Oblique polemical melodrama as would-be epic

Terry Gilliam's solo directorial debut. Inspired by Lewis Carroll's poem, like Python's Holy Grail it deals with medieval muck and monsters—in this case a fearsome dragon to be slain by hapless hero Dennis (Michael Palin). Lots of good ideas and a very odd cast of British comedy talent, but mired in darkness, only the occasional laugh.

Set during the Ulster 'Troubles', Hidden Agenda begins admirably enough with director Ken Loach's usual muscular dissection of political realities. Then Maurice Roeves suddenly appears as a mysterious Captain (think Donald Sutherland's X in JFK) who implicates the RUC, the Tories, MI5 and the CIA in a grand, preposterous plan to ruin the Labour Party.

Stylish Norwegian thriller, remade last year by Christopher Nolan, whose version is almost eerily faithful to the original. Nolan had the powerhouse cast—Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank—but this probably has the sharper atmospheric edge, and director Erik Skjoldbjærg builds the tension expertly.

Sublime second LP from Chicago quartet

Second solo outing from Atari Teenage Riot singer features J Mascis, Alec Empire and Alex (Neubauten) Hacke

Not a genre Uncut features heavily, but the previous volume was one of the biggest-selling soundtrack-related CDs of recent years. It's an excuse to bung together top hits from everything from Grease to Charlie's Angels, but the real reason it's here is because by a fluke it includes, among 40 tracks, a run of about 10 which would make my Desert Island Discs—or 31 Songs, as we're now calling the concept.

Belated British release for alternative Nashville singer/songwriter

Bewildering debut album from Southend-based oddball

Petite sex-rocker rings changes for fourth album