Paul Howlett

Robert Hamer's last film, made as his alcoholism was taking a heavy toll, lacks the delicious wickedness of earlier works, such as Kind Hearts And Coronet, but there's much to enjoy. Based on Stephen Potter's bestselling books Gamesmanship, Oneupmanship and Lifemanship, it stars Ian Carmichael as the naive Palfrey, who joins Alastair Sim's College of Lifemanship to turn the tables on his oppressors: a snooty waiter, a pair of secondhand car swindlers and, worst of all, tennis cheat Terry-Thomas, who has stolen his girlfriend.

Alan Bennett's hugely popular play about Sheffield schoolboys aiming for Oxbridge gets a respectful big-screen treatment from Hytner, using the original cast and letting the wise and witty words do the work. The lovely Richard Griffiths's idealistic, repressed gay history teacher is the biggest act among many astute performances.

The chirpy team knocked out this cheeky response to Joseph L Mankiewicz's Egyptian epic, Cleopatra, in no time: a garden-shed version of the pyramids. Sid James is Mark Antony, Amanda Barrie the Queen of the Nile, and with Kenneth Williams Julius Caesar - who utters the immortal: "Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it in for me!" - this ranks as one of yer classic Carry Ons.

The lovable collection of silvery expats returns for an inevitable sequel. Dev Patel's Sonny is expanding his Jaipur hotel business, with the help of Maggie Smith's Muriel; foxy old Richard Gere may be able to help them with that. Meanwhile, Judi Dench and Bill Nighy dither around romance, while Celia Imrie's Madge has her choice of men. Twinkly charm is guaranteed, but that's enough now.

When MI7 hears of a plot to assassinate the Chinese premier, the only man to turn to is disgraced agent Johnny English, who is coming to transcendental terms with his utter incompetence in a Tibetan monastery. More amiable slapstick and gurning from Rowan Atkinson, abetted by a Bond-like Dominic West, M-like Gillian Anderson and retro-Bond-babe Rosamund Pike.

The school nativity play is always exciting/nerve-jangling, but in writer-director Debbie Isitt's lively, likeable comedy, expectations are ratcheted up a few notches when it seems a Hollywood producer will be coming. Martin Freeman, pre-Hollywood stardom, is the teacher struggling to cope with rising hysteria as the kids head for a terrific cathedral performance.

This adaptation of Helen Fielding's novels casts Renée Zellweger as a brilliant Bridget, piling on the pounds to transform herself into the singleton who eats, drinks and smokes too much and is looking for love - but with Hugh Grant's caddish Cleaver or Colin Firth's decent Darcy? Daffy, delicious fun.

Steve Coogan returns as Norfolk's most self-deluded radio host, blagging his way on to the big screen via this very funny siege thriller. Partridge's marriage and career are, unsurprisingly, down the drain, but when a shotgun-toting, newly sacked colleague (Colm Meaney) takes the staff of North Norfolk Digital hostage, Partridge sees the chance to make his name as a negotiator. It's his finest, most hypocritical hour in East Anglia's Ace in the Hole.

This quirky comedy, based on Deborah Moggach's novel, takes an A-list of aged Brit thesps - Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson - and plonks them in a crumbling hotel in Rajasthan, as economic migrants seeking a cheaper retirement.

Hamer's blade-sharp Ealing comedy is celebrated for Alec Guinness's multifaceted performance as all eight of the doomed D'Ascoynes, but there are other treasures: the suave malice of Dennis Price's draper's assistant-cum-serial killer, Mazzini, who decides to murder his way to the family dukedom; the portrayal of Edwardian England and its snobby mores; and the delicious glee with which the awful upper classes are dispatched (Mazzini would know how to deal with the Bullingdon crowd). A bitter and subversive tale.