Some films have moments of utter brilliance, or even just good solid quality, that are tainted by a far weaker back-end. Here, we highlight the films that are worth stopping while they’re at their peak…

AI

Stanley Kubrick’s name is going to appear more than once in this lineup, and even though he didn’t direct AI (with the project being realised by Steven Spielberg after Kubrick’s death), his fingerprints are all over it. The film’s opening segment is absolutely outstanding, a stunning, chilling tale that features Haley Joel Osment’s very best performance. The second half loses the tone and changes the feel of the film a lot, and not for the better. Wait til the scene in the woods, and then reach for the off button. Then watch the first half all over again and revel in one of the most underappreciated segments of modern day big screen science-fiction.

Cat’s Eye

Here’s something a bit more obscure. This 80s trio of stories, based on the writing of Stephen King, has one absolute stand-out, and it’s the very first story. This is the one where James Woods attempts to give up smoking, by going through the sinister company known as Quitters Inc. Really effectively put together, it’s quite an unsettling short piece, and easily better than what follows. That said, we do have a soft spot for Drew Barrymore battling a strange creature who lives in the skirting board right at the end.

Brosnan’s Bond movies

After each modern day Bond reboot, you can see a formula falling into shape when Eon selects its next director. And so with Roger Spottiswoode on Tomorrow Never Dies, Michael Apted on The World Is Not Enough and Lee Tamahori on Die Another Day, the appointed director of the moment can have the first half of the film, post the credits, to make the film they want. Then the stunt guys have to come in, and you can almost see the point where the director is no longer really in charge. There was an element of it in Quantum Of Solace, too.