Brüno

'This is the most important movie starring a gay Austrian since Terminator 2,' says Brüno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s alter-ego, speaking at the premiere of his self-named movie in London. Intended to shock and amuse in equal measure, this documentary-style film shows Baron Cohen's latest character make an irreverent and uncompromising bid for international celebrity status. First off, Brüno is fired from his Austrian television fashion show, Funkyzeit, after causing chaos during Milan Fashion Week - dressed in a Velcro jumpsuit. He subsequently heads to LA where, among other things, we see him try his hand at acting; adopting an African baby; become a chat show host (complete with unsuspecting celebrities) and attending a swingers party. Baron Cohen is fearless and funny as the film’s outrageous star but this is certainly a movie you'll be watching through your fingers.

By Hannah Swerling

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Public Enemies

Johnny Depp plays notorious 1930s gangster John Dillinger in this moody crime drama from Michael Mann. Dillinger is a smart-talking, sharp-suited gangster with a reputation for daring prison breaks. In between robbing banks and going on the run, he romances coat-check girl Billie (the excellent Marion Cotillard). Their relationship is touching and authentic, but the main thrust of the film is the action: think riotous car chases and dimly-lit shoot-outs. All the while Johnny Depp gives a silky-smooth performance as the chiselled, charming bank robber. There’s an impressive collection of players in the supporting cast too: Billy Crudup is J Edgar Hoover, Christian Bale is detective Melvin Purvis, while Channing Tatum, Leelee Sobieski and Giovanni Ribisi pop up in surprisingly small roles. Michael Mann may not have trumped his classics like Heat and The Insider, but this definitely tops Miami Vice.

By Anna Smith

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The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

Adapted from Rebecca Miller’s novel of the same name, this is an intimate portrait of the many lives one person can live. At fifty, Pippa Lee positively glows with female serenity, the devoted wife of a brilliant publisher thirty years her senior and proud mother of two children. But, when her husband spontaneously decides that they should leave New York for a retirement home as a "pre-emptive strike against decrepitude," Pippa (brilliantly realised by Robin Wright Penn) finds her virtuous persona unravelling in alarming ways. From a turbulent childhood to the psychedelic excesses of youth and a seemingly idyllic present, we follow Pippa in her journey of self-discovery as she confronts the buried memories of her past. ELLE’s July coverstar, Winona Ryder, brings quirky humour to the story as Sandra Dulls, Pippa’s neurotic friend, while a quiet and laconic neighbour Chris (Keanu Reeves) provides Pippa with an unexpected escape from her stifling domestic world. Poignant and funny with impressive performances.

By Hannah Swerling

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Adam

After the death of his father, Adam (Hugh Dancy) lives alone in his family’s New York apartment. Newly-single writer Beth (Rose Byrne) moves in next door and a relationship gradually blossoms. But this is no straightforward love match: Adam has Asperger's Syndrome. He says what he thinks, he has trouble interpreting other people’s feelings and he talks on and on about science and space for hours. And so this becomes a gently humorous portrait of an odd couple struggling to make it work. Both Dancy and Byrne are delightful and Peter Gallagher is strong as Beth’s father, who takes a dim view of Adam as a prospective son-in-law. This is no deep exploration of Asperger's – Adam seems to have a convenient recovery whenever it suits the script – and the relentlessly perky soundtrack drains away potential tension, but fans of the likes of Forrest Gump will find this a cute, affecting comedy-drama.

By Anna Smith

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Frozen River

A cash-strapped mother is forced into smuggling in this twice Oscar-nominated drama. Ray (Best Actress nominee Melissa Leo) lives on the US-Quebec border and struggles to feed her two sons while saving for a mobile home. Pursuing her errant husband she meets Mohawk girl, Lila, who sneaks immigrants across the border in return for cash. Reluctantly, these two very different women work together and form a dependency that’s more out of desperation than affection. Leo is absolutely terrific and the frosty landscape is loaded with atmosphere. We're not convinced this is Oscar-winning material, but as a portrait of real, tough women in need, it’s compelling stuff.

By Anna Smith

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