The Queen

Film about the days surrounding the 1997 death of Diana, Princess Of Wales. The movie stars Helen Mirren as the eponymous Queen and Michael Sheen as Tony Blair. Mark's one-time nemesis Alastair Campbell is also prominent character.

In Mark Kermode's view, the film, although fine, should have been on television - and indeed it had originated as a television project, following on from The Deal, in which Sheen had also played Blair. However, in a way similar to that of Her Majesty Mrs Brown, the presence of a top actor playing the Queen saw producers elevate it to cinema screens - something that ultimately bagged Mirren an Oscar (as indeed playing Elizabeth I had done for Dame Judi Dench in Shakespeare In Love, somewhat making up for the absolute travesty of the year before when she missed out for Mrs Brown to Helen Hunt in As Good As It Gets).

Mark was later "handbagged" at the Baftas by Mirren for his opinion.