Værelse 304 (Room 304) (2011)
Weaving various interconnected characters and storylines in fragmented moments, an artfully told drama of desire, guilt, revenge and despair that finally ties strands together with some effect. The stifling environment of a Copenhagen hotel provides a dense atmosphere.
Valdez Is Coming (1971)
Weary, principled Mexican lawman Burt Lancaster is abused & left for dead. Tough visuals and strong score propel revenge as brisk running time encompasses confrontation with prejudice and corruption as well as vigorous action amid rugged, dusty landscapes.
The Valet (2022)
Breezy, engaging comedy flirts with romantic conventions as insecure, lowly Eugenio Derbez is hired as date for conceited Hollywood star Samara Weaving to hide truth of current affair from paparazzi. Narrative arc emerges pleasingly rounded, with engaging accent on character and light social awareness.
Valkyrie (2008)
Solid wartime thriller builds tension through situation and character with resolute Tom Cruise and stalwart British actors making plans to assassinate Hitler. Engrossing detail and robust visuals tied to tight narrative rhythms ensures a polished production.
Vampire Academy (2014)
Rebellious Zoey Deutch is athletic protector to poised vampire princess Lucy Fry and trying to uncover source of gossip and threats at supernatural school. Convoluted myth-building and simplistic story beats not helped by blunt visuals as intended comedy and thrills fall flat.
Vanilla (2020)
Equal parts comfortingly predictable and enjoyably unexpected, prospective app entrepreneur Will Dennis and hopeful stand-up Kelsea Bauman travel by van from New York to New Orleans. Told with a breezy, natural style, genuine laughs and emotion, and a knock out Bauman.
The Vanished (2020)
Featuring an evocative soundscape and score allied to a sure sense of visuals, the story of progressively unhinged parents Thomas Jane and Anne Heche searching for their disappeared daughter rapidly goes off the rails. Plot holes and murders pile up.
The Vanishing (2018)
Riff on unexplained legend of three disappearing lighthouse keepers features strong visuals and evocative atmosphere, initially hinting at supernatural. Resulting violence over gold and descent into madness is more prosaic and third act dissipates tension despite glowering, muscular performances.
Variant (2020)
Production values falter at times and individual scenes lack energy, yet the narrative and performers are engaging. An aspiring artist finds her life upturned by a stranger and while the sci-fi reveal and resolution are not surprising there's a satisfying sense of fun.
The Vast Of Night (2019)
Told with austere assurance and inventive visuals, 50s small town atmosphere smartly established as eager Sierra McCormick and confident DJ Jake Horowtiz track down alien audio signal. Effortless style builds quietly enveloping tension that leads to gripping resolution.
The Vault (2021)
Enjoyably mounted production lessens impact with unpersuasive characters, as rebellious engineering student Freddie Highmore joins con artist Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey and gang to steal treasure from impregnable Spanish bank. Slick visuals and mechanics of heist maintain passing interest.
Vengeance Valley (1951)
Solid production and cast keep unadventurous Western drama humming, as principled, adopted son Burt Lancaster struggles with corrupt brother Robert Walker's ambitions to take over family ranch. Joanne Dru and Sally Forrest provide able support. Shoot out simmers.
Venom (2018)
Despite Tom Hardy's manic efforts, his broken journalist's physical infiltration and transformation by alien species turns into chaotic, tonally confusing narrative, where technical skills only point up lack of dramatic tension. Sparks of comic character schizophrenia and Michelle Williams' conviction are minor diversions.
Venom The Last Dance (2024)
Confused narrative mechanics provide excuse for wearied Tom Hardy's schizophrenic comedy double act to embark on road trip from Mexico to Area 51, chased down by alien and human forces. Eccentric, self-conscious laughs and barrage of visual effects fail to compensate for lack of genuine involvement or tension.
Verdens verste menneske (The Worst Person In The World) (2021)
Swept up by the humanity and truth of Renate Reinsve's emotionally floundering lead, a smart, involving subversion and celebration of romantic comedy and dramatic conventions. Pierced with intriguing, surprising observation and warmth.
