September 21st 2010. Zorba the Greek 1964. Director: Michael Cacoyannis Certificate PG.

Winner of three Academy awards, this film is widely regarded as the quintessential ‘Greek’ film. Basil, a rather uptight English writer, goes to Greece, there he meets Zorba, an earthy Greek peasant, who introduces him to the pleasures of life. The story develops in a Cretan village, where Zorba pursues a relationship with an aging French courtesan and Basil summons up the courage to court a young widow. As he experiences Greek village life, and through his relationship with Zorba, Basil’s own life is changed forever.

October 19th 2010. The Machinist 2004. Director: Brad Anderson Certificate 15.

The lead role in this English-language psychological thriller made in Spain is Trevor (Christian Bale), a worker in a tool factory. He is a loner and an emaciated insomniac, who is plagued by seemingly paranoid thoughts. He has strange encounters with people he has never met before. His demons include flashbacks to a death and a car crash, and he finds strange messages left in his apartment when he is out. A gripping and haunting mystery thriller, which has won several European film awards.

November 16th 2010. The Last Resort, 2001. Director: Paul Pawlikowski Certificate 15.

The film tells the story of a Russian woman who arrives in Stansted airport with her young son to meet her English boyfriend, but he does not turn up and the immigration authorities don’t believe her story. Desperate, she claims political asylum and is sent to the Stonehaven ‘holding area’. There she experiences prison-like conditions and attempts are made to prey on her vulnerability. But there are also moments of warmth and humanity in this bleak environment. There are some echoes of ‘Casablanca’ (the Humphrey Bogart film) in this thought-provoking and well-acted drama, which won its director a BAFTA award.

December 14th 2010. Waking Ned 1999. Director: Kirk Jones Certificate PG.

This charming knock-about comedy set in Southern Ireland follows the misadventure of two old ‘codgers’ – Jackie and Michael. One of the people in an Irish village has won the lottery jackpot, and Jackie and Michael embark on a scheme for ‘sharing’ his good fortune. But rather inconveniently the lottery winner dies – the excitement was just too much for him. So what happens to his fortune? Jackie and Michael do not give up in their quest for the money and resort to ever more desperate means to get it. The story has a wicked and unexpected edge to it, which makes it all the more appealing. Wit, invention and genuine humour abound in this comedy. Treat yourself.