There was glamour aplenty in London's West End last night for the UK premiere of 'The Two Towers', the second film of the 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy.

Liv Tyler who plays Princess Arwen and Cate Blanchett who portrays elf princess Galadriel were the focus of attention for thousands of fans in Leicester Square.

The hobbits were represented by Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan. Also there was Andy Serkis who is already being tipped for an Oscar nomination for lending his voice and movements to Gollum.

After the glittering screening, celebrities including Eddie Izzard, Rhys Ifans and Mark Owen adjourned to a nearby club which had been specially decked out as Middle-earth.

Director, Peter Jackson was 'overjoyed' at the audience response to his film although he promises that the next instalment will be even better!

A British horror film from a first-time director has toppled a Hollywood blockbuster in the Far East.

'Deathwatch', written and directed by Michael J. Bassett, took the No.1 spot in Hong Kong from the big budget thriller 'Ghost Ship.' The film, which stars Jamie Bell, Hugo Speer and Matthew Rhys among others, performed exceptionally well in its first overseas territory.

'Deathwatch' is a psychological horror film revolving around a group of British soldiers holding a German trench in World War One. Paranoia grows as something or someone starts killing them off one by one.

Last night’s Royal Premiere for ‘Die Another Day’ celebrated forty years of James Bond’s celluloid adventures.

The stars of the twentieth Bond film – Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Rosamund Pike and Madonna – were joined by former James Bonds – George Lazenby, Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton – for the glittering premiere at the Royal Albert Hall.

Other specially invited guests included former Bond girls, Maud Adams and Fiona Fullerton, legendary villain, Richard ‘Jaws’ Kiel and the woman who performed on a record three Bond themes, Shirley Bassey.

Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh greeted Pierce Brosnan and other stars at the Royal screening, in aid of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, while hundreds of fans watched from grandstands.

Later, the stars headed for a sumptuous party in a recreated ice palace in Kensington.

The gala screening of ‘Anita and Me’ played to a packed house in London’s West End last Friday night as part of the Regus London Film Festival. The film, based on Meera Syal’s best-selling, semi-autobiographical novel, drew a rapturous welcome from the audience and looks set to become one of the biggest British movies of the year.

Directed by Metin Huseyin, the film stars Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kathy Burke, Lynn Redgrave, Ayesha Dharker, Max Beesley and two newcomers, Chandeep Upal and Anna Brewster.

Stars of film and television, including Richard E. Grant, David Baddiel, Patsy Palmer, Jemma Redgrave and Vanessa Feltz, joined the cast at the gala and the after-screening party at an exclusive St James venue.

Danny Boyle has revealed that the inspiration for his latest film, '28 Days Later', was the anger that permeates society today.

In the film which is released today, Cillian Murphy plays a motorcycle courier who awakens from a coma to a deserted London whose inhabitants have been wiped out by a virulent rage. He meets up with a handful of other survivors and together they battle to stay alive.

'28 Days Later' was written by Alex Garland whose novel, 'The Beach', formed the basis for Danny Boyle's last film.

Ace Cinematographer and Director of Photography, Brian Tufano was honoured with the special jury prize at last night's British Independent Film Awards ceremony in London.

Tufano, whose recent film work includes 'Once Upon A Time In The Midlands', 'Last Orders', 'Late Night Shopping' and 'Women Talking Dirty', was recognised at the fifth annual awards which celebrate British excellence in filmmaking.

Ken Loach's 'Sweet Sixteen' garnered the Best British Independent Film award while foreign film gongs went to Mira Nair's 'Monsoon Wedding' and the Australian film, 'Lantana.'

Ewan McGregor, who has appeared in 'Moulin Rouge!' and 'Black Hawk Down' recently, picked up the Variety UK Personality Award.

Adam Sandler's latest film is a re-imagining of the 1936 Frank Capra comedy, 'Mr. Deeds Goes To Town.'

'Mr. Deeds' follows the fortunes of a smalltown pizzeria owner, Longfellow Deeds, who inherits a vast sum of money from a distant uncle. Deeds is thrown into a money-grabbing, corporate world, light years away from sleepy Mandrake Falls.

Sandler is joined by Winona Ryder, John Turturro and Steve Buscemi among others and the film is directed by Steven 'Little Nicky' Brill.

'Mr. Deeds' goes on general release from this Friday 1st November.

Jodie Foster celebrates her fortieth birthday next month and life is looking good.

This month, she was honoured with the 'Hollywood Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award' at the Hollywood Film Festival, recognising a film career which began in the early 1970s.

Her latest film, 'Panic Room,' is now available to rent and buy on DVD. It tells the story of a mother and daughter who seek refuge in a purpose-built stronghold when intruders break into their New York home. The only problem is that what the men want is secreted in the 'panic room.'

Hollywood’s new $20 million man heads up Columbia-Tristar’s new all-action thriller, ‘xXx’, which also stars Samuel L Jackson.

In the film, Diesel (‘Pitch Black’, ‘The Fast and The Furious’) plays Xander Cage, an extreme-sports fanatic whose dangerous antics put him on the wrong side of the law.

When the NSA need a man to infiltrate a group of suspected terrorists whose anarchist ideals fit into the same subculture as anti-authoritarian Xander’s insane stunts, a new breed of secret agent is born.

