2002 Films

We've lined up a selection of the most promising films coming your way in the first part of next year, and we've even got exclusive reviews of some of them for you already:

Release Date: January 4
Starring: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Robert Forster, Ann Miller
Everyone's favourite weirdo director David Lynch is back at his kookiest in this mystifyingly surreal thriller set in and around Hollywood. The film has been picking up awards since it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival and is worth seeing for that reason alone as well as actually trying to figure out what is (or is not) actually happening.

Release Date: January 11th
Starring: Will Smith, Jon Voight, Mario Van Peebles, Ron Silver, Jamie Foxx
Michael Mann's biopic of the great man is one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the next few months: will the tills start ringing and the awards start flowing or will it all prove to be a big disappointment?

Release Date: January 18th
Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger
Denzel Washington is hotly tipped for at least an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of a bent cop in this gritty thriller which sprung to the top of the American charts upon its release.

Release Date: January 25th
Starring Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Jason Lee, Kurt Russell
The Cruise reunites with Jerry Maguire director Cameron Crowe and will be hoping to repeat the success of that film at the Box Office. We are promised darker things here however. Plus, there's the chance to see that much publicised onscreen chemistry between Tom and Penelope.

Release Date: February 1st
Starring: Alan Bates, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, Richard E, Grant, Derek Jacobi, Helen Mirren, Ryan Philippe
Director Robert Altman has packed together another ensemble cast and this time chosen the unlikely setting of an English country house circa 1930 for his latest drama. And by all accounts the director is back to his best, with whispers of Oscar getting louder by the day.

Release Date: February 8th
Featuring the Voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly
This latest animated adventure from Pixar (the makers of the Toy Story series) has been a huge smash in the United States since its release. With animation even better than before it promises to be a must-see for the New Year.

Release Date: February 15th
Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle
Despite potentially falling flat on its feet, Steven Soderbergh's update of the 1961 rat pack movie has already wowed critics and audiences across the United States. Let's hope it lives up to the hype when it crosses the Atlantic.

Release Date: March 1st
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elias Koteas, John Leguizamo, John Turturro
After its release date was pushed back due to the September 11 attacks, it will be interesting to see if Arnie's old-school ways of catching evil terrorists will still be in any way relevant in our so-called new world.

Release Date: March 15th
Starring Gene Hackman, Angelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Danny Glover
After the cult success of Rushmore, director Wes Anderson seemingly has Hollywood at his feet. Will his star-led new work live up to expectations?