The Kite Runner

With its worthy subject matter, inbuilt political controversy and distant location, The Kite Runner could easily have veered into pretentious art-house territory. Instead, director Mark Forster's comparatively 'Hollywood' choices have the effect of creating an ego-less film with real pulse that races from the first kite run to the last. Adapted from the bestseller of the same name, and set during 20 years of Afghanistan's relentless flux – from Soviet occupation to Taliban control – it's the story of childhood friends who are brought together by kite flying, but kept apart by class. Rather than becoming mired in exoticism or invective, it focuses on fundamentals like loyalty, kinship and duty, accomplishing the notable feat of allowing a profoundly foreign narrative to both retain its identity and feel familiar to Western audiences. Powerful, vibrant and improbably optimistic, The Kite Runner is a daring piece of filmmaking, and a real pleasure to watch. [Lindsay West]