The Christmas No 1  

Can Rage beat Joe McElderry to No 1?

Joe McElderry may find the perfect smile wiped off his face if Rage Against the Machine (or Muppets) steal his No 1 spot

X Factor being beaten to Christmas No1 slot

Facebook campaign succeeds in getting Rage Against the Machine song more sales than X Factor winner Joe McElderry

X Factor being beaten to Christmas No1

Facebook campaign succeeds in getting Rage Against the Machine song more sales than X Factor winner Joe McElderry

All I want for Christmas is a festive pop song — minus The X Factor

I’m bemoaning the monopoly on the Christmas No 1 of The X Factor winner because it stifles the writing and production of new festive pop

Latest First Night Reviews  

The Misanthrope

Keira Knightley catches the waywardness, but not the authority to explain how she dominates; partly because she’s so wispy

The Cat in the Hat

Hats off to the creators of this Dr Seuss-inspired show at the National’s Cottesloe Theatre — it’s the cat’s whiskers

The Horrors

For the best part of an hour, The Horrors were a perfect rock’n’roll band making a perfect rock’n’roll noise

Lots of Sparkle but precious little stardust

This version of the J. M. Barrie classic, by Paul Miller, David Taylor and Julian Ronnie, is a sickly sugar plum of a show

Must-see film: Avatar  

Avatar: pictures from James Cameron’s blockbuster

James Cameron’s new 3-D blockbuster Avatar has a host of stunning effects. The director gives some of his favourites

Avatar: a musical adventure in 3D

The film composer who brought love to the Titanic and gave William Wallace his freedom on his toughest challenge yet

• James Cameron back in at the deep end

Leona Lewis records theme for Avatar

Lewis has recorded the theme for Titanic director James Cameron's eagerly anticipated new sci-fi film Avatar.

Blue aliens lay out case against War on Terror

The much-hyped film 'Avatar' offers technological wonder, an exciting story — and criticism of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars

• Avatar at the Odeon, Leicester Square

• James Cameron back in at the deep end

The best of the Noughties

The 100 Best Films of the Decade

Our pick of the best movies released in the Noughties. Do you agree with our selection? What were your favourites?

The 100 Best Books of the Decade

Described by Nicholas Clee, Kate Saunders, Tom Gatti, Erica Wagner, Rachel Campbell-Johnston, Paul Dunn and Richard Whitehead

The decade's ten best jazz albums

As the decade comes to an end, John Bungey looks back on the jazz albums that stood out during the Noughties

The decade's ten best contemporary classical albums

As the Noughties draw to a close, Neil Fisher and Richard Morrison look back on the best releases of the decade

Must-see exhibition: Moctezuma - Aztec Ruler  

Moctezuma: the Times review

The latest exhibition at the British Museum, on a semi-divine ruler of the Mexicas, looks set to be an autumn blockbuster

‘Excrement of the gods’ to go on display

Gold treasures crafted by the Aztecs in the reign of Moctezuma will be on show for the first time at the British Museum

British Museum’s ambition hits new heights

Neil MacGregor’s attempt to tell the story of the world in 15 minutes has its dangers but shows a welcome sense of adventure

Aztec temple could yield golden treasures

Archaeologists believe they are close to unearthing the first tomb of an Aztec ruler inside the pyramid of Moctezuma II