Lincoln is filled with great performances, but devotes too much time to men talking in dark rooms, writes Francesca Rudkin.

Tarantino provides his usual cinematic flourishes, but Django Unchained takes too long to get to the point, writes Russell Baillie.

Band of Horses started strong before getting bogged down in dreary ballads, writes Chris Schulz.

Gangster Squad looks pretty but lacks the character depth to make it truly memorable, writes Francesca Rudkin.

Life of Pi is a visual wonder, but suffers a little from some clunky storytelling, writes Russell Baillie.