THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (15): See review.

TAXI (12A): See review.

AFTER THE SUNSET (12A): See review.

LADIES IN LAVENDER (12A): Judi Dench and Maggie Smith add a golden lustre to Charles Dance's skilful directorial debut about two sisters in 30s Cornwall, whose lives are transformed when they nurse a Polish violinist back to health after discovering him washed ashore.

BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON (15): Renee Zellweger makes a welcome return as the much-loved heroine who finds the course of true love doesn't always run smoothly when she bumps into old flame Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant). Disappointingly similar to the original but saved by excellent comic turns from Grant and Zellweger.

THE GRUDGE (15): Remake of Takashi Shimizu's cult Japanese horror Ju-On: The Grudge. Set in Japan, Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as an American exchange student who discovers a terrifying curse. Shimizu's slick direction retains much of the suspense and psychological terror of the original.

BAD SANTA (15): Billy Bob Thornton is on fine form as a hard-drinking con man whose Santa disguise forms the basis of his latest scam until a wide-eyed eight-year-old boy intervenes. Wickedly original dark-edged comedy.

FINDING NEVERLAND (PG): Johnny Depp sparkles with understated intensity as writer JM Barrie in this spellbinding tale of creative genius and doomed love. After striking up a friendship with Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet) and her four sons, Barrie finds himself inspired to create his masterwork.

CINEWORLD MOVIES FOR KIDS (SATURDAY, 10AM):

SHREK 2 (U): The ogre and Fiona join forces with donkey once more and there's a glorious debut from Antonio Banderas as puss in Boots, a pint-sized assassin afflicted by furballs. Unmissable.

THUNDERBIRDS (PG): A FAB live-action adaptation of the classic puppet stories. Let's save the day.

YU-GI-OH (U): Long version of the kids' TV cartoon series which kids love and no one else can understand.

CINEWORLD WEDNESDAY SPECIAL:

COLLATERAL (15): Tom Cruise ditches his all-American sunny persona to star as a hired killer who hijacks a taxi driven by Jamie Foxx to take him from hit to hit. Classy thriller.

CINEWORLD MONDAY CLASSIC:

SYLVIA (15): Gwyneth Paltrow stars with Daniel Craig in this biopic of the acclaimed writer and poet Sylvia Plath who commited suicide.