The Edinburgh Film Festival drew to a close at the weekend with the world premiere of Faintheart, a sweet and sentimental romantic comedy set in the world of Viking re-enactments.

Faintheart revolves around Richard (Eddie Marsan), an overgrown kid who is far happier brandishing his broad-sword in battle than he is in facing up to family responsibilities at home. When he misses his father-in-law's funeral in favour of a Viking brawl, wife Cath (Jessica Hynes) kicks him out, leading our hero on a quest of the heart as he struggles to win her back with the help of his Norse chums.

It's charming stuff, played for laughs by a uniformly excellent cast and the script is chock-full of comic gems, laughing along with its subjects without ever actually poking fun at them. The result is a fine family film that is sure to leave a smile on your face. Chris Tilly



Philippe Petit's successful 1974 attempt to cross the gap between the Twin Towers on a tightrope is documented in this kinetic film from James Marsh as a fast-paced caper about a charismatic Frenchman's drive to do something outrageously necessary. From the moment the Man on Wire starts we're introduced to Petit as a man with passion and belief who is convinced that these two buildings were built for him to cross.

What follows is an examination of the method behind the madness, as the sheer endurance trial that was the planning of the event is shared through Petit and his key collaborators. He spent 45 minutes on wire, but rigging it, sneaking the rigging into the building and planning the entire operation took years, stretching right back to a news article he read in a dentist's office about the Twin Towers' construction. The film leaves its audience in no doubt that Petit is special and that this act of rebellion - the walk was totally illegal - was his gift to the world. Absolutely gripping stuff. Joe Utichi



It's hard to know how much to reveal about Let the Right One In. Such is the nature of the film's delicate plotting that it'll prove to be a different but equally fulfilling experience should you be aware of its subject matter or not before you watch it. Like Pan's Labyrinth, the film's fantastical elements disguise the real human drama of its characters and while it might, on the surface, appear to be a new twist on a familiar genre, at its heart it's one of the most original coming-of-age stories in years.

As Oskar, young actor Kåre Hedebrant's confident performance is at turns sweetly innocent and surprisingly dark. If your tolerance for foreign-language films is limited, let this film change your mind. If the idea of a coming-of-age story fills you with dread, let it convince you otherwise. In fact, if you only see one film that's off the beaten path this year, you'd do very well to let the right one in. JU



When an old man (Brian Cox), fishing by a river, is forced to witness a group of young hoodlums shoot his dog he becomes determined to see justice prevail; pursuing the boys' fathers (Tom Sizemore and Robert Englund) to encourage them to punish their sons and, when that fails, turning to the law. Red is a heartrending tale of a man who has lost everything trying and who is desperately to hold onto what's right, Brian Cox is relentless in the lead role, delivering a stunning and strangely disturbing performance as he seeks retribution.

The film may go a little too far before the end, but for the most part it's brilliantly gripping with shades of Stephen King about its thrilling structure. JU



Walter is a sad, lonely, embittered Connecticut teacher whose life has been on a downward spiral since the passing of his wife. However, all of that changes when he is sent to New York to present a paper on economics, and arrives to discover an immigrant couple living in his long-forgotten apartment. Understandably perturbed, Walter kicks them to the kerb, but compassion leads him to go after them and invite the strangers into his empty home.

The Visitor is stirring, heartbreaking stuff, told at a stately pace perfectly in keeping with the story unfolding. Director Thomas McCarthy truly gives his characters time to breathe, and as their story slowly plays out, it's impossible not to be swept up in the gut-wrenching emotion of it all. He's helped out by a grandstanding performance from Richard Jenkins as Walter. It's brilliantly multi-layered and full of subtlety and nuance.

Combined with McCarthy's economic script - which brilliantly deals with the sensitive topic of immigration without ever feeling preachy or patronising -- it makes for a magical movie-going experience that will provoke thought, discussion, sadness and joy in equal measure. Truly outstanding stuff. CT