Code 46 (2003)
Jun 24, 2007Dystopian Future
A standout Michael Winterbottom film set in a fascinatingly detailed and well conceived future dominated by genetic laws where Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton conduct an illicit affair
The UK Film Council
Five Children and It (2004)
May 25, 2010Children's Film/Sand Fairy Grants Wishes
Adaptation of a classic British children's book made by Jim Henson Productions who discover a sand fairy who grants wishes. The film is largely centered around creating slapstick chaos
Creep (2004)
Jun 16, 2006Deformed Creature in the London Underground
A tense and well sustained horror with Franka Potente trapped in the London Underground after hours and menaced by a deformed creature that lurks in the tunnels
Valiant (2005)
Jan 7, 2006Animation/Talking Carrier Pigeons
Amiable British animated film set amongst the Allied Resistance during World War II, all cast with talking carrier pigeons
River Queen (2005)
Feb 25, 2006Maori Wars Historical Epic/Precognitive Dream
Vincent Ward must count as one of the directors who should be granted more opportunities to make films. This is probably his least satisfying work, a troubled behind-the-scenes epic set during New Zealand's Maori Wars that comes with some Magical Realist touches
The PianoTuner of EarthQuakes (2005)
Nov 22, 2008Surrealism
The second feature film from the Quay Brothers, a bafflingly incomprehensible work of surrealism, strange designs and non-sequitir dialogue
Stormbreaker (2006)
Nov 10, 2006Teenage Spy
Film adaptation of a popular series of Young Adult books about a teenage spy. Made not long after the Austin Powers films, this seems unable to decide if it is being serious or a parody
Wilderness (2006)
Feb 2, 2007Human Hunting/Bare Hands Survivalism
Tough brutal British film where a group of youth offenders are hunted while on a wilderness survival course on an island
The Tiger’s Tail (2006)
May 10, 2009Doppelganger Film
John Boorman makes a film where Brendan Gleeson has his life taken over by a doppelganger
28 Weeks Later (2007)
May 27, 2007Post-Holocaust/Zombie Outbreak
I was cautious about hailing 28 Days Later as a modern classic; this sequel is in fact a much better film. Newcomer director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo draws it out into a series of superbly sustained suspense sequences
Sunshine (2007)
Apr 19, 2007Solar Expedition
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland make a big serious SF film about a solar expedition, which works with great scientific rigour until the shows heads off at a tangent and falls apart in the latter third
Franklyn (2008)
Apr 27, 2010Interwoven Stories/Religious Dystopia
A fascinating series of interwoven stories, one of which is set in a religion-dominated dystopian future. An intriguing puzzle that arrives at a surprise left field ending
Hush (2008)
Oct 10, 2019Road Movie Psycho-Thriller
A British psycho-thriller that draws much from Steven Spielberg's Duel with its story of a motorist trying to rescue his girlfriend after she is abducted by a never-seen truck driver
The Escapist (2008)
Jun 8, 2016Prison Escape Drama/Fantastic Twist
This is principally a prison escape drama, at which it works well with a strong ensemble cast. It also has a left field ending that reveals it is a fantasy film, which remains its least satisfying aspect
The Secret of Moonacre (2008)
Oct 20, 2009Victorian Children's Fantasy Film
Beautifully filmed Victorian-set fantasy in which orphan Dakota Blue Richards moves to her uncle's estate and discovers the magical secrets it holds
Harry Brown (2009)
Dec 14, 2010Aging Vigilante
A British version of Gran Torino featuring Michael Caine as an aging man who becomes fed up with youth crime in the neighbourhood and takes up arms to go all Charles Bronson on them
Dorian Gray (2009)
Jan 28, 2011Eternally Youthful Libertine
Beautifully produced version of the Oscar Wilde story about a libertine who becomes immortal by transferring his soul into a portrait. This easily stands out as one of the best film versions of the story to date
Triangle (2009)
Feb 7, 2011Timeloop
Superb horror film filled with ingenious twists in which Melissa George boards an abandoned luxury liner only to become caught in a timeloop
Chatroom (2010)
Jan 9, 2011Psychological Games on the Internet
English-language film from Ring director Hideo Nakata that finds a vibrant means to depict internet communication in a thriller about people meeting on a chatroom being wound into a series of psychological games
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Mar 6, 2012Psycho Child
Almost an arthouse variation of the evil psycho child thriller but one stripped of thriller tropes and told in terms of an alternately striking and hauntingly elliptical tableaux of impressionistic images
The Woman in the Fifth (2011)
Jul 12, 2012Mysterious Femme Fatale
European arthouse film that feels like it should have been a horror film. This starts well but when it veers into genre territory, its big twist has been done by too many genre films of recent and holds nothing interesting in its treatment
Attack the Block (2011)
Sep 9, 2011Alien Invasion on a British Housing Estate
A refreshingly original film that transplants an alien invasion story to a modern British housing estate where a group of young hoodlums become the first line of defence against the invaders
Under the Skin (2013)
May 10, 2014Mysterious Alien Visitor
Fascinating film with Scarlett Johansson as an alien visitor luring male hitchhikers. The film is beautifully made but frustratingly opaque in terms of explanations for what is happening. indeed, feels like a science-fiction film that has been stripped of any easy science-fiction handholds