It seems that Kevin Smith is getting a bit schmaltzy on us. With an accessible lead in Seth Rogen perhaps he thinks he can get away with it and appeal to the masses, a freedom he hasn’t really yet experienced through his time as a filmmaker. Not that he’s ever tried to reach maximum audiences – he’s never given a rat’s arse what critics say, and for the most part of his career it’s definitely worked in his favour. Zack and Miri Make a Porno has just enough Smith comic genius complimented with a more accessible story than anticipated.

François Bégaudeau must have been astonished. The first home-grown film in 21 years to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes and it was his work. All he did was write a book about his life – teaching middle-school kids and the hassle it can be… What he didn’t count on was the impact the film adaptation would have on audiences as it shows cultural clashes, respect issues and a complex bunch of teens that don’t seem to think they have the world at their feet. Nor did he realise his film The Class represents a modern look at his homeland France, for both domestic and international audiences.

Changeling is an aptly titled film, not at all because of its original folklore definition of a mythical creature being left in the place of a child, but rather for its ever changing narrative Set in 1928 Los Angeles, the film tells of Christine Collins’ (Angelina Jolie) unwavering quest to find her 10 year old son who disappears one evening, but when the Police eventually find a boy matching his description several months later, Christine is certain that it’s not him. Yet the plot to Changeling merely begins here, as this remarkable true story manages to explore so much more.

Philippe Petit is an extraordinary man. Anyone who saw his interview on Enough Rope with Andrew Denton got a fascinating insight into what makes this man tick and how he goes about satisfying it. It’s not just what he does, but how much he appreciates and is excited by doing things, and how it affects other people. Brash, eccentric and slightly self-centred, the Frenchman’s story wouldn’t have evolved without breaking the rules – but wire walking is an act that breaks the rules on its own, the walker defying gravity to create perfect symmetry. Petit wasn’t satisfied with breaking the one rule – he wanted his dream act to be seen on the newest, biggest man-made creation. The Twin Towers.

At a time when it feels like every film released is simply joining onto the end of a line of anxious school children hoping to be picked for team “Oscars”, Role Models is like that weird kid standing alone with one finger up his nose and the other hand down his pants. Sure, he’s never going to make the team, but neither is half the other players desperately jostling for attention, so why worry about being selected when he’s already having a blast doing his own thing?

Cat lovers have certainly had it tough. While man’s best friend has been busy slobbering all over the box office this holiday season, Hollywood has left the felines out in the winter cold. If Jennifer Aniston’s and Owen Wilson’s pooch in Marley & Me isn’t the cause of much dog doting, then Walt Disney’s latest animation Bolt -a delightful story about a dog who thinks he has superpowers – most certainly is. Recapturing the energy and charm of their earlier films, Bolt marks Disney’s long awaited re-emergence as a top-dog in the world of animation.

The legend that surrounds the MI6 spy continues to gather momentum after 2006’s Casino Royale-inspired resurgence. A film that gains all kinds of Internet speculation from the announcement of the title seems interesting in itself, but when it concerns one suave man and his martini it’s another story. James Bond is nothing short of a cinematic marvel. Whether you grew up watching the Connerys and Moores or are recent converts with Daniel Craig’s first foray, it’s hard to be oblivious to Bond hype (A Bond virgin? You should be ashamed of yourself.). After all, he’s been shaking his martini on our screens for the past 40-odd years. With the most talked-about title of the year, the hope for Quantum of Solace’s success is high – as are expectations.

Another day, yet another period drama. The genre can singlehandedly thank Miss Keira Knightley for its recent re-emergence, with her olden resume building through Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, and The Edge of Love before her latest offering, The Duchess. Although her early roles were far from a past era there is the increasing view that she’s being typecast – after all, what was her last general romcom? Why she continues to choose these roles may be a mystery to many (particularly males who would rather her out of the corsets), but the archetype of the headstrong yet flawed woman ahead of her time can teach us a lot about the human condition.