TOP BRITISH FILMS ARRIVING SOON

One of the mysteries of the film world is that you never know what is coming next. Oh, there is some certainty about what is coming out in the next few weeks and some titles are known even a year in advance. But beyond that, it is a blank canvas, anybody's guess, with rumours abounding but few guarantees.

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It helps if a film is at least in production and, preferably, on location. But even that is no guarantee that it will ever see the light of day, let alone get a big release.

Yet, time will pass and new films will come out. History will be writ.

So it is always fascinating to look ahead, to see what is definitely in the pipeline and what just might be in a few months time.

For now, here are the films that will definitely be making the headlines, followed by a few titles that look distinctly promising.

Some films may not be obviously "British" but have considerable British talent involved, in front of and/or behind the camera.

January 9 ***Defiance, showing Daniel Craig can more than punch his own weight as a WW2 partisan leader. *** Slumdog Millionaire, where Danny Boyle does for Mumbai's orphans what he did for Edinburgh's druggies in Trainspotting.

January 16 *** Clubbed, an exhilarating indie film based on the life of one of Britain's most notorious and sensitive club bouncers.

January 23 *** Frost/Nixon, takes the stage play to the big screen, showing nouveau interviewer Frost claiming the tricky Nixon's scalp. Valkyie finds Tom Cruise attempted to defuse Hilter with the help of a half a dozen of Britain's top talent.

January 30 *** Sam Mendes reunites Titanic lovers Winslet and Di Caprio (above) in the tale of Revolutionary Road, where 60s conformity is the new iceberg.

February 6 *** The Secret of Moonacre finds a magical Narnia like land down in Cornwall.

February 20 *** Franklyn provides a startling glimpse of the future.

February 27 ***The International *** Fans of Clive Owen were be amply rewarded with his return as a top gunman.

March 4 *** The Young Victoria gives the world a glimpse of the future Queen when she was more frisky than frosty.

March 13 *** Bronson features Tom Hardy (main photo) in a gritty look at the life of one of Britain's most notorious prisoners.

March 27 *** The Damned United has the ubiquitous Michael Sheen as Britain's most quixotix football manager. *** Genova is the latest from Michael Winterbotom, a ghost story featuring Colin Firth, set in the Italian city of the same name.