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

Film

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

Theatre

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

This week's DVD reviews

By Steve Morrissey, Evening Standard 23.04.09

Add your view

This week's DVD releases include Yes Man, The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Baader Meinhof Complex.

Yes Man
(Warner, cert 12, rental/retail)
Jim Carrey is the naysayer learning positivity in a Hollywood romcom rework of Danny Wallace's chirpy book about a self-help odyssey. Yes? Now and again.

The Day the Earth Stood Still
(Fox, cert 12, rental/retail)
The aliens are friendly, it's the humans who are the problem in this thrill-free remake of the 1951 classic starring Keanu Reeves.

The Baader Meinhof Complex
(Momentum, cert 18, retail)
Badly drawn and frustratingly mediocre historical drama about the 1970s German terrorist gang.

The Tale of Despereaux
(Universal, cert U, rental/retail)
A Ratatouille-a-like mouse learns to stand up for himself in a twee CGI animation with a “cash-in” motive. Despereaux for the kids, despair for the adults.

Box Set of the Week
All You Need Is Love
(Tony Palmer Films, cert E, retail)
AKA The Story of Popular Music, Tony Palmer's opinionated, reverential 17-part 1977 TV series — Scott Joplin to Bob Dylan, Vera Lynn to Liberace and beyond.