HOT: Confessions of a Shopaholic, Notting Hill Coronet, 103 Notting Hill Gate W11 3LB

The Notting Hill Coronet still seems to be experiencing heating problems in Screen 1, its main theatre. Luckily, I didn't have to suffer it a second time for the early Sunday night session of the escapist romcom, Confessions of a Shopaholic.

I had low expectations of this film as its title seemed to sell it as a flimsy piece of trashy cinema. So I was really surprised to find myself enjoying the film - it's not all about shopping and being fabulous. Becky Bloomwood has a serious shopping addition which means that she is only happy when she buys things. Her problem causes her to lie and sees her humiliated, and it almost ruins her career, her friendships, her love life and her parents' dream - basically all the things that are important in life. Isla Fisher plays a likeable heroine so you're glad when there's a happy ending and she ends up with a great job, her friends and Hugh Dancy.

On that note, can I just state for the record that in my two years in London I have never met an Englishman who came close to being as good looking and charming as Hugh Dancy. Maybe they only exist in the movies....

HOT: Secret Cinema, Shepherds Bush Empire, 56 Shepherds Bush Green W12 8QE

Saturday night - opera; Sunday night - heavy metal.

Secret Cinema has been on my London to-do list for a while, although it no longer has its underground feel because it's been written up in every newspaper and listings magazine. The queue snaking around Shepherds Bush Empire on a Sunday night was testament to the popularity of the concept.

Basically, you buy a ticket for a mystery film, at a mystery destination. A few days before, you're given your location and the film is only revealed on the night. There are clues along the way though - we were asked to dress in 80s rock (lots of shiny leggings on men, big teased hair, fur, leather and blow up guitars) and the ticket categories were 'Rock God' and 'Shady Promoters'. Hmmm....'This is Spinal Tap' was my bet, until I spotted a new movie poster in the tube.....

Anvil! The Story of Anvil is a documentary (no, not a mockumentary Huy) about an 80s Canadian heavy metal band that never really made it, despite the likes of Metallica, Anthrax and Slayer citing their influential music. Now in their 50s, they're still together and trying again to get a break. It's unintentionally funny, poignant and heartwarming as you follow their quest for a last chance at fame.

And then.....the special guests of the event were Anvil, live on stage! It was fantastic, even though it wasn't my sort of music. The crowd cheered them on as they thrashed their guitars, swung their sweaty hair around and RAWKED like old rockers do.

NOT: Revolutionary Road, Coronet Cinema, 103 Notting Hill Gate W11 3LB

As the snows from Russia blew into London, Screen 1 at the Coronet cinema experienced an unfortunately timed heating malfunction which meant that it was holding steady at 15 degrees. They offered a free hot drink and you could ask for a refund within 30 minutes of the start if it got too cold, so Jane and I took our chances. It's the only time I've sat in a cinema clutching a peppermint tea and wearing four layers of clothing plus gloves (don't worry, I took off my wide-brimmed hat).

It's an old chestnut, but Revolutionary Road the movie really wasn't as good as the book. Of course everything had to be truncated into a 2 hour film, but as a result much of the nuance and motivations which made the book so special had to be cut out. This left April and Frank Wheeler as unlikeable, self-indulgent hysterics who spent a lot of time screaming at each other. Kate Winslet, or more precisely, Kate Winslet's eyes, did make the most of her role but Leonardo di Caprio was seriously miscast - he just never looked like someone's husband.

If you haven't read the book, please don't be put off by this film. The book is all the things the film is not. Richard Yates' prose describes emotions, connections and missed opportunities in gossamer detail, delves deeply into the frustrations and delusions of a couple who desperately wish to be different but can do nothing but conform, and is so evocative of a time, place and sensibility, without feeling or sounding dated.

HOT: Milk, Gate Picturehouse, 87 Notting Hill Gate W11 3JZ

Milk is my fourth Oscar Best Picture Nominee film, and I think it is a nomination well-deserved. Sean Penn (also a Best Actor nominee) dominates this biopic as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected public official in the US. It's hard to believe that just 35 years ago, homosexuals were being denied their civil rights in a supposedly progressive country, and that public figures could spout such incredibly bigoted views in national mainstream media. The film's pace is perfect, starting the timeline with Milk's 40th birthday and the first encounter with his great love, his move to San Francisco and battles with prejudice, his political activisim, rise to power and cowardly assassination. The film's presentation of Milk's dogged determination was incredibly inspiring, and his speeches moved me to tearfulness without ever being maudlin.

HOT: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an F Scott Fitzgerald short story turned into a curious (yes really) fairy tale of life, mortality and enduring love. Brad Pitt is Benjamin, a baby abandoned on the steps of a New Orleans old folks home because he is born old. He is raised by the good-hearted matron of the home and one day meets Daisy (a luminous Cate Blanchett), who recognises a kindred childlikeness inside his old body. Over the years Daisy grows up and Benjamin grows young, until the day they meet in the middle and begin to live out the love that they have always had for each other. That's not the happily-ever-after though. As Benjamin grows younger and younger, he realises that he cannot raise his own daughter as she and Daisy get older, so he leaves them one day. Daisy finds him back at the old folks home and proceeds to take care of him in her old age, until he dies in her arms as a baby. A touching and distinctive film.

NOT: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

I haven't been a fan of Woody Allen's films for a while, and watching Scarlett Johansson 'act' is my worst cinematic nightmare, but hey, things we do for love.

Unfortunately, my fears were realised in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The dialogue was stiff and affected, particularly from sexually free-spirited artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). Woody, could you have picked a more stereotypical male Latin-lover's name, and what kind of ridiculous things were you making him say?? Scarlett Johansson's unchanging, open-mouthed vacancy and bouncing breasts was the sum of her representation of sexually free-spirited student Cristina (or Vicky? I can't even remember). Her presence in the film moved me from boredom to frustration to giggling at inappropriate times. Rebecca Hall, played her not-sexually free-spirited friend and while she was more believable than SJ, she was still not believable in her sudden passion for Juan Antonio. The only redeeming feature in the film was not the one joke that was supposedly in it (when?) - it was the sun-drenched scenery of Barcelona and Penelope Cruz's turn as madly erratic Maria Elena. I would rather have watched her act around the Casa Mia, La Rambla, Barceloneta and Parc Guell for two hours.

HOT: Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire is a thrilling feel-good movie about an orphan child of the Mumbai slums who manages to win the ultimate prize on the tv show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, as well as finally winning the beautiful girl of his destiny. The colourful film switches constantly to flashback to explain how Jamal Malik's tumultous life has led him to knows the answer to every question. Throughout the film you are just rooting for him to succeed as he becomes an entrepeneur on the train tracks, escapes a life of blindness, finds work as a lowly chaiwallah and is released from prison to answer the final 20 million rupee question. Make sure you stay for the joyous closing dance sequence, in true Bollywood style.

HOT: Frost/Nixon

To paraphrase Billy Ocean - when the going gets hot, the hot go to the cinema. Hence, I've now seen every movie that I want to see at the local cinemas, and even one that I really didn't want to see.

I freely admit that I'm a political ignoramus so I didn't have any real background on Frost/Nixon except that somehow Richard Nixon was involved. As I sat through the film, I thought 'this is odd, I thought this was a true story....but it seems so improbable??'. Putting that thought aside until I could get hold of Wikipedia, I was engrossed by the story arc of louche, partying talk show host David Frost finally focusing on the job and nailing the consummate political operator Nixon to admit wrongdoing in Watergate. I thought the performances were consistently excellent from all the cast, especially Frank Lagella as the arrogant and bull-headed Nixon, and my only difficulty with Michael Sheen these days is that I will forever see him as Tony Blair (in The Queen) so I couldn't really accept him as Frost.

NOT: Quantum of Solace, Barbican Cinema

I never have high expectations for Bond movies, but I can't say I enjoyed this latest outing where Bond turns into an unkillable leaps-buildings-in-single-bounds Superman. More accurately, I don't think I understood a single plotline or character's role in the film (especially perma-tanned Olga Kurylenko), there was a complete lack of sexual frisson and I either felt dizzy and confused from the constant jump-cut editing or found myself struggling to stay awake. And like all the critics have said, the theme song is instantly forgettable. The only saving grace was Daniel Craig, whose ice blue eyes and tanned features I think perfectly capture the steely machismo of 007 - and he looks great in a suit.

NOT: Three Monkeys, London Film Festival, Odeon West End, Leicester Square

There are many reasons why I think this film deserved its Best Director accolade at Cannes, and while I could admire the technical virtuosity of the cinematography, direction and acting, I still can't say I enjoyed it. The film starts with a lie which begets more lies which slowly (oh so slowly) engulf the suspicious husband, trapped wife and secretive son. There are many long takes of recriminating silences, dark shadows and everything and everyone is covered in a film of clammy sweat. It all adds to the sense of claustrophia and isolation, but I felt the pace was too studied, the framing was too obviously deliberate and I never felt fully engaged. It didn't help that my neighbour stank of cigarettes and literally could not sit still for 20 seconds.

HOT: Man on Wire, Gate Cinema, Notting Hill

This film is an endearing portrait of the French wire-walker Philippe Petit, a man who embraces life to the fullest and dances on the boundaries of possibility and imagination - man on wire, literally and metaphorically. The film uses archive photographs, reconstructions and interviews with the now middle-aged Petit and his co-conspirators to draw an inspirational story of Petit's dream; to walk in the clouds in between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. You will hold your breath as you watch the beautiful scenes of Petit on the wire - first in fierce concentration, then relaxing into frolicking toe taps and finally lying down. It's also incredible to see people still being emotionally affected by their involvement in the 'heist' and its impact on their relationships with Petit afterwards. Finally, it is impossible not to love Petit in the film and understand the pull of his charisma - who would not want to be close to such passion, joy and imagination?

HOT: Kundun and Mongol Double Bill, Riverside Studios

Second part of our budget challenge for the day was a 6.50 pound Riverside Studios double bill of two Central Asia ethnic minority movies: Scorsese's biopic about the Dalai Lama and grand-scale epic of the story of Genghis Khan. Kundun was beautifully shot, especially the scenes inside the Dalai Lama's ornate place. However, the stilted Chinglish/American accents delivering grave Buddhist sayings, scattered with sometimes cartoonish characterisations, made the whole tone of the film feel false. On the other hand, sub-titled Mongol was interesting and highly enjoyable, switching from intimate stories (Genghis Khan, the family man?) to grand sweeps of battle. The movie certainly piqued my interest as to how much of the storyline was true and was so evocative that Tim even had a dream that he was Genghis that night!

HOT: The Dark Knight, Electric Cinema, Portobello Road, Notting Hill

I have to admit the only reasons The Dark Knight is a HOT for me is because of Batman's cool eject-a-motorbike arising from the rubble of his Batmobile; Bruce Wayne's well-cut suits; a really spectacular chain explosion of Gotham General; and Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine playing Batman's older, wiser statesman. Someone who was able to hear the mumbled dialogue behind the various masks, disfigurements and gunfire might have achieved a better understanding out of the deep, thematic arcs of the storyline (oooh! ambivalent message on the war on terrorism!), but frankly for me it was more of the same from the Hollywood genre of comic book adaptations - kinda good but a throwaway film.

NOT: Daylight Robbery - What happened to the $23 billion?, Frontline Club, 13 Norfolk Place, Paddington W2 1QJ

This BBC Panorama film was a music-video style, graphics-heavy, "Youtube generation" doco about a serious matter - an estimated $23 billion lost, stolen or not properly accounted for in Iraq. I understand that the filmmakers were limited by their 1 hour slot and the wish to reach a younger, mass audience (rather than the traditional current affairs crowd) but I thought that it was just on the wrong side of news-lite. I would have liked more focus on fewer issues, a stronger thematic approach and letting the shocking facts speak for themselves. Some of the audience seemed to agree with me during the Q&A session with the reporter Jane Corbin and editor Peter Norrey.

