scrooge.

Critics' Choice

Fay Maschler

quote With a single dessert and just two glasses of wine our bill was kept in check - but the effort of doing so was not much fun quote

Babbo Film

Andrew O'Hagan

quote This is a film with beautiful performances and a visual style that urges you towards reflection quote

Bright Star Theatre

Henry Hitchings

quote Although the first half of Kwei-Armah’s production is pacy, funny and intelligent, the energy level then drops off quote

Seize The Day

Reader reviews

Film

Squiz, Islington

quote I loved this film from start to finish. Take the girlfriend, tell your mum - I'd see it again tomorrow and will buy the dvd. quote

An Education Theatre

Joe, London

quote I saw this last night and can't remember the last time I was so moved in the theatre. quote

This Much Is True Restaurants

Hiroshi Sugiyama

quote I have been to many of London's so-called best Japanese restaurants and none have been as good as the food that I've had at Aqua Kyoto quote

Aqua Kyoto

Johnny Depp top of film website searches

By Ruth Bloomfield, Evening Standard 28.12.06

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In demand: Johnny Depp

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His reprised role as a charismatic pirate with a rock star swagger and a penchant for rum and heavy eyeliner has made Johnny Depp the most talked-about star of this year.

The Internet Movie Database website found Depp, star of the Pirates Of The Caribbean films, generated more searches by its 42 million users than any other actor.

Among the other stars to make the top 20 are his Pirates co-star Keira Knightley and Kate Beckinsale. Some stars made the cut as much for their personal lives as their careers. Brad Pitt (No4) and Angelina Jolie (No2) both excited more interest in their relationship and family than in their work.

Paris Hilton made it to No 9 despite her rather limited film career including cameo appearances in such turkeys as House Of Wax.

20 most looked-for actors

1. Johnny Depp
2. Angelina Jolie
3. Jessica Alba
4. Brad Pitt
5. Scarlett Johansson
6. Keira Knightley
7. Lindsay Lohan
8. Tom Cruise
9. Paris Hilton
10. Natalie Portman
11. Jennifer Aniston
12. Rachel McAdams
13. Christian Bale
14. Kate Beckinsale
15. Hilary Duff
16. Emma Watson
17. Jake Gyllenhaal
18. Orlando Bloom
19. Zac Efron
20. Tom Hanks