That Tom Cruise intensity fuels a refreshingly old school, stylish and brutally violent murder mystery. Its name: Jack Reacher.

The Man with the Iron Fists is a visually glorious mix of violent chop suey, Blaxploitation and spaghetti western conventions, played to a hip-hop beat as only RZA could do.

Primal and inquisitive man clash in The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson’s exploration of the post WWII American psyche where matters of the spirit and the mind are thought provokingly raised and beautifully portrayed.

L.A. crime movie veteran David Ayer reaches the peak of his writing/directing talents with End of Watch, a violent and moving cop thriller about brothers in blue trying to survive in an increasingly hostile world.

Argo is an intense, true life espionage thriller that draws eerie parallels to today’s anti-American climate, while also adding a laugh or two at the expense of Hollywood.

Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie marks a welcome return to form, blending heartfelt drama with a tribute to classic monster movies.

The fourth instalment in the Paranormal Activity series proves to be more than a spooky ghost story, but rather an annual institution for horror fans who like their supernatural tales creepy and menacing.

With its focus on American capitalism played out in the mean streets of Boston, Killing Them Softly establishes itself as a new crime classic that is as thought provoking as it is visually and narratively absorbing.