HOT: The Edge of Love, Electric Cinema, Portobello Rd, Notting Hill

The most amazing thing about this windswept movie is that it is based on true events around the complicated personal life of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys), his promiscuous wife Caitlin (Sienna Miller), his flighty childhood love Vera (Keira Knightley) and Vera's hapless husband William (Cillian Murphy). I think all of the characters could have been further explored given the bizarre relationships between them, but Sienna Miller did a credible job in making Caitlin multi-dimensional; difficult, disappointed, lonely and insecure. Unfortunately, the raspberry must go to Keira Knightly. While she looked ravishing in the glossy curled hair-red lipstick 40s ouvre (making even Sienna look plain), her on-off clipped Welsh accent was off-putting and her wooden yet flouncing acting style seems to not have developed any further since Atonement. Not a bad movie, but certainly not a must-see.

HOT: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Electric Cinema, 191 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill W11 2ED

As Michael said, Indy 4 was never going to be a critical success. Frankly I think the only factors pushing it over to the edge of HOT was nostalgia and Cate Blanchett's perfectly cast cheekbones as the evil Russian chasing the 65 year old Harrison Ford across South America. The usual Indy set pieces were wheeled out: swarms of man-eating beetles; a snake gag; feisty love interest; improbable timelines (Peru to Iguazu Falls to Chicken Itza in the same scene); and extended car chases involving fistfights in moving vehicles. Harmless fun but I really hope they don't milk out an Indy 5 - although I'm assuming it's inevitable now that Indy has a long-lost son.

HOT: Sex and the City, Barbican

I have never been in the presence of so much shrill oestrogen as in the foyer of the Barbican cinema, waiting to see this much anticipated movie. While I disliked the happy ending (I'm in the minority I think) the film didn't disappoint. In amongst the glamorous outfits, overt product placement and the wrinkles of the ageing cast, the best of SATC remained - those moments where a character said something or did something that really struck home for me: Carrie experiencing the most wretched heartbreak, unable to leave her bed; Miranda's suburban drudgery and grey loneliness on New Years Eve; the honesty and unconditional support of your friends. I don't know whether it was the three pre-movie cocktails or my hormones were running wild, but I found myself blubbering through many moments in the film.

HOT: Persepolis Gate Cinema, Notting Hill Gate

An engaging and charming animated autobiographical film about a young girl growing up in 70s and 80s Iran. It's amazing how a few line drawings could convey such humour and poignancy, and I most enjoyed Marjane drawn as a strong-willed and questioning little girl. I empathised with her sense of dislocation when she moved to Austria as a teenager, her repressed spirit when she moved back to Tehran and got married at 21, and mostly I learnt about a period of Iranian history of which I'd never really known. Futher, the Gate Cinema is a lovely old-school venue with a plastered decorative ceiling, but refurbished with comfortable chairs and side tables.

HOT: Unfinished Sky London Australian Film Festival at Barbican Centre

A fantastic film set in country Queensland about a loner out in the bush who helps a battered Afghan illegal immigrant woman who stumbles down his driveway one day. William McInnes perfectly captures the prickly demeanour of a man uncomfortable with human emotions, who slowly thaws in the warmth of new discovery and love.

HOT: The Home Song Stories, London Australian Film Festival, Barbican Centre

Oh wow. A stunning, moving and shocking film based on the true life of Tony Ayres, a Chinese boy who immigrated with his nightclub singer monther and teenage system to dusty suburban Melbourne. It's a miracle he turned out vaguely normal given his emotionally wraught upbringing filled with uncertainty, itinerant housing and others' suicide attempts. The child actor was perfect as Tony, quietly observing the action around him, while Joan Chen was outstanding as his flighty and manipulative mother. A must see.