-3:10 to Yuma - Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster Peter Fonda

-American Gangster - Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin

-Hairspray - Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christoper Walken,

-Into The Wild - Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Katherine Keener

-No Country for Old Men - Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Kelly Macdonald

3:10 to Yuma

Director James Mangold follows up his Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line with 3:10 to Yuma, a film which carries on the revival of the once very popular Western.Rancher Dan Evans (Bale) witnesses a stagecoach robbery by famous outlaw Ben Wade (Crowe).Evans faces a daily struggle to keep a roof over his family's head, the drought has led to the death of many if his cattle and he is on the verge of being evicted from his home.When Wade is captured Dan, in an attempt to regain some respect and earn some money, volunteers to join the group that will take Wade to Contention and put him on the 3:10 train to Yuma where he will stand trial.But with Wade's band of loyal outlaws behind them the group face danger at every turn.

3:10 to Yuma injects new life into this dying movie genre highlighting that there is still an audience for the Western movie as it topped the U.S. box office.

Plus you can't help but get excited as Russell 'Gladiator' Crowe faces off against Christian 'Batman' Bale.

Crowe delivers his best performance since Cinderella Man whilst consistently good Bale adds yet another fine performance to his C. V.

American Gangster

American Gangster brings together Hollywood heavy weights, and damn fine actors, Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington for the first time in over a decade.

Directed by Ridley Scott American Gangster tells the true story of Frank Lucas, a hero of 1970s Harlem, who masterminded a drug enterprise that allowed him to smuggle heroin from Vietnam on to the streets of New York.

Cop Richie Roberts heads the task force whose sole purpose is to clean up the streets of the city.

Scott delivers his best picture since Gladiator with slick and exciting set pieces.

Fans of the genre will notice that Scott has copied a very successful element of Michael Mann's Heat: in the almost three hour long movie De Niro and Pacino meet just the once.

Alone together towards the end of the movie Washington and Crowe lock horns in a bid to out manoeuvre each other producing some of the best scenes in the whole picture.

Despite being a great crime drama sadly it's early release has meant that it has been eclipsed by the Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men.

Hairspray

The musical is banck as Hairspray was the surprise hit of the summer holding its own against the blockbusters that ruled the box office.

Set in 1960s Baltimore over weight teenager Tracy Turnblad has a dream to dance on the Corny Collins Show.

But Velma Von Tussle does everything to spoil Tracy's chances. She rules the show with an iron fist using it to promote daughter Amber.

Soon Tracy is fighting Amber for the Miss Hairspray title, calling for intergration and trying to win the heart of Link, the most popular boy in school.

Despite confident performances by the younger member of the cast it is it's older stars that really shine.

The heavily latexed John Travolta steals the show as Edna Turnblad dominating any scene that he is in. Michelle Pfeiffer is also great and, like Travolta, puts in a very strong vocal performance as Velma Von Tussle.

But like American Gangster this movie will be overlooked in favour of other. more recent released, pictures in this genre ie Sweeney Todd when it comes to the Oscars.

Into the Wild

Into the Wild is an adaptation of Jon Krakauer's best selling novel and is directed by Oscar winning actor turned director Sean Penn.

Newly graduated Christopher McCandless walks away from his promising future and privileged lifestyle in search of adventure.

McCandless hitchikes across America visiting South Dakota, the Colarado River, Slab City California before reaching Alaska where he met his untimely death.

Into the Wild has been met well critically winning a string of awards including: the Gotham Award for Best Feature Film, Mill Valley Film Festival for Best Actor (Emile Hirsch) and the Palm Springs International Film Festival for Director of the Year.

It was also nominated for four Screen Actors Guild awards and seven Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

However it was a surprise absentee with no nominations in the main categories at this year's Golden Globes were it had been expected to do well. It similarly missed out in the BAFTA nominations.

No Country for Old Men

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen it's the duo's first film in nearly four years and is an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel.

It has always been suggested that good books make really bad films bit the Coen's, not to mention Joe Wright's Atonement and a little trilogy called Lord of the Rings, has proved that this statement is a load of trash.

Llewlyn Moss (Brolin), a down on his luck Vietnam veteran, stumbles across a drug deal that has gone violently wrong.

Discovering a suitcase full of cash Moss flees with the money unaware that merciless killer (Javier Bardem) is already on his trail.

Several steps behind is Sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) who is concerned by the rising number of dead bodies.

No Country For Old Men is a bleak and gritty picture with Bardem delivering an exceptional performance as the most unnerving screen villain of 2007.

Having won Best Picture at the New York Critics Circle, National Board of Review, Washington D.C Area Film Critics Association and Boston Society of Film Critics No Country Fol Old Men is hotly tipped for Oscar success.

Tip to win - 3:10 to Yuma

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw