Film: THE FIVE BEST FILMS

1

Ratcatcher (5)

Set in the rubbish-strewn wilds of Seventies Govan, Lynne Ramsay's debut paints a haunting portrait of everyday childhood madness. Quite simply, it's the best British film we've seen all year.

2

The World is Not Enough (2)

Leaping off a dazzling pre-credits sequence comes the best Bond in decades. Pierce Brosnan has his hands full tackling Sophie Marceau's lissome heiress and a shaven-headed Robert Carlyle.

3

Fight Club (8)

David (Seven) Fincher's anarchistic roller-coaster of a movie is flawed but fascinating; almost Ali-like in its loud-mouthed wit and quicksilver-cool. Ed Norton and Brad Pitt play their roles at top volume.

4

Scrooge (U)

A timely release of 95's antique Yuletide fave, fired by a fine Alistair Sim performance as the curmudgeonly old miser visited by a quartet of ghosts on one chill Christmas Eve.

5

Taxi (5)

Luc Besson produced and penned the script for this souped-up crime caper about two odd-couple tearaways hunting a band of bank robbers. It fairly reeks of burnt rubber.

THE FIVE BEST REVIVALS

The Third Man (Sun am & pm, ICA)

Set your Sunday alarms for Carol Reed's peerless post-war thriller, as Joseph Cotten's bemused novelist Holly Martins trails the mysterious Harry Lime - a smirking Orson Welles - through a factionalised, rubble-strewn Vienna.

2

Pulp Fiction (Wed & Thur 8.5pm, NFT

Tarantino's jivey jukebox of LA gangsterism scooped the Palme D'Or at Cannes, reignited the career of John Travolta and proved that Bruce Willis wasn't such a bad actor after all. Three birds with one bullet.

3

Fargo (Fri 8.45pm, NFT)

The Coen Brothers' most disciplined picture to date alights on the snowscapes of a wintry Minnesota. William H Macy is the bungling scam- artist; Oscar- winning Frances McDormand the cop on his tail.

4

L'Appartement (Wed, 6.30pm, Riverside)

A dazzling bag of narrative tricks, L'Appartement spins its witty tale of romantic intrigue against the wine-bars and residences of modern-day Paris. It all adds up.

5

Lucie Aubrac (Wed 8.20pm, NFT)

Overlooked on its release last year, this tense, old-school, authentic French Resistance thriller is still well worth seeking out. Daniel Auteuil and Carole Bouquet give performances to relish.