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

Latest First Night Reviews  

Wainwright/McGarrigle Family Christmas Show

Kate and Anna McGarrigle, the folk singers, were joined onstage by talented relatives including Rufus and Martha Wainwright

Kim Noble Will Die

The multimedia suicide note is nervy, off-time, a little crude at times, but it is an incredibly original, touching show

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Elder

The OAE’s Hayden anniversary festivities ended with the beginning of the world — a pleasing but inconsistent performance

Claire Martin/Ian Shaw

The Early Christmas Stocking is once again a practised-yet-spontaneous, bare-bones performance to thrill jazz fans

Must-watch TV: The X Factor  

Why the hiperati love The X Factor

Saturday-night TV has a hot new audience and the high-fashion love that the show is currently bathing in is no ironic prank

‘It’s The X Factor, not The Singing Factor’

They may have been voted off, but John and Edward Grimes are shaping up to be the real winners of this year’s talent show

Jedward in line to win £2m consolation prize

The twins could be the X Factor’s biggest winners, despite being voted off, as publishers and TV executives show interest

Jedward: the conspiracy theories

Are they aliens, an artworld joke or the lovechildren of Simon Cowell? We seek the real story behind John and Edward

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 ten best jazz albums of the Noughties

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

The ten best classical albums of the Noughties

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

The Turner Prize  

Wall artist wins 2009 Turner Prize

Jury praises the "profound originality and beauty" of the work by 49-year-old Richard Wright, winner of the £25,000 prize

All that glitters is not sold in Wright’s world

Richard Wright’s work is willfully elusive and this subtlety, in the context of the story of the Turner, is significant

Turner Prize proves diverting

History repeats itself as late addition to prize exhibition diverts viewers’ gaze from fellow nominee Lucy Skaer’s work

Turner’s Prize

A new show confirms Turner as Britain’s greatest artist, with few rivals anywhere