‘xXx’ goes on general release tomorrow.

'Red Dragon', the long anticipated prequel to 'Silence of the Lambs', shot to the top of the US box office charts at the weekend and set a new record for an October opening.

The latest outing for Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter took over $37 million and attracted favourable reviews from the American press.

In 'Red Dragon', Edward Norton plays an FBI operative brought out of retirement to track down a brutal serial killer, played by Ralph Fiennes. Harvey Keitel, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Emily Watson co-star and the film is directed by Brett Ratner.

Robin Williams is currently going through his 'dark period' which began earlier this year with his performance in 'Death to Smoochy.' This was followed by his portrayal of a disturbed killer in 'Insomnia.'

Now, in 'One Hour Photo', Williams plays a lonely, reserved film processor in an American superstore who develops an unhealthy obsession with the 'perfect' family.

Directed by Mark Romanek and co-starring Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan and Eriq La Salle, the thriller plays on our deepest fears and insecurities.

'One Hour Photo' goes on general release from today.

Ryan Reynolds has a huge co-star in his forthcoming film, 'Van Wilder: Party Liaison', and we're not referring to Tara Reid!

The Canadian actor has to share the screen with a rather well-endowed Bulldog called Colossus who contributes to one of the grossest scenes in movie history.

The film follows the adventures of a charismatic, perennial student who champions the underdog while making a little money on the side.

Following on from its phenomenal success in the USA, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' shot into the UK Box Office top ten at number two at the weekend.

The feelgood comedy took £1.5m, at just over 300 screens, on its UK debut. The film, which cost just $5m to make, has grossed over $110m in America since its release in April.

The nominations for the fifth annual British Independent Film Awards have just been announced with familiar names and a wealth of new talent being recognised.

Timothy Spall picks up his second consecutive Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of a philosophising minicab driver in Mike Leigh's 'All or Nothing' while Elaine Cassidy (pictured) is in line for a Best Actress award for the independent Irish feature, 'Disco Pigs.'

Gurinder Chadha's hugely successful 'Bend It Like Beckham' earns a Best Picture nod and recognition for Parminder Nagra in the Most Promising Newcomer category.

Best Foreign Film nominations include 'Monsoon Wedding', 'Lantana' and 'Ghost World.'

The British Independent Film Awards 2002 will be announced in London on Wednesday 30 October.

The long-awaited second film from Sam Mendes goes on release from this Friday. 'Road To Perdition' stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law in a Depression-era story inspired by a graphic novel and is Mendes' follow up to the phenomenally successful 'American Beauty.'

There were concerns that audiences would not understand the word 'perdition' but Mendes feels that it won't harm people to look it up in the dictionary!

The UK box office takings in July were the highest for 31 years, according to the latest figures released by the Cinema Advertising Association.

July admissions totalled an incredible £15m - which was up by 8% on the same period last year.

Tom Cruise's science fiction thriller 'Minority Report' proved to be the most popular draw taking £16m and ensuring its place in the top ten highest grossing films of the year list. Close behind was Mike Myers' 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' taking £8.8m and 'Stuart Little 2' taking £5m.

Debbie Chalet, president of the CAA, says that the trend is likely to continue for the rest of the year.

When it comes to dating, Christina Walters (Cameron Diaz) has a golden rule: avoid searching for Mr. Right and focus on Mr. Right Now.

That is until one night at a club when she unexpectedly meets Peter (Thomas Jane), only to see him suddenly disappear the next day.

She and her best friend Courtney (Christina Applegate) decide to break the rules and go on a road trip to find him, encountering wild and hilarious misadventures along the way.

A romantic comedy without the sugar, 'The Sweetest Thing' is out on general release next Friday.

Ben Affleck and Morgan Freeman's latest film 'The Sum Of All Fears', the first film to feature a terrorist nuclear strike on US soil since September 11th, opens across the UK tomorrow.

Despite studio executive reservations as to how US audiences would react to the film, it has so far grossed more that £76m stateside.

'The Sum Of All Fears' is the fourth screen adaptation of a Tom Clancy bestseller. It was conceived and shot prior to September 11th and its director, Phil Alden Robinson, says that the only adjustments made to the film were in post-production.

Starring Ben Affleck as CIA analyst Jack Ryan and Morgan Freeman as DCI William Cabot, the cast also includes Alan Bates, James Cromwell, Liev Schreiber, Philip Baker Hall, Ron Rifkin, Bruce McGill and Bridget Moynahan as Affleck's love interest.

'Austin Powers in Goldmember' became the fourth highest opening film of the year at the weekend.

The third in the spoof spy series took a massive £5.6 million at the UK box office despite the hot and sunny weather.

Mike Myers plays no less than four different characters in the follow up to 'The Spy Who Shagged Me'. The film also stars Michael Caine and Béyonce Knowles from Destiny's Child.

The eagerly anticipated sequel to 'Men in Black' hits UK cinema screens tomorrow.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones reprise their starring roles as Agents Jay and Kay and are ably supported by Rip Torn as Zed, Tony Shalhoub as Jeebs and, of course, Frank the Pug!

Lara Flynn Boyle plays the evil Serleena who takes on the guise of a lingerie model as she plots to destroy the earth with the help of Johnny 'Jackass' Knoxville as Charlie/Scred, a two-headed alien.