Veronica Mars (2014)
Serviceable extension of smart series brings cynically moral Kristen Bell back home to Neptune when bad boy ex Jason Dohring is accused of murder. Though lacking fresh creative zip, noir impulses and underlying corruptive tension are allied to engaging lead and strong character support.
Vertigo (1958)
Tortured obsession played out with sublime visual design, dreamy rhythms, and transcendent Bernard Herrmann score as flawed detective James Stewart seeks to recreate love for conflicted Kim Novak. Compelling technique coupled with enveloping themes provide elevating drama.
Vicki (1953)
Fevered tale of manipulation and obsession receives functional treatment as dogged detective Richard Boone is determined to prove promoter murdered ambitious model Jean Peters while her sensible sister Jeanne Crain seeks truth. Strong cast can't elevate subdued noir dynamics.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Leisurely drama of art's inspiration and emotional entanglement as friends Rebecca Hall and Scarlet Johansson are intoxicated by painter Javier Bardem during heady Spanish summer. Marked with a melancholy wit and sparked by the intensity of an embracing Penélope Cruz.
Victim (1961)
Intense London crime drama sees vicious blackmailers target closeted gays including married barrister Dirk Bogarde. Beyond historical interest, acute sense of claustrophobia and societal pressure informs persuasively detailed characters, with strong production and performances.
Victoria (In Bed With Victoria) (2016)
Captivating Virginie Efira brings fresh contradictions to lawyer / single mother who's both confounding and endearing. Pacy balance of broad comedy, keen observation & poignant drama as court case and ex-husband's blog provoke self-destructive realization.
La Vie d'Adèle (Blue Is The Warmest Color) (2013)
Intimate, exhausting epic of youthful passion and vast amounts of food. Vulnerable Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux share an explicit, searing relationship that captures the rush of desire and crush of broken emotions. Soulful and enveloping performances
Violent Playground (1958)
Respectful pacing and open visuals allow a solid cast to take centre stage, as Stanley Baker's policeman and Peter Cushing's priest seek to help David McCallum and troubled youth in Liverpool. Overly earnest, the reflection on society maintains interest.
La virgen roja (The Red Virgin) (2024)
Potent drama of manipulation and identity finds mirror of Spanish society in 1930s, as obsessive Najwa Nimri molds daughter Alba Planas as a modern, free-thinking woman with sexual revolution in the air. Distinctive design and gripping performances conjure disquieting, surprising tale.
The Visit (2015)
Found footage thriller sends aspiring teen documentarian Olivia DeJonge and precocious brother to grandparents desolate rural home where signs that all is not well soon become apparent. Potent last act twist and effectively unstable atmosphere though dramatic progression falters.
Viskningar och rop (Cries And Whispers) (1972)
Formidable, bracing design and lighting are as intrinsic to the drama as the raw performances of distanced sisters Liv Ullmann and Ingrid Thulin, caring maid Kari Sylwan, and the dying Harriet Andersson. Painfully intimate and intense, yet a moving sense of release by the end.
La viuda negra (A Widow's Game) (2025)
Broken into segments that shift to perspective of different protagonists, diligent Carmen Machi's investigation into murder becomes study of consuming Ivana Baquero's designs on killing husband. Smooth production keeps pace tight, yet character definition remains fuzzy and saps tension.
Voleuses (Wingwomen) (2023)
Bright, propulsive action comedy features spontaneous Adèle Exarchopoulos and decisive Mélanie Laurent as thieves looking to break from controlling boss Isabelle Adjani. Despite awkward end, generous spirit embraces central friendship with shade and heart.
Das Vorspiel (The Audition) (2019)
Austere portrait of broken ambition and musical ability grounded by brutal practise, with edgy teacher Nina Hoss dealing with tensions between husband and lover, and prodigy and son. Coldly effective in detail, building uneasy tension to bluntly conceived and bleak end.
Le Voyage de Fanny (Fanny's Journey) (2016)
Photographed with sure sense of shade and colour, and featuring persuasively natural and expressive children as Jewish group escaping across occupied France. Yet narrative never quite builds character and emotional rush, dissipating sense of danger.